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Investment Climate Statements
Bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies plague Madagascar's legal and regulatory system. Non-transparent regulatory decisions have affected global investors who alleged unfair competition or lack of transparency. High-level corruption and alleged collusion between business and political elites have been a recurring issue in Madagascar for decades. Its auditing and financial information reporting systems are transparent and consistent with international norms, International Standards on Auditing (IAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), respectively. Although the regulations strive to establish clear rules, a lack of enforcement combined with shortage of resources and capacity hinder their efficacy. In addition, certain investment policies are not harmonized and, in some areas, can be contradictory. A policy harmonization process for Special Economic Zones is underway.
Madagascar has municipal, regional, national and international laws; the most relevant for foreign businesses would be national and international laws.
Depending on the circumstances, regulations can be suggested, drafted, or amended by various actors such as government or its institutions, business associations, academics, civil society organizations, and/or individual experts. Non-governmental organizations, industry associations and private organizations such as the American Chamber of Commerce, can also be influential voices in raising concerns about new legislation or regulations. For instance, the Chamber of Mines has had an important role in pushing back against the Rajoelina government's proposed amendments to the mining code which would have discouraged further investment in the sector.
If the GOM decides to move ahead with a bill, it is transmitted to the National Assembly and then the Senate for study and voting. It may go forth and back between them. Once the bill passes in both Chambers, it goes to the High Constitutional Court (HCC) for constitutional verification. Finally, the President has the ultimate right to proclaim or deny a proposed law. The President also has the right to enact a proposed law by decree if Parliament does not pass the legislation, though it is still subject to constitutionality checks by the HCC. Laws are published by their insertion in the Official Gazette of the Republic or its broadcast on national radio or TV in case of emergency.
Scientific, data-driven assessments, and quantitative analysis are not yet common practice. Regulatory reviews usually take place when a non-governmental organization or interest group protests against a new or amended regulation. Though public comments are welcomed and recorded in a registry before consideration and processing, there is no set mechanism which makes them available to the public. There is also no formal mechanism in place to make draft bills or regulations available for public comment or public consultation prior to their adoption. This applies to investment law and regulations as well. Informally, draft legislation and regulations do circulate and institutional pushback can lead to further changes as was the case with the revision of the mining code, where the circulation of draft bills led to protests from interest groups. As a result, the government withdrew the drafts for further consultation and review.
There is no centralized location for publication of draft regulatory actions. Once enacted, the full text of key regulatory actions is published on the Justice Ministry's website through the link to the National Center of Legal and Legislative Information and Documentation (CNLEGIS). http://www.cnlegis.gov.mg/ page_find_direct_mots/.
The regulatory enforcement mechanisms are usually defined along with the enactment decree of each regulation. The enforcement process may be legally reviewed. Anyone can lodge a complaint with the administrative courts, which are responsible for judging failure to comply with administrative regulations. The Council of State is at the apex of the administrative order and is responsible for ensuring the legality of the GOM's actions and oversight of lower courts. It also handles appeals for annulment of actions by local and regional authorities. The HCC verifies the conformity of laws with the Constitution of the Republic of Madagascar.
Since the last ICS report, while several regulatory changes including enforcement reforms have been announced, there have been no reforms relating to foreign investors. One of the changes is the appointment of the Integrity Safeguarding Committee (CSI), which has been tasked with the development of the national integrity system (NIS) to ensure the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of the anti-corruption system; and elaborating and implementing the national good governance policy. In general, the reforms carried out improve the economy, governance, land tenure, and the rule of law, although sometimes they make the administration more cumbersome and complex.
Accounting regulations appear transparent. The country has no stock market, and therefore, no publicly listed companies.
Budget proposals, enacted budgets, and audited end-of-year reports are publicly available. The timing of their release often hampers public debate; for instance, budget proposals are usually published just two weeks before they are voted on. The enacted budget is often not available until many weeks into the start of the fiscal year.
Income and expenditure are not truly representative of the governments revenues and expenses. Income calculations exclude fees and royalties from the mining sector, while expenditure does not break out the transfers and subsidies to state-owned enterprises. The interim audit for the 2018-19 budget noted issues with fiscal transparency where the government changed beneficiaries and/or amounts allocated by the initial appropriation without further parliamentary approval. Government contracts are not fully transparent as to their funding arrangements. The 2019-20 budget also had a set-aside under Sovereign Funds, amounting to 1.9 percent of the budget earmarked for discretionary use under special presidential projects.
Debt obligations are not fully transparent. For example, the rate of return and the subscribers of non-market treasury bills (called "special TB") are not readily available to the public.
Madagascar is a member country of the following economic blocks: Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the Continental African Free Trade Area (ZLECA). The regional regulatory systems prevail over the national system in case of trade disputes amongst members.
As a former French colony, most of the norms and standards in force are French, although other international norms are increasingly in use as the country's trade relationships become more diversified.
Madagascar is a member of WTO and the GOM has committed to notify all draft technical regulations to the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT).
French civil law largely inspires Madagascar's legal code, which contains protections of private property and rights.
The civil court system has its own independent jurisdiction, where civil and commercial cases are heard. The country's written commercial law consists mainly of the code of commerce and annexed laws. Recent reforms of commercial regulations and procedures have halved processing times for commercial cases at the Trade Court. Major cities and regions do have their own competent courts, although some trials fall under the jurisdiction of the central courts.
Madagascar's constitution provides for an independent judiciary. However, there is often flagrant interference by the executive branch in judicial matters, particularly through the appointment of compliant judges. Bribery and corruption are also factors affecting the fairness of the judicial process.
Regulations or enforcement actions are appealable within the prescribed time and are adjudicated in the national court system established in the capital city Antananarivo.
The country's investment law was promulgated in January 2008 and governs foreign direct investment as well. In addition to the freedom of investment and equality of treatment for foreign and national investors, Madagascar's investment law includes articles on the protection of patent rights and protections against expropriation, freedom to transfer funds abroad without prior authorization, and a stability clause guaranteeing investor privileges from future legal or regulatory measures.
Major laws, regulations, and judicial decisions which have come out in the past year are:
Law n˚2018-043 dated February 13, 2019 against money laundering and financing of terrorism acts
Law n˚2018-042 dated January 17, 2019 authorizing the ratification of the loan agreement to finance the "integrated poles of growth and project (PIC 2.2)" between the government and the International Development Association (IDA)
Law n˚2018-039 dated January 7, 2019 authorizing the ratification of the statutes of the "Eastern and Western Africa Bank for Commerce and Development or Trade and Development Bank (TDB)"
EDBM is Madagascar's one-stop-shop for investment and its website www.edbm.mg provides summaries of relevant laws, rules, procedures, and reporting requirements for investors as well as links to the relevant laws. Comprehensive details are found on the Ministry of Justice website at cnlegis.gov.mg
EDBM has links to relevant laws and reporting requirements for investors.
Law n˚2007-036 on investment
Law n˚2007-037 on export processing zone
Laws n˚2001-031 and n˚2005-022 on large mining investment
Law n˚1996-108 on petroleum, code
Law n˚2003-036 on commercial company
The following laws enacted in the last five years, also relate to foreign investment.
Law n˚2015-039 on Public and Private Partnership (PPP)
Law n˚2017-047 on Madagascar's Industrial Development which is reflecting the Industrial Policy (LDI)
Law n˚2017-023 on Madagascar's Special Economic Zone (SEZ)
Law n˚2017-020 on Madagascar's Electricity Law
The e-commerce and digital activity law has been adopted but is still awaiting its enforcement decree
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has the overall responsibility to ensure fair competition between businesses. The 2018 law on competition and anti-trust issues attempts to give teeth to the independent Competition Council (CC) which rules on unfair competition cases; the CC has the power to assess proportionate penalties for abuses of dominant market position. However, the CC is largely unfunded.
The investment law provides protection to foreign and local investors against nationalization, expropriation, and requisition, with the exception of public interest cases as established by regulations. For infrastructure projects which require expropriation of private property, the GOM must issue an official proclamation that defines the public interest of the project and the owner of the private property must be paid the fair market value of the concerned property prior to its expropriation. The government may also legally expropriate property when a judicial ruling permits it in cases where there is proven money laundering, profiting from trafficking, acts of terrorism, or a failure to make tax or debt payments.
Recent expropriations have taken place as described above. For instance, a well-known businesswoman recently had her new four-star hotel located near Antananarivo international airport expropriated after a court ruling against her for tax evasion. Court procedures included evidence presented by the Directorate General of Taxes and the Directorate General of Customs.
There were cases where asset owners alleged a lack of due process. In the case noted above, the businesswoman claimed she was victimized due to political bias.
Madagascar is a member state to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and under the Investment Law, disputes between foreign investors and the administration can be resolved through arbitration proceedings administered by the ICSID.
In case a foreign investor initiates the proceeding, he/she can decide to file the dispute at the Madagascar Trade Court, which is the country's competent jurisdiction in such matters. However, no specific domestic legislation provides for enforcement of awards under the New York Convention and/or under the ICSID Convention.
As a signatory to the convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (1958 New York Convention), Madagascar also accepts international arbitration as means of resolving investment disputes. Based on the obligation of the New York convention, domestic courts should recognize and be willing to enforce foreign arbitral awards. International arbitration is accepted as a way of settling commercial disputes between private parties. Madagascar has also been a member of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) since 1989.
Investment disputes involving foreign investors over the last 10 years include:
1) A Cypriot holding company affiliated with a U.S. energy company is the claimant in a business dispute with its partners, including a Malagasy business. The claimant has filed for arbitration in New York. The partnership sells electricity to state-owned energy company JIRAMA and in 2019 was in discussions with the GOM about the terms of its Power Purchase Agreement. Following the election of President Rajoelina in December 2018, the Energy Ministry has sought to renegotiate all contracts signed by previous governments. The claimant raised objections to the reopening of its contract, which had been signed by a previous government for a term of 20 years. JIRAMA also owed the claimant overdue payments, but was reportedly making them in a piecemeal fashion as of early 2020. Embassy Antananarivo continues to follow developments in this case.
2) In 2019, the Paris Commercial Court ordered Madagascar's state-owned airline company Air Madagascar to pay $20 million to Air France in connection with the leasing of two A340s in 2011.
3) In 2016, an international power producer (IPP) supplying electricity to Antananarivo, complained of non-payment by the national utility JIRAMA, a state-owned enterprise. After weeks of negotiations combined with threats to withdraw by the IPP, the government agreed to pay the IPP using a different payment mechanism.
4) In 2012, the government shut down the telecommunication operator "Life," a Mauritius controlled company, without providing evidence of substantial wrong doing. The company sought compensation and sued the Malagasy government at ICSID in August 2017 but there has been no resolution.
Madagascar does not have a history of extrajudicial action against foreign investors since the 1970s. However, enforcement by local courts of foreign arbitral awards against the government is uncommon. In the case of Air France, the GOM has not yet paid the fines ordered by the Paris Commercial Court. As far as Post is aware, none of Madagascar's commercial courts have taken up this verdict.
Two types of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms are available in Madagascar, namely "arbitration" and "mediation." Arbitration is a contractual jurisdictional mode of settlement of commercial disputes. The procedure involves submitting a dispute between two or more parties to the jurisdiction of an arbitral tribunal consisting of a sole arbitrator or three arbitrators.
Mediation is a structured process in which two or more parties to a dispute voluntarily attempt to reach an agreement on the resolution of their dispute with the assistance of a mediator, who is a neutral, impartial, and independent third party.
Both procedures are recognized by law. Arbitration results in an enforceable title in the form of an arbitral award, whereas mediation results in an agreement between the parties that does not constitute an enforceable title.
A privately managed entity named Center for Arbitration and Mediation of Madagascar (CAMM), created in 2001and then restructured in 2012, promotes and oversees ADR mechanisms to resolve international and domestic commercial disputes and lessen reliance on an overburdened court system. The CAMM helps companies manage their conflicts, determine the best way to settle them quickly and durably, and helps ensure the security of their investments and the maintenance of business continuity. As a result, many private contracts now include arbitration provisions that allow the CAMM to mediate eventual disputes.
Since the 8th Economic Forum of the Indian Ocean Islands in 2012, CAMM has initiated a process with its counterparts in Reunion, Mauritius, and Comoros for the setting up of a cross-border dispute resolution platform in which co-mediation will play an important role. CAMM recognizes and enforces arbitral awards in that sub-region. However, only the commercial judgements of these foreign courts are recognized and enforceable under the CAMM.
CAMM only applies in disputes amongst private parties and so has no jurisdiction in disputes involving SOEs. In the latter case, it is tried in civil court. While the SOE does not always win, the judgement is not always enforced.
In 2019, Madagascar ranked 161 among 190 in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business survey and it ranks 135 for the "resolving insolvency" criteria. The bankruptcy law, which was last updated in 2014, lays out collective debt settlement procedures, which treat all parties equally in bankruptcy proceedings. Creditors have the right to initiate insolvency proceedings only when seeking liquidation of the debtor, but not when seeking reorganization. Bankruptcy is no longer a criminal offense, but is punishable by fines and imprisonment depending on whether it is deemed simple, negligent, or fraudulent bankruptcy. The court system has reduced the associated prison sentences from those stipulated in the previous insolvency framework.
There are three procedures that apply when assessing the fate of a company in difficulty. The first – preventive settlement – is a reconciliation procedure designed to avoid the suspension of payments or the cessation of activity of a firm in difficulty which has not yet defaulted on payments. This procedure, which is non-contentious, requires the agreement of all parties and aims to reach an agreement on the settlement of debts and avoid individual lawsuits.
The two other procedures – receivership and liquidation of assets – are intended to remedy payment defaults and correspond to the current judicial settlement and bankruptcy procedures. Some of the provisions include the appointment of a receiver, who is a representative of the creditors, by the Commercial Court to supervise the debtor who continues to manage the business. While a compensation agreement is being negotiated, all claims are frozen; the compensation to creditors may be on unequal terms and sale of the business is subject to a transfer plan.
Madagascar ranked 164 on the World Bank's 2019 Doing Business survey in registering property. Property rights and interests are poorly respected because of alleged widespread corruption in the Domain and Topography Department and a lack of material and technological resources. Mortgages and liens are used in commerce and business to guarantee commercial loans. However, the registration system is cumbersome, complicated and unreliable.
Upon independence, Madagascar continued the land tenure policies of the French colonial administration with the presumption of state ownership of all land and the central government being the sole provider of legitimate land titles. However, due to the length and cost of the procedures for registering land, together with the remoteness of the authorities, customary practices for recognition of property rights prevailed at the local level. Recognition of property rights at this local level entailed the use of non-uniform, handwritten titles. The Land Title Office in Antananarivo is the only place to obtain an official title whenever a locally registered business wants to acquire a large parcel of government land. Registering a land title or transfer remains difficult, costly, and time-consuming for those outside the capital.
When the Land Ownership Act was amended in 2005, more than 90 percent of the occupants did not have a land title. The situation has not improved significantly despite several efforts financed by traditional donors. In 2005, with the support of a Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact, the government embarked on a land reform project to simplify the registration process and to reconcile the existing formal and informal land titles. The reform reversed the presumption of state ownership of land and introduced private ownership, while at the same time decentralizing land registration and recognizing/formalizing the existing local customs for social recognition of property rights. The 2009 political crisis disrupted this reform process, leaving the country with approximately 10 percent of its existing land plots formally titled.
The majority of land ownership disputes are resolved at the local level without recourse to judicial proceedings. The small percentage of disputes that go through the court system remain bogged down due to the complexity of the cases and the lack of clear evidence of ownership, and even when determinations are made, they are often not adequately enforced.
The investment law authorizes foreign investors to possess real estate through renewable 99-year leases, so long as the concerned property is used exclusively and continuously to carry out commercial activity. The regulation specifically prohibits the acquisition of land by investors for resale in its original state, or for sale after its development. The amendment to the investment law slated for later in 2020 is expected to further clarify access to land for foreigners.
In principle, if a property is legally purchased but unoccupied, property ownership stays with the legal owner even if squatters take over the land. In practice, due to corruption and lack of oversight, there have reportedly been instances of fraudulent transfer of property rights. The national land policy (PNF) that the GOM developed in 2016 has done little to correct the situation due to slow enforcement.[i]
The "Office Malgache des Propriétés Industrielles (OMAPI)," Madagascar's intellectual property rights authority was created in December 1992. OMAPI publishes the titles it grants in the Official Gazette of Industrial Property (GOPI) and provides the public with industrial property documentation such as patent documents, industrial property legislation in various countries, and multilateral treaties on industrial property rights (IPR). The "Office Malgache des Droits d'Auteurs (OMDA)," is Madagascar's agency to protect authors' rights and copyrights. OMDA's mission is to ensure the exclusive protection, defense and management of the economic interests of Malagasy and foreign authors, performers, and their successors concerning the use of scientific, literary and artistic works.
Officially, these authorities protect against IPR infringement, but in reality, enforcement capacity is quite limited due to resource constraints including poor digitalization, weakness of the judicial system, and lack of awareness of intellectual property rights among businesses and consumers. Due to these constraints, international investors have faced difficulties defending their interests. Madagascar neither tracks nor reports seizures of counterfeit goods, which are easily available in local markets as are unauthorized copies of famous brands, songs, and videos.
New IPR laws have stalled for years due to inaction by Parliament and the Office of the Prime Minister. The proposed legislation incorporates The Hague (international registration of industrial designs) and Lisbon (protection of origin appellation and international registration) agreements, and other international treaty classifications. The adoption of these bills would substantially improve IPR in Madagascar, provided OMAPI has sufficient funding for enforcement.
Madagascar was not listed included in the United States Trade Representative (USTR) ecial 301 Report or the Notorious Markets List.
[i] https://slideplayer.fr/slide/1169362/
2. Bilateral Investment Agreements and Taxation Treaties

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Sphenophryne cornuta is a species of frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is endemic to New Guinea where it is widespread and found both in the Western New Guinea (Indonesia) and Papua New Guinea. Common name horned land frog has been proposed for it.

Description
Adult males measure  and females  in snout–vent length. Each eyelid bears a small but distinct, pointed tubercle, making this species easy to recognize. The fingers have enlarged discs that are larger than those on the toes. The loreal region is flat and vertical, distinct from the flat upper surface of the pointed snout.

Sphenophryne cornuta breeds by direct development, and the male carries its babies on its back.

Habitat and conservation
Sphenophryne cornuta inhabits tropical rainforests at elevations below . It hides in leaf litter and under logs during the day, and calls from bushes and saplings in understorey at night. It also lives in disturbed habitats including gardens and degraded forests.

Sphenophryne cornuta is a common and very widespread species. It faces no known threats.

References

cornuta
Endemic fauna of New Guinea
Amphibians of Western New Guinea
Amphibians of Papua New Guinea
Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters
Taxa named by Giacomo Doria
Amphibians described in 1878
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Fadogia verdcourtii är en måreväxtart som beskrevs av James Robert Tennant. Fadogia verdcourtii ingår i släktet Fadogia och familjen måreväxter.

Underarter

Arten delas in i följande underarter:

 F. v. pubescens
 F. v. verdcourtii

Källor

Måreväxter
verdcourtii


With a wonderful park right down the street, easy access to shopping, and interstate access around the corner, this listing won't last long! Come visit this immaculate 2 story today! This home features new carpet in the main two living rooms and quartz counters in the kitchen. The exterior boasts an extra large deck, an additional 2 1/2 car detached garage, and a large, fully fenced in back yard. Schedule your showing today!


Can anyone give an opinion on the Turnigy 4000mAh Spektrum Compatible DX9 DX8 DX7S Intelligent Transmitter Pack compared to the original spektrum pack, also HK Could you confirm if this battery will be in stock again ?
@Damien Wilson I use one and it works fine. When products are out of stock they can have the expected resupply date on the product page. In this case for the UK it is end of March.


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By Kamola I. | 13, May, 2022
Islam is one of the most global religions in the world. You'll find its adherents all over the globe, and that's including in Canada. Here's a fun fact, Islam makes up 3.2% of the total population of Canada! These statistics show us that, although Muslims are still a minority in the country, they are a large minority. Canada has always done a good job in being a free country, where one can practice his/her faith without constraint and difficulty. Indeed, it is quite easy to find Mosques in the big cities, and Halal food is widely available, whether it be in stores or restaurants. Unlike some other American or European countries, Canada is very open-minded and has a close relationship with its citizens, of all races, ethnicities, and beliefs. Islam is, thus, thriving in Canada and Muslims have no problem integrating with Canadian culture all the while preserving their religion. Most Muslim Canadians feel a strong sense of belonging to Canada after their sense of belonging to Islam, and the two coexist in the most beautiful of ways. Read on to find out more about Islam in Canada and some additional statistics!
Quebec City, Canada. Image credit: Livia Widjaja on Unsplash
History of Islam in Canada
One may ask: "If Canada is a secular country, how in the world is Islam so popular there?". Most of us know that Canada is not an Islamic country. Nevertheless, this did not stop Muslims from immigrating there to earn a living.
According to Hassam Munir, the founder of iHistory, it all started in the 1850s, with a Muslim couple from Scotland. It is alleged that they had converted to Islam before immigrating to Canada. Mind you, this is a full decade before Canada even was considered a country! This is contrary to popular belief that Muslims only came to Canada after the 1950s. It was, of course, inevitable to eventually have Muslims in Canada, as Islam is the second biggest religion in the world. It was simply a matter of time and historical factors.
It is particularly after the fall of the Ottoman Empire that more and more Muslims traveled to Canada in order to look for jobs and start a new life. As Canada was a particularly new country, with a little population, the demand for labor was high and the cost of living was cheap. This was the perfect ground for Muslim immigration. After the advent of World War II, yet another increase of Muslim immigrants to Canada took place.
Image credit: Pew Research Center
If you've taken a look at this graph, you can see the interesting spike in numbers. This sudden increase of Muslim immigrants around the nineties is due to naught but the lifting of immigration restrictions, around the same time. From that onwards, the number only goes up!
If I know one thing, for certain, about immigration, it is the importance of having a community. Wherever your new home may be, as a foreigner, one finds more often than not, that having people with a similar background around you is one of the most essential things. Most immigrants may agree with me, especially immigrants with a Muslim background, as the latter also has a religious aspect to consider.
Thankfully, though, this isn't much of an issue in Canada, especially in the big cities, because the Muslim communities have a stronger bond than ever.
I've also noticed, as a personal observation during my stays in other Canadian cities, that some cities tend to be more popular with certain ethnicities than others. Take Toronto, for example, an English-speaking city in Canada. You'll find the largest South-Asian Muslim communities there. Or in Montreal, my hometown, a French-speaking region, has a majority of North African Muslims. There is a real historical reason for this, though, and it has to do with colonialism. I strongly believe there is a correlation between the colonial history of the home country and the colonial history of the arrival province. As both North Africa and Quebec were colonized by the French, it comes as no surprise to have all the North African immigrants in Quebec! Likewise for the previous British colonies, Ontario and some South-Asian countries.
Image credit: Research Gate
Today, Muslims make up 3.2% of the total Canadian population, and the number is on the rise, due to new Muslims coming in from within and without. Indeed, very frequently will Mosques welcome Canadian individuals looking to convert to Islam. If you regularly attend your local Mosque, you'll know witnessing a Shahadah (testimony of faith, the marking point for entering Islam) isn't a rare occurrence, and these moments are always moments of pure joy, compassion, and brotherhood.
Muslim organizations
Below are a few of the most prominent Muslim organizations in Canada. They serve the Canadian Muslim population, by speaking and standing up for them on the political scene, opening Mosques, organizing religious events, charitable missions, and opening up Islamic schools.
Muslim Association of Canada
Perhaps the most recognized organization, the Muslim Association of Canada works on many aspects of the Muslim communities. From educating the Muslim youth to maintaining Mosques and community centers, their overall mission is to serve Canadian Muslims in such a way as to help them integrate and have a good future in the country.
Muslim Welfare Canada
Another among the known Muslim organizations is Muslim Welfare Canada, a.k.a. MWC. This organization focuses mainly on food banks for Muslims and others, and runs on the mission that "service to humanity is service to God."
National Council of Canadian Muslims
On a more political stage, the NCCM serves as a voice for the civil rights of Muslim Canadians, combatting Islamophobia and other kinds of discrimination.
Islam is the second biggest religion on Earth. With over a billion adherents, it comes as no surprise to find Muslims in every single country one visits. Even in the most remote territories, be it in Canada or elsewhere, you will find a Muslim. This is unlike many other religions and lifestyles, which are concentrated in a specific place, ethnicity, culture, race, or those named after a person.
"Islam" an Arabic word meaning "submission" has no boundaries on where it is practiced, and by whom it is practiced. Hence, Islam is in Canada and is bound to stay.
Read this article next to find out why you, as a Muslim traveler, should visit Canada!
Kamola I.
Tags : 2022-travel 2023-travel Airport and Airline Experiences Beach Experiences Best Halal Dishes City Experiences Contests Environmentally Friendly Travel Festivals and Events Great Train Journeys Guides to Finding Halal Friendly Hotels Hajj and Umrah Halal Food Blog Halal Food Recipes Halaltrip Announcements HalalTrip Mobile App Heritage Travel holiday-ideas home-based-business human-travelers-stories islamic-stories mosques-around-the-world Nature Experiences Ramadan and Eid seerah Shopping Experiences Sports Events the-halal-travel-podcast Travel Ahadith & Dua Travel Tips & Etiquettes Weekend Getaways


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Pair Injured in Tug Boat Collision
Two men have been injured after a tug collided with a number of safety boats at the scene of a recent fatal accident in West Wales.
The pair were rescued after the incident close to a liquefied natural gas terminal at Milford Haven.
It comes after a 44-year-old rig worker, believed to be a Dutchman, died on Saturday when a floating maintenance rig collapsed at the same location.
Dyfed-Powys Police and the Health and Safety Executive have launched an inquiry into the incident.
The Milford Haven Port Authority said: "Milford Haven Port Authority has launched an investigation after a collision involving the tug, Smit Barracuda, contracted to BesixKier, and a number of safety boats.
"Two people were thrown into the water as a result of the incident, but both were rescued and taken to hospital.
"The Port Authority has ordered all marine activity in the vicinity of the jetty to cease while the investigation is carried out. The rest of the Haven remains open as normal."
Copyright © PA Business 2007
David Urpeth, a Partner at law firm Irwin Mitchell commented: Following the recent fatality, it is very worrying that a further accident has occurred at the accident scene.
Work at the scene needs to be done in a way that provides workers with a safe place and safe system of work. Sadly, I deal with many cases where employers have failed to provide a safe working regime and as a result workers are injured or killed in workplace accidents.
Three Sarclad Execs Acquitted In £17m DPA Case
Manchester Central Foodbank Gets Boost Thanks To Donations From Local Law Firm
Irwin Mitchell's Sheffield Tax, Trusts And Estates Team Expands With New Solicitor
Irwin Mitchell Makes Headway With Support For Sensory Garden
Irwin Mitchell Donates £4,000 to The National Animal Welfare Trust
Statement on Children's Centre Closures In Buckinghamshire


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Fakatahi kihe kahaʻu e lelei (französisch Ensemble pour un avenir meilleur, deutsch Gemeinsam für eine bessere Zukunft) ist eine politische Partei und Wahlliste in Wallis und Futuna.

Erfolge
Die Partei trat zur Wahl der Territorialversammlung von Wallis und Futuna 2017 mit beiden Namen (sowohl wallisianisch/futunisch als auch französisch) an und erhielt 3 von 20 Mandaten. Zwei Abgeordnete zogen für den Distrikt Muʻa ein, einer für Hihifo. Die Partei bildet unter eigenem Namen Ensemble pour un avenir meilleur eine Fraktion in der Territorialversammlung von Wallis und Futuna. Es ist die zweitgrößte Fraktion und die größte Partei im Parlament.

Auch der Vertreter von Wallis und Futuna in der französischen Nationalversammlung, Napole Polutélé, hat über die Liste Fakatahi kihe kahaʻu e lelei ein Mandat in der Territorialversammlung von Wallis und Futuna erhalten. Er ist allerdings als Vertreter in Paris.

Einzelnachweise

Regionalpartei (Frankreich)
Politik (Wallis und Futuna)
Organisation (Wallis und Futuna)


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/ by Kevin Gubernatis /
The Gift Giver, The Blessed Child, and The Brave Warrior
I've had the idea for this story for a long time and started working on it about a year and a half ago. Between computer troubles, having to transfer all of my work to an external hard drive, getting a new PC and losing track of it, I'd completely forgotten that I'd wanted to post this last year. I found it recently and finished it. Please enjoy this little tale of wonder and love. Happy Christmahannukwanzmayulstice, and have a wonderful day.
He moved with purpose to the place where they waited for Him, those who sought His succor, His blessing, His…approval. As He came closer to where the throngs stood in ecstatic glee, He changed his form to the one they knew, the one He'd worn for many a year. They came to this place – and many others like it – for some time now, hoping to meet Him and to beg His boon. While this was a newer tradition amongst His faithful, He quite enjoyed it. It allowed Him to visit directly with some of them, whom He was indeed so very fond of, from time to time.
This was not all for their benefit to be sure. He gained both power and influence from their worship and adoration. Their prayers, their wishes and desires and hopes – sustained and strengthened Him. In return He gave them His love, occasionally he gave them His protection and, most important of all, He gave them a sense of wonder and joy about the universe that they would never again feel as keenly. His relationship to them, such as it was, was finite. As time passed, so too would their wonder. For such things both He and the World wept.
He moved forward through the crowd of supplicants and basked in their glory as they basked in His. Some yelled, some tugged at His garment, most stood staring in silent awe. He walked passed them all, offering a calm smile that bathed the place in warmth, and sat upon the chair that waited for Him and Him alone. …Well, that wasn't entirely true.
The first of His followers approached His throne of gold and crimson, nervous and – as they were so often want to be – shy. He found it amusing that those who stood before Him uneasily were often those the most excited to meet Him before he arrived. An attendant, whom He had not even noticed as He'd approached, offered the devotee a morsel of refreshment – as was the custom – which garnered a smile. It was several heartbeats before He spoke.
"And what might your name be, little girl?" He said in a booming and friendly voice, as He patted his knee. The child promptly climbed up and sat in His lap.
"My name's Sharonda," the little girl said to Santa Claus.
"What a magnificent name you have, Sharonda!" Santa said excitedly. "It sounds like the name of a warrior princess. Princess Sharonda!" The last word was said exaggeratedly, with the R heavily rolled and He thrust out His hand in a fist as though gripping a mighty war spear.
"I like princesses!" Sharonda said enthusiastically, smiling coyly.
"So do I!" Santa Claus said in astonishment, as though it were the most impossible of coincidences. "I think you and I are going to be fast friends, Sharonda."
"I'll be your friend!" Sharonda exclaimed in perfect earnestness and generosity of spirit.
"Thank you." Santa Claus sighed as He placed His hand over His heart, genuinely touched by the little girl's sudden gesture of kindness.
"You're welcome." Sharonda said happily, smiling brightly. "Will you be my friend?"
"I will indeed." Santa Claus said solemnly, offering Sharonda His hand in genuine fellowship. She grabbed it fast and shook it vigorously. "Now, Sharonda, my friend, would you like to tell me what you would like to have for Christmas?" He finished the question with a knowing wink from an eye that wasn't there.
"I want my daddy to come home." Sharonda replied simply, but very seriously, as she gazed intently into her idol's eyes. As Santa looked back into his new friend's eyes, He saw His reflection there. His true reflection, not the illusion that she saw. More than that, He detected a desperation behind those eyes, and He knew that this was no small matter. He looked to Sharonda's mother who had been standing in front of them both. The woman smiled sadly and shook her head, and He knew.
Suddenly everything around them became quieter and quieter, until all of the place around them was in silence. At the same time, everything slowed down until it stopped and the light dimmed gradually until it became dark. The other children, their parents, Sharonda's mother and the other people running around in their busy lives were all gone. All that remained in the perceivable universe was Him and his new friend Sharonda.
"Tell me child…where is your father?" He asked her inquisitively, suddenly a bit more Himself as He truly was. For if things were as He expected, The guise that he had come to wear in recent centuries, with seasonal trappings and jolly attitude may not be enough.
"He's…" Sharonda started staggeringly, as if trying to remember. "Overseas?"
"Is He in a faraway land?" He said helpfully, once again Santa, trying to speak her language.
"Yes." Sharonda replied sagely, nodding. "He's been far away for a long time. We sometimes get to talk on the computer, but he gets real busy with the other army men."
"Ah," He affirmed knowingly. "As I thought, your father is a soldier then?"
"Yes, Daddy's a soldier, not an army man, sorry." Sharonda corrected herself sternly, as though remembering a scolding she might have gotten.
"That's quite alright." Santa replied reassuringly, patting her on the back lightly. "You know in my day they were called berserkir. Names of things sometimes have a tendency to change as time goes by. It is the way of things." He looked off into nothingness then, contemplating His new friend's request.
"What's wrong, Santa?" Sharonda asked Him concerned, patting His snowy white beard. "You look sad."
"Oh, I just know a lot of things, my dear and when people know a lot of things, they sometimes just look sad." He said thoughtfully, hugging the little girl close and hoping that she never knew the things that He knew. "Now, about your request! Can you keep a secret?" He shifted His head slyly, so that she could only see one eye, then He winked at her mischievously.
"I can!" Sharonda said excitedly, as if trying to get picked to answer the question.
"Well, if you promise me to not tell anyone until after you see him, I can promise you that you will see your daddy very soon." Santa said conspiratorially.
"Really?!" Sharonda exclaimed excitedly, then her demeanor dropped slightly. "Oh…I can't tell mommy? Daddy said I should never keep secrets from him or mommy." She stared worriedly into the red of Santa's coat.
"That's because your father is an honorable and, more importantly, intelligent man." He said to her approvingly. "That's good, but don't worry about it Sharonda. You won't have to keep it a secret for very long, just until you see him again. Then you can tell your mommy all about it, if you like." He smiled at her reassuringly.
"Well…ok, if it's only for a li'l while." Sharonda replied relieved. She looked back into Santa's eyes then. "I'm really gonna see my daddy soon?" The shear unbridled hope that poured from the lass was almost enough to bring a tear to His old eye.
"This, Sharonda, on my honor, I promise." Santa Claus swore, placing a fist against his heart and then releasing the fist to extend His pinky to the little girl in an offering of one of the most sacred vows one can make. She extended her own pinky and linked it with His, then they shook solemnly, offering one another very serious looks.
Then the lights came back and so did the sound. Soon people and things were moving again and the world was back in sync. Or were He and Sharonda? He supposed it was all a matter of perspective. Sharonda's mother, as well as several others nearby had a bewildered look upon their faces, as though they were lost in thought.
"Everything alright, miss?" Santa asked the distracted woman, casually.
"Huh?" she replied abruptly, then more sheepishly went on. "Oh yes, sorry. Just a bit of Deja Vu, I think. Ronda, did you ask Santa for that Thor action figure you've been wanting?" He turned stunned to look back at Sharonda, intrigued.
"I like Thor." Sharonda said a little embarrassed, smiling shyly.
"So do I!" He said earnestly, though this time the coincidence was real and palpable. "Very much indeed, in fact! I'll see what I can do about your action figure, Sharonda. It was very nice to meet you." He smiled genuinely at her then.
"Nice ta meet you too!" Sharonda replied happily, smiling back. She was about to hop down off of His lap, but he held her fast.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Santa Claus said exactingly, in sudden remembrance. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. "What was your father's name?"
"Mark Peters." Sharonda whispered back pulling back at Santa into a hug. "It's like my name Sharonda Peters, but his first name is Mark." She released Him from the hug and then looked back at her mother and then back to Santa worriedly.
"Oh yes, I see." Santa covered quickly. "Returning Mjolnir Action Thor, that's the one! How silly of me! HoHoHo!" He'd almost forgotten about the HoHoHo's! Sharonda hopped down off of his knee and went to her mother, who seemed unaware of the deception. Then the little girl turned back, as if remembering something herself.
"Hey Santa?" Sharonda asked politely.
"Don't think so much about all the stuff you know," she said, thoughtfully herself. "I don't want you to be sad."
"I will do my best." He said emotionally, trying to stifle another urge to weep. They waved their goodbyes and then His new friend was gone. The rest of the night went on without such momentous events. Some children were polite, some were greedy. Some were even indignant and insisted that Santa Claus did not exist. He would praise the courteous, admonish the selfish and amaze the unbelievers with parlor tricks like knowing what they really wanted. Eventually all came to love Him and the wonder He offered.
As the festivities came to a close, and the place where His worshipers came to glimpse Him suddenly became a place of trade and commerce once again, He rose from His seat and moved away from that place then. Those whom he'd beguiled and fooled to acquire that particular position at that particular place would be bewildered soon when the man they'd hired, one Allfred Wednesday, never came to get his payment.
When He had left the place that was no longer one of worship to Him behind, He called upon his Thought and his Memory – the two most useful aspects of his being, for His thoughts were of the whole of the World and His memory was of the whole of humankind's. He whispered a name to the wind, Mark Peters. Soon, two ravens from the saintly days of yore perched upon his shoulders and whispered they to Him the place and the time.
His visage now changed, to reflect the truth of His nature and His being. Gone was the red garment with white trim, to be replaced by robes of the dimmest gray and blue. His hat changed as well, hardening slightly and changing color with His other clothes, as the white puff ball that had hung from its tip disappeared. Last, but certainly not least, his eye – or rather the illusion of the eye that he did not actually have – melted away, revealing a hollow socket. Then He called to His steed, and the mighty, many legged beast trotted out from behind nothing to stand at its rider's side.
Once mounted, he moved with purpose through time and space, to the place and the name He'd been given. It was, of course, a battlefield, like so many others that He'd seen. The ring of sword had become the thunder of gunfire, the battle cry of the warrior was now the blast of the explosion and the whistle of arrows was now the whir of drones that, too, brought death from afar, but in the end – war was war. Men and women cried out in pain, chaos rang out all around, despite those within that chaos struggling so hard to impose their order, and the only thing that was assured was that fewer than was thought would survive.
It did not take long to find the man whose name He was given. Like so many on that field of smoke and sorrow, the man lay dead at the hands of an enemy, a bullet having torn through his throat. He surveyed the immediate area and found that many others lay dead as well. Many of them were the enemies of Mark Peters, and none were his allies.
Hmmm…promising.
"Mark Peters." He called out, His voice strong – and clear. Before Him the spirit of Sharonda's father rose gently from his body – in truth, the spirit was the man, and the body: what was lost, but that might also be a matter of perspective. Mark's own visage was different from the one that lay upon the ground beneath him as well. While his corpse was in full battle raiment, with armor and helmet, Mark now appeared as though dressed in what those of this time called fatigues. It was typical of the dead, He noted, to take on an aspect that reflected how they saw themselves in life, and this man saw himself as…
Still a soldier…very promising.
"I…what…where am I?" Mark Peters asked confused, looking about for who had called him from his bones.
"I believe this place is called Afghanistan right now," He said casually, stroking His beard thoughtfully. "Though later, who knows?" He did know, of course, but that was hardly the matter at hand, was it?
"Who are you?" The soldier asked more assertively when he saw Him.
"I am Odin." The Wanderer intoned seriously from atop his horse, offering the soldier a slight nod. "Though, some call me All Father."
"Are you like…God?" Mark asked awkwardly, seeming shaken by Odin's admission of title.
"To some, yes." Odin admitted buoyantly with a weak grin. "To others, not so much anymore." He pondered that for a moment, glumly. He guessed that most folk just didn't have need of Him anymore, as they had the attention of other gods. He minded not, for He was not one for jealously, but nor was He one to abandon his duty over such trifles.
"Am I dead?" Mark Peters asked seriously, then turned to find his own body on the ground behind him. "Oh…"
"You died well." Odin offered earnestly, as though it should soften the blow – and it should.
"What about my squad?" Mark asked worriedly, looking about with eyes he no longer had. "Did they make it back safe?"
"Of course they did." Odin replied as if the opposite were absurd. "You held off the assault long enough for them to retreat. You saved them all. Now come, we don't have much time." His words, in all, were the honest truth, the Wanderer had seen it in His Memory.
"Wait," Mark insisted cautiously. "Where are we going?"
"You are wise to ask," Odin said, impressed, cracking a slight grin at the soldier. "We are going to see Sharonda."
"Sharonda, is she ok!?" Mark asked, even more worried now. "She's not dead, is she? Is Roberta?"
"No." Odin said reassuringly, in a gravely, down tempo sing-song tone. "They are both alive and well, I swear it." He placed his fist upon his heart and offered Mark a somewhat melancholy look. He reached a hand down to Mark. "Worry not, Sleipnir doesn't bite…much." He winked with his good eye at the man, who – seeming to find no other better choices before him – took the offered hand. The All Father pulled the dead warrior onto the back of His horse and they were off through the places between the other places. Soon one of those places led to the home of the Peters family, where Sleipnir landed silently upon the roof.
Once they'd dismounted, Odin snapped his fingers and Sleipnir transformed instantly from an eight-legged horse with one name, into eight tiny reindeer with many, leading a sleigh. He noted Mark's bewildered and completely confused look and winked at him once more, playfully, as he transformed once again into the form of the Giver of Gifts.
"Come along, Mark," Santa said in a much more jolly voice, as He regarded the clear night's sky with approval. "We don't have very much time. Oh, by the way, it's probably best if you just call me Santa in front of Sharonda." Mark simply nodded, bewildered. Santa then touched Mark's ghostly arm and it exploded with color and substance. Mark suddenly seemed very much alive and well, though he was not at all either. Then, with a bit of a jolt at first, Santa and Mark glided straight down through the roof as though it were naught but air. They passed through shingle and beam and floor until they came to rest in a child's room. Sharonda's room.
The child lay soundly asleep in her bed, snoring softly as she held tight to a stuffed bear. All about were the stuff of childhood and youth. Drawings, colorful furniture, images of things that the girl either likened to herself or simply enjoyed – and toys. There were always toys of some kind, Santa noted. Even if those toys were made by the children themselves.
"Sharonda?" Santa whispered quietly, as he touched the little girl's foot. "Awaken, dear child. It's Santa. I have someone here who wishes to speak with you." The little girl woke from her sound slumber with just a bit of a start, but brightened widely awake when she saw who had woken her. Before she could call out excitedly, Santa brought his finger to his lips in a comically dramatic way, throwing out shushes to the little girl.
"Santa!" Sharonda exclaimed in a harsh whisper. "What are you doing here? It isn't Christmas, is it?" She made a face somewhere between confusion and suspicion, scrunching up her features.
"No, Christmas is not for a little while, yet." Santa agreed sagely, nodding to the child exaggeratedly. "I am here about your request." He smiled wide, warm, and knowingly at the little child and stepped aside to reveal Mark standing behind him.
"Daddy!" Sharonda exclaimed loudly, jumping off of her bed and rushing to her father, who knelt down low and caught her in an embrace. Then, as it had before, everything got a little quieter, darker and less and Sharonda and Mark were in their own congruent space-time safe from the ravages of the world and of humanity. All the while, the eye of Odin watched them from outside time, in approval…and in sorrow.
"It's so good to see you, baby-girl." Mark told her lovingly, as he squeezed her tightly. "I've missed you so much."
"I missed you, too, daddy!" Sharonda replied earnestly, burying her face in his neck. "I love you."
"I love you too, baby-girl." Mark said emotionally, tears streaming down his face. He held her embrace for a long time, before he pulled away to look at her.
"You've gotten so big!" Mark exclaimed exuberantly.
"I've grown a whole inch since my last birthday!"
The father and daughter spoke of many things then. Of the past, of the present, and of things yet to come. The All Father gave them as much time as He could. Even still, when He found it time to end their reunion, He also found that He wanted to give them just a little more.
"I'm sorry, Sharonda, but it's time for us to go now," Santa said apologetically, at a lull in the conversation that seemed appropriate. "I have much to do to prepare for this Christmas and your father has pressing matters, as well." He frowned crookedly as He stepped into their space-time continuum.
"What?" Sharonda asked mournfully, looking from her father to Santa. "You're leaving? But you just got home!" She frowned sadly and slumped to her knees.
"I'm afraid so, my dear." Santa said sorrowfully. "I wish it were not so, but it is."
"I'm sorry, baby-girl." Mark offered supportively, hugging his daughter again and still crying. "I really am, but I've got to go." He picked the child up gently and carried her to her bed, the All Father's magic making it possible with neither of them even knowing. After he'd tucked her in, Mark kissed her gently on the forehead.
"I love you, Sharonda." Mark said seriously, trying practice a bit of stoicism. "Be strong, baby-girl." He stepped away from her then and smiled down into her eyes.
"Goodbye, Sharonda." Santa Claus said affectionately, offering a little wave. "Remember to be a good girl for your mother. Can you do that for me, my friend?" He offered the child a weak, but apologetic grin, which she returned earnestly, if sadly.
"Yes, Santa." Sharonda said moodily. "I'll be good. Goodbye, Daddy. I love you." Santa Claus then lifted His hand to wave and to use His magic to put the child back to sleep – or started to, as the child interrupted Him with one more word of parting.
"Santa?" Sharonda said earnestly, her chin still under her blanket. "Thank you, friend."
"You are most welcome, my friend." Santa Claus and Odin said back in perfect honesty. With that, Santa waved His hand and many things happened at once. Sharonda fell into a deep and happy sleep, time and space returned to normal, and both He and Mark rose once again toward the rooftop from whence they came.
"Can I see my wife?" Mark asked Santa Claus plaintively and as he did, Santa promptly turned back into Odin with the words. So too, did Mark return to a transparent and ghostly apparition.
"I'm sorry, but no," The All Father told him, dourly. "I do not have the time for that and besides, it would just confuse her. Children can accept these kinds of things more easily than adults…these days anyway. Come along." He walked over to the sleigh, which turned back into Sleipnir when He touched it, and mounted His steed.
"What happens now?" Mark asked, again bewildered, as he approached Sleipnir, seeming to only now really understand his situation. It was fair, though, the man had had other, far more important things on his mind than death.
"That's completely up to you, Mark," Odin explained, calmly. "You can stay here, but I wouldn't recommend it. Haunting does more harm than help in these sorts of situations, honestly." He grimaced, looking about, as if seeking possible avenues for the soldier to take.
"You could go up," The All Father said, matter-of-factly, gazing upward to the sky, which was now not so clear, as they drifted further into the ether. Dark grey clouds blanketed it now, broken through here and there by beams of pure white light. A rumble of thunder could be heard coming from them and figures flew into and out of the cracks that the light made.
"Many go up," Odin explained casually. "Not sure why, but I think they think it's happier. I hope it is. I'd hate to think that so many had gone there thinking it was, only to be disappointed." He sniffed, grimacing again.
"I could return you to whence we came," Odin continued tentatively. "Many haunt the place of their falling and it is no dishonor to do so. Though in cases like yours, where you would go and what you would see and do there might itself create an undeserved torment." He waved a hand sharply, as though he should not have even mentioned it.
"You could wander, as I did," The All Father intoned cryptically, raising the eyebrow of his hollow. "Seek out those souls of like mind, that you might band together and discover and rediscover forgotten mysteries." He gestured grandiosely, almost hoping that the soldier would take that route.
"I don't understand," Mark expressed in confused frustration. "How does all of this work? Is up heaven? Is down hell, then? Who's in charge?" He held his hands up in the air, helplessly. Shaking his head and seeming to try and make sense of it all.
"I told you." Odin said carefully. "You are in charge. You can go where you like. Heaven, Hell and anywhere in between, or even beyond, for that matter – and as for how all this works, I can tell you only this: I've been searching for the answer to that for well over ten thousand years and I still haven't a clue." He offered Mark a shrug and a shake of His head, as though none of it really mattered.
Mark cast about once more, seeming to look about, as Odin had, for somewhere to go. Somewhere to be. Just as he looked as though he were going to ask to be taken back to the battlefield where he died, the Allfather spoke.
"There is, of course, another choice," Odin offered dramatically, as he fixed the soldier with a piercing stare from his one eye. "You could come with me. I have much need of brave and tactical minds such as yours." He let His gaze linger on Mark for some time, waiting for him to speak.
"Where are you going?" Mark asked suspiciously, folding his arms across his chest.
Still cautious. Good.
"I go to prepare." Odin said simply, still holding the ghost's gaze.
"Prepare for what?" Mark asked dubiously and a bit sarcastically, his arms still folded. "Christmas?"
"Hardly," the All Father said, without blinking. "I go to prepare for war."
"What war?" Mark asked, almost incredulous.
"THE War."
"Oh…" Mark uttered, almost nervously, his arms slumping down to his sides, then, after thinking a moment added. "Wait, which side are you on?" Odin raised an eyebrow at that, for no one had ever really asked Him that question before. Mark was truly an interesting find, indeed. The All Father searched for the most appropriate answer and then smiled as much to Himself as to Mark when He found it.
"Sharonda's." Odin stated flatly, fixing Mark with the same piercing gaze.
The soldier licked lips that he didn't actually have any longer and thought, crossing his ghostly hands across his transparent chest again. After a moment, he sighed breathlessly, looked about one more time and then walked over to take the offered hand of the All Father, who pulled him back atop Sleipnir.
"One last question," Mark asked curiously from behind Odin. "Why did you bring me here, if you think that I shouldn't stay?"
"Because…" Odin All Father and Santa Claus declared together, lowly, with deep satisfaction – and a bit of mirth in his tone – "I keep my promises."
Chris Garcia	December 9, 2018 at 7:50 am
Was a good read Kevin. Like the Santa mix.
Nathan Pettijohn	December 11, 2018 at 8:20 pm
Very unique story! I love the subject of this story! Well Done!


text:
<?php
namespace Muffin\Tags\Model\Table;

use Cake\ORM\Table;

class TaggedTable extends Table
{

    /**
     * Initialize table config.
     *
     * @param array $config Config options
     * @return void
     */
    public function initialize(array $config)
    {
        $this->table('tags_tagged');
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Anadolu Endustri Holding AS, the owner of stakes in Turkey's biggest brewer and Coca-Cola Co.'s local business, agreed to buy 40.25 percent of Migros Ticaret AS (MGROS) in a transaction that values the second-biggest Turkish retailer at 6.4 billion liras ($2.7 billion).
Anadolu will acquire half of private-equity firm BC Partners Holdings Ltd.'s 80.5 percent holding, giving it equal management control, according to a statement today. The per-share price of 26 liras carries a 36 percent premium over Migros's closing value on Oct. 2, when news of Anadolu's offer was first reported.
Buying into the grocer gives Anadolu access to outlets in a country of about 80 million people. Migros, which was acquired by a BC Partners-led group for $3.3 billion in 2008, has more than 1,190 stores in Turkey and controls about 15 percent of the country's organized food retail market, the statement said.
"We see enormous potential to further develop the business, utilizing more than 60 years of proven experience in the Turkish consumer market," Tuncay Ozilhan, Anadolu's chairman and chief executive officer, said in the statement.
BC Partners was advised by Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & CoThe 26-lira-a-share price corresponds to an enterprise value, or market value plus debt, of 15.4 times Migros's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, Erol Danis, an analyst at Deutsche Bank AG's Istanbul unit, said when the talks were announced in October. BC Partners paid a multiple of 8.5 times, he said.