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Home / Past Issues / September October 2020
Stable Economic Recovery and New Development Opportunities
By Ning Jizhe Source: English Edition of Qiushi Journal Updated: 2020-11-09
The sudden Covid-19 outbreak earlier this year has had an unprecedented impact, bringing a sharp increase in the risks and challenges faced by China. Confronted with this severe and complex situation, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core, the whole country has worked together to overcome difficulties by quickly launching an all-out people's war against the epidemic. Every region and sector has conscientiously implemented the decisions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council to resolutely curb the spread of the disease, promoted the comprehensive resumption of work and production and a return to normalcy in our work and lives, stepped up macro-policy support by means of counter-cyclical adjustments, and struggled against adverse consequences of the pandemic. In so doing, significant results were achieved in overall planning of coronavirus control as well as economic and social development efforts, and the economy has rebounded from the downturn, displaying its characteristic resilience and abundant potential.
Nevertheless, there is growing uncertainty in the international environment, while the foundations of China's recovery have yet to be firmly consolidated. In the second half of this year, we must adhere strictly to our objective of building a moderately prosperous society, steel ourselves for a long-term fight against the virus, stabilize the six fronts (employment, finance, foreign trade, foreign investment, domestic investment, and market expectations), guarantee the six priorities ( job security, basic living needs, interests of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the smooth functioning of grassroots government), and do everything in our power to protect people's livelihoods, assist enterprises, shore up deficiencies, vigorously promote reform, and strive to complete our annual economic and social development targets.
I. Outstanding results in controlling the coronavirus epidemic and developing the economy
The outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020 severely threatened people's lives and health and had an enormous impact on China's economic operations. In response to the test posed by the epidemic, the CPC Central Committee upheld its view that the people and life itself were of supreme importance, which led it to adopt the most comprehensive, strictest, and most thorough control measures, to issue timely major policies on epidemic control and economic and social development, and to make comprehensive arrangements to stabilize the six fronts and guarantee the six priorities, thus protecting the lives of the people while facilitating stability and a rebound in the economy.
Increased macro-policy mitigation efforts and an economic rebound
All regions and sectors have fully implemented the government's proactive fiscal policy, prudent monetary policy, and policy of prioritizing employment, implemented macro-policies to help businesses through difficulties and stimulate market vitality, and worked hard to stabilize our economic fundamentals, bringing about a stable recovery of the national economy. According to preliminary data, in the first half of the year, China's GDP fell by 1.6% year-on-year, reducing the downward trend by 5.2 percentage points compared to the first quarter. Economic growth switched from negative to positive in the second quarter, highlighting China's economic resilience, considerable room to maneuver, and policy effectiveness. During the quarter, GDP growth went up by 3.2% compared to the same period last year and was up 10 percentage points on the first quarter. Value added of large industrial enterprises increased 4.4%, while value added of the service industry increased 1.9%. In June, value added of large industrial enterprises was up 4.8% compared with the same time last year, marking three consecutive months of growth. The Service Industry Production Index increased by 2.3%, with two months of consecutive growth. Given that China is a large developing country with a population of 1.4 billion, it is commendable that we have been able to bring the virus under control so quickly and effectively, stabilize and restart the economy, and maintain overall social stability.
Striving to stabilize employment and protect livelihoods to keep society stable
Faced with mounting employment pressures, all regions and departments have simultaneously alleviated people's burdens, stabilized jobs and expanded employment, provided employment assistance to key groups, and worked together to support flexible employment. The employment base remains stable, which has given people a real sense of hope. In June, the nationwide surveyed unemployment rate in cities and towns was 5.7%, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points compared to the previous month, having declined for two consecutive months. In the first half of the year, 5.64 million new urban jobs were created, representing 62.7% of the annual target.
Agricultural production has progressed steadily, and this year has seen another bumper harvest of summer grain, with output reaching a record high of 142.8 million metric tons. Pig farming has gradually recovered, and prices have stabilized. In the first half of the year, consumer prices rose by 3.8% year-on- year, 1.1 percentage points lower compared to the first quarter, as prices of most products in the "vegetable basket," a term referring to non-staple food, continued to fall.
The development of key industries has been ensured to keep supplies of coal, electricity, oil and gas stable and secure. In the first six months of the year, output of key resources increased compared to the same period last year, including coal (0.6%), crude oil (1.7%), pig iron (2.2%), steel (2.7%), ten types of non-ferrous metals (2.9%), and natural gas (10.3%).
Protection and relief efforts for people's wellbeing have been increased. The basic pension for retirees was raised, the per capita government subsidy for basic health insurance for non-working residents was raised, and the temporary price subsidy standard was raised in stages. In the first half of the year, national per capita income from social assistance and subsidies increased 13.2% compared to last year, while per capita income from policy-related living subsidies increased 13.1%.
A construction worker works on the Mengzhou Yellow River Bridge, Henan Province, June 20, 2020. China's economic growth turned from negative to positive in the second quarter of this year, demonstrating that the Chinese economy is resilient with ample room to maneuver, and that comprehensive measures have been effective. PHOTO BY XINHUA REPORTER HAO YUAN
Shoring up weaknesses and making solid progress in the "three critical battles"
In response to the difficulties of finding employment and increasing incomes and the rising risk of poverty-stricken areas relapsing into poverty as a result of the epidemic, the government has increased targeted assistance to decisively alleviate and defeat poverty. It has also strengthened efforts to control pollution in its ongoing battle to keep our skies blue, our waters clear, and our land pollution-free, and taken steps to guard against systemic financial risks. In the first half of this year, the government made solid progress in poverty alleviation, essentially resolved issues related to the "three guarantees" (guaranteed compulsory education, basic medical care and safe housing) and drinking water safety, and basically finished its tasks of poverty alleviation through relocation. As of June 30, 22 provinces in the central and western regions had launched 409,000 poverty alleviation projects, with an operating rate of 95.2%, and 28.3 million poor migrant workers from 25 provinces, had been employed elsewhere, exceeding the total number of migrant workers last year.
The ecological environment continues to improve, and people are enjoying more blue skies and clear waters. In the first half of the year, the proportion of days with good air quality in 337 cities at or above the prefecture level increased by 4.9% year-on-year. Of the 1,940 national surface water assessment stations, the proportion of stations reporting good water quality (categories I-III) increased by 5.6%.
Innovative monetary policy tools have been used to direct funds to the real economy, so as to rapidly grow credit and bring overall stability to the financial market. At the end of June, the M2 broad money supply balance increased 11.1% year-on-year, 1 percentage point faster than at the end of March. In June, stock trading volume increased 33.4% year-on-year.
People on an evening stroll take in the enchanting sight of Zhengding Ancient Town lit up with neon lights, June 3, 2020. While implementing regular prevention and control measures, Zhengding County in Hebei Province has allowed vendors operating in tourist areas and on the street side to open up their stalls, in a continued effort to keep the ancient town's nighttime economy thriving. XINHUA / PHOTO BY ZHANG XIAOFENG
Transforming and upgrading the economy and developing new industries and drivers
We have continued to prioritize supply-side structural reform and offered considerable support to enterprises to help them respond to the situation, seek opportunities amid the crisis, respond to the impact of Covid-19, and accelerate the replacement of old growth drivers with new ones. There is an obvious trend toward high-end industries, and in the first half of the year the added value of high-tech manufacturing increased by 4.5% year-on-year, accounting for 14.7% of the added value of large industrial enterprises, an increase of 0.9 percentage points over the same period last year. Emerging industries such as smart manufacturing and new energy have developed. In the first half of this year, the output of service robots, urban rail vehicles, and charging units for cars increased by 20.9%, 13.0%, and 11.9% respectively. Investment in high-tech industries also increased in the first six months of the year by 6.3% year-on-year, and construction started on a number of new infrastructure and new urbanization initiatives and major projects, such as 5G and data centers.
The information economy, network economy, and digital economy are thriving. In the first half of the year, the added value of the information transmission, software, and information technology service industries increased 14.5% year-on-year, and cumulative mobile Internet traffic increased 34.5%. New approaches such as e-commerce through live streams have proved extremely popular as online consumption continues to thrive, and demand has increased rapidly for telecommuting and online education. In the first half of the year, online retail sales of physical goods increased by 14.3% year-on-year, accounting for 25.2% of total retail sales of consumer goods.
Expanding domestic demand and unleashing market potential
We have adhered to the strategy of expanding domestic demand as an important measure to mitigate the effects of Covid-19, promoted consumption incentives and the unleashing of potential, accelerated consumption growth in new areas, and used the key role of investment in stabilizing growth and structural adjustments. In the first six months of this year, total retail sales of consumer goods fell 11.4% year-on-year, reducing the downward trend by 7.6 percentage points compared to the first quarter, with four consecutive months experiencing slower downward trend. Retail sales of sports and entertainment products and communication equipment by enterprises each with an annual revenue over 20 million yuan increased by 6.1% and 5.8%, respectively. In line with the requirement that factors such as land and funding follow specific projects, the contribution of investment to economic growth increased significantly. In the first half of the year, fixed asset investment (excluding that by rural households) fell 3.1% year-on-year, cutting the downward trend by 13 percentage points compared to the first quarter, with four consecutive months of lessening the downward turn. In the second quarter, the role of fixed capital formation in driving economic growth increased significantly. We have made full use of supporting policies, such as export tax rebates, export credit insurance, and export credits to help foreign trade enterprises guarantee orders and the sales, which has resulted in a better-than-expected foreign trade situation. In the first half of the year, the total value of imports and exports (denominated in RMB) fell 3.2% year-on-year, cutting the downward trend by 3.3 percentage points compared with that in the first quarter. In June, the value of exports increased by 4.3% year-on-year, and the value of imports increased by 6.2%. For the first time this year, both imports and exports grew.
Strengthening micro-economic activity and continuously improving market expectations
We have continued our reform to streamline administration and delegate power, improve regulation and upgrade services; improved the business environment; strengthened assistance for companies by issuing 90 targeted and timely policies and measures in eight areas; thoroughly and effectively implemented various policies to support businesses, particularly small and micro businesses and self-employed individuals, so as to help them overcome difficulties. Thanks to the gradual effect of a package of policies, cost pressures of enterprises have eased, their production and operational situations have improved, and market expectations are better overall. In June, growth in profits of large industrial enterprises increased 11.5% year-on-year, with a positive increase for two consecutive months. In June, the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) was 50.9%, and the Non-Manufacturing Business Activity Index was 54.4%, with both remaining above their thresholds for four consecutive months.
The international community is optimistic about China's economic development prospects, and foreign investors are confident about investing and operating in China. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently predicted that China's economy will grow by 1% this year, making it the only country among the world's major economies to achieve positive growth. In June, China's actual utilization of foreign capital (denominated in RMB) increased 7.1% year-on-year, with positive growth for three consecutive months.
II. Increased international and domestic challenges and new opportunities amid the crisis
It should be soberly noted that China's main economic indicators were in negative territory for the first half of this year, and the losses caused by Covid-19 have not yet been fully recovered. The virus is still spreading rapidly overseas, which means there is greater external instability and uncertainty. Added to this, China is suffering from insufficient domestic demand and difficulties in the real economy. Nevertheless, there are opportunities amid the crisis, and challenges breed motivation. China's economy is stable and improving, and the fundamentals for long-term growth remain. As such, we possess solid foundations and good conditions for promoting economic stability over the long term.
A more complex international environment but with opportunities amid great changes
The coronavirus pandemic is still worsening around the world, while trade protectionism and anti-globalization are on the rise, which mean that the prospects for a global economic recovery remain bleak. The IMF predicts that the global economy will shrink by 4.9% this year, and the WTO expects global merchandise trade to fall around 18.5% in the second quarter of this year. The pandemic has led to international cooperation in the fields of medicine and health, the digital economy, etc., which will accelerate China's development through the new round of scientific, technological, and industrial transformation. Amidst the process of bringing Covid-19 under control, cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has made headway, creating new room for China's economic development. In particular, the fact that China is the first country to curb the spread of the coronavirus and the first to stabilize its economy has put us in a position to better use global factors of production and resources and to promote the recovery of the world economy.
Demand and consumption recovery being slower than production and investment but development vitality on the rise
As a result of efforts to control the coronavirus outbreak, demand-side recovery is lagging and household consumption has been slow to recover. In the first half of this year, consumption expenditure per capita fell 9.3% compared to the same period last year. The coronavirus pandemic has led to continued growth in online consumption, accelerating online and offline integration and rise in the sharing economy and the platform economy. In response to deficiencies in public health and emergency equipment reserve exposed by the pandemic, we have accelerated efforts to shore up weaknesses, stepped up the construction of new infrastructure, and further consolidated our development foundations.
Ongoing difficulties for business but greater resilience among market players
In the first six months of this year, business operations improved, but losses caused by the coronavirus were still significant, with many companies experiencing falling profits and small and micro enterprises facing significant production and operational pressures. From January to June, the total profits of large industrial enterprises (referring to those each with an annual revenue over 20 million yuan) fell 12.8%. In June, the PMI for small businesses was 48.9%, which was below the threshold. In response to the difficulties of enterprises, all regions and departments have implemented policies to help enterprises through their difficulties, further streamlined administration and delegated powers, encouraged entrepreneurship and innovation, and protected and energized market entities as much as possible. In addition, companies have accelerated transformation and upgrading and adopted innovative production and marketing methods, thus avoiding large-scale bankruptcies. In the first half of this year, the average number of new companies established daily reached 20,000, demonstrating the strong resilience of market players under different types of ownership.
Greater employment pressure on key groups but jobs created by the economic recovery
Employment is generally stable at present, but migrant workers and college graduates face definite employment pressures, which cannot be ignored as the graduation season arrives. In June, the nationwide surveyed unemployment rate for persons aged 20-24 with a college degree was 19.3%, an increase of 2.1 and 3.9 percentage points compared to the previous month and the same period last year, respectively. In response, we are vigorously implementing an employment priority policy, and as our economic operations stabilize and rebound, demand for employment among enterprises is expected to increase. New employment channels in various localities, innovative methods of revitalizing the job market, independent entrepreneurship, and flexible employment practices are all increasingly important means of boosting employment and play an important role in guaranteeing employment stability.
The goals of poverty alleviation and building a moderately prosperous society within reach
Defeating poverty is a landmark task and a decisive battle in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. At the end of February 2020, there were still 52 counties and 2,707 villages in China that had not been lifted out of poverty, leaving millions of registered poor people living in extreme poverty. Although this number is not very large nationally speaking, it represents the hardest nut to crack in fighting poverty. Moreover, the coronavirus epidemic presents new challenges to poverty alleviation efforts, so our remaining poverty alleviation tasks are arduous. In general, decisive progress has been made in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Presently, all regions and departments are making every effort to launch the final battle against poverty, with the focus on deeply impoverished areas.
III. Strengthening confidence and implementing policies to ensure completion of annual targets
This is the final year for completing the plan to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects as well as the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Overcoming the effects of the coronavirus epidemic and promoting sustained and healthy economic and social development are crucial to their completion.
Countering the pandemic while ensuring development to promote a sustained and stable economic recovery
We need overall planning to put in place long-term measures to control the coronavirus and build on the success we have achieved thus far, as well as to ensure economic and social development. This requires the government to better implement macro-economic policies, adopt more proactive fiscal policies, make its prudent monetary policies more flexible, strengthen policy coordination, pay close attention to the implementation of policies to achieve practical results, and create development synergies.
Stabilizing employment and protecting people's livelihoods
A worker puts in extra hours to fill an order for export at an electronics company in Guanhaiwei Town, Cixi, Zhejiang Province, July 23, 2020. China registered positive growth of both imports and exports for the first time this year in the month of June, with year-on-year growth of 6.2% for imports and 4.3% for exports. PEOPLE'S DAILY / PHOTO BY ZHANG YONGTAO
We must help people in need to overcome difficulties so as to ease their burdens. Employment is vital to people's wellbeing, and creating jobs is a primary task in stabilizing a country's economic fundamentals. We must strengthen the employment-first policy with comprehensive measures, adopt targeted measures to stabilize and expand employment, focus on ensuring employment among key groups, and take a multi-faceted approach to increasing personal income. We must increase investment in compulsory education, basic medical care, housing, safe drinking water, childcare, and eldercare and continue to improve basic public services. We also need to take comprehensive assistance measures such as social insurance, social assistance, and social welfare to ensure that people's basic needs are met.
Achieving progress in the three critical battles and a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society
The key to achieving a moderately prosperous society in all respects is shoring up weaknesses. As such, we need to focus on poverty alleviation efforts in deeply impoverished areas including the three regions (the Tibet Autonomous Region, four Tibetan-inhabited provinces, and four prefectures in southern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) and three prefectures (Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, and Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu Province) and intensify efforts to reduce poverty by developing local industries, increasing employment, and boosting consumption. We will work quickly at these tasks in order to achieve a decisive victory in the battle to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects. We will intensify environmental protection by focusing on controlling sources of pollution, and continue to fight to keep our skies blue, our waters clear, and our land pollution-free. We will take necessary measures to guard against problems arising and stave off systemic financial risks.
Helping businesses overcome difficulties and achieving development to stabilize market entities
Stabilizing China's hundreds of millions of market entities is essential to protect employment and people's livelihoods. Proactive policies, such as tax cuts and cost reductions, are needed to help enterprises, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized businesses and self-employed individuals, overcome difficulties, sustain themselves, and achieve future success. We need to enhance the quality and efficiency of financial services for the real economy and guide the financial system to transfer profits to the real economy. We must support the transformation and development of enterprises and guide and assist the upgrading and transformation of businesses through technological transformation and reorganization. We must also promote entrepreneurship and foster a cordial and clean relationship between government and business.
Making great efforts to promote consumption, expand investment, stabilize foreign investment, and unleash potential demand
We need to seize the advantages of having large domestic demand and a complete industrial chain. We should better utilize both domestic and international markets and resources, avail ourselves of our enormous domestic market, and gradually create a new development paradigm dominated by our domestic market but in which domestic and international markets are mutually reinforcing. We must promote the optimization and upgrading of commodity consumption, encourage expansion and improved quality in service consumption across the board, and accelerate the cultivation of new forms of consumption. Our focus should be on supporting new infrastructure and new urbanization initiatives as well as major projects, expanding applications of 5G, building data centers, and continuing to transform aging urban community facilities. We should strive to promote quality and efficiency in foreign trade, open international freight channels, and cultivate new foreign trade growth points.
Persisting in reform, opening up, and innovation to improve the quality of our development
Promoting the sustained and healthy development of China's economy requires quantitative accumulation and qualitative breakthroughs. Without quantitative growth, economic development lacks a foundation; without qualitative improvement, it is difficult to improve economic and social benefits and efficiency. We must, therefore, continue to carry the reform to a deeper level, expand opening up, and promote innovation to encourage high-quality economic development. We must also utilize the salient and leading role of reforms, accelerate the transformation of our economic growth model and industrial transformation and upgrading, and hasten the cultivation of new drivers of economic growth, in order to encourage rational quantitative growth and steady qualitative improvements in the economy.
Ning Jizhe is Vice Minister, the National Development and Reform Commission, and Commissioner and Secretary of CPC Leadership Group, the National Bureau of Statistics.
(Originally appeared in Qiushi Journal, Chinese edition, No. 15, 2020)


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In desirable spots along Suan Luang beach prime plots of land are being snapped up fast by both Thais and foreigners indicating that the area is a good spot for investment and prices are still reasonable. So far the area has not see the vast price over-inflation that can be found in Hua Hin.
There is a very small expat community in Bangsaphan consisting of 30 or so permanently residing foreigners from the UK, US, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, New Zealand and other nations. A handful of western restaurants and bars is all there is to cater for them, there are no top-end tourist high-rises here, Bangsaphan is for those seeking a laid back beach lifestyle.
We only list sensibly priced properties that reflect market value. If you would like to list your own property or arrange a viewing please contact us.


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Ryan Reynolds talks about switching it up in new movie 'Detective Pikachu'
The actor, who's played superheroes and heartthrobs, talks with ABC News about playing the yellow, fluffy loveable anime character Pikachu in Tokyo.
Transcript for Ryan Reynolds talks about switching it up in new movie 'Detective Pikachu'
I can assure all the parents out there, the only f-bomb I drop is fuzzy. Reporter: He is voicing detective pikachu. I know you can't understand me. But put down the stapler or I will electrocute you! I want to be the very best Reporter: First, a video game, pokemon is the highest-grossing franchise of all time. The multi-billion dollar poke-craze is beloved in comics, the game pokemon go and now a live-action film. And it all started here in I mean, if you buy a ticket to see detective pikachu in Japan, it's actually, it qualifies as a tax-deductible religious contribution. Reporter: You are so crazy. Just for everyone at home. If you are in Japan, write that off on your taxes. Reporter: Ryan and I met at sushi mafia in Tokyo. Oh. Wrong hand. Already. Come on. Get it together or get out! Hey! Reporter: See? I am like a bottomless pit for approval. Thank you so much. Reporter: Where we learned how to make sushi from a master. That's literally all I can see, there's a blowtorch around. I'm a child. I want to play with the blowtorch. Reporter: Would you say you and pikachu have anything in common? We have the same sized hands, which is weird. And we share a voice, that's for sure. Reporter: Where did you get the sense of humor that you have? I don't know. I'm just compensating. Reporter: For what? For horrifying things. Reporter: Well, some of the roles you've taken on are a bit horrifying. Those included the foul-mouthed super hero wade Wilson in "Deadpool." , . Language, please! Reporter: Known for his deadly swordplay. But pikachu is cute and cuddly. Ryan's facial expressions were translated to pikachu with motion-capture technology. I didn't need to go full Daniel day Lewis for this role. I didn't need to lose 180 pounds and dye my hair canary yellow. Reporter: I'm sure she would appreciate the canary yellow hair color. She would. Reporter: Blake as in Blake lively. Former star of "Gossip girl", and his wife of almost seven years. They have two daughters, and she was glowing at the premiere of detective pikachu, pregnant with their fourth child. My daughter was obsessed with it, I don't think she knows I'm the voice of pikachu. She just thinks I'm the voice of everything. It's going to be a hard-fought lesson at some point. Reporter: The film brings the animated universe of pokemon to life with humans and pokemon living together and teaming up to solve crimes. Oh, my clues! It's the first live-action pokemon film. So if you're a fan of pokemon or not, it's a new world. A new magical place we get to explore, and it's what it would be like if you had a pokemon in real life. Reporter: Justin Smith plays the partner. Along with Kathryn newton, they try to stay true to the original spirit. This is how I wanted to see these characters represented. If you're playing on the playground, imagining having battles with your friends. Reporter: Based on the fictional city. We shot it as a live action movie, and we got all the performances, and these guys did an amazing job. Justin and Kathryn acting to nothing sometimes. Thank you. That was probably the hardest part. You took that the wrong way. Hi, I acted with nothing. Every single day, every single second. Reporter: Back at sushi mafia, Ryan finally gets his hands on that blowtorch with that trademark mischievous gleam in his eye. I bet you didn't know when you took on the role of pikachu you didn't know were you going to be making nogiri. I'm having the time of my life. This is amazing. Reporter: For "Nightline," Adrian Bankert in Tokyo. Our thanks to Adrian. You can catch pokemon, detective pokemon now. Honoring mom this weekend,
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RESERVATIONS & ADVANCE CHECK-IN REQUIRED.
Get to know the candidates running for at-large seats on the South Bend Common Council. Please plan to arrive between 6:30 and 6:50 P.M. to CHECK IN. There will be light refreshments & candidate literature table to peruse. You will be assigned a TABLE for the evening.
We will start the candidate speed dating PROMPTLY at 7:00 P.M. with people in their assigned seats. Voters will be seated at round tables. Candidates will rotate. Each candidate will have five minutes to "woo" you and to "court" your vote!
NOTE: Session 1 (Group A) will already be meeting with candidates when you arrive. Please visit with campaign volunteers and enjoy refreshments in the Fireside rooms after checking in. Do not distrube the candi-daters in the University Grill and do not take a seat at a round table until the moderate dismisses Group A and invites Group B to sit down for their candi-DATING session. Voters must reserve a spot for Session 1 or Session 2 (not both) and show up for their reserved session.


In 2018, JTRA distributed 824,000 pounds of non-perishable groceries to the citizens of New Orleans and its surrounding communities.
JTRA cooked and served 118,922 hot meals in 2018.
Amazing citizens took time out of their busy schedules to dedicate their time to help Feeding the Multitude in Louisiana.
Founder and Executive Director, Debra S. Jones started JTRA in a one car garage in 1999. Debra was a disabled mother of two and knew what it meant to struggle. She also knew how it felt to "have too much money to receive assistance and not enough money to make ends meet." She was blessed with family and friends who were there for her and her children. They assisted her with food, money, or whatever the need was.
Seeing the amount of hungry people in New Orleans, her city, moved her to not only wish she could do more, but actually do more for her people. Debra and those faithful friends prayed, discussed, and agreed to do something to help the community. Their prayers became a reality on May 3, 1999, the establishment of Just The Right Attitude.
Just the Right Attitude opened its doors in September 2001 as a food bank. The food bank services people in the Greater New Orleans area and some parts of Mississippi. Servicing others is the only result JTRA cares for.
JTRA continues to change the face of hunger in New Orleans nieghborhoods and its surrounding communities. All efforts are done without Federal, State or City dollars. We depend on donations to keep the food coming. Donations are tax deductible and are really needed. Help us continue our fight to STOMP OUT HUNGER!
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Known for its French bohemian touches and Parisian elegance, Chloé is quintessentially a French fashion house that creates designs that are carefree, effortless and romantic. Combining high fashion with its feminine charm, Chloé launched in 1953 by Gaby Aghion and is still one of fashion's most loved brands. Encompassing everything from swoon worthy handbags and shoes to beautiful ready-to-wear, the brand has over the years continued to create luxury pieces that stand the test of time. Headed by fashion greats including Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo, the brand's aesthetic of modern classics is loved by celebrities and fashion's elites across the world. Stella McCartney replaced Lagerfeld in 1997 and gave Cholé an overall girlishly feminine and sensual look which became the brands ethos for years to come. The innocent yet worldly 'Chole girl' was adored by everyone. With a series of female creative directors at its head, including Pheobe Philo, Clare Waight Keller and now Natacha Ramsay-Levi, it's ethereal and dreamy look has evolved into a trendy fashion house by women for women. The brand soon took over the fashion scene with the popular 'drew bag'.


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Two-year suspension for Jordan MP Al-Riyati after 'violent, indecent behavior'
JIMCO Technology Fund joins a $1.8bn funding round for fusion energy
JIMCO Technology Fund joins a $1.8bn funding round for fusion energy /node/1979651/business-economy
(JIMCO)
https://arab.news/bg6py
The Saudi-based Jameel Investment Management Co. has participated in a $1.8billion funding round for a US fusion energy company, it has been announced.
JIMCO has invested an undeclared amount in Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a company founded in 2018 that is building the world's first net-energy-giant fusion system.
"The world is ready to make big investments in commercial fusion as a key part of the global energy transition," the chief executive officer of CFS, Bob Mumgaard, said.
The High-Temperature Superconducting magnet technology will be used in SPARC, a fusion device that is currently being constructed in Massachusetts and expected to demonstrate net energy from fusion by 2025.
This comes amid the parties' steps towards a more sustainable future to mitigate climate change.
Topics: JIMCO Fusion energy
Omicron is an opportunity for investors: JPMorgan
Saudi Aramco and Raed invests $5.5m in emerging fintech startup Lamaa
Sudan to establish anti-terrorism force — Sovereign Council


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By Mirko Parlevliet
Following the poster debut and several trailer teases, Warner Bros. Pictures has revealed the first In the Heights trailer! The film is scheduled to be released on June 26, 2020.
The creator of Hamilton and the director of Crazy Rich Asians invite you to the event of the summer, where the streets are made of music and little dreams become big… In the Heights.
Lights up on Washington Heights… The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
In the Heights fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda's kinetic music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu's lively and authentic eye for storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience. In the Heights stars Anthony Ramos (A Star Is Born, Broadway's Hamilton), Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, BlacKkKlansman), singer/songwriter Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera (TV's Vida), Olga Merediz (Broadway's In the Heights), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Broadway's Rent), Gregory Diaz IV (Broadway's Matilda the Musical), Stephanie Beatriz (TV's Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Dascha Polanco (TV's Orange Is the New Black) and Jimmy Smits (the Star Wars films).
Chu is directing the film from a screenplay by Quiara Alegría Hudes; it is based on the musical stage play, with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, book by Quiara Alegría Hudes and concept by Miranda. In the Heights is produced by Miranda and Hudes, together with Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman and Mara Jacobs. David Nicksay and Kevin McCormick served as executive producers.
In the Heights was filmed in New York, primarily on location in the dynamic community of Washington Heights.
What do you think about the In the Heights trailer? Did you get to see the musical? Are you going to watch the movie? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links through which we earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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Mirko Parlevliethttp://VitalThrills.com
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded VitalThrills.com to cover movie, TV, video game, music, and theme park news.
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