Tag: State Department

US Stocks Mixed Amid Cautious Fed Comments, Gold Shines

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"beau sterling silver necklaces"Wall Street was mixed on Monday while gold jumped to an all-time high as investors weighed hawkish statements from (his explanation https://www.backtoglamour.com/blog/2024/11/16/look-your-best-with-mens-sterling-silver-bracelets-2/) the Federal Reserve against evidence of cooling U.S. Spot gold added 0.8% to $2,434.49 an ounce. Gold touched highs, coasting on last week’s encouraging inflation data, while silver reached its highest level in over 11 years. Fed Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said on Monday it was too early to tell if inflation slowdown is “long lasting,” while Vice Chair Michael Barr said restrictive policy needs more time. Copper, a barometer of economic sentiment, surged to a record high after China announced steps to shore up its crisis-hit property sector. The Japanese yen weakened 0.34% versus the greenback at 156.23 per dollar, while Sterling was last trading at $1.2708, up 0.07% on the day. Benchmark 10-year notes last fell 4/32 in price to yield 4.4355%, from 4.42% late on Friday. U.S. crude dipped 0.32% to settle at $79.80 per barrel, while Brent settled at $83.71 per barrel, down 0.32% on the day. European stocks eked out modest gains, held in check by interest rate uncertainty. Copper rose 2.72% to $10,958.50 a tonne. The dollar index rose 0.1%, with the euro down 0.05% to $1.0865. Comments from Fed officials have reflected the U.S. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said it will “take a while” for the central back to be confident that price growth is on a sustainable downward path. The 30-year bond fell 6/32 to yield 4.572%, versus 4.561% late on Friday. Jay Hatfield, portfolio manager at InfraCap in New York. Nvidia is expected to report quarterly results after the bell on Wednesday. U.S. Treasury yields edged higher after Fed officials expressed uncertainty over the timing of rate cuts. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the pack with a boost from chips , while the blue-chip Dow dipped below 40,000 after closing on Friday above that level for the first time. Crude prices were stable as investors weighed hawkish Fed commentary against signs that inflation is cooling. The dollar held its own against a basket of world currencies as investors awaited further clues about the path of interest rates.

The emir of Qatar came close, though.

"sterling silver jewelry finding"Seven boxes of Cuban cigars and matching Dutch bicycles may have been the most appreciated gifts that President Barack Obama and his wife received from foreign leaders last year, but a gem-encrusted horse sculpture from Saudi Arabia’s king and a pair of intricate mechanical birds from the emir of Qatar topped the extravagance chart. Iran nuclear deal, kept two rugs given to her by Iranian officials that were valued at $1,100 and $1,150 respectively. The Dutch bikes – ‘personalized’ and ‘made of black metal with bell’ – that Obama and his wife received from the Netherlands’ king in May 2015 were estimated to be worth $2,575. The emir of Qatar came close, though. A handful of White House protocol officers were given Rolex watches worth in excess of $8,000. Its value, along with a chronometer, a set of golf clubs and a golf bag, was estimated at nearly $523,000, by far the most expensive gift given last year, according to the annual registry of foreign gifts given to U.S. He gave Obama and the first lady two gold-plated bird clock mechanisms worth $110,000 each. The Cuban cigars were given to Obama by the government in Havana in December 2015, shortly before the first anniversary of his announcement that ties between the former Cold War foes would be normalized. Nearly all of the gifts were turned over to the government. They were valued at $4,100 and handed to the Secret Service for disposition. Each of the nine-inch replicas of chiffchaffs ‘tweets, turns, and flaps its wings once per hour,’ according to the filing in the Federal Register. Another Saudi gift Obama received in 2015 was a sword with a hilt made of mother-of-pearl and gold in a ruby-encrusted gold and silver sheath, valued at $87,900. The commander in chief was not the only recipient of Saudi gifts – Vice President Joe Biden received a Thomas Mercer clock worth $160,000; national security adviser Susan Rice got a silver- and gold-plated statuette with as estimated value of $31,500; and White House chief of staff Denis McDonough received a sculpture of Bedouins on a malachite base, worth $52,000, according to the documents. President Obama received an estimated $523,000 in gifts from Saudi King Salman this year, according to a report released by the State Department. In documents published Wednesday, the State Department said the horse sculpture presented to Obama by Saudi King Salman in September 2015 was made from gold-plated sterling silver, diamonds, tsavorites, yellow sapphires, rubies and obsidian mounted on a rotating, piano-black lacquer base. Government employees are not normally allowed to keep gifts they receive in their official capacity, but exceptions can be made if they pay the U.S. Thus, Wendy Sherman, the chief U.S.

Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. For example, mix 9 oz of baking soda with 3 oz of water. Thanks! We’re glad this was helpful. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Maintain a 3:1 proportion of baking soda to water. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto. Thank you for your feedback. With over 2 decades of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert certified, and EWG verified cleaning products. You can make a paste by mixing baking soda and hot water for cleaning silver. AspenClean’s glass cleaner was voted Parent’s Green Pick 2020 by readers of the Parents’ magazine.

7.5 percent another metal.

A complete guide on how to shine your silver pieces to prevent tarnish. Let your silver jewelry sit in the solution for about five minutes. Still, cleaning silver jewelry doesn’t take long, and there are some methods that call for supplies you already have on hand. First, it is important to determine what kind of silver your jewelry is before you get to cleaning. Katie Holdefehr is the associate editorial director at Real Simple. The composition of your silver jewelry will determine the best way to clean it and how easily it will develop tarnish. To determine if a piece of jewelry is sterling silver, look for a small marking on the inside of rings or bangles that reads “925,” which indicates that the piece is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent another metal. Follow these steps to make your silver accessories stand out. If you have silver rings, bracelets, and necklaces you don’t wear often, you might notice a layer of discoloration the next time you go to put them on. 1. In a small bowl, stir a couple of drops of mild dish soap into warm water to create suds. A silver-plated piece has a thin layer of silver over the base of another metal, such as copper or nickel. Pure silver jewelry should be cleaned at least twice a year, while sterling silver jewelry can be cleaned once a month or every other month. Pure silver, as it sounds, is made up of 100 percent silver while sterling silver is an alloy, comprised of a mix of silver and another metal, such as copper or zinc-materials often used by affordable quality jewelry brands. Over time, as silver is exposed to air, a chemical reaction occurs that gives silver a black tarnish. How often you clean silver jewelry depends on the frequency in which you wear the item. While all silver will tarnish over time, pure silver jewelry tends to tarnish more slowly. Luckily, your rings and bracelets aren’t destroyed-you just need to learn how to clean silver jewelry at home to remove this tarnish and make these pieces shine. These metals act as a strengthener, making the piece strong enough to last a lifetime while pure silver is softer and less durable. To keep your silver jewelry sparkling long-term, invest in a specialized cleaning cloth and learn how to store silver jewelry the right way to prevent tarnish in the first place. 2. Use a soft toothbrush to gently scrub away tarnish from any crevices in the jewelry.

3. Rinse each piece in a bowl of clean, warm water. Dampen the sponge before applying the cream. You can use a jar of silver polishing cream-the kind you would use to clean silver dishes and serveware-to clean silver jewelry as well. 4. Rinse the jewelry thoroughly with warm water, then dry with a clean, soft cloth. The cloths are typically infused with chemical cleaners, so they can be used dry, without the need for additional products or polishing creams, making them a mess-free (although not chemical-free) way to clean silver jewelry. 2. As you scrub, the black tarnish will come off onto the cloth. Most will instruct you to scrub back and forth, rather than in a circular motion. Wash your hands with soap and water, and avoid letting the cream sit on your hands. Be careful, as baking soda can scratch other forms of silver. 2. Working in small sections, rub the cream onto the surface until the tarnish disappears. This method works best for pieces with a larger surface area, such as a locket or pendant, rather than chains or delicate pieces. Work in small sections, moving to a clean area of the cloth as needed. If you’re certain that the jewelry you are cleaning is sterling silver (as opposed to pure silver or silver plate), baking soda is a mildly abrasive substance that will help clear away tarnish. 3. Repeat with other surfaces of the jewelry. 4. Dry each piece of jewelry with a soft cloth. Silver polishing cloths are soft cloths designed to clean silver jewelry without scratching the surface. 1. Buff silver jewelry with the silver polishing cloth, following the directions on the packaging. Don’t use a paper towel, which can scratch the soft surface of silver jewelry. 1. Rinse each piece of jewelry under warm water, then apply a thin layer of polishing cream onto one surface using a soft cloth or the sponge provided in the jar, following the instructions on the packaging.

95% of Rohingya Households Depend on Humanitarian Assistance

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"jewelry wholesaler2c sterling silver"WASHINGTON, March 14 (Reuters) – The Trump administration official overseeing the dismantling of the main U.S. Lebanon and the Rohingya, the world’s largest stateless population, according to an email reviewed by Reuters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s attention to “the odd dependency” of Lebanon and the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar on U.S. In it, Marocco appeared to want the Rohingya and Lebanon to express their gratitude for U.S. Written on February 16 by Peter Marocco, the acting USAID deputy administrator, the email provides a window into some of the thinking behind the administration’s drive to terminate aid programs that it does not believe benefit the U.S. A source with knowledge of the issue confirmed the authenticity of the email and that Marocco sought to phase out aid to the Rohingya and Lebanon. Marocco “is not convinced these people need more aid,” the source said. It should outline options for “how we recommend, immediately, sending the signal, that though we have compassion, people had the warning on November 5, and things will have to change,” Marocco wrote, referring to Trump’s 2024 re-election. U.S. obligation to provide further support. The email directed Tim Meisburger, the head of USAID’s humanitarian affairs bureau, to draft an “Action memo” drawing U.S.

America First foreign policy.

"sterling silver garnet jewelry"The State Department declined to comment. The U.S. has been the largest provider of aid to the Rohingya refugees, contributing nearly $2.4 billion since 2017, according to a State Department website. Marocco sent the email as he and billionaire Elon Musk´s Department of Government Efficiency were launching a drive to shrink USAID and merge its remnants into the State Department. The drive began hours after Trump took office on January 20, with the Republican president ordering a 90-day freeze on all foreign assistance pending reviews of whether aid programs conformed with his America First foreign policy. The United States provides military, humanitarian and other assistance to Lebanon. The U.S. long has viewed Lebanon’s stability as critical to that of the region and sought to counter the influence that Iran has exerted there through Hezbollah, part of Tehran’s Axis of Resistance against Israel. To that end, successive Democratic and Republican presidents, including Trump in his first term, have approved since 2001 more than $5.5 billion in humanitarian, military and other aid for Lebanon, according to a USAID website. They have fired hundreds of staff and contractors and terminated billions of dollars in services on which tens of millions of people around the world depend. Four days later, Rubio granted a waiver for all life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such aid. The United Nations earlier this month warned it will have to cut monthly food rations to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh from $12.50 to $6 next month, unless it can raise more funds. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the U.N. Lebanon has been rocked by a series of crises, including an influx of refugees from Syria, political paralysis, a financial collapse, a blast that devastated Beirut’s port and fighting that erupted in October 2023 between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement that uprooted tens of thousands. 2022 declared a genocide. Rubio on Monday said more than 80% of all USAID programs have been canceled. Reuters could not determine whether Meisburger sent the requested memo to Rubio or how much U.S. Food aid for the Rohingya and Lebanon was shielded by a waiver from the freeze for emergency food aid issued by Rubio on February 24, the source said. More than 1 million Rohingyas live in squalid camps in the Cox´s Bazar district of Bangladesh, which borders Myanmar, and according to the U.N. Others have sought refuge in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Thailand and elsewhere. Visiting Cox’s Bazar on Friday, U.N. Lebanon or the more than 1 million Rohingyas who have fled violent persecution in Myanmar that the U.S. Marocco and Meisburger did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 95% of Rohingya households depend on humanitarian assistance.

Swift has attended every Chiefs home game this season, with Kansas City holding a 5-0 record in those games. Just last month, Jason, wife Kylie, their kids and mom Donna flew to Miami to catch one of Swift’s three performance at the Hard Rock Stadium. Travis was unable to join his family at the concert due to his team playing against the San Francisco 49ers that same weekend. He’s a good guy. The Chiefs are the NFL’s lone unbeaten at 9-0, and they’ll face their toughest test of the season on Sunday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills. Donna’s appearance at Swift’s Miami concert on October 18 marked her first-ever Eras Tour stop. Ahead of the Miami show, Donna was gifted a iconic Eras Tour friendship bracelet from one of the singer’s biggest fans. Donna was reportedly ‘the nicest person ever’ to the fan, who shared the experience on X (formerly Twitter). While speaking to Page Six at the premiere of Travis’ TV show debut Grotesquerie, she admitted that the relationship between the couple has been ‘kind of interesting’ while also explaining how they’re so good together. It was at Highmark Stadium last season where she met Travis’ older brother and NFL legend Jason Kelce for the first time, as well as Jason’s wife Kylie Kelce. He’s kind. He’s generous. The Kelce family has also attended several of Swift’s sold-out Eras Tour shows. He really is. He’s good,’ Donna said of her youngest son. Swift could attend her first road game of the season, as she is performing in Toronto on both ends of the game during the Canadian leg of the ‘Eras Tour’. Just before the concert, Donna made rare remarks about her son’s relationship with the Anti-Hero hitmaker.

International Sterling Silver

Kmart has sparked a frenzy among Taylor Swift fans after releasing a new collection of bracelet kits ahead of the singer’s Australian leg of the Eras Tour. Fans shared their excitement on social media, claiming they’re going to ‘run’ to Kmart to get their hands on the latest DIY products. The official Kmart Australia TikTok page promoted the $20 Mega Rainbow Jewellery Kit, which is packed with beads of 20 different colours, letters, and matching string. Last year the department store launched a range of kits in the kids section, but the latest range can be found in the craft section. Fans are also particularly interested in the $9 alphabet bead packets to add lyrics and words onto the bracelets. The friendship bracelet trend started on social media in the US and was inspired by a line in the song ‘You’re on Your Own Kid’ from the singer’s latest album Midnights. In the clip, Liz said she was specifically after the pain black and white alphabet beads rather than the multi-colour packs. The department store has a vast selection of colourful, sparkly beaded kits and rhinestones available from just $9. Diehard fan Liz rushed to Kmart after hearing the news and shared a TikTok video to alert other Swifties.

Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance

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"replica designer sterling silver jewelry"WASHINGTON, March 20 (Reuters) – The Trump administration has prepared a proposal to overhaul the structure of how Washington distributes billions of dollars of foreign aid, according to an internal memo that calls for funding fewer areas that it views as better aligned with U.S. It also proposes that any “politically-oriented programs,” such as democracy promotion, religious freedom and women’s empowerment be moved to the State Department to handle directly. While it was not clear how much of the proposal would be adopted, it represents one of the most detailed examinations of how the Trump administration intends to transition USAID, an organization established in 1961 by Democratic President John F. Kennedy. The agency’s new leaders, some of whom were installed this week, laid out the next steps for the coming months in a separate internal USAID email sent on Wednesday. The memo argues the current U.S. The other priorities are to ensure the “safety, dignity and productivity” of USAID personnel during the transition and to work with Congress and Rubio to formulate a vision for how USAID is handed over to the State Department. U.S. assistance. It says funding should be allocated with a narrower, strategic focus. A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency from proceeding with shutting down USAID, saying their efforts to close the agency likely violated the U.S. The memo was first reported by Politico. One of the key priorities, they said in the email seen by Reuters, would be to administer the around 1,000 ongoing life-saving humanitarian aid programs. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for review, a source familiar with the document said. Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance. USAID itself has been largely dismantled, with much of its staff put on leave or let go and more than 80% of its grants terminated. It was not immediately clear how the ruling would affect USAID operations or whether it would lead to reinstating any of its staff. The internal memo will be sent to U.S. The new “specialized” body would be embedded in the State Department and its mandate limited to humanitarian assistance, disaster response, global health and food security. The proposal, seen by Reuters, comes during an unprecedented push by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shrink the federal government, which they say misuses taxpayer money for causes that do not advance U.S. The proposal calls for the elimination of nearly two dozen USAID bureaus and for renaming the agency to U.S. The memo was signed by Kenneth Jackson, who was appointed this week as chief financial officer of USAID and Jeremy Lewin, who was named as chief operating officer and is performing the duties of deputy administrator for policy. Agency for International Development worldwide, have jeopardized the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, throwing into chaos global humanitarian relief efforts. That action, and ensuing stop-work orders halting many programs of the U.S. State Department spokesperson said when asked about the memo. Lewin was named as a DOGE staffer this month by the COO of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all U.S.

If you’re as magpie-like about jewellery as I am, you’ll always be on the lookout for new brands and original pieces to add to your collection. Otiumberg positions itself as a demi-fine jewellery brand. But along with the prominent brands we all know and love, there are a load of under-the-radar gems (no pun intended) out there just waiting to be discovered. Her signature T-bar necklaces have been worn by the likes of Taylor Swift. Tilly Sveaas founded her eponymous brand in 2016. Born in Hong Kong to British-Norwegian parents, London-based Tilly has been a jewellery designer for over 25 years, creating her first pieces during an extended trip to Bali, where she still produces to this day. If you love keeping things unique and prefer to shop independent, these jewellery brands are worth checking out and keeping in mind for your next purchase. Their goal is to make pieces that ‘will be your go-to for years to come’. The brand’s founders, sisters Christie and Rosanna Wollenberg, believe you shouldn’t just save beautiful jewellery for best, so the sculptural rings and earrings are as practical as they are elegant. This British brand was launched in the autumn of 2024 by Tofi Caroline Adedoyin, a former investment banking director. There are so many amazing affordable and mid-range jewellery brands out there today, with a plethora of choice no matter what your style. All Grove & Vae jewellery is designed in London, and created using 14k gold vermeil and rhodium-plated sterling silver.

Think timeless glamour meets modern minimalism, without the unattainable price tag.

The brand focuses on creating timeless, versatile pieces tailored to the modern woman’s everyday wardrobe. Prior to starting Bijoux De Mimi, Amelia attended Central Saint Martins. Think timeless glamour meets modern minimalism, without the unattainable price tag. It specialises in bright, colourful jewellery. After working in the jewellery industry for 10 years, Amelia Bainbridge saw a gap in the market for jewellery that was both beautiful and affordable – and Auree was born in 2014. All Auree pieces are made with the highest quality solid gold, sterling silver (enquiry) or gold vermeil and natural gemstones. Items are produced in developing countries, giving the artisans income to lift themselves and their families out of poverty. The pieces are gorgeous too – from delicate pendants to eye-catching hoops, available in either 18ct gold vermeil or sterling silver. Catherine ‘Catch’ Rhys Jones started her label out of a frustration with the jewellery she was buying. I was tired of sacrificing style for quality, or my bank account for both’ says Neima Row founder Naomi Genes. Founded by Amelia Hitchcock-Merritt in the middle of lockdown at just eighteen, Bijoux De Mimi became one of the fastest growing jewellery brands in the UK. The brand uses solid metals – not plated or vermeil, and promises no green fingers or brass rash. With Love Darling believes in changing the world one piece of jewellery at a time. It always came with lengthy care instructions and still tarnished after only a few wears or turned my skin green’ she says. So she decided to make her own. Crystals & Co. founders (and best friends) Emily Mackeogh and Leah O’Reilly aim to accessorise peoples lives with fun, high quality affordable jewellery. Made by small workshops all over the world, each piece holds a story.

It was established in 2009, with the ethos that jewellery should say a lot about who you are, whether big and bold or delicate and gold. Dreamt up on a bicycle ride through Rajasthan, India, the British jewellery brand Memara was launched in 2019, with the aim to create beautiful, timeless yet affordable demi-fine pieces. The ranges include a collaboration with Vogue Williams. The eclectic collection draws inspiration from founder Abby Kaye’s past experiences and travels through India, as well as her childhood in London and love of nature. After growing up in Singapore, founder Lynette Ong left her job in finance to pursue a dream of using her creativity for the better. Scream Pretty’s signature style is the curated ear – combining piercings and ear cuffs, to create bold stand out styling. Olivia’s pursuit began when she identified a gap in the jewellery market – the need for everyday pieces that wouldn’t fade after a few wears – with this every piece comes with a lifetime guarantee against colour fading. Award winning British Jewellery Brand Scream Pretty was founded by Lucy Lee with her sister Jessica Pearce in 2016. This family run business designs jewellery for self expression; affordable, stylish and fun – jewellery to shout about. Founded by Olivia Jenkins in 2021, D. Louise creates timeless long-lasting yet affordable jewellery. Abby is a big believer in the talismanic and restorative power of jewellery, and strives to create designs that are both ethical and fashioned with love. The brand is named after Olivia’s mother Deborah Louise who Olivia sadly lost to cancer in 2017. With the loss of her mother, Olivia felt life was too short to not be truly passionate about the everyday and D.Louise was born. Pieces are made in sterling silver with 18ct gold vermeil.

What Everyone is Saying About Gold Is Dead Wrong And Why

Inspired by a wealth of artisans selling beautiful jewellery on her travels around Asia, Edge of Ember was born. Each piece of jewellery is created from start to finish within a small area of North London. Deborah is very mindful that the business be as sustainable as possible, and so she uses recycled silver and gold in all of the pieces. The Cult of Youth collection has since expanded to include on-trend, fashionable jewels with a rock ‘n’ roll edge at accessible price points. London-based jewellery designer, Deborah Blyth began designing in 2004, whilst living in Italy. These stories of romance, travel and history were the founding concept behind Carousel Jewels: modern jewellery that takes us back. In 2015, the brand shifted tack as Seymour gave birth to her son, Elvis, and started to document her life as a single mother, entrepreneur and jeweller. A silver letter necklace spelling out MAMA became a bestseller, and this motif has been applied to new styles including rings and lockets. Stellar 79 is a British demi-fine jewellery brand created by sisters Natasha and Sheena. Cult of Youth is a London-based silver jewellery brand founded by Kelly Seymour in 2011. The brand started out on a stall at Portobello Market, before being picked up by Urban Outfitters and sold at its stores. With dual Mauritian-Trinidadian heritage and London roots, the co-founder’s mission is to create inspired, authentic, and expressive jewellery made with a conscience. Her passion for the arts and love of nature combined to influence her process, which finds beauty in imperfections. The collection includes base earrings and chains, complemented by a range of interchangeable statement pendants to customise your look. Founder Sally Louise was inspired by the films of grandparents’ time, from Casablanca to Gone with the Wind and Lawrence of Arabia. Designs are hand crafted through the process of lost wax casting in her studio, and stone setting takes place nearby in Hatton garden. Harfi’s mission is to bring affordable, demi-fine jewellery to shoppers, working directly with its artisan partners. The sisters draw inspiration from their combined passion for art, fashion, travel, music, and culture across the South Asian diaspora to unify and celebrate cultural heritage and nostalgia with the present day.

“handcrafted Chicago Jewelry Store Sterling Silver” Fears – Loss of life

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"sterling silver jump rings"WASHINGTON (AP) – A senior official at Elon Musk´s Department of Government Efficiency is taking a leadership role at the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press, giving DOGE a top job at an agency that it has helped to dismantle. Pete Marocco, a Trump administration political appointee who was serving as deputy head of USAID, disclosed the change in an email Tuesday to State Department staff. Jeremy Lewin, who has played a central role in DOGE’s government-cutting efforts at USAID and other federal agencies, becomes at least the second DOGE lieutenant to be appointed to a top job at an agency during the Trump administration, further formalizing the work of Musk’s associates in the federal government. Musk has faced heavy blowback from some and support from others for his chainsaw-wielding approach to laying off workers and slashing programs. It comes after Marocco and DOGE oversaw the gutting of 83% of USAID contracts, shifting the remaining programs under the State Department. The integral role that DOGE teams have played in the administration’s push to dramatically reduce the size of the government has been divisive among the public and lawmakers.

Trump administration works to scrap the aid and development agency.

Marocco said in his email that he will serve as the State Department’s director of foreign assistance. In a ruling Tuesday, U.S. Institute for Peace, a government think tank meant to promote conflict resolution. In this week’s actions, Rubio also designated Kenneth Jackson as administrator for management and resources who will also serve as the agency´s chief financial officer, according to Marocco’s email. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by USAID employees and contractors, who argued that Musk and DOGE are wielding power that the Constitution reserves only for those who win elections or are confirmed by the Senate. President Donald Trump also recently appointed Jackson as acting president of the U.S. Marocco’s email was sent the same day a federal judge ruled that Musk and DOGE likely lacked constitutional authority to help the Trump administration shut down State Department and USAID foreign assistance, fire staffers and terminate humanitarian and development contracts. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce on Wednesday confirmed his appointment. The lawsuit was aimed specifically at DOGE, and the ruling suggested that similar moves from designated officials at USAID would not necessarily run afoul of the Constitution in the same way. That came after Democratic lawmakers and others expressed alarm at DOGE’s access to Treasury’s payment systems. District Judge Theodore Chuang in Maryland indefinitely blocked DOGE from making further cuts to the agency. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report. Their lawyers said the ruling “effectively halts or reverses” many of the steps taken to dismantle the agency. In February, the Treasury Department designated another worker associated with DOGE, Tom Krause, to perform the functions of an assistant secretary at the agency. The move comes as multiple proposals circulate among State Department and USAID officials on what foreign assistance programs to save and how to carry them out as the Trump administration works to scrap the aid and development agency. Marocco wrote that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will “effective immediately” designate Lewin as deputy administrator for policy and programs at USAID and as chief operating officer.

From just 18-years-old, she started to perform in national and international dance events.

Every winter, Lorina Sthapit and her cousins would warm their feet in woollen socks freshly knitted by their grandmother. The gender studies graduate then taught a course in women’s empowerment at Nepal’s first women’s college Padma Kanya Multiple Campus. A decade-long career in international development followed, including working for Oxfam and the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). From just 18-years-old, she started to perform in national and international dance events. Through podcasts and blogs, Sthapit and the makers’ grandchildren take listeners and readers on a nostalgic journey through the lives of the elderly artisans. Aji’s — which means grandmother — was founded in 2018 by Sthapit, her sister Irina and husband Pursarth Tuladhar, selling a variety of products including knitwear, blankets and jewellery. Born in Kathmandu in 1988, Sthapit found herself drawn to the Indian classical dance of Kathak — derived from the Sanskrit word kathaka, or storyteller. Undaunted by the male-dominated start-up world, Sthapit quit her NGO job to work full-time on Aji’s. The tales — from being married at just eight-years-old, battling to be given an education and raising five children as a single mother in the patriarchal society — shed light on Nepal’s rich social and cultural history, but also its strict gendered social order. She worked around the world from Uganda to Uzbekistan, but felt she wanted to make a difference in her home country. She slowly cultivated loyal customers who shared their love for the products with others, eventually drawing the attention of the wider public and international clients. As the brightly coloured pairs stacked up in her cupboard, the 32-year-old felt inspired to share the creations with the world — co-founding a crafts venture that not only sells such handmade products but also delves into the seldom-told lives of their mostly elderly female makers.

"sterling silver charm bracelets"Aji’s now has 30 elderly women and men working with them, using traditional Nepali techniques and materials. Another craftswoman, Dil Hera Tuladhar, has sewn traditional blankets and shawls for years. The crafts are sold at two stores in the Kathmandu valley and on the online marketplace Etsy. Sthapit herself learnt that her grandmother was “more confident and bold than I thought”. Ratna Kaji Tamrakar makes silver jewelry in his workshop in Kathmandu. The company works closely with makers’ children or grandchildren, in an effort to help the families develop closer bonds. For Sthapit, the venture has grown much bigger than she envisaged. Sthapit was emboldened by her grandmother’s joy about how popular her socks had become. Sthapit found the social enterprise had another benefit — it gave the artisans a sense of purpose. Tuladhar herself has become an evangelist for staying active. When she first told her grandmother, Champa Devi Tuladhar, that her socks were being snapped up, the 77-year-old’s eyes lit up. But for the first time, she’s started earning from them. Parents traditionally live with their children in Nepal with the elderly discouraged from working and earning. Businesses pay greater attention to so-called “grey dollar” and older consumers, while studies have shown keeping active boosts older people’s physical and mental well-being.

"sterling silver roses"Kmart Australia has copped criticism over a change to the accessories range. Claudia, from the Gold Coast, slammed the brand for using single use plastic bags, sparking outrage from thousands. Another agreed and said: ‘Former Kmart employee here.. Customers noticed the retail giant has started selling jewellery encased in small plastic bags. Kmart, I’m so angry with you,’ she said in a TikTok video. Is this performative environmentalism ? Kmart employee here. the ones not in plastic bags come in plastic bags to be removed for display. Im all for no plastic but maybe taking a step to improve the paper bags could go a long way.I have helped too many vulnerable people pick up their stuff. If they wanted to prevent losing earrings or having them stolen, they could always put them in a plastic box and unlock them and people go to buy them,’ one commented. Normally the products dangle on shelf hooks from cardboard backings. Everyone keeps stealing earrings, I feel like I never see a full set anymore,’ a third wrote. Probably because people just steal them otherwise – but yeah, it is stupid. They’re a multimillion dollar company, but can’t afford to loose some cheap jewels? Or is it a new law ? You start rolling out those paper bags, but you’ve started covering your earrings in plastic. We appreciate our customers giving us feedback, as we know we have a responsibility to reduce our impact by increasing our packaging recyclability as well as phasing out problematic plastics,’ the spokesperson said. Customers noticed Kmart Australia has started selling jewellery encased in small plastic bags. Kmart workers also joined the conversation and shared a lesser-known insight. Though many admitted the decision was likely made as a response to ‘high theft rates’. After 48 hours the video exceeded more than 60,000 views and other shoppers were appalled. A Kmart spokesperson told FEMAIL the retail giant is taking the customer complaints seriously.

This Included Three Tons Of Gold – 6

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custom sterling silver jewelry The first US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, J Rives Childs, would embark on a minimal three-day affair, when he would receive gadgets including a sword in a gold scabbard, a carpet, a watch and a gold dagger. This included three tons of gold – 6,800 bars of it, packed into 76 cardboard containers – and two containers of diamonds. The police later recovered all however two of the bonds after a tip-off. One man, Keith Cheeseman, received a six-and-a-half-yr sentence for laundering the stolen bonds. He had been delivering £292m value of Treasury bonds. They beat up and poured petrol over the security guards and made off with £26m price of goods they had been guarding. On Easter Monday 1983 a gang broke into the security Express depot in Shoreditch, east London, and escaped with £6m. Ellen Wald, an American Middle East knowledgeable and writer of the forthcoming e-book, Saudi, Inc, says the gifts are literally fairly conventional and appear to replicate the kind of journey and the scale of the entourage of people who accompanied Mr Trump to Riyadh. He recalls receiving a Rolex watch from the Bahraini government during a trip to the Middle East in the nineteen nineties while he served as deputy director within the Office of Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the State Department. The robbery was an inside job deliberate with the assistance of the managing director of the centre, Parvez Latif, who was closely in debt. Mr Huckerby was accused of being the “inside man” and was convicted in 2002, together with one other man, and jailed for 14 years. Robbers Micky McAvoy and Brian Robinson have been jailed for 25 years, whereas the inside man, Anthony Black, obtained a much shorter sentence after giving proof in opposition to them. Police discovered the robbers’ base, Leatherslade Farm, and a collection of clues recovered there led them to many of the gang members, who had been caught and sentenced to up to 30 years in jail. Italian Valerio Viccei was sentenced to 22 years. Montenegro national Milan Jovetic, who admitted serving to a Marco escape with the gems, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years, additionally for conspiracy to rob. Police imagine the mugging was carried out by Patrick Thomas, a small-time crook from south London who was found shot dead before being charged. The robbery took only three minutes, although a security guard was in a position to wrestle to the ground Serbian-born Nebojsa Denic, 34, who had a gun. They then drew handguns, ordered employees to lie on the bottom and stuffed 43 different rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches right into a bag. When he went to submit the costly watch to the State Department’s protocol division, which is tasked with organising diplomatic gifts, he was told they’d a “room filled with watches from the Bahrainis”. World leaders right now might not hand out planes or luxurious vehicles, however a recent State Department doc detailing 83 gadgets US President Donald Trump obtained throughout his May visit to Saudi Arabia underscores the long-held practice of extravagant reward-giving in the Gulf kingdom.

sterling silver claddagh rings Members of the American delegation to Saudi Arabia in 2008 received comparable gadgets comparable to robes and jewelled daggers, she says. During his first foreign go to as president, Mr Trump attended an Arab Islamic Summit within the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where King Salman bestowed to him a stockpile of gifts together with a number of swords, daggers, leather-based ammo holders and holsters, beaded and gold-embroidered dresses, dozens of Shemagh head scarves and other traditional Arab garments, leather-based sandals, perfumes and artwork. In 2015, President Barack Obama acquired a host of oddities, including a framed watercolour painting of males taking part in basketball from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a $110,000 gold-plated mechanical bird from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and a gold-plated, sterling silver horse sculpture embellished with diamonds, tsavorites, yellow sapphires, rubies and obsidian mounted on a rotating, piano-black lacquer base from King Salman. They used a JCB digger to smash by means of the perimeter fence and the Dome’s gates to achieve the money Zone, where the De Beers diamonds, price an estimated £350m, had been usually housed in a secure vault. Only £3m price of the stolen jewellery has been recovered – one, a £500,000 blue diamond ring was found in a jar of child cream at Jovetic’s home in Bayswater, west London. A financial messenger was robbed at knifepoint on a quiet City of London side road. In the event you frequent a big number of websites, it is best to err on the aspect of clearing your cache extra typically. A big quantity of the missing cash was thought to be in northern Cyprus and Morocco, in cash and assets. That’s generally the point when your browser will build up a cache large sufficient to start slowing issues down. To assist pace up that course of, most internet browsers will retailer a few of that knowledge in a cache so it is simpler to retrieve. Typically, visiting an internet site requires your telephone to download information like photos, banners and other knowledge. Clearing your cache removes the website data your cellphone saved regionally to prevent having to download that data upon every new go to. 4. You possibly can select Website Data to clear knowledge for particular person websites, or select Clear Private Data at the underside of the screen to clear information from all chosen fields. 1. Click the hamburger menu in the underside right nook to open up choices.

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1. Open the Settings app in your iPhone. 1. Open the Chrome app. The general process for clearing your Chrome cache requires a number of extra steps, and you’ll have to do things by means of the Chrome browser itself. Chrome is one other in style browser for iPhone customers. Clearing the cache in your iPhone is fairly easy. Clearing your cache is like clearing off your browser’s countertops. Things turn into less handy when your browser’s cache gets outdated and the information being retrieved now not matches the information really getting used on the web site. 7. Make sure that Cookies, Site Data is selected, together with Cached Images and Files. Despite the fiscal squeeze of World War Two, the British prime minister returned house and promptly ordered one in every of the first Rolls-Royce cars produced after the conflict to be sent to the king seven months later. When Winston Churchill went to see King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud in February 1945, he quickly realised that the £100 ($134) value of perfume he brought was no match for the robe, jewelled sword, dagger and diamond rings he obtained in return. A gang of 15 armed robbers stole £2.6m in cash from the Glasgow-to-London Royal Mail train that they dropped at a halt close to Cheddington, Buckinghamshire, with a pretend cease sign. The longstanding rule came from a 1966 regulation prohibiting gifts above a “minimal value” to stop governments seeking to curry favour from showering American diplomats with prize horses, luxury cars and perhaps a Rolls-Royce or two. A 1978 law amended the minimum to $100, with an inflation-adjusted increase each three years. US federal regulation bans authorities staff from accepting any reward from a overseas government valued at greater than $390. Government officials are also given the option to buy the gifts they obtained for market value. State Department officials as soon as barred overseas governments from giving horses to President Ronald Reagan, a nod to his cowboy persona, and presenting President Bill Clinton with saxophones, his instrument of selection, Mr Feierstein recalls. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton exercised that possibility in 2012, when she purchased the black pearl necklace given to her by then-Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Though Mr Trump has beforehand berated his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton for taking contributions from the Saudis and made exaggerated claims about the federal government, the gifts he obtained most likely don’t mirror his relationship with the country, Ms Wald says. Does the lengthy listing of gifts for Trump mean something? The list of items, obtained by the Daily Beast by way of a Freedom of data Act request to the State Department, appears to glimpse the gilded world and diamond-encrusted indulgence of Saudi tradition.

Mr Trump won’t be sporting the cheetah fur-lined robe given to him or displaying the Saudi painting of his likeness anytime quickly. Saudi gifts to Trump imply? What did Trump receive? An estimated £14m price of jewels and valuable metals have been taken throughout the Hatton Garden jewel theft, which has been described as “the largest burglary in English legal historical past”. How does Hatton Garden compare with the UK’s greatest thefts? How does this examine with a number of the UK’s largest robberies? A report from The Independent newspaper described it as “the world’s largest mugging”. At the time, the Northern Bank robbery was the most important robbery in British criminal historical past. It has been recommended that it would have vanished right into a criminal underworld and reappeared in international financial institution accounts in Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Cayman Islands, Miami and the Bahamas. Visits by international dignitaries have customarily entailed an trade of considerate – and typically not-so-considerate – gifts. Past gifts bestowed to US presidents and different diplomats are either filed away in the National Archives, displayed as relics at a presidential library or generally auctioned off. Gifts now are extra emblematic of native tradition, highlighting crafts and artefacts from the region, he says. 5. Choose Remove Now in the pop-up box. Mr Obama raised eyebrows when he gave British Prime Minister Gordon Brown a DVD box set of American movies, which many considered a snub to the UK chief. Two armed robbers asked to rent a safe deposit box and, after being shown into the vault, produced guns. CCTV footage taken from the depot confirmed the robbers have been armed with a Skorpion machine pistol, a pump-motion shotgun, a handgun and an AK47 assault rifle, they usually wore prosthetic disguises. A safety depot supervisor, Colin Dixon, his spouse and their youngster were kidnapped at gunpoint by men posing as police officers.