Rocky Walia, a prominent businessman from Atlanta, GA, purchased the PREMIUM CANADIANS franchise from American Premiere League, which will hold its highly anticipated second edition cricket tournament from December 19 – December 31, 2022, at the ICC approved Broward County Cricket Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

Mr. Walia's vast business portfolio includes owning a chain of convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores across Georgia. Mr. Walia came to the United States at a very young age and through his hard work, dedication, and unwavering drive to succeed, has been able to build a successful business empire. "Cricket has been the source of my entertainment right from the start of my childhood. Just like billions of cricket fans across the Indian subcontinent, I live, eat, and breathe the fantastic sport of cricket. As a successful businessman, I am always looking for the next big opportunity and when this idea of American Premiere League was presented to me, I was drawn to it right away. The idea of naming the teams based off of the cricket loving communities living in the United States sounded like a brilliant concept to me and sparked a great deal of curiosity. I felt compelled to learn more, which lead me to watch highlights of the historic inaugural American Premiere League tournament of 2021 and was amazed what American Premiere League was able to achieve, which includes the 'never been done before' opening ceremony, to the high-level production, to the beautiful Corvette given to the MVP. My family and I are thrilled to be part of this exciting and unique business venture and will assure that we put together a very exciting and competitive team for American Premiere League Season Two this December in Florida."

Jay Mir, Founder and CEO of APL added, "The Cricket revolution in the United States is bringing more and more people on board and I welcome Mr. Walia on board for this historic journey with APL. Although American Premiere League Season One has been deemed as one of the best cricket tournaments in the United States, our vision and goal is to make the 2022 season even bigger and better than 2021. Part of this effort has been to move American Premiere League to a proper ICC approved cricket stadium and have an 18-camera production with a DRS review system. I am truly amazed and humbled by the tremendous response we have gotten from cricket loving fans from across North America and wish Mr. Walia the best in competing in APL."

The recent jobs report showed solid job growth, with 315,000 jobs added in August 2022, after an increase of 526,000 jobs in July. Labor shortages are still a major problem for employers while employees are benefiting from increased job opportunities and more bargaining power. Nonetheless, with broad-based gains in jobs, but also still very elevated inflation, the Fed will likely feel comfortable with another 75 basis points interest rate hike. With the Fed expected to further raise interest rates and economic activity already slowing, job growth is likely to decelerate over the next months.

The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.7 percent in August 2022, from 3.5 percent in July, as more people actively looked for work. This was represented by the labor force participation rate increasing to 62.4 percent in August, up from 62.1 percent in July.

Job gains were widespread with most industries adding jobs. Leisure and hospitality added another 31,000 jobs. More jobs were gained in professional and business services (68,000), health care and social assistance (61,500), retail trade (44,000), and manufacturing (22,000).

Wage growth remains elevated (5.2 percent higher compared to a year ago). Recruitment and retention difficulties are high with the number of job openings (11.2 million) and quits (4.2 million) still very elevated. The labor market is very tight and this continues to be a problem for employers as labor supply remains muted. While labor force participation for those aged 25 to 54 increased to 82.8 percent in August, it remains below its prepandemic rate of 83 percent from February 2020. For workers aged 55 and over, participation further declined in August and it remains even more subdued—38.6 percent in August 2022 compared to 40.3 percent prepandemic.

Economic activity is expected to further cool towards the end of the year with job growth likely to soon follow a similar downward trend. While job gains are currently still positive, The Conference Board projection for a short and mild recession before yearend may lead to the labor market shedding some jobs during 2023.

However, job losses could be muted since companies may try to hold on to their workers. Labor shortages may not go away, or otherwise reappear shortly after a recession. In addition, some businesses are still short-staffed, so slowing economic activity and a decline in business demand would result into fewer job openings, but not necessarily translate into layoffs.

Currently, the unemployment rate is projected to remain below 4.5 percent in 2023.

Timed with July 7 World Chocolate Day, Fairtrade America, the world's most recognized label for social justice and sustainability, has launched a national campaign to generate broader awareness of the unjust price that farmers receive to produce the goods that we rely on everyday, including cocoa. The "It's Only Fair," campaign features three videos connecting shoppers in the U.S. to smallholder cocoa farmers in West Africa and the dire issues farmers are facing around the world by disrupting people's routines with the simple question, "How long would you work for $1?" Because of the unfair and unjust realities of the global food market, many cocoa farmers work an entire day for between $0.78-$1.00[1]. That's significantly below the international poverty line. Through this new campaign, Fairtrade America hopes to turn this big global issue into a more relatable problem, inspiring viewers to pause, reflect, learn and share about the impact unfair trade has on farmers and workers around the world.

Globally, cocoa and chocolate together are a $48.29 billion industry[2] that is expected to grow, yet cocoa farmers are currently battling inflation, rising production costs, the climate crisis and COVID-19 related challenges while the price they earn for cocoa hasn't risen to meet these changes. As they navigate these challenges, they are asking for the same fair business practices and respect any entrepreneur would desire - a fair deal - so they can have a sustainable future in farming.

Smallholder, family-run farms with less than five acres of land and average yield between 1,300-1,760 lbs per year of cocoa provide 90% of the world's cocoa beans[3]. The cocoa industry is an important source of revenue for about 50 million people, including 5 million farming households.[4] Two cocoa farmers from Ghana, Deborah Osei-Mensah and Solomon Boateng, share just how important it is to their families and communities to get a fair deal.

Deborah Osei-Mensah - Livelihood Development Officer of Ghana's Asunafo North Farmers Union, leader of the union's Monitoring and Evaluation Team and Fairtrade Youth Ambassador. "My cooperative produces cocoa and includes close to 10,000 cocoa farmers from 67 communities. I'm currently the Operations Manager in charge of child protection, gender and livelihood issues. Fairtrade has transformed me. While I used to be shy, I am now more confident both in my farming business and life. I've also seen first-hand the evolving business side of cocoa. In my role with Asunafo, I am honored to help train other women to diversify their incomes beyond cocoa, and I am working to achieve my Masters of Science in Environment, Water and Sustainability from the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Ghana to be able to help my community better mitigate the challenges of climate change. My community and I ask for businesses to commit to supporting farmers in producing your cocoa and offer a fair deal; for consumers to be conscious about what they are consuming. Be fair, purchase fair and, with that, make the future fair - there's just one world and we should be supporting each other within it."

Solomon Boateng - Certification Risk Manager, Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union. "At Kuapa Kokoo, the Fairtrade Premium has been used in various ways for us to reinvest in our cocoa farms. The program is so important in terms of making sure our community has the resources that are necessary to combat challenges, like climate change. For example, last year we utilized our premium to distribute over 160,000 shade trees to our farmers in an effort to protect our cocoa trees from the rising temperatures in Ghana, and this year we are supplying more than 150,000. When you look at the cocoa pricing system, it's clear that farmers are not getting what we should. We are asking businesses to do business with us - fair business. Farmers are business people and want the respect that those in America look for when doing business, too. With the newest challenge of inflation upon all of us, some producers are facing the issue of not being able to stay in production at all. Pay us a fair price for the work we do and goods we produce, especially if we want these goods to be around in the next few decades."

Because of unfair trading practices, many farmers and workers around the world can't make a living wage, no matter how hard they work. Extreme poverty can also lead to other problems, like deforestation and child labor. Farmers are forced to answer unthinkable questions, like "Should I preserve this forest? Or should I clear it to feed my family?" These problems aren't new. For decades, corporations and governments have seen and ignored them or failed to address the root of the issue - poverty. The promising news is that as more and more consumers demand change, companies and governments will need to take action. A recent study found that shoppers in the U.S. are willing to pay up to 30% more per bar for Fairtrade chocolate[5], so why aren't we?

"Farmers aren't getting a fair deal. This is not only unjust, it is also unsustainable," shared Peg Willingham, Executive Director of Fairtrade America. "Fairtrade believes that everyone deserves a decent standard of living. It's only fair to pay a price that supports an existence worthy of human dignity."

A recent report from Mainlevel Consulting and commissioned by Fairtrade found that Fairtrade positively impacts certified farmers and their communities when compared to non-Fairtrade certified farmers, particularly in times of difficulty and distress. However, researchers also identified significant challenges that risk undermining the gains Fairtrade farmers have achieved and that threaten their livelihoods. The advantages of the Fairtrade system are falling under increasing pressure from compounding global calamities such as the climate crisis, COVID-19, and prices that are too low to cover rising costs of farming and daily life. The study also warns that progress toward reducing poverty – as well as the goal of achieving living incomes – will be stalled, if not reversed, if farmers are not paid more.

The 15-second videos at the heart of the campaign feature three scenarios, a barber shop, a tanning salon and a kid's birthday party to show how long workers in the U.S. might work for just $1. No surprise - it's not very long. Though the ads are humorous and meant to catch viewers' attention quickly, the issues they tackle are complex and require all actors along the supply chain, including traders, governments, brands and consumers, to take action to ensure cocoa farmers are paid enough to have a decent living. With the videos, Fairtrade America is encouraging consumers to consider the impact that their purchasing decisions are having on others around the globe and spark conversations about what can be done to change the situation. Simple shifts, like choosing a chocolate bar with the green and blue Fairtrade Mark - a certification that shows farmers got a fairer deal and their commodities were sourced in compliance with Fairtrade's rigorous environmental, social and economic Standards - during a trip to the grocery store can have a positive impact on the nearly 2 million farmers and workers participating in Fairtrade around the world.

"We hope these videos first get viewers to chuckle, and second help them consider how little $1 a day in pay truly is," continued Willingham. "Farmers work extremely hard to produce our favorite goods like cocoa, coffee and bananas, while struggling with challenges like extreme weather from climate change and rising costs. We hope these videos get people talking about these issues and motivate them to make thoughtful purchases with people and the planet in mind whenever possible."

Fairtrade America is asking consumers to share the videos and help spread the word about unfair trade practices by starting conversations with friends and loved ones about the benefits of Fairtrade

"Now, more than ever, we must listen to farmers and workers around the globe. As we continue to face inflation, we must consider those who make less than $1 per day producing the goods we often take for granted in the U.S. and how they are experiencing the same, and even worse, conditions. We hope these videos bring positive awareness to the need to pay farmers a living wage and ignite a call to action for change. Choose a fairer deal. Choose Fairtrade," urged Willingham.

Fairtrade America works to rebalance trade, making it a system rooted in partnership and mutual respect rather than exploitation. It's about businesses, shoppers, farmers and workers all partnering so we can all experience the benefits of trade. Fairtrade America is the US chapter of Fairtrade International, the original and global leader in fair trade certification with more than 30 years of experience working for fair trading practices in more than 30 countries across the globe. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Fairtrade America is the world's largest and most recognized fair trade system—part of a global movement for change.

New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River. Nicknamed the "Big Easy," for it's many parties. Not only is New Orleans a large US city, it is also unique in many respects. The city is well-known for its peculiar architecture and unique culinary experience. Despite this, New Orleans is today much better known for its great music heritage. While in this city, you are guaranteed to hear sounds of music everywhere, in every nook and cranny. Indeed, the New Orleans music is always audible, not only in the city's hundreds of streets but also in the central business and residential areas.

The famous genre of Jazz music was born and bred here in New Orleans. The jazz music's origins can be traced to back to the thriving African- American communities. From the traditional times, African communities have been known to play jazz music together with the brass and saxophone elements. Jazz music is, notably, the kind of music that relies much on improvisation. It derives its great influence from the ragtime, the blue and dance music that is played as a set of four. Do you want to know the most popular locations for enjoying the jazz music whenever you are in New Orleans? Think about the following places.

The Preservation Hall is one of the must-visited places in New Orleans if you really crave for jazz entertainment. Regardless of the fact that it has been around for decades, this hall remains very popular as a center of jazz music in New Orleans. Yes, it has been called the capital city of jazz music. The painting on the walls of the building may be faded. The roof sections may be broken. Regardless, the Preservation Hall still retains the tremendous quality of jazz music in the city. Whenever you decide to visit this legendary hall, remember to arrive there at least an hour before the show begins. Moreover, since the hall is always overcrowded, it is dangerous to come into the place wearing shoes with high heels. Of course, no one visits a dancing hall without intentions of dancing. Get some flat shoes to fit the occasion. Once in, you are free to dance yourself lame. The preservation hall in New Orleans was first set up in 1961 as an honor to the New Orleans jazz. This is one of America's freshest and most genuine forms of art. The hall has variously served as a music venue, a non-profit organization and a touring band. To date, the hall still carries out a mission as the veritable foundation of New Orleans culture and music. The hall is located at the St Peters Street, right at the heart of the Francophone Quarters. When you get into the venue, you will experience an intimate and acoustic spirit of Jazz concert that is typically made in New Orleans. The music is performed here annually for 350 nights. It is characterized by a collective ensemble of 100 locally-based master practitioners. You can be sure that, very night, those who attend the big concerts are joyful witnesses of the magnificent evolution of the living tradition of Jazz music.

The Snug Harbor is another fantastic option while visiting New Orleans. The Snug Harbor offers hot, live music done by the legendary Charmand Neville Band. The joint is located along the Frenchmen street. While here, you can take to the stage confidently and enjoy a live performance of the band. Indeed, this one of the best performances you can get. You will not just enjoy the music while here. There is some great food offered here for every deserving guest. Just across the Snug Harbor, you will find the famous spotted cat. Here, you can dance yourself lame-again. This is the meeting point of all genuine lovers of jazz. They always assemble here religiously, and in their hordes.

The Buffa's bar is another popular venue of the wild jazz music. If you are visiting on a Sunday, things can be pretty sweet. As you enjoy the great live- band music, you will be served with some delicious meals and refreshing drinks that make for a memorable day. You don't have to wear special attire to come here on a weekend. Just come prepared to enjoy a memorable treat of music, food and drinks. Moreover, there will be some brass music to complement the jazz. Yes, Buffa's bar is the place to be while visiting the great city of New Orleans.