The Seductive Power of Bvlgari Serpenti Forever

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Bello e ben fatto: it is in this unique marriage between the quest for beauty and masterful craftsmanship that all Bvlgari creations come to life, bringing Italian creativity and know-how to the world for over 135 years.

Serpenti Forever has established itself as the ultimate icon of glamour and timeless style, encapsulating the perfect encounter between unique design and exceptional artistry. A symbol of perpetual renewal, fearless seduction and modern metamorphosis, the Bvlgari snake is a true trendsetter that has undergone infinite changes, perfectly represented by the unceasing style evolution of the emblematicsnakehead stud closure of Bvlgari’s Leather Goods and Accessories collections.

From its distinctive jewellery-inspired hexagonal scales coated with show-stopping polychrome enamels in endless combinations, textures and nuances, and topped by mesmerizing gemstone eyes, the iconic head has now morphed into a sharper, ultra-modern rendition. Inspired by the Serpenti jewels of the 1960s, this rapturous rebirth of the snake-head reimagines a Bvlgari heritage design to define the captivating Serpenti of today. Exuding Bvlgari’s jewellery DNA from every detail, the notorious head is created with the lost wax casting technique.

Here a cast is made using wax, which is subsequently melted away leaving spaces for the molten precious metal to fill them. The vivid gems set instead of the eyes or to design precious details, are instead a nod the Roman Jeweller’s penchant for coloured stones.

Serpenti, Bvlgari

The new head is not the only design drawing from Bvlgari’s fabulous archive. One of the Maison’s most distinctive jewellery motifs – the iconic thick chain – has become a main theme running through all its Leather Goods and Accessories collections in always innovative and unexpected ways. Employed more for their aesthetic – than merely functional – value, chains are crafted with the same techniques adopted for Bvlgari High Jewellery creations, literally being set into the exquisite skins to create ultra-precious patterns or styled with unique colour treatments, like the degrade effect or the multiple gold combinations. As for true jewellery pieces, the spellbinding chain shoulder straps are hand-assembled link by link, sometimes recreating the decreasing shape typical of some of Bvlgari’s most legendary sautoirs and colliers.

At Bvlgari, precious skins and exquisite materials get the same inventive and avant-garde treatment as the prized gemstones. The type and processing of the different leathers is conceived to offer an unrepeatable tactile pleasure, the same experienced with Bvlgari’s high jewelry creations: wearing and touching them ignite the desire to sport them every day.

One of the secretes handed down by generations of artisans concerns the unique finishes of Bvlgari’s Crocodile skin achieved through particular techniques inspired by the jewellery world, such as the pearled effect which serves an almost iridescent effect. A true concentrate of ultimate preciousness, the irresistible Karung undergoes instead a special treatment that makes the skin unbelievably supple and flexible, for an incredibly soft result comparable only to the consistency of a fabric, while Calf Leather claims the same attention as the most cherished materials, with special treatments exalting its ultra-soft nature. As one of the most difficult materials to treat, Galuchat Skin represents a peak of excellence in Bvlgari’s manufacturing savoir-faire, evoking with its tiny precious grains the unique sparkle of a diamond pavé. Finally, the ultra-tempting Python skin is processed by skilled artisans that exalt its natural shine. Using the precious skin as a white canvas on which to create a one-of-a-kind design, Bvlgari craftsmen hand-paint this exquisite material scale by scale, highlighting its natural livery with endless colour combinations.

Experimenting with striking nuances inspired by the unique gemstone juxtapositions that made Bvlgari’s style legendary, the Jeweller of Leather Goods infuses each creation with its unmistakable touch of colour – from polychrome skins to vibrant appliques, through exquisite gem details.

Firmly holding onto its Roman roots, each Bvlgari bag and Leather Good is crafted in the Florence Atelier. Here, Bvlgari’s traditional artisanal techniques are constantly being reinvented, extending to new methods of construction with a craftsmanship always a step ahead of the times. Bvlgari’s impeccable attention to detail, combination of unexpected materials and experimentation of state-of-the-art treatments, represent the ability of Made in Italy to constantly renew itself projecting into the present its unmatched heritage and tradition.

For further information 

https://www.bulgari.com/

The Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, H.E. Ms. Salima Abdelhak

HE. Mrs. Salima Abdelhak, Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to The Netherlands and the Permanent Representative of Algeria to the Organization for the Prohibition of the Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague. She has presented on January 26, 2022 her letters of credence to His Majesty the King Willem Alexander and her letters of Cabinet to the OPCW Director General, Mr Fernando Arias. She is also the Governor of Algeria to the Common Funds of Commodities (CFC).

Ambassador Salima Abdelhak is a career diplomat. She served as  Ambassador to the Republic of Azerbaijan, 2019-2022 .

Before that, she assumed senior positions in the MFA (2009-2019) as Director for Economic Relations and International Cooperation (2018-2019), Director for Multilateral Trade Organizations (2015-2018) and Deputy Director for Cooperation with the multilateral trade organizations and institutions (2010-2014), and Senior Counselor to Minister of Foreign Affairs (2014-2015).

Trade, sustainable development, cooperation and energy are all areas Ambassador Salima Abdelhak dealt with. Involved in many multilateral negotiation processes, she was designated as a negotiator within the national team for the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a member of the national committee for the negotiation of Algeria accession to WTO, a member of OPEC drafting committee of OPEC and non OPEC cooperation Charter and a negotiator of the GECF Head of States Declarations.

Her Excellency Ms Salima Abdelhak, Ambassador of Algeria.

At the domestic level, Ambassador Abdelhak, coordinated the Algeria Voluntary Review (VNR) on the implementation of SDG’s as the chair of the national committee for the preparation of Algeria VNR and carried out the review of the Strategic Framework of cooperation between Algeria and The United Nations System as chairperson of the committee.

Ambassador Salima Abdelhak served overseas at the permanent mission of Algeria to the United Nations in New York (2005-2009) dealing with humanitarian and Women empowerment issues. Ambassador’s tenure in New York enabled her to acquire a multilateralism profile which promotes cooperation, consultation and inclusiveness and seeks for common interests.

Ambassador Abdelhak holds a Bachelor of Arts in Translation and Interpretation from University of Algiers, a degree in Italian language and culture from the University of Perugia in Italy, and a Master of Arts in Economics from University of Algiers. She also graduated from the Diplomatic Institute in Algiers, Merton College in Oxford (UK), CASIN in Geneva and ENA in Strasbourg.

She is fluent in Arabic, French, English and Italian.

Italo-Thurigian exchanges in Erfurt and Weimar 

20-21 January 2022, Erfurt, Free State of Thuringia: In afternoon of Thursday, Premier Bodo Ramelow received the Ambassador of the Italian Republic, Armando Varricchio, for his inaugural visit to the Thuringian State Chancellery. Varricchio has been ambassador of his country in Berlin since June 2021.

The talks served to become acquainted to one another, exchange views on current political issues as well as future economic cooperation.

During the second day of the trip, Ambassador Varricchio travelled to Weimar and visited the Goethe National Museum as well as the Bauhaus Museum. 

The German literary icon Johann Wolfgang von Goethe jaunted through Italy between 1786 and 1788; Italy provided a lot of inspiration to his own œuvre. Armando Varricchio (b. on 13  June 1961 in Venice) is a career diplomat since 1986, who changed capitals from Washington D.C. to Berlin earlier this year. He had served as Ambassador to the United States (with concurrencies to The Bahamas and Jamaica) since 2016, and has moreover experience as head of mission to Serbia (2009-2012). Furthermore he has held the office of Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry known as Farnesina, in-between the aforementioned ambassadorships. 

For further information 
Italian Embassy in Germany: https://ambberlino.esteri.it/ambasciata_berlino/it/

Ministerial Statement from Kazakhstan

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Nur-Sultan 21 January 2022


The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan believes that the
resolution on the situation in Kazakhstan adopted by the European Parliament on 20
January 2022 is not only biased but also based on prejudiced opinions and
assumptions.

The apparent lack of a credible analysis of the tragic January events in Kazakhstan
is disconcerting.
We find it unacceptable that a document of this nature has been adopted before the publication of the findings of the official investigation initiated by the leadership of the Republic of Kazakhstan. We reconfirm that the results of this investigation will be openly shared with the international community.

We have taken due note of the fact that while drafting the said resolution, neither
members of the European Parliament nor any of the Parliament’s political groups had
requested any clarification or statement from Kazakh officials.

The Human Rights Ombudsperson of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazakh civil
society institutions, which are engaged in a direct dialogue with government agencies, also informed us that the authors of the resolution did not contact them.
The earlier conclusion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan
that there were serious discrepancies and inaccuracies in the publications of certain
foreign media outlets, describing legitimate actions of law enforcement agencies
against terrorist, extremist, and criminal groups, has also been ignored.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council and other reputable
international organizations, and a party to multilateral humanitarian agreements,
Kazakhstan is unequivocally committed to the rule of law and fulfilling its obligations
in protecting the rights and freedoms of its citizens. It is also making a significant input to the process of upholding global and regional security, including by fighting
international terrorism.

The Republic of Kazakhstan will continue to seek a constructive engagement with all
the institutions of the European Union, based on the principles of mutual
understanding and mutual respect. The hasty adoption of the above mentioned resolution of the European Parliament undermines and damages the process of adopting and implementing the political reforms of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan aimed at consolidating democratic in
stitutions and development of civil society.

Eurojust-supported action leads to arrest of 29 people smugglers in Italy and Albania

Judicial and law enforcement authorities in Italy, Greece and Albania have taken a coordinated action against a network of people smugglers, which transferred at least 1 100 migrants irregularly to the European Union.

During an action day with the support of Eurojust, Europol and Frontex, 29 suspects were arrested in the three countries involved. They allegedly made illegal gains of at least several hundreds of millions of euros. The action is the concrete result of a joint investigation team (JIT) which was set up in January 2021 with the support and funding of Eurojust.

The suspects are of Albanian, Turkish, Syrian, Iranian, Iraqi and Pakistani origin. Eight of them were arrested during a smuggling operation that was ongoing, with the migrants involved brought to safety. The suspects belong to a wider network of approximately 80 persons who were involved in at least 30 bigger irregular transfers of migrants from Turkey via Albania and Greece to the Salento coast of Italy. From Italy, the migrants were later transferred to other EU countries.  The transfers to Italy took place by vessel and or by vehicle over land via the so-called Eastern Mediterranean route.

Of the arrested persons, four are allegedly the main perpetrators, leading separate cells or groups of the network. One of them was mainly responsible for the return of the smugglers to Turkey, where they could prepare for new transfers. The gains of the irregular migration transfers are preliminarily estimated to be at least several hundreds of millions of euros, with the smugglers using the ‘Hawala’ financing system to hide the proceeds.

In preparation for the action day, the authorities carried out long-term surveillance of the suspects, using telephone and online interceptions of evidence and video recordings. This enabled them to document the routes used by the network and identify the perpetrators. Today’s operation is one of the first operational implementations of Eurojust’s commitment to fight migrant smuggling, as specified during the Annual Meeting on Migrant Smuggling, organised by the Agency in November 2021.

Eurojust not only supported the joint investigation team but also set up a coordination centre during the action day and provided cross-border judicial support via the Agency’s Italian and Greek National Desks, as well as the Liaison Prosecutor for Albania at the Agency.

Europol provided additional analytical support to the operation and deployed mobile offices, with Frontex assisting with surveillance via an Italian Guardia di Finanza helicopter deployed to control the EU’s external borders.

The operation was carried out under the direction of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Lecce in Italy, the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Court of Appeal of Athens, the Special Investigative Judge for Mutual Legal Assistance in criminal matters at the Court of First Instance of Athens and the Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office of Tirana (SPAK).

Support on the ground was given by the Organized Crime Investigation Group (GICO) of Lecce and the Central Organised Crime Investigation Service (SCICO) of the Guardia di Finanza, the Attica Police – Immigration Division – of Athens and the Albanian State Police.

Dutch envoy van Roeden intensifies economic bonds to Baden-Württemberg

Tueday, 18 January 2022, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany:  Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg, Dr. Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut received for a bilateral meeting, the novel Dutch Ambassador in Germany, Ronald van Roeden

During their encounter the two dignitaries discussed the current economic situation between The Netherlands and Baden-Württemberg, and hence the possibilities of furthering cooperations, especially in the fields of new mobility, life sciences, artificial intelligence as well as digitization.

The Netherlands is an important trading partner for Baden-Württemberg. In 2020 goods in the value of 13.4 billion Euros were exported to The Netherlands. In the export statistics of Baden-Württemberg, The Netherlands occupies fifth place. Regarding imports, in 2020 The Netherlands were in fourth place, with imports valued at 12.7 billion Euros.

Historically Württemberg is the homeland to the erudite Queen Sophie of the Netherlands, first wife of Dutch monarch Willem III and daughter of King Wilhelm I of Württemberg. 

Ronald van Roeden was born 1957 in Hilversum, The Netherlands, is Royal Dutch Ambassador in the Federal Republic of Germany since Wednesday, 1 September 2021 upon his presentation of letters of credence before Federal President Dr. Steinmeier. He entered the diplomatic career in 1985, and has served in Iraq, Paris (OECD mission), Norway (with co-accreditation to Iceland), and before the European Union (Deputy Permanent Representative). Van Roeden speaks Dutch, German, French as well as English. 

For further information: 

Ministry of Economic Affairs, labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg: https://wm.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse-und-oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/pressemitteilungen/

Data source & image courtesy of Ministry of Economic Affairs, labour and Tourism Baden-Württemberg 

Lithuania makes first voluntary contribution to the TFV

Lithuania makes first voluntary contribution to the TFV, in support of the assistance programme in Georgia

The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced that the Government of Lithuania made its first ever voluntary contribution of €20,000 to the TFV in 2021. This contribution is earmarked to the TFV’s assistance programme in Georgia which will be launched early this year. Lithuania’s support to the TFV’s work and assistance mandate is a true testament to the country’s commitment to making reparative justice a reality for victim-survivors of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC.

Speaking on Lithuania’s support to the work of the TFV, H.E. Mr. Vidmantas Purlys, Ambassador of Lithuania to the Netherlands, said «Lithuania fully understands that the Trust Fund for Victims is essential for the work of the International Criminal Court. Its activities make reparative justice a meaningful reality. That is exactly what we expect with a voluntary contribution to support the very start of the TFV programme in Georgia. Victims in Georgia continue to endure injuries from the conflict of 2008, they are still in need for psychological rehabilitation and counselling services, medical treatment and material support.»

TFV Executive Director Pieter de Baan welcomed the donation and thanked the Government of Lithuania saying “The TFV expresses its sincere gratitude to Lithuania for its first voluntary contribution and for this act of recognition to the TFV’s assistance mandate. This contribution will help the TFV strengthen its efforts to support victims, particularly in Georgia where they continue to suffer as a result of conflict. With a range of assistance activities including material support and livelihood initiatives, psychological rehabilitation and counselling services, as well as a component of medical treatment and referral, the TFV aims to help survivors move forward, rebuild their lives and regain their dignity. The TFV looks forward to continuous engagement and partnership with Lithuania in the future.”

Voluntary contributions enable the Trust Fund for Victims to provide reparative value to victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC through reparations awards and assistance activities.

To date, the TFV is implementing four reparations ordered by the ICC the LubangaKatanga, Al Mahdi and Ntaganda cases. The convicted persons in these cases were all found to be indigent and the TFV has responded to the ICC’s requests to consider complementing the payment of the reparations awards. The TFV has also engaged in the fifth reparations proceeding in Ongwen since the beginning of 2021.

Under its assistance mandate, the TFV provides medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, education, income-generating activities, and livelihood support. The TFV is continuing with its programmes in Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda. The TFV is launching new assistance programmes in Georgia, Kenya and Mali in early 2022.

Syrian official sentenced to life


A Syrian official sentenced to life for crimes against humanity with support of joint investigation team assisted by Eurojust

The Hague, 13 Janaury 2022

The Higher Regional Court of Koblenz in Germany sentenced a former Syrian high-ranking official today to life imprisonment for his involvement in crimes against humanity. A German-French joint investigation team (JIT), which was set up with support of Eurojust and the Genocide Network, made a significant contribution to those investigations that led to this landmark judgment.

Today’s judgment is the first time worldwide that a high-ranking Syrian official has been convicted for crimes against humanity. As such, it will leave a lasting mark on international criminal justice. It is the second conviction related to the ‘Caesar files’, a document containing over 26,000 pictures of the torture of victims in mass detention centres of the Syrian regime. Last year, an associate of the high-ranking official was already sentenced by the Higher Regional Court of Koblenz to 4.5 years imprisonment for crimes against humanity and torture.

In cooperation with national investigators and prosecutors working on the case, Eurojust and the Genocide Network prepared the ground for the JIT. It was set up in 2018 to support the investigations and ultimately prosecute the suspect. After setting up the JIT, Eurojust provided long-term analytical assistance and organised regular coordination meetings to enable swift judicial cooperation between the German and French authorities.

The convicted official, a former member of the Syrian intelligence services, was arrested in February 2019 in Germany with the above-mentioned associate. The Court held the Syrian, who was convicted today, directly responsible for the death of 27 members of the opposition to the regime, as a result of torture and inhumane conditions of imprisonment, in 2011 and 2012.

At the time, the convicted person was the head of the Investigations Section within the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate’s Internal Branch, also known as Branch 251. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against both defendants in October 2019, with trials starting in August 2020.

Eurojust and the Genocide Network fully support judicial authorities across the European Union who are stepping up proceedings against perpetrators of terrorist offences and core international crimes in Syria. Actions of judicial authorities and civil society to hold the Syrian regime accountable for crimes committed in Syria were the main focus of last year’s EU Day Against Impunity.

Kazakhstan protests;  What happened behind the scenes?

By Muhammad Mahdi Noori

Recent street protests in Kazakhstan appear to have erupted in response to a doubling of the price of liquefied natural gas, which is the fuel used by cars;  But the protests quickly escalated into violence, with repression squads taking action, and the authoritarian regime in Kazakhstan suppressing and curbing popular protests with maximum use of force and violence.  The Kazakh government even appealed to the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) for assistance.  Kazakh government security forces helped crack down on protesters.

Qasim Jomart Tokayev;  the Kazakh president has repeatedly spoken in various speeches and televised speeches about the involvement of foreign forces in organizing and leading the protests in Kazakhstan, declaring that the protesters are “terrorists”, that they have been trained abroad, have access to weapons and intend to overthrow the coup. 

Mr Tokayev specifically mentioned Afghanistan and the Middle East, and claimed that fighters from those countries had arrived in Kazakhstan to organize anti-government uprisings.

Following him, Imam Ali Rahman;  the Tajik president also called for a security belt around Afghanistan at an extraordinary virtual summit of CSTO leaders, claiming that dozens of terrorist training camps had been set up in northeastern Afghanistan to destabilize Central Asia, with thousands of extremists.  And Islamists are learning vocational training.

In addition, Vladimir Putin;  The Russian president also announced at the same meeting that he would not allow the formation of a “revolution” in Central Asian countries.

However, despite repeated insistence by Kazakh and other Central Asian and Russian leaders on foreign involvement in the recent deadly unrest in Kazakhstan, which is said to have killed tens of people, injured hundreds and arrested thousands more, despite ongoing protests.  The protests have subsided, the protesters have returned to their homes, and large numbers of them have been detained by security forces, and it is unclear what is going on in Kazakhstan’s prisons and detention centers;  But there are clear indications that the insurgency was motivated by various internal factors, including possible external factors, settlements, rivalries, a covert power struggle between rival political factions, and even the possibility that the protests were engineered by the current Kazakh government and security apparatus.  In order to ruthlessly eliminate opposition currents and consolidate authoritarianism and strengthen political unanimity in Kazakh society, there must also be behind these protests and the resulting violence.

A number of senior security officials, members of military and intelligence agencies, various government officials and political activists critical of the government have been arrested following recent violent protests that have killed dozens of people, who may face serious charges, including acting against them.  National security and connection with foreign agents, espionage, betrayal and attempted coup and overthrow are accused and face heavy punishments.

On this account, it is predicted that in the wake of the recent deadly violence and protests, authoritarian states not only in Kazakhstan;  Rather, they seek the pretext throughout Central Asia to suppress opposition and criticism, to restrict the fundamental freedoms of the people, to systematically violate human rights, to recklessly pursue authoritarian, dictatorial and anti-libertarian policies, and to curb any movement for democratic reform.  Order, the prospect of freedom and democracy in this region looks bleakly dusty.

In addition, recent protests in Kazakhstan have allowed powers such as Russia more than ever to expand and deepen their hegemonic dominance over the strategic region, forcing Central Asian governments to pursue policies politically and security-wise, and  Moscow guidelines slow;  what would eventually lead to the resurgence of the disintegrated Soviet Union would make Vladimir Putin’s dream come true.

About the author:

Muhammad Mahdi Hossein Ali Noori is the owner and Director General of Ufuq International News Agency one of the top media outlets in Afghanistan.

Egypt’s Al Sisi advocates for dialogue in Sudanese crisis

Wednesday, 12 January 2022, Arab Republic of Egypt: President Abdel Fatteh Al Sisi has declared his readiness to follow up the requested UN Security Council intervention on Nile dispute on the Sudanese crisis. The Egyptian president, and top regional leader Abdel Fatteh Al Sisi made the remarks during an press conference with international media in the framework of the 4th World Youth Forum in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. He called for dialogue to resolve the crisis in Sudan. 

Regarding the Nile dispute, Al Sisi said that the Nile must be a source of cooperation and development for regional countries, however that the Nile is of an unquestionable importance for Egypt and that he is ready to follow up on the UN Security Council intervention to solve the dispute.

Ethiopia unilaterally  began in 2011 the construction of the over $5 billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Hydroelectric Dam, creating a diplomatic crisis with Egypt, which had enjoyed thousands of years of hegemony on the Nile. Also creating a risks of water supply for Egypt and Sudan. Field Marshal Al Sisi declared that Egypt is now poor in water, and that the Nile river is an unquestionable source of water for his country.

The dispute for Nile basin fresh water has been increasing after Ethiopia started building the GERD. The project has generated the most unmanageable challenge amongst the three Nile countries: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The situation evolves towards a more disestablishing interstate freshwater dispute in the Middle East and wider North Africa.

Ethiopia completed the dam during trilateral talks drawn-out since 2011 without compliance with international norms vis-à-vis Egypt and Sudan, and eventually rejected binding commitments towards her neighbours in February 2020. Late June Ethiopia declared its intent to fill the dam’s reservoir without an agreement in place. This action pushed Egypt and Sudan to formally request UN Security Council (UNSC) intervention.

President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi

Though Ethiopia contributes 85% of the Nile’s waters, a 1959 agreement between Sudan and Egypt gave 55.5 billion cubic meters (bcm) to Egypt and 18.5 bcm annually to Sudan and nothing to Ethiopia.

The crisis in Sudan, which emerged from international isolation and sanctions in December 2020, has stalled cooperation with the neighbours who have other common problems to manage. President Al Sisi seeks to reinvigorate the trilateral dialogue, and find a common ground with Ethiopia. 

For further information 

Youth Forum in Sharm El Sheikh: https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/160071/4th-World-Youth-Forum-to-be-launched-in-Sharm-on-Jan.10?lang=en-us