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THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES This Constitution has benefited more people for a longer time than any other instrument with the exception of the Bible. The Constiution guarantees freedom from a tyrannical and oppressive government. However, evil men are constantly seeking power over the masses; and this is demonstrated by todays attacks on our Constituion and freedom. This website is a protest to the people promoting the socialist agenda. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constiution, nor prohibited by it to the states respectively or to the people." This Amendment was required by the states to keep the federal government from becoming all powerful and dictatoral. Recently, unscrupulous judges have circumvented this amendment using various means. If we are to remain a free people, we must use this Amendment to remove the federal government intrusion into our lives. All citizens must work toward this end; otherwise, we citizens will become subjects. There are 16,000,000 of these so called "Obama phones" floating around the USA. How about that for a vote getter. (Pine and Lewis, Tulsa, OK USA)
President Obama's speech on regulatory reform was less painful than I had feared. I was hoping that Obama would have given us more details on the plan. Instead his briefing was more like the vague political posturing used by the Neocon Phil Gramm (R-Texas) back in the Clinton era to sell us on Credit Default Swaps. The speech had many good points. For example, Obama dislikes the horrifically complex mortgages with pages of fine print that few can understand. This section of the speech would be welcome if not for the fact that it was given by a person with a track record or jamming through extremely complex legislation rife with fine print that few understand. The turn in the speech that I liked was that Obama did not say our problems were the result of the last eight years (he said they were the results of decades of thinking). He also did not blame economic woes on "deregulation." Unfortunately, I fear that the leaders of this nation (both R and Ds) have realized that our problems are not simply with the regulations in place, but with the way that we think about the economy. Obama's speech establishes risk management as the primnary concern of the economy. In reality, the central focus of the economy should be the building of equity coupled with people the living happy, fulfilled lives. This process of created a hugely centralized government justified by risk management concerns is precisely the wrong direction. Don't you see? The whole point of Credit Default Swaps, the mortgage backed securities, the government backed re-insurance, the short selling, the hedge funds, and the myraid of other complex financial instruments was an ill fated effort to create a set of financial tools that would set up a ruling class. To truly solve the problem we need to root deeper and find the problem with our thinking that made risk management, opposed to building equity, the primary concern of our economy.
Date: Tuesday, 05 December 2023 Britain’s Fake ‘Democracy’ Has Now Collapsed Britain’s left-wing Party, Labour, has now disappeared into being a ‘competitor’ ‘against’ Britain’s right-wing Party, the Conservatives, competing for conservative voters, condemning progressive voters, and has abandoned voters who are to the left of center. Voters to the left of center have no longer political representation in either Party. Here is how that result was engineered by Britain’s billionaires (who basically control British politics): On 7 December 2019, the anti-Zionist Jew — i.e., a progressive Jew; i.e., a Jew who opposes any apartheid nation, such as Israel — Tony Greenstein, headlined at al-Jazeera, “Is Jeremy Corbyn a ‘threat’ to British Jews? Corbyn’s opponents cannot defeat his political programme so they attack his character with spurious allegations.” He opened: Since the election of Jeremy Corbyn as its leader in 2015, Britain’s Labour Party has been the target of a sustained campaign to portray it as rife with anti-Semitism. Alongside unfounded accusations that Corbyn himself and his closest allies are “anti-Semites“, it has widely been claimed that under the direction of someone who has spent a lifetime fighting racism, the party has become “institutionally anti-Semitic”. Furthermore, it has even been claimed that a Corbyn government would pose an “existential threat” to Jewish life in this country. Racism and anti-Semitism, unfortunately, still exist in modern Britain. Therefore, it is impossible to claim that any mainstream national political organisation in the United Kingdom, be it Labour, the Conservative Party or the Liberal Democrats, is 100 percent free of members who hold racist or anti-Semitic views. Corbyn acknowledged this, accepting that even “one [incident of anti-Semitism in the party] is one too many” and explained that to him “driving anti-Semitism out of the party for good is a priority”. However, this never was about anti-Semitism which is why nothing he said or did proved enough to convince his detractors. He is promising to take the privatised utilities and the rail companies back into public ownership and tax multinational companies like Google and Amazon which currently pay virtually no tax in the UK. Moreover, he is promising to stop arms sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia and to educate Britain’s youth about their country’s colonial history. Rather than challenging the Labour leader’s policies on fighting poverty and ending Britain’s continuing support for oppressive regimes across the globe, his rivals and critics are focusing their energy on doubling down on their accusations of anti-Semitism. So is the Labour leader, who has an impressive track record of supporting Britain’s Jewish community and standing against anti-Semitism, really an anti-Semite who purposefully filled Britain’s main opposition party with “fellow racists”, or is something else happening here? What we are witnessing today is clearly not an honest expression of concern for Britain’s Jews, but a smear campaign born out of the British establishment’s desire to stop an anti-establishment and anti-Zionist leader from moving in to Number 10 Downing Street. On 23 September 2022, al-Jazeera headlined “Unprecedented leak exposes inner workings of UK Labour Party: The leaked documents, obtained by Al Jazeera, reveal how party officials smear and intimidate rivals.”, and reported that, “In 2019, Corbyn resigned as leader after the party’s defeat in the December general election. He was eventually replaced by Keir Starmer, Britain’s former director of Public Prosecutions. Soon after Starmer became the leader in April 2020, Formby resigned as general secretary. She was replaced by David Evans. The Labour Files reveal that he has continued the McNicol-era hostility towards left-wing members of the party.” So: from having had the most members of any Party under the progressive Corbyn, the Labour Party quickly sank and lost membership, which resulted in a solid string of Conservative Party Governments, so that, now, leftist voters in Britain have actually no one to vote for. On 21 October 2022, Craig Murray headlined “The Party is Over”, and he wrote that, The highly paid political class in charge of each of the UK’s three major political parties detests, despises, distrusts and seeks to discard their own party membership. The Conservative, Labour and SNP [Scottish National Party, in Scotland] elite all view their party members as a potential embarrassment. ... The professionals are to radically limit the options of the members. The Labour Party had under Jeremy Corbyn the largest mass membership of any political party in Europe. The current leadership has succeeded – quite deliberately – in losing half of them. The Labour members elected Keir Starmer on the basis of ten pledges to carry out the kind of left wing policies the Labour membership support. Almost all of those pledges have been summarily broken. We have witnessed the Labour leadership refuse to endorse strikes which are the main avenue for working class resistance, ban its MPs from the picket lines, and refuse to oppose massive Tory attacks on civil liberties at home, while vying to be the most enthusiastic zionists and warmongers abroad. Labour members are summarily expelled for connection to legitimate socialist organisations. This is what Labour Party members voted for: This is typical of what they got: Keir Starmer’s Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, not only wants to deport more immigrants than the Tories, she has for a decade been proclaiming that Labour will cut more benefits than the Tories. The disjunction between what Labour Party members want – and were promised by Starmer [in order for him] to get elected – and what Labour MPs want, could not be clearer. … Starmer is delighted to have shed hundreds of thousands of Corbyn supporting members, to pursue instead corporate and billionaire money. … The UK’s political parties are becoming uniformly right-wing organisations which represent a very narrow spectrum of views – those of the corporate sector and billionaire donors. … Irrespective of what Labour and Conservative Party members would like to offer, the electorate is likely to be presented with Sunak or Starmer, two people so close in political outlook and policy there really is little point in turning up to vote. On 3 December 2023, Reuters headlined “Labour leader Starmer praises Thatcher in bid to woo UK Conservative voters”, and reported: Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's main opposition Labour Party, has praised former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a deeply unpopular figure among many Labour supporters, as he seeks to woo Conservative voters before an election expected next year. Starmer, whose left-wing party is ahead of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives by some 20 points in opinion polls, is seeking to cement that advantage by broadening Labour's appeal to attract voters who have spurned the party in national elections over the past 13 years. Thatcher, dubbed the "Iron Lady" by the UK press at the time, was Britain's Conservative leader from 1979 to 1990. She was an extremely divisive figure, hailed by some but loathed by many on the left for crushing trade unions and privatizing swathes of British industry. She died in 2013. "Every moment of meaningful change in modern British politics begins with the realisation that politics must act in service of the British people, rather than dictating to them," Starmer wrote in an article for the Sunday Telegraph newspaper. Starmer headlined then in the Conservative Party’s main newspaper, the Telegraph, “Voters have been betrayed on Brexit and immigration. I stand ready to deliver”, and he opened: It is too easy to look at Britain today and throw your hands up in despair. Families across the country are bombarded with daily reminders of our current malaise: crumbling public services that no longer serve the public, families weighed down by the anxiety of spiralling mortgage bills and food prices, neighbourhoods plagued by crime and anti-social behaviour. Any one of these individually would be cause for outrage. Taken together they merge into something more insidious: the idea that our country no longer works for those it is supposed to. That sense of a once great country now set on a path of decline has been sharpened by our political culture. The vast majority of the public don’t think about Westminster much. Why would they? At a time when people are looking for answers to the deep challenges of our age, they see a politics too large in its hectoring and interfering, too small in its ambition and ability. In these difficult conditions, the current Government resembles nothing so much as the sinking Mary Rose: overburdened, incompetently handled, plunging into the depths. Every moment of meaningful change in modern British politics begins with the realisation that politics must act in service of the British people, rather than dictating to them. Margaret Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism. Tony Blair reimagined a stale, outdated Labour Party into one that could seize the optimism of the late 90s. … Starmer is promising, to Conservative Party voters, that he will carry on in the tradition of Thatcher who despised workers and raised their (but NOT billionaires’) taxes, and in the tradition of the conservative Labourite (and sponsor of Starmer) Tony Blair who had joined with America’s George W. Bush in invading Iraq on the basis of lies; and Starmer closed his opinion-article by saying, “That’s why we extend the hand of friendship to you, no matter where you are or who you have voted for in the past. National renewal demands it. It [neoliberalism-neoconservatism] is only together that we will build the better future we all want.” Starmer wants leftists to vote for his conservative Party, instead of for the other one (the one that calls itself the Conservatives). Similarly, America’s ‘democracy’ has collapsed with two political Parties, the Democrats and Republicans, who both vote in the U.S. Congress almost 100% for, and run the White House for, the permanent-warfare economy (Lockheed Martin, etc.), which leaves less and less each year for the American people, in order for the U.S. Government to have more and more each year for overthrowing foreign Governments that The West’s billionaires don’t like, and that they do demand to become replaced. A two-Party dictatorship is merely a lying ‘democratic’ or ‘republican’, or ‘labour’ or “Tory,” liberal right-wing dictatorship, liberal-fascism, and this is now what The West holds out to the rest of the world, as being ‘democracy’, which foreign governments supposedly should take as their model. It’s just dictatorship under another name. And, under any name, it is far right but propagandized with liberal clichés instead of merely the old overtly conservative ones. It is designed to fool the public that both of the Parties’ billionaires despise. Investigative historian Eric Zuesse’s new book, AMERICA’S EMPIRE OF EVIL: Hitler’s Posthumous Victory, and Why the Social Sciences Need to Change, is about how America took over the world after World War II in order to enslave it to U.S.-and-allied billionaires. Their cartels extract the world’s wealth by control of not only their ‘news’ media but the social ‘sciences’ — duping the public.
Islamic Fundamentalism Yasmin Mather Over the last few years Islamic fundamentalism has been portrayed by some in the West, especially the US administration,as a major world threat. The atrocities committed by a number of Islamic groups, such as the GIA in Algeria,fundamentalists in Egypt or the Islamic states in Iran or Afghanistan, have been used to whip up a sense of hysteria againstIslam. In this article we will try to explain the diverse and often contradictory nature of Islamic fundamentalism, both inIran where an Islamic state came to power in 1979 and among Islamic movements in the Arab world. We will argue thatfundamentalism – contrary to the propaganda of its supporters and its enemies alike – has only strengthened capitalism inIslamic countries, and that, since it poses a diversion to the development of revolutionary movements in these countries, itcan only reinforce the status quo. We will further argue that as Islamic fundamentalism is not a monolithic force, andbecause most of the Islamic world is an integral part of world capitalism, twentieth century Islam is unlikely to threaten"The West" as some want us to believe. In this respect it is important to note that the financial backers of some of the mostbarbaric Islamic groups, such as the Taleban, are Saudi Arabia, the Gulf states and Pakistan, all amongst the staunchestallies of the United States in the region. Others, such as the GIA (Algeria) and the Egyptian fundamentalists responsiblefor recent bombings, are by-products of the Afghan war paid by Saudi money or CIA funds in Pakistan – although atpresent some of these groups might be out of the control of their pay masters. Why fundamentalism? The sociological reasons behind Islamic fundamentalism have been discussed by many writers and analysts. Industrialization and the rural exodus that started in the 1960s in most Middle Eastern countries saw the creation of shantytowns around many cities. The state in these countries was incapable of dealing with this demographic change. Poverty,unemployment, cultural differences and lack of social mobility all played a part in the alienation of shanty town dwellersfrom the rest of urban society. At the same time, the rate of literacy increased and state education allowed sections of thepetty bourgeoisie access to higher education. Many of the cadres of Islamist parties came from this section, while theirrank-and-file support is mainly from the lumpen youth of the shanty towns. The rise of Islamic fundamentalism in theMiddle East coincided with disillusionment with Marxist, secular ideologies and the failures of Stalinist parties. In Egypt,Algeria and Iraq the popularity of fundamentalism was a reaction to the failures of Arab nationalism and Baathism, and inAfghanistan it was a direct consequence of the failure of the Stalinist state. Contrary to popular belief, neo-fundamentalismis not simply a reaction against modernisation, but a by-product of modernisation. As a result it is often a nationalistmovement dominated by the cultural and political aspirations of various nation states, rather than a monolithic Islamistmovement. Contradictions and impasses of Islamic fundamentalism There are many reasons, inherent in Islam, why it cannot become a world threat, unifying Muslims in tens of countries. First and foremost is the division between Sunni and Shia sections of Islam, which is at times more profound thandivisions between Muslims and followers of other religions. Shias mainly live in Iran, parts of Iraq, and as a minority inLebanon and Afghanistan; the rest of the Islamic world is predominantly Sunni. The establishment of the first Shia state inIran has led to some virulent anti Shia propaganda by Sunni clerics and Sunni fundamentalists of the Islamic Brotherhood. Second, the divisions within either of these sections regarding essential theological issues, as well as arguments regardingthe role of political Islam, the position of women and economic issues have constantly fragmented and weakened Islamicmovements. As there is no single Islamic culture and no single Islamic nation or language, Islamist movements areprimarily divided along national and regional lines. The Iranian revolution of 1979 If the Iranian revolution was the beginning of the rise of fundamentalism – albeit in a Shia state – the failure of "politicalIslam" in Iran, and the gradual yet consistent transformation of the Islamic state in Iran to "civil society" marks thebeginning of the end for the dream of an Islamic state based on Sharia (religious law and practice). The Iranian uprisingwas a direct result of the failures of the Shah’s regime to respond to the economic crisis that followed the economic boomof the early 1970s. Most skilled workers faced a drop in their living standards in 1976.The White Revolution had left http://www.isf.org.uk/ISFJournal/ISF3/IslamicFundamentalism.htm (1 of 5) [8/17/2000 9:45:01 PM] massive numbers of peasants landless and penniless, going in search of seasonal jobs in major cities. Recession in theIranian economy left them unemployed and destitute in shanty towns. In addition to the above two groups, the smallindependent producers had been forced out of business (made bankrupt) with the help of Iran’s Chamber of Commerce, torescue the already privileged position of big industrialists. Corruption and the rule of a clique around the Royal courtmeant that many traditional merchants, often associated with the bazaar, were deprived of large profits available to themore privileged sections of the ruling class. The clergy, which had survived the repressive measures of the Shah’sdictatorship by compromising with the regime, was in a much better position to benefit from political discontent thansecular, socialist groups who had had lost many in their ranks through execution and imprisonment. Historical background of Shia clergy in Iran Historically, Iranian intellectuals are responsible for portraying Shia Islam in Iran as a "progressive force". This concept,encouraged in the 1950s-1980s by Stalinist ideology, is based on the myth that Shia clerics were absent from politicalpower during the rule of various dynasties in Iran, and therefore were part of the movements against absolute monarchs. Infact religious Shia leaders were functionaries of the court (in the Safavid/Qajar dynasties), lived in the court and were partof the establishment and the state. During the Constitutional Revolution, the main aim of the clergy was to stop radicalmovements and, at best, sections of the clergy sided with constitutional monarchists (e.g. Ayatollah Behbahani), while themajority of the clergy was mainly concerned with defending feudalism. During what became known as the "tobaccouprising" most of the Shia clergy ended up in the gardens of the British Embassy supporting one colonial power (Britain )against another (Russia). During the oil crisis of 1953 a minority within the Shia clergy originally supported the limiteddemands of the nationalists – but as the balance of forces changed in favour of the Shah, they suddenly moved back tosupport the Shah. The role of the clerical leader of the time, Ayatollah Kashani, is well documented. In 1963, at the time ofthe Shah’s White Revolution, a reform from above aimed at transforming Iran to a modern capitalist state, the oppositionof the clergy led by Khomeini was completely reactionary. The main planks of his main opposition were two issues:firstly, on the expropriation of the land of feudal land owners, Khomeini’s objection was based on the sanctity of propertyin Islam; secondly, he opposed vehemently the reform to give women the right to vote. On both counts this opposition toreforms was clearly reactionary. Contradictions of Sharia (Islamic laws) – the case of Shia Islam One of the principle pillars of Shia ideology is the concept of the return of the 12th Imam, who disappeared 13 centuriesago and will only return to earth when corruption, injustice. have reached unbearable levels. In his absence anygovernment is deemed to be unjust and corrupt. In fact as many clerical delegates of the Iranian parliament have repeatedlyreminded us over the last few years, any attempt by government, even a religious government, at improving socialconditions, reducing corruption, reducing poverty or narrowing the gap between the rich and the poor can only delay thearrival of the 12th Imam and therefore contradicts Shia theology. Such ideas are useful when the clergy is in opposition, asthey were in the early history of Islam in 7th and 8th century, but it is a serious hindrance to them when in power. The Shiastate is further based on the cult of personality of it martyred imams and innocence of these imams. Again this worked fineas a historic concept, when stories of the bravery of long-dead imams could aspire devotion martyrdom. It is more difficultwith a living imam (in this case Khomeini) in the last decades of the 20th century, when a minor (or major) indiscretionsuch as the Irangate scandal can tarnish the image of the supreme cleric overnight. Rule of Sharia in a country where thecapitalist mode of production and urbanisation are so advanced is doomed to failure. However the principle cause for the failure of political Islam is that once it takes power, it institutionalises itself and in theabsence of any Islamist economic policy (i.e. an alternative to capitalism or socialism) it inevitably becomes another thirdworld capitalist state, with all the limitations of such a state. Let us remember that the rise of Islamic fundamentalism had alot to do with the envy of the merchants of the bazaar who could never match the colossal fortunes gathered by theindustrial bourgeoisie around the court and the state in the previous regime. This envy of "monopoly" capital led them toback the clergy, their traditional ideological representatives. Yet once in power, in order to survive and prosper in aninternational capitalist order, this bourgeoisie inevitably had to replace the very capitalists they despised. In some cases,where expertise and international capital were necessary, the Islamic state invited the previous capitalists to return. In othercases they themselves tried to replace the old capitalists. The very people who argued against Western consumption andaccumulation became the consumers, and indeed as modernity is irreversible and universal, the bazaar merchants of Iranwho so vehemently were anti-Western in the late 1970s, have become pro-Western in the late 1990s. A reflection of this,which can also be seen in the "Hezbollah" (supporters of the clergy), is described by Olivier Roy as the http://www.isf.org.uk/ISFJournal/ISF3/IslamicFundamentalism.htm (2 of 5) [8/17/2000 9:45:01 PM] neo-fundamentalism of Iran with a schizophrenic approach: a hatred of one self for wanting Western consumption(therefore under the influence of Western culture) and a long battle to possess it. The economics of a capitalist state necessitate a "civil society". Most of the internal battles of the Islamic regime in Iranover the last 9-10 years are indeed part of this struggle. On the one hand those who still believe in the rule of Sharia andthose (religious forces) who have decided that the only way to survive is the establishment of the rule of law in a trulycapitalist state. The current president of the Islamic regime best portrays this position – but even as early as 1979, despiteall the religious rhetoric, the constitution of the first Islamic Republic is far more law-based than many people have beenled to believe, with a role for the parliament, the legislative and executive centres of power in the day-to-day running ofthe state, and religion in all senses taking very much a secondary role. Many have seen this as a clear reflection of thepoverty of Islamic thinking on the issue of political institutions. Olivier Roy suggests that, despite many books and essayswritten by Islamic theologians on details of the rule of Sharia, Iran’s policies over the last 19 years can be described as thepolicies of the crown (the previous order under the Shah) being pursued under the turban (a reference to the clerical hatworn by shia clergy) ("la couronne sous le turban"). Many arguments typical of capitalism have been aired in the Iranianparliament, the Majles – the battle between the statist reformers and defenders of the free market being a primary example. It has been argued that until 1989 and the death of Khomeini, those favouring state ownership dominated the Majles,whereas it is quite clear that since 1989 defenders of the free market have had the upper hand. In summary, both in economic and political spheres, the first Islamic state has been predominantly, and is increasinglybecoming, a capitalist state with "nationalist" overtones rather than religious ones. International politics Another pillar of the Sharia deals with the concept of Islamic "Ummah" or the Islamic nation. In many nations, includingIran, examples of Islamic forces in power and in conflict with fellow Muslims over land or oil can be seen. Thus theconcept of the Islamic nation is no more than a myth, with nation states fighting for "national" or "regional" interests farmore aggressively than they do in defence of the so-called Islamic nation. The eight year war between Iran and Iraq clearlydemonstrated this, where both countries relied heavily on Arab and Persian identities. Contrary to those who believe that Iran’s foreign policy was third worldist, one could argue that it was never more than acontinuation of the Shah’s policies of becoming a regional power. The real policy of Iran has been dominated bycompetition with Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia with strong nationalist overtones. In order to become a regionalpower, Iran pursues a pragmatic foreign policy rather than an Islamist policy, despite all the rhetoric we have heard fromits leaders. For example in pursuit of a fierce competition with Turkey, Iran supported Christian Armenia versus MuslimAzerbaijan, simply because Turkey backed the latter. Iran opposed the Taleban advances in Afghanistan; its propagandatalked of the Taleban giving a bad name to Islam. But in reality the defenders of Hezbollah in Lebanon can’t be tooconcerned about the public image of Taleban, rather the main concern was that Taleban were supported by Saudi andPakistani money, competitors with Iran in the battle for domination of Afghanistan. Iran has kept contacts and reasonablerelations with Israel, mainly because the enemy of its enemies (the Arabs) must be a friend. Of course Iranian leaders have made a great deal of their support for the deprived Muslims of the world. But in practice,given their total mistrust of Sunni groups, this has amounted to support for a handful of specific splinter groups of the Shiacommunity in Lebanon (under Hezbollah) and a minority of the Shia community in Iraq and Pakistan, most of whom areof Iranian descent. In fact the Islamist rhetoric of the Iranian regime is very much coming to an end. The recent interviewof the Iranian president with CNN signals a significant shift in this policy; he not only expressed great admiration for theAmerican civilisation and its struggles for independence but went further and expressed regret at the takeover of the USembassy in 1980. The only issue that remains of Iran’s Islamist international rhetoric is the Fatwa on Salman Rushdie, and in this thefundamentalist regime is in a dilemma. Economic needs require better relations with European countries, yet Khomeini'sword cannot be contradicted and Iran’s competition with Saudi Arabia as the defender of the faith depends on this. Women and Islamic Fundamentalism For over 19 years Iranian women have been victims of the patriarchal laws of the first Islamic Republic. http://www.isf.org.uk/ISFJournal/ISF3/IslamicFundamentalism.htm (3 of 5) [8/17/2000 9:45:01 PM] Both under the current regime and the previous regimes Iranian women have been deprived of many of their basic humanrights and have suffered from both patriarchal ideologies that treat women as irrational and immature, and fromwidespread discrimination which affects their lives from birth to death. There is no doubt that since the establishment ofthe Islamic Republic in 1979, the plight of women has become worse. During the years of modernisation in the 1970s, alarge number of Iranian women found work in factories and offices. Many clerics argued that "the honour and dignityaccorded women by Islam" had vanished. One of the first acts of Ayatollah Khomeini was the enforcement of the veil onthe 8th of March 1979, less than a month after the establishment of the Islamic regime. The refusal of many organisationsof the left to defend women’s rights on this day led to catastrophic consequences: the Iranian regime started a systematicattack on women’s rights, and the left lost credibility as a defender of women’s rights and a supporter of democratic rights. The policy of enforced hejab (veil) and segregation was subsequently used to limit women’s access to education andrecreation facilities, and to institutionalise women’s confinement to the limited career and life opportunities available tothem, thus ensuring they become second class citizens. The new government also launched a campaign to drive women outof office jobs and to discourage them from any careers other than nursing and education. Government propaganda openly talked of the "shame and dishonour" of working in an office and school hours werechanged to make life more difficult for working mothers. All government-funded nurseries and day care centres attachedto offices and factories were closed. Some Iranian feminists have since argued that Islamic laws including those on the hejab (veil) have had a liberating effecton Iranian women. But in reality the veil was used to ensure that Islamic moral order is not defied and the veil became aninstitutionalised practise of Islamic patriarchy. Behind it all was a strategy of ensuring a return to traditional roles. The emphasis on motherhood as an essential femininecharacter forms a pillar of Islamic gender ideology. The heroine of Shia ideology is Fatmeh, a daughter of the prophet whomarried Ali (the first Shia Imam) at a very young age, gave birth to his three sons and died at eighteen. The majority of Iranian muslim girls live in a world dominated and manipulated by their male relatives. They can be givenaway in legal marriage without their knowledge or consent while still in their childhood. The process, in effect, paves theway for selling families to sell their under-aged girls in return for financial gains. The law of Hodud and Qesas (the law of tallion and physical punishments) treats women as half-human (or nothing) evenin their honesty or observation power, valuing a woman’s testimony in courts as half of a male’s testimony (or even as nilwhen it comes to testifying against murderers; according to article 33 of this law, no woman’s testimony is ever admissiblein murder cases). The laws governing marriage are among the most regressive in the world in terms of the discrimination against women. While males are allowed to marry up to four wives at a time in permanent marriage and an unlimited number of women inwhat is known as "temporary" marriage, strict monogamy is expected from women. Any woman who deviates from thisset-up may be brutally and savagely punished by publicly, by being stoned to death – the officially-sanctioned, andfrequently executed, punishment for extra-marital affairs. Inside marriage, the man is given almost a free hand in controlling his wife or wives. Rape inside marriage is sanctioned(as no consent is required for sexual relations inside marriage); wife-beating is tolerated and even encouraged by theKoran: women who disobey their men should be beaten up (soura 30). A woman’s movement may be restricted by her husband, and his permission is required for getting official traveldocuments. The law gives very few (if any) rights to women in sharing decisions in married life and/or in regards to thecustody of children. Moreover, there are no proper provisions in the law to prevent men from transgressing their rightsand/or abusing the extensive power they have inside marriage. When it comes to divorce, again, the man has almost a free hand, while the woman has a very limited recourse to the law. The grounds on which a man can divorce his wife are almost unlimited, while only in very unusual circumstances can awoman file for divorce. The extent of this gross and utterly discriminatory law was best exemplified by a report last yearthat an Iranian court has taken fourteen years to approve a divorce request from a woman who complained she wastortured by her husband, regularly reporting new incidents of abuse to the court; she finally agreed to drop all financialdemands against her husband, and had to contact Iran’s Prosecutor-General to get her divorce. In another case, the processtook eight years. http://www.isf.org.uk/ISFJournal/ISF3/IslamicFundamentalism.htm (4 of 5) [8/17/2000 9:45:01 PM] The divorce law also inflicts huge financial and emotional blows to the woman. The woman has to forfeit almost allfinancial claims if she files for divorce, while the settlement she receives if the divorce is initiated by the man is still verylimited. The emotional loss is much greater and more hurtful: the woman is deprived from the custody of her children(some as young as two); custody is usually awarded to the man. Within and without marriage, even the father’s father isgiven priority over the mother in custody matters. The extent of discrimination against women in marriage goes still further. A virgin woman (whatever her age) has no rightto marriage without the consent of her father (or her father’s father, in the absence of her father). A Muslim woman has noright to marry a non-Muslim, (a right her male counterparts have, with some limitations). Discriminatory laws against women have created favourable conditions and a suitable environment for widespread abusesand atrocities against women. Women have no effective recourse to the law in case they are abused, beaten or raped. Evenmany incidents of rape outside marriage go unreported because of the justifiable fears of the victim from being"dishonoured", cursed or even murdered by members of her own family and friends, or being prosecuted by the State andbrutally punished by a large number of lashes or stoned to death if she was judged by the court as being a willing partner. Many of the common laws such as the law of Hodud and Qesas, in conjunction with the discriminatory laws mentionedabove, work directly against women. As another example, if someone commits homicide in an all-female environment (thefrequency of which is itself a consequence of sexual segregation inside and outside the house), it will be impossible to geta conviction based solely on the testimony of the women present (no matter how many of them). According to article 33 ofthe law of Hodud and Qesas, no homicide case may be proved in court solely on the basis of women's testimonies. Defiance of the hejab code is punishable by 74 lashes (as very few women will ever dare walk out without a head scarf thisoften means showing a fringe) and, "since the crime is self-evident", punishment does not require a court decision andenforcement of the punishment can be immediate. Women are either arrested or given verbal warnings. Those who arecaught showing a fringe under a hejab are accused of "flaunting their naked bodies in the streets" and denounced as"corrupt, seditious, dangerous and destructive of public honour and chastity". Others face the 74 lashes. Some women havehad paint splashed on their faces by patrolling Islamic squads. Iranian women have been fighting hard against these injustices, but have had limited success in the face of theoverwhelming power of the State and its institutions. The privileged position of a handful of token women, mainly closerelatives of senior clerics, in higher echelons of the Islamic government, should not deceive anyone. At a time when many Iranian feminists in exile have become apologists for the Islamic regime, it is up to the revolutionaryleft to defend and support the struggles of Iranian women with commitment, determination and as a major part of thestruggle against the Islamic regime. References: Rodinson M. Islam et Capitalism, Le Seuil 1966 Roy Olivier, L’echec de l’Islam politique, Le Seuil 1992 Shahidian Hammed, Islamic Feminism and Feminist Politics in Iran, University of Illinois at Springfield, USA http://www.isf.org.uk/ISFJournal/ISF3/IslamicFundamentalism.htm (5 of 5) [8/17/2000 9:45:01 PM] Dott. Daniele FarinaCurriculum formativo /professionale Titoli di StudioLaurea in Medicina e Chirurgia presso l’Università di Torino conseguita il 30.10.78 con lode Specializzazione in clinica Pediatrica presso l’Università di Torino conseguita il 02.07.81 con lodePerfezionamento in Neonatologia presso l’Università di Verona conseguita il 17.11.83Idoneità Nazionale a Primario di Pediatr conflict & communication online, Vol. 3, No. 1/2, 2004 Media Peace Discourse: Constraints, Concepts and Building Blocks Kurzfassung: Normative, fachliche und akademische Voraussetzungen bestimmen die Diskussion sowohl über die Wichtigkeit als auch überdas Fehlen eines Friedensdiskurses in den Medien ebenso wie über die Notwendigkeit und die Möglichkeit, einen solchen Diskurs anzusto-�
Clockwise from top left: Zhou Bo, Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy, Li Aixin, and John Pang, discuss the South China Sea issue during Global Minds Roundtable on January 10, 2024. Photo: screenshot Tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea have been bubbling up for some time. Where is the situation headed in 2024? Could a conflict be sparked accidentally? In the latest episode of Global Times' Global Minds Roundtable (GT), Zhou Bo (Zhou), senior fellow of the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University, Anna Rosario Malindog-Uy (Malindog-Uy), director and vice president for external affairs of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, and John Pang (Pang), a former Malaysian government official and a senior research fellow at Perak Academy, Malaysia, shared their views on these issues. GT: How do you see the South China Sea situation developing in 2024? Pang: It is actually driven by the US. However, the US was already defeated by the Taliban in Afghanistan, by Russia in Ukraine, and by the Houthis recently in the Red Sea. It is in absolutely no shape to take on China in the South China Sea. They can't afford something blowing up in an election year. I have enough faith in the maturity and the statesmanship of the Chinese government and the capacity of the PLA Navy to limit any particular skirmish. So at this point, it would be extremely foolhardy for the Philippines to be auditioning to be the next proxy to be destroyed. GT: In 2016, China issued a white paper noting that the Philippines had promised to tow away the vessel on Ren'ai Reef. Yet the Philippines later denied making this promise and refused to acknowledge it due to the lack of a written agreement. What do you think is the reason behind the shift in the Philippines' attitude? Malindog-Uy: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China is saying that there was a promise. Some non-Chinese sources are also affirming that the promise exists. Gregory Poling, the director of the Southeast Asia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, revealed in his 2022 book that, and I quote, "when the Chinese government demanded that the ship be removed, President Estrada (then Philippine president), feigning ignorance, promised to tow the vessel away as soon as it could be safely floated off the reef." The current Philippine government has denied making such a promise, and various Philippine government officials, and former presidents, have publicly stated that no such agreement was made. Also, it seems that there is no publicly available evidence of a documented promise by the Philippines to remove the vessel from the shoal. The conflicting claims from both sides make the situation complicated. At the moment, political establishment in the Philippines are asserting that the vessel is in the shoal as a de facto military outpost of the Philippines and serves as a physical assertion of the Philippines' claim and presence in the area. Unlike China, there's no consistency in the Philippines, when you talk about foreign policy. Philippine foreign policy varies significantly with changes in government and political leadership. Zhou: Even Philippine scholars like you (Anna), know what promises your government made in the past on this issue. Otherwise, the Chinese government could not have written these remarks in the white paper. China has been quite accommodating to all ASEAN claimants. Look at the Taiwan question. We said that we will make utmost efforts to resolve it peacefully. But still, there are three conditions in which we might apply non-peaceful means. But with ASEAN countries, China has never threatened to use force against any claimant. You can tell the difference and how patient we have been. But if the Philippines made a promise, violated the promise, and wants to have a permanent presence on the reef, that goes too far. We do not want the Philippines to make this kind of installation a permanent military base. So my best answer is to let Mother Nature solve this problem. A ship that is not refurbished will become rustier, and eventually, this problem will be gone. If you put in cement and get it strengthened, this will become a bigger issue. Pang: Regarding the Philippine actions with the grounded ship, if you ask me how these made-for-media antics make other countries in ASEAN feel, I'd venture to say that makes them uncomfortable. They're not going to reproach the Philippine government in public. The ASEAN way is to raise these matters behind the scenes. Going to the media, playing it up and letting domestic politics run the show, as in the US, would not be the ASEAN way. It also damages a key ASEAN concern: ASEAN centrality. The Philippines is not the only democracy in Southeast Asia. Malaysia and Indonesia are also electoral democracies, and both have maintained a consistent policy toward China over decades. ASEAN does not want to see a member state placing itself in the service of great power politics, and involving the region in exactly the kind of great power conflict that ASEAN was founded to avoid. GT: Could a conflict be sparked accidentally between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea in 2024? Malindog-Uy: Hard to predict. The tendency for a conflict or a confrontation, especially a military one, is there. There are skirmishes between our navies. I don't think the US is prepared to have a head-on military collision with China in the South China Sea, or even in the Taiwan Straits. That's why it uses a proxy, and my country, the Philippines, is being used as a pawn or a proxy. I'm always worried that my country, under the current administration, would be an instrument for a regional conflict that could lead to a global conflict. I hope this will never happen, in 2024 or the coming years. Zhou: I think the possibility of a conflict is not zero, but it is highly unlikely. I hope it won't happen at all.
As usual when discussing a project the political world has got the relationship between jobs and costs entirely the wrong way around. Donald Trump, and others, are waving around job creation numbers like a toddler showing Mommy how the toilet training is going along. Proud pointing to all the good work being done here. Which is to entirely miss the point about jobs and projects–the number of jobs created by a project is a cost of that project, not a benefit of it. We would thus very much prefer to minimise job creation, not maximise it. That is, we should hope that the people saying Keystone XL will produce 35 jobs are correct, not the people touting 20 and 30 thousand. But, you know, it’s traditional to get this wrong: And Trump’s touting of the number of jobs to be created by the project – hyperbolic by most estimates – could also draw increased scrutiny to its economic benefits, particularly for the blue-collar tradesmen whose lot the president has promised to improve….(…)…Trump claims the number would be 28,000, and TransCanada promises 13,000 in construction alone, while the Obama-era State Department slims that estimate down to about 3,900 – and just 35 permanent ones. Opponents of the project have pointed out that drastic difference between permanent and temporary work in accusing advocates of inflating job-creation numbers… My colleague Ellen Wald has a good review of how many jobs will be created where. But it is still true that we must consider those construction jobs to be a cost, not a benefit, of the pipeline project. On the useful logical grounds that they are a cost. At one level this is entirely obvious. The pipeline builders are going to have to pay the workers to come and do those jobs. If you’ve got money going out that’s a cost. Jobs are therefore a cost, obviously so. But there’s another economic level to this as well. The true price of something is what you must give up to get it. If we’ve 35, or 28,000, jobs on the pipeline then that’s 35, or 28,000, people not doing something else. The price to us, the cost to us, of the pipeline is thus the loss of the other things those 35, or 28,000, would produce in the absence of their working on the pipeline. Given that pretty much all of them are going to be construction workers that means something else that doesn’t get built. Say, just for the lolz, that without the pipeline we’d have a project to turn Route 66 into the Chuck Berry Memorial Highway. If we don’t have the pipeline those construction workers can build the highway. If we do have the pipeline we can’t have the highway. The cost of Keystone to us is therefore the absence of the Chuck Berry Memorial Highway. That is, all this chest beating about how many jobs Keystone XL will create is entirely the wrong way around. For jobs are a cost of the project, not a benefit. Jobs Are A Cost Of The Keystone XL Pipeline, Not A Benefit – Forbes
Movement of New Forces party leader Mikheil Saakashvili has called on his supporters to walk to the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada building and demand that parliamentarians pass legislation on the president's impeachment. "Let's go to the Rada all together and demand the president's impeachment," Saakashvili said to a crowd of his supporters and journalists on Kostelna Street in central Kyiv on December 5, after leaving a vehicle in which law enforcement agencies had planned to deliver him to investigators for questioning. "I am calling on everyone to go to Maidan and begin the process of ridding the country of [President Petro] Poroshenko," he said. After that, Saakashvili and his supporters walked down Kostelna Street toward Independence Square. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko has claimed the leader of the New Forces Movement party, ex-head of Odesa regional state administration, Mikheil Saakashvili, received from the fugitive Serhiy Kurchenko $500,000 for his activities in Ukraine. "A citizen of Ukraine Severion Dengadze, in agreement with Saakashvili, turned through a confidant to Serhiy Kurchenko, who is fleeing from prosecution ... on the issue of the stable financing of Saakashvili's activities in exchange for the interests of the members of the organized criminal group. We recorded a $500,000 receipt of funds from the Russian side for Saakashvili," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on December 5.
“The longer you look back, the farther you can look forward” – Sir Winston Churchill It is a well-accepted fact that many communities were changed, and even shaped, by the impact of the First World War. From coast to coast, the war claimed the lives of thousands of Canadians, tested the industrial capacity of Canada’s cities, and strained federal and municipal politics. The Waterloo Region was no exception to the sweeping effect of the war upon their unique society. The Canadian Censuses, in 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, and 1911, reveal several trends that indicate that the Waterloo Region had a unique cultural and economic landscape in Southern Ontario. This first section discussed who the people of the Waterloo Region were ethnically, religiously, economically, and politically before the outbreak of the war. In order to understand the events and reactions of those living in the Region during the First World War, it is useful to develop an understanding of the people residing in the Region prior to 1914.
troops are conducting a coordinated operation to hunt down Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants along the Afghan border. "Pakistan doesn’t have the drone technology. Therefore, we have to depend on them (US forces)," a senior Pakistani government official told IslamOnline.net, requesting anonymity for the sensitivity of the issue. For more details click here The latest such attack targeted a house in the northwestern Bannu district, the first US missile strike outside the rugged tribal regions. "The attack is part of a coordinated operation jointly launched by Pakistani and US forces along Pak-Afghan border," confirmed the government official. Powered by ScribeFire.
If you haven’t already seen it, this photograph is a PR nightmare for the Conservatives. It shows a 4-year-old boy with suspected pneumonia forced to sleep on a Leeds hospital floor because of a bed shortage. It’s an image that’ll resonate with any parent, but it’s particularly heart-breaking for anyone who’s taken their child to A&E in a similar situation: it was just a few months ago that my own son was being investigated for and later treated for pneumonia, so I’m particularly aware of how awful and frightening the wait can be. It’s the kind of image that can change the path of elections, so the Conservatives have reacted very strongly. What’s interesting about that is the way they’re doing it. They appear to have activated a very powerful misinformation machine to spread outright lies. Let’s make something clear first. There’s no doubt that the image is genuine. The Chief Medical Officer at the hospital has already apologised. The Chief Executive has made a personal apology to the child’s mother. That’s not what people are seeing on social media. On Twitter and on Facebook they’re seeing the same message from multiple unconnected accounts, many of which have lain dormant for some time: A good friend of mine is a senior nursing sister at Leeds Hospital â€“ the boy shown on the floor by the media was in fact put there by his mother who then took photos on her mobile phone and uploaded it to media outlets before he climbed back on his trolley. Here’s how it looks on Twitter. The same cut-and-pasted text has since been retweeted manually by minor public figures such as former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen. But the initial rush of publication has come from what appears to be a centrally co-ordinated network of social media accounts. The same message is being posted to carefully selected Facebook groups, as Marc Owen Jones explains (with screenshots as proof). Facebook groups are a very effective way of targeting voters of particular demographics, not least because nobody outside the group usually sees what you’re posting there. In one example, Jason Crosby pastes the tweet on the FB group for “Seaham Have Your Say”. Seaham have your say is a page with 24k followers serving the North Eastern coastal town of Seaham. His post gets 91 comments and 26 shares. And it’s making its way to the right-wing press. Here’s Allison Pearson of the Telegraph. Pearson also claims that the mother of the child is upset that “Corbyn politicised it”, which is at odds with the claim that the mother staged the photos for political reasons. [Update, later that day: Pearson has now deleted the tweets without explanation or apology, presumably after a word with a libel lawyer.] To reiterate: the hospital has already apologised. From the BBC: Dr Yvette Oade, chief medical officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Our hospitals are extremely busy at the moment and we are very sorry that Jack’s family had a long wait in our Emergency Department.” She added: “We are extremely sorry that there were only chairs available in the treatment room, and no bed. This falls below our usual high standards, and for this we would like to sincerely apologise to Jack and his family.” What we’re seeing here is deeply disturbing. In response to a story it doesn’t like, the Conservative Party â€“ or more likely, a separate organisation with plausible deniability of its connections to the Conservative Party â€“ is trying to bury it not with spin, but with outright lies and defamation. Those lies are coming from a range of sock puppet accounts on multiple social networks and their message is then amplified by tame journalists. This is no different from the fake-news chants of Donald Trump: the goal is to delegitimise the media, to push the narrative that everything you read critical of The Party is a lie. And it’s a key tactic of fascist politics, which is why it’s so frightening. Fascism does not begin with jackboots. It begins with creating a “them” and an “us” and then delegitimising the institutions that limit state power such as the judiciary and the press. They ridicule the judges, claiming they represent special interests and are “enemies of the people”, as The Daily Mail put it. They accuse the press of bias and of lying, accusing them of speaking on behalf of the “them” against the “us”. If the press is not compliant, it is threatened into silence (this week alone the Conservatives have threatened the licence of Channel 4 and the funding of the BBC) or dismissed as fraudulent. Our current Prime Minister is connected to former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, a proud supporter of far-right extremists who wants to “destroy the state”: “I want to bring everything crashing down and destroy all of today’s establishment,” he says. Delegitimising the press is a key part of that strategy. The US Holocaust Museum famously lists 14 early warning signs of fascism. They are: - Powerful and continuing nationalism - Disdain for human rights - Identification of enemies as a unifying cause - Supremacy of the military - Rampant sexism - Controlled mass media - Obsession with national security - Religion and government intertwined - Corporate power protected - Labour power suppressed - Disdain for intellectuals and the arts - Obsession with crime and punishment - Rampant cronyism and corruption - Fraudulent elections How many can you tick? We don’t have all 14 yet, but many of the items in the list should give us pause. More than any other party, The Conservatives seem to be taking us down a road that we’ve seen many other countries travel. We know all too well where that road can lead.
He is appointed as an independent non-executive Director, member of audit committee, remuneration committee and risk management committee of the Company. Mr. Zhao obtained his bachelor’s degree in law majoring in economic law from the Renmin University of China Law School in July 1989. In January 2005, Mr. Zhao obtained his master’s degree in law majoring in economic law from Renmin University of China Law School. Mr. Zhao has substantial professional legal experience. He is proficient in civil law theory and jurisprudence, contract, corporate, finance, construction, real estate, investment, competition, intellectual property, international arbitration, labour law litigation and non-litigation matters. Mr. Zhao was a legal director at Nanyue Law Office of Guangdong and Guangdong Bowen Law Office, and management committee member of Guangdong Fazhishengbang Law Office. Mr. Zhao is currently a deputy director and senior partner at Kings Law Firm in Guangdong, an arbitrator at China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission, Arbitration Centre Across the Straits, China Guangzhou Arbitration Commission, Foshan Arbitration Commission and Shantou Arbitration Commission. Mr. Zhao served as an independent non-executive director of State Energy Group International Assets Holdings Limited, a company listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (stock code: 918) for the period from October 2018 to December 2021.
§ 18.2-271.1 Probation, education and rehabilitation of person charged or convicted; person convicted under law of another state § 18.2-271.1. Probation, education and rehabilitation of person charged or convicted; person convicted under law of another state A. Any person convicted of a first or second offense of § 18.2-266 (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv), or any ordinance of a county, city, or town similar to the provisions thereof, or provisions of subsection A of § 46.2-341.24, shall be required by court order, as a condition of probation or otherwise, to enter into and successfully complete an alcohol safety action program in the judicial district in which such charge is brought or in any other judicial district upon such terms and conditions as the court may set forth. However, upon motion of a person convicted of any such offense following an assessment of the person conducted by an alcohol safety action program, the court, for good cause, may decline to order participation in such a program if the assessment by the alcohol safety action program indicates that intervention is not appropriate for such person. In no event shall such persons be permitted to enter any such program which is not certified as meeting minimum standards and criteria established by the Commission on the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) pursuant to subsection H of this section and to 18.2-271.2. However, any person charged with a violation of a first or second offense of § 18.2-266 (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv), or any ordinance of a county, city, or town similar to the provisions thereof, or provisions of subsection A of § 46.2-341.24, may, at any time prior to trial, enter into an alcohol safety action program in the judicial district in which such charge is brought or in any other judicial district. B. The court shall require the person entering such program under the provisions of this section to pay a fee of no less than $250 but no more than $300. A reasonable portion of such fee, as may be determined by the Commission on VASAP, but not to exceed 10 percent, shall be forwarded monthly to be deposited with the State Treasurer for expenditure by the Commission on VASAP, and the balance shall be held in a separate fund for local administration of driver alcohol rehabilitation programs. Upon a positive finding that the defendant is indigent, the court may reduce or waive the fee. In addition to the costs of the proceeding, fees as may reasonably be required of defendants referred for intervention under any such program may be charged. C. Upon conviction of a violation of § 18.2-266 or any ordinance of a county, city or town similar to the provisions thereof, or subsection A of § 46.2-341.24, the court shall impose the sentence authorized by § 18.2-270 or 46.2-341.28 and the license revocation as authorized by § 18.2-271. In addition, if the conviction was for a second offense committed within less than 10 years after a first such offense, the court shall order that restoration of the person's license to drive be conditioned upon the installation of an ignition interlock system on each motor vehicle, as defined in § 46.2-100, owned by or registered to the person, in whole or in part, for a period of six months beginning at the end of the three year license revocation, unless such a system has already been installed for six months prior to that time pursuant to a restricted license order under subsection E of this section. Upon a finding that a person so convicted is required to participate in the program described herein, the court shall enter the conviction on the warrant, and shall note that the person so convicted has been referred to such program. The court may then proceed to issue an order in accordance with subsection E of this section, if the court finds that the person so convicted is eligible for a restricted license. If the court finds good cause for a person not to participate in such program or subsequently that such person has violated, without good cause, any of the conditions set forth by the court in entering the program, the court shall dispose of the case as if no program had been entered, in which event the revocation provisions of § 46.2-389 and subsection A of § 46.2-391 shall be applicable to the conviction. The court shall, upon final disposition of the case, send a copy of its order to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. If such order provides for the issuance of a restricted license, the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles, upon receipt thereof, shall issue a restricted license. Appeals from any such disposition shall be allowed as provided by law. The time within which an appeal may be taken shall be calculated from the date of the final disposition of the case or any motion for rehearing, whichever is later. D. Any person who has been convicted in another state of the violation of a law of such state substantially similar to the provisions of § 18.2-266 or subsection A of § 46.2-341.24, and whose privilege to operate a motor vehicle in this Commonwealth is subject to revocation under the provisions of § 46.2-389 and subsection A of § 46.2-391, may petition the general district court of the county or city in which he resides that he be given probation and assigned to a program as provided in subsection A of this section and that, upon entry into such program, he be issued an order in accordance with subsection E of this section. If the court finds that such person would have qualified therefor if he had been convicted in this Commonwealth of a violation of § 18.2-266 or subsection A of § 46.2-341.24, the court may grant the petition and may issue an order in accordance with subsection E of this section as to the period of license suspension or revocation imposed pursuant to § 46.2-389 or subsection A of § 46.2-391. Such order shall be conditioned upon the successful completion of a program by the petitioner. If the court subsequently finds that such person has violated any of the conditions set forth by the court, the court shall dispose of the case as if no program had been entered and shall notify the Commissioner, who shall revoke the person's license in accordance with the provisions of § 46.2-389 or subsection A of § 46.2-391. A copy of the order granting the petition or subsequently revoking or suspending such person's license to operate a motor vehicle shall be forthwith sent to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. No period of license suspension or revocation shall be imposed pursuant to this subsection which, when considered together with any period of license suspension or revocation previously imposed for the same offense in any state, results in such person's license being suspended for a period in excess of the maximum periods specified in this subsection. E. Except as otherwise provided herein, whenever a person enters a certified program pursuant to this section, and such person's license to operate a motor vehicle, engine or train in the Commonwealth has been suspended or revoked, the court may, in its discretion and for good cause shown, provide that such person be issued a restricted permit to operate a motor vehicle for any of the following purposes: (i) travel to and from his place of employment; (ii) travel to and from an alcohol rehabilitation or safety action program; (iii) travel during the hours of such person's employment if the operation of a motor vehicle is a necessary incident of such employment; (iv) travel to and from school if such person is a student, upon proper written verification to the court that such person is enrolled in a continuing program of education; (v) travel for health care services, including medically necessary transportation of an elderly parent or, as designated by the court, any person residing in the person's household with a serious medical problem upon written verification of need by a licensed health professional; (vi) travel necessary to transport a minor child under the care of such person to and from school, day care, and facilities housing medical service providers; (vii) travel to and from court-ordered visitation with a child of such person; (viii) travel to a screening, evaluation and education program entered pursuant to § 18.2-251 or subsection H of § 18.2-258.1; (ix) travel to and from court appearances in which he is a subpoenaed witness or a party and appointments with his probation officer and to and from any programs required by the court or as a condition of probation; (x) travel to and from a place of religious worship one day per week at a specified time and place; (xi) travel to and from appointments approved by the Division of Child Support Enforcement of the Department of Social Services as a requirement of participation in a court-ordered intensive case monitoring program for child support for which the participant maintains written proof of the appointment, including written proof of the date and time of the appointment, on his person; or (xii) travel to and from jail to serve a sentence when such person has been convicted and sentenced to confinement in jail and pursuant to § 53.1-131.1 the time to be served is on weekends or nonconsecutive days. No restricted license issued pursuant to this subsection shall permit any person to operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined in the Virginia Commercial Driver's License Act (§ 46.2-341.1 et seq.). The court shall order the surrender of such person's license to operate a motor vehicle to be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of § 46.2-398 and shall forward to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles a copy of its order entered pursuant to this subsection, which shall specifically enumerate the restrictions imposed and contain such information regarding the person to whom such a permit is issued as is reasonably necessary to identify such person. The court shall also provide a copy of its order to the person so convicted who may operate a motor vehicle on the order until receipt from the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles of a restricted license, if the order provides for a restricted license for that time period. A copy of such order and, after receipt thereof, the restricted license shall be carried at all times while operating a motor vehicle. Any person who operates a motor vehicle in violation of any restrictions imposed pursuant to this section shall be guilty of a violation of § 18.2-272. Such restricted license shall be conditioned upon enrollment within 15 days in, and successful completion of, a program as described in subsection A of this section. No restricted license shall be issued during the first four months of a revocation imposed pursuant to subsection B of § 18.2-271 or subsection A of § 46.2-391 for a second offense of the type described therein committed within 10 years of a first such offense. No restricted license shall be issued during the first year of a revocation imposed pursuant to subsection B of § 18.2-271 or subsection A of § 46.2-391 for a second offense of the type described therein committed within five years of a first such offense. No restricted license shall be issued during any revocation period imposed pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-271 or subsection B of § 46.2-391. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 46.2-411, the fee charged pursuant to § 46.2-411 for reinstatement of the driver's license of any person whose privilege or license has been suspended or revoked as a result of a violation of § 18.2-266, subsection A of § 46.2-341.24 or of any ordinance of a county, city or town, or of any federal law or the laws of any other state similar to the provisions of § 18.2-266 or subsection A of § 46.2-341.24 shall be $105. Forty dollars of such reinstatement fee shall be retained by the Department of Motor Vehicles as provided in § 46.2-411, $40 shall be transferred to the Commission on VASAP, and $25 shall be transferred to the Commonwealth Neurotrauma Initiative Trust Fund. F. The court shall have jurisdiction over any person entering such program under any provision of this section until such time as the case has been disposed of by either successful completion of the program, or revocation due to ineligibility or violation of a condition or conditions imposed by the court, whichever shall first occur. Revocation proceedings shall be commenced by notice to show cause why the court should not revoke the privilege afforded by this section. Such notice shall be made by first-class mail to the last known address of such person, and shall direct such person to appear before the court in response thereto on a date contained in such notice, which shall not be less than 10 days from the date of mailing of the notice. Failure to appear in response to such notice shall of itself be grounds for revocation of such privilege. Notice of revocation under this subsection shall be sent forthwith to the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. G. For the purposes of this section, any court which has convicted a person of a violation of § 18.2-266, subsection A of § 46.2-341.24 or any ordinance of a county, city or town similar to the provisions of § 18.2-266 shall have continuing jurisdiction over such person during any period of license revocation related to that conviction, for the limited purposes of (i) referring such person to a certified alcohol safety action program, (ii) providing for a restricted permit for such person in accordance with the provisions of subsection E, and (iii) imposing terms, conditions and limitations for actions taken pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii),whether or not it took either such action at the time of the conviction. This continuing jurisdiction is subject to the limitations of subsection E that provide that no restricted license shall be issued during a revocation imposed pursuant to subsection C of § 18.2-271 or subsection B of § 46.2-391 or during the first four months or first year, whichever is applicable, of the revocation imposed pursuant to subsection B of § 18.2-271 or subsection A of § 46.2-391. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to a person convicted of a violation of § 18.2-266, subsection A of § 46.2-341.24 or any ordinance of a county, city or town similar to the provisions of § 18.2-266 on, after and at any time prior to July 1, 2003. H. The State Treasurer, the Commission on VASAP or any city or county is authorized to accept any gifts or bequests of money or property, and any grant, loan, service, payment or property from any source, including the federal government, for the purpose of driver alcohol education. Any such gifts, bequests, grants, loans or payments shall be deposited in the separate fund provided in subsection B. I. The Commission on VASAP, or any county, city, town, or any combination thereof may establish and, if established, shall operate, in accordance with the standards and criteria required by this subsection, alcohol safety action programs in connection with highway safety. Each such program shall operate under the direction of a local independent policy board chosen in accordance with procedures approved and promulgated by the Commission on VASAP. Local sitting or retired district court judges who regularly hear or heard cases involving driving under the influence and are familiar with their local alcohol safety action programs may serve on such boards. The Commission on VASAP shall establish minimum standards and criteria for the implementation and operation of such programs and shall establish procedures to certify all such programs to ensure that they meet the minimum standards and criteria stipulated by the Commission. The Commission shall also establish criteria for the administration of such programs for public information activities, for accounting procedures, for the auditing requirements of such programs and for the allocation of funds. Funds paid to the Commonwealth hereunder shall be utilized in the discretion of the Commission on VASAP to offset the costs of state programs and local programs run in conjunction with any county, city or town and costs incurred by the Commission. The Commission shall submit an annual report as to actions taken at the close of each calendar year to the Governor and the General Assembly. J. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section or of § 18.2-271, nothing in this section shall permit the court to suspend, reduce, limit, or otherwise modify any disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle imposed under the provisions of the Virginia Commercial Driver's License Act (§ 46.2-341.1 et seq.).
Java (Indonesian: Jawa), area 132,000 square km, has 114 million inhabitants and is the most densely populated island in Indonesia, with 864 people per kmē. It is the most populous island in the world. If it were a country it would be the second most densely populated country of the world, except for some very small countries (after Bangladesh). Java is divided into 4 provinces, 1 special region* (daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota): Java is located in a chain of islands with Sumatra to the northwest, Bali to the east, Borneo to the northeast and Christmas Island to the south. It is the world's 13th largest island. Java is almost entirely of volcanic origin, and contains no less than thirty-eight mountains of that conical form which indicates their having at one time or other been active volcanoes. See Volcanoes of Java. Java contains the capital of Indonesia, Jakarta. Popular tourist destinations include the city of Yogyakarta, a massive pyramid-like monument to Buddhism known as Borobudur, and Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple in Java. Java is also the most densely populated island in Indonesia, with nearly half of the overall population of the country residing on Java and Bali. Since the 1980s the Indonesian government has started a transmigration program aimed at resettling the population of Java on other less-populated islands of Indonesia, many of which are in need of development. However, a highly corrupted bureaucracy ensured poor results, and in many instances ethnic tension between the native people and the settlers. Recent examples include the ethnic/religious wars in southern Borneo between the native animistic population and the settlers from Madura. The island of Java is also famous for the Java man, a set of fossil remains of Homo erectus found near the Brantas river in East Java. Two million years ago, the rainfall in the Sunda and Digul plateaus were very heavy, and allowed heavy tropical vegetation to thrive. This in turn allowed many prehistoric cultures to emerge, as evidenced in many fossil findings in this region. Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms The island of Java is the site of many Hindu and Buddhist temples, such as the Borobudur temple. Indeed, the Javanese culture, and language itself, was heavily influences by the Indian continental culture and language. In the 6th and 7th centuries many maritime kingdoms arose in Sumatra and Java which controlled the waters in the Straits of Malacca and flourished with the increasing sea trade between China and India and beyond. During this time, scholars from India and China visited these kingdoms to translate literary and religious texts. The most prominent of the Hindu kingdoms was the Majapahit kingdom based in Central Java. Its control of a large portion of Indonesia has been used by the current Indonesian government to promote their national unity campaign. The remnants of the Javanese Hindu kingdom Majapahit moved to Bali during the 16th century, away from the growing influence of the Muslim kingdoms to the west of their territory. They remained isolated until the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the Dutch mounted military expeditions to gain control of the island. Today Bali's native population is still overwhelmingly Hindus. Muslim kingdoms and the Dutch colonization The earliest Muslim evangelists were called the Wali Songo , the nine ambassadors. Several of them were of Chinese origin, leading to speculation of Zheng He's influence on the trade in the Straits of Malacca. Many of their tombs are still well-preserved, and often visited for superstitious and religious reasons. Most of the brand of Islam that is adopted in Java is mixed with the local superstitions, and has a decidedly local flavor. For example, the legend of Nyi Roro Kidul was invented as a mix of the superstition common in the southern banks of Java and Islamic influences. Islam was also used as a political motive in support of the resistance of the later Java kingdoms against the Dutch colonials. The Dutch East India Company established its trading and administrative headquarters in Batavia, and ruled Java through control of the Javanese courts in Yogyakarta and Surakarta. Despite several insurgencies, the Dutch maintained control until the Japanese invasion in World War II. The Dutch started coffee and tea plantation on the island of Java, hence the term java is often used in place of coffee. These plantations still exist to today, and while the tea products are not considered gourmet, the coffee products are highly sought-after. The culture of coffee so permeates the Javanese culture that upon visiting a house, one is often automatically served a cup of coffee (often with a lot of sugar and/or milk) without asking. The 19th century saw the Dutch government take over administration of the East Indies from the Dutch East India Company, and in the mid-19th century they implemented the cultuurstelsel and cultuurprocenten policies, which caused widespread famine and poverty. A Dutch author Douwes Dekker wrote a novel Max Havelaar to protest these conditions, and in turn the political and social movement spurned by this protest resulted in the Ethical Policy , by which many Javanese elites were given a chance to earn Dutch education both in Java and in the Netherlands itself. Jakarta was made the capital of Indonesia upon her indepence, and an overwhelming majority of the figures of Indonesian independence are from Java as a result of the ethical policy from the beginning of the 20th century. This ensures political dominance that continues to today. The respected Indonesian author Pramoedya Ananta Toer once recommended that the Indonesian capital be moved outside the island of Java in order to free the Indonesian nationalist movement off its Java-centric character. Being the location of the capital means that Java, and Bali, are the most developed regions of Indonesia. However, overpopulation means that most facilties are overused, and since the mid-1980s the government has started a transmigration program to resettle people from Java to other less-populated, and less-developed, regions such as in Kalimantan and Sumatra. Generally speaking, the three main cultures of Java are the Sunda culture of West Java, the Central Java culture, and the East Java culture. Central Java was the seat of the later Islamic kingdoms that still continue to today - although they have only symbolic roles - and is still a major factor in the Indonesian national politics. Java was the site of many influential kingdoms in the Southeast Asian region, and as a result many literary works have been written by Javanese authors. These include Ken Arok and Ken Dedes, the story of the orphan who usurped his king and married the queen of the ancient Javanese kingdom, and translations of Ramayana and Mahabarata. Today Pramoedya Ananta Toer the most famous Indonesian author has written many stories based on his own experiences of having grown up in Java, and takes many elements from Javanese folklore and historical legends. Most of the Javanese are Muslims, either of the Abangan (nominal) type or orthodox muslims. Small Hindu enclaves are scattered throughout Java, but a large Hindu population prevails along the eastern coast of Java facing Bali, especially in the municipilaty Banyuwangi. There are also christian communities - mostly in the major cities - although they are in the minority. Certain rural areas of central Java have strong christian influence. Buddhism communities also exist in the major cities, primarily among the Indonesian Chinese. Last updated: 02-03-2005 12:39:17 Last updated: 04-25-2005 03:06:01
Election-bound Punjab is in a drug-induced stupor, cancer from pesticide exposure is rampant in its farm belts. Old-guard politicians have been lazy, and AAP hopes to cash in Jasleen Kaur \| February 3, 2017 \| New Delhi Punjab’s deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal may well be right when he claims that no one can say his government has not performed on the parameters of development. What is left unsaid and unacknowledged are the social problems facing the state, including that of rampant drug use across the state. Punjab, known for its lush green fields that once symbolised the progressive state, is today paying a heavy price for political neglect. Drugs is a big business in Punjab, bringing in easy money. Some of the powerful names in the political corridors have allegedly also been involved. The number of addicts is alarmingly high. Ignorance about the drug menace was quite evident when the Shiromani Akali Dal objected to the movie Udta Punjab, released in June last year, which dealt with the problem of drug abuse by the state’s youth. The government had said Punjab was being defamed by being called a drug hub. Though there is no comprehensive study by the state government on the impact of drugs, a number of surveys done by independent agencies highlight the plight. They show that at least half of Punjab’s population in the age group of 16-35 is addicted to drugs. A study by the state department of social security and development of women and children shows that there is at least one drug addict in 67 percent of the households in Punjab. The fact is that drugs have been part of rural Punjab for decades. But the Akali Dal-BJP government has always downplayed its existence. Punjab will elect 117 MLAs, but the poll outcome is unpredictable. Voting will take place on February 4, while the vote count will be on March 11. The state, known for its bitter electoral battles between Akali Dal-BJP and the Congress, will see its first triangular fight in the assembly elections as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) too is in the fray. The Shiromani Akali Dal had scripted history when it won a consecutive term in the assembly elections in 2012 – the first by any party. This time, the anti-incumbency factor against the SAD-BJP government is high. And they will surely have to fight the stigma of being in power for two consecutive terms, yet not doing enough to get rid of the drug menace that has ruined generations. “People have no problem if you take bribe. It is a nation-wide phenomenon. But drugs are not acceptable anymore,” says Ashutosh Kumar, Punjab-based political analyst and professor of political science at Panjab University, Chandigarh. He adds, “Earlier drug addiction was seen as a problem of the poor, dalits and unemployed youth. But now the issue is about synthetic drugs, which include costly substance like heroin. The rich zamindars [landowners] buy that. The core support base of Akali Dal is the Jat Sikh. This is going to hit Akalis really hard this time.” Punjab has been battling drug abuse for years, irrespective of which party ruled the state. But if the party has been in power for 10 years and drugs are still freely available, it certainly has to take the blame. “When the issue is raised, the government will only catch hold of a few suppliers and addicts from villages. But there is no effort to find the root cause,” Kumar adds. Drugs is not the only problem. There are other issues too. The state has faced political neglect. And there has been no improvement in the last five years. During the 2012 state assembly elections, there was the scourge of poor education, failure in generating employment, poor health sector, increasing number of farmer suicides as some of the issues of concern among people. They all continue to plague the state. These issues have never really been part of the poll manifestos of the traditional parties. It is now believed unfulfilled promises by the state government will result in resentment among the voters against the ruling party. Professor Santokh Singh, a political analyst based in Ludhiana, says there is development which is visible in terms of construction of roads, malls and airports, but there has been no focus on social problems. He adds the development has been superficial and impacts only 5-10 percent of the population. “The development which could affect the lives of common people, improve their income and quality of life, create employment opportunities, and bring in quality in school and college education has not been there. The health sector has been pushed towards privatisation. The infrastructure that has been developed will benefit only the rich people. The poor have been largely neglected,” he adds. Emergence of AAP Though the Congress led by Capt Amarinder Singh of the Patiala royal family is the main contender, voters are open for an alternative in the form of the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP. In the 2014 general elections – the only election AAP fought in the state – of the 13 parliamentary constituencies, Shiromani Akali Dal and AAP had won four seats each, Congress won three and BJP won two. And this third contender has been gaining ground in the state since then. Singh believes AAP could reap the benefits of the public anger towards the ruling party. Certainly, AAP should be given the credit for raising the issue of drugs during the elections in 2014. “I see the AAP getting clear-cut majority among the youth, which is emerging as the big vote base. AAP is also gaining in Malwa region. And with 68 assembly constituencies out of total 117 in this region, the party building a base here cannot be ruled out of [electoral fray],” he explains. The region has traditionally formed the base of the Akalis. Farmers living in the Malwa region, known as the cotton belt of Punjab, have been suffering health problems for more than a decade. They have been exposed to toxins because of the excessive use of pesticides over the years. There is also high content of cancer-causing agents in water and soil. And the region has seen continuous increase in the number of cancer patients. In order to seek affordable treatment, poor farmers have been forced to travel to Bikaner in Rajasthan for years. The government, though, recently inaugurated the Advanced Cancer Research and Diagnostic (ACRD) centre in Bathinda. “AAP is in a stronger position today. Though there is nothing revolutionary about their programmes or manifesto. All the parties are talking in the same [language]. But they are playing with the sentiment of change. What that change will be, nobody knows,” says Singh. n The Moral Contagion By Julia Hauser and Sarnath Banerjee HarperCollins, 140 pages, Rs 699 The world has lar Addressing the Viksit Bharat Viksit Uttar Pradesh program in Lucknow on Monday, prime minister Narendra Modi launched 14,000 projects across the state, worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore at the fourth groundbreaking ceremony of UP Global Investors Summit held in February 2023. The projects relate to sectors During the four days from Feb 16, more than a thousand birdwatchers throughout India are coming together with the goal of documenting as many birds as possible across the country’s diverse locations. Over one lakh birdwatchers globally participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Coun The Central Consumer Protection Authority has sought public comments on the ‘Draft Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisement in Coaching Sector’. The draft guidelines are placed on the website of the Department of Consumer Affairs and are accessible through the link: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India has held the anonymous, unregulated and unlimited funding through electoral bonds and companies as unconstitutional. The five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court comprising chief justice DY Chandrachud and justices Sanjiv Khanna, B The world is at the cusp of a revolution based on Industry 4.0 and green technologies, including AI, big data, IoT, EVs, solar power, etc., which offer developing countries the opportunity to leapfrog into economic prosperity. However, India’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) still stands at a mea
Indian-Americans are experiencing unprecedented political success in the US, where the community comprise one per cent of the total population and for the first time ever they now also make up one per cent of the Congress, an Indian-American Harvard University academic has said. US Congress has 535 voting members: 435 Representatives and 100 Senators. And during last year’s elections four of the community members were elected to the Congress, while a fifth member won re-election to a third-term, Ro Khanna, Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Kamala Harris were elected to the US Congress last year, and Ami Bera won re-election to a third term. This represents the largest number of Indian Americans to ever serve in Congressional history, Ronak D Desai wrote in Forbes. Judge Dilip Singh Saund became the first Asian American to be elected to Congress in 1956. Nearly four decades later, Bobby Jindal was elected to the House of Representatives from Louisiana before launching a successful gubernatorial bid in the state. “Indian Americans are approximately one per cent of the US population and for the first time ever they now make up one per cent of the US Congress,” said MR Rangaswami, the founder of the San Francisco-based nonprofit Indiaspora. “This doesn’t count the scores of Indian-Americans senior staffers serving on Capitol Hill working for dozens of members on both sides of the aisle,” he said. Beyond the legislative branch, Donald Trump’s election to the White House is also proving a boon to some members of the community. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been tapped to become the first ever Indian-American US Ambassador to the UN while Indiana native Seema Verma has been nominated by the president-elect to run the Center for Medicare and Medicai Services, Desai wrote. Since American immigration laws were liberalised in 1965, Indians travelled to the US in record numbers and the Indian American community has become the wealthiest, most educated diaspora in the country, according to Desai. While they have dominated the medical, engineering and computer science industries for decades, Indian Americans are only recently experiencing a commensurate level of achievement in public life, Desai said. Desai is an Affiliate at the Belfer Center’s India and and South Asia Program at Harvard University and a Fellow at New America.
Nepal: spiralling protests against a draft constitution NEW ALERT FROM CRISIS GROUP, 2-IX-15 Nepal: Conflict Alert Kathmandu/Brussels: Spiralling protests against a draft constitution have left 23 dead and hundreds injured in Nepal in two weeks. An over-militarised security reaction and inadequate political response from the centre threaten to fuel deep-seated ethnic, caste and regional rivalries less than a decade after the civil war’s end. The major parties should recognise the depth of discontent and the fundamental challenge this poses to the legitimacy of the proposed constitution. A hastily-passed document, weeks after mobilisation of security forces to counter citizens’ protests against it, is unlikely to be the social contract Nepal needs.
Updated again Saturday morning The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports: Court upholds Episcopal Diocese’s claim to assets. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has upheld an Allegheny Common Pleas decision awarding centrally held property of the Episcopal diocese that split in 2008 to the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh rather than to the rival Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. About $20 million in endowment funds and other assets is at stake. The ruling has no direct impact on ownership of parish property, other than indicating that Anglican parishes must apply to the Episcopal diocese to negotiate for their property, rather than vice versa. The Anglican diocese has not decided whether to pursue a further appeal. Lionel Deimel has further details of this, see Details of Commonwealth Court Ruling. The full text of the judgment can be read from a PDF file here. There is now a fuller story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Episcopal diocese wins a legal round. Episcopal Bishop Kenneth Price Jr. welcomed the decision, which arrived the day his diocese reached the first settlement with an Anglican parish. It required that parish to cut ties with the Anglican diocese for five years. “We are pleased with the court’s findings and hope this will be the final legal challenge concerning this issue,” he said. He invited Anglican congregations “to join us in negotiating a settlement to our differences.” Archbishop Duncan, who is also primate of the theologically conservative Anglican Church in North America, hasn’t decided whether to appeal. “The decision of the appellate court is deeply disappointing,” he said. “In the next hours and days the bishop and standing committee will pray and take counsel about our corporate path forward.” The Episcopal Diocese has issued this press release: Appeals Court Upholds Diocese in Assets Case Update This press release has been issued: A Pastoral Letter to the Clergy and People of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh which includes the following paragraph: …The Standing Committee met on Wednesday night, February 2nd. Three important decisions were made. First, we will petition the appellate court for a re-hearing, which means the lower court’s ruling will not yet be final. Second, the Standing Committee and Diocesan leadership (Bishop’s Office, Trustees and Council) will do everything we can to keep all our congregations working together. Third, the Standing Committee will work tirelessly for a negotiated end to the strife between the Anglican and Episcopal Church Dioceses… Pittburgh Post-Gazette Anglican diocese asks court to rehear case The filing, which must be made within 14 days, is not an appeal but an outright request for the same court to hear the case over, citing errors of fact in the ruling which was authored by Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer. “There are some points of fact that are incorrect in the ruling,” said David Trautman, a spokesman for the Anglican diocese. “We are giving the court a chance to correct those errors.” He did not specify the errors the Anglicans contend are in the ruling.
“A woman opened fire at YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif., shooting three people with a handgun before taking her own life and causing widespread panic in the technology hub south of San Francisco. “A law enforcement source identified the alleged shooter as Nasim Aghdam. “Investigators initially believed the shooting was a domestic incident, with the shooter targeting someone who worked on the YouTube campus. “But one law enforcement source said the investigation is now looking into a website in which someone with a similar name complains about YouTube stifling traffic and suppressing videos. “The source stressed that the investigation is in its preliminary stages.” Read more at LA Times
Oil prices take a dive as the Dubai crisis unrolls. MERLIN FLOWER \| 2009/12/04 Of course, the oil prices fell immediately. On November 27, the January contract for benchmark US light sweet crude slid to $76.05/bbl, a decline of 1.91. Dubai, the land of luxury is one of the seven states in the UAE. Its property boom grew at a frenzied pace, piling up debt but also building dream projects like the Palm shaped islands, a new urban metro, the world's largest tower, a waterfront to the size of Hong Kong, a leisure park called 'Dubailand' and more. The now infamous 'Dubai World' has stakes in holdings around the world from New York to Las Vegas. Many business enterprises from Iran, India, Pakistan, and within the Arab world flocked to Dubai to do business due to the liberal policies and incredible returns. Now, many of the works have come to a standstill and Dubai is seeking a bailout from Abu Dhabi another of the seven states in the UAE. The crisis could end if Abu Dhabi helps. But Abu Dhabi, guessing from the initial reaction will not cover for the debts completely but rather "look into each case on its own". Critically, this crisis comes at a time when the world economy was recovering from the financial crisis. Needless to say, markets around the world tumbled on hearing the news-stock markets in London, Asia, New York, Hong Kong and South Korea fell. Construction companies from Australia, Japan, South Korea involved in Dubai were affected because of their presence in Dubai. Banks like HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered could lose because of their substantial operation in the Middle East and understandably their shares have fallen since. Dubai crisis and Oil Of course, the oil prices fell immediately. On November 27, the January contract for benchmark US light sweet crude slid to $76.05/bbl, a decline of 1.91, and the February contract dropped to $77.36/bbl, declining by $1.83, this after the thanksgiving holiday on Thursday (November 26). In London, though the January delivery of Brent crude dropped on Thursday (November 26), it gained nineteen cents closing at $77.18 in the ICE Futures exchange. For a bit of background, Dubai's oil reached its peak in the eighties. The country has only two percent (at about 80,000 barrels a day now) of the about 98.2 billion barrels of UAE's oil, and oil contributes to less than six percent of its economy. Dubai became a wall street of the Middle East to diversify away from oil since their reserves were getting exhausted. It wanted and almost succeeded in becoming the service centre of the world. But real estate proved to be a sore point, and analysts believe that the correction had to happen as the debts were hovering dangerously. Against this backdrop comes the scheduled meeting of OPEC in Luanda on December 22, where discussion on prices and output quotas would take place. OPEC contributes about forty percent of word's oil. The last meeting of OPEC saw the cartel leavings its production quotas unchanged. Would there be any change this time? The signs point otherwise; some of the rhetoric: "Given the circumstances, there will not be an output increase and OPEC will not permit members to do it," Iran's Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi said at a press conference, "These days the market situation is not right to raise output. This is my forecast" he added. Venezuela which has a quota of 24.84 million barrels per day is also expected to maintain the same production level. Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Abdullah al-Sabah said "The oil prices at $75-80 per barrel are good and acceptable". Iran, the second largest oil producer in OPEC, has said that his country didn't expect the oil cartel to increase output. Possible effects of the crisis on Oil In winter, as often is the case, the oil prices go northward but this time around oil prices may slide. Of course there are many voices trying to play down the effects of the crisis. The British Prime Minster, Gordon Brown said that the Dubai crisis will not cause major damage to world economy. "My own view is the world financial system is stronger now and able to deal with the problems that arise," said Brown. Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said that he also forecasts only minor effects, if any, on the Israeli economy from the Dubai crisis. Fine, the oil prices did bounce back the next week, but it came on the backdrop of the standoff between Iran which detained five British soldiers (since been released from custody). So, oil prices recovered as investors feared a standoff between the crude exporter and western powers. And also, Pirates seized a tanker carrying crude oil from Saudi Arabia to the US. There will be demand from China, India, Russia and Brazil. In fact it's, at least, a cover for China to buy oil and gold as there is a need to invest in oil and other resources needed for the growing economy. As most of the $2.27 trillion in foreign exchange reserves have been held in dollar-linked U.S treasuries, it poses a high risk as they don't have stable value like oil and gold. Economic Information Daily from China published comments of Ji Xiaonan, Chairman of the Supervisory Committee saying that Dubai's debt crisis could be a good opportunity for China to purchase gold and oil assets. Ji Xiaonan was quoted as saying that the Dubai debt crisis "could give China an opportunity to put some of its foreign exchange reserves into gold or oil". Yet, not to forget, the investor confidence is low while the anxiety is more, as the markets-commodities as well as equities- believe there is more chances of Dubai defaulting on its other debts. Yes, outside the Middle East Dubai does not, indeed, have that much influence but this could be the beginning of further defaults. For instance, countries like Bulgaria, Hungary and the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have debts exceeding their GDP (Gross Domestic Products). Since there is still a big black hole in investor confidence, demand may not rise in the immediate future. Furthermore, banks may tighten their lending for investors and investments are a huge risk in the real estate sector. As of today, no one is able to predict the impact on the banking sector. A report in Sucden Financial Research said "It should be noted that fundamentals remain weak, as current above-average temperatures raise concerns for oil demand levels in the US". Analyst in KBC market services, a division of KBC Process Technology Ltd. in the UK, have this to say, "We keep making the point that for the developed economies there is little sign that demand is improving - yet. Everybody talks about demand recovery but lift-off keeps being postponed." Remember, Dubai has already achieved its peak in oil and it will be hard to raise capital with knowingly depleted oil wells. This crisis is a setback pushing them to rely more on oil revenue. They will have to pump more oil out to finance their debt. And, as OPEC is not expected to increase the production quotas, expect oil prices to go even lower. Published on 2009/12/04 by MERLIN FLOWER
HOUSTON (WPVI) -- We live in a time where people can be highly dependent on social media. After all, it's an outlet for career growth and support. It's also made many quite vulnerable. Now, cyber security experts are seeing how scammers and hackers are taking advantage of that vulnerability in a new era of scams. "It's much easier for criminals today," said cyber security expert Ondrej Krehel. Krehel is talking about hackers on Facebook and Instagram. "Instagram seems to be a platform, which has a high level of trust," said Krehel. Users go live on social media, they're able to post stories in real time, and many share personal moments and grief. Shortly after well-known Houston promoter Keith Nelson asked his 34,000 followers to pray for his mom, who was suffering from a stroke, his Instagram account was hacked. The scammer messaged hundreds of friends requesting money to help Nelson's mother. In several messages, the hacker, who posed as Nelson, would write, 'I'm here with my mom and doctors.'" "It's kind of frustrating, using my mom," said Nelson. "People were texting me while I'm in the hospital like, 'Hey, do you still need that money?'" Here are some tips cyber security experts say will help keep you from becoming a victim.
Earlier on Wednesday, it appeared that the post-Thanksgiving surge of COVID-19 cases had come in full effect as the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) initially reported 3,658 new cases, however, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs quickly recanted those numbers, citing a “data field issue.” In this afternoon’s press briefing, Dobbs provided the accurate numbers while apologizing for the “erroneous” numbers that were prematurely and inaccurately released this morning, citing that the true number of cases from the department’s most recent report consists of 2,746—nevertheless the state’s highest one-day rise since the onset of the pandemic. “I would like to apologize for the erroneous numbers we released this morning,” Dobbs said. “There was a data field issue where we didn’t get birthdays for many of the patients, and it interfered with our automated portion of our de-duplication algorithm. When we did our quality control measures by hand thereafter, we did find the error and went back and corrected that, but still, 2,746 is a phenomenal number.” Wednesday’s report brings the state’s total number of positive cases up to 170,672. With the confirmation of 25 additional deaths, 4,041 Mississippians have now passed away from the virus. Overall hospitalizations continue to rise well beyond the previous peak of the summer months. Back in June, Dobbs stated that for every 1,000 new cases, they expect around 170 hospitalizations, meaning that today’s caseload signals continued challenges ahead for the healthcare system. Governor Tate Reeves also announced his newest executive order, which places 61 of the state’s 82 counties under a mask mandate while placing further restrictions on both indoor and outdoor gatherings. On Tuesday, Dr. Dobbs gave an update on the arrival of Mississippi’s first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. While the state may have its first 25,000 doses by next week, he reiterated that now is not the time to let up. “We want to bring as many people across the finish line as we can. I think there is a good chance that 1,000 more people can die between now and 2021. Those are people we can save. There are people who are going to be after that that we can save. We’ve got a vaccine on the horizon, and now is just the time to maintain patience,” he explained. New MSDH guidance recommends that Mississippians avoid all nonessential gatherings including parties, weddings, funerals, sporting events, and in-person church services. As of Monday, an estimated 136,627 Mississippians have recovered from the virus. The post MSDH confirms 2,746 new COVID-19 cases, setting new record appeared first on News Mississippi.
The 2024 Congressional Outlook 2024 started with two spending deadlines looming on January 19 and February 2. With lawmakers working to avert a government shutdown and make progress on other big-ticket items they didn’t get to in 2023, including the Farm Bill, we’re left wondering what the year will bring. On January 9, Bloomberg Government’s Loren Duggan and other members of our news and analysis team gathered to share updates and discuss what Congress can get done in an election year – watch the webinar replay now to hear their insights and learn more. Deputy News Director Senior Reporter, Congress Team Deputy Team Leader
Media Release: Primary Producers South Australia Date: Thursday 13 February, 20174 SA Fire Recovery Assistance Primary Producers SA (PPSA) and Livestock SA are working together to create a register to match donations of assistance with those most in need. PPSA Chair Rob Kerin said, “Last week was a very difficult week for many SA landholders. We greatly appreciate the huge efforts of the CFS Volunteers, and without them the damage would have been much worse. However, there are still significant losses of stock, infrastructure, fences and feed”. Livestock SA Chair Richard Halliday added, “It is a difficult time for many livestock owners, and we would like to facilitate assistance to ensure that feed and fencing needs are met. I encourage those more fortunate to consider how they may assist”. PPSA and Livestock SA would welcome any donations of: · Fencing Materials · Volunteer help with clean up or fencing We also invite those who have suffered losses to register. In the first instance, fencing requests should be restricted to boundary fences which are not insured. Both Mr Kerin and Mr Halliday said that SA farmers had a proud record of helping each other out in a time of need, and acknowledged the many who have already hopped in to help their colleagues at this difficult time. Livestock SA is the peak body for sheep and cattle. PPSA is the peak body for primary producers in SA, of which Livestock SA is one of the six major commodity groups who are members. Please contact PPSA or Livestock SA on 08 8297 0899 or 08 8297 2299 to register for assistance or to register donations and/or your time. Contacts: Rob Kerin Chair Primary Producers SA – Mob: 0439 933 103 Richard Halliday President Livestock SA – Mob: 0428 854 759
Former South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius, convicted of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp a decade ago, will remain in prison after a prison board denied his request for parole on Friday. The prison services informed, to the surprise of everyone and in a brief statement, that the refusal was related to the fact that the convict had not yet served a sufficient part of his sentence to be able to obtain an early release. “The inmate has not completed the minimum period of detention, as decided by the Supreme Court of Appeal,” the last court to sentence Pistorius in 2017 after multiple appeals, the statement said. In a brief memo obtained by Africanewsguru.com, and dated Tuesday, that court explains that it considers the sentence imposed to start from the date of his conviction in 2017 and not from his first conviction in 2014. “The request was denied” and “will be reviewed in a year,” said with Africanewsguru.com the lawyer of the victim’s family, Me Tania Koen, welcoming the decision. The spokesman for the prison services, Singabakho Nxumalo, said to the press that Oscar Pistorius will have completed the minimum required only in August 2024, when he will be able to apply for early release. He was eligible since July 2021, although the prison administration had announced for months. An ad hoc committee met on Friday morning at Atteridgeville prison near Pretoria, where the 36-year-old ex-athlete is serving a sentence of more than 13 years. Under South African law, a convicted murderer is eligible for early release after serving half his sentence. Reeva Steenkamp’s parents had made their opposition to her early release known, believing that Oscar Pistorius never told the truth. “I don’t believe his story,” said a visibly distressed mother, June Steenkamp, as she arrived outside the prison. She did not testify in front of her daughter’s murderer, as the commission decided to hear the latter in a second time, said her lawyer Tania Koen. The parents of the victim are living “a life sentence” since the violent death of their daughter, said Koen. “They miss her every day. They “believe that he should not be released” because “he has shown no remorse and he is not rehabilitated, because if he were, he would have been honest and would have told the true story of what happened that night,” she insisted. – Judicial saga – In the early hours of Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013, Pistorius fired a gun through his bedroom bathroom door. Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, is killed by four bullets. Rich, famous, the six-time Paralympic champion had entered the legend of sport a year earlier by lining up with the able-bodied in the 400 meters of the London Olympics, a first for a double amputee. “Blade Runner”, his nickname in reference to his carbon prostheses, was arrested in the early morning. He pleads misunderstanding, saying he thought a burglar had broken into his ultra-secure residence. During his trial, broadcast live on television in 2014, the ex-star appears in tears, vomiting when reading the autopsy report. He gets five years in prison for manslaughter. The prosecution finds the justice too lenient and appeals and re-characterizes as murder. The judicial saga kept the media in suspense, the world was fascinated by this unusual case. On appeal, Pistorius presented himself on his stumps to try to win the sympathy of the judge. He was sentenced to six years in prison. The prosecution still considers the sentence insufficient. In 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal sentenced him to 13 years and 5 months in prison. Dropped by his sponsors, and ruined, the fallen idol sells his house to pay his lawyers.
Bono, the lead singer of the Irish band U2, said he told Pope Francis that in Ireland "it looks as though the abusers are being more protected than the victims. And you could see the pain in his face." Bono met the pope Sept. 19 to sign an agreement between his charity, ONE, and the Scholas Occurentes educational charity supported by Pope Francis. During the half-hour meeting, Bono said, he brought up Pope Francis' recent trip to Ireland and the concerns there about the sexual abuse crisis. The pope was "aghast," Bono said. "I thought he was sincere." "I think he is an extraordinary man for extraordinary times," the singer said. ONE is a campaign and advocacy effort working to end extreme poverty, especially in Africa. One of its current focuses, Bono told reporters Sept. 19, is education for girls and young women. Some "130 million girls around the world do not go to school, because they are girls," he said. "Poverty is sexist" is the campaign slogan, he said. Scholas began in Pope Francis' Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, supporting education in poor neighborhoods by pairing their schools with private schools and institutions in wealthier neighborhoods. The organization has grown to other countries and supports a variety of exchange programs aimed at promoting education, encouraging creativity and teaching young people about respect, tolerance and peace. "We haven't figured out what we are going to do together," Bono said, "but we sort of have a crush on each other." Describing Jose Maria del Corral, president of Scholas, Bono said that "honestly, he is quite a radical thinker and I felt quite old-fashioned sitting next to him." Bono was talking about teaching children how to read and write and "get to advanced math and art later. And he was like, 'Start with art. And start with the creative life and you'll get a better result.'" Bono said the conversation with the pope touched on many topics, including poverty, commerce and meeting the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. They spoke, he said, "about how we have to rethink the wild beast that is capitalism and how, though it is not immoral, it is amoral and it requires our instruction. He's very keen on that."
I. Legislative Branch 1) Personnel and Correspondence Representatives Sarbanes and Pallone Express Opposition to Turkey F-16 Sale. On January 17, Representative John Sarbanes (D-Maryland) expressed opposition to the Biden administration’s potential sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Representative Sarbanes said that the United States “should not reward, accommodate or seek to cajole the Erdoğan regime, given its ongoing demonstration of contempt for international standards, human rights and the sovereignty of nations.” On January 18, Representative Frank Pallone Jr. (D- New Jersey) called for congressional action to block the sale, citing Erdoğan’s human rights abuses and aggressive foreign policy. Representative Pallone said that he plans to work with Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), who has promised to block the $20 billion sale. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed opposition to US fighter jet sales to Turkey in the past. Senator Rosen Asks Not to Meet with Far-Right Israeli Parties During Visit. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), who co-chairs the Senate Abraham Accords Caucus, reportedly asked not to meet with any far-right Israeli politicians during a bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus trip to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Senator Rosen reportedly asked officials to avoid meetings with members of Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party and Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party. Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid responded to the news of Senator Rosen’s request, saying, “The United States is no longer Israel’s closest ally.” Representatives Tlaib and McCollum Condemn Construction of US Embassy in Jerusalem on Palestinian-Owned Land. On January 17, Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan) said that she was “outraged” over State Department plans to build the US Embassy in Jerusalem on stolen Palestinian land and called on President Biden to reverse the policy immediately. Representative Betty McCollum (D-Minnesota) criticized the plan as well, tweeting a quote from Palestinian American historian Rashid Khalidi’s New York Times op-ed, which states, “The Biden administration should reject building on seized land, showing that the United States won’t tolerate, let alone be complicit in, the theft of any more Palestinian property.” On January 20, Representative Ritchie Torres (D-New York) reportedly responded to his fellow Democrats, tweeting in support of the State Department’s decision “to build an embassy where it belongs, in a country’s capital.” US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus Leadership Calls for Political Accountability in Lebanon. On January 13, Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan), Darrell Issa (R-California), and Darin LaHood (R-Illinois), Co-Chairs of the Congressional US-Lebanon Friendship Caucus, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen urging the Biden administration to address the presidential vacuum in Lebanon. In the letter, the representatives called on the administration to use “additional diplomatic tools to hold responsible those who are continuing to obstruct democratic processes in Lebanon,” and urged the Biden administration to make its expectations clear to the international community. Incoming House Republican Committee Members Hold Strong Pro-Israel Views. On January 17, the Republican Steering Committee announced committee assignments for the House Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security, Armed Services, and Judiciary Committees. Many incoming committee members have previously expressed pro-Israel views, including Representative John James (R-Michigan), who expressed support for the annexation of the West Bank, and Representative French Hill (R-Arkansas), who supported the Israel Relations Normalization Act of 2021. Senator Brown and Representative Carey Seek Immigration Relief for Mauritanians. On January 18, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Representative Mike Carey (R-Ohio) sent a letter to President Biden and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that US-based Mauritanians be included in the department’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) programs due to the risk of slavery in Mauritania. TPS protects refugees who cannot safely return to their home countries, and a DED designation from President Biden would ban the repatriation of US-based Mauritanians to Mauritania. The lawmakers argued that such an action would protect 8,000 US-based Mauritanians and send a clear message that the United States condemns slavery. II. Executive Branch 1) The White House National Security Advisor Sullivan Travels to Israel and Palestine, Discusses Saudi-Israeli Normalization. From January 18–20, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan traveled to Israel and the West Bank, meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his cabinet, as well as with Bahrain’s and the UAE’s national security advisors. In his meeting with Netanyahu, Sullivan discussed recent Israeli provocations at Jerusalem’s holy sites and encouraged Israel to maintain the historic status quo. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office also said that he and Sullivan discussed the expansion of the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. Sullivan’s visit also coincided with the temporary cancelation of settlement expansions in occupied East Jerusalem, following reported US pressure. Sullivan traveled to Ramallah as well, where he met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss de-escalation in the occupied West Bank and steps to improve the lives of Palestinians. President Abbas reportedly urged US intervention following recent rhetorical escalations from the new far-right Israeli government. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also set to travel to Israel later this month. Biden Administration Commemorates One-Year Anniversary of Attack on Abu Dhabi. On January 17, President Biden commemorated the one-year anniversary of a Houthi drone strike in the United Arab Emirates that killed three people. In his statement, President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to the UAE’s defense and the close friendship between himself and Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ). President Biden also vowed to end the war in Yemen and to provide security to the Emirates and other regional allies. Later that day, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with MBZ to commemorate the attack. Vice President Harris reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to its bilateral relationship with the UAE and the two leaders discussed their partnership to address climate change and invest in clean energy as the UAE prepares to host the COP28 climate conference later this year. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael “Erik” Kurilla also commemorated the anniversary of the attack. Biden Administration Officials Meet with Iraqi Prime Minister in Baghdad. On January 16, White House National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk and Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security Amos Hochstein met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in Baghdad. The talks focused on coordination to support Iraqi reforms in energy, infrastructure, and climate, as well as the Iraqi military’s abilities to fight the so-called Islamic State (IS). Two days prior, Prime Minister al-Sudani had called for the indefinite presence of US troops in Iraq, citing their importance to the country’s ongoing fight against IS. There are currently about 2,000 US troops in Iraq, and the prime minister has faced pressure from pro-Iranian militia leaders to reconsider this US presence. White House National Security Coordinator McGurk Meets with Jordanian FM. On January 16, White House National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk met with Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi. The two leaders discussed US-Jordan relations, US aid to Jordan, and the most recent memorandum of understanding between the two countries. Foreign Minister Safadi reaffirmed the importance of the United States’ support for the two-state solution in Palestine and its clear rejection of unilateral Israeli actions that threaten the status quo at Jerusalem holy sites. 2) Department of State Secretary Blinken Meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Amid Potential F-16 Sale. On January 18, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met in Washington for the fourth meeting of the US-Turkey Strategic Mechanism. The two leaders discussed a potential F-16 sale to Turkey, the two countries’ support for Ukraine, methods to bolster NATO cooperation, and the civil war in Syria. At remarks before the meeting, Foreign Minister Cavusoglu mentioned the fighter jet sale, saying that his government anticipates its approval. Ambassador Nides Says Israel Must Enable Palestinian American Travel for Visa Waiver Deal. On January 18, US Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides said that Israel must ensure that Palestinian Americans can freely travel to Israel and the Israeli-occupied West Bank in order for Israel to qualify for the US visa waiver program, which would allow Israelis to travel to the United States without obtaining a visa. Ambassador Nides reiterated the importance of reciprocity in the visa waiver program, stating, “Reciprocity will mean that Palestinian Americans will be able to freely travel from Detroit to Ben-Gurion to Ramallah. And Americans who live in Ramallah will be able to go from Ramallah to Ben-Gurion back to Detroit.” His comments follow congressional opposition last year to Israel’s entry into the visa waiver program due to its restrictive regulations in the West Bank, which would affect American citizens. Palestinian Affairs Office Condemns Settler Attack Involving US Citizens near Jericho. On January 17, the State Department’s Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem condemned an Israeli settler attack on Palestinians and others, including US citizens, near Jericho in the occupied West Bank. Days before, Israeli settlers had attacked a group of Palestinian, French, American, and Italian hikers, reportedly threatening to kill them. The US Office of Palestinian Affairs in Jerusalem called the act a “brazen assault,” and urged a stop to actions that exacerbate tensions in the area. Deputy Representative Mills Delivers Speech During UNSC Briefing on Yemen. On January 16, Deputy US Representative to the United Nations Richard Mills spoke at a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the war in Yemen, expressing the United States’ hope for a renewed truce agreement and peace process in 2023. During his speech, Mills criticized the Houthis for their attacks on maritime ports, arguing that they harm Yemen’s economy and raise the cost of living. Mills also criticized Iran for its support of the Houthis amid a relative peace in Yemen, citing last week’s discovery of thousands of AK-47 assault rifles being shipped from Iran to Yemen. Climate Envoy Kerry Supports UAE Decision to Put Oil Company President in Charge of COP28. On January 15, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry supported the UAE’s decision to appoint the head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., Sultan al-Jaber, to lead the planning for COP28, the global climate conference set to take place in the UAE next fall. In response to criticism from activists, Kerry justified the decision, stating, “I think that Dr. Sultan al-Jaber is a terrific choice because he is the head of the company. That company knows it needs to transition.” Secretary Blinken Comments on JCPOA in Joint Press Conference with UK Foreign Secretary. On January 17, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken gave a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly, wherein the two officials discussed partnership and support for assistance to Ukraine, peace for the people of Northern Ireland, and support for demonstrators in Iran. Most notably, Secretary Blinken commented on a potential US return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, stating that “Iranians killed the opportunity to come back to that agreement swiftly many months ago.” On January 19, Secretary Blinken again spoke about Iran with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell. UN Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield Speaks at UNSC Briefing on Israel-Palestine. On January 18, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield spoke at a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on the new Israeli government. During her speech, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield reiterated the United States’ commitment to the two-state solution, condemned any unliteral actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound that would threaten the status quo in Jerusalem, called for the release of two Israelis imprisoned in Gaza, and called on UN member states to bolster financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the chief UN aid mechanism to Palestine. Ambassador Hussain Travels to Mauritania. On January 19, US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain traveled to Mauritania to meet with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, political leaders from Nigeria, and the secretary-general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The leaders discussed human rights, security issues, religious freedom, and efforts at interfaith tolerance. Secretary Blinken Discusses Ukraine, DRC Peace Efforts with Qatari FM. On January 21, Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The two discussed international cooperation in Ukraine and peace efforts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as Qatar’s continued support for Afghanistan. Special Advisor Minkara Travels to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. On January 21, the State Department’s Special Advisor on International Disability Rights Sara Minkara traveled to Saudi Arabia and Jordan to meet with government officials, civil society and business community members, and representatives from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The meetings were set around the advancement of human rights for persons with disabilities. Assistant Secretary Sison Travels to Algeria and Morocco. On January 21, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs Michele Sison traveled to Algeria and Morocco to discuss human rights as the two states prepare to join the United Nations Human Rights Council. Sison will meet with government and civil society leaders and will underscore the importance of the UN-led effort for a political process in Western Sahara. 3) Department of Defense US Coalition Outpost in Syria Attacked by Drones. On January 20, the al-Tanf Garrison in Syria was attacked by three one-way attack drones. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), one drone struck the compound, injuring two members of the Syrian Free Army. No US forces were injured in the attack. US Signs $4.21 Billion F-16 Deal with Jordan. On January 19, Deputy Chief of the US Mission to Jordan Rohit Nepal signed a $4.21 billion F-16 fighter jet deal with Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander Brigadier General Mohammed Hiasat. The State Department had approved the sale in February 2022. CENTCOM Commander Kurilla Welcomes Iraq’s Repatriation of al-Hol Residents. On January 18, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael “Erik” Kurilla commended the Iraqi government’s January 14 repatriation of 580 Iraqis from the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeastern Syria. General Kurilla stated that al-Hol is a “flashpoint of human suffering and a recruiting opportunity for ISIS,” and argued that repatriation is the best course of action to reduce the camp’s population. Department of Defense Moving US Artillery from Israel to Ukraine. The Department of Defense has reportedly decided to move a stockpile of American artillery from Israel to Ukraine for the latter’s use in its war against Russia. In the wake of Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the Israeli government has followed a strict policy of not providing Ukraine with lethal weapons in order to avoid upsetting Russia. But Israeli officials insist that this new weapons transfer is not a change in policy because the ammunition is American. The US ammunition stored in Israel dates to the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, and Israel has used the weaponry, with American approval, during both its 2006 war against Hezbollah and its 2014 war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. CENTCOM Partners with SDF to Capture Islamic State Operative. On January 18, US Central Command (CENTCOM) partnered with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to conduct a helicopter assault resulting in the capture of a Syrian provincial media and security operative from the so-called Islamic State (IS). According to a CENTCOM statement, the captured operative was involved with IS operations in the Middle East and elsewhere, and also contributed to global recruiting efforts. CENTCOM Commander Kurilla Meets with Israeli Army Leadership. On January 18, US Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Michael “Erik” Kurilla met with the new Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi in Tel Aviv. The two leaders discussed the US-Israel military partnership and upcoming joint training exercises. The same day, General Kurilla met with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant and visited Israeli Air Force headquarters. CENTCOM Launches Naval Security Exercise with Bahrain. On January 15, US Central Command (CENTCOM) forces launched a 10-day maritime security exercise with Bahrain. The naval exercise consisted of a bilateral training event between the Bahrain Defense Force, Bahrain’s Ministry of the Interior, and 200 US personnel from US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT). The training seeks to enhance cooperation between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United States. CENTCOM Marks One-Year Anniversary of IS Attack on Ghuwayran Detention Facility. On January 20, US Central Command (CENTCOM) marked the one-year anniversary of the so-called Islamic State’s (IS) attack on the Ghuwayran detention facility in Hasaka, Syria. The attack on the facility and the ten-day battle that ensued resulted in the deaths of 425 IS militants and of 121 members of the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces. 4) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas Extends Temporary Protected Status for Somali Residents. On January 12, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia until September 17, 2024. TPS designations are intended to protect refugees in the United States who cannot safely return to their home countries due to ongoing conflict, and this announcement will extend the protections for 430 current TPS holders and allow an additional 2,200 Somali residents of the United States to apply for the status. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota), who is herself a Somali refugee, called for the TPS redesignation in December and then praised last week’s decision. III. Judicial Branch Supreme Court Considers Turkish Bank’s Iranian Sanctions Evasion Case. On January 17, the Supreme Court considered the case of Turkish state-owned lender Halkbank, which has been charged for allegedly helping Iran evade US sanctions. The Turkish bank is claiming sovereign immunity for protection against the lawsuit, and the justices are reportedly weighing in on whether the bank’s ties to Turkey would allow for future litigation against foreign states. Foreign governments have sovereign immunity in US courts under the 1976 Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Halkbank was originally charged in 2019, and US prosecutors accuse the bank of helping Iran to launder at least $1 billion through the US financial system.
Egypt’s Public Prosecution has ordered the detainment of three people pending investigation for attempting to loot a 10-ton colossus depicting pharaonic era king Ramses II after they sneaked into the southern quarry area in Upper Egypt governorate of Aswan to illegally excavate for antiquities. The trio were caught red-handed two days earlier by the provincial security forces while trying to lift the heavy statue and excavate other artefacts in the district, the prosecution said in an official statement on Tuesday. Manual digging tools, heavy equipment and a forklift were found in their possession. Following examination of the site, the prosecution found traces of drilling on the three metres high and one metre wide pharaonic statue. Basins from the Graeco-Roman era were also located there, according to the prosecution. The quarry area, amounting to over 34 acres, is subject to the country’s Antiquities Protection Law. The statement added that video footage sent via social media apps were found on the defendants’ mobile phones showing “statues suspected to be archaeological, and other clips of excavation work.” The prosecution also ordered the speedy investigation of others involved in the crime. According to the Egyptian penal code, crimes related to illegal excavation of antiquities are punishable by harsh prison sentences that amount to life imprisonment (25 years in prison) and by hefty fines.
It sounds like it’s the plot summary of an episode of Law and Order: SVU. Since 2009, hundreds of Thai women have been enslaved in a sex trafficking ring across 11 states – including right here in the Chicago area. Unfortunately, this isn’t a TV show. It’s real life. Which means we’re dealing with serious criminal allegations. Supposedly, hundreds of women from Thailand were trafficked to cities across the United States for prostitution purposes. The women were held on over $60,000 of bondage debt. That’s when a person agrees to provide work or services in exchange for the repayment of a debt or some other obligation. To pay for their passage to the United States, these Thai women allegedly had to engage in daily prostitution. Obviously, it is illegal to force people to be prostitutes, so that’s one crime. Then, along with sex trafficking, the perpetrators also had to launder the money coming in so it would appear as if they received it from a legitimate source. Six Chicago area suspects were taken into federal custody, including two women and one man who served as house bosses, and three other men who served as facilitators. All six were charged with: - One count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; - One count of conspiracy to commit transportation to engage in prostitution; - One count of conspiracy to engage in money laundering; and - One count of conspiracy to use a communications facility to promote prostitution. So sex trafficking is a crime, but what exactly are the specific Illinois laws and penalties for sex trafficking? Involuntary Servitude and Trafficking: Laws Illinois law is very detailed when it comes to involuntary servitude and trafficking, saying: A person commits involuntary servitude when he or she knowingly subjects, attempts to subject, or engages in a conspiracy to subject another person to labor or services obtained or maintained through: - Causing or threatening physical harm; - Physical restraint; - Tampering with a passport, immigration document, or ID; - Exerting financial control; and - Making the debtor believe they will suffer serious harm if they don’t perform the labor or services. Under this law, “labor” means work of economic or financial value, and “services” means activities resulting from a relationship between a person and the actor in which the person performs activities under the supervision of or for the benefit of the actor. Commercial sexual activity – prostitution – is an activity that is considered “services.” A person commits trafficking in persons when he or she knowingly: - Recruits, entices, harbors, transports, provides, or obtains by any means, or attempts to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain by any means, another person, intending or knowing that the person will be subjected to involuntary servitude; or - Benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture that has engaged in an act of involuntary servitude or involuntary sexual servitude of a minor. Involuntary Servitude and Trafficking: Penalties All involuntary servitude and sex trafficking crimes are felonies, but the class of felony can differ. For example, if you threaten or cause physical harm, you can be charged with a Class X felony, punishable by 6-30 years in prison. However, if you damage someone’s passport or government-issued ID, you will be charged with a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2-5 years in prison. Exerting financial control is a Class 4 felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison. Trafficking in persons is a Class 1 felony, punishable by 4-15 years in prison. As you can see, sex trafficking and involuntary servitude are serious crimes with severe penalties. If you want any chance of getting these charges reduced, dropped, or dismissed, reach out to an experienced Chicago defense attorney for the best possible outcome. About the Author Sami Azhari has been working as a lawyer since 2007, after receiving his Juris Doctor from the Michigan State University College of Law. He has handled numerous state and federal cases, and is known throughout the Chicago and Rolling Meadows area for providing his clients with high-quality, skilled representation. He has been recognized by SuperLawyers, the National Trial Lawyers Association, and other notable organizations, and has spoken at a number of legal conferences.
I know that it’s late in the day, but maybe it is time to reconsider fundamentals. In Scotland, perhaps we should support not a YES campaign, but a YES, BUT campaign. A YES, BUT campaign would (as I picture it) recommend a “yes” vote as our least worst option on September 18th. And – most important – it would support the autonomy of social movements REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE IN THE REFERENDUM WON. (By the “autonomy” of social movements, I mean their freedom from all institutional structures – for example, states and corporations. I mean social movements’ freedom to develop in their own interactive terms.) For me, a focus on the tension – more, the contradiction – between institutions and interaction is fundamental to radical politics. Institutions have a built-in, hierarchical dynamic: they obey an iron law of oligarchy that generates role definitions – role definitions which claim authority and cluster together at the top. By contrast, interaction which follows its own inner logic is unrestricted and unconstrained and in principle free. As in conversation which follows its argument wherever this argument leads, interaction broadens into openness and a non-predetermined world. Thus understood, can institutions and interaction combine? They can. In the real world, rather than in a world of concepts, a range of hybrids can and does obtain. But the combination has an oil-and-water character. Most often, it is institutions which succeed in channelling interaction: they force interaction into patterns which institutionally-approved role definitions approve. Emancipation occurs when, on the contrary, interaction gives the rule to institutions. My proposal is that, if the left loses a sense of the institutions/interaction contrast, the prospect of moving towards an emacipated future is lost. How does this apply to the debate on Scottish independence? The implications are, I think, all too clear. A nation – even a small nation, even an ethically “good” nation – is an institution. As such, it belongs in an institutional system. A state disciplines its citizens, and it conforms to (and is disciplined by) a larger world order. In 2014, the world order to which states belong is neoliberalism. This point may be developed: whether domestically or internationally, a state is complicit in discipline and coercion. A non-complicit state either is, in fact, complicit despite its protestations – or it ceases to be a state. In the neoliberal world, a state is not merely complicit in coercion and discipline. Courtesy of a barbaric world order, it possesses teeth. Here, issues which are close to home concern me. An unqualified YES campaign – a campaign without the “BUT” which I favour – celebrates an institution. It celebrates an institution in the sense which I have tried to make clear. This should make us uneasy. It should make us more than uneasy when we find the institution concerned (an independent Scotland) being praised to the skies. Institutional thinking is, I suggest, insidious: all too easily, it may cloud perspectives which should be interactive and open and free. Gordon Asher and Leigh French point to a striking instance of this clouding in their Crisis Capitalism and Independence Doctrines: they point out that a struggle for national independence ‘maintains a referent to state-foundational individualism’. Asher’s and French’s point can be stated in a number of ways. It suggests that, in a pro-national independence campaign, the spectre of institutional thinking appears in the close and intimate space between an individual and his or her self. It suggests that, in a pro-national independence struggle, the individual is pictured in a specific (a specifically institutionalist) way. It suggests that, in a phrase, the distinction between institutionalist and interactive thinking is being blurred. If Asher and French are right, then all pro-national independence struggles run the risk of becoming institutionalist. In 2014, it runs the risk of consolidating (rather than questioning or undermining) a neoliberal order of things. If the NO campaign wins, then neoliberalism will be safe under Cameron. If the unqualified YES campaign wins, neoliberalism will be safe under Salmond and his friends. Neoliberal co-option is present in the form – the deeply institutional form – that a question about national independence takes. The question which is asked on September 18th is a mystified and mystifying question. Hence my recommendation: our campaign should not be for YES but for YES, BUT. We should, indeed, vote YES as the least worst option that is before us: no-one in their right mind should give succour to Cameron. But this YES should be a YES, BUT – in the sense that caution and reserve and doubtfulness should be present from the very start. A YES, BUT result refuses to give institutionalist politicians room for manoeuvre – whereas an unadorned YES campaign (or an unadorned NO campaign) operates in institutionalist politicians’ terms. A YES, BUT campaign gives notice that both the notions of Scottish government and Westminster government are mistrusted. Such a campaign warns not merely Cameron but whoever rules Scotland after September 18th that a peace movement, an ecologically-sensitive movement, a movement for social justice and a movement for participatory democracy flourish at a grassroots level. It warns that movements of this kind have their own, interactive dynamic and are in no way are beholden – in their inspiration and their life – to the structures of a Scottish or UK state. It warns that social movements are not merely quangos, or quangos in the waiting, but sites where interaction and emacipation lie. Both an unadorned YES campaign and an unadorned NO campaign endorse neoliberal positions. By contrast, a YES, BUT campaign reformulates issues in an interactive way. I end with a comment on the formulation that I have favoured. When I have discussed the notion of a YES, BUT campaign with friends the response has, mainly, been favourable. But two rejoinders have given me thought. One offers a reformulation of my suggested slogan: in place of YES, BUT should we not say YES, AND or YES, NEXT – or, perhaps, YES, THEN? My feeling is that YES, BUT is better – much better – than the rival formulations. YES, BUT remains cautious, and introduces political conditions, whereas the other (more positive) formulations embrace national independence wholeheartedly and attempt to go on from there. I worry that, for the left, national independence is a semi-poisoned chalice – as I have argued. To a dangerous degree, an independent Scotland remains (like a non-independent Scotland) a neoliberal Scotland. If this is so, it is important for us to say that social movements even in a independent Scotland must remain independent from corporations and states. The second rejoinder that has given me pause for thought is more dismissive. Is the addition of “BUT” to the word or slogan “YES” merely a self-indulgent nicety? In place of YES, BUT or, really, “yes, anything” should we support YES, WHATEVER? This rejoinder gives me pause because it introduces – or seems to introduce – a note of my country right or wrong into current political debates. So far, this note has been refreshingly absent from recent debates on Scottish independence. The circumstance that the note can still be sounded makes it all the more important to campaign for a YES, BUT – rather than for an unqualified YES.
3 JPs' casino dealings cleared Tuesday 26th November 2019 The Arkansas Ethics Commission has dismissed casino-related ethics complaints filed against two Pope County Quorum Court members and authorized the withdrawal of a complaint against a third member of the Quorum Court. Jacksonville attorney William J. Ogles filed the complaints against the three justices of the peace after the Quorum Court on Aug. 13 endorsed Cherokee Nation Businesses for a casino license in Pope County. The Quorum Court chose the Cherokees over four other casino operators. The Cherokees and Choctaw Nation, both of Oklahoma, have each submitted applications for a casino license in Pope County under the Arkansas Racing Commission's second window for applications that closed last week. The Choctaw Nation's application doesn't have the endorsement of local elected officials in Pope County. Justices of the Peace Ernie Enchelmayer, Caleb Moore and Doug Skelton said in a joint news release that they're glad to get the ethics complaints behind them. Ogles could not be reached for comment by telephone on Monday afternoon. "Now that we have been cleared, it's time to get back to the business of serving Pope County and our constituents," Enchelmayer said. [RELATED: See complete Democrat-Gazette coverage of casinos in Arkansas at arkansasonline.com/casinos] The Ethics Commission voted 4-0 to dismiss the complaint against Enchelmayer, commission Director Graham Sloan said in a letter to him. Ogles alleged that Enchelmayer used his position to secure a $10,000 payment to the River Valley Arts Center -- an entity whose board includes his wife, Valerie Enchelmayer -- under the county's Economic Development Agreement with Cherokee Nation Businesses. Sloan said the evidence showed that, while Ernie Enchelmayer voted for the resolution supporting the development plan, his wife is an unpaid volunteer at the arts center and the Enchelmayers "do not appear to have a substantial financial relationship with the River Valley Arts Center." Enchelmayer said the 4-0 vote to dismiss the complaint "confirms what we already knew: that our character and our integrity are intact. "I'm grateful for the thorough investigation that was conducted and that my name and my wife's name have been cleared," he said in a news release. In another complaint, Ogles alleged that Caleb Moore, who works as a real estate agent in his father's firm, Moore & Co. Realtors in Russellville, used his elected position to provide the firm with a benefit in the form of a land sale involving the planned location of the Cherokees' casino. In a news release in August, Cherokee Nation Businesses said the casino would be located on 130 acres just north of Interstate 40 along Hob Nob Road outside Russellville, between the Weir Road exit and Alaskan Trail. Ogles provided no documentation that Moore or his father's firm were involved in the land deal. (The Cherokee Nation Businesses' amended license application also includes a site inside the city limits of Dover, which start about 3 miles north of Interstate 40.) The Ethics Commission voted 4-0 Friday to dismiss the complaint against Moore, Sloan said in a letter to him. Evidence showed that William Wetzel, an agent for Moore & Co. Realtors, represents four of the five casino operators that initially applied to the Racing Commission for a license for Pope County, Sloan said. "While none of the operators has actually bought any land, it is likely that Mr. Wetzel will earn a commission from a sale in the future," Sloan wrote in his letter to Moore. "However, Mr. Tony Moore, the sole owner of Moore & Company Realtors, executed a contract with Mr. Wetzel on November 28, 2018, to have all money over Mr. Wetzel's normal commission go to four (4) different charities," according to Sloan. "Mr. Moore, in a sworn statement, stated that he was vehemently against having a casino located in Pope County and adamantly in favor of a ballot initiative to allow the voters of Pope County to approve which casino operator got a resolution of support from the county. Mr. Moore's assertions were backed up by filings with the Ethics Commission reflecting that he was an officer in a ballot question committee called Citizens for Better Pope County. Mr. Moore also made financial contributions to that group," Sloan said. "There was no evidence available indicating that you would make any money from Mr. Wetzel's commission," Sloan said in his letter to Caleb Moore. "You and Mr. Wetzel each said in sworn statements that you were not related to each other." Caleb Moore listed Moore & Co. Realtors as a source of income -- but not a business or holding -- on his statement of financial interest for 2017 and 2018 as a Pope County Quorum Court member, Sloan said. "This is consistent with Tony Moore's statement that he is the sole owner of the company," Sloan said in his letter to Caleb Moore. "You and Mr. Moore each characterized your role as an independent contractor with the company. Even if the commission interpreted the the relationship between the respondent and the company to be a 'trustee, partner or employee,' that relationship is readily apparent on your [statement of financial interest] because you listed the company as a source of income." Caleb Moore said in the joint news release that "this is the absolute vindication we sought. "We knew these allegations against us, and by extension, our families and businesses, were baseless, but the best way to demonstrate our innocence was to let this process play out with the Ethics Commission." Ogles contended in another complaint that Skelton had committed "misconduct" because his law firm, Skelton Law Firm, previously provided legal representation to Gulfside Casino Partnership of Mississippi. Ogles' complaint offered no proof. After the Racing Commission in June rejected five applicants for the casino license in Pope County because none contained endorsements by current local officials, Gulfside filed a lawsuit on Aug. 15 challenging the rejection of its application, which included letters of endorsement from local officials issued right before those officials left office in December. The Racing Commission's rules and laws enacted this year say that endorsements must come from officials in office at the time of the application. Sloan said Monday that Ogles asked to withdraw the complaint, and the Ethics Commission voted 4-0 Friday to allow the withdrawal. Skelton said in the news release that "I think most people in our community knew the allegations of ethics violations were politically motivated. "I want the people of Pope County to know that the Pope County Quorum Court is where the words 'honesty,' 'integrity,' and 'duty' are given meaning by all members," he said. Metro on 11/26/2019
In a big setback for Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, the opposition party which holds a majority in the country’s Parliament, has gathered enough signatures to submit a motion to impeach the President. According to a statement attributed to a legislator from the MDP, the MDP and Democrats have collaborated to collect signatures for an impeachment resolution. A collective endorsement of 34 members, comprising representatives from both the MDP and Democrats, has been secured for the motion seeking the president’s impeachment, which was interrupted amid yesterday’s turmoil in the Maldivian parliament. According to reports, the MDP had decided it would deny approval to Ali Ihusan, the home minister, and Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon, the defence minister, if government lawmakers continued to disrupt the Parliament. Meanwhile, after a skirmish between political leaders inside the Maldivian Parliament, heavy police arrangements have been made to tighten the security in the parliament ahead of today’s session, according to Adhahdhu. A video disseminated by the media depicted police personnel gathering outside the Parliament complex, equipped with protective shields. On Sunday, the Maldives Parliament experienced unrest as members of the government’s PPM/PNC party disrupted the proceedings and the Speaker. A pivotal vote regarding parliamentary approval for the Muizzu government was slated for that Sunday. As dramatic visuals surfaced on social media from Male, a fight between MDP MP Isa and PNC MP Abdullah Shaheem, Abdul Hakeem was seen. According to reports, one video showcased Shaheem gripping Isa’s leg and the two falling together, whereas another visual that went viral on social media showed Isa kicking Shaheem’s neck and pulling his hair. The ruling coalition parties, the PNC and the PPP, released a statement portraying the ministers’ refusal as an impediment to the delivery of public services.
With Dubuque’s status as a metropolitan area in jeopardy, local leaders are sounding the alarm about what that could mean for the city. A committee of representatives from federal statistics agencies recently recommended that the Office of Management and Budget make a change that would downgrade 144 cities across the U.S., including Dubuque, from metropolitan areas to “micropolitan” designations. They proposed changing the definition of a metropolitan statistical area. A metro area would have to have at least 100,000 people in its core city to count as an MSA, double the 50,000-person threshold that has been in place for the past 70 years. Cities formerly designated as metros with core populations of 50,000 to 99,999 people would be changed to “micropolitan” statistical areas instead. The city of Dubuque is part of the broader Dubuque metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Dubuque County. The county had an estimated population of 97,311 in 2019, while the city of Dubuque stood at 57,882 residents — far short of the proposed threshold. Molly Grover, president and CEO of Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, pulled no punches when framing the potential impact of such a change. “Should something like this go into effect, it would wipe Dubuque off the map,” she said. Such fears were echoed by other local leaders, who emphasized that companies often begin their search for a new community by broadly assessing the nation’s metro areas and then narrowing down their options. Rick Dickinson, president and CEO of Greater Dubuque Development Corp., explained that many companies contract with “site selector” firms that help clients identify possible areas to which they can relocate. “Site locators across the U.S. use MSAs as sort of a touchstone, a starting point to find areas that could have the workforce, the infrastructure and the overall capacity to be a serious contender for relocation or expansion,” he said. “Either you are on that list or you’re not.” Overall, if the guidelines are changed, 37% of the 392 current metro areas would lose their status. Throughout the U.S., potential changes to the metro designation also have sparked concerns about changes in federal funding. Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen said he has been assured that transportation funding and Community Development Block Grant funding would not be impacted in the event that a community’s metro status is removed, despite the fact that disbursement of such funds has been tied to a city’s metropolitan standing in the past. “We’re being assured it won’t affect federal funding streams,” he said. “I’m not convinced that is the case.” Other municipal leaders throughout the country have expressed a similar sense of trepidation, voicing concerns that stripping the “metropolitan” status from communities would be the first logical step down the road of stripping associated funding. From an economic development perspective, Dickinson emphasized that the MSA designation remains a key differentiator. Dickinson said there are about 19,500 incorporated communities in the U.S., and only 392 have a population in excess of 50,000 and are designated MSAs. He noted that the Dubuque area has maintained its MSA status since 1950. Federal officials have said possible changes to the “metro” definition are merely being considered for statistical purposes. Even after looking further into the proposal, Dickinson said the motivations for such a change remain unclear. “There’s no apparent reason why they would do this,” he said. “But the impacts — the potential loss in revenue and the way it would take communities off the map — is clear. We believe it should stay the way it is.” Local leaders have sprung into action in response. Grover said the chamber reached out to federal leaders, contacted the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and will continue to work with representatives from GDDC and the City of Dubuque in hopes of stopping the change before it occurs. “We are trying to work together to leverage our voice on this issue,” she said. Grover noted that the Office of Management and Budget is continuing to take public comments on the matter through March 19. Van Milligen said he is pleased that economic development organizations such as the chamber and GDDC have taken notice of the proposed changes and taken steps to stop them. Similar to the leaders of those organizations, he shares concerns that such a change would result in a hit to Dubuque’s visibility on a national scale. “On the East and West coasts in this country, they often call us fly-over country,” he said. “Most people there have little knowledge or experience with the middle of the country. So unless you have a way onto their radar screen, you become invisible.”
It’s big news (in anth circles) right now. The business meeting of the AAA voted by about 1000 to 150 to put a motion on the ballot of the general membership supporting BDS this spring. It really was the talk of the meetings. Every where I went friends and colleagues were discussing it. They weren’t unanimous in the positions. Some were opposed to it, others were unconditional in their support, still others took the hold your nose and vote yes approach. I opted out of participating in the vote. I find much to agree with Maximilian Fortes‘ position on the AAA resolution. Here’s a key quote from his detailed blog post: My point is that there is a surplus of misdirection, mendacity and hypocrisy at work among AAA members who support the academic boycott of Israel, and that the boycott is being supported using not just specious reasoning, but also by endorsing imperial political and moral narratives. The wrong conclusions are being drawn from preceding AAA actions, so as to better take the AAA on a new turn: international arbiter of human rights and protector of endangered others (and only those who are endangered by others). The same logic used in the pro-boycott petition could justify calls for regime change and sanctions against other nations that are the targets of US imperialism. All of the markers of an imperial narrative of protection and intervention are present in the motion to boycott Israel: support for “civil society” (thus reinforcing the neoliberal undermining and bypassing of Palestinian national authorities); and, asserted universals about “human rights”. The notion that violations of Palestinian rights can be traced to the work of Israeli universities—while downplaying the role of the US universities in the same endeavour—is fraudulent. I am also accusing the AAA of serving not just as an agent for imperialism, but as an agent of imperialism in its own right—by reasserting the US’ neo-feudal hold over Israel (and reminding its leaders of their proper place in the international hierarchy), and by validating US anthropology’s sense of its own superiority and indispensable centrality. The exercise is ultimately one of legitimating “American Exceptionalism,” and it almost certainly has nothing to do with concern over “human rights violations”. . . . “I think the AAA has damned itself, and its supposed support and solidarity for Palestinians. Dishonest gestures guided by ulterior motives hardly serve Palestinians, at least not as much as they may insult their struggle. What is best served by this motion, however, are (neo)liberal politics and a vindication of “American Exceptionalism”. The motion is effectively and primarily one that expresses US solidarity with US anthropology.” Fortes’ critique is direct, definitive, and damning. The issue lurking beneath the AAA resolution (one that did not really come out in the discussions reported by colleagues and through social media) is that this is really more about a variant of US Imperialism. In the early 1980s central american support activities were a big issue amongst leftist activists in Vancouver. We were all familiar with groups like the FMLN (El Salvador) or the FSNL (Sandinistas, Nicaragua). The actions of the US government in supporting the contras and fueling counter revolution were soundly decried. We saw in this class struggle a clear and obvious set of choices: either support or struggle against US imperialism and destruction of the lives of working people and agrarian poor. This sense of the struggle manifest itself in the brief emergence of a home-grown militant group, Direct Action (also known as the Squamish Five). At least two milieu activists also ended up joining the struggle directly and were sentenced to long jail terms for their efforts. The underling idea for all of us was that real social transformation included social justice struggles at home (to change local exploitative settings) and political campaigns of support for fellow militants in theatres of armed and intense social struggle. Boycotts were conceived as a weak and low order tactical choice. More direct engagements, focussed in sites of production and at locales of governance were considered the more strategically appropriate approach. This was also the moment in which the South African divestment and boycott campus movement started up. While the underlying issues were similar – local struggles against oppressive situations- the support movement activities were of a different order. Whereas the central american support activities were based in a shared idea of class struggle at home and away, the campus south african divestment/boycott movement elided concerns with class struggle and focussed instead upon moral issues and an inherently anomic tactic of corporate divestments and individualized consumer boycotts. In the contemporary BDS debates the south african example is held up as an example of a successful deployment of tactics like divestment and symbolic boycotting. Such a conclusion is curiously ahistorical. The role played by the collapse of the Soviet Union , the rising tide of neo-liberal austerity measures and liberalizing of international trade and capital flows is quite likely a far more reasonable explanation for the end of minority rule in South Africa. While correlations can be made between south african capital and US university divestment the overall set of causes can not be strongly linked to the divestment campaign. Though, the story of divestment leading to majority rule in south africa is an elegant tale that gives juice to current fiscal activists who find it easier to support neo-liberal economics than getting their hands dirty in real social struggles that build better social just communities. The current BDS campaign simplifies the issue into a narrative of two great actors: the Imperialist Israeli State and the Oppressed Palestinian. The antagonists are reified and held in an almost ahistorical amber of cultural entrapment. Much like an old style anthropology monograph on a ‘village’ the only possibility of change is seen to come from outside. Thus enters the possibility of a white crusader from the west. This is a strange parody of a fight within the semitic family: Jew/Muslim/Christian. The reality lives far away from this simple story spun by BDS advocates. To a large extent the possibility of their being both an Israeli and a Palestinian identity has only conceivable in recent centuries. These modern fraught social identities are ones that have emerged out of a common historical moment and they seem to rely upon the continuation of the other for their own existence. Perhaps the only real solution is to transform these separate identities into one common identity, one nation without religion? There is much that is wrong with our world. There are a great many people who will stand up to say that this struggle, that concern, is the most important. What I have seen as I move through my life is that the further away – socially, intellectually, geographically, etc- an issue is then the more intense the rhetoric around it. At least that’s what it looks like from my vantage point. Point is we can’t solve every problem everywhere. We need to focus, to select, to be discerning. Ideally we should also be consistent. For me that leads to focusing on community activism at home and within arenas that I have some small modicum of potential in making what I hope are positive changes. So when a major national professional association makes a decision with potential global reach we need to think very carefully about this. At the most simplistic, if it is right to divest from Israel and to boycott Israeli cultural and academic institutions why not other nations as well? One also needs to ask if the tactic that is being advocated will have the desired outcome. What are the underlying principles that are being activated to make all of these decisions? My sense is that a vague combination of liberal guilt (the worry that despite being progressive one is also implicated in oppression), a desire to be ‘on the right side of history,’ and a sense of wanting to do something that might ‘make a difference,’ came together in a room in which 1000+ members of the U.S. Association of Anthropologists voted to initiate a boycott and divestment campaign. I’m not convinced BDS is the elixir that will make our world a better place.
« PreviousContinue » When the banking law went into effect, the Commissioner found several banks that were embarrassed by doubtful investments, and whose capital was impaired by losses and bad debts, which have since been made good, and they are now in a flourishing condition. Two or three banks are still contending with unprofitable investments, and cumbered with property involuntarily acquired previous to the adoption of the present banking law, which under the provisions of section 34, they are gradually working off, or changing to other investments. Very much has been accomplished in this respect during the past year, and we have been assured and have reasons to believe, that more will be effectuated during the year to come. Aside from the two or three banks above referred to, the State banks of Michigan are in a prosperous condition, and entitled to the respect and confidence of the public. That the people are satisfied, and have respect for the banking law, is evident by the increasing demand for banking institutions, and the increase in the volume of business as shown by the following comparative abstract of the December reports of the State banks in Michigan for the years 1889, 1890 and 1891, as made to the Commissioner of Banking: 3 Through the courtesy of Hon. E. S. Lacey, Comptroller of the Currency, I present you herewith an abstract of the December reports of the national banks of the State of Michigan, as reported in 1889, 1890 and 1891. For reports of individual national banks see succeeding pages. For the purpose of showing the growth of the banking business of the State for the past two years, I present herewith a comparative abstract of reports of incorporated banks, as made in December of the years 1889 Four times during the year, on passed days unknown to the officers of the several banks, I have called upon them to report to me their condition as shown by their books, May 4, July 9, September 25, and December 2. An abstract of these statements are presented herewith, and are given in detail in the succeeding pages of this report.
Serious collision in Sittingbourne Kent Police is appealing for witnesses Written by karen on 26 October 2017 Serious collision in Sittingbourne Kent Police is appealing for witnesses after a teenage boy was seriously injured in a road traffic collision in Sittingbourne. The collision happened at the junction of Newman Drive and Puttney Drive and was between a silver Vauxhall Astra and the teenage pedestrian. It happened at 5.25pm on Wednesday 25 October 2017. The boy sustained injuries to his head and shoulder and was air lifted to a London hospital, where he remains in a serious but stable condition. Officers from Kent Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit would like to speak with anybody who saw either the teenage boy or the car in the moments leading up to the collision. Anyone with information is asked to call 01622 798538 quoting reference MH/AH/244/17. Alternatively email email@example.com. supplied by Kent Police
President & Chief Executive Officer AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. Murad Al-Katib is President, CEO and a Board member of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. A strategic business and financial thinker in an international agri-food commodity trading business, Murad founded AGT Foods in 2001, building a Canadian start-up into a global billion dollar value-added pulses, staple foods, and ingredients company. Murad serves as Chair of the Government of Canada National Agri-Food Strategy Roundtable, and as the Economic Development Regina Board Chair. Past Boards Murad has served on include the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, CSCA, Pulse Canada and a number of Canadian Government advisory boards and panels including Chairing the Advisory Board for Small and Medium Enterprise for the Canadian Minister of International Trade, participating as a panel member for the Government of Canada’s renewal of Canada’s Global Commerce Strategy, and on the Advisory Committee for the Review of the Canada Transportation Act for the Minister of Transport. Murad has received a number of prestigious awards including the 2017 Saskatchewan Order of Merit, an Honorary Degree from the University of Regina recognizing his work as a humanitarian and entrepreneur, the 2017 “Oslo Business for Peace” Honouree, 2017 EY “World Entrepreneur of the Year” after being named National and Prairie Region “Entrepreneur of the Year”, 2016 UN Association of Canada “Global Citizen Laureate”, PROFITGuide Magazine’s “30 Most Fabulous Entrepreneurs of the Past 30 Years” list, The Globe & Mail “Canada’s Top 40 under 40” and the Western Producer “44 Innovators Who Shaped Prairie Agriculture.”
Legislation negotiated and sponsored by Rush passed the House last Monday, now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. On Monday, March 7, 2022, the Emmett Till Antilynching Act (H.R. 55), legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), passed the United States Senate unanimously. The legislation previously passed the House of Representatives on February 28 by a vote of 422–3. Three House Republicans voted against the bill: U.S. Representatives Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and Chip Roy (R-Texas). The legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act would, for the first time in U.S. history, designate lynching as a federal hate crime. Despite more than 200 attempts since 1900 to codify federal antilynching legislation, it has never previously been done. More than 6,500 Americans were lynched between 1865 and 1950, according to a report from the Equal Justice Initiative. “Lynching is a longstanding and uniquely American weapon of racial terror that has for decades been used to maintain the white hierarchy,” said Rep. Rush. “Perpetrators of lynching got away with murder time and time again — in most cases, they were never even brought to trial. Legislation to make lynching a federal crime and prevent racist killers from evading justice was introduced more than 200 times, but never once passed into law. “Today, we correct this historic and abhorrent injustice. Unanimous Senate passage of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act sends a clear and emphatic message that our nation will no longer ignore this shameful chapter of our history and that the full force of the U.S. federal government will always be brought to bear against those who commit this heinous act. “I am glad to see this bill receive unanimous support in the Senate — and near-unanimous support in the House of Representatives — and look forward to President Biden signing the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law very, very soon. At this moment, I am reminded of Dr. King’s famous words: ‘The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’” The Emmett Till Antilynching Act first passed the House of Representatives for the first time during the 116th Congress — in February 2020 — with overwhelming bipartisan support but was blocked in the Senate. Rep. Rush reintroduced the Emmett Till Antilynching Act on the first day of the 117th Congress and has worked closely with the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate throughout the past year to reach agreement on the text of the legislation. Under the bill that passed the Senate today and the House last week, a crime can be prosecuted as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury. The legislation differs from the antilynching legislation passed during the 116th Congress in two primary ways: - The maximum sentence for a perpetrator convicted under the Antilynching Act is 30 years; the previous version of the legislation set the maximum sentence at 10 years. These charges would be in addition to any other federal criminal charges the perpetrators may face. - The legislation applies to a broader range of circumstances. Under the legislation passed last Congress, a crime could only be prosecuted as a lynching under very specific circumstances, such as if it took place while the victim was engaging in a federally protected activity. Rush is also the lead sponsor of bipartisan legislation that would award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to Emmett Till and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley (H.R. 2252) and legislation that would direct the Postmaster General to issue a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Mamie Till-Mobley (H.R. 4581).
Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his premeditated, unprovoked, unjustified, and brutal war on Ukraine, the ceaseless bombardment of Ukraine’s cities and critical infrastructure by Russia’s forces has created one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in decades. This is a tragic and catastrophic war of choice entirely of Russia’s making, and the United States, its Allies, and partners will stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their just cause ̶ the defense of their country and their democracy. Together, we continue to support Ukraine’s defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Today, as Russia begins its renewed offensive in Ukraine’s east, I have authorized, pursuant to a delegation from the President, a drawdown to provide further immediate military assistance to Ukraine, valued at up to $800 million worth of arms and equipment from U.S. Department of Defense inventories. This authorization, building on last week’s $800 million package, is the eighth drawdown of arms, equipment, and supplies from Department of Defense inventories for Ukraine since August 2021. We will continue to provide Ukraine the arms its forces are effectively using on the ground to defend themselves. These efforts, combined with direct U.S. humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine, support documenting evidence of Russia’s war crimes against Ukraine’s civilians, and continued efforts to ratchet up pressure on Putin’s crumbling economy together will help weaken the Russian Government’s position and further isolate them from the world until Russia ends its unprovoked and unjustified war on Ukraine. For almost eight weeks, Russia has waged its savage assault against Ukraine, its sovereignty, its independence, its freedom, and its people. From Bucha to Kramatorsk, from Kharkiv to Mariupol, we have seen Russia’s brutalities and its atrocities laid bare for the world to see. And yet Ukrainian Winter has turned to Ukrainian Spring. The people of Ukraine will prevail.
For many people, the pandemic lockdowns increased feelings of boredom, anxiety and loneliness. So it's hardly a surprise that marijuana use increased, just as alcohol consumption did. But you might be surprised at just how much more cannabis Washingtonians are using now than they were before the pandemic. Data from the Washington State Alcohol and Cannabis Control Board shows sales increased statewide by $450 million, or about 43%, from the 2019 to 2021 fiscal years. The total retail sales in 2021 were nearly $1.5 billion. Cannabis sales also generated more than $550 million in excise taxes for the state, most of which will be spent on public health programs, as prescribed by Washington's 2012 marijuana legalization measure. Fiscal year 2019 covers the period from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, and fiscal year 2021 covers the period from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. Of Washington's 39 counties, all but Garfield and Franklin counties have at least one cannabis retailer. In all of these 37 counties, sales increased by percentages in the double digits from the 2019 to 2021 fiscal years. Still, there was a wide range in the amount that sales increased from county to county. The sales data suggests that cannabis use increased the most in more rural parts of the state during the pandemic, particularly in Eastern Washington. The biggest jump in sales was in Lincoln County, just west of Spokane County, where sales more than doubled from around $800,000 in 2019 to nearly $1.4 million in 2021. "That doesn't surprise me at all," said Elijah Hubert, a budtender at Molecule Cannabis, one of two retailers in Davenport, Lincoln County's largest city. "I'd have six cars out front and 10 customers in the store ... in the early spring when the pandemic first hit." He says that many of the new customers were folks who had been laid off and who didn't know when they'd be going back to work. "It may have been the first time they could use cannabis in 10 years," Hubert said. "They didn't know what they were looking for because they hadn't smoked in so long." He says a lot of customers used their unemployment payments to stock up on weed, sometimes spending $300 to $400 on the first day they came in. Sales are not as brisk at Molecule right now as they were earlier in the pandemic, Hubert says. He thinks that may be because things are starting to return to normal, but it could just be a normal winter slowdown. The other counties where retail sales of cannabis increased by more than 100% were Pend Oreille and Stevens, both north of Spokane. Klickitat County, in southern Washington just east of Vancouver, saw a modest 18% increase in cannabis retail sales, the smallest growth in the state. As you'd expect, King County had the greatest volume in sales in 2021, at almost $383 million, and also the largest increase in dollars — up $85 million from the 2019 fiscal year. But as a rate of growth, that pencils out to 29%, which is a slower than the statewide average. Although three rural Eastern Washington counties had the most impressive spikes in retail sales, these areas were not large consumers of marijuana to begin with. I calculated per capita sales data for each county using the 2020 Census population figures for the 18-and-older population (21-and-older figures are not available). Even with the spending more than doubling in Lincoln, Pend Oreille and Stevens counties, all three remain below the statewide average for 2021, which was $251 per person. In fact, Pend Oreille still had the lowest per capita spending among all the counties in 2021, at just $67. Retail spending in King County pencils out to $211 per person, lower than the statewide average, and lower than the two other counties in the Seattle metro area, Snohomish ($245) and Pierce ($268). The highest spending per capita was in Asotin County, and it's an eye-popping figure: $866 per person. That's more than double the per capita amount of the next highest county. In Asotin, there were $15 million dollars in sales for an adult population of less than 18,000 in the county. So what's happening in Asotin? Most likely, this figure is inflated by sales to folks from neighboring Idaho, where marijuana is illegal, whether for recreational or medical use. Clarkston, the largest city in Asotin County, is part of the Lewiston, Idaho metro area, which has an adult population of about 51,000. I suspect that the cannabis retailers in Clarkston are largely supported by customers from across the state line. The No. 2 county is Spokane, where per capita sales were $388 — that figure, too, is probably buoyed by sales from Idaho, although more modestly. The city of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is just minutes away from a number of cannabis retailers in Spokane County. Unlike Idaho, Oregon has legal marijuana, so Washington's counties along the southern border are not as likely to be picking up out-of-state business. The highest per capita spending in a Washington county not bordering Idaho was in Grays Harbor, a coastal county in Southwestern Washington, and home to the city of Aberdeen. The county's 60,000 adults spent more than $21 million on cannabis in 2021, for a per capita figure of $347. And I suppose that makes Grays Harbor the true marijuana capital of Washington.
Justia Commercial Law Opinion SummariesArticles Posted in Contracts Stackpole International Engineered Products, Ltd.. v. Angstrom Automotive Group, LLC Stackpole (Purchaser) makes car parts. Precision (Seller) makes automotive subcomponents. In 2014, Seller gave Purchaser quotes on pumps, making “[a]cceptance of order” subject to APQP [Advanced Product Quality Planning Review]. Purchaser issued a “Letter of Intent” to buy 1.1 million 10R/10L shafts and 306,000 Nano shafts. Seller's employee signed the letter, which provided that Purchaser would issue purchase orders for actual shipments. The purchase orders contained six pages of supplemental terms, allowing Purchaer to “terminate . . . this contract, at any time and for any reason, by giving written notice,” and providing that purchase orders would “not become binding” until the additional provisions were “signed and returned.” Seller did not sign the purchase orders but shipped parts to Purchaser for two years. In 2017, Seller stated that it needed a price increase or it would have to halt production. Purchaser agreed to price increases “under duress and protest,” then sued for breach of contract. Seller counterclaimed, alleging that Purchaser had impermissibly withheld its approval to make the parts by an automatic rather than manual process.The district court awarded Purchaser summary judgment, finding the parties had formed a contract “for successive performances.” “indefinite in duration.” Michigan law makes such contracts presumptively terminable upon “reasonable notification” A jury awarded $1 million. The Sixth Circuit affirmed. The Letter of Intent constituted a contract, notwithstanding the failure to engage in APQP. No contextual factor suggests a right to terminate the Letter of Intent without notice. View "Stackpole International Engineered Products, Ltd.. v. Angstrom Automotive Group, LLC" on Justia Law Product Solutions International, Inc. v. Aldez Containers, LLC PSI helps customers bring products to market. P.B. contacted PSI for assistance with the design, manufacture, and distribution of a custom cosmetics bag (Orgo Bag). PSI submitted a purchase order to its Chinese manufacturers indicating that P.B. would purchase 100,000 Orgo Bags in the first year and purchase another 1.5 million bags annually thereafter. During the first 18 months, P.B. purchased only 38,296 Orgo Bags. PSI directed the Chinese manufacturer to mitigate its losses and liquidate any materials it had purchased for the Orgo. The failure of the Orgo cost PSI $506,129.44. In 2019, PSI sued P.B., Aldez, Copek, and Byrne, alleging breach of contract, promissory estoppel, fraud, silent fraud, negligent misrepresentation, innocent misrepresentation, and non-acceptance of conforming goods under the U.C.C. The court dismissed Copek, Byrne, and Aldez but permitted some claims against P.B. to continue.In 2021, PSI sued Aldez for breach of contract, promissory estoppel, and nonacceptance of conforming goods, arguing that in the 2019 suit, its claims were pleaded directly against Aldez, whereas in the 2021 suit, it sought to pierce P.B.’s corporate veil and hold Aldez vicariously liable. The district court dismissed, citing res judicata. The Sixth Circuit affirmed. The complaint does not allege any wrongdoing by Aldez and corporate veil piercing is not a cause of action under Michigan law; the 2021 suit’s complaint fails to state a claim. View "Product Solutions International, Inc. v. Aldez Containers, LLC" on Justia Law Taizhou Yuanda Investment Group Co., Ltd. v. Z Outdoor Living, LLC Taizhou, a Chinese manufacturer, entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Z Outdoor, a Wisconsin company owned by Casual Products: Taizhou would manufacture outdoor furniture and other related items for Z Outdoor to sell to customers. Z Outdoor eventually stopped paying Taizhou. The Cornings, on behalf of Z Outdoor, made false statements about future business, forthcoming payments, and causes for the delays. Taizhou continued to fill customer orders without receiving compensation. In 2018, AFG (a Wisconsin LLC also owned by Casual) started submitting purchase orders to Taizhou. AFG never signed the Cooperation Agreement. Taizhou filled the orders and sent AFG invoices. AFG eventually stopped paying Taizhou and made false statements regarding payment delays. The total due from Z Outdoor and AFG accrued to $14 million for purchase orders sent, 2017-2019.The district court entered a default judgment against the corporate defendants on Taizhou's contract claims but ruled against Taizhou on unjust enrichment, fraud, and conversion claims, finding the fraud and conversion claims barred by Wisconsin’s economic loss doctrine and q “mere repackaging of Taizhou’s ‘straightforward breach of contract claim.’” The Seventh Circuit affirmed. Any fraud was interwoven with the Cooperation Agreement, so the economic loss doctrine applies. To the extent the damages amounted to lost profits or lost business, those are also economic losses under Wisconsin law. View "Taizhou Yuanda Investment Group Co., Ltd. v. Z Outdoor Living, LLC" on Justia Law Fire Protection Service, Inc. v. Survitec Survival Products, Inc. The Supreme Court held that the application the Fair Practices of Equipment Manufacturers, Distributors, Wholesalers, and Dealers Act, Tex. Bus. & Com. Code 57.001-.402, in this case did not violate the constitutional prohibition against retroactive laws in Tex. Const. art. I, 16.In the 1990s, Fire Protection Service, Inc. (FPS), orally agreed to be an authorized dealer and servicer of the life rafts manufactured by Survitec Survival Products, Inc. Nearly six years after the promulgation of the Act, which prohibits a supplier from terminating a dealer agreement without good cause, Survitec notified FPS that it was terminating their relationship. FPS sued for a violation of the Act. The district court entered judgment for Survitec. On appeal, the Fifth Circuit certified a question to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court answered that the application of the Act to the parties' agreement does not violate the retroactivity clause in article I, section 16. View "Fire Protection Service, Inc. v. Survitec Survival Products, Inc." on Justia Law Lyles v. Santander Consumer USA Inc. The Court of Appeals answered a certified question of law by holding that Md. Code Comm. Law (CL) 12-1018(b) requires a credit grantor that is found to have knowingly violated Credit Grantor Closed End Credit Provisions (CLEC), CL 12-1001 et seq., to forfeit three times the amount of interest, fees, and charged collected in violation of the subtitle.This case concerned a borrower who purchased a motor vehicle and financed it by closed end credit pursuant to an agreement governed by CLEC. The federal district court issued a certified question of law regarding the calculation of damages under CL 12-1018(b). The Court of Appeals held that, based upon prior caselaw regarding CLEC, a plain language analysis of CL 12-1018(b), and a review of the pertinent legislative history, CL 12-1018(b) requires a credit grantor who has knowingly violated the CLEC to forfeit three times the amount of interest, fees, and charges collected in violation of CL 12-1018(b). View "Lyles v. Santander Consumer USA Inc." on Justia Law EdgengG (Private), Ltd. v. Fiberglass Fabricators, Inc. In this commercial dispute, the Supreme Court affirmed the final judgment of the superior court in favor of Defendants based on Plaintiffs' failure to comply with orders to provide discovery, holding that there was no error.The parties in this case executed a contract providing that Defendants would sell finished fiberglass products manufactured by Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs later filed a complaint alleging that Defendants had failed to pay upon delivery of goods and that Defendants conspired to deprive Plaintiffs of profits and sales commission. The trial justice eventually granted Defendants' motion for entry of final judgment, referencing Plaintiffs' failure timely to respond to discovery requests and their failure to comply with superior court orders. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the trial justice did not abuse his discretion when he dismissed Plaintiffs' complaint and entered judgment in favor of Defendants. View "EdgengG (Private), Ltd. v. Fiberglass Fabricators, Inc." on Justia Law Cadence Bank, N.A. v. Elizondo The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals affirming the decision of the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of Roy Elizondo and dismissing this action brought by Cadence Bank, N.A. for breach of a deposit agreement, breach of warranty under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), and common-law torts, holding that the lower courts erred.In response to a stranger's email for legal assistance, Elizondo, an attorney, deposited a cashier's check in his bank account then wired most of the funds to an overseas account. The check was dishonored, and the bank charged the transfer back to Elizondo, as allowed by the UCC and the parties' deposit agreement. When Elizondo refused to pay the overdrawn funds Cadence brought this action. The trial court granted summary judgment for Elizondo, and the court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the wire-transfer form failed to create the contractual duty urged by Elizondo. View "Cadence Bank, N.A. v. Elizondo" on Justia Law Far East Aluminium Works Co., Ltd. v. Viracon, Inc. The Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court's determination that a consequential-damages exclusion is enforceable in a contract for the sale of goods. The court concluded that the contract is clear that Viracon is not liable for consequential damages and found Far East's arguments to the contrary unpersuasive. In this case, the consequential-damages exclusion provision is not unconscionable under Minn. Stat. Sec. 336.2-719(3), and the alleged failure of the contract’s exclusive remedy has no effect on the enforceability of the consequential-damages exclusion. To the extent Far East’s indemnity claim survives the consequential-damages exclusion, it fails because there is no express contract obligating Viracon to reimburse it for the liability of the character involved. Finally, the court denied leave to amend. View "Far East Aluminium Works Co., Ltd. v. Viracon, Inc." on Justia Law SodexoMAGIC LLC v. Drexel University For 20 years, the vendor (SDM) provided food services at Drexel University in Philadelphia. In 2014 the university announced that it would competitively bid the contract for on-campus dining. The same vendor ultimately won that competition but about two years into the contract’s 10-year duration, the vendor sued the university for fraud, multiple breaches of contract, and alternatively for unjust enrichment. The university responded with fraud and breach-of-contract counterclaims. Only a few of the vendor’s breach-of-contract claims and portions of the university’s breach-of-contract claim survived summary judgment. The parties referred the remaining claims and counterclaims to arbitration and jointly moved to dismiss them. The district court granted that motion and entered final judgment, which the parties appealed, primarily to dispute the summary judgment ruling.The Third Circuit affirmed summary judgment in Drexel’s favor on SDM’s unjust enrichment and punitive damages claims, summary judgment in SDM’s favor on Drexel’s fraudulent inducement claim, and the district court’s decision to deny Drexel’s motion to strike declarations by SDM witnesses under the sham affidavit rule. The court vacated an order granting summary judgment to Drexel on SDM’s claims for fraudulent inducement, breach of contract for failure to renegotiate in good faith, and breach of a supplemental agreement for the Fall 2016 Semester. The surviving claims were remanded to the district court. View "SodexoMAGIC LLC v. Drexel University" on Justia Law Air-Con, Inc. v. Daikin Applied Latin America, LLC The First Circuit reversed the judgment of the district court requiring the parties to arbitrate their dispute in this case, holding that the district court erred in compelling arbitration.In 2000, Air-Con signed a written distribution agreement with Daikin Industries, LTD to be an authorized distributor in Puerto Rico of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment. The agreement contained an arbitration provision requiring the parties to arbitrate any disputes in Japan. Also in 2000, Air-Con established a distribution relationship with Daikin Applied Latin America, LLC, Daikin Industries' subsidiary. In 2018, Air-Con filed suit against Daikin Applied seeking injunctive relief and damages under Puerto Rico's Dealer Protection Act. After the case was removed to federal court Daikin Applied filed a motion to compel arbitration, arguing that the written agreement between Air-Con and Daikin Industries governed Daikin Applied's relationship with Air-Con. The district court agreed with Daikin Applied. The First Circuit reversed, holding that the district court erred in concluding that Air-Con agreed to arbitrate the claims at issue in this case. View "Air-Con, Inc. v. Daikin Applied Latin America, LLC" on Justia Law
Gas prices seem high now but the worst is yet to come, at least according to one industry insider in Wyoming. A Laramie-based gasoline distributor said the likelihood of seeing gas prices over $6 per gallon this summer is a certainty. It’s not that far off now. Tim Mandese, who tracks gas prices for Cowboy State Daily, reported on Friday that one gas station in Jackson is now charging $5.29 per gallon while the average in the state is $4.41. Supply And Demand Mintu Pandher, owner of Laramie-headquartered Akal Energy, said gas prices will continue to increase because the demand is there and supply is tight. And as long as these conditions remain, the prices aren’t going down. “We’re not seeing any demand destruction yet,” Pandher told Cowboy State Daily, referring to an economic phrase which means that high prices will eventually cause demand to drop. But Pandher said that phenomenon isn’t happening, likely because of the COVID pandemic. “People didn’t drive for two years so I think there’s a feeling like they have a right to drive now, regardless of price. They’re driving despite the gas prices,” he said. “Exporting Like Crazy” Pandher said the difference this year compared to 2008, when gas prices also soared, is the U.S. imported more oil than it does now. Plus, U.S. companies are exporting a lot more as well. “We are exporting like crazy,” he said, mentioning that the U.S. is now exporting more than 10 million barrels per day now compared to 8 million barrels a day a year ago. “East coast oil companies would much rather sell gas and diesel to Europe than local markets because our local consumers feel like gas should cost $1.99 or $2.99 a gallon,” he said. “They can make more money overseas.” Wyoming is certainly not alone in feeling the pinch although things are much worse in some other states. $9.50 Per Gallon One gas station in California on Friday recorded $9.50 per gallon in Mendocino, along the northern California coast. Although it won’t get that high in Wyoming, Pandher said but the $6 range can be expected. “Gasoline is a commodity,” he said. “The more demand for it, the higher the price.” Pandher said it’s easy to point the finger at oil companies and blame them but he said there’s no real bad guy. It’s a global economy and oil companies are merely trying to make money for their investors, he said. “These companies are publicly traded,” he said. “So it’s their obligation to make every single dollar and a penny for the investors. “They feel like they got hurt the last few years and they aren’t going to lose money,” he said. So when do things get back to normal? “When the demand drops. It’s up to the consumer,” he said.
A Riverton man who spent the last three years behind bars for killing his suicidal best friend could now go free after a failure to Mirandize him led to his conviction being tossed and a new probation-focused plea agreement. Mario Mills, who was born in 1982, pleaded “no contest” Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for killing his best friend, Trevor Bartlett. The plea is treated as a guilty plea except that the defendant does not have to give a confession to be convicted. This can spare him from some civil culpability if there are later lawsuits. Mills’ plea came after he made a plea agreement this week with Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun. LeBrun offered Mills a new sentence of five years’ probation, which would revert to an 8- to 15-year prison term if Mills violates the terms of his probation. The prosecutor also reduced the charge against Mills from murder to voluntary manslaughter. “I have spoken to Trevor’s mother,” said LeBrun, referencing Destin Walker. Though her son died from Mills’ gunshot, Walker defended Mills adamantly during his trial. Walker described her love for Mills as though he were another son to her, and she insisted he deserves another chance. “I will say that she has played a major role in this plea agreement,” said LeBrun. “And I do want her to have an opportunity to be present at (Mills’) sentencing.” During a raw and tearful police interview the day after Bartlett’s death, Mills told police that Bartlett was determined to die somehow, and had told Mills that he, Bartlett, had a list of people he wanted to kill before he died. Laramie County District Court Judge Thomas Campbell said during Mills’ change of plea hearing Thursday that he does not have to honor LeBrun’s promise of probation and can give a harsher sentence than the agreement defines. But if Campbell does choose a harsher sentence, Mills will get another chance to withdraw his no-contest plea and strike a new agreement or face a second trial, which Campbell called a “unique” feature of the deal. “(That’s) different than some plea agreements,” said Campbell. Mills, who appeared at the hearing by video link while sitting in a sunny dining room next to defense attorney Rob Oldham, listened quietly to Campbell and sipped from a portable coffee mug. Mills is out of both prison and jail now on bond. Three Years, No Freedom Mills has spent the last three years in jail and prison. He was arrested hours after Bartlett’s death in March 2020 and remained in jail throughout his prosecution. A trial jury convicted him of second-degree murder a year after Bartlett’s death. The court later sentenced Mills to between 20 and 25 years in prison. The Wyoming Supreme Court in December overturned Mills’ conviction because his arresting officer, Riverton Police Department Detective Jim Donahue, did not read Mills his Miranda rights, even while asking Mills what the high court called “accusatory” questions. Campbell told Mills on Thursday that he probably didn’t need to remind Mills of the possible consequences to which his no-contest plea would lead, but he would anyway. “In your particular circumstance, you’ve suffered all the consequences already, including prison time, because of the special nature – the nature of how you got here,” said Campbell. Still, Campbell discussed with Mills the ramifications of accepting a conviction for a violent felony, which include the loss of gun, voting, jury and public-office rights. New Report, Sort Of Campbell ordered Mills to report to probation and parole office researchers, who will update his pre-sentence investigation report from 2021. A pre-sentence investigation report is a synopsis of a defendant’s life and issues designed to acquaint the judge with that person before a judge sentences him or her. Campbell said Mills needs only to update his original report to account for the last two years of his life. “I’m guessing it’s a very brief update,” said Campbell, “because, unfortunately, he was in custody.” Once the report is finished, Campbell can sentence Mills. “(The prosecution is) not quite over, for the victims, the state or of course principally for Mr.Mills,” Campbell said. “We are on our way; we will see each other again at the sentencing proceeding.” In The Garage According to court documents and testimony, Mills shot Bartlett in the head while the pair were drinking and playing cribbage, then arguing, in Mills’ garage in March 2020. Mills’ wife originally reported the death as a suicide, but the wound and other patterns at the scene indicated the gun was farther from Bartlett’s head than a self-inflicted wound would allow.
New York, January 10, 2020–The Indian Supreme Court ordered a review of the legal process used to implement the ongoing shutdown in Indian-controlled Kashmir today. The ruling affirmed that freedom of speech “using the medium of internet is constitutionally protected.” “The Indian government has used this shutdown to silence the people and press of Kashmir and limit access to information inside and outside the region,” said Aliya Iftikhar, CPJ’s senior Asia researcher. “The Supreme Court ruling is a welcome step towards greater transparency and due process surrounding internet censorship, and reaffirms that a free press is a vital tenet of democracy. The next step is for the government to immediately lift all restrictions.” At 159 days, the internet shutdown in Jammu and Kashmir is the longest ever recorded in a democracy, according to The Washington Post. CPJ has documented how the ongoing restrictions have created a climate of fear and pushed Kashmiri news media to an existential crisis.
A recent survey has revealed strong support from CSIRO staff for a representative voice on the organisation’s board. The staff poll also revealed that workplace morale and confidence at CSIRO has stabilised and appears to be slowly rebuilding. However more than half of respondents revealed dissatisfaction at the current balance between public good research and commercialisation activities at CSIRO. The CSIRO Staff Association conducted the survey – open to all members of the CSIRO workforce –ahead of a recent Consultative Council meeting between Association representatives and members of the Executive Team. Hundreds of staff participated in the survey in a bid to send a message to CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall ahead of the meeting. Staff want a voice on CSIRO Board The strongest result of the survey involved overwhelming support for a staff representative voice on the CSIRO Board, similar to arrangements that exist at the ABC. Staff Association Secretary Sam Popovski said the response demonstrated overwhelming early support for a staff elected representative. “More than 82 per cent of participants agree or strongly agree that staff should have a direct say on the CSIRO board. That’s a strong starting point for a wider discussion within CSIRO and with policymakers exploring the option of a staff-elected director.” Nearly a third of staff (32 per cent) who participated in the survey reported feeling more confident about the future of CSIRO as compared to twelve months ago. However, when asked about ongoing career prospects at CSIRO, the number of respondents that felt more confident compared to a year ago fell to 25 per cent. “There are signs that the low levels of CSIRO morale have started to rebuild after damage inflicted by the heavy job cuts of 2014-15 in particular,” Mr Popovski said. “The results are a modest endorsement of Strategy 2020 in terms of confidence in the organisation’s future but demonstrate a gap when it comes to the career path of CSIRO staff.” Mr Popovski cautioned that there appeared to be a perception among staff that public good research at CSIRO was being crowded out by commercialisation activities. “Nearly 65 per cent of respondents reported a level of dissatisfaction with the balance and expressed the view that there should be more public good research at CSIRO.” Meanwhile a significant minority – 44 per cent – of respondents said they were not satisfied that the Executive or the Board were effective in influencing the Federal Government to benefit CSIRO. “The responses indicate there’s more work to be done in reassuring staff that CSIRO’s senior leadership are making the case for our science at the federal level,” Mr Popovski said.
How Biden Can Manage Cuba By John McAuliff Five years ago I stood in a mostly Cuban crowd outside of the US embassy in Havana, excitedly watching our flag be raised for the first time in 54 years. Two hours later I was at a celebratory party at the US Ambassador’s residence, a beautiful building designed but never used as a Winter White House for FDR. Scores of official and non-official Americans who had worked for normalization were there, along with diplomats from other countries. No one from the Cuban government attended because the embassy chose to invite a few prominent dissidents. The path to this day had not been easy because of political distrust on both sides and was a tribute to the determination of both Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro. None of us expected the future would be simple. However we never anticipated that virtually everything would be undone by the election of Donald Cuba relations will hardly be the largest problem or the first priority of a Biden Administration, but it is low hanging fruit. While special interests are loudly in favor or against US engagement with the island, two thirds of Americans, including a majority of Cuban-Americans, were quietly supportive of President Obama’s normalization path and ready to go further to completely open travel. Biden can rapidly and effectively build on Obama’s opening. He will do at least as well with personally affected Florida voters by convincing them his goal is a positive relationship with the homeland of their parents, children and other family members. He can counteract the narrow minded regression of President Trump for whom Cuba policies were little more than a favor to Marco Rubio and to Vladimir Putin. Biden will be able to signal his concern for the well-being of the people of both nations, his desire to strengthen in practice pro-market reforms and the need to effectively displace growing Russian and Chinese influence. His Administration could solidify a historic new chapter of post Monroe Doctrine, post Platt Amendment US partnership with the hemisphere. Biden’s campaign is already publicly critical of the latest punitive pettiness toward Cuba by the Trump Administration, prohibition of rare private charter flights. He has told Americas Quarterly, “as president, I will promptly reverse the failed Trump policies that have inflicted harm on the Cuban people and done nothing to advance democracy and human rights”. https://cubapeopletopeople.blogspot.com/2020/08/joe-biden-and-kamala-harris-on-cuba.html Biden will certainly receive support from his Vice President. Senator Kamala Harris is among 46 bipartisan cosponsors of the Leahy bill to end all restrictions on travel to Cuba. He can also expect an abrazo, a hug, from the new First Lady whose moving cultural visit to Camaguey and Havana was portrayed in an Obama White House video. https://youtu.be/hc6NiDbVepI Biden has four stages of opportunity that will cut the Gordian knot of six decades of intractable mutually destructive US-Cuba 1) During the campaign or right after election: Announce that immediately upon taking office he will restore Obama policies on individual and group travel licenses, cruises, flights to regional cities, remittances, import of agricultural products, international shipping, specific types of investments and banking and as well as facilitation of visas for educational and cultural exchange. Clarify that Cubans granted visas for family and professional visits and for study in the US will be deemed ineligible to claim status under the Cuban Adjustment Act. (Depending on US success in controlling Covid-19, an announcement of intention allows planning for the winter season and spring semester by the travel sector and universities.) 2) Within the first year: Fully restaff an embassy gutted by a Secretary of State and President who opportunistically exploited inexplicable health problems of US personnel (or just turned tail and ran). Reopen consular authority and restore visa authority for immigration and family reunion visits. Support Leahy/McGovern legislation to totally end restrictions on travel and other bills for comparable initiatives in agricultural and medical sales as well as on related financial transactions. Enable collaboration in medicine and science, including on anti-Covid research, treatment and international humanitarian assistance. Return to abstention on the virtually unanimous UN vote against the unilateral US embargo. Resuspend Title III of Helms-Burton to stop annoyance suits by Cuban Americans for property they lost before they had any claim as US citizens. ground. To test and support economic reforms, terminate application of the embargo to privately owned small and medium Cuban enterprises, permitting their exports, imports and US investments. Cooperate with Cuba to confirm Canadian research that chemical toxins not illusive sound waves caused illness of embassy personnel and to discover who was responsible. Stop all US government funding of projects within Cuba that are not vetted through normal diplomatic channels with the host government. 3) Within the first two years: Align with Hemispheric and European goals by achieving through comprehensive negotiations a political settlement in Venezuela and an end to the unilateral US embargo of Cuba. Open consulates in at least one Cuban and one US city. Allow ferry service between US and Cuban ports. Support with governmental, corporate and foundation funds wide ranging cultural, educational, professional and business exchanges. Seek reciprocal dampening of interventionist hostility by state funded publications, broadcasts and social media, replaced by ongoing multi sectoral dialog about conflicting values and ideologies. 4) Within the first term: Follow the road map to restore full Cuban sovereignty of the Guantanamo base that was developed by Ben Rhodes and Alejandro Castro during the Obama Administration’s normalization discussions. Explore transforming the military outpost and prison into a free trade zone, hemispheric medical research center and cruise port. Cuba is the most immediate opportunity for the Biden Administration to creatively and positively roll back Russian advances. The Senate Intelligence Committee report on Russia's active measure campaigns is limited to the election period. It does not connect dots to the through line of President Trump's policies that have appeared to benefit President Putin. Frequently noted with suspicion are his pro-Russian dispensations with NATO, Syria, Iran, North Korea, Ukraine, European allies, nuclear weapons, international institutions and climate change, not to mention his frequent secretive meetings and calls. Also fitting that pattern was his abrupt barely noticed worldwide withdrawal of all Peace Corps volunteers (excused by Covid) and his constant efforts to discredit governmental norms and practices at home. Cuba is seldom discussed in this context although it's hard to imagine greater Trump Administration help for Russian interests. Because of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's role of protector against US threats and subsidizer disappeared resulting in the national calamity of the Special Period of the 1990s. While many Cubans had ideological and personal ties to Russia as it had been, distrust and distancing grew with Russia as it was becoming, a center of oligarchic capitalism. As the result of the Obama-Castro opening real differences were emerging in Cuba about whether reconciliation and mutual respect with the US was truly possible or a Trojan Horse. Had a path become available to sustained sovereign development, at variance with the choice of 60 years of total dependence followed by 60 years of total resistance? If that were the case, would Cuba still need a big foreign friend for security and economic development? Barter of doctors and teachers for Venezuelan oil and trade with China had filled some of the gap. Funds from Cuban American family remittances, visits and investments and the growth of cruises, tour groups and independent travelers were building the national economy and expanding the role of private business and entrepreneurs. The natural propensity of economic and cultural relationships between neighbors with linked populations was beginning to take hold and the space for the Russians was President Trump's harsh renewal of cold war era hostility foreclosed the discussion. Cuba again needed a friend and Russia was only too happy to reenter with naval visits and leadership exchanges, even discussion of reopening its Cuba based center for electronic surveillance of the US. Did Russia just accept what fate and Donald Trump delivered or did it help things along? The scientific evidence from Canadian researchers that chemical toxins were responsible for the medical problems suffered by their diplomats requires rigorous investigation of whether the Americans were similarly targeted. The question naturally arises whether the Russians applied their notorious skills in this field. The Cubans may be able to help eliminate the problem by recognizing and controlling Russian behavior based on private collaboration with US scientists, doctors and security officials. However, they cannot be expected to publicly acknowledge a Russian role until it is undebatable that the US has truly abandoned its regime change agenda, even in a soft power mode. The policies I have suggested for the Biden administration move us in the right direction, but real trust is impossible as long as the US maintains a devastating unilateral embargo and refuses to restore the Guantanamo base to national sovereignty, consistent with US principles elsewhere in the world.
Biden ups ‘the most important number you’ve never heard of’ What’s happening? US President Joe Biden has restored the US’ internal estimate of the social cost of CO2 emissions to Obama administration levels of $51 per ton, compared to $8 under the Trump administration. This interim figure will be updated after a comprehensive science-based assessment from an interagency working group, which will produce a final “social cost of carbon” (SCC) by January 2022. (Politico) What is the social cost of carbon? That’s a good question, and one economists have been debating for decades. Technically it’s the discounted net-present value of the future damage from emitting a tonne of CO2 into the atmosphere. Or, more simply, it’s a monetary estimate of the damage caused by CO2. Bloomberg describes it as “the most important number you’ve never heard of”. Why does it exist? Integrating the true SCC into economic thinking would mean the “externalities” – or costs that are not recorded on balance sheets – associated with a given amount of CO2 would be adequately accounted for, and properly priced into decision making. Essentially, we wouldn’t be emitting so much CO2 because we would have thought properly about all the damage it will do. In practice, the SCC is not used adequately (and in many places not at all). The determination of the number hinges on a number variables, including the “discount rate”, which is used to assess the relative weight of future climate change impacts. Use a low discount rate and future climate damage will be valued relatively high, and so this justifies greater action to prevent it. Using a high rate means you care more about the present and less about potential people in the future, and the SCC will be lower. How is the SCC used? It can be used to inform whether market-influencing policies such as carbon taxes or emissions trading systems are pricing carbon effectively. The Biden administration will use the SCC to inform its decision making and the costs and benefits of certain regulations and infrastructure projects. What should the SCC be? A recent paper from economists Nicholas Stern and Joseph Stiglitz cautions Biden against setting an ultimate figure lower than $100 per ton. Too low a figure would prevent certain critical emissions reduction projects from going ahead, as their costs would outweigh the estimated future climate benefits. The Trump administration (perhaps unsurprisingly) used an SCC of $8 (in 2018 dollars). It limited its estimates of climate damage to the US only, completely dismissing the rest of the world, and used a discount rate of 7% – which strongly favours current generations over future ones. Its methodology was found by the US Government Accountability Office to systematically underestimate future CO2 damage. Ultimately, the SCC in essence comes down to one thing – how much do you value the future? The social cost of carbon, Carbon Brief
The death of Deadwood mayor and District 31 State Representative Charles M. Turbiville leaves voters in Lawrence County with a complicated electoral situation. Ballots were finalized in August, and early voters started marking them on September 21. Many District 31 residents have thus already cast their votes for Legislature, and surely some of them have cast one of their two votes for the now-deceased incumbent. We do not toss those ballots. Nor do we print new ballots. District 31 residents casting votes from now through Election Day will have the option of casting one of their two votes for a man who is now unable to serve. The other options on the ballot are incumbent Rep. Tim Johns and Democratic challengers Naveen Malik and Wyatt* Osthus. If two of the living candidates are the top vote-getters, then nothing weird happens. The winners take the oath in Pierre on January 8 and go to work in the Legislature. But if the deceased candidate places first or second, it will fall to the Governor to appoint Turbiville’s replacement in the 2019–2020 Legislature. Governor Dennis Daugaard got to do this after the 2016 election. Rep. Dan Dryden died shortly before the election, with his name on the ballot. Governor Daugaard encouraged voters to mark Dryden’s name so he could appoint David Lust to the seat, and voters obliged. But this time, the vacancy the Governor must fill does not occur until January 8, after Dennis Daugaard departs for Dell Rapids and our new Governor takes his or her oath. District 31 voters thus face an unusual gamble. If they cast a vote for Turbiville, they are really saying, “Let the next Governor pick,” even as we sit amidst a governor’s race with no certain outcome. Perhaps there isn’t much struggle here: folks wanting change from the one-party status quo should vote for Osthus and Malik. Folks wanting to stick with Republicans should vote for Johns and Turbiville and then pray for Kristi Noem to get her poop in a group and stop turning off voters. But recognize that every vote for Chuck Turbiville is, in a way, a 50% vote for Billie Sutton to pick one of District 31’s next Representatives. And if that opportunity arises, Governor Sutton will face a test of his non-partisanship before a single bill reaches his desk. Correction 23:19 CDT: Holy cow! I originally read Wyatt and typed Wayne. I apologize to all the Wyatts and Waynes out there for the confusion!
Bill and Hillary Clinton both suggested that American democracy is teetering on the edge of existence in a pair of separate interviews this week. The pair both said the government as we know it is at risk after the third January 6 committee hearing and a new poll saying a majority of both Democrats and Republicans believe America will ‘cease to exist’ as a democracy. Former president Bill told CBS’s The Late Late Show host James Corden on Wednesday night that he fears the United States could ‘completely lose our constitutional democracy’. Hillary painted a similarly bleak picture in an interview with the Financial Times in an interview published less than 48 hours later on Friday. Reporter Edward Luce suggested to her that the Democrats ‘seem to be going out of their way to lose elections by elevating activist causes, notably the transgender debate, which are relevant only to a small minority’. ‘We are standing on the precipice of losing our democracy, and everything that everybody else cares about then goes out the window.’ Read more: Clintons claim America is on the edge of losing democracy – say the pair owned by the Cult that is deleting all freedom. System arse-licker James Corden nods in deference as two serial killers spout their Cult propaganda
Xuan-Thao Nguyen, The Digital Trademark Right: The Troubling New Extraterritorial Reach of National Law, 81 N.C. L. Rev. 483 (2003), https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/faculty-articles/895 trademark, digitial trademark, extraterritorial, domain names, national law, domestic court, property transfer, intellectual property, anticybersquatting consumer protect act The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act authorizes the development of the digital trademark right. Under this new right, a trademark owner can petition a domestic court to transfer a foreign registrant's domain name to the trademark owner. The trademark owner does not need to travel to the foreign land for the litigation or to petition a foreign court for enforcement of the domestic court's decision. The property transfer order has a global effect, enjoining the foreign registrant from further use of its property in its home country. Is such extraterritorial extension of national law permissible? Does the new digital trademark right undermine international efforts attempting to resolve international domain name issues? This Article addresses these questions.
By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Sunday that President Joe Biden has asked his team to look at the option of lifting some tariffs on China that were put into place by former President Donald Trump, to combat the current high inflation. “We are looking at it. In fact, the president has asked us on his team to analyze that. And so we are in the process of doing that for him and he will have to make that decision,” Raimondo told CNN in an interview on Sunday when asked about whether the Biden administration was weighing lifting tariffs on China to ease inflation. “There are other products – household goods, bicycles, etc – and it may make sense” to weigh lifting tariffs on those, she said, adding the administration had decided to keep some of the tariffs on steel and aluminum to protect U.S. workers and the steel industry. Biden has said he is considering removing some of the tariffs imposed on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods by his predecessor in 2018 and 2019 amid a bitter trade war between the world’s two largest economies. China has also been arguing that tariff reductions would cut costs for American consumers. Raimondo also told CNN she felt the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage could likely continue until 2024. “There is one solution (to the semiconductor chip shortage)”, she added. “Congress needs to act and pass the Chips Bill. I don’t know why they are delaying.” The legislation aims to ramp up U.S. semiconductor manufacturing to give the United States more of a competitive punch against China. Raimondo said she disagreed with the characterization that Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan had contributed to the current high inflation. Congress passed the COVID-19 relief package a year ago before it was signed into law, marking a signature achievement of Biden’s first year in office.
Stop the Takeover of Our Libraries The American Library Association has a newly elected President, Emily Drabinski, who brags she is a “Marxist lesbian” dedicated to the “Queering” of books for children, "drag queen" story hours, and violent opposition to Christians. As a Marxist, Emily Drabinski is doing an impressive job at the American Library Association by following the mandates of the Communist Manifesto at several key points: -Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them “censorship” and a violation of free speech and press. - Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in the media. - Present homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as “normal, natural, and healthy. You and I have the power and obligation to stop the onslaught of communism in our libraries. By signing this petition, you can pressure the federal government to stop funding this organization that aggressively pushes poison on our children and society. This powerful organization, which exerts massive influence on local libraries, is now being used as a tool to infect the minds of the young. There’s no time to waste. Americans must stand together and defend our nation against this invasion of communist ideas. Our libraries are too important to cede control to people who hate our values, Constitution, and children. The good news is there is hope. Montana, Missouri, and Texas have withdrawn their membership in the American Library Association. If more states join them, we can erode the power of these insidious activists. And if we can convince the federal government to stop funding, the win is even greater! But time is of the essence, and these funds go into law every five years. And this is the year to stop the cash flow to the leftist regime. Sign our petition today and urge the Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL)Subcommittee Chair of the Labor, Health, Human Services, and Education to stop funding the American Library Association and reject Marxism, Communism, and perversion in all its forms. American Library Association faces backlash over ‘Marxist’ president, anti-Christian views Red states quit nation’s oldest library group amid culture war over books 45 Communist Goals from 58 years Ago American Library Association Funding Chart
First Vessel Arrives at Shuwaikh Port Following Launch of Container Shipping Service from Khalifa Port Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - April 17, 2023: Today marked the inaugural visit of the container vessel "SAFEEN Pride" at Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait, which is part of the new weekly service recently launched by AD Ports Group to improve connectivity and facilitate trade with Kuwait. SAFEEN Pride, part of the SAFEEN Feeders fleet, has a total tonnage of 15,636 tonnes, a carrying capacity of 16,855,210 tonnes of deadweight, capable of carrying 1,374 TEU. Upon its arrival at Kuwait’s Shuwaikh Port the vessel was received by H.E. Dr Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the State of Kuwait, Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO of the Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group at AD Ports Group and Issa Abdullah Al-Mulla - Acting Director General of the Kuwait Ports Corporation. Commenting on the vessel arrival, H.E. Dr Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the State of Kuwait said: "We are pleased to witness the launch of this new container shipping service from Khalifa Port to Shuwaikh Port, which will contribute to enhanced trade exchange between the UAE and Kuwait. Furthermore, we anticipate that this new service will provide the private sector with more transportation options for goods and merchandise." He added: "The collaboration that delivered this new service is testament to the vision and aspirations of the wise leadership of both great nations. It will enhance economic cooperation, facilitate trade and drive logistical connectivity." His Excellency concluded his speech by thanking AD Ports Group and the Kuwait Ports Authority for their cooperation and valuable efforts. Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba, Acting CEO Maritime Cluster and SAFEEN Group, AD Ports Group said “We are proud to see the arrival of SAFEEN Pride in Kuwait, marking the commencement of our recently launched service from Khalifa Port to Shuwaikh Port. This new route, which includes a Ro-Ro service, highlights our leading role as the region’s premier facilitator of logistics, industry and trade. We are committed to establishing robust business ties and developing new forms of cooperation to continually enhance trade connectivity.” Mr. Issa Abdullah Al-Mulla - Acting Director General of the Kuwait Ports Corporation said: “We are pleased to welcome the first container shipping vessel coming from the United Arab Emirates, which reflects the fraternal relations and the large volume of trade exchange between the two countries. Trade relations between the UAE and Kuwait have witnessed remarkable growth over the past few years, which reflects the relentless efforts to expand cooperation and enhance the volume of non-oil trade exchange." The launch of the new container and Ro-Ro services to Kuwait come as part of AD Ports Group’s continued drive for excellence and leadership in the field of maritime trade and logistics, strengthening commercial connectivity, providing economies of scale and facilitating global trade movement through its flagship Khalifa Port. Following recent acquisitions, AD Ports Group has the third largest independent feeder company globally, by volumes carried, with a total container capacity of 100,000 TEUs, linking core markets in the Gulf, Indian Subcontinent, Red Sea, and Türkiye. Source: The Shipping Tribune
By Nandita Bose and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden had a top aide call former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to apologize on Wednesday for criticism from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) of Hutchinson’s failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination, the White House said. When Hutchinson pulled out of the Republican race on Tuesday, DNC national press secretary Sarafina Chitika issued a mocking statement. “This news comes as a shock to those of us who could’ve sworn he had already dropped out,” Chitika said of Hutchinson, who picked up 191 votes, or .02% of the vote, in Iowa’s Republican caucuses on Tuesday. In addition to being a former governor, Hutchinson also served as a member of the House of Representatives from Arkansas and had two senior positions in the administration of former Republican President George W. Bush. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden directed White House chief of staff Jeff Zients to call Hutchinson to apologize for the DNC statement and stress that it did not represent his views. “President Biden has respect for Governor Hutchinson and admires the race that he ran. The president knows him to be a man of principle who cares about our country and has a strong record of public service,” she said. Hutchinson told CNN that he appreciated the call from Zients and the apology for the “snarky” comment. “To me that reflects the good parts of American politics. You fight hard but at the end of the day you want to make sure you treat each other with respect. So I appreciated the call,” he said. (Reporting by Nandita Bose and Steve HollandEditing by Bill Berkrot)
By Hyunjoo Jin and Akash Sriram (Reuters) -Tesla expects to start production of its long-anticipated, next-generation electric vehicle at its Texas factory in the second half of 2025, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday. But Tesla shares were down 6.5% in premarket trading as Musk noted that ramping up production of the new vehicle would be challenging and Tesla also warned of sharp slowdown in sales growth this year before the new model launch. Musk said it would take “a tremendous amount of new revolutionary manufacturing technology” required – a sign that any boost to Tesla’s declining pace of growth would take time. His projection followed a Reuters story earlier in the day saying Tesla had told suppliers to prepare for a June 2025 startup of a smaller crossover vehicle, critical for the automaker as it loses share to inexpensive EVs such as those made by China’s BYD. “I’m often optimistic regarding time. But our current schedule shows that we will start production towards the end of 2025, sometime in the second half,” Musk told analysts on a post-earnings call. “We’ll be sleeping on the line practically,” he said, referring to Tesla’s factory in Texas, where the new model will be first produced. That will be followed by Mexico and another factory outside North America to be decided later this year, he said. The EV maker also warned of “notably lower” sales growth this year as it focuses on the new vehicle on the back of shrinking fourth-quarter gross margin. Tesla said it was in between two growth waves: one driven by the release of Models 3 and Y in 2017 and 2020, respectively, and a second wave that would start with the next-generation vehicle platform. Wall Street expects Tesla to sell 2.2 million vehicles this year, according to Visible Alpha. That would be up about 21% from 2023 but well below the long-term target of 50% that Musk set about three years ago. Tesla, however, did not reiterate that target on Wednesday. After years of breakneck growth, Tesla is bracing for slowing growth and margins as EV demand softens and competition intensifies. “If volume’s going to be lower, then my guess is, Musk will probably cut prices and take share. Margins may continue to struggle for a while,” said Gary Bradshaw, portfolio manager at shareholder Hodges Capital Management. Cost of goods sold per vehicle declined sequentially in the fourth quarter, but Tesla cautioned it was approaching “the natural limit of cost down of our existing vehicle lineup,” underscoring the pressure on the company to launch its new lower-cost vehicles. BYD sold more EVs globally than Tesla in the fourth quarter. Musk said Chinese automakers will have significant success outside of China. “If there are not trade barriers established, they will pretty much demolish most other car companies in the world.” Tesla reported a gross margin of 17.6% for the three months ended December, compared with 23.8% a year earlier, and analysts’ average estimate of 18.3%, according to LSEG data. Automotive gross margin, excluding regulatory credits – a closely watched figure – dropped to 17.2% from 24.3% a year earlier, although it improved from 16.3% in the third quarter. “Today’s flat sales and substantially reduced margin results are further evidence that Tesla is losing its leadership advantage and its brand leadership has weakened,” said Greg Silverman, global director of brand economics at Interbrand. MORE PRICE CUTS? Tesla slashed prices of its cars since late 2022, igniting a price war that singed U.S. rivals including Ford, who have all slowed EV production. Musk said on Wednesday that Tesla’s margins will depend on how fast interest rates fall. Its stock, which has enjoyed valuations of a technology company partly due to Musk’s promise of self-driving cars, has fallen 16% so far this year, after doubling in 2023. “I don’t think the price cuts are over, mainly for the reason that demand for its electric vehicles is still weak,” said Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com. Net income more than doubled from the previous year to $7.9 billion, including a $5.9 billion noncash gain related to deferred tax assets. Tesla said lower raw material costs and U.S. government credits helped lower cost-per-vehicle, but Cybertruck production and AI and other research projects increased costs. On an adjusted basis, Tesla earned 71 cents per share in the fourth quarter, missing an average analysts’ estimate of 74 cents, according to LSEG data. Tesla’s fourth-quarter revenue rose 3% to $25.17 billion, which marked its slowest pace of growth in more than three years. Analysts on average expected $25.62 billion, according to LSEG data. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru and Hyun Joo Jin and Abhirup Roy in San FranciscoAdditional reporting by Joe White in DetroitEditing by Peter Henderson, Sayantani Ghosh and Matthew Lewis)
Morocco is a leading country in the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, said the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Antonio Vitorino. “It is undeniable that Morocco is and remains a leading country in the implementation of the Global Compact, starting with the launch of the Pact in 2018 during the Marrakech Conference”, Vitorino pointed out in an interview with MAP, on the sidelines of the 1st African Regional Review Conference on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. It was also in Marrakech, he recalled, that the concept of the global partnership for skills mobility was launched with the International Labor Organization, IOM, UNESCO, the International Trade Union Confederation and the International Organization of Employers (IOE). This is a key concept for the mobility of labor and skills on and from the continent, noted the director general of the UN agency. Vitorino also highlighted Morocco’s leadership on the migration issue at the regional and continental level, noting that the Kingdom was the first country in North Africa to adopt a policy of regularization and integration of migrants and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa and it is a very strong partner for its neighbors to the south in terms of development. He recalled, in this regard, that during the 28th Summit of the African Union, His Majesty King Mohammed VI was appointed leader on migration issues. Since 2018, Morocco has also supported and participated in the work on the governance of labor migration, he said, stressing that the Kingdom was selected as one of the 5 Member States to participate in the last strategic framework of the Joint Program on Migration, implemented by the African Union Commission, ILO and IOM. The IOM Chief also welcomed the significant participation of more than 700 representatives of governments, civil society and stakeholders from across the continent, in the first African Regional Review Conference on the implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. Noting that migration, whether at the national, regional or continental level, has become an increasingly complex phenomenon, he said that the African continent recognizes the paramount importance of human mobility for its development and has taken a series of measures and initiatives to accelerate the implementation of the Global Compact so far. It is certain that despite significant progress in the implementation of the Compact on the continent, the pandemic threatens this momentum and can have devastating consequences for the fundamental rights of migrants, he warned, noting however that the pandemic has led some African states to take measures in favor of migrants and grant them access to basic services, including health services. With regard to the means capable of promoting the sharing of good practices and data which could contribute to renewing the necessary approach between the countries, Mr. Vitorino particularly welcomed the creation of the Pan-African Institute for Statistics (STATAFRIC) and the African Migration Observatory (based in Morocco) which mark the commitment of the African Union to strengthening the capacities of its member states in the production and harmonization of statistics in Africa and sharing of data and best practices. He also stressed that “the strengthening of coordination and collaboration at the regional and continental level on migration is fundamental and that an approach mobilizing all public authorities is urgent”.
Suspects caught in Erbil, Kirkuk, and Sulaymaniyah Counterterrorism forces arrest 4 suspects, including ISIS explosives expert BAGHDAD, September 4 — Iraqi counterterror forces apprehended four suspects, including a supposed explosives expert, affiliated the ISIS organization in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Kirkuk governorates. The Counter-Terrorism Unit issued a statement, which read: The operations were carried out under the directives of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Mohammed Shiaa’ Al-Sudani, and under the supervision of the Chief of the Counter-Terrorism Unit, Major General Abdulwahhab Al-Saadi. Our forces embarked on a series of qualitative operations, resulting in the arrest of four terrorists belonging to ISIS criminal gangs. In coordination with the Erbil Counter-Terrorism Directorate, our units arrested the terrorist leader W.M.M, who held the position of explosives expert in the northern sector of the ISIS criminal gangs. Collaborating with the Sulaymaniyah Counter-Terrorism Regiment, two terrorists were apprehended separately in the Bazian and Chamchamal regions of the Sulaymaniyah government. Furthermore, as part of the series of specialized operations, our unit’s special forces conducted an arrest operation in Kirkuk, apprehending another terrorist. These proactive and targeted operations by the Counter-Terrorism forces are ongoing around the clock to ensure the safety and security of our nation.
President Yoon invites former Japanese Prime Minister for dinner, and to hold summit with German Chancellor2023.05.12 President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) on May 11 hosts a dinner with former Japanese Prime Minister Aso Taro at the official residence of the president in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol on May 11 asked former Japanese Prime Minister Aso Taro's continued attention to support the bilateral relations' further development. Presidential spokesperson Lee Do Woon in a news briefing said President Yoon hosted a dinner that evening for the visiting former Japanese leader, who was attending the Seoul-Tokyo Forum, at the official residence of the president in Seoul. At the dinner, President Yoon praised former Prime Minister Aso for playing a big role in the recent improvement of Korea-Japan ties, saying, "For further development of bilateral ties amid the recent atmosphere of improved relations as shown by the resumption of shuttle diplomacy between the leaders of both nations, I request your continued interest." On bilateral human exchange, President Yoon said, "Korea and Japan must make joint efforts to promote brisk exchange among the future generation of both countries." "With former Prime Minister Aso heading a bilateral cooperation committee that serves as a window for private exchange, I ask the committee to take the lead in conducting projects to raise friendly cooperation between the two nations." In response, former Prime Minister Aso Taro said, "I salute the president for the determination and leadership he showed in the recent process of improving bilateral ties," adding, "Thanks to President Yoon's efforts, bilateral relations have entered a completely different phase in less than a year." He also expressed sympathy for the need to expand bilateral exchange between the future generation and pledged to play an active role in this. President Yoon Suk Yeol (right) on September 21, 2022, shakes hands with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at their bilateral summit held at the Korean permanent mission to the United Nations in New York. Meanwhile, President Yoon on May 21 will host a bilateral summit in Seoul with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Spokesperson Lee on May 11 said in a news release that the talks are scheduled during the chancellor's official visit to Korea after he attends the Group of 7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan. Chancellor Scholz will be the first German head of state in 30 years to make an official visit to Korea for a bilateral summit since Helmut Kohl in 1993. "The visit to Korea comes in a meaningful year marking the 140th anniversary of exchange between Korea and Germany," the spokesperson said. "This visit to Korea is expected to offer a good opportunity to bolster cooperation in economic security with Germany, a longstanding ally sharing universal values, and deepen solidarity and collaboration to respond to regional and global issues." The chancellor's schedule includes a visit to the Demilitarized Zone and summit with President Yoon. President Yoon will also host a dinner with First Lady Kim Keon Hee for the German Chancellor Scholz and his spouse Britta Ernst.
A military source has denied that there are any plans to postpone the presidential elections slated for 23/24 May after the recent escalation of violence. "These reports are completely false and the military council has no plans to postpone the presidential elections. Field Marshall Tantawi... has stressed that he will transfer power at the end of this June," the source said. On Wednesday morning, at least five people died and dozens were injured when plain-clothed men, thought to be local residents, attacked protesters camping outside the Defence Ministry in Abbassiya, Cairo, early Wednesday morning. The violence led many to believe that the presidential elections may be postponed as a result. The Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF), headed by Tantawi, has been ruling the country since Mubarak was ousted from power on 11 February. SCAF is expected to hand over power on 30 June, following presidential elections.
The total price for 126 fighters is too high for India. As it turns out, buying French Rafale aircraft is not the most profitable acquisition for India against the background of offers from other companies," he said. Pravda.Ru asked expert opinion from military analyst, President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Konstantin Sivkov. "Indeed, the price is too high. French prices are about 2.5-3 times higher than the rates for the Russian-made Su-29. In addition, France has demonstrated its inability to understand contractual obligations as far as the deliveries of Mistral vessels to Russia are concerned. Simply put, France may to refuse from executing its contracts for political reasons. Who wants to deal with such a country? Of course, India prefers to shelve its cooperation with France," said Konstantin Sivkov. The Russian Armed Forces returned to strategic positions of the first "Surovikin line” east of Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia direction of hostilities
Miss Universe is an annual International pageant run by Miss Universe Organization. This pageant is one of the most awaited and publicized beauty pageant and is held in more than 190 countries worldwide. It was founded in 1952 by the California-base clothing company Pacific Knitting Mills and Miss universe organization and the brand is currently owned. The title “Miss Universe” was first used by the International Pageant in 1926. The first Miss universe Pageant was held in Long Beach, California in 1952 and Armi Kuusela from Finland became the first title holder of Miss Universe. Now, on its 65th Miss Universe Pageant, it will be held on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. And since the annual pageant will be held here in the Philippines, here are the things that you should know about Miss Universe 2016: 1. The Miss Universe 2016 is organized by Miss Universe Organization along with the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) and LSC group of companies. The Miss Universe representatives , DOT, and private sponsors signed a partnership contract on November 16, 2016. 2. On July 18, 2016 Pia Wurtzbach made a courtesy call with President Rodrigo Duterte to discuss the plans to host the next Miss Universe in the Philippines. Duterte was initially open to the idea but refused to shoulder the expenses through government funding. Duterte also clarifies that he was never opposed to the idea of hosting the pageant but only had concerns about financing the said event. However, Duterte has approved in principle Tourism Wanda Corazon Teo’s proposal to host the upcoming Miss Universe in the Philippines. Duterte agreed that sponsoring the pageant will come to a private sector and this would be a good tourism marketing coup with Philippines’ Miss Universe Pia Wuztbach and the helm. 3. Later it was reported that plans to host the pageant in the Philippines were cancelled several times due to undisclosed reasons. The DOT had to send officials to the United States to ensure that the Philippines will be hosting the pageant. 4. On December 4, 2016, it was reported that the hosting rights of the Philippines was cancelled due to President Duterte’s controversial remarks towards US President Barack Obama and comments on plans to separate ties of the Philippines with the United States. 5. Chavit Singson, is the biggest investor in the staging of the Miss Universe Pageant in Manila. His group shouldered about $12.9 million for the Philippine event. Singson was also the reason why Philippines regain hosting rights since he argued that his credibility and the reputation of the Miss Universe brand will ruined if it gets cancelled. He sent a representative along with some of his Jewish companions to convince Emanuel to push with the event. 6. According to Singson it was the Jewish community that convinced the Miss Universe owners to push with the competition in the Philippines. 7. Emmanuel’s (the owner of Miss Universe) brother Rahm Emanuel served as White House Chief of Staff for President Barack Obama. Singson hinted that there may have been politics involved on the nearly cancellation of hosting the pageant, since Duterte’ s frequent target is the American President. 8. Chavit plunk down $12 million for the 2016 franchise. Organizations had been seeking sponsors, but many companies turned down the offer. The local partner would have to advance a non-refundable $12 million before the contract signing and provide a bank guarantee. Half of the money will go to the Miss Universe Organization, while the rest will pay for the production, food, accommodations and airfare. 9.Before the contract signing, Singson consulted executives from his LCS Group of Companies, a conglomerate of over 100 firms involved in construction, microfinance, agriculture, hotel, banking, remittances, transportation, aviation, mining, renewable energy, a radio station, real estate and retail. (Between Miss U talks, Singson plugged that he had just acquired the local franchise of Go Sport, Europe’s largest sporting goods chain.) 10. This is the third time that the Miss Universe Pageant will be held in Manila . The first time it was held in manila was year 1974, when Miss Universe 1973 Margarita Moran crowned Amparo Muñoz of Spain. In 1994, the pageant came back in the country, when India’s Sushimata Sen was crowned by Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres. And now, Maxine Medina who was crowned Miss Universe Philippines 2016 by Pia Wurtzbach last April will be the country’s representative in the upcoming pageant to be held here in the Philippines. 11. More than 80 candidates will compete the annual pageant from different countries. 12. The Philippines has already produced three Miss Universe Queens- Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margarita Moran in 1973 and Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach in 2015. 13. The 65th Miss Universe Coronation Night tickets are now available at smtickets.com and over-the-counter at SM Tickets outlets starting December 20,2016. 14. The Coronation Night will be held at 8:00 am on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City. 15. The official ticket range from P2,000 for general admission tickets, P4,800 for Upper Box, P23,800 for Lower Box B, P25,800 for Lower Box A, and P50,000 for VIP. Prices are inclusive of standard ticket charges. 16. Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo announced on Monday that the candidates will start arriving in the country on January 12 with the official pre-pageant activities kicking off on January 15. There will be a photo shoot on the 15th in Vigan. On the 16th there will also be a Governors’ Ball at SMX where all the candidates will be there. The swimwear competition will be held at Jpark Island Resort and Waterpark in Cebu on January 17. 17. The candidates will be divided into groups and will be brought to different parts in the Philippines. Locations included in the schedule of activities are Baguio, Albay, Batangas and Iloilo. On January 21, the Miss Universe candidates will converge for a fashion show at SMX Convention Center. A “women empowerment night” will be held in the same venue the next day. And on January 23, they will pay a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang followed by another event at Conrad Hotel. While the Miss Universe National Costume competition will be held on January 24 at the World Trade Center. However, the pre-pageant evening gown contest are still finalizing the event’s date and venue. 18. The fashion showcase will be held on January 19 in Davao City and will feature Mindanaoan textile. However, the designs that the candidates will wear are made by Batangas-born Renee Salud. According to tourism officials, the Miss universe fashion show in Davao City will push through after being cancelled to prevent controversies. Since designers from Davao were disappointed as they were not asked to dress the candidates at the cultural fashion showcase. The show was put back after their meeting on Saturday between tourism officials , Davao designers and representatives of veteran designer Renee Salud. The Davao designers allowed to dress up 10 candidates for the event. However, Aztec Barba, President of the Davao Fashion and Design Council Foundation Inc. (DFDCFI) and her colleagues will still be negotiating to dress up more pageant candidates. 19. Despite of the last year’s mistake in announcing the Miss Universe winner. Steve Harvey will be returning to the Miss Universe stage as host of the show in 2017. The competition will air on Fox on January 29 which will take place in the Philippines. 20. Ashley Graham, a model, has been announced as the backstage host of the prestigious pageant to be held in the Philippines One of the purpose of this prestigious pageant is to promote the beauty of the Philippines as well. President Duterte also believes that the this would be a good tourism marketing coup for the Philippines.
Two civilians have been hurt in Russia’s shelling of the Donetsk area in excess of the past day. The applicable statement was created by Donetsk Regional Army Administration Head Pavlo Kyrylenko on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent studies. “On January 21, 2023, Russians injured two civilians in the Donetsk area, particularly in Bakhmut,” Kyrylenko wrote. In addition, it is now unattainable to count the precise variety of casualties in Mariupol and Volnovakha, Kyrylenko noted. A reminder that, on January 21, 2023, Russian troops have been conducting unsuccessful offensive steps in the Avdiivka and Lyman instructions. The enemy continued offensive attempts in the Bakhmut way. The post Two civilians injured in Russia’s shelling of Donetsk region appeared first on Ukraine Intelligence.
A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation that would require federal agencies to maximize telework for the rest of the coronavirus pandemic. All eligible employees would be allowed to telework full-time, and agencies would have to evaluate extending the option to other workers, should the bill become law. “Maximizing telework is a no brainer — it keeps employees on the job while also keeping them safe and healthy and reduces the spread of the virus in our communities,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., one of the bill’s sponsors, in a statement. “This is the best way to keep workers safe so they can continue providing vital services to the American people during this difficult time.” Under the new legislation, agency heads would be allowed to waive telework requirements when jobs can’t be done remotely. The White House would be expected to develop a plan for telework in the event of a future public health emergency and allow the Technology Modernization Fund to be used for IT upgrades enabling telework. Managers and supervisors, including those who are appointed, would be expected to participate in telework training within 180 days of assuming their posts so they’re prepared to manage a remote workforce. “This bill wisely will maintain our government’s ability to serve the American people during the COVID crisis,” said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, in a statement. “It also will help create government efficiencies that last well beyond the pandemic, by enhancing telework capabilities and equipping managers and supervisors to oversee a remote workforce.” Lankford also indicated an interest in continuing to make telework available after the pandemic. The National Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys backed the bill, as most of its members are teleworking during the crisis, and so did the Professional Managers Association that represents IRS managers among others. “As we have already seen, it is inevitable that some IRS employees will need to report to federal facilities to handle taxpayer needs, such as sorting the thousands of pieces of mail correspondence the IRS receives every day,” said Chad Hooper, national president of PMA, in a statement. “To ensure these individuals and other IRS employees are not placed at a heightened risk for exposure to the coronavirus pandemic, it is critical that all employees who can complete their mission remotely do so to allow for social distancing in federal facilities for those who cannot telework.”
How do you reconcile the fact that the Supreme Court is, by definition, “supreme” with the fact that the Constitution was written with a system of checks and balances? (Note: The most powerful “check” that the justices have on the legislative branch, the concept of “judicial review,” in which the court can invalidate congressional actions, wasn’t established until 1803 in Marbury v. Madison, so the court has evidently sanctioned post-constitutional checks on the powers of federal officials.) In any case, it’s clear which side of the equation with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg comes out on. When Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa proposed that an office of inspector general be created within the federal judiciary in 2006, Justice Ginsburg likened his proposal to Stalinism, saying that such oversight “is a really scary idea” that “sounds to me very much like [how] the Soviet Union was.” But every federal judge – save the nine at the Supreme Court – has a code of conduct that he or she is required to follow, and various congressional proposals have been floated as a means to ensure the federal judges who serve on the high court uphold these basic responsibilities. Whether or not Justice Ginsburg sticks around at One First Street long enough to be subject to such a code, should this proposal pass Congress, is an open question. But it’s clear (and unfortunate) where she generally stands on the issue. Fix the Court is calling on Chief Justice Roberts and his colleagues to formally adopt the code of ethics – called the Code of Conduct for United States Judges – that all other federal judges are required to follow. Should they demur, we believe Congress has the authority to compel the justices to adopt the code.
PENDLE Council has reaffirmed its long-standing opposition to the fluoridation of water. At the full council meeting, members unanimously agreed to oppose any moves by the Strategic Health Authority to add fluoride to the supply as a means of reducing tooth decay. The council first adopted its anti-fluoridation stance in November, 1989 and Coun. Tony Beckett said: “Unless any councillor had a different view we should go along with the recommendation to reaffirm our opposition.” The East Lancashire Primary Care Trust board was due to decide whether to ask the SHA to explore the posibility of fluoridation at a meeting in Clayton-le-Moors today. The debate began with Coun. David Whipp asking for standing orders to be waived to allow Friends of the Earth campaigner Brian Jackson to speak. Mr Jackson was not present, but had earlier sent an email to councillors asking them to stand by their earlier position. Mr Jackson has spoken at previous meetings on the matter but was refused permission on this occasion – something he says will have to be investigated further. He said: “The result is welcome and I thank the council for its debate. Pendle, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Ribble Valley Councils have all now rejected fluoridation, making it increasingly unlikely that the Government’s intentions will ever see the light of day.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is utilizing two Ukrainian cargo airlines to help provide emergency airlift for disaster-recovery efforts in Guam over the partial objections of two U.S. carriers. Ukraine Air Alliance on Monday delivered eight pallets of computer equipment to Guam on a 57-year-old, four-engine An-12 turboprop built by the Antonov Co. in Soviet-controlled Ukraine, according to tracking site Flightradar24 and government filings. FEMA has also chartered at least eight flights from the U.S. to Guam with Antonov Airlines, an operator of giant An-124 freighters. FEMA is organizing the flights in response to Typhoon Mawar, which slammed Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands last month, damaging essential water, energy and transport infrastructure. Atlas Air, a major cargo airline based in Purchase, New York, complained to the Department of Transportation about permission it granted Ukraine Air Alliance to operate between U.S. locations, activity that is normally reserved for U.S. companies. Guam is a U.S. territory. The DOT, under U.S. law, can authorize foreign carriers to carry goods in domestic traffic under emergency situations where the flights are in the public interest and U.S.-certified carriers are not able to provide service. “Attempts were made to move this cargo via U.S. carriers, but they did not have adequate availability to support our very urgent timeline,” a FEMA transportation officer said in a letter seeking assistance obtaining traffic rights for the chartered flight by Ukraine Air Alliance. Atlas Air last week filed an objection, saying it could have provided service from Washington Dulles International Airport on Tuesday — arriving in Guam on Wednesday — with a 747-400 jumbo jet that is faster and has a longer range that requires fewer refueling stops than the smaller An-12. Atlas Air noted that Ukraine Air Alliance, or its charter broker, didn’t notify it, as required, of its plans and that if contacted earlier it likely could have arranged a flight more quickly. The Ukraine Air Alliance flight for FEMA made technical stops in San Bernardino, California, Honolulu and the Marshall Islands before reaching Guam. “We note that the cargo to be transported, computer equipment, appears to be intended for ongoing recovery efforts, not food or medicine, which could create immediate jeopardy to human lives,” Atlas Air said. One aviation industry expert who spoke to FreightWaves on the condition of anonymity in order to speak freely, noted that the 2,500-pound load of computer equipment would take up a fraction of the available space on a 747-400 and cost taxpayers much more to operate than the An-12. Atlas Air’s specification sheet for the 747-400 shows it can handle 30 main deck containers or pallets and about 10 smaller containers in the lower hold. On June 6, Atlas Air filed a separate letter with the DOT voicing its concern that U.S. carriers are not being adequately consulted in the bid process for would-be domestic flights after Portuguese charter airline Hi Fly received an exemption to transport 250 FEMA personnel and equipment on a passenger jet from Honolulu to Guam. “Atlas is one of the largest providers of lift to the U.S. government for these types of missions, and we would like to ensure the processes for emergency cabotage operations are working correctly. If Atlas did have an airplane, it would put us in the untenable position of having to object when our priority is getting relief flights in the air as soon as possible. “The availability of U.S. carrier lift should be confirmed early in the bid process, not at the end stage of polling [U.S. carriers] on the application once the contract has been signed and flight preparations are underway. We urge the Department to put foreign air carriers on notice of the need to verify the availability of U.S. carrier lift, which would certainly include major Part 121 operators of large jet aircraft, such as Atlas. The Department should consider requiring that emergency cabotage application be supported by a signed verification of an officer of the applicant confirming that this has been done,” Atlas Air wrote. Ukraine Air Alliance’s fleet consists of four An-12 freighters, all older than 50 years, according to the company’s website. The unit that flew to Guam (registration number UR-CGV) flew several times this year between Laredo, Texas, and Managua, Nicaragua, according to Flightradar24. The Loadstar first reported the objection filed by Atlas Air. Meanwhile, Antonov Airlines, which relocated from Kyiv to Leipzig Halle airport in Germany after Russia invaded Ukraine last year, is moving fuel trucks, tractor trailers, flatbed trucks and other large equipment to Guam on An-124-100 freighters — the largest aircraft in commercial operation today. An-124s have two internal cranes, nose-and-tail loading with expanded ramps, and multileg landing gear each with 24 wheels that enable it to tilt the fuselage lower for easier loading and unloading. The planes are so large that FEMA is able to load four large trucks, other vehicles, supply trailers and other cargo on a single flight. The planes are flying out of San Bernardino International Airport and Honolulu. FEMA and the DOT said no U.S.-registered carriers had available aircraft large enough to handle the unique shipments. The DOT routinely approves Antonov Airlines to conduct cabotage flights within U.S. territory transporting oversize shipments for companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Boeing recently hired the Ukrainian carrier to quickly move a fuselage section for a 767 tanker from a supplier in South Florida to prevent a plant near Seattle from closing down. Air Micronesia, which operates under the brand name Asia Pacific Airlines and is headquartered in Guam, dropped a protest after Antonov withdrew its request for an exemption to also pick up non-outsized cargo during fueling stops in Honolulu and the Northern Mariana Islands. Asia Pacific Airlines said it had cargo jets available to carry normal freight to Guam from Hawaii. Its fleet consists of four Boeing 757-200 narrowbody aircraft, according to the company’s website. In early May, the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a suspension of Asia Pacific’s operating authority that had been in place since February because the airline was unable to produce records that its pilots were properly trained. The department said two trainers were not qualified and that flight checks provided by the individuals are invalid, nullifying the entire pilot pool. Asia Pacific disputed the claim and many charges were dismissed at an appeal heard by the National Transportation Safety Board. The post FEMA charters Ukrainian cargo airlines for Guam relief appeared first on FreightWaves.
A string of recent court decisions has left the future uncertain for a sprawling natural gas pipeline project cutting its way across some Chesapeake Bay states. Judges have reversed three federal permits that would have allowed the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to cross national parks and trails or to impact endangered species, halting construction while Dominion Energy, the project’s backer, regroups to appeal. Despite strong local opposition along the project’s 600-mile path — which winds its way from West Virginia through Virginia to North Carolina — the Atlantic Coast Pipeline had been gathering steam over the last three years while garnering the federal and state permits necessary to begin construction in Virginia. Dominion officials contend that the pipeline is essential to meet growing energy demands along the East Coast and to replace coal-fueled power generation with natural gas. The project is one of several pipelines planned or under construction to carry natural gas across portions of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The gas is extracted from underground shale formations using a controversial technique called hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” and pipeline construction often entails disrupting wetlands, crossing streams, removing trees and exposing bare soil, sometimes on steep slopes. Environmental groups say the $7 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline, the largest project of its kind in the region, poses an unnecessary threat to natural resources and cost to ratepayers. They also argue that the hurried permit process that preceded it cannot now stand up in court. “The big picture here is that the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is in trouble,” said Greg Buppert, a lawyer with the Southern Environmental Law Center representing environmental organizations in several of the lawsuits. Now, the company “doesn’t have multiple required permits to proceed with this project.” This spring, SELC attorneys and others will go for the project’s metaphorical jugular by challenging its baseline permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which set it into motion four years ago. They will argue that FERC’s singular requirement — that the project must have a signed contract with future natural gas recipients — does not go far enough. That’s because, in this case, subsidiaries of Dominion Energy are both building the pipeline and claiming demand for it as future customers. Because FERC has guaranteed a 15-percent return on investment for building the pipeline project, advocates say the company makes a profit from the process regardless of whether the infrastructure is actually needed. Will Cleveland, another SELC attorney, said that Dominion has justified the need to supply East Coast customers by “wildly overpredicting demand.”
A drone attack on a base in Jordan killed three American troops on Sunday, with President Joe Biden blaming Iran-backed militants and vowing to hold the perpetrators to account. It is the first time American military personnel have been killed by hostile fire in the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, and the incident will further raise tensions in the region and fuel fears of a broader conflict directly involving Iran. Hamas said the death of the soldiers shows Washington’s backing for Israel could put it at odds with the whole Muslim world if innocent lives continue to be lost in Gaza, and that the war there could lead to a “regional explosion.” “While we are still gathering the facts of this attack, we know it was carried out by radical Iran-backed militant groups operating in Syria and Iraq,” Biden said in a statement on the attack. Hold perpetrators ‘to account’ “We will carry on their commitment to fight terrorism. And have no doubt — we will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner of our choosing,” the president added. US Central Command put the number of wounded from the attack near the Syrian border at 25, and said the identities of those killed will be withheld pending notification of their families. Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the killing of the soldiers “is a message to the American administration that unless the killing of innocent people in Gaza stops, it may be faced with the entire (Muslim) nation.” “The continuation of the American-Zionist aggression on Gaza risks a regional explosion,” Abu Zuhri said in a statement. US and allied forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted in more than 150 attacks since mid-October, according to the Pentagon, and Washington has carried out retaliatory strikes in both countries. Many of the attacks on US personnel have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed groups that oppose US support for Israel in the Gaza conflict. On Sunday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it targeted US personnel with drones at three locations in Syria, including two bases near where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet, but it was not immediately clear if the group was referring to the attack that killed the American troops. Jordanian government spokesman Muhannad Mubaidin meanwhile said that the attack did not occur in Jordan and rather targeted a base in Syria. The latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict began when the Palestinian militant group carried out a shock attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures. Growing Middle East crisis Following the attack, the United States rushed military aid to Israel, which has carried out a relentless military offensive that has killed at least 26,422 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry. Those deaths have sparked widespread anger across the region and stoked violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as well as Yemen. The Lebanon portion of the conflict has been limited to near daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel, but American forces are directly involved in Iraq and Syria, as well as in Yemen. Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels have carried out more than two months of attacks on shipping, saying they were hitting Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza. The United States and Britain have responded with two rounds of joint strikes against the Huthis, while American forces have also carried out unilateral air raids against the rebels, who have also declared US and UK interests to be legitimate targets. The growing violence in multiple parts of the Middle East has raised fears of a broader regional conflict directly involving Iran — a worst-case scenario that Washington is desperately seeking to avoid.
This photo shows a branch of Yes Bank in Bangalore, India. File photo SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar on Saturday said the bank will try to implement the resolution plan for the rescue of Yes Bank before the RBI deadline. Buying a 49 per cent stake in Yes Bank would involve an investment of Rs2,400 crore, that is if it decides to go alone. Kumar also said many potential investors, 23 in total, have approached SBI after seeing the investment scheme. The minimum investment for SBI would be Rs5,500 crore if it picks 26 per cent stake in Yes Bank. Rajnish Kumar said the SBI has time till Monday to respond back to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on the draft scheme for rescue of Yes Bank and it may or may not pick up 49 per cent stake. "Whether SBI takes a 49 per cent or 26 per cent stake in Yes Bank will depend on the investment involved. We are also examining the interest received from some other investors. SBI board will take the final call on this," Kumar said. Kumar also said many potential investors, 23 in total, have approached SBI after seeing the investment scheme. The minimum investment for SBI would be Rs5,500 crore if it picks 26 per cent stake in Yes Bank. He told a press conference in Mumbai that the SBI's legal team has been doing due diligence on draft scheme proposed by RBI. The Reserve Bank on Friday came out with the "draft reconstruction scheme" under which SBI will bring in Rs2,500 crore for a 49 per cent stake in the private sector bank. "Don't believe that our contribution toward Yes Bank will exceed Rs10,000 crore", he said. "SBI may or may not pick the entire 49 per cent in the bank," he said. Kumar hoped that SBI would get many co-investors to implement this scheme. He said a credible name was need in this reconstruction effort, which is why SBI has come forward. If SBI goes alone for 49 per cent stake, the bank will invest Rs2,450 crore in Yes Bank. "Many investors have approached SBI over Yes Bank and investment decisions are by choice. There are no compulsions. Our board mandate is that we must maintain 0.5 per cent above regulatory minimum capital adequacy. We will continue to do that and have to give assurance to potential investors and depositors.” He said SBI has the right to appoint two nominee directors and suggest names for Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer's role. That will be done. Meanwhile the state-owned insurer Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) may consider joining RBI efforts to rescue Yes Bank. This can help to increase capital infusion under the draft scheme to rescue Yes Bank designed by the Reserve Bank of India. Official sources said that RBI, SBI and finance ministry officials were in touch with the insurer to see its interest to participate in the scheme. LIC spokesperson, however, could not be reached for comments. The current rescue of Yes Bank involves State Bank of India (SBI) buying 49 per cent stake in Yes Bank for Rs 2,450 crore. But SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar on Saturday said whether it takes a 49 per cent or 26 per cent stake in Yes Bank will depend on the investment involved. Sources said that in wave of the issues involving burden falling on a single investor to rescue Yes Bank, other investors including LIC is being considered to join with additional equity participation. LIC already holds 8.06 per cent in Yes Bank. For LIC, recovery of Yes Bank is important it itself has large exposure in bank's debt instruments that has now been downgraded by all rating agencies. At the end of the December quarter (Q3), LIC had an exposure of Rs8,051 crore to the debt instruments of Yes Bank. Indo-Asian News Service India’s cabinet has approved a rescue plan for Yes Bank, the finance minister said on Friday, as authorities look to prevent a broader banking crisis. Moody’s Investor Service changed the outlook for the Indian banking system to negative as stress on the sector is likely to rise with the coronavirus outbreak and higher defaults. India’s foreign exchange reserves continued their upward trajectory during the week ended Dec.20 to touch a new record high. The Reserve Bank of India’s reserves rose by $456 million during the week under review, official data showed. Dubai International Chamber, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, has successfully hosted a business event on the sidelines of Gulfood, With the civil aviation industry almost fully recovered after the steepest fall in passenger numbers due to the 21st century’s second pandemic, The Singapore Airshow kicked off on Tuesday with an array of aerial displays including some by China’s COMAC C919 narrow-body airliner,
Picture used for illustrative purposes only. The Dubai Misdemeanor Court sentenced an African woman to one month in jail to be followed by deportation and fined her Dhs19,000 fir stealing Dhs17,000 from an Asian who offered to donate a bed via second-hand trading website after she had fraudulently obtained the data of his debit card. The case dated back to last July when an Asian filed a complaint in which he stated that a woman he did not know had defrauded him. According to the complainant’s statement, he displayed a bed for donation on a website for trading in items at a minimum price, adding that an African woman contacted him and told him that she was interested in getting what he offered. The complainant stated that he agreed to give the bed to the accused for free but the latter asked him to get the bed shipped through a shipping company because she could not afford to pay the shipping charges. Enabling him to do so, she gave him the link of a website that resembled that of a government institution but in fact, the two websites had nothing to do with each other. The complainant stated that he entered his debit card data via the link sent by the accused to pay the shipping charges for the bed but much to his surprise, he found that Dhs17,000 was withdrawn from his bank account. As soon as he received the withdrawal message, he tried to call the accused but she did not answer and he soon discovered that he fell victim to fraud. According to the official documents, a team of detectives and cyber investigators managed to identify and arrest the accused. On interrogation, she confessed that she worked as a nanny but her services were terminated and she ended up as illegal resident. She, however, denied any connection to the fraud, but further investigations showed she was involved in defrauding the victim. The Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday heard a case in which two Asians were accused of exchanging assault with one of them attempting to kill the other with a knife. Dubai Criminal Court prosecuted three Arab men on robbery charges, and sentenced them to 3 months in jail, followed by deportation and a Dhs700 fine each. The victim stated that he arrived at the place for dinner and as soon as he finished, he went to the water closet to wash and left his belongings on the table. The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Tuesday that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, drawing stern criticism from allies as President Joe Biden faces mounting pressure to temper support for Israel. Two friends in western France have built a 16-metre high replica of the Eiffel Tower from recycled wood, which they hope to display along the path of the Summer 2024 Olympic torch relay and on Olympic sites. The vote in the 15-member Security Council was 13-1 with the United Kingdom abstaining. The United States circulated a rival UNSC resolution that would support a temporary cease-fire in Gaza linked to the release of all hostages, and call for the lifting of all restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian aid.
It was the workers and their kids who shut down Tyson’s Waterloo, Iowa meatpacking plant on April 22, 2020. Not the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds, who seemed to show more concern for the hogs who weren’t being slaughtered than for the thousands of workers who were being daily exposed to COVID-19 by showing up for work. Not the score of county and state officials who pleaded with the governor and the CEO of Tyson’s to close the plant, but backed off from actually shutting it down. And, of course, not the managers and CEO of Tyson’s, who kept the plant up and running,even as TV crews and reporters were showing scores of severely ill Tyson workers, many barely able to walk into area hospitals and clinics for treatment. The pork slaughter and processing plant, one of the largest on the continent and one of the largest workplaces in Iowa, is now running, though at a reduced capacity, since it re-opened on May 7th. The story of how the largest single COVID-19 outbreak in the United States occurred there could begin on April 1, 2020, when the Iowa Medical Society sent Governor Reynolds a letter imploring her to use her powers to close down Iowa in a ‘shelter-in-place’ status, until the pandemic could be brought under control. Iowa had not yet been hit by the epidemic, except for isolated pockets (a party returning from an Egyptian river cruise constituted 14 out of the 16 first cases), but the pandemic’s effects were strikingly obvious in other nations and states in the U.S. since February. Reynolds, a Trump Republican, ignored the advice of the state’s doctors and an action plan from University of Iowa epidemiologists (as was shown in late May when reporters forced release of the plan), and chose to impose partial measures, rather than shut down the state. Those measures allowed 80% of the state’s workforce to continue to assemble in large groups, since they were deemed “essential”. The first few Tyson’s workers sick with COVID-19 almost certainly showed up in Waterloo area Emergency Departments and urgent care clinics on April 1st. “I don’t know what it is, man, I just can’t get my breath,” was what emerged time and again in a dozen languages from their phones as healthcare workers began interviewing Tyson’s employees, using isolation techniques to protect themselves. Those first cases were treated, tested and told to go into voluntary quarantine for two weeks per CDC recommendations. It is almost a certainty that some of them went to the nearest drugstore, filled their prescriptions, and then went to work the next shift. Many of them continued working until they went from their job to an Emergency Department and then directly to an ICU. Why these workers would return to work makes no sense to most people, but it makes complete sense within the alternate universe of Tyson’s and meatpacking, and within the reality of Iowa political life at the moment. Even in normal times, Tyson’s has a punitive and convoluted sick leave policy. There is no paid sick leave. If you don’t show up you don’t get paid. Most meatpacking workers are already at the poverty line or one paycheck away. If you call in sick you accumulate a point…Ten points and you’re out on the street. Despite the existence of the new federal policies in March and April supposedly protecting those who are infected with COVID-19 and making it possible for those who are sick to stay at home with reduced pay, Tyson’s workers know that federal laws don’t actually apply within meatpacking plants. And they are right. When the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was asked to investigate the Perry, Iowa Tyson plant on April 11th, 2020 because of a complaint from a family member that workers there were not being required to maintain social distancing, they waited nine days to send a letter to the plant manager, then another eight days to receive a written response, according to an AP investigative team. Then without ever visiting the plant, OSHA ruled that Tyson’s response was “satisfactory” on April 28th, the same day that Tyson’s manager mailed the response. By the 28th that plant was in the middle of a full blown epidemic and subsequently shut by Tyson’s. Every day after April 8th Tyson’s Waterloo workers could see with their own eyes that an increasing number of their co-workers were becoming ill. As they mingled closely with hundreds of their co-workers during shift changes in the locker rooms, the crowded break room and on the production lines, they would have noticed that more and more people were ‘working sick’ during the epidemic. Their Human Resources Department told them that they were ‘safe’ at work, but the plant nurse posted a notice on April 7th informing workers that they would have to wear a mask (by this time, Tyson’s would have been notified by the state that they had workers who had tested positive for COVID-19, given the 7 day lag for tests then). No masks were distributed to the more than 2,000 workers. Several of the sick workers that I interviewed laughed at me when I asked if the plant nurse had given anyone information about COVID-19. “She gave me a packet of these pills”, explained one through a translator, “then I don’t know what she said, since she didn’t get an interpreter.” We know from talking with scores of workers that Tyson’s shifted production and personnel from its Columbus Junction, Iowa plant, which was closed in mid-April due to the epidemic. A number of Waterloo workers believe that their epidemic resulted from workers being sent from that plant. Among the over two thousand workers at Waterloo are members of the diaspora from civil wars on four continents; workers are Burmese, Congolese, Bosnian, Guatemalan, Mexican and African-American. At least some of them had recently returned from visiting in Asia and Africa. This policy of hiring immigrant workers for food processing plants in Iowa is no accident, either at Tyson’s or hundreds of other plants across the country. Speaking English is not a requirement for ripping the guts out of a chicken a thousand times a shift, which is still a job that has to be done by hand. By having dozens of languages on a line – a Burmese immigrant might speak a language incomprehensible to another Burmese worker next to her, a Guatemalan worker might speak a language incomprehensible to a Spanish-speaking Mexican, a Lingala-speaking worker from the Congo may not be able to talk with a Swahili-speaker from Nigeria, etc., the company can reduce the likelihood of workers organizing. That, plus the continual turn-over on the line from the difficulty and danger of the work, which sees some plants have a 100% change in personnel in one year, also makes organizing more difficult. One story might illustrate that alternate reality of the meat-packing world. When Barbara Topple first began shooting what became the Academy Award-winning documentary American Dream about the beginning of and subsequent crushing of the Local P-9 strike at the Austin, Minnesota Hormel plant, she stood before a high school auditorium filled with packing house workers. Since she could not get permission to get inside the plant (she could now be prosecuted under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act of 2006 if she photographed or took videos within a plant without permission), she said that she would like to talk with any worker who had been injured on the job. Could they raise their hands so she could pick them out? An uneasy laugh rang throughout the hall, then every one of the hundreds of workers present raised one or two hands. That was in the mid-1980s (the film won the Academy Award in 1990), a short distance away from Waterloo. Those workers were over 90% native white Minnesotans. By 2008, when ICE arrested all 500 of the workers in a kosher meat-packing plant in Postville Iowa, a short distance away from Austin and Waterloo, not one of the workforce members was a local Iowan. The workers, who were subsequently held prisoner in a stadium in Waterloo enroute to serving seven month sentences and deportations, all came from Mexico and Central America. By 2020, the workers in meatpacking plants across the Midwest were paid less and worked under worse conditions than in 1985 and this was before the COVID-19 outbreak. Uniformly they work ‘shoulder to shoulder’ and, until last month, were working without masks, Plexiglass separation or social distancing. Next to nursing homes, the meat packing plants have seen more outbreaks than any other workplaces, so many that one industry journal began an on-line map of outbreaks. Over 800 workers fell sick at a Smithfield plant in Sioux Falls, SD; and over 1,000 at the Tyson’s plant. As this piece is being written in late May, two more plants have been shut down in Iowa. By mid-April, Governor Reynolds had instituted partial measures by closing down bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, churches and the numerous other gathering places that workers use to meet and would use to occasionally plot action. When she was asked whether she had spoken with any of the meat packing workers at the Tyson’s plants in Iowa, she replied that she had spoken with “Human Resources and their CEO”. As far as is known, Reynolds has not visited a meat packing plant during the epidemic. Organizing in an environment where your co-worker does not speak your language (and the decibel level is close to an jet plane landing) is possible, but difficult. By mid-April, the efforts of younger family members on social media such as Facebook became critical. A Chin-speaking teenager in Waterloo, whose aunt works at Tyson’s, speaks English as well, so they can communicate on Facebook with a Spanish/English bilingual teenager whose mom works at Tyson’s. Those teenagers turned up in front of the physical plant with signs that read: “What is more important? Your family, your life or your job?!” and “Shut Tyson’s.” Community pressure turned up after front-line healthcare workers leaked information about the ‘flood of patients’ to local press and TV reporters, who were subsequently stonewalled by Tyson’s. When too few workers turned up to run the ‘fresh kill’ side of the plant, Tyson’s announced that it was ‘choosing’ to suspend operations. We won’t know until later how many workers were too sick to work, or were afraid of becoming sick, or were acting in solidarity with their co-workers, or what combination of all these factors were that shut the plant. We do know there was a wildcat walkout at the Crete Nebraska plant on April 28th, inspired by the Tyson’s action, but either plant officials or union officials persuaded those workers to return the same day. As this article was being completed, Iowa health officials were forced to announce another outbreak at Tyson’s Storm Lake Iowa plant, where over 500 of the 2,000+ employees had tested positive on May 28th. Despite assurances from Tyson’s and other meatpacking companies after they had closed that they had done a ‘deep clean’ and instituted new safety measures, the alternate universe of meatpacking continued. The Trump Executive Order of April 29th, invoking the Defense Production Act of 1950, mandated that meatpacking plants STAY OPEN. This not only makes walkouts such as what occurred at Waterloo and Crete illegal, but it means that no worker can refuse to come back to work or quit their job because of legitimate COVID-19 fears and then draw unemployment. As well, while the order strengthens the hand of the CEOs in running their plants without fear of a possible class action lawsuit by the workers for exposing them to COVID-19, it makes the use of new OSHA and CDC regulations voluntary. This last point will be crucial in the coming months as new outbreaks occur. As one frontline doctor in Waterloo noted, you can ‘deep clean’ steel and plastic, but you can’t ‘deep clean’ humans. And humans have been the transmitters of the virus, not sliced ham. Put a group of workers close enough to talk – which they will inevitably do in the break room, the locker room or waiting to punch in or out – and you have the pool for a new outbreak. As one of the workers, who walked away when Tyson’s did mandatory blood testing for all of its employees, explained to me, “They weren’t even enforcing 6 feet or wearing masks in that line. Why would I let them do a test on me when they don’t even follow their own rules?” Tyson’s may have re-opened, but the deaths and lingering illness among the workers and their families continues. The ‘official’ fifth death, Jose Ayala, occurred on May 27, 2020; his family and friends had been posting Facebook updates since his hospitalization six weeks earlier. Tyson’s declined to comment on his death or reveal the number of deaths within the plant, citing ‘patient privacy rules’. These rules and official obfuscation have led to Nebraska refusing to name specific plants’ numbers due to ‘health privacy laws’; they have grouped all numbers together in an ‘industry-wide’ statistic. Similarly, an initial report from Tyson’s and Iowa state health officials listed only 170 sick workers, creating an immediate outcry from local healthcare workers forcing them to correct that report to over 1,000 illnesses at one site. They had only counted workers tested by the state, not by local hospitals and clinics, which had been overwhelmed during the epidemic. Most Tyson workers believe that there have been more than a dozen deaths due to the outbreak in Waterloo. That number would readily fit into the 1% mortality rate that has been commonly seen across the country. In this, as in so many other examples during the outbreak, the words of Black Hawk County’s Sheriff and head of the Emergency Management Team, Tony Thompson, rang true: “I don’t think that Tyson’s gives two shits about their employees. I really don’t.” It is unlikely that anyone will hold a public ceremony thanking the Tyson’s workers for stopping a more widespread epidemic in Black Hawk County, which jumped to the forefront of the Iowa counties Covid-19 numbers in a matter of days. No Tyson’s employee has stepped forward to be publicly named during the epidemic, since all who have spoken to the media have done so on condition of anonymity. They fear the possibility of being fired. The frontline healthcare workers in Black Hawk County who worked through the epidemic, often with inadequate PPEs or enough testing equipment, are daily congratulated and rewarded for their work on national TV and from their patients, as well they should be. The heroes who work at Tyson’s risked their lives and jobs, yet they will go nameless and thankless. Bill Smith, an Iowa Correspondent. Two footnotes are necessary. Tyson’s has a five-year union contract with the UFCW beginning in 2016. I have not mentioned the UFCW local officials, stewards or national officers in this article because no Tyson’s worker ever mentioned the union in any way when I was talking with them about their jobs, life in the plant or how they were dealing with the epidemic. Granted, these were not leisurely discussions over a beer or lemonade. But I’ve talked with over a hundred Tyson’s workers in the last five years.
The U.S Consul-General in Nigeria, Claire Pierangelo, says that the US government had provided over $6bn since 2003, as assistance for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the country. Pierangelo revealed this when she led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, on Tuesday. She stated that 1.2 million Nigerians were currently under HIV/AIDS treatment for life, explaining that the delegation was in Ibadan for the launch of the HIV/AIDS Treatment Surge programme holding on Wednesday [today]. The Consul-General, who said the launch of the programme in Oyo State would create additional opportunity for many people to be put under treatment, added that the programme had already been launched in seven states of the federation. “Additionally, we are looking for other ways of cooperation — whether in training or cooperation on child immunisation,” she said. In her response, Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, who received the delegation on behalf of Governor Makinde, thanked the Consul-General and her team for the visit. Adeosun said the government had held useful discussions with the delegation in areas of cooperation between the Oyo State government and the consulate. “With those discussions, we know that they will be keying very much into the pillars of this government; especially in training, which has to do with education, as well as the whole HIV surge programme and other public health programmes we will be doing, which tie directly to our health policy,” she stated. Adeosun promised that actions would follow immediately after the launch of the programme in the state on Wednesday. According to her, there will be more awareness within the society, on people coming forward to be identified for free HIV treatment and reducing the stigma. “And people will understand that with the right system and processes, we can have HIV in control,” the SSG added.
For Mrs. Ezinne Oliver, nothing is more traumatising than tending to her 12-year-old daughter, Chisom Oliver, who is battling kidney failure. Chisom, who has been hospitalised since January at the Paediatric Unit of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, needs regular dialysis not just to stay alive but to be free of pain pending the time her widowed mother could afford the N10m needed for a kidney transplant. YUSUFF MOSHOOD reports Two years ago when Chisom suddenly developed dark spots all over her body, the initial thought of her mother, Mrs. Ezinne Oliver, was that she had an allergic reaction to something. She went to the chemist, bought some medication, and treated her at home. Although the spot cleared up, not quite long afterwards, Ezinne observed that Chisom’s legs were getting swollen. Ezinne, who had been widowed, took Chisom to the General Hospital in Sango, Ogun State where they live. After some tests and scans, she was diagnosed with XMA nephrotic syndrome – a condition that causes the kidneys to leak large amounts of protein into the urine. This often leads to a range of problems, including swelling of body tissues. “After the diagnosis in 2019, we were referred to LASUTH and we have been coming for treatment regularly since then. “However, in January this year, we started seeing the symptoms of the nephrotic syndrome again and I initially thought it was just a minor relapse but I never knew that it has gradually damaged Chisom’s kidneys. “We brought her back to the hospital and after some scans and tests, they said her two kidneys are no more functioning the way they should,” Mrs. Ezinne Oliver said. What is nephrotic syndrome? Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, Consultant Nephrologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Wale Bello, said nephrotic syndrome is one of the causes of kidney damage. “It is one of the ways injury to the kidneys can manifest. When a nephrotic syndrome is not properly treated, it can ultimately cause kidney failure. So, what I am saying is that nephrotic syndrome can progress to kidney failure. “Therefore, anyone diagnosed with the condition should be properly evaluated and treated to prevent it from damaging the kidney,” Dr. Bello said. According to WebMD – an online health publication, nephrotic syndrome isn’t a disease. It’s a group of symptoms that can appear if the kidneys aren’t working well. WebMD stated further that when the kidneys are not working well, too much protein slips through the filters into the urine. The result is nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome can affect both adults and children. It is, however, treatable, it said. “Doctors still don’t know why this condition stops the kidneys from working properly. However, some potential causes of the disease include infections from viruses, allergic reactions, taking certain medications, and using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,” WebMD added. 13 dialysis sessions and still counting According to Mrs. Oliver, 12-year-old Chisom who passed her common entrance examination and was to resume in secondary school has been on admission since January as her condition has worsened. “She passed the common entrance examination, but she cannot go to secondary school. Since January, she has been undergoing dialysis. She has already done over 13 sessions of dialysis. It has been tough. “She is also taking some drugs and injections and undergoing further tests. I still don’t know the cause of this condition. We don’t have a record of anybody in the family with the condition. “Chisom is my second child. She has an older sister and two other younger sisters. It has really been difficult coping with this treatment because it is expensive. In fact, we have been surviving largely through help from people and the grace of God. The need for kidney transplant “The doctor has already told us that we have to find a way to do a kidney transplant to save her. The cost implication obtained from the hospital that can carry out the procedure, Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, Abuja, is N10.5 million. “That amount is difficult for me to raise. I am a petty trader. Where will I get that money? The N10.5m includes the cost of conducting tests on her and the donor as well as for post-operative care. “The only reason we have not fixed a date for the operation is that I don’t have the money for it. Chisom’s father is dead and his relatives have not been helping. I am on my own with this problem, basically. “A fellow patient helped me with money for dialysis for her last week. “It has been tough and emotionally traumatising coping with caring for her, especially when she is in pain,” Ezinne said. A life of constant pain When our correspondent was at the LASUTH paediatric ward to see how Chisom was faring, she was in pain and tears. She was only able to nod to acknowledge the presence of the PUNCH Healthwise. Speaking further with our correspondent during the visit, Ezinne said, “As you can observe, she has been in pain, because she has developed an ulcer. Her face is swollen. She had a sleepless night and has not even been able to sleep since morning. “She usually has a health crisis, especially when the dialysis is delayed. There was a day she had a terrible crisis. She was supposed to have dialysis, but due to the lack of funds, we couldn’t do it. It was a terrible day. “She was placed on oxygen because she couldn’t breathe properly and she was restless. I was told she should be having three dialysis sessions per week and each session used to cost about N36,000 but it is now N30,000 per session. “I pleaded that they should reduce her dialysis session to twice weekly and even at that, it is still a big struggle to payt. It has been really tough. “It is very clear to me that Chisom’s survival depends on getting the needed money to do the kidney transplant. I will appreciate any help I can get to save my daughter. “My bank account details are: Nnadiekwe Joy Ezinne, Fidelity Bank, 6018675620,” she said. The burden of chronic kidney disease According to a 2014 study published by the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, the incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease in Nigeria has been shown to range between 1.6 percent and 12.4 percent respectively. However, the figures were obtained from hospital-based data and did not include many patients who lack access to hospital care. The study, however, noted that CKD has become a public health problem with rising incidence and prevalence, not just in Nigeria, but worldwide. Also, the World Health Organisation, in a bulletin published online in 2018 titled: ‘The global burden of kidney disease and the Sustainable Development Goals,’ noted that a 2015 Global Burden of Disease study indicated that 1.2 million people died from kidney failure in 2015, an increase of 32 percent since 2005. WHO also stated further in the bulletin that, in 2010, an estimated 2.3 – 7.1 million people with end-stage kidney disease died without access to dialysis. “Additionally, each year, around 1.7 million people are thought to die from acute kidney injury. Overall, therefore, an estimated 5–10 million people die annually from kidney disease. “Given the limited epidemiological data, the common lack of awareness, and the frequently poor access to laboratory services, such numbers probably underestimate the true burden posed by kidney disease,” WHO said. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: [email protected]
Himsatta.com is Himachal's best professional news and media company. Himsatta is helping the people of Himachal Pradesh in the way of providing the best of the news coverage and the overall view of the state. We are trying to help the people of the state in their business and technology successes and also get their views heard. Mr Ravinder Pal Singh of Kullu has been elected as the President of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association HPCA for the next 3 years. In this general election of the state cricket body Mr Avinash Parmar of the Hamirpur district was elected as the Secretary of HPCA. The press release of HPCA said that the other office bearer of the body elected today in Dharamsala are Mr Amitabh Sharma of Shimla (Vice President), Mr Vishal sharma of Kangra (Joint secretary), Mr Vikram singh of Hamirpur(Treasurer) and Manoj Sharma of Chamba & Chander Shekher Mehta of Kullu as the member of the executive body. All the posts were filled in unanimously. Smt Manisha Nanda (retd IAS) was the electoral officer.
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: U.S. dollar banknotes are seen in this illustration taken March 10, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. dollar advanced against a basket of currencies on Thursday after Fed Chair Jerome Powell backed more U.S. rate increases albeit at a “careful pace” and as a spate of interest rate hikes by several central banks fuelled concerns over the outlook for global growth. Sterling was volatile, the Swiss franc fell and the Norwegian crown rose on Thursday after the Bank of England (BoE), the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and Norges Bank all hiked their benchmark interest rates. The slew of rate hikes come a day after Powell told lawmakers on Capitol Hill further rate increases were “a pretty good guess” of where the central bank was heading if the economy continued in its current direction. During the second day of testimony Powell said the central bank would move interest rates at a “careful pace” from here. Asked about rate cuts, Powell said “we don’t see that happening any time soon … It is going to have to wait a time when we’re confident that inflation is moving down to 2%,” the Fed’s inflation target. The , which measures the currency against six rivals, rose 0.372% to 102.4. Against the yen, the dollar was up 0.85% at 143.1 yen, its strongest level in more than seven months. The Australian dollar, viewed as a liquid proxy for risk appetite, fell 0.58%. “I believe the doom and gloom is back as a dominating narrative across markets now,” said Juan Perez, director of trading at Monex. “It legitimately feels like while a recession may not entirely materialize, stagflation – low economic levels combined with stubborn inflation – is a tale to be had for the second half of the year,” Perez said. U.S. data on Thursday showed the number of people filing for state unemployment benefits for the first time held steady at a 20-month high last week, remaining elevated for a third straight week in what may be an early indication of a softening labor market. UP UP AND AWAY Sterling was 0.17% lower at $1.27465 in a choppy session after the BoE’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted 7-2 to raise its main interest rate to 5% from 4.5%, its highest since 2008 and its largest rate increase since February. After inflation data held at 8.7% in May, defying market expectations and making it the highest of any major economy, investors had been split on how big the new BoE hike would be. “They (the BOE) are trying to jump in front of inflation but at what cost? The mortgage market is seizing, the cost of living crisis is not easing and the GBP is going to be caught in the crossfire,” Brad Bechtel, global head of FX at Jefferies, said in a note. The Swiss franc was about 0.3% lower against the greenback after the Swiss National Bank (SNB) hiked its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 1.75%, defying some market expectations of a bigger increase. Despite an easing in Swiss inflation, currently the lowest among G10 economies at 2.2%, SNB Chairman Thomas Jordan recently repeated his readiness to raise rates, encouraging markets to expect a 50-bps hike. “Unlike the ECB (European Central Bank) and the Fed (Federal Reserve), the SNB can proceed slowly and steadily with its monetary policy tightening,” said Thomas Gitzel, chief economist at VP Bank Group in Liechtenstein. Against the Norwegian crown, the dollar was about 0.05% lower after having slipped by as much as 1.3% after the Norges Bank raised its benchmark interest rate by 50 bps to a 15-year high, more than expected by a majority of economists surveyed by Reuters, and said it aimed for another hike in August. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin was up 0.37% at $30,119, on pace for a fourth straight day of gains after hitting its highest level since mid-April, boosted by BlackRock (NYSE:)’s plan to create a bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) even as the sector faces U.S. regulatory scrutiny.
Brussels, Belgium – After Hamas’s unprecedented attacks in Israel, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Bulgarian parliament were among buildings across the European Union that were lit up in the white and blue of Israel’s flag. In other demonstrations of solidarity, the European Commission and European Parliament hoisted Israeli flags outside their headquarters in Brussels. list of 3 itemsend of list On Wednesday, as part of a European Parliament vigil led by its president, Roberta Metsola, a minute’s silence was held to commemorate the Israeli victims and the country’s national anthem was played through speakers. The Hamas assault on Saturday set off a major new war, with Israel now preparing a ground invasion of Gaza, having blockaded the besieged strip. More than 2,000 people on both sides have been reported killed since Saturday. “This is a strong message against terrorism in Israel,” an Austrian tourist in Paris said of the Eiffel Tower display. “So what if it is the EU stance on the conflict now?” said the woman, who requested anonymity. But some said the gestures do not represent them. “As a European citizen, I felt that my voice was erased through that action,” Elena, from Italy, told Al Jazeera. “I was shocked. Especially when I saw [the Israeli flag] on the EU Parliament building. It’s the house of democratically elected representatives of Europe, many of whom do not simply ‘stand with Israel’. “I was also shocked at how quickly the EU institutions put up the flags, I think it was even faster than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Considering the incredibly complex situation of Israel and Palestine, I think this rapid step is incredibly irresponsible.” In the diplomatic corridors of Brussels, too, debates over the flag were heated. One EU official, who requested anonymity, told Al Jazeera: “It makes me feel like I’m working for an organisation that is endorsing apartheid. “Did the commission put the Palestinian flag up when the IDF shot teenagers in the ankles last week? Or when they killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh? What Hamas is doing is terrible – but is it any different to what the IDF does every week?” the official said, referencing the May 2022 Israeli killing of Al Jazeera’s journalist, and recent reports that Israeli troops have been targeting young Palestinian protesters. But, the bloc’s foreign policy chief’s spokesperson, Peter Stano, said that now is not the time to squabble over demonstrations of support, but rather focus on the grave situation in the Middle East. “We are the only ones actively pursuing the restart of the peace process and are the biggest donor to the Palestinian people anyway,” he told Al Jazeera. On Monday, as Israel retaliated to Hamas’s attacks by bombarding Gaza, EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said that the European Commission would suspend 691 million euros ($728m) in developmental aid to Palestine, sparking a brief diplomatic fallout. The foreign ministers of EU nations such as Spain, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg criticised Varhelyi’s announcement, saying only the bloc’s foreign ministers can make such a decision. “But where were the other countries, like Germany? Member states need to stand up against this rogue commissioner,” the EU official told Al Jazeera. The EU has since back-pedalled, saying it won’t suspend the aid but rather review payments to ensure they are not misused. Even so, tensions remain. “I find these suggestions to stop aid to Palestine very difficult to understand,” Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, the former EU ambassador to Palestine, told Al Jazeera. “Hamas does not represent the people of Palestine. Why would we want to punish the people of Palestine? Also, all EU aid to the Palestinians is very thoroughly monitored. We scrutinise every single household member and bank account holder receiving aid and if any are linked to terrorists, he or she will not receive any aid. So I can 100 percent say that not a single cent goes to Hamas,” he said. “Under the current arrangement, we deliver budgetary aid only to the Palestinian Authority, which sits in Ramallah, and don’t deliver anything to Gaza, with the exception of a social aid allowance package which benefits poor families in Gaza.” European Parliament Member Evin Incir, a Swedish politician, told Al Jazeera that Varhelyi is well aware of how aid reaches Palestinians. “He is trying to lie in the face of the European people and trying to connect the EU financial support to Hamas. It doesn’t go there. It goes through the Palestinian Authority,” she said. The bloc’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that “punishing all the Palestinian people” will “damage the EU’s interests in the region and embolden terrorists”. After he met with EU foreign ministers on Tuesday, Borrell said: “The overwhelming majority of the member states considered that we have to continue our support to the Palestinian Authority and the payments due should not be delayed.” The European Union officially says it is committed to the “vision of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine, living side by side with Israel in peace and security”. But the bloc’s stance on all matters related to the Israel-Palestine conflict is complex and divisive. “Some nations like Ireland have a recent history of colonialism, and so they’re particularly aware of the oppression of Palestinians,” the EU official told Al Jazeera. Another EU diplomat, who also requested anonymity, said that amid the latest war, showing solidarity with the “Palestinian side … means you can also be accused of being anti-Israeli or even worse, anti-Semitic”. “The fact that the European Commission and European Parliament [are] displaying the Israel flag appears to be a reflection of a general political preference for Israel, of these two institutions.” The second diplomat noted, however, that the “European Council chose not to do so, mindful of the divisions between EU member states”. In a recent briefing, a European Commission spokesperson told journalists that the body responds to “terror” attacks in the same way, regardless of where they occur, claiming its statements on Israel’s right to self-defence have nothing to do with its position on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The spokesperson added that the commission is now focusing on matters “on the ground” and not “internal debates” within the bloc. Meanwhile, according to emails seen by Al Jazeera, the European Parliament’s vigil on Wednesday raised concerns among some. Members of the Parliament’s Left group questioned why sombre events were not previously held for Palestinian victims of Israeli occupation. Incir, the centre-left Swedish politician, said she would prefer to see the Israeli and Palestinian flags hanging next to each other outside European institutions. “That would have sent a clear signal from the European Union that the only way forward is a two-state solution, with two democratic states living in peace and security side by side,” she told Al Jazeera. “The bombs are raining down on innocent people in Gaza. This is unacceptable and must also be condemned. It’s about the credibility of the European Union and its commitment to a two-state solution.” How do Europeans want EU politicians to respond? After meeting with the bloc’s foreign ministers, Borrell said that while Israel has the right to self-defence, its operations must be in line with international and humanitarian law, acknowledging that so far, “some of the decisions are contrary to international law”. For Katie, from Ireland, the EU appears to be making a statement. “The EU hasn’t really ‘picked a side’ before. But seeing the flags everywhere alongside their statements makes me feel like they have picked one,” she told Al Jazeera. Nina, from the Netherlands, said while the Hamas attacks were “awful and wrong … we cannot forget the gradual acts of violence and war Israel has been conducting without any criticism”. She said it seemed “hypocritical” to put up Israeli flags but not Palestinian flags “when they have been oppressed every day for decades”. “Also Hamas is not the same as the PA and punishing all Palestinians for Hamas’s actions is very harmful and contributes to the already harmful European practices of looking away from Israel’s misconduct,” she added. Marco from Belgium shared a similar view. “In Palestine, like in Ukraine and Israel, innocent people are dying because for decades we have turned a blind eye to evil,” he said. “EU leaders should be able to condemn last week’s terrorist attack in Israel while also holding the Israeli government accountable for the criminal actions that have led up to this moment.” Source: Al Jazeera
Donnie McClurkin. COURTESY PHOTO. American gospel music legend and Pastor Donnie McClurkin has faulted Donald Trump’s decision to reopen church buildings, saying the initiative is a “calculated” move by the head of state to win political favor from the faith-based community without regard to their safety. President Trump announced Friday that he was declaring churches and places of worship as “essential places that provide essential services,” and said that he would “override” governors to allow them to open “right now.” “This political ploy to gain favor from the faith-based community, seven (7) months before an election, is calculated. It is dangerous, reckless and irresponsible,” McClurkin said in a Facebook live broadcast. Donnie McClurkin claims President Trump issued the statement “without meeting specific metrics given by the scientific medical experts.” “There has been a rush to reopen States that are really being hit with this pandemic. There has been a rush to cause people to rise up, and forego guidelines and get back into normalcy,” Donnie McClurkin said. “Do not allow these political moves to excite you, and get you anxious to return into the sanctuary and put people’s lives at risk. No, we are wise, the Bible says ‘in a multitude of counselors there is safety.’ There is a counsel of medical and scientific experts that God has given us favor to hear from. And although they are vacillating somewhat, they are still not saying that it is safe. They are saying; you are at lowest risk if you keep social distancing; you are at a lower risk if you avoid embracing people in church and keep a 6 feet distance. However, that is not saying it is safe, but you are at a lower risk – and this risk is magnified if our churches are compacted with people that are eager to get out of the house; eager to get back into the sanctuary,” McClurkin stated. The multi-award winning singer urged that Perfecting Church in Freeport N.Y. where he is Pastor, will remain closed until it is “safe to gather” in the house of worship. The 60-year-old said his ministry will continue to lean towards and adhere to “reasonable” medical science and the “credible” doctors and medical experts. McClurkin who has been born again for 50 years said his decision is not based on the lack of faith or fear – and will not make him “any less of a man of God” if some individuals are disappointment. “It is not a lack of faith. It is not being scared. The church never closed. Although we could not come into the sanctuary, the church grew strongly, robustly. And it happened through ‘social media’. God put technology in place systematically knowing this day would come. Decades ago, He caused us to perfect this thing called social media because He knew this day would come, and it is a way of ministry,” the multi-award winning singer noted. Donnie McClurkin believes digital live-streams are adequate to serve the Church community during the pandemic lockdown. Meanwhile, other Church leaders in U.S praised trump’s decision to instruct Churches to reopen. CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization, Franklin Graham thanked Trump and said “no question, churches are essential.” “Thank you President Donald J. Trump for defending America’s faith communities. No question, churches are essential to our individual lives and to the future of our country. I believe pastors can take necessary precautions, following guidelines provided by the CDC, to open up safely, and I look forward to seeing that happen. Continue to pray for the President to have protection and wisdom from God as he leads our nation through this time of pandemic–and let him know what this decision means to you,” he said. Protestant pastor and televangelist John Hagee said by allowing Churches to reopen President Trump was “protecting our religious freedoms.” The ministry has already resumed its in-person Church services.
JT Maxwell is delighted to announce its sponsorship deal with boxer, Lewis Crocker in his upcoming fight on the 6th August at the SSE Arena in Belfast. The unbeaten welterweight has been added to the massive Michael Conlan bill set. Crocker hasn’t fought since November 2021, but has now teamed up with Adam Booth who also trains super-featherweight star Conlan. The 25-year-old says working alongside the pair in England has opened his eyes to what is needed to make it at the elite end of boxing. James Maxwell, Director of JT Maxwell said: “I’m very excited to be sponsoring this fight with Lewis, he’s eased to a perfect record of 14-0 in the pro ranks, with eight of those wins coming by way of knockout, he’s an up-and-coming star and I wish him all the best with the fight. ”
Traffic Complaints Prompt Extra Enforcement In Casper It may not be news to you, but some drivers in Casper could use a refresher course or maybe a reminder from law enforcement. The Casper Police Department says due to the high volume of traffic complaints they're getting, they'll be conducting weekly high visibility traffic enforcement in various areas and they're letting the public know where they'll be. For the first week of January 2018, those locations will include: • Beverly Street by Frontier School • 15th Street by Manor Heights School We will update the locations for you here every week.You can also find the information on the Casper Police Department's Facebook page.
Key Biscayne Council Member Oscar Sardiñas says he’s hopeful a revised set of goals will lead to lower costs for proposals to install miles of pressurized drainage lines to fight sea level rise. His comments about the project — which now stands at $310 million — came on the Anti-Social podcast as officials look to slash the price tag. Sardiñas, wrapping up his first year on the Council. He said that there are advantages to phasing the project that would allow one approach for the most flood-prone areas, with less costly options in other sections of the barrier island — especially if later phases can take advantage of newer technology. “Technology will continue to improve. And maybe it’s not wise to spend too much on current technology, because future technology might be better, cheaper, more accessible,” Sardiñas said. In January, the AECOM engineering firm is set to deliver a set of options to the Council with different price tags depending on the “level of service” — or, how fast massive pumps will drain island streets after rains. Manager Steve Williamson plans to ask the Council to advance the projects, which he says are behind schedule.
Whereas Maryland provided a distinction between an internal and external communication, the District of Columbia does not. Instead, D.C. law focuses on the substance of the communication. Under District of Columbia law, “employment is presumed to be at will, unless the contract of employment expressly provides otherwise.” Thus, an employee who serves at the will of his or her employer may be discharged “at any time and for any reason, or for no reason at all.” As in Maryland and Virginia, D.C. courts recognize three separate categories of protected conduct under the exception to the employment at-will doctrine: (1) refusing to engage in illegal activity; (2) exercising a constitutional or statutory right; and (3) reporting criminal conduct to supervisors or outside agencies. Historically, an employee received protection only if terminated in retaliation for refusing to break the law. Thereafter, in Adams, D.C. recognized a cause of action for wrongful termination but warned that courts should confine the application of the public policy exception to very narrow cases where an employee’s refusal to violate the law was the exclusive cause for termination. Thereafter, the D.C. Court of Appeals clarified that “the very narrow exception created in Adams should not be read in a manner that makes it impossible to recognize any additional public policy exceptions to the at-will doctrine that may warrant recognition.” In Carl v. Children’s Hospital, a nurse was terminated for testifying before the District of Columbia Council concerning proposed tort reform, for taking a position contrary to the interests of her employer, and for appearing as an expert witness for plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases. Though she did not assert a violation of any law, the D.C. Court of Appeals reasoned that the Adams decision did “not foreclose any additional ‘public policy’ exceptions to the general rule that employment contracts are always at will unless they expressly provide otherwise.” To fit within the parameters of the Carl decision, a terminated employee must “make a clear showing, based on some identifiable policy that [has] been officially declared in a statute or municipal regulation, or in the Constitution, that a new exception is needed” to the employment at-will doctrine. There must also be a “close fit” between the policy and the conduct at issue in the allegedly wrongful termination. Thus, courts applying District of Columbia law have applied this public policy exception where employers fired at-will employees for: (1) refusing to violate statutory or regulatory laws, Adams; (2) reporting wrongdoing in government contracting, Myers v. Alutiiq Int’l Solutions, LLC; (3) refusing to participate in partisan political and legislative activities in violation of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and Department of Labor regulations, Riggs v. Home Builders Inst.; (4) following District of Columbia food safety laws, Washington v. Guest Servs., Inc.; and (5) threatening to report improper storage of pharmaceuticals, Liberatore v. Melville Corp. In Coleman v. Dist. Of Columbia, the Court catalogued public policies that were sufficient to support a wrongful termination claim. Likewise, an internal communication that meets the Carl requirements provides an employee with protection. For example, in Liberatore, the plaintiff, a drug store pharmacist/manager, was terminated after internally reporting the fact that the store’s failure to control its air temperature adversely affected the condition of certain drugs it stored. The D.C. Circuit noted that the case was not within the “narrower public policy exception announced in Adams” because the plaintiff “did not present his employer with an outright refusal to violate a specific statute or regulation,” and it was not clear that plaintiff’s threat to report his employer to the FDA was the sole reason for his termination. However, the Court held that the plaintiff’s allegations were sufficient to support a claim for wrongful discharge because he internally reported – and threatened to report to the FDA – conditions that violated both federal and D.C. laws protecting the public from the purchase of adulterated drugs, thereby implicating an expanded public policy of the kind discussed in Carl. In doing so, it observed that D.C. law did not appear to “draw a distinction between a threat [to lodge a complaint] and an actual complaint to the appropriate enforcement official,” nor would it bar suit where the alleged illegal conduct by supervisors had been reported only to management. The District of Columbia has recognized that where there is already a statutory framework in place, there is “no need to create a new exception to the at-will employment doctrine.” Thus, in Carter, the Court declined to create a public policy exception where the plaintiff’s conduct “fell squarely under the aegis of the District’s Whistleblower Protection Act,” which “provides that an employee aggrieved by a prohibited personnel action may bring a civil action for monetary and equitable relief.” For more information, look at LeFande v. District of Columbia and Kassem v. Washington Hosp. Center. In Kassem, the Court decided that the exception was unavailable “where the very statute creating the relied-upon public policy already contains a specific and significant remedy for the party aggrieved by its violation”. Overall, since Carl, wrongful termination in the District of Columbia has been held to encompass claims of discharge in retaliation for whistleblowing, as explained by the Court in Liberatore, Taylor v. WMATA, and Fingerhut v. Children’s Nat’l Med. Ctr. After Carl, decisions in the District of Columbia have used a case-by-case analysis, initially resulting, in general, in a more liberal interpretation of the claim for wrongful discharge. Recently, however, the U.S. District Court noted that the trend “following the Supreme Court’s restatement of pleading standards in Twombly and Iqbal, is towards requiring a closer fit between the public policy and the whistleblowing.” For example, in Mpoy v. Fenty, a special education teacher who alleged wrongful discharge after disclosing instructions from the principal to falsify test scores was determined not to have identified a clear mandate of public policy, and in Leyden v. Am. Accreditation Healthcare Comm’n, the plaintiff who alleged conflicts of interest at a healthcare accreditation organization was held to have failed to identify public policy specifically prohibiting the conduct she internally reported. The Clay decision cited with approval the summary from Leyden that the “common denominator” in viable wrongful discharge claims is “the existence of specific laws or regulations that clearly reflect a policy prohibiting the activity about which the employee complained whether or not the employer actually violated the law or regulation.” In some of these cases, other federal or local laws may provide better protections. For example, a worker with a food safety issue could find relief from retaliation through the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), 21 U.S.C. § 399d. FSMA claims must be filed with OSHA within 180 days of each adverse action. Sadly, workers with pharmaceutical safety issues have no specific job protections under federal law, even though the FDA regulates both food and medications. KCNF maintains a chart of available whistleblower protections here. This blog is provided to our readers for informational purposes only. It is not offered as legal advice. Communication of information through this blog does not create an attorney-client relationship. You should not rely upon information contained in this blog without first seeking professional legal advice. If you would like a telephone screening or consultation with a KCNF attorney, you are welcome to call 202-331-9260 to begin our intake process, or submit your legal issue at kcnfdc.com/contact.
A Kenyan was among four suspects arrested by the Malaysian Police on Monday after the group was accused of being involved in a Ksh2.5 billion (USD15 million) money laundering scandal. The four, who included Ugandan and Nigerian nationals were busted at a hotel in the Malaysian Capital of Kuala Lumpur where they had holed themselves up to ostensibly avoid the radar of authorities. Malaysian media outlets reported that the police had been tracking the four for a while, during which they gained valuable intelligence from locals that led to the suspects’ arrest. During the sting operation, police recovered several passports from three countries belonging to the suspects. An image representation of a woman in handcuffs behind bars. Police detained the Kenyan alongside his accomplices as investigations continue. If found guilty, the suspects will be sentenced to 15 years in prison and slapped with a fine of not less than five times the sum they accrued from the illegal activities. According to the Malaysian Anti Money Laundering Laws and Regulations, besides the above-stipulated fine, the suspects can be fined Ksh172.7 million (MYR5 million) or whichever is higher. The regulations also call for additional penalties for anyone who fails to comply with the administrative anti-money laundering requirements. Kenyans living abroad have been apprehended by foreign police for breaking several laws policing serious crimes including human trafficking, trespassing, and traffic offenses. Some of them end up jailed or deported to Kenya. In January last year, a Kenyan nurse was sentenced in the US for being part of the Ksh12 billion home health care fraud scheme. She was charged alongside an American citizen for making false claims and billings to a program that provides health coverage for low-income earners. Additionally, four Kenyan nurses in the US lost their practising licences following an investigation carried out by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that established that they held fake diplomas. US-based Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 5 that he discussed "strengthening the state policy on veterans" with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, likely referring to the resignation of Veterans Affairs Minister Yuliia Laputina. "With all due respect to the minister, this is a management issue only. Ukraine needs strength, fresh energy, and sufficient leadership in every sphere," Zelensky said in his evening video address. "We must win this war. And do the maximum this year, even more than possible." Laputina submitted her resignation to the Ukrainian parliament earlier the same day. According to Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament plans to consider her resignation on Feb. 6. According to Zelensky, he discussed with Shmyhal "steps to overcome the existing problems" in the state policy on war veterans and "add confidence to our people." "Steps to reset — and not only in this direction." The Ministry for Veterans Affairs was created in 2018, four years after Russia first invaded the Donbas and illegally annexed Crimea, to implement state policy on the social protection of war veterans. In August last year, former Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that around a million Ukrainians had become combat veterans since the Russian invasion of Donbas in 2014. Laputina has served as the ministry’s head since December 2020. Previously, she had years-long experience in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
George Soros Quote The pro-Israel lobby has been remarkably successful in suppressing criticism. Politicians challenge it at their peril because of the lobby's ability to influence political contributions.... Following his criticism of repressive Israeli policy on the West Bank, former president Jimmy Carter has suffered the loss of some of the financial backers of his center. On Israel, America and AIPAC (2007)
From the moment she went to a Beto O’ Rourke rally to tell him, “I was one of the gun-owning Americans who heard you speak regarding your ‘Hell yes, I’m going to take your AR-15s and AK-47s.’ Well, I’m here to say, ‘Hell no, you’re not,’” I have been a big fan of Lauren Boebert (R-CO). And now that she’s won a congressional election, she continues to impress. Rep. Boebert is still a defender of the Bill of Rights, and she doesn’t take nonsense from those who would destroy our rights. When Democratic party colleagues slammed her gun display after seeing it behind her during a Zoom call, she gave them hell in her own way. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-MO) claimed her display of guns made him concerned for his safety once the pandemic subsides and Congressional panels can meet in person. “If somebody wants to have a shrine to their gun fetish as a Zoom backdrop in their private life they can do that,” Huffman said. “But this is our ‘hearing room,’ and at some point we will get past the COVID epidemic, and we’ll all start showing up in person, and our safety and our ability to conduct business civilly without feeling threatened is a relevant consideration, unfortunately.” Is Huffman under the assumption she will be toting all of those guns with her to Congress? Another Democrat lawmaker who took umbrage with Lauren Boebert’s display was Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who said the guns were more dangerous than her kitchen sink. “I always thought my dirty dishes piled up and accumulating bacteria were the most dangerous thing in a Zoom background,” scoffed Porter on Twitter. — Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) February 18, 2021 As part of the tweet, Rep. Porters tagged ‘Room Rater,’ an account known for judging people’s living room and office spaces. That group didn’t let her down, rating Boebert’s room as a zero out of ten and claimed the GOP Rep was “fascist.” “Unsafe gun storage is no laughing matter,” they wrote. “Is this Fascist fraulein really the best Colorado’s 3rd [congressional district] can do?” — Room Rater (@ratemyskyperoom) February 18, 2021 Boebert isn’t the type to just sit back and accept unfair criticism, and, as such, she fired back at Porter in epic fashion. “It’s kind of alarming that she has so many dishes in her sink collecting bacteria,” Boebert said when asked to comment during a Fox News interview. “Do your dishes, Hon.” Lost in the Democrat pearl-clutching was that Boebert offered a strong defense of the Second Amendment during the hearing. “We all took an oath to uphold and secure the Constitution, every single one of us,” she said. “Our first act as members of Congress was to take our oath of office, and please allow me to remind you a portion of that oath, the chair, and every other member here solemnly swore that we would support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” she added. “The Second Amendment is very much a part of the Constitution of the United States.” — Benny (@bennyjohnson) February 18, 2021 The GOP lawmaker went on to counter Huffman’s claims of a gun fetish by saying she is “busy fighting against the left’s real fetish for power and stripping Americans of their constitutional rights.” Much of this post was first seen at The Mental Recession
Russia awakes: social protest 100 years after the beginning of the First Russian revolution by Aleksandr Buzgalin and Andrey Kolganov Aleksandr Buzgalin and Andrei Kolganov are economists and political scientists at Moscow State University who are associated with the social and political journal Alternativy. January 2005 was a profoundly significant month for Russia in many ways, but above all as the month when our people, after a sleep of many years, demonstrated their capacity for joint actions in defence of their common social interests. As many as 300,000 people in more than fifty regions of Russia came out onto the streets over a four-week period, beginning with the symbolic date of the anniversary of "Bloody Sunday". Why did this happen? What was the objective meaning of these events? What could the left have done, or not done, to assist these mainly spontaneous initiatives of the population? What lies ahead, and what can and should be the strategy and tactics for supporters of social renewal? What lessons should we draw from the first successes and failures? Any analysis which is made hot on the trail of events has its advantages (an emotional mood and the energy of social creativity inspire one to work) and its shortcomings ("Face to face you don't see the face, the big picture can only be seen at a distance", and direct immersion in events affects scholarly impartiality to a degree). Nevertheless, we resolved to take these first steps toward an analysis, and to make these first generalisations, since Marxists are distinguished by the way they prefer to act in a conscious, thought-out fashion. In any case, what is involved here is not subjecting citizens and their organisations to one's own speculative agendas, but the chance to understand the logic and objective meaning of events, to understand the subjective factors driving the protests, in order to help the movement exploit its opportunities as energetically as possible. As has been widely reported, the immediate cause of the first protests, in Moscow province on January 10, was the abolition of free travel for pensioners on public transport. The real source of these events, however, lies outside the framework of 2005. The process through which the now-notorious Law No. 122 on the monetisation of benefits was drafted and prepared for adoption began a year ago, and was immediately met with an active campaign of protest. The draft law was criticised on three counts. The first of these in terms of logic (though not of importance) was the intellectual critique. Even before the law was adopted, the critically minded section of the scholarly community (in the research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, at Moscow State University and in regional centres), left-wing intellectuals (including our "Alternatives" movement), a number of professors, independent deputies of the State Duma (O.N. Smolin, S. Yu. Glazyev, and others) and many other experts warned the community. These analyses predicted virtually all the problems that have now materialised, and a number that still await us. Among them are the following: - the general negative effects on the most deprived layers of the population of abolishing benefits in kind (in a poor country the lack of a guaranteed minimum, provided in concrete form, leads to the degradation and dying out of the poorest section of the population, those who are unable to work or have only limited fitness for work); - the low level of the monetary compensation, which does not satisfy even the minimal requirements that were covered by the benefits in kind, along with the delays in payment (in short, the authorities will pay less than they earlier provided in kind, while not paying it everywhere, not paying it to everyone and, when they do pay it, paying it after delays); - the use of the monetisation of benefits as a new step along the road to the ultimate commercialisation and privatisation of everything that remains unstolen in our country (in this case, social welfare payments etc.). In addition, we pointed out that the abolition of benefits was merely one element in the antisocial measures inspired by Law No. 122. Still to come are the commercialisation and privatisation of communal services, education, science, health care and so forth—that is, the destruction of the last remnants of social welfare provisions and, in essence, the rejection of the very notion of the "welfare state" (which is guaranteed by our constitution, the guarantor of which is the president—who initiated all the antisocial reforms). Finally, we have argued, argue now and will continue to argue that these measures are not simply a chance outburst of "market fundamentalism" (to use the term coined by George Soros) on the part of the authorities, but are part (1) of a long-term strategy of the state (that is, above all of the president, the government and United Russia) and of capital to carry out the further commercialisation and privatisation of all spheres of social and economic life, and (2) of a general wave of global neo-liberal expansion, whose leaders are becoming a new "proto-empire" (consisting above all of the us, of the organisations such as nato, the WTO and the IMF that are fused with this super-state and of the largest transnational corporations). The second wave of resistance to Law No. 122 has come from the Duma opposition, represented above all by the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (KPRF). Moreover, this party and its allies have also taken a series of steps outside of parliament, conducting a series of street actions during the summer. Unfortunately, the level of activism of this largest of opposition organisations has not corresponded to the size of its formal membership. In our view, the most interesting formations to move into struggle against the attacks on the social rights of citizens have been new movements that have arisen during the past year. Among them is the left-wing political network, the Left Youth Front, which unites extremely diverse left-wing youth organisations, from the Trotskyist Socialist Resistance to the pro-Stalinist Communist Youth Vanguard (AKM), and including both the KPRF-linked Union of Communist Youth and the academic specialists—remote from the KPRF—of the Institute for the Study of Globalisation. Still more significant has been the uniting in a single network of various social organisations representing those layers of citizens whose interests are directly affected by Law No. 122. This network includes a broad spectrum of independent trade unions (air traffic controllers, dockers, the "Defence of Labour" union and others); of organisations of invalids, Chernobyl veterans and human rights defenders; and also of women's, youth and many other organisations and movements (our movement "Alternatives" is also part of this network). This association, which eventually came to call itself the Council of Social Solidarity, has initiated a number of street actions. A June 2004 demonstration in Moscow, attended by Chernobyl veterans and invalids from many Russian cities, had a particularly broad impact. All these actions, whether in the press, on the streets or in the Duma, nevertheless made only a small impression on Russians, and had little effect on the adoption of the law, which finally came into force at the end of last year. But the situation that arose in January was different. First, however, a few words about the important historical context of these events—the centenary of the First Russian Revolution of 1905-1907. It is curious that in Moscow on January 9, literally on the eve of the first actions of civil disobedience (the blocking of the Leningrad Highway at Khimki on January 10), we had held a conference devoted to analysing the reasons for the passivity of Russians and the conditions under which their civic activism might be awakened. The date of the conference was specially chosen so as to coincide with the centenary of Bloody Sunday. On this day—according to the old style—in 1905, more than 100,000 residents of St Petersburg had gathered on the palace square to demand minimal bourgeois democratic and social reforms. The peaceful demonstration was fired on, and more than a thousand citizens—workers and members of the intelligentsia—were killed. The episode became the prologue to the First Russian Revolution. Our first surprise was the number of participants in the discussion; the hall of the Mayakovsky Museum, with seating for 100 people, was full to overflowing. Our second surprise was the interested, open, agitated tone of the discussion, which combined analysis and emotion, sharp polemic and collective reflection. For the first time after a conference we did not head off to our homes, but set off in a column through the windswept Moscow streets to the monument on Tverskoy Boulevard to the participants in the revolutionary struggles of 1905 and 1917. The analysis came up with a predictable but nevertheless important result: protests by workers are most probable not in conditions of decline, but when an economic upsurge coincides with an open attack on the rights of citizens, when the authorities not only oppress the population, but also insult them with openly antisocial behaviour and when the lower orders (we recall Lenin's famous theses) are no longer willing to live in the old fashion. If the opposition at this moment can summon enough strength to support the popular actions, and if its strategy and tactics are sufficiently developed to help prevent these actions from being choked in elemental discord, if the opposition is capable of diverting this elemental force from its inevitably disorganised state into the channel represented by the self-organisation of strategically regulated joint action and if this opposition makes use of the popularity and trust of the citizens and of their spontaneous forms of self-organisation, then all the preconditions are present for a successful offensive (for the other precondition for success, a crisis of those at the top, see below). These theses are well known in the left milieu, even if some people are still unaware of them, while others do their best to "forget" them. It is, however, another question that has aroused most debate: what organisations are required for this process, and just what role should they play? Here there are three contending approaches. The first hinges on whether there is a need for a vanguard party to head up and lead the masses. This is an old thesis, but one that is still popular. The author has more than once written about how and why, in the twenty-first century, the model of the vanguard party needs to take on a new shape—an open, working association of activists who work as "progressors" of the mass movement, but not as its vanguard. Even if we put theory to one side, the experience of Russia in recent years has shown that firstly, no such party exists and, secondly, the parties that lay claim to this role are for the most part either demagogic, with little in the way of a following, or consist of intriguers seeking to exploit the offensive by the masses in order to inflate their own popularity through the mass media. The second approach is the traditional one of the champions of parliamentary cretinism, who reduce the entire struggle to preparing the conditions for founding a new party (a so-called "social" party) capable at the next elections of surmounting the seven per cent barrier and of winning seats in the Duma (it is not beside the point to ask: and what then? The KPRF has a considerable number of Duma seats, and the effect is virtually nothing). To this group (which was not well represented at our meeting), the mass movement is no more than a means of establishing its future parliamentary caucus. The third approach has been upheld in the spirit of the principles and forms of the modern anti-globalist movement, with its stress on creating open operating networks of mass social organisations and movements, playing a practical part in solidarity organisation and in the holding of protest actions. The role of the left in this instance is becoming especially important. It consists both of day-to-day grassroots collaboration with this self-organisation (while not trying to replace it with "party building"), and also of providing intellectual expertise, analysis and helpful advice, along with comparisons with world experience and with our own experience, and with the lessons of history (here, it is particularly important to turn to the experience of 1905-1907, experience that could not be more timely). In our view the first real protest actions, which began literally the next day, confirm the correctness of the supporters of the third line. But more on this later. Now, briefly, about the relevance of historical experience. The conference adopted an appeal, distributed the same day on the internet, in which it was specifically stressed that the Russian demands of 100 years ago are still current, and that it is essential to join in struggling for them. This document, which contains long quotes from an appeal of a century ago, seems to us to be thoroughly symbolic, and we will therefore reproduce it in full. In two weeks' time it will be exactly 100 years since the day when citizens of Russia came onto the streets to appeal to the autocratic authorities, demanding a minimum of civil rights and the solving of social problems. The authorities met them with bullets, sabres and whips. Thousands were killed or wounded. January 9, 1905, thus became Bloody Sunday, the beginning of the First Russian Revolution. Now, on January 9, 2005, we are forced to state that many of the demands of a hundred years ago remain unmet. Just read these extracts from an appeal written a century ago: We, workers and residents of the city of St Petersburg of various social strata, our wives, children and helpless old parents, come to you, sir, to seek the truth and to be defended. We have become impoverished, we are oppressed and burdened with toil beyond our endurance. We are railed at, we are not recognised as human, we are treated as slaves who have to bear their bitter fate and keep silent. We have reached the limit of our patience. For us, the terrible moment has come when death is better than a continuation of unbearable torments. Continuing their demands, the citizens insisted above all on a constituent assembly, as a first step toward bringing the authorities under the control of the people, and holding honest elections: Let everyone be equal and free in their electoral rights-and to this end, let the elections for the Constituent Assembly take place under conditions of universal, secret and equal voting. This is our main demand; everything is founded on it. But one measure alone cannot heal our wounds. Other things too are indispensable: I. Measures to end the ignorance and lack of rights of the Russian people. - The immediate freeing and return of all who have suffered for their political and religious convictions, for strikes and peasant uprisings. - An immediate guarantee of the freedom and inviolability of the individual, freedom of speech and of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of conscience in religious matters. - Universal and compulsory popular education at state expense. - The accountability of ministers before the people, and guarantees of the rule of law. - Equality before the law for everyone without exception. - The separation of church and state. II. Measures to end the impoverishment of the people. - Abolition of indirect taxes, and their replacement with a direct progressive income tax. - An end to the war, as desired by the people. III. Measures against the oppression of labour by capital. - Immediate freedom to organise trade unions and unions of producers and consumers. - An eight-hour working day, with penalty rates for overtime. - Immediate freedom for labour to struggle against capital. - Acceptable pay rates immediately. - Immediate and unconditional participation by representatives of the working classes in preparing a draft law on state insurance for workers. The demands for freedom of speech and for access to the mass media still remain current. We still lack a parliament with effective powers, and honest elections. We are still working ten and twelve-hour days. Reasonable wages remain a dream for most workers and rank-and-file members of the intelligentsia. Workers still lack genuine rights to participate in managing production and to exercise oversight over businesses. The present-day Russian authorities: - have abolished the progressive income tax; - have forced through the Duma a labour code that restores the labour relations of a century ago, including a lack of rights for workers, and omnipotence for business and the bureaucracy; - have introduced an antisocial package of laws that replace social benefits with minuscule financial compensation; - are preparing the privatisation and commercialisation of education, in order to deprive us of the remnants of universal access to knowledge . It is not hard to continue this list of measures, which are returning us to the conditions of a century ago. Now, on January 9, 2005, as we take part in a peaceful procession through the streets of Moscow, we call on all citizens of Russia not to believe in the "kindly tsar", and actively to defend their civil and social rights through solidarity and joint actions, a program of which we are putting forward for discussion at the Russian social forum in April 2005. A brief chronology of the protest actions of early 2005 is contained in a whole series of internet publications, and in particular, in the text by Andrey Podrezov published on the site www.alternativy.ru, which is appended here. Anticipating our analysis, we shall note some of the most important empirically observed features of these actions. In the first place, these were acts of civil disobedience (above all, the blocking of transport arteries). Secondly (and this is very important), they encompassed practically every region of Russia. Extending for thousands of kilometres from north to south, and for more than ten thousand kilometres from west to east, they became genuine mass civil protest actions. Although each individual demonstration or action numbered from a few hundred to 10,000 participants, in sum they represented an all-Russian resistance movement. Thirdly, these protests became an all-national phenomenon. This was not only because as many as 300,000 people took part in them (for Russia, with 150 million people, this is not so many). The actions had an enormous social resonance. Enjoying the support of the overwhelming majority of the population, they frightened the authorities both at the centre and at the local level, and hence received broad coverage in the mass media; this, in turn, dramatically strengthened their impact. In this connection, we should not fail to note the telling debates on one of the central television channels between the well-known Russian poet Dementyev (supporting the protests) and Vladimir Zhirinovsky [head of the Liberal Democratic Party] (who, naturally, opposed them). Here, several aspects are immediately noteworthy. The unpoliticised poet spoke out in support of the social demands of the citizens; the debates went live to air on one of the central channels; more than 100,000 people phoned the studio; and finally, more than three-quarters of them supported Dementyev, defending the protest actions and calling for the repeal of Law No. 122. Significantly, analogous positions were also expressed by well-known intellectuals, including many prominent Russian economists such as Academician D.S. Lvov, Professor D.E. Sorokin and Professor V.V. Kulikov. Fourthly, these actions were spontaneous and initiated from below, but all the opposition social forces quickly came to support them. And here, almost for the first time in the past ten years in our country, something very important happened: numerous regional networks of the most diverse social and political organisations arose (and all-Russian networks are in the process of arising). The organisations involved have at times differed fundamentally in their ideological and political positions, but they are acting together to carry out specific tasks. The activists, in their overwhelming majority doing genuine work, quickly joined forces to implement the model suggested by life itself—of open, flexible, coordinated structures, carrying out the functions of the collaborative self-organisation of citizens. Although, as always, the leaders who have emerged include people intent on erecting new political superstructures, life itself has quickly destroyed any artificial formations, leaving only the genuinely functioning coordinating networks and teams. The conflicts and contradictions between the various branches of the opposition have not disappeared during this process; they have made their effects felt constantly, seriously impeding practical action. But these are the realities of political life, which cannot be avoided, although these problems can and must be minimised. These are some of the features, noted by many analysts, of these events—events which at the moment of writing are still going forward. What are the reasons for such unusual social and political shifts? These reasons are not straightforward, since the economic and social rights of our country's citizens are being violated constantly, we would even say systematically. There was the runaway inflation of the early 1990s, which wiped out savings and cut the real incomes of most citizens almost in half. Unemployment, the failure to pay wages, the default of 1998—the list of social catastrophes is almost endless. Even in the last few years, the adoption of the new labour code has been a harsh anti-social act on the part of the authorities. It cannot be said that these problems have all failed to arouse protests. There have been protests, but at least since 1993 these actions have almost all been relatively small, mounted by opposition political organisations. The main exception has been the "stop the labour code" campaign, conducted mainly by the independent trade unions, but this campaign was nowhere near as large or radical as the actions of the present time. We might surmise that "the cup of patience has overflowed", and there would be real grounds for such a conclusion. But this, in our view, is still not the main thing. In the course of this winter several important factors have come together, the combining of which has led both to the spontaneous actions and to the consolidation of the opposition for joint struggle. We shall begin with something that is well known to leftists, and which we mentioned earlier. That is the fact that opposition social forces tend to move into action at times when the economy is growing, and when there are also attacks on the social and economic rights of citizens. As a precondition for the rise of protest, this situation is no less important than the overflowing of the "cup of patience". Just as important too is the fact that by the beginning of 2005 people had already lost faith in the opposition (of all varieties) and in the possibility of gaining anything through parliament or by appealing to the administration at any level. The majority of citizens no longer had any confidence in the political parties, in the Duma, or in the regional and federal executive authorities. Initially, it was as if the president were put in brackets, as an individual somehow not implicated in Law No. 122, but in the course of the demonstrations people soon began raising the slogan for the president to resign as well. Spontaneously and subconsciously, people were ready for civil disobedience. All that was needed was some flagrant, harsh, cynical act that signified: the authorities are against you, citizens. This signal was provided by the abolition of free public transport for elderly people, a move they encountered on the first day after the Christmas-New Year holidays. Of crucial importance was the fact that by this time new, active structures of social and political opposition had begun to take shape. These included the organisations of left-wing youth, whether part of the Left Youth Front or outside it, and also the organisations of invalids and Chernobyl veterans, the independent trade unions, and so forth. These bodies were coordinating their activity through the sos, the recently formed organising committee for the Russian Social Forum and so on. Meanwhile the "old" opposition political organisations such as the KPRF were already, as the saying has it, "at a broken trough". The earlier forms and methods of passive parliamentary action had exhausted themselves; the KPRF and most of its allies were in crisis, and a section of the activists and leaders of the Communists were ripe for inclusion in extraparliamentary struggles. Finally, another positive factor was the confusion, typical in such situations, displayed by the authorities. The actions of the protesters were meeting with support from public opinion. Meanwhile, the demonstrations were receiving relatively wide coverage in the press. The result was that the first protest actions served as examples for actions in other regions. In St Petersburg, for example, pensioners followed the lead provided by the residents of suburban Moscow, blocking Nevsky Prospekt and Sadovaya Street. The authorities lacked the decisiveness to uphold consistently what was clearly an ill-thought-out model for imposing the law and, more importantly, could not ensure unity of action between the federal and regional administrations. In some cases, the latter accommodated the aggrieved citizens fairly readily, making a series of concessions, but often the local authorities dealt savagely with the activists, including elderly people. It was this combination of factors, diverse in origin but reinforcing one another, which in our view formed the cause of the active protests in Russia during January and February 2005. It is, of course, still too early to speak of definitive lessons of the campaign of civil disobedience, which is continuing. Only a few rough initial sketches are possible. Nevertheless, these have their value. Without pretending to draw any final conclusions, we would like to note the following important aspects. In the first place, the conclusions drawn on the basis of the events on Independence Square in Ukraine have been borne out [see article by Aleksandr Buzgalin in Links No. 27]. With all due reservations, it can be stated that in the post-Soviet space, mass protest actions by citizens, acts of civil disobedience, are a reality. Secondly, in Russia, unlike the situation in Ukraine, there have never been any oligarchs or Western patrons behind the actions. The protests originated from below and have proceeded on the basis of real civil initiatives, with parties and social organisations merely assisting this process to the extent of their abilities. Consequently, the citizens of our countries are capable of independent actions and of popular initiatives. Moreover, after beginning with narrowly economic demands, these actions have quickly taken on a political thrust. The resignation of the president and government, the dissolution of the Duma-these are typical of the demands being put forward at demonstrations. The spontaneous politicisation has gone even further than the activists in the social and political bodies imagined or proposed. Thirdly, these actions have shown the possibility of new forms of social and political self-organisation, the need for these new forms and their potential. If we look at the experience of Leningrad, which is especially significant here, we find that the most active social force helping to organise the protests was not any of the parties but the Committee of United Action, a network coordinating structure that included various social and political organisations. This body also helped conduct the process of negotiating with the authorities, and provided informational support and so on to the initially spontaneous protests. Activists in this committee were at the centre of the struggle, taking on the main weight of the organising work; accordingly, the repression by the authorities was concentrated on them. Showing its openness and capacity for dialogue with other organisations which earlier had not been part of it, this network became the basis for the civil disobedience network that appeared in St Petersburg. The protest actions, although they had a direct cause in the notorious Law No. 122 on the monetisation of benefits, were not by any means provoked solely by this legislation. They are associated with years of accumulating social tension. Our Russian authorities have dispensed both causes and occasions for the growth of this tension with an exceedingly generous hand. Only recently three desperate invalid miners spent several days picketing the organisation Sotsugol, which is responsible for providing miners with social support. They were backed by more than 2500 other invalid pensioners from the coal sector who for more than two years have not received free coal to heat their homes (if paid for, this coal would cost more than six months of their pensions). They had only recently managed to force the payment of their delayed pensions and benefits, after twice blocking the access roads to the mine. Unfortunately, the delays in providing coal for domestic needs, in paying wages and in making social benefit payments to invalid miners in Rostov province are by no means an isolated instance. In recent years such problems have appeared constantly, arising from almost any cause, from heating shut-downs in winter to the mass cutting off of social benefits. In all of these cases, the state authorities try to avoid addressing the problems of providing social welfare to the vulnerable sections of the population—that is, meeting the obligations laid on them by the constitution and by federal laws. Cases in which the authorities simply sabotage the carrying out of the laws they themselves have adopted, and refuse to force private entrepreneurs to obey these laws, have become typical. Not even through court suits is it possible to win the restitution of one's rights, since refined legal chicanery is used to thwart the requirements of the law. In addition, people engaged in struggle for their legal rights are themselves subject to prosecution! Even if the courts recognise the legality of popular demands, court decisions are often ignored in the most unpardonable fashion, proving just how valuable the law really is in the eyes of the Russian state. People are being confronted with glaring evidence that it is practically impossible for them to force the restoration of their violated rights through legal methods. You might, after a lengthy ordeal, get a court to acknowledge that you are in the right. But the decisions of the court will not be put into effect. What is a citizen to do then? Initiate a new cycle of legal processes, suing the authorities for failing to implement a court decision? And how long will all this last? Until the life of the invalid pensioner, who without desiring it has been turned by state authorities into a perpetual litigant, draws to a close? The recent wave of protests by pensioners against Law No. 122 was provoked by this very contempt for the legal rights of citizens. After all, benefits in kind were granted to many categories of citizens because their money incomes did not guarantee, and do not now guarantee, the satisfaction of their urgent vital needs (for example, for medicines, transport, heating and so forth). These benefits have been replaced with money payments which, for most of the people involved, do not provide full compensation for what they have lost. Protest actions were occurring when this law was still at the drafting stage. The authorities, however, set out to force the law through as rapidly as possible, in order to present people with an accomplished fact. No account was taken even of the people who had no quarrel with the content of the law, but who merely pointed out that no proper consideration had been given to practical measures for implementing it. So what has the result been? When this disgraceful law went into force at the beginning of the year, its implementation was thwarted. People were literally forced out into protest actions. It was only when these protests took on an all-Russian scope that the authorities, to the accompaniment of verbiage about "behind- the-scenes" forces inciting pensioners to attend demonstrations and block highways, began taking measures to put the law into effect. All this makes it glaringly plain that the authorities do not serve the interests of the majority of the population, and that they only start paying a certain attention to people's real needs when they are confronted with mass acts of civil disobedience. When it becomes necessary to defend the interests of moneybags- entrepreneurs against the anger of workers, the authorities immediately find all the resources needed, even an excess of them. Without paying the least attention to the law, they launch court prosecutions against people taking part in struggles for their rights, as well as unleashing the police, the OMON riot squads, and even special detachments for putting down prison uprisings, as happened during the notorious events in the Vyborg TSBK. People who are supposed to defend the law fired on unarmed workers who were not breaking the law, since the situation surrounding the production combine was not yet the subject of a judicial ruling. For long years our authorities were under illusions about the long-suffering nature of Russian citizens, and to this day they continue to put their hopes in this patience, testing the people's endurance. Having made insignificant concessions under the pressure of the pensioners, the authorities are continuing their experiments, with an offensive against the rights of the majority. Next in line are equally antisocial reforms in the areas of communal services, education and health care. But if the authorities have decided not to take into account the risk of increasing social tensions, they have to be ready to accept all the consequences that flow from this policy. If the people are denied all other possibilities for defending their interests except direct resistance to the authorities, such resistance will sooner or later become a reality—and no longer just on a local scale, or in response to local causes. The protest actions now taking place throughout the country are some of the largest to have occurred during the administration of Vladimir Putin. These protests are not only remarkable for their scale. For the first time, the protest movement has encompassed more than seventy regions of Russia, with protests occurring in more than 120 populated centres. Typically, parties and movements from the most diverse ends of the political spectrum have joined in supporting the protest actions, from nationalists to parties of liberal orientation. In St Petersburg, for example, members of the KPRF, the Russian Communist Workers Party, the Social Democrats, various communist youth organisations and young people from the Yabloko party have joined with intellectuals from the Alternatives movement, soldiers' mothers, members of the independent trade unions and many others. For the first time, the regional and local authorities have made a few concessions to the people. Finally, along with economic demands (as well as the restoring of benefits, these have included raising pensions and wages and abandoning the Fursenko education reforms), the protests have also been marked by demands for the resignation of the legislative and executive authorities. For the first time since 2000, we have witnessed mass demands for the resignation of the president. Despite the fact that the consequences of adopting Law No. 122 were obvious from the moment when the draft law was presented to the Duma, massive protest actions did not follow in 2004, even though demonstrations of thousands of people took place in Moscow and a number of other cities during the summer. But when former recipients felt the full effects of the abolition of their benefits in the first days of January, they moved into decisive action. A demonstration at which the monetisation of benefits featured as one of the main issues took place on January 9 in Solnechnogorsk, near Moscow. This action was organised by the local branches of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the Russian Communist Workers Party, communist youth organisations and other bodies. According to the organisers, about 1500 people took part, in a city with a population of about 60,000. A similar demonstration took place on the same day in the Moscow suburb of Mytishchi. However, people began to speak of a protest movement only after an action on January 10 in Khimki, on the outskirts of Moscow, at which pensioners blocked the Leningrad Highway for several hours. This protest was a real shock, and became the main domestic political news of the day. The governor of Moscow province, Boris Gromov, threatened to bring criminal charges against the participants in the demonstration. It is significant that one of the demands of the demonstrators had been for Khimki to be transferred from the jurisdiction of Moscow province to that of the city of Moscow. After the demonstration, reports appeared in the press to the effect that an agreement had been reached between the city and provincial governments on the retention of transport benefits in Moscow for residents of the province. As well as in Khimki, mass demonstrations took place on January 10 in Almetyevsk, a city in Tatarstan of more than 100,000 people, in Stary Oskop in Belgorod province, in Ufa and in a number of other urban centres. Literally within a few days, the protest movement took on a broad scope. St Petersburg became one of its main centres. On January 14 a demonstration took place at the Smolny. At 2 pm, Moskovsky Prospekt was blocked near the Park Pobedy metro station. Then a meeting took place on the corner of Sadovaya Street and Nevsky Prospekt, blocking traffic at this crowded hub of urban transport. On January 15 another demonstration was held at the same place, Nevsky Prospekt again being blocked. Protest actions were held on January 14 and 15 in several places simultaneously. The result of the protests was that Governor Valentin Matviyenko agreed to meet with representatives of the demonstrators on January 17. That day, another unsanctioned demonstration took place. The first sanctioned demonstration in St Petersburg took place only on January 25. Further protest actions were held on January 26 and 29. The authorities responded in contradictory fashion. On the one hand, they arrested activists and subjected them to humiliating treatment; ailing pensioners were among those who suffered in this way. On the other hand, the authorities sought the possibility of compromise, while refusing to take any serious steps to meet the protesters' demands. On January 12 and 15 actions were held in Penza, while on January 15 demonstrations took place in numerous cities in Moscow province, including Krasnogorsk and Balashikha. Another protest occurred in Khimki; although the television broadcast false reports that this demonstration would not take place, around 4000 people took part. In Tyumen on January 17 more than 200 pensioners gathered in front of the city administration building. On the same day, President Putin addressed a meeting of the government, laying the blame for the situation in the country on a few members of his cabinet, who in his view had failed to ensure that Law No. 122 was implemented in the required fashion. On January 18 a demonstration took place in Perm, the demonstrators trying for some time to take the acting governor hostage. Criminal charges were brought against several of the participants. The protest was repeated the next day, blocking the road leading to the bridge over the River Kama. Also on January 19, a protest was held in Vorkuta, demonstrations against the abolition of benefits also being held between January 17 and 19 in other urban centres of the Komi Republic. On January 19 demonstrations took place in Kazan, where Tatarstan Street was blocked, in Samara, where the Moscow Highway was closed, and in Khabarovsk, while the action in Perm continued. The largest demonstration was held in Togliatti, where, according to several accounts, as many as 5000 people took part. Mass protest actions also occurred on January 19 and 21 in Izhevsk. On January 20 a daily picket was continuing in St Petersburg at the Gostiny Dvor. Protests were also continuing in Samara. In Biysk, in the Altay region, actions that began on January 20 continued on the 21st. In Orekhovo-Zuyevo in Moscow province, more than 4000 people attended a demonstration. In Tula, around 5000 people took part in protest actions organised by the KPRF, the Russian Union of Pensioners, the Homeland Party and supporters of Sergey Glazyev. In Novosibirsk, demonstrators closed off the city's main thoroughfare, Krasny Prospekt. On January 21 residents of Arkhangelsk came out in a demonstration. Protest actions also took place in Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky, in Leningrad province (Slantsy and Priozersk) and in Irkutsk province (Angarsk and Usole-Sibirskoe). In Barnaul approximately 10,000 people attended a protest meeting, and Leninsky Prospekt was blocked. On January 22 protest actions swept through numerous Russian cities. The most noteworthy, however, was an action in Moscow, on the square in front of the Belarus Station. About 5000 people gathered for the demonstration, organised by the KPRF, Working Russia and several other organisations. After the meeting a group of members of the communist youth organisations AKM and SKM tried to make their way to the presidential administration, but were stopped by the omon riot police. During this clash, eight activists of the AKM and skm were arrested, including AKM (KPSS [Communist Party of the Soviet Union) leader Udaltsov. The prisoners were released following a picket outside the militia station where they were being held. On the same day, a parallel action was held in Moscow by the National Bolshevik Party. On January 23, the next demonstration against the abolition of benefits went ahead in Kazan. A protest in another Tatarstan city, Naberezhnye Chelny, was even larger. In Murmansk, the participants in an action organised by the KPRF and the Pensioners Party demonstrated outside the Kirov Palace of Culture and then in front of the city administration. According to the Interior Ministry in the western district of Krasnodar, between 300 and 500 people demonstrated on the same day in the Kuban capital. As reported by the news agency KPRF-News, a protest action also took place in the city of Dmitrov in Moscow province. Overall, the protests in the Moscow region were so numerous that a list of these actions would fill several pages. At the Dmitrov action, the demonstrators unanimously demanded that the president resign. On 25 January, according to the news agency regnum, more than a thousand people took part in an action in Vladimir. A protest action also took place the same day in Kovrov, one of the regional centres of Vladimir province. Protests also continued in the Komi Republic. This time, it was residents of Syktyvkar who were demonstrating. In neighbouring Kirov province, a demonstration was held for the first time. As reported by regnum, the number of demonstrators in Kirov exceeded 3500. Actions were repeated in Vladimir and Perm. In St Petersburg, as noted earlier, the first meeting to be sanctioned by the authorities took place on this day. Residents of Arkhangelsk province and Tomsk came out against the reforms. In Nizhny Novgorod, according to regnum, more than 4000 people came out onto the streets. In Kurgan, as reported by the executive committee of the regional trade union Zashchita- Kurgan, more than 300 former benefit recipients gathered despite a deep frost to protest against the abolition of the benefits. On January 26 residents of Yekaterinburg took part in a protest action. Demonstrations also occurred in Smolensk and Rostov Veliky. On January 23, an action in Rostov was initiated by the Union of Soviet Officers. In Voronezh, demonstrators blocked a roadway in the area of Lenin Square. In Kaliningrad, local students held a protest action. Another demonstration in defence of social welfare took place in Yakutsk. A road bridge across the Volga was blocked by participants in a protest in the city of Kimry in Tver province. According to the local media, more than 3000 people took part in the action. Numerous demonstrations took place in the Stavropol territory; the local authorities not only failed to obstruct the protests but, according to unconfirmed reports, were among the initiators. On January 27 a demonstration took place in Stavropol itself. Protests were again held in Perm, Penza, Samara, Vologda, Irkutsk, Yakutsk, Vladimir and a number of other cities. In Moscow, more than 500 people demonstrated next to the Lenin Museum. The organisers of this action were the Homeland Party and the Union of Youth for the Homeland. In Arkhangelsk, a picket took place as planned. In Omsk, three demonstrations were held simultaneously, and two roads were blocked. According to the news agency Den, some 350 people demonstrated in the regional centre of Mozhga in the Udmurt Republic. In Kaliningrad on January 28, as well as a sanctioned protest, an unsanctioned demonstration was held, with more than 200 pensioners taking part. Alongside a demonstration in Pskov, a meeting of pensioners and veterans took place. Demonstrators in Arkhangelsk gave the authorities twelve days in which to satisfy their demands, or the protests would be renewed. Protest actions also went ahead in Tomsk, Bratsk, Kaliningrad, Astrakhan, Kirov, Penza and Kotlas. On January 29 protest actions were held in St Petersburg, Moscow, Veliky Novgorod, Astrakhan, Saransk, Bryansk, Ulan-Ude and many other cities. Although the protest movement is only beginning to flare up, certain conclusions can already be drawn. First, the authorities did not expect to encounter such resistance from citizens, and have behaved in a contradictory and inconsistent manner. While the actions of protesters in some regions (such as Kaliningrad, Perm, St Petersburg and Moscow) have been met by the authorities with a stern rebuff, in many other regions the local and regional authorities have shown solidarity with the demands of the demonstrators. Dialogue has taken place between participants in the protests and governors, as for example in Stavropol. In a number of regions, the authorities have made concessions to the population. Hence in Novosibirsk province, a public transport ticket will cost ninety roubles instead of 360. In Penza, the implementation of Law No. 122 has been postponed. The situation is similar in many other regions. In Udmurtiya, although many of the pensioners' demands remain unsatisfied, the cost of public transport tickets will be made up out of the regional budget. In some regions, the lack of such concessions has moved the population to demand that local authorities resign. In Ufa, for example, a demonstration adopted the demand for M. Rakhimov to resign by February 26. Finally, a meeting of the government of the Russian Federation on Thursday [February 24] resolved to increase the basic pension for a worker by 240 roubles from March 1, 2005. From March 1 the basic pension, now 660 roubles, will rise to 900 roubles. All this indicates that the mass protest actions have had an effect. Secondly, even though in some regions there has been conflict between parties and movements (thus in Pskov conflict occurred between anarchists and a number of veterans' organisations taking national-patriotic positions), in Russia as a whole representatives of various parties have either acted jointly, or have not entered into conflict with one another. Quite different political and social organisations, from anarchists and liberal defenders of human rights to representatives of the patriotic bloc and radical communist bodies, have taken up the demand for the reversing of the reforms to the system of benefits. Thirdly, virtually all the demonstrators have voiced slogans for the resignation of the president and government, and for early elections to the State Duma. It has become clear that concessions on the part of the authorities will resolve nothing so long as the main problem remains unresolved—that is, the problem represented by authorities who pursue inadequate socio-economic policies (and not these alone). Such is the first effort at a chronology of the protest actions that have been sweeping across Russia since the beginning of January. The main events, however, still lie ahead. (This text was prepared on the basis of internet materials available on January 30, 2005.)
By KEVIN FREKING WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. George Santos of New York will confront a third effort to expel him from the House on Friday, sensing the vote is likely to be his last and intent on not going away quietly. The first-term Republican could well become just the sixth member of the House to be ousted by colleagues. Of the previous expulsions, three were for disloyalty to the Union during the Civil War and two were for being convicted of crimes in federal court. Santos’ challenge to colleagues to take the “hard vote” is an appeal to those lawmakers who worry that a new precedent is being set for the chamber’s harshest punishment.
Judge: Doctor Helped Many More Than He Hurt The re-trial of Doctor William Hurwitz came to an end in July 2007. The doctor’s sentence was reduced to less than five years. He was originally given 25 years. The Washington Post reported on July 14, 2007 (“VA Pain Doctor’s Prison Term Is Cut To 57 “A prominent pain doctor who received a 25-year prison term three years ago for drug trafficking was re-sentenced yesterday to less than five years by a judge who concluded during his retrial that he helped far more patients than he hurt. “The decision by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema was a setback for federal prosecutors, who were seeking a life sentence for William E. Hurwitz. “Hurwitz, 61, a former pain specialist based in McLean, was a key target of a far-reaching investigation into doctors, pharmacists and patients suspected of selling potent and addictive painkillers. He was convicted twice of trafficking in narcotics, first in 2004, and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. “An appeals court threw out that verdict last year, saying that prosecutors had presented ‘powerful evidence’ but that U.S. District Judge Leonard D. Wexler improperly told jurors they could not consider whether Hurwitz acted in ‘good faith’ when he prescribed large doses of medicine. A second jury in U.S. District Court in Alexandria convicted Hurwitz on 16 counts of drug trafficking in April. “He has been in jail for about 2 1/2 years.” According to the Post: “Patient advocates portrayed Hurwitz as heroic, saying that he only tried to help suffering people who had nowhere else to turn. “Hurwitz, a major figure in the growing field of pain management who was profiled on ’60 Minutes,’ said he viewed himself the same way as his supporters. He told Brinkema yesterday that he was part of a ‘new enlightenment’ of pain doctors and blamed his problems on a small number of patients. ‘I was ill-prepared for those who set out to exploit my practice,’ he said. “But prosecutors said that Hurwitz prescribed excessive amounts of Oxycodone and other potentially dangerous narcotics — in one case, more than 1,600 pills a day — to addicts and others, some of whom sold the medication on the black market. ‘He crossed the line from a healer to a dealer,’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Rossi said at the hearing yesterday. “Brinkema seemed to lean toward the patient advocate side when she imposed her 57-month sentence yesterday. Although she said she agreed that Hurwitz had gone from being a doctor to someone who gave ‘drugs to people for illicit means,’ she said that the ‘overwhelming majority’ of his patients were legitimate and that Hurwitz had tried to help them. “When she first took the case, Brinkema said she thought the dosages that Hurwitz prescribed were ‘absolutely crazy.’ But she said defense witnesses turned her around. ‘An increasing body of respectable medical literature and expertise supports those types of high-dosage, opioid medications,’ the judge said.” The Post noted that: “The first jury convicted Hurwitz on 50 counts, including trafficking that caused the death of one patient and seriously injured two others. Jurors acquitted him of nine counts and deadlocked on three. “Before the second jury got the case in April, Brinkema dismissed the counts involving the patient who died and the two who were seriously injured. The second jury found Hurwitz guilty on 16 counts and acquitted him on 17 trafficking counts, and Brinkema dismissed the remaining 12 counts. “Brinkema’s sentence was much lower partly because several of the dismissed charges would have brought Hurwitz a minimum prison term of 20 years. Brinkema also recalculated federal sentencing guidelines in ways that lowered the sentence, accepting the defense’s argument that Hurwitz was not completely at fault because his patients had duped him.” ManagingPain.org is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. Post last updated February 11, 2024 by Doug McVay, Editor.
The long-awaited day is right around the corner, but California is not as prepared as it should be for the start of recreational marijuana sales on January 1st. Both Los Angeles and San Francisco are struggling to put together local rules for cannabis shops and growers. The problem is that a delay in regulations could lead to limited options in many areas. This would be incredibly unfortunate, considering how many consumers are eager to ring in the new year with a legal cannabis purchase. Thus far, California plans to treat marijuana like alcohol. Individuals 21 and older will be permitted to possess up to an ounce and grow six marijuana plants at home. On Jan. 1, the newly legalized recreational marijuana sales will be merged with the state’s medical marijuana market, which is experiencing stronger regulation. Recently published plans to regulate the two-decades-old medical marijuana market are the first since it was legalized. This proposed plan details the standards for marijuana merchants that wish to be licensed by the state. The rules range from how late these cannabis shops can stay open to how much they will be allowed to sell each day. The final rules should be in place in time to start issuing licenses by January 1st – just in time for the rollout of legal recreational marijuana purchases. While it sounds like things are moving steadily forward, there are some holes in the system. Specifically, how the cannabis will be moved from the field to distribution centers, on to testing labs and finally arriving at the retail shops themselves. The licenses to be issued in January are temporary, and plans have not been released on how the estimated $7 billion marketplace will be governed. Obviously, a big problem considering the state is expecting to see as much as $1 billion in the first few years. Operators are concerned that this delay in nailing down the details could cause serious conflicts in various rules and laws to pop up down the road. According to The Cannabist, “The state expects businesses that receive licenses will only work with others that hold them. But that has alarmed operators who wonder what will happen if their supplier, for instance, decides not to join the new legal market.” Another huge obstacle for marijuana operators is that banks still refuse to work with them. Under federal law, marijuana remains very much illegal. As a result, these merchants have turned to alternative providers like Marijuana Merchant Account for their business funding and payment processing needs. Unlike their experience with a bank, merchants can secure the services they need with MMA in as little as 24 hours with minimal documentation requirements. Meanwhile, Jan. 1 is fast approaching – ready or not. Cara Martinson of the California State Association of Counties recently admitted, “The bulk of folks probably are not going to be ready Jan. 1.”
’Rent-a-quotes’ – Darlings of Journalists ’Rent-a-quotes’ – Darlings of Journalists We all know who they are. Not quite household names, but well enough known to be recognized by regular media audiences and readers, they usually feature next to a quote expressing outrage about the latest political, legal or social development. Often, the word “expert” appears next to their name, though the subjects an expert of this kind commentates on may range from suspended sentences to TV violence. They are ‘rent-a-quotes’, usually people with some type of public function, whose seemingly constant presence in the media and ability to provide a quote on almost any topic makes them the darlings of journalists. The following text offers some recent examples from Australian media, yet such people, and the media who regularly interview them, exist everywhere. But is resorting to quoting these individuals too often the best way to serve the public - which consumes the media to be informed about current events and take part in public debate? I’m not an expert, but . . . As an experienced reporter on a major metropolitan daily broadsheet in Australia, last week I came across the following scenario while searching for an expert in a particular area of psychology. A teenage girl had posted pictures of nude footballers on Facebook. The football club in question took legal action. The pictures were removed. In countless interviews, the girl then said she had had group sex with several players from the club. A public debate ensued on group sex in the Australian Football League. Some insiders claimed it was a widespread practice. I was tasked with investigating whether there was more to these claims, as much as one could do, for the next day’s paper. Aside from interviewing people in and around the football world, I had to speak to a psychologist who specialized in sexuality. It would be a bonus if they also happened to have studied the behavioral patterns of professional sportsmen. I rang a dozen academics through their universities who seemed to fit the bill. Several did not and said so. Several did, but did not wish to comment. Next, a psychology lecturer and author of several books – R.B. - returned my call, saying that while she had never conducted any scholarly research on either of those topics, she “could certainly talk to you about it because I’ve often publicly commented on such matters in the past”. I politely declined. A later search of this woman’s website revealed links to many of her media appearances. A digital library search of her name in all Australian newspapers revealed countless references to over 20 topics, not all of them related to psychology. She finished the phone call with “If you change your mind, or you have another area of interest I can comment on, please call back.” A more ethical response may have been “I’m not the expert in that field, but I can pass on the phone number of a colleague who is”. Luckily, I did find someone who could explain why professional sportsmen may like to engage in group sex. A TV reporter for a commercial television station may not have. I saw R.B. interviewed about the topic on that night’s news bulletin. She did speak in sound bites but her views were far from informed. I wondered if R.B.’s phone number had made it to the reporter’s contact book with the words ‘good talent’ written in brackets. How ‘new’ is your news? The nude photo scandal continued to dominate headlines for a week. On day four, a court hearing took place over the copyright of the photos, which was duly reported as soon as all media left the court. With nothing but the previous day’s court hearing - which was online as soon as it happened - to write about for the next day’s newspaper, one reporter sought the views of P.C., a former footballer (tick), who also happened to be a women’s rights campaigner (tick) and one-time politician. His view was the lead to the story. He “warned of a backlash” against the football club in question. His views were not elaborated on until the last three paragraphs. P.C. said that while the player whose privacy had been breached was entitled to be angry and the club was entitled to legal action, “the club riding roughshod over her will get no sympathy from me and will run the risk of being pilloried in the community”. For context, P.C. is a frequently quoted public commentator on all manner of things affecting the public. He is a tireless community activist, but one who has almost become a victim of being quoted too often. His terminology, as well as his views, are predictable, and in this case, added very little to the debate apart from a colorful quote. Manufactured rage or a good front page Recently, a change of government in the Australian state of Victoria brought a promise of laws to abolish suspended jail sentences. This came as welcome news for N.M., president of a local victims of crime group, who had often been quoted as saying that “violent criminals need to be locked up, not given suspended sentences”. N.M. has an important and admirable role as head of an organization that provides support for and lobbies on behalf of victims of crime. But perhaps it is his outspoken nature that has made him the go-to man for the local media for all things crime, especially when deadlines are close and other commentators hard to find. Last year, as a spate of incidents of public drunkenness resulted in many violent assaults on the streets of Melbourne, N.M. suggested, via Australia’s biggest-selling daily newspaper, that “there should be zero tolerance, with a mandatory minimum sentence of one year for any crimes of violence”. "The streets are full of drug traffickers and users and they know they will not be seriously punished if caught because we've got a soft government and a soft police command and they're conspiring with each other," he said. "Then you've got the judges who all come from bleeding heart backgrounds." His comments were reported in a story about the Premier and police commissioner calling on the public to help quell the crime epidemic. Here, he was quoted on sentencing (on which he is not an expert) and gave a predictably biased view about the judiciary. A quick search of N.M.’s name in the digital newspaper library for the past year reveals countless mentions on topics ranging from school bullying to crime TV shows based on real events. The words “outrage” and “disgrace” are a common accompaniment. Seek and you shall find What these examples show is how easy it is for journalists to fall prey to calling the same people to get the same or similar view on a popular topic while facing tight deadlines. Knowing they are always happy to offer a quote, it is indeed easier to call a frequently-dialed number than spend hours searching for other voices, sometimes with no result. But surely, by further promoting self-promoters and giving more oxygen to those whose views are unsurprising and sometimes unnecessary for the writing of a particular story, we are doing the public a disservice. One of the pillars of journalism is to serve as a platform for public debate. An informed debate is impossible without several views on any topic, communicated by varied voices. So if you are looking for an expert in a particular field, it is not difficult to Google, or ring a university, professional, trade or civic organization, or even a public relations professional who might help you find a suitable commentator. That way, the public will truly be better informed while you may well add another “good talent” to your contact book.
The polarization of the American people is placing democracy at risk. Did you ever wonder how totalitarian societies such as those portrayed in the hit books and movies Divergent and The Hunger Games came to be? It could very well begin by electing a man like Donald Trump to be President of the United States. Light and Transient Causes is just one example of what could happen if we lose faith in our democratic principles and become so intolerant of our differences that we are unable to work with each other. Democracy thrives within the delicate balance between rights and responsibilities. In this story, the pendulum swings too far to the right and the consequences are devastating. The title, Light and Transient Causes is taken from the Declaration of Independence: “Prudence indeed shall dictate that governments long established shall not be changed for light and transient causes; but when a long train of abuses and usurpations. . . .” Brief excerpts from Reviews: Excellent! Spell binding. It is a captivating story that could become reality. Classic case of government with too much power and too little intelligence. -RMB, posted at Amazon.com “Powerful, and tightly written. . . Hawkins skill at erasing time barriers and including portions of elements that are very much with us adds to the terror of this theme. . . .” – Grady Harp, posted at Amazon.com “I don’t give 5 stars usually but this book deserves that and more. . . . Well written, well plotted, character development and dialog was excellent. Well done Mel Hawkins, well done!” – BBB Gran, posted at Amazon.com “Excellent book with a ton of action. . . . Mel Hawkins keeps the plot tight and clean while keeping the reader entertained. Hawkins also has brilliant insights . . . .” – Cindi Clubbs, posted at Amazon.com “This is a superb book. . . . Mel Hawkins has done a splendid job in juggling all the twists, turns and complications of this very believable novel. Books like this don’t come along very often. . . .” – Charlie B, posted at Amazon.com “I was fascinated by the book and fearful at the same time. . . . It’s chilling in the sense that it’s all possible in the world we live in today. Awesome read!” – Brian, posted at Amazon.com “The best book I have read this year. . . . Absolutely, hands down, knock off your socks book to keep you wanting more. . . . I have read many war novels that fell short with battle scenes; this book was right on the money.” – Cody Mathews, posted at Onlinebookclub.org See more of the reviews below. Light and Transient Cause: A brief synopsis: It is 202x and the U.S. faces crises of historic proportions on both the international and domestic fronts. Following horrific acts of terrorism, unprecedented natural calamity, abandonment by our allies, and an embargo by oil-producing nations; the collapse of the American economy has created incendiary conditions in our cities. Out of fear, the American people elect a reactionary candidate for the Presidency on the basis of his promise to restore domestic peace and prosperity at any cost. From a hopeful slumber, Americans awaken to the harsh reality of martial law. As racial tensions escalate, the prejudices of the American people spiral out of control. Many Americans blame their government’s policies in support of Israel as the root cause of the nation’s problems and anti-Semitism, directed at both Jews and Arabs, becomes the fashion of the day as manifested by brutal persecution. On the domestic front, African- and Hispanic Americans are blamed for the deterioration of our cities and racism, always lurking beneath the surface of the American social cauldron, erupts on an unprecedented scale. In Indianapolis, two groups of Americans, one African-American (ReGenesis) and the other, middle class professionals of moderate political persuasion (The Resistance), independently choose to resist a government that no longer represents the will of its people. ReGenesis, Inc. is a business entity committed to elevating African-Americans and other minorities from dependency to economic and political parity through education and free enterprise. The Resistance is committed to the restoration of democratic principles, premised on the idea that freedom must be balanced by responsibility. The military government, using outbreaks of racial violence as its justification, uses Indianapolis as a test case by creating an encampment in the central city into which African- and Hispanic Americans are interned. The leaders of ReGenesis and The Resistance join forces within the encampment to create what they call the “Free City of Indianapolis.” The military government’s response to this “act of treason” and “domestic terrorism” is swift and brutal repression. Under merciless and violent attacks by the military government, the people of the Free City endure great tragedy and hardships as they defend the liberty of their community and its people. Two high-ranking officers in the military government agonize over their complicity in a series of atrocities against American citizens. Yielding to his conscience, the first officer withholds vital evidence against the leaders of The Resistance and warns them of their impending arrest. He joins the leaders of The Free City, a fugitive of justice. Under the command of the Military Governor of the State of Indiana, the government is poised to destroy the last vestiges of resistance. The second officer, the Military Governor’s Chief of Staff, arrives on the scene as American soldiers prepare to fire upon citizens who have gathered to protest the attacks on the people of the Free City. Unable to live with his own culpability, the officer seizes command of the attacking forces and orders an immediate cessation of hostilities. Risking everything, he contacts the leaders of the Free City and, in their last desperate act, the protagonists appeal to the American people to restore the principles of democracy and rule of law. Click here to purchase PDF version of Light and Transient Causes now for $5.00. Light and Transient Causes: [Following are excerpts from the official reviews of Light and Transient Causes, at the www.onlinebookclub.org. “Light and Transient Causes is a fiction book of about 360 pages in length. It comes across as a thriller, however I found myself unable to put it down. The best book I have read this year. I was riveted by the way all the actors were introduced and woven into the story without falling short of any details or suspense. Absolutely, hands down, knock off your socks book to keep you wanting more. The book is set in “present day” plus a few years. . . . Indianapolis is chosen as a test project by the newly installed “Military Governor of Indiana,” and the action begins right from the beginning of the book all the way to the last sentence. The scary thing was the references to present day people . . . and events that have taken place . . . to make me feel like this “could” happen, but felt good knowing that it was fiction. If you want to read a thriller that has a lot of battle scenes straight out of a war novel, then I would recommend this book. I give the book 4 out of 4 stars. It is worth reading for both fiction and non-fiction readers. I am more of a non-fiction, war novel type reader, so that is why I feel this book was so good. I have read many war novels that fell short with the battle scenes; this book was right on the money. . . .” Read the full review at the onlinebookclub.org at: 5 Stars Review: Unless we act ByBBB Gran on April 14, 2015 Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase I don’t give 5 stars usually but this book deserves that and more. I ran the gamut of emotions while reading this. From being appalled to being uplifted and everything in between, I realized the biggest emotion I felt was fear. The credibility of this happening is frightening. Our apathy and lack of action is the very thing that will allow something like this to happen. Well written, well plotted, character development and dialog was excellent. Well done Mel Hawkins, well done! The following 5 star review was posted on www.amazon.com by a reader: Light and Transient Causes takes a futuristic look at the United States in a worst case scenario: crippling social unrest, unthinkable terrorist acts and an imploding American economy. As citizens elect a leader promising a return to civility, the 50 states are placed under martial law. Two anti-government citizen groups in Indianapolis, ReGenesis and the Resistance band together in protest. What transpires is a bloody government response to the rebellion. I was fascinated by the book and fearful at the same time. The author incorporated all the domestic and international issues facing the country and placed them on a collision course. It’s chilling in the sense that it’s all possible in the world we live in today. Awesome read! The following 5 star review was posted on Amazon.com on 10/5/13 This is a superb book. Set in the near future in the USA, or maybe the Disunited States would be more apt, the author shows just how easy it is to turn a civilized tolerant nation into a fascist dictatorship in no time at all. Just two presidencies after Obama, the authorities are rounding up ethnic minorities, and shipping them off to who knows where. Well observed, and not at all far fetched, it’s only too easy to imagine this happening. The central characters are very well written and the dialogue flows smoothly. You actually want to know what happens next. Mel Hawkins has done a splendid job in juggling all the twists, turns and complications of this very believable novel. I think that this is his first work of fiction (Amazon don’t have any others) but what a start! Books like this don’t come along very often so if you’ve read this far in the reviews, you can stop now and just buy it. You won’t be disappointed.
On or about 28 May 2016, a 31-year-old fisherman died after a bottle of dynamite he used in fishing exploded on him in Barangay Sonog, San Francisco. Dionisio Bensig Jr. was allegedly about to throw the bottle of dynamite to the seawater when it exploded on his hand. His companion Lito Avila was also hit and got wounded. Police Officer 3 Jose Florentino of San Francisco Police Station said that a fisherman was killed in Barangay Sonog. He then proceeded to the area together with PO3 Rey Prosia and investigated the incident. Bensig and Avila, a resident of Barangay Cabonga-an, reportedly went on dynamite fishing off the seawaters of Barangay Sonog. Based on the investigation, Bensig was about to throw the bottle of dynamite when it exploded on his left hand. The victim suffered serious injuries in the different parts of his body and his left hand also got mutilated by the dynamite. Bensig and Avila were brought to Ricardo Maningo District Hospital but the former was declared dead on arrival. Avila was referred to a hospital in Cebu City for further medical attention. According to Florentino, some of the fishermen in the town still use dynamite in fishing although in discreet because of the police and barangay’s intensive campaign against dynamite fishing. Source: Philipines Star
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 7: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre why did it single out Assam and exclude West Bengal from grant of citizenship under Section 6A of the Citizenship Act when the latter shares a much larger border with Bangladesh. Section A of the Citizenship Act relates to illegal immigrants in Assam. Observing that illegal immigration is a serious problem, a 5-Judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, what is the Union Government doing to safeguard the border. “Why did you single out Assam when West Bengal shares a much larger border with Bangladesh? We want to know why was West Bengal excluded from the grant of citizenship. The argument cannot be that there was agitation in Assam. Why was West Bengal left alone? What is the position in West Bengal now?” the Bench also comprising Justices Surya Kant, M M Sundresh, JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said. As the hearing commenced the Centre clarified that examination of the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, has nothing to do with any other amendments in the Citizenship Act. Mehta told the 5-Judge Constitution Bench that the application of Section 6A is limited to only a specific period of time. “I would like to begin with some factual clarifications. Your lordships are examining a limited question of constitutional validity of Section 6A. This is confined to a very few individuals during a particular period of time. This examination has nothing to do with any other amendment to Citizenship Act”, he told the Bench. Mehta told the top Court that so far as the contentions as pointed out by the petitioners are concerned like influx of immigrants from foreign countries, paucity of resources that were otherwise available to them, etc, all their concerns are true. “Person is deemed citizen if his parents or any grandparents were born in undivided India. The category is very limited ~ it applies in Assam, a limited geographical area. The category from which persons are permitted is only Bangladesh, a very limited area”, Mehta said. During the hearing, the CJI remarked that there were people who benefited from the grant of citizenship under Section 6A. “What happens to those who weren’t granted the benefit of citizenship but are illegal immigrants. Nothing was done about them at all. Everyone, who came between 1966-1971, did not get citizenship because for citizenship they needed to be detected. So within that larger circle, there is a smaller circle of people who came to India but never got citizenship. What happened to those people?” the CJI asked. The hearing is currently underway. Section 6A was inserted in the Citizenship Act as a special provision to deal with the citizenship of people covered under the Assam Accord. It says those who came to Assam on or after January 1, 1966 but before March 25, 1971 from specified territories, including Bangladesh, in accordance with the Citizenship Act amended in 1985, and since then are residents of the Northeastern State, must register themselves under Section 18 for acquiring Indian citizenship. As a result, the provision fixes March 25, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to Bangladeshi migrants in Assam. (PTI)
Hundreds of thousands of Americans are performing arduous jobs at the minimum wage, and that minimum wage isn't much. Additionally, these jobs offer very few to no benefits at all. Minimum wage workers clean houses, serve food, care for children and the elderly, deliver food, and stock shelves. They work in these jobs while taking care of children, parents, as well as attending to current bills like electricity, insurance and college tuition. Despite their best efforts, the low-wage workers are falling further and further into debt. According to the new Oxfam map, the minimum federal wage is $7.25/hr. This wage causes most people, especially single parents and women of color to live in poverty. The right thing to do now is to raise this minimum wage. The discussion is ongoing for congress to raise the minimum wage to $12 and eliminate the tipped minimum wage as well. According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), this would help to give more than 35 million workers live better lives. There are tons of reasons why the minimum wage needs to be raised for folks that do these difficult jobs, let''s get into them. Why Minimum Wage Should Be Raised It is long overdue It’s been almost a decade since this issue was last raised. Since then, there has been inflation and a million other things which prove that this current wage is outdated. It hasn’t kept up with the times and has also failed to keep the incomes of the top CEOs and top one percent from contributing equally to America’s growth. As a result of this, the low-waged workers have not been benefiting from productivity and economic growth. If this wage had kept a good pace with their productivity, it should be around $20/hr. just 30 years ago, the wage gap between workers and CEOs was around 59:1, now it has soared to 361:1. The average CEO makes around $13 million, while the minimum wage worker makes $15,080 this gap is almost 924:1. It is totally unacceptable!!!!!! It will address gender and racial inequalities The marginalized people who tend to do more than anybody else in any setting shall stand to greatly benefit from this review of the minimum wage. Here are the statistics as they stand now; - 27% of the American workforce would benefit from this - 39% of Latina and black American women would benefit – this is in comparison to only 18% of Caucasian men. - 38% of African American workers – both men and women. - 33% of Latino workers – both men and women. - 32% of women workers would benefit from this. It would reduce poverty levels This proposed bump from $290 each week to $600 would help in lifting millions of families from poverty to more civilized living. More than one-quarter of the American workforce, which is around 40 million people would have their wages and livelihood raised and changed forever. It would help in fueling the growth of the economy Roughly, there shall be around $120 billion spent on paying the workers, which would be pumped back into the economy for the payment of various necessities such as food, rent, and clothes. According to economists, boosting the purchasing power of these workers is basically putting money into consumers’ pockets, and when they spend the money, the ripple effects shall affect the entire economy. During a recent poll of small business owners, the results showed that at least 67% of them supported the minimum wage increment to around $15. They said that this would spark a demand in consumers’ goods which would enable them to retain their employees, make more sales, and even hire new ones. Raising the wage shall not cause employers to cut jobs. It would save taxpayers money by reducing dependence on government programs When employers do not pay people enough money to survive, they tend to seek help from the government, which means that taxpayers shall be subsidizing the corporations. According to the economic policy, most recipients of public assistance are workers or people who have family members who work on minimum wage and are usually at the bottom of the pay scale. Raising this wage for these low-income people shall unambiguously reduce their net spending and their need for public assistance. It is what many Americans need and want The majority of the American public, - actually almost three quarters which includes the majority support this bill to raise the minimum wage. In fact, over half of the states have been raising the wage in order to restore fairness in most workplaces. Raising The National Wage Conclusion All work should be dignified and worthy. After years of hard work, low-wage workers deserve to have a bump up in their salaries in order to get them and their family members out of poverty. However, this great and very important legislation is likely not to pass as congress is facing an impasse along party lines. Voters can help send the importance of this message with their vote in the upcoming US elections.
Many users in Pakistan were unable to access Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram on Tuesday night because the prominent social media networks were all down. Users are currently unable to enter into their accounts on all three sites, therefore they are unable to publish or read anything, according to the outage-tracking website Downdetector.com. Many smartphone users are also saying that WhatsApp is not functioning properly on both computers and mobile devices. Mobile services and access to YouTube has also been suspended in Pakistan. Following nationwide demonstrations by PTI employees and supporters in response to party chairman Imran Khan’s arrest, social media sites including WhatsApp were shut down. On the basis of a warrant issued by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Rangers officers detained the former prime minister earlier today from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) grounds. Following his detention, the PTI asked its followers to protest. Workers from the PTI then staged demonstrations in a number of cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Multan, Peshawar, and Mardan. Near Nursery in Karachi, protesters and police engaged in physical conflict. They destroyed a bus, tore down street lights, and flung stones at and set fire to police cars. According to accounts, police fired tear gas rounds at the demonstrators. Other cities where protests took place also saw public property damaged, including Rawalpindi and Lahore.
Terrance J. FinneganSep 14, 2015 A Delicate Affair on the Western Front America Learns How to Fight a Modern War in the Woevre Trenches The History Press 2015 In his second book, author Terrance J. Finnegan describes America's early experience fighting the Germans during World War I. Finnegan's A Delicate Affair on the Western Front: America Learns How to Fight a Modern War in the Woevre Trenches (The History Press, 2015) provides in-depth research and a great deal of context to portray the 26th Infantry Division's desperate defense of the Woevre sector in April 1918. Relying on meticulous mining of primary documents, the author describes the leaders, tactical doctrine, weaponry, and intelligence processes of the French, German, and new American forces fighting near Seicheprey in northeastern France. Finnegan also builds on research from his first book, Shooting the Front: Allied Aerial Reconnaissance and Photographic Interpretation on the Western Front--World War I, to carefully explain intelligence collection on both sides of the trenches. In a lively interview, Finnegan explains how the action near Seicheprey--sometimes called a trench raid, sometimes a battle--was vitally important to newly arrived American soldiers learning the craft of trench warfare. It was an extremely dangerous environment, with chemical weapons, artillery duels, small-scale trench raids, and snipers making life miserable for the combatants. At Seicheprey, the Germans decided to test the metal of American National Guard soldiers of the 26th Yankee Division, one of the first four US divisions to arrive in France. Early on 20 April 1918, using Stormtroop tactics perfected in other sectors of the Eastern and Western Fronts, the Germans smothered American positions with high explosive and chemical artillery fire, followed by infantry attacks that bypassed strong points and penetrated the defenses in many areas. The New England Guardsmen gave up some ground in a confused battle, but soon counterattacked and gained back what they had lost. This is a dense book, packed with details about the adversaries that any reader interested in World War I ground combat would appreciate. It is a holistic view of a single engagement that leaves no questions and thoroughly explains the action.
Hoping to restore its monopoly on global trade, the U.S. Federal Reserve is consideringthe ability to launch your own digital currency. According to Politico, a slew of U.S. policymakers are trying to speed up the process of developing a central bank digital currency, also known as FedCoin. According to the head of the Federal Reserve BankPhiladelphia Patrick Harker, the emergence of such a currency is inevitable, and soon central banks around the world will begin to consider the possibility of launching their own tokens. Also this month, members of the Committee onThe House of Representatives wrote a letter to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, who had previously been extremely negative about the Libra project, asking him to weigh all the benefits and risks of launching a digital US dollar. In addition, in their letter, they ask Powell to assess the efforts of large private organizations such as Facebook to take control of the global monetary system. Recall that recently the Libra cryptocurrency project immediately left 5 main participants, including Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. Based on materialsbitcoinwarrior.net
The Ovaherero community in the Omaheke region are mourning the passing of respected Great General Field Marshal Festus ‘Majoor’ Kamburona of the cultural red flag army who died last week. Kamburona died in a Windhoek hospital. He was 91. He served as the secretary to three paramount chiefs, including Hosea Kutako, Clemence Kapuuo and Kuaima Riruako. He will be laid to rest at Omawejozonjanda in the Epukiro constituency on Sunday. Leader of the official opposition, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) McHenry Venaani this week described the late Kamburona as a selfless leader who sacrificed his time in managing the affairs of the red flag in a meticulous and transparent manner. “His stoic contribution towards fundraising for the building of the commando in Windhoek cannot go unnoticed. He was a colossal secretary who had all the happenings of events at the ink of his pen always recording events,” Venaani said. “We mourn a bridge builder and peacemaker and remain proud to have had the privilege of being led by a selfless character of note over 60 years.”
December 20—Yesterday, a slim majority of liberal Colorado Supreme Court justices issued an unprecedented decision to remove former President Trump from their state’s 2024 ballot. The Court is attempting to claim the former President is ineligible under the 14th Amendment insurrection clause, although Donald Trump has never been convicted of insurrection by any jury. The Republican Party of New Mexico chairman and former U.S. Representative for New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, Steve Pearce, issued the following statement: “The Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling to keep former President Trump off the ballot should disturb every American regardless of party affiliation. Attempting to disqualify the leading Republican Presidential candidate from receiving votes while ignoring adequate due process is a disgraceful assault on the right to a free and fair election. We cannot allow radical progressives to deny citizens their choice and right to a fair democratic process as they do in Socialist countries. The will of the American people, not a rogue group of judges, should decide who the next President will be. The U.S. Supreme Court should swiftly strike down this order. If Democratic politicians, especially in New Mexico, will not condemn this egregious ruling, they should never claim they stand for ‘democracy’ or ‘voting rights.’ The Republican Party of New Mexico will fight to protect every citizen’s right to vote from any attempted assaults within our state.”
There is an alarming message in a major new report on climate change, a draft of which the New York Times obtained on Tuesday. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of leading scientists who review the latest and best available research, say we are dangerously close to the day when it will no longer be possible to limit global warming to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2.0 degrees Celsius) by mid-century—something that world leaders have pledged to do. Of course, the pledge might already be delusional, given that countries continue to burn fossil fuels at an unprecedented rate. In the first decade of the twenty-first century, emissions grew at 2.2 percent per year. That’s nearly twice as much as they increased in the three decades that preceded it. And it’s no secret why. While emissions have been slowing in industrialized countries, that hasn’t offset the growth in emissions from China and India. The report also finds companies and countries are sitting on four times more of the fossil fuels than the world should be burning if it reasonably expects to keep the worst of global warming at bay. In other words, countries will have the opportunity to fill the atmosphere with way too many greenhouse gases—the question is whether they can somehow resist the temptation. This latest draft is a revision of an earlier one, which Reuters obtained in August. That version suggested that we would need drastic greenhouse gas cuts of 40 to 70 percent worldwide by 2050, in order to keep to the 3.6 degrees target. What that means in plain language is that countries like the U.S. and China would need to start confronting the economic costs of switching away from fossil fuels now, in order to avoid a much more dangerous (and costly) future. Why is 3.6 degrees so important? Most research today looks at the consequences warming on this scale. It’s not a sure thing, as the scientists acknowledge. The actual increase would fall somewhere within a fairly broad range. But even more optimistic scenarios, in which the planet ends up warming little, would entail more extreme weather, acidic oceans, and a changing ecosystem. On the other end of the spectrum are some really nightmarish possibilities. At eight degrees of warming, which the draft report sees as a distinct possibility, the effects would include vast ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica destabilizing completely, changing coastal civilization as we know it as sea levels rise by 23 feet. Recent studies suggest the western Antarctic ice sheet may already be past the point of “irreversible” melting, so this scenario is not far-fetched. The clock is ticking and the nations of the world are … well … it remains to be seen what the nations of the world will do. Next month the United Nations will hold a Climate Summit. It’s the prelude to a much bigger round of international negotiations, in Paris in 2015. President Barack Obama seems to be brokering a climate accord ahead of these talks—seen as the best chance coordinate and agree upon the greenhouse gas cuts needed—that would sidestep Republican opposition by not requiring Senate ratification. Because as this new report indicates, waiting another day to take action on climate—let alone a whole year—is tempting fate. News to know OBAMACARE: The Administration tapped Kevin Counihan, who ran Connecticut’s highly successful exchange, to do a similar job for the feds. He’s a great pick for the job—and the very serious obstacles he’ll face—as the Department of Health and Human Services tries not to repeat last year’s mistakes. (Jonathan Cohn, QED) OBAMACARE PART II: Another Republican state is moving closer to accepting the Medicaid expansion. This time, it's Wyoming. (Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times) VA SCANDAL: The inspector general has completed its inquiry and could not link any deaths to long waiting times at the VA. But the report confirmed serious problems with VA health care. “I am relieved that there weren’t findings that veterans died as a consequence of those delays,” one official said, “but that doesn’t excuse the delays.” (Leo Shane III, Army Times) ECONOMY: Neil Irwin explains why a slowdown in housing prices is actually great news. (The Upshot) Articles worth reading Long story short: The religious right wins. Emily Bazelon breaks down the Administration’s attempts to modify Obamacare’s birth control mandate—and ends up skeptical it will satisfy the courts. (Slate) Karl Rove is at it again: Crossroads GPS, Rove’s conservative group, is running ads against two Democratic Senate incumbents, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Kay Hagan of North Carolina. Nothing surprising there, except that, as Sahil Kapur notes, they’re attacking the two from the left. (Talking Points Memo) Running away from the Tea Party: Sam Wang shows, with two neat charts, that defying the Tea Party agenda on Obamacare and other issues is helping Republican governors trying to win reelection in swing states. (New Yorker) Remember when Marco Rubio was the GOP's great hope to reach Latinos? Greg Sargent chronicles Rubio's transformation, from architect of a serious immigration reform bill to a guy who scolds DREAMers that show up at his meetings. (The Plum Line) Danny Vinik lays out five reasons the video game industry is the biggest fortune industry you haven’t heard about. Uber was big news yesterday, too, and Danny says we should celebrate its strategy to poach Lyft drivers. Meanwhile, Rebecca offers a reality check to Republicans who think they will win over the Uber vote.
It’s uncommon for judges to speak publicly about their hardest cases, the ones that tested their impartiality and independence and exerted an emotional toll. In the new book “Tough Cases,” 13 trial judges from criminal, civil, probate, and family courts wrote candid and poignant firsthand accounts of the trials they can’t forget, giving readers a rare glimpse into their chambers. The book was the subject of a lively discussion at a panel sponsored by the Harvard Law School Library, which drew a packed house in the Wasserstein Center on Wednesday. The book’s stories help demystify the process by which judges make decisions, panelists said. “I don’t think I had ever really heard judges speak or write publicly about their thought processes and their tough cases the way this book captures,” said Andrew Crespo ’05, J.D. ’08, an assistant professor of law at Harvard Law School (HLS) and one of the panelists. “Something that comes through in a lot of the chapters is the emotional toll of the work, the challenge of having to deal with sadness and anger, and yet needing to present the face of justice, devoid of emotion,” he said. Charles Fried, the Beneficial Professor of Law, said trial judges bear a heavy burden, not only because their work is lonely but because they have to steer their way through all facets of the human condition. “A trial judge is dealing with real people; they are not abstractions,” said Fried. “They’re completely concrete. And the person whose life the judge is about to change one way or the other is looking right at the judge, and you’ve got to have the ability to look right at somebody and perhaps say, ‘You’re going to go to prison for the rest of your life.’ ” For retired judge and HLS lecturer Nancy Gertner, “Tough Cases” reveals the challenges judges face and the need for the public to learn about them. The accounts show the judges as human beings talking frankly about the difficulties of the job, including the agony of deciding people’s fates and, in high-profile cases, enduring outside interference. “Judges are being attacked, and the question is whether the best response to that is to continue to be above it all, or whether to give people a window into the difficulty of the job, as this book does,” said Gertner. “It’s a better way to enhance their legitimacy.” Most of the stories deal with the rule of law and judicial independence, but stories of judges who presided over high-profile cases also offer a warning about political interference. The judges who ruled on Terri Schiavo’s “right-to-die,” Elian Gonzalez’s refugee status, and the perjury charges against former presidential adviser Lewis “Scooter” Libby highlighted how they resisted political forces trying to influence their decisions. “Not too many people have to stand up to their president, their Congress, their legislature, and their church,” wrote Judge George Greer, who ruled that Michael Schiavo had the right to disconnect his wife’s feeding tube after a heart attack left her in a vegetative state. The decision ignited the wrath of conservative forces across the nation. “And I would have never known for sure if I had the strength to do that if not for that case. I walked out with my head held high,” Greer wrote. District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Frederick Weisberg, one of the book’s editors, joined HLS professors on the panel. The book was born from informal conversations among Weisberg and Judges Russell Canan and Gregory Mize, who serve on the same court. Weisberg, who also teaches annually in the Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop, said the cases that attract national attention are problematic, but would pose greater threats in countries with less-independent judiciaries. “The beauty of our system of justice is that once you figure out what the right decision is, it’s not that hard because there is no other decision one can make,” he said. “That’s true because we’re here. In Kosovo, China, and many other places, it’d be less true in terms of resisting the pressure from outside.” But even when the decisions are just, they can leave scars. A New York judge still grieves for an autistic child she met while presiding over housing court, where the child’s father was fighting eviction. Sensing something wrong, the judge ordered an evaluation from Adult Protective Services and a home inspection from Children’s Services to make sure that the boy was safe, and the reports came back that he was. But years later, she learned that the father had slashed his son’s throat and “left him in the bathtub to die.” “We, judges, do our best to ensure that justice is done,” wrote Lizbeth Gonzales, an associate justice on the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Term. “Rest assured that, like litigants and lawyers, we too suffer when things go wrong.”

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