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by Bernard Sat Aug 15th, 2020 at 05:18:25 PM EST
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In one image, he was a new relative in the Huxtable family from "The Cosby Show." In another, his face was superimposed on the body of Michael Jordan as he glided to the rim. In another, he was placed in a scene from a classic Italian film in which the actor Totò, wearing blackface, plays an ambassador from a fictional African country. When Luigi Di Maio, Italy's foreign minister, returned to Rome from a vacation on the island of Sardinia, it took little time for Italians to notice his deep tan. By Aug. 25, images and memes featuring Mr. Di Maio in a form of blackface appeared across the Italian web. One of these instances depicted Mr. Di Maio as a Black migrant on a crowded boat. Instead of criticizing the images, Mr. Di Maio embraced them, sharing some on his own Instagram account, including the ones of Mr. Jordan, Totò and the Huxtables.
When Luigi Di Maio, Italy's foreign minister, returned to Rome from a vacation on the island of Sardinia, it took little time for Italians to notice his deep tan. By Aug. 25, images and memes featuring Mr. Di Maio in a form of blackface appeared across the Italian web. One of these instances depicted Mr. Di Maio as a Black migrant on a crowded boat.
Instead of criticizing the images, Mr. Di Maio embraced them, sharing some on his own Instagram account, including the ones of Mr. Jordan, Totò and the Huxtables.
PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron will head to Beirut next week to pressure local politicians into pressing ahead with the creation of a government that can implement urgent reforms, a French presidential official said on Friday. "The president has said it he will not give up. He made a commitment to do what needs to be done and to apply the necessary pressure to put this programme in place," the official told reporters ahead of Macron's visit to Beirut next Monday and Tuesday. The official added it was time for Lebanese political parties to temporarily step aside and ensure a government of change was put into place.
"The president has said it he will not give up. He made a commitment to do what needs to be done and to apply the necessary pressure to put this programme in place," the official told reporters ahead of Macron's visit to Beirut next Monday and Tuesday.
The official added it was time for Lebanese political parties to temporarily step aside and ensure a government of change was put into place.
Note: The French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, under the then League of Nations, ended in 1943; the last French troops left in 1946.
WARSAW (Reuters) - Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko's comments that Warsaw may be plotting to seize part of the country if its political crisis worsened are unacceptable, Krzysztof Szczerski, an aide to Poland's president, said on Friday. Relations between Warsaw and Minsk have become tense in recent days following Lukashenko's suggestions quoted by state news agency Belta that Poland planned to take over the Grodno region bordering Poland and Lithuania if Belarus falls apart. On Thursday, Poland summoned the Belarus ambassador to protest the "unfounded accusations".
Relations between Warsaw and Minsk have become tense in recent days following Lukashenko's suggestions quoted by state news agency Belta that Poland planned to take over the Grodno region bordering Poland and Lithuania if Belarus falls apart.
On Thursday, Poland summoned the Belarus ambassador to protest the "unfounded accusations".
VALLETTA (Reuters) - A businessman suspected of masterminding the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has told police that the ex-chief of staff of the former prime minister wanted her dead, a court heard on Thursday. Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively about corruption on Malta, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017. Wealthy entrepreneur Yorgen Fenech was arrested last November and accused of complicity in the murder. He has denied the accusation. Police inspector Kurt Zahra, one of the officers who interrogated Fenech, told a court that the businessman had said Keith Schembri, the chief of staff of the then prime minister, had wanted Caruana Galizia killed.
Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively about corruption on Malta, was killed by a car bomb in October 2017. Wealthy entrepreneur Yorgen Fenech was arrested last November and accused of complicity in the murder. He has denied the accusation.
Police inspector Kurt Zahra, one of the officers who interrogated Fenech, told a court that the businessman had said Keith Schembri, the chief of staff of the then prime minister, had wanted Caruana Galizia killed.
This is rather bizarre. Why is NATO having a meeting about Navalny? Ultimately, he's a Russian citizen who was allegedly poisoned in Russia. Also, did NATO meet meet when US/UK ally Saudi Arabia chopped up journalist & political opposition figure Khashoggi with a bone saw? https://t.co/HNJKmkXwvA— Bryan MacDonald (@27khv) September 3, 2020
This is rather bizarre. Why is NATO having a meeting about Navalny? Ultimately, he's a Russian citizen who was allegedly poisoned in Russia. Also, did NATO meet meet when US/UK ally Saudi Arabia chopped up journalist & political opposition figure Khashoggi with a bone saw? https://t.co/HNJKmkXwvA
Oops. Our friends at BBC Breakfast may want to review their "UK" graphics this morning. 😳 <pic.twitter.com/YfbusaSba7>— David Blevins (@skydavidblevins)September 4, 2020
Oops. Our friends at BBC Breakfast may want to review their "UK" graphics this morning. 😳 <pic.twitter.com/YfbusaSba7>
They've apologized, without saying what they should have used. This?
This had family implications for me when my daughter, who was in France for the summer, was going to be joined from Glasgow by her boyfriend. Since he couldn't come to (blacklisted) France, he cleverly got a ticket for Geneva... only a couple of hours' drive from here, and they had been intending to spend a week in Italy anyway... Then a couple of days before his flight, Switzerland was put on Scotland's blacklist (followed the next day by the UK of England, Wales and Norn Ireland) It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
SF's light-touch attitude to public health is a risk to us all. Been responsible for slow decision-making, poor leadership and divided government in Northern Ireland on Covid 19. Let's not allow their approach south of the border. pic.twitter.com/zab6BLi0u4— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) September 18, 2020
SF's light-touch attitude to public health is a risk to us all. Been responsible for slow decision-making, poor leadership and divided government in Northern Ireland on Covid 19. Let's not allow their approach south of the border. pic.twitter.com/zab6BLi0u4
Signed some new laws today updating EU/Irish economic sanctions against North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria, DRC and CAR focusing on the individuals responsible for violating human rights and threatening our security, not ordinary people pic.twitter.com/gr5vcgRSuc— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) September 18, 2020
Signed some new laws today updating EU/Irish economic sanctions against North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Syria, DRC and CAR focusing on the individuals responsible for violating human rights and threatening our security, not ordinary people pic.twitter.com/gr5vcgRSuc
Foreign Minister Heiko Maas over the weekend became the first member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet to link the natural-gas conduit's fate to Russian cooperation with an inquiry into the poisoning of dissident Alexey Navalny. A lawmaker from Merkel's party suggested suspending the project. While there's no sign that Merkel is about to pull the plug, the comments amplify the latest flare-up of exasperation about President Vladimir Putin in Berlin and suggest an emerging debate in Merkel's governing coalition. The German leader has consistently backed the pipeline in the face of opposition by the U.S. and some European Union allies.
While there's no sign that Merkel is about to pull the plug, the comments amplify the latest flare-up of exasperation about President Vladimir Putin in Berlin and suggest an emerging debate in Merkel's governing coalition. The German leader has consistently backed the pipeline in the face of opposition by the U.S. and some European Union allies.
Should Germany (Merkel, that is) want Nord Stream 2 and peaceful transition in Belarus, the game somebody played with Navalnyi's transfer to Germany basically made both goals more difficult to achieve.
There are two things here that I don't quite understand, so any help would be appreciated:
if indeed the Russian state was indeed guilty of poisoning Navalny, why on earth would it allow his transfer to Germany? And why would it carry out such a criminal act during the last phase of the Nord Stream pipeline project, in which so much has been invested? Politically and geopolitically, such an act would absolutely backfire. By eliminating an opposition member such as Alexei Navalny, it would no doubt produce a furious reaction from both foreign powers and domestic opposition, only encouraging anti-government activism. [...] As in the Skripal case, the timing of the incident couldn't be worse for the Kremlin. Then, it was just before the Russian world cup; in this case, it is just before the completion of Nord Stream 2 and when the Trump administration has spoken of meeting with Putin later this year.
[...] As in the Skripal case, the timing of the incident couldn't be worse for the Kremlin. Then, it was just before the Russian world cup; in this case, it is just before the completion of Nord Stream 2 and when the Trump administration has spoken of meeting with Putin later this year.
His assertion that "they" could have refused to divert the flight, or had him killed in hospital... The problem with that is that Russia, though not exactly an open society, is not exactly a closed one either, and either event would have been difficult to cover up, amounting to a signature to the crime.
In Russia, there are many powerful people who must have reasons to prefer Navalny dead; it doesn't have to be Putin. But clearly, nobody in power is interested in investigating the attempted murder. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
But it seems that "Johanna Ross, journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland" basically paraphrased Murray's opinion, adding a few giveaways such as :
Furthermore, it's worth considering Navalny's popularity and reach within Russia. According to a recent poll by Levada, the opposition activist would gain around 2% of the vote in a presidential election was to be held, compared to 56% who would re-elect Vladimir Putin
The fact remains that Germany has given no actual evidence of poisoning, and refuses to do so when asked.
The fact remains that according to US Military study published in Cell human body degrades organophosphates (Novichok) so fast that if Navalnyi was poisoned in Omsk or in the plane, none would have been left in his body by the time he reached Charite. There would be metabolites, sure, but those would not indicate the actual poison with any certainty.
The fact remains that Russia has already done the preliminary investigation. They have interrogated Navalnyi's entourage, people on the plane, people on the airport and people he was in contact with in Tomsk. To turn that into a criminal investigation, they need Germany to give some, any, proof that a crime indeed has been done. For reasons unknown, Germany refuses to do this - saying either that it's up to OPCW to communicate with Russia (OPCW says they haven't been provided with any evidence either) or that they need Navalnyi's consent to provide any information.
As far as I'm aware, Navalnyi's anti-corruption foundation has not been very effective in fighting corruption. They have found some procedural errors in couple of public tenders, but that's about it. The big corruption cases, like the latest one in Vyborg, are found out by investigative media or actual police investigations. Independent media in Russia calls Navalnyi a "blogger", because that's pretty much what he does with any effect.
Navalnyi, at best, is a nuisance for some of the oligarchs. That's why recently, when Navalnyi's foundation was ordered to pay huge damages to the city of Moscow (foundation made provably false claims about the quality of school meals), man providing those meals, Prigoshin, bought the damages claim from Moscow, and now can shut down Navalnyi's operation at will. Why go trough that trouble and then try to off the man?
The very fact that Navalnyi was allowed to leave Russia while borders are closed to regular people, while still on parole (for embezzlement) and under investigation (for money laundering) has convinced many Russians that he is actually either FSB or has powerful friends among those he claims to fight.
Considering that his supporters finally managed to get a couple of seats in a few regional councils this week, he must be royally pissed off his wife arranged him out of the country without chance to return in the foreseeable future. BND will not let him go while they can use him to prevent Merkel moving away from trans-Atlantic binds.
The word "ensauvagement" has been a favorite dog whistle of France's far right in recent years, used to suggest that the nation is turning savage. With its colonial and racist overtones, it has been wielded in discussion of immigration and crime to sound alarms that France is being transformed into a dangerous, uncivilized place, stripped of its traditional values. "Behind it, there is an underlying imaginary world, with savages on one side and civilized humanity on the other," said Cécile Alduy, a French expert on the political use of language who teaches at Stanford University. So it did not go unnoticed this week when sitting ministers of President Emmanuel Macron's government started throwing around the word themselves, arguing forcefully that talk of France's "ensauvagement" was legitimate. "Personally, I use the word ensauvagement and I repeat it," said Gérald Darmanin, the powerful interior minister and head of the national police.
"Behind it, there is an underlying imaginary world, with savages on one side and civilized humanity on the other," said Cécile Alduy, a French expert on the political use of language who teaches at Stanford University.
So it did not go unnoticed this week when sitting ministers of President Emmanuel Macron's government started throwing around the word themselves, arguing forcefully that talk of France's "ensauvagement" was legitimate.
"Personally, I use the word ensauvagement and I repeat it," said Gérald Darmanin, the powerful interior minister and head of the national police.
The same Darmanin who is under criminal investigation for alleged rape.
As with many things in France, an unresolved colonial history lies below the surface of the battle over the word ensauvagement. The word is a direct outgrowth of France's colonial and slave-trading past, a history that the French have yet to come to terms with and that they have often preferred to ignore, said Pascal Blanchard, a historian on French colonialism and its enduring impact on French society. More than any other imperial power, France justified colonialism by describing it as a "civilizing mission," Mr. Blanchard said. "The idea of guiding savages out of the darkness into the light was omnipresent in France's discourse," he said. "The idea of the savage is still deeply rooted in French society."
The word is a direct outgrowth of France's colonial and slave-trading past, a history that the French have yet to come to terms with and that they have often preferred to ignore, said Pascal Blanchard, a historian on French colonialism and its enduring impact on French society.
More than any other imperial power, France justified colonialism by describing it as a "civilizing mission," Mr. Blanchard said.
"The idea of guiding savages out of the darkness into the light was omnipresent in France's discourse," he said. "The idea of the savage is still deeply rooted in French society."
Despite the deep recession caused by the coronavirus crisis and a rising budget deficit, Athens has decided it's time to act. Fighter jets, frigates, torpedoes and helicopters are all on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' shopping list. France, which has given Athens political and military backing in its confrontation with Ankara, will be a big beneficiary of the procurement push. A deal between the two countries was on the agenda when Mitsotakis met French President Emmanuel Macron in Corsica ahead of a summit of Mediterranean leaders on Thursday. But other key allies are also likely to benefit from plans that are expected to raise military spending by some 10 billion over the next 10 years, according to Greek officials. That would amount to an increase of about one third on current levels.
France, which has given Athens political and military backing in its confrontation with Ankara, will be a big beneficiary of the procurement push. A deal between the two countries was on the agenda when Mitsotakis met French President Emmanuel Macron in Corsica ahead of a summit of Mediterranean leaders on Thursday.
But other key allies are also likely to benefit from plans that are expected to raise military spending by some 10 billion over the next 10 years, according to Greek officials. That would amount to an increase of about one third on current levels.
The Greek budget deficit is expected to slide to 5 percent of GDP, as the pandemic has blown large holes in the state budget. The European Commission has lifted the deficit rules for this year and next to help governments deal with the pandemic. But sooner or later, Greece will face the problem of how to return to surpluses -- as it is required to do according to its bailout exit terms -- and pay back its debts.
The European Commission has lifted the deficit rules for this year and next to help governments deal with the pandemic. But sooner or later, Greece will face the problem of how to return to surpluses -- as it is required to do according to its bailout exit terms -- and pay back its debts.
"There are at least 40 family-based criminal networks -- or clans -- in Sweden, he confirmed: immigrants who came to the country `solely for the purpose of organising and systematising crime'. [...] Conflicts between rival criminals last month escalated to a point where gangs took an unparalleled move to establish their dominance. Masked and armed men set up roadblocks, and controlled cars entering certain neighbourhoods in Gothenburg. [...] At the end of August, two teenage boys were abducted, raped and abused for hours at a cemetery outside Stockholm. When police found them they had been stabbed and buried alive in a pit. Somehow they survived." -----sapere aude
(Source, Swedish: https:/www.dn.se/sverige/damberg-om-slaktnatverken-polisen-har-inte-varit-narvarande) -----sapere aude
Imagine if 50% of all eligible (not just registered) voters were required for elections in the US....
Seriously. will 20 years be enough? It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
HELSINKI (AP) -- Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven won't take part in a European Union meeting in Brussels starting on Thursday since he is attending his mother's funeral and will be represented by his counterpart from neighboring Finland. Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin will represent the Swedish government at the Oct. 1-2 summit where only heads of state and government participate, Lofven told Sweden's TT news agency. Sweden's EU affairs minister Hans Dahlgren also will be present in Brussels, the agency added.
Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin will represent the Swedish government at the Oct. 1-2 summit where only heads of state and government participate, Lofven told Sweden's TT news agency. Sweden's EU affairs minister Hans Dahlgren also will be present in Brussels, the agency added.
The EU commission on Wednesday (30 September) published its first overview on the judiciary, media freedoms, corruption and checks and balances in EU member states. [...] In a statement, Hungary's government claimed the report was "written by organisations forming part of a centrally-financed international network engaged in a coordinated political campaign against Hungary", pointing the finger to the Open Society Foundations linked to US billionaire George Soros. [...] The rule of law issue has become the major political obstacle to unlock the 1.85 trillion EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund.
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union's chief Brexit negotiator said on Friday that talks with Britain this week often appeared to going backwards rather than forwards and, at this point, it looked unlikely that a deal could be clinched before a year-end deadline. "At this stage, an agreement between the UK and the European Union seems unlikely," Barnier told a news conference after two full days of negotiations in Brussels. "On the European side, we are very concerned about the state of play in our negotiations. The clock is ticking."
"At this stage, an agreement between the UK and the European Union seems unlikely," Barnier told a news conference after two full days of negotiations in Brussels.
"On the European side, we are very concerned about the state of play in our negotiations. The clock is ticking."
The UK government has renewed its attempt to reopen the chapter of the Brexit divorce treaty protecting specialty food and drink, such as Parma ham, roquefort cheese and champagne, in a move that left the EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, "a little bit flabbergasted". The British proposal on protected status for food and drink was included in a draft free-trade agreement handed to Barnier by his opposite number, David Frost, last week, according to two EU sources. But EU officials have ruled out diluting the divorce deal provisions that protect more than 3,000 high-end food and drink products from copycats. "It's just not going to happen," said one official.
The British proposal on protected status for food and drink was included in a draft free-trade agreement handed to Barnier by his opposite number, David Frost, last week, according to two EU sources.
But EU officials have ruled out diluting the divorce deal provisions that protect more than 3,000 high-end food and drink products from copycats. "It's just not going to happen," said one official.
Brexit: UK plans to override parts of EU withdrawal deal
The UK government is planning legislation that will override key parts of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, British newspaper the Financial Times reported Sunday. The so-called internal market bill, due to be published Wednesday, is expected to "eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement" in areas relating to state aid and Northern Ireland customs, according to the newspaper. Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who was key in negotiating the withdrawal agreement, tweeted that the reported plan "would be very unwise." The status of the UK's only land border with the EU, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has been one of the most difficult sticking points in negotiations.
The so-called internal market bill, due to be published Wednesday, is expected to "eliminate the legal force of parts of the withdrawal agreement" in areas relating to state aid and Northern Ireland customs, according to the newspaper.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney, who was key in negotiating the withdrawal agreement, tweeted that the reported plan "would be very unwise."
The status of the UK's only land border with the EU, between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has been one of the most difficult sticking points in negotiations.
Environment Minister George Eustice attempted to downplay the legislation on Monday morning, saying that the UK was committed to the Northern Ireland protocol and that the internal market bill would tidy up some "legal ambiguities." But EU diplomats said any plan to override part of the divorce agreement would be a "desperate and ultimately self-defeating strategy." "I remain worried ... the negotiations are difficult, because the British want the best of both worlds," the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told French radio.
But EU diplomats said any plan to override part of the divorce agreement would be a "desperate and ultimately self-defeating strategy."
"I remain worried ... the negotiations are difficult, because the British want the best of both worlds," the EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier told French radio.
"Yes, this does break international law in a very specific and limited way. "We are taking the powers to disapply [sic] the EU law concept of direct effect [?!] required by article 4 in a certain, very tightly defined circumstance. "There are clear precedence for the UK and indeed other countries needing to consider their international obligations as circumstances change."
"We are taking the powers to disapply [sic] the EU law concept of direct effect [?!] required by article 4 in a certain, very tightly defined circumstance.
"There are clear precedence for the UK and indeed other countries needing to consider their international obligations as circumstances change."
To do that, they are planning to pass domestic legislation to hand ministers more powers rather than complying with the EU principle of direct effect [?!].
Ministers are increasingly nervous that a Scottish breakaway is on the cards (the cabinet was recently briefed that the latest opinion polls show 56% of Scots would vote for independence, and 44% to stay in the UK).
Between Brexit and Covid it is looking more and more like the UK will lose the "U" in the not-so-distant future. She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
Writing in The Spectator yesterday, Marr admitted that it's "likely" Scotland will be independent before the end of this UK parliament. Detailing his recent travels around the UK - which included trips to Fife and Perthshire - Marr says that the difference in attitudes to the pandemic between London and Scotland is "almost tangible". He says he found people are "much more likely" to wear a mask and be cautious, while they "listen attentively" to the First Minister. He goes on: "The opinion polls confirm what general conversation suggests: that Scotland is likely to leave the United Kingdom before the end of this parliament. "The SNP may be having feuds but they are self-confident, vigorous and optimistic. Unionism seems muffled and tired by comparison."
Detailing his recent travels around the UK - which included trips to Fife and Perthshire - Marr says that the difference in attitudes to the pandemic between London and Scotland is "almost tangible".
He says he found people are "much more likely" to wear a mask and be cautious, while they "listen attentively" to the First Minister.
He goes on: "The opinion polls confirm what general conversation suggests: that Scotland is likely to leave the United Kingdom before the end of this parliament.
"The SNP may be having feuds but they are self-confident, vigorous and optimistic. Unionism seems muffled and tired by comparison."
Since Wales has been part of England since the 1200s, the departuer of NI and Scotland would leave England, period.
archived Minister of the Crown duties, EU (Withdrawal Agreement Bill Delegated Powers Memorandum, Oct 2019
UK workers slowly move off furlough programme - statistics office 7.5% unemployment
Bank of England looks harder at negative rates in case troubles deepen QE II NIRP
reference ONS "Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme statistics: June 2020"
LAW & ORDER!!!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 30, 2020
LAW & ORDER!!!
Those who live in rural areas (71%) are more likely to agree with that sentiment than those in urban areas (59%). [...] Six in 10 Americans say the mainstream media has made the [INSERT BANNER] protests more dangerous, followed by the Black Lives Matter movement at 59% and Trump at 54%. A majority of Americans say antifa (53%), conservative militias (52%) and conservative media (51%) contribute to protests becoming more dangerous.
The use of federal officials in U.S. cities was highly controversial, but more than half (56%) of Americans say they believe the government should deploy more police to get protests and unrest under control, according to the Ipsos poll. Fifty-four percent say people should arm themselves to protect private property during protests.
Is it safe to go to the grocery store? Can my kids have a play date? Will the other child wear a mask? Can I send them back to school? When my boss asks me to come back to the office, should I? Shayla Bell lies awake at night racking her brain for answers and preparing for another day of unprecedented choices. "There's all these little, small decisions all the time," said Bell, a suburban Chicago retail professional with two kids. "I find myself being my own devil's advocate so often to try to reach the best conclusion. And I'm tired." [...] "It's a state of low willpower that results from having invested effort into making choices," said Roy Baumeister, a psychology professor at Florida State University who coined the term in 2010.
Shayla Bell lies awake at night racking her brain for answers and preparing for another day of unprecedented choices.
"There's all these little, small decisions all the time," said Bell, a suburban Chicago retail professional with two kids. "I find myself being my own devil's advocate so often to try to reach the best conclusion. And I'm tired." [...] "It's a state of low willpower that results from having invested effort into making choices," said Roy Baumeister, a psychology professor at Florida State University who coined the term in 2010.
Like a mental gas tank, the human brain has a limited capacity of energy, and as you make decisions throughout the day, you deplete that resource. As you become fatigued, you may be inclined to avoid additional decisions, stick to the status quo or base a decision on a single criteria, Baumeister said.
If we're talking about a 21st century civil war, we need to clear our minds of models like US Civil War or Spanish Civil war, massed armies fighting over territory. The model is North Ireland during the Troubles: police crackdown and intermittent terrorism.— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) August 31, 2020
If we're talking about a 21st century civil war, we need to clear our minds of models like US Civil War or Spanish Civil war, massed armies fighting over territory. The model is North Ireland during the Troubles: police crackdown and intermittent terrorism.
An update regarding Tom Clancy's Elite Squad: pic.twitter.com/G6Hb1SO7Gx— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) August 29, 2020
An update regarding Tom Clancy's Elite Squad: pic.twitter.com/G6Hb1SO7Gx
New @ACLEDINFO data show that while more than 90% of demonstrations since #GeorgeFloyd's killing are peaceful, they're increasingly met with violence by government forces, non-state groups, and counter-demonstrators across the #US.Key findings ▶️ https://t.co/Hrv4zYUgjt pic.twitter.com/W8jfOXzyIa— Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (@ACLEDINFO) September 4, 2020
New @ACLEDINFO data show that while more than 90% of demonstrations since #GeorgeFloyd's killing are peaceful, they're increasingly met with violence by government forces, non-state groups, and counter-demonstrators across the #US.Key findings ▶️ https://t.co/Hrv4zYUgjt pic.twitter.com/W8jfOXzyIa
It's that white America prefers its racism to be more covert and the In-Your-Face videos pulls back the curtains. She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
application: "under color of law"
US DOJ governing law: Section 242 of Title 18 makes it a crime
Whoopi Goldberg wants Disney to build a Wakanda theme park in honor of Chadwick Boseman https://t.co/Y0Tmqtp1Ss— WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (@wbaltv11) August 31, 2020
Whoopi Goldberg wants Disney to build a Wakanda theme park in honor of Chadwick Boseman https://t.co/Y0Tmqtp1Ss
"This is exactly the kind of decision-making that we would see emanating from the White House," said Tim Murtaugh, a Trump campaign spokesman, calling the large ad buy an effort to "dissuade" Americans that Mr. Biden isn't a "tool of the radical left."
what the fuck is happening pic.twitter.com/sVCEGfmtp1— keyvan (کیوان) (@shafieikeyvan) September 2, 2020
what the fuck is happening pic.twitter.com/sVCEGfmtp1
In a report released Tuesday, Hawkfish, a Democratic-aligned data and technology firm founded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, warned of a "red mirage" on election night in which Trump will appear ahead even if he's not. Only as more mail-in ballots are reflected in the count, the group said, "will this red mirage dissipate, and Biden's lead materialize."
But I've given up any hope of that while the DLC rules the party She believed in nothing; only her skepticism kept her from being an atheist. -- Jean-Paul Sartre
Overall, Americans took 9/11 pretty calmly. Notably, there wasn't a mass outbreak of anti-Muslim sentiment and violence, which could all too easily have happened. And while GW Bush was a terrible president, to his credit he tried to calm prejudice, not feed it 2/— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 11, 2020
Overall, Americans took 9/11 pretty calmly. Notably, there wasn't a mass outbreak of anti-Muslim sentiment and violence, which could all too easily have happened. And while GW Bush was a terrible president, to his credit he tried to calm prejudice, not feed it 2/
Let me give you that bar graph again. The post-9/11 upsurge in hate crimes against Muslims was real and unforgivable, but the horrible truth is that it didn't loom that large compared with what Blacks face year in and year out. 9/ pic.twitter.com/Wrnt8xQnZJ— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) September 13, 2020
Let me give you that bar graph again. The post-9/11 upsurge in hate crimes against Muslims was real and unforgivable, but the horrible truth is that it didn't loom that large compared with what Blacks face year in and year out. 9/ pic.twitter.com/Wrnt8xQnZJ
Given that the latter risk is far to high, I don't think the numbers shows what he thinks it shows. Isn't he supposed to be good with numbers?
The order followed Trump's creation of the 1776 Commission to promote what he calls "patriotic education." He has hammered the theme during political rallies in recent weeks, often drawing cheers from mostly white audiences. "By viewing every issue through the lens of race, they want to impose a new segregation, and we must not allow that to happen," Trump said at an event in Washington last week. "The crusade against American history is toxic propaganda." On Sept. 4, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo here that preceded Tuesday's order, saying that federal agencies could no longer use taxpayer dollars to fund "un-American propaganda sessions" that provided instruction about critical race theory, white privilege or that "taught that the United States is an inherently racist or evil" country.
"By viewing every issue through the lens of race, they want to impose a new segregation, and we must not allow that to happen," Trump said at an event in Washington last week. "The crusade against American history is toxic propaganda."
On Sept. 4, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo here that preceded Tuesday's order, saying that federal agencies could no longer use taxpayer dollars to fund "un-American propaganda sessions" that provided instruction about critical race theory, white privilege or that "taught that the United States is an inherently racist or evil" country.
Meanwhile, Who Killed Sears? Fifty Years on the Road to Ruin
Mr. Trump was periodically required to pay a parallel income tax called the alternative minimum tax, created as a tripwire to prevent wealthy people from using huge deductions, including business losses, to entirely wipe out their tax liabilities. Mr. Trump paid alternative minimum tax in seven years between 2000 and 2017 -- a total of $24.3 million, excluding refunds he received after filing. For 2015, he paid $641,931, his first payment of any federal income tax since 2010.
Mr. Trump paid alternative minimum tax in seven years between 2000 and 2017 -- a total of $24.3 million, excluding refunds he received after filing. For 2015, he paid $641,931, his first payment of any federal income tax since 2010.
Many evangelicals are so enthralled with Israel that, at yesterday's prayer rally in Washington DC, they went to the Washington monument and pretended it was the wailing wall in Jerusalem. That is some Grade A craziness right there. pic.twitter.com/os6vDhhtpI— Jake Morphonios 🌎 www.blackstoneintel.com (@morphonios) September 27, 2020
Many evangelicals are so enthralled with Israel that, at yesterday's prayer rally in Washington DC, they went to the Washington monument and pretended it was the wailing wall in Jerusalem. That is some Grade A craziness right there. pic.twitter.com/os6vDhhtpI
The European Union's chief diplomat on Thursday said U.S. moves to sanction top officials with the International Criminal Court (ICC) are "unacceptable" and "unprecedented measures" meant to obstruct the court's official duties. E.U. Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell was responding to moves by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday that put sanctions on the ICC's top prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and the court's head of jurisdiction, Phakiso Mochochoko. "The sanctions announced by the United States administration on 2 September against two Court staff members, including its Prosecutor, are unacceptable and unprecedented measures that attempt to obstruct the Court's investigations and judicial proceedings," Borrell said in a statement. "The ICC must be able to work independently and impartially, free from outside interference. The United States should reconsider its position and reverse the measures it has taken. Impunity must never be an option," he said. The Trump administration has targeted ICC officials and those aiding investigations for sanctions and visa restrictions over the court's pursuit of investigations into allegations of American service members committing war crimes in Afghanistan.
E.U. Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell was responding to moves by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday that put sanctions on the ICC's top prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, and the court's head of jurisdiction, Phakiso Mochochoko.
"The sanctions announced by the United States administration on 2 September against two Court staff members, including its Prosecutor, are unacceptable and unprecedented measures that attempt to obstruct the Court's investigations and judicial proceedings," Borrell said in a statement.
"The ICC must be able to work independently and impartially, free from outside interference. The United States should reconsider its position and reverse the measures it has taken. Impunity must never be an option," he said.
The Trump administration has targeted ICC officials and those aiding investigations for sanctions and visa restrictions over the court's pursuit of investigations into allegations of American service members committing war crimes in Afghanistan.
Almost to the extent that I would say EU and NATO are becoming mutually exclusive. One pretends to be a "defensive" pact while the other pretends to be an economic union when both are actually political alliances with ever so divergent aims.
Several of the recipients were puzzled to get the checks, including pensioner Manfred Barnreiter, 73, who said he believed he was the victim of a scam at first. "We quietly went to the bank ... where we were told they'll see if it's real," Barnreiter told Austrian public broadcaster ORF. "Three days later, we had the money in our bank account." Barnreiter, who briefly worked in the U.S. in the 1960s, received the full $1,200, as did his wife. Neither are citizens of the U.S. or live there, which are required to be eligible for the checks. "People initially thought it's a treacherous form of fraud -- but the checks were real," a spokeswoman for Austria's Oberbank told the Washington Post. The report comes the month after NPR reported thousands of foreigners who once worked in the U.S. had accidentally received checks. Government officials attributed the error to likely tax return errors.
"We quietly went to the bank ... where we were told they'll see if it's real," Barnreiter told Austrian public broadcaster ORF. "Three days later, we had the money in our bank account."
Barnreiter, who briefly worked in the U.S. in the 1960s, received the full $1,200, as did his wife. Neither are citizens of the U.S. or live there, which are required to be eligible for the checks.
"People initially thought it's a treacherous form of fraud -- but the checks were real," a spokeswoman for Austria's Oberbank told the Washington Post.
The report comes the month after NPR reported thousands of foreigners who once worked in the U.S. had accidentally received checks. Government officials attributed the error to likely tax return errors.
archived Kamala?! on the left
archived abridged
There may be 6+ weeks until Election Day 2020, but early voting in Virginia actually starts today -- and there are dozens of voters in line to vote in person even before the building here in Richmond, VA opens pic.twitter.com/LchWhknggp— Amanda Golden (@amandawgolden) September 18, 2020
There may be 6+ weeks until Election Day 2020, but early voting in Virginia actually starts today -- and there are dozens of voters in line to vote in person even before the building here in Richmond, VA opens pic.twitter.com/LchWhknggp
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87 https://t.co/V0b7oSFYPy— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) September 18, 2020
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Champion Of Gender Equality, Dies At 87 https://t.co/V0b7oSFYPy
Before you argue that Ruth Bader Ginsburg should have resigned, remember that women have been asked to step aside for the greater good since time immemorial. RBG doesn't owe you anything.— Matt Bruenig (@MattBruenig) September 18, 2020
Before you argue that Ruth Bader Ginsburg should have resigned, remember that women have been asked to step aside for the greater good since time immemorial. RBG doesn't owe you anything.
one fun thing if ginsberg dies will be watching all the bluecheck resistance types going "merrick garland much my good sir" as mcconnell serenely jams through justin walker to take her seat six weeks before the election— The 20th Dryjacker (@allahliker) May 6, 2020
one fun thing if ginsberg dies will be watching all the bluecheck resistance types going "merrick garland much my good sir" as mcconnell serenely jams through justin walker to take her seat six weeks before the election
While at Harvard, now-Associate Justice Elena Kagan, then dean of Harvard Law School, recommended him for a clerkship with Justice Anthony Kennedy.[3]
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to hold a vote for Trump's nominee [...] Trump is expected to nominate his pick as soon as the middle of next week, according to two people familiar with the plans.
RBG has been sick for a long time. She should have stepped down a while Barry was in office but she thought a white woman was going to pick her replacement...— Melissa Harris Petty (@SeauxLeauxDoLo) September 19, 2020
RBG has been sick for a long time. She should have stepped down a while Barry was in office but she thought a white woman was going to pick her replacement...
"RBG's death is the Bernie Bros' fault somehow" https://t.co/z12t8qKGTv— Marina Jekyll (@themetrobolist) September 19, 2020
"RBG's death is the Bernie Bros' fault somehow" https://t.co/z12t8qKGTv
(Did I mention the latest Biden PR? 'If it's close - watch out': Biden says he has 600 lawyers ready to fight election 'chicanery' by Trump + 10,000 voluteers)
It is a lifeline for Trump, to overwhelm all troubles with delivering SCOTUS
Sure they can. President-elect Biden and incoming Majority Leader Schumer can announce that if McConnell jams through Trump's pick in a lame duck, their first order of business in January will he adding 2 seats to the Supreme Court. https://t.co/Pi2gy1MmsG— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) September 19, 2020
Sure they can. President-elect Biden and incoming Majority Leader Schumer can announce that if McConnell jams through Trump's pick in a lame duck, their first order of business in January will he adding 2 seats to the Supreme Court. https://t.co/Pi2gy1MmsG
As you sow, so shall you reap. -----sapere aude
I'm Joe Biden and I approve this message. pic.twitter.com/TuRZXPE5xK— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 20, 2020
I'm Joe Biden and I approve this message. pic.twitter.com/TuRZXPE5xK
The United States has reached yet another grim milestone Tuesday: 200,000 coronavirus deaths. The news comes as states grapple with opening restaurants, small businesses, and schools; and cases are peaking in Montana, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data. Social distancing fatigue and continued contention over mask-wearing threaten to compound COVID-19 cases and deaths as the year goes on. In March, President Donald Trump said keeping the death toll between 100,000 to 200,000 people would have indicated that his administration had "done a very good job." With models predicting that number to be eclipsed by the end of the year, Trump has sought to reshape the significance of the death tally.
The news comes as states grapple with opening restaurants, small businesses, and schools; and cases are peaking in Montana, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data. Social distancing fatigue and continued contention over mask-wearing threaten to compound COVID-19 cases and deaths as the year goes on.
In March, President Donald Trump said keeping the death toll between 100,000 to 200,000 people would have indicated that his administration had "done a very good job." With models predicting that number to be eclipsed by the end of the year, Trump has sought to reshape the significance of the death tally.
cases are peaking in Montana, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming
Then we have the increase in all EU countries that were hard hit during the spring (less in Italy and Sweden). More of a case for a second wave, but I doubt it ever went away during the summer.
From March to May the infections were almost completely located to the capital area (which was isolated from the rest of the country), and a few hot spots in the north.
June-July daily cases dropped between zero and ten, but now we're back to the March numbers, mostly in the central Finland.
Incidence rate has doubled between the last 14 days and the 14 days before that.
Something that complicates the picture is that ICU-admittances are as low as during the summer. They should lag about 14 days, so the increase in cases that has been going on this last month, should by now register there.
It is possible that there is an increase in spread among younger people who gets less severly ill, and therefore doesn't end up in the ICU. It is also possible that it isn't spread that is increasing but testing. If you get the sniffles during vacation maybe you don't test, but now work may insist you see a doctor in order to get you back quicker. I think the second may be a factor, but less likely as then it should have increased to a new higher level and stopped there.
Anyway, positive rate of samples tripled from week 35 to week 38, while weekly testing dropped by 10k, so here testing doesn't explain the rise in infections.
Number of ICU patients is somewhat higher than in the summer, but mainly because it was between zero and two back then. Now it's up to 4, so basically still negligible, and definitely nowhere near the peak in early April. The prediction for this weeks total is 3-11 ICU cases, so we're still on the lower boundary.
At the moment quite many employers here allow five days of sick leave without seeing a doctor to. Both keep people coming to work if having any symptoms and also for less burden on the health care system. So there's really no pressure here by employers for people to get tested.
They give age groups only for mortality statistics so it's really hard to tell, but I'd also guess that it's the younger cohorts riding this wave, or what you want to call it. That would explain why the hospitalizations are not following the infections.
Today they announced a recommendation in Southern Finland to wear masks in any closed public place - previously it was only for public transport. Similar recommendations are expected for tomorrow in other parts of the country.
We had 7 days until seeing a doctor until the pandemic, now it is 14 days. And we used to have a "karensdag" without pay, at the start of a sick leave, that "karensdag" is now gone. And we used to have a sharing of sick leave costs between employer and government, which the government has now taken over. So 80% pay, from the first day, without a doctors note for two weeks, government picking up the tab.
But we also have a general recomendation to stay home at first sign of a cold, until either 48 hours has passed since last symtoms or symtoms are gone and you have tested negativ for COVID. And that is where employers (and now schools and/or parents to kids from ten years and up) pushes for testing so they can get people back to work without the extra 48 hours quarantine.
Since testing was expanded so much at the end of the outbreak during the spring, testing is now not much of a strain on the system. During March, April and May testing was reserved for patients where it was medically relevant, and employees in health care and nursing homes.
Here in Austria we seem to have achieved a full second wave before the summer is even over. The state broadcaster has a neat summery page. There is no positive rate, but you can estimate from the other curves and it is not much lower than the first time around. So the real number of cases should be comparable. Indoor dining is still open unless that changed in the last few days. Seems the anti-viral properties of a cash register were overstated. The schools also just opened a few weeks ago, so that's going to be fun. Communication has also been less than optimal. When the first wave ended and we declared victory on Covid the government went into confidence building mode, so they got rid of the masks and introduced one of those terror color code systems for each district. Supposedly to signal that there won't be a national lockdown again. Now we are back to masks in most settings again, but compliance doesn't seem to be all that great. When I lived in Japan I was always annoyed at the constant how to do things right announcements in public transportation, but I'm slowly coming around on that. Maybe a how to wear a mask for idiots campaign would have helped. It is also slowly dawning on our great leaders that face shields do literally nothing, but the rules don't reflect that. The school my mother teaches in for her, I think, last year before retirement has everyone wear one. I guess it's more comfortable and still feels like you're doing something. Absolutely thrilled about the whole situation.
Maybe a how to wear a mask for idiots campaign would have helped.
Maybe something like this:
The Four COVID Personality Types pic.twitter.com/LywXKIOlOe— Lionel Page (@page_eco) September 17, 2020
The Four COVID Personality Types pic.twitter.com/LywXKIOlOe
It's the economy stupid ... virologists and epidemiologist are out!
Rutte in sync with Johnson, Belgium following suit
Belgian coronavirus experts go on `silent strike' against relaxed rules
Recently the virologists were thrown out of the "expert" panel advising the government.
And guess what... second wave. My wife got a mild case (classic symptoms, but never had a positive test). We know who she got it from. My most recent up-the-nose test was "negative, but doubtful" -- only part of the gene patterns tested for were present -- which according to doctors I know, means I had an asymtomatic case, and am no longer infectious, but presumably immune, for the moment.
But indeed, there is much more testing. And hospitalisation and death rates are much lower than in the spring... But I think we're still a long way from herd immunity. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
you are the media you consume.
One supposes that Brexit won't have a huge impact on the US, at least. Maybe.
George Floyd was killed 3 miles from my house in Minneapolis, and I was out in the bay area for work for most of this August and September, so I got to go through a period of about a month of not seeing the sun or sky. I'm surprised I'm not doing worse than I am, actually. While living through it sucks, I'm helped by a) knowing how good things still are, and b) literally nothing happening today politically or environmentally is surprising (in broad strokes) going back to my initial interest in politics / current events in the late 90s. And smart folks have been predicting the current day since the dust settled after WW2.
As for COVID, I'm glad they've at least figured out decent treatments since March, as the flu season tends to load up the hospitals real good on its own.
The Vatican has denied US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo an audience with Pope Francis. The Holy See said the Pontiff does not receive politicians during an election period. The move adds to a diplomatic row following comments by Mr Pompeo about China and the Catholic Church. The Vatican accused Mr Pompeo of trying to use that issue to attract voters in November's US presidential election. In an article earlier this month, Mr Pompeo said the Catholic Church was risking its "moral authority" by renewing an agreement with China regarding the appointment of bishops. Donald Trump receives support from conservative religious movements, including conservative Catholic voters, some of whom think Pope Francis is too liberal.
የሺህ አጋንንት ኃይል በሰውነትዎ ውስጥ ኢንቬስት ሲያደርግ ሳንባዎ ለመቁረጥ ይቆረጣል ፣ ኃጢአትዎ ይቅር አይባልም ፣ መቅሰፍቱ በጣም ጥልቅ የሆኑትን ጨለማ ምስጢሮችዎን ያውቃል። የጨለማዎቹ ምሽቶች በእኛ ላይ ናቸው ፡፡ pic.twitter.com/6jxQYs8dM7— ❀ (@jennavixo) October 2, 2020
የሺህ አጋንንት ኃይል በሰውነትዎ ውስጥ ኢንቬስት ሲያደርግ ሳንባዎ ለመቁረጥ ይቆረጣል ፣ ኃጢአትዎ ይቅር አይባልም ፣ መቅሰፍቱ በጣም ጥልቅ የሆኑትን ጨለማ ምስጢሮችዎን ያውቃል። የጨለማዎቹ ምሽቶች በእኛ ላይ ናቸው ፡፡ pic.twitter.com/6jxQYs8dM7
When the power of a thousand demons invests in your body, your lungs are cut off, your sins are unforgivable, and the plague knows your deepest dark secrets. Dark nights are upon us.
Coming from the place that harbours ancient artifacts well known to melt faces.
God bless the president and the first lady. If you pray, please pray for their speedy and complete recovery -- and for everyone infected, everywhere.This virus is horrific and merciless -- no one would wish its wrath on anyone.We must get its spread under control. Enough.— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) October 2, 2020
God bless the president and the first lady. If you pray, please pray for their speedy and complete recovery -- and for everyone infected, everywhere.This virus is horrific and merciless -- no one would wish its wrath on anyone.We must get its spread under control. Enough.
Some Trump supporters say his COVID-19 diagnosis could actually help him https://t.co/q39etC2RzO pic.twitter.com/H9zddEuN5R— Reuters (@Reuters) October 2, 2020
Some Trump supporters say his COVID-19 diagnosis could actually help him https://t.co/q39etC2RzO pic.twitter.com/H9zddEuN5R
Scoop: GOP donors are panicking after being around President Trump during a fundraiser at his golf course in Bedminster. 30 to 50 donors were close to six feet of the president at the event, most of the interaction was outside.
THEY SANG KARAOKE AT THE TRUMP FUNDRAISER https://t.co/9PItIwdhVm— David Brauer (@dbrauer) October 2, 2020
THEY SANG KARAOKE AT THE TRUMP FUNDRAISER https://t.co/9PItIwdhVm
since we're talking about the ethics of wishing the president were dead and celebrating it, here's what malcolm x had to say about it, as depicted in spike lee's film pic.twitter.com/Of0gct0QGA— ☀️👀 (@zei_squirrel) October 5, 2020
since we're talking about the ethics of wishing the president were dead and celebrating it, here's what malcolm x had to say about it, as depicted in spike lee's film pic.twitter.com/Of0gct0QGA
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe has announced his resignation for health reasons. He said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision making, and apologised to the Japanese people for failing to complete his term in office. The 65 year old has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, but he said his condition had worsened recently. Last year, he became Japan's longest serving prime minister. His current period in office began in 2012. In 2007 he resigned abruptly from an earlier term as prime minister because of his struggles with ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition that he has lived with since he was a teenager.
He said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision making, and apologised to the Japanese people for failing to complete his term in office.
The 65 year old has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, but he said his condition had worsened recently.
Last year, he became Japan's longest serving prime minister. His current period in office began in 2012.
In 2007 he resigned abruptly from an earlier term as prime minister because of his struggles with ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition that he has lived with since he was a teenager.
Japan does not elect its leader by direct popular vote. Under the country's parliamentary political system, lawmakers elect a prime minister who is usually the leader of the ruling party.
A Nikkei/TV Tokyo poll showed Ishiba with 28% support, followed by current Defence Minister Taro Kono with 15%. Suga came in fourth place with 11%, the poll showed.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga emerged as the leading candidate to replace outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a [LPD] election expected this month. [Sep 14]
Japan's Yoshihide Suga was voted prime minister by parliament to become the country's first new leader in nearly eight years https://t.co/uKaUycBbJH pic.twitter.com/cS2GBaFJ2X— Reuters (@Reuters) September 16, 2020
Japan's Yoshihide Suga was voted prime minister by parliament to become the country's first new leader in nearly eight years https://t.co/uKaUycBbJH pic.twitter.com/cS2GBaFJ2X
I am SUGA Yoshihide. I was inaugurated as the 99th Prime Minister of Japan. I am determined to tear down bureaucratic sectionalism, vested interests and notorious habit of following precedents. I'll advance regulatory reforms and give birth to a cabinet that works for the people. pic.twitter.com/rIG7vPX9XQ— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) September 16, 2020
I am SUGA Yoshihide. I was inaugurated as the 99th Prime Minister of Japan. I am determined to tear down bureaucratic sectionalism, vested interests and notorious habit of following precedents. I'll advance regulatory reforms and give birth to a cabinet that works for the people. pic.twitter.com/rIG7vPX9XQ
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Coup leaders in Mali have released President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita and he has returned home, his representative said on Thursday, a potential sign of good faith a day ahead of a regional summit on the country's political future. A group of military officers has controlled Mali since Aug. 18, when they detained Keita at gunpoint and forced him to resign in a takeover foreign powers fear could further destabilise the West African nation and undermine a fight against Islamist militants in the wider Sahel region.
A group of military officers has controlled Mali since Aug. 18, when they detained Keita at gunpoint and forced him to resign in a takeover foreign powers fear could further destabilise the West African nation and undermine a fight against Islamist militants in the wider Sahel region.
Police in Delhi were "complicit and an active participant" in the February violence in which 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed, according to an investigation by Amnesty International India. "The Delhi police personnel were complicit and an active participant in the violence that took place in Delhi in February 2020, yet in the last six months not a single investigation has been opened into the human rights violations committed by the Delhi police," the rights group said in a statement on Friday. Amnesty said it spoke to riot survivors, witnesses, human rights activists and retired police officers and analysed several user-generated videos for the investigation that reveals a "disturbing pattern of grave human rights violations committed by the Delhi police during the riots".
"The Delhi police personnel were complicit and an active participant in the violence that took place in Delhi in February 2020, yet in the last six months not a single investigation has been opened into the human rights violations committed by the Delhi police," the rights group said in a statement on Friday.
Amnesty said it spoke to riot survivors, witnesses, human rights activists and retired police officers and analysed several user-generated videos for the investigation that reveals a "disturbing pattern of grave human rights violations committed by the Delhi police during the riots".
Thomas Piketty confirmed that his latest book won't be published in China, since he refused to bow to censors' demands to cut a section on rising inequality under the CCP in China https://t.co/UeWlr7yTm7— Laurie Chen (@lauriechenwords) August 30, 2020
Thomas Piketty confirmed that his latest book won't be published in China, since he refused to bow to censors' demands to cut a section on rising inequality under the CCP in China https://t.co/UeWlr7yTm7
In a crowded field, this publication is up there with the most unashamed Anglo-American state propaganda organs. Pravda for NATO neoliberals. pic.twitter.com/V1rHUpJH91— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) August 31, 2020
In a crowded field, this publication is up there with the most unashamed Anglo-American state propaganda organs. Pravda for NATO neoliberals. pic.twitter.com/V1rHUpJH91
Pravda still exists, btw, and is vehemently against the "criminal-oligarchic" regime, even more so than the notorious Mr. Navalnyi.
It's the main opposition party organ, but that party being Communists, having a program of "social justice, support for working class, young families, children, students and pensioners" it's not as popular in Western media as certain anti-corruption blogger.
MELBOURNE -- The land now known as Australia is an invaded, colonized place. When the invaders arrived, they settled on the basis of the legal fiction of terra nullius, or land belonging to no one, despite the existence of more than 500 clans or nations of Traditional Owner groups. Digging up this land is the cornerstone of Australia's modern economy. The rocks we've sold to China have seen us avoid recession for 29 years. And while our run of economic growth has ended, we're ever more dependent on blowing up, digging out and putting our land on ships to make steel for buildings in faraway places. Australia's determination to ignore its Indigenous people and their heritage in favor of economic exploitation was made evident in May, when news broke that mining giant Rio Tinto had deliberately destroyed the Juukan Gorge Caves, a cultural site of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Traditional Owner (PKKP) people of Western Australia.
Digging up this land is the cornerstone of Australia's modern economy. The rocks we've sold to China have seen us avoid recession for 29 years. And while our run of economic growth has ended, we're ever more dependent on blowing up, digging out and putting our land on ships to make steel for buildings in faraway places.
Australia's determination to ignore its Indigenous people and their heritage in favor of economic exploitation was made evident in May, when news broke that mining giant Rio Tinto had deliberately destroyed the Juukan Gorge Caves, a cultural site of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura Traditional Owner (PKKP) people of Western Australia.
And yet, on Australia's National Sorry Day -- which remembers the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities -- Rio Tinto went ahead with its plans. Because of the weak protections offered by the outdated Aboriginal Heritage Act of 1972 (WA), Rio Tinto's destruction of the site was, in fact, lawful.
Because of the weak protections offered by the outdated Aboriginal Heritage Act of 1972 (WA), Rio Tinto's destruction of the site was, in fact, lawful.
Good riddance.
"Dinosaurs had their shot and Nature selected them for extinction!"
Next up: Europe! -----sapere aude
.@UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria releases report on how SNA, with Turkish military forces support, committed war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment and torture, and rape. Looting and appropriation of land was rife, particularly in Kurdish areas. https://t.co/pfBSZSg1pS— Rejna Alaaldin ڕێژنه علاءالدين (@RejnaAlaaldin) September 17, 2020
.@UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria releases report on how SNA, with Turkish military forces support, committed war crimes of hostage-taking, cruel treatment and torture, and rape. Looting and appropriation of land was rife, particularly in Kurdish areas. https://t.co/pfBSZSg1pS
`Artificial coronavirus' study linked to Steve Bannon and Chinese fugitive Guo Wengui - SCMP
A foundation associated with fugitive Chinese tycoon Guo Wengui and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is linked to a non-peer-reviewed study that alleges the coronavirus is an artificial pathogen. The Rule of Law Foundation's name appears on the title page of the paper published on the Zenodo open-access research repository on Monday. In the paper's abstract, the researchers said the theory of a natural origin of the coronavirus "although widely accepted, lacks substantial support". "The alternative theory that the virus may have come from a research laboratory is, however, strictly censored on peer-reviewed scientific journals," it said. The study's first author is Yan Limeng , a former University of Hong Kong postdoctoral researcher who alleged in July that HKU silenced her when she claimed to have discovered early in the outbreak that the coronavirus could be transmitted between people. Yan made the allegations on Fox News and claimed she made the discovery three weeks before the Chinese government confirmed human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus on January 20.
The Rule of Law Foundation's name appears on the title page of the paper published on the Zenodo open-access research repository on Monday.
In the paper's abstract, the researchers said the theory of a natural origin of the coronavirus "although widely accepted, lacks substantial support".
"The alternative theory that the virus may have come from a research laboratory is, however, strictly censored on peer-reviewed scientific journals," it said.
The study's first author is Yan Limeng , a former University of Hong Kong postdoctoral researcher who alleged in July that HKU silenced her when she claimed to have discovered early in the outbreak that the coronavirus could be transmitted between people.
Yan made the allegations on Fox News and claimed she made the discovery three weeks before the Chinese government confirmed human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus on January 20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFDgsa5fz9w
SleepyJoe and Pelosi should take it on the road:
With the victory of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) in the Bolivian elections on October 18, the de facto coup government presided over by Jeanine Áñez, has requested visas from the United States for its officials according to a US-based network. NBC news network journalist Tom Brokaw reported Thursday on a letter from Jeanine Áñez, in which he has requested 350 visas from the U.S. government for officials of his de facto coup government. The report, cited by the communication platform Resumen Latinoamericano, indicates that the reason behind the request is the concern that the Bolivian de facto government has about being prosecuted by the government of President-elect Luis Arce Catacora.
NBC news network journalist Tom Brokaw reported Thursday on a letter from Jeanine Áñez, in which he has requested 350 visas from the U.S. government for officials of his de facto coup government.
The report, cited by the communication platform Resumen Latinoamericano, indicates that the reason behind the request is the concern that the Bolivian de facto government has about being prosecuted by the government of President-elect Luis Arce Catacora.
Nearly all the oil from a damaged Japanese ship that caused a spill off the coast of Mauritius has now been removed, the country's Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said on Wednesday. The prime minister's office also said that everything in the ship's fuel tanks had been removed but there was still residue in parts of the ship. Jugnauth said Mauritius will seek compensation from the ship's owner, Nagashiki Shipping, for the environmental damage it has caused. MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier, has been stranded on a coral reef off the nation's coast for over two weeks now. The vessel ran aground on July 25 and has since leaked an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil into coral reefs, mangrove forests and protected wetlands.
The prime minister's office also said that everything in the ship's fuel tanks had been removed but there was still residue in parts of the ship.
Jugnauth said Mauritius will seek compensation from the ship's owner, Nagashiki Shipping, for the environmental damage it has caused.
MV Wakashio, a bulk carrier, has been stranded on a coral reef off the nation's coast for over two weeks now.
The vessel ran aground on July 25 and has since leaked an estimated 1,000 tonnes of oil into coral reefs, mangrove forests and protected wetlands.
Ship leaking tonnes of oil off Mauritius splits apart
A grounded Japanese-owned ship that leaked tonnes of oil near protected areas off the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius has split apart, with remaining fuel spreading into the turquoise waters. The bulk carrier struck a coral reef off Mauritius on July 25 and its hull began to crack after days of pounding waves. Some 1,000 tonnes of fuel began to leak on August 6, threatening a protected marine park boasting mangrove forests and endangered species.
The bulk carrier struck a coral reef off Mauritius on July 25 and its hull began to crack after days of pounding waves. Some 1,000 tonnes of fuel began to leak on August 6, threatening a protected marine park boasting mangrove forests and endangered species.
Thousands march in Mauritius over dead dolphins, oil spill, Aug 29 "Another protest is planned on Sept. 12 in Mahebourg, one of the most affected coastal villages, Cassimally said."
Two Mauritians killed in accident near site of Japanese ship oil spill, Sep 1
The Japanese government said in a statement that it would send a team of five people to Mauritius on Sept. 20.
Japan previously told Mauritius it would offer support on an "unprecedented scale."
It is unusual to find a fully instrumented weather station which experienced a hurricane eyewall passage. It's like out of a textbook. pic.twitter.com/aLhQVL4uKZ— Geoff Fox (@geofffox) August 28, 2020
It is unusual to find a fully instrumented weather station which experienced a hurricane eyewall passage. It's like out of a textbook. pic.twitter.com/aLhQVL4uKZ
The data is updated each Tuesday and released on Thursday. This map shows the drought conditions on September 08, 2020, unexpectedly. The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1-D4) in California lasted 376 weeks beginning on December 27, 2011 and ending on March 5th, 2019 [?!]. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of July 29, 2014 where D4 affected 58.41% of California land.
chartered by Indian Oil Corp (IOC) [...] The ship sailed from the port of Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait, loaded with Kuwait Export Crude, Refinitiv Eikon tracking data showed. It was headed for the Indian port of Paradip, where state-run IOC has a 300,000 barrel-per-day refinery.
The smoke blocked out so much sunlight that a forecast for temperatures to climb to 90 degrees (32 Celsius) instead dipped to the 60s (15.5 Celsius) as though "we're in perpetual morning without the sun to help us warm up," said Drew Peterson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Bay Area office. Some of the smoke settled in San Francisco Bay and formed a 15-mile (24-kilometer) trail of ash along the tidal line, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Borrmann said the conditions were expected to linger until Friday. By then, the district expects to issue its 25th consecutive Spare The Air alert requiring residents to cut pollution -- the longest stretch since the program began in 1991. The alerts began Aug. 18 after thousands of lightning strikes ignited three massive wildfires to the north, south and east of San Francisco. The previous streak was 14 days of alerts in 2018 when the Bay Area was choked by smoke from a fire that devastated the town of Paradise and killed 85 people. This time, strong winds from the north and northeast pushed smoke from devastating wildfires in the Sierra Nevada foothills and in Oregon and Washington state into lower elevations. A fire that exploded in size Tuesday and prompted evacuation orders for some 20,000 people in Oroville sent the air quality index in Sacramento to a hazardous reading at one point.
Some of the smoke settled in San Francisco Bay and formed a 15-mile (24-kilometer) trail of ash along the tidal line, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Borrmann said the conditions were expected to linger until Friday. By then, the district expects to issue its 25th consecutive Spare The Air alert requiring residents to cut pollution -- the longest stretch since the program began in 1991. The alerts began Aug. 18 after thousands of lightning strikes ignited three massive wildfires to the north, south and east of San Francisco.
The previous streak was 14 days of alerts in 2018 when the Bay Area was choked by smoke from a fire that devastated the town of Paradise and killed 85 people.
This time, strong winds from the north and northeast pushed smoke from devastating wildfires in the Sierra Nevada foothills and in Oregon and Washington state into lower elevations. A fire that exploded in size Tuesday and prompted evacuation orders for some 20,000 people in Oroville sent the air quality index in Sacramento to a hazardous reading at one point.
A claim that can now be seen to be utterly and completely wrong. Sweden, which did not lock down, has had a death rate of 0.0058 percent.
Of total population (about 10 million), yes. Of infected, no.
According to anti-body studies about 6% of the Swedish population has had Covid. As of today 5863 died from it. So about 1% of infected died.
And, as I have pointed out before, while Sweden did not have a lock down, the actions taken meant that spread peaked in mid March (and deaths in late April), and then declined which is why only 6% has been infected. It didn't decline as fast as countries with lockdown.
This is what happens when people think "no lockdown = no effective measures".
Marge Simpson responded to a tweet uploaded by a senior advisor to president Donald Trump in which she mocks vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, comparing her voice that of "The Simpsons" character. In a video uploaded to Twitter, Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) said that she feels disrespected by Jenna Ellis' comment, which she interpreted as an insult to both herself and to Harris.
In a video uploaded to Twitter, Marge (voiced by Julie Kavner) said that she feels disrespected by Jenna Ellis' comment, which she interpreted as an insult to both herself and to Harris.
Marge Simpson has something to say. pic.twitter.com/viux96bAPf— TheSimpsons (@TheSimpsons) August 14, 2020
Marge Simpson has something to say. pic.twitter.com/viux96bAPf
Under ByteDance's latest proposal, Oracle would be the firm's technology partner and assume management of TikTok's U.S. user data, sources told Reuters on Sunday. Oracle is also negotiating taking a stake in TikTok's U.S. operations, they said. The data is currently stored in Alphabet Inc's ["]cloud["].
The data is currently stored in Alphabet Inc's ["]cloud["].
There is a more basic reason for describing the UK and US as plutocracies, and that is by analysing how we got here. The place to start is neoliberalism. Neoliberalism eulogizes the market. In the past I've characterised the ideology as what you might believe if you did Econ 101 (a first year course) and skipped some of the lectures on market imperfections. However an ideal market for any economist involves competition, and as any student doing Econ 101 would know, any form of imperfect competition takes you away from that ideal. However neoliberalism in practice has become increasingly relaxed about monopoly power. Colin Crouch distinguishes between what he calls market-neoliberals and monopoly-neoliberals. Neoliberalism's success owes a great deal to it being a very attractive ideology for the wealthy, and that in turn helps explain why it has been increasingly relaxed about monopoly. Wealthy funders of think tanks that promote neoliberalism, like the IEA in the UK, will not look kindly on the think tank suggesting their monopoly should be broken up. This is an illustration of how neoliberalism has increasingly adapted as an ideology to serve the interests of wealthy individuals. It is no accident that under neoliberalism the relative incomes of the 1% and 0.1% have taken off, which greatly increases both the ability and incentive for the wealthly to meddle in politics.
Neoliberalism's success owes a great deal to it being a very attractive ideology for the wealthy, and that in turn helps explain why it has been increasingly relaxed about monopoly. Wealthy funders of think tanks that promote neoliberalism, like the IEA in the UK, will not look kindly on the think tank suggesting their monopoly should be broken up. This is an illustration of how neoliberalism has increasingly adapted as an ideology to serve the interests of wealthy individuals. It is no accident that under neoliberalism the relative incomes of the 1% and 0.1% have taken off, which greatly increases both the ability and incentive for the wealthly to meddle in politics.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, on multiple occasions brought with them from Israel suitcases of clothes to be laundered and dry cleaned while staying at the White House guesthouse, the Washington Post reported Wednesday.
Jay Powell, September 16, 2020, 3:18 pm EST "I would say it was notable for the lack of the emergence of some sort of a financial bubble, the popping of which could threaten the expansion. That didn't happen."#FamousLastWords— Danielle DiMartino Booth (@DiMartinoBooth) September 16, 2020
Jay Powell, September 16, 2020, 3:18 pm EST "I would say it was notable for the lack of the emergence of some sort of a financial bubble, the popping of which could threaten the expansion. That didn't happen."#FamousLastWords
Yesterday the best person in a world, my husband and my friend .@davidgraeber died in a hospital in Venice.— Nika Dubrovsky (@nikadubrovsky) September 3, 2020
Yesterday the best person in a world, my husband and my friend .@davidgraeber died in a hospital in Venice.
I don't know who writes these tweets but they should be fired. This is either awful PR or intentionally trying to alienate someone for internal political reasons. If you're non-ideological, doesn't that mean you're not socialist OR pro-capitalist? Why leave one of the two out? https://t.co/vYxmZqsckD— David Graeber (@davidgraeber) September 2, 2020
I don't know who writes these tweets but they should be fired. This is either awful PR or intentionally trying to alienate someone for internal political reasons. If you're non-ideological, doesn't that mean you're not socialist OR pro-capitalist? Why leave one of the two out? https://t.co/vYxmZqsckD
Now we know why we speak of 20:20 vision, and 20:20 hindsight. We thought it was an ophthalmologist's crazy numbering system. In fact, it was a warning from a time traveller.
Boris Johnson has clashed with Brussels over an 11th-hour attempt to save British passport holders from hours of delays at European airports from the end of the year. The government is seeking continued use by UK nationals of the automatic e-gates used by EU nationals at airports and Eurostar terminals. The move is seen by the European commission as an attempt to keep Britons in faster lanes rather than having to queue up with the rest of the world after the end of the transition period. Studies suggest the loss of access to automatic gates and the need for extra passport checks could delay Britons by an extra hour as they move through some European airports. The issue has been raised in the ongoing trade and security negotiations, and the government has made contact with a number of member states in an attempt to retain access to the e-gates.
The government is seeking continued use by UK nationals of the automatic e-gates used by EU nationals at airports and Eurostar terminals. The move is seen by the European commission as an attempt to keep Britons in faster lanes rather than having to queue up with the rest of the world after the end of the transition period.
Studies suggest the loss of access to automatic gates and the need for extra passport checks could delay Britons by an extra hour as they move through some European airports. The issue has been raised in the ongoing trade and security negotiations, and the government has made contact with a number of member states in an attempt to retain access to the e-gates.
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