The United States announced Thursday that it would require the center that runs the Confucius Institute to register as a foreign mission of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, alleging the group’s Chinese language courses are part of a widespread campaign of influence and propaganda in the U.S.In a statement, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented the Confucius Institute U.S. Center in Washington as “an entity advancing Beijing’s global propaganda and malign influence campaign on U.S. campuses and K-12 classrooms” and said that the center “has taken advantage of America’s openness.”The announcement comes of the heels of another spat over the fate of popular video app TikTok. Over the past several months, the U.S. and China have exchanged blows over the coronavirus pandemic, civil liberties in Hong Kong, sovereignty infringement in the South China Sea and trade.U.S. officials have also warned of increasing attempts by Chinese agents to steal trade and military secrets, especially at universities.David Stilwell, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, emphasized that the Institute would not be banned.“We’re not kicking them out,” he said in a briefing. “We’re just highlighting the fact that these folks do work for the Ministry of Education of the [Chinese] Communist Party.”In May, a bipartisan group of U.S. college campus political organizations — the College Republican National Committee and the College Democrats of America — issued an open letter calling to close all Confucius Institutes in the United States, citing China’s human rights record with particular emphasis on the government crackdown in Hong Kong.In January, however, the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) expressed a different view.”We do support the type of work done by Confucius Institutes in terms of building libraries, funding Chinese language classes and promoting cultural exchanges,” AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella told VOA. “Our experience has not uncovered any evidence of interference by the Chinese government or infringements on academic freedom.”China is our greatest collaborator for scientific research, and over-surveillance will have a negative impact on knowledge generation,” she said.Organizations designated as foreign missions must submit reports to the U.S. government about its funding, personnel, curriculum and activities that occur in the U.S.About 500 K-12 classrooms and 65 campus chapters run by the institute may be affected if the new designation requires shifts in organizational procedure or programming.Academic exchanges would still occur as usual, Stilwell said, but urged campuses to take a “hard look” at their ties to Chinese-based programs.Pompeo said he wanted to ensure that American schools “can make informed choices about whether these CCP (Chinese Communist Party)-backed programs should be allowed to continue, and if so, in what fashion.”Earlier this year, the U.S. government declared that four Chinese media outlets would be added to the “foreign missions” list because of their relationship to the Chinese government.According to Stilwell, the U.S. government is open to restoring good relations with Asian economic giant but expressed frustration that their concerns appear to go unheeded.“We are having discussions and we’re emphasizing to them that they need to address our fundamental concerns, and we will take steps if they do not,” Stilwell said.
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Month: August 2020
Trump Announces ‘Historic Breakthrough’ Between Israel, UAE
Israel and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to establish full diplomatic ties as part of a U.S.-brokered deal, President Donald Trump announced Thursday.Trump is calling the agreement the “Abraham Accord” after the father of three monotheistic religions founded in the Middle East — Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It is only the third peace deal Israel has made with an Arab nation since Israel became an independent state in 1948. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces full diplomatic ties will be established with the United Arab Emirates, during a news conference in Jerusalem, Aug. 13, 2020.Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed Al Nahyan said they hope the “historic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East.””Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates’ lead,” Trump said, during an Oval Office announcement where he was surrounded by members of his administration who helped broker the deal.Emirati Muslims can now pray in the historic Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam, Trump added.WATCH: President Trump announces agreement Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
FILE – Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks a campaign event in Wilmington, Delaware, July 28, 2020.Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who opposes Israeli annexation plans, said, “The United Arab Emirates and Israel have pointed a path toward a more peaceful, stable Middle East,” he said adding that a Biden administration will seek to build on this progress.A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says Guterres “welcomes this agreement, hoping it will create an opportunity for Israeli and Palestinian leaders to re-engage in meaningful negotiations that will realize a two state-solution in line with relevant U.N. resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements.”Palestinian angerPalestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with his senior aides late Thursday. His spokesman called the deal “treason” and urged the UAE to cancel the agreement. The spokesman urged other Arab countries not to follow suit “at the expense of Palestinian rights.”FILE – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, Feb. 11, 2020.Abbas is recalling his ambassador to the UAE, the official Palestinian news agency said.The UAE is the third Gulf Arab country to normalize relations with Israel, after Egypt and Jordan, and the first in the Gulf.While Israel and the UAE have never fought a war and there was almost no chance of one breaking out, the UAE has always rejected closer ties with Israel because of lack of progress toward a Palestinian peace agreement.But Middle East analysts say the UAE shares Israel’s contempt for and distrust of Iran and its proxies and militant groups such Hamas.Patsy Widakuswara, Margaret Besheer, Wayne Lee and Madeline Hart contributed to this report.
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Turkey Pays Price as It Seeks to Save Tourism Amid Pandemic
Turkey is seeking to save its vital tourism sector amid the coronavirus pandemic, but the easing of restrictions as part of the government’s return to normalcy is leading to a surge in infections. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul on the government’s difficult balancing act.
Camera: Berke Bas
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Thousands in Belarus Form ‘Lines of Solidarity’ in Protest
Crowds of protesters in Belarus swarmed the streets and thousands of workers rallied outside industrial plants Thursday to denounce a police crackdown on demonstrations over a disputed election that extended the 26-year rule of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Beginning in the morning, hundreds of women formed long “lines of solidarity” in several areas of the capital, Minsk. Many were dressed in white and carried flowers and portraits of loved ones who have been detained during protests that began shortly after Sunday’s vote, which they said was rigged. The human chains grew throughout the day, filling the main central squares and avenues as motorists honked in support. In Minsk and many other cities, thousands of factory workers also rallied against the police violence, raising the prospect of strikes in a new challenge to the government. Amid growing public dismay, dozens of military and police veterans posted videos in which they dumped their uniforms and insignia in the trash. Several popular anchors at Belarus’ state TV stations have quit. People hold a handmade banner of an old Belarusian national flag as they gather to protest results of the country’s presidential election in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 13, 2020.Nearly 7,000 people have been detained and hundreds injured in the clampdown on demonstrators protesting the official results that said Lukashenko won 80% of the vote and his top opposition challenger got only 10%. Police have broken up protests with stun grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets and severe beatings. “Belarusians have seen the villainous face of this government. I argued with my husband and voted for Lukashenko. And this is what I got in the end — I can’t find my relatives in prisons,” said Valentina Chailytko, 49, whose husband and son were detained in protests Sunday. She has been unable to get any information on their whereabouts. One protester died Monday in Minsk after, the Interior Ministry says, an explosive device he tried to throw at police blew up in his hand. Some media reports have challenged that official version. Neither the ministry nor the media outlets have provided evidence. Thousands of people converged Thursday on the place where he died, many carrying flowers. European ambassadors also laid flowers at the site earlier in the day. The authorities also confirmed that a detainee died in the southeastern city of Gomel, but the circumstances of his death weren’t immediately clear. ‘War against us’Hundreds of medical workers joined the demonstrations Thursday in Minsk and many other cities. “There is a feeling that a war is going on, but it’s a war against us,” said Mikhail Portnov, a 33-year-old general practitioner. “We, doctors, see the price of this war as no one else. We were ready for violence, but the brutality of it has crossed all limits.” The unprecedented public opposition and unrest has been driven by the painful economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and Lukashenko’s dismissal of the outbreak as a “psychosis.” The vote and the brutality of the subsequent crackdown — remarkable even for Lukashenko’s iron-fisted rule — have made the anger boil over. The 65-year-old former state farm director has been in power since 1994 and was nicknamed “Europe’s last dictator” by the West for his suppression of dissent. “You can see the election result in the streets,” said 32-year old engineer Andrei Gubarevich, who joined a demonstration in Minsk. “Lukashenko has already lost.” Belarus’ Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe into the organization of mass rioting — an indication authorities may start leveling those charges against some detainees. The charges could carry prison terms of up to 15 years for those found guilty. The ministry said 103 police officers have been injured since Sunday, and 28 of them were hospitalized. In Minsk and the western city of Baranovichi, people ran over traffic police with their vehicles on Wednesday before being detained. Global reactionThe brutal suppression of protests drew harsh criticism in the West.The European Union foreign ministers are set to meet Friday to discuss a response, and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the 27-nation bloc would “increase the pressure” on Belarus. “The brutal actions and the arrest of peaceful protesters and even journalists in Belarus isn’t acceptable in Europe in the 21st century,” he told reporters in Berlin. A member of the Belarus diaspora holds a placard depicting Alexander Lukashenko with blood on his mouth during a rally outside the Belarusian embassy in Kyiv, Aug. 13, 2020.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the election wasn’t free or fair and urged the government to refrain from violence against peaceful protesters. “I’m confident that EU and the United States fully share the same concerns about what has taken place and what is taking place in Belarus and I’m very hopeful that we can collectively work in a way that gets a better outcome for the people of Belarus,” Pompeo said Thursday on a visit to Slovenia. Police responsePolice appeared to scale back their response on Wednesday. In many parts of Minsk, the all-female “lines of solidarity” stood unchallenged for some time before police dispersed some of them without violence. Similar peaceful demonstrations were seen across the capital and other cities Thursday, but police refrained from dispersing them immediately. People react during an opposition rally to protest against police violence and to reject the presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus, Aug. 13, 2020.Also Thursday, hundreds of workers at plants across the country, including the huge truck factories in Minsk and Zhodino, held rallies to protest the clampdown and demand a recount of the vote. Many shouted “Go away!” to demand Lukashenko’s resignation. During a meeting with workers of a plant in Grodno, near the border with Poland, the local police chief apologized for the violent crackdown, according to tut.by news portal. The demonstrations have spread even though the protest lacks leaders. The top opposition challenger in the vote, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, suddenly emerged Tuesday in neighboring Lithuania and called on her supporters to stop protests in a video that her associates said was recorded under pressure from law enforcement officials before she left. The 37-year-old former teacher joined the race to replace her husband, an opposition blogger, who has been jailed since May. Lukashenko has derided the political opposition as “sheep” manipulated by foreign masters and vowed to continue taking a tough position on protests. But that has not deterred many. “Protests will only grow,” said 25-year-old demonstrator Anna Shestakova in Minsk. “They can cheat some, but they can’t cheat the entire people.”
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Feds: Yale Discriminates Against Asian, White Applicants
A Justice Department investigation has found Yale University is illegally discriminating against Asian American and white applicants, in violation of federal civil rights law, officials said Thursday. Yale denied the allegation, calling it “meritless” and “hasty.” The findings detailed in a letter to the college’s attorneys Thursday mark the latest action by the Trump administration aimed at rooting out discrimination in the college application process, following complaints from students about the application process at some Ivy League colleges. The Justice Department had previously filed court papers siding with Asian American groups who had leveled similar allegations against Harvard University. The two-year investigation concluded that Yale “rejects scores of Asian American and white applicants each year based on their race, whom it otherwise would admit,” the Justice Department said. The investigation stemmed from a 2016 complaint against Yale, Brown and Dartmouth. “Yale’s race discrimination imposes undue and unlawful penalties on racially disfavored applicants, including in particular Asian American and white applicants,” Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband, who heads the department’s civil rights division, wrote in a letter to the college’s attorneys. Prosecutors found that Yale has been discriminating against applicants to its undergraduate program based on their race and national origin and “that race is the determinative factor in hundreds of admissions decisions each year.” The investigation concluded that Asian American and white students have “only one-tenth to one-fourth of the likelihood of admission as African American applicants with comparable academic credentials,” the Justice Department said. “Unlawfully dividing Americans into racial and ethnic blocs fosters stereotypes, bitterness, and division,” Dreiband said in a statement. “It is past time for American institutions to recognize that all people should be treated with decency and respect and without unlawful regard to the color of their skin.” The investigation also found that Yale uses race as a factor in multiple steps of the admissions process and that Yale “racially balances its classes.” The Supreme Court has ruled colleges and universities may consider race in admissions decisions but has said that must be done in a narrowly tailored way to promote diversity and should be limited in time. Schools also bear the burden of showing why their consideration of race is appropriate. Response from YaleIn a statement, Yale said it “categorically denies this allegation,” has cooperated fully with the investigation and has been continually turning over “a substantial amount of information and data.” “Given our commitment to complying with federal law, we are dismayed that the DOJ has made its determination before allowing Yale to provide all the information the Department has requested thus far,” the university said in a statement. “Had the Department fully received and fairly weighed this information, it would have concluded that Yale’s practices absolutely comply with decades of Supreme Court precedent.” The university said it considers a multitude of factors and looks at “the whole person when selecting whom to admit among the many thousands of highly qualified applicants.” “We are proud of Yale’s admissions practices, and we will not change them on the basis of such a meritless, hasty accusation,” the statement said. The Justice Department has demanded that Yale immediately stop and agree not to use race or national origin for upcoming admissions. The government also says that if Yale proposes that it will continue to use race or national origin as a factor in future admission cycles, the college must first submit a plan to the Justice Department “demonstrating its proposal is narrowly tailored as required by law, including by identifying a date for the end of race discrimination.” FILE – A gate opens to the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 13, 2018.Harvard admissionsThe Justice Department has also previously raised similar concerns about Harvard University, which prosecutors accused of “engaging in outright racial balancing,” siding with Asian American students in a lawsuit who allege the Ivy League school discriminated against them. A federal judge in 2019 cleared Harvard of discriminating against Asian American applicants in a ruling that was seen as a major victory for supporters of affirmative action in college admissions across the U.S. That ruling has been appealed and arguments are scheduled for next month. In the Harvard case, the Justice Department had argued that the university went too far in its use of race, but the judge disagreed. Though the Supreme Court has ruled that colleges’ use of race in admissions must be “narrowly tailored” and can be only a “plus factor,” past rulings still give colleges wide latitude in considering a wide range of factors, including race, as they build their classes.
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Арешт українців у Мінську, божевільний лука та як ми не бачимо внутрішню Білорусь
Арешт українців у Мінську, божевільний лука та як ми не бачимо внутрішню Білорусь.
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Блог про українську політику та актуальні події в нашій країні
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Найкращі пропозиції товарів і послуг в Мережі Купуй!
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Халтура пукина в Крыму: от “экстренного водопровода” шойгу, воды больше не стало…
Халтура пукина в Крыму: от “экстренного водопровода” шойгу, воды больше не стало…
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Ключевая проблема Крыма – обеспечение его водой – оккупантами так и не решена…
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Обиженный карлик пукин снова хочет сполна отхватить в Сирии и получить кучу груза-200
Обиженный карлик пукин снова хочет сполна отхватить в Сирии и получить кучу груза-200.
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Агрессивные действия обиженного карлика пукина на Ближнем Востоке продолжают создавать напряженность в регионе.За прошедшие сутки стало ясно, что обиженный на вес мир карлик пукин готовит полномасштабное наступление
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10 млрд евро вбуханные в северный поток 2 придётся списать, как невозвратные!
Сосиска в спину путляндии: 10 млрд евро вбуханные в северный поток 2 придётся списать, как невозвратные!
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Очередное свидетельство того, что газовый трубопровод северный поток 2 утонул в водах Балтийского моря навсегда пришло из Германии, где представители немецкого концерна Uniper, который является одним из партнеров Газпрома в прокладке потока, заявили, что инвестиции в проект в размере 10 млрд евро судя по всему придется списать, как невозвратные
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Вакцина “путинка” или вторая серия мультиков с ракетами обиженного карлика пукина
Вакцина “путинка” или вторая серия мультиков с ракетами обиженного карлика пукина.
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Обиженного карлика пукина все чаще тянет показать что-то впереди планеты всей. И если раньше был космос, а к нему – нефть и газ, которыми можно было хвастаться как чем-то «самым-самым», то теперь ситуация изменилась. Приходится показывать мультики с ракетами и тому подобную дичь. Но во всех таких мероприятиях читается желание всех опередить хоть в чем-то. Из этого разряда новость, объявление которой обиженный карлик пукин взял на себя лично
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WHO: Congo Facing Growing Ebola Crisis
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a growing Ebola outbreak in its northwest Equateur province in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) says. At his COVID-19 news briefing in Geneva on Thursday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak is a “worrying” development, with 86 cases confirmed in the province. He said the DRC government faces significant logistical challenges in trying to rapidly investigate and respond to the outbreak because the cases are spread over a vast area, sometimes separated by more than 250 kilometers, and many areas are accessible only by helicopter or boat. Tedros said the WHO has about 100 staff in the DRC and is working with the Ministry of Health, nongovernmental agencies, and people in communities to address the outbreak. He said his agency has also released $2.5 million in emergency response funds to support the immediate response. But he said more funding is needed to bring the outbreak under control and urged the international community to contribute. He said the WHO, working with the DRC government as well as local and international partners collectively defeated a similar outbreak in the eastern part of the country, what he called “one of the most difficult Ebola outbreaks the world has ever faced.” Tedros said he knows from experience that this is not just a matter for one country’s health security. “It is a matter of global health security. Whether it’s COVID-19, Ebola or other high impact epidemics, we must be prepared, we need to be on high alert and we need to respond quickly.”
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Chinese Cities Find Virus in Brazilian Chicken Wings, Ecuadorian Shrimp Packaging
Two cities in China have found traces of the new coronavirus in imported frozen food and on food packaging, local authorities said on Thursday, raising fears that contaminated food shipments might cause new outbreaks.A sample taken from the surface of frozen chicken wings imported into the southern city of Shenzhen from Brazil, as well as samples of outer packaging of frozen Ecuadorian shrimp sold in the northwestern Xi’An city, have tested positive for the virus, local authorities said on Thursday.The discoveries came a day after traces of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 were found on the packaging of frozen shrimp from Ecuador in a city in eastern Anhui province. China has been stepping up screenings at ports amid the concerns over food imports.Shenzhen’s health authorities traced and tested everyone who might have come into contact with potentially contaminated food products, and all results were negative, the city’s notice said.The Brazilian embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not immediately reach the Ecuadorean embassy in Beijing.”It is hard to say at which stage the frozen chicken got infected,” said a China-based official at a Brazilian meat exporter.The Shenzhen Epidemic Prevention and Control Headquarters said the public needed to take precautions to reduce infection risks from imported meat and seafood.The health commission of Shannxi province, where Xi’An city is located, said authorities are testing people and the surrounding environment connected to the contaminated shrimp products sold in a local market.In addition to screening all meat and seafood containers coming into major ports in recent months, China has suspended some meat imports from various origins, including Brazil, since mid-June.The first cluster of COVID-19 cases was linked to the Huanan seafood market in the city of Wuhan. Initial studies suggested the virus originated in animal products on sale at the market.Li Fengqin, who heads a microbiology lab at the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment told reporters in June the possibility of contaminated frozen food causing new infections could not be ruled out.Viruses can survive up to two years at temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius, but scientists say there is no strong evidence so far the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can spread via frozen food.Xinfadi market in China’s capital city Beijing, a sprawling food market linked to cluster infections in June, where virus was found on the chopping board on which imported salmons were handled, will be reopened from the weekend.How the virus entered the market in the first place is yet to be determined, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in its latest update of the investigation in July.
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Nearly 130 Killed in South Sudan’s Warrap State After Argument During Disarmament Exercise
Nearly 130 people have been killed and thousands more displaced in violence over the past week in South Sudan’s Warrap state, according to a South Sudanese army spokesman.During a government campaign Saturday to disarm civilians in Tonj East County, an argument erupted between a group of youths and soldiers in the town of Romic, according to County Executive Director Makuei Mabior.The clashes left 127 people dead, including 82 civilians, according to Army spokesperson Major General Lul Ruai Koang.“Unfortunately, the number of casualties on the side of our civilians is rising,” Koang told VOA’s South Sudan in Focus on Thursday. He said 45 soldiers were among the dead.Family members missing Tonj East resident Makol Tong accused soldiers of killing and raping civilians. Tong, who fled his home and is in hiding with one of his children, said he is still searching for several members of his family.“I am now with only one child. Five other children are still missing; their mother is missing too, my brother, my sister and my mother all are still missing until now. I only managed to escape with this one child,” Tong told VOA.Many people hiding in the bush like himself are in desperate need of food and medicine, added Tong.“For these five days we have spent here, we are surviving on wild leaves. I pick them, chew it and give it to my child. I chew another and swallow it for myself. That is how we are surviving here,” he said.One local woman, who asked not to be identified, said she tried to escape Romic when she heard gunshots. She alleged a group of soldiers captured and gang raped her Saturday evening.“I was trying to collect my things in the market when they caught me. They were like 10 men. Right now, my abdomen is hurting and there is no hospital I can go to,” the woman told VOA.Military waiting for informationMajor General Koang on Thursday would neither confirm nor deny accusations that soldiers raped and killed civilians.“I can only confirm after I get in touch with relevant authorities on the ground,” Koang told South Sudan in Focus.Need for foodLocal chief Mawan Dhur is urging government officials to punish two generals who led the disarmament exercise.“Perhaps the government of Kiir doesn’t want us anymore, the way it has shot at us,” Dhur told South Sudan in Focus, referring to South Sudan’s president, Salva Kiir. “There is no weapon they have not used against the civilians here. They have used all kinds of artillery, including tanks. I would like to tell the government, if you don’t have another agenda against us, rescue us from hunger and give us medical supplies.”
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Trump Opposes New Postal Funding Because It Would Boost Mail-in Voting
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday he is opposed to Democratic demands for billions of dollars in new spending for the U.S. Postal Service because it would ease the path for mail-in voting in the November national election that he has claimed without evidence would lead to massive fraud and rig the vote against him.Trump told the Fox Business Network, “Now they need that money in order to make the post office work, so it can take all of these millions and millions of ballots. But if they don’t get those two items, that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting, because they’re not equipped to have it.”Trump said, “The items are ($25 billion) for the post office and the $3.5 billion for mail-in voting. If we don’t make the deal, that means they can’t have the money, that means they can’t have universal mail-in voting. It just can’t happen.”The White House negotiations with opposition Democratic lawmakers have included discussions over the Postal Service funding, along with a broader package of aid for jobless workers, American families, businesses and state and local governments affected by the unabated coronavirus pandemic in the United States.But the talks collapsed a week ago over the postal funding and the extent of other coronavirus aid, with Democrats calling for more spending and Republicans less. Efforts to resume the talks failed on Wednesday.In March, the Republican Trump voiced another reason he is opposed to increased mail-in voting – that it would lead to more votes for Democrats.He said then that it would lead to “levels of voting that, if you ever agreed to it, you’d never have a Republican elected in this country again.”Trump has repeatedly voiced his opposition to mail-in voting, claiming it is rife with fraud, although instances of corruption in U.S. voting have been rare. He did relent a week ago, saying mail-in voting was fine in the southeastern state of Florida because it has been overseen recently by two Republican governors who support him. At the same time, his campaign sued to block expanded mail-voting in the western state of Nevada run by a Democratic governor who has been a sharp Trump critic. Five of the 50 U.S. states already conduct their elections almost entirely by mail. Numerous state governments have moved swiftly this year to make it easier to vote by mail to ease the fears of voters not wanting to contract the coronavirus by heading to polling places across the country where they would come face to face with other people. Democrats have attacked Trump for trying to curb the new aid for the Postal Service.Democratic Senator Chris Coons told MSNBC, “I initially was hopeful this wasn’t an intentional effort to throw the election. I am gravely concerned given the recent changes in the leadership of the Postal Service that we’ve seen by the postmaster general, who I’ll remind you was a major Trump campaign contributor.”New Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who has donated $2.7 million to Trump and other Republicans since 2017, has ordered cuts in overtime pay for postal workers in an effort to trim the agency’s chronic financial losses, but critics say it has resulted in slower mail deliveries.Aside from the possible issue of fraud, expanded mail-in voting has led to delayed vote counts in numerous U.S. states this year in Democratic and Republican primary elections, sometimes leaving the outcomes in doubt for weeks.Voters by the thousands have requested mail-in ballots, way more than in past elections, rather than go to polling stations in government buildings, schools, churches, fire stations and other places in the midst of the pandemic. Because of the likely vast increase in mail-in voting, numerous U.S. political analysts have warned that the vote count in the November 3 national election could be delayed well past Election Day, possibly leaving the outcome of Trump’s contest against Democratic candidate Joe Biden in limbo for days or weeks.
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US Supreme Court Allows Easing of Rhode Island Voting Restrictions
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday left in place a lower-court ruling that relaxes voting restrictions in Rhode Island during the coronavirus pandemic.
The justices rejected an emergency request made by the Republican National Committee and the state’s Republican Party.
The decision means that mail-in ballots will not, as usual, have to be accompanied by the signatures of two witnesses or one notary.
The unsigned order left intact a decision by Rhode Island-based U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy, who ruled on July 30 that the Republican groups had waited too late to intervene in the case. The order said three of the nine justices, conservatives Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch, would have granted the request.
The Republicans wanted to challenge a consent decree suspending the signature requirement that McElroy had approved.
The case was originally brought against the state by voting rights groups, including Common Cause Rhode Island.
On August 7, the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to put McElroy’s ruling on hold.
The Supreme Court on July 2 had granted a similar request made by Republican officials in Alabama.
Thursday’s order noted that, unlike the Alabama case, state officials in Rhode Island supported the settlement.
Republican President Donald Trump, who is up for re-election on November 3, has frequently attacked the possibility of mail-in ballots being used widely as the nation reels from the pandemic that has so far killed more than 160,000 Americans.
Trump has made unsubstantiated claims that mail-in ballots are especially vulnerable to fraud and suggested that their widespread use would lead to a “rigged election.”
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British PM Meets Irish and Northern Irish Officials
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson traveled to Northern Ireland Thursday where he held talks with his Irish counterpart and other Irish officials to promote British unity and a strong rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic.Johnson met Irish Prime Minister – also known in Ireland as Taoiseach – Micheal Martin, arriving at Hillsborough Castle and bumping elbows with each other for reporters. It was the first time the two leaders had met in person since Martin was elected to his position as part of a new Irish coalition government in June.A short time later, Johnson also met with Northern Ireland’s first minister, Arlene Foster, and her deputy, Michelle O’Neill.Relations between Johnson and Northern Ireland have been strained after years of sometimes acrimonious negotiations regarding Britain’s departure from the European Union, commonly known as “Brexit.” Johnson was a strong proponent of the plan, while, in a 2016 referendum, Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU, 56 to 44 percent.Following their talks, Martin told reporters he and Johnson both agreed on the necessity for a free trade agreement with the EU that would be “tariff and quota-free.” The Irish leader said Johnson was “very committed” to reaching a comprehensive agreement with the alliance.Talks between Britain and the EU have stalled but are scheduled to begin again in Brussels next week.
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WHO Official Urges Equitable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine in Africa
A senior World Health Organization official is calling for the equitable distribution of a future COVID-19 vaccine in Africa, warning that the virus will continue to spread if some countries are left behind. WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti sees worrying signs that nations in Africa may be among those last in the queue of low-income countries to receive a vaccine against COVID-19. She notes some high-income countries that are financing the production or research of vaccines are reserving supplies for themselves.While it is understandable that governments would want to protect their own people, she tells VOA she hopes they are considering the needs of other countries as well. “We are continuing to analyze how this would work,” said Moeti. “We are continuing to advocate very strongly for this equity principle to be adhered to and respected by everyone and that we all work together to make sure that countries, low-income countries, least developed countries are not disadvantaged when it comes time to having access to a vaccine.” Moeti warns it would be short-sighted of wealthy countries to think only of themselves. In this interconnected world, she says, no one is safe until everyone is safe, adding a virus knows no borders. She says COVID-19 will continue circulating around the world until everyone is protected from its deadly sting.She says a vaccine is not a magic bullet and nations must not wait to take action until a safe, effective vaccine is developed—a process that will take many months. In the meantime, she says it is absolutely essential that countries continue to identify cases, trace contacts, isolate them and minimize the spread of the virus.“Even more importantly, people’s understanding, knowledge and behavior to protect themselves, prevent the virus, prevent themselves spreading to others by wearing masks, by physical distancing whenever it is feasible, by hygiene measures, hand washing, cleaning surfaces in different places are very, very important,” said Moeti. Moeti notes even when a vaccine is available and affordable, it will take some time to roll it out. Until then, she says, preventive measures must continue.Latest reports put the number of coronavirus cases in Africa at nearly 1.1 million, including more than 23,000 deaths. Moeti says cases are increasing as the virus moves from high density urban areas to rural areas that have a lower population density and as communities ease up on lockdown restrictions.She says countries must remain vigilant as curbing COVID-19 is a marathon and not a sprint.
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Kenya’s LGBTQ Refugees Face Threats, Attacks at Kakuma Camp
LGBTQ refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma refugee camp say they are subjected to violent attacks and destruction of property by other refugees and local Turkana people. Some have fled to Nairobi and accuse authorities of failing to prevent the attacks.In a June video shared with a reporter, a crowd of people surround a group of LGBTQ refugees in Kenya’s Kakuma Refugee Camp and thrash them with stones and sticks.Photos of bloodied LGBTQ refugees circulated on social media.Transgender Ugandan refugee Doreen Andrews Kigongo was in the camp that day and confirmed the authenticity of the video.Kigongo was among a group of LGBTQ refugees who were transferred to Kakuma in late 2019, after her Nairobi safe house was raided by police.“I’m coming there in December, and other people told me, ‘Oh my god, you are going to die here,” she said. “First of all, you’re trans. And you want to live that life, where you’re expressing as a trans person?’”Another transgender Ugandan refugee, Anita Sebuuma, was among those attacked in the video and says that police were called but took hours to arrive.At a safe house in Nairobi, Sebuuma shows a reporter a long belly gash and scalp and forehead scars.Sebuuma said the wounds are from previous attacks by other refugees and locals who don’t want them in the camp.Sebuuma said after a while, people got to know the house where they lived and started coming both day and night, throwing stones and threatening to kill them.Gay Ugandan refugee Chris Wasswa walks in the house that serves as a shelter for him and other LGBT refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, June 11. 2020.But East Africa’s LGBTQ refugees have few options.Kenya is the only country in the region that accepts LGBTQ refugees but, homosexuality is still illegal and punishable by up to 14 years in prison.Refugees and asylum seekers are required to stay in camps with exemptions given only on a case-by-case basis.Just days after the June attack, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) released a statement saying Kenyan authorities were sending five LGBTQ refugees in Nairobi back to Kakuma.The five had been moved out of the camp in 2018 over threats to their safety.The spokeswoman for UNHCR Kenya, Eujin Byun, said they have attempted to organize dialogue between refugees and community leaders.“We have to find a solution, even temporarily. Because this violence is not acceptable. And for UNHCR, their well-being is the priority,” she said.But LGBTQ refugee Kigongo notes if homophobic violence could be solved through talks, she would not have had to leave Uganda.Craig Paris is the executive director for the Refugee Coalition of East Africa. He said that few LGBTQ refugees stayed in camps until just a few years ago.Police raids on safe houses increased, he said, and LGBTQ refugees demanded protection.“But the problem came with visibility and security—general security around queer refugees—and, you know, the host community being homophobic itself,” he said.Activists helped some of the LGBTQ refugees attacked in June get to safe houses in Nairobi.But an estimated 300 LGBTQ refugees remain in Kakuma, where few of them feel welcome or safe.
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New Zealand Scrambles to Trace COVID-19 Cases as Numbers Grow
Officials in New Zealand say they have now identified 13 new cases of COVID-19 in Auckland, the nation’s largest city, all directly related to the four cases from the same household reported Tuesday. New Zealand Ministry of Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield told reporters in Wellington Thursday that authorities are treating the 13 cases as a cluster. He said they have learned clusters continue to grow, and he fully expects there will be additional cases. He said all those in the cluster are in isolation and they, along will all other all confirmed cases, will be managed in a quarantine facility. Until those new cases, the country had gone 102 days without a locally transmitted COVID-19 case. An additional case is a returned international traveler who is in a quarantine facility. A news alert is displayed on a mobile phone in Christchurch, New Zealand, Aug. 11, 2020.Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she is expecting the situation to worsen before it improves, though she said it was “heartening” to see these new cases all in one cluster, which usually means it can be isolated and contained. But Ardern noted the virus is “tricky” and can spread easily, which is why she is moving forward with her plan to limit people-to-people contact in Auckland. “We have a plan, we have acted quickly, and now we’ll continue to roll out that plan,” Ardern said. Auckland has been shut down through midnight Friday, with businesses closed and mandatory mask requirements. Ardern Wednesday urged residents elsewhere in the country to wear masks to show their support. Meanwhile, cars began lining up outside testing centers around Auckland as officials attempt to track and trace these new cases. Before this week’s outbreak, New Zealand had been held up by world health authorities as one of the best examples for managing the pandemic.
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В путляндии опять отрицательный прорыв: Польша дала супер-пенделя газпрому
В путляндии опять отрицательный прорыв: Польша дала супер-пенделя газпрому.
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Хорошо известно, что Польша имеет давние счеты с газпромом, который потрепал нервы не только поляком, но и многим покупателям своего газа в период, когда был фактическим монополистом на газовом рынке Европы
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Так званий суддя-хвойда павло вовк: ти не цар і Бог, ти ч*рт в мантії, люди по тебе прийдуть!
Так званий суддя-хвойда вовк: ти не цар і Бог, ти ч*рт в мантії, люди по тебе прийдуть!
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Відповідаю вовку.
Блог про українську політику та актуальні події в нашій країні
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Стратегический ударный БПЛА Украины Сокол-200 с ракетами и большой дальностью полета!
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Банщик-проститутка забрал себе яхту “Виктория”, которую Фургал выставил на торги!
Банщик-проститутка забрал себе яхту “Виктория”, которую Фургал выставил на торги!
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Последние новости путляндии и мира, экономика, бизнес, культура, технологии, спорт
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Обиженный карлик цап-царап доигрался, его затягивают в турецкую петлю
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