Hewlett Packard Enterprises networking business is getting a serious shot in the arm with the unveiling of the companys plan on Monday to acquire software-defined WAN standout Silver Peak for approximately $925 million in cash.

HPE was an early mover in identifying the opportunity at the edge and that trend is accelerating in a post-COVID world, said HPE president and CEO Antonio Neri, in a statement. With this acquisition we are accelerating our edge-to-cloud strategy to provide a true distributed cloud model and cloud experience for all apps and data wherever they live. Silver Peaks innovative team and technology bring critical capabilities that will help our customers modernize and transform their networks to securely connect any edge to any cloud.

HPE will combine Silver Peaks SD-WAN technology with Aruba, HPEs networking subsidiary, who was recently named a visionary in Gartners Magic Quadrant For Data Center And Cloud Networking.

[Related: Antonio Neri Is Doing Well, Has Not Had COVID-19 Symptoms For 10 Days]

Silver Peak, who received a five-star rating in CRNs 2020 Partner Program Guide, has been a longtime player in the SD-WAN space who has more than 1,500 SD-WAN customers in production worldwide. The Santa Clara, Calif.-based companys SD-WAN will boost Arubas Edge Service Platform by tying together Silver Peak SD-WAN with Arubas SD-Branch solutions in a move to help customers simplify branch office and WAN deployments to empower remote workers and enable cloud-connected distributed enterprises.

Todays announcement comes at a unique moment for our customers, who are grappling with business recovery in the wake of the pandemic, said Keerti Melkote, president of Intelligent Edge for Hewlett Packard Enterprise and founder of Aruba Networks. The need for edge-to-cloud architectures has never been more relevant as enterprises look to extend connectivity to branch locations and enable secure work-from-home experiences. Silver Peaks technology transforms legacy WAN architectures to self-driving WANs, which is a perfect fit with Arubas cloud-native, AI-driven Edge Services Platform. Together, we will be able to meet these needs with critical connectivity, security, and AI capabilities to drive the next generation of Edge-to-Cloud transformation.

In a recent interview with CRN, Arubas Melkote said the network edge and the data found at the edge is where the most powerful opportunities lie for businesses and channel partners. Data isnt confined to the data rooms like it was during the mainframe era or on our computers, and the new normal is going to be even more pervasive than that. [Data] is getting into all the places we live, work and play. We call this the edge, he told CRN. Its an exciting place.

The SD-WAN market is expected to grow from $2.3 billion in 2020 to nearly $5 billion in 2024, representing an compound annual growth rate of 20 percent, according to 650 Group.

Silver Peak helps enterprises and service providers migrate to secure enterprise-grade SD-WAN connectivity, while dramatically improving application performance and lowering connectivity costs, according to Silver Peak. Powered by Silver Peaks SD-WAN edge platform, customers can achieve dedicated WAN-like performance while running all cloud applications and services via broadband access.

Founded in 2004, Silver Peak said it enables freedom of choice to leverage best-in-class technologies from a broad range of ecosystem partners, particularly those focused on security.

David Hughes, founder and CEO of Silver Peak said bringing together Silver Peaks advanced SD-WAN solutions with Arubas networking portfolio provides an unprecedented opportunity to deliver business-driven solutions to customers.

The Silver Peak and Aruba teams share a common vision and goal to provide simplicity, scalability, and application-awareness at the edge, said Hughes in a statement. With Arubas extensive go-to-market, we will further accelerate our ability to drive faster adoption of these transformational technologies.

HPE expects to close on the Silver Peak deal in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2020.

Originally posted here:

HPE To Acquire Silver Peak For $925M To Boost SD-WAN, Aruba - CRN: Technology news for channel partners and solution providers

Kudos to Venice Police Department, but not mayor

To the Editor:

Thank you for reporting in the Saturday, June 27, edition of the Venice Gondolier, the front page story, Mayor: Sorry about action, written by Greg Giles.

Thank you, Mayor Feinsod, for your irresponsible behavior and thank you for your explanation of that behavior as optics.

As a scientific term, the word optics refers to visual perception how and why the stimuli that we normally receive through our eyes reflect objects and events in the world with some degree of accuracy, or how incorrect or imprecise visual perceptions might be improved.

Here is what the optics revealed.

That the Venice Police Department was engaged in its mission.

The Venice Police Departments mission statement says: The ultimate mission of the Venice Police Department is to provide public safety and preserve order for our citizens, visitors, schools and businesses. We accomplish this while guarding, without prejudice, the liberties of all those we encounter.

Thank you, Venice Police Department, for doing your job with integrity and excellence.

Thank you, Mayor Feinsod, for your ridiculous and reckless behavior. It serves as an optical reminder to all of us that each day these officers of the law provide safety and preserve order for all of us, without prejudice, allowing us to live in liberty and freedom.

Thanks to Chief Tom Mattmuller and thank you to each officer who serves this community well.

Great job, Venice Police Department.

Allen T. Speer

Venice

Feinsod putting partisan politics over city needs

To the Editor:

I want our local elected officials to succeed regardless of party affiliation: when they succeed, we all benefit.

My mother is in politics in Tennessee and it is often a tireless and thankless job. However, thanks to the solid coverage from the Venice Gondolier, it is quite clear that Mr. Feinsod does not have the ability to put our city above his partisan political agenda.

He had the litigious Freedom From Religion Foundation come in to try and remove prayer from Council Meetings a practice which the Supreme Court upheld in Town of Greece v. Galloway in 2014. Fortunately, he failed.

At least that exploit did not endanger anyone physically. His latest stunt in approaching an active traffic stop was ignorant, arrogant and life-threatening to both himself, the individual who was stopped, and the officers themselves.

His untrained engagement in an active situation should send a message to our community that his interest and passion is activism, not governance, and assuredly not safety. We deserve better as a community.

His actions reeked of brazen anti-cop partisanship and was geared at sowing division in our community. Mr. Feinsod stated, I apologize to the public and the Venice Police Department for any misunderstanding about my intentions. Mr. Feinsod your intentions were crystal clear it is your actions we find so troubling: dangerous, reckless and irresponsible.

Mr. Feinsod has shown that when he has to choose between political ideology and his town and constituents, the former trumps the latter.

Atticus Frank

Venice

Mayors job is to check workings of city departments

To the Editor:

Recent reaction to our mayors interest in local policing issues highlighted the deep polarization inherent in our politics today.

My brief answer to the ensuing criticism of Mayor Feinsods actions is: The workings of all municipal departments in the city of Venice is Exactly where the mayors nose belongs. Thats what he was elected for.

Ed Machado

Venice

Mayor, police, show dichotomy of public service

To the Editor:

How sad.

On full display for the world to see was a dichotomy of our public servants as displayed by the recent Venice Police Department dash camera footage of the week of June 26.

On one end of this dichotomy, the true police professionalism and exemplary public service was exhibited on full display for the world to see of a perfect textbook police encounter with a citizen. Respectful, dignified, and compassionate (the officers provided the citizen an alternative instead of a costly car tow due to a suspended license and car registration).

Hats off to one of the best police departments in Florida for keeping our fine city one of the safest cities in the United States.

On the other end of this spectrum for the world to see, was a mayor who exhibited a total lack of self-awareness as to what his job is (policy making and not policing enforcement), an absence of common-sense judgement by putting himself, the two Venice policemen, the automobile driver, and any innocent Venice bystanders in a possible compromising situation, and a sheer public manifestation of political buffoonery.

Venice is affectionately characterized by many visitors as Mayberry by the Sea because of the peace and prosperity afforded to us by our law enforcement personnel both on the street as well as the citizen customer service provided by VPD administrative staff.

It is sad that a mayor acts more like Deputy Barnie Fife than the honorable Mayor Ron Feinsod.

Robert Mc Elrath

Venice

Disabled have been discriminated against, again

To the Editor:

The disabled have also been through injustices. We have been discriminated against. Treated unfairly.

Difference is, we have the tenacity to overcome and ask no one to make exceptions for us.

If need be, we choose to address our own injustices on a individual basis as it only makes us stronger.

A polio survivor from the 1955 polio epidemic.

Sandra Donnellan

Venice

Why wont Venice, county, enact face mask rules?

To the Editor:

I have been visiting the Sarasota and Venice since the early 90s and I was enchanted. I also understood the politics of this part of Florida.

Fast forward to 2017 when my husband and I moved here permanently. So here is my conundrum, how can the city of Venice with a mayor I proudly elected voted not mandate wearing masks.

This is also the same council that passed the ERA Amendment.

Here we are at Sarasotas board who enforced a mandate for the city of Sarasota.

COVID-19 is a public health concern which to me for the good of our citizens if we protect not only ourselves the public at large.

Now is not the time to debate states right because we are in the middle of a large crisis which frankly could have been some what avoided. Behavior matters and that is why I will travel an extra 20 minutes to shop in Sarasota.

Rona Elias

North Venice

David Graham is needed on the School Board

To the Editor:

On June 18, I had the pleasure of listening to the Zoom debate between two competing Sarasota County School Board candidates, David Graham and Karen Rose, sponsored by the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club.

When the harder questions were asked, here is what set them apart:

Given all of Ms. Roses experience and tenure within the school system, it was surprising to hear the hollowness of her responses. Several times she stated that it was up to the stakeholders or that it is not Karen Roses decision, but the community who should decide. I was left wondering why she is using the term stakeholders.

There was no comfort in her answers, and they came across as dull and passing the buck.

David Graham, on the other hand, was electrifying with new ideas. He had studied the budget thoroughly and has looked at ways of reducing capital or ancillary services if needed.

Regarding the current School Board, he said the bickering and hostility has got to stop, period, and he proposed parent and student involvement on the School Board, so that they can see the mechanics of the board and participate in ideas, which he assured would turn into action.

At the end of the debate, I felt confident that David would not be afraid to lead, would work well with others and would get things done.

Karen, on the other hand, seemed to lack the characteristics of a leader and would have difficulty making decisions on her own.

Monica Balicki

North Port

West Villages is not a cash cow for North Port

To the Editor:

As a West Villages resident, I was recently asked to fill out a Budget questionnaire for North Port. The first question of the questionnaire was to ask for my definition of Fiscal Responsibility.

Fiscal Responsibility is not: spending $12 million on a waterpark, not to mention the insurance premiums. The daily fee for residents to the Aquatic center is $6 $8, not cheap for the common folk as referenced in a previous Letter to the Editor who seems to think West Villages is a bottomless pit of obligatory tax revenues.

The design and engineering services currently underway for Warm Mineral Springs Improvement Project is $1,374,125.

According to the June 10, 2020 story in the Venice Gondolier, the projects at completion would total more than $30 million.

Hiring a full-time archaeologist (salary $51,000) on the premise that the current Sarasota archaeologist North Port uses might someday retire although there are no current plans to do so.

What about using a college professor or a retired archaeologist on a per diem basis?

West Villagers for Responsible Government has exposed Mayor Debbie McDowells secret eavesdropping on its March 23 Cisco Webex meeting hosted by the West Villagers for Responsible Government. North Port Vice Mayor Jill Luke stated any discussion of de-annexation is selfish as if it is West Villages duty to finance whatever North Port imagines.

West Villages is perceived to be a cash cow that North Port appears bent on milking until dry or de-annexation. Richard Ferry, West Villages

A cautionary truth about U.S. health care

To the Editor:

A few years ago, my 55-year-old son, living in New England, needed medical attention.

As a self-employed contractor, he had carried private insurance for himself and his family for years until the cost became prohibitive.

He applied for Obamacare. A month before this plan took effect, he experienced shortness of breath and went to the ER at his nearby community hospital.

He was diagnosed with pneumonia, given some pills, and sent home with a $2,000 bill. The hospital explained monthly ER costs were divided by the number of monthly patients.

A month later he returned to the ER with more severe breathing problems. The attending physician immediately ordered him transported by ambulance to a major urban hospital. Strobes and sirens all the way.

He remained in the hospital for five days before they could do open-heart surgery to correct a previously unknown congenital defect and three days after that before he was released.

He has recovered fully and functions as a healthy, taxpaying, small business employer in his community.

The bill for this care was $529,000.

With his Obamacare policy now in effect, his out-of-pocket cost was $3,000 . Without it, he would have lost his home, his business, and possibly, his life.

Dont tell him Obamacare is no good. Tell Donald Trump to keep his hands off it. Edward White, North Port

No right to riot

To the Editor:

Almost everyone agrees that the killing of George Floyd was tragic and unlawful. The officers involved are under arrest and deserve punishment.

Most also agree the vast majority of police officers are law abiding citizens personally and professionally. Using this incident to indict all law enforcement is also an injustice.

The solution of liberals and the radical left is to defund or disband police, rendering law enforcement powerless. That is not the answer.

In cities such as New York, Minneapolis and Seattle, where police now have their hands tied, crime is at least double the national average or higher. Groups like Black Lives Matter ignore the circumstances of police involved shootings when quoting their statistics.

Follow this link:

Venice Gondolier Letters to the Editor: | Venice Gondolier Sun - yoursun.com

Advocates for a universal basic income say they're hopeful the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, introduced to help unemployed and underemployed Canadians through the pandemic, will pave the way towarda more equitable system for all.

Turning the CERB into a universal basic income is the logicalprogression for the program, according toElaine Power,a Queen's University researcher and member of the Basic Income Canada Network in Kingston, Ont.

"There's more and more pressure on the government, I would say, to extend the CERB. I think the basic income would be a logical extension of CERB, and it's a more rational plan," Power toldOttawa Morningon Thursday.

The Parliamentary Budget Office has started to study the potential cost of providinga basic income for Canadians for six months, a move Power called"very exciting news."

The idea already has the support ofsome members of the Senate, including B.C. Sen. Yuen Pau Woo.

With the CERB set to expire in October, Power said now would be the right time to consider making the transition to a universal basic income, which is like CERBbut would beuniversally available, not tied to employment.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented his fiscal snapshot in the House of Commons, and said the government is committed to delivering emergency aid to struggling Canadians.

"Our collective decisions as Canadians to put each other's health above all else has meant we've flattened the curve faster than many other countries. But Canadians also made great sacrifices to get here. Millions of Canadians have lost their jobs, lost hours, or lost wages. Businesses of all sizes are still facing uncertainty," Morneau said.

Power said that while nothing in Morneau's speech signalled the government is ready to adopt a basic income, she hopes the government will consider the economic benefitsof such a program nonetheless. She said it would save money over time withinthe health-care, education and justice systems.

"There are other benefits that I think we can't calculate the benefit to people who live in poverty, who feel trapped there. The kind of freedom that it would give them to make better choices about their lives, their futures."

Power said there are still"stereotypes" around basic income, such as the fear that it will leave recipients dependent on government handouts instead of contributing to the workforce, and that it will add to the deficit already creaking under the weight of Canada's COVID-19 response.

"We know that, in fact, most people who live in poverty in Canada are employed. They do already have jobs, but they don't make enough to bring them up to the poverty line," Power said.

See the article here:

Advocates hopeful CERB will pave way for universal basic income - CBC.ca

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New Delhi: Sixty-nine years ago, on 9 July 1951, Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru presented the First Five-Year Plan to the Parliament.

Five-Year Plans were a formal model of planning adopted by the Indian government after Independence, for an effective and balanced utilisation of resources.

They were formulated by the Planning Commission of India, which was established on 15 March 1950. Since it was not a constitutional body, the Commission reported directly to the Prime Minister and its first Chairman was Nehru himself.

The Commission was tasked with theresponsibilityof raising the standard of living in the country through proper allocation of resources, increasing production and enabling employment opportunities for everybody.

The Five-Year Plans were centralised and integrated national economic programs. The first such plan was implemented in the Soviet Union in 1928 by Joseph Stalin. Since then, countries such as China, Bhutan, Vietnam, South Korea, Argentina, Romania and Ethiopia have also implemented Five-Year Plans.

According to Rajeev Gowda, Chairman of the Research Department of the Congress party, it was freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose who first set up a National Planning Committee in 1938 and the primary responsibility of this Commission was to utilise the then-limited resources in the country to best possible use.

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After independence, the state had an active role in channelling resources as it could not be done by markets alone, explained Gowda.

Also read: Xi has thrown the gauntlet at Modi. He can pick it up like Nehru, or try something new

With the Partition as backdrop, the country reeling with the influx of refugees, severe food shortage and mounting inflation, the First Five-Year Plan was introduced in 1951. It focused primarily on the development of the primary sector, specifically agriculture and irrigation.

Drafted by economist K.N. Raj, the plan was based on the HarrodDomar model, which suggested that growth was dependent on two things. First, high level of savings since higher savings enabled greater investment and second, a low capital-output ratio that ensured efficient investment and a higher growth rate.

The plan had a target of 2.1 per cent GDP growth for the fiscal year, however, it ended up recordinga growth rate of 3.6 per cent that year.

Gowda explained that the Five-Year Plans were focused on making India self-sufficient, enabled industrial growth and ensured that development went beyond the urban areas and reached the interior parts of the country.

Also read: P.C. Mahalanobis: The father of Indian statistics who introduced concept of planned economy

If the First Five-Year Plan focused on agriculture and energy, the Second Five-Year Plan focused on the development of the public sector and rapid industrialisation. Drafted by statistician P.C. Mahalanobis, the Second Plan was also called the Mahalanobis Plan.

Under the plan, hydroelectric power projects and steel plants were set up at Bhilai, Rourkela and Durgapur. Coal production was increased and more railways lines were added in the Northeastern part of the country.

The Third Five-Year Plan focused on making the economy independent and self-reliant. However, it was interrupted by the war with Pakistan in 1965, which was followed by a severe drought the same year. The Third Five-Year Plan had a targetedgrowth rate of 5.6 per cent, but the actual growth rate was 2.4 per cent that fiscal.

After this, there were three annual plans between 1966 and 1969. This period was also called plan holiday. The Fourth Five-Year Plan was introduced only in 1969.

In 1990, 21 years later, there was a gap between the plans once again due to the constantly changing government at the Centre. Annual plans were launched for the years 1990-91 and 1991-92, and the Eighth Five-Year Plan was kicked off in 1992.

India had a total of 12 Five-Year Plans, the last one being from 2012-2017.

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dissolved the Planning Commission and replaced it with the Niti Aayog. The Five-Year Plans were also discontinued.

Also read: 60 years ago, a Right liberal Swatantra Party had challenged Nehrus socialist Raj

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Original post:

All about the First Five-Year Plan that was presented by Nehru nearly 70 years ago today - ThePrint

A sovereign debt crisis is when a country cannot afford to pay any of the interest or the capital on amounts that it has borrowed, with dire consequences for the economy.

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni. Picture: GCIS

CAPE TOWN - Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has sounded a fresh warning that South Africa could land up in a sovereign debt crisis within three years if government debt is not reined in.

A sovereign debt crisis is when a country cannot afford to pay any of the interest or the capital on amounts that it has borrowed, with dire consequences for the economy.

Mboweni was replying to debate on the revised fiscal framework he tabled last month when he unveiled his emergency budget to address the COVID-19 crisis.

Both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday approved the fiscal framework, in spite of opposition objections, paving the way for the supplementary budget to be considered at the end of the month.

Minister Mbowenis emergency budget was savaged by the opposition during the debate, with the EFF labeling it neoliberal drivel and the DA and Freedom Front Plus also voting against it.

Curbing his exasperation, Mboweni reminded MPs that his supplementary budget was necessary because of the impact on an already limping economy of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fall-out.

"At the same time we have had to ensure that we struggle with the containment of the debt mountain that we see.

"And as I have indicated before, if we dont do anything, the danger of South Africa facing a sovereign debt crisis is real - by 2023/24."

Mboweni said that the government had no choice but to take "very serious measures".

"I heard one honourable member saying government must intervene. This is intervention! This is precisely the intervention you need at the moment to deal with a difficult situation. That is called intervention.

"If you do nothing, youre not intervening."

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Read more here:

Mboweni warns of sovereign debt crisis if govt debt not reined in - Eyewitness News

Face-masked citizens lined up to vote in Singapore on Friday, with plenty of space separating them from each other. Their temperatures had been checked. Before receiving their ballots, they spritzed their hands with sanitizer, and many put on disposable gloves.

If any country could successfully carry out a general election during a global pandemic, it was surely Singapore, a rich, manicured city-state with a population that has largely been conditioned to follow the rules.

The winner was never in doubt, either, even though balloting was extended by two hours to accommodate the long lines.

But while victory went to the center-right Peoples Action Party, which has held power longer than any other elected political party in the world, results released early Saturday showed a surprising slip in its support. Its share of the popular vote fell to 61 percent, a nearly nine-point swing from elections five years ago. The leading opposition party took a record 10 of Parliaments 93 seats.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the 68-year-old son of the nations founding father, said he would stay at the helm until the coronavirus crisis passed, and he acknowledged his weakened mandate.

The results reflect the pain and anxiety that Singaporeans feel in this crisis, the loss of income, the anxiety about jobs, Mr. Lee said early Saturday morning.

If calling an election during a pandemic was meant to showcase the steady hand of a party that has used Singapores greatest strengths deep coffers, technocratic professionalism and a belief in science and technology to battle the coronavirus, the campaign also highlighted divisions in a society that, like many others in the developed world, is struggling with a changing geopolitical and economic landscape.

Several of the parliamentary races proved surprisingly competitive, and high-profile candidates from the governing party lost their contests. Besides adding four seats to its previous showing, the opposition Workers Party won more than 10 percent of the popular vote for the first time.

Singapore rode the wave of globalization to great heights, but with Covid, were entering a period of deglobalization that leaves Singapores economy very vulnerable, Bridget Welsh, a political scientist focused on Southeast Asia, said before the results were announced.

From the outside, Singapore looks like a great success story and in many ways it is, but there are legitimate questions being raised about what it aspires to be in this new era, Ms. Welsh added.

The Peoples Action Party promised, above all, stability and competence. Having led Singapore since even before independence in 1965, the party claims credit for transforming a resource-starved backwater on the tip of peninsular Southeast Asia into one of the most prosperous nations on the planet.

The coronavirus has ripped through crowded dormitories housing 200,000 foreign laborers, infecting tens of thousands, but Singapore has kept its death toll from the pandemic to just 26 people. Job losses and a looming recession have been blunted by a relief effort costing more than $70 billion, the Peoples Action Party said. While Singapore has no minimum wage and at least 10 percent of its households are considered poor by some estimates, extensive public housing for citizens ensures a kind of social safety net, according to the governing party.

For the 10 opposition parties that ran against the Peoples Action Party, the campaign was less an attempt to unseat a political behemoth than an effort to inject different viewpoints into the national conversation. The smallest mandate the governing party has ever received was a 60 percent victory in 2011, a shade worse than Fridays showing.

What we are trying to deny them is a blank check, and that is what I think this election is about, Jamus Lim, an economist and candidate for the Workers Party, said in an online debate during the campaign.

Mr. Lim won a seat in Parliament.

Singapores political strictures, along with social distancing measures, put even more roadblocks in the way of an opposition trying to gather momentum.

The campaign season was only nine days long. A fake news law that came into force last year was seen as having a chilling effect on online debate. Because of the coronavirus restrictions, electoral rallies were banned. Nor was electoral polling allowed.

The short campaign period was dominated by personal vitriol, particularly a spat between Mr. Lee and his younger brother, Lee Hsien Yang, a former brigadier general and business executive who joined the opposition Progress Singapore Party last month.

Their father, Lee Kuan Yew, co-founded the Peoples Action Party and served as prime minister for more than three decades.

The senior Mr. Lee steered the ethnically Chinese-dominated city-state to independence in 1965, after it broke off from the new country of Malaysia. He embraced rules and order, championing Confucian virtues.

Today, most Singaporeans are still of Chinese descent, but about 40 percent of the countrys 5.7 million residents are foreign-born. Under racial harmony laws, people who stoke religious or racial enmity can spend up to three years in jail.

Last year, Heng Swee Keat, the deputy prime minister and presumptive successor to Mr. Lee, said that older Singaporeans were not ready for a leader who is not ethnically Chinese. Mr. Heng won his race on Friday by a relatively narrow margin.

On Sunday, Raeesah Khan, a candidate for the Workers Party, apologized for comments on social media that accused the police of treating ethnic minorities and migrant workers more harshly than whites or rich Chinese. Her commentary prompted the filing of two police reports, the Singapore police confirmed.

Systemic racism is a reality in Singapore, said Jolovan Wham, a social worker and activist who has campaigned for migrant workers rights.

Members of ethnic minority groups have feared that if they publicly challenge racism, they may be subjected to investigations by the police, said Mr. Wham, who spent a week in prison this year for criticizing Singapores courts.

Self-censorship has become the norm, he added. The lack of freedom of expression in Singapore has made it difficult to have authentic and honest debates about important issues affecting us.

Still, Ms. Khan won a seat in Parliament. At 26, she will be the youngest member of the legislature.

Young Singaporeans, some of whom have expressed their political views in boisterous online forums, are part of a global discourse about privilege and power, said Donald Low, a former high-ranking civil servant in Singapore who now teaches at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Some prominent members of the governing party have pushed back against the notion that they are beneficiaries of a system that unfairly rewards an ethnically Chinese elite.

To deny to young ethnic minorities that a well-to-do Chinese man isnt privileged, that there isnt prejudice in society, is incredibly patronizing, said Mr. Low.

At a news conference early Saturday, Mr. Lee acknowledged that the countrys youth were yearning for a diversity of political voices.

The younger voters also want to see more opposition presence in Parliament, he said.

Singapores prosperity depends on the sweat of its million or so low-wage migrant workers, who help keep the city neat, efficient and breathtakingly modern.

Unlike other expatriates who can eventually qualify for permanent residency, these migrants, who are mostly from South Asia and China, work in Singapore knowing they are temporary members of society.

Labor activists have warned over the years that their dormitories, relegated to the periphery of the island state, are petri dishes for disease, and it is perhaps no surprise that the vast majority of Singapores more than 45,600 coronavirus cases are among this population.

The government has said it will build more facilities for foreign laborers, but it has pushed back against criticism that it ignored migrants working conditions to their peril. Most migrants who have tested positive were asymptomatic or barely sick, health authorities have said.

The setting up of new dorms with more space is not a silver bullet, K. Shanmugam, Singapores law minister, said in an interview. Cruise ships, he noted, are luxurious, yet the coronavirus still spread quickly within their shared spaces.

But the public health crisis among Singapores migrant workers has catalyzed a debate about the fundamental structure of the nations hyper-globalized economy.

The real problem is our overreliance on low-cost foreign labor, said Mr. Low, a former director of fiscal policy at the Singaporean ministry of finance.

What this has revealed, he added, is not just systemic injustice for foreign workers, but also something that is a stain on Singapores veneer of technocratic modernity and superior governance.

View original post here:

In Singapore, an Orderly Election and a (Somewhat) Surprising Result - The New York Times

Gallatin has been ranked as one of the top 10 freest cities in the state, according to a new report from the Beacon Center of Tennessee.

The Nashville-based nonprofit think tank released its first City Freedom Index last week, which ranked Gallatin seventh overall out of the 30 most populated cities in the state.

The report gave Gallatin favorable marks for having lower than average building permit fees and property taxes, but dinged the city for tougher restrictions on alcohol businesses and food trucks as well as not having an exemption for self-defense in its gun regulations.

Gallatin has a lot to be proud of and a lot to build off of particularly in terms of its strong protections of private property and also being a city that is in strong fiscal health, Beacon Center Director of Policy and Research and author of the report Ron Shultis said about the citys ranking. There is a way to make the city a little bit more competitive by making it a little bit easier for (some) types of businesses to operate.

Researchers spent nearly a year collecting data from cities across the state that had a population of more than 20,000 residents. Each one was then ranked on 25 metrics across four categories free enterprise, private property, induvial liberty and cost of government.

La Vergne came in first place on the list followed by Brentwood, Hendersonville, Morristown and Clarksville in the top five. In neighboring Wilson County, Mt. Juliet came in 8th place while Lebanon came in 10th.

There are a lot of things that people know at a national level about different states, but there really was no resource talking about the differences at the local level between cities across Tennessee, Shultis said about the origin the report. Were not saying that a certain city is free or unfree, but how do they compare (to others) in the state?

Tennessees largest cities ranked near the bottom of the list. Nashville came in last place while Memphis ranked 25th, Knoxville placed 28th and Chattanooga ranked 23rd.

According to Shultis, the Beacon Center hopes the report will lead to positive changes in cities across the state.

Everybody benefits when we are a little freer, Shultis added. Our hope is that people can use this as a resource to spur change for more freedom at the local level in their own community.

The full City Freedom Index report can be found online at the Beacon Center of Tennessees website at http://www.beacontn.org.

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Study: Gallatin among top 'freest' cities in Tennessee - Gallatin News

Advocates for a universal basic income say they're hopeful the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) program, introduced to help unemployed and underemployed Canadians through the pandemic, will pave the way towarda more equitable system for all.

Turning the CERB into a universal basic income is the logicalprogression for the program, according toElaine Power,a Queen's University researcher and member of the Basic Income Canada Network in Kingston, Ont.

"There's more and more pressure on the government, I would say, to extend the CERB. I think the basic income would be a logical extension of CERB, and it's a more rational plan," Power toldOttawa Morningon Thursday.

The Parliamentary Budget Office has started to study the potential cost of providinga basic income for Canadians for six months, a move Power called"very exciting news."

Some similarities

The idea already has the support ofsome members of the Senate, including B.C. Sen. Yuen Pau Woo.

With the CERB set to expire in October, Power said now would be the right time to consider making the transition to a universal basic income, which is like CERBbut would beuniversally available, not tied to employment.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bill Morneau presented his fiscal snapshot in the House of Commons, and said the government is committed to delivering emergency aid to struggling Canadians.

"Our collective decisions as Canadians to put each other's health above all else has meant we've flattened the curve faster than many other countries. But Canadians also made great sacrifices to get here. Millions of Canadians have lost their jobs, lost hours, or lost wages. Businesses of all sizes are still facing uncertainty," Morneau said.

Workers living below poverty line

Power said that while nothing in Morneau's speech signalled the government is ready to adopt a basic income, she hopes the government will consider the economic benefitsof such a program nonetheless. She said it would save money over time withinthe health-care, education and justice systems.

"There are other benefits that I think we can't calculate the benefit to people who live in poverty, who feel trapped there. The kind of freedom that it would give them to make better choices about their lives, their futures."

Power said there are still"stereotypes" around basic income, such as the fear that it will leave recipients dependent on government handouts instead of contributing to the workforce, and that it will add to the deficit already creaking under the weight of Canada's COVID-19 response.

"We know that, in fact, most people who live in poverty in Canada are employed. They do already have jobs, but they don't make enough to bring them up to the poverty line," Power said.

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Advocates hopeful CERB will pave way for universal basic income - Yahoo Canada Finance

Im excited, Mayor Bruce Teague said at the end of the Iowa City Councils special formal session on Tuesday night.

The almost four-and-a-half-hour meeting followed the city councils two-hour-long normal formal meeting, and was devoted to developing a plan to address the social justice issues that have come to forefront as a result of local and national protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.

Were not all the way there, dont get me wrong, Teague said at the end of the special formal session. He added, This is amazing.

The city council unanimously passed a 17-point resolution that covers topics from affordable housing to police reform, and even added a new holiday to the citys official calendar. It also approved a resolution empowering the mayor to send a letter to the Johnson County Attorney asking her to drop all charges against people involved in the protests led by the Iowa City Freedom Riders (IFR).

The resolution was drafted largely in response to a list of demands IFR published last week. At the beginning of the special session, Mayor Teague thanked Councilmember Laura Bergus for her work in drafting the resolution. Bergus is the only practicing attorney on the city council. (Councilmember Janice Weiner briefly practiced law before her career in the diplomatic service.)

The full name of the resolution indicates the width of its scope: Resolution of Initial Council Commitments addressing the Black Lives Matter Movement and Systemic Racism in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis Police and calls for action from protesters and residents.

In addition to the demands published by IFR, Teague said the resolution had been influenced by hundreds of emails the city has received in the past three weeks, as well as many conversations with Iowa Citians, both in person and on the phone.

The resolution calls for the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission by Oct. 1. The commission is intended to bear witness to the truth of racial injustice in Iowa City and to carry out restorative justice through the collection of testimony and public hearings. Details regarding the commission will be determined during future city council work sessions, but Mayor Teague made it clear he considers the commission to be essential in helping the city council determine policies regarding topics such as affordable housing, policing practices and increasing diversity among the citys staff.

As part of the resolution, the city council committed to spending $1 million during the fiscal year that begins on July 1 to promote racial equity and social justice through, among other things, supporting the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and creating a new affordable housing plan.

While all the councilmembers were in agreement about the commission, there was some disagreement regarding the new affordable housing program.

Councilmember Mazahir Salih wanted to add wording to the resolution to make sure the plans would address the need for affordable housing downtown and in Iowa Citys core neighborhoods (which the city has previously defined as the Northside, College Green, Bowery, Longfellow, Mark Twain, Riverfront Crossings East, Riverfront Crossing West, Miller/Orchard, and Brookland/Roosevelt neighborhoods), but Councilmember Susan Mims pushed back against the idea.

Mims said she wasnt in favor of naming downtown and the core neighborhoods in the resolution because that is the most expensive place for providing affordable housing, because land costs are the highest. So, I guess we have to make a balance between the number units [of affordable housing] wed like to provide and location.

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Salih responded that the expensive nature of the real estate is exactly why we want affordable housing there. She added, the core neighborhood is not only for people who have money, its not only for business people, its supposed to be for everyone.

The language in the resolution was adjusted to say the affordable housing plan would include but not be limited to downtown and the core neighborhoods.

Another part of the resolution provoked more uncertainty than disagreement.

The resolution calls on the city to elevate its commitment to racial equity and social justice and increase resources devoted to those efforts as needed.

After some discussion of what particular actions could be taken, Bergus said, I think the intent of our resolution tonight is to be that initial commitment. It makes sense to me that it will be broader than ultimately where we want to land. We will get the specifics, and I think were counting on each other and the public to hold us accountable.

Weiner agreed.

I view it a little bit as a constitution, she said. Like an overarching guiding document that that will be essentially our loadstar as we work on each of these items.

Teague added that is will be one of the issues the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will consider.

Most of the resolution focuses on police issues.

City Manager Geoff Fruin has been tasked with preparing a report on the involvement of the Iowa City Police Department in the incident on June 3, when law enforcement officers under the command of the Iowa State Patrol used flash-bang grenades and tear gas against protesters on Dubuque Street who were marching to I-80.

Fruin said he intends to ask the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) to review the incident. The DCI is often used to investigate actions of local law enforcement agencies, and reviewed both shootings of suspects by ICPD officers that occurred in 2019.

The resolution calls from Fruin to deliver his report by Aug. 1.

Other parts of the resolution call for:

a report on any military-grade equipment ICPD has

a prohibition on the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and flashbangs against peaceful protesters

a total ban on the use of chokeholds or any other maneuver that cuts off oxygen or blood flow

a review of how ICPD is ensure its officers comply with its policy on the use of body cams

requiring ICPD officers to intervene and stop any use of excessive force by another law enforcement officer and immediately report the incident to a supervisor

ensure that ICPD hiring practices prohibit employment of anyone who committed serious misconduct at another law enforcement agency

prepare a report on how the Community Police Review Board can more effectively provide oversight of ICPD

publish online a detailed expenditure summary of the ICPD budget

ask Iowa Citys state legislators to work on any changes in state law needed for the city to make the changes included in the resolution

But the biggest change regarding the police department was addressed in the first of the resolutions 17 sections.

By December 15, 2020, develop a preliminary plan to restructure the Iowa City Police Department (ICPD) towards community policing, including, but not limited to, reduction of the publics reliance on police in non-violent situations through the use of unarmed professionals, and consideration of community policing initiatives in other cities, including, but not limited to, Minneapolis, MN, Camden, NJ, Los Angeles, CA and San Francisco, CA.

The Dec. 15 date is intended to provide enough time to develop a thorough preliminary plan, but make sure it is presented to the city council before it starts work on the ICPDs next budget.

At the end of the special session, Councilmember Weiner said she had one addition to make to the resolution. She suggested making Juneteenth an annual occasion commemorating the news of the abolition of slavery reaching enslaved people in Texas, the last major stronghold of the Confederacy a city holiday. The council unanimously approved the addition.

Staring next year, Juneteenth which is celebrated on June 19 will be an official city holiday, replacing one of its existing holidays.

In addition to the resolution, the city council also approved a measure empowering the mayor to write a letter to the Johnson County Attorney, asking her to dismiss all outstanding charges against people who participated in the protests.

Councilmembers Pauline Taylor and Susan Mims were unsure if all the charges should be dropped, since some including two OWIs and one charge of possession of firearms under the influence were more serious than simple traffic violations. Salih insisted that all the charges be dropped, because she believed they were the result of the police targeting protesters.

Councilmember John Thomas said he had gone back and forth on whether all the charges or just some of them should be dropped. But he eventually decided the historic moment the city is experiencing made dropping all the charges appropriate.

Mayor Teague said he agreed, and he also pointed out that Iowa City and Johnson County frequently use a light hand when it comes to policing some infractions.

We see it all the time for football games here, Teague said. Theres an acceptance of behavior that would not tolerated any other time. And of course, once the game is over, things are back to normal.

Teague said he and other officials had been having discussions regarding safety with IFR organizers, and those conversations would continue.

All the councilmembers voted in favor of the letter, except Bergus, who abstained because voting on an issue regarding criminal charges was a potential conflict of interest for her as a practicing attorney.

By the end of the special formal meeting, the city council had addressed all the demands IFR had directed to the city. (IFR has other demands directed to the Iowa City Community School District and Gov. Kim Reynolds.)

On its Instagram page, IFR celebrated the quick action by the city council.

IFR announced on Sunday, it had no protests scheduled for either Wednesday or Thursday.

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'This is amazing,' says mayor as Iowa City Council passes resolution to restructure ICPD and address other demands of the Iowa Freedom Riders - Little...

Letter to the editor from Frank Salomone

June 19, 1865 was a great day in America as enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation took place to free people from enslavement. After the Civil War in the United States, people of African Descent faced incredible trials of Racism and Murder. For some, the war was not over.

How did one get ahead in this environment? Booker T. Washington, a member of the Republican Party whom I greatly admire, tried a different tactic than other leaders. He sought to advance people through education and entrepreneurship. He built up an incredible network of middle class, church leaders, philanthropists, and politicians to advance people.

The entrepreneurship aspect of an approach like this is very important. In my opinion, a goal for people should be to reach a level of economic independence or self-sufficiency, and we should have laws that support those that agree and believe in that statement. This is not a new idea, as Romans such as Cato the Elder recognized this, and pursued it. The more you can strengthen yourself against a possibility of Racism that can damage you economically, the more you can make it irrelevant to you.

As a member of the Republican Town Committee, and the District Leader of District 1, I will be hosting political candidate meet and greets to address the issues of any legal or fiscal impediments to people of all races to be able to engage in entrepreneurship and achieve economic self-sufficiency. The benefits will be a stronger society, a way for racism to become irrelevant, and for people to thrive in freedom, not just survive. A good way to start can be to work off the existing model that Booker T. Washington created.

Lets not think of June 19 as one day to recognize freedom, but rather as a time to reflect on how we advance it each and every day.

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Salomone: Juneteenth and Today - Greenwich Free Press

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, today said no one will remain poor and homeless in the country as her government is working relentlessly for the welfare of the nation and the countrymen.

Hasina said this in a message marking the 71st founding anniversary of Awami League to be observed tomorrow.

"On this day, I recall with respect the greatest Bengaliof all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I recall Awami League's founding president Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and general secretary Shamsul Haque. I recall with respect Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy," she said.

She also recalled with respect the four national leaders, and all martyrs of struggles for freedom, Liberation War and struggles for democracy and all leaders and workers of AL who had embraced martyrdom to turn the party into the largest organisation of masses.

Bangladesh Awami League was formed on June 23 in 1949 at the "Rose Garden" on KM Das Lane in Dhaka to emancipate the Bengali nation and realise their rights, the premier said.

"Awami League has a glorious role in every major achievement of the Bengali nation. We have stood with our heads held high before the world as a country with self-respect under the leadership of AL government. In the future, Awami League, along with the people, will build a poverty-hunger free, happy, prosperous and developed Sonar Bangladesh as envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman," she said.

After returning to power in 2008 and it has since been working relentlessly for the welfare of the countrymen as well as the nation, the AL president said.

In the last 11 and a half years, Bangladesh has achieved unprecedented successes in the socio-economic sector while the country achieved the eligibility to be considered a developing country from the status of least developed country (LDC), she said.

Noting that the health services have been taken to the doorsteps of the people, the PM said, "The people are getting 30 kinds of medicines free of cost. Infant and maternal mortality rates have decreased. Average life expectancy has increased to 73 years.

"We are a building digital Bangladesh. The country has achieved self-sufficiency in food. Free textbooks are being distributed among the students up to secondary level".

"The literacy rate of the country is now above 73 percent. About 96 percent people are getting electricity facilities. Education for women has been expanded and women empowerment has been established. Madrasa education has been modernised and made job-oriented," she noted.

"We have started implementing the Delta Plan 2100 for the first time in the world," she added.

All homeless people in the country will get homes in the Mujib Year, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and no one will remain poor and homeless in the country, she said.

Highlighting the government's responses to overcome the crisis triggered by the global Covid-19 pandemic, Sheikh Hasina said, "We have announced 19 stimulus packages of over Tk 1,01,117 crore. A total of 50 lakh families got cash assistance of Taka 2,500 each".

An allocation of Taka 1,000 crore has been made in the fiscal year 2020-2021 for meeting emergency needs amid the Covid-19 pandemic, she also said, adding that AL as a political party also stood by the people and has been helping them in this time of crisis.

"We will turn Bangladesh into a middle income country by 2021 and a developed country before 2041, In Sha Allah," the premier said.

The AL president also urged all to celebrate the party's founding anniversary through virtual media, maintaining the health guidelines instead of making public gatherings.

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No one will remain poor, homeless in the country: PM - The Daily Star

RONO HILLS, Jun 22: A two-day international webinar themed Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on global economy got underway at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) here on Monday.Conducted by the universitys economics department, the webinar is being attended by more that 160 scholars, students and academicians from different parts of the country and abroad.Addressing the participants, RGU VC, Prof Saket Kushwaha said the pandemic has had a huge impact on the global economy, and advised the scholars to look beyond the negative impact on GDP to understand the impact of the pandemic on various sections of the society.He said there is a need to invest more in rural areas in order to generate employment opportunities, and urged the scholars to conduct studies to identify the problems of unemployment in the rural sector.The VC also said the MGNREGA must be made output-oriented to create rural infrastructure and promote rural development.There is need for all of us to know our duties and responsibilities, and imbibe the principle of swadeshi to overcome the crisis situation, he said.Mumbai-based Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research VC, Prof S Mahendra Dev spoke on the impact of Covid-19 on Indias economic growth. He highlighted the impact of the pandemic on various sectors of the economy and advised fiscal push to provide relief to affected people, and public investment to stimulate demand.New Delhi-based Institute for Human Developments director, Prof Alak N Sharma gave a lecture on Implications of Covid-19 for employment and livelihoods in India. He said the impact of the pandemic has been uneven, with the worst affected being the poorer sections of the society.There has been loss of 48 percent of total employment in the country in the last three months due to the pandemic, he informed, and advocated initiating demand side measures to stimulate the economy.Honorary fellow of Trivandrum (Kerala)-based Centre for Development Studies, Prof KP Kannan delivered a lecture on Globalization at a turning point: Will Covid-19 lead to an alternative vision?Globalization is at a turning point and has led to inequality of different kinds. In most countries of world, the pandemic has exposed the deficiency in the public healthcare system, he said, and suggested developing the local economies, so as to secure oneself and reduce dependency on other countries.Prof Barbara Harris White from the University of Oxford (UK) spoke on Covid-19 and UKs economy and society.She said the pandemic has aggravated the economic uncertainty on UKs economy which was already slowing down due to Brexit, and added that the UKs economy is expected to decline by 12 to 14 percent in 2020.UK is one of the worst-affected countries by the pandemic, which was due to delayed response of the government, as well as systematically outsourcing of the public healthcare system to private sectors, Prof White said, and called for enhancing public investment in healthcare infrastructure.Prof Deepak Kr Mishra from Jawaharlal University, New Delhi, delivered a lecture on In the mirror of a crisis: Vulnerable migrant workers in globalizing economy.He said the Covid-19 pandemic has created unprecedented crisis of survival for the migrant workers in India and linked it to structural reasons.These workers, even while working under globally integrated economy, are subjected to varying degrees of un-freedom, Prof Mishra said, adding that policy response to their livelihoods crisis must recognize these structural causes of vulnerability, rather than limiting itself only to providing short-term relief.Prof Rajarshi Majumder from the University of Burdwan delivered a lecture on Pandemic and migration.Seasonal migrants are unrecorded, and so they are the most affected and exploited people. Migrant workers are indebted at home and exploited at workplace, and so the pandemic has badly affected them, as many lost their jobs, he said. They suffered during the lockdown due to sudden stopping of income and non-possession of ration card at the place of work to get PDS rations. Many of them had to stay without adequate food and medicines.Reverse migrants back to home were subjected to atrocities and adverse conditions in terms of households and social conflicts, the professor said, and suggested providing universal PDS as well as universal ration cards to all citizens of the country, besides cash subsidy, and engaging NGOs for distributing food items to affected migrant workers.RGU Economics Department Head, Prof Vandana Upadhyay also spoke.

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Int'l webinar on Covid-19 and global economy underway - The Arunachal Times

By Marc Levy Sunday, June 21, 2020A crowd of 2,000 makes its way down Massachusetts Avenue to City Hall on Saturday. (Photo: Marc Levy)

A peaceful protest drew some 2,000 people Saturday, gathering under the Black Lives Matter flag but marching from Cambridge Common behind the banner of defunding the police, with speeches saying a $4.1 million reallocation debated in City Council meetings was far too little.

The amount is a drop in the bucket [and] an insult to all the precious black lives lost to police violence, event co-organizer and leadoff speaker Jay Wilson said, telling the mix of black and white faces assembled on the Common that we need to defund the police. We need to [instead] invest in critical community resources like education and affordable housing.

The theme was sounded repeatedly over a three-hour event beginning at 4 p.m. bumped from 1 p.m. to avoid the worst of the days heat, but followed by temperatures in the 90s nonetheless. It was pulled together in just the past six days, launched by the Wilson siblings of Ayana, Jay and Ashia but accomplished by a large crew that formed rapidly around the idea, including several members of the Black Student Union at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School. Unlike a previous gathering on the Common on June 7, this event was planned initially without police involvement, and protesters were braced for conflict; when putting it together, co-organizer Jacklyn La Polita Janeksela put out a call for volunteers to provide jail support and monitor police scanners.

But police reached out after organizers submitted an outlined plan to the citys events committee, said Jeremy Warnick, director of communications and media relations for Cambridge police. The streets were closed Saturday to traffic by police in vehicles and on bikes to enable the marchers to make their way safely through the city, and police officials and event organizers coordinated throughout the walk to City Hall and then to police headquarters near Kendall Square, which was cordoned off to keep protesters away from the building.

Jay Wilsons speech referred to the unsatisfactory $4.1 million order being under consideration, but in fact the council resolved it Monday. Councillorsagreed to a $2.5 million compromise from the city manager to freeze police hiring and instead prioritize hiring for human services needs in the next fiscal year.

Protesters may have been unaware that the makers of the motion, councillors Quinton Zondervan and Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, were on the Common with them; and they may not have known that Zondervan, when found again toward the end of the march, agreed with them. He said he was surprised to show up and realize that the council order was a focus of the protest, along with Juneteenth goals of of honoring Black freedom and resistance, investing in Black communities and getting President Donald Trump to resign.

I completely agree with them. It seemed like a reasonable [idea] that maybe we could accomplish, but it turns out we couldnt even get that, Zondervan said, noting the original $4.1 million proposal was cut to $2.5 million. We had a two-week window. Hopefully, we will successfully transfer this [protests] energy into a conversation about next years budget.

The event had several speakers, including poet Toni Bee, who invoked motherhood by recalling the final words of George Floyd as he was killed on Memorial Day in Minneapolis, helping spark the current wave of protests: a gasped plea for mama.

I just want my babies to come home, Bee said.

Karlene Griffiths Sekou spoke next, expanding on the message to speak more explicitly about the police presence in Cambridge. Because were leaning on freedoms side, we dont need police in our schools, we dont need those in uniforms to catch, monitor, demonize and cage our communities, cage our babies, Griffiths Sekou said in an electrifying rasp. Get them out of our schools. The police arent for us theyve never been good for us and never been good to us. We dont need them. We can keep us safe. We will keep us safe.

Even later speakers acknowledged that residents lived in a bubble where there was no Cambridge Police Department shooting of a person of color to ignite their rage just an ongoing environment of racism in which police played a role. During a pause at City Hall at 5:30 p.m., a recent CRLS graduate who had been active in the Black Student Union said of the group: Weve been screaming for help for three years. Why has nothing changed?

This was the 18th such local protest event with police involvement since Georges killing. With2,000 marchers growing in numbers from the Common to Kendall Square it was the largest march, Warnick said, but dwarfed by the 3,500 people who gathered for a protest on the Common on June 7.

The June 7 protest directed people to take part in the City Council meeting the next day that saw the introduction of the motion to defund the police of $4.1 million, but the slew of public commentary that followed was rejected bypolice commissioner Branville G. Bard Jr. asnot true deliberation in which he didnt hear authentic voices, but just a bunch of people looking for their Im a black ally receipts, hoping they could somehow use it to pay off white guilt.

Saturdays rally, though, was another Black-organized rally for Black Lives Matter with a theme of defunding at which demands escalated beyond even what had been proposed by the council.

Nightly fireworks

The rally and march arrived as the regularity of fireworks protests have diminished. For most nights in the past weeks, fireworks have begun at 8:46 p.m. and continued for hours, a reminder of the length of time a Minneapolis police officer stayed kneeling on Georges neck until he was dead. (Prosecutors now say the killing was shorter by one minute.) Theyll start at 8:46 and go into the wee hours of the morning. And, you know, thats where it becomes pretty problematic. If it was for 10 minutes or so right before nine oclock, I think we all could sustain it, Bard said of the fireworks Monday when addressing city councillors.

Though fireworks complaints are up 1,000 percent, he said, police response is limited: Folks think that we can go there and arrest individuals for using firecrackers, Bard said, and we cant. Its a $100 citation.

The discomfort, though, is exactly the point, protesters say of the fireworks displays. The relentless sound, which might be mistaken for gunfire, is a reminder of what some neighborhoods experience with actual ammunition. The Port neighborhood suffered an epidemic of gunfire incidents in 2018.

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Two thousand march with call to defund police; Council's $4.1M order was a 'drop in the bucket' - Cambridge Day

South African map by Wikimedia Commons

The Covid-19 crisis continues to wreak havoc across the globe, and our country is not spared. The pandemic broke out in South Africa at a time when the country was already under pressure to respond to a challenging economic environment in which global growth was slowing and trade tensions between the United States and China were having a debilitating impact on the global economy.

During the third and fourth quarters of 2019, South Africa was already experiencing declining growth rates and high job losses, adding further complications to the increasing public debt burden, underperforming tax revenues as well as general structural economic weaknesses that constrained the countrys ability to respond to national imperatives and global realities.

Emerging consensus now is that recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic will be more difficult than the period immediately following the 2008 global financial crisis, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other multilateral bodies posit that the pandemic is the worst health and economic crisis since World War II, disrupting health and livelihoods and unleashing a wave of uncertainty.

In South Africa, the pandemic has reignited debates about the appropriate policy mix to enhance state capacity and effectiveness, address structural economic inefficiencies and set the country on a long-term growth and development trajectory.

Some leading political figures, both within and outside government, and commentators somewhat echoing the global ratings agencies views have been remonstrating about South Africas misaligned and inefficient state and poorly performing state-owned enterprises like Eskom, SAA and Denel, many of which have become a drag on the fiscus.

From this perspective, state capacity needs urgent re-engineering to determine, implement and strengthen policy certainty. Additional structural reforms aimed at improving the effectiveness of public spending and rebuilding of public institutions will bolster business confidence, encourage private sector investment and lead to higher levels of economic activity and, hence, growth.

An important element that is missing in the current debate about national reforms, although it was sharply raised by political parties a few years ago, relates to the structure and efficacy of the countrys intergovernmental system. The question is whether, 26 years into democracy, provinces, in their current number and configuration, have a discernible value in promoting state effectiveness. The intergovernmental system, comprising three spheres (national, provincial and local government), is the product of a negotiated settlement at the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), that ultimately found expression in Chapter 3 of the Constitution under the principle of co-operative governance.

In the recent past, there have been concerns, from political parties and across civil society, that the rationale for the existence of the three spheres of government is no longer relevant; with parties such as the African Peoples Convention (APC) suggesting that provinces have become nests of corruption, that they are an unnecessary drain on the fiscus and a hindrance to service delivery and development. For the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the provincial borders reinforce the countrys ethnic and tribal make-up.

While the ruling African National Congress (ANC) advanced an argument that reducing the number of provinces would address concerns over the concentration of resources and improve service delivery, the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Free Market Foundation defended the provinces, stating the obvious that these were founded on the constitutional principle of co-operative governance. The foundation expressed a concern that tampering with provinces would create uncertainty and disrupt the rule of law in the country. But, apart from the obvious import of this argument that the Constitution should not be amended willy-nilly, what is the continued relevance of the current architecture of provinces?

There has been an erosion of capacity and a weakening of institutional integrity. Although the national government has historically invoked Section 100 interventions in provinces where systems ground to a halt such as in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Free State and the North West governance and internal financial controls in provinces continue to exhibit weaknesses, and these jeopardise service delivery.

It does appear that, more than being enablers, provinces, in their current configuration, can be a hindrance to service delivery on two levels. The first is financial and the second concerns co-ordination of government programme implementation.

National Treasury figures show that already, overall compensation (basically salary packages) accounts for more than 60% of provincial spending and in many cases continues to increase above inflation.

Moreover, provinces are politically top-heavy and this places a strain on the national fiscus. On average, each of the nine provinces has ten political office bearers (MECs), inclusive of the Premier. Latest figures from the Independent Commission on the Remuneration of Public Office Bearers show that on average, a premier earns just over R2.2-million a year and an MEC just over R1.9-million.

If one factors in members of the provincial legislatures (MPLs), with the lowest paid earning just over R1-million (with the smallest Northern Cape legislature comprising 30 MPLs and the biggest, KwaZulu-Natal, with 80 MPLs), the total upkeep of provincial political office bearers and an unjustifiably large national Cabinet runs into billions of rands annually. This is way too much for a country such as ours, wracked as it is by deep poverty, unemployment and inequality. We could do better with our limited resources.

The intergovernmental system depends largely on well co-ordinated policy, planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting. On this score, a number of challenges have been experienced across the three spheres. But these are more acute in provincial and local government spheres.

There has been an erosion of capacity and a weakening of institutional integrity. Although the national government has historically invoked Section 100 interventions in provinces where systems ground to a halt such as in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, the Free State and the North West governance and internal financial controls in provinces continue to exhibit weaknesses, and these jeopardise service delivery.

Is it not the right time to initiate a process to do away with provinces, or restructure them, at least, and channel national energies and resources towards strengthening the local government sphere, where service delivery takes place, to bolster the acceleration of a post-Covid-19 growth and development agenda?

While the Constitution provides for mechanisms to ensure that there are coherence and cohesion in the countrys intergovernmental system, the current fiscal constraints, and the Covid-19 induced dry spell on the horizon, necessitate a business-unusual approach where difficult decisions have to be made about controlling costs and providing for necessary liquidity to government. Such decisions may encounter resistance from those who benefit and hope to continue benefiting from the largesse provided by the current system.

The myriad health and economic challenges, as well as the upheaval of uncertainty that Covid-19 has brought to bear, are certainly testing the ability of leaders to lead the country in navigating this dicey contour, and the learning curve is steep. But leaving problematic areas in our governance architecture untouched simply because they have been in existence for 26 years will not only amount to a dereliction of duty on the part of our leaders, but it will also expose the lethargic superficiality of the reform agenda that is being bandied about. MC

Zamokwakhe Ludidi Somhlaba is the Head of Political Risk and Research at Frontline Africa Advisory in Pretoria.

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South Africas nine provinces increasingly seem to be more of a liability than an asset - Daily Maverick

Monetary debt can be difficult as it can cripple your fiscal freedom and bring you financial hardships. Furthermore, having debt can make it hard to buy a car or get a mortgage for your home. It can also harm your emotional and mental well-being because of stress.

There are numerous methods on how to reduce or get rid of debt; one of those options is through debt settlements. If you currently have considerable debt and looking for ways on how to improve your financial condition, you are in the perfect place. Read on to know about debt settlement.

Debt settlement, known as debt adjustment or debt relief, is a process of resolving debt for a lesser amount than what is owed initially. A substantial lump-sum payment that ranges from 10% to 50% of what is owed is used to resolve the previous debt.

A report from the American Fair Credit Council (AFCC) states that more than 90% of debt settlements result in debt reduction that is greater than the previous fees. Also, most of the participants reach agreements on their accounts within six months of starting the program.

Debt settlement has numerous benefits, which include some of the following.

One of the main advantages ofdebt settlementprograms is that the original amount you owe can be lowered to a more affordable amount. If you previously owe $10,000, it can be diminished to as much as $5,000.

Reducing your debt by up to 50% can be of great help, especially if you are currently experiencing extreme financial hardships.

When you declare bankruptcy, assets that you have may be claimed by the lender. These may include properties, land ownership, and cars, to name a few. Your financial troubles will also be a matter of public record, which could affect your employment options in the future. This is because most employers and companies evaluate their applicants credit histories.

Declaring bankruptcy may not be a good option for some individuals. Fortunately, debt settlement programs offer a practical alternative.

Talking to and dealing with creditors and collectors can be quite a hassle. It can also be humiliating because some people might find out that you are in debt and cant pay up.

These things can affect your self-confidence and self-esteem, which can hurt your emotional and mental wellness. Through debt settlement programs, you will be able to get debt collectors and creditors off your back.

Negotiating your debt with creditors can be tempting; the problem is you might mess things up and make the situation even worse. It would be best that you consult a debt settlement company to negotiate your financial issues on your behalf.

Debt settlement companies have the competence and experience to negotiate your settlement for you, helping you get a better deal in the process.

However, not all settlement companies in the market today are legitimate, which means you should be wary of companies that you consult and do transactions with. You can never go wrong in consulting settlement companies that are reliable and trusted.

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Debt settlement: An effective way of reducing debt - AZ Big Media

TIRANA (Albania), June 9 (SeeNews) -Albania has slightly slightly increased its overall economic freedom score in the global economic freedom chart prepared by The Heritage Foundation but has fallenfallen five spots to 57thposition in the index rankings,reflecting relatively better performanceby other countries, theU.S.-based think-tank said.

The country's overall score roseby 0.4points to66.9,mostly due toan improvement in the fiscal health, according to the 2020 Index of Economic Freedom report published by The Heritage Foundation.

Albania's government has improved its control of the budget deficit and has stabilised public debt, thus creating a more business-friendly environment. However, the country must improve its scoresfor property rights, judicial effectivenessand government integrity to improve its chances for eventual accession to the EU, The Heritage Foundation noted.

Albania is ranked 30th among 45 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score is below the regional average and above the world average. The country's score matches its highest so far, which was recorded in 2014.The economy is considered moderately free and continues to register a healthy economic growth, The Heritage Foundation said.

Protection of property rights remains weakand corruption remains a problem in real estate registration procedures and public administration. The judiciary is independent but subject to political pressure, intimidationand limited resources.

In terms of regulatory efficiency, despite some improvements, the enforcement of contracts remains problematic and unemployment is still high, as skilled labour continues to migrate outside of the country.

The Heritage Foundation also pointed to limits on foreign ownership, although progress has been made to modernise the investment regime.

The financial system remains relatively stable. The banking sector is well provisioned, but the share of nonperforming loans has been rising, the think-tank said.

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Albania needs to strengthen protection of property rights, judicial effectiveness - Heritage Foundation - SeeNews

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a Syracuse University research center that collects and analyzes data on immigration court activities. It gets the data with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that it submits regularly to the Department of Justices Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The TRAC research center is a reliable source of objective, factual information that is supported by numerous foundations, such as the Rockefeller Family Fund, the New York Times Company Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

EOIR is a Justice Department office that includes a 466-judge immigration court, a Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), an Office of Information Technology, an Office of Policy, and a General Counsels office.

EOIR records data on the activities of the immigration court and makes the data available to the public pursuant to the requirements in section 552(a) of FOIA. This includes a large batch of anonymized data about immigration court cases that EOIR prepares for TRACs monthly FOIA request.

TRAC revealed in a report it issued on Oct. 31, 2019, that EOIR was removing court records from its data. TRACs efforts to persuade EOIR to stop doing this and to replace the missing data have been unsuccessful.

First letter to EOIR

In a letter dated, Nov. 4, 2019, TRAC asked EOIRs director, James McHenry, for a public acknowledgement that recent EOIR data releases were not complete and that thousands of records were missing.

A spokesperson for EOIR has claimed that EOIR does not delete records. According to the spokesperson, the missing records were withheld on the basis of a FOIA exemption.

But the missing records were included in previous releases. Moreover, when records are withheld because they are exempt from FOIA requests, EOIR is supposed to identify the information being removed and explain why it was exempt from disclosure, which EOIR did not do.

A comparison of the data in EOIRs September 2019 release to its August 2019 release revealed that more than 1,500 relief applications that were in the August release were missing from the September release.

The missing data includes 17 different types of relief applications, including applications for adjustment of status, suspension of deportation, and asylum.

According to a report TRAC issued on Dec. 18, 2019, McHenry did not respond to the letter, but an EOIR representative assured TRAC that in the future, EOIRs technology office would review immigration court data before it is released.

This was not the first time there has been a problem with EOIR immigration court data.

In 2002, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of mandatory detention for criminal aliens on the basis of a record which included incorrect EOIR data that the Justice Department had submitted on how long criminal aliens were being detained. The fact that the Justice Department had submitted incorrect EOIR data to support its position wasnt discovered until 14 years later when the public obtained the underlying data through a FOIA request and identified the discrepancies.

On Aug. 26, 2016, the Solicitor General issued a formal letter to the Supreme Court apologizing for the submission of inaccurate data in the mandatory detention case.

Second letter to EOIR

In a letter dated Dec. 18, 2019, TRAC informed McHenry that the number of missing records was getting larger. Initially there were 1,507 missing relief applications in the September release; by December, there were 3,799.

TRAC asked McHenry to release the technology offices findings from its review of missing records and to describe the steps EOIR was taking to ensure that the public will be provided with accurate and reliable data in the future.

McHenry did not respond.

In a June 3, 2020 report, TRAC concludes that the data it has received on asylum and other applications for relief through April 2020 are too unreliable to be meaningful and it has stopped updating its public data on asylum. It also notes that data it has received and posted in recent months may not be accurate.

The number of relief applications that were included in the March 2020 data release but were missing in the April release rose to 68,282, and this is just the number of records that disappearedin a single month. It does not count the applications that disappeared previously.

EOIR's escalating data problems should raise grave concerns in Congress, among policymakers and in the public at large who put their faith in federal agencies to provide complete and accurate information about their work.

In the words of the TRAC report: The EOIR's apparent reckless deletion of potentially irretrievable court records raises urgent concerns that without immediate intervention the agency's sloppy data management practices could undermine its ability to manage itself, thwart external efforts at oversight, and leave the public in the dark about essential government activities.

Third letter to EOIR

In a letter dated June 3, 2020, TRAC told McHenry that the problem of disappearing records is approaching a crisis point. Month after month, more records are disappearing from EOIRs data releases.

The latest release, which covers records in EOIRs database as of the end of April 2020, is missing 68,282 relief applications that were in the March 2020 release. More relief application records disappeared in that single month than all of the asylum applications the agency reported receiving in fiscal 2015, or in any prior year.

Why is this happening?

EOIRs FOIA explanation is not persuasive.

The nine FOIA exemptions are listed in section 552(b), and it is apparent that they dont apply to the anonymized immigration court records that EOIR has been submitting to TRAC.

Moreover, if EOIR really thought the data they were withdrawing was exempt, why did they include it in previous releases?

In any case, I agree with TRACs conclusion in its June report that EOIR's apparently reckless deletion of potentially irretrievable court records raises urgent concerns.

The agency's failure to produce coherent data in response to regular (and expected) FOIA requests is inexplicable. Whats more, it makes it more difficult to identify and correct problems the immigration court is having, it prevents congress from conducting meaningful oversight, and it makes it impossible for the public to know how well the immigration court system is actually functioning.

Nolan Rappaportwas detailed to the House Judiciary Committee as an executive branch immigration law expert for three years. He subsequently served as an immigration counsel for the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims for four years. Prior to working on the Judiciary Committee, he wrote decisions for the Board of Immigration Appeals for 20 years. Follow him on Twitter@NolanR1or athttps://nolanrappaport.blogspot.com.

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Is the Executive Office for Immigration Review incompetent or is Trump hiding something? | TheHill - The Hill

The American economy and the country is huge. Countries normally operate in a coordinated fashion like a Navy flotilla. Huge ships take longer to turn like the flotilla of the German battleship, Bismarck. Flotillas work in synchrony, like a ballet or the Cirque du Soleil, for their mutual protection and benefit. Regardless of the political party in the oval office, there is generally much continuity in military, trade and foreign policy.

The U.S. wanted to leverage China in Vietnam negotiations. From 1952 through 1973, presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon were using Vietnam as a containment operation to buffer China from expansion. China and Vietnam were historical enemies. America wanted to drive a wedge between Russia and China. The Vietnam war ended with Nixons Paris Peace Accord in 1973. Then straddled with the Watergate break-in, he was impeached and resigned. As soon as Ford was sworn in, he addressed the nation and stated, My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over.

After President Carter gave China favored nation status in 1979, China trade started with Reagan in 1981. We had 12 years of accelerated Chinese trade growth and it continued its acceleration with four years of George H.W. Bush (Desert Storm). The Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. The USSR collapsed in December 1991.

Clintons economy grew unabated at 4% year over year starting in 1993. Impeached. Acquitted. China trade deficit grew about 20% year after year but was about 20% of what it is today. Clintons stock market performance exceeds Trumps excluding COVID-19 months. Many headed to Margaritaville with Jimmy Buffet.

Then the dandelions hit the fan. 9-11- 2001. The New York World Trade Center was targeted by Osama Bin Laden and laid smoldering on the ground.

George W. was not paying attention to China; he was too busy with Iraqi Freedom looking for A) oil or B) weapons of mass destruction of which there were none per Hans Blix, chief U.N. inspector. General Colin Powell knew what to do. He said to G.W. Bush, You break it, you bought it (The Pottery Barn Doctrine).

By 2004, President George W. Bushs trade imbalance graph with China looks like Evil Knievels ramp created to jump the Snake River canyon. Knievel needed a parachute. Our economy will need one too. Looking at the graph of trade deficits, corrections should have started about 2005. Blame it on focus in Iraq, the greed of American industry for increased profit margins? PAC money? American consumers wanting cheap stuff? Ship our environmental issue offshore? All the above? Mr. Trump, you can blame China trade issues on anyone but Obama and Biden.

Obama started with an economy in the tank in 2008 (the bank bailout), plus an ongoing Middle East conflict he inherited from G.W. Bush. The stock market went on an extended run increasing 113% from Obamas second month until the day Trump was elected, according to Forbes in June 2019. It was the longest run in US History.

Trumps first three years of China trade deficits are 7.76 % higher than Obama-Bidens last 3 years in office, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Theres been a trade imbalance with the Chinese since day one. American industry exported heavy machinery including farm products, steel, even rail maintenance equipment from Ludingtons Harsco Rail. In the early years, it kept Americans at work and leveled the economy and contained Russia. Most all Presidents were distracted by wars. You can only fight so many wars on so many fronts. Like the Bismarck, you need to make course corrections. Sometimes you get your rudder jammed.

No President spent more money on American defense than Barak Obama and Joe Bide, ever!, at $663.4 billion per year. (FY16_Green_Book.pdf) Budgets thru 2021. Obama and Biden built the military and the economy you and Trump live off today, according to the National Defense Budget estimates for fiscal year 2016.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., said in a statement that his panel found no reason to dispute the U.S. intelligence communitys conclusions that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to sow chaos, saying they reflected strong tradecraft and analytical reasoning. He said the agencies conclusion is that such election interference is the new normal.

Trumps continual vibrato of false tweets along with hidden agendas, and fake news and lies are killing us. It is just plain immoral. In todays world you need both oars in the water. Is there a doctor in the house?

When will we say our national nightmare is over?

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Lest we forget: 70 years of diplomacy, and why China trade in 5 minutes - shorelinemedia.net

From Black Lives Matter DC:

Black people are allowed to be joyful or feel seen with DC renaming a street after Black Lives Matter. Its also our responsibility to let you know what we are fighting for, who has the power to change things and that power concedes nothing without demand.

-Kiki Green, a Core Organizer with Black Lives Matter DC

Today Black Lives Matter DC stands in solidarity with freedom fighters all over the world to honor the lives of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Dreasjon Reed, and as always those we have lost to police here in DC:

Jeffery Price, age 22, was chased to his death in DC by the Metropolitan Police Department on May 4, 2018.

DQuan Young, age 24, was shot and killed in DC by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on May 9, 2018.

Marqueese Alston, 22, was shot and killed in DC by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) June 12, 2018

Terrence Sterling, 31, was chased, shot and killed by DC by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on September 11, 2016

Ralphael Briscoe age 18, as shot and killed in DC by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on April 26, 2011

The names of more loved ones lost have been compiled here by Stop Police Terror Project DC.

These are the names of the people that performative Black Lives Matter street art leaves out. These are the names that fuel our commitment to #DefundPolice and #StopMPD. We know that for some DC is the seat of power and imperialism, the symbolic representation of harmful systems but it is also home to hundreds of thousands of Black people who are oppressed by the very systems people claim to be against. It never fails that in the national discourse people ignore those killed right here in DC by police while protesting police brutality and muder in our city.

We stand by our critique of the DC Mayor Muriel Bowser after the unveiling of the Black Lives Matter Mural and the renaming of Black Lives Matter Plaza. Black Lives Matter is a complete statement. There is no grey area or ambiguity. We hold that we have a duty to the loved ones named above to ensure that they are not forgotten and their deaths are not exploited for publicity, performance, or distraction. Mayor Muriel Bowser must be held accountable for the lip service she pays in making such a statement while she continues to intentionally underfund and cut services and programs that meet the basic survival needs of Black people in DC.

To chip away at the investments in communities that actually make us safer while proposing a $45 million dollar increase in funding for the Metropolitan Police Departments budget a few weeks ago is NOT making Black lives matter. Bowser justifies the over policing of Black bodies by pointing to the heartbreaking number of Black people who have died as a result of violence in our streets. Simultaneously she publicly admits that increased police presence has little effect on violent crimes, especially homicide. Homicides continue to increase despite the MPD budget growing every year and more and more officers on the streets. In a continuation of her intentional efforts to first not fund, then dissect, and now lie about implementing the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Act (NEAR Act), that threats community violence as a public health issue, she just proposed to cut $800k from the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement that the Act created and where the violence interruption program sits. Additionally, she still has not opened the stand alone Office of Violence Prevention also required by the Act. Stop Police Terror Project DC and Black Lives Matter DC were instrumental in the creation, passage, funding of the NEAR Act.

Although Black people make up 46% of D.C.s population, they remain the subjects of the vast majority of all stops, frisks, and uses of force in the District. A January 2018 D.C. Office of Police Complaints OPC report found that of the 2,224 total reported uses of force in Fiscal Year 2017 (October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017), 89% involved a Black subject. A February 2018 investigative report from WUSA9 analyzed pre-NEAR Act data and found that approximately 80% of the stops involved a Black subject. Just this week OPC released its FY18 Annual Report that revealed officer misconduct complaints are up 78% since FY16, 780 complaints were received (the second consecutive year of receiving a record number of complaints), 501 new investigations were opened (more than any other year since OPCs

We actively reject the false narrative that policing is necessary or safe. That the system of the system of policing and the injustice system are not broken, they are operating exactly the way that they were designed.

Our anger and rage, our grief is justified. We rebuke the notion that we must celebrate crumbs the Mayor gives DC residents without engaging critically in why we settle for art but not housing, street signs but not investments in the actual things that keep communities safe. If our attempts to hold this administration accountable for what we believe are multiple failures of leadership turns people away then we will stand alone. We are clear in our commitment that liberation for all Black people and real change to the conditions that keep us locked up and out will not be swayed even if people disagree with our stance.

While people celebrate this Mayor, our lawsuit against Bowser this week resulted in the DC curfew being lifted. Thats not it. While we are both taking it to the streets with direct action and support, we are also suing President Donald Trump for ordering the use of violence against protestors who were speaking out against police brutality and the murder of Black people by police. We do this because we know that both the federal and local government are complicit in the violence against protestors.

While others may forget, we do not forget any of us. When we say Black Lives Matter, we mean ALL Black lives. We will work for the liberation of all Black people in DC when it is difficult, when we are attacked, when people are busy debating whether or not protestors are violent or peaceful, and until we are free.

Therefore WE DEMAND

Black Lives Matter DC is a member-based abolitionist organization centering Black people most at risk for state violence in DC, creating the conditions for Black Liberation through the abolition of systems and institutions of white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and colonialism.

We are dedicated to promoting strategies that:

empower the most oppressed Black people;

do not reinforce or legitimize systems and institutions that harm Black people including police, prisons, mass incarceration, and modern slavery.

divest from people, institutions and systems that harm us and invest in the people, institutions, systems and other models that support our liberation and empowerment.

use a diversity of tactics to promote harm reduction, political education, and non-cooperation as strategic visions.

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"It never fails that in the national discourse people ignore those killed right here in DC by police while protesting police brutality and muder...

Editors note: The following is a collection of breaking news updates, helpful informational sites and links to appropriate local institutions during the coronavirus pandemic. Send announcements to admin@voicesofmontereybay.org.

Another death attributed to COVID-19 reported in Monterey CountyJune 9 Monterey County health officials today reported an 11th person has died as a result of complications related to COVID-19.

News of the latest victim comes only in an additional death on an online chart updated daily by the Monterey County Health Department. The county health officer has steadfastly refused to provide the identifications or the city of residents of any of the fatalities in the county, citing patient privacy.

The death is the first since May 29, when two people from Monterey County reportedly expired.

The countys health officials also reported that 12 more people have tested positive for COVID-19 during the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 763 since the county started keeping track in late January. Of those cases, 621 patients identified themselves as Latino or Hispanic, 754 were from Salinas or South Monterey County and 300 worked in agriculture. Seventy-five patients in Monterey County have required hospitalizations because of the virus.

To date, a total of 12,429 Monterey County residents have been tested for COVID-19.

For comparative numbers, Santa Cruz County has reported 226 cases of COVID-19, with two deaths. A total of 9,867 people have been tested in that county. In California, 4,682 people have died as a result of the virus.

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Virtual town hall for Monterey County businesses set ThursdayJune 8 Two Monterey County supervisors will host a virtual town hall on Thursday to explain the next new phase of business reopenings, now involving personal care services.

Supervisors Mary Adams and Jane Parker will host the meeting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. During the meeting, operators of personal care service businesses can learn more about the requirements and guidelines in place that will allow the reopening on Friday.

The meeting will be held live via Zoom. The event can be followed athttps://montereycty.zoom.us/j/96306672642Phone access is through 1-669-900-6833, meeting code 96306672642#A Facebook livestream can be found at https://www.facebook.com/MontereyCoInfo

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Most Monterey County businesses can get back to business on FridayJune 7 Hotels, bars, wineries, museums and fitness gyms will be able to reopen in Monterey County on Friday, according to the countys health officer.

The order by Dr. Edward Moreno also applies to cardrooms, campgrounds and other recreational spots, as long as operators maintain safe environments for patrons and workers.

According to a written release from county officials released Sunday, Monterey County has not exceeded the threshold for maintaining hospital surge capacity and has not exceeded the threshold for maintaining the ability to protect those at high risk for COVID-19. Maintaining surge capacity and protecting vulnerable populations have been and continue to be top public health priorities during this pandemic.

The reopening of those businesses were authorized by Gov. Gavin Newsom last week, but the governor gave discretion to health officers in individual counties based on existing scenarios.

Thanks to countywide efforts to socially distance, cover faces, wash hands, clean and sterilize surfaces and stay at home as much as possible, we continue to slow the spread of COVID-19, said Moreno, in the written statement We are still in the middle of a pandemic and must continue to work together to protect our families, friends and fellow residents.

He said the county Health Department and state Department of Public health will continue to monitor local indicators. Future decisions to open additional businesses and activities will depend in part on how wellbusinesses implement sector guidelines and how well we all practice social distancing and other preventive measures, said Dr. Moreno.

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Santa Cruz County offers operational breaks to business ownersJune 2 Restaurant and other business owners in rural regions of Santa Cruz County will get leeway to reopen and operate under a plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors today.

Supervisors approved the plan to issue temporary permits to allow the businesses to expand into nearby parking lots so that physical distancing and health protocols under COVID-19 orders can be met. Applications and self-certification forms will be available online here. Permits issued electronically are good for 180 days, with the possibility of an extension. Permit fees will be waived through the remainder of 2020.

Restaurants offering outdoor alcoholic beverages will need to verify outdoor eligibility parameters and standards with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

The Planning Department will concurrently work on establishing temporary permit standards that could offer longer timeframes for modified operations, according to a written statement from the county. The Board of Supervisors also directed the departments of Public Works, Parks and Environmental Health to administer encroachment permits, licenses and other procedures in ways that would allow for outdoor dining and other commercial uses on public property, such as by using portions of public parking areas including lots or roadways.

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Variances approved in Monterey and Santa Cruz countiesMay 29 The state Department of Public Health today accepted variances for both Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, and the health officers in both counties have issued orders to allow dine-in restaurant services and the reopening of barbershops and hair salons. Both activities are allowed to resume immediately in Santa Cruz, as long as the guidelines are followed.

Prior to opening, businesses must implement social distancing protocols and design worksite-specific plans, train employees and implement control measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to the local health officers. No further county approvals are needed before operations may resume.

Reopening guidance, including state guidelines for specific sectors, can be found here.

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Monterey County lists two new COVID-19 deathsMay 29 Monterey County health officials today reported two more deaths of county residents that they attribute to complications arising from COVID-19.

The new fatalities were reported through the countys coronavirus information website, with no other explanation. Health officials have not been releasing details about victims, including identities, their hometowns or their ages. The deaths increase the total number in Monterey County to 10, and they are the first to be reported since May 15. The announcement comes as the county is awaiting permission from state health authorities to ease restrictions on restaurant dining and to reopen other businesses.

As of today, Monterey County has confirmed 477 people have tested positive for COVID-19 since the end of January. Of those 57 have been hospitalized and 366 have recovered, according to the county. Also, 9,202 people have tested negative for the virus.

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Santa Cruz County sends variance plan to stateMay 29 Santa Cruz County has asked state officials for the variance that would allow at least some restoration of commerce soon.

With a unanimous vote, the Board of Supervisors today approved a Stage 2 variance application that would allow local restaurants, hair salons and barbershops to expand their services. The re-openings cant happen yet. The variance needs to be approved by the state and the county health officer must issue orders that establish guidelines.

The county has been in consultation with the state during the process, said Jason Hoppin, a county spokesman. Approval may take up to one week, though a response could come sooner.

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Monterey city administrators hope to avoid additional layoffsMay 27 Montereys city manager said today that none of the radical new proposals administrators are looking at to meet budget deficits would include additional layoffs.

Responding to a report published this morning, City Manager Hans Uslar told the City Council that the proposals he is submitting does not include a single layoff. Its possible that roles of some staff might change, but he said the propsal focuses on other operational adjustments in the citys operation.

The City Council last month agreed to eliminate 106 jobs after seeing a dramatic loss of tax revenue due to business closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City Council is meeting this afternoon in a study session to learn more about what city administrators say will be deficit of at least $31 million in the coming two years. Lauren Lai, the citys finance director, is presenting a smorgasborg of possible solutions, which would include hiring freezes, renegotiated labor contracts and contracting certain city services to private entities.

No decision will be made today.

Mayor Clyde Roberson said that the pending reopening of some businesses, approved by the county Board of Supervisors and awaiting state approval, is a welcome development. But those measures are contained in the countys Stage 2 request. Roberson pointed out that hotels wont be able to open to tourists until the county gets permission for Stage 3. And the citys conference center wont open until Stage 4.

The citys most severe financial hit is a result of a huge loss of transient occupancy taxes, also known as bed taxes imposed on overnight visitors, and sales taxes. Early estimates indicate that hotel occupancy rates are down up to 85 percent on the Monterey Peninsula. County and state restrictions only allow hotel rooms to be occupied by visitors who are performing essential services while they are in the county.

The study session is being broadcast on Facebook and is scheduled to continue through 6 p.m. today.

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Santa Cruz County supervisors to consider variance application FridayMay 27 The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors oon Friday could ask state officials for a late Stage 2 variance that would open the county to more business and larger gatherings.

The Board of Supervisors is holding a special hearing at 9 a.m. Friday to review and consider an application for the variance drawn up by Dr. Gail Newel, the countys public health officer. If approved by the State, the application would allow Newel to authorize operations for dining in at restaurants and to open barbershops and hair salons, with health and safety modifications.

The Board of Supervisors in Monterey County submitted a similar application on Tuesday.

If approved by the Board, State review may take up to one week.

The variance will not apply to prohibitions on operations like nail salons, tattoo parlors or other higher-risk personal services, none of which have been cleared by the state year. On Tuesday Newel issued an order aligning Santa Cruz County with the states Resilience Roadmap, so that any future state changes may be immediately implemented at the local level.

Since the start of the pandemic, Santa Cruz County has recorded 200 cases of COVID-19, with two deaths and 29 hospitalizations. Laboratories in the county have recorded 7,637 negative COVID-19 tests.

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Monterey city administrators: Budget hit is worse than they thoughtMay 26 Monterey administrators say the citys financial problems are even worse than they originally thought and they are suggesting radical changes to the way the city operates.

Officials are recommending the council adopt a go big, go broad, go simple approach to digging its way out of the citys financial hole.

They will be presenting dozens of options to the Monterey City Council on Wednesday during a study session scheduled specifically to discuss the devastation incurred in the city in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtually everything is on the table, according to Lauren Lai, the citys finance director, including ballot measures to raise tourism taxes, hiring freezes and farming out some of the citys high-profile operations to private companies or nonprofits. Lai released the gloomy outlook and the list of potential solutions in a 11-page report today.

Some of these suggestions will create a robust and, probably, adversarial discussions between interest groups and stakeholders, said Lai. In other words: we put everything on the table.

Last month, the council already agreed to eliminate more than 100 jobs in an effort to make up for a $10 million revenue loss city officials said they expected to sustain by the end of the fiscal year. Most of that deficit is due to the loss of tourism. Perhaps more than any other city in the county, Montereys operations are dependent on bed taxes imposed on hotels and sales tax generated in the hospitality industry.

Upon further review, Lai now says that the deficit will likely be about $13 million. And she expects the city will be in a $30 million hole over a two-year period.

Our city needs to be prepared to brace for a wide range of fiscal and economic damages, which are occurring and still unfolding, Lai said. Montereys economy, including our citys revenues, will bounce back. The recent Memorial Day weekend showed how popular the Monterey Peninsula is. However, for the foreseeable future the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 continues to impact the speed of Montereys economic recovery.

The study session starts at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The council will not act on any of the proposals, but the meeting is meant to prepare councilmembers with the information to base future actions. Read the entire report here:

Monterey City Government's Financial Report

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Santa Cruz County eases restrictions on work, worship, shopping and protestMay 26 Let the protests resume in Santa Cruz County.

The countys public health officer, Dr. Gail Newel, issued a new health order today that allows Stage 2 activities to proceed and aligns the county with any future state announcements that remove restrictions under the statewide shelter-in-home order. The new order follows much of the loosened restrictions announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom during the past several days.

Among the activities expressly mentioned in Newels health order are outdoor activities, including protests. No included in the new order are in-restaurant dining, but Newel said she is seeking a state variance that will allow restaurants to open their dining halls.

It also includes resumption of office work, in-store retail, religious services and cultural ceremonies, manufacturing and limited personal services, effectively at midnight tonight. All businesses and operations must continue complying with social distancing protocols and order to wear face coverings, according to a written release issued by the county.

As we move forward with these changes, I want to caution everyone that COVID-19 is still present inour community, said Newel. Anyone who is 65 years old or older, as well as those who are medically vulnerable,should continue sheltering in place. I urge all members of our community to help thosewho need to shelter by continuing to offer help and check in.

She said she is encouraging telework working from home where possible, but in-office work is allowed under guidelines that can be found here.

Childcare is also now allowed for children of workers and volunteers in all sectors, not just essentialservices. Guidance on childcare facilities can be found here.

In-store retail operations should follow state guidance for retail establishments, found here.

Newel said political protests can also resume, as long as they are not staged in a crowded hall and they follow appropriate social-distancing protocols. See here for more details.

Beaches will remain closed between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., with exceptions for surfers, walkers, runners or others who use local beaches for exercise. Restrictions still apply at hotels, motels and vacation rentals, which can only be available to people engaged in essential services.

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Monterey County delivers next-phase reopening plan to governorMay 26 The ball is now in Gov. Gavin Newsoms court.

The Board of Supervisors today asked the California governor for permission to move to the next level of reopening, to allow dine-in restaurant service, on-site retail and more freedom of movement in the county. The state has already opened up in-person religious services, full-service car washes and reopening of schools all with significant modifications. Also during the hearing, supervisors learned that Newsom announced a plan to reopen hair salons and barber shops in California.

Dr. Edward Moreno on Monday released the countys application to state health officers that, if approved by the state, would move the county further along Stage Two recovery of shelter-in-place restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The of Supervisors endorsed that proposal today, and it will be transmitted to the governors office for approval.

The action was applauded by the small-business owners and business representatives who testified via live-streaming services during the meeting. Small businesses are struggling, said Carina Powers. They need to get back to business to make up the losses incurred during the closures, she said.

But Moreno and county supervisors warned the public to remain vigilant, to observe social distancing and to wear face covering. They say they are concerned that health officers may be forced to re-impose restrictions if the virus spreads at a high rate in the future because people are being careless.

Weve had low numbers in Monterey County and those low numbers are not an accident, said Charles McKee, the countys top administrative officer, referring to the general compliance of residents to shelter-in-place orders imposed during the past two months. But we dont want to have a backslide.

This is not the time to let your guard down, said Supervisor Chris Lopez, chairman of the board.

Supervisor Jane Parker called Morenos application a carefully thought-through plan, adding that it provides safeguards to protect people vulnerable to the virus.

This is a critical stage to get peoples lives back together (and) their businesses back together, said Supervisor John Phillips.

Newsom has swiftly approved many of the attestation variance applications submitted by other counties, sometimes as quickly as a day or two.

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Monterey County prepared to seek easing of restrictionsMay 25 Declaring that the curve has flattened in Monterey County, the Board of Supervisors appears poised to ask Gov. Gavin Newsom to ease restrictions that had been imposed by the spread of COVID-19.

The board will meet Tuesday to sign off on an application of attestation variance prepared by its public health officer, Dr. Edward Moreno. That 140-page form asserts that the county has maintained a stable or decreasing number of patients for greater than 2 weeks while the seven-day average of daily change in hospitalized patients has dropped by 0.2 percent.

The form also indicates the county has a strategy in place to monitor COVID-19 and is prepared to scale back activities if infections worsen.

The form was released today, the third day of the Memorial Day weekend during which countless numbers of people jammed beaches, tourist destinations and other hotspots, many of them in violation of existing shelter-in-place orders and social-distancing standards.

In a proposed letter to Newsom that the Board of Supervisors will be asked to approve Tuesday, the county says that Moreno and other county officials are actively monitoring infection through epidemiology, implementing alternative sheltering measures where necessary, offering a sufficient amount of testing and contact tracing, monitoring hospital capacity and plans for surge, and protecting vulnerable populations.

The Board believes that the shelter in place orders issued by Dr. Moreno since the Governors proclamation of a state of emergency on March 4, 2020, and the publics compliance with those orders, have helped to flatten the curve of the virus in the County, and have allowed Dr. Moreno to now execute the updated attestation.

Monterey County is one of the few counties in California that havent yet received a second stage phase-two variance from the state. Approval of the variance would allow more freedom among owners of retail, restaurants and hospitality services. Pebble Beach Co. is already taking reservations for accommodations starting June 15.

In supporting Dr. Morenos petition, the Board of Supervisors will also ask the state to include wineries and tasting rooms as businesses eligible for reopening in stage two. As you may know, the wine industry is an important sector of the countys economy, and there are numerous wineries and tasting rooms throughout our communities.

The board is holding a special session Tuesday specifically to move the request. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and can be followed online. See the agenda here.

Read Dr. Edward Moreno's attestation application here

Read Monterey County Board of Supervisor's proposed letter of support

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Recent clusters in Santa Cruz County concern health officialsMay 22 Public health authorities report multiple clusters of COVID-19 cases involving family gathering in Santa Cruz County.

The county has boasted a relatively low number coronavirus cases, compared to its neighbors, but health officials issued a reminder this afternoon encouraging residents to maintain social distancing and follow shelter-in-place orders during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend following a spike in new cases.

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UPDATE: Another death attributed to COVID-19 reported in Monterey County - Voices of Monterey Bay