Pushing for a relaxation in fiscal norms governing the finances of the states, NK Singh, chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, said states needed greater fiscal space to meet their expenditure obligations.

Clearly, the finances of the states are under stress, there are issues of fiscal pressure. This is a time, when I believe, some of the basic tenets of the fiscal norms need to be suitably relaxed. This is a time when states need greater freedom to be able to meet their initial obligations, on account of this pandemic, Singh said on Wednesday.

Singh was delivering a lecture on the impact of the pandemic on fiscal architecture and fiscal federalism in the near future, to students of the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.

According to Singh, the opaqueness and clutter in the demarcation of powers of the central and state governments under the Constitution and other Acts posed a hindrance to Indias pandemic response.

In the short term, Singh called for greater harmony between the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, both of which have been invoked in the process of responding to the pandemic.

In the short term, there are issues of dealing with the clutter of the Disaster Management Act and the Epidemic Act. They need to have greater harmony, he said.

The older legislation demarcates powers of the Centre and state governments in their response to an epidemic. It grants states powers over laws governing people within its jurisdiction while the Centre is empowered to dictate terms on ports of entry.

A similar confusion exists due to the demarcation of powers under the seventh schedule of the Constitution, according to Singh. The schedule deals with subjects under the purview of the Central and state governments and those that are governed by both.

Until the seventh schedule is cleaned up, fiscal architecture, as we go forward, will remain clumsy and ill-designed to suit the contemporary needs, Singh said, stating that circumstances are very different now compared to when the Constitution was drawn up.

Continued here:

States need greater fiscal space to meet their expenditure obligations: NK Singh - Economic Times

While the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed Ottawas handling access to information requests, the countrys law enforcement agencies and defence department are often unable to meet legislated response requirements, government documents show.

Indeed, in some cases, compliance with legal requirements on freedom of information (FOI) is declining.

Its a situation contributing to a lack of information from the federal government that Canadians need to participle fully in a democratic society, said Mount Royal University journalism Prof. Sean Holman.

He said governments are more in the business of denying information requests than they are about being open.

Were actually talking about the censorship of material prior to release, he said.

And, its something Information Commissioner of Canada Carline Maynard identified in an April letter to federal Treasury Board president Jean-Yves Duclos.

Given the scale of the pandemic response, institutions can anticipate a surge of access requests related to the governments handling of the response to COVID-19, Maynard wrote. Without outstanding leadership and proper planning, we can foresee that the new backlog generated during the current crisis will become another systemic burden, further impeding a system that is already facing major challenges. Simply put, this cannot become the new normal.

Glacier Media examined the most recent freedom of information reports from the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Coast Guard.

The reports detail how responsive each of the agencies is to information requests under the federal Access to Information Act (ATIP).

Department of National Defence (DND)

In a report to Parliament July 22, Maynard examined DND handling of requests. In her recommendations, she said other government institutions should take note. Canadians have a quasi-constitutional right to access government information is not compromised, she said.

Among recommendations were better record keeping about searches, greater use of technology instead of moving paper, increased communication with requesters, mandatory training in request handling, dedicated response officers in high-volume situations and knowledge of legislation to avoid obstruction problems.

In a February 28 response to her findings, Minister of National Defence and Vancouver South MP Harjit Sajjan wrote, access to information is a critical right, and the department is committed to open government initiatives and is continually improving its access to information program.

RCMP

In 2017-18, the RCMP received 10,199 requests. Some 3,289were held over from the prior year. For the year, 6,051 requests completed and 7,437carried forward.

For 2016-17,the force received 9,965 ATIP requests with1,454 ATIP requests outstanding from the prior fiscal year; 8,130 ATIP requests completed; and 3,289 ATIP requests carried forward to the next fiscal year

In 2015-16, the RCMP received 8,469 requests. There were1,200 requests outstanding from the previous year. Some 8,122 requests were completed and 1,277 carried forward to the next fiscal year.

There was no explanation for difference between the 1,277 carried forward in 2015-2016 and the 1,454 outstanding from the same year.

An audit found compliance with the law for responding to requests continue to decline, 78.2% for 2015-16,65.4% for 2016-17,and 33.5% for 2017-2018.

The number of complaints is also increasing. That number sat at 140 in 2014-2015, dropping to 120 the next year. It rose to 160 in 2016-2017 and leapt to 232 for 2017-2018.

In 2017, the force asked for 61 new employees to handle the caseload. It received 12.

The audit, released in March, said initiatives have been launched to improve effectiveness and efficiency but said implementation of initiatives appears to be reactive with limited documented analysis to support managements decision to pursue proposed initiatives. It said the RCMP would benefit from the development of a formal plan to manage the implementation of process improvement initiatives and measure their success.

The 35% response time for 2017-2018 concerns Holman.

Its not just how the access offices are being run and the RCMP are being run that is getting in the way of disclosure, he said. Its about the RCMP attitude toward disclosure.

That, he said, should be a matter of public concern.

Canada Border Services

Canada Border Services said it has closed more files than it received in 2018-19. Of the 1,362 requests carried over to fiscal year 20192020, 1,220 were on time and 142 were late, the services January report to Parliament said.

The service said 94.3% of 2019-2020 requests were completed within the legislated timelines, an increase from 86.8% the previous year.

CBSA said it requested 2,237response time extensions in2018-19, up 16% over the previous year, a change is attributed to an increase in requests.

For 20182019, 150 complaints were filed against CBSA, up 35.4% over 2017-18.

CSIS

The intelligence agencys February report to Parliament said it is seeing request increases year over year.

CSIS received 1,146 requests in 2018-2019 up from 851 in 2017-18 and 491 in 2016-17. The bulk come from the public followed by businesses and then media.

Although faced with a significant increase in volume from the previous fiscal year, the service closed 1,181 requests and maintained a high on-time compliance rate of 98.1 % with a 1.9 % deemed refusal rate. As of April 1, 2019, 10 requests received during the 2018-2019 fiscal year were in a deemed refusal situation.

CSIS noted a significant backlog of consultations involving Library and Archives Canada accumulated during the year due to the immense number of records involving dated RCMP and CSIS security intelligence files as well as the complexity and sensitivity of the information contained therein. The service is working on identifying solutions to address this growing challenge.

CSIS registered 25 new complaints in the period and closed 61. Some 83 remain active.

Holman said the real problem with the ATIP process generally is that it allows for exemptions and exclusions.

He said Canada should be looking at general releases of broad categories of information.

Thats something a group Holman is involved in called for in May, saying Canadians deserve greater information transparency and protection for whistleblowers.

jhainsworth@glaciermedia.ca

@Jhainswo

See the rest here:

Canadians' right to information should not be compromised: commissioner - The Tri-City News

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus illness COVID-19 climbed to 15.6 million on Friday, and the U.S. case tally hit 4.07 million as the virus continued to spread in the South and West and more states reported that health care systems are steadily being overwhelmed.

President Donald Trump canceled the planned Republican National Convention events that were due to take place in hot spot Florida next month, after that state saw a record number of fatalities in a single day on Thursday at 173. The U.S. counted more than 1,000 deaths on Thursday, with more than 500 of them taking place in Florida, California and Texas. The U.S. death toll is now 144,780, according to data aggregated by Johns Hopkins University,

The U.S. added more than 69,900 cases on Thursday to push the total above 4 million, according to a New York Times tracker. The spread has accelerated through the summer, climbing to 4 million from 3 million in just 15 days, as the Washington Post reported. In the early days of the outbreak it took 45 days to increase from 1 million to 2 million cases, and then took 27 days to rise to 3 million.

Forty states have seen rising cases in the last 14 days, according to the Times tracker, led by Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards told reporters at a briefing that his state is nearing breaking point after its case tally rose above 100,000.

Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House Task Force created to manage the pandemic, took a more somber tone than usual on Friday on NBCs Today Show.

I just want to make it clear to the American public: What we have now are essentially three New Yorks, with these three major states, she said. And so were really having to respond as an American people, and thats why you hear us calling for masks and increased social distancing to really stop the spread of this epidemic.

The face mask issue continued to be a thorny issue with the American public with legal challenges against mandates extending to Oregon on Thursday, when conservative group Freedom Foundation filed a suit against Gov. Kate Brown.

Governors in left-leaning states all over the country are making up the rules as they go and ignoring the procedural rules their own state laws set up, Jason Dudash, the Freedom Foundations Oregon director, said in a statement on the groups website.

Last week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp sued Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over her face mask mandate. Several Georgia cities have also filed suits, while counties and districts in other states, including California, have also launched suits.

Public health experts have stressed that wearing face masks is key to containing the virus, along with frequent hand washing and social distancing. Robert Redfield, head of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, said at a recent news conference that if every American agreed to wear a mask, over the next six weeks we could drive (the virus) into the ground.

Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel of the University of Pennsylvania, an oncologist, bioethicist and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, reiterated his concern that the U.S. has squandered the last four months, and it really is very, very depressing, he said in an interview on MSNBC.

Were really right back in March, he said.

The global death tally from COVID-19 stands at 634,954, the Johns Hopkins data shows, and at least 8.9 million people have recovered.

Brazil is second to the U.S. with 2.3 million cases and 84,082 deaths.

India is third measured by cases at 1.3 million, followed by Russia with 799,499 and South Africa with 408,052.

The U.K. has 299,500 cases and 45,762 fatalities, the highest in Europe and third highest in the world.

China, where the illness was first reported late last year, has 86,177 cases and 4,650 fatalities.

There was good news on the housing front Friday, when data showed sales of new single-family homes rose sharply in June for the second straight month, pushing the sales rate to its highest level in 13 years, as MarketWatchs Greg Robb reported.

The annual sales pace for U.S. new-home sales rose 13.8% last month to 776,000, the Commerce Department said Friday. Thats above the prior cycle high of 774,000 hit in January and is the strongest since July 2007, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a June sales rate of 710,000, compared with an original May estimate of 676,000. On Friday, the government revised Mays rate to 682,000. That pushed the May rise in new home sales to 19.4%

The impact of falling mortgage rates down 80 basis points this year is more than offsetting the wave of Covid-induced job losses, which seem to be hitting younger renters rather than would-be homebuyers; the median buyer is 47 years of age, while the median restaurant employee is 29, said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

See: America is facing an eviction crisis as moratoriums expire: This is a potential catastrophe

A separate report found the service sector lagging behind manufacturing, as some areas of the country have reimposed lockdown measures.

IHS Markit said its U.S. flash manufacturing purchasing managers index rose to 51.3 in July from 49.8 in the previous month. The flash services purchasing managers index rose only to 49.6 from 47.9 in June.

Any reading above 50.0 indicates improving conditions, while readings below that measure indicate contraction. The flash estimate is typically based on approximately 85%90% of total survey responses each month.

See:Baseball is back heres how U.S. sports leagues are returning during the pandemic

The U.S. economy is experiencing the first-ever recession driven by the services sector. And economists are concerned because some key service sectors like travel, restaurants, and entertainment are not expected to recover soon given the pandemic. Manufacturing is slowly getting on its feet but is still experiencing headwinds.

The lack of growth is a disappointment, said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit.

Three Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.68% components reported earnings, starting late Thursday with chip giant Intel Corp., which disappointed with news of a delay in its next generation of semiconductor technology, MarketWatchs Jon Swartz reported. Intel said it may actually use a third party to manufacture it as a contingency plan.

Intel INTC, -16.24% stock was slammed after it reported along with second-quarter earnings that the introduction of its 7-nanometer chips would be delayed by at least six months. AMD AMD, +16.50% is already selling 7-nm semiconductors for servers and PCs; in chip parlance, nanometers, or nm, is the size of the transistors that go on a computer chip, with the general rule being that smaller transistors are faster and more efficient in using power.

We have identified a defect mode in our 7-nanometer process that resulted in yield degradation, said Bob Swan, Intels chief executive, on a conference call late Thursday. Weve root-caused the issue and believe there are no fundamental roadblocks, but we have also invested in contingency plans to hedge against further schedule uncertainty.

See now: Intel admits another defeat with unprecedented manufacturing issues

There was better news from American Express Co. AXP, -1.38%, which posted a surprise profit for the second quarter, but revenue that lagged estimates amid a fall in card member spending during the pandemic.

Verizon Communications VZ, +1.79% beat on profit and revenue but its report showed negative impacts from the pandemic. The wireless operator estimates that both GAAP and adjusted EPS saw negative impacts of about 14 cents stemming from impacts to wireless service revenue and lower advertising and search revenue for Verizons media unit.

Elsewhere, there was a setback for Moderna Inc. MRNA, -2.81%, one of the many companies working on a COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled in favor of Arbutus Biopharma Corp. ABUS, -20.00% in a patent dispute between the companies, MarketWatchs Jaimy Lee reported.

The decision may mean that Arbutus will attempt to make a royalty claim to products developed by Modernas lipid nanoparticle delivery technology, which is currently being used to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.

SVB Leerinks Mani Foroohar said the ruling is a disappointing turn for Moderna, and any meaningful royalty burden could hamper MRNAs pricing flexibility and margin profile vs. other players in the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine market.

Heres the latest news on companies and COVID-19:

Fans of the iPhone will probably have to wait at least another month before shiny new models are unveiled. Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.24% is delaying its annual fall event until the latter half of October instead of early September, according to a tech blog. The company was forced to push back the event for the 5G-compatible iPhone 12 line because of production delays caused by the pandemic, the Japanese Apple blog Mac Otakara reported. Apple is expected to announce four new iPhones, with the 5G models available in November.

Boston Beer Co. SAM, +25.65%, maker of Sam Adams and other alcoholic beverages, reported an unexpected doubling of profit from the year before amid the pandemic. Chief Executive Dave Burwick credited increases in our Truly Hard Seltzer and Twisted Tea brands and the addition of the Dogfish Head brands for some of the demand gains. Boston Beer now expects full-year earnings of $11.70 to $12.70 a share, while analysts on average had forecast 2020 earnings of $9.84 a share.

eHealth Inc. EHTH, -30.55%, an online health insurance marketplace, reported an adjusted quarterly profit and sales that came in above expectations. Revenue rose 35% to $88.8 million. The company said the number of new paying members for all its Medicare products rose 40% to 72,651 people.

ETrade Financial Corp. ETFC, -0.90% reported fiscal second-quarter results that slightly exceeded Wall Street estimates. The company also declared a quarterly cash dividend of 14 cents a share.

Honeywell International Inc. HON, -2.79% reported second-quarter profit and sales that fell, but beat expectations. The company said it expects sales challenges resulting from the pandemic will continue, particularly in the aerospace and oil and gas businesses. Aerospace sales declined 28% to $2.54 billion, but topped the FactSet consensus of $2.41 billion; performance materials and technologies sales declined 19% to $2.22 billion but topped expectations of $2.19 billion; safety and productivity sales slipped 1% to $1.54 billion to beat expectations of $1.43 billion; and building technologies sales shed 19% to $1.18 billion, missing expectations of $1.24 billion.

Toy maker Mattel Inc. MAT, -2.49% reported a narrower-than-expected second-quarter loss and sales that were higher than Wall Street expected, thanks to sales in North America and total sales of Barbie and other dolls and games. Online sales continued to grow strongly in all regions. Gross sales in North America increased 3%, primarily on sales of Barbies as well as action figures, building sets, and games, the company said. Sales of its toy vehicles, including Hot Wheels, fell, the company said. Mattel said its supply chain continued to perform well despite temporary closures connected to the coronavirus pandemic. Currently all of our factories are open with minimal disruption to operations, as we enter the peak production season, it said. Liquidity is expected to be enough to effectively manage through the COVID-19 disruption and to continue to execute our strategy, the company said.

Paramount Pictures will delay the release of two of its most anticipated movies, Top Gun: Maverick, and A Quiet Place Part II, to 2021 due to the pandemic. The Quiet Place sequel is now scheduled for April 23, 2021, and the Top Gun sequel is on tap for July 2, 2021. Paramount is a unit of ViacomCBS Inc. VIAC, -1.51%

ScanSource Inc. SCSC, -8.90%, a provider of barcode, networking, security and business communications services, provided an upbeat sales outlook, while also saying it will cut jobs as part of a expense-reduction plan. The company expects fiscal fourth-quarter net sales of $758 million, compared with the FactSet consensus for total revenue of $718 million. ScanSource announced a $30 million cost cutting plan, which will include a reduction of its North America workforce, salary reductions of 10% to 25% for its executive team, elimination of cash retainers for the board of directors for the rest of the year and cutting discretionary spending. The company is closing its Canpango professional services business, which it acquired in August 2018, which is expected to result in a $2 million charge.

Schlumberger Ltd. SLB, +0.93% swung to a multibillion-dollar loss in the second quarter and revenue fell short of estimates, as the twin effects of the pandemic and falling oil price weighed. This has probably been the most challenging quarter in past decades, Chief Executive Olivier Le Peuch said, as he announced 21,000 job cuts. Revenue fell 28% from the first quarter, caused by the unprecedented fall in North America activity, and international activity drop due to downward revisions to customer budgets accentuated by COVID-19 disruptions. This speaks volumes about an industry confronted with historic oil demand and supply imbalances caused by demand destruction from the global COVID-19 containment effort. The company is reorganizing and combining its 17 product lines into four divisions, restructuring geographically around five key basins of activity and streamlining management, he said. Schlumberger expects to remove $1.5 billion of costs permanently. Looking at the macro view in the near-term, oil demand is slowly starting to normalize and is expected to improve as government measures support consumption, said the CEO. However, subsequent waves of potential COVID-19 resurgence pose a negative risk to this outlook.

Skechers USA Inc. SKX, -2.67% reported a narrower-than-expected adjusted second-quarter loss and sales that were above expectations. Skechers, like most businesses around the world, has never faced a more challenging time than during the pandemic, which caused the closing of nearly every market worldwide, Chief Executive Robert Greenberg said. The company ended the quarter with cash and cash equivalents around $1.6 billion, thanks in part to drawing down $490 million from its credit facility in the first quarter. The company did not provide an outlook.

Office supply equipment retailer Staples became the latest to require face coverings in all its stores starting Monday. Staples is an essential retailer, selling hand sanitizer and other personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as equipment for working and schooling from home. Staples joins retailers like Walmart Inc. WMT, -0.30% and Target Corp. TGT, +1.11% that will require customers to wear face coverings in stores.

See also: Christopher Nolan blockbuster Tenet now delayed indefinitely due to coronavirus

Walt Disney Co.s DIS, -0.43% Mulan scheduled for release Aug. 21, and expected to be a summer blockbuster has been delayed indefinitely because of theater closures and production shutdowns caused by the pandemic. The live-action movie has been repeatedly delayed. Additionally, Disney delayed releases of Star Wars and Avatar movies by a year. Over the last few months, its become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis, and today that means pausing our release plans for Mulan as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world, a Walt Disney Studios spokesperson said in a statement.

Link:

Coronavirus update: Global case tally climbs to 15.6 million and U.S. hits 4.07 million as virus spreads fast in Florida, California and Texas -...

Coronavirus retreats. Stocks rally.

Coronavirus back on the rise. Stocks rally.

Jobs, sales rebound. Stocks rally.

Firms warn of fall layoffs, faltering sales. Stocks rally.

U.S.-China tensions ease. Stocks rally.

New U.S.-China cold war. Stocks rally.

In a momentum-driven stock market, it seems, all news is good news and any contrarian signs are rationalized away.

A rise in coronavirus deaths turns out to be good news for tech, telecom and drug companies and online retailers.

Warnings of disappointing sales and a fresh round of layoffs increase the probability of even more government stimulus.

The coming wave of defaults, bankruptcies and business closings turns into a golden opportunity for profit-enhancing mergers and acquisitions.

The latest threat to be discounted is the increasingly likely prospect that Democrats will sweep the 2020 elections, winning control of the White House and both houses of Congress. If that happens, the Senate filibuster will be history and Democrats will begin to exact their revenge on a business lobby that spent the past 25 years thwarting their legislative initiatives and financing the campaigns of their opponents.

Democrats may disagree about Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, but there are some things around which they will quickly coalesce:

Repealing every deregulatory initiative of the Trump administration while imposing new restrictions on coal companies and the oil and gas industry.

Repealing the Trump tax cuts and raising rates on business profits and profits made by individuals from the sale of stocks, bonds and real estate.

Repealing tax loopholes that benefit hedge fund and private equity managers and real estate developers.

Restricting stock buybacks.

Taxing financial transactions to discourage rapid-fire computerized trading and the hedge fund profits it generates.

Tripling the IRS budget for audits of corporate tax returns and crackdown on overseas tax shelters.

Launching aggressive antitrust cases to break up tech giants and telecom oligopolies.

Reforming the bankruptcy code to favor consumers and workers over banks and bottom-fishing hedge funds.

Raising the minimum wage and reforming labor laws to make it easier for workers to unionize.

Regulating, for the first time, the shadow banking system and derivatives market.

Imposing price caps on prescription drugs, medical devices and hospital services.

Overturning Supreme Court decisions limiting lawsuits against businesses by workers and consumers.

Requiring disclosure of corporate political spending laundered through secretive front groups and sham nonprofits.

To my way of thinking, many of these initiatives are long overdue and will in the long run enhance the performance of the American economy and restore the moral legitimacy of American capitalism. To the business lobby, they represent a nightmare scenario. But whatever your view, there can be little doubt that in the short and medium run the time horizon of most investors and corporate executives these policy changes will reduce the profits of businesses and the incomes of those who own them.

For that reason, its easy to imagine that stock prices already inflated by historical standards could fall by 25% with a Democratic sweep. Bond prices and real estate values would suffer smaller but still significant declines.

The question, then, is why does Wall Street remain oblivious to this political threat, just as it has been seemingly oblivious to a resurgent pandemic and the tidal wave of layoffs, bankruptcies and business failures that is about to break over the American economy?

The reason has partly to do with an excess of confidence in Congress and the Federal Reserve to borrow and print enough money to keep Americans employed and businesses from collapsing. A Democratic president with a Democratic Congress is even more likely than Republicans to open the fiscal tap to put an income floor under every household and stimulate public and private employment through government spending and investment. And as long as the rest of the world is willing to keep lending us money and accepting dollars in repayment, why should we stop?

The problem is that once the economy gets hooked on this open-ended borrowing, spending and money printing, it becomes harder and harder to dial it back without causing painful convulsions. Financial markets used to understand that. But after more than 10 years of extraordinary fiscal and monetary stimulus, there are too many people on Wall Street who know no other reality or have somehow convinced themselves that the basic laws of accounting and economics no longer apply.

Investors have also been lulled into complacency over the past three decades in which Americans came to embrace the idea that the only way to keep the economy competitive and growing was to put investor interests above those of everyone else. It is hardly a coincidence that as business norms and public policy adapted to the idea that businesses exist to maximize value for shareholders, the share of national income going to holders of capital investors rose by more than five percentage points. This trillion-dollar-a-year redistribution from workers to investors has become so normal that few in the business world even question it.

A clean sweep in November would almost certainly reverse that process, moving the country toward a different kind of capitalism with a different purpose and a different distribution of national income. That prospect, however, is so outside the experience of todays investors and business executives, and so at odds with their notion of how things are supposed to work, that they cannot imagine it let alone calculate how it might reduce value of their shares. So they are left to hope that a polarized politics, a weakened economy and some well-financed lobbying will stymie the Democratic agenda.

That may have once been possible, but no longer. Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell and the Freedom Caucus changed all that, as did the murder of George Floyd. Now the faux populism of the Republican Party is about to give way to the real populism of angry and vengeful Democrats. And by all appearances, the Wall Street wiseguys dont have a clue about whats coming their way.

Steven Pearlstein is a business and economics columnist. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2008 for columns anticipating and explaining the global financial crisis.

View original post here:

OPINION EXCHANGE | Wall Street seems oblivious to the political threat of 2020 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

BY DIANE DIMOND

Black lives matter. Of course they do. But it is now abundantly clear that the lives, safety and dignity of Black men, women and children are not really what drives organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement. That is a shame.

The world has been fed a bill of goods about BLMs goals. Now we see they are about creating civil unrest and nothing more. We should have realized this after one of its co-founders proudly declared she is a trained Marxist. Marxism, by definition, argues for a worker revolution to overturn capitalism in favor of communism.

The BLM website says the group builds power to bring justice, healing, and freedom to black people. Really? Then why havent they mobilized in hotspot neighborhoods where blacks are most frequently victimized?

In New York, BLM organizers concentrate on painting their name on streets yet do nothing to help stop the ever-increasing civilian slaughter of mostly black citizens. Shootings during the first six months of this year are up 46 percent, and homicides increased more than 20 percent. Yet BLMs cries for defunding the police continue, and the mayors response was to cut $1 billion from the NYPD budget. The departments anti-crime unit focused on disarming criminals and curbing violent crime in mostly minority neighborhoods was disbanded.

In what world does that make sense?

The latest shock to New Yorkers came when a 22-month-old baby boy, Davell Gardner, was senselessly shot and killed at a Brooklyn barbecue. The shooting also left three adult men wounded. All the victims were black, and police suspect the shooters were, too.

They (are) talking about Black Lives Matter,' said Davells grieving grandmother, but black lives dont matter because Black people (are) trying to kill other Black people. Samantha Garner added what we are all thinking: It needs to stop! Catch the bastards!

In Chicago, where more than 100 mostly Black people were shot by civilians over a recent weekend, one local reverend said its an open season killing field. Nearly 2,000 Chicagoans have been shot so far this year, hundreds fatally, and, yes, the majority of victims and known assailants are black

So, where is the Black Lives Matter movement in Chicago to try to curb this trend? Has BLM piled into the Windy City to marshal local ministers, community leaders and concerned citizens to try to combat the carnage against black Americans? No.

In Minneapolis, authorities report at least 116 people were shot in the four weeks following the death of George Floyd. Recently, there were three gang-related shootings in one day, one in a majority-Black neighborhood in north Minneapolis where 50 children (ages 5 to 14) were at football practice. One eyewitness, a mother, posted a chilling video saying the shooters obviously had no regard for life. Luckily, no child was shot.

Did Black Lives Matter come in to help soothe the psychic wounds of those mostly Black children or to mobilize grown-ups to guard against another incident? No.

In Atlanta, at the burned-out Wendys restaurant where BLM gathered after police killed a Black man who shot at them with a Taser, another tragedy took place. An 8-year-old black child was fatally shot as she rode by in a car. It was yet another mindless black-on-black shooting. Her father later told the criminals: You killed a child. She didnt do nothing to nobody. Black Lives Matter? You killing your own.

The mantra of Black Lives Matter is now part of the American lexicon. All clear-thinking citizens embrace it and the idea that violent police tactics need to be abolished. Embracing those ideals and the BLM organization are two very different things.

The movement funded with multiple millions of dollars donated by well-meaning corporations, celebrities and concerned people is fatally flawed. BLM lacks true leadership, fiscal transparency and an explicit mission statement. To be viable, the organization must condemn the violence perpetrated in its name, along with the illegal occupations, the burning and looting, and the vandalism so frequently seen. So far, we havent heard a peep from their self-described Marxist leadership.

Remembering the lessons from the righteous civil rights era of the 50s and 60s, I often wonder what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or Rosa Parks would think about todays movement for racial justice. I believe they would be greatly disappointed.

Rockland County resident Diane Dimond is a journalist, author, and a regular contributing correspondent for the Investigation Discovery channel. To find out more about Dimond, visit her website at http://www.dianedimond.com

Original post:

DIMOND: The Hypocrisy of the Black Lives Matter Movement - Rockland County Times

.current-menu-item > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > li > a:hover, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .sfHover > a, .td-header-style-12 .td-header-menu-wrap-full, .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a:after, .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a:after, .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a:after, .sf-menu > li:hover > a:after, .sf-menu > .sfHover > a:after, .td-header-style-12 .td-affix, .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:after, .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search .btn:hover, input[type=submit]:hover, .td-read-more a, .td-post-category:hover, .td-grid-style-1.td-hover-1 .td-big-grid-post:hover .td-post-category, .td-grid-style-5.td-hover-1 .td-big-grid-post:hover .td-post-category, .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-post-count, .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-comments-count, .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-post-count, .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-comments-count, .td-404-sub-sub-title a:hover, .td-search-form-widget .wpb_button:hover, .td-rating-bar-wrap div, .td_category_template_3 .td-current-sub-category, .dropcap, .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_controls_playlist_wrapper, .wpb_default, .wpb_default:hover, .td-left-smart-list:hover, .td-right-smart-list:hover, .woocommerce-checkout .woocommerce input.button:hover, .woocommerce-page .woocommerce a.button:hover, .woocommerce-account div.woocommerce .button:hover, #bbpress-forums button:hover, .bbp_widget_login .button:hover, .td-footer-wrapper .td-post-category, .td-footer-wrapper .widget_product_search input[type="submit"]:hover, .woocommerce .product a.button:hover, .woocommerce .product #respond input#submit:hover, .woocommerce .checkout input#place_order:hover, .woocommerce .woocommerce.widget .button:hover, .single-product .product .summary .cart .button:hover, .woocommerce-cart .woocommerce table.cart .button:hover, .woocommerce-cart .woocommerce .shipping-calculator-form .button:hover, .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, .td-load-more-wrap a:hover, .td-post-small-box a:hover, .page-nav .current, .page-nav:first-child > div, .td_category_template_8 .td-category-header .td-category a.td-current-sub-category, .td_category_template_4 .td-category-siblings .td-category a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current, #bbpress-forums #bbp-single-user-details #bbp-user-navigation li.current a, .td-theme-slider:hover .slide-meta-cat a, a.vc_btn-black:hover, .td-trending-now-wrapper:hover .td-trending-now-title, .td-scroll-up, .td-smart-list-button:hover, .td-weather-information:before, .td-weather-week:before, .td_block_exchange .td-exchange-header:before, .td_block_big_grid_9.td-grid-style-1 .td-post-category, .td_block_big_grid_9.td-grid-style-5 .td-post-category, .td-grid-style-6.td-hover-1 .td-module-thumb:after, .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown ul:after, .td_block_template_9 .td-block-title:after, .td_block_template_15 .td-block-title:before, div.wpforms-container .wpforms-form div.wpforms-submit-container button[type=submit] { background-color: #1e73be; } .td_block_template_4 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item:before { border-color: #1e73be transparent transparent transparent !important; } .woocommerce .woocommerce-message .button:hover, .woocommerce .woocommerce-error .button:hover, .woocommerce .woocommerce-info .button:hover { background-color: #1e73be !important; } .td_block_template_4 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_3 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_9 .td-related-title:after { background-color: #1e73be; } .woocommerce .product .onsale, .woocommerce.widget .ui-slider .ui-slider-handle { background: none #1e73be; } .woocommerce.widget.widget_layered_nav_filters ul li a { background: none repeat scroll 0 0 #1e73be !important; } a, cite a:hover, .td_mega_menu_sub_cats .cur-sub-cat, .td-mega-span h3 a:hover, .td_mod_mega_menu:hover .entry-title a, .header-search-wrap .result-msg a:hover, .td-header-top-menu .td-drop-down-search .td_module_wrap:hover .entry-title a, .td-header-top-menu .td-icon-search:hover, .td-header-wrap .result-msg a:hover, .top-header-menu li a:hover, .top-header-menu .current-menu-item > a, .top-header-menu .current-menu-ancestor > a, .top-header-menu .current-category-ancestor > a, .td-social-icon-wrap > a:hover, .td-header-sp-top-widget .td-social-icon-wrap a:hover, .td-page-content blockquote p, .td-post-content blockquote p, .mce-content-body blockquote p, .comment-content blockquote p, .wpb_text_column blockquote p, .td_block_text_with_title blockquote p, .td_module_wrap:hover .entry-title a, .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-list a:hover, .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-dropdown a:hover, .td_quote_on_blocks, .dropcap2, .dropcap3, .td_top_authors .td-active .td-authors-name a, .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-authors-name a, .td-post-next-prev-content a:hover, .author-box-wrap .td-author-social a:hover, .td-author-name a:hover, .td-author-url a:hover, .td_mod_related_posts:hover h3 > a, .td-post-template-11 .td-related-title .td-related-left:hover, .td-post-template-11 .td-related-title .td-related-right:hover, .td-post-template-11 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td-post-template-11 .td_block_related_posts .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, .comment-reply-link:hover, .logged-in-as a:hover, #cancel-comment-reply-link:hover, .td-search-query, .td-category-header .td-pulldown-category-filter-link:hover, .td-category-siblings .td-subcat-dropdown a:hover, .td-category-siblings .td-subcat-dropdown a.td-current-sub-category, .widget a:hover, .td_wp_recentcomments a:hover, .archive .widget_archive .current, .archive .widget_archive .current a, .widget_calendar tfoot a:hover, .woocommerce a.added_to_cart:hover, .woocommerce-account .woocommerce-MyAccount-navigation a:hover, #bbpress-forums li.bbp-header .bbp-reply-content span a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-forum-freshness a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-freshness a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-forums-list li a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-forum-title:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-permalink:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-started-by a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-topic-started-in a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-body .super-sticky li.bbp-topic-title .bbp-topic-permalink, #bbpress-forums .bbp-body .sticky li.bbp-topic-title .bbp-topic-permalink, .widget_display_replies .bbp-author-name, .widget_display_topics .bbp-author-name, .footer-text-wrap .footer-email-wrap a, .td-subfooter-menu li a:hover, .footer-social-wrap a:hover, a.vc_btn-black:hover, .td-smart-list-dropdown-wrap .td-smart-list-button:hover, .td_module_17 .td-read-more a:hover, .td_module_18 .td-read-more a:hover, .td_module_19 .td-post-author-name a:hover, .td-instagram-user a, .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more span, .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more i, .td-pulldown-syle-3 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more span, .td-pulldown-syle-3 .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more i, .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-display-option:hover, .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-display-option:hover i, .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-link:hover, .td-block-title-wrap .td-wrapper-pulldown-filter .td-pulldown-filter-item .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_2 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_5 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_6 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_7 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_8 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_9 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_10 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_11 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_12 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_13 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_14 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_15 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_16 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td_block_template_17 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .td-menu-item > a:hover, .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .sfHover > a, .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-menu-ancestor > a, .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-category-ancestor > a, .td-theme-wrap .sf-menu ul .current-menu-item > a, .td_outlined_btn { color: #1e73be; } a.vc_btn-black.vc_btn_square_outlined:hover, a.vc_btn-black.vc_btn_outlined:hover, .td-mega-menu-page .wpb_content_element ul li a:hover, .td-theme-wrap .td-aj-search-results .td_module_wrap:hover .entry-title a, .td-theme-wrap .header-search-wrap .result-msg a:hover { color: #1e73be !important; } .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, .td-load-more-wrap a:hover, .td-post-small-box a:hover, .page-nav .current, .page-nav:first-child > div, .td_category_template_8 .td-category-header .td-category a.td-current-sub-category, .td_category_template_4 .td-category-siblings .td-category a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current, .post .td_quote_box, .page .td_quote_box, a.vc_btn-black:hover, .td_block_template_5 .td-block-title > *, .td_outlined_btn { border-color: #1e73be; } .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_currently_playing:after { border-color: #1e73be !important; } .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:before { border-color: transparent transparent #1e73be transparent; } .block-title > span, .block-title > a, .block-title > label, .widgettitle, .widgettitle:after, .td-trending-now-title, .td-trending-now-wrapper:hover .td-trending-now-title, .wpb_tabs li.ui-tabs-active a, .wpb_tabs li:hover a, .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container .vc_tta-tab.vc_active > a, .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container .vc_tta-tab:hover > a, .td_block_template_1 .td-related-title .td-cur-simple-item, .woocommerce .product .products h2:not(.woocommerce-loop-product__title), .td-subcat-filter .td-subcat-dropdown:hover .td-subcat-more, .td_3D_btn, .td_shadow_btn, .td_default_btn, .td_round_btn, .td_outlined_btn:hover { background-color: #1e73be; } .woocommerce div.product .woocommerce-tabs ul.tabs li.active { background-color: #1e73be !important; } .block-title, .td_block_template_1 .td-related-title, .wpb_tabs .wpb_tabs_nav, .vc_tta-container .vc_tta-color-grey.vc_tta-tabs-position-top.vc_tta-style-classic .vc_tta-tabs-container, .woocommerce div.product .woocommerce-tabs ul.tabs:before { border-color: #1e73be; } .td_block_wrap .td-subcat-item a.td-cur-simple-item { color: #1e73be;} .td-grid-style-4 .entry-title { background-color: rgba(30, 115, 190, 0.7); } .td-header-wrap .td-header-menu-social .td-social-icon-wrap a { color: #dd9933; }]]> .current-menu-item > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > li > a:hover, .td-header-wrap .black-menu .sf-menu > .sfHover > a, .td-header-style-12 .td-header-menu-wrap-full, .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a:after, .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a:after, .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a:after, .sf-menu > li:hover > a:after, .sf-menu > .sfHover > a:after, .td-header-style-12 .td-affix, .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search:after, .header-search-wrap .td-drop-down-search .btn:hover, input[type=submit]:hover, .td-read-more a, .td-post-category:hover, .td-grid-style-1.td-hover-1 .td-big-grid-post:hover .td-post-category, .td-grid-style-5.td-hover-1 .td-big-grid-post:hover .td-post-category, .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-post-count, .td_top_authors .td-active .td-author-comments-count, .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-post-count, .td_top_authors .td_mod_wrap:hover .td-author-comments-count, .td-404-sub-sub-title a:hover, .td-search-form-widget .wpb_button:hover, .td-rating-bar-wrap div, .td_category_template_3 .td-current-sub-category, .dropcap, .td_wrapper_video_playlist .td_video_controls_playlist_wrapper, .wpb_default, .wpb_default:hover, .td-left-smart-list:hover, .td-right-smart-list:hover, .woocommerce-checkout .woocommerce input.button:hover, .woocommerce-page .woocommerce a.button:hover, .woocommerce-account div.woocommerce .button:hover, #bbpress-forums button:hover, .bbp_widget_login .button:hover, .td-footer-wrapper .td-post-category, .td-footer-wrapper .widget_product_search input[type="submit"]:hover, .woocommerce .product a.button:hover, .woocommerce .product #respond input#submit:hover, .woocommerce .checkout input#place_order:hover, .woocommerce .woocommerce.widget .button:hover, .single-product .product .summary .cart .button:hover, .woocommerce-cart .woocommerce table.cart .button:hover, .woocommerce-cart .woocommerce .shipping-calculator-form .button:hover, .td-next-prev-wrap a:hover, .td-load-more-wrap a:hover, .td-post-small-box a:hover, .page-nav .current, .page-nav:first-child > div, .td_category_template_8 .td-category-header .td-category a.td-current-sub-category, .td_category_template_4 .td-category-siblings .td-category a:hover, #bbpress-forums .bbp-pagination .current, #bbpress-forums #bbp-single-user-details #bbp-user-navigation li.current a, .td-theme-slider:hover .slide-meta-cat a, a.vc_btn-black:hover, .td-trending-now-wrapper:hover .td-trending-now-title, .td-scroll-up, .td-smart-list-button:hover, .td-weather-information:before, .td-weather-week:before, .td_block_exchange .td-exchange-header:before, .td_block_big_grid_9.td-grid-style-1 .td-post-category, .td_block_big_grid_9.td-grid-style-5 .td-post-category, .td-grid-style-6.td-hover-1 .td-module-thumb:after, .td-pulldown-syle-2 .td-subcat-dropdown ul:after, .td_block_template_9 .td-block-title:after, .td_block_template_15 .td-block-title:before, div.wpforms-container .wpforms-form div.wpforms-submit-container button[type=submit] { background-color: #749FD4 !important; }.subContainer a {flex-direction: inherit; display: flex; width: 100%;}]]> .current-category-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style3 .tdm-header.td-header-wrap .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style3 .tdm-header.td-header-wrap .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a, .tdm-menu-active-style3 .tdm-header.td-header-wrap .sf-menu > .sfHover > a, .tdm-menu-active-style3 .tdm-header.td-header-wrap .sf-menu > li > a:hover, .tdm_block_column_content:hover .tdm-col-content-title-url .tdm-title, .tds-button2 .tdm-btn-text, .tds-button2 i, .tds-button5:hover .tdm-btn-text, .tds-button5:hover i, .tds-button6 .tdm-btn-text, .tds-button6 i, .tdm_block_list .tdm-list-item i, .tdm_block_pricing .tdm-pricing-feature i, .tdm-social-item i { color: #1e73be; } .tdm-menu-active-style5 .td-header-menu-wrap .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a, .tdm-menu-active-style5 .td-header-menu-wrap .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style5 .td-header-menu-wrap .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style5 .td-header-menu-wrap .sf-menu > li > a:hover, .tdm-menu-active-style5 .td-header-menu-wrap .sf-menu > .sfHover > a, .tds-button1, .tds-button6:after, .tds-title2 .tdm-title-line:after, .tds-title3 .tdm-title-line:after, .tdm_block_pricing.tdm-pricing-featured:before, .tdm_block_pricing.tds_pricing2_block.tdm-pricing-featured .tdm-pricing-header, .tds-progress-bar1 .tdm-progress-bar:after, .tds-progress-bar2 .tdm-progress-bar:after, .tds-social3 .tdm-social-item { background-color: #1e73be; } .tdm-menu-active-style4 .tdm-header .sf-menu > .current-menu-item > a, .tdm-menu-active-style4 .tdm-header .sf-menu > .current-menu-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style4 .tdm-header .sf-menu > .current-category-ancestor > a, .tdm-menu-active-style4 .tdm-header .sf-menu > li > a:hover, .tdm-menu-active-style4 .tdm-header .sf-menu > .sfHover > a, .tds-button2:before, .tds-button6:before, .tds-progress-bar3 .tdm-progress-bar:after { border-color: #1e73be; } .tdm-btn-style1 {background-color: #1e73be;}.tdm-btn-style2:before { border-color: #1e73be;}.tdm-btn-style2 { color: #1e73be;}.tdm-btn-style3 { -webkit-box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #1e73be; -moz-box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #1e73be; box-shadow: 0 2px 16px #1e73be;}.tdm-btn-style3:hover { -webkit-box-shadow: 0 4px 26px #1e73be; -moz-box-shadow: 0 4px 26px #1e73be; box-shadow: 0 4px 26px #1e73be;}]]>

America hasblown pastevery country in the coronavirus pandemic, with almost 4 million cases and more than 140,000 deaths.

If you want to know why the most medically advanced country in the world ended up here, look no further than the malfeasance and conspiracy-mongering of President Donald Trump. TheNew York Timesthis weekend ran a devastating tick-tock of the White Houses disastrous response, fed by Trumps sycophants, like making governors beg and compete against each other for vital medical equipment (like a sick Hunger Games, as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker put it) and failing to issue national lockdown (and later) mask orders while encouragingarmed insurrections against governors who did, like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Gov. Tony Evers with his Safer at Home order.

Its now culminated in Trumps order to slow down testing (he told us hewasnt kidding) and the immoral strategy of justignoringmass death thats now rockingstates,even those he needs to win in November.

Weve also completely blown our obligation to make sure people survive the pain of COVID-19 in every form. Look around the world at other democracies with competent leadership. Countries from Germany to New Zealand to South Korea are reopening landmarks and schools, while people are enjoying restaurants and traveling.

Meanwhile, in America, were fighting with angry Kyles and Karens over donning masks in Walmart so they dont infect everyone as they fly into a spit-flinging rage while demanding to speak to the manager.

Weve barely prepared for in-person learning, with Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos putting a fiscal gun to the head of states that dont follow their poorly drawnplans(which they really cant make good on). And a U.S.passportis basically worthless, as few nations will let Americans in thanks to our failure to get COVID-19 under control.

But our biggest failure is in our moral obligation to take care of the 328 million people who live in our country during perhaps the most harrowing time in modern history. Its true that legislation like the Paycheck Protection Plan helped keep some businesses afloat, even as funds lined the pockets of questionable entities, includingTrump allies, theCatholic Churchandyacht clubsin Michigan.

And theCARES Actwas one of the more generous safety net packages weve had in recent decades, helping millions stay afloat by beefing up unemployment benefits, a $1,200 lump sum payment for most people and aid to states and hospitals to respond to coronavirus. But jobless benefits run out this month and many states, including Michigan, are still reeling from the recession.

Congress also failed to require sick time for most employees, which especially hurt essential workers in warehouses and grocery stories, thanks to intense lobbying from theU.S. Chamber of Commerceand corporations. The Trump administration refused to do an open enrollment in Obamacare for the millions who lost their employer-provided insurance.

And after endlessmedia storiesabout how the $600 weekly unemployment benefit was just too darn generous because it actually allowed people to survive and, in some cases, gave them the freedom not to go back to unsafe working conditions, the GOP-led U.S. Senate is determined to ax or drastically shrink the amount. Forcing people back into the workplace has the added bonus of juicing the economy (and, they hope, Trumps reelection chances), even if it literally kills people as the pandemic is spinning out of control.

Thats the kind of collateral damage Trump and most Republicans are quite willing to live with.

The fact that this inhumane GOP response is barely questioned and that the supposedly liberal media is quite comfortable playing the role of fiscal scold to millions of low-income Americans, disproportionately people of color, who literally just want to stay alive and pay their bills, underscores why America has failed so spectacularly in this moment.

There is no reason why so many people had to get sick, financially suffer and die at this time. This did not happen in other democratic countries. The pandemic has been a perfect storm, revealing in stark relief the inequities in our health care system and how tattered our safety net is.

Now is the time to blow things up. Everyone deserves good health care, childcare, sick leave, housing, education and assistance when they are down and out. Theres nothing radical about this in an era when we have the skills and know-how to likely develop a COVID-19 vaccine by next year.

What good is human suffering when we have the ability to eliminate much of it? This is a promise we owe each other and yes, the government should pay for it.

It wont be easy. Universal health care which again, every rich nation has, although not necessarily single-payer will cause massive disruption in a system that has creaked along for decades. But health care has already been upended by a pandemic, so if there was ever a time, its now. Theres a reason why many European countries adopted their plans after World War II, after all.

And we are the richest country in the world. Nobody bats an eye at the crippling cost of the military or the taxpayer dollars Trump spends padding his own businesses, keeping migrant kids in cages anddeployingfederal agents to blue cities to crack down on Black Lives Matter protesters.

None of this will be politically easy. Realistically, even if we elected a Democratic president and Congress this fall, more moderate members will be wary. Trump has also stacked the courts with radical right-wing judges salivating over the chance to kill every progressive dream alive.

THE MORNING NEWSLETTER

Subscribe now.

Knowing the history of this country with social change, Democrats affinity for compromise, even when Republicans laugh in their faces, and the total opposition of the super-rich and corporations, I know the odds are against us.

But I also know that if we dont start demanding more now, we never will. Poor people, working-class people, women and people of color must seize this terrible moment and make the case for something better, for a renewed America truly rooted in fairness, justice and equality.

It is, quite simply, what we owe ourselves and each other.

Susan J. Demas is an 18-year journalism veteran and one of the states foremost experts on Michigan politics, appearing on MSNBC, CNN, NPR and WKAR-TVs Off the Record. In addition to serving as Editor-in-Chief, she is the Advances chief columnist, writing on women, LGBTQs, the state budget, the economy and more. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Farough & Associates, Michigans premier political communications firm. For almost five years, Susan was the Editor and Publisher of Inside Michigan Politics, the most-cited political newsletter in the state. Susans award-winning political analysis has run in more than 80 national, international and regional media outlets, including the Guardian U.K., NBC News, the New York Times, the Detroit News and MLive. She is the only Michigan journalist to be named to the Washington Posts list of Best Political Reporters, the Huffington Posts list of Best Political Tweeters and the Washington Posts list of Best Political Bloggers. Susan was the recipient of a prestigious Knight Foundation fellowship in nonprofits and politics. She served as Deputy Editor for MIRS News and helped launch the Michigan Truth Squad, the Center for Michigans fact-checking project. She started her journalism career reporting on the Iowa caucuses for The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.

Adjust Font Size

A-A+Reset Font Size

Spotlight Tab Key Navigation

Go here to see the original:

The coronavirus crisis shows now is the time to demand more from our government - Wisconsin Examiner

President Trump is sticking to his early predictions on COVID-19, despite a surge in cases.

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, journalist Chris Wallace asked the president about his repeated statements that COVID-19 would just go away. Starting in February, Trump said that the coronavirus would disappear, fade away and/or go away more than a dozen times. Some 3.8 million people in the U.S. have tested positive; coronavirus has also killed 140,563 in the U.S.

Ill be right eventually, Trump said during the one-on-one. When Wallace laughed, Trump doubled down on his previous statements. I said its going to disappear. Ill say it again: Its going to disappear and Ill be right. When asked if such statements discredit him, Trump said no, adding, You know why it doesnt discredit? Because Ive probably been right more than anybody else.

Wallace said testing was up by 37%, yet positive cases of COVID-19 were up 194%. Trump replied, Many of those people are young people that would heal in a day. They have the sniffles. Trump will not change his position on masks. No, I want people to have a certain freedom, he said, adding, I dont agree with the statement that if everyone wears a mask everything disappears.

Asked if he takes responsibility for not having a federal policy on coronavirus during the interview, Trump replied, Look, I take responsibility always for everything because its ultimately my job too. I have to get everybody in line. Some governors have done well, some governors have done poorly. We have more testing by fair than any country in the world.

CityWatch:CDC confirms that coronavirus already spreading in New York City when European travel ban went into effect in March

Of those governors, Anthony Fauci, one of the leading experts on pandemics in the U.S. and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for three decades, credited the work of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. In an interview on PBS NewsHour on Friday, he said, New York got hit worse than any place in the world. And they did it correctly.

Cuomo also issued a mandate that people should wear masks in stores and in public spaces where social distancing was not possible. Hospitalizations in New York have dropped to the lowest daily total since March 18. Several states, including Arizona, California, Texas and Florida, which had relaxed social distancing protocols and started to reopen their economies, have seen a surge.

As of Monday, COVID-19 had infected 14.5 million people globally. It had killed over 606,922 people worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins Universitys Center for Systems Science and Engineering. New York, the epicenter of the virus in the U.S., has still had the most deaths of any state (32,495), followed by New Jersey (15,706) and Massachusetts (8,431).

The five-day average for new coronavirus cases hit 70,000, higher than the peak of the pandemic, John Hopkins University reported. Florida reported over 12,400 new cases of coronavirus on Sunday; Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, refused to issue a mask mandate. Invoking the 1933 inauguration speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt, he said, I think fear is our enemy here.

The markets appear torn between optimism on vaccine research and the economic impact of new surges. The Dow Jones Industrial Index DJIA closed lower Friday, though stocks posted modest weekly gains, as investors looked toward the prospect of further fiscal stimulus. The S&P 500 SPX and Nasdaq Composite COMP ended up slightly.

Originally posted here:

Despite surge in COVID-19, Trump says: Ill be right eventually its going to disappear - MarketWatch

On July 14, U.S. president Donald Trump signed an executive order ending Hong Kongs preferred trading status. In it, Trump cited several reasons in support of his decision that are nothing more than political rhetoric and slogans based on twisted facts. In essence, by enacting the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL), the Chinese Government was said to have violated the Sino-British Joint Declarationthe announcement signifying Hong Kongs handover from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997as well as the autonomy promised to Hong Kong under that agreement.

There could be nothing further from the truth.

Firstly, the Joint Declaration made no reference to matters of national security, nor did it say which power had the exclusive right to make national security laws. It is an affront to common sense to suggest that the high degree of autonomy granted to Hong Kong should somehow deprive Beijing from legislating for the safety of the whole nation. Article 18 of Hong Kongs constitution, the Basic Law, stipulates that national laws can be applied to Hong Kong by way of promulgation and thus holds open the possibility that there are matters outside the autonomy of Hong Kong. National security is precisely such a matterand it is the responsibility of any federal government, including that of U.S., to legislate on it.

Secondly, the NSL strikes a proper balance between safeguarding the interest of the entire nation and protecting individual rights of people of Hong Kong under the one country, two systems political formula.

Article 4 of the NSL confirms that the two most respected international conventions on human rights, and other similar safeguards in the Basic Law, will continue to apply.

Article 5 further confirms that the rule of Law will also continue to apply.

Most significantly, Article 40 stipulates that Hong Kong will have jurisdiction over all cases under the NSL save those rare situations covered by Article 55which, essentially, are cases in which China is facing a major and imminent threat to national security, where there is foreign involvement, or when the Hong Kong government is unable to govern.

These clear provisions suggest that the central government is showing considerable respect for the special situation in Hong Kong.

In the vast majority of cases, the main responsibility for the enforcement, application and adjudication of the NSL will lie with Hong Kong enforcement agencies and courts. Thus, any suggestion that that the NSL will not be properly appliedor applied in such a way as to be in breach of human rights standards or the rule of lawis a serious accusation totally without basis or evidence against the integrity of our enforcement agencies and judges.

In any event, let us not forget human rights and freedoms are not without limits. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which applies to Hong Kong, says very clearly that every right and freedom enshrined therein is subject to legal restraint by reason of national security. This is a universal standard, understood even in the U.S.

Lastly, it is worse than superficial to think Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy is just about freedom of speech or expression. The autonomy of Hong Kong is about our ability to maintain our own financial, economic, and legal systemsand having our own independent judicial, currency, fiscal, logistics, international flight management, land, health care and social welfare systems. Its about having our own economic, trading, cultural and sports status internationally, not to mention our own electoral system, our own independent right to carry out political reform, and more as defined in the Basic Law.

Even as regards the freedom of speech and expression, any visitor in recent days will testify that after the passing of NSL nothing much has changed. People and the press continue to vilify the SAR and central government in Beijing if they want to without repression. Media that are leaving are doing so of their own accord, not because they have been expelled. Those who want to come or leave are free to come or leave. There have been no mass arrests and no exodus. These facts speak for themselves. And they all show that Hong Kong is freer than you think. Today and tomorrow.

For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder.

Contact us at editors@time.com.

Read the rest here:

Hong Kong is Freer Than You Think - TIME

Having a handle on your finances is more than just working out the math. Its also about changing your mindset and continuously adjusting your habits to achieve financial freedom. By being entirely financially literate, you can expect to have an extra cushy checking account, and you know, finally book that trip to the Maldives.

Think you have what it takes to be your own accountant? TheComplete Personal Finance Master Class Bundlecan help you get your personal finances on track and achieve long-term financial freedom and stability. For only $39.99, you gain access to expert-led courses that will teach you everything you need to know, from proper budgeting to trading in the stock market to investing in real estate.

If your goal is to completely take charge of your money, there are courses dedicated to reducing your debt, negotiating for better loan rates, and eliminating any tax-related issue. If your goal is to grow your money, youll benefit from the courses revolving around conquering the stock market via trading. If you want to up the ante even further and become a finance expert yourself, there are courses that can train you to become a competent financial analyst capable of managing a portfolio and building financial models like a pro.

Whatever your fiscal goal is, this bundle will help you achieve it. For a limited time, you can get iton sale for $39.9997 percent off the usual $1,591.

Price subject to change.

Do you have your stay-at-home essentials?Hereare some you may have missed.

*First Published: Jul 22, 2020, 10:02 am

More:

This training may be the secret to achieving long-term financial freedom - The Daily Dot

Tell the whole truth

Journalisms first obligation is to tell the truth.

I am the guy you put on the front cover of the July 16/17 edition of the Times and determined to be against mask wearing by noting the following: Some people are following the mask mandate in Cuyahoga County while others are not.

I am angry, angry for the lack of integrity in actions by your publication. Professional journalism, as I understand it, involves presenting and confirming facts (unless in an OP/ED). Even a criminal facing court or a famous person is given the courtesy of responding with a statement to an upcoming publication. According to the American Press Institute, journalisms first obligation is to the truth, with an allegiance to citizens, while relying on a professional discipline for verifying information. You did no fact checking and did not ask me for a comment in response to your intended photo or caption.

So here are the facts: I was not wearing a mask at the time the photo was taken, I was riding my bike until moments before, and was in compliance with CDC social distancing guidelines. The caption did not mention that because I was not provided the opportunity to comment.

I understand and support freedom of the press. I do, however, believe in reporting facts and proper follow up by reporters. Had your team checked their facts I would not have been singled out and used as an example by your paper with your opinion of what was happening in that moment.

This is not about wearing or not wearing masks, social distancing, or following CDC guidelines, this about checking facts on such a controversial topic, or any topic for that matter, if you choose to put someone in your publication.

Please remember that truth, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality and fairness are fundamental to codes of ethics for good journalism. I am sure you can do better.

Alex Chavez

Chagrin Falls

Ohioans, grow up

I have listened to most of Gov. Mike DeWines press conferences since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.I didnt vote for him, but I approve and appreciate his leadership on this issue. Mature adults understand the need for certain regulations and limits, and in my opinion Gov. DeWine has treated Ohioans as mature adults from the start. He has given science-based reasoning for his orders.Wearing a mask is uncomfortable, wed rather not wear one, but mature adults see the need and comply.

Some Ohio adults apparently are immature, they defied the reasonable order to mask-up and they balk at the request to do so now. Some threw tantrums at the Ohio Statehouse, even spitting on reporters.Gov. DeWine lost his capable and caring director of the Ohio Department of Health because of their menacing behavior. Like teenagers, maybe these protesters felt they were grown-up enough and dont need to be told what to do.So, Gov. DeWine has lately been giving reasonable recommendations instead of orders.Now community spread is increasing, COVID-19 cases are rising. Gov. DeWine delivered a heartfelt and logical plea last week that I would summarize like this:Ohioans, grow up dont make me ground you.

Kathleen O. Webb

Munson Township

Chester needs stability

The tenure of Chester Township Trustees Joe Mazzurco and Ken Radtke has witnessed some of the highest employee turnover in the past 20 years, and it is not exclusively about competitive wages.

We have seen a parade of Mazzurco/Radtke Road Department supervisors come and go. The most recent was paid almost double the salary of his predecessors.He did not leave for financial reasons.

Concern and eyebrows were raised when Mr. Mazzurco and Mr. Radtke hired Trustee Frank Kolks wife for the assistant fiscal officer position. She did not leave for pay equity reasons, please read her letter of resignation.

The universal secretary resigned, but not for financial reasons.Mr. Mazzurco, Mr. Radtke and ousted Fiscal Officer Craig Richter created this job, and it was a poor decision. This position will no doubt now be filled with a part-time staffer, as it should have been previously.

Others have resigned for a myriad of reasons, none of which involve salary, with the exception of the Chester Township Fire Department.

In September of 2018 the firefighters and EMS staffreceived a $5 per hour across the board pay increase. In May of 2019, Chester Township residents passed a $1 million levy to respond to the Chester Fire Department demand that without the levy, firefighters will continue to leave.

Two of the firefighters who aggressively campaigned for the new full-time positions and successfully completed polygraph testing, psychological assessments, FBI/BCI background checks and extensive pension physicals before starting full-time, have already resigned.

William J. Bulman, hired on March 22 resigned June 3 and Ryan C. Zittkowski hired on March 23, resigned July 1, 2020,wrote identical template statements: I am pursuing an opportunity that offers a fair market wage, competitive workweek, reasonable time off and the protection of a union contract.

If the Chester Township Fire Department cannot offer a fair market wage, competitive work week, reasonable time off, and the protection of a union contract, maybe we should return to privatization or seek possible countywide regionalization of fire and emergency medical services.

Judy K. Zamlen-Spotts

Chester Township

Pepper Pike just fine right now

The Beech Brook rezoning project spear-headed by Bryan Stone of Axiom Development and fully supported by Mayor Richard Bain is fascinating in that for months both men have failed to comprehend why opposition to rezoning exists. Mayor Bain is quoted as saying; I think a lot of the objections relate to the development plan and not necessarily the rezoning. In keeping with that mindset, for months Mr. Stone has been scrambling, reportedly talking to residents for feedback, adjusting and then readjusting his development plan to try to win over a majority of voters come November.

From the very start, however, the opposition to rezoning Beech Brook has made its objective clear; no rezone. Mr. Stone has apparently not heard the many voices nor seen the countless yard signs letting it be known that bulldozing the 68-acre mostly pristine property in favor of more retail, more offices and the three homes per acre lots that would come with voter approval of rezoning Beech Brook is simply not acceptable no matter what the development plan contains.

In fairness to Mayor Bain, when hes not touting how great the Axiom development would be to visit and enjoy the amenities to be offered he has mentioned that he believes more commercial development for Pepper Pike is, in general, a good thing. As he puts it, A monoculture is a very unstable ecosystem.

Increasing the commercial to residential ratio in Pepper Pike may be considered a good reason to rezone Beech Brook under some circumstances, but this is far from being a valid reason today.First, Pepper Pike is not a monoculture. Pepper Pike is predominately residential but there is already plenty of commercial activity at the Lander Circle area. Also, our city is not unstable by any means as evidenced by our growing $12 million rainy day fund accumulated over just the past few years resulting from an already increased tax base and excellent management from Mayor Bain and Pepper Pike City Council.

The plain truth of the matter is that Mr. Stone is asking the citizens of Pepper Pike to simply do him a favor. There is absolutely nothing in it for the citizens of Pepper Pike to vote to rezone unless they enjoy witnessing a grotesque destruction-construction project resulting in an eyesore for the remainder of time.

Saying no to rezone is the only sensible response unless our civic leaders are able to provide a compelling reason to dramatically alter this entire section of Pepper Pike such as demonstrating financial distress that tax revenues from such a development could cure. Until then, asa resident of Pepper Pike for a majority of my life since 1959, I can confidently say that so long as we continue to elect competent and conscientious mayors and council members like the ones we have today, there will be no need to rezone any property for multi-use purposes. Pepper Pike is just fine as is and will be for a long time to come.

Kevin L. String

Pepper Pike

Read more:

Letters to the editor - 07/23/2020 | Viewpoint | chagrinvalleytoday.com - chagrinvalleytoday.com

The next generation of console gaming is rapidly approaching, with the Xbox Series X hitting stores at the end of 2020. Of course, no console is much without games - not even the "most powerful" in the world.

That's why we've put together a list of the games that have either been confirmed already, or hinted at coming to the Xbox Series X in the coming year or so.

Some will also be part of the monthly Xbox Game Pass membership scheme, which will save you a stack of money. And some will also be part of Xbox's Smart Delivery programme, meaning that if you buy them for Xbox One you'll get them on Series X for free.

squirrel_widget_158169

So here are the best upcoming games for Xbox Series X we've heard about so far. Enjoy.

Halo Infinite is scheduled to be one of the launch games for Xbox Series X, so will also be available during the holiday season. As with a few games on this list, it will be part of Xbox's Smart Delivery initiative, whereby you can buy the game on Xbox One and get the Series X version for free as a download when you upgrade to the new machine.

As for the game itself, Infinite will see the return of Master Chief after a five year hiatus and is being called a "spiritual reboot", with bigger maps and freedom to tackle objectives in your own order.

The latest in Codemasters long-running arcade racing series, Dirt, is coming this October for most formats and Xbox Series X when the console is available.

Most exciting perhaps is that it will have Uncharted 4's Nolan North and Troy Baker playing your rival and mentor respectively. That's a real nod to proper games fans.

Having already released for PS4 in Japan earlier this year, Xbox (specifically future Xbox Series X) owners will be thrilled it is coming to their platform too.

It's the eighth in the Yakuza series of games, and will be a launch game for the next console. It features turn-based combat, with an involving storyline that takes the action out of Tokyo for once, to Yokohama.

This year's Assassin's Creed game is set in the Viking age, with main character Eivor leading a settlement of norsemen on English soil. However, when King Alfred has other ideas for the land, it leads to a long and bloody adventure.

Like Odyssey and Origins, Valhalla will feature considerable RPG elements. And sailing will return, this time in longboats. Skol!

Developed by Chinese studio FYQD, Bright Memory: Infinite will be an expanded, enhanced version of first-person shooter Bright Memory, currently available on Steam for PC.

It's a near-future shooter, with melee combat elements as well as hardcore gunplay. And, looking at the trailer, will likely make great use of the Series X's ray tracing abilities.

What can be said about Cyberpunk 2077 that hasn't been said before? CD Projekt Red's long-awaited sci-fi role-player always looked like a next-gen game in waiting and so it will prove to be. However, like Halo Infinite, it is also coming out for the current generation consoles and features Smart Delivery, so you will be able to buy the Xbox One version and update for free once you own an Xbox Series X. Very nice indeed.

A greatly enhanced version of Blooper Team's superb indie cyberpunk thriller, Observer, will be a launch title for Xbox Series X. It stars the late Rutger Hauer and will feature not only improved graphics, but new gameplay elements and extra story segments.

Xbox-exclusive The Ascent is an action RPG based in a cyberpunk futuristic world, something that seems to be on trend this year - what with Cyberpunk 2077 also coming up.

Blooper Team's second game for Xbox Series X will continue its tradition of dabbling in psychological horror, but The Medium also features a soundtrack byAkira Yamaoka - the composer behind the eerie musical scores of Silent Hill.

Systemic Extinction is a three-player online co-op shooter where mankind must survive in a land now ruled by mutated dinosaurs. Queue fast-paced velocirator chases galore.

A new JRPG series from Bandai Namco is always welcome and the anime overtones of Scarlet Nexus make it stand out among the other ray traced games here. It is set in the far future and features some "explosive action". Hopefully we'll see more on it soon.

Developed by People Can Fly (Bulletstorm, Gears of War: Judgment), Outriders is an all-new intellectual property that could prove to be an early hit on the platform. It is a third-person online shooter in the style of Destiny, but with a far darker tone. At least, that's what we've taken from the early reveals so far.

The mind-bending franchise is returning, and we've got a glimpse of Jack Black's vocal chords in action for it. The above trailer looks like a great big slice of fun, with visual variety the name of the game.

A new, superb trailer has got us even more excited for this long-awaited RPG sequel. We also saw previous footage running with ray-tracing at an Nvidia event during Gamescom 2019, so have a great idea what to expect on Xbox Series X with its similarly capable graphics.

An all-new IP for Deep Silver, Chorus is a space-flight combat shooter featuring Nara and her sentient starfighter Forsaken. There will be plenty of space dogfights, but we're hoping there'll also be open world (universe) play and a deep storyline, although it's hard to tell from the trailer right now.

The next Forza game is looking absolutely jaw-dropping in terms of fidelity, and while we know it's not going to drop anytime soon, it's clear that this will end up being one of the best-looking racing games ever made. We can't wait to dive in.

Ninja Theory's first Senua game - Hallblade: Senua's Sacrifice - not only wowed with its almost photorealistic graphics, but the clever, well informed grasp on mental health issues was much lauded. The sequel looks even more stunning, based on a trailer made entirely using the in-game engine. The action-adventure will be available on the current generation Xbox, but we suspect it'll be the Series X version everyone will be talking about.

A beloved franchise is returning with the as yet simply-titled Fable, bringing players back to Albion and its topsy-turvy world of moral extremes. The teaser we got gives us almost nothing to go on, but we're sure it'll promise much more witty humour and fantasy tropes.

The State of Decay franchise lives on, and will drop a third iteration on Xbox Series X - the first trailer looks absolutely amazing, even if it's got no gameplay to share. It looks like animals are getting infected, though, which could be a game-changer when it comes to making your way around. Hopefully we'll learn more soon.

When we first saw the trailer, we thought someone was making a game of Ridley Scott's Prometheus - or the abandoned ship section of Alien. Scorn, from debut studio Ebb, is about as HR Giger-esque as it comes, with first-person horror overtones and creepy audio. Definitely one to watch.

A first-person adventure/puzzle game set in the 1930s, Call of the Sea promises 4K graphics at 60fps minimum. It'll also be Smart Delivery ready, so you can play it on Xbox One and upgrade for free to the Series X version when you get the console.

Although Techland is yet to officially confirm Dying Light 2 is coming for next-gen machines, its release delay and sheer scope suggest that it is a shoo-in for the new consoles. The game is a sequel to the amazing first-person parkour zombie-a-thon we're still playing to this day, but it takes the concept to an all-new level. Every action and decision you make in the game will affect the entire gameworld - with different factions growing and fading depending on your choices.

Ubisoft has announced that several of its existing and forthcoming games will be available on Xbox Series X - we just don't know when. Still, putting Rainbow Six Siege on the platformer is a no-brainer to us. The multiplayer online shooter has an enormous following and it is that kind of hardcore gaming market that will likely be formed of early adopters.

This was one of our favourite games of last year's E3 and was originally scheduled for release on current gen machines on 6 March 2020. However, thanks to Ubisoft getting cold feet after the seemingly rushed release of Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, it held back its jewel in the crown until the following fiscal year for extra polish. That means it could appear anytime between April 2020 and March 2021.

That makes it an ideal launch candidate for Xbox Series X. Especially as, from what we've played so far, the play as anyone in the game mechanic lends itself well to a new era of advanced gaming.

After releasing a playable teaser for PC on Steam, which was very well received, THQ Nordic decided to greenlight a fully remastered, remade version of RPG Gothic. It also announced that it will be coming to the next-generation consoles too.

Ubisoft's new game series - from the in-house studio behind Assassin's Creed - was one of the games delayed in a recent purge. However, it has now been confirmed for next-gen machines as well as existing consoles. And, we expect the action-adventure to be part of the Xbox Series X launch lineup.

Another Ubisoft game with no fixed release date as yet, Rainbow Six Quarantine caused quite a stir during the company's E3 2019 presentation. It dispenses with the real-world combat-style themes of Siege - instead shifting to survival horror, with three-player teams battle an infected population.

There is no trailer for Gollum as yet and it is unlikely to see the light of day for a while yet, but we do know that the game with be a story-driven action-adventure and from a studio well-versed in such things. We also know it's coming to next-gen consoles.

We've not heard a peep about The Elder Scrolls 6 since its tease at E3 2018. However, if it doesn't come to Xbox Series X we'll eat our big floppy hats.

Like The Elder Scrolls 6, little is known about Starfield right now. It is thought to be a sci-fi RPG though and something of a departure from the Fallout franchise.

Continued here:

Best upcoming Xbox Series X games: The top next-gen games for 2020 and beyond - Pocket-lint

WASHINGTON The U.S. Space Force on Wednesday took to Twitter to explain publicly elements of the new services delta symbol and unveil its branch motto: Semper Supra.

The official motto for the military branch charged with safeguarding American satellites means always above in Latin, and is meant to represent the role of Space Force in establishing, maintaining and preserving U.S. freedom of operations in space, the service tweeted.

We are building a new service to secure the space domain... the ultimate high ground, Gen. Jay Raymond, the chief of space operations, tweeted Wednesday. Our strategic imperative is to ensure that our space capabilities & the advantages they provide the nation & our joint and coalition partners are always there. #SemperSupra!

The motto is the latest unveiling for the Space Force, which was established in December and will see its first large movement of new troops into the branch in February, when about 2,410 Air Force airmen working in space operations transfer. The service now boasts just 88 official members Raymond, his senior enlisted adviser and 86 second lieutenants commissioned into the service after graduating from the Air Force Academy in April.

The service has previously unveiled its camouflage utility uniforms, its official seal, its service flag, the jobs its troops will perform and its first recruiting video. It has yet to identify what Space Force troops will be called, an official song, dress uniforms or a rank structure. However, a measure within the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act approved by House lawmakers on Tuesday would force the service to adopt the Navys rank structure, if signed into law.

The Space Force on Tuesday also tweeted explanations for the services new logo, which features a silver delta symbol surrounding a star representing Polaris against a black background.

The black symbolizes the darkness of deep space, while the deltas outer border signifies defense and protection from all adversaries and threats emanating from the space domain, according to a graphic shared by the service.

The service said silver elements inside the delta symbolize rockets launching and represent the four other Defense Department military services the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

The delta symbol has already been featured prominently in Space Force symbology. It is the most prominent feature on the services official seal and flag. Critics were quick to compare the symbols to those of Star Treks Starfleet. But Space Force officials noted the delta symbol has long been used by U.S. military forces, and has been an official symbol of the Air Forces space operators since 1961.

The Space Force is the sixth branch of the U.S. military and the first new branch since the Air Force was created in 1947. It is a separate military service from the Air Force, but operates within the Air Force Department, much as the Marine Corps operates within the Navy Department.

The service is expected to grow to some 16,000 service members in the coming years. Officials said last week they expect to begin transferring some space-focused troops from military services outside the Air Force in 2022 at the earliest.

dickstein.corey@stripes.comTwitter: @CDicksteinDC

article continues below

Follow this link:

Space Force unveils its new motto: 'Semper Supra' - Stars and Stripes

Recommendations for Manatee and Sarasota county commission and school board seats will appear July 29. Recommendations for the Sarasota City Commission, Sarasota County sheriffand Sarasota County Charter Review Board will be published the following week.

Over the next three weeks on this page, the Observer will present its recommendations for the upcoming primary elections. The official election day is Tuesday, Aug. 18.

Many newspapers have discontinued the practice of recommending candidates. We are not following the crowd. We continue to believe that one of the many and important roles of our newspapers is to advocate on the editorial/opinion page Note: only on the opinion page for candidates who stand for, first and foremost, individual liberty, the U.S. Constitution, limited government, low taxation and regulation, entrepreneurial capitalism and causes that advance those ideas for individuals and the betterment of the community.

Likewise, to a great extent, we view elections as referenda on the performance of incumbent office holders.

Were they good stewards of taxpayer dollars?

Do their voting records and core values reflect the liberty philosophy of defending and expanding peoples freedom or of expanding government and constricting freedom?

Are they advocates for taxpayers or the government?

Are they individuals of good moral character and values? Are they trustworthy?

These are among the criteria that go into our recommendations.

At the same time that elections are referenda on incumbents, we also believe in candidates who challenge or disrupt the status quo for the right reasons.

We know experience is invaluable. A county commissioner or legislator who has spent four or six years in office is likely to be far more knowledgeable about and effective than a newcomer at navigating government and the world of special-favors politics. But at the same time, incumbents often drift into becoming defenders of the government establishment. We embrace the disrupters who embrace the freedom philosophy and challenge the status quo.

Candidates: Jim Boyd; John Manners Houman

This is not a serious race.

Almost two years ago, Boyd completed eight years in the Florida House, representing District 71 (western Manatee County). In his final term, his legislative peers elected him speaker pro-tempore, the second-in-command of the House leadership. You dont reach that position unless you have demonstrated effective leadership among your fellow lawmakers.

More importantly, Boyd spent his eight years in the House as an advocate for taxpayers a dependable lawmaker for fiscal restraint and low taxes.

As the owner/CEO of Boyd Insurance and Investment Services in Bradenton, Boyd also worked as an ardent proponent of reforming Floridas auto insurance laws for consumers. This meant going against Floridas trial bar and frivolous lawsuits.

Boyd is the third generation of Manatee County Boyds to have served in the Legislature. His grandfather served in the House in 1940s, and his uncle, the late Wilbur Boyd, served in the House and Senate in the 1960s and 1970s. Prior to serving in the Legislature, Boyd was elected to the Palmetto City Council, serving terms as mayor and vice mayor.

Boyds opponent, John Manners Houman of Thonotossa in Hillsborough County, is a frequent candidate for state offices, albeit so far unsuccessful. In 2016, he lost to then-Democratic Rep. Daryl Rouson for Senate District 19; in 2018, he lost in the Republican primary to Sen. Tom Lee for Senate District 20.

Just to give you an idea of how lopsided the race, the amount of campaign contributions a candidate raises is a telling indicator: Boyd has raised $272,625; Houmans contributions total a $2,500 loan from himself.

Suffice it to say, ultimately electing Boyd would be good for all voters the citizens of District 21 and Florida in general. Given his experience in the House, if elected to the Senate, you can expect Boyd to rise to important leadership positions in the Senate, much like his predecessor, outgoing Senate President Bill Galvano.

We recommend: Jim Boyd

Candidates: Donna Barcomb; Fiona McFarland; Jason Miller

Of all the Republican races on the regions ballots, this one is probably the most watched.

Although there are three candidates vying for the nomination, the race essentially pits Donna Barcomb, a longtime Sarasota civic and community leader and small business owner, against Fiona McFarland, a 34-year-old newcomer to the community who has the credentials of Naval Academy graduate, Navy officer veteran, McKinsey & Co. consultant and daughter of a prominent national Republican and former high-level Trump administration official, K.T. McFarland.

The third candidate is Jason Miller, a deep-rooted Sarasotan (St. Martha School and Cardinal Mooney High graduate) who became a lawyer, served eight years as an assistant state attorney in the 12th Judicial Circuit, is a major in the Army JAG Corps Reserves and now heads litigation with the Najmy Thompson law firm.

For a telling insight into this race, just look at the money. Heres what the candidates have raised as of early July:

Of McFarlands 467 contributors, 52% list an out-of-state address. Of Barcombs 270 contributors, 94% list a Florida address.

The job of a state representative pays $30,000 a year.

Lets cut to the quick: This race is about one candidate seeking to begin her political ascendancy and another who has a three-decade record of service to Sarasota.

And yet, when you hear these two candidates speak on the issues and how they would address them philosophically and practically, there is little that separates them. They are strong free-market, low-regulation, low-taxation conservatives, believers in constitutional liberty, who also embrace Gov. Ron DeSantis efforts to clean up Floridas environment.

Both are qualified candidates, knowledgeable on the wide variety of issues they likely would confront. Indeed, this region and all of Florida would be better off having both of them serving in the Legislature. Unfortunately, only one can win the Republican nomination for the District 72 seat.

Here is what makes the difference for us: Sarasota Memorial Hospital and the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System would not be in existence as an independent hospital and would not be the highly rated hospital that it is today were it not for Donna Barcomb. Whats more, her record of service to the community over the past 30 years has been extraordinary.

McFarland has made an issue of Barcombs voting in favor of raising the hospitals millage rate while serving as an elected member of the hospital board. What McFarland doesnt share is the context.

Barcomb ran for the hospital board somewhat naively and won in 1996. Little did she know as a rookie board member how much distress the hospital was in financially and morale-wise. SMH was consistently losing millions of dollars a year in operations in the late 1990s, with bond-rating agencies lowering the hospitals grade, a move that raised interest rates on the hospitals borrowing and more stress on the hospitals operations.

Whats more, there was public strife between the hospitals then-CEO Michael Covert and the staff, and the hospitals reputation suffered for spotty customer service.

The situation was becoming so grim hospital that board members seriously discussed whether it should sell the institution to a private company. Either thator replace the CEO, increase the hospitals millage rate and attempt a turnaround to remain independent.

Barcomb sided with remaining independent and raising the millage rate. And she was chair of the board when it brought in Dr. Duncan Finlay, a respected Sarasota physician, to replace Covert. Finlay is credited with leading a successful, yearslong effort to improve the hospitals reputation and customer-service ratings.

Then, in 2004, Barcomb was chair of the hospital board committee that recruited Finlays successor, Gwen MacKenzie. MacKenzie in turn recruited David Verinder to be CFO. MacKenzie and Verinder, the current CEO, are largely credited with turning the hospital into the highly rated institution it is today.

At one point in her term as board chair, Barcomb, MacKenzie and Verinder traveled to New York City to meet with Moodys Corp. to discuss the hospitals bond rating. The Moodys representative bluntly told them: Either raise the hospitals millage rate, or Moodys will lower the hospitals bond rating a move that would cost millions in higher interest rates.

McFarland says Barcomb has a saying-and-doing gap in Barcombs position against raising taxes. But when you know the historical context, you can say Barcomb made tough choices 20 years ago that saved and laid the foundation for Sarasota Memorial becoming one of the top hospitals in Florida and the nation and one of the institutional gems of the city.

And she did that after serving years as president of the Southside Elementary School PTA,president of Sarasotas Junior League,head of a statewide Junior League education committee,mother of four sonsand owner-operator of a physical therapy business. Barcomb also is completing her eighth year as an elected member of the Sarasota County Charter Review Board.

All of that demonstrates the kind of passion and commitment to the community that voters want in a legislator.

As for McFarland, there is no question she has the intellect, competence and belief in the liberty philosophy to be an effective legislator. But she made a miscalculation in her quest for the nomination.

McFarland and her husband have been homesteaded residents in Bradenton, which is outside of District 72. They have rented quarters in the district to demonstrate their commitment to Sarasota. But as one longtime Sarasota Republican told us, McFarland underestimates the parochial loyalty Sarasotans have for those who have served the community.

District 72 has been hobbled with two short-term legislators not committed to the seat Republican Alex Miller and Democrat Margaret Good.

The voters in this district deserve a representative who is not looking to advance to the next level. Sarasotans have seen that before. They deserve someone who will stay committed to the district. McFarlands time will come. Barcombs time is now.

We recommend: Donna Barcomb

Candidates: Ed Brodsky (incumbent); Lisa Chittaro

When you examine the 300 contributors (and the $165,900) to the campaign of 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Ed Brodsky, you can quickly see it is a long list of respected, accomplished people from all across Sarasota, Manatee and Desoto counties business owners, sheriffs, retired sheriffs, mayors and Democrats.

They would not support Brodsky if they did not believe he deserved or earned their trust.

Brodsky has spent virtually all of his 28-year legal career as a prosecutor in the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorneys office. With this election, he is seeking his third four-year term as the state attorney and chief prosecutor for the three-county circuit, overseeing 160 employees and $17 million budget.

What matters most to voters, though, is Brodsky and his offices success in helping law enforcement keep the region safe. In the past five years, the total crime rate in Sarasota County has dropped each year; in Manatee, four of the past five years.

Whats more, Brodsky and his office, the regions law enforcement departments, 12th Circuit judges and numerous regional not-for-profit organizations have been among Floridas leaders creating programs that help addicts, homeless, mentally ill and veterans rather than overcrowd county jails.

Brodsky has a respected and qualified opponent in the primary, Lisa Chittaro. She served 15 years with Brodsky as an assistant state attorney. But if elections are indeed referenda on incumbents performance and results, Brodsky has delivered what voters want: a state attorney who enforces the rule of law forcefully and fairly and who pursues innovative programs and strategies with other branches of the legal system to help, rather than merely house, those in need.

We recommend: Ed Brodsky

Candidates: Melissa Gould; Connie Mederos Jacobs; Chris Pratt; Kristy Guy Zinna

Voting for judges is often a puzzle for voters. Such is the case for the Manatee County Judge, Group 4 position.

Judicial candidates cannot take a stand on contentious issues; they are careful to show bias. So the candidates all say the same thing: They will be fair and impartial and follow the law. You take them at their word. But how do your really know?

Then you look at experience. As lawyers, have they spent enough time in the courtroom and handled a wide enough variety of lawsuits to give them the breadth of experience and judgment they will encounter and need as a judge?

In this case, Manatee voters are fortunate to have four well-rounded lawyers in and out of the courtroom vying for the seat. At the same time, you can say voters are somewhat unfortunate: Its a tough choice.

All four candidates have strong, long-time local family roots and admirable records of volunteerism in the community examples: Habitat for Humanity (Connie Mederos Jacobs); delivering groceries to elderly during the pandemic (Melissa Gould); Manatee Tiger Bay board (Kristy Guy Zinna); former little league umpire (Chris Pratt).

Likewise, together they have logged 90 years of courtroom experience in misdemeanor and felony crime cases, family law, criminal defense, civil litigation, animal cruelty, elder law and personal injury law to have the knowledge and wisdom required of a judge. Mederos Jacobs and Pratt have been practicing 30 and 34 years, respectively, while Gould and Zinna each has been practicing 12 years.

To be sure, theres a difference between 30 and 12 years in the courtroom. But when we called on lawyers, judges and law enforcement officials who have seen these candidates in action, the consensus tilted the scales toward Gould and Zinna.

Zinna, who has been in private practice for the past seven years, has served on both sides of the aisle in the courtroom as a prosecutor and as an assistant public defender in the 12th circuit. In both, she earned a reputation as a committed hard worker.

Gould has spent the past eight years as an assistant state attorney, prosecuting a broad spectrum of misdemeanor and felony cases. Prior to the state attorneys office, Gould also gained experience in Michigan in civil litigation, with business and contract law, consumer protection, employee discrimination andprofessional malpractice.

The difference between Gould and Zinna? This is what we repeatedly heard: Gould has the edge the legal intellect, always prepared, committed. But its not just her courtroom experience, we were told. Gould earned a Master of Law from the University of Cambridge in England, and prior to moving to Bradenton, she taught family and constitutional law at Oakland University in Michigan.

We recommend: Melissa Gould

Go here to read the rest:

The Observer's 2020 primary election recommendations - YourObserver.com

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Innovators at Purdue University have received new support as they work to develop solutions to what U.S. military officials call an alarming trend in dementia among wounded soldiers. The same researchers also seek solutions to better treat Alzheimers disease.

The Purdue team, including innovators from several disciplines across the university, received a $1.3 million grant from the Department of Defense for their work in this area.

This project is highly relevant to the military, in that there is an alarming trend in the increasing reports of post-traumatic brain injury (TBI), Alzheimers disease and related dementia among wounded soldiers, imposing enormous emotional and economic burdens on military families, their communities and society as a whole, said Gaurav Chopra, an assistant professor of analytical and physical chemistry in Purdues College of Science, who directs a laboratory in chemical immunology.

Chopra is the principal investigator leading the team, joining forces with Riyi Shi, a co-investigator on this grant. Shi is a professor of neuroscience and biomedical engineering and director of the Center for Paralysis Research in Purdues College of Veterinary Medicine and Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering.

They are working with Purdues Bindley Bioscience Center; Purdue Center for Paralysis Research; Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery; Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience; Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease; Purdue University Center for Cancer Research; and Indiana University School of Medicine.

The work involves developing biomarkers and identifying new targets for phagocytic function of microglial cells, immune cells in the brain, in the context of brain injury-related Alzheimers disease and other dementia.

Chopra said brain tissue compression and damage can directly result from exposure to shock waves generated by explosive blasts to which soldiers are routinely exposed in combat and training exercises.

Furthermore, intense combat conditions will also increase the incidence of traumatic brain injury in situations such as severe car accidents or accidental falls from varying heights, Chopra said. Therefore, uncovering the mechanisms responsible for this epidemic that detracts from the quality of life for thousands of veterans could profoundly benefit our soldiers who sacrifice a great deal to ensure our freedom.

The current study will utilize new tools, such as, a pH-responsive Amyloid-beta and TBI-on-a-chip in vitro trauma model, along with well-established preclinical neurodegenerative and blast injury models developed in Chopra and Shis laboratories, to study microglial cell states in the context of TBI-related Alzheimers disease.

Purdue features some of the most prominent trauma investigators and neuroimmunologists from around the world, and we are now merging this expertise together in an unprecedented symbiotic and focused manner to confront the epidemic of post-TBI mental abnormalities. Shi said. By bringing together a highly multidisciplinary team, we intend to not only improve our understanding of the mechanisms, but also diagnoses and treatments of TBI-related neurodegenerative dementia. The potential impacts of this study cannot be overestimated and could lead to immeasurable clinical and societal benefits.

The Purdue team received the grant through the DoDs Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs partnership award program.

The Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience congratulates Gaurav Chopra and Riyi Shi for receiving this prestigious award from the DoD to support their research, which is closely aligned with the institutes strategic initiatives in neurotrauma and Alzheimers disease, said Chris Rochet, director of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience.

The innovators have worked with the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization on numerous technologies. The office is now housed in the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus.

About Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization

The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university's academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. The office recently moved into the Convergence Center for Innovation and Collaboration in Discovery Park District, adjacent to the Purdue campus. In fiscal year 2019, the office reported 136 deals finalized with 231 technologies signed, 380 disclosures received and 141 issued U.S. patents. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. In 2020, IPWatchdog Institute ranked Purdue third nationally in startup creation and in the top 20 for patents. The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

Writer: Chris Adam, cladam@prf.orgSources: Gaurav Chopra, gchopra@purdue.edu

Riyi Shi, riyi@purdue.edu

Photo Captions:

Gaurav Chopra (left) and Riyi Shi, professors at Purdue University, have received new support as they work on research for traumatic brain injury and Alzheimers disease. (Image by Ed Lausch, Lausch Photography) A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/2020/chopra-brain.jpg

Researchers at Purdue University and Indiana University School of Medicine are developing biomarkers and identifying new targets for phagocytic function of microglial cells, immune cells in the brain, in the context of brain injury-related Alzheimers disease and other dementia. (Image provided) A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/2020/chopra-biomarkers.jpg

Journalists visiting campus: Journalists should followProtect Purdue protocolsandthe followingguidelines:

Continue reading here:

Purdue innovators receive $1.3 million from Department of Defense for research on traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's - Purdue News Service

Tell the whole truth

Journalisms first obligation is to tell the truth.

I am the guy you put on the front cover of the July 16/17 edition of the Times and determined to be against mask wearing by noting the following: Some people are following the mask mandate in Cuyahoga County while others are not.

I am angry, angry for the lack of integrity in actions by your publication. Professional journalism, as I understand it, involves presenting and confirming facts (unless in an OP/ED). Even a criminal facing court or a famous person is given the courtesy of responding with a statement to an upcoming publication. According to the American Press Institute, journalisms first obligation is to the truth, with an allegiance to citizens, while relying on a professional discipline for verifying information. You did no fact checking and did not ask me for a comment in response to your intended photo or caption.

So here are the facts: I was not wearing a mask at the time the photo was taken, I was riding my bike until moments before, and was in compliance with CDC social distancing guidelines. The caption did not mention that because I was not provided the opportunity to comment.

I understand and support freedom of the press. I do, however, believe in reporting facts and proper follow up by reporters. Had your team checked their facts I would not have been singled out and used as an example by your paper with your opinion of what was happening in that moment.

This is not about wearing or not wearing masks, social distancing, or following CDC guidelines, this about checking facts on such a controversial topic, or any topic for that matter, if you choose to put someone in your publication.

Please remember that truth, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality and fairness are fundamental to codes of ethics for good journalism. I am sure you can do better.

Alex Chavez

Chagrin Falls

Ohioans, grow up

I have listened to most of Gov. Mike DeWines press conferences since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.I didnt vote for him, but I approve and appreciate his leadership on this issue. Mature adults understand the need for certain regulations and limits, and in my opinion Gov. DeWine has treated Ohioans as mature adults from the start. He has given science-based reasoning for his orders.Wearing a mask is uncomfortable, wed rather not wear one, but mature adults see the need and comply.

Some Ohio adults apparently are immature, they defied the reasonable order to mask-up and they balk at the request to do so now. Some threw tantrums at the Ohio Statehouse, even spitting on reporters.Gov. DeWine lost his capable and caring director of the Ohio Department of Health because of their menacing behavior. Like teenagers, maybe these protesters felt they were grown-up enough and dont need to be told what to do.So, Gov. DeWine has lately been giving reasonable recommendations instead of orders.Now community spread is increasing, COVID-19 cases are rising. Gov. DeWine delivered a heartfelt and logical plea last week that I would summarize like this:Ohioans, grow up dont make me ground you.

Kathleen O. Webb

Munson Township

Chester needs stability

The tenure of Chester Township Trustees Joe Mazzurco and Ken Radtke has witnessed some of the highest employee turnover in the past 20 years, and it is not exclusively about competitive wages.

We have seen a parade of Mazzurco/Radtke Road Department supervisors come and go. The most recent was paid almost double the salary of his predecessors.He did not leave for financial reasons.

Concern and eyebrows were raised when Mr. Mazzurco and Mr. Radtke hired Trustee Frank Kolks wife for the assistant fiscal officer position. She did not leave for pay equity reasons, please read her letter of resignation.

The universal secretary resigned, but not for financial reasons.Mr. Mazzurco, Mr. Radtke and ousted Fiscal Officer Craig Richter created this job, and it was a poor decision. This position will no doubt now be filled with a part-time staffer, as it should have been previously.

Others have resigned for a myriad of reasons, none of which involve salary, with the exception of the Chester Township Fire Department.

In September of 2018 the firefighters and EMS staffreceived a $5 per hour across the board pay increase. In May of 2019, Chester Township residents passed a $1 million levy to respond to the Chester Fire Department demand that without the levy, firefighters will continue to leave.

Two of the firefighters who aggressively campaigned for the new full-time positions and successfully completed polygraph testing, psychological assessments, FBI/BCI background checks and extensive pension physicals before starting full-time, have already resigned.

William J. Bulman, hired on March 22 resigned June 3 and Ryan C. Zittkowski hired on March 23, resigned July 1, 2020,wrote identical template statements: I am pursuing an opportunity that offers a fair market wage, competitive workweek, reasonable time off and the protection of a union contract.

If the Chester Township Fire Department cannot offer a fair market wage, competitive work week, reasonable time off, and the protection of a union contract, maybe we should return to privatization or seek possible countywide regionalization of fire and emergency medical services.

Judy K. Zamlen-Spotts

Chester Township

Pepper Pike just fine right now

The Beech Brook rezoning project spear-headed by Bryan Stone of Axiom Development and fully supported by Mayor Richard Bain is fascinating in that for months both men have failed to comprehend why opposition to rezoning exists. Mayor Bain is quoted as saying; I think a lot of the objections relate to the development plan and not necessarily the rezoning. In keeping with that mindset, for months Mr. Stone has been scrambling, reportedly talking to residents for feedback, adjusting and then readjusting his development plan to try to win over a majority of voters come November.

From the very start, however, the opposition to rezoning Beech Brook has made its objective clear; no rezone. Mr. Stone has apparently not heard the many voices nor seen the countless yard signs letting it be known that bulldozing the 68-acre mostly pristine property in favor of more retail, more offices and the three homes per acre lots that would come with voter approval of rezoning Beech Brook is simply not acceptable no matter what the development plan contains.

In fairness to Mayor Bain, when hes not touting how great the Axiom development would be to visit and enjoy the amenities to be offered he has mentioned that he believes more commercial development for Pepper Pike is, in general, a good thing. As he puts it, A monoculture is a very unstable ecosystem.

Increasing the commercial to residential ratio in Pepper Pike may be considered a good reason to rezone Beech Brook under some circumstances, but this is far from being a valid reason today.First, Pepper Pike is not a monoculture. Pepper Pike is predominately residential but there is already plenty of commercial activity at the Lander Circle area. Also, our city is not unstable by any means as evidenced by our growing $12 million rainy day fund accumulated over just the past few years resulting from an already increased tax base and excellent management from Mayor Bain and Pepper Pike City Council.

The plain truth of the matter is that Mr. Stone is asking the citizens of Pepper Pike to simply do him a favor. There is absolutely nothing in it for the citizens of Pepper Pike to vote to rezone unless they enjoy witnessing a grotesque destruction-construction project resulting in an eyesore for the remainder of time.

Saying no to rezone is the only sensible response unless our civic leaders are able to provide a compelling reason to dramatically alter this entire section of Pepper Pike such as demonstrating financial distress that tax revenues from such a development could cure. Until then, asa resident of Pepper Pike for a majority of my life since 1959, I can confidently say that so long as we continue to elect competent and conscientious mayors and council members like the ones we have today, there will be no need to rezone any property for multi-use purposes. Pepper Pike is just fine as is and will be for a long time to come.

Kevin L. String

Pepper Pike

Read more from the original source:

Letters to the editor - 07/23/2020 | Your Viewpoint - chagrinvalleytoday.com

While campus remains primarily online with only research and some staff working in-person, one person is there consistently hosting Zoom meetings, planning, and hoping for a campus that will return to normal.

Since July 3, Bill Flanagan has assumed the role of University of Alberta president and vice-chancellor, and is settling into his new role.

Flanagan is the 14th president of the U of A and replaces David Turpin, who served from 2015 to June of this year.

The Gateway interviewed Flanagan about his priorities for the U of A, how he will resolve to ensure the university is a diverse and equitable institution, and how leading the largest university in Alberta marks a special occasion for him and his family.

Interview responses have been edited for clarity and length.

Flanagan: Its been about 15 days [laughs]. I feel deeply honoured to have this opportunity. I know its a challenging time for the university. Many have asked me if I knew what I was getting into [laughs]. Of course the scale of the challenge has scaled dramatically over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic but I still remain very excited to have this opportunity to join such a vibrant community.

Ive been impressed by the students I have engaged with so far while in my role. Obviously, I havent been able to do so with as many I would like to with COVID-19 going on. Talking to my computer is really beginning to wear on me. I am really looking forward to engaging more with the campus life and other students at the U of A, as soon as we can safely do that.

I came from Queens University a university half the size of the the U of A and in a smaller community than Edmonton. I was worried how it would be to work at a university in a more urban setting with a larger population of students. I have to say that I thought it would be more unengaged. That has proven to be quite the opposite! Students seem to be engaged and committed to all the U of A stands for. They are talented and make it known too. Our students are so socially engaged and engagement is not a challenge at all even in the constraints of what we are dealing with right now.

Ive loved learning about all the wonderful things going on and meeting the staff, faculty, and researchers helping to drive innovation forward.

I was born in Edmonton and grew up in Lacombe and Stony Plain and my parents were proud graduates of the University of Alberta. So the U of A was sort of coursing through my veins. I know how much of a role the U of A played in my parents lives and I never got to attend it since I decided to go out east to university. But now I am here, just like they were! It feels special to me to now be the president of such an important university for the province and indeed the country.

I am humbled to play my small role in serving this university. A university that is going through challenging times, but also one of great opportunity. The U of A has always played a vital role in Alberta and now we will continue to help out.

I served as dean for 14 years and I helped explore new opportunities at the faculty with more online learning and expanding enrolment. So I think I have a lot of experience in being within an academic leadership role. Of course this is a much bigger university but I think some of the complexities I dealt with as dean will really help me in my new role.

An enormously important role. I think universities around the world have such an important role to play in advancing discussions of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). I know that the University of Alberta has made a major commitment in EDI initiatives with an EDI strategic plan which is really quite unique among Canadian universities; particularly in its ambition and scope of what it is attempting to undertake.

I will reinforce the universitys commitment to EDI in everything that we do.

We have a really diverse student population at the U of A with students from across Alberta and beyond. It is crucial the university reflects that in all that it does.

The U of A has also undertaken, with great success, efforts to increase and incorporate Indigenous knowledge and teaching in the university. I think the U of A has been a leader in Canada in terms of Indigenization and its commitment to both the faculty of native studies and weaving native studies into the fabric of everything we do at the university. We are steadily increasing the numbers of our Indigenous students and giving support to them to enable them to thrive.

I want to build on all of these initiatives at the U of A and I welcome student engagement. I know students care deeply about contemporary issues, and they have such an important role in these discussions and moving those discussions forward.

The Black Lives Matter movement and all the recent protests have shown we have so much more to do. There is all so much more we can do to ensure the university meets its ambitions about equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Students have, really, since time immemorial played an important role in driving social change including at the University of Alberta. I know there is more I can do. I look forward to engaging with students. We all have a role to play.

Freedom of expression is absolutely inherent at the university in what we do. It really only means anything when it is freedom to express views that you might not agree with. Freedom of expression does not really mean anything if it is freedom to agree with me. Freedom of expression is only meaningful if it is the freedom to disagree with me. There is no question that is an inherent part of what we do at a university. Without that vigorous exchange of ideas we would be diminished.

I know the U of A has a thoughtful commitment to freedom of expression; a policy that was carefully developed and one that reflects an ongoing commitment to freedom of expression.

At the same time, we have the commitment to our students to provide the very best learning environment that we can a supportive one where students can thrive. Yet, this environment cannot be one where students are shielded from disagreeable thoughts because these can be sometimes inherent and challenging discussions we have at a university campus. Although we are committed to the best possible learning environment to our students, this means exposure to diversity of views. One of the best skills you can gain at university as a student is the ability to grapple with diverse views that may not be your own, to challenge your own views, and indeed challenge the views of others.

The Gateway: For many students campus sexual violence remains a prevalent problem, especially with complicated reporting pathways, lack of awareness and resources. For several years now there have been calls by Students Union executives and student councillors to hire a campus sexual assault coordinator while other universities have a similar position. How is the issue of campus sexual violence going to be approached while under your presidency?

I certainly look forward to learning more about this and the supports that are available at the U of A.

Having an appropriate support system in place for our students is absolutely fundamental to the success of our students and their safety. I know there is heightened concern about campus sexual assault. It is imperative we provide a safe learning environment, one free of any suggestion of sexual violence.

We need to have processes in place where students feel they can bring their concerns forward and that they will be dealt with effectively, expeditiously, and fairly. We need to have a university with support for survivors. We have to have the student at the centre of our support model which is implemented university wide.

I commit to looking at our current resources available to students and to ensuring they are comparable to those other students across post-secondary institutions in Canada have access to. This is not an issue we can afford to make any missteps on. It is simply too important to our students and the wellbeing of our campus.

The Gateway: COVID-19 has changed the fabric of the university. Instead of over 40,000 undergraduate students commuting to campus and learning together, you have 40,000 different classrooms across varying neighbourhoods, cities, and countries. How will the U of A continue to develop community while Fall term remains mostly online?

This is a great challenge for us. My concern is particularly with first-year students entering post-secondary. It is such a formative time in a young persons life and an opportunity to develop networks of support and community while discovering new things about oneself. Plus, university is so much fun! You try things, you meet people, and enjoy this wonderful experience obviously it cant all be about academics; intellectual engagement isnt the only reason you come to university [laughs].

We are thinking as hard and creatively as we can in order to think of ways we can develop that sense of community and development within the constraints of COVID-19. In terms of classes, our faculty are hard at work over the summer to come up with new ways to deliver classes online in the fall to enable successful and engaging learning.

We are also thinking of other ways to engage with first-year students and the greater campus community. We will are hoping to have a number of campus activities with social distancing and appropriate health measures to reduce risk. Of course, the majority of events will be online. We also want to engage international students who are online who also need a flavour of campus life at the U of A. We will continue to provide opportunities for students to link with other students to get a semblance of connection. I miss being on campus and seeing everything happening. I miss looking out my window and seeing an engaged campus. We all hope to return to that as soon as we safely can.

All health services remain available to our students. Indeed if students are on-campus or in Edmonton and need to see someone in-person, that can be arranged. Much of our resources where possible have moved online. I would encourage students to explore those options.

University of Alberta for Tomorrow, our vision to ensure the U of A is organizationally and fiscally prepared for the future of post-secondary in Alberta. That is my major priority for the next two years and I am hoping that in the next five years we will have some great results to report, not only in the restructuring process but also seizing opportunities for growth in the future.

Its unusual for a president to suggest such a massive plan for changes even before they have taken office I did the first townhall in June before my term officially commenced. I rather quickly have put together this ambitious plan that is historic, I think, for the university.

I recognize it is going to be challenging to enact the plan. We will very much have to engage the entire university community in order to succeed. This will address the fiscal challenges we are experiencing now and will try to create strategic challenges for the university.

I want to make clear our signature research areas are where we excel. These areas reflect important fields where the U of A is making incredible contributions and changing the world. They even foster greater research and interdisciplinary study. Changing those is not on the table when discussing academic restructuring or service excellence transformation. That will continue and not be changed. In fact, I hope to deepen the signature research areas so their work can continue.

The larger picture of University of Alberta for Tomorrow is reducing our administrative costs and restructuring our institution to position it for better financial results to better enable our teaching and research to excel. Those two areas are crucial to the university and the ones we most care about.

I very much want to continue the goals and strategic vision that For the Public Good lays out. I was impressed by that document from the start. It shares a strong direction for us. If anything, University of Alberta For Tomorrow will enable us to pursue what was laid out in For the Public Good. I really commend former president David Turpin, his colleagues, and the U of A community for developing such a robust vision for the future.

Here is the original post:

Q&A with U of A President Bill Flanagan - The Gateway Online

After concluding a quick trade deal, India and the US need to sit down on the negotiating table for working towards a more sustainable, robust and enduring partnership in the form of a free trade agreement (FTA), Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said.

For the FTA, the minister said, India is willing to work with an open mind, with a willingness to open markets with a corresponding opportunity for Indian businesses in the US.

I believe we have a quick trade deal which has some of the pending matters built up over the last couple of years which we need to get out of the way quickly. We are almost there. I think another couple of calls and we should be able to solve that out.

Post that, as was already intimated to the US Congress, the US and India need to sit down on the negotiating table, I do not know if that can be done before the (US) elections or post the elections, but we need to work towards a much more sustainable, a much more robust, a much more enduring partnership in the form of a FTA, he said in a webinar of US-India Business Council.

Goyal said that both the countries should also look for a preferential trade agreement (PTA) which can include 50-100 products and services.

While in a PTA two trading partners eliminate or significantly reduce import duties on a limited number of goods traded between them, in a FTA the countries remove duties on maximum number of products.

We believe we should also look at an early harvest in the form of a PTA, so that we can rather than waiting for the gains of a FTA, which may take severalyears to conclude, we could look at an early harvest of maybe 50 or 100 products and services, where we can engage with mutual trust and open spirit. So that the partnership between the US and India can kick start much faster, he added.

India and the US are negotiating a limited trade deal with a view to ironing out differences on trade issues to boost economic ties.

India is demanding exemption from high duties imposed by the US on some steel and aluminium products, resumption of export benefits to certain domestic products under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), and greater market access for its products from sectors such as agriculture, automobile, automobile components and engineering.

On the other hand, the US wants greater market access for its farm and manufacturing products, dairy items and medical devices, apart from cut inimport duties on some information and communication technology products.

The US has also raised concerns over trade deficit with India.

Further the minister stated that the government is taking several steps to further improve the business climate to attract investors.

He said businesses are looking for a stable and predictable policy environment, fair play, ease of doing business, better infrastructure in terms of logistics, utilities, and common facilities required for manufacturing firms.

By enlarge industry and business wants to be left alone, wants freedom to operate and is willing to commit itself to work within the framework of a countrys laws. And I think India is working towards making all of these enablerswhether it is ease of doing business, whether it is improving our competitive edge, bringing down logistics cost, making it easier to get approvals. All of this typical needs of business which we in government are trying to address, he said.

He added that there is an opportunity and a trust deficit available globally and India is willing to fill that gap in the international supply chain as a trusted partner.

Talking about formulation of the single window clearance process, he said a team is working on this by understanding the needs of businesses, their pain points and requirements.

We are understanding industry pain points and their requirements. We are trying to create such a genuine single window, and not a window behind which it opens to 10 doors. It is a herculean task, will take some time but I assure you that we are committed to make it happen, the minister said.

To begin with one of the first things that on a pilot basis, the government is going to release very soon is a GIS based land bank availability across the country, he said adding we have identified in six states a few hundred thousand hectares of land and we are actually going to offer you a Google earth view of particular lands available for industry to buy. Taking it forward from there so much so that my intention is that a person sitting in Iceland should be able to not only locate the land he wants but also pay for it and buy it.

I will give you a simple example of how I am explaining it (single window process) to my own officers. I said look at the common application form that a student who applies to US university has to fill up. Its eight universities, one form, small supplement to each, he added.

The minister also said that India has become self-sufficient in ventilators and I shortly be starting export of ventilators.In March, the government banned export of ventilators in wake of the coronavirus outbreak.

The US remained Indias top trading partner for the second consecutive fiscal in 2019-20. According to the data of the commerce ministry, in 2019-20, the bilateral trade between the US and India stood at USD 88.75 billion, as against USD 87.96 billion in 2018-19.

The US is one of the few countries with which India have a trade surplus. The trade gap between the countries has increased to USD 17.42 billion in 2019-20 from USD 16.86 billion in 2018-19. In 2018-19, the US had surpassed China to become Indias top trading partner.

Do you know What is Cash Reserve Ratio(CRR), FinanceBill, Fiscal Policy inIndia, ExpenditureBudget, CustomsDuty? FE Knowledge Desk explains each of these and more in detail at Financial Express Explained. Also get Live BSE/NSE Stock Prices, latest NAV of Mutual Funds, Best equity funds, Top Gainers, Top Losers on Financial Express. Dont forget to try our free Income Tax Calculator tool.

Financial Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest Biz news and updates.

Read more:

India, US need to sit down on negotiating table for free trade agreement: Piyush Goyal - The Financial Express

From 1936-41, workers enlisted as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped construct and open to the public Colorados famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

One of the most popular of all New Deal programs, the CCC provided 3 million jobs for young men challenged to find employment during the Great Depression. It improved workers physical condition, morale and employability while contributing to the enhancement and care of natural resources.

While its still too early to predict long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Colorados economy, at Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), we see an opportunity. Perhaps our state could prove that, once again, economic resilience can be found in job creation in the hard-working outdoor sector.

The idea is gaining momentum on the national scale with several acts pending. This week, the House is expected to approve the Great American Outdoors Act, which passed in the Senate in June and would invest nearly $2 billion per year in the outdoors, including investments in a fund to support deferred maintenance on federal lands.

In addition, U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado has unveiled the 21st Century Conservation Corps for Our Health and Our Jobs Act, ambitious legislation that aims to help economies recover from the pandemic while addressing conservation, forest management and wildfire and natural disaster mitigation on public lands.

Separately, a bipartisan group of senators has proposed the Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act, which would double AmeriCorps positions available this year to 150,000 and provide 600,000 service opportunities nationwide.

Funding for conservation and outdoor recreation is a powerful economic lever. In its 27 years, GOCO has funded more than 5,300 outdoor projects with Colorado Lottery proceeds, and in the coming fiscal year, will receive as much as $71 million from the Lottery to invest.

READ:Colorado Sun opinion columnists.

GOCO funding supports the on-the-ground projects of people working in local governments park and recreation and open space departments, at nonprofits that protect land, and at Colorado Parks and Wildlife all integral pieces of our outdoor infrastructure and economy.

The projects, from the creation of natural areas and land conservation to park and trail development and management, protect Coloradans shared values. They contribute to our health and well-being. They safeguard our land, air and water for people and wildlife and contribute to critically needed climate resilience. They build up and revitalize communities, and they attract a whole host of new people to this state whether as visitors or new residents.

While protecting and enhancing the outdoors certainly have economic advantages, increased visitation and use bring a greater need for caring for and restoring these spaces.

Colorados great outdoors faced a significant maintenance backlog before the pandemic, and now with more people heading outside, the need to manage the outdoors is even greater.

MORE: See Colorado Sun outdoors coverage

The Colorado Outdoor Partnership council determined Colorados public trails alone require $89 million in backlogged maintenance. But this is part of our opportunity.

GOCO will embark on a new strategic plan next year, but first were focused on helping Colorado recover from COVID-19 impacts. Our board earmarked $15 million for a Resilient Communities program to help partners advance outdoor projects.

This program will augment core capacity and operations for conservation and recreation work, fund critical land acquisitions and support natural resource stewardship efforts.

In addition, this year GOCO will double its investment in Colorado Youth Corps Association (CYCA) to $1 million. CYCA is a statewide coalition of eight accredited conservation service corps that employ and train youth, young adults and veterans on needed recreation and restoration projects, from trail building to wildland fire training.

These service corps offer an incredible opportunity for Coloradans to acquire trade skills, providing employment for 1,700 people annually while helping Colorado accomplish tangible stewardship goals. The additional funding means more people employed and more work completed.

Met Wilder yet? GOCO has invested nearly $30 million over the last few years in Generation Wild, a program supporting 15 community-driven coalitions launching outdoor programs and ensuring equitable access to the outdoors for youth and families.

In each community, GOCO invests in the people and positions needed to direct, manage and administer programs at the local level. As of March 2020, the coalitions had offered 2,025 volunteer, internship and job opportunities; 85% of the jobs and internships were paid.

Already registered? Log in here to hide these messages.

As part of our new plan, GOCO will expand into additional communities while continuing to support existing coalitions with $2.8 million in the next year.

In these unprecedented times, Colorados great outdoors provides a sense of freedom, relief and needed physical release. All the while, our outdoor spaces help us thrive in a different way providing meaningful livelihoods for hundreds of thousands of people. Were proud to support our states outdoor identity and economy.

Lets get to work, Colorado.

Chris Castilian is Executive Director of Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO).

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Suns opinion policy and submit columns, suggested writers and more to opinion@coloradosun.com.

Support local journalism around the state.Become a member of The Colorado Sun today!

See more here:

Opinion: Let's create jobs in the outdoors because hard work pays off for all of us - The Colorado Sun

In last weeks coverage on Provincial Finance Commission (PFC) awards, it was argued that if the PTI is really serious about the PFC, it should draft a bill with wider political consultation to address the constitutional gaps on local government and its finances.

It was also argued that the bill should emulate the likes of Indian or Nepalese Constitution that has specific articles on constitution, composition, duration, powers, and responsibilities of municipalities including power to impose taxes; and the executive powers of local government in addition to specific provisions related to mayor and deputy mayor of municipalities, term of office of village/municipal assembly, and so forth. (See BR Researchs Provincial finance omission published 16, Jul 2020)

In addition to these, there are at least two other aspects that need to be addressed to make PFCs effective in Pakistan. The first of these revolves around the subject of taxation. That provinces have not devolved property taxes (arguably the biggest source of own revenues at the disposal of local governments) to the local level doesnt speak well of the provincial political leadership. This issue cannot be over emphasized.

In cases where some taxes have been devolved to the third tier, local government laws allow provincial governments to regulate taxes and fees imposed by the third tier, which raises questions over the fiscal freedom of local government. Local governments also do not have complete autonomy to raise revenues and to make expenditure unless previously authorised by the provincial governments.

The issue of adequate representation of local government at the PFC also needs to be addressed. In all the four provinces, the composition of the PFCs as per respective local government laws is such that provincial representation in the PFC is much higher than the representation of local government.

It is understandable that most local government officials lack capacity to meaningfully contribute to such commissions, and that it is difficult to have representation of all the districts in each province. However, it is equally true that capacity issues can be addressed by secondments of finance staff from provincial government or technical representatives appointed by local government itself, whereas the issue of numerous districts could be resolved by creating a system of nominated representatives from various sub-tiers of local government.

Here one could take a cue from New Zealand and South Africa (and even India until of late) where local council associations are recognised by the law and given due representation at forums like the PFC. The issue of inadequate representation at PFC should not be taken lightly because participation and political representation is what third tier is all about. Will the PTI address these long pending concerns or will it simply wing it? Most observers already know the answer, but to give a benefit of the doubt, best wait and see.

Visit link:

PFC awards: don't wing it - BR Research - Business Recorder

Mister President,

Members of the Security Council,

I brief you today as Palestinians and Israelis are grappling with a complex and potentially destabilizing three-pronged crisis:

An escalating health crisis as both struggle to contain the rapid spike of COVID-19 cases.

A spiraling economic crisis as businesses close, unemployment soars, protests increase, and the economy suffers the financial impact of months of lockdowns and restrictions.

And finally, a mounting political confrontation, driven by the threat of Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, and the steps taken in response by the Palestinian leadership.

These developments are not happening in a vacuum. The unfolding dynamics have shed a stark light on the daily reality of the conflict and the imperative to resolve it through negotiations between the parties. They have further exposed the unsustainability of the occupation and the need to update agreements that define the relationship between the two sides in the interest of peace.

In recent weeks, the region and the broader international community have continued to express their firm rejection of annexation. Among these, on 1 July, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom published an Op-Ed in a leading Israeli newspaper expressing his opposition to annexation and asserting that such a step would violate international law and run contrary to Israel's own long-term interests. Two joint statements issued on 7 July one by the Foreign Ministers of Egypt, France, Germany and Jordan, and the second by Foreign Ministers of nine Arab States and the Secretary-General of the Arab League stressed their staunch opposition to the move and called for a return to negotiations based on UN resolutions and international law.

On 2 July, leaders from Fatah and Hamas held a rare joint video press conference, in an effort to restate their opposition to annexation and to commit to a unified Palestinian front against it.

Palestinian and Israeli women are also making their voices heard. On 9 July, I engaged with some 100 Palestinian women in a high-level dialogue organized by UN Women, marking the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325. Participants shared their deep concern and uncertainty in the face of both COVID-19 and annexation threats. Ten Palestinian women leaders, supported by 180 women, issued a joint appeal against annexation, calling for the right to live in a democratic state of their own in freedom, dignity and equality.

A separate appeal issued by 22 Israeli women leaders, and later signed by over a hundred others, highlighted that annexation plans pose an irreversible danger to Israelis, Palestinians, and regional stability. Responding to both initiatives 45 global women leaders signed a joint call against annexation and for peace, highlighting the importance of heeding womens voices in situations of conflict.

The Secretary-General and the United Nations will continue efforts to resuscitate a dialogue among all stakeholders, with no preconditions, and in the interest of peace and a negotiated resolution to the conflict. For these efforts to stand a chance of success, there must be political will from all parties. Otherwise, the path to a negotiated solution risks quickly becoming unnavigable, moving instead towards a one-state reality of perpetual occupation and conflict.

Mister President,

Regrettably, the situation on the ground is rapidly being affected by the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel.

To contain the pandemic, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has re-imposed movement restrictions across the West Bank as well as some closures in the worst-hit governorates. Israel has also re-imposed limitations on gatherings and certain non-essential businesses, as well as lockdowns in specific areas. Movement between Israel, the West Bank and Gaza remains heavily restricted, and the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt has been closed in both directions since 15 May.

The challenge of confronting the rapid increase in cases in the West Bank and boosting prevention efforts in Gaza has been significantly compounded by the ending of coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. The PAs refusal to accept any clearance revenues transferred by Israel has exacerbated an already concerning fiscal crisis and impacted service provision. It has effectively blocked the ability of patients to travel from Gaza for treatment outside of the Strip and has led to delays in delivering humanitarian assistance and materials intended for the COVID-19 response and other health support and services.

In response, the United Nations has engaged with all sides to ensure the continued and unimpeded provision of humanitarian assistance. The UN has reached agreements with the PA to make exceptions for coordinating humanitarian deliveries and with Israel to streamline its administrative procedures, considering the COVID-19 crisis. I want to thank the authorities for their openness and cooperation with the United Nations on these challenges. Having said this, I am also concerned that we are far below the level of coordination that existed in the beginning of the year, when the first wave of the virus hit. This situation could have serious repercussions on the ability to control its spread and its impact on peoples lives.

Over the past weeks, because of the unprecedented circumstances, the UN has offered to increase its intermediary role between the parties. This includes COVID-19 response as well as a greater role in the facilitation of patient referrals from Gaza. Nevertheless, there are limitations to what the UN and other organizations can be expected to do. Any increased responsibilities in this context should be limited and time-bound and not designed to replace the roles and responsibilities of the Palestinian Authority or the Government of Israel.

While the COVID-19 pandemic and the breakdown in cooperation between Israeli and Palestinian authorities have raised new concerns and complicated the speedy transfer of patients outside of Gaza, it is important to recognize the long-standing, underlying fragility of Gazas own healthcare system.

Mister President,

On the economic side, the Palestinian Ministry of Finance announced on 2 July that it would pay partial Government salaries for the month of May. The May salary payments were delayed due to an 80 per cent reduction in Palestinian revenues stemming from the economic impact of COVID-19 and from the PAs refusal to accept the monthly transfers of its clearance revenues. It is unclear whether the Palestinian Government will have sufficient resources to make any future salary payments or, indeed, to continue to carry out its governing functions in the coming months.

The suspension of coordination between the PA and Israel has also impeded the ability of Palestinian Security Forces (PSF) to move through Areas B and C of the West Bank, undermining their capacity to enforce COVID-19-related restrictions.

Mister President,

During the reporting period, daily violence continued throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Overall, one Palestinian was killed by Israeli Security Forces (ISF) and 65 Palestinians, including ten children, and two Israeli soldiers were injured in various incidents.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza organized protests against Israels plan to annex parts of the West Bank. Overall these protests remained peaceful. On some occasions Israeli Security Forces used rubber-coated bullets and tear gas, declared closed military areas and set up checkpoints near protests.

On 9 July, ISF shot and killed a 34-year-old Palestinian man and shot and wounded a 17-year-old Palestinian in the central West Bank village of Kifl Hares. ISF released a CCTV video allegedly showing the two throwing Molotov cocktails toward a military patrol and soldiers opening fire in response.

Meanwhile, settlers perpetrated some 13 attacks against Palestinians, resulting in nine injuries and damage to property, about half the number of such incidents recorded during the previous month.

There were some 25 incidents also in which Palestinians threw stones or Molotov cocktails at Israeli-owned vehicles, injuring seven Israeli civilians, including one child, and causing damage to property.

In Gaza, while the relative calm continued, Palestinian militants fired five rockets towards southern Israel. One fell short inside Gaza, one was intercepted by the Iron Dome system and the others hit in open areas in Israel, causing no injuries or damage. On all occasions, the IDF carried out retaliatory strikes against Hamas targets, including underground infrastructure in the Strip, with no injuries reported. Over the month, militants also test fired an unusually high, 69, rockets and mortars towards the sea, with 44 projectiles launched on 1 and 3 July, alone.

Economic tensions brought out dozens of Palestinians on 5 July, who demonstrated in front of the Legislative Council in Gaza City against the deteriorating situation, poverty and unemployment.

Mister President,

In the past month, the Israeli authorities demolished 48 Palestinian-owned structures due to a lack of Israeli-issued building permits. Another five structures were self-demolished by their owners following the receipt of demolition orders. Of the buildings demolished, 39 were in Area C and 14 in East Jerusalem. Consequently, 34 people, including 17 children and ten women, were displaced and over 250 people were otherwise affected.

I note that the latest information available from Israeli authorities indicates that, as of 31 May, the number of Palestinian detainees, including minors, in Israeli prisons is at its lowest level in years. The number of Palestinian minors in Israeli prisons has declined by some 30 percent, from 201 in February to 142 in May. While still too high, I welcome this development, particularly in light of the recent calls to release detainees and reduce their numbers during the COVID-19 crisis.

Mister President,

Turning briefly to the region, in Lebanon, the economic situation continues to deteriorate, with inflation rising as the Lebanese lira falls against the U.S. dollar. As the health and education sectors come under increased stress, and with growing concerns over food insecurity, the Government and the International Monetary Fund remain engaged in talks over a potential assistance package. In parallel, Lebanon has witnessed a spike in daily COVID-19 infections, with 2,542 confirmed cases as of 15 July.

The situation in the UNIFIL area of operations remained mostly stable, notwithstanding several instances of weapons being pointed between Israel Defense Forces and Lebanese Armed Forces along the Blue Line. On 2 July, under COVID-19 restrictions, the UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander chaired a tripartite meeting attended by senior delegations of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the IDF to prevent tensions along the Blue Line.

On the Golan, while generally calm, the situation remained volatile, with the continued violations of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. On 15 July, the Alpha side informed UNDOF that they had eliminated a position within the area of separation which they believed was a violation and a threat. UNDOF did not observe this activity but observed an explosion in the area of separation consistent with the report from the Alpha side.

Mister President,

In closing, I would like to emphasize that confronting the current crises requires unity of effort, strength of purpose, and a clear understanding of the multifaceted risks we are facing.

The ferocity of the COVID-19 virus and its devastating human and economic toll demand extraordinary measures measures that must rise above politics-as-usual. Immediate efforts to curb the virus and to mitigate its impact must be prioritized.

Israeli and Palestinian leaders have a duty to protect the lives and livelihoods of their populations.

With unemployment in Israel surging to over 20 per cent, and with thousands of Israelis taking to the streets to demand greater financial support from their Government, many have highlighted the staggering financial and, potentially, human cost of moving forward with potential annexation plans.

I reiterate the Secretary-General's call on the Israeli Government to abandon plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank.

With an 80 per cent reduction in its income, the Palestinian Authority faces the risk of a total collapse at a time when Palestinians throughout the occupied territory need the services and support of their Government more than ever.

I call on both sides to work with the United Nations in ensuring that those forms of civil and security coordination that are vital to preventing the continuing spread of the corona virus are reinstated immediately. This should be done without prejudice to the political position of either party. It is necessary to do that in order to protect lives in the face of rapidly growing infection rates.

We will continue to work with all sides to ensure that humanitarian and health needs are met.

For the United Nations, protecting lives will always remain our highest priority.

The complexities of the pandemic also require us to examine how we arrived at this pivotal, and destructive, point in the history of the conflict and what it will take to reverse the current course.

Last week, I spoke with representatives of Palestinian and Israeli civil society organizations engaged in peacebuilding efforts. Their resilience, creativity and commitment to a peaceful solution are deeply inspiring, and we, in the international community, would do well to follow their lead.

Today, however, it is not enough to restate our opposition to annexation. Today we should discuss what can and must be done to improve the situation on the ground, preserve the prospect for a two-state solution, increase the chances of meaningful negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and protect these efforts from spoilers, radicals and extremists.

To this effect I reiterate today the Secretary-Generals call to the members of the Middle East Quartet, the Arab countries, the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to urgently re-engage.

We need to restart diplomacy!

Over these past years, these types of discussions have been dormant for too long, allowing both parties to move further apart along diverging paths. Unilateral action and the threat of unilateral action have made the goal appear ever more distant. Only by engaging together, based on shared principles and aspirations, can we identify realistic steps to avoid increasing polarisation and advance the goal of two states, living side-by-side in peace, security, mutual recognition, integrated into the region.

We must use the opportunity presented by the current crises to move forward, to and to regain the path towards a negotiated two-state solution, built on a just and sustainable resolution to the conflict in line with relevant UN resolutions, bilateral agreements and international law.

Thank you.

Original post:

Security Council briefing on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question (as delivered by UN Special Coordinator Mladenov),...