Dominion Gathers Jones Act Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Team – Offshore WIND

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The Houston-based National Oilwell Varco (NOV) has secured contracts to design, and deliver equipment for the GustoMSC NG-16000X-SJ offshore wind turbine installation jack-up vessel ordered by Dominion Energy.

Designed by GustoMSC, a business unit within NOV, this first Jones Act-compliant vessel of its kind is being constructed by Keppel AmFELS at its Brownsville shipyard in Texas.

Seajacks will assist Dominion Energy during construction and operations oversight, the Virginia-based energy company said.

Along with the vessel design, NOV will also supply the vessels integrated jacking system.

The jack-ups hull will measure 144 metres by 56 metres with a depth of 11.5 metres, making it one of the worlds largest jack-up vessels.

The jack-up will accommodate up to 119 people, a 2,200-t main crane, and an 11,500-t carrying capacity.

At GustoMSC we are immensely proud to partner with Dominion Energy, Seajacks, and Keppel AmFELS as we make a historical step in US offshore wind, said GustoMSC commercial director Jan-Mark Meeuwisse.

Together we are working hard to develop the first purpose-built wind turbine installation jack-up vessel for use in US waters.

The Jones Act requires all vessels carrying goods between two US points be transported on ships built, owned, and operated by American citizens.

The Dominion vessel will be operational at the end of 2023 and is expected to base out of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.

Once constructed, the jack-up will be available for charter hire, including by Dominion Energy Virginia, subject to the approval of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, in connection with the installation of its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project.

Dominion Energy expects the vessel to operate continuously for several years through contracts with offshore wind projects in the US.

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Dominion Gathers Jones Act Wind Turbine Installation Vessel Team - Offshore WIND

Scottish policy ‘a vote of confidence’ in offshore wind and green hydrogen – Riviera Maritime Media

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The Hydrogen Policy Statement suggests that unlocking Scotlands vast offshore wind potential could result in it producing large-scale green hydrogen that is competitively priced in a growing European market.

The Scottish Government will allocate 100M (US$133M) to the hydrogen sector over the next five years to support a green recovery and Scotlands transition to net zero. The policy states that Scotland is set to become a leading hydrogen nation, with an ambition to generate 5 GW of renewable and low-carbon hydrogen by 2030. Economic impact research suggests the industry has the potential to be worth up to 25Bn a year to the Scottish economy by 2045.

Scotlands Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said, We are the first country in the UK to publish a Hydrogen Policy Statement that sets out how we can make the most of Scotlands massive potential in this new sector.

Hydrogen is rapidly emerging across the international community as a sustainable solution for the decarbonisation of the economy and a key element of the energy transition picture. Scotland is prepared to play its full part together with other European nations thats why were publishing this key policy statement.

Scotland has, in abundance, all the raw ingredients necessary for the production of low-cost hydrogen as well as one of the largest concentrations of offshore engineering expertise in the world that can harness renewable energy potential in technologies like wind, wave and tidal power, to produce green hydrogen.

Indeed, Scotland is one of the best placed nations anywhere in the world to develop competitively priced hydrogen for our own economys needs and to generate a surplus in supply to export to other European nations with emerging demand, but insufficient supply to meet their own needs.

In the policy document, Minister Wheelhouse said Scotland has an estimated 25% of all the wind resource in Europe. With 1 GW of installed capacity, rising to 11 GW by 2030, and rapidly decreasing costs, our offshore wind sector is forecast to grow significantly as Scotland and the UK progress towards meeting decarbonisation targets, he said. This adds to our already significant onshore wind capacity of 8.4 GW which could also be deployed to generate clean hydrogen.

We are globally renowned for innovation in offshore wind, including the worlds first floating offshore windfarm, Hywind Scotland, with a strong pipeline of planned projects to come. Scotland also has a strong track record for advancing hydrogen technologies and demonstrating its production and use in island and mainland projects.

As a nation, we have the opportunity and capability to benefit from the transition away from fossil fuels and produce large volumes of clean hydrogen which will not only help reduce Scotlands emissions and support meeting Scotlands challenging greenhouse gas emissions targets but will also allow Scotland to develop a role as an exporter of hydrogen to other partner nations and to create and protect jobs and provide economic benefit for Scotland.

Responding to publication of the policy, Xodus Group renewables division manager Scott Hamilton said, The commitments set out in the Hydrogen Policy Statement send a clear vote of confidence in the potential of green hydrogen from offshore wind.

It shows the potential to unlock a massive clean power generation resource, creating a clean fuel for Scottish industry and households and a valuable export commodity, supporting the supply chain and creating high-value jobs.

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Scottish policy 'a vote of confidence' in offshore wind and green hydrogen - Riviera Maritime Media

Japan aims to be world’s No. 3 offshore wind power producer in 2040 – The Japan Times

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Japan aims to generate up to 45 gigawatts of power through offshore wind power in 2040, a level that would make the country the worlds third-largest generator of such power, as part of efforts to achieve net zero emissions of carbon dioxide by 2050, officials said Tuesday.

The target, corresponding to the electricity output of 45 nuclear reactors, is an ambitious one for Japan, which currently generates just 20,000 kilowatts through offshore wind farms and is not even among the top 10 generators using that power source. One gigawatt is equal to 1 million kilowatts.

In 2040, the European Union and China aim to produce 127 gigawatts and 107 gigawatts, respectively, according to a projection by the International Energy Agency.

Under the plan decided at a meeting Tuesday of officials from the economy and land ministries and the private sector, Japan will first aim to increase offshore wind power generation to 10 gigawatts by 2030, further raising it to between 30 gigawatts and 45 gigawatts in 2040, they said.

The government plans to provide various types of support for the industry including surveys on wind movements and geology of seabeds on which windmills will be installed to facilitate market entry by new operators, the officials said.

The cost to generate electricity from offshore wind power is expected to become cheaper than that of thermal power by sometime between 2030 and 2035, they said.

In fiscal 2018, fossil fuels such as coal and liquefied natural gas accounted for 77% of the countrys total energy source for power generation, followed by renewables at 17% and nuclear power at 6%.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in October declared the goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Related ministries have since been reviewing their energy policies in order to meet the goal.

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Japan aims to be world's No. 3 offshore wind power producer in 2040 - The Japan Times

North Sea Statfjord st partners sanction further wells – Offshore Oil and Gas Magazine

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The Statfjord C platform in the Norwegian North Sea.

(Photo: Harald Pettersen / Equinor ASA)

Offshore staff

STAVANGER, Norway Equinor and its partners have committed to a NOK3-billion ($345-million) project to improve recovery from the Statfjord st field in the Norwegian North Sea.

The field is connected via pipelines to the Statfjord C platform, 5 km (3.1 mi) to the southwest, by pipelines.

Under the new program, designed to produce a further 23 MMboe, four new wells will be drilled from existing subsea templates. This will also entail modifications on Statfjord C, and a new pipeline for gas lift.

Ultimately, Equinor aims to extend the lives of the platform and Statfjord st toward 2040.

In-place oil at Statfjord st, which came onstream in 1994, was originally estimated at 415 MMbbl. The current recovery factor of 56% should rise to 62% with the new facilities, which will be installed during 2022-24.

Other partners are Petoro, Vr Energi, Spirit Energy, Idemitsu Petroleum, and Wintershall Dea.

12/22/2020

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North Sea Statfjord st partners sanction further wells - Offshore Oil and Gas Magazine

Boohoo owner tells MPs he could easily ‘take business offshore’ – The Guardian

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Scrutiny of Boohoos relationship with Leicester suppliers who paid workers illegally low wages felt like punishment for not taking more business out of the UK, the companys founder, Mahmud Kamani, told MPs on Wednesday.

The billionaire owner of Boohoo was speaking to the environmental audit committee which is investigating the impact of fast fashion in an appearance that represented his most substantive public questioning since the scandal emerged this summer. Repeatedly he said that his company was committed to making good.

We will make Leicester right, we will make things correct, he said. That I promise you.

At other times Kamani seemed dismissive of the idea that, as group executive chair and founder of the company estimated to have been buying 70-80% of Leicesters garment output, he had any personal responsibility for problems there.

I cannot possibly know everything in this business, but I do know this is a priority in our business, he said.

In an occasionally abrasive manner Kamani claimed that an independent report by Alison Levitt QC which found that Boohoo was responsible for inexcusable failures, with a series of red flags being ignored, and prompted an apology stated there was no wrongdoing on Boohoos behalf.

The hearing found that Boohoo, begun by Kamani in 2006, had exited 64 Leicester factories since late 2019 as it sought to reform its supply chain, with 400 unannounced audits carried out this year. But neither Kamani nor its group director of responsible sourcing, Andrew Reaney, would say how many of those cases were to do with low pay.

Kamani sought to present himself as a market trader who had been very fortunate and learnt the ethics of hard work from his father. He apologised if his inexperience of political questioning had led him to answer slowly or stutter. The last 12 months have been very difficult for me, my family and my colleagues, he said.

He later appeared to raise the possibility that more of Boohoos business could be taken overseas if scrutiny of its UK supply chain became too onerous.

For us to move out of Leicester, its very easy for us to take all our production offshore, he said. Lots of people in the fashion industry have moved offshore. We are still here and sometimes, sometimes, it feels like we get punished for it, just sometimes.

With concerns among campaigners and industry sources that Boohoo was looking to move more of its supply base abroad, Kamani did not answer directly whether he had been looking to do this.

We are committed to Leicester, he said. Hopefully once we can work closely with factories, well hopefully increase our production and units in Leicester.

He also defended a Black Friday sale where crop-top garments went on sale for 6p as effective PR. The fact that were talking about it today means that that marketing worked, he said.

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Boohoo owner tells MPs he could easily 'take business offshore' - The Guardian

Seychelles, Longtime Home of BitMEX, Is Bending to US Pressure on KYC – Yahoo Finance

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The Takeaway:

Out of a list of 26 crypto exchanges domiciled in the Republic of Seychelles, approximately half have poor know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, according to blockchain tracking firm CipherTrace.

Analysis of certain Seychelles-based exchanges reveals the proportion of funds flowing to and from high risk sources and dark marketplaces.

In an interview with CoinDesk, the Seychelles Financial Services Authority acknowledged that the U.S. crackdown on crypto derivatives exchange BitMEX in October was a blowup for the island.

A former FinCEN compliance and enforcement director expects more actions from authorities investigating the Seychelles jurisdiction.

This is the first part of a two-part series. Read the second part here.

When it comes to island-hopping crypto exchanges with relaxed know-your-customer (KYC) procedures, Seychelles-domiciled BitMEX, whose senior execs were issued with arrest warrants in October, could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Places like the Republic of Seychelles, an archipelago off the coast of East Africa (population: 96,762), can be attractive to firms because of favorable tax treatment and ease of governance when setting up foundations.

Related: Self-Hosted Bitcoin Wallets Become Front Line in Fight Over Crypto Regulations

Many such jurisdictions are trying to reinvent themselves to adapt to new economic realities. Perhaps they want to be the next fintech or crypto hub and are experimenting with sandboxes and the like. Of course, some aspiring crypto centers may be more cautious than others. This often depends on the type of services already provided. Malta, for instance, already caters to a number of investment firms, while a jurisdiction like Luxembourg has a well-established financial services sector.

Things start to go awry when an enforcement action like the one against BitMEX happens. In this case, the Seychelles bore the brunt of some headline-grabbing evidence that investigators had gathered, namely BitMEXs former CEO, Arthur Hayes saying it would cost just a coconut to bribe Seychellois authorities.

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Its a point that remains contested by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA).

When we saw that comment, we as a jurisdiction and as an authority did seek clarification and an explanation about what was said, FSA chief Steve Fanny told CoinDesk in an interview.

Related: US Treasury Bulking Up Crypto Policy Advisers as Wallet Reg Rumors Swirl

Fanny claims the comment has been misconstrued. It can be construed as if Seychelles is very relaxed and you can buy your way. Or it could be construed as there was a sarcastic comment that gentleman made while under attack, he said.

In any case, such an event is bound to bring further scrutiny.

Definitely theres going to be a tightening up now because this was a big blowup for the Seychelles.

CipherTrace, which works with exchanges and also has contracts with public authorities, has been conducting ongoing research into how crypto exchanges handle their KYC and anti-money laundering (AML) responsibilities.

CipherTrace employs a two-pronged approach. Assessing KYC on-boarding involves the straightforward legwork of setting up accounts at exchanges. KYC onboarding assessment is complemented by AML analytics, also called know your transaction (KYT). This is done by moving funds around the system, a kind of crypto mystery shopping, and identifying how much is linked to high risk sources.

A combination of KYC legwork and KYT analysis yields a risk score for each exchange.

A green score means the companys KYC can pass muster with regulators. Yellow could mean the exchanges KYC is porous, so perhaps its KYC doesnt kick in unless a transaction is higher than some nominal amount. A firm might also be graded yellow if it has begun stringent KYC, but only for new customers. Red is weak, which generally means a user can carry on with little more than a valid email address.

The number of weak KYC exchanges domiciled in Seychelles (at least 12 with poor scores) is a cause for concern, especially in light of the BitMEX arrests, said CipherTrace CEO Dave Jevans.

When it comes to these companies that are domiciled in Seychelles, is the government worried? Jevans said. I mean, its not a good look.

Theres no doubt the BitMEX enforcement action has shaken up the jurisdiction.

Definitely theres going to be a tightening up now because this [BitMEX] was a big blowup for the Seychelles, said Alison Elizabeth, the head of the FSAs Regulatory Sandbox. The central bank and the Financial Intelligence Unit, together with the FSA legal teams, are making decisions concerning whats going to happen next.

Like many jurisdictions around the world, Seychelles has been implementing the AML recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global anti-money laundering watchdog. This has prompted an upgrade of Seychelles regulation. A new AML/CFT Act and Beneficial Ownership Act were introduced in March 2020.

FSA chief Fanny said that from early January 2021, firms in Seychelles will have to meet FATF requirements around KYC, AML and auditing, and there will be more fintech legislation introduced in March.

Many large companies chose to set up operations from the Seychelles, Fanny said, but there were also a lot of small companies and at one time we were not capturing all of these.

Theres a chance this was only the first pebble in an avalanche.

FSA has a leadership team of 15 covering subsections like fiduciary, insurance, capital markets and gambling (interestingly, there isnt a section on the website for crypto exchanges). There are around 360 regulated entities listed on the FSA website.

Fanny added that if Seychelles authorities have good reason, firms can be struck off the FSA register.

As a jurisdiction, we want to attract the best businesses. If you dont want to be properly regulated, move somewhere else, he said.

The BitMEX enforcement action shouldnt come as any surprise, said Gregory C. Lisa, a partner at the law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington, D.C.

Seychelles is one of those jurisdictions thats had a good share of law enforcement and regulatory scrutiny, said Lisa. There has been a growing concern about regulatory arbitrage, certainly with U.S. regulators.

During a virtual event hosted by CoinDesk in October, Heath Tarbert, outgoing chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), hinted that the next BitMEX was coming.

An investigation like the one into BitMEX is usually not a one-off, said Lisa, a former compliance and enforcement director at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

Law enforcement, regulators and prosecutors get familiar with the space, which takes time, he said. Investigators learn about money flows, often employing forensic analysis companies like CipherTrace, Chainalyis, Elliptic and others, and begin to see patterns emerging out of that jurisdiction.

Theres a chance this was only the first pebble in an avalanche, said Lisa.

The BitMEX enforcement didnt come out of the blue. The exchange had reportedly been under investigation by the CFTC since at least July 2019, and had responded by implementing mandatory KYC in April of this year.

Since the charges were brought, BitMEX hired Malcolm Wright as chief compliance officer of 100x Group, the holding structure for the BitMEX platform. Wright is the current Chair of the Advisory Council and Co-Lead of the AML Working Group at Global Digital Finance, and former CCO at Diginex as well as Revolut. Regarding the tightening up of BitMEXs KYC, the firms user verification program has been accelerated, said Wright.

All users were required to verify by Nov. 5 in order to continue trading on our platform, Wright told CoinDesk via email. Until verified, no user could open a new position or increase an existing position. Whilst unverified, users could not receive or accrue affiliate payouts.

From Dec. 4, any users that had not completed verification became unable to withdraw funds. Funds will be recoverable from user accounts and withdrawals will be processed normally after verification, Wright added. As a result of these concerted efforts, BitMEX was recently upgraded from yellow to green KYC score by CipherTrace.

Looking back, CipherTrace data shows how BitMEXs fund flows have evolved over time and, as such, have skewed more towards opaque sources.

Going back a couple of years, money flowing into the exchange was coming from other exchanges including Poloniex and Binance, but a high proportion now flows in and out of private wallets held outside the reach of regulated exchanges.

If you compare [previous years with] last years analysis, it was mostly private wallets, said CipherTrace CEO Jevans. So over time it has migrated from exchanges to people using private wallets to try and hide the provenance of their funds. This is one of the things they [BitMEX] were really pushing.

Wright said the BitMEX platform screens for bitcoin provenance using a leading independent blockchain analytics provider, while suspicious transaction reports (STRs) are filed with the Seychelles FSA when there are doubts as to the legitimacy of any transfers.

The use of private wallets across the crypto industry has become more prevalent for a variety of legitimate reasons, Wright said, not least as an extra line of defense against potential hacks.

After opening an account at an exchange, CipherTrace discovers the thresholds for how much money can be moved about without doing significant KYC.

To build up a picture of fund flows, CipherTrace circulates crypto around a network of what it considers to be high- and low-risk exchanges and also dark marketplaces.

We move money to dark markets, we pay into ransomware and engage in commerce of all types, said John Jefferies, the firms lead financial analyst. Were able to create between 3 million and 4 million pieces of attribution data per week. Then we use a combination of machine learning and predictive analytics and clustering techniques to associate wallets with different entities, and follow the flow of funds around the internet.

Jefferies said the CipherTrace KYC grading system is a fairly dynamic state of affairs. He acknowledged there is a temporal aspect to this. In other words, how long after an exchange has done an upgrade of its KYC does it take to turn from red to green? (This idea will be explored in greater detail in the second part of this investigation.)

The green, yellow or red KYC scores given by CipherTrace are viewed in a fairly binary manner by regulators, Jefferies said. Its either good or demonstrably bad, he said. What we would call yellow and red, they would simply call bad.

In recent years a hotspot for blockchain analytics firms has been peer-to-peer exchanges, where funds are typically held in escrow ahead of a transaction between two counterparties. This approach naturally involves less in the way of centralized overbearance, and in some cases this has also meant little or no KYC. (Its worth restating the fact that crypto was originally designed this way.)

At any rate, this situation is changing, at least when it comes to well-known players like LocalBitcoins and Paxful, which have been working to improve their KYC/AML procedures.

Seychelles also has its fair share of P2P exchange activity and CipherTrace has highlighted some of this. Remitano, cited below, does a lot of business in places like Vietnam, Nigeria and Malaysia, and scores a green KYC rating, according to CipherTrace. However, analysis of the platforms trading activity shows how funds are flowing to and from high-risk exchanges.

In Remitanos case, some 5.99%, or approximately $34.5 million, of funds was received from high-risk exchanges, while 24.5%, or about $76.5 million, was sent to high-risk exchanges. Large exchanges that act as third-party custodians typically have more control over the funds that flow out than the funds that may flow in. (San Francisco-based Coinbase, for comparison, received 2.3% from high-risk sources in the past year, but only sent 0.29% out to high-risk destinations.)

You can also see in the last year that [Remitano] is sending and receiving funds from some very high-risk exchanges, said Jevans of CipherTrace.

A Remitano representative told CoinDesk via email that the exchange was considering whether to move its base away from Seychelles.

We are not sure if Seychelles would like to cut ties with [our] business due to the BitMEX situation or not, but we received a clarification information request about our business activities in the last couple of months, said the Remitano representative. We are still working closely with our service agency to make sure we are in good standing. We also are planning to move to a crypto-friendly country, but for now no decision has been made.

In terms of handling incoming flows from the darknet, illicit sources and high-yield investment products, Remitano said it is partnering with TRM, the analytics provider backed by PayPal among others.

Our product team is still working on the integration, Remitano said. We have already implemented many filters to secure our user funds and prevent the fund flow from bad sources. Our screening team may request some additional details before he/she is able to continue to trade on our platform.

CoinDesk reached out to all the firms listed by CipherTrace, but only a few replies came back.

Lo Chia Ching, head of marketing for AEX, which scored a red KYC from CipherTrace, said that in order to trade fiat a user has to share a photo ID, and that for transactions over 5,000 Chinese yuan ($765) the user is required to complete the KYC process in the form of a video.

Users can trade tokens without full KYC, but must perform KYC before swapping for fiat. KYC involves a China ID card, for example, which can be photographed, or the user can make a video, Lo Chia said via Telegram. Users cant use the [over-the-counter] function until KYC has been completed.

Mark Lamb, CEO of CoinFlex, which was graded by CipherTrace as having weak KYC, said his firms procedures meet the same measure as regulatory frameworks in Europe and many other places.

If transactions are above a certain level, more regulation is stacked on top, Lamb said. Do you think we just pulled this out of our asses?

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Seychelles, Longtime Home of BitMEX, Is Bending to US Pressure on KYC - Yahoo Finance

Seychelles and San Jose among routes axed by BA – Daily Business

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BA sees no return to pre-pandemic levels for three years

British Airways is cancelling flights to more than a dozen long-haul destinations next year as the global aviation industry continues to shrink.

Many airlines have cut staff and dropped routes as passengers avoid or are unable to travel because of the Covid pandemic.

BA has cut North America services to Calary, Charleston and Pittsburgh, Flights to Asian cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Osaka and Seoul have also gone as well popular winter destination, the Seychelles.

Dammam in Saudi Arabia, Durban in South Africa, Muscat, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi routes are all axed, and next summer will see temporary suspensions to Sydney, Bangkok and San Jose gateway to Silicon Valley.

BA said that like other airlines, the pandemic meant global travel restrictions had forced it to operate a reduced schedule. Losses totalled almost 4bn in the first half of this year.

The company has previously stated it does not expect international travel to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.

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Seychelles and San Jose among routes axed by BA - Daily Business

BitMEX Trading Exchange Earns Criminal and Civil Prosecution for AML Violations – JD Supra

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We all have been following the rapid growth of cryptocurrency and the creation of lucrative trading platforms. Cryptocurrency has earned the scrutiny of regulators and criminal prosecutors not for run-of-the-mill fraud schemes, but for compliance with applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations.

Late in 2020, the Justice Department and the Commodities Futures Trade Commission (CFTC) slammed BitMEx and its principals with a coordinated criminal and civil prosecution. As the cryptocurrency markets continue to expand and new trading platforms started, DOJ, the CFTC and the SEC can be expected to exercise increasing oversight and enforcement.

In the criminal case, the Southern District of New York returned an indictment of Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, Samuel Reed and Greg Dwyer, charging them with violating the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and conspiracy to violate the BSA by failing to implement and maintain an adequate anti-money laundering program at the Bitcoin Mercantile Exchange (BitMEX).

BitMExs platform has received more than $11 billion in bitcoin deposits and collected more than $1 billion in fees, while servicing a large number of United States-based customers.

BitMEX touted itself as the worlds largest cryptocurrency derivatives platform with billions of dollars of trading volume each day. Much of this volume involved US customers trading activity.

The defendants created an entity that was a purported off-shore crypto exchange and ignored all applicable AML laws and regulations. BitMEX was established to trade in futures contracts and derivatives tied to the value of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. BitMEX accepted Bitcoin to margin and leverage up to 100 times leverage on certain products.

Since its inception in 2014, BitMEX solicited and served customers in the United States, and even continued to do so after allegedly withdrawing in 2015 from the United States market. While continuing to operate in the United States, BitMEX did not maintain an AML compliance program and a customer identification program otherwise known as a Know Your Customer (KYC) program.

BitMEX organized under the Seychelles laws but did not maintain any physical presence on the islands. The BitMEX principals did so to circumvent and avoid BSA and AML regulations.

Hayes, Delo and Reed statrt5ed BitMEX in 2014 and Dwyer was hired as its first employee in 2015. Because BitMEX solicited and served United States customers, BitMEX was required to register with the CFTC and to establish and maintain an AML compliance program.

In 2015, BitMEX knew (or learned) that they were subject to US laws because they served US customers. Each of the defendants knew they served US customers who continued to access the trading platform until 2018. BitMEX had policies designed to prevent US customers from using the exchange but those policies were not enforced or easily circumvented. The defendants took steps to justify avoiding AML requirements by, for example, incorporating in the Seychelles under the belief that the regulatory requirements in the Seychelles would not impose any regulatory burdens.

In a parallel civil action, the CFTC filed a civil enforcement action in federal court in New York charging five entities and three individuals with operating an unregistered trading platform and a number of specific regulatory requirements, including failing to implement required AML procedures.

The CFTC charged the three company owners, Arthur Hayes, Ben Delo and Samuel Reed, who operate BitMEX through a complex set of corporate entities, five of which were included in the civil complaint.

BitMEX failed to register as required under CFTC rules and to maintain an appropriate BSA and AML compliance program. The CFTC is seeking disgorgement of ill-gotten gain, civil monetary penalties and restitution.

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BitMEX Trading Exchange Earns Criminal and Civil Prosecution for AML Violations - JD Supra

Cabinet Business – 16th December 2020 – News – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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16 December 2020 | Cabinet Business

In the absence of President Wavel Ramkalawan who is on overseas mission, Vice President Ahmed Afif chaired a scheduled meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday 16th December, at which a number of legal and policy memoranda were considered.

Cabinet approved for the signing of the Framework Agreement between the French Embassy, Universities in Reunion and the University Hospital of Reunion on the one hand and the Department of Health and the University of Seychelles on the other hand.

Cabinet also approved the Broadcasting and Telecommunications (Per-second Billing by Operators of Public Land Mobile Network) Regulations, 2020.

Cabinet approved for the introduction of a type approval fee to be levied for each radio-communication equipment to be type approved by the Department of ICT (DICT).

Cabinet approved amendments in the legal framework for the Joint Management Area (JMA) of Extended Continental Shelf in the Mascarene plateau Region between Seychelles and Mauritius.

Cabinet also approved amendments to the Revenue Administration (Filing of Business Activity Statement) Regulation to incorporate three new forms namely the amended Business Activity Statement (BAS) form attached with the Withholding Tax Remittance form and the List of Donations for Corporate Social Responsibility Tax (CSRT) form. These amendments would contribute to an improved business development environment.

Cabinet approved amendments under the First Schedule of the Business Tax Act 2009.

Cabinet approved amendments to Schedules 4 and 5 of SI 1 of 2015 Revenue Administration (Common Reporting Standard) Regulations.

Cabinet also approved the Fisheries (Mahe Plateau Trap and Line Fishery) Regulations.

Cabinet approved the creation of a fish processing zone on Ile du Port.

Cabinet also approved for the moratorium placed on the importation of motor vehicles to be reviewed. The proposed policy would discourage the importation of motor vehicles until the national economic situation improved.

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Cabinet Business - 16th December 2020 - News - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

President meets with Seychellois Community in the UAE – Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

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15 December 2020 | Foreign Affairs

Currently on a 5 day working visit in the UAE, President Wavel Ramkalawan yesterday met with Seychellois professionals currently working in the UAE as well as other members of the Seychelles community established there.

During the meeting, discussions centered around the general atmosphere in Seychelles at the moment, the new approach of Government and the aspirations of the Seychellois professionals to potentially return back to Seychelles and make a positive contribution to their country.

Discussions were also held in regards to the Seychellois Diaspora playing a greater role in the development of the country. President Ramkalawan announced that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism will soon conduct a census of all Seychellois living abroad with comprehensive data on qualifications, abilities and their interest to invest in the country.

This is in line with new principle that all Seychellois should feel part of the country and have the possibility of making a contribution towards the development of their home country, Seychelles.

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President meets with Seychellois Community in the UAE - Office of the President of the Republic of Seychelles

Seychelles Promoted in the First Virtual Gulf Travel Show – FTNnews.com

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Seychelles strengthens its relationships with Middle Eastern travel trade partners through the Seychelles Tourism Boards (STB) participation in the first virtual Gulf Travel Show on November 23, 2020.

The two-day virtual event united around 2,500 participants joining in from 59 countries across the globe, with the Middle East Seychelles Tourism Board Office representing the island destination in networking and paving a path towards the recovery of the tourism industry.

The first virtual edition of the GTS used an impressive and user-friendly platform which displayed the convention centre, a virtual hall, auditorium, and exhibition hall, creating an immersive virtual experience. Amongst the 40 exhibitors was the STB Team, who kept visitors updated about the destination, the latest safety measures and products. Whilst visiting these virtual booths, visitors also met with the representatives and had access to essential documents and videos.

The virtual shows gamified system fostered a dynamic atmosphere with the leader board encouraging visitors to participate in the different talks and to connect with the exhibitors. Insightful and engaging panel discussions, including an explanation of trends defined by technology companies, led by local and international industry leaders drew in visitors.

Representing STB at the event was Mr. Ahmed Fathallah, member of the STB Dubai Team, who said This show brought together industry experts, world-class speakers and attendees from across the region all under one virtual roof. STOME will continue to take part in these regional activities to continue to spearhead the gradual restart of the tourism industry. We will always be here for our trade partners and continue to offer and extend the assistance that we can give.

Hosted by TravTalk Middle East, the Gulf Travel Show provided a platform for exhibitors to, not only network and market their products, but also discover a recovery path for the tourism industry.

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Seychelles Promoted in the First Virtual Gulf Travel Show - FTNnews.com

Figure of the week: Africas visa openness continues to improve – Brookings Institution

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The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially reduced cross-border travel as countries place restrictions on movement to manage the health crisis. However, the costs of these restrictions are clear, with impacts on the global economy, supply chains, and industries such as tourism and transit. As countries begin to rebuild, the African Development Banks fifth annual Visa Openness Index Report, released on December 11, 2020, argues that increased open borders and cross-country mobility will be all the more important for economic recovery by allowing Africans to travel, invest, and do business. To provide data on these important components of economic recovery, the index measures how open African countries are with regards to visa requirements and aims to show which African countries facilitate travel for citizens of other countries and how.

Figure 1 shows that African borders have become increasingly open over the past five years. In 2020, Africans did not need a visa to travel to 26 percent of other African countries and could obtain a visa on arrival in 28 percent of African countries. Similarly, in 2020, Africans needed visas to travel to only 46 percent of other African countries. Overall, the most visa-open countries are found in East and West Africathese two regions accounted for 80 percent of the top 20 most visa-open African countries in 2020. The report further shares that three countries, The Gambia, Seychelles, and Benin, now offer visa-free access to all African visitors.

Source: African Development Bank, Visa Openness Index Report, 2020.

Substantial progress has also been made over the past five years in the use of eVisas. According to the authors, eVisas are a useful method for streamlining travel processes and facilitating visitor access: Going digital and using cutting-edge technology can speed up and secure entry for travelers, which will play a key role as countries respond to a changing travel climate due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Figure 2 shows that 24 African countriesnearly half of all African countriesoffered eVisas for African travelers in 2020. This number is a substantial increase from 2016, when only nine countries offered them. Furthermore, the report finds that 10 out of the top 20 most visa-open countries also offered eVisas for travelers.

Source: African Development Bank, Visa Openness Index Report, 2020

The report argues that there is still significant scope for African countries to become more open by, for example, offering visas on arrival for African visitors. Increased openness and integration can help develop regional tourism, bolstering an industry that plays a pivotal role in economic growth in many African countries but that has suffered a severe shock from COVID-19. For more on the potential of tourism for Africas economic growth and job creation, see Industries without smokestacks: Firm characteristics and constraints to growth by John Page.

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Figure of the week: Africas visa openness continues to improve - Brookings Institution

India needs more than Quad to secure the Indo-Pacific – The Times of India Blog

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A few days back, Moscow-due to its strategic pact with Beijing- raised questions about New Delhis alignment with Washington on the issue of Quad. Since its rebirth in 2017, the Quad has been upgraded and now signifies a coalition of like-minded democracies who want to keep international waters free. While India has rebuffed Russias comments, it needs to work on a holistic policy for the Indo Pacific region. Limiting its vision only to the Quad exposes it to political uncertainties in the US, Japan and Australia.

Indo Pacific and not Asia- Pacific as it was earlier called- signifies the centrality of the role that India plays- or is expected to play in the region. It needs to work towards two goals- cementing its position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and towards building long term partnerships with the littorals. External affairs Minister S Jaishankar in his book highlighted New Delhis I-P strategy with IOR at the core and the Pacific Islands in the Far East at the periphery, indicating order of priority. To execute this vision, there are three important policy decisions/directions that are needed.

In the IOR, New Delhi despite its historical and cultural ties with Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles has lost out to the concerted plan by Beijing to buy influence and malign India. China- which did not even have an embassy in Male till 2011- is now Maldives largest lender with an exposure of $3.1 billion. While relations with India have been on the rise since Mohd. Ibrahim Solih came to power; New Delhi needs to do more. A recent India Out campaign by opposition points out to the deep inroads made by Beijing in Maldives and exposes New Delhis limited clout. India which needs to work on deepening its defence and security relationship with Maldives should focus on training navies of IOR littorals. For Seychelles, where its proposal to jointly develop Assumption Island has now fallen apart, India needs to show more patience and willingness to revise alternatives and bring in more transparency. In Mauritius, New Delhi can double down on its investments, on the back of its goodwill. In August 2020 as the pandemic tore the tourism-dependent economy, Mauritius declared a state of emergency. New Delhi should assist its small neighbor in its hour of crisis.

IOR littorals are acutely aware of their geostrategic importance and maritime value and will look to maximize their gains between India and China. While China will entice these smaller nations with more funds, Indian government needs to continuously highlight the pitfalls of taking Chinese money. As Former Maldivian President Modh Nasheed , in reference to the enormous debt pile from China recently said, even if we sell our grandmothers jewellery, we cannot repay the debt. Besides, India will have to continue to offer funds- in the form of grants and assistance for development projects. However, New Delhi does not have the economic heft that Beijing has; more so after coronavirus has caused enormous economic damage. India needs to get onto the high growth trajectory to create enough funds to fuel its regional ambitions. India can offer a perfect counter to Chinas debt trap model by creating long lasting partnerships and boosting the local economy, without any ecological damage.

Of course, there will be hiccups as the return of Rajapaksa a China champion in Sri Lanka highlight. While India may not be able to wean Sri Lanka out of Chinese influence, the possibility of a US-India-Sri Lanka exercise could provide an opportunity for Indian policymakers to rebuild ties. The US has a large presence in Diego Garcia south of Sri Lanka and has sought logistics support from Colombo. New Delhi could use this opportunity.

Secondly, India must move forward decisively on its roadmap for Andaman and Nicobar Islands- presently only geared towards reconnaissance. Indias projection of power play into the Western Pacific to counter China begins from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands which houses the first joint military command. There has to be a shift towards a more active engagement and collaboration with other navies-including the US Navy. India must shed its hesitation that any partnership with world powers to take on China would further increase tensions between Beijing and New Delhi. China does not suffer from any such compunctions. As recently as December 2019, Chinese research vessels violated Indias exclusive economic zone by entering in it. Beijings intentions regarding the Bay of Bengal are clear from its strategic partnerships with Myanmar, Bangladesh and Thailand. For India to have a long term response, it needs to further build on its nuclear-armed submarine capabilities housed in Andaman and Nicobar Islands- which is the flank of Bay of Bengal.

Lastly, India needs to move out of its mindset of its security policy having a continental orientation. This mindset must adapt itself to respond to present challenges. Between the period 2000-2018, China built more frigates, submarines, corvettes and destroyers than India, Japan and South Korea combined. In the last 5 years, the total tonnage of new warships and auxiliary launched by China exceeds the total tonnage of Indian Navy since independence. Even the present order book-which is woefully inadequate- is delayed by 12 years due to lack of sufficient warship building capacity. This asymmetry needs immediate attention and fund allocations.

For India to be in a commanding position in the Indo Pacific region, it needs to do more. In a post-corona economic recovery, there are competing claims for reduced government revenues and there may be legit ground to avoid a bump up in defence spends. But in a post pandemic world order, the theatre of any hostilities has shifted squarely to the seas. Can India afford to be complacent? The answer is crystal clear.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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India needs more than Quad to secure the Indo-Pacific - The Times of India Blog

Liberland – Wikipedia

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Liberland, officially the Free Republic of Liberland, is a micronation claiming an uninhabited parcel of disputed land on the western bank of the Danube, between Croatia and Serbia. It was proclaimed on 13 April 2015 by Czech libertarian politician and activist Vt Jedlika.[3][9]

The official website of Liberland states that the nation was created due to the ongoing CroatiaSerbia border dispute,[10][11][12] in which some areas to the east of the Danube are claimed by both Serbia and Croatia, while some areas to the west, including the area of Liberland, are considered part of Serbia by Croatia, but Serbia does not claim them.

The size of the land in question is 7km2 (2.7sqmi), or roughly the same as Gibraltar. It has been administered by Croatia since the Croatian War of Independence.[13]There has been no diplomatic recognition of Liberland, although it has established relations with Somaliland (also unrecognized).[14][15] The land lacks infrastructure and lies on a floodplain.[16][17]

The dispute regarding the border along the Danube River valley first arose in 1947 but was left unresolved during the existence of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It became a contentious issue after the break-up of Yugoslavia. Serbia holds the opinion that the thalweg of the Danube valley and the centre line of the river represents the international border between the two countries. Croatia disagrees and claims that the international border lies along the boundaries of the cadastral municipalities located along the riverdeparting from the course at several pointsreflecting the course of the Danube which existed in the 19th century before meandering and hydraulic engineering works altered its course. As a result, Croatia claims a large part of the disputed area controlled by Serbia, while Serbia does not claim the much smaller parts controlled by Croatia.

Jedlika says that the land he has claimed, known as GornjaSiga (meaning upper tufa), was not claimed by either side.[3][9][11]

The area is about 700 hectares (1,700 acres), about the same size of Gibraltar, and most of it is covered with forests. There are no residents. A journalist from the Czech newspaper Parlamentn listy who visited the area in April 2015 found a house that had been abandoned for about thirty years, according to people living in the vicinity. The access road was reported to be in a bad condition.[18]

The Danube, an international waterway with free access to the Black Sea for several landlocked nations, runs along the self-proclaimed territory.

The flag raising in Gornja Siga was performed by Vt Jedlika and some of his associates on the same day the republic was proclaimed.[19][20] Jedlika is a member of the Czech Party of Free Citizens, which bases its values on the classical liberal ideology.[11]

Jedlika stated that no nation claims the land as its own and he therefore could claim it using the terra nullius doctrine. The border, he argued, was defined in accordance with Croatian and Serbian border claims and did not interfere with any other state's sovereignty.[3] Jedlika said in April 2015 that an official diplomatic note would be sent to both Croatia and Serbia, and later to all other states, with a formal request for international recognition.[21]

On 20 April 2015, Jedlika delivered a lecture at the Prague School of Economics, titled "Liberland how a state is born" (Czech: Liberland jak vznik stt). He discussed various aspects of the project and the interest it has attracted around the world. One topic that he brought up was the Montevideo Convention; he explained that Liberland intended to satisfy the principles of the convention, which is commonly used to define a state. At the time of the lecture, the Liberland project had assigned ten people willing to handle foreign relations.[22] Other topics covered in the lecture included the concept of voluntary taxation and how the large number of citizenship applications had made it necessary to restructure the citizenship process to be more effective, since it was only based on an e-mail account.[22]

On 18 December 2015, Jedlika held an event at which he presented the first provisional government of Liberland and its ministers of finance, foreign affairs, interior and justice as well as two vice presidents.[23]

The flag consists of a yellow backdrop (symbolizing libertarianism) with a black stripe running horizontally through the centre (symbolizing less government, anarchy/rebellion) and the coat of arms in the centre.[24][25] Within the coat of arms, the bird represents freedom, the tree represents prosperity, the blue river represents the Danube River, and the sun represents happiness.[26]

This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2018)

Croatian authorities have frequently blocked access to the area since the beginning of May 2015.[27][28]

In May 2015, Vt Jedlika and his translator Sven Sambunjak were briefly detained by Croatian police after making an attempt to cross the border. Jedlika spent one night in detention and then was convicted and ordered to pay a fine for illegal crossing of the Croatian border[29] but appealed the verdict. He claimed that there were at least three Liberland citizens inside the area, who came from Switzerland.[30][31][32][33] Later that month, Vt Jedlika was detained again.[34] Initially, reporters were able to enter the area with Jedlika[18] but subsequently they were also denied entry, including journalists from the Serbian public broadcast service Radio Television of Vojvodina,[35] and from the Bosnian newspaper Dnevni avaz.[36]

The detained were from various countries, including Ireland, Germany, Denmark, and the United States.[28] Croatian police have continued detaining people, including those that entered the area by boat (via an international waterway).[37][38][39] One of them, Danish activist Ulrik Grssel Haagensen, was placed in house arrest for 5 days before being sentenced to 15 days of prison, triggering some protests in Denmark.[40][41]

In May 2016, several appeals court decisions from Croatia were published. The court upheld that crossing into Liberland from Croatia is illegal, but found the convictions for entering Liberland from Serbia improper. The court said that the lower court committed "a fundamental breach of misdemeanour proceedings" and "essential procedural violations". It further ruled that "the facts were incorrectly and incompletely established [by the prosecutor] which could lead to misapplication of substantive law". A retrial was ordered in 6 of the 7 appeals. The lower court is required to determine the location of the border and the border crossing.[42]

Journalists have been uncertain as to how serious Jedlika is about his claims, with some calling it a publicity stunt.[43][44]

In an interview with Parlamentn Listy in April 2015, Jedlika claimed that he had received positive reactions for his initiative, mainly from his own party, the Party of Free Citizens, for which he was a regional chairman,[45] but also from some members of the Civic Democratic Party and the Pirate Party.[19]

On 20 May 2015, Petr Mach, the leader of the Party of Free Citizens, expressed support for the creation of a state based on ideas of freedom, adding that the Party of Free Citizens wants the Czech Republic to become a similarly free country.[46]

Dominik Stroukal from the Czech-Slovak branch of the Ludwig von Mises Institute wrote: "The escapade succeeded for Vt. The whole world reports about Liberland with words like 'tax competition', 'libertarianism', etc."[47]

Goran Vojkovi, professor of law and columnist from the Croatian news portal Index.hr, described Liberland as a "circus which threatens Croatian territory", and argued that there was a risk that Croatia's claim to control land on the other side of the Danube may be weakened by the attention that the Liberland project has drawn to the border dispute.[48]

In 2016, an article in Stratfor summarized the initiative as follows: "Liberland is a curious case because, in principle, none of the actors that could claim control over it seems interested in doing so. But this will probably remain a curiosity with negligible consequences at the international level. For the rest of the world's disputed territories, violence and diplomacy will remain the main tools to claim ownership."[49]

Legal experts in both Serbia and Croatia have said that, under international law, Jedlika lacks the right to claim the area, which is currently the subject of a dispute between the two nations.[27][50][51] Croatia and Serbia have dismissed Jedlika's claims as frivolous, although the two countries have reacted in different ways. On 24 April 2015, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that while they consider the affair a trivial matter, the "new state" does not impinge upon the Serbian border, which is delineated by the Danube.[52] Croatia, which currently administers the land in question, has stated that after international arbitration, it should be awarded to Croatia or Serbia, not to a third party.[53]

An article in the Chicago Journal of International Law, the law review of the University of Chicago Law School, examined Liberland's claim to statehood in light of the criteria laid out by the Montevideo Convention. According to the author, "Croatias insistence that Liberland is part of Serbia could constitute a renunciation of Croatias legal rights to Liberland. Conversely, if the territory that Liberland claims as its own is Serbian, the Serbian governments renunciation of its title to that land could also be a quitclaim that would transform the legal status of the land to terra nullius. In both instances, the territory would belong to the first entity in this case Liberland to claim it. However, because of the complicated history of the Croatian-Serbian border region, it may be difficult to ascertain who the land belongs to under international law."[54]

An article in the Michigan Journal of International Law argues that the United Nations should recognize Liberland.[55]

A government with ten to twenty members has been suggested for the administration of Liberland, to be elected by electronic voting.[19] Liberland intends to operate on an open-border policy.[19] The goal of the micronation, as claimed by its website, is to create "a society where righteous people can prosper with minimal state regulations and taxes".[19][21] The founders are inspired by countries like Monaco and Liechtenstein.[21]

Liberland has published a draft version of a codified constitution[56] and a list of laws to be included in the constitution. These documents describe Liberland as a country governed under a three-power system with executive, legislative and judicial sectors that seek to promote individual rights, including property rights, freedom of speech and the right to keep and bear arms. It has also a list of criminal offences, which include "polluting environment", "public nuisance" in addition to crimes such as murder, manslaughter and theft.[57] There are plans for an official cryptocurrency called Merit,[58] although all other currencies would be allowed.[19] There will be a maximum of 700 million merits.[59]

In an attempt to gain recognition at the UN, Liberland appointed 70 representatives in over 60 countries within a year of proclamation.[60] As of February 2018, Liberland had recruited over 100 representatives in over 80 countries.[61]

According to its official web page, Liberland is currently looking for people who have respect for other people and their opinions, regardless of their race, ethnicity, orientation, or religion, have respect for private ownership which is untouchable, and have not been punished for past criminal offences.[6] Liberland received 200,000 applications in a week.[62] In the beginning of May 2015, Liberland accepted around thirty citizens. An event was supposed to take place in the claimed territory, but Croatian border police stopped the group from entering it from the Croatian side. An attempt to cross the river with fishing boats from Serbia failed because the local fishermen didn't have permits for transporting people with their boats. Serbian police informed Jedlika that anyone trying to cross the border illegally would be arrested. An improvised ceremony was instead held in Baki Monotor.[63]

On 16 February 2018, United States politician and former candidate for U.S. Presidency Ron Paul was officially presented with a Liberland passport and citizenship certificate by Jedlika and his cabinet.[64][65]

Jedlika initially offered "Liberland citizenship" for 10,000 merits, equivalent 1:1 to USD,[66][16] but later reduced it to 5,000.[6] There will be a cap of 140,000 citizenships.[59]

There has been no diplomatic recognition of Liberland by any member of the United Nations. However, Liberland has established relations with Somaliland, a self-declared state that proclaimed its independence from Somalia in 1991. Liberland and Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2017 vowing to establish closer relations and cooperate in the areas of technology, energy and banking.[14][15]

Several minor parties with no elected representatives at their national level expressed support for the creation of Liberland.

A few micronations have expressed support for the idea of Liberland.

Coordinates: 45466N 185217E / 45.76833N 18.87139E / 45.76833; 18.87139

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Liberland - Wikipedia

Korean Liberals and the Sword of Justice? – koreatimes

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Korean liberals and sword of justice? - The Korea Times Opinion 2020-12-2112:44 Korean liberals and sword of justice? By David TizzardLiberalism has an insatiable desire to extinguish all existing suffering. Some characterize it as irrepressible drive, fueled by ideology and the pursuit of a promised land that will see nothing stand in its way to achieve its ends. A noted political theorist of the mid-20th century, Ken Minogue (Australian but no relation to Kylie), likened this pursuit of glory to that of St. George and the slaying of dragons. The liberal wields his sword and advances on that which terrorizes and threatens society and its inhabitants: despotism, religious bigotry, slavery, racism, xenophobia, and corruption.The liberals thus live to fight the dragon: Their position, their power, their methods, and their very nature of being are all defined in opposition to their antithetical opponent. Christopher Nolan explored similar territory in his depictions of the Batman and Joker in his 21st century trilogy.But while this seems like a clear and comprehensible narrative digestible in the modern world, Minogue took this metaphor and made it both allegoric and didactic. What happens, he asked, if the sword-wielding liberal St. George continues on the quest unopposed?St. George will initially free society from despotic kingship and emancipate the people, liberating souls and providing salvation to serfs. He will then turn his blade unto religious intolerance. This will provide the hero some time to rest. And yet, as time passes, up will rise the problems of slavery and prison conditions, the societal role of the working class, the championing of human rights, and the emancipation of women. Once again, she will unsheathe her weapon and slay dragons. This time the attacks need to be more refined and sophisticated for the problems, while still of vital importance, are more nuanced and present inside a complex structure which is otherwise deemed beneficial or necessary. The fire-breathers once more sent packing, the hero puts her feet up. But she just can't get it out of her head. Even with her hand on her heart, this is not a case of better the devil you know: this is where the wild roses grow. And so once again, the liberal hero takes up his sword and now advances on the latest enemies. As society progresses, the dragons become even more camouflaged in the very fabric of the systemnow they are vested interests, privilege, and insolence. The point Minogue was trying to make was that the liberal does not know when to rest. There will always be dragons standing in the way of that desired heaven as a place on earth (yes, that's admittedly a Belinda Carlisle reference rather than the other Kylie ones above). And so the sword never gets put away. Bewitched by utopian thoughts and intoxicated by previous success, the liberal continues to fight. A normal life, a social life, is simply no longer enough. The Batman cannot simply be Bruce Wayne no matter how hard he tries for there will always be a villain to overcome. In an existential world in which actions define one's self and one's purpose, the hero can only live by fighting for the poor and the oppressed. The dragons keep him alive just as it is rumored does the whisky of Keith Richards: to stop now would surely be fatal. But the dragons become smaller and smaller. Even non-existent! We are presented with an image of Cervantes' ingenious knight of La Mancha, Don Quixote, tilting at windmills with his loyal servant Sancho Panza. It is of course a most honorable pursuit; chivalrous to the core. But at times society will simply look at these acts and chuckle at the absurdity. In more unpleasant situations, the innocent bystanders will be inadvertently cut down by the charging knight and his weapon. Minogue of course meant this talk of dragons and saints to be applied to politics, and so what of this allegory and its relation to South Korea?The ruling party members proclaim themselves as the rightful and legitimate continuation of the dragon slayers of yore. It is their group that opposed, in turn, Japanese colonial rule, American imperialism, domestic military rule, and suffocating neo-liberal economic conditions. They are the group that have freed Korean society from tyranny and oppression and have rightfully claimed the seat of power. Theirs is the position of saintliness.But what now that they have assumed the mantle? Is it possible they are still wielding a mighty sword despite a great many of their foes having been vanquished? Is it not the case that the warrior now needs to become a diplomat or a philosopher in order to foster the long-term stability of the state and prevent further collateral damage? The ruling party has a majority in the National Assembly that allows it to pass bills unopposed but is witnessing falling public support due to a series of scandals and policies enacted that have failed to live up to the expectations of the people. It speaks of its commitment to "eradicate deep-rooted evils perpetrated by those in authority" and "deep-rooted evil in everyday life."There will always be dragons for some people, and thus there will always be a sword. For everyone else, we toil and suffer with the realities of life. Our backs broken like the proverbial shrimp as we remember that ever apt phrase from Matthew 26:52, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." Ultimately, is it not time for Korean politicians, on both sides of the aisle, to put the sword away?Dr. David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) has a Ph.D. in Korean studies and is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3 FM) on "Life Abroad" live every Thursday from 9:35 a.m. to 10 a.m. By David TizzardLiberalism has an insatiable desire to extinguish all existing suffering. Some characterize it as irrepressible drive, fueled by ideology and the pursuit of a promised land that will see nothing stand in its way to achieve its ends. A noted political theorist of the mid-20th century, Ken Minogue (Australian but no relation to Kylie), likened this pursuit of glory to that of St. George and the slaying of dragons. The liberal wields his sword and advances on that which terrorizes and threatens society and its inhabitants: despotism, religious bigotry, slavery, racism, xenophobia, and corruption.The liberals thus live to fight the dragon: Their position, their power, their methods, and their very nature of being are all defined in opposition to their antithetical opponent. Christopher Nolan explored similar territory in his depictions of the Batman and Joker in his 21st century trilogy.But while this seems like a clear and comprehensible narrative digestible in the modern world, Minogue took this metaphor and made it both allegoric and didactic. What happens, he asked, if the sword-wielding liberal St. George continues on the quest unopposed?St. George will initially free society from despotic kingship and emancipate the people, liberating souls and providing salvation to serfs. He will then turn his blade unto religious intolerance. This will provide the hero some time to rest. And yet, as time passes, up will rise the problems of slavery and prison conditions, the societal role of the working class, the championing of human rights, and the emancipation of women. Once again, she will unsheathe her weapon and slay dragons. This time the attacks need to be more refined and sophisticated for the problems, while still of vital importance, are more nuanced and present inside a complex structure which is otherwise deemed beneficial or necessary. The fire-breathers once more sent packing, the hero puts her feet up. But she just can't get it out of her head. Even with her hand on her heart, this is not a case of better the devil you know: this is where the wild roses grow. And so once again, the liberal hero takes up his sword and now advances on the latest enemies. As society progresses, the dragons become even more camouflaged in the very fabric of the systemnow they are vested interests, privilege, and insolence. The point Minogue was trying to make was that the liberal does not know when to rest. There will always be dragons standing in the way of that desired heaven as a place on earth (yes, that's admittedly a Belinda Carlisle reference rather than the other Kylie ones above). And so the sword never gets put away. Bewitched by utopian thoughts and intoxicated by previous success, the liberal continues to fight. A normal life, a social life, is simply no longer enough. The Batman cannot simply be Bruce Wayne no matter how hard he tries for there will always be a villain to overcome. In an existential world in which actions define one's self and one's purpose, the hero can only live by fighting for the poor and the oppressed. The dragons keep him alive just as it is rumored does the whisky of Keith Richards: to stop now would surely be fatal. But the dragons become smaller and smaller. Even non-existent! We are presented with an image of Cervantes' ingenious knight of La Mancha, Don Quixote, tilting at windmills with his loyal servant Sancho Panza. It is of course a most honorable pursuit; chivalrous to the core. But at times society will simply look at these acts and chuckle at the absurdity. In more unpleasant situations, the innocent bystanders will be inadvertently cut down by the charging knight and his weapon. Minogue of course meant this talk of dragons and saints to be applied to politics, and so what of this allegory and its relation to South Korea?The ruling party members proclaim themselves as the rightful and legitimate continuation of the dragon slayers of yore. It is their group that opposed, in turn, Japanese colonial rule, American imperialism, domestic military rule, and suffocating neo-liberal economic conditions. They are the group that have freed Korean society from tyranny and oppression and have rightfully claimed the seat of power. Theirs is the position of saintliness.But what now that they have assumed the mantle? Is it possible they are still wielding a mighty sword despite a great many of their foes having been vanquished? Is it not the case that the warrior now needs to become a diplomat or a philosopher in order to foster the long-term stability of the state and prevent further collateral damage? The ruling party has a majority in the National Assembly that allows it to pass bills unopposed but is witnessing falling public support due to a series of scandals and policies enacted that have failed to live up to the expectations of the people. It speaks of its commitment to "eradicate deep-rooted evils perpetrated by those in authority" and "deep-rooted evil in everyday life."There will always be dragons for some people, and thus there will always be a sword. For everyone else, we toil and suffer with the realities of life. Our backs broken like the proverbial shrimp as we remember that ever apt phrase from Matthew 26:52, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword." Ultimately, is it not time for Korean politicians, on both sides of the aisle, to put the sword away?Dr. David Tizzard (datizzard@swu.ac.kr) has a Ph.D. in Korean studies and is an assistant professor at Seoul Women's University. He discusses the week's hottest issues on TBS eFM (101.3 FM) on "Life Abroad" live every Thursday from 9:35 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Excerpt from:

Korean Liberals and the Sword of Justice? - koreatimes

Matthew McConaughey: ‘The extreme left and the extreme right completely illegitimize the other side’ | TheHill – The Hill

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Actor MatthewMcConaughey is doubling-down on comments he made last week about "illiberals" and the current state of politics in the United States.

While appearing on "Good Morning Britain" on Tuesday to promote his memoir "Greenlights," the "True Detective" star elaborated on his previousclaimsthat his Hollywood colleagues can have "condescending" and "arrogant" attitudes when it comes to the Trump supporters and the right.

Some liberals dont see theyre being cannibalised by the illiberals. @McConaughey explains he thinks free speech and both sides of being political debate are illegitimatised by the other side.@piersmorgan | @susannareid100 pic.twitter.com/fY5o4THqcs

"You need liberals. What I dont think we need is the illiberals," McConaugheytold hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid while appearing on theBritish news program. "What I dont think that some liberals see is that theyre often being cannibalized by the illiberals."

He continued, stating that both sides can be problematic and tend to cancel each other out.

"There are extremes on both sides that I think are unfair, that I dont think are the right place to be. The extreme left and the extreme right completely illegitimize the other side, the liberal and conservative side, which we need in certain places," he said. "The two extremes illegitimize those two sides. Or they exaggerate that sides stance into an irrational state that makes no sense and thats not fair when either side does that."

The Oscar-winning actor briefly mentioned "cancel culture," and how it could possiblyinfluencefree speech in the future.

"Where the waterline is going to land on this freedom of speech and what we allow and what we dont and where this cancel culture goes, where that waterline lands is a very interesting place that we are engaged in right now as a society that were trying to figure out because we havent found the right spot."

AlthoughMcConaughey previously daredAmericans to get "aggressively centric," he noted that to some degree, conflict is a necessary evil.

"Youve got to have confrontation to have unity," he said, according to Deadline. "Thats when a democracy works really well."

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Matthew McConaughey: 'The extreme left and the extreme right completely illegitimize the other side' | TheHill - The Hill

Native Americans are celebrating Rep. Haaland’s nomination – PBS NewsHour

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Julian Brave Noisecat:

I think it's worth pointing out that Congresswoman Haaland was never a shoo0in for this job. And she is a relative newcomer here in Washington. It was just her first term in Congress. And unlike many of the other folks who have been put forward and nominated for cabinet positions, she does not have a long standing relationship with President-elect Biden, which is, I think, very important to the president-elect.

And despite those sort of concerns and also concerns about the very thin House Democratic majority, a very concerted and effective effort led by tribal leaders, environmentalists and progressive activists actually systematically, both in public and behind the scenes, was able to get her across the finish line and to make history. And, you know, I think that that is just a testament to what an incredible leader she is.

Folks like me and folks who have strong beliefs, injustice, justice, etc., aren't just going to go out there and advocate for anyone.

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Native Americans are celebrating Rep. Haaland's nomination - PBS NewsHour

Tribal leaders respond to the idea of an Indigenous Interior secretary – High Country News

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Editors note:On Dec. 17, President-elect Joe Biden announcedRep. Deb Haaland (D-NM) as his choice for Secretary of Interior, marking the first time a Native American will serve in the position, if confirmed by the Senate.

President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to make his administration the most diverse in history, a promise that so far he has fulfilled with several key appointments. For weeks now, momentum has been building behind a push for the Department of the Interior to be run by an Indigenous person for the first time in history. Dozens of tribal leaders have called upon Biden to appoint U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M, an enrolled tribal member of the Laguna Pueblo.

Beyond the obvious symbolic importance of having an Indigenous person lead Interior, a department with a long history of defying the best interests of tribal nations, the possibilities such a position would bring for tribal administrations and citizens alike are endless. Native leaders and advocates are hoping that a Haaland appointment would result in improved tribal consultationon everything from land protections to how agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, interact with tribal communities.As the country awaits Bidens decision, Native communities are bracing for what could prove a seismic change in the way the federal government treats the interests of Indian Country.

Dozens of tribal leaders have called upon Biden to appoint U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M, an enrolled tribal member of the Laguna Pueblo.

It will be a moment to exhale for tribal leaders, said Judith Le Blanc, a citizen of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma and director of the Native Organizers Alliance, a national Native training and organizing network. An Indigenous person leading Interior, she said, would mean having someone who understands the legal and inherent rights of Indigenous peoples to govern their own lands.

Were the only peoples in this country who have a collectively owned land base that has been self-governed since the beginning of time, Le Blanc said. To have someone who understands that historic fact and therefore the rights and responsibilities to consult and to discuss before a decision is made that will affect treaty lands will be amazing. It creates opportunities and possibilities that tribal leaders will have to step into.

The possibility of an Indigenous person leading Interior comes after an election in which Indigenous voters supported the Biden/Harris ticket in critical states like Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin. As IllumiNatives a nonprofit working to increase Native visibility put it in a social media post, Joe, Native people showed up for you. Now, show up for them. If Haaland or someone like Michael Connor, a member of Taos Pueblo and former deputy Interior director, whose name has also been floated as a possible nominee were to run the department, it would have a significant impact on Indian Country policy for the next several years not only for department policies and representation, but also for on-the-ground realities.

Under the Trump administration, environmental laws were significantly weakened, protections of places like the Tongass National Forest were rolled back and large-scale, high-impact projects like the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines were expedited. Many of those policies included a rushed or, in the case of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, nonexistent tribal consultation process. While all bureaucracies have flaws, both Haaland and Connor understand that including tribal nations in a government-to-government consultation process is non-negotiable. They could also reverse some of the Trump administrations controversial decisions. Whoever is chosen, the stakes are high.

The Yurok Tribe was one of a host of tribes to sign a letter to President-elect Joe Biden, urging him to choose Haaland. The tribe has had a protracted battle with the federal government over keeping enough water in the Klamath River to support their lifeways and the rivers salmon population. In 2001, a government decision caused the largest fish kill in Yurok and U.S. history. Vice Chairman Frankie Myers says the representation and experience that would come with Haaland as an Indigenous person and lawmaker would be a welcome change: Ensuring that Indigenous voices are at the highest level of government, specifically when it comes to resources, is critical for us moving this country in a better, more positive way.

I cant believe it has taken this long. We have never been included in decisions that will affect our future.

Bernadette Demientieff, executive director of the Gwichin Steering Committee, agrees. In November, the Trump administration announced that it would auction off oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge just two weeks before Biden takes office. The refuge, which lies within the ancestral lands of the Gwichin, supports the sensitive populations of Porcupine caribou, polar bears and walruses. The Gwichin Steering Committee has filed numerous lawsuits to stop the sale. This current administration has done nothing but disrespect and violate the rights of our people, Demientieff wrote in a statementtoHigh Country News. As for an Indigenous leader of Interior, I cant believe it has taken this long. We have never been included in decisions that will affect our future.

While Native voters tend to lean left, Indian Country issues on the Hill have typically found support with both Republicans and Democrats. The six Indigenous people who will join the next Congress are split evenly between the parties. And even though the political atmosphere has been considerably polarized under the Trump administration, the prevailing sentiment is that Haalands ability to work across the aisle will keep Indian Country policy from becoming a politically divisive issue.

Theres a reason why people like (Republican U.S. Reps.) Don Young and Tom Cole have publicly spoken out in very positive ways regarding Deb, said Keith Harper, a member of the Cherokee Nation and an Obama appointee who was the first Indigenous person to represent the U.S. on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Because theyve worked with her and know shes willing to put the party politics aside and get pragmatic about challenges.

Because we understand that Native American issues are not a matter of conservative versus liberal, we have accomplished a great deal together, said Rep. Cole. Out of all representatives in the House, Haalands bills have had the most bicameral support, and often bipartisan. And the political allies and partners shes made in Congress have some predicting that this would translate to consensus building across the government on issues affecting Native people.

Oftentimes, Interior is looked as the agency that handles Indian affairs, said Kim Teehee, the Cherokee Nations congressional delegate. We have HUD (Housing and Urban Development) that handles Indian housing, we have the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) that handles broadband, education, the USDA (Department of Agriculture). There is such a cross-cutting nature of Indian Country issues, and I think she has the unique ability as a Cabinet secretary to convene the agencies.

One non-Native whose name has been floated for the position is retiring Sen. Tom Udall, a Democrat from New Mexico, who has long been a champion of Indigenous affairs in Congress. His father, Stewart Udall, was secretary of Interior from 1961-1969 under presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. A number of progressive Native-led organizations have called on him to remove his name from consideration. When asked what it could mean for an Indigenous person to lead Interior, Udall toldHigh Country News thatNative Americans should be in high positions throughout government in the White House and various agencies its not just about the Interior Department,adding that the next secretary mustprioritize tribal nations needs with inclusive consultation, and put inthe hard work to make sure Native voices are front and center throughout the department.

Graham Lee Brewer is an associate editor atHigh Country Newsand a member of the Cherokee Nation.Emailhimat [emailprotected]or submit aletter to the editor.

Anna V. Smith is an assistant editor for High Country News.

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Tribal leaders respond to the idea of an Indigenous Interior secretary - High Country News

‘What Binds Us Together’: On What It Means to Support Indigenous Liberation – Palestine Chronicle

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A depiction by the Navajo artist Remy of 16-year-old Fawzi al-Junaidi arrested by Israeli soldiers. (Photo: File)

In a recent interview with Michael Arria, Sumaya Awad and Brian Bean discuss their book Palestine: A Socialist Introduction (2020). The collection argues that socialism should be viewed as an important element in the struggle to liberate Palestine.

What binds us together, concludes Awad, is our class politics. The working class together is what will build a new kind of world and a different system. And what that means is standing with the oppressed outside of our borders and with Palestine.

While class is a clear connection around which to build campaigns, there are other avenues to explore. For example, in The Liberation of Palestine Represents an Alternative Path for Native Americans, Nick Estes (Lower Brule Sioux Tribe) describes Palestine as the moral barometer of Indigenous North America, thus adding the Indigeneity that Awad touches on to the commonalities that bind activists to the cause of Palestine.

Responding to the controversy that erupted in Santa Fe, New Mexico over a series of pro-Palestinian murals drawn by a local Navajo artist, Elena Ortiz (Ohkay Owingeh) expands on the historical connections between the Indigenous here and in Occupied Palestine.

The images on that stucco wall, explains Ortiz, show the truth of settler colonialism and the effects it has on indigenous people. They were put there to show solidarity with our Palestinian relatives in the face of brutal occupation; to illuminate injustice and shed light on this nations complicity in Israels treatment of the Palestinian people.

In that vein, she stresses the importance of acknowledging that the founding of the United States was a process that involved displacing and exploiting Indigenous nations that were living on the land prior to European conquest, a process very similar to the establishment, too, of the state of Israel.

Elaborating on the contradictions between Santa Fes reputation as a liberal art center and home to vibrant Native cultures, Ortiz asks how a Native-installed art exhibit could cause so much controversy. Because it illuminates a truth that many people do not want to face? she speculates, or, perhaps, it offends a lot of people?

In reality, those most offended were local Zionists who assumed the role of victim. Why is Israel singled out as an aggressor when there are many troubled spots in the world? asked Rabbi Berel Levertov of the Santa Fe Jewish Center-Chabad. There are many facets to the story and to highlight Israel is just anti-semitic propaganda.

Preferring a portrayal that depicts normalization of relations between the twoa work of art depictingJews and Arabs living in PeaceLevertov offered up an image very fitting, too, of Santa Fe, a City Different that hides its racism beneath a veneer of faux adobe.

Several months later another controversy arose when Native people and their comrades succeeded in taking down a memorial ostensibly to Union soldiers. As Elena Ortiz explains, those same combatants participated in massacring Native people and removing them from their homelands.

Under the shadow of that obelisk, Ortiz asserts, on Tewa homelands, in a place we call Ogha Pogeh, we still exist, despite ongoing efforts by some to prove the opposite.

Alan Webber, the liberal mayor of Santa Fe who might seem a likely ally, proposed a belated Cultures, Histories, Art, Reconciliation and Truth committee. Tasked with replacing other controversial monuments with alternate public art, the commission bears resemblance to similar efforts towards normalizing Israeli/Palestinian relations.

Indigenous activists know better, specifically that there can be no peace until there is substantive justice. Elena Ortiz, daughter of the late Alphonso Ortiz, an anthropology professor who was my mentor at the University of New Mexico, says that the citys mood and dialogue have exposed much deeper problems.

Santa Fe, with its pseudo-liberal, left-leaning politics, thinks its somehow above racial tensions that elsewhere have been exposed.

But when you look at the vitriol that has come out since the obelisk, were peeling back this onion and were showing the racism that is endemic in Santa Fe. And were showing that, hey, Donald Trump doesnt have anything on Santa Fe and this racism is so systemic.

A city that bears a liberal faade, but in which racist and anti-Palestinian sentiments have exploded, Santa Fe is a perfect example of the ways in which Indigeneity unites solidarity activists around the cause of liberation, but at the same time exposes that sometimes a wing of the left-liberal camp declines to be on board.

Finally, President-elect Joe Bidens selection of New Mexico Congressmember Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) as secretary of the interior owes much to Indigenous movements who organized around land back as well as an end to fracking on and around Native land. An historic first, Haalands appointment marks a significant turn-around for an agency that for much of the nations history played a central role in the dislocation and abuse of all Indigenous tribes.

That was a very, very important step for the Biden administration, says Winona LaDuke, executive director of Honor the Earth, rural development economist and Native American activist. Indian people know how to take care of this land.

According to the Red Nation, Haalands nomination is also significant because she hails from a state that ranks fifth in the country for oil and gas production, much of which is on Indigenous land claimed by the federal and state governments. Moreover, the group explains,

these conditions, and ongoing struggle against them, put NM at the center of the land back movement in which a first step is returning public lands back to Indigenous people for any kind of sound environmental policy. Because of this context, Haalands appointment is significant.

Because Haaland has taken a position against fracking on public land and has supported Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) legislation, her selection plays out within this context.

We have yet to see, however, how this will all play out when she becomes secretary of DOI, concludes the Red Nation statement. Regardless, movements are pushing in this direction.

While there is widespread agreement among Native people that European colonialism and Indigenous genocide is criminal and immoral, writes Nick Estes, there are a surprisingly high number of Native politicians, elites, and public figures who dont extend the same sympathies to Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims. He continues that the term anti-Palestinian opportunism describes how profitable and career-advancing it is for Indigenous people to align with the Zionist project.

The future Secretary of the Interior falls into this category. Its profound to think about the history of this countrys policies to exterminate Native Americans and the resilience of our ancestors that gave me a place here today, Haaland said.

Nevertheless, she does not view Palestine in the same light. For example, during her campaign for US Congress, Haaland compared Native Americans getting the right to vote in New Mexico in 1948 to the creation of the state of Israel. Reflecting on this statement, Estes concludes that Haalands opportunism demonstrates that she is anything but an ally to Palestine and more of an opportunist willing to throw Palestinians under the bus when it benefits her political career.

Recalling a panel in which she participated during the Palestine Writes festival, author and activist Susan Albuhawa explained that true solidarity has a cost. What is it really worth to the oppressed if its easy and cheap and popular? Solidarity matters most when its hard, unpopular, and costly.

Hopefully, in her upcoming appointed position, Haaland will use her platform to point out the ties that bind the Indigenous in this country with their relatives the Palestinians. Both have undergone ethnic cleansing and displacement, parallel experiences that should be called for what it is, crimes against humanity.

Recounting how the Intifada changed the political trajectory of the Palestinian people, Ramzy Baroud explains thatthanks to the Intifada, the Palestinian people have demonstrated their own capacity at challenging Israel without having their own military, challenging the Palestinian leadership by organically generating their own leaders, confronting the Arabs and, in fact, the whole world, regarding their own moral and legal responsibilities towards Palestine and the Palestinian people.

Perhaps it is this acknowledgment of the need for a grassroots struggle against colonialism that is the tie that binds Indigenous resistance around the world. Commemorating the 2020 election which saw the ouster of Donald Trump, the Red Nation put out the following statement. Regarding what needs to be done, it puts forward the following view on socialism as the tie that binds.

The battle of ideas against the ideology of greed and individualism, and the need for communal organization are keyIndigenous peoples, peoples of tribal nations, peoples of Maroon communities, peoples of the land have lived before capitalism and against capitalism. They have cultivated relations with each other and the land that do not rely on conquest and surplus but bring abundance and joy and dignity to all. These communal forms should be developed and become schools for freedom. We call these schools for Indigenous socialism. Join us in the struggle to create a better future.

To be a socialist you must be a principled champion for Palestine (p. 6), write Awad and Bean. Their book bears out that certainly, this is true.

Benay Blend earned her doctorate in American Studies from the University of New Mexico. Her scholarly works include Douglas Vakoch and Sam Mickey, Eds. (2017), Neither Homeland Nor Exile are Words: Situated Knowledge in the Works of Palestinian and Native American Writers. She contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.

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'What Binds Us Together': On What It Means to Support Indigenous Liberation - Palestine Chronicle

LD17 thin victory margins and a tie – Arizona Capitol Times

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The interactive map above shows precinct-level results of the 2020 election in Maricopa County.

Out in the Southeast Valley, the Loop 202 freeway is often seen as a political compass. To the north of it is dense with Democratic voters; to the south, suburbs that start with a kiss of GOP pink but soon deepen to a solid red.

Political eyes were on the area this election to see whether Democrats had the chance to flip Arizonas Legislative District 17 blue. In the end, with all votes tallied and certified, the district narrowly chose Democrat Joe Biden for president by 3.7%, or 5,000 votes, but no seats shifted in the state Legislature.

In the aftermath, candidates and community members wait to see what this years results, a precinct patchwork of red and blue, spell for the future.

Paula Feely

Paula Feely is a Democratic precinct committeeperson in Chandler. It was President Donald Trumps win in 2016 that pushed her, out of frustration, to become more involved with campaign efforts in her community. She represents Germann Precinct, part of a widening stretch of blue bleeding south of the Loop 202.

Ive become more aware of the Democrats around here, Feely said. Theyre less shy now.

Biden won a handful of precincts around Feelys turf this year that previously went for Trump, including Lantana Canyon, Laredo and Dobson Park with margins ranging from .6% to 2%, or 10 to 110 votes. Voters in Germann Precinct supported Biden, too, after giving Hillary Clinton a 1% lead in 2016.

Since becoming a committeeperson, Feely has written hundreds of letters, dropped party literature on doorsteps and made phone calls to people throughout LD17. And she has become more comfortable talking about politics with non-Democrats, she said, although close to the election, I did have to cut myself off from some people.

Her counterpart in Germann Precinct might be Anne Kirkham, a longtime Chandler resident who is precinct committeeperson for the Republican Party. With new housing going up in the district and people moving in from out-of-state, Kirkham said she sees the ground shifting in the city.

For her, maintaining Republican leadership will depend on finding the right messaging.

Theres been a lot of outreach to what are called soft Democrats and all the independents, she said. It all comes down to policies and platforms.

Despite partisan tensions in Arizona, and the ongoing, if largely dismissed, concerns about the elections integrity concerns that Kirkham shares she refrains from villainizing Democrats. Many of them are her neighbors in this battleground district.

I have dear friends who look at things differently than I do politically, and I dont let that get in the way of our friendship, she said.

To the east of Kirkham and Feelys precinct is Layton Lakes, a precinct that neither Biden nor Trump could claim. At 253 votes each, they were tied.

Raghu Srinivasan

The triangular stretch of land near Queen Creek and Lindsay roads became a precinct in 2017, and is home to 576 registered voters. Raghu Srinivasan, vice chair for District 17 Democrats and an engineer with a penchant for analyzing election data, said Layton Lakes was carved out of Appleby Precinct as a result of new housing in the area.

It wasnt long ago that the area was mostly farms, empty land and single family homes, he said. But as neighborhoods grow and newcomers arrive, theyre probably bringing their outlook with them, Srinivasan said.

Layton Lakes is one of three precincts in the county where Biden and Trump faced a draw. Steven Slugocki, chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party, said the ties illustrate the closeness of elections here, and how much of the county is up for grabs.

One of the most closely watched races in LD17 was for the state Senate seat held by J.D. Mesnard, a Republican.

Democratic challenger A.J. Kurdoglu lost the race, but said he had no doubts that the district is changing. Still, it will take work to decide the political future of the East Valley, he said liberal and conservative leaders cant simply wait for the demographics to change.

I always believe it is our job as candidates or as a party to reach out to your neighbors, your constituency and explain what you stand for, Kurdoglu said.

Mesnard comfortably won his Senate seat, but doesnt deny the potential of the region turning blue in years to come. He lost his own precinct to Kurdoglu by 5.3% of the vote, or 277 votes. Biden carried it by a wider margin of 15%, or 827 votes.

The senator said he has no plans to change his policies in response to a constituency that is becoming more liberal.

I ran for office in the first place under a certain set of principles. I maintain those principles, Mesnard said. And if theres an avalanche of people that come in with different principles, itll probably just mean that Ill lose, eventually.

He said he hopes to convince newcomers that his policies and the Republican platform more broadly have helped make Arizona an attractive place to live.

Even as pundits make predictions for the next election, the competitive status of LD17 could soon recede into history when officials begin redrawing legislative districts next year.

Feely, the Democratic precinct committeeperson, said she thinks the liberal tilt in her neighborhood is a credit to people engaging with the issues more than any sea change in political beliefs.

As a retired school district employee, she said she thinks candidates who are focused on education will find supporters in the East Valley, just as Democrat Jennifer Pawlik did when she ran for the state House two years ago and won. Pawlik was re-elected last month.

Its not just a red and blue thing, Feely said of the political map. Its what people think you can do to improve our community.

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LD17 thin victory margins and a tie - Arizona Capitol Times