#National Faith Advisory Board

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Greg Owen at LGBTQ Nation:

The night before his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Donald Trump joined a nationwide “prayer call” sponsored by a Washington-based Christian group in support of the former president. As in his sputtering debate performance, on the call, Trump blamed America’s woes on a “flood” of “millions and millions of illegal aliens” entering the country. For the Christians praying for Trump, he said an effort by Harris to naturalize these “criminals,” “mental patients,” and “rapists” – his words – would come at Christians’ expense.

“Every day, she is flooding our country with millions and millions of illegal aliens. She wants to make them citizens, she wants to have them vote,” Trump said. “Which will destroy the voting powers of Christian conservatives forever.” “And once that starts happening, and once you get those numbers involved, you lose everything,” he said. [...] But Trump also doubled down on a more insidious past promise to provide legal cover for Christians to discriminate, a pledge he avoided repeating in public on the debate stage Tuesday night. “When I win, I will stop the weaponization of our government against Christians, will defend religious liberty at the highest level, and I’ll create a task force of anti-Christian bias,” Trump shared on the prayer call. “We will fight it like nobody has ever fought it before. I’ll protect Christians in our schools, our government, public square, and we’ll bring our country back together as ‘one nation under God.’ We will make America great again.”

Want more proof that Donald Trump is in bed with Christian Nationalist theocrats? His proposal to create a task force to protect their “religious liberty” at the expense of others.

[klbmsw]

Of course he'd have to ask someone else....God's not talking to him.

[lgbtqiamuslimpedia]

Faisal Alam

DOB : 1977 maybe

Occupation: LGBTQ+ rights activist,Community leader,Writer

Gender : Male

Sexuality : Gay

Religion : Islam

Ethnicity : South Asian

Nationality : Pakistani 🇵🇰

Faisal Alam is a Pakistani-American Gay Muslim man.He is a faith-based activist,writer,advocate for South Asian & Muslim LGBTQ+ folks, & public speaker.He founded the Al-Faitha, a pioneer org. for queer muslims.His organization helped to advance Queer Muslim movement internationally.He is the co-founder of Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity , a National Muslim LGBTQ+ organization in North America.

He is a member of the National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), an interfaith network of US LGBT leaders,member of the National Advisory Board for the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion & Ministry.He also a member of Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV).

Early Life

Faisal Alam was born in the Islamic State of Pakistan & was raised in a muslim household.At the age of 10 his family arrived in the USA in 1987 and resided in the rural middle-class town of Ellington,Connecticut. He completed his studies in America.

Activism & Advocacy

In 1997, Faisal Alam started an email listserv for LGBTQ+ Muslims that led to the founding of Al-Fatiha Foundation in 1998 in Boston.Since then the org. had grown significantly, with its sister-organizations & chapters in the Canada,USA,UK,Spain,Turkey & South Africa.Under his leadership,Al-Fatiha and the LGBITQ Muslim communities have received wide media recognition.He was served as a President of Al-Fatiha, from 1998-2004.Faisal Alam represented Al-Fatiha at both National Religious Leadership Roundtable & the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry.During his leadership, Al-Fatiha organized 4 major conferences,retreats for LGBTQI+ Muslims & their Allies from around the world.In 2005, Al-Fatiha launched national fundraising campaign, where Faisal traveled around the country to meet with local LGBTIQ Muslims & their Allies.In July 2005,Al-Fatiha hosted the the first LBTQ Muslim women’s retreat in Philadelphia and in September 2005, hosted the 5th International Retreat for LGBTQIA+ Muslims.Additionally the org. made significant links with sexual & gender minorities within the Islamic world,helping to support the struggle for the recognition of human rights in countries including Egypt, Turkey,Palestine,Pakistan,Malaysia,Saudi Arabia,Bangladesh,etc.After getting threats & pressure from muslim conservatives, radicalists Al-Fatiha members closed the organization.

In addition to his LGBT faith-based activism, Faisal is also involved in numerous local organizations.He is a member of AQUA (Asian Queers United in Action) of Washington,Khush-DC,National Minority AIDS Council of Washington,etc.He is also an active member in OUTFront, the LGBT program of Amnesty International,Human Rights Watch,National Gay & Lesbian Task Force.He did work in HIV/AIDS prevention and education in the Asian & Pacific Islander communities.

In 2011, Alam and other LGBTQ Muslim activists were invited by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to form a Queer Muslim Working Group to evaluate the needs of the LGBTQ Muslim community.Alam was instrumental in bringing together a diverse group of seasoned leaders to undertake this project. In 2013, the Queer Muslim Working Group launched a new organization – the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity.Faisal has also spoken at many LGBTQ interfaith panel discussions and has presented at numerous interfaith services, around the country.He has also spoken at many major events including Youth Pride Day in Washington,DC (2000),Millennium March on Washington (2000) & Creating Change(National LGBT Activist Conference, 2001).

Honorary

Faisal has received numerous recognitions & awards for his activism on behalf of LGBTQQI+ Muslims.The Advocate Magazine selected him as an "Innovator" Genre Magazine has recognized him as a "Founding Father" and the Utne Reader chose him as one of 30 "Young Visionaries Under 30" In 2005 the Equality Forum recognized Faisal as one of “40 Heroes” who have "made a defining difference in LGBT civil rights over the last forty years."In 2008 Faisal received an award from Pride Toronto for his "outstanding contribution in the area of spirituality that positively impacts LGBT communities.

[templardom]

The Celestial Vendettas

Calamity will surely destroy the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. Psalm 34:21 (NLT) 

What sorrow awaits you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets. Luke 6:26 (NLT)

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end? Jeremiah 5:31 (BSB)

Then the LORD said, “These prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them or tell them to speak. I did not give them any messages. They prophesy of visions and revelations they have never seen or heard. They speak foolishness made up in their own lying hearts. Jeremiah 14:14 (NLT)

Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them. Galatians 4:17 (NLT)

“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the LORD, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin." Isaiah 30:1 (NKJV) 

“And now, you priests, this warning is for you. If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me." Malachi 2:1-2 (NIV) 

[lboogie1906]

Stacie NC Grant (October 4, 1970) is a life member and was installed as the 26th International President of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority on July 24, 2022. She has served uninterrupted as an active financial member on every level of the sisterhood including International Third Anti-Basileus, International Graduate Member to the Executive Committee, Member of the Board of Managers to the National Educational Foundation, Atlantic Regional Representative to the International Nominating Committee, and a two-term president of Phi Zeta Zeta Chapter of Queens.

She is a Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient, award-winning international speaker, best-selling author, master facilitator and trainer, and celebrity guest host.

In 2016, she founded C&G Enterprises Unlimited, LLC an MWBE firm that focuses on providing professional and dependable services to businesses and organizations to maximize their strengths and achieve their goals in the areas of meeting facilitation, professional development training, and professional decontamination services. C&G Enterprises Unlimited, LLC was tapped as the MWBE Firm selected to be the Facilitator for the JFK Airport Redevelopment Advisory Council, a 13 billion dollar redevelopment project.

She is the CEO of Destiny Designers University®, the only training & development platform for Faithpreneurs® (faith-based entrepreneurs and faith-based professionals) who grow their wealth-generating practices around an affinity to God and FAITH and how to leverage Relationships, Resources, and Revenue to create sustainable legacies by being cash flow positive and unapologetically profitable. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #zetaphibeta

[qnewsau]

Government confirms gender question in next census

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/government-confirms-gender-question-in-next-census/

Government confirms gender question in next census

The Albanese government has backpedaled once more and confirmed that the next census will include questions on both sexual orientation and gender, after a shock decision to scrap the proposed topics in 2026.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed on Sunday the next national survey would include the new questions for the first time, after weeks of backlash from both the LGBTQIA+ community and experts.

Chalmers told ABC’s Insiders program that the government had “listened” and “taken the feedback seriously”.

“We’ve had good intentions right throughout this. We want to do the right thing for the right reasons,” he said.

“We’re going to get the right outcome here, which is really important. We will continue to work with the community and with the ABS through the next stages of the process.”

It comes after weeks of national backlash and varying explanations for the removal of the questions, including that they were “too complex” and could spark “divisive debates”.

Now, the Australian Bureau of Statistics is writing the questions and advocates want all politicians on board and testing to begin.

Equality Australia CEO Anna Brown welcomed the new u-turn and urged all MPs to get the proposal through the federal parliament.

“This is the sensible, pragmatic and moral course of action,” she said.

“[It] will ensure vital data about some of the most vulnerable populations in Australia is collected nationally for the first time.

“It’s now time to let the ABS get on with doing its job and proceed with the planned testing so we can finally count every Australian in 2026, including people who are trans and gender diverse as well as gay and bisexual.”

Intersex question will not be included

Assistant Treasury Minister Andrew Leigh said the 2026 census will ask Australians aged 16 and over the questions. Answering will be optional.

He said in a statement, “The ABS did not recommend a topic on variations of sex characteristics (intersex status) in the census, and it will not be included.

“Although this topic was considered by the ABS, testing indicated high quality data could not be collected due to the technical complexity of the topic.

“We value every Australian, regardless of their faith, race, gender or LGBTIQ+ status.”

Equality Australia’s Anna Brown said the LGBTIQ+ Expert Advisory Council should continue working with the ABS on a new topic covering people with innate variations of sex characteristics for a future census.

“It is vital that data is collected on people with variations in sex characteristics, and the work must continue in partnership with intersex organisations to ensure they are counted as accurately as possible,” she said.

Census has never told the full story of LGBTIQ+ Australia

The Albanese government plans to settle the changes before the end of the year.

The new questions are important because service providers, health entities, government departments and businesses rely on the census for baseline population data, Anna Brown said.

“They need a complete picture of who we are as a nation, including where LGBTIQ+ people live, what our jobs are, our health issues, where we go to school and what our families look like,” she said.

“The census has told the national story of our changing community since 1911, but it has not once included the full story of LGBTIQ+ Australia.”

More to come

The 2026 Australian Census will include new questions on sexual orientation and gender, as recommended by the Australian Bureau of Statistics https://t.co/NowzfvONeb #auspol pic.twitter.com/tsQLICTQ8E

— Andrew Leigh (@ALeighMP) September 8, 2024

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[lakelandg]

DeSantis appoints Jerry Haag, leader of Lakeland-based One More Child, to a state board

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Jerry Haag, president and CEO of the Lakeland-based nonprofit One More Child, to the Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council. Haag is a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, the National Council on Planned Giving and the Christian Alliance for Orphans board of directors, DeSantis’ office said in a news release.  Haag earned a bachelor’s…

[demystify-2025]

The Advisory Board

There are 54 groups listed on "The Project 2025 Advisory Board". While most of them are relatively straightforward, there are a few that I don't truly have the background to understand without doing a deep dive. Those are noted in the summary of the group.

Here we go. I hope you all understand just how confused my FBI agent must be right now. (Hi, Ken.)

Alabama Policy Institute: its mission statement claims it "honors the principles of free markets, limited government, and strong families." Looking further down their About page, they support the right of a person to be protected from "liberalizing social conventions". Their "abortion and adoption" page offers a list of Pregnancy Resource Centers and proclaims the "Pro-Life Legacy". Curiously, I am unable to find anything regarding "strong families" under their 'social policies' section.

Alliance Defending Freedom:The main link on Google takes me to a page asking me to "Become a monthly partner and help defend your God-given rights year-round!" I have to delete everything after the ".org" to see their website and any other page, which is a) terrible website design and b) a violation of Google's Terms of Service regarding obfuscating links. Anyway. The ADF's feature article on 7/15/2024 is about challenging the current Title IX, which would include gender identity as a protected class under sex-based discrimination. They are a conservative Christian lobbying group.

American Compass: A conservative economics group that believes "markets require rules and institutions to work well, that they are a means to the end of human flourishing and exist to serve us". This is a group that I don't have the economic background to truly understand, but their "family" page prioritizes marriage and children. Refreshingly, it doesn't say a word about religion or what constitutes a family. I'll have to dig more deeply into this one.

The American Conservative: A magazine that's exactly what it says on the cover. The blog posts seem reasonably fair; one of the ones I read regarding the dismissal of Trump's document mishandling case took care to note that Cannon, the judge in question, was appointed by Trump. According to Wikipedia, TAC "opposes unchecked power in government and business, promotes the concept of the nuclear family, free markets, and supports realism and restraint in foreign affairs based on America's national interests."

America First Legal Foundation: Quote from their front page: "With your support, we will oppose the radical left’s anti-jobs, anti-freedom, anti-faith, anti-borders, anti-police, and anti-American crusade."

American Accountability Foundation: A group that "deploys aggressive research and investigations to advance conservatism, while heavily scrutinizing politicians, political appointees, establishment organizations, and government policies. Every day, our work is exposing the truth behind the people and policies of the Biden Administration that threaten the freedoms of the American people."

American Center for Law and Justice: A group focusing on legal challenges to unconstitutional oversteps. Their "About" page mentions successes that are examples of clear overreach, like people being banned from the National Archives for wearing a shirt reading "March4Life". However, from their "Life & Liberty Drive" page, their underlying philosophy beomces clearer: "Israel is under violent attack, as Biden betrays our ally. The Left is waging war on our Christian faith, banning Bible studies...And Planned Parenthood is using your tax dollars to expand abortion on demand, as the Deep State shreds the Constitution."

American Cornerstone Institute: Again, the link on Google goes directly to a donation page where I'm unable to access the rest of the website. Terrible design choice; I'm trying to learn more about you and your first step is asking me for money. From their About page: "ACI will remain a non-partisan, not-for-profit institute". Their website prominently promotes faith-based solutions.

American Council of Trustees and Alumni: ACTA's mission is to "promote academic excellence, defend academic freedom, and ensure accountability". Their members have testified before Congress about student disruption of guest speakers that "prevent speakers from voicing disfavored (generally, conservative) viewpoints".

The American Main Street Initiative: The 'about' page of AMSI says they focus on issues that matter to most Americans, but gives no details on what those issues are. The front page list COVID conspiracies and claims "Americans are no longer safe in their cities".

American Moment: AM believes that "he American family, rooted in faith and tradition, is the bedrock of this nation and must be supported" and that "Government has a moral responsibility to foster public virtue". The other 8 priorities they list include immigration, China, law & order, trade policy promoting the middle-class lifestyle, and limiting the power of "multinational corporations".

American Principles Project: The APP bills itself as "America's top defender of the family" and proclaims, "We want to impose a political cost on the Left’s anti-family extremism. If they want to attack parental rights, confuse young children about changing their gender, undermine the ability of parents to protect their children’s innocence, or drive a wedge between parents and children in education, then they are going to be punished at the polls."

Center for Equal Opportunity: CEO claims to promote colorblind agendas in hiring and diversity. In February, they announced that they had sent a letter to the American Bar Association taking issue with the fact that their Diversity Clerkship Program gave preferential treatment to minority groups - POC, women, and people who are queer, disabled, or come from a disadvantaged background.

Center for Family and Human Rights: You already know what they stand for, solely by the name. One of their core values is "Fidelity to the teachings of the Church" (capitalization theirs); their mission is "To defend life and family at international institutions and to publicize the debate."

Center for Immigration Studies: Per their About page, "The Center is animated by a unique pro-immigrant, low-immigration vision which seeks fewer immigrants but a warmer welcome for those admitted." Their 'topics' menu links to "Biden Border Crisis", "Sanctuary Cities", "Welfare Use", "National Security" and both Legal and Illegal Immigration pages.

That's just the first fifteen! I have to break up the block of bullet points because it turns out Tumblr has a 4096-character limit on these things. Go drink some water.

Center for Renewing America: Their "mission is to renew a consensus of America as a nation under God with unique interests worthy of defending that flow from its people, institutions, and history"; "God, country, and community are at the heart of this agenda."

Claremont Institute: "We take the lead in DC through our Center for the American Way of Life, which is devoted to restoring political liberty by arming the Right with moral confidence, ideas, and new policies, while working to undermine the Left's hold over America's institutions and conscience."

Coalition for a Prosperous America: CPA is "a bipartisan coalition of farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, and labor organizations that make and grow things in the United States. Our members believe that America’s strength and well being is based upon growing America’s productive capacity and quality employment more than cheap consumption."

Competitive Enterprise Institute: The tagline is "40 Years of Eliminating Excessive Regulation and Unleashing Human Potential". They don't provide an easily-findable summary of their major positions to see how their actions back up their tagline.

Conservative Partnership Institute: "CPI provides a platform whereby citizen leaders, scholars, and activists who are committed to conservative values and principles can be connected with the conservative movement, and with Congress, congressional staff, and organization leaders in Washington, D.C.  " They're a networking group.

Concerned Women for America: CWA "protects and promotes Biblical values and Constitutional principles through prayer, education, and advocacy".

Defense of Freedom Institute: DFI is another "Constitutional"/"First Principles" group. From their Civil and Constitutional Rights page: "America is facing a historical moment, when many are pushing for policies that violate core constitutional and civil rights essential to a free society. DFI exists to defend the Constitution and the rule of law and protect civil liberties at school and work."

Ethics and Public Policy Center: EPPC works to "apply the riches of the Jewish and Christian traditions" to public policy.

Family Policy Alliance: FPA wants the USA to be a nation where "God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished!" (Snarky side note: Nothing says 'religious freedom' like promoting one religion to be honored above all others.)

Family Research Council: FRC wants to "serve in the kingdom of God by championing faith, family, and freedom in public policy and the culture from a biblical worldview."

First Liberty Institute: First Liberty "has been leading the fight to reclaim religious freedom in America." You may recognize them from defending the baker who wouldn't make a cake for a gay wedding.

Forge Leadership Network: FLN is a networking group who wants its members to "examine public policy and ethics from a Judeo-Christian worldview".

Halfway there! Just 27 more to go. Now's a good time to stretch it out.

Foundation for Defense of Democracies: FDD is a nonpartisan, nonprofit national security organization. In their individual policy pages, they imply that COVID was a biological weapon.

Foundation for Government Accountability: FGA claims to "advance policies that improve lives." At the same time, they are against ranked-choice voting and claim, "Mail-in and absentee ballot are a big problem when it comes to election fraud and ballot harvesting"

FreedomWorks: FW is a bland website that talks about individual liberty, draining the swamp, and smaller government. They're light on actual policies that they back, and several of their internal links are broken.

The Heritage Foundation: If you're reading this far into a post about the contributors to P2025, you exactly who THF is. Their mission statement: "Heritage’s mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense."

Hillsdale College: A private religious college with about 1400 undergrads that proudly boasts it was the first to admit both women and men. From their statement, "The College values the merit of each unique individual, rather than succumbing to the dehumanizing, discriminatory trend of so-called “social justice” and “multicultural diversity.""

Honest Elections Project: THey describe themselves as "a nonpartisan group devoted to supporting the right of every lawful voter to participate in free and honest elections". They also want "fair, reasonable, common sense measures" in place to protect against fraud.

Independent Women's Forum: They claim to focus on educating women about relevant policy. Their front page prominently displays anti-transgender messaging. They also back JD Vance as Trump's VP pick.

Institute for the American Worker: A group that claims to protect workers' rights. Going into the 'news' section reveals them to be anti-union.

Institute for Energy Research: They believe that "freely-functioning energy markets provide the most efficient and effective solutions" and that "Government policies should be predictable, simple, and technology neutral."

Institute for Women's Health: From their "What We Do" page: "The Institute for Women’s Health is committed to building coalitions that revolutionize women’s access to care." Looking through their op-eds, they are primarily an anti-abortion group.

Intercollegiate Studies Institute: Their header proclaims, "Your time at college is too important to feel isolated or attacked for questioning the ever-narrowing range of debate on campus. Get the education you deserve. Explore intellectual conservatism; Join a vibrant community of students and scholars; Defend your principles".

James Madison Institute: Not to be confused with James Madison University, JMI believes in "free markets, limited government, and economic liberty".

Keystone Policy: A group focused on "bringing leaders together". They focus on education, civic engagement, and tribal policy.

That's 40! We're almost through.

The Leadership Institute: TLI "provides training in campaigns, fundraising, grassroots organizing, youth politics, and communications. The Institute teaches conservatives of all ages how to succeed in politics, government, and the media." They furnish lists of their recruits to other conservative organizations.

Liberty University: A private religious college.

National Association of Scholars: From their about page, "We expect that ideas be judged on their merits; that scholars engage in the disinterested pursuit of the truth; and that colleges and universities provide for fair and judicial examination of contending views. We expect colleges to offer coherent curricula and programs of study."

National Center for Public Policy Resarch: NCPPR is a "non-partisan, free-market, independent conservative think tank" whose mission is "to grow the freedom movement by taking our message to new constituencies to secure liberty now and for future generations."

Pacific Research Institute: PRI claims, "public policy is too important to be left just to the experts." Their mission "is to champion freedom, opportunity, and personal responsibility for all individuals by advancing free-market policy solutions".

Patrick Henry College: A "conservative Christian college" that is "equipping Godly leaders".

Personnel Policy Operations: PPO believes "There are many opposition groups to the policy implementation of an America First agenda, such as the radical left, corporate media, tech companies, leftwing NGOs, and other activists". They firmly believe in the America First ideology.

Recovery for America Now Foundation: An addictions recovery group who believes "the Miracle of Recovery should be available to all. Our foundation was born out of our belief that all human beings possess intrinsic value, and that nobody is too sick to recover." They are currently working to repeal IMD, which limits recovery options available to Medicaid subscribers.

1792 Exchange: They work to "develop policy and resources to protect and equip non-profits, small businesses and philanthropy from “woke” corporations, to educate Congress and stakeholder organizations about the dangers of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) policies, and to help steer public companies in the United States back to neutral on ideological issues so they can best serve their shareholders and customers with excellence and integrity."

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America: An anti-abortion advocacy group.

Texas Public Policy Foundation: "The Foundation’s mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise" (emphasis theirs). Their front page mocks Democrats for not winning a statewide election in 30 years, then their about page says "The public is demanding a different direction for their government".

Teneo Network: The Teneo Network believes in limited government; a "transcendent order" based on religion, philosophy, or tradition; strong national defense; and free enterprise.

Young America's Foundation: Another group decrying the state of conservatives on college campuses. They want to make sure that American students "understand and are inspired by the ideas of individual freedom, a strong national defense, free enterprise, and traditional values."

And that's it for the listed contributors! Next post, we'll be getting into the meat and potatoes of Project 2025.

[thxnews]

AUKUS Powers Double Down on Nuclear Submarine Plan

Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have once again staunchly defended their landmark AUKUS nuclear propulsion partnership, pushing back against criticism from other nations regarding potential proliferation risks. In a forceful joint statement delivered to the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors meeting in Vienna this week, the three allies maintained their commitment to upholding the highest non-proliferation standards.  

Rejecting "Mischaracterizations" and Politicization

The allies expressed "deep concern" over what they characterized as "serious mischaracterizations and misleading assertions" about Australia's plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. They accused certain countries, though not named explicitly, of disregarding information provided "in good faith" and the IAEA Director General's own reassurances. A key point of contention has been the ongoing quarterly discussion of the AUKUS issue at the Board's meetings - something the allies deem unnecessary politicization given the IAEA head's satisfaction with current arrangements.   As the joint statement bluntly stated: "It is difficult to understand why these states do not apply their own logic to this issue. Why, when the Director General has expressed his satisfaction and a majority of the Board has expressed no desire for quarterly discussion on one country's naval nuclear propulsion program, do we continue to have this item added to the agenda?"   Safeguards Commitments - Australia will not enrich uranium or reprocess spent fuel - IAEA to maintain oversight of all nuclear material - Verification of no diversion, misuse, or undeclared activities  

Respect for IAEA's Technical Independence

A core theme was respecting the IAEA's independent technical mandate. The allies rejected suggestions of an "intergovernmental process" that could subject the agency's work to political interference, stressing all nations' interest in protecting its impartiality. Rebuffing calls for the IAEA's advisory body SAGSI to be consulted, the statement deferred to Director General Grossi's prerogative, saying: "It is not this Board's responsibility to dictate whether or how the Director General receives input from his own advisory group." The allies also commited to "continue to keep the Board updated on our engagement, as appropriate" regarding safeguards implementation and relevant future developments.  

Steadfast Defense, but Some Concessions

While firmly doubling down on their position, there were minor concessions. The UK representative acknowledged organizing a side event on the topic as "highly unusual," if done transparently. And on the AUKUS partners' part, they welcomed questions in future forums and NPT meetings. With Australia's submarine industrial partners now announced and some maintenance activities scheduled for late 2024, the path ahead seems set - though further scrutiny is expected. As one diplomat quipped: "They're full steam ahead on those nuclear-powered engines, it seems." Sources: THX News, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Ian Biggs, Australian Ambassador to the IAEA & Laura Holgate, US Ambassador to the IAEA. Read the full article

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Daniel Villarreal at LGBTQ Nation:

Kenneth Copeland, an 87-year-old Christian nationalist televangelist who was a member of former President Donald Trump’s Faith Advisory Council, recently led a prayer asking God to “break the power of the homosexual lesbian spirits that are trying to ruin our children and ruin this nation.” Copeland’s prayer — made during a broadcast of the Rescue America Tour hosted by FlashPoint Live, a Christian evangelical political program — began by asking the Christian God to oversee “in school board elections, judges, sheriffs, mayors, city managers [and] college presidents.” “Those that refuse to hold to your will and do it, remove them and put someone in there that will,” Copeland said, before continuing, “We pray that your will be done on this Earth as it is in Heaven. We know it is not your will that little babies be killed in the womb. It is not your will to major on perversion instead of the peace of God, and we pray for the people that devils are fighting in and trying to ruin their lives with perverted ideas and perverted ways.”

Copeland, who has been twice divorced despite the Bible’s prohibitions on divorce, continued, “The people that are addicted to pornography and addicted to the things of the flesh in this world, and we break the power we break the power of the homosexual lesbian spirits that are trying to ruin our children and ruin this nation. Get down from there! We sit by the throne. You are under our feet.”

On Last Thursday’s edition of FlashPoint Live! that aired on The Victory Channel as part of the Rescue America Tour, Kenneth Copeland prayed for opposition to abortion and LGBTQ+ rights.

From the 10.10.2024 edition of The Victory Channel's FlashPoint Live!:

See Also:

Right Wing Watch: Kenneth Copeland Prays For The Election

[mariacallous]

The International Day of Missing Persons on Wednesday was marked in several countries of the former Yugoslavia, on whose territory several thousand missing persons are still being sought from the wars of the 1990s.

The International Commission on Missing Persons, ICMP, says that during the conflicts in former Yugoslavia, more than 40,000 persons disappeared and were missing. About 70 per cent of these have since been found but 30 per cent are still being searched for.

In the ICMP database, which includes missing persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, there are currently 11,364 cases of missing persons.

The Institute for Missing Persons of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s spokeswoman, Emza Fazlic, said 7,607 missing persons are currently being searched for in Bosnia.

“Celebrating the International Day of the Missing is also an opportunity to once again draw the attention of all power holders to the fact that this is one of the most significant human rights issues facing our country. Without solving the issue of the missing, finding all the victims, there is no future or European path for our country,” she said.

“According to the Law on Missing Persons, all institutions in the country, from municipal to state level, must provide the Institute with information that could lead to graves. Therefore, institutions must do their job, and the archives must be opened,” Fazlic emphasized.

The central event of the International Day of Missing Persons in Bosnia will take place in Brcko, organised by the Advisory Board of the Institute for Missing Persons of BiH with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Speaking at the Brcko event, Samira Krehic, Deputy Head of ICMP’s Western Balkans Program, emphasized that while more than 70 per cent of the missing have been accounted for, the effort to account for those who are still missing remains absolutely essential.

“The human rights of families of the missing must be upheld,” Krehic said. “Therefore it is essential that the BIH Missing Persons Institute, the BIH Prosecutor’s Office and all the other domestic institutions in the countries in the region are adequately supported, financially and politically, and that regional cooperation through the Missing Persons Group is maintained,” she added.

In Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, families of missing persons, leaders and diplomats laid flowers at the monument dedicated to missing persons and called for more actions to shed light on 1,617 Kosovars who are still missing since the war ended in June 1999.

“I call on the international community and all of Kosovo’s allies to think about the mothers, sisters, brothers, parents and family members of those still in mass graves on which Serbia is still sleeping, even 25 years on,” Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said.

Head of Kosovo parliament Glauk Konjufca said the missing persons issue is “a pain that never ends”. He added: “It is an absence of justice for our people; Serbia forcibly disappeared their loved ones.”

In a statement marking the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, the head of the UN Mission in Kosovo, UNMIK, Caroline Ziadeh, called for renewed efforts to resolve the fate of the victims of enforced disappearances.

“I urge competent authorities to undertake all necessary measures to implement, in good faith, the Declaration on Missing Persons agreed in May within the EU-facilitated Dialogue,” Ziadeh said.

The director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija of the Government of Serbia, Petar Petkovic, said the fate of 1,639 citizens of all nationalities who disappeared during the conflict in Kosovo has not yet been clarified.

He accused the Pristina authorities of “still refusing” to allow mixed commissions to search those locations for potential mass graves. “In this way, we do not build a common future and reconciliation, which is why even today we appeal to the international community, as well as Pristina, to show a constructive approach to resolving the issue of the fate of the missing,” he stated.

The OSCE Mission in Kosovo called on both Kosovo and Serbia to engage in addressing the issue.

“We call on the parties to implement the Declaration on Missing Persons signed on 2 May this year in Brussels, aiming to bring closure to suffering and fostering lasting reconciliation and peace,” the Mission said in a statement.

In Croatia, the fate of 1,411 people and the burial places of 395 people are still unknown – a total of 1,806 unsolved missing persons cases.

In Varazdin, in the north of Croatia, wreaths were laid at the city cemetery, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans, Tomo Medved, was present.

To mark this day, a press conference was held in the Croatian town of Vukovar by the Association of Families of Missing Serbian Civilians “Against Forgetting,” the Serbian National Council and the Joint Council of the Municipality of Vukovar.

Apart from parliamentarians Dragana Jeckov and Boris Milosevic, from the Independent Democratic Serbian Party, SDSS, also present in Vukovar was Veran Matic, the special envoy of the President of Serbia for resolving the issue of missing persons with the Republic of Croatia.

[hicginewsagency]

NSSF management trashes MPs' report, decline to resign.

Updated by Faith Barbara Namagembe at 1122 EAT on Tuesday 14th March 2023. The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board of directors and the top management have trashed the parliamentary probe report that asked them to resign with immediate effect, calling it a mere advisory document. NSSF board chairperson, Peter Kimbowa says that until the appointing authority makes a decision, they will…

[clansayeed]

Hey Jack! I wanted to know what your thoughts are on Rheya. Was she really a villain to you? Were her motives justifiable? Was she a good villain? Did you think she deserved to have a redemption arc in chapter 16? What could have been written to make her have a better character story? Any thoughts at all about Rheya!

FOREWARNING: Anon... I accidentally wrote you a 2500 word essay. I shit you not this thing is 2,528 words long. So... I don’t know whether to say you’re welcome or I’m sorry. Just letting you know in advance.

ADD-ON POST-POSTING: I’m fully aware this is an app game. A three book series written with sexying vampires in mind. Where the medium is limited both size and content-wise, where you can’t go into much detail because they can only have so many panels in a chapter, etc. Still thinking what I think though. And if you get paid to create content professionally the least you can do for your own paycheck is go back and double-check your work.

Actually this ask came at a good time since I have to work on some character motivations for her for my series... and I always break down the in-canon versions before working on my own. So anon, let’s talk... are you a mind reader?

Kidding! mostly

So. Rheya.

I actually just finished my first replay of book 2 and at the moment I’ve only ever played book 3 the once. I played it as it was releasing so there were some memory gaps in some places and needed-refreshers in others. But on a whole I have similar thoughts about Rheya as I do Xenocrates, and you can find those thoughts here.

Overall she was a solid setup, good design and potential, and PB pretty much wasted her execution.

I wanna start with a genuine question to the fandom since I’ve never actually been able to ask this... but y’all like... totally saw the Bloodkeeper being related to her coming, right? Like I was so convinced of it that when it was revealed in some big dramatic point at the end I was like “yeah... they told us this...?” and it turns out they fuckin didn’t??? Like I could not understand the people who were like super into her sprite like yes she looks good but here I was thinking she was our ancestor from the get-go so I was... confused to say the least.

Not gonna lie when they started pushing in snippets of Rheya’s past trauma in book 2 (things like her yelling “you know what they did to me/took from me” which is paraphrased but you know what I mean) I really hoped they weren’t gonna do what they did. So of course they did it.

But I wish they’d like... just given her the kid. Just give her Iola and leave the weird suddenly random husband out of it. At this point we know Gaius has an unhealthy idolatry for her, we know Xenocrates adored her in his own way in his youth... but we know fuckall about Demetrius up to and including his existence until literally book 3. Sloppy, IMO. They took something not being mentioned and used it to put in a plot device when the omission should have been strategical.

TBH I thought the whole “you know what they did to me” was gonna get hella dark RE: Rheya and King Kaelisus’ obsession with her. That’s as far as I’ll go there.

But you have a Priestess, a known Priestess, who was definitely faithful enough not to stray even when she thought she was walking to her own death. It’s pretty easy to assume (as I did ngl) that she would be completely devoted to Phampira, including romantically/sexually. It would have been a good setup to explain why she never gave Gaius the goods if anything.

And there’s nothing wrong with having said Priestess have her own family while still being devoted. I just wish PB would have used some fucking forethought and hinted at that earlier on than they did. Because they didn’t hint. They dropped this random fisherman-something husband on us and told us she cared enough about his opinion to make him part of her advisory board but not... to like... mention him in any of her conversations in any of the flashbacks... including those in which he would have been alive.

On that note the whole timeline there is really messy, they obviously threw him and Iola in later on after some things were established/couldn’t be taken back. I’ve studied this shit extensively and it’s really muddled exactly how long Rheya ruled, when shit went down with her family, how much time had passed when Xenocrates staked her, etc.

I would have loved for Iola’s father not to have been there. Give me a strong woman, a strong single mother, who would burn the world for the loss of her daughter. Doesn’t matter who did the deed, Iola was hers and the Sons/Order took that from her and the world would have to pay the price.

If I had been given that I would end all of my complaints right here. I would, genuinely. Because then her descent into madness, her paranoia, her megalomania would all have been explained. And they still technically are but -- maybe it’s just me -- there’s something about her having to factor in Demetrius that just... takes me out of it. IDK.

I didn’t mind the guy... though him being a talking tree of doom was a little much for me... though by that point I had accepted the plot was off the goddamn rails and just kept nodding and going with it. But his presence made the story okay when his absence could have made the story impactful and powerful and emotional. That’s just my thoughts. Which you asked for. You did this.

No takesies-backsies.

Was she a villain? Hells to the yes.

It’s a classic case of obtaining ultimate power and abusing it; of crossing the line between justice and vengeance. Not that she wasn’t justified in her freak-out over the death of her family. But everything after up to and including her fatal feeding schedule was totally unnecessary. For a villain, yes necessary. 

For a vampire goddess who could have easily used Gaius’ influence over the vampires of the modern world to form a cult following around herself with an open dialogue about her big ass appetite and probably would have ended up with swaths of willing adorers ready to lend their blood to her cause thus eliminating the need for secrecy and subsequent feeling of betrayal...

You tell me.

I feel like she was definitely more than a little hyped up though. Not even going into my whole-ass issue with the entire Unchained plot and thus the first like 4-5 chapters of book 3, she was hyped up in myth and kind of a let down in person. She could FLY. Walk in the SUN. Heal the DYING. She’s vampire JESUS.

*ADDED IN LATER: She took out THE ENTIRE ORDER OF THE DAWN, WHO HAVE RAVAGED THE VAMPIRE POPULATION FOR LITERALLY 3000 YEARS since they were around in her time after all IN LIKE A THREE-MOVE COMBO BREAK. ALL THIS SHIT THEY HYPED WITH THE ORDER and their entire ERADICATION isn’t even an ON-SCREEN THING. Unless you pay.

Dude if they had kept Xenocrates and the Order and used the two of them against each other; the Order’s long-standing influence on the modern world versus the new world Rheya wanted to create with the human populations not knowing the history behind their hatred, where like the first half of the book is Rheya and MC and gang taking out the Order and Xenocrates only to find out in the middle point that she’s been doing it for selfish reasons and they were on the wrong team the whole time and THEN Rheya becomes the big bad... I would have enjoyed the shit out of that.

Anyway. “She’s vampire JESUS...” and her big evil plan is to... suck face on national television? IDK. It didn’t play the mood right for me. I can see from a writer’s perspective how they kind of played out all of their options and went with a quick and easy solution... but it didn’t work for me. That’s a no from me dawg.

Do I think she deserved a redemption arc? I don’t think anybody deserved a god damn redemption arc, unless they are done with extreme care and attention to detail before/during/after said arc they go horribly, and overall tend to be the plot device pick of lazy writers.

And I take nothing back. No like I think I might have gone into how much I fucking hated Gaius’ “reDEmPtiON aRc” before or at least I have somewhere and to someone. Probably Sofia... no most definitely Sofia. But anyway. They spend TWO GOD DAMN BOOKS hyping Gaius as this ultimately irredeemable bad guy. 

OMG I was literally playing the book 2 finale and got a quote hold on... HERE. Adrian literally says about Gaius in 2.16 “It’s like there’s no humanity left.” And that’s just one actual example of the tons of times they make him out to be devoted to Rheya of his own volition, the ultimate example of the line between believing in something and being blinded to everything by it, etc. Like a huge chunk of Kamilah’s and Adrian’s arcs RE: Gaius are about how he was definitely a monster, he turns the people around him into monsters, and while they have worked their asses off to be good and right their wrongs he has not, will not, and would not ever do such a thing.

Then suddenly he’s brainwashed, tried to turn Rheya down and was made into a loony toon because of it, and everything he made MC’s loved ones do that they blamed themselves for but needed to blame him for is suddenly Rheya’s fault and now we should blame her for.

Mmmmmkay sweetie. I’m good, thanks.

But really -- that was the last straw for me when it came to both Gaius and Rheya. There’s a difference between giving the villain something they see as a just cause (ex. Rheya avenging her family) and giving the villain a cop-out that absolves them of guilt (ex. Gaius and... everything about him). Like yes I know MC didn’t have to forgive him, I know Kamilah didn’t really forgive him, but it’s pretty fuckin obvious from how it was put out into the world story that the writers were trying to lean you towards blaming Rheya and letting Gaius off the hook.

I mean... making him save Lula for real when Rheya saved her for fake earlier on in the book, using Lula as a stand-in metaphor for her own child daughter that she finds out she was the cause of her death for, etc? That symbolism is so transparent I could put it in the asset database.

And I’ll only briefly touch on this since I could write a whole other essay on the matter RE: PB and their fucking constant repetition of this, but “let’s give both bad guys similar moral quandaries but suddenly reveal it was a consent issue and the woman is wholly to blame and now gets the man’s crimes piled on with her own” is super common in fiction and hella. fucking. sexist.

But that isn’t to say all of this is necessarily bad.

When done right, everything I’ve complained about above can be a part of a really good story. What “done right” means is different for everyone, everyone has a different example and different thoughts on it. These are mine. I think the better term would be done well. It was not done WELL.

But given things like PB’s weird obsession with redeeming the attractive (apparently) bad guy, PB’s history with narrowing a woman down to one trait or part of her (ex. Rheya’s power corruption centered around her role as a wife and mother and not... a super all powerful vampire goddess...), their obvious lack of attention to detail and overall lack of vision when it comes to the big picture* and more, I personally don’t think they knew what the fuck they wanted by book 3 and were already well into transitioning into whatever adultery-obsessed lingerie shenanery they’re fixated on now; so much so that it’s almost a disservice to the writing done in earlier book 1 and a decent chunk of book 2 when calling it a whole series.

*I keep bringing this up only because it means I can back up stuff like this with real examples of theirs: these guys did not write the plot of this series as a cohesive story. I get that, as a writer writing a big series myself I get the fuck out of that. But you have to solidify some things early on in the development process in order to avoid writing yourself into a hole or, like with this, having to result in trope-y plot devices that work in theory but on paper don’t give the story the full-circle fulfillment it deserves. 

Their timelines are out of whack, they contradict themselves in quite a few places, constantly wishy-washy their own lore, and definitely didn’t go back and double check if they’d said something already... and that’s not including where they focused on the details of one unimportant thing and left another more important thing to just be “and this is the way it is moving on.”

I literally have no way/idea how to summarize any of this bullshittery going on in this ask. Did I like Rheya? The character personality, design, and overall idea as this big ass badass power/hungry goddess demanding fealty was pretty cool. Did I like Rheya when they narrowed her story down to her grief over her family (which, again, is valid, but just seemed really disjointed and rushed when compared to everything else they had given about her/shown of her by the beginning of book 3)? Not... as much.

I think they wanted her to seem like she could be redeemed. I mean FFS in the “big battle” she literally just stands there and lets you do the thing. 3000 years imprisoned and however many centuries before that spent taking the power that she was denied all because some bad dudes in masks killed the mortal husband and daughter you would have eventually lost to old age anyway...? And she just stands there??? 

Even knowing she was really behind Iola’s death they could have stuck with the “madness consumed” plotline and had her be like well... what’s done is done back to taking over now thank you.

But sometimes a bad guy just has to be a bad guy. Rourke from ES, mister capitalism -- can’t remember them trying to redeem him. If they had I don’t think I would have liked it so much. Who else... UGH. Thomas in NB. Crazy zombie man wants all monsters dead because one killed his family (can we stop using dead families for grief porn please and thanks...) another example of a useless villain. Hence why I removed him from my NB rewrite don’t even get me going...

What’s his face in TCATF! Luther! You join up with him and he still tries to kill you in the end! Now that was fucking classic. Hex, who suddenly is forgiven for the literal enslavement of a race of people and the thoughtless murder of a civilization that didn’t agree with her.. and all because she was ‘like a mother’ to the kid genius? Not so much.

I could go on and on and go search out tons of examples but in the end the one thing you can say PB does well is that they stay consistent in their ideas of redemption, of who deserves it and who isn’t, and just how far they’re willing to stretch the fucking story to forgive a character if 1. the sprite is hot or 2. the sprite had a little sprite family somewhere in there.

legit just talk to me about bb/nb

[reading-writing-revolution]

Heather Cox Richardson:

November 28, 2020 (Saturday)

It seems as if Trump and President-Elect Joe Biden are in a contest to see who can will their vision of the future into life.

Trump continues to maintain that he won the 2020 election. Wedded to this alternative reality, his supporters are circulating articles wondering how Biden--who was ahead by significant numbers in all pre-election polls-- could possibly have won the election… against a president who, for the first time since modern polling began, never cracked a 50% approval rating.

In their fury, they are turning against election officials, including committed right-wing Republicans like Georgia’s Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, whom Trump has called “an enemy of the people” for defending the actual results of the election and refusing to make up reasons to throw out Democratic ballots. Raffensperger and his wife have been getting death threats, while Republican leaders refuse to stand up for him.

Many of Trump’s supporters believe him when he downplays coronavirus, which just passed the landmark of causing at least 200,000 cases in a single day. Today NBC reporter Dasha Burns echoed the words of South Dakota nurse Jodi Doering two weeks ago, saying that three days in Appalachian hospitals had revealed a world in which “hard-hit communities still don’t believe COVID is real. Misinformation is rampant.” Burns told of patients who, according to nurses, “don’t believe they have COVID until they’re in critical condition.”

Burns goes on to say: “Ultimately, politicization and misinformation around COVID are having tragic real-world consequences.” Health care workers “are watching neighbors die because they were told by leaders they trust that this virus is a hoax.”

Trump’s vision is destroying faith in our electoral system and spreading death. It is destabilizing our democracy, an outcome that helps those who are eager to see America’s influence in the world decline.

In contrast, Biden is trying to will into existence a country in which we can accomplish anything, saving ourselves from the ravages of coronavirus, rebuilding the economy, and joining those countries eager to defend equality before the law.

To that end, his nominations for key positions are experts who believe in making the government work for ordinary Americans. Rather than tweeting frequently about conspiracy theories, he tweets sparingly words of encouragement: “I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: Possibilities. We’re going to build an America where everyone has the opportunity to go as far as their dreams and God-given ability will take them” and “We have to come together as a nation and unite around our shared goal: defeating this virus.”

These two visions are in a fight to control our government.

The reality is that Biden was elected president in 2020. He has won more votes than any president in American history, over 6 million votes more than Trump and 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's 232. This is not close. Trump has challenged this election in a number of court cases; he has lost all but one of them, giving him a record of 1-39.

Yesterday, a federal appeals court made up of Republican-appointed judges rejected Trump’s attempt to overturn Pennsylvania’s certification of its election results. Judge Stephanos Bibas, a Trump appointee, wrote the opinion, which said the campaign’s challenge had “no merit.” “Charges of unfairness are serious. But calling an election unfair does not make it so. Charges require specific allegations and then proof. We have neither here,” the opinion said. “Voters, not lawyers, choose the President. Ballots, not briefs, decide elections.”

But Trump continues to tell his supporters that he has been cheated.

At some level, it is clear he cannot handle the reality that he has lost the election. On Thanksgiving, Trump finally spoke to reporters for the first time since the election, sitting at a comically small desk that has become fodder for comedians. He was not in a good mood. When a reporter asked if he would concede the election if the Electoral College votes for Biden, he exploded: “Don’t talk to me that way. I’m the president of the United States, don’t ever talk to the president that way.”

But Trump is also fundraising off his insistence that the election was stolen. The small print of fundraising emails reveals that donated money goes either to Trump’s political organizations or to the Republican National Committee. Today, rumors surfaced that Trump is considering holding a 2024 election rally on Biden’s Inauguration Day, a move that would help Trump feel important while it also would bring in money.

To rebuild the government, Biden is choosing officials who are institutionalists and experts. Today, for example, he announced more members of the Transition COVID-19 Advisory Board, adding a mental health nurse, the Executive Director at Navajo Nation Department of Health, and an epidemiologist who worked as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA).

But Trump is trying to rush through regulations and pack positions with loyalists before he leaves office.

Biden has been clear that he would like to return the nation to its cooperative multilateral approach to foreign affairs. He hopes to elevate diplomacy and reduce the influence of the military in our foreign policy.

His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, centers his understanding of foreign policy on a belief that echoes that of Republican Dwight Eisenhower a half-century ago: that American strength lies in the health of its middle class, which transnational threats are undermining. His initial focus will be health policy and China. He wants to send a “very clear message to China that the United States and the rest of the world will not accept a circumstance in which we do not have an effective public health surveillance system, with an international dimension, in China and across the world going forward.”

Sullivan believes the U.S. can rally other nations to fight corruption and authoritarianism, and to set up a “rules-based system.” But observers note that the Biden team will be working against the “shattered glass” of the Trump administration, which dumped treaties and tried to take on the world alone.

In the last days of his term, Trump seems eager to limit Biden’s ability to recover multilateral agreements, especially the 2015 Iran agreement, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which limited the amount of enriched uranium Iran could hold. Trump withdrew from that treaty in 2018, and inspectors recently reported that Iran now has many times the amount of uranium it could have held had the deal remained in force. Trump responded by asking his advisers if he could strike against Iran’s nuclear center. They talked him out of a military strike, saying that such a strike could lead to an escalating crisis.

Yesterday, gunmen likely associated with Israel assassinated the leader of Iran’s nuclear program, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, in an ambush outside Tehran. Experts note that the assassination might spark retaliation, and thus might well have destroyed Biden’s ability to rejoin the Iran nuclear deal, as he has pledged to do. It seems more likely to undermine diplomacy than Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Finally, while Biden has pledged science-based policies and protection of civil rights, Trump’s Supreme Court appointees on Wednesday indicated they will defend religion. Trump-appointed Justice Amy Barrett cast the deciding vote to strike down restrictions on religious services to combat the spread of Covid-19. In two similar cases in the past, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s vote had swung the court the other way. The decision claimed that secular businesses had received preference over religious gatherings; the dissenters pointed out that the distinction was not the nature of the gathering, but rather its chances of spreading a deadly disease.

Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan said the majority was being reckless. “Justices of this court play a deadly game,” they said, “in second-guessing the expert judgment of health officials about the environments in which a contagious virus, now infecting a million Americans each week, spreads most easily.”

While the majority on the court claimed to be speaking for religious interests, on Thursday, Pope Francis published an op-ed in the New York Times that seemed to side with Biden. He noted that most governments have tried to protect their people from the coronavirus, but “some governments… shrugged off the painful evidence of mounting deaths, with inevitable, grievous consequences.” He scoffed at those who refused to accept public health restrictions, “as if measures that governments must impose for the good of their people constitute some kind of political assault on autonomy or personal freedom!”

He called for a fairer economic system, a political system that gives voice to marginalized people, and protection for the environment.

According to Pope Francis, “This is a moment to dream big, to rethink our priorities — what we value, what we want, what we seek — and to commit to act in our daily life on what we have dreamed of.”