#september current affairs 2020

[theculturedmarxist]

Immediately after Joe Biden announced that he would not seek re-election and instead endorsed Kamala Harris, she was anointed as the Democratic Party presidential nominee with little analysis of her record or her program. In fact, her website, KamalaHarris.com , makes no mention of a political program at all. While foolish debates about whether she should be considered Black garner media attention, questions about policy are largely ignored. Black Agenda Report has been writing about Harris for some time, and we share what we and others have noted about her record over the years.

Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, July 19, 2017 Kamala Harris and America’s Oligarchs Briahna Joy Gray, Current Affairs, September 3, 2017 How Identity Became a Weapon Against the Left Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, January 16, 2019 Kamala Harris Destroyed Black Lives Teodros Fikre, Ghion Journal, January 16, 2019 Evoking Muckrakers: Hannah Giorgis’s Devastating Critique of Senator Kamala Harris Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report, January 24, 2019 Bernie Sanders vs Kamala the Jailer and Her Corporate Backers Danny Haiphong, Black Agenda Report, January 30, 2019 The U.S. is a Political Prison, Kamala Harris is a Prison Guard Teodros Fikre, Black Agenda Report, January 30, 2019 When Politicians Use Marginalized People As Human Shields

Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, February 20, 2019 Kamala Harris: The Fix Is In Marjorie Cohn, Black Agenda Report, July 10, 2019 Kamala Harris Has a Distinguished Career of Serving Injustice Danny Haiphong, Black Agenda Report, July 24, 2019 Kamala Harris Embodies the Most Dangerous Myth of American Exceptionalism Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, August 14, 2019 No Racism, Just Russians

Erica Caines, Hood Communist, August 13, 2020 Political Copaganda and the November Elections

Ahjamu Umi, Black Agenda Report, August 19, 2020 Kamala Harris: Class Struggle and the Illusion of Identity in Capitalism Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, August 19, 2020 “Feet to the Fire” and Other Lies Nelson Maldonado-Torres, Black Agenda Report, August 26, 2020 Obama, Harris and the Ruse of Racial Representation

Julie Kuttapan, Black Agenda Report, August 26, 2020 "Kamala Auntie": On the Vulgarity of Bourgeois Identity Politics in 2020

Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report, October 15, 2020 The Useful Tool: Kamala “Heartbeat Away” Harris Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, November 11, 2020 The Real Resistance Begins Tye Salandy,Trinidad and Tobago News Blog, November 13, 2020 Biden-Harris and the Diverse Faces of U.S. Imperialism

Erica Caines, Hood Communist, February 21, 2021 The Caribbean Diaspora Has a SOUTHCOM Problem

Erica Caines, Hood Communist, June 10, 2021 Kamala Harris and the Americas Ready for Revolution, Hood Communist, January 27, 2022 Biden Harris and the Never Ending Commitment to War Gyasi Lake, Black Youth Project, August 8, 2022 There’s No Such Thing as a “Progressive Prosecutor” In a System Designed to Criminalize Blackness Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report, April 7, 2023 Ajamu Baraka Discusses the Zone of Peace and Kamala Harris’ Trip to Africa | Black Agenda Report Salifu Mack, Hood Communist, July 6, 2023 More Than Meets the Silk Press: Kamala Harris and U.S. Imperialism Peoples Dispatch, March 25, 2024 Puerto Ricans Take to the Streets Against Kamala Harris Visit

Ajamu Baraka, Black Agenda Report, July 24, 2024 War, Genocides, and Coups: Biden/Harris and the Irreversible Crisis of Neo-Liberal Fake Democracy Jacqueline Luqman, Luqman Nation, The Coup for the Democratic Nomination, July 26, 2024 Darker Than Blue 7/26/24: The Coup For The Democratic Nomination

[xpuigc-bloc]

Toni Hamel

Born (1961) in Italy. Lives and works in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

Toni Hamel describes her work as “an illustrated commentary on human frailties“. Rooted in story-telling, her art practice draws from personal experiences and outward observations to create thematic bodies of work that reflect on and interpret the psychological unease of this anthropocentric age. Virtues and vices, the holy and the profane, the good and the bad all share equal weight in her work and supply an infinite source of material for her investigations. Pointing to historical references, popular culture and our current conceptual standing, Hamel’s satirical narratives ultimately seem to question our behaviour while alerting us about the repercussions of our current thinking models.

Hamel is the recipient of three Ontario Arts Council grants (2011, 2012, 2014). Her work has been exhibited in public and commercial galleries in Canada and abroad, and is included in the art collections of J. J. Abrams, Whoopi Goldberg, the Government of Ontario, the Omer DeSerres Corporation, the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and many other private collections around the world.

Hamel’s work is regularly featured in Arts & Culture publications including Colossal (March 7, 2023 – September 16, 2020), My Modern Met (April 24, 2022), CBC-Arts (Canada, short-doc; Season 3/Episode 20, 2018), Hi-Fructose (September 16, 2017 / August 8, 2015), Lowdown (Germany, Issue #98, 2018; print and online); Courrier International (France, October 2017; print), Colossal and BOOOOOOOM (digital), Frankie (Australia, October 2018; print), The Affair (Taiwan, July 2018; print), Efflorescence Culturelle (France, September 2016), Mud Season Review (USA, Issue #28; print – online see art and interview) and many other print and digital outlets.

Hamel holds a BFA from the Accademia di Belle Arti of Lecce (Italy, 1983), a post-graduate Certificate in Computer Graphics from Sheridan College (Canada, 1991), the Golden Key National Honour Society Award from the University of Toronto (Specialist Programme in Psychology, 1997). She is the recipient of the Lubiam Prize (Milan, 1983) and many other awards.

New works for a solo exhibition titled “In lieu of better days” at CK Contemporary in San Francisco, CA USA. Opening July 6, 2024

#Toni Hamel #ilustration painter

#original art #artist painter #art

#xpuigc

[mariacallous]

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stepped down from his role on Wednesday following the resignations of several other members of the cabinet amid a wide-ranging reshuffle of the Ukrainian government, the largest since Russia’s full-scale invasion more than two years ago. 

The shake-up comes at a critical juncture in the war, as Ukrainian forces seized a chunk of Russia’s Kursk region in a surprise cross-border offensive last month and as Moscow continues to strike energy facilities across Ukraine, leading to rolling blackouts and sparking fears of a grim winter ahead. 

On Tuesday, at least 51 people were killed in a Russian strike on the central Ukrainian city of Poltava. 

“Fall will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions must be set up in such a way that Ukraine will achieve all the results we need,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Tuesday evening address. “To do this, we need to strengthen some areas in the government—and personnel decisions have been prepared.”

Zelensky is expected to travel to the United States this month to attend the United Nations General Assembly and has said he intends to present U.S. President Joe Biden as well as presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris with a “victory plan” to win the war. 

Ukrainian lawmakers said they expect another round of firings and resignations—which have been rumored as part of a major government shake-up for some time—to continue Thursday. David Arakhamia, the head of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party in Ukraine’s parliament said in a Telegram message that as much as 50 percent of the cabinet of ministers could be reshuffled. 

In a meeting with his party in the Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday, Zelensky said the reshuffle was intended to reenergize the government and increase efficiency in certain areas, according to Oleksandr Merezhko, the chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

Rumors of a reshuffle have circulated in Ukraine for months. Almost a quarter of cabinet posts have been held by acting ministers following previous resignations, said Andrii Osadchuk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament with the opposition party Holos. 

Ukrainian analysts struggled to explain the logic of the reshuffle, noting that some of those who have tendered their resignations are expected to remain in senior government posts.

“I don’t think anyone can explain why most of the changes are happening,” said Andrii Borovyk, the executive director of Transparency International Ukraine. “We cannot say that this is a new team in the government,” he added, noting that many of the new appointees currently serve as deputy ministers or as officials in the Presidential Office. 

Ukraine has been under martial law since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and elections, which are typically held every five years, have been postponed indefinitely.

But with much of Ukraine’s foreign policy already being run by Zelensky and Andriy Yermak, the head of the Presidential Office, former U.S. officials and experts saw the moves as a reshuffling of the deck chairs in Ukraine’s cabinet instead of a full-on personnel makeover.

“These are Ukrainian decisions to make and indeed the president’s decision to make,” said former Ambassador William Taylor, who led the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv in an acting capacity until January 2020. “I don’t anticipate this being a problem in relations with the United States.”

In the past year, Zelensky has taken a firmer hand with personnel changes. In September 2023, he swapped out then-Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov for Rustem Umerov and followed that up by replacing the popular Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhnyi as the commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces with Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi in February. With the new moves likely to continue to see power centralized in the hands of Zelensky and Yermak, some lawmakers chafed at the changes.

“President Zelensky does not believe in institutions—he believes in people,” said one Ukrainian lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about the ongoing changes. “But institutions should work, and institutions should have strategy. That’s not how it’s happening in Ukraine.”

In the wake of Kuleba’s resignation, Andrii Sybiha will be nominated as Ukraine’s foreign minister, two people familiar with the decision said. Sybiha was a deputy to Yermak in the Presidential Office until earlier this year and previously Ukraine’s ambassador to Turkey. 

“He’ll have a different style from Kuleba,” Taylor said. “He’ll probably instill a little more discipline in the [Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. He’s more formal.”

As part of the changes, the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Olha Stefanishyna is expected to be folded into the Justice Ministry, with Stefanishnya tipped to lead the ministry in an expanded role as the country pursues accession talks with the European Union, said Alyona Getmanchuk, the director of the New Europe Center, a Kyiv-based think tank.

Oleksandr Kamyshin will be promoted to become a strategic advisor to the Presidential Office, two Ukrainian officials said, putting the former Ukrainian railroad and arms czar much closer to the powerful president. 

“For me, it’s time for new challenges,” Kamyshin said in a post on X on Wednesday after Ukraine’s parliament voted through his resignation. “I will remain part of the team and continue doing everything possible to bring our Victory closer. I will keep building the Arsenal of the Free World.” Herman Smetanin, the head of Ukroboronprom, the Ukrainian state defense conglomerate, is expected to take over the Ministry of Strategic Industries.

Ukrainian officials said Kuleba may take an ambassador role in Africa, where he has championed boosting Ukraine’s diplomatic footprint to counter rising Russian influence in the global south, or at a major European institution, such as NATO or the Council of Europe. 

Ukraine has been trying to move ahead with anti-corruption reforms. It has moved up 40 places in Transparency International’s scorecard on addressing corruption over the past decade, despite two Russian military invasions. And experts don’t expect the shake-up to further delay those efforts. 

“Let’s be fair: There’s still this ongoing war, a very serious situation in the east. They’re still scrambling to get the weapons and support that they need in Ukraine from the United States and other partners in the west,” said Jonathan Katz, the senior director for the anti-corruption, democracy, and security project at the Brookings Institution. “Certainly some consolidation of power is seen in scenarios like this where you have an ongoing conflict.”

[upismediacenter]

UP Cherubim and Seraphim shines in summer concert “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”

The UP Cherubim and Seraphim lit up the IBG-KAL Theater in their concert titled “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” last May 11, 2024.

The UP Cherubim and Seraphim (UPCS), which was founded on September 21, 1971, is the official children’s choir of the University of the Philippines. According to its Director Emeritus Dr. Elena Mirano, former dean and Professor Emeritus of the College of Arts and Letters, “tonight is the culmination of a whole year that marks the coming together face to face, after four years, of our current group, who sang together virtually from their own homes throughout the pandemic, and during that time produced three concerts online.” The last solo in-person concert of the group, “Come Alive,” was held on March 7, 2020.

UP President Atty. Angelo Jimenez gave the opening remarks for the concert. “I’m very excited to be here to watch the Cherubim and Seraphim of the University of the Philippines, whom I’ve known since I was a freshman in UP back in ‘83.” He shared a few anecdotes of his experience growing up in the Manobo tribe surrounded by music, and how he enjoyed engaging with both the folk and contemporary music of his time.

“And I am very happy that our children—our kids, our young people, are singing today. Because I think that many of you in UP know my interest in the arts and culture,” Jimenez adds. “I truly believe that it is not a great idea that will move people. To move people, we have to have emotion, and emotion has to be driven by higher feelings. At least, it can help us move towards our dream, which should be, as a university, aligned with the nation’s deepest emotions, our people’s highest aspirations.”

After President Jimenez, Dr. Mirano also gave her own remarks, where she gave a brief preview of the flow of the program which she described as “serious, modern, and fun.”

The first part of the concert included classics from European repertoire. The first four songs were from John Rutter’s “Dancing Day,” a series of Christmas carols from the Middle Ages. They also performed Felix Mendelssohn’s “Laudate Pueri,” a song of praise written in Latin.

The second part comprised contemporary Filipino repertoire, and all songs in this section were written by composers from the UP College of Music. This segment opened with “Sa Dakong Sikatan” by Eudenice Palaruan, then three songs written by National Artist for Music Ramon Santos were also performed: “Dal’wang Sawikaing Pilipino,” “Handog sa Ina,” and “Batang Magalang.”

The third part of the concert featured more recent and popular songs—all with choreography. The last section began with “Top of the World,” originally sung by Shawn Mendes as part of the soundtrack of the movie “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile,” and continued with “Don’t You Worry ‘bout A Thing” by Stevie Wonder, the concert’s title song. “You Will Be Found” from the musical Dear Evan Hansen, a song that was part of the repertoire in “Come Alive,” was also in this concert’s lineup. “Permission to Dance” by BTS brought out the K-Pop energy in the theater, and the choir closed out the concert by singing “Joyful, Joyful” from the movie Sister Act 2.

During the third part, the audience brought out white and purple lightsticks dubbed as “Cherubongs,” a mashup of “Cherubim” and the Korean colloquial suffix -bong, meaning “stick.”

Also in attendance at the concert were UP officials Vice President for Public Affairs Rolando Tolentino, Chancellor Carlo Vistan, Dean Jimmuel Naval of the College of Arts and Letters, Dean Jerome Buenviaje of the College of Education, Dean Pat Silvestre of the College of Music; and Mr. Ignacio Gimenez, the sponsor for whom the IBG-KAL Theater was named after. UPIS faculty members Assistant Principal for Academic Programs Dian Caluag, CA-EMA and SSH Cluster Head Cathy Atordido, and Ms. Kat Loyola were also present in the audience.

Behind this production were the UPCS music staff: Director Emeritus Elena Mirano, Associate Director Liya Dioquino, pianists Michelle Nicolasora and Samuel Silvestre, guitarist Luisa Dioquino, bassist Sage Ilagan, drummer Robin Rivera, choreographers Becca Silvestre and Sophia Maunahan, and program cover artist Hubert Fucio.

All in all, the concert ran for about two hours and ended with a repeat performance of “Don't You Worry ‘bout A Thing” as the encore.

To find out more about the UPCS, you may visit their Facebook page (U.P. Cherubim & Seraphim), Instagram account (@up_cherubs), and their website upcherubim.org.

//by Rache Bueno

[uncloseted]

I think this is a really stupid opinion for obvious reasons but I’d like to hear your think piece about people (mostly men) who genuinely believe that men are wired to cheat because of reproductive purposes

So I think the first thing here is that the concept of infidelity is literally man-made. Some animals mate for life and others don't, but the animals that don't aren't "cheating", right? "Cheating" is when there is a conscious violation of rules around an expectation of monogamy- it's when someone expects that their partner won't sleep with anyone else and then they do. If men were naturally inclined to be non-monogamous, it seems strange that they would consistently set up their societies to prevent everyone from acting on that impulse, right?

And along that same train of thought, having non-monogamous tendencies doesn't necessitate cheating. There are plenty of people who have the capacity to be non-monogamous but are in monogamous relationships- a 2016 study found that over 21% of Americans engaged in consensual non-monogamy at "some point in their lifetime," but per Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Nonmonogamy, as of September 2020, only about 4% of Americans are "practising a non-monogamous style of relationship". That means that a lot of people who have been non-monogamous in the past have entered into a monogamous relationship- out of convenience, for the comfort of their partner, realizing it "wasn't for them", etc. I'm sure that there are some people who truly can't be happy in a monogamous relationship, but for the most part, I think non-monogamy is more of a spectrum than a rigid sexual orientation.

The other thing is, if that were the case, we would see way more men cheating than women, and that's not really what comes out in the data. 12% of men and 7% of women admit to having had an extramarital relationship- so more men than women are cheating, but not as many as you would expect if all men are biologically wired to cheat and all women aren't. Plus, this is the number of people who would admit that they had an affair- given that women are judged more harshly than men on that kind of behavior, it's possible that women are under-reporting their infidelity.

Another interesting thing I came across in my reading is that the only gene we currently know of that is correlated with increased infidelity- AVPR1A- only impacts women. And so what this debate comes down to for me is that it's totally speculative. We have no real scientific evidence that men are "biologically predisposed to be non-monogamous", and we have even less scientific evidence that men are "biologically predisposed to violate the social contract that they made with their romantic partner because they just could not control themselves." It's just a dumb argument that shitty men use to justify their bad behavior.

[humanrightsupdates]

VENEZUELA: VENEZUELAN DETAINEES’ LIFE AT RISK

Emirlendris Benítez is a 42-year-old mother and tradeswoman who was arbitrarily detained in August 2018 and subjected to torture. Guillermo Zárraga is a 59-year-old engineer and former oil industry unionist arbitrarily detained in November 2020 and tried for crimes for which there was no evidence. They both suffer from grave health conditions, because of acts of torture, in Emirlendris’ case, and inhumane prison conditions. Both individuals are currently unfairly detained in prisons under the responsibility of the Minister for Penitentiary Affairs. We call on her to protect their lives and health and ensure they receive immediate and adequate medical attention

Emirlendris Benitez is a Venezuelan mother, sister, and tradeswomen. On 5 August 2018, Emirlendris was arbitrarily detained on fabricated grounds. Authorities falsely linked her to acts of violence committed against high-profile political leaders in Venezuela; an accusation for which there is no evidence and which she has consistently stated that she had no part in. In custody, she was subjected to torture while pregnant. A few weeks after her arrest, she was forcibly transferred to a medical facility and her pregnancy was terminated without her knowledge or consent. The torture she was subjected to left her needing the long-term use of a wheelchair for mobility. In 2022, she was sentenced to a 30-year prison sentence by a partial and politically motivated court. Emirlendris should have never been detained, as it is believed the charges are politically motivated. Furthermore, the draconian sentence against her should be revoked and she must be immediately released.

Guillermo Zárraga is a Venezuelan engineer who worked as an operator technician for Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA, the Venezuelan state-owned oil company) at the Cardón Refinery in the Catalytic Complex located in Coro, Falcón state. He was also a leader in the Sindicato Único de Trabajadores (Unique Workers' Union) within that organization. On 14 November 2020, at 3:00 am, he was detained at his home by officers from the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). According to the indictment by the Public Prosecutor's Office, he has been accused of providing national security information to an American man who had been arrested in September and was believed to be a CIA agent attempting to sabotage the oil industry complex. In addition to his role as a union leader, Guillermo Zárraga had been photographed with Juan Guaido, a prominent opposition leader. This photograph was included as part of the accusation, serving as evidence of Zárraga's alleged intention to support the sabotage. Despite the fact that Nicolás Maduro’s government has released the alleged CIA agent, Guillermo Zárraga remains arbitrarily detained.

TAKE ACTION: WRITE AN APPEAL IN YOUR OWN WORDS OR USE THIS MODEL LETTER

PREFERRED LANGUAGE TO ADDRESS TARGET: Spanish You can also write in your own language.

PLEASE TAKE ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE UNTIL: 1 December 2023

[designclever]

100 Poster Battle 2020–2021

By Students of FH Dortmund with Lars Harmsen

Sober: A poster should invite, communicate, inform, convince, and also provoke. If a viewer feels addressed, a poster is able to influence his or her decisions through text and images.

Emotional: @100posterbattle—one poster a day, for a hundred days, the span of a semester. Inspired by daily events from politics and current affairs. With the aim to try out different techniques, beyond the limits of conventional tools. 

In the end, 100 days of poster design reads like a diary. 2020/21 was marked by the pandemic and its consequences for culture, society, and education, the scary tweets of Trump and the upcoming US-elections, BLM, LGBTQ, Söder and Laschet in the power struggle, pro-democracy demos in Thailand, climate goals 2030, and fun-facts like the height of Mt. Everest which has shrunk by 86 cm, the eruption of the Sakurajima volcano in Japan, Elon Musk has become the richest man in the world as well as the boom of sextoys …

100 Poster Battle 2020–2021 Editor: Dortmund University of Applied Sciences Publisher: Slanted Publishers Release: September 2021 Supervision and Text: Prof. Lars Harmsen Design: Chantal Dübel, Claudia Müller, Nina Kallerhoff, Janine Krause, Saeeda Shabbir, Sinan Akpinar Volume: 244 pages Format: 180 × 240 mm ISBN: 978-3-948440-29-9 Price: € 30.–

Buy

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

August 28, 2023

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

After making it clear that she would run her courtroom in the interests of justice without reference to the 2024 presidential election, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan has set March 4, 2024, as the start date for former president Trump’s trial on four criminal counts for his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

Those charges are not about anything Trump said. The 45-page indictment acknowledges Trump’s right to speak about the election and even to lie that he had won, and the Department of Justice did not charge him with incitement. The indictment charges Trump with being part of three conspiracies: one to defraud the United States by “using dishonesty, fraud, and deceit” to stop the lawful government function of determining the results of a presidential election, a second conspiracy to obstruct the lawful January 6 congressional proceeding to count and certify the results of the presidential election, and a third conspiracy to take away from other Americans “a right and privilege secured to them by the Constitution and laws of the United States—that is, the right to vote and to have one’s vote counted.”  

Department of Justice special counsel Jack Smith’s office had asked the judge for a January 2 start date, saying the date “serves the public’s interest and the interests of justice, while also protecting the defendant’s rights and ability to prepare for trial.” (A Politico Magazine/Ipsos poll from August 18–21 bears out this position: it shows that 61% of the American people believe that Trump should go to trial for election subversion before the Republican primaries.)  

Trump’s lawyers countered with a proposal to start the trial in April 2026, an extraordinary request that they attributed to the need to sift through enormous amounts of evidence—12.8 million pages worth—but which might well have been an attempt to get the judge to split the difference and give Trump a court date in 2025, after the 2024 election. 

Trump has told his aides he intends to solve his legal problems by winning the next election. 

Today, Department of Justice prosecutor Molly Gaston responded to Trump’s request by noting that 7.8 million pages of that material either came from Trump himself—tweets, for example—or from those associated with him, or had been public for months already. She noted that Trump’s lawyers themselves have publicly called the case a “regurgitation” of the report from the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, and noted that the Department of Justice had been careful to make sure the new material it provided is easy to review. 

Trump lawyer Alina Habba didn’t help the Trump camp yesterday when she told Fox News Sunday that Trump wouldn’t need to prepare for his many legal cases because he’s “incredibly intelligent.” Nonetheless, Trump lawyer John Lauro used the March 4 trial date to begin laying the groundwork to argue he could not provide adequate representation.

Before she set the date, Chutkan said, she conferred with New York state judge Juan Merchan, who is set to preside over Trump’s trial for campaign violations when he paid hush money to an adult film actress to cover up an affair. That case is scheduled to start on March 25. Trump’s federal trial for his theft of national security documents and hiding them at Mar-a-Lago is currently scheduled to begin in May 2024. 

The trial date on racketeering charges in Georgia for a conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election has not been set yet, but today the arraignment for all 19 defendants was set for September 6, 2023.

In the midst of all these court dates, Judge Chutkan’s establishment of March 4 for the federal trial over Trump’s attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election means that Trump-appointed federal judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the Mar-a-Lago documents trial and who seems eager to protect the former president, will have far less power to shape public perceptions of the cases against Trump. Los Angeles Times legal affairs columnist Harry Litman noted: “This is the centerpiece now of accountability for Trump, which is as it should be.”

Meanwhile, in an Atlanta courtroom, Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows took the stand to try to get charges against him as part of the Georgia indictments transferred to federal court with the ultimate goal of getting them dismissed. Meadows took the unusual step of testifying himself in the case, and he argued for a sweeping interpretation of a chief of staff’s official duties. 

He claimed that it was his job as chief of staff to address anything that might distract Trump or divert his attention, and therefore his work to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election fell within his job description. If so, his case belongs in federal court because federal officials are protected from state prosecution over things they did as part of their official duties. But working for a political campaign is explicitly not part of an officer’s duties: the Hatch Act prohibits federal officials from engaging in partisan activities while on duty. 

U.S. District Court Judge Steve C. Jones said he would rule as quickly as he can after considering the arguments.

Three Republican false electors from Georgia have also asked to move their cases to federal court, arguing that they were acting at the direction of Trump and his people, who were agents of the federal government. So has lawyer Jeffrey Clark, who tried to take over the office of attorney general to push Trump’s claims that the election was stolen, and who was employed at the time by the Department of Justice.

Nicole Narea of Vox noted that dividing up the defendants in the Georgia indictments serves Trump’s case by slowing everything down as Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis has to prosecute each defendant separately. Cornell University law professor Randy Zelin told Narea that such a scenario will permit Trump’s lawyers to prepare their defense based on the previous cases. It is, he said, “a defense lawyer’s dream.” 

Republicans are planning to stand behind Trump, echoing his lawyer’s argument that Trump is being prosecuted selectively because he is Biden’s political opponent. John Lauro called the case a “show trial,” suggesting Lauro does not see any reasonable likelihood that he can produce evidence to convince a jury Trump is not guilty. 

Republicans in Congress appear to be in a similar place, apparently planning to defend Trump not by arguing he is not guilty, but by launching more investigations to tarnish Democrats, as they did with the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails and as Trump did in his attempt to get Ukraine president Voldymyr Zelensky to announce an investigation into President Biden’s son Hunter in 2019. 

Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the Judiciary Committee, has demanded that Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney Fani Willis turn over internal documents related to the grand jury’s indictment of Trump on racketeering charges, implying that they will show illegitimate coordination between her and the Department of Justice, when in fact federal and state prosecutors often confer on cases that involve both of their jurisdictions. 

House Republicans also are moving forward on impeaching President Joe Biden, although there is no evidence that there are any grounds for such a proceeding. One Republican lawmaker told CNN’s Melanie Zanona: “There’s no evidence that Joe Biden got money, or…agreed to do something so that Hunter could get money…. And they can’t impeach without that evidence. And I don’t…think the evidence exists.”

But polls last spring indicated that the American people think the Republicans’ investigations are a waste of time. Now the lack of evidence for an impeachment inquiry makes some Republican lawmakers unwilling to vote for one, just as they were unwilling to vote to “expunge” the former president’s impeachments, recognizing that such votes might turn off some of their more moderate voters. So the extremists eager to run the playbook of using an investigation are talking about skipping a formal vote and just launching an inquiry without one. 

Trump yesterday wrote on his social media network: “You don’t need a long INQUIRY to prove it, it’s already proven…. Either IMPEACH the BUM, or fade into OBLIVION. THEY DID IT TO US!”

But Republicans who jump on board this effort will be working against the American people. According to that Politico/Ipsos poll, 59% of Americans think the Justice Department decided to indict Trump after a fair evaluation of evidence and the law. 

And the March 4 trial date means backing Trump for the Republican presidential nomination has a new pitfall. March 4 is the day before Super Tuesday, when more than a dozen states will hold Republican presidential primaries. Philip Bump of the Washington Post noted today that by mid-March, more than half the delegates allotted for the Republican nomination will have been assigned and, since the Republicans have designed their nomination process to consolidate quickly with winner-take-all primaries, Trump could win the Republican nomination in the midst of his trial for trying to overturn the foundational principle of our democracy.

March 4 is also a historically significant date. Until 1936 it was the date on which presidential inaugurations were held (unless it fell on Sunday, in which case the inauguration was moved to the following day, Monday, March 5). Lawmakers chose that date because it was the one on which, in 1789, the Constitution went into effect.

—

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[angelswing236]

🤡✨🎶and 💖 for the ask game!

Hi, @rosemacclare! Thanks for the asks!

🤡 What's a line, scene, or exchange you've written that made you laugh?

I've got a few. The second and fiftieth chapters of In Vino Veritas and the auction scene in Ladies' Choice. I also made myself chortle when I was writing moony-eyed Edith in Mad About The Boy. Generally, writing flustered or jealous Mary makes me chuckle too. I'm working on a WIP that has had me giggling as I write it too.

✨ Give you and your writing a compliment. Go on now. You know you deserve it. 😉

I'm good at writing dialogue and making it seem natural, at making my characters talk like real people, even if they are using era-appropriate language and speech patterns. The characters talk to me in my head, so the dialogue flows quite easily for me.

🎶 Do you listen to music while you write? What song have you been playing on loop lately?

Yes, I nearly always have music on. I tend to set a playlist going rather than listening to an album or a song on repeat, though. I listen to all sorts of music from every decade from the 1940s onwards right up to the current day.

💖 What made you start writing?

I've always loved writing, right from being a kid. And I write for a living, but it is a very different type of writing. I wrote fanfiction for a while years ago but stopped for a long time.

I had lurked on AO3 on and off for a while, but never felt the urge to write anything. And then in September 2020, I rewatched Downton Abbey - something nice and familiar in a topsy-turvy world - and an idea popped into my mind.

When the series first aired, I thought briefly that the writers were setting up a possible love affair between Tom and Mary, and I was disappointed when that never went anywhere. When I rewatched the series, I suddenly thought, 'What if a frustrated Mary confides in Tom when she gets back from her disastrous dirty weekend with Tony? And what if an equally frustrated Tom suggests they scratch an itch together?' and I knew I could write that story. And that seed became An Itch Under The Skin.

Once I started writing again, I got the bug...

[timesofinnovation]

In a critical session held on September 18, 2024, members of the US Senate Intelligence Committee interrogated major technology companies about their strategies to mitigate foreign disinformation threats as the November elections approach. With increasing concerns over the integrity of the electoral process, executives from Google, Microsoft, and Meta (formerly Facebook) were put in the spotlight, highlighting the importance of their actions in safeguarding democracy. Senator Mark Warner, the committee's chairman, noted the heightened risk of disinformation campaigns, particularly during the 48 hours surrounding Election Day. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, corroborated this assertion, identifying the period immediately after polls close as especially vulnerable. This timeline is crucial; in tightly contested races, misinformation can easily manipulate public perception and sway voter opinions. During the hearing, lawmakers scrutinized recent tactics employed by foreign actors, including the creation of fake news websites that mirror reputable US media outlets and the dissemination of fabricated recordings related to elections in other countries. The senators pressed the tech executives for concrete data on how many users had encountered such content and the circumstances under which it was promoted. The significance of these inquiries cannot be overstated; understanding the scale and impact of disinformation is vital for formulating effective countermeasures. In response to these concerns, the technology companies provided an overview of the steps they have taken so far. Initiatives such as labeling and watermarking content to identify deepfakes and misinformation were discussed. However, lawmakers were quick to point out that while these measures represent progress, there is room for improvement. Enhancing efforts to limit the spread of harmful content, especially during sensitive electoral periods, should be a top priority for these platforms. This session aligns with a broader trend in how governments are positioning themselves against potential cybersecurity threats. Countries around the world are recognizing that foreign interference in domestic affairs, particularly through disinformation, poses significant risks to democratic processes. Legislators are under pressure to ensure that tech giants maintain robust policies and technologies to protect the integrity of information. For instance, consider the case of the 2020 US elections, which were marred by widespread misinformation regarding voter fraud and electoral security. Tech platforms faced backlash for their perceived inaction and were subsequently urged to adopt stricter guidelines and more effective monitoring systems. Lessons from that election have undoubtedly shaped the current scrutiny in the Senate. Moreover, the differing approaches among tech companies underscore a critical point: the effectiveness of their strategies can vary significantly. While some platforms may have adopted advanced algorithms to detect disinformation, others may still be catching up. This disparity may leave gaps that foreign actors can exploit, highlighting the need for uniform standards across the industry. Lawmakers expressed a collective desire for more transparency. They urged tech companies to share data on not just the prevalence of disinformation but also their response strategies and the outcomes of those measures. Transparency fosters accountability, which is essential for building public trust. If users can see that tech companies are proactively addressing disinformation, it may alleviate concerns about the state of information integrity. In addition to immediate electoral threats, the committee's discussions reflected wider implications for online discourse. With tech giants controlling vast portions of the information landscape, they wield significant influence over public opinion. It's a responsibility that comes with a need for ethical stewardship and a commitment to truthfulness in communication.

As the elections draw nearer, the pressure on these platforms will only intensify. Future hearings and discussions will likely play a crucial role in shaping policy and guiding tech companies in their efforts to combat disinformation. Stakeholders, including policymakers, civil society, and the general public, should continue to engage in these conversations to foster a more secure information ecosystem. The scrutiny faced by technology companies from the US Senate serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing challenges posed by disinformation in the digital age. As elections approach, the call for more comprehensive solutions and greater accountability will echo, underscoring the complexity of ensuring that democracy remains resilient against external threats.

[darkmaga-retard]

by Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio

VERSIONE IN ITALIANO

Originally published on April 14, 2024

«I was impressed to learn that Burisma Group is the fastest-growing private gas producer in Central Europe. International projects where the Group is involved require a more thorough analysis and risk assessment, not only in terms of conventional risks – financial or political but also in terms of security. My role will be to advise the Group with respect to its security practices and protocols, including on the most effective protections and programs to guard against cyber-attacks».

With these words Joseph Cofer Black, former director of counter-terrorism in the Central Intelligence Agency, the American counter-intelligence of Langley (Virginia), responded to the Kyiev Post in February 2017 in an article curiously signed by Burisma itself, the company of which Hunter Biden belonged, son of then Vice President Joseph and now POTUS in the White House.

Burisma is the Ukrainian company accused in recent days by the Russian National Investigative Committee of having financed terrorists in various attacks in their country (and outside) such as in the Crocus City Hall massacre.

«International Energy Group Burisma has expanded its Board of Directors to include an expert in the field of security and strategic development. Joseph Cofer Black, a former Director of the CIA’s Counterterrorist Center and Ambassador at Large for counter-terrorism recently joined the Board as an independent director at Burisma Group. Ambassador Black resigned from public service in 2005 after a 30 year career  and is considered a  leading expert and significant figure on  U.S. and international security issues.  He served in the administration of President George W. Bush and also served as a senior advisor on international affairs for U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney. According to public media reporting, Ambassador Black was a top contender for the position of Director of the Central Intelligence Agency in the administration of current U.S. President Donald J. Trump» we can read in the old article.

However, it should be remembered that the reference to Trump could be misleading as it comes from a newspaper now very close to the regime of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, supported primarily by the American Democrats, and Black worked for Bush who endorsed Biden in the 2020 presidential campaign.

While it should be added that Cofer Black played a crucial role in the terrible event of September 11th as we will see later in the final paragraph of the article…

[themovieblogonline]

Chicago Rolls Out Red Carpet for Sundance X Chicago 2024

o Logan Center for the Arts on the campus of the University of Chicago co-hosted the first event with Sundance to be held in a city other than Park City, Utah. Sundance X Chicago began with the screening of the Sundance documentary “Luther: Never Too Much” at the Logan Center for the Arts. No less a celebrity than the Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, was present. Also in attendance was Eugene Hernandez, the Director of the Sundance Film Festival since 2022, and the Director of “Luther: Never Too Much,” Dawn Porter. The City of Chicago, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), and Choose Chicago, in partnership with the nonprofit Sundance Institute kicked off the highly anticipated Sundance Institute X Chicago 2024 - the first of its kind event in the United States -  with a welcome reception with City officials, Sundance creatives, and the greater Chicago film community. SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL The landmark three-day event, June 28 - 30, showcases Midwest premiere screenings of four films drawn from the Sundance Film Festival’s lineup in January, along with a robust series of panel discussions, master classes, and community programming. Sundance, originally the brainchild of Robert Redford, began in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1978. In 1981, the festival moved to Park City, Utah, and changed the dates from September to January.  In 2020, the year the pandemic struck,  the estimated value of Sundance to Utah was said to be $167 million. Due to the pandemic in 2021, the 44th festival went virtual. The festival returned to in-person showings in 2023. I reviewed 8 films streamed to me from Sundance in 2024. Currently, Sundance is considering moving to another city in 2027. Cities that have expressed interest in hosting Sundance include Boulder, Atlanta, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Chicago, Buffalo, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. "Luther: Never Too Much" Documentary "Luther: Never Too Much"  is a documentary that chronicles Luther Vandross's impressive career and life, using clips from his performances and collaborations with greats like David Bowie and Bette Midler to interviews done with Luther, himself, along with those who knew and worked with him. Among those who praise the talent of Luther Vandross in the documentary are Jamie Foxx (an executive producer of the film), Dionne Warwick, Oprah, John Tesh, Roberta Flack, Richard Marx, and Mariah Carey. The treatment resembles the documentaries devoted to Little Richard, Billy Ocean, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, and others that have recently become available.   Read the full article

[michellesmusing]

My New Hero!

I so Want to meet her!

CAPTAIN MELANIE "MACH" KLUESNER

Captain Melanie Kluesner is the Commander, F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The mission of the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration team is to showcase the unique aerial capabilities of the Air Force’s most advanced 5th generation multi-role stealth fighter, the F-35A Lightning II, as well as highlight the history of the Air Force’s service through heritage formation flights. Additionally, she provides operational oversight and direction for the 13-personnel team, to include maintenance, aircrew flight equipment, and public affairs Airmen.

Capt Kluesner entered the Air Force in 2015 after receiving her Distinguished Graduate commission from the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officer Training Program at the University of Southern California. She is an experienced fighter pilot with more than 800 flying hours in the F-16C Fighting Falcon, F-35B, and F-35A Lightning II. Her flying assignments include Undergraduate Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and fighter training in the F-16C at Luke AFB, Va., in the F-35A at Eglin AFB, Fl., and in the F-35B at MCAS Beaufort, SC. Operational assignments include Kunsan AFB, South Korea, a USMC exchange at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Luke AFB, Arizona, and Hill Air Force Base, Utah. In 2020, she became the first USAF pilot to deploy in the F-35B. 

EDUCATION: 


2014 Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Cali.  2021 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1.  October 2015 – February 2017, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas 2.  March 2017 – December 2017 Student, F-16 Basic Course, Luke AFB, AZ 3.  Janruary 2018 – January 2019, F-16 Pilot, Kunsan AB, KOR 4.  February 2019 – May 2019, F-35A Transition Course, Eglin AFB, FL 5. June 2019-August 2019 – F-35B Transition Course, MCAS Beaufort, SC 5. September 2019 – June 2021, F-35B Flight Lead, MCAS Iwakuni, Japan 6. July 2021 -- October 2023- F-35A Instructor Pilot and OSS Flight Commander, Luke AFB, AZ 7. November 2023-February 2024- F-35A Instructor Pilot, Hill AFB, UT 6.  March 2024 – Present, F-35A Demonstration Team Commander, Hill AFB, Utah

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Senior Pilot Flight Hours: More than 1000 Aircraft Flown: T-6, T-38C, F-16C, F-35B, F-35A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Air Force Commendation Medal Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Outstanding Unit Award

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant  May 2013 First Lieutenant  May 25, 2015 Captain, May 25, 2017 (Current as of March 2024)

[market-news-24]

Today's Current Affairs: Airport Staffer Falls Off Step Ladder While Disembarking From Plane A viral video capturing an airport staffer falling off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane in Indonesia has been making rounds on social media. The footage shows a man, presumably an airline staff member, stepping out of the plane door while another colleague inadvertently pulls back the stepladder. This incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks faced by airport personnel in the line of duty. [ad_2] Download Latest Movies in HD Quality Downloading In 15 seconds Scroll Down to End of This Post const downloadBtn = document.getElementById('download-btn'); const timerBtn = document.getElementById('timer-btn'); const downloadLinkBtn = document.getElementById('download-link-btn'); downloadBtn.addEventListener('click', () => downloadBtn.style.display = 'none'; timerBtn.style.display = 'block'; let timeLeft = 15; const timerInterval = setInterval(() => if (timeLeft === 0) clearInterval(timerInterval); timerBtn.style.display = 'none'; downloadLinkBtn.style.display = 'inline-block'; // Add your download functionality here console.log('Download started!'); else timerBtn.textContent = `Downloading In $timeLeft seconds`; timeLeft--; , 1000); ); [ad_1] Q1. What does the viral video captured at the airport in Indonesia show? A. A man falling off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane B. A man pulling back the staircase from an airline door C. A woman breaking her leg while deboarding a plane D. A security agent working at the airport Answer: A. A man falling off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane Q2. In which country did the incident, shown in the viral video, take place? A. India B. Indonesia C. Spain D. Ireland Answer: B. Indonesia Q3. What was the occupation of the person who fell off the ladder in the video? A. Airline pilot B. Passenger C. Airport security agent D. Airline staff member Answer: D. Airline staff member Q4. When did a similar incident occur at Pune airport involving a security agent? A. April 2024 B. September 2023 C. February 2020 D. May 2021 Answer: A. April 2024 [ad_2] What is the video capturing? The video captures an airport staffer falling off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane in Indonesia. The footage shows a man, presumably an airline staff member, stepping out of the plane door while another colleague inadvertently pulls back the stepladder. Where did the incident occur as mentioned in the video? The incident occurred in Indonesia, as mentioned by the person who tweeted the video. The staffer involved belonged to Transnusa Airlines. Can the authenticity of the video be verified? While News18 could not verify the video, it has rapidly gained traction on social media. The incident captured in the video is not the first of its kind, as similar accidents have happened due to negligence at airports in the past. What was the outcome of a similar incident reported in September 2023? In another incident reported in September 2023, a passenger fell off the stairs while stepping off the plane and broke her leg in two places. The incident happened while traveling from Seville to Alicante in Spain to meet her newborn grandson. The woman was using Ryanair, an Irish ultra-low-cost carrier at the time of the incident. [ad_1] Download Movies Now Searching for Latest movies 20 seconds Sorry There is No Latest movies link found due to technical error. Please Try Again Later. function claimAirdrop() document.getElementById('claim-button').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'block'; let countdownTimer = 20; const countdownInterval = setInterval(function() document.getElementById('countdown').textContent = countdownTimer;

countdownTimer--; if (countdownTimer < 0) clearInterval(countdownInterval); document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('sorry-button').style.display = 'block'; , 1000); [ad_2] In today's current affairs, a viral video from Indonesia depicts a shocking incident where an airport staff member falls off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane. The footage shows the man, who appears to be an airline staffer, stepping out of the plane door as another colleague mistakenly pulls back the stepladder. This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the potential risks and dangers that airport staff face in their daily work routine. While the authenticity of the video could not be verified, similar accidents have been reported in the past due to negligence. It is essential for airport authorities to prioritize safety measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. [ad_1] | Today's Current Affairs | |-------------------------| | **Headline:** An Airport Staffer Falls off Step Ladder While Disembarking from Plane in Indonesia | **Date:** May 15, 2024 | **Time:** 23:45 IST | **Description:** A video capturing an airport staffer falling off a step ladder while disembarking from a plane in Indonesia has rapidly gained traction on social media. The footage shows a man, presumably an airline staff member, stepping out of the plane door while another colleague inadvertently pulls back the stepladder. While News18, could not verify the video, the person who tweeted the video, mentioned the incident occurred in Indonesia and the staffer belonged to Transnusa Airlines. This is not the first time such an accident happened due to the negligence of the staff at the airports. Last year in April, a security agent working with airline AIX Connect, formerly known as Air Asia, died after falling while deboarding a plane from its rear door at Pune airport. The airline staffer was identified as Vivin Anthony Dominic (34), a resident of Lohegaon, Pune. In another similar incident that was reported in September 2023, a passenger fell off the stairs while stepping off the plane and broke her leg in two places. The woman was using Ryanair, an Irish ultra-low-cost carrier while travelling from Seville to Alicante in Spain to meet her newborn grandson in February 2020 when the incident happened, El Periódico reported. [Read More](https://www.news18.com/byline/kavya-mishra-25951.html) (Source: News18) | **Image:** Screengrab from the viral video | **Author:** Kavya Mishra, Senior Sub-Editor at News18 [ad_2]

[llewelynpritch]

BBC Conservative Party Bias Serious Lack Of Impartiality - ‘The available evidence indicates the BBC has been giving significantly more airtime and more favourable coverage to the Conservative Party and its leadership contest compared to the Labour Party and its leader Keir Starmer in its morning and other news broadcasts.’ #CorruptToryGovernment #Elections #Electioneering #AI #Perplexity Llewelyn Pritchard 30 April 2024

Perplexity: ‘Based on the search results provided, the BBC does not appear to be giving equal airtime to the Labour Party in its morning broadcasts compared to the Conservative Party:

The Ofcom report found that the Conservative leadership contest was the most prominent specific topic across BBC news outlets, accounting for up to 47.2% of airtime on Newsnight and around 20% on other major BBC TV news programs.1

In contrast, the report found that health, education and crime topics only accounted for 7.5% of BBC airtime 1

The YouGov survey data suggests the public perceives the BBC as being more favourable towards the Conservatives and the right compared to Labour and the left. 5

So in summary, the available evidence indicates the BBC has been giving significantly more airtime and more favourable coverage to the Conservative Party and its leadership contest compared to the Labour Party and its leader Keir Starmer in its morning and other news broadcasts. 1 4 5’

BBC Conservative Party Bias Serious Lack Of Impartiality ‘The available evidence indicates the BBC has been giving significantly more airtime and more favourable coverage to the Conservative Party and its leadership contest compared to the Labour Party and its leader Keir Starmer in its morning and other news broadcasts.’ #BBC #CorruptToryGovernment #Electioneering #AI #Perplexity Llewelyn Pritchard  30 April 2024

Samir Shah Non-Executive Chairman

Damon Buffini Deputy Chair; Chair, BBC Commercial Board

Consisting of four executive members:

i) Tim Davie - Director-General and Editor-in-Chief, who also chairs the

Executive Committee. 1

ii) Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer. 1

iii) Leigh Tavaziva, Chief Operating Officer. 1

iv) Deborah Turness - CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs. 1

Four of the non-executive members are specifically appointed as members for each of the nations of the UK:

i) Robbie Gibb, Member for England

iia) Dame Elan Closs Stephens DBE, ‘Former Acting Chair; Former Member for Wales’

iib) Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director of Nations and sits on the BBC’s Executive Committee

iii) Muriel Gray, Member for Scotland

iv) Michael Smyth, Member for Northern Ireland

The Chairman and the non-executive members for the nations are appointed by HM The King on the recommendation of Ministers while the other members of the Board are appointed by the BBC through the Board’s Nominations Committee.’

Source: https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/whoweare/bbcboard

Perplexity

‘Member ID of the BBC Executive Committee, which is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the BBC who have likely or potential vulnerabilities to Tory Government interference 1 2 3 5’:

Tim Davie, Director-General and Editor-in-Chief

Appointed: 1 September 2020

‘there is evidence that Tim Davie, the current Director-General and Editor-in-Chief of the BBC, has had past political affiliations with the Conservative Party:

Involvement with the Conservative Party in the 1990s:

Davie "stood as a councillor for The Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994." 1

He was also "deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party in the 1990s." 1

Connections to Conservative Politicians:

Davie "remains good friends with the Tory peer Stephen Greenhalgh, who was until last year a minister in Johnson's government, and who celebrated Davie's appointment in a tweet in 2020." 2 3

Kerris Bright, Chief Customer Officer

"previously stood as a councillor for The Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994."4 This suggests she had some past involvement with the Conservative Party, though the extent and nature of her political activities are not elaborated upon.’

Potential Ideological Alignment:

Kerris Bright's background in marketing and customer-focused roles at companies like Virgin Media and British Airways may align, to some degree, with the Conservative Party's generally pro-business and free market-oriented policies.’

Alan Dickson - Chief Financial Officer

Registered Donation to the Conservative Party:

According to the Register of Members' Financial Interests, Alan Dickson made a registered donation to the Conservative Party in the past. 3

The register states that the "Amount of donation: £5,000" and the "Address of donor: private". 3

Leigh Tavaziva, Chief Operating Officer

Joined the BBC as Group Chief Operating Officer in February 2021. 1

’Former Conservative Candidate: According to the transcript from the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing, it was "pointed out that you are a former Conservative candidate". 2

Tom Fussell, CEO, BBC Studios

Potential Ideological Alignment:

As the CEO of BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC, Tom Fussell's focus on the financial and business aspects of the organisation may align, to some degree, with the Conservative Party's generally pro-business policies.

Alice Macandrew, Group Corporate Affairs Director

‘Alice Macandrew previously worked as an adviser to James Murdoch, who had close ties to the Conservative Party. 4 This represents her past, indirect connection to the party through her professional association.’

Charlotte Moore, Chief Content Officer

First joined the BBC in 2006 as a Commissioning Executive, and over the years took on increasingly senior roles within the organisation, culminating in her appointment as Chief Content Officer in September 2020.

‘Criticism of Conservative Government Policies:

In 2016, when Charlotte Moore was the Controller of BBC One, she publicly defended the BBC's programming against criticism from the then-Conservative Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale.3 This suggests a potential tension or disagreement between Moore and the Conservative government's views on the BBC's content.’

Uzair Qadeer, Chief People Officer

The search results do not contain any information about Uzair Qadeer having any direct, indirect, past, or present connections to the Conservative Party or any other political party. 1 2 3 4 5

Gautam Rangarajan, Group Director of Strategy and Performance

Potential Ideological Alignment:

Given Rangarajan's senior position at the BBC, overseeing strategy and performance, his work may align to some degree with the Conservative Party's views on the role and operations of the public broadcaster. However, the search results do not provide any explicit evidence of him actively supporting or promoting Conservative Party policies or agendas.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director, Nations

Potential Ideological Alignment:

As the Director of Nations at the BBC, Rhodri Talfan Davies may have some indirect connections or alignment with the Conservative Party's views on the role and operations of the public broadcaster, particularly in relation to serving local and regional audiences. However, the search results do not provide any explicit evidence of him actively supporting or promoting Conservative Party policies or agendas.

Deborah Turness, CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs

Joined the BBC for the first time in September 2022 when she was appointed as the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs.

‘The indirect connections between Deborah Turness and the Conservative Party seem to be limited to her past criticism of the party as a journalist, her testimony before a parliamentary committee, and her current leadership role at the BBC, which could potentially influence the corporation's relationship with the governing party. However, the search results do not contain any direct evidence of Turness having formal political affiliations or connections with the Conservatives.’

Ref. Current members of the BBC Executive Board:

‘Significance of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's serious reservations about Dr. Samir Shah's appointment as BBC chair:

Doubts about his Willingness to Challenge BBC Leadership: The committee expressed "serious reservations" about Dr. Shah's "willingness to offer his opinions and insight on some of the most fundamental issues facing the corporation, and his ability to provide the robust challenge that the BBC leadership requires at this time." 1 2 4 5 They felt he did not demonstrate the necessary "strength and character" to hold the BBC's executive leadership accountable. 2 4

Concerns over his Evasiveness on Key Issues: The committee was "disappointed that Dr Shah was not willing to express a view on fundamental principles, such as board level interference in the BBC and other bodies and on political impartiality." 1 2 4 5 When asked about allegations of interference by a BBC board member, Dr. Shah was evasive and said he would need to wait until he was in post to comment. 2 4

Doubts about his Ability to Protect BBC's Independence: As BBC chair, Dr. Shah would be responsible for "upholding and protecting the BBC's independence and ensuring the BBC fulfils its mission to inform, educate and entertain." 1 5 The committee's reservations about his willingness to challenge the leadership and address fundamental issues raised concerns about his ability to effectively carry out this role.

Potential Impact on BBC's Future: The BBC is facing significant challenges, including funding cuts and political pressure. 3 The committee's doubts about Dr. Shah's suitability for the role at this "challenging time for the BBC"3 suggest they are concerned about his ability to navigate these issues and protect the corporation's integrity and independence.

In summary, the select committee's reservations highlight significant doubts about Dr. Shah's readiness and willingness to provide the robust, independent oversight required of the BBC chair, which is a crucial role in safeguarding the BBC's future and its ability to fulfil its public service mission. 1 2 4 5’

DeepAI:

‘The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's serious reservations about Dr. Samir Shah's appointment as BBC chairman carry significant weight due to the important role of the BBC in the media landscape and the need for transparent and effective governance:

1. Validity:

The reservations raised by the Select Committee may be considered valid if they are grounded in legitimate concerns about Dr. Shah's qualifications, experience, or potential conflicts of interest.

Valid reservations could indicate that there are genuine issues that need to be addressed regarding Dr. Shah's suitability for the role.

The Committee's scrutiny helps ensure that the selection process for key leadership positions like the BBC chairman is fair, transparent, and based on merit.

Valid concerns highlight the importance of selecting individuals with the skills and capabilities necessary to lead a complex and influential organisation like the BBC.

2. Reliability:

The reliability of the Select Committee's reservations depends on the thoroughness and fairness of their assessment of Dr. Shah's appointment.

A reliable evaluation takes into account all relevant factors and is based on objective criteria rather than personal biases or unrelated considerations.

The Select Committee's role in scrutinising public appointments is a key aspect of its function in upholding the principles of good governance and accountability.

Reliable reservations indicate that the Committee is fulfilling its oversight responsibilities effectively and working to ensure the integrity of the BBC's leadership structure.

Overall, the valid and reliable significance of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee's reservations about Dr. Samir Shah's appointment as BBC chairman lies in their potential to safeguard the BBC's governance processes, uphold standards of transparency and meritocracy and promote public trust in the organisation's leadership.

By raising and addressing these reservations, the Committee contributes to maintaining the BBC's credibility and effectiveness in fulfilling its public service remit.’

‘Possible vulnerabilities to government interference within the BBC Executive Committee could stem from individuals with close political affiliations, personal relationships, or previous government roles.

These vulnerabilities could compromise the BBC's independence and impartiality. Here are some examples:

Trust: If a member of the Executive Committee has a history of close personal or professional relationships with government officials, there may be concerns about their ability to act independently. For example, if a member has recently worked for a political party or has strong ties to a specific government figure, their decisions and actions within the BBC may be viewed as potentially biased.

Political Affiliations: Executive Committee members with overt political affiliations or biases may be more susceptible to government interference. For instance, if a member has publicly supported a particular political party, there could be concerns that their decisions at the BBC might align with that party's interests rather than with the impartiality expected of the organisation.

Past Government Roles: Individuals within the Executive Committee who have previously held prominent positions within governmental bodies may be seen as more susceptible to government influence. For example, if a member has served as a government advisor or in a ministerial role, there may be worries about their loyalties and potential conflicts of interest when making decisions that affect the BBC.

Ideological Alignment: Executive Committee members whose personal beliefs or ideologies closely mirror those of a ruling government may face suspicion about their ability to act independently. If a member's values and viewpoints consistently align with a specific government's policies, their decision-making within the BBC could be questioned for potential bias.

It is crucial for the BBC Executive Committee to prioritise independence, impartiality, and the public interest in its decision-making processes.

Members who exhibit vulnerabilities to biased government interference may undermine the BBC's integrity and reputation as a trusted and impartial public broadcaster.

Transparent processes for appointment, accountability mechanisms, and a commitment to upholding the BBC's editorial independence are essential to mitigate these vulnerabilities and safeguard the BBC's role as a trusted source of information and entertainment for the public.’

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bbc-conservative-bias-serious-lack-impartiality-llewelyn-pritchard-ma-jjxye/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSkyykETIPF7_5HmsFjZF-gQD9H9eKPG_PO_mhiR9WC72ovi8Klf0DntHvTEQ6wpNBhJu0Dxuakk8VQ/pub BBC Conservative Bias Serious Lack Of Impartiality - ‘The available evidence indicates the BBC has been giving significantly more airtime and more favourable coverage to the Conservative Party and its leadership contest compared to the Labour Party and its leader Keir Starmer in its morning and other news broadcasts.’ #CorruptToryGovernment #Elections #Electioneering #AI #Perplexity Llewelyn Pritchard 30 April 2024

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/indian-strongmans-belly-power-rules-bbc-llewelyn-pritchard-ma-lvcve/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSMe8-WjX1OW7pN6Z6cXW6lq7xIA6CCmBv0ERe3h1eO--o3OLKuhAAFMv5kARFizBOvgYy8WLWYY-KP/pub 'Indian Strongman's Belly-Power Rules BBC' #DeepAIGeneratedImage #PoliticalSatire Fishy Rishi Tiddly Trudeau Artworks Llewelyn Pritchard 19 March 2024

[ashkanbayatpour]

Continuing Long-Term Financial Sanctions against Iran

When Joe Biden, then a presidential candidate, outlined his foreign policy objectives to Foreign Affairs in 2020, he asserted, “it is past time to end the forever wars.” This referred to the prolonged and costly engagements the United States experienced in Afghanistan and Iraq. At the same time, Biden spoke of diminishing the importance of the Middle East in American military strategy and reducing boots on the ground across the region.

However, the Biden Administration largely stayed the course in its approach to countering and containing Iran while supporting nascent democratic movements in the country. In November 2021, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III delivered a major policy speech in Bahrain that emphasized a US commitment to preventing Iran’s acquisition of a nuclear weapon, by diplomatic channels if possible, and with a look at “all options on the table” should that fail to keep America secure.

One longstanding plank in this strategy has involved freezing Iranian assets. In November 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed an executive order under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in response to the Iranian Revolution and overthrow of the US-backed Shah. This order froze all interests and property of the Iranian government under US jurisdiction or in control or possession of US persons. While billions of dollars were subsequently released in 1981 as part of the Algiers Accords, which enabled the release of US Embassy workers in Tehran, various sanctions have been in place.

From 2009 to 2017, the Obama Administration employed the National Emergencies Act and IEEPA-authorized sanctions as a pressure point in forcing Iran to scale back its nuclear program and negotiate. Foreign institutions and companies that delivered material support to Iran’s financial system, even though processing Iran-tied transactions, were at risk of being excluded from the US financial system, which drives much of global commerce.

In response, foreign banks holding Iranian foreign exchange reserves froze Iran’s access. Subsequent requests by Iran for payments or transfers were denied (even in cases where transactions would be technically allowed under humanitarian trade exemptions. The effect weakened Iran’s currency and the rial and exposed the country to balance payment risks. This made it challenging for Iranian companies to conduct business abroad and for parties to make foreign direct investments.

There have been some reprieves to this scenario over the past decade. In 2014, an interim nuclear accord with Germany, Britain, Russia, China, France, and the United States enabled the repatriation of $4.2 billion in Iranian oil revenues held in foreign accounts.

The following year, the signing of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) enabled Iran access to $100 billion in international assets in return for significant reductions in its nuclear program. However, in 2018, incoming president Donald Trump reimposed the majority of these US sanctions while engineering a withdrawal from JCPOA, citing a lack of cooperation on nuclear curtailment.

By the end of 2020, Iran’s foreign exchange reserves totaled $115.4 billion, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimating that only $12.2 billion of that amount was readily accessible. Japan and South Korea, which have traditionally purchased much of their oil from Iran, hold such reserves in significant quantities. They are also held by Iraq, which depends on its neighbor for electricity, and by countries such as the UAE, Turkey, Germany, India, and China.

The current sanctions seem to be in place for the long haul. In September 2023, Iranian oil revenue valued at $6 billion was set to be freed up for humanitarian uses as part of a prisoner swap deal set to release five American hostages. Unfortunately, the following month, the terrorist group Hamas launched attacks on Israel, and the deal was suspended. While the Biden administration did not accuse Iran of having been directly involved in the attacks, the White House emphasized that Iran’s decades-long policy of funding and training Hamas operatives makes it complicit in the attacks.