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Monday, August 31, 2020
Hamas announces Qatar-brokered deal to avoid escalation with Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Hamas announces Qatar-brokered deal to avoid escalation with Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com: Announcement comes after several weeks of escalating tensions, and as Gaza manages a renewed coronavirus outbreak
Pope Francis backs ‘universal’ COVID vaccination ‘for all’, WHO thrilled | News | LifeSite
Pope Francis backs ‘universal’ COVID vaccination ‘for all’, WHO thrilled | News | LifeSite: It would be sad if this vaccine became the property of this or that nation and was not universal and for all
Where Will All These War Games Lead? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website
Where Will All These War Games Lead? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: Potential collisions between the U.S., Russia or China are not even back-burner issues this election year. Meanwhile, we are consumed by the coronavirus, the crashed economy, racial divisions and riots that have ripped apart cities like Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis and Kenosha since the Memorial Day death of George Floyd. In northeast Syria last week, a…
St. Benedict showed what to do in a pandemic
St. Benedict showed what to do in a pandemic: “What will we remember from this time?” asked Pope Francis about the COVID-19 pandemic. “The things that unite us.” At Benedictine College in Kansas, we are dealing with what every college in Ameri…
Guest Post by Allan Brownfeld: THIS IS NOT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY I REMEMBER
ALLAN C. BROWNFELD
——————————————————————————————
I remember a Republican Party quite different from the one we see at the present time. I was involved with that party for many years, beginning in college. In Virginia. The Young Republicans I joined were committed to ending segregation, which then existed throughout the South. It was the Democrats who promoted segregation and, in Virginia, were prepared to close the public schools rather than integrate them. This, they proceeded to do. In 1957. It was a Republican, Dwight D. Eisenhower, who sent federal troops to integrate the schools in Little Rock, Arkansas, whose Democratic governor resisted integration.
In law school, I did a law review article about the laws against miscegenation, inter-racial marriage, which existed in Virginia and throughout the South—-all states controlled by Democrats. Until I began to study this subject, I did not know that the Nazis defended their Nuremberg racial laws, by pointing to the law against inter-racial marriage in Virginia. Democrats in those days had little regard for individual freedom. As someone who considered himself conservative, I questioned what right any state had to tell men and women whom they might marry, or restaurant owners and hotel operators whom they might serve.
Later, I worked in Congress for a number of Republicans, for whom I had—-and have—-high regard. These include Reps. Phil Crane (R-IL), Jack Kemp (R-Ny)—-and two members of Congress who went on to be president, George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford. I never heard any of them speak Ill ,of their Democratic colleagues, much less mock them or call them names. Their goal was to form coalitions with Democrats and convince them of the merits of the legislation they were proposing. Beyond this, they were gentlemen.
Republicans in those days had a philosophy of what government should and should not do. They believed in the Constitution, which reflected the fear of government power which the Framers shared. They believed in the division of power between the executive, legislative and judicial branches. And were particularly concerned about an all-powerful executive. They believed in free markets, free trade and balanced budgets. They believed America was Unique——made up of men and women of every race, religion and nation. They embraced the idea that, “If you shed a drop of American blood, you shed the blood of the whole world.” They understood that we are all immigrants to these shores.
In the world, Republicans believed in American leadership. They were strong proponents of NATO, which has kept the peace in Europe. Since the end of World War ll. They understood the evil of Communism and the goal of world domination pursued by the Soviet Union. Many on the left had sympathy for what they viewed as the Communist “experiment.” I remember that when I was a member of the staff of the U.S. Senate Internal Security subcommittee, we held a series of hearings about religious persecution in Communist countries. These hearings were criticized by, among others, the World Council of Churches. I remember writing them a letter asking, “If there is religious freedom in Communist countries, would you please tell me the address where Bibles are published in the Soviet Union, Romania, Hungary, etc.”. I received no reply.
In our two-party system, we have traditionally had the concept of a “loyal opposition.” The parties have differed on a variety of subjects——how to best provide health care, how to,provide for the poor, how to maintain the environment and a variety of other subjects. In the past, not all Republicans and not all Democrats agreed with the “official” party position. The President was often challenged by members of his own party when they disagreed. Independent thinking was once respected.
What the Republican Party stands for today is difficult to understand. We have the largest budget deficits in our history. While Westrrn Europe, New Zealand, Taiwan, South Korea and other countries have brought the coronavirus pandemic under control, it is still raging here, with no national,plan to deal with it. We have insulted our friends and allies in NATO and the European Union, and have embraced The autocrat who controls Russia. Our slogan of “America First,”. Whether or not those who use it understand, was the slogan of a group that opposed U.S. involvement in the war against Adolph Hitler. It is the opposite of the leadership—-and magnanimity—- the U.S. has traditionally exhibited.
Race relations have been exacerbated by a series of police killings of unarmed black men and women. The need for real police reform is clear. A Republican President, one would have thought, would try to bring a divided country together. Instead, we have seen the opposite from the White House. Fanning the flames is hardly an exercise in leadership.
In my years of observing elections I have never seen so many members of one party——the Republican Party——embracing the candidate of the other party. These include former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, , former Governor of Ohio John Kasich, and a list which has filled full,page advertisements in The Wall Street Journal and another list in The Washington Post. There have always been a handful,of members of one party supporting the candidate of the other party. But this is a stampede.
We need a Republican Party that represents the values which once, indeed, made it the party of Lincoln. In the open give and take of a free society, a president should be prepared to be criticized. Every president I remember, of both parties, has been subject to it. No one other than our current president, however,, has lashed out with vituperation and insult at the slightest criticism. Remember his response to Sen. ted Cruz (R-TX) in the last election cycle when he accused Cruz’s father of having been involved in the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Or his declaration that he had little respect for American servicemen who had been captured and tortured by the enemy, like the late Sen. John McCain. Sadly, we can fill,pages with such insults. Even his niece and sister, who have been critical, have faced his harsh personal attacks. Is this the kind of example we want for our children? What ever happened to the old idea of being able to disagree without being disagreeable?
Whether or not the Republican Party wins the November election, its future is open to serious question. The things it once stood for all seem to have been abandoned. Those who still believe in those things will have to decide what to do next, no matter who wins in November.
Don't Rush to Fully Normalize Relations With Taiwan | Opinion
Don't Rush to Fully Normalize Relations With Taiwan | Opinion: The quandary of Taiwan, a pivotal issue for U.S.-China relations, calls for caution and nuance, not recklessness.
US seeks formal alliance similar to Nato with India, Japan and Australia, State Department official says | South China Morning Post
US seeks formal alliance similar to Nato with India, Japan and Australia, State Department official says | South China Morning Post: Washington’s goal is to get countries in the Indo-Pacific region to work together as a bulwark against ‘a potential challenge from China’, said Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun.
A New Vision for America’s North Africa Policy | The National Interest
A New Vision for America’s North Africa Policy | The National Interest: The next administration should take a second look at America’s relationship with Africa. It should provide support and resources for Tunisia’s transition, help restore stability to Libya, and promote regional economic integration.
Desperate Times for Pandemic Lead to... Ozone? | MedPage Today
Desperate Times for Pandemic Lead to... Ozone? | MedPage Today: Case study in three patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia
Is a Covid-19 Cure Being Ignored by the FDA and CDC Right Under Our Mask-Covered Noses? - Liebowitz Longevity Medicine
Is a Covid-19 Cure Being Ignored by the FDA and CDC Right Under Our Mask-Covered Noses? - Liebowitz Longevity Medicine: Ozone therapy is being used readily in Europe and showing incredible success in curing Covid-19 patients.
How Will a Central Bank Digital Currency Advance China's Interests? | ChinaPower Project
How Will a Central Bank Digital Currency Advance China's Interests? | ChinaPower Project: China is pioneering the creation of a central bank digital currency that could generate significant economic and political dividends for Beijing.
Trump or Biden? What’s a Catholic voter to do? | America Magazine
Trump or Biden? What’s a Catholic voter to do? | America Magazine: American Catholics had seen the problems the church got into in Europe when hierarchy aligned itself with specific rulers or political parties. American Catholics, including most bishops, did not want to go down that road.
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - April 4, 1967 - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence [Full Speech] - YouTube
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. - April 4, 1967 - Beyond Vietnam: A Time To Break Silence [Full Speech] - YouTube: Many folk have heard that the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. made the comment that the U.S. government [was/is] "the greatest purveyor of violence i...
How prophetic is this? "But ultimately he had his sights beyond the
current war. “We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of
values,” he said. “A nation that continues year after year to spend more
money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is
approaching spiritual death.” King warned of a time of endless war, when
the U.S. would be trapped in one overseas entanglement after another
while the gap at home between the rich and poor grew
ever larger.”
Of course, the Ayn Rand cult, libertarians and Republicans mostly,
personified by Trump today, with its Nietzschean ideology celebrating
the übermensch, welcomes the gap growing ever larger between the rich
and the poor, but the “the symptom of a far deeper malady within the
American spirit,” was left untreated, and continued to fester, so that
it has come to pass “we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and
shameful corridors of time reserved for those
who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and
strength without sight.”
But try telling that to the vast majority of Imperial America.
Coronavirus-related unemployment is putting people’s retirement at risk
Coronavirus-related unemployment is putting people’s retirement at risk
The pandemic has exacerbated America’s looming retirement crisis
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/08/31/unemployment-retirement-savings-coronavirus/?utm_campaign=wp_to_your_health&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_tyh&wpmk=1&pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJjb29raWVuYW1lIjoid3BfY3J0aWQiLCJpc3MiOiJDYXJ0YSIsImNvb2tpZXZhbHVlIjoiNTk2YWUxOThhZGU0ZTI0MTE5YTk0OGIxIiwidGFnIjoiNWY0ZDVjZTI5ZDJmZGEyYzM2ODc1NDk3IiwidXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FzaGluZ3RvbnBvc3QuY29tL2J1c2luZXNzLzIwMjAvMDgvMzEvdW5lbXBsb3ltZW50LXJldGlyZW1lbnQtc2F2aW5ncy1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy8_dXRtX2NhbXBhaWduPXdwX3RvX3lvdXJfaGVhbHRoJnV0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1uZXdzbGV0dGVyJndwaXNyYz1ubF90eWgmd3Btaz0xIn0.78HzmUqSGkijv1KMf77Kcw2ie5s77wYsPgN1skGGnW8
Here’s how the U.S. could release a COVID-19 vaccine before the election—and why that scares some | Science | AAAS
Here’s how the U.S. could release a COVID-19 vaccine before the election—and why that scares some | Science | AAAS: Science explains FDA’s emergency use authorization and other ways countries can speed approvals for vaccines to the new coronavirus
India Is in Denial about the COVID-19 Crisis - Scientific American
India Is in Denial about the COVID-19 Crisis - Scientific American: Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
A first-world problem - Conspiracy theories about covid-19 vaccines may prevent herd immunity | Graphic detail | The Economist
A first-world problem - Conspiracy theories about covid-19 vaccines may prevent herd immunity | Graphic detail | The Economist: Anti-vaccination sentiments are more prevalent in rich countries than in poor ones
Did Pangolin Trafficking Cause the Coronavirus Pandemic? | The New Yorker
Did Pangolin Trafficking Cause the Coronavirus Pandemic? | The New Yorker: The elusive animals’ possible involvement in the origins of COVID-19 gives them a weird ambivalence: threatened and, perhaps, dangerous.
A Quick Virus Test? Sure, If You Can Afford It - The New York Times
A Quick Virus Test? Sure, If You Can Afford It - The New York Times: Standard tests in New York City can take days. Wealthier people are turning to concierge services and small laboratories to get results in as little as 24 hours.
Indonesia Detects Potentially More Infectious COVID Mutation Previously Found in Malaysia, Philippines
Indonesia Detects Potentially More Infectious COVID Mutation Previously Found in Malaysia, Philippines: Researchers have speculated that the D614G mutation is more infectious than other strains.
Is Contact Tracing Working in the U.S.? - The Atlantic
Is Contact Tracing Working in the U.S.? - The Atlantic: Contact tracing works almost everywhere else. Why not here?
Covid-19 and the geopolitics of American decline | MIT Technology Review
Covid-19 and the geopolitics of American decline | MIT Technology Review: By late July, most rich countries had brought their covid-19 infection rates down far below their initial peaks. In the US, however, the number of daily new cases was at record highs and still climbing. The crisis has badly damaged global opinion about American competence. A report in June from survey company Dalia Research revealed…
Biden’s Barristers, Trump’s Barricade And Other Doomsday Scenarios
Biden’s Barristers, Trump’s Barricade And Other Doomsday Scenarios
https://www.forbes.com/sites/billwhalen/2020/08/30/bidens-barristers-trumps-barricade-and-other-doomsday-scenarios/?utm_source=Hoover+Daily+Report&utm_campaign=346ad79aba-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_08_31_06_23&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_21b1edff3c-346ad79aba-73113757#439f1f2a23a8
Victor Davis Hanson: The cowards of 'cancel culture' | TheHill
Victor Davis Hanson: The cowards of 'cancel culture' | TheHill: The Twitter mob deplores vigilantism yet its brand is an electronic lynching without weighing evidence — from the safety of their smartphones.
Every Day Is The Third Day – A Sermon On Matthew 16:21-28
Every Day Is The Third Day – A Sermon On Matthew 16:21-28
Proper 17A – Matthew 16:21-28
Instagram ID: mhmohebbi96
“And on the third day be raised.”
What would you say if I told you that every day is the third day? What would you think if I told you that resurrection is happening every day everywhere? What if I told you that resurrection is happening even in the current political, economic, and racial struggles of today; even in the midst of the pandemic; and even in our divisions and disagreements about who we are and the values we hold?
Well, consider yourselves told because it is. Resurrection is happening.
Can you see it? Are you experiencing it? Is it real for you? If so, what does it look like? Where are you seeing life and more life? What difference is resurrection making in your life today?
And if you can’t see it and aren’t experiencing it, if it’s not real for you, why not? Are you standing with Peter in the “God forbid it” place?
I’ve stood next to Peter and echoed his words more times than I’d like to admit. Maybe you have too. I can only guess at what’s going on in Peter when he says what he does, but I can tell you what it is for me. I’m trying to reshape my life and world to be like I want it to be rather than facing and dealing with what is before me. I want to escape and run away. I’m in denial and sometimes delusion. I’m tired and worn out. I’m anxious and afraid. I feel overwhelmed and powerless. I feel responsible for fixing everything and assume it’s all up to me. I feel like life is a racket and I’m the ball.
Does any of that sound familiar? What’s the “God forbid it” place like for you?
Every time we stand in the “God forbid it” place we are full of forgetfulness.
- We forget that Jesus came that we “may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10);
- We forget that he is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25);
- We forget that he is “the light” (John 8:12) the darkness cannot overcome (John 1:5);
- We forget his words, “Take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33);
- We forget that he is “with [us] always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20);
- We forget his promise, “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you” (John 14:18); and
- We forget that he is “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).
Mostly, though, I think we forget that resurrection is not only or even primarily about what happens after our physical death. We forget that resurrection is a present reality happening in the ordinary and everyday circumstances of our lives, that there is no place, no time, no circumstance in which resurrection is not happening. We are setting our “mind not on divine things but on human things,” and we have forgotten all the things Jesus has shown, told, and taught us.
So maybe we need to rethink what resurrection means and looks like. Maybe we need a new understanding of resurrection. Maybe we need to start looking for resurrection in places we never thought about before.
When messengers from John the Baptist ask Jesus if he is the one they’ve been waiting for, the Messiah, the Christ, he tells them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them” (Luke 7:22).
In a recent article the Rev. Dr. Jane Patterson explains that Jesus’ response is not a list of miracles. It’s a guide for recognizing the life-giving power of God at work in the world:
- People are enabled to see and hear what is true without obstruction;
- People who had been excluded and marginalized are at the center of concern;
- Those who had given up hope are finding life;
- An end to poverty is heralded.
(Jane Patterson, “Jesus and the Good Citizen,” 08/20/2020)
Where do you see those things happening today? What does resurrection look like in our country and our lives today? What have you seen and heard?
I recently saw resurrection happening when women and men of professional basketball, baseball, and other sports refused to play. It happened that day Rosa Parks refused to sit at the back of the bus and the day Martin Luther King, Jr. and John Lewis stepped onto that bridge in Selma, Alabama.
Last week a young woman I have been helping through money you gave to my pastoral care account drove to South Dakota with a court order and regained custody of her daughter who had been taken and withheld from her the past three months. Their lives were changed and their relationship was restored. That’s resurrection.
A couple of months ago a gentleman sent me half of his coronavirus stimulus check with a note saying, “I’ll be ok. Use this to help someone.” He was attuned and awake to the needs of others, compassion became action, and resurrection happened.
When Jeff called me and said, “Mike, mom’s cancer is in remission,” that was a moment of resurrection.
I see it every time an individual speaks up and steps out for justice and the dignity of another person, when we offer or receive forgiveness, when we recommit to a relationship, when someone goes to her or his first twelve step meeting, when we get through a time in our life we never thought we would. And the list goes on and on.
I don’t want to stand in that old forgetful “God forbid it” place. And I don’t want you to either. I want us to stand together in a new “God forbid it” place, a different place from which we see, remember, and act or, as I said last week, show our work.
God forbid it that we would become the great stone, the rock – or in the Greek, the petros, the peter – that covers the tomb and denies resurrection to another or ourselves.
God forbid it that we would ignore, close our eyes to, or turn away from the hopes and needs of another.
God forbid it that our words, actions, or attitudes would impoverish the life of another or diminish her or his dignity.
God forbid it that we would speak or act with anything other than love and compassion.
God forbid it that we would settle for easy answers, half-truths, or presume to have all the truth.
God forbid it that we would come here each Sunday not expecting the dead to be raised.
God forbid it that we would see each new day as anything but the third day.
God forbid it. God forbid it all.
Now let’s – you and I – forbid it too.
Michael K. Marsh
RCEP states make 'significant' progress in trade talks without India | The Japan Times
RCEP states make 'significant' progress in trade talks without India | The Japan Times: The RCEP deal aims to establish common rules for e-commerce, trade and intellectual property.
Opinion | Mike Pompeo is the worst secretary of state in history - The Washington Post
Opinion | Mike Pompeo is the worst secretary of state in history - The Washington Post: Mike Pompeo will likely try to blame the president, but he bears responsibility too.
Confronting Iran Before the November Election | Opinion
Confronting Iran Before the November Election | Opinion: The next two months are absolutely critical.
CPUC Audit Finds ‘Serious Risk’ Due to High Rate of PG&E Power-Line Sparked Fires – NBC Bay Area
CPUC Audit Finds ‘Serious Risk’ Due to High Rate of PG&E Power-Line Sparked Fires – NBC Bay Area: A CPUC audit found that PG&E’s distribution power lines spark two and half times more fires per mile compared to other utilities, a rate that regulators found...
We Don’t Know How to Warn You Any Harder. America is Dying. | by umair haque | Aug, 2020 | Eudaimonia and Co
We Don’t Know How to Warn You Any Harder. America is Dying. | by umair haque | Aug, 2020 | Eudaimonia and Co: Right about now, something terrible is happening in America. Society is one tiny step away from the final collapse of democracy, at the hands of a true authoritarian, and his fanatics. Meanwhile…
Pontifications: WA State frets about Boeing brain drain, but it's already happening - Leeham News and Analysis
Pontifications: WA State frets about Boeing brain drain, but it's already happening - Leeham News and Analysis: Aug. 31, 2020, © Leeham News: Elected officials and others in Washington State worry about the “brain drain” as Boeing considers whether to consolidate 787 production from Everett to Charleston. These people are asleep at the switch and... Read More
America Never Learns the Limits of Bootstrapping - The Atlantic
America Never Learns the Limits of Bootstrapping - The Atlantic: Trying to replace the government with personal initiative requires an impossible amount of energy.
We Don’t Know How to Warn You Any Harder. America is Dying. | by umair haque | Aug, 2020 | Eudaimonia and Co
We Don’t Know How to Warn You Any Harder. America is Dying. | by umair haque | Aug, 2020 | Eudaimonia and Co: Right about now, something terrible is happening in America. Society is one tiny step away from the final collapse of democracy, at the hands of a true authoritarian, and his fanatics. Meanwhile…
Genomic Evidence for a Case of Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 by Richard Tillett, Joel Sevinsky, Paul Hartley, Heather Kerwin, Natalie Crawford, Andrew Gorzalski, Christopher Laverdure, Subhash Verma, Cyprian Rossetto, Megan Farrell, David Jackson, Mark Pandori, Stephanie Van Hooser :: SSRN
Genomic Evidence for a Case of Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 by Richard Tillett, Joel Sevinsky, Paul Hartley, Heather Kerwin, Natalie Crawford, Andrew Gorzalski, Christopher Laverdure, Subhash Verma, Cyprian Rossetto, Megan Farrell, David Jackson, Mark Pandori, Stephanie Van Hooser :: SSRN: The degree of protective immunity conferred by infection with SARS-CoV-2 is currently unknown. As such, the possibility of reinfection with this virus is
The Mystery House: How a Suspicious Multimillion Dollar Real Estate Deal Is Connected to California’s Deadliest Fire — ProPublica
The Mystery House: How a Suspicious Multimillion Dollar Real Estate Deal Is Connected to California’s Deadliest Fire — ProPublica: A PG&E employee received a $4.5 million Bay Area home from a vendor, and sold it right back a month later, records show. Later, the utility accused the vendor of bribery for unspecified actions.
Why Facebook Is Bad, Twitter Might Be a Little Bit Good, and Social Media Is Rotting Our Brains | GQ
Why Facebook Is Bad, Twitter Might Be a Little Bit Good, and Social Media Is Rotting Our Brains | GQ: Tech oracle Jaron Lanier saw the evils of social media platforms before anyone else. Now he talks about whether Twitter activism really works, how to fix Facebook, and why he won't be joining Silicon Valley's overlords in New Zealand.
Wolf Richter: The State of the American Restaurant, City by City | naked capitalism
Wolf Richter: The State of the American Restaurant, City by City | naked capitalism: New York City, San Francisco, Honolulu are still down over 80% from a year ago in terms of “seated diners.” Then there is the “LN-shaped” recovery in Pittsburgh.
Chalice shot by ISIS militants to be displayed in Spanish churches
Chalice shot by ISIS militants to be displayed in Spanish churches: As part of an effort to remember and pray for persecuted Christians, several churches in the Diocese of Málaga, Spain are displaying a chalice that was shot by the Islamic State.
Court halts Education Department’s rule for pandemic relief money to private schools
Court halts Education Department’s rule for pandemic relief money to private schools: A federal judge has blocked a rule by the Department of Education for allocating pandemic relief money to private schools.
Author Vicky Osterweil Talks 'In Defense of Looting' After Kenosha Uprising : Code Switch : NPR
Author Vicky Osterweil Talks 'In Defense of Looting' After Kenosha Uprising : Code Switch : NPR: In her new book, writer Vicky Osterweil argues that looting is a powerful tool to bring about real, lasting change in society.
Pollster: Biden denounces Kenosha violence after campaign 'misjudged how important it was to the American people' | Fox News
Pollster: Biden denounces Kenosha violence after campaign 'misjudged how important it was to the American people' | Fox News: Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden finally condemned the ongoing violence in Kenosha, Wis. and cities across the country after his campaign initially "misjudged how important it was to the American people."
First direct Israel-UAE flight lands in Abu Dhabi amid deal
First direct Israel-UAE flight lands in Abu Dhabi amid deal: ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Star of David-adorned El Al plane flew from Israel to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, carrying a high-ranking American and Israeli delegation to Abu...
How long will Democrats pretend the chaos in Portland is normal?
How long will Democrats pretend the chaos in Portland is normal?: Sunday morning’s headlines brought news of yet another death.
"FATIMA": a Review - The Catholic Thing
"FATIMA": a Review - The Catholic Thing: Brad Miner reviews a new film about the apparitions of the Virgin to three Portuguese children in 1917. It’s as powerful and illuminating as it should be.
Kushner: Israel-UAE Flight 'Historic Journey for Middle East' | Asharq AL-awsat
Kushner: Israel-UAE Flight 'Historic Journey for Middle East' | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities
Yet Another Study Shows U.S. 5G Is Far Slower Than Many Other Nations | Techdirt
Yet Another Study Shows U.S. 5G Is Far Slower Than Many Other Nations | Techdirt: Last May, a largely overlooked report by OpenSignal detailed how, despite endless hype, U.S. 5G is notably slower than 5G in most other developed countries. Because U.S. regulators failed to make mid-band spectrum (which offers faster speeds at...
Trump-Biden race tightens as both sides expect close contest | TheHill
Trump-Biden race tightens as both sides expect close contest | TheHill: President Trump has lagged Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden badly in the polls for much of 2020, but strategists in both parties predict his numbers will rise and the race will tighten as the Republican Party consolidates further behind h
DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release
DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Proposal > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release: The Defense Department releases its fiscal year 2021 budget proposal.
Full Transcript: President Trump’s Republican National Convention Speech - The New York Times
Full Transcript: President Trump’s Republican National Convention Speech - The New York Times: Clocking in at well over an hour, and about 6,000 words, the speech was neither as shocking as his “American Carnage” inaugural address, nor as freelancing as one of his rallies.
How RNC Pushed Trump Doctrine: End Wars But Threaten Enemies - Bloomberg
How RNC Pushed Trump Doctrine: End Wars But Threaten Enemies - Bloomberg: The RNC tried to sell voters on a foreign policy of strength without entanglements.
Foreign Policy Restraint Was Winning at the RNC | The American Conservative
Foreign Policy Restraint Was Winning at the RNC | The American Conservative: Trump’s rhetoric and focus on domestic issues signals a major shift in the Republican Party
WARNING: KREMLIN ANNOUNCES RESERVE FORCE IS PREPARED TO INTERVENE IN BELARUS
WARNING: KREMLIN ANNOUNCES RESERVE FORCE IS PREPARED TO INTERVENE IN BELARUS
Aug 27, 2020 - Mason Clark
August 27, 2020, 12:30 pm EDT
By Mason Clark
The Kremlin announced it has created a reserve force to intervene in Belarus if necessary. Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an interview to the state-run Russia 1 TV channel on August 27.[1] Putin stated the Kremlin has prepared a “reserve of law enforcement officers” but will not deploy it to Belarus unless the situation “gets out of control.” The Kremlin previously pledged it would intervene in Belarus in response to foreign intervention on August 15 and has claimed foreign intervention is ongoing since August 19.[2] Putin’s statement is the first Kremlin acknowledgment of preparations to intervene in Belarus. The Kremlin has supported Lukashenko with RT technical personnel, information support, and potentially covert security coordination since August 19.[3] ISW has previously assessed the Kremlin is prepared to intervene in Belarus to support Lukashenko if he is unable to control protests.[4]
Putin is likely issuing this statement as a dual warning – both to protesters and to Lukashenko – to stabilize the situation to avoid a Russian intervention. Putin stated the Kremlin hopes “the current problems in Belarus will be resolved peacefully,” but warned protesters that if they “go beyond the framework of the current law, the law will react accordingly.”[5] Putin acknowledged that problems exist in Belarus, but stressed protesters must follow the law. The Kremlin likely aims to intimidate protesters through the threat of a Russian security intervention.
The Kremlin is additionally likely warning Lukashenko to stabilize the protests or face further Russian involvement. A Russian aircraft known to be operated by the FSB (Russian intelligence) arrived in Minsk the night of August 26 and departed 5 hours later.[6] ISW cannot confirm who or what arrived in Belarus on the flight, but assesses the FSB likely sent dignitaries to speak with Lukashenko and may have sent Russian security personnel to remain behind as well. The aircraft made a similar trip to Minsk the night of August 19, after which Putin and Lukashenko publicly announced they had begun consultations for a possible Russian intervention.[7] Lukashenko has primarily cooperated with the Kremlin to respond to protests since August 15. However, the Kremlin likely seeks to cement its control over Lukashenko’s actions and pressure him to control protesters with the threat of further Kremlin involvement.
Lukashenko reiterated claim that NATO is backing protests. Lukashenko claimed Belarus’ neighbors are conducting a “hybrid war” to overthrow him during a ministerial meeting on August 27.[8] Lukashenko stated he has deployed “half the army [at] full combat readiness” to protect western Belarus, claiming Poland wants to annex the Grodno region. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry additionally formally summoned Polish diplomats to warn them against continued interference in Belarus.[9] Lukashenko previously mobilized the Belarusian military to the Polish and Lithuanian borders on August 22 and seeks to frame the organic domestic protests as a NATO attempt to overthrow him and target Russia.[10] The Kremlin and Lukashenko may attempt to leverage claims of Polish and Lithuanian interference to justify future aggressive action against both states.
Lukashenko reiterated threats against protesters and cracked down on journalists despite claiming to welcome dialogue. Lukashenko additionally stated he is willing to begin dialogue with the opposition, but only if “the street” ceases protesting; he also threatened to draft striking students as an alternative to dialogue.[11] Belarusian security forces detained roughly a dozen journalists, both Belarusian and foreign, in Minsk on August 27 around 6:00 pm local time.[12] The Belarusian Investigative Committee additionally interrogated Coordination Council leader Maria Kolesnikovafor two hours the morning of August 27, but released her without further charges.[13]
Lukashenko has previously stated he will only talk to the opposition if protests cease, and will likely refuse any meaningful dialogue with the opposition Coordination Council, which he has labeled unconstitutional.[14] However, Putin may pressure Lukashenko to enter a dialogue with an opposition the Kremlin can dominate. Increasing numbers of Coordination Council members expressed a willingness to involve the Kremlin in negotiations on Belarus on August 26.[15] The Kremlin will likely dominate any potential negotiations process between Lukashenko and the opposition and may elect to leverage this process to cement its dominance over Belarus.
NEXTA is posturing for mass protests on Sunday, August 30, and announced plans to release a “strategic plan” on August 28. NEXTA
called for small protests in Minsk on August 27, with a few hundred
protesters gathering around a church in Minsk that was the site of
security force detentions the night of August 26.[16] NEXTA
explicitly called on local organizers to continue protests around the
country following “their own traditions” and asking protesters to
“protect their local leaders,” continuing its approach of focusing its
efforts to control protests on Minsk but expanding its efforts to claim
credit for country-wide protests it has not organized. NEXTA
additionally stated it will announce plans on August 27 for a third
Sunday protest and pledged to release a “global and important strategic
plan” on August 28 on “how this autumn the people can return power to
their own hands” – implicitly framing the protest movement as a
long-running effort. NEXTA’s promised strategic plan will likely shape
the focus of the protest movement in the coming weeks, as NEXTA retains
dominant control over the protest movement. NEXTA may further align with
opposition leader SviatlanaTikanouskaya’s
ISW will continue monitoring the situation and providing updates.
[1] http://kremlin((.))ru/
[2] https://www.iswresearch.
[3] https://www.iswresearch.
[4] https://www.iswresearch.
[5] http://kremlin((.))ru/
[6] https://www.flightradar24.
[7] http://www.
[8] https://news.tut((.))by/
[9] https://news.tut((.))by/
[10] http://www.
[11] https://news.tut((.))by/
[12] https://news.tut((.))by/
[13] https://news.tut((.))by/
[14] https://eng.belta((.))by/
[15] http://www.
[16] https://t((.))me/nexta_
[17] http://www.
California is a failed state. How do we know? They're moving to Arizona in droves.
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Sunday, August 30, 2020
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Holy Father’s Address at Angelus Prayer
‘The cross is the Holy Sign of God’s Love and of Jesus’ Sacrifice’
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