A newly-released government email
has revealed that the White House sought to freeze aid to Ukraine just 91
minutes after President Donald Trump spoke to President Volodymyr Zelensky by
phone in July.
The email, telling the Pentagon to
“hold off”, was sent by a senior White House official.
In the phone call, President Trump
asked the Ukrainian leader to investigate his political rival, Democrat Joe
Biden.
On December 18, President Trump has
been impeached for abuse of power over the issue.
Democrats say the phone call shows
Donald Trump used the office for personal political gain.
A US whistleblower who heard about
the conversation raised concerns, which ultimately triggered the impeachment
inquiry.
The president was formally impeached
by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, but is unlikely to be
removed from office as the case will go to trial in the Senate, where his
Republican party has a majority.
The newly-released email was obtained
by the Center for Public Integrity following a court order in a freedom of
information case.
The email shows that Mike Duffey, a
senior White House official, contacted senior defense officials about
withholding Ukraine’s aid just over an hour-and-a-half after President Trump
ended a call with President Zelensky on July 25.
The transcript shows President Trump
asked Volodymyr Zelensky to “do us a favor” and investigate Joe
Biden, currently a frontrunner to be the Democratic candidate in the 2020 White
House race, and his son Hunter Biden, who had previously worked for a Ukrainian
energy company.
In the email Mike Duffey asks that
the Department of Defense “hold off” on providing aid following the
administration’s plan to review.
The email reads: “Given the sensitive nature of the
request, I appreciate your keeping that information closely held to those who
need to know to execute direction.”
In a statement released to media on December 22, Rachel Semmel, a spokeswoman for the Office of Management and Budget, dismissed the characterization of the email.
Divorces
carry immense emotional baggage and therefore turn bitter because of lost love,
unfilled expectations, and broken promises. There is no doubt that both spouses
go through a lot and bear long-lasting psychological impacts.
But amid this chaos, it’s the children who suffer the most because they see their parents fighting tooth and nail in front of them at such a tender age. Parents often forget about talking to their children appropriately about this huge adjustment that they have to make.
Moreover, with divorce rates experiencing an unprecedented surge, more and more children are going through this ugly experience. Therefore, we have compiled here six life-altering psychological effects of divorce on children to make parents realize the gravity of their actions.
Children experience chronic anxiety and stress:
Children
start to develop chronic anxiety because they see their haven turn into a
battleground. Their stress levels spike due to immense confusion as they find
themselves unable to understand the whole process of divorce. This confusion
also results in misplaced guilt as they start to blame themselves for the
problems between their parents.
Moreover,
do not forget about the stress associated with significant adjustments they
would have to deal with, like living with one parent, switching between
different homes, and the possibility of dealing with a step-parent.
2. Children experience behavioral issues:
The
persisting anxiety throughout childhood turns to depression and starts to shape
the behavior of children. It is reported by different studies that children of
divorced parents experience more mood swings and irritable behavior than
children of non-divorced parents.
This
impulsive behavior is a direct result of confusion they develop during their
childhood while observing the behavior of their parents with each other. They
start to believe that this is how they are supposed to talk to their loved ones
and others.
3. Children experience isolation:
Since
not all of their friends have single parents, children of divorced parents lose
relatability with others and find themselves socially isolated. Moreover, their
impulsive behavior also pushes everyone away and therefore reinforces the
vicious cycle of social isolation.
4. Children experience trust issues:
Another
thing that reinforces their social isolation is the lack of trust they develop
over the years. Their broken trust in parents and the idea of family disable
them to trust others and form meaningful relationships.
5. Children lose academic rigor:
Plunging
into depression results in a lack of focus which strangles the academic rigor
in such children. Moreover, they also lose the drive to excel academically
because they are no more interested in making their parents proud.
6. Children experience delinquent behaviors:
Children
from broken families feel that they have nothing to lose, which makes them
engage in unlawful activities. Such children are reported to engage in more
delinquent behaviors like assaults, substance abuse, and premature sex as
compared to those children who belong to intact families.
Therefore, if you happen to go through a divorce, prioritize your children because leaving them unattended will scar them for life. Moreover, employ a wise lawyer like the ones associated with Family Lawyers Newcastle group, because such lawyers will try to reach an amicable divorce that will shield your children from psychological dents.
Manuel Marrero Cruz has been appointed by Cuban
President Miguel Díaz-Canel as the country’s first prime minister in more than 40
years.
The post of prime minister was scrapped in 1976 by the then revolutionary
leader Fidel Castro.
It was reinstated under the rules of a new constitution for the
communist-run island passed earlier this year.
Manuel Marrero Cruz, 56, a former tourism minister, will take on some of the
responsibilities that currently fall to the president.
“The head of government will be
the administrative right hand of the president of the republic,” state-run
online news outlet Cubadebate said.
However, critics say any such changes are purely cosmetic as the Cuban
Communist Party and the military remain the only two real decision-making
institutions on the country.
Manuel Marrero Cruz’s appointment was ratified unanimously by deputies in the
National Assembly on December 21.
The state newspaper Granma
described Manuel Marrero Cruz as a politician who had emerged “from the
base” of the tourism industry, one of Cuba’s main sources of foreign
exchange.
In 2000, Manuel Marrero Cruz was made president of the military-run Gaviota
tourism group, whose hotels are subject to US sanctions under the Trump
administration.
He was named tourism minister in 2004 by Fidel Castro and has since overseen
a major boost in tourism to the island.
It is unclear if he Manuel Marrero Cruz will now remain head of the tourism ministry.
Russia and Germany have reacted angrily
to sanctions approved by President Donald Trump on the Nord Stream 2 gas
pipeline between the two countries.
The sanctions target companies
building the undersea pipeline that will allow Russia to increase gas exports
to Germany.
The US considers it a security risk.
However, Germany accused Washington
of interfering in its internal affairs, while Russia and EU officials also criticized
the sanctions.
Congress voted through the measures
as part of a defense bill last week and the legislation, which described the
pipeline as a “tool of coercion”, was signed off by President Trump
on December 20.
The almost $11 billion Nord Stream 2
project has infuriated the US, with both Republican and Democratic lawmakers
opposing it.
The Trump administration fears the
pipeline will tighten Russia’s grip over Europe’s energy supply and reduce its
own share of the lucrative European market for American liquefied natural gas.
President Trump has said the 1,225km
(760-mile) pipeline, owned by Russia’s state-owned gas company, Gazprom, could
turn Germany into a “hostage of Russia”.
Speaking on German TV, Finance
Minister Olaf Scholz said the sanctions were an infringement of sovereignty.
He said: “It is up to the companies involved in the construction of the
pipeline to take the next decisions.”
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said the sanctions amount to
“interference in autonomous decisions taken in Europe”.
The US sanctions have also angered Russia and the EU, which says it should
be able to decide its own energy policies.
An EU spokesman told AFP on December 21: “As
a matter of principle, the EU opposes the imposition of sanctions against EU
companies conducting legitimate business.”
Russia’s foreign ministry also strongly opposed the move, with ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accusing Washington of promoting an
“ideology” that hinders global competition.
The consortium behind Nord Stream 2 confirmed that it would build the
pipeline as soon as possible, despite the sanctions.
It said: “Completing the project
is essential for European supply security. We, together with the companies
supporting the project, will work on finishing the pipeline as soon as
possible.”
However, Allseas, a Swiss-Dutch company involved in the project, said it had
suspended its pipe-laying activities in anticipation of the sanctions.
Russia currently supplies about 40% of the EU’s gas supplies – just ahead of Norway, which is not in the EU but takes part in its single market. Nord Stream 2 will increase the amount of gas going under the Baltic to 55 billion cubic meters per year.
Space Force is not intended to put
troops into orbit, but will protect US assets – such as the hundreds of
satellites used for communication and surveillance.
The new military service comes as US
military chiefs see China and Russia making advancements in the military final
frontier.
VP Mike Pence previously said the
two nations had airborne lasers and anti-satellite missiles that the US needed to
counter.
Space Force will build on the work
of the existing US Space Command (SpaceCom), which was created in August to
handle the US military’s space operations.
Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett
said the Space Force would comprise around 16,000 Air Force and civilian
personnel.
It will be led by Air Force General Jay Raymond, who currently runs SpaceCom.
The man who opened fire at the Federal Security
Service (FSB) headquarters in Moscow has been identified as a 39-year-old loner
and gun enthusiast, Russian government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.
According to Russian police, Yevgeny Manyurov is from Podolsk, about 25
miles south of Moscow. On December 19, the gunman killed an FSB officer and
wounded five others with an automatic weapon, before a sniper shot him dead.
One of the wounded is a civilian.
At the moment of the attack, President Vladimir Putin was at a gala evening
honoring the FSB at the Kremlin, a couple of miles away.
The shooting happened at the entrance of the Lubyanka, the FSB headquarters
which used to house the Soviet KGB.
On December 19, police searched Yevgeny Manyurov’s flat, which he had shared
with his mother, and they detained her for questioning.
Yevgeny Manyurov had worked as a security guard but lost his job recently
and never had any visits from friends, Russian media quote his mother as
saying. Police found five guns at the flat – legally registered and kept in a
safe – along with a large quantity of ammunition.
He once trained as a lawyer and did some legal consulting work, reports say.
Yevgeny Manyurov practiced shooting regularly at a gun club, which was a
passion for him, his mother is quoted as saying.
She also said she had heard him speaking English on the phone with some
“Arabs”, who had started calling him since he had lost his security
job.
According to Kommersant newspaper, when he opened fire, Yevgeny Manyurov “was shouting slogans typical of Islamic State”. The publication says the information came from a security source, who quoted witnesses questioned by police.
The House voted to impeach President Donald
Trump, setting up a trial in the Senate that will decide whether he remains in
office.
The House voted on two charges – that President Trump abused his power and
that he had obstructed Congress.
Nearly all Democrats voted for the charges and every Republican against.
Donald Trump has become the third US president
in history to be impeached.
However, Republicans control the Senate so it is highly unlikely he will be
removed from power.
As voting took place in the House, President Trump was addressing a campaign
rally in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The president told a cheering crowd: “While we’re creating jobs and fighting for Michigan, the radical
left in Congress is consumed with envy and hatred and rage, you see what’s
going on.”
Meanwhile, the White House released
a statement saying that the president was “confident that he will be fully
exonerated” in a Senate trial.
After 10 hours of partisan debate on
the merits of the two impeachment charges against President Trump, the House
called for votes at about 20:30 local time.
The first charge is abuse of power,
stemming from President Trump’s alleged attempt to pressure Ukraine to announce
investigations into his Democratic political rival, Joe Biden.
It passed by 230 votes to 197,
almost completely on party lines. Only two Democrats opposed – New Jersey’s
Jeff Van Drew, who is set to leave the party, and Minnesota’s Collin Peterson.
The second charge is obstruction of Congress, because President Trump allegedly
refused to co-operate with the impeachment inquiry, withholding documentary
evidence and barring his key aides from giving evidence.
It passed by 229-198. Democrat Jared Golden of Maine voted for the first
charge but opposed this.
No Republicans supported impeachment, although ex-party member Justin Amash,
from Michigan, did.
Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard voted “present” on
both charges – effectively an abstention. Two members were absent for personal
reasons.
Being impeached places President Donald Trump alongside only two other presidents in the nation’s history – Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton.
Energy is one of the biggest expenses for any business, and it can fast start eating into your bottom line. This is especially an issue for energy extensive businesses, or businesses struggling to meet their objectives. But energy is also an area where businesses can be neglectful, and make mistakes that lead to more consumption and higher costs. In some cases, just making a few adjustments could be enough to significantly reduce your energy costs, and give your business more room to breathe. Here are a few simple ways your business could be saving on energy.
Shop Around
There is no reason to stick with the utility company you are with forever, unless you’re 100% certain that you can’t get a better deal elsewhere. But how can you know if you’ve never even looked?
The first thing you should do is check what other providers could offer you.
Depending on where you live, a service like Electricityrates, for instance, is perfect for comparing business energy prices from a variety of providers in the USA. You can then decide to make the switch, or see if your current provider could give you a better deal. If they aren’t willing to meet you halfway, then leave. It’s as simple as that. Other well-known sites include Utility Bidder, a website that is more catered towards people looking to find the best energy providers in the UK.
Photo Source: wellsphere.com
Watch Out for Energy Vampires
Doing something as simple as unplugging idle equipment and appliances could make a significant difference on your energy bills. Did you know that plugged in appliances that are not in use could increase your monthly energy costs by as much as 15%? Get yourself some energy strips to make the process easier,and make unplugging part of your company’s protocol.
Use Natural Sunlight to Your Advantage
Sunlight is a natural and free source of energy, and if you aren’t using it correctly, you are throwing money out of the window. After all, whole countries turn their clocks back one hour each year for this purpose only, and harnessing the power of the sun could be a great way to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and electricity.
But we’re not talking about installing solar panels, though it could always be an option. Doing something as simple as making sure that the blinds stay open during the day or using skylights to reduce the need for artificial lighting is a start. Then you could start looking at advanced options such as a solar heater water tank, for instance.
These systems usually use heat collectors that are located on the roof. Water is then pumped from the tanks through tubes, heated by the collectors, then returned to the insulated part of the tank. This way, you can get hot water free of charge even after sundown, though chances are you’ll only truly need it during working hours.
Look into Heat Recovery Energy
A lot of heat is emitted by everyday processes in a business. But heat recovery technology can allow you to harvest anything from heat generated from your furnace, running hot water that is used in production, or even employees taking showers or washing their hands.
You can also consider having a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system installed in your office or factory. How this technology works is rather simple. What it does is use ambient air that was heated or conditioned, and use it to cool or heat air that is coming from outside. Hot or cold air from the inside is expelled out and mixed with air pulled from the outside through an exchanger. This means less money and energy spent on heating or air conditioning, which are two of the biggest energy expenditures of any business.
Use Motion Sensors and Detectors
You can’t always rely on humans to close and open the lights, and a lot of times, areas that are lit all the time don’t really need to, like hallways for instance. Using sensors could help reduce energy costs by making sure that these areas are only lit when people are actually using them. Sensors could also be used to control heating in certain areas.
Programmable thermostats could also give you additional opportunities to cut on costs. No need to have the AC or heat roaring when there’s nobody there, and you don’t want to come to a freezing or scorching hot office when coming in. Using a smart thermostat could allow you to adjust the temperature right before people come in so you can use it optimally without any waste.
So, if your goal is to save energy whether for economic or ideological reasons, all of these tips will allow you to reach your goals. The best is that a lot of these are simple adjustments that businesses of any size can implement.
House Judiciary Committee has approved two
impeachment articles against President Donald Trump, moving the process towards
a full House vote.
The articles are expected to be voted on by the Democrat-controlled House of
Representatives next week.
President Trump is the fourth US president in history to face impeachment.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Donald Trump again dismissed the
process as a “sham” and a “hoax”.
Today’s hearing lasted just over ten minutes before the two articles of
impeachment – abuse of power and obstructing Congress – were passed by 23 votes
to 17.
The vote was delayed after more than 14 hours of rancorous debate.
Republicans criticized that decision by Democratic Party Chairman Jerry Nadler,
accusing him of pushing back the vote to ensure more TV coverage.
In the abuse of power article, President Trump is accused of soliciting a
foreign country to help him politically by trying to force Ukraine to launch a
corruption investigation into his political rival Joe Biden, a leading
Democratic presidential contender.
The president is also accused of obstructing Congress by failing to
co-operate with the House investigation.
Leading Democrats agreed the articles of impeachment described over nine
pages. They say that President Trump “betrayed the nation” by acting
“corruptly”.
Jerry Nadler made a brief statement to reporters after the vote, calling it
a “solemn and sad day” and pledged that the House of Representatives
would “act expeditiously”.
However, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz said: “For Democrats, impeachment is their drug.”
Speaking from the White House Oval Office alongside the president of
Paraguay, President Trump called the impeachment process “a witch
hunt”, “a sham” and “a hoax”.
Donald Trump said Democrats were “trivializing impeachment” adding that they are “making absolute fools out of themselves”.
A fresh wave of US tariffs on Chinese imports was due to take effect on
December 15. However, this has been canceled for now.
President Donald Trump tweeted: “We
will begin negotiations on the phase two deal immediately, rather than waiting
until after the 2020 Election.
“This is an amazing deal for
all.”
If the new, higher tariffs had gone ahead, Chinese-made goods such as clothing,
smartphones, and toys would have become more expensive for Americans just ahead
of Christmas.
US negotiators are reportedly offering to significantly reduce existing tariffs
on about $360 billion worth of Chinese imports.
In return, China has promised to buy large quantities of US soybeans,
poultry and other agricultural products.
The agreement is a deal in principle, which means if China breaks any part of the agreement, the Trump administration has the ability to re-implement tariffs.
Many of us had never had the chance or opportunity to slam our fists down on a desk and cry out “I need my lawyer!” Not just because we’ve likely never been in a situation where we’d require one and having a lawyer on retainer is incredibly expensive.
Also, there are many different types of
lawyers in various situations. You wouldn’t hire an environmental lawyer to
handle a criminal case. Just like Baskin Robbins and their 31 flavors of ice
cream, there is a lawyer for every occasion.
In some cases, you may need a personal injury lawyer. Deciding if you need a lawyer is one thing but how do you know if you’re going to need a personal injury lawyer?
Below, we run over a few situations and
reasons where you might want to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you out.
You Have a Serious Injury
When it comes to personal injury, there has to
be some form of negligence by another party. That means tearing your ACL in
your men’s basketball league after trying a between the leg dribble move isn’t
going to work.
Another party has to have failed in performing
its basic duty. You will see this written as the party breaching their duty of
care. That’s why many personal injury cases stem from workplace accidents, car
crashes, medical accidents, or product liability instances.
So if you’ve suffered a serious injury from negligence or a failure in duty of care, then you might have a strong case on your hands and reach out to personal injury lawyers.
Your Insurance Company Is Acting
in Bad Faith
Many times, the first place people will turn
to after suffering personal injury is their insurance. After all, that’s why we
have insurance, to protect us from those ugly moments.
Insurance companies are rarely easy to deal
with and anyone that has had a minor fender bender can attest to this fact.
Even though the insurance company may be following their policy and acting
within their rights, they still may not be helping you as much as they should.
That’s why having a personal injury lawyer can
help navigate you through the difficult paperwork and confusing times to give
you the best representation possible.
You’ve Been in an Accident
Once again, the above phrase doesn’t apply to
all accidents and scenarios. You can’t hire a personal injury lawyer after you
ran into a mailbox while texting and driving.
It has to happen because, once again, another
party was negligent. Even if you don’t suffer a severe injury, any kind of
injury can apply in this situation. It’s also important to note that the
accident couldn’t have been your fault.
So if it was the fault of the machine
equipment, hazardous working areas, or a coworker, you might have a strong case
this time around.
Legal Experience
As mentioned earlier, there are plenty of
different types of lawyers and as someone who may not have the legal
wherewithal, trying to navigate your way through paperwork, the legal system,
and other lawyers is going to be an impossible uphill climb.
With this legal experience, personal injury
lawyers know how to deal with anything that may be thrown your way and can look
for creative ways to reach a solution amongst all parties involved.
Plus, having a lawyer on your side can lead to
the best outcome, like avoiding trial and being able to settle out of court.
Even though roughly 90% of personal injury cases are settled out of court, you
want to avoid falling into that 10% category.
It’s a Time Saver
Legal matters aren’t like they are in the
movies. Jury decisions take days instead of minutes and settlements usually
aren’t reached that quickly. Settling a personal injury case is no small thing
and trying to do it alone is going to take a ton of your precious time.
Having a lawyer is likely to speed up the
process, not because they’re superhumans, but because they know how to navigate
the system and what processes to look out for.
So if you find yourself in an accident or
injured because of negligence, make sure you do the right thing and hire a
personal injury lawyer.
UK voters are going to the polls for the third
general election in less than five years.
Polling stations in 650 constituencies across England, Scotland, Wales, and
Northern Ireland opened at 07:00 GMT.
After the polls close at 22:00 GMT, counting will begin straight away. Most
results are due to be announced in the early hours of December 13.
A total of 650 lawmakers will be chosen under the first-past-the-post system
used for general elections, in which the candidate who secures the most votes
in each individual constituency is elected.
In 2017, Newcastle Central was the first constituency to declare, announcing
its result about an hour after polls closed.
Elections in the UK traditionally take place every four or five years.
However, in October, lawmakers voted for the second snap poll in as many years.
It is the first winter election since 1974 and the first to take place in
December since 1923.
Anyone aged 18 or over is eligible to vote, as long as they
are a British citizen or qualifying citizen of the Commonwealth or Republic of
Ireland and have registered to vote. Registration closed on November 26.
People do not need a polling card to be able to vote but will need to give
their name and address at their local polling station. People can only vote for
one candidate or their ballot paper will not be counted.
PM Boris Johnson has cast his vote – he visited a polling station in central
London, taking his dog, Dilyn, along with him, and Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn voted
in north London.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has used a postal vote.
Many people have already put a cross next to the name of their favored candidate by voting by post – more than seven million people used a postal vote two years ago.
Harvey Weinstein attended the court
hearing in New York using a walking frame. His lawyers said he was undergoing
surgery on December 12 for injuries suffered in a car accident in August.
The $25 million settlement is part
of a larger $47 million package intended to close the Weinstein Company’s
liabilities, including legal fees. Harvey Weinstein would not pay personally,
the sum would come from insurance companies representing the Weinstein Company.
A group lawsuit had been brought by
dozens of women who accuse Harvey Weinstein of harassment and abuse, though
high-profile figures who have also made allegations, such as Gwyneth Paltrow
and Angelina Jolie, are not part of the action.
Genie Harrison, a lawyer for one of
the plaintiffs, told the New York Times:
“I don’t think there’s a markedly
better deal to be made.”
She said other alleged victims who
hold out could end up with nothing, and that they should “come forward and
be able to get the best level of compensation we were able to get”.
One plaintiff backing the deal, Louisette Geiss, told Associated Press: “This settlement will ensure that all survivors have the chance for recovery and can move forward without Harvey’s damaging lock on their careers.”
Styling your home can turn out to be a costly affair. With so many areas to cover and so many different things to buy, costs can add up. This is why it is so important to shop smartly – decorating your home needn’t cost thousands and thousands of dollars. In fact, if you find the right deal, you could completely revamp your home decor for under a few hundred dollars. In today’s article, we have a look at 5 luxury home items that you can purchase for under $100. Read on to find out more!
1. Adorn Your Windows On The Cheap
Say goodbye to expensive blinds and costly curtains and say hello to the return of pinch pleat curtains. Pinch pleat curtains have recently made a comeback and are a fantastic way to add some style and finish to the windows in your home. Unlike expensive curtains or drapes, pinch pleat curtains can be purchased for under $100. Pinch pleat curtains are easy to install and come in options that offer soft light filtering or total blockout. Pinch pleat curtains also come in options that offer insulation, ensuring that your home remains nice and toasty in the colder months of the year. Introduce an element of style and class into your home with pinch pleat curtains with an added bonus of not breaking the bank!
2. Rugs Don’t Have To Cost A Fortune
Perhaps you’ve seen them in luxury restaurants or homes – Persian rugs, silk rugs and leather, hide or sheepskin rugs. The reality is these rugs are great to look at, but also come at the price of a small fortune. Thankfully, there are a wide variety of luxury rugs now available both in stores and online to the everyday person. The Monterey rug by Imhome is a beautiful lightweight rug that will elevate any room in your home. With intricate black and soft green patterns on cotton, this rug adds a touch of class to any room it sits in. Turn your home into a bohemian style sanctuary under $100 with the Monterey rug.
3. Store Your Books with Style
A stunning bookshelf needn’t cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars. Say hello to the beautiful industrial ladder bookshelf by Kmart. Industrial furniture is one of the most popular furniture styles in 2019. Unfortunately, many industrial pieces come at an exorbitant price that not many can afford. Thankfully, the industrial ladder bookshelf by Kmart offers you all the style of an industrial piece without a hefty price tag. At only $45, this bookshelf will inject some hipster-chic vibes into any room it sits in.
4. Affordable Artwork
Gone are the days of spending thousands of dollars on paintings or artwork to decorate your home with. 2019 is all about affordable artwork that injects style and personality into your home. Take for example the Home Republic Porto Natural Triple Frame by Adairs. At just $27.99, this modern frame with white foreground is the perfect canvas for your photos or artwork to stand out. Those looking for larger pieces must have a look at this beautiful set of 3 abstract prints on Etsy that you can snag for under $90. Options are endless when it comes to affordable artwork, so ditch the pricey pieces for affordable and beautiful artwork that you can purchase from artists online.
5. A Touch Of Green
Last but certainly not least, no home decor is complete without a touch of green. Unfortunately, many planters or pot plants come at exclusive prices these days. Fret not, however, as the Peggy Hanging Planter by Jones and Co comes in at under $60. This quirky ginger-haired planter loves having a cute plant inside and hanging from a hook in any room of your home. Add a touch of nature to your living room, bedroom or even backyard with this affordable and eccentric planter.
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Luxurious decor doesn’t have to come at a luxurious price. We hope that this article has given you some insight into just a few of the many affordable home decor options available to you.
It’s a split-second decision. You’ve been having a great time and now it’s time to go home. You think you’re fine, you only had a few drinks. So, you decide it isn’t worth the hassle to call a ride or stay over.
Driving drunk is one of the worst decisions you’ll ever make. In the state of Texas, there are almost 1,500 deaths due to drunk driving every year. Will this be your last drive?
Here we discuss the dangers, and consequences, of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Lonely and thirsty
How Alcohol Affects Your Ability to Drive
There are a number of different ways alcohol affects your brain and body, even if you’ve only had a few drinks.
Let’s dive into some specifics about how alcohol impairs all your senses.
After a single drink, the neurons in your noggin start firing incorrectly. The blocked chemical synapses lead to impulsive behavior, slurred speech, poor memory, and slowed reflexes.
This means that even if you have only had a couple of drinks you’re already more prone to aggressive driving and less able to avoid a collision.
Heavier drinking leads to long term damage to your brain by eliminating certain signals forever. Continuing to drink regularly and in heavy amounts can also lead to brain shrinkage and a higher probability of death from stroke or other brain disorders.
Your Body on Alcohol
In addition to the brain, the body also goes into a toxic state while drinking. While this helps you let loose and have a great time at a party by making it easier to talk to people it makes it a horrible idea to get behind the wheel.
The physical effects of drinking on your body are a lower core temperature, higher blood pressure, loss of coordination, lack of judgment, and dulled vision. This makes you more likely to miss important road signals or even pass out while behind the wheel.
Continuing a habit of heavy drinking also leads to being at higher risk for a variety of different cancers. From the throat to the liver, to colorectal, and esophageal and everything in between.
Heavy drinking also leads to irregular heartbeat, higher risk of stroke, and a higher risk of a heart attack. All of these risks get worse when you’ve been drinking so any one of these things could happen behind the wheel.
The Legal Ramifications of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
The first thing people think about when they come up with reasons to not drive while drinking is the potential of DUI/DWI.
Driving Under the Influence, or Driving While Intoxicated (DUI/DWI)
So, you’ve had those couple drinks and you’re only a couple of miles from home so you decide to drive yourself home. You’re hungry so you decide to swing into the Taco Bell drive-thru to grab a burrito.
A police officer is sitting in the parking lot of the fast-food establishment and watches you take the turn into the drive-thru wide and curb your car. He listens to your order and hears the distinct slur in your words as you ask for your burrito and soda.
When you pull through the police officer puts his lights on and has you pull into a parking spot. What happens next?
The police officer will ask you to blow into a breathalyzer machine to determine your blood alcohol level or BAC. Anything over 0.08 percent, while driving a vehicle, is considered intoxicated.
The police officer will also put you through a series of field sobriety tests. Make you walk a straight line, touch your nose while standing on one foot, etc. All of these will be almost impossible while drunk.
Then you’ll be taken to jail and charged with DUI/DWI. You can face some jail time, a long suspension of your driver’s license, tons of fees, and will usually be forced into an alcohol recovery system such as Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA.
As soon as you can, you’ll want to call a DWI lawyer who specializes in this type of case.
Vehicular Manslaughter
Driving while under the influence of alcohol makes it much more likely that you’ll be in an accident. It’s also likely you’ll walk away from the accident, but the person or people you hit may not be so lucky.
The worst day of your life is realizing you took another human’s life because you couldn’t be bothered to book an Uber. If someone dies in a crash that you caused you can expect a charge of vehicular manslaughter in addition to your DUI case.
In Texas, being found guilty of vehicular manslaughter while drinking can get you up to 20 years in prison. It’s considered a second-degree felony with a guaranteed 2 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
Having a Drink? Don’t Get Behind the Wheel, Driving Under The Influence of Alcohol is Not Worth It
We hope this will make you pause the next time you’re heading out to a friend’s house for a party or to the bar to watch the game. There’s no excuse to drive drunk, not in the age of smartphones and ride-sharing apps.
If you know you’ll be drinking take an Uber or Lyft, don’t even bring your car. Don’t tempt yourself. Don’t give yourself an excuse to put you and everyone else on the road at risk.
Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol, period.
Looking for more great content? Check out the rest of our blog.
Congress can remove a president from office
before the end of their term.
Impeachment is the first part – the charges – of a two-stage political
process by which Congress can remove a president from office.
While it’s commonly used to mean removing
someone from office, it actually refers to the filing of formal charges in
Congress.
These charges then form the basis of a
trial.
How
does the impeachment process begin?
It has to be started by the House of
Representatives, which is one of the two chambers of Congress. (The other is
the Senate).
A simple majority (51%) needs to vote in
favor of articles of impeachment for the process to move to the next stage.
If the House of Representatives votes to pass articles of impeachment, the
Senate is forced to hold a trial.
What
happens next?
A Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority to convict and remove the
president – unlikely in this case, given that President Donald Trump’s party
controls the chamber.
A team of politicians from the House of
Representatives act as prosecutors. The president has their own defense lawyers
and senators act as the jury.
The chief justice of the Supreme Court
presides over proceedings and the president is tried.
Only two US presidents in history – Bill Clinton and Andrew Johnson – have
been impeached, but neither was convicted.
President Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.
House Judiciary Committee has unveiled charges
against President Donald Trump, a key move in impeaching him.
The first article revealed by committee chief Jerry Nadler accuses President
Trump of abuse of power and the second accuses him of obstructing Congress.
The Republican president is said to have withheld aid to Ukraine for
domestic political reasons.
Donald Trump has urged the Senate to try him “sooner than later”.
He insists he has done “nothing wrong” and has dismissed the
impeachment process as “madness”.
If the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives Judiciary Committee
votes to approve the articles later this week, they will then be submitted to
the lower chamber for a full vote.
If, in turn, the articles are approved by the House, an impeachment trial in
the Republican-held Senate will take place, possibly early in January.
The impeachment process was launched after an anonymous
whistleblower complained to Congress in September about a July phone call by
Donald Trump to the president of Ukraine.
President Trump is alleged to have
committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” (a phrase from the US
Constitution) on two counts outlined by Jerry Nadler:
The first allegation is that he exercised the powers of his public office to “obtain an improper personal benefit while ignoring or injuring the national interest”, by allegedly putting pressure on Ukraine to interfere in the 2020 presidential election;
The second allegation is that “when he was caught, when the House investigated and opened an impeachment inquiry, President Trump engaged in unprecedented categorical and indiscriminate defiance of the impeachment inquiry”, thereby obstructing Congress.
President Trump “sees himself
as above the law”, Jerry Nadler said.
“We must be clear, no-one, not even the president, is
above the law.”
In the July phone call to Ukraine’s
President Volodymyr Zelensky,
President Trump appeared to tie US military assistance for Ukraine to its
launching of investigations that could help him politically.
In return for those investigations, Democrats say President Trump offered
two bargaining chips – $400 million of military aid that had already been
allocated by Congress, and a White House meeting for President.
Democrats say this pressure on a vulnerable US ally constitutes an abuse of
power.
The first investigation President Trump wanted from Ukraine was into former
VP Joe Biden, his main Democratic challenger, and his son Hunter. Hunter Biden
joined the board of a Ukrainian energy company when his father was President
Barack Obama’s deputy.
The second Trump demand was that Ukraine should try to corroborate a
conspiracy theory that Ukraine, not Russia, had interfered in the last US
presidential election. This theory has been widely debunked, and US
intelligence agencies are unanimous in saying Moscow was behind the hacking of
Democratic Party emails in 2016.
President Trump railed at the announcement of the charges, declaring again on Twitter that it was a “witch hunt”.
Swedish pop singer, songwriter,
pianist and painter Marie Fredriksson has died aged 61, her
manager has confirmed.
The Roxette singer achieved global success in the 1990s with hits like Joyride, The Look and It Must Have
Been Love, from the film Pretty Woman.
A statement said Marie Fredriksson had died on December 9 “following a
17-year long battle with cancer”.
Her bandmate Per Gessle said: “You
were the most wonderful friend for over 40 years.
“Things will never be the
same.”
Marie Fredriksson was first
diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002, after collapsing in her kitchen following
a workout.
The tumor cost her the vision in her
right eye – but after three years of treatment, she returned to public life and
toured successfully again with Roxette from 2008 to 2016.
According to Marie Fredriksson’s
family, she had died following a recurrence of “her previous illness”
earlier this week.
Per Gessle said in a heartfelt
statement: “Thank you, Marie, thanks
for everything.
“You were an outstanding musician, a master of the
voice, an amazing performer. Thanks for painting my black and white songs in
the most beautiful colors. You were the most wonderful friend for over 40
years.
“I’m proud, honored and happy to have been able to
share so much of your time, talent, warmth, generosity and sense of humor. All
my love goes out to you and your family.”
Hailing from Halmstad, Sweden, Roxette first met in the late 1970s, when Marie
Fredriksson was a member of the pop outfit Strul & Ma Mas Barn and Gessle
was playing with Gyllene Tider, one of Sweden’s biggest groups.
They teamed up in 1986, becoming huge stars in their homeland with the
single Neverending Love, followed by
a hit album, Pearls of Passion.
Despite their popularity in Scandinavia, Capitol Records declined to release
their records in the US.
It wasn’t until an American student studying in Sweden brought a copy of
their second album home to Minneapolis, and persuaded a local radio DJ to play The Look, that they achieved
international fame.
That song became the first of four US number ones for the band, while its
parent album, Look Sharp!, went
platinum.
They achieved their biggest success when their 1987 Christmas single, It Must Have Been Love, was re-written
for inclusion on the Pretty Woman
soundtrack in 1990.
Roxette continued to tour and release albums throughout the 1990s – eventually
selling more than 80 million records worldwide.
Although the DevOps concept is just a decade old, the philosophy has found its way into the offices of corporations around the world—and especially among newer businesses and startups. DevOps isn’t just a singular notion; it’s a philosophy and culture movement built upon the foundation that companies should have processes in place to integrate communication between development and operations team.
The overarching goal is to deliver quicker, and in a more secure way. DevOps tools are designed to automate many of the processes involved in development work. Today, there are even platforms like JFrog that help businesses run a fully automated DevOps pipeline from code to production. Overall, you’ll benefit from better company culture, a higher level of transparency, and quicker deliverables.
Since DevOps hit the scene, many companies have attempted to nix their traditional, siloed approach to development in favor of this trending, integrated approach. And while big businesses like Amazon and Netflix are succeeding with DevOps, other companies are still strongly to bring it into their organizations. Here’s why:
Fear of Change
The development world is
experiencing a major culture shift, but for many organizations and developers,
this level of change is scary. This is especially true for software businesses
that have been around for quite some time. They trust their processes, and are
accustomed to running the business a certain way. However, it’s important to
understand that businesses that don’t adopt and embrace new technology will
quickly find themselves left behind in the dust of their tech-savvy
competitors.
Fear of change is
normal, but it’s important to address those fears head on—particularly when the
future of the company depends upon it. This might mean you have to do some
restructuring and hire leaders who understand DevOps and can facilitate its
integration. Businesses should be careful not to move too quickly, which can
cause further unrest as employees across different departments struggle to
learn and catch up.
Not Focusing on Building
DevOps Architecture
One of the biggest
reasons companies fail with DevOps is because they don’t set up the technology
and processes that fuel it correctly. DevOps is about much more than a mindset
centered around conjoining business operations. You’ll also need the tools in
place to carry your goals through. Many companies believe that if they start
investing in technology that aligns with DevOps, they can simply push code
quicker right away. This isn’t the case. Like anything else, you have to build
your foundation before it can hold anything at all.
While the goal of DevOps
is to shorten development lifecycles, spearheading DevOps for the first time
requires you to take a step back and slow down. Analyze areas of your workflow
and identify bottlenecks and communication gaps. From here, you can decide
which tools contribute to solutions. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six
hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the ax.”
The same concept can be applied to DevOps. Even the strongest man would have
trouble chopping a tree with a dull ax. Similarly, put in the necessary steps
to ensure you have the proper workflows in place to progress.
Not Treating It Like a
Product
As previously mentioned,
a foundation is necessary to propel with DevOps successfully. It helps to treat
DevOps implementation just as you would a product build. First thing’s first:
you need a road map. A big bang approach can quickly spiral out of control.
With a detailed pipeline and micro steps, you’re less likely to run into issues
or overburden your team.
For example, you might
break down your DevOps goals by quarter. In one quarter, you might focus on
shifting company culture and preparing the organization for what’s to come. In
the next, you might integrate database administrators into the DevOps process.
After that, you’ll focus on the technology necessary to automate your
deployments.
Failing to Measure
Any time you start a new project or goal, there needs to be a method in place for measuring progress. For instance, if you want to lose weight, you should measure your starting weight and come back to compare new results. But it’s not just about the starting and ending numbers: everything in between matters, too. Creating SMART goals is crucial here. Do you want to push applications to the frontline quicker? Improve code quality? Reduce the amount of bug fixes? These are all metrics you should be able to come back to later on to determine how DevOps played a role in those goals. Understanding where your successes are also motivates you to continue on.
In a rare sign of co-operation between the US
and Iran, the two countries have conducted a prisoner swap.
The exchange involved Chinese-American researcher Xiyue Wang, who was convicted
of spying in Iran and Iranian scientist Massoud Soleimani, who was held by the
US. Both men deny wrongdoing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he was glad as he
announced the exchange.
Hours later, President Donald Trump tweeted: “Thank you to Iran on a very fair negotiation. See, we can make a
deal together!”
Xiyue Wang was arrested in Iran in 2016 for “collaborating with foreign
governments”.
Massoud Soleimani, a stem cell expert, was arrested at a Chicago airport in
2018. He was accused violating trade sanctions by trying to export biological
material to Iran.
The US and Iran have had an
increasingly strained relationship in recent years and share no diplomatic
links.
Both countries have thanked the
Swiss government for its assistance as an intermediary facilitator.
Xiyue Wang was flown in a Swiss
government plane from Tehran to Zurich, and then to Ramstein Air Base in Germany,
where he will undergo medical check-ups before heading home.
Massoud Soleimani was also flown to
Zurich and then on to Iran.
Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted photos
of himself with Massoud Soleimani after his release.
He was the first to announce the
news, via Twitter: “Glad that
Professor Massoud Soleimani and Mr. Xiyue Wang will be joining their families
shortly.”
In a formal statement, President Donald Trump said Xiyue Wang had been
“held under the pretence of espionage”.
The statement said: “Freeing
Americans held captive is of vital importance to my Administration, and we will
continue to work hard to bring home all our citizens wrongfully held captive
overseas.”
Hua Qu, Mr
Xiyue Wang’s wife, Hua Qu, wrote in statement: “Our family is complete once again. Our son Shaofan and I have
waited three long years for this day and it’s hard to express in words how
excited we are to be reunited with Xiyue.
“We are thankful to everyone who
helped make this happen.”
Princeton University, where Xiyue Wang was studying as a postgraduate, said
in a statement it was “overjoyed” with the news of his release and
was looking forward to “welcoming him back to campus”.
Xiyue Wang was arrested in Iran in August 2016 as he was leaving the
country.
He had been doing research in Iran for a university dissertation and was
accused of seeking to gather “highly confidential articles” for US
and British academic institutions.
Xiyue Wang was sentenced to 10 years in jail for spying.
Massoud Soleimani was detained in October 2018 on accusations of attempting
to export biological materials to Iran in violation of trade sanctions on the
country over its nuclear program.
US-Iran tensions have risen significantly in the last two years.
After President Donald Trump took power, the US pulled out of a 2015 treaty
that aimed to limit Tehran’s nuclear program.
Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is peaceful, but the US voiced
concerns about potential weapon building.
President Donald Trump also reinstated sanctions on Iran, which have led to its currency plummeting and inflation soaring.
President Donald Trump has decided to delay his
plans to legally designate Mexican drug cartels as terrorist groups.
He had vowed to label the gangs as terrorists after the killing last month
of nine American citizens from a Mormon community in Mexico.
However, the president has put the plans on hold on the request of his
Mexican counterpart, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The Mexican president said: “I
celebrate that he has taken our opinion into account.”
“We thank President Trump for
respecting our decisions and for choosing to maintain a policy of good neighborliness,
a policy of cooperation with us,” Andrés Manuel López Obrador added.
President Trump’s original announcement came after three women and six
children of dual US-Mexican nationality were killed in an ambush in a remote
area of northern Mexico.
Following the attack the victims’ community, the LeBarons, petitioned the
White House to list the cartels as terror groups, saying: “They are terrorists and it’s time to acknowledge it.”
The move would have widened the scope for US legal and financial action
against cartels but Mexico saw it as a violation of its sovereignty.
President Trump has now put the plans on hold.
He tweeted: “All necessary work
has been completed to declare Mexican Cartels terrorist organizations.
“Statutorily we are ready to do
so.”
However, he said his Mexican counterpart is “a man who I like and
respect, and has worked so well with us,” adding that he was temporarily
holding off on the designation and stepping up “joint efforts to deal
decisively with these vicious and ever-growing organizations!”
President Trump did not comment on how long the delay would last.
Mexico’s brutal drug war claims tens of thousands of lives every year, as
powerful trafficking groups battle for territory and influence.
In 2017 more than 30,000 people were killed in Mexico, with the murder rate
having more than tripled since 2006.
In the past three decades, modern medicine has gained extraordinary ground. In addition to refining our understanding of stem cells and how they function, we’ve quickly moved to bioengineering sheep and other animals from somatic cells, as well as tissues that could possibly be used for transplants. It’s seemingly the stuff of science fiction. But it’s happening; it’s called regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine is the science of using living human cells to fight, repair, replace and/or otherwise heal damaged, diseased or decaying ones. It’s a broad term and can be applied in and for a variety of different situations and conditions. Many people may only associate regenerative medicine with sports injuries since several well-known athletes have made headlines by undergoing a stem cell treatment to help alleviate the effects of their acute or chronic injuries. But while stem cell therapy is one type of regenerative procedure, it’s not the only one. Regenerative medicine includes all of the following clinical therapies:
Cellular Therapy
Stem cells are at the heart of regenerative medicine. After all, they
are the body’s “master cells,” capable of making many, if not all (as in the
case of embryonic stem cells), of the
body’s different cell types. But other cells can be used for cell therapy, as
well, including red blood cells, certain types of immune cells and islet cells.
Red blood cells, for example, can be harvested to create a platelet rich plasma
(PRP) and mesenchymal stem cells can be used to treat pain and inflammation for
degenerative joint conditions.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a type of cellular therapy, but it also includes the
transfer of certain proteins and monoclonal antibodies and/or other molecular
material such as interleukins and interferons. Its goal is not so much to
repair cells but to fight “bad cells.” It does this by either strengthening the
body’s overall immune system so that it can fight a disease (usually cancer) on
its own or by creating an “army of cells” specifically programmed to target
certain “bad” cells (like those in a tumor). In either case, specific immune
cells are harvested from a donor, grown and/or modified in a lab and then
injected into a patient to effectuate healing.
Transplantation and Bioengineering
Finally, regenerative medicine can also refer to those treatments that aim to replace or repair large areas of damaged tissue (like organs, large portions of the skin and bone marrow). A traditional organ transplant, for instance, is a type of regenerative procedure. Indeed, some transplants are also stem cell transplants, such as when bone marrow and its accompanying hematopoietic stem cells are harvested and then transplanted into a recipient to treat leukemia. And sometimes, tissues can be manufactured using living cells so that they can be transplanted into a body to provide a conducive environment for cell proliferation and growth. Examples of this include using bone grafts to treat cancerous or badly broken bones or growing artificial skin to cover severe burns.
In 2015 alone, nearly 30 million people received hospital treatment for an injury. Whether we like it or not, chances are that we’ll experience some sort of harm one day.
And, the road to recovery isn’t always easy. Even after medical treatment, you may still find yourself wishing you could speed things up and get back to your normal routine.
Luckily, there are a handful of foods that can help promote healing.
Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about foods that heal.
1. Probiotics
Foods that contain probiotics (which are living microorganisms) will help fight and prevent disease.
This friendly bacteria is found within yogurts and soy-based drinks, making them an accessible and effective option to recover from ailments like viral or skin infections.
2. Dairy
We’re taught from a young age that drinking milk leads to having strong bones.
This is due to the abundance of vitamin D and calcium that are found in dairy products. Calcium helps repair muscle and bone injuries, while vitamin D improves how effective calcium is at doing its job.
Food items like milk and yogurt are great meal options for people who have sprains or broken bones.
3. Carrots
Brimming with plenty of vitamin A, carrots are one of the most effective foods you can consume to promote healing.
This vitamin helps prime your body’s white blood cells for fighting infection. Even if you don’t currently have an infection, recovering from an injury can make your immune system less effective at protecting your body.
So, extra vitamin A will make sure you stay healthy while you recover.
4. Fish
Not everyone has a taste for seafood. But, those who are able to consume it will find it has plenty of beneficial properties.
Seafood like salmon and tuna are packed with protein and fatty acids (omega-3’s) that both reduce inflammation and heal damaged muscles and bones.
If your injury was the result of someone else’s negligence and you feel entitled to compensation, view this legal site for more information on moving forward.
5. Kelp
A commonly overlooked nutrient is iodine, an absence of which can cause mood swings and general fatigue. Kelp has plenty within its fibers, and this food is especially useful for boosting low thyroid levels.
It also has plenty of magnesium and potassium, which can both help reduce high blood pressure.
Other Contenders
There are plenty of other foods out there that can help you heal. A few are:
Eggs
Almonds
Lean meats (turkey, chicken)
Oranges (and other fruits with vitamin C)
Mushrooms
So, if your appetite doesn’t include any of the above five foods, try something from this list instead!
Foods That Heal: Final Thoughts
While it may seem unbelievable, simple foods can play a large role in the healing process.
With the above information about foods that heal in mind, you’ll be well on your way to making progress in your recovery as quickly as possible.
President Donald Trump and his French
counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, have set out opposing views ahead of a NATO
summit in London.
In an occasionally tense press conference, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron
sparred over NATO’s role, Turkey, and ISIS.
President Trump had described Emmanuel Macron’s comments about NATO as
“nasty”, but the French president said he stood by his words.
World leaders gathered in London to mark the Western military alliance’s
70th anniversary.
The NATO summit has already been marked by strained relations between Turkey
and other member states.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he will oppose NATO’s plan
for the defense of the Baltic region if it does not back Turkey over its fight
against Kurdish groups it considers terrorists.
On December 3, Emmanuel Macron and Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Downing
Street in a four-way meeting that also included German Chancellor Angela Merkel
and the host, UK PM Boris Johnson.
Ties between President Trump and Emmanuel Macron were already strained amid
a trade dispute, and after the French president described NATO as “brain
dead” last month because, he said, the US commitment to the alliance was
fading.
On December 3, President Trump hit back by saying Emmanuel Macron had been
“very disrespectful”, adding that France had “a very high
unemployment rate” and “nobody needs NATO more than France”.
At a joint press conference with Emmanuel Macron later, President Trump was
less combative, stressing that the two countries had “done a lot of good
things together”. Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said he stood by his
comments.
The two sides then clashed over foreign ISIS fighters who were captured in
Syria.
President Trump jokingly offered them to France, saying: “Would you like some nice [ISIS] fighters? You can take everyone
you want.”
Sounding stern, Emmanuel Macron said “Let’s be serious” and that
ISIS fighters from Europe were “a tiny minority”, and that the
“number one priority” was to get rid of the terrorist group.
President Trump then retorted: “This
is why he is a great politician because that was one of the greater non-answers
I have ever heard, and that’s OK.”
He also criticized NATO countries who were paying less than the NATO
guidelines of at least 2% of GDP towards the alliance.
President Trump said he did not want countries to be “delinquent” and pay less than their share, adding: “Maybe I’ll deal with them from a trade standpoint.”
Emmanuel Macron said France – which currently spends 1.84% of its GDP on
defense – would reach the minimum, and acknowledged that the US had
“overinvested” in NATO for several decades.
However, he added that there were other pressing issues to discuss.
The two leaders also discussed Turkey’s decision to buy a Russian S-400
missile system.
President Trump said they were “looking at” whether to impose
sanctions, while Emmanuel Macron asked: “How
is it possible to be a member of the alliance… and buy things from
Russia?”
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been key allies of the
US-led coalition against ISIS in Syria. However, Turkey views a section of the
group – the YPG – as terrorists.
Ahead of his departure for London, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would not approve a plan to defend Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the event of a Russian attack unless NATO recognized the Kurdish YPG militia as terrorists.
Independent journalists and bloggers in Russia
could be labeled as “foreign agents” after a controversial law has
been amended on December 2.
The “foreign agent” label already applies to certain media organizations
and NGOs which engage in politics and receive funding from abroad.
The EU, Amnesty International and the OSCE international security body condemned
the amended law.
“Foreign agent” was a Soviet-era term of abuse for political
dissidents.
President Vladimir Putin signed the amended “foreign agent” media
law.
Russia says the original media bill, introduced in 2017, was its response to
a US requirement for Kremlin-backed broadcaster RT to register as a foreign
agent in the US.
The first “foreign agent” law, introduced in 2012, targeted non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including charities and civil society groups, which get foreign funding and engage in political activity in Russia.
In 2015 Russia’s justice ministry listed Memorial
– a distinguished chronicler of human rights abuses – as a “foreign
agent”.
The anti-corruption organization of anti-Putin campaigner Alexei Navalny has
also been declared a “foreign agent”.
Groups, and now individuals, labeled as “foreign agents” have to
put that label on their publications and submit detailed paperwork to the
authorities, or face fines for not doing so.
The media law was steered through parliament’s lower house – the Duma – by
lawmakers Leonid Levin and Pyotr Tolstoy.
Leonid Levin explained that for an individual to be labeled a “foreign
agent” two criteria must be valid: they must be producing or spreading
material from a “foreign agent” media source, and they must be
getting foreign funding.
He said that re-tweeting “foreign agent” news would only make an
individual a “foreign agent” too if he or she was also receiving
foreign funding.
There has been a chorus of disapproval from human rights groups for the new
law.
OSCE media freedom representative Harlem Désir said the law “represents
a disproportionate interference in the freedom of expression and media
freedom”.
Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for the EU’s External Action Service (EEAS),
said the legislation “imposes an additional administrative and financial
burden, as well as stigmatizes the media or NGO concerned, thus restricting the
exercise of fundamental freedoms”.
She said: “Taking into account
the already limited space for free media in the country, a further extension of
the scope of the legislation is yet another worrying step against free and
independent media and access to information, as well as a further attempt to
silence independent voices in Russia.”
According to Amnesty International the new law “will have a detrimental impact on the already restrictive environment for independent journalism in Russia, and must be dropped”.
