Розділ: Повідомлення
Trump Visits Southern US Border
U.S. President Donald Trump landed Tuesday afternoon near the southern city of Alamo, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border, greeted by a small crowd of supporters, where he is expected to use one of his final days in office to highlight his administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration. His visit to Texas comes as the Democrat-majority House of Representatives pursues efforts to remove Trump from office over last week’s violent storming of the U.S. Capitol building by his supporters.Immigration was a major focus of Trump’s campaign for president in 2016, with his frequent calls to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.With his term set to end January 20, his administration has overseen the construction of roughly 450 miles of border wall. The vast majority of the construction replaced existing smaller barriers along the border.US House Moves to Remove Trump from OfficeDemocrats accuse US leader of ‘incitement of insurrection’ in last week’s storming of the Capitol by a mob of Trump supportersThe visit also comes a day after Trump’s acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf abruptly resigned.Ahead of Trump’s trip to Alamo, the Southern Poverty Law Center called for the visit to be canceled, saying it would “only further the harm and beget more violence.”“For years, communities on the border have resisted this administration’s bigoted agenda. It’s these communities, from San Diego to Brownsville, who have been subjected to unconscionable violence inflamed by the president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and xenophobic policies,” Efrén Olivares, deputy legal director of SPLC’s Immigrant Justice Project, said in a statement.
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By Polityk | 01/13/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
У 2020 році кількість польотів в Україні скоротилася на 57,6% порівняно з 2019-им – Украерорух
Кількість польотів у повітряному просторі України в 2020 році скоротилася на 57,6% порівняно з 2019 роком через вплив пандемії COVID-19, повідомило Державне підприємство обслуговування повітряного руху (Украерорух).
За повідомленням, минулого року Украерорух забезпечив аеронавігаційним обслуговуванням 142 047 рейсів.
«У повітряному просторі, що перебуває під відповідальністю України, у 2020 році було, зокрема, здійснено 21 102 внутрішні польоти (на 31,5 % менше порівняно із 2019 роком), 68 870 міжнародних польотів (-57,7 %) та 52 075 транзитних польотів (-63,2 %). Українські авіакомпанії виконали торік 49 733 польоти (це на 54,7% менше, ніж за 2019 рік), іноземні – 92 314 польотів (-59,1%)», – йдеться в повідомленні.
5 червня 2020 року Україна відновила внутрішні пасажирські авіаперевезення, а 15 червня запустила міжнародне авіасполучення після кількох місяців перерви, пов’язаної з жорстким карантином, запровадженим через поширення коронавірусу.
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By Gromada | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Trump to Visit Southern Border
U.S. President Donald Trump travels Tuesday to the southern city of Alamo, Texas, near the U.S-Mexico border, where he is expected to use one of his final days in office to highlight his administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration.It will be his first public appearance since last Wednesday when he said in a speech to his supporters that the presidential election was being stolen and urged them to “fight” before they stormed the U.S. Capitol.His visit to Texas also comes as the Democrat-majority House of Representatives pursues efforts to remove Trump from office.US House Moves to Remove Trump from OfficeDemocrats accuse US leader of ‘incitement of insurrection’ in last week’s storming of the Capitol by a mob of Trump supportersImmigration was a major focus of Trump’s campaign for president in 2016, with his frequent calls to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.With his term set to end January 20, his administration has overseen the construction of roughly 450 miles of border wall. The vast majority of the construction replaced existing smaller barriers along the border.The visit also comes a day after Trump’s acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf abruptly resigned.Ahead of Trump’s trip to Alamo, the Southern Poverty Law Center called for the visit to be cancelled, saying it would “only further the harm and beget more violence.”“For years, communities on the border have resisted this administration’s bigoted agenda. It’s these communities, from San Diego to Brownsville, who have been subjected to unconscionable violence inflamed by the president’s anti-immigrant rhetoric and xenophobic policies,” Efrén Olivares, deputy legal director of SPLC’s Immigrant Justice Project, said in a statement.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US House Moves to Remove Trump from Office
The Democrat-majority U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution calling for Vice President Mike Pence and members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to use their constitutional authority to remove Trump from office.The measure, which is expected to pass, sets a 24-hour deadline for Pence to respond.WATCH: US House to Vote on Impeaching Trump Later this WeekSorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) take part in a joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 election results at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 6, 2021.House leaders are also pushing ahead with a separate impeachment resolution that lawmakers are scheduled to begin considering Wednesday morning.Even though Trump’s four-year term expires at noon January 20, the four-page impeachment resolution said Trump has “demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law.”The four-page impeachment resolution cites Trump’s unfounded accusations that he was cheated out of a second four-year term by vote and vote-counting irregularities, his pressure on election officials in the southern state of Georgia to “find” him more than 11,000 votes to overtake Biden’s margin of victory in the state, and his statements at a rally last Wednesday urging thousands of supporters to march to the Capitol to pressure lawmakers to overturn the election outcome.A total of 218 Democrats have signed on to the resolution, ensuring a majority in the 435-member House without any Republican votes against the outgoing Republican president.Majority of Americans Want Trump Removed Immediately After US Capitol Violence – Reuters/Ipsos PollNearly 70% of Americans surveyed also said they disapprove of Trump’s actions in the run-up to Wednesday’s assaultBut it is unclear whether House leaders would immediately send the resolution to the Senate for a trial on whether to convict Trump and remove him from office, given that his term ends next week.Biden said it is his “hope and expectation” that the Senate could simultaneously hold an impeachment trial and confirm his Cabinet appointments after he takes office, while also approving more aid for the flagging U.S. economy weakened by the soaring coronavirus pandemic.He said Monday of the rioters, “It is critically important that there’ll be a real serious focus on holding those folks who engaged in sedition and threatening the lives, defacing public property, caused great damage — that they be held accountable.”Biden also told reporters, “I’m not afraid of taking the oath outside,” referring to next week’s swearing-in ceremony, which traditionally takes place at the U.S. Capitol’s west steps, one of the areas where people stormed the building.Even if Trump has already left office, a Senate impeachment conviction after his term ends could mean he would not hold federal office again.Republican Congressman Tom Reed said in a New York Times opinion piece that he would join an unspecified number of House colleagues in introducing a censure resolution against Trump on Tuesday as an alternative to a “hasty impeachment.”“If our leaders make the wrong decision in how to hold him accountable, it could damage the integrity of our system of justice, further fan the flames of division, and disillusion millions of Americans ─ all while failing to accomplish anything,” Reed wrote.Twitter Bans Trump, Others, Citing Risk of Violent IncitementSocial platform has been under growing pressure to take further action against Trump following Wednesday’s assault on US Capitol Trump, banned from Twitter for his false, incendiary comments alleging election fraud, has not publicly commented on the effort to impeach him a second time, which would give him a singular distinction among 45 U.S. presidents in the 245-year history of the United States.The House impeached him the first time in late 2019, accusing him of trying to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden ahead of last November’s election, but the Senate acquitted him in early February.At last Wednesday’s rally near the White House, Trump told several thousand people, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”The largely white mob that walked to the Capitol quickly overwhelmed police there, storming inside in droves, breaking windows, ransacking some congressional offices and scuffling with security officials.Dozens of Trump supporters have been arrested, and authorities are scouring security videos and social media accounts the rioters posted of themselves inside the Capitol to identify other wrongdoers. Five people died in the mayhem, including a police officer whose death is being investigated as a homicide.Trump has refused to concede his defeat or congratulate Biden, but he has acknowledged there will be a “new administration” come January 20.Trump has announced that he will not attend Biden’s inauguration, ignoring a long-standing tradition in the United States of an outgoing chief executive witnessing his successor take office as a show of the peaceful transition of power in the U.S. democracy.Pence, however, does plan to attend the ceremony, which will be downscaled significantly because of the surging number of coronavirus cases in the United States.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Pompeo Defends Changes at USAGM Under Trump Appointee
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday defended the leadership of the U.S. Agency for Global Media against criticisms that its CEO is trying to turn the news network into a propaganda tool. FILE – Michael Pack, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media, is seen at his confirmation hearing, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Sept. 19, 2019. Pack’s nomination was confirmed June 4, 2020.He told the audience that faults should be acknowledged but, “This isn’t ‘Vice of America’ focusing on everything that’s wrong with our great nation. It certainly isn’t the place to give authoritarian regimes in Beijing and Tehran a platform.” In support of Pack, a former conservative filmmaker, the secretary of state told the audience and those listening to a live feed, “There’s a new dawn here at Voice of America.” He also praised the work of the network’s journalists for providing independent news to those living in authoritarian countries. Following the speech, VOA’s new director, Robert Reilly, conducted a short conversation with Pompeo about USAGM, its mission and events in the news, but he did not make use of topical news questions provided by journalists beforehand at the network he oversees. Nor did he ask Pompeo about the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week that produced shocking images of a symbol of American democracy seen around the globe.Journalists at the network who attended the event tried to shout questions after it ended but were ignored by Pompeo. The agency said it did not allow outside reporters to attend because of limited space for coronavirus safety protocols. Since joining USAGM in June, Pack has been criticized for actions including his dismissal of the heads of Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; and the Middle East Broadcasting Network; appointing new boards and reassigning the VOA standards editor Steve Springer. VOA’s director Amanda Bennett and her deputy Sandy Sugawara stepped down before his arrival. A U.S. District Court in November barred Pack and his aides from directly interfering in the editorial independence of VOA until a lawsuit alleging violations is settled.Court Injunction Bars USAGM From Editorial InterferenceRuling says First Amendment of US Constitution protects agency’s journalists Pompeo echoed remarks made previously by Pack that actions were needed to correct security concerns at the agency and said the chief executive was right to end “rubber stamping J-1 visas for foreign nationals.” In June, USAGM announced a case-by-case review of the special permit for international journalists, resulting in several losing their jobs and the right to remain in the U.S. after Pack failed to renew their requests. VOA’s 47 language services rely on journalists with not only language skills but also the nuanced knowledge of the region they cover. VOA has to prove, when hiring a journalist on a J-1 visas, that no suitable U.S. candidate is available. U.S. lawmakers and rights organizations including the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press have condemned Pack’s decision to not renew the J-1 visas, pointing out that it potentially puts foreign journalists at risk of harm if they are forced to return to hostile countries. In his speech, Pompeo criticized a group of journalists at the news network who said the speech should not be broadcast live. A letter, sent on behalf of the whistleblowers by the Government Accountability Project, said broadcasting the speech live is a violation of VOA’s law, rules and policy. “A broadcast speech by the outgoing secretary of state on topics on which he has been widely covered should be seen for what it is: the use of VOA to disseminate political propaganda in the waning days of the Trump administration,” the letter said. Pompeo likened the letter to “censorship, wokeness, political correctness” and the cancel culture on social media and at university campuses, where groups call for voices deemed extreme or intolerant to not be given space.“It all points in one direction — authoritarianism cloaked as moral righteousness,” Pompeo said. David Seide, senior counsel of GAP, disputed Pompeo’s view, telling VOA, “This is not about censorship or woke-ism. This is about abiding by the law.”“The accusation that VOA employees were attempting to censor the secretary’s speech is ludicrous. The concerns voiced go to the heart of editorial independence,” said Seide, who sent the letter to Pack on behalf of a group of protected whistleblowers. Bruce Brown, executive director of RCFP, shared that view, saying “editorial autonomy should not bend for any one nation’s interest, including our own.” Pompeo’s speech comes a little over a week before a new administration takes over. During the election campaign, a spokesperson for then-candidate Joe Biden said that if elected Biden would remove Pack from office.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
FBI Looking at Threats to Biden’s Inauguration
Concerns are growing that the storming of the U.S. Capitol last week by extremists supporting U.S. President Donald Trump may be the start of what could be a series of potentially armed and violent protests across the country leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Monday told VOA it is examining evidence suggesting groups or individuals may be looking to incite violence or engage in criminal activity in connection with the planned transfer of power. “While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, the FBI is supporting our state, local and federal law enforcement partners,” the bureau said in a statement. “Our focus is not on peaceful protesters, but on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property,” the statement added. An FBI bulletin, first obtained by ABC News and Yahoo News, likewise cautions about the potential for violence, in Washington as well as in all 50 states. The FBI has “received information about an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, D.C., on 16 January,” the bulletin said. “They have warned that if Congress attempts to remove POTUS via the 25th Amendment a huge uprising will occur.” The bulletin further warned that a group is calling for the storming of state, local and federal buildings should efforts to remove Trump from office before the January 20 inauguration succeed. While not commenting on the specific threats, other government agencies are taking steps to bolster security. Members of the National Guard arrive to the U.S. Capitol days after supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 11, 2021.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday it is directing the U.S. Secret Service, normally tasked with presidential security, to start its inauguration security operation this Wednesday, six days earlier than planned. DHS cited “events of the past week and the evolving security landscape,” as the reason for the change. National Guard Earlier Monday, the U.S. National Guard said it had authorized up to 15,000 members to assist with security efforts for the January 20 inauguration. “To date, our troops have been requested to support security, logistics, liaison, and communication missions,” Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said in a statement. NEW: FILE – U.S. National Guard members walk toward the White House from the Washington Monument in Washington, Nov. 3, 2020.The U.S. National Park Service also announced Monday it will close the Washington Monument from January 11 until after the inauguration, citing threats of violence. “Groups involved in the January 6, 2021, riots at the U.S. Capitol continue to threaten to disrupt the 59th presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021,” NPS wrote in a statement on its website. The NPS said other parts of the National Mall and roadways could be blocked in the coming weeks, as well. Emergency declaration In addition, the White House late Monday announced Trump approved an emergency declaration for Washington, lasting until January 24, four days after the inauguration. The move clears the way for key federal agencies, including DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate and mobilize emergency assistance should it be needed. But there is also some concern the heightened security may be needed beyond the inauguration. “The State of the Union [presidential address to Congress] is just around the corner,” Terry Gainer, a former chief for the Capitol Police who also served as the Senate Sergeant-at-arms, told a webinar Monday. “The Right to Life March will happen [January 29],” Gainer added. “The ongoing discussions with the impeachment – all sorts of things that would attract wrongdoers to come there, as well as protesters who should legitimately protest and have a right to do it.” In contrast to the latest warnings and increased precautions, both the FBI and the Washington Metropolitan Police have said there was no intelligence before last Wednesday’s planned protests to suggest portions of the crowd could become violent. Allegations of pushbackOutgoing U.S. Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund has told The Washington Post that he met with pushback from military officials, and that security officials in the House of Representatives and the Senate denied his request to ask the National Guard to be ready to help ahead of last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol. “If we would have had the National Guard, we could have held them at bay longer until more officers from our partner agencies could arrive,” Sund told the Post. But the U.S. Army late Monday refuted Sund’s suggestions that military officials sought to deny any requests for help. “I did not make the statement or any comments similar to what was attributed to me by Chief Sund in the Washington Post article,” Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt, the Director of the Army Staff, countered in a statement. “But [I] would note that even in his telling he makes it clear that neither I, nor anyone else from DoD, denied the deployment of requested personnel,” Piatt added. FILE – Capitol Police in riot gear push back demonstrators trying to break a door of the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021.A Pentagon spokesman said last week that U.S. Capitol Police did not make a request for National Guard backup before the riot that left five people dead, including a Capitol police officer. A second officer who responded to the assault on the Capitol died off duty. Pro-Trump rioters overwhelmed the outnumbered Capitol Police and spent several hours inside the building Wednesday as security rushed lawmakers to safety. Authorities took hours reasserting control of the building, with Capitol Police eventually getting help from the National Guard, local police and federal law enforcement agencies. In the wake of the attack, several lawmakers have questioned Capitol Police preparation. Sund, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger and House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving have all resigned. VOA’s Esha Sarai contributed to this report.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Homeland Security Acting Secretary Stepping Down, Department Says
Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf told his staff Monday he was stepping down, the department said Monday, the latest senior Trump administration official to resign following last week’s deadly mob attack on the U.S. Capitol. The Department of Homeland Security press office said Wolf would leave his post at 11:59 p.m. Monday. Pete Gaynor, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will take over as acting secretary, the office said. President Donald Trump withdrew Wolf’s nomination to be permanent Homeland Security secretary last week. Supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol last Wednesday in an assault that led to five deaths, dozens of injuries among law enforcement and the ransacking of lawmakers’ offices.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Security Increased as Washington Mayor Discourages People from Attending Inauguration
The Secret Service and National Guard have both pledged an increase of resources in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, as Washington’s mayor is urging people to stay home for the event. Less than a week after a violent mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters breached Capitol security as Congress was certifying Biden’s win, the Secret Service announced Monday it would begin special security operations on January 13, as opposed to January 19. The National Guard confirmed Monday it would send up to 15,000 troops to secure the inauguration — a stark increase from the roughly 8,000 who secured the 2016 inauguration. Responding to VOA’s question, Biden said Monday he is not concerned for his safety on Inauguration Day. “I’m not worried about taking the oath outside,” he said, adding that those who “engage in sedition and threaten people’s lives” must be held accountable. Preparations take place for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 8, 2021.Meanwhile on Monday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser is discouraging people from coming to the city for the inauguration and is instead urging them to participate virtually, citing coronavirus concerns and the attack on the U.S. Capitol last week. Speaking to reporters at a briefing Monday, Bowser also said she sent a letter to Trump requesting he declare a “pre-emergency disaster” for the District of Columbia ahead of Biden’s inauguration January 20. Bowser said this year’s inauguration poses “several unprecedented challenges that exceed the scope of our traditional planning processes,” including the pandemic and the events of last Wednesday. FILE – District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser speaks during a news conference in Washington, Nov. 4, 2020.Additionally, Bowser said she has written to acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf, requesting that his agency adjust its approach to the inauguration in several specific ways.Bowser is calling for the special security period now in effect for the event to be extended from January 20 through 24. Bowser is asking the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate an effort to establish a security force deployment plan to protect all federal property. She has called on that effort to involve the departments of Defense and Justice along with U.S. Congress and Supreme Court. She said doing so will ensure that the Metropolitan Police Department can focus on its local mission in the District’s eight wards.There has been no immediate comment from Wolf’s department, but last Thursday, he issued a statement saying that what happened at the Capitol was “tragic and sickening.”Separately, Bowser is asking the Department of the Interior to cancel public gathering permits through January 24.If you missed today’s situational update, here’s a thread with some key highlights.
You can also view the full presentation by visiting the following link: https://t.co/onF4sbXmShpic.twitter.com/rADVcaR1b4
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 11, 2021The mayor ultimately assessed in her request over the weekend that despite the security assets the city has in place, “significant preparedness gaps remain that cannot be remedied without this emergency declaration and direct federal assistance.”Bowser said a similar pre-emergency declaration was issued in 2009 ahead of President Barack Obama’s inauguration.Bowser cited “new threats from insurgent acts of domestic terrorists” in her letter.The District of Columbia does not have jurisdiction over the Capitol and other federal property within its borders.VOA’s Carolyn Presutti contributed to this report.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US House Moves to Impeach Trump, Again
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives moved Monday to impeach President Donald Trump in the waning days of his presidency, accusing him of “incitement of insurrection” in last week’s storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters seeking to overturn his reelection defeat. Even though Trump’s four-year term expires at noon January 20, the four-page impeachment resolution said Trump has “demonstrated that he will remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law.” The House, with a slim Democratic majority, could vote in next day or two on the impeachment resolution. A total of 218 Democrats have signed on to the impeachment resolution, insuring a majority in the 435-member House without any Republican votes against the outgoing Republican president. FILE – U.S. President Donald Trump is seen on TV from a video message released on Twitter addressing rioters at the US Capitol, in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House, Jan. 6, 2020.But it is unclear whether House leaders would immediately send it to the Senate for trial on whether to convict him and remove him from office, given that Trump will soon be out of office. FILE – U.S. President-elect Joe Biden speaks at a news conference at his transition headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, Jan. 6, 2021.President-elect Joe Biden says he wants to focus first on getting the Senate to confirm his Cabinet appointments when he takes office and approve more aid for the flagging U.S. economy wreaked by the soaring coronavirus pandemic. While Democrats pushed for impeachment, House Republicans blocked a tandem Democratic effort calling on Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to try to remove Trump as incapacitated to continue to stay in office. The four-page impeachment resolution cites Trump’s unfounded accusations that he was cheated out of a second four-year term by vote and vote-counting irregularities, his pressure on election officials in the southern state of Georgia to “find” him more than 11,000 votes to overtake Biden’s margin of victory in the state, and his statements at a rally last Wednesday urging thousands of supporters to march to the Capitol to pressure lawmakers to overturn the election outcome. A photo illustration shows the suspended Twitter account of U.S. President Donald Trump on a smartphone at the White House briefing room in Washington, D.C., Jan. 8, 2021.Trump, banned from Twitter for his false, incendiary comments alleging election fraud, has not publicly commented on the effort to impeach him a second time, which would give him a singular distinction among 45 U.S. presidents in the 245-year history of the United States. The House impeached him the first time in late 2019, accusing him of trying to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on Biden ahead of last November’s election, but the Senate acquitted Trump in early February. At last Wednesday’s rally near the White House, Trump told several thousand people, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” The largely white mob that walked to the Capitol quickly overwhelmed police there, storming inside in droves, breaking windows, ransacking some congressional offices and scuffling with security officials. Dozens of Trump supporters have been arrested and authorities are scouring security videos and social media accounts the rioters posted of themselves inside the Capitol to identify other wrongdoers. Five people died in the mayhem, including a police officer whose death is being investigated as a homicide. FILE – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California speaks on Capitol Hill, Dec. 30, 2020.In a letter to House Democrats late Sunday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “We will act with urgency, because this president represents an imminent threat. The horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this president is intensified and so is the immediate need for action.” Pence has given no indication that he will play a role in trying to oust his boss before Trump’s term ends.FILE – Vice President Mike Pence speaks in Bloomington, Ind., Dec. 15, 2020.However, to Trump’s anger, Pence refused his entreaties to disavow the certification of the Electoral College outcome last week that showed Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris had defeated Trump and Pence to oust them after a single four-year term in office. Trump has refused to concede his defeat or call Biden with congratulations, but he has acknowledged there will be a “new administration” come January 20. Trump has announced that he will not attend Biden’s inauguration, ignoring a long-standing tradition in the U.S. of an outgoing chief executive witnessing his successor take office as a show of the peaceful transition in power in the U.S. democracy. Pence, however, does plan to attend the ceremony on the steps of the Capitol, which will be down-scaled significantly because of the surging number of coronavirus cases in the U.S.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Melania Trump: ‘Disappointed and Disheartened’ by Storming of US Capitol
U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Monday said she was “disappointed and disheartened” by the storming of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of supporters of her husband looking to overturn his loss for re-election, but also said it was “shameful” that she was the subject of what she characterized as “salacious gossip” and “unwarranted personal attacks.” In a statement from the White House, the first lady voiced her grief at the deaths of six people linked to last Wednesday’s mayhem at the Capitol, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, and a second officer, Howard Liebengood, who had responded to the chaos at the Capitol but committed suicide over the weekend while off duty. “Our nation must heal in a civil manner,” Melania Trump said. “Make no mistake about it, I absolutely condemn the violence that has occurred on our nation’s Capitol. Violence is never acceptable.” Capitol police officers in riot gear push back demonstrators who try to break a door of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)She added, “I implore people to stop the violence, never make assumptions based on the color of a person’s skin or use differing political ideologies as a basis for aggression and viciousness. We must listen to one another, focus on what unites us, and rise above what divides us.” President Donald Trump urged thousands of his supporters to march to the Capitol during a January 6 rally near the White House where, as he had for weeks, leveled unfounded accusations that he was cheated out of re-election.President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a rally Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)Hours later as his supporters stormed the Capitol, he urged them to “go home” but also told them, “We love you, you’re very special.” In the early hours of January 7, after police restored order in the Capitol, lawmakers certified the Electoral College victory of Democrat Joe Biden, who is set to be inaugurated as the country’s 46th president in nine days. FILE – Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, former senior advisor to first lady Melania Trump.“I wish I could say I was shocked by President Trump’s actions, but sadly I cannot, or say I don’t comprehend Melania’s silence and inactions, but pathetically, they are both expected,” Wolkoff wrote. “Melania knows how to ‘Be Best’ at standing up and reading from a teleprompter and not from the heart. She and her husband lack character and have no moral compass.” Melania Trump also appeared to be saying farewell to her time in the White House before her husband’s term ends at noon on January 20.“It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your First Lady,” she said.FILE – President Donald Trump walks with first lady Melania Trump at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2020.“I want to thank the millions of Americans who supported my husband and me over the past 4 years and shown the incredible impact of the American spirit. I am grateful to you all for letting me serve you on platforms which are dear to me.” President Trump on Monday ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff through Wednesday at sunset to honor Sicknick and Liebengood.
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By Polityk | 01/12/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden to Tap Veteran Diplomat William Burns as CIA Chief
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden announced Monday he will nominate career diplomat William Burns to be his director of the Central Intelligence Agency.In a statement Monday, Biden’s transition team said Burns is a 33-year U.S. State Department veteran who has served under both Republican and Democratic presidents.Burns rose through the ranks of the diplomatic corps and served as ambassador to Jordan under former U.S President Bill Clinton and ambassador to Russia under former U.S. President George W. Bush. The 64-year old diplomat was named deputy secretary of state in 2011 by U.S. President Barack Obama before retiring in 2014 to run the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace.In a statement, President-elect Biden said Burns’ bipartisan experience ensures he will bring an “apolitical” approach and perspective to intelligence that will keep America safe. “The American people will sleep soundly with him as our next CIA Director,” said Biden of Burns.Ambassador Burns has received three Presidential Distinguished Service Awards and the highest civilian honors from the Pentagon and the U.S. intelligence community. He attended LaSalle University in Philadelphia where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history and earned a master’s and doctoral degrees in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Parler Social Network Service Loses Web Hosting
Parler, a social network service popular with conservatives, went offline Monday after its web hosting service Amazon suspended it for allowing posts that encourage violence.
Before the site went down, Parler CEO John Matze accused Amazon and other tech giants of a “war on free speech.”
Google banned Parler’s smartphone app from its app store on Friday, also citing Parler’s allowance of posts that seek to incite violence in the United States.
Apple instituted its own Parler ban on Saturday.
The two-year-old Parler saw an increase in users in recent months as social media giants Facebook and Twitter stepped up enforcement of posts that violated their policies.
Both Facebook and Twitter suspended President Donald Trump’s accounts last week after his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Після Різдва на кордоні України зріс пасажиропотік, особливо до ЄС – прикордонники
Після Різдвяних свят, від 9 січня на пунктах пропуску на державному кордоні України прикордонники фіксують зростання пасажиро-транспортного потоку, виїзд громадян з України переважає над в’їздом, особливо на ділянках кордону з країнами ЄС, повідомили у Державній прикордонній службі.
«Зростання пасажиропотоку відбувається переважно через збільшення кількості громадян України, які прямують за кордон. Перед деякими пунктами пропуску виникали скупчення транспортних засобів, які могли налічували до трьох сотень одиниць легкових автівок. З метою забезпечення ритмічності пропускних операцій Державна прикордонна служба України збільшила кількість прикордонних нарядів, аби пропуск був максимально швидким і в той же час відповідав критеріям безпеки», – йдеться в повідомленні.
За даними прикордонників, загалом за вихідні й святкові дні, 7-10 січня, кордон держави перетнуло більше ніж 150 тисяч осіб і близько 30 тисяч автомобілів. При цьому переважна більшість осіб і транспорту оформлені на виїзд з України.
На даний час значних черг перед пунктами пропуску на державному кордоні України немає, додали у ДПСУ. Найбільш завантаженими пунктами пропуску залишаються «Грушів», «Шегині» та «Ужгород», де ще залишаються близько по 100 легкових транспортних засобів, що очікують на оформлення, йдеться в повідомленні.
8 січня в Україні почався тритижневий локдаун. «Післясвятковий карантин» діятиме до 24 січня включно.
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By Gromada | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Sets Out Plans to Call for Trump’s Removal
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House of Representatives will offer a resolution Monday calling on President Donald Trump’s Cabinet to invoke the 25th amendment, removing him from office.In a letter to her Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said if Vice President Mike Pence does not respond within 24 hours, the House will proceed with impeachment.“In protecting our Constitution and our democracy, we will act with urgency, because this president represents an imminent threat to both. As the days go by, the horror of the ongoing assault on our democracy perpetrated by this President is intensified and so is the immediate need for action,” the letter read.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 8 MB480p | 12 MB540p | 15 MB720p | 31 MB1080p | 63 MBOriginal | 188 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioUS Lawmakers Discuss Next Moves as Nation Grapples to Understand Violence at Capitol BuildingThe push to remove Trump from office in his final days comes amid growing calls to hold him accountable for last Wednesday’s mayhem that left five people dead at the U.S. Capitol as a mob of Trump supporters stormed past police into the building.Neither Trump nor the White House responded to Pelosi’s move on Sunday.President-elect Joe Biden has taken a hands-off stance on the impeachment move against the outgoing president who has yet to concede the election but has acknowledged there will be a “new administration” in Washington come January 20.“In 10 days, we move forward and rebuild — together,” Biden said Sunday on Twitter.In 10 days, we move forward and rebuild — together.— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 10, 2021One of Pelosi’s top congressional lieutenants, Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, told the “Fox News Sunday” show that the House could vote on impeachment within days, even though Trump’s four-year presidency ends next week with the inauguration of Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.Given that Trump will be out of office shortly, there is little likelihood that the Senate would hold an impeachment trial before his term ends, although it could do so after he leaves, and if it convicts him, keep him from ever holding federal office again.But Clyburn said the urgency to impeach Trump for a second time is paramount.“Our business is to impeach, basically an indictment,” Clyburn said. “Our vote is our voice, and our vote is a voice of disapproval.”Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, a long-time Trump critic, said she would introduce two articles of impeachment against Trump on Monday for “abuse of power” for pressuring election officials in the southern state of Georgia to overturn Biden’s narrow win there and “incitement of violence for orchestrating an attempted coup against our country” with the storming of the Capitol.In Photos: Electoral College ProtestsProtesters back President Trump’s objection to the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November electionAt least 180 House Democrats have signed on to the impeachment effort, but that number is short of the 218 majority in the 435-member House, and no Republicans have voiced their support for it.About two-thirds of the House Republican caucus voted last week against accepting the election results in the eastern state of Pennsylvania, one of a half dozen states Biden narrowly won to capture the presidency.Trump and the White House have remained silent on the possible impeachment. The White House says Trump is scheduled to visit Texas on Tuesday to highlight his administration’s work on a border wall separating the U.S. from Mexico.Republican Senator Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican and head of the committee planning Biden’s inauguration, told CBS News’s “Face the Nation” show that Trump’s impeachment and removal from office “clearly is not going to happen between now and the last day he is in office.”Two Republican senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, have called for Trump to resign, but the president has told advisers he does not plan to do so.“I think at this point, with just a few days left, it’s the best path forward, the best way to get this person in the rear-view mirror for us,” Toomey said Sunday on CNN, in calling for Trump to quit voluntarily. “That could happen immediately. I’m not optimistic it will.”“I don’t think there’s any doubt, none in my mind, that the president’s behavior after the election was wildly different than his behavior before,” Toomey said. “He descended into a level of madness and engaged in activity that was just absolutely unthinkable and unforgivable.”In Extraordinary Rebuke, US Diplomats Blast Trump for Capitol RiotForeign service officers say last week’s events may badly undermine US credibility to promote and defend democratic values abroad, call for Trump’s removal from officeMeanwhile, some U.S. diplomats have condemned Trump’s incitement of the assault on the Capitol and called for use of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to declare him as incapacitated and remove him from office.The overseas envoys, using what is known as the State Department’s “dissent channel,” said they feared last Wednesday’s siege may badly undermine U.S. credibility abroad to promote democratic values.”Failing to publicly hold the president to account would further damage our democracy and our ability to effectively accomplish our foreign policy goals abroad,” said one of the cables that was sent to State Department leadership.The assault on the Capitol is also having financial repercussions for the president and other Republicans.The PGA of America announced late Sunday it is terminating an agreement to hold the 2022 PGA Championship, one of golf’s four major tournaments, at Trump’s Bedminster course in New Jersey.In a statement, PGA of America President Jim Richerson did not mention Trump or Wednesday’s events, but said holding the tournament at the Bedminister course would be “detrimental to the PGA of America brand.”Marriott International, the world’s largest hotel company, and health insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield each said Sunday they would suspend donations to U.S. lawmakers who voted against certifying Biden’s election win.Major banks, including JPMorgan and Citigroup, have announced a pause in all political donations.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Senate’s Top Democrat Warns of Possible Violence at Biden Inauguration
U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned Sunday about the threat of violence at the January 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, especially in the aftermath of last week’s storming of the U.S. Capitol by thousands of supporters of President Donald Trump trying to block Biden’s ascension to power.Schumer, soon to be the Senate majority leader, said he spoke with FBI Director Christopher Wray on Saturday “to urge him to relentlessly pursue the mob of violent insurrectionists, incited by President Trump, who attacked the United States Capitol and killed a police officer, as well as guard against potential additional attacks.”Schumer said, “The threat of violent extremist groups remains high and the next few weeks are critical in our democratic process with the upcoming inauguration.”FILE – Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) speaks to reporters with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi looking on, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 20, 2020.Similarly, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, in a letter dated Saturday, asked acting Homeland Security chief Chad Wolf to extend the three-day period for the national security designation currently surrounding the inauguration to a two-week period starting Monday and extending to January 24.Bowser also asked Wolf for other unspecified “direct federal assistance” to plan for the quadrennial inauguration, federal law enforcement help during the inauguration so the city’s police force can tend to normal patrols throughout the city and daily FBI threat briefings throughout the inauguration period.The mayor said she wants the federal Interior Department to reject requests for public gathering permits throughout that period.She said her requests were “essential to demonstrating our collective resolve in ensuring the constitutional transition of power.”Trump announced Friday that he would not be attending Biden’s inauguration, which would make him the first president in modern history who will not attend his successor’s swearing-in. Vice President Mike Pence is expected to attend, as will former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.FILE – U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is sworn in as his wife Jill Biden watches during the inauguration of President Barack Obama in Washington, Jan. 20, 2009.Missouri Republican Senator Roy Blunt who is overseeing Biden’s inauguration told the Missourinet website that he spent time Thursday reviewing FBI intelligence reports on the attack on the Capitol. He said the smaller inauguration crowd, prompted by COVID-19 restrictions, will be easier to handle than the more typical 200,000 attendees.And the Secret Service, which is leading a team of law enforcement agencies in providing security for the inauguration, issued a statement Friday that it has been working for more than a year “to anticipate and prepare for all possible contingencies at every level to ensure a safe and secure Inauguration Day.”Law enforcement personnel were overwhelmed as thousands of Trump’s supporters stormed into the Capitol last Wednesday trying to block congressional certification of the Electoral College vote showing Biden had defeated Trump. Several lawmakers, including Democratic Senator Chris Murphy have questioned how law enforcement could have missed warnings of the coming attack. He told NPR on Friday that, “you didn’t have to be on the dark web to know that something really terrible might happen on Wednesday.” And calls for similar protests are continuing online, Twitter said in a statement Friday.“Plans for future armed protests have already begun proliferating on and off-Twitter, including a proposed secondary attack on the U.S. Capitol and state capitol buildings on January 17, 2021,” it said.Just as numerous Trump adherents had called for the protest on social media accounts, similarly, there are calls for more demonstrations as Biden is inaugurated as the country’s 46th president, in an event organizers are calling a “Million Militia March.”Some organizers, calling themselves “common folk who are tired of being tread upon,” are also calling for an “Armed March on All State Capitals” for January 17, three days ahead of the inauguration.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Lawmakers Discuss Next Moves as Nation Grapples to Understand Violence at Capitol Building
With U.S. President-elect Joe Biden set to be inaugurated on Jan. 20, one question being debated is whether Congress will pursue a second impeachment of outgoing President Donald Trump over his alleged role in last Wednesday’s attack on the Capitol building. Michelle Quinn reports.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
In Extraordinary Rebuke, US Diplomats Blast Trump for Capitol Riot
In a highly unusual move, American diplomats have drafted two cables condemning President Donald Trump’s incitement of the deadly assault on the Capitol and calling for administration officials to support invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him from office. Using what is known as the State Department’s “dissent channel,” the career foreign service officers said they fear last Wednesday’s siege may badly undermine U.S. credibility to promote and defend democratic values abroad. “Failing to publicly hold the president to account would further damage our democracy and our ability to effectively accomplish our foreign policy goals abroad,” according to the second of the two cables, which were circulated among diplomats late last week and then sent to State Department leadership. The cables were an extraordinary protest against a sitting U.S. president by American diplomats, who have long complained that the Trump administration has ignored and diminished their role and expertise. The dissent channel is normally used to oppose specific foreign policy decisions. The two most recent cables appear to be unprecedented in their scope and characterization of the president as a danger to the country. The cables also reflect anger at the response to the riot by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a loyal Trump ally.
Pompeo has condemned the violence at the Capitol but pointedly not addressed the role Trump played in encouraging his supporters who stormed the building. Nor has Pompeo addressed the aftermath or acknowledged that American diplomats overseas may now face new difficulty in promoting democracy. For his part, Trump has railed about what he sees as disloyalty at the State Department. He once referred to it publicly — and in front of Pompeo and reporters — as “the deep State Department,” a reference to what Trump and his supporters believe is a cabal of entrenched bureaucrats intent on subverting his policies.It was not immediately clear how many diplomats signed the cables, both of which were viewed by The Associated Press. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “It is essential that the Department of State explicitly denounce President Trump’s role in this violent attack on the U.S. government,” said the first of the two cables, which added that the president’s own comments should not be used “as he is not a credible voice on this matter.” “Just as we routinely denounce foreign leaders who use violence and intimidation to interfere in peaceful democratic processes and override the will of their voters, the department’s public statements about this episode should also mention President Trump by name. It is critical that we communicate to the world that in our system, no one — not even the president — is above the law or immune from public criticism.””This would be a first step towards repairing the damage to our international credibility,” it said. “It would allow the beacon of democracy to shine on despite this dark episode. It would also send a strong message to our friends and adversaries that the Department of State applies an ethos of integrity and objective standards when it condemns assaults on democracy at home or abroad.”The second cable goes further, demanding that Pompeo explicitly recognize President-elect Joe Biden’s election and condemn Trump’s actions. It also said Pompeo should support any effort by Vice President Mike Pence and other Cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Arnold Schwarzenegger Invokes Post-Nazi Europe in Video Condemning Capitol Violence
In an emotional video message with intimate references to his childhood in post-Nazi Austria, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger condemned the recent violence on Capitol Hill, and what he called President Donald’s Trump’s lies which incited the revolt.
“President Trump sought to overturn the results of an election, and of a fair election. He sought a coup by misleading people with lies,” Schwarzenegger, the 73-year-old former actor who most notably played the role of the Terminator during his Hollywood career, said in a seven-minute video posted on social media Sunday.
“My father and our neighbors were misled also with lies, and I know where such lies lead,” said Schwarzenegger, a Republican.My message to my fellow Americans and friends around the world following this week’s attack on the Capitol. pic.twitter.com/blOy35LWJ5— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) January 10, 2021Trump has maintained, without any evidence, that he won the Nov. 3 election. A mob of his supporters breached security on Capitol Hill Wednesday while Congress finalized the certification of rival Joe Biden’s victory. In a video to his supporters in the midst of the violence Wednesday, the president asked them to go home, but maintained that he had won.
Trump later issued a video in which he promised a smooth transition of power. A deputy White House press secretary tweeted Thursday that the White House and president condemned the violence.
Schwarzenegger warned Sunday that while Trump may become “irrelevant as an old tweet” after the inauguration, lawmakers, whom he criticized for their “spinelessness,” would have to be held accountable for their actions, and that laws would have to be passed so that Wednesday’s events could never happen again.
Schwarzenegger recounted stories of his Austrian childhood post-World War II, where his father and neighbors drank to excess in the aftermath of what he called “the most evil regime” in history.
Comparing the Nazis to the Proud Boys, a white supremacist group the Southern Poverty Law Center calls a hate group, Schwarzenegger noted that many men in his childhood community were not “rabid anti-Semites or Nazis.”
“Many just went along, step-by-step, down the road,” he said.
With a nod to his Hollywood career, Schwarzenegger picked up “Conan’s sword” – a prop used in his 1982 film “Conan the Barbarian,” as music swelled in the background.
“Here’s the thing about swords – the more you temper a sword, the stronger it becomes,” he said.
“Our democracy is like the steel of this sword – the more it is tempered, the stronger it becomes. Our democracy has been tempered by wars, injustices, and insurrections,” he said.
“I believe, as shaken as we are by the events of recent days, we will come out stronger because we now understand what can be lost,” the former governor said.
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By Polityk | 01/11/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Lawmakers Likely Exposed to Coronavirus During Riot Lockdown, Official Warns
U.S. lawmakers who were in lockdown when a violent mob breached security at the Capitol last week likely have been exposed to the coronavirus, Congress’ attending physician warned Sunday.
“On Wednesday January 6, many members of the House community were in protective isolation in a room located in a large committee hearing space,” Dr. Brian Monahan wrote in an email to lawmakers.
“The time in this room was several hours for some and briefer for others. During this time, individuals may have been exposed to another occupant with coronavirus infection.”Here’s the letter from Dr. Brian Monahan to all members of Congress and staff. pic.twitter.com/SeqNoPA6B0— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) January 10, 2021Monahan didn’t specify how many members were in the room or who, if anyone, from the room is known to have tested positive.
Many lawmakers and staff have expressed outrage as images surfaced of Republican members of Congress not wearing masks during the lockdown.
On Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of supporters of President Donald Trump, angry over his loss to Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election, forced their way into the building that contains the House and Senate while lawmakers were meeting in a joint session to certify Biden’s victory.
Many photos show rioters not wearing masks.
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By Polityk | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Вокаліст гурту ТНМК Фагот про локдаун: «Не розумію логіку»
Вокаліст гурту ТНМК («Танок на майдані Конґо») Олег Фагот Михайлюта заявив, що для нього є незрозумілою логіка нинішнього локдауну в Україні, а ефективність такої протидії пандемії він вважає сумнівною. Таку думку фронтмен гурту ТНМК висловив в інтерв’ю Радіо Свобода.
Фагот не заперечує велику небезпеку пандемії, зазначивши, що торік разом із родиною перехворів на COVID-19, втім будь-які обмеження мають бути зваженими і послідовними, вважає він.
«Коли повністю локдаун, усе закривається і транспорт теж, то я розумію, що це крок, щоб перервати ланцюжок поширення вірусу. Але забороняються всі концерти, всі шоу забороняються, а транспорт працює. А один, два, три вагони метро за годину – це декілька концертів. До чого це приведе? Те, що декілька галузей, наприклад, шоу-бізнесова, кафе, бари, ресторани, можуть взагалі померти, а вірус так і буде поширюватися, тому що метро працює, тому що потяги їздять», – каже музикант.
8 січня в Україні почався тритижневий локдаун. «Післясвятковий карантин» діятиме до 24 січня включно. Уряд обмежує роботу музеїв, кінотеатрів, театрів, заборонені масові культурні заходи, роботу шкіл та університетів, спортивні заходи (окрім занять професійних команд на вулиці і без глядачів), роботу фітнес-центрів, спортзалів та басейнів, салонів краси та перукарень (тільки за попереднім записом), закладів харчування.
Київський метрополітен повідомив, що з 8 до 25 січня працюватиме у звичайному режимі. Але деякі станції «можуть обмежуватися на вхід для уникнення скупчень людей та дотримання карантинних заходів».
Повністю Суботнє інтерв’ю з фронтменом гурту «Танок на майдані Конґо» Олегом Фаготом Михайлютою читайте на сайті Радіо Свобода та дивіться на YouTube-сторінці Радіо Свобода.
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By Gromada | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
В Умані через пошкодження стіни з фото воїнів АТО поліція відкрила кримінальне провадження
Дії зловмисників кваліфікували за ч. 1 ст. 296 Кримінального кодексу України – поліція
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By Gromada | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
House Likely to Offer Articles of Impeachment Against Trump on Monday
Efforts to hold President Donald Trump accountable for his role in inciting the mob that overran the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday gained momentum Saturday, with Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives announcing they will offer articles of impeachment as early as Monday.Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from the state of California, who helped draft the charges against Trump, tweeted Saturday afternoon that the articles had 180 co-sponsors, although no Republicans were among them.UPDATE to the update: We’ve just hit 180 cosponsors of the Article of Impeachment drafted by Rep District of Columbia National Guardsmen stand outside the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, after a day of rioting Trump supporters.“It’s also very difficult in a situation in which the president is not in a coma or not otherwise physically incapacitated that he can’t function or operate because under the 25th Amendment, once it is invoked the president can notify Congress that he is able to discharge the powers of the office and take that power back,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution.An overwhelming number of Democratic lawmakers – and some Republicans – have expressed support for removing Trump from power or censuring his actions.Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska has called for Trump to resign, making her the first Republican senator to endorse a presidential resignation.“I want him to resign,” she told The Anchorage Daily News. “I want him out. He has caused enough damage.”“He hasn’t been focused on what is going on with COVID,” Murkowski said. “He’s either been golfing, or he’s been inside the Oval Office fuming and throwing every single person who has been loyal and faithful to him under the bus, starting with the vice president. … He needs to get out.”Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey declined Saturday on Fox News to commit to voting in favor of Trumps removal despite saying he had “committed impeachable offenses.” However, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse told CBS News that he would definitely consider impeachment.But House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy indicated he does not support impeachment.President-elect Joe Biden has said Trump wasn’t fit for office, but he declined to endorse Democratic calls that he be impeached for a second time. Biden said the situation would be different if Trump were not leaving office in less than two weeks.“If we were six months out, we should be doing everything to get him out of office. Impeaching him again, trying to evoke the 25th Amendment, whatever it took,” Biden said. “But I am focused now on us taking control as president and vice president on the 20th and to get our agenda moving as quickly as we can.”Trump was impeached on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in December 2019 but was acquitted in a trial in the U.S. Senate in February 2020. No American president has ever faced two impeachment votes.“There are two reasons to pursue impeachment,” said Paul Berman, a professor of law at the George Washington University School of Law. “One is simply to make it clear that a sitting president inciting an insurrection against the United States government is perhaps the worst thing that a president could ever possibly do. And that statement needs to be made. Second, and more pragmatically, if he were impeached, and convicted, that would prevent him from running for office in the future.”
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By Polityk | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
White House Pushed Top Federal Prosecutor in Atlanta to Resign, Paper Says
The White House pushed the top federal prosecutor in Atlanta to resign before Georgia’s U.S. Senate runoff because President Donald Trump was unhappy that he wasn’t doing enough to investigate Trump’s unfounded claims of election fraud, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.The Justice Department on Tuesday tapped a new federal prosecutor to lead the Atlanta office, a day after the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Byung J. “BJay” Pak, abruptly resigned.Pak’s resignation drew attention because Trump appeared to refer to him in a recent phone call with Georgia’s secretary of state in which the outgoing Republican president asked state officials to try to “find” enough votes to overturn the results of the Nov. 3 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.In a recording obtained by numerous media outlets, Trump appeared to complain during the call about Pak without naming him, saying there was a “Never Trumper U.S. attorney” in Georgia.The Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, said that at the behest of the White House, a senior Justice Department official called and told Pak he needed to step down because he was not pursuing the voter-fraud allegations to Trump’s satisfaction.The White House declined to comment while the Justice Department and Pak did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment on Saturday.Democrat Raphael Warnock defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler and Democrat Jon Ossoff unseated Republican David Perdue in Tuesday’s runoffs, giving Democrats control of the U.S. Senate.
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By Polityk | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Держсекретар США закликав до відповідальності за збиття літака «МАУ» в Ірані рік тому
Державний секретар США Майк Помпео виступив із заявою про вшанування пам’яті загиблих у збитому в Ірані 2020 року українському літаку і закликом до відповідальності для винних у цьому.
У заяві з приводу роковин трагедії, що були попереднього дня, 8 січня, Помпео заявив, що американський народ вшановує пам’ять пасажирів і екіпажу літака «Міжнародних авіаліній України» рейсу PS752, «невипрадано» збитого Іраном.
«Сполучені Штати приєднуються до урядів України, Канади, Великої Британії, Швеції й Афганістану в ушанування жертв цієї жахливої трагедії і закликом до справедливості», – мовиться в заяві.
Як нагадав Помпео, власне розслідування Ірану встановило, що літак збив двома ракетами «поверхня – повітря» Корпус вартових Ісламської революції. «Але й через рік члени КВІР досі не притягнені до відповідальності за те, що забрали життя 176 невинних пасажирів і членів екіпажу, які були на борту. Натомість у перебігу всього цього затягнутого розслідування режим продовжував захищати тих представників КВІР, які відповідальні за це. Ми чекаємо на той день, коли влада Ірану почне цінувати життя іранців із такою ж завзятістю, як нині покриває злочини своїх посадовців», – заявив держсекретар США.
Він також висловив співчуття всім, хто далі сумує над своїми втратами, і побажав родинам жертв «миру і сили».
Літак Boeing 737-800NG з реєстраційним номером UR-PSR авіакомпанії «Міжнародні авіалінії України» рейсу PS752 з Тегерану до Києва був збитий невдовзі після вильоту з міжнародного аеропорту столиці Ірану вранці 8 січня 2020 року. Загинули всі 176 людей, які були в літаку, – 167 пасажирів і 9 членів екіпажу. Серед загиблих – громадяни шести країн (Ірану, Канади, України, Швеції, Афганістану, Великої Британії), в тому числі 11 українців (усі 9 членів екіпажу і 2 пасажирів).
Іран, попри повідомлення західних країн із посиланням на свої розвідки, що літак був збитий із комплексу протиповітряної оборони «Тор» російського виробництва зі складу Корпусу вартових Ісламської революції, кілька днів продовжував твердити, що причиною катастрофи була технічна проблема з літаком. Лише вранці 11 січня в Ірані офіційно визнали свою вину за збиття українського літака, яке назвали помилковим, і взяли на себе відповідальність.
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By Gromada | 01/10/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Колишні керівники Радіо Свобода закликали Байдена швидко звільнити гендиректора USAGM
П’ять колишніх керівників Радіо Вільна Європа/Радіо Свобода (RFE/RL) закликали обраного президента США Джо Байдена після інавгурації 20 січня швидко звільнити генерального директора Агентства США з глобальних медіа (USAGM) Майкла Пека і вжити інших кроків, щоб «захистити недоторканність» фінансованих США мовників, які працюють на іноземну аудиторію.
У спільному листі до Байдена колишні президенти RFE/RL заявили, що Пек своїми «кадровими та політичними діями намагався нав’язати ідеологічне забарвлення програм та жорсткий державний та політичний контроль, що ризикує знищити довіру та ефективність всього міжнародного мовлення США».
USAGM курує п’ять американських мереж іномовлення, серед яких «Голос Америки», Радіо Вільна Європа / Радіо Свобода (RFE/RL), Офіс мовлення на Кубу, Радіо Вільна Азія (RFA) і Близькосхідна мовна мережа (MBN).
Пек був призначений головою USAGM за пропозицією президента США Дональда Трампа в червні 2020 року.
«Пек пропонує радикальні зміни в управлінні RFE/RL, RFA та MBN, намагаючись поставити своїх власних ідеологічних агентів в їхні адміністрації протягом наступних двох років і принципово змінити відносини цих мереж з урядом», – йдеться в листі.
Документ підписали Кевін Клоуз (1994-1997), Том Дайн (1997-2000), Джеффрі Ґедмін (2007-2011), Том Кент (2016-2018) та Джеймі Флай (2019-2020), якого звільнили з посади одразу після призначення Пека.
У листі пропонується затвердити «незалежні корпоративні ради, що самопоповнюються, за зразком давно успішного Національного фонду демократії, які можуть мінімізувати або усунути будь-який майбутній ризик того типу політизації», який вони ризикують отримати за час роботи Пека.
Сам керівник USAGM наразі публічно не коментував лист колишніх президентів RFE/RL.
Наприкінці грудня 2020 року представники 23 мовних служб Радіо Вільна Європа/Радіо Свобода (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) написали відкритого листа Пеку, звинувачуючи його у «вихолощенні незалежності тієї новинної організації, яку йому довірили захищати».
У коментарі CNBC Пек тоді заявив, що цей лист «сповнений неточностей». За його словами, «не було спроб «скомпрометувати свободу (організації) від політичного впливу».
your ad hereBy VilneSlovo | 01/09/2021 | Повідомлення, Свобода слова
Twitter Bans Trump, Removes Tweet by Iran’s Khamenei on Same Day, Sparking ‘Double Standards’ Backlash
U.S. tech giant Twitter took sharply different actions against the leaders of the U.S. and Iran on Friday, permanently banning President Donald Trump’s personal account while removing one tweet from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s apparent English account and suspending new posts on it.The greater severity of Twitter’s action against the @realdonaldtrump account, compared with the social media company’s treatment of Khamenei, prompted both critics and supporters of the U.S. president to post dozens of Twitter messages accusing the platform of double standards.Many of Twitter’s critics said the @Khamenei_IR account, which is not Twitter-verified but regularly shares his statements, has a history of posting comments against Israel, his regional enemy, that they view as more severe incitement to violence than recent Trump tweets deemed by the platform to violate its glorification of violence policy.The chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pal, tweeted screenshots of some of Khamenei’s most strongly worded anti-Israel posts in May, saying he believed they raise a “serious” question about potential glorification of violence.Serious question for @Twitter: Do these tweets from Supreme Leader of Iran @khamenei_ir violate “Twitter Rules about glorifying violence”? pic.twitter.com/oEkCC8UzFV— Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) May 29, 2020In a Friday message to VOA Persian, Jason Brodsky, policy director of U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, said: “Twitter accounts of Khamenei, other autocrats and their representatives include deeply hateful and dangerous content that incites violence against groups. We’ve seen Khamenei’s call for the elimination of Israel, which is incitement. So if Twitter has a policy against incitement of violence, it needs to be applied uniformly.”A Twitter spokesperson responded to the accusations of double standards in enforcing incitement prohibitions by telling VOA Persian that the platform has taken enforcement action against world leaders prior to Friday.The spokesperson said Twitter focused its Friday actions on what he called the “harm presented by [Trump’s personal] account specifically,” and shared a link to Twitter’s statement explaining why it believes Trump’s last tweets have the potential to incite further violence following Wednesday’s storming of the U.S. Capitol complex by some of his supporters.Asked what Twitter is doing to demonstrate that it is treating world leaders consistently, the spokesperson said the company’s policy of displaying a “government account” label for users affiliated with the five permanent member states of the U.N. Security Council will soon be expanded to include similar labeling for the officials of other nations. No further details were provided.Twitter’s action against the Khamenei account came hours before its banning of Trump.The Khamenei account had posted a Friday tweet in which the Iranian supreme leader called coronavirus vaccines produced by the U.S., Britain and France “completely untrustworthy” and accused the Western powers of trying to “contaminate” other nations by offering to send them the vaccines.I call on @Jack to suspend @khamenei_ir account for spreading dangerous lies about COVID-19. He has banned Iranians from @Twitter but spreads lies on the same platform about vaccines. His posts MUST have a warning label, at least. Please retweet this. pic.twitter.com/XCxDXK7qBw— Masih Alinejad ?️ (@AlinejadMasih) January 8, 2021The Khamenei tweet prompted Iranian activists such as VOA Persian TV show host Masih Alinejad to urge Twitter to suspend his account for spreading misinformation about the vaccines. Twitter removed the tweet from public view after several hours.Twitter’s spokesperson told VOA the offending tweet violated the platform’s misleading information policy and the @Khamenei_IR owner would have to delete the post before regaining access to the account.It was the first time since February 2019 that Twitter had acted against the Iranian supreme leader’s main English account.That month, the @Khamenei_IR account posted a tweet endorsing a 1989 fatwa by his predecessor Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who had condemned British author Salman Rushdie to death for writing a book that the ruling cleric deemed insulting to Islam, The Satanic Verses.Just a reminder that not only did Twitter remove this tweet by Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei for “threat of violence or physical harm” against Salman Rushdie last year, they also locked him out of his account for 24 hours until his account deleted the tweet. pic.twitter.com/T09y48Zo4S— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) October 28, 2020Twitter said the tweet about Rushdie constituted a threat of violence, removed it from public view and locked the @Khamenei_IR account for a day until the account owner deleted the post.In a Friday tweet, BBC Middle East correspondent Nafiseh Kohnavard said Twitter’s decisions to keep the Khamenei account visible and ban Trump have confounded many Iranians. Many Iranians users are asking Twitter how it closed down Mr. Trump’s account but Iran supreme leader Mr. Khamenei’s account is still active especially when Twitter is banned inside Iran and it’s needed VPN.— Nafiseh Kohnavard (@nafisehkBBC) January 9, 2021She said Twitter’s moves were especially perplexing to Iranians who resent Khamenei for blocking Twitter inside Iran and forcing them to access it via virtual private networks.The Trump administration has denounced Iran’s bans on Western social media platforms as suppression of legitimate forms of communication. Speaking in 2018, a State Department spokeswoman said: “When a nation clamps down on social media, we ask the question, ‘What are you afraid of?’”This article originated in VOA’s Persian Service.
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By Polityk | 01/09/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
