влада, вибори, народ
Washington on High Alert on Eve of Biden Inauguration
The U.S. National Guard, the part-time military service providing security for President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, has removed 12 members from security duty for the event, military officials announced Tuesday.The move underscored authorities’ resolve to secure the quadrennial ceremony amid concern over violence following the deadly January 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by militant supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman told reporters that 10 of the 12 Guardsmen were removed for “questionable behavior” unrelated to extremism that was uncovered by the FBI during its vetting of all 25,000 Guardsmen deployed in the Washington area for Wednesday’s inauguration of Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. The two others were pulled off duty after making “inappropriate” comments or texts, Hoffman said, without specifying their nature.National Guard troops reinforce the security zone on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 19, 2021, before President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th president.“We’re not asking questions of people who are flagged,” he said. “We’re, out of an abundance of caution, taking action and immediately removing them from the line of duty at the Capitol and the events taking place.”Hoffman said one of the two men who made inappropriate comments was identified by his chain of command and the other by an anonymous tipster. The Associated Press, citing two anonymous officials, reported that the two Guardsmen were removed after having been found to have ties to fringe militia groups.The development comes as tens of thousands of Guardsmen and federal agents remain on high alert in Washington in an unprecedented show of force that has transformed the nation’s capital into a veritable military fortress.The heightened security measures were put in place in response to FBI warnings about armed protests by Trump supporters in Washington and all 50 state capitals. Raising concern about a potential insider threat, several current and former military personnel have been charged in recent days in connection with the Capitol riots.However, some military officials are playing down the threat.U.S. Army Lieutenant General Daniel R. Hokanson testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing to lead the National Guard, June 18, 2020.Army General Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, told reporters, “I’m not concerned,” because only 12 of 25,000 Guardsman deployed in Washington have been flagged for removal.Hokanson confirmed a Washington Post report that the FBI had warned law enforcement agencies in recent days that far-right extremists had discussed posing as members of the National Guard in Washington.Biden’s swearing-in ceremony is set to take place shortly after noon on the West Front of the Capitol before what is likely to be the smallest inauguration audience in modern American history.Typically, hundreds of thousands of spectators fill up the National Mall — the landscaped park between the Capitol and the Washington Monument — on Inauguration Day. This year, about 200,000 flags representing every U.S. state and territory have been planted on the Mall in lieu of the spectators, and roughly 1,000 invited guests — mostly members of Congress and other dignitaries — will attend the swearing-in ceremony.Flags are placed on the National Mall, with the Washington Monument behind them, ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, in Washington, Jan. 18, 2021.Since the January 6 riots that left five people dead, the Capitol has remained closed to the public. A 7-foot fence — razor-wire and “non-scalable” — surrounds the Capitol grounds. A large swath of central Washington, including several blocks around the White House, is in lockdown with thousands of National Guard troops patrolling the deserted streets.Over the weekend, at least three people were arrested near security checkpoints, including a 22-year-old man carrying an unlicensed handgun and a 63-year-old unarmed woman posing as a law enforcement officer.Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen hold press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, Sept. 22, 2020.As the nation remained on edge ahead of Biden’s inauguration, officials sought to reassure the public about the safety of an otherwise peaceful American democratic tradition. In a video statement, Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen said that “every level of law enforcement and the National Guard are working around the clock in Washington, D.C., to provide safety and security for Inauguration Day.”Moreover, he said, federal, state and local law enforcement are providing security for state capitals and government buildings in all 50 states.”As I’ve repeatedly said, the Justice Department will have no tolerance for anyone who attempts to mar the day with violence or other criminal conduct,” Rosen said. “Anyone who does that will be caught and they will be prosecuted.”Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, denouncing Trump for provoking the Capitol riots, said, “Tomorrow we’ll have a safe and successful inaugural right here on the West Front of the Capitol, the space that [President George H. W.] Bush 41 called democracy’s front porch.”
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By Polityk | 01/20/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden Picks Transgender Woman as Assistant Health Secretary
President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as the public face of the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic — no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability — and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” Biden said in a statement. “She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administration’s health efforts.”
A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. She’s written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.
Biden and his transition team have already begun negotiating with members of Congress, promoting speedy passage of the president-elect’s $1.9 trillion plan to bring the coronavirus, which has killed nearly 400,000 people in the United States, under control. It seeks to enlist federal emergency personnel to run mass vaccination centers and provide 100 immunization shots in his administration’s first 100 days while using government spending to stimulate the pandemic-hammered economy,
Biden also says that, in one of his first acts as president, he’ll ask Americans to wear masks for 100 days to slow the virus’ spread.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris called Levine “a remarkable public servant with the knowledge and experience to help us contain this pandemic, and protect and improve the health and well-being of the American people.”
Levine joins Biden’s Health and Human Services secretary nominee Xavier Becerra, a Latino politician who rose from humble beginnings to serve in Congress and as California’s attorney general.
Businessman Jeff Zients is Biden’s coronavirus response coordinator, while Biden picked infectious-disease specialist Rochelle Walensky to run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vivek Murthy as surgeon general and Yale epidemiologist Marcella Nunez-Smith to head a working group to ensure fair and equitable distribution of vaccines and treatments.
The government’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will also work closely with the Biden administration.
A transition spokesperson also said Tuesday that Dawn O’Connell will serve as senior counselor for coronavirus response to the health and human services secretary. O’Connell most recently served as director of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and was the senior counselor and deputy chief of staff to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell during the Obama administration.
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By Polityk | 01/20/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Parting Words: Will Trump Leave Biden a Note?
For three decades, each departing U.S. president has left his successor a short note wishing him well as he takes office. But whether Donald Trump will leave such a note for President-elect Joe Biden is not known.Past presidents have left their notes in the ornate Resolute Desk in the White House Oval Office, where the new chief executive will find the good wishes immediately upon starting his four-year term.Republican Ronald Reagan started the tradition in 1989. In his note, Reagan told his former vice president and incoming president George H.W. Bush: “George, I treasure the memories we share and wish you all the very best. You’ll be in my prayers.”Four years later, Bush graciously offered good wishes to the Democrat who had defeated him in the November election, Bill Clinton. “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you,” he said.After two terms in the White House, Clinton told his successor, George W. Bush — George H.W. Bush’s son — in 2001, “You lead a proud, decent, good people. And from this day, you are president of all of us. I salute you and wish you success and much happiness.”After eight years as president, Bush offered Democrat Barack Obama his good wishes in 2009.“There will be trying moments. The critics will rage. Your ‘friends’ will disappoint you. But, you will have an Almighty God to comfort you, a family who loves you, and a country that is pulling for you, including me.”As he left office four years ago after two terms in office, Obama wished Trump well, even though he had campaigned in 2016 for Democrat Hillary Clinton. “Congratulations on a remarkable run,” Obama wrote to Trump. “Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure. Michelle and I wish you and Melania the very best as you embark on this great adventure, and know that we stand ready to help in any ways which we can.”Biden Plans Ambitious Agenda for First 100-Days Covid-19 aid bill leads an agenda packed with Democratic prioritiesWhether Trump follows suit with a note to Biden is unknown, because Trump has already said he plans to break a string of long-standing traditions linked to the peaceful transition of power in Washington. Departing presidents usually greet their successors at the White House on the morning of Inauguration Day, and they ride together to the U.S. Capitol for the new president’s inauguration ceremony.But Trump said he is leaving before the inauguration for his own red-carpet, military send-off at an air base outside Washington, D.C., boarding Air Force One for the last time for a flight to his Atlantic oceanfront mansion in Florida. Biden, Harris to Honor US COVID Dead on Inauguration EveCalling event in Washington, other cities, ‘a national moment of unity’His refusal to attend Biden’s inauguration marks the first time in 160 years that an outgoing U.S. president has skipped his successor’s swearing-in ceremony, normally a public symbol of the peaceful transfer of power in the American democracy.Trump, a real estate titan-turned-Republican politician, has refused to concede he lost the November election to Biden, a Democratic fixture on the Washington political scene for nearly a half century.For several weeks, Trump has made baseless claims that he was cheated out of a second term even as dozens of judges, some of them appointed by Trump, found no substantial evidence of fraud that would have upended Biden’s victory.The House of Representatives impeached Trump last week after he urged thousands of his supporters to march to the Capitol on January 6 to confront lawmakers as they certified the Electoral College vote acknowledging Biden’s win.The Trump supporters stormed into the Capitol, ransacked some congressional offices and scuffled with police, mayhem that left five people dead, including a police officer whose death is being investigated as a homicide. Dozens have been arrested on various charges as the investigation continues.Trump faces a Senate trial on a single impeachment charge — that he incited insurrection. If convicted, he could be barred from ever holding office again.
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By Polityk | 01/20/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Garth Brooks Joins Lineup of Entertainers at Biden Inaugural
Add Garth Brooks to the lineup of entertainers at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden
“This is a great day in our household,” the country music superstar said during a virtual press conference Monday, two days before Biden is to be sworn in. “This is not a political statement. This is a statement of unity.”
Brooks, who joins Lady Gaga and Jennifer Lopez among others, performed during the inaugural celebration of President Barack Obama in 2009. He turned down a chance to play for President Donald Trump in 2017, citing a scheduling conflict.
Invited by incoming first lady Jill Biden, Brooks has known the Bidens for more than a decade, when Joe Biden was Obama’s vice president.
Brooks said that for this week’s inaugural, he will perform solo doing “broken down, bare-bones stuff,” and hinted at covering material by songwriters from outside the U.S.
He does not plan to sing his socially conscious “We Shall Be Free,” which he performed at the Obama inaugural.
Brooks praised the Bidens for being “hellbent on making things good” and said he welcomed the chance to help the country heal.
“I want to spend the next 10 years of my life not divided. I’m so tired of being divided,” he said.
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By Polityk | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Can ‘Outcompete’ China, Secretary of State Nominee Blinken Says
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s foreign policy team vows to work with partners around the world to take on pressing challenges ranging from receding democracy to the growing rivalry with China, Russia and other authoritarian states.
Tuesday, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, Anthony Blinken, testifies at the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
Blinken will tell lawmakers the United States “can outcompete China.”
“We can revitalize our core alliances – force multipliers of our influence around the world. Together, we are far better positioned to counter threats posed by Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and to stand up for democracy and human rights,” according to prepared testimony. Blinken was deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration and has close ties with Biden. He was staff director for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when Biden was chair of the panel, and later was then-Vice President Biden’s national security adviser.
The incoming Biden administration may take possible confidence-building steps to reverse irritants in the U.S.-China relations, including easing visa restrictions on journalists and restoring closed consulates, according to Kurt Campbell, tapped as Biden’s senior coordinator for Indo-Pacific policy at the White House National Security Council, during a recent webinar at the Asia Society.
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By Polityk | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Українські військові почали підготовку в горах із ночівлею в сніжній печері на висоті 1400 метрів – Міноборони
У Збройних силах України розпочався пілотний курс гірської підготовки військовослужбовців, повідомила у вівторок пресслужба Міністерства оборони.
«Проєкт покликаний удосконалити гірську підготовку в Збройних силах України, надати майбутнім інструкторам альпіністської справи необхідні знання та навички для подальшої підготовки військовослужбовців підрозділів. Курс проводиться спільно з Федерацією альпінізму і скелелазіння України та складається з зимового і літнього блоку. Участь у ньому братимуть військовослужбовці навчальних центрів та військових частин Сухопутних військ, Десантно-штурмових військ, морської піхоти та курсанти випускних курсів вищих військових навчальних закладів ЗСУ», – йдеться в повідомленні.
У Міноборони розповіли, що під час зимового курсу запланований тривалий піший марш гірською місцевістю, сходження на вершини, проведення занять з лавинної безпеки, транспортування умовно постраждалого на великі дистанції тощо. Також військовослужбовці проведуть ночівлю в сніжній печері (іглу) на висоті 1400 метрів, додали у відомстві.
Повідомляється, що учасники курсу поділені на групи, для кожної з яких активна фаза підготовки триватиме чотири дні.
«За цей час військовослужбовці пройдуть загалом близько 60 кілометрів з перепадами висот понад 1200 метрів, з яких не менше 25% дистанції долатимуть темної пори доби та здійснять сходження на найвищу вершину України – гору Говерла. Очікується, що участь в пілотному проєкті візьмуть близько 100 військовослужбовців ЗС України», – йдеться в повідомленні.
За даними Міноборони, на квітень-травень цього року запланований літній тижневий курс в одному зі скельних районів України.
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By Gromada | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Шкарлет: випускники мають повернутися за парти
Повернення учнів випускних 9-х та 11-х класів до повноформатного навчання є вкрай необхідним, заявив 19 січня міністр освіти і науки України Сергій Шкарлет.
Як написав міністр у телеграм-каналі, вчителі мають перестороги з приводу відсутності очного спілкування з учнями. Також хвилюються батьки та школярі, які впродовж поточного навчального року готуються до ЗНО та ДПА переважно в дистанційній формі.
«Після завершення посилених карантинних заходів, за сприятливої санітарно-епідемічної ситуації, учні випускних класів повернуться до змішаної форми навчання. В областях, де показники захворюваності на СOVID-19 будуть контрольованими, порушуватиму питання про повернення школярів 9-х та 11-х класів за парти», – зазначив Сергій Шкарлет.
Він додав, що розглядається питання повноформатного або змішаного навчання для школярів інших класів. Тривають консультації з міністром охорони здоров’я Максимом Степановим та головним державним санітарним лікарем Віктором Ляшком.
Раніше Шкарлет говорив, що після завершення посиленого карантину учні молодших класів можуть повернутися до очної форми навчання, учні середньої школи – до змішаної форми навчання.
Минулого тижня міністр охорони здоров’я Максим Степанов пояснив, чому вважає неможливим повернення до звичайного навчання учнів молодшої школи під час дії посиленого карантину в Україні.
«Якщо в наступний понеділок (ішлося про 18 січня – ред.) учні молодших класів повернуться в школи, це зведе нанівець мету посиленого карантину», – стверджує міністр.
За словами Степанова, період дії посиленого карантину в Україні збігається в часі з завершенням інкубаційного терміну захворювання на COVID-19 у людей, які інфікувалися впродовж новорічних свят.
9 грудня Кабінет міністрів ухвалив рішення про запровадження посилених карантинних обмежень в Україні з 8 до 24 січня. Зараз не працюють кінотеатри, фітнес-клуби, спортивні зали, басейни, театри. Забороняється відвідування закладів освіти, хоча дитячі садочки продовжують приймати дітей дошкільного віку. Також працює громадський транспорт.
your ad hereBy Gromada | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Для десяти національних парків України створили віртуальні туристичні маршрути – Міндовкілля
У Міністерстві захисту довкілля та природних ресурсів повідомили, що в рамках спільного проєкту з компанією Google Україна створили віртуальні туристичні маршрути та панорами ще для 10 національних природних парків України.
«Відтепер кожен у будь-який час може здійснити надзвичайну віртуальну мандрівку екологічними стежками, річковими маршрутами, відвідати Скелі Довбуша чи Мертве озеро, Джерело Бук чи Маєток Святого Миколая…Віртуальні подорожі, особливо під час карантину, дозволяють відволіктися від буденності та насолодитися краєвидами України», – повідомили у міністерстві.
Повідомляється, що серед запропонованих в перегляді онлайн є національні природні парки «Вижницький», «Ужанський», «Гуцульщина», «Сколівські бескиди», «Зачарований край», «Черемоський», «Верховинський», «Карпатський», «Дермансько-Острозький» та «Кременецькі гори». Подивитися на парки у віруальному режимі можна тут.
«Оцифровані національні парки – це не лише нові можливості для розвитку природоохоронної сфери. Передусім, це популяризація захоплюючих українських краєвидів далеко за її межами. Це ще один спосіб продемонструвати, що Україна дивовижна і нею варто подорожувати», – заявив міністр захисту довкілля та природних ресурсів Роман Абрамовський.
Торік у рамках такого ж проєкту в Україні було оцифровано перші шість заповідних об’єктів.
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By Gromada | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Понад 1300 людей звернулися минулої доби до пунктів обігріву в Україні – ДСНС
У Держслужбі з надзвичайних ситуацій повідомили, що за минулу добу до пунктів обігріву в Україні звернулись 1355 людей.
«З метою недопущення випадків обмороження та загибелі людей, станом на 19 січня, місцевими органами влади у взаємодії з ДСНС розгорнуто 4979 пунктів обігріву, з них місцевим самоврядуванням – 4933 стаціонарних пункти, а ДСНС – 46 мобільні пункти обігріву на базі наметів та транспортних засобів. Загалом, упродовж доби 18 січня до пунктів обігріву звернулось 1355 людей, з них 405 – до пунктів ДСНС», – йдеться в повідомленні.
У ДСНС нагадали адреси пунктів обігріву, розгорнутих на території України, з якими можна ознайомитися за посиланням.
За прогнозами синоптиків, 19 січня в Україні утримається холодна погода, без істотних опадів, лише вдень на Закарпатті, Прикарпатті та в Карпатах невеликий сніг. Температура повітря вдень 11-16° морозу; на Закарпатті та крайньому півдні країни 4-9° морозу. На дорогах місцями ожеледиця. Вітер переважно західний, 5-10 м/с.
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By Gromada | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Tight Security Surrounds Scaled-back Presidential Inauguration
On January 20, the United States will inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden in Washington, D.C. Following the violent assault on the Capitol earlier this month by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump, Americans are bracing for the worst but hoping for unity, the theme of Biden’s inauguration. Mike O’Sullivan reports.
Camera: Genia Dulot and Natasha Mozgovaya
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By Polityk | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris Resigns Her Senate Seat
U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has formally resigned her Senate seat in preparation for her inauguration on Wednesday alongside President-elect Joe Biden. Harris had served as a senator representing the Western state of California since 2017. “Thank you California — it has been an honor serving as your senator for the past four years. Our country has faced many challenges, but I remain certain that our best days are ahead. I promise to keep standing up for our shared values as your Vice President,” Harris said in a tweet Monday. Gov. Gavin Newsom chose fellow Democrat Alex Padilla, who is currently California’s secretary of state, to serve the final two years of Harris’ term. Newsom announced his choice in December. Padilla, who is Mexican American, will be the first Latino senator to represent the state. Harris did not give a farewell speech on the Senate floor. The chamber is not scheduled to reconvene until Tuesday, the eve of Inauguration Day. As vice president, Harris will become the Senate’s presiding officer. With the Senate split 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans, her ability to cast tie-breaking votes could be crucial for Democrats to pass their legislative agenda. In an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, Harris made note of the fact that she will continue to have a role in the Senate. “And this is not goodbye. As I resign from the Senate, I am preparing to take an oath that would have me preside over it,” she wrote. “As senator-turned-Vice-President Walter Mondale once pointed out, the vice presidency is the only office in our government that ‘belongs to both the executive branch and the legislative branch.’ A responsibility made greater with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.” Harris is the first woman ever elected vice president. She will also be the first Black woman and first woman of South Asian descent to serve in the role.
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By Polityk | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
US Capitol Shut Down Temporarily Over Nearby Fire
The U.S. Capitol complex was shut down temporarily on Monday out of an abundance of caution after a small fire broke out nearby, the U.S. Secret Service said, underscoring security jitters days before President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration.
“There is no threat to the public,” the Secret Service said in a tweet.Public safety and law enforcement responded to a small fire in the area of 1st and F streets SE, Washington, D.C. that has been extinguished. Out of an abundance of caution the U.S. Capitol complex was temporarily shutdown. There is no threat to the public. pic.twitter.com/kQfAI4NxNK— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) January 18, 2021The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that, in an abundance of caution following an external security threat near the Capitol, its acting chief ordered a shutdown of the complex.
“There are currently no fires on or within the Capitol campus,” the statement said. “Members and staff were advised to shelter in place while the incident is being investigated.”
The lockdown follows the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington by Trump supporters, some of whom called for the death of Republican Vice President Mike Pence as he presided over the certification of Democrat Biden’s November election victory.
All participants in the rehearsal for Biden’s inauguration, were evacuated into the building, and participants were being held in the Capitol rotunda and other indoor areas, according to a Reuters witness. Biden will be sworn in on Wednesday.
The city’s fire department posted on Twitter that firefighters put out an outside fire near the Capitol complex.
“There were no injuries,” the department said. “This accounts for smoke that many have seen.”
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By Polityk | 01/19/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
СБУ заявляє про передачу до суду справу проти затриманого в Рівному російського диверсанта
Служба безпеки України повідомила про завершення досудового розслідування у справі агента Федеральної служби безпеки Росії, затриманого в Рівному у вересні 2020 року. Про це йдеться в заяві СБУ 18 січня.
«Контррозвідка Служби безпеки України у вересні 2020 року затримала у Рівному агента ФСБ РФ, який намагався вчинити диверсію на одному з об’єктів критичної інфраструктури регіону», – йдеться в повідомленні відомства.
Слідчі передали до суду обвинувальний акт за статтями про державну зраду та замах на диверсію.
Читайте також: Перемога VS капітуляція: 5 запитань про Донбас у 2020-му
Як стверджують у СБУ, жителя Одеської області завербував представник ФСБ в травні 2020 року, він збирав і «він збирав і передавав інформацію про один з військових об’єктів Збройних Сил України, дислокованих на території регіону».
«Також за завданням і грошову винагороду від куратора фігурант намагався вчинити диверсію на об’єкті Рівнеоблводоканал, під час якої був затриманий контррозвідниками СБУ», – заявляє служба.
За повідомленням, обвинуваченому загрожує від 12 до 15 років ув’язнення.
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By Gromada | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
«Укрзалізниця» планує встановити камери спостереження в приміських потягах
«Укрзалізниця» планує оновити приміські електропотяги – відповідний коментар голови компанії Володимира Жмака каналу «Україна 24» пресслужба поширила 18 січня.
«Якщо ми говоримо про електропоїзди, то зараз ми вже займаємось їх модернізацією, яка включає в себе установку камер спостереження, котрі дозволять машиністу контролювати ситуацію у вагонах електропоїзда», – сказав Жмак.
Читайте також: Укрзалізниця планує відновити сполучення у напрямку Криму – голова правління
Він додав, що в кабінах машиністів планують встановити «червону кнопку», щоб машиніст міг викликати правоохоронців на наступну станцію в разі потреби.
За словами Жмака, він ставить за мету підвищити комфортність потягів, щоб зробити його більш привабливим, ніж пасажирський автотранспорт.
25 серпня міністр інфраструктури Владислав Криклій заявив, що «Укрзалізниця» в тестовому режимі повертає воєнізовану охорону в пасажирські поїзди.
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By Gromada | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
As Biden Presidency Nears, Many Americans Ready to Move On
Americans are getting ready to inaugurate President-elect Joe Biden after one of the nation’s most contentious elections and a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump. Mike O’Sullivan reports on the mood of the nation as the United States transitions into its next political phase.
Camera: Genia Dulot, Natasha Mozgovaya, Jose Pernalete
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By Polityk | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Регіональну стипендію Радіо Свобода виграла журналістка Юлія Турчинська
У конкурсі на стипендіальну програму Радіо Свобода Regional Reporting Fellowship перемогла журналістка Юлія Турчинська. За умовами стипендії наступні 8 місяців вона працюватиме у київському бюро Радіо Свобода, у відділі новин.
Юлія Турчинська навчалася в Київському національному університеті імені Тараса Шевченка. За фахом вона – політолог. Юлія працювала у виданнях Liga.net та «Лівий берег». Останнім часом журналістка спеціалізувалася на висвітленні суспільно-політичних тем. Раніше Юлія писала про зовнішню політику України.
Метою програми є сприяння професійному розвитку журналістів-початківців у країнах «Східного партнерства» ЄС та Західних Балкан. Стипендія покликана допомогти поглибити журналістські знання, розвинути навички та ознайомитися з принципами роботи незалежних медіа.
Стипендіатів інтегрують у щоденну роботу бюро, де вони працюють повний робочий день та отримують можливість виробляти журналістський контент, а також брати участь у редакційних дискусіях.
Стипендіальна програма базується на місії Радіо Вільна Європа/Радіо Свобода сприяти якісній і об’єктивній журналістиці, а також підтримувати демократію і права людини.
Проєкт фінансується коштом гранту від посольства США в Чехії.
Раніше стипендіатами програми ставали Анастасія Магазова, Наталія Патрікєєва, Вікторія Жуган, Ольга Комарова та Михайло Штекель.
your ad hereBy Gromada | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Security a Focus Ahead of Biden Inauguration
With U.S.-President-elect Joe Biden set to be inaugurated Wednesday, the FBI is conducting security screening of the 25,000 members of the National Guard assigned to Washington to protect the event amid worries of a potential insider attack. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told the Associated Press that he and other leaders have not seen evidence of any threats, and that so far the vetting had not turned up any issues among the Guard members. “We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said. McCarthy said there are intelligence reports suggesting outside groups are organizing armed rallies ahead of Inauguration Day.Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, left, accompanied by Gen. James McConville, Chief of Staff of the Army, right, speaks during a briefing on an investigation into Fort Hood, Texas at the Pentagon, Dec. 8, 2020, in Washington.Security is an even bigger focus than usual with the inauguration coming two weeks after thousands of supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol. Trump had urged them to march to the building as lawmakers met to certify Biden’s victory. The immediate area around the Capitol is a virtual armed encampment, with fencing and concertina wire encircling the grounds. Authorities have also closed the National Mall along with roads and Metro stations in much of downtown Washington. Bridges into the city from the state of Virginia are also being closed. Thousands of National Guard troops and law enforcement officers are stationed across the area to protect against further violence. Despite the heightened security concerns, Biden plans to go ahead with the inauguration ceremony in its traditional location. “Our plan and our expectation is that President-elect Biden will put his hand on the Bible with his family outside on the west side of the Capitol on the 20th,” Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s incoming communications director, told ABC’s “This Week” show. She said the Biden team has “full faith in the United States Secret Service and their partners who have been working for over a year on the planning to ensure (the inauguration) is safe.”Streets sit largely deserted as National Guard personnel and police close off a block, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Washington, as part of increased security ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.Trump has refused to concede his defeat or congratulate Biden, while acknowledging there will be a “new administration” come Wednesday. Trump, ignoring 160 years of the U.S. tradition of an outgoing president attending his successor’s swearing-in ceremony to demonstrate a peaceful transfer of power, has announced he plans to skip the inauguration. Vice President Mike President is planning to attend. Trump instead is planning to leave Washington on Wednesday morning with a red-carpet ceremony as he boards Air Force One for a flight to his Atlantic Ocean retreat in Florida. Trump’s plan has drawn criticism, including from a group of five Democratic members of the House of Representatives who in a letter Saturday to acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller and Joints Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley urged the Pentagon to not divert any resources for what they called a “disruptive departure ceremony for the outgoing president.” “The proposed action is unwise, unconventional, and most importantly, puts the national security needlessly at risk by diverting essential personnel and resources from the protection of the U.S. Capitol, where all of the institutions of government will be represented, to providing for the security, protection, and transport of the outgoing president,” the lawmakers wrote. Signatories included Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee and Jan Schakowsky and Congressmen André Carson, Steven Cohen and Danny Davis.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California signs the article of impeachment against President Donald Trump in an engrossment ceremony before transmission to the Senate for trial on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Jan. 13, 2021.The House last week impeached Trump for a second time, accusing him of inciting insurrection, and his Senate trial is set to start soon after Biden’s inauguration. If convicted, Trump, the first U.S. president to be impeached twice, could be barred from ever again holding office. Before he leaves office, however, Trump is expected to grant several more pardons, possibly to key supporters convicted of crimes or facing trials. People familiar with the matter said Trump met Sunday with aides to finalize a list of more than 100 pardons and commutations to issue before his term ends. White House advisers have said Trump has had discussions about preemptively pardoning himself and other family members, none of whom have been charged with any crimes, but that at this point he is not expected to do so. Bedingfield said Sunday Biden is planning to lay out a “positive, optimistic” vision for the country in his inaugural address on Wednesday and “try to turn the page on the divisiveness, and the hatred of the last four years” under Trump. “I think that’s what Americans all across the country want,” Bedingfield said. “They want a government that once again is focused on doing the right thing by them and helping them in their day-to-day lives.” Once in power, Biden plans to quickly overturn numerous Trump policies. Incoming White House chief of staff Ron Klain said Saturday night that Biden “is assuming the presidency in a moment of profound crisis for our nation. We face four overlapping and compounding crises: the COVID-19 crisis, the resulting economic crisis, the climate crisis, and a racial equity crisis.”
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By Polityk | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
У ПЦУ назвали міфом, що масові хрещенські купання є давньою українською традицією
«Деякі історики пов’язують такий звичай з росіянами, у яких було прийнято пірнати в холодну воду після лазні»
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By Gromada | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
В Україні зафіксували 3 034 нових випадки COVID-19 – МОЗ
В Україні протягом останньої доби виявили 3 034 нових випадки коронавірусної хвороби COVID-19, зокрема, захворіли 107 дітей та 87 медпрацівників, повідомив міністр охорони здоров’я Максим Степанов.
За його словами, за минулу добу шпиталізували 1 304 людини, одужали – 5 236. Померли – 67 людей.
За останню добу найбільша кількість підтверджених випадків зареєстрована у Миколаївській (323), місто Київ (301), Запорізькій (266), Київській (240) та Дніпропетровській (220) областях.
Протягом доби провели 13 247 тестуваень (зокрема методом ПЛР – 10 401, методом ІФА – 2 846). Загалом з початку пандемії проведено 5 964 388 ПЛР-тестувань.
За весь час пандемії в Україні захворіли 1 163 716 людини; одужали – 871 196; померли – 20 869 .
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By Gromada | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Small Numbers of Protesters Gather at Fortified US Statehouses
Small groups of right-wing protesters — some of them carrying rifles — gathered outside heavily fortified statehouses around the country Sunday as National Guard troops and police kept watch to prevent a repeat of the violence that erupted at the U.S. Capitol.There were no immediate reports of any clashes.Security was stepped up in recent days after the FBI warned of the potential for armed protests in Washington and at all 50 state capitol buildings ahead of President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration Wednesday.A few people demonstrated in some capital cities, with crowds of a dozen or two, while streets in many other places remained empty. Some protesters said they supported President Donald Trump. But others said they weren’t backing Trump and had instead come to voice their support for gun rights or oppose government overreach.Some statehouses were surrounded by new protective fences, had boarded-up windows and were patrolled by extra police. Legislatures generally were not in session over the weekend.Tall fences also surrounded the U.S. Capitol. The National Mall was closed to the public, and the mayor of Washington asked people not to visit. Some 25,000 National Guard troops from around the country are expected to arrive in the city in the coming days.The security measures were intended to safeguard seats of government from the type of violence that broke out at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, when far-right Trump supporters galvanized by his false claims that the election had been stolen from him stormed the building while Congress was certifying the Electoral College vote.The attack left a Capitol Police officer and four others dead. More than 125 people have been arrested on charges related to the insurrection. At the Ohio Statehouse on Sunday, about two dozen people, including several carrying long guns, protested outside under the watchful eyes of state troopers before dispersing as it began to snow. Kathy Sherman, who was wearing a visor with Trump printed on it, said she supports the president but distanced herself from the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol.”I’m here to support the right to voice a political view or opinion without fear of censorship, harassment or the threat of losing my job or being physically assaulted,” she said. The roughly 20 protesters who showed up at Michigan’s Capitol, including some who were armed, were significantly outnumbered by law enforcement officers and media. At Oregon’s Capitol, fewer than a dozen men wearing military-style outfits, black ski masks and helmets stood nearby with semiautomatic weapons slung across their bodies. Some had upside-down American flags and signs reading such things as “Disarm the government.”At the Texas Capitol, Ben Hawk walked with about a dozen demonstrators up to the locked gates carrying a bullhorn and an AR-15 rifle hanging at the side of his camouflage pants. He condemned the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and said he did not support Trump.”All we came down here to do today was to discuss, gather, network and hang out. And it got blown and twisted completely out of proportion,” Hawk said.At Nevada’s Capitol, where demonstrators supporting Trump have flocked most weekends in recent months, all was quiet except for a lone protester with a sign.”Trump Lost. Be Adults. Go Home,” it read.Authorities in some states said they had no specific indication that demonstrations would occur, much less turn violent. Yet many state officials vowed to be prepared.One counter-protester came early to greet any demonstrators at the Pennsylvania Capitol, saying he had heard about the possibility of a meet-up of a far-right militant group. But no one else was there.”I’m fundamentally against the potential protesters coming here to delegitimize the election, and I don’t want to be passive in expressing my disapproval of them coming into this city,” Stephen Rzonca said.More than a third of governors had called out the National Guard to help protect their capitols and assist local law enforcement. Several governors declared states of emergency, and others closed their capitols to the public until after Biden’s inauguration.Some legislatures also canceled sessions or pared back their work for the coming week.Even before the violence at the Capitol, some statehouses had been the target of vandals and angry protesters during the past year.Last year, armed protesters entered the Michigan Capitol to object to coronavirus lockdowns. People angry over the death of George Floyd, who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee on his neck for several minutes, vandalized capitols in several states, including Colorado, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. Last month, crowds in Oregon forced their way into the state Capitol in Salem to protest its closure to the public during a special legislative session on coronavirus measures.Anticipating the potential for violence in the coming week, the building’s first-floor windows were boarded up and the National Guard was deployed. “The state Capitol has become a fortress,” said Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, a Democrat. “I never thought I’d see that. It breaks my heart.”
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By Polityk | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Biden’s Inauguration Will Look Like No Other
Except for rare cases, the inauguration of a new president symbolizes the American tradition of a peaceful transfer of power. VOA’s Steve Redisch explains how and why Wednesday’s swearing-in of Joe Biden will be far from ordinary.
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By Polityk | 01/18/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Harris to Be Sworn In by Justice Sotomayor at Inauguration
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Wednesday, a history-making event in which the first Black, South Asian and female vice president will take her oath of office from the first Latina justice.Harris chose Sotomayor for the task, according to a person familiar with the decision. She’ll also use two Bibles for the swearing-in, one of which belonged to Thurgood Marshall, the first Black Supreme Court justice.ABC News first reported the latest details of Harris’ inauguration plans.Harris has expressed admiration for both Sotomayor and Marshall. She and Sotomayor share experience as prosecutors, and she once called Marshall — like Harris, a graduate of Howard University — one of her “greatest heroes.”The vice president-elect said in a video posted to Twitter that she viewed Marshall as “one of the main reasons I wanted to be a lawyer,” calling him “a fighter” in the courtroom.And this will be the second time Sotomayor takes part in an inauguration. She swore in President-elect Joe Biden as vice president in 2013.
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By Polityk | 01/17/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
Український вільний університет відзначає 100-річний ювілей
Український вільний університет у Мюнхені (Німеччина) 17 січня відзначає свій сторічний ювілей.
«Заснований у 1921 році, УВУ є не тільки одним із найстаріших приватних навчальних закладів Німеччини, але єдиним у світі вищим навчальним закладом поза межами України з українською мовою навчання», – йдеться в повідомленні на сайті УВУ.
Український вільний університет (УВУ) був заснований у Відні у січні 1921 року, а вже восени переїхав до Праги. Це стало можливим завдяки активній підтримці президента тодішньої Чехословаччини Томаша Масарика, який активно підтримував українську справу.
Університет працював у Празі до травня 1945 року, коли через політичний тиск нового комуністичного режиму у Чехословаччині змушений був згорнути свою діяльність і переїхати до Мюнхену, де працює й нині.
За даними на сайті УВУ, університет складається з трьох факультетів: державних та економічних наук, філософського факультету та факультету україністики.
Рішенням Міністерства освіти Баварії від 16 вересня 1950 року, УВУ наділений правом надавати наукові ступені магістра, доктора і габілітованого доктора.
Серед засновників Університету були голова Української Центральної Ради та Української Народної Республіки, професор історії Михайло Грушевський, та Олександр Колесса, колишній депутат австрійського парламенту, голова дипломатичної місії Західноукраїнської Народної Республіки у Римі, професор історії літератури.
your ad hereBy Gromada | 01/17/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
За добу до пунктів обігріву в Україні звернулися 804 людини – ДСНС
Протягом минулої доби, 16 січня, до пунктів обігріву звернулися 804 людини, повідомляє Державна служба з надзвичайних ситуацій.
«Від початку прогнозованого зниження температурних показників, рішенням Державної комісії з питань техногенно-екологічної безпеки та надзвичайних ситуацій в регіонах розпочали свою роботу пункти обігріву. Це зроблено з метою недопущення випадків обмороження та загибелі людей. Так, станом на 17 січня, місцевими органами влади у взаємодії з ДСНС розгорнуто 4 тисячі 836 пунктів обігріву, з них місцевим самоврядуванням – 4 802 стаціонарних пункти, а ДСНС – 34 мобільні пункти обігріву на базі наметів і транспортних засобів», – повідомили у ДСНС.
По всій території України від 15 січня переважає морозна погода, перед цим пройшли сильні снігопади.
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By Gromada | 01/17/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Держава має залучати капеланів до психологічної реабілітації ветеранів – Лапутіна
Держава має залучати військових капеланів до психологічної реабілітації ветеранів силових структур, сказала міністерка у справах ветеранів Юлія Лапутіна в ексклюзивному інтерв’ю Радіо Свобода.
Говорячи в «Суботньому інтерв’ю» про необхідність психологічної допомоги людям, які завершили чи завершують службу в Збройних силах України і схожих структурах, вона заявила, що для цього також треба використовувати вже наявні можливості – центри психологічної реабілітації, – а також залучати і допомогу міжнародних організацій, і релігійні організації.
За її словами, психологічної допомоги потребують не тільки ті, хто брав участь у бойових діях, а взагалі військові: «У провідних країнах світу існує практика, коли людина десь за пів року до звільнення отримує не просто психологічну допомогу, а орієнтацію на різні можливості працевлаштування. Бо цей психологічний стан – це не тільки від того, що людина бачила бойові дії, отримала там травму. Людина бачить зневіру у майбутньому, вона не знає, куди їй піти далі, і вона ще більше фруструє з цього».
Інститут капеланів, чи військових священиків, у Збройних силах, Національній гвардії і Державній прикордонній службі України був офіційно запроваджений у липні 2014 року, після початку російсько-української війни. До їхніх завдань на практиці входить не тільки задоволення релігійних потреб військовослужбовців, а й психологічно-виховна робота тощо.
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By Gromada | 01/17/2021 | Повідомлення, Суспільство
Researchers: More Than a Dozen Extremist Groups Took Part in Capitol Riots
In the 10 days since the violent Jan. 6 rampage at the U.S. Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters, a fuller picture has emerged about the rioters, with researchers identifying members of more than a dozen extremist groups that took part in the riots.The storming of the Capitol drew extremists that included adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory, the far-right group the Proud Boys, militiamen, white supremacists, anti-maskers and diehard Trump supporters, all gathered to stop Congress from certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s victory.“There have been any number of groups that the Southern Poverty Law Center normally tracks and monitors as a part of our work addressing hate and extremism,” said Lecia Brooks, chief of staff for the SPLC.Brooks shared with VOA the names of more than a dozen extremist groups that she said took part in the riots. Other extremist researchers interviewed by VOA confirmed the list. While designated as hate groups by the SPLC, none of the organizations is considered a domestic terrorist entity, and law enforcement officials have not accused any of them of conspiring to mount an attack on the Capitol.Clues into the rioters’ affiliation came from their clothes, signs, flags, banners and other markers, experts say. While some groups sought to disguise their ties, others flaunted their ideological affiliation. A group of Proud Boys in orange hats identified themselves on camera as members of a state chapter. The Three Percenters carried a U.S. Revolution-era American flag.“They were operating in plain sight,” said Brian Levin, executive director of the center for the study of hate and extremism at California State University.While the presence of the militias and the Proud Boys has attracted the most attention, members of lesser-known groups also joined the rioters.One is the Nationalist Socialist Club, or NSC-131, a recently founded hate group known for disrupting Black Lives Matter protests. Another is No White Guilt, a white nationalist group whose founder has blamed “anti-whiteism” for the spread of the coronavirus in the United States.Levin said that a combination of national groups, smaller state chapters and autonomous regional entities “participated in one way or another in the gathering.”Just how many extremist group members took part in the rioting is unclear. While QAnon boasts tens of thousands of adherents, several of the groups identified by the SPLC have far fewer members. The precise number taking part in the riots may never be known.While prosecutors have so far identified about 300 suspects accused of involvement in the riots, with one or two exceptions, they’ve not tied them to any known extremist groups. Two days after the riots, the FBI arrested Nick Ochs, the founder of the Proud Boys Hawaii, who was among the rioters.Michael Sherwin, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said law enforcement officials are aware of the ties between the rioters and extremist groups and are seeking to determine the extent to which the attack was a coordinated effort among multiple groups.“If you look at social media you could see a lot of affiliation with some of the protest activity, some of the rioting activity, and it runs the whole gamut of different groups, from soup to nuts, A to Z,” Sherwin told reporters Friday. “But right now … we’re not going to label anything because everything’s on the table in terms of extremist groups.”Arie Perliger, an extremism researcher and professor at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, said that the extremist groups that took part in the Capitol riots also attended the sometimes-violent protest against state-imposed lockdowns earlier this year.“I’m talking about the Boogaloo, I’m talking about the Proud Boys, I’m talking Rise Above Nation,” Perliger said. “I think what really brings all these groups together is their perception that Trump was a very effective vehicle to try to disrupt, to dismantle, to undermine the capabilities of the federal government.”Among those who stormed the Capitol were participants of the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that resulted in the death of a counterprotester.One was Tim Gionet, a far-right activist who goes by the online pseudonym “Baked Alaska.” Gionet livestreamed a video of himself on DLive from inside the capitol.users on Tim Gionet’s, aka Baked Alaska, live stream on DLive are calling to give lawmakers the “rope” and to “hang all the congressmen” on DLive while he’s streaming inside the Capitol building. pic.twitter.com/fq9t7KAlfA— hannah gais (@hannahgais) January 6, 2021He was arrested Friday by the FBI in Houston, Texas, and charged with participating in the Capitol riot.Another is Nick Fuentes, an organizer of the Charlottesville rally who attended Trump’s speech before the riots but did not enter the building, according to Brooks.Here is a look at some of the groups involved in the Capitol riot.Proud BoysThe Proud Boys describe themselves as a “Western male chauvinist” club.The group came to national attention after Trump, asked during a presidential debate in late October to denounce them, declared, “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.”The Proud Boys’ leader, Enrique Tarrio, is a staunch Trump supporter and led the Latinos for Trump group during the campaign.Brooks said the Proud Boys were among the organizers of the Capitol rioting. In the days leading up to the riots, Brooks said, the Proud Boys used social media platforms popular with extremists to telegraph that “this was something that was going to happen, that other extremist groups should be involved in, so they kind of they kept this going.”In late December, Tarrio wrote on Parler that the Proud Boys “will turn out in record numbers” on Jan. 6 without their traditional black and yellow uniform.Tarrio was arrested days before the riots and barred from returning to Washington. Two days after the riots, the FBI arrested Nick Ochs, the founder of Proud Boys Hawaii.Oath Keepers and Three PercentersThe Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters are part of a growing anti-government “Patriot” movement known for recruiting members of law enforcement and the military.The Oath Keepers was founded in 2009 by Stewart Rhodes, a former paratrooper and Yale Law School graduate. The oath in the name is a reference to the vow military personnel make to defend the Constitution. The group requires its members to pledge, among other things, not to “disarm the American people,” according to the Anti-Defamation League.The Three Percenters, established in 2018, view themselves as the ideological descendants of the purported 3% of Americans that took part in the Revolutionary War.Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, said dozens of Oath Keepers took part in the riots, many carrying the group’s flag. Rhodes was seen in photographs standing outside the Capitol building.The Oath Keepers took to Telegram and other social media and messaging platforms to urge their followers to show up for the protest, according to Beirich. In an interview after the Nov. 3 election with Alex Jones, a far-right radio show host and conspiracy theorist, Rhodes said “we have men stationed outside D.C. as a nuclear option. In case they attempt to remove the president illegally, we’ll step in and stop it.”QAnonQAnon is not an organized group but rather a growing conspiracy theory movement that believes Trump is secretly battling a “deep state” cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles that control the world.Trump has repeatedly retweeted messages from accounts that promote QAnon, and more than a dozen Republican candidates running for Congress in the November election have embraced some of its tenets.Beirich said a number of people marching on the Capitol were carrying QAnon signs.“QAnon were everywhere,” she said. “So it sure seems like a large chunk of the people who stormed the Capitol were members of QAnon.”The FBI has identified QAnon as a potential domestic terror threat.
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By Polityk | 01/17/2021 | Повідомлення, Політика
