Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed President Donald Trump met with El Salvador President Nayib Bukele in the Oval Office of the White House in April has sent people it has detained — people it calls terrorists — to a prison overseas — indefinitely after the Trump administration deported at least 261 foreign nationals to a maximum security prison in El Salvador government announced a plan to house captured Taliban and al-Qaida fighters in the military prison at the U.S John Yoo wrote the legal justification for the treatment of Guantanamo detainees now widely referred to as "the torture memos." Yoo argues that there are key legal differences between what the Bush administration did – and what the Trump administration is attempting in El Salvador For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org Email us at considerthis@npr.org This episode was produced by Connor Donevan Become an NPR sponsor An independent news publication of United Way of Lancaster County Newsletter Sign-up State Rep. Nikki Rivera, D-Lancaster, and state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El, D Lancaster, have set the date for the 14thAnnual Back-to-School event for Aug Participation is open to children who will be entering kindergarten through 8th grade and high school aged students in 2025-26 and who live in one of the following four school districts: The school districts are those covered by the two legislators’ House districts Lancaster city sat fully within a single legislative district Smith-Wade-El represents Lancaster’s south side and Rivera represents the north with both districts extending beyond the city into neighboring municipalities United Way of Lancaster County is helping with volunteer recruitment for the Back to School Event to “help bring this event to life.” Volunteer duties range from organizing supplies, helping students pick backpacks or supporting other event activities. To see available volunteer slots and sign up, click here. Questions about volunteering may be directed to Francis Miliano, Rep. Rivera’s district office director, at FMiliano@pahouse.net or (717) 295-3157 or Jarissa Johns, volunteer manager, at jjohns@uwlanc.org One United Lancaster is made possible in part by We are dedicated developers and providers of We believe housing is a human right and are committed to ensuring everyone has a safe oneunitedlancaster@uwlanc.org717.824.8124 Mark Carney does at least possess self-awareness “You’re supposed to campaign in poetry and govern in prose,” he said in his final campaign speech on April 27th This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “To govern in econometrics” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents The Conservatives suffered one of the most astonishing falls from popularity in political history An interview with Evo Morales in his tropical highland stronghold MAGA bombast has upended Canada’s political universe and given Mark Carney’s Liberals an edge Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau’s toxic legacy have pushed Canadians to the centre Ecuadorians will have little patience if the would-be strongman cannot tackle the gangs Search autocomplete is currently not responding Revised Code Aligns Development with Environmental Responsibility newly updated amendments to the Pitkin County Building Code will go into effect CONTACT: Lindsay DeFrates, Dep. Director of  Public Relations — 970.456.8973;  ldefrates@crwcd.org — The effort to permanently protect the Shoshone Hydroelec.. Pitkin County government invites students to gain work experience in the public sector and serve the community Pitkin County is offering a high school internship program for local students Regional Greenhouse Gas Report Available  Tracks progress toward community climate action goals  2025) - Due to road conditions and severe weather predictions through the end of the day Pitkin County Facilities including the County Administration Building Library and county services at the Schultz Health a.. 2025) – Cathy Hall has announced her resignation as Solid Waste Director for Pitkin County This departure marks the conclusion of a prolific chapter in the county's commit.. lisa.guida@pitkincounty.com 2025) — Due to damage caused by a burst pipe during the extreme cold snap CONTACT: Lindsay DeFrates, Dep. Director of  Public Relations — 970.456.8973;  ldefrates@crwcd.org — The effort to permanently protect the Shoshone Hydroelec.. 2025) — Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) experienced a security incident today that led to the temporary closure of the commercial terminal for approximately two and a half hours 2025) – Pitkin County is pleased to announce the appointment of Ryan Mahoney as the new deputy county manager Media Contact: brian.pettet@pitkincounty.com  2025) – Parking changes are coming to a few Pitkin Count.. Strengthening Commitment to Sustainability Countywide  2025) — The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) officially adopted the 2025 Climate Action Plan (CAP) today 2025) - Pitkin County has been made aware of multiple scam attempts targeting both the public and county staff and text messages to impersonate county officials and .. 2025) - Pitkin County Clerk & Recorder recently debuted a new and more user-friendly way for the public to search its online database 2025) – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport Director Dan Bartholomew has announced his resignation Deputy Airport Director Diane Jackson will step in as Interim Director 2025) — Due to damage caused by a burst pipe during the extreme cold snap 2024) – The Pitkin County Incident Management Team and the organizers of Winter X Games are encouraging community members to proactively plan for parking and entry to this year’s tickete.. Board of County Commissioners looking forward to year 2025) – The new members of the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners were sworn in today voters re-elected District 3 County Commissioner Greg Pos.. invisible health hazard that can seep into homes through cracks in foundations The first step in mitigating this threat is through a home test kit available for free from the City of Aspen and .. is thrilled to announce it has been awarded 2 Million Dollars through the prestigious U.S High Profile Events and Visitors Will Add to Community’s Winter Rush 2024 Vice President Elect JD Vance arrived for a personal holiday visit to the Aspen area PCREDC’s passion and sacrifices noted in state recognition   the Pitkin County Regional Emergency Dispatch Center (PCREDC) earned two major honors from the Colorado Association of Public-.. Board of County Commissioners commends work of the Elections Department 2024) -  In honor of the successful completion of the Election review and certification process 2024) – Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) announced the arrival of the Embraer E175 which made its inaugural flight to Aspen on December 3rd through SkyWest Airlines This event launches a new milestone in the .. 2024) – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the updated Airport Layout Plan (ALP) for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) initiating a multi-year process to modernize the airport and align it.. 2024) – Pitkin County and Atlantic Aviation have finalized a landmark 30-year lease agreement solidifying Atlantic Aviation’s role as the county’s fixed-base operator (FBO) The deal brings a projected total financial contribution .. CO – Pitkin County gathered as a community on Veterans Day to honor the service and sacrifice of local veterans in a heartfelt ceremony held in front of the County Administration Offic.. 2024) - The Pitkin County Clerk’s Office reports strong voter turnout and announces the availability of unofficial election results for the November 5 General Election 2024) – The Pitkin County Elections Department invites the community to “Vote-A-Rama,” a special early voting event on Saturday in the Pitkin County Administration Building 2024) –  The Pitkin County Vision 2050 project is hosting a community open house from 5 p.m 2024) - The Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder's Office has been notified of a pr.. 2024) — Pitkin County and Kids First have announced an increase in income limits for childcare financial assistance programs providing crucial support for families across the region 2024) — The Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) considered the proposed 2025 county budget and five-year plan during a work session on Tuesday This was the first of several meetings ahead of .. 2024)  – Pitkin County is proud to announce the launch of a groundbreaking new diversion program aimed at recycling 25 tons of plastic film annually 2024) - The dates for the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport’s annual spring closure have been announced The flying public should plan for a May 5 - June 1 2025 closure for airfield pavement maintenance Clerk and Recorder – 970-429-2708 CO) Local election officials are now collecting comments from the public detailing the pros and cons of five ballot tax issues in the  Pitkin.. the purpose of the program is to honor individuals and groups for their outstanding service The recipient of the 2024 Greg Mace Award and 12 other local volunteers will be recognized by Pitkin County.. announced his plan to retire in the spring of 2025 Rich has been with Pitkin County for the last eight years most recently for the past four years as D.. Water quality analysis confirms minimal biological impact from sediment event draining of the Grizzly Reservoir to allow for maintenance of the dam caused a sediment release that discolor.. 2024) - A portion of the East of Aspen Trail near North Star Nature Preserve has been closed indefinitely in response to an aggressive moose The Beach may also be posted as closed as warranted The online survey on AABC bridge options has been extended to August 21 2024) – Pitkin County Open Space and Trails is conducting an online survey to gather public input on potential locations for a new bridge that .. K9 Officer will enhance the PCSO’s engagement and involvement at Pitkin County schools 2024) – The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce the addition of its first-ever K9 officer New tool funded by Colorado's Opioid Settlement enhances Harm Reduction in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond 2024) - Members of the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office and the Aspen School District’s Safety Team attended the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) convention 2024) –  The Pitkin County Vision 2050 project is about taking the thoughtful and interconnected suite of recommendations from the Community Growth Advisory Committee (CGAC) and implementing them into poli.. 2024) - Commissioner Patti Clapper of Pitkin County recently attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference This gathering brought together elected official.. the board will vote on a resolution appointing Richard Neiley known as “Ry,” has been a dedicated member of the .. 7/1/2024  – The upcoming rehabilitation project for the Grizzly Reservoir is scheduled to begin this week with construction equipment mobilizing to the worksite CO – In response to the recent reassessment of property values Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners in collaboration with Aspen Valley Hospital approved the Pitkin County Low-Income Property Tax Relief Program which  ai.. 2024) - Pitkin County is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Pitkin County Cares Volunteer Service Awards and Greg Mace Award Community members are invited to submit nominations for people spending their time and energy .. 2024 – UPDATE: The Pitkin County Sheriff's Office is h.. CO – (6/6/24) – The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is pleased to announce the runway will reopen at 7a.m The pavement has been repaired following an early morning fire that occurred earlier this week CO – [6/5/24] - Pitkin County Airport is announcing an urgent runway closure due to fire damage sustained during routine maintenance last night A lighted “X” sign indicating that the runway was unavailable the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) will conduct its triennial exercise to test the community’s emergency response capabilities Contested race for District 5 Commissioner  ASPEN-The official ballot for the June 25 Primary Election has been certified and ballots for overseas and military voters will be mailed beginning Friday Regional Greenhouse Gas Report Available  Tracks progress toward community climate action goals  2025) – Cathy Hall has announced her resignation as Solid Waste Director for Pitkin County This departure marks the conclusion of a prolific chapter in the county's commit.. 2024) - We are delighted to announce the successful completion of our summer High School Internship program which welcomed six talented interns from various high schools across the Roaring Fork Valley 2024) - Pitkin County has extended the deadline for the Low-Income Property Tax Relief Program to Friday 2 but the program would like to encourage more people to look at the pro.. 2025) - Due to road conditions and severe weather predictions through the end of the day Pitkin County Facilities County Administration Office530 East Main StreetAspen, CO 81611Phone: 970-920-5200Department Directory Jon Lewis Photographs of the United Farm Workers Movement the Delano Grape strikers remained out of work with no area grower agreeing to a contract This article explores the decision to organize a historic march to the state capital in Sacramento and examines the planning A small group of picketers remained active after the harvest ended but the growers could count on enough workers breaking the strike to complete the pruning of the vines in January and February Faced with waning enthusiasm for the strike the National Farm Worker Association (NFWA) leadership knew they would have to act: once the pruning of the grapes ended in late February the labor demands of the vineyards were minimal diminishing the impact of the picket lines Spring was typically a quiet time for workers around Delano as the need for grape workers did not pick up again until mid-May But the spring of 1966 was to be different met near Santa Barbara to plan out the next steps in the ongoing strike Chavez proposed a farm worker march to revitalize the movement Alabama to Montgomery the year before had demonstrated that a well-organized highly publicized march could galvanize supporters and bring pressure to bear on lawmakers The farmworker march also reflected the Civil Rights Movement’s strategy of nonviolence; early in the grape strike the NFWA brought organizers from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) to Delano to instruct farmworkers in the tactics and strategies of nonviolent resistance Just as the civil rights activists marched to demand voting rights for Black southerners the farmworkers would march to demand justice in the form of labor legislation But the NFWA march had important religious and cultural meanings as well The NFWA outlined the purpose of the march in a document called the statement outlined the movement’s actions and objectives It was modeled after Emiliano Zapata’s Plan de Ayala which laid the framework for the southern insurgency during the Mexican Revolution The preamble to The Plan of Delano called for the liberation of farmworkers “seeking social justice in farm labor with those reforms that they believe necessary for their well-being as workers in the United States.” The Plan explained that this was not just a march but a pilgrimage--peregrinación--an act of Christian penance to symbolize the suffering they would endure to bring justice to the fields It declared: “This is the beginning of a social movement in fact and not in pronouncements The organizers timed the march to begin the day after the Senate Subcommittee on Migratory Labor Several members of the national press remained to cover the beginning of the march getting the pilgrimage off to a well-publicized start the marchers would proceed 280 miles north to conclude their march at the state capitol building in Sacramento where they hoped to have an audience with Governor Pat Brown drawing on the theme of penance and sacrifice in the Roman Catholic tradition and was timed to conclude on Easter Sunday a powerful metaphor for the farmworkers’ aspirations for redemption As the farmworkers made their way through the Central Valley they carried a banner with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe The marchers also carried the American flag and the flag of the NFWA ranging from teenagers to elderly veterans of the field bore signs proclaiming their boycott against Schenley grapes enlivening the backroads with music and shouts of “¡Viva Huelga!” and “¡Viva Chávez!" These services were offered by local clergy as well as priests and other officiants visiting to show support for the farmworkers about 50 or 60 men and women set out for the day's journey This was followed by singing and lively entertainment from El Teatro Campesino who brought their struggle to the stage with comedic parodies of the farmworker struggle To March for Others: The Black Freedom Struggle and the United Farm Workers Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press Trampling out the Vintage : Cesar Chavez and the Two Souls of the United Farm Workers The Politics of Insurgency: The Farm Worker Movement in the 1960s and the Struggle for Justice in the 21st Century Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go Create an account for a 7-day trial to access this article and all of AL-Monitor For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com An official from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stated that El Salvador is adhering to the agreement to abandon the use of Bitcoin as a reserve asset despite it being clear that El Salvador continues with its plan to accumulate bitcoin According to what reported it seems that an official from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has spoken about El Salvador’s agreement on Bitcoin the Central American country with BTC as legal tender should limit the purchases of Bitcoin by the public sector as part of a financing agreement of 1.4 billion dollars with the IMF.  El Salvador appears to continue with its strategy of accumulating bitcoin director of the Western Hemisphere Department of the IMF would have confirmed that El Salvador is in line with the “performance criteria” established by the IMF.  I can confirm that the country continues to adhere to the commitment of not accumulating bitcoin by the fiscal sector which is the performance criterion we have established I believe this is very important for the discussion in El Salvador The program of El Salvador is not about bitcoin It is about much deeper structural reforms And the authorities have made a lot of progress in implementing the reforms.” Last March, the IMF had introduced its new conditions for the 1.4 billion dollar financing agreement with El Salvador it involves significant restrictions on Bitcoin purchases by the public sector the technical memorandum of understanding emphasized that there should be no voluntary accumulation of BTC and that any issuance of debt or tokenized instrument indexed in bitcoin should be limited.  stated that the extended credit line aims to improve the governance has publicly opposed stopping his purchases of BTC.  “All this stops in April.” “All this stops in June.” “All this stops in December.” No If it did not stop when the world ostracized us and most of the “bitcoiners” abandoned us it will not stop now and it will not stop in the future At the time of writing, El Salvador holds in its wallet as much as 6,161.18 BTC the equivalent of over 582 million dollars the price of BTC seems to have regained ground making a pump of +7% and positioning itself above $94,000.  BTC is worth $94,719 and is in a pump of +14% compared to a month ago It had not seen this price since the beginning of March continuing to oscillate in a price range of $76,000 and $90,000.  The market sentiment also seems to be improving with the Bitcoin Fear and Greed Index appears to have returned to the enthusiasm zone Stay updated on all the news about cryptocurrencies and the entire world of blockchain En español: Cambios importantes en el plan de beneficios: Encuentre el que más le convenga entre el 31 de octubre al 22 de noviembre de 2024 Open Enrollment for 2025 benefits begins on Thursday With costs rising again and some significant changes it’s important to review your options to find the benefits that are right for you and your family Medical costs and premiums are going up in 2025 — for UC and for employees and employers nationwide they’re more likely to have increased health needs that require medical care Many widely used new drugs and treatments are very expensive To help reduce these impacts on faculty and staff UC is increasing its 2025 contribution to medical premiums by $198M over 2024 The Systemwide Human Resources team is committed to equity and to maintaining its decades-long tradition of providing access to quality benefits Employee contributions will continue to be based on salary with higher employee contributions and percentage increases for those who earn more the CORE PPO plan will require a premium contribution in 2025 (starting at $25.91 a month for self-coverage) employees with annual salaries up to $140K a year will see 9% increases in their monthly premiums and employees with annual salaries over $140K a year will see 11% increases See Frequently asked questions about Open Enrollment for 2025 benefits With new benefits available and no cost increases now is a good time to explore how accident critical illness and hospital indemnity can help protect you alongside your medical and disability coverage both the critical illness and hospital indemnity plans will provide cash benefits for getting a mammogram and the accident plan will include a $1,200 benefit for admission to the intensive care unit UCnet will provide more details about 2025 non-medical plan updates including new identity theft protection for senior family members through the voluntary legal plan While UC’s costs for dental and vision plans will increase in 2025 UC continues to cover the full cost of dental and vision coverage for employees and their eligible dependents To help you make the best benefit choices for your family UC offers a full range of tools and resources: Log in to UCPath starting Thursday to see the medical plan premiums that apply to you and make your benefits elections Be sure to finalize and submit your choices by Friday And if you’d like to save on your taxes with a health or dependent care flexible spending account Get email updates Public invited to comment on draft Walk-Bike Clackamas Plan; survey open through Aug More than 200 projects and programs to improve travel options for pedestrians and bicyclists are listed in the draft final plan from the Clackamas County Walk Bike Clackamas project.  That plan is now available for public review and comment on the project website.  The public is invited to express their views on which projects and programs are most important to them by taking one or more interactive online surveys through Aug The surveys offer people the option to comment about specific pedestrian and bike needs in five areas of unincorporated Clackamas County The Walk Bike Clackamas Plan was developed after a detailed review of current pedestrian and bike infrastructure a community advisory committee and technical specialists The draft proposals for needed projects and programs encompass all areas of unincorporated Clackamas County trabajamos con expertos técnicos y recopilamos comentarios de cientos de miembros de la comunidad queremos conocer sus comentarios sobre los resultados de este estudio y qué considera que es más importante para priorizar Revise el borrador del plan.  Las encuestas están abiertas hasta el 15 de agosto Procurement Process, Contracts and Grants CMap Contact the County Report a Hazard Public Records Request HIPAA/Privacy Concerns Civil Rights ACA Complaint Form Title VI Compliance Plan Website Privacy Media Contacts Chair Craig Roberts Commissioner Paul Savas Commissioner Martha Schrader Commissioner Ben West County Assessor/Tax Collector Bronson Rueda County Clerk Catherine McMullen District Attorney John Wentworth Justice of the Peace Karen Brisbin Sheriff Angela Brandenburg Treasurer Brian Nava Puerto Rico," stated Yomil when announcing the release Yomil Hidalgo is releasing another highly anticipated song for his fans as once again the voice of the deceased reggaeton artist El Dany is heard is the second single from the album Sensei a production that Yomil dedicates to his colleague "We wanted to pay tribute to the root of reggaeton and urban music and what better sample than 'Dile' by the great Don Omar as we continue to uphold your legacy from here," Yomil wrote on his Instagram when announcing this release "This is for you to dance like in the times of Don Omar," the reggaeton artist assured when sharing a preview of the music video that accompanies this song the audiovisual already had nearly 32 thousand views on YouTube and dozens of comments from fans expressing their joy at hearing El Dany's voice again Yomil released the first single from the album Sensei last April another song he recorded with El Dany before his death The Israeli military has just launched a new operation throughout northern Gaza — “Operation Order and Clean-up,” we’ll call it The army orders the temporary evacuation of all Palestinian residents north of the Netzarim Corridor “for their personal safety,” explaining that “the IDF is expected to take significant action in Gaza City in the coming days and wants to avoid harming civilians.” The order is similar to the one the military issued on Oct 2023 to the more than 1 million Palestinians living in Gaza City and its environs at the time But it’s clear to everyone that this time Israel is planning something else entirely Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant remain tight-lipped about the real goals of the operation, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, as well as other ministers on the far right, declare them openly. Here, they cite a program that the “Forum of Reserve Commanders and Fighters,” spearheaded by Maj proposed just a few weeks ago: ordering all residents of northern Gaza to leave within a week including shutting off all supplies of water until those who remain surrender or die of starvation government ministers had already started pressuring Netanyahu to “cleanse” northern Gaza of its inhabitants But back to our scenario: “Operation Order and Clean-up” gets underway some 300,000 Palestinians remain among the ruins of Gaza City and its environs Perhaps they stay because they saw what happened to their neighbors who left at the beginning of the war believing that it was a temporary evacuation and who to this day wander the streets of southern Gaza without a safe place to shelter which calls on residents to refuse Israel’s evacuation orders Or perhaps because they feel they no longer have anything to lose the army imposes a complete blockade within a week on all those who remain in northern Gaza Hamas fighters — the Eiland document estimates that there are 5,000 left in the north but no one really knows their true number — refuse to surrender On international television and social media people around the world watch as Gaza City is consumed by mass starvation “We would rather die than leave,” residents tell journalists commentators are not convinced that such a move will be decisive to win the war But they agree that a “campaign of starvation and extermination” is preferable to the army continuing to drag its feet in Gaza Some voices in the studios warn of the potential damage to Israel’s public relations but nonetheless the plan obtains the support of the majority of the Jewish-Israeli public who intensify their protests against the genocide are arrested for even posting about it online and the police forcibly suppress demonstrations by the radical left the army begins the “extermination” phase that Rabi outlined Everyone we killed should have been killed.” There is no certainty that this scenario will materialize. It can be stymied at various junctures: the army could convey that it is not interested in the full occupation of the Gaza Strip, nor the reestablishment of a military government there. The military is aware that such a large-scale operation could lead to the execution of the remaining hostages, as happened in Rafah and it doesn’t want to be responsible for their murder So too does it fear that such a large-scale operation in Gaza could trigger a stronger response from Hezbollah and therefore to an intense war on two fronts which until now have been hesitant to sanction Israel Netanyahu could conclude that the international price of such an operation will be too high — the desires of his right-wing allies be damned Israeli society may also pose obstacles to the implementation of the plan. As made evident by the mass demonstrations of recent weeks large parts of the Jewish-Israeli public have lost faith in the government’s promises of “total victory” in Gaza or the notion that “only military pressure will release the hostages.” Led by the families of the hostages — who have been radicalized since Hamas’ recent execution of the six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah — hundreds of thousands of Israelis want not only to see the hostages returned home which will certainly prolong the war in Gaza and likely doom the return of the remaining hostages may be rejected by hundreds of thousands of demonstrators for precisely these reasons However, we must also admit that the scenario I sketched out above is not far-fetched. Since October 7, Israeli society has undergone an accelerated process of dehumanization toward the Palestinians and it is hard to see the army refuse en masse to carry out such an extermination campaign certainly if it is presented in stages: first forcing out most residents and only then the elimination of those who remain It is not simply a matter of revenge for the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 Within the distorted logic that regulates Israeli policy toward the Palestinians the only way to restore “deterrence” after the military humiliation of October 7 is to completely crush the Palestinian collective it might be easy to write off Israeli proposals to “finish the job” in northern Gaza as genocidal bombast and other influential people — not only those in the “messianic” circle of Ben Gvir and Smotrich And regardless of what happens over the coming months the very fact that open proposals to starve and exterminate hundreds of thousands of people are up for debate demonstrates precisely where Israeli society stands today Note: this article has been edited to clarify that the academic proposal mentioned above — entitled “From a murderous regime to a moderate society: the transformation and rehabilitation of Gaza after Hamas” — does not endorse starvation or extermination although one of its authors expressed support for the Rabi-Eiland plan and even linked the two proposals A version of this article was first published in Hebrew on Local Call. Read it here Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7 Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives Can we count on your support +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening Trent Alexander-Arnold is not the only transfer planned for Real Madrid | Real Madrid Confidencial FIRST TEAM Trent Alexander-Arnold and Another Liverpool Player Real Madrid's PlanThe white executives don't lose track of the players trained by Arne Slot05/12/2024 14:55:00h by Enrique Sanz Real Madrid's objectives for the next transfer market are almost set The shortage of personnel suffered in the first months of the season has highlighted the urgent need to expand the roster of defenders in all positions One of the players chosen to expand the right-back is Trent Alexander-Arnold The Liverpool '66' is on the list of potential transfers for the Madrid club because his contract ends in the summer of 2025 making his immediate arrival possible on a free transfer This would calm the debate on the right-back side as well as the search for Dani Carvajal's successor Trent Alexander-Arnold with Liverpool | Real Madrid Confidencial But the game at Anfield has sparked the interest of the Madrid bosses in another player from the Reds ' team Because the sporting management also wants to strengthen the midfield due to the retirement of Toni Kroos The Merengue executives are looking for a creative defensive midfielder: Martín Zubimendi is the one who seems to fit perfectly into those requirements But that doesn't mean that the range is not open to include other similar players.. has recovered much of the prominence he lost in Germany Consolidated as Fabinho's 'heir' on Merseyside Gravenberch has earned the respect and the starting spots that Arne Slot has given him since the start of the season leaves him with plenty of time ahead of him in the European soccer elite That is precisely what Real Madrid is looking for in the market: a player who can provide longevity and quality in equal parts Ryan Gravenberch with Liverpool | Real Madrid Confidencial The Dutch midfielder's performance where they are already starting to support his transfer Gravenberch's market value is set at 40 million euros but there's no doubt that Liverpool will ask for much more money Because Gravenberch's contract with the Red team ends in the summer of 2028 taking into account that he arrived just a year and a half ago and is key for Arne Slot they will not want to get rid of him so easily That's why the Whites' executives would face an operation that could be as expensive or more expensive than the transfer of Martín Zubimendi FILE - Israeli soldiers gather near a gate to walk through an inspection area for trucks carrying humanitarian aid supplies bound for the Gaza Strip on the Israeli side of the Erez crossing into northern Gaza FILE - Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly Giora Eiland speaks to army officers before holding a press briefing at Israel’s Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv FILE - An aircraft airdrops humanitarian aid over the northern Gaza Strip FILE - An Israeli soldier stands guard near trucks carrying humanitarian aid supplies bound for the Gaza Strip on the Palestinian side of the Erez crossing between southern Israel and northern Gaza FILE - Israeli soldiers exit a tunnel that the military says Hamas militants used to attack the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip rests at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip The family is displaced from the northern Gaza Strip FILE - Palestinians salvage items from the destruction in the wake of an Israeli air and ground offensive in Jebaliya northern Gaza Strip after Israeli forces withdrew from the area FILE - Palestinian patients carry their belongings on their way back to the Gaza Strip after receiving medical treatment in Israel near the Erez crossing between Gaza and Israel FILE - Palestinians walk through the destruction in the wake of an Israeli air and ground offensive in Jebaliya FILE - Palestinian women and their children walk though destruction in the wake of an Israeli air and ground offensive in Jebaliya The plan calls for Israel to maintain control over the north for an indefinite period to attempt to create a new administration without Hamas There has been no decision by the government to fully carry out the so-called “Generals’ Plan,” and it is unclear how strongly it’s being considered When asked if the evacuation orders in northern Gaza marked the first stages of the “Generals’ Plan,” Israeli military spokesperson Lt “We have not received a plan like that,” he said But one official with knowledge of the matter said parts of the plan are already being implemented said Netanyahu “had read and studied” the plan “like many plans that have reached him throughout the war,” but didn’t say whether any of it had been adopted The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan isn’t supposed to be discussed publicly Israel launched an offensive against Hamas fighters in the Jabaliya refugee camp north of the city The amount of aid reaching the north has declined significantly since Oct State Department spokesperson has said Washington is against any plan that would bring direct Israeli occupation in Gaza Human rights groups say the plan would likely starve civilians and that it flies in the face of international law which prohibits using food as a weapon and forcible transfers Accusations that Israel is intentionally limiting food to Gaza are central to the genocide case brought against it at the International Court of Justice A coalition of Israeli NGOs on Monday urged the international community to act noting that “there are alarming signs that the Israeli military is beginning to quietly implement” the plan “States have an obligation to prevent the crimes of starvation and forcible transfer,” they wrote warning that continuing a “‘wait and see’ approach will enable Israel to liquidate northern Gaza.” very few Palestinians have heeded the latest evacuation order but many fear there’s nowhere safe to go and that they will never be allowed back Israel has prevented those who fled earlier in the war from returning “All Gazans are afraid of the plan,” said Jomana Elkhalili a 26-year-old Palestinian aid worker for Oxfam living in Gaza City with her family We know the place there is not safe,” she said where most of the population is huddled in dismal tent camps and airstrikes often hit shelters “That’s why people in the north say it’s better to die than to leave.” The plan has emerged as Hamas has shown enduring strength firing rockets into Tel Aviv and regrouping in areas after Israeli troops withdraw Israel’s offensive on the strip has killed more than 42,000 Palestinians which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants but says more than half of the dead are women and children The Generals’ Plan was presented to the parliament last month by a group of retired generals and high-ranking officers officials from the prime minister’s office called seeking more details a former head of the National Security Council Israeli media reported that Netanyahu told a closed parliamentary defense committee session that he was considering the plan Eiland said the only way to stop Hamas and bring an end to the yearlong war is to prevent its access to aid “They will either have to surrender or to starve,” Eiland said “It doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re going to kill every person,” he said People will not be able to live there (the north) He believes the siege could force Hamas to release some 100 Israeli hostages still being held by the group since its Oct At least 30 of the hostages are presumed dead “I’m most concerned by how the plan seems to say that if the population is given a chance to evacuate and they don’t then somehow they all turn into legitimate military targets which is absolutely not the case,” said Tania Hary an Israeli organization dedicated to protecting Palestinians’ right to move freely within Gaza The copy of the plan shared with the AP says that if the strategy is successful in northern Gaza it could then be replicated in other areas including tent camps further to the south sheltering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the U.S was going to “make absolutely clear that it’s not just the United States that opposes any occupation of Gaza but it is the virtual unanimous opinion of the international community.” was the initial target of Israel’s ground offensive early in the war when it first ordered everyone there to leave Entire neighborhoods have been reduced to rubble since then About 80 trucks carrying aid have entered through crossings in Gaza’s north since Oct down from roughly 60 trucks a day previously official said one small shipment of fuel for hospitals has entered the north since Oct The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential information the Israeli body facilitating aid crossings into Gaza denied that crossings to the north have been closed but didn’t respond when asked how many trucks have entered in recent days official said that only about 100 Palestinians have fled the north since Sunday “At least 400,000 people are trapped in the area,” Philippe Lazzarini head of the U.N.’s agency for Palestinian refugees Troops have already cut off roads between Gaza City and areas further north said two doctors in the far north — Mohammed Salha “North Gaza is now divided into two parts,” Soloh said Melanie Lidman contributed to this report from Jerusalem Coastlines Spring 2019 El Plan de Santa Barbara: Beyond Studying Politics Chicano activists rally in front of Campbell Hall in a photo that now appears on the wall of North Hall on the UC Santa Barbara campus The legacy of the Chican@ movement and activism at UCSB grew out of a powerful document written 50 years ago a radical proposal that combined education research and political consciousness with the objective to empower and break open a pathway towards higher education for generations to come a UCSB Academic Advisor during the late 60’s was one of only a handful of Chican@ administrators and played a pivotal role in the development of El Plan de Santa Barbara “We called for a program that would incorporate the 3-fold function of the UC system: Teaching Research and Public Service” he said in an interview “This is what distinguished the Chicano Studies proposal; the multi-component program that we proposed to UCSB made it distinct and made it much more impactful.” Fernando Negochea couldn’t have imagined the trajectory his political life and academic involvement would take him in With an academic scholarship to Dartmouth University graduate school at UCLA and an impactful tenure at UCSB – Fernando was present in some of the nations most pivotal moments in civil rights and social justice history a Yucateco Mexican restaurant tucked away near his home in South Pasadena he shared vignettes and anecdotes of civil rights-era moments that he not only witnessed or heard about There was burgeoning Chicano Student movement that helped create a context for this key document but also a lot of rivalries.” Fernando credits activists such as Rene Nuñez a heavy hitter in Chicano movement politics in Southern California and Los Angeles with the idea of holding the statewide conference that brought together student organizations from across the state The initial conference was well attended and helped articulate the institutionalization of Chicano Studies Programs and Departments students from the United Front took over and occupied the University Center setting up a free-student run university or “liberated zone” which included regular classes on global capitalism and Marxism and theory on revolutions.  The United Front was a coalition of the Black Student Union (BSU) the chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) Seen as a response to the inherent limitations that existed within the university system such as bias and discriminatory practices towards students of color it was out of necessity to demand the implantation and complete re-envisioning of how the university engages Chican@ students UCSB continues to reach major milestones in terms of serving Chican@ students in the recruitment and retention of Chican@ Latin@ students and ensuring commitment student-led organizing student centers such as El Centro de Arnulfo Casillas and becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution The purpose has always been civic engagement public service and to share tools and resources with young Chican@s who are fighting for social justice and the rights of their communities Decades of student activism have created a long list of achievements and initiatives that have shifted the debate around diversity a hunger strike organized by student activists many whom were members of El Congreso demanded and successfully achieved the formalization of the Chicano studies department These struggles among other major breakthroughs are thoroughly represented in Ralph Armbruster-Sandoval’s book (Hungry for Justice - 2017) For decades student-led groups like El Congreso among other prominent campus based organizations are a testament to the impact El Plan de Santa Barbara has had and continue to embody the legacy that was once imagined a movement 50 years in the making continues to demand direct engagement in political movements well beyond the mere study of activism Please check entered address and try again or go to homepage 2024 8:00 AM EDTPresident Javier Milei hates his new office with its historic blue chair and ornate paneled walls Engraved into a fireplace mantle is a bronze lion the animal he adopted as a symbol during his dizzying rise to power Showing me around the vast second-floor space Milei gestures to a blown-up photo of the lion propped on his desk as a totem of his destiny Milei may be the world’s most eccentric head of state he was a libertarian economist and TV pundit known as El Loco—the madman—for his profane outbursts The oddities of his campaign often overshadowed the stark austerity program he promoted to pull the country out of its economic crisis who has bragged about being a tantric sex guru brandished a chainsaw at rallies to symbolize his plans to slash government spending dressed up as a superhero who sang about fiscal policy and told voters that his five cloned English mastiffs which he reportedly consults in telepathic conversations are his “best strategists.” He pledged to eliminate the nation’s central bank derided climate change as a socialist conspiracy as a “leftist son of a bitch.” Last November The unlikely ascendance of a self-described “anarcho-capitalist” reflects the strength of a right-wing populist movement that has won elections around the world in recent years Like his counterparts from Italy to Hungary Milei vowed to dismantle a corruption-riddled state ruled by shadowy elites and take this entire garbage political caste down with it,” he said during the campaign But none of his counterparts is quite like Milei mad scientist’s bearing—he claims not to comb his wild mop of hair because the “invisible hand of the market” does it for him—and messianic streak And none of them leads a nation like Argentina a resource-rich regional power plagued by decades of political mismanagement and economic instability which has now become a test case for the governing theories of a radical ideologue “Crossing from the laboratory into the real world is marvelous,” he says with a broad grin Photograph by Irina Werning for TIMESince taking office and announced plans to lay off more than 70,000 government workers he sees signs that his economic “shock therapy” is working Inflation has slowed for four months in a row The International Monetary Fund has hailed Argentina’s “impressive” progress Two days before we sat down on April 25 for an hour-long interview he had given an address to the nation celebrating the “economic miracle” of the country’s first quarterly budget surplus since 2008 Milei thinks he is pioneering an approach that will become a global blueprint “Argentina will become a model for how to transform a country into a prosperous nation,” he tells me While Milei vowed the “political caste” would bear the brunt his austerity measures have pummeled ordinary Argentines The annual inflation rate is still nearly 300% Many Argentines have been forced to carry bags of cash for even small transactions; some stores have given up on price stickers entirely and getting rid of price controls—have caused living costs to spike More than 55% of Argentines are mired in poverty Milei may be running out of time before his popular support crumbles “Everybody knew the cost would be huge,” says Argentina’s Foreign Minister Diana Mondino Argentina’s economy has been bad enough for long enough that polls show a majority of the nation’s 46 million people remain willing to give Milei a chance Yet it’s not clear the iconoclastic new President is interested in forging the political alliances required to push his sweeping structural reforms through Argentina’s legislature There are also signs that Milei has misread the scope of his mandate He won by presenting himself as an antidote to political and economic mismanagement But it’s clear he also sees himself as part of a broader cultural battle He has embarked on an international speaking tour casting himself as a global crusader against socialism attacking everything from gender-equity laws to climate activists And in a nation still haunted by the legacy of its brutal military dictatorship of the 1970s and ’80s Milei’s broadsides against the press and threats against political “traitors” can take on an authoritarian cast “Much of the support for Milei was for his economic program not his libertarian vision or anti-woke agenda,” says Benjamin Gedan director of the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program you have to go through the person he calls El Jefe guarded the door to the President’s office before allowing me in is a former tarot reader who until a few years ago was selling cakes on Instagram Now she controls which journalists her brother speaks with what Cabinet ministers are hired and fired (She declined to be interviewed for this article.) One of Milei’s first acts as President was to change a decree barring relatives from Cabinet positions in order to appoint her General Secretary of the Presidency who acts as Milei’s gatekeeper and closest political adviser in October.Manuel Cortina—SOPA Images/ShutterstockMilei’s tight relationship with his sister is an exception and is recently single after breaking off a relationship with a glamorous TV actress he moved into the presidential residence at Los Olivos with the 200-lb cloned dogs he calls his “little four-legged children,” each of them named after a famous economist.  He has said he was physically abused by his father and declared in TV interviews that he regards his parents as “dead to me.” While he played goalkeeper in a soccer club and sang in a Rolling Stones cover band classmates mainly remembered him for the furious outbursts that first earned him his nickname Milei became interested in economic theory during Argentina’s bout with hyperinflation in the 1980s He spent the next 20 years as an economics professor publishing dozens of academic papers and serving as a financial analyst for think tanks becoming notorious for expletive-ridden tirades against the “political caste.” He emerged as a national figure during the COVID-19 pandemic going viral on TikTok for his rants against government lockdowns Karina managed his successful campaign for a seat in the lower house of the legislature which included an ad that showed him destroying a model of the Central Bank with Thor’s hammer.  the Milei siblings created La Libertad Avanza people close to him said in interviews that Milei who was rumored to hire mediums to communicate with his deceased pet and dead philosophers believed that God had told him to run for the presidency “Milei’s driving force is that he truly believes he’s on a divine mission,” says his biographer Juan Luis González fans wore hats with the words “The strengths of the heavens,” a reference to a favorite Bible verse but to awaken lions,” a leather-clad Milei roared at his events Wielding his trademark chainsaw during a campaign rally in San Martín last September.Luis Robayo—AFP/Getty ImagesHe also drew inspiration from outside the country He pledged to “Make Argentina Great Again,” and his campaign rallies featured posters of Donald Trump and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro along with the Gadsden flags once ubiquitous at Tea Party rallies Milei channeled widespread anger at Peronism the left-leaning political movement that has dominated Argentine politics since the 1940s which championed social justice and workers’ rights but produced an economy that has defaulted on its sovereign debt nine times and owes a staggering $44 billion to the IMF “He capitalized on the crisis in the old political order,” says Argentine political consultant Sergio Berensztein carajo!” became Milei’s famous rallying cry: “Long live freedom damn it!” Milei has an absolutist’s faith in free markets: he favors loosening gun restrictions to “maximize the cost of robbery,” and has said he would support the sale of human organs I told him he would have to take it down a couple of gears,” says Luis Caputo “But it was amazing how the people responded a conservative from a military family involved in Argentina’s “Dirty War” in the 1970s and ’80s or killed tens of thousands of suspected dissidents—a dark chapter in the nation’s history that both Villarruel and Milei have downplayed Milei vowed he would not bow to “cultural Marxism” and criticized public education as “brainwashing.” The ticket at first drew support from young men who liked his diatribes and social media persona But faced with the choice between Milei and then Economy Minister Sergio Massa millions of Argentines were so weary of the economic morass that they were willing to give the outsider a chance “Today one way of doing politics has ended and another begins,” he told supporters have downplayed the legacy of Argentina’s “Dirty War.” Natacha Pisarenko—APThe new way of politics in Argentina is playing out on Milei’s social media feed The President often stays up until the early morning hours He’s so prolific on the platform that an Argentine programmer set up a popular website called “How many tweets has our President liked today?” On the day we spoke much of it delirious all-caps praise of himself “It doesn’t interfere with my job,” says Milei who tells me he is “addicted to work” and takes breaks only to eat and play with his dogs in the specially made kennels he had built at the presidential residence The administration’s early motto has been “No hay plata”—There is no money Milei’s austerity measures caused prices to soar from transportation and food to health care costs He told Argentines that the effects of his plan would look like the letter V—a steep economic descent before hitting rock bottom but that this time it would be worth it,” he tells me “It’s easy to have patience when you have enough to eat,” said Jorge Alvarez a 62-year-old street vendor who says the rise in bus fare has made it almost pointless to commute to his jewelry stall in central Buenos Aires but I can’t buy meat anymore,” says Alvarez and there’s a limit to how much we can take at a time.” according to both domestic and foreign analysts and officials will be whether Milei can advance long-term structural reforms while minimizing the social disruptions and backlash that have sunk previous attempts Milei’s party represents a small minority in both chambers of Argentina’s legislature Emergency decrees can go only so far; lasting change will require winning elections and making new allies he has branded lawmakers who disagree with him “traitors”; called Colombian President Gustavo Petro a “terrorist murderer,” leading Colombia to expel Argentine diplomats; and blasted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s wife as “corrupt” at a far-right rally in Madrid prompting the country to recall its ambassador Milei’s first 100 days came and went without any legislative achievements An omnibus bill that would have given him sweeping executive powers and included measures ranging from the privatization of state entities to penalties for protesters stalled in committee “If they expected that the President would change the way he is that’s never going to happen,” Manuel Adorni told me in his small office in the Casa Rosada Adorni had spent his press briefing shooting down questions from reporters about his boss’s mental health spurred by Milei’s repeated reference to having five dogs even though one is known to have died years ago (“If the President says there are five dogs The media is among Milei’s favorite targets He has shuttered Argentine state news agency Télam the only service that covers and reaches into the country’s provinces accusing it of being a mouthpiece for leftist propaganda His open hostility to critical journalists whom he derided in our interview as “extortionists” and “liars,” is amplified by an aggressive network of online supporters Many who interact with Milei say he sees the world through the lens of right-wing memes “The place in the world where he is comfortable is social media,” says Lucía Vincent a political scientist at the National University of San Martín The first is “supporters who only see your actions as a crusade for good,” she says “and anyone beyond that border as an enemy who must be exterminated.” Milei supporters outside the Casa Rosada after the new President’s swearing-in ceremony on Dec 10.Agustin Marcarian—ReutersDemonstrators gather outside the Casa Rosada during a march demanding more funding for public universities and to protest against austerity measures proposed by Milei on April 23.Rodrigo Abd—APOne day in late April more than a million Argentines took to the streets in what turned into the largest protests of Milei’s presidency Tens of thousands crowded into the Plaza de Mayo in central Buenos Aires lifting books above their heads in opposition to the drastic budget cuts to public universities The sunny day had the atmosphere of a festival with vendors selling choripán and ice cream and young demonstrators dancing to Latin rock Among the most common signs hoisted by protesters was a simple plea: “Cuidemos lo que funciona” (Let’s protect what is working) Budget cuts and ongoing inflation had led university officials to declare a financial emergency At the renowned University of Buenos Aires hallways were dark; classrooms went without air-conditioning in an effort to save on energy bills “We have never experienced this situation before in the last 40 years of democracy,” says the university’s chancellor calling the cuts an “extremely grave situation compromising the future of hundreds of thousands of Argentines.” It was clear that Milei had touched a third rail of Argentine society which prides itself on its public higher education he accused the universities of “indoctrination” and tweeted a cartoon of a lion drinking a mug of “leftist tears.” When I raise the protests during our interview he immediately flashes the fury that first made him famous on television leaning over the table and raising his voice dismissing the student protests as a cynical ploy by left-wing opponents “Those people complaining are the same ones who sank Argentina.” Then he leans back with a placid smile The realities of the office have prompted Milei to ease off a few of the targets of his ire Backpedaling from his broadsides against Pope Francis who is widely beloved in the predominantly Catholic country Milei visited him in Rome with alfajores cookies Milei seemed to soften several key campaign positions including plans to replace the peso with the dollar and refuse to do business with China’s “communist assassin” regime—a policy evolution that likely owes to Argentina’s dependence on Chinese investment and trade which invested heavily in Argentina over the past two decades as part of its bid to exert influence in the region He withdrew Argentina from a plan to enter the BRICS alliance and instead asked to join NATO as a global partner the Biden Administration has scrambled to seize the opportunity to forge ties in a region where China has been ascendant A parade of high-ranking officials have trekked to Buenos Aires from Secretary of State Antony Blinken to General Laura Richardson announced $40 million in foreign military financing American officials say Milei is surprisingly easy to work with Milei has also tempered his prior criticism of President Joe Biden Yet it’s clear whom he favors in the 2024 elections In addition to aping Trump’s campaign slogan Milei has spoken at CPAC and given interviews to right-wing media figures like Tucker Carlson and Ben Shapiro “President!” he shrieked in a video posted of a February encounter with Trump and the next time I hope you will be President.” For his part Trump—as he is wont to do—took credit for Milei’s victory “He ran as Trump,” the Republican said in December “and Trump only believes in himself.” Milei believes he was elected for his promises of a broader cultural revolution and he is intent on realizing that mission no matter the political costs Making the nation “Great Again” means “returning to those libertarian values that made Argentina a leading global power,” he told me Milei is also fighting a broader cultural battle.Luis Robayo—AFP/Getty ImagesInstead of traveling to meet other heads of state Milei has been appearing at international conferences to rail against socialism he warned “the West is in danger” and accused its leaders of being “co-opted” by “radical feminism” and “neo-Marxists.” He has met twice with Tesla CEO Elon Musk whom he sees as a prominent ideological ally could lead the world to ruin.” But while he relishes his rising international profile Milei knows his success will be determined at home he notched his first legislative win when a curtailed version of his omnibus bill was approved by the lower house of Congress “We strongly believe this is the only way,” Mondino But 15 other countries opened up within 60 years.” Success will require Milei to make new allies including members of the political “caste” he has spent years railing against and to maintain public support amid brutal cost-cutting Unlike perhaps any other leader elected in the wave of right-wing populism that carried Argentina’s anarcho-capitalist leader to power Milei has shown he will follow through on the radical plans he campaigned on “Because if Argentina manages to reverse this Write to Vera Bergengruen/Buenos Aires at vera.bergengruen@time.com ZEBRA publication This case study is part of a trilogy of analyses on the strategies that Bogotá has planned for the transportation sector from a past marked by the use of polluting technologies to the creation of a more sustainable model for the entire region The basis of this trilogy is to explore the electric bus industry by addressing several topics among which is the technology upgrade plan which is the focus of this document and has been a fundamental tool in reaching the current goal of 1485 electric buses in the city This report details the elements of the Technology Ascent Plan (PAT) a document that presents specific goals to improve air quality and reduce public health impacts in Bogotá through operational monitoring and follow-up mechanisms coordinated by three different institutions: the Secretariat of Mobility The authors explore its main components and analyze the development of guidelines for the implementation of zero or low emission vehicles the creation of a database with information in the public domain and the definition of clean mobility strategies in an evaluation and control program This is an important document to guide the decarbonization of the city’s fleet with measures and strategies that can serve as a model for other cities in the country and in Latin America to adopt Infraestructura de recarga para buses cero emisiones — Estrategias de Bogotá, Colombia El plan de ascenso tecnológico como herramienta para la transición hacia buses eléctricos en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. Decarbonizing bus fleets: How subnational targets can aid in phasing out combustion engines Quantifying avoided greenhouse gas emissions by E-Buses in Latin America: a simplified life-cycle assessment methodology Join our mailing list to keep up with ICCT’s latest research and analysis We use cookies to improve site functionality and make this website more useful to visitors. Find out more This website uses cookies to enable some basic functionality and also to help us understand how visitors use the site Essential cookies provide basic core functionality You can disable these cookies in your browser settings We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous information about how visitors interact with this website and the information we provide here so that we can improve both over the long run For more on how we use this information please see our privacy policy Journalism is fundamental for sustainable development human rights protection and democratic consolidation but remains a dangerous and too often deadly profession - and nine times out of ten According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists more than 1,600 journalists have been killed since 1993 Other threats against journalists, online and off-line, continue to grow, especially in non-conflict zones. Journalist imprisonment is at a record high, while online violence - particularly against women journalists -  and harassment spurs on self-censorship and Journalists have also increasingly been attacked while covering protests including both security forces and protest participants Numerous reports and studies confirm that threats inordinately affect women journalists and those who represent minority groups The Plan was the result of a process that began in 2010 upon the request of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) It was then endorsed by the Chief Executive Board of the United Nations and launched in Vienna at the 2nd UN Inter-Agency Meeting on the Safety of Journalists in November 2012 The 10-year anniversary was a milestone to Reaffirm Recommit and Reposition efforts to advance the UN Plan The 10th anniversary has been an opportunity to take stock of its key achievements during this first decade of implementation, as well as to identify solutions to challenges that have arisen along the way. In this respect, UNESCO coordinated a multi-stakeholder consultative process involving regional and thematic consultations to collect partners’ experiences in promoting safety of journalists They committed to addressing new and emerging threats to the safety of journalists as well as the specific risks faced by women journalists in relation to their work Read the Outcomes of the regional and thematic consultations to mark the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity Impact of the UN Plan of Action in the Last 10 Years The first ten years of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity have seen significant improvements in promoting a safer and enabling environment for journalists and media workers reduced public trust in professional journalism and the disruption of media business models But the past ten years have also seen setbacks and the emergence of new threats to the freedom of expression and the safety of journalists which were not anticipated when the Plan was first conceived Strengthening the implementation of the Plan in the next decade requires addressing these emerging challenges As the UN agency with a specific mandate to promote “the free flow of ideas by word and image,” UNESCO works to promote the safety of journalists and combat impunity for those who attack them. This includes the training of judicial actors and security forces on international standards in freedom of expression access to information and the safety of journalists the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity The Wisconsin PFAS Action Council (WisPAC) has developed statewide initiatives to address growing public health and environmental concerns regarding PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in Wisconsin. In accordance with the stipulations issued by Gov. Evers in Executive Order #40 the council led the development of a comprehensive Wisconsin PFAS Action Plan which serves as a roadmap for how state agencies will address these emerging chemicals The PFAS Action Plan was published and delivered to Gov Read the PFAS Action Plan [PDF] Leer el Plan de Acción sobre las PFAS [PDF] Evers outlining the accomplishments made towards implementation of the Action Plan’s recommendations Read the PFAS Action Plan Progress Report News Release: Wisconsin PFAS Action Council Releases PFAS Action Plan Progress Report To Governor Development of the first draft factored in suggestions from WisPAC members (state agencies) two advisory groups and the general public Early versions of draft recommendations were organized into four focus areas refining of ideas and consolidation of similar recommendations eight themes emerged to organize the Action Items in the PFAS Action Plan The eight themes are more distinct from one another than the four focus areas and are used in the PFAS Action Plan to structure final Action Items The graphic to the right illustrates the overall timeline WisPAC followed WisPAC provided a number of opportunities for public input regarding the Action Plan WisPAC surveyed the public from Feb. 3-21 to collect input to be considered by the state for possible inclusion in the Wisconsin PFAS Action Plan Two advisory groups were established: one group focused on issues facing local units of government while the other focused on citizen or public input These groups hosted public meetings to provide a forum for engagement in the plan development process Recommendations collected at advisory group meetings were compiled and forwarded as proposals for WisPAC to consider for inclusion in the Action Plan Resources from past public meetings are available on the WisPAC page © Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources | Site requirements | Accessibility | Legal | Privacy | Employee resources The action comedy will premiere throughout the region on August 11 the benchmark channel for the exciting premieres of Turkish series in Spanish presents the premiere of El plan perfecto for Latin America exclusively on Kanal D Drama through the linear channel without the need for a pay TV subscription “At Kanal D Drama we are determined to continue presenting premieres of exciting Turkish stories on a regular and consistent basis which is why we continue to pay close attention to our selection of monthly premieres for Latin America,” said Francheska León de la Barra VP Marketing and Communications for Thema America (Kanal D Drama Marketing and Communications Representative) El plan perfecto (Ulan Istanbul) is a fun action comedy that follows Kandemir who only steal from those they consider to be bad people This gang of thieves is based on a series of its own principles whose motto is to always steal with justice in mind Kandemir and his gang decide to help Derya the bandit group is made up of Karlos and Ferdi old friends who grew up together in an orphanage who comes from a broken home; and the girl in the group is Yare a singer who escaped from an abusive family they need to raise a million Turkish liras so they hatch a master plan and move to a historic Istanbul neighborhood each member of the band will create their own emotional bond with other members of the family But everything will get complicated when Ferdi and Derya And it is that nothing is what it seems in the respectable neighborhood to which they moved Will Kandemir and his gang’s perfect plan succeed Can they remain faithful to their principles of social justice and raise the million lire to free Derya’s father The comedy brings together a cast of both well-known actors and promising young Turkish talents State Government websites value user privacy. To learn more, view our full privacy policy A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the official website The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and State Energy Office is partnering with the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure the health and well-being of North Carolinians and to support initiatives to mitigate climate destabilization through the reduction of harmful air pollutants North Carolina has a clear and vested interest to improve resilience from increased storm frequency and intensity to produce reliable and affordable clean energy much of NC’s infrastructure is increasingly vulnerable to changing climatic conditions As a part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant program provides states territories and tribes with funds to develop and implement plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollutants.  In 2024, North Carolina submitted multiple applications for an implementation grant. The EPA awarded a bipartisan multi-state coalition led by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources $421 million to support conservation and restoration of natural lands across North Carolina Sign up for press releases     View the Fact Sheet North Carolina is required to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan (PCAP) and a Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) The PCAP identifies the state's highest priority greenhouse gas reduction measures The CCAP will update and expand upon North Carolina’s existing climate strategies ensuring these documents align with the latest available science About the PCAP     About the CCAP      Las respuestas se utilizarán para informar los posibles planes de reducción de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) para el Plan de Acción Integral sobre el Cambio Climático (CCAP) de Carolina del Norte del 2025 DEQ received a $3 million award in July 2023 for planning activities ​The CPRG planning grant and process will cover all of NC and includes ways to reduce greenhouse gas and other air pollutants in two phases:​ The PCAP was developed with stakeholder and public engagement and identifies North Carolina’s highest priority greenhouse gas reduction measures and the path to ensure equitable implementation for the benefit all North Carolinians NC DEQ and the SEO submitted a grant totaling nearly $200 million to support priority shovel ready projects across the state that could produce significant reductions in greenhouse gases as outlined in the PCAP ​EPA did not fund DEQ's implementation workplan The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) did receive an award of $421,238,074 and is leading a four-state coalition to protect and restore wetlands and forests on natural and working lands ​DNCR will receive $50,000,000 to protect and restore wetlands and forests on natural and working lands in NC.​ The coalition will also allocate funds to the Maryland Department of the Environment The second deliverable of the CPRG program is the Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) ensuring that these planning documents align with the latest available science This plan will align with existing goals and requirements for reducing GHG emissions and increasing clean energy generation This plan will cover all source sectors of the GHG inventory The CCAP must be submitted to EPA by December 2025.​​The CCAP planning document will contain current and projected GHG emissions levels and benefits Learn More and escalating living costs and inflation due to global economic trends are driving humanitarian needs in El Salvador 1.1 million people require humanitarian assistance The World Food Programme's (WFP) National Food Security Survey from June 2023 estimates that just over 1 million people suffer from moderate to severe food insecurity This is mainly due to economic and climate-related factors particularly the current drought and El Niño which is likely to persist into early 2024 The El Niño event is worsening inequality in access to basic services and increasing rates of child malnutrition the risk of diseases may rise due to the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation El Salvador serves as both a source and transit point for people on the move authorities intercepted more than 62,800 Salvadorans at the United States' southern border allowing for greater access to communities previously controlled by gangs These areas now require an expansion of protection services to meet their accumulated unmet needs and their limited ability to cope and develop At least 611,000 women need humanitarian assistance due to the combined effects of food insecurity reduced purchasing power and gender-based violence the humanitarian community seeks to assist 506,214 of the most vulnerable people which is about 45 per cent of those in need for which the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2024 requires US$86.6 million The number of people in need for 2024 has slightly increased from 2023 mainly due to drought conditions caused by El Niño and the increased need for protection services in communities that were previously inaccessible the HRP 2024 is seeking $11.8 million less to support response This reduction aligns with a global pivot to a more disciplined focus on urgent needs and a more efficient response Changes from the HRP 2023 also follow a transition to updated joint analysis frameworks The HRP is based on collectively identified shocks that drive humanitarian needs mainly migration flows and El Niño conditions The plan includes intersectoral response activities to address the humanitarian consequences of these shocks especially focusing on people facing food insecurity and those in previously inaccessible communities These response activities seek to complement the country's ongoing development projects and Government efforts We bring life-saving relief in emergencies and use food assistance to build peace stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict disasters and the impact of climate change bringing life-saving assistance in emergencies and supporting sustainable and resilient livelihoods to achieve a world with zero hunger We work in over 120 countries and territories combining emergency assistance with long-term development while adapting our activities to the context and challenges of each location and its people There is a variety of ways in which people can support WFP’s mission to eliminate hunger from making a donation to bringing your expertise to our work on the frontlines The evaluation was commissioned to reviewing the CSP in the light of gender issues and was intended for both accountability and learning purposes Accountability for the WFP's contribution to the new Government Administration: and learning as guidance for the design of the new CSP which will seek to be aligned with the new United Nations Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development (SNU-UNSDCF) and the New Administration's Governance Plan and sustainability of the adopted GEWE approach Overarching evaluation questions focussed on: Key recommendations from the evaluation included: 12 September 2023 – Rapid urbanisation worldwide means every five days the world adds buildings equivalent to the size of Paris with the built environment sector already responsible for 37 per cent of global emissions A report published today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA) under the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) offers solutions to decarbonize the buildings and construction sector and reduce the waste it generates Building materials and the climate: Constructing a new future builders and recyclers a three-pronged solution to reduce “embodied carbon” emissions and the negative impacts on natural ecosystems from the production and deployment of building materials (e.g. The three-pronged Avoid-Shift-Improve solution needs to be adopted throughout the building process to ensure emissions are slashed and human health and biodiverse ecosystems are protected sensitivity to local cultures and climates including the common perception of concrete and steel as modern materials of choice most buildings were constructed using locally sourced earth Yet modern materials such as concrete and steel often give only the illusion of durability usually ending up in landfills and contributing to the growing climate crisis,” said Sheila Aggarwal-Khan Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division “Net zero in the building and construction sector is achievable by 2050 as long as governments put in place the right policy incentives and regulation to bring a shift the industry action,” she added most climate action in the building sector has been dedicated to effectively reducing “operational carbon” emissions Thanks to the growing worldwide decarbonisation of the electrical grid and the use renewable energies these are set to decrease from 75 per cent to 50 per cent of the sector in coming decades Since buildings contain materials produced in disparate regions across the globe reducing “embodied carbon” emissions from production and deployment of building materials requires decisionmakers to adopt a whole life-cycle approach This involves harmonized measures across multiple sectors and at each stage of the building lifecycle – from extraction to processing Government regulation and enforcement is also required across all phases of the building life cycle – from extraction through end-of-use – to ensure transparency in labelling Investments in research and development of nascent technologies as well as training of stakeholders in the sectors along with incentives for cooperative ownership models between producers and occupants to the shift to circular economies “The decarbonisation of the buildings and construction sector is essential for the achievement of the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C By providing cutting-edge scientific insights as well as very practical recommendations to reduce embodied carbon the study ”Building materials and the climate: Constructing a new future” advances our joint mission to decarbonise the sector holistically and increase its resilience” Deputy Director General for International Climate Action and International Energy Transition of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) which together with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has funded the study demonstrate how decarbonisation takes places using “Avoid-Shift-Improve” strategies: developed economies can devote resources to renovating existing ageing buildings while emerging ones can leapfrog carbon-intensive building methods to alternative low-carbon building materials Cities worldwide can drive the implementation of decarbonisation Many are already integrating vegetated surfaces and indoor wall assemblies to reduce urban carbon emissions and cool off buildings UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.  About the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC) Founded at COP21, hosted by UNEP and with 289 members, including 40 countries, the GlobalABC is the leading global platform for all buildings stakeholders committed to a common vision: A zero-emission efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector About Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture (Yale CEA) Yale CEA unites researchers and practitioners across multiple fields art and humanities towards ecosystems that prioritise the requirements of living organisms and ecologies Our mission is to transform the DNA of the Built Environment which is currently the sector responsible for the largest real-time climate change impacts and the consumption/production of toxic News and Media Unit © 2025 UNEP Terms of Use Privacy Report Project Concern Report Scam Contact Us In response to the alarming trend of rising hate speech around the world, Secretary-General António Guterres launched the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech Seeking to enhance the UN’s response to the global phenomenon of hate speech, this strategy is the outcome of close collaboration between 16 entities under the UN Working Group on Hate Speech and is coordinated by the United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide The Strategy makes a firm commitment to step up coordinated action to tackle hate speech — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, June 2019 The Strategy and Plan of Action acknowledges that hate speech has the potential to incite violence and undermine social unity It recognizes that hate speech has been a precursor to atrocity crimes This approach to coordinating efforts across the UN system to identify prevent and confront hate speech is grounded in international human rights standards including the right to freedom of opinion and expression principles of equality and non-discrimination The Strategy aims to give the United Nations the room and the resources to address hate speech, which poses a threat to UN principles, values and programmes. It guides the UN system on how to address hate speech and includes ways to support United Nations Resident Coordinators’ action in addressing and countering hate speech on the ground The Strategy and Plan of Action has two overriding objectives: Enhance UN efforts to address the root causes and drivers of hate speech in a coordinated way with a focus on education as a preventive tool to raise awareness and build unity Focus on the United Nations response to the impact of hate speech on societies with an emphasis on engaging with relevant actors and developing guidance for counter-narratives The Strategy and Plan of Action consists of 13 commitments to action by the United Nations system The Strategy and its implementation must be in line with the right to freedom of opinion and expression Tackling hate speech is the responsibility of all That means we must all take action: governments The UN intends to support a new generation of digital citizens reject and stand up to hate speech in the digital age As effective action must be supported by better knowledge the Strategy calls for coordinated data collection and research drivers and conditions conducive that drive hate speech Discover all 13 commitments set forth in the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech but even Fernando Alonso admits he is not really sure what ‘El Plan’ actually stands for ‘El Plan’ has become associated with the Spaniard this year, the most obvious explanation being that it refers to Alpine’s aim of regularly challenging for race wins and championships when Formula 1’s new regulations are introduced from 2022 The words have appeared on T-shirts worn by Alonso and even at the 2021 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the back of the rear wing of the Alpine But although it has acquired something of a cult following the two-time former World Champion says he is not certain of what ‘El Plan’ represents – thinking it has simply taken on a life of its own I started to see it too,” said Alonso during the ‘One plus one equals three’ programme on Spanish TV in conversation with two other sports stars – footballer Joaquin and retired basketball player Fernando Romay “It’s one of the things that social media networks have now ‘El Plan’ and I don’t know what ‘El Plan’ is either “I think it’s part of ‘El Plan’ that I don’t know exactly what ‘El Plan’ is That’s ‘El Plan’…to scare without knowing.” In explaining the F1 regulation changes to his two dinner companions for the purposes of the TV show the technology of the car doesn’t change much from one year to the next there is a revolution and for next year there is one of those big changes.” Although Alonso himself may not know what ‘El Plan’ means, it would be wrong of an F1 team not to have a path to follow – and Renault CEO Luca de Meo recently mapped out the way he sees that for Alpine. “If you want to talk about the plan, I tell you we have three to five years to become competitive, to be able to win races regularly and in the end win a World Championship,” said De Meo. “Renault’s position is not to be in the middle, we want to be higher. The important thing is to have the attitude of wanting to be in this sport, wanting to invest in this sport.” © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved Central Park horse carriage drivers are pushing for a new stable and better safety measures in the wake of a highly-publicized collapse of a horse last month the union representing 130 carriage drivers in the city has released a “Big Heart” platform advocating for better oversight of the industry Drivers are in a fight to preserve their livelihoods after a carriage horse named Ryder collapsed from heat exhaustion on a midtown street on August 10 the incident distressed animal-loving activists and celebrities some of whom renewed the call to ban the horse carriages there are 68 licensed horse carriages allowed to operate in New York City While the rides around Central Park are popular with tourists the industry provides jobs that help blue-collar workers “put food on the table and send their kids to college,” said TWU representative Pete Donohue “The union is also deeply invested in making sure these horses have the best care and making sure their health and wellness is taken care of,” Donohue said at a press conference on September 2 The union is calling upon the city to create a new stable near 86th Street and hire a full-time veterinarian to look after the horses Though the city’s Health Department once had an equine veterinarian who would visit stables and check on the horses that position has been vacant for more than a year Carriage drivers also asked the city to install an additional drinking trough near Seventh Avenue to keep horses hydrated Troughs are now located at Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue but horses often have to pass through traffic or go out of their way to access them “If you put a trough near Seventh Avenue or near Tavern on the Green the horses would go past it on every ride without having to come all the way over here,” Hansen said A stable in Central Park would mean less arduous travel for the horses who must walk 30 minutes each way from their stables further downtown Union members referenced a city-owned building near the 86th Street Transverse – currently used as a Parks Department sign shop – as one possible location for a new stable This is about taking a building that is in need of repair and stabling the horses there,” said Donohue who has driven a hansom cab in New York City for 10 years said the industry has been regulated by the city since 1813 She said Central Park architect Frederick Law Olmsted originally designed the park to be viewed from the back of the carriage “What we’ve provided here in Central Park… is for the public to experience Central Park the way it was meant to be seen,” she said The collapse of Ryder – who is now recuperating at an upstate farm – served as ammunition for those activists who want to ban horse carriages “The world is watching and we will not be gaslighted by an industry that has lost all credibility,” said Edita Birnkrant “District Attorney Bragg must launch a criminal probe into this horrific incident as well as the widespread animal and worker abuses in this industry.” City Councilmember Robert Holden has introduced a bill that would eliminate all horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric versions Driver Ariel Fintzi said he understood the passion of activists but insisted the industry could operate safely “Animal activists care for the horses in their way,” Fintzi said “Nobody cares about the horses more than us,” he said carriage rides are an iconic element of Big Apple tourism this is one of the things that you want to do,” she said “When one in eleven New Yorkers is employed in tourism and hospitality and we’re trying to recover from the pandemic the fact is we’re still here and people are still coming to ride Se presenta un plan para mejorar el sector de los carruajes de caballos Los conductores de carruajes de caballos de Central Park presionan para que se construya un nuevo establo y se mejoren las medidas de seguridad tras el muy publicitado colapso de un caballo el mes pasado El Sindicato de Trabajadores del Transporte (TWU el sindicato que representa a 130 conductores de carruajes en la ciudad ha lanzado una plataforma “Big Heart” (gran corazón en español) que aboga por una mejor supervisión del sector Los conductores luchan por preservar su medio de vida después de que un caballo de carruaje llamado Ryder se desplomara por agotamiento de calor en una calle del centro de la ciudad el 10 de agosto angustió a los activistas y celebridades amantes de los animales algunos de los cuales renovaron la petición de prohibir los carruajes de caballos hay 68 carruajes de caballos con licencia para operar en la ciudad de Nueva York Aunque los paseos por Central Park son muy populares entre los turistas el sector proporciona puestos de trabajo que ayudan a los operarios a “poner comida en la mesa pagar el alquiler y enviar a sus hijos a la universidad” “El sindicato también está muy interesado en que estos caballos reciban los mejores cuidados y en que se cuide su salud y bienestar” dijo Donohue en una rueda de prensa el 2 de septiembre El sindicato pide a la ciudad crear un nuevo establo cerca de la calle 86 brindar capacitación adicional a los conductores y contratar a un veterinario a tiempo completo para que cuide a los caballos Aunque el Departamento de Salud de la ciudad tuvo una vez un veterinario de equinos que visitaba los establos y revisaba los caballos ese puesto ha estado sin cubrir durante más de un año Los conductores de carruajes también pidieron a la ciudad que instale un bebedero adicional cerca de la séptima avenida para mantener a los caballos hidratados Los bebederos se encuentran ahora en la quinta avenida y en la sexta pero los caballos a menudo tienen que atravesar el tráfico o desviarse de su camino para poder utilizarlos dijo la conductora de carruajes Christina Hansen “Si se pusiera un bebedero cerca de la séptima avenida o cerca de Tavern on the Green los caballos pasarían por ahí en cada paseo sin tener que venir hasta aquí” Un establo en Central Park supondría un viaje menos arduo para los caballos que deben caminar 30 minutos en cada sentido desde sus establos situados más al centro de la ciudad Los miembros del sindicato se refirieron a un edificio propiedad de la ciudad cerca de la intersección de la calle 86 -que actualmente se utiliza como taller de señalización del Departamento de Parques- como una posible ubicación para un nuevo establo “No se trata de tomar un terreno público sino de tomar un edificio que necesita ser reparado y hacer un establo para los caballos ahí” quien lleva 10 años conduciendo un carruaje en Nueva York explicó que el sector está regulado por la ciudad desde 1813 diseñó originalmente el parque para ser visto desde la parte trasera del carruaje “Lo que hemos proporcionado aquí en Central Park… es para que el público experimente Central Park de la forma en que fue concebido para ser visto” El colapso de Ryder -que ahora se recupera en una granja del norte del estado- sirvió como munición para los activistas que quieren prohibir los carruajes de caballos “El mundo está mirando y no nos dejaremos engañar por una industria que ha perdido toda credibilidad” “El fiscal Bragg debe iniciar una investigación judicial sobre este horrible incidente así como sobre los abusos generalizados contra los animales y los trabajadores en esta industria” El concejal Robert Holden ha presentado un proyecto de ley que eliminaría todos los carruajes de caballos y los sustituiría por versiones eléctricas El conductor Ariel Fintzi dijo que entiende la pasión de los activistas pero insistió en que la industria puede operar con seguridad “Los activistas de los animales se preocupan por los caballos a su manera” “Creo que puede haber un compromiso” “Nadie se preocupa por los caballos más que nosotros” los paseos en carruaje son un elemento icónico del turismo de la Gran Manzana ésta es una de las cosas que quieres hacer” “Cuando uno de cada once neoyorquinos trabaja en el sector del turismo y la hostelería y estamos intentando recuperarnos de la pandemia el hecho es que seguimos aquí y la gente sigue viniendo a montar y esto es valioso para la ciudad de Nueva York”     Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Read the full press release the FSO Safer is a decaying supertanker that could have spilled more than a million barrels of oil into the Red Sea The result would have been an environmental a UN-coordinated operation transferred the oil from the 47-year-old Safer to the safe replacement vessel Yemen (formerly Nautica) The oil transfer prevented the worst-case scenario: a catastrophic spill four times greater than the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill The Safer still poses a residual environmental threat holding viscous oil residue that can only be removed during a final cleaning That will take place during the second phase of the project which comprises towing of the Safer for green recycling and installation of the Yemen to a specialized buoy and members of the public had contributed $129 million and pledged an additional $4 million of the $144 million that was needed to implement the emergency phase of the project The United Nations is extremely grateful to members of the public that donated more than $300,000 to the Safer Project helping to make the successful emergency phase of the project possible the United Nations is not asking the public for funding The FSO Safer supertanker held four times the amount of oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez – enough to make it the 5th largest oil spill from a tanker in history The result of a major spill would have been an environmental humanitarian and economic catastrophe centered on the coast of a country already devasted by years of war A massive spill from the Safer would have destroyed pristine reefs coastal mangroves and other sea life across the Red Sea exposed millions of people to highly polluted air fuel and other life-saving supplies to Yemen where 17 million people already need food aid Coastal communities would have been hit hardest Hundreds of thousands of jobs in the fishing industry would have been lost almost overnight It would have taken 25 years for fish stocks to recover The cost of cleanup alone was estimated at $20 billion The United Nations also thanks the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers the Leo Balmer Foundation and the thousands of generous individuals that continue to contribute to the UN crowdfunding campaign for the plan The One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) was launched by the Quadripartite – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH This first joint plan on One Health aims to create a framework to integrate systems and capacity so that we can collectively better prevent this initiative seeks to improve the health of humans while contributing to sustainable development provides a set of activities that aim to strengthen collaboration and coordination across all sectors responsible for addressing health concerns at the human-animal-plant-environment interface The factsheet outlines the Quadripartite OH JPA a global framework for addressing health threats through a collaborative Six action tracks guide the implementation focusing on areas like zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance and data systems – support national action plan development or integration within existing plans The Quadripartite provides technical guidance and environmental health through sustainable interventions Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine was an avoidable crisis that due to the Biden Administration’s incompetent policies and rejection of the America First approach to national security The Biden Administration’s risk-averse pattern in the armament of Ukraine coupled with a failure in diplomacy with Russia has prolonged the war in Ukraine which now finds itself in a war of attrition with Russia Bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties The war in Ukraine is an avoidable tragedy that resulted from President Biden’s incompetence as a world leader and his chaotic foreign policy The war has divided Americans and the conservative movement over what America’s involvement in this conflict should be and how the Ukraine War affects European and global stability The Ukraine War is an exceptionally complex foreign policy question for the United States view the war as a significant threat to American They claim that without robust and limitless American military aid to Ukraine Russia will move after conquering Ukraine to rebuild the former Soviet Union and invade other countries Some of these advocates claim that a Russian victory in Ukraine would undermine democracy and security in other areas of the world and could encourage China to invade Taiwan and isolationist anyone who has opposed or even expressed skepticism about American military aid to Ukraine critics of military aid to Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government might indeed be isolationists the vast majority are Americans worried about whether America’s vital strategic interests are at stake in the Ukraine War military forces and whether America is engaged in a proxy war with Russia that could escalate into a nuclear conflict They also see the need to establish a plan to end this war and not simply provide weapons for a conflict that appears to have become a long-term stalemate A primary requirement for the America First approach to U.S national security is first a competent and decisive commander-in-chief—a president who exercises strong leadership on the world stage names exemplary national security officials and implements a coherent and effective foreign policy to protect America from foreign threats and promote its interests abroad The America First approach also requires a strong military troops out of unnecessary and unending wars It means working in alliances and with partners to promote regional security while requiring alliance members and allies to carry their full weight in defending security in the region we believe the tragic failures of the Ukraine War exemplify why the America First approach to U.S national security better addresses the challenges this type of conflict poses to U.S national interests and how it could have been prevented the America First approach to national security provides guidelines on how this war can be brought to an end We believe the most important way the America First approach to national security could have affected the Ukraine War was to prevent it A strong and decisive president who stood up to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a tough and coherent U.S and NATO could have prevented Putin from ordering the February 24 tough and coherent policies implemented by President Donald Trump are why Russia refrained from invading its neighbors during his presidency but felt no such constraints during the administrations of George W Trump dissuaded Putin from invading neighboring states because his leadership and foreign policies promoted deterrence and peace through strength Putin saw in Trump a strong and decisive president who was prepared to use all tools of American power—peaceful and coercive—to defend U.S Putin also viewed Trump as unpredictable and unconventional In light of Trump’s threat to destroy North Korea if it threatened U.S Trump’s summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un bombing Syria for using chemical weapons on civilians dropping America’s largest bunker buster bomb on an ISIS redoubt in Afghanistan imposing strong economic sanctions on China while keeping dialogue open with Beijing Putin could not be sure how Trump would respond to Russian belligerence This unpredictability played an important role during the Trump presidency in impeding hostile actions by U.S Trump also had a Russia policy that demonstrated American strength after the Russian mercenary Wagner Group advanced on U.S they were met with immediate and decisive action when President Trump authorized punitive airstrikes against them Those airstrikes set back Russia’s operations and influence in the region Russia never retaliated against the United States over that attack—which reportedly killed hundreds of Russian mercenaries—likely because Putin did not know how Trump would respond The Trump Administration strengthened Europe’s deterrence posture toward Russia by revitalizing the NATO alliance to work for American interests by pushing NATO members to contribute fairly to the alliance and meet their NATO Article 3 and Wales Declaration defense spending targets By reforming NATO to return it to its original intent to serve as a collective security arrangement the burden of Russian deterrence no longer fell solely on the United States The Europeans were pressed to step up to defend their regional security and return to being effective allies The Trump Administration imposed strong sanctions against the Nord Stream II Pipeline built to transport Russian natural gas from Russia to Germany Trump officials also pressured European states to delink from the Russian energy supply an effort that undermined Russia’s ability to weaponize energy in the region—and one that Europe resisted until Russia invaded Ukraine This included Trump publicly criticizing Germany for making itself dependent on Russian gas imports Trump condemned Germany’s support of the Nord Stream II pipeline is captive to Russia because it’s getting so much of its energy from Russia.” Trump was even more critical of Germany for its dependency on Russian energy in his September 2018 speech to the U.N “Germany will become totally dependent on Russian energy if it does not immediately change course,” the president said we are committed to maintaining our independence from the encroachment of expansionist foreign powers.” It is ironic today to watch video of German diplomats in the General Assembly hall at the time laughing at Trump’s criticism the United States no longer tolerated Russia’s repeated nuclear treaty violations and withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty The Trump Administration also began the process of withdrawing from the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia in hopes of negotiating a stronger and more effective treaty that also would include China’s nuclear arsenal Trump was open to cooperation with Russia and dialogue with Putin Trump expressed respect for Putin as a world leader and did not demonize him in public statements Trump’s political opponents criticized him for this but Trump’s approach was no different from how multiple U.S presidents dealt with Soviet leaders during the Cold War This was a transactional approach to U.S.-Russia relations in which Trump used his experience as a dealmaker to find ways to coexist and lower tensions with Putin while standing firm on American security interests Trump spoke with Putin many times during his presidency including at least five times in person and over 17 phone calls President Biden’s poor leadership as commander in chief a weak national security team and national security policies combined with a complete misunderstanding of Russia established conditions that led Putin to order the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine and conduct an overt war of aggression in defiance of the United States and the international community Biden began his presidency by portraying himself as an anti-Trump president who would reverse all of his predecessor’s policies This meant reverting to naïve and failed foreign policies Because of Biden’s intense dislike of Trump he attempted to reverse even Trump’s successful policies and refused to give Trump credit for his foreign policy successes And yet Biden’s foreign policies have been unserious and incoherent Biden designated climate change as the main threat to U.S an epic foreign policy disaster that did enormous damage to American credibility and global security The president needlessly antagonized and alienated important U.S and resumed President Obama’s foolhardy efforts to appease Iran in the absurd hope of making it a U.S Biden’s policy toward China has been weak and confusing He did nothing to hold Beijing accountable for the origin and spread of the COVID-19 virus armed services and military recruitment with ill-advised COVID vaccine mandates and by imposing diversity Biden also has deliberately refused to secure America’s southern border which has led to a huge influx of illegal migrants nine months before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sanctions on the construction of the Russian Nord Stream II pipeline a decision that garnered bipartisan opposition Biden officials claimed at the time that the reason for this decision was to mend U.S which they alleged were strained over Trump Administration policies such as challenging Germany’s reliance on Russian energy and its failure to meet its NATO defense spending contributions Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote in his 2014 memoir “I think [Biden] has been wrong on nearly every major foreign policy and national security issue over the past four decades." Gates wrote those words six years before Biden assumed the Oval Office and was talking about his foreign policy competency when he was a younger man frequent erroneous foreign policy statements that his aides quickly walk back and his amateurish senior national security officials have added to a global perception that this is the weakest and most incompetent U.S administration on foreign policy in history Biden’s demonstrable lack of strategic skill increased the chances of Russia invading Ukraine by undermining the perception of American-led deterrence Biden’s foreign policy incompetence led to critical U.S policy errors that needlessly antagonized Putin and emboldened him to order Russian troops to invade Ukraine Ukraine’s potential admission to NATO was a sensitive issue for Vladimir Putin even before Joe Biden took the oath of office in January 2021 Although Putin was momentarily open to the idea in the early 2000s he began to speak out against it after the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit which confirmed that NATO one day planned to admit Ukraine as a member The Biden Administration’s approach to national security rejected Trump’s transactional approach to Russia under which Trump established a working relationship with a U.S Biden replaced the Trump approach with a liberal internationalist one that promoted Western values Contrary to the Trump Administration’s America First stance on national security the Biden approach put the idealistic agendas of the global elite ahead of a working relationship with Russia Biden was not interested in working with Putin Biden’s hostile policy toward Russia not only needlessly made it an enemy of the United States but it also drove Russia into the arms of China and led to the development of a new Russia-China-Iran-North Korea axis China and Russia hope to use this axis to challenge the current U.S.-led world order and the U.S Russia has used this axis to obtain attack drones from Iran and missiles and artillery shells from North Korea for its invasion forces in Ukraine Biden’s approach ignored Putin’s fear of Ukraine moving closer to the West and joining NATO Although Biden and his senior officials never explicitly called for Ukraine to join NATO they dangled NATO membership before Ukraine and repeatedly said this decision was up to Ukraine Biden further confused the situation by stating several times in 2021 that the United States and NATO would stand behind Ukraine’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” statements that sounded like Biden offered Ukraine security guarantees NATO reaffirmed the commitment made at the 2008 NATO Bucharest Summit that Ukraine would one day become a member Given Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s stepped-up campaign for NATO membership in 2021 these statements and gestures appeared to be more than implicit endorsements of Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership in the near future Putin’s paranoia about Ukraine joining NATO grew in September 2021, when the Kremlin strongly objected to Ukraine joining joint military operations with NATO members and said the expansion of NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine would cross a Russian “red line.”[v] as tensions grew and there were growing signs that Russia was planning to invade Putin presented a five-point ultimatum demanding legal guarantees that NATO would not admit new members Putin also issued demands that would have undermined NATO including giving up military activity in Eastern Europe The Biden Administration rejected the ultimatum and said America would “respond decisively” if Russia invaded Ukraine Biden confused the situation further in a January 18 2022 press conference when he said Russia will “move in” to Ukraine but that the United States and its allies might be divided on how to respond if a Russian invasion was a “minor incursion.” This gaffe shocked Ukrainian officials since it seemed to indicate Biden might tolerate Russia invading Ukrainian territory to some degree the gaffe telegraphed to Putin Biden’s fear of escalation and lack of resolve just as he was about to order the invasion the Biden Administration scolded Putin and threatened “unprecedented” sanctions Instead of using negotiations to de-escalate tensions Biden reiterated to Putin and Zelenskyy that NATO membership for Ukraine was still in Ukraine’s hands The Biden Administration also declassified intelligence on Russia’s war planning in the misguided belief that it would somehow deter an invasion As Russian tanks moved toward the Ukrainian border and an invasion appeared days away Biden Administration officials stepped up their condemnations of Putin and threats of sanctions and isolation An America First approach could have prevented the invasion it was in America’s best interests to maintain peace with Putin and not provoke and alienate him with aggressive globalist human rights and pro-democracy campaigns or an effort to promote Ukrainian membership in NATO It made no sense even to allude to supporting eventual NATO membership for Ukraine as this would require a unanimous vote of NATO members Ukraine also needed to meet stiff membership requirements including democratic and military reforms that included aligning the Ukrainian military with NATO equipment NATO members pledged to admit Ukraine once they agreed "conditions are met," and dropped the membership requirements This was understood to mean NATO would consider admitting Ukraine after the war ends.) it was in America’s interest to make a deal with Putin on Ukraine joining NATO especially by January 2022 when there were signs that a Russian invasion was imminent This was the time when the Biden Administration should have dropped its obsession with publicly criticizing Putin and worked toward a compromise offer to delay Ukraine’s admission into NATO for a decade might have been enough to convince Putin to call off the invasion but Biden Administration officials refused to make such an offer the United States and its allies should have sent substantial lethal aid to Ukraine in the fall of 2021 to deter a Russian invasion as an invasion appeared likely in December 2021 Biden ignored urgent appeals from Zelenskyy for military aid—especially anti-tank Javelins and anti-air Stingers—and warned Putin that the United States would send lethal aid to Ukraine if Russia invaded implying he could use military intimidation to manipulate U.S Russia reportedly began its February 2022 assault against Ukraine with a plan of invading over a 10-day period Ukraine’s military learned from Russia’s 2014 invasions and was much better prepared Ukraine’s army was well trained and had amassed billions of dollars in advanced weaponry from the West including Javelin anti-tank missiles unblocked by President Trump that inflicted huge losses on Russian forces Russia’s army performed poorly due to inadequate leadership and planning The Russian military was also unprepared to defend against state-of-the-art advanced missiles and attack drones Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia ran out of steam by the fall of 2022 because the United States and its allies failed to provide the country with the weapons it needed to continue the fight to reclaim its territory There were limits to how involved the United States could be involved in the conflict America lacks a defense treaty with Ukraine and it is not a NATO ally Intervening in the war in Ukraine lacked a clear there was a risk of nuclear escalation if NATO troops faced Russian forces in this conflict Biden failed to recognize until it was too late that it was in America’s interests and the interests of global security for the United States to do everything possible short of direct U.S President Biden should have provided Ukraine with the weapons it needed to expel Russian forces early in the war and used all forms of statecraft to end the war The main objective of military assistance to Ukraine was to prevent the precedent of an aggressor state seizing territory by force and defending the rules-based international order It also was in America’s interests to ensure that Russia lost this war because due to Putin’s decision to make Russia an aggressor state a defeated and diminished Russia was the best outcome for U.S Some believed this would prevent Russia from invading other states It also was likely that a devastated Russian military would allow the United States to direct its defenses against China a far more serious threat to its national security Biden was prepared to give up on Ukraine after the February 2022 invasion and offered to evacuate Zelenskyy from Kyiv famously replying: “The fight is here; I need ammunition not a ride.” Although Russian forces seized a significant amount of Ukrainian territory in the first few weeks of the war and got close to Kyiv they were pushed back over the following six months when the Ukrainian army seized the initiative Bolstered by years of training and an arsenal of advanced weapons the Ukrainians surprised the world by dealing devastating losses to the Russian army Ukrainian counteroffensives had pushed Russia out of northern and central Ukraine they had recaptured 54 percent of the land Russia seized since the beginning of the war This left Russia occupying an area of eastern Ukraine mostly comprised of the Donbas region plus Crimea The United States and other NATO members limited their military aid to Ukraine in 2022 out of fear of escalating the conflict the Biden Administration delayed the provision of Army Tactical Missiles (ATACMS) altered the range capability of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) missiles to prevent long-range strikes and denied Poland’s request to send MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine which gave Russian forces a chance to regroup Ukraine would never again reclaim a strategic advantage in the war and the conflict became a stalemate by late 2022 The Wall Street Journal discussed how the Ukraine War came to this outcome in a November 2023 article: A growing number of Ukraine’s backers in Europe and the U.S. say Kyiv likely would be in a stronger position today if the Biden Administration had more quickly delivered valuable equipment such as tanks, long-range rockets and jet fighters. Protracted debates about the armaments, which have been provided or are being prepared for delivery to Ukraine, meant Kyiv lost valuable time early this year when it could have pressed gains achieved against Russia late last year.[i] There were hopes that a new influx of advanced weapons from the United States and NATO members would help Ukraine turn the tide of the war in a spring 2023 counteroffensive. It didn’t happen. Weapons arrived late and in insufficient numbers. For example, the Biden Administration failed to provide Ukraine with fighter aircraft and sent only 31 Abrams Tanks — equivalent to only a battalion. Ukraine also began to run out of 155 mm artillery shells by July 2023.[ii] Ukraine’s spring 2023 counteroffensive also failed because Russian forces had time to establish defenses in depth in eastern Ukraine that proved more formidable than Ukrainian officials had anticipated As the Ukraine War shifted to a new phase of stalemate and attrition in late 2022 the Biden Administration continued to lack a coherent strategy to help Ukraine win the conflict or end it It provided greater numbers of advanced weapons but not enough to shift the war in Ukraine’s favor strategy to achieve a ceasefire or an end state for the conflict or to deal with the reality that Ukraine would likely lose a long-term war of attrition The Biden Administration also spurned attempts to hold peace talks the Biden Administration began in late 2022 to use the Ukrainian military to fight a proxy war to promote U.S policy goals of weakening the Putin regime at home and destroying its military The Biden Administration’s approach to Ukraine garnered criticism from many Americans who were hesitant about the direction of the war and the amount of military aid the U.S As a result, Pentagon officials announced in December 2023 that U.S. aid to Ukraine has drained the Department of Defense’s draw-down account to the extent that the U.S. will have to make “tough choices,” either supporting America’s own military readiness or continuing to “support Ukraine in the way they need to be supported on the battlefield.”[vii] Former President Trump proposed in February 2024 to add some accountability to the Biden Administration’s seemingly endless aid requests for Ukraine by making these payments a no-interest loan that Ukraine would repay after the war This idea attracted bipartisan support and is currently being seriously considered by White House and congressional leaders The war in Ukraine and Ukraine’s dependency on Western nations for military equipment has thus given rise to Ukraine fatigue among the Europeans as the primary defense contributor to Europe and further straining America’s ability to maintain its own critical defense stockpiles Biden’s preference for using the Ukraine conflict as a proxy war to hurt Russia rather than help Ukraine win the war is also why the United States has done nothing to promote a cease-fire or a peace agreement the United States and some of its European allies have blocked attempts to pause or end the war Under an America First approach to the Ukraine conflict once it became a stalemate and a war of attrition and the world to seek a ceasefire and negotiate a peace agreement with Russia Peace talks and a cease-fire to end the war are a complicated matter The Ukrainian government understandably is resistant to any settlement that would reward Russian aggression and not restore all of its territory Zelenskyy does not trust Putin to abide by a peace agreement or cease-fire He signed a decree in October 2022 stating that Ukraine would refuse to negotiate with Putin Zelenskyy put forward a 10-point peace plan at a G-20 summit in November 2022 The plan’s call for restoring Ukraine’s territorial integrity and a Russian affirmation in accord with the U.N and a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes were ambitious and just Since there was no way to force Russia to agree to such terms The Biden Administration’s approach to negotiations has been devoid of strategy and presidential leadership Biden and his team have consistently opposed any cease-fire or peace agreement that does not include a complete Russian withdrawal from all Ukrainian territory Biden officials also have said they will not force Ukraine to agree to a peace agreement or join peace talks Haass reiterated this position on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program, reportedly a favorite show of President Biden, on November 21, 2023 when he said the war is unwinnable and called for Ukraine to change its strategy to protect and save the 80 percent of the territory it controls and pursue a cease-fire with Russia. The host, Joe Scarborough, agreed with Haass’ assessment.[viii] Asked during a May 2023 CNN town hall whether he wanted Ukraine to win I want them to stop dying.” Trump added: “I don’t think in terms of winning and losing I think in terms of getting it settled so we can stop killing all those people.” When the former president was asked if he thought Putin was a war criminal it’s going to be a lot harder to make a deal later to get this thing stopped.” In a February 17, 2024 tweet, national security expert and retired Army Colonel Kurt Schlichter observed: “Ukraine is not losing because America hasn’t given it enough shells. Ukraine is losing because there aren’t enough Ukrainians. And I’m on the side of the Ukrainians. I helped train them.”[i] We agree with President Trump and Colonel Schlichter America needs a new approach and a comprehensive strategy for the Ukraine War According to Ukrainian intelligence, an estimated 400,000 Russian soldiers are currently deployed in Ukraine and control much of Ukraine’s eastern provinces of Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson as well as Crimea.[ii] Russian forces have hardened their defenses along the 600-mile-long front line and have saturated an estimated 30 percent of Ukrainian territory with landmines.[iii] prospects for Ukraine’s army in 2024 are not promising After failing to move the battlelines during its 2023 counteroffensive Ukrainian forces appeared to be losing ground in early 2024 because of battle fatigue and what appears to be a new Russian offensive strategy Although the $61 billion aid package that Congress approved in April 2024 and military aid from the EU might help Ukraine maintain the current battlelines this year it will do so at the cost of the lives of thousands more Ukrainian soldiers and billions of dollars of military aid There is little prospect that paying these high costs will allow Ukraine to regain its territory from Russia given the Ukrainian army’s manpower problems and the likelihood of growing opposition in the United States and Europe to providing huge amounts of military aid the Ukrainian army probably will begin to lose ground over time logistical support for the Ukraine War are also driven by other factors The war is drawing down America’s stockpile of advanced weapons Many members of Congress believe the Biden Administration should place a higher priority on stopping the huge influx of illegal immigrants crossing the U.S the fentanyl crisis plaguing American communities and the deterioration of our military instead of spending tens of billions of dollars on weapons for the war in Ukraine A prolonged war in Ukraine also risks deepening the alliance between Russia which has been strengthened by the conflict Iran and North Korea continue to supply Russia with the weaponry it needs to wage this war while China remains a financial partner to Russia to deepen the two nations’ “no limits partnership.” Many supporters of Biden’s “as long as it takes” approach on the right and left in the United States as well as in Europe contend it is crucial to continue to arm Ukraine because Putin’s invasion is a threat to global stability and democracy will be emboldened by any outcome of the war that allows Russia to keep Ukrainian territory and does not hold Putin accountable The trouble with these arguments is that it is too late to avoid the possible consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine Sending weapons to an endless stalemate for these reasons is expensive virtue signaling and not a constructive policy to promote peace and global stability nor is it a call to retreat America from engagement in the world An America First approach to national security is characteristically distinct from a foreign policy establishment that often keeps the United States mired in endless wars to the detriment of the country by putting idealistic principles ahead of the interests of the American people There is a pathway forward in Ukraine in which America can keep its own interests prioritized while also playing a role in bringing the largest war in Europe since World War II to an end America First leadership where bold diplomacy paves the way to an end-state What we should not continue to do is to send arms to a stalemate that Ukraine will eventually find difficult to win policy to seek a cease-fire and negotiated settlement of the Ukraine conflict The United States would continue to arm Ukraine and strengthen its defenses to ensure Russia will make no further advances and will not attack again after a cease-fire or peace agreement will require Ukraine to participate in peace talks with Russia President Biden and other NATO leaders should offer to put off NATO membership for Ukraine for an extended period in exchange for a comprehensive and verifiable peace deal with security guarantees In their April 2023 Foreign Affairs article Richard Haass and Charles Kupchan proposed that in exchange for abiding by a cease-fire Russia could be offered some limited sanctions relief Ukraine would not be asked to relinquish the goal of regaining all its territory with the understanding that this would require a future diplomatic breakthrough which probably will not occur before Putin leaves office the United States and its allies would pledge to only fully lift sanctions against Russia and normalize relations after it signs a peace agreement acceptable to Ukraine. We also call for placing levies on Russian energy sales to pay for Ukrainian reconstruction By enabling Ukraine to negotiate from a position of strength while also communicating to Russia the consequences if it fails to abide by future peace talk conditions the United States could implement a negotiated end-state with terms aligned with U.S Part of this negotiated end-state should include provisions in which we establish a long-term security architecture for Ukraine’s defense that focuses on bilateral security defense Including this in a Russia-Ukraine peace deal offers a path toward long-term peace in the region and a means of preventing future hostilities between the two nations we see no prospect that the Biden Administration will do anything to end the Ukraine War and may implement policies to make the conflict worse the above are a few creative ideas for an America First approach to end the war and allow Ukraine to rebuild President Donald Trump also has a strategy to end the war that he has not fully revealed We are hopeful there will be a new president in January 2025 to implement these American First ideas to end this devastating conflict The Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people will have trouble accepting a negotiated peace that does not give them back all of their territory or hold Russia responsible for the carnage it inflicted on Ukraine But as Donald Trump said at the CNN town hall in 2023 “I want everyone to stop dying.” That’s our view Lieutenant General (Ret.) Keith Kellogg was the national-security adviser to President Donald J He is currently the co-chairman of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute Fred Fleitz was chief of staff of the National Security Council in the Trump administration and is a former CIA analyst He is vice-chair of the Center for American Security at the America First Policy Institute [i] Phillip Shishkin [ii] Charles Cogan, “You Have to Understand, George. Ukraine Is Not Even a Country,” Huffington Post, March 16, 2014. https://www.huffpost.com/entry... [v] Tucker Carlson interview with Vladimir Putin, X (formerly Twitter), February 8, 2024. https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/st... [vii] James Marson and Daniel Michaels “Ukraine War Slips Toward Violent Stalemate,” Wall Street Journal [ix] Kaitlin Lewis, “NATO Ally Gives Ukraine's F-16 Program Additional Boost,” Newsweek, January 5, 2024. https://www.newsweek.com/nato-...; Lara Jakes “Ukraine Could Deploy F-16s as Soon as July [x] “Remarks by President Biden on the United Efforts of the Free World to Support the People of Ukraine.” White House Briefing Room, March 26, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/bri... [xi] “Evaluating America First Priorities in the White House Supplemental.” Center for Homeland Security and Immigration & Center for American Security. America First Policy Institute, October 27, 2023. .https://americafirstpolicy.com... [xii] Jennifer Agiesta, “Majority of Americans oppose more aid for Ukraine in war with Russia,” August 4, 2023. https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/04... [xiii] “U.S. Security Cooperation with Ukraine.” U.S. Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, December 27, 27, 2023. https://www.state.gov/u-s-secu... [xiv] Eric Lipton, “From Rockets to Ball Bearings, Pentagon Struggles to Feed War Machine.” The New York Times, March 24, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/0... [xv] Karen DeYoung, Dan Lamothe and Isabelle Khurshudyan, “Inside the monumental, stop-start effort to arm Ukraine,” Washington Post, December 23, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com... [xvii] Greg Wehner, “Pentagon prepares to make ‘tough choices’ between U.S. readiness and Ukraine support as funding package lingers.” FoxNews.com, December 14, 2023. https://www.foxnews.com/politi... [xviii] Rohac Dalibor “Biden’s Lack of Leadership Is Galvanizing US Critics of Ukraine Aid,” New York Post [xix] James Landale, “Ukraine War: Western allies say they are running out of ammunition.” BBC News, October 3, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world... [xx] Pieter D. Wezeman, Justine Gadon and Siemon T. Wezeman, “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2022.” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, March 2023. https://www.sipri.org/publicat... [xxi] Antoinette Radford & Adam Easton, “Poland no longer supplying weapons to Ukraine amid grain row.” BBC News, September 21, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world... [xxii] Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo and Jaroslaw Adamowski, “Slovakia shift, elections in Poland dampen support for Ukraine,” Defense News, October 3, 2023. https://www.defensenews.com/gl... [xxiv] Peter Baker General Urges Diplomacy in Ukraine While Biden Advisers Resist,” New York Times [xxv] Susie Blann and Matthew Lee, “Blinken warns Ukraine cease-fire now would result in ‘Potemkin peace,’ legitimizing Russian invasion,” Associated Press, June 2, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/rus... [xxvi] “Remarks by President Biden on the United Efforts of the Free World to Support the People of Ukraine.” White House Briefing Room, March 26, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/bri... [xxvii] Jon Jackson, “Biden Compares Putin to Hamas as US Navy Takes Rare Action to Defend Israel,” Newsweek, October 19, 2023. https://www.newsweek.com/biden... [xxx] Video of this interview is available at https://twitter.com/i/status/1... [xxxiv] Daris Shekina, “Ukrainian Intelligence discloses number of Russian soldiers in Ukraine.” RBC-Ukraine, October 23, 2023. https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/new... America First Policy Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization powered by nucleus Spain’s recovery plan: strengths and challenges (*) A Spanish versión was published on 12/7/2021 in El Grand Continent: El Plan de Recuperación de España: fortalezas y desafíos Spain is one of the countries which has most to gain from Next Generation EU, the key European-wide blueprint intended to kick-start the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis particularly since the debt crisis of 2010 many demanded a comprehensive reform package to modernise the economy Such a plan is now available and was endorsed by the European Commission on 16 June Yet making this historic opportunity to transform the economy a reality will be a titanic challenge in terms of both Spanish and European policymaking No doubt Brussels’ approval of the Spanish recovery plan entitled Spain can the first to be given the green light along with the Portuguese programme– is an impressive outcome that underlines the adequacy of the proposal in terms of the European goals of making the economy greener fit for the digital age and more socially inclusive and at the same time tackle some of Spain’s structural weaknesses The plan comprises nearly €70 billion in transfers (plus another potential €70 billion in the form of loans not yet requested) committed over the next three years to be disbursed subject to meeting around 200 investment targets and implementing over 100 reforms in 10 key policy-areas ranging from a ‘a fair and inclusive energy transition’ and ‘industry and SME modernisation and digitisation’ to ‘education and knowledge Not since the structural and cohesion funds received in the 1980s and the reforms enacted at the time as part of the country’s entry to the European single market has Spain envisioned such a comprehensive project The challenge now is to convert it into effective policy action The mix of investment and reforms goes in the right direction in terms of the country’s own needs The Spanish economy has been one of the most heavily hit by the crisis with a precipitous 10.8% fall in GDP in 2020 Investment has been disproportionately affected threatening to reduce long-term productive capacity So the emphasis on (physical and especially human) capital accumulation in the plan is welcome “The Spanish economy has been one of the most heavily hit by the crisis A broad range of reforms accompany the investment plans This echoes most of the recommendations put forward by the Commission in recent years through the European Semester notably as regards reducing duality in the labour market improving re-employment services for jobseekers and addressing chronic fiscal imbalances through changes in pension systems and taxation The reform agenda goes further and includes changes in education and training making product and energy markets more competitive and unified throughout all regions and enhancing the effectiveness of the judiciary which is one of the four general objectives digital transformation and social and territorial cohesion While the programme is an ambitious attempt to tackle the key obstacles to inclusive growth that have plagued Spain for decades the question arises as to whether it is achievable less than 40% of the total funds available to the country had been executed (which does not bode well in view of the significant increase in the level of resources for the current budget) This is the lowest achievement rate in the EU which points to major administrative bottlenecks some of the most prominent ones –such as labour markets public administration and the domestic single market– have been on the agenda of successive governments without much policy action seeing the light of day the current political polarisation is not the ideal context to reach the long-lasting multiannual compromises that are called for Breaking with past inefficiencies and inertias involves One huge stumbling block here concerns the articulation between the central and regional levels of government –the latter are expected to manage around half the funds and have full autonomy in areas such as health education and active labour market policies– Another is to set up mechanisms for allocating the funds that are both quick in terms of ensuring that the ambitious timetable is met and efficient in the implementation and monitoring phases so that the money is well spent The latter is crucial for maximising the economic impact of the plan because it is no good to support projects that would have been undertaken by the private sector even without the transfers (entailing a deadweight loss) the most competitive providers should be selected under a fair and transparent selection process that is appropriately communicated to everyone interested in receiving funds which was not designed to boost cross-European cooperation It is regrettable that the first joint issue of EU debt (the much-needed Eurobonds) is devoted to compartmentalised national plans without considering the strategic importance of pan-European projects that have the potential of becoming European public goods True convergence cannot be achieved by strengthening the individual parts of the Union alone connecting and integrating economies is of paramount importance especially in the face of stiff global competition launching the type of reforms that are foreseen in the plan will require major persuasion efforts in the direction of social partners the political spectrum and society at large Some reforms are particularly controversial The Plan is specific concerning those elements which are most likely to be widely accepted such as narrowing the range of contractual arrangements future disagreements are likely) and digitising the public administration But the Plan is either vague or mute on other such as the protection of permanent employment contracts (a divisive matter between employers and workers’ representatives) making taxes more progressive (questions that divide political parties and are highly sensitive to public opinion) and whether the entry mechanisms to public service should be revised (30% of all public jobs in Spain are temporary) And yet the timetable is for major overhauls over the next year or so There is also a tension between the Commission’s insistence on retaining the main achievements of the labour and pension reforms carried out during the austerity period in the aftermath of the previous crisis and the government’s intention to undo some of them Spain will probably not meet all the plan’s investment milestones in time especially at the start given that the details of the concrete allocation of resources are still missing Yet major progress is expected to be made on spending the funds: the stakes are simply too high and there is a broad awareness of the historic opportunity not to miss this modernisation train The comprehensiveness of the investment package and the heavy implication of enterprises and social partners in its preparation bears testimony to this Already in December 2020 the Spanish Government approved a royal decree to streamline the Spanish administration and facilitate the bureaucratic process to effectively implement the allocation of investment projects Among other things the decree improved the public governance and oversight structures and the frameworks necessary for a better cooperation between the public and private sectors It must be said that in the current context of strong political polarisation social dialogue between employers and unions has been one of the few spaces of compromise and agreements throughout the pandemic the European Commission seems to have converged towards the Spanish Government’s argument that reforms should as much as possible be subject to social dialogue with employers and unions The most important concern is with the boldness of the reform plan In the current context of political fragmentation and polarisation a ‘big bang’ moment of reforms is unlikely Not to mention the fact that the next general elections will take place in 2023 at the latest The bottom line is that a piecemeal strategy is more likely and though not ideal this is better than inaction as long as the direction is the correct one a critical mass of changes will have to be made in a short period of time for the plan to lead to a long-lasting expansionary period the biggest EU member states have been urged to enter into a dynamic where solidarity is met with reforms If Spain undertakes the key reforms envisioned in the plan and the pressure is certainly there if only because the next instalments of EU funds are dependent on this (a key innovation of Next Generation EU) the economy will become more resilient and socially inclusive on the awareness of the Spanish stakeholders (both in the public and private sectors) regarding what is at stake and in broad terms we believe the awareness is there That said, experience so far suggests that reform efforts should not be borne by Spain, or indeed other individual countries, alone. Europe should also engage in a deepening of the turn it has taken when agreeing on Next Generation EU If the dynamic of investment-cum-reforms works but the recovery and resilience plan is only a one-off event the structural tensions in the EU will remain The EU, and more specifically the European Monetary Union, is simply not sustainable without a genuine counter-cyclical fiscal capacity. Already, as highlighted by Blanchard & Pisani-Ferry the fiscal impulse provided by the plan is not enough in order to tackle the output and employment gaps provoked by the pandemic Europe would be ill-prepared to respond to future recessions Moreover, Next Generation EU can be regarded as a tool to facilitate reforms rather than a rapid macroeconomic stabilisation mechanism unequivocally defend the necessity of a fiscal union funded by the Union’s own resources the EU will need to invest enormous amounts of resources to catch up in key new technologies to avoid dependencies and vulnerabilities For this there needs to be more strategic thinking in Brussels and the national capitals and this starts by using the ‘exorbitant privilege’ that comes with issuing the second most international currency in the world which was confirmed in the first issue of EU funds not only ensures favourable funding conditions but also provides a solid basis for making Europe more resilient and prosperous geopolitics and the EU’s global role in an era of uncertainty’ Miguel Otero-Iglesias is Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute and Professor at IE School of Global and Public Affairs He is also Research Associate at the EU-Asia Institute at ESSCA School of Management in France Previously he was Assistant Professor in International Political Economy (IPE) at ESSCA in Paris Adjunct Lecturer at Queen Elisabeth House [...] Together we have worked to update the El Paso County Strategic Plan with a flexible framework that adapts to community drivers Our strategic plan is the primary filter for consistent decision making The strategic plan is available to offices of countywide elected officials and will connect to annual budgets and performance plans Accountability is at the core of our strategic plan The strategic plan includes a dashboard of strategic performance indicators and measures to keep us on track and accountable Our success is determined by our progress and we are looking forward to working together towards that goal As part of our strategic planning process we have clarified our El Paso County core principles Our core principles and values tell the story of El Paso County as a whole We are proud of who we are and honored to serve our community with excellence and park assets and implement strategies to sustainably fund Improve the quality of county services with a qualified and engaged workforce dedicated to continuous improvement Strengthen community trust through improved communications and transparency Foster partnerships to support community efforts to improve health and safety We make a difference in our community by serving the residents of El Paso County and respectful in our work and communication We foster a county government that works for all We inspire employees to passionately give their best while leveraging community partnerships for the meaningful benefit of our residents We listen to our community and act with honesty and respect in our interactions with co-workers and those we serve El Paso County will be a trusted regional leader for excellence in county service delivery We provide essential public services to the Pikes Peak Region in support of our residents Our community prefers low taxes and limited government that focuses on providing essential and cost-effective public services To consistently deliver high-quality services We build trust by transparently publishing data and analytics on our finances and our progress towards our strategic objectives Learn more about El Paso County’s Strategic Plan Success.