Sunday, November 15, 2020
Joe Biden administration: President-elect assembles a diverse cabinet
Susan Rice is being considered for secretary of state and Michele Flournoy is reportedly top choice for defence secretary.
Joe Biden is piecing together what he has promised to be a diverse cabinet, with Michele Flournoy reportedly top choice for US defence secretary and Susan Rice considered a frontrunner for secretary of state.
By The Editorial Board - Opinion: The New World Order That President Biden Will Inherit
The importance of vision, expertise, honesty and simple decency in the management of world affairs cannot be overstated.
President-elect Joe Biden has signaled that he will move swiftly to restore dignity to the badly sullied image of the United States; respect for the professionals of America’s diplomatic, intelligence and military services; and a more predictable, nuanced and sympathetic approach to foreign relations. That message of a restoration of norms is likely to resonate in many capitals around the world, as it did with an electorate that gave Mr. Biden a decisive victory over Donald Trump. There is much that Mr. Biden can do in his first 100 days. He has already vowed to promptly rejoin the Paris accord on climate change and to make climate action central to his administration. He has declared his intention to restore the United States’ relationship with the World Health Organization, signaling that the United States will join forces with the rest of the world to halt the rampage of the coronavirus. Mr. Biden is also expected to organize a summit of democracies, and to recommit the United States to exposing human rights abuses wherever they arise, whether in China, Russia, Saudi Arabia or Turkey. At the same time, he will seek ways to revive the nuclear deal with Iran, and agree with Russia to extend the New START treaty on limiting strategic nuclear arms. Hopefully, Mr. Biden will terminate American support for Saudi Arabia’s terrible war in Yemen. These are all welcome signs of America’s imminent return to a role in the world that better reflects our historical values. The team Mr. Biden is said to be assembling looks as if it will be composed of veterans of administrations past and paid-up members of the foreign policy establishment. If Republicans retain control of the Senate, Mr. Biden’s appointments could be constrained by the need to get them confirmed, while the scope of his actions will often be reduced to what can be accomplished through executive orders. Even a Senate controlled by Democrats would not presage a dramatic departure in American strategies and policies. Mr. Biden may tone down the trade war with China, but contentious differences on issues such as 5G networks or China’s claims in the South China Sea will remain at the fore. Whatever hold President Vladimir Putin may have had on Mr. Trump almost never translated into a lifting of sanctions, and Democrats are not likely to seek a reset with Russia. Mr. Trump’s bromance with Kim Jong-un did little to change the U.S. stance on North Korea. Mr. Trump’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was decidedly one-sided, yet there had been no movement toward a two-state settlement in the years before Mr. Trump became president, and there is little indication that any such movement is imminent no matter who’s in the White House — or where the U.S. Embassy is. Mr. Biden is likely to continue Mr. Trump’s attempts to withdraw from foreign wars and be reluctant to enter new conflicts, though with more nuance and more concern for allies. While Mr. Biden will definitely not emulate Mr. Trump’s zero-sum approach to trade, with tariffs slapped on friend and foe alike, free trade is not something Democratic voters are always keen on. While most NATO allies and members of the European Union will celebrate the exit of Mr. Trump, the United States is likely to continue insisting that NATO allies start paying a fair share for the common defense. The Europeans, for their part, have recognized that the United States is no longer the undisputed boss of the free world. In short, the world is not what it was in 2016, nor can it go back to the status quo ante. China is considerably more assertive, and countering Beijing’s aggressions while recognizing its legitimate demands and seeking its help in containing North Korea or reducing carbon emissions will require creative new approaches. So will dealing with a right-wing president in Brazil or a tenacious dictator in Venezuela, or negotiating further nuclear arms reductions with Russia while maintaining sanctions, or trying to placate Israel and several Gulf Arab states while reviving a deal with their archenemy Iran. It is a restive world, requiring constant adaptation and engagement from its most powerful democracy. But the importance of vision, expertise, honesty and simple decency in the management of world affairs cannot be overstated. Mr. Trump’s “America First” approach meant, first and foremost, reducing international affairs to the same level as his real-estate wheeling-dealing: What’s in it for me? The president’s infamous phone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, the one that got him impeached, provided an apt motto for his administration: “I would like you to do us a favor though.” It is understandable that allies will harbor some doubts over whether Trumpism is finished for good, especially while Mr. Trump clings indecently to the hope of staying in power. But the expectation that a Biden-Harris administration will at least end the volatile and unpredictable lurches of the past four years has already elicited relief from allies who suffered Mr. Trump’s disdain. And it has caused anxiety among illiberal leaders who reveled in Mr. Trump’s camaraderie and the dimming of America’s beacon. Simply abandoning Mr. Trump’s approach is immeasurably important for America and the world. The strength of the United States has always derived as much from the soft power of its democracy, freedoms and values as from its battleships and drones. That strength is multiplied by America’s alliances among democracies in the East and West. There will be plenty of time to sort out why the United States fell for Mr. Trump or whether he can come back. President-elect Biden has signaled that he intends to lead America back into the international arena, and whatever their qualms or doubts, America’s friends and allies should not wait to join forces in tackling the business of the day — a global pandemic and the future of the planet, to name just two items on the agenda.
Fox News Anchor Thoroughly Debunks Trump’s Election Fraud Claims
Eric Shawn delivered the fact check just hours after Fox News host Maria Bartiromo gave airtime to Trump lawyers pushing those claims.
Fox News anchor Eric Shawn on Sunday debunked claims of widespread electoral fraud pushed by President Donald Trump and some of his allies at the network, calling them an insult to the thousands of election officials across the country who worked to ensure the process was free and fair.
The weekend anchor said on “America’s News Headquarters” that the baseless and inflammatory claims about a rigged election were disputed by the government, election officials and voting experts and were “designed to undermine your faith in American democracy.”
He aired video of Ben Hovland, the Trump-appointed chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, who said that the 2020 election was the most secure in history and among the best-run.
“The American people made their voice heard, and when we spread conspiracy theories and we don’t back that up with facts, it has an impact,” Hovland said.
Shawn also singled out Trump’s claim that Republican election observers were blocked from watching vote counts in Pennsylvania and other states. He aired an excerpt of his Thursday interview with Philadelphia City Commissioner Al Schmidt, who called the claims “totally untrue” and added that he saw no evidence whatsoever of voter fraud.
Shawn also addressed the conspiracy theory amplified by Trump that Dominion Voting Systems software used by several states deleted millions of Trump votes or switched them to Joe Biden.
The Denver-based company, election-technology experts, fact-checking sites and news organizations have all condemned the theory as false.
“Election officials across the country insist as of today there is no evidence of any widespread fraud affecting the outcome of the presidential election, that our precious democracy was not tampered with and that such baseless and false claims are an insult to the thousands of election officials and workers across the country who we have seen dedicating themselves 24/7 to ensure a fair and free election for all of us,” Shawn said.
Shawn’s report stood in sharp contrast to that of Fox News personality and staunch Trump defender Maria Bartiromo, who hosted Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s personal attorney, and Sidney Powell, another member of his legal team, and allowed them to amplify the baseless claims about Dominion voter fraud.
Sean Hannity and Fox Business’ Lou Dobbs have also given oxygen to the claims.
Shawn joined his colleague, “Fox & Friends” co-host Steve Doocy, in shooting the theories down.
Without evidence, Trump has promoted conspiracy theories about voter fraud and launched legal challenges to undermine the reality that Biden won the presidential election.
More than a week since most news outlets projected that result, Trump has refused to concede and is holding up the presidential transition that typically takes place after a winner is called.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-eric-shawn-fact-check_n_5fb1ab71c5b6b956698c6c4a
Biden considers Hillary Clinton for UN ambassador role
#Pakistan - Alarm bells in the #Coronavirus’ second wave!
By Atia Munawer
@AttiyaMunawer
The second wave of coronavirus has taken its toll all over the world. Millions of people are currently taking measures to protect themselves from the deadly virus, but in Pakistan, from the government and the opposition to the business community, everyone, instead of protecting themselves from the coronavirus, are inviting it to do its worst because of their frivolous behavior. Opposition parties are holding rallies in the wake of the coronavirus, and while responding to the government, seems to be pushing hard to put people to a new test. In addition to this, SOPs are not being implemented in public offices, or in universities, colleges, schools, wedding halls, public transport and bazaars, due to which precious lives are being lost. Unless the government and the opposition take precautionary measures, the people will remain non-serious. Precautions must be taken until the coronavirus vaccine is available in the market, otherwise the second wave of coronavirus could wreak havoc.
There is no doubt that the second wave of the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic around the world is being viewed with great concern, but with the passage of time people began to abandon the SOPs designed to prevent the coronavirus pandemic. Because of this, the chances of spreading of coronavirus are increasing and a new wave of coronavirus has claimed the lives of 35 people, including the Chief Justice of te Peshawar High Court, Mr Jutice Waqar Ahmed Seth, while former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Lt. Gen. Muhammad Afzal have also not been spared from the pandemic. According to data released by the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC), 2,165 people tested positive for COVID-19 in 24 hours and 17 died of the virus. The number of people recovering from COVID-19 in the country so far has reached 322,414 but the second wave of coronavirus could be more damaging if the public’s non-serious attitude does not change.
There is no doubt that the second wave of coronavirus has re-emerged and no vaccine is yet available. We have no choice but to be cautious. Due to the carelessness of the people, alarm bells have started ringing in the second wave of the coronavirus
The second wave of coronavirus has sounded alarm bells, with the World Health Organization (WHO)warning that this time the virus has become more powerful and invasive, requiring more precautions. Due to this pandemic affecting 50 million people on the planet, the severity of the lockdown has increased once again in many countries, while in our country also due to the negligence of the general public and other circles, it is feared that the severity of lockdown can be increased and closure of institutions can be done. Therefore, in order to protect every person from the coronavirus pandemic, all measures including te use of masks and sanitizers, and social distancing should be strictly followed to protect individuals, family, neighbours and others as a part of the indispensable precautions. It should not be overlooked that as long as a single person is suffering from coronavirus; people all over the world are in danger.
The World Health Organization (WHO) medical experts say that it will not be possible for us to stop the second wave like the first wave of coronavirus, but they all know how to reduce the rate of its spread. This is possible only when everyone acts responsibly. The eradication of the coronavirus pandemic is still a long way off, so precautions must be taken as before. After a seemingly significant reduction in the spread of coronavirus in the country, the government had lifted the ban on social and business activities and tourism, as well as social and educational activities. But the lifting of sanctions across the country, is generally taken to mean that there is no longer any threat from the coronavirus, while the fact is that without social restrictions, the risk is many times greater than before, and if one does not maintain social distance and individuals as a result of not taking steps to keep oneself free of the virus, it will not be possible to prevent the pandemic from spreading again.
There is no doubt that the second wave of coronavirus has re-emerged and no vaccine is yet available. We have no choice but to be cautious. Due to the carelessness of the people, alarm bells have started ringing in the second wave of the coronavirus. The government has started imposing sanctions once again. If the people do not show seriousness and start implementing SOPs, then it will be time to close the whole country. The economic losses of this ban will not be borne by the people. A meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has decided to strictly enforce masks and SOPs. In view of the current situation, such decisions really need to be strictly enforced. This should be done all over the country. If the people cooperate with the government, the second wave can be overcome like the first wave, in which the good of every citizen is hidden, not just the government.
ٹارگٹ کلنگ میں اضافے پر پی ٹی ایم کو تشویش
شمالی وزیرستان کی تحصیل میران شاہ میں پشتون تحفظ موومنٹ کے لانگ مارچ سے خطاب میں پی ٹی ایم سربراہ منظور پشتین نے کہا کہ ’ایک طرف مذاکرات کی بات ہوتی ہے اور دوسری طرف ہمارے ساتھیوں کو لاپتہ کردیا جاتا ہے۔‘
پشتون تحفظ موومنٹ (پی ٹی ایم) کے سربراہ منظور پشتین نے قبائلی اضلاع میں بڑھتی ہوئی ٹارگٹ کلنگ اور گمشدگیوں پر تشویش کا اظہار کرتے ہوئے کہا ہے کہ ایک طرف حکومت ہمارے ساتھ مذاکرات کی بات کر رہی ہے اور دوسری طرف ہمارے لوگوں کو لاپتہ کر دیا جاتا ہے۔
شمالی وزیرستان کی تحصیل میران شاہ میں پی ٹی ایم کے لانگ مارچ سے خطاب میں منظور پشتین نے کہا: ’اس جلسے کو دیکھ کر ہم یہ کہہ سکتے ہیں کہ پی ٹی ایم کو کوئی بھی ختم نہیں کرسکتا۔‘
انہوں نے جلسے کو خرقمڑ واقعے میں ہلاک ہونے والے اپنے ساتھیوں کے نام کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ ’یہ سب لوگ انہیں سلام پیش کرتے ہیں۔‘
منظور پشتین نے کہا کہ قبائلی علاقوں میں ٹارگٹ کلنگ کے واقعات بڑھتے جارہے ہیں، ’اسے یہ لوگ ٹارگٹ کلنگ کا نام دیتے ہیں لیکن اصل میں یہ لوگ حالات خراب کرنا چاہتے ہیں، یہ لوگ اس وطن کو برباد کرنا چاہتے ہیں۔
ان کا مزید کہنا تھا کہ ’لیکن میں ان کو یہ کہنا چاہتا ہوں کہ اب یہ پی ٹی ایم کا وقت ہے، آپ لوگ ان کو دھوکہ نہیں دے سکتے کہ آپ کو آئی ڈی پیز بنائیں گے، پی ٹی ایم کے لوگ ان کو ایسا نہیں کرنے دیں گے۔‘
صحافی دلاور خان وزیر کے مطابق شمالی وزیرستان میں ٹارگٹ کلنگ کے خلاف آواز اٹھانے والے قبائلی مشران خود بھی ٹارگٹ کلنگ کا نشانہ بنے ہیں اور گذشتہ دو ہفتوں میں دو قبائلی مشران نامعلوم موٹرسائیکل سواروں کی فائرنگ سے ہلاک ہوچکے ہیں۔
انہوں نے شمالی وزیرستان سے رکن صوبائی اسمبلی میر کلام کے حوالے سے بتایا کہ فروری 2018 سے اب تک شمالی وزیرستان میں 210 افراد ٹارگٹ کلنگ میں مارے جاچکے ہیں جبکہ 2020 میں یہ تعداد اب تک 42 تک پہنچ گئی ہے، جن میں دو خواتین بھی شامل ہیں۔
دلاور وزیر کے مطابق شمالی وزیرستان میں ٹارگٹ کلنگ کی وجہ سے عام شہری بہت زیادہ پریشان ہیں، ایک طرف وہ ضرب عضب کے بعد اقتصادی طور پر مفلوج ہوچکے ہیں اور دوسری طرف اپنی زندگیوں کو بھی محفوظ نہیں سمجھتے۔
دیگر رہنماؤں نے کیا کہا؟
میران شاہ میں ہونے والے جلسے سے پی ٹی ایم رہنماؤں محسن داوڑ، افراسیاب خٹک اور عثمان کاکڑ کے ساتھ ساتھ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے فرحت اللہ بابر نے بھی خطاب کیا۔
انہوں نے شمالی وزیرستان سے رکن صوبائی اسمبلی میر کلام کے حوالے سے بتایا کہ فروری 2018 سے اب تک شمالی وزیرستان میں 210 افراد ٹارگٹ کلنگ میں مارے جاچکے ہیں جبکہ 2020 میں یہ تعداد اب تک 42 تک پہنچ گئی ہے، جن میں دو خواتین بھی شامل ہیں۔
دلاور وزیر کے مطابق شمالی وزیرستان میں ٹارگٹ کلنگ کی وجہ سے عام شہری بہت زیادہ پریشان ہیں، ایک طرف وہ ضرب عضب کے بعد اقتصادی طور پر مفلوج ہوچکے ہیں اور دوسری طرف اپنی زندگیوں کو بھی محفوظ نہیں سمجھتے۔
دیگر رہنماؤں نے کیا کہا؟
میران شاہ میں ہونے والے جلسے سے پی ٹی ایم رہنماؤں محسن داوڑ، افراسیاب خٹک اور عثمان کاکڑ کے ساتھ ساتھ پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے فرحت اللہ بابر نے بھی خطاب کیا۔
پی ٹی ایم رہنماؤں نے جلسے میں شرکت کرنے والوں کا شکریہ ادا کیا، جن کی تعداد سینکڑوں میں تھی۔
اپنے خطاب میں پی ٹی ایم رہنما محسن داوڑ نے مسئلہ افغانستان کا تذکرہ کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ صرف افغان شہری ہی اپنی تقدیر کا فیصلہ کرسکتے ہیں۔
بقول محسن داوڑ: ’پاکستان گلبدین حکمت یار کو لے کر آیا، انہیں سٹیٹ پروٹوکول دیا اور انہوں نے یہاں سے افغانستان کو دھمکیاں دیں، جسے افغانوں نے مسترد کردیا ہے۔‘
انہوں نے کہا: ’ میں یہاں بتاتا چلوں کہ پی ٹی ایم کی کوئی حدود نہیں ہے، پی ٹی ایم یہاں سے افغانوں پر فیصلے مسلط کرنے کی کوششوں کی مخالفت کرے گی۔ صرف افغان ہی اپنی تقدیر کا فیصلہ کرسکتے ہیں۔‘
محسن داوڑ نے بعدازاں اپنے ٹوئٹر اکاؤنٹ پر بھی لانگ مارچ میں شرکت کرنے والوں کا شکریہ ادا کرتے ہوئے لکھا: ’یہ ایک ریفرنڈم تھا جس میں ریاستی دہشت گردی کے تمام ماضی کے واقعات کے حوالے سے انصاف کا مطالبہ کیا گیا تھا۔
https://www.independenturdu.com/node/52556
گلگت بلتستان کے لوگوں کا جوش جمہوریت سے وابستگی کا عہد ہے، بلاول بھٹو زرداری
پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئر مین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کہتے ہیں کہ گلگت بلتستان کے لوگوں کا جوش جمہوریت سے وابستگی کا عہد ہے۔
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے گلگلت بلتستان میں جاری الیکشن سے متعلق اپنے بیان میں کہا ہے کہ الیکشن کمیشن عوام کے ان جذبات کو ملحوظِ خاطر رکھے۔
چیئرمین پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی نے کہا ہے کہ الیکشن کمیشن ووٹ کاسٹ کرنے اور ایک ایک ووٹ کے شمار کو یقینی بنائے۔
واضح رہے کہ اس سے قبل چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا کہنا تھا کہ گلگت بلتستان الیکشن میں دھاندلی نہیں ہوئی تو پیپلز پارٹی بھاری اکثریت سے کامیاب ہوگی۔
بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے پریس کانفرنس کے دوران کہا تھا کہ انتخابات میں اگر دھاندلی ہوئی تو شدید ردِعمل ہوگا، کسی کو ووٹ چوری نہیں کرنے دیں گے۔
https://jang.com.pk/news/845064