Monday, November 23, 2020
Trump Administration Finally Clears Way For Biden Transition To Begin
By Nick Visser“I have always strived to do what is right,” GSA administrator Emily Murphy said in a letter to the president-elect on Monday. Murphy, the administrator of the General Services Administration, said the transition between President Donald Trump and President-elect Joe Biden can begin, releasing millions of dollars in funds and clearing the way for a new administration. “I have dedicated much of my adult life to public service, and I have always strived to do what is right,” Murphy wrote in a letter to Biden on Monday. “Please know that I came to my decision independently, based on the law and the available facts. I was never directly or indirectly pressured by any Executive Branch official — including those who work at the White House or GSA — with regard to the substance or timing of my decision.” Trump thanked Murphy for her work just moments later. Biden’s campaign released a statement shortly after Murphy’s announcement, calling the decision a “needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track.” “This final decision is a definitive administrative action to formally begin the transition process with federal agencies,” the Biden-Harris transition executive director, Yohannes Abraham, said in a statement. “In the days ahead, transition officials will begin meeting with federal officials to discuss the pandemic response, have a full accounting of our national security interests, and gain complete understanding of the Trump administration’s efforts to hollow out government agencies.” The president noted on Twitter that while he still planned to fight the outcome of the election, he agreed the transition should begin “in the best interest of our country.” “I am recommending that Emily and her team do what needs to be done with regard to initial protocols, and have told my team to do the same,” he wrote. The move will make $6.3 million available to Biden and his team to begin the transition process, as well as additional funds to prepare his staff and appointees. Murphy had drawn widespread ire over her delay in “ascertaining” that Biden won the election, which is required before millions of dollars in transition funds and access to government officials can begin. She said, however, that Trump’s bevy of court losses and the certification of votes in several battleground states had allowed her to determine that Biden was the likely winner of the election. Murphy added that she received many threats amid the delay in what she called an “effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely,” although they, too, had not influenced her decision. “I do not think that an agency charged with improving federal procurement and property management should place itself above the constitutionally-based election process,” she wrote Monday. Several notable figures had lambasted the Trump administration over the delay, saying any further refusal to declare Biden the winner could hamper the country’s efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, which has entered its most dangerous stage as the country beings to travel en masse before the holiday season. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said last week he was “concerned” that things hadn’t gone “smoothly” and Biden said “more people may die” if Trump kept obstructing the transfer of power. “As my chief of staff, Ron Klain, would say … a vaccine is important. It’s of little use until you’re vaccinated,” Biden said last week upon questioning about the rollout of any coronavirus preventative. “So how do we get the vaccine, how do we get over 300 million Americans vaccinated? What’s the game plan?”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gsa-biden-transition-begin_n_5fbc406ac5b6e4b1ea452d95
صرف سبزیاں کھانے والوں میں ہڈیاں ٹوٹنے کا اندیشہ زیادہ: تحقیق
نمیتا سنگھ
ایک نئی تحقیق کے مطابق سبزیاں کھانے والے افراد میں گوشت کھانے والوں کے مقابلے میں ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے خطرہ 43 فیصد زیادہ ہوتا ہے۔
بی ایم سی میڈیسن نامی جریدے میں شائع ہونے والی نئی تحقیق کے مطابق سبزیاں کھانے والے افراد میں گوشت کھانے والوں کے مقابلے میں ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے خطرہ 43 فیصد زیادہ ہوتا ہے۔
اس تحقیق میں برطانیہ میں رہنے والے تقریباً 50 ہزار افراد کو شامل کیا گیا۔ تحقیق سے پتہ چلا کہ سبزیاں کھانے والے اور وہ لوگ جنہوں نے مچھلی تو کھائی لیکن گوشت نہیں، ان میں کولہے کی ہڈی ٹوٹنے کا خطرہ ان لوگوں سے زیادہ تھا جنہوں نے گوشت کھایا۔
تاہم ہڈی ٹوٹنے کا خطرہ قد اور وزن، کیلشیم اور پروٹین والی خوراک استعمال کرنے پر توجہ دینے سے جزوی طور پر کم ہو گیا۔ اگرچہ اس سے پہلے ہونے والی ایک تحقیق میں گوشت نہ کھانے والوں میں کم کیلشیم اور پروٹین والی خوراک کے استعمال کے بارے میں بتایا گیا ہے لیکن یہ تحقیق سبزیوں پر مشتمل خوراک اور ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے درمیان تعلق کو واضح نہیں کرتی۔
آکسفورڈ یونیورسٹی میں نفیلڈ ڈپارٹمنٹ آف پاپولیش ہیلتھ سے تعلق رکھنے والی خوراک سے بڑے پیمانے پر لاحق ہونے والے امراض کی ماہر اور تحقیق کی سرکردہ مصنف ڈاکٹر ٹیمی ٹونگ نے کہا: 'یہ پہلی جامع تحقیق ہے جو مختلف خوراک استعمال کرنے والے گروپوں میں مجموعی طور پر اور کسی خاص مقام کی ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے خطرے پر کی گئی۔'
تحقیق سے پتہ چلا کہ سبزیاں کھانے والوں میں ہڈیاں ٹوٹنے کا خطرہ زیادہ ہوتا ہے۔ جس کا مطلب ہے کہ وہ لوگ جنہوں نے گوشت کھایا ان کے مقابلے میں سبزی کھانے والوں میں 10 سال کے عرصے میں ایک ہزار افراد میں ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے 20 کے قریب، زیادہ کیس سامنے آئے۔
یونیورسٹی آف آکسفورڈ اینڈ برسٹل کے محققین کی ٹیم نے 54898 شرکا کے جائزے سے حاصل ہونے والے ڈیٹا کا تجزیہ کیا۔ شرکا میں ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے جو 3941 واقعات سامنے آئے انہیں سامنے رکھتے ہوئے پتہ چلا کہ گوشت کھانے والوں کے مقابلے میں سبزیاں اور گوشت میں صرف مچھلی کھانے والوں کی نمائندگی غیرمتناسب تھی۔
ڈاکٹر ٹونگ نے کہا: 'سابقہ تحقیقوں سے پتہ چلتا ہے کہ قد کے اعتبار سے وزن میں کمی کا تعلق کولہے کی ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے زیادہ خطرے کے ساتھ ہے اور کیلشیم اور پروٹین دونوں کا کم استعمال ہڈیوں کی کمزوری سے جڑی ہوئی ہے۔’
یہ تحقیق بتاتی ہے کہ سبزی کھانے والے وہ افراد جن کا اوسط وزن کم ہوتا ہے اور وہ گوشت کھانے والوں کے مقابلے میں کم کیلشیم اور پروٹین لیتے ہیں، وہ کئی مقامات کی ہڈی ٹوٹنے کے خطرے میں مبتلا ہوتے ہیں۔
'ایک اچھی، متوازن اور زیادہ تر سبزی پر مشتمل خوراک کا نتیجہ غذائیت کی بہتر سطح کی صورت میں سامنے آتا ہے اور بیماریوں کا خطرہ کم ہوتا ہے جن میں دل کے امراض اور ذیابیطس شامل ہے۔ لوگوں کو اپنی خوراک کے فوائد اور خطرات کا خیال رکھنا چاہیے اور اس امر کو یقینی بنانا چاہیے کہ ان کے جسم میں کیلشیم اور پروٹین کی وافر مقدار موجود ہے۔ انہیں اپنا وزن قد کے اعتبار سے برقرار رکھنا چاہیے جس کا مطلب ہے کہ وہ ان کا وزن کم ہو نہ زیادہ۔'
تحقیق میں یہ خامی ہے کہ اس میں شامل زیادہ تر افراد سفید فام یورپی شہری تھے جو ممکنہ طور پر ایک اہم بات ہو سکتی ہے جب کہ اس سے پہلے کی تحقیقوں میں ہڈیوں میں معدنیات کی مقدار کے فرق اور ان کے ٹوٹنے کے خطرے کا مشاہدہ مختلف نسل کے لوگوں میں کیا گیا تھا۔
تحقیق کے مصنفین کے پاس ہڈیاں ٹوٹنے کی مخصوص وجوہات کے بارے میں ڈیٹا نہیں تھا اور وہ کمی پوری کرنے کے لیے غذا میں کیلشیم کے ممکنہ استعمال کے بارے میں نہیں جان سکتے تھے۔ تحقیق میں غذائی اجزا کے استعمال کے بارے میں زبانی بتایا گیا ان کی عملی طور پر پیمائش نہیں کی گئی۔
Pakistan Independent Online Journalism Group Call For the Revocation of Govt’s New Online Content Rules
The federal government’s newly notified regulations aiming to curb online content can only aid in diminishing the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and access guaranteed in the constitution of Pakistan and should be revoked immediately.
This was stated on November 20, 2020, in a joint statement issued by the Association of Pakistan’s Independent Online Journalism Platforms, which groups together professional online public interest journalism practicing platforms of the country.
“The recently notified ‘the Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight, and Safeguards) Rules 2020’ under the controversial ‘the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016’ are against the people’s rights to express themselves and seek and impart information of interest to them and should be immediately reversed,” the Association said.
The joint statement said the Rules, which are supposedly formed to operationalize the problematic and contentious Section 37 of the PECA law, have not only gone beyond the bounds of its parent law but also attempted to give new meanings to Article 19 of the Constitution, which is unacceptable.
“In principle, such Rules can be made for the operation of the law and cannot amend the law or expand its scope or bring substantive changes in the law. However, these new Rules attempt to give new definitions such as ‘community guidelines’, ‘social media’ and ‘social media company’ which are not given in the PECA law,” the Association said.
The Rules also define the terminology given in Article 19 of the Constitution such as ‘glory of Islam’, ‘integrity, security, and defense of Pakistan’, ‘public order’, and ‘decency and morality’, the statement said.
“It appears that by defining these terms, the Rule has overstepped the exclusive jurisdiction of the constitutional courts to interpret and construe constitutional provisions,” the Association statement said.
The Rules give power to PTA [Pakistan Telecom Authority] to impose a penalty up to Rs 500 million whereas – other than the offense of Cyber Terrorism under the PECA – a maximum penalty of Rs 10 million may be imposed on the repetition of an offense or violation of ‘directives’ of the government or PTA by an owner of an information system. “This is an obvious deviation of the Rules from the parent law. This is beside the question of whether PTA is a court and can adjudicate an offense,” the statement said.
The Association said it was disturbed that the Rule gives the authority to PTA to direct a service provider, social media company, owner of the information system, owner of internet website or webserver to remove or block access to any [allegedly] unlawful content, which it termed as sweeping powers that undermined fundamental constitutional guarantees.
“Adjudication of rights, including the right to freedom of expression is the domain of constitutional courts. By giving this authority to declare whether the content is law full or unlawful an administrative body like PTA is against the vires of the constitution and principles determined by the superior judiciary for adjudication of constitutional rights,” the Association joint statement said.
The Association said it supports the argument of the Asian Internet Coalition that “the draconian data localization requirements will damage the ability of people to access a free and open internet and shut Pakistan’s digital economy off from the rest of the world.”
The Association of Pakistan’s Independent Online Journalism Platforms currently groups together 13 current affairs independent online media groups from across Pakistan including Balochistan 24, Balochistan Voices, HumSub, IBC Pakistan, Journalism Pakistan, Native Media, Naya Daur, Sabaat, Sujag, Tajziat, TheReporters, Tribal News Network, and Voicepk.
Understanding Pakistan's deadly trade of terrorism
By AMJAD AYUB MIRZA
The Pakistan Army, the civilian government of Imran Khan and non-state terrorist outfits are hand in glove in the deadly trade of terrorism.
At 3:30 p.m. on February 14, 2019, a convoy of 78 vehicles passing through Lethpora near Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir transporting 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, was hit by a car carrying 300 kg. of explosives.At the time all fingers were pointed toward Pakistan. However, Prime Minister Imran Khan and his spin-doctors wasted no time in disassociating themselves from the horrific terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 40 jawan infantrymen.
Nevertheless, Masood Azhar, leader of the banned terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed, based in Pakistan, issued a statement claiming the responsibility for the deadly attack. Azhar was later added to the UN Security Council list of international terrorists on May 1, 2019. He still resides in Pakistan under the alleged protection of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
In retaliation to the Pulwama attack, 12 Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets crossed the Line of Control on February 26 and hit Jaish’s terrorist training camp in Balakot in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deep inside Pakistani territory.
The following day Pakistan Air Force jets entered Indian territory by crossing the Line of Control, and in the ensuing dogfight, an Indian MiG-21 was shot down by Pakistan, as its pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, chased the enemy into its territory. On March 1, within less than 48 hours, Pakistan released Abhinandan, claiming it was a goodwill gesture.
Recently, the former National Assembly speaker and leader of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Ayaz Sadiq, revealed in a statement that brandished not only the moral of the military personal but actually shook the whole structure of the Pakistan Army to its foundation. He told Parliament that Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa was perspiring and his legs were shaking during the meeting of the parliamentary parties when Shah Mahmoud Qureshi said that if Abhinandan was not released, India would attack Pakistan. Sadiq said that Khan refused to attend that meeting! Earlier in February 2019 Khan had confessed in front of the Parliament that he knew of an impending missile attack by India on Pakistan. Therefore confirming above revelation by Sadiq. But this was not the end of the story.
Faced with utter humiliation from an opposition leader, Sadiq, the military establishment hurriedly assigned the task of recouping its lost prestige by instructing Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry to issue a counter statement to Parliament. And that is when the confession of a terrorist state was made.
In an emotional speech, the federal minister accepted the responsibility of the Pulwama attack, confessing “hum nay ghus kar marra Hindustan ko” (“We entered India to kill its armed forces”). Not only that but he continued to boost that the way in which the attack was conducted was a matter of great pride and “under the leadership of Imran Khan it is a success of the whole nation.”
The above statement, which has not been yet been expunged from the record of the National Assembly minutes, should be enough evidence to prove to the world community and. above all. to the Financial Action Task Force. that the Pakistani government, its military and non-state actors like the terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed are hand in glove in the execution of terrorist activities in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and beyond.
The statements quoted above are in itself a confirmation of what this writer has always been emphasizing – the Pakistan Army is involved in cross-border terrorism in Kashmir and that it is not a fighting army. On the contrary, it is band of mercenary armed thugs who have taken a nation hostage for financial extortion by setting up business concerns in every sector of the economy and would fight anybody’s war if the price were right. (A recent example being sending troops to Azerbaijan to fight under Turkish command for $1,200-$1,500 per army personnel.)
Sadiq’s and Chaudhry’s confessions are more than enough to prove the role of the rogue state in manufacturing, harboring and exporting terrorism in the region. This should remove any doubts from the minds of international human rights institution such as the UN Human Rights Council, which recently allowed Pakistan to be reelected to the council for three years, and to declare Pakistan’s membership to this august organization null and void.
Furthermore, the Financial Action Task Force should reconvene a special session and put Pakistan on the blacklist. Since the Pulwama attack, Pakistan has been continuously provoking India by endlessly firing mortar bombs across the Line of Control into civilian neighborhoods, and Pakistan has used the cross-border firing as a cover to infiltrate jihadist terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir.
Now is the time to pay them back by exposing them further in the eyes of the world community what sort of a nation-state Pakistan is and to increase its fast growing diplomatic isolation. The best way to take revenge of the Pulwama attack is to hasten the return of the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir, hasten the completion of developmental projects and encourage non-union territory citizens of India to invest and capitalize on the Modi government’s recent law according to which now any one can buy commercial, industrial or residential property in Jammu and Kashmir.
It should also settle the debate between the Modi government and Indian opposition parties regarding any doubts about the readiness of the Modi government in tackling Pakistan. Three-time Pakistani prime minster and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif’s speech that was broadcast via satellite from London on October 25 should also be an eyeopener in which he has directly accused the army chief and the Inter-Services Intelligence director-general for exerting pressure on him to resign from his office.
Today not only her neighbors but perhaps more importantly the people of Pakistan are looking for ways to get rid of the military oligarchy. The slogan popularized by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, “Ye Jo Dehshat Gardi hai, is kay pechay wardi hai” (“The army is behind this terrorism”) was rightly echoed by youth in the valley on Black Day on October 22 this year when they marched to the UN mission in Srinagar to hand in a memorandum accusing Pakistan of war crimes.
In a nutshell: The Pakistan Army, the civilian government of Imran Khan and non-state terrorist outfits are hand in glove in the deadly trade of terrorism.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/understanding-pakistans-deadly-trade-of-terrorism-648349
#Pakistan #PPP - CEC Gilgit Baltistan and federal government responsible for violence on peaceful protestors, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar
Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, the spokesmen to the Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that after stealing the Gilgit Baltistan elections, the federal government is now resorting to violence.
Senator Khokhar said that the people are protesting peacefully on stealing of their votes by the federal government but they are being baton charged, tear gassed and fired bullets on them. He said that the Chief Election Commissioner has gone back from the agreement that no result will be announced in GB-2 constituency before the forensic of votes are completed. All the record of election in GB-2 is missing on the behest of CEC, GB. The government wants to create a law and order situation by violence on the protestors.
Senator Khokhar said that how is it possible that the PPP received most votes but the PTI got most seats? He said that people will not tolerate this fascist government anymore. If the situation goes out of hand in GB then the CEC Raja Shahbaz and the federal government will be held responsible, Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar warned.
https://www.ppp.org.pk/pr/24110/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)