theguardian--2020-09-22--Why the UN’s 75th general assembly could be worse than the world’s worst Zoom meeting

It has been billed as the world ’ s worst Zoom meeting , but the United Nations ’ 75th general assembly could be even worse than that .
It is called the “ general debate ” but , unlike a Zoom meeting , there will be no discussion – just a week-long procession of pre-recorded video messages from the world ’ s leaders , stating their positions , very much with their domestic audience in mind .
They were supposed to have sent their videos at the end of last week .
As of Monday , only half had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ António Guterres , is hoping to use the organisation ’ s 75th anniversary as an opportunity for member states to recommit to its founding principles , but the UN and multilateralism itself has never seemed so beleaguered .
“ The problem is that much of the world is questioning whether the UN is still relevant at 75 , ” said Sherine Tadros , the head of the UN office of Amnesty International .
“ To use a Covid analogy , it ’ s a matter of whether it ’ s got too many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this next period.
” On Tuesday morning , Jair Bolsonaro ’ s presentation will be followed by Donald Trump , then Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Xi Jinping .
Vladimir Putin ’ s turn comes about half an hour later .
The “ high-level week ” will begin with a parade of the world ’ s self-styled strongmen .
According to the latest running order , 50 men will address the assembly before the first woman gets a chance to speak , Slovakia ’ s Zuzana Čaputová .
The speeches will be introduced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seat in the vast general assembly chamber and then the leader ’ s lecture will be displayed on giant screens set up behind the famous green marble podium where the speeches were delivered on the previous 74 general assemblies , in pre-Covid times .
The speakers are allowed to use video graphics and some have availed themselves of the opportunity , according to UN diplomats .
Because the summit does not involve the hassle of traveling to New York , there will be more heads of state and government speaking than usual ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ miss ) but there will be no opportunity for them to rub shoulders .
All the worst parts of UN events will be on display , the endless speechifying first among them , but none of what normally makes the general assembly indispensable - the opportunities from face-to-face meetings and impromptu conversations .
“ I think part of what will be lost is that when people are speaking inside the general assembly hall , they ’ re speaking to other world leaders .
But with these recorded speeches , they will be targeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pradhan , the senior UN analyst at the International Crisis Group .
“ With a few exceptions , Trump ’ s speech and a few others listening to adversaries , I wonder how many world leaders will even be listening to the other speeches.
” This is a particularly bad moment for creative in-person diplomacy to go missing .
At the same time as the coronavirus pandemic , the rift between the US and China has come to dominate global politics and contribute to the paralysis of the UN security council as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bolster sagging spirits on Monday , Guterres pointed out that : “ Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military confrontation between major powers.
” But even that achievement is under threat as Indian and Chinese soldiers skirmish on their disputed Himalayan border .
The council has often been divided on policy .
It is now divided on the nature of reality .
The US is currently insisting that it has triggered the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran .
Almost every other member state , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security council , say that is not the case , and they are pointedly ignoring the pronouncements being made on the issue from Washington .
The US envoy to the UN , Kelly Craft , shrugged off her country ’ s isolation , declaring : “ We do not need a cheering section to validate our moral compass.
” Trump ’ s speech is anticipated with even more foreboding than usual this year , as he approaches the November election seeking to burnish his “ America First ” credentials .
In May he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) , which is trying to make a scapegoat for the pandemic .
Some fear he will go further on Tuesday , and threaten cutting off more US funding to the UN , if it does not fall into line with the administration ’ s efforts to isolate Iran .
Trump told journalists that he had taped his message on Monday afternoon and that it contained “ a strong message on China ” .
It is also likely to have been infused with vitriol for Iran and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ certainly be an account of his recent diplomatic flurry , brokering agreements on the normalisation of relations between Israel and two of the Gulf monarchies , the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain , and the staging of an economic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo , which Trump has described as “ stopping mass killings ” .
One concrete achievement from the virtual world summit that Guterres hopes to deliver is added momentum to Covax , the international joint effort to develop a Covid-19 vaccine .
“ I think the speeches might provide an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Covax facility , ” Mark Leon Goldberg , the editor of the UN Dispatch blog and host of the Global Dispatches podcast .
By Monday , 156 countries had agreed to a deal for equitable distribution of any future vaccine .
The Covax initiative is likely to be one relatively bright spot in an otherwise dark week .
The Trump administration has said it will have nothing to do with the Covax project , and its broader offensive against multilateralism , compounding Russia and China ’ s customary role as spoilers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , risks leaving permanent damage .
“ In the end , the UN is a microcosm of the world , ” Tadros said .
“ So when we say the UN is broken , that ’ s not about the building .
It ’ s not about the nuts and bolts .
It ’ s a reflection of what ’ s going on around the world .
”

It has been billed as the world’s worst Zoom meeting, but the United Nations’ 75th general assembly could be even worse than that.
It is called the “general debate” but, unlike a Zoom meeting, there will be no discussion – just a week-long procession of pre-recorded video messages from the world’s leaders, stating their positions, very much with their domestic audience in mind. They were supposed to have sent their videos at the end of last week. As of Monday, only half had been turned in.
The UN secretary-general, António Guterres, is hoping to use the organisation’s 75th anniversary as an opportunity for member states to recommit to its founding principles, but the UN and multilateralism itself has never seemed so beleaguered.
“The problem is that much of the world is questioning whether the UN is still relevant at 75,” said Sherine Tadros, the head of the UN office of Amnesty International. “To use a Covid analogy, it’s a matter of whether it’s got too many underlying pre-existing conditions to make it through this next period.”
On Tuesday morning, Jair Bolsonaro’s presentation will be followed by Donald Trump, then Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Xi Jinping. Vladimir Putin’s turn comes about half an hour later. The “high-level week” will begin with a parade of the world’s self-styled strongmen.
According to the latest running order, 50 men will address the assembly before the first woman gets a chance to speak, Slovakia’s Zuzana Čaputová.
The speeches will be introduced by each country’s representative from their seat in the vast general assembly chamber and then the leader’s lecture will be displayed on giant screens set up behind the famous green marble podium where the speeches were delivered on the previous 74 general assemblies, in pre-Covid times. The speakers are allowed to use video graphics and some have availed themselves of the opportunity, according to UN diplomats.
Quick Guide Crunch points at the UN general assembly Show Multilateralism Donald Trump told the UN general assembly last year that the future did not belong to the globalists, and since then the US has moved further and faster to detach itself from the multilateral institutions, notably the World Health Organisation. The UN secretariat insists that the organization's founding values endure across the world. Yet as the UN's secretary general, Antonio Guterres, admits, the UN remains paralysed and polarised. No one yet has found a way to reform the UN security council to make it effective: there is no shortage of ideas, just no consensus and for two decades new proposals have lost out to the entrenched interests of the five veto-wielding permanent members of security council. The impasse has prompted growing calls for the democratic countries to find a way to work around the UN. A Biden Presidency might start with a summit of the democracies. In the meantime the void is being filled by China at the UN. Covid The UN is trying to rescue its reputation and relevance by being the chief campaigner for a global Covid vaccine available not just to the wealthy west but also to poor countries. Partly with the help of the Gates Foundation, funding has been raised for the “Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A)”, a way of raising the funds necessary to speed up the equitable distribution of an affordable diagnostics vaccine and treatments across the globe. But, the UN’s World Health Organization remains heavily criticised. Trump says the body is beholden to China. Others, including France and Germany, say the problem is that the WHO is toothless, and needs stronger inspection powers in nation states. A WHO internal inquiry will present proposals later this year. Funding The threatened famine in Yemen, caused in part by a collapse in external humanitarian funding, is a microcosm of the UN’s current hand to mouth existence. Big donors, with Covid-shaped budget deficits, have been less generous, and more demanding about the conditions for their donations. In June a UN Yemen pledging event raised only $1.35bn out of the $3.38bn required. After adverse international publicity, Saudi Arabia’s relief agency on 18 September provided $200m. But the UN financial tracking service has the UN Yemen appeal only 37% funded. Climate change Carbon emissions are quickly returning to pre-Covid levels, and greenhouse gas concentrations have reached new record highs, according to the latest United in Science report, released on 9 September. Yet attention on climate change has been overshadowed by Covid. The UN’s big climate change conference due to be hosted by the UK in Glasgow this November – the most important since the Paris conference five years ago – had to be postponed, until next year. But this may give time for the US under Biden to join the treaty and for China to raise its carbon reduction targets for 2050. “Build back better” is a phrase adopted by left and right. The test will come in 2021. Sustainable development goals The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is designed to address the very fragilities and shortcomings that the pandemic has exposed. At its heart is a simple promise: to end poverty and leave no one behind. But as 2030 draws near, the goals are drawing further away. Covid has led to a 7% increase in extreme poverty, with an additional 37 million people living below $1.90 a day, according to a Gates Foundation report last week. Covid’s impact had not been through deaths directly so much as disruption to health services and hence to malaria bed nets, HIV drugs, TB drugs and routine immunization or measles campaigns. The Gates team said progress on vaccines has been set back 25 years of progress in 25 weeks. The issue is whether this is a development blip or a long term recession.
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Because the summit does not involve the hassle of traveling to New York, there will be more heads of state and government speaking than usual (Putin and Xi normally gives it a miss) but there will be no opportunity for them to rub shoulders.
All the worst parts of UN events will be on display, the endless speechifying first among them, but none of what normally makes the general assembly indispensable - the opportunities from face-to-face meetings and impromptu conversations.
“I think part of what will be lost is that when people are speaking inside the general assembly hall, they’re speaking to other world leaders. But with these recorded speeches, they will be targeting their domestic audience,” said Ashish Pradhan, the senior UN analyst at the International Crisis Group.
Flags outside of the general assembly hall at UN headquarters in New York. Photograph: Justin Lane/EPA
“With a few exceptions, Trump’s speech and a few others listening to adversaries, I wonder how many world leaders will even be listening to the other speeches.”
This is a particularly bad moment for creative in-person diplomacy to go missing. At the same time as the coronavirus pandemic, the rift between the US and China has come to dominate global politics and contribute to the paralysis of the UN security council as a decision-making body on international crises.
Seeking to bolster sagging spirits on Monday, Guterres pointed out that: “Never in modern history have we gone so many years without a military confrontation between major powers.”
But even that achievement is under threat as Indian and Chinese soldiers skirmish on their disputed Himalayan border.
The council has often been divided on policy. It is now divided on the nature of reality. The US is currently insisting that it has triggered the reimposition of UN sanctions on Iran. Almost every other member state, including 13 of the 15 members of the security council, say that is not the case, and they are pointedly ignoring the pronouncements being made on the issue from Washington.
The US envoy to the UN, Kelly Craft, shrugged off her country’s isolation, declaring: “We do not need a cheering section to validate our moral compass.”
Trump’s speech is anticipated with even more foreboding than usual this year, as he approaches the November election seeking to burnish his “America First” credentials.
In May he announced he was severing all ties with the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is trying to make a scapegoat for the pandemic. Some fear he will go further on Tuesday, and threaten cutting off more US funding to the UN, if it does not fall into line with the administration’s efforts to isolate Iran.
Trump told journalists that he had taped his message on Monday afternoon and that it contained “a strong message on China”. It is also likely to have been infused with vitriol for Iran and the WHO. The counterpoint will almost certainly be an account of his recent diplomatic flurry, brokering agreements on the normalisation of relations between Israel and two of the Gulf monarchies, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, and the staging of an economic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, which Trump has described as “stopping mass killings”.
One concrete achievement from the virtual world summit that Guterres hopes to deliver is added momentum to Covax, the international joint effort to develop a Covid-19 vaccine.
“I think the speeches might provide an opportunity for governments to pledge their support to the Covax facility,” Mark Leon Goldberg, the editor of the UN Dispatch blog and host of the Global Dispatches podcast. By Monday, 156 countries had agreed to a deal for equitable distribution of any future vaccine.
The Covax initiative is likely to be one relatively bright spot in an otherwise dark week. The Trump administration has said it will have nothing to do with the Covax project, and its broader offensive against multilateralism, compounding Russia and China’s customary role as spoilers on concerted UN against disasters and atrocities, risks leaving permanent damage.
“In the end, the UN is a microcosm of the world,” Tadros said. “So when we say the UN is broken, that’s not about the building. It’s not about the nuts and bolts. It’s a reflection of what’s going on around the world.”


theguardian--2020-09-22--To protect our democracy, Democrats must win state legislative elections | Meaghan Winter and Gaby G

To protect our democracy, Democrats must win state legislative elections | Meaghan Winter and Gaby Goldstein

This November ’ s state legislative races were always important .
Now they are an existential imperative .
With Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’ s death , we mourn not just the passing of a brilliant scholar , feminist and progressive trailblazer .
In the absence of a court willing to strike down unconstitutional and harmful laws and enforce federal protections , states may be our last line of defense .
Eighty per cent of this country ’ s state legislative seats are up this year .
We must act now , quickly , to shore up these critical chambers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections over state-level races , and left-leaning interest groups often fought through the courts , not local elections .
Ginsburg , after all , won her icon status after becoming an attorney and crusading to establish human rights in court .
That tactic worked well for many progressive causes .
In the 1970s , litigation against corporations worked so well , in fact , that libertarian billionaires responded by building an entire political apparatus designed to stack the courts with ideological judges opposed to environmental and labor protections .
Meanwhile , conservative interest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ judges and political connections .
The Republican party ’ s transformation of the judiciary under Trump is the culmination of those decades-long efforts .
At the same time , Republicans and their donors have kept a laser focus on winning state legislative races – especially in redistricting years like this one .
By gerrymandering districts , Republican strategists have almost guaranteed that their candidates can pass unpopular legislation without risking their seats or control of their states .
This trend is especially alarming given that a central goal of conservative jurisprudence is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leeway to write their own laws .
Consider this stark example of how the conservative judiciary and Republican legislatures can dovetail to oppress : In November 2018 , through a ballot amendment , Floridians overwhelmingly voted to expand voting rights to include formerly incarcerated people , ending a vestige of Jim Crow .
But the next year , the Republican-controlled legislature enacted a law designed to void those voting rights – and the will of the people .
A federal court recently upheld the state legislature ’ s actions , thereby effectively denying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of formerly incarcerated people – in a swing state , in a major election year .
One of the federal judges who made that decision to restrict Floridians ’ voting rights , Barbara Lagoa , is on Trump ’ s shortlist to replace Ginsburg .
The nation ’ s most extreme Republican-controlled state legislatures have already posed a threat to all of us , no matter where we live .
When challenged , once-fringe state laws often climb the courts and potentially precipitate new national precedents .
The odds that federal courts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protections and civil liberties , from voting rights to abortion rights , are increasing with every new judicial nomination .
In this new reality , to protect our democracy , Democrats must win state legislative elections in November .
To prevent a sharp rightward tack in American law , we must elect more Democratic state lawmakers , flip chambers , and break Republican supermajorities , so that extreme and dangerous laws are not passed in the first place .
There are concrete actions that we can all take–immediately– to flip state legislative seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , with the mission of building progressive power in state legislatures , and has grown to more than 45,000 volunteers in over 125 teams across the country .
Our candidates flipped state senates and delivered Democratic trifectas in Washington and Colorado , flipped both chambers and delivered a trifecta in Virginia , and broke Republican supermajorities in the Pennsylvania and Michigan senate .
Across the country , these and other progressive lawmakers are fighting to expand and protect civil liberties , tackle the climate crisis , expand Medicaid and healthcare access , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ racial and economic disparities and more .
We can expand , and build a progressive federalism , by working to elect progressives everywhere .
This year , Sister District has identified 39 state legislative seats in the most competitive districts across the country , where candidates are running in elections that will flip chambers , deliver Democratic or break Republican trifectas , and stave off Republican supermajorities .
In states including Minnesota , Arizona , North Carolina and Texas , our candidates are within striking distance of changing the power dynamic in their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battleground states , their campaigns are also multiplying forces for critical must-win Senate and presidential races .
Ginsburg ’ s legacy lives on in those progressive candidates for state office and their volunteers , who are working relentlessly in pursuit of justice , on behalf of their communities and their country .
Very few people will ever sit on the supreme court .
But we can all embody the values and character of Ginsburg and throw ourselves , even against the odds , into the struggle to make our country fairer and more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make and texts to send .
With 44 days left to go before the election , we must continue Ginsburg ’ s fight .
• None Meaghan Winter is a freelance magazine writer and author of the book All Politics is Local : Why Progressives Must Fight for the States , forthcoming this October .
Gaby Goldstein is the c0-founder of Sister District

November’s state legislative races were always going to be important. Now they are an existential imperative. With Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, we mourn not just the death of a brilliant scholar, feminist and progressive trailblazer. In the absence of a court willing to strike down unconstitutional and harmful laws and enforce federal protections, states may be our last line of defense. Eighty percent of this country’s state legislative seats are up this year. We must act now, quickly, to shore up these critical chambers.
For decades, Democrats prioritized federal elections over state-level races, and left-leaning interest groups often fought through the courts, not local elections. Ginsburg, after all, won her icon status after becoming an attorney and crusading to establish human rights in court. That tactic worked well for many progressive causes. In the 1970s, litigation against corporations worked so well, in fact, that libertarian billionaires responded by building an entire political apparatus designed to stack the courts with ideological judges opposed to environmental and labor protections. Meanwhile, conservative interest groups began cultivating anti-abortion and anti-gay rights judges and political connections. The Republican party’s transformation of the judiciary under Trump is the culmination of those decades-long efforts.
At the same time, Republicans and their donors have kept a laser focus on winning state legislative races – especially in redistricting years like this one. By gerrymandering districts, Republican strategists have almost guaranteed that their candidates can pass unpopular legislation without risking their seats or control of their states. This trend is especially alarming given that a central goal of conservative jurisprudence is to eliminate federal protections and give states more leeway to write their own laws.
Consider this stark example of how the conservative judiciary and Republican legislatures can dovetail to oppress: In November 2018, through a ballot amendment, Floridians overwhelmingly voted to expand voting rights to include formerly incarcerated people, ending a vestige of Jim Crow. But the next year, the Republican-controlled legislature enacted a law designed to void those voting rights – and the will of the people. A federal court recently upheld the state legislature’s actions, thereby effectively denying the right to vote to tens of thousands of formerly incarcerated people – in a swing state, in a major election year. One of the federal judges who made that decision to restrict Floridians’ voting rights, Barbara Lagoa, is on Trump’s shortlist to replace Ginsburg.
The nation’s most extreme Republican-controlled state legislatures have already posed a threat to all of us
The nation’s most extreme Republican-controlled state legislatures have already posed a threat to all of us, no matter where we live. When challenged, once-fringe state laws often climb the courts and potentially precipitate new national precedents. The odds that federal courts will give states the power to gut protections and civil liberties, from voting rights to abortion rights, are increasing with every new judicial nomination.
In this new reality, to protect our democracy, Democrats must win state legislative elections in November. To prevent a sharp rightward tack in American law, we must elect more Democratic state lawmakers, flip chambers, and break Republican supermajorities, so that extreme and dangerous laws are not passed in the first place.
There are concrete actions that we can all take – immediately – to flip state legislative seats. Sister District started after the 2016 election, with the mission of building progressive power in state legislatures, and has grown to more than 45,000 volunteers in over 125 teams across the country. Our candidates flipped state senates and delivered Democratic trifectas in Washington and Colorado, flipped both chambers and delivered a trifecta in Virginia, and broke Republican supermajorities in the Pennsylvania and Michigan senate. Across the country, these and other progressive lawmakers are fighting to expand and protect civil liberties, tackle the climate crisis, expand Medicaid and healthcare access, boost wages, address coronavirus, end racial and economic disparities and more. We can expand, and build a progressive federalism, by working to elect progressives everywhere.
This year, Sister District has identified 39 state legislative seats in the most competitive districts across the country, where candidates are running in elections that will flip chambers, deliver Democratic or break Republican trifectas, and stave off Republican supermajorities. In states including Minnesota, Arizona, North Carolina and Texas, our candidates are within striking distance of changing the power dynamic in their states. By mobilizing voters in those battleground states, their campaigns are also multiplying forces for critical must-win Senate and presidential races.
Ginsburg’s legacy lives on in those progressive candidates for state office and their volunteers, who are working relentlessly in pursuit of justice, on behalf of their communities and their country. Very few people will ever sit on the supreme court. But we can all embody the values and character of Ginsburg and throw ourselves, even against the odds, into the struggle to make our country fairer and more just. There are phone calls to make and texts to send. With 44 days left to go before the election, we must continue Ginsburg’s fight.


theguardian--2020-09-22--Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death means pro-choicers have a fight on their hands | Zoe Williams

The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg raises the immediate question of whether or not President Trump will be able to successfully install a new supreme court justice before the election , or be thwarted .
There are electoral benefits to him in either case : he gets his replacement through – among the names touted are Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa , both candidates representing a further lurch to the right – or his failure to do so motivates his base .
Either way , it makes the 2020 election , among many other things , into a referendum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promise in 2016 was that any supreme court judge he nominated would “ automatically ” overturn Roe v Wade .
Four years ago , that statement was a box-ticking exercise ; to oppose abortion as a Republican candidate is a minimum entry requirement , not a campaign slogan .
Reproductive rights are the gift that keeps on giving in the culture war ; the issue is not resolvable by persuasion , negotiation or compromise .
Yet the less-often told story of this Gordian knot is that , sooner or later , people just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been the story of abortion over the past decade – both sides have remained implacable , while every now and again a Republican candidate has tried to make his name with some absurd new iteration ( of which my favourite was Todd Akin , claiming that it was almost impossible for a rape victim to get pregnant , because “ the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down ” ) , but the debate lacked the novelty and edge to make it as a central campaigning issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the entire fertile population of the US has a question mark over its self-determination , nobody could say the issue lacks edge .
Superficially , this looks like an advantage for Donald Trump .
He is rock-solid on his views , where Joe Biden ’ s are more of a truce between his faith and his politics ( “ I ’ m prepared to accept for me , personally , doctrine of my church [ on when life begins ] … but I ’ m not prepared to impose that on every other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what would have been a deft formulation a thousand years ago , but was not very 2019 ) .
More of Trump ’ s supporters have this as a “ very important ” factor in the way they ’ ll vote .
This is a classic issue of asymmetric polarisation – it pleases the moderate to say there are extremists on both sides , yet the pro-choice side should never have accepted that premise .
The anti-abortionists , at their extremes , want to curtail this right for every woman , in every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-choice activist on Earth who wants all pregnancies to end in termination .
If the past five years have taught us anything , it ’ s that the most polarised have the most to gain , politically , from a calcified debate .
Precisely because it is insoluble , the issue has an obliterative quality , scorching everything around it .
Who wants to talk about tax bands and green energy subsidies , when there is life and death at stake ?
This , again , appears to play better for Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a plausible , detailed , coherent plan for a different future , whereas the right wins when it offers up absolutes and asks the voter to build an identity round one or the other .
However , there are deeper drivers in politics than these broad brush manoeuvres , and there are also hard numbers .
With 61 % of Americans favouring legal access to abortion , public support is the highest it has been for decades .
Moreover , the issue of a woman ’ s right to choose tends to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that fervent crusade for the unborn is a cause so conceptual that it rarely even makes the leap into the real world of a corresponding interest in infant health .
Pro-choicers , meanwhile , are very concrete in their beliefs .
They know , or at least can remember , the hot anxiety of a suspected pregnancy they didn ’ t plan and can ’ t afford .
If , as the saying goes , your message starts to cut through when the reality you describe matches the one people are living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any sense ) his more trenchant advocates for choice will find an electorate that has lived the truth of what they say .
When the right draws a dividing line , it delights to find , and often relies upon , progressives being caught on the hop : the story of the left ’ s failure , in the US and in Europe , has lately been the defence of causes we simply weren ’ t expecting to resurface .
Fighting open white supremacism , defending human rights and the rule of law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nationalism , so many of these debates seem to belong to another age .
It ’ s like turning up to a badminton match and finding yourself in a duel .
The brutality is bracing , but also you ’ ve forgotten all the rules .
Abortion is different – the muscles of this argument never atrophied , because the fight was never over .
Even while abortion has receded as a debating point , the past 15 years have seen the steady erosion of both access to it – there are now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each – and its legal basis .
Under Trump ’ s presidency , states across the south and midwest have introduced laws criminalising abortion from six weeks .
Even previous to that , 38 states had introduced foetal homicide laws ; 29 of which apply from the point of conception .
These , per Roe v Wade , exclude abortion , but that created the anomaly that a foetus has constitutional rights if you kill it accidentally – through drug use , for example – but not if you deliberately terminate the pregnancy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a contradiction like that , but a written one can not , and Trump ’ s blithe promise that a new justice would automatically overturn Roe , unlike so many of his statements , had foundations .
The right to abortion was already hanging by a thread , but the alternative perspective is that it was a battle waiting to be fought ; many campaigners will be thinking , bring it on .

The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg raises the immediate question of whether or not President Trump will be able to successfully install a new supreme court justice before the election, or be thwarted. There are electoral benefits to him in either case: he gets his replacement through – among the names touted are Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa, both candidates representing a further lurch to the right – or his failure to do so motivates his base.
Either way, it makes the 2020 election, among many other things, into a referendum on abortion. Trump’s explicit promise in 2016 was that any supreme court judge he nominated would “automatically” overturn Roe v Wade. Four years ago, that statement was a box-ticking exercise; to oppose abortion as a Republican candidate is a minimum entry requirement, not a campaign slogan.
Reproductive rights are the gift that keeps on giving in the culture war; the issue is not resolvable by persuasion, negotiation or compromise. Yet the less-often told story of this Gordian knot is that, sooner or later, people just get bored of it. That’s been the story of abortion over the past decade – both sides have remained implacable, while every now and again a Republican candidate has tried to make his name with some absurd new iteration (of which my favourite was Todd Akin, claiming that it was almost impossible for a rape victim to get pregnant, because “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down”), but the debate lacked the novelty and edge to make it as a central campaigning issue.
That has now changed. When the entire fertile population of the US has a question mark over its self-determination, nobody could say the issue lacks edge.
Superficially, this looks like an advantage for Donald Trump. He is rock-solid on his views, where Joe Biden’s are more of a truce between his faith and his politics (“I’m prepared to accept for me, personally, doctrine of my church [on when life begins] … but I’m not prepared to impose that on every other person,” he said, in what would have been a deft formulation a thousand years ago, but was not very 2019).
More of Trump’s supporters have this as a “very important” factor in the way they’ll vote. This is a classic issue of asymmetric polarisation – it pleases the moderate to say there are extremists on both sides, yet the pro-choice side should never have accepted that premise. The anti-abortionists, at their extremes, want to curtail this right for every woman, in every circumstance. There isn’t a pro-choice activist on Earth who wants all pregnancies to end in termination. If the past five years have taught us anything, it’s that the most polarised have the most to gain, politically, from a calcified debate.
Precisely because it is insoluble, the issue has an obliterative quality, scorching everything around it. Who wants to talk about tax bands and green energy subsidies, when there is life and death at stake? This, again, appears to play better for Trump, since the left wins when it builds a plausible, detailed, coherent plan for a different future, whereas the right wins when it offers up absolutes and asks the voter to build an identity round one or the other.
However, there are deeper drivers in politics than these broad brush manoeuvres, and there are also hard numbers. With 61% of Americans favouring legal access to abortion, public support is the highest it has been for decades. Moreover, the issue of a woman’s right to choose tends to be abstract for those who oppose it – that fervent crusade for the unborn is a cause so conceptual that it rarely even makes the leap into the real world of a corresponding interest in infant health.
Pro-choicers, meanwhile, are very concrete in their beliefs. They know, or at least can remember, the hot anxiety of a suspected pregnancy they didn’t plan and can’t afford. If, as the saying goes, your message starts to cut through when the reality you describe matches the one people are living in, Biden and (if he has any sense) his more trenchant advocates for choice will find an electorate that has lived the truth of what they say.
When the right draws a dividing line, it delights to find, and often relies upon, progressives being caught on the hop: the story of the left’s failure, in the US and in Europe, has lately been the defence of causes we simply weren’t expecting to resurface. Fighting open white supremacism, defending human rights and the rule of law, propounding international cooperation, rejecting narrow nationalism, so many of these debates seem to belong to another age. It’s like turning up to a badminton match and finding yourself in a duel. The brutality is bracing, but also you’ve forgotten all the rules. Abortion is different – the muscles of this argument never atrophied, because the fight was never over.
Even while abortion has receded as a debating point, the past 15 years have seen the steady erosion of both access to it – there are now six states with only one abortion clinic each – and its legal basis. Under Trump’s presidency, states across the south and midwest have introduced laws criminalising abortion from six weeks. Even previous to that, 38 states had introduced foetal homicide laws; 29 of which apply from the point of conception. These, per Roe v Wade, exclude abortion, but that created the anomaly that a foetus has constitutional rights if you kill it accidentally – through drug use, for example – but not if you deliberately terminate the pregnancy.
Maybe an unwritten constitution could weather a contradiction like that, but a written one cannot, and Trump’s blithe promise that a new justice would automatically overturn Roe, unlike so many of his statements, had foundations. The right to abortion was already hanging by a thread, but the alternative perspective is that it was a battle waiting to be fought; many campaigners will be thinking, bring it on.


theguardian--2020-09-21--Why Milwaukee could determine Joe Biden's fate in November's election

Many Americans were stunned when Donald Trump narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin in 2016 .
Greg Lewis was not .
In the months leading up to the election , Lewis , an assistant pastor at St Gabriel ’ s Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee , the state ’ s largest city , would drive up and down highways crisscrossing Wisconsin and all he saw were Trump posters .
But in the city , where Lewis runs Souls to the Polls , an interfaith effort to get parishioners to vote , no one gave the churches the resources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turnout in Milwaukee , home to a majority of the state ’ s African American population , dropped by just over 41,000 votes .
Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the state by just under 23,000 votes .
He was the first Republican presidential candidate to carry the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984 .
There are few cities in the US more important to the 2020 election than Milwaukee , which could play a critical role in deciding who wins the key battleground state of Wisconsin and the presidency .
Joe Biden will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bastion , but the number of voters who turn out there could dramatically influence his chances of winning statewide .
Milwaukee is an “ essential part ” of the coalition any Democrat needs to win a statewide election , said Barry Burden , a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who runs the Elections Research Center .
A small change in turnout in the city is more consequential for Democrats than it is for Republicans .
Because of those consequences , the city has been the target of some of the most brazen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States .
This , coupled with a lack of genuine engagement in minority communities , was behind the 2016 drop in turnout , activists said .
Lewis , who has snow-white hair and a matching bushy beard , thinks there were enough untapped votes in Milwaukee ’ s churches alone to change the outcome of the election .
“ Most of these people don ’ t believe that the system works for them .
They don ’ t trust the system , they don ’ t believe in the system .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fight internally , ” he said .
“ Externally , we have to fight disenfranchisement and suppression of our vote.
” Wisconsin voters say their lack of enthusiasm for Democratic candidates stems from feeling forgotten by the party .
Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in America , and some of the biggest drops in 2016 turnout were in Black neighborhoods of the city , including the 53206 zip code , one of the poorest areas .
“ Simply put , if Democratic institutions in Wisconsin would have paid attention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t superficial , Republicans , Trump in particular , wouldn ’ t have won , ” said Jarette English , 37 , a local activist in Milwaukee .
Clinton , who blames voter suppression for her loss in Wisconsin , infamously didn ’ t travel to the state after the 2016 primary .
This year , Biden made his first trip to Wisconsin earlier this month when he visited with the family of Jacob Blake , a victim of police violence , at the Milwaukee airport .
It was the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2018 , according to ABC News , and the first time a Democratic presidential nominee visited Wisconsin since 2012 .
Kamala Harris , the Democratic vice-presidential nominee , spent Labor Day in Milwaukee .
“ Morale around voting is currently fluctuating .
In 2016 it was definitely in a downward spiral .
People are tired of voting for candidates who bring little to no change .
Folks don ’ t see their everyday life and issues change , so the attitude is ‘ why continue to participate ?
’ ” said Vaun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city .
With just under two months until election day , some activists say there could still be a lack of enthusiasm this fall .
Black voters in Milwaukee , which has extremely high incarceration rates for African American men , are wary of the record of Biden and Harris on crime issues , Lewis said .
“ Folks are not excited about who ’ s running , ” said Amanda Avalos , senior civic engagement director for Leaders Igniting Transformation , an activist group focused on helping young people organize .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely explain the drop in turnout in Milwaukee .
There are also severe , Republican-crafted , barriers to voting that remain in place .
Over the last decade , Milwaukee – which is nearly 40 % Black – has been the target of some of the most brutal attacks on the right to vote .
After taking control of the Wisconsin legislature in 2011 , state Republicans quickly passed a voter ID law , curtailed early voting – a process frequently utilized by minority voters – and made it harder for third parties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electoral districts in such a way that virtually guaranteed the party would maintain control over both chambers of the state legislature .
The voting changes combined with that aggressive effort have cemented Republican control in the state for the last decade .
It ’ s no secret that Republicans enacted these changes to target Milwaukee and its Democratic voters .
Republicans have said so themselves .
“ The question of where this is coming from and why are we doing this and why are we trying to disenfranchise people , I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people I represent in the 13th district continue to ask me , ‘ What is going on in Milwaukee ?
’ ” Scott Fitzgerald , the Republican leader in the senate , said of an effort to limit early voting .
“ We ’ ve got to think about what this would mean for the neighborhoods around Milwaukee and the college campuses , ” one Republican state senator reportedly said during a closed-door meeting where lawmakers appeared “ giddy ” at the prospect of the new law , according to a former staffer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the US district court wrote that many of the voting changes Republicans enacted were “ specifically targeted to curtail voting in Milwaukee without any other legitimate purpose .
The legislature ’ s immediate goal was to achieve a partisan objective , but the means of achieving that objective was to suppress the reliably Democratic vote of Milwaukee ’ s African Americans.
” ( Parts of Peterson ’ s 2016 ruling have since been overturned ) .
In Milwaukee , where more than a quarter of the population lives in poverty , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge difference , said Shauntay Nelson , the director of the Wisconsin chapter of All Voting is Local , a group that works on improving access to the polls .
“ There are a lot of people within the city of Milwaukee who may work two jobs and are not able to get off of work and have enough time to get to the department of motor vehicles , ” she said .
“ There historically has been so much hardship within Milwaukee , individuals may not be able to pay attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 election was the first presidential contest the state ’ s new voter ID law was in effect .
It appears to have worked as Republicans hoped .
While it can be difficult to measure the reasons people don ’ t vote , as many as 23,252 people were deterred from voting by the law in Milwaukee and Dane counties , the two largest in the state , according to a study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison .
African Americans and poor people were all much more likely to point to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t vote .
Part of the problem was confusion over the complicated law – the researchers found that the majority of people who said they lacked acceptable ID , actually had one .
The state did an abysmal job of educating people about the new voter ID law ahead of the 2016 election , said Claire Woodall-Vogg , the executive director of the Milwaukee election commission .
Part of the state ’ s education plan , she noted , involved running public service announcements in movie theaters throughout the state , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Confusion itself has deterred some voters and also created a mistrust in that system , ” she said .
This year , Milwaukee , has also been one of the hardest-hit places by Covid-19 in Wisconsin and there are worries the virus will only exacerbate the already-severe barriers that exist to voting .
In April , when Wisconsin held its statewide election , Milwaukee was forced to close all but five of its approximately 180 polling locations because of a shortage of poll workers ( the city was able to open 168 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary ) .
Nelson said she continued to be worried about recruiting enough poll workers for November .
Meanwhile , Lewis , who was alarmed ahead of the 2016 election , said he was optimistic that Souls to the Polls and other organizations would drive voter turnout .
Since 2016 , activists in the city have made an aggressive effort to canvass some of the poorest neighborhoods to engage residents and connect voting to improving their lives .
But he expressed frustration that Biden had yet to campaign in the critical city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scrap plans to host the Democratic national convention there .
“ I would like our candidate to at least step on the earth of Milwaukee , ” he said .
“ I don ’ t know what it ’ s gon na take for them to understand that you ’ ve got to play as hard as everybody else if you expect folks to support you and have the energy to really build up a grassroots effort to get out the vote .
”

Many Americans were stunned when Donald Trump narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton in Wisconsin in 2016. Greg Lewis was not.
In the months leading up to the election, Lewis, an assistant pastor at St Gabriel’s Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee, the state’s largest city, would drive up and down highways crisscrossing Wisconsin and all he saw were Trump posters. But in the city, where Lewis runs Souls to the Polls, an interfaith effort to get parishioners to vote, no one gave the churches the resources to organize. On election day, turnout in Milwaukee, home to a majority of the state’s African American population, dropped by just over 41,000 votes compared with 2012. Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in the state by just under 23,000 votes. He was the first Republican presidential candidate to carry the state since Ronald Reagan in 1984.
There are few cities in the US more important to the 2020 election than Milwaukee, which could play a critical role in deciding who wins the key battleground state of Wisconsin and the presidency. Joe Biden will probably win the vote in the Democratic bastion, but the number of voters who turn out there could dramatically influence his chances of winning statewide.
Milwaukee is an “essential part” of the coalition any Democrat needs to win a statewide election, said Barry Burden, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who runs the Elections Research Center. A small change in turnout in the city is more consequential for Democrats than it is for Republicans. Because of those consequences, the city has been the target of some of the most brazen Republican-backed efforts to suppress voting rights in the United States. This, coupled with a lack of genuine engagement in minority communities, was behind the 2016 drop in turnout, activists said.
Lewis, who has snow-white hair and a matching bushy beard, thinks there were enough untapped votes in Milwaukee’s churches alone to change the outcome of the election. “Most of these people don’t believe that the system works for them. They don’t trust the system, they don’t believe in the system. That’s what we have to fight internally,” he said. “Externally, we have to fight disenfranchisement and suppression of our vote.”
Kamala Harris’s supporters hold signs outside an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) training facility in Milwaukee last week. Photograph: Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images
Wisconsin voters say their lack of enthusiasm for Democratic candidates stems from feeling forgotten by the party. Milwaukee is one of the most segregated cities in America, and some of the biggest drops in 2016 turnout were in Black neighborhoods of the city, including the 53206 zip code, one of the poorest areas.
“Simply put, if Democratic institutions in Wisconsin would have paid attention to Black and brown communities in ways that weren’t superficial, Republicans, Trump in particular, wouldn’t have won,” said Jarette English, 37, a local activist in Milwaukee.
Clinton, who blames voter suppression for her loss in Wisconsin, infamously didn’t travel to the state after the 2016 primary. This year, Biden made his first trip to Wisconsin earlier this month when he visited with the family of Jacob Blake, a victim of police violence, at the Milwaukee airport. It was the first time Biden had traveled to the state since 2018, according to ABC News, and the first time a Democratic presidential nominee visited Wisconsin since 2012. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, spent Labor Day in Milwaukee.
“Morale around voting is currently fluctuating. In 2016 it was definitely in a downward spiral. People are tired of voting for candidates who bring little to no change. Folks don’t see their everyday life and issues change, so the attitude is ‘why continue to participate?’” said Vaun Mayes, a 33-year-old activist in the city.
Biden – Harris and Black Lives Matter placards adorn the windows of an office in Milwaukee. Photograph: Kerem Yucel/AFP/Getty Images
With just under two months until election day, some activists say there could still be a lack of enthusiasm this fall. Black voters in Milwaukee, which has extremely high incarceration rates for African American men, are wary of the record of Biden and Harris on crime issues, Lewis said. “Folks are not excited about who’s running,” said Amanda Avalos, senior civic engagement director for Leaders Igniting Transformation, an activist group focused on helping young people organize.
But a lack of interest doesn’t entirely explain the drop in turnout in Milwaukee. There are also severe, Republican-crafted, barriers to voting that remain in place.
Over the last decade, Milwaukee – which is nearly 40% Black – has been the target of some of the most brutal attacks on the right to vote. After taking control of the Wisconsin legislature in 2011, state Republicans quickly passed a voter ID law, curtailed early voting – a process frequently utilized by minority voters – and made it harder for third parties to register voters. Republicans also drew electoral districts in such a way that virtually guaranteed the party would maintain control over both chambers of the state legislature.
The voting changes combined with that aggressive effort have cemented Republican control in the state for the last decade.
It’s no secret that Republicans enacted these changes to target Milwaukee and its Democratic voters. Republicans have said so themselves. “The question of where this is coming from and why are we doing this and why are we trying to disenfranchise people, I mean, I say it’s because the people I represent in the 13th district continue to ask me, ‘What is going on in Milwaukee?’” Scott Fitzgerald, the Republican leader in the senate, said of an effort to limit early voting.
“We’ve got to think about what this would mean for the neighborhoods around Milwaukee and the college campuses,” one Republican state senator reportedly said during a closed-door meeting where lawmakers appeared “giddy” at the prospect of the new law, according to a former staffer.
President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at UWMilwaukee Panther Arena in January. Photograph: Joshua Lott/Getty Images
In 2016, Judge James Peterson of the US district court wrote that many of the voting changes Republicans enacted were “specifically targeted to curtail voting in Milwaukee without any other legitimate purpose. The legislature’s immediate goal was to achieve a partisan objective, but the means of achieving that objective was to suppress the reliably Democratic vote of Milwaukee’s African Americans.” (Parts of Peterson’s 2016 ruling have since been overturned).
In Milwaukee, where more than a quarter of the population lives in poverty, even a small change around voting can make a huge difference, said Shauntay Nelson, the director of the Wisconsin chapter of All Voting is Local, a group that works on improving access to the polls.
“There are a lot of people within the city of Milwaukee who may work two jobs and are not able to get off of work and have enough time to get to the department of motor vehicles,” she said. “There historically has been so much hardship within Milwaukee, individuals may not be able to pay attention to changes that are happening.”
The 2016 election was the first presidential contest the state’s new voter ID law was in effect. It appears to have worked as Republicans hoped. While it can be difficult to measure the reasons people don’t vote, as many as 23,252 people were deterred from voting by the law in Milwaukee and Dane counties, the two largest in the state, according to a study by researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
People wait in line to vote in a Democratic presidential primary election outside Hamilton high school in Milwaukee in April. Photograph: Kamil Krzaczyński/AFP/Getty Images
African Americans and poor people were all much more likely to point to voter ID as a reason they didn’t vote. Part of the problem was confusion over the complicated law – the researchers found that the majority of people who said they lacked acceptable ID, actually had one. The state did an abysmal job of educating people about the new voter ID law ahead of the 2016 election, said Claire Woodall-Vogg, the executive director of the Milwaukee election commission. Part of the state’s education plan, she noted, involved running public service announcements in movie theaters throughout the state, but none of them were in Milwaukee.
“Confusion itself has deterred some voters and also created a mistrust in that system,” she said.
This year, Milwaukee, has also been one of the hardest-hit places by Covid-19 in Wisconsin and there are worries the virus will only exacerbate the already-severe barriers that exist to voting. In April, when Wisconsin held its statewide election, Milwaukee was forced to close all but five of its approximately 180 polling locations because of a shortage of poll workers (the city was able to open 168 locations for the state’s August primary). Nelson said she continued to be worried about recruiting enough poll workers for November.
Meanwhile, Lewis, who was alarmed ahead of the 2016 election, said he was optimistic that Souls to the Polls and other organizations would drive voter turnout. Since 2016, activists in the city have made an aggressive effort to canvass some of the poorest neighborhoods to engage residents and connect voting to improving their lives. But he expressed frustration that Biden had yet to campaign in the critical city, even after Covid-19 forced the party to scrap plans to host the Democratic national convention there.
“I would like our candidate to at least step on the earth of Milwaukee,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s gonna take for them to understand that you’ve got to play as hard as everybody else if you expect folks to support you and have the energy to really build up a grassroots effort to get out the vote.”
Isiah Holmes contributed to this report


theguardian--2020-09-23--Cindy McCain endorses Joe Biden for president  – as it happened

The agency is issuing the guidance to boost transparency and public trust as it approaches the momentous decision of whether a prospective vaccine is safe and effective .
Public health experts are increasingly worried that President Trump ’ s repeated predictions of a coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 3 , coupled with the administration ’ s interference in federal science agencies , may prompt Americans to reject any vaccine as rushed and potentially tainted .
...
The guidance , which is far more rigorous than what was used for emergency clearance of hydroxychloroquine or convalescent plasma , is an effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made missteps during the pandemic .
With the vaccines , the FDA is expected to ask manufacturers seeking an emergency authorization — a far quicker process than a formal approval — to follow participants in late-stage clinical trials for a median of at least two months , starting after they receive a second vaccine shot , according to two individuals familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information before it is made public .
As a sign the vaccine works , the agency also is looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ covid-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , in the placebo group for each trial , as well as some cases of the disease in older people .
These standards , plus the time it will take companies to prepare their applications and the agency to review the data , make it highly improbable for any vaccine to be authorized before the election .
The agency has previously said any vaccine would have to be 50 percent more effective than a placebo .

Sam Levin (now), Joan E Greve and Martin Belam (earlier)

23 Sept 2020 01.28 BST Trump spreads Covid misinformation in Pennsylvania At his Pittsburgh rally, which is ongoing, the president has continued to spread misleading and dangerous claims about the Covid crisis. A few examples so far: He claimed Democrats are “trying to make our numbers look bad” by implementing Covid restrictions, in this case encouraging the crowd to boo the governor of Pennsylvania for adopting public health measures.
The president mocked Joe Biden for wearing a mask and for practicing social distancing on the campaign trail, again casting doubt about those tools that remain vital to slowing the spread of the virus.
In a bizarre aside, Trump also claimed that he used the racist “China virus” label because the word “coronavirus” reminds him of Italy and makes him think of a “beautiful villa”.
Trump said “we did a great job” handling the coronavirus and drew a misleading comparison to the Obama administration’s handling of H1N1. "They're trying to make our numbers look bad" -- Trump goads his crowd into booing the governor of Pennsylvania governor for enacting public health measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic pic.twitter.com/JuTfZlkulD — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 22, 2020
Updated at 02.13 BST
23 Sept 2020 01.13 BST The vice president’s plane has hit a bird, according to reporters traveling with Mike Pence: WH official tells me Air Force Two hit a bird and they returned out of an abundance of caution. https://t.co/OWMKNfjrNH — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) September 22, 2020 Air Force Two, on the way to Washington, apparently turned around after taking off from New Hampshire “out of an abundance of caution”.
23 Sept 2020 01.10 BST Cindy McCain has made her endorsement of Joe Biden official: My husband John lived by a code: country first. We are Republicans, yes, but Americans foremost. There's only one candidate in this race who stands up for our values as a nation, and that is @JoeBiden. — Cindy McCain (@cindymccain) September 22, 2020 Biden said earlier today that Cindy McCain was motivated to support him in part by the recent reports that the president had privately called dead soldiers “losers” and suckers” and that he had canceled a visit to pay respects at a military cemetery.
23 Sept 2020 01.07 BST Kamala Harris criticizes Trump's rallies and anti-mask comments Vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris has criticized the president for his handling of the coronavirus, noting that he continues to discourage mask use even after 200,000 people have died. Speaking in Detroit tonight, she noted that he has continued to hold large rallies where people don’t wear masks, according to CNN: We are looking at now the marker, the sad, awful marker of 200,000 lives that have perished in just the last several months. Almost 7 million people who have contracted the virus and to this day. We have a commander in chief of the United States of America who is holding rallies, with no masks because you see he has convinced everyone that you’re on one side of his ledger if you wear a mask, and you’re on the other side of his ledger if you don’t, making value judgments about people who are concerned with not dying. We’re talking about the President of the United States. We deserve better.”
Updated at 01.23 BST
22 Sept 2020 00.54 BST Trump's Pittsburgh rally begins with falsehoods The president’s Pittsburgh rally has begun with predictable falsehoods and misinformation about Joe Biden. Trump again said the Democratic nominee is “against God”, an attack that Biden has called “shameful”. The president also made misleading and false claims about Biden’s position on fracking, saying he would immediately end all fracking. Biden has repeatedly reiterated that is not his stance, recently saying, “I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again. I am not banning fracking. No matter how many times Donald Trump lies about me.” The president also criticized Biden for wearing masks, a line of attack that has continued to raise concerns from public health officials.
22 Sept 2020 00.25 BST Vice-president Mike Pence has argued that the Senate needs to “quickly” confirm Trump’s supreme court nominee so that the president’s pick will be seated in time to “resolve” any issues that arise from a contested election: Mike Pence urges the Senate to confirm SCOTUS nominee quickly, with "a hearing if needs be," because there may be litigation following the election pic.twitter.com/FHjqfxu8iC — Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) September 22, 2020 This line of argument has raised significant alarm and backlash given that the president has already spread falsehoods about mail-in voting in an effort to undermine trust in the election and to set the groundwork for possibly contesting the results. After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death, the White House is now making the argument that she needs to be immediately replaced so the president’s own pick can be seated on the bench to potentially rule on an election case.
Updated at 00.56 BST
22 Sept 2020 23.24 BST Cindy McCain to endorse Joe Biden, candidate confirms Joe Biden has told supporters at a fundraiser that Cindy McCain will be endorsing him for the first time:
Joe Biden announces that Cindy McCain will endorse him in light of Trump’s comments on the military as reported by The Atlantic. She had previously praised Biden’s relationship with her late husband, Sen. John McCain, in a video at the DNC that stopped short of an endorsement. — Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) September 22, 2020 McCain, the widow of the late GOP senator John McCain, appeared in a video during the Democratic National Convention talking about Biden and her husband’s relationship, but she did not formally endorse him then. Biden said Cindy McCain was motivated in part by the recent reports that the president had privately called dead soldiers “losers” and suckers” and that he had canceled a visit to pay respects at a military cemetery. Trump publicly criticized John McCain on numerous occasions and was enraged when the senator voted against an effort to overturn Obamacare. During his campaign, Trump infamously said of McCain: “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured ... He lost and let us down. I’ve never liked him as much after that. I don’t like losers.” Trump called American war dead ‘suckers’ and ‘losers', report claims Read more
22 Sept 2020 23.10 BST A scene from the campaign trail in Chandler, Arizona today where Trump supporters packed into a ballroom to see Donald Trump Jr and his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle: Trump supporters file out of a packed Chandler ballroom where Don Jr, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Turning Point USA President Charlie Kirk spoke for about an hour. #12News pic.twitter.com/OiJyLJIJiC — JOE DANA (@JoeDanaReports) September 22, 2020 Supporters were indoors, not wearing masks and not social distancing, raising concerns once again about the potential spread of Covid-19, which remains a significant threat in Arizona. There are now 140,044 #COVID19 cases & 3,274 deaths in Maricopa County. These are cumulative numbers. For a more detailed breakdown of data, including our case count and hospitalization epi curves, view our #COVID19 data dashboard at https://t.co/KNQbnPRvZU pic.twitter.com/Lm5QBLCvop — Public Health (@Maricopahealth) September 22, 2020
22 Sept 2020 22.00 BST Today so far That’s it from me today. My west coast colleague, Sam Levin, will take over the blog for the next few hours. Here’s where the day stands so far: The US coronavirus death toll surpassed 200,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The US has the highest death toll of any country in the world and accounts for about 21% of the global coronavirus death toll, even though it represents only 4% of the world’s population.
according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The US has the highest death toll of any country in the world and accounts for about 21% of the global coronavirus death toll, even though it represents only 4% of the world’s population. Senator Mitt Romney said he would support moving forward with Trump’s supreme court nominee. The Republican senator’s announcement virtually guarantees Trump’s nominee to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be confirmed, likely before election day on November 3.
The Republican senator’s announcement virtually guarantees Trump’s nominee to replace the late Justice will be confirmed, likely before election day on November 3. Trump said he would announce his supreme court nominee on Saturday. The announcement will follow ceremonies honoring Ginsburg, who will lie in repose at the supreme court and lie in state at the US Capitol this week.
The announcement will follow ceremonies honoring Ginsburg, who will lie in repose at the supreme court and lie in state at the US Capitol this week. Mitch McConnell remained non-commital about the timing of a supreme court confirmation vote. Trump has said he wants the final vote to happen before election day, but McConnell said he would not know the timing of the vote until the nomination makes it out of the Senate judiciary committee.
Trump has said he wants the final vote to happen before election day, but McConnell said he would not know the timing of the vote until the nomination makes it out of the Senate judiciary committee. The FDA is reportedly expected to soon release strict guidelines on the emergency authorization of a coronavirus vaccine. According to the Washington Post, the guidelines would make it highly unlikely that a vaccine will be approved before election day. Trump has promised a vaccine will be released in the coming weeks, but the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told the Senate last week that a vaccine will not be widely available to the American public until mid to late 2021. Sam will have more coming up, so stay tuned.


theguardian--2020-09-23--Cindy McCain rebukes Trump and publicly endorses Joe Biden

Cindy McCain has endorsed Joe Biden for president , a stunning rebuke of Donald Trump by the widow of the Republican party ’ s 2008 nominee .
Cindy McCain tweeted on Tuesday : “ My husband John lived by a code : country first .
We are Republicans , yes , but Americans foremost .
There ’ s only one candidate in this race who stands up for our values as a nation , and that is Joe Biden.
” Trump has had a fraught relationship with members of John McCain ’ s family since he disparaged the Arizona senator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has publicly criticized McCain on numerous occasions and was enraged when the senator voted against an effort to overturn Obamacare .
During his campaign , Trump infamously said of McCain : “ He was a war hero because he was captured .
I like people who weren ’ t captured ...
He lost and let us down .
I ’ ve never liked him as much after that .
I don ’ t like losers.
” However , the McCains have stopped short of endorsing Trump ’ s rivals .
Cindy McCain ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans disaffected with the president and give the former vice president a boost in Arizona , a crucial swing state that McCain represented in Congress for 35 years .
He ’ s remained a revered figure since his 2018 death from complications of a brain tumor , particularly with the independent voters whom Biden is courting .
Biden told donors on Tuesday evening that McCain ’ s endorsement was coming “ because of what ( Trump ) talks about how my son and John and others who are heroes , who served their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re ‘ losers , suckers ’ .
” Biden was referring to comments Trump reportedly made mocking the American war dead .
Trump has denied making the remarks , first reported through anonymous sources by The Atlantic , but many of the comments were later confirmed by the Associated Press .
Cindy McCain had not initially been expected to offer an explicit endorsement of Biden , but she had already gone to bat for his presidential run .
She lent her voice to a video that aired during the Democratic National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s close friendship with her late husband .
John McCain was assigned to be a military aide for Biden , then a senator , during an overseas trip , and their families formed an enduring friendship .
They later shared a grim bond over glioblastoma , an aggressive cancer that killed Biden ’ s son Beau three years before McCain succumbed to the same disease .
John McCain said in 2016 that he couldn ’ t support Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016 , citing Trump ’ s demeaning comments about women .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to renounce the nominee of my party , ” McCain said during a debate as he sought his sixth term in the Senate .
“ He won the nomination fair and square .
”

Cindy McCain has endorsed Joe Biden for president, a stunning rebuke of Donald Trump by the widow of the Republican party’s 2008 nominee.
Cindy McCain tweeted on Tuesday: “My husband John lived by a code: country first. We are Republicans, yes, but Americans foremost. There’s only one candidate in this race who stands up for our values as a nation, and that is Joe Biden.”
Trump has had a fraught relationship with members of John McCain’s family since he disparaged the Arizona senator during his 2016 campaign. The president has publicly criticized McCain on numerous occasions and was enraged when the senator voted against an effort to overturn Obamacare.
During his campaign, Trump infamously said of McCain: “He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured … He lost and let us down. I’ve never liked him as much after that. I don’t like losers.”
However, the McCains have stopped short of endorsing Trump’s rivals.
Cindy McCain’s backing could help Biden appeal to Republicans disaffected with the president and give the former vice president a boost in Arizona, a crucial swing state that McCain represented in Congress for 35 years. He has remained a revered figure since his 2018 death from complications of a brain tumor, particularly with the independent voters whom Biden is courting.
Biden told donors on Tuesday evening that McCain’s endorsement was coming “because of what (Trump) talks about how my son and John and others who are heroes, who served their country. You know, he said they’re ‘losers, suckers’.”
Biden was referring to comments Trump reportedly made mocking the American war dead. Trump has denied making the remarks, first reported through anonymous sources by the Atlantic, but many of the comments were later confirmed by the Associated Press.
Cindy McCain had not initially been expected to offer an explicit endorsement of Biden, but she had already gone to bat for his presidential run. She lent her voice to a video that aired during the Democratic national convention and was focused on Biden’s close friendship with her late husband.
John McCain was assigned to be a military aide for Biden, then a senator, during an overseas trip, and their families formed an enduring friendship. They later shared a grim bond over glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer that killed Biden’s son Beau three years before McCain succumbed to the same disease.
John McCain said in 2016 that he couldn’t support Trump or Hillary Clinton in 2016, citing Trump’s demeaning comments about women.
“It’s not pleasant for me to renounce the nominee of my party,” McCain said during a debate as he sought his sixth term in the Senate. “He won the nomination fair and square.”


theguardian--2020-09-22--Officials outside bureau made decision to speed US census, report finds

Officials outside of the US Census Bureau made the decision to speed up efforts to complete the 2020 census , a move likely to decrease the accuracy of the decennial survey , according to a report released on Monday .
The report from the commerce department ’ s office of inspector general ( OIG ) , the agency ’ s official watchdog , offers some of the clearest evidence yet of how a decision to accelerate the census could lead to problems with the quality of the data it produces .
Inaccurate data would be deeply consequential because it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 1.5tn in federal funds , and make decisions about where to build schools , roads and other necessities .
The constitutionally mandated survey is conducted just once every 10 years .
The bureau , part of the commerce department , is planning to end counting on 30 September and produce processed data used to determine how many seats each state gets in the US House by 31 December .
That timeline could be complicated by a slew of federal court cases seeking to force the bureau to extend counting .
Monday ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bureau to follow up with people who failed to respond to the census on their own was shortened from 80 days to 56 .
That shortened window gives the bureau much less time to respond to contingencies , such as natural disasters , or do recounts if it discovers errors .
Bureau officials told investigators they were confident they could reach their goal of gathering data for 99 % of housing units in every state , but they said they were unsure of what would happen if they were unable to meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a four-month extension on the census in April , including an extra month for counting people , citing difficulties caused by the pandemic , but it reversed course in August and said it would try to complete counting by the end of September , its original timeline .
Internal emails released as part of ongoing litigation show career bureau employees opposing speeding up the timeline .
“ It is ludicrous to think we can complete 100 % of the nation ’ s data coverage earlier than 10/31 and any thinking person who would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has either a mental deficiency or political motivation , ” Timothy Olson , a top bureau employee , wrote in a July email .
The OIG report does not offer insight into the decision , but it says it came from outside the Census Bureau , and potentially from the commerce department or White House .
Census Bureau officials did tell the OIG , however , they believed the Trump administration ’ s effort to exclude undocumented immigrants from census data played a role in the decision to accelerate the survey .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsequently accelerated in August 2020 , the decision came from outside the Bureau and further increased the risks to the accuracy and completeness of the 2020 Census , ” Peggy Gustafson , the agency ’ s Inspector General , wrote in the report .
Once counting is completed on 30 September , there still are severe risks the Bureau may not have enough time to correct any errors it finds in the data when it is processing it .
Researchers typically discover errors in census data during processing after counting is complete .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply not have time to correct errors they find in the data , bureau officials said .
“ It is particularly damning , and reassuring , that the Department of Commerce ’ s own inspector general was able to review the facts and shine light on the truth about the 2020 census , ” said Arturo Vargas , CEO of the Naleo educational fund , which works closely on census issues .
This summer , bureau officials scrambled to put together talking points showing that rushing the count could lead to decreased confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was politically manipulated , according to NPR .

Officials outside of the US Census Bureau made the decision to speed up efforts to complete the 2020 census, a move likely to decrease the accuracy of the decennial survey, according to a report released on Monday.
The report from the commerce department’s office of inspector general (OIG), the agency’s official watchdog, offers some of the clearest evidence yet of how a decision to accelerate the census could lead to problems with the quality of the data it produces. Inaccurate data would be deeply consequential because it is used to draw electoral districts, allocate $1.5tn in federal funds, and make decisions about where to build schools, roads and other necessities.
The constitutionally mandated survey is conducted just once every 10 years. The bureau, part of the commerce department, is planning to end counting on 30 September and produce processed data used to determine how many seats each state gets in the US House by 31 December. That timeline could be complicated by a slew of federal court cases seeking to force the bureau to extend counting.
Monday’s report notes that the period for the bureau to follow up with people who failed to respond to the census on their own was shortened from 80 days to 56. That shortened window gives the bureau much less time to respond to contingencies, such as natural disasters, or do recounts if it discovers errors. Bureau officials told investigators they were confident they could reach their goal of gathering data for 99% of housing units in every state, but they said they were unsure of what would happen if they were unable to meet that target.
The commerce department requested a four-month extension on the census in April, including an extra month for counting people, citing difficulties caused by the pandemic, but it reversed course in August and said it would try to complete counting by the end of September, its original timeline.
Internal emails released as part of ongoing litigation show career bureau employees opposing speeding up the timeline.
“It is ludicrous to think we can complete 100% of the nation’s data coverage earlier than 10/31 and any thinking person who would believe we can deliver apportionment by 12/31 has either a mental deficiency or political motivation,” Timothy Olson, a top bureau employee, wrote in a July email.
The OIG report does not offer insight into the decision, but it says it came from outside the Census Bureau, and potentially from the commerce department or White House. Census Bureau officials did tell the OIG, however, they believed the Trump administration’s effort to exclude undocumented immigrants from census data played a role in the decision to accelerate the survey.
“We found that when that schedule was subsequently accelerated in August 2020, the decision came from outside the Bureau and further increased the risks to the accuracy and completeness of the 2020 Census,” Peggy Gustafson, the agency’s Inspector General, wrote in the report.
Once counting is completed on 30 September, there still are severe risks the Bureau may not have enough time to correct any errors it finds in the data when it is processing it. Researchers typically discover errors in census data during processing after counting is complete. Under the current timeline, researchers may simply not have time to correct errors they find in the data, bureau officials said.
“It is particularly damning, and reassuring, that the Department of Commerce’s own inspector general was able to review the facts and shine light on the truth about the 2020 census,” said Arturo Vargas, CEO of the Naleo educational fund, which works closely on census issues.
This summer, bureau officials scrambled to put together talking points showing that rushing the count could lead to decreased confidence in census data, including the appearance it was politically manipulated, according to NPR.


theguardian--2020-09-22--Trump attacks China over Covid 'plague' as Xi urges collaboration in virus fight

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping offered starkly contrasting responses to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday , with the US president blaming Beijing for unleashing a “ plague ” on the world – and his Chinese counterpart casting the fight against the virus as an opportunity for international cooperation .
In his recorded video address to the annual UN general assembly , Trump unleashed a rhetorical assault on China which seemed pitched at a domestic audience .
Speaking as the US death toll from Covid-19 passed 200,000 , Trump promised a “ bright future ” but said the world “ must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plague on to the world : China.
” Trump also took the opportunity to attack the World Health Organization – falsely describing it as “ virtually controlled by China ” – and again incorrectly claiming that the international body had said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission .
The UN general assembly has itself been remade by the pandemic , reduced to a virtual event for the first time in its 75-year history , but sharp differences over the international response to coronavirus – and the contrasting world orders being offered by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clear display .
Trump promised to distribute a vaccine and said , “ We will defeat the virus , and we will end the pandemic ” and enter a new era of prosperity , cooperation and peace .
The US president also reprised his criticism of the UN , arguing that it should focus on what he described as “ the real problems of the world ” such as “ terrorism , the oppression of women , forced labor , drug trafficking , human and sex trafficking , religious persecution , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s UN ambassador Zhang Jun immediately hit back , saying : “ The world is at a crossroads .
At this moment , the world needs more solidarity and cooperation , but not confrontation.
” That message of co-operation was repeated throughout tXi ’ s speech , in which the Chinese leader posed as the UN ’ s friend and offered extra cash to find a Covid vaccine , vowing Beijing has “ no intention to fight either a cold war or a hot one with any country ” .
Xi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrow differences and resolve disputes with others through dialogue and negotiation .
We will not seek to develop only ourselves or engage in zero sum game .
Unilateralism is dead.
” Echoing the sentiments of the UN secretary general António Guterres , Xi called for a global response to the epidemic , co-ordinated by the WHO – from which Trump has withdrawn and his presidential rival Joe Biden has promised to rejoin .
In another implicit rebuke to the US , Xi sought to portray China as the country embracing modernity .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head in the sand like an ostrich in the face of economic globalization , or trying to fight it with Don Quixote ’ s lance , goes against the trend of history .
Let this be clear : the world will never return to isolation.
” Trump tried to broaden his attack on China ’ s handling beyond Covid by condemning China ’ s carbon emissions record as well as its dumping of plastic .
He said : “ Those who attack America ’ s exceptional environmental record while ignoring China ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environment .
They only want to punish America .
And I will not stand for it.
” He made no mention of China ’ s human rights record .
But Xi seemed prepared for Trump ’ s unlikely line of attack , saying China was on course to reach zero carbon emissions by 2060 .
He added China would achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 .
The Chinese leader also signalled his intention to boost China ’ s commitments under the Paris climate agreement – from which Trump has withdrawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Macron berated both superpowers for the paralysis of the UN security council in the face of the pandemic and the climate emergency .
In a 48-minute speech – more than three times his allotted time – the French president said the council ’ s members “ haven ’ t been able to come together as we would have wished because two of them have preferred a display of their rivalry to collective efficiency ” .
Macron also rejected the US claim to have revived UN sanctions on Iran , saying the Trump administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” had failed .
In his own speech , the Iranian president , Hassan Rouhani , relished the fact that the US won the support of only the Dominican Republic on the 15-member security council for its effort to “ snap back ” UN sanctions .
“ This is a victory not just for Iran but for the global community , ” Rouhani said .
“ The United States can impose neither negotiations nor war on us.
” In his opening address , Guterres tried to galvanise the 193-member assembly to acknowledge the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requiring unprecedented co-operation to prevent the world splitting into two competing empires .
Warning that “ we are moving in a very dangerous direction , ” Guterres said : “ Our world can not afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe in a great fracture .
A technological and economic divide risks inevitably turning into a geo-strategic and military divide .
We must avoid this at all costs.
” But he also nailed his political colours to the mast , saying the populists and nationalists had failed to tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to follow the science , and to recognise that the coronavirus was only a dress rehearsal for the challenges ahead .
Guterres won support from the Russian president Vladimir Putin , who proposed a high-level conference to spread research on a coronavirus vaccine and called for the WHO to be given greater powers .
The first leader to speak was Jair Bolsonaro , who used the occasion to deny that he had mishandled his country ’ s coronavirus crisis , and to claim that Brazil had been wrongly portrayed as an environmental villain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Pantanal , the world ’ s largest tropical wetlands , Bolsonaro claimed Brazil had been the victim of a “ misinformation campaign ” .
Brazil has seen more than 137,200 coronavirus deaths – second only to the US – and Bolsonaro has faced accusations of catastrophically mismanaging the crisis by dismissing its severity and undermining containment measures .
In a speech which also seemed directed more to a domestic audience , Bolsonaro once more questioned the need for lockdown measures , and blamed the press for “ politicizing ” the disease @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor and Julian Borger

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping offered starkly contrasting responses to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, with the US president blaming Beijing for unleashing a “plague” on the world – and his Chinese counterpart casting the fight against the virus as an opportunity for international cooperation.
In his recorded video address to the annual UN general assembly, Trump unleashed a rhetorical assault on China which seemed pitched at a domestic audience.
Speaking as the US death toll from Covid-19 passed 200,000, Trump promised a “bright future” but said the world “must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague on to the world: China.”
Trump also took the opportunity to attack the World Health Organization – falsely describing it as “virtually controlled by China” – and again incorrectly claiming that the international body had said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
The UN general assembly has itself been remade by the pandemic, reduced to a virtual event for the first time in its 75-year history, but sharp differences over the international response to coronavirus – and the contrasting world orders being offered by China and the US – were on clear display.
Trump promised to distribute a vaccine and said, “We will defeat the virus, and we will end the pandemic” and enter a new era of prosperity, cooperation and peace.
The US president also reprised his criticism of the UN, arguing that it should focus on what he described as “the real problems of the world” such as “terrorism, the oppression of women, forced labor, drug trafficking, human and sex trafficking, religious persecution, and the ethnic cleansing of religious minorities”.
China’s UN ambassador Zhang Jun immediately hit back, saying: “The world is at a crossroads. At this moment, the world needs more solidarity and cooperation, but not confrontation.”
That message of co-operation was repeated throughout tXi’s speech, in which the Chinese leader posed as the UN’s friend and offered extra cash to find a Covid vaccine, vowing Beijing has “no intention to fight either a cold war or a hot one with any country”.
Xi said: “We will continue to narrow differences and resolve disputes with others through dialogue and negotiation. We will not seek to develop only ourselves or engage in zero sum game. Unilateralism is dead.”
Echoing the sentiments of the UN secretary general António Guterres, Xi called for a global response to the epidemic, co-ordinated by the WHO – from which Trump has withdrawn and his presidential rival Joe Biden has promised to rejoin.
In another implicit rebuke to the US, Xi sought to portray China as the country embracing modernity.
He said: “Burying one’s head in the sand like an ostrich in the face of economic globalization, or trying to fight it with Don Quixote’s lance, goes against the trend of history. Let this be clear: the world will never return to isolation.”
Trump tried to broaden his attack on China’s handling beyond Covid by condemning China’s carbon emissions record as well as its dumping of plastic.
Xi Jinping on screen at the UN. Photograph: Eskinder Debebe/AP
He said: “Those who attack America’s exceptional environmental record while ignoring China’s rampant pollution are not interested in the environment. They only want to punish America. And I will not stand for it.” He made no mention of China’s human rights record.
But Xi seemed prepared for Trump’s unlikely line of attack, saying China was on course to reach zero carbon emissions by 2060. He added China would achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030.
The Chinese leader also signalled his intention to boost China’s commitments under the Paris climate agreement – from which Trump has withdrawn.
When his turn came, Emmanuel Macron berated both superpowers for the paralysis of the UN security council in the face of the pandemic and the climate emergency.
In a 48-minute speech – more than three times his allotted time – the French president said the council’s members “haven’t been able to come together as we would have wished because two of them have preferred a display of their rivalry to collective efficiency”.
Macron also rejected the US claim to have revived UN sanctions on Iran, saying the Trump administration’s policy of “maximum pressure” had failed.
In his own speech, the Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, relished the fact that the US won the support of only the Dominican Republic on the 15-member security council for its effort to “snap back” UN sanctions.
“This is a victory not just for Iran but for the global community,” Rouhani said. “The United States can impose neither negotiations nor war on us.”
In his opening address, Guterres tried to galvanise the 193-member assembly to acknowledge the world was at a 1945 moment, requiring unprecedented co-operation to prevent the world splitting into two competing empires.
Warning that “we are moving in a very dangerous direction,” Guterres said: “Our world cannot afford a future where the two largest economies split the globe in a great fracture. A technological and economic divide risks inevitably turning into a geo-strategic and military divide. We must avoid this at all costs.”
But he also nailed his political colours to the mast, saying the populists and nationalists had failed to tackle Coronavirus, and again urged world leaders to follow the science, and to recognise that the coronavirus was only a dress rehearsal for the challenges ahead.
Guterres won support from the Russian president Vladimir Putin, who proposed a high-level conference to spread research on a coronavirus vaccine and called for the WHO to be given greater powers.
The first leader to speak was Jair Bolsonaro, who used the occasion to deny that he had mishandled his country’s coronavirus crisis, and to claim that Brazil had been wrongly portrayed as an environmental villain.
Even as fires continue to rage in the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetlands, Bolsonaro claimed Brazil had been the victim of a “misinformation campaign”.
Brazil has seen more than 137,200 coronavirus deaths – second only to the US – and Bolsonaro has faced accusations of catastrophically mismanaging the crisis by dismissing its severity and undermining containment measures.
In a speech which also seemed directed more to a domestic audience, Bolsonaro once more questioned the need for lockdown measures, and blamed the press for “politicizing” the disease, which has infected 4.6 million Brazilians.


theguardian--2020-09-22--Donald Trump and a pattern of alleged sexual assault

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian , the former model Amy Dorris talked to Lucy Osborne about allegations that @ @ @ @ @ at the US Open tennis tournament more than two decades ago , in an alleged @ @ @ @ @ ‘ sick ’ and ‘ violated ’ How to listen to podcasts : everything you @ @ @

Presented by Anushka Asthana with Lucy Osborne and Amy Dorris, produced by Joshua Kelly and Nicholas Cox; executive producers are Nicole Jackson and Phil Maynard

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the former model Amy Dorris talked to Lucy Osborne about allegations that Donald Trump sexually assaulted her at the US Open tennis tournament more than two decades ago, in an alleged incident that left her feeling ‘sick’ and ‘violated’
How to listen to podcasts: everything you need to know