theguardian--2020-11-17--Trump lawyer contesting election result said 'litigation will not work'

A lawyer fighting for Donald Trump in the US president ’ s attempt to overturn defeat by Joe Biden said shortly after election day that “ no bombshells ” would derail the Democrat ’ s victory , and “ the litigation will not work ” .
Trump has not conceded to Biden , despite losing the electoral college 306-232 and trailing by 5.5m ballots in the popular vote .
While the president seeks redress in the courts in multiple states , the lack of a concession is delaying transition work , with detrimental effects for national security and the fight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and from Harrisburg , was retained by the Trump campaign on Monday , to replace attorneys who dropped out of the attempt to overturn the result in Pennsylvania , where Biden won by about 70,000 votes .
Scaringi has previously run for a Republican Senate nomination and volunteered for the Trump campaign .
On election day , he posted to Twitter a picture of people watching results in Washington DC , with the comment : “ Biden ’ s people ready for a coup if he loses.
” He also has his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 November , four days after election day and shortly after Pennsylvania put Biden over the top , he said : “ In my opinion , there really are no bombshells that are about to drop that will derail a Biden presidency , including these lawsuits .
“ I ’ ve been saying since Wednesday morning that Biden would win.
” He also said that though some Trump legal challenges “ had merit … at the end of the day , in my view , the litigation will not work .
It will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 November , Scaringi said it was “ up to the Trump lawyers to get some good results in these lawsuits to try to flip the vote count ” .
On Monday , he was retained in that effort .
Jenna Ellis , a legal adviser to Trump , said the move to retain local counsel was “ consistent with routine managing of complex litigation ” .
The judge in the Pennsylvania case , however , denied Scaringi ’ s request for a delay to a hearing set for Tuesday afternoon , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the lawsuit dismissed .
The Washington Post , meanwhile , said a blogpost on Scaringi ’ s law firm website entitled “ How President-Elect Joe Biden ’ s Plan Could Affect Your Taxes ” appeared to have been taken down .

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A lawyer fighting for Donald Trump in the US president’s attempt to overturn defeat by Joe Biden said shortly after election day that “no bombshells” would derail the Democrat’s victory, and “the litigation will not work”.
Trump has not conceded to Biden, despite losing the electoral college 306-232 and trailing by 5.5m ballots in the popular vote. While the president seeks redress in the courts in multiple states, the lack of a concession is delaying transition work, with detrimental effects for national security and the fight against Covid-19.
Marc Scaringi, 51 and from Harrisburg, was retained by the Trump campaign on Monday, to replace attorneys who dropped out of the attempt to overturn the result in Pennsylvania, where Biden won by about 70,000 votes.
Scaringi has previously run for a Republican Senate nomination and volunteered for the Trump campaign. On election day, he posted to Twitter a picture of people watching results in Washington DC, with the comment: “Biden’s people ready for a coup if he loses.”
He also has his own conservative talkshow on iHeartRadio. Broadcasting on 7 November, four days after election day and shortly after Pennsylvania put Biden over the top, he said: “In my opinion, there really are no bombshells that are about to drop that will derail a Biden presidency, including these lawsuits.
“I’ve been saying since Wednesday morning that Biden would win.”
He also said that though some Trump legal challenges “had merit … at the end of the day, in my view, the litigation will not work. It will not reverse this election.”
On Saturday 14 November, Scaringi said it was “up to the Trump lawyers to get some good results in these lawsuits to try to flip the vote count”.
On Monday, he was retained in that effort. Jenna Ellis, a legal adviser to Trump, said the move to retain local counsel was “consistent with routine managing of complex litigation”.
The judge in the Pennsylvania case, however, denied Scaringi’s request for a delay to a hearing set for Tuesday afternoon, at which the state will attempt to have the lawsuit dismissed.
The Washington Post, meanwhile, said a blogpost on Scaringi’s law firm website entitled “How President-Elect Joe Biden’s Plan Could Affect Your Taxes” appeared to have been taken down.


theguardian--2020-11-17--Why US ballot count livestreams became misinformation magnets

At a vote-counting center in Montgomery county , Maryland , a man sat in a room with other election workers , wearing a grey hat and dark purple rubber gloves .
He unfolded a ballot , looked around and leaned forward to mark it .
The man appeared on a Yahoo Finance livestream of the center .
The video went viral , one version ending up on YouTube , where the narrator said they found it on 4chan .
“ Do you notice that , folks ?
” said the narrator .
“ How he looks around to see if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s about to commit a crime ?
” The video spread across social media , viewers claiming the election worker was committing fraud .
Then election officials launched an investigation and found the voter hadn ’ t used a dark enough pen to mark their ballot ; the worker was darkening their selections – a routine practice .
Livestreams of the ballot count aren ’ t a new phenomenon .
But this year the practice exploded as Donald Trump cast doubts on the integrity of the vote and the pandemic made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the aftermath of a fraught election , many are still grappling to figure out if this method of achieving transparency is too vulnerable to being manipulated or taken out of context to further a political agenda .
When Paul Andrews was elected auditor of Kitsap county , Washington , two years ago , the first thing he did was implement a livestream of the ballot count .
It was a no-brainer to Andrews , and with his IT background , easy to facilitate .
Some people , he said , looked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computer during their lunch break .
Andrews , instead , watched the count .
But this year was different .
The 2020 election had occupied Andrews ’ mind for years leading up to the count , and he not only led the livestreaming effort , but also hired and trained more staff and upgraded equipment so Election Day could run without controversy .
“ Everything we ’ ve done over these last couple years has been in preparation for this , ” Andrews said .
Election officials across the country , like Andrews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic .
In Arizona , state legislators passed a law in 2019 requiring that each county have a livestream .
As pro-Trump protesters convened outside vote-counting centers in Maricopa county , demanding that the vote be counted , the livestreams became a way for the public to observe the count themselves .
“ Arizona does a lot of things wrong , ” said the Arizona state senator Martín Quezada , from Maricopa county , who introduced the bill .
“ But the way we run our elections , I think we ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The concerns from officials about the general election were legitimate : Trump has refused to concede the election to Joe Biden and in many states , Republicans have challenged the results .
Some claims can directly be refuted by the livestreams .
“ It ’ s a real testament to how transparent [ election officials ] wanted this process , ” said David Becker , executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research .
“ The Trump campaign is continuing to say that observers weren ’ t allowed in … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the counting process that anyone could watch showing observers in these locations.
” But while thousands tuned into the livestreams , these efforts sometimes backfired .
In Delaware county , Pennsylvania , a video was taken from the livestream showing a woman filling in ballots .
It went viral , proliferating further after Charlie Kirk , the founder of Turning Point , a rightwing student organization , showed it during his election livestream .
A spokesperson told USA Today the video had been misleadingly cropped ; there were election observers at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was manually transcribing damaged ballots , a common and lawful practice .
“ The issue comes where information can be picked up , cut , taken out of context and reframed or reinterpreted , ” said Kate Starbird , associate professor at the University of Washington and cofounder of the Center for an Informed Public .
“ That just becomes raw material for people trying to create conspiracy theories.
” Counties can take precautions , according to Starbird , like adding the date and location on the feed .
Some do this already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , for example , that feeds must include the date and time .
Back in Kitsap county , Andrews breathed a sigh of relief that election day operations went smoothly , but things are not quite back to normal yet .
In the past , he said , election workers would take time off and go on vacation in December , after the election was certified .
But this year , Washington state is headed into a second lockdown due to a surge in coronavirus cases , and the president has yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers may have to take advantage of a different type of streaming .
“ It doesn ’ t sound like anybody ’ s going to go anywhere , ” Andrews said .
“ Maybe their couch and Netflix .
”

At a vote-counting center in Montgomery county, Maryland, a man sat in a room with other election workers, wearing a grey hat and dark purple rubber gloves. He unfolded a ballot, looked around and leaned forward to mark it. The man appeared on a Yahoo Finance livestream of the center. The video went viral, one version ending up on YouTube, where the narrator said they found it on 4chan.
“Do you notice that, folks?” said the narrator. “How he looks around to see if anyone is watching him – as if he’s about to commit a crime?”
The video spread across social media, viewers claiming the election worker was committing fraud. Then election officials launched an investigation and found the voter hadn’t used a dark enough pen to mark their ballot; the worker was darkening their selections – a routine practice.
Live streams of the ballot count aren’t a new phenomenon. But this year the practice exploded as Donald Trump cast doubts on the integrity of the vote and the pandemic made in-person options of observing the vote difficult. In the aftermath of a fraught election, many are still grappling to figure out if this method of achieving transparency is too vulnerable to being manipulated or taken out of context to further a political agenda.
When Paul Andrews was elected auditor of Kitsap county, Washington, two years ago, the first thing he did was implement a live stream of the ballot count. It was a no-brainer to Andrews, and with his IT background, easy to facilitate. Some people, he said, looked at their favorite vacation spot from their computer during their lunch break. Andrews, instead, watched the count.
But this year was different. The 2020 election had occupied Andrews’ mind for years leading up to the count, and he not only led the livestreaming effort, but also hired and trained more staff and upgraded equipment so election day could run without controversy. “Everything we’ve done over these last couple years has been in preparation for this,” Andrews said.
Election officials across the country, like Andrews, began to prepare even before the pandemic. In Arizona, state legislators passed a law in 2019 requiring that each county have a live stream. As pro-Trump protesters convened outside vote-counting centers in Maricopa county, demanding that the vote be counted, the live streams became a way for the public to observe the count themselves.
“Arizona does a lot of things wrong,” said the Arizona state senator Martín Quezada, from Maricopa county, who introduced the bill. “But the way we run our elections, I think we’ve been doing it very, very well.”
The concerns from officials about the general election were legitimate: Trump has refused to concede the election to Joe Biden and in many states, Republicans have challenged the results. Some claims can directly be refuted by the live streams.
“It’s a real testament to how transparent [election officials] wanted this process,” said David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research. “The Trump campaign is continuing to say that observers weren’t allowed in … We’ve got 24/7 video evidence of the counting process that anyone could watch showing observers in these locations.”
But while thousands tuned into the live streams, these efforts sometimes backfired.
In Delaware county, Pennsylvania, a video was taken from the live stream showing a woman filling in ballots. It went viral, proliferating further after Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point, a rightwing student organization, showed it during his election live stream.
A spokesperson told USA Today the video had been misleadingly cropped; there were election observers at the end of the table and the worker was manually transcribing damaged ballots, a common and lawful practice.
“The issue comes where information can be picked up, cut, taken out of context and reframed or reinterpreted,” said Kate Starbird, associate professor at the University of Washington and cofounder of the Center for an Informed Public. “That just becomes raw material for people trying to create conspiracy theories.”
Counties can take precautions, according to Starbird, like adding the date and location on the feed. Some do this already – it was written into the Arizona law, for example, that feeds must include the date and time.
Back in Kitsap county, Andrews breathed a sigh of relief that election day operations went smoothly, but things are not quite back to normal yet. In the past, he said, election workers would take time off and go on vacation in December, after the election was certified.
But this year, Washington state is headed into a second lockdown due to a surge in coronavirus cases, and the president has yet to concede the election. So the workers may have to take advantage of a different type of streaming.
“It doesn’t sound like anybody’s going to go anywhere,” Andrews said. “Maybe their couch and Netflix.”


theguardian--2020-11-17--Obama scolds 'petulant' Trump but reveals conservative sympathies

In an interview with the Atlantic to mark publication of his memoir A Promised Land , Barack Obama ponders Joe Biden ’ s chances of working with Republicans in Congress , comes close to admitting to being a never-Trump conservative himself – and compares America under Trump to Central Asia under Genghis Khan .
“ If we were going to have a rightwing populist in this country , ” Obama says , “ I would have expected somebody a little more appealing.
” Trump is refusing to admit defeat by Biden , despite a 5.5m deficit in the popular vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the margin by which he beat Hillary Clinton .
“ For all the differences between myself and George W Bush , ” Obama said , “ he and his administration could not have been more gracious and intentional about ensuring a smooth handoff .
One of the really distressing things about the current situation is the amount of time that is being lost because of Donald Trump ’ s petulance and the unwillingness of other Republicans to call him on it.
” On Sunday night , Trump tweeted : “ I WON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ message a label : “ Official sources called this election differently.
” The president ’ s current petulance might be increased by how Obama compares him to “ the classic male hero in American culture ” – and finds him distinctly wanting .
Trump is , after all , a president who plays the song Macho Man at his rallies .
“ I think about the classic male hero in American culture when you and I were growing up , ” Obama told Jeffrey Goldberg , editor of the Atlantic .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Jimmy Stewarts , the Clint Eastwoods , for that matter .
There was a code … the code of masculinity that I grew up with that harkens back to the 30s and 40s and before that .
“ There ’ s a notion that a man is true to his word , that he takes responsibility , that he doesn ’ t complain , that he isn ’ t a bully – in fact , he defends the vulnerable against bullies .
And so even if you are someone who is annoyed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ men to be men again and is tired about everyone complaining about the patriarchy , I thought that the model wouldn ’ t be Richie Rich – the complaining , lying , doesn ’ t-take-responsibility-for-anything type of figure.
” Most give Trump no chance of success in his lawsuits in battleground states , based on groundless claims of election fraud .
But depending on the results of two runoffs in Georgia , the Senate looks set to stay in Republican hands .
Biden may have to try to work with Mitch McConnell , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has propped up Trump in office .
Obama said : “ Mitch McConnell is not buddy-buddy with anyone .
I ’ m enjoying reading now about how Joe Biden and Mitch have been friends for a long time .
They ’ ve known each other for a long time .
I have quotes from Biden about his interactions with Mitch McConnell .
“ The issue with Republicans is not that I didn ’ t court them enough .
We would invite them to everything : movie nights , state dinners , Camp David @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not a lack of schmoozing .
The issue was that they found it politically advantageous to demonize me and the Democratic party.
” How friendly Democrats should be to the Never Trumpers , conservatives from the Lincoln Project to the Bulwark and beyond , is another key issue .
Told by Goldberg that “ a colleague of mine says that in some ways you ’ re a never-Trump conservative ” , Obama said the characterization was “ not quite right ” , but reached again for mid-20th-century male archetypes Republicans revere .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ There ’ s this sense of probity , honesty , responsibility , of homespun values , that I admire .
That ’ s the Kansas side of me .
My grandmother ’ s a stand-in for that .
“ The folks we celebrate at Normandy , including my Uncle Charlie , who was a member of one of the units that liberated parts of Buchenwald , those were men who , whatever their limits , whatever their constraints in terms of their emotions because of what they were told they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be as men , however their relationship with women was skewed by all this – they sacrificed for others .
“ And they never bragged , and certainly they would never make cheating others or taking advantage of them a calling card.
” “ … You mentioned earlier that I ’ m in some ways a never-Trump conservative .
That ’ s not quite right , but what is true is that temperamentally I am sympathetic to a certain strain of conservatism in the sense that I ’ m not just a materialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determinist .
I think it ’ s important , but I think there are things other than stuff and money and income – the religious critique of modern society , that we ’ ve lost that sense of community.
” The depth of Obama ’ s answer reflected the many differences between him and Trump – and the sheer size of his book .
A Promised Land runs to 751 pages , many filled with rumination on historical progress , centrally Martin Luther King Jr ’ s belief that “ the arc of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it bends toward justice ” .
Genghis Khan came up in response to a questions about a visit to the Pyramids .
The Mongol warlord would “ slowly boil you in oil and peel off your skin ” , Obama said .
But “ compare the degree of brutality and venality and corruption and just sheer folly that you see across human history with how things are now .
It ’ s not even close.
” “ This was not meant to be commentary on the Trump presidency – not directly , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In any case , Obama has more respect for Genghis Khan than he has for Donald Trump .
”

In an interview with the Atlantic to mark publication of his memoir A Promised Land, Barack Obama ponders Joe Biden’s chances of working with Republicans in Congress, comes close to admitting to being a never-Trump conservative himself – and compares America under Trump to Central Asia under Genghis Khan.
“If we were going to have a rightwing populist in this country,” Obama says, “I would have expected somebody a little more appealing.”
Trump is refusing to admit defeat by Biden, despite a 5.5m deficit in the popular vote and an electoral college loss by 306-232, the margin by which he beat Hillary Clinton.
“For all the differences between myself and George W Bush,” Obama said, “he and his administration could not have been more gracious and intentional about ensuring a smooth handoff. One of the really distressing things about the current situation is the amount of time that is being lost because of Donald Trump’s petulance and the unwillingness of other Republicans to call him on it.”
On Sunday night, Trump tweeted: “I WON THE ELECTION!” Twitter gave the message a label: “Official sources called this election differently.”
The president’s current petulance might be increased by how Obama compares him to “the classic male hero in American culture” – and finds him distinctly wanting. Trump is, after all, a president who plays the song Macho Man at his rallies.
04:11 Obama hails arrival of a more 'caring government' as memoir launches – video
“I think about the classic male hero in American culture when you and I were growing up,” Obama told Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of the Atlantic. “The John Waynes, the Gary Coopers, the Jimmy Stewarts, the Clint Eastwoods, for that matter. There was a code … the code of masculinity that I grew up with that harkens back to the 30s and 40s and before that.
“There’s a notion that a man is true to his word, that he takes responsibility, that he doesn’t complain, that he isn’t a bully – in fact, he defends the vulnerable against bullies. And so even if you are someone who is annoyed by wokeness and political correctness and wants men to be men again and is tired about everyone complaining about the patriarchy, I thought that the model wouldn’t be Richie Rich – the complaining, lying, doesn’t-take-responsibility-for-anything type of figure.”
Most give Trump no chance of success in his lawsuits in battleground states, based on groundless claims of election fraud. But depending on the results of two runoffs in Georgia, the Senate looks set to stay in Republican hands. Biden may have to try to work with Mitch McConnell, the hardline Republican senate majority leader who has propped up Trump in office.
Obama said: “Mitch McConnell is not buddy-buddy with anyone. I’m enjoying reading now about how Joe Biden and Mitch have been friends for a long time. They’ve known each other for a long time. I have quotes from Biden about his interactions with Mitch McConnell.
“The issue with Republicans is not that I didn’t court them enough. We would invite them to everything: movie nights, state dinners, Camp David, you name it. The issue was not a lack of schmoozing. The issue was that they found it politically advantageous to demonize me and the Democratic party.”
How friendly Democrats should be to the Never Trumpers, conservatives from the Lincoln Project to the Bulwark and beyond, is another key issue. Told by Goldberg that “a colleague of mine says that in some ways you’re a never-Trump conservative”, Obama said the characterization was “not quite right”, but reached again for mid-20th-century male archetypes Republicans revere.
“I understand that,” he said. “There’s this sense of probity, honesty, responsibility, of homespun values, that I admire. That’s the Kansas side of me. My grandmother’s a stand-in for that.
00:49 Obama tells Trump to concede defeat – video
“The folks we celebrate at Normandy, including my Uncle Charlie, who was a member of one of the units that liberated parts of Buchenwald, those were men who, whatever their limits, whatever their constraints in terms of their emotions because of what they were told they could and couldn’t feel and be as men, however their relationship with women was skewed by all this – they sacrificed for others.
“And they never bragged, and certainly they would never make cheating others or taking advantage of them a calling card.”
“… You mentioned earlier that I’m in some ways a never-Trump conservative. That’s not quite right, but what is true is that temperamentally I am sympathetic to a certain strain of conservatism in the sense that I’m not just a materialist. I’m not an economic determinist. I think it’s important, but I think there are things other than stuff and money and income – the religious critique of modern society, that we’ve lost that sense of community.”
The depth of Obama’s answer reflected the many differences between him and Trump – and the sheer size of his book. A Promised Land runs to 751 pages, many filled with rumination on historical progress, centrally Martin Luther King Jr’s belief that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice”.
Genghis Khan came up in response to a questions about a visit to the Pyramids. The Mongol warlord would “slowly boil you in oil and peel off your skin”, Obama said. But “compare the degree of brutality and venality and corruption and just sheer folly that you see across human history with how things are now. It’s not even close.”
“This was not meant to be commentary on the Trump presidency – not directly, at least,” Goldberg wrote. “In any case, Obama has more respect for Genghis Khan than he has for Donald Trump.”


theguardian--2020-11-17--Iran warns of ‘crushing response’ if Trump targets nuclear site

Iran has warned of a strong response if Donald Trump goes ahead with plans to use the twilight of his presidency to mount a strike on Iran or its allies in the region .
It was reported that Trump last week looked at options for striking Iran ’ s main nuclear site , but was dissuaded from taking action after his advisers warned it might lead to a larger conflict in the Middle East .
The report was sourced to four US officials by the New York Times .
Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei warned against such an attack .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ would certainly face a crushing response , ” he said in remarks streamed on a government website .
Trump is frustrated that his policy of maximum sanctions has not forced Iran back to the negotiating table and has not ruled out other military action against Iranian surrogate forces in the Middle East ahead of his first term ending in January .
He has yet to concede defeat to Joe Biden , but appears to be looking for foreign policy legacy , including the further withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , US officials told Trump last week that inspectors from a UN nuclear watchdog had reported on Wednesday that Iran ’ s stockpile of nuclear material increased significantly , and that Iran had barred their access to another site where there is evidence of prior nuclear activity .
At the Natanz nuclear facility , the IAEA said , the uranium stockpile is 12 times larger than permitted by the Iran nuclear deal , from which Trump withdrew in 2018 .
Iran is continuing to give the IAEA inspectors access to its sites , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been relatively slow .
Natanz has already this year been hit by arson and a possible cyber-attack , attributed to Israel .
Iranians are also monitoring sudden personnel changes inside the Pentagon , including Trump ’ s removal of the defence secretary , Mark Esper , and the recruitment of a group of hardliners .
Little official explanation has been given for the reshuffle , leaving Iranian officials on guard for a military confrontation .
Aides present at the meeting included the US secretary of state , Mike Pompeo , the acting defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ joint chiefs of staff .
Officials said Trump had been dissuaded from striking the nuclear facility , but the possibility remains of targeting Iranian assets and allies outside of Iran , such as Iranian-aligned militias operating in Iraq .
A day before the White House meeting , the report says , a small group of national security advisers met to discuss the issue .
Pompeo is on a tour of the Middle East , including stops in Israel , Saudi Arabia , and the United Arab Emirates , three countries fiercely opposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ French president , Emmanuel Macron , on Monday .
The three main European powers – the UK , France and Germany – would be fiercely opposed to any military strike and favour the reopening of US talks with Iran .
The EU has already said it will support a EU-Iran business conference if sanctions are lifted by the US .
Debate is raging within Iran whether it would be wise , and on what terms , to reopen negotiations on a revamped nuclear deal with an incoming administration led by Joe Biden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said his administration will make use of every opportunity to lift the US sanctions .
“ Whenever we see that there ’ s a situation for the lifting of sanctions , we will make use of that , ” he said at a cabinet meeting .
“ Our goal is that cruel sanctions would be lifted.
” Hardliners in Iran are demanding economic self reliance and warning Biden is no different from Trump .
They argue it would be folly for Iran to make the same mistake twice by signing a second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with impunity .
Some Iranian diplomats are insisting no talks should occur until not only the US provides compensation for American sanctions since 2018 , but also existing US sanctions are lifted .
Biden has said he wishes to return to the deal , but not been precise on the preconditions , or the political capital he might be willing to expend to overcome Israel ’ s opposition and gain the support of Congress for such a move .
He is likely to be surrounded by aides who are veterans of the pre-2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times also reported that al-Qaida ’ s second-in-command , Abu Mohammed al-Masri , was assassinated in Iran in August by Israeli agents at the behest of the US .
The UK foreign secretary , Dominic Raab , spoke to the Iranian foreign minister , Javad Zarif , on Monday night , but it is not known if they discussed the possibility of a Trump strike .
The news comes at an already tense time in Iran with coronavirus deaths reaching record levels , and security forces anxious about protests marking the anniversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to hundreds of Iranians being shot for opposing a sudden fuel price rise .
As many as 20 Iranian cities are due to be closed for a fortnight from Saturday , with officials warning that if the public does not comply the current daily death toll of 400 will reach four digits .
There is also tension about the anniversary on 3 January of the US killing of Qassem Suleimani , the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps leader killed in a US drone strike in Iraq .
Senior IRGC commanders this week repeated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exacted revenge for his assassination .
Iran has sought to reach out to its Arab neighbours , with Zarif warning them that Trump will be leaving in 70 days , but Iran ’ s regime will remain “ forever.
” The foreign minister urged them to realise that “ betting on outsiders to provide security is never a good gamble ” .
Wendy Sherman , a former US deputy secretary of state and Biden supporter , said the recent threats by Trump administration officials that they will impose new sanctions on Iran in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it very difficult for the new administration to return to the deal .

Iran has warned of a strong response if Donald Trump goes ahead with plans to use the twilight of his presidency to mount a strike on Iran or its allies in the region.
It was reported that Trump last week looked at options for striking Iran’s main nuclear site, but was dissuaded from taking action after his advisers warned it might lead to a larger conflict in the Middle East. The report was sourced to four US officials by the New York Times.
Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei warned against such an attack. “Any action against the Iranian nation would certainly face a crushing response,” he said.
Trump is frustrated that his policy of maximum sanctions has not forced Iran back to the negotiating table and has not ruled out other military action against Iranian surrogate forces in the Middle East ahead of his first term ending in January.
He has yet to concede defeat to Joe Biden, but appears to be looking for foreign policy legacy, including the further withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and Iraq.
According to the New York Times report, US officials told Trump last week that inspectors from a UN nuclear watchdog had reported on Wednesday that Iran’s stockpile of nuclear material increased significantly, and that Iran had barred their access to another site where there is evidence of prior nuclear activity.
At the Natanz nuclear facility, the IAEA said, the uranium stockpile is 12 times larger than permitted by the Iran nuclear deal, from which Trump withdrew in 2018. Iran is continuing to give the IAEA inspectors access to its sites, and the build-up in the stockpile has been relatively slow. Natanz has already this year been hit by arson and a possible cyber-attack, attributed to Israel.
Iranians are also monitoring sudden personnel changes inside the Pentagon, including Trump’s removal of the defence secretary, Mark Esper, and the recruitment of a group of hardliners. Little official explanation has been given for the reshuffle, leaving Iranian officials on guard for a military confrontation.
Aides present at the meeting included the US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, the acting defence secretary, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
Officials said Trump had been dissuaded from striking the nuclear facility, but the possibility remains of targeting Iranian assets and allies outside of Iran, such as Iranian-aligned militias operating in Iraq. A day before the White House meeting, the report says, a small group of national security advisers met to discuss the issue.
Pompeo is on a tour of the Middle East, including stops in Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, three countries fiercely opposed to Iran. Pompeo also met with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, on Monday.
The three main European powers – the UK, France and Germany – would be fiercely opposed to any military strike and favour the reopening of US talks with Iran. The EU has already said it will support a EU-Iran business conference if sanctions are lifted by the US.
Debate is raging within Iran whether it would be wise, and on what terms, to reopen negotiations on a revamped nuclear deal with an incoming administration led by Joe Biden.
The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, has said his administration will make use of every opportunity to lift the US sanctions. “Whenever we see that there’s a situation for the lifting of sanctions, we will make use of that,” he said at a cabinet meeting. “Our goal is that cruel sanctions would be lifted.”
Hardliners in Iran are demanding economic self reliance and warning Biden is no different from Trump. They argue it would be folly for Iran to make the same mistake twice by signing a second deal from which the US then withdrew with impunity.
Some Iranian diplomats are insisting no talks should occur until not only the US provides compensation for American sanctions since 2018, but also existing US sanctions are lifted. Biden has said he wishes to return to the deal, but not been precise on the preconditions, or the political capital he might be willing to expend to overcome Israel’s opposition and gain the support of Congress for such a move. He is likely to be surrounded by aides who are veterans of the pre-2015 negotiations.
Phillip Gordan, the former White House special assistant on the Middle East under Barack Obama said the Trump administration “is doing everything possible to make it impossible for Biden to implement his policy.”
He added Trump was also sending a signal to the Iranians that there was no point cooperating with Biden since he would not be able to implement the policy due to resistance in Congress by Trump’s own supporters.
The UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, spoke to the Iranian foreign minister, Javad Zarif, on Monday night, but it is not known if they discussed the possibility of a Trump strike.
The news comes at an already tense time in Iran with coronavirus deaths reaching record levels, and security forces anxious about protests marking the anniversary of the November 2019 street protests that led to hundreds of Iranians being shot for opposing a sudden fuel price rise.
As many as 20 Iranian cities are due to be closed for a fortnight from Saturday, with officials warning that if the public does not comply the current daily death toll of 400 will reach four digits.
There is also tension about the anniversary on 3 January of the US killing of Qassem Suleimani, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps leader killed in a US drone strike in Iraq. Senior IRGC commanders this week repeated claims that Iran had not yet fully exacted revenge for his assassination.
Iran has sought to reach out to its Arab neighbours, with Zarif warning them that Trump will be leaving in 70 days, but Iran’s regime will remain “forever.” The foreign minister urged them to realise that “betting on outsiders to provide security is never a good gamble”.


theguardian--2020-11-17--Trans women in Ice custody already suffered sexual harassment and abuse. Then came Covid-19

It was August , and Katalina stood sobbing in the middle of the cell at the La Palma immigration detention center .
She tried not to touch anything – she had seen guards escort out a man who was coughing and trembling just minutes before .
It felt like punishment .
Shortly before , she had reported being sexually harassed by another detainee in a male unit of the La Palma correctional center in Arizona where they were being held .
Now , she was standing in an isolation cell .
Katalina was worried about contracting Covid-19 .
The cell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t been cleaned .
After standing in the room for five hours , she withdrew her complaint .
She had heard that other detainees had spent weeks in segregation after speaking up .
It was a risk she wasn ’ t willing to take .
When a detainee grabbed her arm and left a bruise a few months later , Katalina didn ’ t say anything either .
Covid has torn through immigration detention centers across the United States .
Since the start of the pandemic , at least 7,202 people held by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) have been infected with the virus , and at least eight have died .
LGBTQ+ populations in immigration custody have echoed the stories of other detainees who have complained that Ice has failed to institute adequate protocols to curb the spread of the virus and has not provided ample protective equipment and medical care .
But LGBTQ+ people in La Palma say the pandemic has created further challenges , making it harder for them to escape the gender-based harassment and violence many of them have long faced while locked up .
Katalina @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 2019 , after a criminal organization tried to kidnap her because of her gender identity .
She was detained after crossing the border near San Luis , Arizona , and was transferred to La Palma , an immigration detention facility run by the private corporation CoreCivic .
There , she was placed in a unit for men , where she faced discriminatory insults , sexual advances and physical assault from other detainees on a daily basis .
“ I decided to migrate to this country thinking that it would be different but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Katalina , whose full name the Guardian is withholding because of her asylum case .
The coronavirus pandemic added fresh fears .
She already had anxiety , hypertension , and tachycardia ( a rapid heart rate ) and was worried the virus could hit her particularly hard .
La Palma has registered more cases than any other Ice detention facility in the US .
By 16 November , the center had recorded more than 450 cases .
In October , Katalina and several other transgender women at LaPalma wrote a series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They say officials have done little to address the harassment and discrimination they face .
And they say La Palma ’ s inadequate response to the coronavirus crisis is compounding their misery .
Trans and queer populations in immigration detention have long complained of persistent sexual harassment .
Back in 2015 , the US Department of Homeland Security stated in a memo that trans people held by Ice need to have access to mental health treatment and hormone therapy and should be housed according to their gender identity .
In the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trans people , but in practice , many trans and LGBTQ+ people are still assigned to units that correspond with their sex at birth .
There are 31 self-identified trans people , including Katalina , in detention nationwide , according to Ice figures .
Reports of discrimination by staff and medical negligence remain prevalent .
LGBTQ+ people are 97 times more likely to be victimized within detention than other detainees , according to a 2017 Center for American Progress analysis .
When people do report abuse , there is often no follow-up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grievances , said Lori Williamson , the outreach coordinator of Transcend Arizona , an organization that assists and supports LGBTQ+ people inside and outside detention .
The pandemic has magnified those vulnerabilities .
Experts and advocates have warned that the lockdown of facilities to curb the spread of the virus is making it harder for victims to escape abuse since they often end up locked up with their aggressors .
“ The ability to social distance and keep yourself safe is nearly impossible when you are in a place where every moment of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical and sexual violence , ” said Lynly S Egyes , the legal director of the Transgender Law Center .
At the same time , advocates have warned , victims have been less likely to report abuse out of a fear that officials will respond by segregating them from the general population , said Karla Bautista , the liberation coordinator for Trans Queer Pueblo , an advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ rights in Phoenix .
Ice describes administrative segregation as a way to protect people who are vulnerable because of their gender identity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the practice as inhumane , arguing it resembles solitary confinement .
“ When a person is detained for 23 hours a day and their only interaction is when someone hands them their meal , that is solitary confinement .
Ice can call it one thing .
They can dress it up in whatever they want .
The reality is solitary confinement and administrative segregation is the same thing , ” said Egyes , the Transgender Law Center ’ s legal director .
“ It is a punishment .
And if Ice can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they should be released.
” José Arellano , a 31-year-old asylum seeker from Mexico who signed the public letters , said he had been sexually assaulted by one of his cellmates in La Palma .
Arrellano , who is gay , said he told guards about the August incident but didn ’ t receive a response from Ice or CoreCivic .
A few days before that , he said , a supervisor at the detention center ’ s kitchen yelled derogatory statements about Arellano ’ s sexuality .
“ I felt humiliated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
Ryan Gustin , a spokesman for CoreCivic , said the company corroborated Arellano ’ s allegations about discrimination and that the supervisor that worked through a contractor was fired .
Gustin said they informed Arellano that his grievance had been resolved , but Arrellano said no one told him anything .
Like Katalina , Arellano said Covid has pushed his situation in detention to the brink .
Held for a year , he developed depression and thyroid problems while detained and is worried about his outcome if he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ petitioned to be released because of his health complications , but Ice has denied his requests .
Emma , a 22-year-old trans woman from Honduras held at La Palma , said she would receive inappropriate and unsolicited letters for other male detainees , and that guards would often laugh when she told them about it .
She said she got sick with Covid-19 in June , and was nauseous , had chills and struggled to breathe .
She was put in medical isolation for nine days , she said , and spent four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t see the sunlight , slept on a thin mattress on the floor and wasn ’ t able to shower or have her belongings .
She only saw other people when someone brought food to her cell .
She learned she had tested positive for Covid when she emerged from isolation .
“ I fell into depression , I cried every day , I felt like I wanted to die at that moment , ” said Emma , whose last name the Guardian is withholding because of her asylum case .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ its policies and differentiate medical isolation and quarantine from solitary , segregated or punitive housing .
And the agency ’ s own rules forbid housing healthy detainees with people showing symptoms of Covid-19 .
But according to advocates , Emma ’ s coronavirus experience is common .
Ice says it places people who have tested positive for Covid-19 or with symptoms in medical isolation following Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) guidance , but Eunice Cho , the senior staff attorney at the ACLU ’ s National Prison Project , said her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of abuse of solitary confinement where people are not being told about their health status ” .
Both Ice and CoreCivic said in a statement that they don ’ t tolerate sexual harassment .
Ice said it takes “ very seriously allegations of misconduct in its detention facilities .
The agency holds its personnel and contractors to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior .
When the agency receives a complaint , the matter is investigated thoroughly to determine its veracity and to ensure that the comprehensive standards , which ICE is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards , are strictly maintained.
” An Ice spokesperson also said the agency couldn ’ t comment on Katalina ’ s accusations of sexual harassment within the facility and officials mishandling the coronavirus crisis due to pending litigation and that “ lack of comment should not be construed as agreement with or stipulation to any of the allegations ” .
Although they confirmed that Emma had tested positive for Covid-19 and was placed in isolation they did not respond to her allegations of mistreatment .
Gustin , the CoreCivic spokesman , said on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in response to Arellano ’ s grievances and would meet with him to inform him of “ all actions taken to handle his concerns ” .
Katalina , Emma and Arellano lost their asylum cases and have pending appeals , according to their attorneys .
They have filed several requests to be released from detention on humanitarian grounds .
Both Katalina and Arellano hope their release could be reconsidered through a legal ruling affecting people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes , heart problems , hypertension and severe mental health issues .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project said on Monday they anticipate she will be released in the coming days in connection to the ruling .
“ There are days that I can ’ t stand being locked up any more , ” Katalina told the Guardian before news of her possible release .
Emma remains in Ice custody , and her case is not affected by the ruling around pre-existing conditions .
She found some hope in the news that Democrat Joe Biden had won the US presidential election .
“ I feel very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot about supporting immigrants , ” she said .
Biden has said he is in favor of case management for LGBTQ+ people as an alternative to the long-term immigration detention policies of the Trump administration .
But Emma still lives in fear of harassment every day .
She has trouble breathing , she said , and is afraid of getting sick again .
She is depressed , but doesn ’ t want to tell officials out of fear of being segregated again .
“ All I did was come to the US looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the opposite , ” she said .

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It was August, and Katalina stood sobbing in the middle of the cell at the La Palma immigration detention center. She tried not to touch anything – she had seen guards escort out a man who was coughing and trembling just minutes before.
It felt like punishment. Shortly before, she had reported being sexually harassed by another detainee in a male unit of the La Palma correctional center in Arizona where they were being held. Now, she was standing in an isolation cell.
Katalina was worried about contracting Covid-19. The cell she had been placed in hadn’t been cleaned. After standing in the room for five hours, she withdrew her complaint. She had heard that other detainees had spent weeks in segregation after speaking up. It was a risk she wasn’t willing to take.
When a detainee grabbed her arm and left a bruise a few months later, Katalina didn’t say anything either.
Covid has torn through immigration detention centers across the United States. Since the start of the pandemic, at least 7,202 people held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) have been infected with the virus, and at least eight have died. LGBTQ+ populations in immigration custody have echoed the stories of other detainees who have complained that Ice has failed to institute adequate protocols to curb the spread of the virus and has not provided ample protective equipment and medical care. But LGBTQ+ people in La Palma say the pandemic has created further challenges, making it harder for them to escape the gender-based harassment and violence many of them have long faced while locked up.
People demonstrate after marching to protest against Trump administration immigration and refugee policies on 18 June 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Photograph: David McNew/Getty Images
Katalina, 27, had left Guatemala in April 2019, after a criminal organization tried to kidnap her because of her gender identity. She was detained after crossing the border near San Luis, Arizona, and was transferred to La Palma, an immigration detention facility run by the private corporation CoreCivic. There, she was placed in a unit for men, where she faced discriminatory insults, sexual advances and physical assault from other detainees on a daily basis.
“I decided to migrate to this country thinking that it would be different but instead it was more difficult,” said Katalina, whose full name the Guardian is withholding because of her asylum case.
The coronavirus pandemic added fresh fears. She already had anxiety, hypertension, and tachycardia (a rapid heart rate) and was worried the virus could hit her particularly hard. La Palma has registered more cases than any other Ice detention facility in the US. By 16 November, the center had recorded more than 450 cases.
In October, Katalina and several other transgender women at LaPalma wrote a series of public letters denouncing their treatment by Ice. They say officials have done little to address the harassment and discrimination they face. And they say La Palma’s inadequate response to the coronavirus crisis is compounding their misery.
Harassment in custody
Trans and queer populations in immigration detention have long complained of persistent sexual harassment. Back in 2015, the US Department of Homeland Security stated in a memo that trans people held by Ice need to have access to mental health treatment and hormone therapy and should be housed according to their gender identity.
In the past, Ice had some dedicated units for trans people, but in practice, many trans and LGBTQ+ people are still assigned to units that correspond with their sex at birth. There are 31 self-identified trans people, including Katalina, in detention nationwide, according to Ice figures. Reports of discrimination by staff and medical negligence remain prevalent.
LGBTQ+ people are 97 times more likely to be victimized within detention than other detainees, according to a 2017 Center for American Progress analysis. When people do report abuse, there is often no follow-up to tell them about the outcome of their grievances, said Lori Williamson, the outreach coordinator of Transcend Arizona, an organization that assists and supports LGBTQ+ people inside and outside detention.
The pandemic has magnified those vulnerabilities. Experts and advocates have warned that the lockdown of facilities to curb the spread of the virus is making it harder for victims to escape abuse since they often end up locked up with their aggressors. “The ability to social distance and keep yourself safe is nearly impossible when you are in a place where every moment of every day you are at risk for physical and sexual violence,” said Lynly S Egyes, the legal director of the Transgender Law Center.
A rainstorm rolls in as a gate bars passerby from entry on 29 September 2016 near the US-Mexico border in Arizona. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images
At the same time, advocates have warned, victims have been less likely to report abuse out of a fear that officials will respond by segregating them from the general population, said Karla Bautista, the liberation coordinator for Trans Queer Pueblo, an advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ rights in Phoenix.
Ice describes administrative segregation as a way to protect people who are vulnerable because of their gender identity. But LGBTQ+ and civil rights groups see the practice as inhumane, arguing it resembles solitary confinement. “When a person is detained for 23 hours a day and their only interaction is when someone hands them their meal, that is solitary confinement. Ice can call it one thing. They can dress it up in whatever they want. The reality is solitary confinement and administrative segregation is the same thing,” said Egyes, the Transgender Law Center’s legal director. “It is a punishment. And if Ice cannot keep people safe in the general population, they should be released.”
‘I cried every day’
José Arellano, a 31-year-old asylum seeker from Mexico who signed the public letters, said he had been sexually assaulted by one of his cellmates in La Palma. Arellano, who is gay, said he told guards about the August incident but didn’t receive a response from Ice or CoreCivic. A few days before that, he said, a supervisor at the detention center’s kitchen yelled derogatory statements about Arellano’s sexuality. “I felt humiliated by the way I was discriminated against,” he said.
If Ice cannot keep people safe in the general population, they should be released Lynly S Egyes
Ryan Gustin, a spokesman for CoreCivic, said the company corroborated Arellano’s allegations about discrimination and that the supervisor that worked through a contractor was fired. Gustin said they informed Arellano that his grievance had been resolved, but Arellano said no one told him anything.
Like Katalina, Arellano said Covid has pushed his situation in detention to the brink. Held for a year, he developed depression and thyroid problems while detained and is worried about his outcome if he were to contract Covid-19. He has petitioned to be released because of his health complications, but Ice has denied his requests.
Emma, a 22-year-old trans woman from Honduras held at La Palma, said she would receive inappropriate and unsolicited letters from other male detainees, and that guards would often laugh when she told them about it. She said she got sick with Covid-19 in June, and was nauseous, had chills and struggled to breathe. She was put in medical isolation for nine days, she said, and spent four of them in a cell where she didn’t see the sunlight, slept on a thin mattress on the floor and wasn’t able to shower or have her belongings. She only saw other people when someone brought food to her cell. She learned she had tested positive for Covid when she emerged from isolation.
“I fell into depression, I cried every day, I felt like I wanted to die at that moment,” said Emma, whose last name the Guardian is withholding because of her asylum case.
An October ruling forced Ice to update its policies and differentiate medical isolation and quarantine from solitary, segregated or punitive housing. And the agency’s own rules forbid housing healthy detainees with people showing symptoms of Covid-19. But according to advocates, Emma’s coronavirus experience is common. Ice says it places people who have tested positive for Covid-19 or with symptoms in medical isolation following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, but Eunice Cho, the senior staff attorney at the ACLU’s National Prison Project, said her organization had seen “a tremendous use of abuse of solitary confinement where people are not being told about their health status”.
Both Ice and CoreCivic said in a statement that they do not tolerate sexual harassment. Ice said it took “very seriously allegations of misconduct in its detention facilities. The agency holds its personnel and contractors to the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior. When the agency receives a complaint, the matter is investigated thoroughly to determine its veracity and to ensure that the comprehensive standards, which ICE is required to follow under various national detention standards, are strictly maintained.”
A barbed wire fence stretches along the US-Mexico border near Arivaca, Arizona. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images
An Ice spokesperson also said the agency could not comment on Katalina’s accusations of sexual harassment within the facility and officials mishandling the coronavirus crisis due to pending litigation and that “lack of comment should not be construed as agreement with or stipulation to any of the allegations”. Although they confirmed that Emma had tested positive for Covid-19 and was placed in isolation they did not respond to her allegations of mistreatment.
Gustin, the CoreCivic spokesman, said on Monday company officials had taken appropriate action in response to Arellano’s grievances and would meet with him to inform him of “all actions taken to handle his concerns”.
All I did was come to the US looking for protection, but what I found was the opposite Emma
Katalina, Emma and Arellano lost their asylum cases and have pending appeals, according to their attorneys. They have filed several requests to be released from detention on humanitarian grounds. Both Katalina and Arellano hope their release could be reconsidered through a legal ruling affecting people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes, heart problems, hypertension and severe mental health issues. Katalina’s attorneys at the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project said on Monday they expect she will be released in the coming days in connection with the ruling.
“There are days that I can’t stand being locked up any more,” Katalina told the Guardian before news of her possible release.
Emma remains in Ice custody, and her case is not affected by the ruling around pre-existing conditions.
She found some hope in the news that Democrat Joe Biden had won the US presidential election. “I feel very good about it because he talks a lot about supporting immigrants,” she said. Biden has said he is in favor of case management for LGBTQ+ people as an alternative to the long-term immigration detention policies of the Trump administration.
But Emma still lives in fear of harassment every day. She has trouble breathing, she said, and is afraid of getting sick again. She is depressed, but doesn’t want to tell officials out of fear of being segregated again.
“All I did was come to the US looking for protection, but what I found was the opposite,” she said.


theguardian--2020-11-16--'Heal the damage': Activists urge Joe Biden to move beyond ‘border security’

As Joe Biden prepares to take office , activists say the president-elect must not only take meaningful action to stabilize the US-Mexico border , but also reckon with his own history of militarizing the border landscape and communities .
Biden has promised to end many of the Trump administration ’ s border policies , but has yet to unveil the kind of bold immigration plan that would suggest a true departure from Obama-era priorities .
Cecilia Muñoz , Obama ’ s top immigration adviser who memorably defended the administration ’ s decision to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transition team .
Biden has stated that he will cease construction of the border wall , telling National Public Radio in August that there will be “ not another foot of wall ” , and that his administration will close lawsuits aimed at confiscating land to make way for construction .
His immigration plan will also rescind Trump ’ s declaration of a “ national emergency ” on the southern border , which the Trump administration has used to siphon funds from the Department of Defense to finance construction , circumventing Congress in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeals court .
Some lawmakers along the border find these developments heartening , after Trump ’ s border wall construction has devastated sensitive ecosystems , tribal spaces , and communities , and has been continuously challenged in court .
“ I very much expect a Biden administration to cancel construction contracts and instruct DoJ to close eminent domain lawsuits , ” says the congressman Henry Cuellar , a Democrat who represents the south Texas district of Laredo , where plans for construction have been met with stiff resistance from locals who say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ My constituents feel hopeful , because they know a Biden administration is not going to waste money on a useless , destructive wall.
” Since January 2017 , US Customs and Border Protection ( CBP ) say they have spent $ 15bn on “ 400 miles of new primary and secondary border wall system ” , the vast majority of it financed by funds from the Department of Defense .
Most of this consists of replacing or building on older barriers , not building on land where none existed before .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential ally in the Biden administration , many say that , while his electoral victory brought them a sense of relief , they are hoping for more than a return to the status quo .
“ Stopping construction isn ’ t enough , ” says Dror Ladin , a senior staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project .
“ There has to be planning to dismantle particularly harmful sections of this wall in a responsible way and help heal the damage that has been done , both to communities and natural spaces.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ his goal of militarizing the border , but his administration has tested the limits of executive authority in ways his predecessors did not .
On 25 to 30 occasions , the Trump administration has invoked an obscure provision of the 2005 Real ID Act , which allows the secretary of homeland security to continue barrier construction without paying heed to any law that would stand in the way of expeditious construction efforts .
The Trump administration has used it to bypass protections like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act .
By comparison , the George Bush administration invoked the provision to waive laws five times .
The Biden campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the Guardian inquiring whether or not his administration would support rescinding or reforming the provision of the act that allows for waivers .
While Matthew Dyman , a US Customs and Border Protection spokesman , said in an email that sometimes waivers are necessary for the “ expeditious construction of border wall ” , he also stated that they consult “ relevant stakeholders to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border activists are not convinced .
“ That ’ s a joke , ” said Vicki Gaubeca , the head of the Southern Border Communities Coalition , which advocates for policies that protect the rights of border communities .
“ There is absolutely no meaningful consultation with communities .
They plow through without any thought to the impact.
” For those who have spent years in an uphill battle to stop Trump ’ s border wall , Biden ’ s pledge to end construction and close lawsuits comes as a relief .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the restoration of the status quo , which they say was broken long before Trump took office .
According to activists , that will require an acknowledgment of Biden ’ s own contribution to the project of border militarization .
During his time in the Senate , Biden voted for both the 2005 Real ID Act and the 2006 Secure Fence Act , which approved the construction of hundreds of miles of barriers along the southern border .
During the Obama administration , when he served as vice-president , the government poured funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 3 million people .
Biden has called those deportations a “ big mistake ” and throughout his presidential campaign said he would support a 100-day deportation freeze once in office .
But he has largely remained silent on the question of a longer-term or complete moratorium on deportations , strategies that immigrant advocates and members of Congress continue to throw their support behind .
“ To prove that they ’ re ‘ tough ’ on immigration , politicians push for more funds for border patrol , more barriers , more deportations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borderlands campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity , which has been in court fighting wall construction for several years .
“ All we get is militarization , and this makes life miserable for people actually living on the border.
” Many activists agree that the portion of the 2005 Real ID Act that gives the DHS the ability to waive environmental laws must be reformed or done away with .
“ It ’ s ironic that in the name of bringing ‘ law and order ’ to the borderlands , the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws apply if they get in the way of the federal government , ” says Jordahl .
Ivy Le , a press spokeswoman for the Texas Civil Rights Project , points out that for those threatened by construction on the border , Biden ’ s inauguration is still a long way off .
“ If you ’ re a DHS employee who truly believes in Trump ’ s vision on the southern border , these next two months are your last chance to really leave your mark .
We ’ re preparing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She warns that the fight to stabilize the border is far from over .
“ I ’ d be lying if I said I didn ’ t feel some relief at Biden ’ s election , but a lot of people are still in danger .
We ’ ve been fighting injustice on the border since before Trump , and we ’ ll still be fighting it after .
”

As Joe Biden prepares to take office, activists say the president-elect must not only take meaningful action to stabilize the US-Mexico border, but also reckon with his own history of militarizing the border landscape and communities.
Biden has promised to end many of the Trump administration’s border policies, but has yet to unveil the kind of bold immigration plan that would suggest a true departure from Obama-era priorities. Cecilia Muñoz, Obama’s top immigration adviser who memorably defended the administration’s decision to deport hundreds of thousands of immigrants, was recently added to Biden’s transition team.
Biden has stated that he will cease construction of the border wall, telling National Public Radio in August that there will be “not another foot of wall”, and that his administration will close lawsuits aimed at confiscating land to make way for construction. His immigration plan will also rescind Trump’s declaration of a “national emergency” on the southern border, which the Trump administration has used to siphon funds from the Department of Defense to finance construction, circumventing Congress in an action recently declared illegal by an appeals court.
Some lawmakers along the border find these developments heartening, after Trump’s border wall construction has devastated sensitive ecosystems, tribal spaces, and communities, and has been continuously challenged in court.
“I very much expect a Biden administration to cancel construction contracts and instruct DoJ to close eminent domain lawsuits,” says the congressman Henry Cuellar, a Democrat who represents the south Texas district of Laredo, where plans for construction have been met with stiff resistance from locals who say it is unnecessary and would damage their community. “My constituents feel hopeful, because they know a Biden administration is not going to waste money on a useless, destructive wall.”
Since January 2017, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) say they have spent $15bn on “400 miles of new primary and secondary border wall system”, the vast majority of it financed by funds from the Department of Defense. Most of this consists of replacing or building on older barriers, not building on land where none existed before.
But while weary border activists see a potential ally in the Biden administration, many say that, while his electoral victory brought them a sense of relief, they are hoping for more than a return to the status quo.
“Stopping construction isn’t enough,” says Dror Ladin, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. “There has to be planning to dismantle particularly harmful sections of this wall in a responsible way and help heal the damage that has been done, both to communities and natural spaces.”
Donald Trump is not unique in his goal of militarizing the border, but his administration has tested the limits of executive authority in ways his predecessors did not. On 25 to 30 occasions, the Trump administration has invoked an obscure provision of the 2005 Real ID Act, which allows the secretary of homeland security to continue barrier construction without paying heed to any law that would stand in the way of expeditious construction efforts. The Trump administration has used it to bypass protections like the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Air Act. By comparison, the George Bush administration invoked the provision to waive laws five times.
A member of the Kumeyaay band of Indians during a rally at the US-Mexico border to protest construction of new wall on their ancestral grounds on 1 July 2020 in Boulevard, California. Photograph: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images
The Biden campaign did not respond to requests for comment from the Guardian inquiring whether or not his administration would support rescinding or reforming the provision of the act that allows for waivers.
While Matthew Dyman, a US Customs and Border Protection spokesman, said in an email that sometimes waivers are necessary for the “expeditious construction of border wall”, he also stated that they consult “relevant stakeholders to identify sensitive environmental resources”. But border activists are not convinced.
“That’s a joke,” said Vicki Gaubeca, the head of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, which advocates for policies that protect the rights of border communities. “There is absolutely no meaningful consultation with communities. They plow through without any thought to the impact.”
For those who have spent years in an uphill battle to stop Trump’s border wall, Biden’s pledge to end construction and close lawsuits comes as a relief. But some say his administration should go beyond the restoration of the status quo, which they say was broken long before Trump took office. According to activists, that will require an acknowledgment of Biden’s own contribution to the project of border militarization.
Stopping construction isn’t enough … There has to be planning to dismantle particularly harmful sections of this wall Dror Ladin, ACLU
During his time in the Senate, Biden voted for both the 2005 Real ID Act and the 2006 Secure Fence Act, which approved the construction of hundreds of miles of barriers along the southern border. During the Obama administration, when he served as vice-president, the government poured funds into agencies such as Ice and deported more than 3 million people. Biden has called those deportations a “big mistake” and throughout his presidential campaign said he would support a 100-day deportation freeze once in office. But he has largely remained silent on the question of a longer-term or complete moratorium on deportations, strategies that immigrant advocates and members of Congress continue to throw their support behind.
“To prove that they’re ‘tough’ on immigration, politicians push for more funds for border patrol, more barriers, more deportations,” says Laiken Jordahl, a borderlands campaigner with the Center for Biological Diversity, which has been in court fighting wall construction for several years. “All we get is militarization, and this makes life miserable for people actually living on the border.”
Many activists agree that the portion of the 2005 Real ID Act that gives the DHS the ability to waive environmental laws must be reformed or done away with.
“It’s ironic that in the name of bringing ‘law and order’ to the borderlands, the Trump administration has created a situation where no laws apply if they get in the way of the federal government,” says Jordahl.
Ivy Le, a press spokeswoman for the Texas Civil Rights Project, points out that for those threatened by construction on the border, Biden’s inauguration is still a long way off.
“If you’re a DHS employee who truly believes in Trump’s vision on the southern border, these next two months are your last chance to really leave your mark. We’re preparing for an onslaught,” says Le.
She warns that the fight to stabilize the border is far from over. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel some relief at Biden’s election, but a lot of people are still in danger. We’ve been fighting injustice on the border since before Trump, and we’ll still be fighting it after.”


theguardian--2020-11-17--Obama hails arrival of a more 'caring government' as memoir launches – video

In an interview marking the launch of his memoir A Promised Land , Barack Obama tells Oprah Winfrey that the @ @ @ @ @ Kamala Harris will help lead the US back to the 'competent , caring government we @ @ @ @ @ He lamented the standard of governance over the past four years , saying Biden and @ @ @ @ @ and show that the presidency will not label journalists 'enemies of the state ' or @ @ @

In an interview marking the launch of his memoir A Promised Land, Barack Obama tells Oprah Winfrey that the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will help lead the US back to the 'competent, caring government we so badly need'.
He lamented the standard of governance over the past four years, saying Biden and Harris will 'level set' and show that the presidency will not label journalists 'enemies of the state' or 'routinely lie'


theguardian--2020-11-17--Joe Biden says Trump blocking Covid plans may lead to more deaths – video

‘ The idea the president is still playing golf and not doing anything about it is beyond my comprehension .
@ @ @ @ @ ’ d at least want to go off on a positive note ’ , US @ @ @ @ @ said after a meeting with CEOs and labor leaders .
‘ I find this more @ @ @ @ @ debilitating for my ability to get started ’ , he said .
Biden warned that @ @ @ @ @ continues blocking a US transition of power as the coronavirus pandemic worsens , 'more people @ @ @ @ @ Biden warns 'more people may die ' unless Trump starts cooperating

‘The idea the president is still playing golf and not doing anything about it is beyond my comprehension. You’d think he’d at least want to go off on a positive note’, US president-elect, Joe Biden, said after a meeting with CEOs and labor leaders. ‘I find this more embarrassing for the country than debilitating for my ability to get started’, he said. Biden warned that if outgoing president Donald Trump continues blocking a US transition of power as the coronavirus pandemic worsens, 'more people may die'.


theguardian--2020-11-18--Coronavirus live news: senator Chuck Grassley tests positive; airlines offer Covid testing

The economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic are unequal and uneven .
Covid-19 has made some places more expensive to live in , others cheaper .
Paris and Zurich have joined Hong Kong as this year ’ s costliest cities worldwide , while Singapore and Osaka have slipped from their joint-top spot after the Covid-19 pandemic weakened the dollar , a survey published Wednesday showed .
The biggest mover was Tehran , which jumped 27 places on US sanctions , The Economist Intelligence Unit added in its Worldwide Cost of Living 2020 report .
The pandemic ’ s effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for places switching , the financial research group noted .
“ The Covid-19 pandemic has caused the US dollar to weaken while western European and north Asian currencies have strengthened against it , which in turn has shifted prices for goods and services , ” said Upasana Dutt , head of worldwide cost of living at The EIU .
The EIU said “ Singapore and Osaka , which have been dislodged from their joint-first with Hong Kong , find themselves at fourth and fifth ranks , respectively , with Osaka tying with Tel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Zurich to join Hong Kong at the top spot was spurred on by the rise of the euro and Swiss franc against the US dollar , as well as the comparative decline in the cost of living in the two Asian cities that previously sat at the top of the table , ” it added .
The report noted that prices in Singapore fell on an exodus of foreign workers .
“ With the city state ’ s overall population contracting for the first time since 2003 , demand has declined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Osaka has seen similar trends , with consumer prices stagnating and the Japanese government subsidising costs such as public transport.
” New York , the city the index is benchmarked against , fell to joint-seventh with Geneva , and Los Angeles fell to ninth , equal with Copenhagen .
“ The coronavirus pandemic has impacted spending habits all over the world , with the prices of essential goods proving more resilient than those deemed non-essential , ” the report said .
“ However , this translates to prices for staples , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ juice , remaining flat , rather than necessarily increasing .
“ Clothing was the only category to see an average fall in the index ... ( as ) many consumers delayed wardrobe changes.
” With office workers doing their jobs from home , consumer electronics saw the largest price rises on production shortages , the EIU added .

18 Nov 2020 23.06 GMT The US has seen more than 250,000 deaths due to the coronavirus pandemic as a new swathe of data was released that pushed the stricken country over the grim landmark on Wednesday. Latest figures from Johns Hopkins University showed that the number of people killed by Covid-19 is now 250,029. The news comes amid record infections across the US with the Trump administration repeatedly failing to get a grip on the Covid-19 crisis. Most recently Trump has refused to concede he lost the presidential election to Joe Biden who this week said “more people may die” if he continues to hamper his transition. US passes 250,000 deaths from coronavirus Read more
18 Nov 2020 22.51 GMT A grim dispatch by Associated Press from a hospital in Tennessee where staff are struggling to cope: Overwhelmed hospitals are converting chapels, cafeterias, waiting rooms, hallways, even a parking garage into patient treatment areas. Staff members are desperately calling around to other medical centers in search of open beds. Fatigue and frustration are setting in among front-line workers. Conditions inside the nation’s hospitals are deteriorating by the day as the coronavirus rages across the U.S. at an unrelenting pace and the death toll closes in on a quarter-million. “We are depressed, disheartened and tired to the bone,” said Alison Johnson, director of critical care at Johnson City Medical Center in Tennessee, adding that she drives to and from work some days in tears. The number of people in the hospital with Covid-19 in the U.S. has doubled in the past month and set new records every day this week. As of Tuesday, nearly 77,000 were hospitalized with the virus.
Updated at 23.30 GMT
18 Nov 2020 22.07 GMT Uruguay is starting to see a worrying rise in cases, sparking concern among government officials that the country could reverse course after a long period of containing the pandemic. The South American nation has confirmed just 4,208 positive cases and 68 deaths since the pandemic began, with voluntary quarantines, widespread tracing programs and random testing helping keep infection rates far lower than its South American neighbors. However, cases have jumped in the last month, crossing 100 daily cases for the first time. Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou has now opted for a government campaign to promote “responsible freedom,” with officials targeting young people ahead of the tourist season, calling on them to limit social gatherings and not share drinks. “The health authorities make a special request to the population to reduce the circles of social contact and meeting times, the permanent use of face masks, physical distancing, ventilation and hygiene,” Uruguay’s national emergency system said. Officials in the capital, Montevideo, where there are currently 449 active cases, are considering suspending celebrations for carnival, the country’s major festival set to begin in January. Health Ministry officials have asked laboratories to increase their analysis capacity for coronavirus testing, potentially doubling the current rate of about 4,000 test per day if cases continue to rise.
18 Nov 2020 21.55 GMT People arrive in their vehicles for a distribution of frozen turkeys and food boxes ahead of Thanksgiving to families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in Los Angeles, California. The annual Operation Gobble Gobble event is organized by Supervisor Hilda Solis and 43 nonprofit organisations. Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty Images
18 Nov 2020 21.34 GMT Brazil records further 756 deaths Brazil recorded 34,091 further confirmed cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours and 756 deaths, the country’s health ministry said. Brazil has registered more than 5.9 million cases of the virus since the pandemic began, while the official death toll has risen to 167,455, according to ministry data.
18 Nov 2020 21.25 GMT Canada is in talks with other governments about a plan to donate coronavirus vaccine shots to lower-income countries, sources told Reuters. Canada has made deals to buy more doses per capita than any other nation, according to researchers at the Duke Global Health Innovation Center in North Carolina. It is among a handful of wealthy nations that reserved billions of doses between them before late-stage trial data came in, ensuring they would get access even if only one or two vaccines worked. Canada could donate extra doses through the World Health Organization-backed COVAX facility, which would distribute them among recipient countries, said a Canadian government source. Separately, a COVAX source confirmed discussions were going on between Canada and other governments and organizations involved with COVAX, a facility created to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. Sources declined to be identified as the discussions are confidential. Asked about the issue in a parliamentary committee meeting on Monday, Deputy Procurement Minister Bill Matthews said Canada “would have options” if all seven suppliers had their vaccines approved but that it was “too early” for a plan.
18 Nov 2020 21.01 GMT A summary of today's developments France has reported 28,383 new confirmed coronavirus cases, compared to 45,522 on Tuesday. The country has also reported a further 425 deaths compared to 428 yesterday.
has reported 28,383 new confirmed coronavirus cases, compared to 45,522 on Tuesday. The country has also reported a further 425 deaths compared to 428 yesterday. US coronavirus death toll nears 250,000. According to Johns Hopkins University, 248,707 Americans have now died of the virus, and the country is expected to soon surpass more than 250,000 deaths. President-elect Joe Biden will virtually speak with frontline health care workers today, as the US coronavirus death toll continues to climb.
coronavirus death toll nears 250,000. According to Johns Hopkins University, 248,707 Americans have now died of the virus, and the country is expected to soon surpass more than 250,000 deaths. President-elect Joe Biden will virtually speak with frontline health care workers today, as the US coronavirus death toll continues to climb. Italy registers 753 deaths and 34,282 new infections. The critical threshold of Covid patients taking up 30% of intensive care has been exceeded in 17 Italian regions, according to figures on Wednesday. The central region of Abruzzo is the latest to be upgraded to a red zone as the situation deteriorates there, while doctors in the southern region of Puglia have asked for the region to also be upgraded. While Italy has almost doubled the availability of intensive care beds to 9,931 and increased the number of ventilators, just 625 more anaesthetists and resuscitators have been hired since the beginning of the pandemic.
registers 753 deaths and 34,282 new infections. The critical threshold of Covid patients taking up 30% of intensive care has been exceeded in 17 Italian regions, according to figures on Wednesday. The central region of Abruzzo is the latest to be upgraded to a red zone as the situation deteriorates there, while doctors in the southern region of Puglia have asked for the region to also be upgraded. While Italy has almost doubled the availability of intensive care beds to 9,931 and increased the number of ventilators, just 625 more anaesthetists and resuscitators have been hired since the beginning of the pandemic. Scottish police submit assessment on Margaret Ferrier MP. Scottish police have handed the results of an initial investigation to prosecutors into whether MP Margaret Ferrier broke the law when she took a train from London to Glasgow after testing positive.
police submit assessment on Margaret Ferrier MP. Scottish police have handed the results of an initial investigation to prosecutors into whether MP Margaret Ferrier broke the law when she took a train from London to Glasgow after testing positive. Switzerland : intensive care beds at full capacity. In a press statement on Tuesday, the Swiss Society for Intensive Medicine said all of the 876 certified ICU beds in Switzerland were occupied, advising vulnerable people to write down in a will whether they would like to receive life support in the event of a severe illness.
: intensive care beds at full capacity. In a press statement on Tuesday, the Swiss Society for Intensive Medicine said all of the 876 certified ICU beds in Switzerland were occupied, advising vulnerable people to write down in a will whether they would like to receive life support in the event of a severe illness. Pfizer vaccine reports 95% efficacy. Pfizer had reported that its coronavirus vaccine has an efficacy of 95% effective and that it has passed its safety checks, according to further data from the firm.
18 Nov 2020 20.36 GMT Air France-KLM is among the airlines gearing up for the challenge of transporting millions of doses of temperature-sensitive Covid-19 vaccines in the midst of a travel slump. Breakthrough vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna have yet to win final approval, but the drugmakers, their logistics and cargo providers are not waiting for a green light to activate freight plans. “It’s going to be a major logistics challenge,” said Air France cargo chief Christophe Boucher, citing the “massive” volume of vaccines to be distributed globally.
“Another difficulty is the temperature control,” Boucher said in an interview at ParisCharles de Gaulle airport - where cargo specialists were preparing to load consignments of super-cooled rabies vaccines bound for Brazil. The Covid-19 airlift is being planned amid a partial shutdown of global air travel. Airlines have warned that travel curbs could hamper the effort, since around 45% of global cargo typically travels in passenger plane holds. Meanwhile, Pfizer Inc said it had offered to provide Brazil with millions of doses of the vaccine in the first half of 2021, amid evidence the coronavirus is spreading more rapidly in South America’s largest country.
18 Nov 2020 20.24 GMT A Kuwaiti health worker conducts PCR test at a COVID-19 drive-thru testing centre near Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City. Kuwait has carried out over one million COVID-19 tests since the start of the pandemic. Photograph: Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP/Getty Images
18 Nov 2020 20.13 GMT The WHO’s emergencies director has warned that vaccines would not arrive in time to defeat the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pfizer said a completed study of its experimental vaccine showed it was 95 per cent effective, while fellow US firm Moderna said this week that its own candidate was 94.5 percent effective. Russia claims its candidate is more than 90 percent effective. The WHO’s Michael Ryan said vaccines should not be seen as a “unicorn” magic solution - and countries battling a resurgence of the virus would once again have to “climb this mountain” without them. “I think it’s at least four to six months before we have significant levels of vaccination going on anywhere,” he said. 00:51 Covid vaccines should not be seen as 'unicorn' solution, says WHO chief – video Despite recent promising announcements from final-phase candidate vaccine trials, “We’re not there with vaccines yet,” said Ryan. “Many countries are going through this wave, and they’re going to go through this wave, and continue through this wave, without vaccines. “We need to understand and internalise that, and realise: we have got to climb this mountain this time, without vaccines.” The vaccines from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc could be ready for US authorisation and distribution within weeks, setting the stage for inoculation to begin as soon as this year, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. “We now have two safe and highly effective vaccines that could be authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and ready to distribute within weeks,” Azar said.
Updated at 21.26 GMT