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Trump Brokers a Historic Peace Agreement Between Israel and Sudan

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A future in which Arabs and Israelis, Muslims, Jews, and Christians can live together, pray together, and dream together, side by side, in harmony, community, and peace.

STRIKING ANOTHER HISTORIC AGREEMENT: President Donald J. Trump has brokered a peace agreement between Sudan and Israel – the third such agreement between Israel and an Arab-Muslim nation in less than three months. 


  • Today, Israel and Sudan have agreed to make peace and to normalize their relations in another landmark agreement brokered by President Trump.
  • In the coming weeks, the two countries will begin negotiations on cooperation agreements in agriculture, economy, trade, aviation, migration issues, and other areas of mutual benefit.
  • This historic peace agreement follows similar agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
    • The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan are the first Arab nations to normalize relations with Israel in over 25 years.
  • The expansion of the Abraham Accords to include Sudan is a significant step that will further enhance Israel’s security and create opportunities for Sudan and Israel to deepen their economic ties and improve the lives of their people.


BEGINNING A NEW ERA FOR SUDAN: This agreement is a historic step forward for the people of Sudan and the new transitional government.

  • After decades living under a brutal Islamist dictatorship that supported terrorism, the people of Sudan are in charge and democracy is taking root.
  • The Sudanese transitional government has demonstrated tremendous courage and commitment to combating terrorism, building its democratic institutions, and improving its relations with its neighbors.
  • The United States welcomes this important progress and stands ready to support the people of Sudan as they work to build a better future for themselves and future generations.



CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR PEACE: After decades of instability and crisis, nations across the Middle East and Africa are increasingly working together to build a more peaceful, prosperous future.

  • Since taking office, President Trump has worked to rebuild trust with our regional partners and identify their shared interests, moving them away from the conflicts of the past.
  • Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, the Middle East and Africa are experiencing the most rapid geopolitical transformation in over a generation.
  • As more countries normalize relations with Israel, the region will become more stable, secure, and prosperous.
  • The United States will continue to stand with the people of the region as they work to build a brighter, more hopeful future.



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President Trump National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking

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Trump Administration: This week, the White House released the first-ever comprehensive National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking.  The National Action Plan (NAP) represents the broad-based, multi-disciplinary, whole-of-government strategy of the United States to eradicate human trafficking.  This plan is built around the three pillars laid out in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000: Prevention, Protection, and Prosecution.  The NAP’s fourth pillar recognizes the invaluable benefit of implementing collaborative and cooperative efforts that crosscut all three pillars and involve a multitude of stakeholders and professionals from various disciplines and sectors.  Under the heading of each pillar, the NAP identifies foundational principles and associated priority action items.


Human trafficking is an intolerable blight on any society that values freedom, individual rights, human dignity, and the rule of law.  The Trump Administration is committed to leveraging every resource we have to confront this threat, support victims, and hold traffickers accountable.  To read the National Action Plan, please click here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/NAP-to-Combat-Human-Trafficking.pdf.  There is also an Executive Summary and One Page Brief that summarize the full plan.



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Over 1 million mail-in ballots could be rejected in the US election — and the rules are changing by the day

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THE CONVERSATION

Sarah John, Flinders University
In the US election next month, record-breaking numbers of voters will cast their ballots by mail for the first time. Millions of these ballots will be processed by local election administrations inexperienced with large numbers of mail-in votes.

In this environment, many ballots are likely to be rejected for technical reasons, such as non-matching signatures (the signature on the ballot doesn’t match the signature on voter registration forms), raising the risk of protracted court battles in key battleground states.

Already, lawsuits are being filed in many of these states to try to prevent or reduce ballot rejections, which, perversely, may only make the problem worse if voters can’t keep track of constantly changing rules.

Large numbers of ballot rejections could prove pivotal if the race is close in key states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, which Donald Trump won by less than 80,000 votes in total in 2016 to claim victory over Hillary Clinton.

But there is also a longer-term risk to voters’ belief in the fundamentals of democracy itself if they cast a ballot that literally does not count.

How many ballots could be rejected?


According to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), a federal agency created to help states modernise their voting systems after the “hanging chads” problem in the 2000 presidential election, less than 5% of voters in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin voted by mail in 2016.

But 2020 will be different. In Pennsylvania, 2.5 million voters requested mail-in ballots — about eight times as many as 2016. And more than ten times as many North Carolinians requested mail-in ballots in 2020 than 2016.


A dramatic increase like this could very easily overwhelm county election administrators who are unfamiliar with the system and under-resourced to process masses of mail-in ballots.

In every election with mail-in voting, some ballots are not counted for reasons unrelated to the eligibility of the voter. Most commonly, these “rejected” ballots arrived too late, lacked the requisite signature or “secrecy” envelope or had some other technical problem.




Read more:
Mail-in voting’s potential problems only begin at the post office – an underfunded, underprepared decentralized system could be trouble


In the 2016 presidential election, the EAC found about 1% of the 33.4 million total absentee ballots were rejected — or about 319,000 overall.

However, in some counties, rates were much higher. Nassau County, an affluent county just outside New York City, reported rejecting 82% of its mail-in ballots (mostly because they missed the deadline). Greene County, Arkansas, reported rejecting 48% of its mail-in ballots (mostly because the voter did not write their address on the envelope, which is a requirement in Arkansas).

It is likely more ballots could be rejected in this year’s election — USA Today estimates more than 1 million, if half the nation votes by mail.

We got our first taste of the problem during the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries earlier this year. More than 550,000 ballots were rejected in these contests — nearly twice as many as the 2016 general election.

Mishmash of laws and court rulings


Even in normal times, voting by mail is complex. Technical requirements and formats vary greatly from state to state.

Some states, like Pennsylvania, require the ballot to be ensconced in a second “secrecy” envelope. Without this, the ballot will be rejected.

And six states, including the key battleground states of North Carolina and Wisconsin, require a witness to verify the voter’s signature. Without this, the ballot will be rejected.

Unsurprisingly, research reveals inexperienced voters, including younger voters, are more likely to have their mail-in ballots rejected.

And while there is no evidence mail-in voting leads to widespread voter fraud — as Trump has repeatedly claimed — rejected ballots do have the potential to determine election outcomes.


For this reason, rules about accepting and rejecting mail-in ballots are currently the subject of hundreds of court actions.

In the absence of a concerted national effort to reduce ballot rejection rates, citizen and activist groups and Democratic state party organisations have filed lawsuits seeking to remove technical requirements for mail-in ballots in numerous states.

Republican state party organisations, meanwhile, are appealing those decisions and challenging policy changes that loosen technical requirements.




Read more:
No mail-in votes, proof of citizenship: the long history of preventing minorities from voting in the US


Using the courts in this way creates uncertainty, and may even serve to increase the number of ballots that are rejected.

In some states, court rulings that have loosened requirements have been overturned only weeks later by higher courts. In early October, for example, the US Supreme Court reinstated the witness requirement for South Carolinian mail-in voters after a lower court had ordered it removed.

Consequently, South Carolina voters have received mail-in ballots with outdated instructions, increasing the risk their votes will be rejected.

Every day, there are new court rulings. For example, last week, a Michigan appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that prevented ballots from being rejected if they arrived late, so long as they were postmarked November 2 or earlier.

This week, the US Supreme Court ruled mail-in ballots could be counted for up to three days after election day in Pennsylvania, so long as they were postmarked by November 3.


This decision could prove critical in a tight race. Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 by just 44,000 votes out of some 6 million cast.

And in Texas, which has the most restrictive voting rules of anywhere in the country, an appeals court overturned a lower court decision this week to allow election officials to reject ballots without matching signatures without giving voters a chance to challenge.


Will ballot rejections erode trust in democracy?


There are long-term risks to these battles over mail-in voting, as well.

Voters would understandably be disheartened to learn their ballots were rejected in the election — and their votes didn’t count — after they went to the effort of voting by mail. This risks a genuine disengagement with the electoral system.

Researchers in Scotland have found high rates of ballot rejections in the 2007 Scottish parliament elections caused many to question the fairness of the electoral system, possibly resulting in lower voter turnout rates in future elections.




Read more:
Mail-in voting is safe and reliable – 5 essential reads


Not much research has emerged in the US on the effects of ballot rejection on future political participation. But this will likely change after this election, particularly if ballot rejections are widespread.

We should expect to hear many angry partisan allegations about “naked” ballots (those missing special secrecy envelopes), postmarks and signatures in the weeks after the election.

But we should also spare a thought for the citizens who find out the ballots they diligently returned were rejected on a technicality. They may not be so inclined to vote again in the future.The Conversation

Sarah John, College of Business, Government and Law, Flinders University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Before China Virus, US Incomes Hit a Record High and Poverty Reached a Record Low in 2019

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President Trump

Data released by the Census Bureau today show that 2019 was a historic year for raising Americans’ living standards. Real median household income reached a record high, and poverty reached a record low. Improvements in income and poverty were the largest in over 50 years. Minority groups—including black, Hispanic and Asian Americans—experienced the largest gains.

Median income reaches all-time high after largest one-year increase on record

Real median household income increased by $4,400 in 2019, reaching an all-time record high of $68,700. This represents a 6.8 percent one-year increase, which is the largest one-year increase in median income on record. Since 2016, real median household income has increased by 9.7 percent (after adjusting for a Census survey redesign in 2017).

Income gains in 2019 were largest for minority groups. Real median income grew by 7.9 percent for black Americans, 7.1 percent for Hispanic Americans, and 10.6 percent for Asian Americans (see Figure 1). These one-year increases were all record highs, and the new income levels reached in 2019 were all record highs, as well.


As incomes grew, income inequality fell for the second consecutive year. Between 2017 and 2019, the Gini index of income inequality fell from 0.489 to 0.484. Over the same two-year period, the share of income held by the top 20 percent fell by 0.4 percentage points.-



The rise in income was driven by an increase in the number of workers, especially women. There were 2.2 million more people working at some point in 2019 compared with 2018, and 1.2 million more people working full-time year-round. The full 1.2 million increase in full-time year-round workers was attributable to women.

Poverty hits record low after largest decrease in over 50 years

Incomes grew across the distribution, and poverty plummeted as a result. The official poverty rate fell to an all-time record low of 10.5 percent in 2019. Over 4 million people were lifted out of poverty between 2018 and 2019 for a 1.3 percentage point decrease. This was the largest reduction in poverty in over 50 years.



Minority groups led the way in poverty alleviation. Compared to the overall poverty rate reduction of 1.3 percentage points, black poverty fell by 2.0 percentage points, Hispanic poverty fell by 1.8 percentage points, and Asian poverty fell by 2.8 percentage points (see Figure 2). The poverty rate fell to an all-time record low for every race and ethnic group in 2019. Notably, the black poverty rate fell below 20 percent for the first time in history.



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Children fared even better than the overall population. Child poverty fell to a near 50-year low in 2019, falling by 1.8 percentage points to 14.4 percent. Since 2016, 2.8 million children have been lifted out of poverty, including over 1 million Hispanic children.



The reduction in poverty during the Trump Administration is unprecedented. Between 2016 and 2019, 6.6 million people were lifted out of poverty, the largest 3-year reduction to start any presidency since the initial drop that began the War on Poverty in 1964. The 1.2 million black Americans lifted out of poverty since 2016 is also the largest reduction on record—spanning over 50 years—for the first 3 years of any President’s administration.



Data collection issues due to COVID-19



It is important to note that data collection efforts for the income and poverty estimates were affected by COVID-19. The response rate fell by about 10 percentage points as households became more difficult to reach. Despite these issues, the data quality met usual Census Bureau standards. In addition, Census Bureau research suggests that even after accounting for potential issues with response rates, real median income still would have increased and poverty still would have decreased by large magnitudes.



Pro-Growth Policies Work



The Census Bureau’s income and poverty estimates for 2019 show what’s possible under the Trump Administration’s pro-growth policies. With over 2 million new workers in 2019—fueled by female full-time, year-round workers—incomes grew at the highest pace ever recorded. As incomes grew, poverty fell to an all-time low. The one-year poverty rate decrease was the largest in over 50 years. Minority groups experienced the largest improvements—and for the first time ever, fewer than one in every five black Americans suffers from poverty.



The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted this historic progress in 2020. But the strong recovery has vastly outperformed expectations, and almost half of the jobs lost by April had already returned by August. While the recovery is far from complete with millions of Americans still out of work, the Census Bureau’s latest income and poverty numbers have set a new standard: 2019 was the best year for household economic gains in half a century in America. Under the Trump Administration’s pro-growth policies, this standard can be achieved again



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Dan eases restrictions on travel, outdoor gatherings, sport,hairdressers and auctions.

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Dan Andrews: There’s been plenty said about how challenging 2020 has been.

And it’s true. This year has asked more of us – taken more from us – than any year, ever.

But 2020 has also proven, without doubt, the incredible courage of Victorians.

We have found it in ourselves to stay the course. And as a state – millions strong – we are defeating this virus.

Other places around the world have not been so successful.

Back in August and at our peak, we reported 725 daily cases. At the same time, the UK recorded 891.

Today, as Victoria records two new cases, the UK hit 16,171. And as we continue easing our restrictions – they are being forced to increase theirs.

We are seeing states and cities, not so different from our own, overwhelmed by their second wave.

Doctors and nurses being asked to decide which of their patients are most worthy of their care.



And communities – entire countries – confronting the reality that this will be “normal” until there is a vaccine.



We have escaped that awful eventuality. With modest acts of greatness and kindness, we have endured this – together.



Today, and on the strength of that success, we’ve been able to progress a number of changes.



I know these changes can’t be absolutely everything everyone wants. But they are the steps we can safely take that will make life a little bit easier.



From 11:59pm tonight, the five-kilometre limit for exercise and shopping will be extended to 25 kilometres. The two-hour time limit for exercise and socialising will also fall away.



Outdoor sports settings like tennis courts, golf courses and skateparks will be able to reopen.



All allied health professionals currently operating will be able to resume routine face-to-face care.



Outdoor real estate auctions will be able to take place with up to 10 people, plus the required staff.



And in good news for those sizing up the scissors or cautiously contemplating a buzzcut – hairdressers will be able to open, with strict safety protocols in place.



From tonight, groups of up to ten people from two households will also be able to gather in outdoor public places. That could be for exercise – or a picnic in the park.



I know some people will reasonably ask why it’s limited to two households – and not five or ten. But by limiting the number of households, we’re limiting any potential spread of the virus.



We’re also able to get thousands of more Victorians back to work – particularly those who work outside. That includes tradies undertaking outdoor maintenance and repair work, mobile pet groomers and photographers.



These are the changes we can safely make from tonight.



We need to wait just a bit longer – until 11:59pm on 1 November – to take the rest of the Third Step that will see retail, hospitality and personal care services open again.



This is a timeline that is based on the current advice of our public health team.



But if we continue to track well on the most important indicators – case averages, mystery cases, test numbers and the number of days people wait before they get tested – we may be in a position to move sooner.



These indicators help tell us the story that sits behind a case – and understand how we can safely make our next moves.



My commitment to Melburnians: we’ll review this data each and every day this week and when we get to next weekend, if we can move any earlier and do it safely, we will.



When we do reach the Third Step it will also mean we move from “stay home” to “stay safe” – with no restrictions on the reasons to leave home.



Under this step, all remaining retail will open. Restaurants, cafes and pubs will open. And personal and beauty services will be able to offer treatments to clients – as long as a face mask can be worn.



These businesses will be able to have staff onsite for a ‘dark opening’ from 28 October, giving them time to prepare to open their doors to the public.



We’ll also be able to go a bit further on home visits too – allowing households to have two people and their dependents visit their home once per day.



The other aspects of our roadmap – from accommodation to outdoor sport – will also be introduced.



I know there’ll be plenty of people who want to know when they can head to regional Victoria.



And unfortunately, for now, that’s off the cards. As we’ve seen this week, this virus is wildly infectious – and we all need to help protect the hard-won gains of our regional communities.



Because we are doing so well in regional Victoria, we’re able to make a few changes there too.



From tonight, regional libraries and toy libraries will be able to open to a maximum of 20 people indoors.



People will be able to hold outdoor religious gatherings with up to 20 people – and 50 from 1 November.



And in good news for our regional hospitality businesses, they’ll be able to host up to 40 customers indoors and up to 70 outdoors from 11:59pm tonight. 



Staying safe is more important than ever. So please, keep wearing a mask, keep maintaining your distance – and if you feel sick, get tested and stay home.



I understand that for some these changes won’t be enough. They’ll want more – and they’ll want it sooner.



But the whole way through this, we have been guided by our public health experts and their advice.



None of us ever want to do this again.



We have come too far – sacrificed too much – to give up now. We are so close.



These are the safe, steady steps that will see us out of this – and see us through to the other side.



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Download the table of changes for metro Melbourne PDF 150.96 KB

First Lady Melania Trump “My personal experience with COVID-19.”

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First Lady Melania Trump: It was two weeks ago when I received the diagnosis that so many Americans across our country and the world had already received—I tested positive for COVID-19. To make matters worse, my husband, and our nation’s Commander-in-Chief, received the same news.

Naturally, my mind went immediately to our son. To our great relief, he tested negative, but again, as so many parents have thought over the past several months, I couldn’t help but think “what about tomorrow or the next day?”. My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms. In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative.

I was very fortunate as my diagnosis came with minimal symptoms, though they hit me all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after. I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time. I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food. We had wonderful caretakers around us and we will be forever grateful for the medical care and professional discretion we received from Dr. Conley and his team. It was an unfamiliar feeling for me to be the patient instead of a person trying to encourage our nation to stay healthy and safe. It was me being taken care of now, and getting the first-hand experience with all that COVID-19 can do. As the patient, and the person benefitting from so much medical support, I found myself even more grateful and in awe of caretakers and first responders everywhere. To the medical staff and the residence staff who have been taking care of our family—thank you doesn’t say enough.


Recovering from an illness gives you a lot of time to reflect. When my husband was taken to Walter Reed as a precaution, I spent much of my time reflecting on my family. I also thought about the hundreds of thousands of people across our country who have been impacted by this illness that infects people with no discrimination. We are in unprecedented times—and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy.

It also cheered me to think of all the people I have met across our country and the world—and the goodness and compassion that exists if you seek it out. Our country has overcome many hardships and much adversity, and it is my hope COVID-19 will be another obstacle we will be able to tell future generations we overcame—and learned from in the process.

I encourage everyone to continue to live the healthiest life they can. A balanced diet, fresh air, and vitamins really are vital to keep our bodies healthy. For your complete well-being, compassion and humility are just as important in keeping our minds strong. For me personally, the most impactful part of my recovery was the opportunity to reflect on many things—family, friendships, my work, and staying true to who you are.



I am happy to report that I have tested negative and hope to resume my duties as soon as I can. Along with this good news, I want people to know that I understand just how fortunate my family is to have received the kind of care that we did. If you are sick, or if you have a loved one who is sick—I am thinking of you and will be thinking of you every day. I pray for our country and I pray for everyone who is grappling with COVID-19 and any other illnesses or challenges.



Thank you to everyone who reached out, and offered well wishes and prayers for our family. You remain in ours as well.



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President Donald J. Trump Rally in Johnstown, PA

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President Trump Holds Make America Great Again Rally in Johnstown, PA 

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Trump peaceful protest, Get out and vote. Vote these people into oblivion.

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THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. And keep that enthusiasm going. Get out and vote. We got to vote. We got to vote these people into oblivion. (Applause.) Vote them into oblivion. Got to get rid of them. So bad for our country.

First of all, I’m feeling great. I don’t know about you. How’s everyone feeling? Good? (Applause.)

And I’m honoured to welcome — we call this a “peaceful protest” — to the White House in support of the incredible men and women of law enforcement and all of the people that work so well with us. And I have to tell you, our black community, our Hispanic community, thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.)

But before going any further, I want to thank all of you for your prayers. I know you’ve been praying, and I was — (applause) — in that hospital. I was watching down over so many people. And I went out to say hello to those people, and I took a little heat for it, but I’d do it again, let me tell you. I’d do it again. (Applause.)

And on behalf of myself and the First Lady, it just has been really an incredible outpouring. And we’re starting very, very big with our rallies and with our everything because we cannot allow our country to become a socialist nation. (Applause.) We cannot let that happen. And that’s what would happen — or worse. By the way, or worse.

I want you to know our nation is going to defeat this terrible China virus, as we call it. (Applause.) And we’re producing powerful therapies and drugs, and we’re healing the sick, and we’re going to recover. And the vaccine is coming out very, very quickly, in record time, as you know. It’s coming out very, very soon. We have great, great companies doing it, and they’ll be distributing it, and we will — through our military — very, very rapidly.

Through the power of the American — the American spirit, I think more than anything else, science, medicine will eradicate the China virus once and for all. We’ll get rid of it. All over the world, you see big flare-ups in Europe, big flare-ups in Canada — a very big flare-up in Canada; you saw that today. A lot of flare-ups. But it’s going to disappear; it is disappearing. And vaccines are going to help, and the therapeutics are going to help a lot.



I just want to thank everyone this afternoon. What beautiful colors. Where did you get that color, Candace? (Applause.) Where did that come from? That’s — what a beautiful color. I want to get one of them. I want to put one of them on instead of a white shirt. I want to thank you, though, seriously.


Every day, more black and Latino Americans are leaving behind left-wing politicians and their failed ideology. (Applause.) That’s what they are. They failed for many years and many, many decades.



Democrats have run nearly every inner city in America — and I mean for a hundred years — and their policies have delivered nothing but calamity, poverty, and trouble. Sleepy Joe Biden has betrayed black and Latino Americans. If you think he can run this country, you’re wrong.



THE PRESIDENT: For half a century — shipping your jobs to China. That’s what they’ve been doing. We’re bringing the jobs back. We’ve been bringing them back. (Applause.) We’ve been charging China a lot of money too, with the tariffs. A lot of money. Billions and billions of dollars.



Opening your borders to mass illegal immigration. The wall is now 380 miles long; it’ll soon be finished. (Applause.) Trapping us in endless foreign wars — these ridiculous foreign wars that last for 19 years. Our people are coming back home. You know that.



And selling you out to the rich, globalist Wall Street donors. They have the Wall Street donors. They want the Wall Street donors. Someday, somebody is going to have to write a little story about that.



Black and Latino Americans are rejecting the radical socialist left, and they’re embracing our pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-police — we want law and order; we have to have law and order — and pro-American agenda.



I want to thank the BLEXIT Foundation for organizing this event. (Applause.) Thank you very much. Thank you. And especially your two founders, two friends of mine, great people: Candace Owens and former Tucson police officer Brandon Tatum. Thank you both. (Applause.) Great job. What a great job. Two really brilliant, smart, young people. Great. And thank you very much for being here. We really appreciate it.



So you just marched to the White House because you understand, to protect the lives of black Americans and all Americans, you have to have your police support you. You have to have that. (Applause.)



If the left gains power, they’ll launch a nationwide crusade against law enforcement. And they’ve already done that. And you see them; they’re doing that at a level that nobody has ever seen before.



The other day, in the debate, Biden couldn’t even use the words “law enforcement.” I said, “Say ‘law enforcement.’ Say ‘law enforcement.’” And he was bailed out by the anchor. Then I said — then I said, very simply — I said, “Name one law enforcement group that’s supporting you.” He couldn’t do it. But he was bailed out by the anchor. Second time bailed. He got bailed out by that anchor a lot.



Taking their funds away, their firearms, their fundamental authorities — taking everything away, including your freedom. Joe Biden even said, when you call 911, a therapist should answer the call. That doesn’t work. That doesn’t work. But this is the people telling him what, because he doesn’t say. He’s told what to say.



You saw what they introduced today. They’ve gone through a period of years: “No fracking, no fracking, no fracking.” All of a sudden, he gets the nomination and he says there’s going to be fracking. For Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, all of you, there will be — if it happens, all of those jobs are gone; your energy jobs are gone, if they get in. Just remember I said it. Okay? Just remember.



Biden —



AUDIENCE MEMBER: It’s not going to happen!



THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think so either. (Applause.)
There’s been — and I have to say, there’s been more enthusiasm — we have had more enthusiasm right now, right now, this year, than we had four years ago by a factor of three times. (Applause.) And we had a lot. And they had none. They have no enthusiasm.



AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!



THE PRESIDENT: They have no enthusiasm. In fact, the gap is so incredible, and a poll just came out. I think it said 56 percent of the people prefer their position now in the midst of a pandemic than they did four years ago. Think of what that means — 56. And it’s a Gallup poll, and it’s the highest poll ever recorded — 56 percent. Now, tell me about that.



No, we had it going, and we really had it going, and then the plague came in from China, but we’re getting rid of that, and we’re rebuilding it, and it’s going to be better than it was even before. (Applause.)



But the homes and churches and businesses of black and Hispanic Americans have been looted; you know that. They’ve been vandalized and burned by left-wing fanatics. Total bad people. They know what they’re doing. Yet Biden likes to call them “peaceful protesters.” You see people —



AUDIENCE: Booo —



THE PRESIDENT: You see anchors from a couple of the very bad, very corrupt networks standing, and behind them, the cities are burning and they’re saying these are peaceful protests. And you look, and everything is on fire.



And I want to thank our law enforcement, and I want to thank everybody in the community and the community drives who are working with law enforcement. I want to thank them. (Applause.) I think we probably have the support of every law enforcement group in this country, practically. I don’t know of any that I don’t. Maybe there must be some; there must be one. They’ll find one tonight. They’ll say, “No, he misrepresented.”



But we have a level of support the likes of which nobody has I don’t think ever seen before. I don’t think so. And you’re going to see that. And you see how many crooked ballots are being found and turned back in and fraudulent? Just what I said. Then they’ll say, “He doesn’t believe in freedom.” I totally believe in freedom. That’s called “freedom.” What we’re doing is freedom. (Applause.)



Tremendous problems with the ballots. Fifty thousand in Ohio. Twenty-five thousand — you have to see it. I mean, every day, there’s a story about ballots. Some thrown out; they happen to have the name “Trump.” Military ballots were thrown out with the name “Trump” on them. Okay?



AUDIENCE: Booo —



THE PRESIDENT: But I think we’re to swamp them by so much. Hopefully it’s not going to matter. And we have law enforcement watching. We have law enforcement watching all those ballots. They’re being found for a reason.



Left-wing politicians like Kamala Harris, who really did not do very well the other night —



AUDIENCE: Booo —



THE PRESIDENT: By the way, did our Vice President do a good job, Candace? Did he? (Applause.) That was — that was easy for him.



No, he did a great job, because we’re on the side of right. We really are. We’re on the side of right. And, by the way, we are, and it’s true. And I say it, and I say it all the time now, more and more: We are draining the swamp like nobody in history has ever drained the swamp. (Applause.) Nobody in history has ever drained.



We’re here today to deliver a united message to police officers all across our great land that American — and I mean every American, every race and color, we love you. Every race, color, creed, we support you, we honor you. It’s a dangerous profession. They’ve been doing an incredible job, and I just want to thank them on behalf of everybody here today, because that’s why we’re safe. (Applause.)



In contrast, the Democrats’ socialist program and platform — and it really is more than socialist. It’s not just socialist; it’s beyond socialism.



AUDIENCE MEMBER: Communist!



THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) He says “communist.” That’s — yeah, that’s about right.



But I recently announced my plan to deliver more opportunity, security, fairness, and prosperity to the black community, to the Hispanic community. (Applause.) And you know what it is — I don’t have to go over it — but it’s the Platinum Plan, and it’s going to bring back new jobs, like at a level that you’ve never seen before. And we’ve done a lot. We’ve done a lot.



But increase capital. It’s going to increase money coming into the black community, to the Hispanic community, where it’s been very much shut out. In advance, very much homeownership and wealth building. And it’s already taken place, and it’s taken place at a level. And had we not been hit by the pandemic, you would have seen numbers like you’ve never seen before. But those numbers are already rebuilding again. (Applause.)



We’re going to build up a peaceful and safer neighborhood program, like — like you haven’t seen, with the highest standards of policing. We’ll create a healthcare system that delivers better care at a lower cost. Obamacare is a disaster. We want to terminate it, we want to get great healthcare, and that’s what we’re doing: great healthcare. And we’ll always take care of preexisting conditions, always. (Applause.)



And I think we’re at a point where we’re getting. And right now, if you look at what we’ve done in healthcare — people don’t talk about it; we’ve done an incredible job. Less expensive healthcare at a much, much — much better healthcare at a much less expensive price. You can’t do better than that. And it’s happening, and it’s happening fast.



Another thing is school choice. (Applause.) You have to have school choice. Charter schools, school choice.



So I make this statement every once in a while, and people think it’s a little bit on the bold side, but we’ve achieved a historic reduction in violent crime. We signed a landmark criminal justice reform bill that nobody thought was possible to even think about. (Applause.) I did that. I did that. I got that done. And I worked with a lot of people, but we got it done. The Obama administration couldn’t get it done. Biden couldn’t even think about it. He doesn’t even know what it is. (Laughter.)



We have a — we have prison reform. We achieved the lowest black and Hispanic unemployment rate in the history of our country. (Applause.) The black youth unemployment rate reached the lowest ever, again, in the history of our country.



And last year, black and Hispanic American poverty reached the lowest ever in the history of our country. It’s all building back up so quickly. (Applause.)



And if you look at what we’ve done with criminal justice reform, if you look at what we’ve done with historically black colleges and universities, where we funded them; they couldn’t get funded. Nobody was funding them. For years and years and decades, nobody was funding them.



And if you look at what we’ve done with Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, Opportunity Zones and the jobs created — and I’ve said it very strongly, and perhaps — I don’t know, criminal justice reform, people say maybe that’s the best of all, but the fact is they’re all great. Every one of them is great. And I say the fact is that I’ve done more for the black community than any president since Abraham Lincoln. I say it. Nobody can dispute it. (Applause.) Nobody can dispute it. It’s true. Nobody can dispute it.



So we are now beginning the fastest economic recovery in history. We created a record 11.4 million jobs just in the last four months. That’s the fastest ever. The U.S. has seen the smallest economic contraction of any major nation anywhere in the world. So we’ve seen the smallest going down. If you look at it, that’s an incredible statement.



Our opponents will crush the comeback with unscientific lockdowns. They want to lock everything down. Here we go again. They want to lock it down. No.



AUDIENCE: Booo —



THE PRESIDENT: We’re not going to let it happen. We’re not going to let it happen. So important you get out and vote. You got to get out and vote.



So we got a great poll in Florida, got a great poll in North Carolina, got a great poll in Arizona. (Applause.) Got a great poll in Nevada. Actually got it. Just got a great poll in Nevada. I think we’re doing really well. I mean, this is in addition to states that we’re going to win. Georgia is looking fantastic. Texas is looking fantastic. (Applause.)



Well, think about Texas: They have no oil. They don’t want oil, they don’t want guns, they don’t want religion. I don’t think you’re going to win Texas very well. (Applause.)



No, we got a great poll in Texas. We’re getting great polls all over the place, and they understand it. It’s driving them crazy. And you know why though? And, Candace, it is — it’s because of the spirit. There’s a spirit the likes of which this country hasn’t seen in a very, very long time.



So I just want to thank you all for being on the White House lawn, this beautiful great lawn. (Applause.) And I’m very proud of this country. I’m very, very proud.



I want to thank all of the doctors and labs and scientists and all of the people that are working so hard, because we’re way ahead of everybody. But I just want to thank most particularly you, because you people come out and you come out, and you cheer and you love your country, and you get it. You’re way, way ahead of many, many people in this country.



But the country is getting it. The country is seeing something now.



AUDIENCE: We love you! We love you! We love you!



THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. I love you too. Thank you.



AUDIENCE: We love you! We love you! We love you!



THE PRESIDENT: The people of our country — and the whole world is watching — are seeing things now that they haven’t seen in this country for decades. They’re seeing a spirit and a resilience like they haven’t seen.



I just want to thank you. And get out and vote. We got to make this bigger than even four years ago. It’s more important. This is the most important election we’ve ever had. This is more important than even four years ago. I used to say “the most important,” and it was true at the time. This is the single-most important election in the history of our country.



Get out and vote. And I love you. Thank you. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you, Candace.



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Putin, Russia successfully tests new hypersonic Tsirkon missile


President Vladimir Putin met with Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces – First Deputy Defence Minister Valery Gerasimov.





President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Mr Gerasimov. Go ahead, please.





Chief of the General Staff of Russia’s Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov: Good afternoon, Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief,





-
Frigate Admiral Gorshkov deployed in the White Sea a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target in the Barents Sea. Photo Kremlin




Here is what I have to report. At 7:15 am yesterday, the frigate Admiral Gorshkov deployed in the White Sea, for the first time fired a Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missile at a sea target in the Barents Sea.





The goal has been achieved. The test firing has been declared successful. The missile destroyed the target in a direct hit.





The missile covered a distance of 450 kilometres. The maximum altitude of its trajectory was 28 kilometres. The flight lasted 4.5 minutes. The missile reached the hypersonic speed of over Mach 8.





Following the state tests, the Tsirkon system will be deployed on submarines and surface ships.





This concludes my report.





Vladimir Putin: Mr Gerasimov,





The Tsirkon project and the stage you have reported today – the successful test flight of the missile – are a major event not only for the Armed Forces but also for the nation as a whole. Supplying our Armed Forces – the Army and the Navy – with the most advanced armaments that have no analogues in the world will reliably ensure national defences for a long time to come.






https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtAKi48aqbI
Zircon hypersonc missile test – October 2020




The success of this project, as we are well aware, is the result of the hard work of our scientists, engineers, talented workers and military professionals. It is an important stage in the provision of advanced armaments to our Armed Forces.





I would like to congratulate all those who have been involved in the Tsirkon project. I would like to thank the Defence Minister and you, Mr Gerasimov. I know that you not only act as the customer but are also directly involved in the creation of such systems.





I would like to thank you for a job well done and to express the hope that all specialists involved in the rearmament projects will continue to work effectively and persistently, as they always do.





President Putin: Once again, I would like to congratulate you on this event and to wish you success in your future endeavours.





Thank you.





Valery Gerasimov: Comrade Supreme Commander-in-Chief, thank you for this high assessment. We will continue to do our utmost to enhance the combat capability of the Armed Forces and to strengthen national defences.





Vladimir Putin: Thank you, and all the best.





Source President of Russia Kremlin Moscow


Hanson Young gobsmacked dodgy deal done Senate today

Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia)
Senator HANSON-YOUNG (South Australia


7 Oct 20 BILLS – Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020 – Second Reading: I rise to speak in opposition to this terrible piece of legislation, the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020. Firstly, I’d like to associate myself with the comments made by my colleague Senator Faruqi, who leads this area for the Australian Greens.