Saturday, August 20, 2022

He Said, Xi Said

 


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Aug 19, 2022

TODAY

Leaders from the U.N., Turkey and Ukraine have sounded the alarm over a nuclear plant. The Trump Organization’s former chief financial officer has agreed to testify against the company. Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis has kicked off an anti-voter fraud campaign with the arrest of 20 felons. And Indonesia confirms it will host Putin and Xi Jinping at the G-20 summit due in November. All this and more in today’s PDB.

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IMPORTANT

Battlelines

Lots of Fear, Little Progress as UN, Ukraine, Turkey Meet

Fighting between Russia and Ukraine around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant is striking fear into world leaders at a high-level meeting in Lviv. “Any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicide,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said during the meeting. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it could become “another Chernobyl.” Both sides continue to blame the other, but Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with the two leaders, called for Russia to demilitarize the area. Ukrainian intelligence suggests a full-scale assault by Russia is imminent. It was Erdogan’s first visit to Ukraine since the invasion, and Guterres’ second. (Sources: BBCAP)

Busted

Former Trump Organization CFO Pleads Guilty

Allen Weisselberg, who worked for former President Donald Trump’s family business for decades, changed his plea to guilty on 15 felony counts Thursday. The charges include grand larceny, falsifying documents and tax fraud. In exchange for testifying, the former chief financial officer will face just 100 days in prison — though he is unlikely to serve them all — and a  $1.9 million tax bill. Weisselberg will provide “invaluable” testimony against the Trump Organization, Manhattan District Attorney ​​Alvin Bragg said, adding that he conspired with the business and Trump himself to hide income via non-cash payments, including property and school fees for his relatives. (Sources: NPRNYT)

Opening Salvo

Florida’s Ron DeSantis Takes On Fraud Voters, ‘Woke Agenda’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a supporter of Donald Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen, announced the arrest of 20 people Thursday, and vowed more to come. Those arrested have all been convicted of murder or rape, so are not covered by a 2018 voting reform, DeSantis said. Meanwhile, the governor can expect a courtroom challenge shortly. Andrew Warren — a Democrat — was removed as state attorney of Hillsborough County earlier in the month by DeSantis, after refusing to enforce controversial laws on abortion and targeting the trans community. DeSantis pointed to Warren’s “woke agenda” as the reason for his dismissal. (Sources: CBSThe Guardian)

Tropical Holiday

Indonesia: Xi, Putin Confirm RSVP for G-20 Summit

“Xi Jinping will come. President Putin has also told me he will come,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said Friday. The confirmation follows months of speculation that either leader would attend the November summit in Bali. Chinese President Xi has not traveled outside of China since the pandemic began. For Russian President Vladimir Putin, it could be a showdown: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning to attend, possibly setting up the first face-to-face meeting between the two since Russia invaded in February. Previously, U.S. officials pressured the Indonesian hosts to disinvite Putin while tensions with China are heightening over Taiwan. (Sources: BloombergReuters

Briefly

Here are some things you should know about today: 

‘State crime.’ The 2014 disappearance of 43 students in Iguala, southwestern Mexico, was covered up by the previous government, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said. International human rights groups at the time widely denounced investigations as flawed. (Source: ReutersCriminal. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro should be charged with spreading misinformation about COVID-19, federal police say. Fake news charges can net up to six months in prison. (Source: The GuardianIndicted. Three men will face charges for the jailhouse beating death of Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger in 2018. Bulger was killed just 12 hours after being transferred from a protective unit to the general population. (Source: Boston Globe)

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INTRIGUING

Light Up

When It Comes to Energy Europe Is Thinking Outside the Globe

Space-based solar power could solve all of Europe’s energy woes, the European Space Agency thinks. It would cut emissions and increase self-reliance — but will take a lot of cooperation. “It will be up to Europe, ESA and its Member States to push the envelope of technology to solve one of the most pressing problems for people on Earth of this generation,” agency Director-General Josef Aschbacher said. But it will be worth it. Collecting solar energy via satellites in orbit and then converting it for usage will allow Europe to access far more energy than it sees from the ground. (Source: Ars Technica)

Hitting Back

Sexual Misconduct Allegations Throw Gravity CEO Back to Earth

Dan Price on Wednesday announced his plans to hand over the reins of the Seattle-based payment gateway firm he founded. “My No. 1 priority is for our employees to work for the best company in the world, but my presence has become a distraction here,” he tweeted. Price first made a name for himself as a progressive CEO, cutting his own pay so he could bump up his employees’ to $70,000. But a recent report made it clear what that “distraction” would be. Over a dozen women have accused Price of sexual misconduct, physical assault and rape. He denies the allegations. (Sources: Seattle TimesNYT)

Standing Firm

Sacheen Littlefeather Recalls Intimidation by John Wayne

Littlefeather was just 26 when she made Hollywood history at the 1973 Oscars. She took to the stage in place of Marlon Brando, to decline his best actor award for The Godfather. “Unfortunately, he cannot receive this Academy Award because of the image of Native American Indian people in film and television today,” she said. Littlefeather was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos. But she has previously stayed quiet about John Wayne. The late actor approached her as if to assault her, she says, and “had to be restrained by six security men in order for that not to happen.” (Source: Variety)

Cougar Country

The Gambia Wants British Grannies to Leave Its Young Men Alone

The country has become a favorite destination for British women of a certain age, raising fears at the Gambia Tourism Board that it could develop a reputation for sex tourism. “What we want is quality tourists. Tourists that come to enjoy the country and the culture, but not tourists that come just for sex,” board director Abubacarr Camara said. It may be fun for the women, but Gambian experts say it’s exploitative. With few job prospects for young people and inequality between locals and visitors, men enter relationships in the hopes of getting money or even a ticket to Europe. (Source: Mirror)

Let’s Go

The Big Ten Is Coming to a TV Near You

A $7 billion media rights deal will see the conference’s top football and basketball games played across CBS, Fox and NBC each Saturday. It’s a boon for the networks. The conference covers much of the country, including New York, Philadelphia and Chicago. Southern California and UCLA are scheduled to join in 2024. “I think the money is fair. It’s unprecedented. They’re the largest deals in the history of college football,” said CBS Sports chairman ​​Sean McManus. Fans will have to wait a little — the deal will come into effect in 2023, a year before the Southeastern Conference hits screens on ESPN. (Source: AP


Catch the Newest Episodes of

The Carlos Watson Show, Season 4!

Tony Shu: Keeping the Pot Boiling in Beantown

Coke

Tony Shu is working hard to solve a problem that was hiding in plain sight on the streets of Boston. 

After winning a 2021 OZY Genius Award for his organization Breaktime, which works with young people experiencing homelessness in the Boston area, Shu vows to continue his work until young adult homelessness has ended “once and for all.”

Shu’s journey began as a Harvard undergrad while volunteering at a student-run shelter. He discovered that young people experiencing homelessness “wanted a job” above all else. That desire was the genesis of Breaktime, which endeavors to break the cycle of homelessness and joblessness.

“The OZY Genius Award is incredibly aligned with our values: believing in the power and potential of young people,” said Shu, who founded Breaktime with Connor Schoen. “I am personally so grateful for the award in broadening the awareness about our organization and the resilience, hope and hard work embodied by Breaktime’s young adult associates.”

Hard work was not an issue for Shu and Schoen, who didn’t let the pandemic faze them. As full-time students working remotely, they managed to train and employ 25 young adults to prepare and deliver 650,000 meals to Boston families, all while juggling a full course load at Harvard. Their efforts paid off. In 2021, Shu and his team raised over $1.6 million in funding from the city of Boston and area partnerships.  

Along with marshaling resources, Shu has also connected virtually with other OGA winners from his cohort and is looking forward to future opportunities to connect in person. “No organization is built in or operates in isolation. Breaktime exists because of close partnerships and dedicated supporters,” he says. “Our team ... is always learning from other organizations, employment partners and, most importantly, young adults experiencing homelessness.”

Watch Tony Shu’s Video.


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