Author: Rickey Summers

Frankfurt (22/09 – 58.33) Since May 2022, the Tajikistani authorities have stepped up their ongoing crackdown on Pamiris, an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority originating from the Pamir mountains in Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast of Tajikistan. They have arbitrarily detained hundreds of Pamiris, including civil society activists and human rights defenders, and imprisoned over 200 of them after convictions in unfair trials, in a campaign aimed at stripping the local communities of their leadership and dismantling their civil society. The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Pamiri civil society activists, journalists and human rights defenders who have been detained solely…

The August 21 announcement that Indonesia will buy 24 F-15EX fighters from BoeingBA -0.3% is a breakthrough for the nation’s biggest aerospace company, and a further success for the Biden administration’s strategy of strengthening ties in the Indo-Pacific region. Indonesia, with a population of 280 million, is the world’s third largest democracy (after India and the US). In dollar terms it has the world’s 16th largest economy, but adjusting for the domestic purchasing power of the Indonesian currency, it actually ranks among the top ten economies. Geopolitically, the island nation occupies a strategic position astride major shipping routes in Southeast Asia, and…

If you want a vision of America’s future, look no further than Jackson, Mississippi. My family and I have lived in Jackson for more than 10 years. We are not tucked away in a gated community, insulated by private security and high-priced homes. We live in a quiet neighborhood bordered by large pockets of homelessness, drug use and human trafficking, facilitated by proximity to Interstate 55. It is not the worst part of town, but also not the best. And we have seen it all: constant boil-water notices — so common that the courtesy calls stopped long ago; brown, wormy bathwater; unreliable or…

Paris, Washington (13/7 – 50) Kenes Rakishev (Keñes Hamitūly Raqyşev) aka Kenges Rakishev is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, former special envoy for Kazakhstan, head of the Kazakh boxing federation, a family man, and most importantly, a man of success. Under Kenges Rakishev’s leadership, the Kazakh female and male boxing squad leaped considerable forward and secured the top ranking in the recent boxing championship putting Kazakhstan boxing squarely in the top ranking in the world. A total of 21 medals were won by the Kazakhstan’s boxers – a tally of six gold, seven silver and eight bronze – and all were honoured…

Secretary of State Antony Blinken stood by President Joe Biden after Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator during a fundraising event Tuesday. “The President always speaks candidly, he speaks directly. He speaks clearly, and he speaks for all of us,” Blinken said Sunday during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” Biden’s remarks Tuesday came just days after Blinken returned from a highly anticipated trip to China, where he met with Xi and other high-level Chinese officials in an effort to diminish the tensions that had been rising between the two countries since a Chinese spy balloon was…

Motorists should watch for additional closures coming to U.S. 127 in Jackson County. The Michigan Department of Transportation is closing southbound U.S.127/M-50. This closure will take place between Parnall Road and Springport Road for shoulder work, officials said. The lane closure will happen between 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, June 26 and Tuesday, June 27. Motorists are advised to plan their commutes as the lane closures will cause slower traffic. Source : M live

The S&P 500 (^GSPC) is nearly in a bull market. But that doesn’t mean everyone is latching onto the index for a ride higher. Data from CFTC’s Commitments of Traders report compiled by Bespoke shows S&P 500 futures are 17.4% short. That’s the worst reading since September 2007. The S&P 500 hasn’t taken this long to reach a bull market off the lows since 1957-1958, per Bespoke. And the slow churn upward has strategists increasingly mixed on what comes next. There are folks that say the breadth of the rally, or lack their of, is concerning. “While there will undoubtedly be…

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Javelina roaming throughout Arizona are often misidentified. “Sometimes they’re called pigs, which they’re not,” said Mark Hart with Arizona Game and Fish. “They’re peccary, native to Central and South America. There’s a population in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.” Mark Hart is very familiar with javelina. He understands our fascination with them here in Southern Arizona, but he reminds us to keep our distance. “Yes, I think a lot of people do get exited about seeing them,” Hart said. “But bear in mind they have very sharp canine teeth, tusks as they’re known. They can cause…

US President Joe Biden has dropped yet another hint that he will seek re-election in 2024. Mr Biden said on Monday that he “plans” on running again but added that he is “not prepared to announce it yet”. The comments came during a casual interview with US broadcaster NBC prior to the annual White House Easter children’s party. Mr Biden has previously said it was his “intention” to run for another four-year term. During a press conference last November, the president spoke of his desire to seek another term but said he would discuss it with his family over the…

For months California disability and labor advocates have been attempting to preserve statewide masking requirements in health care settings. But with the sunset of one of the last remaining COVID-19 mandates, they say people who are the most vulnerable to severe illness now have to make an “impossible choice” — risk getting the virus at a doctor’s office, or avoid necessary health care. On April 3, the California Department of Public Health ended masking and vaccination requirements in high-risk settings, including health care facilities, jails, prisons and emergency homeless shelters. Now, instead of statewide rules, it’s up to local health…