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Column: Naperville family’s Hanukkah light display as much about religion as celebrating diversity
Liz Levitt, seen here with her husband, Eric, and their two sons, Max and Seth, says she thinks the Hanukkah display they put up in front of their Naperville home every December for the Jewish Festival of Lights celebration is more important this year than ever. (Liz Levitt / HANDOUT)
Michael Eric Dyson: McConnell Is Proof America’s ‘Real Religion’ Is ‘Whiteness’
Vanderbilt University professor Michael Eric Dyson said Thursday on MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was proof that America’s “real religion” is “whiteness.”
Anchor Joy Reid said, “In your new book you talk about reckoning with race in America. I think about Mitch McConnell’s centrality in the story of race in just the last 10 years. His blanket opposition and filibustering, using that good, old-fashioned Southern technique. This is a man originally from Alabama who used the filibuster prodigiously against President Obama, said, ‘You can’t even put anybody on the federal court. You don’t have the right. You’re not a real president.’ And then to try are tout his deputy becoming attorney general of Kentucky and then for that black man to lie about the grand jury proceedings so he could let white offices off for killing Breonna Taylor. I feel like Mitch McConnell is just as center to the sort of diminution of Black life that we’ve seen over the last 10 years as Trump,”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
COVID-19: Right decisions now will secure a life of dignity for all
Heads of UN agencies, along with scientists and other stakeholders, are holding interactive dialogues focused on the health and humanitarian response, the road to vaccines, and addressing the socio-economic impacts of the crisis.
A critical moment
Ms. Mohammed outlined UN support to countries going forward, including mobilizing the $28 billion needed to secure vaccines for all, regardless of wealth or location, and assisting authorities everywhere to operationalize inclusive recovery plans.
“This session comes at a critical moment. If we make the right decisions now, we can meet the humanitarian needs, reset the development pathways, accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and secure a life of dignity and opportunity for all on a safe and a healthy planet”, she said.
Different countries, different impacts
The General Assembly is often described as “the global town hall”, bringing together all 193 UN Member States. “We cannot neglect our duties to the people we serve at this time of crisis, when it is even more important,” Assembly President Volkan Bozkir said in his opening address.
COVID-19 has affected the entire planet and, by extension, every area of the UN’s work. Although the pandemic is a global health crisis, impacts have varied across countries, as has response.
While many countries have been able to prevent or contain the virus through proven public health measures, “this is not a fluke of geography or demography”, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), who delivered a speech from its Headquarters in Geneva.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said these nations have proved the efficacy of “science, solidarity and sacrifice”, paraphrasing a motto he has used throughout the pandemic.
“But where science is drowned out by conspiracy theories, where solidarity is undermined by division, where sacrifice is substituted with self-interest, the virus thrives. The virus spreads”, he stated.
Situation still dangerous
Globally, more than 64 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded, with nearly 1.5 million deaths. Even with vaccines on the horizon, “we are still in a very, very dangerous and difficult situation”, said WHO’s Director of Emergencies, Dr. Michael Ryan, speaking from Geneva during the first dialogue.
He explained that some countries, particularly in the Americas and Europe, are still experiencing major virus transmission. Although the situation in other regions may be stable, some of their countries still battle continued or returning transmission.
“We will be able to add vaccines to the current control measures. But let me clear: vaccines, or vaccination, does not equal zero COVID”, he stressed. “We must add vaccines to the existing parcel of measures that we have in place.”
Averting hunger and catastrophe
As the UN Secretary-General has remarked, the pandemic has been the greatest challenge to the global community since the Organization was founded 75 years ago. But it has also sparked international action that includes recovery plans and economic stimulus packages, according to David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP).
However, he warned that next year “is literally going to be catastrophic”, as humanitarian needs double, with famine “already knocking on the door” of some 12 nations. As war drives hunger, fighting also must cease, he added.
“We can avert destabilization and famine and migration. But we’ve got to be out there sooner rather than later” said Mr. Beasley, urging countries to step up.
“If we’re strategic, and put the funds to these particular icebergs before us, I believe that we can get through 2021, while we work with the vaccines and rebuild the economies so that we can have a better world and achieve Zero-Hunger by 2030.”
SDGs still relevant
The Zero-Hunger target is among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which all 193 UN Member States adopted five years ago. The SDGs provide a blueprint for ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring all people live in peace and prosperity.
The goals remain “absolutely relevant” because “they are our compass for getting out of this crisis”, said Achim Steiner, Administrator at the UN Development Programme (UNDP).
Among the lessons UNDP learned from the pandemic has been the importance of having good data, critical for targeting people in need, particularly in times of crisis, while issues related to human rights and gender are now part of recovery plans.
‘A generational moment’
Mr. Steiner underlined the importance of the UN’s work in responding to the socio-economic fallout from the pandemic, which has disproportionately affected women and the poor.
He warned that more than one billion people could be living in extreme poverty by the end of the decade “if we do not manage to make the right choices now”, according to a UNDP-backed study issued this week.
“But actually, the opposite is equally possible,” he countered. “This is the moment. It is a generational moment in which we need to think about the future of development in very different ways.”
Top 5 Books About Computer Games – 2020 Guide
Most people feel tired after a long day at work. Some of them decide to take a bath for relaxation or visit a massage therapist, and others choose hobbies to forget about stress and daily routine.
Hobbies can also be different. Some people enjoy spending time on Playamo or playing computer games, and others prefer reading. But what if someone likes both books and games? In this case, he can choose literature on this topic. Keep reading, to find the best books.
Page Contents
1. Replay: The History of Video Games by Tristan Donovan
One day a British journalist Tristan Donovan set himself a very ambitious goal. He wanted to describe the development of the game industry from its start to the present day. And he successfully achieved his goal by publishing Replay: The History of Video Games.
This book is an excellent choice for people interested in the main stages of the game industry evolution. The author starts from the time of Pong, and his story ends almost in our days.
Donovan described all stages of this industry. He wrote much about the emergence of games developed by students, the ups and downs of companies and platforms, the fate of developers, the formation of genres, and attempts by the authorities to introduce censorship of violent games. He said much about what has happened to games in the West. Yet, he also paid attention to the achievements of Asian developers.
Donovan’s book will be a great choice for people who want to know how the games made their first steps, evolved and became a part of world culture. Yet, this book is only a pleasure. Readers cannot use it as a textbook because the author doesn’t deepen in different topics.
2. Console Wars and the History of the Future by Blake J. Harris
In the mid-80s, after America went through a crisis in the gaming industry, Nintendo appeared on the market. So, the next few years passed under the sign of this Japanese company. Yet, over time, the developers from Sega could challenge it and impose a serious competition. It was one of the most intense console wars of all time. The book by journalist Blake J. Harris tells exactly about this confrontation.
The author relies on documents, memories and interviews with participants of the events, but adds fictional details to his narrative. In 2020, a film based on this book was released. Blake J. Harris also was one of the directors of this movie. Although it is not so popular, it is worth the time of the main fans of Sega and Nintendo.
The book is read almost as a witty novel about an outsider company that challenges the mighty market leader. Due to the bold and unconventional moves, it manages, if not to overcome, then on equal terms to fight with a more powerful rival. Thus, Harris offers readers an informative fascinating excursion into the history of fierce confrontation between Nintendo and Sega. The author doesn’t write much about the development. He pays more attention to marketing, company development strategy and actions of top managers.
3. Blood, Sweat, and Pixels. The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier
Ex-editor of Kotaku Jason Schreier is one of the most well-known game journalists of our time. He is often the first source of high-profile news or important backstage information. No wonder that his book Blood, Sweat, and Pixels became a topic of discussion in many countries. After all, Jason Schreier decided to talk about the background development of several high-profile projects.
The book contains the stories of ten games. Among them, there are small projects like Stardew Valley, and bestsellers, such as Destiny. They are united only by the fact that the developers at some point faced much bigger difficulties than expected. Jason Schreier describes the problems with money, processing, burnout and other difficulties that game creators, including the most successful ones, have to solve. If the reader has a romanticized idea of how games are developed, the author of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels will ruthlessly destroy it.
The book will tell readers about what is happening behind the scenes of the studios. They will learn about the moments that developers prefer not to advertise. Although Jason Schreier details the complexities, he is very stingy on details. When it comes to how companies coped with challenges, dedication and hard work are the only things the author talks about.
4. Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture by David Kushner
This is a book for readers not afraid of triggering and detailed narratives. It’s published by David Kushner, a famous author who has written lots of books about computer games.
The Masters of Doom starts with a scene in which young John Romero is beaten by his stepfather because of his addiction to arcade games. At the same time, young John Carmack climbs into the school at night to steal a computer. How did two difficult teenagers, Romero and Carmack, turn the PC industry upside down and become rock stars from the world of video games? This is what David Kushner talks about in his bestseller.
Masters of Doom is not only an exhaustive chronicle of the development of the id Software company. The author also talks much about the glorious acts of its founders. What’s more, it is a well-written novel in the genre of investigative journalism. Kushner doesn’t pay much attention to the dates and technical details of the legendary shooters’ development. He is more dedicated to the vividness of characters and dialogues.
5. All Your Base Are Belong To Us by Harold Goldberg
The book by Harold Goldberg does not pretend to be serious, as you can understand from the joking title. It is a collection of ironic essays about video games, covering their half-century history. Goldberg is not trying to describe everything at once with one work. He writes only about the most interesting stages in this industry. He starts with the development of the world’s first Magnavox Odyssey console and ends with BioShock and World of Warcraft.
All Your Base Are Belong To Us is not only a book of jokes and curiosities about legendary games. This is a fascinating story about their creators. In this case, Goldberg talked to them to learn more secrets.
To sum up, these books will interest even people not engaged in the world of computer games. Readers will enjoy their plot and main characters. Although these stories are not the shortest ones, they are page-turning. That’s why it is possible to read each of these fascinating books in one day.
Britain says European Union trade talks at a tricky point, with hopes of deal looking dim
LONDON: Britain’s business minister said Friday that UK-EU trade talks are at a “difficult” point, as British officials poured cold water on hopes of an imminent breakthrough – and France said it could veto any agreement it didn’t like.
UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma said Britain was “committed to reaching an agreement.” “But, of course, time is short and we are in a difficult phase. There’s no denying that,” he told the BBC. “There are a number of tricky issues that still have to be resolved.”
EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, his British counterpart David Frost and their teams remained locked in talks in a London conference center Friday after a week of late-night sessions fueled by deliveries of sandwiches and pizza.
UK officials sought to dampen hopes of an imminent deal, briefing media outlets that the EU had set back negotiations by making last-minute demands – an allegation the bloc denies.
The UK left the EU early this year, but remains part of the 27-nation bloc’s economic embrace during an 11-month transition as the two sides try to negotiate a new free-trade deal to take effect Jan 1.
Any deal must be approved by lawmakers in Britain and the EU before year’s end.
Talks have dragged on as one deadline after another has slipped by. First, the goal was a deal by October, then by mid-November. On Sunday, Britain said the negotiations were in their final week. Now the two sides say they could stretch into the weekend or beyond.
European Council President Charles Michel noted that it wasn’t the first time that deadlines had slipped.
“We will see what will happen in the next days,” he said in Brussels.
“But the end of December is the end of December and we know that after the 31st of December we have the 1st of January, and we know that we need to have clarity as soon as possible.”
A trade deal will allow goods to move between Britain and the EU without tariffs or quotas after the end of this year, though there would still be new costs and red tape for businesses on both sides of the English Channel.
If there is no deal, New Year’s Day will bring huge disruption, with the overnight imposition of tariffs and other barriers to UK-EU trade. That will hurt both sides, but the burden will fall most heavily on Britain, which does almost half its trade with the EU.
Gildan Receives its 13th FUNDAHRSE Seal for ESG work in Honduras
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WHO works with Kyrgyz authorities to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection at border crossings
Crossing borders can pose a risk of COVID-19 spread unless appropriate steps are taken to mitigate it at airports and ground crossing points. In Kyrgyzstan, WHO conducted a survey at 3 international airports and 4 ground crossing points to determine the level of implementation of prevention measures on the ground.
Airport staff and ground staff were asked to complete a self-assessment questionnaire based on a checklist of key questions and considerations. The survey was designed to assess knowledge and equipment needed for responding to COVID-19 transmission risks, as well as to provide advice on how to reduce those risks among travelers, aircrew and ground staff.
Nurgul Akbaeva, who has worked at the Torugart border crossing for almost 26 years, says the cold climate, and the virus, makes her work difficult. “My role involves checking the temperatures of all drivers and travelers crossing here,” she explains, “and to remind them to maintain physical distancing, practice hand washing and respiratory hygiene, as well as wear masks.”
She says that, at the start of the pandemic, staff felt as though they struggled to get clear information about COVID-19, but the WHO and Ministry of Health provided printed materials and training which helped them to understand it better.
WHO Country Preparedness and International Health Regulations Officer, Akbar Esengulov, explains that the authorities in Kyrgyzstan developed an action plan outlining coordination mechanisms for points of entry into the country. “The authorities also reviewed lines of communication across ministries, partners, civil society and various levels of government,” he says, adding that the joint assessment will help to strengthen these measures.
The assessment observed all measures taken at the points of entry. These included the reporting and referral of travelers suspected to have COVID-19 infection, initial patient care, and the use of risk communication materials advising inbound travelers on when and where to seek medical care if needed. An updated national action plan will seek to address any gaps and improve the management of suspected COVID-19 cases.
The questions and considerations for the checklist are based on WHO’s interim technical guidance issued in the context of COVID-19, as well as technical guidance released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also aligned with the core capacity requirements of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) core capacities for airports.
EU Budget 2021 deal: supporting the recovery | News | European Parliament
, https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201127IPR92635/
European Council President Charles Michel: We are ready to impose sanctions against Tukey
The European Union is ready to impose sanctions on Ankara because of its behaviour, said European Council President Charles Michel.
“We reached out to Turkey in October and our assessment is negative with the continuation of unilateral actions and hostile rhetoric. We will have a debate during the European summit on December 10 and we are ready to use the means at our disposal to impose sanctions over the situation,” Charles Michel said in a news conference Friday.
? LIVE NOW – press conference: “Taking stock of the past year and looking forward to future challenges” https://t.co/OSStth6ml3
— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 4, 2020
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