I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it -Voltaire

According to Article 19 of the Human Rights Declaration, everyone has the right to seek, receive and impart information through any medium without worrying about the consequences. The chief theorist of the principle of freedom of expression was the 19th-century British liberal thinker John Stuart Mill. He argued that the only way society can progress is by letting human beings express their views freely.

Moreover, he said that the West transformed into the leading civilization of the world because freedom of expression underpinned the freedom of enquiry which made possible scientific research and discoveries. In addition to this, Voltaire is another influential philosopher whose name is closely associated with the idea of freedom of expression. It can further be gauged from the fact that freedom of speech has become a permanent part of all constitutions throughout the globe.

There are many important examples of freedom of expression. Firstly, freedom of speech plays a vital role in the creation of a tolerant and pluralistic society. This ensures that people of different colours, creed, class, sects and religion co-exist peacefully. This can be traced through the initiatives of the PTI-led government in Pakistan to open the Kartarpur corridor for the Sikh community and make temples in Islamabad for Hindus. Secondly, freedom of expression also plays a crucial role to flourish democratic culture in the country that causes the development of nations in the world.

Owing to the democratic culture and freedom of speech, the stakeholders pressurise the government to work for the welfare of society. Even the masses can protest against any action that the government takes. This helps safeguard democratic culture. It is because freedom of expression is the backbone of democratic culture. Thirdly, freedom of expression helps enhance accountability. Accountability is a key tenet of democracy that seeks to hold leaders, individuals and policymakers responsible for their decision. It states that no institution or individual is above the law. Last but not least, freedom of expression also helps get rid of all evils from society. No social evils can be eliminated until and unless people speak up against malpractices.

However, there are several examples that demonstrate how a society is worse off in the absence of the right to free speech. The United States, which considered itself the founder of the freedom of speech, failed to provide basic rights to their people according to the first amendment in their constitution. Besides this, many other countries also violate human rights and freedom of speech for their political gains. An example in this regard is the brutality seen by the Indian government in Kashmir. The horrific incident took place recently when an old man was killed in front of his grandson by the Indian Army.

This clearly depicts how denying freedom of speech causes bloodshed and unrest in the society.

To conclude, it can be stated that freedom of speech is as important for society as the heart is for humans. People gained this benefit through a long struggle. Therefore, the collaborative efforts of the international community are needed to ensure freedom of speech for people because it is the backbone of democratic culture.

BILAWAL ALI LAKHO,

Shikarpur.

Link:

Importance of the freedom of expression - The Nation

US President Donald Trump   |  Photo Credit: AP

Washington: US President Donald Trump, who was recently seen wearing a mask in public for the first time during the COVID-19 crisis, has said that he was not in favour of issuing a national mandate, requiring Americans to wear masks to contain the spread of coronavirus.

Speaking to an Americal news channel, the US President said that he does not agree with the statement that if everyone wears a mask, everything disappears, adding that people should have certain freedom.

I want people to have a certain freedom and I dont believe in that, no... I dont agree with the statement that if everyone wore a mask, everything disappears, he said in an interview to Fox News on Sunday.

Trump was referring to the statement of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US public health body that urged everyone to wear masks to combat COVID-19 that hasinfected more than 3.6million and killed at least 1,39,000 in the country.

In April, CDC director Dr Robert R Redfield had said that the country could get the virus under control in four to six weeks if everyone wore a mask.

Cloth face coverings are one of the most powerful weapons we have to slow and stop the spread of the virus - particularly when used universally within a community setting, Redfield had said.

Trump, who had previously appeared reluctant to wear a face covering, wore a mask in public for the first time last Saturday as recommended by health officials to prevent the coronavirus infection.

He wore the mask during a visit to a military hospital in suburban Washington to meet wounded servicemembers and health care workers looking after COVID-19 patients.

When you're in a hospital, especially ... I think it's a great thing to wear a mask, he had told reporter as he left the White House.

The US President had earlierresisted wearing a mask duringnews conferences, rallies and other public events.

US top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci had recently urged the state and local leaders to be as forceful as possible in getting people to wear masks.

Wearing face coverings, Fauci also said that it is "really important" and "we should be using them, everyone".

Referring to Faucis comments, Trump said, Dr (Anthony) Fauci said dont wear a mask, our surgeon general terrific guy said dont wear a mask. Everybody was saying dont wear a mask, all of a sudden everybodys got to wear a mask.

The rest is here:

'Want people to have freedom': Donald Trump not to issue national mandate requiring Americans to wear masks - Times Now

A realization that racing wasnt necessarily making him a better rider led him to ultimately quit riding against the clock. Vink says that he didnt feel the fulfillment he craved from spending time in the gym to get faster, but rather wanted to spend time on the bike learning about new ways and new places to ride. Leaving racing on a high note left him motivated to try harder than ever, and thats exactly where his freeride career was born. Now at 37, Vink has brought his riding to Rampage, the FEST series, and on personal freeride trips across the globe.

TGR: Hows life treating you during COVID-19?

Nico Vink: Life has been pretty mellow to be honest, I couldnt really ride for a while, but now that things are slowly opening back up in Europe, its been great to get out again. It was a good opportunity to appreciate the riding around home in Belgium and put some digging time in. It was a nice short break, but Im looking forward to getting back with some cool projects in mind.

TGR: Walk us through your career up until this point.

NV: I basically grew up in a bike shop going to motocross races. As a kid, I raced in a few BMX race, rode a little moto, and grew up biking and riding. Then mountain bikes came around, and I started to race cross-country when I was 12. Then there was some time riding skatepark stuff and dirt jumps before diving into DH racing. That was when I was 15, when I won national champs that year. That led to a career on the World Cup and other circuits. But racing became more about going to the gym and getting fit and stronger, and I didnt really want to go that direction. I wanted to improve my riding instead, so I went freeriding, and thats it. Thats where I am now. I definitely ended racing on a high note, I still enjoyed it at the time and had a good feeling but was ready for something new.

NV: Thats really part of the fun! For me, getting into freeriding was a whole new scene for me. I met a lot of new people, especially as the FEST series started kicking off. Those dudes totally inspire me, and its all about pushing ourselves and having a good time doing it. Someone else who has really taught me a lot is Ben Walker, my old team manager at Scott. When I first met him, I was only racing, but he lived this super adventurous life in the Alps, building trails and testing bikes. That was so sick, and I didnt even know that was a lifestyle I could be living. I think I credit him for getting me to think beyond racing for myself.

TGR: Lets talk about building. What have you learned from that process over the years?

NV: What I like in general about building, is that its really just a part of riding. For me, its just as important. For freeriding, theres honestly not that much building going on. Like in BC, it was pretty raw, so we only cut in a few small things and the rest was all-natural. You kind of look at the mountain and figure out whats possible through experience and a little trial and error. Building new things always makes riding a lot more interesting for me.

NV: I think its one of the best decision Ive made for my career! Joining with the crew at Transition has been awesome, as that team really understands mountain biking. The company, the crew, the bikes, its all super cool. Plus every time I get to visit, I get to ride in Bellingham which is so much fun. Last time, I got to go ride with Hannah Bergemann, and Im stoked to get out more with her, I'm so excited to see her part in the film!

TGR: What have been your favorite places in the world to ride?

NV: I havent traveled too much for freeriding, but some of my favorites have been going to Nicaragua with Kurt Sorge and Kyle Jameson. That was really fun, we rode down these huge volcanos. The BC shoot for Accomplice was definitely one of my favorite zones ever since its so unique. And then theres always Utah, like Virgin and Green River which is so classic.

NV: Its definitely a lot rockier here in the mountains. There are a few places, but everything here is a little smaller. So the freeride lines we have are pretty short. I do want to go explore the Alps more, because theres definitely stuff hiding and its on the to-do list. Were good on other riding though, thats for sure!

TGR: Tell us about riding in BC for the film.

NV: It was my first time in that particular zone, and it was amazing. I had been to areas nearby with Kurt and Aggy before, but that was new to me. I havent done too much camping, and I really enjoyed it. We had a super good crew, and Ill admit us Euros did not come prepared compared to the Canadians. We didnt have anything really! Flying with bikes is already a nightmare enough, so I kind of figured that wed deal with it once we got there. We went to the camping shop and everything was so expensive! Thanks to Aggy for letting Andreu and I borrow his spare tent. It was so cold at night, and Andreu and I were just freezing looking at each other not being able to sleep and we just started laughing. It was that painful we could do nothing but just laugh!

NV: We all get to ride together at all the FEST stops a lot. Ive been to Andreus house a few times in Spain, and was actually just there a short while ago. Same with Aggy and Kurt, we try to make time to get together and ride. Its always so fun.

TGR: Tell us a little more about the FEST series, and how its helped shape freeride as we know it today.

NV: We started it around 2013, and it grew out of the desire to grow the sport beyond racing to include big jumps and cool film projects. Thats always been a part of it, but it never felt really legit. So thats where FEST came in. It actually was born in Norway with Makken (Mads Haugen) who invited a few friends up there to Huck Fest, which became the first FEST stop. We had such a blast with the crew, including Aggy, Sorge, Pescado, Andreu, Reynolds, and few others, that we decided we needed to do more of them. That turned into our tour, where we all kind of design our own course and everyone comes to ride it. Stoked to keep it going for the future!

NV: I agree, and thats the whole point. Its unique from Rampage, racing, slopestyle comps, and all that. We are trying to do it the way we really like. Its about the riding and hanging out with cool people. Its not a competition, but really just a festival where we all ride together. We only ride when conditions are good, and thats very important if you want to do these kinds of things. Im very fortunate to be a part of that crew.

See the article here:

Video & Interview: From Racing Roots To The Freedom of Freeride with Nico Vink - Pinkbike.com

EDMONTON -- A group against mandating the use of face masks is holding marches across Alberta on Sunday.

Organizers behind March to Unmask: Edmonton wrote the goal is "to let our provincial and municipal officials know that we believe in the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a mask."

Supporters will gather at the Alberta legislature at 1 p.m. and march towards city hall.

Similar marches are being held in Red Deer and Calgary.

According to the group's Facebook page, marches are being held across the country.

Masks are not currently required in Alberta but there have been calls to make them mandatory in public spaces.

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw recommends wearing a mask when it is not possible to keep a two-metre distance from others, especially indoors.

The province has committed to giving away 40 million non-medical masks, most through select restaurant drive-thrus.

The Calgary City Council will debate a municipal rule on Monday. Edmonton's mayor believes the issue of mandatory masks should be decided by the province.

Quebec's mandatory mask rule went into effect on July 18. Anyone age 12 and over must wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

Nova Scotia will require public transit drivers and passengers to wear a mask beginning on July 24.

The rest is here:

'We believe in the freedom to choose': Anti-mask group to hold demonstrations in Alberta - CTV News Edmonton

And the outside world parks and historic cemeteries opened up to me. Instead of driving by, with my mind on where I was going, I was walking, noticing changes in trees, flowers, landscapes. Although much of life was still locked down, lived with masks, the parks offered a gripping mini-series, my first fully experienced spring. I taught myself how to look and, with my camera, to see.

My inquisitive chipmunk outlook was perfectly matched to the Science Museum Camera Clubs scavenger hunt for its members, which began last month. Ready, set, go: We have six weeks to take photographs of 20 items/ideas. First, I accomplished the easy ones. Flower was no problem; the lily pond in the Reinstein Woods offered me astonishing choices. To find reflection, an early morning visit showed me a Reinstein tree becoming its own Narcissus: It looked into its reflections in the water, got lost in its own beauty. My visits to Forest Lawn cemetery gave me unique solutions for circle, water, a place to worship, and statue. All required repeat visits light wasnt right, sky was boring.

For tree, I chose the one planted in 1879 on the lawn of the Richardson Olmsted Campus. I had been looking at it for years. Now, I salute it as an ancient, living through its second pandemic. It was like having an amazing insight about a friend of decades.

The hunt included disappointment (allium, chosen for the color purple in the flower garden in downtown Corfu, was over the hill), discovery (on the drive home from Corfu, a barn with holes in its roof under amazing clouds gave me an image for abandoned) and excitement (twice, I dashed out of my house at night, because exceptional sunsets might illuminate railroad tracks or city hall). I had become a scavenger hunter on the prowl. Id extricated myself from my hamster monotony, substituting chipmunk curiosity, a way to live with Covid, even after the scavenger hunt.

Read the rest here:

My View: From the hamster wheel to the chipmunk's freedom - Buffalo News

The Veterans Freedom Ride is taking place in Harrison on July 25.

Its a great way to honor veterans, current members of the U.S. military, first responders, and essential workers.

While you can register at the event, organizers are encouraging everyone to do so by July 19.

The 60-mile ride begins at Trails End Restaurant and Pizzeria and will take riders through the countryside to ride through Lake George, Farwell, Clare, and finish off at Trails End Pub in Leota.

When the ride is finished, there will be an afterglow party with games and a raffle.Organizers are hoping to have a good turnout to show the community support.

You can register here and order a t-shirt.All sales from apparel will benefit the Freedom Park Statue Project.

Our On The Road Crew, Gabriella and Stephanie, tell us everything we need to know about this years event.

Excerpt from:

MTM On The Road: Veteran's Freedom Ride to Honor Veterans, Active Military - 9&10 News

KAREN ELIAS

Lock Haven

An Open letter to 76th state Rep. Stephanie Borowicz:

Dear Rep. Borowicz, Ive been thinking about Harriet Tubman. Devoutly religious and guided by revelations from God, she escaped from slavery and then returned to the south 13 times, braving the most dangerous conditions to help family members and friends escape to freedom.

I know you know about her because I heard you say, in a recent talk, that the movie Harriet was an inspiration to you someone who sees herself, like Harriet Tubman, leading her people to freedom, guided by divine inspiration.

But with all due respect, these are false equivalences, and ones whose repercussions are being felt right now in dangerous ways in our Pennsylvania communities.

The idea of freedom is being shamelessly bandied about by you and some of your fellow Republicans to characterize the Covid mandates issued by Governor Wolf as an unconstitutional overreach from which we must liberate! ourselves. In making this argument, you appear able to brush aside (seemingly without concern for those affected) the facts in front of us: That Covid cases are growing alarmingly across the country as states open up too soon, before having the virus safely under control.

As of this writing, the United States has over 3 million confirmed cases, with more new cases being reported every day in 41 of our 50 states. At least 24 states have paused or rolled back their reopening plans as deaths from the virus increase once again.

This, in itself, would be cause for concern as some folks in our community respond with venomous fury to the latest guidelines from our governor, making the case under your direction that their personal freedom is at stake and that nothing and no one will make them wear a mask.

Couching mask-wearing as a battle for freedom is a cynical attempt on the part of those on the right to formulate a life-and-death public health issue as a battle between true-blooded Americans and some imagined threat from the far left, in order to posit Republicans as innocent victims of a supposed power-grab.

But what else is concerning is that this battle is going on while African Americans and their allies are flooding the streets of our country to protest systems of racist policing that along with an entire litany, an entire catalogue, of oppressions have worked to keep Blacks decidedly unfree for hundreds of years.

Your own calls for freedom ring hollow in light of these realities.

Is your battle to cancel a temporary mandate to wear a mask the same as having to wage a civil war to rid the country of slavery?

Is your rage over the supposed curtailment of individual liberties the same as the terror evoked by years of lynching, racial cleansing, fire hoses, attack dogs, fire bombings, and cross burnings?

Is your frustration over not being able to walk bare-faced down the Main Street of your town the same as the despair Blacks must feel after centuries of having their mobility curtailed, their dreams deferred, their movements policed?

What is freedom, after all? I believe Harriet Tubman, one of Americas true freedom fighters, would agree that the fight for so-called liberation that you are waging is, in fact, a travesty.

If you should choose to join the battle for equal justice and opportunity for all, you would be most welcome. This fight is far from over, and it will take the good will of our elected representatives to enact much needed change.

In the meantime, Representative Borowicz, there is no knee on your neck.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Read more here:

What is freedom, after all? | News, Sports, Jobs - Lock Haven Express

EDMONTON -- A group against mandating the use of face masks is holding marches across Alberta on Sunday.

Organizers behind March to Unmask: Edmonton wrote the goal is "to let our provincial and municipal officials know that we believe in the freedom to choose whether or not to wear a mask."

Supporters will gather at the Alberta legislature at 1 p.m. and march towards city hall.

Similar marches are being held in Red Deer and Calgary.

According to the group's Facebook page, marches are being held across the country.

Masks are not currently required in Alberta but there have been calls to make them mandatory in public spaces.

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw recommends wearing a mask when it is not possible to keep a two-metre distance from others, especially indoors.

The province has committed to giving away 40 million non-medical masks, most through select restaurant drive-thrus.

The Calgary City Council will debate a municipal rule on Monday. Edmonton's mayor believes the issue of mandatory masks should be decided by the province.

Quebec's mandatory mask rule went into effect on July 18. Anyone age 12 and over must wear a mask in indoor public spaces.

Nova Scotia will require public transit drivers and passengers to wear a mask beginning on July 24.

See the original post here:

'We believe in the freedom to choose': Anti-mask group to hold demonstrations in Alberta - CTV News

The Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) said it requested that the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill to be part of President Dutertes urgent legislative agenda in his upcoming fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) next week.

In a network briefing on Thursday, Communications Assistant Secretary Kris Ablan said the PCOO was seeking the issuance of certification for the FOI Bill as an urgent legislative measure of the Duterte administration.

We have requested the issuance of a certification of the FOI as an urgent legislative measure by the Office of the President or the inclusion of FOI as part of the Presidents legislative agenda for this year 2020, he said.

PCOO has been leading the expansion of the reach of FOI by fortifying efforts on implementing access to information at the local level.

According to Ablan, the PCOO had already drafted an admin version of the FOI bill that was presented to its FOI networks in the Senate and in the House of Representatives.

PCOO is committed to institutionalizing the FOI across all branches of government by Congress passing legislation on access to information which will mandate the disclosure of government information in the interim, he said.

Congress has yet to pass a measure that would harmonize and operationalize the peoples right to access information. It has been 30 years since the first Freedom of Information bill was filed by late Senator Raul Roco.

In December 2019, Quezon City Congressman Alfred Vargas filed House Bill No. 05776 also known as the FOI Act of 2019 which has adopted the feature proposed by the PCOO.

According to Ablan, it was important to immediately pass an FOI law in order to empower the public to keep the government in check by requesting information and to make the countrys bureaucracy even more open.

President Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2, or the Freedom of Information (FOI) Program, on July 23, 2016. The executive order covers all government offices under the Executive Branch. Ablan said the PCOO aims to expand the coverage of the existing order.

Salient features of the PCOOs draft bill include crafting a mechanism that will refer and transfer requests to appropriate agencies that should address the said request and creation of a records management system.

An oversight body or the FOI Commission will also be established, along with the creation of a central appeals and review committee (CARC) for all FOI compliant agencies in the three major branches of the governmentExecutive, Legislative, and Judiciary.

The Office of the Ombudsman will also have the power to review the decisions of the CARC.

See the rest here:

PCOO urges Duterte to certify Freedom of Information bill as urgent - Manila Bulletin

War crime indictments against him and other former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters are part of 21-year-long efforts to undermine KLAs legacy and Kosovo peoples fight for freedom and statehood, President Thai has stated upon returning from his interview with prosecutors in The Hague.

In a statement on Saturday, Thai stressed three points:

The history of KLAs war and Kosovos independence and statehood cannot be rewritten; at the end of the process they will become clearer for all.

The expected trials are a continuation of 21 years of accusations, slander and fabrications against the KLA and Kosovo peoples efforts for freedom and a state. The process will once and for all seal the historic role of the KLA for the independent and democratic state of Kosovo.

Thai is more determined to take his personal efforts and sacrifice further in defending his country.

Last week, President Thai was interviewed for 4 days by prosecutors of the Kosovo Specialist Prosecutors Office in The Hague regarding a war crime indictment against him.

Fjal kye: Hashim Thai, indictment, KLA, Kosovo, Kosovo Specialist Chambers (KSC), Specialist Prosecutors Office (SPO)

Continued here:

Thai Says War Crime Indictments Are Efforts against Kosovo's Freedom - Exit - Explain Albania

Flashpoints|Security|Southeast Asia

The operation comes shortly after the unveiling of a new South China Sea position by the U.S. government.

On Tuesday, a U.S. Navy warship conducted a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near Chinese-held features in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. The operation was the first publicly reported FONOP since May 28.

USSRalph Johnson, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Cuarteron Reef and Fiery Cross Reef the sites of two Chinese artificial islands in the South China Sea. The operation coincided with the release of an updated position by the U.S. government on the South China Sea.

#USSRalphJohnson steams near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea on Tuesday in the midst of a deployment to the region conducting #USNavy maritime security operations for a #FreeandOpenIndoPacific, the U.S. Pacific Fleet noted on its Twitter account.

The operation coincided with the announcement of a new position by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific David Stillwell at a virtual event hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

In his remarks, Stillwell spoke of Chinas campaign to impose an order of might makes right in the South China Sea, and said Beijing is working to undermine the sovereign rights of other coastal states and deny them access to offshore resources.

Enjoying this article? Click here to subscribe for full access. Just $5 a month.

His speech mostly expanded on an announcement Monday by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the United States position on the South China Sea was going to be more aligned with the findings of an international tribunal in 2016 in the Philippines 2013 case against China.

On Tuesday, Stillwell said the United States rejects any PRC claim to waters beyond a 12 nautical mile territorial sea derived from islands it claims in the Spratly Islands.

This means that the United States rejects any PRC maritime claim in the waters surrounding Vanguard Bank (off Vietnam), Luconia Shoals (off Malaysia), Natuna Besar (off Indonesia), or in the waters of Bruneis EEZ, he added.

The United States began conducted freedom of navigation operations within 12 nautical miles of Chinese features in the South China Sea in October 2015 under the Obama administration.

The Trump administration continued the practice of using FONOPs to protest excessive maritime claims by littoral states, but increased the frequency of such operations. The U.S. regularly conducts these operations in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands.

U.S. FONOPs are conducted near features held by China and other South China Sea claimant states.

More:

US Conducts Freedom of Navigation Operation Near China-Held Features in Spratlys - The Diplomat

Image Source: Courtesy of Lauren Cadillac

Lauren Cadillac, RD, CPT, calls herself the "Feel Good Dietitian" because she helps her clients break the cycle of diet culture and shift the way they view food from "shame" to sustenance. But, she knows how hard it is to change your mindset when it comes to body image and daily meals, especially if you've consistently had a negative relationship with both. That's why she's offering decks of affirmation cards to aid in that journey.

Cadillac's Feel Good Flash Cards ($30) are set to launch on August 20, and in the deck of 54 phrases you'll see words like "I treat my body with kindness," "I give my body permission to change," "eating is an act of self-care," and more. She describes the color-splashed and inspiring cards as being for food freedom and body acceptance. "Food freedom means living free from the stress and rules of dieting," she explained to POPSUGAR. She uses it synonymously with eating intuitively though another RD we've spoken to in the past maintains that intuitive eating is a tool to achieve food freedom.

Cadillac also says food freedom is defined as "eating in a way that honors your body," or "listening to the cues it is giving you in order to make decisions about what, when, and how much to eat or not eat. It means finding a style of eating that nourishes your body, honors your palate, and allows you the freedom to live a life where you are no longer consumed by thoughts of food or weight."

Cadillac recommends these cards are for anyone recovering from an eating disorder, wanting to improve their body image or outlook on food, and wishing to reject diet culture. However, she notes that the cards are not a substitute for individualized care that qualified health professionals can give.

"The affirmations are essentially the antithesis of the lies we've been sold by diet culture," Cadillac said. "We've been sold harmful and negative messaging our entire lives so that someone can sell us the solution, and because of this, most of our automatic thoughts tend to be negative." Our thoughts influence our belief system, which impacts our emotions and our behaviors, she noted. Her cards will help "create new neural pathways so they can shift the automatic thoughts from negative ones to more positive ones." This will, in turn, guide people to have a more supportive belief system.

You can preorder the cards right now on Cadillac's website. She suggests reading and repeating these affirmations for five to 10 minutes, one to two times per day consistency is key in order to see a shift from negative to positive self-talk.

"Because we are changing the way we talk to ourselves and the way we perceive ourselves, I truly believe doing this work has the power to impact so many other areas outside of eating, from career to relationships," Cadillac said. "If we talk to ourselves in a more positive way, the stronger our sense of self-worth will be, and we'll be able to show up more confidently for all parts of life."

Original post:

This Dietitian's "Feel Good" Cards Will Help Heal Your Relationship With Food and Your Body - POPSUGAR

(KHABAROVSK, Russia) Mass rallies challenging the Kremlin rocked Russias Far East city of Khabarovsk again on Saturday, as tens of thousands took to the streets to protest the arrest of the regions governor on charges of involvement in multiple murders.

The massive unauthoritized crowds gathered despite local officials attempts to discourage people from taking to the streets, citing the coronavirus epidemic and an alleged averted terrorist threat.

Local media estimated the rally in the city 3,800 miles east of Moscow drew 15,000 to 50,000 people, while city authorities put the number at 10,000. Hundreds of people have rallied in the city every day this week against the arrest of Sergei Furgal, reflecting widespread anger over the arrest of the popular governor and a simmering discontent with the Kremlins policies.

Furgal, the Khabarovsk region governor, was arrested on July 9 and flown to Moscow where he was put in jail for two months. Russias Investigative Committee says he is suspected of involvement in several murders of businessmen in 2004 and 2005.

Furgal has denied the charges, which relate to his time as a businessman importing consumer goods ranging from timber and metals. Khabarovsk residents dismissed the charges against him as unsubstantiated and denounced the Kremlin for targeting a governor they elected.

Its not only about this (whether Furgal arrest is legal or not). People are fed up with the way we are treated, that they can simply take away our choice, protester Mikhail Yerashchenko told The Associated Press on Saturday.

A member of the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, Furgal was elected governor in 2018, defeating the Kremlin-backed incumbent. His victory was unexpected: Furgal didnt actively campaign and toed the Kremlins line, publicly supporting his rival.

People voted for him nonetheless, delivering a humiliating blow to the main Kremlin party, United Russia, that has been losing seats in regional governments over the past two years.

During his two years in office, Furgal earned a reputation of being the peoples governor. He cut his own salary, ordered the sale of an expensive yacht that the previous administration bought, met with protesters when rallies happened and significantly reduced flight fares for residents in remote areas.

Furgal became a political symbol for the residents of the region, and all accusations no matter how grave are from another, non-political dimension, political analyst Abbas Gallyamov said in a Facebook post.

Last Saturday, crowds of reportedly up to 35,000 people rallied in Khabarovsk. Protesters demanded that Furgals trial be moved to Khabarovsk, with one saying we have elected him and its up to us to judge him. Some questioned the timing of the arrest, pointing to Furgals decade-long stint as a lawmaker in the Russian parliament before running for governor, during which the murder charges never came up.

The unauthorized protests are the largest ever in Khabarovsk, a city of 590,000. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the situation not standard this week. Moscow has not yet appointed an acting governor 11 days after Furgals arrest.

Police didnt interfere with Saturdays rally. Protesters held banners demanding Furgals freedom and chanted I, you, he and she the entire country is for Furgal.

Smaller rallies in support of Furgal also took place Saturday in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, another big city in the Khabarovsk region, and in the city of Vladivostok in the neighboring Primorye region.

Though Im almost 70, I worry sincerely about my region, about Russia and our nation, about Furgal and freedom. I want us to be free, Alla Sokolova, a protester in Khabarovsk, told the AP.

__

Litvinova reported from Moscow.

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Contact us at editors@time.com.

The rest is here:

Tens of Thousands of Protesters Challenge the Kremlin in Far East Russian City - TIME

It could be the setting for a cracking Poirot novel. It is July 14, and Cotswolds country house hotel Lucknam Park is opening its Georgian doors the first time in four months. A reduced staff is busy polishing windows, clipping unruly hedges and setting out special trays at the reception desk (one for sanitised ballpoint pens, another for used ones).

Just fifteen of the 42 rooms and their canopied four-poster beds are occupied, meaning that the curious assortment of guests (including a journalist, an antique couple on Zimmer frames and a pair of Korean influencers wearing what appear to be frilly lab coats) wonder the leather-bound library, walled rose garden and arboretum in a state of uncanny solitude. The renowned spa is locked up, the bijou summer house too. The pool is drained dry. And in the world beyond, a global pandemic is simmering.

Its mile-long beech-lined drive and 500 acres of paddock and parkland have always lent Lucknam the air of being a world apart from the stresses of real life. This Covid-induced quiet is, however, unusual since its award-winning spa, Michelin-starred restaurant and refined service traditionally ensure that it hums at near-capacity. Today, occupancy is limited to 50 per cent and it rather suits both the hotel and my pretensions of grandeur. Wondering its stately rooms and grounds alone, I feel more like one of its historic residents than yet another modern grockle.

It also suits our plans. Lucknam has three self-catering cottages within its grounds, the largest and newest of which Squires Cottage is perfect not only for social distancing but also for multi-generational breaks. After four months of cruel separation from grandparents, all I want is to celebrate the resumption of hugs, so I take both children and my mother.

Squires has its own lavender-bordered garden, behind which is a charming childrens playground set bucolically against hay bales and horse fields, two tennis courts, and a five aside football pitch. The children borrow rackets, balls, bikes and helmets and, for the first time in four months, find themselves blissfully free to peddle and play beyond the spoilsport sight of their mother. I, meanwhile, am equally elated to read a book in peace, and to have an uninterrupted, unpixelated chat with my mother.

Squires has four double bedrooms (all gloriously marbled and under-floor-heated) and a vast, open-plan sitting room and kitchen with a dining table long enough for eight to celebrate. In ordinary times the dcor that anonymous hotel luxe defined by gargantuan TVs and papered feature walls would leave me cold.

Post-lockdown, however, I am gleeful to check out from real-life responsibilities and the rules of good taste and order a jubilantly OTT room service breakfast of French toast piled with bananas, hazelnuts and Nutella (currently delivered to the patio, and without the usual tray charge, to promote social distancing).

Pandemic alterations are all but invisible inside the cottage, but its influence is more evident in the main hotel. Staff in the reception and restaurant wear smart navy masks, matching their uniforms. Paper check-in documents are still in use, but pens are carefully separated into the aforementioned trays. Bar and restaurant menus are given the same treatment, while discreet hand sanitisers dot the public rooms.

There are, too, some obvious absences in usual service. A lesson in horse whispering or equine therapy at the hotels Equestrian Centre entrances us all, but the sight of the locked pool directly opening our cottage is dampener for my mother (an avid swimmer) and the children (enthusiastic splashers). Id give my left arm to use the spa. Thistles have pushed through the playgrounds rubber flooring during the empty months. Food service is charming but slow, presumably because of staff reductions.

Then theres the food itself. The casual, family-friendly Brasserie is another victim of Covid-closures, so we are offered its menu in the formal setting of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Hywel Jones. When our sea bass arrives overcooked and accompanied by similarly dry fries it is a blow. Especially as the wine list is stuck at Michelin prices.

Its also baffling because the rest of the food we are served is divine. The hotel has introduced picnics in response to the pandemic, so that guests can collect a wicker hamper and retreat into the hotels picturesque grounds. Inside ours are lobster rolls, sublime Scotch eggs, homemade crisps, individual trifles and more. We eat on a picnic blanket under a towering oak tree, giggling at the influencers taking endless selfies in the distance. It is exactly the tonic all three generations need. Right now, effortless social distancing on such a grand scale feels like the greatest of all luxuries a hotel can serve up.

Squire's Cottage sleeps eight and is available from 1,550 a night (lucknampark.co.uk)

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Freedom and peace on a Cotswolds family holiday - Telegraph.co.uk

Representative John Lewis, who died on Friday at 80, was an imposing figure in American politics and the civil rights movement. But his legacy of confronting racism directly, while never swaying from his commitment to nonviolence, started long before he became a national figure.

Mr. Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, was among the original 13 Freedom Riders who rode buses across the South in 1961 to challenge segregation in public transportation. The riders were attacked and beaten, and one of their buses was firebombed, but the rides changed the way people traveled and set the stage for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In 1947, the Congress of Racial Equality, known as CORE, created a Journey of Reconciliation to draw attention to racial segregation in public transportation in Southern cities and states across the United States. That movement was only moderately successful, but it led to the Freedom Rides of 1961, which forever changed the way Americans traveled between states.

The Freedom Rides, which began in May 1961 and ended late that year, were organized by COREs national director, James Farmer. The mission of the rides was to test compliance with two Supreme Court rulings: Boynton v. Virginia, which declared that segregated bathrooms, waiting rooms and lunch counters were unconstitutional, and Morgan vs. Virginia, in which the court ruled that it was unconstitutional to implement and enforce segregation on interstate buses and trains. The Freedom Rides took place as the Civil Rights movement was gathering momentum, and during a period in which African-Americans were routinely harassed and subjected to segregation in the Jim Crow South.

Who were the first 13 Freedom Riders?

The original Freedom Riders were 13 Black and white men and women of various ages from across the United States.

Raymond Arsenault, a Civil Rights historian and the author Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice, said CORE had advertised for participants and asked for applications. They wanted a geographic distribution and age distribution, he said.

Among those chosen were the Rev. Benjamin Elton Cox, a minister from High Point, N.C., and Charles Person of Atlanta, then a freshman at Morehouse College in Atlanta, who was the youngest of the group at 18. They had antinuclear activists; they had a husband-and-wife team from Michigan, Mr. Arsenault said of the diverse group of participants.

Mr. Lewis, then 21, represented the Nashville movement, which staged demonstrations at department stores and sit-ins at lunch counters. But Mr. Lewis nearly missed his opportunity, according to his 1998 autobiography, Walking With the Wind. After receiving his bus ticket to Washington, D.C., from CORE, Mr. Lewis was driven to the bus station by two friends, James Bevel and Bernard Lafayette. He arrived to find that his scheduled bus had already departed. We threw my bag back in Bevels car, floored it east and caught up in Murfreesboro, Mr. Lewis said.

The original group completed a few days of training in Washington, Mr. Arsenault said, preparing by role-playing to respond in nonviolent ways to the harassment that they would endure.

As the movement grew, so did the number of participants. Later in May, in Jackson, Miss., Mr. Lewis and hundreds of other protesters were arrested and hastily convicted of breach of peace. Many of the Freedom Riders spent six weeks in prison, sweltering in filthy, vermin-infested cells.

On May 4, 1961, the first crew of 13 Freedom Riders left Washington for New Orleans in two buses. The group encountered some resistance in Virginia, but they didnt encounter violence until they arrived in Rock Hill, S.C. At the bus station there, Mr. Lewis and another rider were beaten, and a third person was arrested after using a whites-only restroom.

When they reached Anniston, Ala., on May 14, Mothers Day, they were met by an angry mob. Local officials had given the Ku Klux Klan permission to attack the riders without consequences. The first bus was firebombed outside Anniston while the mob held the door closed. The passengers were beaten as they fled the burning bus.

When the second bus reached Anniston, eight Klansmen boarded it and attacked and beat the Freedom Riders. The bus managed to continue on to Birmingham, Ala., where the passengers were again attacked at a bus terminal, this time with baseball bats, iron pipes and bicycle chains.

At one point during the rides, Mr. Lewis and others were attacked by a mob of white people in Montgomery, Ala., and he was left unconscious in a pool of his own blood outside the Greyhound Bus Terminal. He was jailed several times and spent a month in Mississippis notoriously notorious Parchman Penitentiary.

The attacks received widespread attention in the news media, but they pushed Mr. Farmer to end the initial campaign. The Freedom Riders finished their journey to New Orleans by plane.

Many more Freedom Rides followed over the next several months. Ultimately, 436 riders participated in more than 60 Freedom Rides, Mr. Arsenault said.

Yes.

On May 29, 1961, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission to ban to segregation in interstate bus travel, according to PBS. The order, which was issued on Sept. 22 and went into effect on Nov. 1, led to the removal of Jim Crow signs from stations, waiting rooms, water fountains and restrooms in bus terminals.

Three years later, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ended segregation in public spaces across the United States.

Mr. Lewis attained a particular status as a civil rights activist because he had been arrested and beaten so many times, Mr. Arsenault said.

He was absolutely fearless and courageous, totally committed, he said. People knew that he always had their back and that they could count on him. He had an incorruptible commitment to nonviolence.

In 1963, Mr. Lewis became the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and helped to organize the March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his I Have a Dream speech.

That whole experience and in his role with the Freedom Riders really consolidated his reputation as this fearless civil rights activist who really had a strategic sense of the power of nonviolence, said Kevin Gaines, the Julian Bond professor of civil rights and social justice at the University of Virginia. Lewis really emerged among a group of impressive and very effective civil rights leaders.

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Who Were the Freedom Riders? - The New York Times

I told myself I was going to start todays Freedom Kicks early, but here it is, 12:11am, and I have just written the first sentence. Too predictable! Also, this post is earlier than normal because its a D.C. United gameday, so weve got a preview coming for you later this morning.

Lets start with some good news:

Cleats on is a big moment for any player making a long recovery from an injury, so congrats to Paul Arriola! Hopefully his rehab keeps going at this pace, and that we somehow have games later this year.

D.C. United needed help in its MLS tournament opener. FIFA provided it. | Washington PostBen Olsens reputation is for not using all of his substitutions, and waiting late in games to do so. But, given his first shot at the temporary five-substitution rules, Olsen went to his bench early (at halftime) and often (used all five). Not only that, but by making the moves he did, Olsen managed to give a rest to three key attacking starters (Ola Kamara, Edison Flores, Julian Gressel) and a starting fullback (Joseph Mora).

DC United and US youth national team midfielder Kevin Paredes hailed after MLS debut | MLSsoccer.comAnother positive of those subs: Kevin Paredes made his United debut, and was a legit factor. Paredes has shown at training (remember way back in February, when yours truly went to training several times to see United players with my own eyes?) that hes got the talent and the attitude to be a factor right now, and it was great to see that carry over to Uniteds draw with Toronto.

Looking back on that game, heres a good behind-the-scenes video from Uniteds content team down in Florida:

Arena thinking about his lineup as Farrell and Zahibo return to full health | The Bent MusketBruce Arena is talking about possible rotation, and hes got some options.

Full Time with Meg Linehan: Stay Home, Watch Soccer | The AthleticOur own Andr Carlisle is talking Washington Spirit on Meg Linehans (still relatively new) podcast.

Pro Foul Podcast: Who doesnt love NWSL Challenge Cup chaos? | Last Word on SoccerAndr also just started a new NWSL podcast with Rachael Kriger and R.J. Allen (not the former NYCFC player) that I cant recommend enough.

The Mixxed Zone: The Knockout Round | Beautiful Game NetworkMore podcasts! This one features me talking about the Spirits play thus far, their potential as a dynasty, and some under-the-radar players that have impressed at the Challenge Cup.

North Carolina Courage vs. Portland Thorns: NWSL Challenge Cup live stream, how to watch, odds, storylines | CBS SportsSandra Herrera has been killing it doing CBSs written NWSL content as well as pre- and post-game shows. Heres her preview of this afternoons quarterfinal between the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns FC.

Dash take on Royals in Challenge Cup quarterfinal | Dynamo TheoryAnd heres what you need to know for the night game between the Houston Dash and Utah Royals FC.

Living in a hotel for a month would kinda suck | All For XINWSL players are going through something that is in its own way pretty difficult by being at the Challenge Cup.

Before we get to yesterdays MLS is Back results, lets look at two great pieces on the madness that was San Jose beating Vancouver 4-3. Sam Stejskal at The Athletic and Charles Boehm at MLSsoccer.com are both well-versed in this particular genre of nonsense game, and they really captured the strange fury the game was played in.

Atlanta United 0-1 FC Cincinnati: Highlights and recap | Dirty South SoccerThere are articles digging deeper on Atlanta Uniteds shock 1-0 loss to hapless FC Cincinnati, but sometimes a reaction from Troll 2 tells you all you need to know.

Five things noticed during Toronto FCs wild 401 derby win over the Montreal Impact | Waking the RedToronto FC and the Montreal Impact always produce wild games, and sure enough, they did it again. Ayo Akinola posted a hat trick, but TFC kept giving up goals from extremely easy-to-defend long balls. Their Group C finale against the Revs is going to end up being 7-6 or some such.

Crew shows dominance, downing Red Bulls | Massive ReportAnemic Red Bulls fall 2-0 to Columbus in second match of MLS is Back Tournament | Once a MetroGood news, everyone!

Metro Nashville Sports Authority approves MLS soccer stadium construction agreement again | The TennesseanNashville SCs stadium proposal had to be voted on again because the last attempt was basically sprung on the public without adequate notice.

Alright, were done here. Lets get that W today.

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Friday Freedom Kicks: D.C. United vs. New England Revolution, NWSL Challenge Cup knockouts, MLS is Back, and - Black And Red United

Published: 7/16/2020 2:29:50 PM

Modified: 7/16/2020 2:29:40 PM

Mr. Bourbeau and Mr. Levandusky: You profess indignation at the way Black people have been expressing their outrage at their treatment by law enforcement, government, and society, and at the youths apparent lack of historical knowledge.

Perhaps it doesnt go without saying, so Ill say it: I know, from my college-level U.S. History class, that no oppressed group was ever simply gifted the rights theyd been denied by the American government. No, they colonists, women, Black people, veterans had to fight.

Fighting meant directly opposing conventions and laws of the time. It meant discomfort for the ruling group, who was satisfied by the status-quo and saw no reason to change because they were not negatively impacted.

Fighting meant speaking truth to power in a language they would hear petitioning, destroying property, or taking a militant stance. We see this with colonists toppling of a statue of King George III on July 9, 1776; we see it in the war waged against the British.

See the Underground Railroad through which enslaved Black people escaped the South; see Nat Turners and John Browns Slave Revolts. See labor strikes. See the marches and angry ridicule the suffragists spewed at men in power. See the sit-ins and Selma; see the open defiance of what is legal and right. See today.

What do you think these Americans should have done?

When laws, popular opinion, and a lack of opportunity served to corner them at every step? How exactly were they supposed to get their rights? Ill tell you they werent. Dr. Martin Luther King wrote, Justice too long delayed is justice denied. The United States must no longer deny justice and complete freedom to the marginalized groups of this nation, and they must compensate these groups for damages done. Anything else would be villainy.

Ella McDaniel

Greenfield

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Justice and freedom - The Recorder

SEN. Christopher Lawrence Bong Go reminded the public to exercise their freedom of expression responsibly as he emphasized the difference between being critical and deliberately spreading fake news and disinformation on social media, especially now that there is a crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

SEN. Christopher Lawrence Bong Go

Go said in Filipino while he had nothing against free expression of ideas and while this government would always protect the rights and freedoms of Filipinos, such rights and freedoms entailed corresponding responsibilities as upright citizens of this country.

We should understand that this comes with a responsibility as a citizen. Please use your freedom responsibly, the senator said.

In this time of [coronavirus] crisis, we are busy working to protect the welfare, interest and lives of the Filipinos. Were just serving our fellow Filipinos. But others are also busy maligning [others], wasting their time spreading fake news [and] lies, and adding problems to the nation, he added.

He also told critics that they were allowed to voice out their opinions so long as they were not spreading lies to inflict harm on others and were not violating any laws.

As for those who will be proven to have broken the law, Go said they should be ready to face the consequences of their actions.

He said the courts would decide whether their accusations were in violation of the cybercrime law, libel law or other laws.

Go urged accused individuals to cooperate with the investigation, as the law has safeguards to protect their rights.

Go reminded critics that he also has a family and children who get hurt when lies are thrown at him.

Go, then, stressed that democracy does not only protect freedom of speech; it also guarantees the right of individuals to protect themselves against false and malicious information.

A college student was reported to have been subpoenaed by the National Bureau of Investigation this Thursday after sharing a post on social media allegedly containing fake news against the senator.

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Bong Go: Use freedom of expression responsibly The Manila Times - The Manila Times

Ive heard it said so many times that wearing a mask is an infringementof our constitutional rights. Im not sure which one since the framers ofthe Constitution did not include anything so specific as mask wearing.Over and over, I hear that Governor Wolf is a desperate, tyrannicalleader trying to strip away our rights by not allowing us to get haircuts,go to stores, or go out to eat the way we want to. I actually feel that,regarding masks, Governor Wolf is simply asking us to be moreconsiderate of, and helpful to, our fellow Pennsylvanians.

Lets all remember that masks serve an actual purpose in thispandemic. If YOU have COVID 19, even if you dont know that you do,a mask may prevent you from spreading the virus to others. The samegoes for all the other mask-wearers. Its something we can do to try toprotect our fellow citizens. Purposely NOT wearing a mask is similar towearing a button that reads, I dont care about you.

This simple act of wearing a mask has become politicized, spiritualized,and personalized. I have been denigrated and judged on multipleoccasions for wearing mine. But someone needs to explain to me howwearing a mask has removed my constitutional rights. Soldiers havebeen trained with gas masks since World War I. Theyve carried them,complained about them, and disliked them. But, theyve worn thembecause sometimes its necessary! Perhaps we need to think of thesepandemic masks in similar terms These masks do not remove ourfreedoms; they are weapons for defending our freedom to live a healthylife. If we all wear masks, we can get back to normal life more quickly,save lives (many of them, according to experts), and see our economyre-opening faster.

So please, enough of this dont wear a mask nonsense (except forrare and specific medical reasons!). The only way through this mess isto get through this mess. We cant wish it away. We cant pretend thatCOVID 19 does not exist. It does, and it has killed 138,000 Americans,of all political parties, already. Lets fight for freedom; lets put thosemasks on.

Rich Sterner, wearing a mask to fight for freedom.

Candidate for PA Senate District 33

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Masks and the Fight for Freedom - Gettysburg Connection

India

oi-PTI

| Published: Saturday, July 18, 2020, 22:25 [IST]

Washington, July 18: President Donald Trump has said he would not order Americans to wear masks to contain the spread of the coronavirus, saying people should have a "certain freedom."

His comments came after Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious diseases expert, appealed to state and local leaders to be "as forceful as possible" in getting people to wear masks in public places.

In a 'Fox News Sunday' interview, Trump said, "I don't agree with the statement that if everybody wear a mask, everything disappears.

Commenting on the initial comments from top health officials, Trump said: Hey, Dr Fauci said don't wear a mask. Our Surgeon General, terrific guy said don't wear a mask. Everybody who is saying don't wear a mask all of sudden everybody's got to wear a mask, and as you know masks cause problems, too.

Trump, who has been seen wearing a face mask only once, said, I'm a believer in masks. I think masks are good.

But Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said social distancing, an important factor in blunting the spread of the coronavirus, can be difficult with more people going out.

More than 170 Indian nationals file lawsuit against US President Donald Trump over H-1B visa

"When you're living your life and trying to open up the country, you are going to come into contact with people. And for that reason, we know that masks are really important, and we should be using them everywhere," he said during a US Chamber of Commerce virtual event.

Americans are actually slowing down the re-opening the country by not wearing a mask, CNN quoted Fauci as saying during a US Chamber of Commerce event.

"If we could get more people to understand that, hopefully we'll get more people who'd be willing to wear masks," he said.

He said he would "urge the leaders -- the local political and other leaders - in states and cities and towns to be as forceful as possible in getting your citizenry to wear masks."

The country needs to concentrate on the problems at hand and not worry about a second wave, he said.

"When you're having up to 70,000 new infections ... that's something you need to focus on right now, as opposed to looking at what's going to happen in September or October," he said.

There were 77,255 new cases reported on Thursday, crossing a previous record set two days ago, according to Johns Hopkins University.

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People should have 'certain freedom': Trump says won't order Americans to wear face masks - Oneindia