Category Archives: Donald Trump

Nigerias Coronavirus cases could hit 240,000 by year-end going by the current rate of cases recorded daily in June 2020. Nigeria recorded a whopping 745 new cases on Thursday, June 18th, the highest number of cases recorded on a single day.

The data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also reveals cases have increased just as it ramped up testing across the country. Total testing as at June 18th was 106,006 up from just 63,882 as of May 2020, thus about 40% of total testing has occurred in the first 19 days of June. This comes to about 2,340 per day for June thus far. Most developed countries test over 20,000 per day.

In terms of cases per test or daily positivity test rate, Nigeria seems to be recording, 19.7%, or about 19.7 cases for every 100 tested. This is based on an average of 462 cases per day in June and 2,340 cases per day as indicated above.

The data is purely an estimate as the NCDC has not released any daily positivity test for Nigeria. Official figures are recommended for extensive analysis or decision making.

The Positivity test rate tracks the number of cases recorded out of all tests conducted, and that came back positive for COVID-19. It is viewed as the most reliable way to determine if a government is testing enough.

A high rate of positive test rate indicates that the government is only testing the sickest patients, who sought out medical attention, and is not casting a wide net.

The WHO has issued guidance stating that governments should see positivity rates below 5% for at least 14 days before relaxing social distancing measures. Nigerias positivity rate of 19.7% is far above the WHO recommended 5%.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Brazil has the highest daily positivity test rate with 36.68%, followed by Mexico with 18.71%. Sweden is next at 15.11%, followed by the US and UK at 13.76% and 13.01% respectively. India, which has a similar demographic like Nigeria, has a daily positivity test rate of 8.73%.

READ MORE: Lagos to open churches, mosques from June 19, limits gatherings to 40% capacity

Pandemics are often once in a century type events, thus, making projections can be dicey. However, running the numbers help appreciate the task at hand and urgency to flatten the curve.

A cursory analysis by Nairametrics Research estimates that at the current rate of daily cases, Nigeria might record up to 240,000 cases by the end of December 2020. According to our simple forecast, Nigeria could record as much as 18,000 cases in June alone.

We utilized Microsoft Excel forecast tool to estimate what the number of cases could be assuming the current levels are maintained. This is purely statistical and does not consider efforts to flatten the curve.

In our analysis, we summed all the confirmed cases per month prior to June and then forecasted for the remaining days in June adding it to the confirmed cases recorded in June 2020. The total figures for each month were then used as the basis for forecasting into December 2020 with June as a starting point. The result is below;

As mentioned, this chart does not take into consideration other factors that could indeed help flatten the curve like social distancing, lockdown extensions, and other preventive measures. There are also reports of a potential cure for the virus which could help as well.

Some also believe that we could well be approaching a peak and that the numbers might start coming down sooner rather than later.

Nevertheless, this cursory analysis depicts what we could be facing in the coming months if efforts are not intensified to reduce the spread of the virus.

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The rising cases, particularly in Lagos has led to several policy reversals relating to the easing of lockdown. The Federal Government has rolled back plans to open up the local airports while the Lagos State government suspended indefinitely the planned reopening of mosques and churches initially set for Friday, June 19 and Sunday, June 21 respectively.

While the centers were already warming up to start their services, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu explained that the plan had to be suspended till the coast is clearer. He said,

We have been closely monitoring the situation since then, and have now concluded that we cannot proceed with any form of re-opening for places of worship in Lagos State, until further notice.

This is not a decision that we have taken lightly, it is simply in line with our ongoing evaluation of evolving scenarios regarding the course of the infection in Lagos State and the corresponding public health advisory guidelines issued by the experts.

We are now hereby suspending, with immediate effect, the plan to re-open religious houses and places of worship in Lagos State, until further notice.

READ ALSO: WHO to update COVID-19 treatment inline with new findings

We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and continue to base our decision-making on data modelling; as well as on the responsibility we have to act in a manner that ensures the protection of all you the people of Lagos State. Therefore, until further notice, all places of worship in Lagos State will remain closed.

Also, on Thursday, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 declared that the June 21 date, which was earlier fixed for local airlines to resume operations, is not feasible. According to the Chairman of the task force, Boss Mustapha, the increasing cases are a concern and there are more grounds the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has to cover before local flight resumption.

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Elon Musk is fast becoming the Steve Jobs of today - Nairametrics

(CNN) There's a reason Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis flew to Santorini earlier this month when he wanted to announce the reopening of his country to tourism.

When the evening sun begins to dip behind the rim of the extinct volcano of which the island forms part, it is one of the most romantic and beautiful photo opportunities on the planet.

It's a view that helps make Santorini Greece's most visited island, receiving up to two million tourists annually -- many arriving on the gigantic cruise ships that can normally be seen parked in the middle of the natural bay below.

The island will be welcoming international visitors via airplane once again from July 1, but cautions over the coronavirus mean their numbers will be far fewer than before and the cruise ships won't be returning any time soon.

And while that means a brutal time ahead for some businesses, others on the island are relishing the prospect of a new era, one in which Santorini's beauty can flourish without being turned into a "machine that just created money."

Double blow

The Covid-19 lockdown has left Santorini deserted.

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images

The impact of a Covid lockdown has already been dramatic for a destination that relies on tourism for 90% of its income. In Santorini's case, the lockdown came as a double blow as the island had recently begun to open its hotels and restaurants all year round.

During this enforced isolation only Santorini residents were allowed on the island. Guests from the mainland had to return home and no new tourists were allowed in. The drastic shutdown worked, however. Not one case of the potentially deadly disease was diagnosed on Santorini.

Although the island is opening up again, everyone is being careful. Personal protection will not just be for the benefit of guests.

"No one on Santorini wants to catch Covid," says Joy Kerluke, who runs Dmitri's Taverna at Ammoudi Bay. "I have to say that with the lockdown we felt safe on Santorini as we had no cases and nobody was coming here. I think we all enjoyed the scenery and the quietness for a while."

Santorini, with its blue-domed churches and thousand-foot cliffs will look exactly the same, but it's going to be unusually empty.

"We expect 15% percent of the visitors compared to previous years," says George Filippidis, general manager of the Andronis Suites hotel on Santorini. "The economic damage will be huge. We will operate at a loss for 2020 but we want to open so that we offer employment to our staff, and support the local community that is wholly dependent on tourism."

Quiet and uncrowded

The cruise ships carrying up to 3,000 people are not expected to return in 2020.

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images

The complete absence of visitors has allowed several major projects to be completed. "The new terminal at the airport is now operational," says Filippidis. "The new road which connects Oia with the airport and part of Athinios port has also been completed, so getting round the island is going to be much easier."

For a destination that was second only to Venice with its cruise-ship issues, the fact that very few of these enormous vessels -- if any -- will return in 2020 is considered to be good news. With each ship disgorging up to 3,000 people onto minibuses, these floating hotels clogged up Santorini's roads.

"No cruise ship arrivals have been confirmed yet," says Filippidis. "And even if they start at some point it will be very limited."

At Dmitri's Taverna, one of the few quayside restaurants to offer an uninterrupted view of Santorini's famous sunset, Kerluke is having to space out the tables and prepare personal protection equipment.

"We will have fewer tables along the quay, which for us is hard as we have a small taverna already," she says. "And we will wear masks and gloves. There will be antiseptic for our customers too."

Kerluke, who arrived from Canada 25 years ago, says there are consolations.

"Those people who do decide to come to Santorini will have a lovely time," she says. "They will see Santorini, quiet and uncrowded like it used to be."

'Strange time'

Locals have been reflecting on Santorini's future.

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images

Apart from tourism, the other mainstay of Santorini's economy has been its vineyards. The unique, Assyrtiko-based wines of Santorini are exported all over the world, and most of the island's 18 vineyards are open to visitors.

By now the 2019 vintage should be in restaurants and supermarkets across the island, but Petros Vamvakousis, manager of Venetsanos Winery, says the lockdown has disrupted distribution.

"Our 2019 vintage remains inside stainless steel tanks and barrels," he says. "It should have been bottled between February and April but the five people who would do this had to remain at home. Now we are trying to catch up.

"Normally we produce 50,000 bottles a year but we rely on exports, and these are close to zero at the moment. Our distributor in America informed us that while restaurants remain closed in the USA, there is no market for Santorini wine in America."

Like many wineries, Venetsanos had until the crisis been able earn income through tastings and tours. Cut dramatically into the cliffs overlooking Athinios Harbour, the winery has a beautiful terrace where wine is served with snacks, but Vamvakousis says that the numbers of people who can be accommodated will be limited to four or six per table from now on.

"We are living in a strange time," he says. "Everything about the island reminds me of winter. Many restaurants, cafs and hotels are closed. It is summer now and it is extremely strange for Santorini to be so quiet and lonely."

Stopping the 'machine'

Recent years have seen complaints about overtourism in Santorini.

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images

Vamvakousis says he is optimistic that busy days will once again return, but believes the enforced downturn will help prompt a reevaluation of the island's future.

"Santorini is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but I am sure that lockdown was helpful," he says. "It stopped the machine that just created money and did not care about the environment. Now it is the right time to think what was wrong with Santorini. We have the right to protect, but we don't have the right to destroy."

While money is going to be a big issue in 2020, not everything about the interrupted tourist season is a disaster. Gill Rackham, originally from Britain, who has run Lotza restaurant and the Oia Old Houses apartments with her husband Vasilis for more than 30 years, sees mixed blessings.

"About a month ago our July bookings were looking good, approximately 75% occupancy, but now it's down to 20% and falling," says Rackham. "But my take is that within this catastrophe there will be winners. Santorini has been given a respite to breathe again... no crowds, no traffic jams... no cruise ships."

Rackham has noticed that "on the beaches of Perivolas and Perrissa there are a few tavernas up and running but most for local Greeks and Athenian visitors! Elsewhere owners are starting to return to open up for 1 July, which is the expected date for international flights."

Some hotels have taken the three-month lockdown time to rethink how they interact with guests. "We will be offering our services digitally," says George Filippidis at Andronis.

"You'll be able to check in online, order cocktails, book a cruise in the azure Aegean waters, and check out when your trip comes to an end, simply by using your mobile device."

Honeymoon advantage

Santorini earns 90% of its income from tourism.

ARIS MESSINIS/AFP via Getty Images

Indeed the privacy model that made Santorini so successful as a honeymoon destination could well work to its advantage.

"Rather than huge hotels with large public spaces, most of Santorini's suites have private entrances and sunlit balconies with a dedicated pool or Jacuzzi that is cleansed and chlorinated daily," says Filippidis. "Breakfast is served in your room, not in a dining hall. This is ideal for guests who want to feel safe. Unlike in big resorts we're not having to put up perspex screens between sun-loungers."

Greece is no stranger to financial crises, but in the 1950s and '60s, and as recently as 2008, it has always been able to look to mass tourism as a means of reviving the economy.

The irony of the current situation is that tourism, once the solution, is now the problem.

In his Santorini speech, Prime Minister Mitsotakis said he wants Greece to be safe but he also knows with 20% of Greek nationals working in tourism and the industry contributing up to 30% of the economy, he needs islands like Santorini to have a long and profitable summer and even a prosperous fall.

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What happened on Santorini when the tourism 'machine' stopped - CNN

An Bang beach, almost empty in March as most tourists went home. Courtesy of Tasha Prados

I made a pros and cons list should I stay or should I go back to the US? I agonized over the decision. I talked to my family, and together, we decided I should stay in Vietnam. My top concern was what would happen if someone in my family got sick and I wasn't there but my mom argued that if she got sick, I couldn't help anyway, because she would need to be isolated. I didn't want to risk being a vector for the virus and getting anyone sick by traveling. I had been prepared to be abroad "indefinitely" anyway, and, like many digital nomads, I didn't have a "home" to go back to in the US, per se.

It was a complicated decision that I questioned a lot over the next few weeks but, as of now, I think it was the right one.

So there it was, a stop to my 'nomading.' Time to stay put in one place and prepare for possible quarantine. First, I needed to find a place with a kitchen. Luckily, a few nomad friends I met through Hub Hi An invited me to stay with them. We found a villa where we could wait it out, which we fondly nicknamed Casa de Quarantine. There were six of us: another American, a Spanish woman, a Polish woman, and a Dutch couple. We figured isolation was coming, so on March 27, we went for a supply run in DaNang, the nearest big city, about an hour away.

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Quarantined in Vietnam: Why I glad I didn't go back to the US - Business Insider - Business Insider

On Thursday night, a collection some of the NFLs biggest stars released avideochallenge to the league. A-listers including Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson and Odell Beckham spoke powerfully about the omnipresence of systemic racism against black Americans.

Then the players turned to the deep rift that has existed between players and owners ever since Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the national anthem in 2016 to protest against racism. They asked the NFL to apologize and recognize the current moment by putting out a statement with these words: We, the NFL, condemn racism and the systemic oppression of black people. We, the NFL admit were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all that speak out and peacefully protest. We, the NFL, believe Black Lives Matter.

Less than 24 hours later, Donald Trump predictably entered the fray with a series of tweets that asserted New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees should not have apologized for equating kneeling with disrespecting the military. Trump then tried to rally his base with the antiquated talking point he utters most in times of desperation.

I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think hes truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high,Trumptweeted.We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag NO KNEELING!

All eyes turned to the NFL. The league had a significant decision to make. Would commissioner Roger Goodell, representative of the 32 owners, finally turn his back on the president (and the NFLs numerous MAGA fans)? Would he side with his players? Or would he continue to condone Trumps words through silence, or worse, release a weak, fluffy statement with corporate buzzwords like equality, justice, and respect, while taking no concrete action?

Within minutes, Goodell issued astunning video. He uttered the words we were wrong as he read the statement requested by the players.He spoke with emotion and remorse as he said, I personally protest with you and want to be part of the much-needed change in this country. It was a Goodell we have never seen before.

Then again, this is a moment we have never seen before. The brutal police killing of George Floyd and so many before him has sparked a passionate, widespread movement of awareness, education, and solidarity. We are now almost two weeks into protests seeking an America that ends police brutality and the systemic oppression of its black citizens. Its a movement that should reach anyone with a heart and functioning brain cells.

Goodell hardly deserves a parade for his change of tone. After all, his NFL is the one that tossed aside its moral compass and turned its back on Kaepernick four years ago and every day since. Goodells statement would have been far more powerful had he mentioned Kaepernick by name. Either way, the NFLs banishment of Kaepernick is a permanent stain on the NFL.Nothing can change that now.

Goodells statement was not proactive but reactive to a litany of players who drew a line in the sand. But it was quick and decisive and achieved the unthinkable: The NFL gave Donald Trump the middle finger. It finally detached itself from Trump and his crazy, dangerous strategy of exploiting the flag and national anthem to suppress and demonize peaceful protest.

Trump considers many NFL owners as friends, most notably Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots. Kraft was one of 10 NFL owners who contributed to Trumps inauguration committee. All of these owners have stood on the sidelines like faithful puppies and allowed Trump to pounce on the league since he started his presidential campaign. Whether calling kneeling players sons of bitches or sending Vice-President Mike Pence to a 49ers-Colts just to storm out of the stadium after the anthem, or tweeting STAND FOR THE FLAG when hes bored, Trumps toxicity has been a constant in the NFL. And the league, happy to collect the revenue of his supporters, turned a blind eye.

But with the NFLs sudden support of its protesting players, Trump has lost something important. Even Brees exited the Trump train on Friday, addressing the president directly and urging him to stop using the flag to distract America from discussing racial injustice. None of the NFLs power brokers are publicly in Trumps corner anymore whatever they think in private. And Trump, for all of his megalomania, is going to have a hard time using the NFL to spew his usual cocktail of spite and hate.

Even the military, who Trump has long used as a crutch for his demagoguery, is turning its back on him.From condemnation by retired generals, including James Mattis, to the backtracking of the current secretary of defense, Mark Esper, after Trump ordered the military to tamp down protests, Trumps playbook of politicizing the military is losing steam.

We will see what happens when the protests thin out and the threats of boycotting from MAGA fans inevitably arrives. We will see if any owners cozy up to Trump and try to clamp down on peaceful protesting. We will see if Kaepernick is allowed to play again in the league that has deprived him of a career for his political beliefs. Given the torment the league has caused Kaepernick, and so many of its players, there is reason to be skeptical. But this time feels different. White players and coaches are joining forces with their black teammates. They are marching. They are talking. They are anxious to help. The NFL finally seems ready to be on the right side of history and turning its back on Trumpis a healthy place to start.

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The NFL did the unthinkable: it gave Donald Trump the middle finger - The Guardian

President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday allowing major infrastructure projects and energy projects to move forward without rigorous environmental review. Agencies would be able to waive provisions put in place by cornerstone environmental laws like the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). That would apply to projects like new mines, pipelines, and highways, reports The Washington Post.

The move is aimed at spurring recovery from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. An economic emergency, Trump claimed, gives the president authority to essentially suspend environmental laws. Agencies should take all reasonable measures to speed infrastructure investments and to speed other actions in addition to such investments that will strengthen the economy and return Americans to work, the executive order says.

But disregarding environmental law could come with grave consequences, former members of the EPA warn. Failing to assess the potential environmental damage a project might inflict can also harm health. Take pollution that might come from building a highway near neighborhoods and the vehicle traffic that follows, for example. That leads to chronic health problems that can make people more vulnerable to COVID-19, and pollution often disproportionately poisons black neighborhoods and other communities of color. Black Americans are exposed to 1.54 times more fine particle pollution, which can come from construction sites and tailpipes, than the rest of the population, the EPA found in a 2018 study.

The new executive order arrives as protests continue against systemic racism and the police killing of George Floyd, who told officers I cant breathe as a Minneapolis officer pinned him down by the neck. When we say we cant breathe, we are not only talking about the knees on our necks and chokeholds from police, but also the squeezing of life from our lungs brought on by the pollution that the Trump Administration continues to pump into our bodies by the rolling back of the vary laws that are meant to give us justice and access, Mustafa Santiago Ali , the former associate administrator of the EPAs Office of Environmental Justice, said in an emailed statement.

Its unclear whether Trump actually has the legal authority to enforce his latest executive order, according to Joel Mintz, Professor Emeritus of Law at Nova Southeastern University and a former attorney for the EPA. This is also very bad public policy. Pipelines and other infrastructure can do great environmental harm. Their impact should be carefully examined, as NEPA requires, before they are allowed to go forward, Mintz said in a statement emailed to The Verge.

Trump has already moved to weaken the National Environmental Policy Act. In January, he proposed changes that would speed up the approval process for constructing new pipelines and infrastructure. NEPA gives the public an opportunity to comment before projects are allowed to break ground, and has been invoked to oppose the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines.

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Donald Trump weakens environmental regulations with new executive order - The Verge

Bret: Well, it pains me to say this, but Elizabeth Warrens chances just got a lot better: Her case is that she can help save capitalism from itself by fighting against all the inequalities of American life. And Stacey Abramss chances improved too, as a way for Biden to signal that he will heal racial divisions and unrest.

Gail: Every day feels like a Biden ad now. While Minneapolis was in turmoil, Trump came out to address reporters. And very, very low as my opinion of our president is, I did not expect him to ignore the subject entirely. But he just talked about China. Then walked off without answering any questions.

Im in awe of Trumps China obsession. Its second only to his Obama obsession. Really, if something bad is going on hell blame one of those two. Sometimes both. I was sort of impressed by the way he managed to celebrate the space launch only good news of the entire week by taking credit for rescuing NASA from Obama neglect.

But Im still interested in why he seems to feel that blaming everything on China works. You have a way better sense of foreign affairs than I do. Give me an analysis.

Bret: The tinpot leaders instinct is always to find someone else to blame for whatever misfortunes befall the country. But in Chinas case, that someone else happens to be exceedingly blameworthy.

Theres no question Beijings initial cover-up in Wuhan helped the virus spread. Now it is behaving tyrannically when it comes to the people of Hong Kong. It is treaty-bound to honor the principle of one country, two systems. But it has constantly tried to undermine the citys civic freedoms, which is what sparked last years massive demonstrations. This time around, Chinas leaders figured the world was too preoccupied to try to stand in the way of their attempts to impose draconian limitations on Hong Kongs long-held rights of speech and public protest.

Any American president would be bound to respond somehow. The problem we have is that Trump has squandered so much of Americas moral capital, and behaved so obsequiously with despots like Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, that his words just dont carry the weight of former presidents. And the same goes for crises at home.

Gail: So youre saying that even when hes right, hes wrong? Sounds like a perfect campaign slogan.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Wed like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com.

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram.

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Donald Trump Is Lost in Space - The New York Times

Once Twitter applied its rules to Trumpand received accolades for its decisionit inadvertently set a precedent. The company had stood strong against the bully, and showed that there was little price to pay for the choice. A large swath of S&P 500 companies soon calculated that it was better to stand in solidarity with the protests, rather than wait for their employees to angrily pressure them to act.

A cycle of noncooperation was set in motion. Local governments were the next layer of the elite to buck Trumps commands. After the president insisted that governors dominate the streets on his behalf, they roundly refused to escalate their response. Indeed, New York and Virginia rebuffed a federal request to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.* Even the suburb of Arlington, Virginia, pulled its police that had been loaned to control the crowd in Lafayette Square.

As each group of elites refused Trump, it became harder for the next to comply in good conscience. In Sharps taxonomy, the autocrats grasp on power depends entirely on the allegiance of the armed forces. When the armed forces withhold cooperation, the dictator is finished. Of course, the U.S. is far more democratic than the regimes Sharp studied and doesnt fit his taxonomy neatly. But on Wednesday, the presidents very own secretary of defense explicitly rejected Trumps threat to deploy active-duty military officers to American streets. Its among the most striking instances of an official bucking a president in recent decades.

Adam Serwer: Trump gave police permission to be brutal

The examples of Serbia, Ukraine, and Tunisia show how even the subservient unexpectedly break from a leader once that leader is doomed to illegitimacy. And to an extent, the cycle of abandonment has already begun. Jim Mattiss excoriation of his old boss prodded Trumps former chief of staff John Kelly and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska to echo his condemnation of the president.** As each defector wins praise for moral courage, it incentivizes the next batch of defectors.

Even if the protests fizzleand the parade of denunciations comes to an endits worth pausing to marvel at the moment. Despite the divisions of the country, a majority of its people joined together in shared abhorrence of the president, at least for an instant. Sectors of society that studiously avoid politics broke with their reticence. In a dark era, when it seemed beyond the moral capacities of the nation, it mustered the will to disobey.

* An earlier version of this article incorrectly included Maryland among the states that have rebuffed a request to send National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

** This article previously misstated the first name of former White House chief of staff John Kelly.

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.

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The Trump Regime Is Beginning to Topple - The Atlantic

Donald Trump promised on Twitter this week that the United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.

Legal experts immediatelythrew cold wateron theproposal, arguing that there may be no means by which any domestic entity can be designated in this way.

But, perhaps more importantly, experts also say that there is no actual antifa organization for Trump to define in this way.Put simply: antifa does not really exist as a distinct entity.

Antifa is a useful umbrella term that denotes a broad spectrum of groups and individuals of far-left or anarchist tendencies. The term itself means simply anti-fascist.

Mark Bray, a historian and the author of Antifa: The Antifascist Handbook, said in a telephone conversation that antifa is a loose movement of decentralized revolutionary self defense opposed to the far right.

Antifa conspiracy theories are common amongst rightwing politicians, media and activists. Bray said: The right describes antifa as a unitary organization with leaders and even secret funding though that is simply not true.

An antisemitic conspiracy theory that the billionaire financier George Soros funds antifa also has widespread currency on the right, including amonginfluential Trump-world figures.

Although the president and his allies wish to conflate large protests in every city with radical anti-fascist groups, Bray says they drastically overstate the numbers and influence of committed Antifa activists.

The antifa movement traces its heritage to radical left groups that resisted dictators such as Mussolini and Hitler in Europe in the 1930s. In Germany, the communist-aligned Antifaschistische Aktion fought street battles with Hitlers followers until it was forcibly disbanded in 1933.

This tradition was revived in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s, with the rise of nazi skinheads and other far right groups. It arrived in the US in the late 1980s, with the creation of Anti Racist Action (ARA) in Minneapolis.

The movement which is also strongly associated with anarchist politics is not defined by lasting institutions. ARA no longer exists and the oldest identifiable group in the US is probably Portlands Rose City Antifa, which dates from 2007.

Contemporary antifa groups have a distinctive repertoire of tactics ranging from publicly identifying members of far-right groups, to physically resisting them in the streets.Often, in street protests, activists dress in black bloc attire including balaclavas or masks to conceal their identity.

Sometimes, antifa street demonstrations involve violence: between activists and police, or members of far-right groups, or both.

The most controversial recent episodes have involved violent confrontations with rightwing social media personalities and sometimes, with journalists and photographers who activists believe will compromise their anonymity.

Bray says that antifas actions in this respect are nothing like the violence police have visited on journalists in recent days as dozens of reporters have been beaten, teargassed, shot and arrested by police covering the Black Lives Matter protests.

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What is antifa and why is Donald Trump targeting it? - The Guardian

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As Donald Trump fumes and fulminates in the White House, amid a pandemic, economic calamity, and widespread civil unrest, he and his political team are not taking their eyes off the big picture: raising money for his reelection campaign. With Americans across the nation protesting social inequities and violent policingwhich Trump at times has encouragedand with public health experts continuing to warn against large gatherings, the Trump campaign sent out an invitation for a megadollar fundraiser in Dallas on June 11.

The admission fee: $580,600. For this, you get dinner and a photo with Trump. Pricey? Well, this donation does cover a couple.

Thats right, for more than half a million buckswith the money going to Trumps campaign, the Republican National Committee, and an assortment of state GOP outfitsyou can get a few seconds of face time with Trump and a pic to commemorate the moment.

The hosts for the event arewell, predictable. No showbiz celebrities. No sports heroes. No popular influencers. Theres the head of the RNC, Ronna McDaniel, RNC co-chair Tommy Hicks Jr., and the chief fundraiser for the GOP, Todd Ricketts. (Hicks, a buddy of Donald Trump Jr., has used his connections to set up meetings for business associates with the Trump White House. Ricketts, a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, last year was accused of skipping out on his fair share of property taxes.) Also on the hosts list: Kimberly Guilfoyle, chair of the Trump Victory Finance Committee and constant companion of Trump Jr., and campaign manager Brad Parscale, who has gotten rich off donations to the Trump campaign.

Though $500,000-plus for the chance to stand close to Trump seems high, this amount does not set a record. In 2016, the Trump campaign and the RNC held a fundraiser, once again in Dallas, with a top-dollar donation of $893,000 per couple. But you could still get into the event for a contribution as measly as $5,400 for a twosome. (The invitation for the coming Trump fundraiser does not offer such a poor-mans option.) In February, Trump held a fundraiser at the Palm Beach estate of billionaire Nelson Peltz, also for $580,600 per couple.

Joe Biden, too, is trying to get into this big-money game. The presumptive Democratic nominees campaign has worked out an arrangement with the Democratic National Committee and state parties to raise $620,600 apiece from wealthy donors to support his White House run and other Democratic candidates. But Biden has yet to host an event with this sum as the ticket price. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is scheduled to mount an online big-dollar event for the former vice president later this month, but the cost of admission has not been publicly reported.

Back to the Trump event: The invitation stirs a number of questions. Will there be social distancing at this shindig? How close to Trump will half-a-mil donors be allowed to get for their photo with him? Will there be handshakes? Will guests be screened for the coronavirus before they are allowed into the event? Will they be tested before posing with Trump? Will they have to wear a mask? Or will they have to take off a mask to be photographed with Trump?

Mother Jonesemailed one of the events organizers at the GOP about all this. No reply, so far.

Though Trump these days is laying low in his besieged White Househe didnt even get out to play golf this past weekendhe does have this big special evening to look forward to. As of now, he doesnt want to talk to Americans about the protests and the violence occurring, while the nation is still threatened by a deadly virus that has struck down over 100,000 souls. But he will gladly hobnob with well-heeled swells who are willing to underwrite his presidency. And he will flash his famous (or infamous) grimace-smile on the photo lineas long as you pay him big money to do so.

UPDATE:A spokesperson for the Trump campaign says the Secret Service and the White House medical unit will vet attendees for the event. Trumps donors will have to test negative for coronavirus that day and undergo a temperature screening.

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You Can Get a Photo With Donald Trump for Only $580600 - Mother Jones

Tinkering with the worlds top table

Jun 4th 2020

AMERICAS YEAR of chairing the Group of Seven (G7) club of advanced economies has become something of a soap opera. In the latest episode the star of the show, President Donald Trump, due to host fellow leaders at the presidential retreat of Camp David on June 10th-12th, decided to postpone the summit until at least September, after the leading lady, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, made it clear she was not minded to travel to America during a pandemic. Mr Trump also said he wanted to add to the cast the leaders of Australia, India, Russia and South Korea, since he did not think the current very outdated collection of countries properly represents whats going on in the world. That sets up more drama for the coming months.

In an early episode in the series Mr Trump shocked audiences by announcing his intention to hold the summit at one of his own golf resorts; a bipartisan backlash truncated that subplot. In March Mr Trump chaired a videoconference with G7 leaders, after prodding by the French co-star, Emmanuel Macron, who was concerned at the lack of concerted Western leadership in the face of the covid-19 crisis. A virtual meeting of G7 foreign ministers later that month ended in farce. The ministers could not issue a statement because Mike Pompeo, Americas secretary of state, insisted it referred to the Wuhan virus.

Now comes controversy over Mr Trumps proposed expansion of the club. He has long been keen to find a way to bring Russia back into the fold (it joined what became the G8 in 1998 but was suspended after its annexation of Crimea in 2014). Some other G7 members, including France and Italy, might favour that, too.

But Canada and Britain have already said they would veto Russias readmission. Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, said this week that Russias continued defiance of international rules meant that it would remain out. The G7s host is free to invite guests to a summit. Last year, for example, Mr Macron extended a welcome to several African leaders as well as to the prime ministers of Australia and India. But the British government made it clear on June 1st that any decision on membership had to be unanimous, and its opposition to Russias was unchanged.

In truth, Mr Trump is right that the G7 could do with rethinking. When it started in 1975with six members, Canada joining a year laterit represented about 70% of the world economy and was a cosy club for tackling issues such as the response to oil shocks. Now it accounts for about 40% of global GDP. Since the global financial crisis of 2007-09 it has sometimes been overshadowed by the broader G20.

So what is the point of it? With his suggested four extra members, Mr Trump seems to envisage a G11 (or perhaps G12, if Brazil came in too) becoming a China-containment club. But having Chinas junior partner, Russia, in the mix would undermine that idea. By contrast, points out Michael Fullilove of the Lowy Institute, an Australian think-tank, if this is to be the steering committee of the world economy, then China deserves to be included.

Perhaps it should simply be a modernised version of what the G7 has aspired to be all along, a powerful group of like-minded democracies. With their impressive response to the pandemic, Australia and South Korea can claim to have earned a place at the top table. The problem is that it is less clear how well America itself fits into the club these days. Under Mr Trump, especially since a contentious summit in Canada two years ago, when he withdrew his name from the concluding statement, the group has often looked more like a G6+1. The next episodes should be gripping.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "Groping for the right grouping"

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Donald Trump is right that the G7 needs updating. But what for? - The Economist