Category Archives: Progress

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The World Bank on Tuesday agreed to boost its spending on climate change to 35% from 28% and to provide annual progress reports to its board after its draft climate change action plan came under fire for lacking a clear implementation strategy.

The bank, the largest source of climate finance for developing countries, said it would also publicly release a roadmap to show how it will help those nations meet their Paris climate accord targets.

Bank officials pledged to provide the board with regular updates, with details to be included in an addendum to the plan, Genevieve Connors, who oversees tracking and reporting of climate finance for the World Bank, told Reuters.

"This is really transformational in the way we do business," she said. "One of the central differences of this (climate change action plan) is that we as the World Bank Group have now elevated climate to be central to everything that we do."

The World Bank released some details of its five-year plan in April, saying it would help developing countries reduce greenhouse gas emissions by aiding the transition out of coal. read more But it drew fire for stopping short of halting all funding of fossil fuel projects.

The bank's plan calls for increase the amount it dedicates to climate finance, which has totaled $83 billion over the past five years, peaking at $21.4 billion in 2020.

Environmental campaigners took aim at the new plan on Tuesday, saying its failure to completely end fossil fuel investments undermined the broader goals.

"The World Bank Groups selective approach to phasing out fossil fuels is about as effective as throwing both water and gasoline at a house fire," said Luisa Galvao, a campaigner with the U.S. arm of Friends of the Earth.

Connors said the bank would assess gas investments on a case-by-case basis and that gas projects would face high thresholds to win funding.

In some cases, it makes sense to proceed with gas projects, Connors said, adding that there was no firm deadline for halting all such investments.

"It's a moving target," she said. "We see it as a journey towards decarbonisation ... but our countries are all on different pathways and there always may be extenuating circumstances in which a particular natural gas project may make sense. But the hurdles are high, and proof needs to be shown."

Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington; additional reporting by Kate Abnett in Brussels; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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World Bank vows to keep board apprised of climate action progress - Reuters

The Hatley Tigers have a young team coming back next season, but second-year coach Clint Adair has already seen some growth in them since playing in a spring jamboree at Alcorn Central back in May.

Hatley got its first 7-on-7 action of the summer at home last week.

I think our main thing has been understanding of schemes and concepts, Adair said. Thats the biggest jump we have made so far from the spring to now. Overall, they are more understanding of some of the concepts we are trying to do.

Adair said he saw several players stand out in the spring game action, including wide receiver Kade Starling.

Kade Starling played pretty well in our spring game, and Jonathan Savage had a good game as well. Hes one of our linemen, so hes not here today with us at 7-on-7, he said. Rob (Ford) played pretty well in the spring, playing offense and defense the whole time. He played pretty well for us. We had a freshman that came out and did a pretty good job for us too in Seth Terry. He played a lot in the spring.

With a large incoming freshmen class, Hatley is working in several new players, both in the spring and during 7-on-7 action in the summer.

We had a few injuries and a lot of people that didnt get to play in the spring, so we had a lot of young kids that got some good quality reps. That was a good thing, Adair said.

One of the biggest challenges football teams face in the spring is players still in action with the baseball playoffs, but the Tigers were able to get their whole group back for the end of spring practice and the spring game as well.

Baseball only missed the first week, so they got a week and a half out here with us, Adair said. Really more than that, the weather was an aggravation, just like its been so far in the summer. Its been a really wet spring and summer, but its been that way for everybody.

Hatley didnt graduate a large senior class from last season, but one of the biggest losses was quarterback Markhel Hunt.

Josh Griffin, a junior, is working in the role, and Adair said he was pleased with his progress so far during 7-on-7.

Kade had a pretty good day. Josh (Griffin) throwing the ball, you could tell as the day progressed that he saw it more and more, the light seemed to come on. I think hes really starting to understand some of the passing concepts a little better today.

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Young Tigers pleased with progress in spring, summer ball - Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

On June 25, my aunt, Mary Raissi Stewart, turns 100. She has lived an extraordinary life and is a testament to how women and immigrant families make such meaningful contributions to our communities.

She was born at home in Enfield, the third of six children to two Greek immigrants. My grandfather, Kyriakos, never made it past the fifth grade and worked for 50 years at the Bigelow Sanford Carpet factory. He believed that his five daughters should go to college and lead ambitious, independent lives, which was a radical idea in the 1920s, making him a feminist far ahead of his time.

Mary started first grade speaking no English but quickly learned and taught her parents, who proudly became U.S. citizens. After high school, she attended American International College in Springfield. She soon became a teacher and helped support two of her other siblings: my mother and uncle, both graduates of the University of Connecticut.

In 1942, Mary enlisted in the United States Coast Guard to assist in the war effort and because she wanted to travel and be trained by the military just like her male counterparts. Stationed in Palm Beach, Fla., she taught military secretaries and later became administrative assistant to an admiral in Washington, D.C. After the war, she used her GI benefits to get her MBA at Boston University. Meanwhile her sisters become a certified public accountant, a high school teacher, a law librarian and, a law professor (my mom) respectively.

With her MBA, Mary spent the rest of her professional career teaching business at several universities. Thousands of students benefited from her teaching, wisdom and mentorship. She retired from teaching in 1986 and to this day lives independently.

If you ask her the secrets to her long life, Mary will tell you to eat a Mediterranean diet, not smoke, avoid alcohol, have fun (she loves our two casinos), make friends of all ages, and read and walk a lot.

In 100 years, Marty witnessed remarkable changes in the role women play in our state and country. Born less than a year after the ratification of the 19th Amendment securing her right to vote, she has lived to see the election of Ella Grasso as governor, America elect Kamala Harris vice president, and historic levels of female representation in elected office.

Marys extraordinary life guides my ardent belief that must do more to support women in the workplace and invest in the education of immigrant children. By removing unnecessary barriers to success, we can continue to make our state and country more productive and prosperous. When women succeed, we all succeed.

Government can play a crucial role in supporting women and the thousands of immigrant and first-generation families across Connecticut. Im so proud of our administrations work to level the playing field. As chair of the Governors Council on Women and Girls, I successfully advocated for legislation to break down historic barriers for women seeking elected office or appointment to state boards. We are making unprecedented investments in child care and early education and are combating inequities working mothers face after childbirth. We ensured the passage of paid family and medical leave legislation to enable all families the dignity of caring for their loved ones. Health care access has been expanded to tens of thousands of working class and immigrant families. We successfully advocated for an increase to $15 an hour minimum wage.

So, happy birthday, Aunt Mary; I hope we make you proud! Thank you for being a strong Connecticut woman and for being an inspiration for me and the generations of women that followed in your footsteps.

Susan Bysiewicz is lieutenant governor of Connecticut.

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Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz (opinion): 100 years of progress for women and immigrants - CT Post

Taoiseach Michel Martin has spoken of a sense of inevitability about the progress of the Delta variant that will have implications for the type of restrictions that one would impose.

He was speaking ahead of a summit of EU leaders at which the 27 member states discussed the spread of the more infectious Delta variant which threatens a surge in infections among unvaccinated and partially vaccinated people.

The variant is expected to become the dominant strain across Europe, which could have implications for restrictions, Mr Martin said.

There is a sense of inevitability about the progress of the Delta variant in general, and that then clearly has implications for the type of restrictions that one would impose, Mr Martin said.

The Government is examining ways to speed up vaccination, apart from shortening the interval between AstraZeneca doses, to cover more of the population, the Taoiseach said.

We will continue to explore other avenues to if we can speed up the vaccine program because its the vaccines will give the protection thats very clear from the data.

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the level of hospitalisations associated with Covid-19 will be the key metric when making decisions about further reopening next week, Mr Ryan also indicated his preference would be to stick with European-wide rules on travel, rather than diverge - even if public health officials advise against non-essential travel for unvaccinated people.

The key metric right through this Covid is our hospital system and how it manages, and how it can cope, and saving lives, the Green Party leader said on Thursday when asked what the key metrics would be when the Government is deciding about reopening society.

Alongside hospitalisations, he also suggested the prevalence of the disease in the wider population would be important.

It is the level of hospitalisation, the numbers in ICU, the case incidence, theyre the key metrics, he said. Mr Ryan, who was launching the first services under the redesigned bus network for Dublin, which will operate from Howth and Malahide on Sunday, said it was too early to say whether the Government would delay plans for indoor dining to reopen on July 5th.

We do have to be cautious, we have to look at the numbers in the meantime, but the other analysis is that the vaccination scheme is really working, the scale of vaccinations in recent weeks has been phenomenal, there is real protection from that , he said.

He said the Governments plan is to resume non-essential travel from July 19th, when the EU green cert comes into operation. Under the plan, those who are vaccinated, who have recovered from a recent Covid infection, or who have negative PCR tests will be allowed to undertake non-essential travel. However, Dr Tony Holohan, the chief medical officer and head of the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet), has previously indicated his view that travel should be linked to vaccination status.

Were part of a European Union, and weve agreed that were best following a European Union approach, Mr Ryan said. While the Government will obviously listen to Nphet and the European Centre for Disease Control, he said there is strength in following a common approach.

Travel involves another jurisdiction on every occasion when youre leaving a country, and doing it in a uniform, common way makes real sense, it makes it predictable, its standardised, it makes it easier to manage rather than having different rules for different countries at different times. Much better to follow the European approach.

Asked if he expected advice from Nphet on re-starting travel on July 19th next week, at the same time as it gives advice on reopening indoor dining and other activities on July 5th, he said he expects their advice next week will be more likely in relation to the 5th of July.

Meanwhile in joint conclusions, the 27 EU leaders welcomed progress on vaccination and recent declining infection numbers across the continent.

However, rising cases in Britain due to the more infectious Delta variant despite a high level of vaccination are fuelling fears that the progress may be short lived and that EU countries will be next to see a fresh surge.

The leaders stressed the need to continue vaccination efforts and to be vigilant and coordinated with regards to developments, particularly the emergence and spread of variants.

At the summit, the German Chancellor piled pressure on member states like Portugal to make travellers from Britain quarantine even if they have been vaccinated due to the dominance of the Delta variant in the UK.

Mediterranean member states have been keen to reopen due to the importance of their tourism industries, and several countries have already begun using Covid-19 EU certificates to ease travel.

This measure would ensure the full return to free movement as soon as the public health situation allows, the 27 agreed.

Arriving at the summit the Taoiseach said countries were likely to make different choices on travel and restrictions.

There may be different member state responses to the Delta variant, Mr Martin said. I dont see a dramatic change at European level in respect of the Delta variant.

Earlier, a member of Nphet suggested she and many GPs favour a delay in the reopening schedule so that the countrys vaccination programme can be progressed before restrictions on socialising are eased.

Dr Mary Favier, Covid adviser for the Irish College of General Practitioners, told RT radios Morning Ireland there was a concern about the uptick in the numbers of cases involving the variant as the proposed date for that easing approaches.

We need more time to vaccinate. The vaccination programme is working very well. Another two to three weeks would give us a million more doses which would make a really significant difference, she said.

At this stage its all about vaccinations in arms. Its a very hard decision. People are worn and tired. I think the feeling on the ground, the feeling of many GPs is that vaccination saves lives.

If two to three more weeks could prevent ever having our health service in the same circumstances we were in in January, of ever having that number of deaths or ever going into another lock down, then I think the sentiment out there would be that we delay very strategically.

She cautioned that if the number of cases of the Delta variant continues to rise, difficult decisions will have to be made on the further easing of restrictions planned for July 5th with Nphet set to bring its meeting scheduled for next Thursday forward by a day in order to consider its advice to Government.

It will then be the Government that will make the decision about the date for the easing of restrictions for indoor facilities, she said, and it would be made using many variables.

She said if people were told delaying the easing of restrictions for a few weeks meant that we would avoid more lockdowns and increased pressure on the health system, the public would understand. Social solidarity and the extraordinary community effort had gotten us this far.

She said GPs were finding it difficult to determine exact numbers of the variant as people were now going directly to pop-up test centres and doctors could not access data because of the cyberattack on the Health Service Executive.

Previously when patients accessed testing through GPs they would be given advice on isolation and contacts via text message, she said, but we cant do that now.

This was an issue of concern as the Delta variant was more contagious and there had been a change in public behaviour, she added.

Earlier, two doctors based in the northwest of Ireland on both sides of the Border said there was a growing number of Covid-19 cases in the area that appear to be of the Delta variant.

Dr Tom Black, who is based in Derry, told Morning Ireland: We are seeing a lot of sick children and younger people, not older people. Half the cases in Northern Ireland are the Delta variant, we expect that to rise to 75 per cent in the next couple of weeks.

He said the number of cases in the Strabane and Derry area is three times higher than the rest of Northern Ireland.

Dr Black said the vaccination programme was holding up well and there were very few cases in people aged over 60 and very few hospitalisations.

However, he acknowledged that as general practitioners they were not certain that the cases they were seeing were of the Delta variant, but they were seeing more symptoms that were consistent with it.

The Norths Public Health Agency said on Wednesday that as of the previous day there had been 612 confirmed or probable cases of the Delta variant in the North more than twice the total the previous week.

On the other side of the Border in Co Donegal, Dr Denis McCauley said they too were seeing an upswing in upper respiratory infections among children, but that because of ongoing problems caused by the cyberattack on the HSE, they did not have full details.

What happened in Derry was usually replicated in Donegal, he said, adding that more cases will be seen in Donegal as the number of cases in Northern Ireland goes up.

Dr Black said pop-up clinics had been established around Derry to address the gaps among those aged 40 to 60 who had not been vaccinated. People under 40 who contracted the virus did not become very ill, he said.

Dr McCauley said he was cautious about the easing of restrictions for indoor facilities and warned that if the modelling indicated that there would be a surge in numbers then the Government would have to be brave and make the tough decision to defer.

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Taoiseach says sense of inevitability about progress of Delta variant will have implications for restrictions - The Irish Times

WASHINGTONFederal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said Monday that job growth should pick up in coming months and temporary inflation pressures should ease as the economy continues to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The economy has shown sustained improvement, Mr. Powell said in testimony prepared for delivery Tuesday on Capitol Hill, noting progress on vaccinations and vast stimulus efforts by Congress and the Fed.

Mr. Powell is set to appear before the House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis to discuss the Feds efforts to shore up the economy since the start of the pandemic.

The hearing aims to focus on lessons learned by the Fed, which rolled out a blitz of extraordinary lending programs early in the health crisis. These included efforts to calm market turmoil, suppress borrowing costs and lend money directly to some businesses and local governments. The programs wound down at the end of 2020.

Mr. Powell said the lending programs helped unlock more than $2 trillion of funding that reduced job losses at businesses, nonprofits and local governments.

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Economy Is Showing Sustained Progress, Powell Says - The Wall Street Journal

(Washington, DC) Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), along with development partners WCSmith and Rappaport, broke ground on the next phase of retail construction at Skyland Town Center and celebrated the ribbon-cutting of The Crest, a 263-unit residential property.

We are so proud of the progress at Skyland Town Center as new residences deliver and food options take shape with more housing and food retail to come, said Mayor Bowser. By investing in housing, food access, and local retail businesses, we give more residents a fair shot. Thats why I included a $58M Food Access Fund in the budget to build upon this progress at Skyland and across Wards 7 and 8.

During this years DMPED March Madness, Mayor Bowser announced that fast-casual restaurants Tropical Smoothie Caf, Maizal and Mezeh will lease in the new retail block, along with noting that Roaming Rooster will locate in The Crest residential property. A drive-thru Starbucks the first of its kind in Washington, DC will complete the new retail phase. The establishments many of them based in the Washington, DC area will bring new and diverse shopping and dining options to the neighborhoods surrounding the 18.5-acre, mixed-use development. These will join CVS, Skyland Nails and Spa, Chase Bank and Like That Barber, a neighborhood institution that has been serving families in Wards 7 and 8 for thirty years. Lidl will anchor the new retail block with a 29,000 square foot grocery store, its first in the District of Columbia. Slated to open in fall 2022, Lidl will be the first full-service supermarket to locate east of the Anacostia River since 2007.

I worked relentlessly during my time as mayor and with the current administration to bring a solid anchor to Skyland after Walmart renegade. Todays Phase Two Ribbon Cutting ceremony and the announcement of the new amenities coming to the Skyland Town Center is proof that hard labor pays off. I am delighted that these new developments will help to bring to fruition what I have been unfailingly pursuing for Ward 7 residents for decades - more neighborhood amenities, full-service grocery stores and better-quality food service options for not only Hillcrest but for the 80,000 residents of Ward 7, saidCouncilmember Vincent C. Gray.

The Crest is the first residential property to open at Skyland. The 290,000 square foot building features 263 homes, a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, as well as a fitness center and courtyard pool and grills. Of the 263 units, 53 are set-aside for those earning up to 80% of Median Family Income (MFI) and 26 are designated as workforce units (80% to 120% MFI).

Skyland took years to bring to fruition, and so we must double down on our commitment to adding safe affordable housing and food options, said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development John Falcicchio. The food options at Skyland highlight the importance of Mayor Bowsers $58 million commitment to expand access to grocery stores and sit-down restaurants in Wards 7 and 8 and give residents every opportunity to rise.

For more than 15 years, the District sought to redevelop the area that was once the Skyland Shopping Center, located at the intersection of Alabama Avenue, Naylor Road, and Good Hope Road in Southeast Washington, DC. Mayor Bowser moved the project forward by providing a $7 million grant for infrastructure work, as well as up to $3.6 million to Safeway to release a covenant on the site that was preventing the deal from progressing. Additionally, the mixed-use project was approved for Tax Increment Financing funding, which the Mayor restructured after the anchor tenant broke their commitment to the project. Upon completion, Skyland Town Center will have up to 156,000 square feet of retail, a medical office building and 450 to 500 residential apartments in a vibrant town square setting. Deemed the largest retail development in Southeast Washington, D.C., Skyland Town Center will provide services and amenities to an underserved market east of the Anacostia River.

This is a considerable milestone in realizing the Skyland dream, our vision of a vibrant mixed-use development that empowers the historically underserved community of Wards 7 & 8, said Gary D. Rappaport, Chief Executive Officer of Rappaport. We are proud of the work that went into completing Phase I and excited to break ground on Phase II and theres more to come.

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated economic inequities in the District, with Black and Brown workers and residents without college degrees experiencing disproportionally high rates of unemployment and job loss. To address these disparities and make DCs prosperity more inclusive, Mayor Bowsers Fiscal Year 2022 Fair Shot Budget includes workforce investments focused on ensuring DC residents are trained and hired for high-demand, high-wage DC jobs. In addition, the budget prioritizes food access and economic recovery for all 8 wards.

Investments in the Mayors #FairShot FY22 budget proposal include:

$9.2 million over two years to improve businesses navigation of the Districts technical assistance provider network, direct businesses to technical assistance providers best equipped to address businesses' specific needs, and expand technical assistance support for SMBs by scaling operational capacity of 40+ selected District-based providers.

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Mayor Bowser Celebrates 263 New Homes and Progress on Food Retail & Restaurants at Skyland Town Center | mayormb - Executive Office of the Mayor

DANBURY Police are still searching for the suspect who fatally shot 18-year-old Yhameek Johnson on Sunday.

I think were making some progress, Chief Patrick Ridenhour said Wednesday morning, 2 1/2 days after the Danbury resident was killed in a drive-by shooting on Mill Ridge Road.

Ridenhour declined to give further details, citing the ongoing investigation, which he described as critical.

Its a tragedy, he said. Unfortunately, any time anyone loses a life, especially in this manner, its tragic.

He said the department hopes to solve the case as soon as possible to bring closure to Johnsons family.

Family members have said Johnson attended New Milford High School, enjoyed dancing, and played football and basketball.

At a vigil Monday, family and friends sent red, black and white his favorite colors balloons into the sky. Family urged anyone with information to come forward.

The killing was officially ruled a homicide on Tuesday, the states medical examiner said. Johnson died from a gunshot wound to the torso

This was Danburys first homicide this year. There were four in 2020.

Officers received multiple complaints of gunshots on Mill Ridge Road around 8 p.m. Sunday. When they arrived, Johnson had been shot and was being cared for by nearby residents. Police provided medical aid until paramedics arrived and brought him to Danbury Hospital, where he died.

Police have not announced any arrests or suspects, but have said the suspects vehicle may be a dark-colored SUV. State police stopped a vehicle similar to the one described about an hour after the shooting, but found the driver and car were not involved.

Drive-by shootings are rare in Danbury.

I cannot recall one since Ive been chief, said Ridenhour, who has been in the role for about five years.

Anyone with information should contact Danbury police at 203-790-TIPS or the assigned investigator J.Williams@danbury-ct.gov.

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Danbury police make some progress on investigation into drive-by shooting that killed 18-year-old - Danbury News Times

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Financial technology leader FIS (NYSE: FIS) has released its 2020 Global Sustainability Report which highlights the companys progress in advancing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

Among the highlights cited in the report, FIS in 2020:

As a leading global provider of financial technology, FIS is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and helping facilitate financial inclusion for everyone in the rapidly evolving digital economy, said Gary Norcross, Chairman and CEO of FIS. In light of the challenges faced by our stakeholders over the past year, we have increased our commitment to sustainability and to advancing a workplace that values diversity and inclusion. I am proud of the progress we are making across these areas, as highlighted in our new report.

Read the full FIS Global Sustainability Report: https://www.fisglobal.com/en/global-sustainability

About FIS

FIS is a leading provider of technology solutions for merchants, banks and capital markets firms globally. Our employees are dedicated to advancing the way the world pays, banks and invests by applying our scale, deep expertise and data-driven insights. We help our clients use technology in innovative ways to solve business-critical challenges and deliver superior experiences for their customers. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, FIS is a Fortune 500 company and is a member of Standard & Poors 500 Index. To learn more, visit http://www.fisglobal.com. Follow FIS on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (@FISGlobal).

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FIS Releases 2020 Global Sustainability Report, Highlighting Progress in Environmental, Social and Governance Areas - Business Wire

"Messi or no Messi, I don't give a f---. I am not going home tonight."

Picture the scene: France are about to play Argentina in the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. It's June 30, and Paul Pogba decided to speak up louder than he'd even done before. In the dressing room of the Kazan Arena, the Manchester United midfielder riled up his team, shouting words of encouragement, before that line about Lionel Messi. The rest is of course history for Les Bleus, who went on to win the competition, and for Pogba, whose status really changed that day.

Prior to that competition, Pogba was one of France's key players, but from that day on, he became one of its leaders. He continued in that role through the rest of that World Cup and during the wild celebrations when they claimed their second win; since then, his leadership has gone from strength to strength. At Euro 2020, with one Group F game to come vs. Portugal -- stream LIVE on Wednesday, 3 p.m. ET, ESPN+ (U.S.) -- he's showing that he's now "Pogboss," the guide of this French team.

- Euro 2020 on ESPN: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)- European Soccer Pick 'Em: Compete to win $10,000- Euro 2020 bracket and fixture schedule

He is not just the "ambianceur" any more, like he was in his early years at the international level; back then, he'd be tasked with choosing the music, telling jokes and making fun of his teammates. He was loud and positive, always bringing a party atmosphere to national team camps, even going so far as to arrange the winning chants in the dressing room after a victory. These days, he's so much more.

These days, Pogba is the one who, for example, stepped in at the last minute to do a press conference defusing the incident between Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud -- the latter was frustrated at not getting good scoring chances in a pre-Euros friendly vs. Bulgaria, which upset the PSG forward. (It worked, too; when asked about tension in the team, Pogba calmly replied "No, the only tension is in the back and legs... maybe what was said was conveyed incorrectly.")

Pogba is the one Didier Deschamps sends to speak to players individually, whether to boost their confidence, correct something or discuss tactics, as he did recently with Mbappe over his defensive duties. He's also the player closest to defender Clement Lenglet when the team celebrated his birthday last week, and leading the goodbyes to Ousmane Dembele after a thigh injury ruled him out of the remainder of the Euros.

"I like to talk one-on-one with the boys. I like saying to the guys 'how are you feeling? If you don't think we should do it like this, let me know...' I try to make [my teammates] feel at ease so we can be better on the pitch. I want to get the best out of everyone," Pogba explained recently in an interview with French newspaper L'Equipe.

In any team, regardless of the level, it is always the players and the staff who hand such leadership to a member of the team. It was never in doubt that Pogba would be recognised by all the squad as a leader, but he still had to accept that label and be good at it, both on and off the pitch.

"You saw how he evolved in this role, game after game, month after month, but he always had it in him," a source within the France camp tells ESPN. "Pogba was always a captain, in every age group. Even at Manchester United he wore the armband under Jos Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It is natural for him to be a leader and to be an excellent one as well."

2 Related

So he talks, more than ever these days: in the hotel, in the dressing room, on the pitch, collectively, individually, about tactics, about life, about NBA, about everything. He's careful to find the right words that motivate or reassure, depending on the context.

Before their first Group F game vs. Germany, he urged his teammates to send a message to the rest of the competition with a big win. (They responded, gritting out a 1-0 victory.) On Saturday, when the French were briefly dazed by Attila Fiola's goal just before the break in the heat of Budapest, he made sure everyone stayed calm and composed.

Overall, France were disappointing against Hungary, but Pogba's words helped keep French minds focused as they worked their way back in the game. "Don't worry. There are no reasons to worry. We are creating chances, we will score. Let's keep going," he told his team while Deschamps watched on in the dressing room at half-time.

(Sure enough, Antoine Griezmann equalized in the second half and kept France on course for the round of 16.)

Deschamps and Pogba are more than just a head coach and an important player. They have an incredibly strong bond, too. They trust each other implicitly, and Deschamps consults his number 6 on a lot of choices and decisions, whether it was the decision to recall Karim Benzema, the tactical formation from game to game, or even his starting XI. The midfielder's opinion -- like that of Hugo Lloris or Raphael Varane, the other two big leaders in this squad -- is important and valued.

After the victory against Germany, Pogba had a message for all the families and friends of the players who were together in one of the stands at the Allianz arena in Munich. While punching his chest with his fist, he told them: "We are going to get this trophy. It is not finished. It is only the beginning. We are all in this together."

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Pogba the leader: France's Euro 2020 progress is being guided by the Man United star - ESPN

President Joe Biden is joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress at the signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in the East Room of the White House on June 17, 2021. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images hide caption

President Joe Biden is joined by Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress at the signing the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in the East Room of the White House on June 17, 2021.

This week, President Biden signed into law the "Juneteenth National Independence Day."

It is honoring the work of Black Americans, including people such as 94-year-old Civil Rights Activist Opal Lee, who had long advocated for the celebration that started in Galveston to be made a federal holiday.

Juneteenth celebrates the date when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19th, 1865, bringing news that the Emancipation Proclamation had freed the enslaved population living in the Confederacy, albeit two years prior.

Robert A. Brown of Morehouse College Robert Brown hide caption

Robert A. Brown of Morehouse College

Yet the reaction amongst many African Americans, myself included, has been muted.

There is a growing discontent in the African American community with symbolic gestures that are presented as progress without any accompanying economic or structural change.

There is a growing discontent in the African American community with symbolic gestures that are presented as progress without any accompanying economic or structural change.

Though Juneteenth is a celebration of the people who endured slavery, the vestiges of slavery and the Jim Crow segregation designed to preserve it continue to this day.

As law professor Michelle Alexander notes, "There are more African American men in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850."

The average white household holds almost 7 times more than the wealth of a Black household. Perhaps more concerning, education does little to close the Black-white wealth gap as white families headed by those without a college degree have more wealth than Black families headed by those with a graduate or professional degree.

A Pan-African flag is draped over speakers at a press conference about Juneteenth held by DaVante Goins in front of the Columbus, Ohio city hall on June 17, 2021. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

A Pan-African flag is draped over speakers at a press conference about Juneteenth held by DaVante Goins in front of the Columbus, Ohio city hall on June 17, 2021.

And yet, in the face of these stark disparities, lawmakers have been more willing to engage in performative symbolism than passing laws to make substantive change.

We have seen federal lawmakers take a knee, draped in kente cloth, but we have seen no substantive change about reforming police brutality that inspired Colin Kaepernick's initial protest.

"Lift Every Voice and Sing" is sung across the country, while legislation for reparations for the horrors of slavery languish. Sports arenas and streets have the words "Black Lives Matter" emblazoned for all to see, and yet police reform and anti-lynching laws that were some of the initial goals of the Black Lives Matter movement remain unpassed.

There are substantive steps that federal lawmakers could take to honor the historic debt owed to the descendants of the enslaved in addition to a federal holiday.

House Resolution 40 has called for a committee to study reparations. If advanced, it could ultimately begin a national discussion about cash reparations at the federal level.

Lawmakers have been more willing to engage in performative symbolism than passing laws to make substantive change.

Substantive reform to end the immunity police who brutalize our citizens should be enacted, as well as a reversal of the decades-long militarization of the police.

Historically Black colleges and universities, most of which were founded around the end of slavery, should receive substantial increases in federal funding.

In many ways, the history of Juneteenth and the end of U.S. slavery mirrors the uneven pace of progress for African Americans during the following 150 years.

I have celebrated Juneteenth at festivals that honor the culture and community of the descendants of those who had been enslaved. Those celebrations always featured a community singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," just like members of Congress did upon the signing of the Juneteenth holiday into law.

This year, while I'll sing about being "full of the faith that the dark past has taught us," like many African Americans, I'll be mindful that, as the song says, we must continue to fight on "till victory is won."

Robert A. Brown teaches Mass Media & Social Justice at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

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Opinion: Juneteenth As A National Holiday Is Symbolism Without Progress - NPR