Then on Friday, the Trump administration was humiliated. The U.N. Safety Council voted to rebuff a U.S. proposal to increase an arms embargo on Iran that’s set to run out in two months. A key motive for the opposition was Trump’s earlier actions concerning Iran, not least his unilateral transfer to drag out of the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose financial sanctions on the nation.
“The vote was a sharp repudiation of the Trump administration’s method to Iran, the goal of a ‘most strain marketing campaign’ of sanctions that has been certainly one of its signature overseas insurance policies,” reported my colleague Carol Morello. “Underscoring the breadth of the opposition to the U.S. proposal, solely the Dominican Republic voted with the United States for the embargo’s extension. Russia and China voted towards it. Eleven members abstained, together with France, Britain and Germany, the European international locations that helped negotiate the 2015 deal and have struggled to salvage it.”
Now, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who toured the Dominican Republic on a Sunday go to virtually definitely tethered to the Caribbean nation’s vote at the Safety Council, has little to point out for a lot of months of efforts to drum up worldwide assist in the United States’ anti-Iran marketing campaign.
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European companions are eager to protect what’s left of the buildings of the nuclear deal, which might have been additional battered had the typical arms embargo been prolonged. The Trump administration contends that it was a mistake to incorporate the 2021 expiration of the embargo in the nuclear treaty and this week will push to “snapback” nuclear-related sanctions on Iran that had been suspended by the 2015 deal. The Individuals argue that they’ve the capability to take action even when they themselves renounced their participation in the deal and abrogated its phrases; different nations on the Safety Council disagree.
Triggering a “snapback” dangers a new showdown that might additional unravel the pact but additionally intensify the United States’ diplomatic isolation. Even John Bolton — Trump’s former nationwide safety adviser, an inveterate anti-Iran hawk and a recognized skeptic of the United Nations — argued against the Trump administration’s course on the grounds that it might jeopardize the nation’s capability in the future to wield its affect and energy on the Safety Council.
“It demonstrates that President Donald Trump and his crew will not be solely unhealthy at the technique of approaching Iran, they’re unhealthy at the day after day ways of diplomacy,” Jarrett Blanc, a former Obama administration official concerned in the implementation of the nuclear deal, told Al Jazeera. “It’s unconscionable that the U.S. couldn’t spherical up a couple of vote for a decision like this.”
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Trump and his allies declare they’re breaking a calcifying establishment in the Center East — and maintain up the deal between the UAE and Israel as proof of the new realities they wish to buttress. It’s no secret that the Emiratis and Israelis cultivated clandestine ties, irrespective of the official place of Arab states on Israel — that they’d normalize ties with the Israelis as soon as it returns to the borders of 1967 and allows the emergence of a viable Palestinian state.
However that imaginative and prescient of a two-state resolution is now a pipe dream after years of Israel increasing settlements and additional carving up the land that’s meant to yield a Palestinian state. For the UAE, extra urgent financial and geopolitical considerations, not least a mistrust of the regime in Tehran that’s shared by the Israelis, matter excess of the plight of the stateless Palestinians. The Emiratis praised Israel for taking annexation of elements of the West Financial institution off the desk in return for a deal, however Netanyahu, who’s mired in yet one more struggle for political survival, might properly put it back on the table in the near future.
“When Egypt and Jordan signed peace treaties with Israel, they did so for the return of the Sinai Peninsula and the hope that a Palestinian state could be established on Palestinian soil,” wrote Marwan Muasher of the Carnegie Middle East Center. “No such hope exists immediately. The UAE and Israel are free to pursue their bilateral pursuits, however these pursuits will not be a substitute for attaining peace amongst the two peoples immediately involved — the Palestinians and Israelis. It needs to be clear that no such peace may be achieved with out the involvement of Palestinians themselves, who’re, in spite of everything, the ones residing below occupation.”
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“The Arab states’ place in assist of two states, like the American and worldwide place, has served as a psychological trick to fake that Israeli occupation stays momentary, and that — so long as there was no formal annexation of territories — growth of Israeli management and settlement stay reversible,” wrote Shibley Telhami of the Brookings Institution. “Annexation would have made the Arab and worldwide place untenable, which is why there was robust opposition to it throughout the board. It was much less about ending the occupation of Palestinians, and extra about avoiding much more of a headache.”
The UAE-Israeli entente was celebrated by Democrats and Republicans as a welcome regional improvement — so, too, the avoidance of mentioned “headache” of Israel annexing territory over which its army already workout routines de facto management.
“The tragedy in all of that is that Palestinians can be completely erased from all the speak of ‘breakthroughs’ and ‘peace,’” wrote Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab in The Washington Publish. “However we all know that real peace will solely come by critically committing to finish the Israeli occupation and creating a democratic and peaceable Palestinian state that may exist side-by-side a secure and safe Israel. Till then, all can be simply a part of an insulting diplomatic circus.”
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That “diplomatic circus” has nonetheless yielded the Trump administration’s most tangible overseas coverage win in practically 4 years. A extra sturdy Israeli-Emirati partnership, although, might have to arrange for an period when neither Trump nor his “most strain” ways are on the world stage.
Passionate news enthusiast with a flair for words. Our Editorial Team author brings you the latest updates, in-depth analysis, and engaging stories. Stay informed with their well-researched articles.
Citizens of Alaska are going to receive an important stimulus check which will alleviate to a large extent their financial woes.
The $1300 Stimulus Check May program is a courtesy by the state’s Permanent Fund Dividend. It will be a great support for the residents of Alaska in their difficult times.
The Alaskan support program has been rolled out to reduce the financial difficulties of the people of Alaska who are finding it difficult to meet their basic expenses. The $1,300 stimulus check which will be rolled out in May 2024 is open for all Alaska permanent residents who do not have any recent criminal records and meet the eligibility requirements.
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The stimulus checks are aimed to improve the quality of life of residents of the state of Alaska by affording financial security and enabling them to get essential support when they need it most. The eligible candidates are advised to visit the official website of the Alaska Revenue Department to get to know about the latest updates.
Alaska $1300 Stimulus Check May 2024
$1300 Stimulus Check May 2024 is a gift from the Alaska Revenue Department to enable the eligible residents of Alaska to get vital and much needed support during the time of financial crisis. The project is especially beneficial for persons who are finding it difficult to pay for their bills and facing a financial emergency. The stimulus will serve as a timely infusion of funds that will reduce their burdens.
The Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) website has stated that eligible Alaskans can hope to get their next stimulus payments on 16th May 2024. The program is a part of the financial support initiative launched for the state of Alaska by the Government of America and the funds are channeled via the Permanent Fund Dividend program, which is managed by the Alaska Department of Revenue.
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Citizens can check their eligibility status on the official website from 8th May 2024 and in case their claim is marked as “eligible-not-paid,” they can expect to get the money directly into their Bank accounts on the specified dates. Citizens are encouraged to visit the Permanent Fund Dividend’s official website for more information and updates.
The New Hampshire House has passed a bill to raise the minimum age for marriage from the present 16 years to 18 years without any exceptions. The bill, which has been designated as SB 359, will now be sent to the Governor for his signature.
If approved by the Governor, New Hampshire will become the 12th state to have a law that bans marriage under the age of 18 with no exceptions.
New Hampshire To Raise Minimum Marriage Age to 18
The New Hampshire House voted 192-174 to pass the bill SB 359 on Thursday, raising the legal age for marriage from 16 years to 18 years. The bill has a long and eventful history and has been sent to Gov. Chris Sununu for approval.
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Bill 359 clearly states that
“no person below the age of 18 years shall be capable of contracting a valid marriage, and all marriages contracted by such persons shall be null and void.”
Presently, the legal age for marriage is 16 years.
The bill will also nullify the current legal options for minors to marry.
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The current laws, RSA 457:6, permit parents and guardians of persons between 16 and 18 to approach a family court to grant permission for the marriage.
The petition also requires the involvement of the Division for Children, Youth, and Families and allows the court to interview with each minor getting married without their parents present. SB 359 would eliminate this process.
If the law is signed by the governor, it will make New Hampshire one of 12 states that have banned marriage under 18 with no exceptions. The other states which have such a law in place include Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and New York.
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Maine permits marriage for 16- and 17-year-olds with written consent from their parents, legal guardians, or custodians. However, this will become nullified in New Hampshire if SB 359 becomes law.
The bill was advocated for years by Rep. Cassandra Levesque, a Barrington Democrat. In 2018, the idea of raising the marriage age to 18 years from the then stipulated 14 years was first proposed by Levesque, then 19 and not yet a state representative. However, the House and Senate Republicans agreed to pass a bill to raise it to 16 instead. Levesque won her first election to the House and continued to advocate raising the marriage age to 18 years.
Levesque argued that raising the marriage age will prevent situations that can be exploited by others.
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Levesque, in the House Calendar introducing SB 359, said,
“The committee found that this bill is important to be in law because we know that age of majority does not amount to maturity, and that there is a greater risk of human trafficking and domestic violence without these protections.”
However, the bill was opposed by Republican lawmakers. Rep. Margaret Drye, a Plainfield Republican, argued that the marriage was a beneficial option for those under 18 in certain circumstances like an unexpected pregnancy.
Ontario Sunshine List is released every year and it reveals the salaries of public sector workers who take home a salary in excess of $100,000. This year the list features 300,570 names which is 30,000 higher than last year of public sector employees with salaries over $100,000. The Ontario Sunshine list also features five employees working at the Ontario Power Generation who are among the top 10 earners with the province’s highest salary nearing $2 million.
Ontario had passed the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act in 1996 under the Mike Harris government and the stated aim of the act was to make the government more transparent and accountable. The $100,000 limit was a big deal then.
However the $100,000 in 1996 in relative terms in 2024 will be equivalent to $180,564.97. If you remove 300,570 people on this year’s Ontario Sunshine List for that salary threshold there you drop 279,781 names. In other words there will be many people who will not be able to own a house without help from family or an inheritance.
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In a nutshell it means that employees who take home a six figure salary package will still feel the pinch of Canada’s affordability crisis. The soaring inflation and rising cost of living a $100,000 salary doesn’t guarantee financial security in many parts of the country.
Also, to maintain the $100,000 threshold today, the province should have adjusted it to $55,381.73 in 1996. Ontario has fixed a threshold of $100,000, while the threshold varies in other provinces. Alberta, for example, has set a threshold of $125,888 for government employees and $150,219 for people in public sector bodies.
Not much information is available for the federal government, but a Canadian Taxpayers Federation access-to-information request revealed that 110,593 employees in the federal public service earned $100,000 or more in 2023.
There are a couple of options for Ontario and other governments with non-indexing disclosure requirements. Resetting the threshold to a number that makes more sense today and then continuing to index the threshold going forward seems feasible.
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We also don’t need to reveal the names of all individuals. The government could report aggregated salary ranges by job title rather than disclosing specific names below a second, lower threshold. This would maintain government accountability and transparency by still disclosing who the highest earners are.
As it stands, we have a list that publishes the names and salaries of potentially hundreds of thousands of people who could not afford to buy a house. This doesn’t seem aligned with the original intent of the disclosure act.
Some features of the Ontario Sunshine List 2024 are as follows:
The highest paid employee took a pay check of $1.9M
Public sector employees were paid salaries in excess of $100K
The Ontario Sunset list top position is held by Kenneth Hartwick, CEO of the electricity Crown Corporation with a salary of $1.93 million followed by chief strategy officer Dominique Miniere $1.2 million and chief projects officer Michael Martelli drawing $1 million as salary.
Public sector workers were paid counting in Bill 124 compensation
2024 budget revealed that Ontario deficit will triple
CEOs of the Hospital for Sick Children and the University Health Network figured in the top 10 list and each drew a salary of $850,000 each while CEO of the provincial transit agency, Metrolinx drew a salary of $838,097.
17 professors or associate professors at the University of Toronto drew a salary in excess of $500,000
Caroline Mulroney, president of the Treasury Board, stated in a release,
“The largest year-over-year increases were in the hospitals, municipalities, and services, and post-secondary sectors, which together represented approximately 80 percent of the growth of the list.”
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