Lithuania: 30 Years

From AFP/Yahoo:

“Lithuania seeks to heal Soviet trauma after 30 years of freedom”

Seeking justice for victims of the Soviet regime to heal historical trauma has become a top priority for Lithuania as it marks 30 years since it became the first republic to break away from the USSR. Auksute Ramanauskaite Skokauskiene spent her childhood in living under an assumed identity to avoid Soviet authorities tracing her father who led Lithuania's armed resistance against Soviet rule in the Baltic state after World War II. Captured in 1956 and executed the following year, Adolfas Ramanauskas was only given a full state funeral some six decades later in 2018, after archaeologists identified his body in a mass grave. "I always felt very disturbed that the Soviets slandered my dad and other freedom fighters," Ramanauskaite Skokauskiene, a former MP and retired engineer, told AFP. ”For me, it was very important that now I have a grave where I can come." Lithuania's departure from the USSR on March 11, 1990 triggered a year of turmoil that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, a move that heralded the end of the Cold War. While Lithuanians have since enjoyed impressive economic growth -- notably after joining EU and NATO in 2004 -- the Baltic nation of 2.8 million people also struggles with some of Europe's highest rates of suicide, alcoholism and emigration. Some critics blame persistent poverty and high levels of income inequality for these social ills, but others insist they are also symptoms of intergenerational trauma rooted in the undigested past. "Can it be that our society is ill, and the name of the disease is not coronavirus? One of the reasons for Lithuanians to be depressed could be our difficult and complicated history," Laimonas Talat Kelpsa, a senior foreign ministry official, told psychotherapists and diplomats at a recent conference in Vilnius focused on collective trauma.

- Acknowledging the past -:   Experts suggest that historical injustice and the failure to meet the needs of the victims have a huge impact on societies haunted by history. According to Simon Wessely, a professor of psychological medicine at King's College London, acknowledging the past is important both individually and collectively. "A single person can be a perpetrator, a victim and a bystander at different times in their lives. So it is with countries and so it is with culture," he told delegates at the conference. "Sometimes (the past) is too painful to acknowledge but acknowledge it we must," Wessely said.

- Turbulent history -:   Like fellow Baltic states Latvia and Estonia, Lithuania was annexed by the Soviets during World War II and then deeply scarred by the Stalinist-era deportation of hundreds of thousands of its people to Siberia and Central Asia in the 1940s and 1950s. While the trio remained firmly under Moscow's thumb for decades, cracks first began to show with Mikhail Gorbachev's arrival in the Kremlin in 1985. Within the space of a few years, his perestroika and glasnost political and economic reforms began to spiral out of control, presenting an opportunity that was not lost on Lithuanians. On March 11, 1990, Lithuanian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly for independence, including Communist Party rebels. Moscow recognised Lithuania's independence following a failed coup by communist hardliners in the Soviet capital in August 1991. The USSR was formally dissolved four months later. The Baltic states have had rocky relations with Moscow ever since, not least because of different perceptions about WWII and the Soviet era. In 2016, Lithuania declared an ex-KGB official guilty of genocide for his role in arresting partisan leader Ramanauskas. The European Court of Human Rights approved the verdict. Last year, a Lithuanian court found more than 60 former Soviet officials guilty of war crimes in absentia for their role in a bloody 1991 crackdown against the pro-independence movement that killed 14 civilians and wounded over 700. Moscow insisted the trial was politically motivated. It refuses to recognise the Soviet takeover of the Baltic states as an occupation. Lithuania has never received an apology or reparations.

– 'Critical year' -:    Lamberto Zannier, OSCE Commissioner on National Minorities, warned that 2020 "could potentially be a very critical year" as divisions grow over the interpretation of history. Without naming countries, he said that "acknowledgement, public apologies and reparations" are key elements in seeking "historical closure". Lithuania and other central European states once dominated by the Soviets recently slammed Russia for downplaying communist-era crimes and rewriting history for political purposes. Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda regards Russia as the "biggest long-term threat" to his country and has pledged to "rebuff any attempts to fabricate history". Vilnius is also urging EU counterparts not to attend Russia's upcoming May 9 Victory Day parade marking 75 years since the end of World War II. But Lithuania has also come under fire for failing to acknowledge the role of local Nazi collaborators and for drawing comparisons between communist oppression and the Nazi Holocaust. While recognition of victims and perpetrators is a precondition to putting the past to rest, it is just a first step in healing historical trauma, according to Danute Gailiene, a Vilnius University professor of psychology. "We cannot say we are a healthy and mature society. There is a long way to go, but we are on it," she said.

^ Even after 30 years the damage created and done by the Soviet Union continues to plague not only the former Soviet Republics, but also all the Soviet Satellite countries in Eastern Europe. You can only move past that drama (that includes the Nazi and Soviet past) when you acknowledge it in full and work to build something better. Lithuania seems to be doing a good job (they went from a Soviet Republic for 40+ years to a NATO, member, a European Union member in the Schengen and Eurozone areas.) I hope Lithuania and the other former Communist countries will one-day be able to completely feel that they are a modern, Western country. ^

https://www.yahoo.com/news/lithuania-seeks-heal-soviet-trauma-30-years-freedom-041458666.html

Blind Punched

From the BBC:

“Blind man with guide dog punched by van driver”

A blind man walking with his guide dog was punched repeatedly when he asked a van driver to move off the pavement to enable him to pass. Tony Webb, 73, was attacked in Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire at about 09:00 GMT on Sunday. His daughter posted a photograph of his black eye which has been shared by more than 15,000 people on social media. She said he was recovering at home but was very shaken and was "petrified" of going outside. Tracy Hassell, who said her father can see some light and dark, wrote on Facebook: "My blind dad was attacked in Bishop's Stortford town centre this morning at 9am by a man... who was parked on the pavement in a white van."

'Didn't believe he was blind':   She told the BBC: "Dad asked the driver if he would move so he and Sammy, his guide dog, could get past, but the man said 'no'. "Dad asked him again and said it was out of order to park on the pavement, and the next thing he knew he was pushed up against the van - he thinks he was punched three times in his eye. "The man even told my father he didn't believe he was blind." Mr Webb was taken to hospital and later discharged. Mrs Hassell said her father had tried to take Sammy for a walk early on Monday, "but he didn't get far - he said he was absolutely petrified there might be someone behind him". A spokesman from the charity Guide Dogs said the organisation was "appalled" by the attack on Mr Webb. "We have been in touch with him to ensure that he and his guide dog are both OK and will continue to support them in any way we can.," he said. Police confirmed they were investigating "a physical altercation following a dispute about parking".

 ^ I hope they arrest the driver, charge him and that he loses his Driver’s License. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-51801370

US Vs. Italy

From the BBC:

“Coronavirus: Could the US do what Italy has done?”

Could a lockdown of Seattle ever happen?  As coronavirus sweeps across the US, American officials have warned that mandatory prevention measures may be needed to stop its spread. But is the US willing to go as far as Italy - another democracy - or even authoritarian China? Italy has banned mass gatherings and barred from citizens travelling outside their home region. China has forced more than 50 million citizens to self-isolate and even threatened severe penalties, including death, for quarantine breakers. So what measures is the US prepared to take, and could coronavirus besiege an American city?

Forced lockdowns?   Experts say the US could eventually follow Italy's plan to quarantine a large segment of its population, but it would be very hard and would face strong opposition. "The likelihood of that happening in the United States is extremely, extremely small," says Dr Irwin Redlener, Director of Columbia University's National Centre for Disaster Preparedness. "Essentially that amounts to martial law," he tells BBC News. "Government ordered shutdowns" of public spaces and ability to travel would be "a very far step for Americans to manage," he says. "It's just part of our culture. It's just the antithesis of the freedoms that we theoretically have." Dr Anthony Fauci of the US National Institutes of Health has said that "anything is possible" given the scale of the outbreak, but large scale quarantines do not appear to be on the horizon. On Tuesday, New York's governor mandated a one-mile "containment zone" for the city of New Rochelle, about 20 miles (32km) from downtown Manhattan. Governor Andrew Cuomo sought to soften the order, saying: "You're not containing people, you're containing facilities."

Travel bans:    Emergency managers are focused on individual precautions, but they are also talking about the possibility of travel restrictions similar to Italy's, says Kyle McPhee, the Director of Preparedness Programmes for disaster management firm Hagerty Consulting. According to Mr McPhee, the emphasis now is on "self-imposed quarantine or voluntary quarantine". It puts the burden "on the individual and the public to keep themselves and their neighbours and their community safe," he says. Emergency planners make contingency plans based on worst and best case scenarios, so plans for forced quarantines are certainly being discussed. But Mr McPhee warned that mass closures could have knock-on effects and it could be short-sighted to implement them in a hurry. 

Public closures:  For example, closing schools could have unintentional consequences in the US, says Dr Redlener. "By closing schools in poorer neighbourhoods, working parents have to take off, they won't get compensation, and there's a tremendous economic impact on them." Poor families often depend on US schools to provide breakfast and lunch to pupils, making it likely that children would go hungry. "These are not steps to be taken lightly" he says, adding that any quarantine measure will face "strenuous legal challenges, at every level of government" from civil rights groups.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has written a letter signed by 450 public health experts acknowledging that "individual rights must sometimes give way to the greater good" during an outbreak. People can sometimes be quarantined, for example. "This is as it should be" - as long as the measures are in line with scientific research proving effectiveness, says the group.  However, citizens must not lose their right to challenge the government's ability to hold them in captivity even if there is a quarantine, the group warns. It also cautioned that containment zones could become "politicised", for example if the US government tries to use them to find undocumented immigrants and deport them.  If migrants are afraid to come forward to seek medical treatment, the larger community will be at greater risk, the letter warns. Finally, there are far more gun-owners in the US than anywhere else in the world, as well as anti-government factions that would certainly oppose government intrusion in their lives.

Law and order:  During public health emergencies local governments form "emergency operation centres" to manage the response, says Mr McPhee. They are typically lead by the local health agency, which would take advice from experts before issuing quarantine orders. The legal situation at US borders is different and managed federally. Under President Donald Trump, the federal government has banned non-citizens from coronavirus-hit regions entry, but US citizens are allowed back into the country after a two-week quarantine. Local officials need more help from Washington, said Scott Gottlieb, the former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner. "There's no systematic plan of when a city should close school, when they should tell businesses that they have to telework, when they should close movie theatres and cancel large gatherings," he told CBS news. "We leave these decisions to local officials, but we really should have a comprehensive plan in terms of recommendations to cities."

What about supplies?:  The governor of Washington state, where the majority of US deaths from Covid-19 have occurred, has said that officials are weighing "whether mandatory measures are required". But closing events and public spaces "could be hard for the public because they may not have seen the full wave yet," Gov Jay Inslee said. Washington has been receiving face masks and hospital gowns from the Strategic National Stockpile, the country's emergency medical stash, but more has to be done by the federal government to make emergency medical supplies available, Mr Inslee said.  The US health secretary has warned that the Strategic stockpile has only a fraction of the face masks that medical workers need to stay safe while treating US patients.

Releasing prisoners:  Prison reform activists say that those in jail are more likely to contract the virus due overcrowding and low levels of sanitisation. The US jails more of its citizens per capita than any other country. Inmates are quarantined from the rest of society, but not from each other. Activists warn that prisoners often lack hand-washing facilities or hand sanitiser, which is sometimes deemed contraband due to its alcohol content. Handcuffed people also cannot cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. Incarcerated inmates across Italy rioted when new restrictions were announced on prison visits due to the virus, and Iran has temporarily released 70,000 prisoners to keep Covid-19 from spreading behind bars.  New York state has hired prisoners to produce approximately 100,000 gallons of hand sanitiser per week, but activists questioned whether they would be permitted to actually use the stuff.

^ It was easier to have a lock-down in China because it is a Communist Dictatorship and has no problem killing anyone that disobeys their orders (even when there isn’t a health crisis.) In Italy the initial northern lock-down was done in a completely disorganized way allowing people to easily leave. Then it was extended to the whole country and it seems the same practice was deployed during that too. If a place is on lock-down then there shouldn’t be any movement allowed (ie. people leaving the locked-down area or people entering the locked-down area) but in Italy the planes and trains are still going in and out of the country. It would be much harder for a similar lock-down to take place in the US. Not only are we a much larger country with more people, but we tend to question anything that we don’t agree with (unlike in Italy or China) and that would makes things even more complicated at the local, State and Federal level. Citizens know their rights and even in times of an emergency or a disaster they are willing to stand-up for those rights. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51804664

US Update

From USA Today:

“Coronavirus updates: Suburban New York community to enact 'containment' area, close schools”

Schools, temples, churches and other large gathering places within much of the New York City suburb of New Rochelle will be shut down for two weeks as the state battles to contain of one of the nation's worst coronavirus clusters. The National Guard will be called in to help clean facilities and deliver food, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.  Cuomo announced plans to enforce a "containment area" for a 1-mile radius around the center of the cluster, an area of Westchester County that includes much of the city of New Rochelle and stretches into the town of Eastchester. As of Tuesday afternoon, the state had 174 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, second only to Washington state. "This is literally a matter of life and death," Cuomo said. More than 100 cases are in Westchester County, tied to an Orthodox Jewish community where a lawyer was the first case in the region.  Any large gathering places, including several public schools, within the containment area will be closed from Thursday through March 25, the governor said. Residents who live within the containment area will be free to leave their homes and the area so long as they have not otherwise been ordered to quarantine, Cuomo added.  In New York City, the United Nations closed its headquarters to the general public and suspended guided tours in an effort to prevent spread of the virus.

US death toll rises to 28:   The U.S. death toll due to coronavirus has risen to 28, as infections spread to all but a handful of states. The global death toll topped 4,000 and the number of confirmed cases approached 117,000. New Jersey reported its first death, a 69-year-old Bergen County man with several underlying health complications including emphysema, diabetes and hypertension. State Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said the man went into cardiac arrest Monday night and was revived, but died Tuesday morning after going into cardiac arrest again. 

Trump: 'It will go away, just stay calm':   President Donald Trump sought to allay concerns over the spread of coronavirus Tuesday on Capitol Hill after pitching Senate Republicans on his plan to provide relief to those affected by the economic uncertainty amid the outbreak.  "It will go away, just stay calm," he told reporters after the meeting. "Everybody has to be vigilant and has to be careful. But be calm. It's really working out."  The president's proposed stimulus package is expected to include a payroll tax cut, a provision that has been met with mixed reaction among some Republican senators.  "They were just about all there, mostly all there," Trump said.

Biden, Sanders cancel Cleveland rallies:   Both major Democratic presidential candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, cancelled their scheduled rallies in Cleveland on Tuesday because of health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus. With 352 delegates up for grabs in six primaries, Tuesday represents a big day in the race for the nomination, but the candidates won't be watching election returns among legions of supporters as originally planned. There have been three confirmed cases of coronavirus in Cuyahoga County, where Cleveland is located. “We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak,'' the Sanders campaign said in a statement. Biden held a lead of more than 70 delegates going into Tuesday and was expected to expand it, with polls showing him clearly ahead in Michigan, the day's biggest prize with 125 delegates. However, some of the other races looked close. Washington, with 89, has the second-most delegates available Tuesday, followed by Missouri (68), Mississippi (36), Idaho (20) and then North Dakota (14).

Pence: Insurers to waive copays for coronavirus testing:  Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday that health insurers have agreed to waive copayments for coronavirus testing and extend coverage for COVID-19 treatment in all of their benefit plans. Pence, who is heading the Trump administration’s coronavirus task force, made the announcement at a White House meeting with representatives of insurance companies and the health industry. Insurers also have agreed to cover the cost of telemedicine and promised “no surprise billing” for coronavirus-related costs, Pence said.

Several major universities halt in-person classes:   An increasing number of universities and colleges throughout the country -- some responding to the impact of the coronavirus in their area, others taking preemptive steps -- are suspending in-person classes. Ohio State, one of the largest universities in the land with an enrollment of more than 60,000, on Tuesday became the latest major school to announce instruction would be conducted online for the upcoming weeks. “We are being proactive in an effort to prevent illness and continue the important work of the university,” OSU President Michael V. Drake said in an email to the campus community. Several other institutions of higher learning have also switched to online teaching in light of the outbreak, among them Stanford, Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, UCLA, the University of California-Berkeley, the University of Maryland, Kent State, Indiana University, Hofstra, Amherst College and the University of Southern California. Some of them are on spring break and plan to begin online classes when students return, but some are already alerting students that in-person teaching may not resume again this school year. Several universities have also suspended their international programs.

Italy paralyzed by national lockdown:   Severe lockdown protocols that had been in place across northern Italy were expanded to the entire nation of 60 million people on Tuesday. Italians have been told to avoid all unnecessary travel and to stay at home, except for essential work and to buy groceries. All gatherings in public places have been banned, bars and restaurants must close by 6 p.m. and most sporting events are not allowed. The measures will be in place until at least April 3, Premier Giuseppe Conte said. "Italy's future is in our hands," Conte said. "At stake is the health of our loved ones, our parents, our children, our grandparents." Italy has had 10,149 reported cases and 631 deaths, both of those the second largest figures in the world.

No tests for nursing home employees at center of US outbreak:  Another 31 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus at a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, that is the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak. At least 19 residents of the Life Care Center have died. Center spokesman Tim Killian said 120 people lived at the center when the outbreak began and that 53 remain. He said those with mild symptoms are being treated on site, following instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Killian also said the facility has been unable to acquire test kits for 65 employees, now in self-quarantine, showing symptoms of the infection.

Markets stabilize after plummeting:  Stocks rose sharply early Tuesday, but had given up much of their gains by mid-afternoon. That followed a plunge of about 7% the previous day, the worst drop in U.S. stocks since 2008. Trump has said he would propose "very major" and "very dramatic" measures to help workers and businesses hurt by the virus outbreak.

Passengers await exodus from Grand Princess:  More than 2,000 passengers and crew anxiously awaited exodus from the Grand Princess cruise ship when disembarkation continued Tuesday in Oakland, California.  More than 20 passengers dealing with acute illness and scores of Canadians bound for a flight home were among the first group to exit the ship Monday. The vessel had been floating off the California coast since Thursday, when 21 of those aboard – including 19 crew members – tested positive for the coronavirus. U.S. passengers are bound for quarantine at military bases. On the East Coast, the Caribbean Princess faced a no-sail order from the CDC after learning two crew members had transferred from another vessel where at least one guest tested positive for the virus. Neither crew member appears symptomatic, Princess Cruises said in a statement.  The Caribbean Princess will make a brief stop at Grand Cayman for test kits and then is expected to anchor off the coast of Florida until the no-sail order is lifted, the statement said.

Airlines cut flights, warn things could 'get worse':   American Airlines announced sweeping flight cutbacks due a steep drop in travel demand. And unlike the significant cuts announced by United last week, they extend into the peak summer travel season. American said it is reducing international seat capacity by 10% this summer, including a 55% reduction in flights across the Pacific. Flights within the United States will be reduced by 7.5% for April. Travelers will be rebooked on other flights or offered a refund, even if they have nonrefundable tickets. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said bookings are down 25% to 30% and his airline is prepared for things to "get worse.'' The airline is cutting international flight capacity by 20% to 25% and domestic by 15%. "This clearly is not an economic event,'' Bastian said. "This is a fear event probably more akin to 9/11 than what we saw in (the recession) in 2009.''

Veterans Affairs nursing homes in 'emergency situation':   Veterans Affairs medical facilities are screening patients and restricting visitors as the agency grapples with five cases of COVID-19. VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said visitors are not allowed at the agency's roughly 135 nursing homes, which house more than 8,000 veterans, saying those facilities are "going into an emergency situation." One veteran has a confirmed case of the virus, VA officials said. Four others have tested positive, but those findings have not yet been confirmed.

'Wheel of Fortune' spins without an audience:   The popular NBC game show "Wheel of Fortune" is the latest television project to shift plans amid the coronavirus scare. The show is taping without live studio audiences, USA TODAY has confirmed. Last week, CBS announced it was suspending production on “The Amazing Race” in response to the outbreak. "Wheel of Fortune” tapes months in advance, so the presumably quieter shows will not immediately be noticeable to viewers at home. Both are filmed at a studio in Culver City, California.

Locker rooms off limits to media:  Officials from four major professional sports leagues – MLB, NBA, NHL and MLS – have announced that team clubhouses and locker rooms will temporarily be closed to the media and non-essential personnel, effective Tuesday. Instead, all interviews will take place in designated areas outside locker rooms. The media will also be asked to maintain a six-foot distance from players during those Q&A sessions.

California county cancels mass gatherings following first death:  Santa Clara County in California has canceled mass gatherings of more than 1,000 people, a move that could have a significant impact on three local sports teams. The order, issued by the county's Public Health Officer on Monday night, comes in the wake of the county's first coronavirus death. The mass-gatherings ban goes into effect at 12 a.m. PDT Wednesday and will last at least three weeks.  The move will directly impact events held at San Jose's SAP Center — home of the NHL's Sharks and AHL's Barracuda — as well as at Earthquakes Stadium — home of the MLS' Earthquakes — and potentially events at Stanford University in Palo Alto. 

^ An update from around the US. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/10/coronavirus-live-updates-us-death-toll-dow-jones-donald-trump/5002558002/

World Therapy Bans

Conversion Therapy

Conversion therapy is the pseudoscientific practice of trying to change an individual's sexual orientation from homosexual or bisexual to heterosexual using psychological or spiritual interventions. There is no reliable evidence that sexual orientation can be changed and medical institutions warn that conversion therapy practices are ineffective and potentially harmful. Medical, scientific, and government organizations in the United States and United Kingdom have expressed concern over the validity, efficacy and ethics of conversion therapy. Various jurisdictions around the world have passed laws against conversion therapy. 

Techniques used in conversion therapy in the United States and Western Europe have included ice-pick lobotomies; chemical castration with hormonal treatment; aversive treatments, such as "the application of electric shock to the hands and/or genitals"; "nausea-inducing drugs ... administered simultaneously with the presentation of homoerotic stimuli"; and masturbatory reconditioning. More recent clinical techniques used in the United States have been limited to counseling, visualization, social skills training, psychoanalytic therapy, and spiritual interventions such as "prayer and group support and pressure",[20] though there are some reports of aversive treatments through unlicensed practice as late as the early 2000s. The term reparative therapy has been used as a synonym for conversion therapy in general,[8] but it has been argued that strictly speaking it refers to a specific kind of therapy associated with the psychologists Elizabeth Moberly and Joseph Nicolosi.

Map of countries that have bans on sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts with minors.

Dark Blue =  Ban on conversion therapy on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity

Light Blue =   Case-by-case bans

Yellow -   Ban on conversion therapy pending or proposed

 Grey =  No ban on conversion therapy

Country:

Argentina:  Nationwide ban: Since 2010, no diagnosis can be made in the field of mental health on the exclusive basis of "sexual choice or identity". The ban only applies to registered health professionals.

 Australia:  Banned in one state: In February 2016, the Government of Victoria announced it would promptly introduce legislation to crack down on conversion therapy.  On 9 February 2016, a legislative bill was introduced to the lower house of the Victorian Parliament. The bill created a Health Complaints Commissioner with increased powers to take action against groups performing conversion therapy; these powers ranging from issuing public warnings to banning them from practicing in Victoria. It passed the lower house on 25 February 2016, passed the upper house on 14 April 2016 with minor amendments and passed the lower house with the attached amendments on 27 April 2016. Royal assent was granted on 5 May 2016.  The law, known as the Health Complaints Act 2016,  went into effect on 1 February 2017. Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory are also considering enacting laws to crack down on conversion therapy. In April 2018, Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed that the Australian Government does not support conversion therapy.

 Brazil:  Nationwide ban: In 1999, the Federal Council of Psychology issued two provisions which state that "psychologists shall not collaborate in events or services offering treatment and cure for homosexuality", and that "psychologists will neither pronounce nor participate in public speeches, in the mass media, reinforcing social prejudice related to homosexuals as pursuing any kind of psychological disorder".  Brazil thus became the first country in the world to ban conversion therapy. In 2013, the Commission for Human Rights of Brazil's lower house of Congress, headed by an evangelical Christian man, approved legislation that would nullify the Council's provisions and legalize conversion therapy. The bill subsequently died without any more legislative action. In September 2017, a federal judge in Brasília approved the use of conversion therapy by a psychologist to "cure" people of homosexuality, overruling the 1999 decision. However, in December 2017, the same judge changed his decision, keeping the "treatment" banned. In January 2018, the Federal Psychology Council established norms of performance for psychologists in relation to transsexual and transvestite people, also banning any conversion therapy

 Canada:  Banned in three provinces and one city: Conversion therapy is banned in the province of Manitoba (since 2015),  for minors in Ontario (since 2015),  for people of all ages and across all settings in the city of Vancouver (since 2018), and for minors (though allowed for "mature minors" between the ages of 16 and 18 if they consent) in Nova Scotia (since 2018).  In March 2019, the federal government initially rejected a petition calling for a nationwide conversion therapy ban,  but announced in July of that year it would move forward with a change to the criminal code to outlaw the procedure across all of Canada, and called on the provinces to take urgent action as well. In March 2020 legislation was proposed that would ban conversion therapy for all minors in the country, as well as anyone who does not consent.

 Chile: In February 2016, the Chilean Ministry of Health expressed their opposition to conversion therapy. The statement said: "We consider that practices known as conversion therapies represent a grave threat to health and well-being, including the life, of the people who are affected." In October 2017, the Chamber of Deputies passed a bill, known as the Proyecto de Ley Sobre Protección de la Salud Mental ("Mental Health Protection Bill"), which states in its article 6 that "a mental health diagnosis can not be made based solely on criteria related to sexual orientation or identity." The bill is currently being discussed in the Senate Health Committee.

 China:  Case-by-case ban: In China, courts have ruled instances of conversion therapy to be illegal on two occasions; however, legal precedents in China are not enforceable in future cases. In December 2014, a Beijing court ruled in favor of a gay man in a case against a conversion therapy clinic. The court ruled that such treatments are illegal and ordered the clinic to apologize and pay monetary compensation.  In June 2016, a man from Henan Province sued a hospital in the city of Zhumadian for forcing him to undergo conversion therapy, and was also awarded a public apology and compensation.  Following these two successful rulings, LGBT groups are now calling on the Chinese Health Ministry to ban conversion therapy. However, as of April 2019, no measure has been taken by the government to ban conversion therapy, and such treatments are still in fact being actively promoted throughout the country.

 Ecuador:  Nationwide ban: In Ecuador, the Government's view is that conversion therapy is proscribed by a 1999 law banning anti-gay discrimination. In addition, Article 151 of the 2014 Penal Code prohibits conversion therapy, equating it to torture, and provides 10 years' imprisonment for those practicing it.  In January 2012, the Ecuadorian Government raided three conversion therapy clinics in Quito, rescued dozens of women who were abused and tortured in an effort to "cure their homosexuality", and promised to shut down every such clinic in the country.

 Fiji:  Nationwide ban: The Mental Health Decree 2010 states that people are not to be considered mentally ill if they refuse or fail to express a particular sexual orientation, and prohibits any conversion therapy in the field of mental health.  The ban only applies to registered health professionals.

 Germany: Nationwide ban: In 2008, the German Government declared itself completely opposed to conversion therapy. In February 2019, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said he will seek to ban conversion therapies that claim to change sexual orientation. The government banned conversion therapy for all minors in December 2019. Adult conversion therapy is only deemed illegal if consent was given due to "lack of will power" such as deceit or coercion. Psychotherapeutic and pastoral care "purposefully trying to influence one's sexual orientation" was also banned. The ban also applies to legal guardians "grossly violating their duty of care".

 India: In February 2014, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) issued a statement, in which it stated that there is no evidence to prove that homosexuality is unnatural: "Based on existing scientific evidence and good practice guidelines from the field of psychiatry, the Indian Psychiatric Society would like to state that there is no evidence to substantiate the belief that homosexuality is a mental illness or a disease."

 Ireland: As of May 2018, the Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018 has passed second reading in the Seanad Éireann (Irish Senate). It currently awaits a third reading in that chamber, and passage in the Dáil Éireann.

 Israel: In October 2014, the Ministry of Health issued a statement announcing that it considers conversion therapy to "create false impressions of scientific recognition even though there is no scientific evidence that it is at all successful. It may also cause harm to the individual." In February 2016 and in March 2017, the Knesset rejected bills introduced by former Health Minister Yael German that would have banned conversion therapy in Israel for minors. The bills were rejected 37–45 and 26–38, respectively.

 Lebanon: In 2013, the Lebanese Psychiatric Society stated that conversion therapy seeking to "convert" gays and bisexuals into straights has no scientific backing and asked health professionals to rely only on science when giving opinion and treatment in this matter.

 Malaysia: Legal and state-backed: In February 2017, the Malaysian Government endorsed conversion therapy, claiming homosexuality can be "cured" through extensive training. In June 2017, the Health Ministry began a film competition to find the best way to "cure" and prevent homosexuality. The competition was later cancelled, following massive outrage.

 Malta: Nationwide ban: In December 2016, the Parliament of Malta unanimously approved the Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Gender Expression Act, becoming the first country in the European Union to ban conversion therapy.

 Netherlands: Organizations offering conversion therapy in the Netherlands are not eligible for subsidies. In addition, since June 2012, conversion therapies have been blocked from coverage by healthcare insurance.

 New Zealand: In August 2018, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced that a conversion therapy ban could be considered as part of a reform to the Human Rights Act 1993.

 Norway: In 2000, the Norwegian Psychiatric Association overwhelmingly voted for the position statement that "homosexuality is no disorder or illness, and can therefore not be subject to treatment. A 'treatment' with the only aim of changing sexual orientation from homosexual to heterosexual must be regarded as ethical malpractice, and should have no place in the health system".

 Samoa: Nationwide ban: The Mental Health Act 2007 states that people are not to be considered mentally ill if they refuse or fail to express a particular sexual orientation, and prohibits any conversion therapy in the field of mental health. The ban only applies to registered health professionals.

 South Africa: The South African Society of Psychiatrists states that "there is no scientific evidence that reparative or conversion therapy is effective in changing a person's sexual orientation. There is, however, evidence that this type of therapy can be destructive". In February 2015, owners of a conversion therapy camp were found guilty of murder, child abuse and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after three teens were found dead at the camp. The teens were beaten with spades and rubber pipes, chained to their beds, not allowed to use the toilet at any time and forced to eat soap and their own feces, all with the aim of "curing" their homosexuality.

 Spain: Banned in five autonomies: Conversion therapy has been banned in the autonomous communities of Murcia (since 2016),  Madrid (since 2017),Valencia (since 2017), Andalusia (since 2018),  and Aragon (since 2019). The specifics vary by jurisdiction. For instance, in Murcia, the ban only applies to registered health professionals, but the Madrid ban applies to everyone including religious groups.  The Spanish Psychological Association states that there is no evidence to support conversion therapy. "On the contrary, there is evidence that conversion therapy leads to anxiety, depression and suicide". In April 2019, following an exposé of conversion therapy in Spain, the Spanish health minister Maria Luisa Carcedo said the Spanish government would consider legislating to stamp out the practice.

  Switzerland: De facto ban: In Switzerland, it is unlawful for a medical professional to carry out conversion therapy. In 2016, the Swiss Federal Council wrote in response to a parliamentary interpellation that in its view, conversion therapies are "ineffective and cause significant suffering to young people subject to them", and would constitute a breach of professional duties on the part of any care professional undertaking them. As such, in the Government's view, any care professional undertaking such therapies is liable to be sanctioned by the cantonal authorities. Whether such therapies also constitute a criminal offense is to be determined by the criminal courts in the individual case, according to the Federal Council.

Taiwan:  Nationwide ban: On 13 May 2016, the Health Bureau of the Taichung City Government announced that medical institutions in Taichung are prohibited from engaging in conversion therapy. According to Shader Liu, a member of Taichung's Gender Equality Committee, any group—medical, civil or religious—that practices the treatment is violating the Taiwanese Physicians Act and Psychologists Act. Regulations banning conversion therapy were expected to bypass Parliament in late January 2017 and take effect in March 2017.  According to the Physicians Act, doctors who engage in prohibited treatments are subject to fines of between NT$100,000 (US$3,095) to NT$500,000 (US$15,850) and may be suspended for one month to one year. However, the proposed regulations were stalled by fierce resistance from anti-LGBT groups. Instead of pushing ahead legal amendments or new regulations, on 22 February 2018, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a letter to all local health authorities on the matter, which effectively banned conversion 'therapy'.  In the letter, the Ministry states that sexual orientation conversion is not regarded as a legitimate healthcare practice and that any individual performing the so-called therapy is liable to prosecution under the Criminal Code or the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act, depending on the circumstances.

 United Kingdom: In 2007, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the main professional organisation of psychiatrists in the UK, issued a report stating that: "Evidence shows that LGB people are open to seeking help for mental health problems. However, they may be misunderstood by therapists who regard their homosexuality as the root cause of any presenting problem such as depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, therapists who behave in this way are likely to cause considerable distress. A small minority of therapists will even go so far as to attempt to change their client's sexual orientation. This can be deeply damaging. Although there are now a number of therapists and organisations in the USA and in the UK that claim that therapy can help homosexuals to become heterosexual, there is no evidence that such change is possible." In 2017, the Church of England announced it considers conversion therapy "fundamentally wrong" and demanded the Government ban it. After reports of a Liverpool church starving individuals for three days as a means to "cure" their homosexuality, Parliament heard calls for a legislative ban. Groups such as Stonewall and Humanists UK have also long called for it to be banned. On 3 July 2018, the UK Government announced it would work towards a total ban on conversion therapy across medical, non-medical, and religious settings. However, by the time of the 2019 General Election, the issue was no longer a priority for the governing Conservative Party.[184] Stonewall notes that "in the UK, all major counselling and psychotherapy bodies, as well as the NHS, have concluded that conversion therapy is dangerous and have condemned it by signing a Memorandum of Understanding". In the self-governing British dependent territory the Isle of Man, an amendment to the Sexual Offences and Obscene Publications Bill that would ban gay conversion therapy has been put forward to the House of Keys.

 United States: Banned in 20 states, 2 territories, and local counties/municipalities: As of March 2020, 20 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and some counties and municipalities in the United States have passed laws banning the practice of conversion therapy on minors. It is also banned in major cities like Miami and Cincinnati.  

(Blue are the regions with a ban)

The states of New Jersey (2013), California (2013), Oregon (2015), Illinois (2016), Vermont (2016), New Mexico (2017), Connecticut (2017), Rhode Island (2017), Nevada (2018), Washington (2018), Hawaii (2018), Delaware (2018), Maryland (2018), New Hampshire (2019), New York (2019), Massachusetts (2019),  Maine (2019), Colorado (2019),[201], Utah (2019), and Virginia (2020) as well as the District of Columbia (2015) and Puerto Rico (2019) ban the use of conversion therapy on minors. Opinion polls have found that conversion therapy bans enjoy popular support among the American population. As of 2019, no nationwide opinion poll has been carried out, though surveys in three states (Florida, New Mexico and Virginia) show support varying between 60% and 75%. According to a 2014 national poll, only 8% of Americans believed conversion therapies to be successful.

 Uruguay:  Nationwide ban: Adopted in 2017, the Ley de Salud Mental ("Mental Health Law") states that in no case a diagnosis can be made in the field of mental health on the exclusive basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_therapy

Canadian Therapy Ban

From the BBC:

“Canada presents bill banning conversion therapy”

Canada's government is moving ahead with plans for a nationwide ban on conversion therapy. Newly proposed federal legislation would make it illegal to have a minor undergo the practice or have someone undergo it against their will.  The so-called therapy seeks to help change someone's sexuality or gender identity and is widely discredited.  Federal Justice Minister David Lametti said the practice was "premised on a lie". The legislation, introduced on Monday, proposes five changes to the federal criminal code related to conversion therapy. 

If it is passed, it would become illegal to:

Cause a minor to undergo conversion therapy 

Remove a minor from Canada to undergo the practice

Cause a person to undergo conversion therapy against their will

Profit from providing conversion therapy

Advertise an offer to provide conversion therapy

Mr Lametti said the proposed bill did not target private conversations about sexual orientation or gender identity with the likes of teachers, school counsellors, faith leaders, or mental health professionals. The opposition federal NDP said it would work with the minority Liberal government to pass the legislation.  Conversion therapy has been widely discredited by major psychotherapy and medical associations in many countries, including Canada, the US and the UK, and is opposed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations. Various forms of conversion therapy continue to be carried out across the world on LGBT people, despite scientific evidence that it is harmful and ineffective. In 2018, thousands of Canadians rallied behind two petitions calling for a nationwide ban on conversion therapy, but the federal government rejected the plea at the time.  Four provinces in Canada - Ontario, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia - have already taken steps to limit conversion therapy within their jurisdictions, as have some cities.  Canada is not the first country to look at implementing restrictions or bans on the practice.  It is banned in Ecuador and Malta. In November, Germany published a draft law intended to stop groups offering the service to people under 18. In 2018, the UK announced plans to bring forward proposals to end conversion therapy, which it called a "harmful practice". In the US, 20 states have moved ahead with a prohibition on conversion therapy for minors, including California, which did so in 2012, and Utah, which did so this year. 

^ Conversion Therapy should be illegal in every country around the world. I hope this nation-wide ban comes into force in Canada. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51773586

Harriet Tubman Day

Harriet Tubman Day

Harriet Tubman Day is an American holiday in honor of the anti-slavery activist Harriet Tubman, observed on March 10 in the whole country, and in the U.S. state of New York. Observances also occur locally around the U.S. state of Maryland. 

History: The holiday was approved as Public Law 101-252 by the 101st Congress in a joint resolution on March 13, 1990. The law was considered and passed by the U.S. Senate on March 6, 1990 and then was considered and passed through the U.S. House of Representatives on March 7, 1990. U.S. President George H. W. Bush gave Proclamation 6107 on March 9, 1990 proclaiming the holiday. In February 1995, Christ Episcopal Church, Great Choptank Parish, in Cambridge, Maryland celebrated (via a "service of song and word") Tubman's nomination, the previous year, to the liturgical Calendar of Saints of the Episcopal Church. The parish is the home of Dorchester County's Harriet Tubman Coalition. Final approval of naming her a saint occurred at the 1997 General Convention,  and Tubman is now commemorated together with Amelia Bloomer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Sojourner Truth in the calendar of saints of the Episcopal Church on July 20. The calendar of saints of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America remembers Tubman and Truth on March 10. 

Observances by state:

Maryland: Louis C. Fields, President of the African American Tourism Council of MD is the founder of Harriet Ross Tubman Day of Remembrance in the State of Maryland in year 2000. Fields requested former State Senator Clarence Mitchell IV (C4) to introduce legislation to have the State of Maryland designate and annually recognize March 10 as officially Harriet Ross Tubman Day of Remembrance in the State of Maryland. The resolution passed both the House of Delegates and the Maryland Senate in March 2000. Annually, Fields hosts the Tubman Day celebrations across the State of Maryland and on a date closest to March 10, Fields hosts the annual Harriet Ross Tubman Day in Annapolis at the Maryland General Assembly. Annually, the Governor of Maryland issues the State's Harriet Tubman Day Proclamation proclaiming March 10 as Harriet Ross Tubman in MD. Also, each year Fields selects a deserving person to be the recipient of the Harriet Ross Tubman Lifetime Achievement Award presented in the Maryland General Assembly. The program includes an annual Tubman lecture (2016-Dr. Dale Green, MSU professor) and the reading of the Governor's proclamation by a United States Naval Academy Midshipman. President Barack Obama designated a part of Dorchester county as a National Harriet Tubman Park.  Past Tubman Day Awardees include... 2016-Janice Greene Curtis, Tubman re-enactor, storyteller. 2015-Dr. Ruth J. Pratt, educator. 2014-Marsha Jews, Planner, Media personality. 2013-Barbara Tagger, NPS administrator. 2012-Senator Barbara Mikulski. 2011-Dr. Clara Smalls, educator. 2010-Delegate Adrienne Jones. 2009-Bettye McLeod. 2008-Verda Day-Jones,actress (deceased) & Louise Webb-historian. 2007-Dr. Kay McElvey, historian, educator. 2006-Wylene Burch, educator, museum founder (deceased). 2005-Delegate Hattie Harrison & Delegate Ruth Kirk (both deceased). 2004-Rachel Hall Brown, educator, author, (deceased). 2003-Evelyn Townsend, educator (deceased). 2002-Addie Richburg, UGRR advocate. 2001-Dr. Thelma Daley, educator, Vice-Chair NCNW. 2000-Dr. Joanne Martin, museum founder 

New York: The holiday is a legal observance in the state. As of 2003, the holiday was made official in the U.S. state of New York. The bill was sponsored by State Senator Michael F. Nozzolio, and was passed as Bill #A2087. 

Origins: Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross; c. 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist, humanitarian, and an armed scout and spy for the United States Army during the American Civil War. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped and subsequently made some thirteen missions to rescue approximately seventy enslaved families and friends,  using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. She later helped abolitionist John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry, and in the post-war era was an active participant in the struggle for women's suffrage.  When the Civil War began, Tubman worked for the Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, and then as an armed scout and spy. The first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, she guided the raid at Combahee Ferry, which liberated more than 700 slaves. After the war, she retired to the family home on property she had purchased in 1859 in Auburn, New York, where she cared for her aging parents. She was active in the women's suffrage movement until illness overtook her and she had to be admitted to a home for elderly African-Americans that she had helped to establish years earlier. After she died in 1913, she became an icon of American courage and freedom.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman_Day

Purim

Purim 

 When Is Purim 2020?  March 10, 2020

Purim marks the Jewish people’s deliverance from a royal death decree around the fourth century BCE, as told in the Book of Esther. Many Jewish Americans celebrate Purim on the 14th day of the month of Adar in the Jewish calendar, which is in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. According to many sources, the celebrations begin at around sunset on the 13th day of Adar, while other sources mention that Purim is observed on the 15th day of Adar. 

Is Purim a Public Holiday?  Purim is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.

What Do People Do? Many Jewish people, especially children, in the United States use this event as an opportunity to listen to the Megilla (or Megillah) to relive the events that are told about the story of Esther, Mordecai and Haman. It is customary to twirl graggers (Purim noisemakers) and stamp one's feet when Haman’s name is mentioned. Many Jewish people give to the needy around this time of the year. Food baskets or food gifts are also given away. It is a time for people to celebrate and be merry. So some Jewish schools hold celebrations to remember the past and their heritage. Other groups or organizations hold Purim carnivals filled with activities, costumes, food and games.  Special prayers, particularly the Al HaNissim prayer are also included in evening, morning and afternoon prayers.

Background and symbols: Purim has been celebrated in the United States for many years. Old newspaper articles dating as far back as 1860 have reported about Purim festivals, where wealthy Jewish families would donate to charity.  It has been written in other newspapers, particularly from the early 20th century, that Purim was a day of cheerfulness and festivity among many Jewish communities in the United States. One of the Purim symbols often seen on the day is the gragger (wooden noisemaker). Graggers are often made of wood and consist of a handle fixed to a cogged wheel.

https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/purim

Italy Locking-Down

From the BBC:

“Italy extends coronavirus measures nationwide”

Italy is extending its strict coronavirus quarantine measures, which include a ban on public gatherings, to the entire country.  Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that people would only be permitted to travel for work or family emergencies. He said the measures, which come into effect on Tuesday, were to defend the most fragile members of society.  Italy's coronavirus death toll jumped on Monday by 97 to 463. It is the worst-hit country after China In a televised address on Monday, Mr Conte said that the best thing for the citizens of Italy was to stay at home. He added that all sporting events - including football matches - were being suspended nationwide. 

^ I wonder if this means the earlier provinces placed on lock-down are now open since all of Italy is now under lockdown? ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51810673

Israel's 2 Week

From the BBC:

“Coronavirus: Israel to bring in 14-day quarantine for all arrivals”

Everyone arriving in Israel will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says.  "All those coming to Israel from abroad will be placed in isolation," he said in a video address posted to Twitter. Israeli Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said the measure would be effective immediately for all Israelis returning to the country. It will apply to foreign citizens from Thursday, he added. The move means that foreign arrivals will have to prove that they have adequate accommodation to be quarantined during their stay in the country. "After a day of complex discussions, we made a decision: everyone who comes to Israel from abroad will enter the 14-day isolation," Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.  "This is a tough decision, but it is essential to maintain public health - and public health precedes everything." He added that the ruling would be valid for two weeks. The measure means that about 268,000 Israelis who are currently abroad would need to quarantine themselves on their return, Israeli media report. Israel, a country with a population of about nine million, has so far recorded 42 cases of Covid-19, but no deaths. The country has already imposed restrictions on travellers arriving from several countries including Italy, the worst-hit European country.

^ This will be fairly easy for Israelis returning home, but not for any tourists who are only there for a week or two. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-51809818

PCS Changes

From Military.com:

“7 Military Move Changes Coming This Spring”

Officials are rolling out a series of small changes aimed at making military moves a little less stressful, just in time for 2020's busiest permanent change-of-station (PCS) period. The changes, which will go into effect May 15, the traditional official start of peak moving season, address a variety of problems flagged by military community members in 2018. Over 40% of household goods shipments were late that year, while more than 20% sparked a damage claim, according to a January Inspector General report. "In response to feedback from our customers, we've made several changes in the tender of service agreement that will take effect on May 15, 2020," said Dave Dunn, a spokesman for U.S. Transportation Command, which oversees the moving process. "Changes are focused on addressing the most common pain points we heard from personnel and their families, namely improving communication and the claims process." The new rules were developed with the help of a panel of advisers, including service representatives and military spouses, Dunn said.

What's changing? Here's an update.

1. Movers must now pass employer-provided background checks:    In the past, some military families complained that their packers and movers had criminal records or felony convictions, which were flagged only because they failed the background checks required to access on-base housing areas. The new rule requires transportation providers or packers to run background checks on all company employees, including day laborers or short-term hires, and employ only those who can meet local base access requirements. Most bases block access to those with felony convictions or active arrest warrants. And since additional access barriers can vary base-by-base, transportation providers will need to know and keep track of local rules. "The focus is on anyone who shows up 'at the curb,' e.g. those who will enter the customer's home," Dunn said in an email. "All persons interacting with DoD customers on and off base must meet the specific requirements for local installation."

2. A choice between the mover providing a repair or the dollar amount of the estimated cost:   Right now, it's up to the transportation provider whether it will repair an item that is broken or damaged during a move or give the military member the dollar amount of the estimated repair cost. Starting in May, however, the military member will choose which of those two options is right for them.

3. Clearer communication. Currently, the transportation providers are required to give only a two-hour warning for household-goods deliveries stateside and three hours for those overseas. The new rules stretch the warning period to 24 hours, easing the burden on military members and families who may not be immediately ready to receive their shipments. And before sending a shipment to storage instead of making the delivery, the mover must attempt to contact the owner at least twice over four hours.

4. Longer claims window and faster process. Right now, military members have only 75 days to file claims with the transportation provider, followed by a 60-day window for those providers to directly settle claims for under $1,000. Starting May 15, military members and families will have 180 days to file claims, while transportation providers will be required to settle claims under $1,000 in 30 days.

5. Easier inconvenience claims. Right now, if a household-goods shipment is late, a military member can submit an inconvenience claim to the transportation provider to cover things such as lodging, food and appliance rentals up to the amount of their daily meal and lodging per diem rate. Going forward, submitted inconvenience claims will instead be automatically tied to the per diem rate for the service member for up to seven days -- no receipts needed. After that seven-day window or if their expenses exceed per diem, users will need to submit a claim and receipts under the old process.

6. Faster contact. Right now, it can be difficult for military members and families to find a point of contact for their transportation provider, or to get someone to call them back. Starting May 15, movers must not only have a single point of contact available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but also must return within 30 minutes messages left during that window.

7. In-transit alerts. While some military movers provide regular updates on where household goods are in the shipment process, others do not. The new rules will require all movers to email the military member with their shipment status and estimated arrival date step-by-step over the shipment process, with new notifications within one business day of arrival and departure from any transportation point or storage location. 

Dunn said any military member whose mover is not abiding by the new rules after May 15 should contact their local transportation office.

^ PCSing every 3 years or so is very stressful for everyone involved, but more so for the soldiers and their families. I went through it many times before and didn’t have one good experience. Hopefully, these new updates will ease some of the burden on the soldiers and their families and get them their items faster and in better shape. ^

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/09/7-military-move-changes-coming-spring.html

Virginia's Memorials

From USA Today:

“Confederate memorials can be removed by local governments, Va. lawmakers say”

Some Confederate memorials in Virginia may soon come down after lawmakers finalized a bill that removes state protections for the memorials and allows towns, cities and counties to decide their fate. Democrats in Virginia's House and Senate finalized the bill over the weekend. It gives localities the power to "remove, relocate, contextualize or cover" any memorial for war veterans, including those for the Civil War. The bill's passage comes more than two years after the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, which was initially organized to protest the city's plan to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. The protest spiraled into violence in August 2017, and a neo-Nazi rammed his car into a crowd, killing a woman. "It’s a huge step, but it’s just one more step in a long process," Democratic state Del. Sally Hudson, who represents Charlottesville, told the Virginia Mercury. “In the short term what it means is this decision-making will go back to Charlottesville where it belongs. Localities around the U.S. removed Confederate statues in the wake of the violence, but in Virginia, state law protected them. Many Democrats had been pushing to change that law because critics say the memorials are racist symbols honoring slave-holding men. "My family has lived with the trauma of slavery for generations," Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax said last week. "I hope that you understand that this situation is so much deeper than a simple vote on simple war memorials." The bill requires localities to hold a public hearing before voting to remove the memorials. Localities must also seek to give the memorial to a "museum, historical society, government or military battlefield," but local governments ultimately have the final say on what happens to them. Cemeteries and the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington are exempt. Confederate general Stonewall Jackson taught at the institute, which houses a large statue of him. Those who opposed the bill expressed concern over preserving the history they say the memorials represent. Republican Amanda Chase condemned slavery as evil, "but it doesn’t mean that we take all of these monuments down," she said last week. "We remember our past and we learn from it." Gov. Ralph Northam, who was embroiled in a blackface scandal last year and said he would focus on addressing racial inequality in Virginia's past in the rest of his term, is expected to sign the bill. "This legislation was a priority for Governor Northam, who has long advocated to give localities authority over the monuments in their communities. He is proud to see this measure pass and looks forward to it reaching his desk," Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said.  Earlier this year, Virginia lawmakers passed a bill that would end a state holiday honoring Confederate military leaders Lee and Jackson and establish Election Day as a holiday instead. They also voted to remove racist laws, including those concerning school segregation and housing discrimination, still on the books in Virginia.

^ Richmond, Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy and so this has even more pull than if it was just any other State. I believe that every Confederate symbol (monuments, memorials, things named after a Confederate, etc.) needs to be removed. The monuments and memorials should be placed in museums so that future generation understand how even though the Confederacy lost the Civil War their descendants continued to praise them and use their racism to keep minorities discriminated against well into the 1960s (100 years after the Civil War ended.) While the Confederacy and its lingering effects (with Jim Crow) are a horrible and disgusting stain on our country’s history it is a history we can not ignore. That’s why we need to remove the things honoring the Confederacy and at the same time remember all the discrimination and evil associated with it. ^

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/03/09/confederate-memorials-virginia-can-removed-localities-bill/4999398002/

No Irish Parade

From the BBC:

"Coronavirus: Irish St Patrick's Day parades cancelled”

St Patrick's Day parades across the Republic of Ireland have all been cancelled over coronavirus, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. He announced a €430m (£375.7m) aid package for the Health Service Executive to deal with the impact of Covid-19. On Monday, Mr Varadkar said the Republic would stay in the "containment phase" for as long as possible. But it would move to the delay and mitigation phase in the coming weeks. The Irish cabinet has agreed a package of reforms for sick pay, illness benefit and supplementary benefit. They are designed to ensure that employees and the self-employed can abide by medical advice to self-isolate where appropriate, while having their income protected to a greater degree than under the current social welfare system. Irish Health Minister Simon Harris has said the coronavirus situation is very serious. He said it was going to require not just a whole of government approach, but a whole of society approach. Mr Harris told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that there was a moderate-to-high risk that Ireland would follow a pattern seen in other EU countries such as Italy, France and Germany with regard to the Covid-19 outbreak. St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and is celebrated across the globe every year on his feast day, 17 March. Dublin hosts the largest parade attracting an estimated 500,000 people last year. Parades are held both in the Republic of Ireland and in cities and towns across Northern Ireland. The day is celebrated on the international stage too. Last year, more than 400 landmarks in more than 50 countries turned green to mark the occasion.

Outbreak latest:    On Monday, two more cases were confirmed in the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total number there to 21. One of the patients has an underlying condition and is seriously ill. On Sunday, five people were diagnosed with coronavirus in Northern Ireland, bringing the number of cases to 12.  Health officials said both cases were community transmissions and did not involve people who had returned recently from at-risk areas. Meanwhile, Saturday's match between France and Ireland is the latest Six Nations fixture to be postponed because of concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.  The UK government has said its advice could change in the next 10 to 14 days to have people who show "even minor" signs of respiratory tract infections to self-isolate in an effort to tackle the outbreak.

^ I know many people (in Ireland and around the world) love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. This will be a big disappoint for them. I'm curious to see if New York City, Boston and Chicago  - which all have big St. Patrick's Day parades - will cancel them too. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-51806551

Some Moves Halted

From Military.com:

“US Military Halts Moves to New Assignments in South Korea, Italy over Coronavirus Fears” 

The Army has halted moves to new assignments for troops stationed in South Korea through May in a bid to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, officials said Sunday. The decision, which was announced a day after the Army unveiled the same measures for troops based in Italy, also affects travel for professional military education in the United States. Both U.S. allies are in the midst of major outbreaks of the virus, with more than 7,300 confirmed cases in South Korea and nearly 6,000 in Italy. The Army has ordered a stop for "all Army soldiers and family members moving to or from South Korea or soldiers scheduled to attend professional military education in the United States due to COVID-19 concerns," U.S. Forces Korea said in a statement. "USFK is analyzing the impacts this decision will have on those affected," it said, adding that it only applies to Eighth Army soldiers on permanent change of station orders or attending the education courses. "The Army's order is in effect immediately through May 6, 2020, or until further notice," USFK said, advising those affected to contact their chain of command for further instructions. Seven people affiliated with USFK, including an American soldier and his wife, have tested positive for the respiratory virus despite precautionary measures including a ban on nonessential travel or outside social activities for service members. The military also has restricted access to bases and implemented health screening at gates, including a questionnaire asking about possible exposure and temperature checks. The news caused much confusion among military families, with some commenting on Facebook that they had flights scheduled within hours. Others worried about being stranded because they already had moved out of their apartment and sold their car. Camp Humphreys, the main U.S. base in South Korea, planned a Facebook live update to discuss the issue, but delayed it several times before announcing it would be postponed until Monday. USFK promised to help reduce the negative impact on soldiers and families who have already had their household goods packed and shipped. "The health and welfare of our service members and their families continues to be our top priority," it said. The statement did not provide more details, but the commands received the orders from the Army on Friday night, according to Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier, commander of Vicenza-based U.S. Army Africa. "This decision affects soldiers, civilians and their families differently based on where they are in the PCS cycle," Vogel said in announcing the decision for Italy on Saturday. Those who were to attend professional military education in the U.S. will not be able to unless the course is for six months or longer, the message said. In those cases, participants will travel to the U.S. two weeks early and be quarantined before attending the school. Some 28,500 American service members are stationed in South Korea, which technically remains at war with the North after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice instead of a peace treaty.

^ I can fully understand why the Army is doing this in South Korea and Italy. I can also fully understand how the military soldiers and their families that are supposed to PCS feel. There needs to be more support from the Army for these families – especially the ones that have given-up their housing and are living in a hotel waiting to move. ^

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/09/us-military-halts-moves-new-assignments-south-korea-italy-over-coronavirus-fears.html

Commonwealth: Part 2

Commonwealth

Objectives and activities: The Commonwealth's objectives were first outlined in the 1971 Singapore Declaration, which committed the Commonwealth to the institution of world peace; promotion of representative democracy and individual liberty; the pursuit of equality and opposition to racism; the fight against poverty, ignorance, and disease; and free trade. To these were added opposition to discrimination on the basis of gender by the Lusaka Declaration of 1979, and environmental sustainability by the Langkawi Declaration of 1989.These objectives were reinforced by the Harare Declaration in 1991.  The Commonwealth's current highest-priority aims are on the promotion of democracy and development, as outlined in the 2003 Aso Rock Declaration,[108] which built on those in Singapore and Harare and clarified their terms of reference, stating, "We are committed to democracy, good governance, human rights, gender equality, and a more equitable sharing of the benefits of globalisation." The Commonwealth website lists its areas of work as: democracy, economics, education, gender, governance, human rights, law, small states, sport, sustainability, and youth. Through a separate voluntary fund, Commonwealth governments support the Commonwealth Youth Programme, a division of the Secretariat with offices in Gulu (Uganda), Lusaka (Zambia), Chandigarh (India), Georgetown (Guyana) and Honiara (Solomon Islands). 

Commonwealth Family: Commonwealth countries share many links outside government, with over a hundred Commonwealth-wide non-governmental organisations, notably for sport, culture, education, law and charity. The Association of Commonwealth Universities is an important vehicle for academic links, particularly through scholarships, principally the Commonwealth Scholarship, for students to study in universities in other Commonwealth countries. There are also many non-official associations that bring together individuals who work within the spheres of law and government, such as the Commonwealth Lawyers Association and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Commonwealth Foundation: The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation, resourced by and reporting to Commonwealth governments, and guided by Commonwealth values and priorities. Its mandate is to strengthen civil society in the achievement of Commonwealth priorities: democracy and good governance, respect for human rights and gender equality, poverty eradication, people-centred and sustainable development, and to promote arts and culture.  The Foundation was established in 1965 by the Heads of Government. Admittance is open to all members of the Commonwealth, and in December 2008, stood at 46 out of the 53 member countries. Associate Membership, which is open to associated states or overseas territories of member governments, has been granted to Gibraltar. 2005 saw celebrations for the Foundation's 40th Anniversary. The Foundation is headquartered in Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London. Regular liaison and co-operation between the Secretariat and the Foundation is in place. The Foundation continues to serve the broad purposes for which it was established as written in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Commonwealth Games:  The Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event, is held every four years; the 2014 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Birmingham is set to be the host for 2022 Commonwealth Games. As well as the usual athletic disciplines, as at the Summer Olympic Games, the games include sports particularly popular in the Commonwealth, such as bowls, netball, and rugby sevens. Started in 1930 as the Empire Games, the games were founded on the Olympic model of amateurism, but were deliberately designed to be "the Friendly Games", with the goal of promoting relations between Commonwealth countries and celebrating their shared sporting and cultural heritage. The games are the Commonwealth's most visible activity  and interest in the operation of the Commonwealth increases greatly when the Games are held. There is controversy over whether the games—and sport generally—should be involved in the Commonwealth's wider political concerns. The 1977 Gleneagles Agreement was signed to commit Commonwealth countries to combat apartheid through discouraging sporting contact with South Africa (which was not then a member), whilst the 1986 games were boycotted by most African, Asian, and Caribbean countries for the failure of other countries to enforce the Gleneagles Agreement.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission serves to commemorate 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead and maintains 2,500 war cemeteries around the world, including this one in Gallipoli. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is responsible for maintaining the war graves of 1.7 million service personnel that died in the First and Second World Wars fighting for Commonwealth member states. Founded in 1917 (as the Imperial War Graves Commission), the Commission has constructed 2,500 war cemeteries, and maintains individual graves at another 20,000 sites around the world. The vast majority of the latter are civilian cemeteries in Britain. In 1998, the CWGC made the records of its buried online to facilitate easier searching. Commonwealth war cemeteries often feature similar horticulture and architecture, with larger cemeteries being home to a Cross of Sacrifice and Stone of Remembrance. The CWGC is notable for marking the graves identically, regardless of the rank, country of origin, race, or religion of the buried. It is funded by voluntary agreement by six Commonwealth members, in proportion to the nationality of the casualties in the graves maintained, with 75% of the funding coming from Britain.

Commonwealth of Learning: The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is an intergovernmental organisation created by the Heads of Government to encourage the development and sharing of open learning/distance education knowledge, resources and technologies. COL is helping developing nations improve access to quality education and training. 

Commonwealth Local Government Forum: The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) is a global local government organisation, bringing together local authorities, their national associations and the ministries responsible for local government in the member countries of the Commonwealth. CLGF works with national and local governments to support the development of democratic values and good local governance and is the associated organisation officially recognised by Commonwealth Heads of Government as the representative body for local government in the Commonwealth. CLGF is unique in bringing together central, provincial and local spheres of government involved in local government policy and decision-making. CLGF members include local government associations, individual local authorities, ministries dealing with local government, and research and professional organisations who work with local government. Practitioner to practitioner support is at the core of CLGF's work across the Commonwealth and within the region, using CLGF's own members to support others both within and between regions. CLGF is a member of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, the formal partner of the UN Major Group of Local Authorities.

Culture: Many Commonwealth nations possess traditions and customs that are elements of a shared Commonwealth culture. Examples include common sports such as cricket and rugby, driving on the left, the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, common law, widespread use of the English language, designation of English as an official language, military and naval ranks, and the use of British rather than American spelling conventions (see English in the Commonwealth of Nations). 

Political system: Due to their shared constitutional histories, several countries in the Commonwealth have similar legal and political systems. The Commonwealth requires its members to be functioning democracies that respect human rights and the rule of law. Most Commonwealth countries have the bicameral Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association facilitates co-operation between legislatures across the Commonwealth, and the Commonwealth Local Government Forum promotes good governance amongst local government officials. Most Commonwealth members use common law, modelled on English law. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the supreme court of 14 Commonwealth members.

Symbols: The Commonwealth has adopted a number of symbols that represent the association of its members. The English language is recognised as a symbol of the members' heritage; as well as being considered a symbol of the Commonwealth, recognition of it as "the means of Commonwealth communication" is a prerequisite for Commonwealth membership. The flag of the Commonwealth consists of the symbol of the Commonwealth Secretariat, a gold globe surrounded by emanating rays, on a dark blue field; it was designed for the second CHOGM in 1973, and officially adopted on 26 March 1976. 1976 also saw the organisation agree to a common date on which to commemorate Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March, having developed separately on different dates from Empire Day celebrations.

Commonwealth Anthem: Also to mark the 60th anniversary (Diamond Jubilee) of the Commonwealth in 2009, the Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned Paul Carroll to compose "The Commonwealth Anthem". The lyrics of the Anthem are taken from the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  The Commonwealth has published the Anthem, performed by the Commonwealth Youth Orchestra, with and without an introductory narrative.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations