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Attorney General William Barr has known about investigations into Hunter Bidens business and financial dealings since at least spring, but tried to conceal the investigations from the public during the presidential election, according to a new report.One investigation surfaced this week after federal investigators served Hunter Biden with a subpoena seeking financial information in connection with a criminal tax investigation by the U.S. attorneys office in Delaware, according to the Wall Street Journal.Federal prosecutors in Manhattan also scrutinized Bidens business and financial dealings in connection with a broader international financial investigation that has been ongoing for a year, according to the Journal. While Biden is implicated in that investigation, he was not a specific target for criminal prosecution.Neither investigation implicates President-elect Joe Biden."I learned yesterday for the first time that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware advised my legal counsel, also yesterday, that they are investigating my tax affairs," Hunter Biden said in a statement Wednesday. "I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors."Barr did not budge under pressure from Congressional Republicans who pressed him for more information into the investigations. Investigators worked to keep the cases out of the public eye ahead of the November election, in line with Justice Department guidelines, concerned about the impact their work could have on its outcome, sources told the Journal.Trump on Thursday criticized the Fake News Media, the FBI and the DOJ in a tweet, asking why they did not report the Biden matter BEFORE the Election.In the weeks before the election, a number of Republicans issued calls to investigate Hunter Biden, particularly after a Republican Senate investigation in September released a report on the younger Bidens finances and overseas business interests.Ranking member of the House Judiciary panel Representative Jim Jordan (R., Ohio) wrote to Federal Bureau of Investigation director Christopher Wray asking what the FBI had done to investigate the explosive report.A number of Republicans in Congress pressed Barr on October 19 to appoint a special counsel to investigate Hunter Biden and his father, demanding that Barr issue a response within five days.Investigators began looking into Hunter Biden following reports of suspicious activity filed by a bank that handled foreign transactions related to him, according to the Journal.Biden previously sat on the board of Ukranian gas company Burisma Holdings, where he made $50,000 per month for his work until April 2019. He also served as an advisor to China CEFC Energy Co. to the companys dealings in Europe and the Middle East.in 2017 he was a shareholder in a venture with the Chinese company while it looked to gain a foothold in the U.S.. That joint venture never took off, but the Senate Republican report found that an entity linked to CEFC paid Biden's law firm millions of dollars for legal and advisory work.The Manhattan U.S. attorney's office began investigating CEFC's activity as part of a corruption case that resulted in the conviction of a former Hong Kong official in 2018. The official was charged with bribing African officials for CEFC's benefit. The company was not charged.President-elect Biden said in a statement Wednesday after news of the tax investigation broke that he is proud of his son, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger.

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2020 SIM Connect Live - Powered by HMG Strategy Join the top CIOs and technology executives from around the world as we explore the CIO's role in fostering radical business innovation and cultural change on the road to 2021 and beyond. WESTPORT, Conn., Dec. 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HMG Strategy, the world's 1 digital platform for connecting technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world, will host the 2020 SIM Connect Live conference for the first time ever on December 15. With 40 chapters across the U.S. and around the world, the Society for Information Management (SIM) is the worlds premier networking organization for IT leaders. The event has already generated more than 500 registrants from around the world with technology executives continuing to flood in to join the event. Click here to learn more about the event and to register.HMG Strategy has produced more than 100 digital events since March, bringing together the worlds most distinguished and innovative technology leaders to discuss the most pressing leadership, strategic, cultural, technological and career challenges facing technology executives now and into the future.HMG Strategy President and CEO Hunter Muller and SIM International CEO Mark Taylor will lead an engaging discussion throughout the event on matters critical to enterprise success and career ascent. Topics technology leaders will be discussing at the event include fostering radical business innovation and cultural change across the organization, preparing your company to grow and thrive into 2021 and beyond, and how to cultivate digital innovation securely.We are incredibly excited for the opportunity to host the 2020 SIM Connect Live conference, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO of HMG Strategy. We work closely with SIM leaders from all over the U.S. every day and their experiences provide invaluable insight into the top leadership challenges that technology executives are facing and the future of the industry. This is a cant-miss event.Notable technology executives speaking at the 2020 SIM Connect Live conference on December 15 include: * Julia Anderson, Global CIO, Smithfield Foods * Dr. David Bray, Inaugural Director, Global GeoTech Center & Commission, Atlantic Council * Wayne Bulmahn, Chief Information Officer/Security Officer, UNITE HERE HEALTH * Chris Gates, Group CIO and SVP Hosting Services, Allstate * Melissa Hohauser, SVP, IT Director, Servicing and Ops, TCF Bank * Jeanette Horan, Experienced Board Member and Strategic Advisor * Rodney Kenyon, GVP, Global Oracle Applications Support, Rimini Street * Susan Malisch, VP & CIO, Loyola University Chicago * Quintin McGrath, Senior Managing Director, Technology Management & Enablement, Global Technology Services, Deloitte * Mark Polansky, Senior Partner, Technology Officers Practice, Korn Ferry * John Repko, EVP & CIO, AIG * Rafael A. Sanchez, CIO, Feld Entertainment, Inc. * Marcus Session, President, SIM Tampa Bay; VP of IT Services, Tampa International Airport * Scott Strickland, EVP & CIO, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts * Mark Taylor, CEO, Society for Information Management Valued partners for the 2020 SIM Connect Live on December 12 will include Appian, Aryaka, Darktrace, Forescout Technologies, Globant, Obsidian, PagerDuty, Rimini Street, the Society for Information Management, Sonatype, Tessian, and Tanium.To learn more about 2020 SIM Connect Live and to register for the event, click here.To learn more about HMG Strategys upcoming CIO & CISO summits, click here.UPCOMING WEBINARS & DIGITAL ROUNDTABLESHMG Strategy has also received exceptional interest in its webinars through the strength of the 400,000+ technology executives in its community and the quality of the content it delivers. HMG Strategy has scheduled multiple 30-to-60-minute webinars over the next few months with an arsenal of innovative technology companies such as Citrix, Darktrace, HCL Technologies, Ivanti, Moveworks, Nutanix, Okta, OutSystems, PagerDuty, RangeForce, RingCentral, UiPath, Zoom, Zscaler, and Zylo.On December 16th, HMG Strategy will host two separate webinars powered by Zoom. The first, Forward Thinking on the Future Digital Workplace, which kicks off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, will focus on how CIOs and technology executives must focus on what the future of work will look like and how they can best position their companies and team members to remain engaged and productive for the long haul.To learn more about this webinar and to register for the event, click here.At 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT that same day, HMG Strategy will also host a webinar powered by Zoom entitled Protecting the Hybrid Enterprise. In this event, which is tailored for CISOs and security leaders, top security executives will share the steps theyre taking to protect the enterprise as their organizations shift to hybrid work models. These issues include security associated with remote staff bringing unsecured personal devices into the office as well as securing data properly as employees repeatedly transition between in-office and remote workspaces.To learn more about this webinar and to register for the event, click here.Click here to view HMG Strategys complete calendar of upcoming and on-demand webinars.Connecting Enterprise Technology Buyers with the Right VendorsIn the absence of large, national conferences or trade shows, CIOs and technology executives are seeking new ways to connect with their peers and find new business partners to help them drive innovation that can enable their companies to survive and grow.Meanwhile, sales and marketing professionals at enterprise technology companies are looking for successful ways to engage with senior technology leaders and target accounts. HMG Strategy has harmonized these interests by creating the HMG Marketplace.HMG Strategys high-powered Marketplace transforms the time-consuming request-for-information (RFI) process for CIOs and other technology buyers. Now, technology buyers can indicate the types of technologies and services theyre currently interested in and be matched with a prospective provider to make the connection.The HMG Marketplace essentially serves as a reference center to connect the right technology buyers with the right technology providers at the right time, said Hunter Muller, President and CEO of HMG Strategy. By filling out a short needs assessment survey, CIO, CTOs and other technology executives are connected with executive leaders and subject matter experts from technology companies to have focused, relevant discussions.Charter members that are actively participating in the HMG Marketplace include Appian, Aryaka, Darktrace, Forescout Technologies, Globant, Ivanti, Obsidian Security, PagerDuty, Slack, Sonatype, Tanium and Tessian.Its challenging for all of us that we cant all be together at these events, says Nicole Eagan, Chief Strategy & AI Officer at Darktrace. But the next best thing is being able to connect through the Marketplace. Were committed that you wont be meeting with a salesperson youll be meeting with myself and the Darktrace executive team. Youve got CIOs and CISOs who will attend these meetings and we would love the opportunity to catch up and strategize together.How it WorksAfter attending an HMG Strategy Executive Leadership Summit, an attendee is redirected to the HMG Marketplace, where they are prompted to fill out a short needs analysis survey to indicate their current technology needs. From there, an HMG Strategy customer relationship specialist evaluates the survey information and schedules a meeting between the technology buyer and the most suitable technology partner in the Marketplace based on the buyers interests.While in the Marketplace, the technology buyer is presented with a menu of options to choose from, including an option to view customer testimonials for that vendor and the business problem that was addressed. Sponsor partners receive highly qualified leads because of the strength of relationships inherent in the HMG network combined with the specific technology or service interest indicated by the buyer.The HMG Marketplace offers multiple benefits to both technology buyers and vendors: * Precision matching of buyer needs with vendor capabilities -- Enterprise buyers can fill out a short needs analysis survey that is used by HMG Strategys Customer Relationship Management team to identify the vendor thats best suited to address their requirements. * Accelerates the sales process for both buyers and sellers - Buyers and sellers quickly identify one another through the needs analysis process and associated reference materials * Ensures Quality Discussions CIOs, CTOs, CISOs and other technology buyers are qualified based on their true interest and by a set of characteristics (size, industry, types of technology/service interests, spend parameters, etc.). Buyers are paired with technology suppliers based on their domains and areas of expertise to avoid wasting time * Drives Higher Conversion and Close Rates for Providers The HMG Marketplace accelerates high-quality deal flow in challenging times and enables technology providers to lower their customer acquisition costsTo learn more about the HMG Marketplace and explore the digital assets that are available there, click here.About HMG StrategyHMG Strategy is the world's leading digital platform for connecting technology executives to reimagine the enterprise and reshape the business world. Our regional and virtual CIO and CISO Executive Leadership Series, authored books and Digital Resource Center deliver unique, peer-driven research from CIOs, CISOs, CTOs and technology executives on leadership, innovation, transformation and career ascent. HMG Strategy also produces the HMG Security Innovation Accelerator Panel, a new webinar series thats designed to connect enterprise CISOs and security leaders with the most innovative cybersecurity companies from across the world.The HMG Strategy global network consists of over 400,000 senior IT executives, industry experts and world-class thought leaders.To learn more about the 7 Pillars of Trust for HMG Strategy's unique business model, click here.HMG Strategy: Your 1 Trusted Digital Platform Connecting Technology Executives to Reimagine the Enterprise and Reshape the Business World.A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17779d3e-a481-401f-a61f-464e73eeb43f CONTACT: Tom Hoffman 203-221-2702 TomHoffman@hmgstrategy.com

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This post is sponsored and contributed by a Patch Brand Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own.

It can often be difficult to know when is the right time to update your home in New Jersey. Deciding if and when to renovate comes down to two points: making improvements for comfort and upgrading to get ready for a sale.

Whether you're getting ready to sell or plan on living in your home for another ten years, it pays to do smart renovations and upgrades. But where do you start? Focus on these areas when you're planning to remodel:

Here are the top 5 projects that can boost the value of your home:

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1. Exterior Updates

Upgrades to the exterior can improve your home's curbside appeal to potential buyers. You can enhance the outside of your home with these projects:

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To increase home resale value call a HomeAdvisor remodel contractor in New Jersey.

2. Increase Interior Space to Add Value

Expanding usable living space is a good way to boost the value of your home. You can add space by finishing the basement to use as a family or fitness room, playroom for the kids, or as an office.

3. Refinish Wood Flooring

Today's flooring trend is all about wood. But if you don't take care of your wood floors they can make your home look out of date and uncared for. Refinishing your wood flooring is an easy way to brighten up your home and add value. For this project, consider hiring an experienced professional to do the job right. You can expect to pay around $1,800 to hire a flooring contractor.

4. Give Kitchen Cabinets a Makeover

If a full remodel isn't in your budget, you can still give your kitchen a makeover by refacing the cabinets. Using the existing cabinets and frame, doors and drawers can be updated without being replaced. For an average cost of about $7,400 your kitchen can go from boring to an exciting new look that appeals to buyers.

5. Add a Fireplace

A smart remodel is to add a fireplace to your home. When you put your home on the market, prospective buyers will love the charm and warmth that a fireplace adds to any room. Depending on the size and style of fireplace you want, expect to pay around $2,100 for this home addition.

It's easy to boost the resale value of your home with smart projects. For help call a HomeAdvisor remodeling contractor in New Jersey.

This Patch article is sponsored by HomeAdvisor.

This post is sponsored and contributed by a Patch Brand Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own.

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Vermonters have spoken and Im so humbled to earn your support once again.

Your faith and trust in me is the greatest honor of my life and I will continue to work every single day to make the lives of Vermonters better, our economy stronger and our state more affordable for families and businesses.

As you know, were facing some of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. This global pandemic has impacted all of us in so many ways. Our way of life has been disrupted, theres a lot of uncertainty and far too many lives and livelihoods have been lost.

Im proud of how Vermonters have stepped up and met the moment. Its because of you your hard work, your compassion for others and your commitment to community that Vermont has led the nation.

But, as Ive said many times, we cannot let our guard down. And as we enter the winter months, we must remain vigilant. If we do, Im confident well continue to lead the nation and more importantly, keep our loved ones safe, our kids in school and emerge from this pandemic faster and stronger than any other state.

As well as thanking you, I want to thank my entire team, who have been instrumental in leading the states response from my staff and cabinet, to our health experts and the dedicated public servants throughout state government. Theyve worked incredibly hard on the front lines of this fight for more than eight months. Each one of them has my deepest respect and appreciation, and Im fortunate to have them by my side as we begin another term.

I ran for governor because I believe Vermont can build a stronger and more diverse economy, be more affordable for families and businesses, and create more opportunities for our kids. And I believe the best way to have the resources to take care of those in need, protect our environment and address climate change is to grow the economy in all 251 communities and all 14 counties in Vermont not just in a few.

On my very first day in office, almost four years ago, I signed an executive order outlining my strategic goals to grow the economy, make Vermont more affordable, and protect the most vulnerable. And while weve made progress, I know there is still so much more to do.

I want to assure you, even as we face and fight this virus, these priorities will be just as important during my next term as they were in my first, and they will continue to guide my team as we rebuild and recover from the pandemic.

But perhaps even more importantly, we must heal our country because we simply cannot go on like this.

Our nation is hurting, not just from COVID-19, but because of another virus that has infected the hearts and minds of too many Americans: That of hate, fear and division.

We must confront this with the same force and energy were putting toward the coronavirus. And heres how: First, lets be better, kinder and more understanding; lets listen to and learn from one another; and lets prioritize our common humanity, our love of family and our concern for their health and welfare.

Right now, were seeing a political system that defines anyone you disagree with as the enemy. The truth is, disagreeing about taxes, fees, regulations and programs, or which candidate to support these things dont make us enemies. A healthy democracy requires passionate debate, but it needs to be civil.

When they become nasty, personal and, even worse, violent, thats when our real enemies those who dont believe in core American values gain ground. Because they use the distraction to fan the embers of hate, fear and division.

Weve got to rise above them to move America forward. All of us moderates, conservatives, and liberals; Republicans, independents, and Democrats can succeed if we work together.

Dont misunderstand me. Im not saying to avoid heated debate because as I said, debate is healthy. But in order to solve problems and help people, we must find common ground and then work from there.

Just as Vermont has been a leader in our response to the pandemic, I believe we can lead the way in this regard as well.

We can be better role models and treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve, especially when we disagree. We can prove that our strength is in the diversity of our people and opinions and show that by listening to and learning from each other, we can achieve equal rights, equal justice, equal opportunity and a more perfect union.

So today even though we dont know the outcome of many races as Vermonters and as Americans, lets come together and rise above the hate, fear and division so we can emerge from this difficult time in our history as a stronger, more united, and more compassionate nation than ever before.

Thank you again for your faith and trust in me. Ill continue to do my very best for all Vermonters.

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FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER, AUTHOR, SENIOR FELLOW AT STANFORD, GEN. H.R. MCMASTER:

In this episode ofIntelligence Matters, host Michael Morell interviews General H.R. McMaster. A Senior Fellow at both Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution and its Graduate School of Business. A career U.S. Army officer and National Security Adviser to President Trump, he is also the author of his newly released book titled Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. General McMaster passes along advice on how the next president should handle relations with North Koreas Kim Jong-un, gives his insights on the effectiveness of our handling of Russia, and shares his passion for helping those in Venezuela.

HIGHLIGHTS:

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INTELLIGENCE MATTERS: GUEST GEN. H.R. MCMASTER

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PRODUCER: ARIANA FREEMAN

MICHAEL MORRELL: General McMaster, welcome to Intelligence Matters. It is an honor to have you on the show.

GEN. MCMASTER: Hey Michael, the honors mine is great to be with you.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Let me start with a couple of points for our listeners. First, I want to congratulate you on your new book, Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. Ive read it. Its terrific. I think its a must read for anyone interested in national security. And I actually see it as a reference book for understanding the key issues. And I see myself pulling it down off the shelf from time to time. When Im thinking about something, I want to have to talk about something, when Im writing something. I think its a very important contribution to the literature on the threats and challenges we face as a nation. So thank you. Thank you very much for writing it.

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, Michael, thanks so much. I mean it, somebody with your background, experience and knowledge to to endorse it like that. That means a lot to me that you judge it to have been worthwhile. Thank you.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Second, having you with us to talk about your book is a perfect way for us to kick off what is for us, going to be a new series on the key national security issues facing the United States. The series, which were going to work very hard to be nonpartisan, will run between the election and the inauguration. And finally, I should mention to my listeners that this episode is going to run the day after the election, but that you and I are taping it the Friday before the election. So you and I have no idea whats going to happen on Election Day. So people should just know that as theyre as theyre listening to our conversation. And I think thats actually a good thing for our conversation, because what I want to do at the end of the day is get your sense of what is going to face the president who is sworn in on January 20th, no matter who that person happens to be.

MICHAEL MORRELL: H.R. before we get to the individual issues that I want to walk through with you, Id love to ask you why you decided to write the book that you did. You obviously could have written a very different kind of book. And Im sure that there were publishers who were encouraging you to do that. But you chose not to do that. You chose to write a very serious look at the threats and challenges that face us as a nation. Why did you take the route that you did?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, Michael, thank you. I served in the Army for thirty four years. So as I transitioned to what is my only second career in my adult life, I made out probably quite predictably, a mission statement for myself. And that was in my second career to try to deepen our understanding of the most crucial challenges we face as a way to better inform the American people about foreign policy and national security issues, and with the hope that if we learn more about these challenges that we face, we can demand better. Demand a better foreign policy from our elected leaders. But then also, I hope that the book and the work that Im doing around the book will help bring Americans back together. Right. Because I dont think any of these issues should be partisan in nature. What Im hoping for is that a deeper understanding of these challenges we face. And I think what should be our common commitment to try to build a better future for generations to come will help bring our country back together, at least around foreign policy and national security issues.

MICHAEL MORRELL: H.R., what are the main themes of the book? What do you want readers to walk away remembering?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, what are the themes that runs through the book is this idea of strategic narcissism. I think this is one of the reasons why our competence, our ability to compete, at least in the post-Cold War period, has been significantly diminished. And by strategic narcissism, I mean, our tendency to define the world only in relation to us and then to assume that what we decide to do or decide not to do is decisive to achieving a favorable outcome. And of course, you know, Michael, with your long experience with intelligence, this is flawed because its self-referential and it doesnt acknowledge, you know, the degree to which others have agency and influence and authorship over the future. So the book is then an argument, an argument for cultivating with my friend and great historian Zachary Shore has termed strategic empathy. And this is an effort, an effort to understand better what drives and constrains the other. Especially adversaries, rivals and enemies and what drives and constrains the other often times is ideology and emotion and aspirations. So the theme in the book that also is important is an effort to understand how the recent past produced the present as the first step in making a projection into the future. So the book is an argument for the understanding of history and appreciation for the complex causality of events and a focus on understanding these crucial challenges were facing from the perspective from the perspective of others.

MICHAEL MORRELL: You know, thats one of the thats one of the main jobs of the intelligence community. Right? Is to is to give our decision makers the point of view of the other guy. The guy sitting across the table from you, the guy sitting across the battlefield from you. But whats the other guy thinking? What are his constraints? What are his interests? And thats extraordinarily important. Right?

GEN. MCMASTER: Of course, its not a new idea. It goes back to Sun Tzu, but I think its we started to neglect the importance of this, especially in the post-Cold War period, a period that I describe as a period of over optimism. Over optimism that led to complacency and a bit of hubris. And this over optimism was in large measure a set up, I think a set of for significant disappointments in the two thousands disappointments, of course, associated with the mass murder attacks of September 11th, 2001, but also the unanticipated length and difficulty of wars in Afghanistan and in Iraq and, of course, followed by a financial crisis. And so I think it was in the two thousands that this emotional impetus behind our foreign policy shifted from overoptimism to pessimism and from maybe a tendency to under appreciate the risks and costs of action, to a tendency to underappreciate the risks and costs of inaction. And I think that strategic narcissism is the cause, really, in both cases.

MICHAEL MORRELL: You know, the other thing that strikes me when you talk about the importance of history is I always thought sitting in deputies meetings that it would have been incredibly valuable to actually take a few minutes and every deputies meetings or principals meetings to talk about the history of the issue, just to review how you got from point A to point B, and we never did that in multiple administrations in which I served, but I always thought that that would have been really valuable.

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, Michael, youre absolutely right about that. Ill tell you, one of the one of the great gifts I had, I think before earlier my career was the opportunity to read things, study and write history. And the first book I wrote was Dereliction of Duty, which is a story about how and why Vietnam became an American war.

And one of the lessons I learned from the study of that history was that it was important to understand problems and challenges holistically before leaping into action. When I came in as national security adviser, I did my best to at least avoid making the same mistakes and we put in place a principle small group framing session. I know thats a mouthful, but as we developed these strategies for the most crucial challenges we were facing, we began with this framing session that was organized around a five page paper that included only really the description of the challenge. How we got to where we are, a bit of the history of it, and then an inventory of our vital interests that were at stake, view of that challenge through the lens of those vital interests and draft overarching goals and more specific objectives, followed by assumptions.

Assumptions about the degree to which we and like-minded partners have agency or influence over this challenge. Then an inventory of obstacles to progress and opportunities that we could exploit. And thats it. Then we had a discussion about the nature of the challenge. First, the policy coordinating committee, which, you know, are the real workers who are going to work on this project. Theyre listening in. So theyre getting, theyre hearing at the cabinet level, a discussion about the nature of the problem and then a refinement of it. Once that part of the meeting was done, then we shifted to a discussion of what are your ideas? How do we integrate the elements of national power and efforts of like-minded partners to overcome these obstacles and exploit these opportunities? Then they got to hear the Treasury secretary say what we have. We have economic and financial tools available. But those ought to be combined with diplomacy and maybe law enforcement efforts. And then you get this rich discussion that then the policy coordinating committee can really run with. So I think that, I hope thats a process that will be sustained. I dont think my successor hung onto it. It will have to be resurrected at some point if it is deemed as useful by a future national security adviser.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Im Michael Morrell today, we have with us H.R. McMaster, a Senior Fellow at both Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution and its Graduate School of Business. A career U.S. Army officer and national security adviser to President Trump. OK, so what Id love to do is go through the individual issues. And what Id like to do is just throw one out, get you to frame it. Whats the threat or challenge that we face? Whats the history? How did we get here? Whats our interest thats at stake? And how do you think we as a nation need to go about dealing with it? Lets start with the big one. Lets start with the big enchilada, China.

GEN. MCMASTER: I think China is a great example of strategic narcissism at work, and especially this assumption that we clung to for too long, that China, having been welcomed into the international order, would play by the rules, would liberalize its economy, and as it prospered, it would liberalize its form of government. Of course, thats not true. Thats not true because we undervalue the degree to which emotions and ideology drive and constrain the Chinese Communist Party. And what I would argue in battlegrounds is that the party is driven mainly by fear, fear of losing its exclusive grip on power and an associated ambition. The ambition to achieve national rejuvenation for China to take center stage in the world again after the tragedy, as they portrayed as the century of humiliation. It is that combination of fear and aspiration that is driving the partys effort to extend and tighten its exclusive grip on power internally.

This is why there are over a million people in concentration camps in Xinjiang and theres a campaign of cultural genocide ongoing.

This is why the party is extending their repressive arm to Hong Kong and perfecting their technologically enabled Orwellian surveillance police state. This is what were seeing and then what is even more troubling, I think, is the parties now effort to export its authoritarian mercantilist model.

Through a number of strategies that aim to create servile relationships with countries and then ultimately through economic means, as well as the growth in the Peoples Liberation Armys capabilities to establish areas of privacy across the new Pacific region that exclude the United States and then it challenged the United States in the free world globally. If China succeeds, I mean, our world will be less free, less prosperous and less safe. So the stakes are high and its past time for us to recognize the need to compete effectively against this this very integrated and pernicious form of aggression that the parties engaged in.

MICHAEL MORRELL: What would an effective China strategy look like to you?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, I think the Trump administration, if it gets credit for anything, should get credit for a fundamental shift in our policy toward China. One that was long overdue and one that I think is fundamentally sound and this is the idea that we have to compete. And it was under the strategy of of cooperation and engagement that the Chinese Communist Party was emboldened. Competition doesnt need to lead to confrontation. In fact, quite the opposite. And I think we have returned to arenas of competition involving countering more effectively Chinas campaign of sustained industrial espionage against us, countering a range of Chinas unfair trade and economic practices, doing so in large measure through effective international cooperation, for example, establishing better standards for infrastructure investment internationally, the law enforcement actions and investigations that have gone on against APT10.

The main hacking arm of the Chinese Communist Party, I think have been very effective as well, combined with sanctions and other actions against the aggressive arms of the party. But really, I think the most important thing for us to do, and I argue this in a chapter battlegrounds entitled Turning Weakness into Strength is to take what the Chinese Communist Party sees as sources of weakness potentially for them and turn those into our greatest strengths. What does the party fear? The party fears that the people, the Chinese people, might want to have a say in how theyre governed so we should strengthen our democratic processes. The party fears rule of law. We should strengthen rule of law in the United States and with countries that are working to strengthen rule of law in their countries, the party fears freedom of press, freedom of the expression. We need to strengthen our authoritative sources of information and recognize that investigative journalism is a great counter to some of these pernicious strategies that the parties are pursuing. So I think that part of it is defensive, but part of it is more introspective and trying to maintain our competitive advantages.

MICHAEL MORRELL: This is Intelligence Matters. Im Michael Morrell. Were talking with former national security adviser H.R. McMaster. So Russia, how do you think about Russia?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, Russia is a significant threat to us because Putin again, is examining the assumptions of previous policies. Putin is not going to become like the Grinch on Christmas Eve. Right, his heart is not going to get too big as the size gets bigger and hes not going to decide, OK, well maybe the future of Russia does lie more with the West and treat the United States and Europe and others differently. Putin is driven by a sense of honor lost after the breakup of the Soviet Union. He is also driven by this associated desire to restore Russia to national greatness. Hes also cognizant, though, of the fact that he cannot compete with this on our own terms. And so what his theory of victory is, is to drag us all down and then to be the last man standing and the means that hes using to do this. I describe the Chinese approach of cooption, coercion and concealment. And I use alliteration in the Russian chapters as well.

It is a campaign of disruption, disinformation and denial to try to disrupt us, to disrupt our effective governance, to disrupt us economically and to use economic coercion when he can, such as he has done in Europe effectively from time to time and with energy dependence. Then to deny even his most egregious acts, especially the sustained campaign of cyber enabled information warfare against us, which is designed to polarize us, to pit us against each other, to reduce our confidence in who we are as a people and in our democratic institutions and principles and processes. Russia is a dangerous threat for for these reasons. And the best way to counter the first step is to pull the curtain back on this activity, to educate ourselves about it, to be less susceptible to Russian information, to not be our own worst enemies, as I think both political parties in many instances have because they compromise and they compromised our principles to score some partisan political points and in doing so, make themselves vulnerable to Russian disinformation and propaganda.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Then what about raising the cost to him of doing this? Is that an option here in terms of deterring him?

GEN. MCMASTER: Absolutely. This is what I advocated for in battlegrounds is that we have to impose costs on the Kremlin, on Putin, that exceed those that he factors in at the beginning of his decision making process. It was my last day really in an Oval Office meeting, it was the day that President Trump decided to impose significant costs on Russia in response to the attempted poisoning, murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter with with a banned military grade nerve agent and an act that put thousands of UK citizens at risk. And it was at that on that occasion that we expelled you over 60 undeclared intelligence agents that hits Putin where it matters. Because these are agents that were critical to his sustained campaign of subversion against us. And we impose significant costs, additional costs on Russia through sanctions and other actions, the closing of the San Francisco consulate, as you know, Michael, was a major intelligence collection platform for the Russians here in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. So, that was significant and I think that sent a strong message. Now, after Navalnys poisoning, Id like to see us do the same thing, you know, and as hes infiltrating more little green men now into Belarus and as he continues to enable the serial episodes of mass homicide, that is the Syrian civil war, to support Hawthornes way perpetuating violence in Libya.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Im Michael Morell. Were talking with H.R. McMaster, Former National Security Adviser to President Trump and author of the just published book Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. By the way, if you missed any of todays show, you can listen to it as a podcast. Just search Intelligence Matters wherever you get your podcasts. Lets talk about North Korea. Give us your sense on North Korea?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, thanks, Michael. Of course, its important for us to recognize going in right that North Korea is the only communist hereditary dictatorship in the world. And it is the nature of the Kim family regime that we have to take into account when were considering the danger that the regime poses to the world if it does possess the most destructive weapons on Earth. The Kim family regime is driven mainly by this drive to remain in power. It is, of course, known as the hermit kingdom. It is a gulag state that fears any kind of opening to the world. And it is a regime that across now three generations of dictators has been committed to unifying the Korean peninsula under the so-called red banner. And I think as we look at North Koreas pursuit of the most destructive weapons on Earth, we have to be at least open to the possibility that it wants those weapons to coerce the United States off the peninsula as the first step in the forcible reunification of the peninsula. And, of course, that would that would be the form of a destructive war.

GEN. MCMASTER: Its also important, I think, for us to recognize that it is highly unlikely that North Korea wants nuclear weapons just to deter us. North Korea already had a very significant deterrence capability with its conventional weapons. And the fact that its so many thousands of artillery pieces are within the range of of Seoul, South Korea. And then also, I think its important to recognize that every act of aggression on the Korean peninsula since the North invaded the South in June of 1950 has been initiated by the north. The other aspect of this problem, Michael, that is very important to consider is that if North Korea gets the weapon is recognized as a as a nuclear power, like who doesnt get one after that? Right. This Japan starts to have conversation with South Korea. By the way, North Korea never met a weapon it didnt try to sell to somebody excluding its nuclear program until the Israeli Defense Force bombed that facility in 2007. So its very dangerous. I think its dangerous as well because of the ideology that drives this regime. Its a warped ideology. This is the Zushi ideology which has turned deprivation into a sign of virtue and racial superiority. And the North Korean people have gone through generations of brainwashing. So this is a big problem, Michael. I think that the approach that is in place now, the strategy of maximum pressure, its the best course of action. I think we have to test the thesis that maximum pressure can convince Kim Jong un that he is safer without the weapons than he is with them. I think it will be important for whoever is sworn in on January 20th that they recognize that we should not repeat the failed pattern of previous efforts, not allow North Korea to draw us into negotiations with an act of aggression and with the demands of big payoff up front just for the privilege of talking with them. To not again, engage in long, drawn out negotiations that delivers a weak agreement that he immediately breaks again.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Youve said something here that I think is really important, because I think the conventional wisdom is that he wants these weapons for deterrence. Right. That hes worried about us attacking him. But youre arguing that its more than that. That this gets to the heart of what North Korea has always wanted, which is to reunify the peninsula, which I think is a really important point here that changes how you think about how you have to deal with him?

GEN. MCMASTER: This is an argument, Michael, for strategic empathy. Right? To view these complex challenges from the perspective of the other and unless you do that, youre susceptible to mirror imaging. And, of course, my research for the book, Dereliction of Duty, you know that sensitized me to this. It was in the run up to the Vietnam War where some of those who were planning the Vietnam strategy development, the strategy actually referred to the reasonable man theory of English common law and assumed that Ho Chi Minh would respond as the theoretical reasonable man. Would respond without taking into consideration the role that culture and ideology played in driving and constraining the North Vietnamese leadership.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Do you think at the end of the day its possible to convince him that he would be better off, that he would be more secure without these weapons?

GEN. MCMASTER: I do think its possible, and the reason I think its possible because weve never really put maximum pressure on the north. And so we have this opportunity now thanks really to the tremendous work by Ambassador Nikki Haley when she was at the U.N. As you know, Michael, these U.N. Security Council sanctions on North Korea are unprecedented and reach. The key now, though, is to enforce them. Of course, the key country that needs to enforce them is China. And I think if China doesnt enforce them, if China continues to be complicit with illicit financial flows into and out of the country, to continue to provide energy and other materials to the north that are limited by these sanctions. Then I think its time for us to consider secondary sanctions and maybe on Chinese financial institutions.

GEN. MCMASTER: I think as we see the smuggling of coal and the transshipment of coal and oil and fuel, I think that under Article two, I think the president could use Article two authority to interdict those ships. As you know, Michael, this is something we cant really talk about. There are other means of putting pressure on the north. I think that we havent done it yet. I think we have to at least test the thesis because the alternatives are so bleak of either accepting North Korea as a nuclear power and coping with that threat or a war. Right. That would be very costly, I think its worth pursuing.

MICHAEL MORRELL: We still have more to discuss with General McMaster and well be right back with our final segment.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Were back with more intelligence matters, Im Michael Morrell. Our guest is H.R. McMaster, Senior Fellow at both Stanford Universitys Hoover Institution and its Graduate School of Business. So, sir, let me ask you about another tough one, Iran.

GEN. MCMASTER: On Iran, what I tell the story of in Battlegrounds, Michael, is we have to view the problem of Iran with two fundamental considerations foremost in our minds. The first is the ideology of the revolution and how that drives Iranian leadership and the Iranian leadership is the Supreme Leader and the Guardian Council and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. We have this fantasy I think that the reformers, the Republicans, within Iraq are going to prevail. They lost, the revolutionaries are in charge. The hardliners are in charge. And whenever they put this forward, the shop window of Minister Zarif, their Foreign Minister or President Rouhani, thats all youre getting is the shop window. That ideology is it drives the Iranian regime to continue its four decade long proxy war against the Great Satan, the United States, the little Satan, Israel, the Arab monarchies and the West broadly. And so we have to consider the ideology of the regime and and this 40 year long proxy war.

GEN. MCMASTER: What I argue for in the book is to force the Iranian regime to make a choice. You can either be treated like a normal nation or you can continue to wage this proxy war, to support terrorist organizations and keep the Middle East enmeshed in this perpetual state of sectarian civil war. The choice is yours, and to impose that choice, I think what we should not do is lift the arms embargo to the regime. What we should not do is lift any of the sanctions. In fact, we should impose the costs on the regime to constrain the resources they have available to continue their proxy wars against us, but then also ultimately maybe to convince the Iranian people. That they ought to have a government in place and Im not talking about like a 2003 regime change, but a government in place that shifts away from its permanent hostility to the United States, Israel and the West. I think thats the only path that I see forward. I think our policies ought to aim to effect that change in the regimes permanent hostility. And until it does any agreement with them, it cant be trusted and any agreement with them that allows them to escape. Making that choice like the Iran nuclear deal did, I think is to our disadvantage.

MICHAEL MORRELL: So you dont see the regime changing policy on its own. Do you think that has to be forced internally by the Iranian people? Is that fair?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, Michael, I think on Iran, its important to keep two considerations in mind in crafting a strategy toward Iran. First of all, that its the ideology of the regime that drives their hostile behavior toward us. And we have to recognize that its the Supreme Leader, its the Guardian Council, its Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who are in charge. Right. There was a struggle, you know, across the history of Iran since the revolution in 1979 between the Republicans and the revolutionaries. Hey, the revolutionaries won. And and we have to recognize that the second consideration is that this regime has waged a four decade long proxy war against the Great Satan, us, the little Satan, Israel, the Arab monarchies and the West generally. We have to craft our strategy in recognition of this regimes permanent hostility to us. Of course, I think the best way to approach it in the title of the chapter in Battlegrounds is forcing a choice, forcing the regime to make a choice of either being a responsible nation and then being treated as such or suffering the consequences. And this is why I think its very important to keep the arms embargo in place. I think its very important to keep the sanctions in place on the regime to, in the short term, reduce the resources it has available to wage this proxy war and in the long term, hopefully convince the Iranian people to demand a change in the nature of the government such that it ceases as permanent hostility.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Okay, Islamic extremism, its waned a bit in the threat, but its still there. From West Africa, to the Middle East, to South Asia, to Southeast Asia. How do you think about that problem long term?

GEN. MCMASTER: I think the reason that we havent had another attack on the scale of the most devastating terrorist attack in history of September 11th, 2001, is our tremendous intelligence professionals, our diplomats, our military whos been engaged against this threat from jihadist terrorist organizations since 9/11. What Im concerned about, Michael, is that these groups, I think are more dangerous today than they were maybe even on September 10th, 2001. And thats because, of course, those who committed the mass murder attacks against us on 9/11 were the mujahideen alumni of the resistance to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Well, now the al-Qaida alumni, the ISIS alumni, the Lashkar-e-Taiba alumni are orders of magnitude greater and they have access to more and more destructive capabilities. And the reason weve been safe is because weve been engaged and now we have this narrative of ending endless wars and disengaging. Well, I think what Americans need to know is that we are engaged so we can enable others to bear the brunt of this fight. I mean, this disengagement from Afghanistan, I think is a tragedy. The way that weve gone about this, I think we should recognize the sacrifices of our longest war and in particular that 10 of our courageous servicemen, soldiers, gave their lives for our country, our security this year. But we have to also recognize that 30 Afghan soldiers and police a day die defending the freedoms that theyve enjoyed since the defeat of the Taliban in 2001 a removal of the Taliban from power. So I think that we need to make a sustained argument to the American people for engagement with this problem of jihadist terrorism. Because if we dont, Michael, well go back to 1998. Remember when we after the embassy bombings, we fired a few cruise missiles and called it a day. Right, that didnt work out.

MICHAEL MORRELL: The last issue I want to ask you about is Venezuela, which I know you care about. My understanding is that when you arrived at the White House, you were going over the issues and you kind of stumbled on Venezuela and said, hey, you know whats going on there? That doesnt look like were paying attention to this, talk about Venezuela and why its important?

GEN. MCMASTER: Well, its immensely important because this is a humanitarian catastrophe in Venezuela. Its a humanitarian catastrophe thats brought on by an authoritarian regime that is denying the Venezuelan people a say in how theyre governed. When we looked at the problem and the nature of the Maduro regime and the Chavista movement, we concluded that this was, again, a corrupt government that is using criminalized patronage networks to effect control of its people. It uses these motorcycle gangs and militias to overwhelm any kind of opposition. It ended the Constitution. So we said whats should our goal be? Our goal should be to work with others, to work with like-minded countries, to effect a restoration of constitutional rule in Venezuela. And to do that, we felt as if we had to pursue three objectives. One of those objectives would be to try to strengthen the opposition. Right. To help the opposition come together. I think you saw that with the rise of Bolsonaro. You know, who was really from the people. You know, hes not a member of the Caracas Polo Club, for example. I think hes somebody who can gain some traction with those who have been disadvantaged now so significantly under Chvez, and now Maduro.

GEN. MCMASTER: The second objective would be for the people to be able to attribute their grievances back to the government, not to blame the Yankees, you know, for example. And the third related to that would be to try to galvanize really popular support for restoration of constitutional government. I think the measures we put in place were sound. Of course, they have proven inadequate. And I think we thought that economic sanctions would maybe have a significant effect. But the reason they havent had a bigger effect is theres a huge black market, illicit economy thats run by Maduro. He uses that to sustain this criminalized patronage network and these gangs of thugs who really prevent any real opposition from gaining traction. But I think Im proud of what we did in this period of time. We worked very closely with partners, especially in the Western Hemisphere, Mexico, under the foreign minister of the great Luis Videgaray, who was a wonderful partner, took a leading role in much of the work that we did. We tryd to get the Organization of American States and others to do more. But it was really the community of like-minded nations Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, Argentina. We worked very closely together on this problem and I think remain committed to trying to effect a restoration of constitutional government in Venezuela.

MICHAEL MORRELL: Youve been fantastic with your time. I just want to ask you two more questions, we have a couple of minutes left, so well need to be quick here.

MICHAEL MORRELL: The first is that in order to deal with all of these problems that youve talked about, you know, we need a healthy national security toolkit. Healthy diplomacy, healthy intelligence capabilities, healthy military capabilities. Whats your assessment sort of overall of where we are with our national security toolkit?

GEN. MCMASTER: I think were in good shape thanks to the extremely dedicated civil servants and military professionals, intelligence professionals who we have across our government. But I think what is needed more than anything is a higher degree of what I argue in Battlegrounds is, strategic competence, and thats the ability to integrate the elements of national power so that theyre applied in a way that are synergistic. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I think at times we get it right, but most often we get it wrong. And our approach to these complex problems is fragmented. Its inconsistent. Its as I mentioned, you know, based on flawed assumptions about the nature of the problem. I think what I would like to see as well these days is even more of a concerted effort to foster multinational cooperation as I write in Battlegrounds. I mean, none of these problems are solvable by any one country. So its very important for us to create the right venues for us to come together. Not only to work on a discrete issue or event together, but really to think about these complex challenges. To frame them together and then to apply our competitive advantages between our like minded countries. So that we do have a synergistic effect and and so that we can build a better future for generations to come.

MICHAEL MORRELL: The last question, I think anybody whos listened to the podcast up to this point is going to think, wow, that is a hard, tough list. I wonder at the end of the day, if youre optimistic or if you are pessimistic that were going to get this right going forward.

GEN. MCMASTER: Michael, Im optimistic about it. Im optimistic about it even as we emerge from this triple crisis. Of the pandemic, the recession associated with it and the divides in our society, laid bare by George Floyds murder and the protests and civil unrest that followed it. I think whats great about our democracy is we are self-correcting. The American people have a say in how theyre governed. They can demand better. And the reason I wrote Battlegrounds is I think if the American people understand these challenges, they will demand a better foreign policy from from our elected leaders. You know, our founders knew that our democracy was going to require continuous nurturing. Its still true today. And I believe that we do have significant problems at home. But we also have to confront these challenges abroad because we know from the COVID-19 pandemic that problems that develop abroad can only be dealt with at an exorbitant price once they reach our shores. So the argument of battlegrounds is an argument for sustained engagement with the world.

MICHAEL MORRELL: The book is Battlegrounds: The Fight to Defend the Free World. The author is H.R. McMaster. General, thank you very much for joining us today.

GEN. MCMASTER: Michael, thank you for the privilege of being with you. And thanks for your service.

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HR McMaster weighs in on North Korea, Russia - WSGW

Former Vice President Joe Biden wrapped up his campaign swing through the Midwest with a socially distant speech in front of just a few dozen people in an airport hanger in Milwaukee, a few hours after President Donald Trump stopped in the battleground state.Biden remarked on the rising number of COVID-19 cases nationally and in Wisconsin specifically, which is facing one of the fastest-growing outbreaks of COVID-19 in the country, and repeated many familiar criticisms of Trump's handling of the pandemic throughout his remarks.

"I know it's hard. More than 225,000 people, I think it's 229[,000] as I speak, have already lost their lives to COVID-19. Two thousand here in Wisconsin. Six hundred here in Milwaukee County. This week, Wisconsin, like other states, set a new record for daily cases. Hospitals are running short on beds. Just had to open a field hospital. That's what we're facing," he said.

"Donald Trump waved the white flag, surrendered to the virus," he continued. "But the American people don't give up. We don't give in. Unlike Donald Trump, we're not gonna surrender to this virus. We are simply not going to surrender."

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden gives a fist bump to Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., as he arrives to speak at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport on Oct. 30, 2020, in Milwaukee.

Biden also went after Trump on trade, calling his policy "a disaster" that "decimated" the Wisconsin dairy industry.The candidate said his campaign is taking a different approach to Wisconsin than Hillary Clinton did in 2016.

"For a whole lot of reasons, not all of which were her fault, we ended up not taking it too seriously. We thought it was different," Biden said, adding, "I've been here a lot."

This marks Biden's third trip to Wisconsin since the Democratic National Convention, making it his fourth-most-visited state, behind Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida.

Unlike Biden's drive-in rallies on Friday, his remarks in Wisconsin were given in an open-air airport hangar. The event was held at least partially outdoors on a near-freezing Wisconsin evening.

"I'll tell you what, they told me it's gonna be indoors. You're a hardy bunch in Milwaukee," Biden said.

-ABC News' John Verhovek, Beatrice Peterson and Molly Nagle

Continued here:
Election 2020 updates: Trump ends long day rushing through final rally in Minnesota - ABC News

West Norfolk officials have expressed their frustration over the governments plans to introduce a second national lockdown this week.

The proposed new national restrictions will be debated and voted on by MPs on Wednesday.

If approved, the country will be asked to stay at home from Thursday to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus amid rising national cases.

North West Norfolk MP James Wild supported the introduction of the local Covid alert tiered system as the best alternative to a national lockdown.

He said he will be reviewing the evidence and reflecting on constituents views on both sides of the debate ahead of the vote.

Mr Wild said: While it protected the NHS and saved lives, I know how painful and costly the first lockdown was for peoples wellbeing and our economy.

The prime minster and the cabinet have now been advised that due to increasing transmission rates across the country there is a serious risk the NHS will be overwhelmed within weeks.

I am very conscious of the incredible sacrifices people and businesses across North West Norfolk have made to try and control this virus.

Leader of West Norfolk Council Brian Long said he would have liked to see the local tier measures make a difference before a national lockdown was introduced.

I am frustrated we have gone to a national lockdown but I appreciate it has to happen, Mr Long said.

West Norfolk has been doing pretty well but with numbers starting to increase the additional measures reiterate the governments message to get the numbers down.

The council leader emphasised the bottom line behind the lockdown is protecting people from the virus.

And he is confident local businesses will continue to receive the support they need to survive through the governments rescue package.

Boris Johnson announced on Saturday that the furlough scheme will be reintroduced as part of the lockdown measures in which employees will receive 80 per cent of their regular wages.

West Norfolks infection rate as of October 29 stood at 87.9 cases per 100,000 people, after the number of new cases rose from 70 to 133 in the space of a week.

And two new cases were confirmed at Springwood High School today, increasing the total number of cases recorded at the Queensway site since the start of the new academic year to five.

Labour councillor Jo Rust believes the lockdown should have been implemented earlier due to the increase in the transmission rate and number of deaths.

Sir Keir Starmer asked for a circuit breaker weeks ago. It could have been combined with half term which would have taken the pressure off for families, Mrs Rust said.

As it is, we are facing a hard winter of lockdown with no certainty itll actually end on December 2nd.

Mrs Rust believes schools should be shut down with improved IT equipment for home schooling.

The latest lockdown will be less stringent than in March as schools and universities would be able to stay open.

Mrs Rust added: Im glad that the 80 per cent furlough scheme has been retained. However, 80 per cent of a low wage when rents, mortgages and all other costs remain the same is going to push many more families to breaking point.

We saw how many families were struggling to feed their children over half term. As a matter or urgency the government needs to increase its support provision for local councils like our own so we can provide the additional assistance our community will need.

Were facing challenges with how well safely accommodate our rough sleepers, theres an increase in food bank use and the eviction moratorium is over. The government must act now.

West Norfolk councillor Sandra Squire, leader of the Independents at the county council, echoed these sentiments and stated many businesses will not be able to survive the winter months.

She added: I think its a situation where youre damned if you do and damned if you dont. For areas with low infection rates it must seem that theyre almost being punished for what goes on elsewhere.

It concerns me that the last lockdown took weeks to have an affect and that was when schools were closed.

Vulnerable people are being told to limit contact with other people and not go to work if they cant work from home, but they should still send their children to school. There are no easy answers really.

All non-essential retail, entertainment venues and personal care facilities will be forced to close.

Having recently been supported through the governments Culture Recovery Fund, Hunstantons Princess Theatre now faces another setback like many others.

Proprietor Brian Hallard said: We are going to have to worry about it on December 2 because there is nothing we can do right now.

There have been mixed messages. Michael Gove is saying something, then someone else is saying something else.

I will be getting on with maintenance work because there is not a lot else we can do right now.

Swaffham landlord Rob Bartram of the Red Lion pub welcomed the furlough scheme being extended but said there was miscommunication over pub takeaways.

The Market Place site will continue to offer its rooms out to key workers and lorry drivers as they did during the previous lockdown.

Mr Bartram said: Our last electric bills were 6,500. How are we going to survive? I do not know but I personally think we will be alright. I am seeing that some wet-let pubs are giving it up.

Both Mr Bartram and Neal Durose of the White Hart in Lynn believe the decision to allow students to return to schools and universities proved costly.

Mr Bartram said: People are going to be naive and pathetic if they think this will be over by December. The figures are going through the roof through youngsters all over the country.

I am prepared for no family Christmas this year.

Mr Durose added: If Im completely honest, it hasnt come as much of a surprise. It was always going to be obvious that no matter what measure were put in place, the spike in cases was inevitable once the schools and colleges went back.

I know some people will disagree with me but the statistics dont lie. The pubs reopen on July 4: no spike in cases. Eat Out to Help Out throughout August: not many cases. September, the education sector resumes and cases rose exponentially.

You were always going to be safer in the pub than the supermarket but you cant change whats been placed on us.

We are determined to survive and come out the other side stronger and ready to welcome everyone back with open arms.

The Duck Inn at Stanhoe has pledged to offer its services for free throughout November to anyone who needs support.

And the White Hart in Swaffham will also continue to support the vulnerable through its Hart to Homes meal delivery service.

A social media post by the pub said: "From Wednesday night we will close our doors, until then we are very much open for business

"We will miss you all and give our heartfelt thanks for the support you have given us since we reopened."

Elsewhere, it will be business as usual on the pitch for Kings Lynn Town FC as elite sport, including the National League, will be able to continue.

Golf clubs have been lobbying to remain open for members to be able to play during lockdown as they believe it can be done safely as a form of exercise.

Graham Cocker, secretary of Fakenham Golf Club, said: If you can exercise in a park with one person, you can do it on a golf course because you are not going to come up against anyone else through 10 minute intervals.

He said it would be a shame for members not to be able to play having already paid their annual fees. Greenkeepers will continue to maintain the golf course regardless of cost.

Alive West Norfolk has announced its sites will close from the end of the day on Wednesday until further notice in line with government guidance.

A statement says Alive West Norfolk has collected November membership and courses fees already and will also collect payments from those who usually pay their direct debit on the 15th.

December direct debit payments will then not be collected when the sites reopen.

Alive swimming pools will not be closing in December as it stands according to the statement as would normally be the case in normal circumstances for annual maintenance.

The Alive statement added: "We understand it is extremely frustrating that leisure venues are having to close again but the safety and welfare of our customers and staff is paramount. We would like to thank you all for adhering to our Covid processes so well since we returned in July which has kept our sites extremely safe."

Meanwhile, national papers reported this weekend that Prince William had coronavirus while staying in April with the Duchess of Cambridge and his three young children at Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate.

It was reported that he did not want publicity onthe matter as it came shortly after his father, Prince Charles, and PM Boris Johnson had announced they had it and feared he would be stoking public fears of the virus.

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Mixed emotions over national lockdown as local businesses offer help - Lynn News

Just four months after finishing one search, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is starting a second one, hunting yet again for someone to lead the states second largest traditional school system.

This unexpected second search kicked into gear because the person hired after the last search, Leslie Brown, resigned after just two months on the job. The 62-year-old Brown, a veteran educator from south Florida, went on emergency medical leave on Sept. 21 for an undisclosed illness. Sixteen days later, she turned in her resignation.

After nearly five hours of debate, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board on Thursday voted unanimously to promote top administrator Adam Sm

While the new search is underway, Associate Superintendent Adam Smith will take over the school district for up to six months as interim superintendent. Smith was one of five leading candidates for the job that Brown won and he is almost certain to apply again.

Smith takes the reins as the states second largest school district wrestles with an ongoing coronavirus outbreak and faces likely budget cuts thanks to the economic consequences of that pandemic.

Smith credited educators and school leaders for their hard work over the past seven months, with many forgoing vacations amid nonstop demands.

Any successes we have had in this district were because of the team and any failures were because of myself, Smith said.

A 24-year veteran of the school system, Smith has risen through the ranks and is well-liked. He spent six years in the classroom before moving to administration. He served as principal of Park Forest Middle School from 2005 to 2008 before moving to Central Office where he's worked ever since.

Smith has been called up repeatedly to stabilize schools in turmoil, including serving temporarily as principal of Glen Oaks and Scotlandville high schools. He has spent most of his career in middle schools, but former Superintendent Warren Drake, who retired in July, put him over elementary schools a couple of years ago.

As the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board works to narrow its field of five candidates for superintendent, they will have to decide whether

His supporters have been pressing the board to not stop at interim, but install Smith in the job permanently.

Yet, it was not clear until late Thursday and after nearly five hours of debate that Smith would land the interim spot.

While the final vote was unanimous, the board considered but rejected several alternatives that would have kept Smith out of the top job. One proposal would have continued a dual leadership arrangement established during Browns illness, with both Smith and fellow Associate Superintendent Ben Necaise in charge, but the motion was withdrawn for lack of support. Another motion, voted down by a 2-7 margin, would have rehired Drake to serve as interim superintendent.

On Friday, Smith told The Advocate hes not planning any immediate changes to the senior cabinet or to hire anyone to fill the job hes had. Over the next few months, Smith hopes to work with the board to advance some languishing priorities, including starting work on a new strategic plan, buying property in southeast Baton Rouge for a new elementary school and creating a new middle school in the Scotlandville area.

Smith said he has yet to talk to board leadership about how he will be compensated for his added duties as interim superintendent.

At this point, we hadnt had any conversations, he said.

The search for a permanent superintendent is starting right away a job advertisement is being placed in The Advocate to run early next week and will conclude as soon as practical. That likely means through at least the end of December and perhaps well into the new year.

School Board President Mike Gaudet said Friday that the job description and ad are essentially the same as the ones the board agreed to in January and that applications will be due 30 days after the ads start running, which works out to mid-to-late November.

Two local and three out-of-town educators have made the cut in the hunt for the next school superintendent for East Baton Rouge Parish and wil

Austin, Texas-based search firm JG Consulting is returning to lead the new search. The firm is honoring a clause in itsoriginal contract saying it will conduct a second, free search if the person hired left for any reason within two years of being hired.

In its first search, the consulting firm gave the School Board the names and rsums of 24 applicants one immediately withdrew. On March 5, the board narrowed the field to just five people: Brown, Smith, but also Quentina Timoll, Nakia Towns and Marshall Tuck.

It was not until late May, after a short pause due to the pandemic, that the board settled on two finalists: Brown and Towns, a chief of staff of a school district in Chattanooga, Tenn. On June 18, Brown topped Towns in a 5-4 vote.

Ending a yearlong search and after a meeting that stretched past midnight, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board selectedan administrator

Towns supporters did not give up. On Thursday, they proposed limited the new search, with Towns as the lone finalist. That motion failed by a 4-5 margin in a vote that broke along racial lines.

The rejection of Towns on Thursday might have eliminated her for good.

Board member Dadrius Lanus, a Towns supporter, said he spoke with Towns recently and said she was still interested in coming to Baton Rouge, but did not want to participate in another full-blown search.

In his first major appointment, state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley on Friday named a top official of the East Baton Rouge Parish s

Timoll may be off the table as well. At the time, she was an assistant superintendent, best known for her oversight of the Innovation Network, a federally funded turnaround effort aimed at the school systems lowest-performing schools. In early June, two weeks after she was passed over for superintendent, Timoll was recruited by newly appointed state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley to serve as his chief of staff.

The rejection of Towns and the resistance to elevating Smith both are Black prompted a lot of people to criticise White board members on racial grounds.

Former School Board member Jackie Mims told the board that race is laced through the efforts to deny Smith and you cant convince me otherwise.

Board President Gaudet defended himself. He said he had confidence in Smith after the meeting, he said that Smith was best candidate for interim he expressed concern that promoting Smith will undermine the renewed search, prompting good candidates to not apply because they see Smith as a shoo-in for the permanent job.

Gaudet also said that the calls of racism and the jeering were off base and they inhibit having a civil debate.

Im just disappointed that we cant talk about issues and about what were facing without resorting to calling people names, Gaudet said.

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East Baton Rouge Schools have another interim superintendent. How will they pick the next leader? - The Advocate

As Halloween approaches, you may be looking for some spooky inspiration for your own movie night.

To help, weve compiled a list using metrics that are sure to ensure a quality horror film experience.

Here are the best 20 horror films as ranked by review aggregator website, Rotten Tomatoes, that are readily available to stream in the UK.

This excitingly original thriller sees Hollywood husband-and-wife team John Krasinski (who also directs the film) and Emily Blunt play Lee and Evelyn Abbott, a couple desperately trying to keep their children safe from monsters that hunt sound. Therefore, they are forced to navigate their entire lives in silence.

Because their daughter is deaf, the whole family knows American Sign Language, and this helps them to stay safe. But the creatures can pop out in any place and at any time, as soon as they hear noise.

Jordan Peele followed up Get Out with an equally acclaimed second movie - another original nightmare that he wrote, directed and produced - which follows Adelaide Wilson as she returns to her North Carolina home with her husband and their two children.

Intended as a dreamy summer getaway, Adelaide starts to feel paranoid that something bad is going to happen to her family. And, sure enough, they return from the beach one day to find silhouettes of four figures in their driveway.

But the creepiest thing? The monsters theyre facing are doppelgangers of themselves.

Ridley Scotts iconic sci-fi horror follows the crew of the commercial space tug, Nostromo, who encounter the eponymous Alien, a deadly and aggressive extraterrestrial set loose on the ship.

Trapped aboard the vessel in deep space with no means of escape, Aliens blend of science fiction and horror has aged extremely well, and will keep you on the edge of your seat.

It's no wonder the film spawned a media franchise of films, novels, comics, games, and toys which remains popular to this day.

Alfred Hitchcocks most infamous movie essentially rewrote the rules of the horror genre, and gave us that famous shower scene which has been parodied countless times in popular culture.

The film remains an iconic addition to the genre, and centres on the encounter between Marion Crane - a female embezzler on the run - and Norman Bates, the shy proprietor of a secluded old motel.

The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)

If you're really looking to do a deep dive on the history of the genre The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is essential viewing - a German silent film which is considered by many to be the first true horror movie.

The film tells the story of an insane hypnotist who claims his somnambulist, Cesare, can see into the future. When he predicts the death of a carnival goer (which subsequently comes to pass), Cesare becomes the prime suspect. But is he guilty, or is the doctor controlling him?

A hundred years on, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari remains terrifying.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

Considered the first modern blockbuster, Steven Spielbergs seminal shark caper may not toy with the supernatural as much as some other horror classics on this list, but is a suspenseful, heart-pounding thriller nonetheless.

Besides, what could be more terrifying than a rabid shark terrorising unsuspecting bathers in the waters of Amity Island? That iconic music will always get the blood pumping.

A true psychological thriller, The Babadooks classic status is sure to only grow with age.

As close to a modern Grimms fairytale as were ever going to get, it tells the story of a troubled widow who discovers that her son is telling the truth about a monster which entered their home through the pages of a children's book.

Fans of cheap jump scares need not apply - The Babadooks relies on tried and tested horror techniques to build tension to almost unbearable levels.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

Even the toughest horror viewers will be left troubled by Ari Aster's directorial debut, which tells the story of a family haunted by a mysterious presence after the death of their secretive grandmother.

Not for the faint-hearted, the horror fans will struggle to not absolutely love it.

An STI horror is something most fans of the genre never knew they needed, but watch It Follows and youll definitely think twice before your next promiscuous encounter.

It tells the story of a carefree teenager who learns she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse, after sleeping with her new boyfriend for the first time.

Its certainly an original premise, which won the praise of film fans and critics alike on its release.

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Legendary horror director, George A Romero, made his debut with this late 1960s classic which essentially set the template for the zombie film. It tells the story of a group forced to take refuge in an abandoned house when corpses begin to leave the graveyard in search of fresh human bodies to devour.

When the reanimated bodies surround the house, the survivors begin to panic. As the zombies start to find ways inside, one by one, the living humans become the prey of the deceased ones.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The first and only Best Picture winner widely considered to be a horror film, The Silence of the Lambs often nears the top of best of film lists, no matter the genre being considered.

Anthony Hopkins legendary performance as the cannibalistic serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter remains one of cinemas most unsettling watches, and the film was as controversial as it was critically acclaimed upon its early 90s release.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

For many, Halloween is the quintessential slasher flick, introducing the world to the relentlessly vengeful Michael Myers, as well as the directorial skills of John Carpenter, who also provided the iconic soundtrack.

Halloween wrote the rulebook on slasher films, a rulebook which has been retread time and time again in the years since. So, while you might see the films twists and turns coming a mile off, there's no denying it remains a bonafide horror classic.

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

When five college friends arrive at a remote forest cabin for a holiday, little do they expect the horrors that await them in this 2012 comedy horror.

One by one, the youths fall victim to backwoods zombies, but there is another factor at play - two scientists are manipulating the ghoulish goings-on. Even as the body count rises, there is yet more at work than meets the eye in this meta thriller.

Available on Amazon Prime Video

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13 of the best rated horror films you can stream in the UK: Amazon Prime, Netflix, Now TV and more - Yorkshire Evening Post

By: Kitchen Tune-Up | 1Shares 79Reads

October 07, 2020 // Franchising.com // ABERDEEN, SD. - Kitchen Tune-Up, a national kitchen remodeling company known for five service options to update kitchens and cabinetry, hosted a virtual annual convention and awards ceremony from September 21-23. Embodying the theme of One Tuniverse, hundreds of attendees, including franchisees, home office team members, and suppliers came together for the event.

Encompassing the theme of One Tuniverse, this years convention motivated franchisees to tunify their professional development and customer experience skills. Equal parts fun and inspiring, the three-day convention hosted Kitchen Tune-Up franchisees from across the nation to engage during sales, customer experience, project planning, recruiting and hiring workshops.

Shawn Van Dyke, national construction industry thought leader and esteemed business coach, and Tommy Mello, contractor marketing expert, were keynote speakers at the event.

While our reunion looked different this year, the takeaways, insights and ideas shared were more powerful than ever. Everyone got a chance to learn best practices and participate in small group discussions, both in a formal and casual setting, said Heidi Morrissey, president of the Kitchen Tune-Up Franchise System. Our team put in extra hours to pull it off and our owners all showed up and gave their best to make it an amazing virtual event.

Kitchen Tune-Ups One Tuniverse National Reunion was held virtually from September 21-23. Model franchisees were honored with their awards on the reunions final evening. The various awards ranged from the Fast Track Award, National Customer Service Award, Dave Haglund Entrepreneur Award, and the Franny of the Year Award. Each award highlights stellar franchisees that exemplify Kitchen Tune-Ups service standards, or Trustpoints.

Kitchen Tune-Up is a company that has built its reputation on trust, top service and amazing results. The award-winning company has established itself as the industry leader with more than 32 years of success behind it. Kitchen Tune-Up is meeting the growing demand for homeowners seeking to update and upgrade the look of their kitchens throughout the country with its customized service and incredible results.

Founded in 1988, Kitchen Tune-Up specializes in five ways to update kitchens and cabinetry. Services include its signature 1 Day Tune-Up, cabinet painting, cabinet refacing, cabinet redooring, and new cabinets. With 218 franchised territories nationwide, Kitchen Tune-Up has been named to Entrepreneurs Franchise 500 list in 2020. Kitchen Tune-Up offers personalized service and incredible results that are structured around customer service Trustpoints to ensure a hassle-free experience from start to finish.

For more information about Kitchen Tune-Up, please visit their website.

SOURCE Kitchen Tune-Up

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Kitchen Tune-Up Franchise System Embodies Theme of One Tuniverse at Annual National Reunion - Franchising.com