President Joe Biden calls this the “decisive decade”

Yet the label scarcely captures the moment—the start of a post-post-cold-war epoch in which the American-shaped world order may be violently undone by Russia and China. “Great-power competition” is too tame amid Russia’s destruction of Ukraine; the “new cold war” too reductive given the West’s complex economic interdependence with China. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shattered the norm, established after the second world war, that borders should not be changed by force. It has revived the spectre of nuclear war for the first time since the end of the cold war, with a twist: Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, has wielded the threat of nukes not as a last resort but as an opening gambit to shield his war of aggression. Russia, though, represents only the “acute” problem, as America sees things. The greater threat to the world order—what the Pentagon calls its “pacing” challenge—comes from China, the only country with the potential to dethrone America as the world’s pre-eminent power. China’s armed forces are expanding rapidly. It already has the largest navy in the world, the third-largest air force, a thick array of missiles and the means to wage war in space and cyberspace. What if the friendship “with no limits” between Russia and China turns into an actual alliance? Right now there is little evidence of China helping Russia’s war. But the Eurasian autocracies regularly hold military exercises, and some senior American officials think the two are bound to draw closer. As China builds up its nuclear arsenal to perhaps 1,500 warheads by 2035—approaching the size of the American and Russian arsenals—the United States will have to learn the novel art of three-way nuclear deterrence. That, in turn, may lead to a new arms race, particularly if the New start treaty, which limits American and Russian nukes, expires in early 2026 without a follow-on accord. The transformation is taking place at a time when America’s relative weight in the global economy has declined. Over the past century America’s gdp has been much greater than that of its rivals—Germany and Japan in the second world war, the Soviet Union and China in the cold war. These days, though, China’s gdp is not far behind America’s (and already exceeds it when measured at purchasing-power parity). American defence spending, though gargantuan in absolute terms, has been close to historical lows as a share of gdp. That is starting to change, after Congress voted on December 23rd to approve an increase in defence spending substantially larger than Mr Biden had requested.(font: The Economist)

Three years ago today, I announced my campaign for president of the United States

On that day, I said we were in a battle for the soul of this nation. That the core values of this nation, our standing in the world, our very democracy — everything that has made America, America was at stake. And I knew it was worth fighting for.America is an idea — an idea that’s stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator or tyrant. Now more than ever, I believe in this idea. Since Kamala and I took office, we’ve vaccinated over 200 million people, made historic investments in our nation’s infrastructure, confirmed the first Black woman to the Supreme Court, and so much more.Together, we are building a better America, and it is thanks to the dedication of this grassroots team that stepped up when it mattered most.I am proud of our accomplishments, but there is still more work to be done. We’ve made a lot of progress. But all of it is on the line if we don’t protect our Democratic majorities in Congress this year.You know I hate asking, but your generosity before November’s midterm elections will help ensure our party has what it needs to support Democrats who are running for office nationwide.

Welcome by president of the Most Beautiful Villages of the World

Mr. Mestre travelled around some Swiss villages; for example, the small medieval town of the Reuss, Bremgarten, or the quiet and charming Aarburg. The most beautiful villages in Switzerland is an association founded in 2015 with the aim of protecting, promoting and coordinating in a tourist network the Swiss municipalities that, meeting the criteria set out in the quality charter, are classified as such. Since 2017, the Swiss Association is a member of the International Federation of the Most Beautiful Villages of the World. Currently, it includes 37 municipalities.This meeting had as objective to know more about the important natural and architectural heritage in this beautiful Alpine region. “We highly value the work done by the association in Switzerland to preserve the rural, historical and cultural heritage of its villages. Switzerland and Liechtenstein have municipalities with fascinating nature, local cuisine, picturesque landscapes and the legacy of in these small but great places of excellence where culture, art and natural beauty blend with quality of life and traditions dating back to thousands of years”, explained Mr. Mestre.The Federation integrates different associations in several countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Japan and Wallonia, and Russia, Saxony (Germany), Lebanon or Switzerland as observers. All those (and the best villages of each country) have been carefully chosen to widely share their beauty, whether natural, artistic, cultural or culinary.The federation gathers around 700 villages with specific characteristics and history, all certified for their uniqueness and excellence. This federation represents all this values, ensuring the protection and enhancement of this immense heritage. “This meeting had the objective of strengthening the ties of work and friendship with counterparts Associations, as the one in Switzerland, in order to build a strong link with the inhabitants of our beautiful villages, as well as the preservation and the transmission of this heritage to future generations, and the development of an international sustainable tourism”, ended Mr. Mestre, adding that “one of the most important goals of these associations is to promote small towns and make them more popular. The big cities are all more or less the same, whether in Russia, Japan or Germany”.

Chicago Entrepreneur Marc Kiven Joins Forager as President

Forager, recently named to the FreightWaves 2020 “FreightTech 100 List,” today announced the appointment of Marc Kiven as President. Kiven brings more than 25 years of global business leadership experience in starting and growing SaaS technology-based companies. He has a well-earned reputation for using his entrepreneurial background to establish and grow start-ups while mentoring and coaching diverse, disruptive, and fast-growing organizations to success.Kiven most recently founded Signal, an enterprise SaaS marketing technology company that became a leader in identity resolution for major brands on four continents. Prior to Signal, Kiven helped grow some of the most well-known companies in the $130 billion digital marketing industry, including Avenue A, Atlas, Right Media, and Chicago-based Centro.“Bringing Marc on as President marks a huge turning point for Forager,” said Matt Silver, Forager CEO. “We’re focused on breaking from freight tradition by being a tech company first. Having innovative, tech-focused leadership like Marc is a crucial part of our plan to bring simplicity and transparency to cross-border freight.”Forager Board Member Stuart Larkins, Partner at Chicago Ventures, adds “Marc is a savvy tech exec who understands strategic team building and scaling. He’s the perfect addition to complement and round out the existing leadership team at Forager.” Kiven is joining Forager shortly after the launch of their groundbreaking technology offering, SCOUT by Forager. SCOUT is the only comprehensive cross-border supply chain platform on the market, bringing on-demand pricing and capacity for shipping between the US, Mexico and Canada. SCOUT saves hundreds of hours per month customers while providing competitive pricing and best-in-class cross-border visibility.

EUregions week: press statement president

President of the European Committee of the Regions Karl-Heinz Lambertz Let me welcome you all here to the European Week of Regions and Cities.
This Week comes not long after the EU elections where citizens have demanded a better Europe. It is not a blank cheque, but a demand for results. This year’s EU Regions Week will demonstrate that results depends on empowering and investing in every region, city, town and village.We need to start by being honest on the shortcomings of previous years.Firstly, there has been a lack of European solidarity in our response to the economic, financial and migration crisis, which have exasperated populism.Secondly, for many people, the EU has been failing in its efforts to engage, communicate and be visible in daily life. Brexit, for example, is a symptom of a lack of faith not only European democracy, but politics in general. The paradox of the Brexit tragedy is that it has allowed the rest of Europe to take stock of our common values.Thirdly, austerity and stifling public investment has not only held back economic growth, but equity, social progress and regional equality.The decision on the next EU budget will simply be the ultimate litmus test of the new European leadership: the size and form of the next EU budget will define our common future for the coming years. We need an EU budget that supports our ambition. Contributing 1% of GNI – a cup of coffee per person each day – is pitiful for 500 million Europeans. Local and regional governments, and the new European Parliament, demand member states increase their contributions to 1.3%.The EU27 have shown political solidarity on Brexit, and must now reflect this solidarity in their financial contributions. It must protect those regions most exposed to Brexit by filling the financial hole. Strengthening the EU budget and specifically the European Solidarity Fund and Cohesion policy will significantly protect our regions and our European economy. Let me also welcome the European Commission’s Green Deal – an open recognition that the EU must respond to the climate and biodiversity with vigour.The EU has shown global leadership on climate change, but as we wait for the details of this proposal, we know we need to invest more than 1,115 billion euros per year in the ecological transition.The EU must be carbon-neutral by 2050, energy efficient and the leading global green innovator. We need to reverse the years of underinvestment in greening our transport systems, making our homes energy efficient and cutting air pollution.But this Green New Deal cannot be reduced to an investment plan. It must be the inheritor of the 1933 Roosevelt experience with regulation of finance, tax reform, job creation and a launch of new indicators… the Green New Deal must mark the beginning of a new form of welfare state.Investing in the ecological transition must support every region, every citizen and end the 100m people who face energy poverty but not at the cost of cohesion.I would hope that not a cent of the next EU budget supports any form of fossil subsidies. The EU must of course help those regions reliant on coal to make the transition to protect jobs and help those regions in transition decarbonise their economies.Furthermore, we should not make the same mistake from the Juncker Plan: a top-down territorially blind financial instrument relying only on private funds cannot improve living conditions and convince every citizen that the EU is on their side. Creating stronger links between the European Semester, economic governance and Cohesion Policy without a corresponding upgrade to the EU’s multi-level governance system would almost certainly distance the regions from investment decisions that directly affect them.Cutting another 60, 70 or even 80 billion euros and reducing the budget for cohesion policy by around 15% would be the end of cohesion as we know it. Without cohesion we have no Union.

New president and first vice-president of the Party of European Socialists Group

Christophe Rouillon, mayor of Coulaines (France) and vice-president of Le Mans metropolitan region, and Yoomi Renström, mayor of Ovanåker (Sweden), were today elected as the new president and first vice-president of the Party of European Socialists (PES) Group in the European Committee of the Regions. The group brings together social democratic and progressive locally and regionally elected politicians from across the European Union. Enrico Rossi, President of Tuscany Region (Italy) was elected vice-president in charge of the relations with the Party of European Socialists and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, of which the PES Group is a full member organisation.
Upon his election, Mr. Rouillon commented that: “I thank the members of the PES Group for their trust. As President, I will work on the principles of collegiality and transparency and fully implement the Code of Conduct on gender equality. Together, building on our strong local and regional roots, we will contribute to the victory of social-democracy in Europe by bringing forward solidarity, integration, sustainable development, and the values of the European progressive forces. We will work closely with the S&D Group in the European Parliament and the Party of European Socialists for this common goal.” Ms. Renström added “I am proud to have been elected First Vice-President of the PES Group. Leading a political group builds on teamwork, and the more each one of you engage in this work, the stronger the Group will grow and the clearer our political vision will be. People put less and less their hopes for a better future in the hands of politicians, but we can regain their trust because of our proximity to them, our values of solidarity and openness and our uncompromising stance on human rights. We must continue our work for cohesion in the EU, amongst Member States, regions, cities, and rural areas. We represent the political force that works to ensure that no person nor region is left behind. Thank you for giving me the chance to work with all of you in order to implement our common vision for a truly inclusive European project.”
Mr. Rossi said “I am very grateful to have received the trust of the members of the PES Group in the European Committee of the Regions. Because of their proximity to citizens, regions and cities have a key role to play in building the future of the European Union. I look forward to working closely together with all members of the PES Group to place jobs and social policies at the heart of the EU strategy, just as growth and investment have been so far. The fight against the climate crisis must be a top priority. Environmental protection is a universal right and a principle of hope shared by all people, in addition to being a cross-cutting instrument associated with different policies. These will be my battles, in cooperation with the Party of European Socialists and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, to build a type of socialism that is up to today’s challenges and is more European. All together for a stronger European Committee of the Regions, in a stronger and socialist Europe.” Christophe Rouillon has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions since 2008. He has been mayor of Coulaines (France) since 2001. He is vice-president of the French Mayors’ Association, in charge of European affairs. He is also a member of the Sarthe Departmental Council, representing the canton of Le Mans-Nord-Campagne, since 1998. Since 2014, he has been second vice-president of Le Mans metropolitan region in charge of higher education, research and EU funds. His full CV is available here.Yoomi Renström has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions since 2006. She has been mayor of Ovanåker (Sweden) since 2010. She was president of the district board of the Swedish Social Democratic Party of Gävleborg County between 2010 and 2015. From 2005 until 2006, she was a member of the Swedish parliament. She is also a member of the Congress of the Council of Europe. Her full CV is available here.Enrico Rossi has been a member of the European Committee of the Regions since 2015. President of Tuscany since 2010, he was a member of the Regional Council of Tuscany from 2000 to 2010, mayor of Pontedera from 1990 to 1999, and Pontedera’s deputy mayor and councillor for social policy and urban planning from 1985 to 1990. He is also vice-president of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) in charge of cohesion. His full CV is available here.

Patrick E. T. Godbey, MD, FCAP, Inaugurated President of College of American Pathologists

In a ceremony at the College of American Pathologists’ (CAP) annual meeting in Orlando, Florida, Patrick E. T. Godbey, MD, FCAP, was sworn in as the 36th president of the physician and medical laboratory organization. He was elected by CAP Fellows as president-elect in the fall of 2017, during which time he has served on the Board of Governors and assumed various leadership duties.“I look forward to representing our specialty in what is clearly a dynamic time for health care, and especially pathology,” says Dr. Godbey. The CAP represents the interests of pathologists—the physicians who diagnose and study diseases—through advocacy and education for their board-certified members, while also representing patients by ensuring medical laboratory safety, quality, and accuracy through laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing. An active member of the CAP for over 25 years, Dr. Godbey has served on various committees and councils, most recently on the Council of Government and Professional Affairs and the Finance Committee. He has also served on the Board of Governors since 2011.
“The CAP’s legislative advocacy, both at the federal and state level, is an important part of what the CAP does and how we represent our many thousands of members,” says Dr. Godbey. “It’s been a focus of mine for some time and will continue to be a big part of what the organization has to accomplish in the years to come.” He continues, “And our advocacy is not only on behalf of our members, but for our millions of patients across the country. Our recent work to stop surprise medical bills is just one example. People are healthier overall as a result of excellence in laboratory medicine.” Dr. Godbey is the CEO, and laboratory director of Southeastern Pathology Associates; the laboratory director of Southeast Georgia Regional Medical Center; and is on the clinical faculty of the Medical College of Georgia. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. He first practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Brunswick, Georgia, before focusing on his anatomic and clinical pathology practice, also in Brunswick. Dr. Godbey lives with his wife, Donna, in St. Simons, Georgia. Their daughter Elizabeth Godbey, MD, FCAP, is associate director of transfusion medicine, and associate director of apheresis at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

GEICO’s Schneider Elected Assistant Vice President

The GEICO Board of Directors has elected Ashley Schneider​ assistant vice president in the company’s product management division at GEICO corporate headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Schneider began her GEICO career in 2007 in the pricing & product management division. She has held several positions within the division, with pricing & product management responsibility for five of the company’s 10 regional offices: Fredericksburg, Virginia; Woodbury, New York; Buffalo, New York; Tucson, Arizona; and San Diego, California.Most recently, Schneider has been an integral part of leading GEICO’s new product development efforts.Schneider has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, with a concentration in actuarial science, from Loyola College in Baltimore. She is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. “Ashley’s talent and experience will help her succeed in her new role,” said GEICO President and CEO Bill Roberts​. “Her efforts will contribute to GEICO’s ongoing success.”
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company), the second-largest auto insurer in the U.S., was founded in 1936 and insures more than 28 million vehicles. For more than 80 years, the company has worked to make people’s lives better by protecting policyholders against unexpected events. As GEICO has grown, it has delivered money-saving coverage and outstanding customer service to policyholders through its investment in human resources and technology. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies.

Harvey Nash Names Anna Frazzetto President of Technology Solutions

Harvey Nash Inc. announces that Anna Frazzetto has been named President of Technology Solutions in North America and APAC. She will maintain her role as Chief Digital Technology Officer (CDTO). Frazzetto’s new role as President will expand her focus on the overall profitability of the North America and APAC regions, particularly in Australia, where she has worked for more than a decade establishing and leading the business there. She will continue to have ownership of all consulting, offshoring, managed services and outsourcing solutions. Fourteen years ago, Frazzetto joined Harvey Nash as Vice President of Solutions to create and develop an offshore service line for the U.S. She hired an experienced team of Practice Directors and Engagement Managers to support sales and delivery and created a portfolio of services that improved client engagement and opened up opportunities with new ones.
She established Harvey Nash’s first office in Australia, and then pioneered the solutions offered there into other APAC markets, winning the company’s first Hong Kong-based Technology Solutions client, and growing the Sydney market to become the company’s largest market for Technology Solutions today. Frazzetto integrated Technology Solutions with Harvey Nash’s Technology Recruitment and Executive Search solutions, and this business model became the blueprint for collaboration between business lines today.Frazzetto speaks globally on digital innovation. As the National Chair of ARA, a non-profit aspiring to Attract, Retain and Advance women in technology, she’s an outspoken evangelist for the advancement of women in IT.

European Alliance of News Agencies electing new President

During the General assembly held in Warsaw on Friday, September 21st, members of the European Alliance of News Agencies (EANA) elected Mr Peter Kropsch, CEO of German news agency DPA, as new President of the organization, for a 2 year mandate. Also, Mr Alexandru Giboi, CEO of Romanian National News Agency AGERPRES, was elected Secretary General of EANA, for a 3 year mandate. Mr Jiri Majstr, CEO of Czech news agency CTK, and Mr Michalis Psilos, CEO of Greek news agency ANA-MPA, were elected Board Members, joining Mr Clemens Pig, CEO of the Austrian APA, who is going to serve for another 2 years. After the elections, Mr Kropsch said: “I thank the outgoing president Jonas Eriksson from TT, Sweden, for his great work during his presidency since 2016. I am sure that I speak also for all EANA members when I thank the outgoing Secretary General Erik Nylen who has so wonderfully taken care of EANA during the past 17 years. For the next tenure there are many issues to be adressed by EANA. The fight for a fair copyright directive, the freedom of press and a sound transition of the news agency business will be definitely on top of the list.”

Dr. Karen Cox Named President of Chamberlain University

Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE) today announced Dr. Karen Cox, PhD, RN, FACHE, FAAN, as the new President of Chamberlain University, and she will begin her leadership on August 27, 2018. Dr. Cox is a highly accomplished nursing and healthcare leader, who most recently served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Children’s Mercy – Kansas City, an independent, academic medical center in Missouri. Prior to that role, Dr. Cox was Senior Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer. She is President of the American Academy of Nursing, and was previously elected to the American Hospital Association, Section on Maternal and Child Health Governing Council, and appointed to the Children’s Hospital Association, Child Health Committee. She started her healthcare career as a Licensed Practical Nurse, and earned subsequent degrees including an Associate Degree in Nursing from Excelsior College, a BSN from the University of Kansas, and an MSN and PhD from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.Dr. Cox was named a Fellow in the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellowship Program and is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives. She was appointed to a term on the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, U.S. Health and Human Services, and served as board chair of the National Initiative for Children’s Health Quality. She is also a member of the UMKC Board of Trustees and was an inaugural member of the National League of Nursing Foundation Advisory Council. In addition, Dr. Cox has contributed articles to publications including Modern Healthcare, American Journal of Nursing, Nursing Economics, Seminars for Nurse Managers, Journal of Nursing Administration, Nursing Leadership Forum, Nursing Administration Quarterly and Journal of Public Health Nursing.
Also today, Adtalem recognized the accomplishments and retirement of Chamberlain University President Dr. Susan Groenwald, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN, which had been previously announced in May of 2018. Dr. Groenwald’s title will change to President Emeritus. Throughout the last 12 years, she has led the evolution of Chamberlain University, leading the institution from one campus to 21 campuses, while developing all undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. She established the Chamberlain Care culture, which created an environment that embodies excellence in nursing, and was the basis of a book she published last fall. Susan successfully launched master’s and doctoral degrees and, most recently, the master of public health program. Dr. Groenwald will continue her affiliation with Adtalem in her roles as Board Member for the Adtalem Foundation and as a Trustee for Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.

WJC President Lauder welcomes Ukrainian President

NEW YORK – The World Jewish Congress has welcomed the declaration by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko condemning “any manifestations of intolerance and anti-Semitism.”“The World Jewish Congress is gratified by President Poroshenko’s unambiguous denunciation of the ugly anti-Semitic demonstrations that have recently taken place in various parts of Ukraine,” said World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder. “We hope that his repudiation of any glorification of neo-Nazi ideology and other anti-Semitic outrages will send a clear signal to the Ukrainian people that bigotry in all its forms is unacceptable in our society.” Reacting to a series of neo-Nazi and other recent anti-Semitic manifestations, including a march in Lviv to commemorate the World War II Ukrainian Galicia SS division and anti-Semitic remarks at a public even in Odessa, a series of neo-Nazi and other anti-Semitic marches and demonstrations, President Poroshekno said in a statement on Friday:“I strongly condemn any manifestations of intolerance and anti-Semitism. I consider as unacceptable any attempts to bring these shameful things in Ukraine, as it happened recently during the actions in Lviv and Odesa.“Ukrainian authorities will resolutely respond to any attempts to sow hostility in our society.“The reaction of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to such unlawful actions will be immediate.“Ukraine is not a place for discrimination and intolerance on any ground, since respect for life and dignity of every person is the highest value for the Ukrainian state.”
The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is the international organization representing Jewish communities in 100 countries to governments, parliaments and international organizations.

Edna Willingham Named President of Amerigroup Tennessee

Amerigroup Tennessee has appointed Edna Willingham to serve as president of the Medicaid health plan. Ms. Willingham previously served as Chief Operating Officer at the plan and succeeds Al King, who recently assumed another leadership role in the organization.
In her new role, Ms. Willingham is responsible for all aspects of Amerigroup Medicaid health plan operations in Tennessee, ensuring its 400,000 members receive access to high quality care and strengthening relationships in the community, with the state and among health care providers.
“Edna is a trusted and highly respected senior leader who has extensive knowledge of Amerigroup’s business, the Tennessee market and our state customer,” said Brian Shipp, South Region Medicaid President for Amerigroup. “Under Edna’s leadership, our Amerigroup Tennessee team will continue to focus on providing the highest quality service and support to consumers and our state customer as we work to make healthcare accessible, affordable and simpler for all Tennesseans.”Ms. Willingham brings strong health care management experience and a deep knowledge of complex population health programs to her new role. Prior to her service as COO at Amerigroup Tennessee, Ms. Willingham held numerous leadership positions since joining the health plan in 1994. Before joining Amerigroup, she served as a practicing nurse at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis before spending 10 years in various management roles at the Mid-South Foundation for Medical Care.“TennCare is one of the most progressive, innovative and established Medicaid programs in the country,” said Ms. Willingham. “Like all of us here at Amerigroup, I’m humbled to support the program and be able to work every day to improve the lives of my fellow Tennesseans.” Amerigroup Tennessee also announced that Robert Garnett will replace Ms. Willingham as the organization’s chief operating officer. (photo: Edna Willingham)

Jonathan Moneymaker Appointed as President, Altamira Technologies

Altamira Technologies Corporation, a leading provider of technology solutions to the US Defense, Intelligence, and Homeland Security Communities, announced today the appointment of Jonathan Moneymaker as President. Jonathan will lead the integrated Strategy, Operations, and Sales team overseeing all customer delivery and growth functions for the company. Jonathan joined Altamira in 2014 as Executive Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer and has played a lead role in the double digit growth the company experienced in both 2016 and 2017 as well as leading both its acquisitions of 2016. He has been the champion for numerous market initiatives which, when combined, resulted in Altamira being selected as the GovCon Contractor of the Year in 2017 in the $75-$300M category. Jonathan has extensive experience and a proven track record in support of the national security mission serving as an executive at the Fortune 50 Boeing Company as well as west coast based technology start-ups. Jonathan reports to Ted Davies, Altamira’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.“I’m very excited to announce Jonathan’s promotion to President”, said Altamira CEO Ted Davies. “Jonathan’s energy and leadership are contagious and his commitment to both the national security mission and the success of our business is unmatched. I look forward to continuing to work with Jonathan as we build Altamira and deliver world class services to the national security community.” (photo: Jonathan Moneymaker)

Fifth Third Names Joseph P. Yurosek as California Market President

Fifth Third Bancorp (Nasdaq: FITB) has announced it is expanding its commercial banking capabilities to serve California-based middle-market companies by hiring Joseph Yurosek to serve as market president. He will report directly to Lars Anderson, executive vice president and chief operating officer.
Yurosek will be responsible for building a team to provide dedicated resources in client coverage, credit, treasury management and capital markets to support the needs of middle-market companies across the state.“The expansion of talent in California represents a significant opportunity for Fifth Third to support clients and grow our core middle-market business,” said Anderson. “Joe’s knowledge of the California market strengthens our commitment to keep the customer at the center of everything we do. In-state leadership will deepen relationships and enable us to provide services and solutions that help our clients reach their financial goals.”Yurosek joins Fifth Third from Comerica, where he served as market president for the Orange County region. He also was responsible for corporate middle-market strategy in Orange County, Long Beach and San Diego and co-led sponsor coverage strategy for Southern California. Prior to that, Yurosek was regional middle-market group manager in Los Angeles and Long Beach.Yurosek has more than 25 years of banking experience. He holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo and earned his MBA from University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.This newly created position builds upon Fifth Third’s well-established commercial vertical and market expansion strategy. Fifth Third is making significant investments in value-added products and services to help clients with their most pressing financial and risk management challenges. This focus supports the Company’s NorthStar strategy, a three-year plan designed to deliver strong consistent returns through economic cycles. (photo: Joseph P. Yurosek)

Donald Trump has no grasp of what it means to be president

DEFENDERS of President Donald Trump offer two arguments in his favour—that he is a businessman who will curb the excesses of the state; and that he will help America stand tall again by demolishing the politically correct taboos of left-leaning, establishment elites. From the start, these arguments looked like wishful thinking. After Mr Trump’s press conference in New York on August 15th they lie in ruins.The unscripted remarks were his third attempt to deal with violent clashes in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend (see article). In them the president stepped back from Monday’s—scripted—condemnation of the white supremacists who had marched to protest against the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general, and fought with counter-demonstrators, including some from the left. In New York, as his new chief of staff looked on dejected, Mr Trump let rip, stressing once again that there was blame “on both sides”. He left no doubt which of those sides lies closer to his heart.
Latest updates. Mr Trump is not a white supremacist. He repeated his criticism of neo-Nazis and spoke out against the murder of Heather Heyer (see our Obituary). Even so, his unsteady response contains a terrible message for Americans. Far from being the saviour of the Republic, their president is politically inept, morally barren and temperamentally unfit for office.
Self-harmStart with the ineptness. In last year’s presidential election Mr Trump campaigned against the political class to devastating effect. Yet this week he has bungled the simplest of political tests: finding a way to condemn Nazis. Having equivocated at his first press conference on Saturday, Mr Trump said what was needed on Monday and then undid all his good work on Tuesday—briefly uniting Fox News and Mother Jones in their criticism, surely a first. As business leaders started to resign en masse from his advisory panels (see article), the White House disbanded them. Mr Trump did, however, earn the endorsement of David Duke, a former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
The extreme right will stage more protests across America. Mr Trump has complicated the task of containing their marches and keeping the peace. The harm will spill over into the rest of his agenda, too. His latest press conference was supposed to be about his plans to improve America’s infrastructure, which will require the support of Democrats. He needlessly set back those efforts, as he has so often in the past. “Infrastructure week” in June was drowned out by an investigation into Russian meddling in the election—an investigation Mr Trump helped bring about by firing the director of the FBI in a fit of pique. Likewise, repealing Obamacare collapsed partly because he lacked the knowledge and charisma to win over rebel Republicans. He reacted to that setback by belittling the leader of the Senate Republicans, whose help he needs to pass legislation. So much for getting things done.Mr Trump’s inept politics stem from a moral failure. Some counter-demonstrators were indeed violent, and Mr Trump could have included harsh words against them somewhere in his remarks. But to equate the protest and the counter-protest reveals his shallowness. Video footage shows marchers carrying fascist banners, waving torches, brandishing sticks and shields, chanting “Jews will not replace us”. Footage of the counter-demonstration mostly shows average citizens shouting down their opponents. And they were right to do so: white supremacists and neo-Nazis yearn for a society based on race, which America fought a world war to prevent. Mr Trump’s seemingly heartfelt defence of those marching to defend Confederate statues spoke to the degree to which white grievance and angry, sour nostalgia is part of his world view.At the root of it all is Mr Trump’s temperament. In difficult times a president has a duty to unite the nation. Mr Trump tried in Monday’s press conference, but could not sustain the effort for even 24 hours because he cannot get beyond himself. A president needs to rise above the point-scoring and to act in the national interest. Mr Trump cannot see beyond the latest slight. Instead of grasping that his job is to honour the office he inherited, Mr Trump is bothered only about honouring himself and taking credit for his supposed achievements.Presidents have come in many forms and still commanded the office. Ronald Reagan had a moral compass and the self-knowledge to delegate political tactics. LBJ was a difficult man but had the skill to accomplish much that was good. Mr Trump has neither skill nor self-knowledge, and this week showed that he does not have the character to change.This is a dangerous moment. America is cleft in two. After threatening nuclear war with North Korea, musing about invading Venezuela and equivocating over Charlottesville, Mr Trump still has the support of four-fifths of Republican voters. Such popularity makes it all the harder for the country to unite.
This leads to the question of how Republicans in public life should treat Mr Trump. Those in the administration face a hard choice. Some will feel tempted to resign. But his advisers, particularly the three generals sitting at the top of the Pentagon, the National Security Council and as Mr Trump’s chief of staff, are better placed than anyone to curb the worst instincts of their commander-in-chief.
For Republicans in Congress the choice should be clearer. Many held their noses and backed Mr Trump because they thought he would advance their agenda. That deal has not paid off. Mr Trump is not a Republican, but the solo star of his own drama. By tying their fate to his, they are harming their country and their party. His boorish attempts at plain speaking serve only to poison national life. Any gains from economic reform—and the booming stockmarket and low unemployment owe more to the global economy, tech firms and dollar weakness than to him—will come at an unacceptable price.Republicans can curb Mr Trump if they choose to. Rather than indulging his outrages in the hope that something good will come of it, they must condemn them. The best of them did so this week. Others should follow.(This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Unfit” Zanny Minton Beddoes, Editor-in-Chief)

Electoral victory will make France’s president a potent force

FLORENCE LEHERICY is a nurse, but on Monday she is likely to start a new career as a parliamentary deputy for Calvados, in northern France. Jean-Marie Fiévet, a fireman, will join her from a constituency in Deux Sèvres in the west. Both are political novices. They belong to La République en Marche! (LRM), the movement behind Emmanuel Macron, who last month also won his first ever election—and duly took control of the Elysée Palace. Welcome to the revolution.Across France people have risen up against a political class that failed them (see article). The first round of voting for the legislature, on June 11th, suggests that LRM, which Mr Macron created only 14 months ago, will win at least 400 of its 577 seats. The Socialists will lose 90% of their deputies, including their leader who did not even make the run-off. The Republicans will hang on to more, but they expected to win this election—until a few weeks ago, when LRM’s victory became as inevitable as the blade sliding down the guillotine. Mr Macron offers a fresh answer to the popular discontent that has swept through Western democracies. He promises a new politics that ditches divisions between left and right. He wants to restore dynamism and self-belief to France and, with Germany’s help, to the European Union. And he is being watched from abroad by politicians who, in their own countries, cannot seem to make themselves heard above the din. For his revolution to succeed, he needs to have good ideas and the ability to carry them through. Does he?
Mr Macron is the right man at the right time. Voters tired of France’s stale politics wanted an outsider. Although he comes from the establishment—he is a graduate of an elite college, an ex-banker and an economy minister under his predecessor, François Hollande—Mr Macron has never been a party man. He has designed LRM to act as a break with the past. Half of its candidates are new to politics. Half are women. It has campaigned against corruption. In the outgoing assembly the most common age is 60-70; the average of LRM’s novices is 43.Whereas most populists cleave to right and left, the Macron revolution is to the centre. He steals policies without prejudice—from the right, a desire to free up markets and businesses to create jobs and wealth; from the left, a belief in the role of government to shape, direct and protect. In the battle between open and closed, Mr Macron is broadly for open in both trade and immigration. In French terms, he is an economic liberal.And, crucially, he is an optimist. For decades France has suffered from the morose belief that politics involves struggle, but no real solutions. That sabotages reform: why give up what you have today for something worse tomorrow? Elsewhere in Europe, democracy often seems a joyless transaction in which voters are asked to endorse politicians’ empty promises in exchange for benefit cuts and shoddy public services.Somehow, Mr Macron has convinced the French that progress is possible. He has hit back against populist taunts that free markets are a concession to the bankers and the globalists with refreshing patriotism—whether by crushing the hand of Donald Trump or restoring pomp to the presidency. Against warnings about immigrants and foreign competition, he asserts that both will invigorate France, not enfeeble it. To Eurosceptics who accuse Brussels of sucking the life out of the nation, he insists that, no, the EU magnifies French power.Good ideas are not enough. Mr Macron must also break the habit of 30 years in which France’s reforms have been blocked by the hard left. Success rests on early, visible progress in two areas—employment and relations with Germany.French unemployment is double what it is in Germany. For the under 25s, it is stuck above 20%. Firms are reluctant to create permanent jobs because of high social charges and because redundancy and dismissal are expensive and difficult. Mr Macron wants to lower employment taxes and to make workplace bargaining more flexible. Success in the labour market will help him win over Germany, which has lost faith in France’s ability to keep up. So will getting a grip on France’s public spending and its army of bureaucrats. Germany, often standoffish, should give Mr Macron the benefit of the doubt. He is the best, and possibly last, chance to create the impetus for the euro zone to shore up the structure of the single currency.LRM’s landslide makes this programme more likely to succeed. Mr Macron has been lucky. His chief opponent on the mainstream right, François Fillon, was fatally damaged by allegations of corruption. LRM’s victory will be flattered by France’s two-round voting system. A strong EU economy will create jobs (if he is not to jeopardise that, he needs to go easy on the budget cuts). As Theresa May, Britain’s hapless prime minister, can attest, firm control of the assembly will cement his good fortune (see article).
However, resistance will move to the streets. Already, the ancien régime is warning that the election leaves Mr Macron dangerously powerful, and that the turnout of under 50% has deprived him of a mandate. Militant hard-left unions are threatening to fight his labour-market reforms all the way.
They must be faced down. The French president is indeed powerful—but in recent years the problem has been the weakness of the Elysée, not its dominance. The turnout was low, but it has been falling for years and is not much lower than in America or Canada. The unions speak for only the 8% of workers who are their members. That is no mandate. It is what ordinary citizens like Ms Lehericy and Mr Fiévet have been elected to sweep away.
Plenty could go wrong. Expectations of Mr Macron are sky high. Though LRM has experienced politicians to keep order, it could prove chaotic and amateurish. There will be strikes and marches. As the pain bites, the French public will need to hear again and again why reform will benefit the nation.These risks are obvious. More remarkable is the revolution that Mr Macron has already achieved. The hopes of France, Europe and centrists everywhere are resting on him. (by The Economist)

South Korea’s president is permanently stripped of her powers

SEOUL. She had refused to be questioned, and attended none of the 20 hearings since a trial on her impeachment began on January 3rd. She had blocked investigators from entering the Blue House, the presidential residence, and a fortnight ago she demanded the ejection of one of the justices hearing her case. It was all for nothing. On March 10th Park Geun-hye, South Korea’s first female president as well as its first to have an impeachment upheld by a court, was permanently removed from office. It cut short her five-year term by 11 months.All eight justices currently serving on the country’s constitutional court voted to uphold a parliamentary motion, on December 9th, to impeach her. That motion followed weeks of huge but peaceful crowds gathering in downtown Seoul, the capital, to call for her resignation. MPs had listed 13 constitutional violations, including dereliction of duty, abuse of power and infringing the freedom of the press. The court said it could not find conclusive evidence for most of these charges. But it was able to rule that Ms Park had divulged state secrets to Choi Soon-sil, an allegedly corrupt confidante (whose personal wealth, a special prosecution found, stands at $20m), and colluded to help her extort funds from conglomerates and profit from two cultural organisations that Ms Choi controlled.After the crime, the cover-up. The court also found that throughout the investigation Ms Park’s actions had been aimed at concealing the truth; the justices said she had consistently obstructed the ability of the National Assembly to hold her to account. It all amounted to “an undermining of the rule of law and representative democracy”; she had lost the trust of the public and “let down” her citizens.It will be much more difficult to find such unanimity within South Korean society. Over three-quarters of South Koreans felt she deserved to be impeached, according to a poll conducted shortly before the decision. But that still leaves a vocal, mostly older minority feeling that Ms Park is the victim of a left-wing witch hunt. Conservative protest groups opposing Ms Park’s removal have grown larger and shriller in recent weeks. They threatened a “bloody civil resistance” should the court uphold her impeachment (two from their camp, in their 60s and 70s, died during the protest following the verdict this morning). Over 21,000 riot police were today deployed in central Seoul. In recent weeks police buses have been set up as barricades at large demonstrations to keep Ms Park’s friends and foes from clashing. Outside the constitutional court, where police had once again divided them, the anti-impeachment camp blared out the national anthem in defiance and promised to blast the constitutional court to pieces. Cheers meanwhile rose from a jubilant anti-Park camp, striking gongs and dancing to chants of “We won”. One anxious protester who has been to every one of 19 anti-Park weekly rallies said he had not been able to eat for 24 hours. A father had taken his child out of school for the day, for a historic moment that he said was “a truer education”.Many remember the last time a court ruled on a leader’s impeachment, to citizens’ overwhelming approval: in 2004 Roh Moo-hyun, a liberal president, returned to office after 63 days when the constitutional court ruled that the reasons for his impeachment were feeble. Chon Jong-ik, part of the legal team that ruled on Roh’s case, says that set a precedent for the court’s decision today, by establishing that if public trust in a president’s ability to protect liberal democracy had been lost, he—or she—ought to be removed.An investigation into allegations of Ms Park’s influence-peddling, which first surfaced in October, has already led to more than two dozen indictments. Those include Lee Jae-yong, heir to the Samsung empire, whose trial on charges of bribery linked to the presidential office began this week; as well as Ms Park’s former chief of staff, Kim Ki-choon; and Ms Choi, who will stand trial for her Samsung entanglements on March 13th. South Koreans will expect to see progress on these, and due punishment. But an early presidential election must also be held within 60 days; many expect the National Election Commission will set it for May 9th, to give candidates as much time as possible to win over South Korea’s mass of disenchanted voters in what will be a lightning-speed campaign.Ms Park is no stranger to tragedy. In 1974 her mother died in an assassination attempt on her father, Park Chung-hee, South Korea’s long-ruling strongman. Ms Park in effect became the Blue House’s first lady. But five years later her father’s 18-year rule came to an end when he was shot over dinner by his spy chief.After that, at least, a political career for Ms Park seemed assured, and she herself believed she owed it to her dead parents. She became an MP in 1998, and in 2004 the leader of South Korea’s main conservative party. Her staunchest supporters have long been an older class of voters who stubbornly revere her father for his “miracle on the Han river”, South Korea’s phenomenal economic transformation. But some younger voters, hoping for an economic revival, also voted for her in the election in 2012 that brought her back to the Blue House as president.She has been staying put at the Blue House ever since. From tomorrow, she is likely to sleep in her guarded home in the upscale district of Gangnam, in southern Seoul. As she no longer has presidential immunity from criminal investigation, state prosecutors can indict her. A special prosecution, set up at Ms Park’s request, announced the results of its three-month investigation this week into her alleged abuse of power and the sordid collusion between political and corporate elites. It confirmed, among other findings, that 573 calls had been made on Ms Choi’s personal hotline to Ms Park, using phones registered under borrowed names, over a period of seven months last year. Editorials in the main newspapers, and Buddhist and Christian leaders alike, have urged South Koreans to accept today’s ruling. Park Hyung-jun of Sungkyunkwan University says a fair legal decision was essential for South Koreans, who have lost faith in those governing them and in their institutions. Hard generational divides have surfaced in the scandal: for Ms Park’s successor, says Mr Park (no relation), communicating well and building consensus will be crucial. Many now will be closely watching Ms Park’s reaction to the ruling. As an MP who had supported Roh’s impeachment, she said then that she accepted the court’s verdict and saw the decision as an opportunity to cultivate respect for the constitution. Now her time has come. (font: by The Economist + photo)

Dirk Boll Appointed President, Christie’s

Christie’s announces Prof. Dr. Dirk Boll has been appointed President, Christie’s Europe, Middle East, Russia and India effective immediately and reporting to Guillaume Cerutti, Chief Executive Officer.“Dirk combines being a true art connoisseur with long, proven, commercial experience and acumen”, commented Guillaume Cerutti, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s. “As President, EMERI, Dirk will oversee our business and client activities in the region working closely with Christie’s market-leading team of specialists,” continued Christie’s CEO.Dirk joined Christie’s in 1998 in London before moving to Germany to head the Stuttgart office. In 2004, he transferred to Zurich to become Managing Director of the region before being promoted in 2011 to Managing Director, Continental Europe, relocating to London at the time. In this role he has run all the regional offices in the region including in the Middle East, Russia and India.Dirk was born in Kassel, and was influenced from an early age by Germany’s prestigious documenta exhibitions that his home city has hosted every five years. He studied law and art management at the universities of Göttingen and Freiburg im Breisgau.Dirk is Professor for Art Management at the University of Hamburg. He publishes regularly in various daily papers and international magazines. His book Art for Sale – a Candid View of the Art Market (HatjeCantz) combines his background in law with his current professional area, analysing the legal and economic basis for the art market. In 2015, he launched a publication on the development of art auctions: Auctioneers who made Art History (HatjeCantz).Dirk is also a board member of the Swiss Friends of the Israel Museum, a member of the Advisory Board of University of Zürich and a board member of the Deusser Foundation, Zürich/Bad Zurzach. (photo: Dirk Boll)

IPPF Statement: Why we will not sign the Global Gag Rule

On 23 January 2017 President Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Global Gag Rule, or the Mexico City Policy.The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) believes in the right of every individual to decide about their own health and well-being. As an organisation that seeks to protect and improve the lives of women, men and children around the world, IPPF and its partners in 170 countries will not sign a policy that denies human rights and puts the lives of women at risk. The Global Gag Rule denies U.S. funding to organisations like IPPF if they use money from other donors to provide abortion services, counselling or referrals—even if abortion is legal in a country.It blocks critical funding for health services like contraception, maternal health, and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment for any organisation that refuses to sign it.When it has been enacted by previous Republican Presidents, evidence has shown that the Global Gag Rule has not reduced the number of abortions; rather, by eliminating access to contraception, it has led to more unintended pregnancies and more unsafe abortions. IPPF is the largest non-governmental provider of contraception in the world. It has worked with the U.S. government for decades. Our global network of local partners delivers more than 300 services every minute of every day, including 70 million contraceptive services every year.The Global Gag Rule’s reinstatement will result in additional unintended pregnancies and countless other needless injuries and deaths.It means IPPF will lose $100 million USD for proven programs that provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for millions of women and youth who otherwise go without these vital services, including women suffering the burden of health and humanitarian crises.Over the years USAID has been a huge supporter of family planning – with a budget of over $600 million per year. Reinstatement will mean that years of progress to increase access to essential services globally, will be lost.We cannot—and will not—deny life-saving services to the world’s poorest women. We will work with governments and donors to bridge the funding and service gaps the Global Gag Rule creates. We will ensure that women can exercise their rights and access safe abortion and family planning. ( by International Planned Parenthood Federation)