CNN’s Lemon: The Way to Fix Mount Rushmore Is Add Obama

Tuesday on CNN, host Don Lemon said President Barack Obama should be added to the Mount Rushmore sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

While discussing a California couple charged for painting over a “Black Lives Matter” mural, Lemon said, “You see the right-wing machine kick in, media kick in and see Trump’s poll numbers go south. They kick in with Democratic cities are in chaos right now. Is this what you want from Joe Biden? And they are taking your country away sand they are going to take down statues. Crime is rising. It’s so bad. Oh my, defund police. And the people who you saw there for the most part —not specifically, as a whole, fall for it. They fall for it. That’s why they do things like that. They want to paint over signs and think it’s our country. This is the country that we built. Even though a rich diversity of people helped build the country, and many of us, meaning ancestors, for free — did not get paid for it, could not get an education, could not build wealth, are not on statues, Confederate or otherwise, are not on Mount Rushmore. I think, listen … if they are going to put someone on Mount Rushmore, considering the history of the country, the first black president should be front and center.”

Anchor Chris Cuomo said, “Add to Mount Rushmore. I think that’s first of all, it’s a more salable idea than the idea of taking away Founding Fathers.”

Lemon said, “So what’s wrong with all of us together thinking or reshaping our country so that more people rethink our country in the way we think and where priorities are so the country it belongs to everyone.”

Cuomo said, “Nothing is wrong with it.”

Lemon said, “Maybe some of the people up there on Mount Rushmore, who knows? The name shouldn’t be Mount Rushmore if you talk to Native Americans. It is stolen land. It was only Mount Rushmore 40 years before they started to carve presidents’ faces in it. No one got any money for that.”

Cuomo said, “You’re totally right. The premise is where we have to work toward, which is if we all decide. It’s about consensus and collective consciousness.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2020/07/07/cnns-lemon-the-way-to-fix-mount-rushmore-is-add-obama/

ATO warns you could face fines if you access your super early

The tax office has warned that scores of taxpayers could soon be hit with audits and even financial penalties due to one big mistake.

Thousands of Aussies who rushed to access their superannuation early could soon be slugged with an audit – or worse – as the tax office cracks down on false claims.

Under the government’s Super Early Release Scheme introduced in the wake of the coronavirus-fuelled economic crisis, eligible Aussies were able to grab $10,000 from their super last financial year and a further $10,000 in 2020-21, with applications being accepted through Australian Taxation Office online services in myGov.

But the scheme proved to be controversial, with critics arguing it should be a “last resort” only and that accessing cash now would have dire long-term consequences for retirement nest eggs.

Last Friday, Industry Super Australia (ISA) estimated about 480,000 Australians had likely cleared out their super funds by June 14, and about 395,000 of these were under the age of 35.

And last month, Australian Prudential Regulation Authority figures revealed $14.8 billion had already been withdrawn, with 2.12 million applications lodged with the tax office.

The mad rush to access the scheme prompted fears many Australians were taking advantage of it in order to get their hands on their cash without experiencing financial hardship, with several taxpayers who had already accessed their superannuation previously telling news.com.au it was alarmingly easy to apply with no upfront proof needed.

Now, the Australian Taxation Office has warned of potentially serious repercussions for incorrect applications.

“The ERS program is based on individuals making correct declarations to the ATO … applicants need to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria,” an ATO spokesman told news.com.au.

“In some instances, applications will be declined where the applicant does not meet certain eligibility criteria (such as submitting a second application in the same income year) or if a risk of fraud is detected.

“If an applicant is unable to demonstrate their eligibility when asked for evidence an application may be revoked. This means amounts paid to under COVID-19 early release of superannuation will become assessable income and need to be included in your tax return and you will pay tax on the released amount.

“In addition, financial penalties may apply in the most serious cases.”

https://www.news.com.au/finance/superannuation/ato-warns-you-could-face-fines-if-you-access-your-super-early/news-story/ab73b72b6e9aff665a7fa34e551b1748

The New CMBS: Italian Mafia Issues 'Crime & Murder Backed Securities'

It appears global bond investors were "made an offer they could not refuse" as, according to financial and legal documents seen by the Financial Times, they bought bonds backed by the crime proceeds of Italy’s most powerful mafia.

An estimated €1bn of these private bonds - backed in part by front companies charged with working for the Calabrian ’Ndrangheta mafia group - were sold to international investors between 2015 and 2019

As The FT notes, the ’Ndrangheta is less well-known outside Italy than the Sicilian mafia but has risen over the past two decades to become one of the wealthiest and most feared criminal groups in the western world, engaging in crimes ranging from industrial-scale cocaine trafficking to money laundering, extortion and arms smuggling.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/new-cmbs-italian-mafia-issues-crime-murder-backed-securities

COVID-19 Drug Could Be More Effective than Rushed Vaccine - Expert on India Setting ‘Wrong’ Deadline

With 11.4 million COVID cases across the globe, drug manufacturers are racing against the clock to develop a vaccine and bring life and the economy back to their normal course. Among 140 companies, Bharat Biotech expressed confidence in being able to make their vaccine ready by the country's independence day on 15 Aug.

India's apex medical research body Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) announced the launch of the ‘first’ indigenous Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin for public use by 15 August 2020, triggering commotion among experts for setting an “unrealistic target” that is not in line with rigorous scientific standards.

“It is envisaged to launch the vaccine for public health use latest by August 15, 2020 after completion of all clinical trials… You are strictly advised to fast-track all approvals related to initiation of the clinical trial, and ensure that the subject enrolment is initiated no later than July 7, 2020,” ICMR stated on 3 July.

However, the scientific community finds the launch date of the vaccine unviable, saying even if the process is fast-tracked, it is "nearly impossible" to launch the vaccine by 15 August. ICMR is also aiming to complete two-stage trials in 38 days after the recruitment of participants for clinical trials.

Shahid Jameel, a virologist well-known for his research on the Hepatitis-E virus, agreed with the persistent view that giving out a set date for launch was "wrong and unprecedented". He told Sputnik that rather than focusing on a vaccine, a drug with 30-50% efficacy in treating coronavirus could reduce the overwhelming burden when looking at the current scenario.

“Developing a vaccine is fairly a long and rigorous process even if we fast-track it during these unprecedented times. Even if India develops a drug that is 50 percent or 30 percent efficacious, then it will help the country in reducing the burden to some extent,” Jameel told Sputnik.

He explains that Bharat Biotech India (BBIL) in collaboration with ICMR’s National Institute of Virology (NIV) is working to produce an “inactivated” vaccine which can sometimes make the disease worse. An inactive vaccine is one that is made by using particles of a Covid-19 virus that have been killed, making them unable to infect or replicate. However, parts of the virus can induce an immune reaction.

“It is seen in some case of respiratory virus, inactivated vaccines have actually made the disease worse. It is something to be worried about. You will not see that adequately in phase one and two, as they are short phases. In an inactivated vaccine, you are not giving it enough time to naturally expose or naturally infect. That is the downside,” he said.

Risk-Benefit Judgement

Within a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting with officials to review preparations for a vaccine against COVID-19, ICMR alerted all 12 institutes engaged in human trials to meet the “timeline without lapse”, adding that “non-compliance will be viewed very seriously”.

The communiqué issued on 2 July added that it is the “top priority project” and is being monitored at the "highest level of government".

Jameel says it is for the regulator, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), to make a risk-benefit judgement – where it is accessed based on studies that the benefits of a vaccine are greater than the risks. But it is unusual that a developing partner tells the clinical trial site involved in scientific procedures that it “must complete” a project by a certain timeline.

“Launch of vaccine by 15 August is impossible and it was unprecedented. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place,” said Jameel.

https://sputniknews.com/world/202007081079816560-covid-19-drug-could-be-more-effective-than-rushed-vaccine—expert-on-india-setting-wrong-deadline/