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This Louisiana man pays a third of his income on car payments — with a 12.75% interest rate on auto loan

Vishesh Raisinghani
Sun, October 27, 2024 

Although he’s certainly not alone in this, 27-year-old Bryson from Lake Charles, Louisiana, made the most quintessential American financial mistake: buying a car he couldn’t afford.

During an episode of personal finance expert Caleb Hammer’s podcast, Financial Audit, Bryson — an operations manager making $48,000 annually — confessed that the interest rate on his auto loan was a whopping 12.75%.

To break this down further: he’s spending $1,275 a month for his RAM 2500 diesel truck, while only earning around $3,333 per month. “Who the f*ck drives a RAM?” Hammer asked. “A third of your income goes to this truck.”

Making the situation even worse is the fact that Bryson’s wife is on maternity leave. The couple share a one-month-old daughter, and his wife — who chose not to participate in the episode — is currently only making 60% of her $44,000 salary as a leasing agent.

Unfortunately, overspending on vehicles is one of the key reasons why many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

The true wealth killer

According to CNBC and SurveyMonkey’s financial security survey, a whopping 65% of American adults admitted that they were living paycheck to paycheck as of 2024.

One of reasons: oversized car payments. “The car you drive can destroy your chance of building true wealth,” financial expert Ramit Sethi said during an episode of his podcast, I Will Teach You To Be Rich. “Car payments are one of the true wealth killers of today that nobody wants to talk about.”

As of the first quarter of 2024, the average monthly car payment is $735, according to Edmunds.

Like Bryson, 4.2% of all auto loan borrowers were paying more than $1,000 a month in payments, revealed data from Experian. That ratio has jumped significantly from 2020 when it was just 1.1%.

If this sounds unsustainable, that’s because it probably is for most people.

During the second quarter of 2024, one in four new vehicle sales with a trade-in had negative equity, according to Edmunds. That means a significant number of drivers on the road are upside down on their auto loans.

Borrowers like Bryson, who are clearly overburdened by their auto loan, often have reasons to justify the purchase. “I do a lot of driving,” he told Hammer, while overlooking the fact that the issue isn’t how much he’s driving, but how much he’s paying.

“In the United States of America, cars are a status symbol,” finance guru Dave Ramsey once said during an episode of The Ramsey Show. However, stretching your budget to keep a car you can’t afford is a clear sign of financial mismanagement, he added.

Read more: Cost-of-living in America is still out of control — use these 3 'real assets' to protect your wealth today, no matter what the US Fed does or says
Avoiding the auto trap

Driving is a necessity for many Americans and some need to travel more than others due to the nature of their work. However, even frequent drivers can avoid the auto loan trap by simply selecting cheaper vehicles.

A RAM 2500 diesel truck currently costs between $45,250 and $61,605, according to Edmunds. By comparison, a brand new Ford Maverick 2025 edition could cost around $27,990, according to Car and Driver. To tighten your wallet even further, a used truck would presumably cost even less.

Drivers like Bryson can significantly lower their monthly car payments by switching to cheaper (or used) vehicles without compromising on how much they travel.

In fact, Ramsey believes most drivers should attempt to eliminate the car payment altogether. He often encourages his viewers to avoid auto loans and pay for vehicles in cash.

“A lot of you spend a lot of money to impress people you will never meet with your car,” he said on an episode of The Ramsey Show.

“What most people mean when they say [I can afford it] is they think they can meet the payments if they can keep their job. Well, let me help you with a new definition of ‘I can afford it’: ‘I wrote a check and paid for it.’”

US Consumer Sentiment Rises to Six-Month High on Rate Relief

Vince Golle
Fri 25 October 2024 

(Bloomberg) -- Sentiment among US consumers increased in October to a six-month high as households grew more upbeat about buying conditions, partly because of cheaper financing costs.

The final October sentiment index rose to 70.5 from 70.1 a month earlier, according to the University of Michigan. The preliminary reading was 68.9.

Consumers expect prices will climb at an annual rate of 2.7% over the next year, unchanged from the prior month, the data out Friday showed. They see costs rising 3% on average over the next five to 10 years, down from 3.1% in the prior month.

The university’s measure of buying conditions for durable goods picked up to a four-month high as more than half of consumers indicated they expect further interest-rate relief in the coming year. That suggests consumer spending will remain resilient and help underpin the economy.

Moreover, expectations about household incomes rose to the highest level since June and respondents were more upbeat about the labor market.

“The share of consumers spontaneously mentioning high interest rates as a negative factor for buying conditions for homes, durable goods, and vehicles all fell,” Joanne Hsu, director of the survey, said in a statement.

At the same time, lower-income consumers continue to anticipate less income growth than those who earn more, the report showed.

The US presidential election in less than two weeks is also affecting expectations. The survey showed sentiment among Republican and independent voters increased to the highest levels since April, while confidence fell slightly among Democrats.

Those results may reflect growing confidence among Republicans that former President Donald Trump will prevail. A smaller share of consumers surveyed expect Vice President Kamala Harris to win.

The current conditions gauge rose to a four-month high of 64.9, while a measure of expectations eased slightly.

(Adds graphic)

'We're going to fight': Labrador residents protest expensive airfares, call for action

CBC
Sat, October 26, 2024 

Dena Rumbolt says she was prompted to protest airfares in Labrador after her husband needed to fly to St. John’s to be with his ill mother, but the flight was cancelled twice. (Darryl Dinn/CBC - image credit)

About 100 people holding Labrador flags and signs rallied outside the Wabush Airport on Saturday, calling for more affordable airfares and action from PAL Airlines and government.

The protest was about standing up for the needs of Labrador residents, who are fed up with paying expensive fares to fly in and out of the region, said organizer Dena Rumbolt.

"We need it, we deserve it. We're going to fight for it," Rumbolt told CBC News.

"There's power in numbers and everybody is backing this. Everybody is backing it because now the lead has started, so we'll see where it goes," she said.

Airfare costs in Labrador have risen by 33 per cent over the last five years, according to a fare analysis report commissioned by the Goose Bay Airport Corporation.

A crowd of 100 turned up at the Wabush Airport to protest high airfare and lack of services.

A crowd of 100 people turned up at the Wabush Airport to protest high airfare and lack of services. (Darryl Dinn/CBC)

There is a bigger financial impact for people flying out of Wabush, the home of Labrador's second largest airport, where prices have risen by 47 per cent.

There is also little competition in the region. PAL Airlines and its partner Air Borealis are the only carriers providing Labrador residents with air travel.

Family struggle

Rumbolt heard stories over the years about people's struggles with flying, she said. But it struck home when her mother-in-law, who was in St. John's, had a medical emergency. She booked her husband a flight but it was cancelled twice.

"We were like, 'OK, you know what? We're not going to get to see our mom now,'" she said. "That's what they were thinking before she passed."

The experience was frustrating and it prompted Rumbolt to start the protest, she said.

Noreen Careen says it is a financial struggle for seniors to fly in and out of Labrador.

Noreen Careen says it is a financial struggle for seniors to fly in and out of Labrador. (Darryl Dinn/CBC)

Noreen Careen also came out for the protest to show her support for getting more affordable airfare for the region, especially for seniors.

"Sometimes trying to get a senior out of here for medical appointments — it's practically impossible. We have to do fundraising at times," said Careen.

She has to fly for a medical appointment in November and is in the process of filing out the provincial medical transportation assistance program form to cover costs.

"I'm anxious to see how well it's going to work," said Careen.

She wants to see financial relief brought in to tackle the cost of airfare.

"It's practically gouging, what's taking place," said Careen, adding that there are people who can't afford to fly out of the region.

Kelley Albert said she recently saw a one-way ticket to St. John's for $953.

"That's just highway robbery," she said.

Her family will drive to another city, like Montreal, if they want to fly anywhere for vacation, she said.

Albert also wants to see more flights available. Sometimes, she said, people trying to fly because of family emergencies can't book a flight for days.

PAL meeting scheduled

On Friday, Premier Andrew Furey posted on social media that he met with PAL representatives and is seeking a meeting with federal Transport Minister Anita Anand to discuss airfare costs.

Labrador MP Yvonne Jones has also arranged a meeting between government representatives and PAL next week in St. John's. Rumbolt said she will be in attendance, too.

"We're going to fight hard," said Rumbolt.

NDP MHA Jordan Brown, who represents Labrador West, said he has not been invited to the meeting, alleging that the issue is being politicized.

He said he has been raising this issue for years.

Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown says he was not invited to a meeting between government, residents and PAL Airlines scheduled for next week.

Labrador West MHA Jordan Brown says he was not invited to a meeting between government, residents and PAL Airlines scheduled for next week. (Darryl Dinn/CBC)

"This has been a long-standing issue for Labradorians and we've been making a lot of noise — but now want to make more noise because we just had enough," he said.

It's the federal government that needs to step up to solve this problem, said Brown, adding that unequal air access impacts northern and rural communities across Canada, not just Labrador.

"They have to do their part, but it's just falling on deaf ears," said Brown.

Wabush Mayor Ron Barron also attended Saturday's protest to support the cause. He said people want an inquiry into airfare costs.

"Our provincial counterparts should be pushing for that inquiry," Barron said.

A Wabush town councillor will be in St. John's to attend the meeting with PAL, he said, but suggested regional MHAs should be invited as well.

Up next

Why do people still back Trump, after everything? 5 things to understand about MAGA supporters’ thinking

Alex Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark

Sun, October 27, 2024 at 8:03 a.m. MDT·6 min read

Supporters watch Donald Trump speak at a rally in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 2024. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

For many people, especially those leaning left, Donald Trump’s disqualifications to be president seem obvious, prompting some to question: How could anyone still vote for Trump?

Some of the evidence Trump’s critics cite include his two impeachments, multiple criminal indictments at the state and federal levels and a felony conviction. Opponents also say that Trump is a threat to democracy, a misogynist, racist, a serial liar and a rapist.

About 78% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning independent voters say that Trump broke the law when he allegedly tried to overturn the 2020 election results. But less than half of Republicans think he did anything wrong.

I am an anthropologist of peace and conflict, and I have been studying what I call the Trumpiverse since 2015, when Trump descended a golden escalator and announced his candidacy for president. I later wrote a related book in 2021, called “It Can Happen Here.”

More recently, I have been examining toxic polarization – and ways to stop it. Many efforts to reduce people’s polarized views begin with an injunction: Listen and understand.

Why are people voting for Trump?

To this end, I have attended Trump rallies, populist and nonpartisan events and meetings where Democrats and Republicans connect and talk. Along the way, I have spoken with Trump supporters ranging from the Make America Great Again, or MAGA, faithful to moderate “hold the nose and vote for him” conservatives.

And indeed, many on the left fail to understand who Trump voters are and how they vary. Trump’s base cannot simply be dismissed as racist “deplorables,” as Hillary Clinton famously said in 2016, or as country bumpkins in red MAGA hats. Trump voters trend older, white, rural, religious and less educated. But they include others outside those demographic groups.

Many people have thoughtful reasons for voting for Trump, even if their reasoning – as is also true for those on the left – is often inflamed by populist polarizers and media platforms.

Here are five key lines of reasoning that, in varying combinations, inform Trump voters’ choice.

Donald Trump speaks at a rally on July 31, 2024, in Harrisburg, Pa. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

1. Media distortion

Where those on the left see Trump’s many failings, those on the right may see what some political observers call Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes simply called TDS.

According to this line of argument, the left-leaning media dissects Trump’s every word, and the media then distorts what he says. I have found that some Trump supporters think that people who feed too much on this allegedly biased media diet can get TDS and develop a passionate, perhaps illogical dislike of Trump.

I have also heard hardcore Trump supporters argue, with no evidence, that such “fake news” media outlets, like CNN, are part of a larger deep state plot of the federal government to upend the will of the people. This plot, according to those who propagate it, includes not just leftists, government bureaucrats and people who claim to be Republicans, but really aren’t, but also people in law enforcement.

Some Trump supporters also see merit in his contention that he is being wrongly persecuted, just like some see the Jan. 6 defendants being persecuted.

2. Bread on the table, money in the bank

“Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

For many Trump voters, the answer to Ronald Reagan’s famous question is clear: “No.” They accurately remember Trump’s term as one of tax cuts, economic growth and stock market highs.

It is true that overall employment numbers and average pay went up under President Joe Biden. But for some Trump supporters, that economic boost pales in comparison to the massive surge in inflation during Biden’s term, with prices rising almost 20%. While the inflation rate has recently abated, prices remain high – as voters are reminded of every day at the grocery store.

Polls also show that Trump has a strong lead over Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris on how they would handle the economy, which is a top concern for voters, especially Republicans.

3. A border invasion

Another reason some Americans want to vote for Trump: immigration.

Like inflation, the number of people illegally crossing the border soared under Biden.

This massive influx of “illegal aliens,” as Trump calls them, dropped to its lowest level in four years in July 2024. This happened after the Biden administration made it harder for immigrants to apply for asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border, a policy measure that is in line with many Republicans’ approach.

In 2022, a poll found 7 out of 10 Republicans worried that “open borders” were part of a Democratic plot to expand liberals’ power by replacing conservative white people with nonwhite foreigners.

Trump has played into some people’s mostly false concerns that immigrants living illegally in the U.S. are freeloaders and won’t assimilate, as illustrated by recent – untrue – allegations that immigrants are eating pets in Ohio.

In 2022, 82% of Republicans said they viewed immigration as a “very important” issue. Trump continues to tout his proposed solution, which includes shutting the border, building a wall and deporting 11 million immigrants who are living in the U.S. without legal authorization.

People attend a Donald Trump rally in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 2024. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

4. A proven record

Some Trump voters simply compare the records of Trump and Biden-Harris and find that the tally tilts firmly toward Trump.

And it’s not just about the economy and immigration.

There were no new wars under Trump. Biden-Harris, in contrast, are saddled with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip. Trump supporters’ perception is that American taxpayers foot a large portion of the bill, even though other countries are also giving money to Ukraine, and Israel is actually buying weapons from the U.S.

I have found that Trump supporters also think he is better suited to deal with the rising power and threat of China.

5. The MAGA bull in a china shop

While some Harris supporters lament Trump’s destruction of democracy and decency in politics, I have found that Trump voters see a charismatic MAGA bull in a china shop.

It is precisely because Trump is an unrelenting pugilist, or a fighter – as he showed when he raised a fist after the assassination attempt against him in July – that he should be elected, his supporters believe.

Some even view him as savior – who will save the U.S. from a “radical left” apocalypse.

For such Trump stalwarts, MAGA is not simply a slogan. In the Trumpiverse, it is a movement to save an America that is on the brink of failure.

---

Read more: Why would people vote for Kamala Harris? 5 things to understand about why her supporters back her

---

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Alex Hinton, Rutgers University - Newark

Read more:

• How sheriffs define law and order for their counties depends a lot on their views − and most are white Republican men

• I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to understand Trump’s base − they believe, more than ever, he is a savior

• How a divided America, including the 15% who are ‘MAGA Republicans,’ splits on QAnon, racism and armed patrols at polling places

Google to develop AI that takes over computers, The Information reports

Illustration shows Google logo and AI Artificial Intelligence words 

Reuters
Sat, October 26, 2024

(Reuters) - Alphabet's Google is developing artificial intelligence technology that takes over a web browser to complete tasks such as research and shopping, The Information reported on Saturday.

Google is set to demonstrate the product code-named Project Jarvis as soon as December with the release of its next flagship Gemini large language model, the report added, citing people with direct knowledge of the product.

Microsoft backed OpenAI also wants its models to conduct research by browsing the web autonomously with the assistance of a “CUA,” or a computer-using agent, that can take actions based on its findings, Reuters reported in July.

Anthropic and Google are trying to take the agent concept a step further with software that interacts directly with a person’s computer or browser, the report said.

Google didn’t immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar, Editing by Franklin Paul)

Commonwealth nations adopt their first ocean declaration

KEIRAN SMITH and AYAKA MCGILL
Updated Sat, October 26, 2024 

Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa addresses the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)

APIA, Samoa (AP) — Commonwealth countries adopted Saturday their first ocean declaration during their summit held for the first time in the Pacific island nation of Samoa as calls from some of Britain’s former colonies for reparatory justice for the trans-Atlantic slave trade grew louder.

The Apia Ocean Declaration was announced during the closing session of the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, or CHOGM, and calls on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect the ocean in the face of severe climate, pollution and overexploitation.

More than half the Commonwealth members are small countries like Samoa, many face significant, some even existential, threats from rising seas.



While the environmental threat was foreshadowed as a predominant theme going into the summit, the transatlantic slave trade from Britain’s colonial history dominated the discourse through the opening days.

‘A line in the sand’ declaration

The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common focuses on recognizing maritime boundaries amid sea-level rise, protecting 30% of oceans and restoring degraded marine ecosystems by 2030, and urgently finalizing the Global Plastics Treaty. It also calls for ratifying the high-seas biodiversity treaty, developing coastal climate adaptation plans, and strengthening support for sustainable blue economies.

Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said in a statement released by her office that it was fitting for “our first ocean declaration” to be adopted "in the Blue Pacific continent given climate change has been recognised as the single greatest threat to the security and well-being of our people.”



The Commonwealth represents a third of the world’s population, and 49 of its 56 countries have a coastline. The organization says 25 of its members are increasingly impacted by climate change, rising sea levels, growing temperatures and increasing ocean acidity – impacting sea life, ecosystems and the communities that depend upon them.

Mata’afa said the declaration must become “a line in the sand” for the world to collectively transform “ocean exploitation into protection and sustainable stewardship.”

Outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland said in a statement they were “immensely proud of this achievement” which "sets the standard for forthcoming international meetings, generating momentum for ocean protection as we head towards COP29 in Azerbaijan in November, and next year’s UN Ocean Conference"."

Slavery justice conversation to continue



Calls from some of Britain's former colonies for a reckoning over its role in the transatlantic slave trade was the thorniest issue at the summit and specifically reparatory justice.

At its height in the 18th century, Britain was the world’s biggest slave-trading nation and transported more than 3 million Africans across the Atlantic. Its legacy is interwoven in some of the country’s richest and most revered institutions — from the Church of England to the insurance giant Lloyd’s of London to the monarchy itself.

King Charles III, who attended his first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting as sovereign, said in his address on Friday history couldn't be changed but that he understood “the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate.”

Although he stopped short of mentioning financial reparations, which some leaders at the event urged, his remarks were seen as an acknowledgment of how strongly many felt about the issue in countries that Britain once colonized.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had entered the summit vowing the U.K. would not offer an apology for slavery or discuss reparations. He left with that promise mostly intact, though the final communique called for discussion of the matter.

The 52-point official Leaders Statement on Saturday included a paragraph that urged a “meaningful, truthful, respectful conversation” to build a fair future. The communique also directed the Commonwealth secretary-general to engage governments and stakeholders in reparatory justice consultations, with a special focus on the impact on women and girls.

Earlier in the week, Starmer suggested that opening the door to a conversation about reparations could lead to “very, very long endless discussions.”

“(The communique) agrees that this is the time for conversation,” Starmer said at a press conference in Apia on Saturday. “But I should be really clear here. In the two days we’ve been here, none of the discussions have been about money. Our position is very, very clear in relation to that.”

“Let me first be clear that the slave trade, slave practice, was abhorrent, and it’s very important we start from there. Abhorrent is the right word.”

Earlier Saturday, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Ghanaian foreign minister, was announced as the incoming secretary-general of the Commonwealth.

Botchwey, who has urged financial reparations for the past enslavement of colonized people, replaces Patricia Scotland of the United Kingdom, who had been in the post since 2016.

Antigua and Barbuda was also announced as the host for the next CHOGM in 2026.

—

Smith reported from Newcastle, Australia. Associated Press writers Charlotte Graham-McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, and Brian Melley in London, contributed to this report.

Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, left, and Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa attend the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left to right, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe attend the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, center, attends the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Samoa's Prime Minister, Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa addresses the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa addresses the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, center, addresses the final press conference, flanked by Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, left, Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, second left, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, second right, and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon arrives for the Leaders' Retreat during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left to right, Malaysia's Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe attend the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

From left, Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland and Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe attend the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Malta's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ian Borg, left, and Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, center, and Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland attend the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland, left, chats with Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe during the final press conference at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (William West/Pool Photo via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ukrainian official says full Russian withdrawal needed to establish peace

THE BOTTOM LINE

Reuters
Fri, October 25, 2024 

Copenhagen Democracy Summit

(Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff said on Friday that a full withdrawal of Russian troops, and not just peace talks, were essential to ending his country's more than 2-1/2-year-old war against Moscow.

The chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, was addressing an international meeting devoted to implementing a peace plan, one of several gatherings staged as a follow-up to last June's world "peace summit" hosted by Switzerland.

"Don't expect this war to end when the warring sides begin to talk to each other," Yermak told the gathering, according to the president's website. "Don't be deceived. This war will end when the last soldier of the occupying army returns home."



The gathering was attended in person in Kyiv and online by representatives of 56 countries and organisations.

Yermak told the meeting that concerted international pressure on Russia should set a precedent.

"This will prove to the entire world that the pursuit of international conquests in the 21st century is immoral and senseless. Whatever has been seized will have to be returned to the rightful owners," he was quoted as saying.

The international community, he said, had to prove stronger than any aggressor, "however strong that aggressor might be".

The conference has been devoted to the points of Zelenskiy's "peace formula" first presented in late 2022, which also include restoration of Ukraine's 1991 post-Soviet borders and a means to bring Russia to account for its invasion.

In his nightly video address, Zelenskiy restated his determination to hold a second summit to help bring a "just end" to the war. He has called for a meeting to be held by the end of 2024.

Russia, uninvited to the June summit, has said it will attend no similar meetings, though Zelenskiy has said he wants Moscow to be present at the next gathering.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking prior to the June summit, said Russia was willing to hold talks but Ukraine must first recognise as Moscow's territory the four Ukrainian regions it annexed months after the February 2022 invasion.

Moscow has since ruled out any talks while Ukrainian troops remain in Russia's southern Kursk region, where it launched an incursion in August.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski and Oleksandr Kozhukhar; Editing by Leslie Adler)

AMERIKA

1960s civil rights protesters who staged historic sit-in finally have arrest records cleared

JEFFREY COLLINS
Fri 25 October 2024 

  

Charles Barr, foreground, speaks to Judge Robert Hood during a hearing where Barr's record was cleared after he was arrested in 1960 for sitting at an all-white South Carolina lunch counter on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Collins)

Simon Bouie told his mother and grandmother he wasn't going to get in trouble back in 1960. Then the Black Benedict College student sat at a whites-only lunch counter in South Carolina and got himself arrested.

Finally on Friday, that arrest and the records of six of his friends were erased as a judge signed an order during a ceremony in a Columbia courthouse just a few blocks from where he sat at that segregated table some 64 years before.

Bouie remembered that promise as he went into the Eckerd Drug Store. He knew the governor at the time had warned African American college students not to get involved with "hot-headed agitators" and “confused lawyers” who were insisting all people were equal no matter the color of their skin.

“We had a desire to fight for what was right and nobody could turn us around. We walked in that building with our heads held high and sat down,” Bouie said.

Sitting down changed the world. Columbia wasn't where the first sit-in, an act of disobedience, happened. The movement started in Greensboro, North Carolina, and spread through the South in the early 1960s.

Several Southern cities have held similar expungement ceremonies in recent years as the young people who risked arrest and marring their record are now older men and women. U.S. Rep. and one-time House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn loved to tell the story of how he met his wife of nearly six decades, Emily, in jail after they were both arrested at a protest.

Back then, Black people would sometimes sit at an all-white lunch counter and refuse to leave. They were often arrested and then refused to pay bail. Jails became crowded. They were put on chain gangs. There was pressure to speak up and change the laws. And segregation was slowly, and sometimes violently, chipped away.

Only two of the seven men arrested over two days of protests in Columbia are still alive. On Friday, Bouie and Charles Barr both walked slowly around the Richland County courtroom with canes. The other five men — David Carter, Johnny Clark, Richard Counts, Milton Greene and Talmadge Neal — have since died, so were represented at another table at the front of the courtroom by white roses.

Barr remembered the fear that day riding in the back of a police car not sure if he was going to be taken to jail or somewhere else. He had heard stories. He left the state for a while because of the racial strife. But then he came back.

“It made me feel good we were a part of this movement that had helped to make everything easier for everyone to get along a little better in South Carolina,” Barr said.

University of South Carolina professor Bobby Donaldson spoke on behalf of the five men who died. He said they were true Americans, putting the importance of the Constitution and equality over their own freedom to ensure a better life for the next generation.

“In 1960 they were victimized. Today they are vindicated. In 1960 they were prosecuted. Today they are praised. In 1960 they were convicted. Today they are exonerated,” Donaldson said.

The arrests and convictions of the seven men went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices threw out their convictions just days before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law. But the arrests remained on their records.

Solicitor Byron Gipson handled the paperwork to investigate the arrests and get the expungement before a judge.

“These men stood bravely — sat bravely, quite frankly — in the face of adversity, in the face of threats, in the face of death," Gipson said. “They did it because they wanted to guarantee the Constitution applied to all Americans.”

Gipson then walked the paperwork up to Judge Robert Hood who signed it to applause from the packed courtroom of around 150 people.

“These heroes stood firm against oppression often at great personal cost. They dared to dream of a world where equality is not an aspiration, but a reality. Their unwavering commitment to justice serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration to us all," Hood said.

The arrests didn't keep the men from finishing college and leading successful lives. But Bouie said there was one place he was reminded of it.

“When I would get in trouble at home, my wife would say to me, ‘now you talk to me that way again, I’m going down to Richland County court. You have a case. And you're in big trouble. I don't want to hear another word,'" Bouie said to laughter. "That went on for 53 years.”

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