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In late 2016, Russian President Vladimir Putin prevented former U.S. President Barack Obama's attempt to pass a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution demanding Israel relinquish the West Bank territories and accept a two-state resolution based on 1948 borders, freshly declassified documents appear to show.

The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday that phone conversations between U.S. President Donald Trump's former adviser Michael Flynn and former Russian UN Ambassador Sergey Kislyak confirm that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied both the Kremlin and the incoming Trump administration to curb the initiative he perceived as incompatible with Israel's long-term security needs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-U.S. President Barak Obama during a G20 meeting in 2016

(Photo: EPA)

Israel, it appears, learned of the planned move while working against the Obama administration-coordinated UNSC Resolution 2334, the first resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy. Memorably, the U.S. abstained from voting, enabling the resolution's passage, in one of Obama's last acts as president.

Then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in Davos in 2016

(Photo: GPO)

The U.S. has traditionally served as Israel's diplomatic protector, shielding it from resolutions it opposes; the abstention thus came as a shock, drawing harsh reactions from Israeli officials, who described it as an endorsement of "an extreme anti-Israeli resolution behind Israels back which would be a tailwind for terror and boycotts.

Israel Hayom reported earlier this week that Netanyahu contacted Putin after learning about Obama's plan, saying such a development could destabilize the ever-fragile power equilibrium in the Middle East. The two leaders had been in close contact to coordinate military and security issues relating to Russia's presence in Syria.

Former U.S. adviser Michael Flynn

(Photo: AP)

Transcripts of the Kislyak-Flynn conversations cited by the Jerusalem Post quoted the Russian official as saying "we wanted to convey to you and through you to the president-elect that we have significant reservations about the idea of adopting now the principles for the Middle East that our American colleagues are pushing for."

Obama's Secretary of State John Kerry subsequently realized that a Russia veto spelled the end to their hopes of passing the resolution.

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Report: Putin nixed Obama initiative to create Palestinian state within 1948 borders - Ynetnews

I'm a change-maker. There is a point in every change-maker's life when she decides that she's going to stop complaining about the current state of affairs and do something about it. I was fed up hearing statistic after statistic about the gap in access to capital for women-led businesses, so I decided to do something about it. Based on my passion, we were able to attract enough investors, team members, capital providers, and supporters to gather $500 million in financing for women-led ventures through EnrichHE

EnrichHER is a tech-enabled platform that provides training, resources, and business financing to help women-led businesses grow. In 2019, we launched the business financing platform component so that we could fund traditional women-led companies in both consumer products like dog treats, health and beauty as well as services such as salons and accounting. Within the first few months, EnrichHER deployed its first $3 million in financing and was ready to scale up to $50 million+ in 2020.

We didn't have any data yet. But what we did have was passion, purpose, and validity in the market.

But before we launched, we had to get capital providers on board to finance women-led business. Our initial goal was to access $10 million for our first set of companies; but we were ecstatic to find that we could create pathways to so much more. Our strategy included meeting with executive-level teams at tech-enabled business financing platforms to see if they wanted to work with us. They already had the data that corroborated women's lower loss risk as compared to our male counterparts. As such, we met with several tech-enabled companies, shared our statistics and mission, and they were happy to work with us.

This strategy took a while to implement, because EnrichHER's financing platform was still in pre-launch. This means that we didn't have any data yet. But what we did have was passion, purpose, and validity in the market. We were able to use these traits to secure meetings, partnerships, and the capital that we needed to grow. But we didn't stop there.

I was fed up hearing statistic after statistic about the gap in access to capital for women-led businesses, so I decided to do something about it.

Our platform is regulated by the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) to allow retail investors to lend directly to women-led ventures on our platform. But we wanted qualified everyday people to be the ones to decide if a business is worthy of financing. By doing this, we would open up small business investing to an often overlooked set of consumers. This means that communities could decide which businesses they would support, and those discriminated against by the typical financing ecosystem would have a new way to access capital.

It wasn't easy accomplishing this. Not only is it strategically difficult, but it's hard to find people who are willing to open up their mind to working with businesses that are not run by white founders. In my article, How Discrimination in Venture Capital Led me to Techstars, I share how when I presented myself to white male decision-makers, they would automatically assume I wasn't qualified. I would start off each meeting telling them about my Ph.D. in computer engineering and finance, that I was the youngest director at a consulting firm managing a staff of 50 by the age of 27, and that I had won numerous awards ranging from 40 under 40 to the Top Disruptors in Tech. However, more often than not, I was told that I needed the help of someone else to enact my visionmaybe a white male who just finished his undergraduate degree, someone more "technical," or one of their friends.

So although the industry acknowledges that change is needed, the belief persists that the only ones who can successfully create that change are the same type of people who created the problem. I accepted that this was and is still true even if people are mission-aligned. As such, I recognized that my path wouldn't look like anyone else's. I decided to use my superpowers to access the capital that we needed so we could get money into the hands of women in business.

One of my superpowers is being loud online.

With my 72,000 followers, I created a campaign to attract supporters of women-led businesses that would advocate for our mission. By doing that, we were able to attract qualified women-led ventures, investors, supporters, and media opportunities.

Another one of my superpowers is that I love public speaking.

I love being on stage and sharing my passion with others. I started traveling around the country speaking at events and pitching in pitch competitions to drum up support for EnrichHER. We received an investor and/or strategic partner from 100% of my speaking engagements.

Also, you'd don't obtain a PhD in engineering and finance without knowing how to impress people with your schoolwork. I used my straight-A superpowers to create compelling decks, materials, and email responses so that I had the best shot possible with people who made decisions based on the quality of materials.

Another superpower that I have is that I'm generally an excellent candidate for recognition through awards. With my history of awards, my intelligence, my educational background, and my likeness, I'm typically overqualified for external recognition. As such, for organizations that have a scoring rubric that matches what I'm about, I created a strategy to collect as many awards as possible. This additional validation opened up doors to potential strategic partnerships and capital providers.

All that I know is that I've been underestimated my entire life and no award, recognition, salary achievement, or external factor has changed how the masses will treat a black woman in FinTech. However, I decided to go around the masses and find my own advocates so that I could achieve my goals without them. This is the way that I've made everything in my life, and this is the way I will continue to win.

For other entrepreneurs, while it's good to learn about the journey of others on their paths to success, it's also important to remember that your way may or may not resemble that of anyone else. What this means is that it's best to look inwards and use your superpowers to get what you want.

This article was originally published in January 2020.

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Douglas A. McIntyre, 24/7 Wall Street Published 10:00 a.m. ET June 17, 2020

Former President Barack Obama talked with local and national leaders in the police reform movement to discuss the tragic events of recent weeks. USA TODAY Handout

Former President Barack Obama doesn't tweet much, probably as little as once a day. However, he has more followers on Twitter than anyone else in the world. His total followers numbered 117.7 million, according to Brandwatch.

@BarackObama, who according to updated figures on Twitter has more than 119 million followers,describes himself as "Dad, husband, President, citizen" in that order. Most of his tweets recently have been about social justice. He has focused heavily on his optimism for the future, mostly based on the actions of young people.

In a recent tweet, Obama noted that "over the past few weeks, we've seen young people in every corner of the country step up and become leaders. Through organization and mobilization, they're showing us how we can sustain this momentum to bring about real change."

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Like many of the most widely followed people or organizations on Twitter, the former president can reach tens of millions of people. No other conduit to the public has anywhere close to those figures.

The people who have the most followers after @BarackObama are an odd mix, mostly singers and entertainers (all with updated numbers).

Justin Bieber posted a message against racism along with a video of the Floyd incident onInstagram on May 26."THIS MUST STOP,"he wrote."this makes me absolutely sick. This makes me angry this man DIED. This makes me sad. Racism is evil We need to use our voice! Please people. Im sorry GEORGE FLOYD"(Photo: Cindy Ord, Getty Images for MTV)

Second on the list, @justinbieber posts about social justice as well. However, many of his tweets are about the success of his songs, specifically on Spotify. Bieber had 112 million followers.

Singer Katy Perry ranks third with 108.4million followers. She was, according to some sources, the first person to have 100 million followers.

Fourth on the list, Rihanna, had 97.1 million followers. She promotes clothing and cosmetics, as much as anything else. (However, recently, the singer has voiced more concerns about racial injustice.)

In fifth place, singer Taylor Swift had 86.5million followers. Recently she has tweeted about the need to take down the statues of Confederate generals.

Cristiano Ronaldo is sixth on the list and the top sports figure. He had 85.6 million followers. He tweets almost exclusively about his athletic prowess and family life. Many consider Ronaldo to be the best soccer player in the world. By many measures, it is the most popular sport worldwide.

President Donald Trump has gained followers recently, building up to 82.2 million, which would move him up to seventh place.

Singer and movie star Lady Gagais next on the list with 81.6 million followers, followed by Ellen DeGeneres, who has 80 million.

The highest-ranked media company is CNN Breaking News, with 58 million followers. That is good enough for 16th place.

Back at first place, Obama has been out of office since 2017. His public presence and popularity do not appear to have declined much, at least as measured by Twitter.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/06/17/barack-obama-leads-twitter-list-with-1177-million-followers/111956834/

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Who is tops on Twitter? Barack Obama leads the list with more than 119 million followers - USA TODAY

Former first lady Michelle ObamaMichelle LeVaughn Robinson ObamaThe Hill's Morning Report - Treasury, Fed urge more spending, lending to ease COVID-19 wreckage Budowsky: Michelle Obama or Tammy Duckworth for VP Michelle Obama urges class of 2020 to couple protesting with mobilizing, voting MORE released a statement Friday marking Juneteenth, the annual holiday commemorating the abolishment of slavery in the U.S.

Most of us were taught that slavery came to an end when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. But as is so often the case, the full promise of this country was delayed for segments of the African-American community. And for enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, freedom didnt come until June 19, 1865, Obama shared on Twitter.

Here's what #Juneteenth means to me: pic.twitter.com/KlOoYwdzD5

On that date, Union Gen. Gordon Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation to former slaves in Galveston. Texas was the final state where the order was read after first being issued by Lincoln two years earlier.

Obama said Friday that what she loves about Juneteenth is that even in that extended wait, we still find something to celebrate.

Even though the story has never been tidy, and Black folks have had to march and fight for every inch of our freedom, our story is nonetheless one of progress, she said.

The former first lady saidher own grandfathers, who were the grandchildren ofslaves, grew up during the Jim Crow era in the south and migrated north in search of a better life.

But even then, they were still shut out of jobs and schools and opportunities because of the color of their skin. But they pressed forward with dignity and with purpose, raising good kids, contributing to their communities, and voting in every election. And though they didnt live to see it themselves, I can see the smiles on their faces knowing that their great-granddaughters ended up playing ball in the halls of the White House a magnificent structure built by enslaved Americans, she said.

All across the country, there are so many more parts to this story the generations of families whose work and service and protest has led us forward, even if the promise we seek is often delayed. This Juneteenth, lets all pledge to keep using our voices and our votes to keep that story marching forward for our own children, and theirs, Obama added.

Former President Obama issued official Juneteenth proclamations yearly during his time in office. On Friday,he called the day a celebration of progress on Twitter.

It's an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possibleand there is still so much work to do, he shared.

Juneteenth has never been a celebration of victory, or an acceptance of the way things are. It's a celebration of progress. It's an affirmation that despite the most painful parts of our history, change is possibleand there is still so much work to do.https://t.co/5XCRdnk3iR

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Michelle Obama on Juneteenth: 'Work and service and protest has led us forward' | TheHill - The Hill

In the wake of community calls to reexamine policing in Redwood City, the city has proposed a budget for next fiscal year that wont immediately change current police service levels but allows for modifications in October based upon a community input process that will run from July through September.

In addition, the city is also proposing immediate steps by the council, including endorsement of the Obama Foundation Mayors Pledge to review and reform police policies via a community engagement process, and to increase the frequency of racial and cultural diversity training for city police from every five years to every two years.

In response to community requests to demilitarize police, the city proposes to return a military tactical vehicle donated by the federal government in 2013. Also recommended is a prohibition of the use of carotid restraint, a type of vascular neck restraint, except in cases where deadly force would be authorized.

Neck restraint tactics have come under increasing scrutiny after Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of George Floyd for nearly nine minutes, causing sustained asphyxiation that resulted in his death. Floyds death sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and racial injustice, including a large, peaceful demonstration in Courthouse Square in Redwood City on June 2.

Along with the above proposals, the city wants to preserve art related to the June 2 Black Live Matters protest and develop a temporary display that includes information and resources on racism. The display will initially appear at the Main Library Parking lot and move to other community locations.

The list of proposals comes after the city faced criticism over what some in the community perceived as an overly scripted Virtual Town Hall meeting on June 10 on community policing. Over 500 people participated in the virtual town hall involving the mayor, vice mayor, city manager and police chief. The city received hundreds of inquiries both during the meeting and over the last few weeks on the topic of police reform the most City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz said she has seen on any other topic.

People want to talk to us right now, Diaz said. They really just want to share their concerns, they want to share their hopes for the future.

The city manager said the virtual town hall made it clear that we need to have more ways for us to listen.

Through September, Diaz envisions a robust public outreach process on police reform. While still done virtually for safety reasons, the process will likely feature smaller groups to better facilitate dialogue between city representatives and residents. The city managers hope is that priorities and themes will emerge from the discussions that can be put into action when council reviews a revised budget in October.

Question is, what will the city be able to afford? Like many cities, Redwood City is projecting budget deficits due to the COVID-19 shelter in place period. City officials dont yet know the full impact that will be caused by reduced tax revenue from local businesses amid the lockdown.

While council is required to pass a budget by June 30, the city has for months been planning to push big decisions on service changes until the fall, when the COVID-19 economic impacts become clearer.

We dont have a good way to predict what this recession is going to be like, Diaz said, adding the city has taken steps to limit spending and save money.

Meanwhile, the city wants to spend the next few months addressing community needs and concerns so they are factored into the budget discussion in October, Diaz said. Not only does the city need to address community concerns over racial injustice, it needs to respond to a new normal posed by the health pandemic, Diaz said.

Weve already been thinking wed need to reshape city services in some way, she said. The current climate is providing more ideas as to what we need to meet the communitys needs better.

Diaz added that shes heartened by the outpouring of community participation inspired by a national call for reform, including from those newly engaging with the city.

This is a critical time for communities nationwide to listen, learn and act to address racial inequality, she said, adding, We are committed to truly hearing from our community, and taking positive steps forward.

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Redwood City proposes signing Obama Foundation pledge to reform police - Climate Online