The Coup Has Failed & Now the US Is Looking to Wage War: Venezuelan Foreign Minister Speaks Out

Venezuela’s opposition is calling on the United States and allied nations to consider using military force to topple the government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is heading to Bogotá, Colombia, today to meet with regional leaders and Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president, opposition leader Juan Guaidó. The meeting follows a dramatic weekend that saw the Venezuelan military blocking the delivery of so-called humanitarian aid from entering the country at the Colombian and Brazilian borders. At least four people died, and hundreds were injured, after clashes broke out between forces loyal to Maduro and supporters of the opposition. The United Nations, the Red Cross and other relief organizations have refused to work with the U.S. on delivering aid to Venezuela, which they say is politically motivated. Venezuela has allowed aid to be flown in from Russia and from some international organizations, but it has refused to allow in aid from the United States, describing it as a Trojan horse for an eventual U.S. invasion. On Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro’s days in office are numbered. We speak with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, who has recently held secret talks with Trump’s special envoy Elliott Abrams.

Bigger Than Five Review 2017

Conversion by Aversion? Featuring Arnoud van Doorn, Former Member of the Dutch Freedom Party

‘I Felt the Hatred’, Says Philosopher Attacked by Gilets Jaunes

THE OBSERVER: Alain Finkielkraut says the protester who screamed ‘go back to Tel Aviv’ is part of a new wave of antisemitism

The French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut is at home: an airy apartment with walls packed floor to ceiling with books in one of Paris’s more chic arrondissements.

Today, however, the writer and commentator does not feel entirely at home in France. That feeling was heightened dramatically when, last weekend, a gilet jaune protester shouted at him that he was a “dirty Zionist shit” who should “go back to Tel Aviv”.

“I am home, but not to these people. Those who shout ‘go back to Tel Aviv’ believe Israel is stolen land, so what they are saying is that I have no place here, I have no place there … that I have no place on earth,” he told the Observer.

It is all part of what he calls “new winds blowing across Europe. Where are they taking us? Nobody knows,” he said. “It’s very worrying.” » | Kim Willsher in Paris | Sunday, February 24, 2019

How Much of a Problem Is Anti-Semitism in Europe? l Inside Story

French President Emmanuel Macron introduced a bill this week that would make anti-Zionism a criminal offence. Anti-Semitism, hostility and prejudice directed against Jewish people, is already illegal in France.

Anti-Zionism, opposition to the state of Israel, could now follow. Elsewhere in Europe, 12 MPs resigned from their parties in the UK, citing the failure to deal with anti-Semitism as one of the reasons. The EU says hate speech and harassment are becoming the new norm. So why are Jewish people being singled out?

Presenter: Hoda Abdelhamid | Guests Yossi Mekelburg, professor in International Relations at Regent's University; Michal Bilewicz, Chair at the Center for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw; Hugo Drochon, Political Theorist at the University of Nottingham

Maduro bricht die diplomatischen Beziehungen zu Kolumbien ab – die neuesten Entwicklungen in Venezuela im Überblick

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der Streit um die humanitäre Hilfe droht zu eskalieren.

Der venezolanische Präsident Nicolás Maduro hat am Samstag bekannt gegeben, dass Venezuela die diplomatischen Beziehungen zum Nachbarland Kolumbien abgebrochen habe. Bei einer Kundgebung in der Hauptstadt Caracas kritisierte Maduro am Samstag, die «faschistische Regierung von Kolumbien». Diese habe die vom selbsternannten Übergangspräsidenten Juan Guaidó initiierten ausländischen Hilfslieferungen nach Venezuela aktiv unterstützt. Deswegen müssten alle diplomatischen Vertreter des Nachbarlandes Venezuela binnen 24 Stunden verlassen, sagte Maduro. » | Tobias Sedlmaier, Boas Ruh (Agenturen) | Samstag, 23. Februar 2019

Opinion: The Grave Threats of White Supremacy and Far-Right Extremism

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Hate crimes are on the rise. Police and prosecutors need better tools to fight back.

Last week, federal agents in Maryland arrested a United States Coast Guard officer and said he was plotting to assassinate Democratic members of Congress, prominent television journalists and others. The officer, Lt. Christopher Hasson, apparently was inspired by a right-wing Norwegian terrorist who slaughtered 77 people in 2011, stockpiled firearms and ammunition and researched locations around Washington to launch his attacks, according to investigators. Fortunately, the F.B.I. arrested him before he could act.

This frightening case is just one of several recent reminders that white supremacy and far-right extremism are among the greatest domestic-security threats facing the United States. » | Thomas T. Cullen | Mr. Cullen is the United States attorney for the Western District of Virginia. | Friday, February 22, 2019

Saudi Crown Prince Defends China's Right to Put Uighur Muslims in Concentration Camps

THE TELEGRAPH: Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’’s crown prince, on Friday defended China’s use of concentration camps for Muslims, saying it was Beijing’s “right”.

"China has the right to carry out anti-terrorism and de-extremisation work for its national security,” Prince Mohammed, who has been in China signing multi-million trade deals much to the annoyance of his Western allies, was quoted as saying on Chinese state television.

Xi Jinping, China’s leader, told the crown prince the two countries must strengthen international cooperation on de-radicalisation to “prevent the infiltration and spread of extremist thinking”. » | Telegraph Reporters | Friday, February 22, 2019

Jared Kushner Heads Overseas To Suck Up To Saudi Royal Family

UN Concludes Journalist Khashoggi Murder Was Premeditated by Saudi Arabia Leadership

Via America’s Lawyer: UN investigators have concluded that not only did the Saudi Arabia's leadership have journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed, but that the murder was premeditated. Mike Papantonio and Trial Magazine Executive Editor Farron Cousins discuss.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 22, 2019

Chuka Umunna MP on Leaving Labour, a New Centrist Party and a Second Brexit Referendum

Chuka Umunna is one of the leading members of the new Independent Group - one of now 11 MPs to leave the traditional parties to forge what they call a new centre ground in politics. He talks to Krishnan about what motivated him to take the leap, what an alternative to left/right politics might look like and why he thinks Britain should stay in the EU.

Maajid Explains Why Love Kept Him Sane after Racist Attack

Maajid Nawaz explains why he will not 'harbour hatred' after he was subjected to a violent racist attack. Phil Campion says the assault Maajid suffered was "completely inexcusable".

Church of England Makes Sunday Services Non-compulsory

THE GUARDIAN: Synod approves change to ease burden on rural priests, who may have up to 20 churches

The Church of England has dropped a centuries-old requirement for all churches to hold weekly Sunday services.

Its general synod, meeting in London this week, formally approved a change to canon law to relax the requirement for morning and evening prayer in every parish church every Sunday.

The change, which will also apply to services of Holy Communion, will mainly affect parishes with small and declining congregations in rural areas.

Most rural priests have multiple benefices, with some in charge of up to 20 churches, but were required to maintain regular services even if only a handful of worshippers turned up. » | Harriet Sherwood, Religion correspondent | Thursday, February 21, 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 21, 2019

Trump Admin’s Secretive Talks to Sell Saudi Arabia Nuclear Technology Spark New Fear of Arms Race

House Democrats are accusing the Trump administration of moving toward transferring highly sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of US law. Critics say the deal could endanger national security while enriching close allies of President Trump. Saudi Arabia is considering building as many as 16 nuclear power plants by 2030, but many critics fear the Kingdom could use the technology to develop nuclear weapons and trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. We speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna of California and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter with ProPublica. Arnsdorf first wrote about the intense and secretive lobbying effort to give nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in 2017. His reporting was cited in the House report.

Antisemitism at Worst Levels Since Second World War, Says Macron

THE GUARDIAN: French president says his party will introduce legislation to combat hate speech online

Antisemitism appears to have reached its worst levels since the second world war, Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets in France to denounce hate crimes.

The French government is to adopt the intergovernmental organisation International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and propose a law to stop hate speech being circulated online, the French president said.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the Jewish organisation Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (Crif), Macron said his country and other parts of Europe had in recent years seen “a resurgence of antisemitism that is probably unprecedented since [the second world war]”. » | Agencies | Thursday, February 21, 2019

Can Bernie Sanders Win against Donald Trump? l Inside Story

In 2016, Bernie Sanders started what he called a 'revolution' as an independent candidate. He ran for US president on a platform of progressive ideas such as free healthcare for all but eventually lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton.

The 77-year-old is making a second attempt, launching his campaign to be Democratic candidate in 2020 and believes he still has what it takes to win the White House. He's described Donald Trump as the most dangerous president in modern American history.

The list for the Democratic primary looks a crowded one and one of the most diverse ever. At least 12 candidates have confirmed they'll run so far - dozens more have still to decide.

There are already a record number of women, vast age differences between candidates, and ethnic minorities. But have any of them got what it will take to face up to Trump?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Jeffrey Stacey - Former State Department Official in the Obama Administration; Adam Quinn - Senior Lecturer in American Politics, University of Birmingham; Rina Shah - Republican Strategist and Consultant

Saudi Scholar: My Father Faces the Death Penalty in Saudi Arabia for Supporting Human Rights

While the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October sparked international outrage, far less attention has been paid to the ongoing Saudi repression at home. We speak with Abdullah Alaoudh, whose father has been locked up in solitary confinement in Saudi Arabia for his political activism since September 2017. Prior to his arrest, prominent Islamic scholar Salman Alodah had been a vocal critic of the Saudi monarchy who had called for elections with 14 million Twitter followers. But for the past 17 months, Salman Alodah has been silenced. He was one of dozens of religious figures, writers, journalists, academics and civic activists arrested as part of a crackdown on dissent in 2017 overseen by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We speak with Alodah’s son Abdullah Alaoudh. He is a senior fellow at Georgetown University in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 20, 2019

Karl Lagerfeld - German Fashion Designer and Icon | DW Documentary

The German-born designer Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85. He was a designer, an artist and a fashion icon. For this sad occasion we recommend a portrait DW made in 2014.

No living fashion designer, let alone a German one, was as celebrated as Karl Lagerfeld. On September 10, 2018 the man with the trademark ponytail and sunglasses celebrated his 85th birthday. From dawn to late morning, Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel, Fendi and his own signature brand - a combined workload of up to 15 collections a year. A workhorse who never takes breaks or even a vacation, he is also a photographer and filmmaker. His passion for fashion was awakened by a Dior show in Hamburg in 1950. Four years later, at the age of 17, Karl Lagerfeld was hired as an assistant to Pierre Balmain. Karl Lagerfeld recounts his beginnings in the industry, as well as his upper class background and childhood in Schleswig-Holstein. Karl Lagerfeld was greatly influenced by his mother, whom he describes as his personal style icon. Karl Lagerfeld's caustic comments were notorious and dreaded by those at the receiving end. As an artist, Karl Lagerfeld worked in several media, from pictures and photographs to book illustrations and videos. The documentary of 2015 follows Karl Lagerfeld to exhibition openings, during the hectic preparations for his fashion shows, and at photo shoots in Paris as it seeks to uncover the man behind the mask.

Bernie Sanders: End US Arms Sales to Saudis and Support for its Yemen War

TRNN Replay: At the Sanders Institute Gathering, Sen. Sanders joins Paul Jay to discuss his Senate resolution to end US support for the Saudi war in Yemen

Shamima Begum Has UK Citizenship Revoked by British Government, ITV News Learns | ITV News

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 19, 2019

Türkei: Führende Ex-Mitarbeiter von "Cumhuriyet" müssen ins Gefängnis

DIE PRESSE: Das türkische Berufungsgericht bestätigte die Urteile gegen 14 Angeklagte, die der türkischen Regierung zufolge Unterstützer der Gülen-Bewegung und der PKK sein sollen.

Führende Ex-Mitarbeiter und Journalisten der regierungskritischen türkischen Zeitung "Cumhuriyet" müssen nach einem gescheiterten Berufungsverfahren ins Gefängnis. Das Berufungsgericht in Istanbul wies den Einspruch der 14 Angeklagten zurück, die im vergangenen April zu teils mehrjährigen Haftstrafen verurteilt worden waren. » | APA/AFP/dpa | Dienstag, 19. Februar 2019

Former IS Bride: Shamima Begum Should Ask for 'Mercy'

Tania Joya has first hand experience of fleeing the Islamic State after she was married to one of the most influential American-born members of IS in Syria.

Ms Joya believes that like herself, Shamima Begum has been "deceived to believe" in a utopia that simply doesn't exist and that she can be helped if she asks for "mercy".

Shamima Begum: 'I didn't want to be IS poster girl' - BBC News

In an interview with the BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville, Shamima Begum - the schoolgirl who fled London to join the Islamic State group in Syria - has said she never wanted to be an IS "poster girl".

Ms Begum, who has just given birth, said she now wants the UK's forgiveness and supports "some British values".

She told the BBC while it was "wrong" innocent people died in the 2017 Manchester attack, it was "kind of retaliation" for attacks on IS.

The 19-year-old left Bethnal Green four years ago with two school friends

Shamima Begum: I Didn't Do Anything Dangerous

Sky News has spoken exclusively to Shamima Begum, the British schoolgirl who left the UK to join Islamic State when she was 15.

Now aged 19, she has given birth to a baby boy and she wants to return to the UK.

She says she knew about IS executions before she left for Syria, and thinks that people should have sympathy 'for everything [she has] been through'.

'A Woman's Life in Saudi Arabia Is Determined by the Roll of a Dice'

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 18, 2019

Mike Pence Met With Silence; Angela Merkel Hammers President Donald Trump | Morning Joe | MSNBC

While speaking at the 55th Munich Security Conference, VP Mike Pence was met with silence after mentioning President Trump. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the Trump administration's foreign policies.

Where Is the Missing Wife of Scientology's Ruthless Leader? | 60 Minutes Australia

Rift Between Trump and Europe Is Now Open and Angry

THE NEW YORK TIMES: MUNICH — European leaders have long been alarmed that President Trump’s words and Twitter messages could undo a trans-Atlantic alliance that had grown stronger over seven decades. They had clung to the hope that those ties would bear up under the strain.

But in the last few days of a prestigious annual security conference in Munich, the rift between Europe and the Trump administration became open, angry and concrete, diplomats and analysts say.

A senior German official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on such matters, shrugged his shoulders and said: “No one any longer believes that Trump cares about the views or interests of the allies. It’s broken.”

The most immediate danger, diplomats and intelligence officials warned, is that the trans-Atlantic fissures now risk being exploited by Russia and China. » | Steven Erlanger and Katrin Bennhold | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Macron Condemns Antisemitic Abuse During gilets jaunes Paris Protest

THE GUARDIAN: Police protect philosopher Alain Finkielkraut after he is targeted during 14th weekend of protests

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has condemned antisemitic abuse of a leading intellectual by gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protesters and said it would not be tolerated.

Police intervened to protect philosopher and writer Alain Finkielkraut after he was targeted by a group of protesters on the fringe of a demonstration in central Paris on Saturday, according to videos posted on social networks.

“The antisemitic insults he has been subjected to are the absolute negation of what we are and what makes us a great nation. We will not tolerate it,” Macron tweeted.

“The son of Polish immigrants who became a French academician, Alain Finkielkraut is not only a prominent man of letters but the symbol of what the Republic allows everyone,” the president added in another tweet.

Several protesters shouted “dirty Zionist”, “we are the people” and “France is ours”, according to a video broadcast by Yahoo! News. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Third of Britons Believe Islam Threatens British Way of Life, Says Report

THE GUARDIAN: Anti-Muslim prejudice replacing immigration as key driver of far-right growth

More than a third of people in the UK think that Islam is a threat to the British way of life, according to a report by the anti-fascist group Hope not Hate.

The organisation’s annual “State of Hate” report, which will be launched on Monday, argues that anti-Muslim prejudice has replaced immigration as the key driver of far right growth.

In polling conducted by the group in July last year, 35% of people thought Islam was generally a threat to the British way of life, compared with 30% who thought it was generally compatible. Forty-nine per cent of those who voted Conservative in the 2017 general election shared thought it was generally incompatible, while 21% of Labour voters did. » | Frances Perraudin | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy's Younger Sister, Dies Aged 85

THE GUARDIAN: Radziwill, born Caroline Lee Bouvier in 1933, was a successful interior designer and PR executive in the fashion industry

The American socialite Lee Radziwill, who was Jackie Kennedy’s younger sister, has died. She was 85.

The website WWD reported the news, saying Radziwill died at home in New York City on Friday. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Radziwill was born Caroline Lee Bouvier in 1933, four years after her sister. Briefly and unsuccessfully an actor, she achieved success as an interior designer and public relations executive in the fashion industry, working for Giorgio Armani. » \ Martin Pengelly in New York | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Karl Marx's London Memorial Vandalised for Second Time

THE GUARDIAN: The words ‘doctrine of hate’ and ‘architect of genocide’ were painted on Highgate cemetery memorial

The tomb of Karl Marx in Highgate cemetery in London has been vandalised for the second time in the space of a month.

The words “doctrine of hate” and “architect of genocide” were found daubed in red paint across the Grade I-listed monument in the north London graveyard on Saturday.

The latest attack comes less than two weeks after the marble plaque on the tomb was defaced by an apparent attempt to scrape and chip Marx’s name off the marble slab with a hammer. » | Ruth Quinn | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Mike Pence Rebukes European Powers over Iran and Venezuela

US vice-president rebuked European powers over Iran and Venezuela on Saturday, in a renewed attack on traditional US allies, rejecting a call by Germany’s chancellor to include Russia in global cooperation efforts. Describing the results of Donald Trump’s presidency as 'remarkable' and 'extraordinary', the vice-president told senior European and Asian officials the European Union should follow the US in quitting the Iran nuclear deal and recognising the head of Venezuela’s congress, Juan Guaidó, as president Pence hails 'remarkable, extraordinary' Trump tenure in attack on US allies

Rede der Kanzlerin: Merkel live auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz

Bundeskanzlerin Merkel hält eine Rede auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz. Merkel hat bereits angekündigt, dass sie ein Plädoyer für den sogenannten Multilateralismus halten will. Das dürfte als Reaktion auf Trumps "Amerika zuerst"-Außenpolitik verstanden werden.

THE GUARDIAN: Angela Merkel criticises US isolationism, urging 'win-win solutions' »

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Merkel Rejects U.S. Demands That Europe Pull Out of Iran Nuclear Deal »

UK's Saudi Weapons Sales Unlawful, Lords Committee Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Report finds UK arms ‘highly likely to be cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen’

The UK is on “the wrong side of the law” by sanctioning arms exports to Saudi Arabia for the war in Yemen and should suspend some of the export licences, an all-party Lords committee has said.

The report by the international relations select committee says ministers are not making independent checks to see if arms supplied by the UK are being used in breach of the law, but is instead relying on inadequate investigations by the Saudis, its allies in the war.

It describes the humanitarian plight of Yemenis as “unconscionable”. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Saudi Women, Unveiled

A 60 Minutes team returns from Saudi Arabia and talks about how the society is changing, especially for women

'Why I Fled Saudi Arabia and Sought Asylum in the UK' - BBC News

Hundreds of Saudi women flee the conservative kingdom every year and run away to Western countries over allegations of domestic abuse and oppression back home. One popular destination is the UK, where dozens seek asylum every year. Hanan Razek met two people who explain how they risked everything to flee from Saudi Arabia. Produced by: Dina Demrdash

Pelosi Slams Trump's National Emergency over Border Wall

Responding to Donald Trump's decision to declare a national emergency to fund his border wall with Mexico, House speaker Nancy Pelosi says he is setting a precedent that should be met with 'great unease and dismay' and the Democrats are considering making a legal challenge. 'You want to talk about a national emergency? Let’s talk about today,' Pelosi adds, noting that it is the first anniversary of the massacre at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, in which 17 people died

German Minister Calls for Ban on Conversion Therapy

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Homosexuality is not an illness,’ says gay health minister Jens Spahn

The German health minister, Jens Spahn, has said that he will seek to ban “conversion therapies” that claim to change sexual orientation.

“Homosexuality is not an illness, which is why it does not need to be treated,” Spahn, who is gay himself, told the left-leaning Berlin daily Die Tageszeitung.

He hoped that a German law banning such therapies could be adopted by the summer. » | Agence France-Presse | Friday, February 15, 2019

David Gergen: There's No Border Emergency, It's a Fake

CNN's David Gergen says that President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration is different than ones made by presidents in the past because there is no emergency.

Antisemitism Rising Sharply across Europe, Latest Figures Show

THE GUARDIAN: France reports 74% rise in offences against Jews and Germany records 60% surge in violent attacks

Antisemitism is rising sharply across Europe, experts have said, as France reported a 74% increase in the number of offences against Jews last year and Germany said the number of violent antisemitic attacks had surged by more than 60%.

The figures confirm the results of three recent Europe-wide surveys showing Jewish people feel at greater risk, and are experiencing markedly more aggression, amid a generalised increase in racist hate speech and violence in a significantly coarser, more polarised political environment.

France’s interior ministry said this week that recorded incidents of antisemitism rose to 541 last year from 311 in 2017, while the German government said offences motivated by hatred of Jews hit a 10-year high of 1,646 in 2018. Physical attacks rose from 37 to 62, leaving 43 people needing medical treatment. » | Jon Henley, European affairs correspondent | Friday, February 15, 2019

Trump Will Declare National Emergency to Fund Border Wall, Says White House

THE GUARDIAN: Trump is also expected to sign a funding bill that will prevent another government shutdown

The White House said it is going to declare a national emergency on America’s southern border as a way of funding Donald Trump’s long-promised border wall with Mexico.

The announcement came just before the Senate voted 83 to 16 to advance a spending package designed to prevent another government shutdown. The House will take up the bill later evening and Trump has said he will sign it.

“President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action – including a national emergency – to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border. The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country,” the White House said in a statement. » | Ben Jacobs and Lauren Gambino in Washington | Thursday, February 14, 2019

Saudi Crown Prince Won't Be Standing On The Holy Mosque For Long - Imminent Regime Change!

Mike Pence Attacks UK for 'Breaking US Sanctions against Iran'

NAME: Mike Pence, the US vice president, has accused Britain, France and Germany of trying to sabotage American sanctions against Iran and called on the European states to withdraw from the 2015 nuclear deal.

In an unusually blunt attack on America’s traditional European allies, Mr Pence told a summit in Warsaw that the three countries were leading “an effort to break American sanctions against Iran’s murderous revolutionary regime”.

He focused his criticism on a financial mechanism created by the three states and the EU to allow European firms to continue trading with Iran in a way that skirts punishing US sanctions.

“It's an ill-advised step that will only strengthen Iran, weaken the EU, and create still more distance between Europe and the United States,” Mr Pence said.

He said the British, French, and German governments had “not been nearly as cooperative” in backing America’s anti-Iran policy as Israel and the Gulf Arab states like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. » | Raf Sanchez, Warsaw | Thursday, February 14, 2019

Venezuela’s Foreign Minister: “Washington Hijacked Guaidó”

In an exclusive interview with TRNN, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza says Guaidó has not accepted the Pope’s offer to negotiate since he is being directed by Washington

'Salman Rushdie Radicalised My Generation'

BBC: It's Valentine's day 1989. Margaret Thatcher is prime minister and Kylie, Yazz and Bros are making noise. Far away, Iran's supreme leader issues a fatwa demanding the death of British author Salman Rushdie - and the effect on young Muslims in the UK is huge.

Alyas Karmani was soaking up everything student life had to offer. He'd grown up in Tooting, south London, in a traditional Pakistani household, his father a bus driver and trade unionist. Religion was an important part of Alyas's upbringing but not something he was particularly interested in.

"We were obedient to our parents. We'd go to the mosque when it was required but we had a clandestine double-life existence," he says. "We were partying, smoking weed, going out with girls and doing everything we could possibly do."

So when it was time to choose a university, Alyas ran away from his Pakistani Muslim identity and headed 400 miles north to Glasgow. "I was running as fast as possible. I was a 'self-hating Paki'. I didn't want brown friends. All my friends were white liberal mainstream types. That was my crowd." » | Mobeen Azhar, BBC News | Thursday, February 14, 2019

Dutch PM on Brexit: UK Is a Waning Country Too Small to Stand Alone

THE GUARDIAN: Mark Rutte gives withering verdict as he warns against ‘devastating’ no-deal scenario

Britain is a “waning country” and too small to stand alone on the world stage, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, has claimed in a withering assessment of the UK’s exit from the EU.

Rutte, who has emerged as a key player in the talks over the past two years, also warned in an interview that the UK looked to be sliding off the “precipice” towards a “devastating” no-deal Brexit.

“Who will be left weakened by Brexit is the United Kingdom,” he said. “It is already weakening, it is a waning country compared to two or three years ago. It is going to become an economy of middling size in the Atlantic Ocean. It is neither the US nor the EU. It is too small to appear on the world stage on its own.” » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, February 14, 2019

THE GUARDIAN: Netherlands PM uses Britain's Brexit 'chaos' as cautionary tale »

Glenn Greenwald: As Bezos Protests Invasion of His Privacy, Amazon Builds Global Surveillance State

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is publicly accusing the owner of the National Enquirer of “extortion and blackmail,” weeks after the paper revealed details about his extramarital affair. Bezos had recently hired a private investigator to determine how the tabloid newspaper obtained private text messages between him and his lover, and whether the paper’s actions were politically motivated. The National Enquirer’s parent company, American Media, Inc., responded to Bezos’s investigation by threatening to publish revealing photos of Bezos if he did not agree to publicly state that the Enquirer’s coverage was not politically motivated or influenced by political forces. We speak with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald about the dispute and Amazon’s role in building the surveillance state.

Brexit Is National Crisis, Former Diplomats Tell Theresa May

THE GUARDIAN: Ex-ambassadors and high commissioners say UK is weakened by ‘fiasco’

More than 40 former British ambassadors and high commissioners have written to Theresa May warning her that Brexit has turned into a “national crisis” and urging her to delay proceedings until the government has greater clarity about Britain’s likely future relationship with Europe.

The letter, signed by many of the most senior diplomats of the last 20 years, underlines concerns that British influence in the world will wane if the country leaves Europe’s trading and foreign policy bloc.

In a joint statement they write: “As former diplomats who have served around the world we have a clear understanding of what contributes to Britain’s influence in the world. Our advice to Theresa May today is clear: we should not leave the EU when we have no clarity about our final destination. Instead we must use the mechanisms at our disposal, above all we must seek to extend the article 50 negotiating period.” » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Photographer Shows Trump Without Fake Tan And Fake Hair And It's Hilarious

A photographer in New Zealand has taken the liberty of showing the world what Donald Trump would look like if he decided to be honest about his natural skin color and the fact that he’s losing his hair. The results were posted online after extensive photoshopping, and it shows that Donald Trump would be just a run-of-the-mill old white guy. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Opinion: My Father Faces the Death Penalty. This Is Justice in Saudi Arabia.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The kingdom’s judiciary is being pushed far from any semblance of the rule of law and due process.

Despite the claims of Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his enablers, Saudi Arabia is not rolling back the hard-line religious establishment. Instead, the kingdom is curtailing the voices of moderation that have historically combated extremism. Numerous Saudi activists, scholars and thinkers who have sought reform and opposed the forces of extremism and patriarchy have been arrested. Many of them face the death penalty.

Salman Alodah, my father, is a 61-year-old scholar of Islamic law in Saudi Arabia, a reformist who argued for greater respect for human rights within Shariah, the legal code of Islam based on the Quran. His voice was heard widely, partly owing to his popularity as a public figure with 14 million followers on Twitter. » | Abdullah Alaoudh | Mr. Alaoudh is a legal scholar at Georgetown University. | Wednesday, February 13, 2019

France's Yellow Rebellion – A Movement against Macron | DW Documentary

Who are the "yellow vests” that have plunged France into crisis? Hundreds of thousands have been demonstrating to demand lower taxes and higher pensions.

What began as a spontaneous protest against high gasoline prices swiftly evolved into a mass movement that has caused a major crisis in France. The "yellow vests” have become synonymous with the widespread anger at the reform policies of President Emmanuel Macron - and constitute his greatest challenge since he took office. The protesters accuse Macron of being a representative of the rich while ignoring the plight of ordinary citizens. The wave of demonstrations was triggered by Jacline Mouraud and her video tirade on social media. Her subsequent fame has enabled her to continue criticizing politicians on TV talk shows. The "yellow vest” demonstrations have been organized almost exclusively online and without the involvement of opposition parties or unions.

The protesters have a range of demands, from lower taxes to high pensions and a greater say in the running of the country. They feel neglected by the Paris elite, who they see as showing no interest in their economic duress and fears of social decline.

Iran's Revolution Forty Years On: The Change People Wanted?

George Galloway on Venezuela (subtitulos en Español)

The Iran Revolution at 40: From Theocracy to ‘Normality’

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In February of 1979, Tehran was in chaos. A cancer-stricken Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, the Western-backed autocrat, had gone into exile in mid-January, leaving behind a rickety regency council. On Feb. 1, Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the godfather of the revolution, returned from exile in Paris. And in the Iranian version of “Ten Days That Shook the World,” street demonstrations raged until the government collapsed on Feb. 11.

Ecstatic Iranians danced in the streets, playing cat and mouse with soldiers as lingering pro-government sharpshooters fired from the rooftops. Families joined in mass protests, as vigilantes ransacked liquor stores and people kissed the foreheads of turbaned clerics leading the revolution. » | Thomas Erdbrink | Sunday, February 10, 2019

Reporting from Iran's 40th Revolution Anniversary Celebrations l Al Jazeera English

In Tehran, tens of thousands of marchers gathered at Azadi Square, one of the capital's most iconic monuments built by the United States-backed shah and renamed after the victory of the forces loyal to Khomeini.

Iran organises the nationwide rally every February 11 to highlight the size of grassroots support for the revolution, which replaced Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's government with an Islamic Republic under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Thousands of others also gathered in other cities, including the holy city of Mashhad. Al Jazeera's Zein Basravi reports from Mashhad, where he provides a first-hand experience of celebrations.

Additionally, Foad Izadi, professor of international relations at Tehran University, tells Al Jazeera how Iran has taken a more militaristic approach to diplomacy as a result of US President Donald Trump's decision to break the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Will Saudi Arabia Be Held to Account for Jamal Khashoggi's Murder? l Inside Story

It's been more than four months since journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Despite widespread demands for an international investigation and to hold the Saudi government accountable, Donald Trump has largely stood by his ally, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

The US President has now missed a Friday deadline to tell Congress who's responsible for Khashoggi's killing. Instead, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote a letter insisting the Trump administration will seek accountability.

So, will anyone be held to account for Khashoggi's murder?

Presenter: Peter Dobbie | Guests: Scott Lucas - Professor of American Studies at the University of Birmingham; Selva Tor - Political and Financial Strategist; Drew Liquerman - Vice Chairman of Republicans Overseas UK

Jeff Bezos’ Extortion Claim And The ‘Saudi Angle’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

Trump ally David Pecker could lose his immunity deal as federal prosecutors investigate whether AMI violated its non-prosecution agreement by trying to blackmail Jeff Bezos. A new report by the Daily Beast details the inner workings of the National Enquirer's "blackmail machine." Ari Melber discusses the new details with Noah Shachtman, Jonathan Alter and Nicholas Kristof.

Maduro Vows to Block US Aid

Geo-Political Realignments Over Venezuela

On the heels of the hard-line anti-Maduro Lima Group meeting in Ottawa, countries favoring a negotiated solution, including Uruguay, Mexico, and Bolivia, met in Montevideo on Thursday. The final declaration, however, compromises Venezuela's sovereignty, according to Bolivia. We discuss the outcome with Miguel Tinker Salas and Greg Wilpert

The Saudi Arabia Connection To The AMI Story | Morning Joe | MSNBC

In his Medium post, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos writes that the Washington Post's investigation into David Pecker's ties to Saudi Arabia 'seems to hit a particularly sensitive nerve.' And the NYT reports on evidence the Saudi crown prince considered killing Jamal Khashoggi long before his death in Istanbul.

With Jeff Bezos, Has 'The Enquirer' Messed With The Wrong Guy? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos accused the National Enquirer's parent company, American Media Inc., of 'extortion and blackmail' on Thursday for threatening to publish photographs from his personal life. The Morning Joe panel digs into the story.

Stephen Fry Takes On Global Anti-LGBTI Leaders

This important documentary should be shared with all people. The LGBTI community continues to face oppression, arrest and in some countries death just because of who they are, how they look or who the love. The haters need to be called out and Stephen Fry is doing just that.

France Recalls Rome Ambassador after Worst Verbal Onslaught 'Since the War'

THE GUARDIAN: Move comes after Italian deputy prime minister met with leaders of the anti-Macron gilets jaunes movement

Paris has taken the extraordinary step of recalling its ambassador from Rome in the worst crisis between neighbouring France and Italy since the second world war.

France blamed what it called called baseless and repeated verbal attacks from Italy’s political leaders which it said were “without precedent since world war two.”

In a statement, the French foreign office said: “For several months, France has been the target of repeated, baseless attacks and outrageous statements.”

It added: “Having disagreements is one thing but manipulating the relationship for electoral aims is another.”

Italy’s two deputy prime ministers, Matteo Salvini of the far right League and Luigi Di Maio of the populist, anti-establishment Five Star Movement, have criticised the centrist French president, Emmanuel Macron, on a host of inflammatory issues, from immigration to the gilets jaunes (yellow vest) anti-government demonstrations in France. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Thursday, February 7, 2019

Dutch Former Anti-Islam MP Says He's Become a Muslim

THE TELEGRAPH: A former far-Right MP who once called Islam "the biggest disease to have hit our country in the last hundred years" has become a Muslim in a shock conversion.

Joram van Klaveren was an MP from 2010 until 2017 for the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) led by anti-Islam and anti-immigration firebrand Geert Wilders. Mr van Klaveren once fiercely advocated Mr Wilders' policies of banning the Koran and closing down mosques.

However, he has now said that he discovered out he had more in common with Islam than he initially thought when he started research for a book criticising the religion, which caused him to completely change his view.

Mr van Klaveren said: "I looked at the Bible on my bookshelf, on the table were books about the Prophet Muhammad. "The prior years I had a big aversion to Islam. When you then have to conclude that you were wrong, it is not a fun moment. But while searching for God I always felt a certain unease. And that slowly disappeared. It felt a bit like coming home in a religious way." » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Donald Tusk: 'Special Place in Hell' for Those Who Backed Brexit without Plan

THE GUARDIAN: European council president also says remain movement has no effective leadership

Donald Tusk, the European council president, has said there is a “special place in hell” for politicians who promoted Brexit “without even a sketch of a plan”, while he reiterated the EU’s refusal to renegotiate the withdrawal treaty.

Speaking to journalists after meeting the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, Tusk also took aim at Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn, claiming there was a leadership void at the heart of the remain movement.

Tusk, who has never disguised his hopes that the UK might change its mind, said he knew there were “still a very great number of people” in the UK, on the continent and in Ireland who wanted to reverse the decision.

“I have always been with you with all my heart, but the facts are unmistakable. At the moment the pro-Brexit stance of the UK prime minister and the leader of the opposition rules out this question. Today there is no political force and no effective leadership for remain.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Pope Francis Holds Arabian Peninsula's Largest Mass | DW News

It was billed as the largest show of Christian worship ever seen on the Arabian Peninsula. Pope Francis celebrated mass in the Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates. More than 130,000 people attended the event in the capital Abu Dhabi. The mass wrapped up a three day trip to the country, the first ever by a pontiff. Pope Francis condemned war and said his main aim was to promote harmony and tolerance between Christians and Muslims.

Maduro Issues Threat to Jail Venezuela’s Opposition Leader

THE GUARDIAN: Incumbent asks how long Juan Guaidó will persist with his ‘virtual presidential term’

Nicolás Maduro has issued a thinly veiled threat to the young opposition leader trying to force him from power, hinting that Juan Guaidó could soon be imprisoned as a result of his challenge.

Addressing a meeting of supporters on Monday night, Maduro questioned how long Guaidó – who declared himself Venezuela’s rightful interim president on 23 January – would persist with his “virtual term”.

“Until 2025, too?” Maduro said, referring to the six-year term he recently assumed to a storm of international condemnation. “Or until he ends up in jail by order of the supreme court of justice.” » | Tom Phillips in Caracas | Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Venezuelan Foreign Minister: The US Interferes in Latin American Politics Every Day, Every Hour

A Coup in Progress? Venezuelan Foreign Minister Decries US & Brazil-backed Effort to Oust Maduro

Read the article here »

Top US News & World Headlines — February 5, 2019

Trump's Venezuela Fiasco

Trump will regret listening to the neocons on Venezuela.

Pope Francis Pays Historic Visit to the United Arab Emirates | DW News

Pope Francis has paid the first ever papal visit to the United Arab Emirates. During his two day visit, the pope is due to meet leading Muslim clerics and hold an open air mass in the Muslim-majority kingdom. The historic papal trip is aimed at turning a page in Christian-Muslim relations in the region.

Is Venezuela Headed towards Civil War? - BBC Newsnight

The Real Venezuela: From Caracas, Prof. Aline Piva, Explains US Coup Attempt

Moderate Rebels episode 35: Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton speak with Aline Piva, who lives and teaches in Caracas, Venezuela and explains what's really going on in the country, with a US-led coup attempt to install the right-wing opposition. We discuss the economic warfare and US sanctions on Venezuela, the daily life and problems, coup leader Juan Guaidó and the opposition's neoliberal politics, and the geopolitics of regime change against Nicolás Maduro.

Can the US Force Maduro to Step Down? l Inside Story

Venezuela’s economy has been in crisis for years. Hyperinflation is skyrocketing and millions of people have left the country. And the president hasn’t been able to fix it.

Now the US is hitting Nicolas Maduro even harder where it hurts, in a bid to get him out of office. It’s imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s state oil company blocking seven billion dollars in assets and is recognising opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president.

Washington’s called on the military, which is so far standing by Maduro, to accept a peaceful transfer of power… and warned otherwise there could be consequences. How far will Washington go to change the government in Caracas?

Presenter: Richelle Carey | Guests: Jairo A Lugo-Ocando, Director of Executive Education and Graduate Studies at Northwestern University in Qatar; Charles Shapiro, Former US Ambassador to Venezuela; Diego Moya-Ocampos, principal analyst for Country Risk at IHS Markit in the Americas team.

Power-Mad Tony Blair Defends Billionaire Festival

Mike Pompeo Begs United Nations To Support Venezuelan Coup

Mike Pompeo made his way to the U.N. Security Council to urge them to support their guy in Venezuela. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this.

Bolton: We're Taking Venezuela's Oil

Yesterday, Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton made the US position clear in a FoxNews interview: Washington will overthrow the Venezuelan government and take its oil for the benefit of US companies. This is "regime change" on steroids!

Top US News & World Headlines — January 29, 2019

What Can Investigation into Khashoggi's Murder Achieve? l Inside Story

Jamal Khashoggi was a critic of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The journalist was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul almost four months ago. But his body or remains have never been recovered, and the murder case remains unresolved.

Turkey's not satisfied by the Saudis own investigations and wants a full international inquiry. What it’s got is an independent investigation led by the UN’s special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions. Agnes Callamard and her team are in Turkey for a week-long mission.

She also wants to visit Saudi Arabia. But will this independent international inquiry make any difference anyway? Can Saudi Arabia be held to account?

Presenter: Richelle Carey | Guests: Sultan Barakat, Director For Conflict and Humanitarian Studies at the Doha Institute; Carl Buckley, Barrister at Guernica 37 International Justice Chambers

Is Support for Trump Fading?

West Virginia: in 2016, it was one of the most pro-Trump states. Now that the Government has opened again, how do his supporters feel he handled the shutdown? And at more than 1,000 miles from the US-Mexico border, do the community still want Trump to build the wall?

Historian: Venezuela Is “Staging Ground” for US to Re-assert Control over Latin America

While Mexico and Uruguay are calling for dialogue to address the crisis in Venezuela, much of Latin America has sided with the Trump administration by recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new leader. We look at what this mean for the broader region with professors Alejandro Velasco and Steve Ellner.

Why Latinos Are Converting to Islam

Latinos are one of the fastest growing groups within Islam in America. VICE's Lee Adams travels to Houston Texas, the home of America's first Islam in Spanish center, to investigate what’s behind this phenomenon and how America’s current political climate might be related.

As a former gang leader, Jaime "Mujahid" Fletcher claims that Islam saved his life, inspiring him to found the Islam in Spanish center. He dedicated himself to translating Muslim texts for a Spanish-speaking audience.

We spoke to Jaime and other recent Latino Muslim converts to find out why two of America’s most discriminated groups are coming together.

How to Solve the Political Crisis in Venezuela? | Inside Story

After years of turmoil, Venezuela's political crisis has escalated dramatically over the past few days.

The head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared himself the interim President after the biggest protests against Nicolás Maduro in two years. The US, Canada and much of Latin America quickly threw their support behind Juan Guaidó.

But Maduro says he's not going anywhere, and has ordered US diplomats to leave the country by Sunday. So what will this mean for Venezuela's deep economic and political crisis?

Presenter: Laura Kyle | Guests: Paul Dobson - Journalist for www.venezuelanalysis.com; Leopoldo Martinez - Former Venezuelan Congressman and President of The Center for Democracy and Development in the Americas; Christopher Sabatini - Executive Director of the Think Tank Global Americans and Editor of the news and opinion website www.latinamericagoesglobal.org/

A Coup in Progress? Trump Moves to Oust Maduro & Install Pro-US Leader in Oil-Rich Venezuela

The Venezuelan government is accusing the United States of staging a coup, after President Trump announced that the U.S. would recognize opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new leader. Trump made the announcement shortly after Guaidó, the new head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself president during a large opposition protest. The European Union and the Lima Group have joined the U.S. in recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president. Mexico is the one dissenting nation in the Lima Group to still recognize Maduro. We speak with Miguel Tinker Salas, professor at Pomona College, who says, “This is unprecedented not only in Venezuelan history, but in Latin America.” He is the author of “The Enduring Legacy: Oil, Culture, and Society in Venezuela” and “Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know.”

Top US News & World Headlines — January 24, 2019

Global Billionaires Are Terrified Of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Billionaires, CEOs, and other people who have devoted their lives to money are gathered in Davos, Switzerland, and they all seem to have one thing on their mind right now: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The billionaires at the summit are freaking out over her idea to raise marginal tax rates on income over $10 million to 70%, which is actually not as high as it had been in the past. Her policies are popular, and that’s what scares these billionaires, as Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains.

Top US News & World Headlines — January 23, 2019

Venezuela: Trump Recognises Opposition Leader as President

THE GUARDIAN: Juan Guaidó, 35, seeks to oust ‘usurper’ Nicolás Maduro / Move is dramatic escalation of crisis in South American country

Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaidó has declared himself interim president, in a dramatic escalation of efforts to force out President Nicolás Maduro who has overseen the country’s slide into authoritarianism and economic ruin.

The move was immediately welcomed by the US, Canadian and a dozen Latin American governments. Donald Trump said he would use the “full weight” of US economic and diplomatic power to push for the restoration of Venezuela’s democracy.

Thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the capital, Caracas, as Guaidó, the head of the opposition-run national assembly, raised his right hand and said: “I swear to assume all the powers of the presidency to secure an end to the usurpation”. » | Joe Parkin Daniels in Bogotá and Mariana Zúñiga in Caracas | Wednesday, January 23, 2019

THE GUARDIAN: Venezuela: who is Juan Guaidó, the man who declared himself president? »

Egypt TV Host Mohamed al-Ghiety Jailed for Interviewing Gay Man

BBC: An Egyptian TV presenter has been sentenced to one year of hard labour for interviewing a gay man last year.

A court in Giza also fined Mohamed al-Ghiety 3,000 Egyptian pounds ($167; £130) for "promoting homosexuality" on his privately owned LTC TV channel.

The gay man, whose identity was hidden, had talked about life as a sex worker.

Homosexuality is not explicitly criminalised in Egypt, however, the authorities have been increasingly cracking down on the LGBT community.

They routinely arrest people suspected of engaging in consensual homosexual conduct on charges of "debauchery", immorality or blasphemy. » | BBC | Monday, January 21, 2019

Ministers Agree to Consider Lib Dem Plans for New Referendum

THE OBSERVER: Vince Cable says move follows cross-party talks on Brexit deadlock options

Cabinet ministers involved in cross-party talks on how to break the Brexit deadlock have given the first indication that they are prepared to examine plans for a potential second referendum on the UK’s departure from the EU, according to the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Vince Cable.

The offer to examine a possible timetable for a second vote drawn up by the Lib Dems was made during discussions between senior Liberal Democratsand two cabinet ministers involved in the talks, Michael Gove and David Lidington, in the Cabinet Office on Thursday morning.

While Theresa May’s government remains strongly opposed to the idea of returning the issue of Brexit to the electorate, the revelation by Cable shows that ministers are determined to look at a wide range of ideas being put forward by opposition parties. » | Toby Helm, Political Editor | Saturday, January 19, 2019

President Pence? That Vision Should Terrify Women

THE GUARDIAN: The news that Karen Pence is returning to work at an anti-gay Christian school should remind us of the vice-president’s dangerous bigotry

President Pence would turn America into The Handmaid’s Tale

Karen Pence is not just the wife of the US vice-president, she’s an empowered career woman in her own right. While her husband works tirelessly alongside Trump to make America white again, Karen Pence, it was announced this week, is returning to her old job teaching kids art.

Or rather, she’s going to teach heterosexual kids art, and they shouldn’t expect to draw any rainbows.

The Christian school in northern Virginia where Pence will be working requires its teachers to agree that they won’t engage in or condone “homosexual or lesbian sexual activity” and “transgender identity”. The school also reserves the right to expel or refuse to admit students if they or their parents participate in, support, or condone, homosexual or bisexual activity. A policy that seems to chime perfectly with the vice president’s own bigoted worldview – Pence has a long history of homophobia and transphobia. » | Arwa Mahdawi | Saturday, January 19, 2019

Interview: Rahaf Mohammed On Escaping Saudi Arabia to Canada

In her own words, Saudi teen Rahaf Mohammed talks to Susan Ormiston about fleeing her family, how she finally ended up in Canada and what she plans to do next.

John Brennan Agrees: President Donald Trump Is Clear and Present Danger to US | All In | MSNBC

Former CIA director John Brennan concurs with former senior Justice Department official David Laufman’s conclusion that the president is a clear and present danger to the national security of this country.