Tucker Carlson’s White Power Hour Is Losing Tons Of Money

Tucker Carlson’s ratings might be at a near-record high, but his ad dollars have been cut nearly in half in the past year. This is due to the fact that he has completely turned his program into a nationalist hour where he rails against immigrations, assimilation, and other issues that only appeal to a certain sect of the white population. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.

WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange May Be Arrested Soon

All eyes are on the Ecuadorian embassy in London after reports that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will be kicked out after seven years of asylum. Investigative journalist Ben Swann takes a dive into this situation with RT America’s Sara Montes de Oca.

The UK’s ‘Man at the EU’ on the Brexit Saga - and the Threat of No Deal

In Gary Gibbon’s latest Politics: Where Next podcast, he talks to Sir Ivan Rogers - formerly our man at the EU. He was the British diplomatic service’s top EU expert - let go effectively by Theresa May just as the Brexit negotiations were getting under way.

Européennes: le casse-tête de la participation britannique

LE FIGARO: Si le Royaume-Uni reste au sein de l’Union européenne le 23 mai, ses citoyens pourront voter lors des élections. Une participation qui aurait de graves répercussions politiques sur le Parlement de Strasbourg.

La question de la participation du Royaume-Uni aux élections européennes - prévues entre les 23 et le 26 mai selon les pays - taraude les dirigeants l’UE depuis des mois. Si le Royaume-Uni est toujours dans l’UE le 23 mai, ce pays restera un État membre à part entière et devra participer aux élections. «Nous ne pouvons pas y échapper, indique Jean-Claude Piris, l’ex-directeur général du service juridique du Conseil de l’UE. Tout citoyen de l’Union a le droit de voter aux européennes. Dans ce cas précis, cela vaut pour les Britanniques et pour tous les citoyens européens qui vivent au Royaume-Uni.» » | Par Anne Rovan | vendredi 05 avril 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — April 5, 2019

Jewish Holocaust Survivor– Henryka Shaw: Testimony

Tim Ryan: Working Class Needs Someone To Represent Them | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, discusses his foreign policy credentials and the importance of a thriving middle class in America. Rep. Ryan also discusses the 2020 field and why he's fighting for the working class.

Lawrence's Last Word: Donald Trump's Worst Presidential Appointment | The Last Word | MSNBC

Alex Acosta did not deny that he broke the law when he made a plea bargain deal with sex trafficker and child rapist Jeffrey Epstein, a billionaire friend of Trump's.

Holidays and Arms Deals with Brunei Don’t Trump Gay People’s Right to Exist

THE GUARDIAN: Fine words on LGBT equality from the government cost nothing – only real economic action will make a difference

Gay lives either matter or they don’t. Declaring that you support LGBTQ rights is cost-free; so is wrapping yourself in the rainbow flag, smiling at a same-sex couple publicly holding hands with that “Good for you” look in your eyes, or waving on a Pride parade with your kids. But what happens when a dictatorship allied to Britain and linked to the British establishment announces that it will stone gay people to death and torture lesbians?

Our own government has failed this test. “The Sultan of Brunei has been a great friend of this country over many years,” cooed Mark Field, describing the country as a “friendly and generous place”, blaming Britain’s mate for getting “a little bit more devout as he got older”, and calling for a “positive and constructive dialogue on this issue”. On the spectrum of condemnation, this barely qualifies as mild tutting. Over the last few years, in our time-honoured tradition of flogging weapons to human-rights abusing despots, the British government has approved millions of pounds worth of arms licences to Brunei. » | Owen Jones | Friday, April 5, 2019

This is a wonderful article by Owen Jones. Don't miss reading it all. – MA

Yemen War: Congress Votes to End US Military Assistance to Saudi Arabia

THE GUARDIAN: House voted 247-175 to send the resolution to Trump’s desk, where it is likely to be met with a veto

Congress has given final approval on a resolution to end American military assistance for Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, in an unprecedented attempt to curtail the president’s power to go to war and a sweeping rebuke to Donald Trump’s foreign policy.

The House voted 247 to 175 to send the resolution to the president’s desk, where it is likely to be met with a veto. Sixteen Republicans broke ranks and joined Democrats in the effort. The Senate passed the resolution last month, with seven Republicans voting in favor of it.

The resolution’s passage sets up another confrontation between Congress and Trump, who has already threatened to veto it. The White House has said the resolution raises “serious constitutional concerns”. » | Lauren Gambino and Julian Borger in Washington | Thursday, April 4, 2019

The Guardian View on Brunei and Stoning: Don’t Leave It to Celebrities to Act

THE GUARDIAN: Brunei’s shocking new penal code must be challenged – through deeds as well as words. Britain’s responsibilities are clear

Brunei’s introduction of new laws allowing stoning for adultery and sex between men has sparked international outrage. Elton John and George Clooney’s calls for a boycott of luxury hotels owned by the tiny south-east Asian kingdom have grabbed the spotlight. The United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet has condemned the “cruel and inhuman” measures, as have the EU, Australia and others.

The punishment is only one of many horrifying changes in a penal code which also covers apostasy, amputation as a punishment for theft and flogging for abortions. Lesbian sex is punishable by 40 strokes of the cane as well as jail. In some cases children who have reached puberty are subject to the same penalties as adults; younger ones may be flogged. The sharia code was first introduced in 2013, and was supposed to be enacted gradually; following an outcry the government did not bring forward its harshest elements until now. Many suspect that the impact of declining oil revenues on public spending has left Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the longest-ruling absolute monarchs, keen to bolster support among conservative elements. » | Editorial | Thursday, April 4, 2019

Condemn Persecution of LGBT People in Brunei

CHANGE.ORG: Please sign the petition HERE »

Will Saudi Arabia Go Nuclear? | Al Jazeera English

"If Iran develops a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit." That was the warning from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman last year. Now, the Kingdom is said to be a few months away from completing its first nuclear reactor and some arms-control experts are alarmed.

Photos have been published showing the reactor site in the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology on the outskirts of Riyadh. Construction is apparently nearly done around a vessel intended to contain atomic fuel.

Saudi Arabia is yet to sign up to an international framework aimed at ensuring atomic programmes are not used to build weapons. But what does all this mean for an already tense and volatile region?

Presenter: Hazem Sika | Guests: Ibrahim Fraihat, Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the Doha Institute; Seyed Mostafa Khoshcheshm, Professor of Journalism at the Fars Media Faculty under the Applied Sciences University; Mark Fitzpatrick, Director of the Non-Proliferation Program at the International Institute for Strategic Studies

Le sultanat de Brunei se convertit à la charia la plus stricte

LE FIGARO: INFOGRAPHIE - Le petit État pétrolier a provoqué un tollé international en annonçant qu’il punirait l’adultère et l’homosexualité de la peine de mort par lapidation.

L’indignation de pays occidentaux, d’ONG ou de stars comme George Clooney face à des châtiments d’un autre âge n’y aura rien changé. L’État de Brunei a instauré ce mercredi une nouvelle législation d’inspiration islamique qui punit l’adultère et les rapports sexuels entre hommes de la peine de mort par lapidation. Ce petit pays pétrolier, situé sur l’île de Borneo et dirigé d’une main de fer par le sultan Hassanal Bolkiah depuis 1967, est ainsi devenu le premier gouvernement d’Asie du Sud-Est à appliquer au niveau national un Code pénal s’inspirant de la charia la plus stricte, à l’image de l’Arabie saoudite. Le nouveau texte prévoit, en outre, l’amputation d’une main ou d’un pied pour les voleurs. Le viol est aussi passible de la peine capitale, tout comme l’outrage au prophète Mahomet. Et les relations sexuelles entre femmes peuvent entraîner jusqu’à dix ans de prison. Certains articles, comme la lapidation pour homosexualité masculine concernent les musulmans comme les non-musulmans. » | Par Cyrille Pluyette, correspondant du Figaro à Pékin | jeudi 04 avril 2019

Salvini Aims to Forge Far-right Alliance ahead of European Elections

THE GUARDIAN: Italian deputy PM holding gathering of far-right parties in Milan next week as he seeks to create bloc of populist parties

Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister and leader of its far-right League party, will host a gathering of European far-right parties in Milan next week aimed at building an alliance before elections in May.

Salvini is attempting to position himself as the informal leader of Eurosceptic, populist forces in Europe, but it remains unclear whether any kind of formal coalition will work, given policy differences between parties and the tangled web of alliances already at play inside the European parliament.

Europe’s rightwing populists are in power in Italy, Hungary, Austria and Poland and are riding high in several countries including France and the Netherlands, and, according to polls, will make significant advances in May’s elections. However, they are not predicted to form a majority and most analysts believe they will struggle to present a united front. » | Shaun Walker in Budapest, Angela Giuffrida in Rome and Jon Henley in Paris | Thursday, April 4, 2019

Police amass 10,000 Officers in Preparation for No-deal Unrest

THE GUARDIAN: Chiefs warn that inflammatory rhetoric from politicians could worsen Brexit tensions

Police chiefs have voiced fears that inflammatory rhetoric from politicians and activists could fuel Brexit tensions as they revealed they have amassed their biggest ever peacetime reserve of 10,000 officers to deal with potential unrest in the event of no deal.

The chair of the National Police Chiefs Council, Martin Hewitt, warned “prominent individuals” involved in the protracted Brexit debate should avoid inciting anger given the “febrile” and “emotive” atmosphere, amid concerns of violence and disorder.

Hewitt said: “This is highly emotive ... I think there is a responsibility on those individuals that have a platform, and have a voice, to communicate in a way that is temperate and is not in any way going to inflame people’s views or cause any actions out of there.

“I think we are in an incredibly febrile atmosphere. There is a lot of angry talk that you can pick up if you look across social media.” » | Vikram Dodd, Police and crime correspondent | Thursday, April 4, 2019

Backlash as Brunei Introduces Death by Stoning for Homosexual Sex | ITV News

Brunei will roll-out full Sharia law today, where people who have gay sex could be punished with death by stoning. The country's leader, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has supported the strict Islamic teachings and insisted his nation was a "fair and happy place". "I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger," Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said, without mentioning the new laws.

#boycottbrunei : Brunei Sultan Enacts Gay Sex Stoning Law | DW News

Brunei hat einen steinreichen Sultan und führt drakonische Strafen nach Scharia ein – was ist das für ein Land?

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Brunei ist dank Öl und Gas reich. Davon profitiert der absolutistisch regierende Sultan wie das Volk. Doch der gesellschaftliche Sozialvertrag kommt unter Druck.

Eine Fläche von der Grösse des Kantons Bern und eine Bevölkerung in der Grössenordnung der Stadt Zürich – kein Wunder, steht der Ministaat Brunei kaum je im Zentrum der globalen Aufmerksamkeit. Nicht einmal Wahlen rücken das südostasiatische Land ab und zu ins Rampenlicht. Denn Wahlen gibt es nicht. Brunei ist eine absolutistische Monarchie, seit 51 Jahren regiert Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah mit uneingeschränkter Macht. Formell hält er auch die Portfolios als Ministerpräsident, Verteidigungs- und Aussenminister, und er steht den drei Universitäten des Landes vor. Mit einem geschätzten Vermögen von 20 Milliarden Dollar gehört er zu den reichsten Männern der Welt. » | Patrick Zoll | Mittwoch, 03. April 2019

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Barbarische Strafen für Ehebruch in Brunei » | Manfred Rist, Singapur | Mittwoch, 03. April 2019

Questioning Brunei's Consulate on Anti-LGBT Sharia Law Death Penalty | Janice Atkinson

Janice Atkinson of TheRebel.media reports: The Nation of Brunei is introducing a new Sharia Law penal code on April 3rd that imposes the death penalty on its Muslim citizens by stoning for rape, adultery, insulting Muhammad and for committing homosexual acts.

Human Rights Watch: LGBT Law Will Turn Brunei into 'Human-rights Pariah'

Brunei on Wednesday introduced harsh new sharia laws, including death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, despite a storm of global criticism from politicians, celebrities and rights groups. Human Rights Watch says the hardline rules will turn the sultanate into a "human-rights pariah."

The Sultan of Brunei’s Frugal Brother! »

Brunei Enacts New Penal Laws amid International Condemnation | #TheCube

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Brunei Introduces Death by Stoning for Gay Sex and Adultery » | Iliana Magra | Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Guaidó Stripped of Immunity by Venezuelan Legislators | Al Jazeera English

Politicians loyal to Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro have stripped opposition leader Juan Guaidó of immunity. It means he could now be prosecuted on accusations of violating the constitution -- after declaring himself interim president. The trial will likely start soon but this pits Maduro's government against the more than 60 countries that have backed Guaidó. Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman reports from Caracas.

President Donald Trump's Day of Strange and Confusing Statements | The Last Word | MSNBC

Lawrence examines what Donald Trump did and said today, and why it raises urgent and important questions about the President of the United States. Psychiatrist Prudence Gourguechon, Ron Klain and Adam Jentleson join Lawrence to discuss.

Steinigung von Schwulen: George Clooney ruft zum Brunei-Boykott auf

Hollywood-Star George Clooney hat wegen der Einführung der Todesstrafe für Homosexuelle in dem südostasiatischen Kleinstaat Brunei zu einem Boykott von Luxushotels im Besitz des herrschenden Sultans Hassan al Bolkiah aufgerufen.

Woman Claims Sultan of Brunei Breaks His Own Strict Law

Author Jillian Lauren claims she witnessed the Sultan of Burnei, "not exactly living on the straight and narrow."

Trump's Silence Is Deafening As Brunei's Brutal Anti-LGBTQ Laws Arrive

ADVOCATE: Today, new laws go into effect that require death by stoning if one is caught having any type of queer sex — marking a brutal set-back for LGBTQ rights.

As of today, in Brunei, gay sex and adultery can be punished with death by stoning — and the president of the United States hasn’t said a word about it.

Donald Trump’s silence comes despite his administration’s announced campaign to end the criminalization of homosexuality around the world — although that is something he seemed to have no clue about when questioned on it in February.

The small but oil-rich nation is an absolute monarchy ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah who decided to set this new rule with little explanation to why.

"I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger," Bolkiah said on Wedneseday morning local time, according to AFP news agency, but did not mention the new laws.

Homosexuality has been illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison for some time already — and are connected to Bolkiah's 2014 pursuits to usher in more conservative laws. However this new era seems to promise a level of brutality that has put the global community on edge. » | Trudy Ring | Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Brunei Sultan Calls for Islamic Teachings to Be Strengthened as He Implements Death by Stoning for Gay Sex

THE TELEGRAPH: Brunei's sultan called for Islamic teachings in the country to be strengthened as strict new sharia punishments, including death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, were due to come into force on Wednesday.

The tough penal code in the tiny country on tropical Borneo island - ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah - is set to be fully implemented following years of delays.

The laws, which also include amputation of hands and feet for thieves, will make Brunei the first place in East or Southeast Asia to have a sharia penal code at the national level, joining several mostly Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia.

Rape and robbery are also punishable by death under the code and many of the new laws, such as capital punishment for insulting the Prophet Mohammed, apply to non-Muslims as well as Muslims. » | Agence France-Presse | Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Trump Lashes Out at Germany over Military Budget | DW News

NATO is marking its 70th birthday today. The military alliance was created to protect Europe from threats from the Soviet Union. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the ultimate collapse of the Soviet Union, NATO has been redefining itself. Its 29 member states - and Germany in particular - have come under mounting pressure from Washington since President Donald Trump took office. He has demanded other NATO allies increase their spending on military budgets. At a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump reiterated complaints about German Chancellor Angela Merkel and about Germany failing to meet targets of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense.

Calls for Independent Probe Persist Six Months after Khashoggi Murder | Al Jazeera English

It has now been six months since Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Saudi Arabia admitted Khashoggi was the victim of premeditated murder and of the 21 suspects it had taken into custody, 11 have been indicted. But many say an independent trial is necessary amid accusations that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing and is deflecting responsibility. Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons reports.

Brunei Brings in Stoning to Death for Gay Sex, Despite Outcry

THE GUARDIAN: Shock among LGBT community in tiny southeast Asian kingdom as nation moves towards strict sharia law

Brunei’s small underground LGBT community have expressed shock and dismay over Brunei’s plan to bring in the punishment of death by stoning for adultery and gay sex.

The laws were scheduled to be introduced on Wednesday in the tiny south-east Asian kingdom ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

The new punishments, which also include amputation of hands and feet for thieves, will make Brunei the first country in east or southeast Asia to have a sharia penal code at the national level. Several mostly Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia also adhere to sharia law. » | Kate Lamb in Jakarta and agencies | Wednesday, April 3, 2019

König zahlt vier Kindern Khashoggis Schweigegeld

DIE PRESSE: Die Nachkommen des ermordeten Journalisten sollen Luxusvillen und Apanagen erhalten.

Tunis. Saudiarabien will die Kinder des ermordeten Journalisten Jamal Khashoggi mit hohen Summen finanziell entschädigen. Nach einem Bericht der „Washington Post“ erhalten die beiden Töchter und die beiden Söhne jeweils eine Vier-Millionen-Dollar-Villa in der Hafenstadt Jeddah, eine fünfstellige Monatszahlung sowie einen Millionenbetrag, dessen Höhe noch ausgehandelt werden muss. Die Luxusgebäude gehören zu einer Wohnanlage, in der der älteste Sohn Salah bereits ein Haus besitzt. Er arbeitet als Banker und ist der einzige der vier Nachkommen Khashoggis, der weiterhin in Saudiarabien leben möchte. » | Martin Gehlen | Dienstag, 02. April 2019

Former German FM Sigmar Gabriel: MBS 'Overestimated His Position in Region' | Talk to Al Jazeera

Sigmar Gabriel, who served Germany as vice chancellor, and more recently as foreign minister, has been very outspoken about the issue of German soldiers in Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the GCC crisis.

The Life and Work of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi | Al Jazeera English

The career of Jamal Khashoggi, who was considered to be the most renowned Saudi journalist before his murder in the Saudi consulate in Turkey six months ago, spanned decades, and for much of it, he was a supporter of the Saudi royal family. But, after he became a critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), he was killed by Saudi authorities. Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall reports on his life and work.

Dr. Adam Gaffney Says “We Should Be Skeptical” of Trump’s Proposed Healthcare Plan

President Trump says doctors and health executives in the Senate will write legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, just one week after the Justice Department supported a federal court ruling to wipe out the plan entirely. Dr. Adam Gaffney says "we should be extremely skeptical” that any new legislation would be better than Trump’s widely criticized move to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in 2017.

THE GUARDIAN: Universal healthcare could save America trillions: what’s holding us back? » | Adam Gaffney | Tuesday, December 11, 2019

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Americans Borrowed $88 Billion to Pay for Health Care Last Year, Survey Finds » | Karen Zraick | Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Did Saudi Arabia Intentionally Hack Jeff Bezos' Phone? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

The Bezos' investigation 'concluded with high confidence' that Saudi Arabia had access to the Amazon CEO's phone and had gained private information, according to Bezos' investigator in a new Daily Beast article.

Democracy Now! “This President Is Cruel”: Congresswoman Slams Trump for Fighting against Puerto Rico Disaster Aid

We look at the fight in Congress over disaster aid for Puerto Rico since it was ravaged by Hurricane Maria, one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history. On Monday, two competing disaster relief bills stalled in the Senate. A companion to a January package passed in the House failed after Republicans objected to the lack of relief funding for recent flooding in the Midwest. Another Senate bill supported by Republicans fell short of the 60 votes needed. It contained just $600 million for Puerto Rico’s food stamp program, a number Democrats say is far too low as many Puerto Ricans are still recovering from the devastation of 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Democrats also say aid should cover rebuilding and other forms of disaster relief. Trump responded Monday night on Twitter that “Puerto Rico got far more money than Texas & Florida combined, yet their government can’t do anything right, the place is a mess–nothing works.” We get response from New York Congressmember Nydia Velázquez, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1993. She is the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress and is the former the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

BBC Hardtalk: MP Ken Clarke

HARDtalk's Stephen Sackur speaks to former Conservative minister and longest serving MP Ken Clarke. It is hard to remember a time when Britain wasn't consumed by Brexit agony. And still it's impossible to say how and when the pain will stop. MPs are currently trying to find a Brexit consensus in defiance of the wishes of prime minister May. Her own deal remains short of a parliamentary majority, though she clings to the hope it will eventually prevail before time runs out. How close to breaking point is Britain's political system?

Peine de mort pour homosexualité : la France appelle Brunei à renoncer

LE POINT: La porte-parole du ministre des Affaires étrangères a annoncé que cette nouvelle législation est « contraire aux engagements internationaux ».

La France a appelé mardi le sultanat de Brunei à renoncer à une législation qui va instaurer la peine de mort en cas d'homosexualité ou d'adultère en invoquant la loi islamique. « Brunei a annoncé l'entrée en vigueur d'un nouveau Code pénal le 3 avril 2019 qui prévoit des châtiments corporels et la peine de mort pour des incriminations notamment d'homosexualité, d'apostasie, de blasphème et d'adultère », a déclaré Agnès von der Mühll, la porte-parole du ministère français des Affaires étrangères.

« La France appelle Brunei à renoncer à ce projet et à maintenir son moratoire de fait des exécutions capitales depuis 1957 », a-t-elle ajouté dans un communiqué. Cette législation est « contraire aux engagements internationaux » pris par Brunei en matière de droits de l'homme, que ce soit à l'ONU et au sein de l'Association des nations l'Asie du Sud-Est (Asean), a-t-elle relevé. » | Source AFP | mardi 02 avril 2019

Rees-Mogg and the AfD’s Alice Weidel Have a Lot In Common – All of It Nasty

THE GUARDIAN: The ERG supremo and the far-right German leader are nationalists linked by their hatred of the EU and much else

My first reaction on hearing that Jacob Rees-Mogg had retweeted a video by the populist German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)was: “Well, that figures.” And not just because the AfD is the nasty party in German politics and because Rees-Mogg represents the faction that wants the Conservatives to remain the nasty party in Britain. One of the driving forces behind the AfD is a very German inferiority complex regarding the second world war. Rees-Mogg, with his foppish retro look and accent, embodies the Britain that German nationalists think they lost the war to. A Britain they despise, envy and admire in almost equal measure. » | Alan Posener | Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Erdoğan’s Grip on Turkey Slips as Opposition Makes Election Gains

THE GUARDIAN: Local elections viewed as referendum on president’s handling of economic crisis

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s grip on Turkey has been challenged by a resurgent opposition in local elections, with his ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) losing control of Ankara and on track to lose Istanbul, according to unofficial local election results. » | Bethan McKernan in Istanbul | Monday, April 1, 2019

THE GUARDIAN: Is Turkish poll shock the beginning of the end for Erdoğan? »

Saudi Arabia Paying Jamal Khashoggi's Children Thousands Each Month – Report

THE GUARDIAN: Four children of murdered journalist have also been given houses to ensure they ‘continue to show restraint in their public statements’

The children of murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi have received multimillion-dollar homes and are being paid thousands of dollars per month by the kingdom’s authorities, the Washington Post has reported.

Khashoggi – a contributor to the Post and a critic of the Saudi government – was killed and dismembered in October at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has not been recovered.

The payments to his four children – two sons and two daughters – “are part of an effort by Saudi Arabia to reach a long-term arrangement with Khashoggi family members, aimed in part at ensuring that they continue to show restraint in their public statements”, the Post said. » | Agence France-Presse | Tuesday, April 2, 2019

An Explainer on Sharia Law and Why It Shouldn't Be Used to Punish Gays

ADVOCATE: Draconian laws like those in Brunei are based on a misapplication of Sharia, which isn't really a legal code, Islamic scholars and activists say.

There has been, understandably, much outcry against the sultanate of Brunei’s imposition of what is often called Sharia law — a legal system based on Islam. But Sharia is not monolithic, according to many scholars of Islam; it can be and is interpreted in different ways from one country to another. And some point out that referring to Sharia as “law” is problematic — it’s a religious way of life.

Brunei, ruled dictatorially by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, began incorporating aspects of Sharia into its penal code in 2014, causing international outrage and a boycott of the luxury hotels owned by the sultan’s company, the Dorchester Collection. Some portions of the code going into effect in April provide for death by stoning for people who have sex with a person of the same gender and women who have sex outside of marriage, and for amputation of a hand or foot for thieves. » | Advocate.com Editors | Monday, April 1, 2019

ADVOCATE: Brunei's Antigay Laws Are Too Much Even for Ted Cruz » | Trudy Ring | Monday, April 1, 2019r

PINK NEWS: Bill Maher says Brunei boycott is ‘chickens**t tokenism’ » | Nick Duffy | Monday, April 1, 2019

Brunei to Punish Homosexuals with Death by Stoning

PERSPECTIVES | The sultan of Brunei has declared homosexuality is now punishable by stoning to death. The sultan's move has LGBT groups and human rights organizations worried, as the sultanate in southeast Asia takes a step in a more conservative direction. How is the international community perceiving this? Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen analyzes.

Gay Sex Is About To Become Punishable With Death By Stoning In Brunei | TIME

UN Joins Clooney in Decrying 'Inhuman' Brunei Anti-gay Law

THE GUARDIAN: Penal code that imposes death by stoning for gay sex is serious setback for rights, says commissioner

The United Nations has condemned “cruel and inhuman” laws set to take effect in Brunei this week that impose death by stoning for gay sex and adultery, and amputations for theft.

“I appeal to the government to stop the entry into force of this draconian new penal code, which would mark a serious setback for human rights protections for the people of Brunei if implemented,” the UN high commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet, said in a statement.

Brunei, an absolute monarchy ruled for 51 years by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has said it will implement the code starting on Wednesday.

Brunei first announced the measures in 2013, but their implementation has been delayed in the face of opposition by rights groups, and as officials worked out the practical details.

The law stipulates the death penalty for a number of offences, including rape, adultery, sodomy, robbery and insulting or defaming the prophet Muhammad.

It also introduces public flogging as punishment for abortion as well as amputation for theft, and criminalises exposing Muslim children to the beliefs and practices of any religion besides Islam. » | Agence France-Presse in Geneva | Monday, April 1, 2019

UK 'Silver Spoon' Cabinet Will Escape Brexit Fallout, Says German Minister

THE GUARDIAN: Michael Roth describes Brexit as a ‘big shitshow’ run by out-of-touch politicians

Germany’s Europe minister has accused “90 percent” of the British cabinet of having “no idea how workers think, live, work and behave”, as politicians in the union are finding Westminster turmoil to be a useful argument in the campaign for upcoming elections.

At the Social Democratic party’s (SPD) conference on Saturday, Michael Roth dispensed with diplomatic etiquette to condemn what he called the “big shitshow” of Brexit.

UK politicians “born with silver spoons in their mouths, who went to private schools and elite universities” were responsible for the current impasse in parliament, but were unlikely to suffer the direct consequences of their actions, he said. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Monday, April 1, 2019

Rees-Mogg Defends Promotion of German Far-right AfD Video

THE GUARDIAN: Tory MP tweeted video of Alice Weidel criticising role of Germany and Merkel in Brexit

Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended his decision to tweet a video of a speech by a senior member of Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), saying he did not endorse the party’s views but the opinions expressed had “real importance”.

The Conservative backbencher and leading Brexiter faced strong criticism from some Labour MPs after tweeting a YouTube video of a speech by Alice Weidel, the leader of the AfD’s 91 deputies in the Bundestag, the German parliament.

Rees-Mogg added the message: “The AfD leader asks: ‘Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?’” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, April 1, 2019

Interview: Michael Heseltine: ‘Britain Is Stepping Down from World Pre-eminence’

THE GUARDIAN: The veteran Tory Remainer on the British leaders of his lifetime and how he came to be the hero of the Put it to the People march

Lord Heseltine is a Conservative politician and businessman. He served as an MP between 1966 and 2001 and now sits in the House of Lords. He has held several government positions, including defence secretary under Margaret Thatcher and deputy prime minister under John Major, and worked as an adviser to David Cameron. He lives in Northamptonshire with his wife, Anne, and is co-founder of the publishing company Haymarket. A longstanding Europhile, he is now a prominent critic of Brexit. » | Dorian Lynskey | Sunday, March 31, 2019

Leaked Reports Reveal Severe Abuse of Saudi Political Prisoners

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: cuts, burns and bruising documented, despite government denials of torture

Political prisoners in Saudi Arabia are said to be suffering from malnutrition, cuts, bruises and burns, according to leaked medical reports that are understood to have been prepared for the country’s ruler, King Salman.

The reports seem to provide the first documented evidence from within the heart of the royal court that political prisoners are facing severe physical abuse, despite the government’s denials that men and women in custody are being tortured.

The Guardian has been told the medical reports will be given to King Salman along with recommendations that are said to include a potential pardon for all the prisoners, or at least early release for those with serious health problems. » | Nick Hopkins, Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Kareem Shaheen | Sunday, March 31, 2019

Elton John Joins call for Boycott of Brunei-owned Hotels

THE GUARDIAN: Singer follows George Clooney in protest at sultanate’s death penalty for gay sex and adultery

Elton John has joined George Clooney in calling for a boycott of nine Brunei-owned hotels over the sultanate’s new death penalty laws for gay sex and adultery.

“I commend my friend, George Clooney, for taking a stand against the anti-gay discrimination and bigotry taking place in the nation of Brunei – a place where gay people are brutalised, or worse – by boycotting the sultan’s hotels,” the singer wrote on his Twitter page late on Saturday.

The 72-year-old, a veteran gay rights campaigner, said his “heart went out” to staff at the hotels, but that “we must send a message, however we can, that such treatment is unacceptable”.

The nine hotels mentioned by Clooney, in the US, Britain, France and Italy, include London’s exclusive Dorchester and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, March 31, 2019

Venezuela Bars Guaido From Holding Public Office For 15 Years

Maajid Nawaz's Blistering Case For Why Second Referendum Is Not Undemocratic

Brexit Stalemate Has Caused Enormous Damage to UK, Princeton's O'Toole Says

Mar.29 -- Fintan O'Toole, Princeton University professor, comments on U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May's push for a Brexit deal. He speaks with Bloomberg's Vonnie Quinn on "Bloomberg Markets."

EU Gives Britain 11 Days to Come Up with New Brexit Plan

THE GUARDIAN: Brussels calls emergency summit for 10 April after MPs reject Theresa May’s deal for third time

The EU has given the British government 11 days to come up with a fresh Brexit plan to avoid crashing out of the bloc at 11pm on 12 April.

In the immediate aftermath of the crushing rejection of the prime minister’s deal, the European council president, Donald Tusk, called an emergency leaders’ summit.

Should the UK seek a lengthy extension, leaders will debate any request at an extraordinary meeting on 10 April.

EU capitals would require a clear justification at least two days earlier from Downing Street on the reason for a lengthy delay to allow officials to prepare. “We expect the UK to indicate a way forward before then, well in time for the European council to consider,” an official said.

EU heads of state and government expressed their alarm at the continued impasse in Westminster following the third defeat of May’s deal. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, March 29, 2019

Have Protesters in Gaza Achieved Their Goal? | Inside Story

March 30 marks a year since mass demonstrations began at the fence that separates Gaza from Israel. Since then, Friday afternoon prayers have been followed by demonstrations by hundreds of Palestinians. They are demanding their right to return to the homes and land their families were expelled from 70 years ago.

Israeli soldiers have responded by firing live ammunition and Gaza's health ministry says they've now killed more than 250 people and injured thousands. The United Nations says more than 120 people have had one or both legs amputated. UN investigators say Israel has committed war crimes. All this, at a time of heightened tension in the region. So what's the way forward?

Presenter: Divya Gopalan | Guests: Mukhaimer Abu Saada, Professor of Political Science at Al Azhar University in Gaza; Mitchell Barak, CEO of Keevoon Global Research and was adviser to former Israeli President Shimon Peres and Speechwriter for Ex Prime Minister Ariel Sharon; Saleh Higazi, Deputy Regional Director covering the Middle East and North Africa region for Amnesty International

Russia Defies US Threats Over Venezuela

Trump insists Russia 'get out' of Venezuela; Vijay Prashad says Russia is protecting its own economic interests, billions in outstanding loans

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — March 29, 2019

Owen Jones Meets Sayeeda Warsi | 'Islamophobia Is Britain’s Bigotry Blind Spot'

Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi is one the most outspoken critics of Islamophobia in her own party. I met her to talk about what she calls ‘Britain's bigotry blind spot’ and the consequences it has for Muslim communities around the country. She has some damning criticism for the way her party has dealt with the racism in its ranks and fears what will happen if Michael Gove, one of the current favourites to replace Theresa May, becomes prime minister.

Lebanon Turns to Russia amid Israeli Threat

The President of Lebanon has vocally condemned Israel’s seizure of the Golan Heights in Syria, calling it “a black day for the world.” Meanwhile Lebanon and Russia are drawing closer together diplomatically. Yulia Shapovalova reports. Then RT America’s John Huddy joins Rick Sanchez to discuss the reaction at the United Nations and the strategic importance of the Golan Heights. Then former Pentagon official Michael Maloof weighs in on the geopolitical implications and the possibility of the annexation sparking a wider conflict.

Japan Poised to Reveal Name of New Imperial Era as Akihito Abdicates

THE GUARDIAN: Naming ceremony to take place before emperor steps down from Chrysanthemum throne

On Monday morning, a senior government official in Tokyo will enter a room, gather his thoughts and hold up a work of handwritten calligraphy.

Millions of people will pause and digest the meaning of the two kanjicharacters, and Japan will finally get the answer to a question that has kept it in suspense for months: the name of the new imperial era.

The characters will open a new chapter in Japanese history, a month before the emperor, Akihito, makes way for his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, whose enthronement will take place on 1 May in the country’s first imperial abdication for 200 years. » | Justin McCurry in Tokyo | Friday, March 29, 2019

Donald Trump Rails against 'Greatest Hoax' at First Rally Since Mueller Report

THE GUARDIAN: President wrongly claims special counsel’s report fully exonerated him as he woos voters in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Donald Trump continued his assault on the media and Democrats on Thursday night, wrongly claiming “total exoneration, complete vindication” at his first rally since Robert Mueller submitted his report.

Trump dedicated about half of his approximately 90-minute speech in front of a raucous audience at Grand Rapids to the topic, labeling the accusations and investigation “ridiculous bullshit”. The president bounced between theories about why the special counsel’s investigation happened and attacks on his opponents.

“All of the Democrats, politicians, the media also – bad people,” Trump told the crowd at Michigan’s Van Andel Arena. “The crooked journalists, the totally dishonest TV pundits” helped perpetuate “the single greatest hoax in the history of politics”.

He later claimed that the investigation was really an effort “to overturn the results of the 2016 election”. » | Tom Perkins in Grand Rapids, Michigan | Friday, March 29, 2019

Far-right Terrorism Threat Is Growing, Say MI5 and Police Chiefs

THE GUARDIAN: Andrew Parker and Cressida Dick say numerous plots have been foiled in recent years

Far-right terrorism has been identified as a key threat to the safety and prosperity of the country, according to the director general of MI5, Andrew Parker, and Cressida Dick, the commissioner of the Metropolitan police.

Writing in the Times, the pair warned that while Islamist terrorism remains the largest by scale, they are also “concerned about the growing threat from other forms of violent extremism … covering a spectrum of hate-driven ideologies, including the extreme right and left.”

“Over the past few years [police] have stopped a number of rightwing terrorist attacks from getting through,” they wrote.

In the wake of the Christchurch attacks, in which 50 Muslims were killed by a suspected white supremacist, security services worldwide have refocused on the threat of far-right extremists. » | Seth Jacobson | Friday, March 29, 2019

George Clooney Calls for Hotels Boycott over Brunei's LGBT Laws

THE GUARDIAN: Actor targets nine sites owned by kingdom after it announced death penalty for gay sex

George Clooney has called for a boycott of nine luxury hotels, including the Dorchester on Park Lane in London, because of their links to Brunei, which plans to impose death by stoning as a punishment for gay sex and adultery from next week.

“Let that sink in. In the onslaught of news where we see the world backsliding into authoritarianism this stands alone,” the film star and activist wrote in an opinion piece for Deadline.

In a novel form of political activism aimed at the global elite, he called for the public to join him in immediately boycotting the hotels operated by the Dorchester Collection luxury chain: three in the UK, two in the US, two in France and two in Italy. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Friday, March 29, 2019

George Clooney: Boycott Sultan Of Brunei’s Hotels Over Cruel Anti-Gay Laws

DEADLINE: George Clooney has a long relationship with Deadline, often on matters beyond film and television. In a guest column, he calls for the immediate boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hotel Bel-Air and six others to protest the imminent legalization of laws that make it open season on the LGBTQ community in Brunei.

The date April 3rd has held a unique place in our history over the years. Theologians and astronomers will tell you that Christ was crucified on that date. On April 3rd Harry Truman signed the Marshall Plan, arguably the greatest postwar intervention in the history of man. The first portable cellphone call was made on April 3rd. Marlon Brando was born on that day.

But this April 3rd will hold its own place in history. On this particular April 3rd the nation of Brunei will begin stoning and whipping to death any of its citizens that are proved to be gay. Let that sink in. In the onslaught of news where we see the world backsliding into authoritarianism this stands alone. » | George Clooney | Thursday, March 28, 2019

Analysis: The Saudi Justice System and Human Rights | Al Jazeera English

Saudi Arabia has temporarily released three of the women's rights activists held in custody for almost a year, state media has said, following a court hearing in which the detainees alleged torture and sexual harassment during interrogation.

At least 11 activists were arrested last May in a sweeping crackdown on campaigners just before the historic lifting of a decades-long ban on female motorists.

In a separate development on Thursday, a United Nations human rights expert said that Saudi Arabia should hold public trials for those accused of killing Khashoggi in order for the judicial process to be credible.

Al Jazeera's Senior Middle East Analyst Marwan Bishara talks about the two issues.

Quebec to Ban Public Employees from Wearing Religious Symbols

THE GUARDIAN: Critics say move targets Muslim women wearing hijabs / Justin Trudeau says legitimising discrimination is ‘unthinkable’

The Canadian province of Quebec will ban public sector employees from wearing religious symbols during work hours, in legislation introduced on Thursday, a controversial move that critics say targets Muslim women who wear hijabs or other head coverings.

The proposed law sets the province’s right-leaning Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government on a collision course with the prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who promotes religious freedom, in a federal election year with Quebec a vital battleground.

“It is unthinkable to me that in a free society we would legitimise discrimination against citizens based on their religion,” Trudeau told reporters in Halifax on Thursday. » | Reuters in Ottawa | Thursday, March 28, 2019

Is the Austrian Government Serious about Cracking Down on the Far-right? l Inside Story

The Austrian government says it will not tolerate what it considers 'extremist ideology'. And it's now considering disbanding the far-right Identitarian movement and investigating whether it is a 'terrorist' organisation.

That decision has been made after it was confirmed the movement's leader, Martin Sellner, received nearly $1,700 from the man accused of perpetrating the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand. But he has denied any ties to white supremacist Brenton Tarrant.

Austria is the only country in Western Europe with a far-right presence in government. The leader of the right-wing Freedom Party has distanced himself from the Identitarians; and the country's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz says radical ideologies are not welcome in Austria. But is anyone convinced?

Presenter: Hazem Sika | Guests: Michael Bonvalot, author and expert on the far-right in Austria; Emily Gorcenski, Researcher and Advisory Board member to the Prosecution Project, a research lab studying political violence; Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Professor of Sociology at the American University and author of "The Extreme Gone Mainstream: Commercialization and Far Right Youth Culture in Germany"

This Four Letter Word Is What President Trump Repeatedly Calls His Opponents

CNN's John Avlon takes a look at President Donald Trump's long history of calling his political opponents evil, and why that matters.

Russia Must Get Out of Venezuela, All Options Open – Trump

US President Donald #Trump has warned that #Russia must get out of #Venezuela. Two planeloads of Russian troops are currently in the Latin American country under the terms of a 2001 cooperation treaty.

Brexit: Is a General Election Likely? - BBC Newsnight

Could the Brexit deadlock lead to a general election?

Piers Challenges Journalist Who Is Against LGBT Lessons in Schools | Good Morning Britain

At least five schools in the UK have suspended LGBT lessons due to parent protests as they feel the teachings are age-inappropriate. Ex-Ofsted head Sir Michael Wilshaw and journalist Dilly Hussain debate whether or not these teachings are acceptable in schools.

Brunei Brings In Death by Stoning as Punishment for Gay Sex

THE GUARDIAN: From 3 April, people in the tiny south-east Asian kingdom will be subject to a draconian new penal code based on sharia law

Brunei is to begin imposing death by stoning as a punishment for gay sex and adultery from next week, as part of the country’s highly criticised implementation of sharia law.

From 3 April, individuals in the tiny southeast Asian kingdom will be subject to a draconian new penal code, which also includes the amputation of a hand and a foot for the crime of theft. The capital punishments are to be “witnessed by a group of Muslims.”

Brunei, which has adopted a more conservative form of Islam in recent years, first announced back in 2014 its intention to introduce sharia law, the Islamic legal system which imposes strict corporal punishments. It was a directive of the Sultan of Brunei, who is one of the world’s richest leaders with a personal wealth of about $20bn and has held the throne since 1967. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen, South-east Asia correspondent | Thursday, March 28, 2019

ADVOCATE: Re-Boycott the Beverly Hills Hotel and Its Gay-Stoning Bruneian Owner »

THESE ARE THE HOTELS TO AVOID: »

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL UK: Brunei: 'Vicious' new laws to allow stoning of same-sex couples and amputation for robbery »

How Trump Swindled Billions Out Of Deutsche Bank

Donald Trump has again been proven to be a lifelong con man. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

The Trump Administration – What If This IS Who We Are?

In opposition to Donald Trump, many Americans are saying "This is not who we are" one caller asks Jefferson Smith filling in for Thom Hartmann, to consider that the vilest and most corrupt of Donald Trump's policies are in line with U.S. policy historically. Should progressives widen our criticism of the Donald Trump Administration to include the past and present policy of the United States?

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — March 27, 2019

Jamal Khashoggi: The Silencing of a Journalist | Al Jazeera World

On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist working in the US for the Washington Post, entered his country's consulate in Istanbul to process paperwork - and was never seen again.

On the same day, a 15-man Saudi hit squad had allegedly flown to Istanbul. All the evidence points to Khashoggi's murder, suggesting that his body was first dismembered and then disposed of.

The killing of the well-known journalist and critic of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has resonated around the world, both as an attack on media freedom and as a shocking insight into the workings of a secretive and repressive regime.

The horrific story has been well documented in the media but there are still pieces missing and serious questions remaining unanswered: What happened to the body? Why did two weeks pass before Turkish investigators were allowed into the consulate to examine forensic evidence? And who was ultimately responsible for the killing?

Al Jazeera Arabic's Tamer Almisshal goes to Istanbul to try and find answers. He has pieced together the chronology of events - and examined the theories as to what may have happened to Khashoggi's body.

In mid-March, Saudi Arabia announced it had started court proceedings against those it believes were involved. The Kingdom still refuses to agree to a UN-led investigation, and despite the volume of powerful evidence, we still don't know whether those ultimately responsible for Khashoggi's death will ever be openly held to account.

Bomben auf die Schweiz - «Luftschutzmässiges Verhalten hätte Menschenleben gerettet.»

Am Vormittag des 4. März 1945 nähern sich von Winterthur sechs amerikanische Bomber Zürich. Exakt um 10 Uhr 20 lösen die Piloten ihre tödliche Fracht. Ein Versehen, das 5 Menschen das Leben kostete. Obwohl bereits 11 Monate vor dem versehentlichen Angriff beim Bombardement auf Schaffhausen 40 Schweizer getötet und hunderte verletzt wurden, rechnete in der Limmatstadt kurz vor Kriegsende kaum mehr jemand mit der Gefahr aus der Luft.

Guy Verhofstadt Compares Nigel Farage to Blackadder Character

The EU's Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt said he was surprised to see former UKIP leader Nigel Farage sitting in European Parliament in Strasbourg. Saying 'I thought you were marching 200 miles for the leave campaign? How many did you do? Two miles'. The former Belgian prime minister Verhofstadt later compared Farage to Field Marshal Haig from Blackadder. Explaining that Farage was 'sitting safely in his office, while his people are walking in the cold and the rain'

Fears of No Brexit Drive Hardliners to May's Side

They've said no - emphatically and twice - to Theresa May's Brexit deal, but tomorrow afternoon MPs will have the chance to say what sort of Brexit deal they do want.

George Osborne 'I’ve Sat Down and Had a Drink with Theresa May Since All of This' | British GQ

Alastair Campbell interviews the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, now current Editor of the Evening Standard about Theresa May, Brexit, Boris Johnson and more

OxyContin Maker Purdue Pharma to Pay $270 Million Legal Settlement That Will Fund Addiction Center

The state of Oklahoma has reached a $270 million agreement with Purdue Pharma—the makers of OxyContin—settling a lawsuit that claimed the company contributed to the deaths of thousands of Oklahoma residents by downplaying the risk of opioid addiction and overstating the drug’s benefits. The state says more Oklahomans have died from opioids over the last decade than have been killed in vehicle accidents. More than $100 million from the settlement will fund a new addiction treatment and research center at Oklahoma State University in Tulsa. “It’s really just the first move in what is a very complicated legal chess game,” says Barry Meier, author of “Pain Killer: An Empire of Deceit and the Origin of America’s Opioid Epidemic.” Meier was the first journalist to shine a national spotlight on the abuse of OxyContin. He asks, “Is this money going to be used wisely in terms of treating addiction?”

Opinion: I’m Glad I Left Brexit Britain. My EU Friends Who Didn’t Are Stuck In Limbo

THE GUARDIAN: As I feared, it seems that European citizens in the UK face being stripped of many rights after Brexit

Almost every Brexit lie has been debunked over the past two years for the British population, and now it’s EU citizens’ turn. Surprise, surprise: your rights will likely not be protected as the government once promised. For the very few who still had hope that Brexit would not affect them this may come as a shock and cause serious concern about their future in the UK. For me, it is reassurance that I did the right thing in leaving the UK last September.

From the beginning I had zero trust in a government made up of vicious liars and buffoons. After the leave campaign pushed racist stereotypes and blamed all the country’s problems on the EU, how could I believe they really cared about people from the continent? So last year I did the only logical thing, packed my bag and bought a one-way ticket to Madrid where life is good and the weather is sunny. Ever since, I have been watching the Brexit chaos from a safe distance and can only say that I am shocked. The impossibility of striking a deal acceptable to every side, because of the backstop issue, the EU’s constant overstepping of so-called red lines and the Tory government’s obvious incompetence – if the fate of the country I enjoyed living in wasn’t so sad, it would be entertaining. » | Oliver Imhof | Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Opinion: Amoral and Venal: Britain’s Governing Class Has Lost All Sense of Duty

THE GUARDIAN: The debacle that followed the Brexit referendum has its roots in moneyed nihilism at the top of the Conservative party

Even as doodlebugs smashed into the surrounding streets, George Orwell consoled himself with this thought: “One thing that has always shown that the English ruling class are morally fairly sound, is that in time of war they are ready enough to get themselves killed.” Present those who governed us with an existential crisis, he argued in his essay England Your England, and they would do what they believed to be right for the country.

Almost eight decades later, the UK stands on the verge of a calamity as great as any since the war. Whatever the protestations in parliament, we could within days crash-land into a world of medicine shortages and food riots. And where are our political classes? According to the lobby correspondents, Monday’s cabinet meeting was spent war-gaming general election strategiesand thinking how to timetable voting so as to “scare” Labour. Wherever the national interest actually featured, it was buried under a thick dollop of party interest.

Sunday afternoon was Theresa May’s crisis summit at Chequers, to which Iain Duncan Smith came as Toad of Toad Hall, complete with open-top vintage sports car and cloth cap. Jacob Rees-Mogg’s chosen passenger was his 12-year-old son, Peter, because a national crisis evidently created the perfect occasion for bring-your-child-to-work day. Boris Johnson rocked up in his Spaffmobile before chuntering back to London to publish a columndumping all over the woman with whom he’d just been talking, dubbing her “chicken” and saying she had “bottled it”. (One of the columns, if it’s not too unseemly to mention, for which the Telegraph pays him £275,000 a year.) The BBC reports that these men refer to themselves as the Grand Wizards. Since that is an honorific used by the Ku Klux Klan, the best can be said is they have put as much thought into their nicknames as they ever did into the Irish backstop.

This is how today’s governing classes comport themselves, while the country teeters on the edge of a cliff: they behave with neither care nor caution, let alone concern for the welfare of the nation. These people are laughing at us, even as they take our money to go about their daily business. » | Aditya Chakrabortty | Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Could Banning Menthol Cigarettes Have Deadly, Unintended Consequences?

Retired Police Commander Neill Franklin and harm reduction specialist Ricky Morris say city bans on menthol cigarettes could lead to further criminalization of communities of color

EU Cannot Betray 'Increasing Majority' Who Want UK to Remain, Says Tusk

THE GUARDIAN: EC president hails those who marched against Brexit and revoke article 50 petitioners

Donald Tusk has issued a rallying call to the “increasing majority” of British people who want to cancel Brexit and stay in the EU.

In a stirring intervention, the European council president has praised those who marched on the streets of London and the millions who are petitioning the government to revoke article 50.

Speaking to the European parliament, Tusk reprimanded those who voiced concerns about a potential lengthy extension to article 50 in the event of the Commons rejecting the withdrawal agreement again this week.

Tusk said: “Let me make one personal remark to the members of this parliament. Before the European council, I said that we should be open to a long extension if the UK wishes to rethink its Brexit strategy, which would of course mean the UK’s participation in the European parliament elections. And then there were voices saying that this would be harmful or inconvenient to some of you.

“Let me be clear: such thinking is unacceptable. You cannot betray the 6 million people who signed the petition to revoke article 50, the 1 million people who marched for a people’s vote, or the increasing majority of people who want to remain in the European Union.”

To heckling from Ukip MEPs, Tusk went on: “They may feel that they are not sufficiently represented by the UK parliament, but they must feel that they are represented by you in this chamber. Because they are Europeans.” » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Ali Ataie | Jesus in Islam | February 28, 2014

The $16m New York Penthouse Fit for a UK Civil Servant

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Luxury apartment next to UN headquarters to be used by senior diplomat charged with seeking post-Brexit trade deals

The government has bought a $15.9m (£12m) seven bedroom luxury New York apartment for a senior British civil servant charged with signing fresh trade deals in a post-Brexit world, the Guardian can reveal.

The foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt oversaw the purchase of a 5,893 sq ft (574 sq metre) apartment as the official residence for Antony Phillipson, the UK trade commissioner for North America and consul general in New York. The apartment occupies the whole of the 38th floor of 50 United Nations Plaza, a 42-storey luxury tower near the UN headquarters in Manhattan.

The 167 metre tower, designed by the firm of celebrated British architect Norman Foster is described as “the ultimate global address”, and was also home to Nikki Haley when she served as the US ambassador to the UN until December 2018. » | Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent | Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Theresa May Is Effectively Gone. She Is a Leader in Name Only

THE GUARDIAN: This is a national humiliation, made in Britain, made by Brexit. And the prime minister has no control over events

Brexit is the biggest peacetime crisis we have faced and a no-deal Brexit could provoke a national emergency. The depth and scale of the divisions and the narrowness of the majority in favour of leaving the EU mean that the most sensible step would be to put the issue on hold, complete the negotiations and then hold a referendum. Sadly, that option is not available.

But it is in the next phase of negotiations that the details of the UK’s future relationship with the EU will be fleshed out. Depending on what happens in those negotiations, either we will see virtually no change to our current status – in which case, what is the point of leaving? Or, as is much more likely, the Brexiteers will demand significant changes to reflect their own views – views that will appal and frighten much of the electorate when they realise the enormity of what is being done. In essence, Brexiteers want to dismantle much of what we regard as the underpinning of civilised life in the modern world.

A referendum now would at least give people the chance to react to the realisation that the easy and facile promises of three years ago have evaporated. £350m a week for the NHS has become a £39bn severance cost to leave the EU, every penny of it to be borrowed by the current political generation, but to be repaid by the young people coming after them. » | Michael Heseltine | Monday, March 25, 2019

Is Trump Changing US Policy in the Middle East? | Inside Story

In his latest controversial move, US President Donald Trump has recognized Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights, ending decades of US policy towards the region. It's a boost for embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is seeking re-election in two weeks; but the move has been condemned by world leaders.

Israel captured the territory in 1967 and annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally. So is Trump helping or hindering peace in the Middle East?

Presenter: Nick Clark | Guests: Rami Khouri, Senior Fellow at the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy at the American University of Beirut; Guillaume Charron, director of the advisory firm Independent Diplomat; Eugene Kontorovich, international law professor at the Kohelet Policy Forum who advised both the Israeli and American governments on the Occupied Golan Heights

Michael Heseltine Speech - People's Vote March – 23.03.2019

Russia Obsession Let Trump Abandon Nuclear Treaties—Wilkerson and Jay

While there's ample evidence to indict Trump for obstruction and Democrats naively trusted Mueller, more crucial issue is the missed opportunity to negotiate stronger nuclear weapons treaties—Larry Wilkerson joins Paul Jay

Has Mueller Investigation Vindicated Trump? | Inside Story

It's been the biggest question for Donald Trump during his presidency so far – did he conspire with Russians to help get elected?

No he didn't. That's the result of the two-year investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. But investigators can't give a definitive answer on whether the President obstructed justice or not.

Trump was quick to tweet: No Collusion, No Obstruction, Complete and Total EXONERATION. KEEP AMERICA GREAT! But leading Democrats say the summary of the report - by Attorney General William Barr - ‘raises as many questions as it answers’. They're demanding full access to what else the report says. But will that report be released?

Presenter: Hazem Sika | Guests: J-D Gordon, National Security Director on Donald Trump's 2016 Presidential Campaign; Jeannie Zaino, professor at Iona College; David Goodfriend, lawyer who previously served as Deputy Staff Secretary to President Bill Clinton

Brussels Confirms Return of Border Checks under No-deal Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: British travellers will need to get passport stamped and may be asked about purpose of visit

British travellers will get a stamp in their passport every time they enter and leave the European Union in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the European commission has confirmed.

The announcement on border checks was revealed days after the British government secured a short extension that shifts the Brexit deadline to 12 April.

“The risk of a no-deal scenario is becoming increasingly likely,” an EU official said. The EU’s Brexit no-deal plans “cannot replicate the benefits of being an EU member” and were not “mini-deals or a negotiated no deal”, but unilateral measures to avoid disruption for the EU side, the official said.

In an information notice, the commission confirmed that in the event of a no-deal UK nationals would have the right to visa-free travel for short stays in the EU (90 days in any 180-day period), if the UK grants the same arrangement to citizens of all EU member states. “Your passport will be stamped both when you enter the EU and when you leave it, so that this period of 90 days, which is visa-free, can be calculated.”

British travellers would also lose access to the EU lane at border crossings, meaning longer queues.

In another return to the past, British travellers may be asked by border guards to provide information on the purpose of their visit and means of subsistence during their stay. Luggage would be subject to customs checks. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Monday, March 25, 2019

As Mueller Finds No Collusion, Did Press Overhype Russiagate? Glenn Greenwald vs. David Cay Johnston

As congressional Democrats call on the Justice Department to release the full Mueller report, we speak to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists who have closely followed the probes into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election: Glenn Greenwald, a founding editor of The Intercept and a leading critic of the media coverage of alleged Russian collusion, and David Cay Johnston, formerly of The New York Times, now founder and editor of DCReport.org, who has written critically about Donald Trump for decades. His most recent book is “It’s Even Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration Is Doing to America.”

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — March 25, 2019