Friday, April 12, 2019
Robert Reich: Closing the Border to Mexico Is "Insane"
Tatchell: "Why Is Assange Being Pursued & Not NYT or The Guardian? It Smacks of Double Standards"
Craig Murray on Julian Assange: "This Is a Very Important Fight, One We Absolutely Must Win"
Labels:
Julian Assange
Sandhurst and Cranwell Included in Training of Saudi Arabian Officers
Julian Assange's Mother Accuses Theresa May of Using Son to Distract from 'Dog's Breakfast Brexit'
Christine Assange launched her attack on the Prime Minister after Mrs May welcomed the the WikiLeaks founder's arrest after almost seven years of self-confinement inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
Mrs Assange, who pledged to "fight like hell" to clear her son's name, tweeted: "Theresa May trying to divert attention away from her Brexit dog's breakfast by cheering on the thuggish, brutal, unlawful arrest of my courageous, tortured multi-award winning journalist son Julian!"
Speaking in the Commons yesterday, Mrs May declared Assange's arrest showed "no one is above the law" in Britain. » | Telegraph Reporters | Friday, April 12, 2019
Labels:
Julian Assange
Daniel Ellsberg On Assange Arrest: The Beginning of the End For Press Freedom
Neil Clark: "Julian Assange Has Been Besmirched"
Labels:
Julian Assange
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Science and Islam - Islamic Knowledge | Science Documentary | Reel Truth Science
Labels:
documentary,
Islam,
science
Julian Assange Arrested: What Now for the WikiLeaks Founder?
Labels:
Julian Assange
WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Arrested
Labels:
Julian Assange
Former MI5 Agent on Assange’s Arrest
Labels:
Julian Assange
Julian Assange of WikiLeaks Arrested in London; Faces US Charge Related to Chelsea Manning Leaks
Glenn Greenwald Calls Julian Assange’s Arrest "A Grave Threat to Press Freedoms"
Julian Assange, WikiLeaks Founder, Is Arrested in London
President Lenín Moreno of Ecuador said on Twitter that his country had decided to stop sheltering Mr. Assange after “his repeated violations to international conventions and daily-life protocols,” a decision that cleared the way for the British authorities to detain him.
The relationship between Mr. Assange and Ecuador has been a rocky one, even as it offered him refuge, and WikiLeaks said last Friday that Ecuador “already has an agreement with the UK for his arrest” and predicted that Mr. Assange would be expelled from the embassy “within ‘hours to days.’ ”
Video footage showed a bearded Mr. Assange being taken down the steps of the red brick embassy in the wealthy area of Knightsbridge in central London by several plainclothes police officers and put into a gray police truck that was waiting to take him away. » | Richard Pérez-Peña | Thursday, April 11, 2019
Kim Jong-un Vows to Deliver 'Serious Blow' over Sanctions
Kim Jong-un has vowed to deliver a “serious blow” to hostile countries he accused of using sanctions to bring the regime “to its knees”, according to the country’s state media.
The North Korean leader’s broadside against measures imposed in response to missile and nuclear programmes comes weeks after his second summit with Donald Trump ended in failure after they disagreed on how to match sanctions relief with progress on denuclearisation.
“We must deal a serious blow to the hostile forces who are mistakenly determined to bring us to our knees with sanctions by advancing the socialist construction to a high level of self-reliance that fits our circumstances and state, based on our own power, technology and resources,” Kim said, according to the state news agency KCNA. » | Justin McCurry and agencies | Thursday, April 11, 2019
Labels:
Kim Jong-un,
North Korea
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Pence Asks UN to Recognize Guaidó in Venezuela
What Kind of Government Will Take Power in Israel? | Inside Story
That's not to say Israel's elections weren't close. They definitely were. But in Israel, politics is all about partnerships, and the way Netanyahu positioned himself before the vote has meant finding support after it, will be far easier for him and his Likud party. So what will it all mean for Israel... and the region?
Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria Guests Akiva Eldar, columnist for Al-Monitor's Israel Pulse... Yossi Mekelberg, Professor in International Relations at Regent's University Mitchell Barak, CEO of Keevoon Global Research, and an adviser to the former Israeli President Shimon Peres.
'Brexit May Be Worse for EU Than UK' Timothy Garton Ash Interview
Will EU Members Approve Theresa May's Brexit Extension Request?
Labels:
Brexit,
DW News,
EU,
Theresa May
Tuesday, April 09, 2019
Europäische Union: Ungarn ist verloren
Beda Magyar ist ein ungarischer Wissenschaftler, der in Budapest an der Zentraleuropäischen Universität (CEU) gearbeitet hat. Diese Hochschule wurde von der ungarischen Regierung mit neuen Anforderungen im Hochschulgesetz unter Druck gesetzt, bis sie sich Ende 2018 gezwungen sah, teilweise nach Wien umzuziehen. Beda Magyar schreibt hier unter Pseudonym, um sich und sein privates und berufliches Umfeld zu schützen. Seine Identität ist der Redaktion bekannt.
Ungarn hat Selbstmord begangen – mit ungeschickter Hilfe der EU und vor den Augen der übrigen, hilflosen EU-Mitglieder. Der Totentanz der Demokratie hat begonnen, wie schon einmal im 20. Jahrhundert: Menschenrechte, Pressefreiheit, die Unabhängigkeit von Justiz, Wissenschaft und Kunst sind wieder zum Spielball der Politik geworden; Fakten und Realitäten werden umgedeutet zu Angriffen auf die nationale Identität; Hass und Gesetzesbruch werden zum moralischen Imperativ erklärt. Dies alles geschieht nicht nur in der EU, sondern die EU hat selbst dazu beigetragen, den Wahngebilden der Rechtsextremen Leben einzuhauchen. Denn um nichts anderes handelt es sich bei der fixen Idee, die Brüsseler Bürokratie stelle eine Bedrohung für Ungarns kulturelle Identität dar. » | Ein Essay von Beda Magyar, Budapest | Dienstag, 09. April 2019
In English: Hungary Is Lost »
Why Is the US Calling Iran's Revolutionary Guard 'Terrorists'? | Inside Story
The United States has designated the force as a terrorist organisation in an unprecedented move. Iran responded by calling US troops in the Middle East terrorists, and threatened to produce more advanced nuclear centrifuges. So what's the objective? And what will be the impact of these unprecedented declarations?
Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Mohammad Marandi - Dean of Faculty of World Studies at the University of Tehran; Trita Parsi - Professor at Georgetown University; Ellie Geranmayeh - Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa programme and Senior Policy Fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations
Labels:
Inside Story,
Iran,
Revolutionary Guard,
USA
Iran's MPs Don Uniform of Revolutionary Guard in Protest at US
Politicians in Iran wore Revolutionary Guard uniforms in parliament on Tuesday in protest at the US decision to classify the nation’s military wing as a foreign terrorist organisation.
There were chants of “Death to America” as the president, Hassan Rouhani, declared the guard was “dearer than ever in the hearts of the Iranian nation” and announced countermeasures against the US.
Donald Trump’s move on Monday marked the first time Washington has declared another nation’s military wing a terrorist organisation – in the same category as non-state groups such as Isis or al-Qaida.
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say on all state matters, met members of the Revolutionary Guard on Tuesday, telling them: “Americans imagine they are designing and making trouble against the guard – in fact against the revolution and Iran – but their evil designs will not harm [the force]”. » | Bethan McKernan and agencies | Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Who Are the Real Terrorists? Trump Intensifies Economic War Against Iran – Wilkerson & Jay
Monday, April 08, 2019
Trump Hires New Legal Team To Protect His Tax Returns
Labels:
Donald Trump,
tax returns
IS Targets the Philippines | DW Documentary
We report from a country that the so-called "Islamic State" apparently wants to use as a bridgehead to spread its ideology in Asia. Marawi's total destruction made the Philippine state look weak and incapable of defending its own territory. The IS fighters may have been defeated, but the grueling house-to-house fighting against a well-equipped army supported by the USA was a propaganda coup for the Caliphate. Martial law still applies on Mindanao, the second largest island in the south of the Philippines where Marawi is located. More than 60,000 of the city’s inhabitants are still living in refugee camps or other emergency shelters, and reconstruction could take years. The terrorist group’s capture of Marawi was the climax to an old, religiously charged conflict that IS did not cause but was able to exploit. A feud between local Muslim inhabitants and Christian colonial rulers and settlers from the north of the archipelago has been smoldering in the south of the Philippines for more than 400 years. Many Muslims still complain about the discrimination they face from a mainly Catholic society, which is an ideal environment for the recruitment of new fighters for jihad. The fact that the Islamists' black flag flew over Marawi for 154 days could boost radical forces throughout the entire region. IS terrorists are also targeting neighboring Indonesia. And Rodrigo Duterte, a president better known for his toughness than his talent for peace making, is pouring fuel on the flames.
Labels:
DW documentary,
IS,
Philippines
US Labels Iran's Élite Revolutionary Guard Corps a 'Terror Group' | Al Jazeera English
Labels:
Donald Trump,
Iran,
Revolutionary Guard,
USA
Trump Designates Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a Foreign Terrorist Group
The move, which has been debated at the highest levels within the administration, was imposed on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The military unit has carried out operations across the Middle East, trained Arab Shiite militias and taken part in a wide range of businesses in Iran.
The designation “underscores the fact that Iran’s actions are fundamentally different from those of other governments,” Mr. Trump said in a statement. “This action will significantly expand the scope and scale of our maximum pressure on the Iranian regime. It makes crystal clear the risks of conducting business with, or providing support to, the I.R.G.C.”
The action imposes wide-ranging economic and travel sanctions on the military unit as well as the organizations, companies or individuals that have ties to it — including officials in Iraq, an American ally. Officials in the United States said the broad terrorist designation covers 11 million members of the Iranian group and units in its hierarchy. » | Edward Wong and Eric Schmitt | Monday, April 8, 2019
Facebook Are 'Morally Bankrupt Liars' Says New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner
New Zealand’s privacy commissioner has lashed out at social media giant Facebook in the wake of the Christchurch attacks, calling the company “morally bankrupt pathological liars”.
The commissioner used his personal Twitter page to lambast the social network, which has also drawn the ire of prime minister Jacinda Ardern for hosting a livestream of the attacks that left 50 dead, which was then copied and shared all over the internet.
“Facebook cannot be trusted,” wrote Edwards.
“They are morally bankrupt pathological liars who enable genocide (Myanmar), facilitate foreign undermining of democratic institutions. » | Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin | Monday, April 8, 2019
Labels:
Facebook
Theresa May erklärt im Video das Brexit-Chaos
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Brexit ist für Deutsche das wichtigste politische Thema »
Labels:
Brexit,
Deutschland,
Theresa May
Sunday, April 07, 2019
Why the War on Meat? Find Out Here from Dr. Gary & Belinda Fettke
I Support Gary »
Battle for Tripoli Escalates as Fighting Nears Libyan Capital
The battle for Tripoli escalated on Sunday as a military assault on the city by the eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar led to 21 deaths and nearly 90 injuries, and international calls for calm were ignored.
As the fighting neared the capital, the UN issued a plea for a temporary ceasefire to allow the wounded to be evacuated. Hours earlier, the US announced it was withdrawing some of its troops from the country, citing deteriorating “security conditions on the ground”. India also withdrew a group of its peacekeepers, saying the situation in Libya had suddenly worsened.
The international airport 15 miles south of central Tripoli was a scene of fierce battles after Haftar claimed to have seized control of the area from the UN-backed government of national accord. » | Patrick Wintour and Chris Stephen | Sunday, April 7, 2019
Trump Under Fire over Islamophobia after Man Threatens to Kill Ilhan Omar
Donald Trump and Fox News are coming under fire for contributing to a climate of Islamophobia, following the arrest of a supporter of the president who threatened to kill Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota who was one of the first Muslim women elected to the US Congress. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Sunday, April 7, 2019
Yuval Noah Harari - Q&A on Being Gay
The Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi
‘It’s Dangerous to Go Out Now’: Young, Gay and Scared in Brunei
A day after it became legally possible to be stoned to death for having gay sex in Brunei, 21-year-old Zain* got a bitter taste of the new reality.
Walking down the street in skinny jeans and high-heeled boots, a flamboyant anomaly in the conservative sultanate, the university student became a target.
“I saw this van about 50 metres away,” said Zain, who is gay. “When the driver saw me, the van accelerated, just to run me over, but I dodged it. I was like, ‘Bitch, what the hell was that?’”
Last week Brunei – a tiny tropical nation on the island of Borneo, a former British protectorate that is home to 420,000 people – introduced harsh new sharia laws, including death by stoning for adultery and gay sex, and amputation of limbs for theft. » | Kate Lamb in Bandar Seri Begawan | Saturday, April 6, 2019
Saturday, April 06, 2019
RAF and Royal Navy Urged to Cut Ties to Sultan of Brunei over Anti-gay Law
The RAF and Royal Navy are under pressure to cut links with the sultan of Brunei amid a global backlash against his country’s decision to introduce death by stoning as punishment for homosexuality.
The calls came after crowds protesting against the country’s new draconian penal code surged through barriers outside the Brunei-owned Dorchester Hotel yesterday afternoon, forcing the police to stand in front of its doors.
More than 100 people, many bearing a mixture of rainbow flags, banners and placards, chanted “shame on you” outside the luxury hotel in Park Lane.
The protest was led by gay-rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who said: “The sultan is copying the barbaric punishments by Isis in Syria and Iraq; enacting death by stoning for people found guilty of homosexuality, adultery and insulting the prophet Muhammad.
“He is comparable to the Isis fanatics who executed people for these so-called crimes during their murderous caliphate. Brunei should be isolated as a pariah state, just like Isis was.” » | Charles Richardson and Jamie Doward | Saturday, April 6, 2019
Friday, April 05, 2019
Companies Abandon Brunei's Dorchester Hotel over Gay Sex Law
High-profile events and awards shows have been cancelled at the Dorchester in London in protest at the decision of Brunei, the hotel’s ultimate owner, to make gay sex and adultery punishable by stoning to death.
The boycott against businesses owned by the Brunei state has continued to grow in recent days, following an outcry from LGBT campaigners including Sir Elton John over the introduction of the new rules, ordered by the sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah.
With other celebrities including the actor George Clooney giving their support to the boycott campaign, a string of companies confirmed on Friday that they would no longer be using the five-star hotel’s facilities. The TV Choice awards, several major property companies and the Financial Times were among those that said they would be cancelling events. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Friday, April 5, 2019
Tucker Carlson’s White Power Hour Is Losing Tons Of Money
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange May Be Arrested Soon
The UK’s ‘Man at the EU’ on the Brexit Saga - and the Threat of No Deal
Labels:
Brexit
Européennes: le casse-tête de la participation britannique
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
Tim Ryan: Working Class Needs Someone To Represent Them | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Labels:
Morning Joe,
MSNBC,
Tim Ryan
Lawrence's Last Word: Donald Trump's Worst Presidential Appointment | The Last Word | MSNBC
Holidays and Arms Deals with Brunei Don’t Trump Gay People’s Right to Exist
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
Thursday, April 04, 2019
Yemen War: Congress Votes to End US Military Assistance to Saudi Arabia
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
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
Labels:
Brunei,
LGBT,
persecution
Will Saudi Arabia Go Nuclear? | Al Jazeera English
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
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
Labels:
far-right,
Italy,
Matteo Salvini
Police amass 10,000 Officers in Preparation for No-deal Unrest
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
Labels:
Brexit
Wednesday, April 03, 2019
Backlash as Brunei Introduces Death by Stoning for Homosexual Sex | ITV News
Brunei hat einen steinreichen Sultan und führt drakonische Strafen nach Scharia ein – was ist das für ein Land?
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
Human Rights Watch: LGBT Law Will Turn Brunei into '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
President Donald Trump's Day of Strange and Confusing Statements | The Last Word | MSNBC
Steinigung von Schwulen: George Clooney ruft zum Brunei-Boykott auf
Woman Claims Sultan of Brunei Breaks His Own Strict Law
Trump's Silence Is Deafening As Brunei's Brutal Anti-LGBTQ Laws Arrive
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 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
Calls for Independent Probe Persist Six Months after Khashoggi Murder | Al Jazeera English
Labels:
Jamal Khashoggi,
MbS,
Saudi Arabia
Brunei Brings in Stoning to Death for Gay Sex, Despite Outcry
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
Tuesday, April 02, 2019
König zahlt vier Kindern Khashoggis Schweigegeld
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
The Life and Work of Slain Journalist Jamal Khashoggi | Al Jazeera English
Dr. Adam Gaffney Says “We Should Be Skeptical” of Trump’s Proposed Healthcare Plan
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
Labels:
Jeff Bezos,
MbS,
Morning Joe,
MSNBC,
Saudi Arabia
Democracy Now! “This President Is Cruel”: Congresswoman Slams Trump for Fighting against Puerto Rico Disaster Aid
BBC Hardtalk: MP Ken Clarke
Labels:
BBC,
Hardtalk,
Ken Clarke
Peine de mort pour homosexualité : la France appelle Brunei à renoncer
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
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
Labels:
AfD,
Alice Weidel,
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Erdoğan’s Grip on Turkey Slips as Opposition Makes Election Gains
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 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
Labels:
Jamal Khashoggi,
MbS,
Saudi Arabia
Monday, April 01, 2019
An Explainer on Sharia Law and Why It Shouldn't Be Used to Punish Gays
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
UN Joins Clooney in Decrying 'Inhuman' Brunei Anti-gay Law
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
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
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
Labels:
AfD,
Alice Weidel,
Brexit,
Germany,
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Interview: Michael Heseltine: ‘Britain Is Stepping Down from World Pre-eminence’
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
Labels:
Brexit,
Michael Heseltine
Leaked Reports Reveal Severe Abuse of Saudi Political Prisoners
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
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
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Brexit Stalemate Has Caused Enormous Damage to UK, Princeton's O'Toole Says
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