Ken Clarke Calls Boris Johnson 'Disingenuous'

'I do think the Prime Minister has a tremendous skill in keeping a straight face whilst he's being so disingenuous' - Ken Clarke reacts to the government's defeat. Boris Johnson has been defeated again as MPs pass bill blocking no-deal.

Trump’s Attorney General and Vice-President Exposed for Routing Money into Trump Hotels | The Beat With Ari Melber | MSNBC

VP Mike Pence is coming under fire for staying at a Trump Golf club in Ireland, 180 miles away from his government meetings, after a strong ‘suggestion’ from Trump. Pence’s stay comes days after reports of Barr spending $30,000 on a holiday party hosted at Trump’s D.C. hotel. Richard Painter, former republican White House ethics lawyer, slams Trump for ‘illegal’ and ‘immoral and illogical’ actions, arguing his administration is out to ‘milk the taxpayer right, left and center.’

All or Nothing: Can Parliament Stop Boris Johnson's Brexit Blitz?

Corbyn and Johnson Clash over No-deal Brexit: 'Anti-democratic and Unconstitutional'

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn clashed over Brexit in their first meeting in parliament since the summer recess. Johnson labelled a rebel bill designed to prevent no deal 'Jeremy Corbyn's surrender bill' and accused opposition MPs of undermining his attempts to negotiate a new deal with the European Union. Corbyn claimed Johnson was attempting to force no deal in a manner that was 'unprecedented, anti-democratic and unconstitutional'.

THE GUARDIAN: Britain is mired in democratic crisis – but it goes much deeper than Brexit » | Aditya Chakrabortty | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Kindertransport: A Fantastic Act of Love

PM Loses Majority after Tory MP Quits ahead of Crucial Vote

With Phillip Lee's defection to the Lib Dems and the expected vote later, MPs have returned from their summer break straight into a defining moment for Brexit.

Brexit : au début d’une nouvelle semaine cruciale, Johnson perd sa majorité

LE MONDE: Tandis que le premier ministre s’adressait à la Chambre, le député Phillip Lee a quitté les rangs du Parti conservateur pour rejoindre ceux du LibDem.

A Westminster, mardi 3 septembre, Boris Johnson a tenté de convaincre, pendant près de deux heures de discussions, les députés conservateurs « rebelles » de ne pas soutenir l’opposition contre un Brexit sans accord. « Nous avons promis au peuple que nous mettrions en œuvre le Brexit. Nous avons promis de respecter le résultat du référendum et nous devons le faire maintenant. Ça suffit ! », s’est agacé Boris Johnson lors de sa prise de parole pour l’ouverture d’une rentrée parlementaire houleuse.

« Tout le monde dans ce gouvernement veut un accord, mais c’est vraiment cette Chambre des communes qui a rejeté trois fois l’accord de sortie [conclu entre l’ex-chef du gouvernement Theresa May et Bruxelles] et il ne peut tout simplement pas être ressuscité », a-t-il ajouté. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 3 septembre 2019

The Brexit Ultras Cheer Him, But the Boris Johnson Pantomime Will End

THE GUARDIAN: The prime minister’s performance on the reality of no deal works by suspension of disbelief. The EU will not indulge it

Brexit is not the first thing Boris Johnson has found difficult, but it might be the first difficult thing he cannot simply abandon. The path by which he arrived in Downing Street is strewn with jettisoned jobs, principles and relationships. He finds other people’s needs burdensome, and is used to shrugging them off. But now he is yoked to an onerous national duty. His discomfort was obvious in parliament today.

Johnson’s traditional repertoire of glibness and bluster served him poorly as his authority and his majority were chipped away. His statement on last week’s G7 summit was upstaged by a Tory MP, Phillip Lee, ostentatiously quitting his seat on government benches and swapping it for a berth with the Liberal Democrats. When MPs, including former chancellor Philip Hammond, demanded evidence of progress in Brexit talks, the Conservative leader could not even wriggle with eloquence, let alone defend himself with facts. He did not look like a man with well-laid plans coming to fruition. » | Rafael Behr | Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Brexit Debate: A Very British Coup?

Doctor Dares 'Muppet' Rees-Mogg to Report Him after No-deal Clash

THE GUARDIAN: Politician called neurologist ‘shameful’ for raising concerns about supply of medicines

The consultant neurologist who clashed with Jacob Rees-Mogg over contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit has challenged the politician to report him to the General Medical Council.

David Nicholl, who drew up a risk register of epilepsy and neurology drugs for the government’s Operation Yellowhammer plans for no deal, said he was not going to take lessons from a “muppet” who had no medical qualifications.

“If he has got doubts about my probity, I am more than happy to be referred to the GMC,” said Nicholl.

“I am not bothered about Jacob Rees-Mogg. I’m not going to take a single word of health lessons from a muppet like him. What does he know about epilepsy or neuropathic pain?” he added. » | Lisa O’Carroll, Brexit correspondent | Monday, September 2, 2019

Brexit: Government Wants to Purge Tory Rebels, Says Ex-minister Gauke

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Bundespräsident, bei Gedenkfeier zum 80. Jahrestag Beginn Zweiter Weltkrieg

Mit einer Zentralen Gedenkveranstaltung wurde in Warschau an den Beginn des Zweiten Weltkriegs vor 80 Jahren, am 1. September 1939, erinnert. Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier hat eine Rede gehalten.

Trump Heads for the Golf Course as Leaders Gather to Mark Start of WW2

THE OBSERVER: Dominic Raab leads British delegation to the Polish capital, while Vladimir Putin is not invited

European leaders, including Germany’s Angela Merkel, will mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the second world war in Warsaw on Sunday. But Donald Trump – who cancelled on his Polish hosts at the last-minute last week, citing concerns over a hurricane barrelling towards Florida – was due to spend the day at his golf club in Virginia.

The conflict began in the early hours of 1 September 1939, when a Nazi battleship attacked a garrison of Polish soldiers at Westerplatte. Poland’s government had moved this year’s commemorations from Westerplatte, near the Baltic port city of Gdańsk, to Warsaw, in anticipation of a visit from the US president, who was to give the keynote speech. But Trump cancelled, citing Hurricane Dorian , and sent vice-president Mike Pence in his stead. » | Shaun Walker | Sunday, September 1, 2019

Final Sovereignty on Brexit Must Rest with the People

THE GUARDIAN: In these critical weeks for democracy, we must resist the actions of a phoney populist cabal in Downing Street

We will do everything possible to stop a disastrous no deal for which this Conservative government has no mandate. This is a smash-and-grab raid on our democracy, to force through no deal, which is opposed by a majority of the public.

Most people in Britain reject a Tory no-deal Brexit. Boris Johnson’s government wants to use no deal to create an offshore tax haven for the super-rich and sign a sweetheart deal with Donald Trump.

No deal would destroy jobs, push up food prices and hand our public services and protections over to US corporations. And most of the public want nothing to do with this Trump-deal car-crash Brexit they are being driven towards.

Johnson and fellow Conservatives who campaigned for Leave in 2016 promised people that they would get a deal. In 2017, Boris Johnson, then foreign secretary, proclaimed: “There is no plan for no deal because we are going to get a deal.”

But clearly they haven’t got a deal. And now, running scared of being held to account for his reckless plans for a Trump-deal Brexit, Johnson has decided to shut down parliament to stop them doing so. » | Jeremy Corbyn | Saturday, August 31, 2019

Lessons of the Second World War Are At Risk of Being Forgotten, or Even Rewritten

THE OBSERVER: As we mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the second world war, with liberal democracies again under siege, Britain should be leading the fight against extremism

Eighty years ago, the start of the second world war saw Nazi Germany invading Poland. Six years later, up to 85 million people were dead. I’m in Poland this weekend to commemorate the start of the bloodiest war in human history.

An entire generation of brave men and women around the globe sacrificed everything to defeat the singular evil of Nazism and fascism.

We should be proud of Britain’s role in winning the war, but also in helping to build the peace that followed. A whole generation – both here and around the world – were determined that never again must we repeat the horrors of the 1930s and 1940s. This laid the foundations in the years after 1945 for more than seven decades without another world war. And it is now to today’s generations – inheriting the better, safer world envisaged in 1945 – that future peace and prosperity is entrusted.

With the numbers of those who remember that dark period dwindling by the day, fewer survive to tell their story and to warn current generations of the lessons from history. Worryingly, these warnings are increasingly pertinent. For the first time in more than 70 years, it seems the lessons of the second world war are genuinely at risk of being forgotten or, worse still, being rewritten. » | Sadiq Khan | Saturday, August 31, 2019

THE OBSERVER: Rise of Donald Trump is ‘obscuring lessons of the second world war’, says Sadiq Khan »

#stopthecoup : Thousands Protest against Boris Johnson's Parliament Shutdown

THE GUARDIAN: Crowds march, wave banners and chant ‘stop the coup’ in cities across UK

Tens of thousands of demonstrators are taking to the streets across Britain and outside the gates of Downing Street in protest against Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament.

Crowds brandished banners pledging to “defend democracy”, chanted “stop the coup” and waved EU flags in London in a bid to resist the parliament shutdown.

Demonstrators are massing at protests in dozens of locations around the country including Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Brighton, Swansea, Bristol and Liverpool.

One Facebook group for the capital’s protest event, called “Stop the coup, defend democracy”, said: “Boris Johnson is trying to shut down our democracy so that he can deliver on his Brexit agenda. We can’t just rely on the courts or parliamentary process to save the day. We all have a duty to stand up and be counted.” » | Simon Murphy | Saturday, August 31, 2019

THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson is trashing the democracy fought for with the blood of our ancestors » | Owen Jones | Wednesday, August 28, 2019

John Major to Join Legal Fight to Stop Johnson Suspending Parliament

THE GUARDIAN: Labour’s Shami Chakrabarti already granted permission to join Gina Miller case on behalf of opposition

John Major has said he will seek the high court’s permission to join a legal fight to prevent the government from suspending parliament before the Brexit deadline, in an unprecedented legal battle that could pit a former prime minister against the incumbent.

And, hours after the news emerged, the shadow attorney general, Shami Chakrabarti, was granted permission to join the case on behalf of the official opposition.

In addition, Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, has said he will seek to intervene in his role as an MP, while the Liberal Democrat leader, Jo Swinson, said she too was seeking to join the case brought by the anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller aimed at preventing Boris Johnson from proroguing parliament from next week until mid-October. » | Jessica Elgot, Chief political correspondent | Friday, August 30, 2019

'Culture of Fear' Claims as Javid Confronts PM over Adviser's Sacking

THE GUARDIAN: Dominic Cummings tells advisers he’s ‘pissed off’ about briefings on pay and gender balance – report

A furious Sajid Javid confronted Boris Johnson on Friday and demanded an explanation of why his media adviser was sacked without his knowledge, amid claims that a deep “culture of fear” has taken hold within the government.

Sonia Khan, Javid’s media adviser, was escorted from No 10 by an armed police officer after a meeting with Johnson’s top strategist, Dominic Cummings, in which she was accused of being dishonest about her contact with the former chancellor Philip Hammond and one of his ex-advisers, who have been trying to block a no-deal Brexit.

Khan is the second adviser working for the chancellor to be sacked by No 10. She is also the fourth young woman in a month to be axed from the prime minister’s network of advisers and senior staffers. » | Kate Proctor, Political correspondent | Friday, August 30, 2019

Lord Heseltine: No Deal Brexit a 'Grotesque Act of National Self-harm'

Lord Heseltine tells Sky News that there is "no parliamentary majority for what this government is preparing to do".

One on One: Omar Suleiman

TRT World’s Abubakr Al-Shamahi speaks to Omar Suleiman, an imam from America, about the rise of xenophobia in the United States, religion and social activism and what it means to be an American Muslim under the current administration.

Is a No-deal Brexit Inevitable? | Inside Story

British MPs are crying foul after the Prime Minister suspended parliament just weeks before Brexit. Some members of Boris Johnson's own party have resigned, while others are calling the move "undemocratic" and a "political coup".

The suspension leaves politicians with little time to prevent the UK leaving the European Union in October without a deal. The government denies it's trying to limit debate. But with Brexit only two months away, is a no-deal exit now inevitable?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Asa Bennett - Brexit Commissioning Editor at the Telegraph; Pieter Cleppe - Head of the Brussels Office at the Open Europe think tank; Jonathan Lis - Deputy Director of British Influence

Trump Ends Birthright Citizenship for Children of Troops Overseas

Donald Trump’s administration is once again flouting the law in order to appease their base. The administration has now ended birthright citizenship to children born overseas to members of the military and US officials stationed outside the country. These children, under law, are US citizens, but not in the eyes of the Trump administration, and they will now have to go through the standard immigration process and apply for citizenship. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Brexit : l’« outrage constitutionnel » de Boris Johnson

LE MONDE: Editorial. Le premier ministre britannique ne trompe personne : ce qu’il veut en réalité à travers la suspension du parlement, c’est empêcher les députés de s’organiser pour faire échec à un Brexit sans accord avec l’Union.

Editorial du « Monde ». Il y a plusieurs Boris Johnson. Il y a le pur produit de l’élite britannique, qu’il est intrinsèquement. Il y a le bouffon, qui a fait rire de bon cœur lorsqu’il était maire de Londres. Il y a le menteur, qui n’a pas hésité à faire campagne pour le Brexit en 2016 sur des arguments fallacieux. Il y a le dilettante, chef de la diplomatie de passage dans le gouvernement de Theresa May. Il y a l’homme d’Etat courtois et responsable que l’on a vu au G7 à Biarritz.

Et puis il y a le premier ministre populiste, cynique et brutal, décidé à tout, y compris à forcer la reine à suspendre la démocratie parlementaire britannique, pour parvenir à ses fins : faire sortir le Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne le 31 octobre. Cette sortie se ferait « coûte que coûte », avait-il promis en prenant ses fonctions. » | Editorial | jeudi 29 août 2019

Why Comparisons between Boris Johnson and Charles I Aren’t Just Lazy Rhetoric

THE GUARDIAN: He may not be the absolutist king, but Johnson is isolated and autocratic – and we’ve seen that before

When a prime minister who hasn’t faced a general election gains the assent of an unelected monarch to prorogue parliament, it is inevitable that some parallels will be found with Charles I’s dismissal of MPs in the mid-17th century.

Only yesterday, Labour’s Margaret Beckett made exactly the comparison, noting that it didn’t end well. But are there really any similarities, or is this just lazy history and easy rhetoric?

Certainly, in the most famous case of Charles I’s decision to dismiss parliament in 1629, the result was an 11-year dictatorship, decoratively known to history as the “personal rule” – and the imprisonment in the Tower of London of those who opposed him. Presumably not even Dominic Cummings is planning that fate for Jeremy Corbyn.

But while we might not be on the verge of an absolutist King Boris dictatorship, some deeper parallels are worth investigating. » | John Rees | Thursday, August 29, 2019

We Do Have a Mental Illness Problem & It's in the White House

Trump, the NRA, and the Republican Party keep talking about mental illness as the core of our problem right now in America. And, indeed, we have a major mental illness problem in our country right now. It’s in the White House.

Our president is mentally ill, and until we recognize that, acknowledge that, and begin a national conversation about it there can be no solution.

Donald Trump lies, he continuously contradictions himself, and his erratic behavior are all symptoms of his severe mental illness.

Many of America‘s mental health professionals have recognized this, but a serious discussion of the president’s mental illness has not yet moved out of the realm of mental health professionals and into our mainstream discussions.

Sturgeon Likens Suspending Parliament to a 'Dictatorship'

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has likened the prorogation of Parliament to a "dictatorship" and says it is reasonable to describe the act as a coup d'état.

The Queen has approved Boris Johnson's request to suspend parliament from the middle of next month, which will restrict MPs' ability to block a no-deal Brexit.

In a move prompting a furious political row, parliament will be prorogued in the week beginning 9 September until 14 October.

Trump Pushes Doral for G7, Swats at Bed Bug Infestation Reports | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

Despite reports of settling a lawsuit in 2017 for bed bugs claims, Trump is pushing his Doral resort for next year’s G-7 summit. Former U.S. attorney Joyce Vance critiques Trump’s 'for profit presidency' saying, Trump continues to use the office 'to advertise for these businesses that create income for him and his family.'

EU Condemns ‘Sinister’ Move to Suspend UK Parliament

THE GUARDIAN: Guy Verhofstadt says five-week suspension unlikely to deliver stable future relationship

European sources have warned that Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament for five weeks has increased the chances of a no-deal Brexit, while a leading MEP said: “Taking back control has never looked so sinister.”

The plan to suspend parliament for five weeks, which would drastically reduce MPs’ ability to influence changes to the withdrawal agreement or seek a delay, is seen in Brussels as a move to overpower rebels and force through Johnson’s Brexit agenda.

The European parliament’s coordinator on Brexit, Guy Verhofstadt, said the move was unlikely to deliver a stable future relationship. “‘Taking back control’ has never looked so sinister,” he wrote. “As a fellow parliamentarian, my solidarity with those fighting for their voices to be heard. Suppressing debate on profound choices is unlikely to help deliver a stable future EU-UK relationship.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Trump's Instability Threatens to Deprive Him of One of His Arguments Re-Election | Deadline | MSNBC

WaPo’s Phil Rucker, Politico’s Anna Palmer, Real Clear Politics’ A.B. Stoddard, and NPR’s Maria Hinojosa on how Trump’s back and forth on trade has led to global market instability

New Polls: Trump Disapproval Skyrockets in Key States | The Last Word | MSNBC

Donald Trump’s disapproval is now above 50% in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Arizona and Ohio. Lawrence discusses with John Heilemann and former Missouri senator Claire McCaskill.

Eugene Robinson: ‘Trump’s Obama Envy Is Getting Even Worse’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Eugene Robinson joins Morning Joe to talk about his new op-ed in The Washington Post about Trump’s obsession with comparing himself to President Obama and his behavior at the G-7 meeting.

Cuomo Fact-checks Trump's Claims of Genius

CNN's Chris Cuomo examines President Trump's claims of genius and instances where he says he knows more than anyone on particular subjects.

Americans need to vote Trump out of office – “do or die”! – Mark

How the World Is Moving On from US Leadership | Deadline | MSNBC

NBC and MSNBC’s John Heilemann, Georgetown University’s Elise Labott, former deputy national security advisor for President Obama Ben Rhodes, and former congressman David Jolly on how the other members of the G-7 dealt with Trump at the global summit, as he went out of his way to excuse the actions of some of America’s adversaries

Will Iran Respond to Israel's attacks? | Inside Story

Israel has been blamed for a string of attacks against Iranian-allied forces in three countries over the weekend. That has raised tensions across the Middle East.

Early on Monday, three Israeli air strikes reportedly hit a base belonging to a Palestinian group in Lebanon - in the town of Qusaya, near the border with Syria.

Those attacks came a day after two Israeli drones caused damage in Lebanon's capital, Beirut. One hit a building housing the media office of Iranian-backed Hezbollah in the city's southern suburbs. Another Israeli drone exploded in the air, in the same area. And on Saturday, Israeli forces carried out drone attacks in Iraq and Syria.

One is reported to have killed a fighter from Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces. Israel did not respond to accusations that its assault killed at least one fighter from Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces. But Benjamin Netanyahu says an operation in Damascus which triggered Syrian anti-aircraft fire, was to prevent a drone attack on Israel by Iran.

So, why is Benjamin Netanyahu escalating tension with Tehran?

Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Seth Frantzman, Middle East Analyst for the Jerusalem Post; Mohammad Marandi, Iranian Political Analyst and Professor at University of Tehran; Sami Hamdi, Editor-in-Chief of the National Interest journal

Boris Johnson: Donald Trump 'Out Of His Mind' over Radicalised London Comments (2015)

Science in a Golden Age – Astronomy: The Science of the Stars

Former Fox News Reporter Unloads on Trump’s Embarrassing Conduct | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

President Trump is heading to France for the G-7 to meet with national allies and wondering what will happen this year. In this video, you’ll see past Trump debacles on the world stage. Former Fox News political reporter Carl Cameron says the visit brings international pressure as “we have to think about our national reputation, worldwide now” as Trump is consider a “world leader” but is not “leading.”

Boris Johnson Seeks Legal Advice on Five-week Parliament Closure ahead of Brexit

THE OBSERVER: Secret plan to block any delay in leaving EU is likely to anger European leaders at G7 summit

Boris Johnson has asked the attorney general, Geoffrey Cox, whether parliament can be shut down for five weeks from 9 September in what appears to be a concerted plan to stop MPs forcing a further extension to Brexit, according to leaked government correspondence.

An email from senior government advisers to an adviser in No 10 – written within the last 10 days and seen by the Observer – makes clear that the prime minister has recently requested guidance on the legality of such a move, known as prorogation. The initial legal guidance given in the email is that shutting parliament may well be possible, unless action being taken in the courts to block such a move by anti-Brexit campaigners succeeds in the meantime. » | Toby Helm and Heather Stewart | Saturday, August 24, 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 23, 2019

Opinion: Exclusive Interview: Honest Israeli Jew Tells the Real Truth about Israel (2014)

Miko Peled was born in Jersusalem into a famous and influential Israeli Zionist family. His father was a famous General in the Israeli Army, of which Miko also served his time. When Miko's niece was killed by Palestinian suicide bombers, you may have expected the family to put Palestinians at fault, but surprisingly they blamed the state of Israel, and their violent torturing and persecution for driving people to such sadness that they would take their own lives.

Through his father's deep knowledge of the Israeli war of terror, together with his own research, Miko Peled ruins the myths surrounding the Israel and Palestine situation, and delivers a truth so damning that many Jews and Israel supporters will not be able to bear it. He reveals facts such as the original expelled Jews are not the ones returning, and they are not their descendants either, covers the double standards regarding the right of return, which doesn't apply to Palestinians, and dispels the myth that there has been a conflict for ages by producing proof that it was peaceful up until 1947 when Israel launched their illegal attacks.

It is a true eye-opener for anyone who has for too long been blinded by the fake misinformation given by the mainstream media, and the truths come straight from the heartland where he has spent many years documenting the real story.

Why a Former Islamophobic Politician––Arnoud van Doorn––Accepted Islam

Digesting the President’s Absurdities as Allies Privately Worry | Deadline | MSNBC

Republican strategist Rick Wilson, Politico’s Nancy Cook, former managing editor at TIME Magazine Rick Stengel, Princeton University professor Eddie Glaude, and former White House aide Elise Jordan on Trump’s chaotic week as new reporting finds his allies are worried about his recent behavior

Ron Reagan on Trump’s Behavior: ‘It’s Only Going to Get Worse’ | Hardball | MSNBC

Rattled by the US economy, and his prospects for reelection, an unhinged President Trump is stumbling through a week of self-induced chaos.

President Donald Trump’s Actions Create Obstacles for Trump Campaign | The Last Word | MSNBC

Donald Trump has worried U.S. allies with comments he's made regarding trade, manufacturing, and foreign policy and it’s hurting his campaign too. Renee Graham and Rick Wilson discuss what's next for impeaching Trump now that 130 dems are now supporting an inquiry.

Ex-Advisers Worried about Trump's Behavior, NYT Reports

The New York Times reports that those who know President Trump are worried about his erratic recent behavior.

Rejected Trump Cancels State Visit to Denmark | DW News

US President Donald Trump has canceled an official state visit to Denmark because the Danish prime minister has refused to consider selling Greenland to the US, describing the proposal as "absurd". Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory rich in natural resources - and is also the world's biggest island, strategically located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans.

Brexit: Macron Warns Johnson That Irish Backstop Is 'Indispensable'

On the face of it - there were all the signs of an Entente Cordiale between Boris Johnson and the French President Emmanuel Macron as the pair met in Paris for talks on Brexit - with smiles, handshakes and jokes about Mr Johnson putting his feet up on the Elysee furniture.

But behind all that bonhomie - a stern line from Mr Macron - who warned the Irish backstop was "indispensable" - telling the PM to set out his alternatives to the mechanism as soon as possible.

Psychiatrist on ‘The Essential Emptiness of President Donald Trump’ | The Last Word | MSNBC

Dr. Lance Dodes, one of the first mental health professionals who questioned Donald Trump's stability, discusses with Lawrence O'Donnell how Trump has devolved since the beginning of his presidency.

Trump Calls Danish Prime Minister's Statement 'Nasty'

Donald Trump on Wednesday defended his decision to cancel his trip to Denmark, saying that the Danish Prime Minister's comments this week were "nasty" and "inappropriate" while speaking to reporters at the White House.

Trump Cancels Denmark Trip as Greenland Says It’s Not for Sale

The Danish Prime Minister says she is "annoyed" that Donald Trump has cancelled his state visit to Denmark, after he was told that Greenland is not for sale.

Mette Fredriksen said the US is still a close ally, but last week described President Trump's proposal as "absurd". Today he said the Prime Minister's comment was "nasty".


THE GUARDIAN: Greenlanders on Trump: ‘We are neither for sale nor can be bought’ »

THE GUARDIAN: The Guardian view on Trump and Greenland: no sale » | Editorial

Former US Ambassador to Denmark: 'This Is Not the Way You Treat an Ally'

Former US Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford lambasted President Donald Trump for his decision to cancel a trip to the country after its leader declined to discuss Trump's interest in purchasing Greenland during the visit, saying the move is "not the way you treat an ally."

Brexit: Merkel Gives Johnson 30 Days to Find Backstop Solution

Ahead of Boris Johnson's arrival in Berlin, the prospect of progress on a renegotiated deal had not looked great.

The EU has always insisted that the backstop is the only solution for avoiding a hard border in Ireland - and they had no intention of scrapping it as the Prime Minister had demanded.

Angela Merkel's suggestion that the issue can be solved in 30 days does not fly in the face of that - she says perhaps a long term solution to the border problem can be found. But its taken months to get to this point, will one more make a difference?

Joram van Klaveren: Why I Left the Far-Right

From extreme nationalism and far-right politics to compassion and empathy, watch the incredible transformation story of Joram van Klaveren, a former Dutch parliamentarian.

Joram van Klaveren is now the president of the Anthony Janszoon Association. The English translation of his book, Apostate, will be published towards the end of the year by 't Kennishuys.

From Critic to Convert | The Joram van Klaveren Story: From Islamophobe to Believer

Sidi Joram van Klaveren shares his remarkable personal journey as a former far-right Dutch lawmaker who had been fiercely critical of Islam and why he chose to became a Muslim in 2019 while he had been penning a book meant to be anti-Islam.

Joram van Klaveren was a lawmaker in the Party of Freedom, led by Dutch anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders, from 2010 to 2014. During that time, he advocated a burqa ban, a ban on masjid minarets and a ‘de-Islamization‘ of the Netherlands.

In February 2019, he announced his religious conversion to Islam. The Islamophobic polemic he had been penning morphed into a rousing defense the the faith.

In Denmark, Bewilderment and Anger Over Trump’s Canceled Visit

THE NEW YORK TIMES: ODENSE, Denmark — The astonishment in Denmark over President Trump’s apparent desire to buy Greenland turned to bewilderment and anger on Wednesday after the American leader abruptly scrapped a state visit because the Danes have no desire to sell.

The cancellation was a rare snub of Denmark’s head of state, Queen Margrethe II, who had extended the invitation to the president and would have hosted him and the first lady.

News that Mr. Trump is not coming “came as a surprise,” the Royal House’s communications director told the state broadcaster, adding, “That’s all we have to say about that.”

Others, however, had more to say. “Is this some sort of joke?” Helle Thorning-Schmidt, a former prime minister, wrote on Twitter. “Deeply insulting to the people of Greenland and Denmark.”

It was not a joke. A day earlier, Mr. Trump said on Twitter that Denmark was “a very special country with incredible people” but added that he was abandoning plans to visit because of the country’s refusal to sell Greenland, a semiautonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark. » | Martin Selsoe Sorensen | Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise | Official Music Video

The Guardian View on Boris Johnson and the EU: He Cannot Be Serious

THE GUARDIAN: The PM’s letter to Donald Tusk is a reckless and detail-free approach to the new deal with Europe that he claims to want

If there is any fragile encouragement to be squeezed out of Boris Johnson’s letter to the European Union this week, it is perhaps the fact that he wrote it at all. After four weeks of acting as if the EU does not exist, the existence of the letter is at least an implied recognition that the relationship with the EU matters. For nearly a month, Mr Johnson’s government has also promoted the fiction that a no-deal Brexit is an acceptable prospect for Britain. So when Mr Johnson starts his letter by saying that he very much hopes the UK will be leaving with a deal, it is just about possible to muster some carefully guarded optimism that he may actually mean it.

Yet the content of what he wrote makes a mockery of any such conclusion. In fact it is difficult to see how Mr Johnson could have done less than he does in the letter to Donald Tusk. At the core of the letter is the statement that the Irish backstop is not viable. The letter then excoriates the backstop as undemocratic, a brake on UK trade and regulatory policy and a threat to the Northern Ireland peace process. In most respects, this is the opposite of the truth. In some ways it is downright mischievous. The letter is more like one of Mr Johnson’s fact-free and irresponsible newspaper concoctions than a serious diplomatic approach to solving an impasse that imminently threatens British economic stability, trade, jobs, constitutional cohesion and security. » | Editorial | Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Donald Trump’s UK Trade Promises Are Hot Air – His Aim Is Brexit Chaos

THE GUARDIAN: If Boris Johnson seriously believes the US will shower rewards on Britain after leaving the EU he is mistaken

As the UK races towards a potential no-deal Brexit, President Donald Trump is cheering it on. But Brexit – especially without a deal in place with the European Union – would be bad for the US-UK special relationship and would make the UK a much less important US ally.

The ramifications of Brexit – in particular without a deal with the EU that pleases everyone – could be explosive. It could hurt the UK economy at a time when Trump’s trade war and economic policies are increasing the risk of a global recession, and threaten the very integrity of the UK amid growing signals that Northern Ireland and Scotland would consider breaking away. Boris Johnson appears willing to drive Britain off this cliff come hell or high water, threatening a no-deal Brexit and saying that the UK will leave the EU by the end of October, “do or die”. Everyone hopes that the UK finds a way out of this mess, but the past few years haven’t provided much evidence to believe that it will end well. » | Michael H Fuchs | Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Donald Tusk Rejects Boris Johnson Request to Remove Backstop

THE GUARDIAN: European council president says call for removal without alternative proposal signals support for hard border

Donald Tusk has rejected Boris Johnson’s request to strip the backstop out of the Brexit deal, with a thinly-veiled message that the British government was refusing to admit the lack of realistic alternatives.

Tusk, the president of the European council, issued the EU’s first official response, after Johnson published his letter on Monday night, calling for the “undemocratic” backstop to be scrapped.

The EU response underscores the stalemate over the backstop, a policy intended to avoid the return of a hard border on the island of Ireland. The UK government agreed the backstop under Theresa May, but hardline Brexiters have long called for it to be scrapped or subject to a time limit.

Tusk wrote: “The backstop is an insurance to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland unless and until an alternative is found. Those against the backstop and not proposing realistic alternatives in fact support re-establishing a border. Even if they do not admit it.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Brexit Curse in the Caribbean | DW Documentary

Great Britain is not the only country gripped with uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit. The Caribbean island of Anguilla, a British overseas territory and former British colony, would lose its status as an associate member.

Anguilla, a popular holiday destination, is 6,500 kilometers away from Britain, but just a 20-minute boat ride from the half-French, half-Dutch island of Saint Martin. Relations between both islands are like a smaller, Caribbean version of the EU-Brexit tugging war. ‘Saint Martin is our downtown, that’s where we go shopping, or see a doctor’, says the Premier of Anguilla, Victor Banks. ‘What will happen to my EU passport?’, worries DJ Hammer. He fears the consequences of Brexit will be even worse than Hurricane Irma, which devastated the island in 2017. Will theater director Felix Fleming still be able to visit his family - and his father’s grave - in Saint Martin without applying for a visa and queuing at the border each time? What will become of the turtles in the Marine Park, currently subsidized by EU funding? How has the Anguillan blogger Shellecia Brooks-Johnson been experiencing the mood in England since she moved to Cambridge six months ago? One thing is for sure: Although residents of Anguilla were not entitled to vote in the Brexit referendum, they will still suffer the consequences.

Brexit and its impact on the Caribbean: This film looks at Europe’s thorniest current issue from a more unusual perspective.

The Guardian View on Violence against Public Figures: The Threat Is Growing

THE GUARDIAN: Donald Trump’s hostility to the press is so far unmatched in the UK. But the targeting of Owen Jones and others by far-right activists is deeply concerning

Any unprovoked violent attack is disturbing. Thuggish behaviour is repellent, all the more so when an individual is targeted by a group. When a person is singled out because of their political beliefs, or due to their assailants’ hatred of a particular group or minority, the crime has additional significance. With a police investigation ongoing, it is too soon to draw conclusions about the motives of the men who attacked Guardian journalist and activist Owen Jones outside a London pub in the early hours of Saturday. But given that Jones has previously been accosted by far-right activists, targeted with threatening social media posts and subjected to homophobic abuse, there was already cause for concern. » | Editorial | Monday, August 19, 2019

Prince Andrew 'Appalled' by Epstein Sex Abuse Claims

THE GUARDIAN: Royal makes statement following release of video showing him in paedophile’s mansion in 2010

The Duke of York has said he is “appalled” by recent sex abuse claims surrounding his former friend Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew released a statement after new footage emerged showing him inside the convicted paedophile’s Manhattan mansion in 2010.

The video, obtained by MailOnline, was reportedly shot on December 6 2010, around the time Andrew was photographed with the disgraced billionaire in New York’s Central Park. It shows the duke looking out from a large door of the mansion waving goodbye to a woman after Epstein leaves and enters a chauffeur-driven car.

A Buckingham Palace statement said: “The Duke of York has been appalled by the recent reports of Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged crimes. His Royal Highness deplores the exploitation of any human being and the suggestion he would condone, participate in or encourage any such behaviour is abhorrent.” » | PA Media | Sunday, August 18, 2019

Overthrow: 100 Years of US Meddling & Régime Change, from Iran to Nicaragua to Hawaii to Cuba (March 2018)

As special counsel Robert Mueller continues his probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, we take a look back at Washington’s record of meddling in elections across the globe. By one count, the United States has interfered in more than 80 foreign elections between 1946 and 2000. And that doesn’t count U.S.-backed coups and invasions. We speak to former New York Times reporter Stephen Kinzer, author of “Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq.”

Inside America's Meddling Machine: NED, the US-Funded Org Interfering in Elections Across the Globe (2018)

In this Grayzone special, Max Blumenthal attends a Capitol Hill gathering of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and explores the group's destabilizing global campaign to meddle in other countries' affairs. The report covers the NED's interference in foreign elections in Russia and Mongolia, its participation in coup attempts from Haiti to Venezuela to Nicaragua, and its escalating public relations efforts against China and North Korea.

Trump Starves Venezuela, Democrats Are Silent

The Trump administration is intensifying its economic warfare on the people of Venezuela with a crippling embargo -- and facing no resistance from the Democratic Party. Aaron Maté takes a look.

No Justice for Epstein Accusers as Queen Denies Ties – Galloway

As the news of Jeffrey Epstein’s arrest and death rocked the international media, his ties to the UK’s Prince Andrew came to the surface as photos of him with his arm around Virginia Giuffre, a then-underage Epstein accuser, entered public light. Former UK MP George Galloway shares his insights.

A Trade Deal with Trump Will Change Britain for the Worse

THE OBSERVER: The EU has opposed brutal animal welfare and rampant tech monopolies. Post-Brexit Britain will be exposed to both

A trade deal with the US would be a defining moment for the UK. It is not an exaggeration to say it would reveal the country’s direction of travel more than any other decision in the aftermath of Britain quitting the European Union.

Amid the confusing array of government pledges – more police and more spending on the regions while also cutting taxes for the better off (mostly in London and the home counties) – it is the basics of any trade deal that will set Britain’s course for decades to come.

The most emotive questions apply to agriculture, and not just in the UK. It’s fair to say that American farmers can get very emotional about access to foreign markets, especially when they have put more time and effort into producing cheap food than probably anyone else in the world.

US policymakers have long understood that cheap food and cheap energy are the bedrocks of a flourishing economy. In the modern era, they are the keys to higher disposable incomes when wages are flat. They allow workers to maintain some semblance of their living standards from year to year while the producers and owners of capital walk off with the bulk of any gains. » | Phillip Inman | Saturday, August 17, 2019

'Friends, You're Going to Love Greenland. I Was There on 9/11'

THE GUARDIAN: Manhattan? I’d’ve got Staten Island too for half the guilders. Louisiana? Bum deal. But Alaska? I’m giving that back to Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump tweeted today he had purchased Greenland from the Kingdom of Denmark for $15bn plus Kanye West and the state of Massachusetts.

Still, the announcement has been questioned abroad. Prime minister of Greenland Kim Kielsen, reached this morning before the sun set for the winter, commented: “Clearly, the president’s mind is melting faster than our ice sheet.”

Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen tried to strike a diplomatic note, saying: “May God deliver us from this delusional maniac.”

These comments did not stop the president taking a victory lap before an enthusiastic audience at a campaign-style rally in West Virginia. » | Lawrence Douglas and Nancy Pick | Saturday, August 17, 2019

Palestinian Lawmaker: Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib Were Kept Out to Hide Israeli Apartheid

Israel announced that it would bar Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib — the two first Muslim Congresswomen — from entering the country, sparking outcry from Democratic leaders and Palestinians. Mustafa Barghouti, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, says Israel blocked the two progressive politicians because their trip would have risked "exposing" Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands and what he calls "the worst apartheid ever, where racial discrimination is practiced against Palestinians in the worst possible way."

Alaska for $7m, Anyone?

Danish Politicians Mock Trump as Crazy over His Idea to Buy Greenland

Germany Will Urge EU Allies to Hold Firm on No-deal Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: Berlin prepared for UK to crash out as leak suggests Boris Johnson’s threat has fallen flat

Germany is ready for a likely no-deal Brexit and will encourage its fellow EU member states to hold their nerve and refuse to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement, according to a leaked German government paper.

The document prepared by officials for the German finance minister, Olaf Scholz, before talks in Berlin with the chancellor of the exchequer, Sajid Javid, suggests that the UK’s threats to leave without a deal are falling flat.

Boris Johnson, who is expected to visit Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Tuesday and Angela Merkel on Wednesday, has insisted it is vital for the UK to appear ready to crash out if it is to secure a new and better deal without the Irish backstop. The new prime minister has accused those who oppose that policy of collaborating with Brussels. He will also have phone calls with the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, and Donald Tusk, president of the European council, EU sources said. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, August 16, 2019

No Thanks, We're Not For Sale, Aghast Greenland Tells Trump

THE GUARDIAN: Danish politicians dismiss US president’s apparent interest in island as ‘hopefully a joke’

Donald Trump may have expressed an interest in acquiring Greenland for the US, but Denmark thinks the idea is frankly insane and Greenlanders have pointed out their home is not actually for sale.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the US president has asked his aides and the White House counsel to look into the possibility of buying the world’s largest island, a largely autonomous country of the kingdom of Denmark.

The Greenland government was diplomatic, saying it had a good working relationship with the US and saw the inquiry as “an expression of general greater interest in investing in our country and its opportunities”. But it added firmly: “Greenland is obviously not for sale.”

In comments echoed in somewhat stronger terms by other politicians in both Greenland and Denmark, Ane Lone Bagger, Greenland’s foreign minister, confirmed the country was “open for business, but not for sale”. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondence | Friday, August 16, 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 16, 2019

George Galloway on Jeffrey Epstein: It Ain’t No Conspiracy Bruv!

'It ain't no conspiracy bruv!' George Galloway asks the questions you've all been thinking about Jeffrey Epstein.

Juden in Deutschland: „Kippa tragen auf deutschen Straßen ist gefährlich“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Bespuckt, beschimpft oder verletzt: In den letzten Wochen gab es mehrere antisemitische Angriffe in Deutschland. Gady Gronich, Generalsekretär der Europäischen Rabbinerkonferenz zeigt sich besorgt – und fordert Prävention an Schulen.

Herr Gronich, wie reagieren in Deutschland lebende Juden auf die steigende Zahl antisemitischer Angriffe?

Die Angst nimmt spürbar zu. Juden in Deutschland sind sehr besorgt, denn antisemitische Angriffe werden mehr und mehr zur Normalität. Wenn ein Gläubiger mit Kippa auf die Straße geht, muss er sich immer wieder umdrehen und schauen, ob ihn jemand verfolgt. Wer offen als Jude erkennbar ist, kann plötzlich in Gefahr geraten.

Ein Problem ist auch, dass die Angriffe Nachahmern Mut machen. Besonders, wenn sie sehen, dass die Strafen nur gering ausfallen. Viele Juden fühlen sich in Deutschland zuhause, doch was ihnen fehlt ist das Gefühl von Sicherheit und die Möglichkeit ihre Religion frei ausüben zu können. » | von Nadine Graf | Freitag, 16. August 2019

Trump Tweets, Then Netanyahu Bans Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib from Israel

Jim Zogby and Phyllis Bennis discuss the Trump-Netanyahu dynamic, the diminishing power of AIPAC, and the political battle against Rep. Omar and Rep. Tlaib

L’Allemagne face au risque d’une terreur brune

LE MONDE: Editorial. Face à l’inquiétante hausse des violences liées à l’extrême droite, qui ciblent les élus et les étrangers, Angela Merkel se doit d’agir.

L’Allemagne avait été stupéfaite en apprenant la mort, le 2 juin, de Walter Lübcke, préfet de l’arrondissement de Kassel (Hesse), tué d’une balle dans la tête sur sa terrasse. Sur les réseaux sociaux, plusieurs comptes proches de l’extrême droite s’étaient réjouis de la disparition de ce chrétien-démocrate de 65 ans qui, en 2015, avait résolument soutenu la politique d’accueil des réfugiés décidée par Angela Merkel. Un suspect est aujourd’hui en détention provisoire : il s’agit d’un néonazi de 45 ans déjà emprisonné dans les années 1990 pour avoir fait exploser une bombe devant un foyer d’étrangers. » | Éditorial | jeudi 15 août 2019

Trumps Sicherheitsberater: Der mit dem großen Hammer

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die amerikanische Regierung würde einen harten Brexit „begeistert“ unterstützen, verkündet Trumps Sicherheitsberater John Bolton. Es macht einen fassungslos, wie ein solcher Mann an das Ohr des Präsidenten gelangen konnte.

John Bolton sitzt an einer Schlüsselstellung im amerikanischen Machtapparat. Er ist Sicherheitsberater des Präsidenten und damit für Fragen von Krieg und Frieden nicht ganz unbedeutend. Bolton ist Nationalist vom Scheitel bis zur Sohle, einer, dem die Unbegrenztheit amerikanischer Macht über alles geht und für den Verträge, welche die Handlungsfreiheit der Vereinigten Staaten einhegen könnten, des Teufels sind. Wo ein Nagel ist, also ein Problem, ist der amerikanische Hammer das Werkzeug der Wahl; wo kein Nagel ist, auch.

John Bolton hatte auch in der Regierung von George W. Bush hohe Ämter bekleidet. Und auch schon damals war er dadurch aufgefallen, dass er die EU verabscheut – aus ideologischen Gründen und weil ja nicht auszuschließen war, dass diese EU gegenüber den Vereinigten Staaten „frech“ werden könnte, dass sie stark werden und ihre Interessen gegenüber Amerika selbstbewusst vertreten würde. Widerworte – das ist nicht das, was Bolton von „Europa“ erwartet, sondern Gefolgschaft. » | Ein Kommentar von Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger \ Dienstag, 15. August 2019

Jeffrey Epstein Kept Super Creepy Painting of Bill Clinton in Manhattan Townhouse

The searches of Jeffrey Epstein’s homes and his private island were bound to uncover some seriously bizarre items, but the painting of Bill Clinton that Epstein had hanging in his Manhattan townhouse might already be the weirdest thing. The oil painting features Bill Clinton sitting in a chair, pointing at the artist while wearing a blue dress and high heels. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins attempts to make sense of the painting and why Epstein had it in the first place.

No Chance of US-UK Deal If Northern Ireland Peace At Risk - Pelosi

THE GUARDIAN: Senior US politician says Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil Good Friday agreement

There is no chance that a trade agreement between the United States and Britain will pass Congress if Brexit undermines the Good Friday peace agreement between Ireland and Northern Ireland, the speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has said.

“Whatever form it takes, Brexit cannot be allowed to imperil the Good Friday agreement, including the seamless border between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland,” Pelosi said. » | Staff and agencies | Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Jailed Saudi Feminist Refuses to Deny Torture to Secure Release

THE GUARDIAN: Loujain al-Hathloul will not retract electric shock and sexual assault claims, family says

The prominent Saudi women’s rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul has rejected a proposal to secure her release from prison in exchange for a video statement denying reports she was tortured in custody, her family said.

Hathloul was arrested more than a year ago with at least a dozen other women’s rights activists as Saudi Arabia ended a ban on women driving cars, which many of the detainees had long campaigned for.

Some of the women appeared in court earlier this year to face charges related to human rights work and contacts with foreign journalists and diplomats, but the trial has not convened in months.

The case has drawn global criticism and provoked anger in European capitals and the US Congress after the journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents inside the kingdom’s Istanbul consulate last year.

Rights groups say at least three of the women, including Hathloul, were held in solitary confinement for months and subjected to abuse including electric shocks, flogging and sexual assault. » | Reuters | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Tom Watson Urges Labour to Work with Lib Dems to Stop No-deal Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: Labour deputy leader says union with Jo Swinson only way to block no-deal Brexit

Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson has urged his party to work with the Liberal Democrats in order to stop a no-deal Brexit, as the party’s new leader Jo Swinson made clear she would work with Watson, despite having ruled out an alliance with Jeremy Corbyn.

The remarks by the two senior politicians at a round table on Wednesday are likely to spark anger from the Labour leadership. Swinson has previously ruled out working with the Labour leader, branding him a Brexiter who could not be trusted to fight for a second referendum to keep the UK in the EU. » | Jessica Elgot | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Lili'uokalani – Hawaii's Last Queen | Documentary Excerpt

WIKIPEDIA: Queen Lili'uokalani »

THE PALACE: Iolani Palace »

7 Remarkable Things About Khadija, Wife of Prophet Muhammad

FAIR OBSERVER°: Khadija was one of history’s most remarkable women.

I often get into debates with people about women in Islam. How we dress. How we don’t dress. What we think or don’t think or should be thinking.

I also get into debates about feminism. What it is and what it isn’t. I think I’ve spawned permanent foes because I don’t care to apply the label, feminist, to describe myself. (I’m not one for labels, sorry. But if it’s even required of me, “Muslim woman” suits me just fine.)

But if we could agree for a moment that there exists a pure definition of the word feminist — to mean awesomely fierce to the millionth degree — then I’d like to introduce you to Islam’s first feminist: Khadija bint Khuwaylid.

Khadija was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And she is one of the people I think about when I face or debate issues surrounding women today. Khadija’s existence precedes mine by more than 1,400 years. But if I can, at the very least, continuously strive to emulate her character, I will consider myself a success in life.

Seven things you might not know about the awesomely fierce Khadija (may God be pleased with her): » | Yasmina Blackman | Thursday, April 23, 2015

Sir Winston Churchill 's Family Feared He Might Convert to Islam

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The discovery of a letter to Sir Winston Churchill from his future sister-in-law has thrown new light on his fascination with Islam and Muslim culture

He is indelibly associated with the fight to preserve Britain and its Empire from Nazi invasion and his subsequent denouncement of Soviet totalitarianism’s Iron Curtain.

In the public eye, Sir Winston Churchill’s long political career earned him a place among the greatest of Britons.

But what may come as a surprise is that he was a strong admirer of Islam and the culture of the Orient — such was his regard for the Muslim faith that relatives feared he might convert.

The revelation comes with the discovery of a letter to Churchill from his future sister-in-law, Lady Gwendoline Bertie, written in August 1907, in which she urges him to rein in his enthusiasm.

In the letter, discovered by Warren Dockter, a history research fellow at Cambridge University, she pleads: “Please don’t become converted to Islam; I have noticed in your disposition a tendency to orientalise [fascination with the Orient and Islam], Pasha-like tendencies, I really have.”

Lady Gwendoline, who married Churchill’s brother Jack, adds: “If you come into contact with Islam your conversion might be effected with greater ease than you might have supposed, call of the blood, don’t you know what I mean, do fight against it.” » | Patrick Sawer | Sunday, December 28, 2014

John Bolton Doesn’t Want a Trade Deal with the UK – He Wants to Colonise Us

THE GUARDIAN: Trump’s national security adviser wants the UK to be beholden to the US for its daily bread, making the country a timid American outpost

John Bolton doesn’t do free trade. He does regime change in countries such as North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. He does military interventions, notoriously in Afghanistan in 2001, Iraq in 2003 and Libya in 2011. He does punitive sanctions and embargoes. He does spite.

Bolton’s speciality is tearing up multilateral agreements, such as the Iran nuclear deal and the Paris climate accord, which he claims undermine US national sovereignty. For the same reason, he reviles the very idea of the UN, international law and the international criminal court (ICC).

So when Bolton, whose actual job is national security adviser to Donald Trump, came to London this week to meet Boris Johnson and senior ministers, the real focus of his visit, despite the Whitehall briefings, was not on a post-Brexit bilateral trade deal. It was on regime change in the UK. Bolton, a lifelong neoconservative ideologue, Muslim-baiting thinktanker and erstwhile Fox News commentator, does not give a hormone-filled sausage or chlorine-rinsed chicken wing for a free trade pact, fair or otherwise. Midwest wheat and soya exports are not his thing. What Bolton really does care about is exploiting the UK’s recent governmental upheaval, which almost anywhere else would be described as a rightwing coup, to America’s, and Trump’s, advantage. In short, the former colonies are out to colonise the UK. » | Simon Tisdall | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 13, 2019

Of Course the US Supports a No Deal – It Makes a Minnow Out of Britain

THE GUARDIAN: After Trump security adviser John Bolton’s visit it’s clear the price of US backing will be paid both in trade and foreign policy

If you thought it was bad enough when Donald Trump held a reluctant Theresa May’s hand, then look away now. For things are about to get sweatier.

The president’s clammy embrace of the British right continued this week with the arrival of his national security adviser John Bolton in London, to declare the most isolationist US regime in living memory would “enthusiastically” support a no-deal Brexit.

A weakened country, desperate for a trade deal and in no position to refuse Donald Trump’s demands not just to lower our stringent standards or hamstring our car industry but on foreign policy too? Step right this way, sir! No wonder Bolton talks of us being at the front of the queue for trade talks, a line every bit as clearly crafted to help Downing Street as President Obama’s suggestion during the 2016 referendum that Brexit would push us to the back of it. And if these presidents can’t both be right, then arguably neither can the two very different British Conservative administrations responsible for ghostwriting their respective lines. » | Gaby Hinsliff | Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Special Report: Death of Jeffrey Epstein

Manila Chan (in for Rick Sanchez) anchors a special newscast on the apparent suicide of infamous pedophile and accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. RT America’s Trinity Chavez reports on the latest twist in the Epstein saga. Then Mike Papantonio, host of “America’s Lawyer,” shares his expertise. RT America’s John Huddy discusses Epstein’s personal history, his association with Donald Trump and his mysterious private island in the Caribbean. RT America’s Michele Greenstein breaks down the timeline of the struggle to bring Epstein to justice and analyst Steve Malzberg addresses the media coverage of Epstein’s trial and sudden death. Finally attorney and conservative commentator Rory Riley-Topping weighs in on Epstein’s many victims.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 12, 2019

British Diplomats to Pull Out from EU Decision-making Meetings within Days

THE GUARDIAN: Critics say No 10 move to quit bloc’s institutional structures leaves UK blindsided

British diplomats will pull out from the EU’s institutional structures of power in Brussels within days, under plans being drawn up by Downing Street.

In an attempt to reinforce the message that the UK is leaving the EU by 31 October, “do or die”, the UK will stop attending the day-to-day meetings that inform the bloc’s decision-making.

The move under discussion is said by UK officials to be in line with Boris Johnson’s first statement in the House of Commons, in which he said he would “unshackle” British diplomacy from EU affairs.

Critics have countered that the symbolic walkout would merely leave the UK blindsided on decisions and ultimately damage the national interest.

…

“Haughty grandstanding like this undermines our place in the world and will be treated as a snub by our European neighbours and allies, who we should be working with to address shared challenges.

“Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill would be appalled by this short-sightedness. We should be leading in Europe, not undermining our own interests.

“To be outside the room while our shared security interests are being discussed shows weakness and pettiness, not strength. Brexit is not inevitable; this national humiliation must end alongside this rotten Conservative government.” » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Monday, August 12, 2019

Winston Churchill | A Giant in the Century [With Spanish Subtitles]

US Security Adviser in Britain to Discuss Iran, Huawei – and Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: John Bolton expected to urge tougher UK stance towards Tehran and Chinese firm

John Bolton, Donald Trump’s national security adviser, has arrived in London for talks at which he is expected to urge Britain to toughen its stance on Iran and Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei.

As the United Kingdom prepares to leave the European Union on 31 October, many diplomats expect London to become increasingly reliant on the United States.

Bolton arrived on Sunday night and will hold talks on Monday and Tuesday. They will include a heavy focus on Brexit, reflecting the Trump White House’s attempts to solidify ties with Boris Johnson’s new government after Trump’s strained relationship with his predecessor Theresa May.

The hardliner is expected to urge British officials to align policy on Iran more closely with that of Washington, which has pressured Tehran with an increase in sanctions after the US withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal. » | Reuters | Sunday, August 11, 2019

B-off back to the States, Mr. Bolton, you're not wanted or needed here! – Mark Alexander

Fascist Anthem Played as Bullfighting Returns to Mallorca

THE GUARDIAN: Far-right Vox leader shows support while animal welfare activists protest

Hundreds of animal rights activists protested outside the bullring in Palma de Mallorca at the weekend as bullfighting returned to the island for the first time since it was outlawed in 2017.

Around 400 protestors chanted: “It’s not art, it’s torture” and “No to bullfighting”, while inside the ring 12,000 people waited to watch some of Spain’s top toreros (bullfighters) enter the ring.

Bullfight supporters chanted: “Freedom” while the arena’s loudspeaker system drowned out the protesters, first with the song Viva España, and then a rendition of the banned fascist anthem Cara al Sol (Facing the Sun). » | Stephen Burgen in Barcelona | Sunday, August 11, 2019

Ireland Tells Boris Johnson There Will Be No Backstop Renegotiation

THE GUARDIAN: Irish government says there is no prospect of rethink in Brexit stalemate

The Brexit stalemate looks set to continue after the Irish government said the backstop would not be up for renegotiation at a planned meeting between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar.

The two prime ministers will meet early next month but a spokesman for Varadkar said there was no prospect of a rethink on the most contentious part of the withdrawal agreement.

Johnson has been invited by the taoiseach to Dublin with “no preconditions” but the Irish government is keen to avoid any ambiguity. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Sunday, August 11, 2019

Heseltine: Imposing No-deal Brexit 'Intolerable' Attack on Democracy

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Large’ number of Tory MPs set to vote against party, which would also lose ground to Lib Dems

The Conservatives will lose significant votes to the Liberal Democrats or other remain parties if they force through a no-deal Brexit against the will of parliament, the party stalwart Lord Heseltine has warned.

Imposing a no-deal departure without MPs’ consent was “an intolerable position for democracy”, the former deputy prime minister, who is heavily critical of Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s lead adviser and Brexit enforcer, said.

“It is absolutely central that parliament should be able to call to account people who represent them as ministers, and at the moment we’re being told by a particular figure, who’s proud of it, that he’s more or less running the show,” Heseltine said on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday show.

In response, the policing minister, Kit Malthouse, a longtime ally of Johnson, accused Heseltine of being among ageing Conservative figures who had “never quite reconciled themselves to the idea” of Brexit.

Heseltine, whose near-30 year frontbench career culminated in him serving as deputy PM under John Major, has been a persistent critic of Brexit and lost the Conservative whip after saying he had voted Lib Dem in the European elections in May.

In a joint comment piece in the Sunday Times with the Labour peer Betty Boothroyd, Heseltine argued a no-deal departure would be a “grotesque act of national self-harm”. » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Sunday, August 11, 2019

Caesar’s Messiah: The Roman Conspiracy to Invent Jesus – Official Version

Children of Abraham: Part Three | Religious History Documentary | Timeline

Children of Abraham: Part Two | Religious History Documentary | Timeline