Thursday, November 21, 2019
What is Christianity? Ehrman-Harris Podcast
Israeli PM Netanyahu Indicted on Corruption Charges
Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced the decision in a statement on Thursday. The charges included bribery, breach of trust, and fraud. Netanyahu has vehemently denied all the allegations, calling the corruption investigation a "witch-hunt" and alleging it has been motivated by his enemies' desire to force him from office. He will make a statement at 20:30 GMT.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu »
Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Back Trump Impeachment Inquiry in Debate
Prince Andrew Departs from Public Life as He Prepares to Give Evidence to Epstein Investigation in US
In an unprecedented move, the Duke announced on Wednesday evening that he was stepping back from public life in the wake of a BBC interview over his friendship with Epstein that backfired in spectacular fashion.
A well-placed royal source said on Wednesday night that the Queen had summoned the Duke to Buckingham Palace to effectively sack her second-born son – said to be her favourite child – from official duties, ordering him to stand aside. The Prince of Wales, who is on a tour of New Zealand, was consulted by telephone.
City sponsors deserted the Duke’s flagship projects while major charities were planning to ditch him as their patron. A planned visit to flood victims in South Yorkshire were abandoned in the aftermath of his “excruciating” Newsnight performance.
Buckingham Palace is understood to be braced for US authorities to issue the Duke with a subpoena, requesting he gives testimony under oath over his friendship with Epstein. Sources have suggested the summons is “imminent”. » | Robert Mendick, chief reporter; Victoria Ward; Camilla Tominey, associate editor and Jamie Johnson | Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Royal Rivalry | Behind The Queen’s Coronation | Real Royalty
While the new Queen largely sided with her mother over arrangements for the Coronation, she backed Philip over perhaps the most important decision to televise the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey. In doing so she set a precedent for television to be given access to the most intimate rituals.
Why Did Donald Trump Go to the Hospital?
Prince Andrew Latest: Lady Colin Campbell Dropped from Christmas Lights Switch On after 'Defending' Epstein
Lady C had been set to appear at the switch-on in Tetbury, Glos., on December 6, which is near Prince Charles' Highgrove House estate.
But the 70-year-old's appearance has now been pulled by furious organisers after she said 'soliciting sex was not the same as paedophilia'.
Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, Lady C made the comment when discussing the scandal-hit Duke of York and disgraced billionaire Jeffrey Epstein.
She said: "You all seem to have forgotten that Jeffrey Epstein, the offence with which he was charged and for which he was imprisoned, was for soliciting prostitution from minors.
"That is not the same thing as paedophilia." » | Telegraph reporters | Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Lady Colin Campbell »
Prince Andrew to 'Step Back from Public Duties for the Foreseeable Future' over Epstein Relationship
In his statement, Andrew said: "It has become clear to me over the last few days that the circumstances relating to my former association with Jeffrey Epstein has become a major disruption to my family's work and the valuable work going on in the many organisations and charities that I am proud to support.
"Therefore, I have asked Her Majesty if I may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future, and she has given her permission."
The duke added: "I continue to unequivocally regret my ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. His suicide has left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims, and I deeply sympathise with everyone who has been affected and wants some form of closure. » | Jamie Johnson | Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Anand Giridharadas: ‘Winners Take All’ with Teddy Schleifer
Anand Giridharadas is the bestselling author of Winners Take All, The True American and India Calling as well as an editor-at-large for TIME, an on-air political analyst for MSNBC and a visiting scholar at the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University. A former columnist and correspondent for the New York Times, he has written for the Atlantic, New Republic and New Yorker.
Son of Former German President Fatally Stabbed in Berlin
The son of Germany’s former president Richard von Weizsäcker has been stabbed to death in Berlin.
Fritz von Weizsäcker, a prominent doctor and the head of a private Berlin clinic, was attacked while giving a medical lecture on Tuesday night.
Police said a 57-year-old man was arrested at the scene and was being questioned. They said the man was not known to police and was not believed to have been a patient at the clinic, and the motive was unclear. He was due to appear before a judge on Wednesday. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, November 20, 2019
A Conversation with Anand Giridharadas
Geiselnahme von Mekka: Wie die Salafisten vor 40 Jahren begannen, die Weltherrschaft anzustreben
Am 20. November 1979 stürmten islamistische Terroristen beim Morgengebet die große Moschee in Mekka und nahmen hunderte Menschen als Geiseln. Was passierte damals an einer der heiligsten Stätten des Islam?
Das Datum war speziell: Es war der erste Tag des Jahres 1400 nach islamischer Zeitrechnung, ein neues Jahrhundert brach also an. An diesen Tag knüpften sich gewisse Erwartungen, welche die Rebellengruppe ausnutzte. Angeführt wurde sie von dem fundamentalistischen sunnitischen Prediger Dschuhaiman al Utaibi. Während Hunderte seiner Anhänger die Moschee unter ihre Kontrolle brachten, ergriff er das Mikrofon und hielt eine Ansprache. Darin verkündete er, dass der Mahdi – eine Art Messias – in Form des Studenten Muhammad al Qahtani gekommen sei und die Welt in Gerechtigkeit führen werde. Gleichzeitig kritisierte er das saudische Königshaus für die Einführung bestimmter Neuerungen wie Fernsehen, Fußball, Arbeit von Frauen, königliche Auslandsreisen und die Präsenz von Ausländern in Saudi-Arabien. Dschuhaiman sah darin einen „Abfall vom Islam“ und forderte das Ende der königlichen Herrschaft. » | von Marie Illner | Mittwoch, 20. November 2019
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Why Is the US Saying Illegal Israeli Settlements Are Okay? I Inside Story
The US says it no longer views the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank as “inconsistent with international law”... The Palestinians are furious and many observers say it makes Israeli-Palestinian peace even more elusive.
It’s another U-turn on policy by the US President in favour of Israel. Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the American embassy there. He also recognised Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights from Syria.
So what's the reason for this latest controversial move?
Presenter: Imran Khan | Guests: Gideon Levy, columnist at Haaretz News and author of 'The Punishment of Gaza’; Richard Falk, professor emeritus at Princeton University. Richard is the former UN special rapporteur for occupied Palestinian territories; Nour Odeh, political analyst and former spokesperson for the Palestinian Task Force on public diplomacy
Noura Erakat: US Recognition of Israeli Settlements Is “Entrenchment of an Apartheid Régime”
Dangerous Indiscretions: The Decline of the House of Windsor | The Crown Documentary | Timeline
The Royal Who Kept Hope Alive | Charlotte: A Royal At War | Real Royalty
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg »
Monday, November 18, 2019
KPMG Ends Its Backing for Prince Andrew's Mentorship Scheme
The accountancy giant KPMG is not renewing its sponsorship of Prince Andrew’s entrepreneurial scheme Pitch@Palace, it has emerged, in the wake of his much-derided interview in which he defended his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
The Duke of York has been heavily criticised as having shown neither contrition nor sympathy for Epstein’s child victims in the BBC Newsnight interview and his suitability as patron to scores of charities and organisations has been called into question as a result.
On Monday, after it was reported by Sky News, Buckingham Palace confirmed that KPMG, a founding partner of Pitch@Palace, a mentorship scheme for budding entrepreneurs, was no longer involved, its contract having ended in October. » | Haroon Siddique and Anugraha Sundaravelu | Monday, November 18, 2019
US Says Israeli Settlements No Longer Considered Illegal in Dramatic Shift
The US has declared that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are not necessarily illegal, in a dramatic break with decades of international law, US policy and the established position of most US allies.
“Calling the establishment of civilian settlements inconsistent with international law has not advanced the cause of peace,” said Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state. “The hard truth is that there will never be a judicial resolution to the conflict, and arguments about who is right and who is wrong as a matter of international law will not bring peace.” » | Julian Borger in Washington | Monday, November 18, 2019
Mayor Pete Surges ahead in Iowa Polling | Morning Joe | MSNBC
How Modern Families Increase Social Inequality | The Economist
Joe: We Have a Right to Know the President's Health | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Prince Andrew: Calls for Royal to Say Sorry and Speak to FBI
Prince Andrew is facing a transatlantic backlash over his extraordinary defence of his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein after lawyers who represent 10 of the billionaire predator’s victims branded the royal unrepentant and implausible and demanded that he speak to the FBI.
After the royal’s defiant Newsnight interview on Saturday triggered a disbelieving reaction from the public and the media, the prince was under growing pressure from critics in the UK and US on Sunday who demanded an apology for his conduct and said that his defence of his actions was simply not credible.
Gloria Allred, who has worked on numerous high-profile sexual harassment cases and is now representing five of Epstein’s victims, told the Guardian: “The right and honourable action for Prince Andrew to take now is for him to volunteer to be interviewed by the FBI and prosecutors for the southern district of New York [who are continuing to investigate sex-trafficking allegations against Epstein despite his death in prison in August]. » | Edward Helmore in New York, Ben Quinn and Jim Waterson | Sunday, November 17, 2019
The Queen Mother: An Affectionate Tribute | The Crown Documentary | Timeline
High-stakes Gamble on TV Interview over Epstein Backfires on Duke of York
If, as many royal observers have claimed, the Duke of York’s decision to submit himself to an Emily Maitlis grilling represented a colossal gamble by a man desperate to make the flow of negative headlines dry up, then it appears he has bet the house on red only for it to come up black.
Prince Andrew’s bizarre defence that he chose to stay at convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s home because it was “convenient” and “honourable” has gone down badly in the court of public opinion.
And now his defence of their relationship and his explanations for where he was on key dates when he is alleged to have had sex with women procured by Epstein has met similar derision. » | Jamie Doward | Saturday, November 16, 2019
Prince Andrew: fresh questions raised by his Epstein interview »
Saturday, November 16, 2019
‘This Is Worse Than Nixon:’ Neal Katyal on the Impeachment Latest | All In | MSNBC
Young Turks Founder Cenk Uygur Announces Congressional Bid
“I’m going to represent those people in a way that they have not seen before. I will not be a standard politician. I will fight for them,” Uygur said in his announcement Thursday. “I’m going to fight to get money out of politics, and I’m going to call it like it is.”
“You know what campaign donations are from big corporations and lobbyists? Bribes,” Uygur added. “They’re bribes when Republicans take them, they’re also bribes when Democrats take them. I’m not going to take any of that, and I’m going to fight to get you guys higher wages and to get you healthcare that your family needs.” » | Jake Johnson / Common Dreams | Friday, November 15, 2019
Friday, November 15, 2019
Justin Bass vs Bart Ehrman | Did the Historical Jesus Claim to Be Divine?
Does Stephen Miller Remain in the White House? | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Protests across the Globe: Talking about a Revolution? | To the Point
Bart Ehrman Debates Peter J Williams, Are the Gospels Historically Reliable?
Arguably, no individual has influenced the course of history more than Jesus of Nazareth. Today, over 2000 years since he lived, his story still influences the lives of millions of people. Yet, in recent decades many have questioned whether the Gospel stories are a true reflection of the central figure of Christianity. So can we trust the accounts of his life, death and alleged resurrection? Leading New Testament scholar Bart Ehrman is well known for his critique of the historicity of the Gospels. He engages with leading Cambridge University Bible scholar Peter J. Williams who defends the reliability of the accounts.
UK Election: Parties Battle over NHS - as It Reports Worst Ever Waiting Times
All the major parties took the opportunity to say they are the ones to be trusted on turning the NHS around. But with waiting times at their absolute worst, they all face a tough task convincing the electorate.
Prince Andrew to Be Quizzed on Epstein in Newsnight Special
Prince Andrew has agreed to speak publicly about his friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, in a “no holds barred” interview with the BBC’s Newsnight programme to be broadcast on Saturday night.
The prince has been the subject of fierce speculation over his relationship with the financier, who was found dead in his New York jail cell three months ago.
Epstein’s accuser Virginia Giuffre claims Prince Andrew was “an abuser, a participant” in her exploitation as a teenager and says she was forced to have sex with him. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Friday, November 15, 2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
The Guardian View on Donald Trump’s Impeachment: A Grave and Necessary Process
There are multiple reasons why Donald Trump ought not to be the president of the United States. However, there are only two ways of removing him from the office he has occupied for the past three years. One is to vote him out at the ballot box, which Americans will have the opportunity to do in a year’s time. The other is for Congress to impeach him, a process that began on Capitol Hill in September, and which went into public session on Wednesday, when the first hearings were beamed around the US and the world.
Although much of Washington has talked of little else for weeks, the public hearings before the Democrat-controlled House intelligence committee sharply raise the visibility of the impeachment effort with the wider public. Presidential impeachment is rare and grave. This is only the fourth time it has happened in American history. But impeachment is also both a quasi-judicial process and an inescapably political one, as anyone who remembers the 1999 trial of Bill Clinton will understand. » | Editorial | Thursday, November 14, 2019
Boris Johnson Was Supposed to Be an Ace Campaigner. So Why Is He Stumbling?
LONDON — For months, Prime Minister Boris Johnson planned on calling a general election in Britain, figuring he could break the logjam in Parliament by taking his case for Brexit directly to the people. Instead, as he has floundered in the early stages of the campaign, Mr. Johnson has discovered that the people are taking their case to him.
“Where have you been?” asked a man angry at the government’s response to floods that have ravaged his Yorkshire town.
“You’ve got the cheek to come here,” a young woman chided him, saying that his promise of prosperity after Brexit was a “fairy tale.”
“I’m not very happy about talking to you, so if you don’t mind, I’ll just motor on with what I’m doing,” said another woman, filling sandbags.
In the voting this summer for Conservative Party leader — and, hence, prime minister — Mr. Johnson’s prime selling points were his personal popularity and skills as a campaigner. But in the early stages of the general election, exposed to hostile voices, he has seemed at times unsure, tone deaf and gaffe prone. » | Mark Landler and Stephen Castle | Thursday, November 14, 2019
Lord Heseltine on Brexit Day: 'We've Lost Power and Influence' – Newsnight (March 2017)
“This Is Unacceptable”: Ex-Congresswoman Who Voted to Impeach Nixon Says Trump Is a Rogue President
White Nationalists Are Running the White House
Kein britischer EU-Kommissar : Johnsons Signal
Boris Johnson hat gesprochen. Großbritannien werde bis zur Unterhauswahl keinen Kandidaten für die neue EU-Kommission benennen. Unabhängig davon, was dies für die Installierung des Teams um die gewählte Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen bedeutet, sendet der britische Premierminister damit ein unmissverständliches Zeichen.
In einer Hinsicht kann man den Wahlkämpfer Johnson ja verstehen. Er möchte nicht den Hauch eines Zweifels daran aufkommen lassen, dass er es gar nicht erwarten kann, sein Land endlich aus dem „Gefängnis“ namens Europäische Unionherauszuführen. Aber es wird eine Zeit „danach“ geben, egal wie die Wahl ausgeht. Und Johnson hat eben auch gesagt, dass die EU auch künftig ein wichtiger Partner Großbritanniens sein solle und werde. » | Ein Kommentar von Peter Sturm | Donnerstag, 14. November 2019
Donald Tusk Urges British Voters Not to 'Give Up' on Stopping Brexit
As campaigning ramps up ahead of next month's general election, he warned that leaving the EU would leave the UK a "second-rate player".
In a speech, he also said Brexit would likely mark the "real end of the British Empire".
Read the Telegraph article here »[£]
Hear! Hear! – Mark
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Saudi Arabia Defended by Conservative MP, Daniel Kawsczynski (January 2016)
Opinion: The Toxic Relationship between Britain and Russia Has to Be Exposed
Someone in Downing Street calculated that it was less embarrassing to suppress the intelligence and security committee’s report into Russian interference in the UK than it was to publish it.
Boris Johnson’s refusal to allow voters to read the report made waves in parliament a week ago, yet the election campaign has offered a convenient distraction since then. The government can survive one uncomfortable news cycle; but a 50-page report full of revelations about rich Russians funding political parties and associating with politicians, as well as Russian bots meddling in the referendum, could have fed the media for days.
The report will only emerge once we have a new parliament, by which stage any revelations it contains will have lost their power, and thus be safely ignored. This is a shame, because the toxic relationship between the Russian and British elites is something that needs full exposure. They have been collaborating to their mutual enrichment, and to the detriment of democracy and accountability everywhere, for decades. » | Oliver Bullough | Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Hong Kong on the Brink of a Total Breakdown? | DW News
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Uber CEO's Outrageous Take on Khashoggi's Death
Bolton Slams Trump, Suggests Foreign Policy Guided by Personal Interest | Andrea Mitchell | MSNBC
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Behind Trump’s Dealings With Turkey: Sons-in-Law Married to Power »
Daniel Kawczynski Marries Long-term Partner in House of Commons Ceremony
Mr Kawczynski wed his long-term Brazilian partner Fernando at a civil partnership ceremony at the House of Commons on Saturday afternoon.
The 46-year-old received hundreds of messages of support and congratulations on social media, including one from the leader of Telford & Wrekin Council, Councillor Shaun Davies.
The pair have not always seen eye to eye, often clashing over issues such as healthcare, but Councillor Davies put political differences aside for one day. » | Aimee Jones | Shrewsbury | Sunday, November 10, 2019
Hillary Clinton 'Dumbfounded' UK Government Won't Release Report on Russian Influence
Monday, November 11, 2019
The Billionaire Class Is Scared. They Should Be
UK Government Delay of Russia Report Is Shaming, Says Clinton
Hillary Clinton has called Downing Street’s suppression of a report into potential Russian infiltration of British politics “damaging, inexplicable and shaming”.
The 2016 US presidential candidate told the Guardian it was “incredibly surprising and unacceptable that in your country there is a government report sitting there about Russian influence and your current government isn’t releasing it”.
The potentially incendiary report by the intelligence and security committee has already been approved by the intelligence agencies. Downing Street was sent a final draft on 17 October and had been expected to sign off the report by the end of last month.
However, No 10 indicated that the parliamentary report would not be made public before the election, citing a sign-off process that it said could take six weeks. The chairman of the committee, Dominic Grieve, called the decision to delay publication “jaw-dropping”.
Clinton said: “I mean, who do they think they are that they would keep information like that from the public, especially before an election?
“Well, I’ll tell you who they think they are. They think that they are the all-powerful, strong men who should be ruling,” she said, linking the suppression of the report to a rising authoritarian turn in western leaders. » | Charlotte Higgins | Monday, November 11, 2019
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Royal Family Lead Britain's Remembrance Sunday Tributes at Cenotaph Service
Political leaders, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, took a break from election campaigning to attend the service at the memorial on Whitehall in central London.
Hundreds of armed forces personnel were also present at the occasion, alongside Cabinet ministers, religious leaders and representatives of Commonwealth nations.
As Big Ben struck 11am, a two minutes silence was observed, with its beginning and end marked by the firing of a gun by the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Buglers of the Royal Marines sounded the Last Post before wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph by members of the royal family, politicians, foreign representatives and senior armed forces personnel. » | Telegraph Reporters | Sunday, November 10, 2019
Saturday, November 09, 2019
Waking the Titanic | Titanic Documentary | Timeline
Titanic: The Facts Told by Real Survivors | British Pathé
On 14 April 1912, on her maiden voyage, the passenger liner RMS Titanic hit an iceberg. More than 1500 men, women and children perished. This is a short television documentary about the sinking of the Titanic, including interviews with survivors talking about their experiences and their escape.
On 14 April 1912, on her maiden voyage, the passenger liner RMS Titanic hit an iceberg. More than 1500 men, women and children perished. This is a short television documentary about the sinking of the Titanic, including interviews with survivors talking about their experiences and their escape.
Friday, November 08, 2019
Lawrence and Rachel on 'Anonymous' Book: ‘This Is a Warning about Danger to the Country’ | MSNBC
Another Greedy Billionaire Enters the Democratic Race
Author's 'Warning' Raises Question of Trump Staff Responsibility | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC
Saudi Twitter Spying – Interview with Saudi Political Affairs Expert Ali al Ahmed
A former media partnership manager and an engineer with Twitter have been charged. Investigations revealed that data of over 6,000 users was accessed in return of tens of thousands of dollars into secret bank accounts. Saudi Arabia had also requested emergency disclosure of at least 33 usernames from twitter.
For more on this, Saudi political affairs expert Ali al Ahmed, from Institute for Gulf Affairs, and joins us from Washington DC
Saudi Twitter Spying – Interview with Sami Hamdi from the International Interest
Book by ‘Anonymous’ Describes Trump as Cruel, Inept and a Danger to the Nation
In “A Warning” by Anonymous, obtained by The Washington Post ahead of its release, a writer described only as “a senior official in the Trump administration” paints a chilling portrait of the president as cruel, inept and a danger to the nation he was elected to lead.
The author — who first captured attention in 2018 as the unidentified author of a New York Times opinion column — describes Trump careening from one self-inflicted crisis to the next, “like a twelve-year-old in an air traffic control tower, pushing the buttons of government indiscriminately, indifferent to the planes skidding across the runway and the flights frantically diverting away from the airport.” » | Philip Rucker | Thursday, November 7, 2019
Thursday, November 07, 2019
It’s Not Just Britain That’s Breaking Up, Europe Is Too
Arguably the most surreal event during the general election campaign is scheduled for the week before polling day. On 3 December, Nato leaders, including Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, will gather at a Buckingham Palace reception. The next day, the Nato chiefs will meet in a luxury – but thankfully non-Trump-owned – hotel outside Watford. It’s the event where the leaders will discuss big subjects including Syria, Afghanistan, Russia and military burden-sharing – and where none of these big subjects is likely to be solved.
In the not so distant past, a leader fighting an election might have seen an international summit they were hosting as a golden opportunity. The grandeur and importance of such a gathering would mean free publicity from the campaign gods, reminding voters that the incumbent is someone who bestrides the world stage, has the ear of powerful allies, and is at ease with the deepest responsibilities of office. As a prime minister milked the occasion, opponents could only grind their teeth in frustration.
But this summit is not like that. It could be more problem than opportunity. It may even prove to be the most disruptive political event of the election. Part of that is because of the always careless self-confidence of Johnson, for whom the Watford summit may be the final gig – or let us hope so – of the briefest prime ministership of the modern era. Most of it, though, will be down to Trump, whose comments about Brexit and Britain could hijack the final week of the campaign and even have explosive effects on the outcome. » | Martin Kettle | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Jane Fonda: The Sooner We Move Beyond Trump the Better
US: Saudi Arabia Recruited Twitter Employees Charged for Spying
The prosecutors say that Saudi Arabia was growing increasingly frustrated with being criticised online.
The two Saudis who worked at Twitter were tasked with gathering the email addresses linked to the Twitter accounts and internet protocol addresses that indicate the user's location.
Al Jazeera's Rob Reynolds reports.
A Not-Do-Special Relationship: Facing Voters, Johnson Backs Away From Trump
LONDON — Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain spoke with President Trump by phone on Tuesday, and to judge by the dueling summaries of the call provided by the White House and 10 Downing Street, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Trump were involved in two completely different conversations.
The White House said the two leaders pledged to negotiate “a robust bilateral free trade agreement once the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.” Downing Street said nothing about a deal, noting instead that Mr. Johnson urged Mr. Trump to lift American tariffs on Scotch whisky.
Such divergent accounts of a leader-to-leader call are not unheard-of, but the timing of this one, on the eve of Britain’s general election campaign, was telling. It shows just how much of a liability Mr. Trump has become for Mr. Johnson. Once, the prime minister talked up the benefits of having a close friend in the White House; now he is distancing himself from a figure who is radioactive to many Britons. » | Mark Landler | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Ukraine Crisis Put On Ice by Trump Staff Busy Working Out How to Buy Greenland
After the White House cut off military aid to Ukraine, Donald Trump’s top officials scrambled to get it restored but were unable to organise a meeting with the president, in part because his staff were too busy pursuing his interest in buying Greenland, according to newly released congressional testimony.
The acting US ambassador to Ukraine, Bill Taylor, told Congress that Trump’s order in mid-July to cut off security assistance triggered a series of high-level meetings with cabinet members on how to get it resumed, given the urgency of the Russian military intervention in eastern Ukraine.
Taylor testified on 22 October, but the House committees holding impeachment hearings released a full transcript on Wednesday. The veteran ambassador told congressional investigators it was the “unanimous opinion of every level of inter-agency discussion” that the aid should be restored and that the secretaries of state and defence as well as the CIA director and the national security adviser work together to arrange an urgent meeting with Trump “to convince him to release the hold”.
However, no meeting could be arranged until September. Taylor said part of the reason was the cabinet secretaries involved went on work trips abroad during the period, but he added: “I think this was also about the time of the Greenland question, about purchasing Greenland, which took up a lot of energy in the NSC [National Security Council].” » | Julian Borger in Washington | Thursday, November 7, 2019
Is Trump's deep fear and envy of Obama behind his plan to purchase Greenland? »
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Greens Launch Pro-remain Electoral Pact
The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens have finalised a plan to step aside for each other in 60 seats across England and Wales in the general election. The alliance is intended to give a free run to one pro-remain party in each constituency.
The agreement, which does not include Labour, covers 49 seats in England and 11 in Wales. It was made under the banner of a cross-party group called Unite to Remain, which has spent several months trying to broker the plan.
A so-called progressive alliance plan, also including Labour, was attempted before the 2017 election but arrangements were only made for a handful of seats, in part because of the difficulty of getting local parties to agree. » | Peter Walker and Heather Stewart | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Twitter Employees Charged with Spying for Saudi Arabia
Two former Twitter employees have been charged with spying after they reportedly obtained personal account information for critics of the government of Saudi Arabia.
A complaint unsealed on Wednesday in US district court in San Francisco detailed a coordinated effort by Saudi officials to recruit employees at the social media giant to look up the private data of thousands of Twitter accounts.
One of the former Twitter employees, Ahmad Abouammo, was arrested on Tuesday on charges of spying and falsifying an invoice to obstruct an FBI investigation. He is a US citizen. The other former employee, a Saudi citizen named Ali Alzabarah, was accused of accessing the personal information of more than 6,000 Twitter accounts in 2015 on behalf of Saudi Arabia. » | Kari Paul in San Francisco and agencies | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Wife of Killed Isis Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Captured, Says Turkey
A woman married to the slain Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been captured and is in Turkish custody, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said.
Erdoğan made the announcement during a speech in Ankara on Wednesday but did not provide any further details. “The United States said Baghdadi killed himself in a tunnel,” Erdogan said, criticising the US for a “communications campaign” over the jihadist’s death.
“But, I am announcing it here for the first time: we captured his wife and didn’t make a fuss like them. Similarly, we also captured his sister and brother-in-law in Syria.” » | Bethan McKernan in Istanbul | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Boris Johnson Officially Calls General Election: Watch in Full
What a load of tosh this man speaks! Do you recognize this country from BoJo’s description of it? Because I don’t! Listening to him, anyone would be forgiven for concluding that he’s describing El Dorado, not the UK!
Oh God! These dudes think the people are stupid. If anyone believes this man’s claptrap, I’ve got a bridge to sell him in the desert. – Mark
John Bercow: Brexit Is UK's Biggest Mistake Since Second World War
Days after bowing out as Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercowhas described Brexit as the biggest mistake Britain has made since the second world war.
Bercow, who was persistently accused of bias by Brexit-backing MPs during his term as Speaker, gave a valedictory speech to the Foreign Press Association, revealing himself to be a remainer.
“I don’t think it helps the UK. Brexit is the biggest mistake of this country after the war. I respect [the] prime minister, [Boris] Johnson, but Brexitdoesn’t help us. It’s better to be part of the [EU] power bloc,” Bercow said, according to the journalist Antonella Guerrera, of La Repubblica, who attended the event in London.
However, Bercow rejected the idea he had blocked Brexit, insisting “it was parliament” that had prevented Britain from leaving before now, “not me”. » | Heather Stewart, Political editor | Wednesday, October 6, 2019
John Bercow is right, of course. Brexit is our biggest mistake since WWII – Mark
Brexit Has Made Britain's Problems Worse, Says Juncker
Brexit has worsened Britain’s problems, the outgoing head of the European commission has said in another parting shot at the UK government.
Jean-Claude Juncker, who is standing down as head of the EU executive, delivered a typically blunt assessment in an interview with Germany’s public broadcaster, ARD.
“Britain also has problems other than Brexit and these problems have got bigger with Brexit. They are trying to cover that up, but they just got bigger,” he said.
Juncker also described Britain’s departure from the European Union as a perpetual cycle of “promises, promises not kept, and lies repeated over and over again”, two days after he accused Boris Johnson of telling “so many lies” during the 2016 campaign. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, November 6, 2019
UK Prime Minister Withholding Report on Russia's Role in Brexit | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC
Monday, November 04, 2019
Will Aramco's IPO Succeed? I Inside Story
The initial public offering, or IPO, will be on the Saudi stock exchange. How much of the company's for sale and at what price, will be determined later.
Part of the Crown Prince's economic plans for the kingdom, the flotation aims to raise billions of dollars. But estimates of how much it might actually draw, vary widely. Mohammed Bin Salman wants a $2 trillion price tag, many bankers put it at $1.5 trillion.
But can ARAMCO's IPO satisfy his ambitions? And what, if any, are the risks?
Presenter: Dareen Abu Ghaida | Guests: Mohammed Cherkaoui, author and senior fellow at Al Jazeera Centre for Studies; Jeff Colgan, associate professor at Brown University and author of 'Petro-Aggression: When Oil Causes War'; Joseph Kechichian, senior fellow at King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic studies
Sunday, November 03, 2019
The Debate: Macron and Islam: French President Weighs In on New Headscarf Row
Opinion: The Happy, Healthy Capitalists of Switzerland
Like many progressive intellectuals, Bernie Sanders traces his vision of economic paradise not to socialist dictatorships like Venezuela but to their distant cousins in Scandinavia, which are just as wealthy and democratic as the United States but have more equitable distributions of wealth, as well as affordable health care and free college for all.
There is, however, a country far richer and just as fair as any in the Scandinavian trio of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. But no one talks about it.
This $700 billion European economy is among the world’s 20 largest, significantly bigger than any in Scandinavia. It delivers welfare benefits as comprehensive as Scandinavia’s but with lighter taxes, smaller government, and a more open and stable economy. Steady growth recently made it the second richest nationin the world, after Luxembourg, with an average income of $84,000, or $20,000 more than the Scandinavian average. Money is not the final measure of success, but surveys also rank this nation as one of the world’s 10 happiest.
This less socialist but more successful utopia is Switzerland. » | Ruchir Sharma | Saturday, November 2, 2019
Saturday, November 02, 2019
What's Next for the Impeachment Inquiry against Donald Trump I Inside Story
At the centre of the investigation is whether President Donald Trump abused his power and jeopardised national security by withholding US military aid from Ukraine in exchange for an investigation into his political rival, Joe Biden.
Trump has repeatedly denied doing anything wrong, and the White House is refusing to cooperate; so what happens next? And what will be the impact on next year's elections?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault | Guests: Richard Goodstein - Political consultant for the Democratic Party and former adviser to President Bill Clinton; Jack Kingston - Republican Party member and former senior adviser to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign; Scott Lucas - Professor of political science and international studies at the University of Birmingham
Defiant Requiem | Holocaust Survivor Documentary | Timeline
Friday, November 01, 2019
Farage Seeks Brexit Election Pact with Tories
That's after Nigel Farage offered him an ultimatum: scrap your EU withdrawal deal and team up with us - or the Brexit party will fight the Conservatives in every seat.
But now the Tories have explicitly ruled that out.
Could the Leave vote be split?
Brexit: Tearing the Tories Apart?
Clarke had the whip withdrawn in September after he voted against the government.
A passionate opponent of Brexit and a life-long Europhile Clarke discusses how Brexit and Europe is eating away at his party with his long-standing colleague and former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith - a vocal proponent of leaving the EU.
'Good Riddance': New Yorkers on Trump's Declaration He's a Floridian
Donald Trump’s decision to declare himself a resident of Florida instead of his native New York, thereby avoiding New York’s high rates of state and city taxes, was greeted by the public in the Big Apple with opinions ranging from anarchy-tinged approval to envy, scorn and indifference.
“Why should I care?” offered New Yorker Mike Mitchell, a construction engineer, as he walked the sunny streets of lower Manhattan in a chilly breeze, a stone’s throw from the Statue of Liberty on Friday morning. » | Edward Helmore in New York | Friday, November 1, 2019
Rationing In Britain
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Trump Criticises Corbyn as Labour Launches Election Campaign | Brexit
But he also criticised Mr Johnson's Brexit deal, suggesting the US couldn't make a trade agreement with the UK. All this on the very day Britain was supposed to be coming out of the EU.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Neuwahl im Dezember: Großbritannien ist nicht zu beneiden
Tactical Voting Could Deliver Remain Victory in Election – Study
Tactical voting could swing a victory for pro-remain parties in the December election, new research suggests.
Boris Johnson would fail to get a majority if one in three pro-remain voters in England and Wales switched their vote, the campaign group Best for Britain said.
In this scenario, the Conservatives would win 309 seats, Labour 233, the Liberal Democrats 34, Plaid Cymru four and the Greens one. When the Scottish National party, Democratic Unionist party and the Commons Speaker are factored in, this would give pro-remain parties a majority of four.
Best for Britain has launched GetVoting.org to give tactical voting advice based on postcode. Naomi Smith, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “If we vote tactically we can stop a Boris Johnson majority and return a parliament that much more accurately reflects the state of the country’s views on the issue of Europe, which is now a majority pro-European country and we need a majority pro-European parliament. » | Kate Proctor | Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Tactical voting: GetVoting.org »
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Michel Barnier Tells UK: Ignore EU Regulatory Standards at Your Peril
British companies risk trade barriers to the European Union if a future government seeks to abandon EU standards on workers’ rights and environmental protection, Michel Barnier has signalled.
In an interview with the Guardian and seven other European newspapers, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said any British government would face a “proportional” response if it sought to roll back core social, environmental and consumer standards.
The EU and UK have agreed to negotiate a free-trade agreement as part of Boris Johnson’s revamped Brexit deal, but Barnier stressed that tariff and quota-free access to the EU were linked to maintaining regulatory standards. “Access to our markets will be proportional to the commitments taken to the common rules,” he said. “The agreement we are ready to discuss is zero tariffs, zero quotas, zero dumping.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Liban : Saad Hariri, le premier ministre du Liban, annonce sa démission au treizième jour de la contestation
Le premier ministre libanais, Saad Hariri, a annoncé mardi 29 octobre qu’il allait présenter la démission de son gouvernement, au 13e jour d’un soulèvement populaire marqué par de nouveaux heurts dans les rues de Beyrouth.
Son intervention a été accueillie par les vivats de la foule qui l’écoutait en direct dans plusieurs lieux de rassemblement, avant que ne retentisse l’hymne national – An-nasid al-wataniyy al-lubnani – repris à pleins poumons par les manifestants. Des feux d’artifice ont été aussitôt tirés dans Beyrouth tandis que des voitures sillonnaient la ville klaxons hurlants en signe de victoire. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 29. Octobre 2019
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