Brahms Piano Concertos with Krystian Zimerman and Leonard Bernstein

Brahms piano concertos nos. 1 and 2 played by Krystian Zimerman with Leonard Bernstein conducting the Wiener Philharmoniker. Piano Concerto No. 1 - 00:31 Piano Concerto No. 2 - 56:10

China and Iran Draft a $400 Billion Pact

Didn’t Trump and Pompeo do well? – Mark

Ivanka: “Find Something New”

The billionaire's daughter is telling unemployed Americans to "find something new." Thanks for the advice, Ivanka.

Chyna

China made Trump roll over like a dog.

Donald Trump : Names

Learn. Their. Names.

Grifters: Episode One

We all know Trump’s a scammer. Stiffed contractors. Ripped-off business partners. False advertisements. Bankrupted businesses. But the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Consequences for Trump

#ConsequencesForTrump

America’s Greatest Mistake

#AmericaGreatestMistake

Don Winslow Films »

Is the US-Saudi Arabia Relationship Falling Apart? | Inside Story

Former Saudi intelligence agent Saad Al Jabri is suing the Saudi Crown Prince in the US, alleging Mohammed Bin Salman sent the 'hit squad' that murdered Jamal Khashoggi to kill him in Canada.

In a rare rebuke, the State Department praised Jabri and demanded answers about the safety of his children.

Will President Donald Trump, a staunch supporter for Bin Salman, be forced to take action?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan; Guests: Khalil Jahshan - Executive Director, Arab Center Washington DC; Mahjoob Zweiri - Director, Gulf Studies Center, Qatar University; Rami Khouri - Senior Fellow, Issam Fares Institute, American University of Beirut

Mary Trump: The President's Anti-LGBTQ Policies Are Not Surprising

After growing up in the Trump family, Mary Trump says Donald Trump's discrimination against LGBTQ people is not shocking. In her new book "Too Much and Never Enough," she recounts many instances of bigotry she witnessed, including from her grandmother, who once referred to Elton John using a gay slur. Mary Trump says the remark stopped her from coming out to her family. "I wasn’t happy about it, certainly, that my grandmother had those attitudes, but it didn’t exactly surprise me in a household that was so racist, anti-Semitic and misogynistic," she says.

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) Says Russia Is Trying to Boost Trump’s Candidacy | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

“We’ve never seen such faithlessness to the ideas and ideals of the country.” Steve Schmidt reacts to the ODNI’s findings and certain Republican senators who seem to be helping disseminate Russian talking points. Aired on 8/7/2020

Brexit Behind Him, Boris Johnson Tries to Stop Scotland From Leaving U.K.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Scottish polling shows a majority favor independence. The prime minister is concerned.

LONDON — Barely six months after Britain broke away from the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is increasingly consumed with trying to stop the breakaway of restive parts of the United Kingdom.

On Friday, Mr. Johnson sent his popular Treasury chief, Rishi Sunak, to Scotland, to tamp down nationalist sentiment that has surged there in recent months. Another top minister, Michael Gove, went to Northern Ireland with nearly $500 million in aid to help frustrated companies deal with new checks on shipped goods.

Experts have long predicted that Brexit would strengthen centrifugal forces that were pulling apart the union. But in Scotland, in particular, the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated those forces, forcing Mr. Johnson to mount an elaborate — some say belated — charm offensive with the Scottish public. » | Mark Landler | Friday, August 7, 2020

"The World's Most Dangerous Man": Mary Trump on Her Uncle, President Trump, & Why He Must Be Ousted

"In my family, being kind was considered being weak," says Mary Trump, President Trump's niece, a clinical psychologist and author of "Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man." We spend the hour with Mary Trump, discussing her book the president doesn't want people to read, in which she describes his upbringing in a dysfunctional family that fostered his greed, cruelty and racist and sexist behaviors — which he is now inflicting on the world. Mary Trump also discusses the president's mishandling of the coronavirus pandemic, his long history of lies and misrepresentations, and the dangers of his reelection. "I believe that this country is on the knife's edge, and I don't want anybody going to cast their vote in November being able to claim that they just don't know who they're voting for," she says.

Saudi Crown Prince Accused in Lawsuit of Sending Hit Squad to Canada

THE GUARDIAN: US lawsuit by ex-Saudi intelligence official accuses Mohammed bin Salman of plotting to kill him

A former senior Saudi intelligence official with close ties to western intelligence agencies has accused Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of plotting to kill him, claiming in a US lawsuit that one such attempt was thwarted by Canadian officials in 2018.

A lawsuit by Saad Aljabri against the Saudi crown prince and other Saudi officials, which was brought in a district court in Washington DC, claims that the Saudi state launched a campaign to target the former high-ranking official in Canada because he was viewed as a threat to Prince Mohammed’s relationship with the US and his eventual ascendancy to the throne.

The complaint includes several jaw-dropping and unverified details about the alleged plot to target Aljabri, including a claim that a team of Saudi assassins were sent to Canada to kidnap the former Saudi official just two weeks after the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner, US investigations correspondent | Friday, August 7, 2020

The Guardian View on the Beirut Blast: A Tragedy within a Crisis

THE GUARDIAN: The world owes solidarity to a people exhausted by decades of corrupt and negligent government

Beirut has come to know the sound of explosions too well in its recent past, but none looked or felt like the blast that laid waste central districts of the city on Tuesday. The devastation is on a scale more usually wrought by earthquakes. The port at the heart of the Lebanese capital was annihilated. Shock waves ripped the facades from every building in neighbouring districts – and behind every shattered window are shattered lives. There are not enough hospital beds or a reliable supply of electricity. Infrastructure for storing and importing many of the city’s essential goods has been destroyed, making scarcity of food an imminent threat. A vast crater at the site of the detonation scars the coastline, but deeper still are the wounds to a nation that was already reeling from economic crisis, debilitated by pandemic and weary from political chaos and corruption. » | Editorial | Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Juan Carlos Has Fled Spain, But Questions Over His Past Will Follow Him

THE GUARDIAN: The immunity once afforded the former Spanish king won’t protect him any more against allegations of graft and fraud

For the past century and a half, job security has not been part of the Spanish monarchy’s experience. When former king Juan Carlos announced that he was packing his bags and heading into a form of exile on Monday, he was really following a family tradition.

No one would be more aware of that than 82-year-old Juan Carlos himself, who was born in exile and – reportedly – in relative impecunity (by royal standards) after his grandfather Alfonso XIII fled the country in the face of popular revolt in 1931.

It took General Francisco Franco, who came to power with the help of Hitler and Mussolini after turning a failed coup into the Spanish civil war in 1936, to restore the monarchy. But this only came after a vengeful Franco had himself ruled with absolute power, while violently suppressing democrats and making liberal use of death sentences, for almost four decades.

To secure the restoration, Juan Carlos had first to suck up to Franco, agree that the proper heir to the crown (his own father, Don Juan) should be leapfrogged, and then wait patiently for the dictator to die. When that finally happened in 1975, Juan Carlos received a dictator’s powers – and refused to criticise his predecessor as head of state. » | Giles Tremlett | Wednesday, August 5, 2020

How to Bible

Beirut Explosion Destruction Captured in Drone Footage

Aerial video captures the devastating impact of the explosion that left dozens dead and thousands injured in the Lebanese capital. The full scale of the blast is yet to be felt as rescue efforts continued the morning after the explosion flattened much of the city's port

Spaniens Ex-König Juan Carlos: Flucht in die Karibik? | DW Nachrichten

Der ehemalige spanischer König Juan Carlos ist ins Ausland geflüchtet. Einst hoch angesehen bei vielen Spaniern, ist der frühere Monarch des Landes, Juan Carlos, durch zahlreiche Affären und Skandale ins Zwielicht geraten. Bedrängt von Justizermittlungen und Korruptionsverdacht, hat sich der 82-Jährige nun ins Ausland abgesetzt.

Gustav Mahler - Adagietto | Gustavo Dudamel

Gustav Mahler - Adagietto. Sehr langsam. Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor, 1901-02. Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo Dudamel. Live Recording, 2015

Poor and Desperate, Pakistani Hindus Accept Islam to Get By

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Drawn by jobs or land offered by Muslim groups, some Hindus, facing discrimination and a virus-ravaged economy, are essentially converting to survive.

The Hindus performed the prayer rituals awkwardly in supplication to their new, single god, as they prepared to leave their many deities behind them. Their lips stumbled over Arabic phrases that, once recited, would seal their conversion to Islam. The last words uttered, the men and boys were then circumcised.

Dozens of Hindu families converted in June in the Badin district of Sindh Province in southern Pakistan. Video clips of the ceremony went viral across the country, delighting hard-line Muslims and weighing on Pakistan’s dwindling Hindu minority.

The mass ceremony was the latest in what is a growing number of such conversions to Pakistan’s majority Muslim faith in recent years — although precise data is scarce. Some of these conversions are voluntary, some not. » | Maria Abi-Habib and Zia ur-Rehman | Tuesday, August 4, 2020

Huge Explosion Rocks Beirut with Widespread Damage and Injuries | ITV News

Ivanka and Jared Pocket Millions from Massive Conflicts of Interest

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner managed to pocket a staggering $36 million in 2019, in spite of the fact that they are just simple White House advisers. This information was released late Friday evening in a financial disclosure form that the couple was hoping would be buried in the news cycle. But the massive conflicts of interest of the two cannot be ignored, as Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins explains.

Is everyone, absolutely everyone, at the top corrupt these days? – Mark

Spain Puzzles over Ex-King Juan Carlos's Whereabouts – BBC News

Former Spanish King Juan Carlos 'Leaves Spain' amid Corruption Investigations | DW News

Spain's former king Juan Carlos has left the country amid allegations of corruption. There are reports he is in the Dominican Republic, though no official announcement has been made. Prosecutors have long been investigating Juan Carlos. The longtime monarch is facing accusations he took a kickback from Saudi Arabia when Spanish companies won a contract to build a railway between Mecca and Medina. The King's former lover - Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein - is suspected to have received the bribe money.

Trump Lies to Save . . . Himself – with Dr. Justin A. Frank

Why is Donald Trump trying to destroy anything which is to do with his father. And father means the Fathers of our country as well. He wants to destroy our belief systems. Dr. Justin A. Frank take a look at why.

Trump: Tinpot Dictator? With Noam Chomsky

Is there a move towards fascism in the US? The Democrats are split, but it is the Republicans have gone way off the spectrum toward neo-fascism. Professor Noam Chomsky explains why.

Ex-King Juan Carlos Leaves Spain amid Corruption Allegations

Spain's former king Juan Carlos has left the country as criminal prosecutors investigate allegations of corruption. He has been accused of receiving a $100m gift from the late Saudi king for backing a high-speed rail contract. The move has reignited debate about the role of the monarchy in Spain.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Juan Carlos, Spain’s Former King, Quits Country Amid Multiple Investigations »

Former Pope Benedict XVI Reported to Be Seriously Ill

THE GUARDIAN: Ex-pontiff, 93, has shingles after being in poor health for some time, says German newspaper

The former pope Benedict XVI, the first pontiff in 600 years to resign instead of ruling for life, is seriously ill, a German newspaper has reported.

The newspaper, Passauer Neue Presse, cited Benedict’s biographer, the German author Peter Seewald, who met the 93-year-old emeritus pope at the Vatican on Saturday.

A Vatican spokesperson did not comment on the report and the former pope’s personal secretary, the archbishop Georg Gänswein, did not immediately return a call asking for comment.

Seewald said Benedict, who has been in poor health for some time, was now suffering from shingles, a viral infection that causes painful rashes and is common among older people. » | Reuters | Monday, August 3, 2020

Fareed: Trump Thinks the Essence of His Job Is Public Relations

CNN's Fareed Zakaria gives his take on the importance and limitations of presidential power.

Don't Eat before Finding out What Trump's USDA Just Did! (w/ Tony Corbo)

In a disgusting move, Donald Trump's Department of Agriculture (USAD ) is siding with major food production companies against consumers, by allowing cancerous, virus infected chicken on your dinner plate!

Brexiteers, enjoy your American chicken going forward! Not only is it chlorinated; but can it can give you cancer, too? – Mark

Rod Stewart: You Wear It Well

Velshi: The Gap between America’s Richest and Poorest Has Only Grown During the Pandemic | MSNBC

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi explains how recessions enrich the wealthiest while driving working class Americans into poverty.

Thousands Demonstrate against Netanyahu as Israel Protests Gain Strength

THE GUARDIAN: Crowds protest against alleged corruption and PM’s handling of coronavirus crisis

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets outside Benjamin Netanyahu’s house over the weekend in what appeared to be the largest protest to date calling for the embattled Israeli prime minister to resign.

Rallies on Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday morning were held in Jerusalem, home to the official residence of the 70-year-old leader, as well as his beach house in central Israel, near Tel Aviv, and at dozens of road intersections across the country.

Throughout the summer, Israelis have packed roads and squares calling for Netanyahu to resign, protesting against his government’s handling of the country’s coronavirus crisis and charges of alleged corruption.

At a cabinet meeting on Sunday, the visibly frustrated leader accused what he said was a “one-sided” news media of supporting the movement against him. » | Oliver Holmes | Sunday, August 2, 2020

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — July 31, 2020

Nancy Wake: Gestapo's Most Wanted (French Resistance Documentary) | Timeline

This is the incredible true story of Nancy Wake, the daring allied spy who became the Gestapo’s most wanted woman in WWII. Codenamed ‘The White Mouse’ for her elusiveness, this international femme fatale was a key inspiration behind Sebastian Faulkes’ celebrated fictional spy Charlotte Gray.

Get 3 months History Hit access for $3 using code 'timeline': here »

Joe: ‘Barack Obama Did Exactly What John Lewis Would Have Wanted Him To’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

In his powerful eulogy for John Lewis, Obama took on Pres. Trump over voting rights and his response to protesters. Aired on 07/31/2020.

Not Even Tucker Carlson Is with Trump on Delaying Election | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Trump suggested delaying the 2020 election, and not even Tucker Carlson would back him up on that. NPR White House Correspondent Tamara Keith reacts. Aired on 7/30/2020.

Trump: 'I Don’t Want to Delay, I Want an Election'

Donald Trump has denied he is pushing to delay the US election in November, repeating his claim voting by mail from home would cause extensive problems determining the result. 'Do I want to see a date change? No. But I don’t want to see a crooked election. This election will be the most rigged election in history, if that happens,' he said

Steve Schmidt: Trump Has a 'Fetish for Totalitarianism' for Floating Delay to Election | MSNBC

Steve Schmidt says Trump floating a delay to the election revealed his ‘authoritarian impulses and his fetish for totalitarianism in full.’ Aired on 07/30/2020.

Get rid of Trump asap! – Mark

Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no.2 op.18 - Anna Fedorova - Complete Live Concert - HD

Andrew Yang Reacts to President Trump's Tweet about Election Delay

Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang covers President Trumps leadership, delaying the election, and the big tech companies appearing in front of Congress.

How Hitler Gained Absolute Power in Germany | Impossible Peace | Timeline

New leaders come to power around the world, from Roosevelt in the United States to Hitler in Germany, while Japan consolidates its invasion of China's north east and militarism triumphs.

Special Report: The Prince Who Holds Secrets

This Sky News Australia special investigation probes the connection between the British royal family and one of the biggest scandals in the world.

“House of Absolute Horrors”: Mary Trump’s Book Reveals How Trump Family Gave Rise to a “Sociopath”

In a new book, Mary Trump — the president’s niece — describes Donald Trump as a “sociopath” who grew up in a dysfunctional family that fostered his greed and cruelty. Donald Trump’s younger brother, Robert, is seeking to block the sale of the book on the grounds that it violates a confidentiality agreement, but publisher Simon & Schuster says 600,000 copies of the book have already been distributed ahead of its July 14 publishing date. Investigative journalist David Cay Johnston, who has reported on Trump for three decades, says the book is “very, very important” and helps to answer how Trump got to the White House.

Madeleine Albright Reacts to Deployment of Federal Agents in US Cities | All In | MSNBC

Fmr. Sec. of State Madeleine Albright: “For a President and an administration that calls itself ‘law and order,’ they have broken the law, and are creating disorder.” Aired on 7/22/2020.

Hagia Sophia: Erdogan nimmt an Freitagsgebet teil | DW News

Kirche, Moschee, Weltkulturerbe, Museum und jetzt wieder Moschee – die Hagia Sophia in Istanbul hat eine bewegte Geschichte. Und jetzt zum ersten Mal seit 86 Jahren wurde in dem Bau wieder ein muslimisches Freitagsgebet zelebriert. Mit dabei war türkischer Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Im Vorfeld hatte es international Kritik gegeben. Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas sagte heute, er könne die Entscheidung nicht nachvollziehen, da der Weltkulturerbe-Status des einzigartigen Gebäudes eine Bedeutung weit über die Türkei hinaus habe.

Prof. Wolff: Is This the Beginning of the End?

Merkley: Trump Has Brought Authoritarian Tactics to the Streets of Our Country | Deadline | MSNBC

Senator from Oregon Jeff Merkley speaks with Nicolle Wallace about the presence of federal law enforcement in Portland and Trump’s announcement that agents will be deployed to more cities. Aired on 07/22/2020.

Mika: ‘We Allow the Shock to Wear Off’ | Morning Joe | MSNBC

When asked about alleged sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, President Trump used the stage to ‘wish her well.’ Morning Joe discusses the normalization of the president's problematic statements. Aired on 7/22/2020.

Mary Trump: Donald Trump 'Incapable of Succeeding' on Coronavirus | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Mary L. Trump, Donald Trump's niece and author of "Too Much and Never Enough" explains why Donald Trump's personality makes him incapable of responding successfully to the coronavirus pandemic. Aired on 7/17/2020.

Saudi’s Missing Pilgrims Cause Firms to Go Bust

Firms and farms globally are suffering as Saudi Arabia imposes Hajj limitations
As Saudi Arabia restricts the annual Hajj pilgrimage to only 1,000 people – down from 2 million – we look at the companies who are now without income, as their usual source of earning is wiped out this year due to coronavirus-related limits in the Kingdom. Many tour operators in Pakistan now have zero income, whilst farms in Kenya are overrun with excess cattle due to a lack of Saudi orders to feed its annual influx of devout Muslims. We speak with economists and financiers in the Kingdom to find out how they are going to plug the multibillion dollar hole in their budget this year. The BBC’s Faarea Masud reports.

Listen to the podcast here

Don Lemon Is Still In Disbelief at This Trump Quote

CNN's Don Lemon wonders how anyone believes Donald Trump, saying that the President's own words about downplaying the Covid-19 pandemic should tell people everything they need to know.

Book by Donald Trump's Niece Sells Nearly 1m Copies on Its First Day

THE GUARDIAN: Mary Trump’s Too Much and Never Enough sold 950,000 copies / Legal attempts to prevent book’s publication failed

The bombshell family tell-all book by Mary Trump, the US president’s niece, sold almost a million copies by the end of its first day on sale and remains firmly at the top of Amazon’s bestseller list.

Trump’s book Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man, referring to Donald Trump, was published on Tuesday and had sold 950,000 copies by the end of the first day, including pre-sales, ebooks and audio books.

That was after a court order by a family member, Donald Trump’s brother Robert, seeking to block it was lifted, publisher Simon & Schuster said on Thursday.

It was a new record for Simon & Schuster, the New York-based company said. » | Guardian staff | Thursday, July 16, 2020

Steve Schmidt: Trump Must Be Defeated or US 'Will Be in an Irreversible Decline' | MSNBC

On the 2020 presidential election, Steve Schmidt says, “This man must be defeated if there’s to be any chance to come out of this. Otherwise, the country will be in an irreversible decline … We won’t be the preeminent country anymore. That will be the singular result of Donald Trump being the 45th President of the United States.” Aired on 07/16/2020.

abc News Exclusive: Mary Trump – Full Interview with Stephanopoulos

Cooper: Trump Poses with Can of Beans While Covid-19 Surges

CNN's Anderson Cooper called out a recent Instagram endorsement by President Donald Trump amid surges in the coronavirus pandemic across the US and ongoing tension between the White House and Dr. Anthony Fauci, saying it's "grotesque."

In Rare Surge of Online Unity, Iranians Call for Halt to Executions

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Actors, scholars, star athletes and millions of others called for three young protesters’ lives to be spared. “I’m next, you’re next, we’re next,” one meme read.

Iranians from all walks of life — teachers, doctors, designers, cooks, actors, directors, artists, homemakers, bloggers — have taken to social media with a message for the government: Stop the executions.

The online campaign, which took place on Tuesday and which analysts said was remarkable for its scope and the breadth of its support, was in response to the judiciary’s announcement earlier in the day that it had upheld the death sentences of three young men who joined antigovernment protests in November.

Iran put 251 people to death last year, more than any country but China, according to Amnesty International. In recent weeks, many Iranians have been rattled by a series of executions based on murky charges, from drinking alcohol to political activism to allegedly spying for the C.I.A.

“I’m next, you’re next, we’re next,” read a meme that was widely shared online. » | Farnaz Fassihi | Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads Not Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges in Epstein Case

One-On-One with Mary Trump

Hear Message Mary Trump Has for Her Uncle, President Trump

Mary Trump, President Donald Trump's niece, speaks for the first time after the publication of her new book in an exclusive interview with ABC News.

Mehdi Hasan Reacts to Ivanka Trump Telling Jobless Americans to ‘Find Something New’ | All In | MSNBC

Mehdi Hasan: “She works in the White House today because her dad hired her for a job she is manifestly unqualified for. This is a woman whose husband and father’s catastrophic mishandling of this virus is the reason the economy is so bad right now.” Aired on 7/14/2020.

The Trump Supporters Who Changed Their Minds: 'I'd Rather Vote for a Tuna Fish Sandwich'

THE GUARDIAN: Frustrated, some Republicans have become anti-Trumpers: ‘This guy couldn’t lead his way out of a wet frickin’ paper bag’

The anti-Trumpers are at it again – only this time, they’re Republicans.

Kevin, a lifelong Republican voter and pastor from Arizona, says he voted for Trump in 2016 “with high hopes for the future”. He knew that Trump didn’t have the same political experience as the other contenders, but he was optimistic he could grow into his new role.

Now he says: “I’ve seen how he has tried to divide our country and that is not something I want, nor what our country should have … This man is an absolute danger to our country.” » | Poppy Noor | Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Shahid Buttar Mounts a Serious Congressional Race against Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Democratic Socialist Buttar is challenging Pelosi as a progressive-sounding centrist who pushes a conservative agenda that enables Trump.

Affaire Epstein : Ghislaine Maxwell plaide non coupable de trafic de mineures

LE POINT: L'ancienne collaboratrice du milliardaire demande aussi sa remise en liberté sous caution. La procureure dénonce un risque de fuite "extrême".

C'est un nouvel acte de l'affaire Epstein qui se joue mardi 14 juillet à Manhattan. L'ancienne collaboratrice et amante du financier Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, a plaidé non coupable de trafic de mineures et d'incitation à la prostitution lors d'une audience du tribunal fédéral. Personnalité de la jet-set, Ghislaine Maxwell est accusée d'avoir recrutée des jeunes filles, dont certaines mineures, pour Jeffrey Epstein, mort en prison en août 2019. L'audience de mardi doit être aussi l'occasion pour la fille de l'ancien magnat britannique des médias Robert Maxwell de demander sa remise en liberté sous caution. Elle a proposé pour cela des garanties à hauteur de cinq millions de dollars. » | Source AFP | mardi 14 juillet 2020

Ambassador Rice: I Will Do Everything I Can to See Biden Succeed | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Ambassador Susan Rice, National Security Adviser to President Obama, calls attempts to discredit Dr. Fauci irresponsible. Amb. Rice also says she will do everything she can to help Joe Biden succeed in becoming president. Aired on 07/14/2020.

Chris Hayes: Tucker Carlson's Racist Writer Is No Surprise | All In | MSNBC

Chris Hayes on Tucker Carlson: “You have a guy who had a racist writing his scripts for years, who founded a publication that employed multiple people with ties to white nationalism, who has been praised again and again by the most outspoken racists in the country.” Aired on 7/13/2020.

Trump’s Fox Fave Tucker Carlson Goes Fishing after Lead Writer Resigns over Racist Online Comments

The lead writer for President Trump’s favorite Fox News TV show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight” — the most popular cable show in history — has resigned for posting disturbing racist and misogynist messages to an online forum under a pseudonym. Now Tucker Carlson says he’s going on vacation, and his advertisement blocks “are a wasteland,” says Matt Gertz, senior fellow at Media Matters, where he documents the relationship between Fox News and the Trump administration.

Arrogance of Ignorance? Featuring Richard Dawkins, Evolutionary Biologist (2017)

Despite the unprecedented pace of scientific breakthroughs, humanity still seems to be as far away from the age of reason as ever. With religious extremism and political infantilism spreading across the globe, often aiding one another, has governance based on critical thinking already become a delusion? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist.

How Incompetent Is Donald Trump? Interview with John Bolton | Conflict Zone

John Bolton dicusses his time as national security adviser and his impressions of US President Donald Trump with DW Conflict Zone.

Four months before the next US presidential election, Donald Trump’s poll numbers are in a slump. Disaffected conservatives call him incompetent and are campaigning against the Republican president, citing the upward curve of new coronavirus cases in the US, the millions of unemployed Americans, and the protests and racial tension in the wake of George Floyd’s killing. They echo Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, who says Trump’s leadership is inadequate.

One of his three former national security advisors, John Bolton, joined DW’s Tim Sebastian to discuss his impressions of President Trump on Conflict Zone. He has just releases his book on the issue 'The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir'

Super-rich Call for Higher Taxes on Wealthy to Pay for Covid-19 Recovery

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Group of 83 wealthy individuals demands ‘immediate, substantial and permanent’ higher taxes ‘on people like us’

A group of 83 of the world’s richest people have called on governments to permanently increase taxes on them and other members of the wealthy elite to help pay for the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.

The super-rich members, including Ben and Jerry’s ice cream co-founder Jerry Greenfield and Disney heir Abigail Disney, called on “our governments to raise taxes on people like us. Immediately. Substantially. Permanently”.

“As Covid-19 strikes the world, millionaires like us have a critical role to play in healing our world,” the millionaires said in a letter shared with the Guardian. “No, we are not the ones caring for the sick in intensive care wards. We are not driving the ambulances that will bring the ill to hospitals. We are not restocking grocery store shelves or delivering food door to door.

“But we do have money, lots of it. Money that is desperately needed now and will continue to be needed in the years ahead, as our world recovers from this crisis.” » | Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent | Monday, July 13, 2020

'His Hatred Is Infectious': Tucker Carlson, Trump's Heir Apparent and 2024 Candidate?

THE OBSERVER: For years, Carlson has stoked racial anxieties and courted white supremacists on his Fox News show – and now, some are speculating he could pick up the pieces if Trump loses

The conservative television star Tucker Carlson, whose Fox News program last month became the highest-rated show in the history of cable television, is known to most Americans simply as “Tucker”.

But not everyone calls him that. On the strength of his regular, sneering rants about the danger of immigrants and refugees, the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has dubbed Carlson a “white supremacist sympathizer”. Her colleague Ilhan Omar prefers “racist fool”. The Nazi website Stormfront has called Carlson “literally our greatest ally”.

And in recent weeks, as his ratings have topped previous records, new labels have been mooted for Carlson: heir apparent to Donald Trump, leader of the Republican party and future president. » | Tom McCarthy in New York | Sunday, July 12, 2020

Trump and McConnell Are the Twin Tribunes of America's Ruin – Vote Them Out

THE GUARDIAN: Under leaders as callous as these, the ravages of Covid-19, economic disaster and systemic racism can only get worse

Fate has been unkind to the United States. The nation is grappling simultaneously with a pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 130,000; the most severe economic downturn since the Great Depression; and mind-numbing police brutality, which has generated the largest outpouring of grief and anger against systemic racism in memory.

Perhaps America’s greatest misfortune is that these crises have emerged at a time when its leadership is too incompetent to respond to them, if not maliciously dedicated to worsening them.

Donald Trump has not only refused to contain Covid-19 but is actively pushing Americans into harm’s way, demanding the nation “reopen” while cases and deaths continue to rise. Meanwhile, he’s siphoning federal money intended to dampen the economic crisis into the pockets of his cronies and family. And he is deliberately stoking racial tensions to energize his “base” for the upcoming election. As if this weren’t enough, Trump continues to attack the rule of law, on which a democracy depends in order to deal with these and all other challenges.

But he could not accomplish these abhorrent feats alone. Senate Republicans are either cheering him on or maintaining a shameful silence. Trump’s biggest enabler is the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell. » | Robert Reich | Sunday, July 12, 2020

Epstein Accomplice Can't Hide behind Protection of Plea Deal

Via America's Lawyer: After years of recruiting underage girls for sex trafficking, Jeffrey Epstein’s elusive partner Ghislaine Maxwell is arrested and may finally divulge the names of Epstein’s high-profile clientele. Mike Papantonio & Farron Cousins discuss.

Coronavirus in the USA: Trump's Downfall? | To the Point

A superpower laid low by the coronavirus: Infections in the USA continue to rise and the economy is on life support. Will the pandemic cost President Trump the election?

Guests: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Radio Berlin), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico), Daniel Hamilton (Johns Hopkins University)

Daniel Hamilton is a professor for Poltical Science at Johns Hopkins University. Currently he is a Robert Bosch-Fellow in Berlin. He says: "Pandemic, recession, systemic racism -- all made worse by Donald Trump. It's a combustible brew."

Matthew Karnitschnig is chief Europe correspondent for „Politico“. His view: „The pandemic is Trump’s Waterloo. The main question now is not if he will lose, but rather by how much.” Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson is program director at KCRW, a Radio station based here in Berlin and affiliated with the US broadcaster NPR. And she says: „Donald Trump’s performance regarding COVID-19 may not matter, because recessions lead to reelection losers.“

Hagia Sophia: Jewel of the Byzantines

A documentary on the grandest Byzantine church of them all: the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey.

Erdogan per Dekret: Hagia Sophia wird wieder Moschee | DW Nachrichten

Seit Tagen hatte der türkische Präsident Erdogan angekündigt, die weltberühmte Hagia Sophia in Istanbul wieder in eine Moschee umzuwandeln. Nun hat das Oberste Verwaltungs-Gericht seinen Wunsch bestätigt. Damit annulierte es eine Entscheidung von 1934. Damals war das Gebäude in ein Museum umgewandelt worden. Als neutrale kulturelle Stätte brachte es den Besuchern seitdem die wechselhafte Geschichte zwischen Christentum und Islam nahe. Wenige Minuten nach der Entscheidung unterzeichnete Erdogan das passende Dekret.

Trump Commutes Roger Stone's Sentence. Here's Why He Did It

President Donald Trump on Friday commuted the prison sentence of his longtime friend Roger Stone, who was convicted of crimes that included lying to Congress in part, prosecutors said, to protect the President. The announcement came just days before Stone was set to report to a federal prison in Georgia.

Stone was convicted in November of seven charges -- including lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstructing a congressional committee proceeding -- as part of former special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation. Among the things he misled Congress about were his communications with Trump campaign officials -- communications that prosecutors said Stone hid out of his desire to protect Trump.

Trump's decision to pardon his friend and political adviser is the crescendo of a months-long effort to rewrite the history of the Mueller investigation. This has included selective declassification of intelligence materials, a ramped-up counter-investigation into the origins of the Russia probe and attempts to drop the case against Michael Flynn.

"Roger Stone is a victim of the Russia Hoax that the Left and its allies in the media perpetuated for years in an attempt to undermine the Trump Presidency," said Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary. "There was never any collusion between the Trump Campaign, or the Trump Administration, with Russia."

What Are the Questions for Ghislaine Maxwell? - BBC News

The arrest of Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell has reignited interest in her and her alleged role in Epstein's abuse of minors. She’s facing charges relating to the events of 1994-97, when she was among Epstein’s closest associates. Ros Atkins has taken a look at the many remaining questions for Ghislaine Maxwell, in the latest of his weekly reports for the BBC News YouTube channel.

Turkish Court Rules Istanbul's Hagia Sophia Can Revert to a Mosque | DW News

Turkey's highest administrative court has issued a ruling that paves the way for the government to convert Istanbul's Hagia Sophia from a museum back into a mosque. The ruling annulled a 1934 government decree that turned the UNESCO Word Heritage Site, and Istanbul's most iconic landmark, into a museum. But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pushed to restore its status as a mosque. He said that international pressure to keep it a museum was a violation of Turkey's national sovereignty. The Russian Orthodox Church has called the move unacceptable.

Arabs in Spain – Award Winning Documentary

Fascinating and beautifully shot documentary which examines the spread of Islam and how its crusaders finally took most of Spain, arriving from Morocco in 711. In one summer the "Arabs had taken half of the peninsular and in five years controlled almost all of the country".

Kanye West Declares He Will Run for US President in 2020

THE GUARDIAN: Rapper uses Independence Day to make announcement, but it’s not clear if he has filed any official paperwork to appear on ballots

Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder, rapper Kanye West declared his candidacy for US president.

The unlikely challenger to Donald Trump – of whom he has been a vocal supporter – and Joe Biden, chose American independence day to make the surprise announcement on Twitter, triggering a social media storm.

“We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future,” West wrote. “I am running for president of the United States.” » | David Smith in Washington | Sunday, July 5, 2020


Just when you thought America couldn’t get any crazier! From reality TV star to rapper? What a sick joke America has become! – ©Mark

'Step-up Prince Andrew' Says Gloria Allred, Lawyer for Epstein Victims'

Retired Four Star General: ‘In 50 Years I’ve Never Seen Anything Like This’ | Deadline | MSNBC

Former National Security Council member General Barry McCaffrey and former special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS Brett McGurk on why they believe the national security process is broken amid reports the U.S. had intelligence that Russia offered and paid the Taliban bounty to kill U.S. troops. Aired on 6/30/2020.

Maria Ressa, Journalist and CEO of Rappler – BBC HARDtalk

No world leader better epitomises the strong man style of political leadership than President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines. One hallmark of his rule? A visceral dislike of scrutiny from the independent media. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to journalist Maria Ressa who founded the Rappler news website and has just been convicted of cyber-libel in a case that has raised worldwide concern. Is press freedom being strangled by populist politics?

Europeans' Trust in US as World Leader Collapses during Pandemic

THE GUARDIAN: Many citizens appalled by Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus crisis, study finds

The coronavirus crisis has caused a dramatic deterioration in the European public perception of the US, extensive new polling reveals.

More than 60% of respondents in Germany, France, Spain, Denmark and Portugal said they had lost trust in the United States as a global leader.

A report based on the survey’s findings argues that the shock of the pandemic has “traumatised” European citizens, leaving them feeling “alone and vulnerable”.

In almost every country surveyed, a majority of people said their perception of the US had deteriorated since the outbreak. Negative attitudes of the US were most marked in Denmark (71%) Portugal (70%), France (68%), Germany (65%) and Spain (64%). In France, 46% and in Germany 42% said their view of the US had worsened “a lot” during the pandemic. » | Katherine Butler | Monday, June 29, 2020

America is no longer the real leader of the free world. America is in chaos! Countries in chaos cannot lead effectively, especially when they are led by a president who is inexperienced in matters of international politics. We Europeans should aim for a ‘United States of Europe’ instead. Britain should reverse its decision to leave the European Union and it should become a major player in Europe. Europe needs Britain just as Britain needs Europe. Britain’s destiny lies in Europe, not in America. Brexit was a mad idea then, it is still a mad idea, and it will remain a mad idea! – ©Mark

Iran Issues Arrest Warrant for Donald Trump over Qassem Suleimani Killing

THE GUARDIAN: The leader of the Quds Force was killed in a drone strike in Iraq on 3 January

Iran has issued an arrest warrant for Donald Trump and 35 others over the killing of top general Qassem Suleimani and has asked Interpol for help, Tehran prosecutor Ali Alqasimehr said on Monday, according to the Fars news agency.

The United States killed Suleimani, leader of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, with a drone strike in Iraq on 3 January. Washington accused Suleimani of masterminding attacks by Iranian-aligned militias on US forces in the region.

Alqasimehr said the warrants had been issued on charges of murder and terrorist action. He said Iran had asked Interpol to issue a “red notice” for Trump and the other individuals the Islamic Republic accuses of taking part in the killing of Suleimani. » | Reuters, Monday, June 29, 2020

Hayes Calls for Trump to Resign: 'Urgent Matter of Public Health, Public Safety’ | All In | MSNBC

Chris Hayes on why Trump must resign: “If this presidency had creditors, the virus' resurgence this week would have been a default event. Only it is not his creditors who are suffering. It is us.” Aired on 06/26/2020.

How Damaging Is John Bolton's Scathing Account of Donald Trump's Presidency?

The publication of John Bolton’s White House memoir has caused a sensation. Jonathan Freedland assesses the lurid claims of cosying up to authoritarian leaders as well as descriptions of ‘stunning’ ignorance
Despite a last-ditch attempt to prevent publication, John Bolton’s tell-all book about his time in Donald Trump’s White House has landed with a bang. He claimed that as well as witnessing ‘stunning’ ignorance from the president, he also saw up close how Trump tried to ingratiate himself with authoritarian leaders, at the expense of the US.

The Guardian’s Jonathan Freedland has been reporting on US politics for years and tells Anushka Asthana that even knowing what we do about the Trump administration, this account still has the ability to shock.

Listen to the podcast here » | Thursday, June 25, 2020

Dr. Gupta: US in the Middle of a Coronavirus Storm

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta raises the alarm with New Day's Alisyn Camerota over the rising state of the novel coronavirus in the nation.

Phillip Schofield Grills Lady Colin Campbell on Royal 'Gossip' of Prince Harry and Meghan | This Morning

Is Meghan Markle really planning to run for President? Apparently so, according to Lady Colin Campbell’s new book, ‘Meghan and Harry: The Real Story’. Released on Thursday, the controversial ‘expose’ accuses the duchess of tempers, tantrums and ruthless ambition. And it even describes Harry as ‘desperate for love’. Lady C joins us from her castle to tell all, and to respond to claims that her book is purely based on ‘idle gossip’. Broadcast on 23/06/20

Ehrman-Licona Debate on Proving Jesus Rose from Dead

Bart Ehrman flew to Kansas City, Missouri where he debated Christian apologist Mike R. Licona on the topic, "Can Historians Prove that Jesus Rose from the Dead." Is there historical evidence that Jesus rose from the dead? The event took place on February 28, 2008 at 7 p.m. held at the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. R. Philip Roberts, the seminary's president and the debate's moderator commented previous of the event, "We are thrilled to have both Bart D. Ehrman and Mike R. Licona on campus addressing the questions many people ask these days. Apologetics, the science of defending the Christian faith, are very important. Our culture is looking for an answer. This is a wonderful opportunity for the Christian community and others to learn if the claims of Christ are defensible."

The debate is discussed in the book "Come Let Us Reason: New Essays in Christian Apologetics" edited by Paul Copan, William Lane Craig. Chapter 9 is written by Michael Licona, which reviews this debate extensively from his perspective.

Bolton Says He Hopes Trump Is 1-term President, Warns Country Imperiled by His Reelection

In New Interview Clip, Bolton Says He Could See 'Evidence' of Obstruction | ABC News

ABC's chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz discusses her interview with former national security adviser John Bolton and shares a new clip from the interview on "This Week."

Bolton Claims Trump Is ‘Stunningly Uninformed’ on Foreign Affairs

The former national security adviser tells Martha Raddatz that intelligence briefings did not occur daily during his time in the White House.

‘Unbelievable Scenes’: Hundreds of Party-goers Clash with Police, Loot Shops in German City

German authorities expressed shock Sunday over a rampage of an "unprecedented scale" overnight in the city centre of Stuttgart, where hundreds of party-goers ran riot, attacking police and plundering stores after smashing shop windows.

Will Trump Drag the World into WW3 in 2020? | Kalima Horra on Al Mayadeen

Trump Rally Fizzles as Attendance Falls Short of Campaign’s Expectations

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump’s attempt to revive his re-election bid sputtered badly as he traveled to Tulsa for his first mass rally in months but found a small crowd and delivered a disjointed speech.

TULSA, Okla. — President Trump’s attempt to revive his re-election campaign sputtered badly on Saturday night as he traveled to Tulsa for his first mass rally in months and found a far smaller crowd than his aides had promised him, then delivered a disjointed speech that did not address the multiple crises facing the nation or scandals battering him in Washington.

The weakness of Mr. Trump’s drawing power and political skills, in a state that voted for him overwhelmingly and in a format that he favors, raised new questions about his electoral prospects for a second term at a time when his poll numbers were already falling. And rather than speak to the wide cross-section of Americans who say they are concerned about police violence and systemic racism, he continued to use racist language, describing the coronavirus as “Kung Flu.”

While the president’s campaign had claimed that more than a million people had sought tickets for the rally, the 19,000-seat BOK Center was at least one-third empty during the rally. A second, outdoor venue was so sparsely attended that he and Vice President Mike Pence both canceled appearances there. » | Michael D. Shear, Maggie Haberman and Astead W. Herndon | Saturday, June 20, 2020

Donald Trump Holds Rally in Tulsa amid Coronavirus Fears

Ugh ! – Mark

Prince Andrew: Top US Prosecutor Leading Inquiry into Epstein Links Refuses to Quit

THE OBSERVER: Geoffrey Berman says he will continue to investigate duke’s relationship with sex offender despite pressure to resign

The senior US prosecutor investigating links between Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein has vowed to carry on with his enquiries despite a dramatic attempt by the Trump administration to force him to resign.

In a late-night announcement on Friday, US attorney general William Barr declared Geoffrey Berman was stepping down, a development seen by critics as designed to benefit Trump politically and challenge the independence of the Justice Department.

But it also comes at a delicate time in the inquiry led by Berman, the US attorney in Manhattan, into Prince Andrew’s links to convicted sex offender Epstein.

Berman and the Duke of York have become embroiled in a series of public rows over what the US prosecutor alleges is his refusal to answer questions in their investigation into allegations of sex trafficking and other crimes against Epstein. » | Mark Townsend, Saturday, June 20, 2020