Ireland Accuses Boris Johnson of Trying to Sabotage Peace Process

THE GUARDIAN: Dublin minister says UK plan to undo Brexit deal would have ‘unthinkable’ consequences

The Irish government has accused Boris Johnson of trying to sabotage the Northern Ireland peace process with a “unilateral provocative act” based on spurious claims about the Good Friday agreement.

As Brexit talks hang by a thread following the UK’s threat to renege on parts of the withdrawal agreement, Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s European affairs minister, branded the UK government’s claims that its move was to protect the peace process as “completely false”.

He said what would happen as a result of this bill becoming law was “completely unthinkable”.

Relations with the EU have plunged to a new low in the last 24 hours after the UK rejected Brussels demands to withdraw the parts of the internal markets bill that would give the government power to override the Northern Ireland protocol.

The move has also soured Anglo-Irish relations, with no warning of the plan to undo the Brexit arrangements on Northern Ireland by one of the co-guarantors of the Good Friday agreement. » | Lisa O’Carroll and Daniel Boffey | Friday, September 11, 2020

Strzok: Trump's Financial Involvement with Russia Is Very Broad | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Former FBI agent Peter Strzok discusses his new book 'Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump.' Aired on 09/09/2020.

113 Reasons Republicans Aren't Voting for Trump in 2020

Fellow Republicans: Need a reason to not vote for Trump this year? How about 113 reasons?

How Europe Prepared for WW2 | Impossible Peace | Timeline

When WW2 became inevitable. While all of Czechoslovakia is annexed, the curtain goes up on what will become the world's first truly global and total war.

Schumer's Response to Woodward Tapes: 'They're Just Awful' | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, joins Morning Joe to discuss revelations from Bob Woodward's interviews with President Trump for the new book 'Rage.' Aired on 09/10/2020.

Corona in den USA: Ist Trump am Ende? | Auf den Punkt (Juli 9, 2020)

Die Weltmacht USA niedergestreckt vom Coronavirus. Immer mehr Infizierte und die Wirtschaft am Boden. Kostet die Pandemie Trump das Amt? Unsere Gäste: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Radio Berlin), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico), Rachel Tausendfreund (German Marshall Fund)

'State of Shock' Inside White House, Says Reporter | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Associated Press reporter Jonathan Lemire discusses the mood inside the White House following revelations from Bob Woodward's new book 'Rage.' Aired on 09/10/2020.

The UK Is One of the Most Corrupt Nations on Earth

THE GUARDIAN: Fortunes are being made by political favourites, while Brexit could cement London’s reputation for money laundering

Fear, shame, embarrassment: these brakes no longer apply. The government has discovered that it can bluster through any scandal. No minister need resign. No one need apologise. No one need explain.

As public outrage grows over the billions of pounds of coronavirus contracts issued by the government without competition, it seems determined only to award more of them. Never mind that the consulting company Deloitte, whose personnel circulate in and out of government, has been strongly criticised for the disastrous system it devised to supply protective equipment to the NHS. It has now been granted a massive new contract to test the population for Covid-19. » | George Monbiot | Thursday, September 10, 2020

Cummings ally's PR firm given Covid-19 contracts without tenders »

This Brexit Bill Finally Buries the Conservative Party of Law and Order

THE GUARDIAN: For a Cummings-influenced government to break promises is no surprise. But breaking the law is still a jaw-dropping move

To the patron saint of modern Conservatives, the rule of law was always fundamental to economic prosperity. It was also always distinctively British. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher identified the rule of law as the foundational underpinning of commercial confidence in any society. And in a 1982 interview she said that Britain gave the very idea of the rule of law to Europe. As she put it: “The law came from us.”

Thatcher also shared the view of her favourite lawyer, Lord Denning, that the law should uphold the keeping of promises. She extended this to upholding the obligations of international treaties too. In 1975, she told the Tory women’s conference that: “In the same way that government and individuals should be bound by law so countries should be bound by treaties.” She added: “Britain does not renounce treaties. Indeed, to do so would damage our own integrity as well as international relations.” » | Martin Kettle | Wednesday, September 9, 2020

'A Fool': Trump Insider Backs Cohen, Putin Playing Trump Like a Sucker | MSNBC

"New allegations against Donald Trump are now being revealed by his former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen with the release of a new tell-all book about the president. Cohen revealing details about Trump’s relationship with Russian president Putin and Trump’s racism. Former Trump organization executive Barbara Res joins Melber to react to the book’s allegations, asking why the Russians “are so influential” to Trump.

Don Winslow Films - #TrumpIsNotLikeYou

Trump ‘Deserves to Have His Real Record’ & ‘Hypocritical Use of Military as a Prop Exposed’ | MSNBC

Rick Wilson, Republican Strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, joins MSNBC’s Craig Melvin to discuss President Trump’s rhetoric and how it could have dangerous consequences for election day, why you shouldn’t be looking at national polls, and whether Trump’s alleged comments about the military will stick with voters. Aired on 09/08/2020.

Draft Dodger Don: Trump Hates Our Troops

Trump demeans, degrades and disgraces our troops.

Seth Andrews Interviews Richard Dawkins

Brexit: Johnson droht EU mit Abbruch der Verhandlungen | DW Nachrichten

Der Ton in der britischen Regierung wird rauer. Am Wochenende erklärte UK-Unterhändler David Frost, er habe keine Angst, die Handelsgespräche mit der EU zu beenden. Aber das war nur zum Aufwärmen: Jetzt will Premierminister Boris Johnson ein Ergebnis bis Mitte Oktober, sonst würde er das Land auf eine Zukunft ohne Abkommen vorbereiten. Das könnte noch als Verhandlungspoker gelten, wenn es nicht Pläne gäbe, Teile des Nordirland-Protokolls außer Kraft zu setzen, wie die Financial Times berichtet. Der Bruch des Austrittsabkommens aber ist für die EU die ultimative rote Linie.

Auch ein No-Deal wäre für Großbritannien ein "gutes Ergebnis", behauptet Boris Johnson in seiner Erklärung. Und sein Land könne "mächtig prosperieren", wenn es sich ab 1. Januar 2021 ohne Abkommen von der EU lösen würde.

Beobachter sind unsicher, wie die letzten Schachzüge in London zu bewerten sind: Stellen sie Teil der Verhandlungsstrategie dar und sind nur Säbelrasseln? Will Boris Johnson lediglich seine Brexit-Hardliner beschwichtigen, die schon seit dem Sommer gegen das Austrittsabkommen agitieren? Oder bereitet der britische Premier tatsächlich sein Land auf einen harten Ausstieg, einen No-Deal, Ende des Jahres vor? Das Klima für die Gespräche in dieser Woche wirkt jedenfalls vergiftet und sie scheinen derzeit zum Scheitern verdammt.

Donald Trump: UnAmerican

Trump Emerges as Inspiration for Germany’s Far Right

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Among German conspiracy theorists, ultranationalists and neo-Nazis, the American president is surfacing as a rallying cry, or even as a potential “liberator.”

BERLIN — Just before hundreds of far-right activists recently tried to storm the German Parliament, one of their leaders revved up the crowd by conjuring President Trump.

“Trump is in Berlin!” the woman shouted from a small stage, as if to dedicate the imminent charge to him.

She was so convincing that several groups of far-right activists later showed up at the American Embassy and demanded an audience with Mr. Trump. “We know he’s in there!” they insisted.

Mr. Trump was neither in the embassy nor in Germany that day — and yet there he was. His face was emblazoned on banners, T-shirts and even on Germany’s pre-1918 imperial flag, popular with neo-Nazis in the crowd of 50,000 who had come to protest Germany’s pandemic restrictions. His name was invoked by many with messianic zeal.

It was only the latest evidence that Trump is emerging as a kind of cult figure in Germany’s increasingly varied far-right scene.

“Trump has become a savior figure, a sort of great redeemer for the German far right,” said Miro Dittrich, an expert on far-right extremism at the Berlin-based Amadeu-Antonio-Foundation. » | Katrin Bennhold | Monday, September 7, 2020

Aleksei Navalny Out of a Coma and Responsive, German Doctors Say

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Doctors treating the Russian opposition leader said his condition had improved, but they could not rule out lasting effects of “severe poisoning.” Germany said it was from a military-grade nerve agent.

BERLIN — The Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny is no longer in a medically induced coma and is responsive, doctors treating him at the Charité hospital in Berlin said on Monday. But they did not rule out lasting damage from what they called his “severe poisoning” with what the German government has said was a military-grade nerve agent. » | Melissa Eddy | Monday, September 7, 2020

Brexit: UK Plans to Override Parts of Withdrawal Deal | DW News

Michel Barnier 'Worried' by No 10 Plans to Renege on Brexit Deal

THE GUARDIAN: EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said full implementation of withdrawal agreement vital for avoiding a hard border

Michel Barnier said he was “worried” by the latest twists in the Brexit negotiations and would seek answers from the UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, over claims that Downing Street is planning to negate parts of the withdrawal agreement.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said full implementation of the international treaty was vital for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland as it was reported that the government is planning legislation to override parts of the deal struck last year.

Ahead of the start on Tuesday of the latest round of trade and security negotiations with the British government, Barnier said the Northern Ireland protocol in the withdrawal deal was a “prerequisite for peace since the end of the conflict ... and it’s the prerequisite for a united and coherent economy for the entire island, and also to respect the single market”. » | Daniel Boffey and Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Monday, September 7, 2020

Ex-Trump Official Shares His Prediction If Trump Loses 2020

Former senior Trump administration official Miles Taylor says he is concerned that President Donald Trump will use litigation to make the 2020 race difficult for electors to certify.

Multiple News Outlets Mirror Report of Trump Denigrating Veterans, Military Service | MSNBC

Rachel Maddow reports on several news outlets that followed a report in the Atlantic of Donald Trump disparaging veterans and military service with matching reporting of their own, including Fox News, rendering denials from the Trump camp hollow. Aired on 09/04/2020.

Reneging on Brexit Deal Would Strengthen Case for Breaking Up UK, Government Told

THE GUARDIAN: Johnson to deliver ultimatum to EU as minister defends plan as addressing ‘a few loose ends’

Reneging on any obligations under the Brexit withdrawal agreement would make the case for breaking up the UK stronger, the government has been warned, as a minister defended the plan as simply addressing “a few minor loose ends”.

After it emerged Boris Johnson is drawing up legislation that will override the Brexit withdrawal agreement on Northern Ireland, threatening the collapse of talks with the EU, the SNP said leaving without a deal would cause “lasting damage to Scottish jobs and the economy in the middle of a pandemic”.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader, said “By threatening to undermine the UK’s international treaty obligations and impose a catastrophic no-deal Brexit on Scotland against our will, the prime minister is proving he cannot be trusted and is underlining the need for Scotland to become an independent country.” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, September 7, 2020

Is Trump a Fascist? Philosopher Jason Stanley Considers the Evidence after "Four Years of Chaos"

Yale philosopher and scholar of propaganda Jason Stanley, author of "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them," says President Trump built a cult of personality within the Republican Party and has moved the United States steadily into authoritarianism during his term. "Fascism is a cult of the leader who promises national restoration in the face of supposed threats by leftist radicals, minorities and immigrants," Stanley says. "He promises only he can save us."

A ‘Tyrant-Clown’ Has Destroyed My Love Affair with America

THE OBSERVER: With its cynical disabling of the body politic, the Trump administration has contaminated the well of US independence

Once upon a time, at the start of the last century, PG Wodehouse declared, with the fervour of the convert, that to live in America was “like being in heaven … without the bother and expense of dying”.

America used to do that to a certain kind of Brit, and to those who saw themselves as Greeks to the Americans’ Romans: we’d fall hopelessly in love, however much they abused the relationship.

My own long affair with America, as an idea as much as a reality, began in the bicentennial year, 1976, with a graduate scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. Among the lovely red brick of old Philadelphia, I maxed out on the promise and possibilities of the American revolution, its majesty, optimism and rhetoric. Those pioneers of radical political self-expression, Jefferson, Franklin, et al, became idols of deep faith. For instance, years later, on a return visit to the Constitution Center, I was brought to tears by a video devoted to that love letter to democratic principles, the US constitution, and the eternal magic of “We, the people”. » | Robert McCrum | Sunday, September 6, 2020

Buttigieg: Trump ‘Shouldn’t Be Allowed within a One Mile Radius of a POW Flag’ | Deadline | MSNBC

Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg who served in Afghanistan expresses grave concern over President Trump being in charge of decisions regarding prisoners of war and the rest of the military. Aired on 09/04/2020.

CNN Exclusive Interview with Sen. Kamala Harris (Parts 1 & 2)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris talks about President Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and the protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with CNN's Dana Bash.

Biden Fires Back at Trump: My Son Wasn't a Sucker

Democratic nominee Joe Biden issued an emotional response after the Atlantic reported that President Trump denigrated US service members. President Trump has denied the allegations in the report.

CNN's Keilar Rolls the Tape on Trump's Attacks on Military Members and Their Families

CNN anchor and military spouse Brianna Keilar reacts to The Atlantic's report claiming President Trump called soldiers "losers" and "suckers." President Trump has denied the allegations and CNN has not independently verified the report.

Tricks of Treats? Ft. Tim Noakes, Prominent South African Athlete & Scientist

There are times in life when much of what you hold as truth is debunked, when the sweetest of treats turn out to be the worst of poisons and when you realize that the people who took the oath of doing no harm, in fact, made you or your loved ones sicker. Such a realization has already arrived or is in store for millions of people around the world suffering from insulin resistance, a condition that wrecks the body’s metabolic and immune systems and often condemns people to a poor life and an awful death. How to see through these sweet lies before it’s too late? To discuss this Oksana is joined by Tim Noakes, founder of The Noakes Foundation.

Outrage, But Not Surprise, at Reports That Trump Called Fallen Veterans ‘Suckers’, ‘Losers’ | MSNBC

Lawmakers and veterans react to a story in The Atlantic and confirmed by The Associated Press reporter about President Donald Trump’s apparent disdain for those who sacrificed lives and limbs fighting for their country. Trump was reported to have rejected a visit to an American military cemetery in France because he feared his hair would fare badly in the blustery weather, and said, “Why would I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” Aired on 9/3/2020.

The Nazi Romance With Islam Has Some Lessons for the United States

TABLET: Two new important histories look at Hitler’s fascination with Islam and Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey

Both Hitler and Himmler had a soft spot for Islam. Hitler several times fantasized that, if the Saracens had not been stopped at the Battle of Tours, Islam would have spread through the European continent—and that would have been a good thing, since “Jewish Christianity” wouldn’t have gone on to poison Europe. Christianity doted on weakness and suffering, while Islam extolled strength, Hitler believed. Himmler in a January 1944 speech called Islam “a practical and attractive religion for soldiers,” with its promise of paradise and beautiful women for brave martyrs after their death. “This is the kind of language a soldier understands,” Himmler gushed.

Surely, the Nazi leaders thought, Muslims would see that the Germans were their blood brothers: loyal, iron-willed, and most important, convinced that Jews were the evil that most plagued the world. “Do you recognize him, the fat, curly-haired Jew who deceives and rules the whole world and who steals the land of the Arabs?” demanded one of the Nazi pamphlets dropped over North Africa (a million copies of it were printed). “The Jew,” the pamphlet explained, was the evil King Dajjal from Islamic tradition, who in the world’s final days was supposed to lead 70,000 Jews from Isfahan in apocalyptic battle against Isa—often identified with Jesus, but according to the Reich Propaganda Ministry none other than Hitler himself. Germany produced reams of leaflets like this one, often quoting the Quran on the subject of Jewish treachery. » | David Mikics | Monday, November 24, 2014

Seth Andrews: From Religion to Reason

Seth Andrews chronicles his personal story for a live Minneapolis audience, the event sponsored by Minnesota Atheists.

The Mennonites – A Trip Back in Time | DW Documentary

Like the Amish in the US, the Mennonite Christian community shuns the modern world. Most Mennonites live in secluded, self-sufficient colonies. We get a rare glimpse into the life of a devout and isolated community.

The Mennonites embrace isolation, which in their eyes helps protect them from the temptations of the modern world. At first glance, time seems to have stood still in the Mennonite colony in Belize, where people still travel by horse-drawn carriage and do without conveniences such as televisions and electricity. They still speak an old form of the German dialect Plattdeutsch. But modern life is slowly making inroads in Little Belize. Wilhelm, the community’s former doctor, was expelled for owning a mobile phone. Fearing that their community was being tainted, some more traditional members decided to found a new colony in a remote jungle in Peru, where they hope to live according to old customs and religious beliefs. For the first time ever, a camera team was granted access to one of Central and South America’s traditional Mennonite colonies.

The Danger Is Now Clear: Trump Is Destroying Democracy in broad daylight

THE GUARDIAN: More and more, the president voices contempt for the voting process. Imagine what he’d do if re-elected

This is not a normal election. I don’t say that because it is now clear that, against some stiff competition, Donald Trump is the most repellent individual ever to have sought, let alone won, the presidency of the United States. The latest proof comes in a quadruple-sourced account of Trump describing US troops who died for their country as “losers” and “suckers”, and demanding that a military parade exclude wounded veterans, lest spectators glimpse an amputee. “Nobody wants to see that,” he said.

There was a time when the Atlantic’s jaw-dropping report, later corroborated “in its entirety” by the Associated Press, would have proved terminal for a politician in a country where respect for the military supposedly has the status of a religious obligation. But that time is long past. It ended in 2015 when Trump branded John McCain – who had spent more than five years in a Hanoi cell as a prisoner of war – a “loser”, though of course now Trump swears blind that he never said any such thing, despite the existence of videoshowing him saying exactly that. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, September 4, 2020

Brits, Take It from an Aussie: If Tony Abbott Is Your Solution, You've Got Big Problems

THE GUARDIAN: Our former PM has not only made deeply sexist remarks, he’s also inept – and unsuited to be anyone’s trade envoy

It’s true that Tony Abbott was a highly effective opposition leader.

Between 2013 and 2015, he was involved in enough domestic scandals, international embarrassments and local protests to damage the reputation of a sitting Australian prime minister.

Alas for Abbott, he was prime minister himself at the time.

We Australians have been obliged to reflect on the qualities of our former conservative “Liberal” leader at the prompting of the British. For reasons that are inexplicable to us, Abbott has been given the role of trade adviser by Boris Johnson’s government.

The task ahead is to skilfully create for Britain a post-Brexit trade environment. The nation must replace a forsaken European common market membership with international exchanges that are profitable, advantageous and – fingers crossed! – don’t result in too much visible pus in the food.

I can only imagine someone in the appointment process believed the whole endeavour is destined to fail and only a fool would take the job. In that case, Britain, fair enough: Abbott romps it home on both fronts. » | Van Badham | Friday, September 4, 2020

Boris Johnson Fascinated by Donald Trump, Says Ex-Ambassador

THE GUARDIAN: PM is intrigued by Trump’s ‘relationship with the truth’, Kim Darroch writes in new book

Kim Darroch, a former British ambassador to the US, has said Boris Johnson is fascinated and inspired by Donald Trump, and is intrigued by the US president’s patchy relationship “with the facts and the truth”.

In a new book serialised in the Times, Lord Darroch said Johnson must share the blame for his resignation as ambassador to Washington, which followed the leaking of diplomatic cables disparaging Trump.

Darroch wrote that Johnson had been “fascinated” by Trump on his visits to Washington as foreign secretary before he became prime minister, with particular focus on the president’s use of language.

This includes “the limited vocabulary, the simplicity of the messaging, the disdain for political correctness, the sometimes incendiary imagery, and the at best intermittent relationship with facts and the truth”, the former diplomat wrote. » | PA media | Saturday, September 5, 2020

Don Winslow Films - #MeetMotherPence

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’

THE ATLANTIC: The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.

When President Donald Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, he blamed rain for the last-minute decision, saying that “the helicopter couldn’t fly” and that the Secret Service wouldn’t drive him there. Neither claim was true.

Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day. In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed. » | Jeffrey Goldberg | Thursday, September 3, 2020

Trump 'Is a Man of Many Fears': Former Military Leaders React to the Atlantic's Reporting | MSNBC

Retired four star general Barry McCaffrey and former Defense Secretary William Cohen join Andrea Mitchell to react to reporting from the Atlantic that President Trump called Americans who died in war "losers" and "suckers." General McCaffrey says that Trump "is a man of many fears" who "can't understand the millions of veterans who have stepped forward to fight and defend this country." Secretary Cohen adds that "almost everything he has done has proven that he is unfit to serve." Aired on 09/04/2020.

Former Australian PM Tony Abbott Confirmed as UK Trade Adviser

THE GUARDIAN: Critics say Abbott’s views on women and homosexuality and the climate crisis make him unfit for role

Boris Johnson has appointed Tony Abbott as an official UK trade adviser, defying widespread condemnation of the former Australian prime minister’s record of misogyny and homophobia and his views on the climate emergency.

Abbott, whose consideration for the role prompted criticism from opposition parties, charities and LGBT and environmental activists, is among nine external advisers appointed to the Board of Trade. The board, revived by Theresa May, is intended to help shape post-Brexit trade policy.

Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, who declined to defend Abbott’s views when asked about them in a TV interview last week, said the advisers were “a diverse group of people who share Britain’s belief in free enterprise, democracy and high standards and rules-based trade”. » | Peter Walker and Kevin Rawlinson | Friday, September 4, 2020

'We're At the Point Where We Should Sanction Putin', Tory MP Says | LBC

Tom Tugendhat told LBC sanctions should be used "more actively" to help target individuals who have been "part of Putin's mafia regime".

Speaking to LBC's Iain Dale Tom Tugendhat, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling, said it was time to start sanctioning President Putin.

Earlier President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has brushed off allegations that the Kremlin was involved in poisoning the Russian leader's most determined critic, Alexei Navalny. But Mr Tugendhat told LBC that he thinks the UK should be "stiffer with the sanctions" that are in place.

Referencing the Magnitsky Act the Tory MP said sanctions should be used "more actively" to help target individuals who have been "part of Putin's mafia regime".

Türkei vs. Griechenland: Riskiert Erdogan einen Krieg? | Auf den Punkt

Die türkische Außenpolitik unter Präsident Erdogan wird immer aggressiver. Jüngstes Beispiel der Gasstreit im östlichen Mittelmeer. Droht jetzt ein Krieg unter Natopartnern? Unsere Gäste: Maximilian Popp (Spiegel), Michael Thumann (Die Zeit), Yasemin Ergin (freie Journalistin).

Prof. Richard D Wolff on the Four Reasons Capitalism Is Imploding

Professor Richard D. Wolff discusses the "four basic problems that the United States and its Capitalist system have had for a very long time" and how "none of them have been solved", and how "none of them have even been approached for the serious fundamental problems that they are". Watch to hear Professor Wolff break down these four all-encompassing issues we face in America today and have faced in our history.

Angela Merkel: 'Unequivocal Proof' Alexei Navalny Was Poisoned with Novichok

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said in a personal statement that testing by a special military laboratory had shown proof that the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a novichok nerve agent. 'It is now clear: Alexei Navalny is the victim of a crime,' Merkel said. 'He was meant to be silenced. This raises very difficult questions that only the Russian government can answer, and has to answer.' Alexei Navalny poisoned with novichok, says German government

Donald Trump’s Failed Leadership Threatens Everything Mark Cares about. For that reason, he's for Joe

"It's unbelievable what he's doing to save himself and to get re-elected. It's just all about him, not about country."

Donald Trump Denies Suffering 'Mini Strokes'

THE TELEGRAPH: VP Mike Pence was reportedly put on 'standby' over president's hospital visit in November

Donald Trump has denied having a series of “mini strokes” amid reports Mike Pence, vice president, was put on standby after he sought hospital treatment in November.

Mr Trump's denial comes amid new scrutiny of his unannounced weekend trip to Walter Reed last November, during which the White House said the president began “portions of his routine annual physical exam".

However, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt, West Wing staffers were told to put Mr Pence on standby “to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Mr Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized". » | Josie Ensor, US correspondent | Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Donald Trump: Ratings

Biden beats Trump in polls and ratings. Ouch.

Meet the New Yes Man on Trump's COVID Task Force: Dr Scott Atlas Wants US to Adopt Herd Immunity

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States passes 6 million, with a death toll of over 183,000, the Trump administration is loosening coronavirus restrictions, fast-tracking vaccine approval and disregarding safety tests, and now one of Trump's top medical advisers is pushing for the country to adopt a controversial "herd immunity" strategy, raising alarm among public health officials. Washington Post health reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb says Dr. Scott Atlas is not an epidemiologist and was brought on specifically because he would back President Trump's position "about how the pandemic was going, that the threat was receding, that the country should reopen." We also speak with Yale epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves, who argues the U.S. is already following an "implicit" herd immunity policy. "They realize it's politically toxic, so they don't want to use the phrase, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck," he says.

Germany Shocked by Far-right Protesters Trying to Enter Parliament | DW News

German politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned a far-right attempt to storm the parliament building in Berlin. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called it "an intolerable attack on the heart of our democracy". Demonstrators against the government's pandemic policies, along with far-right groups and science deniers overwhelmed police to rush the entrance to the German parliament. The sight of black, white and red imperial German flags in front of the Reichstag was so shocking that science denial and conspiracy theories were forgotten.

Don Winslow Films: An Open Letter to Republicans - #OpenLetterToRepublicans

Jon Meacham on the DNC and the RNC: Patriotism vs Propaganda | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Presidential historian and biographer Jon Meacham, who was a speaker at Biden's DNC, contrasts and compares that event to the four days of Trump's very different RNC. Aired on 08/28/2020.

Can Fascism Take Root in the US? | Think | NBC News

Is President Trump Fascist? | NYT Opinion

While calling President Trump a fascist may seem like an exaggeration, it might not be that far from the truth. Should we be worried? Jason Stanley has spent the past decade studying fascism, from Mussolini to Duterte. In this video op-ed, he argues that yes, we should be worried: If Americans are not vigilant, fascism could become a new reality in the United States.

Mary Trump Shares New Recordings of Trump’s Sister Criticizing Family | The ReidOut | MSNBC

In recordings shared by Mary Trump exclusively with The ReidOut, Maryanne Trump Barry, Donald Trump’s sister, is heard criticizing many members of the Trump family. Maryanne Trump Barry and Mary Trump discussed Ivanka Trump’s actions during the period that the Trump Administration initiated their child separation practices. Trump Barry also says the president 'is all over the line' when it comes to his treatment of DREAMers. Aired on 08/28/2020.

2020: The Next Great Depression (w/ Richard Wolff)

We are in the middle of the severest depression, ever. Unemployment is at an all-time high and many people will never work again. Should the government employ many of these unemployed people, as happened the in great depression 100 years ago? Or will they just ignore them?

Don Winslow Films - #ConsequencesForTrump

Voting Trump Out May Be the Best Way to Stop Police Violence (w/ Mark Pocan)

Donald Trump infamously told police to be rough and now another African American has been shot by the police, in protests since more have been killed by Blue Lives Matter supporter.... These killers are emboldened by Trump... Mark Pocan says getting rid of Trump is going to be the best way to get curb police violence.

New Zealand: 'From Hero to Martyr': Widow of 51st Christchurch Shooting Victim Addresses Gunman in Court

Hamimah Tuyan, the widow of the 51st and final victim of 2019's Christchurch shooting, addresses the gunman, Brenton Tarrant, in court, telling him his death elevated him from hero to martyr. Zekeriya Tuyan battled for 48 days after 18 surgeries before succumbing to his injuries. Tuyan's statements come after three days of family members of victims addressing Tarrant and the court

Richard Wolff on How American Capitalism Is Just Socialism for the Rich

Professor Richard D. Wolff discusses how "recent news reports have exposed a certain scandal surrounding the Payroll Protection Program that the government allowed, now that Capitalism crashed here in the United States; at the same time that the failures to prepare for, or to contain the Coronavirus, have engulfed our country."

Trump Is No Aberration: Veteran GOP Strategist Stuart Stevens Says Racism Is Party's "Original Sin"

As party loyalists gather for the Republican National Convention, a group of veteran Republican operatives who want to defeat President Trump have launched a $4 million advertising blitz targeting voters in swing states. The anti-Trump ads are funded by The Lincoln Project, a super PAC that can raise and spend an unlimited amount of money. We speak with longtime Republican political consultant Stuart Stevens, a senior adviser to The Lincoln Project who worked as a strategist on five Republican presidential campaigns, about Trump's takeover of the party and efforts by so-called "Never Trump" Republicans to prevent his reelection, and why he says "race is the original sin of the modern Republican Party."

Democracy Now!: Top US & World Headlines — August 25, 2020

UK Delays Zaghari-Ratcliffe Release for Fear of Offending Trump, Lawyers Claim

THE GUARDIAN: Government accused of waiting for US permission to pay money owed to Iran

The British government has deliberately delayed taking steps necessary to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe – including payment of a £400m debt owed to Iran – for fear of offending the Trump administration, lawyers acting for the British-Iranian woman have alleged.

In a seven-page letter to the defence secretary, Ben Wallace, the lawyers accuse the government of procrastination and claim the UK’s approach to securing the release of dual nationals from Tehran jails has been far less effective than those of other countries – including the US. A BBC Panorama programme broadcast a similar charge on Monday night.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been under effective house arrest in Tehran since March when she was given temporary release from prison having served four years of a five-year sentence for alleged espionage. She was arrested in Tehran in April 2016. » | Patrick Wintour | Monday, August 24, 2020

Steve Bannon, Former Trump Adviser, Allegedly Stole Funds for Private Border Wall Plagued by Erosion

President Trump's former campaign CEO and White House adviser, Steve Bannon, is his sixth close associate to face criminal charges by the Department of Justice. Bannon and three others are accused of defrauding donors to We Build the Wall, a private effort to build a wall along the Mexican border, and redirecting funds to fund their own lavish lifestyles. We follow the money and look at how an investigation last month showed a private wall project the funds were used for is already eroding and could be in danger of falling into the river. We speak with Perla Trevizo and Lexi Churchill, two reporters at the ProPublica-Texas Tribune investigative unit.

Putin Critic Alexei Navalny Fights for His Life Following Suspected Poisoning

Russia's most prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in a coma after a suspected poisoning.

The 44-year-old was taken off a flight to Moscow by stretcher and is now on a ventilator, unconscious "in a grave condition" in intensive care in the city of Omsk, according to his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh.

Britain's Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he was "deeply concerned" about the reported poisoning, adding: "My thoughts are with him and his family."

Kamala Harris’ Full Speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention | 2020 DNC

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris addressed Democrats on Aug. 19 during the third night of the Democratic National Convention. The coronavirus pandemic upended both parties’ traditional conventions. Instead of in-person events, the program each night features a number of speakers and musical performances virtually across the country.

Capitalism Is Just a Fancy Word for Unchecked Greed

According to new research published by the Economic Policy Institute, average CEO pay has continued to skyrocket while wages stagnate, and now CEOs make roughly 320 times the amount that the average worker makes. These gains for the ruling elite have far outpaced the gains in the stock market, allowing us to rule out "good stocks" as the sole cause. The cause CAN, however, be boiled down to unfettered greed, as Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins explains.


Won’t it soon be time for a revolution? – Mark

Steve Bannon, Former Trump Adviser Arrested for Fraud

Former White House adviser Steve Bannon was arrested on Thursday on charges that he and three others illicitly took money from donors in an online fundraising scheme "We Build The Wall".

The charges were contained in an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court.br />
Federal prosecutors alleged that Bannon and three others "orchestrated a scheme to defraud hundreds of thousands of donors" in connection with an online crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $25m to build a wall along the southern border of the United States.

Cigarette Smoking Makes Comeback During Coronavirus Pandemic

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Marlboro maker Altria says stimulus checks and e-cigarette restrictions are driving sales of traditional cigarettes

Americans are smoking more during the coronavirus pandemic because they are spending less on travel and entertainment and have more opportunities to light up. They are also switching back to traditional cigarettes from vaping devices in the wake of federal restrictions on e-cigarette flavors. Read more here (£/$) » | Jennifer Maloney | Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Former Trump Advisor Steve Bannon Indicted by Federal Prosecutors | Stephanie Ruhle | MSNBC

Former advisor to President Trump, Steve Bannon, and four others have been indicted for allegedly illegally funneling money from the “We Build The Wall” fund, NBC’s Tom Winter reports. Aired on 8/20/2020.

Barack Obama Condemns Trump in Powerful Democratic Convention Speech

The former president spoke at the Democratic national convention and cast Donald Trump as someone who will 'tear our democracy down if that what it takes to win' and urges Americans to get out and vote in November

Great speech! If the Americans elect Trump back into office for another term, they will deserve all they get! Trump is the worst president in my lifetime. He’s pathetic! – Mark

Michelle Obama: The Former First Lady's DNC Speech in Full

Former first lady Michelle Obama launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and urged Americans to elect Democrat Joe Biden in November to end what she said had been chaos during the last four years.

In an impassioned speech capping the first night of the Democratic national convention, Obama said Trump 'has had enough time to prove that he can do the job' but that he had failed to meet the moment in a country reeling from the coronavirus pandemic, economic turmoil and racial injustice.

Why Is the Monarchy in Thailand Targeted? | Inside Story

They've been rallying almost daily for the past month - anti-government protesters led by students are attracting different sectors of Thai society.

Their main demand is a change of the entire political system.

That includes the resignation of former army general now Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha.

Some are calling for what has long been unthinkable; reform of the monarchy Any criticism of the royal family is an offence that can lead to a long prison sentence.

How likely is political change in Thailand?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Pravit Rojanaphruk - political reporter and columnist for Kaosod English news website; David Streckfuss - Thai historian and author of: 'Truth on Trial in Thailand; Defamation, Treason and Lèse-majesté; Jade Donavanik, Dean of the Graduate School of Law at Siam University and a former Adviser to the Constitution Drafting Committee in Thailand

Bernie Sanders Slams Trump at DNC: 'Nero Fiddled While Rome Burned. The President Golfs'

In his convention remarks, the Vermont senator Bernie Sanders strongly urged his supporters to vote for Joe Biden in the November election, warning that Trump represents a severe threat to US democracy. “Our great nation is now living in an unprecedented moment,” Sanders said, describing this election as the “most important in the modern history of this country”

'In Over His Head': Michelle Obama Delivers Rebuke of Trump in DNC Speech

The former first lady Michelle Obama has delivered a searing rebuke of Donald Trump, arguing the president is incapable of leading the country during this moment of crisis. “If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it,” Obama said. The pre-taped speech attracted widespread praise, with many Democrats saying Obama offered an eloquent and urgent call to action.

Read the article here »

"The Unraveling of America: Is This the End of the American Empire?" | Amanpour and Company

Amid a global pandemic, with a polarized political electorate, and with protesters crowding the streets, one wonders if the American Era might be coming to an end. Wade Davis certainly would argue that it is. In a recent article for "Rolling Stone," he wrote about COVID-19 as a factor in “the unraveling of America." Davis shares his thoughts with Hari Sreenivasan.

Sviatoslav Richter - Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18

Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Stanisław Wisłocki – Recorded 1959

Colin Powell Explains Why Trump Shouldn't Be Re-elected

Rod Stewart: I Don't Want to Talk About It

Velshi: Trump’s Anti-Science Attitude Is Getting Us Nowhere | MSNBC

The 11th Hour with Brian Williams – Highlights: August 13 | MSNBC

Bye Hannity

Enough conspiracy theories, incompetence and hate.

Unprecedented

“He is a f&*king moron.” - Rex Tillerson, Trump’s former Secretary of State

Dictator Trump

The President’s admiration of dictators and scorn of our allies is one the most dangerous threat to our democracies our country has ever faced. #DictatorTrump

Lying Trump

This is the promise everything, deliver nothing presidency.

Biblical Idiot

Trump says Biden hates the bible. Trump is a #biblicalidiot

White House News Conference: Trump the Delusional!

The Case against Trump Is “Open and Shut”: Kamala Harris Slams President’s Handling of Pandemic

As Kamala Harris, the first woman of color on a major presidential ticket, hits the campaign trail with Joe Biden for the first time, we play an extended excerpt of her address, in which she blasts President Trump’s handling of the economy, immigration, racial justice and the coronavirus pandemic. “The case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,” Harris says. “Just look where they’ve gotten us: more than 16 million out of work; millions of kids who cannot go back to school; a crisis of poverty, of homelessness, afflicting Black, Brown and Indigenous people the most.”

Steele: Trump Floating Harris Birtherism Shows 'Racist Ignorant Stupidity' | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Former RNC Chairman blasts Trump for not refuting the latest round of birtherism, this time against Kamala Harris who was born in California. Aired on 8/13/2020.

Trump is a wicked, evil man! – Mark

'Do You Regret All Your Lying?' Reporter Stumps Trump at White House Press Briefing

The Huffington Post’s White House correspondent, S V Dáte, broke from the usual question and answer protocol at President Trump's press briefings, posing a simple, yet cutting question: "Mr President, after three and a half years, do you regret at all, all the lying you’ve done to the American people?," he asked. Trump, who after initially responding with his own question: "all the what?", ignored Dáte and moved on to the next question 'Do you regret all your lying?' White House reporter's question startles Trump

Read the article here »

Trump Failed America: Don the Dumb

Clearly Trump is not a 'super genius,' but rather he is an unstable incompetent narcissist who conned his way into the White House with help of foreign interference.

Bye Ivanka: A Public Disservice Announcement

Bye Ivanka – The Sequel: Trump Family Nepotism Exposed

He Went to Jared: Jared Kushner's Failure

When America needed leadership most, he went to Jared. We paid the price.

Kamala Harris Makes Debut as Biden's Running Mate: 'America Is Crying Out for Leadership'

Kamala Harris made her campaign-trail debut as Joe Biden's vice-presidential running mate for the Democrats, criticising president Donald Trump for mismanaging the coronavirus pandemic and making an urgent argument for a Biden administration. Harris, a US senator from California, quickly leapt to the attack on Trump, saying he had endangered Americans by not taking the pandemic seriously, plunging the US into an economic crisis even as it wrestles with racial and social injustice. 'As somebody who has presented my fair share of arguments in court, the case against Donald Trump and Mike Pence is open and shut,' Harris said

Kamala Harris Comes Out Swinging. Trump Can't Seem to Land a Punch. | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

On her first full day as Joe Biden's running mate, Kamala Harris hit Trump hard saying he's 'not up to the job.' The Republican response has been scattered. Aired on 8/12/2020.

Fred's Failure

Leadership

Regardless of the failure, President Donald J. Trump tells us again and again: "No, I don’t take responsibility at all."

Trump Donors: Don't Be Don's Next Con

Why Kamala Harris Is a Historic VP Pick for Joe Biden – BBC News

Presidential candidate Joe Biden has chosen California Senator Kamala Harris to be his running mate. Ms Harris also ran for the Democratic nomination for the top job. If Joe Biden is elected in November, Ms Harris will be the first female, the first black and first Asian-American vice-president.