Monday, July 15, 2019
Boris Johnson Claimed Islam Put Muslim World 'Centuries Behind'
Boris Johnson has been strongly criticised for arguing Islam has caused the Muslim world to be “literally centuries behind” the west, in an essay unearthed by the Guardian.
Writing about the rise of the religion in an appendix added to a later edition of The Dream of Rome, his 2006 book about the Roman empire, Johnson said there was something about Islam that hindered development in parts of the globe and, as a result, “Muslim grievance” was a factor in virtually every conflict.
Johnson’s argument was described as disconcerting and problematic by Tell Mama, which monitors anti-Muslim hate and said he had demonstrated a lack of understanding of the religion. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said many people would like to know if the favourite to become the next prime minister still believed “Islam inherently inhibits the path to progress and freedom”.
Last year, Johnson was accused of dog-whistle politics after he used a Telegraph column to liken women wearing the burqa to “letter boxes” and “bank robbers”. » | Frances Perraudin | Monday, July 15, 2019
Labels:
Boris Johnson,
Islam
Trump’s Tweet Was Condemned as Racist. His Response: No, They’re the Racists
Instead of walking back his remarks, Mr. Trump demanded that the four congresswomen, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts, issue their own apologies to him and “the people of Israel.” Ms. Omar is the only one of the four who was born outside the United States.
“So many people are angry at them & their horrible & disgusting actions!” he wrote. » | Eileen Sullivan | Monday, July 15, 2019
Labels:
Donald Trump,
racism
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Most Ambassadors Think Trump Is a Complete Idiot
Saturday, July 13, 2019
Right-wingers Now Claim Jesus Was a Free Market Capitalist
If Jesus Never Called Himself God, How Did He Become One? – Bart Ehrman
Labels:
Bart Ehrman,
Jesus
Poll: Religion in Decline in Arab Countries, Anger at the US Growing
Palestinian Homes: Israeli High Court Rules In Favour of Demolitions | Al Jazeera English
Palestinians say Israel is trying to settle as many Jews as possible on the edge of Jerusalem’s old city and rename an area the Palestinians consider their capital the City of David.
Al Jazeera's Hoda Abdel-Hamid reports from occupied East Jerusalem.
Jordan's Angry Tribes | People and Power
But King Abdullah II is under growing pressure to reboot a struggling economy, institute constitutional reform, and stand firm against a controversial US-Saudi scheme, the so-called "Deal of the Century" to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
We sent filmmakers Mariam Shahin, Nada Issa and George Azar to find out why these pressures are becoming difficult for the government to ignore and what effect they are having on the kingdom's delicate demographic balance - between increasingly angry members of its indigenous tribes, known as "East Bankers", and Palestinians who have fled here in the past six decades and become citizens.
Kim Darroch's Fall from Grace Casts Chill over Washington Ambassadors
It was like a tennis match with an empty umpire’s chair. On Friday, the British ambassador’s residence in Washington hosted a Wimbledon Watch Party and English Breakfast, with two giant TV screens showing the men’s semi-final. In the ballroom there were bacon and eggs, orange juice and buck’s fizz and, of course, strawberries and cream. But there was no ambassador.
Kim Darroch had left for a planned holiday a day early, officials said, after a “rough week” in which his leaked memos led to abuse from Donald Trump and his resignation, though the ambassador does intend to return for an unspecified period. The embassy considered cancelling the annual Wimbledon event but a mood of “keep calm and carry on” prevailed, not least because of Darroch’s love of tennis. » | David Smith in Washington | Saturday, July 13, 2019
Friday, July 12, 2019
Will There Be Another War in the Gulf? | Inside Story
It’s been suggested British Royal Marines boarded the vessel at the request of America. And the UK is looking at boosting its military presence in the Gulf after an apparent close encounter with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard just days later.
The US, meantime, is turning the screw further on Iran's already faltering economy, and Britain finds itself in an awkward position. It's working with Europe to try and save the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the US has abandoned. But it also needs to maintain close ties with Washington as it seeks to leave the European Union.
The situation with the tanker has infuriated Iran with the foreign minister demanding Britain return the ship or face what he called 'the consequences'.
Presenter: Martine Dennis | Guests: Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, research fellow at RUSI, the Royal United Services Institute; Mohammad Marandi, head of American Studies Department at the University of Tehran; Phil Diacon, managing director of Dryad Global, a maritime security risk management company
Labels:
Gulf crisis,
Inside Story,
Iran,
UK,
USA
Trump Planning Mass Immigration Raids
Trump Parade Is Total Disaster
Labels:
Donald Trump,
military parade,
TYT
Iran Warns Western Powers to 'Leave Region' amid Gulf Crisis
Iran has called on Britain to release its seized oil tanker and warned foreign powers to “leave the region because Iran and other regional countries are capable of securing the regional security”.
The Royal Marines seized the tanker last week on suspicion it was breaking European sanctions by taking oil to Syria.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, told the IRNA news agency: “This is a dangerous game and has consequences ... The legal pretexts for the capture are not valid ... The release of the tanker is in all countries’ interests.”
Iran has said it will take reciprocal measures if its tanker is not released. » | Patrick Wintour and agencies | Friday, July 12, 2019
Labels:
Gulf crisis,
Iran
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Is the UK's Special Relationship with US Under Threat? – Inside Story
Kim Darroch felt compelled to quit as Britain's envoy in Washington after a row over leaked memos. The diplomat had described Donald Trump and his administation as insecure, inept and dysfunctional. The U.S. President responded with a barrage of angry tweets, calling Darroch "very stupid."
Boris Johnson, Britain's likely next prime minister, refused to publicly support the ambassador. So how will this incident affect the UK's ties with its closest ally?
Presenter: Martine Dennis Guests: Crispin Blunt - Conservative member of the British parliament Nancy Soderberg - Former U.S. Ambassador the the U.N. Matthew Parris - Columnist for The Times newspaper, and a former conservative British MP.
Wednesday, July 10, 2019
The UK's Ambassador to the US Kim Darroch Resigns over Leaked Memo Branding Trump 'Incompetent'
Darroch entered the eye of a diplomatic storm this week after remarks he made disparaging the Trump administration were leaked to the Mail on Sunday newspaper over the weekend.
In the notes, the UK ambassador to the US said that Trump's government was "uniquely dysfunctional" and added: "We don't really believe this administration is going to become substantially more normal.
He also described Trump's presidency as "incompetent," and "inept."
Trump on Tuesday tweeted that Darroch was a "very stupid guy" and a "pompous fool."
Following the row Darroch said it was now "impossible" for him to remain in post. » | Adam Bienkov | Wednesday, July 10, 2019
Tuesday, July 09, 2019
Big Names Drop as Epstein Sex Scandal Grows
Jeffrey Epstein, Called ‘Terrific’ by Trump, Charged with Sex Trafficking | The Last Word | MSNBC
Germany Rebuffs US Order to Send Troops
The Guardian View on Undiplomatic Language: Don’t Pander to Donald Trump
Though the president of the United States has fired off another volley of insults, his primary target – the British ambassador, Kim Darroch – has done nothing but his job. The national interest would hardly be served by Her Majesty’s chief representative in Washington sending back sanitised and euphemistic dispatches. Governments rely upon thorough, honest and frank information and advice from their diplomats. Sir Kim’s unflattering assessments of Donald Trump and his administration are embarrassing; but the problem was the leaking of the documents, not their drafting.
If the memos are unusually strong stuff, that is because the US administration is a wholly abnormal one. Indeed, the ambassador’s verdict of a dysfunctional, faction-riven and inept White House is not only blindingly obvious to any observer but looks decidedly diplomatic when set beside some of the accounts which have emerged from the leaky Trump administration itself. There are multiple reports of senior figures describing him as an idiot, a moron or unhinged. » | Editorial | Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Labels:
Donald Trump
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)