Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 9, 2019

The Crisis of the Modern West

Jacob and Alex begin a series of videocasts with a discussion of the modern West's identity crisis, political and social anomie, as well as the contemporary relevance of Islam and Orthodox Christianity.

Islam and the West

Islam and Western Civilization, Friends or Foes?

Are the core teachings of Islam compatible with Western Civilization? Author Jacob Williams, of First Things, seems to think so.

FIRST THINGS: Why I Became Muslim » | Jacob Williams *

* Jacob Williams is a writer living in London, England.

Fox's Tucker Carlson Calls White Supremacy Problem a Hoax

CNN's Daniel Dale fact checks Fox News host Tucker Carlson's claim that America's white supremacy problem "is a hoax." This claim came after several days of scrutiny of the El Paso suspect's racist views and the forces that may have radicalized him. News outlets have pointed out that some of the anti-immigrant "invasion" language in the manifesto published online shortly before the attack mirrors what is frequently heard on far-right-wing talk shows and websites. And many prominent politicians have warned about the growing threat of white nationalist violence.

What President Donald Trump Was Really Doing During El Paso Visit | The Last Word | MSNBC

While Donald Trump bragged about his crowd size to hospital staff after the shooting in El Paso, the Trump administration was conducting massive ICE raids in Mississippi leaving terrified children in tears and without their parents.

Independence for Scotland Is Inevitable – We Need a Plan for It

THE GUARDIAN: If I were a Scot I’d vote for independence tomorrow. This crisis is Nicola Sturgeon’s opportunity

Ihope Scotland and Nicola Sturgeon realise how much they may yet owe Boris Johnson. If I were a Scot, I would vote for independence tomorrow. I would want nothing more to do with the shambles of today’s Westminster parliament, which goes on holiday for a month during the worst political crisis in a generation. Labour’s John McDonnell is entirely correct to reassure the Scots of their right to secede from the United Kingdom. The supreme civil right is that to self-government, and the inferior tier of a federation is entitled to claim it, not the superior one to permit.

Scotland has now voted itself a separatist Scottish National party local government unchallenged for 12 years. The party is 20 points ahead in the polls, while support for independence has topped 52%, the same percentage that voted for Brexit across the UK in 2016.

Johnson’s sidekick Dominic Cummings this week warned politicians that they “don’t get to choose which votes they respect”. That is exactly what Cummings and Johnson are doing. They are choosing to ignore the Brexit referendum pledge of frictionless trade, and Johnson is refusing to allow Sturgeon a referendum on independence. Sauce for the Brexit goose is sauce for the tartan gander. No wonder Johnson was about as welcome in Edinburgh last week as Donald Trump in El Paso. » | Simon Jenkins | Friday, August 9, 2019

See Ex-Obama Adviser's Blunt Response When Asked about Fox Host

Former national security adviser Susan Rice says white supremacy in the US is a real and growing problem.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 8, 2019

Was Donald Trump Trafficking Cocaine? (w/ David Cay Johnston)

David Cay Johnston points out that in his opinion Donald Trump was in the cocaine trade back in the 1980s. Would this explain his bizarre behavior?

Wall Street Confident That Trump Not Smart Enough To End Trade War

Goldman Sachs circulated a memo to their top investors on Monday warning them that Donald Trump isn’t likely to reach a trade deal with China before the 2020 election, and he certainly won’t end his trade war without that new deal. This means that they have to dig in their heels and expect a major economic downturn as a result of the ongoing trade wars, and they’d also better prepare themselves for a new administration if the dummy in the Oval Office doesn’t wise up. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

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

The Guardian View on British Foreign Policy: The Lost Art of Diplomacy

THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson’s cabinet is sulking at Brussels and sycophantic in Washington. Neither approach advances Britain’s interests as it faces Brexit

During the EU referendum campaign Barack Obama warned that Brexit put Britain at risk of relegation as a global trading power. Boris Johnson, then mayor of London, hit back, attributing the US president’s view to “ancestral” dislike of the UK, rooted in “part-Kenyan” heritage. It is not unusual for British politicians to resent being reminded of their country’s junior status in relations with the US (although most manage to express that frustration without nasty racial insinuations). There is no symmetry of clout in the “special relationship”. One side is a superpower, the other is not. Inability to grasp that disparity is a weakness among Eurosceptics. » | Editorial | Wednesday, August 7, 2019

New Rebel Bid to Halt No-deal Brexit amid Fury at PM’s Enforcer

THE GUARDIAN: Alarm is mounting about Dominic Cummings and his willingness to defy parliament

Rebel MPs are working on a plan to thwart Boris Johnson pursuing a no-deal Brexit on 31 October that involves forcing parliament to sit through the autumn recess, amid growing outrage about the power and influence of his controversial aide, Dominic Cummings.

The cross-party group of MPs is looking at legislative options with mounting urgency because of the hardline tactics of Cummings, who one Conservative insider described as running a “reign of terror” in No 10 aimed at achieving Brexit on 31 October at any cost.

Three MPs have told the Guardian that one method under discussion is for members to amend the motion needed for parliament to break for party conferences in mid-September. This could give MPs another three weeks of sitting time to stop a no-deal and potentially open the door for days to be set aside for rebels to control parliamentary business. The ultimate aim would be to pass a bill forcing the government to request an extension to article 50 from Brussels. » | Rowena Mason and Jessica Elgot | Thursday, August 8, 2019

World Exclusive: Dubai Royal Insider Breaks Silence on Escaped Princesses | 60 Minutes Australia

For the first time, Dubai royal family member and palace insider, Marcus Essabri, exposes what life is like inside the royal family. In a world exclusive interview with 60 Minutes, he says the freedoms of women are severely restricted, and there are torturous consequences for those who dare to defy those in power.

How Sanctions Affect Iran... in Five Objects – BBC News

It's a year since President Donald Trump began re-imposing sanctions on Iran, three months after announcing the US was withdrawing from the landmark nuclear deal. The Trump administration has called these "the toughest ever" sanctions imposed on the country. It says they are only aimed at the government, not ordinary Iranians. But sanctions are affecting day-to-day life in Iran and these five items help explain the impact. Produced by Elise Wicker, Camelia Sadeghzadeh and Derrick Evans; art direction by Alice Grenié; executive production by Charlie Newland

Police Break Down Door of Bahrain Embassy in UK after Roof Protester ‘Threatened’

Moosa Mohammed was so keen to protest the imminent execution of two men in Bahrain last month that he climbed onto the roof of the Bahraini embassy in London to unfurl a banner.

Then, as other protestors and police watched from below, the embassy staff appeared to struggle with him. In an unprecedented move police broke in and arrested him. He claims the Bahrainis threatened his life, the Bahrainis say that's ridiculous and claim they called the police fearing a terrorist attack. Mr Mohammed has spoken to our Senior Home Affairs Correspondent Simon Israel who has been investigating what really happened.

'You're Not Welcome Here': Trump Faces Backlash over Ohio and Texas Visits

Donald Trump will receive a frosty reception when he arrives in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, on Wednesday afternoon, three days after the cities were struck by mass shootings. A gunman who invoked the language of white supremacy killed 22 people when he attacked an El Paso Walmart. Local politicians have linked the shooting to Trump's rhetoric about immigrants. The president could also face protests in Dayton, where another gunman killed nine, over his failure to change gun control legislation.

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Do something’: protesters greet Trump as he visits Dayton and El Paso » | Sabrina Siddiqui in Washington and Edward Helmore in New York | Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Unter den Linden vor Ort - Die Wannseekonferenz und der geplante Massenmord

Dieses Programm wurde im TV So. 22.01.17 als "Deportation, Ghetto, Vernichtung - die Wannseekonferenz und der geplante Massenmord" ausgestrahlt.

Michaela Kolster diskutiert mit ihren Gästen Julius H. Schoeps (Historiker und Gründungsdirektor Moses Mendelssohn Zentrum für europäisch-jüdische Studien) und Prof. Peter Longerich (Historiker).

Die Wannseekonferenz vom 20. Januar 1942 gilt gemeinhin als der Ausgangspunkt für die von Nazi-Deutschland organisierte Vernichtung der Juden in Deutschland und Europa. In einer Villa am Berliner Wannsee kamen seinerzeit 15 hochrangige Vertreter des NS-Regimes und der SS zusammen, um unter dem Vorsitz von Reinhard Heydrich den Holocaust an den Juden im Detail zu koordinieren.

Allerdings hatte die Deportation jüdischer Bürger aus dem Deutschen Reich und den besetzen Gebieten und die Errichtung jüdischer Ghettos schon deutlich früher begonnen – wenn auch nicht in den „geordneten“ Bahnen, die die Konferenz nun festlegte.

Welchen Stellenwert hat die Wannseekonferenz in der Genese des Holocausts nach neuester Forschung? Was macht die Einzigartigkeit dieses Völkermordes aus? Und wer waren die entscheidenden Köpfe hinter dem organisierten Massenmord?

2020 Dems Say Donald Trump’s Rhetoric Shares Blame For Shootings | Velshi & Ruhle | MSNBC

President Trump is deflecting criticism and condemning the mass shootings that occurred over the weekend, but instead of being asked what actions he plans to make, some are asking: did his words contribute to the carnage? Stephanie Ruhle analyzes the president’s rhetoric amid all of this tragedy. Weighing in: Washington Post Bureau Chief Philip Rucker, PBS Newshour National Correspondent Amna Nawaz, former Deputy Labor Secretary under President Obama Chris Lu, the Storm Lake Times’ Art Cullen, journalist Ron Fournier, and New York Times op-ed columnist Bret Stephens.