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

Christians Converted to Islam in Modern Mediterranean World – Noel Malcolm

A lecture by Noel Malcolm, Senior Researcher at the All Souls College (University of Oxford ), in the framework of the Aula Mediterrània 2019-2020 series of lectures.

The lecture was organised by the IEMed and the Master en Història i Identitats de la Mediterrània Occidental Segles XV-XIX, UB/Universitat d’Alacant/Universitat de València/Universitat Jaume I

The event was presented by Xavier Gil, Full Professor of Modern History (University of Barcelona).

John Bolton Book: Obstruction of Justice 'A Way of Life’ in Trump White House – Day That Was | MSNBC

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton’s new book contains several explosive accounts of President Trump’s behavior. Among them are statements that Trump appealed to China’s ruler Xi Jinping for help winning the next election, and that Trump did in fact directly tie aid to Ukraine to obtaining dirt on Trump’s political rivals. But why did Bolton save it for his book - which the Trump administration is now trying to block - instead of testifying at the impeachment trial? Impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff tweeted: “Bolton may be an author, but he’s no patriot.” Aired on 6/17/2020.

Dame Vera Lynn, Singer and 'Forces' Sweetheart', Dies Aged 103

THE GUARDIAN: Much-loved entertainer, whose voice brought Britain together during the second world war, has died

Dame Vera Lynn, whose song We’ll Meet Again became an anthem of hope and resilience during the second world war, has died aged 103.

Her family said they were “deeply saddened to announce the passing of one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers”, and that they were with her when she died at her East Sussex home.

Boris Johnson paid tribute, saying: “Dame Vera Lynn’s charm and magical voice entranced and uplifted our country in some of our darkest hours. Her voice will live on to lift the hearts of generations to come.” Labour politician Angela Rayner called Lynn “a beautiful person who will be sadly missed by all who her knew her”. » | Ben Beaumont-Thomas | Thursday, June 18, 2020


Dame Vera Lynn obituary »
The passing of a national treasure and legend. Requiescat in pace – Mark

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Vera Lynn, Singer Whose Wartime Ballads Uplifted U.K., Dies at 103 »

Trump Was Willing to Halt Criminal Investigations as 'Favor' to Dictators, Bolton Book Says

THE GUARDIAN: Trump pleaded with China’s Xi to help re-election effort / President urged Xi to build concentration camps for Muslims / White House has fought to stop book’s release

Donald Trump was willing to halt criminal investigations to “give personal favors to dictators he liked”, according to a new book written by his former national security adviser John Bolton.

After excerpts from the memoir, which is due to be published later this month, were printed in various news outlets, the Trump administration applied for an emergency temporary restraining order against Bolton on Wednesday night in an attempt to block the book’s release.

Trump himself tweeted that the book was “made up of lies & fake stories” and called Bolton a “disgruntled boring fool who only wanted to go to war”.

Bolton alleges that Trump pleaded with China’s President Xi Jinping to help him get re-elected by buying more US agricultural products, according to accounts of his forthcoming memoir.

In his pursuit of a good personal relationship with Xi, Trump is described as brushing aside human rights issues, even providing encouragement to the communist leader to continue to build concentration camps for China’s Muslim Uighur population. » | Julian Borger in Washington and Maanvi Singh in Oakland | Thursday, June 18, 2020

John Bolton’s bombshell Trump book: eight of its most stunning claims »

Reverend Reveals What Evangelicals Say Privately about Trump

Reverend Rob Schenck, a former evangelical activist, discusses President Trump's photo-op after police forcibly moved protesters and what evangelicals are now saying about Trump.

South Korea Promises to React Strongly If North Korea Furthers Tensions

South Korea says it will respond strongly if North Korea keeps raising tensions after Pyongyang blew up a liaison office in the border town of Kaesong. It comes after days of threats of military action by the North Korean leadership. Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reports from Seoul.

Pete Buttigieg: Supreme Court Ruling Is a Big Step Forward

Former Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg reacts to the Supreme Court decision prohibiting discrimination against gay and transgender people.

Syrian Protesters Call for Assad's Downfall as Economic Crisis Deepens

THE GUARDIAN: Marches held on streets of Sweida amid soaring food prices and disillusion with corruption

A town in regime-controlled Syria is set for fresh protests this weekend as a burgeoning economic crisis engulfing even Bashar al-Assad’s most loyal supporters is now posing the biggest challenge to his grip on the country in years.

Food is now more expensive than at any other time during the nine-year conflict, triggering scenes reminiscent of the Arab spring protests of 2011 on the streets of the nominally government-loyal town of Sweida this week.

“We don’t want to live, we want to die in dignity,” and “He who starves his people is a traitor,” protesters chanted as they marched for consecutive days in the southern city, calling for the president’s downfall. Another march is scheduled for Saturday. » | Bethan McKernan, Middle East correspondent | Friday, June 12, 2020

Großbritannien lehnt Brexit-Fristverlängerung endgültig ab

ZEIT ONLINE: Trotz der Corona-Krise will Großbritannien die EU am 1. Januar 2021 verlassen. Damit steigt der Druck auf die Verhandlungspartner, sonst droht ein harter Bruch.

Die britische Regierung hat eine Fristverlängerung für den Brexit ausgeschlossen. Sie will mit der EU nicht über das Jahresende hinaus über die Beziehungen nach dem Brexit verhandeln. Der britische Staatssekretär für Kabinettsangelegenheiten Michael Gove schrieb auf Twitter, er habe heute bei Beratungen mit der EU "formal bestätigt, dass das Vereinigte Königreich die Übergangsphase nicht verlängern wird."

"Die Zeit für eine Verlängerung ist nun vorbei", schrieb er weiter. Großbritannienwerde am 1. Januar 2021 "die Kontrolle zurückerhalten" und seine politische und wirtschaftliche Unabhängigkeit wiedergewinnen, schrieb der britische Unterhändler. » | Quelle: Zeit Online, AFP, dpa | Freitag, 12. Juni 2020

Prof. Christian Troll: Als Christ dem Islam begegnen

Knapp sechshundert Jahre nach Entstehung des Christentums tauchte der Islam auf, mit dem Anspruch, das Christentum zu korrigieren und zu ersetzen. Muslime sind überzeugt, durch den Propheten Mohammed zur letztgültigen und einzig wahren Religion geführt worden zu sein. Sie glauben, von Gott den Auftrag erhalten zu haben, eine weltweite islamische Ordnung zu errichten, in der die von Gott offenbarten Gesetze gelten. Wie sollten Christen auf den Absolutheitsanspruch des Islam und seinen religiös-politischen Anspruch reagieren? Sind Konkurrenz und Konflikte zwischen diesen beiden Weltreligionen unvermeidlich? Oder kann es auch Wege einer Zusammenarbeit im Dienst einer gerechten Gesellschaft und friedlichen Koexistenz geben? Antworten gibt Prof. Dr. Christian Troll, einer der renommiertesten Islamwissenschaftler der katholischen Kirche, der seit Jahrzehnten im christlich-islamischen Dialog engagiert ist.

Boris Johnson's US Trade Deal Will Make Britain a Paradise for Disaster Capitalists

THE GUARDIAN: Chlorinated chicken is just the start. The government intends to rip up food standards, public services and public protections

The Conservative manifesto made a clear promise. It pledged that in the government’s trade talks, “we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards”. Just six months after the election, the promise has been ditched. Our government is now proposing that chlorine-washed chicken, beef treated with growth hormones, pork from animals injected with a drug that makes their meat leaner, called ractopamine, and scores of other foods produced in the United States by dangerous, cruel and disgusting means will be allowed into this country, as long as higher trade taxes (tariffs) are applied to them.

The trade secretary, Liz Truss, has made it clear that any such tariffs would be removed within 10 years. It’s impossible to see the American trade negotiators allowing them to pass in the first place. The US intends to secure “comprehensive” access to our food markets, while “reducing or eliminating tariffs”. This nonsense about higher tariffs is a blatant attempt to soften us up, to sugar the toxic pill of US imports that don’t meet our standards. When I say sugar, I mean high-fructose corn syrup. » | George Monbiot | Tuesday, June 9, 2020

Brexit was such a stupid idea! Just look at those faces! Two blond idiots working in harmony to destroy our food standards. – Mark

Schmidt: ‘Republicans Signed Up to Be Foot Soldiers in a Cult of Personality for Trump’ | MSNBC

We are seeing more Republicans and former military leaders becoming more vocal about their differences with President Trump, but what does this really mean for the country and upcoming election? Former Republican Strategist Steve Schmidt joins Stephanie Ruhle to break it down. Aired on 06/08/2020.

Get rid of Trump asap! – Mark

Robert Reich: The Deadly Fox News-Trump Syndicate

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich exposes Fox News’ endless circuit of lies. As the coronavirus crisis rages on and protests against police killings and centuries of Black oppression sweep the country, Fox News is contributing almost as much to the deaths, disease, and brutal treatment of protesters as is Trump’s White House.

Trump spouts a shocking amount of misinformation from his bully pulpit, but it’s Fox News’ equally misleading coverage of the dual crises that closes the lethal circuit of lies.

Fox News called white protesters with AR-15s demanding haircuts "patriots"; they called Black protesters demanding an overhaul of our racist systems of oppression "thugs" and "looters". And their biased coverage of the protests hasn't stopped them from continuing to spew lie after lie about the coronavirus pandemic, even as the death toll surpasses 100,000.

Trump's propaganda machine is a clear and present danger to the United States. It's up to us to shut it down.


What a wonderful world it would be without Trump and Fox News! – Mark

'Revolting': Trump Condemned for Saying George Floyd Is Praising US Economy

THE GUARDIAN: President made the comments after better-than-expected jobs report showed national unemployment rate falling

Donald Trump was condemned on Friday for making the “revolting, enraging, disrespectful” claim that George Floyd, an African American man killed by police, is looking down from heaven and praising the US economy.

The president attempted to take a victory lap after a better-than-expected jobs report showed the national unemployment rate falling to 13.3% last month, with 2.5m jobs gained. But there was a slight uptick in African American joblessness.

In White House remarks that folded digressions within digressions, Trump declared: “Today is probably, if you think of it, the greatest comeback in American history.”

Speaking after the 10th night of mass anti-racism protests across the country, Trump suggested that Floyd, who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on his neck for nearly nine minutes, would be happy about the figures. » | David Smith in Washington and Dominic Rushe in New York | Friday, June 5, 2020

This so-called president is VILE and DISGUSTING! For Christ's sake, vote the SOB out of office asap! – Mark

Mark Alexander on Trump’s America: A Grave Situation

The way things are going in the US at the moment, it is not impossible that the country will descend into civil war. If Americans retain Trump as their president, he will keep on fanning the flames, keep pouring petrol on the fire. That sounds melodramatic, but if the flames continue to be fanned, God only knows where it will all end. This is the height of irresponsible ‘leadership’. Whilst I don’t condone violence and looting, far from it actually, these people have genuine grievances, and they aren’t being addressed; on the contrary, they are being brushed aside and ignored. Add to this mess, the racism, the pandemic, the millions who have lost their jobs, the poverty, the staggering wealth and income inequalities, lack of universal healthcare, and an impending economic depression and they have a very dangerous cocktail indeed on their hands. – ©Mark

US Proteste: Demonstranten ignorieren Ausgangssperren | DW Nachrichten

Seit der schwarze US-Bürger George Floyd durch Polizeigewalt getötet wurde, wird die Spaltung der USA immer deutlicher und es vergeht keine Nacht ohne Proteste, kein Tag ohne Trauer und Wut. US Präsident Donald Trump droht mit dem Militär, aber die Demonstrierenden wollen sich nicht zum Schweigen bringen lassen. Ausgangssperren werden verhängt. Bei Protesten in einem Vorort von Chicago kamen zwei Menschen ums Leben. Auch in anderen Städten gibt es Gewalt.