Bernie Madoff, Infamous Ponzi Schemer, Dies

Bernard Madoff, whose name became synonymous with financial fraud, died while serving a 150-year sentence in Federal Prison. He was 82 years old.

His death Wednesday at the Federal Medical Center in the prison in Butner, North Carolina, was confirmed by the US Bureau of Prisons. A cause of death was not released.

In February 2020, he petitioned the courts for an early release from prison, stating that he had terminal kidney failure and a life expectancy of less than 18 months. But the US Attorney's office for the southern district of New York said Madoff's crime was "unprecedented in scope and magnitude" and is "sufficient reason" to deny Madoff's request.

Madoff was the mastermind behind a $20 billion Ponzi scheme -- the largest financial fraud in history.

He had a legendary career on Wall Street, famously delivering astronomical returns for his investors, which included director Steven Spielberg, actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon.

'How Prince Harry Can Show His Face in the UK, I've Got No Idea': Alan Jones

Sky News host Alan Jones says he has “no idea” how Prince Harry can “show his face” in the UK right now.

“I thought he and Meghan (Markle) thought the Royal Family were a bunch of out of touch racists,”

Mr Jones said. Mr Jones spoke of the recent passing of Prince Philip and the preparations being made for his funeral.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral will be the first time Prince Harry is reunited with his family following the bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Prince Philip 'Grows in Stature' While Prince Harry 'Struggles to Find Some'

Sky News Host Alan Jones says in death, Prince Philip only "grows in stature" while in life, Prince Harry "struggles to find some".

"Much has been said and will be said about the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh," he said.

"In the light of such a distinguished career of service, how does one evaluate the abrupt response, six hours after his death I might add, by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. 'Thank you for your services… you will be greatly missed'.

"It does prompt the thought about the two, Harry and Meghan, who have kept their titles to maintain the trappings of Royalty, preferring service to self over service to others. Preferring commercial deals over charity. Preferring royalties over the Royal Family."

Prince Philip performed 22,991 solo engagements, undertook 637 overseas visits, made 5,493 speeches, and wrote 14 books during his time as a working royal.

"Perhaps the passing of Prince Philip might encourage these two to understand the meaning of service and sacrifice from their multi-million-dollar home in California," Mr Jones said.

"What must he have thought of a grandson who abandoned his family for self-interest?"

The Tension Between the Queen Mother & Prince Philip | Behind Closed Doors | Timeline

The Coronation in 1953 appeared to be a glittering triumph for the House of Windsor. But behind the scenes there was a three-cornered story of jealousy and rivalry at the highest level.

On one side Prince Philip was at odds with the Queen Mother over his desire to modernise the monarchy. On the other the old Queen was jealous of her daughter's sudden rise to power. The Coronation was a critical year for the young Queen Elizabeth. She was preparing to undergo the most ancient and important royal ritual, but the two people closest to her, the Queen Mother and Prince Philip had very different ideas about how it should be handled. Philip, the dashing but dangerously modern consort, was anxious that the Coronation should not be simply a stuffy replay of previous reigns. He wanted 'some features relevant to the world today'. But he was fiercely resisted by the Queen Mother and by Princess Mary, who referred to Philip as 'the Hun'.

The new Queen was caught in the middle. In Coronation Coup, we learn that Mountbatten, who had engineered the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth wanted the family name changed to Windsor-Mountbatten after her accession. Also, while the new Queen largely sided with her mother over arrangements for the Coronation, she backed Philip over perhaps the most important decision to televise the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey. In doing so she set a precedent for television to be given access to the most intimate rituals.

Prince Philip's Mother - The Strange, Exciting Life of Princess Alice | Documentary

Philip’s Death Leaves Prince Charles as Patriarch of Royal Family

THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: Prince of Wales will be increasingly at Queen’s side as he takes role at a time of internal divisions

An indisputable truth of hereditary monarchy is that promotion to the “top job” is accompanied by deep personal loss. So it will be for the Prince of Wales, who will eventually take the throne as he mourns his mother.

But the death of his father will have had no less profound an effect on Prince Charles. And, though on any official level it does not alter his royal status, it does change the family dynamic.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s death, as the Queen expressed, has left “a huge void”. Philip was the patriarchal head of “the firm”. This is the mantle Charles will now assume. This role was most symbolically underscored when Charles was the only family member to visit his father during his recent spell in hospital.

He spent 30 minutes at the duke’s bedside at King Edward VII’s hospital in London in February. What words were exchanged between father and son can only be guessed at, and are unlikely to ever be made public. But it was a sombre Charles who emerged with, according to photographers waiting outside, tears glistening in his eyes. » | Caroline Davies | Monday, April 12, 2021

’My Dear Papa Was a Very Special Person,’ Prince Charles Says

Prince Charles spoke in Tetbury, England, on Saturday about the life of his father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died on Friday at 99.

Prince Philip: An Extraordinary Man Who Led an Extraordinary Life

BBC: He outlived nearly everyone who knew him and might explain him.

And so we have been left with a two-dimensional portrait of the duke; salt-tongued and short-tempered, a man who told off-colour jokes and made politically incorrect remarks, an eccentric great-uncle who'd been around forever and towards whom most people felt affection - but who rather too often embarrassed himself and others in company.

With his death will come reassessment. Because Prince Philip was an extraordinary man who lived an extraordinary life; a life intimately connected with the sweeping changes of our turbulent 20th Century, a life of fascinating contrast and contradiction, of service and some degree of solitude. A complex, clever, eternally restless man.

His mother and father met at the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901. At a time when all but four of Europe's nations were monarchies, his relatives were scattered through European royalty. Some royal houses were swept away by World War One; but the world into which Philip was born was still one where monarchies were the norm. His grandfather was the King of Greece; his great-aunt Ella was murdered along with the Russian tsar, by the Bolsheviks, at Ekaterinberg; his mother was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

His four older sisters would all marry Germans. While Philip fought for Britain in the Royal Navy, three of his sisters actively supported the Nazi cause; none would be invited to his wedding. » | Jonny Dymond, Royal correspondent | Friday, April 9, 2021

'Cherish the Memories' – Prince Philip

BBC: Extract: “Prince Philip had blood ties with a number of former or current European royal households, and many of their members have been sending condolences.

The telegram from King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain was particularly poignant, sending "all our love and affection" to Aunt Lilibet (the affectionate name used by the duke for his wife) and Dear Uncle Philip.

"We shall never forget the moments that we shared with him and the legacy of service and dedication to the Crown and the United Kingdom by your side," they told the Queen.

Sweden's King Carl Gustaf was also moved, saying the duke had been "a great friend of our family for many years, a relation we have deeply valued".

Swedish royal family spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren told the BBC the king and the duke had sailed together in England, adding: "That was the start of a great friendship between them."

The Dutch royal family said they remembered Prince Philip with great respect, adding: "He dedicated his long life to the service of the British people and to his many duties and responsibilities. His lively personality made an indelible impression."

Belgium's King Philippe said he and Queen Mathilde would "always cherish the memories of our warm encounters". Prince Philip: World leaders and royals send heartfelt sympathy » | Friday, April 9, 2021

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Obituary

THE GUARDIAN: Prince Philip was the longest-serving consort of a British monarch, described by the Queen as her ‘strength and stay’

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has died aged 99, was the Queen’s husband for 73 years. He was the longest-serving royal consort in British history, the family’s patriarch and a well-known figure in public life for two-thirds of a century until his final disappearance into seclusion in 2019.

This was a marathon stint on which he had originally embarked with resignation, in the belief that a life of walking several steps behind his wife, curbing his opinions – though not always his tongue – and being an appendage to the institution, without even being able to pass on his surname to his children, would turn him into “nothing but a bloody amoeba”.

Things did not work out that badly. He brought a relaxed, mostly affable, peppery, outspoken – and occasionally brusque – style to a ceremonial monarchy that would have been more hidebound, introverted, insipid and decidedly stuffy without him. He introduced badly needed fresh air into the royal family but, while his longevity ensured that he became an integral part of the family firm, he clearly never forgot his initial, impecunious, foreign and outsider status within the institution.

His dutiful support for his wife and his engagement in public visits, ceremonial occasions and foreign trips continued well into old age. In 2011, he said in a television interview that he was winding down, but it was not until 2017 that he completed his final public engagement and it was only in January 2019, when he gave up driving after causing a car crash near the Sandringham estate, that he disappeared from view. He became the focus of attention again in February 2021, when he went into King Edward VII’s hospital in central London after an infection. » | Stephen Bates | Friday, April 9, 2021

Yanis Varoufakis: Capitalism Has Become 'Techno-feudalism' | UpFront

A recent Oxfam study found that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s richest 10 billionaires have seen a wealth increase of half a trillion dollars – enough to pay for every person on the planet to get a vaccine.

In this UpFront special, Marc Lamont Hill discusses with economist and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis what is driving the staggering wealth inequalities and how governments are offering socialism for the rich, and austerity for the rest.

Jordan Bans Coverage of Alleged Plot Involving Prince Hamzah

THE GUARDIAN: Information clampdown to keep investigation into king’s half-brother ‘secret’, says prosecutor general

The prosecutor general in Jordan’s capital, Amman, has banned the publication of any information about an alleged plot said to involve the king’s half-brother, Prince Hamzah, state television said.

“In order to keep the security services’ investigation into Prince Hamzah and the others secret, [it is decided] to ban the publication of anything related to this inquiry at this stage,” the prosecutor Hassan al-Abdallat said.

“The ban on publication involves all audiovisual media and social networks, as well as the publication of all images or video clips relating to this subject on pain of legal action,” he said in a statement shown on television. » | Agence France-Presse in Amman | Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Alexei Navalny 'Seriously Ill' on Prison Sick Ward, Says Lawyer

THE GUARDIAN: Russian opposition figure has fever, cough and has lost weight, according to legal team member who visited him

Alexei Navalny’s lawyer has confirmed that the opposition leader is “seriously ill” after reports emerged that he had been transferred to a prison sick ward for a respiratory illness and had been tested for coronavirus.

The Kremlin critic said in a note published on Monday that he was coughing and had a temperature of 38.1C (100.6F). Several prisoners from his ward had already been treated in hospital for tuberculosis, Navalny wrote. Hours later, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported he had been moved to a sick ward and tested for coronavirus, among other diseases.

On Tuesday, Russian police arrested several Navalny supporters who had travelled to the prison 60 miles east of Moscow to petition for him to receive proper medical care. Anastasia Vasilyeva, the head of the Russian Doctors’ Alliance, along with three other members of the renegade medical union were arrested. Reporters for CNN and for Belsat, a Russian-language television channel based in Poland, were also briefly detained. » | Andrew Roth in Moscow | Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Leaving the Ultra-Orthodox – Jews Seeking a New Life in Germany | DW Documentary

ncreasing numbers of Jews have been leaving ultra-orthodox communities in recent years. Surprisingly, Germany has become a popular refuge for them. Rabbi Akiva Weingarten has been helping them.

More than 1.3 million Jews live in ultra-orthodox communities worldwide. It’s a kind of parallel universe — in which only God’s laws count. Every aspect of everyday life is clearly regulated: The women are responsible for the home and for looking after the children while the men devote their lives to religious study. But some ten percent of ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel go on to quit their communities - and that figure is growing. The majority are young adults and, surprisingly, many come to Germany. Akiva Weingarten was one of them. He grew up in an ultra-orthodox Satmar community in New York State but made a radical break in 2014. He left his wife and children and started a new life in Berlin - without a credit card, a bank account or a job, or any relatives to fall back on. He is now surrounded by a free community of former ultra-orthodox Jews - who turn to the rabbi for practical and religious advice. Moshe Barnett and David Lamberger have only been flat mates in Dresden for a few months now. They are not just seeking a new life, but a new relationship with God.

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah Pledges Loyalty to Half-brother King Abdullah

THE GUARDIAN: Palace turmoil eases as former crown prince vows to remain ‘faithful to the legacy of my ancestors’

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah has pledged loyalty to the king as the monarch accepted mediation over a rift within the royal family that saw the prince placed under house arrest, the palace said.

The government has accused Hamzah, an ex-crown prince and half-brother of King Abdullah II, of a “wicked” plot and involvement in a seditious conspiracy to “destabilise the kingdom’s security”.

Hamzah, detained along with at least 16 others, had earlier struck a defiant tone saying he had been placed under house arrest inside his Amman palace, but insisting he would not obey orders restricting his movement.

But in an apparent easing of the palace turmoil, the 41-year-old prince pledged his backing to King Abdullah. “I will remain … faithful to the legacy of my ancestors, walking on their path, loyal to their path and their message and to His Majesty,” he said in a signed letter, quoted by the palace.

“I will always be ready to help and support His Majesty the King and his Crown Prince,” he is quoted as writing. » | Agence France-Presse | Monday, April 5, 2021

Jordan Accuses Prince Hamzah of 'Malicious Plot' to Destabilize Kingdom | DW News

Jordan says it has foiled a plot by a former crown prince to destabilize the kingdom. The government maintains Hamzah bin Hussein and others were undermining security with the help of foreign powers. As many as twenty high level officials have been arrested. Hamzah denies being part of a conspiracy, and says he is being silenced.

According to Jordan security officials, the King's half-brother had been under investigation for some time. The country's foreign minister said the former crown prince was trying to mobilize tribal leaders against the government - with support from abroad. Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and another member of the royal family were arrested.

The military initially denied arresting Hamzah bin Hussein - but said it had issued him a warning for his actions. But in a video statement sent to media on Saturday Prince Hamzah claimed he had been placed under house arrest for associating with critics of the royal family.

Though he no longer holds an official title, Hamzah remains a popular figure in the country. And many see stability in King Abdullah the second. He has enjoyed widespread popularity during his reign.

Jordan is widely seen as an island of calm in a troubled region - strategically located between Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The US, UK and several Arab nations have all expressed their full support for the reigning monarch.

But COVID-19 has hit the country's economy hard. Unemployment and poverty is on the rise, stoking domestic discontent.

From the 60 Minutes Archive: Steve Jobs

On the 45th anniversary of the founding of Apple, a look back at the 2011 profile of Steve Jobs, which aired just weeks after his death.

Jordan Says Prince Liaised with 'Foreign Parties' over Plot to Destabilize Country

The half-brother and former heir of Jordan's King Abdullah, Prince Hamza, liaised with foreign parties over a plot to destabilize the country and has been under investigation for some time, the deputy prime minister said on Sunday. Video by JORDANIAN PRIME MINISTRY / REUTERS

Jordanien: Wie König Abdullah seine Macht bewahren will

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der jordanische Prinz Hamsa bin Hussein ist in Hausarrest, mehrere seiner Getreuen wurden verhaftet. Planten sie einen Putsch gegen den politisch ohnehin geschwächten König?

Eine Satellitenverbindung war dem Prinzen noch geblieben. Über diese setzte Hamsa Bin Hussein, ein Halbbruder des jordanischen Königs, sein vorerst letztes Handyvideo in die Welt. Darin beschrieb Prinz Hamsa in englischer Sprache einen Besuch des Generalstabschefs, der ihm verboten habe, das Haus zu verlassen. Er sagte, seine Kommunikation werde abgeschnitten und viele seiner Bekannten und Freunde seien verhaftet worden. Der Vorwurf lautete: Er habe an Treffen teilgenommen, an denen König Abdullah II. und die Regierung Jordaniens kritisiert worden seien.

Jordaniens Sicherheitskräfte hatten am Samstag in Amman den Palast von Prinz Hamsa gestürmt. Die Behörden teilten mit, Hamsa sei nicht verhaftet worden. Gleichwohl scheint sich dieser in Hausarrest zu befinden. Nach Angaben der staatlichen Nachrichtenagentur Petra wurden 20 Personen verhaftet, unter ihnen zwei Vertraute des Prinzen. Dass damit Planungen eines Putschversuchs vereitelt worden sein könnten, darauf könnte eine Mitteilung des Generalstabs deuten. In der heißt es, Hamsa sei aufgefordert worden, „Bewegungen und Aktivitäten einzustellen, welche die Sicherheit und die Stabilität Jordaniens treffen sollten“. Hamsa dementierte, dass er Teil einer Verschwörung gegen den König sei. » | Von Jochen Stahnke und Rainer Hermann | Quelle: FAZ.NET | Montag, 5. April 2021

Jordan's Prince Hamzah Defiant after Being Put under House Arrest

THE GUARDIAN: King Abdullah’s half-brother says he will disobey the army’s orders not to communicate with outside world

Jordan’s estranged Prince Hamzah bin Hussein has said in a voice recording that he will disobey orders by the army not to communicate with the outside world after he was put under house arrest.

The half-brother of King Abdullah and the former heir to the throne said in the recording released on Monday by the country’s opposition that he would not comply after being barred from any activities and told to keep quiet.

“I am going to escalate and won’t obey when they tell you you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people and are only allowed to see the family,” he said in the recording he circulated to friends and contacts. » | Reuters | Monday, April 5, 2021