Bigger Than Five Review 2017

Conversion by Aversion? Featuring Arnoud van Doorn, Former Member of the Dutch Freedom Party

‘I Felt the Hatred’, Says Philosopher Attacked by Gilets Jaunes

THE OBSERVER: Alain Finkielkraut says the protester who screamed ‘go back to Tel Aviv’ is part of a new wave of antisemitism

The French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut is at home: an airy apartment with walls packed floor to ceiling with books in one of Paris’s more chic arrondissements.

Today, however, the writer and commentator does not feel entirely at home in France. That feeling was heightened dramatically when, last weekend, a gilet jaune protester shouted at him that he was a “dirty Zionist shit” who should “go back to Tel Aviv”.

“I am home, but not to these people. Those who shout ‘go back to Tel Aviv’ believe Israel is stolen land, so what they are saying is that I have no place here, I have no place there … that I have no place on earth,” he told the Observer.

It is all part of what he calls “new winds blowing across Europe. Where are they taking us? Nobody knows,” he said. “It’s very worrying.” » | Kim Willsher in Paris | Sunday, February 24, 2019

How Much of a Problem Is Anti-Semitism in Europe? l Inside Story

French President Emmanuel Macron introduced a bill this week that would make anti-Zionism a criminal offence. Anti-Semitism, hostility and prejudice directed against Jewish people, is already illegal in France.

Anti-Zionism, opposition to the state of Israel, could now follow. Elsewhere in Europe, 12 MPs resigned from their parties in the UK, citing the failure to deal with anti-Semitism as one of the reasons. The EU says hate speech and harassment are becoming the new norm. So why are Jewish people being singled out?

Presenter: Hoda Abdelhamid | Guests Yossi Mekelburg, professor in International Relations at Regent's University; Michal Bilewicz, Chair at the Center for Research on Prejudice at the University of Warsaw; Hugo Drochon, Political Theorist at the University of Nottingham

Maduro bricht die diplomatischen Beziehungen zu Kolumbien ab – die neuesten Entwicklungen in Venezuela im Überblick

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der Streit um die humanitäre Hilfe droht zu eskalieren.

Der venezolanische Präsident Nicolás Maduro hat am Samstag bekannt gegeben, dass Venezuela die diplomatischen Beziehungen zum Nachbarland Kolumbien abgebrochen habe. Bei einer Kundgebung in der Hauptstadt Caracas kritisierte Maduro am Samstag, die «faschistische Regierung von Kolumbien». Diese habe die vom selbsternannten Übergangspräsidenten Juan Guaidó initiierten ausländischen Hilfslieferungen nach Venezuela aktiv unterstützt. Deswegen müssten alle diplomatischen Vertreter des Nachbarlandes Venezuela binnen 24 Stunden verlassen, sagte Maduro. » | Tobias Sedlmaier, Boas Ruh (Agenturen) | Samstag, 23. Februar 2019

Opinion: The Grave Threats of White Supremacy and Far-Right Extremism

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Hate crimes are on the rise. Police and prosecutors need better tools to fight back.

Last week, federal agents in Maryland arrested a United States Coast Guard officer and said he was plotting to assassinate Democratic members of Congress, prominent television journalists and others. The officer, Lt. Christopher Hasson, apparently was inspired by a right-wing Norwegian terrorist who slaughtered 77 people in 2011, stockpiled firearms and ammunition and researched locations around Washington to launch his attacks, according to investigators. Fortunately, the F.B.I. arrested him before he could act.

This frightening case is just one of several recent reminders that white supremacy and far-right extremism are among the greatest domestic-security threats facing the United States. » | Thomas T. Cullen | Mr. Cullen is the United States attorney for the Western District of Virginia. | Friday, February 22, 2019

Saudi Crown Prince Defends China's Right to Put Uighur Muslims in Concentration Camps

THE TELEGRAPH: Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’’s crown prince, on Friday defended China’s use of concentration camps for Muslims, saying it was Beijing’s “right”.

"China has the right to carry out anti-terrorism and de-extremisation work for its national security,” Prince Mohammed, who has been in China signing multi-million trade deals much to the annoyance of his Western allies, was quoted as saying on Chinese state television.

Xi Jinping, China’s leader, told the crown prince the two countries must strengthen international cooperation on de-radicalisation to “prevent the infiltration and spread of extremist thinking”. » | Telegraph Reporters | Friday, February 22, 2019

Jared Kushner Heads Overseas To Suck Up To Saudi Royal Family

UN Concludes Journalist Khashoggi Murder Was Premeditated by Saudi Arabia Leadership

Via America’s Lawyer: UN investigators have concluded that not only did the Saudi Arabia's leadership have journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed, but that the murder was premeditated. Mike Papantonio and Trial Magazine Executive Editor Farron Cousins discuss.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 22, 2019

Chuka Umunna MP on Leaving Labour, a New Centrist Party and a Second Brexit Referendum

Chuka Umunna is one of the leading members of the new Independent Group - one of now 11 MPs to leave the traditional parties to forge what they call a new centre ground in politics. He talks to Krishnan about what motivated him to take the leap, what an alternative to left/right politics might look like and why he thinks Britain should stay in the EU.

Maajid Explains Why Love Kept Him Sane after Racist Attack

Maajid Nawaz explains why he will not 'harbour hatred' after he was subjected to a violent racist attack. Phil Campion says the assault Maajid suffered was "completely inexcusable".

Church of England Makes Sunday Services Non-compulsory

THE GUARDIAN: Synod approves change to ease burden on rural priests, who may have up to 20 churches

The Church of England has dropped a centuries-old requirement for all churches to hold weekly Sunday services.

Its general synod, meeting in London this week, formally approved a change to canon law to relax the requirement for morning and evening prayer in every parish church every Sunday.

The change, which will also apply to services of Holy Communion, will mainly affect parishes with small and declining congregations in rural areas.

Most rural priests have multiple benefices, with some in charge of up to 20 churches, but were required to maintain regular services even if only a handful of worshippers turned up. » | Harriet Sherwood, Religion correspondent | Thursday, February 21, 2019

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 21, 2019

Trump Admin’s Secretive Talks to Sell Saudi Arabia Nuclear Technology Spark New Fear of Arms Race

House Democrats are accusing the Trump administration of moving toward transferring highly sensitive nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of US law. Critics say the deal could endanger national security while enriching close allies of President Trump. Saudi Arabia is considering building as many as 16 nuclear power plants by 2030, but many critics fear the Kingdom could use the technology to develop nuclear weapons and trigger a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. We speak with Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna of California and Isaac Arnsdorf, a reporter with ProPublica. Arnsdorf first wrote about the intense and secretive lobbying effort to give nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in 2017. His reporting was cited in the House report.

Antisemitism at Worst Levels Since Second World War, Says Macron

THE GUARDIAN: French president says his party will introduce legislation to combat hate speech online

Antisemitism appears to have reached its worst levels since the second world war, Emmanuel Macron told Jewish community leaders on Wednesday, a day after thousands of people took to the streets in France to denounce hate crimes.

The French government is to adopt the intergovernmental organisation International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and propose a law to stop hate speech being circulated online, the French president said.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the Jewish organisation Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (Crif), Macron said his country and other parts of Europe had in recent years seen “a resurgence of antisemitism that is probably unprecedented since [the second world war]”. » | Agencies | Thursday, February 21, 2019

Can Bernie Sanders Win against Donald Trump? l Inside Story

In 2016, Bernie Sanders started what he called a 'revolution' as an independent candidate. He ran for US president on a platform of progressive ideas such as free healthcare for all but eventually lost the Democratic nomination to Hillary Clinton.

The 77-year-old is making a second attempt, launching his campaign to be Democratic candidate in 2020 and believes he still has what it takes to win the White House. He's described Donald Trump as the most dangerous president in modern American history.

The list for the Democratic primary looks a crowded one and one of the most diverse ever. At least 12 candidates have confirmed they'll run so far - dozens more have still to decide.

There are already a record number of women, vast age differences between candidates, and ethnic minorities. But have any of them got what it will take to face up to Trump?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra | Guests: Jeffrey Stacey - Former State Department Official in the Obama Administration; Adam Quinn - Senior Lecturer in American Politics, University of Birmingham; Rina Shah - Republican Strategist and Consultant

Saudi Scholar: My Father Faces the Death Penalty in Saudi Arabia for Supporting Human Rights

While the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October sparked international outrage, far less attention has been paid to the ongoing Saudi repression at home. We speak with Abdullah Alaoudh, whose father has been locked up in solitary confinement in Saudi Arabia for his political activism since September 2017. Prior to his arrest, prominent Islamic scholar Salman Alodah had been a vocal critic of the Saudi monarchy who had called for elections with 14 million Twitter followers. But for the past 17 months, Salman Alodah has been silenced. He was one of dozens of religious figures, writers, journalists, academics and civic activists arrested as part of a crackdown on dissent in 2017 overseen by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. We speak with Alodah’s son Abdullah Alaoudh. He is a senior fellow at Georgetown University in the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 20, 2019

Karl Lagerfeld - German Fashion Designer and Icon | DW Documentary

The German-born designer Karl Lagerfeld has died at the age of 85. He was a designer, an artist and a fashion icon. For this sad occasion we recommend a portrait DW made in 2014.

No living fashion designer, let alone a German one, was as celebrated as Karl Lagerfeld. On September 10, 2018 the man with the trademark ponytail and sunglasses celebrated his 85th birthday. From dawn to late morning, Karl Lagerfeld designs for Chanel, Fendi and his own signature brand - a combined workload of up to 15 collections a year. A workhorse who never takes breaks or even a vacation, he is also a photographer and filmmaker. His passion for fashion was awakened by a Dior show in Hamburg in 1950. Four years later, at the age of 17, Karl Lagerfeld was hired as an assistant to Pierre Balmain. Karl Lagerfeld recounts his beginnings in the industry, as well as his upper class background and childhood in Schleswig-Holstein. Karl Lagerfeld was greatly influenced by his mother, whom he describes as his personal style icon. Karl Lagerfeld's caustic comments were notorious and dreaded by those at the receiving end. As an artist, Karl Lagerfeld worked in several media, from pictures and photographs to book illustrations and videos. The documentary of 2015 follows Karl Lagerfeld to exhibition openings, during the hectic preparations for his fashion shows, and at photo shoots in Paris as it seeks to uncover the man behind the mask.

Bernie Sanders: End US Arms Sales to Saudis and Support for its Yemen War

TRNN Replay: At the Sanders Institute Gathering, Sen. Sanders joins Paul Jay to discuss his Senate resolution to end US support for the Saudi war in Yemen

Shamima Begum Has UK Citizenship Revoked by British Government, ITV News Learns | ITV News

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 19, 2019

Türkei: Führende Ex-Mitarbeiter von "Cumhuriyet" müssen ins Gefängnis

DIE PRESSE: Das türkische Berufungsgericht bestätigte die Urteile gegen 14 Angeklagte, die der türkischen Regierung zufolge Unterstützer der Gülen-Bewegung und der PKK sein sollen.

Führende Ex-Mitarbeiter und Journalisten der regierungskritischen türkischen Zeitung "Cumhuriyet" müssen nach einem gescheiterten Berufungsverfahren ins Gefängnis. Das Berufungsgericht in Istanbul wies den Einspruch der 14 Angeklagten zurück, die im vergangenen April zu teils mehrjährigen Haftstrafen verurteilt worden waren. » | APA/AFP/dpa | Dienstag, 19. Februar 2019

Former IS Bride: Shamima Begum Should Ask for 'Mercy'

Tania Joya has first hand experience of fleeing the Islamic State after she was married to one of the most influential American-born members of IS in Syria.

Ms Joya believes that like herself, Shamima Begum has been "deceived to believe" in a utopia that simply doesn't exist and that she can be helped if she asks for "mercy".

Shamima Begum: 'I didn't want to be IS poster girl' - BBC News

In an interview with the BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville, Shamima Begum - the schoolgirl who fled London to join the Islamic State group in Syria - has said she never wanted to be an IS "poster girl".

Ms Begum, who has just given birth, said she now wants the UK's forgiveness and supports "some British values".

She told the BBC while it was "wrong" innocent people died in the 2017 Manchester attack, it was "kind of retaliation" for attacks on IS.

The 19-year-old left Bethnal Green four years ago with two school friends

Shamima Begum: I Didn't Do Anything Dangerous

Sky News has spoken exclusively to Shamima Begum, the British schoolgirl who left the UK to join Islamic State when she was 15.

Now aged 19, she has given birth to a baby boy and she wants to return to the UK.

She says she knew about IS executions before she left for Syria, and thinks that people should have sympathy 'for everything [she has] been through'.

'A Woman's Life in Saudi Arabia Is Determined by the Roll of a Dice'

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — February 18, 2019

Mike Pence Met With Silence; Angela Merkel Hammers President Donald Trump | Morning Joe | MSNBC

While speaking at the 55th Munich Security Conference, VP Mike Pence was met with silence after mentioning President Trump. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel criticized the Trump administration's foreign policies.

Where Is the Missing Wife of Scientology's Ruthless Leader? | 60 Minutes Australia

Rift Between Trump and Europe Is Now Open and Angry

THE NEW YORK TIMES: MUNICH — European leaders have long been alarmed that President Trump’s words and Twitter messages could undo a trans-Atlantic alliance that had grown stronger over seven decades. They had clung to the hope that those ties would bear up under the strain.

But in the last few days of a prestigious annual security conference in Munich, the rift between Europe and the Trump administration became open, angry and concrete, diplomats and analysts say.

A senior German official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on such matters, shrugged his shoulders and said: “No one any longer believes that Trump cares about the views or interests of the allies. It’s broken.”

The most immediate danger, diplomats and intelligence officials warned, is that the trans-Atlantic fissures now risk being exploited by Russia and China. » | Steven Erlanger and Katrin Bennhold | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Macron Condemns Antisemitic Abuse During gilets jaunes Paris Protest

THE GUARDIAN: Police protect philosopher Alain Finkielkraut after he is targeted during 14th weekend of protests

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has condemned antisemitic abuse of a leading intellectual by gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protesters and said it would not be tolerated.

Police intervened to protect philosopher and writer Alain Finkielkraut after he was targeted by a group of protesters on the fringe of a demonstration in central Paris on Saturday, according to videos posted on social networks.

“The antisemitic insults he has been subjected to are the absolute negation of what we are and what makes us a great nation. We will not tolerate it,” Macron tweeted.

“The son of Polish immigrants who became a French academician, Alain Finkielkraut is not only a prominent man of letters but the symbol of what the Republic allows everyone,” the president added in another tweet.

Several protesters shouted “dirty Zionist”, “we are the people” and “France is ours”, according to a video broadcast by Yahoo! News. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Third of Britons Believe Islam Threatens British Way of Life, Says Report

THE GUARDIAN: Anti-Muslim prejudice replacing immigration as key driver of far-right growth

More than a third of people in the UK think that Islam is a threat to the British way of life, according to a report by the anti-fascist group Hope not Hate.

The organisation’s annual “State of Hate” report, which will be launched on Monday, argues that anti-Muslim prejudice has replaced immigration as the key driver of far right growth.

In polling conducted by the group in July last year, 35% of people thought Islam was generally a threat to the British way of life, compared with 30% who thought it was generally compatible. Forty-nine per cent of those who voted Conservative in the 2017 general election shared thought it was generally incompatible, while 21% of Labour voters did. » | Frances Perraudin | Sunday, February 17, 2019

Lee Radziwill, Jackie Kennedy's Younger Sister, Dies Aged 85

THE GUARDIAN: Radziwill, born Caroline Lee Bouvier in 1933, was a successful interior designer and PR executive in the fashion industry

The American socialite Lee Radziwill, who was Jackie Kennedy’s younger sister, has died. She was 85.

The website WWD reported the news, saying Radziwill died at home in New York City on Friday. The cause of death was not immediately known.

Radziwill was born Caroline Lee Bouvier in 1933, four years after her sister. Briefly and unsuccessfully an actor, she achieved success as an interior designer and public relations executive in the fashion industry, working for Giorgio Armani. » \ Martin Pengelly in New York | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Karl Marx's London Memorial Vandalised for Second Time

THE GUARDIAN: The words ‘doctrine of hate’ and ‘architect of genocide’ were painted on Highgate cemetery memorial

The tomb of Karl Marx in Highgate cemetery in London has been vandalised for the second time in the space of a month.

The words “doctrine of hate” and “architect of genocide” were found daubed in red paint across the Grade I-listed monument in the north London graveyard on Saturday.

The latest attack comes less than two weeks after the marble plaque on the tomb was defaced by an apparent attempt to scrape and chip Marx’s name off the marble slab with a hammer. » | Ruth Quinn | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Mike Pence Rebukes European Powers over Iran and Venezuela

US vice-president rebuked European powers over Iran and Venezuela on Saturday, in a renewed attack on traditional US allies, rejecting a call by Germany’s chancellor to include Russia in global cooperation efforts. Describing the results of Donald Trump’s presidency as 'remarkable' and 'extraordinary', the vice-president told senior European and Asian officials the European Union should follow the US in quitting the Iran nuclear deal and recognising the head of Venezuela’s congress, Juan Guaidó, as president Pence hails 'remarkable, extraordinary' Trump tenure in attack on US allies

Rede der Kanzlerin: Merkel live auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz

Bundeskanzlerin Merkel hält eine Rede auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz. Merkel hat bereits angekündigt, dass sie ein Plädoyer für den sogenannten Multilateralismus halten will. Das dürfte als Reaktion auf Trumps "Amerika zuerst"-Außenpolitik verstanden werden.

THE GUARDIAN: Angela Merkel criticises US isolationism, urging 'win-win solutions' »

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Merkel Rejects U.S. Demands That Europe Pull Out of Iran Nuclear Deal »

UK's Saudi Weapons Sales Unlawful, Lords Committee Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Report finds UK arms ‘highly likely to be cause of significant civilian casualties in Yemen’

The UK is on “the wrong side of the law” by sanctioning arms exports to Saudi Arabia for the war in Yemen and should suspend some of the export licences, an all-party Lords committee has said.

The report by the international relations select committee says ministers are not making independent checks to see if arms supplied by the UK are being used in breach of the law, but is instead relying on inadequate investigations by the Saudis, its allies in the war.

It describes the humanitarian plight of Yemenis as “unconscionable”. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Saturday, February 16, 2019

Saudi Women, Unveiled

A 60 Minutes team returns from Saudi Arabia and talks about how the society is changing, especially for women

'Why I Fled Saudi Arabia and Sought Asylum in the UK' - BBC News

Hundreds of Saudi women flee the conservative kingdom every year and run away to Western countries over allegations of domestic abuse and oppression back home. One popular destination is the UK, where dozens seek asylum every year. Hanan Razek met two people who explain how they risked everything to flee from Saudi Arabia. Produced by: Dina Demrdash

Pelosi Slams Trump's National Emergency over Border Wall

Responding to Donald Trump's decision to declare a national emergency to fund his border wall with Mexico, House speaker Nancy Pelosi says he is setting a precedent that should be met with 'great unease and dismay' and the Democrats are considering making a legal challenge. 'You want to talk about a national emergency? Let’s talk about today,' Pelosi adds, noting that it is the first anniversary of the massacre at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school, in which 17 people died

German Minister Calls for Ban on Conversion Therapy

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Homosexuality is not an illness,’ says gay health minister Jens Spahn

The German health minister, Jens Spahn, has said that he will seek to ban “conversion therapies” that claim to change sexual orientation.

“Homosexuality is not an illness, which is why it does not need to be treated,” Spahn, who is gay himself, told the left-leaning Berlin daily Die Tageszeitung.

He hoped that a German law banning such therapies could be adopted by the summer. » | Agence France-Presse | Friday, February 15, 2019

David Gergen: There's No Border Emergency, It's a Fake

CNN's David Gergen says that President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration is different than ones made by presidents in the past because there is no emergency.

Antisemitism Rising Sharply across Europe, Latest Figures Show

THE GUARDIAN: France reports 74% rise in offences against Jews and Germany records 60% surge in violent attacks

Antisemitism is rising sharply across Europe, experts have said, as France reported a 74% increase in the number of offences against Jews last year and Germany said the number of violent antisemitic attacks had surged by more than 60%.

The figures confirm the results of three recent Europe-wide surveys showing Jewish people feel at greater risk, and are experiencing markedly more aggression, amid a generalised increase in racist hate speech and violence in a significantly coarser, more polarised political environment.

France’s interior ministry said this week that recorded incidents of antisemitism rose to 541 last year from 311 in 2017, while the German government said offences motivated by hatred of Jews hit a 10-year high of 1,646 in 2018. Physical attacks rose from 37 to 62, leaving 43 people needing medical treatment. » | Jon Henley, European affairs correspondent | Friday, February 15, 2019

Trump Will Declare National Emergency to Fund Border Wall, Says White House

THE GUARDIAN: Trump is also expected to sign a funding bill that will prevent another government shutdown

The White House said it is going to declare a national emergency on America’s southern border as a way of funding Donald Trump’s long-promised border wall with Mexico.

The announcement came just before the Senate voted 83 to 16 to advance a spending package designed to prevent another government shutdown. The House will take up the bill later evening and Trump has said he will sign it.

“President Trump will sign the government funding bill, and as he has stated before, he will also take other executive action – including a national emergency – to ensure we stop the national security and humanitarian crisis at the border. The President is once again delivering on his promise to build the wall, protect the border, and secure our great country,” the White House said in a statement. » | Ben Jacobs and Lauren Gambino in Washington | Thursday, February 14, 2019

Saudi Crown Prince Won't Be Standing On The Holy Mosque For Long - Imminent Regime Change!