Jesus' Female Disciples | Biblical Documentary | Timeline

Theologians Helen Bond and Joan Taylor embark on a journey around the world in search of evidence of the role played by women in the beginnings of Christianity. Their quest takes them from ancient caves in Israel to catacombs in Italy, and leads them to question centuries of Christian ideology.

'Whimsical, Uninformed': French Ambassador's Parting Verdict on Trump

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Gérard Araud compares regime to court of Louis XIV and warns UK over post-Brexit trade

The outgoing French ambassador to the US has compared the Trump administration to the court of King Louis XIV, filled with courtiers trying to interpret the caprices of a “whimsical, unpredictable, uninformed” leader.

Gérard Araud, who retires on Friday after a 37-year career that included some of the top jobs in French diplomacy, said Donald Trump’s unpredictability and his single-minded transactional interpretation of US interests was leaving the administration isolated on the world stage.

“When they say ‘America first’, it’s America alone,” Araud said in an interview with the Guardian. “Basically, this president and this administration don’t have allies, don’t have friends. It’s really [about] bilateral relationships on the basis of the balance of power and the defence of narrow American interest.”

He cautioned the UK against expecting any special treatment from Washington in post-Brexit trade talks, predicting that the administration would force London to accept US imports on US terms, such as looser standards for genetically modified organisms (GMOs). » | Julian Borger in Washington | Friday, April 19, 2019

Mueller's Report Would Have Signaled the End for Anyone Other Than Trump

THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: activity discovered by Mueller was not, as Trump and his allies falsely insist, standard stuff for a political campaign

For all his bluster about being a master builder, Donald Trump really made his millions through branding. From chewy steaks to failing casinos, Trump has spent decades putting lucrative lipstick on pigs.

So when faced with a sprawling criminal investigation into how Russiaworked to get him elected – and how he then repeatedly tried to obstruct the inquiry – the president devised a brutally effective public relations campaign.

During his two years under investigation by Robert Mueller, Trump repeated his newest slogan ad nauseum: “no collusion”. Some Americans seemed tricked into forgetting that conduct falling short of that bar could be seriously problematic, too.

Mueller’s 448-page report confirms that his investigators did not find any overarching conspiracy between Trump’s team and Russian operatives.

But it also lays out, in damning detail, how senior Trump advisers acquiesced with Russia’s interference, while Trump simultaneously sought the Kremlin’s approval for a property deal in Moscow that could make him millions of dollars. » | Jon Swaine in New York | Thursday, April 18, 2019

Ivanka Trump Says Father Offered To Give Her World Bank Top Job, But She Passed | TIME

Ivanka Trump says father offered to give her world bank top job, but she passed.

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

Facebook Bans Far-right Groups Including BNP, EDL and Britain First

THE GUARDIAN: Number of organisations and individuals permanently banned for being ‘dangerous’

Facebook has permanently banned a number of far-right organisations and individuals including the British National party (BNP), the English Defence League (EDL) and Britain First under its “dangerous individuals and organisations” policy.

The ban, which came into effect at midday on Thursday, extends beyond the groups and individuals specifically cited as hate organisations: posts and other content that “expresses praise or support” for them will also be banned, as will users who coordinate support for the groups. » | Alex Hern | Thursday, April 18, 2019

Billionaires Face 'Yellow Vest' Scorn over Notre-Dame Pledges

THE TELEGRAPH: Billionaire French tycoons faced a mounting backlash on Wednesday over tax breaks on their huge donations to restore Notre-Dame, as Yellow Vest protestors said the hundreds of millions of euros should be spent on tackling France's social problems.

The contributions to the cathedral's renovation approached €900 million (£780m) on Wednesday as the owners of Chanel and Dior stepped forward with donations along with Disney and the technology giant Apple.

However, the outpouring of cash has angered supporters of France's Yellow Vest movement, which noted that President Emmanuel Macron's "rich friends" stood to receive major tax breaks linked to donations in support of the public good and restoring national treasures.

They also pointed out that the sudden willingness of wealthy businesses to turn out their pockets showed that money was available to boost the French government's coffers. » | James Rothwell and Henry Samuel | Thursday, April 18, 2019

THE TELEGRAPH: Macron plans to shut elite school for future leaders » | Henry Samuel in Paris | Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Pete Buttigieg - Full Interview | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Watch Rachel Maddow's full interview with presidential 2020 hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

Mika: Mayor Pete Buttigieg Exposed Hate With Love | Morning Joe | MSNBC

While campaigning in Iowa, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg calmly faced down anti-gay religious protesters during a rally. The Morning Joe panel compares and contrasts how the 2020 candidate and Donald Trump handle heckling.

Pompeo Is "Setting the Stage for a War with Iran"

In recent congressional testimony, Sec. of State Pompeo linked Iran to al Qaeda and 9/11 and would not say whether he would apply the 2001 war authorization (AUMF) to Iran. Col. Larry Wilkerson discusses the implications

Allocution solennelle suite à l'incendie de la Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — April 16, 2019

Pete Buttigieg: My Husband Will Be an Amazing Father

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg discusses marriage and the prospect of becoming a father with CNN's Poppy Harlow and John Avlon.

Meet Mayor Pete Buttigieg: The Millennial Democrat Running for President

In the US, another Democrat has thrown their hat into the ring to become the nominee for President, but it’s a name many Americans won’t recognise.

Pete Buttigieg, or Mayor Pete as he’s known in the Midwest, is hoping to represent the Democrats and take on Donald Trump in 2020. If elected, the 37-year-old outsider would become America’s first ever gay president.

Warum uns Notre-Dame behrüht: „Da werden Untergangsvorstellungen aktiviert“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Warum trifft es uns so, wenn ein historisches Gebäude brennt? Eine Kulturwissenschaftlerin erklärt, warum Notre-Dame so ikonisch aufgeladen ist – und woher die Verschwörungstheorien um den Brand rühren.

Frau Horstkotte, als Notre-Dame am Montagabend brannte, standen die Pariser scharenweise auf den Straßen, schauten fassungslos zu. Warum hat das die Menschen so berührt?

Die Zerstörung solch ikonischer Bauwerke, die stark mit Bedeutung aufgeladen sind, ist zunächst einmal visuell sehr eindrucksvoll. Da spielt auch Schaulust eine Rolle, das kennt man von anderen Unfällen. Diese besonders eindrucksvollen Bilder wecken aber besonders starke Emotionen. Die identitätsstiftende Wirkung der Kathedrale Notre-Dame für die Pariser, die französische Nation und für Europa ist dabei auch wichtig. » | von Johanna Dürrholz | Dienstag, 04. April 2019

Notre Dame Cathedral Fire: The World Mourns the Loss of a Paris Icon | DW News

French President Emmanuel Macron is vowing to rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral, after a blaze destroyed much of the 12th-century church late on Monday. The exact cause is still unknown, but firefighters say it is now under control and partially extinguished. Authorities say the cathedral's structure was largely saved, but the fire gutted its roof and caused its spire to collapse. One firefighter was injured during the blaze. Many valuable artworks inside were lost or damaged. And, people around the world are lamenting the devastation of an architectural jewel that has survived well over eight centuries and is a symbol of France's heritage.

Notre-Dame Fire: Pledges to Rebuild Cathedral Pass 600 Million Euros after Donations from French Billionaires - Latest News

THE TELEGRAPH: … Pledges to rebuild Paris's Notre-Dame Cathedral have now topped 600 million euros (£518 million) as French billionaires signalled they would contribute significant donations.

According to AFP, promises made by France's corporations along with the country's richest families have poured in after a devastating fire ravaged the 850-year-old building, leading to fears it could collapse.

Business tycoon Bernard Arnault, and his luxury goods group LVMH, pledged 200 million euros (£173 million) towards the reconstruction of Notre Dame, while a billionaire fashion mogul, Francois Pinault, said he would give 100 million euro (£86 million) to the cause.

French President Emmanuel Macron last night launched a fund-raising campaign to rebuild the national landmark. » | Chris Graham, David Chazan and Jamie Bullen | Tuesday, April 16, 2019

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A France in Turmoil Weeps for a Symbol of Paris’s Enduring Identity » | Michael Kimmelman | Monday, April 15, 2019

On Contact: Assange with Vijay Prashad

The arrest of Julian Assange eviscerates all pretense of the rule of law and the rights of a free press. Joining Chris Hedges to discuss the arrest and pending extradition of Julian Assange is the historian Vijay Prashad.

Insight: Hitler Hunter | UNILAD Original Documentary

Hitler killed himself with his wife Eva Braun in his bunker in 1945 right? Think again. In UNILADs brand new series Insight, we meet investigative journalist Gerrard Williams, known for his appearances on History channels 'Hunting Hitler' and his book 'Grey Wolf: The Escape of Adolf Hitler'. He talks us through his own research and what he's found on the ground in his hunt to find out what happened to Adolf Hitler.

Notre Dame Fire: Paris Mourns as Emmanuel Macron Commits to Rebuilding the Famous Cathedral

French president declares: 'We will rebuild Notre Dame together' as distraught Parisians and stunned tourists gaze in disbelief at inferno in the 850-year-old Gothic cathedral, which sits on the Île de la Cité in the River Seine. Macron hails the courage of firefighters who saved the façade and main towers from the fire's ravages, which caused the spire to collapse and the roof to fall in. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire which may be linked to renovation work.

THE GUARDIAN: Notre Dame is a warning to Europe: don’t take what you value for granted » | Gilles Gressani and Mathéo Malik | Tuesday, April 16, 2019

The Guardian View on the Notre Dame Fire: We Share France’s Terrible Loss

THE GUARDIAN: One of the great symbols of France has suffered terrible fire damage. The whole of Europe is scarred too

It feels as though the very heart of France and the soul of Europe have been suddenly and viciously ripped out. The fire that coursed through large sections of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday evening was an act of blind and terrible destruction that causes a great stab of emotional pain to us all.

In a frighteningly short time, it gutted and humbled one of the great buildings of Paris, in an act of annihilation of one of the emblematic places of Europe that had survived the brutality of the French revolution and the world wars of the 20th century.

The fire struck quickly and seemingly uncontrollably. It gathered force with immense power and ferocity, engulfing much of the roof and the central spire as it caught hold. The difficulty of marshalling full and effective firefighting operations to protect the building, which is on a small and historic island in the middle of the Seine, was quickly evident and agonizing. » | Editorial | Monday, April 15, 2019

Grey Wolf: The Escape of Adolf Hitler (2012)

Hitler makes a last minute escape to South America where he lives a quiet and peaceful life until his death in 1962. Based on the 2011 book by Simon Dunstan and Gerrard Williams.

Hitler Of The Andes – Conspiracy Documentary | Timeline

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — April 15, 2019

Pompeo and Bolton Push Us Closer to War with Iran

With the United States designating a part of Iran’s military as a terror group, the administration is inching even closer towards a war with Iran. And thanks to a law passed by Congress shortly after the 9/11 attacks, they might be able to do it without having to get approval from Congress first. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains how this new designation could allow the administration to act unilaterally against Iran.

Sultan of Brunei, Who Passed Anti-LGBT Laws, Owns Slew of Luxury UK Properties

THE GUARDIAN: Hassanal Bolkiah, who believes gay people should be stoned to death, is assisted by leading City auditing firms

The architect of new laws mandating the stoning to death of gay people in Brunei has billions of pounds of property wealth in the UK, shares in a leading tech fund and gets assistance from City auditing firms, a Guardian analysis has found.

Hassanal Bolkiah, the sultan of Brunei, owns a slew of properties in the super-rich enclaves of Kensington and Ascot, including luxury hotels and polo parks. One property alone could be worth an estimated £500m in rent each year.

He has also invested millions of pounds in Draper Esprit, a tech-focused venture capital fund with holdings in Trustpilot and the financial services firm Revolut. Until recently his global hotel empire was audited by the accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Bolkiah has become an international pariah for his implementation of sharia laws, including the stoning to death of people thought to be gay or to have committed adultery, in the country he has ruled as a supreme monarch for decades. » | David Pegg, Hilary Osborne and Caelainn Barr | Sunday, April 14, 2019

Steve Bannon Is Going After Pope Francis | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Former adviser to President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, along with other conservatives are taking aim at Pope Francis. NBC News' Richard Engel explains what's driving Bannon.

British PM Tony Blair: Brexit or Not, Britain Will Remain a Great Country | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Former British PM Tony Blair discusses the latest in Brexit, his best guess for what happens in October at the end of the extension, the rise of populism and why he says 'if a populism of the left fights a populism of the right, the right wins.'

Duty to Warn: Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess the “Dangerous Case” of President Trump

We revisit our interview with someone who’s led a discussion of mental health professionals who are deeply concerned about President Trump’s psychological instability. Dr. Bandy Lee is a forensic psychiatrist on the faculty of Yale School of Medicine who organized the “Duty to Warn” conference at Yale and edited the best-selling book, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 27 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President.”

Dr. Bandy Lee declares that she is not representing the views of Yale University, Yale School of Medicine or Yale Department of Psychiatry.


World Mental Health Coalition »

Psychiatrist Bandy Lee On What's Wrong With Trump's Mental Health

Trump has been exhibiting some concerning signs of multiple impairments. John Iadarola and Dr. Bandy Lee break it down on The Damage Report.

'We Are Not Going to Shut Up': New York Protesters Demand Freedom for Assange and Manning

Rally was held at the steps of Times Square in New York on Saturday to protest against the recent detention of Julian Assange. Holding banners and delivering speeches criticizing the Pentagon, protesters demanded freedom for Assange. Assange, who was found guilty of breaching his bail at Westminster Magistrates Court, is facing up to 12 months in jail for breaching bail when he is sentenced at the Crown Court, as well as a formal request by US prosecutors that he be extradited on espionage charges.

Geoffrey Robertson QC: Assange's Arrest a Deterrent to Journalists Exposing US War Crimes!

Next we speak to Geoffrey Robertson QC of Doughty Street Chambers on the arrest of Assange, the legality of the revocation of his asylum status, the legality of the UK complying with the US extradition request and what this episode tells journalists around the world.

Assange Indictment: A Threat to the Foundation of US Democracy?

A panel discussion between FAIR's Jeff Cohen and Jacqueline Luqman, with host Marc Steiner examines whether this is the beginning of an attempt to stop investigative journalists from working with whistleblowers and exposing corruption

Paul Craig Roberts Interview on Julian Assange Arrest, Brexit, Venezuela

My talk with Paul Craig Roberts, secretary to the treasury with Ronald Reagan, about the brutal arrest of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Equadorian Embassy today, we also discuss the suppression of freedom of speech, the Washington coup in Venezuela, and the Brexit façade.

Italy: Steve Bannon's Populist Academy in the Trisulti Monastery | Focus on Europe

Former advisor to US President Donald Trump, Steve Bannon and British right-wing founder of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute have transformed the medieval Trisulti monastery into an academy for nationalist and identitarian populism. Are they lookng to find a right-wing answer to George Soros' Open Society Foundation by emulating it?

Democracy Now! US Trying to Make Assange “Suffer” for Publishing Secrets, His Former Lawyer Says

British human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, who formerly represented Julian Assange, says the WikiLeaks founder has made many enemies, including the governments of Ecuador, Australia, the UK and US."

At the end of the day, you come down to the question of free speech, whether it’s right that a publisher who has received information from sources who want it published ... should be jailed and punished for the efforts he’s made on behalf of free speech," says Robertson.

Marlene Dietrich - No Angel - A Life of Marlene Dietrich

No Angel - A Life of Marlene Dietrich - Documentary

What Does Julian Face in the US? Chris Hedges Explains

Will Julian Assange Be Extradited? | Inside Story

WikiLeaks founder faces an uncertain future after being kicked out of the Ecuadorian embassy in London. For 2,487 days, Julian Assange was within touching distance of the British police, but was always untouchable.

Assange was an unintended guest of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, as he tried to avoid angry governments and accusations of sexual assault and hacking. But on Thursday that all changed, as Ecuador revoked his political asylum, and then allowed police into the embassy, where he was arrested on the spot.

It's a complicated story because there are many allegations across multiple countries. Some have been dropped on technicalities. This first arrest, dramatically played out in front of the media, was for breaching bail and could mean 12 months in prison. But then later Assange was arrested again at the request of the United States, which wants him extradited.

Is this all about freedom of speech? Or about a man hiding from charges against him?

Presenter: Kamahl Santamaria | Guests: Michael Patchett-Joyce, barrister in International and European law; Claire Finkelstein, Professor of Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School; Vaughan Smith, freelance journalist and personal friend of Julian Assange

John Pilger: Julian Assange Exposed US' 'Kill Them All' Mentality!

We speak to legendary journalist and film-maker John Pilger who discusses the arrest of Julian Assange after his asylum status was revoked by Lenin Moreno of Ecuador and subsequent removal from the Ecuadorian Embassy. He discusses the importance of Wikileaks’ work, why it is a threat to the United States, the danger the arrest poses to journalists everywhere and the possibility of extradition to the US.

Amerika und Julian Assange: Aktivist, Journalist, Hochverräter?

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE: Seit Julian Assanges Festnahme ist in den Vereinigten Staaten die Diskussion über die Grenzen der Pressefreiheit neu entbrannt. Donald Trumps Haltung in der Sache ist eindeutig uneindeutig.

Heldenhafter Freiheitskämpfer oder terroristischer Hochverräter? Mit der Festnahme von Julian Assange, die aller Voraussicht nach in seine Auslieferung an die Vereinigten Staaten münden wird, ist in Amerika abermals eine heftige Diskussion um den Wikileaks-Gründer entbrannt. Ob Assange als Held oder Verräter gilt, hängt ganz davon ab, ob die Veröffentlichungen des Australiers als Journalismus eingestuft werden – wie er und seine Befürworter es stets für Wikileaks reklamiert haben. » von Nina Rehfeld, Phoenix | Samstag, 13. April 2019

Steve Bannon ‘Told Italy’s Populist Leader: Pope Francis Is the Enemy’

THE GUARDIAN: Trump’s ex-strategist advised Matteo Salvini ‘to target pontiff’s stance on plight of refugees’

Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon advised Italy’s interior minister Matteo Salvini to attack the pope over the issue of migration, according to sources close to the Italian far right.

During a meeting in Washington in April 2016, Bannon – who would within a few months take up his role as head of Trump’s presidential campaign – suggested the leader of Italy’s anti-immigration League party should start openly targeting Pope Francis, who has made the plight of refugees a cornerstone of his papacy.

“Bannon advised Salvini himself that the actual pope is a sort of enemy. He suggested for sure to attack, frontally,” said a senior League insider with knowledge of the meeting in an interview with the website SourceMaterial. » | Mark Townsend, Home affairs editor | Saturday, April 13, 2019

1944: Language Does Not Lie

Under arrest: The Future of Julian Assange and WikiLeaks | The Listening Post (Full)

Hillary Clinton: Julian Assange Must 'Answer for What He Has Done'

Hillary Clinton told an event in New York that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's arrest was not about 'punishing journalism', and that he should be held to account for the charges against him. WikiLeaks released a cache of hacked Democratic Party emails that embarrassed Clinton's campaign during the 2016 presidential election.

Chomsky: Arrest of Assange Is “Scandalous” and Highlights Shocking Extra-territorial Reach of US

Attorneys for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are vowing to fight his possible extradition to the United States following his arrest in London, when British police forcibly removed Assange from the Ecuadorean Embassy, where he had taken asylum for almost seven years. On Thursday night, Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman spoke to Noam Chomsky about Assange's arrest, WikiLeaks and American power.

Robert Reich: Closing the Border to Mexico Is "Insane"

$1.5 billion dollars per day cross the US-Mexico border and closing it, as Trump has proposed would be "cataclysmic," says former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, whom Laura Carlsen interviewed in Mexico