Tuesday, October 13, 2020

The Secret Princess: King's Love Child in Court Battle for Recognition | 60 Minutes Australia

60 MINUTES reporter Liam Bartlett used to consider the British Royal family to be the masters – and mistresses – of scandal. Now he thinks they may have to hand over their crown to the Belgian Royal family, who have sensationally been ordered to acknowledge and recognise a brand-new princess. However, this decree is not a reason for official celebration on the streets of Brussels because, rather embarrassingly, the new royal is the 52-year-old love child of the former King, Albert II. Back in the 1960s when he was a prince, the supposedly happily married and deeply religious Albert took a long-term lover. Delphine Boel was the surprise consequence of the illicit affair. For most of her life she dutifully kept mum about her lineage, until a bitter falling out with her father changed her mind.

Chyna

China made Trump roll over like a dog.

Il Donald

THE ATLANTIC: The president knows what Mussolini knew: Some audiences crave images that offer false reassurance and over-the-top displays of power.

For reasons that need no elucidation, I spent a few hours this morning watching Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy from 1925 to 1945, performing in the old newsreel clips that now float around the internet. It wasn’t the verbal content I was after, just the imagery. The staged entrances. The gesticulation, the posturing, the arms raised in salute. The beautiful backdrops, the flags hanging from the ancient stone buildings of Rome, Palermo, Verona, Milan.

Il Duce—“the Leader,” the name called out by the crowds in the videos—was a short, balding, unattractive man. But he prepared himself carefully for public appearances, showing a camera awareness ahead of its time. Sometimes he wore suits, but he also wore a wide variety of military uniforms. Presumably to hide his missing hair, he often wore hats—simple berets or more elaborate, ceremonial head coverings, decorated with rooster feathers, animal fur, or national insignia.

He also had a sense of what other kinds of imagery would attract attention. Once, he stripped off his shirt and stacked hay with peasants. He wrestled, playfully, with a young lion. He presided, regally, over the elaborate marriage of his daughter to an Italian aristocrat, Galeazzo Ciano, in a grand society wedding at Saint Peter’s Basilica. Later, he made his son-in-law foreign minister. Later still, in 1944, he had Ciano shot. » \ Anne Applebaum, Staff Writer at The Atlantic | Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Fox & Fiends

Fox News consistently reports lies and reports unverified information as fact. Their “coverage” of Covid19 has revealed just how low they are willing to go to remain in Trump’s good graces.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak Lay Out Plans for New Lockdown

The Prime Minister has announced a new three-tier strategy for local lockdowns in an address to the nation.

Europe's Coronavirus Surge: Governments Struggling to Contain Sike in Infections

Today we are examining the current situation in France & in neighbouring countries with regards to COVID-19. This as the number of new cases across the continent continues to rise at an alarming rate, prompting governments to implement fresh containment measures.

Le bilan économique de Donald Trump anéanti par le Covid-19

LE MONDE: Editorial. Alors que, fin 2019, les taux de chômage et de pauvreté étaient au plus bas aux Etats-Unis, la crise liée à la pandémie a tout changé. L’économie américaine a besoin d’un plan d’aide, qui est, pour l’heure, bloqué par l’opposition entre républicains et démocrates.

Editorial du « Monde ». Donald Trump fait mine de se réjouir du rebond économique des Etats-Unis : en septembre, la première économie du monde avait recréé 11,4 millions d’emplois, la moitié des 22 millions détruits en mars-avril, lorsque éclata la crise du Covid-19. En réalité, ce chiffre est une catastrophe pour le président sortant : jamais le taux de chômage (7,9 %) n’avait été si élevé à la veille d’une élection présidentielle américaine depuis la deuxième guerre mondiale. Donald Trump a perdu l’un de ses arguments de campagne les plus forts, son bilan économique. » | ÉDITORIAL | lundi 12 octobre 2020

People in Gaza Sifting through Rubbish for Food, UN Head Says

THE GUARDIAN: Palestinians across Middle East suffering unprecedented poverty, says Philippe Lazzarini

People in Gaza are searching through rubbish to find food as Palestinians battle unprecedented levels of poverty, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has said.

Across Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Gaza and elsewhere, Palestinian refugees are suffering at new depths because of the pandemic, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency chief, Philippe Lazzarini. “There is despair and hopelessness,” he said in an interview.

“In Gaza, people are going through the garbage,” Lazzarini said, referring to reports from UNRWA staff in the enclave. “More people are fighting to provide one or two meals a day to their families.” » | Oliver Holmes, Jerusalem correspondent | Monday, October 12, 2020

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Velshi: Vice President Pence Missed the Easiest Hypothetical Debate Question Ever | MSNBC

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi says any politician who won’t promise to accept the election results doesn’t deserve your vote.

Meghan: 'I'm Told I Was the Most Trolled Person in the World'

THE GUARDIAN: Duchess of Sussex speaks of ‘almost unsurvivable’ online abuse she has experienced

The Duchess of Sussex has revealed she was told last year that she was the “most trolled person in the entire world” in a podcast in which she opened up about the “almost unsurvivable” online abuse she has experienced.

Meghan and her husband, the Duke of Sussex, joined three Californian high school students during an episode of their podcast, Teenager Therapy, and discussed topics including mental health stigma, self-care and online abuse.

The duchess said the Covid-19 pandemic, which has closed schools around the world, has meant more time online for many.

She told hosts Gael, Kayla, and Thomas: “Yes, it’s a great way to connect, but it also ends up being a place where there’s a lot of disconnection, you know, I can speak personally to. » | Jamie Grierson and agencies | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Is Trump Putting His Supporters at Risk for Covid? | DW News

White House doctor Sean Conley has said that President Donald Trump is no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus. But the statement did not say the president had tested negative for COVID-19. Trump has resumed his election campaign, addressing hundreds of jubilant supporters at the White House. It was his first public event since contracting the virus - and the president declared that he is 'feeling great.' He told the cheering crowd that the pandemic which has killed more than 210 thousand Americans will disappear soon.

Lessons from the Golden Era of Andalusia [ الاندلس ] | Al Jazeera World

Saadane Benbabaali is an Algerian academic whose ancestors came from what is now the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. He has retired from teaching literature and Arabic at Paris University III. But for 15 years, Benbabaali has led groups of students on annual trips to Andalusia to share his passion and knowledge about the region and its rich history.

He believes that the period of Arab Muslim rule over the Iberian Peninsula was arguably the only time in European history when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived relatively peacefully together, producing a common culture and harmonious society.

He also thinks that the period and place have powerful lessons for what he sees as today's fractured world. … [Cont’d: https://youtu.be/GGotnIfQaQg ]


UK Is at 'Tipping Point' of Covid Crisis, Says Senior Health Official

THE GUARDIAN: Jonathan Van-Tam says UK must act quickly to avoid history ‘repeating itself’

The UK is at a “tipping point” in the Covid-19 crisis and must act swiftly to avoid history “repeating itself”, the deputy chief medical officer, Jonathan Van-Tam, has said.

In a stark warning highlighting “the worst is yet to come if we don’t all act now”, Van-Tam said the country was “at a tipping point similar to where we were in March” and that the approach of winter made the situation even more grave.

“Winter in the NHS is always a difficult period, and that is why in the first wave our strategy was ‘contain, delay, research and mitigate’ to push the first wave into spring,” he said. “This time it is different as we are now are going into the colder, darker winter months. We are in the middle of a severe pandemic and the seasons are against us. Basically, we are running into a headwind.” » | Natalie Grover | Sunday, October 11, 2020

‘Everyone Is Fighting’ – How Downing Street Lost Its Grip on a Divided Nation

THE OBSERVER: As public trust falls, No 10 insists on dictating a national response to coronavirus; local leaders believe that they can do better

When he addressed the nation on 23 March to announce a national lockdown, Boris Johnson knew he had most of the British people with him. “Each and every one of us is now obliged to join together to halt the spread of this disease,” the prime minister said in his TV broadcast. “We will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together.”

Six and a half months on, as he prepares to announce the introduction of more restrictions and a new three-tier system across the country – at what ministers say is a “critical” moment – hospitals are filling up and death rates are rising once more.

Unlike March, however, calls for the British people to unite behind a response directed from No 10 no longer command the attention or respect they did then. The many changes in rules and regulations have left people confused and choosing to rely on their own instincts as much as on what politicians tell them. » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Portugal's Islamic/Moorish Influence

In this documentary, we uncover the influence that 500 years of Muslim occupation had on Portugal and Portuguese culture. We visit some important sights and hear from Portuguese people regarding their views on this significant part of their history. Despite being overlooked at times, the Islamic occupation, known as its Moorish past, has had a huge impact on Portugal.

While in Spain, the seven centuries of Muslim rule is very well-known, in Portugal it typically goes unnoticed. Despite being overlooked at times, the Islamic occupation, known as its Moorish past, has had a huge impact on Portugal.

The Muslims invaded present-day Portugal in the year 711 and established their capital in what is modern day "Silves". A significant part of this documentary takes us to Silves, which is still one of the best places in Portugal to see the influence of the Muslim period. Silves was the main access route to the inland areas of the Algarve, and the Silves castle, which was built by the Almoravid Arabs in the 11th century, is the best preserved and most significant castle in the region. One of Portugal's main tourist attractions are its the beautiful beaches in the Algarve region. The name Algarve itself is derived from the Arabic word "al-Gharb", meaning the West. Portugal was the most Western part of the Muslim Empire and it was officially referred to as al-Gharb al-Andalus, meaning West of Al-Andalus. Nowadays Al-Andalus is often referred to as Muslim Spain, or Islamic Iberia.

It is not just the physical monuments which make Portugal’s Muslim past evident, but you can also find it in the country’s language and culture, even though the entire Reconquest centred around getting rid of Islamic influence altogether. Some Arabic words have permanently entered the Portuguese language, words for sugar, rice, olive oil, lettuce, village, the West and many others. Even Portugal’s most popular holiday spot, Albufeira, gets its name from Arabic, having then been called (Albuhayra) which means the lake in Arabic. The journey also takes us to Sintra, among other places, where the massive Moorish Castle stands. It was built by Muslims between the 9th and 10th centuries, the castle was vital in order to protect its population.

The southernmost region of Portugal was finally conquered by Christians and taken away from the Muslims in 1249, and in 1255 the capital shifted to Lisbon. Neighbouring Spain would not complete its Reconquista until 1492.


Spain Becomes Cannabis Hub as Criminals Fill Tourism Void

THE OBSERVER: With high profit margins and low risk of long jail time, Catalonia is now the marijuana capital of Europe, police warn

The decor is nightclub chic meets Turkish opium den. The lighting, soft pink and electric blue. And, were it not for the sweet waft of marijuana, it could be the lobby of a Las Vegas boutique hotel. In fact, it’s one of Barcelona’s 156 cannabis clubs, known as asociaciónes.

The idea was a quiet place where you could buy and smoke marijuana, often grown by members, and only on the premises, but many are now businesses and, police say, fronts for drug mafias. With the collapse of tourism, the cannabis business is one of very few thriving in Catalonia, but beyond the low lights and chilled vibe of the associations, darker forces are in play. An internal report by the Mossos d’Esquadra, the Catalan police, claims “Catalonia is the epicentre of Europe’s illegal marijuana market” and has become a net exporter of cannabis to other European countries. » | Stephen Burgen in Barcelona | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Republicans Express Fears Donald Trump Will Lose Presidential Election

THE GUARDIAN: Ted Cruz says he’s afraid of ‘bloodbath of Watergate proportions’ as John Cornyn slams Trump for ‘creating confusion’ over Covid

Ted Cruz fears an election “bloodbath”. His fellow top Republican senator Thom Tillis is talking in terms of a Joe Biden presidency. And even Mitch McConnell, the fiercely loyal Senate majority leader, won’t go near the White House over Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus protocols.

Individually, they could arguably be seen as off-the-cuff comments from Trump’s allies attempting to rally support for the US president just days ahead of a general election that opinion polls increasingly show him losing.

But collectively, along with pronouncements from several other Republicans appearing to distance themselves from Trump, his administration and its policies, it reflects growing concern inside the Republican party’s top tier that 3 November could be a blowout win for Joe Biden and the Democrats.

“I think it could be a terrible election. I think we could lose the White House and both houses of Congress, that it could be a bloodbath of Watergate proportions,” Cruz, the junior senator for Texas and former vocal critic of Trump, said in an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box on Friday. » | Richard Luscombe | Sunday, October 11, 2020

Berliner Barbetreiber klagen gegen Sperrstunde

Wegen der hohen Corona-Infektionsfälle wird ab diesem Wochenende in Berlin eine Sperrstunde eingeführt. Knapp zehn Bars haben einen Eilantrag beim Berliner Verwaltungsgericht eingereicht, um gegen die Verordnung zu protestieren. © AFP

Bernie Sanders: Our Healthcare System Is 'Dysfunctional, Cruel and Wasteful’ | MSNBC

Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont discusses Trump’s taxpayer-funded treatment for COVID and why the United States’ lack of universal healthcare is actually the “radical” exception worldwide

Donald Trump's Guide to American History | NowThis

President Donald Trump claims to have a high IQ and is among the smartest presidents ever, so let's go through his American history lessons and see how incorrect they are.

In US news and current events today, President Donald J. Trump has claimed to be the smartest, most intelligent president in US history, though his knowledge of the country's past leaves somewhat to be desired. From his defense of Andrew Jackson, complete misunderstanding of the Confederacy and why the Confederate Army was fighting in the Civil War history, and numerous other inaccuracies about world history and U.S. history, this President Trump history lesson will no doubt leave you dumber about the state of history. For President Trump, smart is a state of mind, and while many have cast doubts on the President's intelligence, we'll let this Trump history lesson speak for itself.


Saturday, October 10, 2020

Fmr. CIA Director Brennan on Why He Will Not ‘Relent in His Criticism’ of Trump | Deadline | MSNBC

Former Director of the CIA John Brennan explains the threat to national security that Trump poses as president and warns that Trump has “taken the pages out” of the playbooks of many authoritarian leaders he has observed. Aired on 10/07/2020

Trump Falsely Claims He's Cured and Plans New Campaign Events | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Trump is planning a White House 'Law & Order' event on Saturday and an in-person rally in Florida on Monday as the plans for the next Biden-Trump debate fall apart. Aired on 10/09/2020.

There's a Social Pandemic Poisoning Europe: Hatred of Muslims

THE GUARDIAN: If anti-Muslim prejudice is not targeted, steps to counter racism in Europe in the wake of BLM protests will be meaningless

Rarely does the EU act so swiftly. Less than four months since the killing of George Floyd in police custody and the Black Lives Matter campaign that spilled into Europe and galvanised continent-wide protests, the EU is appointing its first ever anti-racism coordinator. This brilliant idea will make little sense, however, if anti-Muslim hatred is not part of their portfolio. Because instead of building a “truly anti-racist union”, as the president of the European commission, Ursula von der Leyen, would wish, we have so far built an anti-Muslim one.

Prejudice against Muslims exists in every corner of Europe. Not only do we collectively devalue and discriminate against Europeans who follow Islam, but the incidence of violence against Muslims is increasing.

We have known since the refugee and migration crisis of 2015 and the jihadist terrorist attacks in France, Spain and Germany that Muslims suffer from an exceptionally bad reputation in our societies. In 2019, research conducted for the Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Religion Monitor yet again confirmed widespread mistrust towards Muslims across Europe. In Germany and Switzerland, every second respondent said they perceived Islam as a threat. In the UK, two in five share this perception. In Spain and France, about 60% think Islam is incompatible with the “west”. In Austria, one in three doesn’t want to have Muslim neighbours.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) confirms these findings in its most recent paper on the rise and meaning of hate crimes against Muslims. So does Europe’s police coordinating body Europol: in 2019, far-right terrorism soared.

What is more surprising is how quickly anti-Muslim racism has turned violent. » | Patrycja Sasnal and Yasemin El Menouar | Monday, September 28, 2020

As Virus Surges in Europe, Resistance to New Restrictions Also Grows

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Public health officials say “pandemic fatigue” presents a real challenge to countries trying to enforce new measures meant to slow the virus while avoiding national lockdowns.

LONDON — France has placed cities on “maximum alert” and ordered many to close all bars, gyms and sports centers on Saturday. Italy and Poland have made masks compulsory in public. The Czech Republic has declared a state of emergency, and German officials fear new outbreaks could soon grow beyond the control of their vaunted testing and tracing.

Across Europe and beyond, Covid-19 has come roaring back, and, as happened last spring, officials are invoking restrictions to try and suppress it. But this time is different.

Still reeling from the economic, emotional and physical toll of nationwide lockdowns that brought the Continent to a virtual standstill, government officials are finding that the public might not be so compliant the second time around.

In some places new restrictions are accepted, albeit grudgingly, because the alternative — new nationwide lockdowns — would only be worse. But there is widening skepticism that the public would even go along with such a drastic step. » | Marc Santora and Isabella Kwai | Friday, October 9, 2020

Friday, October 09, 2020

We All Deserve the Health Care Trump Received at Walter Reed

Mr. Trump, guess what? The Walter Reed Hospital that you were at, where you claimed you got excellent, high-quality care, that is a 100% government-funded, government-run, dare I say, “socialist,” facility.

Trump Boasts He Is 'Perfect Physical Specimen' and Claims to Be 'Immune' to Covid

INDEPENDENT: 'When you catch it, you get better and then you're immune,' the president falsely claimed

Donald Trump made a series of claims regarding his health after he was hospitalised for three days due to the coronavirus, and the claims included calling himself the “perfect physical specimen”.

The president went on a phone call with Fox Business on Thursday morning when he was asked if other Americans would have access to the coronavirus treatments he received while at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for three days.

“Yeah they’re going to get it,” he said about the treatments, adding: “I’m back because I am perfect physical specimen and I'm extremely young, and so I am lucky in that way.”

Mr Trump went on to state other aspects of his health that he claims helped him fight the novel virus, including having no “heart problems” and no “diabetes”. » | Danielle Zoellner | Thursday, October 8, 2020

Mahler: Symphony No. 5 in C-Sharp Minor - IV. Adagietto. Sehr langsam

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Jewish Community Fears Rise of Anti-Semitic Violence in Germany | DW News

One year after an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle, the head of Germany's domestic security service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), has warned that Germany is experiencing a "steep rise" in anti-Semitism.

On October 9, 2019, an armed 27-year-old man attempted to shoot his way into a packed synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism. A well-secured door prevented him from carrying out an attack inside. The man then killed two bystanders before fleeing and later being taken into custody. Last week, a man dressed in military fatigues attacked a Jewish man outside a synagogue in Hamburg.

DW talks to Marina Weisband, member of the German Green Party and also a member of the Jewish community in Berlin.


Trump Insider Cohen Exposes Plan to Jail Rivals in 2020 | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen joins MSNBC's Ari Melber to discuss Trump's refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and asserts he's "reckless with power." Cohen also discusses rival lawyer Michael Avenatti in this special interview.

Trump Unmoored Calls for Indictment of His Political Opponents | Morning Joe | MSNBC

The president on Thursday called for AG Barr to indict Joe Biden for the 'greatest political crime in the history of our country.' Trump also called for the indict of former President Obama. The Morning Joe panel discusses. Aired on 10/09/2020

John Brennan Reacts to Trump's Call to Have Biden Jailed | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Trump and his campaign have unleashed new attacks on Biden and other Democrats accusing them of a 'treasonous plot' with the president saying Biden should be jailed less than one month before Election Day. Aired on 10/08/2020.

Donald Trump Has No Understanding of What Service Is': Gold Star Father | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Gold Star father Khizr Khan, whose son, U.S. Army Captain Humayun Khan, was killed in Iraq, reacts to Donald Trump's suggestion that he was infected with the coronavirus by Gold Star families at a White House event. Aired on 10/08/2020

'Flood the Streets': Scientist Reveals the White House Note That Made Him Speak Out

Rick Bright, the ousted director of the office involved in developing a coronavirus vaccine, explains to CNN's Jake Tapper why he is speaking out against the Trump administration.

Anderson Cooper: Is Trump Kidding Himself about Covid-19 Status?

CNN's Anderson Cooper discusses President Trump misleading the public about the coronavirus pandemic while he's still battling the infection.

'Unspeakable': Mary Trump Slams Uncle Donald for COVID Deaths | The Beat with Ari Melber | MSNBC

Mary Trump speaks to MSNBC’s Ari Melber about her uncle, Pres. Donald Trump, breaking his own guidelines and risking other people’s lives – and candidly criticizes his longstanding difficulty “processing information," caring about others even in his own family, or telling the truth.

Trump Lashes Out at His Cabinet With Calls to Indict Political Rivals

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The pressure on his top administration officials to take action came as President Trump bristled at the restraints of his illness.

WASHINGTON — President Trump berated his own cabinet officers on Thursday for not prosecuting or implicating his political enemies, lashing out even as he announced that he hoped to return to the campaign trail on Saturday just nine days after he tested positive for the coronavirus.

In his first extended public comments since learning he had the virus last week, Mr. Trump went on the offensive not only against his challenger, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., but the Democratic running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, whom he called “a monster” and a “communist.” He balked at participating in his debate next Thursday with Mr. Biden if held remotely as the organizers decided to do out of health concerns.

But Mr. Trump secured a statement from the White House physician clearing him to return to public activities on Saturday and then promptly said he would try to hold a campaign rally in Florida that day, two days earlier than the doctor had originally said was needed to determine whether he was truly out of danger. The president again dismissed the virus, saying, “when you catch it, you get better,” ignoring the more than 212,000 people in the United States who did not get better and died from it. » | Peter Baker and Maggie Haberman | Thursday, October 8, 2020

Thursday, October 08, 2020

Don Winslow Films: #TrumpIsPatientZero

Pelosi Questions Trump's Mental State and Says Congress Will Discuss Rules for Removal

THE GUARDIAN: House speaker says Democrats will consider constitution’s 25th amendment as president faces ‘disassociation from reality’

Nancy Pelosi, the US House speaker, has warned that Donald Trump is suffering from “disassociation from reality” and said Congress will on Friday discuss the constitutional potential to remove him from office.

The president, under treatment for coronavirus at the White House, has unleashed a barrage of erratic and self-contradictory tweets and declarations in recent days that have left staff scrambling and raised concerns over his stability.

In a zigzagging interview on the Fox Business channel on Thursday, his first since being hospitalised, Trump, 74, boasted: “I’m back because I am a perfect physical specimen and I’m extremely young. And so I’m lucky in that way.”

Pelosi, who is negotiating a Covid-19 economic stimulus plan, responded at her weekly press conference: “The plan isn’t for the president to say that he’s a perfect physical specimen. Specimen, maybe I can agree with that ... And young, he said he was young.”

Trump “is, shall we say, in an altered state right now” and “the disassociation from reality would be funny if it weren’t so deadly,” the 80-year-old speaker added while wearing a mask. » | David Smith in Washington | Thursday, October 8, 2020

Queer Cowboys: Bucking a Macho American Institution through Photos

Ahead of the American elections, photographer and filmmaker Luke Gilford brings us his ode to queer rodeo in a book entitled "National Anthem", which he started around the time Donald Trump was elected. His first monograph challenges the patriarchal, Christian, whiteness of rural America, "the land of the free and the home of the brave". Growing up in Colorado as the son of a pro bull rider, Gilford spent his formative years around the rodeo. In 2016, he discovered queer rodeo at a Pride event. The meeting resulted in the book, "National Anthem: America's Queer Rodeo", published by Damiani.

America's Love Affair with Guns | DW Documentary

More and more Americans are taking a stand against a widespread gun craze in the country - especially since a rampage at a Florida school left 27 dead. But they face stiff resistance from a powerful weapons lobby, above all the National Rifle Association.

Since it was founded in 1871, the National Rifle Association has gone from a shooting club to a fighter for the unrestricted right to carry firearms - a political heavyweight that influences legislation and elections through donations to parties and members of Congress and the Senate - and practically co-governs in Washington. The NRA invokes the Second Amendment of 1787, which guarantees American citizens the right to defend themselves. However, at the time of the Founding Fathers, muskets were the only common firearm. Today there are about 300 million pistols and rifles in circulation in the United States, many of them rapid-fire devices.

The most popular weapon is the AR-15, a semi-automatic assault rifle that any 18-year-old can buy in most states - without a police clearance certificate or aptitude test. As we show, even children of pre-school age are being trained to handle this weapon. It was frequently used by the perpetrators of school massacres of recent years.

The issue of gun laws divides American society. As the survivors of the 2018 Parkland rampage and other young activists call for stricter legislation and control, the gun lobby and its supporters invoke their mantra: "To stop a bad guy with a gun, you need a good guy with a gun."

In the past, all attempts to tighten US weapons laws have failed. Will the growing resistance of a generation of rampage victims finally succeed in putting a stop to America's gun madness?


4 Key Takeaways from the Harris-Pence VP Debate | Robert Reich

Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich breaks down four key takeaways from last night's Vice Presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris.

This debate didn’t have the fireworks of the first presidential debate, but Pence’s lies were just as egregious as Trump’s.

The only honest thing about Pence last night was the fly on his head.

From the moment he was tapped to be Donald Trump’s second-in-command, Mike Pence has served a single purpose: To put a placid face on the disastrous, cruel policies of his boss. And that’s exactly what he did last night. Pence lied just like his boss, he flouted the debate rules like his boss, he evaded hard questions like his boss.

From refusing to condemn white supremacy to doubling down on dangerous conspiracies, Pence showed us he is just a slick version of Trump -- and just as dangerous as the liar-in-chief.


Trumps mysteriöse Heilung: Entscheidet Corona die US-Wahl? | Auf den Punkt

Der coronakranke Donald Trump entlässt sich spektakulär selbst aus dem Krankenhaus und verspricht danach schnelle Heilung und Impfungen für alle. Entscheidet Corona die US-Wahl? Unsere Gäste: Rachel Tausendfreund (German Marshall Fund), Malte Lehming (Der Tagesspiegel), Julia Fischer (Wissenschaftsjournalistin)

Trump's Mysterious Recovery: Will Covid Decide the US Election? | To The Point

After testing positive for Covid-19, Donald Trump is back in the White House, promising vaccines and a cure to the virus free for all. Will the virus now decide the upcoming election? Our guests: Rachel Tausendfreund (German Marshall Fund), William Glucroft (DW), Julia Fischer (science journalist).

Democracy Now! : Top US & World Headlines — October 8, 2020

The Full 2020 Vice Presidential Debate

Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., went head to head Oct. 7 in the first and only vice presidential debate of the 2020 presidential election. The incumbent and his Democratic challenger shared the stage at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City with moderator Susan Page of USA Today.

Wednesday, October 07, 2020

America's Great Divide: Steve Schmidt Interview | FRONTLINE

Steve Schmidt served as a political strategist for George W. Bush and the John McCain presidential campaign. He is a political analyst for MSNBC and NBC News. Schmidt's candid, full interview was conducted with FRONTLINE during the making of the two-part January 2020 documentary series “America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump.”

McConnell Hits Out at Guardian and Other Media over Amy Coney Barrett Scrutiny

THE GUARDIAN: Senate majority leader says reports of Barrett’s background in a Christian faith group ‘insult millions of American believers’

Top Republican Mitch McConnell lashed out on Wednesday at reports about Amy Coney Barrett’s background in a strict religious group which the Senate majority leader claimed “demean the [supreme court] confirmation process, disrespect the constitution and insult millions of American believers”.

Among McConnell’s targets was a Guardian report which said Barrett “lived in the home of one of the founders of the People of Praise while she was a law student, raising new questions about the supreme court nominee’s involvement with the secretive Christian faith group that has been criticized for dominating the lives of its members and subjugating women”.

Barrett is an Indiana-based appeals court judge whose strict Catholic views are the subject of concern among progressives, particularly over the fate of Roe v Wade, the 1973 supreme court ruling which made abortion legal across the US. » | Martin Pengelly in New York | Wednesday, October 7, 2020