Opinion: Facebook Has Been a Disaster for the World

THE NEW YORK TIMES: How much longer are we going to allow its platform to foment hatred and undermine democracy?

For years, Myanmar’s military used Facebook to incite hatred and genocidal violence against the country’s mostly Muslim Rohingya minority group, leading to mass death and displacement. It took until 2018 for Facebook to admit to and apologize for its failure to act.

Two years later, the platform is, yet again, sowing the seeds for genocidal violence. This time it’s in Ethiopia, where the recent assassination of Hachalu Hundessa, a singer and political activist from the country’s Oromo ethnic group, led to violence in its capital city, Addis Ababa. This bloodshed was, according to Vice News, “supercharged by the almost-instant and widespread sharing of hate speech and incitement to violence on Facebook, which whipped up people’s anger.” This follows a similar incident in 2019, where disinformation shared on Facebook helped catapult violencethat claimed 86 lives in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.

Facebook has been incredibly lucrative for its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who ranks among the wealthiest men in the world. But it’s been a disaster for the world itself, a powerful vector for paranoia, propaganda and conspiracy-theorizing as well as authoritarian crackdowns and vicious attacks on the free press. Wherever it goes, chaos and destabilization follow. » | Jamelle Bouie, Opinion columnist | Friday, September 18, 2020

Scaramucci: Trump Has Sycophants Who Are Willing to Lie for Him

Former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci reacts to a stunning rebuke from former coronavirus task force member Olivia Troye of Trump's response to the pandemic.

Trump Again Says Virus Will Disappear, Discusses 'Herd Mentality' | Morning Joe | MSNBC

During a town hall on Tuesday, President Trump again said the coronavirus will disappear over time, even without a vaccine, and he predicted 'herd mentality' would develop. The panel discusses. Aired on 09/16/2020.

America First: US Leads in Coronavirus Infections and Deaths | Covid-19 Special

In regards to the coronavirus pandemic worldwide it is 'America First' in total cases and deaths. Experts point to the US' lack of pandemic preparatio and the political division over prevention measures.The pandemic is also magnifiying existing social problems and inequalities in the US. Statistics show that black Americans are more likely to die from the virus than whites. With case numbers gradually falling once again can the US ward off another spike of COVID-19 infections and deaths that fall disproportionately on its most vulnerable?

Bob Woodward Induced a Confession of the Greatest Lie in American History Says Steve Schmidt | MSNBC

Founder of the Lincoln Project Steve Schmidt reacts to the number of taped interviews released by journalist Bob Woodward showing just how much the president downplayed the coronavirus while knowing how deadly it really was. Aired on 09/16/2020.

Former Model Alleges Sexual Assault by Donald Trump: 'I Feel Sick, Violated'

Amy Dorris alleges she was sexually assaulted by Donald Trump in 1997, when she was 24. Speaking publicly about the alleged incident for the first time, the former model claims Trump grabbed her as she came out of the bathroom of his VIP box at the US Open tennis event, forced his tongue down her throat and held her in a grip from which she could not escape. Trump's lawyers said he denied in the strongest possible terms having ever harassed, abused or behaved improperly toward Dorris

Read the article HERE»

1917 - Die russische Revolution (Arte - 2014)

Bei der Oktoberrevolution 1917 kam es in Russland zum Ausbruch einer riesigen Menge angestauten Unmutes, latenter Krisen und schwelender Konflikte. Das Ereignis hinterließ tiefe Spuren, die noch heute in vielen Bereichen des gesellschaftlichen Lebens sichtbar sind, unter anderem in den Bereichen Politik, Kunst, Musik, Architektur und Wissenschaft, aber auch im Militärwesen und in den Geheimdiensten. Der Dokumentarfilm legt Material vor, das zu einem neuen Verständnis der Revolution beiträgt und geht der Frage nach, wie der Mensch an sich reagiert, wenn er mit einer Krisensituation und tiefgreifenden Umbrüchen konfrontiert ist. | Dokumentarfilm Frankreich 2007 | arte Regie: Paul Jenkins

Putin's Russia and the Ghost of the Romanovs | The Economist

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his family, the Romanovs, were murdered 100 years ago today by Marxist revolutionaries. What does this anniversary mean for Vladmir Putin?

’Scientific American’ Makes Presidential Endorsement for the Very First Time

Scientific American has endorsed a candidate for president for the first time in the publication's 175-year history. CNN's John King speaks to the magazine's editor-in-chief, Laura Helmuth.

SE Cupp: Trump's Rallies Absolutely Asinine Right Now

In this week's edition of "Unfiltered from Home," host SE Cupp breaks down Jared Kushner's defense of President Trump's packed rallies with no masks or social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

Poland's 'LGBT-free Zones' Have No Place in the EU, Says Ursula von der Leyen

In her first ‘state of union’ speech, the European commission president said Poland’s LGBT-free zones were 'humanity-free zones' that had no place in the EU in her strongest criticism yet of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party.

It comes amid a dispute between the EU and Poland over the rule of law, since the country embarked on policies that weaken independent courts.

Von der Leyen said the EU was 'a union where you can be who you are and love who you want to without fear and recrimination'

Russia's Lost Princesses – Documentary

Part 1 : The Gilded Cage; 2: The World Turned Upside Down

The English Home Counties in 1938

Here I present a series of photographs of The British Home Counties, taken in 1938 by an American photographer. These photographs give a wonderful impression of England before the War. Many of the villages have little changed over the years. | Music: Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

BBC: We Visited a Bruderhof Commune. This Is What We Saw

Is Bruderhof a Christian Utopia or a Capitalist Commune? What are your first impressions? This secret group has not allowed cameras in for over a century. Founded in the early 1900's by a prominent German theologian, the group gained a massive following shortly after World War 2. Since then, most of its followers are second and third generations of the original members. These members commit to the group for life, denouncing all personal assets and agree to work for free in return for food and shelter. The Bruderhof group is still lead by decedents of the same, german family based in Rifton, New York.

Rechtsextreme in der Polizei: „Ich kann nicht mehr von Einzelfällen sprechen“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Sie sollen in einem Chat unter anderem Fotos von Hitler ausgetauscht haben: Die Polizei in NRW ermittelt gegen 29 eigene Beamte wegen rechtsextremistischer Propaganda. Innenminister Herbert Reul revidiert seine bisherige Auffassung.

Die nordrhein-westfälische Polizei hat gegen 29 eigene Beamte wegen der Verbreitung und des Empfangs rechtsextremistischer Propaganda ermittelt. Alle 29 Polizisten seien sofort vom Dienst suspendiert worden, sagte Innenminister Herbert Reul(CDU) am Mittwoch während einer kurzfristig angesetzten Pressekonferenz. Gegen alle Beamten wurden Disziplinarverfahren vom Landesamt für Fortbildung der Polizei in NRW (LAFP) eingeleitet. In 14 Fällen zielt das Verfahren auf eine dauerhafte Entfernung vom Dienst. Die anderen 15 Beamten sollen Bilddateien mit rechtsextremistischem Inhalt nicht selbst versandt, sondern ausschließlich empfangen, ihre Dienstvorgesetzten darüber aber nicht in Kenntnis gesetzt haben. Reul sprach von einer Schande für die Polizei.

US-UK Trade Deal in Danger If Good Friday Agreement Jeopardised, Democrats Warn

THE GUARDIAN: Dominic Raab faces backlash over Irish border and attempts to leave EU on own terms

The UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, is facing a growing backlash in the US Congress after senior Democrats warned they would scupper any future US-UK trade deal if the UK does anything to jeopardise the Good Friday agreement in an attempt to leave the European Union on its own terms.

Raab flew to Washington to try to repair relations with pro-Irish Democrats, including the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, and the chairman of the House ways and means committee, Richard Neal. The tide of opinion in Congress is moving fast against the UK after a lobbying campaign by the Irish embassy.

The ad hoc committee a major pro-Irish lobby group to defend the Good Friday agreement, vowed to build “a green wall” to defend the agreement citing a compelling statement from former British prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Cooper: Trump's Actions Contradict What He Says in Private about Covid-19

CNN's Anderson Cooper examines how President Trump's comments behind closed doors about the risks associated with coronavirus contradict his public statements pushing for the country to reopen.

Trump NO Nos Quiere : Trump Does Not Love Us

Trump no solo le falta al respeto a la comunidad hispana. Los detesta. | Trump doesn’t just disrespect the Hispanic community. He detests them.

Donald Trump vergleicht sich in Corona-Krise mit Winston Churchill

ZEIT ONLINE: Der US-Präsident will sein Herunterspielen der Corona-Gefahr als gutes Krisenmanagement verkaufen. Sein Herausforderer wirft Trump vor, die Bevölkerung belogen zu haben.

US-Präsident Donald Trump hat eine Parallele zwischen seinem Herunterspielen der Corona-Pandemie und dem Verhalten des britischen Premierministers Winston Churchill im Zweiten Weltkrieg gezogen. "Als Hitler London bombardierte, ging Churchill, ein großer Anführer, oft auf ein Dach in London und sprach", sagte Trump bei einer Wahlkampfveranstaltung in Freeland im US-Bundesstaat Michigan. "Und er sprach immer mit Gelassenheit. Er sagte, wir müssen Gelassenheit zeigen. Nein, wir haben es richtig gemacht, und wir haben eine Arbeit geleistet wie niemand sonst." » | Quelle: ZEIT ONLINE, dpa, sk | Freitag, 11. September 2020

Amerikas Ansehen stürzt ab

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Reputation der Vereinigten Staaten ist in vielen befreundeten Staaten auf einen Tiefpunkt abgesackt. Dort vertrauen mittlerweile sogar mehr Bürger Xi Jinping und Putin als Trump.

Die Zeiten, in denen Amerika unter seinen Freunden und Verbündeten Begeisterungsstürme entfachte, sind schon eine Weile her. Auf der letzten Sympathiewelle ritten die Vereinigten Staaten, zu Recht oder zu Unrecht, während der Präsidentschaft Barack Obamas. Also bis vor dreieinhalb Jahren. Mit dem Einzug von Donald Trump ins Weiße Haus änderte sich das quasi über Nacht. Im Jahr der Corona-Krise aber stürzt das Ansehen der Vereinigten Staaten in vielen Ländern noch einmal richtig ab. Das geht aus der jüngsten Umfrage des „Pew Research Centers“ hervor, die am Dienstag veröffentlicht wurde. » | Von Lorenz Hemicker, Redakteur in der Politik | Dienstag, 15. September 2020

Trump Dismisses Role of Climate Change in Wildfires | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Juliet Eilperin of the Washington Post and fmr. U.S. Amb. Mark Brzezinski discuss the visible impacts of climate change across the world, including the recent wildfires in California and Oregon and Antarctic glaciers breaking. Aired on 09/15/2020.

Trump Threatens to Retaliate to Any Iran Attack with '1,000 Times Greater' Force

THE GUARDIAN: Tweet follows report of revenge plot for Soleimani killing / US intelligence said to fear attack on US envoy to South Africa

Donald Trump warned on Twitter on Tuesday that the US would retaliate with “1,000 times greater” force against any Iranian attack on its interests.

Trump referred to media reports that Iran was planning retaliation for the assassination by US drone in January of the Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. At the time of the assassination, analysts predicted that Iran would seek to retaliate over the long term.

A Politico story citing unnamed intelligence officials said Iran was plotting to kill the US ambassador to South Africa, Lana Marks, a handbag designer and longtime Trump friend. She is now under extra security protection.

“According to press reports, Iran may be planning an assassination, or other attack, against the United States in retaliation for the killing of terrorist leader Soleimani,” Trump tweeted on Monday night. » | Tom McCarthy | Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Storm of the Century - the Blizzard of '49

This program tells the story of the worst series of storms in Wyoming's history. But for all the tragedy and loss, suffering and death, there was hope and heroism, unselfish sacrifice and generosity.

Welsh Minister Warns of Possible National Lockdown as Covid Cases Rise

THE GUARDIAN: Updated rules must be followed, says government, as infection hotspots are detected in south Wales

A new national lockdown could be imposed in Wales within weeks unless people follow the updated rules on social gatherings, the country’s health minister has said.

Vaughan Gething also revealed that the Labour-controlled government was investigating a range of measures for Wales including imposing curfews to try to control the spread of the virus.

He said the same pattern seen in early February as Covid-19 spread across the UK was being observed again. The health minister pointed out that seven weeks later, in the third week of March, Wales, along with the rest of the UK, was in lockdown. » | Steven Morris and Severin Carrell | Monday, September 14, 2020

Don the Con

Nobody has ever spent a *billion* dollars to go down 10 points.

Germany: The Discreet Lives of the Super-Rich | DW Documentary

The rich in Germany been never been as well-off as they are today and assets have never been so unevenly distributed. But who are they? How do they live? And what do they think of their country? A journey into the discreet world of the super-rich.

One percent of Germans own over a quarter of the country's assets, whilst half of the country’s citizens have no assets at all. But while the German media report on the growing poverty in the country on a daily basis, little is known about the super-rich. They keep a very low profile and can walk the streets unrecognized. "Manager Magazin” says there were around 200 billionaires living in Germany in 2018, and their numbers are increasing. The documentary "Top of the World" asks why rich Germans are so unwilling to talk about their wealth. Its author immerses himself in the discreet world of big money and meets financial advisors with 800 years of family tradition behind them and billionaires such as drugstore king Dirk Rossmann and mail-order company heir Michael Otto - as well as a self-made businessmen such as Rainer Schaller. They talk about their notions of money and justice, the origins of their wealth and their fear of social envy.

Don Winslow Films: Trump-Style Chain Migration

At the same time Donald Trump was ripping families apart at the border, caging children and screaming about chain migration, he was using chain migration and a big $$$ lawyer to get Melania Trump's family into the USA.

Israeli Government to Impose Second Covid-19 National Lockdown

THE GUARDIAN: Three-week lockdown will make Israel the first country to reimpose such stringent restrictions on a national scale

Israel’s government has decided to impose a lockdown lasting three weeks, the first country to reimpose such severe restrictions on a national scale, after a dramatic resurgence in coronavirus cases.

Fearing mass gatherings during a string of national holidays over the next month, the cabinet decided to shut down the country as of Friday, the Jewish new year, until 9 October.

Speaking at a press conference shortly after the vote, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said hospital heads had warned the healthcare system would be overburdened if infection rates continue to rise. “They raised a red flag,” he said.

Netanyahu said people will be forced to remain within 500 metres from their homes, with exceptions for lone exercise. Schools and all but essential shops will be shuttered. A gradual loosening of the rules would only be implemented if the rate of infection drops. » | Oliver Holmes | Sunday, September 13, 2020

Paris. So schön war die Belle Époque! | Doku | ARTE

Der Regisseur Bernd Boehm erweckt die einmalige Sammlung historischer Fotografien Werner Bokelbergs vom Paris des Fin de Siècle zum Leben und gibt den Menschen jenseits von Sorglosigkeit, Cabarets und Salons eine Bühne. Er zeichnet ein facettenreiches Sittenbild der Hauptstadt des Einzelhandels und dokumentiert mit Fotokarten des „petit commerce“ den Alltag der kleinen Leute. Der Zuschauer erhält Einblick in die Entstehung eines neuen fotografischen Genres und die Entwicklung der Konsumkultur im 19. Jahrhundert. Er lernt Arbeitswelt, Ethos und Kultur der Ladenbesitzer und ihrer Mitarbeiter kennen, die sich ernst und voller Selbstbewusstsein vor ihren Geschäften fotografieren ließen. Zwar sollten die historischen Aufnahmen als Werbeträger für die Läden und ihre Produkte fungieren, doch die Faszination dieser Fotografien entsteht vorwiegend durch die Menschen. Sie verleihen ihnen Ausdruck und rücken die Schaufenster, die mit ihren Geschäftsauslagen an eine Warenbühne erinnern, in den Hintergrund. Sie verkörpern den optimistischen Zeitgeist der Belle Epoque und erzählen von dem harten, entbehrungsreichen Alltag, von der Würde der Arbeit und der Rechtschaffenheit ihres Standes. Die Fotokarten erlauben eine intime Sichtweise, die bislang eher aus der Interpretation Intellektueller jener Zeit, Malern und Schriftstellern, bekannt war. Die Sammlung versteht sich als eine Chronik einer vergessenen Zeit und liefert ein soziologisch interessantes und authentisches Gesellschaftsporträt, das von Fotohistorikern und Kuratoren diskutiert und in den soziokulturellen Kontext eingeordnet wird.

Blair and Major Hit Out at Boris Johnson's Plans to Override Brexit Deal

THE GUARDIAN: Former prime ministers urge MPs to reject legislation, saying it endangers Irish peace process

Boris Johnson is facing mounting criticism over his plans to introduce legislation to override his Brexit deal, as former prime ministers Sir John Major and Tony Blair criticised the threat to break international law.

Major and Blair united to urge MPs to reject the legislation, saying it imperils the Irish peace process, trade negotiations and the UK’s integrity – despite the prime minister saying that Brussels could “carve up our country” without his new bill.

The former Conservative and Labour leaders united to condemn Johnson’s UK internal market bill in an article for the Sunday Times.

“We both opposed Brexit. We both accept it is now happening. But this way of negotiating, with reason cast aside in pursuit of ideology and cavalier bombast posing as serious diplomacy, is irresponsible, wrong in principle and dangerous in practice,” they said. » | Staff and agencies | Sunday, September 13, 2020

Roger Stone to Donald Trump: Bring In Martial Law If You Lose Election

THE GUARDIAN: Trump meanwhile promises to ‘put down’ leftwing protests and says US Marshals killing Portland suspect was ‘retribution’

Roger Stone, whose 40-month prison sentence for lying to Congress and witness tampering in the Russia investigation was commuted by Donald Trump, has said Trump should seize total power and jail prominent figures including Bill and Hillary Clinton and Mark Zuckerberg if he loses to Joe Biden in November.

The long-time Republican strategist and dirty trickster, who has a tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back, lied about contacts with WikiLeaks during the 2016 election regarding emails hacked from Democratic party accounts.

In turn, special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee suspected Trump lied when he said he could not recall discussing the leaks with Stone. » | Martin Pengelly | Sunday, September 13, 2020

The Main Principles of Nazi Ideology

Dr. David Silberklang and Prof. Dan Michman discuss the main principles of Nazi Ideology and the place of antisemitism in it. On this topic and more in Yad Vashem's new online course: "Antisemitism: From Its Origins to the Present".

Rechte Milizen in den USA | DW Reporter

"Black Lives Matter": Proteste gegen Polizeigewalt halten die USA in Atem. Wie in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Als dort Polizisten einen Familienvater verletzen, brechen Unruhen aus. Auf der anderen Seite marschieren Milizen auf, etwa "American Wolf".

Waldbrände in den USA: Über 500.000 Menschen auf der Flucht | DW Nachrichten

An der Westküste der USA, in den Bundesstaten Kalifornien, Oregon und Washington, haben die Waldbrände einen traurigen Rekord erreicht: Allein in Kalifornien sind schon mehr als 12.500 Quadratkilometer verbrannt in diesem Jahr. Dabei hat die Waldbrand-Saison gerade erst begonnen. Zahlreiche Menschen sind ums Leben gekommen, viele werden noch vermisst. Und selbst die Menschen, die in den Wohnungen der Großstädte vor den Flammen sicher scheinen, sind bedroht: durch gefährliche Rauchentwicklung. Und US Präsident Donald Trump schweigt.

Kristof: Trump Bragging about Protecting Saudi Crown Prince over Khashoggi’s Murder Breaks | MSNBC

Nicholas Kristof, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, who had known Jamal Khashoggi for more than 15 years, tells Ali Velshi that he is "outraged" that Donald Trump would reportedly brag about protecting the Saudi Crown Prince after the gruesome murder of U.S. resident and American-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Aired on 09/11/2020.

Velshi: QAnon’s Conspiracy Cult Has Infiltrated the White House | MSNBC

MSNBC’s Ali Velshi responds to Vice President Pence’s plan to attend a fundraising event hosted by QAnon supporters.

Top Lawyers Slam Suella Braverman for Wrecking UK’s Reputation

THE OBSERVER: Attorney general faces fury of Bar Council as revolt over internal market bill spreads

The attorney general, Suella Braverman, was on Saturday accused of sacrificing the UK’s reputation, sidelining legal advisers and bypassing the ministerial code during an extraordinary confrontation with some of the country’s top lawyers.

During the annual general meeting of the Bar Council, the professional association for barristers, Braverman was asked how Britain could retain “a shred of credibility” in imploring other countries to follow international law after revealing its own willingness to breach agreements.

The criticisms came after the government last week unveiled plans to give ministers sweeping powers to “disapply” part of the Brexit deal that Boris Johnson signed in January. » | Michael Savage and Toby Helm | Saturday, September 12, 2020

Johnson's Hard Brexit Is About to Deliver a Devastating Hit to Our Covid-struck Economy

THE GUARDIAN: With its international reputation in tatters and businesses in despair, Britain has painted itself deeper into a corner

No one I know has a clue what the current row over last year’s Brexit withdrawal deal really means. All they see is another mess from a dysfunctional Downing Street.

One thing should be clear. The argument has nothing to do with the UK leaving the EU, which has already happened. It has to do with a different but related decision, Boris Johnson’s belief that the UK should also leave Europe’s single market, the lasting talisman of his “hard Brexit” bid to appear a macho Tory leader.

The UK leaving the single market had always carried a nightmare consequence, that of a hard border of some sort between northern and southern Ireland. Such a border would not just be near impossible to erect and unpopular across Ireland, it would be a gross breach of the 1998 Good Friday agreement, which pledged open trade. » | Simon Jenkins | Thursday, September 10, 2020

Johnson: EU plant „Lebensmittelblockade“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der britische Premierminister Johnson behauptet, die EU wolle den Transport von Lebensmitteln zwischen Nordirland und dem restlichen Königreich erheblich erschweren. Damit habe ihm Chefunterhändler Michel Barnier gedroht.

Der britische Premierminister Boris Johnson hat im Brexit-Streit schwere Vorwürfe gegen die EU erhoben. Brüssel plane, eine „Lebensmittelblockade“ zwischen Nordirland und dem Rest von Großbritannien zu errichten und damit die Lieferung von Lebensmitteln zwischen den Landesteilen deutlich einzuschränken, schreibt Johnson in einem Gastbeitrag für die britische Zeitung „Telegraph“ (Samstag). Das Austrittsabkommen gebe der EU in seiner derzeitigen Form die Befugnisse dazu. Der Chef-Unterhändler Michel Barnier habe gedroht, diese auch auszureizen, heißt es darin weiter. Das würde die Souveränität und den Zusammenhalt Großbritanniens gefährden, so Johnson. » | Quelle: dpa | Samstag, 12. September 2020

Boris Johnson's New Bill Will Damage the Union, and with It Devolved Government

THE GUARDIAN: Nicola Sturgeon has called it an ‘assault on devolution’, while Mark Drakeford, the Welsh first minister, says it’s a ‘power grab’

The government’s new “internal market” was initially portrayed as a means to allow for the “seamless functioning” of commerce between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. So it’s paradoxical that the presentation of the internal market bill to parliament this week cast fresh doubts over not only this “seamless” functionality, but on the sustainability of the devolved settlement itself.

The bill had already sent shockwaves through the north and south of Ireland before it was published. Rumours circulated that Westminster intended to unravel legally binding arrangements for Northern Ireland, prompting new anxieties about the prospect of a hard border. The shock resignation of the permanent secretary to the government legal department over the legal consequences of the bill heightened fears. Brandon Lewis, the secretary of state for Northern Ireland, admitted prior to publication that the Brexit strategy breaks international law. » | Miriam Brett | Saturday, September 12, 2020

Family Members, Politicians Pay Tribute to 9/11 Victims

Politicians gathered at the Sept. 11 memorial in Lower Manhattan to remember a national crisis on the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

Watch The 11th Hour with Brian Williams Highlights: September 10 | MSNBC

Coronavirus: England 'On Knife-edge' as Cases Rise and Lockdowns Grow

THE GUARDIAN: Former chief scientific adviser issues warning to government after huge surge in cases

New cases of coronavirus are doubling almost weekly across England, figures revealed, as Birmingham became the biggest local authority to announce a tightening of lockdown measures and health officials flagged “worrying signs” of infections in elderly people.

The measures to be introduced in Birmingham next week mean more than 7.3 million people – 11% of the UK population – will be living in areas affected by some level of local lockdown, according to a Guardian analysis.

After signs that the number of virus infections is accelerating sharply, the former UK government chief scientific adviser Sir David King urged ministers to improve the NHS test-and-trace system. He said England was on a “knife-edge”. » | Robert Booth, Nicola Davis, Nazia Parveenand Pamela Duncan | Friday, Sptember 11, 2020

Trump Admits to Watching 9 Hours of Fox News a Day

During his rally in Michigan on Thursday, Donald Trump bragged about consuming 9 hours of Fox News in the 24-hour span prior to his rally. Once again, this is not normal behavior, nor is it something that anyone should ever consider boasting about. The President of the United States is a lazy, incompetent buffoon. Ring of Fire's Farron Cousins discusses this.

Vietnam Vet and Ukraine Diplomat Talks Voting against Trump as a Republican

Donald Trump: This Pennsylvanian Tells It Like It Is

"In the name of God, I tell you, you've got to wake up and smell the coffee. This man is a great danger to our nation."

How Hitler's Third Reich Terrified Europe | Impossible Peace | Timeline

The power in Europe has shifted to the terrifying and unstable hands of Germany, with the Third Reich being the dominant force.

Belgian King's Daughter Fights for Right to Call Herself a Princess

THE GUARDIAN: Delphine Boël, whose mother had affair with ex-king Albert II, also wants to take her father’s surname

A woman who successfully fought a seven-year legal battle to prove she was the daughter of the former king of Belgium, Albert II, will learn next month whether, against the wishes of her father, she will be able to use the titles Her Royal Highness and the Princess of Belgium.

Delphine Boël, 52, an artist and sculptor, whose mother had an extra-marital affair with Albert in the 1960s and 70s, argued in the Brussels court of appeal that she should also be able to use her biological father’s surname of Saxe-Coburg. The court will give its judgment on 29 October.

King Albert, 86, who abdicated from the Belgian throne in 2013, was forced to acknowledge he was Boël’s biological father after a court-ordered DNA test last January. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, September 11, 2020

Democracy Now ! Top US & World Headlines — September 11, 2020

Trump Tries to Contain Fallout; Editorial Board Plays Down Woodward Book | Morning Joe | MSNBC

While some editorial board columns appear to downplay the impact of Trump's handling of the coronavirus, the Morning Joe panel discusses why that may not be a winning strategy. Aired on 09/11/2020.

Ireland Accuses Boris Johnson of Trying to Sabotage Peace Process

THE GUARDIAN: Dublin minister says UK plan to undo Brexit deal would have ‘unthinkable’ consequences

The Irish government has accused Boris Johnson of trying to sabotage the Northern Ireland peace process with a “unilateral provocative act” based on spurious claims about the Good Friday agreement.

As Brexit talks hang by a thread following the UK’s threat to renege on parts of the withdrawal agreement, Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s European affairs minister, branded the UK government’s claims that its move was to protect the peace process as “completely false”.

He said what would happen as a result of this bill becoming law was “completely unthinkable”.

Relations with the EU have plunged to a new low in the last 24 hours after the UK rejected Brussels demands to withdraw the parts of the internal markets bill that would give the government power to override the Northern Ireland protocol.

The move has also soured Anglo-Irish relations, with no warning of the plan to undo the Brexit arrangements on Northern Ireland by one of the co-guarantors of the Good Friday agreement. » | Lisa O’Carroll and Daniel Boffey | Friday, September 11, 2020

Strzok: Trump's Financial Involvement with Russia Is Very Broad | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Former FBI agent Peter Strzok discusses his new book 'Compromised: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump.' Aired on 09/09/2020.

113 Reasons Republicans Aren't Voting for Trump in 2020

Fellow Republicans: Need a reason to not vote for Trump this year? How about 113 reasons?

How Europe Prepared for WW2 | Impossible Peace | Timeline

When WW2 became inevitable. While all of Czechoslovakia is annexed, the curtain goes up on what will become the world's first truly global and total war.

Schumer's Response to Woodward Tapes: 'They're Just Awful' | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, joins Morning Joe to discuss revelations from Bob Woodward's interviews with President Trump for the new book 'Rage.' Aired on 09/10/2020.

Corona in den USA: Ist Trump am Ende? | Auf den Punkt (Juli 9, 2020)

Die Weltmacht USA niedergestreckt vom Coronavirus. Immer mehr Infizierte und die Wirtschaft am Boden. Kostet die Pandemie Trump das Amt? Unsere Gäste: Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (KCRW Radio Berlin), Matthew Karnitschnig (Politico), Rachel Tausendfreund (German Marshall Fund)

'State of Shock' Inside White House, Says Reporter | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Associated Press reporter Jonathan Lemire discusses the mood inside the White House following revelations from Bob Woodward's new book 'Rage.' Aired on 09/10/2020.

The UK Is One of the Most Corrupt Nations on Earth

THE GUARDIAN: Fortunes are being made by political favourites, while Brexit could cement London’s reputation for money laundering

Fear, shame, embarrassment: these brakes no longer apply. The government has discovered that it can bluster through any scandal. No minister need resign. No one need apologise. No one need explain.

As public outrage grows over the billions of pounds of coronavirus contracts issued by the government without competition, it seems determined only to award more of them. Never mind that the consulting company Deloitte, whose personnel circulate in and out of government, has been strongly criticised for the disastrous system it devised to supply protective equipment to the NHS. It has now been granted a massive new contract to test the population for Covid-19. » | George Monbiot | Thursday, September 10, 2020

Cummings ally's PR firm given Covid-19 contracts without tenders »

This Brexit Bill Finally Buries the Conservative Party of Law and Order

THE GUARDIAN: For a Cummings-influenced government to break promises is no surprise. But breaking the law is still a jaw-dropping move

To the patron saint of modern Conservatives, the rule of law was always fundamental to economic prosperity. It was also always distinctively British. In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher identified the rule of law as the foundational underpinning of commercial confidence in any society. And in a 1982 interview she said that Britain gave the very idea of the rule of law to Europe. As she put it: “The law came from us.”

Thatcher also shared the view of her favourite lawyer, Lord Denning, that the law should uphold the keeping of promises. She extended this to upholding the obligations of international treaties too. In 1975, she told the Tory women’s conference that: “In the same way that government and individuals should be bound by law so countries should be bound by treaties.” She added: “Britain does not renounce treaties. Indeed, to do so would damage our own integrity as well as international relations.” » | Martin Kettle | Wednesday, September 9, 2020

'A Fool': Trump Insider Backs Cohen, Putin Playing Trump Like a Sucker | MSNBC

"New allegations against Donald Trump are now being revealed by his former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen with the release of a new tell-all book about the president. Cohen revealing details about Trump’s relationship with Russian president Putin and Trump’s racism. Former Trump organization executive Barbara Res joins Melber to react to the book’s allegations, asking why the Russians “are so influential” to Trump.

Don Winslow Films - #TrumpIsNotLikeYou

Trump ‘Deserves to Have His Real Record’ & ‘Hypocritical Use of Military as a Prop Exposed’ | MSNBC

Rick Wilson, Republican Strategist and co-founder of The Lincoln Project, joins MSNBC’s Craig Melvin to discuss President Trump’s rhetoric and how it could have dangerous consequences for election day, why you shouldn’t be looking at national polls, and whether Trump’s alleged comments about the military will stick with voters. Aired on 09/08/2020.

Draft Dodger Don: Trump Hates Our Troops

Trump demeans, degrades and disgraces our troops.

Seth Andrews Interviews Richard Dawkins

Brexit: Johnson droht EU mit Abbruch der Verhandlungen | DW Nachrichten

Der Ton in der britischen Regierung wird rauer. Am Wochenende erklärte UK-Unterhändler David Frost, er habe keine Angst, die Handelsgespräche mit der EU zu beenden. Aber das war nur zum Aufwärmen: Jetzt will Premierminister Boris Johnson ein Ergebnis bis Mitte Oktober, sonst würde er das Land auf eine Zukunft ohne Abkommen vorbereiten. Das könnte noch als Verhandlungspoker gelten, wenn es nicht Pläne gäbe, Teile des Nordirland-Protokolls außer Kraft zu setzen, wie die Financial Times berichtet. Der Bruch des Austrittsabkommens aber ist für die EU die ultimative rote Linie.

Auch ein No-Deal wäre für Großbritannien ein "gutes Ergebnis", behauptet Boris Johnson in seiner Erklärung. Und sein Land könne "mächtig prosperieren", wenn es sich ab 1. Januar 2021 ohne Abkommen von der EU lösen würde.

Beobachter sind unsicher, wie die letzten Schachzüge in London zu bewerten sind: Stellen sie Teil der Verhandlungsstrategie dar und sind nur Säbelrasseln? Will Boris Johnson lediglich seine Brexit-Hardliner beschwichtigen, die schon seit dem Sommer gegen das Austrittsabkommen agitieren? Oder bereitet der britische Premier tatsächlich sein Land auf einen harten Ausstieg, einen No-Deal, Ende des Jahres vor? Das Klima für die Gespräche in dieser Woche wirkt jedenfalls vergiftet und sie scheinen derzeit zum Scheitern verdammt.

Donald Trump: UnAmerican

Trump Emerges as Inspiration for Germany’s Far Right

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Among German conspiracy theorists, ultranationalists and neo-Nazis, the American president is surfacing as a rallying cry, or even as a potential “liberator.”

BERLIN — Just before hundreds of far-right activists recently tried to storm the German Parliament, one of their leaders revved up the crowd by conjuring President Trump.

“Trump is in Berlin!” the woman shouted from a small stage, as if to dedicate the imminent charge to him.

She was so convincing that several groups of far-right activists later showed up at the American Embassy and demanded an audience with Mr. Trump. “We know he’s in there!” they insisted.

Mr. Trump was neither in the embassy nor in Germany that day — and yet there he was. His face was emblazoned on banners, T-shirts and even on Germany’s pre-1918 imperial flag, popular with neo-Nazis in the crowd of 50,000 who had come to protest Germany’s pandemic restrictions. His name was invoked by many with messianic zeal.

It was only the latest evidence that Trump is emerging as a kind of cult figure in Germany’s increasingly varied far-right scene.

“Trump has become a savior figure, a sort of great redeemer for the German far right,” said Miro Dittrich, an expert on far-right extremism at the Berlin-based Amadeu-Antonio-Foundation. » | Katrin Bennhold | Monday, September 7, 2020

Aleksei Navalny Out of a Coma and Responsive, German Doctors Say

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Doctors treating the Russian opposition leader said his condition had improved, but they could not rule out lasting effects of “severe poisoning.” Germany said it was from a military-grade nerve agent.

BERLIN — The Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny is no longer in a medically induced coma and is responsive, doctors treating him at the Charité hospital in Berlin said on Monday. But they did not rule out lasting damage from what they called his “severe poisoning” with what the German government has said was a military-grade nerve agent. » | Melissa Eddy | Monday, September 7, 2020

Brexit: UK Plans to Override Parts of Withdrawal Deal | DW News

Michel Barnier 'Worried' by No 10 Plans to Renege on Brexit Deal

THE GUARDIAN: EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said full implementation of withdrawal agreement vital for avoiding a hard border

Michel Barnier said he was “worried” by the latest twists in the Brexit negotiations and would seek answers from the UK’s chief negotiator, David Frost, over claims that Downing Street is planning to negate parts of the withdrawal agreement.

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said full implementation of the international treaty was vital for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland as it was reported that the government is planning legislation to override parts of the deal struck last year.

Ahead of the start on Tuesday of the latest round of trade and security negotiations with the British government, Barnier said the Northern Ireland protocol in the withdrawal deal was a “prerequisite for peace since the end of the conflict ... and it’s the prerequisite for a united and coherent economy for the entire island, and also to respect the single market”. » | Daniel Boffey and Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Monday, September 7, 2020

Ex-Trump Official Shares His Prediction If Trump Loses 2020

Former senior Trump administration official Miles Taylor says he is concerned that President Donald Trump will use litigation to make the 2020 race difficult for electors to certify.

Multiple News Outlets Mirror Report of Trump Denigrating Veterans, Military Service | MSNBC

Rachel Maddow reports on several news outlets that followed a report in the Atlantic of Donald Trump disparaging veterans and military service with matching reporting of their own, including Fox News, rendering denials from the Trump camp hollow. Aired on 09/04/2020.

Reneging on Brexit Deal Would Strengthen Case for Breaking Up UK, Government Told

THE GUARDIAN: Johnson to deliver ultimatum to EU as minister defends plan as addressing ‘a few loose ends’

Reneging on any obligations under the Brexit withdrawal agreement would make the case for breaking up the UK stronger, the government has been warned, as a minister defended the plan as simply addressing “a few minor loose ends”.

After it emerged Boris Johnson is drawing up legislation that will override the Brexit withdrawal agreement on Northern Ireland, threatening the collapse of talks with the EU, the SNP said leaving without a deal would cause “lasting damage to Scottish jobs and the economy in the middle of a pandemic”.

Ian Blackford, the SNP’s leader, said “By threatening to undermine the UK’s international treaty obligations and impose a catastrophic no-deal Brexit on Scotland against our will, the prime minister is proving he cannot be trusted and is underlining the need for Scotland to become an independent country.” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, September 7, 2020

Is Trump a Fascist? Philosopher Jason Stanley Considers the Evidence after "Four Years of Chaos"

Yale philosopher and scholar of propaganda Jason Stanley, author of "How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them," says President Trump built a cult of personality within the Republican Party and has moved the United States steadily into authoritarianism during his term. "Fascism is a cult of the leader who promises national restoration in the face of supposed threats by leftist radicals, minorities and immigrants," Stanley says. "He promises only he can save us."

A ‘Tyrant-Clown’ Has Destroyed My Love Affair with America

THE OBSERVER: With its cynical disabling of the body politic, the Trump administration has contaminated the well of US independence

Once upon a time, at the start of the last century, PG Wodehouse declared, with the fervour of the convert, that to live in America was “like being in heaven … without the bother and expense of dying”.

America used to do that to a certain kind of Brit, and to those who saw themselves as Greeks to the Americans’ Romans: we’d fall hopelessly in love, however much they abused the relationship.

My own long affair with America, as an idea as much as a reality, began in the bicentennial year, 1976, with a graduate scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. Among the lovely red brick of old Philadelphia, I maxed out on the promise and possibilities of the American revolution, its majesty, optimism and rhetoric. Those pioneers of radical political self-expression, Jefferson, Franklin, et al, became idols of deep faith. For instance, years later, on a return visit to the Constitution Center, I was brought to tears by a video devoted to that love letter to democratic principles, the US constitution, and the eternal magic of “We, the people”. » | Robert McCrum | Sunday, September 6, 2020

Buttigieg: Trump ‘Shouldn’t Be Allowed within a One Mile Radius of a POW Flag’ | Deadline | MSNBC

Former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana Pete Buttigieg who served in Afghanistan expresses grave concern over President Trump being in charge of decisions regarding prisoners of war and the rest of the military. Aired on 09/04/2020.

CNN Exclusive Interview with Sen. Kamala Harris (Parts 1 & 2)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris talks about President Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic and the protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with CNN's Dana Bash.

Biden Fires Back at Trump: My Son Wasn't a Sucker

Democratic nominee Joe Biden issued an emotional response after the Atlantic reported that President Trump denigrated US service members. President Trump has denied the allegations in the report.

CNN's Keilar Rolls the Tape on Trump's Attacks on Military Members and Their Families

CNN anchor and military spouse Brianna Keilar reacts to The Atlantic's report claiming President Trump called soldiers "losers" and "suckers." President Trump has denied the allegations and CNN has not independently verified the report.

Tricks of Treats? Ft. Tim Noakes, Prominent South African Athlete & Scientist

There are times in life when much of what you hold as truth is debunked, when the sweetest of treats turn out to be the worst of poisons and when you realize that the people who took the oath of doing no harm, in fact, made you or your loved ones sicker. Such a realization has already arrived or is in store for millions of people around the world suffering from insulin resistance, a condition that wrecks the body’s metabolic and immune systems and often condemns people to a poor life and an awful death. How to see through these sweet lies before it’s too late? To discuss this Oksana is joined by Tim Noakes, founder of The Noakes Foundation.

Outrage, But Not Surprise, at Reports That Trump Called Fallen Veterans ‘Suckers’, ‘Losers’ | MSNBC

Lawmakers and veterans react to a story in The Atlantic and confirmed by The Associated Press reporter about President Donald Trump’s apparent disdain for those who sacrificed lives and limbs fighting for their country. Trump was reported to have rejected a visit to an American military cemetery in France because he feared his hair would fare badly in the blustery weather, and said, “Why would I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” Aired on 9/3/2020.

The Nazi Romance With Islam Has Some Lessons for the United States

TABLET: Two new important histories look at Hitler’s fascination with Islam and Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey

Both Hitler and Himmler had a soft spot for Islam. Hitler several times fantasized that, if the Saracens had not been stopped at the Battle of Tours, Islam would have spread through the European continent—and that would have been a good thing, since “Jewish Christianity” wouldn’t have gone on to poison Europe. Christianity doted on weakness and suffering, while Islam extolled strength, Hitler believed. Himmler in a January 1944 speech called Islam “a practical and attractive religion for soldiers,” with its promise of paradise and beautiful women for brave martyrs after their death. “This is the kind of language a soldier understands,” Himmler gushed.

Surely, the Nazi leaders thought, Muslims would see that the Germans were their blood brothers: loyal, iron-willed, and most important, convinced that Jews were the evil that most plagued the world. “Do you recognize him, the fat, curly-haired Jew who deceives and rules the whole world and who steals the land of the Arabs?” demanded one of the Nazi pamphlets dropped over North Africa (a million copies of it were printed). “The Jew,” the pamphlet explained, was the evil King Dajjal from Islamic tradition, who in the world’s final days was supposed to lead 70,000 Jews from Isfahan in apocalyptic battle against Isa—often identified with Jesus, but according to the Reich Propaganda Ministry none other than Hitler himself. Germany produced reams of leaflets like this one, often quoting the Quran on the subject of Jewish treachery. » | David Mikics | Monday, November 24, 2014

Seth Andrews: From Religion to Reason

Seth Andrews chronicles his personal story for a live Minneapolis audience, the event sponsored by Minnesota Atheists.

The Mennonites – A Trip Back in Time | DW Documentary

Like the Amish in the US, the Mennonite Christian community shuns the modern world. Most Mennonites live in secluded, self-sufficient colonies. We get a rare glimpse into the life of a devout and isolated community.

The Mennonites embrace isolation, which in their eyes helps protect them from the temptations of the modern world. At first glance, time seems to have stood still in the Mennonite colony in Belize, where people still travel by horse-drawn carriage and do without conveniences such as televisions and electricity. They still speak an old form of the German dialect Plattdeutsch. But modern life is slowly making inroads in Little Belize. Wilhelm, the community’s former doctor, was expelled for owning a mobile phone. Fearing that their community was being tainted, some more traditional members decided to found a new colony in a remote jungle in Peru, where they hope to live according to old customs and religious beliefs. For the first time ever, a camera team was granted access to one of Central and South America’s traditional Mennonite colonies.

The Danger Is Now Clear: Trump Is Destroying Democracy in broad daylight

THE GUARDIAN: More and more, the president voices contempt for the voting process. Imagine what he’d do if re-elected

This is not a normal election. I don’t say that because it is now clear that, against some stiff competition, Donald Trump is the most repellent individual ever to have sought, let alone won, the presidency of the United States. The latest proof comes in a quadruple-sourced account of Trump describing US troops who died for their country as “losers” and “suckers”, and demanding that a military parade exclude wounded veterans, lest spectators glimpse an amputee. “Nobody wants to see that,” he said.

There was a time when the Atlantic’s jaw-dropping report, later corroborated “in its entirety” by the Associated Press, would have proved terminal for a politician in a country where respect for the military supposedly has the status of a religious obligation. But that time is long past. It ended in 2015 when Trump branded John McCain – who had spent more than five years in a Hanoi cell as a prisoner of war – a “loser”, though of course now Trump swears blind that he never said any such thing, despite the existence of videoshowing him saying exactly that. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, September 4, 2020

Brits, Take It from an Aussie: If Tony Abbott Is Your Solution, You've Got Big Problems

THE GUARDIAN: Our former PM has not only made deeply sexist remarks, he’s also inept – and unsuited to be anyone’s trade envoy

It’s true that Tony Abbott was a highly effective opposition leader.

Between 2013 and 2015, he was involved in enough domestic scandals, international embarrassments and local protests to damage the reputation of a sitting Australian prime minister.

Alas for Abbott, he was prime minister himself at the time.

We Australians have been obliged to reflect on the qualities of our former conservative “Liberal” leader at the prompting of the British. For reasons that are inexplicable to us, Abbott has been given the role of trade adviser by Boris Johnson’s government.

The task ahead is to skilfully create for Britain a post-Brexit trade environment. The nation must replace a forsaken European common market membership with international exchanges that are profitable, advantageous and – fingers crossed! – don’t result in too much visible pus in the food.

I can only imagine someone in the appointment process believed the whole endeavour is destined to fail and only a fool would take the job. In that case, Britain, fair enough: Abbott romps it home on both fronts. » | Van Badham | Friday, September 4, 2020

Boris Johnson Fascinated by Donald Trump, Says Ex-Ambassador

THE GUARDIAN: PM is intrigued by Trump’s ‘relationship with the truth’, Kim Darroch writes in new book

Kim Darroch, a former British ambassador to the US, has said Boris Johnson is fascinated and inspired by Donald Trump, and is intrigued by the US president’s patchy relationship “with the facts and the truth”.

In a new book serialised in the Times, Lord Darroch said Johnson must share the blame for his resignation as ambassador to Washington, which followed the leaking of diplomatic cables disparaging Trump.

Darroch wrote that Johnson had been “fascinated” by Trump on his visits to Washington as foreign secretary before he became prime minister, with particular focus on the president’s use of language.

This includes “the limited vocabulary, the simplicity of the messaging, the disdain for political correctness, the sometimes incendiary imagery, and the at best intermittent relationship with facts and the truth”, the former diplomat wrote. » | PA media | Saturday, September 5, 2020

Don Winslow Films - #MeetMotherPence

Trump: Americans Who Died in War Are ‘Losers’ and ‘Suckers’

THE ATLANTIC: The president has repeatedly disparaged the intelligence of service members, and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades, multiple sources tell The Atlantic.

When President Donald Trump canceled a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery near Paris in 2018, he blamed rain for the last-minute decision, saying that “the helicopter couldn’t fly” and that the Secret Service wouldn’t drive him there. Neither claim was true.

Trump rejected the idea of the visit because he feared his hair would become disheveled in the rain, and because he did not believe it important to honor American war dead, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the discussion that day. In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed. » | Jeffrey Goldberg | Thursday, September 3, 2020

Trump 'Is a Man of Many Fears': Former Military Leaders React to the Atlantic's Reporting | MSNBC

Retired four star general Barry McCaffrey and former Defense Secretary William Cohen join Andrea Mitchell to react to reporting from the Atlantic that President Trump called Americans who died in war "losers" and "suckers." General McCaffrey says that Trump "is a man of many fears" who "can't understand the millions of veterans who have stepped forward to fight and defend this country." Secretary Cohen adds that "almost everything he has done has proven that he is unfit to serve." Aired on 09/04/2020.

Former Australian PM Tony Abbott Confirmed as UK Trade Adviser

THE GUARDIAN: Critics say Abbott’s views on women and homosexuality and the climate crisis make him unfit for role

Boris Johnson has appointed Tony Abbott as an official UK trade adviser, defying widespread condemnation of the former Australian prime minister’s record of misogyny and homophobia and his views on the climate emergency.

Abbott, whose consideration for the role prompted criticism from opposition parties, charities and LGBT and environmental activists, is among nine external advisers appointed to the Board of Trade. The board, revived by Theresa May, is intended to help shape post-Brexit trade policy.

Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, who declined to defend Abbott’s views when asked about them in a TV interview last week, said the advisers were “a diverse group of people who share Britain’s belief in free enterprise, democracy and high standards and rules-based trade”. » | Peter Walker and Kevin Rawlinson | Friday, September 4, 2020

'We're At the Point Where We Should Sanction Putin', Tory MP Says | LBC

Tom Tugendhat told LBC sanctions should be used "more actively" to help target individuals who have been "part of Putin's mafia regime".

Speaking to LBC's Iain Dale Tom Tugendhat, the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and Conservative MP for Tonbridge and Malling, said it was time to start sanctioning President Putin.

Earlier President Vladimir Putin's spokesman has brushed off allegations that the Kremlin was involved in poisoning the Russian leader's most determined critic, Alexei Navalny. But Mr Tugendhat told LBC that he thinks the UK should be "stiffer with the sanctions" that are in place.

Referencing the Magnitsky Act the Tory MP said sanctions should be used "more actively" to help target individuals who have been "part of Putin's mafia regime".

Türkei vs. Griechenland: Riskiert Erdogan einen Krieg? | Auf den Punkt

Die türkische Außenpolitik unter Präsident Erdogan wird immer aggressiver. Jüngstes Beispiel der Gasstreit im östlichen Mittelmeer. Droht jetzt ein Krieg unter Natopartnern? Unsere Gäste: Maximilian Popp (Spiegel), Michael Thumann (Die Zeit), Yasemin Ergin (freie Journalistin).

Prof. Richard D Wolff on the Four Reasons Capitalism Is Imploding

Professor Richard D. Wolff discusses the "four basic problems that the United States and its Capitalist system have had for a very long time" and how "none of them have been solved", and how "none of them have even been approached for the serious fundamental problems that they are". Watch to hear Professor Wolff break down these four all-encompassing issues we face in America today and have faced in our history.

Angela Merkel: 'Unequivocal Proof' Alexei Navalny Was Poisoned with Novichok

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said in a personal statement that testing by a special military laboratory had shown proof that the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a novichok nerve agent. 'It is now clear: Alexei Navalny is the victim of a crime,' Merkel said. 'He was meant to be silenced. This raises very difficult questions that only the Russian government can answer, and has to answer.' Alexei Navalny poisoned with novichok, says German government

Donald Trump’s Failed Leadership Threatens Everything Mark Cares about. For that reason, he's for Joe

"It's unbelievable what he's doing to save himself and to get re-elected. It's just all about him, not about country."

Donald Trump Denies Suffering 'Mini Strokes'

THE TELEGRAPH: VP Mike Pence was reportedly put on 'standby' over president's hospital visit in November

Donald Trump has denied having a series of “mini strokes” amid reports Mike Pence, vice president, was put on standby after he sought hospital treatment in November.

Mr Trump's denial comes amid new scrutiny of his unannounced weekend trip to Walter Reed last November, during which the White House said the president began “portions of his routine annual physical exam".

However, according to a forthcoming book by New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt, West Wing staffers were told to put Mr Pence on standby “to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Mr Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized". » | Josie Ensor, US correspondent | Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Donald Trump: Ratings

Biden beats Trump in polls and ratings. Ouch.

Meet the New Yes Man on Trump's COVID Task Force: Dr Scott Atlas Wants US to Adopt Herd Immunity

As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States passes 6 million, with a death toll of over 183,000, the Trump administration is loosening coronavirus restrictions, fast-tracking vaccine approval and disregarding safety tests, and now one of Trump's top medical advisers is pushing for the country to adopt a controversial "herd immunity" strategy, raising alarm among public health officials. Washington Post health reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb says Dr. Scott Atlas is not an epidemiologist and was brought on specifically because he would back President Trump's position "about how the pandemic was going, that the threat was receding, that the country should reopen." We also speak with Yale epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves, who argues the U.S. is already following an "implicit" herd immunity policy. "They realize it's politically toxic, so they don't want to use the phrase, but if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck," he says.

Germany Shocked by Far-right Protesters Trying to Enter Parliament | DW News

German politicians from across the political spectrum have condemned a far-right attempt to storm the parliament building in Berlin. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called it "an intolerable attack on the heart of our democracy". Demonstrators against the government's pandemic policies, along with far-right groups and science deniers overwhelmed police to rush the entrance to the German parliament. The sight of black, white and red imperial German flags in front of the Reichstag was so shocking that science denial and conspiracy theories were forgotten.