"Turkey's main opposition candidate says 'very clear' he won Istanbul" -
3/31/19
Middle East: Arab league rejects Israel Control over Golan hights
Arab League rejects US recognition of Israeli control over Golan Heights Arab leaders slammed the US decision to recognise the Golan Heights as Israeli territory at a summit in Tunis on Sunday, but struggled for further unity as Qatar's emir left the meeting early.
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The Netherlands-Research: Treasure trove of fossils sheds light on dinosaurs last days
'Discovery of the century': Treasure trove of fossils sheds light on dinosaurs' last days
Turkey elections: Turkey's main opposition party wins in Ankara as suport drops for Erdogan in Turkeyn
Partial results: Turkey's main opposition party candidate leads in Ankara
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Ukraine-election: Comedian leads Presidential election
Ukraine election: Comedian leads presidential contest - exit poll
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3/30/19
Saudi Arabia: Members of Saudi team that killed Khashoggi received training says a US report
Members of the Saudi team that killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi
received training in the United States, the Washington Post has
reported, revealing other new elements in the death of the newspaper's
former contributor.
A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed and dismembered
October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent
from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered.
After having denied the murder, Saudi Arabia said the operation was carried out by agents who were out of control. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia.
But much of the case remains shrouded, beginning with the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman.
The US Senate, after a closed-door briefing by the CIA, adopted a resolution naming the crown prince as "responsible" for the murder, while President Donald Trump has refused to publicly take a stand.
According to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, a Saudi who closely read the transcript of a recording from a bug placed in the consulate by Turkish intelligence said it indicates the plan was to kidnap Khashoggi and bring him back to Saudi Arabia for detention and interrogation.
A note in the transcript says an injection was administered to Khashoggi, which the Saudi source said was probably a powerful sedative.
A bag was then placed over his head, and Khashoggi screamed: "I can't breathe, I have asthma. Don't do this." According to the Post, he died soon after.
The transcript describes a buzzing noise, perhaps an electric saw used to dismember the journalist.
According to Ignatius, who said he interviewed more than a dozen American and Saudi sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, some members of the Saudi Rapid Intervention Group received training in the United States.
"The CIA has cautioned other government agencies that some of this special-operations training might have been conducted by Tier 1 Group, an Arkansas-based company, under a State Department license," he said.
"The training occurred before the Khashoggi incident, as part of ongoing liaison with the Saudis, and it hasn’t been resumed."
He said several other US-Saudi security exchange programs also have been suspended.
Read more: Members of Saudi team that killed Khashoggi received training in US: report
After having denied the murder, Saudi Arabia said the operation was carried out by agents who were out of control. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia.
But much of the case remains shrouded, beginning with the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman.
The US Senate, after a closed-door briefing by the CIA, adopted a resolution naming the crown prince as "responsible" for the murder, while President Donald Trump has refused to publicly take a stand.
According to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, a Saudi who closely read the transcript of a recording from a bug placed in the consulate by Turkish intelligence said it indicates the plan was to kidnap Khashoggi and bring him back to Saudi Arabia for detention and interrogation.
A note in the transcript says an injection was administered to Khashoggi, which the Saudi source said was probably a powerful sedative.
A bag was then placed over his head, and Khashoggi screamed: "I can't breathe, I have asthma. Don't do this." According to the Post, he died soon after.
The transcript describes a buzzing noise, perhaps an electric saw used to dismember the journalist.
According to Ignatius, who said he interviewed more than a dozen American and Saudi sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, some members of the Saudi Rapid Intervention Group received training in the United States.
"The CIA has cautioned other government agencies that some of this special-operations training might have been conducted by Tier 1 Group, an Arkansas-based company, under a State Department license," he said.
"The training occurred before the Khashoggi incident, as part of ongoing liaison with the Saudis, and it hasn’t been resumed."
He said several other US-Saudi security exchange programs also have been suspended.
Read more: Members of Saudi team that killed Khashoggi received training in US: report
Britain - Brexit: Farcical activities by British Parlementarians says former Theresa May advisor
Failed attempt at Brexit agreement 'nothing short of farcical', says Theresa May's former advisor
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Central American-US Relations: Trump cuts all direct assistance to Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala
 |
| USA building a wall - China providing assistance |
“At the Secretary’s instruction, we are carrying out the President’s direction and ending FY [fiscal year] 2017 and FY 2018 foreign assistance programs for the Northern Triangle,” a State Department spokesperson told ABC News, referring to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. “We will be engaging Congress as part of this process.”
Trump hinted at the cuts earlier on Friday, telling reporters,”I’ve ended payments to Guatemala, to Honduras, and to El Salvador. No money goes there anymore.”
While the president has threatened these cuts before, this time the administration is actually following through.
Trump said the funds totaled $500 million, but it wasn’t clear Friday if that figure was accurate. The State Department announced in December that the U.S. would mobilize $5.8 billion in public and private american investment to these three countries.
“We’re not paying them anymore because they haven’t done a thing for us,” he added.
Note EU-Digest: Once again, not a very clever move by the Trump administration, as China and Russia will obviously not waste too much time in providing these nations with the needed aid after the US drops out of the picture. As they have done in Venezuela, Suriname and several other countries in Central and South America.
Read more: Trump cuts all direct assistance to Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala
3/29/19
Iceland: Icelandic budget airline WOW AIR goes bust
Passengers stranded as Icelandic budget airline WOW Air goes bust
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Britain: the third defeat for Theresa May is the end of the "Brexit PM" - Bring on the general elections
This defeat is the end of the Brexit PM. Bring on the general election
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Brexit-Britain: keep the door open for us say the majority of British population who now are better informed on disaster called Brexit
'Keep the door open for us': The fight to keep the UK in the EU Amid the drama, delays and doldrums that is the Brexit process, recently there's been a crescendo of support for the UK to remain in the European Union. Today's Perspective guest is one of the people leading that fight, Femi Oluwole. He's the co-founder of "Our Future, Our Choice".
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Britain-Brexit: the curtains are closing on Theresa May as her Brexit deal is being rejected for the third time by the Parliament
Brexit: MPs reject May's EU withdrawal agreement
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3/28/19
The Netherlands: Will the Netherlands’ Rising Far-Right Star Survive the Scrutiny of Success? - by Frida Ghitis
 |
| Will Thierry Baudet, Far-Right Populist eventually survive? |
The victory by Baudet’s Forum for Democracy party, or FvD, however, is not proof that the Netherlands has taken a sharp rightward turn. The parliament is highly fragmented, and the political landscape is in flux, but the Netherlands remains a nation characterized by compromise. The question going forward is whether Baudet will manage to persuade more Dutch voters to follow him to the right, or whether his new celebrity status will make them look more closely at his views and turn away after discovering they do not share them.
After his party jumped from just two seats to 13, Baudet declared in his victory speech, “We stand here in the rubble of what was once the most beautiful civilization,” adding, “Minerva’s owl spreads its wings at dusk.” An allusion to imagery used by the German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, the term promptly started trending on social media in the Netherlands. To some, it was another preposterous display by the 36-year-old former academic, who has accused the government led by Rutte’s center-right Freedom and Democracy party, or VVD, of allowing “people with cultures completely different from ours” to enter the country. To others, it was a sign of a renewed nationalist push in a struggling European Union.
To be sure, Baudet scored an impressive victory. But a significant portion of his support came from former backers of another populist figure, Geert Wilders, who saw his Party for Freedom drop from nine to five seats in the upper house.
Rutte’s VVD lost just one seat, for a second-place finish, but his four-party coalition, which had only a thin majority in the Senate, lost seven. The other big winner was the Green Left party, which jumped from four to nine seats. Rutte retains a majority in the lower house and, with it, the prime minister’s office. But it is clear that Dutch politics is changing and becoming far more fragmented. The new upper house will comprise a record number of political parties, diminishing the power of the traditional political formations.
Baudet’s support was notably weak in some major cities, which remain bastions of the tolerance for which the Dutch are known. In Amsterdam, Baudet’s FvD finished in an embarrassing sixth place, behind the animal rights formation, Party for the Animals. The Green Left remains the largest there.
One reason for Baudet’s surprise win was the way he brazenly leveraged a deadly attack in the city of Utrecht two days before the elections. The attack by a Turkish-born man who killed three people is being investigated by police as a possible act of terrorism. Other parties suspended campaigning, but Baudet saw an opportunity to make his case. Without conclusive information on the motive for the shootings, Baudet immediately blamed the government’s immigration policies. His FvD did not fare well in Utrecht, interestingly, but it finished first in Rotterdam, a city with a large Muslim population.
Read more at: Will the Netherlands’ Rising Far-Right Star Survive the Scrutiny of Success?
GLOBAL WARMING: The impact of climate change is accelerating
Climate change: Global impacts 'accelerating' - WMO
Read more at:
Global warming: Mosquito spread diseases due to climate change increasing
Mosquito-spread diseases may endanger millions in new places due to climate change
Read more at:
Venezuela: Maduro Government bars opposition leader for15 years from Public office
Venezuelan government bars opposition leader from public office
Read more at:
USA,: Trumps pick on the Board of the Federal Reserve ows $ 75.000 in back taxes
Read more at:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/us/politics/stephen-moore-taxes.html
3/27/19
White Supremacy banned: Facebook bans white nationalism from their platform after pressure from civil rights groups - by David Ingram and Ben Collins
The social media giant said in a blog post Wednesday that conversations with academics and civil rights groups convinced the company to expand its policies around hate groups.
“Today we’re announcing a ban on praise, support and representation of white nationalism and separatism on Facebook and Instagram, which we’ll start enforcing next week,” the company wrote in the post. “It’s clear that these concepts are deeply linked to organized hate groups and have no place on our services.” Scrutiny of Facebook reached new heights in the past two weeks after a gunman in Christchurch, New Zealand, used Facebook to livestream his attacks on two mosques that killed 50 people.
Note EU-Digest: Bravo, let's hope Twitter does the same, which would ban Donald Trump and his Populist buddies in Europe and other areas of the world from using both Facebook and Twitter, to spread their white supremacy nationalist ideology.
Britain - Brexit: Parliament votes to reject calls to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit - by Adam Bienkov
The House of Commons has voted to reject calls to revoke Article 50
and cancel Brexit after more than 5.8 million people signed a petition
calling for Britain's exit from the EU to be reversed.
Members of Parliament voted by 184 to 293 against a motion brought
forward by the Scottish National Party to make revoking Article 50 the
"default" position if the Commons fails to ratify a deal.
May's government responded formally to reject the petition to revoke Article 50 on Tuesday.
The result came after MPs voted on a series of "indicative votes" on Brexit. Other options put to the vote included leaving the EU without a deal, holding a second referendum and remaining in the Customs Union. None commanded a majority.
Note EU-Digest: It looks like Theresa May still wants to force the parlementarians to vote for her deal eventually. Hopefully Parliament will allow a referendum on the details of the agreement reached between the EU and Britain.
Read more: Parliament votes to reject calls to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit
May's government responded formally to reject the petition to revoke Article 50 on Tuesday.
The result came after MPs voted on a series of "indicative votes" on Brexit. Other options put to the vote included leaving the EU without a deal, holding a second referendum and remaining in the Customs Union. None commanded a majority.
Note EU-Digest: It looks like Theresa May still wants to force the parlementarians to vote for her deal eventually. Hopefully Parliament will allow a referendum on the details of the agreement reached between the EU and Britain.
Read more: Parliament votes to reject calls to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit
Britain - Brexit: EU cannot betray increasing majority in Britain who want to remain in the EU says EU president Tusk
EU cannot betray 'increasing majority' who want UK to remain, says Tusk
Read more at:
EU : Berlin - Germany - the "new Technology frontier" - a European Silicon valley replacement ?
Note EU-Digest: Investors seems to have lost their interest in Silicon valley and looking elsewhere, including the EU and in the US to put their money.
Last month roughly a dozen venture capitalists went on a three-day bus trip
through the Midwest, with stops in Youngstown and Akron, Ohio; Detroit
and Flint, Mich.; and South Bend, Ind. The trip, which took place on a
luxury bus outfitted with a supply of vegan doughnuts and coal-infused
kombucha, was known as the “Comeback Cities Tour.”
It
was pitched as a kind of Rust Belt safari — a chance for Silicon Valley
investors to meet local officials and look for promising start-ups in
overlooked areas of the country.
3/26/19
The Netherlands Art: Dutch art detective recovers stolen Picasso painting after 20 years
Dutch art detective recovers stolen Picasso painting after 20 years
USA: Have Mueller and Barr cleared Trumps path to the White House ?
Mueller and Barr have cleared Trump’s path to the White House in 2020
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Venezuela and Russia relations: Confrontation between the US and Russia, or just hyped up rhetoric ?
Note EU-Digest: What nonsense, this hyped up rhetoric about the rekindling of the "cold
war" ? Regardless of the fact that the US' and most Western countries morally backed Venezuela's opposition leader, the US would be out of its mind to get
involved in a major confrontation with the Russians about Venezuela, with the
elected President Maduro not only still in power, but also backed by the
military, unless they have forgotten about what happened in Syria, in
a similar situation.
Read more at:
Read more at:
EU: European MPs vote to end summer time clock change
European MPs vote to end summer time clock changes
Read more at :
3/25/19
US Economy - bleak future reported by Pew Research Center: Most Americans predict a weaker US economy and greater deficit by 2050 - by Matt Lavietes
The majority of Americans predict a weaker U.S. economy and a burgeoning national debt by 2050, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.
The researchers attribute economic fears to Americans’ broader dissatisfaction with the country as a whole right now.
Over half of those surveyed, 54 percent, believe that the U.S. economy will be weaker in the next three decades, compared with 38 percent who say it will be stronger. Similarly, 63 percent of Americans say the national debt will grow, compared with 16 percent of Americans who think it will be reduced or eliminated and 21 percent who say it will remain relatively the same.
“These grim predictions mirror, in part, the public’s sour mood about the current state of the country, ” wrote the authors of the study, which was released Thursday. “The share of Americans who are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country — 7-in-10 in January of 2019 — is higher now than at any time in the past year.”
Read more at: Most Americans predict a weaker US economy and greater deficit by 2050
The researchers attribute economic fears to Americans’ broader dissatisfaction with the country as a whole right now.
Over half of those surveyed, 54 percent, believe that the U.S. economy will be weaker in the next three decades, compared with 38 percent who say it will be stronger. Similarly, 63 percent of Americans say the national debt will grow, compared with 16 percent of Americans who think it will be reduced or eliminated and 21 percent who say it will remain relatively the same.
“These grim predictions mirror, in part, the public’s sour mood about the current state of the country, ” wrote the authors of the study, which was released Thursday. “The share of Americans who are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the country — 7-in-10 in January of 2019 — is higher now than at any time in the past year.”
Read more at: Most Americans predict a weaker US economy and greater deficit by 2050
EU-China Relations: France Sticks it to US as Macron steals Trump’s thunder with Chinese Airbus order – by Rym Momtaz
 |
| €30 billion A320 Airbus order by China |
China concluded a deal to buy 300 aircraft from Airbus during President Xi Jinping’s state visit to France. The value of the deal was twice what was touted last year, and only compounds the woes of U.S. manufacturer Boeing, whose 737 MAX planes have been grounded across the world this month, after two fatal crashes.
Macron on Monday stressed the “colossal progress” needed to rebalance trade between the two countries — the EU ran a trade in goods deficit with China of some €177 billion in 2017 — while also hailing a slew of deals done in the health, infrastructure, transport, renewable energy and financial sectors.
“In the aeronautic sector, the conclusion today of a big contract in terms of A320s and big transporters, A350s, is an important advance and an excellent signal in the current context,” Macron said during a joint press conference with his Chinese counterpart at the Élysée Palace.
Read more: Macron steals Trump’s thunder with Chinese Airbus order – POLITICO
Britain-Brexit-Revolt: MPs seize control of Brexit process by backing indicative votes amendment - by Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot
 |
| A second referendum - the best way to go |
An amendment tabled by former Tory minister Oliver Letwin passed, by
329 votes to 302, defeating the government, as MPs expressed their
exasperation at its failure to set out a fresh approach.
Government sources confirmed that three ministers resigned from government in order to back the Letwin amendment: foreign affairs minister Alistair Burt, health minister Steve Brine and business minister Richard Harrington.In all, a total of 30 Tory MPs rebelled to vote for it.
After gathering Brexit-backing grandees at her country retreat of
Chequers over the weekend and consulting DUP leader, Arlene Foster, and
the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on Monday, May concluded she could not
yet win sufficient backing for her twice defeated deal.The cross-party group – led by Letwin and Labour’s Hilary Benn – gave MPs a series of votes on the alternatives to May’s deal, such as a second referendum, softer Brexit or revoking article 50.
MPs seize control of Brexit process by backing indicative votes amendment
3/24/19
USA: Jared, Ivanka Trump and the rise of the US kakistocracy
Kushner, Inc review: Jared, Ivanka Trump and the rise of the American kakistocracy
Read more at:
SPAIN: Socialists lead in latest poll but fall short of majority
Spain’s Socialists lead latest poll but fall short of majority
Read more at:
China - EU relations: Macron seeks United EU front on China as President XI visits France
Macron seeks united EU front on China as President Xi visits France French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Xi Jinping for a private dinner near Nice on Sunday as the Chinese leader tours Europe seeking support for an ambitious economic programme dubbed the "new Silk Road".
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USA: The Mueller report: the best day for Trump presidency "this outcome could mean his reelection in 2020, unless there is a snake in the grass"
 |
| This is only the beginning - "It isn't over till the fat lady sings" |
Note EU-Digest: As the saying
goes , "It is not over until the fat lady sings" and no one should jump
to conclusions before the report becomes Public, either voluntary, or by
subpoena. Regardless of what Trump says.
On top of that, this US President who habitually lies has not been exonerated from crimes in this report, even though he says so.
In addition to the above; most of his Cabinet members have been jailed for criminal offenses; he still has not shown his Tax returns; his administration has ran up the highest budget deficit of any US Government; he is on friendly terms with dictators around the globe, while angering all his Allies around the world, except Israel and its corrupt PM Netanyahu, because he needs the powerful US Jewish lobby to help him win in the 2020 elections.
And, this is only the top of the iceberg when it concerns the mismanagement of the country by his Administration over the past 2 years.
Bottom-line, if he thinks he is out of the woods, he must be dreaming.
On top of that, this US President who habitually lies has not been exonerated from crimes in this report, even though he says so.
In addition to the above; most of his Cabinet members have been jailed for criminal offenses; he still has not shown his Tax returns; his administration has ran up the highest budget deficit of any US Government; he is on friendly terms with dictators around the globe, while angering all his Allies around the world, except Israel and its corrupt PM Netanyahu, because he needs the powerful US Jewish lobby to help him win in the 2020 elections.
And, this is only the top of the iceberg when it concerns the mismanagement of the country by his Administration over the past 2 years.
Bottom-line, if he thinks he is out of the woods, he must be dreaming.
Read more at:
3/23/19
Israel elections: Netanyahu to play Trump card in thight elections
Israel's Netanyahu to play Trump card in tight election
Read more at:
BRITAIN ANTI BREXIT PROTEST: Hundreds of thousands join referendum protests
Brexit march: Hundreds of thousands join referendum protest
The EU Commission: Who will become the next EU President of the Commission?
Via Euronews: European Parliament elections 2019: who are the candidates for the EU’s top job?
Read more at:
3/22/19
USA The Mueller Report: Here’s What’s Next Now That Mueller Has Turned In His Report - by Chris Strohm and Larry Liebert
Now that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has closed up shop and submitted his long-awaited final report, an explosive chain of events is sure to follow.
There will be a struggle in Congress, on cable TV and social media -- and probably in the courts -- over how much evidence must be disclosed from Mueller’s 22-month inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
There’s also likely to be an epic political fight over whether anything from the inquiry directly or indirectly implicates President Donald Trump in wrongdoing that may merit his impeachment, as some Democrats say, or whether it clears him after an investigation
Here’s a look at how the Mueller report is likely to play out:
Why It Starts Out Secretthat he and Republican supporters regularly call a “witch hunt.”
Justice Department regulations call for a special counsel to provide a final report to the attorney general, who decides what to tell Congress and make public.
The only exception under the regulations is that Congress must be told if the special counsel was prohibited from taking any specific action. “There were no such instances during the Special Counsel’s investigation,” Barr wrote in a letter to lawmakers Friday.
Barr may send his own summary of the findings to Congress, rather than Mueller’s actual report. He said in the letter that he was reviewing the report and may be able to advise lawmakers of Mueller’s “principal conclusions as soon as this weekend.”
He said he also was consulting with Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed the special counsel, “to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public.”
Why Barr May Keep Trump Out of It
While Barr pledged “as much transparency as possible,” he has previously suggested that promise has its limits. At his confirmation hearing in January, Barr cited Justice Department policies that a president can’t be indicted while in office -- and that prosecutors shouldn’t comment on someone who isn’t indicted.
But a precedent may have been set by former FBI Director James Comey, when he made public comments about Democrat Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, even though his investigation didn’t result in any charges against her. His comments brought criticism at various points from Democrats and Republicans.
“If you’re not going to indict someone, then you don’t stand up there and unload negative information about the person,” Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
It also isn’t clear how many details Mueller put in his report, especially about Trump.
Read more: Here’s What’s Next Now That Mueller Has Turned In His Report
There will be a struggle in Congress, on cable TV and social media -- and probably in the courts -- over how much evidence must be disclosed from Mueller’s 22-month inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign.
There’s also likely to be an epic political fight over whether anything from the inquiry directly or indirectly implicates President Donald Trump in wrongdoing that may merit his impeachment, as some Democrats say, or whether it clears him after an investigation
Here’s a look at how the Mueller report is likely to play out:
Why It Starts Out Secretthat he and Republican supporters regularly call a “witch hunt.”
Justice Department regulations call for a special counsel to provide a final report to the attorney general, who decides what to tell Congress and make public.
The only exception under the regulations is that Congress must be told if the special counsel was prohibited from taking any specific action. “There were no such instances during the Special Counsel’s investigation,” Barr wrote in a letter to lawmakers Friday.
Barr may send his own summary of the findings to Congress, rather than Mueller’s actual report. He said in the letter that he was reviewing the report and may be able to advise lawmakers of Mueller’s “principal conclusions as soon as this weekend.”
He said he also was consulting with Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who appointed the special counsel, “to determine what other information from the report can be released to Congress and the public.”
Why Barr May Keep Trump Out of It
While Barr pledged “as much transparency as possible,” he has previously suggested that promise has its limits. At his confirmation hearing in January, Barr cited Justice Department policies that a president can’t be indicted while in office -- and that prosecutors shouldn’t comment on someone who isn’t indicted.
But a precedent may have been set by former FBI Director James Comey, when he made public comments about Democrat Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server, even though his investigation didn’t result in any charges against her. His comments brought criticism at various points from Democrats and Republicans.
“If you’re not going to indict someone, then you don’t stand up there and unload negative information about the person,” Barr told the Senate Judiciary Committee.
It also isn’t clear how many details Mueller put in his report, especially about Trump.
Read more: Here’s What’s Next Now That Mueller Has Turned In His Report
Syria: Trump statement on Golan Heights: EU, Syria, Turkey reject Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights
EU, Syria reject Trump's statement on Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights
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Canada: Religious Freedom: Torontonians of all faiths form rings of peace outside area mosques
Torontonians of all faiths form rings of peace outside area mosques
Read more at:
Global Health Care Ranking: Survey Ranks the U.S. Health Care System Lowest in Performance - Melissa Hellmann
he U.S. health care system has been subject to heated debate over the past decade, but one thing that has remained
consistent is the level of performance, which has been ranked as the
worst among industrialized nations for the fifth time, according to the
2014 Commonwealth Fund survey 2014. The U.K. ranked best with Switzerland following a close second.
The Commonwealth Fund report compares the U.S. with 10 other nations: France, Australia, Germany, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.K. were all judged to be superior based on various factors. These include quality of care, access to doctors and equity throughout the country.
Results of the study rely on data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Health Organization and interviews from physicians and patients.
Although the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world, the nation ranks lowest in terms of “efficiency, equity and outcomes,” according to the report. One of the most piercing revelations is that the high rate of expenditure for insurance is not commensurate to the satisfaction of patients or quality of service. High out-of-pocket costs and gaps in coverage “undermine efforts in the U.S. to improve care coordination,” the report summarized.
A striking take-home from the report was a need for equity throughout the nation. “Disparities in access to services signal the need to expand insurance to cover the uninsured and to ensure that all Americans have an accessible medical home,” it said. A lack of universal health care was noted as the key difference between the U.S. and the other industrial nations.
Note EU-Digest: Sorry to say but this Time report is right on target, Insurance companies, Medical Profession (Dr's) and Pharmaceutical companies have one common goal, ripping off patients, and the US political establishment not only does nothing about it, many are also on the payroll of these thieves.
Read more at: Survey Ranks the U.S. Health Care System Lowest in Performance | Time
The Commonwealth Fund report compares the U.S. with 10 other nations: France, Australia, Germany, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the U.K. were all judged to be superior based on various factors. These include quality of care, access to doctors and equity throughout the country.
Results of the study rely on data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Health Organization and interviews from physicians and patients.
Although the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world, the nation ranks lowest in terms of “efficiency, equity and outcomes,” according to the report. One of the most piercing revelations is that the high rate of expenditure for insurance is not commensurate to the satisfaction of patients or quality of service. High out-of-pocket costs and gaps in coverage “undermine efforts in the U.S. to improve care coordination,” the report summarized.
A striking take-home from the report was a need for equity throughout the nation. “Disparities in access to services signal the need to expand insurance to cover the uninsured and to ensure that all Americans have an accessible medical home,” it said. A lack of universal health care was noted as the key difference between the U.S. and the other industrial nations.
Note EU-Digest: Sorry to say but this Time report is right on target, Insurance companies, Medical Profession (Dr's) and Pharmaceutical companies have one common goal, ripping off patients, and the US political establishment not only does nothing about it, many are also on the payroll of these thieves.
Read more at: Survey Ranks the U.S. Health Care System Lowest in Performance | Time
Brexit: EU offers Britain a variety of optipns tp cleanup their act
EU offers UK Brexit extension options, initially to April 12
Read more at;
https://p.dw.com/p/3FSgM
3/21/19
US - Israeli relations: Trump courting Jewish voters with suggestion US should recognize Golan Heights as Israeli territory
Israeli territory
Note EU- Digest: Obviously this statement by Trump in support of Israel "re recognition by US that the Golan heights in Syria are part of Israeli territory" is made to get support from the Israeli lobby in the US for Trump's reelection in 2020.
Read more at:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-47657843
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-47657843
EU - British relations: petition to revoke article 50 passes more than 1 million signatures
The British population emotionally, but not properly informed about the consequences, voted for Brexit with a razor thin majority three years ago. It is time for the British Political establisment to swallow their pride and say they made a mistake, revoke article 50, and return to the safety and economic prosperity of the EU. It would certainly be a showing of great statesmanship.
See also:
http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-petition-calling-to-revoke-article-50-passes-million-signature-mark-20190321?source=facebook
See also:
http://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-petition-calling-to-revoke-article-50-passes-million-signature-mark-20190321?source=facebook
3/20/19
The Netherlands - Upper House elections: New Dutch populists right wing party of Thierry Baudet surge in 'Rutte referendum' - by Danny Kemp
 T |
| Controversial Right Wing populist Thierry Baudet |
Controversial eurosceptic Thierry Baudet's Forum for Democracy party came from nowhere to be the second biggest in parliament's upper house after Rutte's, an exit poll by leading broadcaster NOS said.
The
coalition led by Rutte's centre-right VVD party is set to collapse from
38 to 31 seats in the 75-seat senate, which passes legislation approved
by the lower house.
The
blow for Rutte -- who painstakingly formed his ruling coalition to
freeze out the far-right after general elections in 2017 -- will be
closely watched abroad ahead of European Parliament elections in May.
Self-proclaimed
intellectual Baudet -- who faced criticism after failing to stop
campaigning after Monday's shooting on a tram in Utrecht in which three
people died -- slammed Rutte's record on immigration.
We
are being destroyed by the people who are supposed to be protecting
us," the telegenic 36-year-old told a crowd that chanted his name on
Wednesday night.
"Successive
Rutte governments have left our borders wide open, letting in hundreds
of thousands of people with cultures completely different to ours."
Referring
to the fact that the Turkish-born Utrecht suspect had only been
released from jail two weeks ago, he added: "We have seen it in Utrecht
on Monday, rapists and thieves go free. It's shameful."
Baudet
has previously called for a "Nexit", or exit from the EU by the
Netherlands, but has recently backtracked on as the chaos over Britain's
departure from the bloc escalates.
The
flamboyant former academic is known for controversial statements such
as "women in general excel less in jobs and have less ambition".
Baudet led his party to win 10 seats.
The
anti-Islam Freedom Party led by far-right politician Geert Wilders is
set to win six seats, down from nine, but could be influential if it
teams up with Baudet.
Long
a standard bearer for the far right in the Netherlands and more widely
across Europe, the bleach-blonde Wilders appeared to have lost seats to
the newer figure of Baudet.
Rutte
could now be left to rely on opposition parties to pass legislation,
including the leftist ecological party GroenLinks (Green Left) party led
by Jesse Klaver, which had a good night and is set to double its seats
from four to eight.
Senate
members will officially be decided in May by the 570 representatives
elected to the country's 12 provinces in Wednesday's election.
The
head of the Dutch socialist party had called the vote a "Rutte
referendum", although Rutte has insisted he would not step down if his
coalition lost its majority.
However
after nearly a decade in power, Rutte has been widely tipped to take up
a top EU post in Brussels when the current set-up led by European
Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker steps down later this year.
Read more: New Dutch populists surge in 'Rutte referendum'
Britain - the Brexit Saga: E.U.Officials Agree to Brexit Delay, but with Conditions - by Stephen Castle
Top officials of the European Union tossed Prime Minister Theresa May a lifeline on Wednesday, saying they would allow Britain to push back its departure date from the bloc, but only if Parliament endorsed her withdrawal plan.
Lawmakers have twice already rejected Mrs. May’s plan emphatically, but in the unlikely event they changed their minds, Britain would still need an extension. The March 29 deadline is so near, there is no way lawmakers can pass the supporting legislation needed to put any withdrawal plan into effect.
In offering an extension but tying it to a vote in Parliament, the European Union officials appeared to be trying to strengthen Mrs. May’s position and pressure British lawmakers to fall into line behind her plan, which would allow Britain to exit the bloc but maintain its trade ties until at least the end of 2020.
If they don’t, the alternative may be an outcome many of the lawmakers like even less than the prime minister’s plan: a break from the bloc with no provisions for cushioning its economic impact — a so-called no-deal Brexit — or an even lengthier delay. And that could potentially mean no withdrawal from the bloc at all.
Given the chaos and dysfunction of British politics, it was not at all clear Wednesday that the gambit by the European Union officials would pay off. The showdown between Britain and the European Union, it seems, may be destined go right down to the wire
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, did offer a bit of encouragement in an otherwise bleak landscape.
Click here to read more
Lawmakers have twice already rejected Mrs. May’s plan emphatically, but in the unlikely event they changed their minds, Britain would still need an extension. The March 29 deadline is so near, there is no way lawmakers can pass the supporting legislation needed to put any withdrawal plan into effect.
In offering an extension but tying it to a vote in Parliament, the European Union officials appeared to be trying to strengthen Mrs. May’s position and pressure British lawmakers to fall into line behind her plan, which would allow Britain to exit the bloc but maintain its trade ties until at least the end of 2020.
If they don’t, the alternative may be an outcome many of the lawmakers like even less than the prime minister’s plan: a break from the bloc with no provisions for cushioning its economic impact — a so-called no-deal Brexit — or an even lengthier delay. And that could potentially mean no withdrawal from the bloc at all.
Given the chaos and dysfunction of British politics, it was not at all clear Wednesday that the gambit by the European Union officials would pay off. The showdown between Britain and the European Union, it seems, may be destined go right down to the wire
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, did offer a bit of encouragement in an otherwise bleak landscape.
Click here to read more
Brazil and the NATO: Trump misunderstands NATO ( North Atlantic Treaty Organization) so badly, he thinks Brazil could be part of it - by Rick Noack
For the United States’ NATO military allies, a good day is a day when President Trump forgets that they exist.
On bad days, he calls the alliance “as bad as NAFTA,” ponders whether it could result in World War III and raises questions about its future.
Tuesday probably would fall into the category of bad days for NATO. Yet
again, Trump showed that he either doesn’t understand the alliance — or
at least ignores everything he knows about it.
During a news conference with right-wing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, Trump said: “I
also intend to designate Brazil as a major non-NATO ally, or even
possibly — if you start thinking about it — maybe a NATO ally. I have to
talk to a lot of people, but maybe a NATO ally.”
This
might be an interesting suggestion — if Brazil were located somewhere
between Greece and Britain. NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and is a European-North American alliance, which is, in
many ways, tailored to the two regions.
To add Brazil, Trump wouldn’t
just have to “talk to a lot of people,” but he also would need to get
all NATO member states to agree to change Article 10 of the alliance’s
1949 founding treaty, which states that only European countries can
join, besides Canada and the United States.
Note EU-Digest: Bottom-line - Donald Trump did not do his homework again, and basically does not know what he is talking about when he suggests Brazil could be in the NATO
Read more: Trump misunderstands NATO so badly, he thinks Brazil could be part of it - The Washington Post
3/19/19
Italy: the country is in a state of democratic emergency
Wake up, Italians – our country is in a state of democratic emergency
Read more at:
USA: CHEMICAL INDUSTRY: Judge finds "Roundup " substantial factor in man's cancer
Monsanto: Roundup substantial factor in man’s cancer, jury finds in key verdict.
In the meantime Monsanto is still advertising. cancer causing ROUNDUP in the media.
White Nationalism: Data shows white nationalism is a growing threat
Despite Trump's view, white nationalism is a growing threat, data shows
Brazil - US relations: Two right winger Presidents bonding in Washington
Trump bonds with Brazil's Bolsonaro in White House visit U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil’s new far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro forged a bond over their shared brand of conservative and populist politics on Tuesday, with Trump pledging to give more U.S. support to Brazil’s global ambitions.
Middle East - !srael: The Supreme Court bars far right candidate to participate in elections
Israel bars far-right candidate from standing in election Israel's supreme court on Sunday disqualified the controversial leader of the extreme-right Jewish Power party, Michael Ben-Ari, from running in next month's elections.
Britain - Brexit: UK speaker of the house blocks third vote on Brexit deal
UK speaker blocks third vote on Brexit deal
Read more at:
https://p.dw.com/p/3FGdr
https://p.dw.com/p/3FGdr
3/18/19
USA: Veteran and famous newsman Dan Rather Compares Trump to Flying Cow Manure
His advice? The people need to see Trump’s rhetoric for what it is: propaganda meant to misinform and wear them down.
During an interview with CNN’s Brian Stelter, while they were discussing the rise of right-wing extremism around the globe, Rather took a moment to lament on Trump’s successes and failures in the digital age, and how he’s used new tools to his advantage.
In spite of his strengths in using social media, the Trump administration is apparently oblivious to the fact that right-wing extremism is on the rise online. Stelter asked Rather, “can [the White House] effectively respond to this rising threat of extremism on the internet” if they’re unaware of how it actually works?
“The answer is, not very well,” Rather said, per reporting from Newsweek. He further acknowledged that Trump has a lot of media tools at his disposal.
“Look, we have to deal with reality. This is a whole new age. And the president has the strongest, the most powerful platform for propaganda that humans have ever had. No president has ever had this kind of reach — the combination of television, radio, the internet, social media, tweets.”Among the many difficulties with Trump’s use of media is the fact that he constantly uses it to disseminate false information.
Note EU-Digest: Republicans should start withholding support from what many people see as an unstable and unreliable person in the White House, if they don't, it could also be the end of the Republican party as a viable entity within the US political establishment.
Read more: Dan Rather Compares Trump to Flying Cow Manure | HillReporter.com
The Netherlands - terrorist attack : Dutch police arrest Turkish man suspected of killing 3 in tram shooting
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| 37-year-old Gokmen Tanis arrested |
The city was put into lockdown after the shooting, shortly after the morning rush hour, which authorities initially said was an apparent terrorist attack. Police conducted raids in several locations.
But hours after the shooting, the gunman's motive remained unclear. A prosecutor said it could be for "family reasons" and Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, quoting relatives of the gunman, said he had fired at a relative on the tram and had then shot at others who tried to help her.
Helicopters hovered over the usually quiet medieval town.
Authorities had raised the terrorism threat in Utrecht province to its highest level, schools were told to shut their doors and paramilitary police increased security at airports, other vital infrastructure and at mosques.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte convened crisis talks immediately after the incident, which came three days after a lone gunman killed 50 people in mass shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
"Our country has today been shocked by an attack in Utrecht... A terrorist motive cannot be excluded," Rutte said.
Note EU-Digest: As to the people who are now arguing if this can be called a terrorist attack, they should realize that if you are white, brown, black or yellow, male or female, Christian, Muslim, or whatever religion, that going into a public transportation system and killing innocent people is an act of terrorism - no but's or if's.
Read m,ore at: Dutch police arrest Turkish man suspected of killing 3 in tram shooting
The Netherlands - US Relations: Netherlands, U.S. agree on use of Curacao as possible aid hub for Venezuela
The Netherlands and the United States reached an agreement on Friday to
use facilities on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curacao for possible
distribution of aid to nearby Venezuela, Curacao’s prime minister said.
Theisland will only be used for civilian operations to deliver aid, such as food and medicines, to Venezuela if the Venezuelan government explicitly allows it, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said last month.
Note Almere Digest: A good idea, as long as the US does not use it as a "stepping stone" for a US "sponsored" military invasion of Venezuela.
Read more: Netherlands, U.S. agree on use of Curacao as possible aid hub for Venezuela | Reuters
Theisland will only be used for civilian operations to deliver aid, such as food and medicines, to Venezuela if the Venezuelan government explicitly allows it, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said last month.
Note Almere Digest: A good idea, as long as the US does not use it as a "stepping stone" for a US "sponsored" military invasion of Venezuela.
Read more: Netherlands, U.S. agree on use of Curacao as possible aid hub for Venezuela | Reuters
3/17/19
Brazil - US relations: Brazil's t Right - Wing Presiden Jair Bolsonaro arrives in US for meetings with his US counterpart
Brazil’s Bolsonaro heads to US to strengthen economic and military cooperation On his first visit, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro arrived in Washington on Sunday to meet with his American counterpart Donald Trump to strengthen military and economic ties and to seek for a “major non NATO ally” status upgrade.
Britain - Brexit: Theresa May plays hardball to push her Brexit deal even though she calls it a compromise vote
Theresa May asks MPs for 'honourable compromise' on Brexit
Read more at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/47599860
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/47599860
USA:Trump doesn’t think white nationalism is a threat — but data says otherwise - by Kelly Cohen
Nearly 50 people were allegedly killed by a man in New Zealand who
was inspired by white nationalist ideas.
The US is no better off.
After a gunman inspired by the white nationalist ideas that fuel violence and attempted violence in the United States and elsewhere allegedly killed 49 people at mosques in New Zealand Friday, Donald Trump was asked whether he thought white nationalism is a global rising threat.
The United States president responded: “I don’t really.”
But as evidenced by reports from civil liberties groups and American justice officials’ own data, domestic terrorism, specifically white supremacy, is on the rise in the United States.
Data released earlier this month by the Anti-Defamation League shows white supremacists’ propaganda efforts increased 182 percent last year, with 1,187 distributions across the US in 2018, up from 421 total incidents reported in 2017.
The number of racist rallies and demonstrations also rose last year: The ADL data released in February shows at least 91 white supremacist rallies or other public events attended by white supremacists were held in 2018, up from 76 the previous year.
Read more: Trump doesn’t think white nationalism is a threat — but data says otherwise
The US is no better off.
The United States president responded: “I don’t really.”
But as evidenced by reports from civil liberties groups and American justice officials’ own data, domestic terrorism, specifically white supremacy, is on the rise in the United States.
Data released earlier this month by the Anti-Defamation League shows white supremacists’ propaganda efforts increased 182 percent last year, with 1,187 distributions across the US in 2018, up from 421 total incidents reported in 2017.
The number of racist rallies and demonstrations also rose last year: The ADL data released in February shows at least 91 white supremacist rallies or other public events attended by white supremacists were held in 2018, up from 76 the previous year.
Read more: Trump doesn’t think white nationalism is a threat — but data says otherwise
Slovakia elections: Slovakia poised to elect a government critic
Why Slovakia is poised to elect a government critic | euronews answers
Read more at:
3/16/19
Radicalism and Terrorism - Time to call a spade a spade:Radical right-wing white supremacists who kill people are terrorists just like radical Muslims who kill people - by RM
 |
| Populism is dangerous and destructive and the wrong way to go |
What a horrible and despicable act of terrorism it was, committed by this white supremacist on innocent Muslim worshipers in New Zealand
This has to stop.
The fact is that right-wing, white supremacists radicalism, based on Islamophobia, race, culture and adversary-immigration policies, is just as radical as Muslim radicalism, but unfortunately not defined as such, or confronted and fought openly by governments and the press, in the same way as Muslim radical extremism is.
Both extremists groups, once they get involved in violent acts, whereby innocent people get killed, are terrorists. There is no difference between the two.
In Europe and the US, radical right-wing, white supremacists movements are usually still labeled as either nationalist, or populist movements by the media and politicians, including Donald Trump in the US, Marianne Le Pen in France, Geert Wilders and Thiery Baudet in the Netherlands, Victor Orban in Hungary, Jörg Meuthen and Alexander Gauland, in Germany, Matteo Salvin in Italy, Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson in United Kingdom, Michał Marusik in Poland, and Ulrich Schlüer and Pascal Junod in Zwitserland.
In this context let us also not forget that all of the European politicians mentioned in the paragraph above are being cheered on by their "big brother", Donald Trump on the other side of the Atlantic ocean, and sad to say, the "love" is mutual.
Unfortunately, this political right-wing alliance has resulted in some extremely negative effects on the well-being of many people around the planet, causing racial and religious tensions, a lack of direction in the area of the environment (the Paris Agreement), nuclear proliferation (the Iran Nuclear Deal framework), a British political debacle (Brexit), and tariff wars..
Democracy, as we knew it, is just about non-existent anymore. The Populist radical charade needs to be exposed for what it really is, before many more people lose their lives, as a result of terrorist acts committed by these white supremacists.
It is high time for Governments, politicians, and the press to take their heads out of the sand and call a spade a spade.A terrorist is a terrorist, if he is white, black, brown, or yellow, Christian, or Muslim, or whatever religion he or she professes.
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