Politics & environs articles 2020

[umbertino]

EU leaders in bitter clash over Covid-19 recovery package

 

Orbán accuses Netherlands’ Rutte of ‘communist’ tactics on tense third day of talks

 

Daniel Boffey in Brussels

Mon 20 Jul 2020 07.42 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/19/eu-leaders-extra-time-tempers-fray-coronavirus-recovery-summit-angela-merkel-emmanuel-macron

 

[umbertino]

EU leaders seal deal on spending and €750bn ($859.13B) Covid-19 recovery plans

 

Euro rises as heads of state finally thrash out agreement on day five

 

Daniel Boffey and Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

Tue 21 Jul 2020 08.03 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/20/macron-seeks-end-acrimony-eu-summit-enters-fourth-day

[umbertino]

This is what happens when the war on terror is turned inward, on America

 

Trump has realized that our vast post-9/11 security state can be used to police internal bogeymen like antifa

 

 

Fri 24 Jul 2020 13.17 BST

Hamilton Nolan

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jul/24/trump-security-state-war-on-terror-america

[umbertino]

The EU coronavirus fund will take Europe another step towards disintegration

 

The recovery package promises deeper integration between European countries. Here’s why I think it won’t work

 

Fri 24 Jul 2020 15.36 BST Last modified on Fri 24 Jul 2020 15.38 BST

Yanis Varoufakis  .....Yanis Varoufakis is the co-founder of DiEM25 (Democracy in Europe Movement) and fmr. Minister of finance of Greece

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2020/jul/24/eu-coronavirus-fund-europe-recovery-package

[umbertino]

'It's just madness': Brazil music legend Caetano Veloso on Bolsonaro

 

The musician, 77, exiled to London under Brazil’s military dictatorship says he fears the president’s ‘ultra-reactionary bunch’ will not let go of power easily

 

Wed 29 Jul 2020 10.15 BST Last modified on Wed 29 Jul 2020 16.34 BST

Caio Barretto Briso and Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro

 

 

 

 

The Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso at his home in Rio de Janeiro, which he has only left once since the coronavirus pandemic reached Brazil in March

Photograph: Aline Fonseca

 

 

 

 

More pics

 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jul/29/caetano-veloso-brazil-bolsonaro-so-confused-so-incompetent

[umbertino]

Firearms exports to Brazil surge as gun ownership increases under Bolsonaro

 

Controversial relaxation of gun laws is fuelling fears among experts that moves will add to already shocking levels of violence

 

Alicia Prager in Vienna and Laís Martins in São Paulo

Published on Fri 31 Jul 2020 10.30 BST

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/31/brazil-guns-glock-firearms-exports-data

[umbertino]

Trump and his company under investigation by New York district attorney, filing suggests - live

 

• Filing suggests Vance is investigating possible fraud
• Trump calls Birx’s dire warning on coronavirus in the US ‘pathetic’

 

Lauren Gambino (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

Mon 3 Aug 2020 21.14 BST

 

 

Key events

• 18m ago US economy needs more stimulus and more masks, Fed policymakers say
• 2h ago Early afternoon summary
• 3h ago Trump threatens Tik Tok ban unless company is purchased by 15 September
• 3h ago Filing suggests Manhattan DA is investigating Trump and his company
• 5h ago Obama endorses 118 Democrats running in 2020
• 7h ago Judge Esther Salas releases emotional video message about shooting of her son
• 10h ago Lord & Taylor, one of America’s oldest department stores, files for bankruptcy

Live feed

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/aug/03/us-politics-coronavirus-bailout-senate-donald-trump-joe-biden-tiktok-covid19-live-updates

 

[umbertino]

A global debt crisis is looming – how can we prevent it?

 

There is an urgent need for wide-ranging debt relief in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic

 

Joseph Stiglitz and Hamid Rashid

Mon 3 Aug 2020 07.00 BST

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/aug/03/global-debt-crisis-relief-coronavirus-pandemic

 

[umbertino]

New York attorney general sues to shut down NRA, alleging 'brazen illegality'

 

• Letitia James alleges leaders used NRA as ‘personal piggy bank’
• Lawsuit claims money helped to pay for trips and private jets
•  

Amanda Holpuch in New York

Thu 6 Aug 2020 21.42 BST

 

 

 

Vid

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/06/nra-new-york-attorney-general-lawsuit-wayne-lapierre

[umbertino]

Europe treats undocumented children with less care than livestock

 

Countless young people are being pushed to Europe’s margins by hardline border and migration policies

 

Fri 7 Aug 2020 11.30 BST Last modified on Fri 7 Aug 2020 11.44 BST

Michele Levoy

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2020/aug/07/europe-undocumented-children-young-people-europe-border-migration-policies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Number of UK citizens emigrating to EU has risen by 30% since Brexit vote

 

Exclusive: crisis has led to 500% increase in Britons taking up citizenship in an EU state

 

Lisa O'Carroll Brexit correspondent

Tue 4 Aug 2020 06.00 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/04/number-of-uk-citizens-emigrating-to-eu-has-risen-by-30-since-brexit-vote

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[umbertino]

Border agents are allowed to operate 100 miles inside the US. That should worry us

 

The agents in Portland were members of a special tactical unit with extra-legal powers. They’ve been doing this for decades

 

Sat 8 Aug 2020 12.06 BST

Todd Miller

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/08/border-agents-us-force

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This black man shouldn't spend life in prison for trying to steal hedge clippers

 

The Louisiana supreme court wants to lock Fair Wayne Bryant away for life. Here, we reprint the dissenting opinion by one black judge, Chief Justice Bernette Johnson

 

Chief Justice Bernette Johnson

Fri 7 Aug 2020 21.02 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/07/fair-wayne-bryant-louisiana-chief-justice-bernette-johnson-dissent

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[umbertino]

Trump has no problem letting billionaires profit off the pandemic

 

The president thinks that as long as they buoy the stock market, they’re helping the US economy – and that’s pure rubbish

 

Sun 9 Aug 2020 07.00 BST Last modified on Sun 9 Aug 2020 07.01 BST

Robert Reich

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/09/trump-has-no-problem-letting-billionaires-profit-off-the-pandemic

[umbertino]

Juan Carlos has fled Spain, but questions over his past will follow him

 

The immunity once afforded the former Spanish king won’t protect him any more against allegations of graft and fraud

 

Wed 5 Aug 2020 13.00 BST Last modified on Wed 5 Aug 2020 13.01 BST

 

Giles Tremlett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/05/juan-carlos-spain-immunity-king-graft-fraud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brent Scowcroft obituary

 

US national security adviser whose long career took in the evacuation of Saigon, Richard Nixon’s visit to China and the end of the cold war

 

Harold Jackson

Sun 9 Aug 2020 13.45 BST

 

 

Brent Scowcroft in his office at the White House. The US’s signing of the Start II treaty with Boris Yeltsin in 1993 and his accumulated moves to reduce nuclear instability will probably be Scowcroft’s most enduring legacy

Photograph: Diana Walker/Life/Getty Images

 

 

 

 

More pics

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/09/brent-scowcroft-obituary

Edited August 9, 2020 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai arrested under new security law

 

Leading pro-democracy figure detained over alleged foreign collusion as police search Apple Daily offices

 

Helen Davidson and Lily Kuo in Beijng

Mon 10 Aug 2020 15.08 BST

 

 

 

Vid

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/10/hong-kong-media-tycoon-jimmy-lai-arrested-over-alleged-foreign-collusion

 

Not good at all...Very bad infact.......

[umbertino]

Joe Biden needs Black voters. So why does he keep insulting us?

 

Biden seems to think a mythical ‘special relationship’ with the black community allows him to get away with offensive comments

 

Mon 10 Aug 2020 12.07 BST Last modified on Mon 10 Aug 2020 13.55 BST

Benjamin Dixon

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/10/joe-biden-needs-black-voters-so-why-does-he-keep-insulting-us

[umbertino]

The pandemic is helping the rich get even richer. It's time to tax their obscene wealth

 

Inequality is becoming worse as tens of millions of Americans face unemployment, loss of healthcare, evictions and hunger

 

Tue 11 Aug 2020 11.15 BST Last modified on Tue 11 Aug 2020 20.41 BST

Bernie Sanders

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/11/the-pandemic-is-helping-the-rich-get-even-richer-its-time-to-tax-their-obscene-wealth

[umbertino]

Cuba: Castro vs the World review – a triumph of historical illumination

 

The conclusion of this two-part documentary charted the end of the Soviet Union to the Clinton years and beyond, with the former US president joining a superb cast of talking heads

 

Lucy Mangan

Tue 11 Aug 2020 22.00 BST

 

 

 

 

Cuba: Castro vs The World

Photograph: Unknown/BBC/Getty Images

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/aug/11/cuba-castro-vs-the-world-review-a-triumph-of-historical-illumination

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saudi crown prince accused in lawsuit of sending hit squad to Canada

 

US lawsuit by ex-Saudi intelligence official accuses Mohammed bin Salman of plotting to kill him

 

Stephanie Kirchgaessner US investigations correspondent

Fri 7 Aug 2020 03.01 BST Last modified on Fri 7 Aug 2020 22.56 BST

 

 

 

 

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman in Osaka in 2019

Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/07/former-saudi-official-accuses-saudi-crown-prince-of-plot-to-kill-him

Edited August 11, 2020 by umbertino

[umbertino]

'It's like a war': beatings and indiscriminate arrests as armed men roam streets of Minsk

 

Residents tell how the crackdown on peaceful protests against the Belarus election results has turned a city into a conflict zone

 

Molly Blackall

Fri 14 Aug 2020 11.33 BST Last modified on Fri 14 Aug 2020 15.28 BST

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/14/belarus-beating-arrests-armed-men-roam-streets-minsk

[umbertino]

Israel signs historic deal with UAE that will 'suspend' West Bank annexation

 

Trump hails US-brokered pact as ‘peace agreement’ but cracks quickly appear as Netanyahu denies change of plan

 

Oliver Holmes Jerusalem correspondent and Julian Borger in Washington

Thu 13 Aug 2020 20.33 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/13/israel-and-uae-to-form-diplomatic-ties-says-donald-trump

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Foe of a foe – the shared interests that make UAE a 'friend' of Israel

 

Common ground rests on a ‘peace plan’ aided by splintered Arab solidarity over Palestine

 

Martin Chulov Middle East correspondent

Thu 13 Aug 2020 20.29 BST

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/13/foe-of-a-foe-interests-uae-friend-of-israel-conventions-us-trump-iran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'It's a game and we lost': Palestinians decry Gulf moves towards Israel

 

Israel’s relationship with neighbours is no longer defined by occupation, Palestinians say

 

Oliver Holmes and Hazem Balousha in Gaza and Sufian Taha in Jerusalem

Fri 14 Aug 2020 14.51 BST

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/14/its-a-game-and-we-lost-palestinians-decry-gulf-moves-towards-israel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While Israel celebrates a new peace accord, Palestinians once again lose

 

Netanyahu may have agreed to halt annexation of parts of the West Bank, but the UAE has ensured the occupation itself is normalised

 

Fri 14 Aug 2020 12.41 BST Last modified on Sat 15 Aug 2020 05.20 BST

Jonathan Freedland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/14/israel-praise-new-peace-accord-palestinians-lose-netanyahu-west-bank-uae

[umbertino]

Erdoğan is both a bully and a menace. Europe ignores him at its peril

 

Turkey’s aggression towards its rivals and allies alike is posing a threat to regional stability, yet nobody is prepared to act

 

Sun 16 Aug 2020 08.08 BST

Simon Tisdall

 

 

 

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan speaks at a press conference in Ankara about tensions with Greece on 10 August

Photograph: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/aug/16/erdogan-is-both-a-bully-and-a-menace-europe-ignores-him-at-its-peril

 

[umbertino]

 

Note (FWIW since I don't vote): I don't like Mr. Biden

 

 

 

'It is what it is': Michelle Obama picks Trump apart in gripping DNC speech

 

The former first lady sharply contrasted Joe Biden’s competency and character with that of the president

 

Joan E Greve in Washington, Lauren Gambino in Wilmington and agencies

Tue 18 Aug 2020 01.10 BST

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/17/michelle-obama-democratic-convention-joe-biden

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Obama delivers searing attack on Trump and warns of grave threat to democracy

 

• Ex-president says Trump will try to ‘tear our democracy down’
• Vice-presidential nominee Harris pledges to fight with hope

 

David Smith in Washington and Lauren Gambino in Wilmington

Thu 20 Aug 2020 05.37 BST

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/20/barack-obama-dnc-speech-trump-attack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Russian activist Alexei Navalny unconscious after being 'poisoned' in hospital

 

Opposition politician may have been poisoned by toxic substance in his tea, says press secretary

 

Andrew Roth in Moscow, and Martin Farrer

Thu 20 Aug 2020 07.12 BST

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/20/alexei-navalny-russian-opposition-figure-unconscious-in-hospital-says-aide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trump tacitly endorses baseless QAnon conspiracy theory linked to violence

 

President says followers of movement, which claims Trump is fighting ‘deep state’ paedophiles, ‘love our country’

 

David Smith in Washington and Julia Carrie Wong in San Francisco

Thu 20 Aug 2020 02.25 BST

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/19/trump-qanon-praise-conspiracy-theory-believers

[umbertino]

Shooting survivor Gabby Giffords delivers moving speech at DNC – video

 

Former US congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords provided the most emotional moment of the third night of the Democratic national convention. 

 

Giffords, who sustained brain damage after she was shot at an event with constituents in 2011, spoke during a segment on gun control..........

 

Source: DNC

Thu 20 Aug 2020 09.22 BST

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2020/aug/20/shooting-survivor-gabby-giffords-delivers-moving-speech-at-dnc-video

[umbertino]

Steve Bannon indicted by federal prosecutors, charged with defrauding ‘We Build the Wall’ donors – live

 

• Bannon and three others arrested for leading online campaign
• Kamala Harris accepts vice-presidential nomination on historic night
• Obama delivers searing Trump attack
• Trump tacitly endorses baseless QAnon conspiracy theory
• 1.1m Americans made claim for unemployment last week

 

Lauren Aratani (now) and Martin Belam (earlier)

Thu 20 Aug 2020 15.27 BST

 

Key events

• 54m ago Steve Bannon indicted by federal prosecutors
• 2h ago Over 1.1m Americans made an initial claim for unemployment benefit last week
• 4h ago Michigan to pay $600m to compensate Flint residents over lead-tainted drinking water – reports
• 4h ago Louisiana’s governor sets state on path to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
• 4h ago New Mexico city to pay $6.5m to family of man choked to death by police officer
• 4h ago Riot declared on 84th continuous night of Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon

Live feed

 

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/aug/20/joe-biden-covid-19-coronavirus-donald-trump-kamala-harris-barack-obama-dnc-democratic-national-convention-us-politics-live

[umbertino]

Toxic tea: Multiple Russians hit by suspected poisonings

 

When Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny collapsed in an airplane bathroom Thursday, his supporters immediately suspected poisoning. If true, he wouldn’t be the first prominent, outspoken Russian to be the target of toxic attack. Here are some other people who’ve criticized the Kremlin and then fallen victim to suspected poisonings

 

August 20, 2020

(AP)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.mail.com/int/scitech/health/10117142-toxic-tea-multiple-russians-hit-suspected-poisonin.html#.1258-stage-hero1-1