More than 115,000 rail workers will be legally allowed to strike on Friday.
Archiv: cry us a river
The JCPOA Nuclear Deal 2.0 is coming any day now – opinion
The “new” deal will maintain the original JCPOA’s rotten sunset clauses; will whitewash all of Iran’s nuclear program violations to-date (like enriching uranium to the 60% level); allow Iran to keep its nuclear enrichment infrastructure and other military weaponization projects; will not guarantee “anytime and anywhere” inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of Iranian nuclear installations; and will not allow for the “snapback” of Western sanctions.
Iran Setting the Ground for Signing Nuclear Deal Despite Unresolved Issues, Israeli Officials Say
After several months during which Israel offered contradictory assessments regarding Iran’s intention to sign a new agreement, in the past two days senior Israeli officials have voiced similar assessments: Since Tehran conveyed its reply to the draft agreement last Monday, the chances of a treaty have increased significantly, even if still not great.
Blinken tries to calm allies ahead of Iran nuke deal
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday tried to soothe the fears of Israel and its Gulf Arab allies ahead of the possible renewal of global powers’ international nuclear deal with Iran.
Blinken made the comments shortly before joining his counterparts from Israel and four Arab countries at a special gathering where the Iranian nuclear deal was expected to top the agenda.
‘Turned diplomacy into a religion’: Israel officials said to lash Biden on Iran deal
As reports swirl of an imminent new Iran nuclear deal, Israeli officials on Sunday lashed out at Washington, according to a TV report.
“The Biden administration has turned diplomacy into a religion, and the agreement the US will sign with Tehran is meaningless,” officials quoted by Channel 13 news said.
Vaccine mandates on hold: Courts put a stop to sweeping requirements — for now
Millions of health care workers across the U.S. were supposed to have their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by this coming Monday under a mandate issued by President Joe Biden’s administration. Thanks to legal challenges, they won’t have to worry about it, at least for now.
Same goes for a Jan. 4 deadline set by the administration for businesses with at least 100 employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus.
Joe Biden’s Mandates Aren’t Doing So Well in Court
Yesterday and today, federal judges in Louisiana and Missouri entered injunctions against vaccine mandates for the staff of 21 types of Medicare and Medicaid health-care providers, enacted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and planned to go into effect next Monday. Monday’s ruling was by Judge Matthew Schlep of the Eastern District of Missouri (a Trump appointee), and applies to ten states (Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming), all of which were plaintiffs in the case.
For Israel, US return to JCPOA with Iran is a done deal
(31.05.2021)
While all the signatories have expressed their desire to see the deal revived, American allies in the Middle East have voiced concerns about this intention.
#Israel: Lapid’s ‚Change Bloc‘ could find itself reliant on the support of the anti-Zionist Joint List to pass its first motion
Hillary Clinton warns of ‚huge consequences‘ in Afghan US troop withdrawal
Mrs Clinton said it was also important to protect the „many thousands of Afghans“ who had worked with the US and Nato during the conflict, and said a large visa programme should be set up to provide for any refugees.
‚A Catastrophic Move‘: As Lapid Courts Their Voters, Leftist Parties Fear Eradication in Upcoming Election
“This is a catastrophic move,” the source continued, adding that when Kahol Lavan Chairman Benny Gantz “did something similar in the last election, we made sure to stop the campaign when the other parties hit six seats so as not to endanger the bloc.”
Gantz: Nissenkorn stabbed me in the back
(01.01.2021)
In a weekend interview with Yediot Aharonot, Gantz said „I felt him stabbing me in the back and turning the knife.“
Nissenkorn, whose resignation took effect Friday morning, wrote on Facebook afterward that Gantz made „crazy concessions“ that would have emptied the justice minister post of authority in an effort to keep the government together.
It felt like a meeting of horror movie scriptwriters: GLEN OWEN tells the inside story of how a libertarian PM ended up feeling he had no choice but to cancel Christmas
The grim countenances of Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance told the story before they even started talking – Christmas was off. As Boris Johnson sat in the Cabinet Room at 5pm on Friday, Whitty and Vallance appeared on the Zoom monitors and started reeling off increasingly alarming data about the new mutant strain of the coronavirus…
Israeli drones leased to Germany to remain unarmed
Felgentreu is considered one of the biggest supporters of the move to arm the UAVs, which was separated from the actual procurement of the UAVs due to previous opposition within the SPD, which caused him to resign over the issue. Felgentreu has told „Globes“ in the past that the German army needs the Israeli UAVs to help protect its combat soldiers on missions in Afghanistan and Mali.
Wounded Boris Johnson lashes out at ‚General Indecision‘ Keir Starmer for abstaining in crunch tiers vote that saw 55-strong Tory revolt – as MPs warn things will get WORSE for PM unless he makes good on hints curbs will be eased in two weeks
The new tiers system for England came into force at midnight after the Commons approved it by 291 to 78 – but the healthy majority masked a disaster for Mr Johnson as a swathe of his own MPs abandoned him.
Scores of Tories joined the biggest uprising of this Parliament despite Mr Johnson personally waiting in the division lobbies and urging them to stick with the government, and he only secured victory because Sir Keir stopped short of opposing the measures.
Intelligence disputes fuel rare public acrimony among Gang of Eight
(29.07.2020)
The public spat between the Democratic and Republican sides of the so-called Gang of Eight, less than 100 days before Americans go to the polls, is highly unusual for the group, whose obligations normally rise above the political fray and rarely descend publicly into the partisan squabbles that define Capitol Hill.
EU Leaders Are Urged to Step Up Preparations for No-Deal Brexit
At a virtual summit of EU leaders Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo both called on their colleagues to make contingency plans in case talks to sign a trade and security agreement fail, according to two people with knowledge of the discussion.
EU faces crisis as Hungary and Poland veto seven-year budget
The EU is facing a crisis after Hungary and Poland vetoed the bloc’s historic €1.8tn (£1.6tn) budget and coronavirus recovery plan over attempts to link funding to respect for democratic norms.
The move unravels months of negotiations over the scale and terms of the EU’s spending and sets the stage for a stormy videoconference meeting of the bloc’s leaders on Thursday.
House Democrats Dissect What Went Wrong And How To Rebound From Losses
House Democrats started this month hoping, and preparing, to gain seats in the election. Instead, their once-robust majority in the House has dwindled, and Democrats are on track to begin next year with the slimmest majority in decades.
Now members on the progressive left and Democratic Party moderates are again at odds over whose policies won in 2020 and how they should govern as a party.
Nervous Democrats don’t see 2016 nightmare repeating itself
Democrats are feeling confident that 2020 will not be a repeat of 2016 and that polls showing Joe Biden with a comfortable lead over President Trump will not result in another nightmare for the party.
Trump’s 2016 upset of Hillary Clinton after polls showed the Democrats with a slender lead on Election Day lingers fresh in the minds of many Democrats.
Scoop: Trump’s post-election execution list
If President Trump wins re-election, he’ll move to immediately fire FBI Director Christopher Wray and also expects to replace CIA Director Gina Haspel and Defense Secretary Mark Esper, two people who’ve discussed these officials‘ fates with the president tell Axios.
The big picture: The list of planned replacements is much longer, but these are Trump’s priorities, starting with Wray.
Trump has list of top intelligence officials he’ll fire if he wins reelection: report
President Trump plans to fire several top officials in the national security sphere should he win reelection in November, Axios reported Sunday.
The president plans to fire Defense Secretary Mark Esper, CIA Director Gina Haspel and FBI Director Christopher Wray, two people familiar with his decisionmaking told the news outlet. White House officials declined to comment on personnel matters.
So much for the Welsh ‚travel ban‘: Traffic flows freely between England and Wales on first day of ‚unenforcable‘ ban on travelers from English coronavirus hotspots like Liverpool
It was described as ‚unenforceable‘ by the Police Federation earlier this week and there is still no sign of any high-visibility patrols or roadblocks to deter travel from Merseyside – despite Liverpool being in Tier 3.
Those who ignore the restrictions will be breaking the law and could face fixed penalty notices starting at £50 – but there have so far been no reports of drivers being stopped.
Trump’s Afghanistan withdrawal announcement takes US officials by surprise
(08.10.2020)
Multiple officials told the Associated Press they had not been informed of any such deadline and military experts said it would be impossible to withdraw all 5,000 US troops in Afghanistan and dismantle the US military headquarters by the end of the year.
They suggested the president’s claim was aimed at shifting the news cycle away from coronavirus coverage and that the Pentagon would not act on the order before the 3 November US election.
A game theorist’s advice to President Trump on filling the Supreme Court seat
I have worked for over 30 years in competitive strategy. I teach it to future business and policy leaders, diplomats, global development leaders and social entrepreneurs. I have been a leader of the competitive strategy practices in two influential global consulting firms, where I advised CEOs, boards and policy heads. My academic training is as a game theorist, the science of figuring out your next move while anticipating the competitor’s moves to follow. Despite these credentials, I have never been invited to advise Donald Trump on competitive strategy.
Outcry as US intelligence stops in-person reports to Congress on election security
An official in Ratcliffe’s office, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said on Saturday the office was “concerned about unauthorized disclosures of sensitive information following recent briefings”.
The move drew a heated rejoinder from House Democrats, who have focused on foreign efforts to sway the presidential election in 2016 and again this year.
Director Of National Intelligence Cancels Verbal Election Security Briefings
In a joint statement released Saturday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Congress had been set for briefings on election security in mid-September. But briefings for members of Congress, including the House and Senate intelligence committees, by Ratcliffe’s office have now been called off, they said.
„This is a shocking abdication of its lawful responsibility to keep the Congress currently informed, and a betrayal of the public’s right to know how foreign powers are trying to subvert our democracy,“ Pelosi and Schiff said in the statement.
Stay off the beaches? NO CHANCE! Thousands flout social-distancing to soak up 95F as desperate police turn back staycationers after councils begged tourists to steer clear following ‚bedlam‘ yesterday
Record numbers packed the seafront on Friday, despite Government warnings, and with little signs of social distancing, on what was the UK’s hottest August day since 2003.
There were similar scenes again today as staycationers in Bournemouth were seen emerging from tents they’d set up overnight to try and secure the best spots, while Sussex Police turned away cars from a full Camber Sands beach as early as 10am.
In North Wales, described as being a scene of ‚bedlam‘ yesterday, a councillor’s plea for visitors to avoid towns appeared to be ignored as the local police force reported a ‚considerable build up‘ of traffic in Abersoch as drivers made their way to the beach.
Very social – but no distancing! Revellers flock to Manchester’s pubs and bars for a night on the tiles despite new stricter lockdown rules
– Partygoers took advantage of hot weather this weekend to head out drinking in Manchester and Blackpool
– Groups of friends could be seen hugging and crowded outside nightclubs, pubs, bars and restaurants
Coronavirus News: NJ COVID-19 cluster linked to house party, patients not cooperating
All of the new cases are teens between the ages of 15 and 19, and Middletown health officials say they are running into resistance while trying to track the cases.
Ergebnisse des EU-Gipfels: „Pandoras Büchse ist jetzt offen“
tagesschau.de: Galt es bislang nicht als absolutes No-Go, dass die EU Schulden machen darf?
Becker: In den Verträgen der Europäischen Union ist verankert, dass ihre Einnahmen und Ausgaben immer gleich bleiben müssen. Damit ist eigentlich eine Verschuldung ausgeschlossen. In den vergangenen Jahren hat die EU dieses Prinzip zwar auch hin und wieder umgangen, jedoch nur in sehr kleinem Rahmen. 750 Milliarden Euro sind da schon eine ganz andere Hausnummer. Das ist komplett neu.
‘Justice for Bernardo’ Protest in Salt Lake City (Unedited)
Demonstrators vandalized the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office to protest the DA’s ruling that the fatal shooting of Bernardo Palacios on May 23 was legally justified. (Warning: Language)
#2 Lockdown Rebels in Portobello Road, 20 June 2020
As the evening wore on, the crowd swelled to about 500 people. After the Ginstitute stopped serving take away drinks, the local Sainsbury’s sold £5000 of beer and wine in less than 3 hours.
Epic Scenes At Anfield As Liverpool Fans Celebrate Historic Premier League Title Win
Fans gather outside Anfield to celebrate Liverpool winning the Premier League for the first time ever.
Liverpool’s 30-year wait for a league title is over after they were confirmed as Premier League champions.
‚Half a million visitors‘ to south coast of England on hottest day of the year
(25.06.2020)
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council said services were „completely overstretched“ as huge numbers of visitors defied advice to stay away – prompting authorities to declare the major incident.
Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood said Dorset had seen „half a million visitors“ to the area causing traffic jams and full beaches.
Tucker: Black Lives Matter is now a political party
(09.06.2020)
And it may be the strongest political party in the United States.
NYPD Commissioner Addresses Calls to Defund Department
NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said he gets “beyond concerned” when he hears calls to defund the police. He spoke with NBC New York’s Melissa Russo about what that could mean.
America Is Giving Up on the Pandemic
After months of deserted public spaces and empty roads, Americans have returned to the streets. But they have come not for a joyous reopening to celebrate the country’s victory over the coronavirus. Instead, tens of thousands of people have ventured out to protest the killing of George Floyd by police.
Demonstrators have closely gathered all over the country, and in blocks-long crowds in large cities, singing and chanting and demanding justice.
Massen-Demo und Corona-Gefahr – „Unmöglich, Regeln durchzusetzen“
ZDFheute: Sie haben über die Anti-Rassismus-Demo getwittert, es sei ein unkontrollierter, verantwortungsloser Massenprotest gewesen, der sie beängstigt habe. Warum?
Olaf Sundermeyer: Das war ein persönliches Gefühl. In dieser Masse auf dem Alexanderplatz als Berichterstatter zu stehen, in einem Land, das seit Monaten gegen diese Pandemie kämpft, inmitten von zehntausenden Menschen ohne jeglichen Schutz und Abstand in dieser unkontrollierten Massenveranstaltung, das hat mich beängstigt.
Fence to the squad parking lot is torn open. Cars being busted
Members of the Michigan Liberty Militia stand guard with weapons and tactical gear in an angry protest before the Michigan statehouse
The “American Patriot Rally” started on the statehouse steps, where members of the Michigan Liberty Militia stood guard with weapons and tactical gear, their faces partially covered. They later moved inside the Capitol along with several hundred protesters, who demanded to be let onto the House floor, which is prohibited. Some protesters with guns — which are allowed in the statehouse — went to the Senate gallery, where a senator said some armed men shouted at her, and some senators wore bulletproof vests.
Police warn lockdown rules becoming unenforceable as people start returning to work
The Police Federation, which represents frontline officers, said it was „absolute nonsense“ for them to be telling sunbathers to move on when shoppers were queuing with „not a fag packet between them“ to buy „non-essential“ products at newly-reopened DIY stores.
US stocks halted after falling 7%. Global stocks plunge as oil crashes and coronavirus fear spreads
The S&P 500 (SPX) fell about 6%. The Dow (INDU) fell as many as 2,046 points. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) was down 5.4%. The New York Stock Exchange halted trading for 15 minutes after stocks plunged more than 7%. They retraced some of their losses after the market reopened.
Iowa vote Monday could be a wake-up call for stock market if leading candidate Bernie Sanders wins
Bernie Sanders leads in Iowa polls ahead of Monday’s Iowa Democratic presidential caucus.
If he wins Iowa and New Hampshire, strategists say he could gain a lot of momentum toward winning his party’s nomination.
It’s Very Hard Being Tom Perez
Tom Perez a little trooper. Ana Kasparian and John Iadarola, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.