Author: nick
[ad_1] Germany threw everything it had behind its campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council, but the campaign failed: The UN General Assembly decided that Germany has no place there. This year, two rotating seats allocated to the Western European group were up for election. Portugal received 134 votes. Austria received 131. They took the two seats. Germany secured 104 votes, falling 23 short of the required two-thirds majority. For Berlin, this is not a minor diplomatic setback, but a historic humiliation. Since reunification, Germany has served four times as a non-permanent member of the Security Council, winning…
[ad_1] Photo by Markus Spiske “This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House,” US president Donald Trump claimed the day after an armed would-be assassin attempted to charge through a security barricade at the Washington Hilton. “It cannot be built fast enough!” US Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) agreed: “America has a problem. That problem is, it is very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it is really, really secure.” I partly agreed with Trump, Graham, and other prominent Republicans at the time:…
[ad_1] What connects the rapper Kanye West, pick-up artist Julien Blanc, and left-wing broadcaster Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks YouTube channel? All three are Americans who have been banned from visiting the UK, as their presence has been deemed “not conducive to the public good”—which is essentially British bureaucrat-speak for “they have expressed views that some might find offensive.” The UK has a notoriously lax approach to illegal migrants who traverse the English Channel on small boats. On arrival, even hardened criminals are regularly offered free accommodation, access to public services, and “human rights” protections that ensure they won’t…
[ad_1] Robert and Mabel Williams were two of the most militant organizers of the Black liberation movement in its first couple decades. Unwilling to wait for the US legal system do undo its legacy of white supremacy and consequently in conflict with civil rights groups taking that road, the Williams’ armed defense and anti-colonialist politics put targets on their backs, forcing them into exile. Their story is one that, despite frequent efforts to bury it in the dustbin of history, continues to be heard and retold. Likewise, it continues to inspire. In 2025, Robert’s memoir was republished together with Mabel’s…
[ad_1] CounterPunch explores the upcoming UFC White House spectacle and the Hollywood, DC, and Gulf power brokers at the nexus of US politics, sports and entertainment. Host Eric Draitser welcomes veteran combat sports journalist Nate Wilcox, Editor-in-Chief of The MMA Draw, to the show to discuss the White House event, the mythology around Trump’s relationship with the UFC and Dana White, the role of Ari Emanuel and TKO Group in monopolizing combat sports and playing all sides of the power structure, the Gulf monarchies and their projection of soft power, the overlap between entertainment, finance, and geopolitics, and so much…
[ad_1] Only way to Remain Human We have arrived at the definitive parting of the ways. Two roads diverging at right angles: one signposted Real Life and the other Fake Life. No half way house. That’s important, because at present many are trying to walk a non-committed, neither one nor the other pathway that involves tricking one’s self into believing one is a spectator in a theatre and that the turbulent world outside is something to be viewed from one’s theatre seat. Such isolated comforts are available for a bit longer, maybe – but they are illusory. An inner voice…
[ad_1] Photograph Source: Capital FM Kenya – CC BY 3.0 The main news item in African media this past week has been the controversy surrounding a proposed U.S.-funded Ebola quarantine facility in Kenya. What began as a public health initiative has rapidly evolved into a politically charged national dispute. The project has triggered protests and legal action. Two people have reportedly died during demonstrations. The High Court, according to media reports, has ordered the government to disclose details of the agreement underpinning the facility, while public debate has expanded beyond epidemiology to questions of sovereignty, transparency and public trust. These…
[ad_1] Trump exercises restraint with Iran: Last night, President Donald Trump said he would hit Iran “VERY HARD.” “At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela,” he said via Truth Social. Thankfully, Trump walked that all back, calling off U.S. strikes in Iran and saying that a peace deal looked to be “in pretty final shape” (which has not been confirmed by Iran). The Reason Roundup Newsletter by Liz Wolfe Liz and Reason…
[ad_1] Photograph by Nathaniel St. Clair Last fall, families in Wilder, Idaho gathered for horse races when helicopters and armored trucks suddenly descended. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — armed with guns, flashbang grenades, and rubber bullets — stormed the event, terrifying children and parents alike. Agents zip-tied Juana Rodriguez’s hands — and even kept her from feeding her three‑year‑old. “What happened turned our outing into a nightmare,” said the U.S. citizen. The government claimed it was targeting five people for illegal gambling. Instead, 105 people were arrested — all on civil immigration charges. Did anyone consider the children’s trauma before approving the…
[ad_1] The White House South Lawn has been the site of everything from tee-ball games to Easter egg hunts, and this June 14, the grassy expanse will host seven UFC matches, including two title fights. The White House and UFC are hosting the UFC Freedom 250 to kickoff celebrations for America’s 250th birthday. It’s also the same day as President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. UFC president and CEO Dana White is a longtime Trump friend and supporter, with their relationship tracing back to White running his very first fight at the Trump Taj Mahal in 2001. TIME magazine reported in…