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Gathered mainly from international media sources December 2020 - March 2021 |
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| Israel to supply anti-tank rockets and military drones to Hungary. Some of the weapons will be manufactured in Hungary under Israel's guidance. The weapons will be fully integrated and compliant with NATO standards. The multi-year commercial deal is similar to the one Israel made with Poland. |
Tearful Joe Biden honours late son Beau during final speech before inauguration Joe Biden wiped away tears as he made a farewell speech to Delaware, in which he paid tribute to his late son Beau. Mr Biden, who arrived in Washington on Tuesday ready for his inauguration the next day, made his emotional speech at the National Guard headquarters in Delaware, which was named for his son. Speaking before he left for Washington, Mr Biden, his voice thick with emotion, told the crowd: "I am proud, proud, proud, proud to be a son of Delaware. And I am even more proud to be standing here doing this from the Major Beau Biden facility. Ladies and gentlemen, I only have one regret: he's not here. "Because he should... we should be introducing him as president. "But we have great opportunities. Delaware has taught us anything's possible. Anything's possible in this country. So may God bless you all and may God protect our troops. Thank you." Mr Biden also talked about making change in America and the enormity of having a black and Asian vice president. He said: "Twelve years ago, I was waiting at the train station in Wilmington for a black man to pick me up on our way to Washington, where we were sworn in as president and vice president of the United States of America. And here we are today. "My family and I, about to return to Washington to meet a black woman of south Asian descent, to be sworn in as president and vice president of the United States. "As I told Beau on that station waiting for Barack and Hunter and Ashley, I said, 'don't tell me things can't change. They can and they do.' That's America. That's Delaware." The event was attended by about 100 people, including numerous Delaware elected officials and members of Mr Biden's family. After leaving Wilmington, Mr Biden flew to Washington where he attended a memorial for the US's 400,000 Covid-19 victims. He will spend the night at Blair House, the president's official guest house, before moving into the White House after he is sworn in on Wednesday. Mr Biden plans to issue a series of executive orders on his first day as president — including reversing Donald Trump’s effort to leave the Paris climate accord, canceling his travel ban on visitors from several predominantly Muslim countries, and extending pandemic-era limits on evictions and student loan payments. Mr Trump will not be attending Biden's inauguration, the first outgoing president to skip the ceremony since Andrew Johnson more than a century and a half ago. |
| The Duchess of Sussex and her father have given conflicting reports about the impact of the letter she sent him in the months after the Royal Wedding. The contradictory claims have been made in the most recent High Court hearing in Meghan’s legal action against the Mail on Sunday, which published the letter after being contacted by Thomas Markle. The Duchess is suing the newspaper for breach of privacy and copyright. Meghan’s lawyers have claimed that her final sentence in the letter – which the Mail on Sunday chose not to publish – showed that she was seeking “a message of peace”. Meghan's lawyers: The 'triple barrelled invasion' on privacy and why they say the Mail cannot win She wrote: “I ask for nothing other than peace. And I wish the same for you.” Her legal team insist that her intention was merely to repair the rift which had so dramatically developed between Meghan and her father after he was unable to attend the Royal Wedding in May 2018. But in a witness statement released today by the court, it is revealed that Thomas Markle saw Meghan’s intentions very differently. He said that he “wanted to correct that misrepresentation” of Meghan’s letter in an earlier article in People magazine which Mr Markle says was a “total lie” and did not represent “the tone and the content of the letter Meg had written me in August 2018”. The content of the People article, claims Mr Markle in the statement, “caused me to change my mind” over whether to “talk publicly about Meg’s letter to me”. He then tears into his own daughter for what she wrote in the letter. “The letter was not an attempt at a reconciliation. It was a criticism of me. The letter didn't say she loved me. It did not even ask how I was. "It showed no concern about the fact I had suffered a heart attack and asked no questions about my health. ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship explains what happened in court "It actually signalled the end of our relationship, not a reconciliation.” He also wrote that claims by Meghan’s friends in the People magazine article that she took care of her father with “such incredible generosity” was also false. Mr Markle said: “That was wrong and unfair. It made it sound as though Meg had been supporting me, which was untrue.” Meghan spent 'several weeks' drafting the letter to her father, Thomas Markle. Mr Markle is supporting the defendant, the Mail on Sunday’s publishers Associated Newspapers, in this case. If the judge does rule that this privacy case should proceed to a full trial, Thomas Markle is likely to be called as a witness to testify against his own daughter. These court papers expose how low their relationship has sunk. And that is a very sad state of affairs, no matter where you stand on the rights of the Mail on Sunday to publish Meghan’s personal letter. |
| Biden immigration bill would put millions of illegal immigrants on 8-year fast-track to citizenship A pathway to citizenship has been the goal of liberal activists for years Biden seeks to reverse several Trump policies in first days in office A radical immigration overhaul to be proposed this week by President-elect Joe Biden would include a path to citizenship that could see millions of illegal immigrants become U.S. citizens in just eight years. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris told Univision last week that the immigration bill would be "first order of business" and will be about "creating a pathway for people to earn citizenship." She said that pathway would be eight years long. The Washington Post reported Monday that the bill, to be unveiled on Inauguration Day Wednesday, would put illegal immigrants into protected status and a five-year pathway to a green card. If they meet certain conditions, such as payment of taxes and a background check, they could then be put on a three-year pathway to citizenship. Some estimates put the population of illegal immigrants at around 12 million as of 2015, other estimates are higher. The Associated Press, which also reported that the eight-year path is in the bill, noted that it would be one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants in recent years. A pathway to citizenship -- not just legal status -- for illegal immigrants has been a top agenda item for liberals and immigration activists for decades and now -- with Democratic control of the White House, House and Senate -- that goal could be in sight. It would also grant immediate green cards to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants protected from deportation under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) programs. President Trump had moved to abolish DACA, the 2012 Obama-era executive order that protected those who came to the U.S. as children. But he was rebuffed by the Supreme Court, and Harris said that "we are going to expand protections for Dreamers and DACA recipients." Biden immigration agenda includes pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrantsVideo "These are some of the things that we're going to do on our immigration bill. And we believe it is smarter and a more humane way of approaching immigration for immigrants," she said. The Post reported that the bill would also include border security provisions at the border, and said it would see increased technology at the border -- but it is unclear what this involves. Biden has promised that "not another foot" of President Trump’s border wall will be built under his administration. The bill would also include provisions to stem the flow of migration by addressing root causes of migration from south of the border. Biden had, during the campaign, promised a $4 billion four-year plan of assistance to be linked with reforms from those countries. On legal immigration, the Post reported that the bill would open a number of further avenues of legal immigration -- including "recapturing" unused visas from prior years, giving work permits to the spouses and children of temporary visa holders. While the bill has a good chance of being passed in the Democrat-controlled House, it is unclear of its chances in the Senate. It would need 60 votes to pass the chamber, meaning 10 Republicans would have to vote in favor. A number of past efforts at immigration reform have failed, including a 2013 effort under President Barack Obama. While Republicans have indicated they are open to working with Biden on his key legislative priorities, GOP lawmakers have traditionally demanded that any amnesty of illegal immigrants be accompanied by muscular enforcement at the border. Republicans are likely to face pressure from its conservative base opposed to legalizing millions of illegal immigrants. The legislation is one of a number of radical actions on immigration that Biden has promised to take. He has promised to implement a moratorium on deportations and to end a number of Trump-era programs to stop illegal immigration, including the Migrant Protection Protocols. He has also pledged to dramatically increase the number of refugees the U.S. takes in every year. Meanwhile, the Biden administration will face an early challenge in the form of a caravan of thousands of migrants moving toward the border from Honduras. That caravan has called on the administration to honor its "commitments" to them. But, in a possible nod to fears of a migrant surge at the border with a new bill, the Post reported that the pathway to citizenship would only apply to those who arrived in the country before Jan. 1. |
| Thousands of migrants headed to U.S. border in early challenge to Biden Biden has promised a pathway to legal permanent residency for those in the country illegally and a suspension on deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). But any migrants who arrive at the U.S. border within the first 100 days of the new Biden administration will likely be disappointed. On Sunday, an unnamed Biden transition official said the migrants hoping to claim asylum in the U.S. during the first few weeks of the administration "need to understand they’re not going to be able to come into the U.S. immediately," NBC News reported. The Biden transition official told NBC News that while "there’s help on the way," now "is not the time to make the journey." "I said if Biden became president, this would happen," Thomas Homan, former acting director of ICE, told Fox News. "The things he said, the promises that he made … like ending the remain in Mexico program, and getting rid of private detention, putting a moratorium on deportations, stopping ICE from doing worksite enforcement operations, offering free healthcare. When you throw those kinds of enticements out, who’s not going to come to the greatest country on Earth?" "I briefed the White House numerous times on what’s causing the surges. So, he knew by throwing all those promises out, to cater to the left to win an election, he put his own political ambitions ahead of the country." Asked what he thought about the Biden transition official telling migrants that now is not the best time to come to the U.S., Homan said: "Too little, too late." "They’re already on their way. They’re not going to wait in Mexico. They’re going to try to come across the border," Homan said. "Sooner or later, even if they do gather up in Mexico city, (Biden) is going to open the flood gates." Pueblo Sin Fronteras, a migrant rights group, issued a statement on behalf of the caravan, saying it expects the Biden administration to take action. The group is expected to hold a virtual press conference in Tijuana Tuesday afternoon, where they will call on the incoming administration to reverse President Trump’s policies and immediately allow asylum seekers to continue the asylum process in the U.S. In a statement released Monday, the group assailed Trump’s "Remain in Mexico" policy, which compels migrants seeking asylum in the U.S. to wait in Mexico while their case is being reviewed. Pueblo Sin Fronteras said at Tuesday’s press conference it will release a petition for the Biden administration. Items on the list include a demand the U.S. border be open to people who are seeking asylum, the elimination of the Remain in Mexico policy, an end to the separation of migrant families, and the "guarantee" of legal representation for asylum seekers. |
Israel has reportedly carried out a wave of air strikes on Iran-backed militia positions in Syria overnight, in the fourth such attack in two weeks. The Syrian state news agency Sana said Israeli aircraft attacked the eastern Deir al-Zour and Albu Kamal regions. It did not mention any casualties, but the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 14 Syrian soldiers and 43 allied militiamen were killed. Israel has not commented, but it often attacks Iran-linked targets in Syria. The chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Gen Aviv Kochavi, told Israeli media last month that it had struck more than 500 targets during 2020 "on all fronts, in addition to multiple clandestine missions". "The Iranian entrenchment in Syria is in a clear slowdown as a result of IDF activity, but we still have a long way to go to complete our goals," he said. Israel has accused its enemy of building up a force inside Syria and using the country to smuggle advanced weapons to Lebanon's Hezbollah movement. Iran is believed to have deployed hundreds of troops to Syria and to have armed, trained and financed thousands of Shia Muslim militiamen - from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen - to support forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the nine-year Syrian civil war. Sana reported that Israel had carried out "air aggression" around the city of Deir al-Zour and the town of Albu Kamal, which is near the Iraqi border, at 01:10 on Wednesday (23:10 GMT on Tuesday). It said the damage was still being assessed and accused Israel of "directly interfering to support terrorist organisations", particularly the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), which is active in the area. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict in Syria through a network of sources on the ground, reported that 18 Israeli strikes had targeted military storage facilities and a base on the outskirts of Deir al-Zour, military installations in Albu Kamal, and warehouses outside Mayadin. At least 57 people were killed, including 14 Syrian soldiers, 16 Iraqi fighters and 11 Afghans, and many others were wounded, the group said. Forces linked to Hezbollah and the Fatemiyoun Brigade, an Afghan Shia militia, operated in the areas that were attacked, it added. Iran's state-run Arabic TV channel, Al-Alam, quoted a source as saying "no Iranians, Syrians, or members of the Fatemiyoun Brigade were martyred". An unnamed senior US intelligence official told the Associated Press that the air strikes had been carried out with intelligence provided by the US and that they had targeted warehouses being used as part of a pipeline to store and stage Iranian weapons. The warehouses also served as a pipeline for components that supported Iran's nuclear programme, according to the official. Omar Abu Layla, the Europe-based head of the activist DeirEzzor24 news website, tweeted that the warehouses had contained a shipment of missiles and other weapons brought to the Deir al-Zour area by the Fatemiyoun Brigade in recent weeks for distribution among Iran-backed militias. He described the air strikes as "a painful blow that indicates how much the Israelis are monitoring Iranian movements in every inch of Syria". Israel is reported to have carried out three other rounds of air strikes in Syria in the past fortnight, hitting facilities, depots and positions in the southern and western outskirts of Damascus and in the Golan Heights. Wednesday's were the deadliest strikes attributed to Israel since the start of the war in Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. In June 2018, 55 pro-government fighters were reportedly killed in the same region. They come amid heightened tensions in the region, with Israeli and US forces on alert for attacks by Iran to avenge the US assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani a year ago. |
| An interview with David Reaboi by a Hungarian journalist David Reaboi: The favored strategy of left-wing powers to overcome ideological debates is to brand their enemies or those they dislike as either antisemitic or racist. The problem with this, is they overuse the terms—revealed David Reaboi. Recently entrusted by Washington’s Hungarian embassy to represent Hungarian interests overseas, Reaboi—though American born—is extraordinarily proud of his Jewish ancestors born in Transylvania. He’s a national security expert, dubbed a “right-wing pugilist on Twitter” by Politico, and director of Strategic Improvisation, a communications company; he told our paper, that under Joe Biden’s presidency, countries that don’t surrender to liberal ideals will have a hard time. That is, surrender to the tyranny of Democrats who adore immigration, support the aggressive efforts from the LGBTQ communities, and are struggling in the blindness of left-wing ideologies. – Multiple Hungarian sources have already announced that last September, you signed a contract with the Hungarian embassy in Washington. Specifically, what kinds of assignments were you tasked with? – The entire contract is open to the public online and the Hungarian media has already thoroughly examined every detail, so I won’t bore you with that–but my assignment is basically to find new friends among American conservatives. Despite Hungary’s small size, the world’s most-read platforms mention the country often; it goes without saying, this happens almost exclusively in the framework of incessantly repetitive and expounded pejorative commentary. However, it is one thing to be at the crossroads of media hatred, and another how people react to this. To the outside observer, Hungary is usually seen as the focal point of conflict between globalism and nationalism–a trail blazed by the Hungarian government which many Americans would be delighted to follow. I am referring here to family policy, immigration policy, and the struggle against the abstract network of NGOs and George Soros. The Hungarian government represents values that are sympathetic to many people–and they would be for even more, if not for the constant negative, construed, distorted image of Hungary by the left-wing media. It is my job to help. – Antisemitism frequently appears among the accusations flung at Hungary on the international stage. You yourself are extremely proud of your Transylvanian Jewish ancestry and family history rooted in Hungarian culture. How do you react to this kind of criticism? – In short: I find it to be utterly stupid. On the other hand, I understand that Hungarians may be thoroughly confused by the criticisms leveled at them by the NGO networks supported by George Soros and the liberal media which provides their ideology with a front page and millions of views. For me though, as a Jew who has fought against antisemitism my whole life, I have a completely different take on Hungary and the attitude of the Hungarian government towards Jewish culture. – But why is this accusation brought up over and over again if it has no basis? – When a right-wing leader or government is to be denounced on an ideological basis, the antisemitism or racism card is immediately pulled. In Europe, labelling others “antisemitic” is an extremely powerful weapon, while in America, the same goes for “racist”. The favored strategy of left- wing powers to overcome ideological debates is to brand their enemies or those they dislike as either antisemitic or racist. The problem with this, is they overuse the terms. At this point, we’ve reached a state where real antisemitic acts barely generate a reaction. It’s practically spilling out of our ears, making a concept that has caused tremendous suffering not only to my family but millions of others, meaningless. Not to mention the fact that the same voices advocating for the antisemitic stamp on Hungary are simultaneously loudly opposing and lobbying against Hamas (which treasures a close friendship with Hezbollah) being on the list of terrorist organizations. The radical Islamist Palestinian organization is defended, claiming it’s not antisemitic–while Hamas is just that, antisemitic. But of course, according to them, it is actually the Hungarians and the Hungarian government. How can this be? – You’ve worked previously for the Trump administration and even today are often referred to as a “trumper” or “alt-right”. Does this hold a negative connotation in everyday American life? – You’re mistaken, I never worked for the Trump administration–although I’m well aware that in the recent past the liberal media primarily has painted this picture of me. It is complete insanity, and I can only assume that something was misread during their research. Though it is true that in 2017, I was mentioned in a few articles as an advisor to Trump on national security issues, but these are two totally separate things: I worked for a think tank as one of thirty-forty colleagues who then proceeded to advise the government on various national security issues. But it obviously was not the goal of these detracting articles to provide accurate information about me. Yet verifying this information would’ve been the easiest thing in the world because the name of anyone who has ever worked in the White House is on their website. And mine isn’t there. – And what about the “trumper” label? – I have no problem with it because I supported and do support Donald Trump, and I think he was a great president, especially looking back on his foreign policy. As a national security expert, I believe America hasn’t had such an excellent leader like him since Ronald Reagan; although it’s obviously difficult to compare the two presidencies because they faced totally different challenges, at the same time, they did stand up to the unprecedented challenges of their times. Of course, I understand the question and I’m not avoiding it, but I want to go back a little further. In the ‘70s, the New York Times had a very popular film critic, Pauline Kael. When Richard Nixon won in a never-before-seen landslide victory in 1972, Kael wrote: I can’t believe Nixon won, I don’t know anyone who would’ve voted for him. This sentence has been a buzzword in American politics ever since as it perfectly illustrates the absurdity of the media’s world and the extent to which the opinion- forming liberal elite doesn’t leave its constructed reality. However, if you leave the rainbow media bubble, the prospects are much better. Naturally, there are also blue states where if I put out a Trump sign, my house may actually be lit on fire– but American society is much more heterogenous than the media wants to reveal. Last year’s close results from the presidential election confirm this. Of course, in 2016, it was a different situation, it was, so to speak, more problematic to be a Trump supporter. But four years have passed during which people have had the chance to see the economy in better shape than ever, unemployment at its lowest level in a long time, the never- ending wars have come to an end, and I could go on and on. Moreover, Trump was able to confront the ruling far left, calling out fake news factories by name and proving his patriotism, and people appreciated that. – What should Hungary prepare for? What can we count on during Joe Biden’s presidency? – There are a few countries in the world that are in a similar situation, namely those with right-wing governments in power and where traditional values are still important to the majority of society. This is usually described by political analysts as the globalism versus nationalism debate, but I don’t think this fully depicts its essence. A good friend of mine who previously worked in the White House called this “blue tyranny”. This concept can primarily be interpreted within the context of the United States where blue is typically associated with the Democrats, but the concept itself extends far beyond America’s borders. Take for example Brazil’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, or Israel’s right-wing Benjamin Netanyahu, but this also includes Poland. They all face the international liberal forces that deify immigration and the aggressive efforts of LGBTQ communities. The rule of law accusations are the preferred weapon against these countries. “Blue tyranny” however, near-insanely clings to its own ideals, does not tolerate any other opinion or attitude, and the ideological blindness in which they live is almost evocative of religious fundamentalism. It is for certain that the countries who don’t succumb to the “blue tyranny” will not have an easy time under Biden’s presidency. |
Crisis in UK National Health Service - The worst is still to come Chris Whitty took to the airwaves to highlight the scale of the threat, saying that there are 30,000 people in hospital compared to the peak of 18,000 in April. Amid signs of a looming crackdown on stopping to chat in the street and in shops, Prof Whitty urged people to remember that 'every unnecessary contact' was an opportunity for the virus to spread. He insisted that vaccines mean the UK can be back to normal in 'months not years' - but he cautioned that the situation is a long way from that currently. The intervention came amid fears that the number of daily deaths is on track to rise to 2,000, with Boris Johnson looking at tightening the national lockdown rules even more dramatically if cases keep surging. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi this morning suggested that shops are in the firing line, stressing the need for everyone to wear masks and follow one-way systems in supermarkets. |
| Emergency crews in central Spain have cleared 500 roads and rescued more than 1,500 people stranded in vehicles as the country slowly shovels its way out of its worst snowstorm in recent memory. After recording 20 inches of snow in the Spanish capital between Friday night and Saturday, Madrid and a large swathe of the country remained impassable, with roads, rail lines and air travel disrupted by Storm Filomena. The blizzard has been blamed for four deaths. Transport minister Jose Luis Abalos said by Sunday crews had cleared two runways at Madrid's Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas International Airport and, weather permitting, service would slowly return sometime between Sunday evening and Monday. Trains traversing the capital were to start gradually coming back online Sunday aftern |
| The blast that blew away Lebanon's faith in itself By Samia Nakhoul BEIRUT (Reuters) - They gather in groups, wearing black, in the shadow of buildings gutted by the explosion that shook this city on Aug. 4. Men, women and children from Christian and Muslim sects cradle portraits of their dead. Beirut has been blown back to the vigils of its 1975-1990 civil war. Then, families demanded information about relatives who had disappeared. Many never found out what happened, even as the country was rebuilt. Today’s mourners know what happened; they just don’t know why. Four months on, authorities have not held anyone responsible for the blast that killed 200 people, injured 6,000 and left 300,000 homeless. Many questions remain unanswered. Chief among them: Why was highly flammable material knowingly left at the port, in the heart of the city, for nearly seven years? For me, the port explosion rekindled memories I’ve spent 30 years trying to forget. As a reporter for Reuters, I covered the civil war, the invasion and occupation of Lebanon by Israel and Syria – and the assassinations, air strikes, kidnappings, hijackings and suicide attacks that marked all these conflicts. But the blast has left me, and many other Lebanese, questioning what has become of a country that seems to have abandoned its people. This time, the lack of answers over the catastrophe is making it difficult for an already crippled nation to rise from the ashes again. “I feel ashamed to be Lebanese,” said Shoushan Bezdjian, whose daughter Jessica – a 21-year-old nurse – died while on duty when the explosion ripped through her hospital. FALSE HOPE It took 15 years of sectarian bloodletting to destroy Beirut during the civil war. It then took 15 years to rebuild it – with lots of help from abroad. In 1990, billions of dollars poured in from Western and Gulf Arab countries and from a far-flung Lebanese diaspora estimated to be at least three times the size of the country’s 6 million population. The result was impressive: Beirut was reincarnated as a glamorous city featured in travel magazines as an exciting destination for culture and partying. Tourists came for the city’s nightlife, to international festivals in Graeco-Roman and Ottoman settings, to museums and archaeological sites from Phoenician times. Many highly educated expatriates – academics, doctors, engineers and artists – returned to take part in the rebirth of their nation. Among them was Youssef Comair, a neurosurgeon who had left Lebanon in 1982 to pursue a specialization in the United States. Comair had then worked as assistant professor of neurosurgery at UCLA and head of the epilepsy department at the Cleveland Clinic, where he pioneered the use of surgery as a therapy for epilepsy. When he landed back in Beirut to work as head of surgery at the American University of Beirut, Comair believed the country had turned a corner. Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri, the industrialist-turned-politician who had rebuilt post-war Beirut, was in power and promised a renewed age of prosperity. “I was yearning for a life and a place ... receptive to all kinds of civilizations. This is what we were in Lebanon before the war,” recalled Comair. Behind the splendor of Beirut, however, post-civil war Lebanon was being built on shaky political ground. At the end of the war, militia leaders on all sides took off their fatigues, donned suits, shook hands after the 1989 Saudi-brokered Taif peace accord and largely disarmed. But the nation’s political leaders, it seemed to many here, continued to pay more attention to a revolving door of foreign patrons than to the creation of a stable state. The country’s Shi’ite Muslims turned to Iran and its Arab ally Syria, whose troops entered Lebanon in 1976 and stayed for three decades. The Sunnis looked to wealthy oil producers in the Gulf. Christians, whose political influence was heavily curtailed in the post-war deal, struggled to find a reliable partner and shifted alliances over the years. Domestic policy was dictated, at different times, by the foreign power with the deepest wallet. |
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