GAZA SOLIDARITY

Police use pepper spray on pro-Palestinian protesters in Iceland

Demonstrators demand Reykjavik imposes trade restrictions on Israel, ends political relations with Tel Aviv

 31/05/2024 Friday

AA

Icelandic police used pepper spray on pro-Palestinian protesters who took to the streets of the capital Reykjavik against the government's inaction against Israeli brutal assault on Gaza, local media reported on Friday.

The group behind the protest, called the Iceland-Palestine Association, attempted to block traffic this morning demanding that the Icelandic state impose trade restrictions on Israel and end political relations with the country, according to public broadcaster RUV.

This is the second protest to take place this week, after a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a sit-in protest in the lobby of the Foreign Ministry Thursday.

The group established itself in the lobby of the ministry, with their stated goal to disrupt the normal functioning of authorities until they act, said RUV.

The protest is not led by a specific organization, but rather a group of local residents who oppose the government's inaction on Palestine, Salvor Gullbra Thorarinsdottir, one of the protesters, told the broadcaster.

"Now 234 days have passed since the escalating genocide of the Palestinian people and the Icelandic authorities have done nothing to prevent it," Thorarinsdottir added.

She pointed out that the government has talked about wanting a cease-fire in Gaza "or insisting that they aim for peace and a two-state solution, but these are all empty words and no actions follow."

Thorarinsdottir referred to the Israeli army's recent attack on Rafah as "a horrible attack where people were burned alive." For her and others taking part in the protest, this marked a tipping point.

Israel continues bombarding southern Gaza's city of Rafah, which shelters hundreds of thousands of civilians, despite international condemnation.

RUV reported that the protesters have several demands.

They want Iceland to impose trade sanctions on Israel and sever political ties.

Furthermore, the Iceland-Palestine Association demands that the government support South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and that Foreign Minister Gylfadottir initiates dialogue with other Nordic nations, as well as Ireland and Spain, to coordinate actions.

Norway, Spain, and Ireland have formally recognized Palestine as a state on Tuesday in what Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called a "historic decision."

It is therefore Iceland's duty to coordinate actions with these countries, given that it also recognized Palestine in 2011, the protesters demanded.

Since Israel started its brutal offensive on Gaza more than 36,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed and over 81,700 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza's population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Pro-Palestine protests in Japan demand divestment from Israel

Demonstrators gather outside Ministry of Defense, demanding end to import of attack drones from Israeli 'death merchants'

07:14 - 31/05/2024 Friday
AA


Protesters in Tokyo gathered outside Japan's Ministry of Defense on Friday, demanding an end to the import of Israeli-made attack drones.

The demonstration, organized by the Network Against the Arms Trade (NAJAT), called on the ministry to stop purchasing drones from Israeli companies, labeled as "death merchants" by the activists.

In a post on X, a NAJAT representative urged the ministry to heed the public's call and said: “Ministry of Defense should be ashamed.”

Separately, an online petition organized by a group called Citizens Unity With Palestine called on Kawasaki Heavy Industries to immediately cancel its contract with Israel Aerospace Industries and stop importing and selling attack drones. The petition has already gained 21,000 signatures.

Previously, similar divestment protests took place in several countries, including Australia, the UK and the US, with some of them proving successful such as Australia's Melbourne University's decision about full disclosure of all weapons manufacturers amid calls for divestment from Israel.

French lawmaker appeals to European rights court over his suspension for displaying Palestinian flag

'France, which is complicit in genocide, is not our France,' says Sebastien Delogu

22:46 - 30/05/2024 Thursday
AA


French opposition lawmaker Sebastien Delogu, who was suspended for 15 days from his duties in the French National Assembly for displaying the Palestinian flag, appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday over the move.

Delogu, a member of parliament from the leftist La France Insoumise (France Unbowed, LFI) party representing Bouches-du-Rhone's 7th constituency, said on X that being sanctioned for displaying the flag of a "colonized and slaughtered people" is "befitting an authoritarian regime."

Pointing to French President Emmanuel Macron's administration, Delogu said that "voices of peace are being subjected to the bans, calls and violence of a dying power."


He announced that he has appealed to the ECHR regarding his 15-day suspension from the National Assembly for displaying the Palestinian flag.

"France, which is complicit in genocide, is not our France," Delogu said.

The session of the French National Assembly on May 28 was adjourned after Delogu displayed the Palestinian flag.

Police arrest 'many' at Israel-Hamas war protest at UC Santa Cruz, school says

Police in riot gear surrounded arm-in-arm protesters Friday at the University of California, Santa Cruz, to remove an encampment and barricades where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have blocked the main entrance to the campus this week.

Kathy Mccormack, The Associated Press

Pro-Palestian graduates leave an outdoor commencement at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, May 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Casey)

Police in riot gear surrounded arm-in-arm protesters Friday at the University of California, Santa Cruz, to remove an encampment and barricades where pro-Palestinian demonstrations have blocked the main entrance to the campus this week. Many people were arrested, the university said.

Campus, local and state police swarmed the protesters, and video from local news stations showed officers telling people to leave, then taking away signs and part of a barricade. There appeared to be some pushing and shoving between police and protesters. Officers carried zip ties and appeared to detain a few people.

“For weeks, encampment participants were given repeated, clear direction to remove the encampment and cease blocking access to numerous campus resources and to the campus itself,” Scott Hernandez-Jason, a spokesperson for the university, said in a statement Friday.

“They were notified that their actions were unlawful and unsafe. And this morning they were also given multiple warnings by law enforcement to leave the area and disperse to avoid arrest. Unfortunately, many refused to follow this directive and many individuals are being arrested,” Hernandez-Jason said.

It wasn’t known if anyone was injured. The university was holding classes remotely Friday.

Graduate student workers at UC Santa Cruz continued a strike that began last week over the university system’s treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters.

Protest camps sprang up across the U.S. and in Europe this spring as students demanded their universities stop doing business with Israel or companies that they say support its war in Gaza. Organizers seek to amplify calls to end Israel’s war with Hamas, which they describe as a genocide against the Palestinians.

The Associated Press has recorded at least 83 incidents since April 18 in which arrests were made at campus protests across the U.S. More than 3,025 people have been arrested at 62 colleges and universities. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement agencies.

The confrontation in California came a day after arrests at a pro-Palestinian encampment at a Detroit campus and a student walkout during commencement at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

On Thursday, police in riot gear removed fencing and broke down tents erected last week on green space near the undergraduate library at Wayne State University in Detroit. At least 12 people were arrested.

President Kimberly Andrews Espy cited health and safety concerns and disruptions to campus operations. Staff were encouraged to work remotely this week, and in-person summer classes were suspended.

The camp, she said, “created an environment of exclusion — one in which some members of our campus community felt unwelcome and unable to fully participate in campus life.”

Another outdoor commencement ceremony was scheduled Friday at MIT in Cambridge, near Boston, a day after some graduates walked out of one, disrupting it for 10 to 15 minutes. They wore keffiyehs, the checkered scarves that represent Palestinian solidarity, over their caps and gowns, chanted “free, free Palestine,” and held signs that said, "All eyes on Rafah.”

“There is going to be no business as usual as long as MIT holds research projects with the Israeli Ministry of Defense,” said David Berkinsky, 27, who earned a doctorate degree in chemistry and walked out. “There are no graduates in Gaza. There are no universities left in Gaza left because Israeli has bombed every single one.”

Some people at the event swore at the protesters and yelled, “Good riddance to Hamas terror fans.” A pro-Palestinian encampment at MIT was cleared in early May.

___

Associated Press journalists Christopher L. Keller, Ed White, Michael Casey and Steve LeBlanc contributed to this report.

Kathy Mccormack, The Associated Press

Artists in Baltimore make kites in honour of Gaza

Kites hold special significance for Gaza, as it set the world record in 2011 for most flown kites simultaneously, when 12,000 children flew kites on the beach.

Brooke Anderson
Washington, DC
31 May, 2024


The event, Kites for Palestine, held at a gallery in the city's cultural district on Thursday evening, drew around two dozen artists from different disciplines. [Brooke Anderson/TNA]


Artists in Baltimore gathered this week to make kites in recognition of Palestinians in war-torn and besieged Gaza.

The event, Kites for Palestine, held at a gallery in the city's cultural district on Thursday evening, drew around two dozen artists from different disciplines.

Using the Palestinian flag colours of green, white, red and black tissue paper with wooden sticks to hold them together, the artists, many of whom had not previously made kites, got to work making different variations in honour of Palestinians in Gaza.

US city passes boycott resolution supporting Palestinian rights

Though most of the kites were based on the Palestinian flag, some were designed in the pattern of the keffiyeh and others were left white with words or drawings on them.

Tirzah Sheppard, a local poet, decided to design a kite to honour Palestinians using the words of the late Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in December.

"I think it's important for artists to not only reflect the times in their personal lives, but also to reflect the times in the political space, "Sheppard told The New Arab. "Artists are meant to push boundaries and talk about things we don't talk about through artwork. I'm happy to come to an event where I'm able to combine those aspects. I'd love to hear more from artists during this time."

Expressing a similar sentiment on the role of artists, Nik Koskai, a visual artist and an organiser of the event, told TNA, "Artists have a very important role to play in not only speaking about what's happening in Palestine about the genocide, about apartheid, but also to use art that captures that in a way that evokes feeling in people and brings people out onto the streets, and art that supports those struggles."

US, UK firms targeted in Baghdad over Israel's Gaza war

Thursday's event was one of several that have been held by artists in Baltimore in support of Palestinians since Israel's war on Gaza began in October, which has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mainly women and children. Other "art build" events have had artists create different works, though kites hold special significance for Gaza, as it holds the world record, set in 2011, for the most kites flown simultaneously, when 12,000 children flew kites on the beach.

Artists Against Apartheid, which was born out of the global South African anti-apartheid movement, has been growing in numbers with a commitment to using their platforms to raise awareness of the situation in Palestine.

A passage from a leaflet distributed at the event describing their position and urging other artists to sign reads, "As artists we have a unique responsibility to use out voice and artistic practices to protest apartheid and amplify the just cause of the Palestinian people against occupation and oppression."

Pro-Palestine protests in Japan demand divestment from Israel
May 31, 2024 

Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather to hold the ‘Intifada March’ to protest Israeli attacks on Gaza in Tokyo, Japan on May 11, 2024. 

[Ahmet Furkan Mercan/Anadolu via Getty Images]

Protesters in Tokyo gathered outside Japan’s Ministry of Defence on Friday, demanding an end to the import of Israeli-made attack drones, Anadolu Agency reports.

The demonstration, organised by the “Network Against the Arms Trade (NAJAT)”, called on the Ministry to stop purchasing drones from Israeli companies, labelled as “death merchants” by the actions.

In a post on X, a NAJAT representative urged the Ministry to heed the public’s call and said: “Ministry of Defence should be ashamed.”

Separately, an online petition organised by a group called “Citizens Unity With Palestine” called on Kawasaki Heavy Industries to immediately cancel its contract with Israel Aerospace Industries and stop importing and selling attack drones. The petition has already gained 21,000 signatures.

Previously, similar divestment protests took place in several countries, including Australia, the UK and the US, with some of them proving successful such as Australia’s Melbourne University’s decision about full disclosure of all weapons manufacturers amid calls for divestment from Israel.

Morocco: 600 uni staff demand end to ties with Israel university

May 31, 2024 

Moroccans demonstrate on November 26, 2023 in Casablanca, calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the suspension of diplomatic ties with Israel. [AFP via Getty Images]


Six hundred Moroccan professors and administrative staff at Abdelmalek Essaadi University in the northern city of Tetouan, have demanded their university cancel a partnership agreement with the Israeli University of Haifa.

In a petition addressed to the university president, the signatories also demanded “the cessation of all forms of normalisation with the [Israeli] occupation entity and all university institutions affiliated with it.”

“Our initiative comes as a step of solidarity with the Palestinian people against the crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity that they have been subjected to for more than eight months,” the petition read, adding that the Israeli occupation forces’ crimes have “deliberately and systematically targeted all higher education institutions” in the besieged Gaza Strip and killed Palestinian university presidents, deans, professors and students.

The partnership deal was signed in September 2022.

Belgium's Ghent University suspends academic ties with Israel

University administration decides to halt all ongoing academic cooperation with Israeli universities and research institutions citing human rights violations

Melike Pala |31.05.2024 - 



ANKARA

Ghent University in Belgium announced Friday the suspension of all academic cooperation agreements with Israel, citing serious human rights violations by the Israeli government.

In a statement, Ghent University's Rector Rik Van de Walle said the decision was prompted by "the extent, duration, and nature of the human rights violations carried out by the Israeli government."

The statement emphasized that the university administration has decided to halt all ongoing academic cooperation with Israeli universities and research institutions.

While legally unable to terminate existing agreements, the university plans to unilaterally withdraw from relevant projects.

"Ghent University does not want to be involved in very serious human rights and international law violations occurring in Gaza," Van de Walle told Belgium's official news agency Belga.

This move by Ghent University follows similar actions by Brussels Free University and the University of Antwerp, which announced the suspension of their relations with Israel on May 28 and May 30, respectively.

The decision comes amid ongoing student protests, which began in early May, at universities across Belgium, including those in Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven and Liege.

France municipalities turn off lights to honour Gaza victims


May 30, 2024 

People gather to stage demonstration to show solidarity with Palestinians at Republic Square in Paris, France on May 28, 2024. [Luc Auffret – Anadolu Agency]

Several municipalities in France have turned off the lights at their city hall buildings on Wednesday night to honour civilians Israel killed in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu Agency reports.

Marseille Mayor, Benoit Payan, launched the campaign in response to recent Israeli attacks on the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.

“The horror of the murderous strikes on Rafah revolts us and touches us to the very depths of our humanity,” Payan said on X, announcing the symbolic gesture to commemorate the victims and urging other municipalities to join.

The mayors of Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux also participated in the initiative, turning off the lights at their respective city halls to mourn those killed in Gaza by Israeli attacks, according to local media.

Israel has killed more than 36,200 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 81,700, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli war has pushed 85 per cent of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60 per cent of the enclave’s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which, in January, issued an interim ruling that ordered it to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Pacific Island nations blame France for New Caledonia violence

7 killed in unrest after French gov't initiated constitutional reform that could reduce electoral influence of indigenous Kanaks

Seyma Uzundere |31.05.2024 -


ANKARA

Pacific island nations held France responsible for the violence in New Caledonia, one of the five French island territories across the Indo-Pacific, where seven people were killed.

Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's climate change minister, said the events in New Caledonia were foreseen three years ago at the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States.

Regenvani accused France of ignoring calls for a third independence referendum by the indigenous Kanak people, thus setting the stage for the current crisis.

Regenvani stated that French President Emmanuel Macron's visit to the island for "dialogue" had no impact on resolving the crisis and urged France to withdraw the proposed constitutional reform, which has mobilized independence supporters.

He also warned that violence would continue if the Macron administration did not take this step.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, the Pacific Islands Forum chair, which includes New Caledonia, expressed concerns about the political developments on the island in a letter to the New Caledonian government, expressing his readiness to help resolve the crisis.

Brown mentioned that there were several mechanisms among the forum members to address historical and complex issues and noted that the Pacific region hosts many independent experts who could contribute to the political process in New Caledonia.

The French government initiated a constitutional reform that would reduce the electoral influence of the indigenous Kanaks, prompting independence supporters on the island to mobilize.

In response to the unrest, which erupted on May 13, the French government dispatched a large number of police and gendarmes to the island and declared a state of emergency. Seven people were killed in the clashes.

During his visit, Macron did not withdraw the constitutional reform proposal and allowed time for dialogue between independence supporters and their opponents.

The indigenous Kanaks believe the French government's constitutional reform initiative violates the 1988 Noumea Accord. The proposed changes would allow French citizens who have lived on the island for at least 10 years to vote in local elections.

New Caledonia gained autonomy with the Noumea Agreement in 1998, which restricted voting rights to those who resided on the island before 1998 and their descendants to prevent the indigenous population from becoming a minority.

Three referendums on independence, held in 2018, 2020, and 2021, all resulted in a "no" vote.

The pro-independence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front boycotted the 2021 referendum, protesting France's influence on the elections and demanding that the referendum be held at a later date less affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan

French authorities regain full control of New Caledonia's capital after days of deadly unrest


By Associated Press

 Jun 1, 2024

French authorities in New Caledonia regained full control of their Pacific territory's capital, the French interior and overseas minister said on Friday.

It comes after two weeks of unrest that had left seven people dead and significant destruction in the archipelago that has seen decades of tensions between those seeking independence and those loyal to France.

Gerald Darmanin said in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, on Friday that "a major police operation has taken place successfully" in the Riviere-Salee district of Noumea, the last area of New Caledonia's capital that was under the protesters' control.

Darmanin said 400 members of French and New Caledonia's security forces were involved in the operation, including members of the French elite anti-terrorism and anti-organised crime police unit and its counterparts of the French military.

Twelve people were arrested in the operation and 26 roadblocks were dismantled and cleared, the minister said.

The violence flared on May 13 in response to attempts by French President

Emmanuel Macron's government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia.

France declared a state of emergency in its Pacific territory on May 15 and rushed hundreds of troop reinforcements to help police quell the revolt that included shootings, clashes, looting and arson.

It comes after two weeks of unrest that had left seven people dead and significant destruction in the archipelago that has seen decades of tensions (AP)

Both sides of New Caledonia's bitter divide — Indigenous Kanaks, who want independence and those loyal to France — erected barricades, either to revolt against authorities or to protect their homes and properties.

Pro-independence protesters built up barricades of charred vehicles and other debris, turning parts of the capital, Noumea into no-go zones.

READ MORE: Japan is determined to keep hunting whales. Now it has a new ship


French President Emmanuel Macron decided on Monday to lift the state of emergency in New Caledonia to help facilitate dialogue between local parties and French authorities for the future of the 270,000 residents of the archipelago and restore peace.

Pro-independence parties and Kanak leaders have urged Macron to withdraw the electoral reform bill if France wants to "end the crisis".

Opponents fear the voting legislation will benefit pro-France politicians in New Caledonia and further marginalise the Indigenous Kanaks who have long pushed to be free of French rule amid sharp economic disparities and decades of discrimination.

France declared a state of emergency in its Pacific territory on May 15 and rushed hundreds of troop reinforcements to help police quell the revolt 

(Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP)

Although violence has subsided in the past days, tensions remain as pro-independence leaders have called on supporters to and "remain mobilised" and "maintain resistance" against France.

While emergency measures have been lifted, an evening and overnight curfew is still in place.

Travel is banned in New Caledonia between 6pm and 6am except for health emergencies, and a ban on public gatherings, transport and carrying of weapons and sale of alcohol remains in place.

The main international airport, La Tontouta, will remain closed to commercial traffic at least until Monday, and schools will not resume before mid-June, according to local authorities.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III, Napoleon's nephew and heir.

It became an overseas territory after World War II, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.

Firefighters battle forest fires in Pakistan's capital, other areas amidst heatwave


Smoke rises after a fire broke at the Margalla Hills National Park, with Faisal Mosque and houses seen in the foreground, amid hot weather in Islamabad on Friday. Reuters

Authorities in Pakistan battled forest fires in multiple areas, including the capital Islamabad, on Friday as the country grappled with heat waves and dry weather.

Officials are yet to confirm if the fires are related to the high temperatures or due to arson.

Parts of Pakistan have seen temperatures as high as 52.2˚C over the last week with South Asia sweltering in a hotter summer this year — a trend scientists say has been worsened by human-driven climate change.

Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from a raging fire in the hills of Islamabad with temperatures hitting 41˚C on Friday afternoon.


"It is difficult to get a fire brigade there; rescue officials are trying how to douse the fire," a police official in Islamabad, Sohail Khan, told Reuters, adding that it was not certain if the fires were heat-related or cases of arson.


A spokesman for the Islamabad police said they were investigating the reasons for the fire and a special team had been formed for the probe by the city's police chief.


A member of the Islamabad Wildlife Board, Waqar Zakaria, said the fire could be a case of "wilful arson," adding that high temperatures have continued longer than usual and May has been drier than normal, leading to fires spreading faster because of dry vegetation.


An area in Punjab close to Islamabad, Kallar Kahar, also saw fire engulf 25 acres of grassland, the province's disaster management (PDMA) said, adding that the flames, which had spread rapidly, had been contained.


"The Kalar Kahar forest fire might be a heat-related eruption," PDMA spokesman Mazhar Hussain told Reuters.


Forest fires were also seen in Lower Dir, 250km northwest of Islamabad, local resident Mohammad Jalil told Reuters by phone, adding that the flames had begun engulfing hundreds of trees four days ago and were yet to be controlled.


Pakistan is seen as by global organisations as one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather and climate change. In 2022, floods wreaked havoc in the country, killing over 1,700 people and displacing millions.


Reuters

Psychedelic drug MDMA faces questions as FDA considers approval for PTSD

Federal health regulators are set to review the first request to approve the mind-altering club drug MDMA as a treatment for PTSD

MATTHEW PERRONE 

AP health writer

May 31, 2024, 

WASHINGTON -- Federal health regulators are questioning the safety and evidence behind the first bid to use MDMA, the mind-altering club drug, as a treatment for PTSD, part of a decadeslong effort by advocates to move psychedelic drugs into the medical mainstream.

The Food and Drug Administration posted its initial review of the drug Friday, ahead of a meeting of outside advisers who could help decide whether MDMA — currently illegal under federal law — becomes the first drug of its kind to win U.S. approval as a medication. The experts will discuss the quality of the evidence and safety concerns Tuesday, including MDMA's potential for abuse, before taking a nonbinding vote on the drug's overall benefits and risks. The FDA will make the final decision, likely in August.

In their assessment, FDA scientists said that patients who received MDMA and talk therapy showed “rapid, clinically meaningful, durable improvements in their PTSD symptoms,." But they also called the research “challenging to interpret,” and questioned how long the benefits might last. They said it’s difficult to know how much of the improvement came from MDMA versus simply undergoing intensive therapy, and also raised several safety concerns, including MDMA's potential to cause heart problems.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is closely linked to depression, anxiety and suicidal thinking and is more prevalent among women and veterans. Currently antidepressants are the only FDA-approved drugs for the condition.

If approved, MDMA would be reclassified as a prescription medicine and made available to specially certified doctors and therapists. Currently the drug is in the same ultra-restrictive category as heroin and other substances the federal government deems prone to abuse and devoid of any medical use.

MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is the first in a series of psychedelics that are expected to be reviewed by the FDA in coming years. It’s part of a resurgence of research into the potential of psychedelics for hard-to-treat conditions like depression, addiction and anxiety. MDMA's main effect is triggering feelings of intimacy, connection and euphoria.

Companies are studying MDMA, psilocybin, LSD and other mind-expanding drugs for numerous mental health problems.

Until recently, psychedelic research was mainly funded by a handful of nonprofit advocacy groups, including Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS. The company seeking approval for MDMA, Lykos Therapeutics, is essentially a corporate spinoff of MAPS, which conducted all the studies submitted for FDA review.

In two MAPS studies, patients received MDMA as part of an intensive, four-month course of talk therapy lasting more than a dozen sessions, only three of which involved taking the drug. The drug is thought to help patients come to terms with their trauma and let go of disturbing thoughts and memories.

The group studied its approach in 195 adults with moderate-to-severe PTSD who were randomly assigned to undergo the therapy with MDMA or with a dummy pill. Following treatment, patients who received MDMA had significantly lower PTSD scores and were more likely to be in remission.

But FDA reviewers noted that the vast majority of patients correctly guessed whether they had received MDMA or a dummy pill, making it “nearly impossible” to maintain the so-called “blinded” objectivity considered essential for high-quality drug research. The agency also questioned how long the drug's benefits might last. MAPS tracked some patients for up to two years, but reviewers noted that about a quarter of patients quickly dropped out of the follow-up study, limiting the usefulness of the results.

The most common side effects of MDMA included headache, nausea, muscle tightness and decreased appetite. More serious issues included heart palpitations and elevated blood pressure, which FDA reviewers said had the “potential to trigger” life-threatening heart problems.

They also raised concerns about the potential for patients to abuse MDMA, which functions similarly to amphetamines and other stimulants.

While MDMA would be a first-of-a-kind approval, U.S. doctors and the FDA itself have already laid some of the groundwork for working with drugs that can cause intense, psychological experiences.

Hundreds of clinics across the U.S. already offer ketamine — the powerful anesthetic sometimes used as a party drug — to treat a host of ailments, including depression, anxiety, chronic pain and PTSD. The FDA has only formally approved the drug for use during surgery, but its availability allows doctors to prescribe it “off-label” for various mental and physical ailments.

In 2019, the FDA approved Johnson & Johnson’s proprietary form of the drug, Spravato, a nasal spray that treats severe depression. Similar to ketamine, the drug is offered at doctor’s offices and clinics where patients usually spend several hours reclining in a chair.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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New dinosaur species discovered in Zimbabwe

Bones date back approximately 210M years to late Triassic period, exhibit unique characteristics

Yasin Gungor |31.05.2024 -


ISTANBUL

Researchers have discovered a new species of dinosaur in Zimbabwe, according to a scientific article published on Thursday.

The discovery of bones was made near Lake Kariba near Zambia border that date back approximately 210 million years to the late Triassic period.

The findings exhibit unique characteristics that distinguish them from other known dinosaur species of that era.

This species is identified as an early member of the sauropodomorph group, known for their long necks and herbivorous diets and named Musankwa sanyatiensis.

This marks Zimbabwe's fourth dinosaur discovery and highlights the region's rich potential for paleontological research.

The research was conducted by a team from Witwatersrand and Stony Brook universities, along with the Zimbabwe Museum of Natural History and the Natural History Museum in London and published in the journal Acta Palaeontologica Polonica.

AMERIKA

"Cry 'Havoc!', and let slip the dogs of war."

‘Death, chaos, civil war’: Furious Trump supporters out for blood after conviction

Ex-US president’s supporters flood social media with all-out threats of violence and ‘insurrection’

Seda Sevencan |31.05.2024 -

TRT



ISTANBUL

If Donald Trump supporters are allowed to have their way, the US would be headed for some very dark and bloody days.

The ex-president’s conviction on 34 felony counts in a hush money case has sparked a torrent of violent threats from his hardcore base, most of them on Trump’s own Truth Social platform or other far-right forums like Patriots.Win and the Gateway Pundit.

“Civil war. Nothing can stop what is coming,” one user raged, mincing no words.

Others issued calls for people to stock up and take up arms.

“Arm up. This s**t is going to get violent if SCOTUS takes it up. If you don’t have one, you need to get yourself a rifle and ammo.”

Another chimed in saying, “You will need them sooner than you think.”

One person linked the entire situation to gun regulations: “If this had happened in any other country but the US, there would be a dozen comments about ‘this is what you get for giving up your guns,’ whether factual or not.”

When it comes to Trump and his supporters, such words and threats carry more significance, given the events of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riots.

Another supporter referred to what many have termed the “darkest day for US democracy” with a blunt post: “You want an insurrection? This is how you get an insurrection.”

‘Fake trial with fake charges’

On the actual legal proceedings, Trump’s fanbase clearly followed the former president’s lead, rejecting not just the charges but the entire process.

Minutes after he was convicted, Trump spoke to reporters outside the New York courtroom, blasting the “rigged trial by a conflicted judge,” calling it a “disgrace” and something “done by the Biden administration.”

“We didn’t do a thing wrong. I’m a very innocent man,” he said, vowing to “fight till the end.”

This was the line of messaging repeated by his supporters, but some took a more extreme stance with messages like: “Hope every juror dies horribly.”

“Conviction is more proof the government and justice system are completely broken and are beyond repair,” said another user.

One declared it the “day democracy died in America!” as another dismissed it “a fake trial with fake charges, funded by Democrats and George Soros, overseen by a greedy corrupt D.A., and a greedy corrupt judge.”

“We have become a country where communist/marxist judges, DA's (sic), the DOJ and Democrats can persecute their political opponents with trumped up charges, turning misdemeanors into felonies to jail their opposition,” another person wrote.

For one Trump supporter, his conviction is proof of “the erosion of our freedoms” and that “America, as we know it, has fallen.”

“My Country under siege. Oppressed by tyranny … Liberty is set aside. Patriots are despised. Let chaos reign!” said another enraged fan.

 

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DEMOCRACY NOW!

“Unprecedented in the History of American Republicanism”: Historian on Trump Verdict & GOP Extremism

STORY

MAY 31, 2024

GUEST

Manisha Sinha
historian of U.S. politics, slavery, abolition, the legacy of the Civil War and Reconstruction.

LINKS"The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920"

In a historic verdict, a New York jury found former President Donald Trump guilty on all 34 felony counts in his criminal hush money and election interference trial. Trump is now the first former president to be convicted of a felony and faces up to four years in prison. “All this is unprecedented in the history of American republicanism,” says U.S. historian Manisha Sinha. “A man like Trump could very much upend this over-200-year historical experiment in representative government.” Trump can still be president as a convicted felon and is poised to become the Republican nominee for the nation’s highest office in July. “One of the most dangerous things about Trump is that he’s not a one-man show,” says Sinha. “He’s the presumptive nominee of a political party in a two-party system. That in itself poses an immense danger to American democracy.”



Transcript
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.


AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The War and Peace Report. I’m Amy Goodman.

Former President Donald Trump will be sentenced July 11th, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, after a New York jury found him guilty Thursday on all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up payments made to Stormy Daniels in order to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has vowed to appeal, also faces three more criminal cases.

For more, we’re joined by professor Manisha Sinha, historian of U.S. politics, slavery, abolition, the legacy of the Civil War and Reconstruction, professor at the University of Connecticut and author of several books, including The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920.

Professor, you last joined us on the day after the January 6th insurrection. Welcome back to Democracy Now! First, respond to this historic moment in U.S. history, not just U.S. politics, the first former president to become a felon.

MANISHA SINHA: Thank you for having me, Amy.

Yes, it is extremely unprecedented, because we have never had a case in United States history when a former president has been not only impeached twice, but also is now a convicted felon. Of course, there have been instances of corruption amongst presidents and vice presidents, but mostly they have resigned, before they could be convicted, and they have been pardoned. What’s unusual about Trump’s case is the extent of the criminality, the various cases against him, and now this unanimous jury decision convicting him for falsifying business records, but also, most importantly, for trying to corrupt the 2016 elections.

All this is unprecedented in the history of American republicanism. As so much that concerns Trump, he wears this as a badge of honor. He seems unrepentant even in the face of all these convictions. So, yes, I think we are, in fact, at a crossroads in the history of American republicanism. And a man like Trump could very much upend this over-200-year historical experiment in representative government.

AMY GOODMAN: So, it’s not clear what will happen July 11th, except that he will be sentenced by Judge Merchan. He could sentence him to up to four years in prison. It’s highly unlikely he would do that. He could sentence him to house arrest. He could be out on probation. But if you can talk about the political significance of right before the Republican convention, what this means? You have a president now, a presidential candidate, who represents a lot of firsts in U.S. history: the first former president to be indicted, criminally tried, convicted, impeached twice. Talk about his legacy and what this means as the Republican front-runner.

MANISHA SINHA: Yes. I think one of the most dangerous things about Trump is that he’s not a one-man show. He is the presumptive nominee of a political party in a two-party system. That in itself poses an immense danger, I think, to American democracy.

He’s also now a convicted felon, as you mentioned. It’s a Class E felony. He may not go to prison, but he is in the same category as those people who do carjackings or those who are accused of aggravated domestic assault. Now, this is a category of criminality that he is a part of.

And I cannot help but think that any right-thinking American citizen, even a moderate Republican, would have to think about that. I don’t think that this conviction, as many have argued, will actually increase his support. Those — a minority that supported him will always support him, because there have been so many acts of criminality and wrongdoing that have preceded this. I do think, though, that this will make an enormous difference to moderates, independents, will make them think twice — do they want to actually vote for a felon? — especially a party that pretends to stand for law and order.

AMY GOODMAN: So, we spoke to you the day after the January 6th insurrection in 2021, Professor Sinha. In fact, you were among the historians included in one of the biggest briefs in Trump v. Colorado. Your work was also quoted. Can you talk about this case in the context of your new book, which focuses on the Reconstruction era and when the 14th Amendment was ratified? And explain it all.

MANISHA SINHA: Yes. You know, I, as a historian, really do feel that our present is shaped by the past. We are not exactly repeating history, but we live with those legacies. And in my book, when I look at this period, Reconstruction, that immediately followed the Civil War, I talk a lot about how ex-Confederates, insurrectionists, got away, literally, with murder, right? They launched a program of domestic terrorism. They have committed treason against the government of the United States. And very soon, because of an amnesty law, they’re back in power. They may have lost the war, but they win the peace.

And that represents what I call a nadir in American democracy. I don’t think many American citizens may be even aware that we have lost our democracy for decades, certainly in the South, where it was open season on freed people, and you had a regime of racial terror, segregation and disfranchisement for Black men, and later on Black women. And I don’t think we can today go down a path where we similarly have a completely emasculated democracy. We live with the legacies of that period, as I mentioned to you.

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which is a Reconstruction-era amendment, is a sleeping giant. It does prevent someone who has participated in or aided and abetted an insurrection from ever running for federal office, someone who has sworn an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. And the only way that person can do that is to be pardoned by Congress by a two-thirds vote.

Now, it was very disappointing to me that the Supreme Court, in the Trump v. Colorado case, decided — including the liberal judges — that Trump in fact is not liable under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. In fact, he is. It’s a very clear disqualification. Now, Congress could take away the disqualification for him. The idea that this would create a patchwork system, where different states would then take Biden off the ballot, actually does not work, because Biden has not led an insurrection against the government of the United States or proven false to his oath of office. This would be actually a national disqualification, even though the case stemmed from Colorado. So, our Supreme Court did not have, I think, the moral courage or judicial courage to do this. They thought only expediently about the political fallout from their decision.

Instead, 12 ordinary American citizens defended our democracy. And this is exactly what Abraham Lincoln said on the eve of the Civil War, that the fate of our democracy actually lies in the hands not of the rich and powerful, but in the hands of ordinary American citizens. And if you look at the jurors, a lot of them didn’t seem to me particularly anti-Trump. In fact, I thought maybe there’s going to be a hung jury, even though the prosecution had an airtight case. So, for this decision to come down sort of renews my faith in democracy, that if ordinary people, ordinary citizens, get the chance to really deliberate on Trump’s many crimes and misdemeanors, then perhaps we will get a right decision.

AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to end by asking you about a related story in the Supreme Court. Of course, President Trump appointed three of the nine Supreme Court justices. And I wanted to ask you about this latest controversy around Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who told Congress he will not recuse himself from cases involving Donald Trump and the January 6th Capitol insurrection, after photos emerged of two flags associated with election deniers flying in front of Alito’s homes in Virginia and New Jersey. He said his wife did it. One of those, an upside-down American flag. So there are many who are demanding that he recuse himself from these cases. He says no. Your response, Professor Sinha?

MANISHA SINHA: Yes. You know, the Supreme Court, in U.S. history, has not distinguished itself as a defender of democracy. Think of Dred Scott. Think of Plessy v. Ferguson. The Warren Court, during the civil rights era, emerges as an exception.

We’ve had partisan judges before, but we have not had corrupt judges. We have not had judges sympathetic to insurrection against the government of the United States, whether it was Alito and his wife, whether it is Thomas or his wife. These two judges are clearly involved in planned insurrection against the government of the United States, or at least displaying their sympathy for it very openly by flying an upside-down American flag, which is a sign of disrespect, and the “Appeal to the Heavens” flag. The idea of simply, you know, passing the buck on —

AMY GOODMAN: The “Appeal to Heavens” flag is that pine tree flag.

MANISHA SINHA: Exactly. The passing the buck onto his wife seems really ironic for somebody like Alito, who has taken away women’s fundamental right to decide for themselves how and what they do with their bodies. He has taken away reproductive freedom from a majority of women, and now he tells us that he bowed to the decision of his wife to display flags that were sympathetic to the January 6th insurrectionists.

You mentioned that you had interviewed me immediately the day after. And even though I am a historian who has studied American history and knows that there have been instances of grave danger to democracy in U.S. history, I was shocked. And you could see the shock in my face.

To have a justice of the Supreme Court, who is supposed to uphold the highest laws of the country, be an active participant in this sort of behavior is just astounding. And the shamelessness of it is similarly astounding, that he would — after being sort of outed by the press, that he would refuse to recuse himself. Frankly, I think both Thomas and Alito are completely compromised, besides being very corrupt. They should either resign or, at the very least, recuse themselves.

And I think it’s about time for the Democrats to take a more aggressive position on this. At this point, we are not talking about some slight convention that has been upturned. This is a real threat to American rights and freedom. And we need to — you know, Biden likes to compare himself to FDR. Well, then, think about packing the court. Think about judicial reform. We need to act against this. We cannot just let Alito decide for himself, because he’s clearly incapable of making the right decision.

AMY GOODMAN: Manisha Sinha, we want to thank you for being with us, historian of U.S. politics, slavery, abolition, the legacy of the Civil War and Reconstruction, professor at the University of Connecticut.

Guilty: Trump Becomes First Ex-President Felon in U.S. History

STORY

MAY 31, 2024

GUEST

Ron Kuby
criminal defense and civil rights lawyer based in New York.

LINKSRon Kuby law office

Guilty on all 34 felony counts — that’s the historic verdict delivered Thursday by a New York jury in former President Donald Trump’s hush money and election fraud criminal trial. Trump was charged with falsifying business records to cover up payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to protect his 2016 presidential campaign and is now the first former president to be convicted of a felony, facing the possibility of up to four years in prison. Judge Juan Merchan set his sentencing date on July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump will become the party’s official presidential nominee. Trump, who can still be president as a convicted felon, slammed the verdict as a “disgrace,” and his defense team plans to appeal. We speak with criminal defense attorney Ron Kuby, who followed the case closely and says there was a “tsunami of circumstantial evidence” that supported the prosecution’s case. “The defense never posed any sort of realistic counternarrative,” says Kuby.

Transcript
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.


AMY GOODMAN: After three weeks of testimony and two days of deliberations, former President Donald Trump’s hush money election fraud criminal trial ended Thursday with a historic verdict. This is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.


ALVIN BRAGG: Today we have the most important voice of all, and that’s the voice of the jurors. They have spoken. Donald J. Trump has been convicted of 34 counts of falsifying business records.

AMY GOODMAN: Yes, former President Donald Trump has been found guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up payments made to Stormy Daniels in order to protect his 2016 presidential campaign. He’s the first former president to be convicted of a felony and faces up to four years in prison, though Judge Juan Merchan could instead impose a fine, probation or supervision. Trump’s defense team said it plans to appeal. Merchan set Trump’s sentencing date for July 11th, four days before the Republican National Convention, where Trump will become the party’s official presidential nominee.

At the courthouse in downtown Manhattan, Trump slammed the verdict as a disgrace.


DONALD TRUMP: The real verdict is going to be November 5th by the people. And they know what happened here, and everybody knows what happened here. You have a Soros-backed DA. And the whole thing, we didn’t do a thing wrong. I’m a very innocent man.

AMY GOODMAN: Meanwhile, President Joe Biden’s campaign said the verdict shows no one is above the law. Trump also faces three more criminal cases.

We begin our coverage of Trump’s historic conviction with Ron Kuby, criminal defense and civil rights lawyer based here in New York.

Ron, welcome back to Democracy Now! Your response?

RON KUBY: Thank you.

I was not surprised by the verdict. I was surprised that it came back as quickly as it did. Most of us who had been privately speculating speculated that it would be late afternoon today, Friday, at the very earliest, if not next week.

In thinking about it, you know, especially having the luxury of knowing what the verdict is, the prosecutor told this remarkably compelling story, over a six-hour period — I mean, he could have cut it down a bit. But he started at the very beginning, with the conspiracy, how it was formed, who was in the room; brought in all the witnesses; integrated every piece of evidence; responded to the defense arguments in the process; and finished and really gave the jury, you know, an entire script that they could follow, if they chose to do so. And they did choose to do that. And since all of the charges stemmed from basically the same thing —

AMY GOODMAN: Which was?

RON KUBY: Which was this falsification of business records for the purpose of concealing another crime. Once the jury found guilty on one count, it was very easy to find him guilty of all 34.

AMY GOODMAN: And, of course, you had those checks that President Trump signed with a Sharpie.

RON KUBY: Sharpie.

AMY GOODMAN: Famous, nine of the checks that were sent to Michael Cohen. Now, the defense had argued that Michael Cohen was a thief and a liar. But the prosecution said, you know, we don’t get to actually always choose the perfect witness; he’s basically a tour guide through the documents, they described.

RON KUBY: Well, that’s — I think the prosecution minimized his role somewhat. There were a couple of — the only person who could directly tie Trump to full knowledge of the hush money payments was Michael Cohen. But there was this, you know, tsunami of circumstantial evidence tying Trump to causing these payments to be made and these false entries to be made. And the jury very much relied on that. And the defense never posed any sort of realistic counternarrative. That is, OK, if this isn’t, you know, would-be President Trump doing all of this in order to gain an election advantage by paying off a porn star and people not knowing, finding out about it, just what is it? Just somehow explain it. And the defense never even came close to providing an alternative explanation.

AMY GOODMAN: So, President Trump has become a felon. What does that mean, even before the sentencing? And then, what do you expect on July 11th?

RON KUBY: Well, one thing it means is he cannot own a firearm. Now, OK, he can become commander-in-chief and can, you know, declare nuclear war, but he cannot personally own a firearm. It doesn’t really change much in terms of his legal liabilities and the like. Mostly what it does is he’s now introduced as convicted felon Trump.

He faces sentencing on July 11th. And while even if he is sentenced to prison time, which I do expect that he will get some sort of carceral sentence, it will undoubtedly be stayed pending multiple appeals, thanks to New York’s very liberal bail laws, which the right wing usually attacks, but now I know somebody who’s pretty happy that they exist on the books.

AMY GOODMAN: And so, let’s talk about what that means, July 11, four days before the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. If he was sentenced even to a week, he would miss the convention, if he was frogmarched out of the courthouse into jail.

RON KUBY: That’s right, but he would not be so frogmarched. He would receive a stay, either from Judge Merchan or from an appellate judge, until his appeal can be perfected. And there are many appeals after that. So, I think it’s important to realize that, yes, Judge Merchan, in my opinion, is likely to impose a jail sentence, but no one is going to hear the steel door slam shut behind him for a long time pending various appeals.

AMY GOODMAN: Can he vote?

RON KUBY: He can.

AMY GOODMAN: He can?

RON KUBY: He can, because he is a New York — this is a New York conviction. And so, right now, as of today — it could change. In Florida, Florida looks to New York’s disenfranchisement law, so the only way he can’t vote in Florida is if he is actually in prison in New York on Election Day.

AMY GOODMAN: And in a future show, we’re going to look at those voter rights around the country and what happens to not just prisoners, but people who are free. Maybe he could be sentenced to home arrest or whatever. But under probation and parole, what are people’s rights? I mean, in Vermont, you can vote from prison. In other places, you can’t vote for the rest of your life if you’ve ever gone to prison, if you’ve been convicted of a felony.

RON KUBY: And something that probably has yet to fully dawn on Trump’s legal team is he remains under the carceral control of Judge Merchan. He is a defendant out on release pending sentencing, and ultimately pending appeal, but Merchan maintains control over him. So, if he goes out and commits other crimes, for example, the judge can impose additional restrictions on him or even do what the right wing has encouraged people to do with serial committers of crimes: lock him up.

AMY GOODMAN: You mention that President Trump can run for president as a felon and be president as a felon, but he can’t own a firearm.

RON KUBY: Right.

AMY GOODMAN: If he became president, could he change that law?

RON KUBY: Well, Congress would actually have to change that law. That’s —

AMY GOODMAN: He could lobby for it. Or executive order?

RON KUBY: No, no. There’s positive law prohibiting a felon from possessing a firearm.

AMY GOODMAN: And explain why he couldn’t pardon himself, if he were president.

RON KUBY: The presidential pardon power applies to all offenses under federal law, except treason and impeachment. It has no application to offenses committed under various state laws. The only person who can pardon President Trump in New York state is Governor Kathy Hochul.

AMY GOODMAN: So, he could pardon himself in the federal documents case.

RON KUBY: Yes.

AMY GOODMAN: He could pardon himself in the interference case.

RON KUBY: Yes.

AMY GOODMAN: Jack Smith’s case. But not in the Georgia case that’s upcoming under Fani Willis, that DA, and not in this case, under Alvin Bragg?

RON KUBY: Excellent. You’ve got it.

AMY GOODMAN: So, talk about Alvin Bragg and the significance of what he did today. Grew up not so far from President Trump, in Harlem, went to Harvard, Harvard Law School, came out. And some criticized him for not moving faster on Trump. Others said — of course, Trump himself — that he had been after him from the beginning. In fact, he skips over Bragg and talks about Biden, that this is an unfair Biden circus. How is Alvin Bragg related to Biden?

RON KUBY: Their last names both start with “B.” There’s no relationship there. And Alvin Bragg’s career trajectory is not a trajectory of a traditional politician or somebody interested in seeking higher office. He won district attorney as a criminal justice reformer. He’s done some good work in that area. He’s not a headline seeker in any fashion. He’s always remained sort of out of the spotlight, relatively humble, not talking a lot about the cases.

And I always thought this was a very solid case from the beginning. It wasn’t the big, grand case that Trump haters wanted, but it was a good, solid case based not on presidential abuse of power or presidential authority, but based really on a common, tawdry, dirty little grift.

AMY GOODMAN: Finally, summarize what he was found guilty of 34 times.

RON KUBY: He was found guilty of 34 counts of falsification of business records for the purpose of concealing the commission of another crime. That is, every time they made a bookkeeping entry showing that Michael Cohen was being paid for legal services or signed a check for legal services, Trump knew and caused those entries to be fraudulent. And he did that for the purpose of concealing election law violations.

AMY GOODMAN: And that election law violation?

RON KUBY: Well, that would be various either federal or state campaign contributions or conspiracy to affect the outcome of the 2016 election. You don’t have to actually prove that he committed those crimes. You don’t have to prove those crimes beyond a reasonable doubt. You just have to prove that the concealment was done in order to conceal the commission of those crimes. And let’s face it, people don’t cook their books just for fun. Usually when they cook their books, they’re trying to cover up some other misdeed. There’s well-established law about this. Usually in New York, the federal crime that they’re committing is a Securities and Exchange Commission violation, very common, regularly prosecuted. And something similar was charged here. It wasn’t some way far-out, tenuous legal theory.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to talk about the significance of the first former president to be convicted as a felon in a moment. Ron Kuby, we want to thank you so much.

RON KUBY: Thank you.

AMY GOODMAN: A criminal defense lawyer and civil rights attorney based here in New York.

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China says ‘difficult’ to attend Ukraine peace talks in Switzerland if Russia does not go

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met more than 40 times, including virtually. PHOTO: REUTERS

MAY 31, 2024

BEIJING – China said on May 31 it would be “difficult” for it to take part in a planned conference on the war in Ukraine in June if Russia does not attend.

While China says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, it has been criticised for refusing to condemn Moscow for the offensive.

Ukraine is trying to whip up attendance at the June peace conference in Switzerland, where it hopes to win broad international backing for its vision of the terms needed to end Russia’s war.

While President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged China to take part, Beijing insisted on May 31 that any summit would need the participation of Russia, which Ukraine has rejected.

Beijing believes the conference “should have the recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans”, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

“Otherwise, it is difficult for the conference to play a substantive role in restoring peace,” she added.

“The arrangement of the meeting still falls short of China’s requirements and the expectations of the international community, making it difficult for China to attend,” Ms Mao said.

Moscow has dismissed the idea of a peace summit without Russia as “absurd”.

On the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, China’s top defence official reiterated Beijing’s “objective, impartial position” on the war, according to a spokesman.

“We have honoured our commitment not to provide weapons to either side of the conflict,” spokesman Wu Qian said, following the rare meeting between US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun.

“We have implemented strict controls on exports of military items,” Senior Colonel Wu said.

“China will continue resolutely to promote peace talks and play a constructive role, but we firmly oppose the United States shifting blame onto us,” he added. AFP