Palestine Live Coverage: Updates from the West Bank and Gaza (alaraby.co.uk)
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
'Very disappointed with Canada's response': Palestine-Israel turmoil exposes Canada's 'empty both sides approach,' expert says
Sakeina Syed
·Contributor
Tue., May 18, 2021
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Canada this past weekend for peaceful protests in support of the Palestinian solidarity movement, including rallies in EDMONTON, Vancouver, Saint John, Ottawa and Toronto. As of today, at least 212 Palestinians, including 61 children, have been killed by the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. In Israel, officials say 12 people, including two children have been killed since the fighting started over a week ago.
As the death toll escalates, activist groups and members of the public are expressing disappointment with the Canadian government’s lack of condemnation towards Israel.
This discontent is being echoed by some politicians, with federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh calling for Trudeau to halt the sale of arms to Israel “until the end of the illegal occupation.”
According to the Government of Canada’s official policy guide, Canada “does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967,” including the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The guide highlights that these settlements violate international law, namely the Fourth Geneva Convention.
But in spite of this official position, the government’s official statements have made little mention of the Israeli raids and airstrikes on these illegally occupied territories. Despite Palestinian deaths numbering in the hundreds and over 30,000 residents of Gaza displaced from their homes by the air raids, the statements only extend as far as condemning general violence in the region.
Sakeina Syed
·Contributor
Tue., May 18, 2021
Thousands of people gathered in cities across Canada this past weekend for peaceful protests in support of the Palestinian solidarity movement, including rallies in EDMONTON, Vancouver, Saint John, Ottawa and Toronto. As of today, at least 212 Palestinians, including 61 children, have been killed by the Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. In Israel, officials say 12 people, including two children have been killed since the fighting started over a week ago.
As the death toll escalates, activist groups and members of the public are expressing disappointment with the Canadian government’s lack of condemnation towards Israel.
This discontent is being echoed by some politicians, with federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh calling for Trudeau to halt the sale of arms to Israel “until the end of the illegal occupation.”
According to the Government of Canada’s official policy guide, Canada “does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967,” including the Golan Heights, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. The guide highlights that these settlements violate international law, namely the Fourth Geneva Convention.
But in spite of this official position, the government’s official statements have made little mention of the Israeli raids and airstrikes on these illegally occupied territories. Despite Palestinian deaths numbering in the hundreds and over 30,000 residents of Gaza displaced from their homes by the air raids, the statements only extend as far as condemning general violence in the region.
'Disappointment' over Canada's response to violent raids, evictions
Michael Bueckert is the Vice President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), a non-profit and secular organization that aims to promote justice and development in the Middle East. He said that CJPME is “very disappointed with Canada's response to the protests over the Sheikh Jarrah evictions, the violent raids against Al Aqsa and the airstrikes in Gaza.”
“In general, all statements have taken an empty ‘both sides’ approach which fails to recognize the distinction between occupied and occupier,” said Bueckert, who holds a PhD from Carleton University specializing in political economy. He adds that the Canadian government’s statements “do not directly name—let alone condemn—Israel’s colonial actions.”
In Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau’s statement on May 12, he unequivocally condemns rocket attacks “fired by Hamas.” But when it comes to that week’s Israeli police raids on Al-Aqsa that left 350 Palestinians injured and 250 hospitalized, Garneau does not mention a perpetrator, instead referring broadly to “unacceptable violence” at the holy site.
More tellingly, in Garneau’s statement and Global Affairs Canada’s next statement on May 16, no mention at all is made of the Israeli airstrikes. The May 16 statement was posted at 11:55 p.m., but made no mention of the approximately 188 Palestinian deaths from 55 Israeli air raids that had taken place by that point.
The statement mentions violence against journalists and “humanitarian workers and facilities under fire,” but never specifies who perpetrated these acts or who the victims were.
Those reading the federal government’s official statements are presented with a picture devoid of any mention of Palestinian deaths at all, let alone direct condemnation of Israel’s airstrikes—or even the word ‘airstrike’ itself.
When asked for clarification on this, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson provided a statement reiterating the same messaging, only adding that “the use of force has led to significant civilian loss of life” and that they “urge utmost restraint.”
Bueckert said it is worth noting that Garneau did mention the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in Parliament last week when asked a question. Bueckert says this suggests “the government is aware of Israel's unjustifiable actions in Jerusalem, and is experiencing pressure to respond—whether from diplomats or from within the Liberal Party.”
What is Canada's relationship with Israel?
In its most recent report in 2019, Canada sent $13.7 million in military exports to Israel, including $1.2 million for bombs, missiles, and other explosive devices, and $3.1 million for military aircraft.
The country generally votes against or abstains from the 16 UN resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian matters, including issues like sovereignty, human rights, and Israeli settlements. This pattern was set around 2006, when the Harper government was in power.
However, in November 2019 Canada voted “yes” on one of these resolutions, in support of Palestinian right to self-determination. The resolution criticized the Israeli barrier wall, and mentioned the urgency of reaching an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967. This singular vote was seen by some as a divergence from Canada’s traditional pattern of abstaining from UN votes on the issue, or siding with Israel.
Canadians demand action and equality, not empty words
For those attending this weekend’s Palestine solidarity protests, frustration with the Canadian government’s stance is a common theme.
Nada, a Canadian graduate student, attended the weekend’s protests in the hopes of seeing Canada cease its arms deal with Israel. “My tax money is being used to murder innocent children,” she said. “How can we, as a ‘democratic’ country, a country that claims it supports global human rights, be directly investing money in weapons to murder innocent people?”
Yusra, a Canadian university student, said she attended her first-ever protest at Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square on Saturday not only because of the “ongoing ethnic cleansing” occurring in Palestine, but also because of the Canadian government’s response to it.
“I can’t stand how they have said so many words that mean absolutely nothing, but still will not at all acknowledge Israel's crimes,” she said. “They say they want the violence to stop, and still will not place sanctions on the weaponry they give to Israel. They preach peace and a diverse country that is accepting, and yet the people of Toronto scream for them to do something, and they stay idle.”
Bueckert said that for those pushing for direct action from the government, the protests cannot be ignored.
“I don't think it will be possible for the government to miss the fact that Canadians are showing support for Palestinian human rights in massive numbers, in a way which feels unprecedented,” he said.
Michael Bueckert is the Vice President of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME), a non-profit and secular organization that aims to promote justice and development in the Middle East. He said that CJPME is “very disappointed with Canada's response to the protests over the Sheikh Jarrah evictions, the violent raids against Al Aqsa and the airstrikes in Gaza.”
“In general, all statements have taken an empty ‘both sides’ approach which fails to recognize the distinction between occupied and occupier,” said Bueckert, who holds a PhD from Carleton University specializing in political economy. He adds that the Canadian government’s statements “do not directly name—let alone condemn—Israel’s colonial actions.”
In Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau’s statement on May 12, he unequivocally condemns rocket attacks “fired by Hamas.” But when it comes to that week’s Israeli police raids on Al-Aqsa that left 350 Palestinians injured and 250 hospitalized, Garneau does not mention a perpetrator, instead referring broadly to “unacceptable violence” at the holy site.
More tellingly, in Garneau’s statement and Global Affairs Canada’s next statement on May 16, no mention at all is made of the Israeli airstrikes. The May 16 statement was posted at 11:55 p.m., but made no mention of the approximately 188 Palestinian deaths from 55 Israeli air raids that had taken place by that point.
The statement mentions violence against journalists and “humanitarian workers and facilities under fire,” but never specifies who perpetrated these acts or who the victims were.
Those reading the federal government’s official statements are presented with a picture devoid of any mention of Palestinian deaths at all, let alone direct condemnation of Israel’s airstrikes—or even the word ‘airstrike’ itself.
When asked for clarification on this, a Global Affairs Canada spokesperson provided a statement reiterating the same messaging, only adding that “the use of force has led to significant civilian loss of life” and that they “urge utmost restraint.”
Bueckert said it is worth noting that Garneau did mention the evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan in Parliament last week when asked a question. Bueckert says this suggests “the government is aware of Israel's unjustifiable actions in Jerusalem, and is experiencing pressure to respond—whether from diplomats or from within the Liberal Party.”
What is Canada's relationship with Israel?
In its most recent report in 2019, Canada sent $13.7 million in military exports to Israel, including $1.2 million for bombs, missiles, and other explosive devices, and $3.1 million for military aircraft.
The country generally votes against or abstains from the 16 UN resolutions on Israeli-Palestinian matters, including issues like sovereignty, human rights, and Israeli settlements. This pattern was set around 2006, when the Harper government was in power.
However, in November 2019 Canada voted “yes” on one of these resolutions, in support of Palestinian right to self-determination. The resolution criticized the Israeli barrier wall, and mentioned the urgency of reaching an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967. This singular vote was seen by some as a divergence from Canada’s traditional pattern of abstaining from UN votes on the issue, or siding with Israel.
Canadians demand action and equality, not empty words
For those attending this weekend’s Palestine solidarity protests, frustration with the Canadian government’s stance is a common theme.
Nada, a Canadian graduate student, attended the weekend’s protests in the hopes of seeing Canada cease its arms deal with Israel. “My tax money is being used to murder innocent children,” she said. “How can we, as a ‘democratic’ country, a country that claims it supports global human rights, be directly investing money in weapons to murder innocent people?”
Yusra, a Canadian university student, said she attended her first-ever protest at Toronto’s Nathan Phillips Square on Saturday not only because of the “ongoing ethnic cleansing” occurring in Palestine, but also because of the Canadian government’s response to it.
“I can’t stand how they have said so many words that mean absolutely nothing, but still will not at all acknowledge Israel's crimes,” she said. “They say they want the violence to stop, and still will not place sanctions on the weaponry they give to Israel. They preach peace and a diverse country that is accepting, and yet the people of Toronto scream for them to do something, and they stay idle.”
Bueckert said that for those pushing for direct action from the government, the protests cannot be ignored.
“I don't think it will be possible for the government to miss the fact that Canadians are showing support for Palestinian human rights in massive numbers, in a way which feels unprecedented,” he said.
US writer, feminist Gloria Steinem
wins major Spanish prize
© Provided by The Canadian Press
MADRID (AP) — A Spanish foundation on Wednesday awarded one of the country’s most prestigious awards to U.S. writer and activist Gloria Steinem.
The jury that decides the Princess of Asturias Awards announced that Steinem has won its annual prize for communication and humanities.
It praised 87-year-old Steinem’s long career in journalism, her bestselling books and her dedication to feminism since the 1960s, ensuring her place as “one of the most significant and iconic figures of the women’s rights movement” in the United States.
The citation singled out her contribution to the legalization of abortion, pay equality and equal rights, as well as her fight against the death penalty, female genital mutilation and child abuse.
The 50,000-euro award ($61,000) is one of eight prizes, including in the arts, social sciences and sports, handed out annually by a foundation named for Spanish Crown Princess Leonor.
The Associated Press
MADRID (AP) — A Spanish foundation on Wednesday awarded one of the country’s most prestigious awards to U.S. writer and activist Gloria Steinem.
The jury that decides the Princess of Asturias Awards announced that Steinem has won its annual prize for communication and humanities.
It praised 87-year-old Steinem’s long career in journalism, her bestselling books and her dedication to feminism since the 1960s, ensuring her place as “one of the most significant and iconic figures of the women’s rights movement” in the United States.
The citation singled out her contribution to the legalization of abortion, pay equality and equal rights, as well as her fight against the death penalty, female genital mutilation and child abuse.
The 50,000-euro award ($61,000) is one of eight prizes, including in the arts, social sciences and sports, handed out annually by a foundation named for Spanish Crown Princess Leonor.
The Associated Press
Thousands of migrants swim to Spanish territory from Morocco
By Jon Nazca and Mariano Valladolid
By Jon Nazca and Mariano Valladolid
THE AGE.AU
May 19, 2021 —
Ceuta, Spain: A sudden influx of migrants swimming into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in northern Africa is a serious crisis for Europe, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
Sanchez vowed to re-establish order promptly amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Spain and Morocco.
Spain’s PM vowed to restore order in the Spanish enclave.CREDIT:AP
Spain deployed troops to Ceuta to patrol the border with Morocco after around 8000 migrants, many from Sub-Saharan Africa and including 1500 minors, entered the enclave on Monday and Tuesday by swimming in or climbing over the fence.
Armoured vehicles were guarding Ceuta’s beach on Tuesday, and soldiers and police used batons to clear migrants from the beach and threw smoke bombs to discourage others from crossing.
On Tuesday, the number of arrivals by sea had slowed, and some migrants were voluntarily returning to Morocco. A few others could be seen being carried away by soldiers. Footage of the beach at around 8pm local time showed nearly all migrants had been cleared.
Spain said approximately 4000 migrants had already been sent back to Morocco, under a readmission deal.
The migrant surge has been a sore point between Spain and Morocco. Spanish soldier take positions as people from Morocco arrive by swimming to the Spanish territory.CREDIT:AP
The regional leader of Ceuta criticised what he described as Morocco’s passivity in the face of Monday’s surge, and some independent experts said Rabat had initially allowed it as a means of pressuring Madrid over its decision to admit a rebel leader from the Western Sahara to a Spanish hospital.
The Spanish government did not make that connection, with Sanchez calling the north African nation a friend of Spain and the interior ministry citing cooperation over the readmissions, although Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya told Morocco’s ambassador Spain rejected and disapproved of the mass arrivals.
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Rabat recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations, said a diplomatic source who declined to be named, adding that relations with Spain needed a moment of “contemplation”. Moroccan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
Moroccan TV footage showed authorities setting up barriers on Tuesday afternoon to prevent people from crossing into Ceuta, but footage filmed from the Spanish side earlier showed a Moroccan soldier or policeman waving dozens of running migrants through a gate to no-man’s land without any checks.
The regional leader of Ceuta criticised what he described as Morocco’s passivity in the face of the migrant surge. CREDIT:AP
“This sudden arrival of irregular migrants is a serious crisis for Spain and Europe,” Sanchez said in a televised address before his arrival in Ceuta.
European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas tweeted that the enclave’s frontier was a European border, expressing his “full solidarity with Spain”.
Ceuta, with a population of 80,000, is on the northern tip of Morocco across from Gibraltar. Along with another Spanish enclave, Melilla, it has long been a magnet for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Morocco has a claim on both.
Western Sahara dispute
The spike in arrivals took place after Rabat expressed its anger last month when Spain discreetly admitted Brahim Ghali, the leader of Western Sahara’s rebel Polisario Front to hospital. Madrid said it acted on purely humanitarian grounds.
Morocco’s Foreign Ministry criticised what it said was Spain’s decision to admit Ghali under a false identity without informing Morocco, warning of repercussions.
The Polisario Front wants the Western Sahara to be an independent state rather than part of Morocco. Algeria, Morocco’s regional rival, backs the Polisario Front.
The United States in December recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory.
Reuters
May 19, 2021 —
Ceuta, Spain: A sudden influx of migrants swimming into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in northern Africa is a serious crisis for Europe, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday (Wednesday AEST).
Sanchez vowed to re-establish order promptly amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Spain and Morocco.
Spain’s PM vowed to restore order in the Spanish enclave.CREDIT:AP
Spain deployed troops to Ceuta to patrol the border with Morocco after around 8000 migrants, many from Sub-Saharan Africa and including 1500 minors, entered the enclave on Monday and Tuesday by swimming in or climbing over the fence.
Armoured vehicles were guarding Ceuta’s beach on Tuesday, and soldiers and police used batons to clear migrants from the beach and threw smoke bombs to discourage others from crossing.
On Tuesday, the number of arrivals by sea had slowed, and some migrants were voluntarily returning to Morocco. A few others could be seen being carried away by soldiers. Footage of the beach at around 8pm local time showed nearly all migrants had been cleared.
Spain said approximately 4000 migrants had already been sent back to Morocco, under a readmission deal.
The migrant surge has been a sore point between Spain and Morocco. Spanish soldier take positions as people from Morocco arrive by swimming to the Spanish territory.CREDIT:AP
The regional leader of Ceuta criticised what he described as Morocco’s passivity in the face of Monday’s surge, and some independent experts said Rabat had initially allowed it as a means of pressuring Madrid over its decision to admit a rebel leader from the Western Sahara to a Spanish hospital.
The Spanish government did not make that connection, with Sanchez calling the north African nation a friend of Spain and the interior ministry citing cooperation over the readmissions, although Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya told Morocco’s ambassador Spain rejected and disapproved of the mass arrivals.
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Rabat recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations, said a diplomatic source who declined to be named, adding that relations with Spain needed a moment of “contemplation”. Moroccan authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
Moroccan TV footage showed authorities setting up barriers on Tuesday afternoon to prevent people from crossing into Ceuta, but footage filmed from the Spanish side earlier showed a Moroccan soldier or policeman waving dozens of running migrants through a gate to no-man’s land without any checks.
The regional leader of Ceuta criticised what he described as Morocco’s passivity in the face of the migrant surge. CREDIT:AP
“This sudden arrival of irregular migrants is a serious crisis for Spain and Europe,” Sanchez said in a televised address before his arrival in Ceuta.
European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas tweeted that the enclave’s frontier was a European border, expressing his “full solidarity with Spain”.
Ceuta, with a population of 80,000, is on the northern tip of Morocco across from Gibraltar. Along with another Spanish enclave, Melilla, it has long been a magnet for African migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Morocco has a claim on both.
Western Sahara dispute
The spike in arrivals took place after Rabat expressed its anger last month when Spain discreetly admitted Brahim Ghali, the leader of Western Sahara’s rebel Polisario Front to hospital. Madrid said it acted on purely humanitarian grounds.
Morocco’s Foreign Ministry criticised what it said was Spain’s decision to admit Ghali under a false identity without informing Morocco, warning of repercussions.
The Polisario Front wants the Western Sahara to be an independent state rather than part of Morocco. Algeria, Morocco’s regional rival, backs the Polisario Front.
The United States in December recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the Western Sahara territory.
Reuters
"Who is the Most Vulnerable during a Pandemic? The Social Model of Disability and the COVID-19 Crisis."
In Eubios Journal of Asian and International Bioethics, Volume 30, Number 4 (May 2020) : 158-161.
Christopher Ryan Maboloc
2020, May
Top 2%1,618 Views69 Pages
1 File ▾
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Show more ▾
According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2% to 4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. Persons with impairment are the most neglected sector in society. This inquiry looks into the social and medical model in terms of analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic to persons with developmental disorder. The paper argues that the medical model is insufficient to account for the needs of persons with disability. While the medical model requires that individuals with impairment should be given priority in terms of access to effective treatment, policy must have a full awareness of the social context of cognitive disability in the midst of a public emergency.
Christopher Ryan Maboloc
2020, May
Top 2%1,618 Views69 Pages
1 File ▾
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Show more ▾
According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the global population lives with some form of disability, of whom 2% to 4% experience significant difficulties in functioning. Persons with impairment are the most neglected sector in society. This inquiry looks into the social and medical model in terms of analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic to persons with developmental disorder. The paper argues that the medical model is insufficient to account for the needs of persons with disability. While the medical model requires that individuals with impairment should be given priority in terms of access to effective treatment, policy must have a full awareness of the social context of cognitive disability in the midst of a public emergency.
President Joe Biden takes Ford's new all-electric F-150 pick-up truck for a spin: 'This sucker's quick'
The President also made a speech stating that electric cars were the 'future of the auto industry' in the US
US President Joe Biden test drove the new all-electric F-150 Lightning pick-up truck by Ford on Tuesday, as he championed electric cars as the “future of the auto industry”.
Biden visited Ford Motor Company’s electric vehicle plant in Dearborn, Michigan, where he made a speech and got to check out the newest cars in development by the motoring company.
"We need automakers and other companies to keep investing here in America and not take the benefits of our public investments and expand electric vehicles and battery manufacturing abroad," Biden said.
"We're going to set a new pace for electric vehicles," he said, vowing to reverse what he called the Trump administration's "short-sighted" rollback of vehicle emissions standards.
As well as getting a first look at some of the coming vehicles, the President also made an unscheduled stop at a nearby race track to test out the new F-150 truck.
After a spin around the track, Biden pulled up to a waiting pool of reporters, before proclaiming: “This sucker’s quick.”
He then proved it, sticking his foot down for another spin around the track, as his security team raced parallel in another vehicle, struggling to keep up.
The President’s speed caused plenty of conversation on social media.
The Ford F-150 Lightning looks very similar to the conventional F-150, which is Ford's best-selling vehicle in the US, however, as Biden demonstrated, it has the potential to be quicker.
The vehicle is set for release on Wednesday, when Ford will be releasing full details of its specs.
Updated: May 19, 2021 03:48 PM
The President also made a speech stating that electric cars were the 'future of the auto industry' in the US
US President Joe Biden test drove the new all-electric F-150 Lightning pick-up truck by Ford on Tuesday, as he championed electric cars as the “future of the auto industry”.
Biden visited Ford Motor Company’s electric vehicle plant in Dearborn, Michigan, where he made a speech and got to check out the newest cars in development by the motoring company.
"We need automakers and other companies to keep investing here in America and not take the benefits of our public investments and expand electric vehicles and battery manufacturing abroad," Biden said.
"We're going to set a new pace for electric vehicles," he said, vowing to reverse what he called the Trump administration's "short-sighted" rollback of vehicle emissions standards.
As well as getting a first look at some of the coming vehicles, the President also made an unscheduled stop at a nearby race track to test out the new F-150 truck.
After a spin around the track, Biden pulled up to a waiting pool of reporters, before proclaiming: “This sucker’s quick.”
He then proved it, sticking his foot down for another spin around the track, as his security team raced parallel in another vehicle, struggling to keep up.
The President’s speed caused plenty of conversation on social media.
The Ford F-150 Lightning looks very similar to the conventional F-150, which is Ford's best-selling vehicle in the US, however, as Biden demonstrated, it has the potential to be quicker.
The vehicle is set for release on Wednesday, when Ford will be releasing full details of its specs.
Updated: May 19, 2021 03:48 PM
Details Of Heated Exchange Between Biden, Rep Rashida Tlaib At Detroit Airport Tarmac
Natalia Ningthoujam | May 18 2021
Joe Biden and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib were on Tuesday spotted having a tense conversation on the airport tarmac in Detroit.
According to NPR, Tlaib's office said that she conveyed to Biden her dissatisfaction with the US' response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas that has been going on for a while now.
Tlaib, who is the first woman with Palestinian roots to serve in Congress, told Biden that Palestinians need to be protected, an aide for the Congresswoman's office said in a statement. "Palestinian human rights are not a bargaining chip and must be protected, not negotiated," the aide said Tlaib told Biden.
"The US cannot continue to give the right-wing [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government billions each year to commit crimes against Palestinians. Atrocities like bombing schools cannot be tolerated, much less conducted with US-supplied weapons.
"Congresswoman Tlaib reiterated that the status quo is enabling more killing, that the current US approach of unconditional support for the Israeli government is not working, and that the White House must do far more to protect Palestinian lives, dignity, and human rights," the aide added.
After the confrontation, Biden complimented her during a speech in Dearborn, according to Fox News. "I want to say to you that I admire your intellect, I admire your passion, and I admire your concern for so many other people. And it's from my heart. I pray that your Grandma and family are well, I promise to do everything you see that they are in the West Bank.
"You're a fighter. And God, thank you for being a fighter," he added.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the recent Israelis and Palestinians conflict resulted in deaths of at least 213 Palestinians, including 61 children. Meanwhile in Israel, about 12 people were killed, including a five-year old boy.
In a recent tweet addressed to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Tlaib criticized the way the conflict between Hamas and Israel was handled. "If you support a cease-fire, then get out of the way of the U.N. Security Council and join other countries in demanding it," she said.
"Apartheid-in-chief Netanyahu will not listen to anyone asking nicely. He commits war crimes and openly violates international law," Tlaib added.
Natalia Ningthoujam | May 18 2021
Joe Biden and Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib were on Tuesday spotted having a tense conversation on the airport tarmac in Detroit.
According to NPR, Tlaib's office said that she conveyed to Biden her dissatisfaction with the US' response to the conflict between Israel and Hamas that has been going on for a while now.
Tlaib, who is the first woman with Palestinian roots to serve in Congress, told Biden that Palestinians need to be protected, an aide for the Congresswoman's office said in a statement. "Palestinian human rights are not a bargaining chip and must be protected, not negotiated," the aide said Tlaib told Biden.
"The US cannot continue to give the right-wing [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government billions each year to commit crimes against Palestinians. Atrocities like bombing schools cannot be tolerated, much less conducted with US-supplied weapons.
"Congresswoman Tlaib reiterated that the status quo is enabling more killing, that the current US approach of unconditional support for the Israeli government is not working, and that the White House must do far more to protect Palestinian lives, dignity, and human rights," the aide added.
After the confrontation, Biden complimented her during a speech in Dearborn, according to Fox News. "I want to say to you that I admire your intellect, I admire your passion, and I admire your concern for so many other people. And it's from my heart. I pray that your Grandma and family are well, I promise to do everything you see that they are in the West Bank.
"You're a fighter. And God, thank you for being a fighter," he added.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the recent Israelis and Palestinians conflict resulted in deaths of at least 213 Palestinians, including 61 children. Meanwhile in Israel, about 12 people were killed, including a five-year old boy.
In a recent tweet addressed to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Tlaib criticized the way the conflict between Hamas and Israel was handled. "If you support a cease-fire, then get out of the way of the U.N. Security Council and join other countries in demanding it," she said.
"Apartheid-in-chief Netanyahu will not listen to anyone asking nicely. He commits war crimes and openly violates international law," Tlaib added.
US President Joe Biden puts his arm around Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) as he speaks to Rep. Rashida Tlaib (L) D-MI upon arrival at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Detroit, Michigan on May 18, 2021. Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images
CP Rail's largest shareholder urges CN Rail to abandon bid for Kansas City Southern
THEY ARE ALSO CN'S LARGEST SHAREHOLDER
© Provided by The Canadian PressCP Rail's largest shareholder urges CN Rail to abandon bid for Kansas City Southern
TORONTO — Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.'s largest shareholder has called on CN Rail to drop its bid for Kansas City Southern because of the sizable break fee CN Rail would be forced to pay if its voting trust is not approved by the U.S. railway regulator.
Britain's TCI Fund Management — which also owns a three per cent stake in CN Rail — made the appeal in a letter to CN's board after the U.S. Surface Transportation Board ruled Monday that its proposed US$33.6-billion deal with KCS must be based on stricter merger rules.
TCI claims CN's board of directors would be "negligent and hugely irresponsible" to risk C$2 billion of shareholders' money based on STB's still-to-come decision on approving the voting trust for the CN-KCS transaction.
That figure includes a US$1 billion break fee if the STB fails to approve the trust and the US$700 million break fee on the CP deal that CN says it would cover.
TCI argues CN should abandon its pursuit of the U.S. railway unless its merger agreement is amended so that it is not conditional on a voting trust being approved.
Unlike CP Rail, whose proposed takeover of KCS received an exemption from strict merger rules enacted in 2001, the regulator says CN would face a tougher standard, adding that the “use of a voting trust is a privilege, not a right” and will be available only on “rare occasions.”
"The STB is sending a clear signal and the CN board has a duty to listen. The risk that the voting trust is not approved is too great to ignore," said the TCI letter to CN's board.
CN Railway didn't directly address TCI's comments in a news release Tuesday except to say it is confident of gaining approval for the voting trust and closing the deal with KCS.
"CN’s board believes its pro-competitive combination with Kansas City Southern is in the best interest of CN’s shareholders and other stakeholders."
The Montreal-based railway said the STB's other decision to defer consideration of a voting trust was only because the merger agreement had not yet been filed. CN says such an agreement has since been negotiated and was filed with the regulator on Tuesday.
TCI says CN's board can't have any confidence in how the new rules will be interpreted because they've never been used before.
"Making what is essentially a C$2 billion bet with company money on this one, unknowable, decision would be extremely reckless."
Even if the voting trust is approved, TCI says CN could face a C$18 billion liability if the transaction is not approved and the trust has to sell KCS under potentially distressed conditions.
"This would almost wipe out CN’s entire shareholders’ equity that it has taken over 100 years to accumulate. It could also seriously jeopardize the future of the company."
While the risk for CN exists, it likely wouldn't be a dire as has been portrayed, suggested Craig Jerusalim, portfolio manager at CIBC Asset Management.
"There's likely to still be bidders for the rail whether it's CP that comes back into the fold or private equity at that point," he said in an interview.
"So I think the risk to CN is not massive although I would agree totally that the risk that CN is denied is much higher than the risk that CP is denied."
Meanwhile, some railway unions have told the STB that they're concerned that a bidding war between Canada's two largest railways could be bad for shippers and workers.
"There is a likelihood that innocent bystanders — employees of CP, CN and KCS, and shippers which use those carriers — will pay a price for this exercise in one-upmanship," said several unions that together are referred to as the Allied Rail Unions.
"The successful bidder, having spent more than what was anticipated and what is reasonable would likely seek to recoup its excess expenditures by seeking so-called cost-cutting 'efficiencies' from railworkers; and it would likely seek to reduce other costs, which, in turn, would diminish service."
Jerusalim said the deals as they stand are strategically worth a lot to either CN or CP and shouldn't result in excessive cost-cutting. But he added the union has a fair argument that being forced to pay more, including by adding debt, does raise worries.
"The more the winning party is going to have to find ways of extracting that value for their own shareholders and that's either through higher pricing or cutting costs and you could see why unions would not be in favour of that."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 18, 2021.
Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR, TSX:CP)
Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press
FASCISTS MARCHE
French police protest daily violence, some boo interior ministerBy Metro US
Posted on May 19, 2021
French police stage protest against violence in front of the National Assembly In Paris
PARIS (Reuters) -Thousands of French police officers protested near the National Assembly on Thursday to demand the government get tough on violence against the security forces, with some booing the interior minister who turned up in a show of solidarity.
The discontent within the police will trouble President Emmanuel Macron, who wants to show voters he is strong on law and order ahead of next year’s election, when the far-right leader Marine Le Pen is expected to mount the biggest challenge.
Police unions complain that the government is failing to protect officers from daily attacks that leave some afraid of doing their jobs in certain towns and cities.
“This can’t go on any longer. You really need to protect us. It’s getting worse,” one officer could be heard telling Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The protest took place after a month-long period which saw a policeman killed during an anti-narcotics operation and a police force employee stabbed to death outside her commissariat.
However, human rights groups and ethnic minority associations have frequently levelled accusations of brutality and systemic racism against the police force itself.
One attack against a Black music producer in November had brought shame on France, Macron said at the time, demanding the police be exemplary in their own behaviour.
The unions are demanding a minimum prison sentence for anyone who attacks a police officer. One protest banner read: “Paid to serve, not to die.
“No-one listens to us,” lamented a second officer who identified himself as Stephane and said he had travelled from the Mediterranean city of Marseille.
An IPSOS opinion poll this month showed more than half of all police and military personnel would vote for Le Pen in a runoff vote against Macron next year.
(Reporting by Elizabeth Pineau and Matthieu Protard; writing by Richard Lough; editing by Estelle Shirbon and Angus MacSwan)
French police stage protest against violence in front of the National Assembly In Paris
French police stage protest against violence in front of the National Assembly In Paris
French police stage protest against violence in front of the National Assembly In Paris
French police stage protest against violence in front of the National Assembly In Paris
U.S. intelligence chief visits DMZ on North Korean border – Yonhap
Intelligence Comittee Holds Threat Hearing in Washington
SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines visited the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) along the border with North Korea as part of a visit to South Korea on Thursday, the Yonhap news agency reported.
Haines’ visit comes a week ahead of South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s first summit with new U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington.
Yonhap published photographs of Haines leaving her hotel in Seoul and a convoy of vehicles it said was carrying her and other members of the U.S. delegation arriving at the DMZ.
She was expected to take a brief tour of the Joint Security Area in the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom, where talks with North Korea have been held in the past, among other areas, Yonhap reported.
The U.S. Embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and it was not clear if the American delegation had sought a meeting with North Korean officials during her trip.
South Korea’s National Intelligence Service declined to comment on the visit, citing security concerns.
Stalled denuclearisation talks with North Korea are expected to top the agenda of next week’s summit in Washington, with Moon expected to press Biden to engage with North Korea.
In March, the White House said North Korea had not responded to a behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort by the administration to engage in dialogue.
After completing a policy review last month, the Biden administration said it had settled on a new approach to pressing North Korea to give up nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that will explore diplomacy but not seek a grand bargain with leader Kim Jong Un.
North Korean officials have publicly criticised Biden’s policies as more of the same Cold War-style hostilities of previous presidents, but they have not commented on the specifics of the review.
(Reporting by Josh Smith; Additional reporting by Hyonhee Shin)
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