'China threat' emerges in elections from UK to Australia

08/14/22 12:24 PM

While inflation and recession fears weigh heavily on the minds of voters, another issue is popping up in political campaigns from the U_K_ and Australia to the U_S_ and beyond: the “China threat.”

'It was Trump's deal!' John Bolton schools conservative Newsmax host over Afghanistan withdrawal

08/12/22 9:15 PM

Ex-United States Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Adviser John Bolton schooled Newsmax host Eric Bolling on Friday over the timeline of the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.The on-air debate erupted when Bolling insisted that the country was safer under former President Donald Trump than under President Joe Biden, with which Bolton vehemently disagreed."How in the world could you think that we're safer now than we were under President Trump when he was willing to put missiles into Syrian airbases with Russians on the base? What's going on here sir?" Bolling asked Bolton."Because he didn't understand, fundamentally, much of anything about international affairs. His decisions were not based on a coherent philosophy or coherent policy. They were erratic. Under Donald Trump, he signed a deal with the Taliban..." Bolton began saying before Bolling interrupted."But we were safer. He kept them on their back feet. They didn't know where he was coming from and that made us safer," said Bolling."No he didn't," Bolton fired back. "He cut a deal with the Taliban to withdraw from Afghanistan. Did that make us safer, Eric? Did withdrawing from Afghanistan make us safer? Right."The discussion quickly devolved into a shouting match.Bolling:You know what made us less safe? Biden pulled us out of Afghanistan, 13 Americans died, and now the Taliban tells us, 'back off, don't kill al Qaeda. Are you out of your mind?Bolton:It was Trump's deal! Hahahahahaha. That's right. The same thing they would have done under Donald Trump. No. Who cut the deal, Eric? Who cut the deal?Bolling:Who delivered the deal? Biden delivered the deal.Bolton:Eric, you don't know what you're talking about. He wanted everybody out, he cut a deal to do exactly that.Bolling:Anyone who disagrees with you doesn't know what they're talking about,"Bolton:You don't!Bolling:Trump said leave 2,500 there until we have a smooth transition of power.Bolton:He did not! Look, he said that after he cut the deal. The deal cut us down to zero. That's what Trump wanted. He wanted everybody out. The record on that is completely clear.Bolling:Over time! Biden pulled them out while Americans were still there.Bolton:No. Read the deal, Eric. Have you ever read the deal?Bolling:Oh stop.Bolton:Yeah I know you gotta go before you're embarrassed even further.Watch below or at this link. \u201cWhen John Bolton says on Newsmax that we are safer under Biden then we would have been under Trump, the host loses his mind and they have an epic battle. I know people hate Bolton, but this is fantastic - he debunks every fake narrative they created about his foreign policy.\u201d — Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1660316552

'Journalism in Afghanistan is bleeding to death,' warns leading NGO

08/13/22 9:40 AM

Christian Mihr, executive director of Reporters Without Borders, speaks during a press conference. Kay Nietfeld/dpaOne year after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, many media outlets in the countries have been shut down, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Numerous media outlets have ceased their work and hundreds of journalists have lost their jobs, the organization announced. "Journalism in Afghanistan is bleeding to death," said RSF director Christian Mihr, according to a statement from Friday. "The Taliban have enacted numerous laws that restrict freedom of the press and encourage the persecution and intimidation of media and journalists," he added. According to RSF, a good third of 550 media outlets that had been active as of August 15, 2021 - the day the Taliban took over control again after more than 20 years - have been shut down. Meanwhile, the number of journalists dropped by more than half to 4,750, with women particularly affected. Some 75% of female Afghan journalists have lost their job or stopped working out of fear of the Taliban, RSF said, adding that in 11 of 34 Afghan provinces, there were no female journalists anymore. The Taliban has made the work of journalists much more difficult, according to the organization, citing increasing censorship and self-censorship as well as a wave of arbitrary arrests of media workers. Since the hardliners took over control, at least 80 media workers have been arrested for varying periods of time and in some cases "in a very brutal manner." Afghanistan is now ranked 156th out of 180 countries in the RSF Press Freedom Index. Even before the Taliban's return to power, Afghan journalists had been facing adversities, RSF said, with many suffering persecution and threats. Nonetheless, the country had been able to foster one of the most diverse media landscapes in the region, it said. As Afghanistan marks one year since the Taliban takeover last August, Afghans in exile and their supporters around the world planned to gather to protest the hardliners' oppressive regime. In Berlin, demonstrators are scheduled to gather in front of the Foreign Ministry and near the chancellery on Saturday to call on the government to evacuate more Afghans at risk. Meanwhile in Kabul, a peaceful protest by dozens of women who were marching in the streets on Saturday chanting "Food, work, and freedom" was again attacked and stopped by Taliban forces. Women's rights have been severely restricted under the new regime.