Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are toying with the lives of thousands of Gulf residents as part of their dispute with Qatar, splitting up families and destroying peoples livelihoods and education, Amnesty International said today.

The organizations researchers have interviewed dozens of people whose human rights have been affected by a series of sweeping measures imposed in an arbitrary manner by the three Gulf countries in their dispute with Qatar.

For potentially thousands of people across the Gulf, the effect of the steps imposed in the wake of this political dispute is suffering, heartbreak and fear, said James Lynch, Deputy Director of Amnesty Internationals Global Issues Programme, who was in Doha last week.

These drastic measures are already having a brutal effect, splitting children from parents and husbands from wives. People from across the region not only from Qatar, but also from the states implementing these measures risk losing jobs and having their education disrupted. All the states involved in this dispute must ensure their actions do not lead to human rights violations.

All the states involved in this dispute must ensure their actions do not lead to human rights violations

While Amnesty International takes no view on the political dispute itself, which also involves other countries including Egypt, Jordan and Yemen, the organization is seriously concerned about the impact of some of these steps on the rights to family life and education.

In a fresh blow to freedom of expression in the Gulf, people in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and UAE have also been threatened with harsh punishment if they dare to criticize these measures.

On 5 June all three states ordered Qatari nationals to leave their territories within 14 days, and announced that all of their nationals had to return from Qatar, threatening penalties for anyone who did not return within this timeframe. According to Qatars National Human Rights Committee, more than 11,000 nationals of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and UAE live in Qatar. Many Qataris also live in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and UAE. All are potentially affected by these measures.

People with relations from other Gulf states are particularly at risk. Amnesty International has documented several cases of people cut off from parents, children and spouses as a result.

One Qatari man, who has lived in the UAE with his family for more than 10 years, was refused entry and sent back to Qatar as he tried to return home to Dubai from Doha, just after the measures were announced on 5 June. His wife is an Emirati national and is therefore forbidden from travelling to Qatar, while his children are Qatari nationals and so are required to leave UAE. He is now separated from his family and does not know when he will next see them.

He described to Amnesty International how his wife had pleaded with the duty officer to see her husband one last time. The officer said, no way just go back, he said.

He told Amnesty International that he fears his employers in the UAE will dismiss him from his job since he cannot return and because of his nationality.

A Saudi Arabian man, who lives in Doha with his Qatari wife, told Amnesty International that he is unable to visit his mother, who is seriously ill in hospital in Saudi Arabia, because if he did he would not be able to return to Qatar to be with his wife and children:

I go home, I cant see my wife. I stay here, I cant see my mum.

I go home, I cant see my wife. I stay here, I cant see my mum

A newly-wed Qatari woman told researchers she had been in the process of moving to Bahrain to live with her husband, a Bahraini national, when the measures took force.

I was so happy to marry last year Before the ban, while I was looking for a job in Bahrain I would go there every weekend, to see my husband, my family, my house. When they did this, how could they not think of the people?

Amnesty International also interviewed several Qatari students concerned they could not continue their education in the UAE and Bahrain. One student said all her classes in the UAE for the rest of the year had been cancelled with immediate effect.

A states power to regulate and restrict immigration is constrained by international human rights law, and differences in treatment between different categories of non-citizens can only be justified if they are necessary to achieve a legitimate objective. Arbitrarily splitting up families as part of immigration policies violates the right to family life.

Ban on expressing sympathy Residents in Saudi Arabia, UAE or Bahrain have been warned they could face harsh penalties if they make comments in support of Qatar.

Citing existing, flawed legal provisions, the UAEs general prosecutor has announced that people who express sympathy for Qatar could face up to 15 years in jail; while state-controlled Saudi Arabian media stated that such expression could be considered a cybercrime offence. The Bahraini Ministry of Interior has also threatened anyone who shows sympathy or favouritism to the Qatari authorities either on or off line, with up to five years in prison and a fine under the Penal Code.

These statements from governments with a record of repressing peaceful expression are a flagrant attempt to silence criticism of these arbitrary policies. Prosecuting anyone on this basis would be a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression. No one should be punished for peacefully expressing their views or criticizing a government decision, said James Lynch.

Concerns over migrant workers in Saudi Arabia

There are also concerns that migrant workers employed by Qatari nationals to look after their properties in Saudi Arabia may find themselves stranded, unable to return to Qatar where they have residence permits and becoming undocumented in the process, at risk of exploitation or arrest and deportation. Amnesty International has spoken to workers in this situation, who have little information about what might happen to them.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states must protect any workers employed by Qatari nationals, including by facilitating the safe return of those who wish to return to their home countries or assisting those who wish to return to Qatar.

Political disputes between states must be handled in a manner that respects human rights. There can be no justification for tearing families apart, suppressing peaceful expression, and leaving migrant workers abandoned and at risk. Arbitrary measures should be suspended immediately, said James Lynch.

Background

Under the nationality laws in the countries involved, women are not able to pass on nationality to their children and as such children inherit their fathers nationality. This in itself is a violation of the rights to non-discrimination and equality. Holding dual nationalities is generally not permitted.

Amnesty International interviewed 35 people nationals of Bahrain, Bangladesh, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE affected by these measures. Researchers met the majority of these people in Qatar. Others, based in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were interviewed remotely.

Continue reading here:

Families ripped apart, freedom of expression under attack amid political dispute in Gulf - Amnesty International

Omni Shoreham Hotel Washington, D.C.

12:30 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Ralph. He said we got 81 percent of the vote. I want to know, who are the 19 percent? Who are they? (Laughter.) Where do they come from?

Thank you, Ralph, for really kind introduction, and for your great leadership. Its wonderful to be back here with all of my friends. It is the fifth time. Who would have known this was going to happen? But we had a feeling, didnt we? (Applause.)

And, Ralph, I want to congratulate you and your wife, Jo Anne, and each and every person in the audience today. In just a few years, youve helped turn a small organization into a really nationwide, beautiful movement. (Applause.) Really, so true. And what you have achieved is extraordinary. Ive spoken to this group so much, so often -- Ill be back -- most recently one year ago this week when I came here to ask for your support, your help, and your prayers. And wow, did you deliver. (Applause.)

You really did. Last year, you knocked on more than 1.2 million doors in the key battleground states where, as you remember, we focused. Supposed to be focusing on those states. You sent 22 million pieces of mail, shared 16 million videos, and made 10 million phone calls. Thats something. (Applause.)

And Im honored by your incredible support, and grateful for your commitment to our shared cause. Thank you for all that you do. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you. You didnt let me down, and I will never, ever let you down. You know that. (Applause.)

We will always support our Evangelical community, and defend your right, and the right of all Americans, to follow and to live by the teachings of their faith. And as you know, were under siege. You understand that. But we will come out bigger and better and stronger than ever. You watch. (Applause.)

You fought hard for me, and now Im fighting hard for all of you. I have one goal as President: to fight for the American people and to fight for America and America first. (Applause.)

We are going to battle for every American who has lost a job, for every family who has lost a loved one, for every American of faith who has lost their rights and lost their freedom. The forgotten men and women will never, ever be forgotten again. You know about that. (Applause.) Remember they said, where did all these people come from? And you know what? Theyre still trying to figure it out. They dont get it. (Laughter.) They dont get it.

Your voices will resound across the halls of our Capitol, and across the world. We recite today the words of Isaiah Chapter 1, Verse 17: Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.

The entrenched interests and failed, bitter voices in Washington will do everything in their power to try and stop us from this righteous cause, to try to stop all of you. They will lie. They will obstruct. They will spread their hatred and their prejudice. But we will not back down from doing what is right. Because, as the Bible tell us -- (applause) -- we know that the truth will prevail, that Gods glorious wisdom will shine through, and that the good and decent people of this country will get the change they voted for and that they so richly deserve. (Applause.)

Nothing worth doing ever came easy, but we know how to fight better than anybody. And we never, ever would give up, and we dont give up. We are winners, and we are going to fight, and win, and have an unbelievable future. (Applause.) Unbelievable future. And its going to be together. (Applause.)

We are keeping the solemn promises that we made to the great citizens of our country. We are eliminating job-killing regulations, reversing government overreach, and returning power back to everyday Americans, the way the country started. (Applause.)

In just a short period of time, weve already added nearly one million new jobs, and approved historic increases in military spending. Weve achieved a record reduction in illegal immigration. Did you see at the southern border? Seventy-five percent. (Applause.) Seventy-five percent. If they do one percent in the past, it used to be, oh, were doing so well. Seventy-five percent. General Kelly is doing a great job.

And we are protecting our families, schools, and cities by removing the gang members -- MS-13. (Applause.) MS-13. Were spreading them out, the drug dealers and criminals from our country, and cracking down on the sanctuary cities that protect them. (Applause.) And we believe that people who come to our country should love our citizens and embrace our values -- our values, folks. (Applause.)

In my first 100 days -- and I dont think anybody has ever done more, or, certainly, not much more -- I appointed and confirmed a Supreme Court justice in the mold of the late, great Antonin Scalia -- (applause) -- and now Justice Gorsuch has a seat on the United States Supreme Court. (Applause.) Made a promise.

We have also proposed a historic tax cut -- biggest in the history of our country, by the way -- and we are fighting for fair trade that creates a level playing field for all of our American companies and our American workers. We are not on a fair playing field, but its getting fairer by the day. We are bringing back our jobs. (Applause.)

To protect those jobs, and the sovereignty and freedom of the United States, I followed through on my promise to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord. (Applause.) Thank you. You understand it. You understand how bad it was for our country. Its going to strip us of our jobs, our wealth, our companies. And they keep saying, oh, its non-binding -- so innocent. I figure between that deal, the Iran Deal, NAFTA -- weve got some beauties, dont we? (Laughter.) Dont worry, youre going to see some real good ones coming about very soon. Youre going to see some great ones coming about very soon.

America will continue to lead the world on environmental protection. Were going to have clean water -- crystal clean. Were going to have clean air. (Applause.) But what we wont do is let other countries take advantage of the United States anymore and dictate what we are doing and dictate our future. (Applause.)

From now on, we will follow a very simple rule: Every day I am President we are going to make America first -- not somebody else, not some other country. We are going to make America first. (Applause.) Thank you.

As I am sure you know, I have also reinstated the Mexico City policy first put into place by Ronald Reagan to protect the unborn. (Applause.) Thank you.

And, in a really beautiful ceremony at the White House, on the National Day of Prayer, I signed, as I promised I would, a new executive action to protect religious liberty in America, including protecting the rights of groups like yours -- the Little Sisters of the Poor. Thank you. Stand up. The Little Sisters of the Poor. (Applause.)

They fought so hard for so many years. All of sudden, they heard, "we won." (Laughter.) Right? They were tough. Dont want to mess with the Little Sisters, right? (Laughter.) They hung in, and they had a lot of losses. They sustained a lot of losses. But all of the sudden, one day, a few weeks ago, it was over. They won. So congratulations. Great toughness. Great. Great people. (Applause.) That executive order also followed through on my campaign promises to so many of you: to stop the Johnson Amendment from interfering with your First Amendment rights. (Applause.) It was my promise. This executive order directs the IRS not to unfairly target churches and religious organizations for political speech. So the people that you most respect can now feel free to speak to you, like my friends sitting right over here. I can now hear them and theyre unimpeded. So I just want to congratulate everybody in this room because that was a big deal, and it was a very important thing for me to do for you. And were not finished yet, believe me. Were not finished yet. So thank you very much. (Applause.)

No federal worker should be censoring sermons or targeting pastors. (Applause.) These are the people we want to hear from. How about the people we do hear from every night on television? You want to hear from them? I dont think so.

AUDIENCE: Booo --

THE PRESIDENT: No, no, we want to hear from the people that we want to hear from.

As long as I'm President, no one is going to stop you from practicing your faith or from preaching what is in your heart and from preaching -- and really, this is so important -- from the bottom of my heart -- from preaching from the people that you most want to hear and that you so respect. So we have taken a very, very strong position, and you picked a winner. (Applause.)

So we want our pastors speaking out. We want their voices in our public discourse. And we want our children to know the blessings of God. (Applause.) Schools should not be a place that drive out faith and religion, but that should welcome faith and religion with wide, open, beautiful arms. (Applause.) Faith inspires us to be better, to be stronger, to be more caring and giving, and more determined to act in selfless and courageous defense of what is good and what is right. It is time to put a stop to the attacks on religion. (Applause.) Thank you.

We will end the discrimination against people of faith. Our government will once again celebrate and protect religious freedom. (Applause.) Restoring freedom and opportunity also means repealing and replacing the disaster known as --

AUDIENCE: Obamacare!

THE PRESIDENT: That was easy. (Laughter.) Do you see how its failing? Okay. So Ive been saying 116 percent for so long -- it was Arizona. So yesterday, I have a new number -- 204 percent, in Alaska, increase. Its a catastrophe. Obamacare, as one of the big insurance companies had said, is in a spiral. Its in a death spiral. It is dead. Dead. Some of the states are losing their insurance companies. Yesterday, Ohio lost one of the big ones. And Ohio has got problems now. They all have problems -- Kentucky, Tennessee. Every place I go.

But were dealing with obstructionists. The Democrats are obstructionists. You know what, it would be great to get along with them, but it seems to be impossible. They are obstructionists. And they have a healthcare plan thats a disaster, called Obamacare. Again, the insurance companies are fleeing, the premiums are through the roof. The deductibles -- I mean, unless you die a long, horrible, slow death, those deductibles are so high -- sadly, folks, youll never get to use them. It is a disaster whats going on with Obamacare. Nobody wants to talk about it. But you take a look at the premiums, how high; you take a look at those deductibles. You have nothing.

And then, of course, the mandate. Lets pay to get out of it, okay? Were the only one -- we pay to get out of not paying. Thats how bad it is.

So Obamacare is dead. And dont let them pin it on the Republicans, by the way. Weve only been here for a short period of time, okay? But a good bill passed in the House. Something, I hope, great is going to come out through Mitch McConnell and the Senate. And were working very hard. I can tell you, were really working hard.

And if we had the best plan in the history of the world, we wouldnt get one Democrat vote. Just remember that. If we had a plan that gave you the greatest healthcare ever in history, you wouldnt get one Democrat vote because theyre obstructionists. Theyre bad, right now, for the country. Theyve gone so far left that I dont know if they can ever come back.

Now as a -- believe it or not -- politician -- I never would call myself a politician, but I guess thats what I am. I became President; I guess Im a politician. (Laughter.) Selfishly, I love where theyve gone because I think theyve taken the wrong path. But they have gone so far left, trying to appease a certain group, that I think theyve made a horrible mistake.

But what they have done is theyve tried to obstruct. And thats why, when it comes to the elections in 18, we have to get more, because were only up by two in the Senate and a pretty small number in the House. And we have to build those numbers up because were just not going to get votes.

Now, maybe times will change, and that could happen at some point. I remember when Republicans and Democrats would fight like hell, then theyd go out, have lunch together, have dinner together, go back, fight like hell, and get a lot of things done. Now the lunches and dinners dont take place. The level of hatred is beyond anything that Ive ever seen.

So theyre obstructionists, but were going to get healthcare done. Were going to get the tax cares done -- the tax cuts. We have the biggest tax cut and great tax reform. Were going to get it done, but sadly, were going to have to do it as Republicans because we wont get any Democrat votes. And thats a very, very sad, sad thing.

I have filled my administration and Cabinet with people who share our priorities and who want to deliver for the American people. And even that, as you know, its so hard -- the process -- because of the obstruction. Its so hard. You know, they say resist, but they really should say obstruct. But its so hard because you put -- when you hear that we have vacancies, its true. But take a look at whats going on. Getting the simplest appointment is a big deal that takes forever.

Our wonderful Vice President Mike Pence will be here later this week -- what a great guy he is -- (applause) -- great guy -- when Dr. James Dobson -- (applause) -- stand up, James -- stand up, James -- good -- great man, great guy -- thank you, James -- receives a Lifetime Achievement Award. But today I also want to congratulate Dr. Dobson and his wife, Shirley, who was with me at the beginning of the campaign -- right at the beginning of the campaign. And I called back -- she was substituting for James because he was so busy preaching. And I said, you know what, James, she may be better than you are. She was good. (Laughter.) She was good. We had a good time, right? And Ill tell you what, the audience -- they loved her.

So in advance on that recognition, James, and for everything they have both done to keep the Focus on the Family, I just want to congratulate you. Its just so amazing. Thank you. Great. Great people. (Applause.) Great people. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Shirley. Thanks, James.

Family is the foundation of American Life and we are proud to stand together with all of you to promote and protect family values. Were here today to celebrate two values that have always been linked together, and where Ralph, frankly, has done such a great job in linking them: faith and freedom.

They're linked together because liberty comes from our Creator. Our rights are given to us by a divine authority, and no earthly force can ever take those rights away. (Applause.) That is why my administration is taking power out of Washington and giving it back to the people where it belongs. Said right from the beginning. (Applause.)

For too long, politicians have tried to centralize authority among the hands of a small few in our nations capital. People are getting very rich. Bureaucrats think they can run your lives, overrule your values, and tell you how to live.

But we know that families and churches, not government officials, know best how to create a strong and loving community. (Applause.) We know that parents, not bureaucrats, know best how to raise children and create a thriving society. And above all else, we know this: In America, we dont worship government. We worship God. (Applause.) Right? We worship God. (Applause.)

Thank you. Our religious liberty is enshrined in the very First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. The American Founders invoked our Creator four times in the Declaration of Independence. Dont worry, were not going to let them change it. (Laughter and applause.) You see what goes on nowadays, right?

Benjamin Franklin reminded his colleagues at the Constitutional Convention to begin by bowing their heads in prayer. Inscribed on our currency are the words: In God We Trust. And we proudly proclaim that we are One Nation Under God, every time we say the Pledge of Allegiance.

You just heard a brave six-year-old patriot named Christian Jacobs beautifully recite that Pledge of Allegiance. I first met Christian last week, after the Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, where we honor and remember the American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Christian was in perfect Marine dress blues, as a tribute to his dad - his beautiful dad. And he walked right up to me, in a big crowd of people. And without hesitation, he asked if I would like to come see where his daddy is resting. Next, he led me over to where Marine Sergeant Christopher Jacobs lies among his brothers-and-sisters-in arms, in Section 60, and showed me pictures of his fallen father who was so great and so important to him.

Not only does young Christian carry those photos, but he carries his fathers love in his heart, and his courage in his beautiful, beaming young face. With his mom, Brittany, by his side -- terrific mother -- I said, is your mother good or is she great? He said, shes great. I said, you better say that. (Laughter.) He looked me square in the eyes and gave me a firm handshake.

That six-year-old stood strong and tall and proud in front of the Commander-in-Chief, just as I am sure his dad would have wanted him to be. Hes extraordinary. (Applause.)

Christians father gave his life to defend our freedoms and our flag. Christian, your father was an American hero, and we are so proud of what you are doing every day to carry on his legacy. (Applause.) And, Christian, we hope to prove worthy of the sacrifices your family has made. And believe me, were going to work very hard to live up to your standard. Christian, stand up. Come on, Christian. (Applause.) Thanks, Christian. Good job. Good job. Special guy.

Every day, our brave men and women in uniform are risking their lives to keep this country safe from murderous groups like ISIS, al Qaeda, and so many more. We must confront this evil that plagues humanity, and eradicate it from our planet. (Applause.)

The vicious slaughters in Manchester and the streets of London underscore the depths of depravity that we face. But these atrocities only harden our resolve. Were getting better and better and tougher and tougher and smarter and smarter, Christian.

We cannot allow radical Islamic terrorism to spread in our country, or allow extremists to find sanctuary on our shores. (Applause.) We will protect our country, we will protect our families, and our ways of life will always be protected. We will crush this enemy that is waging war on all of civilization.

Last month, I traveled to Saudi Arabia to speak to the leaders of more than 50 Muslim and Arab countries, and to rally them in the common fight against the terrorism, which is a menace to people of all religions. There can be no coexistence with this violence. I told these leaders that they must drive out this enemy from the face of the Earth. Every child of God, no matter where they live, what language they speak, or what book they live by, deserves to be able to grow up in harmony, dignity, and peace.

In that summit, the likes of which there has never been any summit like it -- youve seen, you watched it -- we reached historic agreements to fight not only terrorism but the wicked ideology that really drives it -- I mean, its really driving it -- and to starve this enemy of the funds -- the billions and billions and billions of dollars thats being poured out into the enemy. I think it was one of the great, great summits. And I think its going to have a profound effect on terrorism. (Applause.)

Finally, because my administration is deeply committed to the right of religious believers everywhere to be free from persecution, I called on these leaders to protect Muslims, and Christians, and Jews, and people of all faiths. Because you know whats going on there. And its horrible -- horrible. Terrorism is a threat, and it is a big threat to religious liberty around the world. And all responsible nations must protect the right of people to live and worship according to their conscience. (Applause.)

Here in America, my administration is determined to work with you to protect your religious liberty not just for some but for everyone. Together, we can crush the horrors of terrorism. We can usher in a new era of faith, family, and freedom.

Because we understand that a nation is more than just a geography. A nation is the sum of its citizens, their hopes, their dreams, their values, and their prayers. America is a land rich with history and culture, and filled with people of courage, kindness, and strength. And though we have many stories we all share at home, the one thing we do share is one beautiful destiny. And whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood. (Applause.) We all salute the same great American flag. (Applause.) And we are all made by the same Almighty God. (Applause.)

We face many challenges. There are many hills and mountains to climb. But, one by one, we will scale those summits and we will get the job done and get the job done correctly. We will prove worthy of this very, very important moment in history. As long as we have pride in our beliefs, courage in our convictions, and faith in our God, then we will not fail. (Applause.)

And as long as our country remains true to its values, loyal to its citizens, and devoted to its Creator, then our best days are yet to come because we will make America great again.

Thank you. God bless you. (Applause.)

END 1:04 P.M. EDT

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Remarks by President Trump at the Faith and Freedom Coalition's ... - The White House (blog)

After letting two separate leads slip away, the Florence Freedom, presented by Titan Mechanical Solutions, defeated the Washington Wild Things in walk-off fashion by a final score of 6-5 on Friday night at UC Health Stadium.

With the score tied and runners on first and second with two out in the bottom of the ninth, Garrett Vail hit a ground ball into center field off Zach Strecker (4-1), scoring Jordan Brower from second base and snapping a Freedom (17-8) three-game losing streak with the teams first walk-off victory of the season.

Vail emerged as the offensive hero for Florence, going 4-for-5 with two RBI in the game. Matt Pobereyko (1-1) earned the win after entering with one out in the ninth and pitching a season-high inning and two-thirds of scoreless relief.

Mike Hill homered twice for the Wild Things (13-11)a solo home run in the second inning for the games first run, and a game-tying two-run shot in the top of the eighth off Kyle Doerr to make the score 5-5.

The Freedom overcame the early 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer to right field by Jose Brizuela, before a John Fidanza RBI-fielders choice grounder against rookie starter Enrique Zamora tied the game at 2-2. Florence would rally back with a three-run sixth inning, however, on a run-scoring base hit by Vail and a two-RBI single to right field by Daniel Fraga.

In his professional debut, Zamora struck out five batters and walked just one, limiting Washington to three hits over four and two-thirds innings.

Brower and Ozzy Braff also collected two hits each, as eight of the nine players in the starting lineup reached base safely at least once.

Washington starter Trevor Foss surrendered five runs on eight hits through five and two-thirds innings of work in his shortest outing of the season, getting no decision after leaving the game with the score tied in the bottom of the sixth.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at UC Health Stadium. Right-hander Jordan Kraus (4-1) will pitch for the Freedom against Washington right-hander Aaron Burns (0-0).

The Florence Freedom are members of the independent Frontier League and play all home games at UC Health Stadium located at 7950 Freedom Way in Florence, KY.The Freedom can be found online at FlorenceFreedom.com, or by phone at 859-594-4487.

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Freedom halt losing skid with dramatic walk-off win against Wild Things at UC Health Stadium - User-generated content (press release) (registration)

Mandela Foundation remembers Namibian freedom fighter Toivo

Namibian freedom fighter Andimba Toivo ya Toivo died on Friday at the age of 92 in Windhoek.

A screengrab of Namibian freedom fighter Andimba Toivo ya Toivo during an interview with Namibia Media Initiative in 2014. Picture: YouTube.

JOHANNESBURG - The Nelson Mandela Foundation has sent its condolences on the passing of Namibian freedom fighter Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, who died on Friday at the age of 92 in Windhoek.

The foundation notes the friendship Toivo shared with the late former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela while imprisoned during the apartheid years on Robben Island.

The foundations CEO Sello Hatang says Madiba often described him as a stubborn freedom fighter, who was determined to win independence for his people in Namibia.

Hatang says its important to note that their friendship was warm and heartfelt.

I remember seeing the two of them in 2010 Toivo was in town and he popped in to see Madiba. At the time, the two of them exchanged some really beautiful stories of Robben Island but also to check on each others health.

(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)

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Mandela Foundation remembers Namibian freedom fighter Toivo - Eyewitness News

KVUE 5:25 PM. CDT June 09, 2017

Travis County Sheriff Sally Hernandez. (Photo: Travis County Sheriff's Office)

AUSTIN - In a press release titled, "The Smell of Freedom," the Travis County Sheriff's Office responded to comments Gov. Greg Abbott made about his feelings toward Austin.

According to KVUE's partners at the Austin American-Statesman, Abbott attended the Bell County Republican Party Dinner at the Bell County Expo Center outside of Austin. There, he told a crowd, "As I was coming up here from Austin, Texas, tonight, I got to tell you, it's great to be out of the People's Republic of Austin," the Statesman said.

"Once you cross the Travis County line, it starts smelling different," Abbott said, according to the Statesman. "And you know what that fragrance is? Freedom. It's the smell of freedom that does not exist in Austin, Texas."

Austin Mayor Steve Adler responded, saying that the "air is actually pretty sweet with an unemployment rate that is a point lower than the state's, a lower violent crime rate than the state's."

He also said, "the air is sweet with tacos."

The Travis County Sheriff's Office also responded. On Friday afternoon, the office released a statement saying, "the smell of freedom in Travis County and throughout this wonderful state is strong."

"As noted in previous press releases, the Travis County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff Sally Hernandez, strives to ensure all victims of crime have an equal voice, and all who are alleged to have committed criminal offenses are held to account through the criminal justice system," the press release said.

Read the full press release here:

pic.twitter.com/57K0YMa7NV

2017 KVUE-TV

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'Smell of freedom' is 'strong' in Travis Co., sheriff's office says to ... - KVUE

Adding in changes to food stamps and TANF would provide another $400 billion over 10 years, Rep. Mark Meadows said. | Getty

By Aaron Lorenzo

06/09/2017 08:15 AM EDT

Updated 06/09/2017 08:09 AM EDT

House Freedom Caucus members will push for changes to two major welfare programs food stamps and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families as part of tax reform legislation, the group's chairman told POLITICO.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) also said the hardline conservative group's still-in-development bill wouldn't include a controversial tax on imports or immediate write-offs for business investments known as full expensing backed by House GOP leaders. The first is too unpopular and the second too expensive, he said.

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Meadows and others in the caucus expect to unveil more information about their plan at a Heritage Foundation event Friday

Republican congressional leaders and Trump administration officials have stepped up their efforts to reach a consensus on tax reform, hoping to enact the legislation this year. The Freedom Caucus's plans are likely to add another hurdle to that effort.

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Meadows said it helps the tax reform math to leave out full expensing if the tax on imports, known as a border adjustment, is also jettisoned. House GOP leaders are counting on border adjustment which would also make exports tax-free in a bid to bolster domestic production to generate more than $1 trillion over 10 years to help keep tax cuts from blowing a hole in the federal budget.

But the idea has split business leaders, with import-heavy companies like retailers fiercely opposing it and exporters pushing for it. It has also caused fissures within the congressional GOP Meadows estimated 75-80 House Republicans oppose it, along with up to half of Senate Republicans.

Meadows said adding in changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, and TANF would provide another $400 billion over 10 years, Meadows said.

Such additions and subtractions are aimed at a Freedom Caucus package that includes a corporate tax rate of 20 percent and an equal or just slightly higher rate on unincorporated businesses known as pass-throughs, Meadows said.

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has pushed for a 20 percent corporate rate and 25 percent for pass-throughs. President Donald Trump has proposed a single 15 percent tax on all business income.

How do we get to a 20 percent corporate and make sure theres a pass-through to LLCs and sole proprietorships and at the same time making sure that its not just a corporate tax cut but we actually make it fundamentally better for the person on Main Street? Meadows said. We believe it has to have both components.

For similar reasons, Freedom Caucus members dont want to alter the mortgage interest deduction, said Meadows. It could have too much impact on consumption in the U.S. economy, he said. (Congressional leaders and the Trump administration have also kept the mortgage deduction off limits.)

Were trying to look at how to make it better for consumers, not worse, so we really havent looked at that at all, Meadows said.

The caucus is trying to push the envelope on tax reform sooner rather than later.

Time is of the essence, Meadows said, who in recent days called for canceling the annual August recess for Congress in order to advance tax reform. Tax writers need to drop the discussion of border adjustment, he said, adding that White House officials have drawn the same conclusion.

Ryan and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas) have yet to back off the idea, though. While the Freedom Caucus hasn't taken an official position on border adjustments, Meadows said the entire GOP conference needs to arrive at some type of an agreement on whats going to be included in a tax package and whats going to fall by the wayside.

Its important that we start discussing principles and concepts that need to be in place so that we act in the next few weeks, not the next few months, at least on starting the ball rolling with legislative text where we can all start to review it, Meadows said.

The Freedom Caucus had a hand in reshaping health care overhaul legislation that ultimately passed the House after weeks of fits and starts. The caucus, which Meadows said counts 36 members, wants to influence tax reform at an earlier stage in the debate, he has said.

To get tax reform, Republicans need to reach a budget agreement among various moderate and conservative factions on spending levels, Meadows said, pointing to a budget maneuver known as reconciliation that would let Republicans get around a Democratic filibuster in the Senate.

We do have a seat at the table, he said. Probably the biggest leverage has nothing to do with tax reform. It has more to do with the budget and budget reconciliation.

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House Freedom Caucus ties food stamp, TANF changes to tax reform - Politico

With the countrys eyes on Comey, Trump enlists evangelicals to push Senate on health bill and says he'll prevail, as the Bible says.

Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, listens to remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, where President Donald Trump spoke on Feb. 2, 2017. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

As Washington sat transfixed before the image of former FBI Director James Comey spilling some beans on the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump went to work. An expert in creating crises, Trump is not the kind to let his handiwork go to waste.

At a conference of mostly evangelical Christians convened in Washington, DC, by Republican political operative Ralph Reed, Trump reminded attendees of the Faith and Freedom Coalitions annual Road to Majority conference of their agenda and his. If he made any reference to the drama unfolding before the Senate Intelligence Committee, it was this: As you know, were under siege; you understand that, the president said. But we will come out bigger, better and stronger than ever you watch.

BY Adele Stan | February 2, 2017

Expressing his appreciation to members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition for their work on his behalf during the 2016 presidential race, Trump cited some 22 million pieces of mail sent, 16 million videos shared, 10 million phone calls made and 1.2 million doors knocked on in the key battleground states. He quoted the Book of Isaiah from the teleprompter.

He went on to recount what he had already delivered for his religious supporters: a drastic reduction in illegal crossings on the southern border; the appointment of Neil Gorsuch, a foe of abortion rights, to the Supreme Court; an executive action on religious freedom, a withdrawal of aid to overseas humanitarian groups that dare to speak of abortion, and withdrawal from the Paris climate accord. That last one elicited a raucous and sustained cheer from the assembled, seeing as how its very name combines two mutually repugnant ideas: the fact of climate change and a city in which people speak French.

Without naming it as such, Trump noted the leaked draft of a rule revision, dated May 27, under consideration at the Department of Health and Human Services that would appear to definitively permit religious orders that run hospitals and social service agencies to flout the current mandate that employer-provided health insurance include coverage for prescription contraceptives. The Little Sisters of the Poor, Trump said, referring to a Catholic religious order that brought a lawsuit against the Obama administration that challenged the mandate, had just won big with his executive actions on behalf of religious freedom. The president pointed at two nuns in the audience. Stand up, he instructed them. You dont mess with the Little Sisters, he quipped. Never mind that the nuns obediently standing were from an entirely different order (the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist); they were old women in habits. They would do. The optics worked.

BY Theo Anderson | April 20, 2017

He went on at length to describe his instruction to the IRS to refrain from investigating houses of worship for political activity that would threaten their non-profit status as an unleashing of free speech from the pulpits of the nation.

The audience then received an accounting of the agenda yet to be undertaken the part that requires legislation by Congress. Trump came to Road to Majority to set its army of socially conservative, mostly white churchgoers to work on Capitol Hill, lobbying senators and members of the House, as many groups do during national conference. But few get their marching orders directly from the president, even if not said in so many words.

First on the presidents list was the health care bill that is currently stalled in the Senate.

Restoring freedom and opportunity also means repealing and replacing the disaster known as He put his hand to is ear.

Obamacare! the crowd shouted.

That was easy, Trump replied. Something I hope great is going to come out through [Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell in the Senate.

The next big item was tax reform the biggest tax cut ever, he said. But sadly, Trump added, they would have to pass each of these measures without a single Democratic vote, because Democrats are obstructionists who are bad, right now, for the country.

The entrenched interests and failed bitter voices in Washington will do everything in their power to try and stop us from this righteous cause to try to stop all of you, Trump said. They will lie, they will obstruct, they will spread their hatred and their prejudice, but we will not back down from doing what is right. Because, as the Bible tells us, we know that the truth will prevail, that Gods glorious wisdom will shine through, and that the good and decent people of this country will get the change they voted for, and that they so richly deserve.

He patted himself on the back for deporting people he deemed gang members and drug dealers, and characterized his summit with Saudi leaders as a blow against global terrorism.

As the Bible tells us, we know that the truth will prevail, that Gods glorious wisdom will shine through, and that the good and decent people of this country will get the change they voted for, and that they so richly deserve.

He made a call for unity, noting that whether we are black, brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood.

In America, he said, we dont worship government; we worship God.

The speech, delivered at the conference luncheon, was well-received. Afterward, attendees boarded busses headed for the Capitol the Senates Dirksen Office Building, to be exact. There they would be treated to a town hall-style meeting with McConnell, House Speaker Paul Ryan and presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republican lawmakers. The meeting was closed to the press.

Once it concluded, members of the group would lobby the senators from their respective states.

Milling outside the hearing room where the town hall would take place, Rebecca Clutter, a woman who looked to be in her 50s or 60s, offered her assessment of the presidents speech. [I]t was amazing and awesome and it hit all the points, said Clutter, who had traveled to Washington from Ohio, where she had knocked on doors during the campaign under the aegis of Women for Trump.

Casey Matta, a student at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, also loved the presidents speech, naming as his favorite points Trumps anti-abortion rhetoric and something about the Paris [climate accord].

Asked how the US withdrawal from the climate accord agreement fit in with the religious purpose of the Faith and Freedom Coalition event, Matta thought a minute. Well, I think its like a Republican religious convention so when he brings that kind of stuff for conservatives I agree with that.

What did he make of the probe of Russian meddling in the US election, and contacts between Trump campaign figures and Russian officials? Matta said he didnt believe that Russia had intervened in the election. By his lights, it was all a put-up job by Democrats.

I think [Trump] definitely is being targeted, with the Democrats and everything. I mean, they need to cool it, he said. Give him some time to worry about what hes got to worry about now.

Right now, Trump is worrying about, among other things, getting a legislative win. And Casey Matta, Rebecca Clutter, and hundreds of others came to the nations capital to help him get it, all in the name of God.

Follow this link:

Trump Brings Out the Bible for Faith and Freedom - BillMoyers.com

Meredith MacLeod, CTVNews.ca Published Friday, June 9, 2017 12:16PM EDT Last Updated Friday, June 9, 2017 12:32PM EDT

Perhaps you feel unshackled today?

Aside from being a Friday on the cusp of summer, this Friday, June 9 is special because it is Tax Freedom Day, says the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute.

This is the day average Canadians officially start working to bring home the bacon to their own larders, rather than turning it over to tax collectors, according to the think-tank.

Tax Freedom Day is highly dependent on the province in which you live because provincial tax rates vary a great deal. The earliest comes in Alberta on May 21 and the latest in Newfoundland and Labrador on June 25.

The Fraser Institute has a tax freedom calculator that takes into account the province you live in, family status and income.

The average Canadian family (of two or more people) will earn $108,674 in income in 2017 and pay a total of $47,135 in taxes, says the Fraser Institute, based on models created from data from Statistics Canada and the Canada Revenue Agency. That translates to 43.4 per cent paid out in taxes of kinds income, property, fuel, sales, health, carbon, sin and a range of hidden taxes. If all that tax had to be paid up front, it would leave the average Canadian family paying every dollar earned until June 8 to local, provincial and federal taxes.

It's difficult for average Canadians to add up all the taxes they pay in a year because the different levels of government levy such a wide range of taxes, and thats why we do these calculations to give Canadians a better understanding of exactly how much they pay to government, said Charles Lammam, director of fiscal studies at the Fraser Institute, in a news release.

Tax Freedom Day helps put the total tax burden into perspective, and helps Canadians understand just how much of their money they pay in taxes every year.

A day later in 2017

This years national tax freedom celebration comes a day later than it did in 2016 because the average tax bill is expected to increase faster (at 2.4 per cent) than growth in income (2.2 per cent).

Canadas Tax Freedom Day has been as late as June 25 in 2000, according to the right-leaning Fraser Institute. In 1961, it was May 3 (thats the first time the calculation was made) and in 1981, it was May 30.

Pattie Lovett-Reid, chief financial commentator for CTV News, says there is disagreement about the Fraser Institutes calculation. The left-leaning Broadbent Institute in Ottawa, for instance, says its inflated and that only two per cent of working Canadians pay more than 30 per cent in income taxes and that the effective tax rate for the typical Canadian family is more like 24 per cent.

Bottom line is death, taxes, those are the only certainties we know for sure and taxes get paid because they go into healthcare, infrastructure and different programs, she told BNN Friday.

The Fraser Institute says its tax freedom calculation is not intended to question the value Canadians get for their taxes but to look at the price paid for a product government."

"Tax Freedom Day is not a reflection of the quality of the product, how much of it each of us receives, or whether we get our money's worth. These are questions only each of us can answer for ourselves."

Forecasts indicate Canadians will pay, on average, $1,126 more in taxes this year, says the think-tank. Almost half of that ($542) is income taxes, while sales taxes will increase $311 and energy-related taxes will climb $204.

But, according to the report, "liquor, tobacco, amusement, and other excise taxes, payroll and health taxes, and import duties," all will decline.

The Fraser Institute also calculates what it calls the Balanced Budget Tax Freedom Day. That marks when tax freedom would arrive - June 18 this year - if governments had to increase taxes to balance budgets, rather than using deficits to cover spending.

Read the full Tax Freedom Day report here.

More here:

Tax Freedom Day is finally here, think-tank says - CTV News

More than 100 people came out to Liberty High School on Thursday evening for the first of two public hearings on the Freedom Plan. More than 30 of those took to one of two microphones in order to read their comments into the official public record.

The majority of those comments were negative in some fashion, criticizing either certain components in the proposed plan, its overall theme or the process by which it had been drafted through the Carroll County planning commission.

"I don't believe this plan promotes a balance of environmental resources it seems biased towards business development," one woman told the planning commission, which was there to listen to comments but did not respond. "We do not need another grocery store or nail salon."

The Freedom Plan creates a guide for future long-term growth in the South Carroll area, in terms of roads, resources and future land use designations, which can then guide future zoning changes. State guidelines require the plan be updated every 10 years, but the Freedom Plan was last updated in 2001 the planning commission spent the past year drafting a new plan, which it accepted in April.

After a second public hearing on Tuesday, June 20, the planning commission will vote and could then approve the plan, which would send it to the County Board of Commissioners for another round of discussion. The commissioners can then reject the plan outright, alter it in some fashion or vote to adopt the plan, which would then be implemented.

Many of those who spoke were concerned about future land use designations for three properties the Wolf, Beatty and Gibson parcels from agricultural, industrial or low-density residential to medium density residential and how those potential additional homes could impact the community. They hoped the commission might take their comments and make changes to the plan before voting to approve it.

Patricia Dorsey, who lives along Md. 32, said she already has to time her walks with her dog around peak traffic times, and worries about how many more homes could lead to even worse traffic. She noted that she has been around long enough that it is not change alone, but the impact of certain changes, that concern her.

"I've lived here since 1976, even before Carrolltowne Mall was here," she said "I have seen a lot of changes."

Traffic was also a concern for George Gray, who lives on Monroe Avenue. He noted that traffic on Md. 32 and Md. 26 were already bad when he first moved to the area 17 years ago, but that the neighborhoods had always been quiet and safe. He worried that some proposed road changes could funnel much more traffic off of Md. 32 and into those same neighborhoods.

But Gray also noted that he had been to many such meetings and heard many of the same comments he was hearing from speakers Thursday.

"You are listening to us, but I am not sure there are a lot of changes being made," he said.

There were some speakers who voiced their support for the plan. Some, like Michael Reeves, were associated with developers he said he was with Williams Quarters LLC.

"I believe it's a good plan," Reeves told those assembled. "I have petitions from other citizens and business that support the plan, and depend on growth to survive."

Reeves passed his petition to the planning commission and also stated that he believed the number of houses some speakers believed would be built on the Wolf, Gibson and Beatty properties if the plan passed, were not realistic.

"The density of 900 units on those three properties can't physically fit," he said.

One of the last people to speak was Heidi Beatty Condon, one-fourth owner of the Beatty property, who spoke of property rights while also acknowledging she was grieving for her father, who had held the property since 1958 and had recently died.

"I know a lot of people are upset because you are not going to have a farm in your backyard anymore and I get that, but it doesn't give you the right to ask that park be built there. You think that doesn't devalue the property for the property owner?" she asked.

"I hear a lot of people wanting to say what happens to other people's property. Well, maybe you should pull your money together and buy it."

jon.kelvey@carrollcountytimes.com

410-857-3317

twitter.com/CCT_Health

What: Last public hearing on the Freedom Plan

When: 8:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 20, Last call for written comment is 9 a.m.

Where: Reagan Room of the Carroll County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., Westminster.

More here:

Freedom Plan gets load of criticism, some support at hearing - Carroll County Times

Welcome to The A.V. Clubs coverage of Orange Is The New Black season five. These reviews and their comment sections are intended for those who have seen up to this episodeplease refrain from revealing or discussing events from future episodes in the comments.

At the end of season three, as the inmates piled through the open fence to the lake, few understood it as freedom. It was a fleeting moment of opportunity, which most inmates understood was going to be short-lived. No one tried to escape other than Maureen and Suzanne, whose efforts were short-lived once Maureen discovered that freedom didnt suit Suzanne. Everyone else just filed back into the prison, not realizing that their world had been turned upside down by the arrival of new inmates while they were gone.

I return to this moment now because the riot was, at least as first, a similar moment of freedom. The structure of the prison disappeared, and restrictions that once kept them from roaming the halls or exploring the grounds were gone overnight. The difference was that there is no clear agreement on when this particular freedom should end, or what exactly constitutes freedom in this environment. For some, freedom means justice; for others, justice is standing in the way of how they would choose to use their freedom. And in the end, no one is really free as long as their lives are held as collateral for a private prison system, and as a renegade guard acts out an absurd horror movie revenge fantasy for no discernible reason.

The Tightening is invested in this question of freedom on a few levels, utilizing a flashback to Reds final months in the Soviet Union in 1977 to think about what it really means to be free. She is a meek factory worker who gets dragged to a college party where young students wear blue jeans and listen to rock music. She gets swept up in it, believing that the business of smuggling blue jeans into the Soviet Union was a way to encourage real and legitimate change among a younger generation. But then she sees the barriers to freedom: people like her boyfriend, who wilts at the first sign of a crackdown, opting to go into hiding instead of protesting when their salespeople start disappearing. When milquetoast Dmitri approaches Red with the possibility of escaping to America, she realizes that freedom is not about rock music or blue jeans: its about commitment to finding a way to break down orif that proves too difficultescape the system that is oppressing you.

The flashback serves as a basic origin story for Reds belief system in an episode where she is convinced Piscatella is in the prison but reads as a drugged-up crazy person to everyone around her. But more than that, its also the story of someone who has the appearance of freedom but is not in fact free, and who must understand her personal meaning of freedom in order to find her true self. She says in the flashback that she doesnt have a choice about working in the factory, but it would be wrong to call her a prisoner: her freedom is simply constricted by the social structure around her. And the state of the riot has the inmates in a similarly complicated position: they have more choice than theyve ever had before, but they are still prisoners, and struggling with how precisely to explore these new freedoms while unable to make truly independent choices. They are trying to do what Red advised, protesting and fighting for their rights, but how much faith should they have in the system? And, more importantly, how many people will value their self-interest over that of the group?

That is the situation Gloria finds herself in when she gets on the phone with MCC and is told she can visit her son in the ICU if she releases the hostages. Its a somewhat frustratingly simple storyline: Gloria has been suddenly placed into a compromised emotional state, is given a tempting offer with no guarantee of follow-through, and then seems willing to sacrifice the entire negotiations as a result. I buy that Gloria might feel that way, but its frustrating from a narrative perspective to see a situation out of left field dramatically change her character arc so quickly. It gets across the point that they have newfound access to the outside world, which will influence their decision-making, but there is a suddenness to the whole situation that strikes me as hollow when taking the entire seasons arc into account.

Im more interested in the notion of freedom being prescribed by Lorna Morello, who is exhibiting her right to live in her own fantasy. Its still possible shes actually pregnant, but Lorna doesnt actually want to take a test: she actually hides them from sight as she dispenses medication. Instead, she goes and visits Suzanne, who spends the episode tied up in her bunk after Leanne and Angie commit a hate crime by putting her in white face with baby powder. When she gets there, though, she decides that part of their freedom is freedom from the definition of normal forced onto them by doctors, convincing Suzanne not to take her medication. And while I am in full support of both Lorna and Suzanne in terms of treating them as something other than just crazy, there is an argument to be made for freedom within limits, rather than the anarchy of Suzanne without any medication at all. But at a time when the inmates are able to define their own sense of freedom, these types of decisions will become more common, and create even more chaos as the riot reaches its climax.

The actual negotiations get almost nowhere: they cover a single issue, the education program, parsing out the chain gang from season four which gets complicated by Black Cindy blabbing about the dead guard in the garden and requires Caputo to come in as an extra negotiator to help plead the inmates case. They dont even resolve the issue: as Linda from Purchasing notes in failing to fit in with the inmates, MCC would sue the state for breach of contract if they tried to raise the budget for the prison, meaning that there might not actually be any justice to be found at the end of this process. Taystee is working hard to make this negotiation happen, but the definition of freedom within limits that the inmates are seeking requires a level of investment that MCC is never going to willingly make.

The one variable, though, is the liability problems created by Piscatellas one-man horror show. Its a storyline that fundamentally bothered me: yes, I appreciated the play on the different horror tropes as the story progressed on some level, but at its core the horror homage makes light of a situation that I find fundamentally absurd in its violence. My whole issue with Piscatella last season was that he was a one-dimensional villain that had no clear motivation for his cruelty, so to reframe him as a literal monster and turn it into an horror homage only steered into the skid with the characters problems. Nothing the show has done this season has given us any additional context into who he is, and so giving in so wholly to Reds conception of him felt like the show abandoning the grounded realism that started this riot for a sensationalist turn. Its a freedom that the chaos of the riot gives the showwe saw similar horror aesthetics during the previous night with Judy Kingin terms of formal experimentation, but story wise for me the escalation was too sudden and too rooted in a troublingly thin character.

What it does do, though, is immediately raise the stakes: although you could argue that the guards have been in mortal danger throughout the riot, this is the first time where you feel like things could go very wrong very quickly. The clock is ticking on the feeling of freedom within this riot, and now its time to figure out what kind of world theyre going to return to when its all over.

Next episode Orange Is The New Black refuses to add dimension to its worst villain

Continued here:

Is there freedom in Orange Is The New Black's riot? - A.V. Club

Los Angeles Times

Watch live: Trump delivers remarks at Faith and Freedom Coalition conference Los Angeles Times Red state, blue state. Rural, citified. Black, white. Deep-breathing in a yoga pose, or slowly sipping an eye-opening Bloody Mary at a corner tavern. James B. Comey, the former FBI director-turned-Trump-tormenter, caused millions of Americans to halt ... 'I Was Right': As Trump Watches Comey on TV, Anxiety Yields to ReliefNew York Times Unusually demure Trump quotes Bible as Comey hearing grips nationNew York Daily News Trump To Address 'Faith And Freedom' Convention While Comey TestifiesWestern Journalism all 10,138 news articles »

Link:

Watch live: Trump delivers remarks at Faith and Freedom Coalition conference - Los Angeles Times

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Faith & Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference June 8, 2017 in Washington, DC. Alex WongGetty Images

(WASHINGTON) President Donald Trump sought comfort in the figurative embrace of his evangelical supporters Thursday as the FBI director he recently fired told Congress about their conversations. The president told a religious gathering that "we're under siege" but will emerge "bigger and better and stronger than ever."

Trump made no reference to James Comey in his remarks to the Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual gathering. But hours before the president's first public comments of the day, Comey told the Senate intelligence committee that Trump tried to get him to pledge loyalty and drop an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.

Trump abruptly fired Comey last month. Trump's attorney said the president never asked Comey to stop investigating anyone.

In his remarks to the conference, Trump pledged to always support the right of evangelicals to follow their faith, which some conservatives believe is under attack by government.

"We will always support our evangelical community and defend your right and the right of all Americans to follow and to live by the teachings of their faith," the president told more than 1,000 activists meeting at a hotel across town from Capitol Hill, the scene of Comey's nationally televised testimony.

"And as you know, we're under siege, you understand that. But we will come out bigger and better and stronger than ever. You watch," Trump said. "You fought hard for me and now I'm fighting hard for all of you."

Trump spoke about his actions to safeguard religious freedom and continued, for the second straight day, to label congressional Democrats as "obstructionists" who are blocking his agenda. Yet it is differences of opinion among Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, that are standing in the way of what Trump wants to do on health care and other issues.

Trump mentioned his nomination of federal judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which pleased Christian conservatives. He also has directed the IRS to ease up on using a rarely enforced rule barring partisan political activity by churches and tax-exempt organizations.

"As long as I'm president, no one is going to stop you from practicing your faith or preaching what is in your heart," he said.

Trump won an overwhelming 80 percent of the white evangelical vote in the November election. A recent Pew Research Center survey marking his first 100 days in office found three-fourths of white evangelicals approved of his performance as president. Thirty-nine percent of the general public held the same view.

Trump said restoring freedom also meant repealing and replacing the health care law enacted in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama, saying high deductibles and premiums have turned it into a "catastrophe." But a replacement health care bill has yet to clear Congress despite seven years of pledges by Republicans to scrap the law and start over, and despite the fact that the GOP has full control of the White House and Congress.

The Republican-controlled House passed a bill with the bare minimum of GOP votes and none from Democrats. Senate Republicans are working on their version of the bill, but are divided about the approach.

Trump overlooked the intraparty squabbles and blamed Democrats. He said Democrats have gone so far to the left in terms of opposing him that "they're bad right now for the country." Democrats oppose dismantling Obama's health law.

The president urged the audience to help send more Republicans to Congress in next year's midterm elections, noting the GOP has just a 52-48 edge in the Senate and a slim advantage in the House.

"We have to build those numbers up because we're just not going to get votes" from Democrats, he said. "Sadly, we're going to have to do it as Republicans because we're not going to get any Democrat votes and that's a very, very sad, sad thing."

Trump ignored the fact that three Democratic senators voted to put Gorsuch on the Supreme Court.

See the original post:

President Trump Tells Evangelical Supporters: 'We're Under Siege' - TIME

The answer is simple: the Freedom Caucus is made up of 31 ultra-conservative members of Congress whose primary purpose is to defend the interests of the super-rich.

And they deserve a new name: the Billionaires Caucus.

The evidence for this new nomenclature spans the key issues up for debate in Washington this summer.

On TrumpCare, the Freedom Caucus forced amendments to eliminate protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions and requirements that made sure families who pay their insurance premiums actually get a basic package of services and care.They slashed funding to state governments and jacked up premiums for seniors.But they gave the green light to billions in tax breaks for the wealthiest members of our society.

Who benefitted? Only the billionaires.

The same is true for tax policy and the budget more broadly.

President Trump has major corporations and their CEOs salivating over a proposed tax overhaul that would dramatically reduce taxes for corporations and billionaires and actually increase taxes on working-class families.And when President Trump vowed in his budget proposal to cut safety net programs including food stamps, Medicaid, and public benefits by over $1 trillion, it was geared precisely at appeasing these legislators and their base.

The outcome of these tax and budget proposals is obvious: it would redistribute income from poor and working-class Americans up to the ultra-wealthy.On taxes and budgets, this caucus is putting points on the board -- for the billionaires.

And while these "freedom-loving" legislators claim to oppose virtually all forms of government regulation, theyre quite happy to support renewed discrimination and enormous government investments in controversial immigration policies and Trumps proposed border wall.

Aside from being a symbol of intolerance and division, Trumps wall is really a symbol of government largesse and waste.True libertarians would oppose it on these grounds, but these legislators support it.

Similarly, their legislation to make voting harder for communities of color, young people, and low-income people is an example of big government cutting off the rights of regular people.

Its clear that Caucus members need to deliver government policies that satisfy racialized anti-immigrant sentiments among the Republican base, in order to provide a smokescreen for their pro-billionaire tax and budget policies that hit working-class voters hard.

Nicknames in politics sometimes come from politicians themselves, but the more accurate ones come from savvy observers.

The Freedom Caucus is Orwellian double-speak.

From now on, lets call them these lapdogs of the ultra-rich what they are: the Billionaires Caucus.

The views expressed by this author are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

Continue reading here:

It's not the 'Freedom Caucus.' It's the Billionaires' Caucus. - The Hill (blog)

June 8, 2017 Yangon, MyanmarMyanmar journalists sporting "Freedom of the Press" armbands gathered on Thursday to campaign against a law they say curbs free speech, at the start of a trial of two journalists who the Army is suing for defamation over a satirical article.

The rally by more than 100 reporters in the rain outside a court in Yangon was the first significant show of opposition to the telecommunications law, introduced in 2013, that bans the use of the telecoms network to "extort, threaten, obstruct, defame, disturb, inappropriately influence, or intimidate."

Despite pressure from human rights monitors and Western diplomats, the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, which took power amid high hopes for democratic reform in 2016, after decades of hardline military rule, has retained the law.

The journalists said they were dismayed by the recent arrests of social media users whose posts were deemed distasteful, as well as of journalists critical of the military.

"At first, they were suing people over news articles and now they are suing even over a satirical article, showing how they are restricting the media," said A Hla Lay Thuzar, one of the founders of the Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists, which organized the rally.

She said that rather than staging a one-off protest, her group wants to launch a movement to raise public awareness of the issue and press the government to abolish the law.

The journalists on trial are the chief editor and a columnist of the Voice, one of Myanmar's largest dailies.

They were denied bail on the first day of their trial, meaning they may have to remain in custody.

"Obtaining bail is our right so we will keep fighting for it during next court dates until we get it," said Khing Maung Myint, who is representing the two journalists.

The telecommunications law was a main piece of legislation introduced by a semi-civilian administration of former generals which navigated Myanmar's transition from full military rule to the coming to power of Ms. Suu Kyi's government, from 2011 to 2016.

The protesting journalists said they would wear the armbands for the next 10 days to raise awareness about what they see as the threat to freedom of the press.

They are also planning to gather signatures for a petition to abolish the law, to be sent to Suu Kyi's office, the Army chief and parliament.

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Myanmar protest for journalistic freedom underway - Christian Science Monitor

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, "Once you cross the Travis County line, it starts smelling different. And you know what that fragrance is? Freedom."

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said, "Once you cross the Travis County...

Earlier this week, Gov. Greg Abbott said to a group of rural Republicans, "Once you cross the Travis County line, it starts smelling different. And you know what that fragrance is? Freedom. It's the smell of freedom that does not exist in Austin, Texas."

There's a lot that Abbott doesn't like about Austin, but one of his main complaints is that it's a sanctuary city, which is the inspiration for this poem. He and I have different ideas of what freedom means.

I have lived with an anxiety disorder for decades. It comes and goes, it has changed some, but it will always be a defining part of my personality and the way I experience life. I know it when I see it, and a lot of people are experiencing anxiety this year in this political climate.

I ask you to put yourself in the shoes of immigrant families -- citizens or undocumented -- who are anxious right now in Texas. Think about the children who know something is wrong, but don't fully understand what it is. I feel for them. I wish Greg Abbott could do the same.

'The Smell of Freedom'

When I was small, I was afraid. A square peg wedged into darkness, nothing clicked: No hand fit my hand, no calm could reach my timorous skin. So I hit myself nightly, giving myself bruises, soothing buttons to press the next day.

Children are eaten away by mystery. Shadows that aren't quite monsters look like people, smile like people, but have a secret plan to crack them open, send their yolk away.

And you would have them running like stray dogs as you sniff the air, shoot the sky, claim another star for your hat. But that smell is not freedom. It is fear burning hot in pockets. It is the sweat-drenched uniforms of people trying just to pass. It is a fire that you set as you burn your name across the state.

Gov. Abbott: Austin stinks and so does 'Sanctuary Sally' Austin American-Statesman

Sara Cress (@saracress) is a writer in Houston. For her poems and to buy her books see her website, Breaking Poems.

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News poem: Greg Abbott can smell freedom - Houston Chronicle

Last month, Greg Gianforte was charged for assault by police in Montana after he allegedly "body-slammed" reporter Ben Jacobs. | AP Photo

Greg Gianforte, who was recently elected to fill a vacant Montana congressional seat, has agreed to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists and issued a formal apology as part of a civil settlement with Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.

Last month, Gianforte was charged for assault by police in Montana after he allegedly 'body slammed' Jacobs, who was attempting to ask Gianforte questions about the health care bill at a campaign event the day before the election.

I write to express my sincere apology for my conduct on the evening of May 24. My physical response to your legitimate question was unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful, Gianforte (R-Mont.) wrote in a letter. As both a candidate for office and a public official, I should be held to a high standard in my interactions with the press and the public. My treatment of you did not meet that standard.

Initially, Gianforte's spokesperson blamed Jacobs for the incident, calling him a "liberal journalist" who "aggressively shoved a recorder" in Gianforte's face and asking badgering questions.

"After asking Jacobs to lower the recorder, Jacobs declined. Greg then attempted to grab the phone that was pushed in his face. Jacobs grabbed Greg's wrist, and spun away from Greg, pushing them both to the ground. It's unfortunate that this aggressive behavior from a liberal journalist created this scene at our campaign volunteer BBQ," the spokesperson said at the time.

But soon Gianforte was charged with assault, won his election and publicly apologized. His letter on Wednesday makes clear that it was he, not Jacobs, who initiated the physical altercation.

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"Notwithstanding anyone's statements to the contrary, you did not initiate any physical contact with me, and I had no right to assault you," Gianforte wrote. "I am sorry for what I did and the unwanted notoriety this has created for you. I take full responsibility."

The altercation was one of a string of physical incidents recently between reporters and politicians or government officials, leading some to wonder whether statements from politicians (such as President Donald Trump) about the media had led to an acceptance of violence against journalists.

Gianforte said he understands "the critical role that journalists and the media play in our society" and that Jacobs' questions about healthcare policy were legitimate.

"You were doing your job," Gianforte wrote.

In a statement, Jacobs said he has accepted Gianforte's apology "and his willingness to take responsibility for his actions and statements."

"I hope the constructive resolution of this incident reinforces for all the importance of respecting the freedom of the press and the First Amendment and encourages more civil and thoughtful discourse in our country," he wrote.

Gianforte still faces criminal charges and is expected to appear in court later this month. If found guilty, he could be fined up to $500 or face a jail sentence of up to six months.

Hadas Gold is a reporter atPolitico.

Read more here:

Gianforte to give $50000 to press freedom group after assaulting reporter - Politico (blog)

The Jerusalem Post

Israel's commitment to press freedom questioned after journalist shot The Jerusalem Post The Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Israel on Wednesday called into question Israel's commitment to protecting civilians and ensuring freedom of the press. The FPA's statement follows the wounding of an Associated Press photographer by an Israeli ...

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Israel's commitment to press freedom questioned after journalist shot - The Jerusalem Post

We need to work through August recess to get everything done, said Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows. | Getty

The House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday night called on Republican leadership to cancel the August recess to continue work on tax reform and other GOP priorities.

The group of several dozen conservative hardliners during their weekly meeting took the official position to work through the break, which is quickly drawing near as Republicans scramble to pass President Donald Trumps agenda.

Story Continued Below

We need to work through August recess to get everything done, said Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), coming out of the meeting. We believe that we need to stay through August to get through tax reform and get our appropriations done.

The group's request ups the pressure on GOP leaders, who could face the same request from an impatient White House thirsty for legislative victories. Four months into Trumps presidency, Republicans have accomplished very little. The Obamacare repeal effort, stalled in the House for weeks, is slowly working its way through the Senate. And the party is divided over how to overhaul the tax code.

Lawmakers only have seven weeks left before the break. And, once they return, much of the focus will be on funding the government before it expires Sept. 30, and raising the debt ceiling two votes that will suck up a lot of time and energy. Lawmakers really only have until the end of 2017 to finalize their landmark pieces of legislation. Since 2018 is an election year, every vote becomes tougher.

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Freedom Caucus: Cancel August recess - POLITICO - Politico

YANGON More than 100 reporters in Myanmar are preparing to protest against laws seen as curbing free speech when two senior journalists go on trial on Thursday, after the military sued them for defamation over a satirical article in their journal.

The rare campaign, in which journalists will wear armbands reading "Freedom of the Press", underscores growing public unease at the laws, after the courts recently took up a raft of similar cases.

Despite pressure from human rights bodies and Western diplomats, the government of Aung San Suu Kyi has retained a broadly worded law that prohibits use of the telecoms network to "extort, threaten, obstruct, defame, disturb, inappropriately influence or intimidate".

The law was adopted by the semi-civilian administration of former generals led by former president Thein Sein which navigated Myanmar's opening to the outside world from 2011 to 2016.

Arrests of social media users whose posts are deemed distasteful have continued under the administration of Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi.

These include the case that sparked the protest, after the chief editor and a columnist of the Voice, one of Myanmar's largest dailies, were arrested for publishing their take on a film on the army's fight with ethnic rebels.

Myanmar journalists have urged authorities to release the reporters and have set up a Protection Committee for Myanmar Journalists.

"The 66 (d) law should be terminated, because the government and the military have used it to cause trouble for the media and the people," said Thar Lon Zaung Htet, a former editor of the domestic Irrawaddy journal who organized the meeting, referring to a controversial clause in the telecoms law.

He said the journalists would gather in front of the court and march to the Voice office wearing the armbands. The panel will also gather signatures for a petition to abolish the law, to be sent to Suu Kyi's office, the army chief and parliament.

Other recent cases include last weekend's arrest of a man publicly accusing an assistant of Yangon's chief minister, Phyo Min Thein, of corruption, and charges against several people over a student play critical of the military.

Phyo Min Thein's assistant has rejected the accusations in a subsequent media interview.

Besides repressive laws, journalists often face threats and intimidation in Myanmar. One recently received threats after speaking out against nationalist Buddhists. In December, a reporter covering illegal logging and crime in the rugged northwest was beaten to death.

"This law is totally against human rights," said Tun Tun Oo, a land rights activists who was charged for live-streaming the student play via his Facebook account. "The government should think about terminating it as it restores democracy and we will fight until the law is abolished."

(Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

BEIRUT A military alliance fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad threatened on Wednesday to hit U.S. positions in Syria, warning its "self-restraint" over U.S. air strikes would end if Washington crossed "red lines".

DUBAI/DOHA U.S. President Donald Trump offered on Wednesday to help resolve a worsening diplomatic crisis between Qatar and other Arab powers as the United Arab Emirates invoked the possibility of an economic embargo on Doha over its alleged support of terrorism.

Link:

Myanmar journalists take fight for freedom of speech to court | Reuters - Reuters

NEW DELHI

Indias Information and broadcasting minister, M. Venkaiah Naidu has refuted allegations that raids carried out by the countrys main investigative agency on a top broadcaster were an infringement on press freedom.

His comments on Wednesday came in response to widespread concern that the action against the promoters of a TV news channel that has often been critical of the governments policies could undermine press freedom in the worlds largest democracy.

Government action

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) searched several premises of Prannoy and Radhika Roy, the promoters of NDTV news channel, earlier this week after receiving a private complaint that they caused a loss of loss of $7.5 million to a private bank from which they had taken a loan.

The promoters have denied claims of financial wrongdoing and said in a statement that the entire loan amount was paid in full seven years ago. It called the raids a witch hunt and an attack on press freedom.

Minister Naidu defended the action saying the law was taking its course. The management and promoters have to stand scrutiny and answer to the people, he said.

But that has done little to allay the concerns of critics who point out that the complaint which prompted the raids did not even come from the bank which CBI alleges made the losses.

Political move?

Bhaskar Roy, head of the Center of Media Studies in New Delhi, sees a political angle behind the CBI action against the NDTV promoters and says the reasons put out for the raids dont add up. The point I am making is, these are all silly reasons to somehow put them under pressure. It is muzzling independent press, he told VOA.

The influential Editors Guild of India has expressed concern and condemned any attempt to muzzle the media. Many journalists have said that the raids raise disturbing questions.

Its very troubling and the answers have not come, said independent political analyst Neerja Chowdhury in New Delhi. For the moment what has come out does not sort of merit a CBI raid.

Broadcaster is defiant

NDTV has said on its website that "We will not succumb to these attempts to blatantly undermine democracy and free speech in India."

The raids took place a day after an argument on television between the spokesman of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, Sambit Patra and a news anchor who asked him to apologize for his comment that the channel had an agenda.

This is not the first time that NDTV has had a brush with the government. Last year, the government imposed an unusual, one-day ban on NDTV Hindi channel saying it had disclosed sensitive information on a terror attack, but following an outcry it revoked the ban.

Message from government

Chowdhury sees the latest action against the channel's promoters as a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government to the media: The message would be, dont be critical. I wont even say critical, questioning.

The spotlight on media freedom in India came after this year's World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders downgraded Indias ranking by three places citing concerns about Hindu nationalists trying to purge all manifestations of anti-national thought from the national debate. Placing India at 136 out of 180 countries, the report said this had resulted in growing self censorship in the mainstream media.

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In India, Concerns About Media Freedom After Raids on Broadcaster - Voice of America