Nonetheless, he has already covered more than 420,000 flight kilometers and visited 38 countries
The internationally recognized Sarradsch government has long been competing with a second government in eastern Libya linked to the 75-year-old Haftar. Its troops have been marching towards Tripoli since Thursday. Haftar wants to take the capital and bring the oil-rich crisis country under his leadership.
The general’s offensive marks a new escalation in a country that has been shaken by crises since the overthrow of long-term ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi in 2011, achieved with Western help. For years, a number of militias have been fighting for power and benefices in the North African state. Several UN mediators failed to find a solution.
Berlin (AP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has triggered a lot of guesswork with the completely surprising cancellation of his visit to Germany.
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The only thing that was clear until Tuesday afternoon was that after his stay in Finland he had decided at short notice on a travel destination other than Berlin – presumably a crisis area to which top politicians like Pompeo only travel without prior notice for security reasons. Speculation went in the direction of Iraq or Afghanistan.
It was also thought possible that the cancellation might have something to do with Iran. A speech by Iranian President Hassan Ruhani is expected on Wednesday, which should have to do with the Treaty to prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb, which the US has canceled.
Corona crisis: 22,771 new corona infections reported in Germany
But at first there was nothing more than guesswork. The US State Department remained silent about the new travel plans. Pompeo’s appointments in London on Wednesday and in Greenland on Thursday have been retained. Means: The time window for the new travel destination was not too big. That also spoke in favor of a country near Europe.
Pompeo’s visit to Berlin was long awaited. The 55-year-old has been in office for more than a year. Nevertheless, he has already covered more than 420,000 flight kilometers and visited 38 countries.https://123helpme.me/to-kill-a-mockingbird-essay/ The economically strongest and most populous European partner was not there yet.
The former CIA chief had decided not to take part in the Munich Security Conference in February, although at the time he was traveling for days in Europe and visiting Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium and even Iceland.
But on Tuesday it should finally be that time. At 2:45 p.m. Pompeo was supposed to land on the military part of Tegel Airport in Berlin. The first thing planned was an appointment with Heiko Maas at the Foreign Office, including a press conference. A novelty, because at the previous meetings of the two in Washington Pompeo has shunned journalists before appearing together.
Pompeo should also be received by Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) in the Chancellery. Shortly after 11:00 am, however, the US embassy announced: “Unfortunately we have to reschedule the meeting in Berlin due to urgent matters.”
A short time later, Pompeo phoned Maas to tell him his regret about the cancellation. “Both sides agreed to quickly find a new date. Foreign Minister Maas expressed his understanding for the postponement,” said a brief statement from the Foreign Office. The US Secretary of State probably did not phone Merkel.
Obviously, the cancellation has nothing to do with German-American relations. Nevertheless, it fits into the rather desolate picture that the relationship is currently presenting. “Even if there are unavoidable reasons for the rejection, it unfortunately fits into the current climate in the relationship between the two governments,” said the chairman of the Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Norbert Röttgen (CDU), the Bonn “General-Anzeiger” and the “Rheinische Post”.
The FDP external expert Alexander Graf Lambsdorff expressed himself more clearly. Such a cancellation is “extremely unusual,” he said on the radio program SWR Aktuell. “If he continues his visit to Europe in Greenland now, that would mean that Greenland is currently more important to the Americans than Germany.”
The list of points of contention between the US and Germany has grown longer and longer since US President Trump took office in early 2017. The US government accuses NATO partner Germany of insufficient military spending, harshly criticizes the German-Russian pipeline project Nord Stream 2 and threatens punitive tariffs because of the German trade surplus.
It was precisely because of this that Foreign Minister Maas had promised himself a lot from the meeting with Pompeo. “We need a close connection to Washington,” he had told the editorial network Germany before the rejection. “That is why we have a vital interest in working closely with the Americans on urgent international issues and in representing the European position.” Now it’s time to wait again.
The billion dollar financial investor George Soros has transferred a large part of his fortune to his foundation. The Open Society promotes democracy and human rights worldwide.
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With the donation of 18 billion dollars (15 billion euros), the hedge fund guru and major donor to the US Democrats made his Open Society foundation the second largest in the United States, reports “Wall Street Journal” and “New York Times”. Only the bill Melinda Gates Foundation now has more funds.
The Open Society, founded in 1979, claims to be committed to promoting democracy and human rights worldwide. The transfer of assets, which has taken place gradually over the past few years and has only now been disclosed, is one of the largest contributions to date from a private donor to a single foundation.
Born in Budapest, Soros got rich through financial betting, in 1992 he successfully speculated against the British pound. The “Forbes” magazine recently estimated the fortune of the 87-year-old at 23 billion dollars. After Donald Trump’s election as US president, Soros bet on a fall in the price of US stocks, but this has not yet worked out.
US President Trump claims an interview with him was “fake news”. Then the British newspaper publishes the audio recording. A disgrace with consequences.
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US President Donald Trump has put a heavy burden on the British-American relationship with one-sided statements on the Brexit strategy. The British Prime Minister Theresa May “screwed up” Brexit, he said in an interview with the tabloid newspaper “The Sun”. Her rival Boris Johnson, on the other hand, would be “a great Prime Minister”.
The hosts are “not amused”
He later tried to put the comments into perspective – the interview was “fake news”. But it was demonstrated. The newspaper published the audio recordings of the conversation. The damage was done, the United Kingdom “not amused”. Another contributing factor was that Trump made 92-year-old Queen Elizabeth wait almost ten minutes in the hot sunshine on the stage at Windsor Castle before he appeared with his wife.
In any case, the mood around the British capital was heated. Tens of thousands took to the streets in central London to demonstrate against the policies of the US President, who was enormously unpopular on the island. To the annoyance of the US government, Mayor Sadiq Khan had allowed an oversized, inflatable doll to fly over the city as a balloon showing a cartoon of Trump as a baby in diapers.
During the talks, Trump and Prime Minister May agreed to work towards a joint free trade agreement after the UK’s Brexit, which is planned for March 2019. However, Theresa May’s White Paper stipulates that there should also be a free trade agreement between Great Britain and the rest of the EU.
Especially in the area of financial services, which are very important for Great Britain, this could deliver explosive material, because the Wall Street system deregulated by Trump does not match the requirements of Brussels and the City of London stands in between. “Just make sure we can trade together. That’s all that matters,” Trump said verbatim.
US prosecutor convinced: Russia hacked Clinton campaign
May urged Trump to take a tougher course against Moscow before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “What is important is that he confronts him from a position of strength and a position of unity within the NATO partners,” said May. The NATO countries should speak with one voice on the Russia issue. London accuses Moscow’s secret services of having been involved in two nerve gas attacks on British soil. The Kremlin denies that.
Trump is spending the weekend in one of his golf clubs in Scotland. He will then travel to Helsinki, where he plans to meet Putin for a summit on Monday. At the same time, FBI special investigator Robert Mueller brought charges against twelve Russian intelligence agents for alleged interference in the US election campaign – the agents wanted to harm the Democratic Party and help Trump to victory.
Visit to the UK: Trump offends May with an interview
Trump himself stated that his course with Moscow was strict, but that he was striving for a good relationship with Putin. “We have been much tougher towards Russia than anyone,” said Trump. The increase in NATO’s defense spending is thanks to him. It remains to be seen whether this will calm the British down.
Sources used: The Sun: “Trump’s Brexit Blast” (English) with audio including material from dpa
“Low point in US history”: US politicians across all camps criticize Donald Trump’s statements after the meeting with Putin with drastic words. Trump reacts promptly on Twitter.
US President Donald Trump defended his appearance at the summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin against harsh criticism from domestic politics. The two largest nuclear powers in the world could not only deal with the past, Trump said on Twitter on Monday. Rather, they should currently get along with each other. It’s about a better future.
Prior to this, prominent Republican and Democratic members of Congress had accused Trump of failing to speak out clearly against Russia’s interference in the US elections, thereby signaling weakness. Trump said at the press conference with Putin that he had spoken for a long time with the Russian president and had no reason to believe that Russia interfered in the election. Trump thus cast doubt on the findings of the US secret services. Now he assured in his tweet: “As I said today and many times before: I have great confidence in my secret service people.”
Outraged reactions after meetings between Trump and Putin
Secret agreements between Moscow and the Trump camp in the US election campaign? There wasn’t. The illegal annexation of Crimea? Not worth mentioning. Donald Trump’s remarks at the memorable press conference with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki had sparked a broad debate in the United States and outraged reactions across the political camps.
The Republican veteran John McCain criticized the words of the US President in drastic terms. Trump’s appearance in Helsinki marks a “low point in the history of the American presidency,” said the US Senator, who is seriously ill with cancer. This was “one of the most shameful appearances” by a US president that are remembered. No previous US president has ever “humbled himself in front of a tyrant”.
Comment: Trump harms his country – and all of usNewsblog: The summit day for reading
The head of the opposition Senate Democrats, Chuck Schumer, said that in the entire history of the United States, no president has supported an “adversary” in the way Trump has now. The opposition MP Jimmy Gomez accused Trump of “selling” his own country to Russia. His failure to defend the US “is on the verge of high treason”. All US citizens “should be concerned”.
Trump: Putin’s statements “extremely strong and powerful”
A World Cup ball as a gift: Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Melania Trump at the summit in Helsinki. (Source: Sputnik / Alexei Nikolsky / Kremlin / Reuters)