Politics

Former MN Gov. Jesse Ventura Floats 2020 WH Bid

Minneapolis’s CBS News affiliate reports: Former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura hinted in an interview over the weekend on a possible run for president in 2020. Speaking Saturday on “The Issue Is,” the 68-year-old author and TV show host said that if he were to join the race for the White House, he’d wait until the pool of candidates narrowed. “I …

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Kanye West Says He’s Only Doing Gospel Music From Now On, “Closed On Sunday” Track Hails Chick-Fil-A

Fox Business reports: Rap legend Kanye West said he will only make gospel music going forward — no more secular music, according to a Chicago music promoter who was in the room. West reportedly made the comment Saturday at a listening party in Chicago for his new album “Jesus is King: A Kanye West Experience.” “Kanye also announced that he …

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BRITAIN: Boris Johnson Under New Corruption Probe

CNN reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been referred to a police watchdog over his alleged relationship with an American businesswoman when he was mayor of London. On Friday, the Greater London Authority (GLA) said in a statement that it has asked the Independent Office for Police Conduct to assess whether it is necessary to investigate Johnson for the …

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Diplomat Who Busted Bush On Iraq/WMDs Dies At 69

The New York Times reports: Joseph C. Wilson, the long-serving American diplomat whose clash with the administration of President George W. Bush in 2003 led to the unmasking of his wife at the time, Valerie Plame, as a C.I.A. agent, resulting in accusations that the revelation was political payback, died on Friday at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He …

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Retiring GOP House Rep Floats 2024 White House Bid

The Texas Tribune reports: U.S. Rep. Will Hurd said Thursday he is considering a run for president in 2024. The third-term Republican congressman from Helotes is leaving the House at the end of this term, and his retirement announcement sent shockwaves throughout national politics. In an interview Thursday with The Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith, Hurd addressed a slew of …

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Former Sen. Al Franken To Launch SiriusXM Show

The New York Times reports: The comeback campaign of Al Franken is coming soon to a satellite radio near you. SiriusXM announced on Wednesday that the former United States senator from Minnesota will host a weekly program, “The Al Franken Show,” starting Saturday. He will also contribute to 2020 election coverage on the broadcaster’s left-wing political channel, SiriusXM Progress. Mr. …

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SPAIN: High Court Rules For Exuming Francisco Franco

Politico Europe reports: Spain’s Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Francisco Franco’s remains can be removed from the Valley of the Fallen, endorsing the Socialist government’s plans against his descendants’ will. The generalísimo’s body is set to be disinterred from the giant mausoleum on the outskirts of Madrid — a basilica dug into a hillside topped by a cross 150 …

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Netanyahu Tasked With First Attempt At Forming Govt

The Wall Street Journal reports: Israeli President Reuven Rivlin tapped Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next government, setting off weeks of political jockeying as the incumbent tries to maintain his hold on power. Mr. Rivlin’s announcement came as talks between Mr. Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz to form a broad unity government after last week’s inconclusive election have …

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YouTube Won’t Remove TOS Violations By Politicians

Politico reports: YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said today that content by politicians would stay up on the video-sharing website even if it violates the company’s standards, echoing a position staked out by Facebook this week. “When you have a political officer that is making information this is really important for their constituents to see, or for other global leaders to …

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UN Head Warns Of World Divided Between US & China

The Associated Press reports: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned global leaders Tuesday of the looming risk of the world splitting in two, with the United States and China creating rival internets, currency, trade, financial rules “and their own zero sum geopolitical and military strategies.” In his annual “state of the world address” to the General Assembly’s gathering of heads of …

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Twitter Boots Saudi Arabia State Media Accounts

The Independent reports: Twitter suspended the account of former Saudi royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani on Friday, nearly a year after he was sacked over his suspected role in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The social network also separately removed accounts linked to Saudi Arabia’s “state-run media apparatus” and others in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, …

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Trudeau Apologizes Again For Blackface History [VIDEO]

CBS News reports: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke Thursday afternoon about the controversy of him appearing in photos from years ago dressed in blackface and brownface. At least three photos have been released that show Trudeau wearing darkened makeup on his face. Trudeau on Thursday spoke to reporters in Winnipeg where he apologized for wearing brownface and blackface. “This …

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Trump Already Distancing Himself From Netanyahu

Vanity Fair reports: Benjamin Netanyahu is learning the hard way that Donald Trump is a fair-weather friend. The right-wing Israeli prime minister had been among the president’s few steadfast friends on the world stage; Trump, in turn, has long stood strong with Netanyahu. But after Bibi appeared to suffer a stinging loss in the Israeli elections this week, Trump did …

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Tillerson: Netanyahu Often Fed Trump “Misinformation”

Haaretz reports: U.S. President Donald Trump was “played” by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on several occasions, said Trump’s former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday during a panel interview with Harvard professors. Tillerson, who had a contentious tenure as the U.S.’s top diplomat, said that Netanyahu is “an extraordinarily skilled” politician and diplomat, but “a bit Machiavellian.” He continued, …

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ISRAEL: Netanyahu’s Chief Rival Declares Victory

Haaretz reports: With 98 percent of the vote counted in Israel’s election, Kahol Lavan grew by one seat to 33, widening its edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party. Kingmaker Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu party lost a seat, leaving it with eight in the incoming Knesset. The results give the center-left a slight advantage of 57 seats, compared to …

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Iran Threatens “All-Out War” To The “Last US Soldier”

CNN reports: Iran’s foreign minister has raised the specter of “all-out war” in the event of US or Saudi military strikes and that Saudi Arabia would have to fight “to the last American soldier.” Javad Zarif told CNN that Iran hoped to avoid conflict, adding that the country was willing to talk to its regional rivals Saudi Arabia and the …

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Netanyahu Calls On Chief Rival To Form Unity Govt

The Jerusalem Post reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on his chief electoral rival Blue and White Party head Benny Gantz to hold talks toward the creation of a unity government, during a speech he gave at the memorial ceremony for former Israeli president Shimon Peres. “I propose that we meet as soon as possible without preconditions to cooperate in …

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Justin Trudeau Sorry For Having Worn “Brownface”

TIME Magazine reports: Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, wore brownface makeup to a party at the private school where he was teaching in the spring of 2001. TIME has obtained a photograph of the incident. The photograph has not been previously reported. The picture was taken at an “Arabian Nights”-themed gala. It shows Trudeau, then the 29-year-old son of the …

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ISRAEL: Netanyahu Fails To Win Majority In Knesset

Politico Europe reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies failed to garner a majority of seats in Israel’s legislature, as Israelis went to the ballot boxes for the second time in a year on Tuesday following an inconclusive election in April. With 92 percent of votes counted, the prime minister’s Likud party is set to take a total …

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ISRAEL: Exit Polls Not Great For Corrupt Netanyahu

The Associated Press reports: In an apparent setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the longtime Israeli leader on Tuesday fell short of securing a parliamentary majority with his hard-line allies in national elections, initial exit polls showed, putting his political future in question. Results posted by Israel’s three major TV stations indicated that challenger Benny Gantz’s centrist Blue and White …

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