General Politics Three: But what is left/right?

[Bonyduck Campersang]

Imran Khan: Pakistan ex-PM and wife Bushra Bibi jailed for illegal marriage​

A Pakistani court has jailed Imran Khan and his wife for seven years after voiding their marriage, in the latest sentence against the ex-prime minister.

The court ruled that Khan's 2018 marriage with Bushra Bibi, a faith healer, was un-Islamic and illegal.

He is already in jail for corruption. Last Wednesday, a week before a general election, the pair were convicted of profiting from state gifts.

Khan, 71, has said the numerous cases against him are politically motivated.

Pakistan's former cricket captain-turned-politician was ousted as prime minister in 2022.

A court was set up inside the Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where Khan is serving his previous sentences, for the latest case.

The complaint was filed by Bibi's ex-husband, who said her marriage with Khan had been fraudulent.

Under Muslim family law, women are prohibited from remarrying for a few months after their husband dies or they are divorced. The court found that Bibi had remarried before the completion of the stipulated time following her divorce.

As well as the seven-year jail sentence, the court imposed a fine of 500,000 rupees ($1,800; £1,420) on Khan and Bibi.

The couple married in 2018, months before Khan was elected prime minister. Bibi, a spiritual healer believed to be in her 40s and always wears a veil in public, is Khan's third wife.

Khan had a playboy reputation in his cricketing years before he settled down to a society marriage with British socialite Jemima Goldsmith in 1995. The marriage lasted nine years and produced two sons.

A second marriage in 2015, to journalist and former BBC weather presenter Reham Khan, lasted less than a year.

• A jailed star and former convict: Pakistan's election, explained
• Who is Bushra Bibi, the mystical wife of Imran Khan?
• The cricket star and former PM who is dividing Pakistan

The former PM has been detained since his arrest last August.

Saturday's prison sentence is Khan's third in less than a week. On Tuesday, he was jailed for 10 years for leaking classified documents.

Wednesday's court case centred on accusations that he and his wife had sold or kept state gifts received in office, including jewellery from the Saudi Crown Prince.

Both were given 14-year sentences in that case. The court ruled that Bushra Bibi was allowed to serve hers under house arrest.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has said he was tried by "kangaroo courts".

Even before the latest sentences were handed down, many were questioning the credibility of next week's election as Khan and his party have been sidelined.

The authorities deny carrying out a crackdown, but many of PTI leaders are behind bars or have defected.

Thousands of the party's supporters were rounded up after protests - at times violent - when Khan was taken into custody last year.

The man tipped to win is three-time former PM Nawaz Sharif.

He was jailed for corruption ahead of the 2018 election that Imran Khan won. Many analysts say he is now favoured by Pakistan's powerful military establishment.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68192196

No coincidence that elections were deliberately delayed so that Khan could be sentenced before ballot day

 

[Arwon]

How Australian undercover police ‘fed’ an autistic 13-year-old’s fixation with Islamic State - Court finds counter-terrorism unit’s conduct fell ‘profoundly short’ of minimum standards expected of law enforcement officers.

Counter-terrorism police encouraged an autistic 13-year-old boy in his fixation on Islamic State in an undercover operation after his parents sought help from the authorities.

The boy, given the pseudonym Thomas Carrick, was later charged with terror offences after an undercover officer “fed his fixation” and “doomed” the rehabilitation efforts Thomas and his parents had engaged in, a Victorian children’s court magistrate found.

Thomas spent three months in custody before he was granted bail in October 2022, after an earlier bail was revoked because he failed to comply with conditions.

Completely outrageous and should be grounds for dismantling the counter terrorism police. Also crushing here is how much the parents were trusting and cooperating.

“The search involved multiple Victoria Police members under the guise of attending to provide support to the family within the CVE [Countering Violent Extremism] framework.

“The conduct of the law enforcement officers involved subterfuge.”

Fleming, who noted that English was not the first language of Thomas’s parents, found his father told police “he was prepared to sacrifice my son for the safety of the Australian community”.

There was no evidence the AFP took any action in relation to the DHHS complaint, Fleming found. An online persona which later communicated with Thomas was activated a day earlier.

After Thomas’s parents spoke to Victoria police, Fleming found a decision was made by the force to manage Thomas “therapeutically”.

His parents provided Victoria police access to Thomas, their home, his phone, his mother’s phone, and to personal information about his school and psychologist.

 

[Estebonrober]

So ummm, this is what happens when you watch too many bad youtube history videos.

 

[Broken_Erika]

View attachment 684013

So ummm, this is what happens when you watch too many bad youtube history videos.

Whiles she's at it, can she introduce a bill to prevent Dolphins, Martians and Leprechauns from voting?

Spoiler :

 

[Samson]

Police and protesters clash after Senegal election postponed

Police made arrests and fired tear gas as opposition supporters protested President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone elections in Senegal.

Clashes erupted on Sunday as federal lawmakers prepared to debate a bill to formalise the delay of the February 25 vote.

Demonstrators rallied in the capital Dakar after leading opposition figures and candidates in the presidential election rejected Saturday’s announcement and called on citizens to defend democracy.

Burning barricades are a safety device

 

[EnglishEdward]

Burning barricades are a safety device

Really! Are you going to put one up outside your house?

 

[Samson]

Really! Are you going to put one up outside your house?

No, but I would put one in front of a protest if vehicles hitting it was a risk, as these people did.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Do you think that the fire will never spread or that the smoke is not toxic ?

 

[Samson]

Do you think that the fire will never spread or that the smoke is not toxic ?

No, but I expect it extends their life expectancy. That smoke looks really black, I do not want to know what they are burning.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Whose life expectancy ?

I dare say protesters could equally well protect themselves from oppressive militias/police
vehicles with a minefield and extend their own life expectancies, but what about everyone else!

 

[Farm Boy]

No, but I expect it extends their life expectancy. That smoke looks really black, I do not want to know what they are burning.

Given the price, availability, and usefulness for the application: tires are a good bet. They even come in a shape easy to fill with diesel to get them started.

 

[Broken_Erika]

US Senate releases deal on border and Ukraine - but will it ever become law?​

US senators have unveiled a long-awaited cross-party deal that aims to combat illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border - and, in return, grant new aid to Ukraine and Israel.

The bill would introduce much more severe measures to try to stem border crossings, which are at record levels.

The influx is one of the biggest political headaches facing Joe Biden.

The Democratic-led Senate will vote on the bill this week, but a senior House Republican said the bill was doomed.

"Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House," said Representative Steve Scalise, the majority leader in the House of Representatives, where many Republicans want the bill to be tougher.

Included in the huge $120bn funding deal is $60bn to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia and $14bn in security assistance for Israel.

The military aid became part of a Mexico border deal because Republicans had said they would not agree to more money being sent to Ukraine until action was taken to fix the migrant crisis.

Immigration has emerged as the top issue driving Republicans to the polls in support of former President Donald Trump, the front-runner to face Mr Biden in the November general election.

Faced with mounting public anger over the migrant inflows, President Biden vowed in January to "shut down the border right now and fix it quickly" if Congress sent a bill to his desk.

• Biden risks Democrats' fury again over border

The bill, which senators of both parties have spent months negotiating, was unveiled on Sunday night.

What's happening at the border?​

Since President Biden took office in January 2021, more than 6.3 million migrants have been detained crossing into the US illegally between points of entry, according to statistics from the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Of these, about 2.4 million were allowed into the US, where the majority wait for immigration court dates in which they can make a case for asylum. The system is so overwhelmed that this can take years.

A January poll conducted by CBS - the BBC's US partner - shows that nearly half of Americans view the situation at the border as a crisis, with 63% saying that the administration should adopt "tougher" policies.

More than two-thirds of Americans said they disapproved of Mr Biden's handling of the issue.

"Immigration is [Biden's] Achilles' heel. He is right up against the ropes on this," said Tony Payan, the director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute in Texas.

"The Republicans have been very successful at maintaining the issue on the headlines, and tying Biden to what they term 'chaos' on the border and an 'invasion' of migrants."

What's in the new deal?​

The 370-page agreement will, in the words of Republican negotiator James Lankford, move from the current system of "catch and release" to one where migrants are detained and deported.

Senator Lankford brokered the deal with Democratic colleague Chris Murphy and independent colleague Kyrsten Sinema.

If passed into law, it would be the biggest immigration overhaul since the Reagan era in the 1980s.

Among the most significant changes in the deal is a new federal authority that mandates a complete shutdown of the border when migrant crossings pass a threshold of 5,000 in a week.

In practice, this would mean that migrants who arrive in the US illegally would no longer be allowed to request asylum and would be deported shortly thereafter.

Adam Isacson, a migration and border expert from the Washington Office on Latin America, told the BBC that the change would mark a "radical" departure from current norms.

The new bill, he says, reverts to the spirit of the Trump presidency which took a notably hard line on immigration, introducing Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants.

Other reforms included in the deal are fast-tracked decisions on asylum cases, limits on humanitarian parole, expanded authority to remove migrants from the US, stricter consequences for illegal crossings and even $650m to build or reinforce miles of border wall.

Collectively, Mr Isacson said these measures would have, not long ago, been largely considered unthinkable in US politics.

Before Donald Trump, these kinds of measures were not in the mainstream debate, he said.

"It was something that maybe people on the anti-immigrant fringe proposed. It really shows how much the window has shifted."

In endorsing the deal on Sunday, Mr Biden called it "the toughest and fairest" border reforms in decades.

"It would give me, as president, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. Get it to my desk so I can sign it into law immediately."

What's next?​

The bill needs at least 60 votes to advance through the 100-member Senate.

But widespread opposition to the deal among House Republicans means that the immigration bill is unlikely ever to become law. Some Democrats on the left of the party may also be unhappy.

Even before its details were announced and his colleague Mr Scalise spoke out against it, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the deal would be "dead on arrival" in the chamber.

Some Republicans have demanded stricter asylum restrictions, limiting programmes allowing migrants to live and work in the US while they wait for hearings.

"The 'border deal' is an easy NO. It reads like a parody of an actual border security bill," said Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican senator.

This Republican opposition has prompted Democrats to accuse Mr Johnson and others of bowing to pressure from Mr Trump, who has urged his Capitol Hill allies to kill the bill.

"Call it the 'stupid bill' and make sure it doesn't get passed," the ex-president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, claiming the deal "will make things MUCH WORSE".

Experts say that Mr Trump's influence has cast a shadow over the negotiations.

"Letting the Biden administration twist in the wind is exactly what the Trump campaign wants," said Mr Isacson.

"That sort of status quo, of They want more B-roll of chaos during the campaign."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68143887

 

[Crezth]

So instead of handling the abortion crisis or pushing back against the isolation of trans people we get a special cross the aisle omnibus bill to send more money than ever to pay the pensions of Nazis in Ukraine and to buy bombs for Israel to murder over 10,000 children with and if they’re lucky up to one million, in exchange we will lock down the border and deport actual citizens. How stupid do you have to be to think being a liberal is about having principles and not just feeling good about being comfortable and secure in the greatest/freest/most bullhockey country in the world?

 

[Samson]

Whose life expectancy ?

I dare say protesters could equally well protect themselves from oppressive militias/police
vehicles with a minefield and extend their own life expectancies, but what about everyone else!

I mean the protesters, but I would be surprised if it has a significant wider effect.

So instead of handling the abortion crisis or pushing back against the isolation of trans people we get a special cross the aisle omnibus bill to send more money than ever to pay the pensions of Nazis in Ukraine and to buy bombs for Israel to murder over 10,000 children with and if they’re lucky up to one million, in exchange we will lock down the border and deport actual citizens. How stupid do you have to be to think being a liberal is about having principles and not just feeling good about being comfortable and secure in the greatest/freest/most bullhockey country in the world?

If I was being cynical, I would say the only thing that is uniting politicians if their hatred for trump, but it probably is just the wish to see burning flesh one more time.

 

[Broken_Erika]

So instead of handling the abortion crisis or pushing back against the isolation of trans people we get a special cross the aisle omnibus bill to send more money than ever to pay the pensions of Nazis in Ukraine and to buy bombs for Israel to murder over 10,000 children with and if they’re lucky up to one million, in exchange we will lock down the border and deport actual citizens. How stupid do you have to be to think being a liberal is about having principles and not just feeling good about being comfortable and secure in the greatest/freest/most bullhockey country in the world?

And the Republicans will once again kill it like Like Lucy taking away the football from Charlie Brown.

 

[Farm Boy]

The orange re-re is on the scene again.

 

[Sommerswerd]

US Senate releases deal on border and Ukraine - but will it ever become law?​

US senators have unveiled a long-awaited cross-party deal that aims to combat illegal immigration at the US-Mexico border - and, in return, grant new aid to Ukraine and Israel.

The bill would introduce much more severe measures to try to stem border crossings, which are at record levels.

The influx is one of the biggest political headaches facing Joe Biden.

The Democratic-led Senate will vote on the bill this week, but a senior House Republican said the bill was doomed.

"Let me be clear: The Senate Border Bill will NOT receive a vote in the House," said Representative Steve Scalise, the majority leader in the House of Representatives, where many Republicans want the bill to be tougher.

Included in the huge $120bn funding deal is $60bn to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia and $14bn in security assistance for Israel.

The military aid became part of a Mexico border deal because Republicans had said they would not agree to more money being sent to Ukraine until action was taken to fix the migrant crisis.

Immigration has emerged as the top issue driving Republicans to the polls in support of former President Donald Trump, the front-runner to face Mr Biden in the November general election.

Faced with mounting public anger over the migrant inflows, President Biden vowed in January to "shut down the border right now and fix it quickly" if Congress sent a bill to his desk.

• Biden risks Democrats' fury again over border

The bill, which senators of both parties have spent months negotiating, was unveiled on Sunday night.

What's happening at the border?​

Since President Biden took office in January 2021, more than 6.3 million migrants have been detained crossing into the US illegally between points of entry, according to statistics from the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS.

Of these, about 2.4 million were allowed into the US, where the majority wait for immigration court dates in which they can make a case for asylum. The system is so overwhelmed that this can take years.

A January poll conducted by CBS - the BBC's US partner - shows that nearly half of Americans view the situation at the border as a crisis, with 63% saying that the administration should adopt "tougher" policies.

More than two-thirds of Americans said they disapproved of Mr Biden's handling of the issue.

"Immigration is [Biden's] Achilles' heel. He is right up against the ropes on this," said Tony Payan, the director of the Center for the United States and Mexico at Rice University's Baker Institute in Texas.

"The Republicans have been very successful at maintaining the issue on the headlines, and tying Biden to what they term 'chaos' on the border and an 'invasion' of migrants."

What's in the new deal?​

The 370-page agreement will, in the words of Republican negotiator James Lankford, move from the current system of "catch and release" to one where migrants are detained and deported.

Senator Lankford brokered the deal with Democratic colleague Chris Murphy and independent colleague Kyrsten Sinema.

If passed into law, it would be the biggest immigration overhaul since the Reagan era in the 1980s.

Among the most significant changes in the deal is a new federal authority that mandates a complete shutdown of the border when migrant crossings pass a threshold of 5,000 in a week.

In practice, this would mean that migrants who arrive in the US illegally would no longer be allowed to request asylum and would be deported shortly thereafter.

Adam Isacson, a migration and border expert from the Washington Office on Latin America, told the BBC that the change would mark a "radical" departure from current norms.

The new bill, he says, reverts to the spirit of the Trump presidency which took a notably hard line on immigration, introducing Title 42, a pandemic-era policy that allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants.

Other reforms included in the deal are fast-tracked decisions on asylum cases, limits on humanitarian parole, expanded authority to remove migrants from the US, stricter consequences for illegal crossings and even $650m to build or reinforce miles of border wall.

Collectively, Mr Isacson said these measures would have, not long ago, been largely considered unthinkable in US politics.

Before Donald Trump, these kinds of measures were not in the mainstream debate, he said.

"It was something that maybe people on the anti-immigrant fringe proposed. It really shows how much the window has shifted."

In endorsing the deal on Sunday, Mr Biden called it "the toughest and fairest" border reforms in decades.

"It would give me, as president, a new emergency authority to shut down the border when it becomes overwhelmed. Get it to my desk so I can sign it into law immediately."

What's next?​

The bill needs at least 60 votes to advance through the 100-member Senate.

But widespread opposition to the deal among House Republicans means that the immigration bill is unlikely ever to become law. Some Democrats on the left of the party may also be unhappy.

Even before its details were announced and his colleague Mr Scalise spoke out against it, House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the deal would be "dead on arrival" in the chamber.

Some Republicans have demanded stricter asylum restrictions, limiting programmes allowing migrants to live and work in the US while they wait for hearings.

"The 'border deal' is an easy NO. It reads like a parody of an actual border security bill," said Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican senator.

This Republican opposition has prompted Democrats to accuse Mr Johnson and others of bowing to pressure from Mr Trump, who has urged his Capitol Hill allies to kill the bill.

"Call it the 'stupid bill' and make sure it doesn't get passed," the ex-president wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, claiming the deal "will make things MUCH WORSE".

Experts say that Mr Trump's influence has cast a shadow over the negotiations.

"Letting the Biden administration twist in the wind is exactly what the Trump campaign wants," said Mr Isacson.

"That sort of status quo, of They want more B-roll of chaos during the campaign."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68143887

It doesn't matter how "tough" the bill is, the Republicans are going to just keep rejecting it and claiming it isn't tough enough, because Trump wants the bill to fail in order to deny Biden a legislative/policy "win".

On the other hand, since the bill contains so many measures and policies that many Democrats are against anyway... Republicans refusing to pass it is a mixed bag. Another consequence of Republicans blocking this bill, is that additional aid to the Israeli war effort is blocked, which again, many Democrats favor because they oppose the war continuing.

 

[Farm Boy]

Everyone gets to female dog about what terrible people the others are while simultaneously doing nothing. Win win.

 

[Crezth]

It doesn't matter how "tough" the bill is, the Republicans are going to just keep rejecting it and claiming it isn't tough enough, because Trump wants the bill to fail in order to deny Biden a legislative/policy "win".

On the other hand, since the bill contains so many measures and policies that many Democrats are against anyway... Republicans refusing to pass it is a mixed bag. Another consequence of Republicans blocking this bill, is that additional aid to the Israeli war effort is blocked, which again, many Democrats favor because they oppose the war continuing.

For once you should ask yourself what it really means the Democrats are willing to even offer this. Yes they love our country, they’re defending democracy… but to what end?

And the Republicans will once again kill it like Like Lucy taking away the football from Charlie Brown.

This all feels very much like a “careful what you wish for” moment to the guys who said #nevertrump and ended up with “Superpredators” Biden as the compromise candidate.

 

[Farm Boy]

They kept the funding against explicit imperial fascism vs the funding for explicit imperial fascism at about a 4:1. Almost impressed, given expectations. Honestly, too good to clear Washington D.C.