UAE denies trying to influence Trump's election | Arab News |

The United Arab Emirates did not try to influence the election of Donald Trump, a minister said, following reports that the president's son met with an envoy representing the crown princes of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

"Attention needs to be paid to facts over innuendo & speculation; the UAE made no effort to influence the 2016 US election," Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

"Like other governments friendly to the US, UAE officials had contact with staff & advisers in both 2016 presidential campaigns to inform and be informed of the candidates' foreign policy positions."

The New York Times last week reported on a meeting in August 2016 at which Lebanese-American businessman George Nader told Donald Trump, Jr. that the Gulf Arab leaders were eager to help his father win the election.

Attention needs to be paid to facts over innuendo & speculation; the UAE made no effort to influence the 2016 US election.

— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) May 22, 2018

* 2 months ago, @Abdulkhaleq_UAE tweeted this 👇🏼
((History will remind us that a Gulf State had a role in the dismissal of Secretary Rex. Thats a little to say out of many))
* Today, @Abdulkhaleq_UAE retweeted this 👇🏼
--
Means, one of you is a liar & the other is a coward.. pic.twitter.com/DYG4FoIAou

— Ahmad_Alyehri 🇶🇦 (@Ahmad_Alyehri) May 22, 2018

From a reply [translation mine] ...

Arab proverb: "There is nothing to be loved about you except your wealth... that's all that you've got." ... America is obsessed with the whole world with a state that has no political or economic value, and a river that has been influenced or made by a decision in America.

Difficult to decipher the conversation ... this man must be from Qatar as I found this in his twitter feed ...

Accusations about Zionists allied with Qatar and/or Saudi Arabia

No love lost between the GCC States (Wahhabism) and Qatar (Muslim Brotherhood)

In August 2016, Nader met with Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower offering assistance to the his father's presidential campaign. Nader served as an envoy representing Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohammad bin Salman and Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The meeting included Blackwater founderErik Prince again and Joel Zamel, an Israeli specialist in social media manipulation. [Source: WikiPedia]

Steve Bannon partner in Cambridge Analytica and co-founder EmerData -.- WhoDoneIt??

○ Gulf Arab allies jubilant at US withdrawal from Iran deal | MENA |

Related reading and earlier diaries ...

○ Political Divide UAE (Trump) and Qatar (Clinton)
○ Abu Dhabi Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed  and Shared Values with US of Trump
○ Fusion GPS linked to UAE Sheikh and Rubio Donor

Global Warming - distance between America and Europe is steadily increasing.

U.S. Missing in Child Rights Convention

On Nov. 20th 2014, the whole world will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the world's most universally ratified human rights treaty, the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Sadly, the United States of America won't be at the party or will simply be watching from the sidelines.

The U.S. remains the odd man - the odd country - out, accompanied only by Somalia and South Sudan in having failed to ratify this landmark instrument of international law.

The absence of Somalia and South Sudan is understandable as these are among the world's most fragile, failed or failing states. But one would expect the U.S. which claims to be a great champion of human rights in the world to be at the front and centre of this celebration, not missing in action.

One hundred ninety-four nations - including all of America's closest allies -- have ratified the CRC. It baffles non-Americans, and even many Americans, as to why the U.S. is reluctant to ratify this Convention.

This example of negative "American exceptionalism" is illogical and perverse. The Convention upholds the very same principles that underpin American democracy. It says that all children, everywhere, have the same human rights to survive and thrive, to learn and contribute.

It obligates states that embrace it to do all that is humanly possible to ensure children's wellbeing, dignity and protection. It is supportive of parents and respectful of cultures.

○ ACLU - There's Only One Country That Hasn't Ratified the Convention on Children's Rights (Nov. 2015 )
○ The U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child: After 25 Years, Should Americans Still Care?

Global Warming - distance between America and Europe is steadily increasing.

Several governors refuse to deploy US National Guard as migrant crisis grows | France24 |

Governors of multiple East Coast states are refusing to deploy National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border amid a growing outcry over a Trump administration immigration policy that has led to migrant children being separated from their parents.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, announced Tuesday morning on his Twitter account that he has ordered four crewmembers and a helicopter to immediately return from where they were stationed in New Mexico.

"Until this policy of separating children from their families has been rescinded, Maryland will not deploy any National Guard resources to the border," Hogan tweeted.

Until this policy of separating children from their families has been rescinded, Maryland will not deploy any National Guard resources to the border. Earlier this morning, I ordered our 4 crewmembers & helicopter to immediately return from where they were stationed in New Mexico. https://t.co/TEfkUXF7ZN

— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) June 19, 2018

○ Del., Pa. and NJ Govs. Refuse to Send National Guard to U.S.-Mexico Border Because of Trump's Separation Policy

Global Warming - distance between America and Europe is steadily increasing.

Silicon Valley CEOs say new US border policy to separate children from parents is `abhorrent'.

The internet this week reverberated with the plaintive, distressed cries of children being separated from their parents by US border guards. These were sounds that would break the hardest of hearts. But, seemingly, not some of those on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Silicon Valley tech CEOs have added their voices to the chorus of protests against the Trump administration's zero-tolerance border policy that is splitting up families.

`Kids are the most vulnerable people in any society. I
think that what's happening is inhumane, it needs to
stop' - TIM COOK

Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted: "The stories and images of families being separated at the border are gut-wrenching. Urging our government to work together to find a better, more humane way that is reflective of our values as a nation."

The stories and images of families being separated at the border are gut-wrenching. Urging our government to work together to find a better, more humane way that is reflective of our values as a nation. #keepfamiliestogether

— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) June 19, 2018

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said: "Ripping children from the arms of their parents is heartless, cruel, immoral and counter to the American values of belonging.

"The US government needs to stop this injustice and reunite these families. We are a better country than this."

Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview in The Irish Times: "It's heartbreaking to see the images and hear the sounds of the kids.

"Kids are the most vulnerable people in any society. I think that what's happening is inhumane, it needs to stop.

"We've always felt everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. In this case, that's not happening."

Tim Cook and other tech CEOs slam policy separating immigrant children at US border https://t.co/9Z314QyOmZ

— CNBC (@CNBC) June 19, 2018

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post: "Organisations like Texas Civil Rights Project and RAICES are doing great work helping families at the US border get legal advice and translation services, as well as documenting what is happening on the ground to make sure these stories are shared. I've donated to them and I encourage you to as well. We need to stop this policy right now."

Microsoft feels chill from ICE storm

Redmond-based Microsoft hit out at the new US border policy but also faced a controversy of its own when concerns were raised that its cloud technology might be used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to facilitate the controversial policy.

Microsoft president Brad Smith blogged:

"This is rapidly becoming a momentous week in the history of immigration for the United States. As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on two major bills, we need our elected officials to get things right. In part, we need Congress to address the Dreamers and those affected by the green card backlog. We need improved security at the border. And, perhaps more than anything, we need Congress to remember the fundamental decency and humanitarian spirit that defines us as a people and a nation. In short, we need to take care of children."

Immigration policy defines what sort of human beings we have become, not just in America but across the Western world.

Global Warming - distance between America and Europe is steadily increasing.

The great Melania Trump mystery. Does she really care? | The Guardian |

For about two hours on Thursday, the optics were just the way the White House wanted them. Melania Trump made an unannounced trip to McAllen, Texas to get a first-hand look at the border crisis and the media was filled with pictures of the first lady looking caring and concerned, while she asked officials how she could help reunite children with their families. Melania was even sitting in front of the words 'acts of kindness' in the press photos, which one imagines was no happy accident.

A few hours later, however, rather different pictures of Melania started to circulate ... the first lady, it was discovered, had worn a $39 Zara jacket:

Had it been an unfortunate oversight? Or had it been deliberately chosen, either to send a message to Trump's base or distract the media?

FLOTUS spox confirms Mrs. Trump wore a jacket to visit border kids that reads: "I really don't care. Do you?" Spox says: "It's a jacket. There was no hidden message. After today's important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn't going to choose to focus on her wardrobe." pic.twitter.com/Bp4Z8n455G

— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 21, 2018

Last night I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) June 23, 2018

○ Opinion analysis: Court rules (narrowly) for baker in same-sex-wedding-cake case | SCOTUS Blog |

Global Warming - distance between America and Europe is steadily increasing.