Latest news with #British-American
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Who is Candace Owens? Right-wing commentator sued by French President Macron for defamation
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, have filed a defamation case against American hard-right podcaster Candace Owens. The couple, as per a filing in the Delaware state court, alleged that Owens had profited off spreading rumors that the French First Lady was born a biological male, Politico reported. Conservative influencer Candace Owens has been accused of defamation by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte.(AP) The suit also claimed that Candace Owens had used the rumor to 'promote her independent platform, gain notoriety, and make money.' She also launched an eight-part podcast, Becoming Brigitte, focusing on various conspiracy theories about the Macrons and their relationship. According to the Financial Times, the Macrons are ready to appear for a trial in Delaware. As the controversy rages on, here is a look at who Candace Owens is. Also read: French president Macron sues influencer for claims that first lady was born male Who is Candace Owens? She is a right-wing influencer who often supported Donald Trump in his first presidential term. She has taken a critical tone over the past few months, particularly on matters like the president's links with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, The Hill reported. Owens has worked for conservative organizations such as media outlet Daily Wire and the student group Turning Point. She launched her own podcast in 2024, the BBC reported. The influencer spent many of her early years in low-income housing in Connecticut's Stamford, a period she described as 'dysfunctional' to the New Yorker in 2023. Her family moved in with her grandparents when she was nine. Owens' grandfather, Robert, became a powerful influence in her life. Candace Owens is married to British-American entrepreneur George Farmer, who is the son of Baron Michael Farmer. The duo met while Owens was serving as the communications director of Turning Point in the US, while Faermer was working for the group's UK branch. They have three kids together, as per a People report. Baron Michael Farmer, a former Conservative Party treasurer and House of Lords peer, has distanced himself from some of Owens' views, the BBC said. Owens' political views have often thrust her into the limelight. She has promoted conspiracy theories regarding COVID-19 vaccines, the moon landings, and even the Holocaust. The 36-year-old influencer remains popular on social media, with over 6 million followers on Instagram and 4.47 million subscribers on YouTube. She had recently made headlines for calling President Donald Trump's comments on the Epstein files 'outright embarrassing.' Also read: Which MAGA figures are criticizing Trump's handling of Epstein files? Full list Candace Owens and the Marcons Owens, in 2024, had doubled down on her claims regarding Brigitte Macron. She said that she would 'stake [her] entire professional reputation on the fact that Brigitte Macron is in fact a man,' the Guardian reported. Since then, she has continued to make controversial claims about the French First Lady. The lawsuit filed against her by the Macrons has asked for unspecified damages. It has also named her Delaware-headquartered companies in the matter. Under US law, the Macrons will need to prove 'actual malice' for defamation, meaning that the defendant knew the information was false, but broadcast or published it regardless. FAQs: 1. Who is Candace Owens? She is a right-wing influencer who is at the center of a lawsuit filed by the Macrons. 2. What has Candace Owens said about Brigitte Macron? She has claimed that the French First Lady was born as a biological male. 3. Where have the Macrons filed a lawsuit against Candace Owens? The lawsuit was filed in a Delaware court.
Observer
a day ago
- Business
- Observer
For investors, UK is now ‘an attractive place to be'
The chief executive of James Henderson — a British-American global asset management group headquartered in London — Ali Dibadj, has said international investors are 'starting to take notice' of investment opportunities in the UK, adding to the growing chorus of senior finance executives who are bullish about British assets. The company offers a range of financial products to individuals, intermediary advisors and institutional investors globally, under the trade name Janus Henderson — the groups holding company. 'There is an enormous opportunity, not just for investors to invest in the UK, but to open up the UK to investors around the world'. Dibadj said. 'The UK has a stable political backdrop and has solid foundations for growth — a UK consumer that is in real wage growth and has built up savings since Covid, businesses that have been conservative in their borrowings and banks that have re-built their balance sheets since the global financial crisis'. Dibadj, who joined Janus Henderson in 2022 from Alliance Bernstein, added that a likely lower interest rate environment in the UK and a stock market that trades at a 'significant valuation discount' to those elsewhere in the world were among other reasons to be optimistic. 'A stable political backdrop and a modestly growing economy at a very reasonable valuation is a solid place to be', said the 50-year-old. 'International investors are starting to take notice and there has been an uptick in inflows to UK equities from overseas'. UK-focused funds have posted considerable outflows following Brexit and several bouts of political upheaval, but the pace of withdrawals has slowed in recent months. Data from Calastone showed net outflows of £449m from UK equity funds in May were down to half the monthly average for the past three years. However, equity funds have only recorded one month of positive flows in the past four years. New York-based Dibadj is the latest high-profile investment executive to single out potential investment opportunities in the UK. In May, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said that the world's largest asset manager had been increasing investment in 'undervalued' UK assets. Fink said the $11.6m asset manager had added to its UK positions 'across the board' and claimed some of the negativity shown towards British companies 'was probably not warranted'. 'I have more confidence in the UK economy today than I did a year ago', Fink said. The 72-year-old pointed to the growth agenda fostered by the UK government. He highlighted in particular that the Competition and Markets Authority has sped up its decision-making. 'I don't know what's changed it but it's a good change', Fink said. JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon also recently backed the government's approach. He told Financial Times in April that 'there's much to like' about Labour's pro-growth agenda. Other investment leaders are pointing to renewed interest in European assets amidst uncertainty following the introduction of trade tariffs by US president Donald Trump. Growth minded: Dibadj praised the UK government for 'real conviction' in pushing through market reforms that aim to spur growth and investment, such as the recent Mansion House Accord. This saw several of the UK's largest pension providers commit to allocating at least 10 per cent of their defined contribution assets to private markets by 2030. At least half of those asset will go to investments in the UK. 'There is a growth-minded government that has shown it will take action, a catalyst to kick start investment,' said Dibadj. 'That, combined with the opportunity that existing valuations present, are what makes the UK such an attractive proposition moving forward'.
Time Magazine
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
How ‘Surrounded' Memeifies Politics
Mehdi Hasan is 'one of the most formidable debaters and interviewers of our times,' the debate-hosting company Intelligence Squared said of the British-American journalist in 2023. Hasan rose to fame on both sides of the Atlantic for his confrontational interviews of politicians and public figures, often advocating a left-of-center view on Al Jazeera, BBC, The Intercept, MSNBC, and now his own Substack site Zeteo. But the author of a book titled Win Every Argument has also spoken about when not to take part in a debate. 'There are certain people who there is no point arguing with,' he said in 2023, pointing specifically to those who operate in bad faith. 'It's pointless. It doesn't go anywhere.' The one-versus-many debate web series has repeatedly gone viral since its premiere in September, featuring episodes from 'Can 25 Liberal College Students Outsmart 1 Conservative?' to 'Can 1 Woke Teen Survive 20 Trump Supporters?' and 'Can 1 Cop Defend Himself Against 20 Criminals?' Hasan appeared as the titular progressive in the 100-minute '1 Progressive vs 20 Far-Right Conservatives,' which has garnered more than 3.5 million views and counting on YouTube since it was posted on Sunday and millions more views of clips shared on social media. But Hasan was the first to admit that he didn't expect what he would encounter. 'You can see my shock when they start expressing their views openly,' Hasan posted on X in response to a critic who suggested he eagerly signed up to debate 'a bunch of nazis.' According to Zeteo, Jubilee Media 'chose the participants, with Mehdi meeting them for the first time in the studio itself.' Hasan, whose supporters have showered him with praise for his performance, claimed in the final minutes of the program, during which participants assessed the debate, that he was both taken aback but also unsurprised by the extreme views he met: 'I thought it would be an interesting exercise in trying to understand what genuine far-right conservative folks think. And it was kind of disturbing to see that they think what I thought they think, and they were happy to say it out loud. I am disappointed that I had to sit across from people who believe in white genocide, who believe I'm not a citizen. … The people here today were way beyond conservative.' While Hasan admitted he likes to debate 'even people I disagree with,' he reiterated that he tries to 'avoid bad faith folks' and said, 'I think some of the folks today were bad faith.' He also seemed to criticize Jubilee's airing of such extreme views, adding: 'Free speech doesn't mean you need to give credibility or oxygen or a platform to people who don't agree in human equality.' 'This is open authoritarianism, and this is what is being normalized and mainstreamed in our country, by people in power, by the media, by people who don't know any better,' Hasan said. But some observers online have suggested that Hasan himself should have known better about what he signed up for. 'The fix is in' Jubilee Media says its mission is to 'provoke understanding' and 'create human connection.' And, according to its website, 'We believe discomfort and conflict are pivotal forces in creating human connection.' The company has since 2017 produced a number of web series on dating, identity, politics, and more. 'We want to show what discourse can and should look like. Sometimes it can be unproductive but other times it can be quite productive and empathetic,' founder Jason Y. Lee told Variety in late 2024 for an article about Surrounded , which according to the article has a goal to 'promote open dialogue,' for which Jubilee sees itself as a neutral host. 'We try our best to be as unbiased as possible when it comes to the political sphere,' said Lee. For the most part, Jubilee's debate series appears to be unmoderated, governed primarily by the participants themselves, with occasional on-screen fact-checks provided by billionaire Joe Ricketts' media startup Straight Arrow News. But critics have questioned the company's supposedly noble aspirations. 'Jubilee Media mines the nation's deepest disagreements for rowdy viral videos. But is all the arguing changing anyone's mind?' the Atlantic asked in January. Media reporter Julia Alexander suggested on X that the program's producers are the ones operating in bad faith. 'Jubilee Media's done it again: taking 20 people with extremist views and putting them into a 90 minute video knowing that they'll say extreme things and get an extreme amount of attention,' she posted on Sunday after the Hasan episode. They've figured out, Alexander added, 'how to monetize the very essence of the internet.' Filmmaker and entrepreneur Minh Do posted that Jubilee's producers 'are mainly interested in clickbait views and incendiary clips that don't lead anyone to think any deeper about these topics' rather than any sense of responsibility to the public. 'Senseless conversation purely for views.' 'It only takes watching a couple clips of these to see that the fix is in,' posted podcaster Alex Goldman. Writer and disability rights advocate Imani Barbarin, who shared in March that she turned down an invitation from Jubilee to appear in a Surrounded episode about feminism, posted a video Monday in which she decried how she believed the debate-style program was made for viral moments, not serious engagement. 'That very same debate where Mehdi Hasan was standing up to 20 fascists or whatever, where you all think he won, is being cut up and chopped up across the internet to present it as though he lost,' Barbarin said. Indeed, one only needs to scroll through the social media pages of some of the participants to see them taking victory laps and their supporters praising their performances. 'This,' Barbarin emphasized, 'is what the memeification of politics looks like in practice.'
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Mehdi Hasan shuts down 20 Donald Trump fans in explosive jubilee debate – viewers call him a ‘National Treasure'
Mehdi Hasan is a British-American journalist who recently made a splash in progressive politics after departing from the MSNBC network to found his own independent media platform, known as Zeteo. Since then, Mehdi has spearheaded numerous investigative journalism and advocacy efforts, most notably concerning the ongoing war in Gaza, which he has termed a 'genocide'. Mehdi is also a staunch critic of the current Donald Trump administration, and has built up a reputation as a formidable debater. On July 20, he showcased his passion for debating once more by appearing on Jubilee's Surrounded. Surrounded is a YouTube series where a public debater deliberately disadvantages themselves by pitting themselves against 20 people of opposing viewpoints, with Mehdi facing off against hardline Donald Trump supporters who were staunchly anti-immigrant and openly supported many of the president's most controversial policies. Mehdi would later post a highlight reel of the over 90-minute debate on his X account, which got a lot of reactions, with James Allan calling Mehdi a "National Treasure". You're a National Treasure Mehdi. Netizens rally around Mehdi after his Jubilee debate Mehdi's highlight reel prompted a lot of responses on his X timeline, with many praising Mehdi's debating skills and commending him on facing off against America's radicalized right-wingers head on. User doomer_world called Mehdi an American hero, which he looked all too happy to hear. 🙏🏽 User Nick Warren said that the others brought a pencil sharpener to a gatling gun fight. They bought a pencil sharpener to a gatling gun fight... User jocamp thanked Mehdi for everything. 🙏🏽 User Rickey Williams commended Mehdi for taking 'hate and fascism' full on, and said there was no barometer to gauge the amount of 'crazy' among the 20 right-wingers. Words cannot express how much I appreciate you Mehdi, you took hate and fascism full on, there's no barometer to gauge the amount of crazy amongst those 20. User whereisjarule_ stated that Mehdi was the best debater he'd ever seen. Happy it's mehdi Hasan of all people going against them. He is the best debater I've ever seen! User thelefttake condemned the people Mehdi debated against, saying they should be 'put on a watchlist'. There are multiple people in this video who should be placed on a watchlist. It's actually scary knowing they walk among us. Not all responses to Mehdi's debate were positive, however, with seasters jones saying that Mehdi shouldn't have given the 'fascists' a platform. Had you never watched previous episodes? Just fascists getting crushed and acting like they won likely because they got to advertise/platform their hate. User Grounded Spaceman accused Mehdi of just talking over everyone. lol…this isn't the own you think it is. I'd wager that you can win a debate fair and square over the normal this is just you talking over ppl. Fast and loud doesn't win a debate dude User Landon Best said that Mehdi shouldn't call what he did a 'debate' because none of the 20 reactionaries he talked to had any ideas worth seriously considering. Your #1 issue is calling this a debate when it's not. Debate implies these ideas are in any way meant to be taken seriously. There is nothing serious about any of the 20 reactionaries you talked to. However, Landon was met with pushback by ValorieThomas, who pointed out that everyone in the video knew what they signed up for, and genuinely considered themselves debaters. It's important to note that every person in that room knew what they were signed up for. Every person in there knew who would be sitting across the table. Everyone in that room thinks they are debaters with relevant, cogent ideas & arguments. Mehdi Hasan has had a storied journalism career Before establishing his own media company, Mehdi Hasan spent a long time building his credentials as a journalist and activist. After doing a few stints on British networks such as ITV and BBC One, Mehdi rose to prominence as an anchor for Al Jazeera, following which he transitioned to MSNBC and hosted The Mehdi Hasan Show from 2020 to 2024. Aside from his work on Zeteo, Mehdi is also a regular columnist for The Guardian. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Britain's water polo late bloomer Toula Falvey has the stomach for success
Britain's Toula Falvey (right) in action at the World Aquatics Championships women's water polo play-off match against Japan at the OCBC Aquatic Centre on July 17. SINGAPORE – The night before her second training session with Britain's women's water polo team in 2021, Toula Falvey had severe stomach pain and was vomiting. Rushed to Ealing Hospital, what was initially diagnosed as kidney stones turned out to be renal vein thrombosis – a condition in which a blood clot forms in one of both of the veins that filter blood from the kidneys – after scans showed a swollen left kidney. Like a bolt from the blue, the doctor said that the kidney might need to be removed, and there was a possibility that she would not be able to play water polo again. 'It was definitely like a super emotional time for me,' said the 25-year-old British-American after their 20-12 loss to New Zealand in the World Aquatics Championships (WCH) 9th-12th semi-final on July 19. 'I was going over to England to live with my grandparents and train with the national team, I was training super hard every day, and I was told my kidney might already be dead and they needed to operate right away. 'It was a really, really hard time, not only because I was very worried about losing a kidney, but also losing my sport and my passion. I'm an athlete for life, and I was genuinely worried that I would never be able to play the sport again.' Fortunately, a surgeon at the neighbouring Northwick Park Hospital was able to break up the clot. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours at Yishun HDB block Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore Singapore 'I thought it was an April Fool's joke': Teen addicted to Kpods on news that friend died Falvey then had to cope a long road to recovery. After being hospitalised for 14 days, she was on blood thinners for six months. With a sarcastic laugh, she said: 'I swam the entire time, which was super fun and my favourite thing to do. 'I couldn't do contact sports, I couldn't even block because when I was on blood dinners, I bruised and bled easily. I was out for about eight months in total, which was super hard.' But the professional water polo athlete, who plays for Club Natacio Catalunya in Spain, does not do things the easy way. She was a team sports-loving girl who played basketball, football and American football. After knowing she was not going to make the volleyball team, she went for her high school water polo tryout, She said: 'I actually never learnt how to swim properly until I came into water polo. 'I'll never forget the first day of practice, and our coach Sophie Doyle made us swim 20 100 metres, and by the time the whole team finished swimming 20, I had done two. I was about to quit that day, and she said she believed in me and could see me playing in NCAA Division 1, and she was going to build me into a really good player.' Not only did Falvey end up playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 with the University of the Pacific, she rejoined the Britain national team and helped them reach the WCH for the first time in 11 years in 2024 – they eventually finished 11th. In Singapore, they beat France and South Africa to finish second in Group B behind Olympic champions Spain, before disappointing defeats by Japan and New Zealand in the knockout rounds. They will take on France again in the 11th-12th playoff and after the championships, the next step is to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since London 2012. Falvey said: 'We are all super excited about having 12 women's teams at LA 2028, and it's a huge opportunity for us. We did really well to finish seventh at the European Championships last year and we want to show we belong on the world and Olympic stage.' The quarter-finals on July 19 were a more keenly contested affair among the big guns. World Cup champions and World No. 5 Greece edged Olympic silver medallists and sixth-ranked Australia 8-7, thanks to Maria Myriokefalitaki's winning goal with two seconds to spare. They will face defending champions and world No. 3 United States, who beat 14th-ranked Japan 26-8, in the semi-finals on July 21. The other semi-final will pit world No. 4 Hungary, who beat seventh-ranked Italy 12-9, against Olympic champions and top-ranked Spain, who beat Olympic bronze medallists and world No. 2 Netherlands 4-2 on penalties after the match ended in a thrilling 11-11 draw. Hosts Singapore concluded their campaign with an 8-4 loss to South Africa in the 15th-16th play-off to finish at the bottom, though they improved on their 20-6 defeat in 2024. Croatia beat Argentina 4-2 in a shoot-out after a 12-12 draw in the 13th-14th play-off. While Singapore women's water polo coach Yu Lei felt the team could have done better to put away their chances and avoid giving up so many scoring opportunities to their opponents, he said the team have grown since the previous championships. They narrowed the goal difference across five defeats from 15-139 to 27-114. He said: 'We lose out in terms of height, weight and power, but we can improve in terms of our mobility, fitness and technique. 'To do so, we will strive for more opportunities to compete and train overseas. We will send our women's team to an youth tournament in China in September, and the Sept 28-Oct 10 Asian Aquatics Championships in India, before an overseas training camp in November to prepare for the SEA Games. 'I've always emphasised that our aim is to snatch the gold away from Thailand. I used the term snatch because they are defending champions who have home ground advantage which we have to overcome by lifting our standards.' Noting that there are fewer than 100 girls playing water polo in Singapore, skipper Abielle Yeo hoped that the support and infrastructure will continue to improve to help the women's scene. She said: 'Hopefully the WCH has exposed women's water polo to more people, and more will come join us, and the level of play here will go up with a bigger player base.'
