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New Statesman
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
Russell Brand's transatlantic trial
Photo byThere are two Russell Brands. One, the British comedian with a cockney lilt and spidery limbs; he cracks wise on Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2011, a gothic jester; he organises anti-austerity protests and routs Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight; he's terribly concerned about the bankers, the bonuses, the bankers..; he guest edited an issue of this magazine in 2013. The other is his more recent incarnation. A stint in Hollywood – Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek – preceded the transformation of this left-populist raconteur into a new-age guru. His concerns about the bankers never went away, but were turbo-charged with new anxieties: mainstream media, the Great Reset, vaccine injuries, the lying political establishment. A predictable Pokemon evolution for a man, already distrustful of authority, implanting himself into the ecosystem of a nascent New American Right. Both Brands sat in the dock in Southwark Crown Court at 1030am on 30 May – black shirt unbuttoned below the sternum, jeans as skinny as they were in 2008, the customary ombre-lensed aviators in hand – and pleaded not guilty to five charges of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault. Two of the incidents were alleged to have taken place at the MTV offices and Labour party conference, between 1999 and 2005. On the day he was charged he wrote 'I've never engaged in non-consensual activity… I'm now going to have an opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I'm incredibly grateful for that.' Brand, 49, will go to trial on 3 June 2026. Brand has long been shorthand for something much bigger than himself: once, a symbol for the excesses of noughties television; more recently, evidence of the right's quest for spirituality; now, the impassable gulf between the American right and establishment Britain. On 2 May, when Brand first appeared in Westminster Magistrates' Court, Tucker Carlson wrote: 'The entire case is transparently political and absurd… He has no shot at a fair trial, because Britain is no longer a free country.' In the same post Carlson contended that the once 'famous leftwing actor' was being penalised – via rape allegations – for criticising the government ('for using Covid to turn the UK into a totalitarian state'). That sounds familiar. During last year's summer riots America looked on and saw not just tensions spill out onto British streets, but an overweening state happily locking people up for tweeting in response. Senator Ted Cruz suggested 'nanny-state totalitarians' were destroying Britain. Elon Musk couldn't stop posting about Keir Starmer's 'Woke Stasi'. The basic line that the MAGA right have taken on Britain is that it is over: overwhelmed by demographic change, overlorded by left-wing petty tyrants, overcome by contradictions that are no longer possible to hide or wish away. To them, Brand is just another political prisoner. And so, in Britain Brand sits as a faded rockstar – a once sexy Marxist with one foot in the establishment – diminished as he runs to his shed in Oxford to prepare for an immense legal showdown. And in the imagination of the American right he sits behind the glass staring at the judge in Court 2 as a victim of an authoritarian state that imprisons people for much less than what he is accused of; a standard bearer for their worst suspicions about Labour's Britain; a martyr who handily already looks a lot like a bad picture of Jesus you might find in a Tennessee Sunday school. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Outside court there was a man I recognised from Brand's first court appearance – his green Krispy Kreme bucket hat and pink trainers made him hard to miss. There were a throng of confused spectating tourists too, stalled by the press pack. If there were fans present they made little attempt to reveal themselves. And so Brand walked through the crowd – flanked by a small entourage – and got in the car, in silence. Cognisant, you must imagine, that his friends are very far away. Related
New Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Malaysia at the crossroads of the great global reset
The Reset Has Already Begun The Great Reset isn't some distant event lurking on the horizon — it's already here, reshaping our world in real time. What we're witnessing is not a sudden collapse but a slow, grinding realignment of economies, politics, and alliances, sparked by rising tariffs, weakening trade flows, overstretched fiscal systems, and the steady return of great power rivalry. Japan, Singapore, and China — economies that once defined the stability of Asia — have already pivoted from recognising the gathering storm to building their own storm shelters. In Beijing, the Politburo has held emergency sessions, rolling out new waves of fiscal stimulus and shoring up safety nets to keep domestic consumption alive. In Tokyo, policymakers are cobbling together stimulus packages to keep consumers spending and factories humming. Even Singapore, the region's model of predictability, has slashed its growth forecasts and called early elections, trying to lock in political manoeuvring space before the downturn bites deeper. These are not isolated moves. They are the opening plays in a new global game — one where globalization as we knew it has been replaced by something messier, harder-edged, and far more fragmented. The End of Frictionless Globalisation The new economic playbook is clear: balanced budgets are out; emergency stimulus is in. Governments across the globe are ripping up the old rulebooks, choosing fiscal expansion over austerity, and national priorities over global integration. Domestic consumption is being pumped up like never before, not out of ideological conviction, but sheer necessity. The idea of maintaining immaculate balance sheets has taken a backseat to the urgent, immediate task of keeping societies cohesive and politically stable. Leaders everywhere are realising it's better to frontload risks now than to face an angry, disillusioned electorate later. And yet, while these moves are economic in appearance, they are deeply geopolitical at their core. What's unfolding is not just an economic reset — it's a redistribution of power, a return to spheres of influence, and the messy birth of a new multipolar world. Malaysia in the Blast Zone For Malaysia, a country whose economic life depends on the free flow of trade — with a trade-to-GDP ratio north of 130 per cent — the tremors of this new world are already rattling the foundations. A China slowdown suffocates our export markets. Singapore's cooling economy dulls our services and investment pipeline. Japan's struggles ripple through our industrial supply chains. Meanwhile, the broader rise of protectionism and "friend-shoring" threatens to cut Malaysia off from the global networks that have powered our growth for decades. We are no longer living in a world where openness guarantees prosperity. Instead, we're stepping into a world where access to markets, capital, and technology is increasingly shaped by geopolitics, not economics. And make no mistake: the stakes are not just economic. As the United States and China lock horns, as Europe, India, and other middle powers reposition themselves, Malaysia risks becoming collateral damage in a competition it did not start and cannot control. The world is tilting hard toward multipolarity — not the clean, rules-based multipolarity of textbooks, but a rough, jostling competition where trade routes, digital networks, and even green technologies become battlegrounds of influence. Pivot or Perish: What Malaysia Must Do The first imperative for Malaysia is clear: we must pivot and pivot fast. Preemptive economic adjustment is no longer optional — it is existential. We need a supplementary fiscal stimulus, targeted at strengthening domestic consumption, shoring up micro, small and medium enterprises, and jumpstarting investments in future-proof sectors like the digital economy, energy transition industries, and advanced manufacturing. Social safety nets must be widened now, not after unemployment becomes a front-page crisis. And we must rethink our industrial strategy — encouraging the localisation of critical supply chains, aggressively courting "China+1" investments, and moving fast into areas where Malaysia can be a first mover, not a follower. Fiscal constraints, of course, are real. Malaysia's Fiscal Responsibility Act caps federal debt at 60 per cent of GDP — a ceiling already tested during the pandemic. Budget deficits will widen, likely blowing past RM50 billion. Rationalising subsidies, like through the PADU programme, will be politically messy but unavoidable. Yet pretending we can muddle through without serious adjustment would be an even greater mistake. The longer we delay, the harsher the correction will be. Neutral, Not Naive: Playing the New Geopolitical Game But economic resilience alone isn't enough. Malaysia must also recalibrate its foreign policy for this new, divided world. Strategic autonomy is not a slogan — it's a survival plan. We cannot afford to be trapped in any one sphere of influence. Not wholly aligned with the United States and its Indo-Pacific initiatives. Not overly dependent on China's gravitational pull. Instead, Malaysia must pursue a smart, flexible multi-vector diplomacy: deepen trade ties across Asean, invest in security and technology partnerships with Japan, South Korea, and India, engage Europe in green economy collaboration, and remain an active voice in global multilateral forums. Asean must be strengthened not as an abstract idea, but as a real strategic buffer — a regional compact that resists becoming a playground for external powers. Malaysia must push hard to reinvigorate Asean's political relevance, even if it means stepping on toes. We must also forge "minilateral" alliances — practical, nimble agreements with like-minded partners on trade, technology, and innovation — bypassing the paralysis of global forums when necessary. No Time for Illusions The big picture is unavoidable: the post-Cold War world of frictionless trade, global convergence, and shared prosperity is being torn down and rebuilt — right in front of our eyes. Trade routes will be weaponised. Currencies will be contested. Technology standards will split across geopolitical lines. Middle powers like Malaysia will be forced to choose, hedge, or — if we are clever enough — shape outcomes. We have a choice: lead our own transition, or be led by others. Be a shaper of the new rules, or a price-taker under someone else's rules. But either way, the old certainties are gone. The world Malaysia faces is harder, faster, and less forgiving. The Great Reset is here. The clock is ticking. And history will remember whether we stepped up — or were swept aside. ————————————————————
Fox News
07-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
How Canada's new prime minister plans to take down America and impose the Great Reset
Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account - free of charge. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News' Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. Please enter a valid email address. Having trouble? Click here. Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney is not your average political leader. He didn't rise through the ranks of parliament or build his political clout through years of constituency work. He is an unelected central banker turned international power broker with deep ties to the World Economic Forum, the Great Reset movement and the ESG (Environmental, social and governance) agenda. Some might say that his lack of political experience is a problem for Carney, but I disagree. While many of his country's leaders were playing politics, Carney was working to transform the world through influential organizations and financial institutions. He was one of the Great Reset's masterminds, and now, he's more powerful than ever. Carney's sudden political ascent in Canada has the potential to ripple far beyond his own borders. In fact, it may be a warning shot aimed directly at President Donald Trump and the rising populist movement in America. CANADA ELECTIONS: PRIME MINISTER CARNEY'S LIBERAL PARTY TO LEAD FOURTH CONSECUTIVE GOVERNMENT Before entering politics, Carney served as the governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, making him the first person to ever head the central banks of two G7 nations. During his tenure at the Bank of England, Carney became a global cheerleader for climate finance, openly pushing for financial institutions to embrace ESG standards and integrate climate risk into their decision-making. Carney was instrumental in founding the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), a coalition of major banks, asset managers and insurers committed to aligning trillions of dollars with the United Nations' climate targets. GFANZ quickly became one of the most powerful vehicles for advancing the ESG agenda through private finance. Carney's idea was the leverage the massive influence of global finance to destroy the fossil-fuel industry and impose ESG social credit scores throughout western economies, including the United States. In the process, Carney believed he could transform the world. But Carney's ambitions extend even further. He served on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum, the group behind the controversial Great Reset initiative, which proposes reimagining capitalism and reshaping global economies around equity, sustainability and stakeholder governance. Carney has echoed these themes for years, calling for a shift away from shareholder capitalism and toward a new economic model in which governments and corporations work hand-in-glove to manage society and the economy — a modern kind of soft fascism. Perhaps most disturbing of all for Americans, Carney has openly called for the replacement of the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency. While serving as governor of the Bank of England, he proposed a new global digital currency — what he termed a "Synthetic Hegemonic Currency" — to reduce the dollar's dominance. If Carney's vision for global finance were to become a reality, the U.S. economy could enter a massive recession. The dollar's status as the world's reserve currency means the dollar is used globally for trade and finance. If the dollar were to lose that status, not only would faith in the U.S. economy collapse, much of the $2.25 trillion circulating overseas would likely flood back into America, causing another inflation crisis. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION In today's political climate, where China and other authoritarian regimes are increasingly working to undermine U.S. financial leadership, Carney's proposal reads like a gift to America's greatest adversaries. And now, as prime minister of one of our closest allies, a country that has an outsized influence in global economic policy, Carney is in a position to put his vision into action. Carney has also voiced support for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), a form of government-controlled digital money that many fear could be used to track and control citizens' financial behavior. But Carney's ambitions extend even further. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum, the group behind the controversial Great Reset initiative, which proposes reimagining capitalism and reshaping global economies around equity, sustainability and stakeholder governance. Imagine a future where your ability to purchase goods or services depends in part on your compliance with government-approved narratives, and in this disturbing future, the government would be able to know about and stop any economic transaction. That's not a dystopian novel — it's the long-term goal of many progressives calling for a Great Reset, and Carney is among the movement's most influential champions. Make no mistake: Carney might not have any power in America, but his rise to authority in that country matters. His victory in Canada should alarm every American who values liberty, sovereignty and economic freedom. If Carney has his way, Canada will serve as a prototype for the kind of top-down, centrally planned society that the World Economic Forum envisions for the entire Western world. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And with Donald Trump now serving his second non-consecutive term as president of the United States, it's no coincidence that Carney has taken power in Canada. The globalist class is preparing for a renewed confrontation with the populist surge that threatens their influence. Mark Carney isn't just Canada's new prime minister — he's the Great Reset's man in Ottawa, and he has his sights set on more than just the Canadian economy. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JUSTIN HASKINS
New Statesman
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Statesman
Russell Brand has lost his voice
Photo by'I'm just sightseeing, I don't want an interview, love,' the middle-aged man in the Kangol baseball cap and hard leather shoes (no socks) tells me. His lonely screams – no less than two minutes earlier – of 'Innocent! Innocent!' made me question the sightseeing defence. I am outside Westminster Magistrates' Court for the first hearing of Russell Brand. There are more press than fans; this man had travelled alone. 'Are you here for Brand?' I ask another man behind me in the queue for security. He sighs, 'Oh is that's what is going on?' I get the sense that big media tussles don't happen here that frequently, but that they are an enormous pain for everyone when they do. Brand's mystical figure – or perhaps just preternatural instinct for press attention – made this an exceptional case. He arrived to a throng of photographers and reporters, and in total silence he walked at a snail's pace to the front door of the court, unsettling and composed, over 6-feet tall with aviator sunglasses, a black shirt buttoned down to this sternum. Last month Brand was charged with one count of rape, one count of indecent assault, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault in incidents involving four separate women between 1999 and 2005. There was a scrum to get into Court 1, where Brand had these charges and the conditions of his bail read out to him. He sat alone behind a glass screen in the dock, sunglasses in his hands now; his hair is typically long and his expression was still; he really does look a bit like Jesus. The comedian-cum-YouTube preacher has denied the accusations and said he has 'never engaged in non-consensual activity'. Brand has been through a vertiginous personal evolution. Once he was just a regular shock-jock political commentator. He sparred with Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight about bankers, he hosted anti-austerity marches, he endorsed Ed Miliband in 2015, and guest-edited an issue of this magazine. Now, over on his YouTube channel he preaches messianically about the Great Reset, the profiteering military-industrial complex and the lying establishment. He has converted to Christianity – and marked the occasion with a baptism in the Thames. Somewhere in Brand's career he became infected with all the anxieties of the new American right. It seems, more than anything, that all this once-venerated left-wing populist wanted was to be famous. His stint in the foothills of Hollywood (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek) angled him towards a new level of stardom. But today he sits alone in court, once the mob of photographers had subsided and the reporters had taken their seats, perhaps more famous than he has ever been. It is strange to witness a man so defined by his voice – a rhythmic cockney accent, the cadence of slam-poetry meeting the content of Spiked magazine – so silent. The 49-year-old only spoke to confirm he understood his bail conditions, and to give his name, date of birth and address. Finally, the most important performance of his life and the self-styled messiah has lost his voice. Brand left with an entourage: an American whom I overheard complain about the English; a small man, kind of like a shrunken Conor McGregor, with a tattooed neck; someone who looked like the TikTok sensation famous for eating large Chinese takeaways, 'Big John'. As Brand walked out of court – this time the police had instilled a better crowd control system: we were pinned up to barriers – he was surrounded by them and his lawyers, not looking much like a preacher any more. He was bundled into a car. All charges have been referred to the Crown Court. The trial continues at the Old Bailey on 30 May. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
Newsweek
21-04-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
MAGA Celebrates World Economic Forum Founder Klaus Schwab's Departure
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. MAGA is celebrating the resignation of Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), after he announced he was stepping down as chair of the board of trustees. The WEF board said in the statement on Monday that it had accepted Schwab's resignation at a meeting on April 20. It follow's his decision last year to quit as WEF CEO. The WEF did not provide any details of why he was stepping down. Newsweek has reached out to Schwab via email for comment. Why It Matters The World Economic Forum was founded by Schwab, 88, in 1971 with the aim of creating an annual gathering for policymakers and business leaders to discuss major global issues. The annual meeting in the Swiss mountain town of Davos has become a symbol or globalization and international business collaboration. The WEF has faced criticism in recent years, including from a number of supporters of MAGA and U.S. President Donald Trump, with accusations of elitism. The group has also been a focus of multiple conspiracy theories, including the Great Reset theory, which was a misrepresentation and exaggeration of a real initiative launched by the WEF in 2020. FILE - Klaus Schwab, Chairman of the World Economic Forum attends the opening of the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16, 2024. FILE - Klaus Schwab, Chairman of the World Economic Forum attends the opening of the Annual Meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 16, 2024. AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File/Markus Schreiber What To Know Alex Jones, who is known for pushing conspiracy theories, led the MAGA reaction to Schwab's resignation on Monday. In a video he posted on X, formerly Twitter, where he branded the WEF founder "pure evil" and the "mouthpiece of the UN and the globalists." The former Infowars host blasted the WEF, saying without any evidence that Schwab was stepping down because "he's so hated and nobody wants to be part of the organization, and it's falling apart." "This is a very, very exciting time to be alive," Jones added. TWO HUGE EVENTS JUST HAPPENED TODAY! Globalist Pope Francis is dead and Klaus Schwab has fled the WEF! — Alex Jones (@RealAlexJones) April 21, 2025 Republican firebrand Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene also celebrated Schwab's decision, posting on X shortly after news emerged of the resignation, and just hours after the death of Pope Francis, that "Today there were major shifts in global leaderships. Evil is being defeated by the hand of God." Greene has previously been vocally critical of the WEF and Schwab, saying in a 2022 campaign video that they were promoting "globalist policies" that she believed threatened American sovereignty and security, and were part of a broader "globalist trap." Today there were major shifts in global leaderships. Evil is being defeated by the hand of God. — Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) April 21, 2025 What People Are Saying Schwab said in a statement on Monday, "Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect," Schwab said in a statement released by the WEF. Liz Churchill, a Trump supporter with more than 765,000 followers on X, including Republican Representative Lauren Boebert, wrote, "ARREST this Monster. Resigning is NOT ENOUGH." Paul A. Szypula, who has more than 300,000 followers on X, wrote, "Schwab founded WEF almost 55 years ago, a globalist organization that preached, "You'll own nothing. And you'll be happy." Good riddance to Schwab. He and WEF are both pure evil." Elon Musk wrote on X back in January, "The real issue is that Klaus wants to be emperor of Earth. He certainly dresses for the part! And the policies that seem to emerge from this gathering don't seem to make for an exciting future." WEF's board said in a statement, "At a time when the world is undergoing rapid transformation, the need for inclusive dialogue to navigate complexity and shape the future has never been more critical. Building on its trusted role, the Forum will continue to bring together leaders from all sectors and regions to exchange insights and foster collaboration." What Happens Next Vice Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe will serve as the WEF's interim chairman as the search for a new chair begins.
