Latest news with #Obamas
The Journal
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Do you agree with the Obamas being given the Freedom of Dublin?
THE DUBLIN LORD Mayor has invited Barack and Michelle Obama to accept the Freedom of the City of Dublin award during their September visit. The Obamas were originally conferred the honour in 2017 after a close vote but have not yet been in Dublin to accept the award. Advertisement Opponents of the award have cited the former president's foreign policy record and People Before Profit's Hazel De Nortúin said that the party would introduce an emergency motion if the award is not revoked. Former Lord Mayor Emma Blain said that she is in favour of the move, saying that Irish people 'have a great affection' for the Obamas. So, tell us: Do you agree with the Obamas being given the Freedom of Dublin? Poll Results: No (354) Yes (336) Unsure (71) Yes No Unsure Vote
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Lord Mayor invites Barack and Michelle Obama to accept Freedom of Dublin
Dublin City Council voted to confer the city's highest civic honour on the couple in February 2017, but they never had the chance to officially accept the award. Dublin's Lord Mayor Ray McAdam has now invited the couple to accept this award during their upcoming visit to the capital in September. In a letter to the Obamas, the lord mayor urged the couple to come to the Mansion House to formally accept the city's highest accolade. 'As you return to Dublin, I know that many here continue to hold fond memories of your visit in the spring of 2011,' he wrote. 'In February 2017, the Council resolved unanimously to confer this highest civic honour upon you both.' Previous recipients of the Freedom of Dublin include Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela, John F. Kennedy and Mother Theresa. Historically, the award granted certain privileges to the city's holder such as grazing sheep on Stephen's Green. Despite a small number of councillors walking out in protest over the vote at the time, Lord Mayor McAdam praised the global impact of the Obamas. 'Barack and Michelle Obama have made an extraordinary contribution to public life, not just in the United States but globally,' he said 'President Obama led his country through a time of deep economic crisis and political division with a sense of hope, dignity, and calm leadership. 'His presidency inspired people around the world, including here in Ireland.' Obama is visiting Dublin in September to take part in a sit-down interview with journalist Fintan O'Toole. Mr McAdam believes the Obamas have done tremendous work for the democratic process and should be honoured for their contribution to public service. 'Mrs Obama, through her advocacy, voice, and example, has empowered millions – particularly young women and girls – to believe in their potential,' he said. The vote to confer the award in 2017 was a controversial one, with councillors voting 30 to 23 in favour, with four abstentions. People-Before-Profit councillors John Lyons, Andrew Keegan, Tina MacVeigh and Hazel de Nortuin left the council chamber when the appointment was made. They claimed the awarding of the honour was an 'insult' to the people of Dublin as the former President 'presided over growing inequality at home, mass incarceration and deportations and ongoing wars in the Middle East'. Lord Mayor McAdam believes the Freedom of the City is an important reward to 'connect those honoured with the reward with the to the civic heart of our capital'. 'By conferring the Freedom, we're not just recognising past achievements, we're welcoming the Obamas as part of Dublin's story,' he said. Cllr McAdams affirmed that this award is of great importance to Dublin and would like to see the Obamas take up the duty. 'This ceremony is a chance to affirm the values we hold dear in Dublin: democracy, decency, inclusion, and respect. 'The Obamas reflect those values, and I believe this is an important and appropriate moment to formally celebrate them.'
Russia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
Biden's memoir deal falls millions short of Obama, Clinton
Former US President Joe Biden has sold the rights for his memoir focusing on his time in office for a roughly $10 million advance, the Wall Street Journal has reported. The sum is six times less than what the Obamas received for their memoirs in 2017 and is also $5 million less than what former President Bill Clinton got for his book in 2004. Fox News columnist David Marcus questioned the former president's ability to produce such a book in the first place, pointing to his rumored mental decline and claiming that the text may instead be 'ghostwritten' by his 'inner circle.' No one would allegedly be able to get 'a book's worth of sensible commentary' out of Biden, since he struggles to give a '10-minute interview,' Marcus claimed. The worldwide rights for Biden's book, which has neither a title nor a publication date, have been acquired by a New York-based subsidiary of French publishing giant Hachette, the WSJ said on Thursday. Neither Hachette, nor the Creative Artists Agency, which represented Biden in the deal, commented on the report. Biden himself dismissed all rumors about his mental state by insisting earlier this month that he was 'working like hell' on a '500-page book.' Biden was the oldest US president ever, ending his tenure at 82. He was dogged by rumors about his physical health and mental acuity during his time in office, but maintained he was fine despite on many occasions appearing to struggle to perform his public duties. His successor, Donald Trump, accused Biden's inner circle of 'treason at the highest level' in May, saying that they exploited the former president's cognitive decline to implement policies without his knowledge. Later the same month, Senator Ron Johnson announced an investigation into an alleged cover-up relating to Biden's health. The move was prompted by Biden's revelation that he had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, sparking rumors that the diagnosis had long been known but that Democrats had deliberately kept the public in the dark.
CNN
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNN
CNN visits boys camp devastated by Texas floods
CNN visits boys camp devastated by Texas floods Camp La Junta is an all-boys camp in Texas that was devastated by flooding on July 4th. The owners gave CNN rare access to see the damage after the storm. 01:53 - Source: CNN Lightning bolt strikes near delivery man Video shows a lightning strike nearly hitting a delivery man in Wayne, New Jersey, as storms took place across the Mid-Atlantic. 00:36 - Source: CNN Trump ramping up pressure on Fed chair The White House pressure campaign for the Chair of the Federal Reserve, Jay Powell, to lower interest rates escalated sharply Wednesday morning. CNN's Phil Mattingly breaks down Trump's strategy and how markets are responding. 02:54 - Source: CNN Hikers confront man allegedly setting a tree on fire in LA Video shows a tense moment where hikers confronted a man for allegedly starting a fire near Runyon Canyon Park in Los Angeles on Sunday and prevented him from leaving the scene. Andrew Ocalliham was arrested and charged with one count of arson of forest land, court records show. 01:23 - Source: CNN Massive fire destroys Tomorrowland's main stage Tomorrowland's main stage went up in flames just days ahead of the festival's opening in Boom, Belgium. 00:38 - Source: CNN The Obamas address divorce rumors on Michelle's podcast Former President Barack Obama joined his wife, former first lady Michelle Obama, on her latest podcast episode with her brother Craig Robinson to address divorce rumors. In recent months, speculation about their marriage has run rampant after several public appearances where Michelle Obama did not join her husband, including at President Donald Trump's inauguration in January. 01:52 - Source: CNN How Trump's image is changing inside Russia Once hailed as a pro-Kremlin figure, President Donald Trump's image is changing inside Russia. It comes after Trump vowed further sanctions on the country if a peace agreement with Ukraine is not reached in 50 days. CNN's Chief Global Affairs Correspondent is on the ground in Moscow with the analysis. 01:41 - Source: CNN Syrian anchor takes cover from airstrike live on TV An airstrike on the Syrian Ministry of Defense was captured live on Syria TV, forcing the anchor to take cover. Israel has been carrying out airstrikes on Syria as part of its commitment to protect the Druze, an Arab minority at the center of clashes with government loyalists. 00:30 - Source: CNN Trump says interest in Epstein files is 'pretty boring stuff' President Donald Trump said he doesn't understand his supporters' continued interest in the Epstein files, calling it "boring," while also reiterating his call for anything 'credible' to be released. 00:56 - Source: CNN Rep. Jasmine Crockett responds to Trump saying she should take IQ test CNN's Laura Coates speaks with Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) about President Donald Trump's comments that she and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should take an IQ test. 01:05 - Source: CNN US Citizen who spied on Ukraine awarded Russian passport Daniel Martindale, an American citizen, spied on the Ukrainian military for Moscow for two years in the region of Donetsk before the Kremlin awarded him a Russian passport on Tuesday, according to state media TASS. 00:41 - Source: CNN Supreme Court ruling will allow mass firings of Education Department employees The Supreme Court on Monday said President Donald Trump may proceed with his plan to carry out mass layoffs at the Department of Education in the latest win for the White House at the conservative high court. CNN's Sunlen Serfaty reports. 01:34 - Source: CNN Unreleased Beyoncé music stolen from choreographer's rental car in Atlanta Two laptops and hard drives containing watermarked and unreleased music by Beyoncé were stolen from her choreographer's rental car in Atlanta, according to police. 00:55 - Source: CNN Trump announces novel plan to send weapons to Ukraine In an Oval Office meeting, President Trump announced that the US will sell weapons to European nations who will then send them to Ukraine. The president also threatened new trade consequences if no peace deal is reached with Ukraine within 50 days. 00:26 - Source: CNN Deadly fire at Massachusetts assisted living facility Nine people died Sunday night after an assisted living facility caught fire in Fall River, Massachusetts, officials said, with elderly people begging for help from first responders as smoke poured out of the building. 00:37 - Source: CNN ICE vehicle runs through protesters CNN affiliate KGO reports that an ICE vehicle ran through protesters attempting to stop an alleged deportation outside the San Francisco Federal Immigration Court. 00:59 - Source: CNN How the first 48 hours of the Texas floods unfolded The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes on the morning of July 4th, leading to devastation and more than 100 deaths across Central Texas. CNN recounts what happened in the first 48 hours of the flood. 05:02 - Source: CNN Federal agents face off with protesters at California farm The Ventura County Fire Department said they responded to calls of people having breathing problems at a farm in Ventura County, California, after federal agents appeared to deploy tear gas canisters into the crowd. A DHS spokesperson told CNN that they were "executing criminal warrants at a marijuana facility." It is unclear if any arrests were made. 01:24 - Source: CNN Birkin bag smashes auction records at $10 million Scuffed, scratched and stained, this black leather Hermès Birkin bag just sold for €8.6 million ($10 million), with fees, becoming the most expensive handbag to ever sell at auction. After a dramatic bidding war, the hammer fell at a winning bid of €7 million ($8.2 million). Known as 'The Original Birkin,' the rarefied handbag is the first version of this timeless luxury staple, inspired by its owner — '60s 'It-girl' Jane Birkin. 01:52 - Source: CNN Moo Deng turns one The Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand celebrated the first birthday of Moo Deng – a pygmy hippo who rose to fame last year after heartwarming and mischievous videos of her went viral. CNN spoke to Moo Deng fans who flew from around the world to celebrate her special day. 01:13 - Source: CNN
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Obamas' private Martha's Vineyard beach could be opened to PUBLIC if wealthy developer gets his way
The Obamas private beach in Martha's Vineyard could soon be opened to the public if a millionaire developer gets his way in a long-running legal battle. Boston real estate mogul Richard Friedman has been fighting his neighbors in the wealthy enclave for years over access to a two-mile stretch of barrier beach, Oyster Pond. He bought a 20-acree property in 1983, believing the purchase gave him ownership of the barrier beach. But his wealthy neighbors disagreed, saying they owned the beach. A lengthy legal saga ensued that was ultimately brought to an end by natural erosion and shifts in the beach's sands. As the court battle went on for decades, Friedman decided that, since the private beaches had by this point moved north to rest between two bodies of water considered 'public' under Massachusetts law - Oyster Pond and Jobs Neck Pond - no private entity should be able to lay claim to them. Now Democratic governor Maura Healy is pushing to open the beach stretch to the public, adding a measure to a $3 billion environmental bond bill that would define a barrier beach which moves - whether by erosion or rising sea levels - on to public land as public property. The bill declares that a beach that moves into the 'former bottom of the great pond shall be and remain in Commonwealth ownership in perpetuity.' Hundreds of homeowners would be affected if the measure passes, including Barack and Michelle Obama, whose 28-acre estate includes a barrier beach that would become open to the public. As the Boston Globe points out, Friedman is a Healy donor and is even scheduled to host a fundraiser for her this weekend. Critics of the bill have accused her of doing a donor's bidding but she insists the planned law will open more of her state's most stunning beaches to regular people who aren't super-rich. The Democrat has denied being swayed by her wealthy donor. Her spokesperson said in a statement: 'As someone who grew up on the Seacoast, Governor Healey has always felt strongly about increasing public access to beaches and great ponds.' The Obamas purchased the sprawling vacation home on Martha's Vineyard for $11.75 million in 2020. The battle between millionaire families has been raging since a century ago, when two wealthy clans - the Nortons and the Flynns - with oceanside mansions carved out the beach overlooking Oyster Pond, claiming land rights to large slices of the shoreline. The Norton land is now owned by three trusts - with Friedman being the principal owner, and the Flynn land is owned by six trusts. Last September, a court ruled against Richard and in favor of the neighbors who say they own the beach. Representatives for the Flynn trusts have been fighting Friedman's efforts for decades, and experts told the Boston Globe that the law would likely invite lawsuits from the affected homeowners of properties with private beaches. Eric Peters, one of the attorneys for the Flynn trusts, said 'There is no public interest promoted' by this this legislation promotes the of a real estate developer.' Friedman's lawyers meanwhile have claimed 28 beaches that are now considered private would be open to the public if the law is changed. Friedman is the developer behind the famed Charles Hotel in Cambridge and the Liberty Hotel in Boston.
