Latest news with #PoliticalViolence
The Guardian
7 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Former Capitol attack prosecutor slams Trump pardons of January 6 defendants
A federal prosecutor who helped lead the US Department of Justice's investigation into the January 6 attack on Congress has resigned – and, in a new interview, he criticized Donald Trump's decision to pardon about 1,500 people charged in connection with the Capitol attack, saying that it 'sends a terrible message to the American people'. Longtime assistant US attorney Greg Rosen, the former chief of the justice department's Capitol siege section, sat down with CBS News after resigning over the weekend. In the interview, Rosen said that he was 'shocked, if not stunned' by the breadth of the pardons Trump issued to those involved in the 6 January 2021 attack just hours after his second presidential inauguration. On 20 January, Trump granted 'full, complete and unconditional' pardons to those involved in the Capitol attack, including some convicted of violent acts. Trump also issued sentence-shortening commutations for more than a dozen cases while directing the justice department to dismiss all pending indictments against people related to the attack which unsuccessfully tried to keep him in office after he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. 'I think the message that they send is that political violence towards a political goal is acceptable in a modern democratic society,' Rosen said. 'That, from my perspective, is anathema to a constitutional republic.' Rosen said that the 'primary beneficiaries' of the pardons were individuals that 'judges across the spectrum, appointed by both political parties, had determined were a danger to society, individuals who were serving real serious jail time'. 'The concept that these defendants were railroaded or mistreated is belied by the actual facts,' Rosen said. 'The reality is every single case was treated with the utmost scrutiny, and every single case required the same level of due process, maximal due process afforded by the US constitution.' The pardons, Rosen said, 'sends a terrible message to the American people'. 'Individuals who were duly – and appropriately – convicted of federal crimes ranging in culpability are immediately let loose without any supervision, without any remorse, without any rehabilitation to civil society,' he added. 'The reason those juries convicted – and the reason those judges convicted – individuals was not because of some bug in the due process,' Rosen continued. 'It was because the evidence was overwhelming. It was the most videotaped crime in American history.' Rosen also criticized the Trump administration's decision to fire or sideline some of the prosecutors who handled the January 6 criminal cases and to disband the Capitol siege section. 'It's ridiculous,' Rosen said. 'To see those talented prosecutors be marginalized or removed from office is an affront to the independence of the department.' Rosen has joined Rogers Joseph O'Donnell, a private law firm in Washington DC. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion In a LinkedIn post on Monday, Rosen said he was 'beyond excited' for the 'new adventure'. Speaking to CBS, he added that it felt like 'time for a change – and a time to take what I've been doing and what I've learned over the course of 15 years in state and federal practice – and bring it to the private sector, where I can benefit clients who are being scrutinized by the government'. In a statement, the law firm said that Rosen will join its white collar defense and government contract practice groups. It hailed Rosen for being 'entrusted with supervising more than 1,000 prosecutions connected with the January 6, 2021 breach and attack of the US Capitol, the largest federal prosecution in American history,' the release added. In a statement sent to the Guardian in response to Rosen's comments, a spokesperson for the Trump administration-led justice department said the president 'doesn't need lectures … about his use of pardons'. The spokesperson alluded, in part, to a pardon Biden gave his son, Hunter, who was convicted of federal gun and tax charges. And the spokesperson also said Trump was 'acting reasonably and responsibly within his constitutional authority'. In late May, one of the pardoned Capitol attackers was arrested on allegations of burglary and vandalism in Virginia in what was believed to be the first instance of new charges – since the president's clemency – for a person who took part in the uprising against Congress. The attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters was linked to nine deaths, including the suicides of police officers who were left traumatized after having defended the building.
Russia Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
It's 2025, but Africans are still in chains. Why?
The past few days have offered a brutal snapshot of Africa's unresolved crisis. In Burkina Faso, militants from Jama'at Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, overran the Diapaga military base in the east, seizing most of the city and exposing the precarious state of security in the Sahel. Meanwhile, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the M23 rebel armed group, which has been fighting the government since the beginning of the year, tightens its grip on Goma, leading to vulnerable political conditions in which stolen minerals are funneled to foreign markets. In the diplomatic arena, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was treated with disrespect in the US when President Donald Trump ambushed him with a crude, racist presentation about so-called 'white genocide,' using footage falsely attributed to South Africa. Kenya now fears economic chaos as the US threatens to revoke the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade deal, a reminder that many African economies are still at the mercy of external powers. This is the continent's daily reality. Behind the headlines lie patterns of systemic violence, extraction, and manipulation. Whether it is Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabaab in Somalia, or foreign security firms in Mozambique, the message is the same: Africa's enemies are armed not only with bullets but with contracts, media narratives, and economic traps. The 'post-colonial' moment has long expired – what remains is a managed crisis, policed by the IMF, militarized by AFRICOM, and sanitized by the African Union's silence. And yet, in the middle of this, we are told to celebrate. May 25th is Africa Day – the anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963. Every year, flags are raised, speeches are delivered, and African leaders sing songs of unity. But let's ask the uncomfortable question: What exactly are we celebrating? When Kwame Nkrumah, Gamal Abdel Nasser, Julius Nyerere, Ahmed Sekou Toure, and Haile Selassie came together to form the OAU, their aim was not to build bureaucracies. It was to liberate the continent – militarily, economically, culturally, and ideologically. They envisioned a single army, a common currency, a unified foreign policy, and a break from Western dependency. Nkrumah famously said: 'Africa must unite or perish.' Today, we see more perishing than unity. Sixty-two years later, Africa Day has been reduced to a symbolic spectacle – flags without force, drums without direction. We watch parades while our lands are auctioned. We hear Pan-African slogans while our central banks answer to Paris. We commemorate independence while 14 African countries still use a currency created by their former colonizer – the CFA franc, a tool of economic control whose name itself means 'Financial Cooperation in Africa' – but cooperation for whom? Over 25 African countries are either in or near debt default. Collectively, the continent owes over $650 billion to external creditors. Nigeria spends substantial sums of its revenue servicing debt. Ghana, once called a rising star, is back at the IMF for the 17th time. In Zambia, debt repayments have choked investment in hospitals and education. This isn't mismanagement – it's engineered subservience. The so-called development partners make billions while entire generations are sacrificed to the gods of fiscal discipline. Meanwhile, Africa's material wealth continues to flow outward. The DRC supplies more than 70% of the world's cobalt, yet over 70% of its people live in poverty. Our uranium powers Europe's cities while Niger's villages remain in darkness. African agriculture – despite controlling 60% of the world's uncultivated arable land – is gutted by foreign subsidies and aid dependency. We import $40 billion in food each year, while our farmers are criminalized or displaced by foreign agribusiness. It is no exaggeration to say: Africa is being starved by design. But exploitation today is not only economic – it's also digital. Foreign companies dominate our telecom infrastructure, cloud storage, and digital platforms. Our data is stored abroad, our elections influenced by foreign code, our children fed algorithmic colonialism on social media. AI tools are trained on African voices but controlled by Silicon Valley. The scramble for Africa 2.0 is here – and it's happening on screens. Even our culture is colonized anew. Our stories are funded by Western NGOs. Our artists are rewarded for repeating narratives of trauma, not defiance. From art galleries to film festivals, African creatives are often made to conform to donor expectations. Real revolutionary expression is defunded, censored, or drowned in an ocean of meaningless 'diversity' campaigns. Cultural sovereignty requires more than visibility – it requires ownership. What makes this tragedy worse is that many of our own leaders are complicit. Elites who benefit from foreign contracts, imported goods, and IMF handouts – pose as nationalists while enabling neocolonialism. But Africa is not silent. In Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, new governments are challenging the old order. They have expelled French troops, broken from the CFA zone, and are building a regional alliance rooted in sovereignty. Western media calls them juntas. But to millions of Africans, they are a new hope. These governments are not perfect – but they are confronting imperialism where the African Union has capitulated. Their stand echoes that of Sankara, Nkrumah, and Gaddafi. As Gaddafi's last spokesperson, I saw what real African independence looked like. Free education, universal healthcare, interest-free housing, and no IMF interference. Gaddafi's dream of a gold-backed African currency and a continental defense force terrified the West – not because it was mad, but because it was achievable. That is why Libya was destroyed. The lesson is simple: When you challenge an empire, it fights back. But we must not retreat. Africa must forge new alliances – not with masters, but with partners. Cooperation with China, Russia, India, and Brazil must be based on mutual respect and shared interest – not dependency. We must demand technology transfers, co-ownership of infrastructure, and the right to control our natural resources. BRICS can be a platform of liberation – but only if Africa enters as a united, self-respecting bloc. Equally vital is a revolution of the mind. Our educational systems still glorify colonizers and marginalize indigenous knowledge. Our universities chase Western rankings while neglecting community development. We need a new curriculum – one centered on African languages, philosophies, history, and political economy. We must build schools that produce thinkers, builders, and liberators – not bureaucrats. The African diaspora is another critical front. It contributes over $50 billion annually in remittances, but its political power remains underused. We need institutional pathways for diaspora participation – in elections, investment, security, and culture. From Sao Paulo to London, Atlanta to Kingston, the diaspora is not a spectator. It is a co-creator of Africa's destiny. Let us also talk about the ecological front. Africa is on the frontline of climate breakdown – but the solutions proposed often mask the same exploitation. Green capitalism – carbon markets, climate finance, offset schemes – lets polluters profit while Africa pays the price. We must fight for ecological justice rooted in land reform, water sovereignty, and indigenous stewardship – not donor agendas. This is the real meaning of Africa Day in 2025. Not celebration. Mobilization. Not pageantry. Resistance. The African Union must rise from dormancy or be bypassed by movements and governments that are willing to fight. Cultural organizations must reject NGO dependency and build spaces for radical imagination. Our youth must refuse the logic of escape and rebuild this continent with dignity. We need Pan-African banks, Pan-African education, Pan-African defense. And above all, we need truth. Africa is not poor. Africa is plundered. Africa is not backwards. Africa is blocked. Africa is not free. But Africa can be.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
What does 8647 mean? The disturbing Trump Assassination movement as MAGA calls for FBI director's arrest
A disturbing movement calling for Donald Trump 's assassination appeared to get a high-profile nod from former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday. Comey has faced calls for his arrest since he posted and swiftly deleted a cryptic Instagram post featuring shells on a beach arranged to spell out '86 47.' Comey quickly apologized as he claimed he didn't arrange the shells himself but simply stumbled across them and 'assumed they were a political message.' But many doubted this claim, and noted that calls to '86' Trump have appeared numerous times in recent years - alongside several legitimate attempts on the president's life. The term '86-ing' something is most commonly used in hospitality to mean a menu item is out of stock, but has a broader translation that means 'getting rid' of a person or product. Others note that it has also been used in mafia jargon, to mean a grave being eight feet long and six feet deep. It is also frequently found in military parlance to '86' a mission, such as for bad weather, however it is not an official term in military guides. The reference to '47' notes Trump as the 47th US President, with protestors and far-left agitators seen at past rallies and demonstrations holding signs reading '86 47', and '86 45' in his previous term. One of the most controversial instances before Comey's post on Thursday occurred in October 2020 when Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appeared on a Zoom interview with NBC with '86 45' on a desk behind her. The Trump campaign claimed at the time of Whitmer's interview that she was 'encouraging assassination attempts' on Trump. Whitmer alleged that she displayed the numbers to merely mean 'get rid of' Trump, and said through a spokesman at the time: 'It's pretty clear nobody in the Trump campaign has ever worked a food service job.' After Comey claimed he was not aware that 'some folks associate those numbers with violence' and insisted it 'never occurred' to him, many cast doubt on his claim. Rallies as recently as this spring saw anti-Trump protestors hold '86 47' signs, and the numbers can be found on a range of merchandise criticizing the president. The inference of assassinating Trump took on more significance after the repeat attempts on his life during the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump was shot in the ear at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on July 13, by Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, just two months before Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, also allegedly tried to shoot Trump on his Florida golf course. After Comey shared his controversial Instagram post, a number of anti-Trump influencers piled on with their own calls to '86' the president. Left-wing social media figure Ed Krassenstein took to X hours after Comey shared his '86 47' shell photo to post a picture of four billiards balls with the numbers, captioned 'It's Time!' He was met with a wave of criticism as followers tagged FBI Director Kash Patel in his posts, leading the influencer to follow Comey's footsteps and claim he had no idea about the meaning behind the numbers. 'For the record, I am 100% against violence in any form,' he said to his one million X followers. 'Stop creating bogus meanings to try and investigate your political opponents. 8647 means 'remove Trump from office' - If you are creating any other meaning you are the ones who are going to end up inciting the violence.' Krassenstein also pointed out that conservatives had also sold '86 46' shirts during the Biden administration. Comey is facing calls to be arrested following his Instagram post, with the FBI and Secret Service saying they are opening investigations into his antics. After the former FBI Director issued his bizarre statement claiming to have not arranged the shells in the suggestive way and it 'never occurred' to him that it could be an inference to killing Trump, MAGA insiders claimed he was lying. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said: 'That is a ridiculous and insane statement to make. Coming from a guy who is the former director of the FBI. 'For Comey to think that we the American people, that he as a former FBI director, former prosecutor, would believe his lie that he didn't know what this was calling for. The dangerousness of this cannot be understated.' Critics said Comey's denial also does not make sense, given he admitted that he knew it was a politically charged message. Others have also questioned whether there is any truth to his argument that he simply stumbled upon the shells already in that formation on a beach, and chose to take a snap without fully understanding what it meant. Gabbard argued that Comey's status as a former figure of authority meant his message put Trump at further risk and could have been interpreted as a call to arms. 'I'm very concerned for the President's life, and James Comey, in my view, should be held accountable and put behind bars for this,' she said.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AEGIS London unveils political violence consortium
AEGIS London has introduced a new political violence consortium to address political violence risks, with coverage limits reaching up to $100m (£80.4m). This initiative is set to provide insurance against political violence and terrorism-related perils. The consortium's coverage spans civil commotion, civil war, insurrection, revolution, riots, sabotage, strikes and war. It is tailored to support various sectors including construction, financial, industrial, leisure, logistics, retail and transport. This new solution empowers AEGIS London to assume a 100% share of risk and raise its per-policy capacity from $60m to $100m. AEGIS London war & terrorism class underwriter James MacDonald said: 'We are delighted to launch this new and compelling offering, enabling our valued brokers and clients to efficiently secure comprehensive political violence coverage through this 100% solution.' AEGIS London chief underwriting officer Matthew Yeldham said: 'Our Political Violence and Terrorism Underwriting team is highly regarded in the market, and this product will make a real difference to businesses around the world seeking the necessary breadth of coverage and policy limits to secure their businesses against PVT [Political Violence and Terrorism] losses. We are proud to have built this consortium.' Last month, the company established a portfolio solutions division. This will leverage third-party underwriting expertise within the London market, under the leadership of Richard Palengat. AEGIS London is the UK-based subsidiary of AEGIS and manages Lloyd's Syndicate 1225. "AEGIS London unveils political violence consortium " was originally created and published by Life Insurance International, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
