Myanmar government under Suu Kyi cracks down on journalists

BANGKOK –  When five Myanmar journalists were sentenced to decade-long prison terms for reporting on an alleged military-run chemical weapons factory a few years ago, Aung San Suu Kyi — then an opposition lawmaker — condemned the harsh punishments as "very excessive."

The journalists had been convicted of violating the Official Secrets Act — the same colonial-era law being leveled against two Reuters reporters who are facing a staggering 14 years behind bars each.

Local media quoted Suu Kyi telling supporters in 2014 that she accepted a concern over national security: "But in a democratic system, security should be in balance with freedom."

As government leader, however, Suu Kyi presides over an administration that has aggressively prosecuted dozens of journalists and made other attempts to suppress and discredit media

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Nepal prime minister resigns, paving way for new government

KATHMANDU, Nepal –  Nepal's prime minister has resigned after his party lost parliamentary elections, paving the way for a new government to take power.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba made the announcement Thursday, a day after the results of the November and December 2017 elections were finalized.

An alliance of two major communist parties is expected to take over power when the new parliament is seated. The leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), Khadga Prasad Oli, is expected to become the next prime minister.

Deuba had been prime minister for the past eight months.

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Airbus' improved earnings clouded by plane troubles

PARIS –  European planemaker Airbus says its earnings improved last year but it was hindered by further problems, both to its long-troubled military aircraft program as well as more recent engine problems on its single-aisle models.

The company said Thursday that it surged to a profit of 1 billion euros ($1.25 billion) in the fourth quarter, from a loss of 816 million euros a year earlier, while revenue was stable around 23.8 billion euros. For the full year, net income almost tripled to 2.9 billion euros.

Airbus took another charge of 1.3 billion euros on its A400 military plane and acknowledged struggles with engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney for the A320neo plane. The company said that a new issue has arisen recently with those engines, and it could impact 2018 deliveries.

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Mainstream media attacking Trump’s ‘dumb’ idea for military parade

“One sure way you know this is a great idea is by how upset liberals have already become,”

The mainstream media have suddenly taken a drastic stance against parades

President Trump reportedly ordered the Pentagon and White House staffers to look into holding a military parade in Washington, D.C., and the mainstream media quickly went bananas with scolding and stock video of soldiers from enemy regimes marching alongside tanks and missiles. 

“For the most part, U.S. presidents have avoided displays of military power that are often associated with the former Soviet Union’s Red Square celebrations, or more recently, Kim Jong Un’s parades in North Korea,” NBC News’ Hans Nichols said on “Today” as fear-inducing footage rolled. 

North Korea and the former Soviet Union typically have been referenced when discussing the idea of a military parade in America, but Trump reportedly was inspired when by Bastille Day celebrations in France. 

 (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

CNN has devoted significant coverage to the parade since it was floated as an idea. Jeffrey Toobin even declared, “We’re getting more North Korean every day.”

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” namesake Joe Scarborough repeated that somebody had better say “no” to Trump’s idea, while the panel on ABC’s “The View” mocked it relentlessly.

“If he wants to emulate the French, how about some national health care,” Joy Behar suggested before Sunny Hostin said Washington’s existing infrastructure couldn’t even handle a lavish parade. 

Whoopi Goldberg said Trump should “kick some money in” if he wanted a parade so badly. 

The Washington Post called it a “dumb idea” and countless people took to Twitter to express frustration with the idea. “America, traditionally shows off its freedoms, not its military. The weak do that,” CNN’s Chris Cuomo tweeted.

The media have proven repeatedly that they could create hysteria whenever Trump simply considered something, which was evident when pundits appeared outraged over reports that Trump thought about possibly firing special counsel Robert Mueller. The parade is no different.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said Wednesday the White House hasn’t “made a final decision” on holding the parade but Trump is “exploring” different ways to highlight the country’s pride for the military. A parade also would require various permits and a ton of planning, so it’s not happening anytime soon either way – but that hasn’t stopped the hysteria from liberal media members. 

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have popped up on cable news to condemn the idea and Fox News’ Shepard Smith joked that Trump could be given “mini replicas” of tanks. 

Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce noted that a “parade celebrating our troops and their work is apparently the only parade liberals don’t like” and declared that she’s all for the celebration.

“One sure way you know this is a great idea is by how upset liberals have already become,” Bruce wrote.

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Biden bashes Trump as 'bully,' touts liberal credentials amid 2020 speculation

He accused Trump of viewing everything through a selfish lens.




Former Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday described President Trump as the “neighborhood bully” while touting his own liberal credentials during a speech to Democratic lawmakers that appeared aimed at keeping his foot in the door for a potential 2020 run for president.

“Since when do we give hate safe harbor in America?” Biden said in a speech to Democrats at the Capitol. “Since when are we leaving so many people behind? Guys, this president is doing great damage.”

The former Democratic senator and vice president under former President Barack Obama accused Trump of pushing a “closed and clannish nationalism” and an “ugly and phony populism.” He also called out the president for his trademark derogatory nicknames to political critics.

 (Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“Don’t act like the neighborhood bully, talking down to ‘Little so and so’ or ‘Fat so and so,’” Biden said. “I mean, my God. He’s the president of the United States of America.”

He accused Trump of viewing everything through a selfish lens.

“We have a president who is consumed by his political survival,” Biden said. “It’s the beginning, the middle and the end. Everything is run through the filter of how it affects Donald Trump in Donald Trump’s mind.”

“Since when do we give hate safe harbor in America? Since when are we leaving so many people behind? Guys, this president is doing great damage.”

- Joe Biden

Biden also accused Trump of “shredding some of our core values” and cited the president’s attacks on the press.

“I mean there’s an all-out attack on the guys wearing the striped shirts: the press and the courts,” he said. “It is a technique that’s been used repeatedly throughout history by those who want to clear the field so they’re in a position to be able to abuse power.”

Biden unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for president in 1988 and 2008 but opted against a campaign in 2016. The 75-year-old, who has not ruled out a run in 2020, called for Democrats “to remain united as a party, and not be divided.”

“I will challenge any of you to put my progressive credentials of 36 years in the Senate up against any of you,” Biden said. “Any of you. I’ll also suggest that my commitment to growth of the middle class is as strong as any of you.”

Biden also pointed out how he and Obama won in places that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton lost during the 2016 election.

“By the way, you know, all these so-called racists who voted against us last time out?” Biden asked, telling Democrats to “remember a black man and an Irish Catholic kid” won in many of the places where Trump beat Clinton.

“But for 72,000 votes, we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” he said. “72,000 votes.”

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