Donald Trump’s nuclear expansion tweet ‘one of the most frightening things’, says Noam Chomsky | The Independent

The linguist and scholar has previously compared Donald Trump’s campaign pledges and rhetoric to Nazi Germany KHALIL MAZRAAWI/AFP/Getty Images
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-nuclear-expansion-tweet-noam-chomsky-weapons-arsenal-twitter-a7491921.html

The US and Russia already own more than 93 per cent of nuclear warheads in the world

Rachael Revesz @RachaelRevesz Friday 23 December 2016

One of the world’s most famous scholars said he was “frightened” by Donald Trump’s tweet on “strengthening and expanding” nuclear capabilities in the US.

Noam Chomsky, professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said Mr Trump’s tweet was “one of the most frightening things I’ve seen recently”.

“Putin’s is bad enough,” Mr Chomsky told the Huffington Post, “but at least it has a defensive cast. It’s about Russia’s borders, not Mexico’s.”

Russian president Vladimir Putin also said he wanted to build his nuclear capabilities.

“We need to strengthen the military potential of strategic nuclear forces, especially with missile complexes that can reliably penetrate any existing and prospective missile defense systems,” Mr Putin said, according to Agence France-Presse.

“We must carefully monitor any changes in the balance of power and in the political-military situation in the world, especially along Russian borders, and quickly adapt plans for neutralizing threats to our country.”

The Department of Energy is in Real Trouble – Names Wanted of those wh

China sends warning after Trump’s comments on One China policy

ARIRANG NEWS

Published on Dec 12, 2016

중국, 트럼프에 경고 “하나의 중국 흥정대상 아냐”
Tensions flare after China criticized President-elect Donald Trump over his comments… that he could consider abandoning the One China Policy… if Beijing doesn’t get on board with Washington’s trade and foreign policies.
For details let’s turn to Kim Jung-soo The Chinese media has criticized President-elect Donald Trump, after the future president questioned whether the United States should continue to follow its “One China policy.”
Trump made the remarks during an interview Sunday with Fox News.
In an editorial the next day, the state-run media outlet The Global Times described Trump as being “like a child in his ignorance of foreign policy” and emphasized that “the One China policy is not something that can be negotiated.”

The policy has been the backbone of the U.S. relationship with China since 1972 and refers to the view that there is only one state called “China.”
Accordingly, a country that seeks diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China cannot simultaneously maintain its relations with Taiwan.
As a result, the U.S. cut official relations with Taiwan in 1979, and has since acknowledged China’s position, which regards Taiwan as a kind of breakaway province.
The relationship came under threat on December 2nd, however, when Trump took a phone call from Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, upending four decades of diplomatic protocol.
The White House quickly issued a statement on the same day, saying that there is no change to the One China policy.
However, that may not be the case in the near future.
During the interview on Sunday, Trump criticized China for not cooperating with the U.S. in terms of trade and currency policy, as well as matters involving the South China Sea and North Korea.
Trump went on to say that he couldn’t understand why the U.S. should be “bound by a One China policy” when China is not listening to America’s proposals.

Trump also used the interview to clarify what happened with the phone conversation on December 2nd.
He emphasized that Taiwan had called him and said he thought it would have been disrespectful to ignore the call.
Kim Jung-soo, Arirang News.

Dan Rather on Journalism & Finding the Truth in the News | Udemy

https://www.udemy.com/danrather/

About This Course Published 11/2016 English

Course Description

Whether you’re an avid consumer of the news or just beginning your journalism career, renowned news anchor Dan Rather shares his first-hand experiences to guide you through the 21st century state of journalism.

In this course, Dan teaches invaluable foundations on great writing, the essentials of telling a good story, and how to remain calm and captivating on camera — useful skills for anyone fascinated by the power of the news or anyone who wants to contribute to serious journalism. Dan’s rich history and extensive

…(read more).

It’s Happening: Chinese Newspaper Calls Trump “As Ignorant As a Child”

David Pakman Show

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Published on Dec 14, 2016

–The Chinese Communist Party-controlled newspaper “The Global Times” criticizes Donald Trump for putting the One China policy into question and antagonizing Chinese businesses

Donald Trump questions ‘one China’ policy | USA News | Al Jazeera

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/donald-trump-china-policy-161212035714312.html

President-elect Donald Trump says the US is ready to abandon the policy, unless China agrees to a trade deal.

US President-elect Donald Trump has said the United States does not necessarily have to stick to its long-standing position that Taiwan is part of “one China,” questioning nearly four decades of policy in a move angering Beijing.

Trump’s comments on “Fox News Sunday” came after he prompted a diplomatic protest from China over his decision to accept a telephone call from Taiwan’s president on December 2.

“I fully understand the ‘one China’ policy, but I don’t know why we have to be bound by a ‘one China’ policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade,” Trump told Fox.

Trump’s call with President Tsai Ing-wen was the first such contact with Taiwan by a US president-elect or president since President Jimmy Carter switched diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China in 1979, acknowledging Taiwan as part of “one China”.

…(read more).

State-run Chinese newspaper: Trump ‘as ignorant as a child’ | TheHill

© Getty Images

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/309913-china-newspaper-trump-as-ignorant-as-a-child
By Jennifer Calfas – 12/12/16 08:40 AM EST

China’s state-run Global Times newspaper on Monday said President-elect Donald Trump is “as ignorant as a child” when it comes to foreign relations.
“Many people might be surprised at how the new U.S. leader is truly a ‘businessman’ through-and-through,” the editorial said, as reported by The Associated Press. “But in the field of diplomacy, he is ignorant as a child.”

Trump broke decades of diplomatic protocol when he spoke with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen over the phone. The U.S. and Taiwan severed diplomatic relations in 1979.

The call sparked outrage in China, and Fox News reported Monday that China flew a nuclear-capable bomber over the South China Sea to send a message to the president-elect.

“China needs to launch a resolute struggle with him,” the Global Times editorial said. “Only after he’s hit some obstacles and truly understands that China and the rest of the world are not to be bullied will he gain some perception.”

Appeals Court Rules Climate Scientist Can Pursue Defamation Claims Against Critics

Climate scientist Michael Mann. Slaven Vlasic / Getty Images
https://www.buzzfeed.com/zoetillman/appeals-court-rules-climate-scientist-can-pursue-defamation?utm_term=.ii56g7190#.tkL1GvzXo

Michael Mann, known for his work on the “hockey stick” analysis of global warming, can proceed with defamation claims against writers who called him the “the Jerry Sandusky of climate science” and characterized his work as fraudulent.

posted on Dec. 22, 2016, at 8:39 a.m.

Zoe Tillman BuzzFeed News Reporter

WASHINGTON — Climate scientist Michael Mann, known for his work on the “hockey stick” analysis of global warming, can proceed with defamation claims against two writers who accused him of fraud and academic misconduct, an appeals court in Washington ruled on Thursday.

The DC Court of Appeals, the District’s highest local court, held that Mann had offered enough evidence for a “reasonable” jury to find that he was defamed by articles that, among other things, called him the “Jerry Sandusky of climate science,” referring to the former Penn State University assistant football coach who molested children.

Judge Vanessa Ruiz wrote for the three-judge appeals panel:

“Tarnishing the personal integrity and reputation of a scientist important to one side may be a tactic to gain advantage in a no-holds-barred debate over global warming. That the challenged statements were made as part of such debate provides important context and requires careful parsing in light of constitutional standards. But if the statements assert or imply false facts that defame the individual, they do not find shelter under the First Amendment simply because they are embedded in a larger policy debate.”

Mann brought the case against Rand Simberg, writing for the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Mark Steyn, writing for the National Review. CEI general counsel Sam Kazman said in a statement that they were confident they would ultimately win the case.

“As a public figure with his own history of harshly attacking those who disagree with him, Michael Mann must now show that CEI’s commentary met some very stringent standards of malice. It did not, and we will continue to fight against those who seek to punish and harass groups and individuals who speak out on controversial issues,” Kazman said.

Mann’s attorney, John Williams, said in a statement that they were looking forward to putting the case before a jury.

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