State Dept. Releases List of Top 10 Best Allies, Worst Opponents at United Nations

State Dept. Releases List of Top 10 Best Allies, Worst Opponents at United Nations



The U.S. State Department has released a report on the voting behavior of other countries at the United Nations — and has identified the top ten best and worst countries in terms of voting for to against the U.S., respectively.

The April 26 report, “Voting Practices in the United Nations 2017,” was prepared after the Trump administration made clear it would consider cutting aid to countries that voted against the U.S. in UN institutions. That warning came after the UN General Assembly voted 128 to 9 (with 35 abstentions) last December to oppose President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the capital city of Jerusalem.

“They take hundreds of millions of dollars and even billions of dollars, and then they vote against us. Well, we’re watching those votes. Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care,” the president said. His warning was reiterated by UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who said after the vote: “We will remember it when we are called upon to once again make the world’s largest contribution to the United Nations and we will remember it when so many countries come calling on us, as they so often do, to pay even more and to use our influence for their benefit.”

The report on UN votes is prepared annually, but has additional significance this year due to those warnings.

In 2017, the best U.S. ally at the UN was Israel, and the worst U.S. enemy at the UN was Zimbabwe.

The report also notes the best ten: “The 10 countries with the highest voting coincidence with the United States were, in descending order: Israel, Micronesia, Canada, Marshall Islands, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Palau, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.”

It also notes the worst ten: The 10 countries with the lowest voting coincidence with the United States were, in ascending order: Zimbabwe, Burundi, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, North Korea, Turkmenistan, Cuba, Bolivia, and South Africa.”

According to the USAID website, the latter countries received the following amounts of U.S. aid, across all agencies, in fiscal year 2016 (the last year for which full records are available, rounded to the nearest million):

  • Zimbabwe: $261 million
  • Burundi: $75 million
  • Iran: $3 million
  • Syria: $916 million
  • Venezuela: $9 million
  • North Korea: $0
  • Turkmenistan: $3 million
  • Cuba: $16 million
  • Bolivia: $1 million
  • South Africa: $597 million

The total was close to $2 billion.

Haley said last week, upon release of the report: “[T]his is not an acceptable return on our investment. When we arrived at the UN last year, we said we would be taking names, and this list of voting records speaks for itself. President Trump wants to ensure that our foreign assistance dollars – the most generous in the world – always serve American interests, and we look forward to helping him see that the American people are no longer taken for granted.”

Of the ten countries voting least often with the U.S., South Africa may already be feeling the consequences.

On Monday, South Africa learned that the U.S. would not be exempting it from new steel tariffs. The South African government released a statement in protest against the U.S. decision: “South Africa is concerned by the unfairness of the measures and that it is one of the countries that are singled out as a contributor to US national security concerns when its exports of aluminium and steel products are not that significant.”

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. He was named to Forward’s 50 “most influential” Jews in 2017. He is the co-author of How Trump Won: The Inside Story of a Revolution, which is available from Regnery. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.

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Lieberman: I Hope Trump Pulls Out of Iran Deal

Lieberman: I Hope Trump Pulls Out of Iran Deal



On Tuesday’s broadcast of the Fox Business Network’s “Cavuto: Coast to Coast,” former Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT) stated that he hopes that President Trump pulls out of the Iran nuclear agreement when the deadline for the deal comes in May.

Lieberman said, “I mean, to me, the big conclusion here is that the inspections agreed to by the Iranians under the Iran nuclear agreement of 2015 were lame, were inadequate, were weak. And whatever the president does as we come to this deadline, and I hope really he pulls out of this agreement. Because it’s a bad agreement. It was a mistake.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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Report: Kim Jong-un Agrees to Meet Trump at ‘Peace Village’ in DMZ

An unidentified source told CNN on Tuesday that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has tentatively agreed to meet with President Donald Trump, and there is a “strong possibility” the summit will be held in late May in Panmunjom – the same “peace village” on the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where Kim met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last Friday.

CNN’s source is described only as “an official with deep knowledge of North Korea’s thinking on the matter.” The report does not say which government this person works for.

The source made a reasonable case for the convenience of Panmunjom to North Korea, a significant benefit since the dictator does not travel well for a variety of reasons. Also, the necessary facilities for the meeting are readily available after the work done to prepare for the Kim-Moon summit, and it would be possible for President Trump to take a historic step across the border onto North Korean soil, as President Moon did last week.

Both the U.S. and South Korean governments have also looked favorably upon Panmunjom as a possible venue for the Trump-Kim meeting. A spokesperson for South Korean President Moon noted the symbolic significance of the DMZ village as a “place to erode the divide and establish a new milestone for peace.”

In a phone call on Sunday, President Trump and Moon reportedly discussed the possibility of holding the summit there. Trump went so far as to ask the American public on Twitter what they thought of the idea:

In a press conference on Monday, Trump said of Panmunjom, “I threw it out today as an idea. There’s something I like about it because you’re there, you’re actually there – where, if things work out, there’s a great celebration to be had on the site, not in a third-party country.”

“Maybe a lot of things will change, but Kim Jong Un has been very open, very straightforward so far,” Trump added. “I can only say ‘so far,’ but he’s talking about getting rid of the site. He’s talking about no research, no launching ballistic missiles, no nuclear testing. He has lived up to that for a longer period of time than anybody has seen.”

The “site” President Trump referred to is North Korea’s nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, which a combination of Beijing’s annoyance, Mother Nature’s agony, and shoddy North Korean engineering might have already gotten rid ofHowever, some analysts believe North Korea could resume activity at the site unless Kim makes a verifiable commitment to shut it down for good.

Kim himself refuted the terminal prognosis offered by Chinese geologists on Sunday and claimed Punggye-ri still has “two bigger tunnels than the existing test facilities” that remain in “very good condition.” He pledged to close the site and invite inspectors from South Korea and the United States to verify it has been decommissioned.

Both President Trump and a senior U.S. official quoted by Reuters said Monday that Singapore is also a possible venue for the Trump-Kim summit.

“Some U.S. officials have argued privately that having the summit in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas would present the unwelcome appearance of Trump traveling to Kim instead of the two of them meeting at a neutral site,” Reuters observed.

Business Insider proposes an additional reason North Korea might want to hold the summit in Panmunjom: it would “sideline China,” whose relations with North Korea have become strained. Kim sent a strong signal that vexing Beijing is on his to-do list by offering to meet with Trump without demanding a halt to joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises – long a North Korean demand and the very heart of the “freeze-for-freeze” diplomatic strategy China has been pushing with monomaniacal determination for many years.

“Beijing is committed to the eventual exit of the US military from the Korean Peninsula – and from the Asia Pacific writ large – so the willingness of Kim to meet without a first step toward a reduction in the US presence could not have made Beijing happy,” Asia studies director Elizabeth Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations told BI.

“China is desperate to remain relevant in this process of potential denuclearisation and reunification. It was taken aback by the decision of Kim and Trump to meet and unhappy about the lack of preconditions on the North Korean side,” she elaborated. “It very much wants to host the meeting between Kim and Trump as a means of playing a significant role in the process and ensuring that its interests are not ignored.”

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Final Tally: Nets Cover Royal Baby 10X More Than Alfie Evans

The broadcast networks are finally covering the case of Alfie Evans – but only after his death.

On April 28, British toddler Alfie Evans passed away days before his second birthday. Doctors removed his ventilator against his parents’ wishes April 23, which marked the same day the new royal baby was born. While the networks understandably and rightfully celebrated Prince Louis’ birth, they skipped over the other British child. In total, the networks covered the royal birth 10 times more than they did little Alfie.

From the evening of April 23 through April 29, news programming on ABC, CBS, and NBC devoted 38 minutes, 54 seconds to royal baby news. But the very same programs, combined, offered Alife 3 minutes, 44 seconds.

Like the new prince, Alife also boasted international attention. Pope Francis, a vocal advocate for Alfie, reacted to the toddler’s death on Twitter.

“I am deeply moved by the death of little Alfie,” he wrote. “Today I pray especially for his parents, as God the Father receives him in his tender embrace.”

His death came after a long legal battle as his parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, fought for their son’s life.Treated at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, the 23-month-old suffered from a unknown degenerative neurological condition.

The British courts refused to let Alfie Evans leave the country for treatment elsewhere even though Italy granted him citizenship, the Italian defense ministry had transportation prepared, and a Vatican-owned hospital was ready to admit and treat the child.

On April 13, Alfie’s hospital released a statement insisting that no more could be done for the toddler.

“At each stage of the legal process,” it read, “the courts have agreed with the treating team and the independent expert advisors instructed by the Trust and the family that Alfie’s condition is irreversible and untreatable.”

On April 28, NBC Nightly News Saturday anchor José Díaz-Balart introduced the segment of the “sad passing of the terminally ill British toddler” and the “legal battle, pitting his parents, who fought to keep him on life support and take him out of the country for further treatment, versus doctors who said there was no hope for his survival.”

That same day, for CBS Weekend News, anchor Reena Ninan mentioned that the “baby boy at the center of a legal battle over his medical care passed away overnight in Liverpool, England.”

Both networks mentioned Pope Francis and Charlie Gard. The legal battle over Alfie Evans came less than a year after the similar case of Charlie Gard, a British baby diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. Initially, the networks kept silent on his story, until both Pope Francis and President Trump tweeted about him.

But, beginning on the evening of April 23, CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor noted the “special delivery” of the royal baby. And the morning of April 24, during Today, NBC co-host Savannah Guthrie announced the “new little prince” while ABC co-host Robin Roberts mused over “what the new royal baby’s name will be” during Good Morning America.

On April 27, ABC, CBS, and NBC expanded their coverage with the news of the prince’s name announcement.

Methodology: MRC Culture watched the morning and evening news shows beginning the evening of April 23 through the evening of April 29 of the three broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, NBC). For the baby time tally, MRC included stories reported in connection to the royal baby (such as interviews with doctors on childbirth). In addition to full segments, MRC counted shorter commentary in the shows, but not teasers. No evening show aired on ABC for April 28. MRC Culture also searched for “Alfie Evans” in Nexis transcripts.

via NewsBusters – Exposing Liberal Media Bias

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Credit Card Companies Explore Ways To Track Gun Purchases

Cash only sales will become popular.

Via NRO:

Banks and credit-card companies are exploring methods to identify gun purchases in a possible prelude to restricting those transactions, according to a Monday report in the Wall Street Journal.

While the companies have not finalized any policy changes, they are discussing the possibility of implementing purchase codes for gun retailers, similar to those linked to credit-card purchases at restaurants and department stores. Another policy that is reportedly under consideration would require gun retailers to share with the companies information about what specific products consumers are buying.

The news comes amid a wave of national attention on gun-control policy prompted by the school shooting in Parkland, Fla. that claimed 17 lives on Valentine’s Day.

Corporations in general, and financial institutions in particular, have come under intense scrutiny in recent months as gun-control advocates increasingly call for policy changes intended to curb gun violence. In the aftermath of the Parkland shooting, Citigroup implemented a new code of conduct for clients operating in the gun industry, which requires that retailers confine purchases to those over 21, among other restrictions.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, quickly followed Citigroup’s lead, rolling out a number of investment products that specifically exclude gun manufacturers and retailers.

Pro-Second Amendment advocates and conservative lawmakers have criticized the moves as a misguided attempt to go with the political winds. Senate Banking Committee chairman Mike Crapo (R., Idaho) sent letters last week to Citigroup and Bank of America, which also implemented new guidelines for gun-industry clients, criticizing their policy changes.
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“It is deeply concerning to me when large national banks like Bank of America, which receive significant forms of government support and benefits, use their market power to manage social policy by withholding access to credit to customers and companies they disfavor,” Crapo wrote in a letter to Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan.

Keep reading…

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Utah Teen Shamed For Wearing “Racist” Chinese Dress To Prom, Accused Of “Cultural Appropriation”…

Too many are trolling on the lookout for butt hurt.

Via Fox News:

Keziah Daum is not apologizing for wearing what she calls a “beautiful” Chinese cheongsam dress to her high school prom, despite receiving backlash from thousands of people online calling her a “closet racist” and accusing her of cultural appropriation.

Daum, 18, posted an album of four prom pictures on Twitter on April 22 with the simple caption, “PROM.” One of the photos in the album includes Daum crouching down in the traditional Chinese dress, posing with a group of her friends with their hands folded together — a gesture many deemed inappropriate.

It didn’t take long for the Internet to respond. As of Monday evening, Daum’s post has been retweeted nearly 4,400 times and now she’s fielding hundreds of angry comments.

“What’s the theme of your life? Ignorant?” one user asked.

“This isn’t ok. I wouldn’t wear traditional Korean, Japanese or any other traditional dress and I’m Asian. I wouldn’t wear traditional Irish or Swedish or Greek dress either. There’s a lot of history behind these clothes. Sad,” another added.

“Oh god! The pose is just the cherry on top of this casually racist post. It’s not just a dress, it’s something that means something historically and traditionally to the Chinese,” another added.

But the teenager, who reportedly attends Woods Cross High School in Utah, defended her decision to wear the red-orange embroidered gown. And said she would wear it again to show her “respect” for the Chinese culture.

“To everyone causing so much negativity: I mean no disrespect to the Chinese culture. I’m simply showing my appreciation to their culture. I’m not deleting my post because I’ve done nothing but show my love for the culture. It’s a f—ing dress. And it’s beautiful,” she tweeted on Saturday.

Keep reading…

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Trump Refuses to Apologize for Travel Order: ‘Wouldn’t Make Ten Cents’ Worth of Difference’

Trump Refuses to Apologize for Travel Order: ‘Wouldn’t Make Ten Cents’ Worth of Difference’



Apologizing for 2016 campaign talk wouldn’t make “ten cents’ worth of difference” in the lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s temporary travel restriction, according to Trump.

The U.S. President was responding to a reporter’s question at a White House Rose Garden joint press conference with the President of Nigeria on Monday afternoon. The reporter said that opponents in the “travel ban” case claim the case would “go away” if Trump would apologize for some of his 2016 campaign rhetoric.

Trump was quick to respond,“I don’t think it would, one, and there’s no reason to apologize.”

“Our immigration laws in this country are a total disaster. They are laughed at all over the world. They’re laughed at for their stupidity. And we have to have strong immigration laws,” said Trump.

“I think if I apologize wouldn’t make ten cents worth of difference to them,” the President concluded. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” 

“We have to have strong immigration laws to protect our country,” he repeated.

A week after being sworn into office, President Trump signed the first version of an executive order temporarily restricting travel from sever terror-prone countries. Legal challenges led to two revised versions of the temporary travel restriction that were, again, challenged in court. In January 2018, almost a year since the first travel restriction order was signed, the Supreme Court of the United States granted review in the case against Trump’s “travel ban.” A decision is expected around the end of June.

Follow Michelle Moons on Twitter @MichelleDiana 

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