Here’s an Open Letter To The American People signed by “writers [who] are particularly aware of the many ways that language can be abused in the name of power.” What do they wish to convey to their countrymen? That:
we, the undersigned, as a matter of conscience, oppose, unequivocally, the candidacy of Donald J. Trump for the Presidency of the United States.
Golly. That should do him in.
The two-state solution for Israel-Palestine conflict is long past its sell-buy date as Palestinians have desperately tried to point out to the US. The Jewry in America are beginning to see the solution of two states existing side by side, and are now forcing the issue in Zionist circles. Palestinians are constantly accused of being the real obstacle to peace in the Middle East but a new initiative by a group of America’s most influential Jews may just prove otherwise this week, according to British journalist Yvonne Ridley.
There are just two drivers setting the pace for today's risk mood: the OPEC meeting in Vienna which started a few hours ago, and the ECB's announcement as well as Mario Draghi's press statement due out just one hour from now. Both are expected to not reveal any major surprises, with OPEC almost certainly unable to implement a production freeze while the ECB is expected to remain on hold and provide some more details on its corporate bond buying program, although there is some modest risk of upside surprise in either case.
A law in Kansas is creating chaos among voters, especially younger voters in the state. In 2013, Kansas passed a law that requires residents to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, and if it isn't provided, the registration is put in suspense, leaving residents unable to vote. While you must be a US citizen to vote in American elections, most states allow those who register to simply sign a statement affirming they are citizens and provide a driver's license number, Social Security number, or other proof of residence according to Reuters.
Last month, several Baghdad bombings attributed to ISIS killed more than a hundred civilians and wounded hundreds more. The attacks are a tragic reminder that Iraq is still a nation in turmoil. But they should also be a reason—more than 13 years after the decision to topple Saddam Hussein and undertake nation-building in Mesopotamia—to reevaluate U.S. policy in Iraq.