List of All Articles with Tag 'pol'

Dan Walker has bit back after facing backlash for interviewing Lee Anderson. Walker used to work for BBC Breakfast but now covers news and current affairs at Channel 5. For his latest assignment he sat in a park to have tea and biscuits with the controversial deputy chair of the Conservative party. But when he posted an image on Twitter teasing the release of the interview, people got annoyed and suggested he wasn't an appropriate person to interview, given he has made a series of outlandish statements including saying asylum seekers should "f*** off back to France" and claiming that those who use food banks have issues managing their budgets. After a sustained Twitter backlash, Walker issued a response. He said: He added in a follow-up tweet: "I’ve never interviewed a politician who expects everyone to agree with them but they all know that their views & policies will be challenged" and said he had also interviewed Angela Rayner and Ed Davey. And Anderson said: The interview comes out today on Channel 5. But given the Twitter reaction, it doesn't seem that people will be desperate to tune in. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

You might detest his politics, but can cracking jokes at the expense of an 81-year-old having a very public health episode ever be a good look? In July Republican Senator Mitch McConnell appeared to freeze mid-sentence during a press conference, before being led away by his team, social media was quickly inundated with reaction. McConnell stopped speaking for 19 seconds before being escorted away by concerned colleagues, appearing to sway slightly and lose focus. An aide explained that McConnell had “felt lightheaded and stepped away for a moment”. They continued: “He came back to handle Q&A, which as everyone observed was sharp.” Sadly this happened again to McConnell on Wednesday when he was speaking at a press event in Covington, Kentucky and froze for around 30 seconds when he was asked about his intention to run for re-election in 2026. He was then assisted by an aide and answered two more questions before leaving without addressing the incident. "Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today," McConnell's spokesperson said after the incident. The memes following both incidents were relentless, with people calling on him to retire. Again, much like the reaction to the Titan submersible tragedy and the riots in France earlier this summer, it shows the often cruel, reactionary nature of social media, with people quick to chip in on major incidents in the name of a few easy likes. Calling for younger leaders to represent Americans is perfectly valid, but outright mocking and joking about what appeared to be a serious health concern shows the internet at its least empathetic. Yes, it’s a buzzkill sentiment, and McConnell’s brand of politics has been completely oppositional to many over the years, but that shouldn’t excuse piling on an elderly public figure suffering an episode in the most public of spaces, should it? Some did express similar thoughts online, with one writing: “Oh also about this McConnell business. Y’all need to keep it cute with your insults! Not about McConnell (**** him) but because several people are making ableist and ageist jokes. You can talk about him without elderly and disabled people catching strays.” Another said: “All the people in the comments joking about this - i dont find it funny at all. I’m no Mitch McConnell girlie in the slightest but he’s had some serious health issues… Lets not joke about people’s health and scary situations like this.” It’s not the first time health concerns have been raised about McConnell. In March, the 81-year-old suffered a fall at a Washington DC hotel and was hospitalised due to concussion and a minor rib fracture. After undergoing rehab, he returned to Congress in April. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

For the first time in more than three years, federal student loan borrowers will be required to pay their monthly student loan bills starting in October. The pandemic-related pause, which went into effect in March 2020, provided relief to nearly 44 million borrowers by freezing their accounts.

By Indradip Ghosh BENGALURU Home prices in Germany will fall by more than 5% this year and stagnate

It was an excruciating moment of powerlessness for one of Washington's most powerful men.

Sentencing hearings for two leaders of the far-right Proud Boys group have been rescheduled after the judge canceled Wednesday's proceedings because of a medical issue, multiple sources tell CNN.

Donald Trump inflated his net worth by as much as $2.2 billion in one year, lawyers for the New York attorney general's office alleged as part of their civil fraud lawsuit against the former president, his adult sons and the Trump Organization.

By Devayani Sathyan BENGALURU Australian home prices likely bottomed much earlier than previously expected and will rise for

The Biden administration has approved the first-ever transfer of US military equipment to Taiwan under a program typically saved for sovereign nations, according to a notification sent to Congress on Tuesday.

Two Trump co-defendants in Georgia who requested speedy trials asked a judge Wednesday to formally separate their cases from the sprawling overall indictment, a move that would undercut Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' attempt to hold one massive trial for all 19 defendants in the election interference case.

Some 3.6 million salaried workers would newly qualify for overtime pay under a proposed rule unveiled by the US Department of Labor on Wednesday. It would guarantee overtime pay of at least time-and-a-half for most salaried workers earning less than $1,059 a week, or about $55,000 a year.

Former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro will not be able to argue before a jury at his contempt of Congress trial next week that the former president asserted privilege to shield him from a House January 6 committee subpoena, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.