#AUSTRALIA: Former Green Party Candidate Condemned For Calling Israelis Nazis

[world politics news]

Jewish leaders rejected an apology by controversial former Green Party candidate Julian Burnside, who last week equated Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians to Nazi Germany, saying it was "difficult to accept” after he subsequently repeated the comparison in an email published in The Australian newspaper.

The controversy started when Burnside – an attorney who previously sparked anger after sharing an image depicting federal MP Peter Dutton as a Nazi officer – tweeted, “The curious thing about the Israeli stance is that their treatment of Palestinians looks horribly like the German treatment of the Jews during the Holocaust."

Adam Bandt, Leader of the Green Party distanced himself from the comments, saying, "The treatment of the Palestinian people can be condemned on its own facts."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: #Alberta Premier Condemns "Racist" Rally At Legislature

[world politics news]

The convergence of people protesting everything from Alberta's COVID-19 restrictions and the imprisonment of a local church pastor, to racism, at the provincial legislature last Saturday was a tense meeting that ended with at least one person in police custody.

The crowds began to gather around 2 p.m. in Edmonton just when an anti-racism rally was scheduled to take place.

Within hours, a group called Walk for Freedom protesting COVID-19 public health measures had marched to the government grounds, those at the front carrying a banner that read "protecting our civil liberties" and burning torches.

48 hours later, Premier Jason Kenney took to Twitter to condemn the rally and some racist elements that had been promoting it.

"While Albertans value the constitutionally-protected freedoms of speech & assembly, they also believe in the dignity of every human being, and have no time for voices of division & hate or the symbols that they represent."

I understand this rally incorporated an image apparently taken from the notorious 2017 torch rally, which was an explicitly white supremacist event. Prominent racists promoted Saturdays protest at the legislature. I condemn these voices of bigotry in the strongest possible terms." 

Kenney received criticism for waiting 48 hours before speaking out against the rally, which was condemned by other political parties and political leaders."

Former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley, Leader of the Opposition New Democrats, tweeted:

"Jason Kenney was asked why he didn't speak against the protests this weekend that featured racist torches. He said he didn't want to comment on something that was about him. Let that sink in.

Leadership means standing up for your beliefs, standing up to those that spread hate."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: Head Of Gov't To Apologize For 70-Year Unwed Mother Child Abuse Scandal

[world politics news] 

Ireland confronted one of the darkest chapters of its past this week with the publication of a report detailing how 9,000 children died in state-run homes for youngsters born out of wedlock.

The 3,000-page report was the result of an inquiry into "appalling" levels of mortality at Ireland's "mother and baby" homes between the 1920s and 1990s.

The Taoiseach/Prime Minister Mícheál Martin, is expected to make a formal apology to survivors of the homes today. Roughly 15% of the 57,000 children who passed through the homes over the decades died, a figure far higher than wider norms.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Scottish First Minister Apologizes For Breaking Mask Rule

[world politics news] 

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has broken her own Covid law by chatting to patrons in a pub without wearing a face mask.

She apologised over the embarrassing blunder at a funeral wake.

The First Minister admitted she was "kicking herself" and said she was “in the wrong” and had no excuses after breaching her own Covid rules.

The Scottish Sun obtained a photo of the Nats leader standing and chatting to three elderly women following a funeral last week in Mortonhall, Edinburgh.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Green Party Leader Apologizes For Merkel Health Comments

[world politics news]

Green Party co-Leader Annalena Baerbock has apologized after suggesting that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand trembling episodes were connected to climate change.

During a press conference in Berlin Friday, at which the German Greens were presenting their climate protection plan, Baerbock said, "regarding the hot temperatures, we can see from the chancellor it is clear that this summer climate has health consequences."

She later apologized on Twitter. "I have apologized to the chancellor. I thoughtlessly made a connection that doesn't exist."   

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: Gov't & Opposition Criticize Labor Minister; False Stats Caused 20 Million To Be Underpaid Benefits

[world politics news]

Ruling and opposition lawmakers joined forces to criticize the labor ministry for releasing faulty jobs data for more than a decade in the first Diet discussions held on the issue since the scandal broke in December.

Labor Minister Takumi Nemoto apologized for the debacle, which led to more than 20 million people being underpaid on work-related benefits and cast doubt on the accuracy of government statistics.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: Tokyo Gov. Admits He Misused Political Funds; Will Pay Back $4,150

[world politics news]

Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe has admitted that there were "several inappropriate points" relating to his alleged use of political funds for personal purposes, a scandal exposed by a weekly magazine. At a press conference, Masuzoe said he plans to correct errors in related political funds statements and personally refund the spending in question, totaling about US$4,150.

#IRELAND: Sinn Fein Pres. Gerry Adams Apologizes After Using "N-word" In Tweet

[world politics news]

Sinn Fein Party Pres. Gerry Adams is in hot water after using the "N-word" in a tweet while watching the film "Django Unchained." Adams has apologized for using the word, part of a series of tweets comparing the struggles of African American slaves to the Irish under British rule in the 19th Century. Ireland's Equality Commission said the language was inappropriate.

#JAPAN: Lawmaker Apologizes For Mentioning Obama Is "Descendant Of Slaves"

[world politics news]

A lawmaker from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Liberal Democratic Party has apologized over remarks he made about Pres. Barack Obama, calling him black and adding that blacks are descendants of slaves. "Now the United States has a black president. He is of black origin. That means slaves," said Kazuya Maruyama, head of the LDP's judicial affairs division.

#JAPAN: PM #ShinzoAbe Expresses 'Remorse' For WW2, But Fails to Offer New Apology, In 70th Anniversary Speech

[world politics news]

In a highly-anticipated speech on the 70th Anniversary of World War Two, Japanese Prime Minister didn't offer any new apologies for Japan's part in the war, but re-iterated past government's apologies and expressed regret. He said future generations need not forever be bound to apologize for the war.

#CANADA: Vancouver Liberal MP, First Nations Newspaper, Apologize for "Sobriety" Comment In Ad Congratulating Native Grads

[world politics news]

Liberal MP Joyce Murray and a First Nations (native Indian) newspaper are both apologizing after publishing an ad in which Murray congratulated aboriginal high school graduates and referred to sobriety as a key to success. Both say Murray never saw the ad copy. Native First Peoples are sensitive to stereotypes about heavy drinking.