Scotland #11

AIR FAIR Trump accuses Labour of US Election meddling but Scots Lib Dem boss defends jetting out to campaign for Kamala Harris

Alex Cole-Hamilton will knock doors in Pennsylvania

Lewis Mckenzie 23 Oct 2024

SCOTTISH Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has defended his decision to fly out to the US to campaign for Kamala Harris in the run-up to the Presidential election.

The MSP said it was “no biggie” after getting in touch with local campaigners in Pennsylvania, which is a key battleground state in the race.

It is despite ex-US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump having accused Labour of “foreign interference” after reports that party members have also travelled to join the Harris campaign.

Mr Cole-Hamilton faced a backlash online earlier this week after posting a snap of himself at Edinburgh Airport before making the trip across the Atlantic.

But, on Wednesday, he said he could not “sit back and let something terrible happen” as he justified his reasoning for campaigning against Mr Trump.

He said: “I’m in upstate New York, staying with my sister. She lives an hour north of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and when Joe Biden pulled out in the summer, it felt for the first time in a long while that the race was in play, there was a real chance for the Democrats.

“And when Kamala Harris became the presumptive nominee, I sort of felt, well, this is a moment in time.

“I'm not one of those politicians who can kind of sit back and let something terrible happen without not actually having tried to achieve the opposite. So I decided to come over and volunteer and help her.

“So I paid for flights, phoned my sister and asked her if I could stay for a week in the run-up to the election. So that's why I'm here.”

Asked whether his party is paying for him to campaign in the US, he said: “No, not at all, and it wouldn't be proper for them to do so. So no, I paid for the flights. My sister is my accommodation.

“I'm just volunteering in the same way that I did in 2008 in Virginia for Obama when I went over then.

“This is something I've entirely taken on. During the recess of the Scottish Parliament, I've taken a week's leave. And yeah, I'm just literally just coming out to knock on doors.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said she “hadn’t met anyone” within the SNP intending to travel to the US to campaign for Ms Harris.

She added: “Irrespective of who wins in November, the UK Government has a long-standing, close relationship with the American people and it will be important to work with them.”

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/13742775/donald-trump-kamala-harris-election-uk-labour/

>>21899966 (me)

Canada #65

Swedish Politician Intervenes in U.S. Election to Campaign Against Trump in Pennsylvania

November 3, 2024

Rasmus Lenefors, a Social Democrat from Sweden, travels to Pennsylvania to rally support for Kamala Harris, raising questions about foreign influence in American politics.

With only days remaining before the 2024 American presidential election, Swedish politician Rasmus Lenefors, a Social Democrat and municipal councilor from Huddinge, Sweden, joined the campaign efforts for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania. Lenefors’ goal is to help mobilize Democratic voters in this crucial swing state as Harris and Trump compete in a tight race.

Lenefors Canvassing for Harris in Pennsylvania

Lenefors’ involvement marks a notable case of a foreign official actively working to influence the outcome of an American election. The Swedish politician is knocking on doors and encouraging voter turnout among Democratic supporters to bolster Harris’s chances in Pennsylvania. In an interview with Swedish state radio, Lenefors emphasized the significance of the American election, stating, “I think this election is very important… Regardless of whether we like it or not, the United States is still perhaps the country that influences the rest of the world the most.”

Raising Questions of Foreign Influence in American Democracy

The news of a foreign politician directly participating in a U.S. campaign has sparked debate among some Americans. Foreign interest in American elections is not new, but active campaign involvement by international figures raises questions about ethical boundaries and the principle of American sovereignty in democratic processes.

Potential Implications of International Campaign Support

Lenefors’ participation reflects a troubling trend of left-wing foreign political figures backing Democratic campaigns, aligning with a shared agenda to weaken national sovereignty and promote globalist ideals over national interests. Trump’s policies, by contrast, focus on American independence, strong borders, and economic self-reliance, standing firmly against globalism and the push for open borders.

Under Trump’s conservative approach, America puts its citizens and workers first, fighting against the radical left’s push toward policies that many argue erode American strength and security. While Trump’s policies aim to protect American jobs and reduce foreign dependency, left-wing figures like Lenefors and their Democratic allies advocate for open borders and socialist policies that risk undermining the freedoms and economic opportunities that America was built upon. For conservative voters, the choice is clear: Trump represents a strong America rooted in independence, while left-wing globalists push for policies that edge dangerously close to socialism and weaken the nation’s foundations.

A Tight Race in Pennsylvania

Polls indicate that the race in Pennsylvania remains close, with Trump holding a slight edge. In such a competitive environment, efforts like Lenefors’ canvassing could potentially influence undecided voters, affecting the overall outcome in a state that may ultimately decide the election.

As Americans head to the polls on November 5, Lenefors’ involvement reflects the global interest in this election’s outcome and the potential for international participation to play a role in the process. For some voters, the news raises concerns about foreign influence, reinforcing the desire for the decision to be made solely by Americans.

https://rairfoundation.com/swedish-politician-intervenes-u-s-election-campaign-against/

>>21899648

Boatfag confirms vessel, but not the claimed "hundreds of protestors

Video: Turkish Pro-Palestinian Protestors Stage Sit-In on German Cargo Ship

Published Nov 4, 2024 12:38 PM by The Maritime Executive

A group of pro-Palestinian protestors stormed the cargo ship Kathrin while the ship was docked in Istanbul on Sunday, November 4, and attempted to stage a sit-in to call attention to their demands that Turkey close loopholes permitting trade with Israel. The group repeated the ongoing allegation that the vessel is or has transported explosive material to Israel.

The protestors who were reported aligned with the Anatolian Youth Association climbed fences and were able to get aboard the Kathrin which was docked in Istanbul’s Port of Haydarpasa. They posted videos and photos online including of the group on the bow of the vessel waving the Palestinian flag.

Members of the group had been staging a protest at the port for more than a month. They claim Turkey has blocked aid vessels from going to Gaza after in May 2024 suspending all trade with Israel. Turkey trades with the Palestinian Authority but there have been growing allegations in Turkey that many of the shipments which must go to Israeli ports under the guise of trade with Palestinians are being diverted to Israeli interests. Other accusations have said although Turkey reports suspending trade with Israel, that companies are sending their goods via ferries to Greece and elsewhere as intermediaries to get goods to Israel.

The Anatolian Youth Association and other activist groups said they have been tracking ships and movements from Turkish ports. Last week, they sought to disrupt the port call of a Zim vessel. The Youth Association alleges that an Evergreen-managed containership Uni-Phoenix (19,300 dwt) departed last week from Turkey bound for Israel. It is currently in Piraeus, Greece. Another Turkish-owned cargo ship Medkon Isik (3,000 dwt) they allege is also loading goods bound for Israel.

Turkish police responded to Sunday night’s protest and told the individuals who had boarded the Kathrin to disperse. They had been calling for the ship to depart while also saying that they would remain aboard to prevent any cargo operations. Those that did not leave the ship were detained and media reports said 16 people would be appearing in an Istanbul court Monday afternoon.

Problems have followed the cargo ship since it departed Vietnam in July with reports surfacing that it was transporting explosive material to Israel. Countries in Africa and Eastern Europe denied docking permission before the ship went into a port in Albania and then on to Egypt. Human rights groups alleged the containers with the explosives were still aboard or possibly offloaded in Egypt, an accusation the Egyptian Army denied. They said they were not assisting the Israelis but the ship docked at a military pier to offload cargo for the Egyptian military. Despite protests, Egypt said it permitted the vessel to depart when it filed papers showing its destination as Turkey.

The German managers of the vessel responded to Reuters last week saying the vessel was never booked to sail to Israel. The activists who hounded the ship for months admitted that they did not know how the explosives they believed were aboard would reach Israel, but they succeeded in getting Portugal to revoke the ship's registry (it was moved to Germany) and from docking in multiple ports. German authorities last week declined to get involved saying the material aboard was not from Germany and as such did not require their export license.

The Kathrin currently remains in the anchor at Istanbul.

https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-turkish-pro-palestinian-protestors-stage-sit-in-on-german-cargo-ship