PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 27, 2018
Page 22
world news
international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com
Ivanka Trump: ‘I believe my father’s denials’ of sexual misconduct
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vanka Trump says she finds it “pretty inappropriate” for a reporter to have asked if she believes the women who accuse her father of sexual misconduct. “I don’t think that’s a question you would ask many other daughters,” she replied when interviewed by NBC News. Multiple women have accused Mr Trump of touching or kissing them without their consent before he became president. He has denied the accusations. “I believe my father, I know my father,” she said. “So I think I have that right as a daughter to believe my father.” Ms Trump’s comments, in an interview that aired on Monday, came at the end of the Winter Olympics in South Korea. While there, she met South Korea’s president to discuss new US sanctions against North Korea. “I think it is a pretty inappropriate question to ask a daughter if she believes the accusers of her father when he has affirmatively stated that there is no truth to it,” she responded after bristling at the question. During the election, Mr Trump threatened to sue several of his accusers, but he never did. Media captionIvanka Trump explains her praise for her father Rachel Crooks, who says Mr Trump forcibly kissed her in 2006, tweeted: “I understand the unfortunate position someone would be in to have to admit their father is a misogynist and a sexual predator, but those who remain complicit in his actions
Ivanka Trump: “I have that right as a daughter to believe my father” are also part of the problem.” This is not the first time Ms Trump has been asked about her father’s alleged record of harassment towards women. During a 2017 appearance in Berlin she was jeered by the audience after calling her father a “tremendous champion” of women’s rights. On social media, several conservatives pointed to former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton’s 2008 response to a member of the public who asked her about her father Bill Clinton’s affair with a White House intern.
Ivanka’s duelling roles Ivanka Trump is a senior adviser to the president, trusted to represent the US to foreign nations and an active voice in national policy deliberations. She’s also Donald Trump’s daughter. These duelling roles put her in an unusual grey area. Presidential children have traditionally been treated with a fair amount of deference if they choose to stay out of the spotlight. The daughters of both George W Bush and Barack Obama were considered off-limits to the media, and violations of their privacy from
some more aggressive corners of the media were quickly condemned. Ivanka Trump, with her professional duties in the administration, has sought out that spotlight. With the attention, however, comes sometimes unpleasant questions. While she seems to feel comfortable talking about policy proposals, when her father’s personal indiscretions come up, she seeks refuge in the longstanding White House familial privilege. That’s going to be a tough manoeuvre for her to pull off - particularly in the Trump era, where everything in politics seems to be fair game. “I do not think that’s any of your business,” she said, when asked if Hillary Clinton’s handling of the affair hurt her credibility. One Twitter user said Ms Trump had “answered the very inflammatory & inappropriate questions from NBC perfectly”. Others said the media would never have posed a similar question to Chelsea Clinton. But others pointed out that Chelsea Clinton did not have a formal role in the White House, unlike Ms Trump, who officially serves as assistant to the president. Shortly before his election, Mr Trump was caught on tape boasting about grabbing women by the genitals in a 2005 recording. Mr Trump admitted to the recording, but dismissed his language as harmless “locker room talk”. Following the election, after he reportedly expressed doubt about the tape’s accuracy, the TV host who was present for Mr Trump’s comments confirmed that he had said it.
UK weather: Snow falling as Siberian blast hits UK
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now is falling across parts of the UK as very cold air sweeps in from Russia. Heavy snow is expected across southern and eastern England overnight on Monday with warnings extending into the Midlands, Scotland and Wales on Tuesday morning. Many areas have been hit by freezing temperatures, with a wind chill making it feel like -15C in some places. Rail firms have warned of disruption, with passengers asked to travel as early as possible tonight. A snow emergency was declared in Kent and the council urged people not to contact it unless there is an emergency. Heavy snow is forecast for much of Yorkshire, Teesside, Durham and Newcastle in the early hours of Tuesday morning, which is likely to cause delays on the roads, the Met Office said. A warning is also in place for London and parts of the South East on Tuesday, with the possibility of delays and cancellations on travel networks as well as power cuts in rural areas. Snow warnings have been issued for the whole of Wales, with temperatures expected to fall to -5C, the Met Office says. The Met Office has both yellow warnings and more serious amber warnings - meaning there is a potential risk to life and property - for large parts of the UK for the rest of the week. Train disruption: • All Greater Anglia trains will stop by 22:00 GMT on Monday, with a reduced service running on its routes during the day between Tuesday and Thursday • C2C services will operate normally until 21:00 GMT and passengers have been warned to expect alterations and cancellations on Monday night • Passengers using the Gatwick
A frozen sea front at Weston-super-mare Express, Thameslink and Southern routes are advised to complete journeys by early evening on Monday as it is anticipated services will be delayed or cancelled after this • Stansted Express trains to and from London Liverpool Street will not run between 22.25 GMT on Monday and 00:30 GMT on Tuesday • Tfl rail will be suspending its service from 23:00 GMT Monday and a limited service will begin at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday • Great Northern’s last train from London King’s Cross will be at 22:05 GMT on Monday and there will be a “heavily reduced timetable” on Tuesday • Southeastern have announced a
reduced timetable for Tuesday, with 23 of its high-speed trains cancelled Meanwhile, Heathrow and Gatwick airports say they are not expecting delays today, but urged anyone flying later in the week to check the status of their flight with airlines. Weather warnings on Wednesday and Thursday’s will also cover Cornwall, Scotland and Northern Ireland. By Wednesday night, more than 20cm (8ins) of snow could have accumulated in some parts of eastern England and Northern Ireland, forecasters have warned. Scotland is expected to have between 5cm (2ins) 10and 10cm (4ins) of snow on Wednesday. The Met Office is predicting that some roads
may become impassable and vehicles may be stranded. BBC Weather has warned of possibly hazardous conditions in southern England later in the week as a low pressure weather system moves up from the Bay of Biscay and hits the already “exceptionally cold air”. ‘Blizzard conditions’ Alina Jenkins, from the BBC’s Weather service, said: “Any precipitation will turn readily to snow, and with bitterly cold strong to gale force easterly winds, blizzards are likely.” Met Office meteorologist Charlie Powell said: “Unusually for Britain, the snow is going to be quite dry, so it will blow around and gather in drifts and we could see some blizzard conditions.” He added that while he did not want to alarm people, the Met Office was urging people to be prepared for the so-called “beast from the East”. Parts of the UK will feel as cold as Norway and Iceland. Wet vs dry snow When surface temperatures are below freezing, snow is drier as it contains less water. This type of snow is powdery and does not stick together, the Met Office says. Wet snow however, is the result of slightly warmer, moist air, which causes the edge of snowflakes to melt and stick together. Public Health England have advised homes to be heated to at least 18C. Emergency shelters have been opened across the country as councils offer extra accommodation to the homeless during the freezing conditions. The offer of a hot shower, clean clothes, food and a bed can help save lives, homeless charity St Mungo’s said. Source: BBC