CNN has banned commentator Ryan Girdusky who told a Muslim guest 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'.
CNN has banned commentator Ryan Girdusky who told a Muslim guest 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'.
CNN has banned commentator Ryan Girdusky who told a Muslim guest 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'.
CNN has banned commentator Ryan Girdusky who told a Muslim guest 'I hope your beeper doesn't go off'.

CNN guest's 'beeper' comment against Mehdi Hasan highlights rising racist rhetoric ahead of US election


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A conservative commentator has been banned from CNN after telling a Muslim journalist, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off”, amid growing concerns about the increasingly xenophobic tone of Republican Donald Trump's campaign.

Ryan Girdusky made the remark – an apparent reference to Israel’s exploding pagers operation in Lebanon that targeted Hezbollah militants last month – during a debate with British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan on CNN NewsNight.

They were discussing racist jokes made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during Mr Trump's Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.

“I'm a supporter of the Palestinians, I'm used to” being called an anti-Semite, said Hasan, who left MSNBC in January after the US TV channel cancelled his Sunday night programme. The channel was accused of silencing Hasan, who has been an outspoken critic of Israel's military operations in Gaza.

Girdusky replied: “Yeah, well I hope your beeper doesn't go off.”

The fallout has been mounting after Mr Trump's weekend rally, where several xenophobic and racist comments were made the from the stage. The former president on Tuesday defended the rally, calling it an "absolute lovefest".

During his speech, New York City's former mayor Rudy Giuliani, celebrated for his leadership in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks but who has since become a conspiracy theorist and avid Trump supporter, railed against Palestinians.

“September 11 was our darkest hour, October 7 was Israel's darkest hour … The Palestinians are taught to kill us at two years old,” he said.

“They may have good people, I'm sorry, I don't take a risk with people who are taught to kill Americans at two. [The Democrats] are on the side of terrorists.”

The comment gathering the most online backlash came from a comedian who referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of rubbish in the middle of the ocean”.

He used both anti-Semitic and anti-Palestinian tropes in his jokes, as well, saying: “When it comes to Israel and Palestine, we’re all thinking the same thing. Settle your stuff already. Best out of three. Rock, paper, scissors. You know the Palestinians, they’re going to throw a rock every time. But you also know the Jews have a hard time throwing that paper, if you know what I’m saying.”

When Mr Trump appeared, he doubled down on his promises of mass deportation if he retakes the White House.

“On day one, I will launch the largest deportation programme in American history to get the criminals out. I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail. Then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible,” Mr Trump said.

This is nothing new for the Trump campaign, which has in part been defined by xenophobic and anti-immigrant rhetoric. But the number of speakers espousing such views rang alarm bells for many voters.

Michelle Ming, policy director at non-profit immigrant advocacy organisation United We Dream, says that “there will be no safeguards for policies like this, because he will have so many allies in Congress that want him to do all these things”, especially if Republicans gain control of the Senate.

“Trump has done such a good job [when in office] of packing the courts at every single level, so that when things come up to challenge anti-immigrant policies, they are struck down,” she told The National.

Olga Burgos, a Puerto Rican living in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania, said she is “outraged but not surprised by the racist rubbish”.

“We should all be outraged. But righteous anger isn’t enough … These are not just words. When Trump says that he will usher in mass deportations and withhold disaster aid, we need to believe him at his word,” she said in a statement.

Following the beeper comment, Hasan, a Muslim of South Asian descent, said that considering Mr Giuliani's comments, Girdusky was a “great guest to be here”.

“This is what we're in now. This is America in 2024, forget the racism, it's I should die.”

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris said the rally at Madison Square Garden highlighted the “stark contrast between he [Mr Trump] and I”.

But despite the words of the rally speakers, the choice on November 5 for Arab and Muslim Americans is no easy one. Many have felt betrayed by the Biden administration, which has funnelled billions of dollars to Israel since the October 7 Hamas attack to aid in its military campaign against Hamas.

Ms Harris, as Joe Biden's Vice President, has only doubled down on her support for Israel since she began her campaign.

For Ms Ming, who works intimately with younger voters more likely to be pro-ceasefire, this is a dynamic she is well aware of.

“We know that Trump has promised to create a country that is absolutely unlivable for immigrants,” she told The National, pointing to the former president's inflammatory rhetoric and “Muslim ban” during his time in office.

“We understand and we're continuing to push Harris on a lot of her policies, including her policies in the Middle East. But we know that at least under Harris administration, she is movable, and she actually responds to pressure in a way that Trump wouldn't.”

For organisations focused on immigration, Ms Ming also warned that down-ballot Republican victories could also pose a threat to immigrant rights in the US.

“They are not all going to disappear because Trump loses. If he loses, in some ways, they'll be more energised to continue organising, to continue building on their side. So this is not a fight that ends on Election Day. It really only begins there.”

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A cheaper choice

Vanuatu: $130,000

Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.

Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.

Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.

Benefits:  No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.

Dr Graham's three goals

Short term

Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines


Intermediate term

Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations


Long term

A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness  

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Race card:

6.30pm: Maiden; Dh165,000; 2,000m

7.05pm: Handicap; Dh165,000; 2,200m

7.40pm: Conditions; Dh240,000; 1,600m

8.15pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 2,000m

8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed; Dh265,000; 1,200m

9.25pm: Handicap; Dh170,000; 1,600m

10pm: Handicap; Dh190,000; 1,400m

Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Fighting with My Family

Director: Stephen Merchant 

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell        

Four stars

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press

RESULT

Australia 3 (0) Honduras 1 (0)
Australia: Jedinak (53', 72' pen, 85' pen)
Honduras: Elis (90 4)

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

England-South Africa Test series

1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London

2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham

3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London

4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester

Results

Stage 7:

1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29

2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time

3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious

4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep

5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM

General Classification:

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28

2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35

3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02

4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42

5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

MATCH INFO

Jersey 147 (20 overs) 

UAE 112 (19.2 overs)

Jersey win by 35 runs

Marathon results

Men:

 1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13 

2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50 

3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25 

4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46 

5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48  

Women:

1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30 

2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01 

3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30 

4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43 

5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01  

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

The biog

Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer

Marital status: Single

Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran

Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food

Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish

Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com

Updated: October 30, 2024, 6:52 AM`