On Tuesday's NBC Nightly News, correspondent Martin Fletcher borrowed a line from Karl Marx as he explained the cause of violent riots in London: "It's a collision between two worlds here, the haves and the have-nots."
Fletcher played up the class warfare angle as he noted how in a wealthy part of the British capital, "This building, 106 New Bond Street, has just been sold for $42 million cash. And what's more, there were 22 cash bidders on the property." He then pointed out: "On an average wage, to buy a house it would take a Londoner 31 years."
Anchor Brian Williams introduced Fletcher's report by proclaiming: "...more on the anger and hopelessness that's fueling a kind of tale of two cities."
Britain
By Kyle Drennen | August 10, 2011 | 6:06 PM EDT
Reuters Editor Chrystia Freeland Blames David Cameron's 'Really Radical Austerity Program' for UK Riots
By Alex Fitzsimmons | August 10, 2011 | 5:54 PM EDT As rioters in England set buildings aflame, hurl stones into local shops, and rip flat screen TVs off of store walls, Reuters editor-at-large Chrystia Freeland viewed Prime Minister David Cameron's fiscal policies as the "really radical" culprit.
"I think that this is the result of – directly the result of – the really radical austerity program that the Cameron government is imposing," accused Freeland on the August 10 edition of MSNBC's "Dylan Ratigan Show."
By Erin R. Brown | July 20, 2011 | 12:32 PM EDT
"The Beckhams are breeding! The Beckhams are breeding!" That's the latest battle cry that can be heard over in the UK with the news that David and Victoria Beckham have just welcomed a fourth child into the world. While that is happy news to most people, leave it to environmentalists, lefty politicians and media outlets to question the Beckhams' bundle of joy. It is, according to these critics, irresponsible to continue having children.
According to the Guardian (UK), environmentalists and politicians are using the newest addition to the Beckham family as a wake up call to "open a public debate about how many children people should have." The UN Population Division maintains that the world's population is expected to reach seven billion in late 2011.
By Scott Whitlock | July 19, 2011 | 12:55 PM EDT
MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer on Tuesday insisted that a pie throwing attack on Rupert Murdoch, which occurred live on air, "encapsulates what the British people are feeling right now about Rupert Murdoch."
As the cable network aired live coverage of Murdoch's testimony to the British Parliament about the phone hacking scandal, a man appeared in the left corner of the screen and attempted to attack the media mogul. See video below. MP3 audio here.
By Brad Wilmouth | July 16, 2011 | 2:37 PM EDT
On Saturday’s Good Morning America on ABC, after anchor Dan Harris recounted that News Corporation CEO Rupert Murdoch met and apologized to the family of the 13-year-old murder victim whose phone messages were hacked by a News of the World reporter, correspondent Jeffrey Kofman commented that Murdoch reminded him of Ebenezer Scrooge approaching Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol, rather than a character from a Shakespearean tragedy. Kofman:
By Patrick Goodenough | July 16, 2011 | 10:07 AM EDT
A British Islamic group known for its provocative publicity stunts says a borough in northeast London will be the first target of a campaign to establish "emirates" in the country - Muslim enclaves where shari'a law is enforced.
Waltham Forest, an area identified in the most recent census figures available as having the fifth-biggest proportion of Muslims - 15 percent - of any local authority in England or Wales, has been singled out by radicals behind the group calling itself Muslims Against Crusades (MAC).
Martin Bashir on NBC's 'Today': Rupert Murdoch 'A Combination of Jack Abramoff and James "Whitey" Bulger'
By Kyle Drennen | July 14, 2011 | 11:48 AM EDT
Appearing on Thursday's NBC Today, MSNBC host Martin Bashir shared his thoughts on the tabloid phone hacking scandal in Britain and proclaimed that News Corporation owner Rupert Murdoch was "...a combination of Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist, and someone like James 'Whitey' Bulger, the mobster." [Audio available here]
Despite Bashir's outrageous comparison – Abramoff was convicted on corruption charges and Bulger is accused of 19 murders during his time as the head of the Irish mob in Boston – co-host Matt Lauer offered no objection to the claim.
View video after the jump
By Kyle Drennen | July 13, 2011 | 6:13 PM EDT
On Wednesday's NBC Today, correspondent Stephanie Gosk reported the latest details on the phone hacking scandal in Britain involving a Rupert Murdoch owned tabloid and declared: "Damage to the company [News Corporation] may have already been done. And some say it is about time."
Gosk noted that included, "actor Hugh Grant, who in recent months has led his own campaign against the tabloids." A sound bite was played of Grant: "we're talking about pretty nasty people." Gosk went on to speculate that the scandal may spread and put "pressure on Rupert Murdoch's worldwide media empire," which of course includes Fox News. She also argued that in Britain, Murdoch's "political support...has all but disappeared."
By Ken Shepherd | May 26, 2011 | 2:48 PM EDT
British subject and Heritage Foundation staffer Nile Gardiner has been so struck by President Obama's snubs against its longtime ally Great Britain that he's compiled a list of the top 10 insults.
Gardiner, who serves as Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage, appeared on Washington talk station WMAL's "Morning Majority" today to discuss his list:
By Matthew Balan | May 24, 2011 | 8:03 PM EDT
On Tuesday's Morning Edition, NPR's Renee Montagne and Scott Horsley spotlighted the "warm welcome" President Obama received during his recent visit to Ireland. Horsley marveled at the "large crowds lining the street to welcome him," as well as the "enthusiasm with which they greeted the American president. This is something we really haven't seen in the U.S. for a couple of years."
Montagne turned to the White House correspondent, who is traveling with the President, to report on Mr. Obama's European visit. After devoting the bulk of the segment to the British portion of the trip, the NPR anchor asked about the commander-in-chief's stop in the Emerald Isle and set up Horsley's effusive reply:
Through WikiLeaks, UK Paper Says Brits Instructed Libya on How to Secure Terrorist's Release on 'Compassionate Grounds'
By Tim Graham | February 1, 2011 | 6:41 AM EST While it is quite clear that the officials of WikiLeaks are leftists, there are more conservative media outlets picking through its scraps. The Telegraph in the U.K. has found a scandal: that the British government manipulated the Libyans into releasing a mass-murdering terrorist on his cancer diagnosis:
A Foreign Office minister sent Libyan officials detailed legal advice on how to use Abdelbaset al-Megrahi’s cancer diagnosis to ensure he was released from a Scottish prison on compassionate grounds.
The Duke of York [Prince Andrew] is also said to have played a behind-the-scenes role in encouraging the terrorist’s release.
By Kyle Drennen | December 10, 2010 | 4:05 PM EST
On Friday, all three network morning shows expressed sympathy for protestors in London rioting against college tuition increases, despite a Thursday attack on the royal family. While CBS's Early Show, ABC's Good Morning America, and NBC's Today all reported on security concerns over Prince Charles and wife Camilla, each broadcast also lamented Britain's "drastic new budget cuts."
At the top of the Early Show, co-host Harry Smith proclaimed: "There have been these protesters in London for a couple weeks now because tuition hikes for college tuition skyrocketing there." Fill-in co-host Rebecca Jarvis then chimed in by arguing on behalf of the rioters: "Of course they pay very high taxes there so they expect something for those taxes." Later, in an 8:00AM ET hour news brief, anchor Jeff Glor pointed out: "In the last fiscal year, the government spent $60 million on household costs for the royals....But, the government still voted to triple university tuition to $14,000 a year to help control the deficit."