Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump and his wife Melania will pay state visit to the UK after accepting an invitation from Britain’s queen, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
The visit will take place from 3-5 June of this year ahead of Trump’s expected attendance at commentions for the 75th anniversary of D-Day in France.
Trump paid a four-day visit to Britain last year that included tea with Queen Elizabeth II, but the visit was not a state visit.
A state visit includes more ceremonial events, such as a state banquet described by Buckingham Palace as “a very grand formal occasion” held in the palace ballroom.
The monarch would also make a speech at such an occasion.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May controversially offered Trump a state visit when she was the first foreign leader to visit him shortly after entering the White House.
It prompted a petition signed by over two million people seeking that the invitation be withdrawn.
Large protests greeted Trump’s last visit to the UK and more are to be expected during the upcoming visit in six week’s time.
Asked whether a trip to Ireland is expected as part of Trump’s visit to Europe, an Irish government spokesperson has said there is “nothing to confirm right now” in regards to the potential for this.
In August last year, the White House surprised the Irish government by announcing that Trump would be visiting Ireland in November 2018 as part of a European trip.
This planned trip was cancelled a fortnight later “for scheduling reasons”.
In 2015, the government promised to open the first supervised drug injecting centre in Ireland within two years. In the latest episode of The Explainer podcast, Sinead O’Carroll, Cormac Fitzgerald and Christine Bohan delve into why this hasn’t happened yet – and whether it ever will.
The Explainer / SoundCloud
Why attempt to compete with YouTube. Just create something completely different and own it. YouTube is stuck in people’s heads and will be the go-to place for generations to come.
@The Girl: Perhaps not! They are making a hell for themselves with censorship. Only people themselves should be sensors. New one on the block with freedom is GAB.ai
@The Girl: lol just like Alta Vista and Yahoo were stuck in people’s heads in 1997 as the place to go for Search.
You innovate to compete or you are left behind.
@Brehon Law: exactly. This could be a game changer if done correctly. Many notable channels could depart YouTube due to the demonetisation for supposed infractions.
@The Girl: people said the same thing about MySpace. And then we ALL know what happened next. Bebo came along…
@The Girl: strategically this isn’t a bad idea, Instagram has a large installed base and can leverage existing users on the new platform
@Conor Paddington: Yes, but, remember Google Video? Despite all the money that they threw at it, it was still more financially viable for Google to spend €600m to buy YouTube than compete with it!
I expect it will go the same way all the new “products” they’ve launched in the last 2yrs have gone ….. rise like a lead balloon.
Everything facebook touches is turning to ashes because of greed and the disrespect they show for users and their data,
@Passing through this life: Their share price would suggest otherwise.
@Passing through this life: people don’t care, they post stuff on a website and they truly don’t care about it. If you did, you wouldn’t post.
How many accounts has face book lost? I believe the amt is insignificant
Youtube is easily the best website in the world. Good luck with that.
@Dave McCrea: you spelt Red wrong.
@Decko Kelly: That gave me a chuckle
Full screen and vertical – yuk
You lost me at full screen and ‘vertical’
In order for this to take off they will need to secure the big channels from YouTube which will be very difficult since they already have established fan bases on YouTube. Also they don’t seem to be offering anything that YouTube is not for viewers, based on this at least.
Creators/influencers sicken me to my very core eg Neistat, McKinnon et al
Any alternative platform to Youtube, that is more supportive and financially rewarding for the core content creators, that create the vast array well made content that viewers with many diverse interests enjoy, rather than just the corporate sponsored creators with millions of subscribers, it is to be welcomed.
But the stated belief that people using phones or mobile devices want to watch video in portrait rather than landscape view seems like a great way to self sabotage it at start and make it a very poor approximation of any currently available video platform, not least Youtube…
When will it happen?
Źzzzzz
@Steven Turner: Yyyyyy?
have your say