Katie Zacharia Is Ousted After 5 Days as White House Press Secretary

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The ouster came as Ms. Zacharia was shadowed by questions about how she had presented her legal career and handled her first press briefing.

Katie Zacharia during her first briefing at the White House on Tuesday. She was fired on Friday. Credit: Kenny Holston/The New York Times
President Trump’s new press secretary, Katie Zacharia, was fired Friday, after less than a week on the job, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the decision, which was not yet announced. Neither the White House nor Ms. Zacharia responded to requests for comment. But Mr. Trump told reporters on Friday that he had encouraged Ms. Zacharia to “reconsider” the job.

“Honestly, if I were you, I’d reconsider,” he told reporters, recounting his conversation with his press secretary. He said he added: “Katie, do you need this? I don’t think you need this.” He said Ms. Zacharia might continue to work for him “in some form, but maybe a more pleasant form.”

Ms. Zacharia had gotten off to a bumpy start with her first and final press briefing on Tuesday, in which she largely read off a script and ended questioning after just three queries. That was followed by an onslaught of headlines about whether she had misrepresented herself as a lawyer — the president called her “an attorney” — despite failing her bar exam. » | Shawn McCreesh, Tyler Pager and Hamed Aleaziz | Friday, October 16, 2026

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Fear of Ukraine War Spillover | Talk to Al Jazeera

October 16, 2026

I said from the very start that the West should have intervened to put a stop to the Russian advance on Ukraine. My words can be found somewhere on this blog. Alas, the powers-that-be had different ideas. My suggestion would have saved many lives and much destruction. — © Mark Alexander

Michael Lambert: Trump Says He Is a Genius - AI Disagrees

Oct 16, 2026 | Donald Trump claims he has an extremely high IQ — but what happens when you put his speeches to AI?

In this video I look at Trump's boast of an IQ over 200, what five different AI models rated him when asked to review recent speeches and his language.

Why would the President of the United States post a video on Truth Social, his own social media channel, showing a man in Yorkshire being mauled by a tiger followed by two more of people being killed by lions and a final AI generated video of his wrestling with a tiger and making friends with it.

I also cover why this matters beyond the weirdness: the Nobel Peace Prize grievance, the diesel deal with Russia and withdrawal of support for Ukraine, and my real worry about the midterms — will he cry fraud, pressure officials, or try to contrive a national emergency if the results go against him? … How far will he go to hold on?


Great synopsis. I totally agree with Mr Lambert. I would say that Trump is an average-IQ sort of person, for what it's worth. The man belongs in the circus, not the White House! — © Mark Alexander

Spain on a Fork: Authentic Spanish Chicken Paella | Paella de pollo

October 16, 2026

Click here for the full recipe.

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Starshield Warfare: How Trump and Musk Left Ukraine Defenceless

Oct 16, 2026 | A sudden unilateral "energy ceasefire" announced on social media, technical sabotage on the frontline, and a shifting geopolitical alliance have left Washington outmanoeuvered by Moscow and an ally fighting in the dark.

When Donald Trump declared an immediate truce between Russia and Ukraine, he promised a masterclass in swift diplomacy. Instead, without direct coordination with either Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Vladimir Putin, the uncommunicated deal collapsed in hours as Russia launched a massive, record-breaking wave of over 850 Shahed combat drones and ballistic missiles against Ukrainian civilian infrastructure.

Rather than holding Moscow accountable, the White House turned its pressure on Kyiv—demanding leadership changes while the U.S. military severely restricted Ukraine’s access to SpaceX’s military-grade Starshield satellite network.


ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here »

Au Pays de Galles, l’utilisation par un député de lunettes connectées en guise de prompteur ouvre un débat sur la sécurité du Parlement britannique

LE FIGARO : Soupçonnées d’avoir servi de prompteur au député de Reform UK Jason O’Connell, les lunettes connectées relancent le débat sur la sécurité au Parlement britannique. Face aux risques d’enregistrements discrets et d’atteinte à la vie privée, plusieurs élus réclament un encadrement renforcé de ces technologies.

Sans notes et avec des chiffres appris par cœur, pendant plusieurs minutes le député de Reform UK Jason O’Connell a déroulé son discours au Parlement gallois, à Cardiff, le 30 septembre dernier. Une prestation qui a suscité des interrogations : selon le Guardian, certains parlementaires soupçonnent l’élu d’avoir utilisé des lunettes connectées faisant office de prompteur. Si le principal intéressé n’a pas confirmé l’information, l’affaire a rapidement dépassé les frontières du Pays de Galles. À Westminster, plusieurs parlementaires britanniques réclament désormais des mesures concernant l’utilisation de lunettes connectées par des élus. » | Par Léo Guerbette | vendredi 16 octobre 2026

La nouvelle porte-parole de la Maison-Blanche, Katie Zacharia, reconnaît avoir échoué à l’examen du barreau

LE FIGARO : Fraîchement nommée par Donald Trump et déjà fragilisée, Katie Zacharia se présente régulièrement comme avocate, notamment sur les réseaux sociaux et sur la chaîne Fox News, où elle a été consultante.

La nouvelle porte-parole de la Maison-Blanche, Katie Zacharia, soupçonnée d'avoir embelli son CV, a admis jeudi soir avoir échoué à l'examen du barreau, nécessaire aux États-Unis pour exercer la profession d'avocat. Fraîchement nommée par Donald Trump et déjà fragilisée, Katie Zacharia se présente régulièrement comme avocate, notamment sur les réseaux sociaux et sur la chaîne Fox News, où elle a été consultante.

Mais les médias américains ont mis en doute cette qualification, faute d'éléments concrets attestant de son admission au barreau après son diplôme en droit de l'université Pepperdine en Californie. La porte-parole âgée de 41 ans a explicitement admis son échec dans une interview accordée jeudi soir à Fox News, au terme de plusieurs jours d'une controverse renforcée par des critiques sur sa première prestation publique, jugée médiocre par la presse. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 16 octobre 2026

Trump’s Deal With Russia Inflames War He Vowed to Swiftly End

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Ukrainian president’s defiant decision to continue attacking Russian refineries underscores President Trump’s inability to end a war he had promised to resolve.

President Trump during a campaign stop in Alaska on Tuesday. He has not delivered on his promises to end the war in Ukraine, or to lower prices, and recent deals with Russia could complicate both issues. Credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times
On the campaign trail in 2024, President Trump promised lower prices and a swift end to the war in Ukraine.

Two years on, neither has been accomplished. And in his scramble to ease fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections, Mr. Trump has wreaked further havoc in his efforts to make peace in Ukraine.

Mr. Trump’s relationship with President Volodymyr Zelensky, already strained after last week’s U.S. decision to lift sanctions on Russian diesel, hit new headwinds on Thursday when the Ukrainian leader declared he would not abide by the U.S. plea not to attack Russian refineries. And with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia refusing Mr. Trump’s demand for a cease-fire, an end to the war appeared to recede even further.

The spat with Mr. Zelensky and the escalating conflict have combined to create a new liability for the White House, highlighting Mr. Trump’s remarkable friendliness toward Russia and his inability to end Europe’s biggest war in generations.

Russia is not known to have made any concession in exchange for Mr. Trump’s decision to lift diesel sanctions, and the move has not yet eased the pain at the pump. The average U.S. diesel price was around $6.32 a gallon on Thursday, compared to $6.29 a week earlier, according to the AAA. » | Anton Troianovski and Luke Broadwater | Reporting from Washington | Thursday, October 15, 2026

As I have written once today already, Trump is manifestly not up to the job of POTUS. So, if he were an honourable man, he’d resign posthaste.

Trump should have stuck with ‘reality TV’. He was well-suited to that work. Being POTUS requires more than just a modicum of intelligence; on the contrary, it requires a great abundance of it.

Another prerequisite for that position is a thorough and profound understanding of world geopolitics. Alas, Trump has neither an abundance of intelligence nor a good grasp of geopolitics. As a result, with Trump at the helm, world politics is spiralling out of control. We are now closer to World War III than ever before in my lifetime. — © Mark Alexander

Trump: Zelensky Is Destroying Ukraine

THE GUARDIAN: US president says Ukrainian leader is ‘more difficult to deal with than Putin’

Donald Trump has called Ukraine’s renewed attacks on Russian oil refineries a ‘disgrace’ Credit: Pool/EPA/Shutterstock/Tom Brenner
Donald Trump has accused Volodymyr Zelensky of destroying Ukraine.

On Thursday, the US president said Mr Zelensky was “more difficult to deal with than [Vladimir] Putin” and called Kyiv’s latest strikes on Russian energy facilities a “disgrace”. Relations between the two leaders hit a new low after Mr Trump struck a deal to buy diesel from Russia last week.

Ukraine’s access to Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starshield satellite system, which supports Kyiv’s battlefield operations, was also limited this week. It emerged on Friday that the order to restrict access had come from inside the White House.

Mr Zelensky criticised Mr Trump on Thursday and said he was “done” with the president’s energy ceasefire, with his forces later striking a Russian oil refinery.

In response, the US president called the renewed Ukrainian attacks a “disgrace” and said Kyiv was driving up global energy prices. » | Emily Smith | Foreign Breaking News Reporter | Friday, October 16, 2026

It is Trump who is the disgrace, not Zelenskyy! If Trump had done his job properly as POTUS, tens of thousands of Ukrainians would still be alive today. Trump is a Russian asset and traitor. Fie on him!

Demonstrably, Trump is not up to the job; so, if he were an honourable man, he’d resign. — © Mark Alexander

Saudi Arabia to Execute Man for Being at Protests and Funerals When He Was 15

THE GUARDIAN: Use of death penalty against people for crimes committed when they were children a ‘new low’, say rights groups

The supreme court has reportedly upheld Youssef al-Manasif’s death penalty for offences committed as a minor. Last year Saudi Arabia put to death 356 people. Photograph: Handout
A young man faces imminent execution in Saudi Arabia for attending protests and funerals when he was aged 15 to 17, say human rights groups, in the latest example of the kingdom’s surging use of the death penalty for non-violent crimes.

Youssef al-Manasif was arrested in 2017 and accused of crimes including joining demonstrations for religious freedom by the Shia minority and attending funerals that the Saudi authorities deem to be protests. He was convicted and sentenced to death by the specialised criminal court, a secretive tribunal set up for terrorism-related cases. » | Tom Levitt | Friday, October 16, 2026

This must surely be a clear demonstration of Allah’s mercy and compassion! It also shows us clearly how the ‘Religion of Peace’ deals with minors committing minor infractions.

Surely, the Saudi authorities could find a more appropriate and more compassionate way of dealing with this young man. Do the Saudi authorities really think that this young man’s infractions are grave enough to warrant the death penalty, thus robbing him of a life, and certainly ruining the lives of his parents and family? Would the Prophet really approve of such inhumane treatment of a young Muslim?

Little wonder westerners hold Islam in such low esteem! — © Mark Alexander

UK Could Quickly Re-enter EU with ‘Switzerland Plus’ Deal, Senior MEP Says

THE GUARDIAN: Bernd Lange, who was involved in Brexit talks, says deal could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties

Andy Burnham has said he is looking at all options for the UK’s relationship with the EU. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images
The UK could re-enter the EU in a “Switzerland plus” package that could be negotiated within months of any decision to deepen ties with the bloc, the head of a European parliament committee has said.

Bernd Lange, who was heavily involved in Brexit negotiations, said: “I would love to see the UK back.” He said the EU missed the UK in decision-making because of its strong history of promoting open markets and democracy.

A Swiss style arrangement is often considered a halfway house to full membership of the bloc but involves free movement and regulatory alignment.

Switzerland is not a member of the EU but it struck a deal last year cementing its “frictionless access” to the single market across more than 100 agreements with a new framework deal.

This gives it access to the EU’s electricity market, space programmes, Erasmus and the Digital Europe research programme, and participation in the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

In exchange, Switzerland agreed to the free movement of people and to pay €375m (£326m) a year into the EU’s economic and cohesion funds. » | Lisa O’Carroll Senior correspondent | Friday, October 16, 2026

Poursuivis pour torture, Nicolas Maduro et sa femme plaident non coupable devant un tribunal de New York

LE FIGARO : La justice américaine a engagé le 8 octobre de nouvelles poursuites pour torture contre l’ancien président vénézuélien Nicolas Maduro et son épouse Cilia Flores, détenus à New York depuis janvier.

L'ancien président vénézuélien Nicolas Maduro et son épouse Cilia Flores ont plaidé non coupable de torture devant un tribunal de New York jeudi. La justice américaine a engagé ces nouvelles poursuites contre le couple, détenu aux États-Unis depuis janvier, accusé d'avoir conspiré pour commettre des actes de torture contre des opposants politiques, dont des électrocutions, des passages à tabac et des simulations de noyade. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

Derrière le deal entre les États-Unis et la Russie, les bonnes affaires de Donald Trump et de ses proches

Jared Kushner et Steve Witkoff à la rencontre de Vladimir Poutine, le 5 septembre dernier à Moscou. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / AFP
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Les négociations de contrats au bénéfice du président de la première puissance mondiale, ou de son cercle proche, sont au cœur de la diplomatie américaine. Dernier exemple en date, un accord pétrolier profitant à Steve Witkoff et Jared Kushner, en marge des discussions avec Vladimir Poutine.

La stratégie américaine évoque un mélange de Risk et de Monopoly. De la Russie au Moyen-Orient, du Venezuela à Cuba, la diplomatie de la première puissance mondiale voit de plus en plus fréquemment les intérêts patrimoniaux du président américain et de sa famille se mêler aux considérations géopolitiques, avec des conséquences stratégiques majeures. Échappant dorénavant largement au Congrès et au Département d’État, les affaires étrangères sont gérées de façon opaque par Jared Kushner et Steve Witkoff, le gendre et l’ami du président.

Se déroulant généralement sans témoins ni traces écrites, les discussions sur les affaires internationales incluent les négociations de fructueux contrats dont bénéficient les intéressés ou leurs familles, ou bien des groupes financiers leur étant liés. Et au lieu de constituer des à-côtés lucratifs aux discussions, elles en deviennent l’élément central. L’accélération du pivot américain en faveur de Moscou dans le conflit russo-ukrainien au cours du week-end s’est accompagnée d’un extraordinaire tournant dans les négociations avec la Russie. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

EXCLUSIVE: President Zelenskyy 'BETRAYED' by Trump & Elon Musk | Piers Morgan Interview

Oct 14, 2026 | Piers Morgan sits down for an exclusive, in-person interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his London studios.

In this hard-hitting discussion, the Ukrainian leader addresses his feelings on Trump’s energy ceasefire and diesel deal with Putin, admitting he feels ‘betrayed’ and warning that stepping away from Ukraine is "the wrong side of history."

He also delivers a direct message to Elon Musk, breaks down the staggering reality of Russian casualties on the battlefield, discusses ongoing energy attacks, and tackles the tough questions surrounding peace negotiations and territorial integrity.


Trump is shameful for doing deals with Putin, especially in the middle of Putin's vicious and brutal war against the Ukrainians. What an unprincipled man Trump is! — © Mark Alexander

Germany Is “Wrong” to Finance Ukraine War: Alice Weidel Interview | The Economist

Oct 15, 2026 | Germany should stop financing an “already lost war” in Ukraine, says Alice Weidel.

The co-leader of the populist-right Alternative for Germany [Alternative für Deutschland], speaks to Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief.

Weidel argues that peace requires taking Russia’s security interests into account, that Europe is heading for a bond-market crisis and that Syrians, Afghans–and eventually Ukrainians–[will] have to leave Germany.


How does this German woman think that the Ukrainians could hold elections in the middle of a major war? Further, how many elections did Hitler hold during the Second World War? (Isn’t Hitler is her hero?) Alice Weidel is a heartless woman. Beware! She and her sort could well take Germany back down a dark road. Don’t be fooled by her stylishness’; rather, pay close attention to what she wants to do with Germany. — © Mark Alexander

Peter Stevanic: “There Is Not a Single Sign of Any Overall Economic Damage Done by Brexit,” Says Nigel Farage

October 15, 2026

That charlatan—Farage—has done untold damage to the UK economy; furthermore, he has robbed UK citizens of their rights as European citizens, which they once had. That intolerable man is full of hot air. Further, he lacks all and any substance, just like all snake oil salesmen do. — © Mark Alexander

Donald Trump Is Trapped by His Own Delusions | Steve Schmidt

Oct 15, 2026 | John F. Kennedy said that those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside. With 19 days before the midterms, Steve Schmidt breaks down why MAGA is collapsing and why Trump’s campaign blitz can’t save it.

Anyone who admires the Orange One must have got a screw loose! Ergo, there are plenty of MAGANS and Trump supporters over there, across the Pond, who have a screw loose! By the way, don’t those idiots who stand behind Trump spewing nonsense and crap on the podium just make you want to vomit? One was raised to believe in, and admire Americans, for their go-getting nature more especially, but I think I can safely say that this Trump presidency has disabused many of us all of that erroneous notion. After this chaotic and disreputable Trump presidency, there is only one direction for America to go, and that’s DOWN! My advice to Americans is this: Be more careful whom you vote for! — © Mark Alexander

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

October 15, 2026

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What Do Ukrainians Think of Trump’s Latest Decisions?

A deal with Russia, pressure on Ukraine to stop striking Russian oil refineries and other recent decisions by U.S. President Donald Trump have raised concerns among Ukrainians.

Meanwhile, Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities continue. The Kyiv Independent took to the streets of Kyiv to ask residents how they view Trump’s recent decisions and what they mean for Ukraine.

From feelings of betrayal to calls for a clearer stance against Moscow, here’s what people in the Ukrainian capital had to say.

Here are some Ukrainians’ views.

„Muss nicht laut gesagt werden“: EU-Regierungschefs wollen Selenskyj wegen Trump-Kritik zurechtweisen

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Nach schweren Vorwürfen gegen die Trump-Regierung fürchten europäische Politiker um die militärische Unterstützung der Ukraine. Beim Gipfel in Brüssel wollen sie auf Selenskyj einwirken.

Idee für eine BU? Wolodymyr Selenskyj und Donald Trump bei einem früheren Treffen. | © Alex Brandon/AP
Europäische Staats- und Regierungschefs wollen den ukrainischen Präsidenten Wolodymyr Selenskyj offenbar wegen seiner scharfen Kritik an US-Präsident Donald Trump zur Rede stellen. Beim EU-Gipfel am Freitag in Brüssel sollen sie ihn auffordern, seine öffentlichen Angriffe auf den amerikanischen Präsidenten zu mäßigen. Darüber berichtet die Financial Times unter Berufung auf drei mit den Gipfelvorbereitungen vertraute Personen.

Die europäischen Politiker befürchten demnach, dass Selenskyjs Äußerungen die ohnehin schwer belasteten Beziehungen zwischen der Ukraine und den USA weiter beschädigen könnten. Die Botschaft bei dem geplanten Gespräch solle verständnisvoll, aber bestimmt ausfallen.

„Es mag stimmen, aber man muss es nicht immer laut aussprechen“, sagte einer der mit den Vorbereitungen vertrauten Vertreter der Financial Times. Das Zitat macht deutlich, in welchem Dilemma sich die europäischen Verbündeten befinden: Sie wollen die Ukraine weiter unterstützen, zugleich aber eine zusätzliche Konfrontation mit Trump vermeiden. » | Alexander Schmalz | Donnerstag, 15. Oktober 2026

El Pastificio de Nicola: Riwwelkuchen | Traditional Volga German Crumb Cake

Oct 14, 2026 | Discover Riwwelkuchen, a traditional cake brought to Argentina by Volga German immigrants. Made with soft yeast dough, a caramelized sugar filling, and buttery crumbs, this old-fashioned recipe preserves the flavours of a rich culinary heritage.

Please note that the word “riwwel” is a dialect German word coming from the dialectic word “riwweln”, which in standard German would be ‘reiben’, meaning to rub or grate. In standard German, or Hochdeutsch, this cake is called Streuselkuchen. In order to undertand this correctly think of the English apple crumble, or rhubarb crumble, etc. That is the English equivalent. — Mark

Why Russia So Desperately Wants Donbas and Why Ukraine Refuses to Give It Up

As peace talks continue and the U.S. pushes for compromise, one proposal keeps returning: Ukraine should withdraw from the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast to end the war.

The region was initially invaded by Russia in 2014, has endured the fiercest fighting since 2022, and Russia now controls most of it. But Kyiv still holds a fortified belt of cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defense.

Supporters of a deal argue that time favors Moscow and that painful concessions now could prevent greater losses later. Ukrainian officials and soldiers see it differently. With layered fortifications, drone-saturated killzones, and hundreds of thousands of civilians still at stake, Donetsk Oblast is not just territory — it is the line preventing further Russian expansion.

The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell explains why the Battle of Donbas remains at the center of the peace process.

Here’s why. Francis Farrell explains.

Brésil : le Parlement approuve la réduction du temps de travail, promise par Lula

Un participant tient un objet représentant le président brésilien Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva comme un prisonnier, tout en assistant à un rassemblement de campagne pour le candidat présidentiel Flavio Bolsonaro du Parti libéral (PL) à Porto Alegre, Brésil, le 14 octobre 2026 Diego Vara / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le président de gauche Lula mise sur cette réforme pour combler son retard sur le sénateur conservateur Flavio Bolsonaro, en vue du second tour de la présidentielle.

Le Parlement brésilien a adopté mercredi la réduction du temps de travail par le biais d'une réforme constitutionnelle sur laquelle le président de gauche Lula mise pour combler son retard sur le sénateur conservateur Flavio Bolsonaro, en vue du second tour de la présidentielle.

Cette réforme, défendue par le gouvernement de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva depuis des mois, permet à de nombreux Brésiliens de bénéficier de deux jours de repos hebdomadaires, contre un seul actuellement, et réduit de 44 à 40 heures le nombre d'heures de travail par semaine. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

« L’interdiction est levée, c’est fini » : l’Ukraine va reprendre ses frappes sur les raffineries russes, annonce Volodymyr Zelensky

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky a assuré qu’il n’accepterait d’arrêter ces frappes que si les Etats-Unis fournissent à l’Ukraine des missiles intercepteurs Patriot. Gints IVUSKANS / AFP
LE FIGARO : Ni Moscou ni Kiev n’ont confirmé avoir négocié une trêve énergétique supposée. L’armée russe a frappé des centrales électriques en Ukraine ces derniers jours. La Russie a accusé mercredi l’Ukraine d’avoir attaqué deux raffineries russes, ce que Kiev a démenti.

Le président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky affirme que les frappes sur les raffineries russes vont reprendre, après plusieurs jours de pause liée à l'annonce surprise d'une trêve énergétique par le président américain Donald Trump, dans un entretien au Financial Times publié jeudi. Ni Moscou ni Kiev n'ont confirmé avoir négocié cette trêve supposée.

L'armée russe a frappé des centrales électriques en Ukraine ces derniers jours. La Russie a accusé mercredi l'Ukraine d'avoir attaqué deux raffineries russes, ce que Kiev a démenti. « L'interdiction (de frapper les raffineries) est levée. C'est fini », a dit le président ukrainien au FT. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 15 octobre 2026

Poland’s Ascent from Communist State to Top 20 Economy Reverses the Brain Drain

THE GUARDIAN: In the final part of our series on the country, Poles tell how wages have soared – along with the cost of living

A view of Warsaw from the observation deck of Varso Tower, the tallest building in the EU at 310 metres. In the background, the Palace of Culture and Science, built in the 1950s as a symbol of the postwar socialist era. Photograph: Anna Liminowicz/The Guardian
Above the rain-soaked streets of Warsaw, the observation deck of the Varso tower overlooks Joseph Stalin’s gift to Poland that has divided opinion for decades.

For some, the Soviet-era Palace of Culture and Science is a drunk confectioner’s nightmare; standing as a relic of oppression that should have been demolished. For others, it is an icon on the skyline and a monumental warning from history.

For the managers of the Varso – completed four years ago, as the tallest building in the EU – with its 310m-high spire rising symbolically above its Stalinist neighbour, it is a waypoint on Poland’s rapid path to economic prosperity.

“We look down on it,” says Cezary Błaszczyk, the managing director of HB Reavis in Poland, which owns the tower, gesturing at the palace opposite. A few months ago a slackline walker traversed the 500m gap between the buildings. “It was a symbolic walk from the past to the future,” says his colleague Natalia Kasperska.

“Since we are higher and taller than the Palace of Culture, we treat it as: ‘We got over communism, and now we are a country with a strong economy,’” Błaszczyk says.

Over the four decades since regaining its independence from Soviet-dominated rule, Poland has been transformed. Excluding oil-exporting states and financial hubs, incomes have converged with western levels at the fastest rate in the world; from 40% of the EU average in the mid-1990s to 81% last year. » | Richard Partington in Warsaw | Thursday, October 15, 2026

Convalescence et traitement anticancéreux : quelles seront les suites pour le pape Léon XIV après son opération d’un cancer du poumon ?

Une religieuse tenant une image du pape sur la place Saint-Pierre, au Vatican, au lendemain de l’opération du Saint-Père pour un cancer pulmonaire. Stoyan Nenov / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le souverain pontife a été opéré mardi d’un adénocarcinome, l’une des tumeurs pulmonaires les plus fréquentes. Mais des questions demeurent sur la suite de sa prise en charge, et sur sa capacité à se rendre en Amérique du Sud début novembre.

Une intervention chirurgicale qui s’est bien déroulée, une confirmation du cancer qui l’avait motivée, des premiers examens « normaux » et déjà quelques pas dans sa chambre : tout semble se passer comme prévu pour le pape Léon XIV, opéré ce mardi d’un adénocarcinome pulmonaire à l’hôpital Gemelli, à Rome. Mais des questions demeurent sur sa convalescence et les suites de sa prise en charge.

D’abord, levons une inquiétude : si le cancer du poumon a très mauvaise réputation, c’est parce qu’il est trop souvent détecté tardivement, à un stade métastatique. Or Léon XIV a parlé d’un nodule « précoce » et « isolé ». « En ce cas, la chirurgie peut suffire à guérir », explique le Pr Nicolas Girard, responsable du département d’oncologie thoracique à l’Institut Curie (Paris). « C’est beau, ce qui se passe actuellement sur le cancer du poumon, souffle même le Pr Arnaud Bourdin, pneumologue au CHU de Montpellier. Il y a dix ans, on aurait sans doute détecté son cancer trop tard. Désormais, avec le dépistage précoce et les nouveaux traitements, le pronostic a totalement changé. » » | Par Soline Roy | mercredi 14 octobre 2026

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Que Dieu bénisse ce pape merveilleux. Que Dieu lui donne la force de surmonter ce grave problème de santé. — © Mark Alexander

Pope Leo’s Doctors Give Update on His Condition | BBC News

Oct 14, 2026 | Pope Leo XIV's recovery from surgery to remove a lower lobe of his lung is "progressing as expected", his doctors have said.

The 71-year-old pontiff has started to walk and has "resumed a normal diet" following the roughly 90-minute procedure, the medics said in an update shared by the Vatican.

The Pope was diagnosed with lung cancer after the surgery at Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday afternoon, which the Vatican said had been "successful" and proceeded without complications.

Blood tests and an X-ray early on Wednesday showed his recovery was "proceeding normally", the doctors said, and he has also undergone respiratory physiotherapy.

The pontiff is expected to remain there for about a week as he recovers.

Same-sex Couple Sue over Slovakia’s Refusal to Register Marriage

THE GUARDIAN: Case of couple who wed legally in Austria exposes clash between EU court ruling and national restrictions

Ivan Novotný (left) and Metod Špaček married in Austria in 2020 but their marital status at home in Slovakia remains unrecognised. Photograph: Rob Cameron
A same-sex couple are suing authorities in Slovakia for refusing to register their Austrian marriage, testing whether a landmark EU court ruling can turn recognition abroad into legal security at home.

Their fight exposes a clash between European obligations and national restrictions – and what that means for LGBTQ+ people living under Robert Fico’s populist-nationalist government.

Ivan Novotný, 31, and Metod Špaček, 51, married in Austria in 2020, but six years on, their marital status at home remains unrecognised.

There is no same-sex marriage in Slovakia, a socially conservative, predominantly Catholic country; neither is there any form of civil partnership.

But Novotný and Špaček, who are both lawyers and former diplomats, are not asking for that. They want the Slovakian authorities to recognise a marriage that was concluded legally in another EU country – something the bloc’s top court has said is mandatory for all EU members. » | Rob Cameron in Bratislava | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Miriam González Durántez Launches New Centrist Party in Spain

THE GUARDIAN: Wife of former British deputy PM Nick Clegg promises liberal alternative to the PP and Socialists before snap election>

Miriam González Durántez at the launch of Democracia21. The new party is promising a ‘radical political cleanup’, including greater political transparency. Photograph: Alejandro Martinez Velez/Reuters
The Spanish lawyer Miriam González Durántez has launched a new liberal, centrist party, vowing to clean up politics and give voters an alternative to the dominant socialist and conservative parties as the country gears up for next month’s snap general election.

González Durántez, an ex-EU adviser who is married to the former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, says her new party, Democracia21, will offer a modern, transparent kind of politics that “doesn’t feed on fear, insults or nostalgia”.

Democracia21’s manifesto accuses both the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers’ party (PSOE) and the rightwing People’s party (PP) of squandering decades of government for short-term political ends.

“In the meantime: housing became unaffordable, young people left, bureaucracy grew like a religion, and bickering took the place of governing,” it says. “Old-school politics turned every problem into a narrative – and every solution into an electoral threat.” » | Sam Jones in Madrid | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Arabie saoudite : de fortes explosions entendues à Riyad

LE FIGARO : Les habitants de la capitale saoudienne ont reçu mercredi une alerte téléphonique les invitant à se mettre à l’abri face à une «menace aérienne». Levée quelques minutes plus tard, elle intervient après plusieurs jours d’attaques des Houthis du Yémen contre la ville.

De fortes explosions ont été entendues mercredi dans la capitale saoudienne, Riyad, régulièrement visée ces derniers jours par des attaques des Houthis du Yémen, ont rapporté des journalistes de l'AFP. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 14 octobre 2026

Ukraine Found Russia’s Weakness. Trump Is Protecting It, Browder Argues

Oct 14, 2026 | Could Donald Trump’s diesel deal help protect Russia’s oil infrastructure from Ukrainian attacks? Bill Browder, an investor and long-time sanctions advocate, argues that the deal resulted from Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plea to Trump to help protect Russia’s energy infrastructure from Ukrainian drone strikes. Browder argues that Russia’s dependence on oil revenues makes its energy infrastructure a critical vulnerability – and for the same reason, Ukraine should keep up the pressure.

The Kyiv Independent’s Tim Zadorozhnyy speaks with Browder about Trump’s deal to allow Russian diesel supplies to the U.S., the implications for Ukraine and Western policy, and whether sanctions can force Russia to negotiate. Browder explains why he believes sanctions on Russian crude oil could significantly weaken Moscow’s ability to fund the war.

Allemagne : droite et gauche radicales s’allient pour un appel à cesser l’aide à l’Ukraine et à normaliser les relations avec la Russie

LE FIGARO : « Le soutien financier à l’Ukraine dépassant le cadre de l’aide humanitaire doit être immédiatement arrêté », est-il écrit dans le texte voté mercredi, qui exhorte aussi à la levée « immédiate » des sanctions contre la Russie.

Le Parlement de Saxe-Anhalt, désormais dominé par l'extrême droite, soutenue par une formation de gauche radicale, a adopté mercredi un appel à cesser l'aide militaire à l'Ukraine et à normaliser les relations avec la Russie.

Formation prorusse et antimigrants, l'Alternative pour l'Allemagne (AfD), après sa victoire écrasante aux élections régionales de septembre dans cette région d'ex-Allemagne de l'Est, domine l'assemblée mais elle a besoin des cinq élus du BSW pour disposer de la majorité absolue. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 14 octobre 2026

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October 14, 2026

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Trump ‘Wants to Stop Ukraine Attacking Russian Infrastructure’ | Leigh Turner

Oct 14, 2026 | “So President Trump is desperate to get those prices down, and he sees Ukraine deploying one of the few weapons it has that really hurts Russia, which is to damage Russian fuel infrastructure. And he just wishes it would stop. And so, he is looking around for anything he can do to stop Ukraine from doing one of the few things Ukraine can do.”

Former British ambassador to Ukraine Leigh Turner says that Donald Trump’s “pro-Russian language is a bad sign” that is “putting money in the pockets of Putin.”

Donald Trump Is Playing Footsie with Vladimir Putin | Bill Browder

Oct 13, 2026 | NATO has unveiled its new “Theory of Victory” while the White House has surprised allies by lifting sanctions on Russian diesel imports. Both developments are being closely discussed at the Warsaw Security Forum, now in its second day.

“We are dealing with two alternative realities,” said Bill Browder, Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, speaking in an interview with TVP World. According to Browder, NATO's message of deterrence stands in stark contrast to the actions of President Donald Trump, who he says is “flirting” with Vladimir Putin. “We are living in a world where there is a fairly high probability that the United States would not come to the aid of a NATO ally,” he argues.

Browder believes Trump is driven by private interests and warns that Europe has effectively been left on its own to deal with Russia. He also describes Trump's calls for presidential elections in Ukraine as “madness.” According to Browder, Putin cannot afford to stop waging war and should never be underestimated.

Do We Need to Talk About Brexit?

Oct 14, 2026 | Andy Burnham announced this week that UK and EU leaders will meet in November to discuss a reset in relations. Brexit has been bad for the country, Burnham said, and a closer relationship with Europe will foster economic growth and strengthen national security. Is he right? What is he hoping to accomplish in November? And is now the time to reopen the fraught debate over Britain’s decision to leave the EU? …

I am so impressed by Andy Burnham’s honesty and courage to speak the truth, especially because many people don’t wish to hear the truth because it hurts their unpopular cause namely to stay out of the European Union forever.

But that scenario is looking increasingly unlikely now. Andy Burnham will surely win this war and take us right back into the heart if the European Union, where this country will gain in influence and prosperity. Instead of being an also-ran, it will be up there with the best and most powerful of them.

This movement will soon become unstoppable. It will, of course, be music to the ears of the nation’s young, progressive, and ambitious. It will enable them to begin to realise their dreams. Bring it on, I say! Ah! Eastward ho! — © Mark Alexander

It’s Now ‘Loud and Clear’ Why Trump Is Helping Putin — It’s Time for Him to Go | Scott Lucas

Oct 14, 2026 | Professor Scott Lucas joins Maddie Hale to discuss Trump's controversial Putin diesel deal, growing Republican backlash, potential US–Russia business interests, why Canada could have come to America's rescue, concerns over intelligence-sharing with Ukraine and the political fallout ahead of the midterms.

The 2026 Midterm Illusion: Why Trump’s Executive Coup Is Already Unstoppable

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, traditional political commentators are treating the moment like business as usual. But behind the scenes, historical norms no longer apply.

In this video, we break down how Donald Trump’s rolling, inside-out coup against American democracy has evolved from the events of January 6 into a permanent shift toward autocratic rule. From governing almost exclusively through executive decree to expanding domestic deportation forces and pivoting toward Moscow, the formal structures of democracy are rapidly giving way.


ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here »

Trump Is ‘Wrong’ to Think That He Can Appease Putin to Make Him Stop | Lord Dannatt

Oct 14, 2026 | “Putin absolutely has to succeed as far as he is concerned in Ukraine. He wants some kind of victory at all costs. And my goodness, the costs are high for Russia. So if Donald Trump thinks that he can somehow appease or persuade Putin to back down or to stop, he's wrong.”

Former head of the British army Lord Dannatt says that Donald Trump’s deal with Vladimir Putin is “disgraceful” and he also it was “outrageous” if Donald Trump did allow Starlink to be restricted for the Ukrainians overnight.


It’s high time that the American electorate found its cojones and kicked that incompetent, unprincipled, orange-makeup-smeared, corrupt man out of the White House! For America’s own sake and for the sake of the security of the rest of us in the West. The American Führer is a danger to world peace. — © Mark Alexander

Saudi Energy Giant Struck as War Spikes Between Houthis and Saudi Arabia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The attack came after the Yemeni militia warned it would attack the headquarters of Aramco. The Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Houthi capabilities.

A man looking over the skyline of Sanaa, Yemen, on Tuesday. Credit: Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
A building owned by the energy giant Aramco was set ablaze late Tuesday in a strike on the Saudi city housing its headquarters, the kingdom’s energy ministry said, as war spiked between the Houthi militia in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis had threatened earlier in the day to attack the Aramco headquarters in the eastern city of Dhahran, but did not immediately take responsibility for the strike. It came after the Iranian-backed militia reported that two major oil facilities in Yemen had been attacked by Saudi forces on Tuesday.

The Saudi energy ministry said in a statement that the strike in Dhahran had hit an Aramco administrative building and caused “a limited fire” and no injuries.

By late Tuesday, residents of both countries were on edge as explosions were repeatedly heard in their capital cities. A Saudi-led coalition said it was targeting Yemeni facilities that support the Houthi war effort, while the Houthis vowed to retaliate against comparable sites in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi authorities issued warnings of an aerial threat in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. And Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition, said four cruise missiles fired toward Riyadh and southern Saudi Arabia had been intercepted, along with two drones.

Mr. al-Maliki also reported that a ballistic missile launched toward the city of Damman [sic] in the eastern part of the kingdom by the Houthis had been intercepted, and that shrapnel fell in a residential area of neighboring Dhahran. » | Ismaeel Naar and Pranav Baskar | Reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. | Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Musk Turns on Ukraine by Limiting Starlink

THE TELEGRAPH: Kyiv claims restrictions on critical communications devices were implemented without warning

Russia launched huge ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv on Wednesday Credit: Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS
Elon Musk has turned on Ukraine by imposing limits on his Starlink devices, Kyiv has claimed.

Advisers to Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that military missions had been scuppered after restrictions were implemented on the critical communications devices without warning.

Mr Musk’s SpaceX company imposed a 100mph “speed limit” on the Starshield military package of satellite devices, inhibiting Ukraine’s mid-range and long-range strikes, current and former officials said.

On Saturday, Mr Musk said “Zelensky has gone too far” in his strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.

Relations have deteriorated between Kyiv and Washington after Donald Trump agreed to waive sanctions on Russia to import diesel to ease fuel prices and called for Mr Zelensky to be ousted.

The US has also threatened to suspend intelligence-sharing to force Ukraine to stop its refinery strikes, while Mr Zelensky has claimed he stopped receiving warnings from allies about Russian missile attacks. » | Antonia Langford | Wednesday, October 14, 2026

What a mean, nasty S** Elon Musk is! — © Mark Alexander

Charles Spencer : « J’aurais aimé pouvoir dire à Diana à quel point elle était aimée, car elle ne le savait pas »

Earl Charles Spencer photographié lors dans sa demeure d’Althrop pour le Sunday Times Magazine. Stuart McClymont / Times Newspapers Ltd
MADAME FIGARO : ENTRETIEN - À l’occasion de la parution de Diana, ma sœur, Le Chant du cygne, Charles Spencer se confie sur la personnalité et les secrets de celle qu’il a connue bien avant qu’elle ne devienne une icône mondiale.

Madame Figaro .- Dans votre livre, vous commencez par décrire votre enfance et celle de Diana. Auriez-vous pu imaginer un tel destin pour elle ?
Je ne pense pas qu’un petit frère puisse imaginer que sa grande sœur va devenir une icône mondiale. J’ai toujours su qu’elle avait des qualités très particulières, parce que j’y ai souvent été confronté. Elle pouvait être une sœur très agaçante ! (Rires) Comme nous étions les deux plus jeunes (ils ont deux grandes sœurs, Sarah et Jane, NDLR), nous passions beaucoup de temps ensemble, et sans doute trop. Mais dans l’ensemble, nous avons eu une enfance vraiment soudée. Diana a malheureusement grandi avec une très faible estime d’elle-même parce qu’elle a reçu une éducation médiocre. Je suis sincèrement convaincu, même en l’absence de diagnostic, que Diana souffrait de dyslexie. Quand elle parlait de « cheese and onion » (fromage et oignon) enfant, elle écrivait « onion » I-O-N-A, ce qui est typique de la dyslexie. Bien sûr, Diana était loin d’être stupide. Elle possédait même l’intelligence émotionnelle la plus développée que j’aie jamais vue. Mais sur le plan scolaire, elle était confrontée à de très sérieux handicaps. C’est magnifique qu’une jeune fille qui a toujours été la dernière de sa classe soit ensuite devenue la première dans la vie. » | Par Marion Galy-Ramounot et Leonie Dutrievoz | mardi 13 octobre 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Erste Pressekonferenz nach wenigen Minuten abgebrochen: Trumps neue Sprecherin wirkt nervös und verhaspelt sich

TAGESSPIEGEL: Unter Karoline Leavitt dauerten Pressekonferenzen oft über eine Stunde. Ihre Nachfolgerin Katie Zacharia ließ nun nur drei Fragen zu.

Die neue Sprecherin des Weißen Hauses, Katie Zacharia, hat ihre erste Pressekonferenz bereits nach wenigen Minuten wieder beendet. Anders als üblich ließ Zacharia nach einer minutenlangen Erklärung nur drei Fragesteller zu, ehe sie die Fragerunde mit Verweis auf Präsident Trumps Reise nach Alaska abbrach. Gleich als Erstes nahm Zacharia eine Frage des rechten Onlinemediums „Breitbart“ an.

Unter ihrer Vorgängerin Karoline Leavitt war es üblich, dass dutzende Journalisten Fragen stellen konnten. Oft dauerten die Pressekonferenzen weit über eine Stunde. Nach der Verbannung mehrerer Medienhäuser aus dem Weißen Haus warfen Verbände und Redaktionen der Trump-Regierung zuletzt immer wieder Einschnitte in die Pressefreiheit vor. » | Tagesspiegel | Dienstag, 13. Oktober 2026

L’opération du pape révèle un cancer au poumon

Léon XIV à son arrivée, le 13 octobre, à l’hôpital Gemelli, à Rome, avant son intervention médicale. Andrea Cambieri, directeur sanitaire de l’hôpital, le précède. Simone Risoluti / Vatican Media via REUTERS
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Léon XIV a dû subir une ablation du lobe inférieur du poumon droit suite à la découverte d’un « adénocarcinome pulmonaire ».

L’opération chirurgicale subie mardi après midi par Léon XIV à l’hôpital Gemelli s’est révélée plus grave que prévue. Un communiqué du Vatican publié dans la soirée a indiqué que l’équipe médicale sous la conduite du professeur Stefano Margaritora a mis à jour la présence d’un « adénocarcinome pulmonaire » qui est une forme du cancer du poumon.

« Afin de rendre l’intervention radicale, le lobe inférieur du poumon droit a été retiré », a précisé le Vatican dans un communiqué signé par les médecins, ajoutant que l’opération « a confirmé le diagnostic d’un adénocarcinome pulmonaire, comme suspecté par les examens préopératoires ».

«  Le Saint-Père est resté au bloc opératoire environ 3 heures, la durée de l’intervention ayant été d’environ 90 minutes », poursuivent-ils, répétant que l’opération s’est «  bien déroulée », sans «  complications ». «  Après l’intervention, le Pape s’est réveillé normalement et, après une courte période d’observation, il est retourné dans sa chambre » de l’hôpital Gemelli, complètent-ils. » | Par Jean-Marie Guénois | Publié : mardi 13 octobre 2026. Mis à jour : mercredi 14 octobre 2026

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ALSO READ:

Pope Leo diagnosed with lung cancer as growth removed during surgery: Vatican says pontiff had lower lobe of right lung removed in ‘successful, on schedule and as planned’ operation in Rome »

LESEN SIE AUCH:

Entfernter Tumor war bösartig: Papst Leo XIV. hat Lungenkrebs – auch sein Bruder wegen Krebserkrankung in Klinik: Papst Leo XIV. leidet nach Angaben seiner behandelnden Ärzte an Lungenkrebs. Dies teilte das Ärzte-Team der Gemelli-Klinik in Rom nach einer Operation des 71-Jährigen mit. »

À LIRE AUSSI :

Le cancer du pape Léon XIV bouscule un pontificat en plein essor : RÉCIT - Le Saint-Père a dû subir ce mardi une ablation du lobe inférieur du poumon droit à la suite de la découverte d’un «adénocarcinome pulmonaire». » [Réservé aux abonnés]

Königin Silvia im Interview: So denkt sie über KI und die Zukunft von Kindern | RTL Nachtjournal

50 Jahre als Königin von Schweden: Königin Silvia blickt auf ein halbes Jahrhundert im schwedischen Königshaus zurück. Im exklusiven Interview mit RTL-Moderator Wolfram Kons spricht sie über ihre Ehe mit König Carl Gustaf, ihre Familie und die Herausforderungen, vor denen Kinder und Jugendliche heute stehen.

Besonders die Digitalisierung und Künstliche Intelligenz beschäftigen die Königin. Sie erklärt, warum es aus ihrer Sicht schwieriger geworden ist, Kinder zu unterstützen, und weshalb Erwachsene ihnen mehr zuhören sollten. Auch über den Einsatz von KI spricht sie offen: Die Technologie findet sie spannend, aber auch ein bisschen unheimlich.

Außerdem verrät die gebürtige Heidelbergerin, wie sie auf die aktuelle Situation in Deutschland blickt, was sie an ihrem Mann besonders schätzt und warum sie stolz auf Kronprinzessin Victoria ist. Und sie erzählt, wie sie einen ganz normalen Tag ohne königliche Verpflichtungen verbringen würde. Mehr dazu erfahrt ihr im Video!

The Dark Truth behind Your Cheap Cigarettes - Behind the Investigation | BBC News

Oct 13, 2026 | One in every six cigarettes smoked in the UK is counterfeit. In this episode of BBC News Behind the Investigation, Melanie Stewart-Smith talks to File on 4 Investigates reporter Jane Deith about how the team uncovered the global criminal networks flooding Britain with fake cigarettes, and the human cost behind every cheap pack.

Jane explains how the team traced the supply chain from secret factories in Belgium to corner shops, minimarts and cash and carries across the UK.

We also look at why gangs are moving from drugs to fake cigarettes.

A former senior Europol official says they now make as much money as they do from drugs, with far lower prison sentences if they're caught.

The profits are being used to fund weapons, people smuggling and even terrorism. Do people really know what they're funding when they buy cheap cigarettes?


Is there any wonder that there are so many counterfeit cigarettes being sold when the cost of genuine cigarettes is so high because of taxes? The government will never be able to put a stop to this whilst they insist on hiking the price of legit cigarettes all the time. This isn't rocket science. Burst the bubble by substantially lowering the price of legal cigarettes. This will go a long way to solve the problem. — © Mark Alexander

Polen 39. Wie deutsche Soldaten zu Mördern wurden | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE

Oct 13, 2026 | Bereits im Polenfeldzug 1939 eröffnet die Wehrmacht einen Vernichtungskrieg – auch gegen die Zivilbevölkerung. Die Dokumentation geht der Frage nach, wie in kürzester Zeit aus "ganz gewöhnlichen Männern" Kriegsverbrecher werden konnten – und warum einige Wenige sich dem mörderischen Geschehen doch widersetzt haben.

Der Zweite Weltkrieg ist nur wenige Stunden alt, da werden bereits die ersten Verbrechen verübt: „Ganz normale“ deutsche Soldaten brennen polnische Dörfer nieder und ermorden Zivilisten. Die Bilanz des Polenfeldzugs: Über 15.000 Zivilisten werden im September und Oktober 1939 von SS und Wehrmacht getötet. Es ist der „Auftakt zum Vernichtungskrieg“, wie der Historiker Jochen Böhler schreibt. Die Wehrmacht führt von Anfang an einen verbrecherischen Krieg – doch warum ist das so?

Dieser Frage geht die Dokumentation auf den Spuren von drei Akteuren des Polenfeldzuges nach: Der Frontsoldat Walter K., der Reservist Wilm H. sowie der SS-Mann Erich E. haben Tagebücher und Briefe hinterlassen, in denen sie ihre Erfahrungen und Motive schildern. Wie unter einem Brennglas geben diese drei Geschichten Einblick in das Denken und Handeln deutscher Soldaten von damals. Daneben hat auch die berühmte Regisseurin Leni Riefenstahl einen Auftritt, die im September 1939 Augenzeugin eines Massakers in Polen wurde. Die Dokumentation schildert die Kämpfe an der Front, geht auf die Mord-Aktionen der SS ein, erzählt aber auch von den Gesten der Menschlichkeit, die es bei Soldaten wie Wilm H. gegeben hat. Doch auch sie können nicht darüber hinwegtäuschen, dass der Feldzug nur einem Ziel dient: Die „lebendige Kraft“ des polnischen Staates soll zerstört werden, wie Adolf Hitler in einem Treffen mit der Wehrmachtsführung im August 1939 erklärte.

Im Stil einer modernen Graphic Novel erzählt der Film von den Wegmarken des Polenfeldzugs und zeigt, was die Akteure auf deutscher Seite damals angetrieben hat. Erklärgrafiken und Landkarten stellen Zusammenhänge her, Archivfilme beleuchten die Hintergründe, ein interdisziplinäres Forscherteam – Historiker, Soziologen, Psychologen aus Deutschland und Polen – analysiert, wie die Wehrmacht bereits im Polenfeldzug ihr Gewissen verloren hat.

Dokumentation von Alexander Hogh und Jean-Christoph Caron (D 2019, 52 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis 31/08/2027