Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz, Accusing US and Israel of Violating Ceasefire Deal | BBC News

Jun 20, 2026 | Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, accusing US and Israel of violating ceasefire deal | BBC News

Iran has said it is closing the Strait of Hormuz and accuses the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire deal, after Israel continued strikes on Lebanon.

The news comes as roughly two dozen people were reportedly killed by Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, less than 24 hours after a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced.

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says his country's attendance at talks in Switzerland will be aimed at "demanding that the other side fulfil its commitments".

US Vice-President JD Vance tells Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open, after being asked about reporting in the Wall Street Journal suggesting the Iranian navy were turning away ships.

Kuba & Michal - Their Story (El Ritmo)

Premiered May 14, 2026

My Sincere Apologies

MARK ALEXANDER: Please accept my sincere apologies for the disruption in my blogging this weekend. The disruption has been caused by the transfer of details from my old computer to my new one. The process has taken far longer than I had imagined, and it has caused far more disruption than I could ever have imagined as well.

Rest assured that I will be back with you, giving you and this blog my full attention at the earliest possible convenience, which should be very soon.

So many glitches to iron out!

Warm wishes,
Mark

Espagne : un tribunal interdit à l'épouse du premier ministre Pedro Sanchez de quitter le pays

LE FIGARO : En avril dernier, Begoña Gomez a été inculpée pour corruption au terme de deux ans d’enquête.

Un tribunal espagnol a ordonné que l'épouse du premier ministre Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, soit jugée pour corruption et lui a interdit de quitter le pays, selon une ordonnance rendue publique samedi.

Le juge Juan Carlos Peinado a ordonné à Mme Gómez de remettre son passeport et de se présenter aux autorités deux fois par mois jusqu'au prononcé du jugement, selon la même source. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 20 juin 2026

Extreme Heat Will Continue to Intensify in UK and Europe | BBC News

Jun 20, 2026 | The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for parts of southern and eastern England and south Wales. The warning is valid for Monday and Tuesday and warns of temperatures peaking at 35C (95F). The nights will also be hot, remaining above 20C in some locations.

It brings the risk of impacts to health, especially for vulnerable people, and the danger of sunburn and heat exhaustion in the wider population.

This is only the sixth amber extreme heat warning that has been issued by the Met Office since they were introduced in 2021 - and the first since August 2022.

Heat has also been building across Europe this week and will continue to intensify over the next few days.


À LIRE AUSSI :

Jusqu’à 43 °C attendus lundi : suivez en cartes l’évolution de la vague de chaleur : Une intense vague de chaleur s’est installée sur la France, avec des températures pouvant dépasser localement les normales de saison de près de 18 °C. Tour d’horizon des prévisions. »

The Tech Billionaire Plan to Destroy Democracy | Gil Duran | TMR

Jun 20, 2026 | Gil Duran, publisher of the Nerd Reich newsletter, joins to discuss John O’Farrell a former partner at Andreessen Horowitz who recently quit the VC firm over their prioritizing of AI hype over the common good. You can preorder Gil’s book “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley’s Fascism and the War on Democracy” here.

People like Peter Thiel may WANT to live forever, but even though I am no doctor, I can assure him that he will not. Just look at how much and how quickly Peter Thiel has aged in just a few years! Peter Thiel and people like him are living in a land of make-believe. They are totally and utterly delusional. — © Mark Alexander

What We Know about Billionaire Peter Thiel’s Secret 'Dialog’ Society

Jun 18, 2026 | A leak of private information purportedly related to an ultra-secret society called “Dialog” founded by PayPal billionaire Peter Thiel has revealed the inner workings of an elite group to which hundreds of global leaders, business executives and billionaires belong.

Read the full story on Forbes here »

Here we go again! First, we had the Epstein secret society; now, it’s Peter Thiel’s. I hope these people behave themselves better than the Epstein clan did; but I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you! One way or the other, it looks as if democracy has bitten the dust! From now on, to be anyone and to have any influence, you will have to be a multi-billionaire — at least! — © Mark Alexander

Geschenk aus Katar: Trump präsentiert neue Air Force One – „fliegendes Weißes Haus“

BERLINER ZEITUNG: US-Präsident Trump enthüllt das neue Präsidentenflugzeug und bezeichnet es als „fliegendes Weißes Haus“. Das Geschenk aus Katar hatte auch für Kritik gesorgt.

Dieses Foto stammt aus diesem Artikel. | US-Präsident Donald Trump verlässt nach einem Rundgang das neu ausgewiesene Präsidentenflugzeug „Air Force One“. | © Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP/dpa
US-Präsident Donald Trump hat die neue Präsidentenmaschine Air Force One präsentiert. Das Flugzeug vom Typ Boeing 747, ein Geschenk aus Katar, soll laut New York Times die seit 1990 genutzten hellblauen Vorgänger ersetzen.

Bei einer Zeremonie auf dem Militärstützpunkt Joint Base Andrews bezeichnete Trump die Maschine als „fliegendes Weißes Haus“ mit einem Maß an Luxus, das es so noch nie gegeben habe. Die Lackierung in Rot, Weiß und Blau sei „die eleganteste Variante“, sagte er laut der Zeitung.

Trump kündigte an, das Flugzeug werde voraussichtlich an den Feierlichkeiten zum Unabhängigkeitstag am 4. Juli mit einem Überflug teilnehmen. Die Maschine soll laut New York Times eine Lücke bis zur Lieferung von zwei Boeing 747-8 Flugzeugen schließen, deren Lieferung sich verzögere. Es sei „sehr freundlich“ von Katar, das Flugzeug zur Verfügung zu stellen, sagte Trump laut New York Times. » | Anika Schlünz | Samstag, 20. Juni 2026

Was für ein billiger Kerl Trump doch ist! Für Profit und Gewinn tut er alles. Der Mann kennt weder Scham noch Stolz. Hätte sich die USA nicht ein eigenes „fliegendes Weißes Haus“ leisten können? Bei all den Milliarden, die die USA in diesem verlorenen Krieg gegen den Iran verschwendet haben, hätten sie sich sicherlich ein eigenes Flugzeug kaufen können. So hat Trump Amerika billig aussehen lassen, wie eine billige Prostituierte!

Dieses Geschenk Katars hat seinen Preis: eine enorme Verschuldung. Katar wird dafür große Gegenleistungen erwarten. Nichts ist umsonst!

Trumps Präsidentschaft hat Amerika in neue Tiefpunkte geführt. — © Mark Alexander

Shura Cherkassky: 12 Études, Op. 25: No. 1 in A-Flat Major "Aeolian Harp"

Aug 1, 2019 | Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America


WIKIPEDIA: Shura Cherkassky »

HAUSER : The Swan | Reupload

Jan 23, 2026 | HAUSER performing “The Swan” from The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns with the London Symphony Orchestra

HAUSER : Nocturne in C Sharp Minor

May 11, 2020 | HAUSER performing Nocturne in C sharp minor by Frédéric Chopin with London Symphony Orchestra | Filmed by Medvid Production

Trump Humiliates Netanyahu. Tucker Reacts.

Jun 19, 2026 | Tucker on Trump’s split from Netanyahu.

Italy Doesn’t ‘Beg,’ Giorgia Meloni Tells Trump

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump said the Italian leader had “begged” him to take a photo together at the Group of 7 summit in France. The remarks come as their once-friendly relationship has frayed.

It looks as if the Italian prime minister’s teetering relationship with President Trump may have just fallen off a cliff.

For weeks, tensions have been rising. Mr. Trump has grown publicly frustrated with Giorgia Meloni, the right-leaning Italian prime minister, who had been one of his closest political friends on the international stage, for failing to support the war in Iran and for criticizing his broadside against Pope Leo XIV. On Friday, she seemed to have had enough.

After the president told an Italian journalist on Thursday that Ms. Meloni had “begged” him to take a photo together at the Group of 7 summit meeting in France this week, according to an English-language transcript shared by the TV reporter, Ms. Meloni called Mr. Trump’s statements “totally invented.”

“Italy and I never beg,” she proclaimed in a video posted on social media.

Ms. Meloni, who took office in 2022, had cast herself as the European leader who had the best relationship with the American president. Even as relations have deteriorated, she has tried to smooth over ruffled feathers. » | Motoko Rich and Josephine de La Bruyère | Reporting from Rome | Friday, June 19, 2026

Entre l’Iran et les États-Unis, un accord qui bat déjà de l’aile

Cette capture d'écran provient de cet article du Figaro. | «Trump est le seul chef d’État au monde à être favorable à la nation d’Israël à l’heure actuelle », a déclaré le vice-président américain, JD Vance, jeudi (ici, à Washington). Eric Lee / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : La cérémonie de signature prévue en Suisse vendredi a été annulée par les Iraniens, qui utilisent déjà le détroit d’Ormuz pour obliger Trump à faire pression sur les Israéliens pour qu’ils se retirent du Sud-Liban.

Les premières fissures dans l’accord irano-américain sont apparues avant même la signature officielle. La reprise des combats au Liban entre Israël et le Hezbollah a servi de prétexte à l’Iran pour annuler sa participation à la rencontre prévue vendredi en Suisse, et fermer de nouveau le détroit d’Ormuz. Le vice-président américain, JD Vance, qui devait représenter les États-Unis lors de la cérémonie à Bürgenstock, au-dessus du lac de Lucerne, a renoncé à son déplacement. Les Iraniens ont dénoncé la riposte israélienne à des attaques du Hezbollah contre ses forces au Sud-Liban comme une violation du protocole d’accord. Ils ont montré qu’ils étaient prêts à utiliser de nouveau le détroit d’Ormuz comme moyen de pression.

« Étant donné que le retrait d’Israël du Liban , la levée totale du blocus naval et le retrait des forces terroristes américaines du golfe Persique et de la région figurent parmi les principales conditions de l’accord entre l’Iran et les États-Unis, le détroit d’Ormuz restera fermé jusqu’à ce que ces conditions soient remplies », ont annoncé les gardiens de la révolution dans un message diffusé par radio maritime. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | vendredi 19 juin 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Michael Lambert: Britain's 7th Prime Minister In 10 Years — Can Burnham Succeed Where All Others Failed?

Jun 19, 2026 | Britain is about to get its 7th Prime Minister in just ten years. Cameron ran away. May triggered Article 50 too early and locked us out of the Single Market. Johnson's charm couldn't hide the lies. Truss crashed the economy in 49 days. Sunak did his best on a sinking ship. And Starmer — a ditherer, lacking charisma, with lamentable judgement from day one. Now Andy Burnham waits in the wings — and the question is whether he will be any different.

In this video I look at why every Prime Minister since 2015 has failed the British people, what they all had in common, and why the answer, as it always has been, comes back to Brexit.

Burnham has charm, real experience and the communication skills his predecessor so sorely lacked. But his success depends on two things: a credible plan to grow the economy through investment and productivity — and, most importantly of all, the courage to declare that Britain will begin the process of rejoining the European Union. If he fails to do that, he will join a very long and undistinguished queue.

With a new Prime Minister change, the UK faces its seventh leader in ten years. I analyze if this transition can actually improve government effectiveness.

This video examines the rapid turnover in political leadership that has defined the last decade of British politics. We trace the timeline back to the referendum held nearly ten years ago to understand why the country has cycled through so many heads of state in such a short window. It is essential context for anyone trying to make sense of the current political climate.

Beyond just the numbers, I provide my perspective on whether this latest Prime Minister change offers a genuine path toward stability. We break down the challenges facing the new administration and evaluate the potential for different outcomes compared to previous leaders.

By the end of this analysis, you will have a clearer view of the structural issues impacting political leadership and what effectiveness might actually look like in this new term.


A fine assessment of the situation which no sensible person could argue with. Like Michael Lambert, I am very keen for Brexit to be reversed at the very earliest convenience. Brexit has been a very big negative influence on this country's economy, and it has robbed us Britons of many European rights.as well. It has brought us no discernible benefits.

How just a few troublemakers can turn the fortunes of a nation around. The gift of the gab in the wrong person with the wrong ideas can be fatal! — © Mark Alexander

Andrew: A Royal Shame | Full Film

Premiered June 17, 2026 | Once celebrated as a war hero, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's dramatic fall from grace ignites a deeper question: are the powerful held to the same standards as everyone else? Through expert voices and public opinion, this documentary explores privilege, scandal and the modern monarchy's struggle to maintain trust in an age of scrutiny.

Today, We Have Reached Over Ten Million Visitors

MARK ALEXANDER: I have just checked my Google visitor counter and, to my great delight, I found that we have reached 10,010,056 visitors to this blog.

This is great news for me, and for it, I would like to thank you all for your continued support and loyalty. This couldn’t have been achieved without YOU. Thank you so much. Your loyalty and support is greatly appreciated. Actually, more than words can easily express.

Naturally, I shall look forward to achieving the next landmark.

Kind regards to you all,
Mark

Inside Elon Musk's Empire | BBC Americast

The US economy backs Elon Musk’s vision for sending people to Mars, the moon and beyond with SpaceX. Elon Musk’s rocket, telecommunications and artificial intelligence company SpaceX has listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange with a value of $2.2 trillion; making him the world’s first trillionaire in the process.

Other AI companies, including Open AI and Anthropic have plans to follow suit but what does that mean for the US economy and global financial stability?

In this episode, Justin speaks to Ryan Mac - an investigative technology reporter for the New York Times who has extensive experience covering Elon Musk and other leaders in the AI field.

SpaceX’s public valuation has made millionaires of many of its past and current employees and generated around $85 billion for the company; money that Elon Musk says is essential to fulfil the company’s plans to build bases on the Moon, put data centres into orbit and send human beings to Mars.

But what happens if those plans remain unfulfilled?

As more companies offer shares to investors and the general public, Justin and Ryan explore whether America is gambling on the promise of AI? And is the US economy becoming dangerously reliant on one industry?


Being generous of spirit, I hope Elon goes to Mars. I also hope that he stays there! 😊 — © Mark Alexander

Donald Trump Will Face Consequences | Steve Schmidt

Jun 19, 2026 | Pete Hegseth removed the portrait of an American hero, the first Black four-star general, Daniel "Chappie" James Jr., from the Pentagon. On this Juneteenth, Steve Schmidt breaks down the overwhelming resurgent racism of Trump's regime and why it must be rejected this November. …

Meloni Delights World Leaders by Revealing She Has Quit Smoking

THE TELEGRAPH: Italian PM kicks the habit months after warning she would ‘kill’ without cigarettes

When Giorgia Meloni told G7 leaders on Monday that she had given up smoking, their reactions ranged from delight to surprise.

At last year’s summit, the Italian prime minister had declared that she would probably kill someone if she had to quit tobacco.

But she broke the news that she had successfully kicked the habit in Évian-les-Bains, eastern France.

Ms Meloni is heard on video saying she had to “take some coffee” as fellow leaders chatted while they waited for Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky to join them.

“This morning? To wake up?” asked Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, asked: “And a cigarette?”

“You stopped it. Bravo,” said Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, a heavy smoker who has forged a close friendship with Ms Meloni, a political soulmate.

Mrs Von der Leyen, a medical doctor by training, declared: “Good.” » | James Crisp | Tuesday, June 16, 2026

People are like sheep!

Moreover, people these days make such a big deal about someone enjoying a humble cigarette! These days, you can get yourself tattooed all over the place. Ditto getting yourself pierced. Even cannabis and ketamine don't raise eyebrows. But for God's sake don't ask where you can smoke! People have truly become such bores! Childish really!

It's a pity Meloni has quit smoking. That was what made her particularly likeable and human. We'll see how long she'll last as a non-smoker. If she manages to stay smokefree, I hope to God she's not going to become another self-satisfied, self-righteous, anti-smoking bore! — © Mark Alexander