New Trade Minister Liz Truss Had Private Talks in US with Libertarian Groups

THE OBSERVER: Fears for weakening of UK’s food safety and animal welfare standards in any deal with America

The cabinet minister in charge of negotiating a new US trade deal met with a series of rightwing American thinktanks to discuss deregulation and the benefits of “Reaganomics”, new documents have revealed.

Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, had a number of meetings with libertarian groups that have championed parts of Donald Trump’s deregulatory agenda and tax cuts.

New details of her three-day visit to Washington last September have been uncovered by Greenpeace’s investigative journalism team, Unearthed. Truss met senior representatives from the Heritage Foundation, a thinktank committed to shrinking the state and cutting environmental regulation, to discuss “regulatory reform”. Also at the meeting was the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Both groups were part of the “shadow trade talks” project, designed to advocate a wide-ranging US trade deal allowing the import of American goods currently banned in Britain. » | Michael Savage | Sunday, August 4, 2019

The Guardian View on Saudi Arabia’s Reforms: Not Just a Battle for Women

THE GUARDIAN: Relaxation of the guardianship system is long overdue. But more change is needed, and the credit for these reforms should go to the women who have fought for them – not Riyadh

The jubilation of women in Saudi Arabia was real – and understandable. Last Friday, the kingdom announced that it is allowing women to apply for passports, to travel without permission and to have more control over family matters – registering a marriage, divorce or child’s birth, and being issued official family documents. These changes to the guardianship system should be genuinely transformative. But celebration can only be partial when women’s rights remain so tightly constricted and the activists who have fought hard for such changes are paying so high a price.

Women will still need permission from a male relative to marry or divorce, or to leave prison or domestic violence refuges. The system needs not reform but abolition. Other laws still hold women back. And as Ms Saffaa, an Australia-based Saudi artist and activist, warned: “When women become equal to men, Saudi Arabia is still going to remain an authoritarian dictatorship that violates countless human rights.” » | Editorial | Sunday, August 4, 2019

The Guardian View on No-deal Brexit Plans: Parliament Must Take Back Control

THE GUARDIAN: This is a democratic emergency. MPs and other elected bodies must sit in August to stop Boris Johnson’s drive for a no-deal Brexit

To take Britain out of the European Union without a deal would be the most wilfully dangerous policy action that any government of this country has taken in modern times. No deal would materially threaten the economic security of the British people in both the short and long term, outrage millions of citizens, upend the stability and cohesion of the nation, put 20 years of peace in Northern Ireland in jeopardy, place needless and crippling extra strain on services and markets, further deepen the already damaging divisions of Brexit, appal our good European neighbours and do massive lasting damage to the country’s standing in the world. » | Editorial | Sunday, August 4, 2019

Climate Change: Europe's Melting Glaciers | DW Documentary

It is far too late to save the Alpine glaciers. And now, the dangers caused by tons of melting ice are rising sharply. Every year, climate change is destroying two of the currently 70 square kilometers of glaciers left in the Alps.

The permafrost in the Alps is thawing, and transforming what used to be sturdy slopes into loose screes. In addition, climate change is leading to significantly more extreme weather conditions every year, while heavy rainfall causes serious erosion. The result: avalanches and landslides like those in Bondo, Switzerland, or Valsertal in Austria. In Switzerland, residential areas are shrinking as people are forced to leave their homes forever. The disappearance of glaciers as water reservoirs is already posing a major problem. Farmers in Engadine, who have been using meltwater for irrigation for centuries, are already facing water shortages. Last summer, they had to rely on helicopters to transport water to their herds in the Grison Alps. Above all, alpine villages depend on winter tourism to survive. Yet experts are forecasting that by mid-century, there will only be enough natural snow left to ski above 2,000 meters, which will spell out the end for about 70 percent of the ski resorts in the Eastern Alps. But instead of developing alternatives, lots of money is still being invested in ski tourism. Snow cannon are used to defy climate change, and artificial snow systems are under construction at ever higher altitudes. As usual, it’s the environment that is set to lose as the unique alpine landscape is further destroyed by soil compaction and erosion. Some municipalities are now working on new models of alpine tourism for the future. As global temperatures continue to rise, the cooler mountain regions will become increasingly attractive for tourists, especially in the summer.

Athos | Feature Documentary

Mount Athos on a peninsula off the cost of Greece is one of Europe's last remaining secrets: a monks' republic. Access to women is strictly denied and in order to keep unwanted tourists out, visas are granted only to pilgrims and workers. For the first time, a filmmaker was given access to all forms of monastic life on the holy mountain.

A Visit to the Holy Mountain Athos, Greece

A pilgrimage to the Byzantine monasteries of Mount Athos, the spiritual center of the Orthodox Church.

The Good Struggle: Life In a Secluded Orthodox Monastery

The Good Struggle: High up in the mountains of Lebanon, an unexpected community thrives within the confines of a Greek Orthodox Christian monastery. This beautiful short doc offers rare insight to their almost silent way of life.

“There were more before but not all could endure and prove their ability to stay in the monastery,” says a member of the Greek Orthodox Christian community. Theirs is a simple life that revolves around religious ceremony and the daily rituals of craft work and growing, picking and preparing fresh food.

Support for Impeachment Surges as Trump Grows More Unstable

More than 100 Democrats in the House of Representatives now support moving forward with an impeachment inquiry, a surge that occurred shortly after Robert Mueller’s recent testimony and amid Trump’s nonstop Twitter meltdowns. Impeachment is the only option at this point to uncover the crimes committed by Trump, and a strong focus needs to be on his financials. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.

Beto O'Rourke Slams Trump in Wake of El Paso Shooting

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke called President Donald Trump a racist and said his words can be connected to Saturday's mass shooting in El Paso, Texas, that left at least 20 people dead and more than two dozen injured.

England Would Be Better Off without Scotland, Says Tory Candidate

THE OBSERVER: Conservative vying to win back Bedford seat says taxpayers south of the border are ‘fleeced’ by Scots

The Tory candidate for one of the party’s target parliamentary seats has sought to distance himself from a column he wrote accusing Scotland of “fleecing” English taxpayers and claiming that Scotland remaining in the UK would be a “catastrophe” for England.

Ryan Henson was selected last year as the Conservative candidate for Bedford and Kempston, which Labour won from the previous Tory MP, Richard Fuller, in 2017 with a wafer-thin majority of 789 votes.

In a 2014 article for Conservative Home, Henson wrote that, except for its contribution to Britain’s armed forces, “Scotland’s single biggest offering to the union over the past 50 years has been to provide the Labour party with parliamentary lobby fodder.

“In exchange, the people of England have seen their prescriptions and their university fees go up, while in Scotland both have been abolished – using English taxes to pay for it.” » | Chaminda Jayanetti | Sunday, August 4, 2019

Medieval Society

Ryan M. Reeves (PhD Cambridge) is Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Boris Johnson Is the Last Person Young Brits Would Vote For

THE GUARDIAN: It’s not just his destructive Brexit stance, his values are entirely opposed to ours

The Daily Express is calling it “the Boris effect”. Johnson’s election has reportedly caused a “record jump” in the polls for the Conservative party, with the Telegraph gleefully reporting that its prized former columnist has received the largest bounce of any Conservative leader in the past two decades.

Though Tory hopes were dented by the party’s defeat in Thursday’s Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, supporters still believe Johnson is capable of winning a general election – which could happen within months.

And there are those on the newly energised right who feel that, after three years of the dour Theresa May, the sheer force of Johnson’s “personality” or “charisma” – yet to be convincingly defined – could yet bring young people into the fold and unite the country around a hard Brexit. His time as London mayor is often cited as evidence that a brand of socially liberal, business-friendly leadership can be repackaged and sold to younger voters. » | Lara Spirit | Saturday, August 3, 2019

Who Sounds Gay? | Op-Docs | The New York Times

This short documentary explores the reasons that some men sound stereotypically gay, whether they are or not. Stereotypes surround all of us. In the LGBTQ community people expect some to fit into certain stereotypes. The one we explore in this video is sounding gay.

Saxe Appeal: King of Belgium Reintroduces German Lineage

THE GUARDIAN: Belgian royals, like the British, dropped the name Saxe-Coburg-Gotha after first world war

A century after emulating the British royals by removing vestiges of its German lineage in the wake of the first world war, the Belgian monarchy has reintroduced the shield of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, a former surname, to its coat of arms.

The family name was changed in 1920 to van België, de Belgique or von Belgien (“of Belgium”) in the country’s three official languages as a response to fierce anti-German sentiment.

The German army had killed more than 6,000 Belgian citizens during its invasion and occupation in 1914, in what came to be known as the ”viol de la Belgique”, or rape of Belgium.

As well as ridding the Belgian monarchy of its German name – as did the British royal family, who replaced Saxe-Coburg-Gotha with Windsor in 1917 – Albert I removed the shield of his German ancestry from the royal coat of arms. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, August 2, 2019

Boris Johnson Heads to Istanbul to Trace His Political Past | Who Do You Think You Are

Boris travels to Istanbul in Turkey, where his great-grandfather Ali Kemal was born and received his education at a traditional Muslim school. Boris is unnerved by the parallels he finds between his ancestor’s career and his own – Ali worked as political columnist for a newspaper, writing with a frankness that often landed him in hot water. Can you see the similarities?

Ex-Health Insurance Exec: Industry Is Using Decades-Old Scare Tactics to Fight Medicare for All

The Democratic presidential candidates remain deeply divided on how to expand healthcare to the tens of millions of Americans who are uninsured or underinsured. Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have both pushed for abolishing private health insurance and establishing a Medicare for All system. Their rivals have pushed a number of different, more incremental approaches. During the first night of the latest debates, Sanders pointed out that the country has taken sweeping action before to expand health coverage to millions of Americans, referring to the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. We speak with Janet Golden, professor emerita at Rutgers University-Camden and a historian of U.S. medicine, and Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive.

Charming but Dishonest and Duplicitous: Europe's Verdict on Boris Johnson

THE GUARDIAN: As the Brexit deadline looms, Europe remains wary of the poker player behind the clown mask

He is clever, cultivated, charming; witty, self-deprecating, wildly entertaining and oh so terribly British. Also dissembling, dishonest, dark, duplicitous, and a danger to his country and to Europe – a poker player whose bluff is about to be called.

As Boris Johnson settles into his new role, vowing, do or die, to take the UK out of the EU without a deal in 90 days unless the 27 nations ditch an accord that took two years to negotiate, European politicians and commentators are both fascinated and appalled.

“Like many people, I was easily charmed by his demeanour, his self-confidence, his intelligence,” said Han ten Broeke, a former Dutch MP specialising in EU affairs. “He’s a pleasure to listen to. I have a soft spot for Britain, and Boris was one reason why.”

Ten Broeke has since revised his opinion. “The charm, the intellect, the confidence – it all now looks a lot like over-confidence,” he said. “A promise of simple solutions to complex problems. And it could have disastrous consequences.” » | Jon Henley and Guardian correspondents | Friday, August 2, 2019

Jo Swinson: Lib Dems Winning and on the Up after Byelection Victory

THE GUARDIAN: Party leader to consider future electoral pacts with other pro-EU parties as tactic pays off

Jo Swinson has declared the Liberal Democrats are “winning and on the up” after reducing Boris Johnson’s majority to one by taking a seat off the Conservatives in the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection.

The Lib Dem leader said her party would consider future electoral pacts with other pro-EU parties after its candidate, Jane Dodds, was aided by the decision of Plaid Cymru and the Greens to stand aside.

“The country doesn’t have to settle for Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “There is another positive alternative that is the Liberal Democrats who are winning again and on the up.” » | Steven Morris and Rowena Mason | Friday, August 2, 2019

Analysis: Iranian Foreign Minister's Reaction to US Sanctions

The United States has imposed tough sanctions on Iran's top diplomat Javad Zarif. The US is accusing the foreign minister of promoting what it calls the reckless agenda of Iran’s supreme leader.

Zarif has hit back on Twitter, thanking the Trump administration for considering him a "huge threat" to his agenda, and saying the sanctions have "no effect" on him or his family. Al Jazeera's Dorsa Jabbari reports live from Tehran

Saudi Women Can Now Travel without Male Guardian's Approval – Report

THE GUARDIAN: Okaz newspaper reports key step in dismantling strict controls over nation’s women

Women in Saudi Arabia will no longer need the permission of a male guardian to travel, according to local news reports. The policy, if confirmed, would mark a key step in dismantling controls that have made women second-class citizens in their own country.

Saudi women over the age of 21 will be able to apply for a passport and travel outside the country, without approval, Okaz newspaper reported on Thursday. The change would put them on an equal footing with men. They would also reportedly be able to register births and deaths, a right previously restricted to men.

The paper did not say where it got the information, but the country’s official gazette tweeted that amendments to travel rules, labour law and civil status law would be included in its next edition, Bloomberg reported. » | Emma Graham-Harrison | Thursday, August 1, 2019

How Much of a Threat Is Brexit to the Unity of the UK? | Inside Story

Boris Johnson has been touring the Union as a 'No-deal Brexit’ looms, trying to reassure those worried about the divorce with the EU.

Boris Johnson started the tour in Edinburgh. He was met with jeers and boos from protesters, which forced him to leave by the back door of Bute House, the official residence of Scotland's First Minister. Inside, his host Nicola Sturgeon expressed her discontent with Johnson's Brexit plans. She spoke about a 'catastrophic, almost inevitable path to a ‘No-deal Brexit'.

Then it was on to Wales, where Johnson was seeking support for his Brexit plans from the country's agricultural sector. The Welsh farmers' union has warned him leaving the EU without a deal would cause 'civil unrest' in rural areas. Many British farmers rely heavily on trade with Europe, and a no-deal scenario could be costly for their business.

In Northern Ireland, his last stop, Boris Johnson didn't receive the warmest welcome either. There's broad consensus that leaving the EU without a deal could be dramatic, because of the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which will become a border into Europe.

If no deal happens, the Sinn Féin party says the government must call a referendum on Irish Unity immediately. However, Northern Ireland has been without a sitting government since 2017. So has Boris Johnson convinced the skeptics, or is the Kingdom fracturing even further?

Presenter: Kamal Santamaria | Guests: Alan Wager, research associate with "The UK in a Changing Europe" initiative at King's College London; Jonathan Lis, Deputy Director of "British Influence", a pro-European think tank; Alasdair Soussi, writer on Scottish political affairs

Trump Attacks Another Black Man After Being Called Racist

Donald Trump doesn’t seem to understand the fact that the more he attacks prominent African Americans, the more he’s going to be called a racist. And that is a label that is 100% accurate. The President always reserves his harshest attacks for people of color, and this is no coincidence. We have to start calling it what it is, and it is clearly racism. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Dutch 'Burqa Ban' Rendered Largely Unworkable on First Day

THE GUARDIAN: Police and transport companies have signalled unwillingness to enforce face covering ban

The Netherlands’ “burqa ban” has been rendered largely unworkable on its first day in law after both the police and Dutch transport companies signalled an unwillingness to enforce it.

Under the terms of the Partial Ban on Face-Covering Clothing Act the wearing of ski masks, full-face helmets, balaclavas, niqabs and burqas is prohibited in public buildings, including schools and hospitals, and on public transport.

Wearers of the banned clothing are to be given the option to remove the offending item or face a police fine of between €150 and €415. There is no prohibition on wearing such garments in the street.

But the law appears to have been fatally undermined after police said its enforcement was not a priority and signalled their discomfort with the idea that veiled women could be put off from entering a police station to make unrelated complaints. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, August 1, 2019

Released Tape Features Ronald Reagan Using Racist Slur

In a newly unearthed audio clip, then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan disparaged "monkeys" from African countries in a phone call with then-President Richard Nixon, according to the former director of Nixon's presidential library.

Tim Naftali, who directed the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum from 2007 to 2011, writes that Reagan -- who would later become the 40th President of the United States -- called Nixon in October 1971, the day after the United Nations had voted to recognize the People's Republic of China. In the call, he says, Reagan is heard apparently referencing the way the Tanzanian delegation started dancing in the General Assembly when the UN took the vote to seat the delegation from Beijing instead of Taiwan.

Theologians Under Hitler | Religious Belief Documentary | Timeline

Boris Johnson’s Threat of a No-deal Brexit Will Not Break EU Unity

THE GUARDIAN: The UK government should look instead to changing – but not discarding – the backstop

No matter what Boris Johnson or his new Vote Leave cabinet threaten – and the expectation in Brussels is that no-deal planning will be ramped up in an attempt to intimidate other EU countries – be in no doubt: there isn’t time to limit the damage of a sudden severance from the world’s largest trading block this Halloween.

Unless a further extension is requested, or article 50 is revoked by 31 October, when the current extension of UK membership expires, a dramatic shock awaits the global economy and we all stand to lose. The few who may prosper are the wealthy bankers and hedge fund managers who have bet on chaos.

It is fiction to talk of rewards for citizens or mini-deals to mitigate the damage. Faced with a British government intent on ratcheting up talk of no deal, other European governments have no choice but to prepare for the worst, too – but this is far from a desirable path. In the face of such irresponsible posturing, far from feeling threatened, I fully expect EU governments to remain calm and keep their unity. Attempts to put pressure on Ireland will only be met with waves of solidarity from the rest of the EU. » | Guy Verhofstadt* | Wednesday, July 31, 2019

* Guy Verhofstadt is Brexit coordinator for the European parliament

Republicans Largely Silent after Trump's Attacks on Baltimore and Cummings | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Facing new claims of racism, Trump attacked Rep. Elijah Cummings and the city of Baltimore Cummings represents. Dems were swift to call Trump out, but Republicans were largely silent. Donna Edwards, Juana Summers, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and Robert Costa join.

Could a No-deal Brexit Push Wales towards Independence?

Boris Johnson may have given himself a new title of Minister for the Union, but how United is the Kingdom?

In Wales, where he was today, the Tories are out in front in the latest opinion poll. But many in the Welsh independence movement see his premiership as the perfect gift for their campaign.

A no-deal Brexit puts new pressures on Scotland and Northern Ireland, could it change the game in Wales too? Just this weekend thousands gathered to march for independence, so how indy-curious is Wales?

Reinhard Mey - Gute Nacht Freunde (original)

Hamed Abdel-Samad | Islam und Islamkritik | NZZ Standpunkte (2017)

Der Ägypter Hamed Abdel-Samad wurde 1972 in eine streng religiöse Familie hinein geboren und war als Student Mitglied der radikal-islamischen Muslimbruderschaft. Mit der Auswanderung nach Deutschland ging er den Weg der Selbstaufklärung. Er begann die Probleme seiner Herkunftswelt im Horizont der Religion zu begreifen. Heute ist er ein profilierter Kritiker des Islamismus wie des Islam. Angesichts des grassierenden dschihadistischen Terrors diagnostiziert Abdel-Samad eine Gewaltbereitschaft, die im Koran selber durch die Verbindung von Religionsstiftung und Machtpolitik angelegt sei. Er hält es an der Zeit, das Buch einer neuen Lesart zuzuführen.

Mit Hamed Abdel-Samad unterhalten sich «NZZ»-Chefredaktor Eric Gujer und die Politikphilosophin Katja Gentinetta über seinen «Abschied vom Himmel» des Glaubens, seine Kritik der Lehren des Propheten sowie die Möglichkeiten, den Islam für die heutige Zeit zu reformieren.

Helmut Schmidt | Erfahrungen und Einsichten | NZZ Standpunkte (2009)

Er gilt als einer der herausragendsten Politiker in der Nachkriegsgeschichte Deutschlands und Europas, und er hat wie kein zweiter in den letzten Jahrzehnten die politische und gesellschaftliche Debatte seines Landes als Minister, Regierungschef, Intellektueller, Publizistik und Herausgeber der Hamburger Wochenzeitung „Die Zeit“ geprägt: Alt-Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt. Mit Helmut Schmidt, der im Dezember 91 Jahre alt wird, unterhalten sich NZZ-Chefredaktor Markus Spillmann und Marco Färber über die deutsche Wiedervereinigung, die Rolle und die Begrenzung Deutschlands in Europa und der Welt, über Freundschaften und ihren Stellenwert in der internationalen Politik und über die Bedrohung und Herausforderungen der Zukunft. Und über das Altern und Gott.

Johnson and Varadkar Clash over Irish Backstop in Phone Call

THE GUARDIAN: Taoiseach tells new PM in first chat that EU will not scrap it as part of reopening Brexit talks

Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar have clashed over the Irish backstop in their first phone call, with the Irish taoiseach saying the EU is united in the view that it cannot be scrapped and the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened.

Johnson finally spoke to Varadkar almost a week after becoming prime minister, telling him the UK would never put physical checks or infrastructure at the border with Northern Ireland after Brexit but demanding the backstop be scrapped.

The British prime minister had been accused of snubbing Varadkar by leaving it so long to speak to him, even though the Irish leader will be central to whether he can agree a new withdrawal deal with the EU.

A spokesman for Varadkar said: “The taoiseach emphasised to the prime minister that the backstop was necessary as a consequence of decisions taken in the UK and by the UK government. » | Rowena Mason, Deputy political editor | Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Boris Johnson et sa compagne emménagent à Downing Street

PARIS MATCH: Lundi, le Premier ministre britannique Boris Johnson emménage dans sa résidence de Downing Street à Londres, avec sa compagne.

Le nouveau Premier ministre britannique Boris Johnson emménage lundi dans sa résidence de Downing Street à Londres, où il vivra avec sa compagne Carrie Symonds, a annoncé l'exécutif britannique. «Le Premier ministre emménage officiellement aujourd'hui et, oui, sa partenaire y vivra», a déclaré à la presse un porte-parole du dirigeant conservateur de 55 ans, qui a pris le 24 juillet la succession de Theresa May. » | La Rédaction avec AFP | lundi 29. juillet 2019

The Guardian View on Boris Johnson and Scotland: State of Disunion

THE GUARDIAN: The prime minister has made visiting Scotland an early priority. But it is getting late to stop Brexit from breaking up the UK

Boris Johnson is insouciantly reluctant to be seen travelling cap in hand to Berlin, Paris or Brussels in pursuit of new Brexit terms. He has not even bothered to make a phone call to the Irish taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, even though the Irish border is the crunch Brexit issue. His attitude to the European Union is to try to make the foreigners sweat, even if the result is a slump in the value of sterling, as it was on Monday. And yet, like Theresa May before him, Mr Johnson felt the need to go to Scotland at the very start of his prime ministership.

Why did he come? Why the exception? It is, after all, improbable that the prime minister will get a political dividend from his meetings in Edinburgh. The first, with the Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, was at best an exercise in damage limitation. Mr Johnson’s casual embrace of a possible no-deal Brexit (which he just as casually denied in an interview) has undermined both Ms Davidson and Tory credibility on the issue in Scotland. Meanwhile, although the brutal sacking of the former Scottish secretary, David Mundell, last week may not have received much attention in England, it has been widely seen in Scotland as an act that pulls the rug from under Ms Davidson. » | Editorial | Monday, July 29, 2019

'Dangerous' UK Government Intent on Forcing No Deal, Says Sturgeon

THE GUARDIAN: Scotland’s first minister criticises Boris Johnson’s ‘hardline position’ on Brexit

Boris Johnson is pursuing a dangerous hardline strategy with EU leaders, with the intention of forcing a no-deal Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon has said following her first face-to-face meeting with the prime minister.

Speaking to reporters immediately after Johnson had left her official residence in Edinburgh, Scotland’s first minister said: “This is a government that is pursing a no-deal strategy, however much they might deny that in public.”

“Behind all of the bluff and bluster, this is a government that is dangerous. The path that it is pursuing is a dangerous one, for Scotland but for all of the UK. He says that he wants a deal with EU but there is no clarity whatsoever about how he thinks he can get from the position now, where he’s taking a very hard line … to a deal.”

Johnson was greeted by boos and heckles from an assembled crowd of pro-independence and anti-Brexit protesters as he arrived at Bute House on Monday afternoon, and chose to leave after the hour-long meeting by an alternative back entrance. » | Libby Brooks | Monday, July 29, 2019

Nine Years On, Greek MPs Agree to Abide by Own Anti-smoking Law

THE GUARDIAN: Metal ashtrays that grace the vestibule off parliament’s cafe are finally being removed

Until not so very long ago Greek MPs thought nothing of lighting up in the august halls of the Athens parliament.

So common was the habit that a thick fog of cigarette smoke often hovered over the building’s cafe, a few metres from the legislative chamber where deputies had once voted to ban smoking in all public spaces, including the 300-seat House.

Nine years, 10 months and 26 days after that ban came into effect, lawmakers are finally being forced to abide by it too.

“There’s definitely been a change,” said Dimitris Tarantsas, who has waited on MPs from behind the cafe’s bench-top bar for the past 18 years. “The law, for the first time, is being upheld.”

By Monday, he says, even the metal ashtrays still gracing the one place where smoking is allowed – a vestibule off the cafe – will have been relocated to the dustbin of history as the building officially becomes a smoke-free zone. » | Helena Smith in Athens | Monday, July 29, 2019

CrossTalk on Boris Johnson: PM BoJo

Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Did you ever think you would say that? It seems we live in a world where anything can happen now. After all, who would have thought Brexit would destroy the premiership of Theresa May? Will the Brexit process do the same to Boris Johnson? CrossTalking with Lee Jasper, Mark Garnett, and James Tweedie.

Boris Johnson in Scotland as Pound Falls amid No Deal Brexit Fears

On a visit to Scotland, the Prime Minister insisted that he did not believe a no-deal scenario was the most likely option. Unlike the man he's put in charge of no deal planning, Michael Gove, who yesterday suggested that it was. And Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, after meeting Mr Johnson today, said she thought he secretly wanted a no-deal Brexit after all.

Pat Buchanan: 300 Nukes in Israel Yet Iran a Threat? (20120

Islamic wars have brought questionable benefit to the US over the last 20 years, former US presidential advisor Pat Buchanan, author of Suicide of a Superpower, shared with RT. ¬A new war in the Middle East will be a disaster for the US and for the world economy, he says. "I opposed the Desert Storm operation in 1991 cleaning Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait because, I said, 'This would only be the first Arab-American war.'" Looking at the number of conflicts in the Islam world that America is taking part in now, one cannot but admit that Buchanan was right 20 years ago. "You cannot replicate the Middle West in the Middle East," Pat Buchanan concluded. From the time of the Cold War the US has military bases all over the world. Today, running a budget deficit of 10 per cent of its GDP, America simply cannot afford to continue "to carry this enormous burden, defending 40 or 50 countries around the world," Buchanan says, "We have to bring troops home." Getting rid of these bases essentially means dismantling the American Empire to help the US survive beyond 2025. America's crusade under the banner of ending tyranny in the world is "utterly utopian".

Glyphosate Banned in Austria as More Countries Become Aware of Weed Killer Poison

Via America’s Lawyer: Austria has become the latest country to completely ban glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, the weed killer. Mike Papantonio explains more.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — July 29, 2019

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Says 'Nothing Is Inevitable' with US and Iran (July 19, 2019)

In an interview with PBS NewsHour anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif denied the United States had shot down an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, and said ‘nothing is inevitable’ when asked about a military conflict between the United States and Iran.

Todesstrafe auf Wunsch des Präsidenten

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die amerikanische Regierung will im Dezember und Januar zum Tode Verurteilte wieder hinrichten lassen. Die Maßnahme verschärft den Wahlkampf – denn sie spaltet die Lager.

Die Liste der nach amerikanischem Bundesrecht zum Tode verurteilten umfasst im Moment 62 Personen. Sie ist in den vergangenen 16 Jahren stetig länger geworden, weil zwar weiter Todesurteile gefällt, aber nicht mehr vollstreckt wurden. Am Donnerstag teilte die Bundesverwaltung der Justizvollzugsanstalten mit, dass sie fünf Exekutionen für Dezember und Januar in einer Haftanstalt in Indiana angesetzt hat. Die fünf Männer waren in getrennten Fällen verurteilt worden, weil sie Kinder ermordet hatten. » | Von Majid Sattar, Washington | Samstag, 27. Juli 2019

Un Brexit sans accord pourrait mener à une réunification de l'Irlande

PARIS MATCH: Le nouveau Premier ministre britannique Boris Johnson réclame de l'Union européenne un nouvel accord de divorce avec notamment "l'abolition" du "filet de sécurité" irlandais, une demande aussitôt jugée "inacceptable" par le négociateur de l'UE Michel Barnier.

Un Brexit sans accord pourrait mener à une réunification de l'Irlande du Nord et mettre à mal le Royaume-Uni, a déclaré le Premier ministre irlandais Leo Varadkar. "L'une des choses qui pourrait vraiment nuire (au Royaume-Uni), paradoxalement, c'est un Brexit dur, tant pour l'Irlande du Nord que pour l'Ecosse", a déclaré M. Varadkar vendredi lors d'une université d'été dans le comté de Donegal. "C'est un problème qu'il leur faudra affronter", a-t-il ajouté, cité samedi par plusieurs médias dont le quotidien The Irish Independent. » | La Rédaction avec AFP | samedi 27 juillet 2019

Tommy Sheridan: "Don't Unpack Your Bags Boris!"

Tommy Sheridan has a message for the new PM after Ian Blackford MP tells MPs that Boris Johnson will be 'the last Prime Minister of the UK'.

Nancy Wake: Gestapo's Most Wanted | French Resistance Documentary | Timeline

This is the incredible true story of Nancy Wake, the daring allied spy who became the Gestapo’s most wanted woman in WWII. Codenamed ‘The White Mouse’ for her elusiveness, this international femme fatale was a key inspiration behind Sebastian Faulkes’ celebrated fictional spy Charlotte Gray.

'You’d Have to Be Mad to Think Boris Johnson Is the Answer to Britain’s Problems' – George Galloway

As Noel Coward sang, “Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the noon-day sun.” You could say the same about the Conservative Party, which just chose Boris Johnson to lead it.

Why Algorithms Are Called Algorithms

Growing Alarm in Germany Following Right-Wing Attacks

In June, the fatal shooting of a pro-migrant politician sent shockwaves through the country. This week, there were two more incidents suspected of having right-wing extremist motives. The violence has left political leaders searching for answers

Sweden Hits Back at Donald Trump in Row over A$AP Rocky Detention

THE GUARDIAN: Ex-Swedish PM tells US president political interference in rule of law is off limits

Sweden has hit back at Donald Trump after the US president reacted angrilyto a decision to press assault charges against the American rapper A$AP Rocky, insisting its independent judicial system must do its work.

“The rule of the law applies to everyone equally and is exercised by an independent judiciary,” tweeted former prime minister Carl Bildt. “That’s the way it is in the US, and that’s certainly the way it is in Sweden. Political interference in the process is distinctly off limits. Clear?”

Trump said on Thursday he was very disappointed in Stefan Löfven for being unable to act. He said “Sweden has let our African American community down in the United States. Give A$AP Rocky his freedom.”

The US president also said: “We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem.” » | Jon Henley | Friday, July 26, 2019

ITV News Exclusive: Jacob Rees-Mogg Issues Style Guide to Staff

ITV: The new Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg has instructed all staff in his new office to use imperial measurements and refer to ‘non-titled males’ as ‘esquire’.

Issuing a style guide in the first week of his job, he also bans colleagues from using various words in correspondence with other MPs and the public.

Among the list of bizarre rules, he asks staff not to use the words “got”, “very” or “equal”. » | Paul Brand, Political correspondent | Friday, July 26, 2019

Boris Johnson: 'The Boy Who Wanted to Be World King' – BBC Newsnight

Veteran political reporter Michael Cockerell profiles the man that will lead the UK through the next daunting steps ahead.

Brussels: Brexit Agreement Is 'Best and Only Agreement Possible' – EU Commission

New Study Predicts Millions of Americans May Become Exposed To "Off The Charts" Heat

Climate scientist Michael Mann discusses the increasing frequency and severity of heat waves, just as the US, Europe, and India are experiencing this Summer

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — July 26, 2019

New British Leader: Boris Johnson's Turkish Roots

The British leader has a strong link to Turkey. Boris Johnson can trace some of his ancestors back to a village about a hundred kilometers from the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Brexit Deadlock as No 10 Insists EU Must Scrap Backstop before Talks

THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson’s spokesman says if new deal is not possible, UK ‘will be leaving’

Boris Johnson’s government has played down the idea of fresh Brexit talks with the EU unless Brussels first agrees to reopen the entire withdrawal agreement and scrap the Irish backstop, both of which have been repeatedly ruled out.

In a stance that appears to place the UK more firmly on course for a no-deal departure on 31 October, Downing Street said there were no new Brexit talks scheduled, and that Johnson was “clear what the basis for those discussions needs to be”.

His spokesman said: “I don’t have a date to point you towards. The PM has been very clear that he is ready to begin having those discussions, but obviously the key point is the withdrawal agreement is not going to pass parliament, so that is going to mean reopening the withdrawal agreement.” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Friday, July 26, 2019

US Ambassador: Trump Likes Boris Johnson for 'Calling It As He Sees It'

THE GUARDIAN: Woody Johnson says they have a lot in common and will have ‘sensational’ relationship

Donald Trump respects Boris Johnson for “calling it as he sees it”, the US ambassador to the UK has said, responding to the new prime minister’s 2015 description of the US president as “frankly unfit to hold office”.

Woody Johnson said the relationship between the two would be “sensational”. “I think they do have a lot [in common],” he said. “Both these leaders have their own style, but they have similarities and I think they have clear vision of what they want to accomplish.”

Speaking following the new prime minister’s election as Conservative party leader on Tuesday, the president heaped praise on Johnson, describing him as “Britain Trump”. » | Frances Perraudin | Friday, July 26, 2019

Morning After: Boris Johnson Recovers from Lebedev’s Exotic Italian Party

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: New prime minister refuses to say if he abandoned security for 2018 night in billionaire’s castle

A trip Boris Johnson made to Italy for a party held by a billionaire socialite ended with the then foreign secretary at an airport “looking like he had slept in his clothes”, struggling to walk in a straight line and telling other passengers he had had a heavy night, the Guardian has been told.

Pictures of the now prime minister along with an account from a fellow traveller shed further light on Johnson’s weekend away at the home of the media owner Evgeny Lebedev, who is known for hosting uproarious parties for the rich and famous at his converted castle near Perugia.

Johnson has refused to answer questions about the visit in April last year, including whether he flew to Italy against the advice of his officials and without the 24/7 security detail usually assigned to the foreign secretary.

The pictures, taken at San Francesco d’Assisi airport on Sunday 29 April 2018, suggest he did go to Italy without a police escort. According to another passenger on the flight back to the UK, Johnson was on his own, seemingly without any luggage and very much the worse for wear. » | Nick Hopkins | Friday, July 26, 2019

France Warns Boris Johnson Not to Play Games with Irish Border

THE GUARDIAN: Minister says withdrawal agreement including backstop will not be renegotiated

The French government has warned Boris Johnson against playing games with the Irish border after the new British prime minister demanded the ditching of the backstop.

Amélie de Montchalin, France’s minister for European affairs, said both sides should avoid “games, gestures and provocations” with just three months to go before the UK is due to leave the EU.

Speaking alongside her Irish counterpart, Helen McEntee, during a visit to the Irish border, De Montchalin said the French president, Emmanuel Macron, would hold talks with Johnson in France in the coming weeks.

She said there was “solidarity” with Ireland and reiterated that the withdrawal agreement was “the best we have” and would not be renegotiated. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, July 26, 2019

From Trump to Johnson, Nationalists Are On The Rise – Backed by Billionaire Oligarchs

THE GUARDIAN: The ultra-rich are benefitting from disaster capitalism as institutions, rules and democratic oversight implode

Seven years ago the impressionist Rory Bremner complained that politicians had become so boring that few of them were worth mimicking: “They’re quite homogenous and dull these days … It’s as if character is seen as a liability.” Today his profession has the opposite problem: however extreme satire becomes, it struggles to keep pace with reality. The political sphere, so dull and grey a few years ago, is now populated by preposterous exhibitionists.

This trend is not confined to the UK – everywhere the killer clowns are taking over. Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage, Donald Trump, Narendra Modi, Jair Bolsonaro, Scott Morrison, Rodrigo Duterte, Matteo Salvini, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Viktor Orbán and a host of other ludicrous strongmen – or weakmen, as they so often turn out to be – dominate nations that would once have laughed them off stage. The question is why? Why are the technocrats who held sway almost everywhere a few years ago giving way to extravagant buffoons?

Social media, an incubator of absurdity, is certainly part of the story. But while there has been plenty of good work investigating the means, there has been surprisingly little thinking about the ends. Why are the ultra-rich, who until recently used their money and newspapers to promote charisma-free politicians, now funding this circus? Why would capital wish to be represented by middle managers one moment and jesters the next? » | George Monbiot | Friday, July 26, 2019

The EU Will Not Renegotiate Brexit Deal, Juncker Tells Johnson

THE GUARDIAN: European commission president tells PM existing deal is ‘the best and only agreement possible’

European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has told Boris Johnson that the bloc’s member nations will not give in to his demand to renegotiate the Brexit withdrawal agreement.

On Thursday, Juncker – in his first telephone call with Johnson since he took over as British prime minister – called the existing deal “the best and only agreement possible”.

Johnson has insisted that the current agreement to leave the EU and arrangements regarding the Irish border were not good enough and had to be renegotiated.

Juncker the EU would analyse any ideas put forward by the UK, provided they are compatible with the withdrawal agreement, spokeswoman Mina Andreeva tweeted in a readout of the phone call. The pair also exchanged phone numbers and agreed to remain in touch. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, July 25, 2019

BoJo Cleans Out UK Cabinet, Only Hardliners Remain – Galloway

Newly-minted UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is made his debut in Parliament on Thursday. He fielded questions from a noisy House of Commons, with both cheers and jeers directed his way regarding Brexit. So what’s next for the UK political scene? Former UK MP George Galloway breaks it down.

Protests Erupt in London as Boris Johnson Is Sworn In as New Prime Minister, Promising Swift Brexit

Boris Johnson was sworn in as the new British prime minister Wednesday, pledging to deliver a swift Brexit and spending his first full day in office Thursday packing his Cabinet with hard-line Brexiteers. His election was the first time that a party’s membership directly chose the prime minister. The membership of the Conservative Party who voted for Johnson represents less than 1% of the British population. Johnson, who previously served as mayor of London and foreign secretary, replaces outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May. Boris Johnson is a highly contentious figure in the United Kingdom who has built his career on controversy. He is known for outrageous political gaffes and is a close ally of President Donald Trump. He has vowed to cut taxes for the rich, and positioned himself as a friend to big banks. Thousands of protesters marched through Central London to protest the new prime minister Wednesday. We speak with Ash Sarkar, senior editor of Novara Media, who says Johnson has crafted a public persona for himself as “bumbling, ineffectual, posh but benign,” but says this facade conceals “someone who has always been a very ambitious man.”

'This Is Why He [Trump] Can't Have A Second Term' | Morning Joe | MSNBC

While railing against the Mueller probe this week, the president told audience members at the Turning Point USA Teen Student Action Summit that Article II of the Constitution gives him the right to do 'whatever I want as president.' The panel discusses.

The Donald and Boris Love-in Won’t Last Unless the UK Delivers for Trump

THE GUARDIAN: Johnson is now Trump’s man in Downing Street. But it seems Nigel Farage is the true object of the US president’s affection

We all know about Franklin and Winston, Ronnie and Maggie, and George and Tony. For better or worse, these transatlantic allies enjoyed grand visions, global power and left indelible marks on history. But now we have Donald and Boris, whose grand visions stare back at them each morning in the mirror.

And their concept of global power is – how to put this diplomatically? – incompatible with the concept of intelligent life.

To understand how this DoBo partnership is likely to function, you need to recall Trump’s excruciating explanation of his kind words about Johnson while standing next to the walking dead that was his predecessor this time last year.

“I said, he’ll be a great prime minister,” Trump told reporters at Chequers. “He’s been very nice to me. He’s been saying very good things about me as president. I think he thinks I’m doing a great job. I am doing a great job, that I can tell you. Just in case you haven’t noticed. But Boris Johnson, I think would be a great prime minister.” Trump went on to say how much he truly, madly loved Theresa May. “This incredible woman, right here, is doing a fantastic job, a great job,” he said. “And I mean that.” » | Richard Wolffe | Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Far-right Leaders Join Trump in Welcoming Boris Johnson to No 10

THE GUARDIAN: Italy’s Matteo Salvini and Brazil’s Jair Bolsanaro are among nationalists hailing Johnson

Rightwing, populist and nationalist leaders have welcomed Boris Johnson’s imminent arrival in Downing Street after Donald Trump praised the UK’s new prime minister as a “Britain Trump” who was “tough and smart” and would “do a great job”.

In Italy, Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right, anti-immigration League and deputy prime minister, wished Johnson “all the best”, adding: “The fact that on the left they are painting him as ‘more dangerous than the League’ makes me like him even more.” » | Jon Henley | Wednesday, July 24, 2019

'A New Nadir': EU Papers on Boris Johnson's Ascendancy

THE GUARDIAN: Arrival of ‘clown who wanted to be king’ at No 10 is greeted with scepticism in Europe

Europe’s press could not quite believe it either. “The Queen’s jester,” was the headline in France’s Libération as Boris Johnson prepared to enter No 10 Downing St. “He’ll start breaking his promises tomorrow,” warned Der Spiegel in Germany.

In a scathing portrait of the new prime minister, Le Monde said Johnson was “known for his eccentricity, his elastic positions, his narcissism and his lies”. His “insatiable need to be liked and phenomenal aplomb” meant anything was possible, the paper said. “Boris Johnson has a rendezvous with history – his lifelong dream.”

Libération said Johnson would “have to move fast to unveil his Brexit strategy” – something of a problem as “the possibilities open to him to keep his promise of leaving the EU by 31 October are extremely limited ... If the British government has changed, the obstacles remain the same.” » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Wednesday, July 24, 2019

The Guardian View on Boris Johnson’s Leadership: The Years of a Clown

THE GUARDIAN: If the UK’s new prime minister thinks he can sup with populists like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump over Brexit, he risks ending up as dessert

The Conservative party has finally got a leader it deserves. As the UK’s next prime minister, Boris Johnson won’t be able to outrun boring facts and hide from bad publicity. He faces the most daunting challenge – that of how the UK can leave the European Union – on entering No 10 since Winston Churchill in 1940. It is fitting because Mr Johnson is largely responsible for the mess he now has to clear up. The signs are not promising. His pledge that the UK will leave the EU on 31 October “deal or no deal” is as politically expedient as it is destructive. His bravado helped to win the leadership. But it did not unnerve the EU and only hardened opposition within the party. Burning bridges to Europe is an act of arson not statesmanship. Leaving the EU without a deal threatens to wreck the UK economy, break up Britain and rekindle violence on the island of Ireland. No wonder Mr Johnson says he can avoid a hard Brexit, though he can’t say how. He thinks he will be protected from harm if, and when, things go badly wrong. Yet his praetorian guard are from the Tory hard right who, he will find out, prefer to give rather than obey orders. » | Editorial | Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Ambition Fulfilled for Boris Johnson. But What Next for Britain?

THE GUARDIAN: As he becomes PM, new Tory leader knows he has to unite his party – and deliver Brexit

Boris Johnson will underline his determination to unite a fractured and demoralised Conservative party and deliver Brexit by 31 October as he achieves his long-cherished ambition of becoming Britain’s prime minister.

The new Tory leader has already begun “love-bombing” sceptical centre-ground MPs as Theresa May prepared to leave No 10 Downing Street after three fraught years.

“He is at heart a one-nation Tory. That’s who he is and that’s how he’ll govern,” insisted a Johnson ally.

The former mayor of London swept to a convincing victory over Jeremy Hunt, after securing the backing of ardent Brexiters including Jacob Rees-Mogg and Steve Baker.

Johnson won 66% of the votes – 92,153, to Hunt’s 46,656. Turnout was 87.4% among the Tory party’s 159,320 eligible members.

But with a wafer-thin majority in the House of Commons, he will need the backing of colleagues from both sides of the divide to get a Brexit deal through parliament. » | Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot | Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Will Boris Johnson Be Up to His New Job? | Inside Story

Boris Johnson will be the UK's Prime Minister after winning the Conservative Party leadership. Boris Johnson had campaigned on a 'do-or-die' pledge to deliver Brexit. The man who has provoked much controversy, won the leadership of the conservatives as was expected, and will be Britain's next prime minister.

When Johnson walks into Number 10, Downing Street this week, he will be tasked with persuading the European Union to revive talks on a withdrawal deal. If that fails, he says he's ready to lead Britain out of the bloc without a deal on the 31st of October.

But Brexit is not Johnson's only challenge. The prime minister has to deal with an escalating standoff with Iran over its seizure of a UK tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. And his critics will be watching very closely how he handles the so-called 'special relationship' with the US.

Donald Trump has backed Johnson to become the UK's prime minister. So, how will he deliver on Brexit and the many other challenges ahead?

Presenter: Divya Gopalan | Guests Catherine McBride, senior economist at Institute for Economic Affairs; Markus Becker, Europe correspondent for the German news magazine ‘Der Spiegel’. Owen Jones, political commentator, and columnist at the British newspaper ‘The Guardian’

The Hard Right Has Captured My Old Party - and Boris Johnson’s Victory Proves It

THE GUARDIAN: The Tories always used to put pragmatic economics first. British voters should not forgive them for abandoning this

Around 92,000 members who no longer even represent Conservative voters have crowned the “clown prince” as our prime minister. Just when we need a prime minister to bring us together, lead us through the Brexit crisis and on to tackling the serious issues we must confront, the party serves up Boris Johnson. His lifelong ambition has finally been realised; no one and nothing was going to get in his way this time, least of all integrity and truth.

The leadership hustings, far from allaying profound fears about Johnson’s ability and mendacity, went further than merely confirming them. Under friendly fire, he revealed he is actually worse than we had thought.

The hustings also revealed the real Conservative party and its drift to the right. It wasn’t simply that the members don’t look like today’s UK – 71% male and 97% white – it was more about what they said. And the regular applause for Johnson’s dog-whistle rightwing rhetoric proved – as did the election result – that Tory members were prepared, indeed pleased, to lose jobs and the union rather than lose their precious no-deal Brexit. That move to the right, away from the centre ground inhabited by One Nation Conservatives, was the major reason I left the Tory party, after serving it as an MP for nine years. » | Anna Soubry | Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Brussels Greets Boris Johnson Victory by Rejecting Brexit Plans

THE GUARDIAN: EU restates opposition as Ursula von der Leyen warns of ‘challenging times ahead’

Boris Johnson’s election as Conservative leader has been greeted in Brussels with a rejection of the incoming British prime minister’s Brexit demands and an ominous warning by the newly appointed European commission president about the “challenging times ahead”.

Ursula von der Leyen, who will replace Jean-Claude Juncker on 1 November, said both sides had a “duty” to deliver a deal as she offered her congratulations to Johnson on his victory.

“There are many difficult issues we will tackle together,” she said. “It is important to build up a strong working relationship because we have a duty to deliver something which is good for the people in Europe and the United Kingdom.”

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, tweeted that he wanted to work “constructively” with Johnson on the basis that both sides were committed to facilitating “the ratification of the withdrawal agreement”, the deal struck by Theresa May that the new Conservative leader has repeatedly described as dead. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Kommentar: Grossbritannien lässt sich auf ein riskantes Abenteuer ein

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Mit dem unberechenbaren Boris Johnson wird ein Politiker britischer Premierminister, der den bedingungslosen Brexit verspricht. Gleichzeitig ist er für seine Wendigkeit bekannt. Die Ungewissheit um seinen künftigen Kurs sorgt für beträchtliche Risiken.

Grossbritannien hat einen neuen Regierungschef, doch ein hoffnungsvoller Neubeginn sieht anders aus. Boris Johnson wird Premierminister eines zutiefst verunsicherten Landes, das sich in der schwierigsten Situation seit Jahrzehnten befindet. Der Mann, der bisher vor allen Dingen durch seinen nonchalanten Umgang mit Fakten, seine impulsive Persönlichkeit und seine gewagten Versprechungen aufgefallen ist, steht nun vor der Aufgabe, Letztgenannte in die Praxis umzusetzen. Wie dieser Zusammenstoss mit der Realität ausgehen wird, ist die grosse Frage. » | Beat Bumberger | Dienstag, 23. Juli 2019

Morning Joe: This Is a New Level of Racism and Hatred | Morning Joe | MSNBC

The president continues to outright question the patriotism of four minority congresswomen, saying he doesn't believe these women are 'capable of loving our Country,' as he wrote in a tweet on Sunday. The panel discusses.

"Mohammed - Der Prophet und seine Zeit" – History Live am 27. März 2016

Er wird als der Gesandte gesehen, der den Menschen das Wort Allahs offenbarte. Zugleich gilt er als religiöser Stifter des Islam, als mächtiger politischer Führer und als bedeutender Feldherr seiner Zeit. Für rund 1,4 Milliarden Muslime weltweit ist der in der zweiten Hälfte des sechsten Jahrhunderts geborene Prophet Mohammed bis heute ein Heiliger und eine der einflussreichsten Erscheinungen der Weltgeschichte.

Doch hat Mohammed tatsächlich so gelebt, wie es in zahlreichen Schriften überliefert ist? Welche Quellen liefern Aufschluss über sein Leben? Und welche Vorstellung können wir uns heute von ihm und seiner Zeit machen? Wird er zurecht von radikalen Fundamentalisten als Vorbild gesehen? Und muss man nach jüngster Quellenlage einen neuen Blick auf das Wirken des Propheten werfen?

Guido Knopp diskutiert mit seinen Gästen:

Tory Leadership Race: Alan Duncan Resigns as Minister

BBC: Sir Alan Duncan has quit as a Foreign Office minister in protest against a possible Boris Johnson victory in the Conservative leadership race.

In his resignation letter, Sir Alan described Brexit as "a dark cloud".

He told the BBC he quit to demand an emergency Commons debate to give MPs a chance to say whether they supported Mr Johnson's "wish to form a government".

The request for a debate - which would not constitute a binding no-confidence vote - was rejected by the Speaker.

Mr Johnson is the frontrunner in the contest which has seen him go head-to-head with Jeremy Hunt for Tory Party members' votes.

The ballot closes at 17:00 BST - the winner will be revealed on Tuesday morning and will become prime minister on Wednesday. » | Monday, July 22, 2019

Opinion: Boris Johnson Is How Britan Ends

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Not with a bang, but with a burst of blond ambition.

LONDON — Boris Johnson, to whom lying comes as easily as breathing, is on the verge of becoming prime minister. He faces the most complex and intractable political crisis to affect Britain since 1945.

That should be concerning enough. But given Britain’s political system — which relies for its maintenance on the character and disposition of the prime minister — it carries even graver import. Mr. Johnson, whose laziness is proverbial and opportunism legendary, is a man well-practiced in deceit, a pander willing to tickle the prejudices of his audience for easy gain. His personal life is incontinent, his public record inconsequential.

And his premiership could bring about the end of Britain itself. » | James Butler* | Monday, July 22, 2019*

* Mr. Butler is a British journalist.

Brian Stelter Lays Out the Pattern of Trump's Race Baiting

CNN's Brian Stelter goes through a chronological history of Trump's race-related provocations, arguing that the press must not lose sight of this larger pattern.

Der neue Golfkrieg | Doku | ARTE

Zwischen 2013 und 2015 fand in den Königshäusern der drei wichtigsten Golfmonarchien ein Generationswechsel statt. Er brachte drei Männer auf den Thron, die zu den reichsten und mächtigsten der Welt gehören. Sie unterdrücken brutal jede Form von Opposition und liefern einander einen geradezu lächerlichen Ego-Krieg, der in der sensiblen Golfregion zu einer neuen Krise führte.

Als erster kam der heute 38-jährige katarische Emir Tamim Al Thani an die Macht. Der begeisterte Hobbysportler kontrolliert die Mediengruppe BeIN, das weltweit größte Übertragungsnetzwerk von Sportereignissen. Dadurch konnte er zum Neid seiner Nachbarn die Fußball-WM 2022 nach Katar holen. Seinen Einfluss macht Emir Tamim Al Thani zudem über den regional bedeutsamen Sender Al Jazeera geltend. Seine Nachbarn beschuldigen ihn, islamistische Gruppierungen zu unterstützen und ein allzu enges Verhältnis zum Iran zu pflegen.Dem katarischen Staatchef stehen zwei Kontrahenten gegenüber: Da ist zum einen der ehrgeizige Kronprinz Saudi-Arabiens, Mohammed Ben Salman (33 Jahre, genannt MBS), der sein Land in einen blutigen Krieg in Jemen verwickelte. Um seinen regionalen Führungsanspruchs zu verwirklichen, sicherte er sich die Unterstützung eines Verbündeten und Mentors: Mohammed Ben Zayed (58 Jahre, genannt MBZ), Kronprinz von Abu Dhabi und Regent der Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate. Der gewiefte Militärstratege rüstete sein kleines Land zur wichtigsten Militärmacht der arabischen Halbinsel auf.Legten ihre Väter und Großväter Streitigkeiten noch in der diskreten Stille der Beduinenzelte bei, tragen die heutigen Herrscher ihre Konflikte mittels Cyberattacken, Wirtschaftsblockaden und Invasionsdrohungen aus.

Boris Johnson’s Braggadocio Will Soon Come Back to Haunt Him at Number 10

THE GUARDIAN: Lusting after the job is entirely different to doing it, and Britain’s next prime minister has made promises he cannot hope to keep

For Theresa May, the worst has been saved for last. After taking her final prime minister’s questions, she will be driven to Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon to perform the most personally disagreeable task of her time at the top. After tendering her resignation, which will be painful enough, she will have the even more hateful duty of recommending that the Queen invites Boris Johnson to become the new prime minister.

Her failings have been a major contributory factor to his ascent. Tory activists think he will deliver them the Brexit that she couldn’t and cheer them up after the torture of the May years. Tory MPs believe that he has the campaign skills to scupper Nigel Farage and squash Jeremy Corbyn. None of which is going to be much use to him in the critical opening weeks of a premiership that will inherit all the problems that defeated Mrs May and with some extra challenges of his own.

He will have to learn how to be prime minister. The schoolboy who wanted to be “world king” has spent many years lusting after the job, but that is entirely different to doing it. Many previous tenants of Number 10 will testify that no other role is an adequate preparation for the demands of the premiership. Tony Blair, a highly accomplished leader of the opposition before he moved into Downing Street, once told me that he didn’t really get the hang of it until he had been doing it for four years and he had the shock absorber of a landslide majority while he was learning on the job. Gordon Brown arrived with a decade as chancellor under his belt, but floundered desperately as prime minister. Boris Johnson has never been in charge of a public service department and was an embarrassment in the one cabinet position that he has held. » | Andrew Rawnsley | Sunday, July 21, 2019

US to Deploy Troops to Saudi Arabia in Face of 'Credible' Regional Threats

THE GUARDIAN: Washington says move will provide ‘an additional deterrent’ in face of ‘emergent’ risks

The United States has authorised the deployment of military personnel and resources to Saudi Arabia, the Pentagon says, to provide “an additional deterrent” in the face of “emergent, credible threats” in the region.

The move, agreed in conjunction with the kingdom, aims to boost regional security as tensions in the Gulf mount over Iran’s standoff with the US over sanctions and the 2015 nuclear agreement, and Tehran’s seizure of two British-linked vessels in the strait of Hormuz on Friday.

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry confirmed the deployment.

“Based on mutual cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the United States of America, and their desire to enhance everything that could preserve the security of the region and its stability ... King Salman gave his approval to host American forces,” a ministry spokesman was quoted by Saudi state news agency SPA as saying. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Saturday, July 20, 2019

Will Tension in the Gulf Spiral Out of Control? | Inside Story

Iran seizes a UK oil tanker after Britain detained one of its ships.

When the UK seized an Iranian oil tanker two weeks ago, Tehran warned of retaliation. It appears it's carried out that threat.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards detained a British vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. Tehran said the Stena Impero was involved in an accident with an Iranian fishing boat.

A powerful council that works closely with Iran's Supreme Leader later said the seizure was a retaliatory act. Britain's foreign secretary is worried Iran may be going down a dangerous path. Can compromise be found before the situation spirals out of control?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault | Guests: Andreas Krieg - Assistant Professor in the Defence Studies Department at King's College London; Mostafa Khoshcheshm - Iranian political commentator and lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences; Joel Rubin - President of the Washington Strategy Group, a national security consulting firm

Merkel Marks Hitler Assassination Attempt with Anti-extremism Appeal

BBC: German Chancellor Angela Markel has used the 75th anniversary of the most famous plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler to call on citizens to counter rising right-wing extremism.

Ms Merkel thanked the German officer, Claus von Stauffenberg, and other plotters who tried in 1944 to kill the Nazi dictator with a briefcase bomb.

Stauffenberg and some 200 co-conspirators were caught and executed.

Mrs Merkel urged people to join programmes for strengthening democracy.

"This day is a reminder to us, not only of those who acted on July 20, but also of everyone who stood up against Nazi rule," she said in her weekly video podcast.

"We are likewise obliged today to oppose all tendencies that seek to destroy democracy. That includes right-wing extremism." » | BBC | Saturday, July 20, 2019

« Non à Boris, oui à l’Europe », ont scandé des milliers de manifestants anti-Brexit à Londres

LE MONDE: Des opposants au départ du Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne ont défilé dans la capitale britannique, quelques jours avant la probable désignation de Boris Johnson comme premier ministre.

« Non à Boris, oui à l’Europe ». Voilà Boris Johnson prévenu. Trois jours avant sa probable désignation comme premier ministre, les Britanniques proeuropéens lui ont signifié, samedi 20 juillet dans les rues de Londres, qu’ils n’ont pas baissé la garde. Ce ne fut pas le déferlement spectaculaire, compact et déterminé du 23 mars – un million de manifestants –, mais une sérieuse piqûre de rappel administrée par le noyau dur des anti-Brexit : des gens plutôt militants, plutôt intellectuels, plutôt âgés. Entre Hyde Park et Westminster, ces quelques milliers d’irréductibles Britanniques européens ont conspué dans un même souffle le Brexit et celui qui promet de le mettre en œuvre « coûte que coûte » d’ici au 31 octobre. » | Par Philippe Bernard | samedi 20 juillet 2019

Boris Johnson Is the Epitome of What’s Worst about the English Ruling Class

THE GUARDIAN: In Brussels, people recall an amusing buffoon devoid of principle or political belief – but not a Eurosceptic hardliner

The scene, Cardiff. The date, 16 June 1998. The European summit of heads of state and government has just ended, rounding off the UK’s six-month EU presidency. Tony Blair, who has chaired the summit, is holding a press conference. The EU correspondent for the Daily Telegraph puts up his hand and launches into a tirade that is not so much question as full-blown editorial. Blair, a product of the same public-school system as the questioner, quips: “Boris, you should be prime minister!” Twenty-one years on, this prophecy looks likely to come true.

In Brussels, officials who remember Boris Johnson from his days there (from 1989 to 1994) are dumbfounded. Known to this day as a “buffoon”, he is the source of many painful memories. The son of a former Eurocrat and member of the European parliament, he made a lasting impression as the inventor of the “Euromyth”, a journalistic genre now termed fake news. With the backing of his editors it seems, he eagerly misrepresented events or even completely made up stories to portray the European commission as a bureaucratic monster making absurd proposals. As he once explained to me, aged 28 and dressed as ever in a rumpled jacket, his shirt spilling out in typically English manner: “You mustn’t let facts get in the way of a good story.” Among other yarns, he claimed there were plans to establish a “banana police force” to check the fruit was the right shape, that coffins would be standardised and prawn cocktail crisps would be outlawed. He was quick to highlight the purportedly extravagant lifestyle of overpaid, tax-exempted Eurocrats. » | Jean Quatremer* | Tuesday, July 16, 2019

* Jean Quatremer is Brussels correspondent of Libération

The Guardian View on Boris Johnson: Bad Actor, Dishonest Script

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Boris’ is a stage persona that Britain’s likely next prime minister uses to mask serious character flaws

The most insightful contribution to the Conservative leadership contest was made this week by a smoked fish. That does not reflect well on the human candidates, one of whom brandished a kipper as a prop to facilitate a rhetorical point. Boris Johnson told a hustings audience that “Brussels bureaucrats” had caused distress to a businessman by requiring that shipment of his product be accompanied with an “ice pillow”.

But the kipper told a different story. Its refrigeration was a matter of domestic rules. “The case described by Mr Johnson falls outside the scope of EU legislation,” a European commission official clarified. The prop was only there to set up a pun about “kippers” as former Ukip voters, whose repatriation to the Conservative fold is a promised electoral benefit of Mr Johnson’s candidacy. It was a theatrical flourish to tickle a receptive audience. To that end, facts were immaterial.

Unfashionable though it may be in the Tory party, telling the truth still matters. Especially so when the UK’s EU membership expires in little over three months and Mr Johnson claims, in that time, to be able to enact a deal in Brussels different from the one negotiated by Theresa May. He cannot. A new settlement is not on offer and, even if it were, an extension to the article 50 period would be required to complete it in orderly fashion. As with the smoked fish, Mr Johnson is either lying intentionally or avoiding engagement with facts. Both explanations would be consistent with his character – that word applying in the sense of his temperament but also his stage persona. » | Editorial | Friday, July 19, 2019

Boris Johnson Blimp to Join 9ft Farage on Anti-Brexit March in London

THE GUARDIAN: Pro-Europe grassroots groups to voice opposition to a Johnson premiership

Protesters will take to London’s streets on Saturday for a “No to Boris. Yes to Europe” march days ahead of Boris Johnson’s widely anticipated move into No 10.

A Boris Johnson toddler blimp was launched in Parliament Square at 10am, featuring salmon-pink skin, the politician’s trademark “faux-dishevelled hairstyle”, mismatched running gear and a Brexit-bus T-shirt, according to March for Change.

The singer Billy Bragg and presenter Sandi Toksvig are expected to join the march, which begins at noon in Park Lane and will make its way to Parliament Square.

Tom Brufatto, chair of Britain for Europe, said: “We will not allow Boris Johnson to float into No 10 on a favourable tailwind, or have the summer off, unopposed, after so much hot air on Brexit, with so much at stake.” » | Caroline Davies and Jedidajah Otte | Saturday, July 20, 2019

Iran Seizes British Oil Tanker in Strait of Hormuz