Royaume-Uni : l’ex-« speaker » vedette Bercow quitte les conservateurs

LE POINT : John Bercow estime que le parti du Premier ministre Johnson est devenu « réactionnaire, populiste, nationaliste, et parfois même, xénophobe ».

Un départ remarqué. L'ancien président de la Chambre des communes britannique, John Bercow, a annoncé dimanche 20 juin 2021 qu'il quittait le camp conservateur. L'homme politique de 58 ans en a profité pour lancer une violente critique contre le Premier ministre Boris Johnson dont le parti est devenu, selon lui, « réactionnaire, populiste, nationaliste, et parfois même, xénophobe », dans une interview accordée au journal The Observer.

Il avait rejoint les torys à l'âge de 17 ans, et a été député du Parti conservateur pendant 12 ans avant d'être élu en 2009 président de la chambre basse du Parlement, quittant alors toute affiliation à un parti comme le veut la coutume. Après avoir quitté ce poste en octobre 2019, il a annoncé dimanche rejoindre les rangs du parti d'opposition travailliste qui, espère-t-il, renversera le gouvernement. « La conclusion à laquelle je suis arrivé est que ce gouvernement doit être remplacé. La réalité est que le Parti travailliste est le seul moyen qui peut atteindre cet objectif. Il n'y a pas d'autre option crédible », explique John Bercow. » | Source AFP | Publié : dimanche 20 juin 21 ; modifié : lundi 21 juin 21

Princess Latifa: Instagram Image Appears to Show Dubai Ruler’s Daughter in Spain

THE GUARDIAN: Princess, who was seized trying to flee the sheikhdom in 2018, has appeared in several social media posts in recent months

A Dubai princess who has been the subject of concern from a United Nations panel after being seized trying to flee the sheikhdom in 2018 has appeared in a social media post that described her as being in Spain on a “European holiday”.

An image published on an Instagram account belonging to former Royal Navy member Sioned Taylor appears to shows Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas airport.

Taylor’s caption, punctuated by a smiley face emoji, reads: “Great European holiday with Latifa. We’re having fun exploring!” Comments by Taylor acknowledged the location of the image, which match other images of the airport. » | Dan Sabbagh | Monday, June 21, 2921

Boris Johnson a Pundit Who Stumbled into Politics, Says Cummings

THE GUARDIAN: Former aide says in Substack Q&A that No 10 is now ‘just a branch of the entertainment industry’

Downing Street under Boris Johnson is “a branch of the entertainment industry” and nothing will get done in terms of serious policy focus until he leaves, Dominic Cummings has said in his latest blast at his former boss.

In a question and answer session with paid subscribers to his Substack newsletter, Johnson’s former chief adviser described the prime minister as “a pundit who stumbled into politics and acts like that 99% of the time”.

Giving evidence to MPs last month, Cummings criticised Johnson as completely unfit to be prime minister, describing him as media obsessed and “like a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other”. » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Monday, June 21, 2021

EU Prepares to Cut Amount of British TV and Film Shown Post-Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: number of UK productions seen as ‘disproportionate’ and threat to Europe’s cultural diversity

The EU is preparing to act against the “disproportionate” amount of British television and film content shown in Europe in the wake of Brexit, in a blow to the UK entertainment industry and the country’s “soft power” abroad.

The UK is Europe’s biggest producer of film and TV programming, buoyed up by £1.4bn from the sale of international rights, but its dominance has been described as a threat to Europe’s “cultural diversity” in an internal EU document seen by the Guardian.

The issue is likely to join a list of points of high tension in the EU-UK relationship since the country left the single market and customs union, including disputes over the sale of British sausages in Northern Ireland and the issue of licences in fishing waters, which led to Royal Navy patrol boats being deployed to Jersey earlier this year. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Monday, June 21, 2021

Swedish PM Stefan Löfven Loses No-confidence Vote

THE GUARDIAN: Premier is first in country’s history to be ousted by opposition MPs and has a week to decide next move

Sweden’s parliament has backed a no-confidence vote in the centre-left prime minister, Stefan Löfven, making him the first premier to be ousted by opposition MPs in the country’s history and giving him a week to resign or call snap elections.

The vote, called by the nationalist Sweden Democrats barely a year before a general election, plunges Sweden back into political uncertainty four years after the last inconclusive poll produced a deadlocked parliament and led to months of negotiations to form a coalition. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Monday, June 21, 2021

‘It’s Going to Come as a Big Shock’: UFO Experts Await Pentagon Report

THE GUARDIAN: UK ufologists are worlds apart on the importance of a hotly anticipated US intelligence release

Nearly 75 years after Roswell, the possibility that we are not alone in the universe is once again the talk of mainstream politics.

The impending release of a Pentagon report on the activities of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) has sparked a wave of interest and recent pronouncements from the programme’s former director, Luis Elizondo , have raised the eyebrows of ufologists worldwide.

“We are quite convinced that we’re dealing with a technology that is multigenerational, several generations ahead of what we consider next generation technology,” Elizondo told the Washington Post earlier this month.

But a world away from Washington, perhaps the biggest ripples have been felt in Todmorden, a quiet market town in the Pennines. About 20 miles north of Manchester, the town of 15,000 has been the site of a number of unexplained events and reported sightings – earning itself a reputation as Britain’s answer to Roswell in the process. » | Alex Mistlin | Monday, June 21, 2021

Annie Lennox: A Whiter Shade of Pale (Tradução)

The Invisible Enemy: Cyber Terrorists Wreaking Havoc and Costing Billions | 60 Minutes Australia

Stelter: Why Isn't Fox News Fact-checking Carlson's January 6 Claim?

CNN's Brian Stelter emailed Fox News a number of questions about host Tucker Carlson's claim that the FBI was behind the January 6 Capitol insurrection and why their team of journalists have not investigated the veracity of the allegations.

The Observer View on the Tory Byelection Defeat in Chesham and Amersham

THE OBSERVER: The Lib Dem victory shows that voters are finally seeing through the lack of substance behind Boris Johnson’s appeal

The resounding Conservative defeat in last week’s byelection in Chesham and Amersham should ring alarm bells for Boris Johnson. There are many ways to dismiss this result as an anomaly: opposition to HS2 and planning reforms; a strong local campaign by the Liberal Democrats; a lacklustre Tory candidate. All of these were factors, but this huge swing against a government that won an overwhelming majority just 18 months ago – in one of its heartland seats – hints at the electoral consequences of substituting empty rhetoric and divisive culture wars for competent governance in a national crisis. It suggests that Johnson’s appeal may not be as universal as his backers believe.

The byelection result is further evidence of the long-term realignment in English politics. Just as Labour has been losing support among alienated Leave voters in its heartland seats, last month’s local election results highlight how the Conservatives are losing support among working-age graduates, many of whom voted Remain, in what were traditionally Conservative strongholds in affluent areas of London and the south-east. This has become more noticeable since the 2019 election, when many socially liberal Conservative voters who backed Remain supported Boris Johnson because they could not countenance the idea of Jeremy Corbyn as prime minister and, despite their pro-European sentiments, just wanted to see Brexit done. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, June 20, 2021

James Taylor - How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)

Portugal Orders Lisbon into a Weekend Lockdown as the Delta Variant Spreads

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The decision came after the country registered this week its highest number of new cases since March, jumping by more than 1,300 in the past 24 hours.

The Portuguese authorities ordered a weekend lockdown of the capital region of Lisbon starting on Friday in an attempt to blunt a recent surge of new infections, offering a powerful reminder that even as Europe seeks to reopen more fully, the virus still poses challenges.

The decision came after Portugal registered this week its highest number of new cases since March, jumping by more than 1,300 in the past 24 hours.

Public health officials said that the rise in cases was steepest around Lisbon and they estimated that roughly half of the new cases involved the Delta variant, first detected in India and on the rise in other countries, including Britain. » | Raphael Minder | Friday, June 18, 2021

John Bercow Defects to Labour with Withering Attack on Johnson

THE OBSERVER: Former Speaker says party has become reactionary and xenophobic under its current leadership

John Bercow, the former Tory MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, today delivers an extraordinary broadside against Boris Johnson and the Conservative party as he announces he has switched his political allegiance to Labour.

In an explosive interview with the Observer, Bercow says he regards today’s Conservative party as “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”.

Bercow, who stepped down as Speaker in 2019 after 10 years, says he joined the Labour party a few weeks ago because he now shares its values and sees it is as the only means to removing the current Tory government from office.

“I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism. That is the Labour brand,” he said. “The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced. The reality is that the Labour party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective. There is no other credible option.” » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Saturday, June 19, 2021

French Riviera: Uniquely Chic

Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide | In this program, we follow in the footsteps of 19th-century aristocrats along Nice's Promenade des Anglais. Then we listen to the graceful reshuffling of personal fortunes at the casino in fairy-tale Monaco, and visit the picturesque artist hangouts of Chagall, Matisse, and Picasso. © 2004 Rick Steves' Europe

Iran Election: Hardliner Raisi Sweeps to Victory amid Low Turnout | DW News

A hardline cleric has swept to victory in Iran's presidential election. Officials say Ebrahim Raisi has won nearly two thirds of the vote. The only moderate candidate has already conceded. Raisi is a harsh critic of the West. The US has sanctioned him for allegedly overseeing the executions of thousands of political prisoners. Election turn-out was low. Many voters were deterred by years of authoritarian rule and the flat-lining economy.

Haberman: Trump Is Preparing for an Indictment

CNN's Maggie Haberman says that President Joe Biden's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin really underscored to former President Donald Trump that he's no longer president while he and his advisers are preparing for a criminal indictment.

How Trump Gets Back to the White House

Against All Odds • Take a Look at Me Now • Phil Collins

The New Brexit Trade Deals Are a Disaster - Here’s Why

Targeting Biden, Catholic Bishops Advance Controversial Communion Plan

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The decision was aimed at the nation’s second Catholic president and exposed bitter divisions in American Catholicism.

The Roman Catholic bishops of the United States, flouting a warning from the Vatican, have overwhelmingly voted to draft a statement on the sacrament of the Eucharist, advancing a political push by conservative bishops to deny President Biden communion because of his support of abortion rights.

The decision, made public on Friday afternoon, is aimed at the nation’s second Catholic president, the most religiously observant commander in chief since Jimmy Carter, and exposes bitter divisions in American Catholicism. It capped three days of contentious debate at a virtual June meeting of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The measure was approved by a vote of 73 percent in favor and 24 percent opposed.

The Eucharist, also called holy communion, is one of the most sacred rituals in Christianity, and bishops have grown worried in recent years about declining Mass attendance and misunderstanding of the importance of the sacrament to Catholic life.

But the move to target a president, who has regularly attended Mass throughout his life, is striking coming from leaders of the president’s own faith, particularly after many conservative Catholics turned a blind eye to the sexual improprieties of former President Donald J. Trump because they supported his political agenda. It reveals a uniquely American Catholicism increasingly at odds with Rome. » | Elizabeth Dias | Friday, June 18, 2021

Growing Up Gay in The Country I The Feed (2014)

Ivan hasn’t been back to his rural hometown of Tumut NSW in 21 years. He left as a teenager after a childhood of bullying about his sexuality, and never looked back. Until now.

Lib Dems Can Topple Tory ‘Blue Wall’ in South of England, Says Leader

THE GUARDIAN: After Sarah Green’s Chesham and Amersham victory, Ed Davey says Conservative MPs will be worried

The Liberal Democrats have said they can topple the Conservatives’ “blue wall” in the south of England after storming to victory in the Chesham and Amersham byelection, taking a seat that had been solidly Tory for almost 50 years.

In a result that exceeded even the expectations of party activists, the Lib Dems’ Sarah Green overturned a 16,000 Conservative majority to take the seat by just over 8,000 votes, a swing of 25%.

Boris Johnson conceded that the result in Chesham and Amersham was “disappointing” but rejected the idea it shows he is alienating voters in the south of England. » | Peter Walker, Heather Stewart and Haroon Siddique | Friday, June 18, 2021

Lib Dems’ byelection victory suggests trouble for Tories in ‘blue wall’ »

Chesham and Amersham has shaken Tory MPs’ faith in Boris Johnson »

What the loss of a Conservative seat tells us about England’s changing middle class »

Enid Blyton (« Le Club des cinq ») accusée de racisme

LE POINT : L'autrice de livres pour enfants a été épinglée par l'association britannique du patrimoine pour des écrits jugés racistes et xénophobes.

Pour des générations d'enfants du monde entier, l'écrivaine Enid Blyton évoque les aventures bon enfant du Club des cinq. Pour autant, l'association britannique chargée du patrimoine rappelle désormais dans sa documentation que l'autrice britannique a été critiquée pour « son racisme et sa xénophobie ». Dans une déclaration transmise à l'Agence France-Presse, l'association English Heritage, chargée de commémorer de célèbres personnalités, a déclaré avoir mis à jour l'entrée sur son site web concernant Enid Blyton pour y inclure « une référence » au fait que l'œuvre de l'autrice a été critiquée pour son racisme. » | Source AFP | jeudi 17 juin 2021

Being Gay in the USA. Methodist Pastor Gets Defrocked for Supporting His Gay Children (2014)

Since 2003 the US Supreme Court has said that States can't make consensual private homosexual activities between two adults a crime. Yet gay people in the US still have a long way to go before they can enjoy the rights and freedoms equal to those straight people have. Some American States still exercise blatantly discriminatory anti-gay laws and only 17 out of 50 permit gay marriage. This programme focuses on life for gay men in America; they explain why it is important to them to be able to marry, go to church and be accepted by society without having to sacrifice their true identity.

Author Salman Rushdie: "Truth Is a Battle ... Maybe Never More So Than Now" | Amanpour and Company

Salman Rushdie is no stranger to attacks on freedom of speech. In 1989, he was the subject of a fatwā from Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini, who deemed Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" blasphemous against Islam. Over 30 years later, the threat has receded and Rushdie is releasing a new collection of essays. He speaks with Walter Isaacson about the importance of storytelling and the dangers of cancel culture. Originally aired on June 16, 2021.

Richard Dawkins on Brexit

This clip is from a talk between evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and philosopher Sam Harris, recorded 1st November 2016.

Full Discussion: An Evening with Richard Dawkins – Featuring Sam Harris:

Night 1 »

Night 2 »

Monaco: Prince Releases Rare Juvenile Seahorses into Wild

MONACO LIFE: Prince Albert has helped to release seven adolescent seahorses into the wild as part of a project to repopulate the quickly dwindling species.

It comes as the first conclusions of a new study about the seahorse population in Monegasque waters carried out by the Prince Albert II Foundation, the Oceanographic Museum and its Monegasque Centre for the Care of Marine Species (CMSEM), the BIOTOPE design office, along with expert in European seahorses Patrick Louisy have been released.

Seahorses are considered to be “near-threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. This status means the natural populations are in decline and could become extinct altogether if nothing is done to rectify the situation. » | Stephanie Horsman | Thursday, June 17, 2021

After Escaping Certain Death in the Middle East, Gay Man Faces New Challenges in America

A young man’s life was in danger. Seen as too gay, too Western, or both, his safety and that of his family were constantly threatened - even resulting in death of a family member. Thanks to hard work and a Fulbright scholarship, he was able to enroll in grad school and relocate to the United States. While his new home country offered a more hospitable environment for living an openly gay life, he quickly learned that while his life was no longer in danger, persecution of another kind was ever-present.

Lib Dems Win Chesham and Amersham Byelection in Stunning Upset

THE GUARDIAN: Sarah Green takes formerly safe Buckinghamshire seat despite senior Tories’ canvassing

The Liberal Democrats have pulled off an extraordinary victory in the Buckinghamshire constituency of Chesham and Amersham, taking the formerly safe seat from the Tories in a byelection.

In a shock result, Lib Dem Sarah Green secured 21,517 votes, leaving the Conservative Peter Fleet trailing with 13,489, and giving the Lib Dems a majority of 8,028.

The contest was called after the death of the local MP Cheryl Gillan, who had represented the constituency since 1992 and held it in 2019 with a majority of 16,223.

Ed Davey’s party will hope the surprise win shows that a swath of seats across the home counties could now be within their grasp at the next general election. » | Heather Stewart | Friday, June 18, 2021

All Over the World (Remastered)

Provided to YouTube by Vogue

Françoise Hardy, ‘close to the end’ of her life, argues for assisted suicide »

‘Something’s Going On’: UFOs Threaten National Security, US Politicians Warn

THE GUARDIAN: Some members of Congress were given advanced details about Pentagon report, which is scheduled to be released before 25 June

A group of senior American politicians have warned that UFOs pose “national security concerns” after getting a confidential briefing on a highly anticipated report on unidentified aerial phenomena that is set to be released later this month.

Some members of Congress were given advanced details about the contents of the Pentagon report, which is scheduled to be released before 25 June, and several said they are deeply worried about the findings.

“Clearly, something’s going on that we can’t handle,” Tim Burchett, a Republican congressman from Tennessee, told TMZ. » | Adam Gabbatt | Thursday, June 17, 2021

G7 - Benny Hill Showcases ‘Global Britain’ to World Leaders at the Seaside

The G7 meeting which took place in Cornwall last week was meant to be the moment when Boris Johnson could showcase ‘Global Britain’ to the American president Joe Biden and the EU leaders from whose shackles Britain had finally broken free. Instead we saw a hapless disorganised indecisive and rather scruffy individual apparently unaware of the dislike others present feel for him. Despite a huge surge in coronavirus cases and the worst performing economy in the G7 the prime minister remains as popular as ever.

The Catholic Church is a Force for Good in the World - Full Version (2015)

Großbritannien: Ex-Regierungsberater Cummings attackiert Boris Johnson erneut

ZEIT ONLINE: Der Streit zwischen Dominic Cummings und Boris Johnson geht weiter. Der Ex-Berater wirft dem Premier Versagen in der Pandemie vor und veröffentlicht private Chats.

Dominic Cummings, der frühere Berater der Regierung von Boris Johnson, erhebt erneut schwere Vorwürfe gegen den britischen Premier. In einem Beitrag auf seiner Internetseite wirft er der Regierung vor, die Wahrheit zu verdrehen und ihre Entscheidungen in der Corona-Pandemie nachträglich schön zu reden. Aus der Downing Street gibt es bisher keine Reaktion. » | Quelle: ZEIT ONLINE, AFP, dpa, gut | Mittwoch, 16 Juni 2021

Pour Vladimir Poutine, la rencontre avec Joe Biden a été « constructive »

LE POINT : L’échange entre les deux chefs d'État s’annonçait âpre et tendu. « Il n’y avait aucune animosité », a assuré le président russe, ce mercredi.

Le premier sommet entre Joe Biden et Vladimir Poutine a été un peu plus court que prévu. La rencontre entre le président américain et son homologue russe a pris fin à 17 h 05 (15 h 05 GMT) à Genève, ce mercredi 16 juin. Les deux chefs d'État se sont serré la main brièvement avant de commencer leurs discussions peu après 13 h 30 à la Villa La Grange, au bord du lac Léman. À l'issue de leur échange, ils ont donné des conférences de presse séparément, avant de repartir pour Moscou et Washington. De son côté, l'homme fort du Kremlin a jugé la rencontre avec le chef d'État américain « constructive », tout en assurant qu'il n'y avait eu « aucune animosité ». Joe Biden a indiqué que la tonalité du sommet avait été « positive », mais a assuré l'avoir mis en garde contre toute interférence dans les élections américaines. » | Source AFP | Publié : mercredi 16 juin 2021 – Modifié : jeudi 17 juin 2021

A Hongkong, cinq responsables du journal prodémocratie « Apple Daily » arrêtés

LE MONDE : Une descente a eu lieu jeudi dans les locaux du quotidien. Son rédacteur en chef, Ryan Law, a été arrêté.

Cinq responsables du journal prodémocratie de Hongkong Apple Daily, dont son rédacteur en chef Ryan Law, ont été arrêtés jeudi 17 juin en vertu de la loi de sécurité nationale, ont annoncé la police et le média.

Les cinq dirigeants ont été arrêtés au cours d’une descente dans les locaux du média « pour collusion avec un pays étranger ou avec des éléments externes visant à mettre en danger la sécurité nationale », a fait savoir la police de Hongkong dans un communiqué. Apple Daily a précisé que M. Law figurait parmi les personnes interpellées.

« Tous sont des dirigeants d’Apple Daily. Ils connaissent donc très bien les activités quotidiennes de l’entreprise », a déclaré à la presse le commissaire principal, Steve Li. » | Le Monde avec AFP et Reuters | jeudi 17 juin 2021

The Guardian View on Post-Brexit Trade: Counting the Wrong Things

THE GUARDIAN: The government’s obstinate refusal to treat the EU as a valued trading partner is making Britain poorer

The agreement reached with Australia this week is celebrated by the UK government as a landmark trade deal – the first that isn’t a rollover of old European Union membership terms. But that honour surely belongs to a treaty that was signed by Boris Johnson in December 2020. It is the trade and cooperation agreement (TCA) covering the exchange of goods between Britain and 27 other nations.

But those nations constitute the European single market, which Mr Johnson does not appear to count as a valuable trading partner, despite its proximity.

Disruption caused by the pandemic makes it hard to measure the impact of Brexit. Treasury analysis from 2018 estimated the long-term cost of a deal along the lines of the one concluded by Mr Johnson at around 5% of GDP. In March this year, the Office for Budget Responsibility estimated that the fall in trade with the EU under the TCA would shave around 0.5% from GDP in the first quarter of 2021. And that is at a time when “grace periods” are still easing border friction. » | Editorial | Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Inside The Radicalization of Fox News | The Mehdi Hasan Show

Author and Journalist Brian Stelter joins Mehdi to discuss the rapid evolution of Fox News and its symbiotic relationship with the Republican Party.

The Mehdi Hasan Show: Insightful reporting and probing interviews that examine the day's events and provide a deeper level of context for the politics of our interconnected society.


FoxNews is an appalling network! It’s an extreme, right-wing outlet spewing ridiculous, manipulating propaganda to the unthinking masses. As a direct result of Brexit, we now have sh*t like that being broadcast here in the UK! So, the minds of Brits will be further polluted by the extreme right-wing one percenters who will make a killing out of steering the masses away from rational thought. This is a very sad state of affairs. – ©Mark

Web Exclusive Interview (2013): 5 "Ex-Gay" Survivors Share Their Stories | Our America with Lisa Ling | OWN

Just weeks before Exodus International announced that they are closing their organization for good, a group of survivors of ex-gay "reparative therapy" confronted Alan Chambers, the leader of Exodus, to tell him their stories of secrecy, guilt, and liberation. From former pastors who reveal the trauma of losing their jobs, to people's broken marriages and suicidal thoughts, watch highlights from their deeply personal conversation that didn't make it into the episode. For more on #Our America with Lisa Ling, visit Oprah.com.

Find OWN on TV »

Jean Castex annonce la fin du port du masque à l’extérieur jeudi

LE POINT: Dès le 20 juin, les Français ne seront plus soumis au couvre-feu, alors qu’il devait être levé le 30 juin, a également annoncé le Premier ministre ce mercredi.

C'est officiel : le port du masque n'est plus obligatoire en extérieur à compter de ce jeudi, sauf dans les lieux clos, les magasins ou encore les transports. Dans les cours de récré, le port du masque restera néanmoins obligatoire, a fait savoir Matignon auprès de BFMTV. Cette mesure sera bien prise « sans délai ». « Les arrêtés préfectoraux qui régissent le port du masque en extérieur seront donc modifiés dès demain », a annoncé Jean Castex, le Premier ministre, à l'issue du conseil des ministres ce mercredi 16 juin. Le couvre-feu sera, quant à lui, levé ce dimanche 20 juin, soit 10 jours avant la date avancée au départ. » | Source AFP | mercredi 16 juin 2021

Fighting Race, Religion and Class to Find Acceptance as a Gay Muslim Man in Modern Britain (2020)

Mohsin Zaidi grew up in a devout Muslim community in a deprived area of East London.

Struggling with his sexuality, he felt isolated from his family, but found a love for education and became the first person from his school to go to Oxford University.

He went on to work at the UN and the UK's Supreme Court, and today is a criminal barrister in one of the country's top chambers, often working on high profile cases.

He is also an advocate of LGBT rights and BAME representation, and has a new book telling his story: 'A Dutiful Boy: A Memoir of a Gay Muslim's Journey to Acceptance'.

NZZ Standpunkte : Corona-Ursprung in China: Kein Zufall | Sinologin Mareike Ohlberg

Nach wie vor ist der Ursprung von Covid-19 nicht vollständig geklärt. Dennoch ist es für Experten nicht unbedingt überraschend, dass das Virus in China ausbrach. Das enge Zusammenleben von Mensch und Tier sowie die unregulierten Märkte befördern die Ausbreitung, wie auch schon frühere Erfahrungen, etwa mit SARS gezeigt haben. Einen komischen Beigeschmack haben jedoch Chinas Versuche, eine unabhängige Untersuchung zu unterbinden. Versucht die Regierung, etwas zu vertuschen?

NZZ-Chefredaktor Eric Gujer und die Politikphilosophin Katja Gentinetta unterhalten sich mit der Ostasien-Expertin Mareike Ohlberg über die Entwicklung Chinas unter Corona.

Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey - When You Believe (Official HD Video)

"When You Believe" by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey from The Prince of Egypt

Hundreds of Thousands of EU Citizens in UK Risk Uncertain Status from 1 July

THE GUARDIAN: Deadline to apply for settled status two weeks away, as academics warn that vulnerable groups face loss of rights

Academics are sounding the alarm about the hundreds of thousands of EU citizens in the UK who face falling into legal limbo on 1 July with their right to rent a home, work or continue in retirement at risk.

With just 13 days to go before the government’s deadline for EU and EEA nationals and their children to apply for settled or pre-settled status, a report from UK in a Changing Europe warns of the dangers ahead for those who do not apply by 30 June.

The academic campaign group is concerned that some who have applied but are still awaiting a decision from the Home Office – including children and the retired – could face difficulties if they cannot prove their status when they try to access the NHS or travel. » | Lisa O'Carroll, Brexit correspondent | Wednesday, 16 June 2021

Jared Kushner Agrees Book Deal for ‘Definitive’ Account of Trump Presidency

THE GUARDIAN: The untitled memoir by the president’s son-in-law will be published in 2022

Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of former president Donald Trump and a senior adviser in his administration, has secured a book deal to recount Trump’s presidency.

Broadside Books, a conservative imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced that Kushner’s book will come out in early 2022. Kushner has begun working on the memoir, currently untitled, and is expected to write about everything from the Middle East to criminal justice reform to the pandemic. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The signing of the Kushner deal comes amid a debate in the book industry over which Trump officials, notably Trump himself, can be taken on without starting a revolt at the publishing house. Thousands of Simon & Schuster employees and authors signed an open letter this spring condemning the publisher’s decision to sign up former vice-president Mike Pence. » | Associated Press | Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Brands Pull Ads from GB News TV Channel over Content Concerns

THE GUARDIAN: Ikea, Grolsch and Kopparberg have suspended adverts due to station’s perceived conflict with their values

GB News, the television channel that launched this week with backing from pro-Brexit tycoons and a mission to produce “anti-woke” US-style news content, is facing an advertiser backlash after big consumer brands including Ikea, Nivea and Grolsch said they would pull their adverts from the network.

Fronted by a clutch of familiar names including the former BBC and Sky presenters Andrew Neil and Kirsty Gallacher, GB News, which launched on Sunday evening, is pitching itself as an alternative to the mainstream media with a focus on generating opinion and controversy, rather than original reporting.

However, activists are already calling for boycotts of brands that advertise on the channel, on the grounds that they believe it is hoping to monetise divisive political issues and to push the boundaries of UK TV news regulations, which require politically balanced broadcasts. » | Jasper Jolly | Tuesday, June 15, 2021

How GB News is bringing US-style opinionated TV news to the UK »

Hungary Passes Law Banning LGBT Content in Schools

THE GUARDIAN: New legislation outlaws sharing information seen as promoting homosexuality with under-18s

Hungary’s parliament has passed a law banning LGBT content in schools, as Viktor Orbán’s ruling party intensified its campaign against gay rights.

The national assembly passed the legislation by 157 votes to one, after MPs in the ruling Fidesz party ignored a last-minute plea by one of Europe’s leading human rights officials to abandon the plan as “an affront against the rights and identities of LGBTI persons”.

Despite a boycott of the vote by some opposition politicians, the outcome was never in doubt, as Fidesz has a healthy majority and the plans were supported by the far-right Jobbik party.

The measures have been likened by critics to Russia’s 2013 law against “gay propaganda” that independent monitors say has increased social hostility and fuelled vigilante attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the EU country’s eastern neighbour. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Can Brazil Survive Bolsonaro? | The Economist

Since coming to power President Jair Bolsonaro has shaken democracy, accelerated deforestation in the Amazon and played down the danger of the coronavirus pandemic, with calamitous results. Could Brazil survive another four years of his leadership?

Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ Widespread in Top Makeup Brands, Study Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Researchers find signs of PFAS in over half of 231 samples of products including lipstick, mascara and foundation

Toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” are widely used in cosmetics produced by major brands in the US and Canada, a new study that tested for the chemicals in hundreds of products found.

The peer-reviewed study, published in Environmental Science & Technology, detected what the study’s authors characterized as “high” levels of organic fluorine, an indicator of PFAS, in over half of 231 makeup and personal care samples. That includes lipstick, eyeliner, mascara, foundation, concealer, lip balm, blush, nail polish and more.

The products that most frequently contain high levels of fluorine include waterproof mascara (82% of brands tested), foundations (63%) and liquid lipstick (62%). » | Tom Perkins | Tuesday, June 15, 2021

NATO Declares China 'A Systematic Challenge to the Global Order' | DW News

NATO leaders had branded China a security risk to the alliance and criticized its "opaque" weapons development programs. "China's stated ambitions and assertive behavior present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security," NATO leaders had said in a communique. The final communique was NATO's first change of focus for an alliance created to defend Europe from the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

China on Tuesday accused NATO of "creating confrontations" after the alliance's members pledged to cooperate to counter "systemic challenges" posed by Beijing's policies. In a statement, the Chinese Mission to the European Union called for NATO to "view China's development rationally, stop exaggerating various forms of 'China threat theory' and not to use China's legitimate interests and legal rights as excuses for manipulating group politics [while] artificially creating confrontations."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg spoke about Chinese investment in Western infrastructure, likely referring to Chinese projects in Africa and a row over 5G networks built by Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. "China is coming closer to us. We see them in cyberspace, we see China in Africa, but we also see China investing heavily in our own critical infrastructure," Stoltenberg said. "We need to respond together as an alliance." However, Stoltenberg earlier stressed that: "We're not entering a new Cold War and China is not our adversary, not our enemy."

Joe Biden, who was attending the alliance's summit for the first time as president of the United States, urged his fellow NATO leaders to stand up to China's authoritarianism. Over the weekend, Biden and his fellow G7 leaders also scolded China over its human rights record, called for Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and demanded a probe into the origins of the coronavirus in China. The G7 also announced a new infrastructure fund which Biden said would be "much more equitable" than China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Reinhard Mey - Gute Nacht Freunde (original)

WIKIPEDIA: Reinhard Mey »

Boris Johnson’s ‘Global Britain’ Makes Shaky Start at G7 Summit

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The prime minister’s plan to introduce his vision of a nimble, trade-savvy U.K. was upended by a spat over Northern Ireland.

FALMOUTH, England — With an idyllic view of the Cornish coast as a backdrop, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had an unmatched setting in which to launch his dream of a Global Britain. But as Mr. Johnson drew the Group of 7 meeting to a close, Brexit and the pandemic conspired to cloud its debut.

Rather than extolling global agreements to combat climate change or confront China, Mr. Johnson found himself at a news conference on Sunday dodging questions about a four-week delay in Britain’s reopening of its economy and trying to play down an ugly clash with the European Union over Northern Ireland.

The latter issue dramatizes the long shadow Brexit is casting on Mr. Johnson’s effort to rebrand Britain as a vital player on the global stage. Not only did Northern Ireland poison Mr. Johnson’s talks with President Emmanuel Macron of France, but it also threatens to undermine his relationship with President Biden.

The meeting, which brought together world leaders for the first time in person since the departure of President Donald J. Trump, did achieve a striking change in tone after four years of turbulence. With Mr. Biden a good-natured guest, the United States swung back into alignment with its allies in Europe and elsewhere. » | Mark Landler | Monday, June 14, 2021

A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker

In “Alone Out Here,” by Philip Busfield and Luke Cornish, an Australian rancher who is openly gay in a conservative industry fights to reduce carbon emissions through his cattle farming.

A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker

Netanjahu als Ministerpräsident abgelöst

SÜDDEUTSCHE ZEITUNG: Der rechtskonservative Politiker hat das Land zwölf Jahre lang ohne Pause regiert - länger als jeder andere Ministerpräsident. Sein Nachfolger Naftali Bennett hat mit acht Parteien nur eine hauchdünne Mehrheit von einem Sitz.

In Israel ist die Ära Benjamin Netanyahu vorläufig zu Ende gegangen. Bei einer Vertrauensabstimmung im Parlament stimmten 60 der 120 Abgeordneten für Naftali Bennett als neuen Ministerpräsidenten, 59 votierten gegen ihn. Ein Abgeordneter enthielt sich.

Bennett wurde bereits als neuer Premierminister vereidigt. Seine Eröffnungsrede im Parlament zeigte, mit welchem Gegenwind er rechnen muss. Sie wurde vom Netanjahu-Lager so massiv durch aufgebrachte Zwischenrufe gestört, dass er kaum einen Satz zu Ende sprechen konnte. Netanyahu gratulierte seinem Nachfolger mit einem kurzen Handschlag. Tausende Gegner Netanyahus feierten den Machtwechsel auf den Straßen des Landes, so zum Beispiel in Tel Aviv. » | © sz.de/dpa/vwu/jael | Sonntag, 13. Juni 2021

Ehud Olmert: 'Netanyahu Is a Great Performer, But Shallow with No Substance'

A vote of confidence in Israel's new coalition has ended the record 12-year rule of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ehud Olmert, who was Israeli Prime Minister between 2006 and 2009, discusses Netanyahu's legacy and the state of the peace process as he departs from power.

Sky's Mark Stone spoke to him.

WorldsApart: Faith in Stars? Ft. Avi Loeb, Professor of Science at Harvard University

I know, you know, we all know that the Earth orbits the Sun, but this statement of fact wasn’t always so widely accepted. Four centuries ago, it was so controversial that the Catholic Church considered it a heresy. Now, fast forward to the 21st century debate around extraterrestrials and you’ll see something similar – those who hypothesize their existence are treated as apostates. Why so? To discuss that, I’m now joined by Avi Loeb, Professor of Science at Harvard University and author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth.

Ten Years after the Arab Spring, Is There Still Hope for Democracy? 2/2 | DW Documentary

A decade after the Arab Spring, this film tells the story of the uprisings known as the "Arabellion." The protagonists describe how it started, what happened and what life is like today in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

In despair about the hopelessness of his life, Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire on December 10, 2010. His fate moved hundreds of thousands of mostly young people to take to the streets in protest against the regime. The protests not only ousted the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, they also sparked a series of uprisings that rocked the Arab world. A new era of democracy, dubbed the "Arabellion” or "Arab Spring," seemed to be dawning; it was hoped that authoritarian structures would be swept away. Taking stock a decade on, however, is sobering. All across the Arab world, old regimes have been restored, wars have broken out and people are fleeing their homelands. Yet the Arabellion was not in vain, because the pressure for reform is as great as ever. This documentary gives a comprehensive overview of developments, looking for similarities between the 2011 uprisings and the current unrest in Lebanon and Iraq. The Arabellion is recounted from today’s vantage point and through the eyes of local protagonists. What is life like today in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt, ten years later?

In Fiery Exit, Netanyahu Assails Bennett, Says He Can’t Stand Up to Iran, Biden

THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: ‘We’ll be back soon’: Outgoing premier delivers scathing address on the Knesset floor, vows to work tirelessly to topple the incoming government

In his apparently final speech as prime minister of Israel before a new government is sworn in Sunday evening, Benjamin Netanyahu unleashed his fury on prime minister-designate Naftali Bennett and vowed to work tirelessly to topple the new coalition.

“I will fight daily against this terrible, dangerous left-wing government in order to topple it,” Netanyahu said at the conclusion of his lengthy speech in the Knesset plenum. “With God’s help, it will happen a lot earlier than you think it will.”

In comments warning Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah that he is not going anywhere, he declared in English: “We’ll be back soon!” » | Amy Spiro | Sunday, June 13, 2021


Benjamin Netanyahu: the former commando who became King Bibi »

After Brexit: Can the UK Really Go It Alone? | To the Point

For the first time in its history, a member nation has left the European Union. But can the UK really go it alone? And how will it change the EU? Guests: Tom Nuttall (The Economist), Jon Worth (blogger), Tanja Börzel (political scientist)

Thomas Markle's Message for His Daughter Meghan in Exclusive Interview | 60 Minutes Australia

Brexit Bust-up Torpedoes Johnson’s Bid to Showcase ‘Global Britain’ at G7

THE OBSERVER: Northern Ireland border row hits summit in Cornwall as prime minister tells other leaders UK is ‘a single country’

Boris Johnson was embroiled in an extraordinary public spat with EU leaders over Northern Ireland on Saturday as tensions over Brexit boiled over at the G7 summit in Cornwall.

After a series of tense bilateral meetings at which the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel and the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, told their summit host the UK must implement the Brexit deal in full, an unrepentant Johnson said he had urged his EU colleagues to “get it into their heads” that the UK is “a single country”. » | Heather Stewart& Toby Helm | Saturday, June 12, 2021

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Clamour for Wealth Tax Grows after Revelations about Super-rich’s Affairs

THE OBSERVER: Data leak published by ProPublica fuels calls to tighten up system which sees ultra-wealthy pay little or no tax

The revelation last week that the 25 richest US billionaires have paid very little tax even as their fortunes have soared has reignited demands for wealth taxes on both sides of the Atlantic.

An unprecedented leak of “a vast trove” of 15 years of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data to the investigative news site ProPublica has provided a staggering insight into the legal strategies the very rich deploy to avoid tax.

It discovered that Jeff Bezos – founder of Amazon and world’s richest person, with a $193bn (£136bn) fortune – paid no federal taxes in 2011 and even claimed $4,000 in tax credit for his children.

The second wealthiest person – the head of Tesla, Elon Musk – paid no tax in 2018 because he took out vast loans against his shareholdings and deducted the interest costs he paid on the loans from his taxes. » | Rupert Neate | Saturday, June 12, 2021

Trooping the Colour: Queen Celebrates Her Birthday with Scaled-back Ceremony at Windsor Castle

The Queen beamed in the sunshine and tapped her feet to music as she celebrated her official birthday on Saturday with a scaled-back military procession at Windsor Castle.

Her Majesty, 95, sat in the castle’s quadrangle to watch the annual Trooping the Colour, this year led by the Scots Guards.

The Queen Meets G7 Leaders at Summit Reception

The Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at the G7 summit reception in Cornwall on Friday evening.

The Queen hosted G7 world leaders at an evening reception when a day of political talks gave way to the "soft diplomacy" of the monarchy. There, the Queen met US President Joe Biden for the first time.

Three generations of the royal family were present for the event staged at the Eden Project in Cornwall for presidents and prime ministers and their partners. The Queen was joined by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

At one point during the photocall the Queen joked: "Are you supposed to be looking as if you're enjoying yourself?'

Brexit : Boris Johnson instrumentalise la xénophobie entre Européens

LE MONDE: Depuis la sortie du Royaume-Uni de l’UE, les Européens sont confrontés au durcissement des règles migratoires britanniques, une revendication de l’extrême droite reprise par le premier ministre. Une situation face à laquelle l’UE se doit de réagir.

Editorial du « Monde » Des jeunes filles au pair italiennes, espagnoles ou françaises interpellées à leur descente d’avion à Heathrow ou Gatwick et placées en centre de rétention, puis renvoyées dans leur pays. Des Polonais, Bulgares et Roumains contraints eux aussi de faire demi-tour car soupçonnés de chercher du travail. Pour les ressortissants de l’Union européenne (UE), le Brexit a désormais les allures d’un implacable poste de douane.

Au cours du seul premier trimestre, 3 294 d’entre eux ont été refoulés à une frontière britannique, soit six fois plus qu’au cours de la même période de 2020. Depuis la mise en œuvre du Brexit, le 1er janvier, travailler et, a fortiori, s’installer au Royaume-Uni nécessite un visa qui n’est délivré qu’aux détenteurs d’une offre d’emploi proposant un salaire d’au moins 2 500 euros par mois. » | Éditorial | mardi 8 juin 2021

A Change of Name

This blog has been going for many years. It was started at a time when Islam was a huge threat to the West. I believe the time has come for a change of name. I have chosen ‘Life. Leben. Vie.’ because this blog, though mainly English, is actually tri-lingual. It is also no longer about Islam and the threat that it poses, but it’s about life in general, including politics, health, changing patterns of life, even music, and much else besides.

I hope that my regular visitors will approve of the name change. Rest assured that content will remain largely the same. No change there. Welcome aboard! ©Mark

An Officer and a Gentleman • Up Where We Belong • Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes

Soundtrack/theme music from the 1982 Taylor Hackford film "An Officer and a Gentleman," with Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Gossett Jr. David Keith, David Caruso, Lisa Blount, Lisa Eilbacher & Robert Loggia. The song was written by Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie & Will Jennings

Stephen Fry Takes On Global Anti-LGBTI Leaders (2013)

This important documentary should be shared with all people. The LGBTI community continues to face oppression, arrest and in some countries death just because of who they are, how they look or who the love. The haters need to be called out and Stephen Fry is doing just that.

New Calls to Replace ‘Empire’ with ‘Excellence’ in UK Honours System

THE GUARDIAN: Campaign has backing of honours-holders including health chief Victor Adebowale and NBA’s John Amaechi

A new push to strip the word “empire” from the British honours system has been launched by dozens of community activists who have accepted gongs but object to them being named after imperialism that caused “harm and trauma”.

They include Victor Adebowale, the chair of the NHS Confederation who accepted a CBE in 2000; John Amaechi, a British-American former NBA player and Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu, a pioneering nurse born to Irish and Nigerian parents.

Last December the Cabinet Office said the names of medals such as the MBE, OBE and CBE would not change, but nearly 100 honours-holders have founded a campaign to replace the word empire with “excellence”. » | Robert Booth, Social affairs correspondent | Friday, June 11, 2021

Eine letzte Zigarette: Aufstieg und Fall des blauen Dunstes (2009)

A Final Cigarette (Swiss documentary) part 1 - Das war einmal: Schweizer TV-Moderatoren mit der Zigarette in der Hand, Swissair-Piloten, die sich nach dem Start mit einem Glimmstengel belohnen, Nationalräte im Tabakdunst: DOK dokumentiert den Aufstieg und Fall des blauen Dunstes. Ist die zunehmende Reglementierung des Rauchens richtig oder falsch?

Auf der Terrasse des rauchfreien Bundeshauses stehen schlotternde Nationalräte im Schneesturm und rauchen trotz beissender Kälte. DOK-Autor Fritz Muri vergleicht diese Szene mit Fundstücken aus Film- und Fotoarchiven aus einer Zeit, als mehr als 50 Prozent der Erwachsenen in der Schweiz noch rauchten.

Ein besonderes Highlight ist die Szene, in der Dichter Friedrich Dürrenmatt und Literaturpapst Marcel Reich-Ranicki während einer Fernsehdiskussion einen Studiobrand verursachten. Besonders die Eliten aus Kultur, Medien und Politik waren dem blauen Dunst zugetan. Kettenraucher gab es aber auch unter Piloten und Chirurgen. Models hüpften mit der Zigarette in der Hand über den Laufsteg, und die Werbung verbreitete omnipräsent den Duft der grossen weiten Welt.

Die weltweiten Kampagnien der Tabakmultis hatten damals ihre Gesichter. Zwei davon gehörten Schweizern: Der Berner George Herriger zog als Camel-Man durch den Dschungel, und Beat Wyss lächelte als Parisienne-Protagonist von den Plakatwänden der Luzerner wurde damals unfreiwillig zum Vorzeigeraucher und erforschte später als Professor der Kunst- und Mediengeschichte die Kulturgeschichte des Rauchens. Im Dokumentarfilm wird er zum Experten im doppelten Sinne.

Zu Wort kommen auch Präventivmediziner, Manager der Tabakmultis, der ehemalige Tabak-Lobbyist Edgar Oehler und der vormalige Tageschau-Chef Heiner Hug. DOK zeigt, wie in Büros, Fernsehstudios, Spitälern und Polizeistationen die Raucherinnen und Raucher immer mehr an den Rand gedrängt werden, aber auch wie eine Handvoll Genussraucher auf ein Zürichseeschiff flüchtet, um ungestört ihrem Laster zu frönen.

Fritz Muri schildert in seinem Film zudem die Geschichte des Bündner Volksmusikkönigs Peter Zinsli. Nach 60 Jahren als Raucher kann er heute nur noch mit einer Sauerstoffmaske überleben. Kann sein Beispiel seinen Sohn und seine Enkelin vom Rauchen abhalten? DOK gibt die Antwort.






Gaby gab auf zu rauchen. Nun verlangt sie, daß alle anderen auch zu rauchen aufhören. Scheinbar will sie nicht allein sein! »

Aux Etats-Unis, un système fiscal inique

LE MONDE: Alors que les pays du G7 se sont accordés sur la mise en place d’un impôt minimal mondial sur les multinationales, les révélations du site d’investigation « ProPublica », selon lesquelles les milliardaires américains payeraient moins d’impôts que le reste de la population, relancent le débat sur la taxation des plus riches dans le pays.

Editorial du « Monde ». Sale temps pour l’optimisation fiscale. Quelques jours après l’initiative tardive mais salutaire des pays du G7 pour tenter d’nstaurer au niveau mondial un impôt plus juste sur les bénéfices des multinationales, la divulgation des déclarations fiscales des vingt-cinq premiers milliardaires américains relance le débat sur la taxation des plus riches aux Etats-Unis.

ProPublica, une association spécialisée dans le journalisme d’investigation d’intérêt public a eu accès à ces documents officiels, qui montrent que ces ultrariches, dont Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg) et Elon Musk (Tesla), ont payé proportionnellement peu, voire pas du tout d’impôt sur le revenu entre 2014 et 2018. Le taux moyen qui leur a été appliqué s’élève à 15,8 %, alors que le taux marginal aux Etats-Unis est de 37 %. Les documents, théoriquement inaccessibles au public, leur divulgation pouvant constituer une infraction pénale, révèlent l’iniquité du système fiscal américain. » | Éditorial | vendredi 10 juin 2021

Piers Morgan - Monte Carlo | Documentary

The Luxury Life Of Monte Carlo (Monaco)

The Guardian View on Hosting the G7: To Biden, Britain Is Still Europe

THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson’s diplomatic priority should be repairing relations with the UK’s continental neighbours

It is a stroke of good luck for Boris Johnson that Britain is hosting this year’s G7 summit. As chair of the club for rich democracies, the prime minister’s centrality to the proceedings is guaranteed. He is first in line to meet Joe Biden, who flies in to Cornwall on Wednesday for his first official foreign trip as US president.

The choreography flatters Mr Johnson, casting him as America’s point man in Europe. That is the role that the UK traditionally sees for itself in transatlantic relations. The truth is more complicated. Leaving the EU removes Britain’s influence in Brussels, which diminishes its utility to Washington as a bridge to the rest of the continent. President Biden sees Brexit as strategic ineptitude, sowing gratuitous division among countries that the US would rather see united.

It does not help that Mr Johnson also exudes contempt for Britain’s nearest neighbours. He has prioritised nationalistic bravado over compromise. That has been noticed in Washington, especially as regards Ireland – the country from which the current US president’s ancestors originated and to which he has a strong cultural attachment. » | Editorial | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

The Guardian View on the Super-rich: A Billion Reasons for a Wealth Tax

THE GUARDIAN: When America’s richest are paying proportionately less in tax than those struggling from paycheck to paycheck, the tax system demands a radical overhaul

This week, Jeff Bezos announced his plan to become the first billionaire in space. Next month, on the 52nd anniversary of the launch of Apollo 11, he will fly about 100 km above the rest of us, see the curve of the Earth and experience a few minutes of weightlessness, before a final descent. As a metaphor for the relationship between the super-rich and everyone else, it does not come much better. What also takes some beating is the justification from the world’s richest person for living out the sci-fi dreams he had as a boy: he has so much money he doesn’t know how to spend it.

“The only way that I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel,” he said in 2018. “That is basically it.” To which the possible counter-suggestions might include: pay your workers more. Or perhaps: pay higher taxes. Because the other big bit of Bezos news this week is that in 2007 and 2011 the multi-billionaire did not pay a cent in US federal income tax. He was in good company: in 2018 Elon Musk of Tesla also paid no federal income taxes. Michael Bloomberg, Carl Icahn and George Soros are also all recent members of the zero club. » | Editorial | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Swearing On Rise But Parents Still Don’t Want Kids Hearing It, Report Finds

THE GUARDIAN: Third of people say they use strong language more than they did five years ago, according to BBFC survey

Swearing in everyday life is on the rise, according to research, but parents do not want to see it increase in the film and television their children watch.

The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) published a report on Thursday into attitudes towards swearing and whether people want a more liberal approach in media content. » | Mark Brown, Arts correspondent | Thursday, June 10, 2021

Boris Johnson Must Respect Rule of Law and Implement Brexit Deal, Says EU

THE GUARDIAN: Bloc leaders say UK must fully implement post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland

Boris Johnson must respect the “rule of law” by fully implementing the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland, EU leaders have said ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said the behaviour of the prime minister was of increasing concern to EU member states. “It’s paramount to implement what we have decided – this is a question of rule of law,” he said.

The prime minister will hold a trilateral meeting with Michel and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, in Cornwall.

The framing of the dispute between the UK and the EU as one of respect for the international legal order will chime with the US president, Joe Biden, who arrived in Cornwall on Thursday. Biden is expected to call for both sides to respect the Good Friday agreement. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, June 10, 2021


Biden arrives with demand that UK settle Brexit row over Northern Ireland »

The Thinking Atheist: Remembering My Father

A few thoughts at the close of a personal chapter by ‘The Thinking Atheist’.

Piers Morgan on Why Vegan Sausage Rolls Are Destroying Our Democracy | 60 Minutes Australia

I’ve never been a big fan of Piers Morgan, but I have to say that he’s spot on with this. – ©Mark

Surprising New Wave of Teen Celibacy Sweeping America | 60 Minutes Australia

Christ! Doesn’t the crap coming out of America ever end? Why don’t Americans try being normal and measured for a change? Why don’t they give up these extreme positions on everything? – ©Mark

Childhood Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in McLean, Virginia

Harry and Meghan Reject Claim Queen Not Consulted on Lilibet Name

THE GUARDIAN: BBC correspondent says palace source claims Sussexes did not ask for permission to use name for daughter

Buckingham Palace has become embroiled in a row over whether the Queen was consulted over the naming of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s daughter.

Harry and Meghan’s decision to name their second child Lilibet, a childhood nickname of the Queen, was seen as an attempt by the couple to try to mend their rift with the royal family.

But the couple’s suggestion, widely reported in the media, that the Queen gave her blessing for the name appears to have only deepened divisions with some at the palace.

The BBC’s royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, reported that the Queen had not been consulted about the name. The BBC did not quote the source for its story directly, but Dymond said on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the source had made it very clear that the Sussexes had not asked permission to use the name and that none had been granted. » | Matthew Weaver | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

Harry wages war with BBC; threatens legal action »

EU-UK Relations Deteriorate as Northern Ireland Talks End without Agreement

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Patience wearing very thin’ and relationship with London ‘at crossroads’, says EU negotiator Maroš Šefčovič

Talks between the EU and the UK over Northern Ireland appear on the brink of collapse as London indicated it was still considering unilateral action to keep unhindered supplies flowing from Great Britain into the region.

The European commission vice-president, Maroš Šefčovič, said patience was “wearing very very thin” and described the relationship with the UK as “at a crossroads”.

Amid fears that the escalating crisis over Northern Ireland would develop into a trade war, David Frost, the Brexit minister, said there had been “no breakthroughs” over the Brexit checks but no “breakdowns” after a two-hour meeting with Šefčovič in London.

They agreed to continue to try to find a solution before 30 June when a ban on chilled meats including sausages and mincemeat is due to come into force. » | Lisa O’Carroll and Peter Walker | Wednesday, June 9, 2021

The JFK Assassination | 72 Hours That Changed America

The day John F. Kennedy was assassinated has sparked conspiracy theories, impacted witnesses for a lifetime and even inspired a JFK assassination tour.

John F Kennedy at 100 - in pictures »

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis obituary »