‘Stain on Queen’s Memory’: Saudi Crown Prince’s Planned Visit Condemned

THE GUARDIAN: Hatice Cengiz, fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and other campaigners condemn plan

Mohammed bin Salman plans to visit London to pay respects to the Queen, a visit that has been condemned by human rights activists Photograph: Bandar al-Jaloud/Saudi Royal Palace/AFP/Getty Images
Mohammed bin Salman’s plan to touch down in London on Sunday to pay his respects to the Queen has been condemned by Hatice Cengiz and other human rights defenders as a “stain” on the monarch’s memory and an attempt by the Saudi crown prince to use mourning to “seek legitimacy and normalisation”.

Cengiz, who was engaged to Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was killed and dismembered by Saudi agents in the Istanbul consulate in 2018, said she wished that Prince Mohammed would be arrested for murder when he lands in London, but said she feared that UK authorities would turn a blind eye to serious and credible allegations against the future king.

A source has told the Guardian that Prince Mohammed will travel to the UK to deliver his kingdom’s condolences to the royal family, though there was no confirmation or information about whether he would attend the funeral service at Westminster Abbey. CNN Arabic first reported the news on Thursday night. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Friday, September 16, 2022

Stocks Slide at the End of a Rough Week for Investors.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Pessimism is deepening as bellwether companies like FedEx and General Electric warn of worsening economic and business conditions.

After one of the worst weeks for the stock market this year, investors are losing their nerve as the burst of optimism that accompanied a summer rally fades away.

The S&P 500 index was set to close out the week around 5 percent lower than where it started, down 1 percent in early trading on Friday as corporate executives from bellwethers like FedEx and General Electric warned of crimped supply chains and declining economic activity that would hurt corporate profits.

The stock market’s move on Friday added to sharp losses earlier in the week, after a widely watched gauge of inflation showed that consumer prices rose more than expected in August. The fresh data undermined the popular thesis that inflation had peaked, ushering in expectations that the Federal Reserve would have to do more to restrain the economy that previously expected, raising the risk of the United States slipping into a severe downturn.

The stock slide marked the latest bout of whiplash for investors after a string of surprises this summer that have consistently undermined a more optimistic consensus in financial markets. Now, some of the most powerful trading houses in the world, responsible for investing trillions of dollars on behalf of pension funds, governments and other investors, are warning that there is more pain to come. » | Joe Rennison | Friday, September 16, 2022

Die Royals als Pop-Stars: Warum die USA das britische Königshaus einst verjagten und heute lieben

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der Tod der Queen zeigt einmal mehr, wie gross das Interesse an den Royals in Amerika ist. Das Königshaus bietet alles, was selbst Hollywood nicht besser erfinden könnte.

Flaggen auf amerikanischen Regierungsgebäuden wehen seit dem Tod der britischen Monarchin auf halbmast, wie hier auf dem Weissen Haus in Washington. | Michael Reynolds / EPA
Die Titelseiten der amerikanischen Zeitungen nach dem Tod von Queen Elizabeth II. standen den britischen kaum nach. Die Massenblätter «USA Today» und «New York Post» druckten jeweils ein Foto der Monarchin über ihre gesamte erste Seite, obwohl Ereignisse im Ausland in den USA meist wenig interessieren. Auch Qualitätstitel wie das «Wall Street Journal» verkündeten das Ableben mit ganz grossen Buchstaben und ebensolchen Fotos.

Die Fahnen auf allen amerikanischen Regierungsgebäuden wehen seither auf halbmast – bis zum Begräbnis, also für die aussergewöhnlich lange Dauer von zwölf Tagen. Derweil berichtet das Fernsehen fast ununterbrochen: Die Nachrichtenkanäle CNN, MSNBC und Fox News widmeten der Queen in der vergangenen Woche zehn mal mehr Sendezeit als der erfolgreichen und für die USA ungleich wichtigeren ukrainischen Offensive im Donbass. » | Meret Baumann | Freitag, 16. September 2022

Companies Declared Insolvent in England and Wales Jump by 43%

THE GUARDIAN: Businesses may struggle as consumers cut back spending amid high inflation and rising fuel costs, economists warn

The number of companies in England and Wales declared insolvent jumped by 43% in August, according to government data, which adds to concerns for the health of the UK economy.

There were 1,933 insolvencies in August, compared with 1,348 in the same month last year, the Insolvency Service said. It was 42% above the level in August 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

Economists are concerned that businesses will increasingly struggle as consumers cut back spending amid high inflation. The government has stepped in with an energy price freeze that will cushion the blow of increased cost of gas and electricity, but the unit price paid by households this winter will still be well over double the levels of recent years. » | Jasper Jolly | Friday, September 16, 2022

Clearly, this must be one of the benefits of Brexit! – © Mark Alexander

Idea of Monarchy as Symbol of Duty or Sacrifice ‘A Lie’, Says Labour’s Clive Lewis

THE GUARDIAN: MP and former shadow cabinet member speaks out despite leader’s call for silence before Queen’s funeral

Clive Lewis makes a speech during his failed leadership bid in 2020. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
The notion of the royal family as symbols of duty or sacrifice to the nation is “a lie” and is at the centre of a deeply unequal UK, a senior Labour MP has argued, breaching Keir Starmer’s order to his party to stay silent ahead of the Queen’s funeral on Monday.

Clive Lewis, the Norwich South MP and former shadow cabinet minister, said the arrest of anti-monarchy protesters and the condemnation of others who dissented showed that the royal succession “is as much about coercion as consent”.

In an article for the Guardian, one which is likely to infuriate Starmer’s office, Lewis said his initial response to the idea of people queuing for many hours to file past the Queen’s coffin was “one of bemusement followed by a touch of despair”.

Seeking to extrapolate lessons from the phenomenon for those, like him, who seek a transition to a republic, Lewis argued that media interviews with the mourners often showed a key motivation was the “need to feel part of something more than themselves”.

The “fundamental truth” about the monarchy, he argued, was its role as a national distraction: “It is a spectacle exalted for exemplifying virtues that should be typical in public life and public behaviour. Casting such behaviour as exceptional allows the likes of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and the economic elites they represent to break and exploit the rules for their own benefit and that of their very narrow class interest – of which the monarchy is an integral part.” » | Peter Walker, Political correspondent | Friday, September 16, 2022

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 16, 2022

Our Yemeni Kitchen | مطبخنا اليمني | Delicious Shawarma | شاورما لذيذة

For a full list of the ingredients for this recipe and the method of cooking it in both English and Arabic, please click here and then click on “show more”.

Heartwarming Gay Commercials

Aug 9, 2022 | Heartwarming and emotional Gay commercials from around the world.

Célibat des prêtres, le calvaire de l'Église | ARTE

Sep 8, 2022 La majorité des prêtres dans le monde ne respecterait plus aujourd’hui le célibat que l’Église leur impose. Ce documentaire explore les différentes facettes de cette réalité et confronte l'Église catholique à ses contradictions autour de cette sacro-sainte règle, synonyme de souffrances.

Pour pouvoir vivre librement son histoire d'amour avec sa compagne, Marc a quitté la prêtrise en 2021, comme avant lui Bernard, déjà père de deux enfants. Wolfgang, de son côté, vit avec Peter depuis plus de trente ans. Son évêque, au courant, a fermé les yeux pendant vingt-cinq ans, car il avait besoin de lui à la tête de sa paroisse. Pierre s'est longtemps refusé aux relations avec des femmes, mais le mal-être a eu raison de ses efforts. Il est aujourd'hui marié avec une paroissienne… Des histoires qui se répètent, tant un nombre considérable de prêtres se disent prêts à dénoncer le vide affectif et charnel qu'engendre l'obligation du célibat. Pourtant, l'Église catholique romaine, la seule à imposer cette règle aujourd'hui, reste impuissante à appréhender cette réalité. Le comble de l'hypocrisie est atteint quand, à la question des compagnes et compagnons des prêtres, s'ajoute celle de leurs enfants. Les réponses de l’institution, au cas par cas, sont au mieux inadaptées et souvent néfastes. Conséquences : les démissions et les initiatives dissidentes se multiplient, témoignant d'une rupture entre les clercs et une institution pourtant en perte de vocations…

Schizophrénie

Dans le sillage de la libération de la parole sur la pédocriminalité au sein de l'Église et des révélations concernant les abus sexuels sur les religieuses (Religieuses abusées : l'autre scandale de l'Église), ce documentaire met au jour un phénomène mondial, qui, s'il n'est pas directement synonyme de violence, n'en génère pas moins d'importantes souffrances. Les signaux d’alarme se multiplient. Deux ans après son élection, le pape François a déclaré que de nombreux clercs étaient victimes de la "maladie de ceux qui ont une double vie", qualifiée dans le même élan de "schizophrénie existentielle". Mais si le diagnostic est posé sur la maladie, le remède semble impossible à administrer. Pourquoi ? Théologiens, sociologues et psychologues religieux proposent leurs analyses, accompagnant les passionnants témoignages intimes, qui nourrissent ce film. Plus largement, l’enjeu concerne la réforme de l'Église, institution en crise que certains comparent à une monarchie absolue, entre déficit d'influence et crispation.

Célibat des prêtres, le calvaire de l'Église
Documentaire d'Eric Colomer et Rémi Benichou (France, 2021, 1h40mn)


Der gleiche Dokumentarfilm ist hier auf Deutsch verfügbar.

Princess Anne’s Influence, and Workload, Rises in a Slimmed-Down Royal Family

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Often appearing at more than 400 events a year, Anne is likely to become even more central as a trusted adviser to her brother, the king.

Princess Anne at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, on Saturday. | Pool photo by Andrew Milligan
LONDON — The day after she walked behind the coffin of her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in London, Princess Anne flew to Glasgow in Scotland on Thursday to meet with city officials, accept condolences from Glaswegians and inspect wreaths left in honor of the sovereign, who died last week.

It was the kind of yeoman’s duty that Anne, now 72, has carried out, uncomplainingly, for decades. The only daughter of Elizabeth and the younger sister of King Charles III, Anne has famously been one of the hardest workers in the royal family, often logging more than 400 public events a year.

Owing to the laws of primogeniture, she is 16th in the line of succession to the throne. But that understates her influence in the royal family, where she is a trusted adviser to Charles, and her stature with the public, where her approval ratings have been higher than any of the surviving senior royals, save Prince William and his wife, Princess Catherine. » | Mark Landler | Thursday, September 15, 2022

Pound Falls as Weak Retail Sales Raise Fears UK Economy Is in Recession

THE GUARDIAN: Sterling drops by more than 1% against dollar to $1.1351, its lowest since 1985

The pound sank to a fresh 37-year low against the dollar on Friday after weaker than expected retail sales raised fears that the British economy is already in recession.

Sterling fell by more than 1% against the currency to $1.1351, its lowest since 1985, partly reflecting broader dollar strength as well as specific concerns about the outlook for Britain. The pound also hit a 17-month low against the euro, with €1 worth 87.66p.

It came as the latest official data showed cash-strapped consumers cut back on spending by more than expected in August, when retail sales volumes in Great Britain fell by 1.6%. Economists had predicted a more modest fall of 0.5%. » | Phillip Inman | Friday, September 16, 2022

The Brexit pound is looking pretty weak and pathetic, isn't it? Never mind! We've got our blue passports back now; so you'll be able to sleep better at night.

Brexit, of course, is not the cause of this recession, but it sure isn't helping any. Gee thanks, Farage! And all your stupid, selfish cohorts. But hey! You'll be sitting pretty even if so many Brits will have to starve and/or freeze to death this winter. In German, we would call the lot of you ein Lumpenpack! Go look it up, Nige (et al), it suits you dorks to a T. – © Mark Alexander

Welsh First Minister Says People Have Right to Protest during King Charles Visit

THE GUARDIAN: Mark Drakeford calls for policing to be proportionate, as silent demonstration planned in Cardiff

Placards and wellwishers outside Llandaff Cathedral. Drakeford said he expected protests to ‘be a footnote to the dominant feelings of the day’. Photograph: Carl Recine/Reuters
The Welsh first minister has said that anti-monarchists have a right to protest in Cardiff when King Charles visits the Welsh capital on Friday on the last leg of his tour of the four nations, but called for them to be restrained.

Mark Drakeford also made it clear that he did not expect there to be an extravagant investiture for William, the new Prince of Wales, but said he thought he could play an important role in Welsh life.

The Labour first minister said that while nobody would expect William to suddenly become fluent in Welsh, he believed he would “want to recognise” its importance in shaping modern life in Wales.

A silent anti-monarchist demonstration is due to begin from 1pm at Cardiff Castle, organised under the banner “Real Democracy Now”. » | Steven Morris | Friday, September 16, 2022

Funérailles d’Elizabeth II : Charles III au Pays de Galles, avant la « veillée des princes » : Le nouveau roi poursuit sa longue série d’engagements officiels, et achève à Cardiff une tournée dans les quatre nations constitutives du Royaume-Uni. Vendredi soir, les quatre enfants de la monarque observeront une « veillée des princes » autour du cercueil de leur mère. »

Croatia Joins the Euro!

On 1 January 2023, Croatia will become the 20th member of the euro family!

« Tout simplement sans cœur » : des employés de Charles III avertis de leur potentiel licenciement quatre jours après la mort de la reine

LE MONDE : Des membres du personnel de Clarence House, l’ex-résidence officielle de Charles III à Londres, ont reçu un courrier leur annonçant qu’ils pourraient perdre leur emploi. Les équipes de Buckingham Palace pourraient aussi être concernées par des licenciements.

Le roi Charles III et Camilla, reine consort, quittent Westminster Hall, à Londres, le 14 septembre 2022. MARTIN MEISSNER / AFP
La période de dix jours de deuil suivant la mort d’Elizabeth II s’accompagne d’une série d’interdictions, d’annulations, de reports. Il est ainsi prohibé de circuler autrement qu’à pied dans le périmètre du palais de Buckingham ; la fédération cycliste britannique a « recommandé » – avant de rétropédaler – de ne pas utiliser de vélo pendant les funérailles de la reine. Charles III, de son côté, semble avoir décidé de ne pas placer dans cette liste d’interdictions temporaires l’une de ses prérogatives d’employeur : la faculté de licencier des employés de la famille royale.

Le quotidien The Guardian a rapporté, mardi 13 septembre, que des dizaines de membres du personnel de Clarence House, l’ancienne résidence officielle de Charles III à Londres, avaient reçu, lundi, une lettre de Sir Clive Alderton, le principal conseiller du roi, leur annonçant leur potentiel licenciement, alors que l’Ecosse rendait une dernière fois hommage à la reine à la cathédrale Saint-Gilles, à Edimbourg. Une source a déclaré au Guardian que « tout le monde était absolument livide » et que certains étaient « visiblement secoués » par cette décision.

« A la suite de l’accession au trône de la semaine dernière, les opérations de la maison de l’ancien prince de Galles et de l’ancienne duchesse de Cornouailles ont cessé et, comme l’exige la loi, un processus de consultation a commencé, a confirmé un porte-parole de Clarence House à la BBC. Notre personnel a rendu de longs et loyaux services et, bien que certains licenciements soient inévitables, nous travaillons d’urgence pour identifier des fonctions alternatives pour le plus grand nombre possible d’employés. » » | Le Monde | jeudi 15 septembre 2022

The threat to lay off King Charles’s staff while the nation mourns is despicable: My union has demanded the notification be immediately withdrawn and the workers given the respect they deserve »

Roger Federer Announces Retirement from Tennis after Stellar Career

THE GUARDIAN: Swiss great to call time on career at end of month

A screenshot from the accompanying video.
Roger Federer will retire next week at the age of 41 after the Laver Cup in London, marking the end of one of the greatest sporting careers.

A 20-time grand slam champion, Federer announced in a social media post on Thursday that next week will be his last as a professional player. Federer’s management firm, Team8, are founders of the Laver Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event.

“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour,” he wrote. With video » | Tumaini Carayol | Thursday, September 15, 2022

Tennis great Roger Federer retires: his career – in pictures »

Roger Federer prend sa retraite : derrière le joueur, une icône savamment travaillée : Maître sur le court, le Suisse l’était aussi en dehors, où il soignait son image, ses apparitions et son portefeuille. »

Roger Federer: Zu gross für die Schweiz: Roger Federer beendet die Karriere als einer der grössten Sportler der Geschichte. Nicht nur die Erfolge, sondern auch die Bescheidenheit, in der er diese hinnahm, macht ihn zur Ausnahmeerscheinung. Überall auf der Welt würdigt man das mehr als in seiner Heimat. »

Queen and Donald Trump Make Speeches at State Banquet | 5 News

Jeffrey Epstein Victims Condemn Prince Andrew’s Return to Public Life

THE GUARDIAN: Attorneys say duke’s reappearance following death of Queen could prove harmful for survivors of Epstein’s crimes

Prince Andrew, a close friend of Jeffrey Epstein, at the procession for the lying in state of his late mother on Wednesday. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA
Since the death of the Queen on 8 September, Prince Andrew has returned to the public sphere.

The Duke of York’s prominence at events marking the death of his mother, such as the progress of her coffin through Edinburgh and London this week, is to be expected. Andrew is grieving personal loss during a national period of mourning.

But just months ago, amid fallout from his long and controversial association with the convicted sex traffickers Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, any public appearance at all would have seemed entirely unlikely.

The royal, now eighth in line to the throne, was stripped of his military patronages and use of the HRH title after he paid a financial settlement to Virginia Giuffre, who had accused him of sexual assault, a claim he denied.

For attorneys who represented Epstein victims, and for other advocates for sex-crimes victims, Andrew’s sudden reappearance has seemed jarring. Some have said it could prove triggering for Epstein survivors, even if they never encountered Andrew. » | Victoria Bekiempis | Thursday, September 15, 2022

Camilla Parker Bowles dans « Le Monde », de maîtresse supposée à reine consort

LE MONDE – CHRONIQUE : Depuis la révélation de sa liaison avec le prince de Galles, Camilla Parker Bowles a progressivement gagné l’estime de l’opinion publique britannique. L’épouse du roi Charles III a été mentionnée pour la première fois dans le quotidien le 16 novembre 1992.

Camilla Parker Bowles, alors duchesse de Cornouailles, à Courseulles-sur-Mer, en Normandie, le 5 juin 2014. JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD/AFP
Le 24 novembre 1992, c’est d’une voix digne et contenue que la reine Elizabeth II déclare, dans une formule latine demeurée célèbre, l’année écoulée « annus horribilis ». Il y avait pourtant matière à perdre son flegme, fut-il royal et britannique, tant les frasques de sa famille faisaient jaser la planète entière. Entre autres avanies, en mars, le prince Andrew divorçait de Sarah Ferguson. En juin, la princesse Diana révélait dans un livre la liaison de son mari, le prince Charles, avec Camilla Parker Bowles (Shand, de son nom de naissance), son amour de jeunesse et visiblement de toujours. Diana se plaignait amèrement de ce mariage à trois qui lui était imposé.

Le 16 novembre de cette décrétée « annus horribilis », Le Monde mentionne pour la première fois Camilla, devenue aujourd’hui l’épouse du roi Charles III et la « reine consort ». Apparition subreptice au détour d’un article de bas de page, aussi lapidaire qu’anonyme, sur une visite « privée » en France de la princesse Diana. « Les spéculations sur l’éventualité d’un divorce allaient bon train. Elles ont été relancées ¬vendredi avec la publication par le Daily Mirror d’extraits d’un enregistrement d’une conversation entre le prince Charles et sa maîtresse supposée, Mme Camilla Parker Bowles. » Le prince Charles et Lady Di se sépareront en décembre 1992 et divorceront en 1996. » | Benoît Hopquin | jeudi 15 septembre 2022

Article réservé aux abonnés

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 15, 2022

Live: Queen Elizabeth Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall, Public Viewing

The United Kingdom's Queen Elizabeth is now lying in state at Westminster Hall, as thousands line up to see pay their respects ahead of the funeral on Monday.

Far-right Sweden Democrats Poised to Play Huge Part in Sweden's Next Government | DW News

Related.

Does King Charles III Have What It Takes to Wear the Crown? | 60 Minutes Australia

It doesn’t make the end of Queen Elizabeth’s magnificent reign any less sad, but three days on from her death, there are fewer tears and instead more applause and heartfelt thanks for her service. 70 years in the job not only redefines the idea of devotion to duty, it also guarantees Her Majesty will be remembered as one of the most admired women who’s ever lived. Now attention turns to her successor. The Queen’s eldest son, now King Charles III, has spent his entire life preparing for the mighty role he’s inherited. But as Tara Brown reports, many people are already questioning how comfortably the Crown will fit him.

Queen's Funeral Guests: Who Will - and Who Won't - Attend

GETTY IMAGES
BBC: The Queen's funeral on Monday is set to be one of the biggest gatherings of royalty and politicians hosted in the UK for decades.

Invitations went out over the weekend, with some 500 heads of state and foreign dignitaries expected to attend.

The majority of leaders have been asked to arrive on commercial flights and told they will be bussed en masse from a site in west London.

The ceremony at Westminster Abbey has a capacity for around 2,200 people.

Here's what we know so far about who will and won't be in attendance.

Members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were blood relatives of the Queen, are expected.

Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde have confirmed they will be there, as have King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife, Queen Maxima, along with his mother, former Dutch queen Princess Beatrix.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain have also accepted an invitation, as have the royal families of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Monaco.

The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden will attend along with First Lady Jill Biden, although they are understood not to be travelling to the service by bus. » | BBC | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Swedish PM Concedes Election Defeat to Bloc Including Far-right Sweden Democrats

THE GUARDIAN: Loose coalition of SD and centre-right parties wins majority of three in parliament

Magdalena Andersson pointed out that the Social Democrats remained Sweden’s largest party.Photograph: Jessica Gow/EPA
The leader of Sweden’s incumbent Social Democrats conceded defeat in the country’s knife-edge election on Wednesday, handing victory to a loose bloc of rightwing parties that includes the far-right Sweden Democrats (SD).

The prime minister, Magdalena Andersson, called a press conference at which she accepted defeat, while pointing out that the Social Democrats remained Sweden’s largest party with more than 30% of the vote – and that the majority in parliament for the right bloc was very slim. » | David Crouch in Gothenburg | Wednesday, Spetember 14, 2022

Related.

Wealthiest Cities in the World: Dubai Is Home to 67,900 Millionaires, 13 Billionaires, Ranks 23rd on the List

Dubai skyline and a view of the world tallest tower, Burj Khalifa. Photo: AP
KHALEEJ TIMES: Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Doha are among the fastest-growing on the list and performing especially well this year

Dubai is home to 13 billionaires, 202 centi-millionaires and around 68,000 millionaires, according to a new global study.

In a ranking of the cities worldwide with the most number of millionaires, Dubai ranked 23rd, while Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Doha were among the fastest-growing on the list, having performed especially well this year.

According to the latest Henley Global Citizens Report, the US dominates the world's Top 20 Cities with the most number of millionaires in 2022. While New York takes the crown with 345,600 millionaires, five other American cities – San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Dallas – secure places on the coveted world’s wealthiest cities ranking.

The latest report, which tracks private wealth and investment migration trends worldwide, mentions how the highly diversified economy of Dubai propelled its position globally.

Dubai's economy is robust in multiple key sectors, including basic materials, hotels, financial services, oil and gas, real estate, retail, and transport. The report also marks prime residential areas like Emirates Hills, Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the Palm Jumeirah as Dubai's affluent parts. » | Web Desk | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Ostracized by the West, Russia Finds a Partner in Saudi Arabia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The two oil-producing countries have extended their partnership even as the United States and Europe have sought to punish and isolate Russia for invading Ukraine.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, left, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. The leaders have worked together to prop up global oil prices. | Pool photo by Yuri Kadobnov
As Russia massed troops on its border with Ukraine and invaded the country at the start of the year, Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding Company quietly invested more than $600 million in Russia’s three dominant energy companies.

Then, over the summer, as the United States, Canada and several European countries cut oil imports from Russia, Saudi Arabia suddenly doubled the amount of fuel oil it was buying from Russia for its power plants, freeing up its own crude for export.

And, this month, Russia and Saudi Arabia steered the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allied producers to reduce output targets in an effort to prop up global oil prices, which were falling, a decision that should increase the oil profits of both nations.

Taken together, the moves represent a distinct Saudi tilt toward Moscow and away from the United States, which it has typically aligned itself with. The Saudi position falls short of an outright political alliance between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, but the two leaders have established an arrangement that benefits both sides.

“Obviously, Saudi-Russian ties are deepening,” said Bill Richardson, a former U.S. energy secretary and ambassador to the United Nations.

By working more closely with Russia, the Saudis are effectively making it more difficult for the United States and the European Union to isolate Mr. Putin. As Europe gets ready to greatly reduce how much oil it imports from Russia, Saudi Arabia and countries like China and India are stepping in as buyers of last resort. » | Clifford Krauss | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Fin de vie : un grand débat, délicat mais nécessaire

LE MONDE – ÉDITORIAL : La convention citoyenne sur la question de la fin de vie sera utile, à condition qu’elle soit réellement ouverte, que le dialogue prévu dans les régions ne soit pas de pure forme, et que, puisqu’il s’agit de nourrir un éventuel projet de loi, les députés et sénateurs y soient associés.

Ala fois terriblement complexe et universelle, douloureuse mais essentielle, la question de la fin de vie a quitté depuis quelques décennies seulement le champ du tabou pour devenir un débat de société récurrent, dans un contexte de montée des revendications à l’autonomie individuelle.

En annonçant, lundi 12 septembre, le lancement en octobre d’une convention citoyenne sur ce sujet, Emmanuel Macron répond à la revendication croissante d’un « droit à mourir dans la dignité ». Celle-ci est portée par une très large majorité des Français, même si les sondages qui l’attestent ne permettent pas de faire la part entre le souhait individuel d’une mort digne et l’approbation d’une possible aide active à mourir qu’il s’agirait de légaliser.

Six ans après le vote de la loi Claeys-Leonetti, qui autorise une « sédation profonde et continue jusqu’au décès » pour des malades en très grande souffrance dont le pronostic vital est engagé à court terme, le choix du président de la République de rouvrir le débat ne reflète pas seulement sa volonté de marquer son deuxième quinquennat par une réforme de société qu’il n’avait pourtant guère encouragée lors du premier, mais une nette évolution du débat. » | Éditorial « du Monde » | mercredi 14 septembre 2022

Read in English.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 14, 2022

Peaceful Cooking | هدوء الطبخ | Beef w/ Rice | لحم بقري مع أرز

Delicious | لذيذ

For a full list of the ingredients used in this recipe and the cooking method in both English and Arabic, please click here and then click on “show more”.

Queen Elizabeth II: Speech - Bellevue / Germany 2015

Le discours en français de la reine Elizabeth II pour le 70e anniversaire du Débarquement (2014)

Le Prince Philip répond, en français, à Jean-Pierre Elkabbach | Archive INA

Dimanche 19h Elkabbach | La 5 | 27/10/1991 Interview en français du prince Philip d'EDIMBOURG par Jean-Pierre Elkabbach, dans un salon de Buckingham palace, à propos de sa campagne en faveur de la sauvegarde de la planète. Il aborde les thèmes suivants : la protection des espèces en voie de disparition, le pillage des océans par la pêche, l'importance de la notion de diversité biologique, son intérêt pour l'écologie depuis sa jeunesse, l'urgence d'agir pour préserver l'avenir des générations futures et de l'humanité toute entière. Il se félicite d'avoir connu la nature d'avant la crise écologique.

Seltenes Interview zeigt: So gut sprach Prinz Philip Deutsch

Au Maroc, une internaute condamnée en appel à deux ans de prison ferme pour « atteinte à l’islam »

LE MONDE : Fatima Karim, 39 ans, était poursuivie pour avoir commenté de façon satirique, sur sa page Facebook, des versets du Coran et des hadiths du prophète Mahomet.

La justice marocaine a confirmé en appel, mardi 13 septembre, une lourde peine de prison ferme pour une internaute accusée d’« atteinte à la religion musulmane » après avoir publié sur Facebook des écrits jugés offensants, a-t-on appris auprès de la défense. « La cour d’appel de Khouribga a condamné à deux ans de prison ferme Fatima Karim, confirmant le jugement en première instance », a indiqué à l’AFP son avocat, Habib Aadi. « C’est un verdict très dur », a-t-il déploré, ajoutant que le pourvoi en cassation est « encore à l’étude ».

En détention depuis mi-juillet, Fatima Karim, 39 ans, était poursuivie pour avoir commenté sur un ton satirique en langue arabe, sur sa page Facebook, des versets du Coran et des hadiths du prophète Mahomet, considérés comme sacrés dans la tradition musulmane. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mercredi 14 septembre 2022

König Charles III. kündigt zahlreichen Angestellten

König Charles III. verlässt am Mittwoch seine bisherige Residenz Clarence House. | Bild: AFP
NACH AMTSÜBERNAHME
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Weil der frühere Kronprinz seine alte Residenz aufgibt, haben wohl bis zu 100 Mitarbeiter ihre Kündigung erhalten. Unmut gibt es auch über die Tatsache, dass der neue König keine Erbschaftssteuer bezahlen muss.

Großbritannien befindet sich im Ausnahmezustand. An diesem Mittwoch soll die verstorbene Königin Elizabeth II. in der Westminster Hall in London öffentlich aufgebahrt werden, und viele Tausende Trauernde stehen schon Schlange, um sie noch ein letztes Mal zu sehen. König Charles III. und seine Söhne William und Harry sollen dann hinter dem Sarg hergehen, wenn er vom Buckingham Palast zum Westminster-Palast transportiert wurde, umsäumt von Menschenmengen entlang der Straße.

Derweil gibt es aber auch Missstimmung im königlichen Haushalt. Wie die Zeitung „Guardian“ berichtete, wurde Dutzenden Angestellten des neuen Königs in seiner alten Residenz Clarence House gekündigt. Clarence House an der Straße The Mall in London war bislang die offizielle Residenz des Kronprinzen. Bis zu 100 Angestellte sollen Anfang dieser Woche Schreiben über eine mögliche Entlassung erhalten haben, da Charles‘ Büros nun in den Buckingham Palast umziehen. Clarence House wird geschlossen. » | Von Philip Plickert, Wirtschaftskorrespondent mit Sitz in London | Mittwoch, 14. September 2022


Redundancies for King Charles’s staff during mourning period ‘heartless’, says union: Up to 100 employees of Clarence House received notification they could lose job following accession to throne »

‘We’ve Tried Them All, Except Meloni’: Far-right Leader Tipped to Become Italy’s First Female PM

FRANCE 24: As yet unaffected by the slings and arrows of governing, Giorgia Meloni is poised to carry her hard-right Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia) party to victory in Italy’s general election on September 25, putting her in the running to become the country’s first female prime minister. FRANCE 24 reports from Italy’s economic capital Milan, where the new darling of the right has eclipsed former champions of the cause Matteo Salvini and Silvio Berlusconi.

Locals enjoying a late-afternoon stroll, couples lapping at fast-melting ice cream cones and tourists angling for the best shot of Milan’s imposing Gothic cathedral – just another Sunday in piazza Duomo, one might say, were it not for the flag-waving crowd gathered around a fiery orator with a thick Roman accent.

The speaker, Giorgia Meloni, is the leader of Brothers of Italy (Fratelli d’Italia or FdI), a far-right outfit that has emerged from its south-central power base to become a dominant force all the way up to the Alps. At 45, she is the favourite to become Italy’s first female prime minister after the country’s general election on September 25.

Pollsters predict Meloni’s party will emerge as Italy’s largest, taking a quarter of the vote – a more than fivefold increase from its score at the last general election in 2018. She is set to leapfrog her better-known right-wing allies Matteo Salvini and the seemingly eternal Silvio Berlusconi, easily surpassing their combined tallies. » | Benjamin Dodman | Wednesday, September 14, 2022

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out plans to combat the energy crisis and the ongoing response to Russia in her annual State of the European Union speech on Wednesday. …

This Is How Modern, Progressive Countries Do Things – Mark Alexander | Same-sex Marriage: Proposal in Parliament - BBC News

Dec 4, 2017 Australian MP Tim Wilson asks his partner to marry him during his speech to parliament on the same-sex marriage bill. Ryan Bolger accepts his proposal with a loud "yes".

Gay Australian politician proposes to partner in emotional floor speech, and we're cheering: During a parliamentary debate about same-sex marriage, one legislator popped the question »

Parliament marriage proposal MP weds in Australia: An Australian MP has wed his partner, three months after proposing to him in parliament during a debate on legalising same-sex marriage. »

Be proud to be gay! Remember this: Some of the cleverest, most talented people that have ever lived have been gay. It is also true to say that some of the most beautiful people in the world are, and have been, gay too. So there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in being queer. Rejoice! – © Mark Alexander

Our Yemeni Kitchen | مطبخنا اليمني | Falafel with Tahini Sauce | فلافل مع صوص طحينة

Make a light and crunchy falafel like a pro! with original falafel tahini sauce!

For a list of the ingredients and the cooking method in English and Arabic, please click here and then click on “show more”.

King Charles’s Staff Given Redundancy Notice during Church Service for Queen

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Employees said to be livid and shaken as up to 100 Clarence House employees told they could lose jobs

Dozens of Clarence House staff have been given notice of their redundancy as the offices of King Charles and the Queen Consort move to Buckingham Palace after the death of the Queen, the Guardian has learned.

Up to 100 employees at the King’s former official residence, including some who have worked there for decades, received notification that they could lose their jobs just as they were working round the clock to smooth his elevation to the throne.

Private secretaries, the finance office, the communications team and household staff are among those who received notice during the thanksgiving service for the Queen, at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday, that their posts were on the line. » | Pippa Crerar and Caroline Davies | Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Rich to Get Twice as Much Cost-of-living Support, Says Think Tank

BBC: Rich households will receive twice as much support aimed at reducing the cost of living than poorer households next year, a think tank has claimed.

The Resolution Foundation said if the government cuts National Insurance and limits energy bill rises, richer homes will get support worth £4,700 in 2023, compared to £2,200 for the poorest.

A typical household energy bill will be limited to £2,500 annually until 2024.

The think tank said "details and costings" were missing from the plan.

Support for the richest tenth of households will "far exceed the level of support for the poorest tenth of households despite the latter being most exposed to high energy bills", the Resolution Foundation, which focuses on low to middle income households, said.

The huge support scheme could cost up to £150bn, but Prime Minister Liz Truss has refused to put a figure on it, saying "extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures". » | BBC | Tuesday, September 13, 2022

I Sold the French Laundry. Then It Became "The Best Restaurant in the World." | Op-Docs

When my father died, he held disappointment in his heart. He was 66 and had only just retired from a life of 80-hour workweeks as a successful lawyer, and this next chapter promised everything he had skimped on since deciding to go to law school: family time, creative pursuits, fun.

His liver paid no mind, however, and he died on the morning of May 1, 2020. Four days later, I interviewed Sally Schmitt, bathed in golden Californian light, via Zoom, from the damp and shadowy basement of my parents’ home in Nova Scotia.

As a filmmaker and entrepreneur, I had always admired and studied the chef Thomas Keller, a walking pinnacle of craftsmanship, refinement and success — my father’s kind of guy. I had only recently learned about Ms. Schmitt, a pioneer of the Napa Valley culinary scene and the creator of the French Laundry, the restaurant Mr. Keller made world-famous. Talking to Ms. Schmitt that morning, I learned she held a different kind of wisdom: that success may have other definitions.

Ms. Schmitt died on March 5, 2022. But in "The Best Chef in the World," she shares with delightfully coy candor a message about the rewards of balance and the trap of ambition. I made this film for all of us who struggle “to stir and taste the soup” that already sits in front of us. Perhaps with time and Ms. Schmitt’s example, we will.

by Ben Proudfoot

Giorgia Meloni: Italiens Wahl-Favoritin spricht sich gegen die Adoption durch homosexuelle Paare aus

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die Favoritin auf das Amt als Ministerpräsidentin Italiens fällt erneut mit Voten gegen Homosexuelle auf. Selbst der Zeichentrickfilm «Peppa» ist ihr ein Dorn im Auge.

Giorgia Meloni während ihrer Wahlkampagne vor dem Mailänder Dom. | Flavio Lo Scalzo / Reuters
(dpa) Knapp zwei Wochen vor den Parlamentswahlen in Italien hat sich die mögliche künftige Ministerpräsidentin Giorgia Meloni klar dagegen ausgesprochen, dass homosexuelle Paare Kinder adoptieren dürfen. In einem Debattenduell der Zeitung «Corriere della Sera» sagte die Parteichefin der postfaschistischen Fratelli d’Italia am Montagabend: «Ich glaube, dass man den Kindern, die ohnehin schon Pech gehabt haben, das Bestmögliche bieten soll.» Sie präzisierte, das Bestmögliche «heisst, einen Vater und eine Mutter zu haben, Stabilität in der Beziehung, das was unser Gesetz vorschreibt». » | dpa | Dienstag, 13. September 2022

Lady Di, portrait d'une rebelle qui a fait trembler "The Crown" - documentaire complet - HD - MG

Lorsque le 31 août 1997 la presse annonce le décès de Lady Diana des suites d'un accident de voiture à Paris, l'émoi est immédiat à travers le monde.

Vingt ans après son brutal décès, le psychanalyste Gérard Miller décrypte la vie de celle qui fut «Son Altesse royale la princesse de Galles». Avec Anaïs Feuillette, il dresse le portrait d'une femme à la fois rebelle et en rupture. Les dernières années de sa vie, elle a lutté contre le silence imposé par la famille royale en divulgant maintes informations sur ce qu'elle avait réellement vécu auprès de Charles. Comment expliquer une telle tension entre Buckingham Palace et la jeune femme ? Comment Lady Di a-t-elle tenté de reconstruire sa vie après avoir été ainsi mise au ban ? Pourquoi son accident mortel à 36 ans a fait d'elle une icône ?

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 13, 2022

Andrew Marr Slams Arrests of People for Protesting against King Charles

This video clip is from Andrew Marr's LBC show which took place on September 12th 2022.

Campaign group writes to police over anti-monarchy protest arrests: Republic raises concerns about issue and warns that it expects future protests to be allowed to go ahead peacefully »

Le réalisateur Jean-Luc Godard est mort

LE MONDE : Dès les années 1960, Jean-Luc Godard a fait partie de ceux qui ont repoussé les limites esthétiques et narratives du 7e art et incarné la Nouvelle Vague. Le cinéaste franco-suisse, qui laisse plus de cent films en près de soixante ans de carrière, est mort le 13 septembre, à l’âge de 91 ans.

Jean-Luc Godard, en 1987. PASCAL VICTOR/ARTCOMPRESS VIA LEEMAGE
Né le 3 décembre 1930 à Paris, le plus illustre des artistes franco-suisses est mort le 13 septembre, a appris Le Monde de son entourage, confirmant une information de Libération. Il ne part pas seul. A l’instar des morts exceptionnels, il emporte avec lui quelque chose qui s’arrache à la conscience collective. D’abord, la perte suscitée par un des plus grands cinéastes de tous les temps, avec ces électrochocs d’images et de sons que son œuvre réactive dans la mémoire de ses contemporains, avec une amplitude internationale et une aire d’influence que fort peu de cinéastes français ont jamais atteintes.

Ensuite, telle qu’il la personnifiait, l’image de la Nouvelle Vague qui cesse avec lui définitivement de rouler. Moment symbolique, qui fait enfin entrer ce qu’on aura appelé la « modernité cinématographique », vivante tant qu’il l’était encore, dans le grand livre d’heures du cinéma.

Cette rupture de la modernité née, avec le néoréalisme italien, du désastre de la seconde guerre mondiale, Godard l’aura incarnée plus passionnément, plus violemment, plus douloureusement que beaucoup d’autres, notamment ses ex-compagnons de la Nouvelle Vague. Au point qu’il est d’emblée devenu l’étendard du mouvement aux quatre coins de la planète, un exemple à suivre ou à admirer pour tous ceux qui pensaient que le cinéma était né pour changer le monde. » | Par Jacques Mandelbaum | mardi 13 septembre 2022

Jean-Luc Godard, Daring Director Who Shaped the French New Wave, Dies at 91: The Franco-Swiss filmmaker and provocateur radically rethought motion pictures and left a lasting influence on the medium. »

Jean-Luc Godard ist gestorben: Der schweizerisch-französische Filmemacher war eine der legendären Figuren des Gegenwartskinos: Als Mitgründer der Nouvelle Vague und Regisseur von Meisterwerken wie «À bout de souffle» und «Le Mépris» hat sich Godard in die Filmgeschichte eingeschrieben. Er ist 91-jährig gestorben. »

King Charles Inherits Untold Riches, and Passes Off His Own Empire

THE NEW YORK TIMES: As prince, Charles used tax breaks, offshore accounts and canny real estate investments to turn a sleepy estate into a billion-dollar business.

LONDON — King Charles III built his own empire long before he inherited his mother’s.

Charles, who formally acceded to the British throne on Saturday, spent half a century turning his royal estate into a billion-dollar portfolio and one of the most lucrative moneymakers in the royal family business.

While his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, largely delegated responsibility for her portfolio, Charles was far more deeply involved in developing the private estate known as the Duchy of Cornwall. Over the past decade, he has assembled a large team of professional managers who increased his portfolio’s value and profits by about 50 percent.

Today, the Duchy of Cornwall owns the landmark cricket ground known as The Oval, lush farmland in the south of England, seaside vacation rentals, office space in London and a suburban supermarket depot. (A duchy is a territory traditionally governed by a duke or duchess.) The 130,000-acre real estate portfolio is nearly the size of Chicago and generates millions of dollars a year in rental income. The conglomerate’s holdings are valued at roughly $1.4 billion, compared with around $949 million in the late queen’s private portfolio. These two estates represent a small fraction of the royal family’s estimated $28 billion fortune. On top of that, the family has personal wealth that remains a closely guarded secret.

As king, Charles will take over his mother’s portfolio and inherit a share of this untold personal fortune. While British citizens normally pay around 40 percent inheritance tax, King Charles gets this tax free. And he will pass control of his duchy to his elder son, William, to develop further without having to pay corporate taxes.

The growth in the royal family’s coffers and King Charles’s personal wealth over the past decade came at a time when Britain faced deep austerity budget cuts. Poverty levels soared, and the use of food banks almost doubled. His lifestyle of palaces and polo has long fueled accusations that he is out of touch with ordinary people. And he has at times been the unwitting symbol of that disconnect — such as when his limo was mobbed by students protesting rising tuition in 2010 or when he perched atop a golden throne in his royal finery this year to pledge help for struggling families. » | Jane Bradley and Euan Ward | Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Elizabeth II, une femme souveraine entre dans l’histoire

LE MONDE – ÉDITORIAL : La reine d’Angleterre avait réussi un exploit : faire oublier l’anachronisme de la monarchie britannique. Le choc de sa disparition sera ressenti partout dans le monde comme un signe supplémentaire de la fin d’une époque.

Aux yeux du monde, certains personnages incarnent non seulement un pays, un peuple, mais aussi toute une époque. De fait, la figure de la reine Elizabeth II, qui s’est éteinte, jeudi 8 septembre, à l’âge de 96 ans, dans son château de Balmoral (Ecosse), reliait imperceptiblement chacun d’entre nous à de vastes pans de l’histoire britannique et universelle, depuis l’après-guerre qui l’avait vue monter sur le trône, jusqu’aux années Covid-19 où son message de résilience a marqué les esprits, depuis la décolonisation jusqu’aux décennies Thatcher, Blair, et au Brexit, en passant par la folie Beatles et la tragédie de Lady D.

Cheffe de l’Etat britannique, largement respectée mais dotée d’un pouvoir symbolique, elle aura rencontré, pendant ses soixante-dix ans de règne, tous les grands du monde, de De Gaulle à Kennedy, de Nehru à Mandela ou Jean Paul II. Une volonté inflexible d’accomplir son devoir » | Éditorial « du Monde » | vendredi 9 septembre 2022

Read in English.

Queen Elizabeth II has died after 70 years of an extraordinary reign : OBITUARY | The 96-year-old monarch acceded to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25. Revered by the British public, she was an unemotional sovereign who left a lasting imprint on the monarchy. »

The Guardian View on Monarchy as Religion: Parliament Should Not Bend the Knee

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: In a secular age, it is easier to disavow God than the monarchy. That has cowed politicians when they should be braver about reforming royalty

The advent of King Charles III brings about a sense of change – and foreboding.’ Photograph: WPA/Getty
The departure of one monarch and the arrival of another raises the question of what Britain has lost in the transition. The death of the Queen feels to some like the loss not of bearings but of the nation’s compass itself. Monarchy is a form of religion. In a secular age, it is easier to disavow God than the monarchy. Plainly much of the country is grief-stricken, though the proportion who were unmoved or critical is unknown. But the advent of King Charles III brings about a sense of change – and foreboding.

Even among the more detached, touched by unsuspected sorrow, the new sovereign will gain support. But the new King is not as popular with the public as his mother. That is a problem for Charles III and the institution he heads because in a democracy monarchies depend on public consent. One only has to look at Prince Andrew. The King’s younger brother’s ill-fated BBC Newsnight interview – in which he defended his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein – saw his approval ratings sink to 7%. Walking behind his mother’s coffin on Monday is a rare public outing for a prince who was once second in line to the throne. » | Editorial | Monday, March 12, 2022

Saudi Arabia: Man Arrested after Mecca Pilgrimage for Queen

THE GUARDIAN: Yemeni national posted video clip of himself at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site

Saudi authorities have arrested a man who claimed to have travelled to the Muslim holy city of Mecca to perform an umrah pilgrimage on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

The man, a Yemeni national, published a video clip of himself on social media on Monday at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Islam’s holiest site, where non-Muslims are forbidden.

In the clip, he held up a banner saying: “Umrah for the soul of Queen Elizabeth II, we ask God to accept her in heaven and among the righteous.” » | Agence France-Presse in Riyadh | Tuesday, September 13, 2022

LATEST UPDATES on Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III here.

Mort d’Elizabeth II : le Royaume-Uni prépare les funérailles du siècle

LE MONDE : Les médias du monde entier ont commencé à converger vers Westminster, où le cercueil de la reine doit être installé à partir de mercredi soir jusqu’au lundi 19 septembre, jour des funérailles. Des dizaines de chefs d’Etat sont attendus.

Avec l’officialisation, samedi 10 septembre, par Buckingham Palace, de la date des funérailles d’Etat de la reine Elizabeth II – lundi 19 septembre à 11 heures, dans l’abbaye de Westminster, à Londres – s’est ouverte une séquence historique. Celle de la lente procession du corps de la reine vers sa dernière demeure – elle sera enterrée au côté de ses parents, le roi George VI et la reine-mère, dans la chapelle Saint-George de Windsor. Celle, aussi, de la progressive prise de fonction de Charles III, devenu roi le jour de la mort de sa mère, le 8 septembre.

Pour donner la mesure de cet enchaînement d’événements considérables, les autorités britanniques citent volontiers les funérailles de Winston Churchill, le premier des premiers ministres d’Elizabeth II, le 30 janvier 1965, qui furent suivies, dans les rues de Londres et à la télévision, par des dizaines de millions de personnes. Ou les Jeux olympiques de Londres en 2012, dont la cérémonie d’ouverture fut visionnée par 900 millions de personnes. » | Par Cécile Ducourtieux (Londres, correspondante) | lundi 12 September 2022

Glanz für die Monarchie, nicht für den Monarchen: Die Royals sind milliardenschwer und haben doch wenig davon

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Juwelen, Schlösser und Ländereien – das britische Königshaus ist sehr vermögend. Aber über die meisten Schätze können die Windsors gar nicht verfügen.

Die Edwardskrone, mit der seit 1661 die Monarchen gekrönt werden. | Toby Melville / AP
Zur Aufbahrung und zum Begräbnis von Elizabeth II. werden Hunderttausende Besucher in London erwartet. Das erinnert an die Zeit vor der Pandemie, als der Prunk des britischen Königshauses die Massen in die Hauptstadt lockte. Die Besucher bestaunen den Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle und die Kronjuwelen im Tower of London – darunter die Edwardskrone, die älteste der britischen Königskronen. Welch ein Glanzstück: Sie stammt aus dem Jahr 1661, ist über 2 Kilogramm schwer und mit mehr als 400 Edelsteinen besetzt. Allein der Materialwert wird auf mehr als 4 Millionen Franken geschätzt, der Gesamtwert des ganzen Juwelenschatzes auf rund 3,7 Milliarden Franken.

Allerdings kann sich die königliche Familie diesen Wert nie zunutze machen. Die Kronjuwelen gehören zwar ihr, und das Vermögen der Royals ist gross, doch der Zugriff darauf ist ebenso unmöglich, wie der Thron für die meisten Familienmitglieder unerreichbar bleibt. Die alltäglichen Finanzen der Windsors sind weitaus glanzloser als Kronen, Zepter und Reichsapfel. » | Benjamin Triebe, London | Montag, 12. September 2022

L’écrivain espagnol Javier Marias est mort

LE MONDE : Figure de proue de la littérature espagnole, l’auteur avait 70 ans. Il est mort dimanche à Madrid des suites d’une pneumonie.

Javier Marias dans son appartement, à Madrid, en Espagne, le 19 décembre 2017. QUIM LLENAS / GETTY IMAGES
L’écrivain espagnol Javier Marias, dont l’œuvre a été traduite dans plus de quarante langues et dans près de soixante pays, est mort, dimanche 11 septembre, à Madrid à l’âge de 70 ans, a annoncé sa maison d’édition, Alfaguara, dans un communiqué. « Avec une énorme tristesse, en notre nom et au nom de la famille, nous avons le regret d’annoncer que notre grand auteur et ami Javier Marias est décédé cet après-midi à Madrid », écrit Alfaguara. Le communiqué précise qu’il souffrait « depuis quelques semaines d’une pneumonie qui s’est aggravée ces dernières heures ». Selon le quotidien El Mundo, il s’agissait d’une pneumonie « provoquée par le Covid » et qui a entraîné son hospitalisation pendant de longs mois. » | Le Monde avec AFP | dimanche 11 septembre 2022

Spanish novelist Javier Marías dies in Madrid hospital aged 70: Marías, also a translator and columnist, was described as ‘one of Spain’s greatest contemporary writers’ »

Javier Marías: a life in writing: Falling in love has a very good reputation. But I have seen kind and noble people behave very badly because they are in love' »

The Infatuations by Javier Marías – review: Javier Marías's haunting murder mystery, embracing all the big questions about life, love and death, is an instant Spanish classic »

Analysis: Scottish Crowds Turn Out for the Queen but Support for the Monarchy Less Clear

THE GUARDIAN: Charles faces challenge to convert outpouring of affection for his mother into enduring support for the institution

It has become Scotland’s largest public event of modern times; hundreds of thousands of people gathered on roadsides, in farm fields and on bridges as the Queen’s funeral cortege drove 170 miles from Balmoral to Edinburgh.

The crowd in Edinburgh’s Old Town as her hearse passed along the Royal Mile on Sunday was the densest the city has seen. That display of compassion, curiosity and, for some, fealty could suggest the support for monarchism in Scotland is deeper than many suspected.

The observance was understated, restrained. There were very few union flags or saltires on display; only a handful of flowers were thrown under the hearse’s wheels. Applause could be heard occasionally but chiefly the crowds were silent. With video » | Severin Carrell and Libby Brooks | Monday, September 12, 2022

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 12, 2022

The Truth about Queen Elizabeth II in Her Own Words on the Throne, RIP

Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of The Queen

A screenshot taken from this video on YouTube.
Watch the official service, attended by The King and other members of the Royal Family.
This video cannot be embedded; it must be viewed on YouTube itself. To watch it on YouTube, please click here.

Vladimir Poutine fragilisé par la débâcle militaire en Ukraine

LE MONDE : Le chef du Kremlin est visé par deux appels à la destitution, qui, même s’ils n’ont aucune chance d’aboutir, reflètent la lassitude de la population devant une campagne militaire qui dure depuis plus de six mois.

Vladimir Poutine, au Kremlin, à Moscou, le 8 septembre 2022. GAVRIIL GRIGOROV / AFP
Deux groupes de députés municipaux à Saint-Pétersbourg, puis à Moscou, ont exigé, vendredi 9 septembre, que Vladimir Poutine quitte le pouvoir, sur fond de fiasco militaire en Ukraine et d’élections locales à travers le pays. Le motif invoqué par les élus est cinglant : le président russe a, selon eux, failli.

Le conseil des députés de la municipalité de Smolninskoïe (un quartier de Saint-Pétersbourg) a envoyé une missive officielle à la Douma, la chambre basse du Parlement, réclamant la destitution du chef de l’Etat. Le texte indique que les hostilités en Ukraine « nuisent à la sécurité de la Russie et de ses citoyens », ainsi qu’à l’économie, et qu’elles ne sont pas parvenues à arrêter la progression de l’OTAN vers les frontières russes. Selon ces élus municipaux, les actions du chef du Kremlin relèvent de l’article 93 de la Constitution, selon lequel le président peut être démis de ses fonctions pour « trahison ».

L’auteur de l’appel, Dmitry Paliouga, l’a publié sur Twitter. Le député soutient que Vladimir Poutine est responsable de la « mort d’hommes russes valides, du déclin économique national, de la fuite des cerveaux depuis la Russie, et de l’expansion de l’OTAN vers l’Est ». » | Par Emmanuel Grynszpan | lundi 12 septembre 2022
Article réservé aux abonnés

Swedish Election: Far right Makes Gains but Overall Result on Knife-edge

THE GUARDIAN: Sweden Democrats become second biggest party after vote on Sunday


The far-right Sweden Democrats party was the big winner in the country’s election on Sunday, increasing its share of the vote by two to three percentage points and becoming the second largest party, but the overall result was too close to call as counting continued.

With 95% of votes counted, the rightwing bloc had 49.7% of the vote, which would give it a majority of one seat in parliament over the incumbent leftwing bloc.

Exit polls on Sunday night at first suggested a narrow victory for the Social Democrats and their centre-left allies. But as the votes were counted the tally swung towards the right. » | David Crouch in Gothernburg | Monday, September 12, 2022