Mark Milley: Retiring General Appears to Call Trump ‘Wannabe Dictator’

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Retiring chair of joint chiefs of staff says ‘We take an oath to the constitution’ not ‘to a wannabe dictator’ in farewell ceremony

Mark Milley inspects troops during an armed forces farewell tribute in his honor at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Retiring as chair of the US joint chiefs of staff, the army general Mark Milley directed a parting shot at Donald Trump, the president he served but whom he seemed to call a “wannabe dictator”.

Speaking at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, Milley said of the US armed forces: “We don’t take an oath to a country. We don’t take an oath to a tribe. We don’t take an oath to a religion.

“We don’t take an oath to a king, or queen, or tyrant or a dictator, and we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator.

“We don’t take an oath to an individual. We take an oath to the constitution, and we take an oath to the idea that is America, and we’re willing to die to protect it.” » | Martin Pengelly in Washington | Friday, September 29, 2023

Related video here.

‘Full fascist’ Trump condemned after ‘treason’ rant against NBC and MSNBC: Former president vows to investigate TV networks for ‘country-threatening treason’ should he win US election next year »

Helmut Schmidt übers Rauchen

Dec 7, 2017 | Helmut Schmidt: Ein Auszug aus dem Interview zum Thema Vorbilder - von Thomas J. Nagy: "Rauchen". Bilder: Rainer Friedl

Helmut Schmidt wollte sich von seinen Ärzten nicht überreden lassen, aufs Rauchen zu verzichten. „Würde ich das tun, gehe ich ein“, sagte er im Vorbilder-Interview und zündete sich die nächste Zigarette an.


Helmut Schmidt war ein sehr kluger, weiser Mann – ein Gigant in der Politik. Als Herr Schmidt verstorben ist, hat die deutsche Politik seinen größten Staatsmann verloren.

Seine Rauchgewohnheit war legendär! In Interviews war er ohne Zigarette fast nie zum Sehen. Meines Erachtens war sein Rauchen Teil seines Charmes. Mir gefiel auch sehr, daß er sich der politischen Korrektheit nie beugte. Er qualmte einfach unaufhörlich weiter, ohne einen Wimper zu zucken.

Politiker wie er wird es wahrscheinlich nie mehr geben. Sein Image war ihm nicht sehr wichtig, sondern seine Politik. Politiker in der heutigen Zeit könnten vom Herrn Schmidt viel lernen. Man muß aber fürchten, daß jene Zeiten unwiederbringlich vorbei sind und solche Politiker nun unauffindbar sind. – © Mark Alexander

Gen. Milley Responds to Trump Post Accusing General of Treason | 60 Minutes

Sep 27, 2023 | Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley is responding to comments by former President Donald Trump suggesting that Milley deserves to be executed for communications the general had with China.

Transactions Involving Bernard Arnault Investigated Over Suspected Money Laundering

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Paris public prosecutor’s office examining ski resort deal but Russian businessman Nikolai Sarkisov denies personal involvement

LVMH owner Bernard Arnault is the world’s second richest person Photograph: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters
The Paris public prosecutor’s office is investigating financial transactions allegedly involving the French billionaire Bernard Arnault and a Russian businessman.

The prosecutors are investigating transactions involving Arnault, whose ownership of the luxury goods group LVMH has made him the world’s second richest person after Elon Musk, and Nikolai Sarkisov, Reuters reported, citing a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office. Sarkisov’s brother, Sergei, founded the Russian insurance company Reso-Garantia.

The French newspaper Le Monde first reported the existence of the investigation, citing transactions involving property at the Courchevel ski resort. It cited a December 2022 document from Tracfin, part of France’s justice system focused on combating money laundering, which reportedly lists transactions “which may characterise money laundering”. » | Jasper Jolly | Friday, September 29, 2023

Les interrogations de Tracfin sur une transaction entre des sociétés de l’oligarque russe Nikolaï Sarkisov et de Bernard Arnault : L’achat de propriétés dans la station de ski huppée de Courchevel intrigue la cellule française de renseignement financier. »

Russia's Putin Signs Decree on Autumn Military Conscription

REUTERS: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine autumn conscription campaign, calling up 130,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the government website showed on Friday.

All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service between the ages of 18 and 27, or equivalent training while in higher education.

Putin's move comes as Russia's armed forces press on with their "special military operation" in Ukraine, now in its 20th month.

The president, who signed an order in March calling up 147,000 people for the spring campaign, said this month he was bracing for a long war in Ukraine. » | Reuters: Reporting by Maxim Rodionov | Editing by Gareth Jones | Friday, September 29, 2023

«Dur», «mal à l'aise», «apocalyptique»… Ce qui se cache derrière la photo d'Elon Musk et de sa mère prise par Annie Leibovitz

Elon Musk prend la pose avec sa mère Maye, sous l’œil de la photographe Annie Leibovitz. Capture d'écran Instagram / @mayemusk
MADAME FIGARO : Le patron de Tesla s’est prêté à une séance photo au côté de sa mère, le mannequin Maye, devant l’objectif d’Annie Leibovitz, la photographe des stars. Décryptage du cliché avec Stephen Bunard, spécialiste du langage corporel.

Dans la famille Musk, je demande la mère... et le fils. Le patron de Space X, Tesla et de X (ex-Twitter), Elon Musk, a posé le temps d’une séance photo avec la photographe des stars Annie Leibovitz. Et pour ce shooting, le milliardaire est venu accompagné de sa mère, Maye, égérie L’Oréal. Dans une publication Instagram, la principale intéressée a fait part de son enthousiasme : «J'ai été vraiment excitée de faire ce shooting avec Elon, mon incroyable fils, par la légendaire Annie Leibovitz. Heureusement, il avait cinq minutes de libre à New York.» » | Par Ségolène Forgar | mardi 26 septembre 2023

Decoding Putin and Xi's Blueprint for a New World Order | DW Analysis

Sep 29, 2023 | China and Russia are getting closer. Rather than distancing himself from Vladimir Putin over his war against Ukraine, Xi Jinping is doubling down on the relationship. And Putin is becoming more and more dependent on Xi as an economic, military and geopolitical lifeline. Why is this happening? What do Xi and Putin want to achieve? And what does their relationship mean for the rest of the world?

DW’s Richard Walker goes on a deep dive into the roots of the Moscow-Beijing relationship. Finding how the two sides are an economic “match made in heaven.” How China’s People Liberation Army wouldn’t be where it is today without military supplies from Russia when it was frozen out from other suppliers. And how the personal bond between Putin and Xi is feeding into a joint mission by the two men to reshape the world.

This relationship has potentially deep implications for every nation on earth. In part 3, we explore the impact in three areas currently underestimated by many: the prospect of joint China-Russia nuclear weapons planning, the impact on India of Russia becoming subordinate to China, and the implications for the endgame of the Ukraine war.

Featuring interviews with leading experts including Alexander Gabuev, Bonnie Glaser, Zhou Bo, Garima Mohan, Wang Huiyao and Decker Eveleth.

Dimitra’s Dishes: Roasted Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Sep 29, 2023

Get the recipe here.

Dicke Luft zwischen Polen und der Ukraine | ARTE Europa - Die Woche

Sep 29, 2023 | Es sind kleine Körner, doch sie Sorgen für mächtig Ärger: Weil Polen am Importstopp für Getreide aus der Ukraine festhält, um mitten im Wahlkampf nicht die eigenen Landwirte zu verärgern, eskaliert der Streit zwischen beiden Nachbarländern. Polen will zunächst keine neuen Waffen an Kiew mehr liefern - ein Tabubruch. Bröckelt nun die Solidarität mit der Ukraine?

Donald Trump’s Extremely Fascist Week

Sep 28, 2023 | Calling for the execution of Mark Milley, America’s top general; threatening critical media outlets with punishment; visiting a gun shop connected to a white supremacist mass shooter. Mehdi says it’s high time Trump’s fascist playbook got at least as much media attention as Biden’s age.

UK: Braverman Wants to Change the Definition of ‘Refugee’ to Keep Refugees Out | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Sep 28, 2023

Alfonso XIII | Gay Wedding | Gordon & Ismael Tie the Knot in Spain | Boda Gay de Gordon y Ismael en Sevilla, España

Sep 29, 2023 | Beautiful piece of art thanks to Victor Lax

Related links here and here.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Trailblazer for Women in US Politics, Dies Aged 90

GUARDIAN – US: Death of longest-serving female US senator, who was due to retire at end of her term next year, has weighty political implications

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, has died. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP
The California Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein, who blazed a trail for women in US politics, has died. She was 90.

For Democrats, news of the death of the first woman to represent California in the US Senate, who was also the longest-serving female senator in US history, has appropriately weighty political implications.

Faced with growing questions about her age and fitness, Feinstein was due to retire at the end of her term.

The race to succeed her in a safe Democratic seat has attracted high-profile candidates, Adam Schiff, a former House intelligence chair, squaring off against fellow members of Congress Katie Porter and Barbara Lee.

The Democratic governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has promised to install a Black woman in any vacant seat. » | Martin Pengelly in Washington | Friday, September 29, 2023

Dianne Feinstein, 90, Dies; Oldest Sitting Senator and Fixture of California Politics: She achieved remarkable political breakthroughs as a woman, becoming San Francisco’s first female mayor and the first woman elected to the Senate from California. »

Dianne Feinstein, figure historique du Parti démocrate et doyenne du Sénat américain, est morte : Elle a été la première femme maire de San Francisco, avant d’être sénatrice de Californie pendant plus de trente ans. Elle est morte à l’âge de 90 ans. »

Dianne Feinstein gestorben: Zuletzt hatte sie mit gesundheitlichen Problemen zu kämpfen. Nun ist die demokratische Senatorin Feinstein im Alter von 90 Jahren gestorben. Über die Parteigrenzen hinweg genoss sie große Anerkennung. »

'Elon Musk Tried to Intimidate Me into Silence.' Former Twitter Exec Speaks Out

Sep 29, 2023 | Twitter’s former Head of Trust and Safety Yoel Roth resigned just weeks after Elon Musk took over the platform, citing his disagreements with its new policies. Soon after, Musk attacked Roth online and led his army of internet trolls in a smear campaign that spread like wildfire. Yoel Roth joins Mehdi to talk about that experience and discuss the future of the platform now known as X.

‘Saint-Tropez Has Become LVMH Ville’: Locals Slam Super-rich ‘Takeover’

THE GUARDIAN: The annual influx of billionaires is leading to ‘odious’ practices in the French Riviera town

Local people say the annual summer influx of the global super-rich is becoming too much. Photograph: Dragos Cosmin photos/Getty
It’s probably the world’s only fishing village where it’s easier to buy a €25,000 “mini” Celine handbag, a €4,000 Christian Dior trench or a €2,000 Rimowa suitcase than it is to pick up a rod and tackle.

Ever since Brigitte Bardot started cavorting on its beaches in the 1950s, Saint-Tropez has been better known as a place to catch a glimpse of a celebrity than a fresh sea bass. But now longsuffering locals are warning that the annual influx of the global super-rich is becoming too much – even for them.

“Independent restaurants, hotels and cafes are all being bought by luxury groups,” says Vérane Guérin, a municipal councillor. “It’s becoming not Saint-Tropez, but LVMH Ville.”

LVMH, the luxury goods company founded and run by Europe’s richest person, Bernard Arnault, owns the town’s Celine, Dior and Rimowa stores as well outlets for several of its other brands, including Fendi and Loewe. The conglomerate, whose official name is LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, also owns two of the town’s fanciest hotels: the Cheval Blanc and the White 1921.

There are LVMH restaurants serving its Moët & Chandon champagne, a Dior cafe, and even “LV by the Pool” – a beach club with branded sun loungers and parasols. » | Rupert Neate in Saint-Tropez | Friday, September 29, 2023

Suicide Bombing Near Pakistan Mosque Kills At Least 52 People

THE GUARDIAN: Blast occurs at gathering in Balochistan to celebrate birthday of prophet Muhammad

At least 52 people have been killed and more than 50 injured in a suicide attack near a mosque to mark the birthday of the prophet Muhammad in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, health officials and police said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast, which comes amid a surge in the number of attacks claimed by militant groups in the west of the country before national elections scheduled for January next year.

“The bomber detonated himself near the vehicle of the deputy superintendent of police,” the deputy inspector general of police, Munir Ahmed, told Reuters, adding that the blast occurred near a mosque where people were gathering for a procession to mark Muhammad’s birthday, which is a public holiday.

The Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella group of various hardline Sunni Islamist groups, denied it had carried out the attack. » | Reuters and Associated Press | Friday, September 29, 2023

Biden Issues a Blistering Attack on Trump

THE NEW YORK TIMES: During an appearance in Arizona, President Biden portrayed former President Donald J. Trump as a budding autocrat with no fidelity to the tenets of American democracy.


President Biden delivered a blistering and direct attack on former President Donald J. Trump during a visit to Arizona. | Pete Marovich for The New York Times
President Biden issued a broad and blistering attack against former President Donald J. Trump on Thursday, accusing his predecessor and would-be successor of inciting violence, seeking unfettered power and plotting to undermine the Constitution if he returns to office in next year’s elections.

In his most direct condemnation of his leading Republican challenger in many months, Mr. Biden portrayed Mr. Trump as a budding autocrat with no fidelity to the tenets of American democracy and who is motivated by hatred and a desire for retribution. While he usually avoids referring to Mr. Trump by name, Mr. Biden this time held nothing back as he offered a dire warning about the consequences of a new Trump term.

“This is a dangerous notion, this president is above the law, no limits on power,” Mr. Biden said in a speech in Tempe, Ariz. “Trump says the Constitution gave him, quote, the right to do whatever he wants as president, end of quote. I never heard a president say that in jest. Not guided by the Constitution or by common service and decency toward our fellow Americans but by vengeance and vindictiveness.” » | Peter Baker, Reporting from Tempe, Ariz. | Thursday, September 28, 2023

Sunak Expected to Limit Powers of Councils in England to Curb Car Use

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Potential plan to restrict measures such as 20mph speed limits and levying fines from traffic cameras alarms travel groups

In another sign Rishi Sunak hopes to gain support by prioritising the needs of drivers, it is believed he could announce a ‘plan for motorists’ at the Tory party conference. Photograph: Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty Images
Rishi Sunak is to prioritise the interests of millions of car owners with a series of measures that will provoke environmentalists and curb the power of local councils.

In a package expected to be announced at the Tory conference on Monday, the prime minister will set out his “plan for motorists” that will limit the number of 20mph speed restrictions and favour drivers over bus passengers.

The move would be hugely controversial, setting ministers on a collision course with local authorities, who rely on their powers to keep bus lanes traffic free. » | Peter Walker, Deputy political editor | Thursday, September 28, 2023

3-Ingredient Milk Pie in 10’ | Make It Easy | Akis Petretzikis

Sep 28, 2023

Get the recipe here.

Brexit beeinträchtigt deutsch-britische Beziehungen

UMFRAGE IN GROSSBRITANNIEN
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Drittel der befragten Briten sagt, die Beziehungen du Deutschland hätten sich durch den EU-Austritt verschlechtert. Jugendbegegnungen sind aber weiterhin gefragt.

Die Beziehungen zwischen Deutschland und Großbritannien haben sich durch den Brexit tendenziell verschlechtert. Ein Drittel der Befragten im Vereinigten Königreich äußerte in einer von der deutschen Botschaft in London beauftragten Umfrage, die Beziehungen seien etwas oder stark schlechter geworden. Ein weiteres Drittel gab an, sie hätten sich nicht verändert. » | Von Johannes Leithäuser, London | Donnerstag, 28. September 2023

Eric Zemmour condamné à 4 000 euros d’amende pour injure homophobe

LE MONDE : L’association Stop Homophobie avait porté plainte contre des propos tenus par Eric Zemmour, le 15 octobre 2019, dans l’émission « Face à l’info » animée par Christine Kelly.

Eric Zemmour, à Paris, le 4 décembre 2022. ALAIN JOCARD / AFP
Eric Zemmour a été condamné, jeudi 28 septembre, à Paris à 4 000 euros d’amende pour injure homophobe, pour avoir déclaré en octobre 2019 sur CNews que les personnes homosexuelles avaient « asservi » l’Etat « à leur profit ». « Nous faisons immédiatement appel de cette décision », a déclaré à l’Agence France-Presse son avocat, Me Olivier Pardo. » | Le Monde avec AFP | jeudi 28 septembre 2023

Nigellissima | BBC Select

Sep 28, 2023 | Bring incredible Italian cuisine into the kitchen and using everyday ingredients with Nigellissima. This Italian cooking series sees the celebrated chef share her passion for pasta, puddings and more. Recreate these easy to follow Nigella Lawson recipes and bring delicious Italian dishes to the plate.

Featured Nigella Lawson Italian recipes include Shortcut sausage meatballs, Italian roast chicken with peppers and olives, Pork loin with Parma ham and oregano, Sicilian pasta with tomatoes, garlic and almonds, Sardinian couscous with clams, Squid and prawns with chilli and Tiramisini.


Stream the full series with BBC Select here.

New York Is Rebounding for the Rich. Nearly Everyone Else Is Struggling.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The huge income gap between rich and poor in Manhattan is the latest sign that the economic recovery from the pandemic has been lopsided in New York City.

As New York City inches closer to recovering all the jobs it lost during the pandemic, Manhattan — the city’s economic engine — marked a far less encouraging milestone. It now has the biggest income gap of any large county in the country.

Even in a city notorious for tableaus of luxury living beside crushing poverty, the widening gap is striking. The wealthiest fifth of Manhattanites earned an average household income of $545,549, or more than 53 times as much as the bottom 20 percent, who earned an average of $10,259, according to 2022 census data, released earlier this month. Social Explorer, a demographic data firm, analyzed the data for The Times.

“It’s amazingly unequal,” said Andrew Beveridge, the president of Social Explorer. “It’s a larger gap than in many developing countries,” and the widest gulf in the United States since 2006, when the data was first reported. The Bronx and Brooklyn were also among the top 10 counties in the country in terms of income inequality.

It is the latest data to underscore the city’s lopsided rebound from the pandemic. Across the city, wages are up, but mostly for the affluent. Jobs are returning, but many are in low-paying positions. Unemployment is down, but remains sharply higher for Black and Hispanic New Yorkers. The mixed signals highlight a widening chasm: The city is recovering, but many of its residents are not. » | Stefanos Chen | Thursday, September 28, 2023

'Gender Apartheid' in Iran: Hijab Laws, Protests & Revolution in 2023 | Explained

Sep 28, 2023 | The parliament in Iran has just passed new hijab laws that could see women jailed for up to 10 years for dressing inappropriately. These laws have been labelled "a form of gender apartheid" by UN experts and described as a "a despicable assault on the rights of women" by Amnesty International. …

Dan Wootton Sacked by MailOnline a Day after GB News Suspension

THE GUARDIAN: Journalist’s column and contract terminated after comments made by Laurence Fox on his GB News show

DMG Media said Dan Wootton’s contract had been terminated ‘following events this week’.Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
Dan Wootton has been sacked by MailOnline the day after he was suspended by GB News for his part in an on-air discussion with actor Laurence Fox about a female journalist.

The TV anchor has been suspended from his lucrative MailOnline column since the summer over accusations he used the pseudonym “Martin Branning” to send sexually explicit messages to former colleagues. GB News declined to investigate these claims of inappropriate sexual behaviour against one of their star presenters, arguing they were alleged to have happened at a former employer.

As a result Wootton continued presenting his primetime nightly show on GB News until this week, when he was suspended over his role in a discussion with Fox about the appearance of a female journalist.

MailOnline has now ended Wootton’s contract, which was understood to give the journalist a six-figure salary in return for two columns a week.

A spokesperson for DMG Media, the parent company of MailOnline, said: “Following events this week, DMG Media can confirm that Dan Wootton’s freelance column with MailOnline – which had already been paused – has now been terminated, along with his contract.” » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Thursday, September 28, 2023

Related article here.

Ofcom investigates GB News after 7,300 complaints: Media regular Ofcom has launched an investigation into the Dan Wootton Tonight show on GB News after a sexism row sparked 7,300 complaints. »

Dan Wootton sacked by MailOnline as Ofcom investigates GB News scandal: Regulator received 7,300 complaints after Laurence Fox’s sexist comments about female journalist on the presenter’s show »

Humour: British Gentleman Tells Us What He Thinks about America, Americans | #shorts

Listen to this elderly, humorous, English gentleman tell us what he thinks of Americans here. It’s a hoot!

Yuval Noah Harari: “We Need Inauthentic Leaders”! | #shorts

Listen to Yuval Harari telling us the one personality trait a good leader has here.

The Lincoln Project: This is the GOP

Sep 28, 2023 | "Does anyone see a VP in that group? I don't think so" - Donald Trump | The GOP Primary is over.

Le nazisme, une aventure autrichienne | Les coulisses de l'histoire | ARTE

Aug 13, 2023 | La postérité a fait du nazisme une affaire allemande, occultant le rôle joué par l'Autriche, terre natale du Führer et laboratoire des politiques antijuives du IIIe Reich. Fin 1918, l'Empire austro-hongrois, vaincu, est dépecé. En proie à la misère, au chômage et à l'instabilité politique, la jeune République autrichienne cède aux sirènes du pangermanisme, courant pétri d'antisémitisme et de xénophobie.

Fondé en 1920, dans le sillage de son grand frère allemand, le Parti national-socialiste attire de plus en plus de sympathisants et multiplie les coups de force, au point d'être interdit en juillet 1933. Le 12 mars 1938, lorsque Hitler annexe l'Autriche - dans la ferveur populaire -, les nazis sortent de leur clandestinité. Des personnalités comme Ernst Kaltenbrunner ou Arthur Seyss-Inquart enclenchent la machine de répression avec un zèle terrifiant. Le camp de concentration de Mauthausen est construit dès le mois d'août, tandis que les handicapés mentaux et physiques sont assassinés. Adolf Eichmann, nazi autrichien de la première heure, est envoyé à Vienne pour vider la ville de sa population juive. La nouvelle province du Reich devient pionnière en la matière, à travers un système fondé sur la spoliation et l'émigration forcée, qui conduira aux premières déportations - Berlin n'expédiera ses premiers convois que deux ans plus tard. De la France à la Pologne en passant par les Pays-Bas, les cadres du régime sont bientôt envoyés dans les territoires occupés pour mettre à profit leur expérience. Une fois la guerre terminée, l'Autriche sera pourtant auréolée du statut de "première victime du nazisme". Il faudra attendre 1991 pour que le chancelier Franz Vranitzky mette fin au déni, en reconnaissant la responsabilité de son pays dans les crimes commis.

Bousculer les certitudes

Avec le temps, la connaissance du passé s'affine, mais les idées reçues restent parfois tenaces. De la responsabilité de l'Autriche dans les atrocités du nazisme à la faillite européenne engendrée par la crise des subprimes, du rôle joué par l'Angleterre dans la résistance à Hitler à la création de l'État d'Israël, fruit des rapports de force entre grandes puissances, cette passionnante collection documentaire porte un nouveau regard sur l'histoire récente en bousculant les certitudes et en décryptant les faits. Une lecture revue et corrigée, déroulée dans des récits limpides tissés de saisissantes archives.

Série documentaire (France, 2022, 53mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 14/10/2023


AVERTISSEMENT ! Comme il a été écrit ci-dessus au début de la vidéo, ce documentaire ne convient pas du tout aux enfants. Les jeunes et les personnes sensibles doivent également faire preuve d’extrême prudence lorsqu’ils regardent ce documentaire. – Mark

Bitte beachten Sie, daß diese hervorragende Dokumentation auch in der deutschen Sprache erhältlich ist. Klicken Sie bitte hier, um sie zuzuschauen. – Mark

Steve Schmidt Reacts to the 2nd Republican Debate, Tim Scott & Nikki Haley Square Off | The Warning

Sep 28, 2023 | Steve Schmidt reacts to the second Republican debate held on Fox News. He discusses the disappointing performances of Chris Christie, Mike Pence & Ron DeSantis and comments on the dustup between Nikki Haley and Tim Scott. He also comments how none of these candidates have what it takes to take on Donald Trump.

Highlights from the Second Republican Presidential Debate

Sep 28, 2023

Niger: Russland statt Frankreich? | Mit offenen Karten - Im Fokus | ARTE

Sep 28, 2023 | "Mit offenen Karten im Fokus": Täglich drei Minuten Aktuelles und Analysen. In dieser Folge: Niger: Russland statt Frankreich?

Magazin (F 2023, 3 Min) Verfügbar bis zum 15/09/2025

Italiens neue Faschisten | ARTE Re:

Jan 20, 2023 | Wie Neofaschisten Italien infiltrieren

Die rechtsextreme Aktivistin Desideria Raggi ist ins norditalienische Predappio gereist. Im Heimatort Mussolinis feiern Faschismus-Nostalgiker das hundertjährige Jubiläum zum Machtantritt des Duce. Auch zahlreiche junge Rechtsextreme wie Desideria Raggi pilgern zur Mussolini-Gruft. Unter vielen jungen Leuten in Italien gilt rechtsextrem sein bereits als cool. „Fascio-Rock“-Konzerte, aber auch intellektuelle „Treffen für Tradition und Identität“ finden immer häufiger statt.

Wenige Wochen später zieht der Gründer der identitären Bewegung „Festung Europa“, Emanuele Tesauro, mit einem Protest-Fackelzug von rechtsextremen Gruppen aus ganz Norditalien durch Mailand. Tesauro zählt schon lange zur militanten rechten Szene. Heute schließen sich ihm immer mehr junge Leute an. In Verona, dem historischen Nabel der italienischen Neofaschisten, bekommt ARTE Einblick in viele verborgene Treffpunkte der rechtsextremen Szene.

Gegner der Neofaschisten ist der Journalist Paolo Berizzi, der seit 20 Jahren über den italienischen Rechtsextremismus und seine europäische Vernetzung schreibt. Wegen Morddrohungen lebt er unter 24-stündigem Polizeischutz. Berizzi erwartet das Urteil im Prozess gegen einen Neofaschisten. Am Tag der Verkündung ist ARTE dabei.

Reportage (D 2022, 32 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 19/01/2024

Germany Cracks Down on Another Far-Right Group

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The raids were the second such action in about a week and came about 10 months after the authorities foiled what they described as a far-right plot to topple the government.

A raid on a property in Essen, Germany, on Wednesday belonging to a suspected member of a far-right group. | Friedemann Vogel/EPA, via Shutterstock
The authorities in Germany on Wednesday banned a relatively small far-right group and raided the homes of its members in a coordinated sweep, the latest in a series of moves against extremist organizations in the country.

The crackdown is the second such action taken in the past several days. The latest group targeted, called Artgemeinschaft, was described by the authorities as racist and antisemitic, and promoted a white supremacist ideology, including advocating white-only families.

In Germany, it is illegal to display or promote Nazi ideology or other antisemitic views.

About a week ago, the authorities carried out similar raids against another racist far-right group, called the Hammerskins, a violent neo-Nazi organization that originated in the United States in the 1980s.

The latest crackdowns come nearly 10 months after the authorities foiled what they described as a far-right plot to topple the democratically elected government in Germany and replace it with a group led by an obscure prince. » | Aishvarya Kavi and Christopher F. Schuetze, Aishvarya Kavi reported from Berlin, and Christopher Schuetze from Munich. | Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Theresa May on the Changing Nature of Politics | 7.30

Sep 27, 2023 | Theresa May's stint at the top of British politics only lasted three years but was turbulent and she came to power promising to deliver Brexit and was swept from power with the UK still a member of the EU. Now four years on she's written a book about her time in Downing Street, and she speaks to 7.30’s Sarah Ferguson about the changing nature of politics.

Mrs May, you know very well that your party has really screwed up over Brexit. What a bloody mess the Tories have got us into! – © Mark Alexander

Refugees: UK Home Secretary Braverman Questions Asylum for 'Simply Being Gay or a Woman' - BBC News

Sep 27, 2023 | Fearing discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be enough to qualify for international refugee protection, the UK home secretary has said.

Addressing a US think tank on Tuesday, Suella Braverman questioned whether the application of the UN's 1951 Refugee Convention is "fit for our modern age". Laws have morphed from helping those fleeing persecution to those fearing bias, she argued.

Labour accused her of having "given up on fixing" the asylum system.


Related video and comments by me here.

AUF DEUTSCH:

London will UN-Flüchtlingskonvention einschränken: Verfolgung müsse wieder gut begründet werden, sagt die britische Innenministerin Suella Braverman. Ihr Vorstoß ist auch eine Reaktion auf Entscheidungen britischer Gerichte. »

North Korea Deports US Soldier Who Had Crossed into the Country from the South | DW News

Sep 27, 2023 | North Korean authorities expelled Travis King, the US soldier who had crossed into the country from the South in July, Pyongyang's state media reported on Wednesday. According to the KCNA news agency, authorities finished questioning King, who had confessed to entering the country illegally because of his "ill feeling against inhuman maltreatment and racial discrimination" in the US Army. Later on Wednesday, Washington said King was in US custody.

EN FRANÇAIS :

Corée du Nord : le soldat américain qui avait passé la frontière a été remis « aux mains » des Etats-Unis : Travis King, 23 ans, avait franchi la ligne de démarcation entre la Corée du Sud et la Corée du Nord le 18 juillet, probablement pour échapper à des sanctions disciplinaires dans son pays. La Maison Blanche a remercié la Suède et la Chine pour avoir facilité son « transfert » via la frontière chinoise avec la Corée du Nord. »

Once Inconceivable, Officials’ Visits Highlight Warming Saudi-Israeli Ties

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Israel’s tourism minister went to Saudi Arabia, and a Saudi envoy toured the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The trips reflected how the two countries are moving toward normalizing their relationship.

The Saudi ambassador to the Palestinians, Naif al-Sudairi, left, with the prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammad Shtayyeh, in the West Bank on Wednesday. | Pool photo by Majdi Mohammed
Parallel visits this week by an Israeli minister to Saudi Arabia and a Saudi envoy to the Israeli-occupied West Bank have highlighted the fast-warming ties between the Jewish state and the most powerful Arab country.

In the first-ever public visit by an Israeli minister to the Arab kingdom, Haim Katz, the Israeli tourism minister, attended a multilateral tourism conference in Riyadh on Tuesday and Wednesday that was organized by the United Nations.

Simultaneously, the Saudi ambassador to the Palestinians, Naif al-Sudairi, traveled through an Israeli border checkpoint to visit the West Bank, where he met with the leaders of the Palestinian Authority, the organization that administers just under 40 percent of the Israeli-controlled territory.

Experts said the visit by Mr. Sudairi, who is based in neighboring Jordan, was the first known visit by a Saudi official to the region since Israel captured it from Jordan in the 1967 war between Israel and its Arab neighbors. » | Patrick Kingsley, Reporting from Jerusalem | Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Maroc, les racines d'une créativité millénaire - Documentaire Histoire - film complet HD - AM

Jun 27, 2023 | Peu de pays jouissent d'une situation géographique aussi exceptionnelle que celle du Maroc : aux confins de deux mers et de deux continents.

Elle est l'occident du monde musulman, d'où son nom arabe "Al Maghrib al-Aqsa", pays du soleil couchant. Méditerranéen, atlantique, saharien et occidental, le Maroc fut habité par une mosaïque de peuples et de cultures, qui tous participent à son identité. Maroc : Un nom qui évoque les palais chérifiens entourés de somptueux jardins, les souks colorés et odorants, la fantasia et ses rites éclatants. Murés derrière cette façade, se cachent d'autres trésors moins connus. Pour qui sait actionner leur heurtoir, les portes s'ouvrent, invitant l'étranger à découvrir les savoir-faire ancestraux d'un pays, scellés entre tradition et devenir.

Un film de Valérie Girié, Alexandre Mézard

A Relationship Born of a Revolution: Napoleon and Josephine | Napoleon | BBC Select

Sep 27, 2023 | Once imprisoned during the revolution, the iconic Josephine eventually married the Revolutionary Napoleon, sparking a relationship that will go down in the history books.

This epic 3-part BBC Napoleon documentary sees Andrew Roberts retrace the footsteps of Napoleon Bonaparte to learn about the life of the legendary French leader.

With access to a unique archive of personal letters, historian Andrew Roberts brings the story of Napoleon vividly to life.

As he retraces the footsteps of the legendary leader, he sheds new light on Napoleon as an extraordinarily gifted military commander and mesmeric leader, whose private life was, contrary to popular belief, littered with disappointments and betrayals.



This 3-part epic can be streamed here.

GB News Suspends Dan Wootton after Laurence Fox’s Remarks on Show

THE GUARDIAN: Broadcaster says it is conducting full investigation after also suspending Fox

GB News presenter Dan Wootton. Photograph: Gemma Gravett/GB News/PA
GB News has suspended the presenter Dan Wootton as the channel struggles to contain the fallout after misogynistic comments made on his show by Laurence Fox.

The rightwing news channel said on Wednesday: “GB News has suspended Dan Wootton following comments made on his programme by Laurence Fox last night. This follows our decision earlier today to formally suspend Mr Fox. We are conducting a full investigation.”

GB News has refused repeatedly to investigate Wootton over separate, unrelated, allegations that he used the pseudonym Martin Branning to send sexually explicit messages to former colleagues.

Wootton, 40, is already facing investigations by both MailOnline, which has suspended him, and his former employers at News UK over these historical claims. As a result he is now being investigated by three separate media groups over a variety of issues. » | Jim Waterson, Media editor | Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Zarah Leander: The Biggest Nazi Film Star …

Aug 31, 2023

Barefoot Contessa Makes Beef Bourguignon | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Oct 25, 2019

Get the recipe here.

Princess Vittoria of Savoy: The 19-year-old Fashion Influencer to Become Italy’s Next Queen

Princess Vittoria Cristina Adelaide Chiara Maria di Savoia (born 28 December 2003) is a member of the House of Savoy. Credit: Instagram/ vittoria.disavoia
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN: Boasting beauty, brains and blue blood, Princess Vittoria of Savoy is already a queen of Instagram with nearly 80,000 followers.

Now the 19-year-old fashion influencer, who is studying political science and history of art at a university in London, is poised to become first in line for Italy’s defunct crown.

Her father Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, 50, has declared he will renounce his claim to the throne – predicting his “rock’n’roll’ princess” would do a better job than he could.

He said: “It won’t be tomorrow or in one year, but when she is ready. It’s important that the younger generation have a chance to put new, modern ideas into practice. They are much more conscious than us of the problems facing the world.”

Prince Emanuele Filiberto, who lives between Geneva, Paris and Italy with his family, also told the Daily Telegraph he has the “utmost respect’ for King Charles III ‘but he did wait a long time”. » | David Wilkes | Daily Mail | Thursday, Hune 8, 2023

WIKIPEDIA: House of Savoy »

Terra X History: Mussolini - Der erste Faschist | Doku (2023)

Jul 11, 2023

Losing: Trump Guilty as N.Y. A.G. Wins Key Ruling in Fraud Case

Sep 27, 2023 | A New York judge ruled Donald Trump committed fraud for years by exaggerating the value to his assets in financial statements. MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber delivers instant analysis to the breaking news and is joined by Former SDNY Civil Prosecutor Maya Wiley to discuss.

'A Very Serious Few Years ahead of Him': Trump Liable for Fraud

Sep 27, 2023 | A New York judge ruled in the state attorney general's $250 million lawsuit against Donald Trump and his company Tuesday that the former president committed repeated acts of fraud for years. The Morning Joe panel discusses.

Judge Rules Trump Committed Fraud, Stripping Control of Key Properties: The decision in a lawsuit that could go to trial next week is a major win for Attorney General Letitia James, who says former President Donald J. Trump overvalued his holdings by as much as $2.2 billion. »

Ruling Against Trump Cuts to the Heart of His Identity: The finding by a judge in a New York civil case that Donald Trump committed fraud in valuing his real estate properties undermined the narrative of the business career that launched him in politics. »

Ne-Yo : One in a Million | Official Music Video | Reupload

Sep 3, 2010 | Views on YouTube: 330,003,460

Migration ‘Existential Challenge’ Says Home Secretary Braverman

Sep 26, 2023 | It's not enough to fear discrimination 'simply for being gay or a woman' to qualify for asylum - according to Suella Braverman - who's been setting out her case against the global system for accepting refugees.

Related here, including my own comment.

Here follows my new comment on Braverman’s utterances:

What is there about these immigrants like Braverman that make them want to deny to others the very privileges that they themselves have been afforded? Where would she be today had Britain viewed in such a cruel way her family’s application for immigration status to this country?

In many ways, she is right in saying that multiculturalism has been a failure. That, I would not deny. But where she is making a grave mistake is in conflating the two things: granting people who might be persecuted for something, perhaps for being gay, and bringing into the country ‘wholesale’ people of other religious backgrounds, ethnic backgrounds, with totally different outlooks on life — something which successive governments have done with no consideration of its impact on the country’s rich Christian heritage — is something quite, quite different.

The people were not asked if they wanted their own way of life and customs swamped by alien religions, ways of life, or customs. Governments just opened the floodgates to let them all in, because they needed the workforce for business and commerce. Perahps they would have been better off encouraging young women to stay at home and give birth! Hasn't a lack of procreation been our Achilles heel? Doesn't feminism, perhaps, have much to answer for?

Ask yourselves which given name is the most used for new born babies in modern Britain. The answers to these questions might alarm you! Then, ask yourselves what this means for Britain’s future.

But please, let us not allow Suella Braverman try and re-write the 1951 Geneva Convention. It doesn’t need re-writing. What needs to be done is for it to be respected; and, furthermore, for governments to behave responsibly.

One of the greatest failures of multiculturalism has been the attempt to mix other faiths with our own (however nominal it is), and especially trying to mix Islam with it. This is where multiculturalism has failed as an experiment. It hasn’t failed because we have given sanctuary to people in fear of persecution.

By the way, the problems of trying to mix Islam with Christianity are many and varied. Over the lifetime of this blog — it has been up and running for nearly 22 years! — I have pointed out the pitfalls countless times. But seemingly nobody wanted to listen. More especially politicians. Nothing would come in the way of the execution of their grand multicultural experiment!

In very simple terms, the greatest problem of trying to mix Islam with Christianity stems from the FACT that Islam is one organic whole. It does not respect or differentiate between the temporal and the spiritual. That means to say, it respects no separation of mosque and state, no separation of Church and state, no separation of the religious from the political. Whereas Christianity, by contrast does. Not only does it, it is its sine qua non! “…Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.” [KJB: Matthew 22:21]

Only in the past few days, in a trial in France, a Muslim on trial for terrorism, stated this in a French court! He said that Islam is not compatible with democracy! [« L’islam n’est pas compatible avec la démocratie » (Source)]

Suella Braverman needs to rethink her strategy on asylum seekers, especially on asylum seekers in grave danger of persecution, among whom are very many gays. They need this country’s help and protection. – © Mark Alexander

'Cold and Brutal': Author Walter Isaacson on What Surprised Him about Elon Musk

Sep 27, 2023 | The 11th Hour sits down with biographer Walter Isaacson to talk about his new book profiling one of the richest people on the planet, Elon Musk.

Die Schweiz im Visier - Geschehen neu gesehen Doku ARTE

Apr 22, 2021

French Trial Begins in Police Couple Killings Linked to Extremists

A court sketch made on Sept. 25, 2023, shows Mohamed Lamine Aberouz during the first day of the Magnanville attack trial at Paris courthouse. (AFP photo)
VOICE OF AMERICA: LYON, FRANCE — It wasn’t the deadliest attack in Europe linked to the Islamic State group, but it was among the most disturbing: One evening in 2016, an assailant killed two police officers in their family home, in front of their 3-year-old son.

On Monday, a trial opened in a French counterterrorism court over the attack in the Paris suburb of Magnanville.
The attacker, Larossi Abballa, was shot to death by police. According to court documents, he told police negotiators that he was responding to an IS leader’s call to “kill miscreants at home with their families.”

A childhood friend of Abballa’s, Mohamed Aberouz, is on trial for complicity to terrorism-related murder, complicity to kidnapping and terrorist conspiracy. Aberouz, who says he is innocent, faces up to life in prison if convicted. » | Associated Press | Monday, September 25, 2023>br />
EN FRANÇAIS :

Au procès de l’attentat de Magnanville, la franchise de l’accusé : « L’islam n’est pas compatible avec la démocratie » : Les deux premiers jours du procès étaient consacrés à la personnalité de l’accusé, Mohamed Lamine Aberouz, qui n’a pas fait mystère de sa vision très rigoriste de l’islam. L’occasion d’un rare moment d’audience : sa première rencontre physique avec son épouse religieuse, citée comme témoin. » [€]

Europe’s ‘Mini-Trumps’ Survived His Fall. Now They’re Hoping for His Comeback

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: From Orbán in Hungary to Fico in Slovakia, populists are looking to a Trump win to boost their power in the EU

Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC, 13 May 2019.Photograph: Chris Kleponis/EPA
When Donald Trump lost the White House in 2020, Europe’s strongmen, populists and climate change deniers lost a powerful ally and a protector. Yet most of Europe’s mini-Trumps have survived his fall, his denial of defeat and the storming of Congress by his supporters, and are now hoping that a comeback for the Republican frontrunner in next year’s US presidential election will put fresh wind in their own sails.

In his four years in office, Trump described the European Union as a “foe”and Nato as “obsolete”. He had earlier openly applauded the UK’s vote for Brexit and encouraged other countries to follow suit. He pulled the United States out of global agreements to fight climate change, tore up arms control treaties, slapped tariffs on his allies and picked fights with Germany over trade and defence spending. And he rolled out the red carpet for the populist leaders of Poland and Hungary just as they were defying EU censure over moves to snuff out judicial independence, civil rights and media pluralism. » | Paul Taylor | Tuesday, September 26, 2023

The Billionaires Who Made Our World: Jeff Bezos | BBC Select

Sep 26, 2023 | The transformation of Jeff Bezos has been extraordinary. He leads a life of luxury and glamor while vying with Elon Musk as one of the planet’s richest men. But Bezos wasn't always so glamorous. This revealing documentary charts his rise from computer geek to ruthless businessman, building Amazon into one of the world's biggest corporations. But who is the real Bezos and what drives his ambition?

Stream the full story with The Billionaires Who Made Our World on BBC Select here.

U.S. Accuses Amazon of Illegally Protecting Monopoly in Online Retail: The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states sued Amazon, saying its conduct in its online store and services to merchants illegally stifled competition. »

Prime Power: How Amazon Squeezes the Businesses Behind Its Store: Twenty years ago, Amazon opened its storefront to anyone who wanted to sell something. Then it began demanding more out of them. »

Steve Schmidt Explains Why the Media Will Not Save Democracy from Donald Trump | The Warning

Sep 26, 2023 | Steve Schmidt breaks down an excerpt from former executive editor of the Washington Marty Baron's new book discussing pushback he got from the Trump Family. Steve explains that if we want to keep our democracy from being destroyed by Donald Trump, it is up to us, not the news media.

China on Film: The Rare Films That Captured Life in the Pre-WW2 Republic of China | Timeline

Sep 3, 2023 | Renowned filmmaker Christopher Doyle narrates this uniquely vivid picture of Chinese history through film, compiled with exclusive access to the British Film Institute China collection. These never-seen-before films provide new insights into China’s momentous changes, from the first ever Chinese film in the Qing dynasty through to the Communist era.

The very first films of China present a surprising variety of daily life during the last decade of the Qing Dynasty in the 1900s. Post 1911, the films capture the great sweep of life in the Chinese Republic; foreign troops parading through Shanghai; the rise of Chiang Kai-shek; the birth of the Chinese Communist Party; the death of Dr Sun Yat-Sen.

The 'Community Guidelines' on YouTube for this documentary have changed since I first posted it. The documentary was embeddable; however, there appears to have been a change of heart. They have now decided that the documentary is age-restricted; so, it is no longer embeddable on any external websites. For this reason, I provide you with this link for you to enhoy the documentary on YouTube instead. – Mark

Oligarchs' 'Hatred' for Putin Grows as He Stops Caring about Ukraine Losses | Bill Browder

Sept 25, 2023 | "There's not enough soldiers on the front line and so Putin doesn't rotate them out. He doesn't care. 300,000 Russian men have died in this war." Only violence holds Putin in power as he becomes hated by his inner circle and callous about military failures in Ukraine, says Bill Browder on Times Radio's Frontline.

FBI Warned Prominent US Sikhs of Threats after Murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada

GUARDIAN INTERNATIONAL: Revelation comes days after prime minister Justin Trudeau blamed the assassination of the Sikh activist on the Indian government

Members of the Sikh community protest the visit of India's prime minister Narendra Modi to the White House in June. The FBI warned some American Sikhs that there lives could be in danger after the death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Photograph: Pedro Ugarte/AFP/Getty Images
The FBI warned at least three Americans active in the Sikh community that their lives were in danger in the immediate aftermath of the murder of a Sikh activist in Canada last June.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has blamed the apparent assassination on the Indian government, as assessment that has reportedly been backed by Canadian and US intelligence sources and has created a rupture in Ottawa’s relationship with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s government.

The shocking accusation that India carried out an extrajudicial murder on Canadian soil – an allegation that has been denied by India – has prompted a re-examination of threats against Sikh separatists around the world, as well as Sikh activists’ claims of suspicious deaths in the UK and Pakistan in the weeks before the murder. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Ronald Reagan, 40. Präsident der USA | Geschehen, neu gesehen | Doku | ARTE

Jan 7, 2022 | ARTE nimmt geschichtsträchtige Personen und Ereignisse in den Fokus. In dieser Folge: Nachdem Ronald Reagan 1981 das Herz der Amerikaner erobert hatte, leitete der US-Präsident eine weitreichende Wirtschaftsreform ein, um dem Land wieder zum Aufschwung zu verhelfen.

Als Ronald Reagan am 20. Januar 1981 als 40. Präsident der USA vereidigt wurde, steckte das Land in einer tiefen Rezession. Gleich nach seiner Ankunft im Weißen Haus war klar, dass es diesem Präsidenten an Wissen und Erfahrung mangelte. Doch die Amerikaner waren felsenfest überzeugt: Reagan würde dem Land wieder zu Stolz und Ehre verhelfen! Nachdem er das Herz der Amerikaner erobert hatte, leitete Reagan eine weitreichende Wirtschaftsreform ein, um dem Land wieder zum Aufschwung zu verhelfen. Es war eine radikale Abkehr von der Vergangenheit. Der Staat zog sich aus seiner sozialen Verantwortung zurück, die Ungleichheiten nahmen zu, die Staatsverschuldung war horrend. Reagan sah sich gezwungen, die größte Steuererhöhung in der Geschichte der USA vorzunehmen. Doch das schadete ihm nicht, ganz im Gegenteil: Reagan war ein Pragmatiker und schreckte vor offenen Widersprüchen nicht zurück. Geschickt surfte er auf der Welle des nun einsetzenden Wirtschaftswachstums, obwohl dies nicht sein Verdienst war, und holte sich mit klarer Mehrheit eine zweite Amtszeit. Getreu seinem Cowboy-Image hatte er nun freie Bahn, um sich seinen Erzfeind vorzuknöpfen: den Kommunismus! Verdutzt erfuhren die Amerikaner, dass Reagan einen "Krieg der Sterne" plante. Die Militarisierung des Weltalls versetzte die UdSSR in Panik und trieb sie in ein ruinöses technologisches Wettrüsten. Er beendete 40 Jahre Kalten Krieg und polierte damit sein Image auf. Gorbatschow, an der Spitze einer ausgebluteten und zerfallenden Sowjetunion, war zu allen Zugeständnissen bereit. 1989 schied Reagan aus dem Amt – und war beliebter denn je, obwohl die Bilanz seiner Regierung eher durchwachsen war.

Dokureihe, Regie: Cédric Condon (F 2019, 52 Min)

Murdoch 'Literally Wishes Trump Dead’ Michael Wolff Alleges in His New Book on Fox Family Dynasty

Sep 26, 2023 | Rupert Murdoch says he is retiring. Author Michael Wolff writes about the implications of this in his new book, "The Fall: The End of Fox News and the Murdoch Dynasty." "Another irony beyond proportion is that Fox elects Donald Trump president. There is no Trump presidency without Fox. But Rupert Murdoch hates Donald Trump," Wolff alleges to Joy Reid.

‘Trump Is Running for Retribution’: Schmidt Warns Trump Will Avenge ‘Anybody Who Was against Him’

Sep 26, 2023 | Gen. Mark Milley is the target of apparent threats from Donald Trump, who could become president again. Steve Schmidt joins Joy Reid to discuss what Schmidt calls, "the edge of an abyss in this country."

David McCallum, Heartthrob Spy of ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ Dies at 90

THE NEW YORK TIMES: An experienced character actor, he found fame in the 1960s as the enigmatic Illya Kuryakin, and again in the 2000s as an eccentric medical examiner on “N.C.I.S.”

David McCallum as Illya Kuryakin on “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” His part was originally meant to be small, but he soon became a fixture of the series — and, somewhat to his annoyance, a sex symbol. | NBC
David McCallum, the Scottish-born actor who became a surprise sensation as the enigmatic Russian spy Illya Kuryakin on “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” in the 1960s and found television stardom again almost 40 years later on the hit series “N.C.I.S.,” died on Monday in New York. He was 90.

“N.C.I.S.” announced his death in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The announcement did not include any further information. » | Leslie Kaufman | Monday, Deptember 25, 2023

Appeal to LGBTQ+ Tories to Condemn Braverman over Gay Persecution Comments

GUARDIAN EUROPE: UK home secretary in US to call for rewriting of UN refugee rules so they are ‘fit for the modern age’

Suella Braverman will say the refugee convention has expanded the number of those who may qualify for asylum to ‘unsustainable’ levels. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA
LGBTQ+ Conservatives have been urged by the Labour MP Ben Bradshaw to condemn Suella Braverman’s speech in which she will say that Britain should not grant asylum to people who are simply fearful of persecution for being gay.

The former minister made the call ahead of a speech the home secretary is due to make in the US where she will make her case for the rewriting of key international refugee rules so they are “fit for the modern age”.

In a move to alter an agreement that undermined UK plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, the home secretary will argue that the United Nations 1951 refugee convention must be reformed to tackle a worldwide migration crisis.

She will argue that case law arising from the convention has lowered the threshold so that asylum seekers need only prove that they face “discrimination” instead of a real risk of torture, death or violence. As case law has developed, she will say, there has been “an interpretive shift away from ‘persecution’, in favour of something more akin to a definition of ‘discrimination’.” » | Ben Quinn, Political correspondent | Tuesday, September 26, 2023

This woman is truly shameless. She is herself from immigrant stock. This country was kind enough to give her family asylum, but now she wants to deny the same kindness and compassion which her family received to people who are so often persecuted in their homelands. In fact, many of them are in danger of being put to death.

Has this woman no shame? Has this woman no feeling? Has this woman no compassion? Has this woman no mercy?

This dangerous woman has managed to climb the social ladder. Apparently, she now lives in Harrow, having been born in Wembley. But one thing she hasn't managed to do: adopt a British mentality and character. We Brits have been famous for our fairness and compassion, especially to people in distress and danger. Are we now really going to allow people like this to destroy Britain's once proud reputation?

Her tough ideas and attitudes towards gays are really out of place in modern Britain. However, Uganda, I feel absolutely sure, would welcome her and her tough ideas! – © Mark Alexander

Italian PM ‘Astonished’ at Germany Paying Charities for Refugee Rescues

GUARDIAN EUROPE: In stern letter to Olaf Scholz, Giorgia Meloni criticises support provided for saving people in the Mediterranean

Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni. Photograph: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Italy’s far-right prime minster, Giorgia Meloni, has written a stern letter to the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, telling him she was “astonished” to learn that Berlin was paying charities to rescue people in the Mediterranean.

The row between Italy and German broke out after the Catholic charity Sant’Egidio said it had signed a fresh deal with Berlin to fund activities assisting refugees in Italy.

A spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said his government had implemented a “financial support programme” worth €790,000 (£685,000) to support the German NGO SOS Humanity in carrying out search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean. Saving people at sea was a “legal, humanitarian and moral duty”, the spokesperson added. » | Angela Giuffrida in Rome | Monday, September 25, 2023

Steve Schmidt Explains Why Donald Trump’s Plans for Retribution Can’t Be Taken Lightly | The Warning

Sep 25, 2023 | Steve Schmidt explains why Donald Trump's comments about going after his enemies in the meeting must be taken both literally and seriously.

Fear and Survival: Being LGBTQ in Iraq - BBC World Service

May 14, 2022 | For Iraq’s LGBTQ+ community, life is difficult and dangerous. In a society that sees itself as modest, traditional and deeply religious, many refuse to believe in anything other than heterosexuality. Being gay or non-binary doesn’t break any laws, but people in these groups still live in fear.

Every day the community faces physical violence, or even the fear of being murdered if their secret is uncovered. Sexual assaults are also common, and the toll on their mental health is severe.

BBC journalist Anna Foster meets three young LGBTQ+ people in Iraqi Kurdistan and hears about the abuse they’ve experienced and their hopes for the future. In a place where many people believe society is changing and modernising, that’s far from the reality for them.

Correspondent: Anna Foster
Senior producer: Stephanie Constantine
Produced, filmed and edited by Jewan Abdi

Canada’s House Speaker Apologizes After Ukrainian Who Fought for Nazis Was Honored

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Jewish groups demanded an explanation after Anthony Rota, the speaker of Canada’s House of Commons, introduced a 98-year-old veteran of an SS unit as a “hero.”

The Ukrainian man sitting in the gallery of Canada’s House of Commons was a “hero,” the speaker of the House said on Friday, drawing applause from lawmakers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who had just addressed the chamber during his first visit to Ottawa since Russia invaded his country.

But several Jewish groups responded with outrage, saying that the man, Yaroslav Hunka, 98, had served in a Nazi unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, which fought alongside Germany during World War II and declared allegiance to Adolf Hitler. » | Isabella Kwai | Monday, September 25, 2023