Pologne : des milliers de manifestants pro-UE attendus dans la rue ce dimanche

Une manifestante pro-UE devant la Cour constitutionnelle polonaise le 7 octobre. JAAP ARRIENS / AFP
LE FIGARO : Le chef de l'opposition et ancien président du Conseil européen Donald Tusk a appelé à manifester après que la Cour constitutionnelle polonaise a contesté la primauté du droit européen.

Des milliers de Polonais sont attendus dans les rues dimanche pour défendre l'appartenance de leur pays à l'Union européenne, après la décision vendredi de la Cour constitutionnelle polonaise contestant la primauté du droit européen.

Cette décision, refusant tout contrôle européen sur les lois polonaises, pourrait marquer un premier pas vers une sortie de la Pologne de l'UE, et c'est contre cette idée que les Polonais vont manifester dimanche, à l'appel du chef de l'opposition et ancien président du Conseil européen Donald Tusk. Il a appelé ses compatriotes à manifester pour «défendre une Pologne européenne». «Nous devons sauver la Pologne, personne ne le fera pour nous», a-t-il ajouté sur Twitter. Les manifestations doivent commencer vers 18 heures, heure française. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 10 octobre 2021

Lien connexe en allemand :

Tusk ruft zu Protest in Warschau auf »

Bolshoi Performer Is Killed in Onstage Accident

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The man, in his late 30s, was crushed during a scene change as the opera “Sadko” was performed before an audience, the theater said.

A performer was killed during an opera at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow on Saturday when there was an accident during a scene change, the theater said.

The man, in his late 30s, was working as an extra in a performance of the opera “Sadko,” by the Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. » | Javier C. Hernández | Saturday, October 9, 2021

Royals Close Door on Andrew…

Prince William ... sees his uncle Prince Andrew as a threat to the Royal Family and will never let him return to public life, according to a new report
MAIL ONLINE: Prince Andrew has been accused of sexually abusing American Virginia Giuffre / He was made to step down from public duties following crisis talks in 2019 / Now, his nephew Prince William has reportedly said Andrew will never return / Andrew's siblings - Charles, Anne and Edward - reportedly share same feelings

Prince Andrew will not return to public life after Charles, Edward and Anne closed the door on him and William branded him a 'threat to the royal family', it has been claimed.

Scotland Yard is also reported to have spoken to the Duke of York's sexual assault accuser Virginia Giuffre over claims she was raped and sexually assaulted by Andrew when she was 17.

The royal has come under intense scrutiny over the claims and over his friendship with paedophile financier Jeffery Epstein.

Andrew, who is not facing any criminal charges, 'categorically' denies Ms Giuffre's claims against him and is thought to be keen to make a return as a working royal.

However, according to sources close to him, Prince William sees his uncle as a threat to the Royal Family and doesn't intend to let him return to public life. » | Chris Jewers for MailOnline | Published: Saturday, October 9, 2021; Updated: Sunday, October 10, 2021

Trade War Looms as UK Set to Spurn EU Offer on Northern Ireland

THE GUARDIAN: EU leaders urged to push back against No 10’s brinkmanship over role of European court of justice

David Frost leaving the stage after delivering his Brexit speech at the Conservative conference. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Fears that the UK is heading for a trade war with the EU have been fuelled by strong indications from the government that it thinks proposals to be unveiled in Brussels on Wednesday over Brexit arrangements do not go far enough.

The Brexit minister, David Frost, will use a speech in Portugal on Tuesday to say that the EU scrapping its prohibition on British sausages to resolve the dispute over the Northern Ireland protocol does not meet the UK and unionists’ demands.

Lord Frost will call for “significant” changes to the post-Brexit agreement he negotiated, including over the role of the European court of justice, something the EU is highly unlikely to concede to.

“Without new arrangements in this area, the protocol will never have the support it needs to survive,” he will warn on the eve of a significant move by the EU to resolve the row.

Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, reacted with incredulity at the UK’s “red line” and its timing just days before what he said was a “serious” offer from the EU.

He tweeted: “EU working seriously to resolve practical issues with implementation of Protocol – so UKG creates a new “red line” barrier to progress, that they know EU can’t move on … are we surprised? Real Q: does UKG actually want an agreed way forward or a further breakdown in relations?” » | Lisa O'Carroll, Brexit correspondent | Sunday, September 10, 2021

Brexit was a dumb idea from the start. It's going to end badly. It's going to be a lose-lose situation for both sides. There's so much to lose and so little to gain from it. Sad! – © Mark

EU urges UK to drop rhetoric in Northern Ireland Brexit row: Maroš Šefčovič says bloc will issue ‘far-reaching proposals’ aimed at breaking impasse next week »

Peine de mort : la France va «relancer le combat pour l'abolition universelle», annonce Emmanuel Macron

Capture d'écran extraite de la première vidéo accompagnant cet article.
LE FIGARO : Le président de la République, qui célébrait ce samedi le 40e anniversaire de l'abolition de la peine de mort en France, veut organiser une «rencontre au plus haut niveau» pour «convaincre» les dirigeants des pays l'appliquant encore.

Emmanuel Macron a annoncé ce samedi 9 octobre que la France allait «relancer le combat pour l'abolition universelle» de la peine de mort en organisant une «rencontre au plus haut niveau» pour «convaincre» les dirigeants des pays l'appliquant encore de «l'urgence de l'abolir». Le chef de l'État a fait cette déclaration dans un discours prononcé au Panthéon pour marquer le 40e anniversaire de l'abolition de la peine de mort en France.

Il a indiqué que dans le cadre de la présidence française de l'Union Européenne, au premier semestre 2022, la France allait organiser «à Paris avec l'ONG Ensemble contre la peine de mort, une rencontre au plus haut niveau rassemblant les sociétés civiles des États appliquant encore la peine de mort ou un moratoire afin de convaincre leurs dirigeants de l'importance et de l'urgence de l'abolir». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 9 octobre 21

Peine de mort : le long chemin vers l'abolition : Le 9 octobre 1981, la peine capitale est abolie en France. Le résultat d'un âpre combat mené depuis près de deux siècles »

Phil Collins : Everyday | Remastered 2016

Provided to YouTube by Laika Network | Views on YouTube: 2,644,350

Schumann: Klavierkonzert a-moll [A minor] ∙ hr-Sinfonieorchester ∙ Khatia Buniatishvili ∙ Dirigent: Paavo Järvi

(Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra | I. Allegro affettuoso ∙ II Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso ∙ III. Allegro vivace

All of Lebanon without Power due to Fuel Shortage | DW News

Oct 9, 2021 • Lebanon has been plunged into darkness, after its two largest power stations were shut down due to a prolonged fuel shortage. Officials say the outage will last several days. Many in the country rely on private generators, but diesel is in short supply. Neighboring Iran has pledged to send more fuel shipments. Lebanon has suffered several power cuts in recent months amid an economic crisis that has seen the value of its currency fall by 90 percent since 2019. The army has been deployed to stop bank runs in Beirut.

Related article here.

Ungarn unterstützt polnisches EU-Urteil

VORRANG FÜR NATIONALES RECHT
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der ungarische Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán stellt sich hinter ein Urteil des polnisches Verfassungsgerichts. Der Entscheid der Warschauer Richter sei Folge einer „schlechten Praxis der europäischen Institutionen“.

Als bisher einziges EU-Land stellt sich Ungarn hinter das jüngste Urteil des polnischen Verfassungsgerichts, wonach Teile des EU-Rechts nicht mit der Verfassung vereinbar seien. Der Entscheid sei Folge einer „schlechten Praxis der europäischen Institutionen“, heißt es in einem Regierungsbeschluss, den der ungarische Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán unterzeichnete und aus dem die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur MTI am Samstag zitierte. » | Quelle: dpa | Samstag, 9. Oktober 2021

The Guardian View on Tory Sleaze: Buying Access, Baubles and Influence

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Boris Johnson’s reluctance to come clean about donors that get to meet him may be explained by the contents of the Pandora papers

Boris Johnson. ‘The perception will be that there is one rule for this government and its friends and another for the rest of us’. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty
Boris Johnson’s government has displayed a penchant for ignoring standards of openness, attacking key democratic institutions and subverting governance norms. Mr Johnson revels in thumbing his nose at convention. Last December he outrageously used his privilege as prime minister to ennoble a Conservative party donor who had been rejected by the Lords appointments commission. But repeat offending raises questions over whether such insouciance is meant to distract from allegations of sleaze.

This new model of party business seems to have coincided with the arrival of Ben Elliot as co-chair of the Conservative party. He raised a record £37m for the Tories’ 2019 general election campaign. The party is now refusing to publish the membership of secretive clubs for donors giving up to £250,000 a year that hold regular meetings with Mr Johnson and his chancellor. That reluctance may be explained by this week’s revelations in the Pandora papers. The documents shed new light on the use by some donors of offshore finance and how it lubricates capitalism in hydrocarbon-rich autocracies. Mr Johnson’s claim that donations were vetted “in the normal way” suggests the Conservatives aren’t that bothered about where their money comes from. » | Editorial | Friday, October 8, 2021

Lebanon Hit by Electricity Outage Expected to Last Several Days

THE GUARDIAN: Country’s two main power stations stop working due to fuel shortage plunging cities into darkness

Lebanon’s electricity grid collapsed on Saturday after its two main power plants ran out of fuel, plunging much of the crisis-ridden country into darkness for at least two days.

The nationwide blackout marks a new low for the crumbling state, which has struggled to source dollars to pay market rates for fuel in the wake of a profound financial collapse that has decimated the local currency and forced the economy to a halt.

“The Lebanese power network completely stopped working at noon today, and it is unlikely that it will work until next Monday, or for several days,” an official told the Reuters news agency. » | Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent | Saturday, October 9, 2021

Soupçonné de corruption, le chancelier autrichien Sebastian Kurz annonce sa démission

l a expliqué se retirer pour la «stabilité» du pays. LISI NIESNER / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le chancelier conservateur évoque de «fausses accusations», mais dit vouloir éviter «des mois de chaos ou d'impasse».

Le chancelier conservateur autrichien Sebastian Kurz, soupçonné d'être impliqué dans une affaire de corruption, a annoncé samedi soir sa démission. «Il serait irresponsable de glisser vers des mois de chaos ou d'impasse», a-t-il déclaré devant la presse à Vienne, expliquant se retirer pour «la stabilité» du pays tout en réfutant de «fausses accusations». «Je veux céder la place pour éviter le chaos», a-t-il ajouté, disant avoir proposé le nom de son ministre des Affaires étrangères, Alexander Schallenberg, pour lui succéder.

Depuis l'annonce mercredi par le parquet de l'ouverture d'une enquête à son encontre pour corruption, Sebastian Kurz était sous pression pour se retirer. Le dirigeant de 35 ans avait jusqu'alors refusé, dénonçant des allégations «fabriquées». Mais les Verts, partenaires minoritaires du gouvernement, ont accru leurs critiques au fil des jours. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 9 octobre 2021

Sebastian Kurz to quit as Austrian chancellor due to corruption inquiry: Coalition partner, the Green party, demanded Kurz go after prosecutors announced investigation »

Facing Criminal Inquiry, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Resigns: After insisting he would remain in office amid accusations that public money was used to produce favorable polling, Mr. Kurz said he would step aside to resolve a government crisis. BERLIN — Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria announced on Saturday that he would resign, days after prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into allegations he used federal money to pay off pollsters and journalists for favorable coverage. »

Frankreich: Zuflucht im Club der Dissidenten | Fokus Europa

Oct 9, 2021 • Der Journalist Rateb Noori ist mit seiner Frau von wenigen Wochen aus Afghanistan nach Paris geflogen. Er ist zwar in Sicherheit, fühlt sich aber entwurzelt und muss sich an eine fremde Umgebung, eine andere Kultur anpassen. Doch es gibt in Paris einen Ort, wo man gut versteht, womit Noori zu kämpfen hat.

Der "Dissident Club" ist eine Bar, ein Begegnungspunkt, eine Gesprächsforum für Dissidenten und Flüchtlinge aus aller Welt. Gegründet von Taha Siddiqui, einem pakistanischen Journalisten im Exil. Sein Ziel ist, einen Ort zu schaffen, wo Betroffene sich austauschen können über ihr Schicksal, wo ihnen das Gefühl gegeben wird, dass man ihnen zuhört.

Vesuvius: The Catastrophe Of Pompeii | Lost World Of Pompeii | Timeline

May 20, 2018 • Since Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, burying the city of Pompeii, it has been frozen in time. But now, more secrets behind the ancient Roman city are being revealed with the help of new technologies in Science Channel’s Lost World Of Pompeii Pompeii is a delicately conserved attraction that is under constant threat from the wears and tear of extensive tourism, the specter of landslides and the possibility of another devastating eruption from Mount Vesuvius.

Früherer iranischer Präsident Banisadr ist tot

GESTORBEN IM PARISER EXIL
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Abdulhassan Banisadr, der erste Präsident der Islamischen Republik Iran, ist im Alter von 88 Jahren in Paris gestorben. Nach dem Sturz des Schahs ernannte ihn Revolutionsführer Khomeini zum Wirtschafts- und Außenminister. » | Quelle: AFP | Samstag, 9. Oktober 2021

‘Starting a Fire’: U.S. and China Enter Dangerous Territory over Taiwan

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The self-ruled island has moved to the heart of deepening discord and rivalry between the two superpowers, with the potential to ignite military conflagration and reshape the regional order.

Taiwanese helicopters flying through Taipei, the capital. China’s growing military might has for the first time made a conquest of Taiwan conceivable, perhaps even tempting. | Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times
The 25 Chinese fighter jets, bombers and other warplanes flew in menacing formations off the southern end of Taiwan, a show of military might on China’s National Day, Oct. 1. The incursions,dozens upon dozens, continued into the night and the days that followed and surged to the highest numbers ever on Monday, when 56 warplanes tested Taiwan’s beleaguered air defenses.

Taiwan’s jets scrambled to keep up, while the United States warned China that its “provocative military activity” undermined “regional peace and stability.” China did not cower. When a Taiwanese combat air traffic controller radioed one Chinese aircraft, the pilot dismissed the challenge with an obscenity involving the officer’s mother.

As such confrontations intensify, the balance of power around Taiwan is fundamentally shifting, pushing a decades-long impasse over its future into a dangerous new phase.

After holding out against unification demands from China’s communist rulers for more than 70 years, Taiwan is now at the heart of the deepening discord between China and the United States. The island’s fate has the potential to reshape the regional order and even to ignite a military conflagration — intentional or not. » | By Chris Buckley and Steven Lee Myers | Saturday, October 9, 2021

Related.

Xi bekräftigt Anspruch auf "Wiedervereinigung" mit Taiwan: Mitten in einer angespannten Lage betont Chinas Staats- und Parteichef den Grundsatz der „friedlichen Wiedervereinigung“ mit Taiwan. Dieser spielt eine zentrale Rolle in der Ideologie der KP. »

Brexit Chaos - How Much Worse Can It Get? - More Questions and Answers.

Oct 9, 2021 • Following Boris Johnson's Tory Party conference speech where he told the party faithful that the U.K. was to be transformed from a low skill/low pay economy to a high skill/high pay version without giving any idea how this nonsense might be achieved, things continue to go from bad to worse with no end of problems mounting up. Earlier this week Rob Groves of the excellent channel Truth to Power and I answered some questions which some of my followers had kindly sent in.

Xi Jinping Vows Taiwan’s ‘Reunification’ with China Will Be Fulfilled

THE GUARDIAN: Chinese president says island’s ‘independence separatism’ is a ‘danger to national rejuvenation’ following a week of tension

Xi Jinping has said Taiwan’s ‘reunification’ must happen. Photograph: Carlos García Rawlins/Reuters
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has vowed to realise “reunification” with Taiwan, without mentioning the use of force, after a week of tensions.

Taiwan responded shortly after by calling on Beijing to abandon its coercion, reiterating that only Taiwan’s people could decide their future.

Democratically run Taiwan has come under increased military and political pressure to accept Beijing’s sovereignty, but Taiwan says it is an independent country, using its formal name: the Republic of China.

Speaking at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Saturday, Xi said the Chinese people had a “glorious tradition” of opposing separatism.

“Taiwan’s independence separatism is the biggest obstacle to achieving the reunification of the motherland, and the most serious hidden danger to national rejuvenation,” he said on the anniversary of the revolution that overthrew China’s last imperial dynasty in 1911. Taiwan marks 10 October, when the revolution began, as its national day. » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, October 9, 2021

Poland’s LGBT+ Community at Risk as Top Court Ruling Puts Country on a Path to ‘Polexit’

PINK NEWS: Poland’s left-wing is raising alarm over a court ruling that rejects the primacy of EU law over national legislation, putting the country on a path towards a “legal Polexit”.

On Thursday (7 October) Poland’s constitutional tribunal ruled that some EU laws are in conflict with the country’s constitution, a decision that could have far-reaching consequences for the already embattled LGBT+ community.

Prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki brought the case to the country’s top court in March amid an ongoing dispute with the EU over LGBT+ rights, among other issues.

With the EU threatening to withhold funding to numerous “LGBT-free” zones across Poland, Morawieck argued that some provisions of EU treaties clashed with Poland’s highest law, and that EU institutions “act beyond the scope of their competences”.

The case represents the first time in EU history that a leader of a member state has questioned wholesale treaties in a constitutional court, and the decision could have serious ramifications for Poland’s most vulnerable communities.

The Polish LGBT+ activist Bart Staszweski speculated how PiS, the country’s homophobic ruling party, plans to use this victory. » | Emma Powys Maurice | Friday, October 8, 2021

Related links in German and English here [D], here [D], here [D], and here [E].

Young Love

Junge Liebe / Jeune amour
Many thanks to El Chulo Dominicano and Pinterest for this cute photo.