LE FIGARO : Ces derniers mois, le président argentin s’est montré proche d’autres dirigeants de la région comme Santiago Peña (Paraguay), Nayib Bukele (Salvador) et Nasry Asfura (Honduras).
Le président argentin, Javier Milei, dit travailler avec d'autres pays latino-américains à la formation d'un nouveau bloc pour «embrasser les idées de la liberté» et affronter «le cancer du socialisme».
«Nous ne lui avons pas encore donné de nom, mais il y a déjà un groupe de dix pays avec lesquels nous travaillons et avec lesquels nous allons continuer d'avancer», a indiqué le chef de l'État argentin sans préciser les pays concernés, dans l'extrait d'un entretien avec CNN diffusé mercredi. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 2 janvier 2026
Malheureusement, de nos jours, le monde politique est peuplé de politiciens dangereux et toxiques. — © Mark Alexander
Friday, January 02, 2026
The Rise of the Far Right in the UK - and How to Defeat It | Nick Lowles
Jan 2, 2026 | Nick Lowles has spent three decades fighting racism and extremism and in 2004 founded the advocacy group Hope Not Hate which became instrumental in defeating the far-right British National Party.
Under his leadership, Hope Not Hate has become a leading voice in the UK against hate groups and far-right extremism, while Nick himself has become the target of countless threats.
His new book, How to defeat the far right: lessons from Hope Not Hate, tells the story of how intolerance and hate have grown in western societies and what can be done to counter them.
Under his leadership, Hope Not Hate has become a leading voice in the UK against hate groups and far-right extremism, while Nick himself has become the target of countless threats.
His new book, How to defeat the far right: lessons from Hope Not Hate, tells the story of how intolerance and hate have grown in western societies and what can be done to counter them.
Trump Says U.S. Is ‘Locked and Loaded’ if Iran Kills Protesters
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Mr. Trump’s remarks are a sharp escalation as protests over economic hardship turned deadly.
President Trump said on Friday that the United States would come to the aid of protesters in Iran if the government there used lethal force against them, in a sharp escalation of remarks after days of widespread demonstrations against the Iranian government.
The comments came a day after reports from Iranian state media and activists said that at least one person had been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces, as officials tried to contain protests incited by economic distress.
The demonstrations, which began among business owners and university students in major Iranian cities, have also spread to smaller towns. Several security officers have been injured in the protests, the authorities said. Semiofficial news outlets and a human rights organization reported clashes and fatalities during protests in the western city of Lordegan on Thursday, though the accounts could not be independently confirmed.
If Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social early Friday morning. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.” » | Abdi Latif Dahir | Friday, January 2, 2026
President Trump said on Friday that the United States would come to the aid of protesters in Iran if the government there used lethal force against them, in a sharp escalation of remarks after days of widespread demonstrations against the Iranian government.
The comments came a day after reports from Iranian state media and activists said that at least one person had been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces, as officials tried to contain protests incited by economic distress.
The demonstrations, which began among business owners and university students in major Iranian cities, have also spread to smaller towns. Several security officers have been injured in the protests, the authorities said. Semiofficial news outlets and a human rights organization reported clashes and fatalities during protests in the western city of Lordegan on Thursday, though the accounts could not be independently confirmed.
If Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social early Friday morning. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.” » | Abdi Latif Dahir | Friday, January 2, 2026
How a Fire Ripped Through a Swiss Bar and Broke a Village’s Heart
THE NEW YORK TIMES: It was a haven for the young, where they could find hot chocolate when they wanted quiet and affordable drinks when they did not. Then it turned into a place of death.
When Bruno Martins headed through the streets of his Swiss mountain village after midnight on New Year’s Day, he expected to meet old friends celebrating in one of their favorite haunts.
Instead, Mr. Martins, 17, arrived at Le Constellation, a two-story bar popular with the village’s younger residents, to find it in flames, and surrounded by police officers. A scrum of people were trying to escape the blaze, he said. One of his friends was badly burned and sent to hospital. Others were missing, he said.
“It was total panic, people were trampling each other,” Mr. Martins said in an interview. “It’s not real,” he recalled thinking. “It’s a bar we know so well.”
The blaze, which Switzerland’s president called one of the worst disasters in Swiss history, tore through the bar, trapping many of its customers inside, killing around 40 people, and leaving the resort village of Crans-Montana in a state of shock. » | Ségolène Le Stradic | Photographs by Til Bürgy | Reporting from Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Published: Thursday, January 1, 2026. Updated: Friday, January 2, 2026
When Bruno Martins headed through the streets of his Swiss mountain village after midnight on New Year’s Day, he expected to meet old friends celebrating in one of their favorite haunts.
Instead, Mr. Martins, 17, arrived at Le Constellation, a two-story bar popular with the village’s younger residents, to find it in flames, and surrounded by police officers. A scrum of people were trying to escape the blaze, he said. One of his friends was badly burned and sent to hospital. Others were missing, he said.
“It was total panic, people were trampling each other,” Mr. Martins said in an interview. “It’s not real,” he recalled thinking. “It’s a bar we know so well.”
The blaze, which Switzerland’s president called one of the worst disasters in Swiss history, tore through the bar, trapping many of its customers inside, killing around 40 people, and leaving the resort village of Crans-Montana in a state of shock. » | Ségolène Le Stradic | Photographs by Til Bürgy | Reporting from Crans-Montana, Switzerland | Published: Thursday, January 1, 2026. Updated: Friday, January 2, 2026
George Clooney Fires Back at Trump after US President Mocks His French Citizenship
THE GUARDIAN: Trump called the actor and his wife, Amal, ‘two of the worst political prognosticators of all time’ after they were awarded French passports
George Clooney has lashed out at US president Donald Trump for criticising France’s decision to grant the Hollywood actor and his family French citizenship.
The 64-year-old Oscar winner, his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children became French citizens earlier this month after living on a property in southern France for years.
Clooney has hailed French privacy laws that have kept his family largely protected from international media intrusion, as well as the opportunity to raise his children outside Hollywood.
Trump, whose administration has backed anti-immigration parties in Europe, wrote on Truth Social that France was welcome to the Ocean’s Eleven star, who is a long-term Democrat supporter, fundraiser and a vocal critic of the president.
“Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration,” Trump wrote.
“Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies,” the president added. “He wasn’t a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics.” » | Sian Cain and agencies | Friday, January 2, 2026
George Clooney has lashed out at US president Donald Trump for criticising France’s decision to grant the Hollywood actor and his family French citizenship.
The 64-year-old Oscar winner, his wife, Amal Alamuddin Clooney, and their two children became French citizens earlier this month after living on a property in southern France for years.
Clooney has hailed French privacy laws that have kept his family largely protected from international media intrusion, as well as the opportunity to raise his children outside Hollywood.
Trump, whose administration has backed anti-immigration parties in Europe, wrote on Truth Social that France was welcome to the Ocean’s Eleven star, who is a long-term Democrat supporter, fundraiser and a vocal critic of the president.
“Good News! George and Amal Clooney, two of the worst political prognosticators of all time, have officially become citizens of France which is, sadly, in the midst of a major crime problem because of their absolutely horrendous handling of immigration,” Trump wrote.
“Clooney got more publicity for politics than he did for his very few, and totally mediocre, movies,” the president added. “He wasn’t a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics.” » | Sian Cain and agencies | Friday, January 2, 2026
Thursday, January 01, 2026
Swiss Fire Horror - Claims Fireworks Set Ceiling Ablaze - Around 40 Dead and 115 Injured | BBC News
Around 40 people are known to have been killed and 115 injured in the fire that tore through a packed Swiss bar filled with New Year revellers. The blaze began at around 0130 local time at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, high in the Alps in south-west Switzerland. The region is a tourist and skiing destination popular with visitors from across the Europe and beyond.
60 survivors are being treated at hospital in the nearby town of Sion. Others have been transferred to hospitals in other Swiss cities. A doctor at Geneva University Hospitals said patients are suffering from severe, third degree burns and the effects of breathing in smoke. He said many of the patients were "very young... between 15 and 25 years old". A significant number of those injured are in a critical condition.
Some witnesses have said that birthday candles or flares carried on top of champagne bottle set fire to the ceiling, starting the blaze. Videos show fire spreading quickly across the bar’s dimly-lit ceiling. However the Swiss Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the cause of the blaze was not yet confirmed. She said teams were working to establish answers as quickly as possible. The authorities have ruled out a deliberate attack.
Neighbouring countries Italy and France - as well as the European Union - are providing medical support including the use of hospital burns units. The French foreign ministry has said eight of its citizens remain missing following the fire. Three Italian citizens have been transferred to hospital in Milan while two others in critical condition are being treated in Switzerland.
Survivors have been describing desperate scenes as people trapped inside the building tried to escape the inferno. One man described how he managed to break a window and escape with much of his clothing burned away. The Swiss President Guy Parmelin said the fire was “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced”.
Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Rainsford and Silvia Costeloe.
60 survivors are being treated at hospital in the nearby town of Sion. Others have been transferred to hospitals in other Swiss cities. A doctor at Geneva University Hospitals said patients are suffering from severe, third degree burns and the effects of breathing in smoke. He said many of the patients were "very young... between 15 and 25 years old". A significant number of those injured are in a critical condition.
Some witnesses have said that birthday candles or flares carried on top of champagne bottle set fire to the ceiling, starting the blaze. Videos show fire spreading quickly across the bar’s dimly-lit ceiling. However the Swiss Attorney General Beatrice Pilloud said the cause of the blaze was not yet confirmed. She said teams were working to establish answers as quickly as possible. The authorities have ruled out a deliberate attack.
Neighbouring countries Italy and France - as well as the European Union - are providing medical support including the use of hospital burns units. The French foreign ministry has said eight of its citizens remain missing following the fire. Three Italian citizens have been transferred to hospital in Milan while two others in critical condition are being treated in Switzerland.
Survivors have been describing desperate scenes as people trapped inside the building tried to escape the inferno. One man described how he managed to break a window and escape with much of his clothing burned away. The Swiss President Guy Parmelin said the fire was “one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced”.
Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Rainsford and Silvia Costeloe.
FULL SPEECH: Bernie Sanders Slams Billionaires, Swears In Zohran Mamdani as NYC Mayor
1979: How Iran‘s Fight for Freedom Was Betrayed
Dec 14, 2025 | Can you imagine Iran and the US as close allies? Just 50 years ago, Tehran looked completely different - women walked freely without hijabs, minorities thrived, and the country was one of the Middle East's most modern nations. Then came 1979, when millions of Iranians took to the streets fighting for democracy and freedom. They successfully overthrew their dictatorial Shah, but their revolution was hijacked.
What started as a cry for liberation became one of the world's strictest theocracies. This is the untold story of how Ayatollah Khomeini outmanoeuvred secular democrats, leftists, and moderates to create today's Iran - where women like Mahsa Amini die for showing their hair. From the CIA coup of 1953 to the 444-day hostage crisis, our experts reveal how a fight for freedom turned into decades of oppression, and why today's Iranian women are still fighting for the rights their grandmothers once had.
What started as a cry for liberation became one of the world's strictest theocracies. This is the untold story of how Ayatollah Khomeini outmanoeuvred secular democrats, leftists, and moderates to create today's Iran - where women like Mahsa Amini die for showing their hair. From the CIA coup of 1953 to the 444-day hostage crisis, our experts reveal how a fight for freedom turned into decades of oppression, and why today's Iranian women are still fighting for the rights their grandmothers once had.
Saudi Arabia, between Repression and Transformation | DW Documentary
Jan 1, 2026 | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. For almost a decade, he has been radically transforming the country — at a breathtaking pace. Where is the modernizer and despot steering the kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.
Swiss Authorities Confirm around 40 Dead in Ski Resort Tragedy, Many of Whom Were Youth | DW News
Friedrich Merz, nouvel ennemi numéro un du Kremlin
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - En se posant en champion européen de la défense de l’Ukraine, le chancelier allemand s’est attiré les foudres de la Russie.
Pris en étau entre la Russie et les États-Unis, Friedrich Merz cherche sa place sur la scène diplomatique. Les deux poids lourds géopolitiques sont les seuls pays cités nommément par le chancelier élu en mai pour sa première présentation des vœux de Nouvel An aux Allemands. Avec l’ambition d’inspirer la confiance : « Nous ne sommes pas le jouet des grandes puissances. » Premier chancelier depuis Konrad Adenauer à atteindre l’âge de 70 ans en fonction, Merz considère que la liberté et la sécurité du continent sont directement menacées par la guerre à l’Est. « L’agression de la Russie faisait et fait toujours partie d’un plan qui vise l’ensemble de l’Europe, a-t-il prévenu. Chaque jour, l’Allemagne est victime de sabotages, d’espionnage et de cyberattaques. » » | Par David Philippot, Berlin | jeudi 1 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Pris en étau entre la Russie et les États-Unis, Friedrich Merz cherche sa place sur la scène diplomatique. Les deux poids lourds géopolitiques sont les seuls pays cités nommément par le chancelier élu en mai pour sa première présentation des vœux de Nouvel An aux Allemands. Avec l’ambition d’inspirer la confiance : « Nous ne sommes pas le jouet des grandes puissances. » Premier chancelier depuis Konrad Adenauer à atteindre l’âge de 70 ans en fonction, Merz considère que la liberté et la sécurité du continent sont directement menacées par la guerre à l’Est. « L’agression de la Russie faisait et fait toujours partie d’un plan qui vise l’ensemble de l’Europe, a-t-il prévenu. Chaque jour, l’Allemagne est victime de sabotages, d’espionnage et de cyberattaques. » » | Par David Philippot, Berlin | jeudi 1 janvier 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Dozens Confirmed Dead in Fire at New Year’s Party in Swiss Alps
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The local police said that their preliminary toll was about 40 dead, with roughly 115 injured, in the early morning blaze at a bar in the resort town of Crans-Montana .
About 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured, many gravely, in a fire in a bar at a ski resort in the Swiss Alps during a New Year’s celebration on Thursday. The Swiss president said it was “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced.”
The blaze broke out in the early morning hours at Le Constellation, a bar in Crans-Montana, in the canton of Valais. Officials said they were still investigating the cause of the fire and an explosion that followed, but ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack.
“We have no suspects,” said Beatrice Pilloud, the prosecutor general for the region. “An investigation has been launched — not against anyone, but to shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic fire.”
Many of the victims were young people who had gathered to celebrate the New Year. “This tragedy occurred in a place that is naturally associated with life and joy,” said President Guy Parmelin, who postponed a scheduled New Year’s address to travel to the scene.
The authorities said they were working to identify the dead and return their remains to their families. They were also interviewing witnesses and planned to analyze cellphones that were left at the scene, a prosecutor said. Live Updates » | Christopher F. Schuetze, Aurelien Breeden and John Yoon | Thursday, January 1, 2026
About 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured, many gravely, in a fire in a bar at a ski resort in the Swiss Alps during a New Year’s celebration on Thursday. The Swiss president said it was “one of the worst tragedies our country has ever experienced.”
The blaze broke out in the early morning hours at Le Constellation, a bar in Crans-Montana, in the canton of Valais. Officials said they were still investigating the cause of the fire and an explosion that followed, but ruled out the possibility of a terrorist attack.
“We have no suspects,” said Beatrice Pilloud, the prosecutor general for the region. “An investigation has been launched — not against anyone, but to shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragic fire.”
Many of the victims were young people who had gathered to celebrate the New Year. “This tragedy occurred in a place that is naturally associated with life and joy,” said President Guy Parmelin, who postponed a scheduled New Year’s address to travel to the scene.
The authorities said they were working to identify the dead and return their remains to their families. They were also interviewing witnesses and planned to analyze cellphones that were left at the scene, a prosecutor said. Live Updates » | Christopher F. Schuetze, Aurelien Breeden and John Yoon | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Jeff Landry Backtracks on ‘Greenland Capture’ Remark after EU Backlash
These days, America is governed by a bunch of ****holes! The world would be so much better off today if the powers-that-be at the time had had the courage to lock up Trump for his crimes. Now, because they didn’t have the necessary courage, the free world is being led by the man they should have locked up: a criminal! — © Mark Alexander.
Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31: Presto - Sostenuto
Jul 31, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31: Presto - Sostenuto · Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Chopin: 10 Mazurkas; Prélude Op.45; Ballade Op.23; Scherzo Op.31
℗ 1972 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin
Released: 1972-01-01
Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31: Presto - Sostenuto · Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
Chopin: 10 Mazurkas; Prélude Op.45; Ballade Op.23; Scherzo Op.31
℗ 1972 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin
Released: 1972-01-01
Elon Musk: The World’s Richest Man Keeps Embarrassing Himself!
This is unbelievable! How much has Musk swindled out of the American taxpayer, I wonder? For what it's worth, I think that Mamdani is a great choice to be mayor of New York. It’s a pity that America doesn’t have a president with Mamdani’s character, abilities, and ideas! — © Mark Alexander
Australian Beef Industry ‘Extremely Disappointed’ after China Hits Imports with 55% Tariff
THE GUARDIAN: Levy on beef exceeding quotas to begin immediately as Beijing seeks to protect domestic industry
Australian beef producers said they were “extremely disappointed” after China announced a 55% tariff on imports that exceed quota levels in a move to protect a domestic cattle industry slowly emerging from oversupply.
China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday the total import quota for 2026 for Australia and other countries such as Brazil and the US covered under its new “safeguard measures” is 2.7m metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87m tons it imported overall in 2024.
The new annual quota levels are set below import levels for the first 11 months of 2025 for Australia as well as its top supplier, Brazil.
“The increase in the amount of imported beef has seriously damaged China’s domestic industry,” the ministry said in announcing the measure after an investigation launched last December.
The measure takes effect on 1 January for three years, with the total quota increasing annually. » | Martin Farrer and Dan Jervis-Bardy | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Australian beef producers said they were “extremely disappointed” after China announced a 55% tariff on imports that exceed quota levels in a move to protect a domestic cattle industry slowly emerging from oversupply.
China’s commerce ministry said on Wednesday the total import quota for 2026 for Australia and other countries such as Brazil and the US covered under its new “safeguard measures” is 2.7m metric tons, roughly in line with the record 2.87m tons it imported overall in 2024.
The new annual quota levels are set below import levels for the first 11 months of 2025 for Australia as well as its top supplier, Brazil.
“The increase in the amount of imported beef has seriously damaged China’s domestic industry,” the ministry said in announcing the measure after an investigation launched last December.
The measure takes effect on 1 January for three years, with the total quota increasing annually. » | Martin Farrer and Dan Jervis-Bardy | Thursday, January 1, 2026
Jahreswechsel mit neuer Währung
Trump Delivers Heart-warming "Rot In Hell" New Year's Message
Sen. Bernie Sanders' AI Warning
Bernie Sanders is the man who should be president, not Trump. If Bernie Sanders were president, we would see a very different, fairer America. There wouldn’t be tax cuts for the superrich, and there would be universal healthcare, free at the point of delivery. Bernie Sanders would bring the USA into the civilised free world. — © Mark Alexander
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