Benny Gantz to Be Tasked with Forming Israeli Government

THE GUARDIAN: Ex-military chief expected to have 28 days to forge coalition and avoid third election in year

Israel’s president is expected to task the former military chief Benny Gantz with forming a government after Benjamin Netanyahu failed to do so following an inconclusive election last month.

Neither Gantz’s Blue and White coalition nor the incumbent prime minister’s Likud party came out with a clear win, and few expect the opposition leader to form a coalition through deals with disparate political parties with ease.

He will have 28 days to try, after which parliament can nominate a third candidate, although that appears extremely unlikely given the divided makeup of Israel’s legislature, the Knesset.

If no contender can end the political crisis, the country will face an unprecedented third election in a year. » | Oliver Homes in Jerusalem | Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Could Donald Trump Actually Be Impeached?

Things are getting serious for Donald Trump. The swiftly unrolling Ukraine scandal could cause him to become only the third president to be impeached.But what is impeachment? How does it work? And how likely is it to happen? Adam Gabbatt has the answers

Dan Rather, Sam Donaldson Have Dire Warning about Trump

Dan Rather and Sam Donaldson tell CNN's Don Lemon that they think that President Donald Trump is dangerous for the country because Trump is only interested in protecting himself.

The Debate: Brexit Can Wait: Can Johnson's Divorce Deal Pass without Strings Attached

Abschiedsrede im Parlament: Juncker: Bekämpft den dummen Nationalismus

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach fünf Jahren an der Spitze der EU-Kommission verabschiedet sich Jean-Claude Juncker vor dem Europaparlament. Er mahnt: „Frieden ist nicht selbstverständlich.“

Mit einer emotionalen Rede hat EU-Kommissionspräsident Jean-Claude Juncker sich nach fünf Jahren Amtszeit verabschiedet und seine Erfolge herausgestrichen. „Ich scheide aus dem Amt nicht betrübt, auch nicht übermäßig glücklich, aber im Gefühl, mich redlich bemüht zu haben“, sagte der 64-Jährige am Dienstag im Europaparlament. „Ich war stolz darauf, während langer Zeit und vor allem in den letzten fünf Jahren ein kleines Teilchen eines größeren Ganzen zu sein, das wichtiger ist als wir.“

Der Luxemburger erinnerte daran, dass die Europäische Union vor allem ein Friedensprojekt sei. „Frieden ist nicht selbstverständlich, und wir sollten stolz darauf sein, dass Europa den Frieden erhält“, sagte Juncker. Darüber müsse man auch mit jungen Menschen reden. Den Parlamentariern gab er mit auf den Weg: „Bekämpft mit aller Kraft den dummen Nationalismus.“ Seine Rede schloss Juncker mit den Worten: „Es lebe Europa!“ » | Quelle: nto./dpa/AFP | Dienstag, 22. Oktober 2019

Remember Thatcher’s Britain? That’s Where This Brexit Deal Would Take Us

THE GUARDIAN: Without a second referendum we face a decade of deregulation, and a repeat of the 1980s assault on working people

Hopes for a second referendum on Brexit are receding, as more and more Tories show their true colours and fall in line behind Boris Johnson and his controversial deal. They have passed through all the stages of grief to arrive at acceptance of a Brexit that they know will make Britain poorer and weaker. One of their leading lights, the former home secretary Amber Rudd, explicitly acknowledged that the deal would “hurt the economy” – but she said “it’s the right thing to do because we had a referendum”.

Pursuing an economically devastating Brexit is a choice, not a necessity. The referendum was a mandate to change the political basis of our relationship with Europe, not to terminate all our economic cooperation altogether, as envisaged in the new withdrawal agreement. The proposal would give Britain the same economic relationship with the EU as distant countries such as Mexico or Canada. That’s why the extremist interpretation of the 2016 referendum that was begun by Theresa May and accelerated by Johnson can and must be resisted. If that cannot be achieved by a second referendum – even the most ardent campaigners now accept they don’t have the numbers – then it is vital that politicians return to the arena of compromise. » | Tom Kibasi | Tuesday, October 22, 2019

There’s a message in this story: Never trust the Tories with the economy again! It’s high time for the Tories to go the way of the Whigs – into oblivion! – Mark

Dominic Raab

The author of 'The Assault on Liberty' says that we must keep questioning the claims made by the Government, as it attempts to take away rights and liberties.

George Michael, Aretha Franklin – I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (Official Video)

Boris Johnson in Final Push to Ram Through Brexit Deal

THE GUARDIAN: PM will seek to win two crucial votes on Tuesday in bid to leave EU by 31 October deadline

Boris Johnson will make a final bid on Tuesday to force Brexit through by the 31 October “do or die” deadline, amid growing signs he will make a renewed push for a general election whether his deal passes or not.

Johnson has already requested a delay to Brexit, by sending the letter to Brussels required by the backbench Benn act after MPs declined to support his deal on Saturday – something he said he would rather be “dead in a ditch”than do.

But if the government can force its Brexit bill through parliament in time, the UK could in theory still leave the EU by next Thursday’s deadline. » | Heather Stewart and Rowena Mason | Monday, October 21, 2019

Netanyahu Fails to Form a Government. Israel Turns to Gantz.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Israel’s president will offer the chance to form a government to Benny Gantz.

JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel gave up on his latest attempt to form a government on Monday, clearing the way for Benny Gantz, the former army chief who narrowly defeated him in last month’s election, to try to become the country’s next leader.

Mr. Netanyahu, who turned 70 on Monday and has been prime minister since 2009, told President Reuven Rivlin that he had been unable to put together a 61-seat majority coalition in Parliament.

Mr. Rivlin said he would give Mr. Gantz, 60, leader of the centrist Blue and White party, the mandate to form a government “as soon as possible.” Under the law, Mr. Gantz will have 28 days to do so.

“The time of spin is over, and it is now time for action,” Mr. Gantz’s party said in a statement. “Blue and White is determined to form the liberal unity government, led by Benny Gantz, that the people of Israel voted for a month ago.” » | David M. Halbfinger and Isabel Kershner | Monday, October 21, 2019

Prince William Worried about Harry after TV Interview Discussing Their 'Rift', Source Claims

THE TELEGRAPH: The Duke of Cambridge has been left concerned for the wellbeing of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, it is claimed, after the couple told a television audience of millions of their personal unhappiness and a rift in the Royal Family.

The Duke is said to be “worried” about his younger brother, who on Sunday night publicly confirmed the siblings are on “different paths” and spending less time together.

A palace source told the BBC of household fears the Sussexes are in a “fragile place”, with Prince William hoping they “are alright” after Prince Harry unexpectedly laid bare details of their private relationship in a television documentary.

Acknowledging a “rift” in conversation with friend and broadcaster Tom Bradby on ITV, Prince Harry admitted "inevitably stuff happens" under the pressure of royal life.

His decision to speak about the brothers’ relationship immediately placed them at the centre of a worldwide conversation, detailed on the front page of five leading British newspapers and headline news on radio and television from the Today programme to Loose Women. » | Hannah Furness, Royal Correspondent | Monday, October 21, 2019

People's Vote Marchers: ‘Brexit Is Not Done by a Long Way’

From morris dancers to a man dressed as death and everyone inbetween: the Guardian follows anti-Brexit protesters in London on Saturday as they march to demand a fresh referendum. Organisers of the march said the turnout was comparable to the previous second referendum rally six months ago, when a million people gathered in central London

Brexit Delay: Boris Johnson Sends Opposing Letters to EU | DW News

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he's determined that the UK will leave the European Union by October 31, despite a letter he was forced to send Brussels asking for a delay, which he sent without his signature. Johnson was required by law to ask for the delay after parliament voted to postpone ratifying his Brexit deal. The prime minister also sent a second letter to the EU, which he did sign, saying he was against an extension.

Super Saturday: MPs Debate Boris Johnson’s New Brexit Deal – Watch Live

The prime minister summoned MPs for an emergency Saturday parliament session to decide Brexit fate

Eric Trump Defends Emoluments Violations Then Claims They Aren’t Happening

Eric Trump is trying to defend the fact that his father is profiting greatly off the presidency while simultaneously claiming that his father is losing money on the president. It takes a special kind of stupid to believe that both things are true, but that’s what we get with the Trump kids. The truth is that Eric and his brother Donald, Jr. are both running interference for their father, and the whole family is cashing in on this administration. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Daniel Kawczynski MP Speaks in a Westminster Hall Debate on LGBT Acceptance and Education

'It Was News I Was Scared to Tell': Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski Calls for Understanding of Same-sex Relationships

SHROPSHIRE STAR: Shrewsbury MP Daniel Kawczynski has told about the nerves he suffered when 'coming out' to his constituency association - as he led a Westminster debate on LGBT issues.

Mr Kawczynski revealed how he had travelled back to Shrewsbury from Parliament, with some big news for his constituents.

"It was news I was scared to tell, even to my closest supporters in the local Conservative Association – so much so that I was quietly praying the train would break down so I would not have to impart it. The news was that I was now in a same sex relationship."

The MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham will this year enter into a civil partnership with his long-term partner Fernando. And he says the supportive reaction he got from his constituency party six years ago will stay with him all his life.

"Full of apprehension, I looked up at the faces of the people I had spoken to, 50 of the most senior members of my local party and awaited their reaction," he recalls.

"Almost immediately, a gentleman in the front row stood up and said, 'I think that’s marvellous news, well done' and began clapping. » | Mark Andrews, Shrewsbury | Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Divorced Conservative MP: 'I’ve fallen in love with a man’ »

EU's Juncker Says Brexit Deal Agreed

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announces new Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union. The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, has announced that Brussels had come to an agreement with Britain on a Brexit withdrawal agreement to be presented to EU leaders. "Where there is a will, there is a deal - we have one! It's a fair and balanced agreement for the EU and the UK and it is testament to our commitment to find solutions," Juncker tweeted. "I recommend that EUCO endorses this deal," he said, referring to the European Council of the leaders of member states that was to meet later on Thursday. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "We have a great new deal that takes back control." Al Jazeera's Rory Challands reports.

What Neo-Nazis Have Inherited from Original Nazism | DW Documentary | Neo-Nazi Documentary

What resemblance do today’s ethnonationalistic ideologies bear to those which surged during the rise of the Nazis in the Weimar-era? Quite a lot, this documentary shows. Germany’s far-right neo-nazi scene is now bigger than at any time since National Socialism.

History may not repeat itself, but one can still learn from it. The years of the Weimar Republic were scarred by post-war trauma, political extremism, street fighting, hyper-inflation and widespread poverty. But they also saw economic boom, the establishment of a liberal democratic order and a parliamentary party system. Nobody could really imagine that the Nazis would brush aside the achievements of this young democracy just a few years later. But there were signs, warnings even that all was not well.

So how does that resonate today? How do today’s right-wing populist movements and parties achieve their political aims? Which slogans, images and stereotypes played a role then, and which ones are playing a role now?

The film also looks beyond Germany’s borders. How has Europe changed in the last few years and how have far-right movements been able to gain such influence? In the interwar period, democracies across the continent collapsed one after the other like a house of cards. What about today? Riding on the coat-tails of the political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) the far-right has become a factor in both national and state parliaments, united by nationalist and often racist ideologies directly linked to those of the 1930s. At that time, global economic crisis and mass unemployment drove people straight into the fascists’ arms. So what will happen if crisis strikes now? Are our democracies and their achievements today any more stable than they were in the years before the Second World War?

Fourteen Weddings and a Divorce | British Royal Family Documentary | Timeline

Chronicling the romantic life of Britain's royal family in the 20th century, this documentary explores the history of royal marriages and asks what's next for a royal family increasingly battered by media pressures and whose business is shared with the whole world.

Nachkriegszeit in Deutschland - Die Stunde Null | Geschichte

Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs in Europa | Geschichte

Überfall auf die Sowjetunion | Vernichtungskrieg | Geschichte

tagesschau 20:00 Uhr, 14.10.2019

Themen der Sendung: EU ruft Mitglieder zum Einstellen der Waffenverkäufe an Ankara auf, Politische Aufarbeitung des Anschlags in Halle, Queen verliest Regierungserklärung von Johnson, Parlamentswahl in Polen: Klare Mehrheit für Regierungspartei PiS, Oberstes Gericht in Spanien verurteilt neun katalanische Separatistenführer zu langjährigen Haftstrafen, Kais Saied wird neuer Präsident von Tunesien, Hauptstadt von Ecuador wird nach gewalttätigen Protesten aufgeräumt, Wirtschaftsnobelpreis geht an drei Armutsforscher, Gewerkschaft UFO ruft Flugbegleiter von Lufthansa zu Warnstreiks auf, Saša Stanišić erhält Deutschen Buchpreis 2019, Das Wetter

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 14, 2019

Réduit National: Ein Film über die Schweiz im zweiten Weltkrieg

Maturaarbeit von Marco Grünenfelder und Jan Baumgartner an der Kantonsschule Zug

Beginn des Zweiten Weltkriegs | Geschichte Hitlers Blitzkrieg

History File: Life in Nazi Germany

The Unlikely Romance of a Black Nurse and a German POW in World War II

In this edition of Maryville Talks Books, author Alexis Clark and host Paul Schankman have a conversation about her remarkable new "stranger than fiction" book, Enemies in Love, which tells the true story of a black nurse and a German Prisoner of War, who fell in love during World War Two, and eventually married. Though their story began more than 70 years ago, it feels very relevant today as America continues to wrestle with issues of racism and hate.

Enemies in Love: A German POW, a Black Nurse, and an Unlikely Romance »

Pete Buttigieg: I Would Keep Troops in Syria If Needed

During an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, 2020 Democratic candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg responded to President Trump's decision to pull troops out of northern Syria, a move Buttigieg says "makes America worse off."

The Battle of Passchendaele | 100th Anniversary of The Great War – Documentary (July 2017) | Timeline

Support Grows for a New Brexit Poll amid Fears over Johnson’s Plan

THE OBSERVER: DUP raises doubts on customs union, while Labour says it will whip MPs to support a second referendum

Pro-remain MPs predicted on Saturday that they were gaining sufficient cross-party support to secure a second Brexit referendum as fresh doubts were raised over whether Boris Johnson can secure a deal with the EU that can pass through parliament.

The push for a second vote appeared to be gaining momentum before what promises to be a dramatic “super Saturday” showdown in parliament next weekend. That emergency House of Commons sitting, called by Johnson, will be held after a critical EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. It will coincide with a pro-referendum march through London, which organisers say a million people could join. » | Toby Helm and Michael Savage | Saturday, October 12, 2019

No-deal Brexit will wreck Tories’ reputation as party of business, says Lidington »

A speedy referendum would be a far better alternative than a general election »

Goldman Sachs Tells Trump Administration that Americans Are Paying 100% of His China Tariffs

Goldman Sachs has confirmed that the tariffs Trump has put in place on China are actually being paid by American consumers and businesses. But not just “some” of the tariffs – 100% of the tariffs are being paid by American citizens. Trump falsely claims that China is paying for it, but the truth refuses to remain hidden. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

David Sinclair: "Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don't Have To" | Talks at Google

David Sinclair, professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, discusses his new book "Lifespan", which distills his cutting-edge research findings on the biological processes underpinning aging. Sinclair describes lifestyle hacks we can undertake now to combat aging, as well as future scientific breakthroughs that promise to slow down—and even reverse—the aging process. Moderated by: Sam Phippen

Shepard Smith Steps Down from Fox News

Fox News and Shepard Smith jointly announce that he will be stepping down from his role as chief news anchor and managing editor of the network's breaking news unit and anchor of 'Shepard Smith Reporting.

Shepard Smith leaves Fox News with hope that 'facts will win the day' »

Liberals love Fox News's Shepard Smith. Is he the network's voice of reason? »

Cities At War - Berlin: The Doomed City | WW2 Documentary | Timeline

Cities At War: London | World War 2 Documentary | Timeline

Cities At War - Paris: The Enraged City | WW2 Documentary | Timeline

Susan Rice on Trump: What Is He Smoking?

Former national security adviser to President Obama Susan Rice responds to President Donald Trump's comments claiming Kurdish forces haven't helped US forces throughout history.

Robert De Niro on Donald Trump: 'I Can't Wait to See Him in Jail'

THE GUARDIAN: The Irishman actor tells the Guardian that Trump and the Republicans ‘have to know they can’t get away with bullying us’

Robert De Niro has renewed his criticism of Donald Trump, calling the US head of state a “gangster president” and saying he “can’t wait” to see him jailed.

De Niro was speaking to the Guardian ahead of the London film festival premiere of The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s new film, in which he plays mafia killer Frank Sheeran, now generally presumed to have been responsible for the murder of celebrated union boss Jimmy Hoffa in 1975.

De Niro said: “We have a real, immediate problem in that we have a gangster president who thinks he can do anything he wants … the problem is, if he actually gets away with it, then we all have a problem. » | Andrew Pulver and agencies | Friday, October 11, 2019

Helmut Schmidt übers Rauchen

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.

Elizabeth Warren's Answer to Marriage Question Gets Laughs at Los Angeles Townhall

Elizabeth Warren's deadpan quip in LGBT debate wins plaudits »

Trump Insults Opponents, Promises to Win in 2020 in His First Campaign Rally

President Donald Trump has held his first campaign rally since Democrats launched an impeachment inquiry against him.

An angry, energized Trump whipped his supporters into a frenzy on Thursday at a rally in Minneapolis as he sought to use the Democrats' two-week-old impeachment inquiry as a campaign weapon, and predicted a 2020 election "backlash" against any attempt to unseat him.

In a speech lasting one hour and 40 minutes, Trump bathed in supporters' adulation, homing in on his favourite talking points with a mix of jokes, insults and populist exaggeration. Trump told a crowd in Minnesota that he has done nothing wrong. He is accused of pressuring Ukraine's leader into investigating his Democratic rival, Joe Biden.

Al Jazeera's John Hendren reports.

Testosterone – New Discoveries about the Male Hormone | DW Documentary

Testosterone has long been seen as a metaphor for aggression, but is there really anything to the idea of the testosterone-driven male? Prominent scientists explain how subtle the hormone’s effects actually are.

Men with a lot of testosterone have long been accused of violent and competitive behavior. Now the image of the sex hormone is changing. Unlike in the animal world, the general statement "testosterone makes one aggressive" cannot be confirmed in humans, and recent studies suggest that it can actually even promote selfless behavior. One of the leading experts in this field is Jean-Claude Dreher from Lyon. He says his laboratory experiments show that testosterone does not make men aggressive but instead allows them to act in a strategic manner. Those who are more testosterone-charged tend to be friendlier towards others in order to bolster their own social status. British behavioral psychologist Simon Baron Cohen demonstrates how testosterone determines our gender characteristics when we are still in the womb. Meanwhile, his colleague Oliver Schultheiss from Erlangen has found out how testosterone can improve our learning abilities.

Evangelical Leaders Say God Wants Them to Protect Trump

Disgraced evangelical leader Ralph Reed has become the most recent member of the “religious right” to come forward and say that God wants us to protect Donald Trump. Reed has a new book coming out that allegedly makes the moral case for Christians to support Trump, but his pleas might be falling on deaf ears, as Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains.

Who’d want to be an American Evangelical Christian? They have such a crazy (mis)understanding of Christianity!

Erdoğan Threatens to Send 3.6m Refugees to Europe

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warns he will ‘open the gates’ if Syria assault is called an ‘occupation’ »

Trump Alters US Under the Radar While Impeachment Is Pursued

The Trump administration is undermining our nation from immigration to the environment, while his tweets and impeachment distract us. Add it all up, says our guest, we can see how he threatens what remains of U.S. democracy.