Joined by Swiss-born soprano Chelsea Zurflüh, he brings La Bohème’s tenderness to life in this unforgettable performance, recorded live on August 1, 2025 with the CHAARTS Chamber Artists.
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Jonathan Tetelman – Puccini: La Bohème, “O soave fanciulla” (with Chelsea Zurflüh)
Dec 17, 2025 | A night at the château shimmered with romance. Tetelman’s voice soared in Puccini’s “O soave fanciulla”, where love is born beneath the glow of Neuschwanstein.
Joined by Swiss-born soprano Chelsea Zurflüh, he brings La Bohème’s tenderness to life in this unforgettable performance, recorded live on August 1, 2025 with the CHAARTS Chamber Artists.
Joined by Swiss-born soprano Chelsea Zurflüh, he brings La Bohème’s tenderness to life in this unforgettable performance, recorded live on August 1, 2025 with the CHAARTS Chamber Artists.
Monday, May 18, 2026
Après de nouvelles sanctions de Washington, Cuba agite la menace d'un «bain de sang» en cas d'attaque américaine
LE FIGARO : Le ministère américain des Finances a annoncé lundi avoir ajouté le principal service de renseignement cubain, la Direccion de Inteligencia, ainsi qu’une dizaine de hauts responsables du pays à sa liste des entités et personnes sous sanction.
Le président de Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, a averti lundi qu'une attaque américaine contre l'île provoquerait « un bain de sang », tandis que Washington a annoncé avoir sanctionné le renseignement cubain et une dizaine de hauts-responsables de l'île communiste. Miguel Diaz-Canel a aussi souligné le droit « légitime » de son pays à riposter à une éventuelle agression des États-Unis, sur fond de fortes tensions entre La Havane et Washington.
Cuba a acquis plus de 300 drones militaires et évalue de possibles scénarios de leur utilisation près de la base américaine de Guantánamo, dans l'est de l'île, a affirmé dimanche le média américain Axios, en citant des renseignements classifiés. Selon Axios, ces informations ont suscité des inquiétudes à Washington, où des responsables mettent en garde contre une « menace croissante » du fait de la proximité de ces capacités. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 18 mai 2026
Le président de Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel, a averti lundi qu'une attaque américaine contre l'île provoquerait « un bain de sang », tandis que Washington a annoncé avoir sanctionné le renseignement cubain et une dizaine de hauts-responsables de l'île communiste. Miguel Diaz-Canel a aussi souligné le droit « légitime » de son pays à riposter à une éventuelle agression des États-Unis, sur fond de fortes tensions entre La Havane et Washington.
Cuba a acquis plus de 300 drones militaires et évalue de possibles scénarios de leur utilisation près de la base américaine de Guantánamo, dans l'est de l'île, a affirmé dimanche le média américain Axios, en citant des renseignements classifiés. Selon Axios, ces informations ont suscité des inquiétudes à Washington, où des responsables mettent en garde contre une « menace croissante » du fait de la proximité de ces capacités. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 18 mai 2026
He Shut Liquor Stores and Banned Abortion, All for the Glory of Russia
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A firebrand governor aims to transform his region into a laboratory for the Kremlin’s reactionary ideals.
He restricted alcohol sales to two hours on workdays and effectively banned abortions in the region’s private clinics. He erected statues of Stalin and Ivan the Terrible, and his government tried to name a youth group after the medieval czar’s dreaded secret police. He emblazoned nearly every bus and even the local airline’s four Soviet-era jets with nationalistic slogans and repainted them ruby red.
Georgy Y. Filimonov, the governor of the northern region of Vologda, is an especially keen reader of Russia’s political winds. He has vigorously embraced the sort of “traditional Russian values” espoused by the Kremlin, asserting Vologda as an undistilled bastion of “Russianness.”
His campaign to make his region “the powerhouse of the Russian world,” which began in late 2023, melds imperial and Soviet nostalgia with some of modern Russia’s strictest social laws.
As he pushes his region’s citizens to carry out what he sees as their patriotic duties, high on his list is having more babies. » | Ivan Nechepurenko | Visuals by Mary Gelman | Ivan Nechepurenko spent several days in the Russian city of Vologda and in the surrounding region. | Monday, May 18, 2026
He restricted alcohol sales to two hours on workdays and effectively banned abortions in the region’s private clinics. He erected statues of Stalin and Ivan the Terrible, and his government tried to name a youth group after the medieval czar’s dreaded secret police. He emblazoned nearly every bus and even the local airline’s four Soviet-era jets with nationalistic slogans and repainted them ruby red.
Georgy Y. Filimonov, the governor of the northern region of Vologda, is an especially keen reader of Russia’s political winds. He has vigorously embraced the sort of “traditional Russian values” espoused by the Kremlin, asserting Vologda as an undistilled bastion of “Russianness.”
His campaign to make his region “the powerhouse of the Russian world,” which began in late 2023, melds imperial and Soviet nostalgia with some of modern Russia’s strictest social laws.
As he pushes his region’s citizens to carry out what he sees as their patriotic duties, high on his list is having more babies. » | Ivan Nechepurenko | Visuals by Mary Gelman | Ivan Nechepurenko spent several days in the Russian city of Vologda and in the surrounding region. | Monday, May 18, 2026
Germany's Multi-billion-euro Plan for Shelters, Hospital Beds and Emergency Vehicles | DW News
Jesse Dollemore: Trump-worshipping Freaks Take Over the Capital: Promise to Destroy America
I have been scratching my head for a long time, trying to think of something positive that has come out of the Trump presidency. Boy, has that been a hard job! 😊 Finally, I have managed to come up with an answer. It is this: Trump’s presidency has brought into sharp focus that the US is a nation of crackpots! It has shown us all that sanity is in very short supply over there in America! — © Mark Alexander
Argentinian Fried Pastelones | My Grandmother’s Forgotten Family Recipe
These fried meat pastelones were made by my grandmother in Santa Fe, in the Argentine Littoral region, especially for family gatherings during national holidays. They were like large savory criollo pastries: golden, crispy and filled with a juicy meat filling similar to our traditional empanadas… but with those personal and regional touches that made them truly unforgettable.
One of those touches was the use of prunes instead of raisins, giving the filling a deeper sweetness and a subtle fruity acidity that pairs beautifully with the meat.
This is a simple, rustic, and deeply homemade recipe — the kind that stays forever in family memories.
One of those touches was the use of prunes instead of raisins, giving the filling a deeper sweetness and a subtle fruity acidity that pairs beautifully with the meat.
This is a simple, rustic, and deeply homemade recipe — the kind that stays forever in family memories.
« Nous comptons aussi » : Angela Merkel critique le manque d'efforts diplomatiques de l’Union européenne avec la Russie
LE FIGARO : L’ancienne chancelière allemande a réaffirmé au cours d’une interview son soutien à l’aide militaire à l’Ukraine tout en plaidant pour une intensification de la diplomatie européenne dans la guerre opposant Kiev à Moscou.
L'ancienne chancelière allemande, Angela Merkel, a appelé lundi l'Union européenne à redoubler d'efforts diplomatiques dans le conflit avec la Russie pour parvenir à la paix. Elle a dit « regretter » que l'Europe « n'utilise pas suffisamment son potentiel diplomatique » lors d'une interview à la chaîne de télévision publique WDR. Toutefois, elle a estimé qu'il était « absolument justifié » de soutenir militairement l'Ukraine et de produire un effet dissuasif. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 18 mai 2026
Steve Schmidt: Trump Will Not Erase the First Amendment
Trump's Christian Nationalist Agenda & Taxpayer-Funded DC Prayer Rally: Bishop Barber & Sarah Posner
May 18, 2026 | Thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Sunday for "Rededicate 250," a taxpayer-funded Christian evangelical service backed by President Trump. The eight-hour lineup featured songs, prayers and remarks by top government officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The event included religious leaders like evangelist Franklin Graham and Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
"Nothing was Christian about what we saw yesterday," says Bishop William J. Barber II. "This is idolatry. This is heresy. This is a form of religious nationalism. This is Trump worship. This is trying to make someone a messiah figure." Barber, the president of Repairers of the Breach and founding director of the Yale Center for Public Theology and Public Policy, took part in a counter-event on Sunday called Redirect 250.
"This is really a battle for the soul of America," says Sarah Posner, author of Unholy: How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating Legacy They Left Behind. The Supreme Court has eroded the separation of church and state in recent decades, particularly under President Trump, adds Posner. She also notes that "evangelicals, for decades, have been marinating in Christian Zionist theology and ideology, which holds that, in their view, America has a biblical duty to defend Israel, and in particular defend Israel from aggression, both nuclear and otherwise, from Iran."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"Nothing was Christian about what we saw yesterday," says Bishop William J. Barber II. "This is idolatry. This is heresy. This is a form of religious nationalism. This is Trump worship. This is trying to make someone a messiah figure." Barber, the president of Repairers of the Breach and founding director of the Yale Center for Public Theology and Public Policy, took part in a counter-event on Sunday called Redirect 250.
"This is really a battle for the soul of America," says Sarah Posner, author of Unholy: How White Christian Nationalists Powered the Trump Presidency, and the Devastating Legacy They Left Behind. The Supreme Court has eroded the separation of church and state in recent decades, particularly under President Trump, adds Posner. She also notes that "evangelicals, for decades, have been marinating in Christian Zionist theology and ideology, which holds that, in their view, America has a biblical duty to defend Israel, and in particular defend Israel from aggression, both nuclear and otherwise, from Iran."
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"Staggering Corruption": Rep. Raskin on Trump's $10B IRS Lawsuit, Stock Trades & Family Business
May 18, 2026 | Donald Trump on Monday dropped his $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over a leak of his personal and business tax records, a bizarre case of a sitting president suing his own government and essentially acting as both plaintiff and defendant. This comes amid reports that Trump's Department of Justice was considering settling the case in exchange for the creation of a $1.7 billion fund to compensate victims of so-called weaponization of the DOJ under the Biden and Obama administrations. Trump allies who participated in the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol could file claims and be compensated.
"They want a $1.7 billion slush fund, which comes to a million dollars a head in terms of Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the insurrectionists, with $100 million left over of taxpayer money to spread around in different ways," says Congressmember Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, who spoke with Democracy Now! shortly before news broke of Trump dropping the IRS lawsuit.
Raskin last week introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which is geared toward curbing the president's profiteering from public office. "Corruption is the whole purpose of the Trump administration," says Raskin. "It's not like some eccentric peripheral thing; it's a vast money-making operation."
Trump and his cronies are rotten to their core. It defies belief that the American people put up with this CRAP! — © Mark Alexander
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"They want a $1.7 billion slush fund, which comes to a million dollars a head in terms of Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, the insurrectionists, with $100 million left over of taxpayer money to spread around in different ways," says Congressmember Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, who spoke with Democracy Now! shortly before news broke of Trump dropping the IRS lawsuit.
Raskin last week introduced the Protecting Our Democracy Act, which is geared toward curbing the president's profiteering from public office. "Corruption is the whole purpose of the Trump administration," says Raskin. "It's not like some eccentric peripheral thing; it's a vast money-making operation."
Trump and his cronies are rotten to their core. It defies belief that the American people put up with this CRAP! — © Mark Alexander
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
"Adolf Hitler war ein Linker" - Alice Weidel im Gespräch mit Nikolaus Blome | ntv
Hitler war doch kein „Linker“! Er hasste Leute, die links orientiert waren. Wo er es nur konnte, hat er sie umbringen lassen! Hitler war ein echter Rechtsextremist! Mit dieser Aussage versucht Alice Weidel, die Leute zu verwirren. — © Mark Alexander
Alice Weidel - die AfD-Chefin im Porträt
Feb 19, 2025 | Für Alice Weidel, Partei- und Fraktionsvorsitzende der AfD, ist Berlin der Mittelpunkt ihres politischen Wirkens. Dort lässt sich ihre politische Entwicklung nachzeichnen von "Gaulands Mädchen" – als Sidekick für den Bundestagswahlkampf 2017 – bis zur (fast) unangefochtenen Spitzenfrau der AfD. Der Film von ZDF-Reporter David Gebhard begleitet die AfD-Kanzlerkandidatin durch den Wahlkampf.
Alice Weidel ist eine der umstrittensten politischen Figuren in Deutschland. Hoffnungsträgerin und Idol für die einen, Feindbild und Hassfigur für die anderen.
Aufgepaßt! Gefahr voraus! — © Mark Alexander
Alice Weidel ist eine der umstrittensten politischen Figuren in Deutschland. Hoffnungsträgerin und Idol für die einen, Feindbild und Hassfigur für die anderen.
Aufgepaßt! Gefahr voraus! — © Mark Alexander
In Closed-Door Talks, U.S. Demands a Major Role in Greenland
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Greenlandic officials worry about the direction of the negotiations aimed at defusing President Trump’s threats to seize their island. But they have little leverage.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Ilulisaat, Greenland, a town where a Chinese state company nearly won a contract to build an airport in 2018. After U.S. officials pressured Denmark to step in, Greenland opted for a Danish company. | Ivor Prickett for The New York Times
With the conflict in Iran still smoldering, President Trump’s obsession with Greenland seems like a forgotten sideshow.
But for the past four months, negotiators from the United States, Greenland and Denmark, which controls Greenland’s foreign affairs, have been holding confidential talks in Washington about Greenland’s future.
The talks were meant to give Mr. Trump an offramp to his threats of a military takeover of Greenland and to scale back a crisis that risked breaking apart the NATO alliance. But Greenlandic leaders are worried about what is being proposed, which is a much larger U.S. role on the Arctic island. And they fear that if the conflict with Iran winds down, the president will swing his aggression back on them.
Some Greenlandic politicians say they have even circled a date on their calendars to be wary: June 14, Mr. Trump’s birthday. » | Jeffrey Gettleman, Maya Tekeli, Anton Troianovski and Eric Schmitt | Monday, May 18, 2026
ALSO READ:
Prime Minister of Greenland: Nothing has changed. Trump still wants Greenland. »
With the conflict in Iran still smoldering, President Trump’s obsession with Greenland seems like a forgotten sideshow.
But for the past four months, negotiators from the United States, Greenland and Denmark, which controls Greenland’s foreign affairs, have been holding confidential talks in Washington about Greenland’s future.
The talks were meant to give Mr. Trump an offramp to his threats of a military takeover of Greenland and to scale back a crisis that risked breaking apart the NATO alliance. But Greenlandic leaders are worried about what is being proposed, which is a much larger U.S. role on the Arctic island. And they fear that if the conflict with Iran winds down, the president will swing his aggression back on them.
Some Greenlandic politicians say they have even circled a date on their calendars to be wary: June 14, Mr. Trump’s birthday. » | Jeffrey Gettleman, Maya Tekeli, Anton Troianovski and Eric Schmitt | Monday, May 18, 2026
ALSO READ:
Prime Minister of Greenland: Nothing has changed. Trump still wants Greenland. »
Kim Jong-un: Grenze zu Südkorea soll zu „uneinnehmbarer Festung“ werden
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Nordkorea soll laut Kim Jong-un die Grenze zu Südkorea weiter verstärken. Bereits zuvor hatte er die Stationierung einer neuen selbstfahrenden Haubitze an der Grenze angeordnet.
Dieser Screenshot stammt aus diesem Artikel. | Kim Jong-un bei einem Treffen hochrangiger Militärvertreter | © KCNA via KNS/AFP
Der nordkoreanische Machthaber Kim Jong-un hat erklärt, dass Pläne zur Stärkung von Fronttruppen an der südlichen Grenze sowie anderer wichtige Einheiten für die „gründlichere Abschreckung vor Kriegen“ von zentraler Bedeutung seien. Die Grenze solle zu einer „uneinnehmbaren Festung“ werden, berichtete die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur KCNA.
Kim äußerte sich bei einem Treffen mit Befehlshabern der nordkoreanischen Armee. Er rief die Kommandeure dazu auf, wachsam gegenüber dem „Erzfeind“ zu bleiben – ein Begriff, den Pjöngjang laut Reuters für Südkorea verwendet. Er kündigte weiterhin an, das Ausbildungssystem zu reformieren und stärker auf Übungen auszurichten, die moderner Kriegführung entsprechen. Auch die militärische Organisationsstruktur solle überarbeitet werden. » | Anika Schlünz | Montag, 18. Mai 2026
Der nordkoreanische Machthaber Kim Jong-un hat erklärt, dass Pläne zur Stärkung von Fronttruppen an der südlichen Grenze sowie anderer wichtige Einheiten für die „gründlichere Abschreckung vor Kriegen“ von zentraler Bedeutung seien. Die Grenze solle zu einer „uneinnehmbaren Festung“ werden, berichtete die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur KCNA.
Kim äußerte sich bei einem Treffen mit Befehlshabern der nordkoreanischen Armee. Er rief die Kommandeure dazu auf, wachsam gegenüber dem „Erzfeind“ zu bleiben – ein Begriff, den Pjöngjang laut Reuters für Südkorea verwendet. Er kündigte weiterhin an, das Ausbildungssystem zu reformieren und stärker auf Übungen auszurichten, die moderner Kriegführung entsprechen. Auch die militärische Organisationsstruktur solle überarbeitet werden. » | Anika Schlünz | Montag, 18. Mai 2026
Grèce : Alexis Tsipras, ex-premier ministre et figure de la gauche radicale, va lancer un nouveau parti
LE FIGARO : Alexis Tsipras a publié sur Facebook « Maintenant, c’est le moment », sans révéler le nom de sa nouvelle formation politique. Il avait été désigné premier ministre lors de la crise financière grecque en 2015. Après une défaite en 2023, Alexis Tsipras avait démissionné de la direction de son parti.
L'ancien premier ministre grec Alexis Tsipras, ex-figure de la gauche radicale et anti-austérité en Europe, a annoncé lundi 18 mai son retour en politique avec le lancement d'un nouveau parti le 26 mai, en vue des élections prévues l'an prochain. Alexis Tsipras, 51 ans, a publié sur Facebook une vidéo montrant le dos de deux garçons sur les gradins d'un stade de foot portant des maillots avec les numéros 26 et 5. « Maintenant, c'est le moment », a-t-il écrit sans révéler le nom de sa nouvelle formation politique. Alexis Tsipras avait été désigné premier ministre au pic de la crise financière grecque en janvier 2015, à l'issue d'élections législatives remportées par son parti, alors de gauche radicale, Syriza. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 18 mai 2026
Nobel Prize Recipient Dr Henry Abraham Warns of Donald Trump's Nuclear Risk to Humanity.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Papers React to Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack
Waleed Asadi: Chicken & Onions | Musakhan | مسخن | The National Dish of Palestine
May 17, 2026 | “Today I'm sharing with you one of the most well-known dishes to come from Palestine. Yes, this is a dish that is enjoyed throughout the Levant, but it is well known throughout the region that Palestinians make this dish the best.
It's a very simple dish: just chicken and onions, seasoned in mostly sumac, cooked in an absurd amount of olive oil, and served on top of beautiful and fluffy bread.
This is a delicious dish which, hopefully, will awaken your interest in our history and culture.” — Waleed
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
It's a very simple dish: just chicken and onions, seasoned in mostly sumac, cooked in an absurd amount of olive oil, and served on top of beautiful and fluffy bread.
This is a delicious dish which, hopefully, will awaken your interest in our history and culture.” — Waleed
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
Donald Trump s’amuse encore avec l’IA et enfile le smoking de James Bond
LE FIGARO : Le président américain a partagé samedi sur les réseaux sociaux une image de lui dans la peau de l’agent 007, deux jours après l’annonce du lancement du casting du prochain film.
L’identité du prochain James Bond enfin révélée ? Après avoir utilisé l’intelligence artificielle pour se déguiser en pape ou encore en soldat jedi de Star Wars, Donald Trump s’imagine aujourd’hui dans le smoking de l’agent 007. Samedi 16 mai, la Maison Blanche a publié sur les réseaux sociaux une photographie en noir et blanc du président américain, dans la peau du super-espion britannique. Sur ce cliché, il tient dans sa main droite un pistolet silencieux, le même qu’utilise Bond depuis ses premières aventures dans Casino Royale en 1954. » | Par Charles Boutin | lundi 18 mai 2026
The Iran War Is Crippling One of the World’s Wealthiest Nations
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Iranian attacks and the stoppage of seaborne transit have paralyzed Qatar’s vital gas exports, stalling the economic pivots intended to anchor the country’s growth.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Qatar has tried to transform itself into a tourist destination and a hub for international business and finance. | Mahmud Hams/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
In Qatar, a desert peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, natural gas turned the country from a pearl-diving backwater into one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
Qatar spent three decades building supply lines, shipping tens of billions of dollars of liquefied natural gas each year through the Strait of Hormuz to ports across Asia and Europe.
The state, which derives more than 60 percent of its revenue from gas and gas-related exports, used that money to transform the peninsula into a gleaming metropolis. Unpaved desert roads were replaced by monolithic corporate skyscrapers, at the base of which irrigation systems water perennial blankets of grass and fuchsia flowers.
Gas wealth funded a metro system linking the capital, Doha, to Lusail, a northern city that is home to a Parisian-style mall and a theme park with artificial snow. The riches were also funneled into the world’s most expensive World Cup, and a $600 billion sovereign wealth fund with stakes in everything from Heathrow Airport in London to the Empire State Building in New York.
Then, in February, Qatar’s door to the world slammed shut.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz means virtually no gas has left Qatar’s shore for more than two months. The nation is also cut off from the sea routes through which it imports everything from vehicles to produce. Fears of regional instability have hurt tourism and eroded business sentiment. » | River Akira Davis | Reporting from Doha, Qatar | Sunday, May 17, 2026
In Qatar, a desert peninsula protruding into the Persian Gulf, natural gas turned the country from a pearl-diving backwater into one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
Qatar spent three decades building supply lines, shipping tens of billions of dollars of liquefied natural gas each year through the Strait of Hormuz to ports across Asia and Europe.
The state, which derives more than 60 percent of its revenue from gas and gas-related exports, used that money to transform the peninsula into a gleaming metropolis. Unpaved desert roads were replaced by monolithic corporate skyscrapers, at the base of which irrigation systems water perennial blankets of grass and fuchsia flowers.
Gas wealth funded a metro system linking the capital, Doha, to Lusail, a northern city that is home to a Parisian-style mall and a theme park with artificial snow. The riches were also funneled into the world’s most expensive World Cup, and a $600 billion sovereign wealth fund with stakes in everything from Heathrow Airport in London to the Empire State Building in New York.
Then, in February, Qatar’s door to the world slammed shut.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz means virtually no gas has left Qatar’s shore for more than two months. The nation is also cut off from the sea routes through which it imports everything from vehicles to produce. Fears of regional instability have hurt tourism and eroded business sentiment. » | River Akira Davis | Reporting from Doha, Qatar | Sunday, May 17, 2026
‘Extremely Cruel and Tragic’: Iranian Director Asghar Farhadi Speaks Out against State Violence and the War
THE GUARDIAN: The film-maker, who won the Grand Prix for A Hero in 2021, condemned both the killing of protesters and the conflict’s bombing campaigns during a Cannes press conference
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Asghar Farhadi attends a press conference for his film Parallel Tales, in competition at this year’s Cannes film festival. Photograph: Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters
Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has described the deaths of civilians in Iran as “extremely cruel and tragic” during a press conference at the Cannes film festival.
Farhadi, whose new Paris-set drama Parallel Tales premiered on the Croisette on Thursday night, was asked about working free from censorship in France, the war involving Iran, the US and Israel, and the repression of protesters in his native country.
The director, who has lived outside Iran since 2023, said he was in Tehran last week and was still carrying the impact of “two tragic events”.
“One was the death of a number of innocent people, children, members of the civilian population who died in the war,” he said. “Before that, we had the death of a number of demonstrators, people who went to the street to protest, and they were equally innocent. These two events are extremely painful and will never be forgotten.”
Farhadi insisted it was possible to condemn both state violence and the deaths caused by war without contradiction. “To express one’s indignation in the face of the death of innocent people in the bombing doesn’t mean one is in favour of the executions and death of protesters,” he said. » | Nadia Khomami | Arts and culture correspondent | Friday, May 15, 2026
Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi has described the deaths of civilians in Iran as “extremely cruel and tragic” during a press conference at the Cannes film festival.
Farhadi, whose new Paris-set drama Parallel Tales premiered on the Croisette on Thursday night, was asked about working free from censorship in France, the war involving Iran, the US and Israel, and the repression of protesters in his native country.
The director, who has lived outside Iran since 2023, said he was in Tehran last week and was still carrying the impact of “two tragic events”.
“One was the death of a number of innocent people, children, members of the civilian population who died in the war,” he said. “Before that, we had the death of a number of demonstrators, people who went to the street to protest, and they were equally innocent. These two events are extremely painful and will never be forgotten.”
Farhadi insisted it was possible to condemn both state violence and the deaths caused by war without contradiction. “To express one’s indignation in the face of the death of innocent people in the bombing doesn’t mean one is in favour of the executions and death of protesters,” he said. » | Nadia Khomami | Arts and culture correspondent | Friday, May 15, 2026
So war das Leben eines Juden in Deutschland | 1925–1932 | Vor der NS-Diktatur
Why Did Trump Fly to China to Kiss the Ass of the Most Powerful Man in the World?
May 17, 2026 | Trump flew to China to meet with Xi Jinping, and the whole thing looked less like strength and more like desperation.
He’s in way over his head with Iran. The war has exposed what many of us already knew:
Trump loves acting like a strongman, but when the pressure gets real, he runs to actual powerful leaders hoping they can bail him out. This trip wasn’t about “America First.” It was about Trump needing Xi Jinping’s help, needing China’s leverage, needing the red carpets, the dinners, the gifts, the praise, and the pageantry to cover up the fact that he has no real plan.
Reports say Trump left China without major breakthroughs on Iran, Taiwan, or AI, while Xi got the optics he wanted: China standing on equal footing with the United States.
Trump talked about lifting sanctions on Chinese companies buying Iranian oil, but there were no clear, concrete wins announced. This is the problem with fake strength. Trump can talk tough at rallies, insult journalists, threaten political opponents, and pretend he’s some fearless negotiator. But on the world stage, he looks small. Xi Jinping knows it. Iran knows it. The world knows it. Trump didn’t go to China looking powerful. He went looking for a way out.
He’s in way over his head with Iran. The war has exposed what many of us already knew:
Trump loves acting like a strongman, but when the pressure gets real, he runs to actual powerful leaders hoping they can bail him out. This trip wasn’t about “America First.” It was about Trump needing Xi Jinping’s help, needing China’s leverage, needing the red carpets, the dinners, the gifts, the praise, and the pageantry to cover up the fact that he has no real plan.
Reports say Trump left China without major breakthroughs on Iran, Taiwan, or AI, while Xi got the optics he wanted: China standing on equal footing with the United States.
Trump talked about lifting sanctions on Chinese companies buying Iranian oil, but there were no clear, concrete wins announced. This is the problem with fake strength. Trump can talk tough at rallies, insult journalists, threaten political opponents, and pretend he’s some fearless negotiator. But on the world stage, he looks small. Xi Jinping knows it. Iran knows it. The world knows it. Trump didn’t go to China looking powerful. He went looking for a way out.
Sunday, May 17, 2026
At Least Four People Killed in Russia as Ukraine Launches Retaliatory Strikes
THE GUARDIAN: Wave of almost 600 drones launched across 14 regions, after Moscow’s deadly three-day attack on Ukraine last week
One of Ukraine’s largest ever drone strikes against Russia’s regions, including Moscow, has killed at least four people and wounded a dozen more, the Russian authorities have said.
The wave of almost 600 Ukrainian drones struck overnight across 14 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov seas, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday, with the area around the capital among the worst-hit.
Three people were killed in the Moscow region and one in the Belgorod region, the authorities said, as Russian air defences shot down 556 drones overnight and neutralised another 30 after dawn.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed the strikes, saying drones had flown more than 500km (310 miles) from Ukrainian territory and that Ukraine was “overcoming” Russian air defence systems concentrated in and around Moscow. » | Jon Henley and agencies | Sunday, May 17, 2026
One of Ukraine’s largest ever drone strikes against Russia’s regions, including Moscow, has killed at least four people and wounded a dozen more, the Russian authorities have said.
The wave of almost 600 Ukrainian drones struck overnight across 14 Russian regions, as well as the Crimean peninsula and the Black and Azov seas, the Russian defence ministry said on Sunday, with the area around the capital among the worst-hit.
Three people were killed in the Moscow region and one in the Belgorod region, the authorities said, as Russian air defences shot down 556 drones overnight and neutralised another 30 after dawn.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed the strikes, saying drones had flown more than 500km (310 miles) from Ukrainian territory and that Ukraine was “overcoming” Russian air defence systems concentrated in and around Moscow. » | Jon Henley and agencies | Sunday, May 17, 2026
À Kiev, la jeunesse danse sous les bombes pour défier l’ennemi
LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - Le festival de musique électro Strichka bat son plein au lendemain de frappes russes qui ont fait 24 morts dans la capitale ukrainienne.
Le terrifiant fracas des explosions a cédé la place aux vibrations des basses et au rythme de la musique techno. Une foule joyeuse et excentrique afflue au club Closer dans le centre de Kiev, baignée par le doux soleil de printemps, pour assister au festival de musique électro Strichka : jeunes femmes déguisées en Superwoman, en statue de la Liberté avec des lamelles d’argent, ou tout simplement en maillot de bain ; hommes en cow-boys, en Vikings, ou vêtus de djellabas, certains d’entre eux arborant des écussons ou des tatouages de leur régiment des forces armées ukrainiennes. Et quelques grands-mères égarées ! Rien ne laisse deviner les traumatismes nocturnes de la capitale de ce pays en guerre devant le Closer au matin de l’ouverture du festival.
À l’intérieur, les fêtards se déhanchent dans les vapeurs de fumigènes striés par des lasers. À l’extérieur, ils dansent plus lascivement, un verre à la main ou en croquant dans des pommes rouges distribuées gratuitement. Barbe et cheveux soigneusement coiffés, imposante carrure moulée dans un tee-shirt qui porte l’inscription « Torturer les Russes au couteau », Nikita arrive directement du front. Le solide combattant âgé de 30 ans s’est enrôlé dans l’armée dès le premier jour de l’invasion russe, le 24 février 2022. » | Par Patrick Saint-Paul, envoyé spécial à Kiev | dimanche 17 mai 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
You Can't 'Put Britain at the Heart of Europe' After Brexit
Our politicians are clueless. Hardline Brexiteers are too. — © Mark Alexander
Audrey Hepburn et Hubert de Givenchy, l’icône du chic à la française et le maître de l’élégance
MADAME FIGARO : DUOS LÉGENDAIRES 3/5 - Depuis les débuts du cinéma, mode et septième art se sont toujours entrelacés donnant naissance à des affinités électives et des passions exclusives entre créateurs et stars du grand écran. Aujourd’hui, pleins feux sur la fabuleuse amitié entre Audrey Hepburn et Hubert de Givenchy.
Elle était sa muse, il était son double au masculin. Entre eux, une histoire d’amitié rare, inédite, une alchimie magique comme seul le cinéma peut les imaginer quand on l’habille de poésie. Hubert de Givenchy, le plus gentleman et le plus raffiné des couturiers d’après-guerre, et Audrey Hepburn, la plus élégante et la plus piquante des actrices hollywoodiennes des années 1950. Les silhouettes que le créateur aristocrate va créer pour elle sont encore citées dans le monde entier comme les références absolues du chic à la française. Il faut dire qu’elles étaient aussi magistralement interprétées par cette «drôle de frimousse». » | Par Marion Dupuis | dimanche 17 mai 2026
Bericht: Trump-Regierung wertet kubanisches Drohnenarsenal als Sicherheitsrisiko
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Kuba soll laut einem Medienbericht mehr als 300 Militärdrohnen beschafft haben. US-Geheimdienste registrierten demnach interne Beratungen über mögliche konkrete Angriffsziele in den USA.
Screenshot aus diesem Artikel genommen. | CIA-Direktor John Ratcliffe flog kürzlich nach Kuba. | © Oliver Contreras/AFP
Kuba soll nach Erkenntnissen US-amerikanischer Geheimdienste mehr als 300 militärische Drohnen angeschafft haben und intern über mögliche Angriffe auf US-Ziele beraten. Das berichtet das Nachrichtenportal Axios unter Berufung auf als geheim eingestufte Erkenntnisse.
Demnach sollen kubanische Militärvertreter zuletzt über Pläne gesprochen haben, mit den unbemannten Fluggeräten den US-Stützpunkt Guantánamo Bay, Schiffe der US-Marine sowie möglicherweise die rund 150 Kilometer nördlich von Havanna gelegene Stadt Key West in Florida anzugreifen. Die Informationen lassen sich unabhängig nicht überprüfen.
Ein hochrangiger US-Regierungsvertreter sagte Axios dem Bericht zufolge, die Informationen zeigten, in welchem Ausmaß die Regierung von US-Präsident Donald Trump Kuba inzwischen als Bedrohung einstufe. Hintergrund seien die Entwicklungen in der Drohnenkriegsführung und die Präsenz iranischer Militärberater in Havanna. » | Sophie Barkey | Sonntag, 17. Mai 2026
Kuba soll nach Erkenntnissen US-amerikanischer Geheimdienste mehr als 300 militärische Drohnen angeschafft haben und intern über mögliche Angriffe auf US-Ziele beraten. Das berichtet das Nachrichtenportal Axios unter Berufung auf als geheim eingestufte Erkenntnisse.
Demnach sollen kubanische Militärvertreter zuletzt über Pläne gesprochen haben, mit den unbemannten Fluggeräten den US-Stützpunkt Guantánamo Bay, Schiffe der US-Marine sowie möglicherweise die rund 150 Kilometer nördlich von Havanna gelegene Stadt Key West in Florida anzugreifen. Die Informationen lassen sich unabhängig nicht überprüfen.
Ein hochrangiger US-Regierungsvertreter sagte Axios dem Bericht zufolge, die Informationen zeigten, in welchem Ausmaß die Regierung von US-Präsident Donald Trump Kuba inzwischen als Bedrohung einstufe. Hintergrund seien die Entwicklungen in der Drohnenkriegsführung und die Präsenz iranischer Militärberater in Havanna. » | Sophie Barkey | Sonntag, 17. Mai 2026
El Pastificio de Nicola: Tarantela de manzanas — Bread and Apple Pudding — A Traditional Argentine Dessert
Click here for the recipe. Then click on ‘more’.
Sarajevo 1914: The Assassination That Sparked World War One I SLICE History | Full Documentary
Jan 9, 2026 | The Road to War uses elaborate re-enactments, fascinating computer-generated imagery and previously unseen archive footage to examine how the assassination in Sarajevo in 1914 came about and how Austria-Hungary used the death of the heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand, to start a war against Serbia.
The film investigates how this regional conflict caused the central powers and the Triple Entente to enter the First World War - at the time, the biggest war in history, with 17 million soldiers and civilians killed and more than 20 million injured.
Documentary: The Road to War
Production: Metafilm for ORF (2014)
Directed by Robert Gokl
The film investigates how this regional conflict caused the central powers and the Triple Entente to enter the First World War - at the time, the biggest war in history, with 17 million soldiers and civilians killed and more than 20 million injured.
Documentary: The Road to War
Production: Metafilm for ORF (2014)
Directed by Robert Gokl
Venezuela: Alex Saab, un proche de Maduro, expulsé vers les États-Unis
LE FIGARO : Alex Saab s’était rapproché du gouvernement vénézuélien durant les dernières années du mandat d’Hugo Chavez et en était venu à gérer un vaste réseau d’importations pour le gouvernement de Nicolas Maduro
Alex Saab, homme clé du pouvoir vénézuélien sous Nicolas Maduro, a été expulsé vers les États-Unis samedi, ont annoncé les autorités vénézuéliennes dans un communiqué, cinq mois après la capture du président déchu par l’armée américaine.
« Le Venezuela informe de l’expulsion du citoyen de nationalité colombienne Alex Naim Saab Moran, menée à bien ce 16 mai 2026. La mesure d’expulsion a été adoptée en tenant compte du fait que ledit citoyen colombien est impliqué dans divers crimes aux États-Unis d’Amérique, comme cela est public, notoire et largement relayé par les médias », selon le communiqué des autorités migratoires vénézuéliennes (Saime). » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 17 mai 2026
Alex Saab, homme clé du pouvoir vénézuélien sous Nicolas Maduro, a été expulsé vers les États-Unis samedi, ont annoncé les autorités vénézuéliennes dans un communiqué, cinq mois après la capture du président déchu par l’armée américaine.
« Le Venezuela informe de l’expulsion du citoyen de nationalité colombienne Alex Naim Saab Moran, menée à bien ce 16 mai 2026. La mesure d’expulsion a été adoptée en tenant compte du fait que ledit citoyen colombien est impliqué dans divers crimes aux États-Unis d’Amérique, comme cela est public, notoire et largement relayé par les médias », selon le communiqué des autorités migratoires vénézuéliennes (Saime). » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 17 mai 2026
Traditional Palestinian Hummus | حمص فلسطيني تقليدي
Hummus is arguably one of the most iconic dishes to come out of the Levant. It’s creamy, it’s got a touch of lemon and garlic, it’s filling, and it’s just one of several mezze dishes we have.
In Arabic, hummus just means chickpeas. So sometimes when we say hummus we’re talking about the dip I’m sharing today and sometimes we’re talking about the chickpea itself - it really just depends on the context.
I’m a traditionalist. I love to learn the true recipes as they were intended to be made before I start playing around with new flavors, or ideas. It’s the best way to establish a strong foundation.
Overall, hummus is a very easy dish to make but one note is that technique and patience matter. If you try to rush this, you won’t get the result you’re looking for. So, take your time, be patient, and I promise you’ll make an incredible batch of hummus every single time.
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
In Arabic, hummus just means chickpeas. So sometimes when we say hummus we’re talking about the dip I’m sharing today and sometimes we’re talking about the chickpea itself - it really just depends on the context.
I’m a traditionalist. I love to learn the true recipes as they were intended to be made before I start playing around with new flavors, or ideas. It’s the best way to establish a strong foundation.
Overall, hummus is a very easy dish to make but one note is that technique and patience matter. If you try to rush this, you won’t get the result you’re looking for. So, take your time, be patient, and I promise you’ll make an incredible batch of hummus every single time.
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
„Nakba-Aktionstage“: Wandschmierereien, Angriffe auf Polizisten und Festnahmen
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Mehrere tausend Menschen demonstrieren in Kreuzberg und Neukölln gegen Israel. Es wird nicht die einzige Aktion bleiben.
Dieser Screenshot ist von diesem Artikel. | Tumult bei der Demonstration „Schluss mit der Besatzung Palästinas. 78 Jahre Al Nakba“: Die Polizei geht in die Menge. | © Fabian Sommer/dpa
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Mehrere tausend Menschen demonstrieren in Kreuzberg und Neukölln gegen Israel. Es wird nicht die einzige Aktion bleiben.
Das Wochenende in Berlin stand im Zeichen des palästinensischen Kampfes gegen Israel. Etwa 2000 Menschen zogen am Samstagnachmittag durch Kreuzberg nach Neukölln. Die Demonstration unter dem Motto „Schluss mit der Besatzung Palästinas – 78 Jahre Al Nakba“ begann am Oranienplatz und endete am Südstern. Die Demonstranten protestierten gegen Israels Militäraktionen im Gazastreifen und im Libanon sowie gegen den Krieg gegen Iran.
Die Polizei zählte rund 2000 Teilnehmer. Die Stimmung war aufgeheizt und zum Teil aggressiv. Laut Polizei wurden Einsatzkräfte angegriffen und verbotene Parolen skandiert. Auch Journalisten wurden attackiert. » | Andreas Kopietz | Sonntag, 17. Mai 2026
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Mehrere tausend Menschen demonstrieren in Kreuzberg und Neukölln gegen Israel. Es wird nicht die einzige Aktion bleiben.
Das Wochenende in Berlin stand im Zeichen des palästinensischen Kampfes gegen Israel. Etwa 2000 Menschen zogen am Samstagnachmittag durch Kreuzberg nach Neukölln. Die Demonstration unter dem Motto „Schluss mit der Besatzung Palästinas – 78 Jahre Al Nakba“ begann am Oranienplatz und endete am Südstern. Die Demonstranten protestierten gegen Israels Militäraktionen im Gazastreifen und im Libanon sowie gegen den Krieg gegen Iran.
Die Polizei zählte rund 2000 Teilnehmer. Die Stimmung war aufgeheizt und zum Teil aggressiv. Laut Polizei wurden Einsatzkräfte angegriffen und verbotene Parolen skandiert. Auch Journalisten wurden attackiert. » | Andreas Kopietz | Sonntag, 17. Mai 2026
Affaire Epstein : « une dizaine » de nouvelles victimes sont entrées en contact avec le parquet de Paris
LE FIGARO : Le parquet de Paris a ouvert une large enquête pour « traite des êtres humains » après la publication par le gouvernement américain de milliers de fichiers.
« Une dizaine » de nouvelles victimes présumées de Jeffrey Epstein se sont manifestées auprès du parquet de Paris, a déclaré ce dimanche la procureure Laure Beccuau, interrogée sur RTL.
Le parquet de Paris a ouvert une large enquête pour « traite des êtres humains » après la publication par le gouvernement américain de milliers de fichiers appartenant au criminel sexuel décédé en 2019. L’objectif est notamment d’identifier ceux qui auraient pu lui permettre de faciliter ses crimes en France, par exemple en lui fournissant ses victimes. « Aucune des personnes susceptibles d’être mises en cause n’a été entendue » jusqu’à présent, a-t-elle précisé. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 17 mai 2026
« Une dizaine » de nouvelles victimes présumées de Jeffrey Epstein se sont manifestées auprès du parquet de Paris, a déclaré ce dimanche la procureure Laure Beccuau, interrogée sur RTL.
Le parquet de Paris a ouvert une large enquête pour « traite des êtres humains » après la publication par le gouvernement américain de milliers de fichiers appartenant au criminel sexuel décédé en 2019. L’objectif est notamment d’identifier ceux qui auraient pu lui permettre de faciliter ses crimes en France, par exemple en lui fournissant ses victimes. « Aucune des personnes susceptibles d’être mises en cause n’a été entendue » jusqu’à présent, a-t-elle précisé. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 17 mai 2026
Here Comes My Virtual Heart-throb*— Again! 😊 Bewitching Me, as Ever, with His Spellbinding Smile and Enchanting Me with His Dulcet Tones!
* Unfortunately, I’ll have to make do with a virtual heart-throb until I have the great good fortune of meeting my Mr Wonderful! 😊 — Mark
To Critics, Trump Remarks Reveal a Billionaire Out of Touch
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president has never pretended to be an ordinary American, but a recent “truth bomb” has opened him to criticism that he doesn’t grasp the economic strain of his war with Iran.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | President Trump made remarks on Tuesday at the White House, ahead of departing for his trip to China. | Doug Mills/The New York Times
With his generational wealth, his 20-acre Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., and his lucrative family businesses around the world, President Trump has never purported to be an ordinary American.
Instead, he has argued that he could use his business savvy to help lift up the country’s forgotten men and women.
But in recent weeks, as Americans feel deep economic strain from the war he launched in Iran, Mr. Trump’s actions and words have opened him up to accusations that he is either out of touch with — or indifferent to — the lives of everyday Americans.
The costs are ballooning from his renovation, re-decoration and building spree in Washington, D.C., and at the White House. He goes on social media posting frenzies that often focus on his pet projects, gripes and personal triumphs, including a 22-year-old newspaper review of his television show, “The Apprentice.” But perhaps the most striking example came on Tuesday, when Mr. Trump was asked whether the economic hardship Americans are feeling would motivate him to make a deal to end the war.
“Not even a little bit,” he said.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” Mr. Trump continued, a stunningly frank admission that came after weeks spent either downplaying the conflict’s economic toll or simply asking Americans to be patient. His only consideration, Mr. Trump said, was preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon: “That’s all.” » | Erica L. Green | Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent. She reported from Washington. | Sunday, May 17, 2026
To think that this grifting clown should have been locked up long ago! If only the then powers-that-be had had the balls to do the right thing! Think of how much better the quality of Americans’ lives would be today, and the quality of life of the rest of the world, too! And just think of how many innocent people have had to meet their Maker prematurely, long, long before their time, just to satisfy this jester’s fantasies!
Will the American electorate ever be forgiven for their wilful and selfish poor judgment. Will, indeed, America itself ever recover from this, with the ever more powerful China very clearly in the ascendancy?
Thinking about Donald Trump is puke-inducing; so is thinking about all his ill-thought-out, self-aggrandizing, self-enriching , corrupt schemes and policies which strip Americans of their individual and collective wealth, and have bereaved them of their rights and heritage.
The sooner Americans find a way to rid themselves and their country of this man, the better it will be for them and for us. — © Mark Alexander
With his generational wealth, his 20-acre Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., and his lucrative family businesses around the world, President Trump has never purported to be an ordinary American.
Instead, he has argued that he could use his business savvy to help lift up the country’s forgotten men and women.
But in recent weeks, as Americans feel deep economic strain from the war he launched in Iran, Mr. Trump’s actions and words have opened him up to accusations that he is either out of touch with — or indifferent to — the lives of everyday Americans.
The costs are ballooning from his renovation, re-decoration and building spree in Washington, D.C., and at the White House. He goes on social media posting frenzies that often focus on his pet projects, gripes and personal triumphs, including a 22-year-old newspaper review of his television show, “The Apprentice.” But perhaps the most striking example came on Tuesday, when Mr. Trump was asked whether the economic hardship Americans are feeling would motivate him to make a deal to end the war.
“Not even a little bit,” he said.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” Mr. Trump continued, a stunningly frank admission that came after weeks spent either downplaying the conflict’s economic toll or simply asking Americans to be patient. His only consideration, Mr. Trump said, was preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon: “That’s all.” » | Erica L. Green | Erica L. Green is a White House correspondent. She reported from Washington. | Sunday, May 17, 2026
To think that this grifting clown should have been locked up long ago! If only the then powers-that-be had had the balls to do the right thing! Think of how much better the quality of Americans’ lives would be today, and the quality of life of the rest of the world, too! And just think of how many innocent people have had to meet their Maker prematurely, long, long before their time, just to satisfy this jester’s fantasies!
Will the American electorate ever be forgiven for their wilful and selfish poor judgment. Will, indeed, America itself ever recover from this, with the ever more powerful China very clearly in the ascendancy?
Thinking about Donald Trump is puke-inducing; so is thinking about all his ill-thought-out, self-aggrandizing, self-enriching , corrupt schemes and policies which strip Americans of their individual and collective wealth, and have bereaved them of their rights and heritage.
The sooner Americans find a way to rid themselves and their country of this man, the better it will be for them and for us. — © Mark Alexander
Andalucíans Vote in Election Seen as Gauge of Spain’s Wider Political Change
THE GUARDIAN: Conservatives expected to keep majority as socialists face drubbing and ballot tests trajectory of far-right Vox party
Voters in the southern Spanish region of Andalucía are casting their ballots in an election that is likely to deliver an absolute majority to the conservative People’s party (PP) and inflict another debilitating defeat on Pedro Sánchez’s embattled socialists in what was previously one of their proudest strongholds.
Sunday’s election in Spain’s most populous region – the last big poll before next year’s general election – will serve as a barometer of wider electoral opinion and could also reveal whether the popularity of the far-right Vox party is beginning to peak.
The PP, which has governed the former socialist bastion for the past seven years, is seeking to frame the election as a referendum on Sánchez, the country’s prime minister, whose inner circle, party and administration are facing an array of corruption allegations.
According to the polls, the incumbent PP regional president, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, is on course to almost replicate his result at the last election in 2022, when the conservatives won 58 of the seats in the 109-seat regional parliament. » | Sam Jones in Madrid | Sunday, May 17, 2026
Google AI informs me that the Vox Party wants Spain to strip homosexuals of their hard-fought-for, hard-won rights. They want Spain’s laws on homosexuality to mirror those in darkest Africa! As we all know, most of Africa’s laws on homosexuality are dark and benighted!
I know little about the Vox Party, but I know that the Party’s take on LGBTQ+ rights are troubling indeed. Fie on the lot of them! — © Mark Alexander
Saturday, May 16, 2026
The Pressure of Existing in Trump's Authoritarian America
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Cuba, un país a oscuras
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Estados Unidos cortó el suministro de combustible a Cuba, sumiendo a la ya empobrecida isla en una aguda crisis energética.
Los cubanos no son ajenos a las penurias, tras más de seis décadas de régimen comunista y hostilidad y embargo estadounidenses.
Pero la isla no había sufrido nada parecido a lo que está padeciendo ahora. Este año, el gobierno de Donald Trump cortó el principal suministro de petróleo de Cuba, procedente de Venezuela, tras decapitar al régimen de Caracas, aliado de La Habana. Cualquier medida para conservar la energía solo pospuso lo inevitable: las reservas de petróleo de Cuba se han agotado, según dijo el gobierno esta semana.
La escasez de combustible y el desmoronamiento de las infraestructuras han provocado apagones cada vez más prolongados; mucha gente solo tiene electricidad una o dos horas al día. Eso ha generado pequeñas protestas, incluidas algunas en las que la gente ha encendido hogueras en las calles.
Cuba se está deslizando hacia un estado preindustrial de ciudades y pueblos oscurecidos, donde la gente depende de las llamas y del músculo para sustituir el combustible ausente y la maquinaria que permanece inactiva.
Sin un suministro fiable de electricidad y gas, mucha gente ha vuelto a recoger leña y carbón para hacer hogueras al aire libre. » | Por The New York Times | viernes 15 de mayo de 2026
Read in English.
Los cubanos no son ajenos a las penurias, tras más de seis décadas de régimen comunista y hostilidad y embargo estadounidenses.
Pero la isla no había sufrido nada parecido a lo que está padeciendo ahora. Este año, el gobierno de Donald Trump cortó el principal suministro de petróleo de Cuba, procedente de Venezuela, tras decapitar al régimen de Caracas, aliado de La Habana. Cualquier medida para conservar la energía solo pospuso lo inevitable: las reservas de petróleo de Cuba se han agotado, según dijo el gobierno esta semana.
La escasez de combustible y el desmoronamiento de las infraestructuras han provocado apagones cada vez más prolongados; mucha gente solo tiene electricidad una o dos horas al día. Eso ha generado pequeñas protestas, incluidas algunas en las que la gente ha encendido hogueras en las calles.
Cuba se está deslizando hacia un estado preindustrial de ciudades y pueblos oscurecidos, donde la gente depende de las llamas y del músculo para sustituir el combustible ausente y la maquinaria que permanece inactiva.
Sin un suministro fiable de electricidad y gas, mucha gente ha vuelto a recoger leña y carbón para hacer hogueras al aire libre. » | Por The New York Times | viernes 15 de mayo de 2026
Read in English.
Rival Protests Take Place in London, With a Major Security Effort
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The police have deployed thousands of officers, partly to keep far-right and pro-Palestinian marchers apart. The events drew tens of thousands to London.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Supporters of the British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, left, and antiracism activists and pro-Palestinian marchers, right, in London on Saturday. | Justin Tallis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Thomas Krych/Associated Press
The streets of the British capital hosted an ideological split-screen on Saturday as separate, far-right and pro-Palestinian demonstrators competed for attention in dueling protests.
Marching through central London, tens of thousands of far-right protesters wearing “Make Britain Great Again” hats and draped in Union flags demanded support for white culture and an end to migration.
Along another route, similar numbers of pro-Palestinian and anti-fascism demonstrators decried racism as they carried signs and banners calling for freedom for Palestinians in Gaza and an end to the genocide they said was taking place there.
The groups largely stayed separate, with few reports of arrests or violence, after what London police said was an “unprecedented” security operation designed to keep the protests from descending into a riot. » | Michael D. Shear and Megan Specia | Reporting from London | Saturday, May 16, 2026
The streets of the British capital hosted an ideological split-screen on Saturday as separate, far-right and pro-Palestinian demonstrators competed for attention in dueling protests.
Marching through central London, tens of thousands of far-right protesters wearing “Make Britain Great Again” hats and draped in Union flags demanded support for white culture and an end to migration.
Along another route, similar numbers of pro-Palestinian and anti-fascism demonstrators decried racism as they carried signs and banners calling for freedom for Palestinians in Gaza and an end to the genocide they said was taking place there.
The groups largely stayed separate, with few reports of arrests or violence, after what London police said was an “unprecedented” security operation designed to keep the protests from descending into a riot. » | Michael D. Shear and Megan Specia | Reporting from London | Saturday, May 16, 2026
Italie : ce que l’on sait de l’attaque à la voiture bélier qui a fait huit blessés à Modène
LE FIGARO : Le conducteur, âgé d’une trentaine d’années, aurait « visé le trottoir », selon les premiers témoignages. La première ministre italienne, Giorgia Meloni, dénonce un « fait extrêmement grave ».
Attaque à la voiture bélier à Modène. Un conducteur a renversé de nombreux piétons samedi 16 mai, dans le centre de cette ville du nord de l'Italie, faisant huit blessés dont quatre graves, a indiqué le maire de la ville à des médias.
Selon les premiers témoignages, le conducteur d'une trentaine d'années « a visé le trottoir, heurtant aussi un vélo, puis s'est écrasé en percutant de plein fouet une femme, la plus gravement atteinte, avec les jambes écrasées », a indiqué le maire Massimo Mezzetti à l'agence ANSA et aux journaux locaux. La Citroën grise a fini sa course dans la vitrine. « On l’a vu avec une arme à la main mais il n’a réussi à poignarder personne. Il semble qu’il ait tenté de frapper quelqu’un », a poursuivi le maire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 16 mai 2026
Attaque à la voiture bélier à Modène. Un conducteur a renversé de nombreux piétons samedi 16 mai, dans le centre de cette ville du nord de l'Italie, faisant huit blessés dont quatre graves, a indiqué le maire de la ville à des médias.
Selon les premiers témoignages, le conducteur d'une trentaine d'années « a visé le trottoir, heurtant aussi un vélo, puis s'est écrasé en percutant de plein fouet une femme, la plus gravement atteinte, avec les jambes écrasées », a indiqué le maire Massimo Mezzetti à l'agence ANSA et aux journaux locaux. La Citroën grise a fini sa course dans la vitrine. « On l’a vu avec une arme à la main mais il n’a réussi à poignarder personne. Il semble qu’il ait tenté de frapper quelqu’un », a poursuivi le maire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 16 mai 2026
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