Does Israel Have a ‘Right to Exist’? Mehdi Debunks This ‘Bullsh*t’ Argument

Apr 5, 2026 | For decades, Mehdi has been challenging hardcore Zionists and far-right Israel supporters. One question continues to come up: “Does Israel have a right to exist?”

If you've ever been caught in that debate, you're not alone — it’s a common talking point used to shut down critical discussions about Israel.

In his latest monologue, Mehdi dismantles the "bullshit argument" used as Israeli propaganda and gives everyone three powerful counter-arguments to use when faced with the demand to recognize Israel's right to exist.


These are Mehdi Hasan’s views. They should in no way be misconstrued as my own. I post this merely as food for thought. — © Mark Alexander

Trump’s Language in Iran Threat ‘Truly Shocking’, Says Former US Diplomat Barbara Leaf

Apr 5, 2026 | “There is literally nothing in terms of a diplomatic roadway out of this.”

Donald Trump’s threats against Iran on Truth Social were “shocking,” particularly as they target civilian infrastructure and were delivered on a “holy day,” says former US diplomat Barbara Leaf.


Related material here.

Hidjab pour petites filles, livres anti-Israël, prédicateurs salafistes : près de Paris, une Rencontre des musulmans plus « rigoriste » que jamais

LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - L’événement, organisé du 3 au 6 avril au parc des expositions du Bourget, a finalement été autorisé, malgré un arrêté d’interdiction de la préfecture de police de Paris.

À peine l’on pénètre dans l’enceinte du Parc des expositions du Bourget, près de Paris, que deux jeunes se pressent devant nous, terminal de paiement en main : « Aidez-nous à construire une mosquée dans notre belle ville de Tours ». Quelques mètres plus loin, trois hommes distribuent des fascicules détaillant le principe du waqf, cette donation, en droit islamique, faite à perpétuité par un particulier à une bonne œuvre. Ici, sans surprise, on incite à donner pour reconstruire Gaza.

Le service de sécurité de la fédération des Musulmans de France (MF), anciennement connue sous le nom d’Union des organisations islamiques de France (UOIF), nous salue à l’entrée d’un « Assalamu alaykum ». L’association, réputée proche des Frères musulmans bien qu’elle s’en défende, n’a pas répondu à nos demandes d’accréditation ; nous nous dirigeons donc vers la billetterie. Au kiosque, les femmes sont quasiment toutes voilées, un des marqueurs idéologiques cher à la confrérie secrète. Il est de rigueur, au deuxième jour de la 40e Rencontre annuelle des musulmans de France (RAMF), de le respecter. » | Par Etienne Jacob | dimanche 5 avril 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

War Judas wirklich schuld am Tod Jesu? | Terra X

Apr 5, 2026 | Als Judas Iskariot Jesus küsst, ist das wohl der größte Verrat der Geschichte. Seitdem gilt Judas als einer der meistgehassten Männer der Geschichte. Laut Bibel ist er für die Auslieferung Jesu an den Hohepriester und seine Kreuzigung verantwortlich. Aber war Judas wirklich verantwortlich für Jesu Tod? Die Geschichte um Judas ist eine blutige Geschichte. Nachdem er Jesus an den Hohepriester verraten hat, gerät er - so die Bibel - in Gewissenskonflikte, kann mit seiner Tat nicht leben und richtet sich am Vorabend der Kreuzigung selbst.

Von nun an ist sein Name jahrhundertelang gleichbedeutend mit Verrat und Betrug. Er wird auch für die aufkommende christliche Judenfeindschaft haftbar gemacht. Später aber taucht eine Schrift auf, die ein positives Licht auf ihn wirft. Wer war Judas Iskariot, ein Verräter oder ein Heilsbringer. Was wissen wir von ihm? Und was hat er tatsächlich mit Jesus zu tun?

Dieses Video ist eine Produktion des ZDF.

Trump Uses Expletive-ridden Social Media Post to Threaten Iran’s Infrastructure

THE GUARDIAN: Trump uses abusive language in new post threatening Iranian infrastructure

In a follow-up post on Truth Social, Trump has used abusive language to call on Iran to let ships through the Strait of Hormuz, and threatened to further attack Iranian energy and transport infrastructure. He said:

Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the Fuckin’ Strait, you crazy bastards, or you’ll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP Middle East crisis live » | Yohannes Lowe and Wendy Frew (earlier) | Sunday, April 5, 2026

The foul language so frequently being used by so many broadcasters in the US, and of course by President Trump himself, is a sure sign that the American Empire is in steep decline. The difference in tone of American videos and those produced in other countries, for example in Europe and Asia, is very noticeable. That the leader of such a powerful country can utter the vocabulary in public that Trump does is a sure sign that America’s days as the world’s hegemon are severely numbered. Trump is no patriot: he has done the country he purports to love no favours. Far from ‘Making America Great Again’ (MAGA), Trump has reduced his country to derision. — © Mark Alexander

The Dynasty Egypt Erased: Where Are King Farouk’s Heirs Now?

Mar 30, 2026 | In 1952, King Farouk of Egypt sailed into exile aboard the same royal yacht his grandfather had used 73 years earlier. His 3 daughters — aged 13, 12, and 8 — were given 1 hour to pack. Within months, the Muhammad Ali dynasty that had ruled Egypt for 148 years was legally erased. 5 palaces seized. 11,500 pieces of royal jewellery locked in bank vaults. An entire family scattered across Europe.

What happened to Farouk's children is a story almost no one tells. One became a typing teacher hiding her identity. Another earned a pilot's licence and a ship captain's qualification before losing everything to illness. A third died so poor that the Egyptian government paid to fly her body home. And then there was the infant king — 6 months old when he was crowned, 18 months old when his throne ceased to exist. Where are they now? This is a researched documentary created for educational purposes.


The unit of land measurement spoken of in this video is feddan. It is a land measurement still quite widely used in Egypt. I had never heard of it, so I googled it. The following is what I learnt: A feddan (Arabic: فدان) is used primarily in agriculture. It is equivalent to 4,200.83 square metres, or 1,038 acres. That equates to 0.42 hectares. [Source: Google]

Pâques : Léon XIV s’insurge contre la guerre et lui oppose « la force » de la paix

LE FIGARO : Lors du message urbi et orbi, le pape américain a lancé, place Saint-Pierre, un cri poignant pour que cessent immédiatement les conflits dans le monde.

Pour Pâques, Léon XIV a lancé une guerre à la guerre mais avec les armes de la paix. Depuis le grand balcon des bénédictions de la place Saint-Pierre, celui qui célébrait la première Pâques de son pontificat a d’abord poussé une sorte de cri sur un ton peu commun depuis son élection le 8 mai 2025 : « Que ceux qui ont des armes en main les déposent ! Que ceux qui ont le pouvoir de déclencher des guerres choisissent la paix ! Non pas une paix imposée par la force, mais par le dialogue ! Non pas avec la volonté de dominer l’autre, mais de le rencontrer ! ». Il a ensuite convoqué toute l’Église catholique à implorer la paix, samedi prochain : « j’invite tout le monde à se joindre à moi, à la veillée de prière pour la paix que nous célébrerons ici, sur la place Saint-Pierre, samedi prochain, 11 avril. » Il a enfin dénoncé la tentation « d’indifférence » face aux guerres et à leurs violences mortelles et « aux conséquences économiques et sociales qu’elles engendrent et que chacun ressent pourtant. »

Car, a-t-il plaidé, « La force par laquelle le Christ est ressuscité est totalement non violente. » Pour l’expliquer, le pape a comparé cette force à un « grain de blé » qui est étouffé dans la terre mais qui finit « par se frayer un chemin entre les sillons » du sol pour devenir un « épi doré ». Cette « force » de Dieu, a-t-il ajouté, est également semblable à un « cœur humain offensé » qui « repousse l’instinct de vengeance » pour choisir de « prier pour celui qui l’a offensé ». » | Par Jean-Marie Guénois | dimanche 5 avril 2026

NATO Allies Should Threaten Trump with ‘Divorce’ Says Retired General

Apr 5, 2026 | “I think the Europeans…and Canada should gang up one day and say, we’ve talked to the lawyers about the divorce.”

NATO allies should threaten Trump with “divorce,” making it clear that if he were to leave the alliance, he would lose access to 31 bases around the world, says Michael Yakovleff, former French general.

Happy Easter! Frohe Ostern! Joyeuses Pâques ! Pasg Hapus! ¡Felices Pascuas! Buona Pasqua! !عيد فصح سعيد

May you all have a blessed and joyous Easter!

Is Prince William Religious Enough to Rule? I The Daily T

Apr 3, 2026 | Prince William’s personal faith has been thrust into the spotlight, after a former royal chaplain accused the Prince of taking a “strategic and political” approach to religion.

Tim and Camilla are joined by former Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II, Gavin Ashenden, to debate whether the future King’s “quiet faith” is a sign of honesty, or a worrying shift away from the deeply Christian leadership embodied by the late Queen.

They discuss claims that the Prince of Wales may not be “particularly religious,” how aides insist his beliefs “run deep” despite being private, and whether his focus on the Church’s social action - from food banks to homelessness - is enough for a future Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

Pope Leo Emerges as Pointed Trump Critic

Apr 2, 2026 | In recent weeks, US-born Pope Leo has emerged as a sharp critic of the Iran war. He named Trump, for the first time publicly, in a direct appeal urging the president to end the expanding conflict.

HAUSER : Abrázame

Apr 3, 2026 | HAUSER performs “Abrázame” by Julio Iglesias in his signature cello interpretation. A timeless classic filled with warmth and longing — brought to life through the expressive sound of the cello.

Dead Air with Steve Schmidt & Dean Blundell: The "Balloonacy" of It All

April 4, 2026

Very strong language alert!

Größte Gefangenenfreilassung seit Jahren in Kuba – welche Rolle Trump und der Vatikan spielen

BERLINER ZEITUNG: Kuba will über 2000 Gefangene begnadigen, die ersten wurden bereits am Freitag entlassen. Was steckt hinter der größten Freilassung seit Jahren?

Die kubanische Regierung hat mit der Freilassung von 2010 Häftlingen begonnen – die größte Massenentlassung des Landes seit Jahren. Laut der Parteizeitung Granma handelt es sich um eine „humanitäre und souveräne Geste“ anlässlich der Karwoche. Die Begnadigung betrifft Jugendliche, Frauen, über 60-Jährige und Ausländer. Ausgeschlossen sind Verurteilte wegen Mord, Sexualdelikten oder Drogenhandel, wie CNN berichtet. » | Lea Brüggemann | Samstag, 4. April 2026

Guerre au Moyen-Orient : les forces armées iraniennes rejettent le nouvel ultimatum de Donald Trump

LE FIGARO : « Le président américain agressif et belliqueux, après avoir subi des défaites successives, a entrepris, de façon impuissante, instable, énervée et stupide, de menacer les infrastructures et les biens » de l’Iran, a affirmé le général Ali Abdollahi, chef du commandement des forces armées iraniennes, cité par la télévision d’État sur Telegram. EN DIRECT » | Par Ségolène Forgar, Amaury Coutansais-Pervinquière et Clara Hidalgo | samedi 4 avril 2026

Israel Carries Out Strikes on Beirut and Tyre | BBC News

Apr 4, 2026 | Officials in Lebanon say a hospital in the city of Tyre has been damaged in Israeli airstrikes on nearby buildings, leaving 11 people injured.

Tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes, with an evacuation order in place.

There have also been reports of Israeli strikes in the capital city Beirut, and the US government has urged all Americans to leave Lebanon immediately, following a similar warning for those in Iraq.

The advisory follows recent developments, including a US fighter jet reportedly being shot down over Iran and strikes by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on parts of Beirut.

As Team Trump Wage Unceasing War on Iran, Evangelical Nationalists Are Destroying Any Moral World Order We Once Had

THE GUARDIAN — OPINION: The brutalisation of global norms by figures like Pete Hegseth must be seen as an ethical issue. It’s a fight against chaos, and all major religions must play a role

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has a tattoo on his chest of a Jerusalem cross, a symbol popularised during the Crusades. Photograph: @petehegseth/Instagram
That combative old hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers, is not much heard these days, though it was once a favourite with church congregations and school assemblies. Written in 1865 by Sabine Baring-Gould, an English clergyman and religious scholar, its belligerent refrain urges the faithful on to battle, victory and conquest: “Onward, Christian soldiers / Marching as to war / With the cross of Jesus / Going on before!” Its martial tone suited the Victorian zeitgeist but it made succeeding generations uneasy (though it was still sung in my primary school in the early 1960s). Nowadays, this sort of triumphalism gives religion a bad name.

Pete Hegseth, US defence secretary, and a leading Christian soldier, would certainly disagree. He probably hums it on his way to work. At a recent Christian worship service in the Pentagon – an irregular event, given the constitution’s dislike of anything smacking of state religion – Hegseth, referencing Iran, prayed for “overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy”. Hegseth’s creed is killing. He describes Iranians as “religious fanatics”. And he should know. His intolerant brand of evangelical Christian nationalism is extreme even by US standards – yet has Donald Trump’s backing. Trump was a Presbyterian until 2020, when he abruptly declared he wasn’t. God knows what he is now.

Exploitation of Christian belief for political and military ends is a long-established, shabby US practice. Yet there’s a darkly obnoxious underside. Implicit in the official demonisation and dehumanisation of the Iranian nation is fear and loathing of otherness, in this case Shia Muslims. In one of his first acts as president in 2017, Trump banned immigrants from several Muslim-majority countries, and has continued in that hateful vein. » | Simon Tisdall | Saturday, April 4, 2026

Jeffrey Sachs: Iran War Broke US Empire & Alliance Systems

Apr 4, 2026 | Prof Jeffrey Sachs discusses the unravelling of the US alliance system that has dominated the past decades and how a lingering imperial mindset prevents adjustment to new realities. Recorded 4th of April 2026.

Léon XIV, un pape américain face au chaos du monde

Capture d'écran extraite de cet article du Figaro. | Le pape Léon XIV pendant la messe de la Passion du Seigneur le Vendredi saint dans la basilique Saint-Pierre au Vatican, le 3 avril 2026. Guglielmo Mangiapane / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Directement confronté à son pays sur la question de la guerre, le pape, qui s’est entretenu avec Donald Trump, martèle ses messages de paix et appelle avec force à la trêve pascale.

Au soir de ce vendredi saint, Léon XIV a lui-même porté une croix de bois tout au long des quatorze stations du chemin de croix. Les papes, à l’exception de Jean-Paul II, ne le font pas, sinon pour la symbolique lors de la première ou dernière étape. Si Léon XIV a choisi de la porter jusqu’au bout de ce rituel séculaire, c’est pour adresser un message fort de paix au monde enflammé par la guerre : « Ce sera un signe important, a-t-il confié mardi soir, en raison de ce que représente le pape : un leader spirituel et une voix pour dire que le Christ souffre toujours. Et que je porte, moi aussi, toutes ces souffrances dans mes prières. Ce message s’adressera aussi à toutes les personnes de bonne volonté, à toutes celles qui ont la foi pour que nous cherchions à être porteurs de paix. » » | Par Jean-Marie Guénois | samedi 4 avril 2026

Réservé aux abonnés

Rome : les images du pape Léon XIV qui porte lui-même la croix au Colisée

LE FIGARO : Le pape Léon XIV a présidé ce Vendredi saint le chemin de croix au Colisée, à Rome, portant lui même la croix à chacune des quatorze stations.

Pour son premier Vendredi saint comme souverain pontife, le pape Léon XIV a présidé ce vendredi soir le traditionnel chemin de croix au Colisée, à Rome. Sous les arches illuminées de l’amphithéâtre antique, le pontife n’a pas seulement présidé le chemin de croix : il a choisi d’en assumer lui même la charge, portant la croix à chacune des quatorze stations, au milieu d’une foule compacte et silencieuse. » | Par Alexandre Bourcier | vendredi 3 avril 2026

Don’t Tell Me That Americans Are Not Crackers…

…because I won’t believe you!

Rob Groves: Neutralising Trump: Why Starmer Doesn't Fight Back

Apr 4, 2026 | Donald Trump launched a war in the Middle East without consulting a single NATO ally, and now expects Britain to clean up the mess.

This week I'm doing something unusual: giving Keir Starmer some credit.

While GB News and the right-wing tabloids line up behind Trump, the Prime Minister is quietly building coalitions, strengthening European ties, and absorbing every petty insult thrown his way. Is that weakness, or statecraft?


Trump must surely be America’s worst president ever. — © Mark Alexander

Richard Wolff: Why the US Doesn’t Recognize Its Own Decline…

…this is “Empire overreach”. It is typical of an empire’s decline.

Explosions Rock Beirut…

…during the Easter period.

Iran Conflict Costing the US $1 Billion a Day

Apr 4, 2026 | “An awful lot of money, and people are unsure what it is for.”

The American people feel “they don’t really know what’s going on” in Iran, as Trump has asked for an additional $1.5 trillion, says US reporter Harriet Alexander.

Michael Lawson: Trump's Cabinet Meeting Reveals Dangerous Delusion about Iran War

Apr 4, 2026 | Trump's White House cabinet meeting on 26th March reveals a president completely detached from reality — and the world is watching.

In this video, I break down the full transcript of Trump's 1 hour 44 minute cabinet meeting, word by word. He declared total victory over Iran. Claimed Iran's navy, air force and missile facilities had been completely destroyed. Said Iran was desperate for a deal — but that he wasn't much interested.

Behind the bravado lies something far more alarming. Trump rambled incoherently for most of the meeting, contradicted himself repeatedly, and made claims that raise serious questions about his mental state — including possible signs of frontotemporal dementia. In this video I analyse his exact words on:

Hegseth Says U.S. Troops Are Fighting for Jesus. The Pope Disagrees.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s calls for Christian prayers for the war effort, Pope Leo XIV says military domination is “entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.”

Pete Hegseth, the U.S. defense secretary, has asked the American people to pray “every day, on bended knee” for a military victory in the Middle East “in the name of Jesus Christ.”

Pope Leo XIV, the first U.S.-born pontiff, has a starkly different take on what should be done in Jesus’s name.

In a homily during a Mass on Thursday morning before Easter, the pope said that the Christian mission has often been “distorted by a desire for domination, entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.”

Since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran in late February, the pope has consistently called for an end to the violence and a return to dialogue to resolve the conflict. But without naming Mr. Hegseth, he has also pointed out the ways in which Christianity has been marshaled for purposes that the pope says do not align with Catholic teaching.

“We tend to consider ourselves powerful when we dominate, victorious when we destroy our equals, great when we are feared,” the pope said in a homily during a Holy Thursday rite at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the bishop of Rome. “God has given us an example — not of how to dominate, but of how to liberate; not of how to destroy life, but of how to give it.”

In late March the pope warned against invoking the name of Jesus for battle, saying in a Sunday homily that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them.” » | Motoko Rich | Reporting from Rome | Friday, April 3, 2026

Pete Hegseth seems to be off his trolley. Perhaps he is punch-drunk. Or, perhaps, just drunk! — © Mark Alexander

Evergreen — Love Theme from "A Star Is Born"

February 13, 2015 | Views on YouTube: 5,787,371

Is Iran Winning?

April 3, 2026 | OPINION — Why Iran Believes It Has the Upper Hand – The Iran expert Suzanne Maloney explains how Iran views the war, and why the United States is losing. — By Ezra Klein. Produced by Rollin Hu
Watch the NYT video here.
Read the accompanying article here.

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil | Herrscher des Irans

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil - Lüften Sie das Geheimnis um das Exil des letzten Schahs von Iran während der iranischen Revolution von 1979, seine Krankheit, Fehldiagnose, Misshandlung und seinen letztendlichen Tod sowie die Auswirkungen auf den Nahen Osten, die Vereinigten Staaten und die Welt.

Der letzte iranische Schah im Exil (2017)
Regisseur: Bobak Kalhor
Drehbuchautoren: Bobak Kalhor
Stars: Amir Aslan Afshar, Robert Armao (Archivmaterial), Jerry Berlin
Genre: Dokumentarfilm Land: Vereinigte Staaten
Sprache: Deutsch
Release Date: November 10, 2017 (Vereinigte Staaten)
Drehort: Los Angeles, Kalifornien, USA

Synopsis:
Am 16. Januar 1979 verließ der damalige Schah von Iran den Iran und begann eine 19-monatige Odyssee ins Exil nach Ägypten, Marokko, auf die Bahamas, nach Mexiko, in die USA, nach Panama und wieder zurück nach Ägypten, wo er verstarb. Sein Tod hatte tiefgreifende Folgen für die Zukunft des Nahen Ostens und der Welt, doch die unerzählte medizinische Geschichte des verstorbenen Schahs von Iran ist bis heute ein rätselhaftes Geheimnis geblieben. Dieser Dokumentarfilm führt den Zuschauer zu den wichtigsten Ursachen der iranischen Revolution, der Geiselkrise und dem Stand der Beziehungen zwischen den USA und dem Iran.

Trump Announces ‘Fraud’ Crackdown in Democratic States as Arrests Begin in California

THE GUARDIAN: US president makes baseless claims about fraud in blue states and says JD Vance will lead clampdown as ‘fraud czar’

Donald Trump announced a fresh crackdown on “fraud” in Democratic states and tapped JD Vance to lead the charge. Officials swiftly announced a string of arrests in California.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, the US president announced that his vice-president was now “in charge of ‘fraud’ in the United States”, claiming the problem is “massive and pervasive” and that Vance’s new role as “fraud czar” will be “a major factor in how great the future of our country will be”.

Without citing evidence, Trump said that Vance would focus on “everywhere but primarily in those blue states where crooked Democrat politicians … have had a ‘free for all’ in the unprecedented theft of taxpayer money”.

He pointed to California, Illinois, Minnesota, Maine and New York, and alleged fraud was “so large that, if successful, we would literally be able to balance our American budget”, without providing evidence. » | Maya Yang in New York and Dani Anguiano in Los Angeles | Friday, April 3, 2026

Relationship with Trump May Be beyond Repair, Keir Starmer Told

THE GUARDIAN: PM gets widespread backing after president’s mocking impersonation takes US-UK relationship to new low

Keir Starmer has been warned his relationship with Donald Trump may be beyond repair after the US president derided the prime minister for consulting his team about military decisions, in a mocking impersonation.

In a new low for UK-US relations, Trump appeared to imitate Starmer in a weak voice during an Easter lunch speech at the White House, and said the UK was “not our best” ally.

The episode is Trump’s latest broadside at Starmer and the UK’s “old” aircraft carriers after the prime minister declined to let the US use British military bases for its initial strikes on Iran.

Following the latest attack on Starmer, diplomatic and political figures said he was right to brush off the criticism but added that the relationship was very damaged and he would need to redouble efforts to built [sic] international relations elsewhere. » | Rowena Mason | Whitehall editor | Friday, April 3, 2026

Trump Ally and Her Cross-dressing Husband | Gerard Baker & Katy Balls

Apr 3, 2026 | From shooting a puppy to a cross-dressing husband, controversy seems to follow former Trump administration official Kirsty Noem. Reports say Bryon Noem had chatted online with women who are part of the “bimbofication scene,” a roleplaying kink centred around exaggerated hypersexual femininity. The Wall Street Journal's Editor-at-large, Gerard Baker, and The Times' Washington Editor, Katy Balls, discuss the scandal and its implications for the Trump administration.

Warum verlieben wir uns? | 42 - Die Antwort auf fast alles Reupload | ARTE

Apr 3, 2026 | Sie ist wunderschön, aber macht auch richtig Stress: die Liebe. Spätestens seit der Pubertät kennen die meisten von uns diese bittersüße Kombination aus Glück und Herzschmerz. Aber empfinden wir alle dasselbe, wenn wir von der Liebe sprechen? Jede Kultur und jede Epoche darauf eine etwas andere Antwort. Die Hormone im Körper funktionieren allerdings überall gleich.

Zwei Personen treffen aufeinander und Zack, Blitzeinschlag: Liebe! Und die beiden schweben zusammen auf Wolke sieben, bis dass der Tod sie scheidet. Nach diesem Strickmuster funktionieren bei uns im Westen unzählige Liebesgeschichten. Jedoch war das nicht immer so. Liebe ist Interpretationssache und hat ganz viel mit der Kultur und der Epoche zu tun, in der wir leben.

Aber es gibt etwas, was wir alle gemeinsam haben: die Hormone. Wenn wir richtig verliebt sind, ist bei uns die Hölle los. Das Herz rast, die Hände schwitzen, der Mund wird trocken und das Gehirn schaltet auf "glücklich-unzurechnungsfähig". Liebe kann wie eine Droge wirken, die süchtig macht. Doch warum dieses Begehren? Nur, damit wir ein Kind in die Welt setzen? Das Kinderkriegen funktioniert auch in nüchternen Verbindungen zwischen Mann und Frau. Viele Kulturen sind überzeugt davon, dass eine arrangierte Ehe sogar eine bessere Grundlage für eine langfristige Beziehung ist als dieser Hormonrausch.

Gibt es so etwas wie ein natürliches Liebesleben der Menschen? Ja, sagt der Evolutionsbiologe Thomas Junker. Um herauszukriegen, warum wir in der Evolution so etwas wie die Liebe entwickelt haben, schaut er sich das Sozialleben von Gorillas oder Schimpansen an, die mit uns eng verwandt sind. Denn körperliche Merkmale und das Beziehungsleben sind eng gekoppelt. Sind wir in der Liebe also eher wie Schimpansen, die in größeren Gruppen zusammenleben, in denen alle Weibchen mit allen Männchen Sex haben? Oder doch eher Gorillas, mit einem dominanten Männchen an der Spitze eines kleinen Harems?

A Turning Point Ahead? Columbia's Prof Sachs on Iran War

Apr 3, 2026 | Gulf states and European allies are starting to realize the dangers of betting all their fortunes on an unreliable United States, says Jeffrey Sachs, the director of Columbia University's Center for Sustainable Development. In Sachs' view, the world is facing a fundamental shift, and the next few weeks could reshape it entirely

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

April 3, 2026

The Passion of the Christ (2004) | Full Movie | 4K Ultra HD | English Subtitles

Nov 13, 2025 | Experience Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ like never before – fully remastered in breathtaking 4K Ultra HD.

This powerful and emotional masterpiece depicts the final 12 hours of Jesus of Nazareth’s life, capturing his suffering, sacrifice, and ultimate triumph of love and faith.

How Much Is the War with Iran Costing the US? | BBC News

Apr 3, 2026 | The US war with Iran is into its second month and there's growing tension on how much money the US is spending on the conflict.

Recently, the Trump administration signalled that it would be requesting more funds, but there are demands for more transparency on how much the war is costing.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is feeling the impact of the war with rising fuel and oil prices and Trump axes Pam Bondi as Attorney General.

Dimitra’s Dishes: Easter Bread Recipe — Greek Tsoureki

April 2, 2026

Click here for the recipe and for Dimitra’s ultimate guide to baking tsoureki.

The Vatican Rejects the MAGA Movement

April 3, 2026

Epstein Files: How the DoJ Could Be Covering Up Links between Trump and Russia | FourSight Interview

Apr 3, 2026 | Senator Sheldon Whitehouse recently gave a speech on the floor of the Senate criticising Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice for failing to investigate alleged links between President Trump, Jeffrey Epstein and Russia. It was watched millions of times.

Senator Whitehouse claims Epstein could have passed Vladimir Putin or other key Russia figures so-called kompromat - compromising material - on Trump. And that, he claims, could explain the President’s relationship with Putin - particularly throughout the Ukraine war.

President Trump has called claims of kompromat “fake news”, and previously said allegations of links to Russia are “a hoax” and a “witch hunt” instigated by his political opponents. Vladimir Putin has also denied Russia having any compromising material on the US President.

We wanted to hear from Senator Whitehouse just what it’s been like for politicians in the US as they try to wade through the Epstein Files and deal with the Department of Justice - which has been widely criticised for its handling of the files.

Hegseth Sacks US Army’s Chief of Staff

THE TELEGRAPH: Pete Hegseth has fired America’s most senior Army officer one month into the war with Iran.

The dismissal is the latest in a succession of senior individuals being axed by the US defence secretary amid claims they had clashed over his vision for the military.

Gen Randy George, the US army chief of staff, was asked to retire immediately, CBS News reported.

A US department of defence source told the channel Mr Hegseth wanted to install someone who was trusted to realise Donald Trump’s vision for the army. » | Natasha Leake. Jörg Luyken. Connor Stringer, Chief Washington Correspondent. Benedict Smith, US Reporter. Emily Blumenthal. Andrew Buncombe | Friday, April 3, 2026

Iran, Russie, Algérie : huit procédures relevant du « terrorisme d’État » actuellement ouvertes, annonce le procureur national antiterroriste

LE FIGARO : Au lendemain des mises en examen dans le dossier de l’attentat déjoué à la Bank of America à Paris, le procureur national antiterroriste a décrit une menace mêlant mineurs recrutés en ligne, criminalité organisée et soupçons d’ingérences étrangères.

Vendredi 3 avril sur Franceinfo, le procureur national antiterroriste, Olivier Christen, a affirmé que huit procédures relevant du « terrorisme d’État » étaient aujourd’hui ouvertes par le Pnat (parquet national antiterroriste). Cette prise de parole intervient après la mise en examen, cette semaine, de quatre personnes soupçonnées d’avoir participé au projet d’attaque visant le siège parisien de Bank of America : un majeur et trois mineurs, tous placés en détention provisoire. » | Par Aldric Meeschaert | vendredi 3 avril 2026

Trump Mocks Starmer in Fresh Attack

THE TELEGRAPH: US president impersonates PM, mocking him over aircraft carriers at White House lunch

Donald Trump has mocked Sir Keir Starmer as weak over his response to the war with Iran.

The US president impersonated the Prime Minister, claiming he had told him he had to “ask his team” about sending “two old broken-down aircraft carriers” to the Middle East.

Speaking at an White House Easter lunch, Mr Trump said Britain “should be our best” ally, but had not been during the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The president said: “I asked [the] UK, who should be our best. In fact the King is coming over here in two weeks, he’s a nice guy, King Charles.

“But should be our best but they weren’t our best. I said ‘you have two, old broken-down aircraft carriers, do you think you could send them over’?”

Impersonating Sir Keir with a weak voice, Mr Trump added: “‘Ohhh, I’ll have to ask my team’. » | Telegraph Reporters | Friday, April 3, 2026

There's plenty of material for us to mock Trump; in fact, the supply is limitless!

What a crass man Trump is! Totally unworthy of the office he holds. Is this man really the best man Americans could kick up to lead them? Is America so short of talent that they have to elect/re-elect a man of this low calibre for the highest office in the land? — © Mark Alexander

Iran Strikes Water and Power Plant in Kuwait

THE TELEGRAPH: Iran struck a water desalination and power plant in Kuwait hours after hitting an oil refinery.

Tehran launched strikes on the Gulf state’s energy infrastructure after the US attacked Iranian civilian infrastructure on Friday.

Donald Trump boasted about destroying bridges outside Tehran and threatened to bomb power plants next.

Kuwait relies on desalination, which removes salt from seawater, for 90 per cent of its drinking water. Iran also targeted a desalination plant in the Gulf state on Monday.

The Kuwait army said its air defences were attempting to intercept “hostile missile and drone attacks” on Friday.

Also on Friday, Iran launched strikes on Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

The Gulf conflict has already sent oil prices well above $100 a barrel, with Brent crude reaching $141 on Thursday. » | Tim Sigsworth, News Reporter. Andrea Hamblin. Emily Blumenthal | Friday, April 4, 2026

Israel's Death Penalty Is an 'Apartheid Law' Says Knesset Member Aida Touma-Suleiman

Apr 3, 2026 | In an interview with MEE’s Carolina Pedrazzi, member of the Israeli Knesset Aida Touma-Suleiman says the passing of Israel’s death penalty law for Palestinians was “a celebration of blood, a celebration of fascism and apartheid.”

“History has shown that the more oppression of occupation exists, the more resistance there is … We understand that the minute that international law vanishes, then it is a wild world and there is no other way to protect those who are violated in the world,” she added.

The new law passed by the Israeli parliament on Monday makes the death sentence the default punishment for Palestinians convicted of a deadly attack through military courts.

It has been widely condemned by rights groups for exclusively targeting Palestinians, enshrining separate legal rights based on national identity.

Trump envisagerait de limoger d’autres hauts responsables de son administration, dont le directeur du FBI

LE FIGARO : Selon The Atlantic, le président américain n’a pas encore tranché, mais des discussions sont en cours sur le sort de Kash Patel, à la tête du FBI depuis plus d’un an, du secrétaire à l’Armée de terre et de la secrétaire au Travail.

Le ménage pourrait se poursuivre au sommet de l’État fédéral américain. Selon les informations du magazine The Atlantic, des discussions sont en cours à la Maison-Blanche sur le départ de plusieurs hauts responsables nommés par Donald Trump à des postes clés de son administration. Parmi les noms évoqués : Kash Patel, directeur du FBI, Daniel Driscoll, secrétaire à l’Armée de terre, et Lori Chavez-DeRemer, secrétaire au Travail.

Le calendrier de ces éventuels remaniements reste flou. Et pour cause : toujours selon The Atlantic, qui cite des sources proches de la Maison-Blanche, le président américain ne s’est pas encore décidé.

Le cas de Kash Patel est sans doute le plus scruté. Nommé à la tête du FBI en dépit de vives controverses, ce fidèle de longue date de Donald Trump avait été confirmé de justesse par le Sénat en février 2025. » | Par Le Figaro avec Reuters | vendredi 3 avril 2026