THE NEW YORK TIMES: Traffic in the strait has all but halted as Iran renews its attacks, striking two vessels on Wednesday. More than 300 ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait since the war began.
The number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has become a barometer of how the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is affecting the global economy.
On Tuesday, after nearly eight weeks of war, that number was one, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Then Wednesday, more ships tried and Iran attacked two cargo vessels in the strait.
“They are reminding us that their threats to attack ships are genuine, and that’s enough to suppress traffic through the strait,” said Rosemary Kelanic, a director at Defense Priorities, a research organization focused on foreign affairs. Ships linked to Iran have passed through the strait, ship tracking data shows.
The latest attacks show that Tehran still has a stranglehold on the strait that allows it to ratchet up the pain on the global economy, even though the U.S. military has struck some 13,000 targets in Iran and set up a naval blockade against it. This strategic move gives Iran leverage in any talks with the United States to end the war. » | Peter Eavis | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The Muslim World, Humiliation & Revolts of Dignity | Soumaya Ghannoushi | MEE Opinion
Apr 22, 2026 | Soumaya Ghannoushi, a writer and expert in Middle East politics, says that the modern history of the Middle East follows a recurring pattern in which humiliation by external powers generates resistance rather than submission.
She says that empires repeatedly assume domination will enforce compliance, but instead provoke defiance rooted in wounded dignity. She says this dynamic is visible in modern Iran, where foreign interference and imposed control triggered collective responses shaped by both national and religious identity.
Ghannoushi points to key historical moments, including the 1892 tobacco protest, the 1906 Constitutional Revolution, and the 1953 coup against Mohammad Mossadegh, to show how resistance evolved from social refusal into organised political movements. She writes that the 1979 Islamic Revolution was not sudden, but the result of accumulated grievances and repeated external intervention.
She adds that similar patterns have appeared across the region, where religious and social movements transformed into anti-colonial resistance in countries such as Algeria, Libya, Sudan and Morocco. In her view, pressure and violence tend to unify societies rather than weaken them.
Ghannoushi concludes that current Western approaches, including those associated with Donald Trump, fail to account for this history. She says that force and intimidation do not produce surrender in the region, but instead reinforce a deeply rooted refusal to accept domination.
She says that empires repeatedly assume domination will enforce compliance, but instead provoke defiance rooted in wounded dignity. She says this dynamic is visible in modern Iran, where foreign interference and imposed control triggered collective responses shaped by both national and religious identity.
Ghannoushi points to key historical moments, including the 1892 tobacco protest, the 1906 Constitutional Revolution, and the 1953 coup against Mohammad Mossadegh, to show how resistance evolved from social refusal into organised political movements. She writes that the 1979 Islamic Revolution was not sudden, but the result of accumulated grievances and repeated external intervention.
She adds that similar patterns have appeared across the region, where religious and social movements transformed into anti-colonial resistance in countries such as Algeria, Libya, Sudan and Morocco. In her view, pressure and violence tend to unify societies rather than weaken them.
Ghannoushi concludes that current Western approaches, including those associated with Donald Trump, fail to account for this history. She says that force and intimidation do not produce surrender in the region, but instead reinforce a deeply rooted refusal to accept domination.
Steve Schmidt: The Trump Regime's Criminal Enterprise
Inside Israel’s ‘Security Zone’ in Southern Lebanon
Apr 22, 2026 | In southern Lebanon, an Israeli airstrike is reported to have killed two people in a vehicle and injured two journalists.
Iran's ally Hezbollah also said it attacked Israeli forces with a drone - all of this straining the 10-day ceasefire. Israel has established a 'security zone' which, at its deepest point, extends some seven miles into southern Lebanon.
It's marked out by what Israel is calling a Forward Defence, or Yellow Line, similar to that in Gaza. Israeli troops are still deployed there, demolishing buildings in villages near the line, like Mansouri and Majdal Zoun.
Iran's ally Hezbollah also said it attacked Israeli forces with a drone - all of this straining the 10-day ceasefire. Israel has established a 'security zone' which, at its deepest point, extends some seven miles into southern Lebanon.
It's marked out by what Israel is calling a Forward Defence, or Yellow Line, similar to that in Gaza. Israeli troops are still deployed there, demolishing buildings in villages near the line, like Mansouri and Majdal Zoun.
I Asked Germans about Trump. They All Said the Same Thing
Strong language alert!
Rauchverbot für Generation Alpha! Droht uns jetzt auch eine Kippen-Krise?
BERLINER KURIER: Ein neues Gesetz könnte dafür sorgen, dass junge Menschen ein Leben lang keine Kippen mehr kaufen dürfen.
Rauchverbot – für immer? Die Antwort lautet: Ja. Zumindest dann, wenn du in Großbritannien lebst. Und wenn du nach 2008 geboren bist. Und auch nur dann, wenn der König zustimmt. Aber immerhin. Der KURIER fragt: Droht uns das Gleiche bald auch?
Wer zur sogenannten Generation Alpha gehört, hat schlechte Karten: In Großbritannien ist das Rauchverbot auf dem Vormarsch – in Form eines neuen Tabak- und E Zigarettengesetzes, das nur noch die königliche Zustimmung von Charles III. braucht. Das Gesetz sieht nämlich einen radikalen Schritt vor: Wer nach dem 1. Januar 2009 geboren ist, wird nie die Möglichkeit haben, Zigaretten und ähnliche Produkte legal zu kaufen. Das Rauchen selbst wird aber nicht verboten.
...
Deutschland sieht’s entspannter
In Deutschland ist die Lage anders: Es gibt Verbote, aber nicht besonders viele. An öffentlichen Orten darf ohne Einschränkung geraucht werden. In Parks wird geraucht, an Bahnsteigen, vielerorts sogar in Kneipen und Cafés. Auch ein flächendeckendes Verbot an Stränden gibt es nicht. Aber immerhin ist Rauchen in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln und Einrichtungen bereits verboten. Eine Änderung erweiterte das Gesetz von 2007 auch um Cannabis und E-Zigaretten. » | Paula Hitzemann | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Rauchverbot – für immer? Die Antwort lautet: Ja. Zumindest dann, wenn du in Großbritannien lebst. Und wenn du nach 2008 geboren bist. Und auch nur dann, wenn der König zustimmt. Aber immerhin. Der KURIER fragt: Droht uns das Gleiche bald auch?
Wer zur sogenannten Generation Alpha gehört, hat schlechte Karten: In Großbritannien ist das Rauchverbot auf dem Vormarsch – in Form eines neuen Tabak- und E Zigarettengesetzes, das nur noch die königliche Zustimmung von Charles III. braucht. Das Gesetz sieht nämlich einen radikalen Schritt vor: Wer nach dem 1. Januar 2009 geboren ist, wird nie die Möglichkeit haben, Zigaretten und ähnliche Produkte legal zu kaufen. Das Rauchen selbst wird aber nicht verboten.
...
Deutschland sieht’s entspannter
In Deutschland ist die Lage anders: Es gibt Verbote, aber nicht besonders viele. An öffentlichen Orten darf ohne Einschränkung geraucht werden. In Parks wird geraucht, an Bahnsteigen, vielerorts sogar in Kneipen und Cafés. Auch ein flächendeckendes Verbot an Stränden gibt es nicht. Aber immerhin ist Rauchen in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln und Einrichtungen bereits verboten. Eine Änderung erweiterte das Gesetz von 2007 auch um Cannabis und E-Zigaretten. » | Paula Hitzemann | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Trump Holds the American People in Total Contempt
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: To say that President Trump is corrupt is to somehow understate the size, scope and magnitude of his corruption.
It is as if you were to describe a modern thermonuclear device as a “bomb.” That is true enough, but it is not quite the truth. It does not capture the nature of the thing in full.
So it goes for Trump’s corruption, which is so vast as to be a new phenomenon in American politics. The president and his family have leveraged his office to the tune of nearly $4 billion. They have received hundreds of millions of dollars from a network of branded cryptocurrency assets. Investors include large corporations, foreign nationals and state actors hoping to curry favor with the administration.
One such actor, according to The Wall Street Journal, was Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother and national security adviser to the president the United Arab Emirates. Tahnoon’s investment fund purchased a half-billion-dollar stake in the Trump family’s crypto fund, World Liberty Financial, just days before Trump’s second inauguration. Tahnoon has since successfully lobbied the White House for U.A.E. access to America’s most advanced A.I. chips, with a large portion going to Tahnoon’s A.I. company. » | Jamelle Bouie | Opinion Columnist | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
It is as if you were to describe a modern thermonuclear device as a “bomb.” That is true enough, but it is not quite the truth. It does not capture the nature of the thing in full.
So it goes for Trump’s corruption, which is so vast as to be a new phenomenon in American politics. The president and his family have leveraged his office to the tune of nearly $4 billion. They have received hundreds of millions of dollars from a network of branded cryptocurrency assets. Investors include large corporations, foreign nationals and state actors hoping to curry favor with the administration.
One such actor, according to The Wall Street Journal, was Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, brother and national security adviser to the president the United Arab Emirates. Tahnoon’s investment fund purchased a half-billion-dollar stake in the Trump family’s crypto fund, World Liberty Financial, just days before Trump’s second inauguration. Tahnoon has since successfully lobbied the White House for U.A.E. access to America’s most advanced A.I. chips, with a large portion going to Tahnoon’s A.I. company. » | Jamelle Bouie | Opinion Columnist | Wednesday, April 22, 2026
Trump Threatens Companies Not to Seek Tariff Refunds, after Supreme Court Ruled Them Illegal
Apr 22, 2026 | Donald Trump said he’d remember companies that decline to seek refunds on duties paid after the Supreme Court struck down a large swath of his tariffs. In February, the Supreme Court ruled against Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose so-called “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from nearly every country. That ruling set the stage for a complicated task that could become the largest repayment by the US government in its history.
Trump’s comments come a day after US Customs and Border Protection launched a web portal for importers to file requests for refunds that could total more than $160 billion. Yet, the process is still fraught with uncertainty.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Trump’s comments come a day after US Customs and Border Protection launched a web portal for importers to file requests for refunds that could total more than $160 billion. Yet, the process is still fraught with uncertainty.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Tucker Carlson entschuldigt sich für Trump-Unterstützung: „Menschen in die Irre geführt“
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Auslöser ist der Krieg gegen den Iran, den die USA und Israel Ende Februar begonnen haben. Der frühere Fox-Moderator räumt Mitverantwortung für Trumps Rückkehr ein.
Screenshot aus diesem Artikel. | Tucker Carlson unterstützte Donald Trump im Wahlkampf und galt lange als einflussreiche Stimme im konservativen Lager der USA. | © Brian Cahn/imago
Der frühere Fox-News-Moderator Tucker Carlson hat sich am Montag in einer Folge seines Podcasts „The Tucker Carlson Show“ für seine Unterstützung von US-Präsident Donald Trump entschuldigt. Er werde von seiner Rolle bei Trumps Rückkehr ins Weiße Haus „lange gequält“ werden, sagte Carlson im Gespräch mit seinem Bruder Buckley Carlson, einem ehemaligen Redenschreiber Trumps.
„Ich möchte mich dafür entschuldigen, Menschen in die Irre geführt zu haben. Es war nicht beabsichtigt, mehr sage ich dazu nicht“, zitiert die New York Times Carlson. Es reiche nicht zu sagen, man habe seine Meinung geändert, so Carlson weiter; es sei „ein Moment, mit dem eigenen Gewissen zu ringen“. » | Peter Steiniger | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Der frühere Fox-News-Moderator Tucker Carlson hat sich am Montag in einer Folge seines Podcasts „The Tucker Carlson Show“ für seine Unterstützung von US-Präsident Donald Trump entschuldigt. Er werde von seiner Rolle bei Trumps Rückkehr ins Weiße Haus „lange gequält“ werden, sagte Carlson im Gespräch mit seinem Bruder Buckley Carlson, einem ehemaligen Redenschreiber Trumps.
„Ich möchte mich dafür entschuldigen, Menschen in die Irre geführt zu haben. Es war nicht beabsichtigt, mehr sage ich dazu nicht“, zitiert die New York Times Carlson. Es reiche nicht zu sagen, man habe seine Meinung geändert, so Carlson weiter; es sei „ein Moment, mit dem eigenen Gewissen zu ringen“. » | Peter Steiniger | Mittwoch, 22. April 2026
Tucker on Trump’s Desecration of Easter and a Warning to Christians Everywhere
Apr 6, 2026 | Desecrating Easter was the first step toward nuclear war. Christians need to understand where Trump is taking us.
Nathan Apffel is a documentary filmmaker known for his investigative work exploring faith, accountability, and institutional transparency. Raised in a religious environment, his experiences inspired The Religion Business, a long-running project examining both the power of spiritual devotion and the failures within religious and non-profit organizations. Through his storytelling, Apffel aims to amplify unheard voices and challenge systems that lack oversight. His work combines journalism and filmmaking to push for greater transparency, ethical reform, and meaningful change.
Nathan Apffel is a documentary filmmaker known for his investigative work exploring faith, accountability, and institutional transparency. Raised in a religious environment, his experiences inspired The Religion Business, a long-running project examining both the power of spiritual devotion and the failures within religious and non-profit organizations. Through his storytelling, Apffel aims to amplify unheard voices and challenge systems that lack oversight. His work combines journalism and filmmaking to push for greater transparency, ethical reform, and meaningful change.
Tucker Carlson Says He Is ‘Tormented’ by His Past Support for Trump
THE NEW YORK TIMES: “I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people,” said the conservative commentator, who has broken sharply with the president over the war with Iran.
Tucker Carlson, who was often at Donald J. Trump’s side during the 2024 presidential campaign, is now expressing remorse for that support, saying he will long be “tormented” by his role helping Mr. Trump return to the White House.
Mr. Carlson, a titan of conservative media who has broken sharply with Mr. Trump over the war with Iran, acknowledged that he was part of the “reason this is happening right now,” referring to the conflict.
“It’s not enough to say, well, I changed my mind — or like, oh, this is bad, I’m out,” Mr. Carlson said in an episode of his podcast released Monday.
“It’s a moment to wrestle with our own consciences,” Mr. Carlson said on the podcast, speaking with his brother, Buckley, a former speechwriter for Mr. Trump. “We’ll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be. And I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people.”
Mr. Carlson, a former Fox News host and a longtime opponent of American foreign interventions, has feuded with Mr. Trump and his allies for weeks over the war, which most Americans oppose, according to opinion polls.
He appeared particularly appalled by a threat Mr. Trump made to Iran on social media on Easter Sunday that the country would be “living in hell” if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route that has been clogged during the war. After the post, Mr. Carlson urged White House officials to stand up to the president, saying that Mr. Trump’s behavior was “evil.” » | Tim Balk | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Tucker Carlson, who was often at Donald J. Trump’s side during the 2024 presidential campaign, is now expressing remorse for that support, saying he will long be “tormented” by his role helping Mr. Trump return to the White House.
Mr. Carlson, a titan of conservative media who has broken sharply with Mr. Trump over the war with Iran, acknowledged that he was part of the “reason this is happening right now,” referring to the conflict.
“It’s not enough to say, well, I changed my mind — or like, oh, this is bad, I’m out,” Mr. Carlson said in an episode of his podcast released Monday.
“It’s a moment to wrestle with our own consciences,” Mr. Carlson said on the podcast, speaking with his brother, Buckley, a former speechwriter for Mr. Trump. “We’ll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be. And I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people.”
Mr. Carlson, a former Fox News host and a longtime opponent of American foreign interventions, has feuded with Mr. Trump and his allies for weeks over the war, which most Americans oppose, according to opinion polls.
He appeared particularly appalled by a threat Mr. Trump made to Iran on social media on Easter Sunday that the country would be “living in hell” if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping route that has been clogged during the war. After the post, Mr. Carlson urged White House officials to stand up to the president, saying that Mr. Trump’s behavior was “evil.” » | Tim Balk | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
MAGA Pastor Completely Humiliated by Laughing Panel as He's Totally Out of His Depth
Apr 20, 2026 | Donald Trump’s disastrous and unwinnable war with Iran is finally fracturing his own base, and the entire meltdown just spilled onto live television.
In this massive, unedited 21-minute masterclass, commentators Wajahat Ali and Tim Miller systematically dismantle a pro-Trump MAGA pastor, exposing how Trump’s broken promises and unhinged feud with the Pope are destroying his coalition from the inside out.
When the pastor attempts to defend the administration’s chaotic foreign policy and Pete Hegseth’s bizarre biblical justifications, Wajahat Ali delivers one of the most brutal live takedowns in recent memory.
As gas prices soar and the "America First" coalition splinters—with figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens defecting—Trump is left isolated in a forever war he promised never to start.
This video breaks down the explosive panel exchange, the devastating reality of Trump’s catastrophic Middle East blunders, and why the MAGA coalition is experiencing a total meltdown in real-time.
Trump is a DISGRACE. He should be REMOVED from office WITHOUT DELAY. — © Mark Alexander
In this massive, unedited 21-minute masterclass, commentators Wajahat Ali and Tim Miller systematically dismantle a pro-Trump MAGA pastor, exposing how Trump’s broken promises and unhinged feud with the Pope are destroying his coalition from the inside out.
When the pastor attempts to defend the administration’s chaotic foreign policy and Pete Hegseth’s bizarre biblical justifications, Wajahat Ali delivers one of the most brutal live takedowns in recent memory.
As gas prices soar and the "America First" coalition splinters—with figures like Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens defecting—Trump is left isolated in a forever war he promised never to start.
This video breaks down the explosive panel exchange, the devastating reality of Trump’s catastrophic Middle East blunders, and why the MAGA coalition is experiencing a total meltdown in real-time.
Trump is a DISGRACE. He should be REMOVED from office WITHOUT DELAY. — © Mark Alexander
America Needs a New Name — I Got Some Ideas...
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Press Slams Internet Restrictions and Decision to Ban a Street Protest
Condom Prices Could Rise 30% due to Iran War, Says World’s Top Producer Karex
THE GUARDIAN: Karex produces more than 5 billion condoms annually and is a supplier to leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as the NHS
The world’s top condom producer, Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, plans to raise prices by 20% to 30% and possibly further if supply chain disruptions drag on due to the Iran war, its chief executive has said.
Karex is also seeing a surge in condom demand as rising freight costs and shipping delays have left many of its customers with lower stockpiles than usual, CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
“The situation is definitely very fragile, prices are expensive … We have no choice but to transfer the costs right now to the customers,” Goh said.
Karex produces more than 5 billion condoms annually and is a supplier to leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as national health systems such as the UK’s NHS and global aid programmes run by the United Nations. » | Reuters | Wednesday. April 22, 2026
Karex produces 5 billion condoms per annum. Good God! There must be a hell of a lot of bonking going on! Perhaps I should turn my attention to bonking rather than blogging! 😊 From an economic standpoint, it will be interesting to find out just how elastic the demand for rubbers truly is! 😊 My best guess is that demand is highly inelastic. 😊 Bonking will go on unabated. — © Mark Alexander
The world’s top condom producer, Malaysia’s Karex Bhd, plans to raise prices by 20% to 30% and possibly further if supply chain disruptions drag on due to the Iran war, its chief executive has said.
Karex is also seeing a surge in condom demand as rising freight costs and shipping delays have left many of its customers with lower stockpiles than usual, CEO Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
“The situation is definitely very fragile, prices are expensive … We have no choice but to transfer the costs right now to the customers,” Goh said.
Karex produces more than 5 billion condoms annually and is a supplier to leading brands like Durex and Trojan, as well as national health systems such as the UK’s NHS and global aid programmes run by the United Nations. » | Reuters | Wednesday. April 22, 2026
Karex produces 5 billion condoms per annum. Good God! There must be a hell of a lot of bonking going on! Perhaps I should turn my attention to bonking rather than blogging! 😊 From an economic standpoint, it will be interesting to find out just how elastic the demand for rubbers truly is! 😊 My best guess is that demand is highly inelastic. 😊 Bonking will go on unabated. — © Mark Alexander
Le Parlement britannique adopte une loi interdisant la vente de cigarettes aux personnes nées après 2008
LE FIGARO : Toutes les personnes nées après le 1er janvier 2009, et qui ont donc actuellement 17 ans ou moins, ne pourront jamais acheter légalement de cigarettes au Royaume-Uni.
Le gouvernement britannique a salué mardi l'adoption «historique» par le Parlement d'une loi visant à faire du Royaume-Uni un pays sans tabac en prohibant la vente de cigarettes à toutes les personnes nées après 2008. Il s'agit, selon plusieurs médias, du deuxième pays au monde à instaurer une interdiction générationnelle après les Maldives, qui ont prohibé en novembre la vente de tabac aux jeunes nés après le 1er janvier 2007.
Les députés de la Chambre des Communes et les Lords de la chambre haute, se sont entendus lundi sur une version finale du texte, qui doit désormais recevoir l'assentiment royal - une formalité. Wes Streeting, ministre travailliste de la Santé, a estimé qu'il s'agissait d'un « moment historique », avec une « première génération sans tabac protégée d'une vie entière de dépendance et de dommages ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 22 avril 2026
Related material here, here, and here.
Le gouvernement britannique a salué mardi l'adoption «historique» par le Parlement d'une loi visant à faire du Royaume-Uni un pays sans tabac en prohibant la vente de cigarettes à toutes les personnes nées après 2008. Il s'agit, selon plusieurs médias, du deuxième pays au monde à instaurer une interdiction générationnelle après les Maldives, qui ont prohibé en novembre la vente de tabac aux jeunes nés après le 1er janvier 2007.
Les députés de la Chambre des Communes et les Lords de la chambre haute, se sont entendus lundi sur une version finale du texte, qui doit désormais recevoir l'assentiment royal - une formalité. Wes Streeting, ministre travailliste de la Santé, a estimé qu'il s'agissait d'un « moment historique », avec une « première génération sans tabac protégée d'une vie entière de dépendance et de dommages ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 22 avril 2026
Related material here, here, and here.
The Joyless, Wooden Starmer and His Killjoy Cronies Announce the Death of Cool...
Proposed Lifetime Smoking Ban to Become Law in Britain
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The proposal, which was approved by Parliament on Tuesday, will ban the supply or sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 or after, permanently.
Britain aims to raise a “smoke-free generation” by permanently banning the sale or supply of tobacco and vape products to anyone born in 2009 or after, with a bill that was approved by Parliament on Tuesday.
The bill applies to people currently 17 years old or younger and aims to keep them from ever picking up the habit in their lifetime. The proposal is expected to soon go into law after the final formality of approval by King Charles III.
Lawmakers say that in practice, the measure means the age of sale for tobacco products will rise over time as the targeted demographic group grows older and could lead to a smoke-free society. The law will apply in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The people covered by the law will be “part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” said Wes Streeting, the health secretary, on Tuesday. “Prevention is better than cure.” » | Ephrat Livni | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related video and links to articles here.
Britain aims to raise a “smoke-free generation” by permanently banning the sale or supply of tobacco and vape products to anyone born in 2009 or after, with a bill that was approved by Parliament on Tuesday.
The bill applies to people currently 17 years old or younger and aims to keep them from ever picking up the habit in their lifetime. The proposal is expected to soon go into law after the final formality of approval by King Charles III.
Lawmakers say that in practice, the measure means the age of sale for tobacco products will rise over time as the targeted demographic group grows older and could lead to a smoke-free society. The law will apply in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The people covered by the law will be “part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm,” said Wes Streeting, the health secretary, on Tuesday. “Prevention is better than cure.” » | Ephrat Livni | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related video and links to articles here.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Schumann: Piano Concerto / Daniil Trifonov, Boian Videnoff - Mannheimer Philharmoniker
Daniil Trifonov, Piano
Boian Videnoff, Conductor
Mannheimer Philharmoniker
Jeffrey Sachs Predicts the Next Steps of America Iran War & What Might Be Trump's Next Move
NYT: Trump Extends Cease-Fire With Iran: The pause in hostilities had been set to expire within hours. The president said Pakistan, which is trying to mediate an end to the war, requested he hold off any attacks. »
Steve Schmidt: Trump Will Regret Launching This War
Americans elected FOOLS to lead them. America is finished. Any so-called leader who wages an illegal war deserves to lose it. — © Mark Alexander
Smoking Ban for People Born after 2008 Agreed in the UK | BBC News
Apr 21, 2026 | Children aged 17 or younger will face a lifelong ban on buying cigarettes in the UK, as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill clears Parliament.
Both the Commons and Lords have settled on a final draft of the "landmark" legislation, which aims to stop anyone born after 1 January 2009 from taking up smoking by making it illegal for shops to sell them tobacco, to create a smoke-free generation.
When it gets royal assent, ministers will also have new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including their flavours and packaging. I
t is part of a series of measures aimed at tackling the health effects of smoking, one of the UK's leading causes of preventable death, disability and ill health.
This is legislation thought up by undemocratic fools! No party that voted in favour of this will get my vote. This is totally undemocratic and unworkable. Furthermore, it is a gift for criminals and blackmarketeers. A person enjoying a conventional cigarette is the least of our concerns today. Young people are into far worse that tobacco these days. Moreover, this doesn't just impact children; everyone as he/she ages will be impacted by this undemocratic nonsense. It's a pity that these stupid, nanny-state-inclined politicians couldn't find more important things to do. — © Mark Alexander
NIGEL FARAGE: Reform will repeal the generational smoking ban: The puritanical spirit of Oliver Cromwell again stalks the land »
THE GUARDIAN: Bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco clears UK parliament: Ministers hope tobacco and vapes bill, which will become law next week, will create a ‘smoke-free generation’ »
Both the Commons and Lords have settled on a final draft of the "landmark" legislation, which aims to stop anyone born after 1 January 2009 from taking up smoking by making it illegal for shops to sell them tobacco, to create a smoke-free generation.
When it gets royal assent, ministers will also have new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, including their flavours and packaging. I
t is part of a series of measures aimed at tackling the health effects of smoking, one of the UK's leading causes of preventable death, disability and ill health.
This is legislation thought up by undemocratic fools! No party that voted in favour of this will get my vote. This is totally undemocratic and unworkable. Furthermore, it is a gift for criminals and blackmarketeers. A person enjoying a conventional cigarette is the least of our concerns today. Young people are into far worse that tobacco these days. Moreover, this doesn't just impact children; everyone as he/she ages will be impacted by this undemocratic nonsense. It's a pity that these stupid, nanny-state-inclined politicians couldn't find more important things to do. — © Mark Alexander
NIGEL FARAGE: Reform will repeal the generational smoking ban: The puritanical spirit of Oliver Cromwell again stalks the land »
THE GUARDIAN: Bill banning people born after 2008 from buying tobacco clears UK parliament: Ministers hope tobacco and vapes bill, which will become law next week, will create a ‘smoke-free generation’ »
How Apple Became a $4 Trillion Company Under Tim Cook
THE NEW YORK TIMES: If the Steve Jobs era was defined by technological innovation, the Tim Cook period was one of exceptional financial growth.
When Tim Cook took over Apple in 2011, leaders from Silicon Valley to Wall Street predicted that the company’s best days were behind it. They feared that without Steve Jobs, Apple’s innovative chief executive, the company would falter.
They were wrong.
Over 15 years, Mr. Cook has engineered Apple’s rise from a Silicon Valley darling worth $350 billion into a cash-generating giant worth $4 trillion. The company’s annual revenue quadrupled, and its profits rose fourfold. The iPhone became ubiquitous, the Apple Watch proliferated, and the company developed credit cards and TV shows.
Apple’s growth is a testament to how Mr. Cook turned the iPhone into one of history’s best-selling products. Introduced by Mr. Jobs in 2007, the iPhone started the smartphone revolution, changing the way people work, socialize and travel. But Apple was selling only 72 million iPhones a year when Mr. Jobs died and Mr. Cook took over.
Two years later, Mr. Cook struck a deal with China’s largest wireless company, China Mobile. By the end of that year, Apple had more than doubled the number of iPhones it sold, and China was cementing itself as the company’s largest market after the United States. » | Tripp Mickle and Karl Russell | Tripp Mickle reported from San Francisco, and Karl Russell from New York. | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related article here.
When Tim Cook took over Apple in 2011, leaders from Silicon Valley to Wall Street predicted that the company’s best days were behind it. They feared that without Steve Jobs, Apple’s innovative chief executive, the company would falter.
They were wrong.
Over 15 years, Mr. Cook has engineered Apple’s rise from a Silicon Valley darling worth $350 billion into a cash-generating giant worth $4 trillion. The company’s annual revenue quadrupled, and its profits rose fourfold. The iPhone became ubiquitous, the Apple Watch proliferated, and the company developed credit cards and TV shows.
Apple’s growth is a testament to how Mr. Cook turned the iPhone into one of history’s best-selling products. Introduced by Mr. Jobs in 2007, the iPhone started the smartphone revolution, changing the way people work, socialize and travel. But Apple was selling only 72 million iPhones a year when Mr. Jobs died and Mr. Cook took over.
Two years later, Mr. Cook struck a deal with China’s largest wireless company, China Mobile. By the end of that year, Apple had more than doubled the number of iPhones it sold, and China was cementing itself as the company’s largest market after the United States. » | Tripp Mickle and Karl Russell | Tripp Mickle reported from San Francisco, and Karl Russell from New York. | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Related article here.
Nicaraguas Präsident Ortega zu Iran-Krieg: Trump hat „den Verstand verloren“
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Lange hatte sich Nicaraguas Präsident Daniel Ortega zum Iran-Krieg zurückgehalten. Nun wirft er US-Präsident Trump „geistige Instabilität“ vor.
Nicaraguas Präsident Daniel Ortega hat US-Präsident Donald Trump scharf für ein KI-generiertes Bild kritisiert, das den US-Präsidenten als heilenden Jesus Christus zeigt, berichtet die Nachrichtenagentur AFP. Trump hatte die Aufnahme auf seiner Plattform Truth Social veröffentlicht. Auf dem Bild trägt Trump laut eine weiße Tunika und einen roten Umhang und berührt die Stirn eines offenbar Kranken.
„Wie viele hat er tatsächlich geheilt?!“, fragte Ortega bei einer von staatlichen Medien übertragenen Veranstaltung in Managua am Montag, wie AFP berichtet. „Die Menschen werden ihn zur Rechenschaft ziehen und herausfinden, wie viele er getötet hat.“ Der Auftritt markiert einen Tonwechsel: Bislang hatte sich Ortega zum Iran-Krieg vergleichsweise zurückhaltend geäußert, wie die Zeitung The Straits Times schreibt. » | Lea Brüggemann | Dienstag, 21. April 2026
Nicaraguas Präsident Daniel Ortega hat US-Präsident Donald Trump scharf für ein KI-generiertes Bild kritisiert, das den US-Präsidenten als heilenden Jesus Christus zeigt, berichtet die Nachrichtenagentur AFP. Trump hatte die Aufnahme auf seiner Plattform Truth Social veröffentlicht. Auf dem Bild trägt Trump laut eine weiße Tunika und einen roten Umhang und berührt die Stirn eines offenbar Kranken.
„Wie viele hat er tatsächlich geheilt?!“, fragte Ortega bei einer von staatlichen Medien übertragenen Veranstaltung in Managua am Montag, wie AFP berichtet. „Die Menschen werden ihn zur Rechenschaft ziehen und herausfinden, wie viele er getötet hat.“ Der Auftritt markiert einen Tonwechsel: Bislang hatte sich Ortega zum Iran-Krieg vergleichsweise zurückhaltend geäußert, wie die Zeitung The Straits Times schreibt. » | Lea Brüggemann | Dienstag, 21. April 2026
« S’il vous plaît ne leur faites pas de mal! » : Donald Trump serait « très reconnaissant » de la libération de femmes menacées d’exécution en Iran
LE FIGARO : Le président américain a demandé ce mardi aux dirigeants iraniens de libérer plusieurs femmes, jugeant que ce geste serait un « très bon début » pour les négociations entre Washington et Téhéran.
Donald Trump a demandé mardi aux dirigeants iraniens de « libérer » plusieurs femmes, selon lui menacées d'exécution, en jugeant que ce serait un « très bon début pour les négociations » qui doivent reprendre entre Washington et Téhéran. « Aux dirigeants iraniens, qui vont bientôt négocier avec mes représentants: je serais très reconnaissant de la libération de ces femmes. (...) S'il vous plaît ne leur faites pas de mal! Ce serait un très bon début pour les négociations!!! », a écrit le président américain sur son réseau Truth Social en commentaire d'un message qu'il reproduit. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 21 avril 2026
Il est rare que je sois d'accord avec les décisions de Donald Trump, mais je soutiens sa demande de libération des femmes condamnées à mort en Iran. Cependant, je suis certain que M. Trump n'ignore pas qu'il y a actuellement environ 47 femmes dans le couloir de la mort aux États-Unis. Dès lors, ne devrait-il pas libérer ces femmes également ? Il pourrait même aller plus loin et exiger des Iraniens la libération de tous les homosexuels condamnés à mort. — © Mark Alexander
Donald Trump a demandé mardi aux dirigeants iraniens de « libérer » plusieurs femmes, selon lui menacées d'exécution, en jugeant que ce serait un « très bon début pour les négociations » qui doivent reprendre entre Washington et Téhéran. « Aux dirigeants iraniens, qui vont bientôt négocier avec mes représentants: je serais très reconnaissant de la libération de ces femmes. (...) S'il vous plaît ne leur faites pas de mal! Ce serait un très bon début pour les négociations!!! », a écrit le président américain sur son réseau Truth Social en commentaire d'un message qu'il reproduit. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 21 avril 2026
Il est rare que je sois d'accord avec les décisions de Donald Trump, mais je soutiens sa demande de libération des femmes condamnées à mort en Iran. Cependant, je suis certain que M. Trump n'ignore pas qu'il y a actuellement environ 47 femmes dans le couloir de la mort aux États-Unis. Dès lors, ne devrait-il pas libérer ces femmes également ? Il pourrait même aller plus loin et exiger des Iraniens la libération de tous les homosexuels condamnés à mort. — © Mark Alexander
For This Blog and Me, It’s a Red Letter Day!
MARK ALEXANDER: Early afternoon today, when I checked the visitor tally on Google, I was delighted to find that we have already well exceeded 9,000,000 visits. This, of course, delights me. This couldn’t have been achieved without YOU. For your loyalty and support, I thank you all kindly. Your loyalty and support are deeply appreciated. Naturally, I am already looking forward to clocking up the next million! With your help and support, we shall be able to achieve 10m soon.
Kind regards to all,
Mark
Kind regards to all,
Mark
EU’s Top Court Finds Hungary’s Anti-LGBTQ+ Law in Breach of Key Values
THE GUARDIAN: ECJ says law passed in 2021 is discriminatory and ‘contrary to the identity of the union’, in early test for new PM
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | A Pride parade in Budapest in July 2021, the year Hungary passed its so-called child protection law. Photograph: János Kummer/Getty Images
The EU’s highest court has found Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law to be discriminatory, stigmatising and in breach of basic democratic values, setting up an early test for the incoming government when it takes power next month.
In a wide-ranging judgment, the European court of justice said the 2021 law that bans content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV was at odds with a society based on pluralism and fundamental rights, such as prohibition of discrimination and freedom of expression.
Péter Magyar won a landslide election victory last week after promising to root out corruption and improve living standards, but the incoming prime minister has been muted on whether he will roll back the anti-LGBTQ+ policies introduced by Viktor Orbán, who was defeated after 16 years in power.
He has vowed to “bring home” EU funds intended to help Hungary develop its economy, some of which were frozen over the anti-LGBTQ+ law. A larger part was suspended over risks to academic freedom, breaches of the right to asylum, and concerns about corruption and lack of judicial independence. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
The EU’s highest court has found Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law to be discriminatory, stigmatising and in breach of basic democratic values, setting up an early test for the incoming government when it takes power next month.
In a wide-ranging judgment, the European court of justice said the 2021 law that bans content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV was at odds with a society based on pluralism and fundamental rights, such as prohibition of discrimination and freedom of expression.
Péter Magyar won a landslide election victory last week after promising to root out corruption and improve living standards, but the incoming prime minister has been muted on whether he will roll back the anti-LGBTQ+ policies introduced by Viktor Orbán, who was defeated after 16 years in power.
He has vowed to “bring home” EU funds intended to help Hungary develop its economy, some of which were frozen over the anti-LGBTQ+ law. A larger part was suspended over risks to academic freedom, breaches of the right to asylum, and concerns about corruption and lack of judicial independence. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Hungary's Magyar Says He Would Carry Out ICC Warrant against Netanyahu
El programa ‘Visión 2030’ de Arabia Saudita reevalúa sus prioridades
THE NEW YORK : Las autoridades de Arabia Saudita anunciaron una nueva estrategia para el fondo soberano del país, de aproximadamente 1 billón de dólares, y enfatizaron que en el futuro se centrarán en la “eficiencia”.
Imagen tomada de este artículo | El príncipe heredero saudí, Mohammed bin Salman, en Washington el pasado otoño. Los planes y ambiciones del príncipe han crecido más rápidamente que la capacidad financiera del Estado. | Credit... Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times
Hace 10 años, un príncipe de 30 años llamado Mohammed bin Salman anunció planes ambiciosos para transformar Arabia Saudita, al declarar que pondría fin a su “adicción” al petróleo.
Desde entonces, una cascada de cambios ha sacudido el conservador reino islámico. Las mujeres —que antes tenían prohibido conducir— ahora conducen ellas mismas a sus trabajos como camareras, dependientas y capitalistas de riesgo. El desempleo ha disminuido a medida que los saudíes se incorporan a empleos de bajos ingresos que antes ocupaban extranjeros. Y la policía religiosa del reino prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Sin embargo, la dependencia de Arabia Saudita del petróleo ha resultado más difícil de superar. Cuando los precios del petróleo subieron en 2021 y 2022, aumentando los ingresos del gobierno, se produjo una avalancha de espléndidos proyectos: una ciudad de esquí de montaña, un rascacielos en forma de cubo, una nueva liga de golf. Y cuando, luego, los precios del petróleo cayeron, con lo que se puso a prueba las finanzas del gobierno, los funcionarios empezaron a buscar ahorros, cancelando, retrasando y reduciendo planes que habían resultado ser demasiado grandiosos. » | Por Vivian Nereim | Reportando desde Riad, Arabia Saudita | martes 21 de abril de 2026
Read in English.
Hace 10 años, un príncipe de 30 años llamado Mohammed bin Salman anunció planes ambiciosos para transformar Arabia Saudita, al declarar que pondría fin a su “adicción” al petróleo.
Desde entonces, una cascada de cambios ha sacudido el conservador reino islámico. Las mujeres —que antes tenían prohibido conducir— ahora conducen ellas mismas a sus trabajos como camareras, dependientas y capitalistas de riesgo. El desempleo ha disminuido a medida que los saudíes se incorporan a empleos de bajos ingresos que antes ocupaban extranjeros. Y la policía religiosa del reino prácticamente ha desaparecido.
Sin embargo, la dependencia de Arabia Saudita del petróleo ha resultado más difícil de superar. Cuando los precios del petróleo subieron en 2021 y 2022, aumentando los ingresos del gobierno, se produjo una avalancha de espléndidos proyectos: una ciudad de esquí de montaña, un rascacielos en forma de cubo, una nueva liga de golf. Y cuando, luego, los precios del petróleo cayeron, con lo que se puso a prueba las finanzas del gobierno, los funcionarios empezaron a buscar ahorros, cancelando, retrasando y reduciendo planes que habían resultado ser demasiado grandiosos. » | Por Vivian Nereim | Reportando desde Riad, Arabia Saudita | martes 21 de abril de 2026
Read in English.
Sicherheitsexperte Neumann sieht Trump in Sackgasse und warnt vor massiven Folgen | ntv
Apr 21, 2026 | Neumann: USA in der Klemme
Kaum geöffnet, schon wieder dicht: Die Straße von Hormus sorgt erneut für Chaos. Der Politikwissenschaftler und Sicherheitsexperte Peter Neumann warnt vor massiven Folgen - von steigenden Ölpreisen bis hin zu einer möglichen Weltwirtschaftskrise - und sieht Trump in einer Sackgasse.
Kaum geöffnet, schon wieder dicht: Die Straße von Hormus sorgt erneut für Chaos. Der Politikwissenschaftler und Sicherheitsexperte Peter Neumann warnt vor massiven Folgen - von steigenden Ölpreisen bis hin zu einer möglichen Weltwirtschaftskrise - und sieht Trump in einer Sackgasse.
King Charles Pays Tribute to Queen Elizabeth on What Would Have Been Her 100th Birthday
MADAME FIGARO : Le vibrant hommage de Charles III à la reine Elizabeth II, sa «chère maman», pour les 100 ans de sa naissance : Elizabeth II aurait eu 100 ans ce mardi 21 avril. Pour l’occasion, son fils, le roi Charles III, lui a rendu un vibrant hommage, se souvenant «d’une souveraine qui comptait tant pour nous tous». »
Ingénieur, champion de natation... Qui est John Ternus, l’homme qui va succéder à Tim Cook à la tête d’Apple ?
LE FIGARO : PORTRAIT - Cet ingénieur quinquagénaire, entré dans le groupe californien en 2001, a vu ses missions évoluer en 2025 et a été davantage mis en avant dans les conférences d’Apple.
De l’ombre à la lumière. Depuis l’automne dernier, son nom est sur toutes les lèvres dans la Silicon Valley. John Ternus, vice-président senior de l’ingénierie produit d’Apple, va succéder en septembre prochain à Tim Cook à la tête du groupe, selon un communiqué de la firme publié lundi soir.
Après quatorze ans à la tête de la firme à la pomme, celui qui avait succédé en 2011 à Steve Jobs quelques mois avant sa disparition va donc passer le flambeau à la fin de l’été 2026. Tim Cook va devenir président du conseil d’administration. » | Par Keren Lentschner | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Related article here.
De l’ombre à la lumière. Depuis l’automne dernier, son nom est sur toutes les lèvres dans la Silicon Valley. John Ternus, vice-président senior de l’ingénierie produit d’Apple, va succéder en septembre prochain à Tim Cook à la tête du groupe, selon un communiqué de la firme publié lundi soir.
Après quatorze ans à la tête de la firme à la pomme, celui qui avait succédé en 2011 à Steve Jobs quelques mois avant sa disparition va donc passer le flambeau à la fin de l’été 2026. Tim Cook va devenir président du conseil d’administration. » | Par Keren Lentschner | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Related article here.
Strategic Autonomy: Can Europe Break Free from the US?
Aug 20, 2026 | Europe is reassessing its place in a rapidly destabilizing world.
A stark warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — that reliance on the United States has become a “weakness” — is now echoing across Europe, where leaders are confronting growing uncertainty about Washington’s long-term commitments.
At a key meeting in Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk discussed deeper defense cooperation, including nuclear deterrence coordination and joint military projects.
The push reflects a broader debate over “strategic autonomy” — Europe’s ability to defend itself and act independently on the global stage — as tensions with Russia persist and divisions widen over conflicts such as the war involving Iran.
But how realistic is Europe’s ambition to become a true geopolitical power? And can it reduce its dependence on the United States without weakening its own security?
We speak to Steven Everts, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.
A stark warning from Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney — that reliance on the United States has become a “weakness” — is now echoing across Europe, where leaders are confronting growing uncertainty about Washington’s long-term commitments.
At a key meeting in Poland, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk discussed deeper defense cooperation, including nuclear deterrence coordination and joint military projects.
The push reflects a broader debate over “strategic autonomy” — Europe’s ability to defend itself and act independently on the global stage — as tensions with Russia persist and divisions widen over conflicts such as the war involving Iran.
But how realistic is Europe’s ambition to become a true geopolitical power? And can it reduce its dependence on the United States without weakening its own security?
We speak to Steven Everts, director of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.
Liebe im Schatten des Krieges – Remarque & Dietrich | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE
Apr 18, 2026 | In seinem Welterfolg "Arc de Triomphe" verarbeitete der Schriftsteller Erich Maria Remarque seine eigenen Exilerfahrungen und die folgenreiche Begegnung mit Marlene Dietrich. Die Dokumentation rekonstruiert die bewegende Entstehungsgeschichte dieses stark autobiografischen Romans, der heute als ein Schlüsselwerk der europäischen Exilliteratur gilt.
Was bedeuten Flucht und Vertreibung für die Betroffenen? Das beschreibt der Bestsellerautor Erich Maria Remarque in seinem zweiten großen Welterfolg ʺArc de Triompheʺ. Der Roman erzählt die Liebesgeschichte eines verfolgten deutschen Emigranten, der unmittelbar vor Ausbruch des Zweiten Weltkriegs in Paris eine geheimnisvolle Frau trifft. Eine Amour fou, wie Remarque sie selbst mit der Hollywood-Diva Marlene Dietrich erlebt hat – und zwar zu einer Zeit, in der ein Leben im faschistischen Deutschland für beide Weltstars ausgeschlossen war.
Die Dokumentation rekonstruiert die Parallelen zwischen dieser realen Liebesgeschichte und der fiktiven im Roman. In ʺArc de Triompheʺ verarbeitet Remarque nicht nur den Schmerz seines eigenen Heimatverlusts, sondern auch seine über zehn Jahre währende, aufreibende Beziehung zu Marlene Dietrich. Entlang der Lebensstationen des Paares und auf der Grundlage von biografischen und historischen Dokumenten sowie Filmausschnitten – 1947 wurde ʺArc de Triompheʺ in Hollywood mit Starbesetzung verfilmt – begibt sich der Film auf eine mitreißende Zeitreise.
Von Paris und Antibes nach Los Angeles und New York rekonstruiert er die Entstehungsgeschichte dieses stark autobiografischen Romans, der heute als Schlüsselwerk der europäischen Exilliteratur gilt – als literarisches Vermächtnis einer langjährigen Leidenschaft zweier Weltstars.
Dokumentation von Hedwig Schmutte und Rolf Lambert (Deutschland 2025, 53 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 30/06/2026
Was bedeuten Flucht und Vertreibung für die Betroffenen? Das beschreibt der Bestsellerautor Erich Maria Remarque in seinem zweiten großen Welterfolg ʺArc de Triompheʺ. Der Roman erzählt die Liebesgeschichte eines verfolgten deutschen Emigranten, der unmittelbar vor Ausbruch des Zweiten Weltkriegs in Paris eine geheimnisvolle Frau trifft. Eine Amour fou, wie Remarque sie selbst mit der Hollywood-Diva Marlene Dietrich erlebt hat – und zwar zu einer Zeit, in der ein Leben im faschistischen Deutschland für beide Weltstars ausgeschlossen war.
Die Dokumentation rekonstruiert die Parallelen zwischen dieser realen Liebesgeschichte und der fiktiven im Roman. In ʺArc de Triompheʺ verarbeitet Remarque nicht nur den Schmerz seines eigenen Heimatverlusts, sondern auch seine über zehn Jahre währende, aufreibende Beziehung zu Marlene Dietrich. Entlang der Lebensstationen des Paares und auf der Grundlage von biografischen und historischen Dokumenten sowie Filmausschnitten – 1947 wurde ʺArc de Triompheʺ in Hollywood mit Starbesetzung verfilmt – begibt sich der Film auf eine mitreißende Zeitreise.
Von Paris und Antibes nach Los Angeles und New York rekonstruiert er die Entstehungsgeschichte dieses stark autobiografischen Romans, der heute als Schlüsselwerk der europäischen Exilliteratur gilt – als literarisches Vermächtnis einer langjährigen Leidenschaft zweier Weltstars.
Dokumentation von Hedwig Schmutte und Rolf Lambert (Deutschland 2025, 53 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 30/06/2026
Monday, April 20, 2026
«Notre politique étrangère est en totale déconfiture» : Israël face à l’érosion du soutien occidental
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE – En quelques mois, l’État hébreu a vu ses relations se dégrader simultanément avec l’Europe et les États-Unis. Un basculement stratégique qui fragilise Israël.
En quelques mois, Israël a vu se fissurer deux piliers de sa diplomatie : l’Europe, qui durcit le ton, et les États-Unis, où le soutien s’effrite dans l’opinion. Jamais la relation entre Israël et l’Europe n’a semblé aussi abîmée. Le signal le plus fort est venu de Madrid. Mardi, l’Espagne doit demander à l’Union européenne de rompre son accord d’association avec Israël, en vigueur depuis 2000 et conditionné au respect des droits humains.
Les relations entre Israël et le Vieux Continent ont durablement été abîmées depuis le début de la guerre à Gaza, mais, ces derniers jours, les mesures hostiles à l’État hébreu se sont multipliées et accélérées. La France a interdit le survol de son espace aérien aux avions américains transportant des munitions à destination d’Israël. En Hongrie, le nouveau premier ministre, Péter Magyar – qui a remplacé Viktor Orban, aux positions très pro-Israël – a annoncé vouloir réexaminer la relation avec l’État hébreu au cas par cas. Même Giorgia Meloni – pourtant réputée proche de Benyamin Netanyahou – a suspendu le renouvellement automatique d’un accord de défense. « Jamais depuis les années 1980 les relations avec l’Europe n’ont été aussi mauvaises », tranche l’ancien diplomate Yigal Palmor. » | Par Stanislas Poyet, correspondant à Jérusalem | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
En quelques mois, Israël a vu se fissurer deux piliers de sa diplomatie : l’Europe, qui durcit le ton, et les États-Unis, où le soutien s’effrite dans l’opinion. Jamais la relation entre Israël et l’Europe n’a semblé aussi abîmée. Le signal le plus fort est venu de Madrid. Mardi, l’Espagne doit demander à l’Union européenne de rompre son accord d’association avec Israël, en vigueur depuis 2000 et conditionné au respect des droits humains.
Les relations entre Israël et le Vieux Continent ont durablement été abîmées depuis le début de la guerre à Gaza, mais, ces derniers jours, les mesures hostiles à l’État hébreu se sont multipliées et accélérées. La France a interdit le survol de son espace aérien aux avions américains transportant des munitions à destination d’Israël. En Hongrie, le nouveau premier ministre, Péter Magyar – qui a remplacé Viktor Orban, aux positions très pro-Israël – a annoncé vouloir réexaminer la relation avec l’État hébreu au cas par cas. Même Giorgia Meloni – pourtant réputée proche de Benyamin Netanyahou – a suspendu le renouvellement automatique d’un accord de défense. « Jamais depuis les années 1980 les relations avec l’Europe n’ont été aussi mauvaises », tranche l’ancien diplomate Yigal Palmor. » | Par Stanislas Poyet, correspondant à Jérusalem | lundi 20 avril 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Tim Cook Will Step Down as Apple C.E.O.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The longtime leader of the iPhone maker will be replaced by John Ternus, the company’s head of hardware engineering.
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on Monday that he would step down after nearly 15 years running an operation that rode the wild popularity of the iPhone to become one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world.
Mr. Cook, 65, will move into a new role as Apple’s executive chairman in September and be succeeded in the company’s corner office by John Ternus, the 50-year-old head of Apple’s hardware engineering.
The retirement of Mr. Cook will end one of the most successful management runs in the history of American business. During his tenure, Apple’s annual profit quadrupled to more than $110 billion, while its value ballooned more than tenfold to $4 trillion.
Mr. Cook replaced the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs shortly before Mr. Jobs’s death in 2011, having earned a reputation for perfecting the nuts and bolts of a global consumer electronics business. Apple has since defined how a modern technology company operates, with products assembled in a supply chain that stretches from the giant operations that Mr. Cook helped create in China to India and Brazil and a popular retail business that operates on five continents. » | Kalley Huang and Tripp Mickle | Reporting from San Francisco | Monday, April 20, 2026
Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said on Monday that he would step down after nearly 15 years running an operation that rode the wild popularity of the iPhone to become one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world.
Mr. Cook, 65, will move into a new role as Apple’s executive chairman in September and be succeeded in the company’s corner office by John Ternus, the 50-year-old head of Apple’s hardware engineering.
The retirement of Mr. Cook will end one of the most successful management runs in the history of American business. During his tenure, Apple’s annual profit quadrupled to more than $110 billion, while its value ballooned more than tenfold to $4 trillion.
Mr. Cook replaced the Apple co-founder Steve Jobs shortly before Mr. Jobs’s death in 2011, having earned a reputation for perfecting the nuts and bolts of a global consumer electronics business. Apple has since defined how a modern technology company operates, with products assembled in a supply chain that stretches from the giant operations that Mr. Cook helped create in China to India and Brazil and a popular retail business that operates on five continents. » | Kalley Huang and Tripp Mickle | Reporting from San Francisco | Monday, April 20, 2026
Israeli Soldier Destroys Jesus Statue in Lebanon | BBC News
Apr 20, 2026 | There has been widespread condemnation after an image of an Israeli soldier apparently hitting a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer in southern Lebanon went viral.
Israel's prime minister said he was "stunned and saddened”. Its foreign minister said: "We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt."
Locals say the statue was on a crucifix outside a family home on the edge of Debel, one of the few villages where residents have remained during Israel's war with Hezbollah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it viewed the incident "with great severity and emphasises that the soldier's conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops".
Israel's prime minister said he was "stunned and saddened”. Its foreign minister said: "We apologise for this incident and to every Christian whose feelings were hurt."
Locals say the statue was on a crucifix outside a family home on the edge of Debel, one of the few villages where residents have remained during Israel's war with Hezbollah.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it viewed the incident "with great severity and emphasises that the soldier's conduct is wholly inconsistent with the values expected of its troops".
Trump Has No 'Endgame' In Iran Conflict | Anne Applebaum
Apr 20, 2026 | “He’s always been somebody who in many ways has been unfit to be president.”
Donald Trump does not “think strategically” which is why he began the war in Iran without a clear set of goals, says Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum.
Donald Trump does not “think strategically” which is why he began the war in Iran without a clear set of goals, says Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and historian Anne Applebaum.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)