Tuesday, June 23, 2026
More Light Relief…
Let’s Have a little Light Relief from the Sh**** News Our Leaders Are Dishing Us Up!
[Swiss] Govt Looks to Ban Nazi Symbols
WRS/SWISS RADIO IN ENGLISH: The government wants to ban the public display of Nazi symbols, including swastikas, Hitler salutes and SS insignia.
Under the proposals, offenders would face an on-the-spot fine of CHF 200, even if the symbols are displayed without any propaganda intent.
The Federal Council says current laws leave a gap by only punishing such symbols when used for propaganda. » | WRS | Monday, June 22, 2026
Under the proposals, offenders would face an on-the-spot fine of CHF 200, even if the symbols are displayed without any propaganda intent.
The Federal Council says current laws leave a gap by only punishing such symbols when used for propaganda. » | WRS | Monday, June 22, 2026
You Can’t Get Too Much of a Good Thing! This, I Know. So, Here Comes My Virtual Heart-throb*— Yet Again! 😊 Bewitching Me, as Ever, with His Spellbinding Smile and Enchanting Me with His Dulcet Tones!
* Unfortunately, I have to make do with a VIRTUAL heart-throb until I am lucky enough to have some kind of introduction to my Mr Wonderful, my life’s partner, my husband-to-be, which will happen if God it so wills! 😊 — Mark Alexander aka Richard
Please note that I am not to be found in gay bars or similar gay locations. Nor am I to be found on any apps such as Grindr, Tinder, or Scruff. People on apps appear to be looking for sex; I, by contrast, am looking for LOVE and DEEP, LONG-LASTING, LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT. I want to fall in love again, and I want that love to last — forever. — Mark
Diplomatischer Eklat mit Polen: Selenskyj fährt nicht zu Wiederaufbaukonferenz
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Der ukrainische Präsident Selenskyj wird nicht an der Wiederaufbaukonferenz in Polen teilnehmen. Zuvor hatte eine diplomatische Krise die Beziehungen beider Länder belastet.
Dieses Foto stammt aus diesem Artikel der Berliner Zeitung. | ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj | © dts Nachrichtenagentur/imago
Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj wird nicht an der Wiederaufbaukonferenz in Danzig (Gdansk) teilnehmen. Ministerpräsidentin Julia Swyrydenko teilte auf X mit, dass sie die ukrainische Delegation leiten werde.
Zu der ukrainischen Gruppe gehören laut Swyrydenko Vertreter privater und staatlicher Unternehmen sowie Regierungsvertreter und Abgeordnete. Auf der Tagesordnung stünden Treffen in verschiedenen Formaten, „die darauf abzielen, die Ukraine, Polen, unsere Partner und Europa insgesamt zu stärken“, erklärte sie.
Die Ukraine-Wiederaufbaukonferenz (URC 2026) findet am 25. und 26. Juni statt und hat nach eigenen Angaben das Ziel, „die internationale Unterstützung für den Wiederaufbau des Landes zu stärken und Investitionen in ukrainische Unternehmen anzuregen“. Auch Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) wird erwartet. » | Anika Schlünz | Dienstag, 23. Juni 2026
Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj wird nicht an der Wiederaufbaukonferenz in Danzig (Gdansk) teilnehmen. Ministerpräsidentin Julia Swyrydenko teilte auf X mit, dass sie die ukrainische Delegation leiten werde.
Zu der ukrainischen Gruppe gehören laut Swyrydenko Vertreter privater und staatlicher Unternehmen sowie Regierungsvertreter und Abgeordnete. Auf der Tagesordnung stünden Treffen in verschiedenen Formaten, „die darauf abzielen, die Ukraine, Polen, unsere Partner und Europa insgesamt zu stärken“, erklärte sie.
Die Ukraine-Wiederaufbaukonferenz (URC 2026) findet am 25. und 26. Juni statt und hat nach eigenen Angaben das Ziel, „die internationale Unterstützung für den Wiederaufbau des Landes zu stärken und Investitionen in ukrainische Unternehmen anzuregen“. Auch Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (CDU) wird erwartet. » | Anika Schlünz | Dienstag, 23. Juni 2026
Guerre au Moyen-Orient : l’Iran décrète trois jours fériés à Téhéran pour les funérailles de l’ayatollah Ali Khamenei
LE FIGARO : Un hommage national est prévu à Téhéran du 4 au 6 juillet, période durant laquelle « tout sera fermé » dans la ville, a déclaré la télévision d’État.
Les autorités iraniennes ont décrété mardi 23 juin trois jours fériés en juillet à Téhéran pour les funérailles de l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, qui a dirigé l'Iran pendant près de 37 ans avant d'être tué par des frappes israélo-américaines le 28 février. Un hommage national est prévu à Téhéran du 4 au 6 juillet, période durant laquelle « tout sera fermé » dans la ville, a déclaré à la télévision d'État un responsable de l'organisation, Hassan Hassanzadeh. Une foule de près de « 20 millions de personnes » est attendue, selon le maire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 23 juin 2026
Les autorités iraniennes ont décrété mardi 23 juin trois jours fériés en juillet à Téhéran pour les funérailles de l'ayatollah Ali Khamenei, qui a dirigé l'Iran pendant près de 37 ans avant d'être tué par des frappes israélo-américaines le 28 février. Un hommage national est prévu à Téhéran du 4 au 6 juillet, période durant laquelle « tout sera fermé » dans la ville, a déclaré à la télévision d'État un responsable de l'organisation, Hassan Hassanzadeh. Une foule de près de « 20 millions de personnes » est attendue, selon le maire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 23 juin 2026
Furious World Leaders Ban Ivanka and Send Warning
Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines
Democracy Now! can be supported here.
Alan Greenspan was a devotee of Ayn Rand’s crackpot theories. That should tell you just about all you need to know about him! That a man with such poisoned thinking can reach the dizzy heights of Chair of the Federal Reserve is astonishing. Little wonder the American economy is so FU! — © Mark Alexander
Starmer Quits But British Democracy Wins Again
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
American politics STINKS of CORRUPTION. — © Mark Alexander
Russland rationiert Benzin: Nur noch 40 Liter pro Auto – Krise erreicht Sibirien
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Russland kämpft nach ukrainischen Angriffen auf Raffinerien mit einer Treibstoffkrise. Von der Krim bis nach Sibirien wird Benzin und Diesel bereits rationiert.
Die Treibstoffkrise in Russland weitet sich immer weiter aus. Nach Angaben regionaler Behörden werden inzwischen auch in Sibirien Verkaufsbeschränkungen für Benzin und Diesel eingeführt. Betroffen sind unter anderem die Regionen Omsk und Nowosibirsk, die mehr als 2500 Kilometer von Moskau entfernt liegen.
Gouverneur Witali Chozenko erklärte laut der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters auf Telegram, in der Region Omsk werde der Verkauf von Benzin auf 40 Liter pro Fahrzeug begrenzt. Diesel werde je nach Standort nur noch in Mengen zwischen 80 und 200 Litern abgegeben. Zudem sei der Verkauf in Kanister untersagt. Die Maßnahmen dienten dazu, „Panikkäufe und Spekulationen“ zu verhindern, schrieb Chozenko.
Auch die benachbarte Region Nowosibirsk bereitet nach Angaben von Gouverneur Andrej Trawnikow ähnliche Beschränkungen vor. In der Region Woronesch begann der Ölkonzern Lukoil am Dienstag ebenfalls mit der Rationierung von Benzin und Diesel, wie die Regionalverwaltung laut Reuters mitteilte. » | Alexander Schmalz | Dienstag, 23. Juni 2026
Die Treibstoffkrise in Russland weitet sich immer weiter aus. Nach Angaben regionaler Behörden werden inzwischen auch in Sibirien Verkaufsbeschränkungen für Benzin und Diesel eingeführt. Betroffen sind unter anderem die Regionen Omsk und Nowosibirsk, die mehr als 2500 Kilometer von Moskau entfernt liegen.
Gouverneur Witali Chozenko erklärte laut der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters auf Telegram, in der Region Omsk werde der Verkauf von Benzin auf 40 Liter pro Fahrzeug begrenzt. Diesel werde je nach Standort nur noch in Mengen zwischen 80 und 200 Litern abgegeben. Zudem sei der Verkauf in Kanister untersagt. Die Maßnahmen dienten dazu, „Panikkäufe und Spekulationen“ zu verhindern, schrieb Chozenko.
Auch die benachbarte Region Nowosibirsk bereitet nach Angaben von Gouverneur Andrej Trawnikow ähnliche Beschränkungen vor. In der Region Woronesch begann der Ölkonzern Lukoil am Dienstag ebenfalls mit der Rationierung von Benzin und Diesel, wie die Regionalverwaltung laut Reuters mitteilte. » | Alexander Schmalz | Dienstag, 23. Juni 2026
« C’est une urgence vital » : ces signes qui prouvent que vous souffrez d’un coup de chaleur
MADAME FIGARO : Les températures caniculaires qui règnent sur le pays exposent au « coup de chaleur », une hyperthermie du corps qui peut être mortelle. La médecin Faïza Bossy identifie les symptômes et les clés pour l’éviter.
La quasi-totalité du pays ploie sous un dôme de chaleur et la situation pourrait durer au moins jusqu’à la fin de semaine. Cette canicule met l’organisme à rude épreuve. La température extérieure ne baissant que très peu, le corps, incapable d’échapper à cette chape de plomb, ne peut se reposer et dans certains cas, bascule. C’est ce que l’on nomme « le coup de chaleur ». Ce phénomène - à ne pas confondre avec l’insolation - survient quand le corps entre en hyperthermie, soit quand sa température atteint les 40 degrés. « La température monte tellement haut que l’hypothalamus ne réussit plus à la réguler, poursuit la Dr Faïza Bossy, médecin généraliste (1). C’est un peu comme si le système “disjonctait”. »
Survient ensuite une intense fatigue puis rapidement, de la confusion, du délire voire une perte de connaissance, informe la médecin. Des convulsions peuvent survenir chez les nourrissons. Quant aux « petits » enfants, ils peuvent être « endormis », apathiques et présenter une peau rouge et très sèche. « Dans tous les cas, le coup de chaud représente une urgence vitale », insiste la Dr Faïza Bossy. » | Par Ophélie Ostermann | mardi 23 juin 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
La quasi-totalité du pays ploie sous un dôme de chaleur et la situation pourrait durer au moins jusqu’à la fin de semaine. Cette canicule met l’organisme à rude épreuve. La température extérieure ne baissant que très peu, le corps, incapable d’échapper à cette chape de plomb, ne peut se reposer et dans certains cas, bascule. C’est ce que l’on nomme « le coup de chaleur ». Ce phénomène - à ne pas confondre avec l’insolation - survient quand le corps entre en hyperthermie, soit quand sa température atteint les 40 degrés. « La température monte tellement haut que l’hypothalamus ne réussit plus à la réguler, poursuit la Dr Faïza Bossy, médecin généraliste (1). C’est un peu comme si le système “disjonctait”. »
Survient ensuite une intense fatigue puis rapidement, de la confusion, du délire voire une perte de connaissance, informe la médecin. Des convulsions peuvent survenir chez les nourrissons. Quant aux « petits » enfants, ils peuvent être « endormis », apathiques et présenter une peau rouge et très sèche. « Dans tous les cas, le coup de chaud représente une urgence vitale », insiste la Dr Faïza Bossy. » | Par Ophélie Ostermann | mardi 23 juin 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
‘It’s Unnerving’: Markets Recoil in Global Sell-Off Driven by Tech Stocks
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Chipmakers led the way down in South Korea, where the main index crashed 10 percent. Stocks in Europe were lower and S&P 500 futures pointed to a sharp fall.
Global stock markets shuddered on Tuesday, recording steep declines driven by tech companies.
The firms at the forefront of artificial intelligence and chip making had previously pushed markets to record highs, giving them an outsized impact on market indexes. A sell-off in these shares that started in the United States on Monday reverberated around the world, with Asian markets hit particularly hard.
Some of the biggest U.S. tech companies, including Alphabet and Amazon, continued to fall in premarket trading on Tuesday, on top of losses the day before. The stock of SpaceX also continued to slide: After jumping in its first few days of trading, Elon Musk’s rocket-and-A.I. company has shed more than 20 percent of its value in the past three trading sessions, although it remains above its initial public offering price.
The sharpest decline in Asia took place in South Korea, the world’s best-performing stock market since the start of 2025. The country’s benchmark Kospi index fell 10 percent, at one point triggering a 20-minute trading halt by the exchange operator.
The surge in South Korea’s stock market over the past year was mainly fueled by the country’s two largest memory chip makers — Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix — whose semiconductors are critical to A.I. systems. As their shares have skyrocketed, retail investors have piled into the market, driving large and unpredictable swings in the market. Shares of both companies plunged more than 12 percent on Tuesday. » | Daisuke Wakabayashi and Jason Karaian | Daisuke Wakabayashi reported from Seoul and Jason Karaian from London. | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Global stock markets shuddered on Tuesday, recording steep declines driven by tech companies.
The firms at the forefront of artificial intelligence and chip making had previously pushed markets to record highs, giving them an outsized impact on market indexes. A sell-off in these shares that started in the United States on Monday reverberated around the world, with Asian markets hit particularly hard.
Some of the biggest U.S. tech companies, including Alphabet and Amazon, continued to fall in premarket trading on Tuesday, on top of losses the day before. The stock of SpaceX also continued to slide: After jumping in its first few days of trading, Elon Musk’s rocket-and-A.I. company has shed more than 20 percent of its value in the past three trading sessions, although it remains above its initial public offering price.
The sharpest decline in Asia took place in South Korea, the world’s best-performing stock market since the start of 2025. The country’s benchmark Kospi index fell 10 percent, at one point triggering a 20-minute trading halt by the exchange operator.
The surge in South Korea’s stock market over the past year was mainly fueled by the country’s two largest memory chip makers — Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix — whose semiconductors are critical to A.I. systems. As their shares have skyrocketed, retail investors have piled into the market, driving large and unpredictable swings in the market. Shares of both companies plunged more than 12 percent on Tuesday. » | Daisuke Wakabayashi and Jason Karaian | Daisuke Wakabayashi reported from Seoul and Jason Karaian from London. | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
The U.K. Is Still Counting the Cost of Brexit, 10 Years After the Vote
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Citing lower trade and investment, analysts broadly agree that Britain’s economy is smaller than it would have been if the country had stayed in the E.U.
This photo is from this NYT article. | Ten years ago, British voters approved by a slim margin a proposal for the country to leave the European Union. The economic results, economists say, have not been glowing. | Andrew Testa for The New York Times
Just before Britain’s fateful referendum on its membership to the European Union 10 years ago, the government of the day gave a stark warning. A vote to leave the bloc would lead to “an immediate and profound shock” to the economy. By a slim margin, the public voted to leave anyway.
The economic warnings were wrong, but only in their timing.
Brexit has damaged the British economy and the costs have steadily accumulated over the past decade, greatly outweighing any benefits, economists say. More visibly, Brexit has unleashed a torrent of political instability: The country will soon get its seventh prime minister since the June 23, 2016 vote, after Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday.
The turmoil has led to a sense of regret: In a recent poll, nearly half of Britons said that Brexit was going worse than expected, up sharply from five years ago. Another survey found that just over half would support rejoining the European Union.
It is hard to be precise about the cost of Brexit, given the other hits to the British economy since the referendum, including the Covid-19 pandemic, President Trump’s tariffs and the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Here’s what to know about the economic impact so far, according to several recent reports. » | Eshe Nelson | Reporting from London | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Ten WASTED years! Ten years of BELLYACHING! Ten years of FALSE HOPES! For that CAULDRON of HOPELESSNESS, we can thank David Cameron's extremely poor political judgment, BoJo's desire for the keys to Number 10, come what may and regardless of the cost either to Britons or Europeans, and last but certainly not least, the SNAKEOIL SALESMAN par excellence — Nigel Farage.
There are many other blackguards on the Brexit horizon as well, but those are the three MAIN characters. There were several others who caused untold damage to the UK economy, and yet others who couldn't stop salivating because of the money they made from Brexit and other people's misery. People such as Jacob Rees-Mogg who spent his time selling suckers fairy stories about how well off they would be if we left the European Union! That didn't work out too well, did it?
So now, we have a mountain to climb to get back into the European Union AS FULL MEMBERS, minus the so-called opt-outs and the usual British moaning and groaning, and hopefully embracing the euro.
Outside of the EU, I feel like a fish out of water. I am sure I am not alone.
So, let us commence our arduous but exciting journey back to the heart of Europe, where we belong! — © Mark Alexander
Anthem of Europe: Ode to Joy »
Just before Britain’s fateful referendum on its membership to the European Union 10 years ago, the government of the day gave a stark warning. A vote to leave the bloc would lead to “an immediate and profound shock” to the economy. By a slim margin, the public voted to leave anyway.
The economic warnings were wrong, but only in their timing.
Brexit has damaged the British economy and the costs have steadily accumulated over the past decade, greatly outweighing any benefits, economists say. More visibly, Brexit has unleashed a torrent of political instability: The country will soon get its seventh prime minister since the June 23, 2016 vote, after Keir Starmer announced his resignation on Monday.
The turmoil has led to a sense of regret: In a recent poll, nearly half of Britons said that Brexit was going worse than expected, up sharply from five years ago. Another survey found that just over half would support rejoining the European Union.
It is hard to be precise about the cost of Brexit, given the other hits to the British economy since the referendum, including the Covid-19 pandemic, President Trump’s tariffs and the wars in Ukraine and Iran. Here’s what to know about the economic impact so far, according to several recent reports. » | Eshe Nelson | Reporting from London | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Ten WASTED years! Ten years of BELLYACHING! Ten years of FALSE HOPES! For that CAULDRON of HOPELESSNESS, we can thank David Cameron's extremely poor political judgment, BoJo's desire for the keys to Number 10, come what may and regardless of the cost either to Britons or Europeans, and last but certainly not least, the SNAKEOIL SALESMAN par excellence — Nigel Farage.
There are many other blackguards on the Brexit horizon as well, but those are the three MAIN characters. There were several others who caused untold damage to the UK economy, and yet others who couldn't stop salivating because of the money they made from Brexit and other people's misery. People such as Jacob Rees-Mogg who spent his time selling suckers fairy stories about how well off they would be if we left the European Union! That didn't work out too well, did it?
So now, we have a mountain to climb to get back into the European Union AS FULL MEMBERS, minus the so-called opt-outs and the usual British moaning and groaning, and hopefully embracing the euro.
Outside of the EU, I feel like a fish out of water. I am sure I am not alone.
So, let us commence our arduous but exciting journey back to the heart of Europe, where we belong! — © Mark Alexander
Anthem of Europe: Ode to Joy »
Three in Five Gen Z Britons Would Like New Vote to Rejoin EU, Poll Finds
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Data reveals 60% of 18 to 28-year-olds would vote to rejoin bloc if given the opportunity
Screenshot taken from this Mi>Guardian article. | Demonstrators in favour of rejoining the EU in London this month. Hostility toward the UK’s exit from the EU is strongest among the youngest adults. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing/Getty Images
A generation of young Britons who were locked out of the 2016 EU referendum because of their age now believe that Brexit has failed, with a majority demanding a fresh vote to rejoin the EU, exclusive polling shows.
Gen Z Britons show deep dissatisfaction with the UK’s departure from the EU, according to new polling of 18- to 28-year-olds conducted by the thinktank More in Common and shared with the Guardian.
The data reveals that 60% of this cohort would vote to rejoin the bloc if given the opportunity, compared with 9% who would vote to stay out.
When filtering the results to focus solely on those likely to cast a ballot in a hypothetical second referendum, the margin becomes a landslide, with the pro-EU Remain/Rejoin camp capturing 81% of the vote against just 19% for remaining outside.
The More in Common study, which surveyed 440 young people across Britain, shows that 50% of gen Z Britons categorise Brexit as a failure. In contrast, only 16% view the project as a success, while 34% remain undecided. » | Jamie Grierson | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Three in five Gen Z Britons PLUS this forward-thinking baby boomer! 😊
What Britain needs right now to bring about our return to the European Union is a REAL LEADER with BALLS! A leader with SPUNK. — © Mark Alexander
A generation of young Britons who were locked out of the 2016 EU referendum because of their age now believe that Brexit has failed, with a majority demanding a fresh vote to rejoin the EU, exclusive polling shows.
Gen Z Britons show deep dissatisfaction with the UK’s departure from the EU, according to new polling of 18- to 28-year-olds conducted by the thinktank More in Common and shared with the Guardian.
The data reveals that 60% of this cohort would vote to rejoin the bloc if given the opportunity, compared with 9% who would vote to stay out.
When filtering the results to focus solely on those likely to cast a ballot in a hypothetical second referendum, the margin becomes a landslide, with the pro-EU Remain/Rejoin camp capturing 81% of the vote against just 19% for remaining outside.
The More in Common study, which surveyed 440 young people across Britain, shows that 50% of gen Z Britons categorise Brexit as a failure. In contrast, only 16% view the project as a success, while 34% remain undecided. » | Jamie Grierson | Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Three in five Gen Z Britons PLUS this forward-thinking baby boomer! 😊
What Britain needs right now to bring about our return to the European Union is a REAL LEADER with BALLS! A leader with SPUNK. — © Mark Alexander
Afghanistan : des humanitaires en lien avec l’ONU interpellés pour avoir des barbes insuffisamment fournies
LE FIGARO : Les faits se sont produits dans un centre d’accueil situé au niveau du poste-frontière d’Islam Qala, à la frontière avec l’Iran, selon ces messages, communiqués à l’AFP par deux humanitaires.
Des humanitaires afghans travaillant en lien avec l'ONU ont été interpellés samedi dans l'ouest du pays car leurs barbes n'étaient pas suffisamment fournies, à l'aune de la réglementation imposée par les autorités talibanes, ont indiqué des sources humanitaires à l'AFP lundi. Ces membres d'ONG locales ont été interpellés « parce qu'ils avaient la barbe taillée ou rasée », a relevé l'Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) dans des messages internes dont l'AFP a eu connaissance. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 22 juin 2026
Des humanitaires afghans travaillant en lien avec l'ONU ont été interpellés samedi dans l'ouest du pays car leurs barbes n'étaient pas suffisamment fournies, à l'aune de la réglementation imposée par les autorités talibanes, ont indiqué des sources humanitaires à l'AFP lundi. Ces membres d'ONG locales ont été interpellés « parce qu'ils avaient la barbe taillée ou rasée », a relevé l'Organisation internationale pour les migrations (OIM) dans des messages internes dont l'AFP a eu connaissance. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 22 juin 2026
Peter Thiel's Secret 'Dialog' Society Exposed: US Senators, Billionaires on Leaked List | FP Explains
Week ahead 22/06/2026 – Extreme Heat, High Humidity – Met Office Weather Forecast UK
Monday, June 22, 2026
Why Does Britain Keep Changing Prime Ministers? | Global News Podcast
June 22, 2026 | British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has resigned, ending months of speculation about his future.
His Labour party had a landslide election victory in 2024.
He'd been under growing pressure to step aside since his main leadership rival Andy Burnham secured a seat in parliament.
Britain is now on the verge of getting its seventh prime minister in a decade.
Our UK political correspondent Rob Watson tells us why things went wrong for Keir Starmer so quickly.
The root cause of all this political instability is that damn Brexit! Fie on Farage! I'm not at all sure that Andy Burnham will do much better than Starmer, either. Marginally, perhaps. But until we get back into the European Union, this instability is likely to be the order of the day. — © Mark Alexander
His Labour party had a landslide election victory in 2024.
He'd been under growing pressure to step aside since his main leadership rival Andy Burnham secured a seat in parliament.
Britain is now on the verge of getting its seventh prime minister in a decade.
Our UK political correspondent Rob Watson tells us why things went wrong for Keir Starmer so quickly.
The root cause of all this political instability is that damn Brexit! Fie on Farage! I'm not at all sure that Andy Burnham will do much better than Starmer, either. Marginally, perhaps. But until we get back into the European Union, this instability is likely to be the order of the day. — © Mark Alexander
Wajahat Ali: The "Deflection" Pool as a Metaphor for America Under Trump
The REAL “shithole country” is America itself! But it doesn’t matter because it’s on the skids anyway. — © Mark Alexander
Donald Trump Is Drowning | Steve Schmidt
Milliardendeal: Kanada bestellt australisches Langstreckenradar zur Arktis-Überwachung
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Die Technik soll Flugzeuge, Schiffe und Raketen aus großer Entfernung erkennen. Der Auftrag stärkt zugleich Australiens Rüstungsindustrie.
Dieses Foto stammt aus diesem Artikel. | Kanadas Premier Mark Carney (l.) und sein australischer Amtskollege Anthony Albanese im März 2026 nach Gesprächen im australischen Parlament | © Adrian Wyld/imago
Kanada hat mit Australien und dem Rüstungskonzern BAE Systems Australia einen Vertrag über die Lieferung eines Langstreckenradars zur Überwachung der Arktis unterzeichnet. Das teilte die kanadische Defence Investment Agency, die für Rüstungsbeschaffungen zuständige Behörde in Ottawa, am Montag mit.
Das Auftragsvolumen beträgt nach Regierungsangaben umgerechnet rund 1,75 Milliarden US-Dollar. Es handelt sich nach Darstellung beider Regierungen um den größten Rüstungsexport in der Geschichte Australiens. » | Peter Steiniger | Montag, 22, Juni 2026
Kanada hat mit Australien und dem Rüstungskonzern BAE Systems Australia einen Vertrag über die Lieferung eines Langstreckenradars zur Überwachung der Arktis unterzeichnet. Das teilte die kanadische Defence Investment Agency, die für Rüstungsbeschaffungen zuständige Behörde in Ottawa, am Montag mit.
Das Auftragsvolumen beträgt nach Regierungsangaben umgerechnet rund 1,75 Milliarden US-Dollar. Es handelt sich nach Darstellung beider Regierungen um den größten Rüstungsexport in der Geschichte Australiens. » | Peter Steiniger | Montag, 22, Juni 2026
New Lincoln Project Ad: This Is Easy!
America, under Trump, is a bloody disgrace. Not to put too fine a point on it, it’s a SHITSHOW! Shame on Trump for his actions in office; and shame on Americans for letting that man do what he has done to their country. Such patriotism! Starmer has resigned today; Trump should follow his lead. — © Mark Alexander
'Significantly Hotter than 1976': How Long Will This Heatwave Last?
Steve Rosenberg: What Are Russian Papers Reporting about Fuel Shortages and Ukrainian Drone Strikes?
Churchill's Zurich Speech | 19 September 1946
Aug 29, 2016 | "We must build a kind of United States of Europe. In this way only will hundreds of millions of toilers be able to regain the simple joys and hopes which make life worth living.
The process is simple. All that is needed is the resolve of hundreds of millions of men and women to do right instead of wrong, and gain as their reward, blessing instead of cursing."
The process is simple. All that is needed is the resolve of hundreds of millions of men and women to do right instead of wrong, and gain as their reward, blessing instead of cursing."
Starmer Announces He Will Resign as Labour Party Leader
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A sagging economy and policy flip-flops had fueled demands for Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain to step down. The announcement means he has set out a timetable for his departure as prime minister.
This screenshot is from this NYT article. | Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain outside 10 Downing Street in London on Monday. | Jaimi Joy/Reuters
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain announced his resignation on Monday, bowing to a mutiny inside his party and a challenge to his leadership of the country.
Mr. Starmer said he would remain as prime minister until a new party leader is selected, likely by September, rather than fight to remain in the job he won almost two years ago.
The announcement makes Andy Burnham, who won a seat in Parliament on Thursday, the most likely candidate to win control of the Labour Party and become the prime minister.
The former mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr. Burnham is Labour’s most popular politician. His resounding victory last week in a special election, where he received almost 55 percent of the vote, energized his bid to oust the prime minister.
Mr. Starmer’s tenure as Britain’s leader began with Labour’s election victory in 2024, when the party won a large parliamentary majority. But it was on a record-low vote share of 34 percent, prompting analysts to call the victory a “loveless landslide.”
His time in office was increasingly defined by political decline, which left him looking weak, indecisive and not in command of his own party.
In recent weeks, Mr. Starmer had repeatedly vowed to fight any challenge to his position — by Mr. Burnham or anyone else — saying he was unwilling to walk away from his responsibility to Britain.
But in the end, he appeared to accept the political reality that came with being one of the least popular prime ministers in modern British history. U.K. Live Updates » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, June 22, 2026
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Nur zwei Jahre nach Erdrutschsieg: Britischer Premier Starmer tritt zurück: Keir Starmer zieht nach wachsendem Druck aus der Labour-Partei die Konsequenzen. Bis zur Wahl eines Nachfolgers im September will er Regierungschef Großbritanniens bleiben. »
À LIRE AUSSI :
Royaume-Uni : le premier ministre britannique Keir Starmer annonce sa demission : Le premier ministre, très impopulaire, avait répété vendredi qu’il se battrait pour rester au pouvoir mais la pression a continué de monter ce week-end. Andy Burnham, le maire du Grand Manchester, est le grand favori pour lui succéder. »
Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain announced his resignation on Monday, bowing to a mutiny inside his party and a challenge to his leadership of the country.
Mr. Starmer said he would remain as prime minister until a new party leader is selected, likely by September, rather than fight to remain in the job he won almost two years ago.
The announcement makes Andy Burnham, who won a seat in Parliament on Thursday, the most likely candidate to win control of the Labour Party and become the prime minister.
The former mayor of Greater Manchester, Mr. Burnham is Labour’s most popular politician. His resounding victory last week in a special election, where he received almost 55 percent of the vote, energized his bid to oust the prime minister.
Mr. Starmer’s tenure as Britain’s leader began with Labour’s election victory in 2024, when the party won a large parliamentary majority. But it was on a record-low vote share of 34 percent, prompting analysts to call the victory a “loveless landslide.”
His time in office was increasingly defined by political decline, which left him looking weak, indecisive and not in command of his own party.
In recent weeks, Mr. Starmer had repeatedly vowed to fight any challenge to his position — by Mr. Burnham or anyone else — saying he was unwilling to walk away from his responsibility to Britain.
But in the end, he appeared to accept the political reality that came with being one of the least popular prime ministers in modern British history. U.K. Live Updates » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, June 22, 2026
LESEN SIE AUCH:
Nur zwei Jahre nach Erdrutschsieg: Britischer Premier Starmer tritt zurück: Keir Starmer zieht nach wachsendem Druck aus der Labour-Partei die Konsequenzen. Bis zur Wahl eines Nachfolgers im September will er Regierungschef Großbritanniens bleiben. »
À LIRE AUSSI :
Royaume-Uni : le premier ministre britannique Keir Starmer annonce sa demission : Le premier ministre, très impopulaire, avait répété vendredi qu’il se battrait pour rester au pouvoir mais la pression a continué de monter ce week-end. Andy Burnham, le maire du Grand Manchester, est le grand favori pour lui succéder. »
Swiss Ski Resort Closes because of Climate Change
SWISSINFO.CH: The Glarus mountain village of Braunwald needs to reinvent itself: skiing operations are being discontinued owing to climate change. A forward-looking initiative is now set to create new opportunities for tourism.
The Glarus mountain village of Braunwald needs to reinvent itself: skiing operations are being discontinued owing to climate change. A forward-looking initiative is now set to create new opportunities for tourism.
Sportbahnen Braunwald is adapting its services to changing climatic and economic conditions, the company announced on Friday in conjunction with Visit Glarnerland and other stakeholders. High costs and changing demand patterns had rendered the previous business model unsustainable.
The decision was preceded by a comprehensive review. The conclusion was clear: continuing “as before” was no longer possible. The key element of the strategic reorientation is the discontinuation of traditional ski operations from the 2026/27 winter season onwards. » | Keystone-SDA | Friday, June 19, 2026
Dieser Artikel ist hier auf Deutsch verfügbar.
The Women Running Businesses Under Taliban Rules
THE NEW YORK TIMES: With secondary education and most jobs out of reach, thousands of Afghan women have turned to entrepreneurship as the only path to make money and maintain a social life.
The Taliban have imposed some of the world’s toughest restrictions on women and girls, but to ward off economic collapse and isolation, they have let women start businesses in Afghanistan, as long as they comply with a cascade of debilitating rules.
More than 10,000 Afghan women have business licenses — a tenfold increase in the past five years, according to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. With another estimated 120,000 working without licenses, small businesses are the largest employers of Afghan women, according to the World Bank.
But that apparent boom does little to hide the shrinking horizons for women’s lives.
Those who dreamed of becoming lawyers, engineers or university professors have turned to carpet weaving, cosmetics or vocational training because they cannot work in government administration or for many nonprofits.
They also cannot run beauty salons, study midwifery or nursing, or speak with male clients, suppliers or banking officials.
The vast majority of Afghan women do not work at all — less than 7 percent of Afghan women were employed as of 2024, according to the U.N. Development Programme.
Those who do work have faced growing hurdles. The harassment and arrests of dozens of women by the morality police in June led to a rare public protest.
Still, as the Taliban approach the five-year anniversary of their return to power, Afghan women have turned to entrepreneurship as one of the last ways they can support their households and find a semblance of social life.
“The only remaining hope for women in Afghanistan is business,” said Behnaz Saljughi, a representative for female business owners in the province of Herat. » | Elian Peltier | Visuals by Kiana Hayeri | Elian Peltier interviewed a dozen female entrepreneurs, business owners and trade representatives across Afghanistan’s largest cities for this story. | Sunday, June 21, 2026
‘We Want a New Albania’: Protests against Jared Kushner-backed Resort Turn Anger on Government
THE GUARDIAN: Opposition to plans for ‘small paradise’ island of Sazan becomes wave of dissent against establishment
For Ina Shkurti, like so many Albanians, the island of Sazan has played an outsized role. As a child she bathed in its “always calm and emerald green” waters, as a teenager it figured in her dreams and as an adult it was an indelible part of the memory and desire that drew her back, every summer, to Vlore, her home town across the sea.
What Shkurti never imagined was that plans to build a mega-resort on Sazan – one of two luxurious complexes on Albania’s southern coast backed by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner – would trigger a revolt, an uprising that has convulsed the Balkan state in a spasm of disgust over the perceived excesses of “a rotten oligarchic class” just as it hopes to complete accession talks with the EU.
“Am I outraged? Of course I am,” the cartographer said as the contours of the uninhabited outcrop came into view from a speedboat scudding towards its shores. “Sazan is our only island. It’s a small paradise that holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Albanians. Having some rich couple come in, develop it, and then deny us access, would be a crime.”
Not since the collapse of communism, more than three decades ago, has Albania been shaken by such collective fury. At 32, Shkurti, whose family emigrated to the US when she was 11, is typical of the tens of thousands, both in and outside the country, who have taken to the streets in what has become known as the “flamingo revolution” because of the threat posed by the proposed resorts to wildlife and delicate ecosystems on the sites.
“This government no longer represents us,” she said. “It has chosen to represent oligarch investors like Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. These protests are not going to stop, even if they’re no longer exclusively about them.”
Every day, she said, friends from Albania’s diaspora were flying in to join the rallies. In the biggest so far, thousands converged on Tirana at the weekend, many travelling from the US and other parts of Europe, to add their voices to the wave of dissent. » | Helena Smith in Vlore and Tirana | Monday, June 22, 2026
Hitler's invasion of the Soviet Union: Operation Barbarossa (1/2) | DW Documentary
Jun 19, 2026 | On 22 June 1941, the German Wehrmacht launched a war of aggression against the Soviet Union. Under the code name ‘Operation Barbarossa’, the campaign aimed to bring the vast country in the east to its knees. Millions of people died as a result.
At the beginning of the Second World War, the Nazi regime celebrated a series of military successes: boosted by rapid victories in Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, the Wehrmacht prepared a secret manoeuvre in the east, firmly convinced that troops would be back home after a few months. But the period of unimaginable violence unleashed by Hitler would claim millions of lives.
Without declaring war and with more than three million soldiers battle-ready, the Wehrmacht attacked on a broad front between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. In the first hours of the meticulously prepared military invasion, the Luftwaffe rained bombs on Soviet bases near the border, catching the Soviets completely off-guard.
The force of the attack was seen as a continuation of the German troops’ successful ‘Blitzkrieg’ campaigns. In his instructions to the Chief of Operations in the Armed Forces High Command, written in March 1941, Hitler had already stated: ‘This upcoming campaign is more than just a battle of arms, it’s also a clash between two worldviews. The Jewish-Bolshevik intelligentsia, as the previous oppressor of the people, must be eliminated.’
Another aim: the economic exploitation of conquered territories. Many of those involved and affected by this tragedy - Germans and Soviets, soldiers and civilians alike - recorded their harrowing experiences in amateur films, letters and diaries. These vivid descriptions of the German war of aggression in the East are a far cry from official war reporting and state propaganda. These accounts, by men and women fighting for survival, document the horror on both sides of the conflict.
At the beginning of the Second World War, the Nazi regime celebrated a series of military successes: boosted by rapid victories in Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, the Wehrmacht prepared a secret manoeuvre in the east, firmly convinced that troops would be back home after a few months. But the period of unimaginable violence unleashed by Hitler would claim millions of lives.
Without declaring war and with more than three million soldiers battle-ready, the Wehrmacht attacked on a broad front between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. In the first hours of the meticulously prepared military invasion, the Luftwaffe rained bombs on Soviet bases near the border, catching the Soviets completely off-guard.
The force of the attack was seen as a continuation of the German troops’ successful ‘Blitzkrieg’ campaigns. In his instructions to the Chief of Operations in the Armed Forces High Command, written in March 1941, Hitler had already stated: ‘This upcoming campaign is more than just a battle of arms, it’s also a clash between two worldviews. The Jewish-Bolshevik intelligentsia, as the previous oppressor of the people, must be eliminated.’
Another aim: the economic exploitation of conquered territories. Many of those involved and affected by this tragedy - Germans and Soviets, soldiers and civilians alike - recorded their harrowing experiences in amateur films, letters and diaries. These vivid descriptions of the German war of aggression in the East are a far cry from official war reporting and state propaganda. These accounts, by men and women fighting for survival, document the horror on both sides of the conflict.
The Life and Art of Gustav Klimt: Art History Explained
Jun 20, 2026 | Gustav Klimt led one of the most extraordinary lives in the history of Western art. Born the son of a struggling goldsmith in 1862, Klimt went from poverty-stricken beginnings on the outskirts of Vienna to the heights of European artistic fame.
He painted the grand halls of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before throwing it all aside in pursuit of a far more radical vision.
In this video, we trace the full arc of Klimt's life and work: from his early days as a celebrated architectural muralist, through the founding of the Vienna Secession, to the scandalous university paintings that turned the establishment against him, and the remarkable Golden Phase that produced a new generation of masterpieces.
Creating a visual language unlike anything seen before, Klimt's legacy leaves a vivid, gilded, and unflinching world which has never stopped speaking to us.
He painted the grand halls of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, before throwing it all aside in pursuit of a far more radical vision.
In this video, we trace the full arc of Klimt's life and work: from his early days as a celebrated architectural muralist, through the founding of the Vienna Secession, to the scandalous university paintings that turned the establishment against him, and the remarkable Golden Phase that produced a new generation of masterpieces.
Creating a visual language unlike anything seen before, Klimt's legacy leaves a vivid, gilded, and unflinching world which has never stopped speaking to us.
Sunday, June 21, 2026
Great Progress' at US-Iran Says US Vice-President JD Vance | BBC News
Jun 21, 2026 | Switzerland has hosted a first round of talks on a long-term peace deal between the United States and Iran.
The US Vice President, JD Vance, called them 'historic' and said that great progress had been made.
Iranian media are reporting that the delegation from Tehran refused to share a photo opportunity ahead of the negotiations, and they've been angered by renewed threats from President Trump to bomb Iran if it fails to rein in Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon.
Israel is insisting its troops will continue to occupy southern Lebanon to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah attack.
When it comes to peace deals, the Trump regime seem to be such amateurs. — © Mark Alexander
The US Vice President, JD Vance, called them 'historic' and said that great progress had been made.
Iranian media are reporting that the delegation from Tehran refused to share a photo opportunity ahead of the negotiations, and they've been angered by renewed threats from President Trump to bomb Iran if it fails to rein in Hezbollah, its proxy in Lebanon.
Israel is insisting its troops will continue to occupy southern Lebanon to protect northern Israel from Hezbollah attack.
When it comes to peace deals, the Trump regime seem to be such amateurs. — © Mark Alexander
Scott and Kip | Gay Love Story (Crazy Daddy)
How come all the beautiful people are queer? It must surely be one of God’s blessings! 😊 — © Mark Alexander
The Secret Gay Republican Subculture They Never Talk About | Rick Wilson & Stuart Stevens
Strong language alert!
Waleed Asadi: Fire-roasted Eggplant [Aubergine] Dip: Mutabal or Baba Ghanoush | متبل أو بابا غنوج
Click here for the full recipe.
Waleed’s very own selection of spices can be found here. Don’t forget to use the code ZAWI10 for 10% off your first order.
Waleed’s favourite Lebanese olive oil, Les Cousines, can be found here. Don’t forget to use Waleed’s very own special introductory code for 15% off your first order.
According to Google AI, mutabal (متبل) and baba ghanoush (بابا غنوج) are indeed different. Both are made with eggplant (aubergine). But mutabal is made with tahini and is smooth and creamy. Baba ghanoush, on the other hand, is a chunky relish, rather like a vegetable salad. — Mark
Israel’s Extremists: The Radical Men Pushing the Region Toward Chaos | ENDEVR Documentary
June 7, 2026 | In the space of a year, Israeli democracy has faltered. From the judicial reforms that deeply divided the country in the first nine months of 2023, to the war against Hamas that followed the tragedy of the 7 October massacre,
Benyamin Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in the country’s history, has continued to deepen Israel’s internal divisions and led the country to face the worst existential threat in its history.
Two men embody the radical initiatives of this government, two leading ministers who occupy regalian functions: internal security and finance. Their names: Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Both are complete unknowns on the international scene, brought into the spotlight by the events of recent months. They are the heirs of two ideological currents that were once marginal: Kahanism and religious Zionism.
Today, they are throwing all their weight behind their ideological agenda: imposing Jewish supremacist legislation, in the case of the former, and re-founding biblical Israel, in the case of the latter.
Who are they? What do they want? What is their background?
This documentary investigates two men whose strategy is to sow chaos in order to advance their ultimate project: imposing Jewish law on “Greater Israel”, from the sea to the Jordan River, and thus definitively annexing the West Bank, Gaza and even beyond.
This documentary originally aired in 2024
Benyamin Netanyahu’s government, the most right-wing in the country’s history, has continued to deepen Israel’s internal divisions and led the country to face the worst existential threat in its history.
Two men embody the radical initiatives of this government, two leading ministers who occupy regalian functions: internal security and finance. Their names: Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Both are complete unknowns on the international scene, brought into the spotlight by the events of recent months. They are the heirs of two ideological currents that were once marginal: Kahanism and religious Zionism.
Today, they are throwing all their weight behind their ideological agenda: imposing Jewish supremacist legislation, in the case of the former, and re-founding biblical Israel, in the case of the latter.
Who are they? What do they want? What is their background?
This documentary investigates two men whose strategy is to sow chaos in order to advance their ultimate project: imposing Jewish law on “Greater Israel”, from the sea to the Jordan River, and thus definitively annexing the West Bank, Gaza and even beyond.
This documentary originally aired in 2024
Trump and Meloni Are in Open Feud, and It’s Escalating | DW News
The Terrifying Reason Peter Thiel Escaped the US
Jun 19, 2026 | Peter Thiel moved his family to Buenos Aires just as California weighed a billionaires’ tax, sparking headlines about secret escape plans and a crumbling West. But his companies are raking in record US government cash, and his fortune remains rooted in America.
This video exposes why Thiel really chose Argentina, the loopholes that shelter his wealth, and what it reveals about how the world’s richest dodge taxes and borders while the rest of us are stuck in place.
This video exposes why Thiel really chose Argentina, the loopholes that shelter his wealth, and what it reveals about how the world’s richest dodge taxes and borders while the rest of us are stuck in place.
Tabaksteuer steigt: Zigarettenpreise könnten bis 2027 auf 11,40 Euro klettern
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Der Bund rechnet mit Milliarden-Mehreinnahmen. Auch andere Tabakprodukte sollen teurer werden.
Dieses Bild stammt aus diesem Artikel. | Das Finanzministerium plant eine deutliche Verteuerung von Zigaretten. | © Sven Hoppe/dpa
Das Bundesfinanzministerium hat einen Entwurf für eine schrittweise deutliche Erhöhung der Tabaksteuer vorgelegt. Der Durchschnittspreis für eine 20er-Packung Zigaretten könnte demnach von rund 8,80 Euro im Jahr 2027 auf etwa 11,40 Euro im Jahr 2030 steigen, wie aus dem Entwurf hervorgeht, der der Deutschen Presse-Agentur vorliegt.
Der Steueranteil am Päckchenpreis würde sich nach den Plänen von rund 4,40 Euro auf 5,75 Euro erhöhen. Die Verteuerung soll auch für andere gängige Tabakprodukte gelten.
Ein Sprecher des Finanzministeriums erklärte auf Anfrage, der Entwurf diene „auch dem Schutz der öffentlichen Gesundheit und steht im Einklang mit dem Ziel, die Raucherquote von Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen zu senken“. Zudem sei es eine zentrale Aufgabe, den Haushalt zu konsolidieren und die Einnahmeseite zu stärken. „Dazu gehört unter anderem, die Tabaksteuer zu erhöhen.“ » | Stephanie Lehner | Samstag, 20. Juni 2026
Der Krieg gegen Raucher und das Rauchen ist unaufhörlich. Raucher stehen immer wieder im Visier westlicher Politiker, die vorgeben, sich um ihre Gesundheit zu kümmern, in Wirklichkeit aber nur an den Kosten des Rauchens interessiert sind und die Staatskassen mit Steuereinnahmen füllen wollen. — © Mark Alexander
Das Bundesfinanzministerium hat einen Entwurf für eine schrittweise deutliche Erhöhung der Tabaksteuer vorgelegt. Der Durchschnittspreis für eine 20er-Packung Zigaretten könnte demnach von rund 8,80 Euro im Jahr 2027 auf etwa 11,40 Euro im Jahr 2030 steigen, wie aus dem Entwurf hervorgeht, der der Deutschen Presse-Agentur vorliegt.
Der Steueranteil am Päckchenpreis würde sich nach den Plänen von rund 4,40 Euro auf 5,75 Euro erhöhen. Die Verteuerung soll auch für andere gängige Tabakprodukte gelten.
Ein Sprecher des Finanzministeriums erklärte auf Anfrage, der Entwurf diene „auch dem Schutz der öffentlichen Gesundheit und steht im Einklang mit dem Ziel, die Raucherquote von Jugendlichen und Erwachsenen zu senken“. Zudem sei es eine zentrale Aufgabe, den Haushalt zu konsolidieren und die Einnahmeseite zu stärken. „Dazu gehört unter anderem, die Tabaksteuer zu erhöhen.“ » | Stephanie Lehner | Samstag, 20. Juni 2026
Der Krieg gegen Raucher und das Rauchen ist unaufhörlich. Raucher stehen immer wieder im Visier westlicher Politiker, die vorgeben, sich um ihre Gesundheit zu kümmern, in Wirklichkeit aber nur an den Kosten des Rauchens interessiert sind und die Staatskassen mit Steuereinnahmen füllen wollen. — © Mark Alexander
Iran : une chanteuse et son groupe condamnés à 74 coups de fouet chacun pour un concert
LE FIGARO : En Iran, les femmes n’ont pas le droit de chanter en public. Elles sont en outre tenues de porter des tenues couvrantes ne révélant pas leurs formes et de porter le voile.
Un tribunal iranien a condamné la chanteuse Parastoo Ahmadi et sept autres artistes à 74 coups de fouet chacun pour avoir diffusé un concert sur YouTube, selon sa vidéaste et un média local.
Dans cette prestation, retransmise en direct en décembre 2024 et en ligne depuis, Parastoo Ahmadi interprétait des chansons empreintes de force et de mélancolie devant une salle vide, sur une scène faiblement éclairée et décorée d'un simple tapis persan, dans l'enceinte d'un caravansérail traditionnel.
Elle était accompagnée d'un pianiste, d'un batteur, d'un guitariste et d'un bassiste, tous vêtus de noir, tandis qu'elle portait une longue robe à bretelles, les lèvres maquillées en rouge. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 21 juin 2026
Un tribunal iranien a condamné la chanteuse Parastoo Ahmadi et sept autres artistes à 74 coups de fouet chacun pour avoir diffusé un concert sur YouTube, selon sa vidéaste et un média local.
Dans cette prestation, retransmise en direct en décembre 2024 et en ligne depuis, Parastoo Ahmadi interprétait des chansons empreintes de force et de mélancolie devant une salle vide, sur une scène faiblement éclairée et décorée d'un simple tapis persan, dans l'enceinte d'un caravansérail traditionnel.
Elle était accompagnée d'un pianiste, d'un batteur, d'un guitariste et d'un bassiste, tous vêtus de noir, tandis qu'elle portait une longue robe à bretelles, les lèvres maquillées en rouge. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 21 juin 2026
Two-thirds of EU Citizens Back UK Rejoining Bloc, Survey Finds
THE GUARDIAN: Poll also finds three quarters of people in Britain want closer ties, with majority accepting free movement
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Activists hold EU flags during the weekly anti-Brexit and pro-EU protest in London’s Parliament Square this week, calling on the UK government to rejoin the EU. Photograph: Vuk Valcic/Sopa Images/Shutterstock
Two-thirds of EU citizens would back Britain rejoining the bloc, while most UK voters say Brexit has been bad for the issues they care about and want closer ties, including levels of integration – such as free movement – long seen as toxic, a survey has found.
Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the polling by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a thinktank, found 66% of respondents across 15 countries felt UK membership was a very good, good or “neither a good nor a bad” idea.
The average comfortably exceeded those favouring a closer relationship (59%) or the status quo (46%). Support for rejoin ranged from lows of 56% in Bulgaria and 59% in France and Italy to highs of 75% in the Netherlands and Denmark.
Even voters for far-right and EU-critical parties said they would support closer relations between the bloc and the UK, including a majority of backers of Poland’s Confederation (71%), Germany’s AfD (58%) and France’s National Rally (58%). » | Jon Henley | Europe correspondent | Sunday, June 21, 2026
HALLELUJAH! – Mark
ALSO READ:
Brexit isn’t working: British voters are ready for a European future »
Two-thirds of EU citizens would back Britain rejoining the bloc, while most UK voters say Brexit has been bad for the issues they care about and want closer ties, including levels of integration – such as free movement – long seen as toxic, a survey has found.
Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the polling by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), a thinktank, found 66% of respondents across 15 countries felt UK membership was a very good, good or “neither a good nor a bad” idea.
The average comfortably exceeded those favouring a closer relationship (59%) or the status quo (46%). Support for rejoin ranged from lows of 56% in Bulgaria and 59% in France and Italy to highs of 75% in the Netherlands and Denmark.
Even voters for far-right and EU-critical parties said they would support closer relations between the bloc and the UK, including a majority of backers of Poland’s Confederation (71%), Germany’s AfD (58%) and France’s National Rally (58%). » | Jon Henley | Europe correspondent | Sunday, June 21, 2026
HALLELUJAH! – Mark
ALSO READ:
Brexit isn’t working: British voters are ready for a European future »
Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz, Accusing US and Israel of Violating Ceasefire Deal | BBC News
Jun 20, 2026 | Iran closes Strait of Hormuz, accusing US and Israel of violating ceasefire deal | BBC News
Iran has said it is closing the Strait of Hormuz and accuses the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire deal, after Israel continued strikes on Lebanon.
The news comes as roughly two dozen people were reportedly killed by Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, less than 24 hours after a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says his country's attendance at talks in Switzerland will be aimed at "demanding that the other side fulfil its commitments".
US Vice-President JD Vance tells Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open, after being asked about reporting in the Wall Street Journal suggesting the Iranian navy were turning away ships.
Iran has said it is closing the Strait of Hormuz and accuses the US and Israel of violating the ceasefire deal, after Israel continued strikes on Lebanon.
The news comes as roughly two dozen people were reportedly killed by Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon, less than 24 hours after a new ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was announced.
Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says his country's attendance at talks in Switzerland will be aimed at "demanding that the other side fulfil its commitments".
US Vice-President JD Vance tells Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz remains fully open, after being asked about reporting in the Wall Street Journal suggesting the Iranian navy were turning away ships.
My Sincere Apologies
MARK ALEXANDER: Please accept my sincere apologies for the disruption in my blogging this weekend. The disruption has been caused by the transfer of details from my old computer to my new one. The process has taken far longer than I had imagined, and it has caused far more disruption than I could ever have imagined as well.
Rest assured that I will be back with you, giving you and this blog my full attention at the earliest possible convenience, which should be very soon.
So many glitches to iron out!
Warm wishes,
Mark
Rest assured that I will be back with you, giving you and this blog my full attention at the earliest possible convenience, which should be very soon.
So many glitches to iron out!
Warm wishes,
Mark
Espagne : un tribunal interdit à l'épouse du premier ministre Pedro Sanchez de quitter le pays
LE FIGARO : En avril dernier, Begoña Gomez a été inculpée pour corruption au terme de deux ans d’enquête.
Un tribunal espagnol a ordonné que l'épouse du premier ministre Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, soit jugée pour corruption et lui a interdit de quitter le pays, selon une ordonnance rendue publique samedi.
Le juge Juan Carlos Peinado a ordonné à Mme Gómez de remettre son passeport et de se présenter aux autorités deux fois par mois jusqu'au prononcé du jugement, selon la même source. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 20 juin 2026
ALSO READ:
Spanish PM’s wife to stand trial on corruption charges and banned from leaving country: Begoña Gómez has been ordered to surrender her passport as her husband, Pedro Sánchez, says the case is politically motivated »
Un tribunal espagnol a ordonné que l'épouse du premier ministre Pedro Sánchez, Begoña Gómez, soit jugée pour corruption et lui a interdit de quitter le pays, selon une ordonnance rendue publique samedi.
Le juge Juan Carlos Peinado a ordonné à Mme Gómez de remettre son passeport et de se présenter aux autorités deux fois par mois jusqu'au prononcé du jugement, selon la même source. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 20 juin 2026
ALSO READ:
Spanish PM’s wife to stand trial on corruption charges and banned from leaving country: Begoña Gómez has been ordered to surrender her passport as her husband, Pedro Sánchez, says the case is politically motivated »
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)