By the way, who is that DH speaking at the start of the short video? He’s talking through his ar**! — © Mark Alexander
Monday, August 10, 2026
Billionaires
By the way, who is that DH speaking at the start of the short video? He’s talking through his ar**! — © Mark Alexander
Should N.Y. Bathhouses Be Allowed to Offer Space for Sex?
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Two state lawmakers have proposed repealing a health code that prohibits establishments like bathhouses from allowing sexual activity.
This screenshot has been taken from this NYT article. | Public gay bathhouses were essentially outlawed in New York City in 1985 during the AIDS crisis.
Before gay kickball leagues, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Grindr or even Stonewall, there was the steamy world of bathhouses.
Operating 24 hours a day, bathhouses were havens for gay men, where they could be entertained by the likes of Bette Midler and Barry Manilow, go for a swim and engage in sexual activity.
But at the height of the AIDS crisis some 40 years ago, public health officials in New York shuttered adult saunas and bathhouses to try to stop the spread of disease.
Now a group of gay state lawmakers are spearheading a push to bring back what they describe as vital cultural spaces.
“It’s 2026, not 1986,” said Tony Simone, a State Assembly sponsor of the bill whose district in Manhattan includes Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. “We have modern medicine and education. It’s ridiculous that this is legal in Florida, in Texas, but not in New York City.” » | Grace Ashford | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Before gay kickball leagues, “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Grindr or even Stonewall, there was the steamy world of bathhouses.
Operating 24 hours a day, bathhouses were havens for gay men, where they could be entertained by the likes of Bette Midler and Barry Manilow, go for a swim and engage in sexual activity.
But at the height of the AIDS crisis some 40 years ago, public health officials in New York shuttered adult saunas and bathhouses to try to stop the spread of disease.
Now a group of gay state lawmakers are spearheading a push to bring back what they describe as vital cultural spaces.
“It’s 2026, not 1986,” said Tony Simone, a State Assembly sponsor of the bill whose district in Manhattan includes Chelsea and Hell’s Kitchen. “We have modern medicine and education. It’s ridiculous that this is legal in Florida, in Texas, but not in New York City.” » | Grace Ashford | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Drought Set to Be Declared across Most of England
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain braces for fifth heatwave as unprecedented period of dry and hot weather continues
Drought is set to be extended across England as the country braces for its fifth heatwave of the year.
Half of England and the whole of Wales are already in drought after the driest July since rainfall records began in 1836, 190 years ago. The National Drought Group, made up of regulators, government officials, water companies and agricultural bodies, will meet on Monday to decide if drought should be declared in more regions.
Two weeks ago, the Environment Agency (EA) listed Hertfordshire, the whole of London, East Anglia, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands and Wessex, which covers Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, as being in drought. » | Tom McArdle | Monday, August 10, 2026
British Widow, 78, Told to Leave Sweden under Brexit Rules after Living There for 21 Years
THE GUARDIAN: Authorities say application to stay was made too late, as UK officials say Sweden takes ‘stricter approach’ than other EU countries
This screenshot has been taken from this Guardian article. | Joyce Thomas, 78, is now taking the case to a higher court. Photograph: Helena Karlsson/NWT
A 78-year-old British widow who has lived in Sweden for 21 years is fighting deportation from the country after authorities told her a post-Brexit application to stay had been submitted too late.
Her case is the latest of 2,500 British people ordered to leave the country after Brexit in what campaigners and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have said is an inexplicably hardline approach taken by the Swedish authorities. It comes two years after Sweden threatened to deport a British woman with dementia in a care home shortly before she died.
Joyce Thomas, a retired nurse, was given just four weeks to leave Sweden in November, three years after her husband had died, causing huge distress.
After being widowed, Thomas downsized with her dog to an apartment in Hammarö, which is close to her son and grandchildren, and to her husband’s grave.
She said she sometimes felt overwhelmed by the distress of what was happening. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Monday, August 10, 2026
Good God! How bloody cruel can anyone be? To throw out of the country a respectable, elderly lady is an absolute disgrace. Fie on the Swedes! — © Mark Alexander
A 78-year-old British widow who has lived in Sweden for 21 years is fighting deportation from the country after authorities told her a post-Brexit application to stay had been submitted too late.
Her case is the latest of 2,500 British people ordered to leave the country after Brexit in what campaigners and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) have said is an inexplicably hardline approach taken by the Swedish authorities. It comes two years after Sweden threatened to deport a British woman with dementia in a care home shortly before she died.
Joyce Thomas, a retired nurse, was given just four weeks to leave Sweden in November, three years after her husband had died, causing huge distress.
After being widowed, Thomas downsized with her dog to an apartment in Hammarö, which is close to her son and grandchildren, and to her husband’s grave.
She said she sometimes felt overwhelmed by the distress of what was happening. » | Lisa O’Carroll | Monday, August 10, 2026
Good God! How bloody cruel can anyone be? To throw out of the country a respectable, elderly lady is an absolute disgrace. Fie on the Swedes! — © Mark Alexander
Sunday, August 09, 2026
Saudi Prince Died at 29 — What the London Hotel Cameras Revealed
Aug 8, 2026 | In November 2025, a Saudi prince checked into a London hotel for what seemed like an ordinary visit. A week later, his life came to an unexpected end behind a locked door.
For eight months, the circumstances remained shrouded in silence, protected by royal discretion and family grief. But British law requires answers, and when the court files were finally opened, they revealed a story far more complex than anyone had imagined.
This is an account of privilege and vulnerability, of private struggles hidden behind palace walls, and of how one family faced not one but two devastating losses in a single year.
What really happened during those final days? What did the security footage reveal? And why does this story matter beyond the headlines?
The investigation uncovered medical records, missed appointments, and the last ordinary moments captured on camera. It painted a portrait of a young man who had sought help, completed treatment, and then vanished from his support network in the weeks before tragedy struck.
This is not a story of scandal or conspiracy, but of the fragile line between recovery and relapse, and the universal truth that wealth and lineage offer no immunity from personal demons.
The documentary approach taken here respects both the gravity of the loss and the lessons it holds for understanding the hidden pressures faced by those born into extraordinary circumstances.
Some scenes in this video are visual reconstructions created for illustrative purposes based on publicly reported information and the findings presented at the British coroner’s inquest. They are not authentic CCTV footage unless explicitly identified as such.
For eight months, the circumstances remained shrouded in silence, protected by royal discretion and family grief. But British law requires answers, and when the court files were finally opened, they revealed a story far more complex than anyone had imagined.
This is an account of privilege and vulnerability, of private struggles hidden behind palace walls, and of how one family faced not one but two devastating losses in a single year.
What really happened during those final days? What did the security footage reveal? And why does this story matter beyond the headlines?
The investigation uncovered medical records, missed appointments, and the last ordinary moments captured on camera. It painted a portrait of a young man who had sought help, completed treatment, and then vanished from his support network in the weeks before tragedy struck.
This is not a story of scandal or conspiracy, but of the fragile line between recovery and relapse, and the universal truth that wealth and lineage offer no immunity from personal demons.
The documentary approach taken here respects both the gravity of the loss and the lessons it holds for understanding the hidden pressures faced by those born into extraordinary circumstances.
Some scenes in this video are visual reconstructions created for illustrative purposes based on publicly reported information and the findings presented at the British coroner’s inquest. They are not authentic CCTV footage unless explicitly identified as such.
Jeffrey Sachs: Israel Is Finished — And They Can't Survive One Day Without America
August 9, 2026 | Jeffrey Sachs delivers his sharpest warning yet: Israel is finished — and it cannot survive a single day without the United States.
In this analysis, economist and foreign policy expert Jeffrey Sachs breaks down why Netanyahu's government is collapsing, why American public opinion has turned decisively against Israel, and why the entire "Greater Israel" project depends completely on Washington's backing.
Sachs argues that the war machine driving US foreign policy isn't about security at all — it's about power, primacy, and the enrichment of Wall Street, big oil, and Silicon Valley. He also exposes the strategic blueprint behind decades of American intervention: Zbigniew Brzezinski's "Grand Chessboard" and the theory of geopolitical pivot states — revealing why Ukraine and Iran were targeted deliberately, and why this entire strategy is now falling apart.
A must-watch for anyone trying to understand the real forces shaping the Middle East, US hegemony, and the shifting global order.
In this analysis, economist and foreign policy expert Jeffrey Sachs breaks down why Netanyahu's government is collapsing, why American public opinion has turned decisively against Israel, and why the entire "Greater Israel" project depends completely on Washington's backing.
Sachs argues that the war machine driving US foreign policy isn't about security at all — it's about power, primacy, and the enrichment of Wall Street, big oil, and Silicon Valley. He also exposes the strategic blueprint behind decades of American intervention: Zbigniew Brzezinski's "Grand Chessboard" and the theory of geopolitical pivot states — revealing why Ukraine and Iran were targeted deliberately, and why this entire strategy is now falling apart.
A must-watch for anyone trying to understand the real forces shaping the Middle East, US hegemony, and the shifting global order.
Hunter Biden on Trump's "Revenge and Retribution" and Why Pardon 'Not Good' for His Father's Legacy
En Albanie, cette « révolution des flamants roses » contre le pouvoir et la famille Donald Trump
LE FIGARO : REPORTAGE - La contestation envers le gouvernement d’Edi Rama, accusé de corruption, ne faiblit pas depuis qu’il a accordé à Ivanka Trump, la fille du président des États-Unis, la possibilité de bâtir un complexe touristique dans une zone protégée, jusqu’ici prisée par des flamants roses.
Une clameur s’élève au cœur de Tirana, près de la statue de Georges Kastrioti, dit Skanderbeg, le héros national de l’Albanie, emblème de la résistance à l’empire Ottoman au XVe siècle. Des centaines de manifestants se massent sur la place Skanderbeg, où l’architecture italo-fasciste côtoie des édifices albano-soviétiques, avant d’emprunter vers 19 heures le boulevard Deshmorët e Kombit, les Champs-Élysées de la capitale albanaise, pour se donner rendez-vous devant le bureau du premier ministre. Des adolescents et des personnes âgées avancent au pas, dans une ambiance bon enfant.
Tous les soirs, depuis plus de deux mois, ils se retrouvent pour s’opposer au gouvernement d’Edi Rama. Celui-ci a accordé à Ivanka Trump et son mari Jared Kushner le statut d’investisseurs stratégiques pour la réalisation d’un vaste complexe immobilier de luxe de quatre milliards de dollars sur l’île de Sazan, au large de la ville de Vlora et près de la lagune de Narta, où une réserve naturelle de flamants roses est désormais menacée. » | Par Service Infographie et Ludovic Hirtzmann, envoyé spécial à Tirana et à Vlora (Albanie) | dimanche 9 août 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Expressions of Love: Tender Gestures
Voices from the Streets of Moscow...Plus, a Review of the Putin 2027 Calendar.
Israel Rejects Trump's 15-point Plan for Gaza, Netanyahu Says | BBC News
August 9, 2026 | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected US President Donald Trump's 15-point plan for Gaza, saying there will be no military withdrawal until Hamas is "genuinely" disarmed.
Trump's Board of Peace said last month that it had reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. However, Hamas said it would surrender its heavy weapons only if Israel ended "all forms of aggression" and withdrew its forces from the territory.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday. The decision is another setback for Trump's peace initiative for Gaza, which was announced in September last year.
Trump's Board of Peace said last month that it had reached an agreement for the "complete disarmament" of Hamas and other armed groups in Gaza. However, Hamas said it would surrender its heavy weapons only if Israel ended "all forms of aggression" and withdrew its forces from the territory.
"Israel rejects the 15-point document," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting on Sunday. The decision is another setback for Trump's peace initiative for Gaza, which was announced in September last year.
Europe Braces for Another Heat Wave. Here’s What to Know.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: High temperature warnings were in place across western, central and southern Europe on Sunday as a heat dome intensifies across the continent.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Note: Data is as of 8:25 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9 Central European Time. Forecast is for 24 hours beginning at 8 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9 C.E.T. Source: European Centre for Medium-Range Weather. William B. Davis and Bea Malsky/The New York Times
Another round of intense heat is expected to sweep across large swaths of Europe this week. Forecasters warned that rapidly rising temperatures, combined with persistently bone-dry conditions, could worsen a severe threat of wildfires.
The latest heat wave will be Europe’s fifth since May, as a broad area of high pressure — also known as a heat dome — intensifies across the continent. The most extreme heat is expected initially across parts of France, Spain and Italy before shifting toward Central Europe, where some of the highest temperatures are forecast across Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
The European Forest Fire Information System forecasts that parts of southern Britain and northwestern France, along with a stretch of territory from the Alps to the Balkans, will remain under “very extreme” fire conditions — the highest category in its fire danger forecast — through at least Wednesday. Surrounding areas, including much of the Iberian Peninsula, central and southern France and parts of the western Balkans, are also facing extreme fire conditions through midweek. » | Nazaneen Ghaffar | Nazaneen Ghaffar is a reporter on The Times’s weather team. She is based in London. | Sunday, August 9, 2026
Another round of intense heat is expected to sweep across large swaths of Europe this week. Forecasters warned that rapidly rising temperatures, combined with persistently bone-dry conditions, could worsen a severe threat of wildfires.
The latest heat wave will be Europe’s fifth since May, as a broad area of high pressure — also known as a heat dome — intensifies across the continent. The most extreme heat is expected initially across parts of France, Spain and Italy before shifting toward Central Europe, where some of the highest temperatures are forecast across Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
The European Forest Fire Information System forecasts that parts of southern Britain and northwestern France, along with a stretch of territory from the Alps to the Balkans, will remain under “very extreme” fire conditions — the highest category in its fire danger forecast — through at least Wednesday. Surrounding areas, including much of the Iberian Peninsula, central and southern France and parts of the western Balkans, are also facing extreme fire conditions through midweek. » | Nazaneen Ghaffar | Nazaneen Ghaffar is a reporter on The Times’s weather team. She is based in London. | Sunday, August 9, 2026
A Real Man
Waleed Asadi: Shish Kebab | شيش كباب | This is How We BBQ
Click here for the written 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.
NB: The Arabic word "shish" means skewer and "kebab" means grilled or roasted meat.
Sahen schöne Menschen immer gleich aus? | Stimmt es, dass ...? | ARTE
Wer hat die Monogamie erfunden? | Stimmt es, dass ...? | ARTE
Growing Up in Peru, I Thought I Knew Poverty. America Surprised Me.
THE NEW YORK TIMES — OPINION: Every year I choose a university student to accompany me on my win-a-trip journey, which is meant to highlight issues that deserve more attention. My 2026 winner is Brunella Tipismana, a recent Yale University graduate and budding journalist — and with that, I’m handing the rest of the column over to her.
By Brunella Tipismana, reporting from Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma
I thought I knew what poverty looked like. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Lima, Peru, in a family of former agricultural workers who remembered what it was like to live in thatched-roof houses. So when I drove through Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma, meeting Americans in some of the poorest ZIP codes in the nation, my first reaction was one I’m not particularly proud of.
The people we met drove cars, lived in houses with air-conditioning, owned washing machines and bought groceries with electronic benefits cards. I found it hard to empathize with their circumstances: They reminded me less of my neighbors in Lima than of my country’s comfortable middle class.
As our 1,000-mile road trip went on, though, the people I met and the stories they told convinced me their poverty was more complicated than it appeared: the young people in deindustrialized towns who told us they felt left behind and terrified about their futures, the woman in Arkansas trying to raise six children on $13.40 an hour, the grandmother in eastern Kentucky who told me that I wouldn’t find a single family in her town whose lives hadn’t been touched by addiction — a sentiment I heard again and again as we drove through similar towns in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
The Americans I met were financially better off than many of their counterparts in the developing world. But as anyone who has been poor knows, poverty is about much more than money. Many working-class Americans I met are troubled by addiction, loneliness and contempt to a degree that poor people where I’m from are often spared. » | Nicholas Kristof | Opinion Columnist | Saturday, August 8, 2026
By Brunella Tipismana, reporting from Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma
I thought I knew what poverty looked like. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Lima, Peru, in a family of former agricultural workers who remembered what it was like to live in thatched-roof houses. So when I drove through Arkansas, Kentucky and Oklahoma, meeting Americans in some of the poorest ZIP codes in the nation, my first reaction was one I’m not particularly proud of.
The people we met drove cars, lived in houses with air-conditioning, owned washing machines and bought groceries with electronic benefits cards. I found it hard to empathize with their circumstances: They reminded me less of my neighbors in Lima than of my country’s comfortable middle class.
As our 1,000-mile road trip went on, though, the people I met and the stories they told convinced me their poverty was more complicated than it appeared: the young people in deindustrialized towns who told us they felt left behind and terrified about their futures, the woman in Arkansas trying to raise six children on $13.40 an hour, the grandmother in eastern Kentucky who told me that I wouldn’t find a single family in her town whose lives hadn’t been touched by addiction — a sentiment I heard again and again as we drove through similar towns in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
The Americans I met were financially better off than many of their counterparts in the developing world. But as anyone who has been poor knows, poverty is about much more than money. Many working-class Americans I met are troubled by addiction, loneliness and contempt to a degree that poor people where I’m from are often spared. » | Nicholas Kristof | Opinion Columnist | Saturday, August 8, 2026
How Millionaires Want to Help Fight Poverty in the UK | DW Reporter
August 9, 2026 | Many Brits are struggling to get by, while the wealthy get richer and richer.
A group of millionaires want to change this – by paying more taxes. The United Kingdom is one of the richest countries of the word. But for millions of Brits, life feels more expensive by the day. Around a fifth of people in the country live in poverty, while the cost of living continues to increase.
Many families are cutting back on food, heating. or electricity usage. At the same time, the country as a whole has grown wealthier.
The total number of millionaires in Britain has grown drastically since the mid-1990s. In London, especially in neighborhoods like Mayfair, this wealth is on full display. But only a few kilometers away, there are people who live in social housing that struggle with broken pipes, water damage, and ever-climbing rents.
An unusual solution to the inequality problem has come from the wealthy themselves: the Patriotic Millionaires are calling for a wealth tax on the super-rich. The idea is to tax all wealth over 10 Million pounds at a rate of 2 percent. According to the group, this could save the country around 24 billion pounds annually, around 28 billion euros. More money that could be spent on public services, social housing, and infrastructure.
Thatcher and Reagan started all this sh**! They made the poor even poorer and started destroying the middle class. I was taken in by her. I am sure many of you were too. That woman encouraged GREED and destroyed COMMUNITY SPIRIT. — © Mark Alexander
A group of millionaires want to change this – by paying more taxes. The United Kingdom is one of the richest countries of the word. But for millions of Brits, life feels more expensive by the day. Around a fifth of people in the country live in poverty, while the cost of living continues to increase.
Many families are cutting back on food, heating. or electricity usage. At the same time, the country as a whole has grown wealthier.
The total number of millionaires in Britain has grown drastically since the mid-1990s. In London, especially in neighborhoods like Mayfair, this wealth is on full display. But only a few kilometers away, there are people who live in social housing that struggle with broken pipes, water damage, and ever-climbing rents.
An unusual solution to the inequality problem has come from the wealthy themselves: the Patriotic Millionaires are calling for a wealth tax on the super-rich. The idea is to tax all wealth over 10 Million pounds at a rate of 2 percent. According to the group, this could save the country around 24 billion pounds annually, around 28 billion euros. More money that could be spent on public services, social housing, and infrastructure.
Thatcher and Reagan started all this sh**! They made the poor even poorer and started destroying the middle class. I was taken in by her. I am sure many of you were too. That woman encouraged GREED and destroyed COMMUNITY SPIRIT. — © Mark Alexander
Hunter Biden Talks about How His Father’s Cancer Has Spread and Is Causing Him Pain
THE GUARDIAN: Joe Biden’s prostate cancer is reportedly ‘debilitating’, even as ex-president continues to speak out on public issues
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Then president Joe Biden and his son Hunter embrace in the Oval Office of the White House on 24 July 2024. Photograph: Evan Vucci/EPA
Former US president Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing him pain, even as he continues to speak out on public issues, his son Hunter said in an interview.
In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late on Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” he said. “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects.” » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Former US president Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread to other parts of his body and is causing him pain, even as he continues to speak out on public issues, his son Hunter said in an interview.
In a wide-ranging interview with the BBC broadcast late on Friday, Hunter Biden grew emotional as he discussed his father’s condition, describing it as very sad to watch.
“The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further,” he said. “It’s very painful and it’s very debilitating in many respects.” » | Staff and agencies | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Why the Iran War Won’t End Soon (w/ Alastair Crooke)
Nazi Shipwrecks Emerge from the Depths as Europe’s Danube Dries Up
THE GUARDIAN: Unexploded ordnance and a military motorcycle also recovered following record heat and drought conditions
Record-low water levels in the Danube have exposed remnants of Europe’s Nazi past, with dozens of second world war ships emerging from the riverbed during an intense drought.
In the middle of the river on the Serbian and Romanian border, a broken-up hull was visible on a sandbank that is normally underwater. Other vessels were partly submerged, some still believed to be laden with weapons.
The ships were part of Adolf Hitler’s Black Sea fleet that the German military deliberately sank towards the end of the war to slow down the Soviet advance. Historians say up to 200 German warships were scuttled in this way in September 1944. But Nazi Germany did not surrender until the following year in May 1945. » | Oliver Holmes | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Article connexe ici »
Record-low water levels in the Danube have exposed remnants of Europe’s Nazi past, with dozens of second world war ships emerging from the riverbed during an intense drought.
In the middle of the river on the Serbian and Romanian border, a broken-up hull was visible on a sandbank that is normally underwater. Other vessels were partly submerged, some still believed to be laden with weapons.
The ships were part of Adolf Hitler’s Black Sea fleet that the German military deliberately sank towards the end of the war to slow down the Soviet advance. Historians say up to 200 German warships were scuttled in this way in September 1944. But Nazi Germany did not surrender until the following year in May 1945. » | Oliver Holmes | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Article connexe ici »
Widdecombe Murder Police Reopen Inquiry into Alleged Attempt to Firebomb Farage’s Home
THE GUARDIAN: Watchdog examines handling of an incident last year that was treated as an attempted burglary
Counter-terrorism police investigating the death of Ann Widdecombe have reopened an inquiry into an incident last year, in which Nigel Farage’s home was allegedly firebombed.
During the incident in April 2025, a lit incendiary device was pushed through the Reform UK leader’s letterbox, according to reports.
Police did not identify any suspects during their investigation of the incident at the time, which was treated as an attempted burglary, and so the investigation was closed, pending any new lines of inquiry.
Since the case was reopened, CTP London said it had identified a line of inquiry “which may have been relevant” but was “not identified and pursued by [counter-terrorism police] at the time”. » | Donna Ferguson and Nadeem Badshah | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Counter-terrorism police investigating the death of Ann Widdecombe have reopened an inquiry into an incident last year, in which Nigel Farage’s home was allegedly firebombed.
During the incident in April 2025, a lit incendiary device was pushed through the Reform UK leader’s letterbox, according to reports.
Police did not identify any suspects during their investigation of the incident at the time, which was treated as an attempted burglary, and so the investigation was closed, pending any new lines of inquiry.
Since the case was reopened, CTP London said it had identified a line of inquiry “which may have been relevant” but was “not identified and pursued by [counter-terrorism police] at the time”. » | Donna Ferguson and Nadeem Badshah | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Iran Issues Tough Demands to Reopen Strait of Hormuz as Deal Still Out of Reach
THE GUARDIAN: Tehran urges US to ‘correct its behaviour’ as UAE says one of its ships targeted by Iranian missile
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Tehran, Iran. An Iranian statement said the US must never threaten the country again. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
Iran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.
Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, and its state broadcaster published a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The US must never threaten Iran again, the statement said, and must permanently end the war with Iran and its armed allies in the region. The US must lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw its military from the area. It also must “completely compensate” Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and “unconditionally” release frozen assets. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Saturday, August 8, 2026
This is clearly a humiliation for Trump. So much for MAGA and so much for Trump’s Art of the Deal. In common parlance, Iran is clipping Trump’s wings! And it is putting America in the place where Iran thinks it belongs.
The moral of the story is simple: Be very careful when picking a fight! — © Mark Alexander
ALSO READ THIS NYT ARTICLE:
Iran Issues List of Demands, Complicating Efforts to Reopen Strait: The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States met certain conditions. »
À LIRE AUSSI :
Téhéran pose ses conditions à toute réouverture du détroit d'Ormuz : L’Iran exige notamment de Washington qu’il « mette fin définitivement à la guerre et à l’agression » contre lui et ses alliés, et lève le blocus imposé à ses ports. »
LESEN SIE AUCH:
„Der Feind ist gezwungen“: Iran stellt neue Bedingungen für Straße von Hormus: Der Iran hält die Straße von Hormus blockiert. Teheran nennt sieben Bedingungen für die USA. Wie realistisch ist eine baldige Öffnung der Meerenge? »
Iran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.
Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, and its state broadcaster published a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The US must never threaten Iran again, the statement said, and must permanently end the war with Iran and its armed allies in the region. The US must lift the naval blockade of Iranian ports and withdraw its military from the area. It also must “completely compensate” Iran for war damage, lift sanctions and “unconditionally” release frozen assets. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Saturday, August 8, 2026
This is clearly a humiliation for Trump. So much for MAGA and so much for Trump’s Art of the Deal. In common parlance, Iran is clipping Trump’s wings! And it is putting America in the place where Iran thinks it belongs.
The moral of the story is simple: Be very careful when picking a fight! — © Mark Alexander
ALSO READ THIS NYT ARTICLE:
Iran Issues List of Demands, Complicating Efforts to Reopen Strait: The head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States met certain conditions. »
À LIRE AUSSI :
Téhéran pose ses conditions à toute réouverture du détroit d'Ormuz : L’Iran exige notamment de Washington qu’il « mette fin définitivement à la guerre et à l’agression » contre lui et ses alliés, et lève le blocus imposé à ses ports. »
LESEN SIE AUCH:
„Der Feind ist gezwungen“: Iran stellt neue Bedingungen für Straße von Hormus: Der Iran hält die Straße von Hormus blockiert. Teheran nennt sieben Bedingungen für die USA. Wie realistisch ist eine baldige Öffnung der Meerenge? »
Saturday, August 08, 2026
Persefoni's Kefalonitiki Kreatopita - Spiced Meat Pie from the Island of Kefalonia | KALI OREXI
July 9, 2024 | “Diversity is the spice of life and spices make for diverse food. The Greek recipes I learnt from my mum, aunties and others really warm my heart. This one is from my cousin – it’s a very traditional dish from our island of Kefalonia. Hope you enjoy it!” Persefoni Thliveris
One good meat pie deserves another! Our second recipe for the Greek Pie Drive is a Kreatopita (meat pie) from the beautiful Ionian Island of Kefalonia. Kefalonia is known for its meat pies and there are many varieties. Some are made with thin flaky fillo, others made with thicker pastry. Some are made with small pieces of meat and others are made with minced/ground meat. Some are made with a pre-cooked filling and are others cook the filling ingredients when the pita is baked.
This recipe was shared with me by Persefoni, another beautiful Kali Orexi fillo student, who learned this family recipe from her cousin in Kefalonia. Tender pieces of pork and beef, are enveloped in a spiced gravy and encased in a thick, crunchy pastry. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Do make this recipe! You will LOVE it!
One good meat pie deserves another! Our second recipe for the Greek Pie Drive is a Kreatopita (meat pie) from the beautiful Ionian Island of Kefalonia. Kefalonia is known for its meat pies and there are many varieties. Some are made with thin flaky fillo, others made with thicker pastry. Some are made with small pieces of meat and others are made with minced/ground meat. Some are made with a pre-cooked filling and are others cook the filling ingredients when the pita is baked.
This recipe was shared with me by Persefoni, another beautiful Kali Orexi fillo student, who learned this family recipe from her cousin in Kefalonia. Tender pieces of pork and beef, are enveloped in a spiced gravy and encased in a thick, crunchy pastry. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Do make this recipe! You will LOVE it!
UK Heatwave to Return Next Week as Wildfire Risk Climbs
Aug 8, 2026 | With yet another heatwave on the horizon, an early warning has been issued to health and social care providers in large parts of England that adverse temperatures may impact the population from today until Tuesday evening.
Many parts of England and Wales will face a very high risk of wildfires for days to come according to Natural England, with the risk expected to rise to 'exceptional' in some places by Wednesday.
And meanwhile, across Europe emergency services continue to battle many fires that are already burning.
Many parts of England and Wales will face a very high risk of wildfires for days to come according to Natural England, with the risk expected to rise to 'exceptional' in some places by Wednesday.
And meanwhile, across Europe emergency services continue to battle many fires that are already burning.
Deranged Bloodthirsty Monkeys and Hyenas
Tucker Carlson may not dislike this man, but I can assure Tucker that many people do dislike him. Despise him, in fact. — © Mark Alexander
Ach! Wie süß!
Espagne : un incendie de forêt dans le sud-ouest du pays ravage 4000 hectares
LE FIGARO : L’incendie, qui s’est déclaré près de la localité de Niebla, à environ 70 kilomètres de la frontière sud avec le Portugal, a été attisé par des vents violents.
Un incendie qui s'est déclaré dans la province andalouse de Huelva, dans le sud-ouest de l'Espagne, continue de progresser samedi après avoir touché environ 4.000 hectares, attisé par des vents changeants qui compliquent les opérations d'extinction, ont indiqué les autorités locales.
« La superficie touchée par l'incendie dépasse désormais les 4000 hectares », dont tous ne sont pas encore brûlés, a indiqué aux journalistes Antonio Sanz, conseiller chargé des situations d'urgence. L'incendie, qui s'est déclaré près de la localité de Niebla, à environ 70 kilomètres de la frontière sud avec le Portugal, a été attisé par des vents violents, soufflant entre 40 et 50 km/h et qui ont balayé la région vendredi après-midi, a expliqué M. Sanz. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 8 août 2026
Massive New Mideast Trip Wire as Sunni Muslim Nations Unite
August 7, 2026 | Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a landmark mutual-defense agreement, declaring that an armed attack on one nation will be treated as an attack on all three.
David Shuster breaks it down on Rebel HQ.
Un article connexe figure ici »
David Shuster breaks it down on Rebel HQ.
Un article connexe figure ici »
What's Behind Iceland's Security Headache | Mapped Out
August 8, 2026 | Iceland is known for its volcanoes, geysers and waterfalls among tourists from all around the world. But did you know Iceland is a founding member of NATO but doesn't have its own army and no defense budget even?
During the Cold War, it was crucial in the alliance's efforts to detect Soviet submarines using P-3 Orion patrol aircraft because the island lies at a chokepoint known as the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) gap between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic.
That strategic location was and still is especially important to the US which is why among security experts, Iceland is often dubbed an "unsinkable US aircraft carrier" in the middle of the North Atlantic.
But US President Donald Trump threatening Greenland and the NATO alliance as a whole, as well as growing tensions in the Arctic, have Iceland on edge.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and its increased military presence in the Arctic, Iceland started rethinking its security set-up. Could depending on NATO – and more specifically the US – now be vulnerability?
Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir has announced an increase in Iceland's defense-related spending. And the country is looking towards the European Union. It is even holding a referendum to decide whether the country should restart negotiations for EU membership that it once put on ice in 2013.
So, how is Iceland adapting to a new geopolitical environment despite having no army?
During the Cold War, it was crucial in the alliance's efforts to detect Soviet submarines using P-3 Orion patrol aircraft because the island lies at a chokepoint known as the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) gap between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic.
That strategic location was and still is especially important to the US which is why among security experts, Iceland is often dubbed an "unsinkable US aircraft carrier" in the middle of the North Atlantic.
But US President Donald Trump threatening Greenland and the NATO alliance as a whole, as well as growing tensions in the Arctic, have Iceland on edge.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and its increased military presence in the Arctic, Iceland started rethinking its security set-up. Could depending on NATO – and more specifically the US – now be vulnerability?
Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir has announced an increase in Iceland's defense-related spending. And the country is looking towards the European Union. It is even holding a referendum to decide whether the country should restart negotiations for EU membership that it once put on ice in 2013.
So, how is Iceland adapting to a new geopolitical environment despite having no army?
De Marie à Mohamed, l’histoire agitée des prénoms français qui dessine un nouveau visage de la société
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Le choix des prénoms donnés aux nouveau-nés depuis deux siècles révèle les révolutions sociologiques et même civilisationnelles qui ont traversé notre pays. Et sa fragmentation contemporaine croissante.
Jusqu’au milieu du XXe siècle, les Français ont puisé principalement dans la littérature liturgique, le calendrier des saints et les grands textes de la culture classique pour donner le ou les meilleurs prénoms possibles à leur descendance. Un choix intime, à la fois conformiste et profond, lié à l’enracinement du christianisme dans la société et à l’application consciencieuse de la loi du 11 germinal an XI (1er avril 1803), qui a longtemps servi de guide à l’état civil. » | Par Cyril Hofstein, pour Le Figaro Magazine | vendredi 7 août 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Jusqu’au milieu du XXe siècle, les Français ont puisé principalement dans la littérature liturgique, le calendrier des saints et les grands textes de la culture classique pour donner le ou les meilleurs prénoms possibles à leur descendance. Un choix intime, à la fois conformiste et profond, lié à l’enracinement du christianisme dans la société et à l’application consciencieuse de la loi du 11 germinal an XI (1er avril 1803), qui a longtemps servi de guide à l’état civil. » | Par Cyril Hofstein, pour Le Figaro Magazine | vendredi 7 août 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
US Accused of Meddling in British Politics with $500,000 Grant for ‘Public Education’ Courses
THE GUARDIAN: Documents published on US embassy’s website prompt claims of attempt to export Maga propaganda to UK
The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to half a million dollars for new “public education” programmes in what has been criticised as interference in British domestic politics.
Using language that the pro-Trump Maga movement has sought to appropriate, a funding notice identifies a goal of fostering a “national conversation” about “shared civilizational values” underpinning US-UK ties. Priority will go to applicants aiming to celebrate “freedom of speech” and “limited government”.
It comes after senior Trump officials voiced sharp criticism of British authorities and repeated misinformation on a range of fronts including abortion and digital regulation, and allied with European far-right movements in attacks on hate speech and immigration policies.
The grants appear to be separate from other grants of $12m which the US state department is planning to allocate to organisations in the UK founded by the prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young.
Those intended grants, revealed in US government documents leaked to the Guardian, are part of a package of support for European groups viewed favourably by the Trump administration.
However, the US government has now been accused of “meddling in British democracy” after documents published on the US embassy’s website invited charities, non-profit organisations and others to apply for grants under a scheme labelled “Liberty Under Law: The Shared Anglo-American Tradition”. » | Ben Quinn and Aisha Down | Saturday, August 8, 2026
The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to half a million dollars for new “public education” programmes in what has been criticised as interference in British domestic politics.
Using language that the pro-Trump Maga movement has sought to appropriate, a funding notice identifies a goal of fostering a “national conversation” about “shared civilizational values” underpinning US-UK ties. Priority will go to applicants aiming to celebrate “freedom of speech” and “limited government”.
It comes after senior Trump officials voiced sharp criticism of British authorities and repeated misinformation on a range of fronts including abortion and digital regulation, and allied with European far-right movements in attacks on hate speech and immigration policies.
The grants appear to be separate from other grants of $12m which the US state department is planning to allocate to organisations in the UK founded by the prominent Conservatives Jacob Rees-Mogg and Toby Young.
Those intended grants, revealed in US government documents leaked to the Guardian, are part of a package of support for European groups viewed favourably by the Trump administration.
However, the US government has now been accused of “meddling in British democracy” after documents published on the US embassy’s website invited charities, non-profit organisations and others to apply for grants under a scheme labelled “Liberty Under Law: The Shared Anglo-American Tradition”. » | Ben Quinn and Aisha Down | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Greenland Issues ‘Strong Warning’ as Trump-linked Oil Firm Prepares to Drill
THE GUARDIAN: Island’s government says no approval given after Greenland Energy brings kit ashore for exploratory drilling
Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | Jameson Land, a remote part of Greenland where the US company Greenland Energy has landed drilling equipment. Photograph: Terry Allen/Alamy
An American oil company connected to Donald Trump is preparing to sink wells in remote Greenland despite not having received permission from the local authorities.
As the US president renews his threats to claim the vast Arctic territory, materials to prepare for drilling were brought ashore in recent days on Greenland’s eastern coast.
That has prompted Greenland’s government to issue a “strong warning” that no approval had been granted to land the kit. “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the government said in a statement.
Two days later, Trump made his latest menacing post on Truth Social, showing himself looming over a Greenlandic village.
Executives of Greenland Energy, a Texas company set up last year, have claimed that $1tn of crude may lie beneath the Jameson Land region. They announced plans to spend $60m drilling two wells to find out. » | Tom Burgis | Saturday, August 8, 2026
An American oil company connected to Donald Trump is preparing to sink wells in remote Greenland despite not having received permission from the local authorities.
As the US president renews his threats to claim the vast Arctic territory, materials to prepare for drilling were brought ashore in recent days on Greenland’s eastern coast.
That has prompted Greenland’s government to issue a “strong warning” that no approval had been granted to land the kit. “All future logistical matters must be advised and approved by the mineral resources authority – before they are carried out,” the government said in a statement.
Two days later, Trump made his latest menacing post on Truth Social, showing himself looming over a Greenlandic village.
Executives of Greenland Energy, a Texas company set up last year, have claimed that $1tn of crude may lie beneath the Jameson Land region. They announced plans to spend $60m drilling two wells to find out. » | Tom Burgis | Saturday, August 8, 2026
Iran Plots to Deal Trump a Blow in Midterms by Keeping Him Entangled in War
THE GUARDIAN: By dragging out talks, Tehran aims to damage the US president politically – but some fear a bruised and weakened Trump could lash back
This screenshot jas been taken from this Guardian article. | Iran has distrusted the US since the 1979 Islamic revolution, but their anger is now focused personally on Trump. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
Tehran has set out a protracted negotiating timetable designed to keep Donald Trump embroiled in the Iran conflict until the midterm elections, in the hope of inflicting the same ruinous blow on his presidency as Jimmy Carter suffered over the 1979-81 US embassy hostage crisis.
For many inside Iran, inflicting meaningful revenge on Trump is a legitimate and self-standing war aim, reflected in the mood of those attending the funeral of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei where demands for retribution were ubiquitous.
While Iranian officials since the 1979 Islamic revolution have never trusted the US, that animus is now also directed personally towards Trump. He not only tore up the painfully negotiated nuclear deal in 2018, but he sanctioned the assassination of the military leader Qassem Suleimani and twice involved Iran in negotiations on its nuclear programme only to launch wars against it. He shows no remorse for the killing of the country’s supreme leader, or for the attempt on the life of Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian. » | Patrick Wintour | Diplomatic editor | Friday, August 7, 2026
Tehran has set out a protracted negotiating timetable designed to keep Donald Trump embroiled in the Iran conflict until the midterm elections, in the hope of inflicting the same ruinous blow on his presidency as Jimmy Carter suffered over the 1979-81 US embassy hostage crisis.
For many inside Iran, inflicting meaningful revenge on Trump is a legitimate and self-standing war aim, reflected in the mood of those attending the funeral of the supreme leader Ali Khamenei where demands for retribution were ubiquitous.
While Iranian officials since the 1979 Islamic revolution have never trusted the US, that animus is now also directed personally towards Trump. He not only tore up the painfully negotiated nuclear deal in 2018, but he sanctioned the assassination of the military leader Qassem Suleimani and twice involved Iran in negotiations on its nuclear programme only to launch wars against it. He shows no remorse for the killing of the country’s supreme leader, or for the attempt on the life of Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian. » | Patrick Wintour | Diplomatic editor | Friday, August 7, 2026
Soldats de la Wehrmacht, moto, mines... Touché par une sécheresse historique, le Danube révèle des vestiges de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale
LE FIGARO : À Budapest, ces découvertes sont restées dans un état particulièrement correct grâce à la matière qui tapisse le fleuve à cet endroit.
Plus de 80 ans après la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, les chercheurs continuent de trouver des vestiges inouïs. À Budapest, en Hongrie, les corps de deux soldats de la Wehrmacht et une moto allemande ont été découverts dans le lit du fleuve, rapporte Euronews. Ils ont été exhumés par un spécialiste des exhumations de la Commission allemande des sépultures de guerre dans le Danube, a annoncé l’organisation ce vendredi 7 août.
Selon elle, les dépouilles des deux hommes ont été découvertes le 2 août dans le lit boueux, en face du Parlement hongrois, aux côtés de la moto militaire et de plusieurs mines antichars. Des démineurs ont été dépêchés sur place. Deux plaques d’identité, dont les lettres et les chiffres sont restés parfaitement lisibles, ont également été retrouvées.
Selon le Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, une association allemande à but non lucratif qui a déployé sur place un spécialiste des exhumations, ces vestiges sont restés dans un état particulièrement correct pour leur âge grâce à la matière qui tapisse le fond du Danube à cet endroit : un mélange de vase et de gasoil provenant du port de la place Batthyány situé non loin de là. » | Par Ilian Valet | vendredi 7 août 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
Eileen: Storytime: My 3-year Gay Affair with a Married Straight Woman
This is an amazing and extremely interesting story. Quite fascinating. — © Mark Alexander
This story is not for the narrow-minded or the faint of heart! 😊
Why, Oh Why, Do Handsome Men Look So Sexy and Attractive When They Smoke? 😊
Trump U-turns on BBC Defamation Lawsuit after Being Told to Provide Evidence of His Finances
August 7, 2026 | President Donald Trump has once more given mixed signals regarding the 2028 election, with a recent Truth Social post hinting he might seek to run himself again.
Despite reports claiming that Trump has insisted that Republicans must work to get Vice President JD Vance elected as his replacement, he didn't seem too keen to fully endorse his VP on Thursday. When asked about Vance running in 2028, Trump insisted it was too early to think about such a thing.
He also informed White House journalists that it "could be a long time" before he departs office, adding fuel to questions about whether Trump would willingly relinquish the presidency.
Despite reports claiming that Trump has insisted that Republicans must work to get Vice President JD Vance elected as his replacement, he didn't seem too keen to fully endorse his VP on Thursday. When asked about Vance running in 2028, Trump insisted it was too early to think about such a thing.
He also informed White House journalists that it "could be a long time" before he departs office, adding fuel to questions about whether Trump would willingly relinquish the presidency.
Friday, August 07, 2026
Trump Fury as US Court Halts His $400m Dollar Ballroom Project | BBC News
August 7, 2026 | Donald Trump has reacted furiously on social media, after his administration was ordered to stop construction of his personal project, a $400m ballroom at the White House.
A federal appeals court has dealt the latest setback to the controversial project, testing Trump's presidential authority.
He has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help," the panel's majority said.
The order upholds a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the administration tore down the East Wing last year to begin the project without congressional approval.
The three-judge panel, in a 2-1 decision, said: "Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence." "The President has no - and claims no - constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people," the judges said.
Trump railed against the "horrendous" and "politically motivated" decision on social media, highlighting the dissenting judge's opinion that the order is "a blatant abuse of discretion".
He said the military and Secret Service viewed the ruling as a national security threat.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith in Washington.
A federal appeals court has dealt the latest setback to the controversial project, testing Trump's presidential authority.
He has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court. "Whether or not a massive ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for Executive self-help," the panel's majority said.
The order upholds a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the administration tore down the East Wing last year to begin the project without congressional approval.
The three-judge panel, in a 2-1 decision, said: "Each President is a temporary tenant, not the owner, of the White House and its Executive Residence." "The President has no - and claims no - constitutionally assigned authority over that property, which is designed and maintained for the use of all Presidents, current and future, and for the American people," the judges said.
Trump railed against the "horrendous" and "politically motivated" decision on social media, highlighting the dissenting judge's opinion that the order is "a blatant abuse of discretion".
He said the military and Secret Service viewed the ruling as a national security threat.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Sarah Smith in Washington.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)