Democracy Now! can be supported here »
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
L’Iran met en garde les pays du Golfe contre toute assistance à l’armée américaine
LE FIGARO : « Nous tenons à avertir: toute assistance ou facilitation apportée à l’armée agresseuse américaine équivaut à une participation aux opérations militaires américaines », a affirmé le général Ali Abdollahi.
L'Iran a mis en garde mercredi les pays du Golfe contre toute assistance à l'armée américaine, qui serait considérée comme un soutien aux opérations militaires de Washington contre la République islamique, a déclaré le chef des forces armées iraniennes.
« Nous tenons à avertir: toute assistance ou facilitation apportée à l'armée agresseuse américaine équivaut à une participation aux opérations militaires américaines », a affirmé le général Ali Abdollahi dans un communiqué relayé par l'agence Mehr. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 19 août 2026
L'Iran a mis en garde mercredi les pays du Golfe contre toute assistance à l'armée américaine, qui serait considérée comme un soutien aux opérations militaires de Washington contre la République islamique, a déclaré le chef des forces armées iraniennes.
« Nous tenons à avertir: toute assistance ou facilitation apportée à l'armée agresseuse américaine équivaut à une participation aux opérations militaires américaines », a affirmé le général Ali Abdollahi dans un communiqué relayé par l'agence Mehr. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 19 août 2026
Is Trump Snubbing South Korea for Kim Jong Un? | The Global Story
August 19, 2026 | President Trump took to Truth Social last weekend to announce that the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea.
He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, but he also accused South Korea of failing to help the US in its war with Iran – comments that suggest major new cracks in the US’s relationship with a key ally.
To understand the reaction from South Korea, Asma Khalid from The Global Story podcast speaks to the BBC’s Seoul Correspondent Jake Kwon about whether Trump’s sidelining of South Korea is a major foreign policy shift for the US.
He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, but he also accused South Korea of failing to help the US in its war with Iran – comments that suggest major new cracks in the US’s relationship with a key ally.
To understand the reaction from South Korea, Asma Khalid from The Global Story podcast speaks to the BBC’s Seoul Correspondent Jake Kwon about whether Trump’s sidelining of South Korea is a major foreign policy shift for the US.
Tessin: Kultur einer Küche - Dokumentation von NZZ Format (2004)
Jun 24, 2016 | Im Kanton Tessin hat sich die alpinlombardische Küche in manchen Gerichten bis heute sehr reich erhalten. Denn die Beziehung zu den Produkten der Landwirtschaft ist hier intensiver als in den benachbarten italienischen Gebieten. Und auch wenn das Tessin heute eine große Agglomeration ist: Die Erinnerung an die Dorfheimat der Großeltern und damit an die traditionelle Tessiner Küche haben sich viele, auch junge Tessiner, bewahrt.
«Tessin – Kultur einer Küche» entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Alice Vollenweider, Romanistin, Buchautorin und ausgewiese Kennerin der italienischen Literatur und Küche. Auf der „Menukarte“ (Auswahl): Die Wiederentdeckung der Kastanien. Die wahrhaftigen Tessiner Wurstwaren. Alltagsbrot und Festgebäck.
«Tessin – Kultur einer Küche» entstand in Zusammenarbeit mit Alice Vollenweider, Romanistin, Buchautorin und ausgewiese Kennerin der italienischen Literatur und Küche. Auf der „Menukarte“ (Auswahl): Die Wiederentdeckung der Kastanien. Die wahrhaftigen Tessiner Wurstwaren. Alltagsbrot und Festgebäck.
Les Gardiens de la Révolution seraient prêts à frapper l’Europe si Donald Trump choisissait «l’escalade» face à l’Iran
LE FIGARO : Après la révélation de cette information par le Financial Times, l’Otan est prête à faire face à toute menace et « fera toujours le nécessaire pour défendre l’ensemble de ses alliés », a déclaré ce mercredi un responsable de l’Alliance Atlantique.
L’Iran envisage d’attaquer des cibles militaires américaines en Europe dans l’hypothèse où Donald Trump choisissait « l’escalade » face à Téhéran, révèle le Financial Times ce mercredi matin. Les forces iraniennes auraient étudié la possibilité de frapper des installations américaines dans des pays d’Europe du Sud-Est comme la Bulgarie et Chypre, ont ainsi indiqué deux sources proches du régime au média britannique. Ces révélations s’inscrivent dans le cadre de l’autorisation accordée le mois dernier par la Bulgarie aux avions américains de ravitaillement d’utiliser sa base aérienne de Bezmer.
D’après plusieurs sources proches du régime, la riposte iranienne dépendrait des actions de Washington. Le régime préparerait un plan visant à élargir le conflit si Donald Trump mettait à exécution ses menaces précédentes contre les infrastructures iraniennes, alors que le dirigeant a déclaré en juillet que Washington détruirait un pont ou une centrale électrique iraniens chaque fois que la République islamique viserait un navire dans le détroit. » | Par Jeanne Durieux avec Reuters | mercredi 19 août 2026
L’Iran envisage d’attaquer des cibles militaires américaines en Europe dans l’hypothèse où Donald Trump choisissait « l’escalade » face à Téhéran, révèle le Financial Times ce mercredi matin. Les forces iraniennes auraient étudié la possibilité de frapper des installations américaines dans des pays d’Europe du Sud-Est comme la Bulgarie et Chypre, ont ainsi indiqué deux sources proches du régime au média britannique. Ces révélations s’inscrivent dans le cadre de l’autorisation accordée le mois dernier par la Bulgarie aux avions américains de ravitaillement d’utiliser sa base aérienne de Bezmer.
D’après plusieurs sources proches du régime, la riposte iranienne dépendrait des actions de Washington. Le régime préparerait un plan visant à élargir le conflit si Donald Trump mettait à exécution ses menaces précédentes contre les infrastructures iraniennes, alors que le dirigeant a déclaré en juillet que Washington détruirait un pont ou une centrale électrique iraniens chaque fois que la République islamique viserait un navire dans le détroit. » | Par Jeanne Durieux avec Reuters | mercredi 19 août 2026
US-Syria Realigned | This Is America
August 19, 2026 | Syria is still on the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, but President Donald Trump has notified Congress to remove it.
However, Trump wants much more in return. He’s even floated Syria taking on Hezbollah directly.
Al Sharaa's not going for it. He's playing it safer, sticking to intercepting weapons at the border and betting that's enough to keep Washington off his back, without pulling Syria into the war in Lebanon. P
RESENTER: Alex Marquardt
GUESTS:
William Roebuck: Former US Deputy Special Envoy for the Global Coalition Against ISIS
Wa'el Alzayat: Former Senior Midde East Adviser to US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power
However, Trump wants much more in return. He’s even floated Syria taking on Hezbollah directly.
Al Sharaa's not going for it. He's playing it safer, sticking to intercepting weapons at the border and betting that's enough to keep Washington off his back, without pulling Syria into the war in Lebanon. P
RESENTER: Alex Marquardt
GUESTS:
William Roebuck: Former US Deputy Special Envoy for the Global Coalition Against ISIS
Wa'el Alzayat: Former Senior Midde East Adviser to US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power
Strange Happenings!
MARK ALEXANDER: For a while now my visitor tracker has been showing hits from an unknown source on the east coast of Northern Ireland. From the position on the map, it seems to me to be Belfast. These visits show up several times a day, and regularly, but then when I look a little later, they have already disappeared! The whole thing is creepy. All other hits I get in a day stay there for the whole day. Not these creeps! I wonder what the hell is going on. I wonder what the hell they’re up to.
If you can shed light on this for me, I would appreciate it if you'd kindly let me know. I find the whole thing disconcerting.
Many thanks,
Mark Alexander
If you can shed light on this for me, I would appreciate it if you'd kindly let me know. I find the whole thing disconcerting.
Many thanks,
Mark Alexander
Islam: The Enemy of Democracy and Freedom
MARK ALEXANDER: Until 9/11, the western world was largely ignorant of the religion of Islam, of its goals, of its aspirations. Indeed, even since 9/11, most people, and that includes our politicians, would not score very highly in a test of their knowledge on the subject. It should be obvious to all thinking people that our politicians are actually unaware, dare I say blind, to the dangers that Islam will increasingly cause us. It is truly a case of the blind leading the blind! That means to say, uninformed and unthinking politicians leading an ill-informed electorate. But this is what we have right now. The same can hardly be said of Muslims in the Islamic world, though; for their knowledge of Christianity far surpasses - even though much of their knowledge is quite distorted - any knowledge of Islam by the man in the street in the West.
As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. But what we often don't hear uttered is its converse: Ignorance is weakness.
The West is far weaker than it need be because of this ignorance of Islam, since Islam is our greatest enemy. The greatest enemy since Nazism and communism. I'll give you some good reasons why this is so. And none of them - absolutely none of them - are based on hatred.
Islam is the enemy of the West for a plethora of good, solid reasons, and if we wish to survive as a civilization, we are going to have to bite the bullet and deal, head on, with the issues these reasons raise. Let us begin...
First and foremost, we are dealing with a religion which does not recognize any separation of politics and religion, any separation of the political from the spiritual. For Muslims, life is one coherent whole: the political and spiritual both meld into one. This has always been so, and always will be. No re-classification of the religion into two separate parts is possible because of Islam's very nature.
In Islam, all power rests with Allah, the god of Muslims. The Qur'an, their holy book, is always taken literally. Those words are considered to be the actual words of Allah. Therefore, none of these words can be changed, for to change any of them would be tantamount to tampering with Allah's words. This would be a grave sin in their eyes.
For the same reason that the words contained in the Qur'an cannot be changed, they cannot, therefore, be re-interpreted either. So do not hold your breath for any kind of reformation in this religion, because it’s not going to happen.
In Islam, all power rests with Allah, and it filters down via his vice-gerents on earth to the people. Hence the great desire among Muslims to restore the caliphate. Contrast this with the Western model of government.
In the West, the ideal political system is democracy. In democracy, all power rests with the people, and they exercise that power at the polls. In a democracy, all power filters in the opposite direction from Islam. In democracy it filters up; in Islam, down! Herein lies the greatest barrier to the miscibility of the two worlds: the western world and the Islamic world.
Without digressing too much here, I should like to add that this is the main reason why George W Bush and Blair's venture into Iraq to bring democracy there was a grave error of judgment. We are now seeing the experiment failing before our very eyes. How can one bring democracy to a region of the world where the people who inhabit that region believe that all power rests with Allah, and where they believe that Allah has prescribed their way of life for them for then, for now, and for all time?
I would suggest that where such a dichotomy exists, the most sensible and prudent thing to do would be for us to lead our lives as we see fit, and for those people to be allowed to live their lives as they see fit. That way, there would be hope of some peace in this world.
But this is not what we have done. We have done the very opposite of this: We have entered the Middle East in the hope - the vain hope in my opinion - of bringing our way of doing things, our way of life, to them; furthermore, we have allowed millions and millions of Muslims into the West - and at the very time when Christianity, the religion which underpins the West, is greatly weakened anyway - which will only give us headaches for the years ahead. Why? Because Muslims who immigrate bring their hopes and dreams and aspirations with them, hopes and dreams of establishing Islam everywhere on earth. To Islamize the world is the main aspiration of the Muslim; and we have seen in France in the recent past the manifestation of aggression in its cause. For what happened in France was in no small part because of the Muslim's desire to establish Allah's caliphate here on earth. These were the first rumblings, the first roar of the lion! Expect more of this in the future, as Islam grows stronger and stronger.
Muslims, by and large, do not respect non-Muslims. How can they? Their religion does not allow them to do so. Their religion preaches that Muslims are superior to non-Muslims; indeed, they use the derogatory term infidel for us. This word to some Westerners might simply mean that they call us infidels because we are people who do not subscribe to their faith. This, after all, would be quite logical, since to us it simply means not fidèle, or not true to the faith. But this does not completely describe what Muslims mean by this term. To Muslims, to be called an infidel is an insult indeed. It has connotations of inferiority, backwardness, and even uncleanness.
You see, Muslims believe that Islam is the perfection of religion for man for all time. They call it ad deen al kamal, the perfect religion. In their eyes, people who have not yet submitted to the will of Allah are in a state of pre-Islamic chaos, a state known to them as jahiliyyah. To Muslims, all Muslims, the whole world is classified in two parts: that part of the world which has submitted and is therefore in the Islamic state known as Dar ul Islam, or 'the House of Islam'; and that part of the world which has yet to submit and is therefore in a pre-Islamic, chaotic, jahiliyyic state known as Dar ul Harb, or the 'House of War'.
The 'House of War' is the part of the world which has yet to be taken over, and must at some point be taken over in the future. We, I am sorry to inform you, are in the 'House of War'. So we can expect anything at anytime.
Some people would ask why we were able to go for quite a long time without problems with Muslims. The answer to that is a simple one indeed. First of all, there were relatively few Muslims living in the West, so the ones that did live here were not powerful. Secondly, Muslims living in the Islamic world were, for the most part and for many years, poor by anyone's standards. This all changed with the Oil Embargo of the 70s - a time when the price of oil on the world markets soared. As a result of this, the Islamic world became rich and empowered.
Money is power; and it talks loudly. In recent years we have seen evidence aplenty of Islam being on the move. I tell you now: If we do not find a way of clipping its wings here in the West, we shall lose our democracy, and we shall be in deep, deep trouble.
So the trouble we will have with Muslims will not come only from without, but in the future we can expect trouble from the Muslims within. The millions of Muslims living here in the West will not integrate, because it is not in their worldview to do so. It is also forbidden them by their very own Prophet Himself, the Prophet Muhammad. He forbade Muslims even to befriend infidels. He also exhorted them to kill us. And he certainly told them that they should live separate lives, and dress and behave differently, so that they could easily tell themselves apart.
No Western politician is going to be able to change these facts, for facts they are indeed. Moreover, as Islam will grow here, their numbers will become greater and greater, and they will be able to use our democratic system to outvote us and introduce their form of government based as it is on their beloved Shari'ah, or Quranic laws. How do you propose we shall be able to stop them? We shall be outnumbered, and as the outcome of democratic elections depends on the number of votes cast, we shall be able to do nothing about it. This time will come quicker than we might think, because so few babies are being born to infidel families.
The only thing left for people to do, will be to fight. Inevitably, at some point, civil war will ensue. If the political process fails people, then this will be all that will be left for them: civil war, guerre civile, Bürgerkrieg, call it what you will. But one thing I can assure you, no politicians' sweet talk, posturing, or manœvring, will get us out of this one without conflict at some point in the future.
One of the biggest problems for the West is its devotion to the concept of freedom of religion. This is a lofty concept indeed, an ideal; but this devotion blinds people to one important reality: To the reality that Islam is not just a religion, but a political system, too. Indeed, it is more of a political system than anything else, and it is, in addition, a political system diametrically opposed to our own. It abhors freedom of choice, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of anything that we so cherish. The only thing one is free to do in Islam is become a Muslim, and submit to the will of Allah.
These two systems are totally immiscible, and unfortunately, we have imported this immiscibility right into the heart of the West; and to our own great disadvantage, and to the disadvantage of our long-term peace and security. What, I ask you, will the Americans do when the ever-growing Muslim population in America starts wanting to tinker with the Americans' beloved Constitution? When Muslims will see their way clear to supplant the Constitution with Shari'ah law?
Questions like these are the ones we should be grappling with NOW. To wait until the time comes would be foolish indeed.
Wake up to the harsh realities of life in the twenty-first century! We've got some collective thinking to do if we wish to save ourselves from darkness. Perhaps we shall, indeed, be forced to think about having to re-classify Islam as a political system first and foremost, a political system immiscible with our own, and one whose advance needs to be forestalled. This may be one of our only sensible alternatives. Since to give complete, unhampered freedom to Islam to grow here in the West is tantamount to digging our own graves.
© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved
This essay was first published on Friday, April 20, 2007
As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. But what we often don't hear uttered is its converse: Ignorance is weakness.
The West is far weaker than it need be because of this ignorance of Islam, since Islam is our greatest enemy. The greatest enemy since Nazism and communism. I'll give you some good reasons why this is so. And none of them - absolutely none of them - are based on hatred.
Islam is the enemy of the West for a plethora of good, solid reasons, and if we wish to survive as a civilization, we are going to have to bite the bullet and deal, head on, with the issues these reasons raise. Let us begin...
First and foremost, we are dealing with a religion which does not recognize any separation of politics and religion, any separation of the political from the spiritual. For Muslims, life is one coherent whole: the political and spiritual both meld into one. This has always been so, and always will be. No re-classification of the religion into two separate parts is possible because of Islam's very nature.
In Islam, all power rests with Allah, the god of Muslims. The Qur'an, their holy book, is always taken literally. Those words are considered to be the actual words of Allah. Therefore, none of these words can be changed, for to change any of them would be tantamount to tampering with Allah's words. This would be a grave sin in their eyes.
For the same reason that the words contained in the Qur'an cannot be changed, they cannot, therefore, be re-interpreted either. So do not hold your breath for any kind of reformation in this religion, because it’s not going to happen.
In Islam, all power rests with Allah, and it filters down via his vice-gerents on earth to the people. Hence the great desire among Muslims to restore the caliphate. Contrast this with the Western model of government.
In the West, the ideal political system is democracy. In democracy, all power rests with the people, and they exercise that power at the polls. In a democracy, all power filters in the opposite direction from Islam. In democracy it filters up; in Islam, down! Herein lies the greatest barrier to the miscibility of the two worlds: the western world and the Islamic world.
Without digressing too much here, I should like to add that this is the main reason why George W Bush and Blair's venture into Iraq to bring democracy there was a grave error of judgment. We are now seeing the experiment failing before our very eyes. How can one bring democracy to a region of the world where the people who inhabit that region believe that all power rests with Allah, and where they believe that Allah has prescribed their way of life for them for then, for now, and for all time?
I would suggest that where such a dichotomy exists, the most sensible and prudent thing to do would be for us to lead our lives as we see fit, and for those people to be allowed to live their lives as they see fit. That way, there would be hope of some peace in this world.
But this is not what we have done. We have done the very opposite of this: We have entered the Middle East in the hope - the vain hope in my opinion - of bringing our way of doing things, our way of life, to them; furthermore, we have allowed millions and millions of Muslims into the West - and at the very time when Christianity, the religion which underpins the West, is greatly weakened anyway - which will only give us headaches for the years ahead. Why? Because Muslims who immigrate bring their hopes and dreams and aspirations with them, hopes and dreams of establishing Islam everywhere on earth. To Islamize the world is the main aspiration of the Muslim; and we have seen in France in the recent past the manifestation of aggression in its cause. For what happened in France was in no small part because of the Muslim's desire to establish Allah's caliphate here on earth. These were the first rumblings, the first roar of the lion! Expect more of this in the future, as Islam grows stronger and stronger.
Muslims, by and large, do not respect non-Muslims. How can they? Their religion does not allow them to do so. Their religion preaches that Muslims are superior to non-Muslims; indeed, they use the derogatory term infidel for us. This word to some Westerners might simply mean that they call us infidels because we are people who do not subscribe to their faith. This, after all, would be quite logical, since to us it simply means not fidèle, or not true to the faith. But this does not completely describe what Muslims mean by this term. To Muslims, to be called an infidel is an insult indeed. It has connotations of inferiority, backwardness, and even uncleanness.
You see, Muslims believe that Islam is the perfection of religion for man for all time. They call it ad deen al kamal, the perfect religion. In their eyes, people who have not yet submitted to the will of Allah are in a state of pre-Islamic chaos, a state known to them as jahiliyyah. To Muslims, all Muslims, the whole world is classified in two parts: that part of the world which has submitted and is therefore in the Islamic state known as Dar ul Islam, or 'the House of Islam'; and that part of the world which has yet to submit and is therefore in a pre-Islamic, chaotic, jahiliyyic state known as Dar ul Harb, or the 'House of War'.
The 'House of War' is the part of the world which has yet to be taken over, and must at some point be taken over in the future. We, I am sorry to inform you, are in the 'House of War'. So we can expect anything at anytime.
Some people would ask why we were able to go for quite a long time without problems with Muslims. The answer to that is a simple one indeed. First of all, there were relatively few Muslims living in the West, so the ones that did live here were not powerful. Secondly, Muslims living in the Islamic world were, for the most part and for many years, poor by anyone's standards. This all changed with the Oil Embargo of the 70s - a time when the price of oil on the world markets soared. As a result of this, the Islamic world became rich and empowered.
Money is power; and it talks loudly. In recent years we have seen evidence aplenty of Islam being on the move. I tell you now: If we do not find a way of clipping its wings here in the West, we shall lose our democracy, and we shall be in deep, deep trouble.
So the trouble we will have with Muslims will not come only from without, but in the future we can expect trouble from the Muslims within. The millions of Muslims living here in the West will not integrate, because it is not in their worldview to do so. It is also forbidden them by their very own Prophet Himself, the Prophet Muhammad. He forbade Muslims even to befriend infidels. He also exhorted them to kill us. And he certainly told them that they should live separate lives, and dress and behave differently, so that they could easily tell themselves apart.
No Western politician is going to be able to change these facts, for facts they are indeed. Moreover, as Islam will grow here, their numbers will become greater and greater, and they will be able to use our democratic system to outvote us and introduce their form of government based as it is on their beloved Shari'ah, or Quranic laws. How do you propose we shall be able to stop them? We shall be outnumbered, and as the outcome of democratic elections depends on the number of votes cast, we shall be able to do nothing about it. This time will come quicker than we might think, because so few babies are being born to infidel families.
The only thing left for people to do, will be to fight. Inevitably, at some point, civil war will ensue. If the political process fails people, then this will be all that will be left for them: civil war, guerre civile, Bürgerkrieg, call it what you will. But one thing I can assure you, no politicians' sweet talk, posturing, or manœvring, will get us out of this one without conflict at some point in the future.
One of the biggest problems for the West is its devotion to the concept of freedom of religion. This is a lofty concept indeed, an ideal; but this devotion blinds people to one important reality: To the reality that Islam is not just a religion, but a political system, too. Indeed, it is more of a political system than anything else, and it is, in addition, a political system diametrically opposed to our own. It abhors freedom of choice, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of anything that we so cherish. The only thing one is free to do in Islam is become a Muslim, and submit to the will of Allah.
These two systems are totally immiscible, and unfortunately, we have imported this immiscibility right into the heart of the West; and to our own great disadvantage, and to the disadvantage of our long-term peace and security. What, I ask you, will the Americans do when the ever-growing Muslim population in America starts wanting to tinker with the Americans' beloved Constitution? When Muslims will see their way clear to supplant the Constitution with Shari'ah law?
Questions like these are the ones we should be grappling with NOW. To wait until the time comes would be foolish indeed.
Wake up to the harsh realities of life in the twenty-first century! We've got some collective thinking to do if we wish to save ourselves from darkness. Perhaps we shall, indeed, be forced to think about having to re-classify Islam as a political system first and foremost, a political system immiscible with our own, and one whose advance needs to be forestalled. This may be one of our only sensible alternatives. Since to give complete, unhampered freedom to Islam to grow here in the West is tantamount to digging our own graves.
© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved
This essay was first published on Friday, April 20, 2007
Doctor Explains Why Trump was So Triggered by Jon Ossoff
Andy Burnham Offers Beds for Homeless for Christmas in National Drive to End Rough Sleeping
August 19, 2026 | Andy Burnham has declared ending rough sleeping his moral mission as he announces a national drive to give everyone on the streets an offer of a bed this winter.
The new Prime Minister said the scheme will "get everyone in for Christmas" with emergency accommodation and help rolled out in England later this year.
Downing Street said under the support - backed by £442million - areas with the greatest need will receive the largest share in order to get people out of the cold in winter.
Mr Burnham will also convene a "first of its kind" national summit in the autumn months on ending rough sleeping, officials added. They said it would bring together leaders from business, finance, health and faith communities to ask how they can all play a role.
The new Prime Minister said the scheme will "get everyone in for Christmas" with emergency accommodation and help rolled out in England later this year.
Downing Street said under the support - backed by £442million - areas with the greatest need will receive the largest share in order to get people out of the cold in winter.
Mr Burnham will also convene a "first of its kind" national summit in the autumn months on ending rough sleeping, officials added. They said it would bring together leaders from business, finance, health and faith communities to ask how they can all play a role.
Geneva Super-rich Rocked by Luxury Home Burglary Spree
SWI: The Lake Geneva region is fighting a growing number of violent home robberies of its wealthiest residents, which threaten the area’s reputation as a haven for the ultra-rich and have inflamed suspicions across the border with France.
Swiss authorities are turning to video footage, number-plate recognition and tougher border policing as they try to crack down on the “homejackings”, which have shocked the normally peaceful area.
The attacks typically involve intruders breaking into occupied homes and threatening residents – sometimes at gunpoint – before escaping with watches, jewellery and other valuables across the border to France.
Private bankers, commodities traders and other wealthy executives are among those who have been targeted, fuelling concern in a region that is home to some of the world’s biggest banks and trading houses. Companies including Pictet and Trafigura have raised concerns about the attacks with authorities, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The extreme violence of the attacks has prompted some politicians to call for targeted checks at the French border and prompted many wealthy communities to hire private security.
“This trend has recently become much more organised, targeted and common,” said Florence Bettschart-Narbel, a member of the legislature in the canton of Vaud, on the north side of Lake Geneva. “We are concerned about the impact on Switzerland’s attractiveness to foreigners and companies.” » | Mercedes Ruehl, Financial Times | Monday, August 17, 2026
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2026
ALSO READ:
Switzerland’s super-rich: essential contributors or a social threat?: Switzerland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. However, its wealth is distributed very unevenly: the richest 1% own 45% of total assets. At the same time, this elite group contributes a significant share of the country’s tax revenue. Swiss public broadcaster, SRF, takes a closer look. »
Suisse : les corps de deux alpinistes belges disparus il y a 34 ans ont été retrouvés, libérés par la fonte d’un glacier
LE FIGARO : « Une comparaison directe des profils ADN a permis d’établir formellement qu’il s’agissait de deux alpinistes portés disparus dans la région du Weissmies depuis 1992 », a indiqué la police valaisanne.
Les corps de deux alpinistes belges disparus en Suisse il y a 34 ans ont été retrouvés, libérés par la fonte du glacier du Trift, a annoncé mercredi la police cantonale du Valais. Le 26 juillet, un randonneur a signalé la présence de deux dépouilles sur ce glacier du sud de la Suisse, situé près de la frontière italienne. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 19 août 2026
Les corps de deux alpinistes belges disparus en Suisse il y a 34 ans ont été retrouvés, libérés par la fonte du glacier du Trift, a annoncé mercredi la police cantonale du Valais. Le 26 juillet, un randonneur a signalé la présence de deux dépouilles sur ce glacier du sud de la Suisse, situé près de la frontière italienne. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 19 août 2026
America's Plot to Dismantle the ICC as Marco Rubio Sanctions Hague President and Prosecutor
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
As I have stated many times before, Marco Rubio is a snake in the grass. — © Mark Alexander
Jüdische Gemeindepräsidentin Knobloch vergleicht AfD mit NSDAP
BERLINER ZEITUNG: Knobloch sieht Parallelen zwischen AfD und der früheren NSDAP. Die Präsidentin der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München fordert die Prüfung eines Verbotsverfahrens.
Dieses Bild stammt aus diesem Artikel der Berliner Zeitung. | Charlotte Knobloch, Präsidentin der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern | © Sven Hoppe/dpa
Die Präsidentin der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern, Charlotte Knobloch, hat die AfD mit der NSDAP verglichen und ein Verbotsverfahren gegen die Partei angeregt. Sie sehe „in vielen Bereichen keinen Unterschied mehr zur NSDAP, bevor diese an die Macht gekommen ist“, sagte Knobloch dem Magazin Stern. Sie habe viele Parteien am rechten Rand erlebt, darunter NPD, Republikaner und DVU. Keine sei jedoch „so gefährlich, wie es die AfD“ sei. » | Stephanie Lehner | Mittwoch, 19. August 2026
Die Präsidentin der Israelitischen Kultusgemeinde München und Oberbayern, Charlotte Knobloch, hat die AfD mit der NSDAP verglichen und ein Verbotsverfahren gegen die Partei angeregt. Sie sehe „in vielen Bereichen keinen Unterschied mehr zur NSDAP, bevor diese an die Macht gekommen ist“, sagte Knobloch dem Magazin Stern. Sie habe viele Parteien am rechten Rand erlebt, darunter NPD, Republikaner und DVU. Keine sei jedoch „so gefährlich, wie es die AfD“ sei. » | Stephanie Lehner | Mittwoch, 19. August 2026
Steve Rosenberg: Swan Lake and a Coup: Russian Papers Remember August 1991
« Le visage doit être considéré comme un élément central de l’identité humaine » : le Portugal interdit le port du voile intégral
LE FIGARO : La loi interdit le port de vêtements destinés à dissimuler le visage ou empêcher son identification dans les espaces publics, ainsi que toute contrainte imposant à une personne de se couvrir le visage pour des motifs liés notamment au genre ou à la religion.
Le président portugais Antonio José Seguro a promulgué une loi votée à l'initiative de l’extrême droite interdisant la dissimulation du visage en public, et qui dans la pratique cible les femmes musulmanes portant le voile intégral.
« Le visage doit être considéré comme un élément central de l'identité et de la communication humaines », a expliqué le chef de l'État dans un communiqué publié mardi soir. L'ancien dirigeant du Parti socialiste a toutefois reconnu qu'il s'agissait d'un sujet « de grande sensibilité sociale et culturelle ». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 19 août 2026
Il est regrettable que les hommes politiques britanniques n'aient pas le même courage que leurs homologues portugais ! Le voile intégral n'a pas sa place dans les sociétés occidentales. Cela renvoie à l'époque précédant les Lumières. — © Mark Alexander
Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Trump's Natalie Harp Meltdown | Steve Schmidt
Dr Gavin Ashenden: A New Islamic Blasphemy Law in the UK? Why Jacob Rees-Mogg Was Wrong about the Fear of Islam
Spain’s Granada Shaken by 4.8 Earthquake Days after Saturday Tremor
August 18, 2026 | A powerful earthquake has shaken the Spanish city of Granada, spreading panic and causing a building to collapse.
The tremor, which was also felt in neighbouring provinces such as Almería, has registered as a 4.8 on the Richter scale. It comes following an earthquake on Saturday that measured 5 and left a trail of destruction with panicking holidaymakers running from their hotels.
The southern city of Granada, known for its stunning Alhambra Palace, was rocked by the latest tremor just after 10.30am local time. Residents felt the walls and ceilings shake with footage showing one building crumbling into the street.
The tremor, which was also felt in neighbouring provinces such as Almería, has registered as a 4.8 on the Richter scale. It comes following an earthquake on Saturday that measured 5 and left a trail of destruction with panicking holidaymakers running from their hotels.
The southern city of Granada, known for its stunning Alhambra Palace, was rocked by the latest tremor just after 10.30am local time. Residents felt the walls and ceilings shake with footage showing one building crumbling into the street.
Just Two Tender, Handsome, Loving Men…
‘The Truth about Diana’: Charles Spencer to Publish Book about Late Sister
THE GUARDIAN: Earl says he wanted to ‘write down my own thoughts and memories’ with 30th anniversary of Diana’s death ‘on the skyline’
This screenshot has been taken from this Guardian article. | Diana and Charles Spencer at a ball in London in 1985. Spencer said his sister had been ‘a one-off, dynamic character, full of love’. Photograph: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images
Charles Spencer is to publish a book about his sister Diana in September.
In the book – titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – Spencer recounts the story of Diana’s life and the week of her death. It marks “the first time that Earl Spencer has spoken openly and at length about his sister”, according to the book’s publisher, the Penguin imprint Michael Joseph. The book will be released on 22 September in the UK.
“With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister,” said Spencer. “This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.” » | Ella Creamer | Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Charles Spencer is to publish a book about his sister Diana in September.
In the book – titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – Spencer recounts the story of Diana’s life and the week of her death. It marks “the first time that Earl Spencer has spoken openly and at length about his sister”, according to the book’s publisher, the Penguin imprint Michael Joseph. The book will be released on 22 September in the UK.
“With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister,” said Spencer. “This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.” » | Ella Creamer | Tuesday, August 18, 2026
Trump Wants to Declare Hormuz 'American Territory' | The Palki Sharma Show | India Global Review
It is such a pity that America has got a draft dodger as its Commander-in-Chief. His draft dodging has made the president clueless. If I am not greatly mistaken, he hasn’t got a snowball’s chance in hell of winning this war with Iran. As always, America is good at starting wars, but not so good at winning them. History shows this to be true. — © Mark Alexander
Chicken Vindaloo | Tangy, Fiery & Cooked the Traditional Way
Click here for a full list of the ingredients. Then click on ‘more’.
Sana Siddiqui and her husband can be supported here »
NB: FYI: The pestle is the instrument you hold in your hand for crushing the spices. The mortar is the bowl you crush them in.
Floydian Cookery: The Fascinating History of Vindaloo and Its Origins
Große Mehrheit geht von langem Iran-Krieg aus: Trumps Umfragewerte fallen vor Zwischenwahlen auf Rekordtief
Seit mehr als sechs Monaten dauern die Kampfhandlungen im Nahen Osten an. US-Präsident Donald Trump hatte nach den gemeinsamen Angriffen mit dem Verbündeten Israel auf den Iran einen Erfolg binnen weniger Wochen in Aussicht gestellt. Begründet hatte der 80-Jährige die international umstrittene militärische Intervention damit, dass es nötig sei, das Mullah-Regime in Teheran zu stürzen und zu verhindern, dass der Iran eine Atombombe bauen kann. Im Wahlkampf hatte der Republikaner noch versprochen, Kriege zu vermeiden und die Inflation im Schach zu halten. » | Sven Lemkemeyer | Dienstag, 18. August 2026
Es ist höchst unwahrscheinlich, dass Donald Trump aus diesem unnötigen und illegalen Krieg gegen den Iran als Sieger hervorgehen wird. Es hat den Anschein, als hätten die Iraner die Oberhand gewonnen; sie werden daher keinesfalls zulassen, dass die Amerikaner diesen Krieg gewinnen. Ich befürchte, dass Amerika gezwungen sein wird, zu Kreuze zu kriechen. — © Mark Alexander
„Sie tätowierten uns auf Brust und Bein“: Russland kennzeichnet seine Söldner jetzt offenbar mit „Inventarnummern“
Das russische Militär soll seine ausländischen Söldner und Kämpfer im andauernden Ukraine-Krieg mit fortlaufenden Nummern kennzeichnen. Das geht aus einem Bericht des ukrainischen Militärgeheimdienstes (GUR) hervor, der am Montag via Telegram veröffentlicht wurde.
„Russland kennzeichnet ausländische Söldner der Besatzungsarmee, um die Kontrolle zu verstärken und sie zu entpersonalisieren“, heißt es in der Mitteilung. Demnach nutze das Militär ein System von fortlaufenden „Inventarnummern“, die auf die Ausrüstung oder die Haut aufgebracht werden. Unabhängig überprüfen ließen sich die Angaben nicht. » | Miriam Rathje | Dienstag, 16 August 2026
Donald Trump publie une carte du détroit d'Ormuz comme « territoire américain »
LE FIGARO : Le président avait pour la première fois parlé de « territoire américain » à propos de cette artère commerciale stratégique la semaine dernière, pendant un meeting et sur un ton qui laissait penser à une plaisanterie.
Donald Trump a publié mardi sur son réseau Truth Social une carte montrant le détroit d'Ormuz et le décrivant comme un « nouveau territoire américain », reprenant ainsi une idée déjà exprimée ces derniers jours. Le président avait pour la première fois parlé de «territoire américain » à propos de cette artère commerciale stratégique la semaine dernière, pendant un meeting et sur un ton qui laissait penser à une plaisanterie. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 18 août 2026
Donald Trump a publié mardi sur son réseau Truth Social une carte montrant le détroit d'Ormuz et le décrivant comme un « nouveau territoire américain », reprenant ainsi une idée déjà exprimée ces derniers jours. Le président avait pour la première fois parlé de «territoire américain » à propos de cette artère commerciale stratégique la semaine dernière, pendant un meeting et sur un ton qui laissait penser à une plaisanterie. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 18 août 2026
Rio de Janeiro Travel Guide 2026 | 10 Best Places to Visit
August 18, 2026 | Planning a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2026? This Rio de Janeiro travel guide covers the best places to visit in Rio de Janeiro, including Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain, Ipanema Beach, Copacabana Beach, Tijuca National Park, Selarón Steps, Arpoador Rock, Lapa Arches, Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, and Jardim Botânico.
Discover the top things to do in Rio de Janeiro, famous landmarks, beautiful beaches, lush national parks, historic attractions, scenic viewpoints, and cultural highlights that make Rio one of the world's most spectacular destinations.
Whether you're visiting Rio de Janeiro for the first time or planning your next trip to Brazil, this travel guide highlights the must-see destinations and unforgettable experiences in Rio de Janeiro in 2026.
Discover the top things to do in Rio de Janeiro, famous landmarks, beautiful beaches, lush national parks, historic attractions, scenic viewpoints, and cultural highlights that make Rio one of the world's most spectacular destinations.
Whether you're visiting Rio de Janeiro for the first time or planning your next trip to Brazil, this travel guide highlights the must-see destinations and unforgettable experiences in Rio de Janeiro in 2026.
Frauenrechte in Afghanistan: Müssen wir mit den Taliban kooperieren?
Gravitas: Child Marriage: America's Secret Problem
Taliban Recognises Child Marriages Valid | 'Virgin Girl's Silence Counts as Consent' | Gravitas
'Be Quiet, Fake News!' | Trump Snaps at Female Journalist over North Korea Questions
August 18, 2026 | Donald Trump erupted at a female reporter in a furious Oval Office clash today, repeatedly ordering her to "be quiet" and branding her a "fake reporter" in front of a 10-year-old boy.
The fiery exchange unfolded as the US president welcomed 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams to the White House after he rescued the youngster from powerful waves off the California coast last month.
The boy, Nathanial Rai, was also sitting in the Oval Office alongside Williams and his family. Trump appeared to drag Nathanial into the confrontation, turning to the youngster and asking whether he also found the reporter disrespectful.
"You're very disrespectful in front of this young man, okay? Don't you find her disrespectful? He understands," Trump said before repeatedly ordering CNN reporter Kristen Holmes to stop speaking.
The fiery exchange unfolded as the US president welcomed 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams to the White House after he rescued the youngster from powerful waves off the California coast last month.
The boy, Nathanial Rai, was also sitting in the Oval Office alongside Williams and his family. Trump appeared to drag Nathanial into the confrontation, turning to the youngster and asking whether he also found the reporter disrespectful.
"You're very disrespectful in front of this young man, okay? Don't you find her disrespectful? He understands," Trump said before repeatedly ordering CNN reporter Kristen Holmes to stop speaking.
Con amore e gusto — Die Geschichte der italienischen Küche (2013)
Jun 30, 2024 | Das Essen ist die grosse Leidenschaft der Italiener. Cuscùs in Sizilien, Ribollita in der Toskana oder Agnolotti im Piemont: Die lokale Küche ist reich und vielfältig. Was die italienische Küche trotz allen Unterschieden zusammenhält, erklärt der Historiker Massimo Montanari. Mit vielen Beispielen aus ganz Italien.
Pellegrino Artusi, der berühmteste Kochbuchautor der italienischen Küche, hat mit seiner Rezeptsammlung die Einheit Italiens mehr gefestigt als alle Politiker zusammen. In Artusis Heimatstadt Forlimpopoli wird nach seinen Rezepten gekocht. Zur Kochschule der Casa Artusi pilgern Liebhaber der italienischen Küche aus der ganzen Welt.
Pellegrino Artusi, der berühmteste Kochbuchautor der italienischen Küche, hat mit seiner Rezeptsammlung die Einheit Italiens mehr gefestigt als alle Politiker zusammen. In Artusis Heimatstadt Forlimpopoli wird nach seinen Rezepten gekocht. Zur Kochschule der Casa Artusi pilgern Liebhaber der italienischen Küche aus der ganzen Welt.
Jon Ossoff Calls Trump ‘Uniquely Despicable’ over Handling of Iran War in Rousing Atlanta Speech.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Islamophobia’s Rise in Texas: ‘I Won’t Rest Until Every Muslim Is Gone’
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Muslim communities have been growing for decades, particularly around Dallas. Now, conservatives want to roll up the welcome mat.
Ghulam Kehar rose before dawn in early June to attend the day’s first prayer at his local mosque in Irving, Texas, before heading off for a monthslong deployment with the U.S. Coast Guard.
He had been deployed before, but this time was different. He felt apprehensive about leaving his wife and four children behind in Texas, even for a short while.
Rhetorical attacks on Muslims by top Texas leaders had become more pronounced, and seemed to be trickling down. At his mosque, the Valley Ranch Islamic Center, and others across the state, congregants and religious leaders swapped stories of ugly comments directed at them while praying in public or sitting in public parks.
In recent months, a man was arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat at a major new Islamic center in Houston. Not far away, in Conroe, a woman told Muslim shoppers at a grocery store they were “not welcome in this state or this country” — after losing her job, she received nearly $250,000 from supporters after video of her comments circulated widely. In McKinney, a Dallas suburb, a woman grabbed a former mayor and stuffed paper with an anti-Muslim message down his shirt during a heated City Council hearing over a mosque expansion. » | J. David Goodman, Lauren McGaughy, Jesus Jiménez and Ruth Graham | The reporters, based in Houston, Austin and Dallas, conducted more than 45 interviews at mosques, businesses and political events around Texas for this article | Monday, August 17, 2026
Monday, August 17, 2026
Trump Betrays Allies with Threat to Bomb Oman and Reduced Protections Against a Nuclear North Korea.
How Donald Trump's Relationships with North and South Korea Are Changing | BBC News
Aug 17, 2026 | President Donald Trump has said the US will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea.
He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, and noted that South Korea had recently declined to join the US in the "denuclearisation" of Iran.
So what does this mean for the future of his relationships with the Koreas?
He cited his "very good relationship" with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un, and noted that South Korea had recently declined to join the US in the "denuclearisation" of Iran.
So what does this mean for the future of his relationships with the Koreas?
A New American Leader | Steve Schmidt
Trump Sends Son-in-law to Israel, Tells Iran to Surrender and Threatens to Bomb Ally
Aug 17, 2026 | Donald Trump is not having much luck in the Middle East - such is the US President’s frustration that today he even threatened to bomb Oman, America's ally, if they got in the way of peace talks with Iran.
And almost 11 months after the Gaza ceasefire deal was signed, the Strip is still a tent city amongst the rubble, caught between Trump’s impatience and Benjamin Netanyahu’s need for political survival.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was dispatched to the Middle East to meet with the leadership of Hamas and then to huddle with the Israeli prime minister along with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
A spokesman for Netanyahu, who flatly rejected the 15-point Gaza peace plan last week, described the talks as "deep and constructive." But the next step still depends on Hamas agreeing to surrender its arms and Israeli troops to withdraw.
Meanwhile, Trump has apparently opened up a whole new front in his war with Iran threatening to bomb Oman if they "got in the way" of his peace talks, while Tehran has threatened to go on the offensive.
And almost 11 months after the Gaza ceasefire deal was signed, the Strip is still a tent city amongst the rubble, caught between Trump’s impatience and Benjamin Netanyahu’s need for political survival.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner was dispatched to the Middle East to meet with the leadership of Hamas and then to huddle with the Israeli prime minister along with former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
A spokesman for Netanyahu, who flatly rejected the 15-point Gaza peace plan last week, described the talks as "deep and constructive." But the next step still depends on Hamas agreeing to surrender its arms and Israeli troops to withdraw.
Meanwhile, Trump has apparently opened up a whole new front in his war with Iran threatening to bomb Oman if they "got in the way" of his peace talks, while Tehran has threatened to go on the offensive.
Péter Magyar regiert seit 100 Tagen Ungarn: „Es hat sich wahnsinnig viel verändert im Alltag“
Noch vor einem halben Jahr hatte Csaba Lukács andere Probleme: Würde Viktor Orbán die Wiederwahl gelingen und das umstrittene „Transparenzgesetz“ durchbringen, wäre das vermutlich der Todesstoß für seine Wochenzeitung „Ungarische Stimme“.
Bekanntlich kam es anders: Die neue Regierung von Ministerpräsident Péter Magyar brachte ein Gesetz zur Wiederherstellung der Pressefreiheit auf den Weg; sie stoppte Propaganda-Sendungen auf öffentlich-rechtlichen Kanälen und kündigte Presseförderungen an. » | Markus Schönherr | Montag, 17. August 2026
Trump Lashes Out at Oman as the Preliminary Deal with Iran Expires.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: As a crumbling truce with Iran officially collapsed on Monday, President Trump signaled his frustration at his inability to resolve a war that he started but cannot seem to end.
In an interview with Fox News, the president lashed out at an American ally, Oman, that has been trying to mediate negotiations with Iran.
“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Mr. Trump said in a phone interview, according to Fox News’s Trey Yingst.
The latest threat toward Oman, which has facilitated talks between the United States and Iran for years and maintains that it is still a neutral mediator, came as Mr. Trump found himself without much leverage to reach the goals he set out at the start of the war.
Hostilities have now stretched past the six-month mark in a conflict that began with the United States and Israel launching strikes across Iran in February. Administration officials pledged at the time that the war would be over in four to six weeks. » | Luke Broadwater | Monday, August 17, 2026
Vulgar man; vulgar president; foul mouth! — © Mark Alexander
ALSO READ:
Houthis Claim Strike on Saudi Vessel as Red Sea Violence Escalates: The armed group, based in Yemen and backed by Iran, said it had launched missiles near the vital maritime trade route, in a conflict that shows no sign of abating. »
Iran Is Bracing for Conflict Abroad and at Home: Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment of hard-line loyalists to top jobs suggests he is prepared to keep the country on a war footing and to quash domestic dissent. »
CURATING THE TABLE: Chicken Tikka Masala | The Proper Way to Make the UK's Favourite Curry
Click here for the full recipe. Then click on ‘more’.
Sana Siddiqui and her husband can be supported here »
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)