Latest news with #anti-Europe
Business Recorder
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
PARTLY FACETIOUS: Why doesn't First Uncle get a new Chairman of PCB?
'You know there is so much the West can learn from us!' 'Well, the food here is…' 'They have Pakistani and Indian food outlets in their country so no issues there. That is not what I was referring to.' 'Given your obsession with politics, I assume it has something to do with it.' 'Yes.' 'I thought a learning process was underway. Trump began the concept of the First Daughter from us….' 'Yes, but the former US First Daughter abandoned politics while the Pakistan First Daughter went up a notch – from First Daughter to Chief Minister.' 'Right, but I heard the Brown Pope is trying to muzzle his way in….' 'Can I make a suggestion: why doesn't First Uncle get a new Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, and that would put the Brown Pope in his place.' 'Shut up. That would compel someone to change the page when….' 'Gotcha, anyway, when I said the West has to learn from us, I was referring to election management.' 'I wasn't aware that was a subject these days.' 'Yes it is – we had the head of the French spy agency telling Durov, the CEO of Telegram, not to post anything in favour of the right wing anti-Europe candidate…' 'That was denied promptly.' 'Ah, and since intelligence agencies all around the world tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…' 'Oh shush, I propose that Nazir Tarar passes legislation that would make it a criminal offence to say anything nasty about Nawaz Sharif.' 'Well, a law cannot be person specific. I would advise him to make it a criminal offence to slap a politician in public. Did you hear of a French court sentencing Damien Tarel for slapping the French President to a prison term of 18 months, 14 of which were suspended.' 'Nah, perhaps letting loose a Gullu Butt would be…' 'Right anyway my suggestion to the West to effectively manage elections: introduce some forms, forms are good, forms are…' 'Shut up, by the way MrSadiq, and I would urge him to amend his name to add Amin as a middle name, said he heard a vote of no confidence is going to be tabled against him and said let it come.' 'I have it on good authority that MrSadiq filed an application in triplicate to do just that, but that would have required turning the page and…' 'Shhhh.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Germany needs a unifier. In Merz, it is getting a chancellor whose instincts are to divide
A few weeks before Germany's federal election in late February, Friedrich Merz was forced to backpedal after a daring gambit went awry. His attempt to win votes by forcing through a hardline crackdown on migration had caused a rebellion in his own Christian Democratic party (CDU). Instead of positioning himself as a strong leader, he undermined the entire German political establishment. Merz's strategy involved breaking a taboo by relying on far-right nationalists to pass legislation for the first time in Germany's postwar history. The move fractured the country's normally consensus-driven centrist parties in the Bundestag, sparked mass protests and led to a rare public rebuke from the former chancellor and CDU leader Angela Merkel. Despite the backlash, Merz stuck to his trademark swagger and refused to back down from setting a disturbing precedent. His only nod to regret was admitting he would have liked to have seen a different result. This is the man taking the reins of Europe's central power, and the continent has cause for concern. The 69-year-old conservative will be sworn in as chancellor on 6 May, at a moment of profound reckoning for Germany. The postwar promise of Wohlstand für Alle (prosperity for all) is slipping away, with soaring inequality and a fifth of Germans facing poverty or social exclusion. Beyond the enduring east-west divide, new fractures split secure professionals from the precarious working class, old from young, urban from rural, homeowners from renters. Roads and railways are crumbling, digital infrastructure is behind the times and the education system is struggling to equip a shrinking workforce for the demands of an evolving economy. The country's industrial base is buckling under high energy costs, outdated technology and suffocating bureaucracy. The once dominant car manufacturers are reeling, caught between their own hubris and growing competition from China. Donald Trump's trade wars have turned the economy's dependence on exports into a glaring vulnerability, while Vladimir Putin's aggression is forcing Germany to confront the threat of war. Against this backdrop, the anti-Europe, pro-Russia Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has drawn level with Merz's CDU-led bloc in the polls, shattering the comforting illusion that Germany's past had insulated it from the siren calls of nationalist populism. Germany's domestic intelligence agency last week designated the AfD, which is now the biggest opposition party, a 'confirmed rightwing extremist' force. Faced with these challenges, Germany needs a unifier who can rally a divided nation with vision and purpose. But instead of a figure like John F Kennedy, who motivated the US with plans for a moonshot, it is getting an operator closer to David Cameron. Merz's failed migration bill finds an echo in the former UK prime minister's fateful Brexit gamble. Both politicians tried to harness nationalist, populist causes and lost control. The difference is that Merz still has time to change course, though his record offers little reason for optimism. In the weeks since winning the election, the incoming chancellor has swung wildly back and forth. After flirting with the AfD on the migration crackdown, he took a harder line against post-election cooperation with the far-right and offered concessions to win over the Social Democrats for a governing coalition. After campaigning on fiscal restraint, Merz made an abrupt U-turn on debt financing by hastily pushing constitutional reforms with the Social Democrats and the Greens to unlock hundreds of billions of euros in borrowing for defence and infrastructure. While changes to Germany's restrictive debt brake had been long overdue and were cheered by European allies, the sudden move was viewed with scepticism at home and contributed to pressure from conservative allies, who worried that Merz was giving too much ground to the centre-left Social Democrats. He has responded by vowing to squeeze spending, mainly at the expense of Germany's most vulnerable groups. Trained as a corporate lawyer, Merz has never run a state, a ministry or even a district council. Known for being petulant and prickly, he gave up on politics after Merkel blocked his path to power, only returning to grasp his opportunity in the vacuum she left behind. But even then, it took him three attempts to secure the leadership of the CDU. Rather than building bridges, Merz has often widened divides. In 2000, when he was vying with Merkel for control of the Christian Democrats, he proposed the concept of a German Leitkultur – which literally means 'leading culture' – and called on migrants to conform to a set of core traditions to truly belong. In late 2023, he revived that debate. In trying to imbue the vague term with meaning, Merz suggested that buying a Christmas tree was part of being truly German – excluding Jews, Muslims, Hindus and secular Germans in the process. It wasn't a slip of the tongue. The man from rural Sauerland in western Germany has called migrant children 'little pashas', accused Ukrainian refugees of 'welfare tourism' and claimed that foreigners abuse Germany's health system 'to get their teeth redone' – an allegation so inflammatory that it drew a public rebuttal from the German Dental Association. His reputation and recent actions have Merz limping towards office, with an approval rating of just 36% – between the leftist Heidi Reichinnek and the AfD co-leader Alice Weidel, according to a recent Bild poll. Far from being a knockout blow to the advance of the AfD, its classification as extremist risks playing into the party's anti-establishment narrative. The reaction from the Trump administration – secretary of state Marco Rubio called the German intelligence agency's move 'tyranny in disguise' – underscores how fraught transatlantic relations have become. To turn things around, Merz needs to find his feet fast, show that he can be the chancellor for all Germans and chart a path towards the future. With his debt-fuelled spending package, he has the resources at his disposal. But aside from boldly proclaiming that 'Germany is back' on the world stage, he has made little effort to sell the plan to the public or set out goals and objectives. That needs to change, and a bold reset of the social contract is needed. The reality is that Merz's funding plan is Germany's moonshot, but so far it lacks a launch pad and a destination. The country won't have access to these resources a second time and the new chancellor needs to make it count. Otherwise, the AfD will find itself with a clearer path to power. By appealing to populist sentiments and deepening divisions within Germany, Merz may inadvertently empower a more radical political shift, much as Cameron did in the UK. Chris Reiter and Will Wilkes are the authors of Broken Republik: The Inside Story of Germany's Descent into Crisis. The German edition is Totally kaputt? Wie Deutschland sich selbst zerlegt
CNN
12-04-2025
- CNN
Airplane cabin designs that could change the way we fly
In travel news this week: award-winning aircraft interior designs and the world's best airports for 2025. Plus, what it's like to live in a US town completely surrounded by Canada. An in-flight entertainment system that can project content on tray tables, windows or wherever passengers want to watch. A fully recyclable overhead storage bin that could advance sustainable travel. An in-seat interface that allows you to check lavatory availability without getting up. These are some of the seven innovative airplane interior concepts to have been honored by the Crystal Cabin Awards this week in Hamburg at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025. The entries range from ready-to-launch, airline-backed designs, to experimental and as-yet-unrealized projects. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Germany's Diehl Aviation were both double winners, with Diehl impressing with its smart design for an accessible airplane lavatory with wide doors and foldable sinks. See the full list here. Also getting their flowers this week were the aviation hubs honored in the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2025. Singapore Changi, renowned for its indoor waterfall, dinosaur theme park, butterfly garden and copious other delights, won for the 13th time. Paris Charles de Gaulle was named Best Airport in Europe, Vancouver International was Best in North America and Cape Town was Best in Africa. Some US citizens are worried about traveling abroad during the Trump administration. 'It feels terrifying,' said one travel blogger who is afraid of a hostile reception internationally. The US trade war and anti-Europe rhetoric have some Europeans choosing to skip US travel. 'It's like our friend started a fist fight with us,' one Copenhagen resident told CNN. For the people of Point Roberts, a 4.9-square-mile peninsula in Washington state that belongs to the US but is only accessible by land through Canada, growing anti-American sentiment is a concern. Here's what it's like to live there. Meanwhile, many Americans planning to travel domestically are anxious and confused about the REAL ID deadline looming on May 7. Here's what you need to know in order to meet the new identification standards for US air travel. Finally, a Nigerian woman who was attempting to break the world record for the fastest time to visit every continent was thwarted in her mission by flight delays and visa issues. She succeeded in her other goal, however, which she says was to highlight 'passport privilege.' She says there were 'access and options' denied her on her journey and extra checks she faced because of her 'low-mobility' passport. Xiaohongshu, China's answer to Instagram, is transforming the travel industry for younger adventurers. Locations that offer unique photo ops, such as basketball courts with great views of the Hong Kong skyline or paintwork on a wall in Seoul, have become huge tourist draws because of the app. On the opposite end of the scale, an American game streamer and his YouTuber buddy are ditching the smartphones that are the staple of their generation and attempting to cross Japan by motorbike without so much as a guidebook. They're relying on basic Japanese and asking directions from locals. For an easier way to do old-school travel, our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this round-up of the best vintage-inspired luggage and accessories. Florida's Universal Orlando Resort will open its third and newest theme park, Epic Universal, on May 22 and it's one of the largest, most expensive theme parks ever made. CNN got a sneak peek inside the first major theme park to open in the state in 26 years. Jonestown, Guyana, was the site of an infamous 1970s mass murder and suicide. CNN was among the first visitors to be taken there by tour guides. A 76-year-woman and her parrot, Plucky, were denied boarding on a Frontier Airlines flight. Here's how Plucky got unlucky. She couldn't stop thinking about the man she'd glimpsed when her ship visited a remote island. Then he wrote her a letter. Passover begins April 12 and the Thai New Year begins April 13. Here's what you need to know about the Passover Seder meal and Songkran water celebrations.
Boston Globe
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘It's just more gangster government': Scenes from the ‘Hands Off' protests against Trump, Musk in Rhode Island
Protesters gather on Saturday, April 5, 2025 for a march from Hope High School to Kennedy Plaza in Providence to protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and actions by the Trump administration. Carlos Munos Ward's protesting days go back to the 1970s when she marched against the invasion in Cambodia. But for her, Trump and his cabinet 'are so unthinkable and frustrating.' Ward said she questions why Republican members of Congress 'never' challenge the administration, particularly when it comes to tariffs and what she says is anti-Europe rhetoric. 'The rule of law is gone. He's making enemies around the world in our name,' she said. 'We're not at war, but we're not at peace. What will it take to erupt?' Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up Protesters gather on Saturday, April 5, 2025 for a march from Hope High School to Kennedy Plaza in Providence to protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and actions by the Trump administration. Carlos Munos Advertisement Protesters gather on Saturday, April 5, 2025 for a march from Hope High School to Kennedy Plaza in Providence to protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and actions by the Trump administration. Carlos Munos Protesters gather on Saturday, April 5, 2025 for a march from Hope High School to Kennedy Plaza in Providence to protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and actions by the Trump administration. Carlos Munos Spencer Barney said this wasn't her first protest. In her 28 years, the few she has marched in have all been related to speaking out against the actions of a Trump administration. 'I'm really upset about the state of things. It's like we stopped caring about our communities, said Barney, a Massachusetts native, as she held a sign that said 'U.S. Mail: NOT FOR SALE.' 'It's not that hard to care about other people,' said Barney, who said they were most upset about trans children who could not access gender-affirming care and immigrants being deported. 'But it's like this country forgot how to care, and that's why we're out here. To remind them.' Advertisement Protesters gather on Saturday, April 5, 2025 for a march from Hope High School to Kennedy Plaza in Providence to protest Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and actions by the Trump administration. Carlos Munos Shouting into a microphone in front of thousands, Daniel Denvir, the co-chair of Reclaim R.I., said he was 'infuriated and ashamed' that the federal government has continued to send support to support has 'continued the Palestinian genocide,' he said. Rhode Island state Representative Karen Alzate, who previously told the Globe how she had Rhode Island state Representative Karen Alzate spoke at the "Hands Off" protest against President Trump in Providence on Saturday, APril 5, 2025. 'You will not continue to deport my family, my friends, my neighbors.' Alexa Gagosz 'The economy is for us. And we're here to tell this administration that you will not continue to tax our money to use it for your game,' said Representative Karen Alzate, who said she is also introducing a bill locally that she said will tax the rich. 'You will not continue to deport my family, my friends, my neighbors.' Health care workers and union members also went after Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee, a Democrat who proposed a state budget this year that cut millions from health care entities like hospitals and nursing response, the crowd of thousands shouted 'Shame!''We have a saying in our union: When the boss says no, we say yes,' said Jesse Martin, executive vice president of SEIU 1199. This is a developing story and will be updated. Alexa Gagosz can be reached at
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
McDonald's to be new Bistro du coin with plan to build a takeaway 20 minutes from every French home
McDonald's is planning to open dozens of restaurants in towns and cities across France in the hope that there will be one within 20 minutes of every household. Already the largest fast food chain in France, the company revealed aggressive expansion plans that would accelerate growth in the country from an average of 20 to 30 openings a year to 50 in 2025 alone. 'The demand is there, and in nine cases out of 10 we are well received by the local authorities,' Jean-Guillaume Bertola, McDonald's marketing director for France, told the French newspaper Le Figaro. Since McDonald's opened its first outlet in France in 1972, its popularity has grown remarkably. Despite being the birthplace of haute cuisine, France has become the company's biggest market in Europe, with more than 1,590 restaurants and revenues of €6 billion (£4.63 billion) last year. McDonald's' optimism in its future growth contrasts with the overall trend in the restaurant sector, which is seeing restaurants go bust in record numbers. In January, 17 per cent more restaurants went into receivership compared to the average in the pre-Covid period between 2010 and 2019, according to the Banque de France. Mediocre food is cited as a key factor, along with rising costs and changing customer habits, experts and owners say. By contrast, McDonald's is seen as cheap, convenient and open when most restaurants in smaller towns and cities are closed. 'Why deprive ourselves? Every French person has the right to a McDonald's, less than 20 minutes from home,' said Mr Bertola. Mr Bertola has his sights set on small villages and towns like La Châtaigneraie in Vendée, where the population is 2,500, and Saint-Geniès-de-Malgoirès, in Occitanie, with 3,000 inhabitants. However, the path is less certain as anger in the country grows over Donald Trump's anti-Europe rhetoric and threats to impose a 200 per cent tariff on French wine, champagne and spirits. Within four weeks of its creation, the 'Boycott USA: Buy French and European' Facebook page has grown to more than 25,400 members. A post showing the US president, his son Donald Trump Jr., Elon Musk, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the US health secretary, getting ready to tuck into a McDonald's meal has a caption underneath that reads: 'For those who are hesitant to boycott McDonald's... here's a good reason'. An Ifop poll published March 25 by the Liberation newspaper also found that two out of three respondents said they support a boycott of MAGA America. The top three US brands French consumers said they were boycotting are Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Tesla. 'There is a Trump effect on the image of the United States, which translates into a desire to sanction the country and its products,' said Francois Kraus, an Ifop analyst. Alain Fontaine, chairman of the French Bistros and Cafés Association, denounced the chain's expansion into French food deserts, saying they've contributed to the rise of obesity in France and the erosion of traditional bistro culture. 'The bistros and cafés of tomorrow must resist the Americanisation of our consumption,' he told news channel BFMTV. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Sign in to access your portfolio
