Across Canada, tributes pour in following news of Gord Downie’s death

Tributes poured in Wednesday for Gord Downie, the frontman for the Canadian band The Tragically Hip who was considered a national treasure. Downie died Tuesday at age 53. Downie, dubbed Canada’s unofficial unofficial poet laureate, had glioblastoma, an incurable form of brain cancer. He died with his children and family close by, according to a statement from his family “Gord […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/10/18/across-canada-tributes-pour-in-following-news-of-gord-downies-death/

Trump making history by seeking changes to Iran deal, Israel’s intelligence minister says

JERUSALEM —Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz says that President Trump’s hard-line approach to Iran and the nuclear agreement signed by his predecessor is “historic” and “dramatic.” Katz — who has ambitions to become Israel's next prime minister — compared the landmark nuclear accord reached in 2015 between Iran and world powers to a modern-day equivalent of […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/10/16/trump-making-history-by-seeking-changes-to-iran-deal-says-israels-intelligence-minister/

“How about Muslim holidays in Germany?” asks one of Merkel’s ministers

BERLIN — Germany’s interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, faced a backlash by his own party over the weekend after he proposed officially recognizing Muslim holidays in parts of the country. About 4.5 million of Germany’s 80 million people are Muslims, and some regions have already introduced bank holidays linked to religion, though most of the nine official bank holidays […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/10/16/how-about-muslim-holidays-in-germany-asks-one-of-merkels-ministers/

France gave Weinstein its highest honor. Macron says he’s taking it back.

PARIS — As it continues to brew, the Weinstein scandal has now reached France. In a lengthy televised interview Sunday night, President Emmanuel Macron announced that he has asked the relevant authorities to strip Harvey Weinstein of his highly coveted Légion d’Honneur award. Macron, who has mostly avoided journalists, went on the air Sunday night […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/10/15/france-gave-weinstein-its-highest-honor-macron-says-hes-taking-it-back/

How dirty campaigning and fake Facebook sites came to dominate the Austrian election

VIENNA -- The two Facebook pages told sharply different tales, but neither looked especially favorable for Sebastian Kurz, the 31-year-old Austrian foreign minister who is expected to become the country’s youngest-ever chancellor following elections Sunday. One cast itself as a fan-boy site for the telegenic Kurz, but included dodgy accusations that non-governmental organizations were smuggling […]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2017/10/15/how-dirty-campaigning-and-fake-facebook-sites-came-to-dominate-the-austrian-election/