Links 05/09/13

Politics: 

Syria Update: 

The French government released a report blaming the deadly sarin attacks on the Syrian government, the results from the UN chemical weapons team aren't in yet. After David Cameron lost the Commons vote on a possible UK-backed strike on Syria narrowly, and with a debate raging on whether Barack Obama has the authority to declare war without the backing of Congress, he sought congressional support for limited military action (which will, despite some confusion over a statement made by John Kerry in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, not include ground troops). France, where President Hollande has the authority to declare war, will likely back the US. Public opinion in both countries (here's an opinion poll on the situation in the US) is against a military strike. 

(Also, there was a debate over whether the situation in Syria is comparable to that in Kosovo in 1999)

Jadaliyya with an excellent and detailed report on "Healthcare for Queer and Transgender Refugee Applicants in Turkey". 

"Sprawl Is Still Sprawl, Even If It's 'Green'"

All the TV debates between candidates for the Austrian election that have aired are now available for streaming: Faymann vs. Bucher, Spindelegger vs. Stronach, Strache vs. Glawischnig and Bucher vs. Stronach. 

Pop Culture: 

The Daily Beast interviews Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulo about their roles in Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue is the Warmest Color (and the interview raises questions about the price of authenticity in films). Here's a trailer for the film. 

The TV Guide interviews Tatiana Maslany about Orphan Black, and she's as articulate and fantastic as usual (and will have a guest role in another much beloved show).

And here's a new single by Daughter, titled Smoke, and a new record by (The) Julie Ruin, and by Emiliana Torrini, and apparently, according to several teasers and trailers and whatnots, by Arcade Fire.