Monday, December 23, 2024
Yuval Noah Harari: The 2021 60 Minutes interview
Greenland PM Reiterates ‘We Are Not for Sale’ after Trump Suggests US Ownership
THE GUARDIAN: US president-elect raises issue of control of Denmark territory five years after proposing to buy it during first term
Icebergs in Baffin Bay near Pituffik, Greenland in 2022. The territory is home to a strategically important US space base. Photograph: Kerem Yücel/AFP/Getty Images
Greenland’s elected leader said the gigantic Arctic island is not for sale after Donald Trump once again raised the issue of “ownership and control” of the vast territory that has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years.
“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, said in a written comment.
The US president-elect on Sunday announced that he had picked Ken Howery, a former envoy to Sweden, as his ambassador to Copenhagen, and commented on the status of Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. » | Guardian staff and agencies |Monday, December 23, 2024
Donald Trump thinks everything is for sale. He thinks everything has a price. – © Mark Alexander
Greenland’s elected leader said the gigantic Arctic island is not for sale after Donald Trump once again raised the issue of “ownership and control” of the vast territory that has been part of Denmark for more than 600 years.
“Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, said in a written comment.
The US president-elect on Sunday announced that he had picked Ken Howery, a former envoy to Sweden, as his ambassador to Copenhagen, and commented on the status of Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. » | Guardian staff and agencies |Monday, December 23, 2024
Donald Trump thinks everything is for sale. He thinks everything has a price. – © Mark Alexander
Kremlin Denies Reports Asma al-Assad Is Seeking Divorce and a Return to London
THE GUARDIAN: UK-born wife of ousted Syrian leader is a divisive figure around world and, like her husband, is under sanctions
The Kremlin has denied Turkish media reports suggesting that Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of the ousted Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, is seeking a divorce and hoping to return to London.
Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow earlier this month, the transponder of his aircraft switched off as he left to avoid detection, after a lightning rebel advance brought an end to his family’s 50-year rule.
In a statement attributed to Bashar al-Assad on Telegram, he later insisted his departure from Syria had not been planned but that he had been forced to leave after his position at a Russian-controlled airbase came “under intensified attack by drone strikes”.
His family has long had ties to Moscow, with relatives buying up tens of millions of dollars’ worth of properties in Russia over the years. » | Ashifa Kassam and agencies | Monday, December 23, 2024
Verwandtes Video hier.
The Kremlin has denied Turkish media reports suggesting that Asma al-Assad, the British-born wife of the ousted Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad, is seeking a divorce and hoping to return to London.
Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow earlier this month, the transponder of his aircraft switched off as he left to avoid detection, after a lightning rebel advance brought an end to his family’s 50-year rule.
In a statement attributed to Bashar al-Assad on Telegram, he later insisted his departure from Syria had not been planned but that he had been forced to leave after his position at a Russian-controlled airbase came “under intensified attack by drone strikes”.
His family has long had ties to Moscow, with relatives buying up tens of millions of dollars’ worth of properties in Russia over the years. » | Ashifa Kassam and agencies | Monday, December 23, 2024
Verwandtes Video hier.
Donald Trump Threatens to End Trans Rights on “Day One” in Terrifying Speech
LGBTQ NATION: He promised to wipe out trans rights with sweeping orders when he takes office.
Donald Trump made sweeping promises at a far-right event this weekend to end trans rights in several areas, including education, health care, and military service.
Speaking at an event organized by Turning Point USA, Trump also promised to end transgender rights across the board on his first day in office, saying that it will be official policy that “there are only two genders, male and female.” He also said he would sign an executive order to “end child sexual mutilation.” » | Alex Bollinger | Monday, December 23, 2024
What’s wrong with this picture, I wonder?
To Trump, transgender rights are not okay, but grabbing women “by the pussy” is perfectly fine »
Donald Trump made sweeping promises at a far-right event this weekend to end trans rights in several areas, including education, health care, and military service.
Speaking at an event organized by Turning Point USA, Trump also promised to end transgender rights across the board on his first day in office, saying that it will be official policy that “there are only two genders, male and female.” He also said he would sign an executive order to “end child sexual mutilation.” » | Alex Bollinger | Monday, December 23, 2024
What’s wrong with this picture, I wonder?
To Trump, transgender rights are not okay, but grabbing women “by the pussy” is perfectly fine »
The Vichy Espionage Revelations: Four Years of Surveillance and Repression
Dec 17, 2024 | During World War II, Marshal Philippe Pétain spied on the French for four years (1940-1944). He opened 24 million letters and listened to 300,000 telephone conversations. This information was used to repress political opponents and Jews. Some postal employees took part in the Resistance, setting up networks to protect Jews and participate in clandestine actions.
Long ignored, the dark history of the Technical Control Service (SCT), which spied on the French for Vichy, has been brought to light. The research of historian Antoine Lefébure, which inspired this revealing film, reveals its full extent.
Film directed by Emilie Lançon
Written by Emilie Lançon and Antoine Lefébure
Long ignored, the dark history of the Technical Control Service (SCT), which spied on the French for Vichy, has been brought to light. The research of historian Antoine Lefébure, which inspired this revealing film, reveals its full extent.
Film directed by Emilie Lançon
Written by Emilie Lançon and Antoine Lefébure
Louis-Claude Daquin : Noël VI sur les jeux d'anches et en duo
Oct 11, 2011 | C. L. DAQUIN, Noel VI sur les jeux d'anches et en duo | Michel BOUVARD | Orgue St Pierre des Chartreux (Delaunay 1683, Micot 1783, Grenzing 1983) | Toulouse
Louis-Claude Daquin : Noël X Grand Jeu, et duo
Louis-Claude Daquin : Noël X
Being Gay the Medieval Way! | Homosexuality during the Middle Ages...
Keir Starmer: Enemy of Freedom | Exposing the PM’s Authoritarian Past
You can donate to Sp!ked here.
Starmer’s generational smoking ban MUST FAIL! But if Starmer manages to get this undemocratic, illiberal legislation through Parliament, it MUST BE REPEALED at the earliest possibility opportunity by a sensible government.
Kick this awful government out of office asap. – © Mark Alexander
The 10 Biggest Myths about Our Economy
Dec 23, 2024 | We cannot separate what has happened to working people over the last five decades from the dangerous lure of Trumpism. To build a path forward, we must debunk these 10 destructive myths about our rigged economy.
The Romano Report: Questions about Trump and President Musk
Assads Ehefrau Asma will sich scheiden lassen | krone.tv NEWS
The Magdeburg Attack: What We Know So Far
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Biden Commutes 37 Death Sentences Ahead of Trump’s Plan to Resume Federal Executions
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Those affected by the president’s action on Monday are still subject to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Three men will remain on federal death row.
President Biden on Monday commuted the sentences of nearly all prisoners on federal death row, sparing the lives of 37 men just a month before Donald J. Trump will return to the Oval Office with a promise to restart federal executions.
Those affected by Mr. Biden’s action, all of whom were convicted of murder, will serve life imprisonment without the possibility of parole instead of facing execution. Only three men, who each carried out notorious mass killings, will remain on federal death row.
The president campaigned in 2020 on ending the federal death penalty. Although proposed legislation to that effect failed to advance in Congress during his administration, Mr. Biden directed the Justice Department to issue a moratorium on federal executions. Thirteen prisoners on federal death row were put to death during Mr. Trump’s first term. » | Aishvarya Kavi, Reporting from Washington | Monday, December 23, 2024
President Biden on Monday commuted the sentences of nearly all prisoners on federal death row, sparing the lives of 37 men just a month before Donald J. Trump will return to the Oval Office with a promise to restart federal executions.
Those affected by Mr. Biden’s action, all of whom were convicted of murder, will serve life imprisonment without the possibility of parole instead of facing execution. Only three men, who each carried out notorious mass killings, will remain on federal death row.
The president campaigned in 2020 on ending the federal death penalty. Although proposed legislation to that effect failed to advance in Congress during his administration, Mr. Biden directed the Justice Department to issue a moratorium on federal executions. Thirteen prisoners on federal death row were put to death during Mr. Trump’s first term. » | Aishvarya Kavi, Reporting from Washington | Monday, December 23, 2024
Sunday, December 22, 2024
André Gleißner Named as Nine-year-old Killed in Magdeburg Christmas Market Attack | BBC News
Dec 22, 2024 | A local fire brigade has paid tribute to a nine-year-old killed in an attack on a German Christmas market. André Gleißner died after a car drove into a crowd of shoppers at the market in Magdeburg on Friday evening, according to the Schöppenstedt fire department. Four women, aged 45, 52, 67 and 75, also died in the attack.
Authorities are holding a suspect identified as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen on counts of murder, attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm. He is a 50-year-old Saudi-born psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, around 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg.
BBC:
Tributes to nine-year-old killed in German Christmas market attack: Tributes have been paid to a nine-year-old boy who was killed in an attack on a German Christmas market. »
Frank Gardner: Saudi warnings about market attack suspect were ignored: The Saudi authorities, I am told, are currently working flat out to collate everything they have on the Magdeburg market suspect, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, and to share it with Germany's ongoing investigation "in every way possible". »
Authorities are holding a suspect identified as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen on counts of murder, attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm. He is a 50-year-old Saudi-born psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, around 40km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg.
BBC:
Tributes to nine-year-old killed in German Christmas market attack: Tributes have been paid to a nine-year-old boy who was killed in an attack on a German Christmas market. »
Frank Gardner: Saudi warnings about market attack suspect were ignored: The Saudi authorities, I am told, are currently working flat out to collate everything they have on the Magdeburg market suspect, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, and to share it with Germany's ongoing investigation "in every way possible". »
BBC ‘The Sky at Night ‘- The Real Star of Bethlehem: A Christmas Special [HD]
Dec 18, 2019 | Science Documentary hosted by Chris Lintott and Maggie Aderin-Pocock, published by BBC broadcasted as part of BBC The Sky at Night series in 2015 - English narration
The Real Star of Bethlehem: A Christmas Special
Astronomers have been fascinated by the idea of the Star of Bethlehem for centuries. Did it exist? And if so, what was it?
The list of candidates includes some of the most exciting objects in the night sky - supernovae, comets, meteors and unusual alignments of the giant planets.
In this surprising and entertaining Christmas special the Sky at Night team go in search of the potential causes of the Star of Bethlehem.
The team explore the possibilities, investigating the nature of the phenomena and digging through the historical records including Babylonian clay tablets and ancient Chinese manuscripts, to reconstruct events in the night sky 2,000 years ago.
Maggie Aderin-Pocock goes hunting for supernovae using the most powerful laser in Britain, and discovers that these mighty explosions caused by the death of stars can shine brighter than the moon in our sky.
Chris Lintott reconstructs the night sky over Jerusalem at the time of Jesus's birth, discovering a once-in-a-millennium conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that was first suggested as a cause of the star by the great astronomer Johannes Kepler in 1604.
Armed with his telescope, Pete Lawrence searches out the features of the night sky we can observe today that may provide clues to the origin of the Star of Bethlehem.
Professor Alan Fitzsimmons explains why the sudden appearance of a comet in the night sky has always been seen as an omen of great events on Earth.
Dallas Campbell goes in search of the historical and archaeological records that can shed light on the identity of the star. Finding Babylonian tablets in the vaults of the British Museum and ancient Chinese texts that record all the unusual events in the night sky 2,000 years ago, including a bright new star that appeared for 70 days in the year 5BC.
The Real Star of Bethlehem: A Christmas Special
Astronomers have been fascinated by the idea of the Star of Bethlehem for centuries. Did it exist? And if so, what was it?
The list of candidates includes some of the most exciting objects in the night sky - supernovae, comets, meteors and unusual alignments of the giant planets.
In this surprising and entertaining Christmas special the Sky at Night team go in search of the potential causes of the Star of Bethlehem.
The team explore the possibilities, investigating the nature of the phenomena and digging through the historical records including Babylonian clay tablets and ancient Chinese manuscripts, to reconstruct events in the night sky 2,000 years ago.
Maggie Aderin-Pocock goes hunting for supernovae using the most powerful laser in Britain, and discovers that these mighty explosions caused by the death of stars can shine brighter than the moon in our sky.
Chris Lintott reconstructs the night sky over Jerusalem at the time of Jesus's birth, discovering a once-in-a-millennium conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that was first suggested as a cause of the star by the great astronomer Johannes Kepler in 1604.
Armed with his telescope, Pete Lawrence searches out the features of the night sky we can observe today that may provide clues to the origin of the Star of Bethlehem.
Professor Alan Fitzsimmons explains why the sudden appearance of a comet in the night sky has always been seen as an omen of great events on Earth.
Dallas Campbell goes in search of the historical and archaeological records that can shed light on the identity of the star. Finding Babylonian tablets in the vaults of the British Museum and ancient Chinese texts that record all the unusual events in the night sky 2,000 years ago, including a bright new star that appeared for 70 days in the year 5BC.
Guerre en Ukraine : Poutine promet encore plus de «destructions» à l'Ukraine après une attaque en Russie samedi
LE FIGARO : Kiev mène régulièrement des frappes en Russie, souvent contre des cibles pétrolières ou industrielles, en réponse aux attaques aériennes russes et à l’assaut lancé par le Kremlin contre son territoire il y a bientôt trois ans.
Le président russe Vladimir Poutine a promis ce dimanche 22 décembre encore plus de «destructions» à l'Ukraine après une attaque de drones la veille, que Moscou attribue à Kiev, contre des immeubles de Kazan, une ville du centre de la Russie. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 22 décembre 2024
Le président russe Vladimir Poutine a promis ce dimanche 22 décembre encore plus de «destructions» à l'Ukraine après une attaque de drones la veille, que Moscou attribue à Kiev, contre des immeubles de Kazan, une ville du centre de la Russie. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 22 décembre 2024
The Threat of Elon Musk's Money
That hypocrite Nigel Farage doesn’t care about “loss of sovereignty” now, does he? As long as the money is going into his coffers, he doesn’t give a damn about loss of sovereignty.
As for Musk and his gazillions, let him shove his political donation where the monkey shoves its nuts! The UK is enough of a plutocracy as it is, and our democracy is very weak already. We don’t need these tech-billionaires to come here and weaken it still further. – © Mark Alexander
Mourners Gather for Christmas Market Vigil in Magdeburg | DW News
Magdeburg Suspect Supported Germany's Far-right AfD, Self-described as Islam Critic | DW News
What We Know about the Suspect behind Christmas Market Attack
Dec 22, 2024 | A driver who rammed a car into a crowded Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, killing at least five people and injuring more than 200, has been identified by authorities as a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian citizen who had lived in Germany for more than a decade and worked as a doctor.
Authorities are working to establish the motive of the suspect, named by a US activist group as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, who had a history of making anti-Islam statements and said that he had helped people, particularly women, flee Saudi Arabia. CNN's Matthew Chance reports.
Authorities are working to establish the motive of the suspect, named by a US activist group as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, who had a history of making anti-Islam statements and said that he had helped people, particularly women, flee Saudi Arabia. CNN's Matthew Chance reports.
Germany Mourns After Christmas Market Attack
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Jesus - The Mystery of His Descendants | DW Documentary
Dec 21, 2024 | In 2012, respected historian Karen King turned the history of Christianity on its head. She presented a tiny piece of 1,300-year-old papyrus with an inscription: "Jesus said to them: my wife...I dwell with her.”
Despite its authenticity, the parchment was not recognized by religious authorities. However, two years later, in 2014, a new text was discovered in the British Library in London. It was a bombshell. This text tells of a marital relationship between Jesus and his 'wife,' Mary Magdalene. Could these revelations indicate that the couple had children?
This documentary uses animation to bring clues to life, while taking a new scientific look at the question of whether or not Jesus might have had children. The film examines apocryphal relics -- from recently discovered tombs to ancient parchments. It analyzes inscriptions and the results of scientific tests. The aim is to shed light on one of the oldest mysteries in the world.
Despite its authenticity, the parchment was not recognized by religious authorities. However, two years later, in 2014, a new text was discovered in the British Library in London. It was a bombshell. This text tells of a marital relationship between Jesus and his 'wife,' Mary Magdalene. Could these revelations indicate that the couple had children?
This documentary uses animation to bring clues to life, while taking a new scientific look at the question of whether or not Jesus might have had children. The film examines apocryphal relics -- from recently discovered tombs to ancient parchments. It analyzes inscriptions and the results of scientific tests. The aim is to shed light on one of the oldest mysteries in the world.
Nouveau séisme de magnitude 6,1 au Vanuatu
LE FIGARO : Un tremblement de terre de magnitude 6,1 est survenu dimanche au Vanuatu, a annoncé l'Institut américain de géophysique (USGS), quelques jours après un puissant séisme de 7,3 sur l'île principale de l'archipel océanien.
La nouvelle secousse s'est produite à 40 kilomètres de profondeur et à 30 kilomètres à l'ouest de la capitale, Port Vila, a précisé l'USGS. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Samedi 21 décembre 2024
La nouvelle secousse s'est produite à 40 kilomètres de profondeur et à 30 kilomètres à l'ouest de la capitale, Port Vila, a précisé l'USGS. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Samedi 21 décembre 2024
Prince Andrew Risks Destroying the Entire Monarchy, Palace Insiders Warn | The Royals
German Police Say Nine-year-old among Five People Killed in Christmas Market Attack | BBC News
Dec 21, 2024 | A nine-year-old-child is among those who were killed when a car drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Germany, officials say.
Four adults were killed and 200 people were injured when the suspect entered the market through an entrance reserved for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
The BBC understands that the suspect in the Magdeburg attack is a man called Taleb al-Abdulmohsen.
While the motive is still unclear, prosecutors say it's linked to "dissatisfaction with the treatment of refugees from Saudi Arabia in Germany".
Related material here.
Four adults were killed and 200 people were injured when the suspect entered the market through an entrance reserved for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
The BBC understands that the suspect in the Magdeburg attack is a man called Taleb al-Abdulmohsen.
While the motive is still unclear, prosecutors say it's linked to "dissatisfaction with the treatment of refugees from Saudi Arabia in Germany".
Related material here.
Musk Expresses Support for Far-Right Party in Germany’s Election
THE NEW YORK TIMES: It was not the first online intervention by Elon Musk, the entrepreneur and adviser to Donald Trump, on behalf of once-fringe anti-immigrant parties in Europe.
Elon Musk has long made heavy use of X, which he bought in 2022, to express his views on politics in the United States and abroad. | Pool photo by Allison Robbert
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, on Friday endorsed Germany’s far-right party, a group with ties to neo-Nazis whose youth wing has been classified as “confirmed extremist” by German domestic intelligence.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Mr. Musk posted to X, referring to the anti-immigrant party, the Alternative for Germany, by its German initials.
In doing so, he is wading into German politics at a moment of acute turmoil, and at the very same time that he has wielded his influence in Washington to help blow up a bipartisan spending deal that was meant to avoid a government shutdown over Christmas. The German government recently collapsed, resulting in early elections, which are planned for next year.
Mr. Musk’s post was in response to an English-language video by a 24-year-old German far-right influencer, Naomi Seibt. She harshly criticized Friedrich Merz, whom polls show leading the race, for dismissing a rival’s suggestion that Germany look to Mr. Musk and another firebrand, President Javier Milei of Argentina, for ideas about reforming the country. » | Christopher F. Schuetze and Mark Landler | Christopher Schuetze reported from Berlin, and Mark Landler reported from London. | Friday, December 20, 2024
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close adviser to President-elect Donald J. Trump, on Friday endorsed Germany’s far-right party, a group with ties to neo-Nazis whose youth wing has been classified as “confirmed extremist” by German domestic intelligence.
“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Mr. Musk posted to X, referring to the anti-immigrant party, the Alternative for Germany, by its German initials.
In doing so, he is wading into German politics at a moment of acute turmoil, and at the very same time that he has wielded his influence in Washington to help blow up a bipartisan spending deal that was meant to avoid a government shutdown over Christmas. The German government recently collapsed, resulting in early elections, which are planned for next year.
Mr. Musk’s post was in response to an English-language video by a 24-year-old German far-right influencer, Naomi Seibt. She harshly criticized Friedrich Merz, whom polls show leading the race, for dismissing a rival’s suggestion that Germany look to Mr. Musk and another firebrand, President Javier Milei of Argentina, for ideas about reforming the country. » | Christopher F. Schuetze and Mark Landler | Christopher Schuetze reported from Berlin, and Mark Landler reported from London. | Friday, December 20, 2024
It’s Time to Take on the Greed of the Food & Beverage Industry
For children to be brought up in a healthy way, mothers need to stay at home to cook for their children and care for them, as mothers always used to do. A mother’s place is in the home, not in the boardroom! When children were raised in traditional households, type-2 diabetes and obesity were a rarity. Good wholesome food could be cooked by the mother from scratch for her family. She had the time to cook for the family. These days, with mothers out working, they return home after work exhausted, so look for quick solutions to put food on the table for the family. Yes, nutrition labels, etc, will help, but they will not solve the problem entirely.
Children do not bring themselves up. They need to be brought up. Governments could do a great deal to make it possible for mothers to be able to afford to stay at home. Tax advantages and a universal basic income (UBI) could do lots to help make this possible for mothers again. Further, the Internet has also made it possible for people to earn a living from home.
What I have written here applies to traditional families. But the same could apply for gay families. One of the couple could stay at home to care for the children, and provide good, nutritious, sensible food for them instead of the junk they have to eat these days.
A healthy nation is built on healthy lifestyles. We have tried to re-invent the wheel and, as a result, we have got ourselves into an awful mess.
Oh, and by the way, there’s another positive with mothers at home: they can more easily help boost Western nations’ dangerously low birth rates. When birth rates are too low, we must import foreigners with alien values to provide a workforce for industry and commerce. Isn’t this one main reason why values and ideas in the West are changing so rapidly, and why many towns and cities are becoming unrecognisable? Demographic changes are accelerating. So, this isn’t only about type-2 diabetes and obesity. – © Mark Alexander
Yuval Noah Harari - Q&A On Being Gay
This is BRILLIANT! But it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Yuval Noah Harari is a brilliant man with a brilliant mind.
I am re-posting it soon after posting it the first time because it is a lesson which benighted people everywhere need to learn and understand. When it comes to homosexuality, most of the world is still in complete darkness. Ignorance and superstition abound. – © Mark Alexander
Democrats Prevent Government Shutdown
This world will one day be free of these clowns, Deo volente. – © Mark Alexander
‘Five Minute News’ can be supported on Patreon here.
Michael Lambert: Treasury Minister Accused of Embezzling Billions
Dec 21, 2024 | Tulip Siddiq, Treasury Economic Secretary, faces allegations of corruption linked to a £10bn 2013 deal with Russia, to build a nuclear power station in Bangladesh where her aunt Sheikh[a] Hasina was prime minister before being deposed in August of this year.
Hasina is accused of receiving up to £4bn of kickbacks in a deal which reportedly involved Tulip Siddiq who denies any wrongdoing. Despite photographic evidence of Siddiq's presence at the deal signing alongside Hasina and Vladimir Putin, Siddiq claims her involvement was a 'family occasion' although it is alleged by others that she was involved in negotiating the deal. Keir Starmer has stood by Siddiq, saying she has his full confidence and will still be responsible for tackling corruption on behalf of the government.
The economic impact of Brexit persists with UK exporters losing £27bn in EU goods sales due to trade barriers. Notably, 16,400 firms halted EU exports entirely. Labour leader Keir Starmer proposes renegotiating EU trade terms but maintains a firm stance against restoring freedom of movement even for young people on temporary visas.
Domestic challenges continue with Thames Water fined £18.2m for paying 'unjustified' dividends of £131m whilst the CEO of Severn Water was paid £3.2m in 2023 which is twenty times the salary of the prime minister.
Inflation is at 2.6%, (joint G7-highest with Japan) and there have been two successive months of no economic growth.
Meanwhile, Dover’s underfunded inspections revealed substantial smuggling of unsafe food, including 6 tonnes of rotten and potentially lethal meat raising public health concerns.
Boris Johnson has been telling television viewers in New Zealand that the UK is experiencing a 'brain drain' much of which was caused by his incompetence and dishonesty.
On January 1st the UK joins the CPTPP which will make any return to the EU almost impossible. It will be made even more difficult once the government's 72 Special Economic Zones and 14 Freeports open since these would not be acceptable to the EU given their well-known attraction to smugglers, tax evaders and money launderers. complicating prospects of ever rejoining the EU.
This country is going to the dogs. It’s already well on its way, actually. Our politicians and leaders are totally and utterly useless, and often corrupt, regardless of the party they represent and belong to. Any young person staying in this SH needs to consult a phrenologist! – © Mark Alexander
Hasina is accused of receiving up to £4bn of kickbacks in a deal which reportedly involved Tulip Siddiq who denies any wrongdoing. Despite photographic evidence of Siddiq's presence at the deal signing alongside Hasina and Vladimir Putin, Siddiq claims her involvement was a 'family occasion' although it is alleged by others that she was involved in negotiating the deal. Keir Starmer has stood by Siddiq, saying she has his full confidence and will still be responsible for tackling corruption on behalf of the government.
The economic impact of Brexit persists with UK exporters losing £27bn in EU goods sales due to trade barriers. Notably, 16,400 firms halted EU exports entirely. Labour leader Keir Starmer proposes renegotiating EU trade terms but maintains a firm stance against restoring freedom of movement even for young people on temporary visas.
Domestic challenges continue with Thames Water fined £18.2m for paying 'unjustified' dividends of £131m whilst the CEO of Severn Water was paid £3.2m in 2023 which is twenty times the salary of the prime minister.
Inflation is at 2.6%, (joint G7-highest with Japan) and there have been two successive months of no economic growth.
Meanwhile, Dover’s underfunded inspections revealed substantial smuggling of unsafe food, including 6 tonnes of rotten and potentially lethal meat raising public health concerns.
Boris Johnson has been telling television viewers in New Zealand that the UK is experiencing a 'brain drain' much of which was caused by his incompetence and dishonesty.
On January 1st the UK joins the CPTPP which will make any return to the EU almost impossible. It will be made even more difficult once the government's 72 Special Economic Zones and 14 Freeports open since these would not be acceptable to the EU given their well-known attraction to smugglers, tax evaders and money launderers. complicating prospects of ever rejoining the EU.
This country is going to the dogs. It’s already well on its way, actually. Our politicians and leaders are totally and utterly useless, and often corrupt, regardless of the party they represent and belong to. Any young person staying in this SH needs to consult a phrenologist! – © Mark Alexander
Germany Market Attack: Magdeburg Suspect Is Pro-AfD Saudi Doctor
THE TELEGRAPH: A man suspected of ramming a car into a packed German Christmas market, killing at least four people, is a Saudi doctor, anti-Islam activist and supporter of the hard-Right AfD.
The suspect, a 50-year-old man who moved to Germany in 2006, has posted long comments on social media claiming that German politicians are deliberately trying to “Islamicise” the country, citing his admiration for the hard-Right AfD party and saying that former Muslims face persecution in Europe. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff. Jörg Luyken | Saturday, December 21. 2024
Related video here.
The suspect, a 50-year-old man who moved to Germany in 2006, has posted long comments on social media claiming that German politicians are deliberately trying to “Islamicise” the country, citing his admiration for the hard-Right AfD party and saying that former Muslims face persecution in Europe. » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff. Jörg Luyken | Saturday, December 21. 2024
Related video here.
How an Unelected, Billionaire Killed Crucial Government f Funding for Children's Cancer Research
How the hell do Americans allow this man to influence their politics like this? How idiotic is this, actually? – © Mark Alexander
Elton John : Something About The Way You Look Tonight
Hungry Man Kitchen: Ultimate Turkish STUFFED ONIONS – How to Make Sogan Dolmasi
Dec 20, 2024 | Sogan Dolmasi (Soğan Dolması) is a type of dolma dishes, a stuffed vegetable dish with origins in the Ottoman Empire. Dolma dishes are prevalent across Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines and have been enjoyed for centuries. In Ottoman times, stuffed vegetables were a symbol of abundance and creativity in the kitchen. While dolma can be made with peppers, zucchini, eggplants, and grape leaves (usually called sarma as they are rolled), this version features large onions as the star ingredient, stuffed with a rich lamb and bulgur filling.
This particular version, common in south-eastern Turkey, is beloved for its balance of spicy, tangy, and savory flavors, enhanced by pomegranate molasses and red pepper paste (biber salcasi), which are staples in the region. The sauce, made with infused sumac, gives it an extra tang, bringing out the sweetness of the onions while making each bite burst with flavor.
Hungry Man Kitchen can be supported on Patreon here.
This particular version, common in south-eastern Turkey, is beloved for its balance of spicy, tangy, and savory flavors, enhanced by pomegranate molasses and red pepper paste (biber salcasi), which are staples in the region. The sauce, made with infused sumac, gives it an extra tang, bringing out the sweetness of the onions while making each bite burst with flavor.
Hungry Man Kitchen can be supported on Patreon here.
Friday, December 20, 2024
The Warning with Steve Schmidt: Elon Musk - The Federal Government Grinch
Americans must be the stupidest, dumbest people on the planet! They deserve everything that is coming to them. – © Mark Alexander
Germany: Car Drives into Crowd at Magdeburg Christmas Market | DW News
Just for the Sheer Hell of It! Lighting a Cigarette in Style.
Make smoking cool again! It shouldn't be hard to do, because it is cool anyway. People like Chris Whitty, eat your hearts out! – © Mark Alexander
George Michael : One More Try | Remastered | Official Video | Reupload
That air looks very smoky to me. I’d love to be able to smell it! More than two years and eight months have passed now since I quit smoking. And since quitting, I have hardly ever smelt cigarette smoke! I know no-one who still smokes – unfortunately! I’d love to smell the smoke from someone’s burning cigarette. Especially at Christmas. It’s very unlikely to happen, though. Brits are too PC and woke these days ever to light up.
When I was growing up, many people smoked. Both cigarettes and, especially at Christmas, also cigars. On Christmas morning in my home, we’d have so many visitors for snacks and drinks that the air would be thick with the gorgeous smell of smoke and the smell of the huge turkey roasting in the oven in the kitchen. Oh to re-live those wonderful aromas! That, for me, was Christmas. What can be experienced today pales by comparison. Smoking really does need to be made cool again! – © Mark Alexander
10 Secretly Gay Actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood
Journeyman Pictures: The Village in Syria Where They Speak Jesus' Tongue
1920-1930's Berlin in Color | 75 Impressive Rare Photos
If you would like to support Boris Grankin and his fine technical work, he can be supported on PayPal here.
Weihnachten | Karamolage | ARTE
Dec 20, 2024 | Hören wir Waltraud Legros Gedanken zu den beiden Wörtern Weihnachten und Noël.
Autorin: Waltraud Legros
Regie: Bérangère Lallemant
Video verfügbar bis zum 15/10/2034
Autorin: Waltraud Legros
Regie: Bérangère Lallemant
Video verfügbar bis zum 15/10/2034
Freezing This Christmas | OFFICIAL VIDEO by Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers | Parody of Mud
They want to get this to Number One. Let’s help them. Please click here.
Chris Matthews: 'This Clown' Elon Musk Knows Nothing about Government
How Influential Is Musk among the Far Right in Germany? | DW News
As I wrote very recently, Elon Musk is one of the world’s most dangerous men. Interfering in other countries’ politics is not acceptable. At this rate, we will see a Nazi government again in Germany. Concentration camps in the USA housing the millions of immigrants that Musk’s best buddy, Trump, intends to deport, and Nazis back in power in Germany. We really are heading towards dark and dangerous times. I was pretty accurate in my assessment on Wednesday last when I called Trump a metastasising cancer on the body politic, wasn't I? Musk wouldn't be wielding all this power without the re-election of Trump. – © Mark Alexander
Trump Is Threatening Europe With Tariffs. Is It Ready?
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The incoming president promised “tariffs all the way” unless Europe bought more U.S. oil and gas. European officials have no clear strategy for avoiding a trade war.
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s threats of tariffs on allies and adversaries alike have unsettled companies and governments across Europe, setting off a scramble for what they fear could be a trans-Atlantic trade war.
Their nascent plans, including a closely guarded effort at the top levels of the European Commission, appear to be more proactive than what they were the first time Mr. Trump took office. But any attempt to form a united front on trade could be hampered by the sclerotic politics across much of Europe.
The French and German governments both collapsed this month. Austria and Belgium are struggling to form governing coalitions long after their most recent elections.
And no clear consensus has emerged on how to respond to whatever Mr. Trump might have in store. Divisions are already emerging between officials who favor a strategy of retaliation if he tries to impose new taxes on European exports and those who favor negotiation. » | Jim Tankersley, Jenny Gross, Liz Alderman and Melissa Eddy | Reporting from Washington, Brussels, Paris and Berlin | Friday, December 20, 2024
President-elect Donald J. Trump’s threats of tariffs on allies and adversaries alike have unsettled companies and governments across Europe, setting off a scramble for what they fear could be a trans-Atlantic trade war.
Their nascent plans, including a closely guarded effort at the top levels of the European Commission, appear to be more proactive than what they were the first time Mr. Trump took office. But any attempt to form a united front on trade could be hampered by the sclerotic politics across much of Europe.
The French and German governments both collapsed this month. Austria and Belgium are struggling to form governing coalitions long after their most recent elections.
And no clear consensus has emerged on how to respond to whatever Mr. Trump might have in store. Divisions are already emerging between officials who favor a strategy of retaliation if he tries to impose new taxes on European exports and those who favor negotiation. » | Jim Tankersley, Jenny Gross, Liz Alderman and Melissa Eddy | Reporting from Washington, Brussels, Paris and Berlin | Friday, December 20, 2024
The Guardian View on Elon Musk and UK Politics: Interference In Plain Sight
THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: American tech billionaires are no more entitled to meddle in British democracy than other foreign oligarchs
Under most circumstances, a British politician seeking cash from a foreign oligarch would make the approach discreetly. Recipient and donor would worry about the relationship looking improper even if the deal could be done without breaching UK electoral law.
Nigel Farage has no such qualms. The Reform leader has boasted of his recent meeting with Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Nick Candy, a former Conservative donor and now the Reform party’s treasurer, was also present. Photographs and statements from the British visitors testify to their eagerness that the meeting – and the fact that money was discussed – attract maximum publicity.
Mr Musk has denied reports that he is considering making a multimillion-pound donation to Reform. But he has a proven appetite for meddling in British politics. He has used his X platform to attack Sir Keir Starmer, amplify radical rightwing rhetoric and post inflammatory remarks, including a forecast of civil war in the aftermath of riots over the summer. » | Editorial | Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Under most circumstances, a British politician seeking cash from a foreign oligarch would make the approach discreetly. Recipient and donor would worry about the relationship looking improper even if the deal could be done without breaching UK electoral law.
Nigel Farage has no such qualms. The Reform leader has boasted of his recent meeting with Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home. Nick Candy, a former Conservative donor and now the Reform party’s treasurer, was also present. Photographs and statements from the British visitors testify to their eagerness that the meeting – and the fact that money was discussed – attract maximum publicity.
Mr Musk has denied reports that he is considering making a multimillion-pound donation to Reform. But he has a proven appetite for meddling in British politics. He has used his X platform to attack Sir Keir Starmer, amplify radical rightwing rhetoric and post inflammatory remarks, including a forecast of civil war in the aftermath of riots over the summer. » | Editorial | Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Thom Hartmann Program: How Trump Turned Democracy to Dictatorship: A WARNING!
Dec 20, 2024 | Trump's billionaire backed MAGA Cult seized total control of state and federal governments- they control the house, the senate, the Supreme Court and the presidency.
Is this the beginning of the end of any meaningful congressional resistance to America’s morbidly rich oligarchs and their industries corrupting government to their own advantage while Trump pursues revenge and enacts draconian policies.
Buckle up: This is going to be a wild ride. Welcome to dictatorship.
Is this the beginning of the end of any meaningful congressional resistance to America’s morbidly rich oligarchs and their industries corrupting government to their own advantage while Trump pursues revenge and enacts draconian policies.
Buckle up: This is going to be a wild ride. Welcome to dictatorship.
Elon Musk Is Becoming a One-man Rogue State – It’s Time We Reined Him In
THE GUARDIAN: He has bankrolled elections, stoked riots and ignored laws. We mustn’t make the mistake of playing nice with the world’s richest bully
Donald Trump and Elon Musk watch the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket in Brownsville, Texas, 19 November 2024. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Reuters
Elon Musk is, more or less, a rogue state. His intentions are self-serving and nefarious, and his nation-state level resources allow him to flout the law with impunity. To put it into context, if dollars were metres, Musk’s money would be enough to take him to Mars and back, while a mere millionaire could only make a round trip from Paris to Amsterdam.
The sheer immorality of any one person possessing so much wealth is obvious to most people with basic amounts of empathy. But when it comes to Musk and the other 14 people worth more than $100bn, the morality of it is almost a secondary concern. Their individual wealth is a society-distorting threat to democracy in the same way that economics has always recognised monopolies to be dangerous to a functional market.
For $250m in direct support – and an additional $44bn for control over X, nee Twitter, and with it the algorithm behind what 300 million users see on their timelines – Musk was rewarded with a co-presidency. What else are we supposed to make of his appearance at Notre Dame’s reopening, joining Donald Trump and various heads of state? » | Alexander Hurst | Alexander Hurst is a Guardian Europe columnist | Friday, December 20, 2024
Elon Musk is, more or less, a rogue state. His intentions are self-serving and nefarious, and his nation-state level resources allow him to flout the law with impunity. To put it into context, if dollars were metres, Musk’s money would be enough to take him to Mars and back, while a mere millionaire could only make a round trip from Paris to Amsterdam.
The sheer immorality of any one person possessing so much wealth is obvious to most people with basic amounts of empathy. But when it comes to Musk and the other 14 people worth more than $100bn, the morality of it is almost a secondary concern. Their individual wealth is a society-distorting threat to democracy in the same way that economics has always recognised monopolies to be dangerous to a functional market.
For $250m in direct support – and an additional $44bn for control over X, nee Twitter, and with it the algorithm behind what 300 million users see on their timelines – Musk was rewarded with a co-presidency. What else are we supposed to make of his appearance at Notre Dame’s reopening, joining Donald Trump and various heads of state? » | Alexander Hurst | Alexander Hurst is a Guardian Europe columnist | Friday, December 20, 2024
Thursday, December 19, 2024
The Warning with Steve Schmidt: Elon Musk Shows How Powerful He Truly Is
The American political system is SHIT! Keep the bloody shit OVER THERE! God has His work cut out to sort out this SHIT! But He CAN solve it! – © Mark Alexander
How to Roast a Goose | Waitrose
This roasted goose looks delicious. Unfortunately, Waitrose doesn’t provide details on how to make the sausage meat stuffing, nor does it provide detailed instructions on temperatures, etc.
By the way, for your information, when I roast a goose for Christmas, something which I have done very many times, I always make my own, fresh, sage and onion stuffing which I place in its cavity. To my way of thinking, this is what makes my roasted goose so delicious. It is hard to beat home-made sage and onion stuffing, especially when stuffed in the cavity of a goose. The flavour of roast goose surpasses the flavour of roast turkey by a mile. – © Mark Alexander
Luigi Mangione being extradited to New York | BBC News
Dec 19, 2024 | The suspect accused of shooting dead healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York has dropped his legal challenge against being extradited to the city to face murder charges.
Luigi Mangione is now in NYPD custody and is expected to be flown from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested, to New York.
He faces charges including first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, one of which describes the killing as an act of "terrorism”.
He attended two hearings in Pennsylvania on Thursday morning for a gun charge in the state and a second on the request to extradite him.
Luigi Mangione is now in NYPD custody and is expected to be flown from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested, to New York.
He faces charges including first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder, one of which describes the killing as an act of "terrorism”.
He attended two hearings in Pennsylvania on Thursday morning for a gun charge in the state and a second on the request to extradite him.
Experts Warn of Trump Danger at Major Conference | Parts 1 & 2
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Peter Stefanovic: Johnson Now Travels World Telling Anyone Who Will Listen “Brexit Saved Lives” - Hold onto Your Seats
If a man looks like a clown, coifs his hair like a clown, and talks like a clown, then by golly, he must be a clown! – © Mark Alexander
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 4.75% but Warns of UK Stagnation Risk
THE GUARDIAN: Central bank downgrades growth forecast amid threat from budget fallout, rising inflation and Trump trade tariffs
The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates unchanged but warned Britain’s economy is on the brink of stagnation after Rachel Reeves’s budget as the world faces stubbornly high inflation and the risk of Donald Trump reigniting trade wars.
Holding interest rates at 4.75% in a widely expected decision, the central bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) said on Thursday it had slashed its UK forecasts for the final three months of the year with a prediction of zero economic growth. The Bank had predicted growth of 0.3% as recently as November.
Highlighting the chancellor’s £40bn tax-raising budget, alongside rising geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainty after Trump’s November election victory, the MPC said growth was faltering while inflation risks remained. » | Richard Partington, Economics correspondent | Thursday, December 19, 2024
The Bank of England has kept UK interest rates unchanged but warned Britain’s economy is on the brink of stagnation after Rachel Reeves’s budget as the world faces stubbornly high inflation and the risk of Donald Trump reigniting trade wars.
Holding interest rates at 4.75% in a widely expected decision, the central bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) said on Thursday it had slashed its UK forecasts for the final three months of the year with a prediction of zero economic growth. The Bank had predicted growth of 0.3% as recently as November.
Highlighting the chancellor’s £40bn tax-raising budget, alongside rising geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainty after Trump’s November election victory, the MPC said growth was faltering while inflation risks remained. » | Richard Partington, Economics correspondent | Thursday, December 19, 2024
Yuval Noah Harari - Q&A On Being Gay
This is BRILLIANT! But it shouldn’t surprise anyone. Yuval Noah Harari is a brilliant man with a brilliant mind. – Mark
BBC Newsnight: Gisèle Pelicot’s Lawyer Speaks to Victoria Derbyshire
In his first UK broadcast interview, Gisèle Pelicot’s lawyer Stéphane Babonneau tells Newsnight of the extraordinary courage of Madame Pelicot.
The mass rape trial which the 72-year-old is at the centre of is coming to an end. Mrs Pelicot was drugged by her former husband and was allegedly raped over the course of nine years by at least 50 men - strangers he’d recruited online.
Victoria Derbyshire speaks to lawyer Stéphane Babonneau with his client’s blessing.
The mass rape trial which the 72-year-old is at the centre of is coming to an end. Mrs Pelicot was drugged by her former husband and was allegedly raped over the course of nine years by at least 50 men - strangers he’d recruited online.
Victoria Derbyshire speaks to lawyer Stéphane Babonneau with his client’s blessing.
Gisèle Pelicot’s Ex-husband Dominique Jailed in Mass Rape Trial | BBC News
Dec 19, 2024 | Dominique Pelicot has been sentenced for 20 years after drugging his ex-wife Gisèle Pelicot and recruiting strangers to rape her for years.
Fifty other have also been sentenced alongside him in Avignon, France.
Dominique admitted to raping her and inviting the men he recruited online to have sex with her in her bed at home while she was unconscious and unaware.
Gisèle has waived her right to anonymity, saying she wanted to make "shame swap sides" from the victim to the rapist.
EN DIRECT : Procès des viols de Mazan : «Merci Gisèle !», scande la foule en l’applaudissant à la sortie du tribunal »
Procès des viols de Mazan : «C’est pour mes petits-enfants que j’ai mené ce combat», affirme Gisèle Pelicot après le verdict »
Fifty other have also been sentenced alongside him in Avignon, France.
Dominique admitted to raping her and inviting the men he recruited online to have sex with her in her bed at home while she was unconscious and unaware.
Gisèle has waived her right to anonymity, saying she wanted to make "shame swap sides" from the victim to the rapist.
EN DIRECT : Procès des viols de Mazan : «Merci Gisèle !», scande la foule en l’applaudissant à la sortie du tribunal »
Procès des viols de Mazan : «C’est pour mes petits-enfants que j’ai mené ce combat», affirme Gisèle Pelicot après le verdict »
Thom Hartmann Program: FASCISM IS HERE: A List of What We Do Now! W/ Heidi Siegmund Cuda
Trump Backpedals on Groceries and Immigration
‘Five Minute News’ can be supported on Patreon here.
The Romano Report: Trump Voters Are Miserable People
Very strong language alert!
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