Putin, der Präsident im Kokon

ANGRIFFE AUF RUSSLAND
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Für Russlands Präsidenten häufen sich die schlechten Nachrichten. Er gibt sich unbeeindruckt. Doch sein Bild der Stärke bekommt immer mehr Risse.

Die Einschläge kommen immer näher, immer schneller. Doch Wladimir Putin reagiert auf die wiederholten Einfälle Bewaffneter ins Grenzgebiet zur Ukraine und auf Drohnenangriffe, mittlerweile sogar auf Moskau, demonstrativ gelassen. Oft schweigt Russlands Präsident schlicht, jedenfalls nach außen. » | Von Friedrich Schmidt, Politischer Korrespondent für Russland und die GUS. | Donnerstag, 1. Juni 2023

Jordan: Royal Wedding: Crown Prince Hussein Marries Rajwa Al Saif

Jun 1, 2023

Royal fever sweeps Jordan ahead of crown prince's wedding: Photos of bridal party of Crown Prince Hussein’s fiancee, Rajwa Al Saif, go viral as celebrations break from modest traditions »

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — June 1, 2023

Brexit Will Be Known as ‘Historic Economic Error’, Says Former US Treasury Secretary

THE GUARDIAN: Larry Summers says departure from EU ‘contributed to higher inflation’ and calls economic policy ‘substantially flawed’

Larry Summers told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme Brexit has ‘reduced the competitiveness of the UK economy’. Photograph: Manuel Bruque/EPA
Brexit will be remembered as a “historic economic error”, which damaged the UK economy and has helped to drive inflation higher, according to the former US treasury secretary Larry Summers.

Singling out Britain’s departure from the EU as a factor for higher costs, Summers also criticised the UK’s economic policy as “substantially flawed for some years”.

Brexit “reduced the competitiveness of the UK economy, put downwards pressure on the pound and upwards pressure on prices, limited imports of goods and limited in some ways the supply of labour,” Summers told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“All of which contributed to higher inflation,” he added. » | Joanna Partridge | Thursday, June 1, 2023

The Tories once had a fine reputation for being the Party to trust with the economy. Alas, this is no longer the case. The UK economy is no longer safe in the hands of Tories. Brexit has put paid to that notion. – © Mark Alexander

Reverse Culture Shocks! Revisiting the UK from Germany

May 21, 2023 | Culture shapes us all whether we want it to or not. And the place where we live, our environment changes us. Culture shocks are real and the revers can happen very easily. There's not necessarily any winners and losers here. Just preferences, likes and dislikes

"Harry's a Hostage!" Panel Debate Prince Harry's Fight to Stay in the US

May 31, 2023 | |Piers Morgan Uncensored presented by Rosanna Lockwood is joined by foreign policy analyst Nile Gardiner, author and cultural commentator Bonnie Greer and former Head of Royal Protection Dai Davies to discuss Prince Harry's claims of a US Visa being challenged in court after admitting to taking illegal drugs in his book 'Spare'.

Bonnie believes that Harry is becoming a hostage in the middle of this dispute and thinks Homeland Security are right to seal the private documents, despite demands for the records to be public.

Dai also adds that he believes that the Duke of Sussex would be 'foolish' to admit on the witness stand that he has taken a variety of drugs on a regular basis.

Conflict with the Far Right Shrouds Jerusalem’s Pride Parade

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Much of Israel’s L.G.B.T.Q. community feels threatened by the right-wing government and its judicial overhaul plan — even with a gay speaker of Parliament.

The pride parade last year in Jerusalem. | Atef Safadi/EPA, via Shutterstock
One ultraconservative member of the Israeli government had pledged to abolish the Jerusalem Pride and Tolerance Parade. Another far-right minister with a history of homophobia, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who now oversees the police, is tasked with securing it.

The Jerusalem parade is normally a relatively staid annual tradition. But the event on Thursday is taking place at a fraught moment, five months after the most hard-line and religiously conservative government in Israel’s history took power.

L.G.B.T.Q. activists have reported a sharp increase in anti-gay abuse and violence in Israel in recent months, and say that they are expecting a large turnout for this year’s parade and bracing for possible violence.

Lehava, an extremist organization led by one of Mr. Ben-Gvir’s longtime associates, has planned a counter-demonstration nearby against what it calls the “abomination parade.” Lehava, which promotes strict separation of Jews and non-Jews, has been described by groups promoting religious tolerance as inciting ethnic hatred and even violence, and its leader has called for the expulsion of Christians from Israel. » | Isabel Kershner | Thursday, June 1, 2023

What’s behind Germany’s Decision to Order the Closure of 4 Russian Consulates? | DW News

May 31, 2023

Erdoğan Re-elected to 5 More Years in Turkey as His Government Grows More Authoritarian & Nationalist

May 31, 2023 | We look at the impact of the reelection of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Sunday in a tight runoff vote, extending his 20-year rule for a further five years. Erdoğan received just over 52% of the vote, beating challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, an economist and former civil servant who unified a broad coalition but failed to unseat Erdoğan despite growing dissatisfaction with his governance and deep economic pain within the country. We speak with Cihan Tuğal, UC Berkeley sociologist and author of The Fall of the Turkish Model: How the Arab Uprisings Brought Down Islamic Liberalism.

Cookswiss: How to Cook White Asparagus

Apr 22, 2019

Click here for the preparation and cooking instructions and then click on ‘show more’.

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — May 31, 2023

Ugandan Rights Activist: US Conservatives Exported Anti-LGBTQ Hate That Led to "Kill the Gays" Law

May 31, 2023 | We go to Kampala, Uganda, to discuss the impact of one of the most draconian anti-LGBTQ laws in the world, just signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The new law makes same-sex relationships punishable by life imprisonment. Some LGBTQ people could receive the death sentence. Homophobia in Uganda is heavily influenced by American evangelists, who function as “exporters of hate,” notes Pepe Onziema, a Ugandan human rights activist, causing LGBTQ Ugandans to “end up as collateral damage.”

Wohlstand für alle: Wie gerecht ist die Vermögensverteilung in Deutschland? | Kontext

May 30, 2023 | Deutschland belegt Platz 3 auf der Rangliste der Länder mit den meisten Millionär*innen, und es werden jedes Jahr mehr. Gleichzeitig verfügt jede*r Fünfte in Deutschland über keinerlei finanzielle Rücklagen. Ist das gerecht? Nein, findet Umfragen zufolge eine Mehrheit der Deutschen. Wir fragen uns in dieser Folge Kontext: Warum werden Reiche eigentlich immer reicher? Sollte etwas dagegen werden - und wenn ja, warum und was?

Across Europe, the Far Right Is Rising. That It Seems Normal Is All the More Terrifying

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Austria, France, Germany, Sweden and now Spain – the firewall between the mainstream and the far right is crumbling

Normalisation is the process by which something unusual or extreme becomes part of the everyday. What once provoked horror and outrage soon barely registers. The way the presence of Donald Trump became a mere fact of political life is perhaps the most familiar example. But the normalisation of the far right is happening across the democratic world.

Once Trump became “normal”, events that seemed even more extreme did too. A 2022 survey found that two in five Americans thought civil war was “at least somewhat likely” in the next decade. One political scientist speaks of the possibility of rightwing dictatorship in the US by 2030.

The same creep of normalisation is happening in European politics. At the turn of the millennium, when Austria’s far-right Freedom party (FPÖ) – led by Jörg Haider, who had made comments suggesting he was sympathetic to the Nazi regime – entered a coalition with the conservative People’s party, mass protests not only erupted in Vienna but across Europe and in the US. The EU even imposed diplomatic sanctions on Austria. It was understood that an important red line had been crossed; that given Europe’s blood-soaked history, the far right had to be kept firmly outside the tent. » | Owen Jones | Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Frilly Dresses and White Supremacy: Welcome to the Weird, Frightening World of ‘Trad Wives’

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: No longer a far-right subculture, the movement’s anti-feminist tenets are now inserting themselves into mainstream western politics

Protesters at the Women’s March for abortion rights in Washington DC, 22 January 2023. Photograph: Bryan Olin Dozier/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
“In some more traditional relationships (but not all) the man disciplines the woman either physically (like spanking) or with things like writing lines and standing in the corner,” one woman advises another on the Red Pill Women forum, an online community of rightwing, anti-feminist women.

Welcome to the weird and frightening world of trad wives, where women spurn modern, egalitarian values to dedicate their lives to the service of their husbands. My research into this far-right subculture began during the writing of my book on the far right and reproductive rights. I was curious to learn how the movement, determined to reduce women to reproductive vessels to aid white male supremacy, recruited women to its cause. The answer was a toxic combination of anti-feminism, white supremacy, normalised abuse and a desire to return to an imagined past. » | Sian Norris | Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Did Jesus Have a Biological Father? Sorting Out the Pantera Traditions

Dec 9, 2022 | Contrary to what is often asserted, by scholars as well as general readers, the early traditions that Jesus had a biological father named "Pantera" has nothing to do with an assertion that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. Further, the name Pantera was never said to be a pun on Parthenos--the Greek word for "virgin"--until it was suggested by a German scholar in the 19th century! No ancient writers who comment on the name "Yeshua bar Pantera" associates it with such a pun--they know the name as a real name from the family of Joseph and Mary. Furthermore, 1st century rabbis living in Sepphoris, just north of Nazareth, use the name in a descriptive way--not as slander at all--referring to Jesus of Nazareth. It was a REAL name, not a pun used in slander. In this interview I offer an overview of the Pantera traditions--what we know and don't know, including what I have discovered about the tombstone of a 1st century Roman soldier from Sidon found Bingerbrücke, Germany, on the Rhine river, in 1859.

Seven Arrested in Germany for Allegedly Funding 'IS' Terror Group | DW News

May 31, 2023 | Police in Germany have carried out raids on the financing network of the so-called "Islamic State" terror group, arresting several suspects. Prosecutors in Karlsruhe on Wednesday said more than 1,000 federal and state police were involved in raids across several states on an alleged terrorist financing network.

The men and women, mostly of German nationality, were detained on suspicion of supporting a terrorist organization. They allegedly belonged to an international network that solicited financial donations for IS in Syria using platforms that included Telegram. They subsequently transferred the money to the group or its intermediaries.

German Court Convicts Left-Wing Group in Violent Attacks Against Far Right

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A 28-year-old woman and three accomplices were sentenced to prison for their roles in a series of attacks on people they considered neo-Nazis.

A German court on Wednesday convicted a 28-year-old woman and three accomplices of organizing and carrying out brutal attacks against people they perceived to be neo-Nazis, in what experts have described as an uncommon case of left-wing extremist violence in the country.

The woman, who in accordance with Germany’s strict privacy laws was identified only as Lina E., was sentenced to five years and three months in prison by a court in Dresden, in eastern Germany, according to DPA, a German newswire, and MDR, a regional public broadcaster. Three other members of the group — identified as Lennart A., 28; Jannis R., 37; and Philipp M., 28 — received prison sentences ranging from two years and five months to three years and three months. » | Christopher F. Schuetze, Reporting from Dresden, Germany | Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Wie viel Europa steckt in der Türkei unter Erdogan? | Markus Lanz vom 30. Mai 2023

May 31, 2023 | „Ich glaube, dass es das auf Dauer nicht geben wird und auch auf Dauer nicht geben soll“, erklärt der CSU-Politiker und Fraktionsvorsitzender der Europäischen Volkspartei, Manfred Weber, zu einem EU-Betritt der Türkei. Seit Jahren wird ein Betritt der Türkei in der EU diskutiert. Doch wie viel Europa steckt in der Türkei?

Für Manfred Weber sollte man in der gesamten Debatte darauf achten, wofür die EU steht. Wenn es nur um einen Wirtschaftsraum ginge, dann könne man die Türkei in die EU aufnehmen. Doch für ihn als Vollblut-Europäer ist es eben nicht nur eine wirtschaftliche Perspektive, sondern viel mehr eine Identitätsfrage. Eine Identitätsfrage, die besonders mit Werten und Normen zu betrachten ist. Die Türkei, jüngst nach der gewonnenen Wahl von Erdogan, würde diese Werte nicht in jedem Punkt widerspiegeln. Und vor allem eine Einheit sei bei den europäischen Ländern die große Basis. Dass die Türkei immer noch ein Problem mit Schweden hat, passe eben nicht zu dem großen Bündnisgedanken der EU.

Doch für den deutsch-chinesischen Wirtschaftsexperten Felix Lee ist diese Sicht Manfred Webers eine alte Denkart. „Das ist eine eurozentristische Sichtweise“, argumentiert er gegen Manfred Webers Gedanken, dass die EU noch so stark und wichtig in ihren Werten sei. Für die Türkei, aber auch viele andere Länder wie Brasilien und afrikanische Staaten, stellt sich nicht mehr nur die Frage, ob Europa DER Partner für die Zukunft ist. China würde aktuell deutlich an Europa vorbei-ziehen. Diese Entwicklung könne man aktuell beim Ukraine-Krieg beobachten: Europa und der Westen stellen sich gegen Russland, aber es gebe auch viele Länder, die eine klare Position aus strategischen Gründen nicht einnehmen. Und dies zeige den Schwund der europäischen Bedeutsamkeit.

The Rise and Fall of Elizabeth Holmes

Read the accompanying BBC article: Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes begins 11-year prison sentence: Disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has reported to the federal prison where she will serve an 11-year sentence. »

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes turns herself in for 11-year prison term: Blood-testing firm’s fraud saga sees its end as 39-year-old tech founder reports to federal prison camp »

Elizabeth Holmes Reports to Prison to Begin More Than 11-Year Sentence: The disgraced founder of the blood testing start-up Theranos, who was convicted of fraud, turned herself in at a minimum-security prison in Texas. »

Al-Andalus | History of Islamic Spain | Part 1 | الأندلس

May 10. 2009 | Muslim Spain, Muslim Iberia, or Islamic Iberia, was a medieval Muslim territory and cultural domain that in its early period occupied most of Iberia, today's Portugal and Spain. At its greatest geographical extent, it occupied the northwest of the Iberian peninsula and a part of present day southern France Septimania (8th century) and for nearly a century (9th–10th centuries) extended its control from Fraxinet over the Alpine passes which connect Italy with the remainder of Western Europe During the Islamic 'golden age' between the 8th and 14th century, al-Andalus became a hub for social and cultural exchange, while the arts, science, architecture, agriculture, medicine and mathemathics flourished.

Many attribute these achievements to religious tolerance and collaboration between Muslims, Christians and Jews, which is why that period of history is also sometimes referred to as La Convivencia, or co-existence.

The era also produced some of the most significant scholars, poets, musicians, philosophers, historians and thinkers of the medieval age - such as Ibn Arabi, Ibn Rushd (also known as Averroes), al-Zarqali (Arzachel in Latin), al-Zahrawi (Abulcasis in Latin) and Ibn Firnas, among others.

The Secret Muslim History of Spanish Culture

Sept 1, 2022 | Islam was a social and political force in Spain for over 800 years; 3 times the entire history of the United States. And yet, the impact the Muslims had on Spain and modern Spanish culture is rarely ever acknowledged.

Dimitra’s Dishes: Baked Chicken & String Beans Skillet

May 29, 2023

Get the recipe here.

Stevie Wonder: I Just Called To Say I Love You | Reupload

Aug 7, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group | Views on YouTube: 49,348,378

A Risky Film on Atatürk | The New York Times

Nov 13, 2008 | A new documentary film shows Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the revered and godlike founder of Turkey, as a private person with human weaknesses - a rare and risky endeavor.

Democracy Now! Top US & World Headlines — May 26, 2023

Côte d'Ivoire : l'Afrique des possibles - Le dessous des cartes | ARTE

May 27, 2023 | Dans les années 2000, la Côte d’Ivoire était déchirée par la guerre civile. Aujourd'hui, malgré ses fragilités, le pays possède l’une des économies les plus dynamiques du continent africain et est devenu le premier producteur mondial de fèves de cacao. Cacao, café, noix de cajou, ressources minières, pétrole, grands travaux : la Côte d’Ivoire a su mobiliser ses nombreux atouts pour tourner la page de la guerre civile et relancer son économie. Mais les disparités géographiques, le climat politique, les inégalités sociales, l’insécurité dans la région sahélienne et les différents contentieux avec les pays voisins fragilisent les potentialités ivoiriennes.

Uganda's Anti-LGBTQ Law Met with Dismay in Ghana

May 30, 2023 | Alex Kofi Donkor was 'disappointed' but 'not surprised' as he watched Uganda enact one of Africa's harshest anti-LGBTQ laws. He's the founder of the civil rights group 'LGBT Rights Ghana' in a country that has its own proposed anti-LGBTQ bill.

The Moscow Strike Is a Psychological Blow to a Nation Trying to Ignore the War, Russian Nationalists Say.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Kremlin says the Defense Ministry responded well to the attack, but critics argue that the assault shows a lack of leadership from a government that promised only a “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Russian nationalist commentators said Tuesday that the first mass drone attack to strike Moscow highlights the government’s inability to prepare the population for a prolonged conflict that is steadily crossing the nation’s borders.

The flurry of drones that targeted the Russian capital on Tuesday morning caused minimal damage, shattering some windows in three residential buildings and lightly injuring two residents, according to local officials. The attack’s biggest impact, however, is likely to be psychological, forcing Muscovites to confront the reality of Russia’s war in Ukraine, which many have worked hard to block from their daily lives. » | Anatoly Kurmanaev | Tuesday, May 30, 2023

International Condemnation of Ugandan Anti-LGBTQ Bill | DW News

May 30, 2023 | The new law in Uganda contains a provision that would punish "aggravated homosexuality" with the death penalty. The legislation has been met with broad international condemnation.

Uganda’s President Approves Tough New Anti-LGBTQ Law

May 30, 2023 | Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has imposed one of the world's harshest laws against LGBTQ people, sparking condemnation from human rights activists and several foreign governments. Those convicted of same-sex relationships could face the death penalty or life imprisonment.

Uganda's President Museveni Approves Tough New Anti-gay Law

BBC: Uganda's progress in tackling HIV is in "grave jeopardy" after the president approved tough new anti-homosexuality legislation, the UN and US have warned.

An increasing number of people are being discouraged from seeking vital health services for fear of attacks and punishment, they added.

President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law after parliament watered it down.

It is still among the harshest anti-LGBTQ laws in the world.

Homosexual acts are already illegal in Uganda but now anyone convicted faces life imprisonment.

The legislation imposes the death penalty for so-called aggravated cases, which include having gay sex with someone below the age of 18 or where someone is infected with a life-long illness including HIV. » | BBC | Monday, May 29, 2023

What Can Be Expected from President Erdogan's Third Term? | Inside Story

May 29, 2023 | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan re-elected in run-off vote - but faces big domestic and foreign policy challenges ahead It went to a run-off after a very tight first round, but Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the clear winner of Turkey's presidential election. Opponents expressed dismay with the result reflecting deep political divisions in the country.

A key player between East and West, Turkey's relations are complex with the NATO member also on good terms with Russia. So, what can we expect from Erdogan's third term at home and abroad?

Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault

Guests: Helin Sari Ertem, Associate Prof. of Intern'l Relations at Istanbul Medeniyet University
Ben Aris, Founder/Editor-in-chief, BNE IntelliNews.
Onur Erim, Political Adviser, President of Dragoman Strategies.


One word sums up Turkey perfectly: Janus. Turkey looks in two directions: one side looks West; the other side looks East. It was ever thus; and for the foreseeable future, at least, so it will be. – © Mark Alexander

Erdoğan’s World - Turkey and Its President | DW Documentary

May 29, 2023 | President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been in power for 20 years. Turkey has become increasingly autocratic under his rule, his critics are persecuted. We travel through Erdoğan’s Turkey, meeting both supporters and opponents of the head of state.

The devastating earthquake on February 6 that killed around 45,000 people has damaged Erdoğan’s reputation. His government is accused of mismanaging the disaster and, above all, of allowing corruption in the construction sector. Thousands of homes were built by crooked developers who paid little attention to safety standards.

Yet the president still enjoys a lot of support in the country, in spite of the corruption, high inflation and his autocratic leadership style. Erdoğan’s policies are a combination of economic liberalism, Islamism and nationalism and he appeals to many Turks’ patriotism and religious sentiments. Long claiming to be a Muslim democrat, he has gradually Islamized Turkey, in spite of its secular constitution. In order to remain unchallenged in his rule, Erdoğan has largely suppressed press freedom. According to Reporters Without Borders, Turkey is one of the most repressive countries in the world for journalists.

Mary Trump Exposes SECRETS of the Trump Household That Created a MONSTER | Burn the Boats

May 24, 2023 | Mary Trump is a clinical psychologist and host of the The Mary Trump Show. Her first book, Too Much and Never Enough, revealed how Donald Trump’s toxic upbringing created America’s most dangerous president. In this conversation with Ken Harbaugh, she discusses her most recent book, The Reckoning, and offers her insights on national trauma and finding ways to heal.

Ne-Yo : Sexy Love | Official Music Video

Dec 14, 2009 | Views on YouTube: 133,251,228

Turkish Election Victory for Erdogan Leaves Nation Divided - BBC News

May 29, 2023 | Recep Tayyip Erdogan's supporters are celebrating after Turkey's long-time president won Sunday's vote, securing another five years in power. "The entire nation of 85 million won," he told cheering crowds outside his enormous palace on the edge of Ankara. But his call for unity sounded hollow as he ridiculed his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu - and took aim at a jailed Kurdish leader and the LGBT community. The opposition leader denounced "the most unfair election in recent years".

Re-electing Erdogan into office is tantamount to ‘turkeys voting for Christmas’! (Please excuse the pun!) Clearly, Turks show every sign of being masochists. Good luck to Turks in the coming years! In the next five years, they are going to need all the luck they can get. Erdogan believes in using low interest rates to fight inflation; he believes in allowing extremely high inflation to run rampant and thus allowing people's savings to be seriously depleted; he believes in shutting down free speech; he believes in jailing his opponents; he believes in denying LGBTQ+ people their human rights; and he believes in denying women their rights, too. Yet so many Turks are able to rejoice over his re-election into high office. Go figure! – © Mark Alexander

The world's headless chickens react to Erdogan’s re-election: Click here.

Es ist rätselhaft, daß in der Türkei auch nach all den wirtschaftlichen und politischen Schwierigkeiten, zum Beispiel, unerhört hohen Teuerung und unfassbar niedrigen Zinsen, welche die Ersparnisse der Türken schnell wegschnitzen, ist Erdogan wiedergewählt worden. Zudem sind die Rechte der Türken auch ebenso schnell weggestohlen worden, Rechte wie Frauenrechte und Schwulenrechte. Erdogan hat die Präsidentschaftswahl trotzdem gewonnen. Dieser Gewinn ist wirklich schwer zu verstehen; und vermutlich für viele Türken auch ebenso schwer zu verdauen! – © Mark Alexander

Tina Turner about Sickness, Singing, Love & Death (2018)

Nov 12, 2019

Doctissimo : Recette de crème de laitue

Jun 15, 2013 | Le chef italien Alessandro Dal Degan vous propose de réaliser une recette typique de son pays : une crème de laitue avec des petits canederlis à la ricotta et à la confiture de citrons ! Découvrez la vidéo et toutes les étapes de cette recette, qui va ensoleiller vos assiettes

Erdoğan and His Hardline Allies Have Won Turkey – Women and LGBTQ+ People Will Pay the Price

THE GUARDIAN: For civil society and rights defenders, five more years of the Turkish president and his radical backers are a daunting prospect

Supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan celebrating his election victory in Istanbul, 28 May 2023. Photograph: Yasin Akgül/AFP/Getty Images
On Sunday, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was declared the winner of Turkey’s presidential runoff elections. According to numbers reported by the state-owned Anadolu news agency, more than 27 million voters cast their ballots in favour of Erdoğan, who has been at the country’s helm for more than two decades. He entered the second round in the lead in the polls, and was expected by most to emerge victorious. Although Erdoğan captured slightly more than half of the vote, more than 25 million people also mobilised to vote against him.

The elections were being held under deeply unfair conditions, with an opposition set up to fail. Istanbul’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, was recently sentenced to more than two years in prison and banned from holding public office for insulting members of the supreme election council. This left the opposition unable to nominate its maybe most promising candidate. This was all amid biased media coverage, relentless smear campaigns against the eventual opposition candidate, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, threats, manipulation and a crackdown on civil society, such as the arrest of 126 Kurdish lawyers, activists and politicians at the end of April in Diyarbakır. » | Constanze Letsch | Monday, May 29, 2023

What Erdogan's Win Means for Turkey and the World | DW News

May 29, 2023 | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won an election runoff to begin a third decade in power. Turkey's long-serving leader won 52 percent of the vote, despite facing the biggest challenge to his rule. His rival, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, called the election unfair, without disputing the outcome. He'd promised to restore democratic norms if elected, and increasingly veered to an anti-migrant platform in the final days of campaigning.

Can a New Bridge Unite Sweden's Divided Society? | Focus on Europe

May 28, 2023 | A new bridge in Stockholm is set to connect a wealthy area with an underprivileged district. But some people are objecting to it, triggering a divisive debate in Swedish society.

UK Could Break Up unless It Is Rebuilt as ‘Solidarity Union’, Says Mark Drakeford

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: First minister of Wales says bonds that tie UK together have come under ‘sustained assault’ from 40 years of neoliberalism

Drakeford said Anglocentric Tories in London had shown a ‘fundamental disrespect’ for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/AFP/Getty Images
The UK could break apart unless it is rebuilt as a “solidarity union” where every citizen’s rights to public services and financial security are protected, the first minister of Wales, has warned.

Mark Drakeford said the social and political bonds that tie the different parts of the UK together have come under “sustained assault” from 40 years of neoliberalism, a trend launched by Margaret Thatcher in 1979 and then reinforced after Brexit by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

“In order to persuade people in all parts of the United Kingdom that their futures lie together within a restructured United Kingdom, we have to recreate a solidarity union,” the Welsh Labour leader said in an interview with the Guardian.

That included rebuilding the safety net for those sick or out of work, with fundamental rights, he said, to environment, consumer and trade union protections, to human rights and to affordable public services. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland editor | Monday, May 29, 2023

tina and erwin bach’s LOVE STORY

Oct 17, 2021 | Love is easier when the man enjoys doing labor for your love. You should feel secure and you shouldn’t have to worry if he is betraying you because you can see he is trustworthy through his actions. Even their house looks peaceful.

Erdogan Declares Victory in Turkey's Runoff Election | DW News

May 28, 2023 | Turkey's incumbent president has declared victory in historic run-off elections. Unofficial results from state-run and independent news agencies put Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the lead.

The state-run Anadolu agency puts Erdogan on just over 52 percent of the vote with more than 99 percent of the ballot boxes opened. His challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, a secular former civil servant, is at just under 48 percent.


Related articles in German, French and English here.

The Last Persian Shah - Full Movie

Feb 25, 2021 | Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi would have been 100 years in October 2019. The Shah's story begins with good ideas and ideals and ends in bloody chaos. On the one hand, he helped carry Iran into modernity. His wealth was legendary, and his marriages made tabloid headlines for years. However, his name also stands for a time of human rights violations, vicious oppression and intolerance.

Queen Elizabeth II: The Speech You've Never Heard

May 6, 2023 | In this nostalgic video, we witness the majestic and inspiring compilation of speeches from Queen Elizabeth II, with footage of her life and coronation. This iconic moment in British history took place on June 2, 1953, when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned as the Queen of England. Her message was a stirring call to duty, responsibility, and service to her people, and her words continue to resonate today. …

Ina Garten's Jewish-style Brisket with Carrots and Onions | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

May 26, 2023 | Ina Garten slow cooks brisket for a classic and delicious Friday night dinner that's perfect for holidays, too!

Get the recipe here.

Knapper Sieg Erdogans zeichnet sich ab

TÜRKEI-WAHL
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Sowohl bei staatlichen als auch bei oppositionsnahen Medien liegt Erdogan vorn. Das spricht dafür, dass der Amtsinhaber siegen könnte. Aber Kilicdaroglu gibt sich noch nicht geschlagen.

Bei der Präsidentenwahl in der Türkei zeichnet sich ein knapper Wahlsieg des Amtsinhabers Recep Tayyip Erdogan ab. Die staatliche Nachrichtenagentur Anadolu sah ihn nach Auszählung von 94 Prozent der Wahlurnen mit 52,4 Prozent zu 47,6 Prozent in Führung. Die unabhängige Agentur Anka, die als oppositionsnah gilt, meldete für Erdogan eine knappe Führung von 51,4. Den Herausforderer Kemal Kilicdaroglu sah sie bei 48,6 Prozent nach Auszählung von 96 Prozent der Wahlurnen. » | Von Friederike Böge. Politische Korrespondentin für die Türkei, Iran, Afghanistan und Pakistan mit Sitz in Ankara | Sonntag, 28. Mai 2023

Erdogan bleibt Präsident: Der türkische Präsident hat die Stichwahl gewonnen. Nach Angaben verschiedener Medien lag er nach Auszählung fast aller Stimmen mit rund 52 Prozent vorn. Das Oppositionsbündnis steht nun vor einer Zerreißprobe. »

IN ENGLISH:

Turkey's Erdogan Leads Opposition After Runoff Election With Nearly All Ballots Counted: The head of the High Election Board said at a press conference that Erdogan was leading challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu with 54.47 percent support »

President Erdogan Wins Re-Election in Turkey: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s paramount politician for 20 years, defeated the opposition candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, according to unofficial results published by state media. The election was the biggest challenge of his political career. »

EN FRANÇAIS :

Présidentielle en Turquie, en direct : Erdogan réélu président par sa victoire sur Kemal Kiliçdaroglu lors du second tour : L’agence Anadolu donne Recep Tayyip Erdogan devant son adversaire, avec 52,11 % des voix contre 47,89 % pour Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. »

More Than Half of Voters Now Want Britain to Forge Closer Ties with the EU, Poll Reveals

THE OBSERVER: Dramatic reversal in public opinion seen even in those constituencies that recorded the highest votes to leave

A clear majority of British voters now favours building closer relations with the European Union, according to new polling that highlights a dramatic reversal in the tide of public opinion since Brexit.

Even in those constituencies that recorded the highest votes to leave the EU in 2016, more than twice as many voters now believe the best route forward is to move in the opposite direction – and forge closer ties with Brussels.

The survey of more than 10,000 voters, for the internationalist campaign group Best for Britain, accompanied by detailed MRP (multilevel regression and poststratification) analysis based on new constituency boundaries, will provide sobering reading for Rishi Sunak, who backed Brexit as a route to greater economic success.

The poll by Focaldata found that three times as many adults (63%) now believe Brexit has created more problems than it has solved, compared with just 21% who believe it has solved more than it has created. » | Toby Helm | Sunday, May 28, 2023

What Was Queen Victoria Like Behind Closed Doors? | Victoria's Secrets | Real Royalty

Feb 1, 2023 | Queen Victoria inherited the throne of Great Britain at the tender age of 18 and rules for 63 years, giving her name to an entire era. Victoria was a complex character, her personality a strange mixture of contradictions. This fascinating documentary provides a penetrating insight into the Queen's life as Victoria's Secrets are revealed at last.

House & A Host: Althorp with Earl Spencer

Oct 31, 2022 | Join artist and designer, Ashley Hicks, as he meets Earl Charles Spencer for a tour of Althorp, the ancestral seat of the Spencer family. In this fascinating film, shot by Felipe Sanguinetti for Cabana, Ashley also sits down with Earl Spencer for a detailed discussion about Althorp's history and magnificent contents, which include its museum-worthy fine art collection.

Visit the World of Cabana for weekly stories and interiors here.

Erdoğan Hands Banknotes to Supporters outside Turkish Polling Station

May 28, 2023 | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave out money at a polling station where he cast his ballot in Turkey's presidential election runoff. The incumbent head of state handed out banknotes worth 200 lira (£8) while shaking hands with supporters. The polling stations opened for the second round of the presidential election in which Erdoğan hopes to see off a challenge from rival Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu Polls open in Turkish election runoff as Erdoğan hopes to retain power.

France Struggles to Stub Out ‘Explosion’ in Contraband Cigarettes

THE GUARDIAN: Criminal turf wars are a sign of deeper problems in country that has EU’s highest cigarette taxes

Outside a station in Pantin, a town that nudges up against Paris’s north-eastern border, young men hollered “cigarettes!” at commuters. They flashed two or three packets of what looked like ordinary Malboros or Camels for €5 (£4.35), about half the legal price. “There are so many illegal cigarette sellers near stations, they’re taking over the pavements,” said a customer at a local bakery.

The French government has warned of an “explosion” in contraband cigarettes since the Covid lockdowns, as the number of smokers in France remains stable and has even risen among women over 18. Men selling cheap contraband packets near stations in and around Paris, from the Gare du Nord to Barbès or Noisy-le-Sec and La Courneuve, are so commonplace that some residents’ groups deem greater Paris a “giant, open-air, illegal tobacconist’s”.

But France’s cigarette wars are a sign of deeper problems running through society. International criminal gangs are putting millions of euros into setting up secret illegal cigarette factories in western Europe and France is a key target market – it has among the highest taxes on cigarettes in the EU with the average price of a pack about €11. … » | Angelique Chrisafis in Pantin | Sunday, May 28, 2023

French people have stopped giving up smoking, survey shows: A rebound in smoking in France has health authorities wondering if tobacco has lost its taboo – with a survey showing that one in three adults last year smoked at least occasionally. »