But the right to live in a city in China is conditional. Authorities want their modern cities to be peopled with well-educated, highly-qualified or politically well-connected residents. As a result, certain standards have to be met to be eligible for a modern, urban home. Only members of China's political classes and the financially successful have a hope of qualifying. Yet more than half of the people who live in cities are so-called "migrant workers." They come from rural communities and have no official rights to settle in cities. They are there to work. With no proper rights, they are merely tolerated while they serve as merchants, servants, waitstaff, cleaners, construction workers and tradespeople. But while they are indispensible to daily life in the cities, they are unable to afford their exorbitant rents. This documentary looks at how and where these workers live, and asks whether middle and working class Chinese even figure in the official vision of shiny, high-tech cities. The filmmakers also look at what happens to those who oppose official plans, or stand in the way of the building boom.
Monday, May 31, 2021
China's Competition for Living Space | DW Documentary
More than 60 percent of China's population of 1.4 billion currently lives in cities. Within a decade, the share of urban dwellers is expected to increase to 75 percent. Construction is booming and competition for residential land is fierce.
But the right to live in a city in China is conditional. Authorities want their modern cities to be peopled with well-educated, highly-qualified or politically well-connected residents. As a result, certain standards have to be met to be eligible for a modern, urban home. Only members of China's political classes and the financially successful have a hope of qualifying. Yet more than half of the people who live in cities are so-called "migrant workers." They come from rural communities and have no official rights to settle in cities. They are there to work. With no proper rights, they are merely tolerated while they serve as merchants, servants, waitstaff, cleaners, construction workers and tradespeople. But while they are indispensible to daily life in the cities, they are unable to afford their exorbitant rents. This documentary looks at how and where these workers live, and asks whether middle and working class Chinese even figure in the official vision of shiny, high-tech cities. The filmmakers also look at what happens to those who oppose official plans, or stand in the way of the building boom.
But the right to live in a city in China is conditional. Authorities want their modern cities to be peopled with well-educated, highly-qualified or politically well-connected residents. As a result, certain standards have to be met to be eligible for a modern, urban home. Only members of China's political classes and the financially successful have a hope of qualifying. Yet more than half of the people who live in cities are so-called "migrant workers." They come from rural communities and have no official rights to settle in cities. They are there to work. With no proper rights, they are merely tolerated while they serve as merchants, servants, waitstaff, cleaners, construction workers and tradespeople. But while they are indispensible to daily life in the cities, they are unable to afford their exorbitant rents. This documentary looks at how and where these workers live, and asks whether middle and working class Chinese even figure in the official vision of shiny, high-tech cities. The filmmakers also look at what happens to those who oppose official plans, or stand in the way of the building boom.
New Report Says Denmark Helped US NSA Spy on German Politicians | DW News
New details have come to light in the scandal over the US National Security Agency's surveillance of top European politicians.
Revelations that emerged in 2013 showed that the US intelligence agency had tapped the phones of several leaders – including Germany's Angela Merkel.
Now, a new multi-national media investigation says a Danish military intelligence unit supported the US wiretapping operation. Danish intelligence reportedly worked with the US National Security Agency from here - to eavesdrop on European politicians.
A joint investigation by several European media outlets shows former German chancellor candidate, Peer Steinbrück, was among the espionage targets.
A major problem is that the Danish government didn't inform their German neighbors, though they apparently knew about the eavesdropping as early as 2015. The German government said it only found out about the spying after press inquiries.
Spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden and a parliamentary inquiry. It did not reveal that a close European ally was involved.
The NSA, the Danish intelligence service and the Danish government refused to comment on the latest revelations.
Revelations that emerged in 2013 showed that the US intelligence agency had tapped the phones of several leaders – including Germany's Angela Merkel.
Now, a new multi-national media investigation says a Danish military intelligence unit supported the US wiretapping operation. Danish intelligence reportedly worked with the US National Security Agency from here - to eavesdrop on European politicians.
A joint investigation by several European media outlets shows former German chancellor candidate, Peer Steinbrück, was among the espionage targets.
A major problem is that the Danish government didn't inform their German neighbors, though they apparently knew about the eavesdropping as early as 2015. The German government said it only found out about the spying after press inquiries.
Spying on Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was revealed by NSA leaker Edward Snowden and a parliamentary inquiry. It did not reveal that a close European ally was involved.
The NSA, the Danish intelligence service and the Danish government refused to comment on the latest revelations.
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Why I Believe In UFOs, and You Should Too... | Ben Mezrich | TEDxBeaconStreet (2016)
Ben discuses the UFO highway located at the 37th Parallel, and the strange phenomenon of cattle mutilations.
Ben Mezrich is the author of 18 books including Bringing Down The House that was made into the movie 21, and Accidental Billionaires that was made into the movie The Social Network.
Robert Bigelow »
Ben Mezrich is the author of 18 books including Bringing Down The House that was made into the movie 21, and Accidental Billionaires that was made into the movie The Social Network.
Robert Bigelow »
Stelter: Right-wing Propaganda Is Taking the Place of Reality
Warum Ex-Raucher zunehmen
DW: Wer mit dem Rauchen aufhört, wird dicker. Es wurde viel spekuliert, woran das liegen könnte - jetzt scheint die Ursache des Dilemmas geklärt zu sein. Und die hat nichts mit zu viel Schokolade oder Eis zu tun.
Rauchen ist ungesund. Punkt. Das ist so - ohne wenn und aber. Logische Konsequenz? Aufhören. Würden viele Raucher auch gerne, ist aber gar nicht so einfach. Ein Grund für viele, weiterzuqualmen ist die Angst, zuzunehmen. Und die scheint durchaus berechtigt zu sein. Etwa 80 Prozent der Raucher, die sich entschließen aufzuhören, nehmen danach durchschnittlich sieben Kilo zu. Das ist viel und vor allem frustrierend, da es nicht an zu viel Kompensations-Schokolade liegt. Auch Ex-Raucher, die gleichviel oder sogar weniger Kalorien als vor dem Rauchstopp zu sich nehmen, legen an Gewicht zu. » | Judith Harti | Donnerstag, 29. August 2013
Viel Schall um Rauch »
Rauchen gestattet: Wieso die Zigarette zum Film gehört »
Rauchen ist ungesund. Punkt. Das ist so - ohne wenn und aber. Logische Konsequenz? Aufhören. Würden viele Raucher auch gerne, ist aber gar nicht so einfach. Ein Grund für viele, weiterzuqualmen ist die Angst, zuzunehmen. Und die scheint durchaus berechtigt zu sein. Etwa 80 Prozent der Raucher, die sich entschließen aufzuhören, nehmen danach durchschnittlich sieben Kilo zu. Das ist viel und vor allem frustrierend, da es nicht an zu viel Kompensations-Schokolade liegt. Auch Ex-Raucher, die gleichviel oder sogar weniger Kalorien als vor dem Rauchstopp zu sich nehmen, legen an Gewicht zu. » | Judith Harti | Donnerstag, 29. August 2013
Viel Schall um Rauch »
Rauchen gestattet: Wieso die Zigarette zum Film gehört »
Dollars vs Decency: Is China Taking Over New Zealand? | 60 Minutes Australia
Dairy Milk May Lower Cholesterol and Reduce Coronary Heart Disease Risk
MEDICAL NEWS TODAY: A new study suggests that drinking dairy milk may lower cholesterol levels. / The study consists of a meta-analysis of three surveys involving over 400,000 individuals. / The scientists found that even though drinking milk leads to higher body mass index (BMI) and body fat, it still lowers the risk of coronary heart disease.
Dairy milk is a complex substance. For example, it contains 18 out of 20 essential proteins and amino acids, but it also contains saturated fats.
Perhaps this is why attempts to definitively identify its role in cardiometabolic diseases and its effect on cholesterol levels have produced conflicting results.
A newly published study from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom attempts to resolve such contradictions. The study is based on a meta-analysis of three existing large population studies.
The authors conclude that people who consume dairy milk have lower levels of both types of cholesterol and a lower risk of coronary heart disease than people who do not drink milk. » | Robby Berman | Friday, May 28, 2021
Dairy milk is a complex substance. For example, it contains 18 out of 20 essential proteins and amino acids, but it also contains saturated fats.
Perhaps this is why attempts to definitively identify its role in cardiometabolic diseases and its effect on cholesterol levels have produced conflicting results.
A newly published study from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom attempts to resolve such contradictions. The study is based on a meta-analysis of three existing large population studies.
The authors conclude that people who consume dairy milk have lower levels of both types of cholesterol and a lower risk of coronary heart disease than people who do not drink milk. » | Robby Berman | Friday, May 28, 2021
An Arms Race in America: Gun Buying Spiked During the Pandemic. It’s Still Up.
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Preliminary research data show that about a fifth of all Americans who bought guns last year were first-time gun owners. Sales usually spike around elections, but the sheer volume is notable.
WASHINGTON — It was another week with another horrific mass shooting. In cities across the country, gun homicides were climbing. Democrats and Republicans argued over the causes. President Biden said enough.
But beneath the timeworn political cycle on guns in the United States, the country’s appetite for firearms has only been increasing, with more being bought by more Americans than ever before.
While gun sales have been climbing for decades — they often spike in election years and after high-profile crimes — Americans have been on an unusual, prolonged buying spree fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, the protests last summer and the fears they both stoked.
In March last year, federal background checks, a rough proxy for purchases, topped one million in a week for the first time since the government began tracking them in 1998. And the buying continued, through the protests in the summer and the election in the fall, until a week this spring broke the record with 1.2 million background checks. » | Sabrina Tavernise | Saturday, May 29, 2021
Americans are stuck on stupid! Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid. – © Mark
WASHINGTON — It was another week with another horrific mass shooting. In cities across the country, gun homicides were climbing. Democrats and Republicans argued over the causes. President Biden said enough.
But beneath the timeworn political cycle on guns in the United States, the country’s appetite for firearms has only been increasing, with more being bought by more Americans than ever before.
While gun sales have been climbing for decades — they often spike in election years and after high-profile crimes — Americans have been on an unusual, prolonged buying spree fueled by the coronavirus pandemic, the protests last summer and the fears they both stoked.
In March last year, federal background checks, a rough proxy for purchases, topped one million in a week for the first time since the government began tracking them in 1998. And the buying continued, through the protests in the summer and the election in the fall, until a week this spring broke the record with 1.2 million background checks. » | Sabrina Tavernise | Saturday, May 29, 2021
Americans are stuck on stupid! Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid. – © Mark
Phone Intercepts Shine More Light on Jordanian Prince’s Alleged Coup Attempt
THE GUARDIAN: Discussions took place before Prince Hamzah was put under house arrest
Aides to the former Jordanian heir Prince Hamzah sought pledges of allegiance on his behalf from tribal leaders and former military officers in the weeks before he was detained, conversations caught on phone intercepts and listening devices suggest.
The recordings are key pieces of evidence in the Jordanian government’s case against two men accused of acting as proxies for Hamzah in a failed attempt to oust his half-brother, King Abdullah, as monarch. Both men – Bassem Awadallah, a former envoy to Saudi Arabia, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a cousin of the king – are expected to stand trial in Amman starting on Monday.
The calls and intercepts, which have been heard by the Guardian, took place over three weeks in March, a period in which officials say Hamzah tried to rally support from figures who could elevate what officials describe as a seditious plot into a serious challenge to Abdullah’s reign. » | Martin Chulov and Michael Safi | Sunday, May 30, 2021
Aides to the former Jordanian heir Prince Hamzah sought pledges of allegiance on his behalf from tribal leaders and former military officers in the weeks before he was detained, conversations caught on phone intercepts and listening devices suggest.
The recordings are key pieces of evidence in the Jordanian government’s case against two men accused of acting as proxies for Hamzah in a failed attempt to oust his half-brother, King Abdullah, as monarch. Both men – Bassem Awadallah, a former envoy to Saudi Arabia, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a cousin of the king – are expected to stand trial in Amman starting on Monday.
The calls and intercepts, which have been heard by the Guardian, took place over three weeks in March, a period in which officials say Hamzah tried to rally support from figures who could elevate what officials describe as a seditious plot into a serious challenge to Abdullah’s reign. » | Martin Chulov and Michael Safi | Sunday, May 30, 2021
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds Marry in Secret Ceremony
Boris Johnson has married Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral in a ceremony planned in strict secrecy, according to newspapers.
The pair exchanged vows in front of a small group of close friends and family on Saturday, the Mail on Sunday and the Sun newspaper reported.
The ceremony had been planned for six months and a handful of church officials were involved in the preparation, according to the Sun.
The 30 guests invited, the maximum number under current lockdown restrictions, were said to have been informed only at the last minute. » | Nadeem Badshah | Saturday, May 29, 2021
Mail on Sunday: Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds wed in secret ceremony at Catholic Westminster Cathedral in front of 30 guests – the first Prime Minister to marry while in office for 199 years »
Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds marry in secret ceremony »
The Observer View on Deadly Government Incompetence>
That Boris Johnson lacks the leadership skills, capability and integrity to guide the country through a national emergency is not a new insight: it has been clear for months. But the significance of Dominic Cummings’ testimony to the House of Commons last week was that the prime minister’s former adviser provided more evidence of Johnson’s culpability for decisions that cost countless lives.
Cummings himself is a man lacking in integrity, who will for ever be associated with the electoral deceit and the implicit racism of the Vote Leave campaign during the Brexit referendum. Although he expressed what appeared to be genuine contrition for his role in the policy disasters that caused people to die, he is unlikely to be a wholly reliable narrator. But that does not mean his account of what happened during his time advising Johnson can be dismissed out of hand. Much of what he said last week accords with what we already know in relation to Johnson’s failures and rings true about his well-established character flaws. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, May 10, 2021
Saturday, May 29, 2021
Covid Deaths in US Fall to Level Not Seen Since March 2020 | The Mehdi Hasan Show
Friday, May 28, 2021
How Does North Korea Finance a Nuclear Weapons Program? | DW Documentary
How is it possible that North Korea can finance a nuclear weapons program? One of the poorest countries in the world is even able to worry the United States with its nuclear arsenal. The answer lies in the criminal activities of "Office 39".
The organization "Office 39" is a secret division of the government. Its goal is to obtain foreign currency by any means possible, providing Kim Jong Un’s totalitarian regime with financial resources. Drugs, counterfeit money, human trafficking, insurance fraud: nothing is off-limits for these North Korean gangsters. This documentary reveals their most spectacular schemes, and lays bare the sensational methods that have allowed the isolated country to circumvent UN sanctions and build up its nuclear program over a period of decades.
The organization "Office 39" is a secret division of the government. Its goal is to obtain foreign currency by any means possible, providing Kim Jong Un’s totalitarian regime with financial resources. Drugs, counterfeit money, human trafficking, insurance fraud: nothing is off-limits for these North Korean gangsters. This documentary reveals their most spectacular schemes, and lays bare the sensational methods that have allowed the isolated country to circumvent UN sanctions and build up its nuclear program over a period of decades.
Rachat de la Metro Goldwyn Mayer : le cinéma selon Amazon
LE MONDE: Mercredi 26 mai, le groupe de Jeff Bezos a déboursé 8,45 milliards de dollars pour acquérir le studio et son catalogue de 4 000 films. Cet achat à prix d’or est une nouvelle illustration du pari que l’entreprise américaine fait sur le streaming, au détriment des salles de cinéma traditionnelles.
Editorial du « Monde ». Que ne ferait-on pas pour tenter de devenir le roi de la jungle du divertissement ? Amazon a signé, mercredi 26 mai, un chèque de 8,45 milliards de dollars (6,92 milliards d’euros) pour capturer le célèbre lion rugissant de la Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Cette opération constitue une nouvelle étape du mouvement de concentration dans le secteur de la production cinématographique, sous la pression de la montée en puissance des sites de streaming, c’est-à-dire de diffusion de contenus en continu sur Internet. Les principales plates-formes, comme Netflix, Hulu (Disney), Apple ou Amazon, cherchent à étoffer leurs catalogues à marche forcée pour attirer de plus en plus d’abonnés. » | Éditorial, Le Monde | jeudi 27 mai 2021
Editorial du « Monde ». Que ne ferait-on pas pour tenter de devenir le roi de la jungle du divertissement ? Amazon a signé, mercredi 26 mai, un chèque de 8,45 milliards de dollars (6,92 milliards d’euros) pour capturer le célèbre lion rugissant de la Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Cette opération constitue une nouvelle étape du mouvement de concentration dans le secteur de la production cinématographique, sous la pression de la montée en puissance des sites de streaming, c’est-à-dire de diffusion de contenus en continu sur Internet. Les principales plates-formes, comme Netflix, Hulu (Disney), Apple ou Amazon, cherchent à étoffer leurs catalogues à marche forcée pour attirer de plus en plus d’abonnés. » | Éditorial, Le Monde | jeudi 27 mai 2021
A Dangerous Cult Now Runs Britain – The Worshippers at the Temple of Johnson
Last night’s Downing Street coronavirus briefing was given by Matt Hancock, now identifiable only by his dental records. According to Dominic Cummings, Hancock was a serial liar at a deadly level who should have been sacked 15 or 20 times. According to himself, Matt Hancock “threw a ring around care homes”. It would have been a lot better if he’d thrown the ring into Mount Doom instead.
Elsewhere, it has emerged that a government that came to power promising to control our borders has allowed 1.59 million – ONE POINT FIVE NINE MILLION – travellers to fly into the UK in the four lockdown months from January to April alone , two-thirds of whom were not UK nationals. If we don’t open up fully in three weeks, make sure to thank the Conservatives by popping a couple more points on their poll ratings.
So yes: you’ve heard a lot of denials over the past 24 hours. But the biggest UK repository of denial remains the polls, where no revelation of incompetence or failure impacts other than positively for the government. A midweek poll saw the Conservatives climb six points, to 44%, which feels about perfect for a country where at that moment Cummings was claiming industrial levels of lying, incompetence and contempt for elderly and vulnerable people, and spiking it all with such details as Boris Johnson wanting Chris Whitty to inject him with the virus live on TV. Remember, even Donald Trump at his maddest only wanted other people to inject the disinfectant. » | Marina Hyde | Friday, May 28, 2021
German Voters’ View of Personal Wealth Causes Problems for the Left
THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: left-of-centre parties struggle to cut through as survey shows ‘everyone thinks they are middle class’
It is a country with levels of wealth inequality more similar to the US than France, and one where the richest 10% of the population already owned two-thirds of the national wealth before the pandemic further widened the gap.
Yet the inequality of German society and how to fix it is likely to play a minor role in the race to September elections this year, with those parties expected to offer solutions – the centre-left Social Democratic party (SPD) and the leftwing Die Linke – struggling in the polls.
A new study offers answers why, showing how a central perception fallacy among the German electorate on questions of income and wealth creates a major obstacle for the traditional left. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
It is a country with levels of wealth inequality more similar to the US than France, and one where the richest 10% of the population already owned two-thirds of the national wealth before the pandemic further widened the gap.
Yet the inequality of German society and how to fix it is likely to play a minor role in the race to September elections this year, with those parties expected to offer solutions – the centre-left Social Democratic party (SPD) and the leftwing Die Linke – struggling in the polls.
A new study offers answers why, showing how a central perception fallacy among the German electorate on questions of income and wealth creates a major obstacle for the traditional left. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Number of Smokers Has Reached All-time High of 1.1 Billion, Study Finds
THE GUARDIAN: Governments told to focus on stopping young from taking up habit that killed 8 million people in 2019
Smoking killed almost 8 million people in 2019 and the number of smokers rose as the habit was picked up by young people around the world, according to new research.
A study published in the Lancet on Thursday said efforts to curb the habit had been outstripped by population growth with 150 million more people smoking in the nine years from 1990, reaching an all-time high of 1.1 billion.
The study’s authors said governments need to focus on reducing the uptake of smoking among young people, as 89% of new smokers were addicted by the age of 25 but beyond that age were unlikely to start.
“Young people are particularly vulnerable to addiction, and with high rates of cessation remaining elusive worldwide, the tobacco epidemic will continue for years to come unless countries can dramatically reduce the number of new smokers starting each year,” said the study’s lead author Marissa Reitsma, a researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Though the prevalence of smoking has reduced globally over the past three decades, it increased for men in 20 countries and for women in 12. Just 10 countries made up two-thirds of the world’s smoking population: China, India, Indonesia, the US, Russia, Bangladesh, Japan, Turkey, Vietnam and the Philippines. One in three tobacco smokers (341 million) live in China. » | Kaamil Ahmed | Thursday, May 27, 2021
South Africa tobacco ban greeted with cigarette smuggling boom »
Smoking killed almost 8 million people in 2019 and the number of smokers rose as the habit was picked up by young people around the world, according to new research.
A study published in the Lancet on Thursday said efforts to curb the habit had been outstripped by population growth with 150 million more people smoking in the nine years from 1990, reaching an all-time high of 1.1 billion.
The study’s authors said governments need to focus on reducing the uptake of smoking among young people, as 89% of new smokers were addicted by the age of 25 but beyond that age were unlikely to start.
“Young people are particularly vulnerable to addiction, and with high rates of cessation remaining elusive worldwide, the tobacco epidemic will continue for years to come unless countries can dramatically reduce the number of new smokers starting each year,” said the study’s lead author Marissa Reitsma, a researcher at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
Though the prevalence of smoking has reduced globally over the past three decades, it increased for men in 20 countries and for women in 12. Just 10 countries made up two-thirds of the world’s smoking population: China, India, Indonesia, the US, Russia, Bangladesh, Japan, Turkey, Vietnam and the Philippines. One in three tobacco smokers (341 million) live in China. » | Kaamil Ahmed | Thursday, May 27, 2021
South Africa tobacco ban greeted with cigarette smuggling boom »
QAnon Now as Popular in U.S. as Some Major Religions, Poll Suggests
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Fifteen percent of Americans believe that “patriots may have to resort to violence” to restore the country’s rightful order, the poll indicated.
As hopes fade for a bipartisan inquiry into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, it’s increasingly clear that the Republican base remains in thrall to the web of untruths spun by Donald J. Trump — and perhaps even more outlandish lies, beyond those of the former president’s making.
A federal judge warned in an opinion yesterday that Mr. Trump’s insistence on the “big lie” — that the November election was stolen from him — still posed a serious threat. Presiding over the case of a man accused of storming Congress on Jan. 6, Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the United States District Court in Washington wrote: “The steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away. Six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention in the near-daily fulminations of the former president.”
But it’s not just the notion that the election was stolen that has caught on with the former president’s supporters. QAnon, an outlandish and ever-evolving conspiracy theory spread by some of Mr. Trump’s most ardent followers, has significant traction with a segment of the public — particularly Republicans and Americans who consume news from far-right sources. » | Giovanni Russonello | Thursday, May 27, 2021
As hopes fade for a bipartisan inquiry into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, it’s increasingly clear that the Republican base remains in thrall to the web of untruths spun by Donald J. Trump — and perhaps even more outlandish lies, beyond those of the former president’s making.
A federal judge warned in an opinion yesterday that Mr. Trump’s insistence on the “big lie” — that the November election was stolen from him — still posed a serious threat. Presiding over the case of a man accused of storming Congress on Jan. 6, Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the United States District Court in Washington wrote: “The steady drumbeat that inspired defendant to take up arms has not faded away. Six months later, the canard that the election was stolen is being repeated daily on major news outlets and from the corridors of power in state and federal government, not to mention in the near-daily fulminations of the former president.”
But it’s not just the notion that the election was stolen that has caught on with the former president’s supporters. QAnon, an outlandish and ever-evolving conspiracy theory spread by some of Mr. Trump’s most ardent followers, has significant traction with a segment of the public — particularly Republicans and Americans who consume news from far-right sources. » | Giovanni Russonello | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Thursday, May 27, 2021
‘House of One’: Berlin Lays First Stone for Multi-faith Worship Centre
THE GUARDIAN: Construction begins on project that will unite Muslims, Jews and Christians under one roof
Muslims, Jews and Christians are to be united for worship under one roof in Berlin in a groundbreaking project called ‘House of One’.
The cornerstone of the multi-denominational temple was laid in the German capital on Thursday with supporters saying they hoped it would forge greater understanding between the three religions.
A mosque, a synagogue and a church will be combined on the site on Leipziger Strasse, in the area where Berlin has its historical origins, and on the former foundations of a 13th-century church, the Petrikirche, which was badly damaged during second world war bombing and pulled down during communism. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Muslims, Jews and Christians are to be united for worship under one roof in Berlin in a groundbreaking project called ‘House of One’.
The cornerstone of the multi-denominational temple was laid in the German capital on Thursday with supporters saying they hoped it would forge greater understanding between the three religions.
A mosque, a synagogue and a church will be combined on the site on Leipziger Strasse, in the area where Berlin has its historical origins, and on the former foundations of a 13th-century church, the Petrikirche, which was badly damaged during second world war bombing and pulled down during communism. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Lisa Shaw Death: BBC Presenter Had Blood Clots after AstraZeneca Jab, Family Says
THE GUARDIAN: Radio Newcastle broadcaster had severe headaches a week after vaccine and fell seriously ill days later, relatives say
The award-winning BBC radio presenter Lisa Shaw died in hospital after suffering blood clots following her AstraZeneca vaccination, her family has said.
The 44-year-old, who was a well-known broadcaster in the north-east of England and had worked for BBC Radio Newcastle since 2015, developed severe headaches a week after having the jab and fell seriously ill a few days later, relatives said in a statement.
Shaw died at the Royal Victoria infirmary in Newcastle on Friday last week after being treated in intensive care for blood clots and bleeding. She was surrounded by family, the statement said. » | Lucy Campbell | Thursday, May 27, 2021
The award-winning BBC radio presenter Lisa Shaw died in hospital after suffering blood clots following her AstraZeneca vaccination, her family has said.
The 44-year-old, who was a well-known broadcaster in the north-east of England and had worked for BBC Radio Newcastle since 2015, developed severe headaches a week after having the jab and fell seriously ill a few days later, relatives said in a statement.
Shaw died at the Royal Victoria infirmary in Newcastle on Friday last week after being treated in intensive care for blood clots and bleeding. She was surrounded by family, the statement said. » | Lucy Campbell | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Switzerland Walks Out of Seven-year Treaty Talks with EU
THE GUARDIAN: Swiss say terms unacceptable despite Brussels’ claims they are better than those offered to UK
Switzerland has walked out of talks on a closer trading relationship with the European Union despite being offered better terms than the UK in key areas, EU officials have claimed.
On Wednesday the country’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, pulled the plug on long-running discussions with the EU, saying that Berne’s conditions were “not met”.
Switzerland, while outside the EU, is the bloc’s fourth biggest trading partner and its economy is closely integrated with those of the 27 member states. Citizens of Switzerland and the EU member states have a mutual right to free movement.
But the Swiss government claimed it could not accept the EU’s demands to maintain and deepen ties as they would be rejected in a legally required referendum on a deal. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Switzerland has walked out of talks on a closer trading relationship with the European Union despite being offered better terms than the UK in key areas, EU officials have claimed.
On Wednesday the country’s foreign minister, Ignazio Cassis, pulled the plug on long-running discussions with the EU, saying that Berne’s conditions were “not met”.
Switzerland, while outside the EU, is the bloc’s fourth biggest trading partner and its economy is closely integrated with those of the 27 member states. Citizens of Switzerland and the EU member states have a mutual right to free movement.
But the Swiss government claimed it could not accept the EU’s demands to maintain and deepen ties as they would be rejected in a legally required referendum on a deal. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Thursday, May 27, 2021
Navy Pilots Recall “Unsettling” 2004 Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) Sighting
Bashar Al-Assad’s Political Advisor Slams US, Israel & Turkey: All of Syria Will Be Liberated!
Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Dr. Hanan Ashrawi: ‘Two State Solution Is Dead, Israel Destroyed It... Palestine Will Not Surrender!’
Boris Johnson ‘Like Out of-Control Shopping Trolley’, Dominic Cummings Tells MPs
THE GUARDIAN: Former aide says media-obsessed prime minister made constant U-turns and ignored advice of officials
Dominic Cummings has laid bare the “surreal” chaos in Downing Street in March last year as the government grappled with the Covid pandemic, portraying the prime minister as obsessed with the media and making constant U-turns, “like a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other”.
During an extraordinary evidence session to MPs at Westminster on Wednesday, Boris Johnson’s former chief aide targeted the prime minister for personal criticism, saying Johnson regretted the first lockdown and held out against imposing later restrictions, despite the advice of many people inside Downing Street, and that overall, “tens of thousands of people died who didn’t need to die”.
He claimed the prime minister had repeatedly said in respect of the first lockdown, “I should have been the mayor of Jaws and kept the beaches open,” and confirmed reports that in October, Johnson said he would see “bodies pile high” rather than order a third lockdown.
Cummings described the general situation in Downing Steet as “an out-of-control movie”. »| Heather Stewart and Peter Walker | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
The Dominic Cummings circus is an indictment of the entire governing class »
Cummings brought to life what many already knew about Johnson’s failures »
Dominic Cummings has laid bare the “surreal” chaos in Downing Street in March last year as the government grappled with the Covid pandemic, portraying the prime minister as obsessed with the media and making constant U-turns, “like a shopping trolley smashing from one side of the aisle to the other”.
During an extraordinary evidence session to MPs at Westminster on Wednesday, Boris Johnson’s former chief aide targeted the prime minister for personal criticism, saying Johnson regretted the first lockdown and held out against imposing later restrictions, despite the advice of many people inside Downing Street, and that overall, “tens of thousands of people died who didn’t need to die”.
He claimed the prime minister had repeatedly said in respect of the first lockdown, “I should have been the mayor of Jaws and kept the beaches open,” and confirmed reports that in October, Johnson said he would see “bodies pile high” rather than order a third lockdown.
Cummings described the general situation in Downing Steet as “an out-of-control movie”. »| Heather Stewart and Peter Walker | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
The Dominic Cummings circus is an indictment of the entire governing class »
Cummings brought to life what many already knew about Johnson’s failures »
‘Mob Boss’ Assad’s Dynasty Tightens Grip over Husk of Syria
Tyrant, war criminal, mob boss or, to his loyalists, their shrewd saviour: views about Bashar al-Assad rarely fall in between. As the Syrian leader faces a presidential poll on Wednesday – the result a foregone conclusion – a truer test of the authority he wields across a broken country has taken shape away from the political banners and faux campaigning.
In battered towns and villages, ravaged by a decade of savagery, the now veteran president has been clawing back losses, consolidating himself as the only figure who could plot a course from the ruins of the region’s most devastating modern conflict. Slowly, over the past year, Assad and his extended family have been shoring up their influence. Seldom seen during much of the crisis, he has become a fixture in what remains of Syria’s industrial heartland, visiting factories, pressing employees on their hardships, and hosting delegations with an ease few observed at the height of the fighting.
Syria’s allies Russia and Iran may have done the heavy lifting to save the regime from defeat on the battlefields but a more traditional structure, the house of Assad, has been just as integral in holding the country together from within. The husk of Syria is, in many ways, more under the Assad family’s control than at the war’s outset. Power structures established over four decades have anchored dynasty and dictatorship. » | Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Ireland Condemns ‘de facto Annexation’ of Palestinian Land by Israel
THE GUARDIAN: Foreign minister Simon Coveney supports parliamentary motion and says treatment of Palestinians is ‘manifestly unequal’
Ireland’s government has supported a parliamentary motion condemning the “de facto annexation” of Palestinian land by Israeli authorities in what it said was the first use of the phrase by a European Union government in relation to Israel.
Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, supported the motion on Tuesday, and condemned what he described as Israel’s “manifestly unequal” treatment of the Palestinian people.
But he also insisted on adding a condemnation of recent rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas before he agreed to government support for the motion, which had been tabled by the opposition Sinn Fein party.
“The scale, pace and strategic nature of Israel’s actions on settlement expansion and the intent behind it have brought us to a point where we need to be honest about what is actually happening on the ground. ... It is de facto annexation,” Coveney told parliament. » | Reuters | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Ireland’s government has supported a parliamentary motion condemning the “de facto annexation” of Palestinian land by Israeli authorities in what it said was the first use of the phrase by a European Union government in relation to Israel.
Ireland’s foreign minister, Simon Coveney, supported the motion on Tuesday, and condemned what he described as Israel’s “manifestly unequal” treatment of the Palestinian people.
But he also insisted on adding a condemnation of recent rocket attacks on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas before he agreed to government support for the motion, which had been tabled by the opposition Sinn Fein party.
“The scale, pace and strategic nature of Israel’s actions on settlement expansion and the intent behind it have brought us to a point where we need to be honest about what is actually happening on the ground. ... It is de facto annexation,” Coveney told parliament. » | Reuters | Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Retired US Navy Chief Explains Tech Witnessed in UFO Aircraft Sighting
Whistleblower who spoke out on UFOs claims Pentagon tried to discredit him »
Tory Islamophobia Report a ‘Whitewash’, Say Muslims in Party
A long-awaited review into Islamophobia within the Conservative party has been condemned as a whitewash by Muslim Tories despite criticising the language used by Boris Johnson and the mayoral campaign run by Zac Goldsmith for being insensitive to Muslim communities.
The prime minister’s comments, in which he compared women wearing the burqa to letterboxes, were singled out in the review headed by Prof Swaran Singh.
The inquiry found that anti-Muslim sentiment was still present at local association and individual levels, but claims of “institutional racism” were not borne out by evidence of the way complaints were handled.
Senior Muslim figures within the party said the review was inadequate and failed to address deep prejudices in the party. Sajjad Karim, who was a Tory MEP for more than a decade and chaired the European parliament’s working group on Islamophobia, said: “The manner in which this inquiry has been conducted means it is nothing but an attempt to whitewash deep-rooted issues out of sight. » | Rajeev Syal | Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Belarus Is Isolated as Other Countries Move to Ban Flights
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The extraordinary forced landing of a commercial flight with a Belarusian dissident aboard escalated into one of the biggest flare-ups in East-West tensions in recent years.
MOSCOW — The tray tables were being raised and the seat backs returned to their upright positions as passengers on Ryanair Flight 4978 prepared for the scheduled landing in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Then the plane made an abrupt U-turn.
For many passengers, it initially seemed like one of those unexpected delays in airline travel. But after the pilot announced the plane had been diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, one passenger — Roman Protasevich, a prominent Belarusian opposition journalist who had been living in exile since 2019 — grew terrified, certain that he faced arrest.
“He panicked because we were about to land in Minsk,” Marius Rutkauskas, who was sitting one row ahead of Mr. Protasevich, told the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT upon arrival in Vilnius.
Sunday’s ordeal — described by many European officials as an extraordinary, state-sponsored hijacking by Belarus to seize Mr. Protasevich — quickly led to one of the most severe East-West flare-ups in recent years.
Meeting Monday evening in Brussels, European Union leaders called on all E.U.- based airlines to stop flying over Belarus and began the process of banning Belarusian airlines from flying over the bloc’s airspace or landing in its airports — effectively severing the country’s direct air connections to Western Europe. » | Anton Troianovski | Monday, May 24, 2021
A State-Sponsored Skyjacking Can’t Go Unanswered »
MOSCOW — The tray tables were being raised and the seat backs returned to their upright positions as passengers on Ryanair Flight 4978 prepared for the scheduled landing in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. Then the plane made an abrupt U-turn.
For many passengers, it initially seemed like one of those unexpected delays in airline travel. But after the pilot announced the plane had been diverted to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, one passenger — Roman Protasevich, a prominent Belarusian opposition journalist who had been living in exile since 2019 — grew terrified, certain that he faced arrest.
“He panicked because we were about to land in Minsk,” Marius Rutkauskas, who was sitting one row ahead of Mr. Protasevich, told the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT upon arrival in Vilnius.
Sunday’s ordeal — described by many European officials as an extraordinary, state-sponsored hijacking by Belarus to seize Mr. Protasevich — quickly led to one of the most severe East-West flare-ups in recent years.
Meeting Monday evening in Brussels, European Union leaders called on all E.U.- based airlines to stop flying over Belarus and began the process of banning Belarusian airlines from flying over the bloc’s airspace or landing in its airports — effectively severing the country’s direct air connections to Western Europe. » | Anton Troianovski | Monday, May 24, 2021
A State-Sponsored Skyjacking Can’t Go Unanswered »
Israël-Palestine : changer de paradigme
LE MONDE: Editorial. Une nouvelle approche du règlement du conflit, fondée sur des droits égaux pour les deux peuples, s’impose si l’on veut éviter une cinquième guerre à Gaza.
Editorial du « Monde ». Et maintenant ? Au lendemain du cessez-le-feu qui a mis fin, jeudi 20 mai, à la quatrième guerre de Gaza après onze jours d’hostilités, Israéliens, Palestiniens, diplomates arabes et occidentaux sont renvoyés à cette question lancinante.
En 2009, 2012 et 2014, à l’issue des trois précédentes confrontations, les uns et les autres ont paru prendre de grandes résolutions : conférence pour la reconstruction de l’enclave, mesures de desserrement du blocus pesant sur ce territoire, pourparlers en vue d’une réconciliation du Hamas et du Fatah. Mais faute de détermination véritable de la part des intéressés, ces initiatives louables ont à chaque fois fini par péricliter, ouvrant la voie à l’escalade suivante.
Pour en finir avec ce rituel macabre, il faut rompre avec les formules toutes faites, quasi pavloviennes, auxquelles la communauté internationale se raccroche par peur du vide et manque de courage ou d’imagination. Sans une levée rapide et intégrale de l’embargo – égyptien et israélien – qui étrangle les 2 millions d’habitants de Gaza, le « retour au calme » dont se félicitent les chancelleries est une sinistre illusion. Il n’y a pas de calme possible dans un ghetto à l’agonie. » | Éditorial, Le Monde | samedi 22 mai 2021
Editorial du « Monde ». Et maintenant ? Au lendemain du cessez-le-feu qui a mis fin, jeudi 20 mai, à la quatrième guerre de Gaza après onze jours d’hostilités, Israéliens, Palestiniens, diplomates arabes et occidentaux sont renvoyés à cette question lancinante.
En 2009, 2012 et 2014, à l’issue des trois précédentes confrontations, les uns et les autres ont paru prendre de grandes résolutions : conférence pour la reconstruction de l’enclave, mesures de desserrement du blocus pesant sur ce territoire, pourparlers en vue d’une réconciliation du Hamas et du Fatah. Mais faute de détermination véritable de la part des intéressés, ces initiatives louables ont à chaque fois fini par péricliter, ouvrant la voie à l’escalade suivante.
Pour en finir avec ce rituel macabre, il faut rompre avec les formules toutes faites, quasi pavloviennes, auxquelles la communauté internationale se raccroche par peur du vide et manque de courage ou d’imagination. Sans une levée rapide et intégrale de l’embargo – égyptien et israélien – qui étrangle les 2 millions d’habitants de Gaza, le « retour au calme » dont se félicitent les chancelleries est une sinistre illusion. Il n’y a pas de calme possible dans un ghetto à l’agonie. » | Éditorial, Le Monde | samedi 22 mai 2021
Super Blood Moon 2021: Total Lunar Eclipse Will Bring Cosmic Show across Pacific on Wednesday
The first total lunar eclipse in more than two years coincides with a supermoon this week for quite a cosmic show.
This super “blood” moon will be visible on Wednesday across the Pacific – offering the best viewing – as well as the western half of North America, the bottom of South America and eastern Asia.
Better look quick: the total eclipse will last about 15 minutes as Earth passes directly between the moon and the sun. But the entire show will last five hours, as Earth’s shadow gradually covers the moon, then starts to ebb. The reddish-orange color is the result of all the sunrises and sunsets in Earth’s atmosphere projected on to the surface of the eclipsed moon.
“Hawaii has the best seat in the house and then short of that will be California and the Pacific north-west,” said Nasa’s Noah Petro, the project scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. New Zealand and Australia also will have prime viewing. » | Associated Press | Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Monday, May 24, 2021
Scottish Independence: 'Queen to Head Charm Offensive to Save Union'
The strategy, which is said to be discreetly backed by Downing Street, received its effective launch on Saturday when Prince William described the "special place" Scotland has in his heart.
He made the comments in his address to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh as he and his wife embark on a week-long campaign in Scotland to win over hearts and minds. » | Kathleen Nutt | Chief Political Reporter | Sunday, May 23, 2021
Royals have dropped any pretence that they are neutral on independence »
Definitely, Maybe (3/9) Movie CLIP - Smoke-Off (2008) HD
Naughty, but nice! Those were the days! Not so many health Nazis around in those days! People had foibles, they knew they had foibles, and they enjoyed their foibles, too! Then came the Puritans! The rest, as they say, is history.
Back in the day, it was cool to smoke. These days, to be cool, you have to be anti-smoking, anti-meat-eating, pro-vegan or at least vegetarian. You mustn’t smoke, you mustn’t drink milk (only processed milk substitutes will do), and you have to jog or go to the gym. Oh, and you have to be a killjoy, too! You can’t be cool if you aren’t a killjoy.
Welcome to the new world!
Back in the day, it was cool to smoke. These days, to be cool, you have to be anti-smoking, anti-meat-eating, pro-vegan or at least vegetarian. You mustn’t smoke, you mustn’t drink milk (only processed milk substitutes will do), and you have to jog or go to the gym. Oh, and you have to be a killjoy, too! You can’t be cool if you aren’t a killjoy.
Welcome to the new world!
1967: The Counterculture Year That Changed the World | Summer of Love | Timeline
Boris Johnson to Marry Fiancée Carrie Symonds in July 2022, Report Says
Boris Johnson is reportedly to marry his fiancee [sic], Carrie Symonds, in July 2022 after sending save-the-date cards to family and friends, according to the Sun.
They have been engaged since late 2019 but, like many couples, had put their marriage plans on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic with numbers able to attend ceremonies curtailed.
While this will be Johnson third marriage, it will be the first for Symonds.
It is unknown where exactly the couple will celebrate the occasion. However, the prime minister’s Buckinghamshire residence, Chequers, is tipped to host the wedding. Another possible venue is said to be the Port Lympne safari park in Kent, as Symonds works for the conservation charity. » | Edna Mohamed | Monday, May 24, 2021
Who is Boris Johnson’s first wife, former Tatler cover girl Allegra Mostyn-Owen? »
Marina Wheeler opens up about life post-Boris Johnson »
People in England ‘Face Three-year Waits for Dentist Appointments’
THE GUARDIAN: Damning report shows surgeries have ‘thousands’ of people on waiting lists
People are being told to wait until 2024 for dentist appointments while others are being removed from their practice lists for not making appointments sooner, according to a damning report into the state of dentistry.
Dental surgeries have reported that they have thousands of people on their waiting lists, while patients are unable to access care after ringing round numerous dental surgeries, a watchdog has warned.
Delays have resulted in the worsening of painful symptoms and in one instance even led to a patient needing hospital treatment after overdosing on painkillers, it said.
But Healthwatch England said that some people are being offered swift private care as an alternative at the same dental practice, with some patients reporting that they felt pressured to pay for their treatment.
Some practices appeared to be prioritising private care, it added. » | PA Media | Monday, May 24, 2021
People are being told to wait until 2024 for dentist appointments while others are being removed from their practice lists for not making appointments sooner, according to a damning report into the state of dentistry.
Dental surgeries have reported that they have thousands of people on their waiting lists, while patients are unable to access care after ringing round numerous dental surgeries, a watchdog has warned.
Delays have resulted in the worsening of painful symptoms and in one instance even led to a patient needing hospital treatment after overdosing on painkillers, it said.
But Healthwatch England said that some people are being offered swift private care as an alternative at the same dental practice, with some patients reporting that they felt pressured to pay for their treatment.
Some practices appeared to be prioritising private care, it added. » | PA Media | Monday, May 24, 2021
Belarus Accused of ‘Hijacking’ Ryanair Flight Diverted to Arrest Blogger
Belarus has been accused of hijacking a European jetliner and engaging in an act of state terrorism when it forced a Ryanair flight to perform an emergency landing in Minsk after a bomb threat and arrested an opposition blogger critical of authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko.
Roman Protasevich, a former editor of the influential Telegram channels Nexta and Nexta Live, was detained by police after his flight was diverted to Minsk national airport. Minsk confirmed that Lukashenko ordered his military to scramble a Mig-29 fighter to escort the plane.
The Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said the plane had been “hijacked” and accused Lukashenko of a “reprehensible act of state terrorism”. He said he would demand new sanctions against Belarus at a European Council meeting scheduled for Monday.
Tom Tugendhat, the chair of the UK foreign affairs select committee, said: “If aircraft can be forced to the ground … in order to punish the political opponents of tyrants, then journalists here in the UK, politicians anywhere in Europe will find it harder to speak out.” » | Andrew Roth in Moscow | Sunday, May 23, 2021
US joins global outcry at Belarus over seizure of blogger from Ryanair flight »
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Brexit Chaos - Clueless Lord Frost Talks Gibberish about Looking for Opportunities Going Forward
Trump's Legal Nightmare Coming True? Criminal Probe Opened
Trump Cornered? Feds Trying to Flip Trump Organization Executive in Criminal Probe
Petition Calls for Smoking Ban on All Spanish Beaches
THE GUARDIAN: More than 283,000 back call to rid Spain’s coastline of smoke and discarded cigarette butts
A petition signed by more than 283,000 people calling on Spain to ban smoking at all its beaches has been delivered to the country’s environment minister.
For more than two years the organisation No Fumadores (No Smokers) has been gathering signatures aimed at transforming Spain’s 3,084 miles (4,964km) of coastline into areas free of cigarette smoke and discarded cigarette butts.
The petition, delivered to the minister Teresa Ribera, calls on the government to introduce national legislation on the issue, Raquel Fernández Megina of No Fumadores said in a statement published on Friday. The hundreds of thousands of signatures gathered, she added, “send the message that we can’t wait any longer”. » | Ashifa Kassam in Madrid | Sunday, May 23, 2021
A petition signed by more than 283,000 people calling on Spain to ban smoking at all its beaches has been delivered to the country’s environment minister.
For more than two years the organisation No Fumadores (No Smokers) has been gathering signatures aimed at transforming Spain’s 3,084 miles (4,964km) of coastline into areas free of cigarette smoke and discarded cigarette butts.
The petition, delivered to the minister Teresa Ribera, calls on the government to introduce national legislation on the issue, Raquel Fernández Megina of No Fumadores said in a statement published on Friday. The hundreds of thousands of signatures gathered, she added, “send the message that we can’t wait any longer”. » | Ashifa Kassam in Madrid | Sunday, May 23, 2021
Lock Him Up! Why Is Repeat Offender Donald Trump Still a Free Man?
A sudden fall from power always comes hard. King Alfred was reduced to skulking in a Somerset bog. A distraught Napoleon talked to coffee bushes on St Helena. Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia hung around the haberdashery department of Jolly’s in Bath. Uganda’s Idi Amin plotted bloody revenge from a Novotel in Jeddah. Only Alfred the Great made a successful comeback.
All of which brings us to Donald Trump, currently in exile at his luxury club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Whingeing amid the manicured greens and bunkers of his exclusive golf course, the defeated president recalls an ageing Bonnie Prince Charlie – a sort of “king over the water” with water features. Like deposed leaders throughout history, he obsesses about a return to power.
Yet as Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell moves to kill off a 9/11-style national commission to investigate the 6 January Capitol Hill insurrection, the pressing question is not whether Trump can maintain cult-like sway over Republicans, or even whether he will run again in 2024. The question that should most concern Americans who care about democracy is: why isn’t Trump in jail? » | Simon Tisdall | Sunday, May 23, 2021
Long Slide Looms for World Population, with Sweeping Ramifications
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Fewer babies’ cries. More abandoned homes. Toward the middle of this century, as deaths start to exceed births, changes will come that are hard to fathom.
All over the world, countries are confronting population stagnation and a fertility bust, a dizzying reversal unmatched in recorded history that will make first-birthday parties a rarer sight than funerals, and empty homes a common eyesore.
Maternity wards are already shutting down in Italy. Ghost cities are appearing in northeastern China. Universities in South Korea can’t find enough students, and in Germany, hundreds of thousands of properties have been razed, with the land turned into parks.
Like an avalanche, the demographic forces — pushing toward more deaths than births — seem to be expanding and accelerating. Though some countries continue to see their populations grow, especially in Africa, fertility rates are falling nearly everywhere else. Demographers now predict that by the latter half of the century or possibly earlier, the global population will enter a sustained decline for the first time. » | Damien Cave, Emma Bubola and Choe Sang-Hun | Saturday, May 22, 2021
All over the world, countries are confronting population stagnation and a fertility bust, a dizzying reversal unmatched in recorded history that will make first-birthday parties a rarer sight than funerals, and empty homes a common eyesore.
Maternity wards are already shutting down in Italy. Ghost cities are appearing in northeastern China. Universities in South Korea can’t find enough students, and in Germany, hundreds of thousands of properties have been razed, with the land turned into parks.
Like an avalanche, the demographic forces — pushing toward more deaths than births — seem to be expanding and accelerating. Though some countries continue to see their populations grow, especially in Africa, fertility rates are falling nearly everywhere else. Demographers now predict that by the latter half of the century or possibly earlier, the global population will enter a sustained decline for the first time. » | Damien Cave, Emma Bubola and Choe Sang-Hun | Saturday, May 22, 2021
Germany Suspends Travel from the U.K. amid Concerns of a Variant’s Spread
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Germany is banning most travel from Britain starting on Sunday amid concerns about the spread of a coronavirus variant first discovered in India, the German authorities said on Friday.
German citizens and residents will still be allowed to enter the country from Britain but will be required to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, Germany’s public health institution said as it classified Britain as an area of concern because of the variant.
The move came just days after Britain reopened its museums and cinemas and resumed allowing indoor service in pubs and restaurants. Many people in Britain have been looking forward to traveling abroad in the coming months, and Spain is set to welcome visitors arriving from Britain without a coronavirus test starting on Monday. » | Elian Peltier | Sunday, May 23, 2021
German citizens and residents will still be allowed to enter the country from Britain but will be required to quarantine for two weeks upon arrival, Germany’s public health institution said as it classified Britain as an area of concern because of the variant.
The move came just days after Britain reopened its museums and cinemas and resumed allowing indoor service in pubs and restaurants. Many people in Britain have been looking forward to traveling abroad in the coming months, and Spain is set to welcome visitors arriving from Britain without a coronavirus test starting on Monday. » | Elian Peltier | Sunday, May 23, 2021
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Europe's Most Exclusive Furniture (Interior Design Documentary) | Abode
The peek into the world of luxury interior design focuses on Chelsea, one of London's most exclusive boroughs. Leading architect Sally Mackereth is transforming a former artist's studio into a fully furnished apartment for a luxury developer. Travelling across Europe, she collects and commissions exclusive furniture - from satin wall lining to a table made from 8,000-year old wood - as she tries to appeal to an international buyer interested in Chelsea's artistic heritage. Meanwhile, Russian property investor Julia Solovyev seeks inspiration as she sets out to furnish the Chelsea house of her dreams.
Abode is the ultimate home and gardening channel for all your DIY, Garden and Lifestyle needs. We publish unique, unexpected and untold stories from across the globe.
Abode is the ultimate home and gardening channel for all your DIY, Garden and Lifestyle needs. We publish unique, unexpected and untold stories from across the globe.
Schwul und glücklich - Landwirt Thomas Reitmaier | Unser Land | BR Fernsehen
Friday, May 21, 2021
Trump Bills Secret Service $40,000 at Mar-a-Lago Since Leaving Office
THE GUARDIAN: Records obtained by Washington Post show agency paid $396.15 every night since 20 January until at least 30 April
Donald Trump has billed the Secret Service more than $40,000 for a room for his own security detail, which has been guarding him at his Mar-a-Lago resort since he left office in January.
Spending records obtained by the Washington Post through a public records request show that Trump’s resort in Palm Beach charged the Secret Service $396.15 every night starting on 20 January, the day he left the White House and relocated to Mar-a-Lago full-time.
The charges continued until at least 30 April, costing taxpayers a total of $40,011.15. A source familiar with the transactions told the Post the charges were for a single room that functioned as a workspace for Secret Service agents. » | Gloria Oladipo | Friday, May 21, 2021
Donald Trump has billed the Secret Service more than $40,000 for a room for his own security detail, which has been guarding him at his Mar-a-Lago resort since he left office in January.
Spending records obtained by the Washington Post through a public records request show that Trump’s resort in Palm Beach charged the Secret Service $396.15 every night starting on 20 January, the day he left the White House and relocated to Mar-a-Lago full-time.
The charges continued until at least 30 April, costing taxpayers a total of $40,011.15. A source familiar with the transactions told the Post the charges were for a single room that functioned as a workspace for Secret Service agents. » | Gloria Oladipo | Friday, May 21, 2021
Prince William as Personal as the Public Has Ever Seen in Diana Remarks
Read the article HERE »
The Imaginary Disease – How Italian Doctors Saved Jews from the Nazis | DW Documentary
"Syndrome K" might be the only deadly disease that ever saved lives. Despite the fact that it never really existed.
This film tells the story of three courageous Roman Catholic doctors who saved Jewish lives at a hospital in Rome by means of a convincing lie: they told the Nazis their patients were infected with a highly fatal and contagious disease called Syndrome K.
This incredible story takes place during the Nazi occupation of Rome in October 1943. As Jewish people were being deported to Auschwitz, some Jews sought refuge in the Fatebenefratelli hospital. There, the doctors invented a disease to protect them. Advising their patients to fake symptoms, including coughing, when Nazi officers arrived to carry out inspections, these doctors declared the ward far too contagious for the soldiers to enter. The ruse worked.
Jewish survivors and one of the Italian doctors who carried out the plan were interviewed for this film. In combination with archival footage, these accounts make for a chilling, heroic WWII story.
This film tells the story of three courageous Roman Catholic doctors who saved Jewish lives at a hospital in Rome by means of a convincing lie: they told the Nazis their patients were infected with a highly fatal and contagious disease called Syndrome K.
This incredible story takes place during the Nazi occupation of Rome in October 1943. As Jewish people were being deported to Auschwitz, some Jews sought refuge in the Fatebenefratelli hospital. There, the doctors invented a disease to protect them. Advising their patients to fake symptoms, including coughing, when Nazi officers arrived to carry out inspections, these doctors declared the ward far too contagious for the soldiers to enter. The ruse worked.
Jewish survivors and one of the Italian doctors who carried out the plan were interviewed for this film. In combination with archival footage, these accounts make for a chilling, heroic WWII story.
Harry en remet une couche sur le manque d’empathie de sa famille
LE POINT: Le prince Harry a réaffirmé, dans un documentaire, l’insensibilité avec laquelle sa souffrance et celle de Meghan avaient été reçues par la famille royale
Le prince Harry souligne encore, dans un nouveau documentaire sur la santé mentale, le « silence » ou « l'indifférence totale » de sa famille face à ses appels à l'aide. Le duc de Sussex et son épouse Meghan Markle ont rencontré des difficultés avant la naissance de leur fils Archie. Meghan a été la cible des tabloïds et a subi des attaques racistes. Ces événements ont eu un lourd impact sur le couple, qui dit avoir souffert de sérieux troubles psychologiques. C'est d'ailleurs en ce sens que le prince Harry témoigne dans cette série documentaire, sortie sur AppleTV+ vendredi consacrée à la santé mentale.
La mise en ligne de la série intervient au lendemain de la publication d'un rapport mettant en cause les méthodes « trompeuses » d'un journaliste de la BBC pour décrocher, en 1995, une interview avec la princesse Diana, mère de Harry. Le journaliste, Martin Bashir, a présenté ses excuses jeudi.
Dans cette série intitulée The Me You Can't See (Le moi que vous ne voyez pas), qu'il a coproduite avec Oprah Winfrey, Harry dit s'être senti honteux de demander de l'aide à sa famille « parce que, comme beaucoup de gens de mon âge, je savais qu'elle ne m'apporterait pas ce dont j'avais besoin ». S'il ne fait aucune révélation fracassante, le fils cadet du prince Charles et de Diana porte un nouveau coup à la maison Windsor, déjà ébranlée par l'entretien que Meghan et lui avaient accordé à Oprah Winfrey pour la chaîne américaine CBS, début mars. » | Source AFP | vendredi 21 mai 2021
Le prince Harry souligne encore, dans un nouveau documentaire sur la santé mentale, le « silence » ou « l'indifférence totale » de sa famille face à ses appels à l'aide. Le duc de Sussex et son épouse Meghan Markle ont rencontré des difficultés avant la naissance de leur fils Archie. Meghan a été la cible des tabloïds et a subi des attaques racistes. Ces événements ont eu un lourd impact sur le couple, qui dit avoir souffert de sérieux troubles psychologiques. C'est d'ailleurs en ce sens que le prince Harry témoigne dans cette série documentaire, sortie sur AppleTV+ vendredi consacrée à la santé mentale.
La mise en ligne de la série intervient au lendemain de la publication d'un rapport mettant en cause les méthodes « trompeuses » d'un journaliste de la BBC pour décrocher, en 1995, une interview avec la princesse Diana, mère de Harry. Le journaliste, Martin Bashir, a présenté ses excuses jeudi.
Dans cette série intitulée The Me You Can't See (Le moi que vous ne voyez pas), qu'il a coproduite avec Oprah Winfrey, Harry dit s'être senti honteux de demander de l'aide à sa famille « parce que, comme beaucoup de gens de mon âge, je savais qu'elle ne m'apporterait pas ce dont j'avais besoin ». S'il ne fait aucune révélation fracassante, le fils cadet du prince Charles et de Diana porte un nouveau coup à la maison Windsor, déjà ébranlée par l'entretien que Meghan et lui avaient accordé à Oprah Winfrey pour la chaîne américaine CBS, début mars. » | Source AFP | vendredi 21 mai 2021
Jeremy Paxman Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
Jeremy Paxman has revealed that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The 71-year-old broadcaster and host of BBC Two’s University Challenge said he had been receiving “excellent treatment” and that his symptoms were “currently mild”.
In a statem>ent to the PA Media news agency, Paxman said: “I can confirm I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I am receiving excellent treatment and my symptoms are currently mild.
“I plan to continue broadcasting and writing for as long as they’ll have me and have written about my diagnosis in more detail for the June issue of the marvellous Saga Magazine. I will not be making any further comment.” » | PA Media | Friday, May 21, 2021
‘Black Fungus’ Disease Linked to Covid Spreads across India
THE GUARDIAN: 7,200 mucormycosis cases reported, usually in patients with diabetes or compromised immune systems
States across India have begun declaring a “black fungus” epidemic as cases of the fatal rare infection shoot up in patients recovering from Covid-19.
The fungal disease, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.
It is usually a rare disease, but more than 7,200 people in India have now been reported with mucormycosis and 219 have lost their lives. The rise in black fungus infections, mostly in patients who had severe cases of Covid-19, has been linked to an overuse of steroids in the treatment of the coronavirus, which can acutely compromise the immune system if taken over a prolonged period. The high incidence of diabetes in India has also been blamed, with high blood sugar levels linked to susceptibility. India has the second highest rate of diabetes in the world.
It has also been reported in Covid patients who were on ventilators in intensive care units, due to their airways being exposed to humidity and moisture. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi | Friday, May 21, 2021
What is the deadly ‘black fungus’ seen in Covid patients in India? »
The death of a pair of twins in India punctures country’s numbing statistics. »
States across India have begun declaring a “black fungus” epidemic as cases of the fatal rare infection shoot up in patients recovering from Covid-19.
The fungal disease, called mucormycosis, has a 50% mortality rate. It affects patients initially in the nose but the fungus can then spread into the brain, and can often only be treated by major surgery removing the eye or part of skull and jaw.
It is usually a rare disease, but more than 7,200 people in India have now been reported with mucormycosis and 219 have lost their lives. The rise in black fungus infections, mostly in patients who had severe cases of Covid-19, has been linked to an overuse of steroids in the treatment of the coronavirus, which can acutely compromise the immune system if taken over a prolonged period. The high incidence of diabetes in India has also been blamed, with high blood sugar levels linked to susceptibility. India has the second highest rate of diabetes in the world.
It has also been reported in Covid patients who were on ventilators in intensive care units, due to their airways being exposed to humidity and moisture. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen in Delhi | Friday, May 21, 2021
What is the deadly ‘black fungus’ seen in Covid patients in India? »
The death of a pair of twins in India punctures country’s numbing statistics. »
Rauchen: Wie steht es um Deutschlands Raucher und was denken die Bürger über die Qualmer?
What Jobs Were Like in Biblical Times - Living in the Time of Jesus - Making a Living
Thursday, May 20, 2021
Martin Bashir Leaves BBC amid Inquiry into His Interview with Princess Diana
The journalist Martin Bashir has left the British Broadcasting Corporation, as it prepares to publish the findings of an investigation into accusations that he used dishonest tactics to secure a major 1995 television interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.
In an email to colleagues on Friday, Jonathan Munro, the BBC’s deputy director of news, said that Mr. Bashir had stepped down from his position as the BBC’s religion editor and was leaving the corporation.
“He let us know of his decision last month, just before being readmitted to hospital for another surgical procedure on his heart,” Mr. Munro wrote. “Although he underwent major surgery toward the end of last year, he is facing some ongoing issues and has decided to focus on his health.”
Mr. Bashir, 58, could not be immediately reached for comment. The BBC reported in November that he had been recovering from quadruple heart bypass surgery and complications from Covid-19, which he had contracted earlier in the year. » | Michael Levenson | Friday, May 14, 2021
Former BBC chiefs told to expect criticism in Diana interview inquiry »
Stench of Death Pervades Rural India as Ganges Swells with Covid Victims
THE GUARDIAN: Stigma and cost of wood leave families with no choice but to immerse their dead in river
There was a time before when the Ganges was “swollen with dead bodies”.
In 1918, when the great flu pandemic swept through India and killed an estimated 18 million people, the water of this river – upon which so many lives depended – was filled with the stench of death.
And so it is again. India’s official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic may be just over a quarter of a million, but experts believe the real figure to be up to five times higher, and the bodies that have begun washing up in India’s holiest river have become haunting representations of the uncounted Covid dead.
On Wednesday, India reported another record number of deaths, 4,529, as the virus continued to spread out of the big cities and into rural areas. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Saurabh Sharma in Ghazipur |Thursday, May 20, 2021
There was a time before when the Ganges was “swollen with dead bodies”.
In 1918, when the great flu pandemic swept through India and killed an estimated 18 million people, the water of this river – upon which so many lives depended – was filled with the stench of death.
And so it is again. India’s official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic may be just over a quarter of a million, but experts believe the real figure to be up to five times higher, and the bodies that have begun washing up in India’s holiest river have become haunting representations of the uncounted Covid dead.
On Wednesday, India reported another record number of deaths, 4,529, as the virus continued to spread out of the big cities and into rural areas. » | Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Saurabh Sharma in Ghazipur |Thursday, May 20, 2021
Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Navy Pilots Describe Encounters with UFOs
Any Amount of Alcohol Consumption Harmful to the Brain, Finds Study
THE GUARDIAN: UK study of 25,000 people finds even moderate drinking is linked to lower grey matter density
There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain, with even “moderate” drinking adversely affecting nearly every part of it, a study of more than 25,000 people in the UK has found.
The study, which is still to be peer-reviewed, suggests that the more alcohol consumed, the lower the brain volume. In effect, the more you drink, the worse off your brain.
“There’s no threshold drinking for harm – any alcohol is worse. Pretty much the whole brain seems to be affected – not just specific areas, as previously thought,” said the lead author, Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford. » | Natalie Grover | Tuesday, May 18, 2021
First they came for the smokers; now, it’s they’re coming for the drinkers! They have beaten the c*** out of smokers for years. They have driven them into the margins of society. They have kept saying that there is no amount of cigarette-smoking that is safe. The message above has a familiar ring to it! This is the start! Meat-eaters are being targetted, too; but that’s a story for another day.
For years, I was a proud and happy smoker. I never smoked out of addiction; I always smoked for pleasure. And I used to get so much pleasure from a cigarette. However, they have made life impossible for smokers: they have increased the price of a pack of cigarettes so much that the cost of a pack far outweighs the pleasure you can get from them. Add to that, when you buy cigarettes, there is nowhere you can go to smoke them, except in your own home. This leads to confinement and loneliness for many.
I have solved the problem by giving up smoking and drinking! I am now a non-smoking teetotaller. It was an easier transition to make than I once thought it would be. Life will never be the same; but then life isn’t the same as it used to be because people aren’t the same. People have lost all sense of joie de vivre.
For those people who still smoke and drink: Enjoy the pleasures whilst you still can! The way things are going, all pleasures in life will be banned by the health police, the health Nazis. – © Mark
There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for the brain, with even “moderate” drinking adversely affecting nearly every part of it, a study of more than 25,000 people in the UK has found.
The study, which is still to be peer-reviewed, suggests that the more alcohol consumed, the lower the brain volume. In effect, the more you drink, the worse off your brain.
“There’s no threshold drinking for harm – any alcohol is worse. Pretty much the whole brain seems to be affected – not just specific areas, as previously thought,” said the lead author, Anya Topiwala, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Oxford. » | Natalie Grover | Tuesday, May 18, 2021
First they came for the smokers; now, it’s they’re coming for the drinkers! They have beaten the c*** out of smokers for years. They have driven them into the margins of society. They have kept saying that there is no amount of cigarette-smoking that is safe. The message above has a familiar ring to it! This is the start! Meat-eaters are being targetted, too; but that’s a story for another day.
For years, I was a proud and happy smoker. I never smoked out of addiction; I always smoked for pleasure. And I used to get so much pleasure from a cigarette. However, they have made life impossible for smokers: they have increased the price of a pack of cigarettes so much that the cost of a pack far outweighs the pleasure you can get from them. Add to that, when you buy cigarettes, there is nowhere you can go to smoke them, except in your own home. This leads to confinement and loneliness for many.
I have solved the problem by giving up smoking and drinking! I am now a non-smoking teetotaller. It was an easier transition to make than I once thought it would be. Life will never be the same; but then life isn’t the same as it used to be because people aren’t the same. People have lost all sense of joie de vivre.
For those people who still smoke and drink: Enjoy the pleasures whilst you still can! The way things are going, all pleasures in life will be banned by the health police, the health Nazis. – © Mark
New York Investigation into Trump Organization Now Criminal, Says Attorney General
THE GUARDIAN: State joins Manhattan attorney general in launching ‘active’ probe into allegations the former president falsified property values to boost income
The New York attorney general’s office has opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s company, increasing the legal risk for the former president and his family.
Attorney general Letitia James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.
The announcement on Tuesday night marked another escalation of the legal jeopardy Trump faces four months after leaving office, taking to three the number of known criminal investigations into the former Republican president. » | Reuters | Wednesday, March 19, 2021
The New York attorney general’s office has opened a criminal investigation into Donald Trump’s company, increasing the legal risk for the former president and his family.
Attorney general Letitia James has been investigating whether the Trump Organization falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.
The announcement on Tuesday night marked another escalation of the legal jeopardy Trump faces four months after leaving office, taking to three the number of known criminal investigations into the former Republican president. » | Reuters | Wednesday, March 19, 2021
EU to Ask UK to Respect Citizens’ Rights after Mistreatment Scandals
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Message to Boris Johnson comes after citizens with UK job interviews say they were locked up
EU leaders will call on Boris Johnson to respect the rights of their citizens in the wake of scandals over their treatment in the UK, including their detention in removal centres, according to a leaked draft statement seen by the Guardian.
The message to the British prime minister will follow a first discussion of EU-UK relations between the 27 heads of state and government since the ratification of the trade and cooperation agreement struck last Christmas Eve.
“The European Council calls on the UK to respect the principle of non-discrimination among member states and the rights of EU citizens,” the leaders are due to say, adding that the deals agreed with Downing Street must be implemented in full.
There is growing concern within EU capitals over the UK government’s approach to their nationals, including those whose rights are guaranteed by the tortuously negotiated Brexit withdrawal agreement. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, May 19, 2021
EU leaders will call on Boris Johnson to respect the rights of their citizens in the wake of scandals over their treatment in the UK, including their detention in removal centres, according to a leaked draft statement seen by the Guardian.
The message to the British prime minister will follow a first discussion of EU-UK relations between the 27 heads of state and government since the ratification of the trade and cooperation agreement struck last Christmas Eve.
“The European Council calls on the UK to respect the principle of non-discrimination among member states and the rights of EU citizens,” the leaders are due to say, adding that the deals agreed with Downing Street must be implemented in full.
There is growing concern within EU capitals over the UK government’s approach to their nationals, including those whose rights are guaranteed by the tortuously negotiated Brexit withdrawal agreement. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Coming Out Story: We're Not in Cairo Anymore [2012]
But I can't.
Last January, I left Egypt with a heavy heart. I traveled to America, leaving behind my family, friends, and compatriots who were in the midst of embarking on a heroic journey toward self-determination. Despite the sound of gunshots in the streets and the images of Anderson Cooper being struck repeatedly over the head on CNN, I left hopeful that I would return to find a more tolerant and equal society. While I benefited from a life of privilege being Omar Sharif's grandson, it was always coupled with the onerous guilt that such a position might have been founded upon others' sweat and tears.
One year since the start of the revolution, I am not as hopeful.
The troubling results of the recent parliamentary elections dealt secularists a particularly devastating blow. The vision for a freer, more equal Egypt — a vision that many young patriots gave their lives to see realized in Tahrir Square — has been hijacked. The full spectrum of equal and human rights are now wedge issues used by both the Supreme Council of the Egyptian Armed Forces and the Islamist parties, when they should be regarded as universal truths.
I write this article despite the inherent risks associated because as we stand idle at what we hoped would be the pinnacle of Egyptian modern history, I worry that a fall from the top could be the most devastating. I write, with healthy respect for the dangers that may come, for fear that Egypt's Arab Spring may be moving us backward, not forward.
And so I hesitantly confess: I am Egyptian, I am half Jewish, and I am gay. » | Omar Sharif Jr | Friday, March 16, 2012
Omar Sharif Jr. »
Monday, May 17, 2021
Yotam Ottolenghi Visits Crete
Channel 4 (More4), the TV station in the UK, presents the series "Ottolenghi's Mediterranean Island Feast". In this episode (first broadcast 21 November 2013) Yotam Ottolenghi visits Crete and explores its rich and complex culinary history.
In the ancient capital of Heraklion, Yotam makes a variation of the Cretan meze dakos, a marriage of tomatoes, crumbled feta, olives and oregano. In the fishing port of Agios Nikolaos, he marries octopus marinaded in wine with tender baby squid, stuffed with tomatoes and okra. On a trip inland, Yotam uses feta for a cheesecake with a ripe cherry compote. He also prepares a feast of spit-roasted pork souvlaki, served with his twist on tzatziki.
Our very own Victoria 'Tola' Trzeciak was the location fixer for this show... bravo Tola!
In the ancient capital of Heraklion, Yotam makes a variation of the Cretan meze dakos, a marriage of tomatoes, crumbled feta, olives and oregano. In the fishing port of Agios Nikolaos, he marries octopus marinaded in wine with tender baby squid, stuffed with tomatoes and okra. On a trip inland, Yotam uses feta for a cheesecake with a ripe cherry compote. He also prepares a feast of spit-roasted pork souvlaki, served with his twist on tzatziki.
Our very own Victoria 'Tola' Trzeciak was the location fixer for this show... bravo Tola!
Secrets of Longevity May Lie in Long-lived Smokers, a ‘Biologically Distinct’ Group with Extraordinary Gene Variants
THE WASHINGTON POST: Jeanne Calment, the French doyenne believed to be oldest person in the world when she died at the extreme age of 122, was known for three things: her quick wit, her fondness for bicycling around the small city where she grew up -- and the fact that she was a daily smoker.
Before her death in 1997, Calment was often asked the secret to her good health. She would respond with a laugh and describe how she would frequently consume two pounds of chocolate a week, drank generous amounts of port wine and became a smoker at age 21.
At a time when public health messages emphasize just how important it is to carefully balance diets and fitness regimes in order to live long lives, Calment is a reminder of that no matter what we do there may always be a part of our health that is beyond our control. » | Ariana Eunjung Cha | Thursday, September 19, 2015
Before her death in 1997, Calment was often asked the secret to her good health. She would respond with a laugh and describe how she would frequently consume two pounds of chocolate a week, drank generous amounts of port wine and became a smoker at age 21.
At a time when public health messages emphasize just how important it is to carefully balance diets and fitness regimes in order to live long lives, Calment is a reminder of that no matter what we do there may always be a part of our health that is beyond our control. » | Ariana Eunjung Cha | Thursday, September 19, 2015
Island Where People Live Longer Than Anyone on Earth | 60 Minutes Australia
Tiny Traces of DNA Found in Cave Dust May Unlock Secret Life of Neanderthals
THE OBSERVER: Advanced technique used to recover genetic material may help solve the mystery of early man
Scientists have pinpointed major changes in Europe’s Neanderthal populations – from traces of blood and excrement they left behind in a Spanish cave 100,000 years ago.
The discovery is the first important demonstration of a powerful new technique that allows researchers to study DNA recovered from cave sediments. No fossils or stone tools are needed for such studies. Instead, minuscule traces of genetic material that have accumulated in the dust of a cavern floor are employed to reveal ancient secrets.
The power of cave dirt DNA analysis is the scientific equivalent of “extracting gold dust from the air”, as one researcher put it, and has raised hopes that it could transform our understanding of how our predecessors behaved. » | Robin McKie, Science editor | Sunday, May 16, 2021
Scientists have pinpointed major changes in Europe’s Neanderthal populations – from traces of blood and excrement they left behind in a Spanish cave 100,000 years ago.
The discovery is the first important demonstration of a powerful new technique that allows researchers to study DNA recovered from cave sediments. No fossils or stone tools are needed for such studies. Instead, minuscule traces of genetic material that have accumulated in the dust of a cavern floor are employed to reveal ancient secrets.
The power of cave dirt DNA analysis is the scientific equivalent of “extracting gold dust from the air”, as one researcher put it, and has raised hopes that it could transform our understanding of how our predecessors behaved. » | Robin McKie, Science editor | Sunday, May 16, 2021
On the Scrappy Fringes of French Politics, Marine Le Pen Tries to Rebrand
LA TRINITÉ-SUR-MER, France — It was the setting for a straightforward origin story, or so it seemed. Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader aiming to be France’s next president, came to launch her latest campaign in the seaside resort where her firebrand father once announced his own bid for the presidency from the family home.
But the recent trip to the family base at La Trinité-sur-Mer in western France, where Ms. Le Pen posed for selfies with admirers, schmoozed with oystermen and took TV journalists on boat rides, was a critical part of a rebranding effort toward respectability.
Steering the motorboat was Florent de Kersauson, a prominent businessman who, after decades of backing center-right candidates, was switching to Ms. Le Pen’s National Rally. By embracing Mr. de Kersauson, a former senior executive at the telecommunications giant Alcatel, Ms. Le Pen latched on to the kind of establishment figure who could help persuade voters that her party was more than a scrappy, family business. And maybe even assuage doubts about her competence to move into the Élysée Palace.
“The National Rally, formerly the National Front, has gone from being a protest movement to an opposition movement, and is now a government movement,” Ms. Le Pen said. » | Norimitsu Onishi | Sunday, May 16, 2021
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