Epstein-Skandal: Klage gegen Prinz Andrew | DW Nachrichten

Aug 11, 2021 • Der Sohn der britischen Königin Elizabeth II., Prinz Andrew, wird wegen sexualisierter Gewalt angeklagt. Der Fall soll jetzt vor einem US-Gericht verhandelt werden.

Als Freund des US-Amerikaners Jeffrey Epstein soll er Minderjährige sexuell missbraucht haben. Eine Betroffene hat ihn nun in New York angeklagt.

Durch die #metoo-Bewegung ist es etwas selbstverständlicher geworden, dass Frauen Anklage erheben und Machtmissbrauch öffentlich machen. Auch für Hollywoods Filmindustrie war das ein Einschnitt.

Oscar-Preisträgerin Reese Witherspoon hat das erlebt - keiner habe ihr zugetraut, dass sie sich in 20 Jahren im Filmbusiness ein gewisses Wissen angeeignet haben könnte, welche Filme gut funktionieren und wie sie sie finanziere. Dabei hat die 45-Jährige ihre Produktionsfirma gerade an den Investmentkonzern Blackstone verkauft und ein Milliardengeschäft gemacht.

Une stèle en mémoire de Simone Veil recouverte de croix gammées en Bretagne

Photographie de Simone Veil lors de son inhumation au Panthéon le 1er juillet 2018. AFP
LE FIGARO: Un autre monument en hommage de l'ancienne femme politique avait déjà subi le même sort en mars 2019.

Une stèle érigée en l'honneur de Simone Veil a été recouverte de croix gammées à Perros-Guirec, dans les Côtes-d'Armor, a appris l'AFP mercredi 11 août auprès de la gendarmerie. «Ce matin, nous avons découvert que la stèle de Mme Simone Veil a été recouverte de tags avec des croix gammées», a indiqué la gendarmerie des Côtes-d'Armor, confirmant une information des médias locaux. «Nous avons procédé aux constatations et aux investigations d'usage», a-t-on ajouté de même source. Une enquête a été confiée à la brigade de recherches (BR) de Lannion (Côtes-d'Armor). » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 11 août 2021

’Coming Oot’: The Fabulous History of Gay Scotland

BBC: For many years Scotland just did not do gay. Homosexuality was dangerous and taboo, and it was actually against the law right up to the 1980s. So how did a country that seemed to take pride in its prejudices end up with the best gay rights in Europe?

Post-war Scotland was a deeply conservative place. In fact, half the country voted Tory in 1950 and most people attended the Kirk on a Sunday. Sex was rarely, if ever, mentioned.

If talking about the birds and bees in the 1950s was taboo then mention of the possibility of bees getting together with each other was totally forbidden.

Dr Jeff Meek, the author of Queer Voices in Post-War Scotland, says: "There was almost a bar on talking about same-sex desire."

He says homosexuality was something families, religious institutions, the medical profession and society at large all chose to ignore.

"Growing up queer in post-war Scotland is essentially occupying a social and sexual wilderness," Dr Meek says.

Acts of male homosexuality had been outlawed for centuries and were made stricter in the late 19th Century but same-sex contact between women had never been targeted in law and was not illegal.

Scottish society just chose to believe lassies did not do that kind of thing. » | Steven Brocklehurst, BBC Scotland news website | Saturday, November 28, 2015

Kanadier zu elf Jahren Haft verurteilt

CHINAS GEISELDIPLOMATIE

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: Offiziell geht es bei der Verurteilung des Unternehmers Michael Spavor um Spionage. Doch kaum jemand bezweifelt, dass China versucht, damit eine Auslieferung der Huawei-Managerin Meng Wanzhou an die USA zu verhindern.

Ein chinesisches Gericht hat den kanadischen Unternehmer Michael Spavor wegen angeblicher Spionage zu elf Jahren Haft verurteilt. Das Verfahren gilt als Vergeltungsakt Chinas für die Festnahme von Meng Wanzhou, der Finanzchefin und Tochter des Gründers des chinesischen Telekommunikationsunternehmens Huawei, in Kanada im Dezember 2018. Spavor war gleichzeitig mit dem früheren kanadischen Diplomaten Michael Kovrig wenige Tage nach Mengs Festnahme von der chinesischen Polizei in Gewahrsam genommen worden.

Das Gericht in der nordchinesischen Stadt Dandong befand Spavor am Mittwoch „der Spionage und illegalen Weitergabe von Staatsgeheimnissen an andere Länder für schuldig“. In der knappen Mitteilung des Gerichts heißt es, Spavor werde aus China abgeschoben. Ob sich dies auf einen Zeitpunkt nach dem Ende seiner Haft bezieht, blieb zunächst unklar. Darüber hinaus verfügte das Gericht die Beschlagnahmung von Besitzgütern im Wert von 50.000 RMB (rund 6500 Euro). » | Von Friederike Böge, Peking | Mittwoch, 11. August 2021

Le prêtre tué en Vendée décédé sous des «coups violents» portés à la tête

Âgé de 61 ans, le Père Olivier Maire a été retrouvé mort lundi matin, à Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre (Vendée).SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS / AFP
LE FIGARO : L'autopsie du prêtre Olivier Maire, réalisée ce mardi à Nantes, n'a toutefois «pas permis de déterminer la nature de l'arme du crime», selon le communiqué du parquet.

Le prêtre Olivier Maire, tué dans la nuit de dimanche à lundi à Saint-Laurent-Sur-Sèvre (Vendée), est décédé des suites de «coups violents»portés à la tête, a fait savoir mardi soir le parquet de La Roche-sur-Yon, dans un communiqué. Une autopsie du corps du prêtre a été réalisée mardi à Nantes.

Selon le communiqué, il résulte de l'autopsie «que la victime présentait six lésions, toutes situées sur la tête, occasionnées par des coups violents. Ces lésions cérébrales importantes ont entraîné des hémorragies internes et externes, le décès étant, selon les conclusions du médecin légiste, intervenu rapidement après que les coups aient été portés». L'examen n'a toutefois «pas permis de déterminer la nature de l'arme du crime», a précisé le parquet. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Publié : mardi 10 août 2021 ; mis à jour : mercredi 11 août 2021

Emmanuel Abayisenga, débouté de l’asile, pyromane et tueur de prêtre »

Record de chaleur attendu ce mercredi en Italie, touchée elle aussi par les incendies

Les pompiers italiens, épaulés par des canadairs, ont dû faire face à 13 incendies dans la journée du mardi 10 août. STRINGER / AFP
LE FIGARO : L'Italie est frappée cette semaine par un pic de chaleur accompagné d'incendies dans le sud du pays, notamment en Sicile et en Calabre, où un parc naturel classé de l'Unesco est menacé. La péninsule affronte actuellement sa semaine la plus chaude de l'été, avec des températures qui ont déjà atteint plus de 47 degrés en Sicile, près de Syracuse. Le service national de météorologie s'attend à ce que le record de la température la plus élevée jamais enregistrée en Italie (48,5 degrés en 1999 en Sicile) soit battu ce mercredi. Le thermomètre devrait monter mercredi jusqu'à 49-50 degrés dans le sud-est de la Sicile, et 39-42 degrés en Calabre (la pointe de la Botte italienne), dans les Pouilles (le talon de la Botte), et en Campanie (région de Naples). » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 11 août 2021

Railing at Enemies and Pleading for Time: Inside Cuomo’s Final Days

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo with his daughter, Michaela, in Manhattan on Tuesday after announcing his resignation. Credit...Mark Lennihan/Associated Press
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Behind the scenes, the governor vacillated between defiant and defeated, eventually accepting that his formidable political army had fallen away.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo was wearing everyone down.

He was being wronged, he railed to advisers over the weekend, and with few allies left to defend him publicly after a damning state attorney general’s report into allegations of sexual harassment, he feared voters were getting an unshakable impression, according to people with direct knowledge of his conversations. Everyone was talking about 11 women, he complained privately, but only a handful of accusations were truly damaging in a vacuum, he felt. And those he saw fit to fight.

Never mind the toll that the report was having on some of those closest to Mr. Cuomo, including his brother, Chris Cuomo, the CNN host whose familial counsel on the allegations caused an outcry, and his top aide, Melissa DeRosa, who had already been considering stepping down for weeks. Never mind that a new revelation from the investigation — that Mr. Cuomo had harassed a female trooper on his security detail — had astonished even those who knew him best.

The governor’s circle had always been small to the point of claustrophobic. But increasingly, on the question of resign or fight, Mr. Cuomo was becoming a coalition of one. At times, he spent the last days effectively forum shopping among advisers — telling them he wanted to stay and that he believed he should be allowed to, then waiting for them to tell him he was right. Most had given up on trying to talk him out of it, even if they were not encouraging him to press on. » | Matt Flegenheimer, Maggie Haberman, William K. Rashbaum and Danny Hakim | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Prince Andrew Cannot Ignore US Court Case, Says Accuser’s Lawyer

Prince Andrew is named as the sole defendant in a civil suit filed at a New York federal court under the state’s Child Victims Act. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Allstar
THE GUARDIAN: Virginia Giuffre’s lawyer says it ‘would be very ill-advised for Prince Andrew to ignore judicial process’

Prince Andrew cannot hide behind his wealth and power from allegations he sexually abused a child, a lawyer for his accuser has said, warning the duke that he risks a “default judgment” if he ignores the civil case brought against him in the US.

David Boies, representing Virginia Giuffre, has said he and his client have tried everything they can to resolve the matter after alleging that the Duke of York had sex with her while she was 17 – knowing she had been trafficked by his former friend, the disgraced former financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Boies said people “ignore the courts at your peril”, adding: “It would be very ill-advised for Prince Andrew to ignore judicial process.”

He told the BBC: “If he does, it will be a default judgment against him that will be, in effect, enforced not only in the United States, but in virtually every civilised country in the world.”

Boies added that his client wanted to send a message to rich and powerful men that the behaviour in which she accuses Andrew of engaging was “not acceptable and that you cannot hide behind wealth and power and palace walls”. » | Kevin Rawlinson | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

German Police Arrest Briton on Suspicion of Spying for Russia

THE GUARDIAN: Employee at British embassy in Berlin suspected of passing on documents in exchange for cash

German police have arrested a British man who worked at the British embassy in Berlin on suspicion of spying for Russian intelligence in exchange for cash, according to prosecutors.

Germany’s highest public prosecutor said the man, identified only as David S, was arrested at his Potsdam apartment at 2.20pm on Tuesday, and his home and embassy workplace were searched.

The 57-year-old, who does not hold diplomatic immunity, is suspected of having worked for a Russian intelligence agency at least since November 2020, passing on documents he had acquired through his work to a handler.

He is alleged to have received cash payments of an as yet unspecified sum in exchange for information. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

The Unforgettable ‘First Kiss’ of Two Handsome Men in Tel Aviv in 2013. This Kiss Must Have Set Israel Alight and Abuzz!

A screenshot from the video.
Just imagine! If they could kiss that well the first time in 2013, imagine how good their kissing skills must be by now! I haven’t met many people, gay or straight, that could kiss that well the first time! This is a spectacle to behold! Most inspiring! As the video is age-restricted, it cannot be embedded here. It has to be viewed on YouTube. So there’s a link to it below.

'First Kiss' is an 84-minute video of kissing between the artists Idan Bitton and Alfredo Ferran Calle. While the camera is still, the kiss is in motion provoking the viewer to stay and watch.

Idan and Alfredo do not interact with the viewer, but offer a peek into their intimate moments of commitment. This long-lasting, present and unapologetic kiss defines our current gay rights momentum. We are here, we love each other, and this is what it looks like.

Grab a pot of coffee or a drink! You’re bound to get thirsty during this, It’s a long session. Enjoy! | Views on YouTube: 2,646,069

Watch it here. PS: If kissing is your ‘thing’, don’t miss this!
Idan Bitton.

Idan Bitton on Instagram.

PS: I have posted links to this video twice before; but it is so good that I feel I have to post it again. Besides, I have not yet found the time watch it the whole way through. – Mark

Himmlisch!

Divin ! / Heavenly!
Mit Dank an die Daily Mail für dieses Foto.

Top Hat, Mark Sandrich - Heaven (1935)

Views on YouTube: 1,891,112

From the flim Top Hat (1935). Info here.

Barbra Streisand - Guilty ft. Barry Gibb | Official Audio

Views on YouTube: 4,740,241

Wedding Hands

Mains de mariage. / Hochzeithände.
Very many thanks to Nick Karvounis on Unsplash.com.

Le baiser est encore à venir !

Der Kuß kommt noch! / The kiss is yet to come!
Merci à Pinterest pour la photo.

Israël souhaite mettre les haredim au travail

Les haredim, qui appliquent à la lettre les préceptes du judaïsme, représentent 10 à 12 % de la population en Israël. Nina Mikryukova/Nina Mikryukova - stock.adobe.com
LE FIGARO : Avigdor Lieberman, ministre des Finances, veut supprimer des allocations dont dépendent les ultraorthodoxes.

En bon laïc pur et dur, Avigdor Lieberman est déterminé à contraindre les jeunes ultraorthodoxes juifs à travailler. Le ministre israélien des Finances a décidé de supprimer les allocations versées aux familles pour les frais de crèche pour chaque enfant de moins de 3 ans à 20.000 foyers, dont le père n’exerce aucun emploi. Cette mesure drastique a provoqué un tollé. Certains rabbins allant jusqu’à promettre l’enfer à tous ceux qui oseraient la soutenir. » | Par Marc Henry | mardi 27 juillet 2021

L'article complet est réservé aux abonnés. Les abonnements sont disponibles ici.

Peut-on encore se comporter en gentleman aujourd’hui ?

Colin Firth dans Kingsman : Services secrets, ou la parfaite incarnation du gentleman. Twentieth Century France

MADAME FIGARO : Ils font les beaux jours de la Chronique des Bridgerton, ou des romans de Jane Austen. Mais qu’est-ce qu’un gentleman ? Et comment se comporter comme tel au XXIe siècle ? La réponse avec Sean Rose, traducteur des Lettres à un jeune Londonien, un précis de conduite signé William M. Thackeray.

«Il s'est conduit en parfait gentleman. » Quel sens peut avoir cette phrase au XXIe siècle, à l’heure des réseaux sociaux, du mouvement Me Too, etc. La réponse peut se trouver dans les Lettres à un jeune Londonien qui viennent de paraître aux éditions Rue d’Ulm (1). Dans cette correspondance (fictive) parue entre 1847 et 1848, un certain Mr Brown donne des recommandations à son neveu, avocat stagiaire qui s’installe à Londres. Il lui explique comment se comporter en gentleman dans la société, de l’habillement aux dîners en ville en passant par le tailleur, l’amitié, ou les bals. Le livre est signé William Makepeace Thackeray, le grand rival de Charles Dickens, auteur notamment de La Foire aux Vanités et des Mémoires de Barry Lyndon, dont Stanley Kubrick signa une célèbre adaptation. Le journaliste et auteur Sean Rose, à qui l’on doit la traduction de ces Lettres, les accompagne d’un essai intitulé «une question d’attitude» où il revient sur cette notion de gentleman, qu’il oppose à la figure du dandy. » | Par Isabelle Boudet | vendredi 16 juillet 2021

Patagonie, le grand spectacle de la nature - Échappées belles

Apr 23, 2019 • La Patagonie s'étire sur plus de 2 000 kilomètres, du Río Colorado au nord, au Cap Horn, la pointe australe du continent sud-américain. Découverte par Magellan il y a cinq siècles, elle reste l'une des régions les plus inhabitées de la planète. Ce territoire possède un extraordinaire patrimoine naturel partagé par l'Argentine et le Chili : forêts, volcans, lacs cristallins et une faune unique au monde. Ismaël Khelifa part à la rencontre de ceux qui ont choisi de dompter ces territoires sauvages.

Au sommaire :

- Le choix du bout du monde
- Le rodéo au féminin
- La mythique route 40
- La gastronomie de Patagonie
- Au cœur du glacier Perito Moreno
- Le musée du bout du monde
Le carnet des bonnes adresses Echappées Belles Patagonie !

Andrew Renews Questions about His Royal Role

Prince Andrew, center, in Ascot, England, in 2019.Credit...Jonathan Brady/PA Images, via Getty Images
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, sued the prince in New York, saying that he raped and sexually abused her when she was 17.

LONDON — Ten months ago, Prince Andrew was said to be thinking about a return to public duties within the royal family, no matter the revelations about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein or the disastrous television interview he had given about the financier’s sexual assault victims.

But those plans appeared to grow more improbable this week when Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent of dozens of women and girls who have accused Mr. Epstein of sexually exploiting them, sued Prince Andrew in New York, saying that he had raped and sexually abused her when she was 17.

The lawsuit raises the prospect of Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, being found liable for damages to be determined by federal court in Manhattan.

It also crystallized what analysts described as the most serious threat facing the royal family’s image, even as it grapples with accounts of racism and mistreatment from Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. » | Benjamin Mueller | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Related article here.

Prince Andrew ‘stonewalled’ requests to cooperate, court documents say »

Of course Prince Andrew isn’t sweating over this lawsuit – he can’t »

Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal: The Newsnight Interview - BBC News. | View it here.

‘We Are Here Alone’: An Afghan Translator’s Plea for Help

Starting as a teenager, Romal Noori risked his life aiding the U.S. war effort in Afghanistan. Now he’s facing a dangerous new reality as the Taliban regain power.

Cuomo Resigns Amid Scandals, Ending Decade-Long Run in Disgrace

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said his resignation would be effective in 14 days. The announcement came after a report from the state attorney general found he had sexually harassed 11 women. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will be sworn in to replace him. CreditCredit...Byron Smith/Getty Images
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Gov. Andrew Cuomo was unable to withstand a cloud of sexual harassment allegations that led most of his allies to abandon him.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said Tuesday he would resign from office, succumbing to a ballooning sexual harassment scandal that fueled an astonishing reversal of fortune for one of the nation’s best-known leaders.

Mr. Cuomo said his resignation would take effect in 14 days. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, will be sworn in to replace him.

“Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to governing,” Mr. Cuomo said from his office in Manhattan. “And therefore that’s what I’ll do.”

The resignation of Mr. Cuomo, a three-term Democrat, came a week after a report from the New York State attorney general concluded that the governor sexually harassed nearly a dozen women, including current and former government workers, by engaging in unwanted touching and making inappropriate comments. The 165-page report also found that Mr. Cuomo and his aides unlawfully retaliated against at least one of the women for making her complaints public and fostered a toxic work environment. » | Luis Ferré-Sadurní | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Ina Garten's Raspberry Baked French Toast | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Aug 6, 2021 • Ina combines challah with raspberries and a sweet custard to create a moist French toast! | Views on YouTube: 40,046

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
10 extra-large eggs
2 3/4 cups half-and-half [cream]
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
10 cups (1-inch-diced) day-old challah bread
12 ounces fresh raspberries
Confectioners' sugar [icing sugar], for serving
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions [Method]:

Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch oval baking dish with the butter and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, 1/3 cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Spread half of the diced bread in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on the raspberries in one layer. Top with the rest of the bread and pour on the egg mixture, pressing down lightly to moisten the bread. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake it for 60 to 70 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is puffed and browned. Check after 45 minutes; if the top is getting too browned, cover it lightly with aluminum foil. Cool for 10 minutes, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar [icing sugar], dust with extra orange zest, and serve warm with maple syrup.

Pourquoi le vin rosé est-il rose ?

Adobe Stock
LE FIGARO : Comment expliquer la couleur du rosé ? Du rosé de saignée au rosé de pressurage, le rosé en voit de toutes les couleurs.

Les différents types de rosé

Pour le chercheur, le rosé est du rouge auquel on ajoute du blanc, sauf que cette manière de procéder est rigoureusement interdite dans le monde du vin. Ce monde connaît les vins rouges et les vins blancs, mais on ne mélange jamais les deux (sauf en Champagne). Les partisans des rosés pâles prennent l'approche des vins blancs en pressant la vendange un peu plus fortement pour sortir les pigments rouges des raisins très sombres. Ces rosés de pressurage… » | Par Vincent Mariani | mercredi 4 août 2021

Les premières vendanges de France ont débuté dans l'Aude »

France’s Saint-Émilion: A Red Wine Lover’s Paradise

The French medieval town of Saint-Emilion is a stunning UNESCO world heritage site, but is better known to connoisseurs for being the home of an exceptional red wine. FRANCE 24's "You are here" takes you to one of its most prestigious vineyards, the Château Angélus estate. | Views on YouTube: 68,663

Wiki - English: Saint Émilion »

Wiki - Deutsch: Saint Émilion »

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 10, 2021

Joe Biden überlässt Afghanistan sich selbst

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Selbst unter Donald Trump standen Amerikas Streitkräfte den Afghanen stets mit Kampfflugzeugen und Hubschraubern zur Seite. Doch Präsident Joe Biden hält sich nach der jüngsten Taliban-Offensive zurück. Warum?

In Rehoboth Beach im südlichen Delaware hatte man am Wochenende eigentlich Joe Biden erwartet. Der amerikanische Präsident besitzt ein Ferienhaus in dem Badeort. Die Lokalpresse hatte berichtet, dass ein Park mit einem Hubschrauberlandeplatz zwischenzeitlich gesperrt worden sei – ein Anzeichen dafür, dass man den Präsidenten erwarte. Biden verbrachte das Wochenende stattdessen in seinem Haus in Wilmington im Norden des Bundesstaates.

Womöglich hatte man befunden, dass Strandbilder derzeit besser vermieden werden sollten. In Afghanistan setzten zur gleichen Zeit die Taliban ihren Vormarsch fort. Am Wochenende nahmen sie mehrere Städte ein, darunter Kundus. Schon vor einer Woche hatte es im Pentagon geheißen, es laufe nicht gut in Afghanistan. Das ließ sich auf eine Bemerkung beziehen, die Biden vor einem Monat gemacht hatte, als er sich angesichts der Offensive der Taliban genötigt sah, die Entscheidung, seine Soldaten bis Ende August vom Hindukusch abzuziehen, zu verteidigen. Es sei „nicht unvermeidlich“, dass die Islamisten wieder die Macht übernähmen, sagte er. Das Schicksal des Landes liege in den Händen der afghanischen Führung. Sollte das heißen, er glaube, die afghanischen Sicherheitskräfte seien in der Lage, das von ihnen kontrollierte Territorium zu verteidigen? Oder sollte es nur bedeuten: Ihr müsst es jetzt allein schaffen? » | Von Majid Sattar, Washington |Montag, 9. August 2021

Um diesen Artikel fertig zu lesen, muß man abonniert sein. Abonnements sind hier erhältlich. Zur Zeit kann man eigentlich die Zeitung für 30 Tage kostenfrei testen.

Les pays frontaliers de l'Afghanistan anticipent une victoire des talibans »

Au Maroc, le journaliste Soulaimane Raissouni arrête sa grève de la faim

Un militant marocain brandit une image du journaliste Soulaimane Raissouni, à Rabat, le 10 juillet 2021. FADEL SENNA / AFP
LE MONDE: L’éditorialiste au ton critique, condamné début juillet pour « agression sexuelle », assure qu’il est poursuivi « à cause de ses opinions ».

Le journaliste marocain Soulaimane Raissouni, récemment condamné à cinq ans de prison pour « agression sexuelle », a arrêté la grève de la faim qu’il observait depuis 122 jours pour protester contre sa détention, a annoncé son avocat, lundi 9 août.

« Il nous a informés aujourd’hui qu’il avait arrêté samedi sa grève de la faim après son hospitalisation, en réponse aux appels de ses soutiens à l’échelle nationale et internationale », a déclaré à l’AFP Me Mohamed Messaoudi. Le médecin qui fait son suivi en prison « l’a informé que sa santé est en danger et qu’il n’avait que deux choix : arrêter la grève de la faim ou mourir », a rapporté l’avocat, citant le journaliste. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 10 août 2021

Senate Democrats Begin $3.5 Trillion Push for ‘Big, Bold’ Social Change

Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, right, and Senator Bernie Sanders in the Capitol on Monday. Mr. Sanders was in charge of drafting the resolution with his counterpart in the House. Credit...T.J. Kirkpatrick for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A Senate budget blueprint, which Democrats hope to pass this week, would ease passage of legislation that would mark the biggest expansion of the social safety net in nearly 60 years.

WASHINGTON — Democrats formally began their push on Monday for the most significant expansion of the nation’s social safety net since the Great Society of the 1960s, unveiling a budget blueprint that would spend $3.5 trillion on health care, child and elder care, education and climate change.

The budget resolution, which Senate Democrats hope to pass by the end of this week, would allow the caucus to piece together social policy legislation this fall, paid for by raising taxes on the wealthy, large inheritances and corporations. Should all 50 senators who caucus with Democrats hold together, the measure could pass the Senate without a Republican vote, nullifying the filibuster threat.

Democrats plan to take up the measure as soon as the Senate approves a separate $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which is scheduled for a vote at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Together, the measures could secure virtually all of President Biden’s $4 trillion economic agenda, rebuilding the nation’s roads, bridges, rail lines, water systems and electricity grid while expanding public education, social welfare and health care — and remaking the federal tax code. » | Emily Cochrane | Monday, August 8, 2021

The Guardian View on Post-Covid Recovery: Powered by the State Not the Market

‘A Thatcherite approach will not produce a fairer distribution of growth.’ Photograph: Getty
THE GUARDIAN: The Thatcherite wing of the Conservative party desires a restoration of ideas whose time has come and gone

The Conservative party hooked British capitalism to the state’s life support system for the past 18 months. So it takes chutzpah to think, as business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng does, of putting the free market at the heart of a post-Covid recovery. Yet lengthening NHS waiting lists, hiking consumer energy bills and welfare cuts when poverty is rising all betray a mindset that regards the re-legitimation of state intervention as threatening a way of life rather than securing it.

What the Thatcherite wing of the Conservative party desires is a restoration. For them this is an opportunity to go back to 1979 and use tried-and-tested ways to stabilise prices, crush labour and discipline poorer nations. These rightwingers yearn for higher interest rates, to prioritise financial returns on assets and the use of creditor power to squeeze the global south. » | Editorial | Monday, August 9, 2021

Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre Sues Prince Andrew

Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in federal court in New York. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Giuffre accuses Andrew of sexual abuse at Epstein’s mansion when she was under 18

Virginia Roberts Giuffre, an alleged victim of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, on Monday filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in federal court in New York.

She accused the British royal of sexually abusing her at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan and at other locations in 2001 when she was under the age of 18, according to court records. Prince Andrew has denied having sex with her.

“If she doesn’t do it now, she would be allowing him to escape any accountability for his actions,” Giuffre’s attorney, David Boies, told ABC News, the US news network reported.

He added: “And Virginia is committed to trying to avoid situations where rich and powerful people escape any accountability for their actions.”

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. Giuffre accuses Andrew of sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. » | Joanna Walters in New York and agencies | Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Bill Gates says meetings with Jeffrey Epstein were ‘huge mistake’ »

Affaire Epstein : l’accusatrice du prince Andrew a déposé plainte à New York : La plainte de Virginia Giuffre, victime du vaste trafic sexuel fomenté par Jeffrey Epstein, donne un délai d’un an pour intenter une action pour agressions sexuelles. »

Machenschaften mit dem Sexualstraftäter Jeffrey Epstein: Jeffrey Epstein und seine damalige Lebensgefährtin sollen eine Frau zum Geschlechtsverkehr mit Prinz Andrew gezwungen haben. Die Amerikanerin war damals noch nicht volljährig und hat nun Klage in New York eingereicht. »

Queer Quote of the Day

Quote thanks to Good Housekeeping.

Maintenant je sais exactement !

Now I know for certain! / Jetzt weiß ich ganz genau!
L'image grâce à Pinterest.

Wahre Liebe!

L'amour vrai ! / True love!
Bild dank Pexels.

Michael Bolton: Drift Away

℗ 1992 Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment | Released on: 1992-08-31 | Views on YouTube: 1,453,601

Documentaire Histoire : Corée du Nord : Un pays figé dans le temps - REPORTAGE CHOC

Harry Nilsson: Without You | 1972 HD

SME records CD titled: "Harry Nilsson Without You", sound recording administered by: SME. Copyright music records SME. | Views on YouTube: 7,866,811

Rita Hayworth: I've Been Kissed Before

Views on YouTube: 565,237

Angriffe mutmaßlicher Dschihadisten in Mali und Burkina Faso

GETÖTE ZIVILISTEN UND MILITÄRS
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: In Mali wurden mindestens 40 Dorfbewohner in der Region Gao getötet. Auf der anderen Seite der Grenze in Burkina Faso wurden 12 burkinische Soldaten getötet. Hinter den Angriffen werden islamistische Gruppen vermutet.

Bei Angriffen mutmaßlich dschihadistischer Milizen in Grenzregionen von Mali und Burkina Faso sind dutzende Zivilisten und Soldaten getötet worden. In der Region Gao in Mali töteten Angreifer auf Motorrädern mehr als 40 Dorfbewohner, wie die Nachrichtenagentur AFP am Montag mit Berufung auf Sicherheitskräfte und Lokalbehörden berichtete. In Burkina Faso nahe der Grenze zu Mali wurden offenbar zwölf burkinische Soldaten bei einem Angriff aus dem Hinterhalt getötet.

„Mehr als 40 Zivilisten wurden am Sonntag von Terroristen in den Dörfern Karou, Ouatagouna und Daoutegeft getötet“, sagte ein malischer Sicherheitsbeamter. Die Angreifer „drangen in die Dörfer ein und massakrierten alle“. Der Nachrichtenagentur KNA zufolge sind bei den Angriffen in den Dörfern 48 Menschen getötet worden. Vergeltungsakt für getötete Dschihadistenführer? » | Quelle: AFP | Montag, 9. August 2021

Ina Garten's "Grown Up" Mac and Cheese | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Mar 10, 2020 • The Barefoot Contessa transforms this childhood classic into a comforting dinner with the addition of crispy bacon, blue cheese and bread crumbs!

Ina Garten throws open the doors of her Hamptons home for delicious food, dazzling entertaining ideas and good fun on Barefoot Contessa. | Views on YouTube: 284,925


Get the recipe here

As Afghan Cities Fall to Taliban, Brutal New Chapter Unfolds

The Taliban flag flying in the main square in Kunduz on Sunday. Credit...Abdullah Sahil/Associated Press
THE NEW YORK TIMES: “This is now a different kind of war, reminiscent of Syria.” The seizure of five capitals has amplified fears about Afghanistan’s future after the U.S. withdrawal.

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban seized three Afghan cities on Sunday, including the commercial hub of Kunduz, officials said, escalating a sweeping offensive that has claimed five provincial capitals in three days and shown how little control the government has over the country without American military power to protect it.

Never before in 20 years of war had the Taliban directly assaulted more than one provincial capital at a time. Now, three fell on Sunday alone — Kunduz, Sar-i-Pul and Taliqan, all in the north — and even more populous cities are under siege, in a devastating setback for the Afghan government.

The fall of these cities is taking place just weeks before U.S. forces are set to complete a total withdrawal from Afghanistan, laying bare a difficult predicament for President Biden. » | Christina Goldbaum, Najim Rahim, Sharif Hassan and Thomas Gibbons-Neff | Sunday, August 8, 2021

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 9, 2021

Cuomo’s Top Aide, Melissa DeRosa, Resigns as He Fights to Survive

Melissa DeRosa was the highest appointed official in New York before her resignation and frequently appeared with Gov. Andrew Cuomo at his pandemic briefings. Credit...Cindy Schultz for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The governor’s strategist helped lead efforts to retaliate against one of the women who accused him of sexual harassment, the attorney general’s report found.

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s top aide, Melissa DeRosa, said late Sunday that she had resigned, a move that came as the governor fought for political survival after a report from the New York State attorney general concluded he had sexually harassed nearly a dozen women.

Her resignation meant that Mr. Cuomo, a third-term Democrat, lost one of his most loyal aides and trusted strategists while facing an imminent threat of impeachment in the State Legislature and calls to step down from a constellation of top officials in his party, including President Biden and the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi.

Ms. DeRosa had stood by the governor’s side for years even as his inner circle shrank in size and many of the top staffers who had helped first elect him in 2010 left the administration.

The state attorney general report found that Ms. DeRosa had spearheaded efforts to retaliate against one of the women who had spoken out publicly about her allegation in December. » | Luis Ferré-Sadurní | Sunday, August 8, 2021

Sordid! I can think of no other word for this.

It must have come to your attention that almost all of these sexual harassment cases involve straight men who cannot control themselves or their sexual urges. They never seem to be about two homosexual men.

This misbehaviour is quite disgusting! Seeing two men, or two women, kissing and expressing their true love and affection for each other is rather tame in comparison with such awful stories of lewdness. – © Mark

More Frustrations!

Yesterday, early evening, I decided to re-subscribe to Le Figaro. This time, I subscribed through Google, because it is cheaper that way. However, the newspaper won’t allow me full access. I have been trying to gain full access since yesterday evening, but I haven’t managed to crack the nut yet! It will soon be midday here and I am still trying! Does subscribing to a newspaper have to be this difficult? God! What a day! – Mark

Update: It is now 2:16pm here in the UK and I am still struggling to gain access to Le Figaro! I have lost count as to the number of emails for assistance I have sent. But they simply keep sending me a linkk to change my password. This is not a password problem per se. It is a much bigger problem than that. I am subscribed to a The New York Times and The Guardian and access to both was simple. A child could have gained access to those newspapers, after payment. To gain access to Le Figaro, you need a PhD! – Mark

Update 2: It is now 4:50pm and I still cannot gain full access to my account! They simply dont answer my pleas for assistance. The only thing I get are emails with links to change my password. And those don't work! I'm at a loss as to what I can do next. This is a poor show indeed. Perhaps I should have subscribed to Le Monde instead. – Mark

Update 3: It is now 8:35pm. More than 24 hours have passed and I have still been unable to gain full access to my account at Le Figaro! I have spent the last twenty-four-plus hours going 'round in circles! I can now give up for the evening because their offices are closed. It seems like I now have two options open to me: either I cancel my subscription altogether or I telephone their office(s) in Paris tomorrow. I find this whole thing totally and absolutely ridiculous! And very frustrating! – Mark

Update 4: Success! I've now gained full access to Le Figaro – at last! I had to call France and get help to crack the nut, but the nut has been cracked! A very nice and friendly young man helped me solve the problem. Apparently, some changes had to be made their end because there was some confusion about my data. I had been subscribed to the newspaper before, but as I subscribed this time through Google, the new details didn't correspond to the old data they had for me. These changes had to be made manually. The gentleman was able to make those changes for me. Even in the Internet age, sometimes a telephone call is the only way to solve a problem! One needs to speak to someone—a real person—who understands the problem and can make the necessary changes. If I hadn't made that call, I'd still be struggling to gain full access. But as we often say, 'All's well that ends well!' – Mark

Business Chief Calls on PM to Save North-East from Brexit Damage

THE GUARDIAN: James Ramsbotham, CEO of North East England Chamber of Commerce, says letter sent to Boris Johnson remains unanswered

A letter to Boris Johnson sent a fortnight ago by James Ramsbotham called on the prime minister to save the north-east from the “damage being done to our economy” by Brexit and urged him to give it his “most urgent and personal attention”. Two weeks later, it remains unanswered.

Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.

“This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”

Surveys by the chamber show that three-quarters of its members wanted to stay in the single market when asked about their personal views. » | Phillip Inman | Monday, August 9, 2021

Oh, that ridiculous, stupid and damaging DAMN Brexit! An idea thought up by incompetent idiots to fool the gullible! – © Mark

Eight-year-old Becomes Youngest Person Charged with Blasphemy in Pakistan

THE GUARDIAN: Hindu boy faces possible death penalty after being accused of intentionally urinating in a madrassa library

An eight-year-old Hindu boy is being held in protective police custody in east Pakistan after becoming the youngest person ever to be charged with blasphemy in the country.

The boy’s family is in hiding and many of the Hindu community in the conservative district of Rahim Yar Khan, in Punjab, have fled their homes after a Muslim crowd attacked a Hindu temple after the boy’s release on bail last week. Troops were deployed to the area to quell any further unrest.

On Saturday, 20 people were arrested in connection with the temple attack.

The boy is accused of intentionally urinating on a carpet in the library of a madrassa, where religious books were kept, last month. Blasphemy charges can carry the death penalty. » | Haroon Janjua in Islamabad | Monday, August 9, 2021

Thousands Flee Greek Island as Wildfires Raze Forest and Homes

THE GUARDIAN: Firefighters tackle blazes on two fronts on Evia as heatwave-driven devastation across southern Europe continues

Thousands of people have fled wildfires that are destroying vast swathes of pine forest and razing homes on Greece’s second-largest island, Evia, as devastating summer blazes rage from southern Europe to Siberia.

“We have ahead of us another difficult evening, another difficult night,” Greece’s deputy civil protection minister, Nikos Hardalias, said on Sunday, adding that nearly a week after the blazes started, strong winds were driving two major fire fronts in the north and south of the island.

Seventeen firefighting planes and helicopters were in action on the island, just north-east of the capital, Athens, where fires in a northern suburb and the nearby Peloponnese region were stable, although the risk of rekindling remained high.

Wildfires have devastated large areas in southern Europe for a fortnight as the region endures its most extreme heatwave in three decades. Ten have died in Greece and Turkey, with many admitted to hospital. Italy has also suffered million[s] of euros of damage.

Huge fires also have been burning across Siberia in northern Russia for several weeks, forcing the evacuation on Saturday of a dozen villages. Wildfires have burned nearly 6m hectares (15m acres) of land this year in Russia, while hot, dry and windy conditions have also fuelled devastating blazes in California. » | Jon Henley, Bethan McKernan, and Helena Smith in Athens | Sunday, August 8, 2021

A Puzzle Indeed!

Hello to you all!

The last couple of days have presented me with a very disappointing puzzle: despite an ever-increasing number of visitors from all over the world coming to this, my blog, my page views have been downgraded – twice! On Saturday and yesterday.

On Saturday at around 1pm UK time, my page views stood at precisely 68,000. That days they went up rapidly.

I went to bed late on Saturday, because I was blogging until late into the evening. Before retiring, I took one last look at my blog to make sure that everything was in order. When I glanced at the page views, to my horror, I found that the system had taken approximately 2,400 page views off the total! A downgrade indeed! I was horrified! I went to bed in great disappointment.

Yesterday, throughout the day, the numbers started to recover those page views that I had lost the night before. Not all, of course, but the tally was growing satisfactorily. So, I thought I’d overlook it and put it down to a glitch in the system. I didn’t email Google, because in my experience, you’re wasting your time: they never answer you! Sending an email to Google requesting help and support is like sending an email into a big black hole!

But the story doesn’t end there. Last night, I went to bed later still. Again, I had been at my computer blogging and looking for interesting material for the blog. Before going to bed, I checked my page views and again I was horrified: Google had shaved many thousands off my page view counter!

This is beyond my comprehension! How could my page views at lunchtime on Saturday stand at 68,000, climb quickly throughout the day on Saturday and climb quickly yesterday too, and I end up at the moment with 65,593 page views (as I write this)?

I must say this: Google has a cruel way of dealing with its users. Until now, I have made no money from this blog at all. But it brings me great joy. You folks bring me a lot of pleasure; indeed a very great deal of pleasure. On the back side, I see all the hits I get from all over the world. That is very satisfying. But when I see that Google is taking those numbers away from me, I find it soul-destroying.

I simply cannot explain this. It makes absolutely no sense to me. It is way beyond my ken. So, may I ask one of you who understands this better than I to do me a huge favour and email me to explain why and how this is happening? Naturally, I want to try and stop it happening in future if I can. Maybe I am doing something wrong. Or is something fishy going on at Google? I am rather suspicious of foul play.

My email address is markalexander.librabunda@gmail.com

With many thanks to you all in advance; and again, I want to thank you all for your continued support. The joy you bring me is immense.

Warm wishes,
Mark

The Beauty and the Joy!

La beauté et la joie ! / Die Schönheit und die Freude!
With gratitude and appreciation to Pinterest for this inspiring image.

Jung, schwul, gläubig - Geht das für Christen, Juden und Muslime? | SWR Doku

May 3, 2020 • Unsere Reportage begleitet drei junge Menschen, die sich entschlossen haben, sich nicht mehr zu verstecken, sondern offen schwul und gläubig zu sein.

Vorbehalte, Ressentiments oder Ausschluss aus der Religionsgemeinschaft – diesen Problemen müssen sich gläubige Schwule stellen, wenn sie sich outen. Wie vereinbaren homosexuelle Christen, Juden und Muslime in Deutschland ihren Glauben und ihre sexuelle Ausrichtung in oft repressiven und konservativen Religionsgemeinschaften? Wie kämpfen sie für Anerkennung und Gleichberechtigung?

Die Reportage, gedreht 2019, erzählt die Geschichte dreier junger Menschen, die sich entschieden haben, Glauben und Homosexualität nicht mehr als Widerspruch und unvereinbar hinzunehmen. Alle drei sind Mitbegründer von Selbsthilfegruppen, die Betroffenen ein Sicherheitsnetz geben. Sie zelebrieren gemeinsam ihre Feiertage, leisten Aufklärungsarbeit, scheuen keine Konflikte und suchen selbst den Dialog zu konservativen Gläubigen.
Leo ist Mitbegründer von ‚Keshet‘, dem ersten queeren jüdischen Verein in Deutschland. Auf einer Tagung der jüdischen Gemeinden in Deutschland vertritt er als Pionier zum ersten Mal die jüdische LGBTQ-Gemeinde.

Tugay kämpft für die Rechte queerer Muslime – und wird deshalb bedroht. In der liberalen Ibn-Rushd-Goethe-Moschee in Berlin betet er nicht nur, sondern verfechtet sogar in einer Predigt das Recht, als Muslim lieben zu können, wen er will.

Timo brach aus der Enge seiner Wuppertaler Freikirche aus, in der er aufwuchs. Er veröffentlichte das Buch „Nicht mehr Schweigen“, in dem er queere Christen und Christinnen jeder Glaubensrichtung zu Wort kommen lässt. In seinen Lesungen trifft er auf Empathie, aber auch auf Skepsis uner> d Kritik.

Diese Doku von Uri Schneider aus der DAS ERSTE-Reihe "Echtes Leben" trägt den Originaltitel: Jung, schwul, gläubig - Geht das für Christen, Juden und Muslime?

Ausstrahlungsdatum: 26. April 2020.


Ich stelle diesen Dokumentarfilm zum zweiten Mal auf, weil er so aufschlußreich ist. Der Film zeigt uns, wie schwierig es für gläubige Leute im Westen ist, sowie schwul als auch fromm zu sein. Es ist wirklich traurig, daß Leute im einundzwanzigsten Jahrhundert solche Schwierigkeiten durchleben müssen, um ihr eigenes Glück zu schmieden. - © Mark

Verbotene Liebe - Homosexualität im NS-Regime

Sep 29, 2015 • Gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe war in den Augen der Nazis entartete Sexualität. Tausende schwule Männer kamen in den Konzentrationslagern ums Leben. Das schwul-lesbische Filmfestival Pink Apple in Zürich widmete im Mai 2015 diesen verboteten Liebesgeschichten einen Schwerpunkt. | YouTube Aufrufe: 77,272

Russia's Lost Princesses – Documentary 2/2

1. The Gilded Cage: Interviews with leading historians, archive footage and dramatic reconstruction reveal the childhoods of Tsar Nicholas II's four daughters - Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia - and the truth behind the fairytale images. The sisters were the most photographed princesses of their day, attracting the same frenzied press attention as Princess Diana later would, but their public profile masked the reality of their strange and very isolated upbringing. | Views on YouTube: 5,131,685


2. The World Turned Upside Down:

Honey and Yoghurt Set Cheesecake - Ottolenghi - The Baking German

It’s super delicious! Honey and yoghurt set cheesecake from the new Ottolenghi cookbook. And it's simple to make. | Views on YouTube: 17,480

Taliban erobern Kundus

Taliban vor Regierungsgebäuden in der Provinzhauptstadt Sheberghan, die am Samstag eingenommen wurde | Foto: EyePress via AFP
Kampf um afghanische Provinzhauptstädte
SPIEGEL: Rund ein Jahrzehnt lang war die Bundeswehr in Kundus stationiert. Nun wurde die Stadt von den radikalislamischen Taliban erobert – wie zuvor schon zahlreiche weitere Provinzhauptstädte.

Die nordafghanische Provinzhauptstadt Kundus ist von den radikalislamischen Taliban erobert worden. »Kundus ist gefallen. Die Taliban haben alle wichtigen Gebäude der Stadt unter ihre Kontrolle gebracht«, berichtete ein Korrespondent der Nachrichtenagentur AFP und bestätigte damit eine Erklärung der Islamisten. Die Stadt wurde seit Wochen von den Taliban belagert.

Zuvor waren schwere Auseinandersetzungen aus dem Zentrum von Kundus gemeldet worden. »In verschiedenen Teilen der Stadt finden heftige Kämpfe in den Straßen statt«, sagte Amruddin Wali, ein Mitglied des Provinzrats. Einige Sicherheitskräfte hätten sich in Richtung des Flughafens zurückgezogen. » | dab/AFP/dpa | Sontag, 8. August 2021

Vorwürfe der sexuellen Belästigung: Erste Frau erstattet Strafanzeige gegen Andrew Cuomo

Immer mehr Frauen – die meisten davon sind frühere Mitarbeiterinnen des Gouverneurs – werfen New Yorks Gouverneur Andrew Cuomo sexuelle Belästigungen vor | © Timothy A. Clary / AFP
STERN: New Yorks Gouverneur Andrew Cuomo steht mit dem Rücken zur Wand: Eine Untersuchung hat ihn der sexuellen Belästigung für schuldig befunden. Eine Mitarbeiterin hat jetzt gegen ihn Strafanzeige erstattet.

Der Gouverneur des US-Bundesstaates New York, Andrew Cuomo, gerät durch die Vorwürfe sexueller Belästigung immer stärker unter Druck. Eine der Frauen, die dem prominenten Vertreter der Demokratischen Partei sexuelle Zudringlichkeiten vorwerfen, stellte nun Strafanzeige gegen ihn, wie ein Polizeivertreter am Freitag der Nachrichtenagentur AFP mitteilte. Bei der Frau handelt es sich um eine Mitarbeiterin des Gouverneurs.

Sie gehört zu den elf Frauen, die in einem offiziellen Untersuchungsbericht mit Belästigungsvorwürfen gegen Cuomo zitiert worden waren. Die am Dienstag veröffentlichte Untersuchung war im Auftrag der Generalstaatsanwältin des Bundesstaats New York, Letitia James, von zwei unabhängigen Juristen geführt worden. Andrew Cuomo weist alle Vorwürfe zurück » | jek AFP | Samstag, 7. August 2021

Napoléon Bonaparte, vu par Edouard Bignon

Napoléon Ier recevant l’ambassadeur d’Autriche lors de l’entrevue d’Erfurt en 1808, par Nicolas Gosse (Musée national du château de Versailles) Leemage/Corbis via Getty Images
BICENTENAIRE DE LA MORT DE NAPOLÉON I
PARIS MATCH : La commémoration du bicentenaire de la mort de l’empereur Napoléon Ier ne s’est pas arrêtée au jour J. du 5 mai. Aussi le Royal Blog continue-t-il à vous distiller chaque lundi une actu en lien avec cet événement. Seizième et dernier épisode: une anthologie de «L’Histoire de France» d’Edouard Bignon.

L’Empereur lui avait demandé. Il l’a fait. Dans son testament rédigé à la mi-avril 1821 sur l’île de Sainte-Hélène, alors qu’il sentait qu’il allait bientôt mourir, Napoléon Ier lègue 100.000 francs au baron Edouard Bignon. A une condition. Que cet homme, qui fut l’un de ses plus fidèles diplomates, écrive l’histoire de son règne sous le Consulat et le Premier empire. Ou plus exactement «celle de la diplomatie française de 1792 à 1815».

Dès 1829-1830, parurent les six premiers tomes de cette œuvre que Brignon intitula simplement «Histoire de France». Huit autres suivirent, jusqu’en 1850. Le bicentenaire du décès de Napoléon Bonaparte, en ce printemps 2021, a été l’occasion d’une réédition de ce travail qui n’avait jamais été republié en France. Mais en version «anthologie commentée ». C’est l’absence d’une paix solide qui a couté son trône à l’empereur » | Paris Match | lundi 21 juin 2021

Abonnez-vous à Paris Match ici et profitez de 30% de réductions supplémentaire grâce àu crédit d’impôt !

Covid-19 : l’Arabie saoudite va rouvrir ses frontières aux pèlerins vaccinés

LE MONDE : Par ailleurs, en Espagne, la quarantaine est prolongée pour les voyageurs de six pays.

La pandémie de Covid-19 a fait au moins 4,26 millions de morts et plus de 200 millions de cas ont été recensés dans le monde depuis la fin 2019, selon un comptage réalisé par l’Agence France-Presse à partir de bilans officiels. L’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) estime, en prenant en compte la surmortalité directement et indirectement liée au Covid-19, que le bilan de la pandémie pourrait être deux à trois fois plus élevé que celui officiellement établi.

L’Arabie saoudite va rouvrir ses frontières aux pèlerins vaccinés

L’Arabie saoudite va rouvrir les portes du pèlerinage de l’oumra (petit pèlerinage) à la Mecque aux pèlerins de l’étranger vaccinés contre le Covid-19, a rapporté, dimanche, l’agence de presse saoudienne officielle. Les autorités saoudiennes commenceront à accepter les demandes d’entrée dans le pays à partir de lundi, précise l’agence. Les frontières avaient été fermées il y a quelque dix-huit mois en raison de la pandémie. » | Le Monde avec AFP | dimanche 8 août 2021

The Observer View on What Iran’s New President Means for the Middle East

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, gives his official seal of approval to Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, Iran on 3 August.Photograph: AP
THE OBSERVER: Ebrahim Raisi is another hardliner, but western leaders must engage with him to cool the tensions threatening the region

A hardline president has taken charge in Iran. An inexperienced government in Israel is threatening military action against Tehran. A lethal shadow war is being waged in the Gulf. Iran’s ally, Hezbollah, is firing missiles into Israel from chaotic Lebanon. Bitter words fly in London over hostage-taking. US fears grow, meanwhile, that the Vienna nuclear talks have failed. Deal or no deal, it’s suggested, Iran may soon be able to build an atomic weapon.

This is a perilous, darkly portentous moment in the Middle East and specifically for the multifaceted conflict between Iran and the west. Ebrahim Raisi, who was sworn in as president on Thursday after a rigged, boycotted election, offered scant ground for optimism. “Tyrannical” sanctions imposed by Donald Trump, which have ravaged the country since 2018, must be lifted, he said. But he offered no plan to achieve it and nothing in the way of concessions.

Raisi’s ascent marks a definitive triumph for the fiercely conservative, anti-western factions associated with Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Raisi’s predecessor, Hassan Rouhani, like Mohammad Khatami before him, fought a long, ultimately losing internal battle for rapprochement with the US and Europe. Now, hardliners control all the Islamic republic’s main institutions, including the military, judiciary and parliament. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, August 8, 2021

Why Public Schoolboys Like Me and Boris Johnson Aren’t Fit to Run Our Country

‘Everyone who was not us, a boy at a private boarding school from the late 70s to the early 80s, was beneath us’: Boris Johnson, centre front, at Eton. Photograph: Richard Shymansky from News Syndication/Gillman & Soame UK Ltd / News Licensing
THE OBSERVER: Our elite schools foster emotional austerity and fierce clique loyalty. Here a privately educated writer of the prime minister’s generation reveals the lasting damage public schools do

Ihad a feeling I couldn’t immediately place. I wanted to go out but wasn’t allowed. Shelves were emptying at the nearest supermarket and instead of fresh fruit and vegetables I was eating British comfort food – sausages and mash, pie and beans. My freedom to make decisions like an adult was limited. I wondered when I’d see my mum again.

March 2020, first week of the first lockdown: I was 53 years old and felt like I was back at boarding school. Which wouldn’t have mattered, but for the fact that at a time of national crisis my generation of boarding-school boys found themselves in charge.

My first night at Pinewood school was two days after my eighth birthday in January 1975. A term earlier David Cameron had left his family home for Heatherdown preparatory school in Berkshire, while also in 1975, at the age of 11, Alexander Johnson was sent to board at Ashdown House in East Sussex. This means I know how two of the past three British prime ministers were treated as children and the kind of men their schools wanted to make of them. I know neither of these men personally but I do know that they spent the formative years of their childhood in boarding schools being looked after by adults who didn’t love them, because I did too. And if the character of our leaders matters then I’m in possession of important information. » | Richard Beard | Sunday, August 8, 2021

Boris Johnson’s approval rating slips to lowest level since he became prime minister »