Queers of Yore: Soldiers about to Make Out

L’intimità e l’affetto dei soldati in 15 foto vintage
With many thanks to Gay.it for this great vintage photo.

Joe Biden Accused of Abandoning Afghanistan

Aug 14, 2021 • The Pentagon has said that Kabul is not under imminent threat. But the Taliban's advance has been far swifter and more decisive than expected. Since US forces began to withdraw, the group has swept through one provincial capital after another. Critics have accused President Biden of abandoning Afghanistan to its fate.

Afghanistan’s commercial hub, Mazar-i-Sharif, falls to the insurgents: KABUL, Afghanistan — The last major city in northern Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on Saturday night, marking the complete loss of the country’s north to the Taliban as the insurgents appear on the verge of a full military takeover. »

Les confidences de Guillaume Gomez, chef des cuisines de l'Élysée pendant vingt-cinq ans

LE FIGARO : ENTRETIEN - Le chef, qui a vu passer quatre présidents et préparé des millions de repas aux commandes de sa brigade élyséenne, revient sur son expérience au plus près du pouvoir. Ou comment vivre les soubresauts de l'Histoire, de la victoire des Bleus en 2018 aux attentats du 13 Novembre, depuis les cuisines du palais.

Le chef Guillaume Gomez a quitté les cuisines de l'Élysée après les avoir dirigées durant vingt-cinq ans. (Paris, le 24 février 2021.) Abaca presse.
Un chef exemplaire

«Après vingt-cinq ans d'un engagement de chaque instant, il était temps de passer la main», estime Guillaume Gomez. À 42 ans, le chef parisien vient de passer le flambeau à Fabrice Desvignes, son successeur à la tête des cuisines de l'Élysée. Récemment nommé ambassadeur de France pour la gastronomie, Guillaume Gomez n'entend pas pour autant regarder en arrière. Au menu de ce poste qu'il est le premier chef de l'Hexagone - et du monde - à occuper : mettre avant les produits du terroir et repenser, aux côtés de ses pairs, l'avenir de la gastronomie mondiale. Arrivé en tant que militaire dans les brigades élyséennes, sous la présidence de Jacques Chirac, celui qui est aussi Meilleur Ouvrier de France revient sur ses souvenirs et les millions de repas préparés pour les présidents et leurs invités.Premiers pas à l'Élysée » | Par Chloé Friedmann | Publié : mardi 27 juillet 2021 ; mis à jour : mercredi 28 juillet 2021

L'article complet est réservé aux abonnés.

Maurizio Pollini: Brahms – Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat Major, Op. 83 - 1. Allegro non troppo – Wiener Philharmoniker – Claudio Abbado

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group.

Abbado conducts Piano Concertos ℗ 1977 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Berlin Released on: 2020-08-22 Composer: Johannes Brahms

”I Have No Words” - Former Royal Marine “Ashamed” of Situation in Afghanistan

Aug 13, 2021 • Former Royal Marines Commando Paul 'Pen' Farthing says there's "absolute panic" in Kabul as "thousands" of people from across Afghanistan seek refuge in the capital.

Mr Farthing said there are "no words to describe the hurt, the upset and the confusion" after the UK withdrew its troops from the country. The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, is to convene an emergency Cobra meeting as Taliban fighters continue to make advances across the country.

Haiti Struck by 7.2-Magnitude Earthquake

THE GUARDIAN: US Geological Survey says quake struck about 150km west of Port-au-Prince at about 8.30am local time

Haiti has been struck by a major 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck about 150km (93 miles) west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, at about 8.30am local time and had a depth of 10km.

The earthquake, which was felt across the Caribbean, including in Cuba and Jamaica, comes just over a month after Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse was murdered at his residence in Port-au-Prince. » | Tom Phillips, Latin America correspondent | Saturday, August 14, 2021

Powerful Earthquake Strikes Haiti: Seismologists reported that a magnitude 7.2 quake struck in the west of the country, and heavy damage was reported in at least two cities. »


Un séisme de magnitude 7,2 secoue Haïti : Une alerte au tsunami a été lancée dans la foulée. Des édifices religieux, des écoles et des habitations ont été endommagés lors du tremblement de terre. »

Loi LGBT en Hongrie : un «scandale», selon Clément Beaune

LE FIGARO : Pour le secrétaire d'État français aux Affaires européennes, les gouvernants qui discriminent les personnes LGBT «n'ont plus rien à faire dans l'Union européenne».

Clément Beaune, secrétaire d'État français aux Affaires européennes. Jean-Christophe Marmara / Le Figaro
La lutte contre les discriminations est un «combat culturel» que l'Europe se doit de mener, a estimé jeudi 8 juillet le secrétaire d'État français aux Affaires européennes, qualifiant de «scandale» la loi accusée de discriminer les personnes LGBT, qui entre en vigueur en Hongrie.

«C'est une loi scélérate qui assimile pédophilie et homosexualité. C'est un scandale aujourd'hui en Europe», a estimé Clément Beaune sur France 2, dénonçant ceux qui «considèrent que discriminer, ne pas respecter l'égalité des droits les plus élémentaires, c'est possible». La présidente de la Commission européenne Ursula von der Leyen a menacé mercredi 7 juillet de lancer une procédure d'infraction contre la Hongrie si elle ne revenait pas sur cette loi. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 8 juillet 2021

Wildfires in Greece Spark Criticism of the Government | DW News

Aug 14, 2021 • Greece is looking for strategies to better prepare for wildfires in the future. On the island of Evia, some residents say authorities have been negligent.

Cannes : cambriolage de la résidence de l'émir du Qatar, des montres de luxe dérobées

LE FIGARO : Quatre hommes se sont introduits dans la gigantesque résidence de la famille al-Thani à Mouans-Sartoux, sur les hauteurs de Cannes.

La propriété de l'émir du Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, ici en janvier 2021, a été cambriolée à Cannes. BANDAR AL-JALOUD / SAUDI ROYAL PALACE / AFP
L'immense propriété de l'émir du Qatar, située sur les hauteurs de Cannes, dans les Alpes-Maritimes, a été cambriolée dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi. Quatre hommes se sont introduits dans les murs vers trois heures du matin, vraisemblablement en franchissant un des murs d'enceinte sur lequel des traces d'escalade ont pu être retrouvées. D'après les informations de RTL confirmées par une source proche du dossier, ils sont repartis avec plusieurs montres de luxe. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 14 août 2021

Le frère de l'Émir du Qatar annonce la venue prochaine de Messi au PSG : La superstar argentine de 34 ans est plus que jamais aux portes de Paris après les annonces de l'un des membres de la famille royale qatarie. »

James Hormel, First Out Gay U.S. Ambassador, Dead at 88

Hormel, an activist and philanthropist, saw conservative pushback to his ambassadorial nomination because of his work for LGBTQ+ causes.
ADVOCATE: James Hormel, the first out gay U.S. ambassador, has died. He was 88.

An heir to the Hormel meatpacking fortune, he was a philanthropist and LGBTQ+ activist, based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

President Bill Clinton nominated him to be ambassador to Luxembourg in 1997. But because of controversy over his identity and his activism, the Senate denied Hormel a confirmation vote. Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel called him too “aggressively gay,” for which Hagel apologized years later, and another Republican senator, Tim Hutchinson, claimed Hagel was anti-Catholic because he laughed at the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Clinton put him in the ambassadorial post through a recess appointment, bypassing the Senate, in 1999. Hormel served until 2001.

Pete Buttigieg, who this year became the first out Cabinet member as secretary of Transportation, often spoke of the homophobia that kept Hormel from being confirmed. Watching the story play out, “I learned about some of the limits that exist in this country when it comes to who is allowed to belong,” Buttigieg said when President Joe Biden nominated him to the Transportation post in December. “And just as important, I saw how those limits could be challenged.” » | Trudy Ring | Friday, August 13, 2021

Canberra, la capitale de l'Australie, à son tour confinée

FIGARO / LIVE : Un confinement de sept jours de Canberra, la capitale australienne a été décrété jeudi par les autorités après la découverte d'un cas de coronavirus. Environ 400.000 habitants de cette ville, où siège le gouvernement, seront confinés à compter de jeudi, et rejoindront ainsi les millions d'Australiens du sud-est de l'immense île continent déjà contraints de demeurer chez eux. Avec une vidéo en anglais » | Publié : jeudi 12 août 2021 ; mis à jour : vendredi 13 août 2021

Poverty, Disease, Customs: Why So Many Indonesian Children Die of Covid

The grave of Alesha Kimi Pramudita, a 22-month-old who died after being infected with the coronavirus in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in July. Credit...Ulet Ifansasti for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: BULUS WETAN, Indonesia — When Debiyantoro, a hotel repairman, first lost his sense of taste, he wondered briefly if it might be Covid-19, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Having the disease would mean not being able to make a living.

Now he blames his reluctance to get tested for the death of his 22-month-old daughter, Alesha Kimi Pramudita. All 10 members of their crowded household suffered Covid-like symptoms but none were tested until Kimi went for an unrelated checkup. Hospitalized immediately, she died a day later.

“Although I thought it might have been Covid, I was afraid I wouldn’t be allowed to work, which means I couldn’t have supported my family,” Mr. Debiyantoro, who like many Indonesians uses one name, said as he tried to hold back tears. “But now I am filled with remorse that I lost my daughter.”

Across Indonesia, children have fallen victim to Covid in alarming numbers, with a striking increase since June, when the Delta variant began taking hold. The pandemic has killed at least 1,245 Indonesian children and the biggest recent jump has been among those under age 1, said Dr. Aman Bhakti Pulungan, head of the Indonesian Pediatric Society.

Researchers point to many reasons children would be more likely to die in developing countries, but many of those factors boil down to a single one: poverty. » | Dera Menra Sijabat, Richard C. Paddock and Muktita Suhartono | Saturday, August 14, 2021

The Afghan Military Was Built over 20 Years. How Did It Collapse So Quickly?

An Afghan police special forces soldier at a frontline position in Kandahar this month.Credit...Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Taliban’s rapid advance has made clear that U.S. efforts to turn Afghanistan’s military into a robust, independent fighting force have failed, with its soldiers feeling abandoned by inept leaders.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — The surrenders seem to be happening as fast as the Taliban can travel.

In the past several days, the Afghan security forces have collapsed in more than 15 cities under the pressure of a Taliban advance that began in May. On Friday, officials confirmed that those included two of the country’s most important provincial capitals: Kandahar and Herat.

The swift offensive has resulted in mass surrenders, captured helicopters and millions of dollars of American-supplied equipment paraded by the Taliban on grainy cellphone videos. In some cities, heavy fighting had been underway for weeks on their outskirts, but the Taliban ultimately overtook their defensive lines and then walked in with little or no resistance.

This implosion comes despite the United States having poured more than $83 billion in weapons, equipment and training into the country’s security forces over two decades.

Building the Afghan security apparatus was one of the key parts of the Obama administration’s strategy as it sought to find a way to hand over security and leave nearly a decade ago. These efforts produced an army modeled in the image of the United States’ military, an Afghan institution that was supposed to outlast the American war.

But it will likely be gone before the United States is.

While the future of Afghanistan seems more and more uncertain, one thing is becoming exceedingly clear: The United States’ 20-year endeavor to rebuild Afghanistan’s military into a robust and independent fighting force has failed, and that failure is now playing out in real time as the country slips into Taliban control. » | Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Fahim Abed and Sharif Hassan | Friday, August 13, 2021

EU muss sich laut Baerbock auf Afghanistan-Flüchtlinge vorbereiten

Afghanische Binnenflüchtlinge in Kabul © Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
ZEIT ONLINE: Die Grünenkanzlerkandidatin warnt davor, ähnlich unvorbereitet zu sein wie angesichts des syrischen Bürgerkriegs. Auch andere Politiker mahnen zum Handeln.

Angesichts des Vormarschs der radikalislamischen Taliban in Afghanistan hat Grünenkanzlerkandidatin Annalena Baerbock vor einer Wiederholung von Versäumnissen im Verlauf des syrischen Bürgerkriegs gewarnt. Die europäischen Länder seien auf fatale Weise unvorbereitet gewesen, dass Menschen in so einer dramatischen Situation ihr Land verlassen müssten, sagte Baerbock in einem Interview des Deutschlandfunks. » | Quelle: ZEIT ONLINE, Reuters, AFP, jos | Samstag, 14. August 2021

Lockdown in Sydney erneut verschärft

Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images | Ein Mann sitzt am Hafen von Sydney
ZEIT ONLINE – LIVE: Die coronabedingten Einschränkungen in Sydney sind nochmals verschärft worden. Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner dürfen ihre Wohnungen nun nur noch verlassen, um Sport zu treiben, zur Arbeit oder einkaufen zu gehen, wie die Regionalregierung mitteilte. Die Regelungen zum Verlassen der Stadt wurden verschärft, um eine Ausbreitung der Epidemie zu verhindern. Auch ist der Lockdown für den gesamten Bundesstaat New South Wales ausgeweitet worden. Corona-News aus aller Welt » |Von Ivana Sokola | Samstag, 14. August 2021

Pain fait maison : comment choisir les bons ingrédients ?

Und wann stoßen sie auf Kabul vor?

VORMARSCH DER TALIBAN
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Wegen der dramatischen Entwicklung verlegt Washington Truppen an den Flughafen von Kabul. Daraus spricht Panik. Erinnerungen an Saigon 1975 werden wach.

Herat, Kandahar – und wann Kabul? Die Taliban eilen in Afghanistan von Sieg zu Sieg, von eroberter Stadt zu eroberter Stadt. Es ist nur eine Frage der Zeit, wann sie auf die Hauptstadt vorstoßen. Mittlerweile scheint die Regierung Biden davon auszugehen, dass die Radikalislamisten die Kontrolle über Kabul nicht mehr erst in einigen Monaten, sondern in wenigen Wochen übernehmen. Nur so ist die Entscheidung zu verstehen, mehrere tausend Soldaten an den Flughafen der Hauptstadt zu verlegen, um die Ausreise amerikanischer Staatsbürger und Diplomaten zu sichern (nicht um der Regierung beizustehen). » | Ein Kommentar von Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger | Freitag, 13. August 2021

Rift with US Grows as UK Minister Voices Fears over Afghanistan Exit

THE GUARDIAN: Ben Wallace says he is ‘absolutely concerned’ about terrorism threat, contradicting Biden analysis

Joe Biden’s decision to rapidly withdraw from Afghanistan is threatening to turn into one of the biggest Anglo-American foreign policy rifts in decades, with potentially dangerous political consequences if the UK government’s warnings about a return of terrorism and mass movement of refugees to Europe eventually prove correct.

Ben Wallace, the UK defence secretary, revealed in remarkably frank interviews on Friday that the UK was so aghast at the US decision to withdraw completely from Afghanistan next month that it had canvassed other Nato allies to see if there was support for a reconfigured alliance to continue the stabilisation force in Afghanistan without the US.

The Taliban continued its lightning advance on Friday, seizing four more provincial capitals and gaining control of more than two-thirds of country as its forces headed towards Kabul. Kandahar and Herat, the country’s second and third biggest cities, fell on Thursday.

Biden said as recently as July that there was no chance the Taliban would overrun the country, and denied that Afghanistan still represented a breeding ground for terrorism. Wallace and the chief of the UK defence staff, Gen Sir Nick Carter, have directly contradicted Biden’s analysis and even said it may prove necessary to go back into the country. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Friday, August 13, 2021

Whatever happens next in Afghanistan, a humanitarian disaster is already in train: Even before the western withdrawal and Taliban resurgence, the country was on its knees. A refugee crisis is now inevitable »

L’Amérique sidérée par l’ampleur de sa défaite en Afghanistan

En une semaine, les talibans se sont emparés d’une dizaine de capitales provinciales dont Kandahar, berceau historique de leur mouvement, et, ici jeudi, Herat. -/AFP
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Le Pentagone a dû se résoudre à l’envoi de renforts à l’aéroport de Kaboul pour protéger les opérations d’évacuation, encore qualifiée de partielle, de son ambassade.

L’avance rapide des talibans, qui se sont emparés cette dernière semaine d’une dizaine de capitales provinciales afghanes, dont Kandahar, le berceau historique de leur mouvement, oblige les Américains à accélérer leurs plans d’évacuation. L’effondrement des forces armées afghanes, qui se débandent souvent sans combattre, rend de plus en plus plausible la perspective de voir Kaboul tomber dans les semaines qui viennent entre les mains des insurgés. La France et plusieurs autres pays européens ont appelé leurs ressortissants à quitter le territoire afghan dès que possible. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes | vendredi 13 août 2021

Afghanistan: l’avancée foudroyante des talibans menace Kaboul : En une semaine, la rébellion a pris onze capitales régionales dont Hérat, la troisième ville du pays. »

Queer Quote of the Day

Prince Charming from Cinderella in Durmstrang. This artist sorted Disney princes and princesses into Hogwarts Houses, robes and all! | Popsugar, Smart Living, Photo 20
Image thanks to Popsugar.
“If you were expecting Prince Charming, I'm sorry. He's with his boyfriend.” ― Shayla Black, Wicked Ties.

Colourful Kisses!

Bisous colorés ! / Bunte Küsse!
With many thanks to Szymonss for this great and colourful photo. A photo that is gay in every way!

Dutch-Turkish Novelist Depicts Her Journey to Secularism with No Inhibitions

The Dutch-Turkish writer Lale Gul at the office of her publisher in Amsterdam, in June. Credit...Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The New York Times
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Lale Gul’s autobiographical and sexually frank tale of a woman breaking with her conservative Muslim culture, and her strict parents, is a best seller in the Netherlands. “I’m done hiding,” she says.

AMSTERDAM — Perhaps naïvely, Lale Gul thought she could continue living with the same people on whom she had based her best-selling novel: her strict Turkish-Dutch migrant family.

But just weeks after the February publication of her book — the autobiographical tale of a young woman breaking with her conservative Muslim culture — “a war broke out” in the family’s tiny apartment in a migrant neighborhood in Amsterdam, said the author of “Ik Ga Leven,” or “I Will Live.”

As years of building frustration erupted into open conflict that March evening, Ms. Gul, 23, fled her house in the middle of the night and has not returned since.

Looking back, Ms. Gul admitted that after writing an unbridled book revealing her journey to secularism, the thought that her parents would simply not hear about it was maybe a little foolhardy.

They did hear about it, as has most of the country: The novel quickly became one of the most read in the Netherlands, and she was in demand for TV interviews.

The publicity made it impossible not to address the book with her family, but she wanted to stay with them.

“Even after the book came out, I was still trying to negotiate with my parents, I wanted to make it work, try to combine their lives and my own life,” she said on a recent afternoon in the 17th-century canal house where her publisher has an office. “Despite everything, they are my family.”

But in her family’s view, what Ms. Gul had done was beyond repair. » | Thomas Erdbrink | Friday, August 13, 2021

Emmanuel Macron boycottera la conférence de l'ONU contre le racisme prévue en septembre

Le président de la République est préoccupé par le «passif de propos antisémites» tenus lors de la conférence de Durban en 2001 et de celle qui avait suivi, en 2011 à Genève, selon l'Élysée. ERIC GAILLARD / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Cette journée doit marquer le 20e anniversaire de la Conférence de Durban. Le président de la République déplore un d'anciennes «déclarations antisémites.»

La France ne sera pas présente. Alors que l'Assemblée générale des Nations unies doit tenir en septembre prochain une journée sur le racisme, la discrimination raciale, la xénophobie et l'intolérance, l'Élysée annonce qu'Emmanuel Macron n'y participera pas. En cause ? La préoccupation du chef de l'État concernant l'«historique des déclarations antisémites prononcées dans le cadre de la conférence. » | Par John Timsit | vendredi 13 août 2021

«Antisémitisme aux États-Unis: la gauche “woke” est-elle dans le déni?» »

Phil Collins - Can't Stop Loving You | Official Music Video

Views on YouTube: 34,462,992

Dimitra’s Dishes: Briam Roasted Vegetables

An easy and delicious side dish for lamb.

Get the recipe here.

Manuel & The Music of the Mountains: Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto de Aranjuez

Theme from the Second Movement | Views on YouTube: 191,218

Report: Rachel Maddow May Exit MSNBC

The network's breakout star is expressing burnout, much to the consternation of her bosses.
ADVOCATE: Rachel Maddow, one of the most prominent and respected fixtures in cable news, is considering leaving her eponymous nighttime program on MSNBC when her contract expires early next year, The Daily Beastreports.

Speaking to six individuals in the know, the report says the out journalist and author is expressing a desire to lighten her considerable load; she's been hosting her show, airing weeknights live at 9 Eastern, since 2008. Unlike fixtures on other cable programs who simply air talking heads discussing the day's headlines or, in the case of Fox News, feature an incendiary host whipping up viewer anger and xenophobia, Maddow's shows are highly researched and offer broad context on the news. » | Neal Broverman | Thursday, August 12, 2021

Taliban Seizes Herat, Ghazni as Battle for Kandahar Rages on

Aug 13, 2021 • Ghazni province just south of Kabul has fallen to the Taliban, with the governor arrested shortly afterwards for surrendering to the group. Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis reports from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Life Inside a Taliban Town as Insurgence in Afghanistan Continues - BBC News

Aug 12, 2021 • Taliban insurgents have been rapidly capturing territory in Afghanistan as nearly all remaining international troops withdraw.

In the past few months, the militants have taken vast rural areas, multiple border crossings and now a number of Afghan cities.

Journalist Secunder Kermani was granted rare access to visit the group – meeting fighters stationed just a short drive away from one of the country’s largest cities.

There are concerns over how long the Afghan government will be able to fend them off before they are completely overtaken. | This video is age-restricted, so it cannot be embedded; it must be viewed on YouTube. The link is below. | Views on YouTube: 560,710

Watch the BBC video here.

Avec l’avancée des talibans, l’Europe redoute un nouvel afflux de migrants

Bruxelles

LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - La crise humanitaire à venir et ses répercussions inquiètent les Européens qui se tournent vers la Commission européenne.

L’avancée frénétique des talibans inquiète. D’autant que peu d’espoirs entourent les efforts diplomatiques pour impulser les négociations en faveur d’un accord politique. Les Européens craignent donc un nouvel exode. » | Par Leonor Hubaut | jeudi 12 août 2021

En Afghanistan, rien n’arrête plus l’avancée des talibans : RÉCIT - La guérilla extrémiste, qui contrôle la moitié des districts du pays, est désormais seulement à quelques kilomètres de Kaboul. »

Taliban erobern zweitgrößte Stadt in Afghanistan

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die militant-islamistischen Taliban setzen ihre Gebietsgewinne in Afghanistan fort. In Kandahar befreien sie die Insassen eines Gefängnisses und erbeuten dann nach eigenen Angaben unzählige Waffen und Munition.

Die militant-islamistischen Taliban setzen ihre dramatischen Gebietsgewinne weiter fort. In der Nacht zum Freitag eroberten sie Kandahar im Süden des Landes, die zweitgrößte Stadt Afghanistans. Das bestätigten zwei Parlamentarier und ein Provinzrat der Deutschen Presse-Agentur.

„Kandahar ist vollkommen erobert“, erklärte ein Taliban-Sprecher am Freitag bei Twitter. „Die Mudschaheddin haben den Märtyrerplatz in der Stadt erreicht.“ Ein Anwohner sagte der Nachrichtenagentur AFP, die afghanische Armee habe offenbar den Rückzug angetreten. Zahlreiche Soldaten begaben sich demnach zu einer Militäreinrichtung außerhalb der Stadt. Ein lokaler Regierungsbeamter sagte der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters, dass die Taliban die Kontrolle in der Stadt „nach schweren Zusammenstößen in der Nacht“ übernommen hätten. Berichten zufolge übernahmen die Taliban bereits am Mittwoch die Kontrolle über ein Gefängnis und befreiten die Inhaftierten.

Der amerikanische Nachrichtensender CNN zitiert aus einer Stellungnahme, die die Taliban am Freitag veröffentlicht haben. Demnach seien das Büro des Gouverneurs, das Hauptquartier der Polizei sowie weitere Einrichtungen in der Stadt Kandahar „vom Feind befreit“ worden und nun unter der Kontrolle der Mudschaheddin. „Hunderte Waffen, Fahrzeuge und Munition wurden erbeutet.“ » | Quelle: dpa/AFP | Freitag, 13. August 2021

Biden hat Afghanistan den Taliban ausgeliefert: Panik in Washington: Wenigstens das eigene Personal soll Afghanistan sicher verlassen können, bevor die Islamisten auch Kabul kontrollieren. Die Vietnam-Vergleiche muss Amerikas Präsident aushalten. »

Biden’s Folly!

Diplomatie: «Mirage d’Amérique» : L’éditorial du Figaro, par Patrick Saint-Paul. »

Afghanistan: l’avancée foudroyante des talibans menace Kaboul : RÉCIT - En une semaine, la rébellion a pris onze capitales régionales dont Hérat, la troisième ville du pays. »

U.S. Asks Taliban to Spare Its Embassy in Coming Fight for Kabul: The demand seeks to stave off an evacuation of the embassy by dangling aid to future Afghan governments — even one that includes the Taliban. »

”Greetings from Provincetown”

With many thanks to Etsy on Pinterest for the image of this ‘Gay Vintage Print’.
Wikipedia on Provincetown in Massachusetts.

The gay tourism mecca became ground zero for “breakthrough” COVID cases, but a brighter, healthier future is possible. »

Queers of Yore: Gays Kissing in New York

A New York Kiss-in
With many thanks to Lizzie on Pinterest for this great photo.

Queer Quote of the Day

“Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start.” – Jason Collins
In 2014, Jason Collins made history by becoming the first male professional athlete to publicly identify himself as gay. After his announcement, a flood of other queer athletes began declaring their sexuality, revealing to the world that some of our greatest sports figures are in fact LGBTQ. This was a milestone for the fight for equality because, as Collins says, being open about sexual orientation is an important step towards ending prejudice.

About Jason Collins here.

With special thanks to Human Rights Careers for this quote.

Der Genuß der Liebe!

The pleasure of love! / Le plaisir d’amour !
Vielen Dank an Sloppy Kiss fürs Foto.

US Sending Troops to Evacuate Kabul Embassy | DW News

Aug 12, 2021 • The US says it's sending some 3,000 troops to help evacuate embassy staff in Kabul. The decision comes with the beleaguered Afghan government struggling to turn the tide against a relentless Taliban offensive. The UK is also sending soldiers to help British nationals leave the country. The Taliban are on the march across Afghanistan and appear to have taken control of Herat – the country's third largest city. It comes hot on the heels of militants overrunning the strategic town of Ghazni, just 150 kilometers from the capital Kabul. Heavy fighting is also taking place in Kandahar, the country's second biggest city. The US believes the Afghan capital could come under attack by the Taliban within weeks and is asking its citizens to leave the country immediately.

US withdrawal from Afghanistan a mistake, says UK defence secretary »

Afghanistan likened to fall of Saigon as officials confirm Taliban take Kandahar »

Les Alpes a vol d'oiseau

Entre les alpages verdoyants, les cascades, les châteaux et les cols vertigineux, le paysage, sculpté par les interactions entre l'homme et la nature, paraît méconnaissable à vol d'oiseau. Les routes en lacets deviennent un tableau abstrait, les falaises ressemblent à un paysage lunaire, et des villages de poupées émergent ici et là.

Au cours de ce voyage sensoriel étonnant sur le toit de l'Europe, les Dolomites, le mont Blanc, l'Allgäu ou le glacier d'Aletsch, comme autant de lieux chargés de vie et d'histoire, livrent leurs secrets.

Une expérience cinématographique inoubliable, grâce aux prises de vue aériennes en Cineflex.

Quels sont les spiritueux préférés des Français ?

LE FIGARO : ANALYSE. Surfant sur la tendance des cocktails et l’art de la mixologie, les alcools dits «forts» sont de plus en plus plébiscités par les consommateurs français. Inventaire des divers comportements et des spiritueux stars.

Adobe Stock
Récemment, l’agence SoWine (conseil en marketing et communication) dévoilait son baromètre annuel décryptant les dernières tendances de consommation des Français dans l’univers du vin et des spiritueux. Sans surprise, pour 50% des sondés, les vins tranquilles – non effervescents – occupent le haut du podium des consommations préférées. La bière et le champagne complètent le trio de tête. Par ailleurs, l’étude révèle que les «remontants», comme sont encore appelés les alcools forts, ont de plus en plus la préférence des consommateurs hexagonaux. Décryptage. L’achat et la consommation » | Par Arthur Frydman | samedi 3 juillet 2021

Giacomo Puccini: La bohème (ACT 1. End 2/2) – Björling/de los Angeles/Sir Thomas Beecham

Zwei Väter, zwei Babys - Schwule Eltern im Alltag | Mensch Leute

Johnny und Stefan aus Stuttgart sind endlich Eltern! Schwule Eltern. Sechs Jahre hat es gedauert, bis ihr Traum in Erfüllung ging. Mit Hilfe einer Leihmutter in den USA haben die schwulen Eltern die Zwillinge Amalia und Aurelio bekommen. Ihre eigenen leiblichen Kinder. Leihmutterschaft ist in Deutschland nicht gestattet, auch wenn immer mehr Verbände die Legalisierung fordern, von der nicht nur schwule Eltern sondern auch nicht-homosexuelle Elternpaare profitieren würden.

Schwule Eltern sind auch in Deutschland schon lange auf unterschiedliche Weise erlaubt. Schwule Eltern heißt nicht, dass – wie in diesem Fall – beide Väter ihren Samen in eine Leihmutter einpflanzen lassen und Zwillinge zur Welt kommen, die biologisch Halbgeschwister aber auch Kinder beider ihrer schwule Eltern sind. Häufiger adoptieren schwule Eltern oder ein Partner bringt Kinder z.B. aus einer früheren Beziehung mit und der andere Partner entscheidet sich für ein Dasein als schwule Eltern. Die Kinder schwuler Eltern wachsen in der Regel ohne besonders häufige Disposition zu eigener Homosexualität auf, die Erfahrung, schwule Eltern zu haben, macht sie tendenziell eher offener und toleranter gegenüber anderen Lebensentwürfen. Schwule Eltern, heißt das, können nach derzeitigem Forschungsstand genauso gute oder schlechte Eltern sein wie alle anderen.

Geoutet. Geflüchtet. Geheiratet. | WDR Doku

Apr 28, 2020 • Im Fitnessstudio haben sich die beiden Männer kennengelernt, mit der Liebe ging es dann sehr schnell. Nach einem Jahr haben Ibrahim und Benjamin im November letzten Jahres geheiratet. Ibrahim war vor vier Jahren aus dem Libanon nach Deutschland geflohen, da er als Homosexueller in seiner Heimat nicht frei leben konnte. Sein schlimmstes Erlebnis: Er wurde von homophoben Männern aus dem dritten Stock durchs Fenster geworfen. Wie durch ein Wunder überlebte er den Sturz, war monatelang im Krankenhaus.

Auch seine Familie will nichts von ihm wissen, von seinem Vater wurde er geschlagen, als der erfahren hatte, dass sein Sohn Männer liebt. Trotzdem vermisst Ibrahim seine Familie sehr: „Ich bin traurig und enttäuscht, wenn ich sehe, wie Bens Familie unsere Hochzeit unterstützt und von meiner Familie kommt gar nichts.“ Die deutsche Familie seines Verlobten, habe ihn sofort herzlich und ohne Umstände aufgenommen. Das sei ein großer Trost für ihn, sagt Ibrahim. Mit ihnen habe er eine neue Familie gefunden.

Inzwischen engagiert sich Ibrahim für die Rechte homosexueller Flüchtlinge in Deutschland.

Ein Film für WDR4You von Janina Werner.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 12, 2021

Thomas kocht: Mexikanische Tortilla Wraps mit Huhn - unglaublich gut!

Aug 12, 2021 - Diese Mexikanischen Tortilla Wraps gehörten zu den absoluten Lieblingsessen der Besatzung (mich eingeschlossen) der Yachten, auf denen ich einige Jahre gearbeitet habe. Das Schöne an diesem Essen ist, dass man die verschiedenen Komponenten einfach in Schälchen auf den Tisch stellt. So kann sich jeder seinen Lieblingswrap ganz nach Lust und Laune selber zusammenstellen. Viel Spaß beim Nachkochen!


Das Rezept zum Nachlesen und Ausdrucken hier.

Sein Buch „Feierabendküche“ ist hier erhältlich.

Prince Andrew: Virginia Giuffre’s Attorney on the Case against the Duke - BBC News

Aug 10, 2021 • As Virginia Giuffre - who claims Prince Andrew sexually abused her when she was 17 years-old - files a civil case against the Duke, #Newsnight interviews Ms Giuffre's attorney, David Boies.

A US woman who alleges she was brought to the UK aged 17 to have sex with the Duke of York has filed a civil case in New York claiming he abused her.

Virginia Giuffre, who was an accuser of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claims she was sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew in London and New York.

A spokeswoman for Prince Andrew, 61, said there was "no comment" on the case, which was filed under New York's Child Victims Act. He has consistently denied the claims.

The case alleges the prince sexually abused Ms Giuffre - then known as Virginia Roberts - at the London home of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and at Epstein's homes in Manhattan and Little St James in the US Virgin Islands.

It claims the prince engaged in sexual acts without her consent, knowing how old she was and "that she was a sex-trafficking victim". >br />
For Newsnight, the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire interviews Virginia Giuffre's attorney, David Boies.


The FULL NEWSIGHT interview here.

GUARDIAN EDITORIAL: Prince Andrew should do his duty »

Dossier: Haute Couture été 2021

Défilé Fendi Jean-Christophe Marmara Le Figaro
LE FIGARO – STYLE: Mieux mais moins, telle est la devise des grandes maisons alors que la Fashion Week est privée de ses clientes VIP et de public. Diffusés en ligne, les défilés ont tenu leurs promesses, plus spectaculaires que jamais. »

Affaire Jeffrey Epstein : le prince Charles estime que le prince Andrew ne doit pas revenir à la vie publique

Le prince Andrew et le prince Charles, lors du jubilé de diamant de la reine Elizabeth II. (Londres, le 5 juin 2012.) | Getty Images
MADAME FIGARO : Alors que le prince Andrew est sous le joug d’accusations d’agressions sexuelles dans le cadre de l’affaire Epstein, le prince Charles estime que son frère ne reviendra pas à la vie publique. Et craint pour la réputation de la famille royale.

De nouveaux développements concernant le prince Andrew et son rôle dans l’affaire Jeffrey Eptsein viennent, encore une fois, porter atteinte à la réputation de la famille royale. Alors que le duc d’York est sous le coup d'une plainte officielle pour agression sexuelle sur mineure et abus sexuel, les membres du clan Windsor sont de plus en plus inquiets concernant la gestion de cette crise.

D’après le Times, le prince Charles aurait peur que cette dernière éclipse le jubilé de platine de la reine, qui doit avoir lieu en juin 2022. «Le prince (Charles) aime son frère et est capable d’éprouver de l'empathie durant la période trouble que ce dernier traverse, quelles qu’en soient les raisons», a déclaré une source au Times. «Cependant, cela portera atteinte à la réputation de l’institution. Il a conclu depuis longtemps qu’il s’agissait probablement d’un problème insoluble», ajoute-t-elle. Le prince de Galles pense – et espère – que son frère Andrew ne reviendra jamais à la vie publique. » | Léonie Dutriévoz | jeudi 12 août 2021

Au Café de Flore, l’ombre de Sartre et de Beauvoir

LE FIGARO : CAFÉS D’INTELLECTUELS EN EUROPE (4/6) - Au cœur d’un quartier qui se veut le poumon de la vie intellectuelle parisienne, le lieu est devenu le symbole de l’esprit germanopratin.

Si les prix ont flambé, la carte tout en sobriété du Café de Flore n’a pas beaucoup évolué depuis 1945.Luc Nobout/IP3 PRESS/MAXPPP
Depuis plus de trois siècles, le café est un lieu de liberté emblématique de la vie intellectuelle sur le Vieux Continent. Là se fréquentent penseurs, écrivains et artistes. Les idées bouillonnent à la faveur des conversations, avant de se cristalliser dans des œuvres et de se diffuser dans la société. Voyage parmi ces cafés illustres que l’Encyclopédie appelait des «manufactures d’esprit».

En France, tout le monde est un peu un intellectuel au café du commerce. C’est au bistrot que naissent nos révolutions. Aujourd’hui encore, entre deux confinements, on râle au comptoir. Capitale des intellectuels et des barricades, Paris pullule de ces lieux où l’intelligentsia a refait le monde autour d’un bock, d’un café crème ou d’un pastis glacé. Chaque avant-garde aura son quartier. Dédaignant les salons aristocratiques, les philosophes débattent au Procope, puis au Café de la Régence, au Palais-Royal. Sous la Restauration et le second Empire, les dandys se retrouvent chez Tortoni, sur les grands boulevards. Après 1870, les peintres et les chansonniers occupent Montmartre, lustré de l’éclat tragique de la Commune. La rive gauche prendra sa revanche au «siècle des intellectuels» (Winock), et après la Première Guerre mondiale Montparnasse a été le cœur des Années folles.

Ce fut ensuite le sacre du «petit royaume dont trois cafés et une église marquent les frontières» (Boris Vian), Saint-Germain-des-Prés, quartier dont l’adjectif est devenu celui du pouvoir intellectuel à la française: germanopratin. » | Par Eugénie Bastié | Publié : mercredi 11 août 2021 ; mis à jour : jeudi 12 août 2021

Junger Mann aus Aschersleben produziert Podcast über queeres Leben auf dem Land

Interview mit Fabian Schrader
MDR: Podcasts gibt es mittlerweile wie das berühmte Sand am Meer. Dass es sich aber immer wieder lohnt, sie neu zu entdecken, beweist der in Aschersleben aufgewachsene Fabian Schrader mit seinem Podcast "Somewhere over the Hay Bale". Darin widmet er sich queeren Lebensrealiäten auf dem Land und erfüllt sich damit ein Herzensprojekt. MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT hat mit ihm über sein Aufwachsen in Sachsen-Anhalt, seinen Podcast und die Idee dahinter gesprochen.

Noch immer werden Menschen, die etwa schwul, lesbisch, trans oder nicht-binär sind, mit sehr viel Ablehnung konfrontiert. Wie sich so ein queeres Leben im ländlichen Raum gestaltet, das findet Podcaster Fabian Schrader einmal monatlich in seinem Podcast heraus. Dazu trifft er verschiedene Menschen aus ländlichen Gebieten, die ihm ihre Geschichten anvertrauen. Geschichten, die Schrader, so sagt er, damals gebraucht hätte, um sich mit seiner Identität nicht alleine zu fühlen.

Im Gespräch mit MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT verrät der 31-Jährige, welche Biografien ihn besonders berührt haben, was für ihn als homosexueller Mann damals schwierig war und warum sein Podcast keine Abrechnung mit Landmenschen ist. » | von MDR SACHSEN-ANHALT | Mittwoch, 11. August 2021

Ghana’s ‘Hate-filled’ Anti-LGBT+ Bill Bears Signature of America’s Religious Right, Activists Warn

LGBT+ rights are heavily suppressed in Ghana. (Creative Commons)
PINK NEWS: A “hate-filled” bill that criminalises LGBT+ “propaganda” has been officially presented in Ghana’s parliament – and activists say it carries the fingerprints of America’s religious right.

The “Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021” would introduce a raft of policies punishing everything from sex toys and anal intercourse to trans healthcare and LGBT+ allyship.

Referred to a parliamentary committee by house speaker Alban Bagbin on Monday (2 August), the bill would see LGBT+ allies, as well as those who have provided or received gender-affirming healthcare, facing three to five years in prison. Even two people of the same gender kissing on the cheek or holding hands would be criminalised.

In statements to PinkNews, activists described the bill as an affront to human rights, as well as a troubling example of what a government-sanctioned, religious right wing can achieve in only a few months.

“We were shocked by its content and how they managed to put together so much hate in a single document,” Rightify Ghana said.

“When you read the content of the bill, you get the idea that the bill itself was not produced in Ghana. It has the signature of US right-wing groups.” » | Josh Milton | Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Cuomo's Goodbye: Taking Credit for Marriage, Tainting LGBTQ+ Leaders

Via Shutterstock
ADVOCATE: The soon-to-be ex-governor takes many people, along with his dignity, down with him.

I’ve lived in New York City for 28 years, and during that time we have had five governors, starting with Gov. Mario Cuomo. Once, when I was standing on the corner of 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, the police were holding people off the street, as they normally and frequently do, when a motorcade went by.

As I stood there waiting, I glanced to my right, and lo and behold, it was Mario Cuomo, and at that moment, the motorcade drove by carrying his successor, Gov. George Pataki. “That used to be you,” I said to former Gov. Cuomo. He laughed and said, “Yes, that used to be me.”

We won’t be seeing cops halt pedestrian traffic for his son’s motorcade to go by. Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned, finally, after what feels like a tidal wave of accusations, investigations, and revelations. Why would someone hang on with so much overwhelming evidence against him, so many fingers pointing at him, and so many people digging into him?

Everyone but the pope has called for Cuomo to step down. When the state’s attorney general released the report about the investigation into sexual harassment by the soon-to-be former governor, the evidence was vast. And when that report became public, Cuomo released a tone-deaf video denying that he ever did anything wrong, and then a laughable addition to that video showing him kissing every man and woman in public life — except the pope.

That video was cringeworthy, and his pathetic defense of himself deplorable. How did anyone in their right mind counsel him that those videos were the right things to do? » | John Casey | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Locked Down and Fed Up, Australians Find Their Own Ways to Speed Vaccinations

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A stubborn Delta outbreak has kicked a complacent country into gear, with community members working to fill gaps in the government’s sputtering vaccine rollout.

Waiting for a vaccination outside a pharmacy in Cabramatta, a southwestern suburb of Sydney. Credit...Matthew Abbott for The New York Times
HOWARD SPRINGS, Australia — After an order of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine from the government never materialized, Quinn On realized on Monday that a busy pharmacy he manages in Western Sydney would soon run out of doses. He raced to pick up shots from one of his other stores, while his wife pleaded with local officials for extra supplies.

Their mom-and-pop business has become a vaccination hub where it matters most — in the part of the city where Covid-19 case numbers refuse to decline despite a seven-week lockdown. They had already hired extra pharmacists. They set up a tent on the sidewalk to safely register arrivals. And on Monday, with all their scrambling, they secured a few hundred shots to inoculate a long line of people by day’s end.

“It’s costing us money to do this, but I’m doing this for the community,” said Mr. On, 51, who came to Australia from Vietnam as a refugee when he was 8. “I’m just hoping it will work.”

All over Australia, hope is struggling to gain momentum as an outbreak of the hyper-contagious Delta variant has thrown almost half the population into lockdown. Nearly 18 months into the pandemic, as other Western nations have vaccinated their way to relative safety or just decided to live with the virus, Australia remains locked in an all-out war. The odds of victory, with a return to zero Covid, have grown ever steeper. » | Damien Cave | Thursday, August 12, 2021

Taliban Advances in Afghanistan Could Bring Political Peril for Biden

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president had hoped to win credit for ending one of America’s “forever wars.” But new risks are coming into view.

Displaced Afghans at a makeshift camp on Tuesday in Kabul, the capital. The threat of a Taliban conquest and new risks to U.S. personnel and allies in the country could cause Americans to reconsider their views. Credit...Paula Bronstein/Getty Images
When President Biden announced his plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the politics seemed relatively simple: Many polls showed that Americans supported ending the country’s nearly 20-year involvement in a war whose goals had become obscure.

But four months later, with the Taliban storming across the country much faster and more ruthlessly than expected, new political risks are coming into view for Mr. Biden, who had hoped to win credit for ending what he has called one of America’s “forever wars.”

Now U.S. officials are racing to evacuate Afghans who assisted the American military and may be targets of Taliban reprisals, and are contemplating the prospect of hastily evacuating the 4,000 Americans at the U.S. Embassy in the capital city of Kabul.

The threat of a Taliban conquest and new risks to U.S. personnel and allies in the country could cause Americans who had been paying little attention to Afghanistan for the past several years to reconsider their views, particularly if Republicans amplify a message of American failure and capitulation. » | Michael Crowley | Published: Wednesday, August 11, 2021; Updated: Thursday, August 12, 2021

Turkey Battles Fresh Disaster as Floods Hit Country’s North

THE GUARDIAN: The floods caused by unusually heavy rains come after devastating wildfires ravaged the south of the country


Turkey floods: Heavy rains sweep away cars and leave villages without power
Heavy rains have triggered severe floods and mudslides in northern Turkey, killing at least one person and leaving others missing or injured, officials said.

Helicopters scrambled to rescue people stranded on rooftops while cars were swept away in raging torrents on Wednesday. The floods hit the Black Sea coastal provinces of Bartin, Kastamonu, Sinop and Samsun.

“From a meteorological point of view, we are perhaps facing a disaster that we have not seen in 50 or 100 years,” agriculture and forestry minister Bekir Pakdemirli said of the flooding and heavy rains.

Turkey has been grappling with drought and a rapid succession of natural disasters that world scientists believe are becoming more frequent and violent because of climate change. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Thursday, August 12, 2021

Brazil: Evangelical Superstar Expelled from Congress over Alleged Role in Husband’s Murder

Flordelis dos Santos de Souza insisted she was innocent and beseeched colleagues to show mercy. ‘Here Flordelis is, destroyed,’ she said. Photograph: Cleia Viana/Brazilian Chamber of Deputies/AFP/Getty Images
THE GUARDIAN: Lower house votes to strip the disgraced celebrity of her mandate in latest dramatic chapter of a saga that has gripped country

Brazilian lawmakers have voted to expel the gospel star turned congresswoman Flordelis over her alleged involvement in the murder of the husband with whom she had raised more than 50 children.

In the latest dramatic chapter of a saga that has gripped Brazil, 437 members of Brazil’s 513-member lower house voted to strip the disgraced evangelical celebrity of her mandate as a result of “conduct incompatible with parliamentary decorum”.

Twelve lawmakers abstained and seven opposed the expulsion of Flordelis dos Santos de Souza, a favela-born church leader who was elected in 2018 as part of the same evangelical wave that brought Brazil’s ultra-conservative president Jair Bolsonaro to power. » | Yom Phillips | Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Queer Quote of the Day

“It is against this God who kills that we are fighting and resisting.” – Alexya Salvador
Organized religion has been one of the harshest critics of homosexuality, citing holy writings as evidence that it goes against God. Alexya Salvador, set to become the first transgender pastor in Brazil, doesn’t necessarily see religion as the enemy of LGBTQ rights. As she states in this quotation, it is a particular version of God, one that is vengeful and judgmental, that must be eradicated. She strives for a different view of God: one that is accepting and loving of everyone, regardless of their identities. She hopes to usher in a new era of love and understanding between religion and the LGBTQ community.

About Alexya Salvador in Portuguese.

With special thanks to Human Rights Careers for this quote.

Sheer Joy!

Pure joie ! / Reine Freude!
With thanks and appreciation to Sarah Vendramini Photography for this great photo.

Maria Callas: O Mio Babbino Caro – Giacomo Puccini

Views on YouTube: 670,124

Giuseppe Verdi - Nabucco - Hebrew Slaves Chorus

Aug 28, 2013 • Metropolitan opera 2001. Conductor: James Levine | Views on YouTube: 565,627

Pourquoi Poutine a déclaré la guerre au champagne

Des bouteilles de simili-champagne russe. ©Sovfoto/UIG/Leemage
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Moscou réserve l’appellation champagne aux vins russes et déclasse les bouteilles produites entre Reims et Épernay en «vin mousseux». Le gouvernement français demande la suspension de la nouvelle loi le temps de négocier un compromis.

Tempête dans une flûte de champagne ou prémices d’une bataille économico-diplomatique entre Paris et Moscou? Depuis début juillet, plus une bouteille ne quitte les caves de Reims et d’Épernay à destination de la Russie. Décrété par le Comité Champagne, qui regroupe les producteurs et viticulteurs de l’appellation, ce boycott est une réaction à la loi fédérale russe 345-FZ, promulguée le 2 juillet par Vladimir Poutine. Celle-ci impose de modifier les bouteilles. Sur l’étiquette principale, où figure la marque, il reste possible de garder le mot «champagne» en alphabet romain. En revanche, sur la contre-étiquette (plus petite, elle est collée au dos des bouteilles) rédigée en cyrillique, la mention «shampanskoye» est réservée aux vins pétillants produits en Russie et avec du raisin récolté en Russie. Les autres doivent se rebaptiser… «vin mousseux». » | Par Ivan Letessier | mercredi 11 août 2021

Réservé aux abonnés Les abonnements sont disponibles ici.

Avec ou sans sorbetière, notre guide pour préparer glaces et sorbets maison

Qui dit été, dit desserts glacés ! Getty Images
MADAME FIGARO : Qui dit été, dit saison des desserts glacés. Recettes et conseils pratiques pour préparer glaces et sorbets avec ou sans turbine à glace.

Quand vient le temps des vacances, on ne résiste jamais longtemps avant d'acheter une glace ou un sorbet. Mais au lieu de se rendre au supermarché ou chez le glacier, pourquoi ne pas les préparer soi-même ? Plus saines, plus parfumées, plus gourmandes, les glaces maison n'ont pas grand-chose à voir avec celles que vous achèterez au rayon surgelé. Voici sans plus tarder nos conseils et nos recettes pour rafraîchir petits et grands gourmets. Avec une vidéo et des recettes » | Par Valentine Poignon | mercredi 11 août 2021

Potato Basil Frittata with Ina Garten | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Jan 25, 2020 • Having guests over for brunch? Ina's frittata is sure to impress a crowd. 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: 183,489

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
2 cups peeled and 1/2-inch diced boiling potatoes (4 potatoes)
8 extra-large eggs
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 pound Gruyère cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions [Method]:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F [177C – moderate heat]. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyère, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.

'LOVING' - A Military Couple

A video short about John and Dariel and loving during WWII, "LOVING A Photographic History of Men in Love 1850s - 1950s"

Video created by HOGARTH World Wide NYC and shared as part of LOVING The Exhibition, June 2021 at HOGARTH NYC.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — August 11, 2021

Annie Lennox: A Whiter Shade of Pale (Tradução)

Views on YouTube: 908,293

Queer Quote of the Day

“The Lord is my Shepherd and he knows I’m gay.” – Troy Perry
Troy Perry founded the Metropolitan Community Church: a Protestant denomination that specializes in welcoming the LGBTQ community. Perry was religious for much of his life,but was frustrated by feeling unwelcome as a gay man. With his ministry, he strives to give others a place of love, welcoming, and acceptance. He is also a vocal advocate encouraging other faith communities to open their doors to the queer community. [Source: Human Rights Careers. With many thanks and much appreciation for the quote.]

Elder Troy Perry’s Profile.

Brexit, Covid, Incompetence and Corruption and Where Is the Opposition?