French Officials Vent Fury over Australian Leak of Macron Text Message

THE GUARDIAN: Confidence shattered by ‘crude’ leak of president’s message to prime minister Scott Morrison, says adviser

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, had texted Australia’s prime minister to ask whether he could expect good or bad news on their submarine deal. Photograph: John Thys/AP
Elysée officials have expressed fury at the decision of Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to leak a private text message from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as the diplomatic rift between the two countries deepened.

“Confidence has been completely shattered,” a close adviser to Macron told French media on Tuesday. “Disclosing a text message exchange between heads of state or government is a pretty crude and unconventional tactic.”

The adviser told Le Parisien that it “would never even enter the head” of the French president to disclose communications of this kind. “It is not the kind of thing that is likely to improve relations between France and Australia,” they said.

In the text, two days before the announcement of the Aukus security partnership and the cancellation of a major French contract to supply submarines to Australia, Macron asked Morrison whether he could expect good or bad news on the submarines.

Its publication came after Macron told reporters he “knew” that Morrison had lied to him over plans with the US and the UK to acquire nuclear-propelled submarines. Morrison rejected the claim and said he was “not going to cop sledging of Australia”. » | Jon Henley in Paris | Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Crise des sous-marins : l'entourage de Macron en colère après la fuite d'un SMS au premier ministre australien : Le chef de l'État aurait envoyé : «Dois-je m'attendre à de bonnes ou de mauvaises nouvelles pour notre ambition conjointe sur les sous-marins ?» à Scott Morrison. »

Les Chinois appelés à stocker la nourriture

La Chine est déjà le premier importateur mondial de produits alimentaires. ALY SONG / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : L'avis affiché lundi sur le site Internet du ministère du Commerce ne précise pas la raison de cet appel ni si le pays est menacé de pénurie alimentaire.

Le gouvernement chinois a appelé la population à constituer des réserves de nourriture, au moment où le pays tente de combattre un regain épidémique limité qui perturbe les communications. Un avis affiché sur le site Internet du ministère du Commerce lundi 1er novembre au soir invite «les ménages à stocker une certaine quantité de produits de première nécessité afin de faire face aux besoins quotidiens et aux cas d'urgence». L'avis ne précise pas la raison de cet appel ni si le pays est menacé de pénurie alimentaire. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 2 novembre 2021

Schwul und glücklich - Landwirt Thomas Reitmaier | Unser Land | BR Fernsehen

Dec 22, 2019 • Thomas Reitmaier, 35 Jahre alt, lebt im Weiler Niesgau im Chiemgau. Landwirt ist er mit Leib und Seele: Er hält Rinder, Ziegen und Schweine und bietet Urlaub auf dem Bauernhof an. Dazu kommt noch ein Teilzeitjob beim Veterinäramt, er bedient auf dem Münchner Oktoberfest und ist in zahlreichen Vereinen aktiv. Und er ist verheiratet - mit einem Mann. Autor: Christoph Schuster

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 2 2021

A Gay Man's Journey: Marrying a Woman. | I'm from Irving, TX by Todd Howard

Todd takes us through his journey of having no success with men, falling in love with and marrying a woman, and ultimately his divorce.

Can a Gay Man Love a Woman? What Are the LGBT Rules on Love?

Nov 3, 2011 • Topic This Week (selected by Syd): "What are your thoughts on a gay person falling in love with someone of the opposite sex? Can that person call him/herself gay? What would you do if your preference before you met a certain person was only homosexual and everybody knew that, and this changes everything?"

Yuval Noah Harari: The 2021 60 Minutes interview

Nov 1, 2021 • The bestselling author and historian offers his predictions on how technology will alter the evolution of humans and change society. Anderson Cooper reports.

‘Make It a Christian Town’: The Ultra-conservative Church on the Rise in Idaho

THE GUARDIAN: Increased influence of Christ Church, whose leader wants to create US ‘theocracy’, comes as social conservatives aim to gain traction

Members of Christ Church sing a hymn during ‘psalm sing;’ in September, outside city hall in Moscow, Idaho. Church members were protesting against an order that requires people to either socially distance or wear a face mask in public. Photograph: Geoff Crimmins/AP
A Guardian investigation has revealed that a controversial church whose leader has openly expressed the ambition of creating a “theocracy” in America has accumulated significant influence in the city of Moscow, Idaho.

Christ Church has a stated goal to “make Moscow a Christian town” and public records, interviews, and open source materials online show how its leadership has extended its power and activities in the town.

Church figures have browbeaten elected officials over Covid restrictions, built powerful institutions in parallel to secular government, harassed perceived opponents, and accumulated land and businesses in pursuit of a long-term goal of transforming America into a nation ruled according to its own, ultra-conservative moral precepts.

The rise of Christ Church may be playing out in a small Idaho city but it comes at a time when the US is roiled by the far right, including Christian nationalism, and when social conservatives are seeking to roll back basic tenets of US life such as legal abortion, as well as dominating powerful national institutions, such as the supreme court. » | Jason Wilson in Moscow, Idaho | Tuesday, October 2, 2021

Bosnia Is In Danger of Breaking Up, Warns Top International Official

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: high representative says threat by Serb separatists to create their own army risks return of conflict

The international community’s chief representative in Bosnia has warned that the country is in imminent danger of breaking apart, and there is a “very real” prospect of a return to conflict.

In a report to the UN seen by the Guardian, Christian Schmidt, the high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that if Serb separatists carry out their threat to recreate their own army, splitting the national armed forces in two, more international peacekeepers would have to be sent back in to stop the slide towards a new war. » | Julian Borger, World affairs editor | Tuesday, November 2, 2021

COP26: Act Now for Our Children, Queen Urges Climate Summit

Read the article here.

Chopin: Nocturnes, Op. 9/No. 1 in B-flat Minor | Arthur Rubinstein

Early to Bed, Early to Rise…

Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund. / Se coucher tôt, se lever tôt, c'est amasser santé et sagesse.
Photograph : Adobe Stock

Pêche post-Brexit : Macron repousse l'ultimatum adressé aux Anglais

Macron et Johnson à Glasgow pour la COP26. POOL / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le président français a décidé de ne pas faire entrer en vigueur ce soir à minuit les mesures de rétorsion annoncées, estimant que «les prochaines heures sont des heures importantes».

La discussion concernant le litige sur la pêche «se poursuivra demain» mardi entre la France, le Royaume-Uni et la Commission européenne, a déclaré lundi Emmanuel Macron, écartant une application des mesures de rétorsion dès minuit car «ce n'est pas pendant qu'on négocie qu'on va mettre des sanctions». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 1 novembre 2021

Prince Andrew’s Criticisms of Virginia Giuffre May Backfire, Lawyers Say

THE GUARDIAN: UK experts say accusing Giuffre of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense is risky

Prince Andrew has applied to have Virginia Giuffre’s lawsuit against him in the US dismissed. Photograph: Lindsey Parnaby/AFP/Getty Images
THE GUARDIAN: UK experts say accusing Giuffre of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense is risky

Prince Andrew’s attacks on Virginia Giuffre’s character in an attempt to get her sexual assault lawsuit against him thrown out may fail and risk doing further damage to his reputation, British lawyers have said.

Having initially attempted to prevent service of the suit, which alleges that he sexually abused Giuffre when she was 17, the prince’s lawyers went on the offensive over the weekend in an attempt to get her “baseless” claim dismissed.

Their filings accuse Giuffre of seeking a “payday” at Andrew’s expense and contain references from friends and in newspaper articles to her being a “money hungry sex kitten” and recruiting girls for the convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who died in custody in 2019, awaiting trial.

At the same time they argue that a 2009 settlement agreement between Giuffre and Epstein, formerly a friend of Andrew, absolves the prince from responsibility, a notion rejected by Giuffre’s lawyer. » | Haroon Siddique, Legal affairs correspondent | Monday, November 1, 2021

Nikotin – Droge mit Zukunft | Doku HD Reupload | ARTE

Nov 1, 2021 • Obwohl die Zahl der Raucher zurückgeht, fährt die Tabakindustrie immer mehr Gewinne ein. Ein Erfolgsprodukt sind E-Zigaretten, die angeblich weniger schädlich sind. Aber ist das wirklich schon erforscht? Aggressiver Lobbyismus und zweifelhafte Studien waren schon lange Instrumente bei der Vermarktung der Droge Nikotin. Trotz zahlreicher Prozesse scheint sich nichts zu verändern.

Viele versuchen jahrelang mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören und kommen einfach nicht los. Nikotinpflaster, Hypnose, Kurse – nichts scheint zu helfen. Aber jetzt gibt es ein neues Wundermittel, mit dem Raucher ihre Sucht überwinden können: E-Zigaretten. Hier wird das Nikotin verdampft, nicht der Tabak erhitzt. Vertreter der Tabakfirmen sprechen von einem um bis zu 99 Prozent geringerem Gesundheitsrisiko für den Konsumenten.Aber nicht erst seit die rätselhafte Lungenkrankheit Evali in den USA zahlreiche Todesopfer forderte, zweifeln die Kritiker der Tabakindustrie an den neuen Produkten. Denn noch seien die gesundheitlichen Folgen des Dampfens viel zu wenig erforscht. Angeblich konzentriert sich die Werbung auf erwachsene Raucher, die von der Tabakzigarette auf die gesündere E-Zigarette umsteigen sollen. Bei genaueren Hinsehen zeige sich aber, dass das Marketing auf Teenager abzielt, die dazu gebracht werden sollen, dass sie mit dem Rauchen anfangen. Je jünger die Menschen mit Nikotin in Kontakt gebracht werden, desto zuverlässiger bleibt ihre Sucht nach der Droge – diese Erkenntnis findet sich in internen Dokumenten der großen Zigarettenfirmen schon in den 60er Jahren. Und ganz ungehemmt sprechen sie junge Menschen dort an, wo der Staat noch keine Regularien dagegen entwickelt hat: in Schwellenländern wie Indonesien.Nikotin ist eine gefährliche Droge, ihr Suchtpotential wird von Ärzten mit dem von Heroin verglichen. Aber allen Warnhinweisen zum Trotz: Nikotin ist in der herkömmlichen Form der Zigarette oder im modernen Gewand des Verdampfers definitiv eine Droge mit Zukunft.

Dokumentarfilm von Bärbel Merseburger-Sill (D 2020, 90 Min)


Nichtsdestotrotz:

Regulator paves way for NHS e-cigarette prescriptions in England: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency updates guidance under government plans to cut smoking rates »

This Fish Spat with France Is Just Another Product of Johnson’s Broken Brexit

THE GUARDIAN: The PM’s push to quit the European single market has proved disastrous for Britain’s standing at the key moment of Cop26

Fishing activity in Douarnenez, Brittany. Photograph: Isa Harsin/SIPA/Rex
As Boris Johnson stumbles from cliche to cliche in Glasgow, a boatload of French fishers are making a fool of him. Posing as a world leader, he pleads that the Earth is “at one minute to midnight”, and should raise its game in the last chance saloon. Yet he cannot stop France’s Emmanuel Macron taunting him over a few boat licences, any more than he can handle the consequences of the Northern Irish protocol, or exert influence over the truce between the European Union and the United States on steel tariffs.

Being outside the EU was meant to display Britain beating its chest across the Channel and round the world, raking in lucrative new trade. Instead at Cop26, China, Russia and India have all found better things to do than listen to Johnson’s tired metaphors amid piles of rain-soaked rubbish.

The fishing dispute with France is complex and unimportant, and 55% of England’s fishing quota is already owned by EU vessels. The row is pure electioneering by Emmanuel Macron. But Britain has no friends in Europe and zero leverage, following the sloppy withdrawal deal reached by Johnson’s belligerent chief negotiator and crony, David Frost. He has now handed Macron an election weapon, a threat to impede all trade through Channel ports. This should be an outrage. » | Simon Jenkins | Monday, November 1, 2021

Zu Tisch ... in Swanetien - Georgien | ARTE

Oct 31, 2021 • Im Norden Georgiens liegt das dünn besiedelte Swanetien wenige Kilometer hinter der russischen Grenze. Die Region lebt von Vieh- und Milchwirtschaft. Auch Kartoffeln und Früchte stehen auf dem Speiseplan. Besonders beliebt sind der aus Pflaumen gekochte "georgische Ketchup", Sulguni-Käse und gefüllte Teigtaschen. Swanetisches Salz, Svanuri marili, würzt zahlreiche Speisen.

Familie Tamliani lebt wie viele andere Einwohner in Tsvirmi als Selbstversorger. Das Dorf liegt auf fast 2.000 Meter Höhe. Am Ende eines langen Sommers erntet Archil Tamliani zusammen mit seinem Vater und seinem Bruder Lascha die Kartoffeln. Die Erdäpfel sind eine wichtige Lebensgrundlage. Den größten Teil verkaufen Johnny und Archil oder tauschen ihn gegen Mehl. Die Tamlianis machen alles noch mit der Hand, Maschinen können sie sich nicht leisten. Statt mit einem Mähdrescher mähen sie ihre Weiden mit der Sense, und mit einem Ochsengespann und einem Holzschlitten holen sie das Heu in den Stall. Die swanetische Küche ist deftig: Khatschapuri, mit Sulguni-Käse gefüllte Teigtaschen, sind ein tägliches Muss. Lily Tamliani und ihre Schwiegertochter Khatia sind im Haus fürs Kochen zuständig. Auf einem einfachen Holzofen bereiten sie die Gerichte zu. Zweimal in der Woche macht Lilly Sulguni-Käse. Er hat eine ähnliche Konsistenz wie Mozzarella. Sie gewinnt ihn aus der Milch ihrer sechs Kühe, die sie mit der Hand melkt. Grundlage für Lilys Svanuri Marili, ihr Salz, sind Knoblauch, Koriander, Dill, Paprika und das „fremde Gewürz“ – Schabzigerklee. Lily sammelt die Zutaten unweit des Hauses oder baut sie in ihrem Garten an. Über die Bestandteile des Svanuri Marili gibt sie gerne Auskunft, nicht aber über die jeweiligen Mengen. Trotz materieller Not begehen die Menschen in Swanetien immer wieder opulente Festmahle – Supra ist ein Fest inmitten des Alltags. Dabei wird der Tisch mit allerlei Speisen und Getränken überladen. Man gedenkt der Ahnen und der Lebenden, man schwört sich ein auf die Gemeinschaft.

Esskulturreihe (D 2019, 26 Min)

François Heisbourg: «Le risque de guerre est plus élevé qu’avant la pandémie»

François Heisbourg. Jean-Christophe MARMARA / Le Figaro
LE FIGARO : ENTRETIEN - Pour le spécialiste de géopolitique, qui publie Retour de la guerre (Odile Jacob), la montée en puissance de la Chine, l’évolution technologique et l’absence d’ordre mondial rendent le retour de conflits plus probable que pendant la guerre froide.

LE FIGARO. - Après la crise du Covid, la puissance chinoise s’affirme plus que jamais tandis que le départ chaotique des États-Unis d’Afghanistan a pu être interprété comme un signe de déclin. Dans cette configuration, le retour de la guerre est-il inévitable?

François HEISBOURG. - Le risque de guerre est plus élevé qu’il ne l’était avant la pandémie et il est amené à s’accroître. Une des raisons majeures de cette montée des tensions tient à l’accélération de la puissance chinoise et à sa confrontation idéologique, économique, technologique, politique avec les États-Unis, et peut-être avec le monde démocratique de façon plus générale.

Il y a aussi l’évolution technologique, qui déstabilise la situation stratégique à travers la cyberguerre et qui donne un caractère quotidien aux conflits. Le continuum de la non-guerre jusqu’à la guerre la plus dure est plus direct que durant la guerre froide. Lors de cette dernière, il n’y avait pas de guerre tant qu’il n’y avait pas de tir. Et, par ailleurs, la dissuasion nucléaire obéissait à des règles qui empêchèrent (avec difficulté, tout de même) la guerre d’éclater entre les deux blocs et les deux superpuissances. Aujourd’hui, ce n’est plus le cas. On passe insensiblement de la non-guerre à une quasi-guerre à un début de guerre… Dans le domaine nucléaire, le développement de nouveaux arsenaux nucléaires entraîne une fragilisation de la dissuasion. … » | Par Alexandre Devecchio | Publié : dimanche 31 octobre 2021 ; mis à jour : lundi 1 novembre 2021

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The Contemporary History of Iran

This interesting discussion cannot be embedded on websites. It is available only on YouTube. The discussion can be listened to here.
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Julian Assange Extradition Case

Oct 30, 2021 • On the show, Chris Hedges discusses the extradition hearing of Julian Assange in London with Joe Lauria, Editor-in-Chief of Consortium News.

For the past two days, Chris Hedges has been watching the extradition hearing for Julian Assange via video link from London. The United States is appealing a lower court ruling that denied the US request to extradite Assange not, unfortunately, because in the eyes of the court he is innocent of a crime, but because, as Judge Vanessa Baraitser in January concluded, Assange's precarious psychological state would deteriorate given the "harsh conditions" of the inhumane US prison system, "causing him to commit suicide.” The United States has charged Assange with 17 counts under the Espionage Act and one count of trying to hack into a government computer, charges that could see him imprisoned for 175 years.

If Assange is extradited and found guilty of publishing classified material, it will set a legal precedent that will effectively end national security reporting, allowing the government to use the Espionage Act to charge any reporter who possesses classified documents, and any whistleblower who leaks classified information, under the Espionage Act.

Sex, Lies and Julian Assange (2012) | Four Corners

Jul 27, 2019 • When Julian Assange arrived in Sweden in August 2010 he was greeted like a conquering hero.

But within weeks there was a warrant out for his arrest and he was being investigated for rape and sexual molestation.

Until recently he was taking sanctuary in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, arguing he won't receive justice if he's taken to Sweden and that US authorities are building a case for his extradition.

In this program from 2012, Four Corners reporter Andrew Fowler examines in detail what happened in those crucial weeks while Julian Assange was in Sweden. What was the nature of his relationship with the two women who claim he assaulted them? And what did they tell police that led the authorities to seek his arrest?

Both Assange and his supporters believe the attempt by authorities to force his return to Sweden is simply the first step in a plan to see him extradited to the United States.

Four Corners looks at claims the United States is working hard to unearth evidence that would lead to a charge of "conspiracy to commit espionage" being made against Assange - which in turn would be used in his extradition from Sweden.

The program also documents the harassment experienced by Assange's supporters across the globe - including his Australian lawyer - and the FBI's attempts to convince some to give evidence against him.

‘Astounding’ Haul of Roman Sculptures Discovered under HS2 Building Site - BBC News

Oct 31, 2021 • Archaeologists have uncovered a "remarkable" set of Roman sculptures on the HS2 rail link route.

Two complete sculptures of what appear to be a man and a woman, plus the head of a child, were found at an abandoned medieval church in Buckinghamshire. The discoveries have been sent for specialist analysis.

Dr Rachel Wood, lead archaeologist for HS2’s contractor. said they were "really rare finds in the UK".

Türkisches Leben in Deutschland: Wie alles begann & wie es heute ist | DW Deutsch

Nov 1, 2021 • Das Anwerbeabkommen, das 1961 zwischen Deutschland und der Türkei geschlossen wurde, hatte weitreichende Folgen für die Deutsche Gesellschaft. Damals kamen die sogenannten Gastarbeiter, um vorübergehend in Deutschland zu arbeiten. Doch viele von ihnen sind für immer geblieben – und haben Familien hier gegründet. Drei Generationen sprechen darüber, was sie bewegt – und was für sie Heimat ist.

Afghanistan: Kabul nach der Machtübernahme der Taliban | DW Reporter

Oct 31, 2021 • Nachdem die Taliban in Afghanistan die Macht übernommen haben, fürchten viele Menschen in Kabul um ihren freiheitlichen Lebensstil. Journalistin Maryam kann nicht mehr so berichten, wie sie möchte, Musiker Gholam nicht mehr öffentlich auftreten. Hinzu kommen gravierende wirtschaftliche Probleme: Gholam zum Beispiel muss nach und nach seine Einrichtung, sogar seinen Kühlschrank verkaufen, um seine Familie irgendwie ernähren zu können. Gleichzeitig hat sich die vage Hoffnung, dass mit den Taliban zumindest mehr Ruhe und Sicherheit in die von Anschlägen erschütterte Stadt einkehren könnte, nicht erfüllt: Nun treiben Milizen des Islamischen Staats ihr Unwesen. Gerade die junge, gut ausgebildete Elite der Stadt ist verzweifelt. Eine Reportage von Nick Connolly.

Le Liban puni par l’Arabie saoudite

Des taxis bloquent des rues de Beyrouth, le 21 octobre, pour protester contre la flambée du prix de l’essence. ISSAM ABDALLAH/REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Riyad a décidé de couper les ponts avec Beyrouth, au prétexte qu’un ministre libanais avait critiqué son intervention militaire au Yémen, ce qui fragilise un peu plus le gouvernement de Mikati et un pays exsangue.

À Beyrouth
La stabilisation politique relative du Liban aura été de courte durée. Un peu plus d’un mois après son entrée en fonction, qui a mis fin à treize mois de vacance à la tête de l’exécutif, le gouvernement de Najib Mikati est déjà en crise et fait face à une nouvelle tempête, laquelle ne fait qu’aggraver l’effondrement en cours de ce pays depuis deux ans. Le coup est venu d’Arabie saoudite, qui a annoncé l’arrêt de toutes ses importations en provenance du pays du Cèdre, le rappel de son ambassadeur à Beyrouth, et a donné quarante-huit heures à l’ambassadeur du Liban à Riyad pour quitter le royaume. Bahrein lui a emboîté le pas, puis le Koweit, suivis des Émirats arabes unis, mais Oman et le Qatar sont restés sur la réserve.

Une sanction justifiée officiellement par les propos critiques sur l’intervention saoudienne au Yémen, tenus par le ministre libanais de l’Information, Georges Cordahi, avant la formation du gouvernement, dans une émission de la chaîne qatarie al-Jazeera et reprise il y a quelques jours sur les réseaux sociaux. Cordahi, une vedette qui a fait notamment carrière sur la chaîne saoudienne MBC, avait jugé «absurde» la guerre du Yémen, estimant que les houtistes «se défend(ai)ent» contre des puissances étrangères, à savoir la coalition menée par l’Arabie saoudite. Les houtistes étant soutenus par Téhéran et le Hezbollah, son allié chiite au Liban, la position du ministre a immédiatement déclenché des campagnes partisanes et communautaires, selon les lignes de clivages régionales qui se répercutent directement sur la scène politique libanaise. » | Par Sibylle Rizk | dimanche 31 octobre 2021

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À LIRE AUSSI : Liban: le crépuscule d'une nation : GRAND REPORTAGE - Le pays du cèdre traverse depuis deux ans une crise économique sans précédent. Aucun espoir d'amélioration ne pointe à l'horizon et pourtant chacun tente de garder son rang, au prix d'immenses sacrifices et avec les moyens du bord. »

France Has 48 Hours to Back Down in Fishing Row, Warns Liz Truss

THE GUARDIAN: Foreign secretary says UK will begin dispute talks set out in Brexit deal if threats not withdrawn

Fishing boats moored in the French port of Boulogne. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
The UK foreign secretary, Liz Truss, has warned France it has 48 hours to back down on threats made in the row over fishing licences or the UK will begin dispute talks set out in the Brexit deal.

French officials have said they will bar UK fishing boats from some ports and tighten customs checks on lorries entering the country unless more licences are granted for their small boats to fish in Britain’s waters.

Almost 1,700 EU vessels have been licensed to fish in UK waters, equating to 98% of EU applications for fishing licences, the UK government says, but this figure is disputed in Paris.

Truss suggested the French president, Emmanuel Macron, may be making “unreasonable threats” because he has a difficult election looming. » | Jamie Grierson | Monday, November 1, 2021

London stellt Paris Ultimatum im Fischereistreit: Ein Vermittlungsgespräch am Rande des G-20-Gipfels in Rom brachte keine Wende im Fischereistreit: Jetzt verlangt Großbritannien eine Lösung innerhalb der nächsten 48 Stunden. »

George Michael : One More Try

Views on YouTube: 132,363,456

Brexit, Covid, COP26 and Boris Johnson - What Could Possibly Go Right?

Oct 31, 2021 • In the last week, the Public Accounrs Committee has described the £37 billion budgeted for the Test & Trace programme set up and run by Didi Harding as “eye watering” whilst new cases reported continue the be the second highest in the world, day after day. The government's own Office for Budget Responsibility has estimated that, whilst the cost of the pandemic to the economy will be a reduction in GDP of 2%, the cost of Brexit will be a 4% fall.

COP26 is about to start in Glasgow and, under Boris Johnson's leadership, the opening of a major new oilfield and a new coal mine are being considered and may well be sanctioned after COP26.

We are seeking trade deals with countries on the other side of the world whilst doing everything possible to make trade with our nearest neighbours as difficult as possible.

Rishi Sunak in his budget last week reduced the Airline Passenger Tax for internal UK flights, a move which can only be an incentive for more people to fly rather than take the train. This is another move to raise doubts about our commitment to solving global warming.

In the meantime, Johnson told a group of children in Downing Street that recycling is a 'red herring'. The treatment of sewage by mostly foreign-owned companies has become a major scandal which could have been avoided had the prime minister acted quickly. Images and descriptions of sewage in rivers and the sea have been seen all over the world thanks to social media doing even more damage to our reputation worldwide a few days before COP26.

Finally a fishing dispute with France which could have been resolved quickly and easily has resulted in angering both France and the EU, the very nations we and Johnson will be asking for support at Glasgow this week.

“That Sh*t Gnaws at You in a Weird Sort of Way”

Feb 7, 2018 • Growing up, our families and community and society had all these expectations that we would grow up and have traditional lives and have our own traditional families, with straight spouses, children, grandchildren, etc. As we get a little older and see our straight friends meeting all these expectations, some of us struggle to fight the feeling of being a disappointment and broken or not measuring up in some way. I recently heard a transgender guy say, “that sh*t gnaws at you in a weird way.” It’s a huge fear for people struggling to come out and a lingering struggle for some who are out. What’s your advice on how to combat these feelings and to know that we’re good enough and hopefully great, but maybe just not in a traditional way?

Stress + Fear = Coming Out Later in Life

Jul 14, 2010 • Views on YouTube: 28,751

UK and France Blame Each Other over Fishing Row Stalemate

French President Emmanuel Macron (left) and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (right) met in Rome on Sunday | REUTERS
BBC: Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron remain at loggerheads in the ongoing dispute over permits for fishing boats.

On Sunday, the leaders met to discuss tensions and the UK government said it was "up to France" to step back from threats over port access.

But Mr Macron said the ball was "in Britain's court" and he hoped there would be a positive response on Monday.

Mr Macron added it was not a bilateral issue for the nations but an EU issue.

The row comes ahead of Tuesday, which is the deadline for more licenses to be granted for French fishing boats to operate in British waters.

Otherwise UK fishing boats could be barred from some ports, French officials have warned.

Following the meeting on Sunday, French officials said the pair had agreed to work on a solution in the "next hours and days".

But later, a spokesman for Mr Johnson said no measures had been agreed. » | BBC | Sunday, October 31, 2021

Macron Accuses Australian PM of Lying over Submarine Deal

THE GUARDIAN: French president criticises Scott Morrison and expresses scepticism that Aukus pact will deliver on schedule

Emmanuel Macron at a press conference during the G20 summit in Rome. Photograph: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images
Emmanuel Macron has accused the Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, of lying to him over an abandoned $90bn submarine contract, in a significant escalation of tensions between Paris and Canberra.

The French president levelled the accusation in impromptu comments to Australian journalists on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome. He said he had a lot of “respect and friendship” for Australia and Australians, but respect between nations needed to be reciprocated.

“I just say when we have respect, you have to be true and you have to behave in line and consistent with this value,” he said.

When asked whether he thought Morrison had lied to him by not revealing Australia’s secret dialogue with the UK and US over the acquisition of nuclear submarines – a dialogue that ultimately became the Aukus pact – Macron was direct in his response. “I don’t think, I know,” he said. » | Katharine Murphy in Rome | Sunday, October 31, 2021

Emmanuel Macron estime que le premier ministre australien lui a «menti» sur les sous-marins : Interrogé par un journaliste australien en marge du G20, le président de la République a redit son sentiment d'avoir été trahi dans ce dossier. »

Michael Jackson : The Way You Make Me Feel | Official Video

Views on YouTube: 400,015,872

Colson Whitehead: Wie uns Fiktion befreit | Sternstunde Philosophie | SRF Kultur

Oct 25, 2021 • Er hat die beiden grossen US-Literaturpreise gewonnen, den Pulitzerpreis sogar zweimal: Colson Whitehead ist der amerikanische Schriftsteller der Stunde. Wolfram Eilenberger spricht mit ihm über die Verantwortung, die damit einhergeht, und darüber, wie uns der Ausweg ins Fantastische retten kann.

Colson Whiteheads Aufstieg zum Star der amerikanischen Literatur in den letzten Jahren hätte steiler nicht sein können: Neben dem renommierten National Book Award gewinnt er als erster Autor überhaupt mit zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Büchern den Pulitzerpreis für Belletristik.

n beiden Romanen erweckt er ein Stück amerikanische Unterdrückungsgeschichte zum Leben. In «Underground Railroad» geht es um ein Netzwerk, das Sklavinnen und Sklaven im 18. und 19. Jahrhundert zur Flucht in den Norden verhilft. In «Die Nickel Boys» schreibt Whitehead über den wahren Fall von Missbrauch an schwarzen Teenagern in einer Reformanstalt der 60er-Jahre.

Das Time Magazine widmete ihm daraufhin das Cover und nannte ihn «America’s Storyteller», was im Zuge der Black Lives Matter-Bewegung nicht nur als Geschichtenerzähler einer Generation, sondern einer ganzen historischen Erfahrung verstanden werden kann.

Im Gespräch mit Wolfram Eilenberger spricht Whitehead darüber, wie er mit dieser extremen Rolle umgeht, über die Kunst, anderen etwas vorzumachen, und warum uns erst Fiktionen wahrhaft befreien, wenn die Realität keinen Ausweg mehr bietet.

Sternstunde Philosophie vom 24.10.2021

Tariq Ali: WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange Must Not Be Extradited for Exposing War Crimes in Afghanistan

Oct 28, 2021 • As an appeals court in London is deciding whether WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be extradited to the United States for publishing classified documents exposing U.S. war crimes, we go to London to speak with British writer and activist Tariq Ali. Assange faces up to 175 years in prison in the U.S. under the Espionage Act for publishing classified documents exposing U.S. war crimes, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ali calls the case “a political trial” and a “punitive attempt by the British government … to try and punish Julian on behalf of the United States.” We also discuss the significance of WikiLeaks revelations in exposing U.S. drone strikes, civilian deaths, torture and other abuses committed in Afghanistan, which Ali examines in his new book, “The Forty-Year War in Afghanistan: A Chronicle Foretold.”

Women Are Trying to Escape Saudi Arabia, But Not All of Them Make It | Four Corners

Feb 4, 2019 • Many Saudi women are wealthy, well-educated and told they have everything, but when they disobey their male guardians, life can be more like a Handmaid’s Tale dystopia.
Watch the documentary here.

Michael Bolton : Drift Away

Provided to YouTube by Columbia: Views on YouTube: 1,929,727

1001 Days: Memoirs of an Empress

Oct 30, 2021 • Launching of The Shahbanou Farah Pahlavi's newly reprinted boom, "My Thousand And One Day" centre for Middle Eastern Studies Harvard.

Farah Diba, l'Iran au cœur : PORTRAIT - À la veille de ses 80 ans, l'impératrice célèbre son histoire et son amour de l'art à travers un livre monumental aux couleurs de ses passions. »

Massive Cyber Heist Rocks High Society Jeweller Graff: Russian Gang Demand Multi-million Ransom or They'll Release Private Details of Rich and Famous - after Leaking Files on David Beckham, Oprah and Donald Trump

Russian hackers have plundered the personal details of world leaders, actors and personalities in a 'virtual heist' on exclusive jewellery firm Graff. Pictured: The list of victims is believed to include David Beckham
THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: Russian hackers have taken personal details of world leaders, actors and tycoons / Victims believed to include Donald Trump, David Beckham and Sir Philip Green / Thought to be demanding millions in ransom money to stop further releases of sensitive information / Gang named Conti is behind data theft from the exclusive jewellery firm Graff

Hackers have plundered the personal details of world leaders, Hollywood A-listers and billionaire tycoons in a massive 'virtual heist' on exclusive jewellery firm Graff, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

The cyber criminals have already leaked 69,000 confidential documents on to the so-called 'dark web', including files relating to Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, David Beckham and Sir Philip Green.

And they are thought to be demanding tens of millions of pounds in ransom money to stop the release of further sensitive information.

The notorious Russian hacking gang Conti is behind the data theft and claims the information published, involving about 11,000 of Graff's well-heeled clients, represents just one per cent of the files it stole.

Documents including client lists, invoices, receipts and credit notes have been taken, and could prove embarrassing for customers who may, for example, have bought gifts for secret lovers or taken jewellery as bribes.

'Given the profile of the customer database, this is absolutely massive,' said Philip Ingram, a former colonel in British military intelligence. » | Kevin O’Sullivan and Georgia Edkins and Michael Powell for The Mail on Sunday | Saturday, October 30, 2021

Brexit Is Harming the UK Economy, Say 44% of Voters

THE OBSERVER: Poll also shows that more than half believe it is affecting shop prices, as experts forecast it is likely to be twice as costly as Covid

51% of those surveyed think Brexit is adversely affecting the UK’s ability to import goods from the EU.Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
Almost twice as many voters now believe Brexit is having a negative effect on the UK economy as think it is benefiting the nation’s finances, according to the latest Opinium poll for the Observer, carried out during budget week.

The survey comes after Richard Hughes, the chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility, said his organisation calculated that the negative impact on GDP caused by the UK’s exit from the EU was expected to be twice as great as that resulting from the pandemic.

Hughes said Brexit would reduce the UK’s potential GDP by about 4% in the long term, while the pandemic would cut it “by a further 2%”. “In the long term, it is the case that Brexit has a bigger impact than the pandemic,” he said. » | Toby Helm, Political editor | Saturday, October 30, 2021

Of course Brexit is harming the UK economy! And it will go on harming it, too. Brexit was, is, and will remain a BAD idea. We can thank the Conservatives for this half-witted idea. The current Conservative Party isn't fit for the twenty-first century. The clue of the problem with the Conservative Party lies in its name, 'Conservative'. Conservatives are inclined to live in the past, live on past glories.

What this country needs is a business-friendly party which is forward-looking, a party which has a deep-commitment to fairness for ALL, and which is PRO-Europe! I have said it over and over and over again that we Brits ARE Europeans. Our destiny lies in Europe. Being committed to Europe doesn't preclude a close friendship with the US, or Australia or Canada, or anywhere else. It is perfectly possible to be committed to Europe and be friendly with all. These relationships are not mutually exclusive. I stand by my commitment to Europe and the EU – unwaveringly.

The UK should re-enter the European Union and play its full part in the EU's progress and development. Along with our European brothers and sisters—our neighbours—we all need to to work hard to keep Europe whole and free and powerful on the world stage. With the inexorable rise of China, it is more important than ever.

History will not be kind to the characters who worked so hard to bring the UK out of the EU. We all know who they are. Chief among them are Farage (though not a member of the Conservative Party), Hannan, Rees-Mogg, Redwood, and a few others. But there many other fossils in the Conservative Party besides these. They have all played their part in weakening the UK. Ironically, they think they are patriots. In actual fact, they are not. Quite the opposite!

In the name of peace and prosperity, we need to cast these throwbacks aside. The European Union is good for us all on so many levels, not least of which is the maintenance of peace and stability in Europe – a continent which had historically been used to war and conflict.

Brexit has weakened the European Union; and it has weakened the United Kingdom, too. It has caused disharmony in our once proud and united United Kingdom: Brexit has caused unnecessary conflict between regions, families, friends and acquaintances. Only a fool would take the United Kingdom for granted any longer. In fact, there is a distinct possibility of the UK breaking up in the future. If it did so, iy would be a great pity. But if it does happen, we shall be able to blame Boris Johnson and his cohorts in stupidity for the tragedy.

The best place for the UK is in the European Union. Long live Europe!, Vive l'Europe ! Es lebe Europa! – © Mark

Bee Gees: Alone

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Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive | Official Music Video

Views on YouTube: 175,298,124

And Ina Is Clearly Happy!

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He’s Happy!

Photograph: Adobe Stock

Clearly, They’re Happy!

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Offensichtlich sind sie glücklich! / Visiblement, ils sont contents !

Freddie Mercury – Portrait einer Rocklegende | Kulturplatz | SRF Kultur

Oct 14, 2021 • Vor 30 Jahren starb der charismatische «Queen»-Sänger – und noch immer fasziniert er die Massen. Bis heute bestehen auch enge Bande zur Schweiz. «Kulturplatz» macht sich auf Spurensuche, präsentiert Hits auf Dialekt und zeigt, wie Freddie Mercury die sexuelle Befreiung von Generationen mitprägt.

75 wäre er heuer geworden. Nun jährt sich sein Todestag zum 30. Mal. «Kulturplatz» nimmt dies zum Anlass, an den Schweizer Ort zu reisen, der für Freddie Mercury wiederholt Lebens- und Arbeitsmittelpunkt war: Montreux. Hier kaufte «Queen» ein Tonstudio und nahm mehrere Alben auf, und hier sang der an Aids erkrankte Star seine letzten Lieder ein.

In diesen bewegenden Kosmos taucht Moderatorin Nina Mavis Brunner: Sie besucht Schauplätze aus Mercurys Leben und das Queen-Museum, das einen Nachbau des legendären Tonstudios beinhaltet. Zudem schildert ein enger Freund wenig bekannte Facetten des begnadeten Künstlers: Wie er abseits des Scheinwerferlichts war.

Weiter verrät die Sendung, wie Queen auf Schweizerdeutsch klingt. Eine Hommage an Freddie Mercury startet nämlich in Kürze als Bühnenshow zur Tournee durchs Land – und interpretiert dabei einen der grössten Hits als verklausulierten Coming-Out-Song.

Der charismatische Bandleader, der exzessive Partys feierte, sich aber auch nach Ruhe und Abgeschiedenheit sehnte, bekannte sich offiziell nie zu seiner Homosexualität. Dennoch hat er mit extravaganten Auftritten auf der Bühne oder in Musikvideos zur sexuellen Befreiung von Generationen beigetragen, wie junge Menschen gegenüber «Kulturplatz» bestätigen.

So lässt sich sagen: Eine Ikone inspiriert die Schweiz – nach wie vor.

Kulturplatz vom 13.10.2021

Pour Sarkozy, l'affaire des sous-marins est une «trahison» des États-Unis

Nicolas Sarkozy en dédicace dans une librairie toulonnaise. CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
LE FIGARO : L'ancien chef de l'État dédicaçait son dernier livre, Promenades, dans une librairie toulonnaise. Interrogé par la presse, il a commenté plusieurs sujets chauds de l'actualité internationale.

L'ex-président de la république Nicolas Sarkozy a estimé samedi à Toulon que l'affaire du contrat des sous-marins perdu par la France au profit des États-Unis n'était «pas seulement une maladresse», comme l'a reconnu le président américain Joe Biden, mais «une forme de trahison». «On ne traite pas ses alliés, ses amis comme on a été traité. Ce n'est pas possible, ce n'est pas conforme à l'intérêt stratégique de nos deux nations», a réagi l'ancien chef de l'État interrogé par la presse sur cette affaire en marge d'une séance de dédicace de son dernier livre. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | samedi 30 octobre 2021

Suspected Iranian Hack Hits Israeli LGBT Site; Users Fear Leak of Personal Info

THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: Black Shadow hacking group threatens to release data after targeting numerous websites through hack of internet hosting company in Israel

A person speaks on their phone during an annual Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem, on June 3, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
An Israeli LGBT-focused dating service was one of the many websites targeted by a hack on an internet hosting company, worrying users of a potential data leak that could expose those still in the closet.

“Atraf,” a geo-located dating service as well as a nightlife index, is a popular app and website in the Israeli LGBT community, especially in the Tel Aviv area.

Hackers, apparently linked to Iran, said Friday they had broken into the servers of Israeli internet hosting company Cyberserve, bringing down a number of widely used websites.

The Black Shadow group, which Hebrew-language media reports said was Iranian, warned the Israeli company that it was in possession of data that could be leaked. The group has not confirmed that it is backed by Tehran.

“Hello Again! We have news for you,” the hackers wrote in a message circulated on social media Friday evening. “You probably could not connect to many websites today. ‘Cyberserve’ company and their customers [were] hit by us. You may ask what about Data? As always, we have lots of it. If you don’t want your Data leaked by us, contact us soon.” » | TOI Staff | Saturday, October 30, 2021

G20 Summit in Rome Focuses on Climate Change, Coronavirus | DW News

Oct 30, 2021 • The G20 summit is underway in Rome as leaders from the world's major industrialized nations meet.

Outgoing German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is among the dignitaries who are in the Italian capital for the two-day gathering. Among the topics being discussed is the coronavirus pandemic - with emergency workers invited to join the leaders for a photo. Tackling global warming is also top of the agenda, ahead of the COP26 climate conference which begins on Sunday. Most of those attending the G20 in Rome will travel onward to Glasgow for that key UN climate summit.

It is Biden's first major European trip to meet world leaders as president. The devout Catholic keeps a photograph of Pope Francis on his desk at the White House. He met with his hero face-to-face at the Vatican.

For more than an hour, the two leaders spoke privately about climate change, the pandemic and poverty. The visit is the prequel of two major summits happening this weekend. In Rome, the G20 and in Glasgow the COP26 climate summit. Back home, Biden suffered a setback for his pricy infrastructure plan, which focuses in part on the environment.

But ahead of the G20, young people are pushing for action on the climate.

Getting more jabs in people's arms in rich and poor countries is also a priority at the first face-to-face summit since the pandemic hit. But before Biden joins in on the global cooperation to tackle monumental problems, he first had a very public Mea Culpa with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Biden apologized for the US's botched handling of a submarine deal with Australia, which cut out France. For his part Macron is ready to move forward. Both sides hope the rebuilding of trust will help bring about the change young people are marching for.

Learn from the Test and Trace Debacle. It Shows How the Tories Enrich Their Friends

THE GUARDIAN: Calling the government’s spending wasteful, as Labour has, merely plays into the hands of the right

Just as 19th-century oil barons competed to make their millions from liquid gold, today vast sums are to be made by drilling deep into the British state.’ Photograph: Alberto Pezzali/AP
It’s 33 years since Margaret Thatcher inaugurated the modern rightwing Eurosceptic movement, declaring in Bruges that “we have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them reimposed at a European level”. Given the Brexit cause was so inextricably tied with deregulation, tax cuts and a retreat from public spending, there is something of an irony that, less than two years since our withdrawal from the EU, British companies find themselves tied up with red tape at our borders, average taxes have reached their highest levels since the 1950s, and the size of the state has been brought to levels “not seen in normal times” since the early Thatcherite era, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Some commentators have even declared the contents of Rishi Sunak’s red box to be a “Labour budget”, while ITV’s Robert Peston labels Boris Johnson “an arch-Keynesian”. Such an analysis belies a common misconception: that a leftwing approach to the economy is defined by statism, and that an enlarged state is incompatible with the Tory creed. This fundamentally misunderstands the real ideological battleground, which is over whose interests the state serves rather than its absolute size. » | Owen Jones | Friday, October 29, 2021

Shocking Practices Exposed in Australia’s Cosmetic Surgery Industry | Four Corners

Oct 25, 2021 • A joint investigation between Four Corners, The Age and Sydney Morning Herald reveals alarming surgical practices at some of Australia’s most popular cosmetic surgery clinics.

Those clinics are owned by dermatologist-turned-cosmetic surgeon, Dr Daniel Lanzer. With millions of followers on social media, he is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeons in the world.

But some patients say that behind the hype, there’s a very different story to be told: one of physical and mental scarring after surgery at Lanzer clinics.

The investigation also reveals how the regulatory system in Australia is failing to protect patients from the devastating consequences of cosmetic surgery gone wrong – all while the industry continues to flourish.


Viewer discretion is strongly advised. This very disturbing report is not suitable for children or for the squeamish. – Mark

Behind a Top Female Name in Spanish Crime Fiction: Three Men

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Carmen Mola, a novelist publishing under a pen name, seemed to shatter a glass ceiling in the world of Spanish books. But when the author’s true identity was revealed while claiming a big prize, it was a shock.

Jorge Díaz, Antonio Mercero and Agustín Martínez receiving the Planeta prize for their novel “La Bestia,” written under the pseudonym Carmen Mola. | Josep Lago/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
MADRID — In a literary world long crowded with successful men, some held up the popularity of Carmen Mola as an example that times were changing in Spain.

Publishing under a pseudonym, the writer produced a detective trilogy with an eccentric female police inspector as the protagonist, plumbing the underworld for clues to crimes. The public was led to believe Carmen Mola was a married, female professor who lived in Madrid, but knew little else.

The mysteries, both within the plots of the novels and surrounding the author’s identity, were a recipe for success, selling hundreds of thousands of books in the Spanish-speaking world. But the greatest surprise of all came this month during a ceremony attended by the Spanish king where Carmen Mola was awarded the Planeta Prize, a literary award worth more than a million dollars.

A team of three stepped up to receive the prize. All of them were men. » | Nicholas Casey | Friday, October 29, 2021

Différends post-Brexit : la «crédibilité» du Royaume-Uni est en jeu, juge Macron

Emmanuel Macron a donné une interview au Financial Times publiée ce vendredi soir. ARIS OIKONOMOU / AFP
LE FIGARO : Le président français est revenu sur les différends post-Brexit portant sur les licences de pêche et le protocole nord-irlandais dans une interview au Financial Times.

Le président français Emmanuel Macron a estimé que la «crédibilité» du Royaume-Uni était en jeu dans les différends post-Brexit sur les licences de pêche et le protocole nord-irlandais, dans une interview au Financial Times publiée vendredi soir. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | vendredi 29 octobre 2021

Post-Brexit-Streit mit Paris um Fischereirechte spitzt sich zu

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Frankreich hat zwei britische Fischerboote gestoppt, die ohne Genehmigung in französischen Gewässern gefischt haben. London bestellt daraufhin die französische Botschafterin ein. Doch Paris droht bereits mit einer weiteren Eskalation.

Im Streit um die Fischereirechte hat Frankreich mit der «Cornelis Gert Jan» erstmals einen britischen Fischtrawler festgesetzt. | Sarah Meyssonnier / Reuters
Aus der Ferne betrachtet geht es nur um ein paar Lizenzen mehr oder weniger für die Fischkutter aus der EU, die in britischen Gewässern im Ärmelkanal auf Fang gehen. Was im Kontext der Brexit-Verhandlungen eigentlich bloss kleine Fische sein sollten, hat sich jedoch zu einem wichtigen Streitpunkt entwickelt. Denn für viele Fischer in der Normandie geht es um die Existenz, falls sie die versprochenen Lizenzen nicht erhalten. Einige Fischer im Hafen von Boulogne sagen, sie hätten seit April einen Umsatzeinbruch von 50 Prozent erlitten. Die Regierung in Paris steht daher unter Druck. In der Debatte geht es längst nicht mehr nur um Fische, sondern um das nationale Prestige. Alte Ressentiments gegen die Briten werden hochgespielt. » | Rudolf Balmer, Paris | Samstag, 30. Oktober 2021

Prince Andrew Asks US Judge to Dismiss Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Abuse

THE GUARDIAN: Duke of York says Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was 17, failed to state claim warranting relief

Prince Andrew in 2013. He said if a dismissal were not granted, Virginia Giuffre should provide a ‘more definitive statement’ of her allegations. Photograph: Shizuo Kambayashi/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Duke of York says Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was 17, failed to state claim warranting relief

Prince Andrew has asked a US judge to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was 17.

In a filing with the US district court in Manhattan on Friday, the Duke of York said the case should be dismissed because Giuffre failed to state a claim warranting relief.

He also said that if dismissal were not granted, Giuffre should provide a “more definitive statement” of her allegations.

Lawyers for Giuffre did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Giuffre, 38, who is one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent accusers, sued Andrew for unspecified damages in August.

She accused him of forcing her to have sex when she was underage at the London home of Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, the late financier and registered sex offender, more than two decades ago.

Giuffre also accused Andrew of abusing her at Epstein’s mansion in Manhattan, and on one of Epstein’s private islands in the US Virgin Islands.

Andrew, 61, a former friend of Epstein, has not been charged with crimes, and has “categorically” denied Giuffre’s claims. » | Reuters | Friday, October 29, 2021

Prince Andrew is accused of 'victim shaming' by branding Virginia Giuffre a publicity-hungry liar who made up her claims of sexual assault for a 'payday' »

First Group of LGBT+ Afghans Fleeing Taliban Arrive in the UK

THE GUARDIAN: Students and activists in group that British foreign ministry hopes will be ‘the first of many’ in coming months

Activists around the world have been campaigning to raise awareness of LGBT Afghans and women’s dire situation under the Taliban's rule. Photograph: Alain Pitton/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock
A group of LGBT+ Afghans has arrived in Britain, the first since the Taliban’s return to power in August caused panic among gay and transgender Afghans, who feared persecution and even death under the Islamists’ rule.

The evacuation of the 29 Afghans is “hoped to be the first of many” in the coming months, Britain’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday, hours after a Taliban spokesman said LGBT+ rights would not be respected.

Thousands of Afghans including LGBT+ people, women and officials linked to the previous administration rushed to flee the country after the Taliban’s swift return to power on 15 August, but many were unable to board foreign evacuation flights.

“We played a key role getting these people out and will continue to do all we can to help at-risk Afghans leave the country,” British foreign secretary Liz Truss said in a statement, adding Britain would continue to defend “the right of all people to be themselves and love who they want”.

Among the group are students and activists who had repeatedly stood up for equality for the LGBT community in Afghanistan, the Foreign, Common and Development Office (FCDO) said. » | Agencies | Saturday, October 30, 2021

Machtwechsel in Afghanistan: Grossbritannien nimmt LGBTQ-Personen auf, US-Aussenministerium und Pentagon halten angeblich Informationen zurück: In Afghanistan haben die Taliban die Macht übernommen. Viele Staaten haben ihre Landsleute und lokalen Mitarbeiter unter teilweise dramatischen Umständen evakuiert. Die Lage im Land ist unübersichtlich. »

Emmanuel Macron et Joe Biden mettent en scène leur réconciliation

LE FIGARO : Le président français et son homologue américain se sont entretenus pour la première fois en tête à tête depuis la crise diplomatique des sous-marins australiens.

Les symboles sont importants. Le président américain, Joe Biden, y a été attentif pour réparer l'humeur malmenée de son partenaire français. Vendredi à Rome, avant le début de la réunion du G20 qui se tient jusqu'à dimanche en Italie, il s'est donc déplacé pour rencontrer le chef de l'État, Emmanuel Macron, dans une «emprise française», souligne-t-on à l'Élysée. «Évidemment, il y a dans tout cela un caractère politique qui est important», insiste-t-on dans l'entourage du président. Joe Biden a été reçu à la Villa Bonaparte, site de l'ambassade de France auprès du Vatican. Un mois et demi après la crise diplomatique des sous-marins australiens et du pacte Aukus (États-Unis, Australie, Royaume-Uni) conclu dans le dos de Paris, Washington était prêt à quelques efforts pour calmer son allié furieux de cette «trahison». En retard sur son agenda, le président américain a toutefois fait patienter son hôte pendant près d'une heure et demie avant d'arriver … Regarder la vidéo » | Par Nicolas Barotte | vendredi 29 octobre 2021

À LIRE AUSSI : Avec Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron gagne un «ami» sans se faire d’illusions : DÉCRYPTAGE - Paris sait qu’il n’y aura pas de retour au statu quo ante, après quatre ans de rupture sous Donald Trump. »

Biden admits to Macron the US was ‘clumsy’ in Aukus submarine deal: American president moves to repair relationship after France was blindsided by security pact »

Nuclear-Powered Submarines for Australia? Maybe Not So Fast. : Australia’s plan to build the submarines with U.S. and British help faces big hurdles. Supporters say they can be overcome. Critics say they may be too much. »

Biden: U-Boot-Deal mit Australien war „ungeschickt“ eingefädelt: Joe Biden und Emmanuel Macron wollen bei ihrem Treffen in Rom wieder das Vertrauen zueinander herstellen. Der amerikanische Präsident sagt, Frankreich sei ein „extrem wertvoller Partner“. »

£295,000 Bottle of Wine Stolen from Spanish Restaurant’s Cellar

THE GUARDIAN: Owner says 215-year-old Château d’Yquem was among 45 bottles taken by English-speaking man and woman

Bottles of wine in a cellar. The restaurant’s owner said he had not calculated the total value of the stolen bottles, which were insured. Photograph: Régis Duvignau/Reuters
Two thieves stole 45 bottles of wine, including an extremely rare 215-year-old bottle valued at €350,000 (£295,000), from a collection at an upmarket hotel and restaurant complex in south-west Spain, the owner has said.

The theft took place in the early hours of Wednesday, according to José Polo, one of the owners of Atrio, a complex comprising a hotel and a two-Michelin-starred restaurant with a cellar sheltering more than 40,000 bottles in the city of Cáceres.

“They were professionals, they knew exactly what they were doing” Polo said after deciding to make the robbery public through a letter to customers and friends.

The suspects are a man and woman who spoke English and gave staff the impression of being a refined couple, who checked into the hotel and dined at its restaurant. They asked a hotel front desk clerk to serve them more food and when he went to the kitchen, leaving security camera monitors unattended, the man slipped into the cellar and stole the bottles, Polo said. » | Associated Press in Valbuena | Friday, October 29, 2021

Michael Jackson - You Are Not Alone | Official Video

Views on YouTube: 281,355,489

Michael Jackson - Man in the Mirror | Official Video

Views on YouTube: 128,373,624

The Great Resignation: Why US Workers Are Burned Out and Quitting | Amanpour and Company

Oct 29, 2021 • As the pandemic eases in some parts of the world, we’re seeing the so-called “great resignation:” 20 million people in the U.S. have quit their jobs since April, according to federal statistics. Jennifer Moss explains this phenomenon in her new book "The Burnout Epidemic," and speaks with Michel Martin about why this is a cultural, rather than an individual, problem. Originally aired on October 29, 2021.

Daniel Barenboim – Chopin: Étude Op. 25 No.1 in A flat Major | Live from Pierre Boulez Saal, 2020

Queen Elizabeth Urged by Doctors to Rest at Least 2 Weeks

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The advice from her medical team has heightened the worry about the health of the 95-year-old monarch, who has canceled the public appearances that had been on her calendar.

Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in London this month. | Justin Tallis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II has been advised by her doctors to rest for at least the next two weeks, Buckingham Palace said on Friday, deepening the anxieties about her health that began last week when she abruptly canceled a visit to Northern Ireland because of what aides at the palace described as fatigue.

While the palace said the queen would continue to carry out “light, desk-based duties” and could conduct meetings via Zoom, she will not take part in any official events or ceremonies, including the Festival of Remembrance, a gala scheduled for Nov. 13 that honors soldiers and civilians who sacrificed for Britain in wartime.

For the queen, 95, to cancel her participation in an event two weeks in advance attests to the extraordinary precautions her medical team is taking. It also suggests that she has not bounced back from last week’s health issue, even after withdrawing to Windsor Castle and canceling her Northern Ireland visit, as well as one to the United Nations climate conference that opens in Glasgow next week.

In a statement, the palace said, “Following on from their recent advice that the queen should rest for a few days, Her Majesty’s doctors have advised that she should continue to rest for at least the next two weeks.” » | Mark Landler | Friday, October 29, 2021