Jan Lisiecki – Chopin: Nocturne Op. 62, No. 2 in E Major 'Lento'

Nov 4, 2021 • Lisiecki is perhaps most celebrated for his masterfully sensitive and refined interpretative approach. His newest release – recorded last October at Berlin’s historic Meistersaal – not only captures the spirit of Chopin’s pianism, but also represents the time and circumstances in which it was made, as the pianist himself explains: “I’m the first to question why we should record something that has been recorded many times before. But music only lives through performance and is different every time we hear it, even when it’s a recording. I think there was something for me to say with this album. It reflects on the last year and my thoughts on that as well as on the escape and understanding that music gives us.”

Chopin, he adds, far exceeded the boundaries of what his contemporaries considered possible on the piano, especially in terms of the singing line. Unlike the human voice, the piano can play the longest melody without the need to take a breath; like a great singer, the pianist has to shape phrases and give emotional light and shade to melodies. “Chopin’s music flows by itself in a sense, but you need to feel instinctively where things are placed,” comments Jan Lisiecki. “It’s about striking the balance between allowing the music to flow naturally and knowing subconsciously where it should go.”

Enjoy Jan Lisiecki's performance of Chopin's Nocturne Op. 62, No. 2 in E major 'Lento'.

La production mondiale de vin très faible en 2021, en raison de la météo européenne

Si les principaux producteurs européens ont souffert, l'hémisphère sud voit ses volumes augmenter. FV Photography / stock.adobe.com
LE FIGARO : La France en particulier a souffert d'une météo désastreuse et devrait perdre sa position de deuxième producteur mondial au profit de l'Espagne.

La production mondiale de vin devrait être «extrêmement faible» en volume en 2021, les trois principaux pays producteurs européens - Italie, Espagne, France - ayant pâti de conditions météorologiques défavorables, a annoncé jeudi l'Organisation internationale de la vigne et du vin (OIV). À l’inverse, 2021 a été une année «très positive» pour les vignobles de l'hémisphère sud, après une mauvaise année 2020, a relevé l'OIV lors d'une conférence de presse en ligne.

Au total, la production mondiale de vin est estimée aux alentours de 250 millions d'hectolitres, «à peine supérieure à la production historiquement faible de 2017», selon les premières estimations de l'organisation. La baisse serait d'environ 4% par rapport à 2020, année où le volume produit était déjà inférieur à la moyenne. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 4 novembre 2021

À LIRE AUSSI : Ils font du vin dans leur jardin parisien : REPORTAGE - L'œnologue Xavier Charvin d'Andlau et ses parents, le comte et la comtesse d'Andlau-Hombourg, renouent avec la tradition vigneronne d'Île-de-France en produisant un vin blanc effervescent dans le 16e arrondissement. »

Ghislaine Maxwell Jail Conditions Rival Hannibal Lecter’s, Lawyers Say

THE GUARDIAN: Attorneys make another bail request and say conditions of detention are ‘reprehensible and utterly inappropriate’

The British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell is subjected to such invasive surveillance in jail that it “rivals scenes of Dr Hannibal Lecter’s incarceration” from The Silence of the Lambs, her lawyer has argued in making yet another request for bail pending her trial.

Maxwell is charged in Manhattan federal court for allegedly procuring teenage girls for the disgraced wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein. Opening arguments in Maxwell’s case are scheduled to begin on 29 November.

“Maxwell’s conditions of detention for the past 16 months continue to be reprehensible and utterly inappropriate for [a] woman on the cusp of turning 60 with no criminal record or history of violence. It is unwarranted, unrelenting, and utterly inappropriate,” her lead attorney, Bobbi C Sternheim, wrote in court papers.

“[She] has been subject to physical and emotional abuse by the correction officers, poor and unsanitary living conditions, insufficient nutrition, difficulties reviewing the millions of legal discovery documents in the case against her, and sleep deprivation.” » | Victoria Bekiempis in New York | Thursday, November 4, 2021

Barbra Streisand : Woman in Love

Official audio for "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand | Views on YouTube: 14,652,024

Poland's Battle for Abortion Rights

Nov 4, 2021 • When Poland introduced a near-total ban on abortion it divided the nation, sparking mass protests. Dateline explores how church and state are impacting women's rights.

Poland has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe, and in January those laws became even tougher. Doctors now face three years in prison for ending a pregnancy in the case of foetal abnormalities.

Crise de la pêche : les discussions entre Paris et Londres se poursuivent après la rencontre entre deux ministres

LE MONDE : Les ministres français et britannique Clément Beaune et David Frost se sont rencontrés jeudi et ont « exposé leurs positions et leurs préoccupations », selon Londres. Les discussions doivent reprendre la semaine prochaine.

Le secrétaire d’Etat britannique chargé du Brexit, David Frost, a rencontré, jeudi 4 novembre en fin de matinée, le secrétaire d’Etat français aux affaires européennes, Clément Beaune, à Paris. FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTRY / VIA REUTERS
Rencontre au sommet pour tenter d’apaiser les tensions concernant le dossier de la pêche. Le secrétaire d’Etat britannique chargé du Brexit, David Frost, a rencontré, jeudi 4 novembre en fin de matinée, le secrétaire d’Etat français aux affaires européennes, Clément Beaune, à Paris.

« Cet entretien a permis la reprise de dialogue », mais « il y a encore beaucoup de travail et des écarts de position importants », a déclaré Clément Beaune après cette entrevue avec David Frost. « Ce que nous demandons, c’est l’application de l’accord, ce ne sont pas des exigences nouvelles par rapport à l’accord », a-t-il insisté. Lors d’un briefing par téléphone avec des journalistes, Clément Beaune a fait état d’une discussion « utile et positive »marquant « la reprise d’un dialogue à un niveau politique entre la France et le Royaume-Uni », qui « s’inscrit toujours dans le cadre européen ». » | Le Monde avec AFP et Reuters | jeudi 4 novembre 2021

Im Streit zwischen Frankreich und Grossbritannien geht es um mehr als nur um Fische: Der umstrittene Zugang französischer Fischer zu britischen Gewässern treibt Paris und London an den Rand einer Eskalation. Auf beiden Seiten geht es um politisches Kalkül und Symbolpolitik, aber auch um die Durchsetzung grundsätzlicher Interessen nach dem Brexit. »

British and French talks to settle fishing row end in stalemate: Brexit minister David Frost met Europe minister Clément Beaune in Paris but two sides remain at odds »

Amerika erwartet starke Aufrüstung Chinas

ATOMWAFFENARSENAL
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Das amerikanische Verteidigungsministerium geht davon aus, dass China seine nuklearen Kapazitäten erheblich erweitert. Peking weist das zurück.

China baut sein Atomwaffenarsenal nach Einschätzung des amerikanischen Verteidigungsministeriums schneller aus als bisher prognostiziert. Das Land „beabsichtigt wahrscheinlich, im Jahr 2030 mindestens 1000 Sprengköpfe zu haben“, heißt es in einem am Donnerstag veröffentlichten Bericht des Pentagon.

Das wäre in etwa eine Vervierfachung der bisherigen Bestände. Zudem wären es doppelt so viele Sprengköpfe wie bisher von Washington für diesen Zeitraum vorausgesagt. Bis 2027 könne Peking über bis zu 700 Atomsprengköpfe verfügen, schreibt das Ministerium weiter. » | Von Friederike Böge, Peking | Donnerstag, 4. November 2021

NastassjaCanCook : Pljeskavica / Pleskavitza: Serbian Meat Patty. The Hamburger That Is Usually Served on Its Own!

Nov 4, 2021 • Pljeskavica is a grilled dish(Serbian Hamburger) consisting of a spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb. It is one of the national dishes of Serbia and is very popular in the neighboring Balkan and former Yugoslavian countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Montenegro. The name comes from word "pljesak", in Serbian ,means "to clap the hands. Meat mixture usually kneaded for a long time to achieve viscosity in texture.

PLJESCAVICA RECIPE:

Ingredients:

2 llbs lean beef
200gm lamb (fat)
2 medium onions (minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil (used for the purpose of preserving)
300ml sparkling mineral water (or club soda)

Spices:

1½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp chili pepper (Aleppo pepper)

Some oil for frying.

(In the original recipe, a combination of three meats is used: beef, pork and lamb. You could use all three or just two of them.It's a question of taste.

This dish is usually served with pickled onions:

2 medium purple onions (half-moon slices)
100ml water
1 tbsp sugar
½ tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pickling spices
2 tbsp white vinegar

These patties are usually served well-done and slightly charred. They are very juicy, full of flavor and often served on their own.

Enjoy!

Europe Once Again at Centre of Covid Pandemic, Says WHO

THE GUARDIAN: Cases at near-record levels and 500,000 more deaths forecast by February

Uneven vaccine coverage and a relaxation of preventive measures have brought Europe to a “critical point” in the pandemic, the World Health Organization has said, with cases again at near-record levels and 500,000 more deaths forecast by February.

Hans Kluge, the WHO’s Europe director, said all 53 countries in the region were facing “a real threat of Covid-19 resurgence or already fighting it” and urged governments to reimpose or continue with social and public health measures.

“We are, once again, at the epicentre,” he said. “With a widespread resurgence of the virus, I am asking every health authority to carefully reconsider easing or lifting measures at this moment.” He said that even in countries with high vaccination rates, immunisation could only do so much. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Thursday, November 4, 2021

Goldsmith Family Funded Boris Johnson’s Marbella Holiday

THE GUARDIAN: Update to register of ministerial interests does not specify how much PM’s break last month was worth

Boris Johnson and Zac Goldsmith in 2019. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Boris Johnson has admitted receiving a free holiday at a luxurious Spanish villa linked to Zac Goldsmith, the former MP who was given a peerage and job by the prime minister.

The latest update to the register of ministerial interests revealed that Johnson’s near week-long stay in the Marbella property in October was funded by the Goldsmith family.

It did not specify how much the holiday was worth but this is likely to be declared separately in the register of MPs’ interests. The property is marketed online for rentals, reportedly for as much as £25,000 a week[.] » | Rowena Mason, Deputy political editor | Thursday, November 4, 2021

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 4 2021

Zypern: Die Insel der verbotenen Ehen | ARTE Reportage

Nov 4, 2021 • Es ist ein Kampf, der in Europa längst vergessen ist, der Kampf um die Zivilehe. Im Nahen Osten sind nur religiöse Ehen erlaubt, und das Familienrecht - Scheidung, Sorgerecht oder Erbschaft - wird von der Bibel, dem Koran oder der Thora diktiert.

Hidden Crime Affecting Hundreds of Women | 60 Minutes Australia

May 15, 2018 • As a teenager, Rania Farrah was taken captive and held against her will by her father's family in Syria. A prisoner in the secretive and sinister world of young women who face the prospect of forced marriage. But refusing to be defeated, she secretly plotted and pulled off a daring escape back to Australia on the day she turned 18. On 60 Minutes, Rania very bravely speaks to Liz Hayes in the hope of lifting the veil on a hidden crime that affects hundreds of Australian women.

Reeling from Surprise Losses, Democrats Sound the Alarm for 2022

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Party officials say the White House and Congress must do more to address the electorate’s deep malaise or risk watching voters lurch back toward the G.O.P. by default.

WASHINGTON — Reeling from a barrage of unexpected losses, an array of Democrats on Wednesday pleaded with President Biden and his party’s lawmakers to address the quality-of-life issues that plagued their candidates in elections on Tuesday from heavily Hispanic San Antonio to the suburbs of Virginia, New Jersey and New York.

Although they had braced for a close race for Virginia governor, Democrats were caught off guard by the intensity of the backlash against their party in major off-year elections. Republicans claimed all three statewide offices in Virginia, will likely take control of the state’s House of Delegates and came close to upsetting Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, whose re-election had been presumed safe by officials in both parties.

Just as jarring for Democrats were some of the less prominent contests: The powerful New Jersey State Senate president, Steve Sweeney, was trailing a truck driver who ran a shoestring campaign; a Latino Republican flipped a Democratic seat in South San Antonio; and Democrats were thrashed in local races across Long Island.

The scope of the party’s setbacks illustrated that voters were fatigued from the demands of the still-continuing coronavirus pandemic and angry about the soaring prices and scarcity of goods they were confronting every day. While Democrats’ strength in cities and some large suburbs saved them from even deeper losses, their electoral coalition showed signs of fraying as voters vented their unhappiness with the party in power. » | Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns | Published: Wednesday, November 3, 2021; Updated: Thursday, November 4, 2021

Warnsignal an Biden: Der Sieg Glenn Youngkins in Virginia zeigt, dass Bidens Erneuerungsagenda nicht zieht. Aber auch für die Republikaner bleibt eine wichtige Frage offen. »

«Le long chemin du Brexit»

LE FIGARO : L’éditorial du Figaro, par Philippe Gélie.

Premier acte d’une «renaissance nationale», le Brexit ouvrait la voie au «Global Britain», version haut de gamme d’un Royaume-Uni béni par les gains de productivité et les hausses de salaires découlant quasi naturellement d’un contrôle retrouvé de l’immigration. Presque un an après que le pays a largué les amarres de l’UE, le scénario s’est quelque peu compliqué: la Grande-Bretagne est certes redevenue une île, mais elle ne vogue pas encore toutes voiles dehors vers le grand large.

Avant d’envisager un bond technologique, c’est de chauffeurs routiers, d’ouvriers du bâtiment et de personnel agricole qu’elle manque le plus, précisément cette main-d’œuvre européenne réduite de 200.000 paires de bras. Plus inquiétant, la croissance reste à la traîne du continent, les investissements et l’attractivité internationale affichent des indices en baisse et même les exportations hors UE ont reculé. Il est désormais clair que, séparé de son premier marché, le pari économique de l’après-Brexit ne sera pas gagnant en un claquement de doigts. » | Par Philippe Gélie | dimanche 24 octobre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

Les adieux au long cours d’Angela Merkel

Accompagnée d’Emmanuel Macron, la chancelière allemande Angela Merkel faisait ses adieux, à Beaune (Côte-d’Or).POOL/REUTERS
LE FIGARO : La chancelière était reçue mercredi par le couple Macron après une impressionnante tournée internationale.

À Beaune, mercredi 3 novembre, Angela Merkel a eu droit aux égards réservés aux amis de la France: reçue par Emmanuel Macron et son épouse, avec qui elle a déambulé dans les ruelles de la cité bourguignonne sous les applaudissements des badauds, après Helmut Kohl et François Mitterrand lors d’un sommet en 1993, la chancelière a été décorée grand-croix de la Légion d’honneur et intronisée, au Clos Vougeot, membre de la Confrérie des chevaliers du tastevin. Même pour cette fille de pasteur qui affiche d’ordinaire une superbe indifférence envers les attributs du pouvoir, la réception qu’elle a reçue du couple élyséen avait de quoi ébranler ses penchants pour la sobriété protocolaire.

La presse allemande s’interroge d’ailleurs sur les états d’âme de «Mutti» à la veille de quitter le pouvoir. Angela Merkel gère-t-elle sa tournée d’adieux internationale à la manière d’une rock star, mettant en scène ses dernières apparitions pour maintenir en haleine son club de fans jusqu’à l’ultime minute? En l’occurrence la semaine du 6 décembre, lorsque son successeur Olaf Scholz sera élu par le Bundestag. » | Par Pierre Avril | mercredi 3 octobre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

À LIRE AUSSI : Angela Merkel ou la puissance du pragmatisme : GRAND RÉCIT - Sa rationalité froide, son pragmatisme et son sens du compromis lui ont permis d’affronter les crises en série qui ont marqué ses quatre mandats. »

Auf ein letztes Glas Wein mit der Kanzlerin: Emmanuel Macron weiß, dass Angela Merkel guten Wein schätzt. So lud er sie zum Abschied in die idyllische Kleinstadt Beaune nach Burgund ein. Dort wurde der scheidenden Kanzlerin eine Ehre zuteil, die selbst Kohl verwehrt blieb. »

‘I’ve Always Aimed Big’: Vietnamese Tycoon behind £155m Oxford Donation

THE GUARDIAN: Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao has gone from importing fax machines as a student in Moscow to name-changing billionaire

Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao has an estimated $2.7bn (£2bn) fortune, part of which was made from VietJet, the airline she founded and runs. Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao began her business career as a sideline importing fax machines and latex rubber into the then Soviet Union while studying economic management at D Mendeleev University of Chemical Technology in Moscow. Before she had turned 21 – or graduated – she had made her first million.

Phuong Thao, who is popularly known as Madam Thao, is now Vietnam’s first and only female billionaire with an estimated $2.7bn (£2bn) fortune made from VietJet, the airline she founded and runs, alongside a vast property empire that stretches from skyscrapers in Ho Chi Minh City to five star beach resorts across the country as well as offshore oil and gas exploration and fossil fuel financing.

But her name may soon be well known in the UK as well as Vietnam after University of Oxford’s Linacre College agreed to rename itself Thao College after a £155m “transformative donation” from her holding company Sovico Group.

“Education and research are the keys to the development and prosperity of mankind,” she said on announcing the deal. “I believe the long-term cooperation with Oxford University will bring new opportunities and good value to the community.” » | Rupert Neate | Thursday, November 4, 2021

The Love That Cannot Be Extinguished!

"Homo Couples. Vintage Photos. Male Affection."
So you thought that gay love was a new phenomenon. There’s nothing new about It. It was always there. It has been there since the beginning of time. The only thing new is that tt is out in the open now. Gays are now proud to be who they really are. You legislators can try to legislate It away. You will fail! It cannot be done. The urge to love is much, much stronger than any law could ever be.You cannot legislate the gay away; and you cannot pray the gay away either. My advice to you is this: Learn to live with it and concentrate your energies elsewhere, on things you really can change. Gay love will be around a lot longer than you will be. So don’t waste your time! – © Mark

Covid: Germany Enveloped in ‘Massive’ Pandemic of the Unvaccinated

THE GUARDIAN: Health minister says wave ‘far from over’ as vaccination rate flatlines and clinics report rising numbers of Covid-19 patients

Germany’s health minister, Jens Spahn, has warned that his country is going through a “massive” pandemic of the unvaccinated.

“The pandemic is far from over,” said Spahn, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). “We are currently experiencing a pandemic of the unvaccinated, which is massive. There would be fewer coronavirus patients on intensive care units if more people would let themselves be vaccinated.”

In the last week several German clinics have raised alarm about rising numbers of patients with Covid-19 on the wards. On Wednesday authorities reported 2,220 patients in intensive care beds, the highest number since the start of June.

Over the last seven days 666 people have died from the virus in Germany, slightly more than in the same week a year ago, before the start of the vaccination drive and the arrival of the more infectious Delta variant. For now the number of fatalities is rising less steeply than it did during the previous three coronavirus waves in the country. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Kanzlerin erwägt neue Regeln für Ungeimpfte: Die Politik zeigt sich besorgt über die steigenden Infektionszahlen, das Kanzleramt dringt auf ein rasches Bund-Länder-Treffen. Die 2G-Regeln könnten ausgeweitet werden. »

En France aussi, la hausse du taux d'infections est inquiétante :

Covid-19 : le masque à nouveau obligatoire à l'école à partir de lundi dans 39 départements : La hausse du taux d'incidence provoque un rétropédalage sur les mesures d'allègement des mesures sanitaires, alors que 79 territoires étaient exempts du masque dans les salles de classe. »

In England as well, the chief medical officer fears Covid is spreading into older age groups:

Jonathan Van-Tam voices concerns over rising Covid death rate: England’s deputy chief medical officer says he fears infection is spreading into older age groups »

Allzeithoch bei Neuinfektionen: Die vierte Corona-Welle rollt weiter – den Höchststand der dritten Welle hat sie nunmehr übertroffen. Die Gesundheitsminister ringen um einen gemeinsamen Corona-Kurs. Wie könnte der aussehen? »

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 - I. Allegro moderato | Krystian Zimerman · London Symphony Orchestra · Simon Rattle

Prince Andrew Could Face US Trial in 2022 over Alleged Sexual Abuse, Judge Says

THE GUARDIAN: Development comes after Andrew’s lawyers attacked Virginia Giuffre, accusing her of seeking a ‘payday’ at prince’s expense

Virginia Giuffre’s civil lawsuit alleges she was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew when she was 17 years old. Photograph: Steve Parsons/AFP/Getty Images
Prince Andrew could face civil trial in the US over alleged sexual abuse at the end of 2022, a judge said on Wednesday.

Speaking [at] during a phone conference with lawyers in New York, US district judge Lewis Kaplan said he anticipates a trial date of “somewhere in the September to December period of next year”.

The development came after Andrew’s lawyers attacked his accuser, Virginia Giuffre, in legal filings over the weekend, accusing her of seeking a “payday” at Andrew’s expense and referring to accusations that Guiffre was a “sex kitten”. » | Adam Gabbatt and agency | Wednesday, November 3, 2021

Gay Man's Life Changes for the Better after Coming Out. “We Have a Very Modern Family.”

Oct 27, 2021 • Andre Kahn had a wife and a daughter and a secret - he was gay. Though he ultimately came out, the journey that followed wasn’t always easy. Fortunately, thanks to a supportive community and a loving family, Andre was eventually able to live his truth happily and form his own “modern family.”

La Bourse de Paris bat à nouveau son record

L'indice parisien a fini à 6.950,65 points. Bruno Bleu / stock.adobe.com
LE FIGARO : Le CAC 40 a battu son record de la veille qui dépassait déjà le record de clôture établi en septembre 2000.

La Bourse de Paris a fini en hausse de 0,34% mercredi et battu de nouveaux records avant la décision de la Réserve fédérale américaine sur la mise en œuvre d'une réduction de ses achats d'actifs attendue par le marché.

L'indice parisien a fini à 6.950,65 points, dépassant son record absolu en séance qui remontait au 4 septembre 2000 et battant son record de clôture établi la veille. La place parisienne a notamment profité ces dernières semaines d'une saison de résultats d'entreprises de bonne facture au troisième trimestre, notamment ceux du secteur du luxe qui représente environ un quart de la cote. Pour la suite, «le rythme de progression ne va peut-être pas être aussi effréné dans la mesure où l'économie est en transition», note toutefois Benoît Peloille, stratégiste chez Vega IM. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 3 novembre 2021

À LIRE AUSSI : Comment le CAC 40 se transforme »

Inflation Bonds Are Getting a Big Rate Bump »

Fed Announces Plan to Slow Its Bond Buying Program: The Federal Reserve is dealing with high inflation at a time when millions of workers remain on the job market’s sidelines. »

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 3, 2021

Wirtschaftswissenschaftler sieht Welt im Endspiel des Kapitalismus | DW Nachrichten

Nov 3, 2021 • Die Preise steigen. Aktuell beträgt die Geldentwertung in Deutschland 4,5 Prozent, das ist der höchste Stand seit 28 Jahren. Norbert Häring, Wirtschaftswissenschaftler und Autor, sieht die Welt im Endspiel des Kapitalismus. In den nächsten fünf Jahren, wahrscheinlich darunter, könnte es den nächsten Crash geben, so Häring. Auch die aktuellen Lieferengpässen in vielen Branchen seien ein Anzeichen – eine Folge geopolitischer Machtspiele. Generell kritisiert er die Finanzbranche und auch die EZB, die mit viel billigem Geld kaum reale Wirtschaftsimpulse gesetzt habe.

Ronnie Kroell | I'm From Chicago, IL | True Gay Stories

Oct 16, 2009 • Ronnie Kroell's grandma comes to the rescue when his mom is being less than supportive after finding out he's gay.

The Secret World of Sugar Babies and Sugar Daddies | 60 Minutes Australia

Jun 10, 2019 • Incredibly, right now in Australia there are more than 200,000 young women who have either become, or are trying to be, “sugar babies”. Their ambition is for a sweet life of pampered luxury, paid for by older, sometimes much older, men. For the so-called “sugar daddies”, the equation is simple: the wealthier they are, the more attractive they are. But as Sarah Abo finds out, it’s not hard to read between the lines here. The term sugar baby is often code for sex worker, and the male moneybags are often crinkled-up creeps. And that leads to a very important question: is this sugar baby phenomenon about empowering women or exploiting them?

Due to the content and bad language in this documentary, it is most unsuitable for children. Viewer discretion is therefore advised.

This phenomenon could also be called ‘sex for sale’; and we all know what the traditional word for that is! Just because it is high-tech, it doesn’t change the fundamental nature of what is happening here. It turns 'love' and sex into a financial transaction.

Personally, I find this a very sad indictment on modern society. True love can never be bought. It doesn’t matter whether it is straight or gay love. It’s just not how love works. Sad! – Mark

Neofascist Seizure of America’s State Governments

Oct 22, 2021 • On the show, Chris Hedges discusses the seizure of state government by American’s homegrown neofascist movement with the historian Paul Street.

The creeping homegrown Christianized fascism that is steadily gaining power in the United States is most evident not in Washington but in state-level politics. Some 150 million Americans live in fully or mainly “red states,” where state politics and policy are completely or largely in the hands of a neofascist Republican party. There are 22 states where Republicans control the governorship and legislative bodies. There are 15 states where the Democratic party controls the governorship and legislative bodies. And there are 13 states with divided governments. In the “red” states such as Texas and Florida laws are being passed to suppress voting, outlaw abortion, forbid honest discussion of white systemic racism in public education, ban local governments and school districts from enforcing minimum wage ordinances, prohibit local vaccine and mask mandates, cut pandemic-related unemployment benefits, reject federal Medicaid dollars to help the poor receive health care, and persecute undocumented workers and their families. The nation’s most retrograde corporate political funders and operatives – the Koch-backed “fifth column” culprits in historian Nancy MacLean’s book Democracy in Chains – have long focused heavily on politics and policy at the state level. State politics, with the collapse of the local press and its consolidation by a handful of corporations, is an easy mark. It is rarely covered and almost never in depth. Corporations, for relatively small costs, can buy the loyalty of state officials and banish those who do not do their bidding. What is happening, as the historian Paul Street writes, is that in the white nationalist “flyover” states, Republican neofascists are hard wiring these jurisdictions to orchestrate this creeping coup with Leninist discipline.

Paul Street is the author of ten books including his latest Hollow Resistance: Obama, Trump, and the Politics of Appeasement. He also writes regularly for Counterpunch where he published a recent column headlined “What Happens in the Red States."

‘This Is a Total Fabrication of the Government’ – Ex-NSA Official William Binney on Assange’s Case

Nov 3, 2021 • The extradition trial of WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange made headlines worldwide last week, and his fate still hangs in the balance. RT talks to former NSA intelligence official and whistleblower William Binney, who says the governments involved want to silence the free media. [Originally aired on 27/10]

The UK Must Ban ‘Conversion Therapy’ – Even for Adults Who Claim to Want It

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: In allowing over-18s to give ‘informed consent’ to this abusive practice, the government is pandering to rightwing evangelicals

Last week the government finally published its proposals on how it intends to ban the degrading practice of so-called “conversion therapy”. It has taken years of lobbying, several high-profile resignations, as well as various statements from senior religious leaders and indeed whole denominations – such as the Church of England and the Methodist church – to get us to this point. Was it worth the wait?

In truth there is much in the proposals that can and should be welcomed. The government has shown willing to listen to the senior human rights lawyers behind the Cooper report, which I convened, and has accepted our proposal of a two-pronged approach involving both criminal and civil remedies. This means that as well as clear criminal sanctions against perpetrators, who now face sentence of up to five years and a hefty fine, it will also introduce new protection orders that will work to safeguard young vulnerable LGBT+ people from harm.

That is, if you are under 18 or have been found to have been forced or coerced into conversion therapy. But this restriction, focusing purely on the under-18s, is woefully inadequate and leaves thousands still open to abuse, particularly in religious settings – which the government’s own research has shown accounts for the majority of conversion practices. The new law would still allow adults to freely seek out such therapies. However, we know that it is young adults (aged 18-24) who are vulnerable to significant risk when they leave home and find themselves wooed by fundamentalist religious groups. » | Jayne Ozanne | Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Les talibans interdisent l'utilisation de devises étrangères aux Afghans

LE FIGARO : Le gouvernement taliban a annoncé mardi qu'il serait désormais interdit d'utiliser des devises étrangères dans le pays, mettant encore plus à risque une économie déjà en lambeaux. «La situation économique et l'intérêt national du pays nécessitent que tous les Afghans se servent de l'afghani comme monnaie pour toutes leurs transactions», a indiqué le porte-parole taliban Zabihullah Mujahid dans un communiqué. «L'Emirat islamique ordonne à tous ses citoyens, commerçants, marchands, hommes d'affaires (...) de strictement s'abstenir d'utiliser des devises étrangères», insiste le responsable. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 2 novembre 2021

Turkey: Homosexuality Could Soon Be “Illegal”

Mar 15, 2021 • “The clock is ticking! Homosexuality will be illegal in Turkey! We must act NOW! Recently, Turkish President Erdogan said there was no such thing as LGBT people! His Interior Minister referred to protesters as ‘LGBT Deviants’ on Twitter. Their rhetoric is ramping up, and we KNOW how this will end. Soon, it will be illegal to be LGBTQ in Turkey. We must act NOW!”

In this video, Okan Sengun explains what is happening in Turkey. From the 2021 Boğaziçi University student protests, trans women were arrested at the Women's March.

Okan explains what Twitter should do immediately to stop the spread of hate speeches in Turkey and the horrible end gay Turks are facing if they don’t speak out.

Abus sexuels : l’Eglise doit reconnaître sa responsabilité

LE MONDE : Réunis en assemblée plénière du 2 au 8 novembre, les évêques de France doivent tirer les conséquences du rapport Sauvé. De leur capacité à engager de profondes réformes dépend l’avenir de la première religion de France.

Editorial du « Monde ». Pour l’Eglise catholique, c’est peu de dire que le rapport Sauvé sur les abus sexuels commis en son sein, rendu public le 5 octobre, a fait l’effet d’une déflagration. La surprise est venue moins de la mise au jour d’un scandale déjà amplement connu, grâce aux témoignages des victimes, que de son ampleur – 216 000 personnes aujourd’hui majeures auraient été agressées sexuellement par des prêtres ou des religieux depuis 1950 – et du fait que l’Eglise soit désignée comme l’institution, en dehors de la famille, où de telles agressions sont de loin les plus fréquentes.

Dans l’Eglise, les abus sexuels ont un caractère « massif » et « systémique », a assené le rapport rédigé à la demande de l’épiscopat par l’ancien vice-président du Conseil d’Etat. Les évêques français, réunis à Lourdes du 2 au 8 novembre en assemblée plénière, vont devoir décider des mesures à prendre, non seulement pour réparer les vies blessées, mais aussi pour réformer le mode de fonctionnement d’une institution où la dissimulation et la non-dénonciation de délits et de crimes sexuels ont longtemps prévalu, et dont le discours sur la sexualité masque un immense malaise. » | ÉDITORIAL | mardi 2 novembre 2021

Shutting Down Historical Debate, China Makes It a Crime to Mock Heroes

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Under a new law, China has zealously prosecuted even the perceived slander of Communist figures, broadening Xi Jinping’s campaign to dominate party orthodoxy.

A painting showing Mao with Red Army soldiers and officers at the National Art Museum in Beijing during the exhibition “100 Years Toward Greatness” in June. | Gilles Sabrié for The New York Times
The young woman in Beijing began her post complaining about mobs gathering online, where recluses vent misogynistic insecurities from the safety of desk chairs. As provocative as it was, it might have passed unnoticed except that she added another beat.

She mocked the toxic masculinity of users imagining themselves as Dong Cunrui, a textbook war hero who, according to Chinese Communist Party lore, died valiantly during the civil war that brought the party to power in 1949.

For that passing reference, the woman, 27 and identified in court only by her last name, Xu, was sentenced last month to seven months in prison.

Her crime: violating a newly amended criminal code that punishes the slander of China’s martyrs and heroes. Since it went into effect in March, the statute has been enforced with a revolutionary zeal, part of an intensified campaign under China’s leader, Xi Jinping, to sanctify the Communist Party’s version of history — and his vision for the country’s future. » | Steven Lee Myers | Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Michael Bublé : Everything

Luke Harlan | I'm from Fayetteville, AR | True Gay Stories

Jul 5, 2011 • After enduring ex-gay counseling and his Southern Baptist roots, Luke finally finds happiness by being true to himself.

Dimitra’s Dishes : The Best Beef Shawarma Recipe

Get the recipe here

Un baiser sur le banc du parc.

Ein Kuß auf der Parkbank. / A kiss on the park bench.
Photo: Adobe Stock

Yuval Noah Harari on How He Met His Husband

Oct 31, 2021 • Harari met his husband in 2001 on a dating app.

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.
Related

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.