Saturday, January 15, 2022

Johnson's Non-apology, the Next Prime Minister? And the Smugness of Rees-Mogg

Jan 15, 2022 • At PMQ's this week Johnson effectively apologised for being found out. He admitted having visited a gathering for which 100 guests had been invited, noticed that the thirty who had turned up were drinking alcohol and eating and, having spent twenty minutes with them, decided that this was a work meeting and left. This was at a time when any gathering of more than two people outside was illegal.

He said he believed that no offence had been committed. This and the further revelations about another eleven parties held whilst lockdown was in place, has almost certainly sealed Johnson's fate.

In the meantime, those who seek to drink from the poisoned chalice and replace Johnson are preparing for action. The favourites appear to be Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Jeremy Hunt and Michael Gove. Rees-Mogg, a man who has lived a life of privilege and wealth displays considerable levels of self-importance, condescension and pomposity. Despite his privileged education which he is always ready to display, he is a foolish man with a childish sense of humour and a tendency to make foolish and inappropriate remarks. Far from being the intellectual he seems to think he is, he is a rather foolish man. NOTE: I inadvertently referred to Sue Gray as Anne Gray – apologies.

'He's Got to Go': Keir Starmer Says Boris Johnson Is Unfit as Leader

Jan 15, 2022 • Keir Starmer has ramped up the pressure on Boris Johnson as the prime minister fights to save his job, arguing that the stream of explosive allegations of Downing Street parties has left him 'unable to lead'.

In a speech to the Fabian Society conference, the Labour leader accused the Conservatives of running the NHS into the ground Boris Johnson is ‘mired in deceit’ and is unable to lead, says Keir Starmer


Boris Johnson Must Resign in National Interest, Says Keir Starmer

THE GUARDIAN: Labour leader increases pressure on PM as more Tory politicians join calls for him to quit

Keir Starmer said ‘self-indulgent’ Tories were ‘having a fight about a leader who they should have known from the start is not fit for office’. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA

Keir Starmer has ramped up the pressure on Boris Johnson as the prime minister fights to save his job, arguing that it is in the “national interest” that he steps down as he is “unable to lead”.

In a speech to the Fabian Society conference, the Labour leader accused the Conservatives of running the NHS into the ground because they are “too preoccupied defending his rule breaking”. Stressing that “waiting times were the shortest on record” when Labour left government 12 years ago, he said: “Rather than concentrating on getting through the pandemic and bringing down waiting lists, this self-indulgent Tory party is instead having a fight about a leader who they should have known from the start is not fit for office.”

“We are witnessing the broken spectacle of a prime minister mired in deceit and deception, unable to lead,” Starmer said, adding that it was “very important that the Tory party does what it needs to do and gets rid of him”. » | Clea Skopeliti | Saturday, January 15, 2022

Friday, January 14, 2022

Ich liebe Dich so sehr mein Schätzlein!

I love you so much my darling! / je t'aime tellement mon cher !

Fürs schöne, coole Foto bedanke ich mich bei The Man in Black auf Pinterest.

Neue Eskalation in der Party-Affäre: Downing Street entschuldigt sich bei der Queen

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Während die Queen einsam um ihren verstorbenen Gatten trauerte, feierten trotz Corona-Restriktionen Dutzende von Mitarbeitern Boris Johnsons mit Alkohol, Musik und Tanz bis tief in die Nacht. Damit nimmt der Druck auf den Premierminister weiter zu.

Königin Elisabeth II. sitzt bei der Beerdigung ihres Mannes während des Lockdowns ganz alleine. Doch in der Downing Street soll es am Vorabend gleich zwei Lockdown-Partys gegeben haben.

In der Affäre um Lockdown-Partys am Amtssitz von Premierminister Boris Johnson ist es am Freitag zu einer neuen Eskalation gekommen. Nachdem der «Daily Telegraph» enthüllt hatte, dass es an der Downing Street am Vorabend der Beisetzung von Prinz Philip vom 17. April 2021 zu zwei Partys gekommen war, sah sich das Büro von Boris Johnson genötigt, sich öffentlich beim Buckingham-Palast zu entschuldigen. Es sei «zutiefst bedauerlich», dass diese Vorkommnisse zur Zeit der nationalen Trauer stattgefunden hätten, sagte Johnsons Sprecher.

Wilde Abschiedsfeste

Die höchst aussergewöhnliche Entschuldigung änderte freilich wenig daran, dass die Zustände in Johnsons Downing Street nun in scharfem Kontrast zur förmlichen Kultur des Königspalasts erscheinen. Die berührenden Bilder der pflichtbewussten Queen, die unter Einhaltung der rigiden Corona-Vorschriften an der Beerdigung ihres Gatten alleine in der Kapelle auf Schloss Windsor sitzen musste, gingen um die Welt. Damals waren strikte Abstandsregeln in Kraft, Mitglieder verschiedener Haushalte durften sich nicht in geschlossenen Räumen treffen. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, London | Freitag, 14. Januar 2022

Chicago : Hard To Say I'm Sorry | Official Music Video

Views on YouTube: 2,480,654

Secret Audio Sheds Light on Former Tunisian Dictator’s Final Hours - BBC News

Jan 14, 2022 • Extraordinary recordings of what is believed to be Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s phone calls as he flew out of the country, have been obtained by the BBC.

These final moments show how the dictator’s authority crumbled, sealing the fate of his 23-year dictatorship and sparking the region's wave of pro-democracy Arab Spring uprisings.

The recordings have been forensically analysed by audio experts who found no evidence of manipulation.

The BBC has played the audio to people who know the individuals concerned, and they believe the voices to be genuine. However, some of the people concerned strongly dispute their veracity.

If genuine, they give an incredible insight into the change in Ben Ali's mood in the last 48 hours of his regime.


Prince Charles Commissions Artists to Paint Portraits of Holocaust Survivors

TATLER: The Prince of Wales asks leading painters for historically significant works

The Prince of Wales is paying tribute to survivors of the Holocaust by commissioning leading artists to paint portraits of seven men and women who were imprisoned in concentration camps as children. The paintings will become part of the Royal Collection and be displayed in The Queen’s Gallery at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

PRINCE CHARLES | Max Mumby / Indigo / Getty Images

Passionate in promoting tolerance between communities, the prince hopes the portraits will demonstrate ‘humanity's interconnectedness, as we strive to create a better world for our children, grandchildren and generations as yet unborn - one where hope is victorious over despair and love triumphs over hate’. His Royal Highness, who is Patron of National Holocaust Memorial Day, has often warned about the repercussions of extremism and in a speech marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, he insisted that the lessons of the Holocaust were still ‘searingly relevant’. » | Dora Davies-Evitt | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Boris’s Dwindling Bunch of Supporters Must Now Come Clean

THE SPECTATOR: Why can't ministers like Nadine Dorries accept the truth about the PM?


Oh for heaven’s sake, come off it. British politics has long had a comfortable relationship with the absurd but this week – not yet over, its revelations not yet exhausted – takes a very pretty biscuit nonetheless. I do not imagine that 'Downing Street apologises to the Queen for party revels' is quite the kind of headline Conservative prime ministers dream of.

And while Boris Johnson has a copper-clad alibi for the suitcase-of-booze party in as much as he was at Chequers that night, it remains the case – as has always been the case – that a government is led from the top. Consequently, the character of the man or woman at its pinnacle slowly but surely informs other aspects of the government’s behaviour. It is a question of culture. And who can be surprised that a government led by a man famously impatient with rules, regulations and sundry other curbs on his own behaviour might in time be staffed by folk similarly impatient with such trivial things?

I know. Me neither. Yet here we are and here we shall remain until such time as some several dozen Tory MPs summon the courage – the decency, actually – to do something about it. The power to do so is in their hands and it is fair to judge them by their willingness to use it.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the kind of supercilious fool born with a silver spoon in his mouth who thinks he earned the spoon, prattles on that the real difficulty is that the rules were jolly hard to follow and, consequently, no-one could reasonably expect the Prime Minister to observe them. I look forward to this charity being extended to benefit claimants caught in official quicksand and to anyone tempted to file a modestly dishonest tax return this month. DWP and HMRC rules are frightfully complicated too. » | Alex Massie, Scotland Editor of The Spectator. | Friday, January 14, 2022

Keftedes Saganaki: Greek-style Meatballs in Tomato and Feta Sauce


Get the recipe here.

Syrian Colonel Guilty of Murder, Rape and Torture in 'Hell on Earth' Jail - BBC News

Jan 13, 2022 • Syrian colonel Anwar Raslan has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes against humanity. He was linked to the torture of over 4,000 people in Syria's civil war in a jail known as "Hell on Earth".

The trial in Koblenz, Germany is the world's first criminal case brought over state-led torture in Syria.

Raslan was arrested in Germany in 2019 having successfully sought asylum there.


Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — January 14, 2022

À la rencontre des Juifs d'Europe (1/2) | ARTE

Jan 13, 2022 • Un regard sur les Juifs de l'Europe contemporaine à travers la rencontre d'habitants de six villes, pour un portrait tout en nuances. Premier volet : Marseille, une ville ouverte, réputée pour son sens du brassage ; Strasbourg, surnommée "la petite Jérusalem" ; Francfort, rencontre avec le club de foot du Maccabi.

À Marseille, Alice Brauner et Yves Kugelmann découvrent une ville ouverte, réputée pour son brassage. Surnommée "la petite Jérusalem", Strasbourg s'affiche comme une cité vertueuse où la communauté juive est bien intégrée. À Francfort, rencontre avec le club de foot du Maccabi, qui accueille 70 % de licenciés non-juifs mais dont les joueurs sont parfois victimes de rejet…

Judéité contemporaine

Comment vivent les Juifs dans l'Europe d'aujourd'hui ? Leur quotidien est-il impacté par l'antisémitisme, les attentats passés ou la politique d'Israël ? Tous deux juifs, la productrice allemande Alice Brauner et le journaliste suisse Yves Kugelmann parcourent l'Ancien Continent pour rencontrer différents profils et personnalités. Rabbins, mais aussi restaurateurs, écrivains, musiciens, journalistes ou penseurs leur permettent de dessiner une image plus précise de la diversité de la judéité contemporaine et de nuancer leurs conditions d'existence selon les pays traversés. Fourmillant d'anecdotes et de témoignages, ce documentaire en deux parties ouvre le dialogue, éclaire et enrichit la connaissance du peuple juif.

Documentaire de Christoph Weinert (Allemagne, 2018, 52mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 12/04/2022


Schwul, lesbisch, queer ... und jüdisch?

Streamed live on May 10, 2021 • Ob Bibel, Koran oder Tora: Die drei monotheistischen Religionen tun sich erst einmal schwer mit der gleichgeschlechtlichen Liebe. Für fromme Juden gilt die Aussage aus dem Buch Wajikra (Levitikus): „Du sollst nicht bei einem Manne liegen wie bei einer Frau; es ist ein Gräuel.“ Viel mehr findet sich nicht in den Heiligen Schriften des Judentums, was die gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe betrifft, aber es finden sich durchaus Stellen zu diversen Geschlechtsidentifikationen. Ähnlich wie in anderen Religionen gab und gibt es auch im Judentum erst einmal eine breite Front der Ablehnung gegenüber Homosexualität, aber auch eine große Debatte im Umgang mit queeren Menschen und viel Offenheit gegenüber Intersexuellen und Transmenschen. Auch in Deutschland ist inzwischen viel in Bewegung gekommen: Es gibt in Deutschland LGBTIQ-freundliche Schabbatfeiern und im Verein ‚Keshet’ haben sich schwule, lesbische und queere junge Juden zusammengetan, um in den jüdischen Gemeinden für Anerkennung und Gleichberechtigung zu werben.

Wie schaut der Befund in den Heiligen Schriften und Gesetzestexten der Tradition konkret aus? Was meint ein Rabbiner dazu und wie wollen diese Textquellen gelesen werden? Wie hat sich das Bewusstsein in den jüdischen Gemeinden hierzulande verändert? Was erwarten junge, queer lebende Juden von ihrer Religion, von Rabbinern und Gemeinden?

2021 ist ein Erinnerungs- und ein Jubiläumsjahr: „1700 Jahre Jüdisches Leben in Deutschland“. In einer Webtalk-Reihe wird die Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung übers Jahr die Lebendigkeit jüdischen Lebens in Deutschland vorstellen. An diesem Abend steht das Gespräch über Homosexualität und Judentum im Mittelpunkt, die Begegnung eines orthodoxen Rabbiners mit zwei Aktivist*innen aus der jüdischen Queer-Bewegung.


Hören Sie das Gespräch über Homosexualität und Judentum hier zu.

After the Prince Andrew Scandal, It’s Time to Slim Down the Monarchy

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Royal offspring are accidents waiting to happen. Far better to cut down the throne to an heir and a spare

The royal family is engaged in frantic damage limitation ahead of the Queen’s platinum jubilee this summer. The Duke of York’s court case, which could turn out to be a high-octane festival of royal humiliation, risks contaminating the celebrations. This should have nothing to do with Britain’s monarchy, except that it has everything to do with it. The essence of monarchy is its image; right now, the royal family’s public appearance looks messy.

The lifestyles of the Queen’s son and grandson, the dukes of York and Sussex, have acquired the aura of a Shakespearean tragedy appropriate to their titles. The Duke of Sussex has done nothing wrong; as yet, neither has the Duke of York. Prince Harry was merely seeking to profit from his only marketable asset – royalty. Prince Andrew used the same asset to win unsavoury friendships, one of which laid him open to what he regards as outrageous blackmail, as yet untested in a court of law. His desperate hope was that a New York judge would disallow Virginia Giuffre’s suit. But American lawyers do not volunteer to starve. » | Simon Jenkins | Friday, January 14, 2022

Prince Andrew Will No Longer Be ‘HRH’ – and That Is Now the Least of His Worries

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Virginia Giuffre is unlikely to accept a settlement alone. A trial would be disastrous for the prince and his family

Prince Andrew at the Falklands veterans parade in Horse Guards Parade, London, June 2007. Photograph: Anwar Hussein Collection/ROTA/WireImage

In 1986, Prince Andrew married Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey to an avalanche of enthusiastic press coverage. Thirty-five years later, he faces a lawsuit for sexual assault from Virginia Giuffre, a woman who was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein. He is disgraced, stripped of his military titles, will no longer be officially “His Royal Highness”, nor represent the Queen. After yesterday’s summit with his mother at Windsor Castle, Andrew is no longer a working royal in any capacity and must, as the statement from Buckingham Palace made clear, face the lawsuit as a “private citizen”.

Giuffre, a survivor of trafficking and abuse, has been courageous. Attacked and slandered by powerful individuals, she has continued to argue her case. She is, her team says, determined to have her day in court. The lawsuit may now go ahead as early as this autumn. In the year of the Platinum Jubilee, which was supposed to be all about celebrating the Queen and her long reign, the royal family are confronting the worrying possibility that attention will now be on the court case against Andrew. » | Kate Williams * | Friday, January 14, 2022

* Kate Williams is professor of history at Reading University and author of Rival Queens and The Edge of the Fall

Sarah Ferguson: will ex-wife continue to ‘remain steadfast’ for Prince Andrew’? : Duchess of York appears to be one of few people Andrew can still turn to for unconditional support »

The Guardian View on Criminalising Protest: The Lords Must Take a Stand

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The attempt to evade parliamentary scrutiny over curbing the right to protest should be resisted

Checks and balances are built into every democracy. On Monday, the House of Lords has the chance to show how much this matters and why. Amendments added to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill by the government late last year would restrict the right to protest beyond the measures already debated by MPs, and criminalise trespass. The new powers granted to the police by these extra clauses, along with sentences of up to a year for offences such as obstructing “nationally significant infrastructure” including roads and airports, are an assault on civil liberties. Freedom of expression, including the freedom of assembly, is central to a liberal democracy. Governments often need to hear what protesters have to say. For ministers to attack them is particularly worrying at a time when some senior Conservatives are pushing back against environmentalism more broadly, as well as against anti-racist initiatives. » | Editorial | Thursday, January 13, 2022

Ende einer Kutschfahrt

NIEDERLÄNDISCHES KÖNIGSHAUS

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der niederländische König gesteht ein, dass die Darstellung schwarzer Menschen, die unterwürfig der niederländischen Jungfrau huldigen, Menschen verletzen kann. Deshalb wird das Gefährt erst einmal eingemottet.

Die Goldenen Kutsche des niederländischen Königshauses, die im Zentrum einer Debatte über den Um¬gang mit der kolonialen Vergangenheit steht, wird einstweilen aus dem Verkehr gezogen. „Die Goldenen Kutsche wird erst wieder fahren, wenn die Niederlande dafür bereit sind“, sagte König Willem-Alexander am Donnerstag in einer Videobotschaft, „und das ist jetzt nicht der Fall“. Das Gefährt kommt nun in den königlichen Stall.

Der König hatte es zuletzt 2015 verwendet, zur feierlichen Eröffnung des Parlaments am Prinzentag. Anschließend wurde die 1898 gebaute Kutsche sechs Jahre lang aufwendig restauriert; seit Juni vorigen Jahres wird sie im Amsterdam Museum im Rahmen einer historisch-kritischen Ausstellung gezeigt. Da die Ausstellung im kommenden Monat zu Ende geht und das Museum danach selbst komplett um-gebaut wird, musste der König über das Schicksal der Kutsche entscheiden. Auf ihr ist allegorisch dargestellt, wie die Niederlande den von ihnen eroberten Kolonien die Zivilisation bringen. » | Von Thomas Gutschker, Brüssel | Freitag, 14. Januar 2022

Dutch Royals to Retire Golden Coach With Echoes of Colonialism: The horse-drawn coach, a gift from the city of Amsterdam to Queen Wilhelmina in 1898, has long been the target of critics. »

Dette, chômage, impôts, illettrisme... La vérité sur l’état de la France par Agnès Verdier-Molinié

Agnès Verdier-Molinié, directrice de la Fondation Ifrap. ©Léa Crespi pour le Figaro Magazine

LE FIGARO : EXCLUSIF - Dans un essai incisif à paraître le 19 janvier, Agnès Verdier-Molinié dénonce le grand décrochage de la France. Entretien avec la directrice de la Fondation Ifrap et extraits, en avant-première, de son livre Le vrai État de la France.

À force de repousser sans cesse les réformes, de dépenser sans compter et de s’endetter comme jamais, la France est en train de décrocher par rapport aux autres pays de taille comparable, prévient Agnès Verdier-Molinié qui dénonce l’omerta régnant sur l’état véritable de notre pays à l’approche de l’élection présidentielle. Voilà des années que la directrice de la Fondation Ifrap tire la sonnette d’alarme. En vain, même si les politiques en mal d’inspiration sont de plus en plus nombreux à venir consulter ce think tank libéral qui n’a de cesse de mettre en évidence les failles des administrations, les travers des politiques publiques, le poids des impôts qui décourage d’entreprendre, d’investir voire de s’enrichir en France.

Au fil de son diagnostic, Agnès Verdier-Molinié pointe, chiffres à l’appui, d’autres écueils qui sont, pour elle, autant de signes annonciateurs du déclin de la France: le développement de la pauvreté, le sentiment croissant d’insécurité, le nombre toujours plus inquiétant de laissés-pour-compte du système éducatif, l’essor de l’économie parallèle et de la fraude, la perte de contrôle des flux migratoires… Malgré tout, Agnès Verdier-Molinié garde l’espoir, confiante dans l’avenir et les capacités de notre pays. Mais «c’est maintenant qu’il faut faire le job», prévient-elle, soufflant au passage quelques pistes de réformes à celui ou celle qui, dans quelques mois, dirigera la France. » | Par Ghislain de Montalembert | vendredi 14 janvier 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

À LIRE AUSSI :

Impôts: ces hausses qu’on nous cache... Les révélations d’Agnès Verdier-Molinié : EXCLUSIF - La Fondation Ifrap a fait le bilan des baisses et des hausses d’impôts sous le quinquennat d’Emmanuel Macron. Sa directrice générale tire la sonnette d’alarme: la diminution des impôts directs annoncée n’est pas au rendez-vous pour les ménages, surtout les plus aisés. »

Collapsing Turkish Lira May Bring Erdogan Down with It

THE TIMES: The Turkish president’s disastrous response to an inflation crisis has stirred up anger at his authoritatian rule

President Erdogan has insisted on cutting interest rates, against most economic advice, because he believes interest is condemned in the Quran | GETTY

When anti-government protests spread through Kazakhstan, President Erdogan was quick to offer Turkish support and try to rally other Turkic-speaking countries to the cause. The reason is clear: Erdogan faces a similar threat of a popular uprising at home and he is determined to hang on to power at all costs.

Like in Kazakhstan, there has been an explosion of anger in Turkey over the rising cost of living, corruption and the increasingly autocratic tendencies of its leader. Kazakh anger was triggered by a sharp rise in gas prices; in Turkey it was the precipitous fall over the past six months in the value of the lira, which has wiped out savings, bankrupted small businesses and caused soaring inflation. » | Michael Binyon | Thursday, January 13, 2022 [£]

Queen Strips Prince Andrew of HRH Title and Military Roles - BBC News

Jan 13, 2022 • The Duke of York's military titles and royal patronages have been returned to the Queen, Buckingham Palace has said.

Prince Andrew, 61, will also stop using the style His Royal Highness in an official capacity, a royal source said.

It comes as he faces a US civil action over sexual assault allegations - claims he has consistently denied.

A source close to the duke said he would "continue to defend himself" against the case brought in New York by Virginia Giuffre.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "With the Queen's approval and agreement, the Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to the Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen."

Reeta Chakrabarti presents BBC News at Ten reporting by royal correspondents Nicholas Witchell and Helena Wilkinson.


Thursday, January 13, 2022

Prince Andrew Is Stripped of Military Titles as Sexual Abuse Case Proceeds

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Buckingham Palace said Andrew would not undertake any public duties and was defending his case as a private citizen.

Prince Andrew in 2019. The prince will no longer use the title “His Royal Highness.” | .John Thys/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

LONDON — Prince Andrew, the second son of Queen Elizabeth II, has been forced to relinquish his military titles and royal charities, Buckingham Palace said on Thursday, a stinging rebuke by the British royal family a day after a federal judge in New York allowed a sexual abuse case against him to go ahead.

The palace said that Andrew, 61, who has been accused by Virginia Giuffre of raping her while she was a teenager, would also no longer use the title “His Royal Highness,” a prized symbol of his status as a senior member of the royal family. In a terse statement, the palace said that Andrew would “continue not to undertake any public duties” and that he “is defending this case as a private citizen.”

Andrew, who is also known as the Duke of York, has denied Ms. Giuffre’s allegations, which date from a period in which he was friendly with the financier and convicted sex predator Jeffrey Epstein. The duke’s lawyers tried to get her lawsuit dismissed, but the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, ruled against him on Wednesday.

The decision by Buckingham Palace completes a stunning fall from grace for a man who was once one of the royal family’s most popular members — a dashing war hero and eligible bachelor — but who has since become a disgraced figure, left to explain why he associated with a convicted criminal like Mr. Epstein. » | Mark Landler | Thursday, January 13, 2022

‘Chucked under royal bus’: Prince Andrew’s demotion shows institution’s ruthlessness: Analysis: Duke of York’s loss of royal patronages and military titles reveals inner workings of family »

Prince Charles and William demanded Andrew's exile: Shamed Duke of York was stripped of titles at crisis summit with Queen in attempt to 'ensure the survival of the Royal Family at all costs' as he faces sex assault lawsuit: Palace sources said the 'ruthless and swift' decision had been 'widely discussed' within the Royal Family / Duke of York will be banned from using the styling 'HRH' in an official capacity, according to royal source / News is a further blow for Andrew as he considers whether to press ahead with trial or settle with accuser / Experts say the duke must do a deal 'for the sake of the Queen', who is entering her Platinum Jubilee year / He was spotted today in the back of a Range Rover while being driven from his home in Windsor Great Park »

George Michael : One More Try

Views on YouTube: 137,901,506

The 'Unwinnable War': Should Marijuana Be Legalised in Australia? | 60 Minutes Australia

Jan 13, 2022 – It is our biggest cash crop and worth a fortune - $5 billion a year. The massive resources used to eradicate it are also costing us a fortune. Marijuana is virtually impossible to avoid in this country. Nearly 50% of Australians say they have tried it or regularly use it. Marijuana sales are twice what Australians spend on wine. Millions indulge and millions of dollars are spent trying to wipe it out. In the hills surrounding Nimbin, on the north coast of New South Wales, Richard Carleton accompanied the police on a series of helicopter raids. It is a fight that has all the trappings of war - armed police, state of the art machinery and sophisticated battle plans. Yet, if it is a war, many also believe that it is simply unwinnable.


It makes no sense to me to make smoking tobacco, cigarettes, the bête noire of our day and charge an arm and a leg for a packet of twenty—here in the UK, a packet of twenty Marlboro Reds currently costs £12.50!—yet they want to legalize and make the smoking of cannabis legal! Go figure! When I smoke a cigarette, it does not bend my mind; it simply gives me pleasure. The same cannot be said for marijuana. Enough already! – © Mark

Bee Gees : Stayin' Alive | Official Video

Oct 27, 2009 • Bee Gees "Stayin' Alive" official music video, remastered in HD. | Views on YouTube: 609,441,706

First Kiss

A screenshot taken from the video.

’First Kiss’ is a 84-minute kiss video between the artists Idan Bitton and Alfredo Ferran Calle. While the camera is still, the kiss is in motion provoking the viewer to stay and watch. Idan and Alfredo do not interact with the viewer, but offer a peek into their intimate moments of commitment. This long lasting, present and unapologetic kiss defines our current gay rights momentum. We are here, we love each other, and this is what it looks like.

By Idan Bitton (idanbitton.com)
Performed by Idan Bitton & Alfredo Ferran Calle
Video: Runn Shayo


Watch the kissathon here.

I don’t believe that gay kisses come much longer, more beautiful, more sensuous or more sensational than this! This is a wonderful ‘kissathon’ to outdo all ‘kissathons’! A must watch for anyone with an open mind. (An absolute turn-off for the closed-minded and the fossilized!)

It is long, so I would recommend a cocktail or two to enjoy the sensual pleasure of viewing. A few snacks might be good, too. (Don’t forget that YouTube allows one to stop viewing at any time and return to where one has left off, at one’s convenience.)

Enjoy! – Mark

Two Young, Handsome, Liberated Men.

Zwei junge, gutaussehende, befreite Männer. / Deux jeunes hommes, beaux et libérés.

The lovely photo courtesy of The Man in Black on Pinterest.

Stifado : Beef and Shallot Stew

στιφάδο


Get the recipe here.

Seong-Jin Cho – Polonaise in A flat Major Op. 53 | Frédéric Chopin | Second Stage

Oct 9, 2015 • Narodowy Instytut Fryderyka Chopina / The Fryderyk Chopin Institute

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — January 13, 2022

Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on nearly 1,400 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.

Catherine Deneuve: eine gewisse Vorstellung der Schönheit des Films | Blow Up | ARTE

Jan 13, 2022 • In unserer Rubrik über Vor- und Abspanne reden wir über Filmemacher, Genres oder auch Grafiker. Diesmal aber geht es um eine Schauspielerin, und zwar nicht irgendeine: Catherine Deneuve.

Chine : deux condamnés à mort pour trafic de drogue vers Taïwan

LE FIGARO : Un tribunal du Fujian (Sud-Est de la Chine) a condamné à mort deux personnes pour avoir tenté de faire passer par la mer 400 kg de méthamphétamine provenant d'Asie du Sud-Est vers Taïwan, ont rapporté mercredi 12 janvier des médias d'État. Dix autres personnes appartenant au même réseau de trafiquants ont été condamnées à des peines de prison allant de dix ans à la perpétuité, dans le cadre d'une opération de «grande envergure», selon l'agence de presse China News Service. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 13 janvier 2022

What Does Tory Rift Mean for Scotland and the Union?

Jacob Rees-Mogg called Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, a “lightweight”

ANALYSIS

THE TIMES: Tory prime ministers are used to friendly fire from Scottish Conservatives. Elected Tories north of the border tend to be more liberal and centrist certainly than the present cabinet but also many of their predecessors.

However, the past 24 hours have seen an unprecedented escalation of hostilities, and not only because Douglas Ross became the first leader of the Scottish party to call for a sitting Conservative to quit Downing Street.

It is the venom with which allies of Boris Johnson have pushed back that has shocked senior politicians and strategists in Edinburgh.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, called Ross a “lightweight” and sent spasms of anger through the Scottish Tory hierarchy. References have been made to Rees-Mogg’s first … » | Kieran Andrews, Scottish Political Editor | Thursday, January 13, 2022 [£]

New Armed Conflict in Europe Is a Real Risk, Warns Nato

THE TIMES: Talks with Russia over Ukraine end without resolution

Nato is ready to send troop reinforcements to eastern Europe if Russia invades Ukraine, the alliance’s secretary-general warned after talks with Moscow broke up without resolution.

Jens Stoltenberg said there was “a real risk of a new armed conflict in Europe” after Nato allies unanimously rejected the Kremlin’s demands for a guarantee that Ukraine would never be admitted to the alliance.

During four hours of talks Russia reiterated its demands for Nato to halt any further expansion and to pull back from the post-Soviet states that joined the alliance in 1997, eight years after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Stoltenberg, however, said Russia was in danger of achieving the opposite, warning that “if Russia once again uses force against Ukraine and further invades Ukraine, … » | Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent | Samantha Berkhead, Moscow | Wednesday, January 12, 2022 [£]

Prince Andrew: The Lengthy and Embarrassing Legal Ordeal Ahead

THE GUARDIAN: The lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre in Manhattan is likely to go to trial by jury, US legal experts say

When a Manhattan judge rejected Prince Andrew’s efforts to dismiss Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit against him on Wednesday, it marked a victory for his longtime accuser.

Judge Lewis Kaplan’s ruling also means that the embattled royal will remain embroiled in lengthy – and embarrassing – legal proceedings for the foreseeable future.

“This is a huge development because it clears probably the biggest legal hurdle Virginia Giuffre and her team had to get her case to a jury,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and co-founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers.

Giuffre, now 38, has long alleged that she was coerced into sex with the Duke of York at the age of 17 by two of his associates – the disgraced American financier effrey Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell. Andrew’s lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Kaplan’s decision. » | Victoria Bekiempis in New York | Thursday, January 13, 2022

Im von Virginia Guiffre angestrengten Verfahren bleiben Prinz Andrew nur noch schlechte Optionen: Dem Herzog von York bleibt keine andere Wahl mehr, als auf die Missbrauchsvorwürfe des Epstein-Opfers Virginia Guiffre zu reagieren. Sowohl ein aussergerichtlicher Vergleich wie ein Prozess wären mit einem grossen Imageschaden verbunden. »

Prince Andrew civil case: What happens next?: It couldn't have been a worse result for Prince Andrew. »

Boris Johnson Is Doomed, But Rishi Sunak Might Not Be the Saviour the Tories Crave

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Johnson’s likely successor as prime minister is inexperienced, and his popularity with voters may already be waning

‘Sunak’s popularity, which was very high when he was doling out public money to support the economy during the first phases of Covid, seems to be ebbing.’ Photograph: Tayfun Salcı/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

Downing Street’s May 2020 bring-your-own-booze party has reignited the despair about Boris Johnson’s leadership that the remaining Conservative optimists hoped might disappear over the winter break. Now, though, the blaze has revived with a vengeance. Johnson’s apology to the Commons does not solve this in any way.

The apology merely confirms what was already clear: an astonishingly insensitive breach was committed at the height of the first lockdown. This dereliction did not just feature Johnson as a participant: it was marked by his very character. His apology, with its continued pretence about a work event within the regulations, lacks either moral worth or political credibility.

Conservative MPs are well aware their leader is a dodgy chancer. Some of them actively admire this. Others are happy to profit from it. Many loathe it while quietly despising themselves for permitting it. But the style works only while it succeeds. Most Tories had put Johnson on probation after his spectacularly disastrous December. The fresh explosion this week means they are now looking more urgently than before at the alternatives. » | Martin Kettle | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Boris Johnson s’embourbe dans le «Partygate» : RÉCIT - L’avenir politique de BoJo est obscurci par le scandale des fêtes organisées dans sa résidence pendant le confinement. »

Sind Boris Johnsons Tage gezählt? Neue Lockdown-Party bringt den Premierminister in Rücklage: Boris Johnson hat während des Lockdowns an einer Gartenparty in der Downing-Street teilgenommen – angeblich im Glauben, es sei ein geschäftliches Treffen. Nun hat sich der Premierminister entschuldigt, doch in den konservativen Reihen rumort es gefährlich. »

Tories riven by infighting over Boris Johnson’s future: PM cancels trip after family member tests positive for Covid-19 »

The Guardian View on Same-sex Weddings in Church: The Zeitgeist Is Moving

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The Church of England should follow the example of Anglicans in Wales and Scotland, and give its blessing to gay and lesbian relationships

The church’s rigid stance on same-sex relationships is undermining its outreach efforts, particularly in relation to the young.’ Photograph: Maurice Savage/Alamy

For LGBT+ Christians, 2021 provided two significant causes for celebration. In June, the Methodist church became the largest religious denomination in the UK to allow same-sex marriage. Soon after, the Anglican Church in Wales voted to introduce special blessings for same-sex married couples. Across the border in England, the bishop of Liverpool, the Right Rev Paul Bayes, hailed the Welsh move, saying: “I trust that my own church will follow this creative and gospel-inspired lead, and I hope that this will happen soon.”

After more than a decade of bitter deadlock and hurtful division in the Church of England, there is a chance that this will be the year progress is made towards answering Bishop Bayes’ prayers. In April, a church-wide consultation on sexuality will come to an end, with its findings due to be published in the autumn under the title Listening to the Whole Church. The intention, according to the bishop of London, the Right Rev Sarah Mullally, is to find “a way forward for the church in relation to human identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage”. A commitment has been made to establishing a clear direction of travel at a General Synod in February 2023. » | Editorial | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Prince Andrew Fails to Stop US Sexual Abuse Civil Case Brought by Virginia Giuffre

Jan 12, 2022 • Prince Andrew has long denied accusations he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was 17, and had tried to use a settlement she reached years ago with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein to stop a civil case before it started.

The prince's hopes were dashed today by a New York judge.

A civil trial will be humiliating for the Duke of York, and for his family. But if he settles out of court who will pay the bill?


Australian Republicans Claim Majority Now Want to Abolish the Monarchy

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen in Perth in 2011, her last trip to Australia. Her long reign is thought to be increasing support for the monarchy | LINCOLN BAKER/POOL/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

THE TIMES: Australian republicans say that the majority of the public support ditching the British monarchy and have proposed a new system to elect a head of state.

In the proposal, called “the Australian Choice”, each of the country’s nine parliaments would nominate a candidate who would then be put forward to a national vote.

The Australian Republican Movement said that the system was designed to produce a list of distinguished Australians from whom the public would choose a replacement for the British monarch. “People don’t want a Trump-like figure and they don’t want Shane Warne [the cricketer]. They want an eminent person,” Peter FitzSimons, a former rugby player who is chairman of the movement, said on Wednesday. » | Bernard Lagan, Sydney | Wednesday, January 12, 2022 [£]

Extremes Wetter - Was kommt da auf uns zu? | SWR Doku

Jan 12, 2022 • Eigentlich ist gegen anhaltend schönes Sommerwetter nichts zu sagen. Und auch nichts gegen ein paar Regentage. Aber immer öfter werden aus Sommertagen Dürreperioden. Und aus Niederschlägen Flutkatastrophen. Das Wetter ist extremer geworden, auch im Südwesten. Was kommt da noch auf uns zu?

Den 29. Mai 2016 wird Bürgermeister Frank Harsch nie mehr vergessen. Er war gerade in seinem Büro im Rathaus. Draußen regnete es heftig. "Dann gab es so Geräusche, die ich erst gar nicht zuordnen konnte. Und dann habe ich gemerkt, wie das Haus vibriert hat", erinnert er sich. Der Blick aus dem Fenster war für ihn ein Schock: Eine Flutwelle tobte durch den Ortskern seiner Gemeinde Braunsbach bei Schwäbisch-Hall, Autos und Geröllbrocken schwammen in brauner Flut am Fenster vorbei. "Das sind Bilder, die lassen Sie nicht mehr los", sagt er im Rückblick.

Ein heftiges Gewitter mit Starkregen reichte aus, um aus dem Dorfbach ein Monster zu machen. Und aus dem Ort ein Katastrophengebiet. Solche extremen Unwetter mit Starkregen und Flut treten seit einigen Jahren häufiger auf. Wie auch das Gegenteil: Hitzewellen und Dürreperioden über Monate hinweg. Selbst im Sommer 2021 mit seinen Flutkatastrophen (nicht nur im Ahrtal) ist es in vielen Regionen im Südwesten einfach zu trocken.

Forstamtsleiter Bernhard Frauenberger kann ein Lied davon singen. Trotz tagelanger Niederschläge im Sommer 2021 sterben in seinem Revier im Soonwald die Bäume, sogar tiefwurzelnde Buchen. Sie vertrocknen einfach. Der Waldboden ist nur oberflächlich feucht, in wenigen Zentimeter Tiefe ist alles "furztrocken", wie er sagt. "Und das zeigt eben, wie gering die Niederschläge in den letzten drei Jahren eigentlich waren". Jetzt versucht er durch eine intelligente Wasserführung, die geringer werdenden Niederschläge so gut wie möglich im Wald zu nutzen.

Das Wetter war über die letzten Jahrhunderte relativ gleichmäßig und verlässlich. Doch jetzt scheint es aus den Fugen geraten. SWR-Autor Christoph Würzburger spürt dieser Entwicklung nach. Sein Film zeigt anhand von Betroffenen die Folgen von Fluten und Dürren. Er skizziert, was nach der Meinung von Wetterexpert:innen und Klimaforscher:innen noch alles auf uns zukommen wird. Doch bei allen düsteren Prognosen lässt sich dennoch festhalten, dass es längst Initiativen und Lösungswege gibt, die die Ursachen des Extremwetters bekämpfen. Der Film stellt Beispiele vor, wie dessen Gefahren entschärft werden können.

Diese Doku aus der SWR-Reihe "betrifft" trägt den Originaltitel: Extremes Wetter - Was kommt da auf uns zu?, Ausstrahlungsdatum: 12.1.22 #swrdoku #swr extremwetter

Ein Film von Christoph Würzburger
Kamera: Ralf Gemmecke , Schnitt: Frank Rosam, Sprecherin: Elke Schützhold, Mischung: Peer Hoffmann, Redaktion: Thomas Michel, Hans-Michael Kassel


Senior Tories Call on Boris Johnson to Resign after No 10 Party Admission

THE GUARDIAN: PM’s position in balance following apology for attending garden party during lockdown

Boris Johnson’s premiership was hanging in the balance as Conservative MPs began openly calling for his resignation after he admitted attending a garden party in lockdown, claiming he thought it was a “work event”.

Johnson delivered a carefully worded apology for attending the alcohol-fuelled gathering of up to 40 officials in May 2020, which was described in an email invitation as “socially distanced drinks” to enjoy the warm weather.

Some cabinet ministers later tweeted their qualified support for the prime minister – though the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, was noticeable by his silence and absence from the frontbench as Johnson offered his account during prime minister’s questions.

The culture secretary, Nadine Dorries, said Johnson had been “right to personally apologise” because people were “hurt and angry at what happened”. She said it was now right to await the findings of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s inquiry into Downing Street gatherings. The findings could come as soon as the end of next week but more likely the week after, a cabinet source suggested.

One former minister was even less convinced, saying Johnson “didn’t apologise for what he did but for things that may or may not have happened which he officially knows nothing about until Sue Gray tells him about it”. Another MP said: “I’ve not seen such a half-arsed apology since my child apologised for spilling all the milk.” » | Heather Stewart, Peter Walker, Aubrey Allegretti and Rowena Mason | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

One Love; One Gay Wedding; One Loving Kiss.

Eine Liebe; eine Home-Ehe; ein liebevoller Kuß. / Un amour ; un mariage gay ; un baiser amoureux.

This cool photo courtesy of Love Inc. on Pinterest.

Keynes versus Hayek, ein Scheingefecht? | Der Kapitalismus (5/6) | Doku HD | ARTE

Jan 12, 2022 • In sechs Folgen wirft ARTE einen Blick auf die Geschichte und die Entwicklungen des Kapitalismus. Diese Folge beschäftigt sich mit dem wissenschaftlichen Wettstreit zwischen dem österreichischen Ökonomen Friedrich von Hayek und seinem britischen Kollegen John Maynard Keynes.

Der Wettstreit der Ideen zwischen dem österreichischen Wirtschaftswissenschaftler Friedrich von Hayek und seinem britischen Kollegen John Maynard Keynes hat das volkswirtschaftliche Grundkonzept ein ganzes Jahrhundert lang geprägt.

Beide Gelehrten wollten dem Kapitalismus nach der Depression der 30er Jahre – der bislang schwersten – zu neuem Schwung verhelfen. Die Dokumentation beleuchtet, warum und wie dieser Wettstreit entschieden wurde und warum er seither immer wieder aufflammt, insbesondere seit der Wirtschafts- und Finanzkrise 2008.

Dokureihe, Regie: Ilan Ziv (Frankreich 2013, 54 Min)



Ce documentaire est disponible en français ici.

Michael Bolton : Drift Away

Provided to YouTube by Columbia | Views on YouTube: 2,595,081

Ina Garten's Ultimate Tuna Melts | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Jan 10, 2022 • Ina turns the volume way up on these creamy tuna sandwiches with dill, anchovy paste and Swiss cheese!


Get the recipe here.

David Starkey - The Churchills | Episode 3

May 29, 2019 • How did Winston Churchill draw on the lessons of his ancestor John Churchill to fight World War II? The Duke of Marlborough's influence is apparent as Dr David Starkey explains.


Episode 1.

Episode 2.

Judge Rejects Prince Andrew's Bid to Dismiss Giuffre Lawsuit

Jan 12, 2022 • A federal judge in New York denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit against Prince Andrew filed by Virginia Giuffre, a woman who alleges she was sexually trafficked to the royal when she was underage. CNN's Max Foster reports.


Related links.

La vie en rose - Mantovani and His Orchestra

Dec 2, 2011 • The Mantovani Experience - Sample from "Legacy of Love" - Universal Music Enterprises | Views on YouTube: 661,204


I post this today in memory of my wonderful, late father, who adored the sound of Mantovani’s “cascading strings”.

Mantovani had fallen off my radar screen until a dear friend of mine reminded me of him when she told me she had read recently that he had a sad end.

I thought I would post something which reminds me so much of my happy childhood. – Mark


Here are some more beautiful Mantovani hits from a more innocent age:

Charmaine.

Some Enchanted Evening.

Moon River.

Brigitte Macron craint «la haine» lors de la campagne présidentielle

Brigitte Macron lors du lancement de l'opération Pièces Jaunes, à Paris. LUDOVIC MARIN / AFP

LE FIGARO : La première dame de France, qui a lancé l'opération Pièces Jaunes, ne s'est toutefois pas exprimée sur la potentielle candidature d'Emmanuel Macron.

«Je crains la haine» pendant la campagne présidentielle a confié mercredi 12 janvier Brigitte Macron, lors du lancement de l'opération Pièces Jaunes, se gardant toutefois de s'exprimer sur la probable candidature de son mari.

«Je crains la violence, je crains la haine, je crains aussi cette espèce de crescendo permanent, on va de plus en plus loin», a expliqué l'épouse du chef de l'État, invitée du journal de 13h00 de TF1 pour le coup d'envoi de cette opération qui vient en aide aux enfants hospitalisés. «Pourquoi s'en prendre de cette manière aux élus, avec autant de violence, où est la limite ?», a-t-elle poursuivi à propos de l'agression dimanche d'un député LREM de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon par des antivax. «J'espère que la campagne électorale sera une campagne exemplaire, permettez-moi de rêver parfois», a-t-elle ajouté. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 12 janvier 2022

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — January 10, 2022

Lawsuit Is Devastating Blow for Prince Andrew – and the Royal Family

THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: Win or lose, sexual assault case is unprecedented chapter in royal family’s modern history

Prince Andrew now faces the ignominious prospect of having to give evidence in a sex assault lawsuit and face cross-examination on aspects of his private life to clear his name. Photograph: Steve Parsons/AP

The New York court ruling that the civil sex assault case against the Duke of York will proceed is a devastating blow for Prince Andrew and the royal family after more than a decade of allegation and innuendo.

Aside from any appeal Prince Andrew may be able to mount against Wednesday’s ruling, he faces the ignominious prospect of having to give evidence in a sex assault lawsuit and face cross-examination on aspects of his private life to clear his name. Win or lose, it is an unprecedented chapter in the royal family’s modern history.

One option to avoid this uncomfortable scenario would be to reach a settlement, though such is the momentum of this case worldwide it seems unlikely this could satisfactorily rehabilitate his reputation. » | Caroline Davies | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Related articles in English, French and German

Prince Andrew Rejected in Effort to Get US Sexual Abuse Case Dismissed

THE GUARDIAN: Virginia Giuffre’s civil claim against duke can move forward, federal judge rules in New York

This article contains descriptions of sexual abuse

Prince Andrew last year. Virginia Giuffre alleges Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell forced her into sex with the duke when she was 17. Andrew denies the allegation. Photograph: Reuters

Longtime Prince Andrew accuser Virginia Giuffre’s sexual abuse lawsuit against him can move forward, as a New York judge rejected the royal’s efforts to dismiss her civil claim on Wednesday.

Giuffre, who has alleged that the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell sexually abused her, said they forced her into sex with the Duke of York at age 17. She filed suit against the royal on 9 August, citing battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Prince Andrew’s legal team had argued in court papers and proceedings that Giuffre’s 2009 settlement with Epstein shielded him from her lawsuit. The settlement, which was unsealed on 3 January, awarded Giuffre $500,000.

Their agreement contained a provision that stated: “Second parties and any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant … from all, and all manner of, action and actions of Virginia [Giuffre], including state or federal, cause and causes of action.”

Andrew was not mentioned by name in this settlement.

In explaining why he rejected Andrew’s motion to dismiss, Manhattan federal court judge Lewis Kaplan said it was premature to consider the prince’s efforts to cast doubt on Giuffre’s accusations. » | Victoria Bekiempis in New York | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Prince Andrew WILL face sex assault lawsuit in US: Royal to be called for dramatic court showdown in New York as judge refuses his attempt to throw out Virginia Roberts's case accusing him of having sex with her when she was 17: Prince Andrew hoped Epstein's $500,000 settlement to drop Giuffre's claims would help dismiss her case / Duke of York's lawyers claimed it contained a clause that prevented her pursuing friends of Epstein / But New York Judge Kaplan threw Andrew's application out of court today, paving the way for civil trial / Ms Giuffre claims she was forced to have sex with the Duke three times in 2001 at Epstein's multiple homes / Andrew now faces being deposed and giving evidence at a trial penciled in for the US courts in September »

Affaire Epstein : une plainte pour agressions sexuelles contre le prince Andrew jugée recevable par la justice américaine : Souvent présenté comme le fils préféré d’Elizabeth II, le duc d’York est impliqué dans le scandale d’agressions sexuelles lié au financier américain Jeffrey Epstein, mort en 2019. Un procès civil pourrait se tenir à la fin de l’année 2022. »

La justice américaine donne son feu vert à un procès du prince Andrew : Le deuxième fils de la reine d'Angleterre est accusé d'«agressions sexuelles» par une victime du financier défunt Jeffrey Epstein. »

Die Klage gegen Prinz Andrew wird nicht fallengelassen: Der Sohn der Queen ist mit seinem Versuch gescheitert, eine Zivilklage, in der ihm Virginia Giuffre sexuelle Übergriffe vorwirft, von einem US-Richter abweisen zu lassen. »

Prinz Andrew scheitert mit Abweisungsantrag gegen Missbrauchsklage: Ein Gericht in New York wies Einwände von Prinz Andrews Anwälten zurück. Damit scheitert Andrew, die US-Klage wegen Missbrauchsvorwürfen gegen ihn zu stoppen. Der Prozess könnte im Herbst beginnen. »

David Starkey - The Churchills | Episode 2

Feb 11, 2019 • Dr David Starkey reveals how Winston Churchill's biography of his ancestor John Churchill marked out Winston as the only politician who truly understood war - just as WWII loomed.


Watch Episode 1 here.

David Starkey - The Churchills | Episode 1

Jan 7, 2019 • David Starkey weaves the stories of two great British war leaders: John and Winston Churchill. Hear how John Churchill rose from obscurity to be King James II's right-hand man.

Die Taliban sind unbelehrbar

HUNGERSNOT IN AFGHANISTAN

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Es ist erschreckend, dass selbst die Not, die über Afghanistan hereingebrochen ist, die Taliban nicht zur Umkehr veranlasst. Sie bauen lieber Mohn an, als für die Getreideernte vorzusorgen.

In diesem Winter wird wahr, was über Monate befürchtet worden ist: Afghanistan ist nahezu flächendeckend von Armut und Hunger betroffen. Mindestens jeder zweite Afghane soll hungern, die Wirtschaft ist mangels Finanzhilfen kollabiert. Auf der Liste der größten internationalen Krisen steht Afghanistan auf dem ersten Platz. » | Ein Kommentar von Rainer Hermann | Mittwoch, 12. Januar 2022

Price Inflation Is Expected to Pop Again as Policymakers Await an Elusive Peak.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Inflation closed out 2021 on a high note, bad news for the Biden White House and for economic policymakers, as rapid price gains erode consumer confidence and cast a shadow of uncertainty over the economy’s future.

The Consumer Price Index most likely climbed 7 percent in the year through December, and 5.4 percent after volatile prices such as food and fuel are stripped out, economists in a Bloomberg survey estimated. The last time the main inflation index eclipsed 7 percent was 1982.

Policymakers have spent months waiting for inflation to fade, hoping that supply chains would catch up with booming consumer demand. Instead, continued waves of coronavirus infections have locked down factories, and shipping routes have struggled to work through extended backlogs as consumers continue to buy goods from overseas at a rapid clip. What happens next may be the biggest economic policy question of 2022. » | Jeanna Smialek | Wednesday, January 12, 2022

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto Nr. 1 - Sofia Vasheruk (Piano) - Finale YPF - Live Concert - HD

Nov 25, 2013 • Young Pianist Festival, Amsterdam, 24. November 2013

The Mitfords: Communism vs Fascism in the English Aristocracy | Tale of Two Sisters | Timeline

Jan 11, 2022 • This documentary focuses on Jessica the Communist and Diana the Fascist. Separated by only a few years in age, but poles apart in ideology. They grew up in a divided Europe at the beginning of the 20th Century, a place and time full of great political tension. Old regimes were clinging on to power and new ones were eager to establish themselves. Many citizens of Europe were forced to decide which moral compass they wished to adopt, and both Jessica and Diana were quick to make that decision.

Both fiercely competitive, each sister sought out her own distinct identity and clashed with the other siblings as a result. Like so many others of their era, their personal and political lives became so entwined that they ultimately shattered the once strong and loving bonds of sisterhood.


Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Skyler Wixom | My Faith. My Sexuality. My Journey Forward.

Jan 15, 2020 • Skyler Wixom, a BYU graduate and adjunct professor, shares his story of coming out and finding his path of authenticity and honesty. Skyler gives kind and sympathetic advice to Latter-Day Saints and Church leaders regarding his sexuality.

He shares his story coming out for the first time to his mission president and the loving advice his mission president gave him.

Skyler discusses where he is at today, including the transition of his faith and what led him from life as an active Mormon to exploring his sexuality.


Moscheereport: Islam und Homosexualität

Apr 28, 2018 • Schwul und Muslim - das geht nicht. So sehen es viele Gläubige im Nahen Osten, aber auch in Deutschland. Warum das richtig sei und auch so bleiben solle, berichtet ein Imam im Moscheereport. Constantin Schreiber berichtet im Moscheereport über das Verhältnis zwischen Islam und Homosexualität.

Proud Little Birdies !

Many thanks to BijouxNoir on Pinterest for this delightful image.

La Richesse des Nations, nouvel Evangile ? | Capitalisme (2/6) | ARTE

Jan 5, 2022 • Considéré aujourd’hui comme une évidence, le capitalisme n’a, de fait, pas toujours existé... Cette magistrale série documentaire, tournée dans vingt-deux pays, offre des clefs de compréhension du système capitaliste. Ce deuxième épisode réexamine dans le texte les théories d'Adam Smith, philosophe écossais du XVIIIe siècle, souvent jugé - à tort - comme le "père du capitalisme".

Mais qui a vraiment lu La richesse des nations d’Adam Smith, devenu la bible du libéralisme ? Enfant de la révolution scientifique, son auteur y dénonce en effet la division du travail, ce pilier de l’économie de marché, estimant qu’elle abrutit les hommes. De même, la notion de "main invisible" d’Adam Smith a été délibérément sortie de son contexte pour être exploitée à des fins politiques. En revanche, La théorie des sentiments moraux, son livre le plus important selon lui, a été totalement occulté. Exemples à l’appui, ce deuxième épisode réexamine dans le texte les théories d’Adam Smith, observateur curieux de son époque et doté d'une foi inébranlable dans le progrès. Mais il rappelle surtout ses préoccupations sociales, délibérément oubliées. Une traversée de l’histoire des idées et des sociétés au cours de laquelle on croise aussi le philosophe africain Anton Wilhelm Amo, esclave affranchi d’origine ghanéenne, qui avait étudié en Allemagne.

Théories d’hier, réalités d’aujourd’hui

Comme les suivants, les deux premiers épisodes de la magistrale série Capitalisme, tournée dans vingt-deux pays, nous entraînent dans une enquête captivante, au fil de cinq cents ans d’histoire, avec pour guides éclairants des anthropologues, des historiens et des économistes renommés, dont Robert Boyer ou Thomas Piketty. Sur les traces d’un amiral chinois, des geôles d’esclaves au Ghana à la rencontre d’Indiens Maijunas, et d’une rive à l’autre de l’Atlantique, les théories d’hier nouent un dialogue fructueux avec l’actualité et les réalités contemporaines. Depuis les origines jusqu’à la mondialisation, la série décrypte les mécanismes d’un système qui détermine nos vies et survit malgré la crise.

Capitalisme

La Richesse des Nations, nouvel Evangile Série documentaire d'Ilan Ziv (France, 2013, 54mn)



Dieser Dokumentarfilm ist hier auf Deutsch anzuschauen.

Percy Faith : Theme from a Summer Place

Views on YouTube: 18,618,438

Incest to Be Banned in France after Year of Scandals

THE TIMES: The French government has announced plans to ban incest, bringing the country in line with most European countries.

Under French law, incest is only banned if children are involved. Adrien Taquet, the secretary of state for child protection, said that the government wanted to criminalise incestuous relationships even when both parties are over 18. Cousins would still be allowed to marry and ministers are yet to confirm whether stepfamilies would be included.

“Whatever the age, you don’t have sexual relations with your father, your son or your daughter,” he said during an interview with AFP. “It is not a question of age, it is not a question of consenting adults. We are fighting against incest. The signals must be clear.” » | Adam Sage, Paris | Tuesday, January 11, 2021 [£]

Les infos clés sur les thérapies de conversion | ARTE

Jan 15, 2020 • Quels sont les ressorts des thérapies de conversion pour prétendre guérir les homosexuels ?

En mars 2018, le Parlement européen a voté une résolution appelant les États membres à interdire ces prétendues thérapies. Jusqu’à maintenant, seul Malte a légiféré sur le sujet.