US Seizes $3.6 Billion in Cryptocurrency Linked to Bitfinex Currency Exchange Hack | DW News

Feb 9, 2022 • The United States Justice Department said on Tuesday that authorities seized more than $3.6 billion (€3.2 billion) and arrested a New York couple accused of conspiring to launder billions in cryptocurrency.

Federal law enforcement officials said the recovered sum was linked to the hack of the Bitfinex virtual currency exchange in 2016. This was the department's largest seizure to date. The two suspects were arrested in Manhattan on Tuesday morning. They are accused of using sophisticated techniques to launder the stolen money and conceal the transactions. The couple is scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court later on Tuesday. They face federal charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to defraud the United States.

In the 2016 hack, about $71 million in stolen bitcoin was transferred to an outside digital wallet, officials said. The stolen bitcoin is valued today at more than $4.5 billion (€3.9 billion). Investigators located a wallet containing more than 2,000 bitcoin accounts and followed the trail to accounts at a dark web marketplace called AlphaBay. The marketplace was dismantled by the Justice Department in 2017. Authorities said they obtained access to files within an online account controlled by Lichtenstein, which contained the private keys to the wallet that was used to receive and store bitcoin stolen in the 2016 Bitfinex hack. The keys allowed agents to lawfully seize and recover more than 94,00 bitcoin, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Authorities say they tracked the stolen funds to more than a dozen accounts controlled by Lichtenstein, Morgan and their businesses. Millions of dollars were cashed out through bitcoin ATMs and used to purchase gold, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Walmart gift cards, prosecutors said.


Related.

US Married Couple Arrested for Allegedly Conspiring to Launder $4.5bn in Bitcoin

THE GUARDIAN: Husband and wife, a rapper on TikTok, are accused in the US’s biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft case

The US justice department has announced the unraveling of its biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft case, seizing a record-shattering $3.6bn in bitcoin in a saga that has captivated the internet.

US officials said on Tuesday the recovered sum was linked to the hack of Bitfinex, a virtual currency exchange whose systems were breached by hackers nearly six years ago.

Ilya “Dutch” Lichtenstein, 34, and his wife Heather Morgan, 31, both New Yorkers, were arrested in Manhattan on Tuesday morning, accused of relying on various sophisticated techniques to launder the stolen cryptocurrency and to conceal the transactions.

They face charges of conspiring to commit money laundering as well as to defraud the United States. The case was filed in a federal court in Washington DC.

“The message to criminals is clear: Cryptocurrency is not a safe haven. We can and we will follow the money, no matter what form it takes,” said the deputy attorney general, Lisa Monaco, on Tuesday. » | Samira Sadeque and agencies | Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Boris Johnson's Leadership Past Point of No Return, Says Big Tory Donor

Billionaire Tory donor calls for Boris Johnson to resign: John Armitage, who has given £3.1m to the Conservatives, says PM has gone ’past the point of no return’ »

Crise en Ukraine: Emmanuel Macron en première ligne face à Vladimir Poutine

Le président français est le premier chef d’État occidental à avoir rencontré son homologue russe (ici, lundi, au Kremlin) depuis le début de la crise ukrainienne. SPUTNIK/via REUTERS
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Lundi soir à Moscou, le chef de l’État a proposé des «voies de convergence» au président russe.

Ils se sont vus pendant plus de cinq heures, éloignés de plusieurs mètres, chacun à un bout d’une immense table blanche et ovale. Mais cette distance imposée par le président russe n’avait pas forcément de signification politique. Vladimir Poutine, qui redoute le Covid et avait exigé de la délégation française quatre tests PCR négatifs pour pouvoir venir en Russie, avait réservé le même sort, la semaine dernière, à son ami Viktor Orban, le premier ministre hongrois.

Emmanuel Macron est un président qui aime prendre des risques. Et qui ne renonce jamais devant l’obstacle, même quand il est jugé infranchissable pour le plus agile des chevaux de course. Il est donc allé à Moscou pour rencontrer l’ours du Kremlin, qui depuis l’automne dernier met l’Europe en tension en massant plus de 100.000 hommes aux frontières de l’Ukraine, ancienne république soviétique dont il ne digère pas l’indépendance. C’était la première négociation directe entre le président russe et un dirigeant occidental de premier plan depuis la montée des tensions en décembre. Sur les terres de Vladimir Poutine, dans ce Kremlin si chargé d’histoire, de secrets et de coups tordus, cette septième rencontre avec le président russe, qui s’ajoute à seize coups de téléphone, sera peut-être la plus importante. Pour l’avenir de l’Ukraine. Pour la sécurité de l’Europe. Et pour le bilan international du président, à quelques semaines de la présidentielle. » | Par Isabelle Lasserre | mardi 7 février 2022

Secrets of The Queen Mother: The Reluctant Queen - British Royal Documentary

"Benedict at Least Mis-characterized What He Knew" | DW News

Democracy Now! Tope US News & World Headlines – February 8, 2022

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

Russie, le poison autoritaire | ARTE

Feb 8, 2022 • En Russie, la chasse aux opposants au régime s’intensifie. Rencontre avec ceux qui osent défier Vladimir Poutine au péril de leur vie et révèlent l’envers du décor d’un pays mis en coupe réglée.

Poutine et sa bande, au tribunal !" Les Russes, et surtout les Moscovites, ont été toujours plus nombreux à défiler ces derniers mois contre un pouvoir jugé liberticide. Plus que jamais, la Russie apparaît comme une nation divisée entre ceux qui font profil bas devant l’autoritarisme de Poutine, voire le soutiennent, et ceux qui le combattent, souvent au péril de leur liberté. La répression policière s’est en effet nettement accrue, tandis qu’une justice aux ordres d’une machine étatique programmée pour détruire toute velléité contestataire couvre les arrestations arbitraires et souvent absurdes, les séjours en prison et les mises au ban de la société. Mais qui sont ces citoyens ordinaires qui font trembler l’autocrate du plus grand pays du monde et prennent tous les risques, jusqu’à devoir s’exiler, pour réclamer une Russie à visage humain ?

Dictature postmoderne

Pendant près d’un an, le réalisateur Stéphane Bentura a suivi ceux qui, souvent jeunes et instruits, ont fait leur figure de proue d’Alexeï Navalny, empoisonné puis emprisonné dès son retour surprise à Moscou en janvier 2021. Journaliste pourchassée, simple manifestante d’un jour, prisonniers politiques victimes de tortures ou économiste en exil, ils racontent comment ils sont ou ont été la cible d’un matraquage qui va crescendo, sous couvert d’une application stricte de la loi et de l’ordre. "C’est une dictature postmoderne, avec une façade pseudo-démocratique, des parodies d’élections et de procès", assène Vladimir Kara-Murza, vice-président du mouvement Russie ouverte, victime de deux tentatives d’empoisonnement. Pour beaucoup, cette férocité répressive vise à masquer l’ampleur de la corruption, le gaspillage de l’argent du gaz russe et les promesses socio-économiques non tenues de Vladimir Poutine. Des témoignages clés qui aident à dissiper le mirage de la nouvelle puissance russe.

Documentaire de Stéphane Bentura (France, 2021, 53mn)
disponible jusqu'au 16/04/2022

«Carrie Antoinette», l’épouse controversée de Boris Johnson

Carrie et Boris Johnson, en mars 2020, à Londres. Lock Stephen/Lock Stephen/I-Images/ABACA
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - Dans une biographie non autorisée, Carrie Johnson est décrite par ses détracteurs comme une intrigante à Downing Street.

Correspondant à Londres
Elle a gagné un drôle de surnom, venu de l’autre côté de la Manche. Carrie Johnson, l’épouse du premier ministre britannique, est appelée «Carrie Antoinette» par certains de ses détracteurs. Ils entendent ainsi moquer un goût du luxe que l’on a prêté à la reine de France… Et en plein «Partygate», une biographie non autorisée vient nourrir leurs reproches.

L’auteur du livre, Lord Ashcroft, est l’une des plus grosses fortunes de Grande-Bretagne et un grand donateur du Parti conservateur dont il fut un temps le numéro deux. Celui qui a trouvé «fascinante» la trajectoire de Carrie Johnson n’est pour autant pas tendre avec celle qu’il accuse de vouloir «tout contrôler» à Downing Street. De jouer les premiers ministres bis. Pour Michael Ashcroft, Carrie «empêche tout bonnement Boris Johnson de gouverner la Grande-Bretagne aussi efficacement que les électeurs le méritent». Elle serait son mauvais génie. » | Par Arnaud De La Grange | Publié : lundi 7 février 2022 ; mis à jour : mardi 8 février 2022

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Gay Kiss on Live TV Evades Singapore’s Ban on LGBT Content

THE GUARDIAN: Video clip of two men kissing in Beijing bar during Channel News Asia report hailed as ‘act of revolution’

Two men are seen kissing behind the Channel News Asia reporter during a live broadcast from Beijing. Photograph: CNA/YouTube
It was a Singaporean news report on the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, live from a Beijing bar filled with eager fans. Yet it was two men – who burst into the view of the camera, sharing a dramatic kiss – who stole the show.

The clip has since gone viral in Singapore, where broadcasting codes restrict content that promotes LGBT “lifestyles”, and where sexual relationships between men are outlawed.

The kiss does not feature in a version of the report published by Channel News Asia (CNA) on its website. But on TikTok a clip of the kiss has been viewed more than 825,000 times. “This is actually an act of revolution,” one user wrote. It has also been shared widely on Weibo, a popular social media platform in China. » | Rebecca Ratcliffe, South-east Asia correspondent | Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Chris Hedges – On Contact: The Gig Economy

Feb 5, 2022 • On the show Chris Hedges discusses the gig economy to Louis Hyman, Professor of Economic History at Cornell University.

After the end of World War II two generations of workers in the United States were blessed with a period of unprecedented prosperity. Wages for the working class were high. Jobs were stable and came with benefits and health insurance. Unions protected workers from abuse by the business elites. Taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations was as high as 91 percent. The public school system provided a quality education to the poor and the rich. The nation’s infrastructure and technology were cutting edge and unrivaled. But by the 1970s it all began to go south. Wages stagnated. Income inequality grew, until by 2008 the top wealthiest 10 percent of Americans received 87 percent of the economic growth, compared with 29 percent from 1933 to 1973. The good industrial jobs vanished. In their place rose the temp or gig economy, one where wages were low, the jobs were not secure and did not provide benefits, unions were emasculated and the nation’s great democratic institutions, along with its infrastructure, crumbled into decay. What went wrong? How did it happen? And what does it mean for our future?

Louis Hyman is Professor of Economic History at Cornell University, and author of Temp: The Real Story of What Happened to Your Salary, Benefits and Job Security.

Kinzinger: Trump Was the 'Worst President America Has Ever Had'

Feb 7, 2022 • Speaking out after being censured by the Republican National Committee, Rep. Kinzinger (R-IL) shares with New Day what he will tell his son about former president Donald Trump

Peter Thiel verlässt Facebook – für Trump

Der deutschstämmige Investor Peter Thiel | Bild: AP
DEUTSCHSTÄMMIGER INVESTOR
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Peter Thiel hat eine prägende Rolle in der Geschichte von Facebook gespielt. Nun will sich der Investor noch stärker in die Politik einmischen – und Donald Trumps Agenda unterstützen.

Der deutschstämmige Investor Peter Thiel wird den Verwaltungsrat von Meta Platforms verlassen. Wie der Mutterkonzern des sozialen Netzwerks Facebook am Montag nach Börsenschluss mitteilte, will sich Thiel bei der kommenden Aktionärsversammlung nicht mehr zur Wiederwahl stellen. Vorstandschef Mark Zuckerberg gab keine direkte Begründung, sagte aber, es sei ihm immer klar gewesen, dass Thiel irgendwann „andere Interessen“ verfolgen wolle. » | Von Roland Lindner, New York | Dienstag, 8. Februar 2022

Britain’s Failure to Tackle Russian Dirty Money Has Enabled Putin’s Aggression

THE GUARDIAN: If Boris Johnson is serious about helping Ukraine, the most resolute action he can take is at home

We cannot be blind to the situation where wealth with direct links to Vladimir Putin’s regime has been allowed to proliferate here in the UK.’ Photograph: Sergei Savostyanov/AP
The prospect of war in our continent is more than enough to avert our gaze from the latest Whitehall troubles.

However, a prime minister who has found it so hard to speak the truth throughout his career surprised us all with a hard dose of it when he stood before parliament last week to address the situation in Ukraine, saying: “Ukraine asks for nothing except to be allowed to live in peace and to seek her own alliances, as every sovereign country has a right to do.” It was a sentiment echoed by the leader of the opposition, by my own party’s Westminster group leader, Ian Blackford MP, and by every other SNP MP who responded to the statement.

As someone who has spent my life campaigning for the sovereign right of the people of Scotland to determine our own futures, sovereignty is a principle fundamental to my own worldview. To see such pressures being exerted on a state that has resolutely set itself on a path to integration with the liberal democratic order is unspeakable. Like any European country, Ukraine must be free to organise its governance and security alliances as it sees fit. » | Nicola Sturgeon * | Tuesday, February 1, 2022

* Nicola Sturgeon is first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National party

‘A 1938 Moment’: Lithuanian PM Warns about Russian Troops in Belarus

THE GUARDIAN: Ingrida Šimonytė says threats from Moscow and Beijing mean west cannot be mired by self-doubt and division

Ingrida Šimonytė: ‘I know Putin was probably feeling very happy because he feels an important guy.’ Photograph: Toms Kalniņš/EPA
The security landscape of the Baltic states and eastern Europe may be changed permanently if Russian troops amassed on the Ukraine border start to integrate with Belarusian troops, Lithuania’s prime minister has said.

“This is a 1938 moment for our generation,” Ingrida Šimonytė said in an interview. “Neutrality helps the oppressor and never the victim.”

Šimonytė, who is due to meet Boris Johnson on Tuesday, is one of the European politicians most willing to make a case for democracy and expose the methods of autocracies.

Her stance has led her country of only 2.8 million people on to the frontline of ideological conflict not only with Russia but also China.

Belarus is threatening to block potash exports to her country, and China punished Lithuania for the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius by cutting trade and pressing companies to pull out of Lithuania. The UK has joined Lithuania to take China to the WTO over its behaviour.

Šimonytė said the twin threats from the superpowers showed it was necessary for the west not to be mired by self-doubt, internal divisions and self-satisfaction. “The first response is not to be afraid but to speak up,” she said. “We never see the masses on the streets demanding more autocracy.” » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Ukraine : Macron dit avoir obtenu de Poutine «qu'il n'y ait pas d'escalade» : Le président français Emmanuel Macron a assuré mardi avoir «obtenu» lors de ses discussions avec Vladimir Poutine «qu'il n'y ait pas de dégradation ni d'escalade» dans la crise russo-occidentale liée à l'Ukraine. »

Turkey’s Doctors Are Leaving, the Latest Casualty of Spiraling Inflation

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Doctors, worn down by grueling hours and violence, are emigrating in rising numbers, undermining one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s signature achievements.

ISTANBUL — Anxiety rose after an assistant doctor died last fall when she plowed her car into the back of a truck after a long shift.

Then there were the growing cases of violence. An assistant doctor abandoned his career after a patient stabbed him in the stomach and hand. A pregnant nurse was hospitalized after being kicked in the belly.

The worsening economy and soaring inflation, which has reduced some doctors’ salaries close to the level of the minimum wage, has brought many to a tipping point, driving them in growing numbers to search for better opportunities abroad.

Their departures are a sad indictment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who burnished his own reputation by expanding universal health care over his 18 years in power. It was one of his signature achievements. For many of his supporters, that action alone remains their main reason to support him.

But the strains of those overhauls wrought by Mr. Erdogan, in addition to those brought by the pandemic — and now galloping inflation — have undermined the very professionals on whom the health system depends.
Doctors complain of a grinding workload, diminishing returns for their work, a drastic loss of respect for the profession under Mr. Erdogan, and an increase in physical violence from their own patients.

More than 1,400 Turkish doctors left their posts to work abroad last year, and 4,000 over the past decade, according to the Turkish Medical Association, the largest association of medical professionals in the country. Many more are preparing applications and have requested certificates of good standing from the organization, officials said. » | Carlotta Gall | Monday, February 7, 2022

Stjepan Hauser : "Live in Zagreb" | Full Classical Concert

HAUSER performing his favorite classical music pieces with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra at his classical solo concert at the Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, October 2017.

Elisabeth Fuchs, conductor

Special guests:

Choir Zvjezdice
Lana Trotovsek, violin
Petrit Çeku, guitar

70-Jahre-Thronjubiläum: Die Queen bricht alle Rekorde

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Vor siebzig Jahren bestieg Elizabeth II. den Thron, nun kann sie als erste britische Monarchin das Platinjubiläum feiern. Mit ihrem Wunsch, Charles’ Gattin Camilla möge dereinst Königin werden, richtet sie den Blick in die Zukunft – doch ans Aufhören denkt die 95-Jährige nicht.

Die Queen ist für die Briten ein Anker der Stabilität in unruhigen Zeiten. | Imago
Als erste britische Monarchin der Geschichte hat Königin Elizabeth II. am Sonntag auf Schloss Sandringham in Norfolk ihr Platin-Thronjubiläum feiern können. Der Königspalast hatte in den letzten Tagen Bilder veröffentlicht, welche die Jubilarin vor einer grossen Torte oder bei der Entgegennahme von Glückwünschen von Kindern zeigen. In einer eigens für das Jubiläum verfassten Mitteilung an die Nation blickte die 95-jährige Queen nicht nur auf ihre 70-jährige Herrschaft zurück, sondern richtete den Blick auch in die Zukunft.

Es sei ihr aufrichtiger Wunsch, dass die Gattin von Kronprinz Charles, Prinzessin Camilla, dereinst als «Queen consort» an der Seite ihres Sohnes stehe und somit Königin werde. Damit beendete Elizabeth die Spekulationen, Charles könnte Camilla nach seinem Aufstieg auf den Thron bloss zur «Princess consort» machen – da die Bevölkerung das Andenken an Charles’ erste Frau Diana hochhält und eine Ernennung Camillas zur Queen womöglich nicht goutieren würde. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, London | Samstag, 5. Februar 2022

Related links here and here.

Royal Nod for ‘Queen Camilla’ Caps Years of Image Repair: Queen Elizabeth II has put to rest decades of speculation by giving Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, what some see as her “stamp of approval.” »

Wintersturm «Roxana» sorgt für heftige Winde und starken Schneefall: Mehrere Swiss-Maschinen müssen am Flughafen Zürich durchstarten

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Für die Alpennordseite gilt eine Sturmwarnung der dritthöchsten Gefahrenstufe. Das Sturmtief «Roxana» sorgt in der Schweiz am Sonntag und in der Nacht auf Montag für Windböen von Orkanstärke.

fbi./ine./dho. Am Sonntagabend und in der Nacht auf Montag ist ein Wintersturm über die Schweiz gezogen. Der Bund warnte deshalb vor heftigen Winden und starkem Schneefall in grossen Teilen des Landes. Er hat die Gefahrenstufe 3 von 5 ausgerufen, was eine erhebliche Gefahr bedeutet. » | fbi./ine./dho | Montag, 7. Februar 2022

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

Stjepan Hauser : Panis Angelicus

Hauser performing Panis Angelicus by César Franck with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir Zvjezdice at his classical solo concert at the Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, October 2017.

Elisabeth Fuchs, conductor
Arrangement by Hauser and Filip Sljivac Filmed and edited by MedVid production
Sound and mixing by Morris Studio

Cancer du poumon : quels sont les signes d'alerte ?

LE FIGARO : NOS CONSEILS SANTÉ - Ce cancer se développe généralement en toute discrétion, en particulier chez les fumeurs. Plus il est pris tôt, meilleur est le pronostic. D'où l'intérêt d'être attentif à certains symptômes.

C'est un diagnostic qui, quand il est posé, fait l'effet d'une bombe. De tous les cancers, le cancer du poumon est sans doute l'un des plus redouté. Ce cancer, qui concerne environ 45.000 nouvelles personnes chaque année en France, est réputé pour être particulièrement difficile à soigner. Connu pour son mauvais pronostic (20% de survie à 5 ans), il a la réputation d'être difficile à soigner… Du moins, quand il est pris en charge tardivement. Car une intervention à un stade précoce peut complètement changer la donne. D'où l'intérêt d'être attentif au moindre signe évocateur de cette maladie, surtout si l'on a beaucoup fumé. » | Par Cécile Thibert | vendredi 4 février 2022

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French Far-right Presidential Hopeful Likens Himself to Boris Johnson

THE GUARDIAN: Eric Zemmour says foreign leader he feels ‘culturally and intellectually’ closest to is the British PM

Eric Zemmour acknowledges his support at a campaign rally in Lille, northern France.Photograph: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock
The far-right French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour has said of all world leaders he is compared to he feels most like the British prime minister, Boris Johnson.

The former journalist, who is often compared to Donald Trump, was speaking on France Inter’s morning news programme when asked about “populist” foreign leaders. The interviewer mentioned Trump, the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, and Italy’s former prime minister Matteo Salvini and asked if they were models for Zemmour.

“You have not mentioned Boris Johnson and I am astonished because he is without doubt the leader I feel I am closest to, culturally, intellectually … and he’s obviously a European like me but English,” Zemmour said.

It is not the first time Zemmour has rejected comparisons to Trump and likened himself to the British PM. He has pointed out that both he and Johnson are former journalists, both have written history books – Zemmour on the history of France, De Gaulle and Napoleon, Johnson on Winston Churchill. » | Kim Willsher | Monday, February 7, 2022

Winter in the Podkarpackie I ARTE.tv Documentary

Feb 6, 2022 • Not far from the border with Ukraine, the Lower Carpathians are a region of Poland with a secret and bewitching charm. Nestled between mountains and forests, wooden Orthodox churches are braving the test of time. The few inhabitants live by music, icon painting or creating glass objects.

Winter in the Podkarpackie I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 01/03/2022

More Straight Than Gay People Are Being Diagnosed with HIV for the First Time in a Decade

INDEPENDENT: The number of new HIV diagnoses in heterosexual people are higher than those in gay and bisexual men for the first time in ten years, according to the UK Health Security Agency (HSA).

In the year leading to December 2021, 45 per cent of all new diagnoses were in gay and bisexual men, while 50 per cent were in heterosexual men or women.

Monday 7 February marks the beginning of the UK’s annual National HIV Testing Week which aims to promote regular testing and reduce late diagnoses. » | Saman Javed | Monday, February 7, 2022

Arnie Kantrowitz, Pioneer of Gay Liberation, Dies at 81

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A professor, author and activist, he fought against discrimination because of sexual orientation and for fairness from the media.

Arnie Kantrowitz last year. He was an early advocate for gay rights and fairer depiction of gay people in the media. | Larry Mass
Arnie Kantrowitz, a literature professor and author who was an early champion of gay rights and an indefatigable campaigner for fairer treatment of gay people by the media, died on Jan. 21 at a rehabilitation center in Manhattan. He was 81.

The cause was complications of Covid-19, his life partner, Dr. Lawrence D. Mass, said.

The gay rights movement was ignited in mid-1969 by the uprising provoked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, which led to the founding several months later of the Gay Activists Alliance. Mr. Kantrowitz became the organization’s vice president in 1970, which was also the year he came to grips with his own homosexuality.

In 1985, he was a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (now known as GLAAD), which was established to counter negative media coverage generated by the AIDS crisis.

His memoir, “Under the Rainbow: Growing Up Gay” (1977), exposed to a wide audience the difficulties he and his gay contemporaries faced in the 1950s and ’60s and recalled how he had confronted them — including two suicide attempts. The book also chronicled historical events in the movement, including what was called the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day Parade, held in New York City in 1969. » | Sam Roberts | Thursday, February 3, 2022

Queer Students Feel ‘Betrayed’ after Cambridge College Bans Pride Flag

PINK NEWS: To mark the beginning of LGBT+ History Month, the University of Cambridge’s Gonville and Caius College flew the Progress Pride flag. One day later, they banned it.

For the last six years the college, one of the wealthiest at the University of Cambridge, has flown Pride flags from its flagpole, and this LGBT+ History Month seemed to be no different.

The college posted a video to its social media showing the “Progress Pride flag flying above Caius to mark the first day of LGBT History Month”.

But on Wednesday (2 February), a general meeting was held by fellows, who make up the college’s governing body and are responsible for changing statutes, where members voted to ban the flying of any flag other than the college banner. » | Lily Wakefield | Saturday, February 5, 2022

Ghana's Anglican Bishops Condemn Proposed Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; Paul Marotta/Getty Images
ADVOCATE: Church leaders say that aspects of the bill are "severe" and that acts of hostility against LGBTQ+ people must be denounced.

Ghana’s Anglican Church leaders have condemned the country’s proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill and urged lawmakers to reconsider the new legislation that would toughen an already existing anti-LGBTQ+ law.

On Friday, the House of Bishops in Ghana issued a statement saying the draft Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill — which is currently before the country’s parliament — is “severe and must be reviewed.”

The statement read, “We agreed that, though human dignity is always dominant, LGBTQI+ activities are frowned upon by the Ghanaian ethnicity and therefore, traditions, values, cultural and social frameworks must not also only be regarded but, respected and appreciated,” The Church Times reports.

“Nevertheless, Ghanaian citizens must not use the bill as an avenue to assault persons with homosexual orientation but show love to them as the Church of Jesus Christ is called to demonstrate the love of God by protecting all vulnerable people and groups. Acts of harassment, intimidation and hostilities against LGBTQ+ people should be condemned,” the statement continued. » | Alex Cooper | Friday, February 4, 2022

La Suisse appelle au «calme et à la créativité» pour de meilleures relations avec l'UE

LE FIGARO : Le président suisse Ignazio Cassis a appelé dimanche au «calme» et à la «créativité» pour améliorer les relations de la Suisse avec l'Union européenne. Les liens entre Bruxelles et Berne sont tendus depuis que la Suisse, non membre de l'UE, a soudainement décidé, en mai 2021, de mettre fin à des années de discussions en vue d'un vaste accord de coopération avec ce bloc d'Etats. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 6 février 2022

What Kind of President Was Ronald Reagan? | The Reagan Presidency | Timeline

Jan 27, 2022 • This landmark documentary offers a historical portrait of America’s 40th President as told through the recollections, observations and opinions of those who knew him and experts who have analyzed the Reagan presidency. The focus of the documentary is the crucial events associated with his two-term presidency and the legacy he left behind.

If you decide to sign up for ‘History Hit’ documentaries, don’t forget to use the code ‘TIMELINE’ for a massive 50% discount:

History Hit.

Gay and Married: Meet the Blooms I The Feed

Oct 22, 2015 • Steven and Natanya Bloom had been married for nearly 20 years when he realised he was gay and came out to his family. He's now president of the Gay And Married Men's Association, GAMMA.

Die unbekannte Seite der Brüder Grimm | Doku HD | ARTE

Feb 6, 2022 • 1837 erheben sie ihre Stimme gegen den König von Hannover, als er die Verfassung abschafft. Auch ihre Märchen sammeln sie aus politischen Gründen: Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm wollen die Vergangenheit bewahren, um die Gegenwart zu ändern. In der deutschen Sprache sehen sie die Basis für ein geeintes Vaterland. Das Dokudrama erzählt die unbekannte Seite der Brüder Grimm.

Juni 1837. Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm leben als Professoren in der Universitätsstadt Göttingen im Königreich Hannover. Eine Zeit, die vom Aufbegehren der Bürger geprägt ist. Erst wenige Jahre zuvor hatte der amtierende König Wilhelm nach Unruhen eine Verfassung erlassen, die den Bürgern mehr Rechte zusichert. Doch König Wilhelm stirbt, und sein Bruder Ernst August wird neuer König von Hannover. Ein Herrscherwechsel mit weitreichenden Folgen: Ernst August ist ein konservativer und wenig bürgernah. Bereits kurz nach seiner Krönung schafft er die liberale Verfassung wieder ab. Gegen diesen willkürlichen Akt des Königs setzen sich sieben Professoren aus Göttingen zur Wehr – darunter auch die Brüder Grimm. Die Ereignisse um die Verfassung des Königreichs Hannover 1837 machen die Grimm zu politischen Stars in Deutschland.

Anhand von Spielszenen und Interviews mit den beiden Brüdern auf der Grundlage originaler Texte vermittelt das Dokudrama einen intensiven Einblick in das Leben der beiden großen Märchensammler und zeigt, wie eng das Verhältnis der beiden Brüder zueinander war. Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm werden von Jörg Pintsch und Steven Merting dargestellt.

Dokudrama von Gabriele Rose (D 2020, 53 Min)

Russian Invasion of Ukraine 'Could Happen as Soon as Tomorrow': Jake Sullivan | ABC News

Feb 6, 2022 • Martha Raddatz interviews White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on "This Week."

Dans la tête de Boris Johnson | ARTE

Feb 6, 2022 • Beaucoup le prenaient pour un bouffon. Il a pourtant fait gagner le Brexit en 2016 puis a triomphé aux législatives de décembre 2019. Boris Johnson est en train de changer en profondeur le Royaume-Uni, d'y laisser une trace indélébile, pour le meilleur ou pour le pire...

Pris dans la tourmente du "scandale des fêtes" données en violation des restrictions sanitaires, au sein de son gouvernement et jusqu'à Downing Street, mis en cause par son propre camp conservateur, Boris Johnson parviendra-t-il à surmonter la crise qu'il affronte aujourd'hui, la plus grave depuis qu'il a pris, en juillet 2019, les rênes du pouvoir ? Comparé alors à Donald Trump pour ses pitreries et ses prises de position violemment anti-UE, "BoJo" s'est-il démarqué de son homologue américain, une fois devenu Premier ministre, puis avoir gagné quelques mois plus tard, sur un brillant coup de poker, une majorité à sa main ? De sa promesse, tenue, de mettre rapidement le Brexit en œuvre, qui lui a permis de triompher lors de ces élections anticipées de décembre 2019, aux succès et aux impasses de sa gestion parfois chaotique de la pandémie, ce documentaire révèle, derrière le bouffon, un stratège et sa vision, et en pointe les défaillances. Qu'il ait ou non déjà perdu la partie, ce joueur à l'instinct redoutable, qui use de la provocation comme d'une arme, a engagé son pays dans un chemin difficilement réversible. Dans un royaume désuni par le Brexit qu'il a si ardemment promu, et alors que le nombre des décès du Covid-19 y apparaît parmi les plus élevés au monde, malgré une campagne vaccinale éclair, celui qui rêvait de donner à son pays une cohésion nouvelle se voit désormais rattrapé par ses outrances.

Les choix et les silences

De son éducation dans les meilleures écoles de l'establishment britannique à son ascension au sein du parti tory, de ses premières diatribes anti-UE dans la presse de droite à son élection à la mairie de Londres, Alice Cohen retrace le parcours personnel de Boris Johnson pour décrypter les choix et les zones d'ombre de ses deux mandats consécutifs à Downing Street. Avec les témoignages de certains de ses proches (dont sa sœur Rachel), de collaborateurs ou d'adversaires (Tim Montgomerie, son ancien conseiller à la Justice sociale, Michel Barnier, qui a durement négocié avec lui pour l'UE un accord commercial préalable au Brexit...), mais aussi d'observateurs plus distanciés, elle signe le portrait en forme de bilan, nuancé et documenté, d'un animal politique bien de son temps.

Dans la tête de Boris Johnson
Documentaire de Alice Cohen (France, 2021, 53mn)

Queen Backs Camilla to Be Queen Consort on Jubilee

The Queen has spent the anniversary of her accession in Sandringham | PA MEDIA
BBC: The Queen has said she wants Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to be known as Queen Consort when Prince Charles becomes King.

In a message marking the 70th anniversary of her reign, the Queen said it was her "sincere wish" that Camilla would have that title.

The Queen is the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

She is spending her day privately on the Sandringham estate, with national celebrations to be held in June.

The Queen's reign began when she was 25 years old, following the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952.

The monarch said that, 70 years on, the day is one which she remembers "as much for the death of my father, King George VI, as for the start of my reign". » | Sean Coughlan, Royal correspondent | Sunday, February 6, 2022

Queen wants Camilla to be Queen Consort when Charles becomes king »

Camilla should be the next queen, says the Queen: The Queen has said she wants the Duchess of Cornwall to be crowned Queen Consort when the Prince of Wales accedes to the throne, in a significant intervention ending years of controversy and confusion over Camilla’s future title. »

Queen Elizabeth Paves the Way for Camilla to One Day Be Called Queen: On the eve of the 70th anniversary of the start of her reign, Elizabeth said she wanted the Duchess of Cornwall to hold the title of Queen Consort once Prince Charles is king. »

Queen Elizabeth, Anchor in a Storm-Tossed Britain, Marks 70-Year Reign: The milestone puts the queen, 95, in rarefied company: Only three other monarchs are documented to have reigned for more than 70 years. »

La reine Elizabeth II souhaite que Camilla soit reine consort quand Charles sera roi : La reine d'Angleterre a adressé un message à la nation en ce sens à la veille du 70e anniversaire de son accession au trône. »

Elisabeth II.: Auch Camilla soll Queen-Titel tragen : Zu ihrem 70-jährigen Thronjubiläum zerstreut die britische Königin Vorbehalte gegen ihre Schwiegertochter. Camilla solle einst den Titel tragen, der ihr zusteht. Zugleich bekräftigte Elisabeth II., sie werde nie vorzeitig abdanken. »

Prince Charles pays tribute to ‘darling wife’ and future queen Camilla: First in line to throne thanks Duchess of Cornwall for support as royal family paves way for her to take title of queen »

‘Partygate’: Johnson’s Removal Is Now Inevitable, Warns Loyalist

THE OBSERVER: More MPs set to submit resignation demands as No 10 rejigs team

Johnson’s plight has been compared to Greek tragedy by the loyalist backbencher Sir Charles Walker. Photograph: Xander Heinl/Photothek/Getty Images
Boris Johnson’s desperate efforts to save his premiership were undermined on Saturday as one of his most loyal backbench supporters said it was now “inevitable” that Tory MPs would remove him from office over the ”partygate” scandal.

In an interview with the Observer, Sir Charles Walker, a former vice-chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs, implored the prime minister to go of his own accord in the national interest, and likened events in the Tory party to a Greek tragedy.

“It is an inevitable tragedy,” Walker said. “He is a student of Greek and Roman tragedy. It is going to end in him going, so I just want him to have some agency in that.”

Walker, who announced at the start of the month that he was stepping down as an MP, said that in his view Johnson had got many things right, including the handling of the vaccine rollout, and deserved to be remembered for them, rather than suffer the indignity of losing a leadership challenge.

But he said the succession of parties in Downing Street during national lockdowns had focused the anger of a traumatised country on No 10 in a way that could only be addressed if the prime minister moved aside. “It is just not going to get better,” he said. » | Toby Helm, Mark Townsend and James Tapper | Saturday, February 5, 2022

Queen Holds Reception to Mark Platinum Jubilee

PA MEDIA
BBC: The Queen has cut a cake to mark her Platinum Jubilee as she met members of the Sandringham community on the eve of the 70th anniversary of her reign.

Ahead of Accession Day, she hosted a reception for volunteer groups, pensioners and fellow members of the local Women's Institute (WI) group.

Guests included a former cookery student who helped create the original Coronation chicken recipe.

The Queen was described as being on "sparkling" form at the reception.

On Sunday, she will have reigned for 70 years, excluding Accession Day.

It also marks the day her father George VI died in 1952. With video » | Lauren Turner, BBC News | Saturday, February 5, 2022

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto 2 / Sviatoslav Richter, Stanislaw Wislocki (1959/2015)

Jun 21, 2018 • Sergey Vasil’yevich Rachmaninov (1873 – 1943) Konzert Für Klavier und Orchester, Nr. 2 C-moll, Op. 18.

1 Moderato
2 Adagio Sostenuto
3 Allegro Scherzando

Recorded: #1-3: Warsaw, Philharmonie on 26th to 28th April 1959

How to Make Creamy Mushroom Risotto Like an Italian

May 30, 2021 • My mushroom risotto recipe is a no-fail way to master the creamiest risotto you will ever taste – minus the cream of course! Using wild porcini mushrooms, fresh parsley and a sprinkle of parmigiano cheese you barley need any ingredients to recreate this Northern Italian dish in your own kitchen…and wait until you taste it! Trust me, it’s not hard and once you realise that you’ll never order it out again!

Get the recipe here.

Marie de Roumanie, l'étonnante reine des Carpates - Secrets d'histoire

Jan 25, 2022 • Marie de Roumanie, l'étonnante reine des Carpates - Secrets d'histoire Descendante de Victoria et d'Alexandre II, Marie était vouée à un destin royal. Elle l'accomplira en devenant souveraine de Roumanie après son mariage avec Ferdinand de Hohenzollern. Tombée amoureuse de ce pays et de son peuple, elle l'accompagnera dans les épreuves qu'il traverse au début du XXe siècle.

Capitalism Hits Home: How Americans Cope with Falling Living Standards

Feb 3, 2022 • Declining living standards, joblessness and pronounced inequality are leaving Americans feeling disconnected, helpless and depressed. In this episode of Capitalism Hits Home, Dr. Fraad talks about the 3 Ds - depression, dissociation and denial - Americans are resorting to as coping strategies for their stark decline in health and living standards. Fraad offers examples of more productive and beneficial ways to cope and heal.

What an appalling economic system! A working man should be able to keep his family in relative comfort from the rewards of his labours. Children need mothers at home. (Or at least someone who will substitute for a mother.) Children can't bring themselves up! If a man (one person) cannot support the family, then there is something radically wrong with the economic system. You cannot be pro-family and be pro- this ridiculously anti-family set up. Republicans! Are you listening? – © Mark

Israël et les Émirats arabes unis en pleine lune de miel

Le président israélien Isaac Herzog et le prince héritier des Émirats arabes unis Mohammed Ben Zayed (MBZ), dimanche 30 janvier. EyePress News/EYEPRESS via Reuters Connect
LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - Le président israélien Isaac Herzog a reçu ces derniers jours un accueil fastueux aux Émirats arabes unis.

Correspondant à Jérusalem
La lune de miel entre les Émirats arabes unis (EAU) et Israël perdure malgré la disparition des garants du mariage, Donald Trump et son gendre Jared Kushner, et de l’un de ses protagonistes, Benyamin Netanyahou. Dimanche, le prince héritier Mohammed Ben Zayed (MBZ) a reçu dans son palais monumental le président israélien Isaac Herzog avec un faste particulier.

L’orchestre royal a joué devant les invités la Hatikvah, l’hymne national d’Israël. Puis l’homme fort du richissime pays du Golfe et le chef de l’État hébreu se sont longuement entretenus en tête-à-tête. Les médias locaux ont largement couvert la visite et, sur les réseaux sociaux, les comptes associés au gouvernement émirati ont célébré l’événement. » | Par Thierry Oberlé | mardi 1 février 2022

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Immobilier à la montagne: vent de folie sur les hauteurs

Vue de châlets à Méribel. ronstik - stock.adobe.com
LE FIGARO : Des grands appartements au goût du jour aux studios défraîchis, les biens à la montagne se vendent comme des petits pains.

La crise sanitaire, qui a dopé les envies d’espace des Français, fait souffler un vent de folie sur l’immobilier de montagne. Le marché est en surchauffe depuis des mois, avec un appétit des acheteurs qui ne se dément pas. «Les clients ont de l’épargne de côté et veulent se faire plaisir, après des mois difficiles», constate Bérengère Servat, vice-présidente de la Fnaim Montblanc. Et les prix s’en ressentent. Selon le site d’estimation immobilière meilleursagents.com, le coût du m2 s’est envolé de 9,7 % dans les Alpes du Nord, de 7 % dans les Alpes du Sud et encore 4,1 % dans les Pyrénées. » | Par Jorge Carasso | vendredi 4 février 2022

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Le salafisme, voilà l'ennemi: un ancien responsable de la DGSE brise le silence

Alain Chouet cherche les causes de notre impuissance envers le salafisme en rassemblant les pièces d'un puzzle qui n'est pas seulement hexagonal mais mondial. Hubert Didona/saif images
LE FIGARO : EXTRAITS EXCLUSIFS - Quarante années d'aveuglement ont conduit la France aux limites de la rupture du pacte républicain. Alors que le débat a été longtemps pollué par le politiquement correct, Alain Chouet, ancien chef du service de renseignement de la DGSE, propose un livre clair et net comme une note stratégique adressée au futur président de la République, mais écrite pour le grand public.

Il y a une semaine, un documentaire de M6 révélait la vie quotidienne d'un quartier sous contrôle des salafistes. On y découvrait une réalité qui ne pouvait pas ne pas susciter une phobie sans nuances : « Pas de ça en France ! » La présentatrice de ce documentaire, la journaliste Ophélie Meunier, a été depuis placée sous protection policière après des menaces de mort, tout comme le juriste Amine Elbahi , originaire de la ville et qui dit avoir reçu des centaines de messages de haine sur les réseaux sociaux. C'est tout le propos d'Alain Chouet, déjà auteur de deux livres sur sa vie d'espion et sur La Menace islamiste (La Découverte), que de chercher les causes de notre impuissance en rassemblant les pièces d'un puzzle qui n'est pas seulement hexagonal mais mondial. Dans son viseur, on trouve les commanditaires. Riyad, et d'autres capitales d'un « pétrosunnisme » terriblement funeste aux équilibres planétaires. « Pour empêcher l'eau d'un fleuve de couler, il est plus efficace d'en boucher la source que d'en barrer l'estuaire », écrit Chouet. Qui, dans cette campagne présidentielle, osera proposer une stratégie pour en finir avec le salafisme ? » | Par Charles Jaigu | vendredi 4 février 2022

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Austria's Covid-vaccine Mandate: Can It Be Enforced? | DW News

Feb 5, 2022 • Austria has become the first European country to mandate coronavirus vaccination for all adults. It is also the first country that will now have to enforce a vaccination mandate. Starting next month, Austrian police will carry out random spot-checks to see whether people can produce proof of vaccination. Those who can't face fines of 600 euros or more. Vienna set up mobile vaccination buses to increase that number. The willingness to get a jab is stagnant, despite the new bill.

Even before the controversial bill was passed, security was tight at vaccination centers. No other topic polarizes Austrians as much as mandatory vaccination. Those who administer the vaccines can do so only when security is nearby. There is concern about hostile outbursts by anti-vaxxers.

Tens of thousands of them have been taking to the streets almost every weekend across the country to protest against COVID measures. They are a minority. But Werner Reisinger, who is researching radicalism, says, the protests should not be underestimated.

He says the Austrian government failed to reach this crowd, especially when its declaration last summer that the COVID crisis was over was followed by a political crisis of its own. Austria expects an avalanche of lawsuits by those unwilling to pay possible fines starting at 600 euros and to be enforced from mid-March. Vienna is focusing on those whose opinion could still be swayed: The undecided. The city put up billboards in various foreign languages in their latest effort to counter misinformation.

Johnson Drives Trams in Blackpool whilst His Premiership Collapses

Feb 5, 2022 • Johnson's premiership is now a sinking ship. Senior staff are quitting Downing Street whilst more MP's are submitting letters to the 1922 Committee. In the House of Commons, in responding to the limited and yet damning, findings of Sue Gray, Johnson disgracefully suggested that Keir Starmer as DPP had knowingly failed to prosecute Jummy Savile, the disgraced sexual predator. He then went to Blackpool to be photographed in high viz driving a tram.

The economy is in crisis with huge cost of living increases about to hit everyone. National Insurance is about to be raised by 1.25% to provide funding £12 billion for the NHS. According the the Department of Health £9.9 billion was wasted in the procurement of PPE and £37 billion was budgeted for Test & Trace which was universally seen to be a failure. In addition many tens, possibly hundreds of millions were made by businesses awarded PPE contracts without any previous experience of sourcing PPE simply because they knew someone in government.

Hacked Again!

My sincere apologies for the changed colour of the fonts. That is not my work, but a hacker’s.

Over the months, a pattern has emerged. Each time I have been hacked, it has been when something has been posted about Islam. I recently posted something about Lord Ahmed and an introduction to an article on Salafism, in French. They were not my words, but from articles in reputable British and French newspapers. Clearly, this information has upset someone. Nothing negative must ever be posted about Islam or the behaviour of Muslims! Muslims want a pass on everything!

When a hacker does this, he/she only makes it more difficult for my visitors and followers to read. It is a very anti-social thing to do. It is also childish.

It is too difficult and time-consuming for me to go through all the HTML to try and correct these posts. So I have decided to leave them as they are. It is better for me to use my time more productively and move forward, ignoring what has been done and living with it.

I am sure that you will have realised that I have no agenda: I am not trying to push any particular view on anyone. I have no axe to grind. I simply post a variety of items in three languages to make things interesting for my visitors. Furthermore, I have never asked anyone for any money. I have been doing this, at least so far, for free. It is ‘a labour of love’. All I want is to be left alone to make this blog interesting, aesthetically pleasing, and erudite. For the hacker, it appears that this is too much to ask.

What this person is doing shows us all the nature and mentality of the hacker. I can only apologise to you all for the inconvenience this causes you. Just for you to know, though, if you click on the title of each post, you will be taken to a separate page and the version of that post you will see is as it should be.

Let us all hope for hack-free days.

© Mark Alexander

Türkei im Abseits: Verliert Erdogan die Kontrolle? | Auf den Punkt

Feb 3, 2022 • Der türkische Präsident Erdogan gerät zunehmend in Bedrängnis. Dabei tut er alles, um die Opposition auszuschalten und unliebsame Journalisten und Kritiker mundtot zu machen. Aber die horrende Inflation und seine umstrittene Finanzpolitik lassen selbst unter seinen Anhängern die Zweifel an ihm wachsen. Auch außenpolitisch scheint Erdogan zunehmend isoliert, trotz seiner Suche nach neuen Verbündeten.

Unsere Frage: Türkei im Abseits: Verliert Erdogan die Kontrolle? Unsere Gäste: Erkan Arikan (DW,) Günter Seufert (SWP), Julia Hahn (DW Istanbul)

Marc Roche: Elizabeth II «s’est imposée en mère de la nation»

La reine Elizabeth II. VICTORIA JONES/AFP
Correspondant à Londres depuis 35 ans, Marc Roche a publié récemment un livre passionnant, Elle ne voulait pas être reine (Albin Michel).
LE FIGARO : ENTRETIEN - Selon le correspondant à Londres, la reine du Royaume-Uni, qui passe le cap des 70 ans de règne, «réussit la réconciliation nationale mieux que tout homme politique».

LE FIGARO. - En dehors de sa longueur, en quoi le règne d’Elizabeth II est-il particulier? Marc ROCHE. - En soixante-dix ans, le Royaume-Uni a été plus bouleversé que pendant tous les règnes précédents. Cela vaut pour les changements géopolitiques, avec la décolonisation, l’adhésion à l’Europe puis le retrait de l’UE, les problèmes d’unité nationale avec l’indépendantisme écossais. Il y a eu aussi une accélération des avancées technologiques et scientifiques, ainsi qu’une évolution rapide des mœurs. En 1952, les divorcés étaient toujours interdits à la cour alors qu’aujourd’hui, trois enfants sur quatre de la Reine sont divorcés… L’héritier de la couronne est lui-même divorcé et remarié à une autre divorcée. Tout cela montre le chemin parcouru.

Quand elle est montée sur le trône, elle symbolisait une Angleterre impériale, blanche, anglo-saxonne et protestante. Aujourd’hui, il n’y a plus d’empire, même s’il reste le Commonwealth dont elle a d’ailleurs été l’artisane. La société est devenue plus diverse et multiculturelle, avec symboliquement le premier écuyer noir nommé en 2017. Et le catholicisme et l’islam sont plutôt plus dynamiques que l’Église anglicane. L’Angleterre n’avait jamais autant changé sous un autre monarque[.] » | Pa Arnaud De La Grange | vendredi 4 février 2022

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À LIRE AUSSI :

Elizabeth II, forte et tranquille quelle que soit la crise : PORTRAIT - À l’aube de ses 95 ans, la reine d’Angleterre doit gérer une nouvelle crise. Elle en a vu d’autres, et des plus graves. »

Civil War in Cabinet as Boris Johnson Told to Sack Rishi Sunak

THE TIMES: Sajid Javid joins chancellor in rebuking PM

Cabinet ministers have accused Rishi Sunak of plotting to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister | IAN DAVIDSON/ALAMY
The cabinet descended into rancour over Boris Johnson’s future last night after both Sajid Javid and Rishi Sunak rebuked the prime minister.

One cabinet minister called for Johnson to dismiss Sunak, and two others accused the chancellor of being “on manoeuvres” after he criticised the prime minister for a personal attack on Sir Keir Starmer.

On Monday, as Johnson sought to fend off criticism over Downing Street parties, he accused Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions, of having failed to prosecute the paedophile Jimmy Savile. » | Steven Swinford, Political Editor | Oliver Wright, Policy Editor | Henry Zeffman, Associate Political Editor | Friday, February 4, 2022

Bon retour, Haute Couture!

Ein Design von Glenn Martens für Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture Frühling Sommer 2022. | Bild: picture alliance / Ik Aldama
PARISER MODEWOCHE
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach zwei Jahren kehrt die Haute Couture auf die Laufstege zurück. Die Designer wissen ihre alten Bühnen zu nutzen und setzen wieder auf Kollaborationen – sowie auf eine düstere Ästhetik.

Während sich Dänemark diese Woche vorwagte und kurzerhand alle Maßnahmen gegen die Pandemie für beendet erklärte, konnte man in Frankreich immerhin bei der Pariser Couture Week den Eindruck gewinnen, dass alles wieder so ist wie vor zwei Jahren: Bei 15 Schauen vor Publikum zeigten die Designer wieder ihre Frühjahrskollektionen – in der vergangenen Saison waren es noch halb so viele gewesen. Da sich zuletzt jedoch einige durch „bisous“ auf Distanz infiziert hatten, mussten dieses Mal alle geimpft sein. Den neu eröffneten Raum nutzten die Designer: Laufstege wurden wieder aufwendig ausgestattet, es wurde mit Kunstschaffenden kollaboriert, Stars kehrten zurück in die ersten Reihen. » | Von Caroline O. Jebens | Freitag, 28. Januar 2022

À Pékin, Poutine et Xi Jinping accusent l’Occident de «créer l’instabilité»

Le président russe, Vladimir Poutine, et son homologue chinois, Xi Jinping, lors de leur rencontre, vendredi, à Pékin, en marge des Jeux olympiques. SPUTNIK/via REUTERS
À Moscou
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - En marge de l’ouverture des JO d’hiver, et en pleine crise autour de l’Ukraine, les deux présidents ont cosigné une déclaration.

Cela fait deux ans que, pandémie oblige, Xi Jinping n’avait pas reçu d’homologue en visite d’État à Pékin. En 2014, le président chinois s’était rendu à l’ouverture des Jeux olympiques de Sotchi. Vendredi, Vladimir Poutine lui a rendu la politesse en assistant au coup d’envoi des JO d’hiver de Pékin. Mais, en huit ans, les tensions internationales se sont considérablement renforcées, incitant les deux dirigeants - qui se sont déjà rencontrés à trente reprises - à serrer davantage les rangs face à l’adversaire commun, l’Occident, incarné en premier lieu par les États-Unis. La «séquence», comme disent les diplomates, s’inscrit dans un contexte très dégradé: la guerre menace toujours en Ukraine tandis qu’à l’Est, en Asie-Pacifique, les menaces d’une conflagration autour de Taïwan sont latentes et persistantes. Avec, vu de Moscou comme de Pékin, un fauteur de troubles commun, les États-Unis et leurs alliances, l’Otan et Aukus, acronyme désignant l’union face à la Chine des Australiens, des Britanniques et des Américains. » | Par Alain Barluet | vendredi 4 février 2022

Germany, EU Condemn Russia's Move to Ban DW | DW News

Feb 4, 2022 • Authorities have closed DW's office in Moscow and banned DW broadcasts in Russia as of today. This is being seen as retaliation for the decision of the German media regulator to ban the German-language programming of Russian state broadcaster RT.

Related.

Death in Venice : Gustav Mahler – Adagietto | From Symphony N°5

A Gay Mormon Love Story: Elder | Op-Docs | The New York Times

Jul 7, 2015 • This short documentary tells the story of a gay Mormon’s love affair while he served on a mission in Italy. Produced by: Genéa Gaudet

Judith Mehr : I Painted Some of Mormonism’s Most Iconic Art—and I Was Closeted

Oct 24, 2019 • Judith Mehr is arguably one of the most well-known artists commissioned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has painted prophets, apostles, murals, and some of the most iconic gospel art used within the LDS Church. Behind that talent and her paintbrushes lived a secret. Judith was gay—and feared coming out.

This is her story.

Judy shares her experience growing up closeted, college life at BYU (where she was tasked to spy on women in her dorm to determine if they were lesbians), finding (and hiding) a partner, coming out and finding her authentic self.

Red Wall Tories Irate as Ex-Sky Boss Takes Over at No 10 Policy Unit

THE GUARDIAN: Former banker Andrew Griffith will succeed Munira Mirza in key role shaping government thinking

Andrew Griffith in Whitehall on Friday. His Westminster townhouse was used by Boris Johnson as a base for plotting out his first 100 days in office. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Conservative MPs have privately been venting their anger at the appointment of a former Sky executive who entered parliament in 2019 as the replacement for Munira Mirza as the head of No 10’s policy unit.

MPs from northern “red wall” areas were particularly vehement about the promotion of Andrew Griffith, a former investment banker representing a safe Tory seat in West Sussex, to a key role in shaping new government ideas.

“What does he know about real life?” asked one new northern Tory MP, who had not yet submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson but suggested Griffith’s arrival would “probably mean more letters”. Even one MP who spoke highly of Griffith said moving him to replace Mirza “shouldn’t have been done quite so quickly and brutally”.

Griffith is – outwardly at least – a supporter of classic low-tax, deregulatory Conservatism whose appointment could mean a pivot away from the “culture wars” sometimes associated with Mirza. But while they acknowledge his business acumen, many of his colleagues doubt Griffith is sufficiently politically minded to do the job effectively. » | Benn Quinn and Aubrey Allegretti | Friday, February 4, 2022

What do these super-privileged, self-satisfied people know about the lives of ordinary folk? BoJo’s government is completely out of touch with the lives of ordinary people, completely out of touch with the electorate. This has been shown over and over and over again.

This is not a left-right divide, but a divide within the system itself. We are being led by people who have no idea, no understanding of the circumstances of the lives of ordinary people. Therefore, these people are not fit for purpose. They must go if this once great country is to remain a democracy.

We are in dangerous territory. These politicians are creating the conditions for revolution; and no sensible person wants anything like that to happen. – © Mark

In Wales zieht ein Ort vor allem wegen seines ungewöhnlichen Namens die Touristen an | DW Euromaxx

Feb 4, 2022 • In Wales zieht ein Ort vor allem wegen seines ungewöhnlichen Namens jede Menge Touristen an: Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. Mit 58 Buchstaben der längste zusammenhängende Ortsname in Europa.

Is Trump's House Of Cards Collapsing? …

… Or is this simply another Republican smoke screen? Richard Ojeda breaks it down.

DW's Moscow Bureau Closes after Russian Ban | DW News

Feb 4, 2022 • A decision by the Russian government to shut down Deutsche Welle's Moscow office and withdraw accreditation from the German broadcaster's journalists in Russia came into effect on Friday at 9 a.m. local time (0600 UTC).

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced a day earlier that it was canceling DW's broadcasting license in Russia, calling it a response to the ban of the Russian broadcaster RT DE in Germany.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said authorities might consider putting DW on the list of so-called foreign agents. The label, which has Soviet-era connotations, forces media outlets to publish a disclaimer on their content in Russia that they are "foreign agents."


Dies ist ein verwandter Artikel auf Deutsch zu dieser Geschichte.

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

Spain on a Fork: Spanish Garlic Artichokes | So Good You Won´t Be Able to Resist

Alcachofas al ajillo

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Ukraine Crisis: ‘Few Are Ready to Die for Vladimir Putin and the Motherland’

THE TIMES: Russians are more concerned about rising prices than the prospect of war

In Moscow few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon | ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
A short walk from the Kremlin a man in a Mickey Mouse costume hands out fliers for a children’s play centre. Near by, tourists pose for photographs next to a life-sized model of Elvis Presley at an American-themed restaurant.

Not far away, at the Ukrainian cultural centre in central Moscow’s bustling pedestrian zone, passers-by barely glance at the blue and yellow flag that is flying at the entrance to the building.

If Russia is steeling itself for a serious conflict with Ukraine, there is very little sense of it here. Despite recent warnings from the White House of an “imminent” Russian attack, few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon. Indeed, the topic is barely discussed. » | Marc Bennetts, Moscow | Friday, February 4, 2022

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