Smoking Cigarettes : The bête noire of Our Day

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The West has gone stark staring mad!
Western politicians make me so angry! They have been waging a war on smokers for years now. They have made it virtually impossible to smoke anywhere outside of one’s home, thus taking away all pleasure of socializing with others in cafés, restaurants, or in any other public space. This, by the way, has led to loneliness in society.

But more than this, they are pricing smokers out of the market. In the UK, the price of a packet of Marlboro Reds is £12.50! Moreover, I have been informed that the price of such a packet will soon increase yet again!

Of that £12.50, probably £12 of that price is tax! So taxing cigarettes so much is a good money-spinner for governments. This is shameless taxation, just as the use of speeding fines is. UK roads are peppered with speed cameras. Another great money-spinner for successive governments. But I digress.

I am fortunate inasmuch as I can do without smokes. In fact, I have gone a week without smoking even one cigarette. Being without is not a problem for me. I have decided that I am not going to fill the coffers of this dreadful government with any more tax than I absolutely must. But I must say that I do resent doing without a small pleasure because our governments are totally and utterly irresponsible re- smoking.

Why do I say this? For a number of reasons… First of all, I do not think that smoking in moderation is particularly harmful. People who have given up smoking look for other pleasures in life, pleasures like sweet foods, which lead to diabetes. I am diabetes-free, and I attribute that fact to being a moderate smoker for most of my adult life.

You see, not smoking is only better than smoking if people do not substitute one ‘bad habit’ with another. But only the few can do that. Most people, when they give up smoking, start partaking of other things to replace the pleasure of smoking.

But what really annoys me about the pathetic Western politicians we are being led by is this: They are relaxing the laws against smoking other substances whilst at the very same time taking the pleasure of smoking a simple cigarette out of the reach of many hard-working people. Such politicians deserve to be voted out of office. Pronto!

© Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved

Check this out: A ‘Wild West’ of Marijuana Shops Grows in Toronto: Permitted to operate during the pandemic, even during lockdowns, Toronto’s marijuana shops have flourished and changed the character of an iconic neighborhood. »

Ist der Mensch wirklich gut, Rutger Bregman? | Sternstunde Philosophie | SRF Kultur

Apr 18, 2022 • In Europa ist Krieg, der Klimawandel schreitet voran, Millionen von Menschen hungern. Doch für den Historiker Rutger Bregman ist klar: Obwohl der Mensch Grausamkeiten begeht und Leiden zulässt, ist er im Grunde wohlwollend und gut. Barbara Bleisch hakt nach.

Rutger Bergman hat eine frohe Botschaft für uns: In seinem millionenfach verkauften Beststeller «Im Grunde gut. Eine neue Geschichte der Menschheit» skizziert er den Menschen als von Natur aus hilfsbereit und kooperativ. Nicht «the survival of the fittest» habe zu Erfolg geführt, sondern «the survival of the friendliest». Und er ist überzeugt: Gerade der Glaube an das Gute im Menschen macht uns erst recht zu guten Menschen.

In seinem neusten Buch «Wenn das Wasser kommt» hat der eloquente Starintellektuelle hingegen schlechte Nachrichten, denn er attestiert uns Geschichtsblindheit. Wenn wir nicht aktiver gegen die Erderwärmung vorgehen, müssen die Niederländerinnen und Niederländer in hundert Jahren vermutlich in anderen Ländern um Asyl bitten, weil ganze Städte vom steigenden Meer verschluckt werden. Ist der Mensch also gut, aber träge? Wie gehen die Kriegsgräuel in der Ukraine zusammen mit seiner Überzeugung? Und kann dieser Glaube an das Gute wirklich andere mitreissen und uns Menschen verändern? Mit Rutger Bregman spricht Barbara Bleisch.

Sternstunde Philosophie vom 17.04.2022

The Guardian View on Banning ‘Conversion Therapy’: Protect Everyone

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: These cruel, stigmatising practices should be comprehensively proscribed

A Reclaim Pride march in July 2021. Photograph: Getty
“On reflection, it was something he cared passionately about.” This was the absurd explanation from a Downing Street spokesperson of the prime minister’s partial U-turn on scrapping a ban on conversion practices. The outcry at dropping the promised legislation prompted him to restore it, but it will now be limited to sexual orientation. Transgender conversion practices will not be included.

Boris Johnson’s convictions have always been largely a matter of convenience. But the abhorrence most people feel towards conversion practices is deeply rooted. And it is most; in a YouGov poll, more than 62% of voters wanted the banning of these practices targeting both sexuality and gender identity. People recognise that conversion “therapy” is no such thing: this is about shaming and suppression. Sometimes families force it upon individuals. In other cases, they may seek it out under pressure, or because they have been made to feel that there is something “wrong” with them.

At the extreme, these practices may extend to verbal and physical abuse. More often, government research finds, they mean attempting to “pray the gay away”, or talking therapies. Either way, they seek to extinguish a person’s understanding of who they are, and increase stigma. The research notes growing evidence that such practices are statistically associated with poor mental health outcomes, including suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts. » | Editorial | Sunday, April 17, 2022

Shinzo Abe : « L’heure est venue pour les Etats-Unis de faire clairement savoir qu’ils défendront Taïwan face à la Chine »

LE MONDE – TRIBUNE : L’ancien premier ministre du Japon analyse, dans une tribune au « Monde », les conséquences de l’agression de l’Ukraine par la Russie sur les rapports de force dans la région Indo-Pacifique.

Tribune. L’invasion de l’Ukraine par la Russie en conduit beaucoup à songer à la précarité de la relation entre la Chine et Taïwan. La situation de l’Ukraine et celle de Taïwan présentent trois similitudes, d’importantes différences intervenant par ailleurs.

Une première analogie réside dans l’écart considérable de puissance militaire entre Taïwan et la Chine, comme entre l’Ukraine et la Russie. Cet écart ne cesse par ailleurs de se creuser année après année. Deuxièmement, ni l’Ukraine ni Taïwan ne disposent d’alliés militaires officiels. Les deux pays doivent faire face seuls aux menaces et aux attaques.

Troisièmement, la Russie et la Chine étant membres permanents et disposant d’un droit de veto au Conseil de sécurité des Nations unies, la fonction de médiation de l’ONU ne peut ici intervenir dans les conflits qui les impliquent. On l’observe concernant l’actuelle agression de l’Ukraine par la Russie, et ce serait également le cas dans l’éventualité d’une crise autour de Taïwan. » | Shinzo Abe, ancien premier ministre du Japon | lundi 18 avril 2022

Article réservé aux abonnés

Le groupe État islamique promet de «venger» la mort de son ancien chef

Un membre des forces syriennes pro gouvernement s'est emparé d'un drapeau du groupe terroriste État islamique après avoir pénétré dans le village de Dibsiafnan dans les environs de Raqqa, en 2017 (Photo d'illustration). GEORGE OURFALIAN / AFP
LE FIGARO : Le groupe terroriste a également appelé ses partisans à reprendre leurs attaques en Europe en saisissant «l'occasion» du «combat entre croisés».

L'organisation djihadiste État islamique (EI) a promis dimanche de «venger» son précédent chef, mort en février, et appelé ses partisans à profiter de la guerre en Ukraine pour reprendre leurs attaques en Europe.

Le 3 février, le président américain Joe Biden avait annoncé la mort de l'ancien dirigeant de l'EI, Abou Ibrahim al-Hachimi al-Qourachi, qui s'était fait exploser au cours d'une opération des forces spéciales américaines dans le nord-ouest de la Syrie, région sous contrôle de djihadistes. Son décès, ainsi que celui de l'ancien porte-parole du groupe avaient été confirmés par l'EI le 10 mars. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | Publié : dimanche 17 avril 2022 ; mis à jour : lundi 18 avril 2022

Spain on a Fork: Southern-style Spanish Zucchini (Courgettes)

Calabacín a la Andaluza

Get the recipe here.

Spain on a Fork (Albert Bevia) can be supported on Patreon here.

Das Kruzifix | Geschichte schreiben | ARTE

Apr 18, 2022 • Von Historiker:innen moderiertes Geschichtsmagazin. In dieser Folge: Wann wurde das Kreuz zum Kruzifix? Im Mittelalter, lange bevor es zu einem von gläubigen Christen getragenen Talisman wurde, entwickelte sich das Kreuz zu einem neuen Sinnbild. Valérie Theis zeichnet seine Geschichte nach.

Wie wird aus Tod und Leiden Christi ein kollektives Symbol? Wie konnten die Christen ein Folterinstrument – das Kreuz – zu ihrem Zeichen der Gemeinschaft machen? Wir verharmlosen das Kruzifix heutzutage als alltäglichen Gegenstand, als Anhänger einer Halskette oder als Holzkreuz über dem Bett. Die Brutalität der Darstellung nehmen wir gar nicht mehr wahr. Dabei zeigt das Kruzifix einen Menschen, der qualvoll am Kreuz stirbt.

Wann wurde das Kreuz zum Kruzifix? Im Mittelalter, lange bevor es zu einem von gläubigen Christen und Christinnen getragenen Talisman wurde, entwickelte sich das Kreuz zu einem neuen Sinnbild, in dem die ihm innewohnende theologische Symbolik mit der zunehmend realistischen Darstellung des gekreuzigten und leidenden Heilands verschmolz.

Die Kirchenhistorikerin Valérie Theis beleuchtet die politische und visuelle Geschichte des Kruzifixes vom dritten Jahrhundert nach Christus bis zum Ende des Mittelalters.

Geschichts-Dokureihe, Regie: Jean-Dominique Ferrucci (F 2020, 17 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 23/12/2025

Democracy Now! US News & World Headlins – April 18, 2022

Bolsonaro setzt auf die Methode Trump

Digital wie analog: Brasiliens Präsident Jair Bolsonaro mobilisiert seine Anhänger mit Provokationen. | Bild: REUTERS
FAKE NEWS IN BRASILIEN
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Brasilien steht ein schmutziger Kampf ums Präsidentenamt bevor. Amtsinhaber Bolsonaro stachelt seine Anhänger mit alternativen Fakten an. Ein Gesetz soll dem Einhalt gebieten – doch Google und Facebook wehren sich mit allen Mitteln.

Eine Frau, die sich als Nachrichtensprecherin ausgibt, erzählt von den neusten Erkenntnissen zur Pandemie in Italien. Dort, sagt sie, seien lediglich wenige Prozent der Todesfälle im Zusammenhang mit dem Coronavirus tatsächlich auf die „chinesische Pest“ zurückzuführen. Dann verweist sie auf Statistiken des italienischen Gesundheitsministeriums zu den Vorerkrankungen der Todesopfer. Wende man dieselben Zahlen auf Brasilien an, seien also nicht einmal 40.000 Personen am Virus gestorben und nicht mehr als 600.000 Personen, wie das „Lumpenpack der extremen Presse“ allen weismachen wolle. Dann ist der „Nachrichtenblock“ zu Ende.

Das Video ist nur ein Beispiel für die unzähligen Falschnachrichten, die sich in Brasilien überdurchschnittlich rasch in den sozialen Netzwerken verbreiten. Wer bestimmten Kanälen folgt, erhält jeden Tag Dutzende davon. Viele Brasilianer nehmen für bare Münze, was in den sozialen Medien an sie herangetragen wird. Sie haben sich von den traditionellen Medien teilweise abgekoppelt. In unzähligen Gruppen in den sozialen Netzwerken und auf Direktnachrichtendiensten wie Whatsapp und Telegram lassen sie sich von Verschwörungstheorien, „alternativen Fakten“ und glatten Lügen berieseln. Das erklärt unter anderem, warum die radikalen Anhänger von Jair Bolsonaro überall eine Verschwörung des „Establishments“ gegen den rechten Präsidenten wittern. Etwas weniger ausgeprägt und inhaltlich anders gelagert lässt sich das Phänomen auch in anderen politischen Meinungsblasen beobachten. » | Tjerk Brühwiller, Korrespondent für Lateinamerika mit Sitz in São Paulo | Montag, 18. April 2022

Um weiterzulesen, muß man abonniert sein. Hier finden Sie die aktuellen Sonderangebote der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung.

Jahangirpuri: Shock and Anger in Delhi after Religious Violence

The violence has left Jahangirpuri residents in shock | GETTY IMAGES
BBC: After a religious procession sparked communal violence in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, BBC Hindi's Vineet Khare visited the crowded neighbourhood to find locals seething with anger and distrust.

Around nine people - including seven police personnel - were injured in the violence, which broke out on Saturday. One of the policemen was hit by a bullet.

The atmosphere in the relatively poor neighbourhood, which has a large Bengali-speaking Muslim population, was still tense a couple of days later.

Eyewitnesses say tensions flared after hundreds of people - including many members of right-wing Hindu organisations - marched to celebrate the birth anniversary of Hindu god Hanuman. Videos show participants dancing and chanting religious slogans, with many holding swords and tridents.


Both sides blame the other. The marchers say they came under an organised attack by Muslims, who threw stones and other sharp objects from rooftops. » | BBC | Monday, April 18, 2022

Unrest in Sweden over Planned Quran Burnings

Rioting continued on Sunday in Norrköping | EPA
BBC: Clashes have taken place for a fourth day in several Swedish cities, sparked by the apparent burning of a Quran by a far-right, anti-immigrant group.

Local media said three people were injured in the eastern city of Norrköping on Sunday when police fired warning shots at rioters.

Several vehicles were set on fire and at least 17 people were arrested.

On Saturday, vehicles including a bus were set on fire in the southern city of Malmo during a far-right rally.

Earlier, the governments of Iran and Iraq summoned Swedish envoys to protest about the burning.

Danish-Swedish extremist Rasmus Paludan, who leads the Stram Kurs, or Hard Line, movement said he had burned Islam's most sacred text and would repeat the action.

At least 16 police officers were reported to have been injured and several police vehicles destroyed in unrest on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in places where the far-right group planned events, including in the suburbs of Stockholm and in the cities of Linköping and Norrköping. » | BBC | Sunday, April 17, 2022

Chris Hedges : The American Empire Will Collapse within a Decade, Two at Most | 2018

Nov 21, 2018 • Here, Chris speaks with CBC Radio about his new book and predicts that the US empire will collapse within the next 20 years, probably within the next 10.

Gay Lawmaker's Confrontation of Colleague Goes Viral

Apr 16, 2022 • Missouri State Rep. Ian Mackey (D) delivered an impassioned speech while challenging a bill that would allow schools to restrict transgender athletes' participation in sports.

America is falling back into darkness. Views on gay rights and abortions, for example, are taking a turn for the worse. 9/11 did bad things for America and Americans. The country has never been able to recover its soul. The days of America being a beacon of light and enlightenment for the rest of the world are quickly coming to an end. These days, Americans bellyache about so much cr**. They also sweat the little things.

When I was growing up, America was symbolic of all things progressive. Life was great back then. Unfortunately, when the lights go out in the States, they will also go out across the globe. This is an extremely sad state of affairs. The America we loved is fading. The possible re-election of Donald Trump will only hasten America’s demise. – © Mark

The Trump Religion: Could His Return Spark Civil War? | Under Investigation

A screenshot from the accompanying video. ] 60 Minutes Australia - Under Investigation
Mar 30, 2022 • As President, Trump was the disruptor in chief in the Oval Office; he made his own rules and he left America, the world, and even his own staff shaking their heads in disbelief.
This video is age-restricted, so it is available only on YouTube. You can view the video here.
Trump: ”Grab them by the pussy… !”
If Americans re-elect this clown, they will deserve all they get! Unfortunately, the rest of the civilised world will also have to pay a high price. – © Mark

Ex-top Investor in Russia Explains What's Really Driving Putin

Apr 17, 2022 • Bill Browder, a former top investor in Russia before Putin turned on him, says that Putin's invasion of Ukraine is driven by his need to survive.

'Inclined toward Treason': More and More Russian Soldiers Reportedly Refusing to Fight in Ukraine

A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. “Inclined toward treason, lies, and deception,” the official-looking stamp reads.
RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY: “They called me one morning from the office of the division commander in Amur Oblast, where Pavlik served,” said a woman from Russia’s Tambov region who asked to be identified only by her first name, Yelena. “The man said: ‘Do you know that they are searching for your son, that he is AWOL?’ Pavlik was supposed to board a troop train, but he didn’t. And five other soldiers were with him.”

Yelena’s son, Pavel, was serving in the Far Eastern Amur region when Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Almost immediately, his unit was sent to the front, and he served almost 40 days in combat. Then his unit was sent back to Russia to regroup, Yelena told RFE/RL’s North.Realities. When his unit was preparing to return to Ukraine, Pavel refused.

“If he doesn’t want to go back, am I supposed to push him, to tell him, ‘Grab your weapon and go,’” Yelena said. “Those who haven’t been there have no right judge those who have.”

Yelena’s son is one of a significant but unknown number of Russian contract soldiers who have refused to either fight in Ukraine in the first place or who have fought and do not want to return. » | Robert Coalson | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Zu Tisch ... Köstliches Sizilien - Der fruchtbare Süden | ARTE

Apr 17, 2022 • Sizilien – die vegetationsreiche Insel zwischen dem Tyrrhenischem, Ionischen und dem Mittelmeer ist ein bisschen Afrika, etwas Arabien, ein klein wenig Byzanz und Athen. Diese Folge begibt sich auf Entdeckungsreise durch den fruchtbaren Süden, entdeckt Kaktusfeigen, Eselsmilch, köstliche selbstgemachte Bitterschokolade und Nudeln aus Johannisbrotmehl.

Die Folge "Der fruchtbare Süden" beginnt im Naturschutzgebiet Bosco Di Santo Pietro, auf der Permakultur-Farm "Caudarella" von Michele und Vittoria Russo. Die beiden bewirtschaften hier ein großes Feld mit Kaktusfeigen. Die wasserspendenden Kakteen sind bei zunehmender Hitze für das Wachstum anderer Pflanzen wie Oliven, Zitronen- und Orangenbäume sehr wichtig. Michele und Vittoria machen aus der inneren Schale der Kaktusfeige Gemüse-Chips.

Etwas weiter östlich, nahe der Stadt Ramacca, hat Mimma Arena eine große Eselfarm. Die Rasse der Ragusana-Esel war vom Aussterben bedroht, doch dank Mimmas Zucht bleibt diese sizilianische Rasse nun erhalten. Auf der Farm produziert sie eine sehr gesunde Eselsmilch. Die Reise geht weiter in Richtung Süden, durch das Kalksteingebirge Monti Iblei. Die ehemalige Kornkammer Süditaliens ist heute ein Vorreiter im Anbau alter, fast vergessener sizilianischer Getreidesorten. Die einzige Müllerin auf Sizilien, Vanessa DiStefano, betreibt zusammen mit ihrem Vater Franco in Chiaramonte Gulfi eine alte Wassermühle.

Etwa 40 Kilometer weiter südlich, in der spätbarocken Stadt Modica, lebt die Mailänderin Sara Ongaro, die mit ihrer Fair-Trade-Kooperative „Quezal“ die berühmte Bitterschokolade herstellt, für die Modica bekannt ist. Sie zeigt, wie die Frauen in Modica noch bis in die 50er Jahre die Kakaobohnen auf einem Lavastein und Feuer zum Schmelzen gebracht haben.

Etwas weiter östlich liegt die spätbarocke Stadt Noto, die zum UNESCO Weltkulturerbe gehört und nach der der fruchtbare Süden von den Arabern benannt worden ist: das Val di Noto. Ganz in der Nähe, zwischen Noto und Avola, leben Fabio und Annarella Santuccio auf einer Bio-Farm. Fabio kultiviert hier Bitterorangen, eine Sorte, die fast vergessen war. Annarella bereitet eine Pasta aus Johannisbrotmehl zu.

Dokureihe, Regie: Katja Durreger (D 2022, 32 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 08/07/2022

Phil Collins : Everyday | Official Music Video | LP Version

Views on YouTube: 18,137,255

Die große Angst vorm großen Krieg

Das Ölgemälde „Sprung auf, marsch, marsch!“ von Bernhard Winter aus dem Jahr 1914 | Bild: AKG
DROHT EIN DRITTER WELTKRIEG?
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Ukraine braucht Waffen, um zu überleben, aber manche im Westen zögern. Ziehen wir in eine Katastrophe wie die Schlafwandler von 1914? Oder wiederholen wir die Fehler der Alliierten von 1939?

Es ist jetzt viel vom Weltkrieg die Rede. Führende Politiker bis hinauf zum Präsidenten der Vereinigten Staaten erinnern an die Blutbäder des 20. Jahrhunderts, um die große Vorsicht zu erklären, mit der sie Russlands Überfall auf die Ukraine entgegentreten. Es soll nicht werden wie 1914. Damals war die Welt fahrlässig in den Ersten Weltkrieg getaumelt, die „Urkatastrophe“ der Moderne. Mobilmachung folgte auf Mobilmachung, blinde Begeisterung fegte alles fort, und am Ende waren Millionen tot.

Der Historiker Christopher Clark hat für die Politiker und Monarchen von damals das Wort von den „Schlafwandlern“ geprägt. Dieses Wort kommt jetzt wieder. Der amerikanische Admiral James Stavridis hat es unlängst warnend benutzt, ein gewesener Oberbefehlshaber der NATO. Und wenn Joe Biden über die Ukraine redet, spricht er von der Gefahr eines „dritten Weltkriegs“. Pensionierte deutsche Offiziere wie Brigadegeneral Erich Vad, bis zum Jahr 2013 immerhin ein Berater Angela Merkels, benutzen die Wendung ebenfalls und verbinden sie mit der Aufforderung, den Ukrainern nur ja keine schweren Waffen zu liefern. » | Von Konrad Schuller, Politischer Korrespondent der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung in Berlin | Sonntag, 17. April 2022

Um weiterzulesen, muß man abonniert sein. Hier finden Sie die aktuellen Sonderangebote der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung.

Cancer de la prostate : les signes qui doivent alerter

Le risque de développer un cancer de la prostate augmente proportionnellement avec l'âge. À partir de 80 ans, il est de 50%. B. BOISSONNET / BSIP
LE FIGARO : NOS CONSEILS SANTÉ - Plus cette maladie est prise en charge précocement, meilleur est son pronostic. Encore faut-il être à l'écoute des premiers symptômes.

C'est un attribut masculin situé juste en dessous de la vessie, qui ne fait généralement pas parler de lui jusqu'à l'aube de la soixantaine. Ensuite, il se rattrape. Tout le monde connaît de près ou de loin un homme qui, arrivé à l'âge de la retraite, s'est fait diagnostiquer un cancer de la prostate. Pas de surprise ici : il s'agit du premier cancer masculin en France, nettement devant les cancers du poumon et du côlon. «À 80 ans, un homme sur deux a un cancer de la prostate. Et si tous les hommes vivaient tous jusqu'à 100 ans, ils développeraient tous ou quasiment cette tumeur», souligne le Pr Alexandre de la Taille, chirurgien urologue à l'hôpital Henri-Mondor, à Créteil. » | Par Cécile Thibert | Publié : jeudi 14 avril 2022 ; mis à jour : vendredi 15 avril 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

The Observer View on Boris Johnson’s Untenable Leadership

THE OBSERVER – EDITORIAL: Tory MPs must use their power to sack the prime minister for flouting Covid laws

Boris Johnson has made a mockery of the public’s sacrifices. Photograph: Matt Dunham/PA
Last week brought confirmation that Boris Johnson broke laws intended to protect the public during a national emergency. The prime minister and the chancellor are among the group of people who have been fined by the Metropolitan police for attending illegal gatherings in Downing Street, on this occasion to celebrate his birthday. Johnson is expected to receive more fines in the coming weeks.

It should be untenable for him to remain in office. First, there is the substance of his misdemeanours. Members of the public made huge sacrifices in order to comply with Covid restrictions during the national lockdowns. People were not able to see their sick relatives, to say goodbye in person one last time or to hold normal-size funerals. Yet the prime minister and his colleagues thought it acceptable to attend numerous parties on the government estate. It makes a mockery of those sacrifices, leaving people feeling not just angry but guilty that they, too, did not break the law in order to be with the dying rather than to attend a birthday party. » | Observer editorial | Sunday, April 17, 2022

Why Brexit Britain is turning purple with shame: The government’s catalogue of embarrassments found a perfect symbol last week in a 500-tonne mountain of rotting beetroot »

Smerconish Has a Message for Conservatives Rallying behind Elon Musk

Apr 17, 2022 • Elon Musk's interest in acquiring Twitter has been heralded on the right and greeted with trepidation on the left. CNN's Michael Smerconish says Musk's past words and actions suggest he's neither a socialist nor a conservative -- but a centrist.

Russians Are Fleeing to the Country Putin Invaded before Ukraine

Apr 16, 2022 • Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, thousands of Russians have left their country, they’re not fleeing the war but their own government. Many are now in neighboring Georgia, a country Russia invaded in 2008 —so as you can imagine— they aren’t the most welcome guests.

Putin Tightens Grip on Russian Dissent behind a New Iron Curtain

Apr 16, 2022 • Since the invasion of Ukraine the Kremlin has further stifled what little freedom Russians had to criticize the government. Garry Kasparov, prominent Russian opposition figure, a chess grandmaster, former world champion and now chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative, which promotes democracy in the U.S. and abroad, joins Nick Schifrin to discuss.

Deux homosexuels fiers ; un tendre baiser gay.

Zwei stolze schwule Männer; ein zärtlicher schwuler Kuß. / Two proud gay men; one tender gay kiss.
Image: Adobe Stock

Was ein Wahlsieg Le Pens für Europa bedeuten würde

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Sollte die Rechtsnationalistin in den Élysée-Palast einziehen, hätte das auch für die Europäische Union schwerwiegende Folgen. Der Streit um die Rechtsordnung der EU würde eskalieren – und das deutsch-französische Tandem würde an die Wand gefahren.

Unter Marine Le Pen als Präsidentin wäre Frankreichs Rolle in der EU eine völlig andere als bis jetzt. | Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA
Bei der französischen Präsidentenwahl am 24. April steht viel auf dem Spiel. Denn mit Amtsinhaber Emmanuel Macron und der Rechtsnationalistin Marine Le Pen treten zwei Kandidaten mit diametral unterschiedlichen Projekten gegeneinander an.

Das gilt nicht nur für Frankreich. Auch für Europa hätte ein Wahlsieg Le Pens weitreichende Konsequenzen. Während Macron die Stärkung der EU seit Beginn seiner Amtszeit zu seiner Herzenssache erklärt hat, will Le Pen die entgegengesetzte Richtung einschlagen.

Ein Sieg der Rechtsnationalistin würde die Einheit der EU, ihre Kohäsion und ihre internationale Bedeutung eindeutig schwächen, schreibt die Europa-Expertin Georgina Wright vom französischen Think-Tank Institut Montaigne. Zwar hat Le Pen ihr europapolitisches Programm seit der Wahl vor fünf Jahren einer Überarbeitung unterzogen. Sie wirbt heute nicht mehr für Frankreichs Austritt aus der EU und dem Schengenraum. Auch das Vorhaben, die Franzosen in einem Referendum über die Rückkehr zum Franc abstimmen zu lassen, hat sie fallenlassen. Doch ihrer EU-skeptischen Linie ist Le Pen treu geblieben. «Frankreich würde aktiv versuchen, europäisches Recht zu unterminieren» » | Judith Kormann | Samstag, 16. April 2022

Happy Easter ! Frohe Ostern! Joyeuses Pâques !

¡Felices Pascuas! Buona Pasqua! Pasg Hapus! !عيد فصح سعيد
Image: Adobe Stock

‘Jesus Loves Me and My Boyfriend’: How One Gay-friendly Town Repelled Homophobic Protesters

THE GUARDIAN: Amid a national resurgence of anti-gay fervor, locals in Guerneville, California, countered the hatred and won – with pizza boxes

Suzy Kuhr, Dax Berg and Jake Hamlin, members of the Pizza Box Brigade. Photograph: Peter-Astrid Kane
Jake Hamlin lives within earshot of a group of protesters who have set up on the main street in downtown Guerneville, California, for the past several weeks. They probably park themselves outside Smart Pizza for the central location and because of the rainbow flag draped in front of the restaurant.

“We can’t get away from it. We can hear them in our living rooms!” he said, adding that they repeat the same chants. “‘This town is gonna burn! There’s more sin here than in San Francisco!’” He said the town will occasionally draw small groups of anti-gay protesters who set up tables with pamphlets, and generally behave politely. But these protesters are different. “The group is very active,” he said.

So locals like him are also taking a different approach to counter-protest, and appear to have succeeded in driving the protesters out.

As the protesters descended from out of town, always on Wednesdays, harassed passersby, and told locals not to eat at Smart Pizza or other LGBTQ+-friendly businesses, according to Hamlin and fellow townspeople Suzy Kuhr and Dax Berg, they have been met by the self-named Pizza Box Brigade. The Brigade is made up of 30 or so locals who organized via group text and greet the protesters with messages including “Hate is toxic” and “Jesus loves me and my boyfriend” painted on pizza boxes. » | Peter-Astrid Kane | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Er investiert in eine neue Generation von Trumpisten

Beeindruckt vom ehemaligen Präsidenten Trump: Peter Thiel auf einer Wahlveranstaltung des republikanischen Kandidaten 2016 | Bild: AP
MILLIARDÄR PETER THIEL
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Peter Thiel setzt darauf, dass der politische Stil des ehemaligen Präsidenten eine Zukunft hat. Der Investor ist anders als Trump. Aber nicht weniger gefährlich.

Ende 2020 sah Peter Thiel die Zeit gekommen, sein Portfolio zu erweitern. Der Investor zockte nicht mehr nur mit innovativen Technologien, sondern setzte sein Geld auf etwas anderes: eine neue Generation von Trumpisten. Thiel folgt dabei den Regeln, die er selbst aufgestellt hat. Er identifiziert Wachstumsmärkte und disruptive Geschäftsmodelle. Nur die Größenordnung veränderte sich. Es geht nicht mehr allein darum, den Markt zu beherrschen, sondern um die Macht in der Republikanischen Partei. Thiel will, was Donald Trump versagt blieb: Er möchte den politischen Kurs Amerikas nachhaltig verändern.

„Unternehmen sind in gewisser Weise wie Staaten“, schreibt Thiel in seiner Start-up-Bibel „Zero to one“, von der noch die Rede sein wird. Fehlentscheidungen seien schwer zu korrigieren, womöglich erst nach einer Krise oder Pleite. Für jeden Gründer sei es am wichtigsten, welche Partner er sich aussuche. Thiel hat dafür ein Händchen. 1999, während des Dotcom-Booms, gründete er den Onlinebezahldienst Paypal – mit Leuten, die heute im Silicon Valley als „Paypal Mafia“ bekannt sind: unter ihnen Elon Musk, der später Space X und Tesla gründete; der Kopf hinter Linked-In gehörte ebenfalls dazu, die drei Youtube-Gründer auch. » | Von Majid Sattar, Politischer Korrespondent für Nordamerika mit Sitz in Washington | Freitag, 15. April 2022

Um weiterzulesen, muß man abonniert sein. Hier finden Sie die aktuellen Sonderangebote der Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung.

Homosexualidad: Cinco príncipes homosexuales

Rwandan LGBTIQ People Warn: It’s Unsafe to Send Queer Asylum Seekers Here

OPEN DEMOCRACY: The UK intends to send asylum seekers to the east African country. Rights groups say LGBTIQ people will be particularly at risk

Gerald* and his boyfriend fled Rwanda in February this year to escape persecution from their families and church. “They beat us, starved us and refused to give us shelter,” he told openDemocracy from neighbouring Uganda.

His testimony comes after the UK government announced new proposals to resettle asylum seekers in Rwanda.

The £120m scheme, paid for by the British taxpayer, will mostly target single men arriving on boats or lorries. Prime minister Boris Johnson called the plan “humane and compassionate” and said it would put an end to the businesses of “vile people smugglers”. But rights groups say it will be particularly harmful to LGBTIQ people given Rwanda’s track record on LGBTIQ rights.

“It’s appalling for everyone. But for LGBTIQ people in particular, it’s substantially worse,” says Sonia Lenegan, legal and policy director at the NGO Rainbow Migration.

“The government must abandon this problematic agreement. There will be legal challenges to this.” » | Khatondi Soita Wepukhulu and Nandini Archer | Saturday, April 16, 2022

Finland and Sweden May Join NATO - What about Ukraine? | Ayman

Apr 16, 2022 • If part of Putin’s strategy in invading Ukraine was to scare European countries out of wanting to join NATO, that plan has backfired. But if Finland and Sweden may now get a green light on membership, Ayman and former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder discuss: Why didn't Ukraine?

Guerre en Ukraine : le premier ministre britannique interdit d’entrée en Russie

LE MONDE : Selon le ministère des affaires étrangères russe, cette mesure a été prise en réponse aux sanctions britanniques contre Moscou. L’interdiction concerne également d’autres responsables, comme le vice-premier ministre et la ministre des affaires étrangères.

Le président ukrainien, Volodymyr Zelensky, et le premier ministre britannique, Boris Johnson, dans les rues de Kiev lors d’une visite surprise du chef du gouvernement britannique, le 9 avril 2022. AP
La Russie a annoncé, samedi 16 avril, que le premier ministre britannique, Boris Johnson, ainsi que plusieurs autres hauts responsables étaient interdits d’entrée dans le pays, en réponse aux sanctions britanniques à l’encontre de Moscou, en raison de son opération militaire en Ukraine.

« Cette mesure a été prise en réponse à la campagne médiatique et politique effrénée visant à isoler internationalement la Russie et créer les conditions propices pour freiner notre pays et étrangler l’économie » nationale, a affirmé le ministère des affaires étrangères russe dans un communiqué.

Il dénonce les « actions hostiles sans précédent » de Londres, en particulier les sanctions à l’égard de hauts responsables russes. « Le gouvernement britannique cherche délibérément à aggraver la situation autour de l’Ukraine, en fournissant des armes létales au régime de Kiev et en coordonnant des efforts similaires au nom de l’OTAN », ajoute le ministère. » | Samedi 16 avril 2022

Russia bans Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Ben Wallace from entering country: Moscow announces move that will also bar 10 other UK government members and politicians »

El Armario Real: Homosexuales en las casas reales

Truth To Power: Brexit Damage: What They're Not Talking about

Apr 16, 2022 • What a week. Rwandan Red Meat for the Tory racists, a law-breaking Prime Minister defended by gutless Tory MPs who have this week lost any shred of dignity or integrity, more COVID deaths than any other country in the world at the same time as the government tell us we’re world beating on COVID, a suggestion that the irrelevant Boris Johnson is somehow leading the world on Ukraine after his grubby photo op in Kiev. Against this backdrop, and flying almost completely under the radar, is the on-going catastrophe of Brexit. So many developments to tell you about.

Michael Lambert: Johnson's Law-breaking and Rwandan 'Dead Cat'

Apr 16, 2022 • Last week Boris Johnson, his wife and the Chancellor Rishi Sunak were all fined for attending a birthday party for Johnson during the lockdown.

Later in the week, it was announced that the government intends to send asylum seekers arriving in the UK by crossing the Channel to Rwanda with no possibility of return.

Both Johnson and Sunak have told Parliament that they did not attend any parties during lockdown and yet both have been fined for doing so. It is expected that further fines will be issued in respect of Johnson. Both Johnson and Sunak have declared that they will not resign.

The plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda seems rushed, ill-thought-out and unworkable. It will also be very expensive. However, it does serve to distract from Johnson's main problems which are further fines and the May local elections.

Don McClean : American Pie

Feb 26, 2017 • Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

'I Am Heartbroken': Last Surviving Nuremberg Prosecutor on War in Ukraine | Amanpour & Company

Apr 15, 2022 • Benjamin Ferencz was just 27 when he successfully prosecuted 22 defendants for war crimes. Now he tells Amanpour it pains him to once again see atrocities in Europe.

Mel Gibson's Passion - Primetime Live Interview with Diane Sawyer - 2004

Jan 4, 2016 • Diane Sawyer interviews Mel Gibson about The Passion of the Christ in 2004. Sawyer's husband was Mike Nichols, the overrated Jewish director who made lots of crap movies. I'm sure this Jewish family link colored her coverage big time. The media is controlled by people who are obscenely pro-Jewish, and they hire accordingly. The dingbat Sawyer squints in bewilderment at Gibson explaining basic Christian teaching. Lightweight "interfaith scholars" like Dr. Amy-Jill Levine (Jewish), pro-Israel Dr. Darrell Bock, and Nostra Aetate enthusiast Dr. Phillip Cunningham lie about Christian teaching on the Jews, claiming that the curse on the Jews no longer exists. This is a lie. A Jew is cursed so long as he remains a Jew. To remove the curse necessitates sincere conversion to Christianity. The former priest John Dominic Crossan whines about the extreme brutality of the movie. And the criminal Abraham Foxman appears to spread his usual BS, as if he has any moral authority. Not one real Christian was called upon to testify to the biblical accuracy of Gibson's movie. Even with a stacked deck against him, and the inanity of Diane Sawyer, Gibson does quite well. The Passion of the Christ was not a controversial movie. "Controversial" suggests that people are divided about something roughly 50/50. Only a small percentage of people were bothered by the movie. But this small group is the de facto ruling elite and they detest authentic Christianity, for they know that it represents a counter-establishment that has the potential to unseat them.

Dimitra’s Dishes : Pistachio Galaktoboureko Rolls

Get the recipe here.

Macron Wants Cap on ‘Shocking and Excessive’ Executive Pay

THE GUARDIAN: In run-up to the presidential vote, French premier calls for EU-wide ceiling after head of carmaker Stellantis receives €19m

Emmanuel Macron says ‘society will explode’ if CEO salaries are not kept in check in France where executive pay has become a prominent election issue. Photograph: Christophe Petit-Tesson/EPA
Emmanuel Macron will push for a cap on excessive executive pay should he be re-elected president after he described as “shocking and excessive” the €19m (£15.7m) pay packet handed to the head of carmaker Stellantis.

Macron, who is campaigning in the run-up to the final vote for the French presidency on 24 April against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, told France Info radio that he was in favour of an EU-wide ceiling for top executives’ pay.

The multimillion-pound payout handed last year to chief executive Carlos Tavares, when French carmaker PSA merged with Italian-US rival Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis, one of the world’s largest carmakers, has emerged as a prominent issue in the election.

Macron and Le Pen are attempting to woo the 7.7 million people who voted in the first round for left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who has described the final run-off as “a choice between two evils”. » | Phillip Inman | Friday, April 15, 2022

How Russia’s Disinformation Spreads beyond Its Borders | Russia-Ukraine War

Apr 15, 2022 • We traveled inside Transnistria, a Moscow-backed breakaway state in Moldova, to find out how Russia’s disinformation campaign stretches beyond its borders.

The Passion of the Christ (2004): Crucifixion Scene

Dec 12, 2019 • Depicts the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, on the day of his crucifixion in Jerusalem.

Easter: Simnel Cake | Waitrose

Apr 2, 2014 • Silvana Franco shows you how to make this traditional Easter cake.

Get the recipe here.

WIKIPEDIA: Simnel cake.

Undocumented Lotto Winner Struggles to Claim Prize

BBC: An Algerian man who won €250,000 (£206,000; $270,000) on a €5 scratchcard in Belgium is struggling to claim his winnings because of his undocumented status.

The prize is too large to be paid in cash and the man does not have the papers he needs to open a bank account.

A friend who tried to claim the money for him was briefly detained on suspicion of theft. The winner says he wants to use the money to build a life in Belgium.

"When I get the money, I am going to buy a place to live in Brussels. And maybe a car," the man, whose identity has not been revealed, told Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

However, first he has to find a way to claim the money.

The 28-year-old man has no valid identity papers nor a permanent place to live, according to Belgian broadcaster VRT.

Because he cannot open a bank account, the lottery company will not make the payment, the man's lawyer, Alexander Verstraete, said. » | Friday, April 15, 2022

'I'm Shocked by My Church Leaders in Moscow' - Priest in Ukraine

Father Nicolay Pluzhnik
BBC: The Russian Orthodox Church has echoed the rhetoric of the Kremlin in justifying the war in Ukraine. It is a stance that appears to be driving large numbers of Ukrainian priests and parishioners to turn their backs on Moscow.

"I will never forget the moment when I woke up early to go to mass, only to suddenly hear the shocking sounds of bombing," says Father Nicolay Pluzhnik.

"The wonderful woman who cooked at our church and her son, who was in a wheelchair, were both killed when an artillery shell hit their apartment. I now know of several other of our parishioners who have died."

Like most clergy in the region of north-eastern Ukraine where he is from, Father Pluzhnik belonged to the branch of the Russian Orthodox Church which takes its direction from its religious leadership in Moscow.

But now, he says, has applied to join the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - which was finally granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in 2019, in a move never recognised by Russia.

He says many fellow priests who followed Patriarch Kirill in Moscow are doing the same because of the Church leader's stance on the war. » | Aleem Maqbool, religion editor, Chernivtsi, western Ukraine | Friday, April 15, 2022

North Korea’s ‘Only Openly Gay Defector’ Finds Love

OH HWAN
BBC: Jang Yeong-jin's remarkable story as North Korea's only openly gay defector was covered by the international media after he published his autobiography. Now, almost a quarter of a century after fleeing the country, he tells the BBC that he plans to marry his American boyfriend.

Jang Yeong-jin had never found women attractive. But it wasn't until his wedding night, aged 27, that this made his life difficult.

Jang felt intensely uncomfortable. "I couldn't lay a finger on my wife," he recalls. Although the couple did eventually consummate their marriage, sex was rare. Four years later - his wife still not pregnant - one of Jang's brothers began to quiz him. Jang admitted he had never been aroused by the opposite sex, and his brother promptly sent him to a doctor.

"I went to so many hospitals in North Korea because we thought that I had some sort of physical problem."

It never occurred to Jang, or his family, that there could be another reason for his lack of interest.

Medical tests

"There is no concept of homosexuality in North Korea," he says. If someone is seen running to greet another same sex friend, it's assumed that's just because they have such a close friendship. In fact adults of the same sex often hold hands in the street, he says. "North Korea is a totalitarian society - we have lots of communal life so it's normal for us."

Jang now thinks his experience of being misunderstood was by no means unique. » | Julie Yoonnyung Lee, BBC Korean | Sunday, March 21, 2022

LGBT Rights in North Korea »

«Jour du Soleil» en Corée du Nord, qui fête le 110e anniversaire de Kim Il Sung, fondateur du pays

Apr 15, 2022 • La Corée du Nord fête le 110e anniversaire de Kim Il Sung, fondateur du pays, avec un spectacle de danse et des feux d'artifices. Le 15 avril, «Jour du soleil», constitue l'un des événements politiques les plus important de Pyongyang.

La Corée du Nord commémore le 110e anniversaire de son «père fondateur» : La Corée du Nord a célébré vendredi 15 avril l'anniversaire de Kim Il Sung, fondateur du pays, ont rapporté les médias d'État, sans dissiper le mystère autour d'une éventuelle parade militaire pendant laquelle le pays dévoilerait de nouvelles armes. »

Democracy Now! US News & World News – April 15, 2022

'We Are the Most Homophobic Country in the EU': Poland’s Election and the LGBT Fightback | 2020

A short note to Andrzej Duda: Being gay is not an "ideology"! Calling the LGBT movement an ideology is about as absurd as it gets! The movement came about because gay people were downtrodden over the centuries, and denied their rights as himan beings. If people had behaved in a fair and decent manner toward them, there would have been no need for an LGBT movement in the first place!

All people, whether straight or gay, deserve to be treated with decency and respect, indeed, treated in a humane way. People shouldn't be demonised for being true to themselves.

In recent weeks, since the start of Russia's war on the Ukraine, Poles have shown the world how extraordinarily kind and generous they can be. Poles have truly stepped up to the plate and treated Ukrainian refugees exceptionally well. Kudos! Would that Poles would also show the same kindness and consideration to gay people, many of whom struggle to come to terms with their sexual orientation.

Come on, Mr Duda! It's the Christian way. Gays do not choose to be so; rather, they are God's creation. God simply made them that way! If being gay is wrong, then God Himself has erred. But the mere idea of God erring goes against Christian doctrine that God is perfect and inerrant.

Therefore, on this Good Friday, Mr Duda, I implore you and your colleagues to re-assess your treatment of gay people in your country. It's the only thing that makes sense; and it is also the Christian way. – © Mark

LGBT in Poland: I Still Can't Be Myself - BBC News

Nov 24, 2021 • Large parts of Poland were labelled "LGBT-free zones", where regional governments, as well as smaller councils, declared they were against LGBT ideology or ideologies that “undermine” the family.

Now, provinces have started to backtrack after the EU said it would freeze funds.

But has anything really changed for LGBT people in those areas?

Poland Election: The Fight for LGBT Rights - BBC News | 2020

Jul 9, 2020 • Polish President Andrzej Duda, who is seeking re-election on Sunday, is accused of running on an anti-LGBT platform and says he plans to ban same-sex couples from adopting.

Before the coronavirus lockdown, Ben Hunte, the BBC’s LGBT correspondent, went to Poland to visit its so-called ‘LGBT-free’ zones, and discovered what life is like for gay people living there.

Filmed by: Sean Allsop, Patrick Clahane
Edited by: Tobias Chapple

UK Plan to Send Refugees to Rwanda Is “Cruel” and “Immoral” Say Critics - BBC News

The Guardian view on Britain’s Rwanda deal: a cruel, cynical pretence: Sending asylum seekers on a one-way journey does nothing to address the global refugee crisis »

Khatia Buniatishvili: Tchaikovsky - Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23 | Klaus Makela & Orchestre de Paris

March 2022. Live at Philharmonie de Paris.

Hunger in Brazil I ARTE.tv Documentary

Apr 14, 2022 • Almost 60% of the Brazilian population is now food insecure and around 20 million Brazilians suffer from hunger... This is Twice as many as in 2018. A situation further aggravated by the COVID-19 epidemic that has caused more than 600 000 deaths and ruined the economy.

Hunger in Brazil I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 08/02/2025

No Safe Haven for Russian SuperYachts in Dubai | SY News

Apr 12, 2022 • Shipping agents in Dubai imposing restrictions in Dubai on Russian yachts. Contractors not allowed to work with them and agents can’t do any cash deals or money transactions with them. Not sure if that’s all Russian or just sanctioned elsewhere ones.

Michael Bolton : Drift Away

Provided to YouTube by Columbia | Views on YouTube: 3,124,106

A Splendiferous “First Kiss” in Tel Aviv

I don’t believe that first kisses come much better than this!

Because this ‘kissathon’ has been age-restricted by YouTube, it is available for viewing only on YouTube itself; so, click here for your treat!

“First Kiss” is an 84-minute long kissing 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 by Runn Shayo
More of Idan's work: www.idanbitton.com
www.facebook.com/idanbittonstudio

Elegant Wedding Guests; Stylish Gay Couple

Ricky Martin y Jwan Yosef- ElleSpain [Todos los invitados a la boda de Eugenia de York y Jack Brooksbank]
With many thanks to Si quiero market on Pinterest for this delightful photo.
Ricky Martin shares heartfelt tribute to husband in rare post »

This Is the Best Place for Gay Men to Get Married | Gay Documentary' | Gay Men in the Promised Land'

Oct 14, 2019 • Michael Lucas shows you the most romantic moment in Tel Aviv...

Russia Warns of Nuclear Weapons in Baltic if Sweden and Finland Join Nato

THE GUARDIAN: ‘No more talk of any nuclear-free status for the Baltic,’ senior member of security council says

‘The balance must be restored’ in the Baltic, says Dmitry Medvedev (right), pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2020. Photograph: Yuri Kochetkov/EPA
Moscow has said it will be forced to strengthen its defences in the Baltic if Finland and Sweden join Nato, including by deploying nuclear weapons, as the war against Ukraine entered its seventh week and the country braced for a major attack in the east.

The Russian former president Dmitry Medvedev, a senior member of Russia’s security council, said on Thursday that all its forces in the region would be bolstered if the two Nordic countries joined the US-led alliance.

Finland and Sweden are deliberating over whether to abandon decades of military non-alignment and join Nato, with the two Nordic countries’ leaders saying Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine had changed Europe’s “whole security landscape”.

Their accession to the alliance would more than double Russia’s land border with Nato members, Medvedev said. “Naturally, we will have to reinforce these borders” by bolstering ground, air and naval defences in the region, he said. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Thursday, April 14, 2022

Inside Israel's Closed Off Ultra-Orthodox Communities | Foreign Correspondent

Apr 14, 2022 • In the modern State of Israel, the ultra-Orthodox – or Haredi – communities live a world apart.

Rejecting the secular, they live according to ancient religious principles. Many Haredi men spend their days in religious schools studying the Jewish bible.

“People here focus on the essentials: on the Torah. Material things are irrelevant here,” says Yossef, a member of a Haredi community on the edge of Tel Aviv.

“On Shabbat, cars stand still, everyone observes Shabbat. The women show restraint outdoors.”

Yossef’s wife, Esther, supports her husband.

“Man was created to study day and night. As a woman, I support that and benefit from it as well.”

The Israeli government subsidises this lifestyle, exempting community members from compulsory military service.

It has lead to resentment among secular Jews, tensions which have deepened during COVID.

“This is a state within a state,” says one Israeli MP. “Many Haredi movements want to integrate into Israeli society…the only problem is that some Haredi leaders strongly hinder this integration.”

Presented by Eric Campbell, this Arte documentary explores how pressures from outside are forcing many Haredim to integrate more with the modern world.

Moshe is one who’s pushing the boundaries. He’s set up a tech company which adheres to religious rules, including providing separate workspaces for men and women.

“In the business world, the sexes share a space and many Haredim don't deal well with that. So, we founded this place, so the Haredim feel comfortable in the high-tech world.”

Chira dreams of becoming a professional singer, but as a Haredi woman she’s not allowed to perform for men. She’s decided she wants to be a performer, but only for other women.

“I will never be able to sing on a stage where everyone can see me. But a new female audience is emerging. They organise parties, celebrations for young girls, festivals for women.”

Moshe feels his community’s traditions can help drive innovation.

“Some think if you preserve tradition, you stay stuck in the past, but the future is innovation… The talent for innovation comes precisely from reflection…This legacy enables us to look forward and invent new things.”

This is a fascinating and rare insight into a normally-closed world on the cusp of change.

About Foreign Correspondent:
Foreign Correspondent is the prime-time international public affairs program on Australia's national broadcaster, ABC-TV. We produce half-hour duration in-depth reports for broadcast across the ABC's television channels and digital platforms. Since 1992, our teams have journeyed to more than 170 countries to report on war, natural calamity and social and political upheaval – through the eyes of the people at the heart of it all.

'Is This All a Troll?': Elon Musk Offers to Buy Twitter

Apr 14, 2022 • Elon Musk has made an offer to buy Twitter (TWTR) and take it private, saying he believes it needs to be "transformed."

According to an SEC filing, Musk has offered to acquire all the shares in Twitter he does not own for $54.20 per share, valuing the company at $43.4 billion. That represents a 38% premium over the closing price on April 1, the last trading day before Musk disclosed that he had become Twitter's biggest shareholder, and an 18% premium over its closing price April 13, 2022.


Related.

A New Crusade: Poland's Embrace of Catholicism and Anti-LGBT Ideology | Foreign Correspondent

Apr 28, 2020 • When Poland’s Archbishop of Krakow talks about fighting a plague, he’s not talking about the new coronavirus. He’s talking about gay rights.

“A certain ideology is a threat to our hearts and minds…so we need to defend ourselves just like against any other plague”, says Archbishop Jedraszewski.

In the 1980s Poland played a central part in liberating the world from communism. Now there’s a push to wind back many of those hard-won freedoms.

The Catholic church and the Polish government are forming a holy alliance, joining forces to denounce Western-style liberalism as the new enemy.

“From the very beginning the history of the Polish state and Polish nation were connected with the history of Christianity”, says Archbishop Jedraszewski. “Christianity, nation and state were so tightly connected, they were almost inseparable.”

In today’s Poland, the church is supporting government moves to discriminate against gay people, wind back sex education and outlaw abortion.

But feminists, gays and liberals are fighting back.

Foreign Correspondent’s Eric Campbell reports on a deeply divided nation in the throes of a culture war.

He meets the Archbishop of Krakow who likens gay activists to the much-reviled Soviets who occupied Poland after the Second World War.

“This time it is not a red but a rainbow plague”, says Archbishop Jedraszewski. Regional governments across Poland have declared about a third of the country ‘an LGBT free zone’.

Eric interviews critics of the current government, including Lech Walesa, the father of Polish democracy, who warns “our Constitution is being broken, the separation of powers has been violated and we have to do something about it.”

He meets a gay mayor in a small town who says the rhetoric from church and state is leading to an “increase in hatred spreading against homosexual people.” And he films at a far-right rally in Warsaw where Catholic extremists are co-opting the church in their bid to push their nationalist agenda and vision of Poland as a new theocracy.

While many Poles believe a religious revival will lead their country to the light, others fear it is opening the gates to something darker.

Inside Poland's 'LGBT-Free' Zones | Insider Docs

Oct 21, 2021 • Warning: Some viewers may find scenes and comments expressed in this video upsetting. So-called 'LGBT-free' zones have made Poland the laughing stock of Europe. But it's no joke for LGBTQ+ people who face physical attack and verbal abuse - even from their own president. Activists are now leading a fightback that is showing signs of success.

Queen Expected to Miss Easter Sunday Service

THE GUARDIAN: News follows announcement last week that monarch, 95, would not attend Thursday’s Maundy church service

The Queen is understood to be in good health but has some mobility problems. Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images
The Queen will not attend the Easter Sunday service in Windsor after pulling out of several events in recent months because of mobility problems.

Buckingham Palace said the Queen, who has experienced health problems recently, was not expected to attend the event on Sunday, although it is not known why.

Last week Buckingham Palace announced that the monarch, 95, would also not be attending the Maundy Thursday service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. For the first time she will be represented by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at what is considered an important fixture in the royal calendar. » | Rachel Hall | Thursday, April 14, 2022

Lewis Lapham: Can America Survive the Rule of a “Stupified Plutocracy”?

Oct 24, 2018 • When author and journalist Lewis Lapham, founder of Lapham’s Quarterly and former editor of Harper’s, turned his shrewd gaze on the go-go ‘80s in “Money and Class in America,” he never imagined the era’s avatar of greed would one day become President Donald Trump.

Three decades later, Lapham shares his views on the decades-long deterioration of democracy in an interview with INET’s Lynn Parramore. An expanded and revised edition of his book is now available with a new foreward by Thomas Frank from OR Books.

Elon Musk Offers to Buy Twitter for $54.20 a Share.

Elon Musk said his offer to buy Twitter for $54.20 a share represented a 54 percent premium over the share price on the day before he began investing in the company in late January. | Pool photo by Patrick Pleul
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter for $54.20 a share, just weeks after he became the social media company’s largest shareholder.

Mr. Musk said this was a “best and final offer,” representing a 54 percent premium over the day before he began investing in the company in late January, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. It would value the company at about $43 billion.

If the offer is not accepted, Mr. Musk said he would “need to reconsider my position as a shareholder,” according to a letter sent to Bret Taylor, Twitter’s chair, on April 13 and enclosed in the filing. “Twitter has extraordinary potential. I will unlock it.”

Twitter shares were 11 percent higher in premarket trading. On Wednesday, the closing price was $45.85. » | Eshe Nelson | Thursday, April 14, 2022

New Discoveries about Trump's Tenure | The Mehdi Hasan Show

Apr 13, 2022 • Because of all that happened, there's probably a lot you've forgotten about Donald Trump and his bumbling brand of authoritarianism. How does one remember it all, much less make sense of it?

Welcome to the world of presidential historian Julian Zelizer, who's authored or edited 22 books, including one all about the Trump presidency. He joins Mehdi to discuss his recent work — and the discoveries that he and his colleagues unearthed while writing it.

War in Ukraine: The Economist Interviews Tony Blair | The Economist

Apr 12, 2022 • Tony Blair, former British Prime Minister, talks to Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, about the war in Ukraine. He gives his opinions on how to deal with Vladimir Putin, the retreat of Western foreign policy and the future of geopolitics.

Inside Zelensky's War Room: "The Most Extraordinary Interview I've Ever Done" | Amanpour & Co

Apr 13, 2022 • In Estonia today, the Ukrainian President delivered his 26th address to a foreign government since the war began. Zanny Minton Beddoes, editor-in-chief of The Economist, recently met with Zelensky to discuss the world's response to Putin's war. Now back from Kyiv, she speaks with Walter Isaacson. Originally aired on April 13, 2022