Wednesday, May 04, 2022

‘Embarrassed to Be British’: Brexit Study Reveals Impact on UK Citizens in EU

THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Survey of Britons on continent shows ‘deep transformations’, shame and disappointment

The first major study since Brexit of UK citizens living in the EU has revealed its profound impact on their lives, with many expressing serious concerns over their loss of free movement and voting rights – and a very different perception of Britain.

The survey, of 1,328 British nationals across the continent, showed that if “the public narrative suggests Brexit is done and dusted, it has brought deep transformations to the lives of British citizens in the EU and EEA”, the study’s co-lead, said.

“The long tail of Brexit is evident in its continuing impacts both on the way they live their lives, and in its lasting significance for their sense of identity and belonging,” said Benson, a sociology professor at Lancaster University.

The survey, conducted between December 2021 and January 2022, a year after the end of the Brexit transition period, and part of a wider project by Lancaster and Birmingham universities, found 59% of respondents had lived in their country of residence for at least five years and most intended to stay.

But many were angered by their loss of free movement, meaning they can no longer move within the EU for work, or retire to another EU country, and especially worried about being unable to return to the UK with non-British family members in future. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Hungary Opposes EU's Russian Oil Ban Plan 'In This Form' • France 24 English

May 4, 2022 • Hungary warned on Wednesday that it cannot support the proposed EU ban on Russian oil in its current form as it would "completely destroy" its energy supply security. FRANCE 24's Florence La Bruyère reports from Budapest, Hungary.

Democracy Now! US News & World Headlines – May 4, 2022

The Supreme Court Doesn't Give a Damn What the Public Wants | How Gullible Is Susan Collins?

May 4, 2022 • "Well, s***." Stephen reacts to the leaked Supreme Court opinion that appears to strike down Roe v. Wade, destroying a half century of protections for reproductive rights, and takes Maine Senator Susan Collins to task over her role in confirming Justices Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and Barrett to the court.

Joy Reid: McConnell’s Stolen SCOTUS Poised to Rip Away 50 Years of Rights

May 4, 2022 • The Supreme Court opinion draft showing the court’s intent to overturn Roe v. Wade has sparked calls for immediate action from the Democrats. Joy Reid and her panel discuss.

Comment la Cour suprême des Etats-Unis a basculé dans le conservatisme pendant la présidence de Donald Trump

LE MONDE : En quatre ans, il a nommé un tiers des neuf juges de la plus haute juridiction des Etats-Unis, qui pourrait désormais supprimer le droit à l’avortement.

C’était le 18 septembre 2020. La mort de l’icône de la gauche américaine, la juge progressiste Ruth Bader Ginsburg, ouvrait la voie au dernier coup politique du président Donald Trump à la Cour suprême des Etats-Unis. En un temps record, le président républicain nommait au sein de la plus haute juridiction du pays la juge Amy Coney Barrett, soutenue par la droite religieuse. Un passage en force avant l’élection présidentielle qui lui avait permis de confirmer la majorité conservatrice à la Cour suprême, passée à six juges conservateurs contre trois progressistes.

En quatre ans, Donald Trump a nommé un tiers des neuf juges de cette juridiction, qui joue un rôle essentiel dans la vie des citoyens américains. Un rapport de force permettant, aujourd’hui, à la Cour de mener son projet de suppression du droit à l’avortement, qui renvoie à chaque Etat la possibilité d’adopter sa loi. » | Par Cécile Bouanchaud | mercredi 4 mai 2022

Through the Trumpian Looking Glass, Forcing Women to Die from Illegal Abortions Is ‘Pro-life’

THE GUARDIAN: The US supreme court leak shows that the levers of power are pulled by those with no skin in the game, at the expense of those with an entire uterus in it

An American girl born this week will have fewer rights than an American girl born in 1973. This is the likely import of the leaked US supreme court draft opinion on abortion rights – and cause for a huge thank-you-very-much to all those guys who suggested that women marching on Washington in January 2017 were “overreacting” to the election of Donald Trump. Please make sure to tell women again when they are being overemotional – even as they sit and watch one of Trump’s justice picks scream and sob his way through his own confirmation hearings. In the meantime, resign yourself to yet another “quirk” of the looking-glass world Trump has created. Of course – OF COURSE – women’s access to abortion would end up being restricted or removed by the deliberate decisions of a man widely imagined to have personally helped to keep the Manhattan abortion sector afloat for decades. » | Marina Hyde | Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Ursula von der Leyen Says Putin Must Pay ‘High Price’ as She Proposes Oil Ban

THE GUARDIAN: European Commission chief says Russian supply of crude would be prohibited in EU within six months

Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the demands from countries such as Slovakia and Hungary for additional flexibility. Photograph: Patrick Hertzog/AFP/Getty Images

Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a total ban on Russian oil imports to the EU, , saying Vladimir Putin had to pay a “high price for his brutal aggression” in Ukraine.

Member states in Brussels are scrutinising a proposed sixth package of sanctions, but in a speech on Wednesday the European Commission president said Russian oil flows had to stop.

Von der Leyen said Russian supply of crude oil would be prohibited within six months and refined products would be banned by the end of the year, while she acknowledged the demands from countries such as Slovakia and Hungary for additional flexibility.

“Let us be clear: it will not be easy,” Von der Leyen said in a speech to the European parliament. “Some member states are strongly dependent on Russian oil. But we simply have to work on it. We now propose a ban on Russian oil. This will be a complete import ban on all Russian oil, seaborne and pipeline, crude and refined. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Wednesday, May 4, 2022

Tuesday, May 03, 2022

WHO: Mehrheit der Erwachsenen in Europa hat Übergewicht

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Nach Angaben der Weltgesundheitsorganisation sind in den europäischen Ländern 63 Prozent der Männer und 54 Prozent der Frauen übergewichtig. Unter Jugendlichen und Kindern nimmt die Fettleibigkeit zu.

(dpa) Mehr als die Hälfte der Erwachsenen in Europa ist nach Angaben der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) zu dick. 59 Prozent der Erwachsenen in der europäischen WHO-Region lebten mit Übergewicht oder Fettleibigkeit. Der Anteil bei den Männern sei höher (63 Prozent) als bei den Frauen (54 Prozent), teilte die WHO Europa in ihrem am Dienstag vorgestellten «Europäischen Fettleibigkeitsbericht 2022» mit. » | dpa | Dienstag, 3. Mai 2022

heute 19:00 Uhr vom 03.05.2022

May 3, 2022 • Nachdem mehr als 100 Zivilisten das wochenlang belagerte Stahlwerk in Mariupol verlassen konnten, greifen nun russische Truppen die dort verschanzten ukrainischen Kämpfer an. Diese und weitere Nachrichten des Tages in den ZDFheute Nachrichten um 19 Uhr.

‘Extra Level of Power’: Billionaires Who Have Bought Up the Media

THE GUARDIAN: Elon Musk joins a list of men to use their wealth in the hope of extending their political influence

Elon Musk arrives for the Met Gala in New York on 2 May. Photograph: Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Elon Musk’s $44bn takeover of Twitter is a “chilling development” in billionaires’ desire to increase their political influence by buying up many of the world’s largest and most influential media brands, a leading British analyst has warned.

Claire Enders, founder of Enders Analysis, said the super-rich have long sought to buy newspapers to help push their agendas and it was now possible to “count on one hand the big media brands that aren’t owned by an oligarch or other billionaire”.

“It’s another sign that the super-wealthy wish to control assets that give them an extra level of power,” she said. “Whatever they may say, that’s the reason why they buy them.

“It is now unusual for major news media not to be owned by a billionaire, and that is why the Guardian [owned by the independent Scott Trust], the Financial Times [owned by the employee-owned Japanese media group Nikkei] and the BBC are consistently shown to be the most trusted news brands.”

The billionaires who now control vast swathes of the media landscape include: » | Rupert Neate, Wealth correspondent | Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Vintage Photos of Sailors Sharing Love

Foreigner : I Don't Want to Live Without You | Official Music Video

Jan 26, 2020 • You're watching the official music video for Foreigner - "I Don't Want to Live Without You" from the album 'Inside Information' (1987) | Views on YouTube: 5,233,389

A Passionate Kiss

Un baiser passionné / Ein leidenschaftlicher Kuß

With many thanks to animateglee.tumblr.com on Pinterest for this ggreat photo.

CALLEkocht: Grüne Spargelcremesuppe mit Bärlauch. Spargel mal anders!

May 3, 2022 • Spargelsuppe von grünem Spargel und Bärlauch. Die ist so lecker und so einfach zu kochen, du wirst überrascht sein.

Die Nordseekrabben müssen, natürlich, nicht in die Suppe. Die schmeckt auch ohne sehr gut. Einfach einmal selber machen und diesen unglaublichen Geschmack erleben.

Wir wünsch viel Spaß beim Nachkochen. Mein schnelles Rezept in der Spargel- und Bärlauchsaison.

Zutaten:

1 Bund grüner Spargel
1 Bund Bärlauch
1/2 l Sahne
40 g Butter
40 g Mehl
Salz und Zucker
1 Zwiebel


Russia's Looming Victory Day: What Success Can Putin Claim in Ukraine?

May 2, 2022 • Thousands of civilians have been killed and millions of others have been displaced since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, on 24th February. Having failed to capture Kyiv in the early weeks of the war. Moscow has been focusing military efforts on crushing resistance in Ukraine's south and east. Towns in the east are currently facing intense Russian bombardment.

CNN Reporter Explains What Putin's War Declaration Would Mean

May 3, 2022 • May 9th, known as "Victory Day" in Russia as it commemorates the country's defeat of the Nazis in 1945, could bring a declaration of war on Ukraine from Russian President Putin, according to US and Western officials. CNN's White House reporter Natasha Bertrand breaks down what this could mean for the future of Russia's assault on Ukraine.

Nato-Beitritts-Gesuch der Nordländer: Im kalten Krieg mit Russland sinkt die Temperatur bald weiter

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Kommt nach der Osterweiterung die Norderweiterung? Finnland und Schweden werden wohl in Kürze Mitgliedsanträge an die Nato verschicken. Für die westliche Allianz ist es ein Gewinn an Sicherheit. Doch es gibt auch Risiken.

Auch Soldaten aus Schweden beteiligten sich diesen März an der Nato-Winterübung Cold Response. | Anders Wiklund /TT / Imago

Den Kampf um die besten Memes hat Finnland schon gewonnen. Als Russland vor einigen Wochen damit drohte, dass ein Nato-Beitritt des Nachbarlandes «schwerwiegende militärische Konsequenzen» hätte, tauchten im Internet satirische Bilder von unsichtbaren finnischen Scharfschützen auf. Inmitten völlig verschneiter Landschaften wurde der Betrachter aufgefordert, die tödlichen Sniper ausfindig zu machen. » | Daniel Steinvorth, Brüssel | Dienstag, 3. Mai 2022

Rüssische Mütter in Sorge: Das würde eine Generalmobilmachung bedeuten | WELT Hintergrund

May 3, 2022 • Immer wieder gibt es Gerüchte, dass Präsident Wladimir Putin am 9. Mai den Kriegszustand mit der Ukraine ausrufen und eine Generalmobilmachung Russlands befehlen könnte. Dies hätte gravierende Folgen, wie unserer Moskau-Korrespondent Christoph Wanner berichtet.

Democracy Now! US News & World Headlines – May 3, 2022

Press Freedom: Why You Should Be Worried | The Economist

May 3, 2022 • Global press freedom is facing its greatest challenge in decades—not just in authoritarian countries, but in democracies too. Governments are using more subtle tactics to muzzle the media. What’s going on and why is it so worrying?

US Warns of Russian Annexation Plans in East Ukraine | Ukraine Latest | DW News

Franziskus will Putin in Moskau treffen

Franziskus Ende April mit polnischen Pilgern in Rom | Bild: DPA

UKRAINEKRIEG

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Um sich für ein Ende der Eskalation einzusetzen, will der Papst den russischen Präsidenten treffen – und erst danach in die Ukraine reisen. Bisher habe der Kreml aber noch kein „Zeitfenster geöffnet“.

Papst Franziskus ist zu einem Treffen mit dem russischen Präsidenten Wladimir Putin in Moskau bereit, um sich für ein Ende des Krieges in der Ukraine einzusetzen. Ein entsprechendes Angebot habe der Heilige Stuhl Moskau schon vor Wochen unterbreitet, aber bisher noch keine Antwort erhalten, sagte der Papst in einem am Dienstag veröffentlichten Gespräch mit der Mailänder Zeitung „Corriere della Sera“. Unmittelbar nach dem Beginn der russischen Invasion in der Ukraine vom 24. Februar habe er mit dem ukrainischen Präsidenten Wolodymyr Selenskyj telefoniert. Mit Putin habe es seither kein persönliches Gespräch gegeben, sagte der Papst. » | Von Matthias Rüb. Politischer Korrespondent für Italien, den Vatikan, Albanien und Malta mit Sitz in Rom. | Dienstag, 3. Mai 2022

Le pape François voudrait se rendre à Moscou pour demander à Poutine d'arrêter la guerre en Ukraine : Le souverain pontife demeure fidèle à sa position depuis le début du conflit, consistant à dénoncer inlassablement la violence sans jamais désigner l'agresseur. »

As the US Supreme Court Moves to End Abortion, Is America Still a Free Country?

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: There is no condition more essential to democratic citizenship than a person’s control over her own body. We can’t call ourselves a free country without it

‘This will make women prisoners to their own bodies, and to men’s ideas of what those bodies must mean. It will make our country weaker, crueler, stupider and less vibrant.’ Photograph: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

It’s the worst possible outcome: according to a draft majority opinion published by Politico, the US supreme court has voted to overturn Roe v Wade, along with its sister decision Planned Parenthood v Casey. This momentous ruling will result in abortion becoming immediately illegal in an estimated 26 states when it is officially issued, likely sometime next month.

The draft opinion, authored by Samuel Alito, the most rabidly hateful member of the court’s archconservative wing, will upend 50 years of precedent and undo a landmark ruling that has profoundly shaped legal doctrine, popular conceptions of the law, and millions of American lives. It will make women prisoners to their own bodies, and to men’s ideas of what those bodies must mean. It will make our country weaker, crueler, stupider and less vibrant. » | Moira Donegan | Tuesday, May 3, 2022

Etats-Unis : un projet de décision de la Cour suprême qui supprimerait le droit à l’avortement a fuité : Le site « Politico » révèle que ce projet, encore en discussion, écraserait la décision dite Roe v. Wade (1973), qui avait accordé le droit à l’avortement en 1973, et renverrait à chaque Etat la possibilité d’adopter sa loi. »

La Cour Suprême américaine tentée de revenir sur le droit à l'avortement : Selon le journal Politico, qui s'appuie sur une fuite inédite de documents, la plus haute institution judiciaire des États-Unis s'apprêterait à annuler l'arrêt historique de 1973 qui garantit ce droit. »




What it’s like to live in a country with a near total ban on abortion: As the US teeters on the brink of outlawing abortion, an expert from Poland explains the practical and emotional consequences of such a ban »

Monday, May 02, 2022

Selenski steht auf dem Höhepunkt seiner Macht – aber die Präsidentschaft des einstigen Komikers hat auch ihre dunklen Flecken

Paolo Pellegrin / Magnum

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Im Ausland gilt Präsident Wolodimir Selenski als Symbol des ukrainischen Widerstands. Doch im eigenen Land war er vor dem Krieg nicht sonderlich populär. Das hat Gründe, die im jetzigen Rummel um seine Person meist vergessengehen.

Als der damals 41-jährige Wolodimir Selenski im April 2019 das Präsidentenamt in der Ukraine errang, nahm die westliche Öffentlichkeit nur vorübergehend Notiz. Die Tatsache, dass ein Komiker die Wahl gewann, sorgte für Stirnrunzeln und Belustigung, aber das Land verschwand bald aus den Schlagzeilen. In westlichen Hauptstädten hätte man lieber mit dem bisherigen Präsidenten Petro Poroschenko weitergearbeitet. Dieser galt als verlässliche Grösse. So gern der Westen über Demokratieförderung in Reformländern spricht – wenn der Volkswille dann einen unerfahrenen Populisten an die Macht bringt, wird leer geschluckt.

Missglückter Start

So blieb es um den vom Ausland skeptisch beurteilten Selenski monatelang ruhig, bis er überraschend wieder im Rampenlicht stand – diesmal als tragische Figur. Die Ukraine-Affäre des damaligen amerikanischen Präsidenten Donald Trump warf ein Schlaglicht darauf, in welche Klemme Selenski gleich zu Beginn seiner Amtszeit geraten war. Trump erpresste ihn, … » | Andreas Rüesch | Montag, 2. Mai 2022

Blackburn Rovers Become First UK Football Club to Host Eid Prayers on Pitch

THE GUARDIAN: Hundreds of people congregate at Ewood Park to mark end of holy month of Ramadan

Blackburn Rovers have become the first UK football club to host Eid prayers on their pitch.

Hundreds of people congregated at Ewood Park on Monday to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Aerial footage tweeted by the club showed about half the pitch covered with prayer mats and a sheikh delivering a sermon.

A message from the club read: “Eid Mubarak from everyone at Blackburn Rovers. This morning #Rovers became the first football club in the country to host Eid prayers on the pitch.” » | Christy Cooney | Monday, May 2, 2022

Amb. Michael McFaul: "There's Now Momentum on the Side of the Ukrainians"

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, joins Andrea Mitchell to discuss Speaker Pelosi's meeting with President Zelenskyy, Dr. Jill Biden's Mother's Day trip to Romania and Slovakia, recent comments by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and the overall positive momentum 'on the side of the Ukrainians' that's happening right now.

Fed Set to Hike Interest Rates This Week

The Fed is expected to hike rates by half a percentage point at its meeting this week. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank is determined to bring down inflation 'more quickly'. Andrew Ross Sorkin joins Morning Joe to discuss.

Lord John Browne | BBC Breakfast Interview | 2014

Lord John Browne talks to the BBC about his new book, "The Glass Closet".

Coming Out in Germany vs. the UK

Democracy Now! US News & World Headlines – May 2, 2022

Israel Summons Russia Envoy over Minister’s Hitler Comments

THE GUARDIAN: Israel condemns comments by Sergei Lavrov, who said Hitler ‘had Jewish blood’ and the ‘most rabid antisemites tend to be Jews’

The comments by Sergei Lavrov (left) were described as ‘unforgivable and outrageous’ by Yair Lapid (right). Photograph: Yuri Kochetkov/AFP/Getty Images

Israel has summoned the Russian ambassador and demanded an apology over remarks by the Kremlin foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, that Adolf Hitler “had Jewish blood” and that the “most rabid antisemites tend to be Jews”.

The remarks were part of Lavrov’s defence of Russia’s policy of “denazification” in Ukraine, the Kremlin’s term for a sweeping purge that Ukraine says is a pretext for “mass murder.”

In an interview with Italian TV, Lavrov was asked to address how Russia could say it needed to “denazify” the country when its president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is Jewish.

“As to [Zelenskiy’s] argument of what kind of nazification can we have if I’m Jewish, if I remember correctly, and I may be wrong, Hitler also had Jewish blood,” Lavrov said during an interview with Italian television channel Mediaset. “It doesn’t mean anything at all.” » | Andrew Roth and Angela Giuffrida in Rome | Monday, May 2, 2022

Israel verlangt Entschuldigung von Lawrow nach Hitler-Vergleich: Nachdem der russische Außenminister den ukrainischen Präsidenten Selenskyj mit Hitler verglichen hatte, fordert Israel eine Entschuldigung. Lawrow hatte gesagt, dass die eifrigsten Antisemiten Juden gewesen seien. »

Related links.

En Grèce, une grève de vingt-quatre heures contre l’inflation, qui bat des records

LE MONDE : Le gouvernement grec a octroyé des aides sociales d’un montant total de 4 milliards d’euros pour faire face à l’inflation galopante. Mais les syndicats et l’opposition de gauche jugent ces mesures insuffisantes.

Les services publics, les transports maritimes, ferroviaires et urbains ainsi qu’une majorité des entreprises privées de Grèce tournaient au ralenti, lundi 2 mai, en raison d’une grève générale de vingt-quatre heures à l’appel des syndicats du privé et du public pour protester contre la flambée des prix. Les transports en commun athéniens fonctionnaient comme un dimanche tandis que les supermarchés et les magasins étaient fermés en ce lundi férié, au lendemain du 1er-Mai.

Lors des traditionnels défilés de la Journée internationale des travailleurs dimanche, environ 9 000 manifestants ont arpenté les rues à Athènes, en réclamant du gouvernement grec davantage de mesures pour défendre le pouvoir d’achat face à l’impact de l’inflation sur les ménages. » | Le Monde avec AFP | lundi 2 mai 2022

Israel Outrage at Russian Claim That Hitler Was Part Jewish

Lavrov's remarks came days after Israel commemorated the Nazi Holocaust | EPA

BBC: Israel's foreign minister has denounced as "unforgivable" remarks by his Russian counterpart that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler "had Jewish blood".

Russian FM Sergei Lavrov made the comments to try to justify Russia's portrayal of Ukraine as "Nazi" despite the fact that its president is Jewish.

Israel's foreign ministry summoned Russia's ambassador for "clarification" and demanded an apology.

Nazi Germany murdered six million Jews in the Holocaust in World War Two.

Mr Lavrov made the remarks in an interview with the Italian news channel Zona Bianca on Sunday, days after Israel marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, one of the most solemn occasions in the Israeli calendar.

When asked how Russia can claim that it is fighting to "de-Nazify" Ukraine when President Volodymyr Zelensky is himself Jewish, Mr Lavrov said: "So what if Zelensky is Jewish."

"The fact does not negate the Nazi elements in Ukraine. I believe that Hitler also had Jewish blood," adding that "some of the worst anti-Semites are Jews." » | Monday, May 2, 2022

«Hitler avait aussi du sang juif» : Israël fustige les propos de Sergueï Lavrov : Le ministre russe des Affaires étrangères a ainsi fait référence à la judéité du président ukrainien Volodymyr Zelensky. Israël dénonce des propos «scandaleux, impardonnables et une horrible erreur historique». »

Rare ‘Wicked’ Bible That Encourages Adultery Discovered in New Zealand

THE GUARDIAN: First copy of the 1631 bible, which mistakenly reads ‘thou shalt commit adultery’, to be found in the southern hemisphere

A copy of the extremely rare 1631 Wicked Bible, which tells readers ‘thou shalt commit adultery’ has been found in New Zealand. Photograph: Sarah Askey © University of Canterbury

An extremely rare bible famous for an unfortunate error that encourages adultery has been discovered in New Zealand.

The 1631 “Wicked” Bible, as it has become known, omits the word “not” from its seventh commandment, informing readers “thou shalt commit adultery”. One thousand copies of the text, which also came to be known as the Adulterous or Sinners’ Bible, were printed, with the error only discovered a year later.

Upon discovery of the mistake, the printers Robert Barker and Martin Lucas were summoned by King Charles I and hauled before the court, where they were admonished for the scandalous typo and sloppy workmanship. They were stripped of their printing licence, had a £300 fine held over their heads for years (though it was eventually quashed) and most of the texts were destroyed. Only about 20 remain in circulation. » | Eva Corlett in Wellington | Monday, May 2, 2022

Sunday, May 01, 2022

Gravitas: How Mark Zuckerberg Lost His Fortune

Apr 29, 2022 • Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was once touted to become the world's richest man, he has now slipped to the 12th spot. Zuckerberg was the face of the social media revolution, he has now become the face of big tech's tyranny. Palki Sharma brings you the story of Zuckerberg's fall.

Toute de gris vêtue, Charlène de Monaco fait sa première apparition depuis quinze mois

Le prince Albert et Charlène de Monaco au Monaco E-Prix (Monaco, le 30 avril 2022.) Getty Images

MADAME FIGARO : À l'occasion du Monaco E-Prix, la princesse s'est octroyée, samedi 30 avril, sa première sortie officielle entourée de sa famille. Une grande première depuis quinze mois.

Le 12 mars dernier, Charlène de Monaco faisait enfin son retour en principauté après plusieurs mois passés dans un établissement spécialisé. Le 17 avril, on la voyait posant auprès de son mari et de ses enfants, sous une végétation luxuriante, à l'occasion de la fête de Pâques. Près de deux semaines plus tard, la princesse de Monaco poursuit sa convalescence auprès de sa famille et se permet désormais des sorties officielles. Une première depuis quinze mois. Samedi 30 avril, elle a été aperçue au Monaco E-Prix, en compagnie du prince Albert et de ses jumeaux Jacques et Gabriella. La famille assistait à la remise de prix du tournoi automobile, qui a sacré le pilote belge Stoffel Vandoorne. » | Par Léa Mabilon | dimanche 1 mai 2022

Is Putin ill? | General Richard Shirreff & Sir Alan Duncan

May 1, 2022 • The UK has predicted that Vladimir Putin will use Russia's victory day parade on May the 9th to announced the mass mobilisation of reserves for a final push in Ukraine.

Speaking on Times Radio Breakfast, former NATO's deputy supreme allied commander General Richard Shirreff and former foreign minister Sir Alan Duncan spoke to Jenny Kleeman and Chloe Tilley about what NATO should do to counter Putin's efforts and how his mental and physical health impact his strategy.


Should We Ignore Putin’s Nuclear Threats? | Fabrice Pothier

May 1, 2022 • “The moment WMDs are brought in, it will fundamentally change the nature of the conflict. And I think that's a very clear warning that we need to address to Vladimir Putin.”

Fabrice Pothier, former NATO director of policy planning, talks to Carole Walker about Putin’s threats of using nuclear warfare.

Major Exclusive: One-on-one with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky | 60 Minutes Australia

When Russian dictator Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, he arrogantly expected to conquer it easily. He was wrong. Despite being badly outnumbered and completely outgunned, Ukrainian soldiers have shown extraordinary fight. And leading the resistance has been their President Volodymyr Zelensky. His transformation from former actor and comedian to hero of the free world is inspirational. As one observer put it, he's Charlie Chaplin morphed into Winston Churchill. Now he wants to talk to Australia, and he's invited us into his secret inner sanctum to explain the horror show that is this ongoing war.

In the Name of Job Flexibility, ‘Uberisation’ Is Spreading Its Tentacles across Society

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: From health workers to beauticians, cleaners to academics, the erosion of our rights at work is setting us back a hundred years

In the late 18th century, as the impact of the Industrial Revolution bit into the lives of the nascent working class, the high cost of fuel, one study notes, “forced inhabitants of many southern regions to abandon home cooking”. Fuel costs were much greater in the south than in the north. As a result, Frederic Morton Eden observed in The State of the Poor (1797), “the culinary preparations of the Northern peasant are so much diversified, and his table so often supplied with hot dishes”, whereas in the south, working-class families could not afford to boil or bake potatoes, so were forced to buy cheap white bread and eat dinner cold.

Because it was more expensive to cook at home than to buy shop-made bread, there were more bakeries per head of population in poor areas such as Hampshire than in richer regions such as Yorkshire. More than 200 years on and we’re back in a Britain in which many poor families are being “forced to abandon home cooking” because of the high cost of fuel. Not only has there been an explosion in the use of food banks, but many food bank users “are declining products such as potatoes and other root veg because they can’t afford to boil them”. » | Kenan Malik | Sunday, May 1, 2022

The Observer View on the Cost of Living Crisis

THE OBSERVER – EDITORIAL: Cabinet ministers’ glib shortcuts are dire response to economic crisis

Living standards are set to fall at their fastest rate since records began in the mid-1950s. Last month, the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted that real household incomes will fall by 2.2% this year, as energy and food prices increase but wages fail to keep pace with rising bills.

The impact will not be felt equally. For some, it will barely register. For other families, it will mean difficult decisions about what to cut back on. For others still, it will be profound, stretching precarious budgets in which there is already no give, forcing impossible choices between essentials such as putting food on the table and keeping the heating on, and sharpening the fear of the unexpected outlay that can trigger a debt spiral from which there is no escape. One estimate suggests lower-income households will face a drop in income of £1,300 this year. » | Editorial | Sunday, May 1, 2022

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Gravitas: Rishi Sunak's Fall from Grace

Apr 27, 2022 • After partygate & a tax scandal, UK's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is facing another controversy. A pandemic relief scheme he introduced has become the victim of fraud. The British govt has lost £17 Billion. Palki Sharma Upadhyay gets you a report.

Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes : Up Where We Belong

Nov 23, 2019 • Soundtrack from the 1982 Taylor Hackford film "An Officer and a Gentleman," with Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Gossett Jr. David Keith, David Caruso, Lisa Blount, Lisa Eilbacher & Robert Loggia. The song was written by Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte-Marie & Will Jennings .

Der Twitter-Kauf ist eine Katastrophe

Elon Musk, zu diesem Zeitpunkt 47 Jahre alt, raucht im Juli 2018 einen Joint während eines Interviews. | Bild: SCREENSHOT YOUTUBE / JRE CLIPS

ELON MUSK

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Eine Plattform wie Twitter zu betreiben, erfordert ein hohes Maß an Verantwortungsbewusstsein. Warum sollte gerade Elon Musk derjenige sein, der das mitbringt? Ein Gastbeitrag.

Elon Musk, durch ein Vermögen mit einem Buchwert von 219 Milliarden US-Dollar reichster Mensch der Welt, kauft den Kurznachrichtendienst Twitter für 44 Milliarden US-Dollar. Das könnte eine harmlose Nachricht im Wirtschaftsteil sein, ist es aber aufgrund der gesellschaftlichen und politischen Bedeutung Twitters nicht. Zwar ist Facebook das größere soziale Netzwerk, aber Twitter ist jenes, auf dem Prominente, Politiker und Journalisten direkt miteinander interagieren und aufeinander reagieren.

Der Satz, dass diese oder jene Person sich zu einem wie auch immer gearteten Ereignis auf Twitter zu Wort meldete, lässt sich aus aktueller Berichterstattung nicht mehr wegdenken. Ohne Twitter wären zum Beispiel Aufstieg und Niedergang der Piratenpartei in dieser Form nicht möglich gewesen. Und dass sich deutsche Politik in Teilen dem annähert, was man früher nur von den Piraten kannte, hat auch damit zu tun, dass heute im Grunde genommen jede Politikerin und jeder Politiker auf dem Kurznachrichtendienst zu finden ist. » | Von Christopher Lauer | Samstag, 30. April 2022

Um den ganzen Artikel lesen zu können, muß man abonniert sein. Zugang zu allen FAZ-Artikeln ist zur Zeit für 30 Tage kostenfrei. Um von diesem Angebot zu profitieren, klicken Sie hier.

UK Set to Impose Direct Rule on British Virgin Islands as Premier Faces Cocaine Charges

THE GUARDIAN: In a further twist, the islands’ premier has been arrested in a Miami sting operation on suspicion of drug trafficking

Liz Truss said intervention was necessary ‘to restore the standards of governance that the people of of the BVI are entitled to.’ Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Rex/Shutterstock

Britain is poised to impose a form of direct rule over the British Virgin Islands after the Caribbean territory’s premier was arrested in Miami on suspicion of drug running, and a UK-appointed commission of inquiry found rampant failings in governance.

Andrew Fahie appeared in federal court in Miami on Friday, a day after he was arrested by the US Drug Enforcement Agency in an elaborate sting operation that also snared the chief executive of the BVI port authority and her son. Late on Friday night it emerged federal prosecutors had charged him with cocaine trafficking and money laundering conspiracies.

Hours before his court appearance, the commission of inquiry – launched in 2021 – reported on widespread abuses, including millions of dollars of government funds that were spent each year by politicians and ministries without proper process. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Friday, April 29, 2022

Plan for direct UK rule of British Virgin Islands opposed by acting premier: UK dispatches minister after ex-leader charged with drug offences and inquiry finds serious governance issues »

Britische Jungferninseln sollen Kontrolle Londons unterstellt werden: Der Premierminister des Überseegebiets war am Freitag verhaftet worden. Ihm werden Drogenhandel und Geldwäsche vorgeworfen. Ein von der Queen eingesetzter Gouverneur soll nun zwei Jahre lang Ordnung schaffen. »

Bringing the World a Little Closer: Cross-cultural Love.

via GIPHY


Die Welt ein bisschen näher bringen: interkulturelle Liebe. / Rapprocher un peu le monde : l'amour interculturel.

Lederhosen, Stil und Liebe.

Besten Dank an Martin Niggemann auf Pinterest fürs schöne Bild.

Glücklich und verliebt.

Heureux et amoureux. / Happy and in love.

Fürs schöne, ausdrucksvolle Bild bedanke ich mich bei Ben Pache auf Pinterest.

Russland: Krieg, das verbotene Wort | ARTE Reportage

Mar 28, 2022 • Die russische Bevölkerung darf das Wort Krieg nicht in den Mund nehmen, denn Wladimir Putin hat es verboten: Offiziell handelt es sich um eine "Sonderoperation". Doch trotz aller Gefahr, dem Präsidenten und seinem Regime zu widersprechen, werden Stimmen laut, die Nein sagen zum Angriffskrieg in der Ukraine.

Andere fühlen sich zu Unrecht verurteilt durch die internationalen Sanktionen und beklagen das totalitäre System, in dem sie sich wie gefangen fühlen. Natürlich glauben viele an Putin und an das, was das Staatsfernsehen ihnen täglich einhämmert; viele teilen die Ansicht des Patriarchen der russisch-orthodoen Kirche, der den Westen für dekadent erklärt. Doch trotz aller Propaganda: Dank des Internets könnten eigentlich alle Russen wissen, was da in ihrem Namen in der Ukraine geschieht.

Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis 19/03/2052


Biden Seeks to Lure Russia’s Top Scientists to the U.S.

President Biden at the White House on Thursday, where he called on Congress to authorize $33 billion in aid to Ukraine. | Doug Mills/The New York Times

THE NEW YORK TIMES: WASHINGTON — President Biden wants Congress to expedite visas for Russian scientists eager to leave their country in the midst of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, an effort to accelerate a brain drain already underway and further deprive President Vladimir V. Putin of some of Russia’s top talent. An administration proposal sent to Capitol Hill as part of a larger package requesting $33 billion in spending on the war would suspend for four years the requirement that scientists applying for H1-B visas have a sponsoring employer, eliminating one of the biggest obstacles for many seeking to come to the United States.

The measure would apply only to Russian citizens with master’s or doctoral degrees in science or engineering fields like artificial intelligence, nuclear engineering or quantum physics. Administration officials argued that such a move would have dual advantages — costing Russia while benefiting America. » | Peter Baker | Friday, April 29, 2022

Adam Smith und der Wohlstand der Nationen | Der Kapitalismus (2/6) | Doku HD | ARTE

Jan 10, 2022 • Woher kommt der Kapitalismus? Dokureihe. In dieser Folge reflektieren mehr als 20 prominente Mitwirkende aus dem Bereich Wirtschaftstheorie die Entwicklung seit 2008 und hinterfragen die wirtschaftspolitischen Denker aus der Geschichte des Kapitalismus. So auch Adam Smith, dessen "Wohlstand der Nationen" (1776) ein Bestseller ist, der regelmäßig neu aufgelegt wird.

Der Untergang des Sowjetreiches war auch das Ende des Kommunismus. Das einzig funktionierende Wirtschaftssystem sei der Kapitalismus – dachten viele. Spätestens seit der Finanzkrise 2007 scheint diese These mehr als fraglich. In dieser Dokumentation reflektieren mehr als 20 prominente Mitwirkende aus dem Bereich Wirtschaftstheorie die Entwicklung seit 2008 und hinterfragen die wirtschaftspolitischen Denker aus der Geschichte des Kapitalismus. So auch Adam Smith, dessen „Wohlstand der Nationen“ seit seinem Erscheinen im Jahr 1776 ein Bestseller ist, der regelmäßig neu aufgelegt wird. Für viele gilt er als Bibel eines neuen Wirtschaftssystems. In der aktuellen Folge wird anhand konkreter Beispiele dargelegt, wie Schlüsselpassagen des Buches aus ihrem Kontext gerissen und für politische Zwecke benutzt werden. In dem Bestreben, das Werk zum ökonomischen Testament zu erheben, wurden die sozialpolitischen Überlegungen von Adam Smith einfach außer Acht gelassen.

Dokureihe, Regie: Ilan Ziv (Frankreich 2013, 54 Min)
Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis zum 04/07/2022



WIKIPEDIA:

Der Wohlstand der Nationen.

The Wealth of Nations.

La Richesse des Nations.

Neil Parish MP: I'm Resigning after Porn Moment of Madness


Read the article here.

Britischer Abgeordneter tritt wegen Pornokonsum zurück: Was er getan habe, sei „absolut falsch“ gewesen, sagt der Tory-Abgeordnete Neil Parish. Er habe im Unterhaus nach Videos über Traktoren gesucht und sei dabei auf Pornos gestoßen, sagt er. »

Royaume-Uni : accusé d'avoir regardé du porno au Parlement, un député britannique avoue et démissionne : L'élu de 65 ans a assuré à la BBC avoir d'abord cherché «des tracteurs» avant de tomber sur «un autre site». «Mais mon crime c'est que j'y suis retourné une seconde fois et c'était délibéré», a-t-il avoué au bord des larmes. »

Scottish Independence: Could Britain Break Up? | The Economist

Apr 18, 2021 • The union between the nations of the United Kingdom is looking increasingly fragile, thanks to Brexit. If Scotland were to break away from Britain it would face an uncertain future—as would the rest of the union.

Emperadores romanos homosexuales

Russisches Außenministerium spricht sich gegen Atomkrieg aus

DER STANDARD: Russland spricht sich dem Außenministerium zufolge für die Verhinderung eines Atomkriegs aus. Die Risiken eines Nuklearkriegs sollten auf ein Minimum beschränkt bleiben, erklärt ein Ministeriumsvertreter der Nachrichtenagentur Tass zufolge. » | Rainer Schüller | Samstag, 30. April 2022

Le Canada, nouvelle destination du rêve américain

250 nouveaux Canadiens prêtent serment de citoyenneté, le 2 mai 2018, lors d’une cérémonie à Toronto. Le Canada a attiré 405.000 immigrants en 2021, malgré la pandémie de Covid. Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star via Getty Images

À Montréal

LE FIGARO : ENQUÊTE - Grands espaces, facilité de trouver un travail et de créer une entreprise, le pays rivalise d’attrait avec les États-Unis en raison d’une politique volontariste. Objectif: surmonter le déficit de natalité et parvenir à 100 millions d’habitants en 2100, grâce à une immigration choisie en fonction des seules compétences.

Montréal, métropole traditionnellement francophone de quatre millions d’habitants, grouille aujourd’hui d’accents variés. Commerçants chinois près du Vieux Montréal, Ukrainiens et Polonais sur le boulevard Saint-Laurent, Petite Italie au nord de la ville, de plus en plus sud-américaine. Et les Français? Longtemps présents dans le quartier bobo du Plateau Mont-Royal, ils se pressent désormais à Rosemont, moins branché mais plus abordable.

Les longs hivers glaciaux n’y font rien. Le Canada, 37 millions d’âmes au dernier recensement, a attiré 405.000 immigrants en 2021, malgré la pandémie de Covid. Des chiffres en forte hausse. Ottawa «dévoile un plan pour accueillir 1,3 million de nouveaux arrivants» au cours des trois prochaines années, a titré récemment Le Toronto Star. Un véritable boom, alors que 250.000 personnes ont immigré, bon an mal an, entre Terre-Neuve et Vancouver du début des années 1990 jusqu’en 2015. Justin Trudeau veut en accueillir 432.000 en 2022. … Des Indiens, des Chinois, … » | Par Ludovic Hirtzmann | vendredi 29 avril 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

The Price of Free Speech: Why Elon Musk’s $44bn Vision for Twitter Could Fall Apart

THE OBSERVER: The controversial billionaire may find that buying the platform exposes him to a whole new world of legal problems

Musk is a prolific, and controversial, Twitter user and has called the platform ‘the digital town square’. Photograph: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Contained within 95 pages of dense legal jargon, the warning from Twitter to Elon Musk was clear: don’t use your considerable power on the social media platform to attack the company.

The world’s richest man and owner-in-waiting of Twitter signed an agreement for the planned $44bn (£35bn) takeover last week confirming that he could tweet about the deal so long as “such tweets do not disparage the company or any of its representatives”.

Yet hours later the self-described “free speech absolutist” was engaging with tweets criticising senior Twitter staff, including an interaction with a political podcast host who had labelled the company’s legal head, Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s “top censorship advocate”. » | Dan Milmo and Johana Bhuiyan | Saturday, April 30, 2022

Les clés pour comprendre la Suède, victime de son laxisme migratoire

La police suédoise a été prise pour cible lors d’émeutes survenues durant le week-end pascal. Kicki Nilsson/AP/SIPA

LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - Naguère paisible et prospère, le royaume scandinave est aujourd’hui secoué par des troubles ethnico-religieux: le résultat de vingt ans d’une politique migratoire «généreuse et bienveillante» jusqu’à l’absurde.

1. Un habitant sur cinq est né à l’étranger

La Suède fut longtemps un pays d’émigration, notamment vers les États-Unis. D’où une population restée homogène jusqu’à la fin du XXe siècle. Au nom de la tolérance et de la bienveillance, ses dirigeants issus de la social-démocratie (dont le royaume scandinave est le modèle suprême) ont décidé d’inverser les flux et d’ouvrir ses frontières aux réfugiés. Une générosité non dénuée d’arrière-pensées, l’économie ayant besoin de main-d’œuvre. Cette politique d’asile a commencé par la guerre en ex-Yougoslavie, mais elle s’est emballée avec le conflit syrien. Pour la seule année 2014, Stockholm a distribué 160.000 titres de séjour. Au total, le nombre de personnes nées à l’étranger a augmenté de 80 % en vingt ans. Un habitant sur cinq vient d’une autre contrée, soit 2 millions de ressortissants sur un effectif total de 10 millions. Un quart des nouveau-nés ont au moins un parent allogène. Malgré toute sa bonne volonté, l’État-providence a fini par donner des signes de fatigue, au niveau des régimes sociaux et du système scolaire. À tel point que le gouvernement a finalement coupé les vannes en 2020, limitant les entrées annuelles à 25.000 individus. Mais trop tard. 2. Le choc des valeurs et des croyances » | Par Jean-Louis Tremblais | vendredi 29 avril 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

Emmanuel Macron’s Win Was Also a Win for French Fashion

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Brigitte Macron continues to champion Louis Vuitton.

Brigitte Macron, in custom-made Louis Vuitton, at her husband’s re-election celebration in Paris on Sunday. | Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images

Emmanuel Macron’s victory in the French presidential election on Sunday was not just a victory for the young president’s vision of France and its role in the world, or centrism versus the far-right wing, though it was both of those things.

It was also a victory for fashion, especially high fashion, and the role it plays in reflecting French culture and heritage to the world.

If in doubt, simply consider the election night outfit of Brigitte Macron: a custom-made cropped Louis Vuitton navy jacket with silver military detailing and matching pants, perfectly coordinated with her husband’s navy suit. It was a choice that reflected the couple’s united front as well as the ideological battleground the election had become. And it acted as a subtle signal from an administration with a bent toward big business and the free market that those relations will continue to flourish in its second term.

Luxury, after all, has been cozying up to Mr. Macron since his first run for president, in 2017, and Louis Vuitton has been Mrs. Macron’s brand of choice since she became first lady. » | Vanessa Friedman | Published: Monday, April 25, 2022 ; Updated: Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Michael Lambert: The Top 5 Smug British Politicians - 2022 Awards

Apr. 30, 2022 • In this video we announce the winners of the top five smuggest politicians in the U.K. All of those chosen are known for their smugness, arrogance and self-satisfaction. By coincidence they are also all Tories.

This is the first of what we hope will be an annual award. Please also look out for the GIT awards (Gormless, Incompetent and Timewaster) which will be coming soon.

In the meantime, whilst Brexit continues to destroy the British economy and local elections are about to take place the government under Boris Johnson slumps from crisis to crisis and scandal to scandal.

Note We left the EU in January 2021 and not 2020 as stated in the video.


Friday, April 29, 2022

Sept enfants, trois mariages et Amber Heard : la vie privée explosive d'Elon Musk

Elon Musk quitte le tribunal de New Castle County. (Wilmington, le 12 juillet 2021.) Abaca

MADAME FIGARO : Côté vie publique, il est le célèbre fondateur de SpaceX, directeur de Tesla et nouvel acquéreur de Twitter. Côté privé, le milliardaire a également connu plus d'une romance, à chaque fois mouvementée.

Il s'apprête à racheter Twitter pour la modique somme de 44 milliards de dollars (40 milliards d'euros). Homme d'affaires de renommée mondiale, Elon Musk est connu pour avoir fondé la société SpaceX et repris les rênes de la compagnie Tesla. Sa vie privée n'est pas moins extraordinaire. À 50 ans, Elon Musk a déjà été le père de sept enfants, s'est marié trois fois et a entretenu maintes romances explosives.

Naissance d'un génie

Tout commence en 1971. Fils de Errol Musk, un ingénieur sud-africain, et de Maye Haldeman, un mannequin canadien - dont la carrière explosera à la soixantaine -, Elon Musk grandit à Pretoria. D'une intelligence aiguisée, l'adolescent vend son premier programme de jeux vidéo à l'âge de 12 ans au prix de 500 dollars (467 euros). À l'époque, il lit déjà deux livres par jour. » | Par Chloé Friedmann | mardi 26 avril 2022

Europe After Putin's War on Ukraine I ARTE.tv Documentary

Cette moitié du monde qui reste dans le camp de Vladimir Poutine

Le président russe Vladimir Poutine lors d’un discours à Saint-Pétersbourg, le 27 avril 2022. ALEXANDR DEMYANCHUK/AFP

LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - La crise ukrainienne, en cristallisant une opposition idéologique entre deux camps, fait souffler un vent de guerre froide sur le monde.

Vue d’Europe ou de Washington, l’impression domine que le monde entier s’est levé contre Poutine et sa guerre en Ukraine. Cette impression est nourrie par la condamnation unanime de l’Occident et par ses efforts politiques, économiques et militaires pour aider l’Ukraine à résister. Mais il s’agit d’une perception occidentale, qui agit comme un miroir déformant de la réalité.

Depuis le début de la guerre, une partie du monde soutient ouvertement le régime de Vladimir Poutine, tandis qu’une autre s’abstient de le condamner, se réfugiant dans l’indifférence ou l’embarras. Et deux mois après le début de l’offensive, les crimes de guerre commis par les forces russes en Ukraine n’ont pas modifié le positionnement de ces pays. » | Par Isabelle Lasserre | vendredi 29 Avril 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

Jacob Rees-Mogg Has Given the Game Away – Even This Government Knows Brexit Is a Disaster

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Leaving the EU was the point of Johnson’s administration. Without that goal, its founding purpose has gone

‘In the long story of Britain’s needless, pointless departure from the EU, the Rees-Mogg admission should count as a milestone.’ Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

The definition of a gaffe is when a politician accidentally tells the truth. So ruled the veteran Washington journalist Michael Kinsley, who would surely take delight in the textbook example of the form served up on Thursday by Jacob Rees-Mogg, the satirically titled minister for Brexit opportunities.

On a visit to the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, hi-vis gilet over his double-breasted suit, Rees-Mogg announced that the government was delaying yet again the imposition of post-Brexit border checks on imports from the EU. He asked the public to celebrate this decision, on the grounds that it would save £1bn a year and help hard-pressed consumers by avoiding an increase in the cost of imported food. Enforcing post-Brexit checks, said the minister, “would have been an act of self-harm”.

You read that right. Jacob Rees-Mogg, arch-leaver and longtime loather of the EU, is now parroting lines from the remain campaign. He is admitting that implementing Brexit in full, honouring the 2016 promise to take back control of Britain’s borders, would be “an act of self-harm”. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, April 29, 2022

Boris Becker Jailed for Two Years for Hiding Assets after Bankruptcy

THE GUARDIAN: Former tennis star found guilty of four charges by a jury at Southwark crown court earlier this month

Boris Becker was worth about £38m in his heyday in prize money and sponsorship deals.Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Boris Becker has been jailed for two years and six months for hiding millions of pounds’ worth of assets after being made bankrupt in June 2017.

Sentencing Becker on Friday, the judge, Deborah Taylor, said: “I take into account what has been described as your ‘fall from grace'. You have lost your career and reputation and all of your property as a result of your bankruptcy.”

But she added: “You have not shown remorse, acceptance of your guilt and have sought to distance yourself from your offending and your bankruptcy. While I accept your humiliation as part of the proceedings, there has been no humility.”

The former tennis star, sentenced under the Insolvency Act, will serve half the full prison term. He was found guilty of four charges by a jury at Southwark crown court this month but acquitted of a further 20 counts relating to his 2017 bankruptcy. He had faced a maximum prison sentence of seven years. » | Amelia Hill | Friday, April 29, 2022

Boris Becker in London zu zweieinhalb Jahren Haft verurteilt: Schicksalstag für eine Tennis-Legende: Boris Becker ist wegen seiner Insolvenzstraftaten zu zweieinhalb Jahren Haft verurteilt worden. Das entschied ein Gericht in London am Freitag. »

Tennis : Boris Becker condamné à deux ans et demi de prison : L'ancienne star de tennis a notamment été déclarée coupable notamment d'avoir caché 2,5 millions de livres sterling. »

Boris Becker Sentenced to Two and a Half Years for Hiding Assets in Bankruptcy: The former tennis champion was found guilty by a London court on charges related to his 2017 insolvency. »

Wie aus dem Märchen ein Drama wurde: Wimbledon 1985 wirkt bis heute. Doch die Haftstrafe für Boris Becker zeigt die Tragik seines Lebens. Auf dem Platz überstrahlten seine Stärken oft seine Schwächen. Nach der Karriere ist es andersherum. »

Democracy Now! US News & World News – April 29, 2022

Russian State TV Discusses Possibility of Nuclear War

Apr 29, 2022 • Chris Hayes on ominous signs that Putin may be trying to get the Russian public on board with a serious escalation of war.

François Hollande: "Putin Isn't Frightened of War" | Amanpour & Company

Apr 28, 2022 • France is helping lead the EU’s response to the invasion of Ukraine, and President Macron’s re-election this past Sunday reinforced that commitment. Macron’s position is supported by his former mentor and predecessor François Hollande, who has himself negotiated with Putin. He spoke with Christiane in Paris, in the wake of France’s presidential election. Originally aired on April 28, 2022.

Thursday, April 28, 2022

Musk's Twitter Takeover: A Win for Oligarchy

When billionaires like Musk justify their motives by using 'freedom,' beware. They want to use their vast fortunes to do whatever they please – unconstrained by laws or regulations, shareholders, or even consumers. This is not a win for free speech. It’s a win for oligarchy.

A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker | Reupload

Jun 9, 2021 • In “Alone Out Here,” by Philip Busfield and Luke Cornish, an Australian rancher who is openly gay in a conservative industry fights to reduce carbon emissions through his cattle farming.

What Would It Mean If Finland and Sweden Join Nato? - BBC News

Apr 28, 2022 • Finland and Sweden are said to be considering a joint bid to join Nato despite fears of retaliation from Russia.

Stockholm and Helsinki have long pursued policies of military neutrality to avoid conflict with regional powers.

But Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said "everything had changed" when Russia attacked Ukraine and told reporters that Helsinki must to be "prepared for all kinds of actions from Russia".

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stressed that Moscow would have to "rebalance the situation" with its own measures if the Nato bid went ahead.

Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto has said it would be "useful" for Sweden and Finland to launch joint Nato membership bids, but added that no fixed date had been set for any potential application.

The BBC's Ros Atkins explains the latest developments.


German Energy Firm Uniper Ready to Meet Russian Pay Demand

BBC: One of Germany's biggest energy firms has said it is preparing to buy Russian gas using a payment system that critics say will undermine EU sanctions.

Uniper says it will pay in euros which will be converted into roubles, meeting a Kremlin demand for all transactions to be made in the Russian currency.

Other European energy firms are reportedly preparing to do the same amid concerns about supply cuts.

Uniper said it had no choice but said it was still abiding by EU sanctions.

"We consider a payment conversion compliant with sanctions law and the Russian decree to be possible," a spokesman told the BBC.

"For our company and for Germany as a whole, it is not possible to do without Russian gas in the short term; this would have dramatic consequences for our economy."

Germany's biggest energy supplier RWE declined to comment on how it would pay for Russian gas. » | Daniel Thomas, Business reporter, BBC News | Thursday, April 28, 2022

Marokkanische Polizei beschlagnahmt Rekordmenge an Cannabis

31 TONNEN

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die Polizei in der marokkanischen Hafenstadt Tanger hat laut eigenen Angaben eine „Rekordmenge“ Cannabis beschlagnahmt. Die sichergestellten Drogen - 31 Tonnen - sollten in Lebensmittelattrappen exportiert werden.

In einem Lagerhaus in der Nähe von Tanger fanden Ermittler laut Angaben der Generaldirektion für nationale Sicherheit am Mittwoch 31 Tonnen Cannabis und knapp 200 Kilogramm Cannabisharz . Die Drogen waren demnach in Attrappen von Obst und Gemüse versteckt und sollten mutmaßlich als Lebensmittel getarnt exportiert werden. » | Quelle: AFP | Donnerstag, 28. April 2022

French Cooking Academy – Stephane: Leek and Potato Soup

Potage Parmentier


INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
200 grams leeks
200 grams potato
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon saffron threads
salt and pepper to taste
1 litre white chicken stock
3 tablespoons cream
20 ml white wine
finely chopped chives
some extra drops of olive oil to decorate

Potage Parmentier or Potage à la Parmentier after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier [F], the French nutritionist and scholar who popularized the use of potatoes in France in the 18th Century.

Source: WIKIPEDIA