Freeze State Pensions and Slash Non-frontline’ NHS and Schools Staff, Said No 10’s Economic Adviser

THE OBSERVER: Radical ideas to reduce spending, outlined in Matthew Sinclair’s 2010 handbook, may now be needed by the Tories to pay for their tax cuts

Matthew Sinclair’s book backed a one-year freeze in basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee. Photograph: Twitter
Liz Truss’s top economic adviser suggested freezing the state pension, halving the government’s publicity budget and slashing “non-frontline” staff in health and schools by 10%, as part of a manifesto designed to win an election while also cutting spending.

Matthew Sinclair, the former chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, edited a book by the small-state pressure group that called for a series of radical cuts, including the scrapping of the Prevent programme designed to tackle extremism.

The book published in 2010, How to Cut Public Spending (and Still Win an Election), is now out of print. However, with Truss needing to find billions in cuts just 18 months before the likely next election date, some of the radical spending cut ideas may be needed. » | Michael Savage, Policy editor | Saturday, October 8, 2022

Who, pray tell, is this miserable, nasty sonofabitch? Another bloody Tory nonentity, I guess. Are these damn Tories trying to stoke a revolution, or what? – © Mark Alexander

Mother Says Police Beat Daughter to Death in Iranian Protests

THE OBSERVER: Tehran authorities ‘shaken to core’ as demonstrations grow and death toll mounts

Nika Shahkarami, 16; her mother rejects the official account of her death. Photograph: Twitter
The mother of a 16-year-old Iranian girl, Nika Shakarami, who died during protests that continue to sweep the country, has rejected official claims that her death was caused by falling from a building and insisted she was beaten to death by regime forces.

Nasreen Shakarami said authorities refused to notify the family about her daughter’s death for 10 days and then removed Nika from the morgue, burying her in a remote village without the family’s consent. Her mother says records of Nika’s death show her skull was severely damaged and her injuries were consistent with being struck repeatedly on her head.

The death of the young student has emerged as another icon of a protest movement that is now entering its fourth week and is seen as the biggest challenge to the Iranian regime’s authority in at least 13 years. Iran’s leaders have attempted to characterise the protests as a foreign plot, and a separatist push by a Kurdish minority. However, a groundswell of people from all walks of life continues to fuel a movement that is drawn from widespread social grievance. » | Martin Chulov | Saturday, October 8, 2022

Continued Police Violence in Iran, Canada Imposes New Sanctions | DW News

Canada says it will sanction senior members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and ban them from entering the country. This comes as international pressure grows on Iran over its response to protests triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody.

A coroner in Iran has denied Mahsa Amini was killed by blows she suffered in police detention. But dozens of protesters have been killed in an ensuing crackdown and many more have been arrested.

Since posting this report, it has been age-restricted; therefore, it cannot be embedded. It must be viewed on YouTube itself. Here is a link to it. – Mark
Loosen the vice on the people, for God’s sake! Theocracy? What a joke! If Iran were truly a theocracy, the authorities would never treat women as violently as they so clearly do. And for what? Just for showing a few strands of hair? If this brutal mistreatment of women were truly Allah’s will, He wouldn’t be worthy of being prayed to! Ditto the way that Iranian authorities treat gays. The poor gays of Iran are often put to death.

Iran so clearly needs another revolution; but this time a secular revolution, in order to bring some human rights and decency to the Republic. Sweep the Mullahs away! – © Mark Alexander

Le Proche-Orient face au soulèvement en Iran

LE MONDE – ÉDITORIAL : Hantés par le souvenir des « printemps arabes », les dirigeants des pays voisins, pourtant opposés à Téhéran sur de nombreux dossiers, observent le silence devant la colère de la jeunesse iranienne et sa brutale répression.

Soulèvement ou révolution ? Il est encore trop tôt pour savoir ce qu’il adviendra de la vague qui a saisi l’Iran depuis la mort en prison, le 16 septembre, de Mahsa Amini, jeune femme arrêtée pour avoir porté son voile d’une manière jugée inappropriée. Une seule certitude s’impose aujourd’hui. Malgré une répression particulièrement brutale qui se mesure déjà en dizaines de morts, malgré la dénonciation pavlovienne par le Guide de la révolution, Ali Khamenei, d’un complot forcément occidental, forcément ourdi par les Etats-Unis, la colère ne retombe pas. » | Éditorial « du Monde » | vendredi 7 octobre 2022

Read in English.

!يا حبيبي

My darling! / Mon chéri ! / Mein Schatz!
شكرا لمن ؟؟؟

Between Hitler and Hollywood - Leni Riefenstahl and Arnold Fanck | DW Documentary

Leni Riefenstahl was one of the most controversial artists of the 20th century. Her mentor, Arnold Fanck, was a German film pioneer of the 20s, now largely forgotten. In May, 1932, the two set off together on a five-month filming trip to Greenland.

They were there to make the first ever German-American feature film, the extremely expensive "S.O.S. Eisberg." At the time, it was the riskiest film project ever attempted. Annette Baumeister's current-day documentary is based on spectacular footage from the life-threatening production. Baumeister explores the passionate relationship between Fanck and Riefenstahl, and examines just how closely intertwined the two filmmakers’ careers were. While Fanck’s star waned after "S.O.S. Eisberg," Riefenstahl went on to a superstar career under the Nazis. Did this cold and calculated success come at the expense of her one-time mentor?

The documentary shows excerpts from Fanck's and Riefenstahl's greatest films, including "The White Hell of Pitz Palu" (1929) and "Storm Over Mont Blanc" (1930). Reinhold Messner, Willy Bogner and Matthias Fanck, Fanck's grandson, are all interviewed. Among other things, they speak about the groundbreaking innovations of Fanck's so-called mountain films.

The film also reexamines the work and life of Leni Riefenstahl from a modern perspective. And this deconstruction of the Riefenstahl myth also serves as an overdue tribute to Fanck, a largely forgotten cinema pioneer.

Jon Danzig: How Newspaper Lies Led to Brexit

EU ROPE : A blog by Jon Danzig.

Our Yemeni Kitchen | مطبخنا اليمني | Kebab Made in a Different Way | صنع الكباب بطريقة مختلفة

Delicious | لذيذ

For a full list in both English and Arabic of the ingredients used in this recipe and the cooking method, click here and then click on "show more".

Did Brexit Work for Business? | Dispatches | Channel 4 Documentaries

Sep 15, 2022 | Is Brexit, and the new free trade deal with the EU, the huge success the Government said it would be? Dispatches meets firms struggling with increased costs and dwindling profits.

Truth To Power: Truss and Kwarteng Are Merely Useful Idiots.

Now that the ringmaster, Boris Johnson, has gone - in the Tory circus, the lions are eating the clowns.

As the UK economy faces economic collapse, and the devaluation of the British pound exacerbates the cost-of-living crisis, Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng are being chewed up and will soon be spat out. They have no mandate from the parliamentary Conservative Party, let alone from the electorate at large. They are merely useful idiots, funded and instructed by libertarian organisations with opaque funding, generally headquartered in Tufton Street, conveniently situated near the Houses of parliament. These are the same dark money lobby groups that brought you Brexit, the ERG, Boris Johnson and now the Truss - Kwarteng tragi-comedy.

Are Ukrainian Special Forces behind the Attack? | DW News

Russian anti-terrorism officials said that a large fire on the bridge linking Russia and Crimea was caused by an exploding truck.

The blast "set fire to seven oil tankers being carried by rail to Crimea," Russian news agencies cited the national anti-terrorism committee as saying. Russia has launched a criminal probe into the event.

"According to preliminary information a fuel tank was on fire on one of the sections of the Crimean bridge, the shipping arches are not damaged," RIA reported citing a local official. The tank was being pulled by a train. There have been no deaths or injuries reported so far.

The road running along that part of the bridge was also badly damaged, according to the reports.

The Crimean city of Simferopol announced that they were considering putting in place a ferry connection.

Liz Truss Shows Off Her Incompetence with a Pathetic Speech to Conference

In her speech to a room full of the party faithful at the Conservative Party Conference, Liz Truss talked nonsense for 25 minutes about how she will resolve all problems by pursuing growth in the economy without giving any idea how that might be achieved in a fast-declining and severely-damaged economy.

She talked of how the new Health Secretary, Theresa Coffey, will solve all problems in the NHS and about how Suella Braverman , the new Home Secretary, will pursue her cruel 'dream and obsession' by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda where they will be abandoned.

She also introduced a new slogan, ‘the anti-growth coalition' which appears to include just about everyone who is not a Tory supporter


You can support Michael Lambert by buying his recently-published book, A Satirical History of Brexit here.

Boris Johnson Took Accommodation Worth £10,000 from Tory Donor’s Wife

THE GUARDIAN: Register of MPs’ interests shows ex-PM accepted gift from Lady Carole Bamford, wife of JCB chairman, Lord Anthony Bamford

Lady Carole Bamford and Lord Bamford at an event in 2020. Boris and Carrie Johnson’s wedding reception in the grounds of the Bamfords’ 18th-century mansion, Daylesford House in the Cotswolds, in July, is said to have included a steel band, rum punch, Abba songs and a conga.Photograph: David M Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Positive Luxury
Boris Johnson accepted free accommodation worth £10,000 from the wife of the leading Tory donor who hosted his wedding party this summer, it has emerged.

The updated register of MPs’ interests shows that the former prime minister accepted a £10,000 gift from Lady Carole Bamford, for “concessionary use of accommodation for me and my family in September”.

Lord Anthony Bamford, a pro-Brexit Conservative peer who is chairman of construction equipment manufacturer JCB, has been a major Tory donor for decades. The billionaire entrepreneur, who supported Johnson’s successful leadership bid in 2019, has given more than £10m in donations and gifts to the party since 2001.

The latest register of MPs’ interests data published this week shows Liz Truss also accepted an £8,000 donation from Bamford, to cover “transport” during her leadership campaign.

It comes after the register showed that the prime minister was given more than £500,000 for her leadership campaign. Around half of that came from donors linked to hedge fund bosses, venture capitalists and other City financiers. » | Alexandra Topping | Friday, October 7, 2022

It just goes to show what the Tories are about! Greasing palms and corruption comes as standard to these people. Little wonder that we, the ordinary citizens of the UK–sorry! subjects of His Majesty–lost all our European citizens' rights during that farcical, but extremely sad, Brexit referendum. – © Mark Alexander

Gwynedd Council Calls for Abolition of Title Prince of Wales

THE GUARDIAN: Councillors in north Wales vote to express opposition to ‘thorn in nation for centuries’

Councillors said an investiture of Prince William should not take place in Gwynedd or anywhere else in Wales. Photograph: Reuters
A Welsh council has officially called for the title of Prince of Wales to be banned and said there should be no investiture of Prince William anywhere in the country.

King Charles III’s decision to bestow the title on his son has been controversial among many people in Wales who feel that it is a symbol of English oppression.

Gwynedd council in north Wales has voted to express its opposition to the title and is asking for a consultation on the question of whether it should be abolished.

Members of the council, which is controlled by Plaid Cymru, also agreed that they believed an investiture should not take place in Gwynedd, or anywhere on Welsh soil. Charles’s investiture was held at Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd in 1969. » | Steven Morris | Friday, October 7, 2022

Chris Brown : Forever | Official HD Video | Reupload

Screenshot taken from this video.
Views on YouTube: 300,401,661
Click here if you want to listen and boogie to one of the best pop songs ever!

Brexit Is behind Liz Truss Failure | Andrew Marr | The New Statesman

Thanks to Brexit revolutionaries, the Conservative Party under Liz Truss is “doomed” – Andrew Marr

Isn’t it high time that Scotland and Wales leave the UK and re-join the EU? Ireland needs to unite and will then be in the EU anyway. The English shouldn’t be allowed to determine our future. Let England become the 51st state of the USA! – © Mark Alexander

Palpable Happiness

Spürbares Glück / Bonheur palpable
Many thanks to Lanier Blake London for this super photo of two handsome men enjoying their happiness.

Democracy Now! "A Complex and Devastating Crisis": Burkina Faso Sees Second Military Coup This Year

The western African nation of Burkina Faso is facing its second military coup in eight months. After a day of gunfire rang out Friday in the capital Ouagadougou, Captain Ibrahim Traoré announced on public television that he had replaced Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba as president. Corinne Dufka, West Africa director at Human Rights Watch, says Damiba's inability to improve security in the face of an Islamist insurgency was "the primary reason for the coup d'état." We also speak with Aziz Fall, coordinator for Justice for Sankara, an international campaign dedicated to uncovering the truth behind the 1987 assassination of Burkina Faso leader Thomas Sankara. He says the legacy of U.S. military intervention and French colonialism has led to instability in the region. "People are outraged with the role of France but also the role of the United States," says Fall.

Nicola Sturgeon Says Decisions Taken by PM on UK Economy Have Been "Catastrophic"

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the decisions taken by Liz Truss since she became Prime Minister have been "catastrophic" for the UK economy.

Whitney Houston : I Wanna Dance With Somebody | Official Video | Reupload

Views on YouTube: 372,573,124

Traditional Pork Knuckles - A Typical Oktoberfest Dish from Germany

Pork knuckle is a traditional Bavarian delicacy. Served with potato dumplings, it's a beloved and well-known dish that's synonymous with Bavarian culture around the world. There are, of course, many different recipes. Wolfgang Reithmeier, the head chef at Munich's Hofbräuhaus, shows us how to prepare an authentic Bavarian pork knuckle--and he reveals the secret to making it nice and crispy.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 7, 2022

Russia Is about to Become a Failed State, Former US Army Major Says

"He [Putin] has no friends. He’s a rogue nation on the verge of becoming a failed state." Not a single country supports Putin’s sham referenda, or annexations, pushing Russia to becoming a 'failed state', Major John Spencer tells #TimesRadio.

Russland: Frauen gegen den Krieg | ARTE Reportage

Ihr Banner trägt den Namen FAWR, Feminist Anti War Resistance, und ihr Telegram-Kanal fand schnell mehr als 30.000 Follower. Eine dieser Frauen nennt sich Paladdia, das ist der Künstlername einer jungen Designerin, die seit Beginn des Krieges schon zweimal inhaftiert wurde. In Sankt Petersburg wird sie von der Polizei streng überwacht.

Nordic wurde wegen "Telefonterrorismus" angeklagt. Ihr drohten zehn Jahre Gefängnis, sie lebt nun in Tallinn in Estland. Trotzdem ist sie weiterhin eine der Koordinatorinnen des Netzwerks feministischer Antikriegs-Kämpferinnen.

Die älteste dieser Aktivistinnen mit 77 Jahren ist Jelena Osipowa, Malerin. Ihre Familie überlebte die Belagerung von Leningrad im Zweiten Weltkrieg, alle nennen sie heute die "Großmutter für den Frieden". Sie demonstriert regelmäßig in den Straßen von St. Petersburg mit ihren Gemälden, die den Krieg anprangern. Drei von tausenden Aktivistinnen und Aktivisten, die die staatliche Gewalt in Russland anprangern, unter Einsatz ihrer Lebens…

Video auf YouTube verfügbar bis 18/05/2025


Le même reportage est disponible en français ici.

WARNING: Graphic Content — Musk Irks Zelenskyy after Polling a 'Peace Plan'

Elon Musk asked Twitter users to weigh in on a plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine, drawing immediate condemnation from Ukrainians, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who responded with his own poll.

Who Is Burkina Faso's Coup Leader Ibrahim Traoré?

Ibrahim Traoré has gone from being a career soldier to the self-declared leader of Burkina Faso. A picture is starting to emerge of how he and his military colleagues plan to use their time in power.

WIKIPEDIA: Ibrahim Traoré.

Is This the End of Iran as We Know It? | Shahin Gobadi

"I would describe this as a revolution." We are witnessing the end of the Iranian regime, it's just a question of when, says Shahin Gobadi, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

Professor Tim Wilson: There Is Only One Option for Liz Truss Now

And that is resignation. I am grateful to those who tell me I should give her a break and be nicer to her- She is the supply teacher who has lost control and there is no time to claw back authority. The nicest thing we can all do now is to persuade her to go.

Liz Truss Has Found Her Feet – as a Leading UK Conspiracist and No 10 Whiner-in-Chief

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: Who can blame the prime minister for grumbling? Her party has only had 12 years to set Britain right

‘Liz Truss is like that relative who no longer trusts what the government says about anything, and prefers to ‘do her own research’.’ Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
The rapturous standing ovation at the end of Liz Truss’s conference speech looked straight out of a future Netflix documentary from the cults strand. Outside the sect’s meeting hall, the party is polling an average of 25 (TWENTY-FIVE) points behind Labour. Inside, the people were clapping like they’d just heard a really charismatic argument about why it’s important to marry teenage girls, shun dissenting family members, and build gun turrets round their compound.

Truss’s government is now too weak to implement its maddest plans and too ideological to implement its most sensible. Last night it emerged that the government has blocked a public information campaign to help people save money on energy – and, by extension, to conserve usage in the face of suggestions that rolling blackouts could be in the post for this winter.

Apparently Truss regarded it as too nannying, despite it having been drawn up by her own business secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg (a 53-year-old who admittedly still has a nanny). One cabinet minister reportedly said “the public is smarter than you think”. Unfortunately, Liz Truss isn’t. If we do reach the blackout scenario, the failure to plan or use foresight will be blamed on Vladimir Putin. » | Marina Hyde | Friday, Ocober 7, 2022

Iran’s Last Shah - the fifth estate | 1975

In 1975 for one of the first-ever episodes of the fifth estate, Adrienne Clarkson talked to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi -the Shah of Iran- about inflation in the West in the face of rising oil prices. The Shah contends that the West built itself at Iran’s expense and he is now putting things right. Clarkson raises the issues of Iran’s record with political prisoners and torture and his views on torture are unequivocal. The Pahlavi dynasty would end four years later in the wake of the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Pahlavi died of cancer while in exile one year later.

the fifth estate is celebrating our 40th season and we are taking a look back at some of the people and places we have featured on the program.

Would Putin's Successor Be Worse? | Putin Biographer, Robert Service

"Putin is unmoored from reality." The Russian President's isolation isn't helping his judgement, but it's unlikely his successor would be any different, says Robert Service, Emeritus Professor of Russian history at St. Anthony's College, Oxford and a biographer of Vladimir Putin.

Italia Squisita: Homemade Neapolitan Style Pizza by Pizza Master Renato Bosco (Northern Italy)

Renato Bosco, one of the most authoritative pizza makers in Northern Italy, presents his version of the most classic of Southern pizzas, the Neapolitan one. 70% hydration, a few technical gestures, conscious use of heat to make a Neapolitan-style pizza at home as in pizzeria, in Verona as in Naples.

Ingredienti/Ingredients:

Farina “0” 260-280W/Flour “0” 260-280W 500g
Acqua/Water 350g
Sale/Salt 10g
Olio EVO/EVO Oil 12ml
Lievito di birra/Fresh brewer's yeast 2,5 g (oppure Lievito secco/Active dry yeast 1,25 g)

Method as shown in the video.

Discover the book Homemade Pizza by Davide Civitiello here.

„Niemand sollte im Gefängnis sitzen, weil er Marihuana konsumiert oder besitzt“

BIDENS DROGENPOLITIK
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der US-Präsident macht einen Vorstoß zur Entkriminalisierung des Besitzes von Marihuana. All jene, die auf Bundesebene wegen dieses Vergehens verurteilt wurden, sollen begnadigt werden.

US-Präsident Joe Biden hat im Zuge einer Lockerung der Drogenpolitik eine Begnadigung all jener angekündigt, die auf Bundesebene wegen einfachen Marihuana-Besitzes verurteilt wurden. „Niemand sollte im Gefängnis sitzen, nur weil er Marihuana konsumiert oder besitzt“, erklärte Biden am Donnerstag. „Menschen wegen des Besitzes von Marihuana ins Gefängnis zu schicken, hat zu viele Leben auf den Kopf gestellt und Menschen wegen eines Verhaltens, das viele Bundesstaaten nicht mehr verbieten, ins Gefängnis gebracht.“

Eine Vorstrafe wegen Marihuana-Besitzes erschwere vielen Menschen den Zugang zu einem Job, einer Wohnung und Bildungsmöglichkeiten, führte Biden aus. Außerdem seien Afroamerikaner und andere Minderheiten von solchen Verurteilungen im Vergleich zu Weißen überproportional betroffen. » | Quelle: AFP | Donnerstag, 6. Oktober 2-22

Global Fallout from Rate Moves Won’t Stop the Fed

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Federal Reserve, like many central banks, sets policy with an eye on the domestic economy. Its battle to control prices is causing pain abroad.

The Federal Reserve has embarked on an aggressive campaign to raise interest rates as it tries to tame the most rapid inflation in decades, an effort the central bank sees as necessary to restore price stability in the United States.

But what the Fed does at home reverberates across the globe, and its actions are raising the risks of a global recession while causing economic and financial pain in many developing countries.

Other central banks in advanced economies, from Australia to the eurozone, are also lifting rates rapidly to fight their inflation. And as the Fed’s higher interest rates attract money to the United States — pumping up the value of the dollar — emerging-market economies are being forced to raise their own borrowing costs to try to stabilize their currencies to the extent possible.

Altogether, it is a worldwide push toward more expensive money unlike anything seen before in the 21st century, one that is likely to have serious ramifications. » | Jeanna Smialek and Alan Rappeport | Friday, October 7, 2022

Aufstand im Iran: Wackelt das Mullah-Regime? | Auf den Punkt

Mutige Massenproteste im Iran – seit drei Wochen gehen vorwiegend junge Iranerinnen und Iraner überall im Land auf die Straße. Der Slogan „Frau, Leben, Freiheit“ verbindet sie, und der Ruf „Tod dem Diktator“, denn sie fordern Ende der Islamischen Republik.

Das Mullah-Regime versucht, die Proteste mit aller Härte niederzuschlagen. Es gibt Tote, Schwerverletzte und viele Festnahmen. Das Internet wird teilweise abgeschaltet. Trotzdem wagen jeden Tag wieder Menschen Widerstand. Wir fragen „Aufstand im Iran – Wackelt das Mullah-Regime?“


Die gleiche Sendung auf Englisch können Sie hier zuschauen.

It's the "Beginning of the End" for Liz Truss | Andrew Marr | The New Statesman

Conservatives are "sure they're going into opposition" - Andrew Marr

After a "grim" Conservative Party Conference, Andrew Marr and Freddie Hayward join Anoosh Chakelian to dissect what Marr calls "the worst [conference] I have seen, of any party".

Following Kwasi Kwarteng's U-turn over the failed 45p tax cut, the Conservatives under Liz Truss are facing opinion polls showing Labour over 30 points ahead.

In this video, Andrew Marr, Freddie Hayward and Anoosh Chakelian explore why the Conservative Party appears to be imploding, and whether there is anything that can reverse their decline.

Liz Truss ist zum Handeln verdammt und schickt die Tory-Partei auf Identitätssuche – doch die Kritiker wetzen die Messer

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der Kurs der neuen britischen Premierministerin sorgt nicht nur an den Märkten, sondern auch innerhalb der Tory-Partei für Turbulenzen. Am Parteitag in Birmingham gelobte Liz Truss, ihren Wachstumskurs fortzuführen.

Mit einer entschlossenen Rede trotzte sie den Turbulenzen: die britische Premierministerin Liz Truss am Tory-Parteitag in Birmingham. | Hannah Mckay / Reuters
Als die britischen Tories 2021 zum Parteitag in Manchester zusammenkamen, waren die Mitglieder in Hochstimmung. Die Covid-Restriktionen waren gefallen, und Boris Johnson sorgte nach seinem überwältigenden Wahlsieg im Dezember 2019 für anhaltend hohe Umfragewerte. Die seit 2010 regierende Partei hoffte auf ein weiteres Jahrzehnt an der Macht.

Ein Jahr später nun wirkte dieselbe Partei an ihrer Konferenz in Birmingham wie ein Schatten ihrer selbst. Kabinettsmitglieder widersprachen sich und trugen ihre Meinungsverschiedenheiten an die Öffentlichkeit. Die scharfzüngige Innenministerin Suella Braverman warf den Tory-Hinterbänklern offen vor, gegen die neue Premierministerin Liz Truss einen Putsch zu forcieren. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, Birmingham | Mittwoch, 5. Oktober 2022

Kremlin Critic Vladimir Kara-Murza Accused of ‘High Treason’

THE GUARDIAN: Opposition activist who has spoken out against war in Ukraine faces 20 years in prison if convicted

The Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who has been imprisoned in Moscow since April, is being investigated for “high treason”, as the authorities step up their case against him for his criticism of the war in Ukraine.

The latest charges against Kara-Murza, a veteran critic of President Vladimir Putin, stem from allegations of “longtime cooperation with a Nato state”, according to the Russian state news agency Tass.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. » | Pjotr Sauer | Thursday, October 6, 2022

First Kiss | Reupload

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

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

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

It is long, so I would recommend a cocktail or two to enjoy the sensual pleasure of viewing. A few snacks might go down well too. (Don’t forget that YouTube allows you to stop viewing at any time and return to where you left off, at your convenience.) Enjoy! – © Mark Alexander

Canadian Sailor Shares Historic Kiss with Same-sex Partner

”A Canadian naval vessel made history … when one of its master seamen, Francis Legare, shared the traditional ‘first kiss’ with his partner, Corey Vautour”
With many thanks to The Guardian for uploading to Pinterest this historic first kiss.
Video: The historic kiss.

Schöne Erinnerungen an einen langen, heißen Sommer!

Beautiful memories of a long, hot summer! / De beaux souvenirs d'un été long et chaud !
Für dieses wunderschöne Bild möchte ich mich bei Anonymous auf Pinterest bedanken.

Persia before Khomeini - The History of Iran in 15 Minutes of Perfectly Restored Film Material

This documentary has been re-edited out from CHRONOS-documentaries "The Heirs of Cyrus the Great" (1974), "Politics of Oil" (1980) and super-8 home movies by Irmgard and Bengt von zur Mühlen.

Iran, or Persia as it was once called, must have been a fun place to visit under the Shah. Before Khomeini, the theocrat, turned the country mediaeval. Pity that this mullocracy cannot be overturned quickly and without bloodshed and normalcy be restored. But who knows? Maybe it can be overturned; and more quickly than we might imagine. Already, one can smell revolution in the air – even from here! – © Mark Alexander

Iran Rises Up: Can the Mullahs Be Toppled? | to the point

Protests in Iran are gaining momentum. Led initially by women and girls crying “Woman, life, liberty” after the death of a young Kurdish women detained for wearing her head scarf “inappropriately”, the uprising has drawn thousands of others onto the streets. The protesters chant “Death to the Dictator” – calling for the end of the repressive clerical regime. Which is hitting back hard – its violent crackdown has killed or detained hundreds of civilians, journalists, and activists and shut down the internet. Today we’re asking: Iran rises up: Can the mullahs be toppled?“

More on this story here.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 6, 2022

'Truss Doesn't Understand What I Wrote about Economics' | Rick Perlstein

When the Times interviewed Liz Truss at the end of last year, she told us she "read anything" by the American historian Rick Perlstein He chronicles the rise of the new US right between 1960 and 1980, in the Nixon and Reagan eras. Perlstein is confused by her endorsement.

I have stated many times already that Liz Truss and her neoliberal, so-called trickle-down economic fantasy is going to be a disaster for this country. I stand by my words. Neoliberal economics, aka Reaganomics, aka Thatcherism is the last thing we need in the present economic circumstances. Furthermore, had such economic theory been truly effective, this country would have growth in the stratosphere by now! Thatcher came to power in 1979. She was ousted in 1990 in an ignominious coup reminiscent of a banana republic.

I was one of Thatcher’s biggest fans back in the day. But economic circumstances were totally different in those years. The UK had also been in the grip of socialism for many years prior to Thatcher’s ‘Revolution’; so, nothing in the coutry worked. Arguably, Thatcherism was the very medicine the country needed at that time.

However, no prime minister since Thatcher, be he/she a Conservative PM or a Labour PM, has ever had the courage to truly abandon Thatcherism. Now, Liz Truss is going to double down on Thatcher’s neoliberal ideas; and arguably in an even more extreme way!

Thatcherite policies are NOT what this country needs at this time. The economic problems which this country is facing and which this country needs to solve now are totally different from those that Thatcher faced. Doubling down on Thatcherism at this time is madness. Moreover, the only thing that can be said about Arthur Laffer’s ‘laffer curve’ is that it is ‘laffable’! Such an absurdidy! – © Mark Alexander

National Grid Warns Households Could Face Three-hour Power Cuts This Winter

THE GUARDIAN: Plan could come into effect under worst-case scenario of shortage of gas supplies at same time as cold snap

Households could experience a series of three-hour power cuts this winter if Vladimir Putin shuts off gas supplies from Russia and Britain experiences a cold snap National Grid has warned.

Such an event would mean consumers in different parts of the country being notified a day in advance of three-hour blocks of time during which their power would be cut off, in an effort to reduce total consumption by 5%.

The emergency plan would need to be approved by King Charles on the recommendation of the business secretary.

National Grid said that in the “unlikely event” of a shortage of gas supplies that some consumers would be without power for “pre-defined periods” during a day to “ensure the overall security and integrity of the electricity system across Great Britain”.

It said there would have to be reduced electricity imports from Europe and insufficient gas supply to power stations for the planned power cuts to happen. » | Alex Lawson, Energy correspondent | Thursday, October 6, 2022

Last Persian Shah - Full Movie | Reupload

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi would have been 100 years in October 2019. The Shah's story begins with good ideas and ideals and ends in bloody chaos.

On the one hand, he helped carry Iran into modernity. His wealth was legendary, and his marriages made tabloid headlines for years. However, his name also stands for a time of human rights violations, vicious oppression and intolerance.

Directed By: Holger Preuße

En Iran, la télévision d’Etat diffuse ce qu’elle présente comme des « aveux » de deux Français arrêtés

LE MONDE : Dans un enregistrement diffusé jeudi, une jeune femme s’exprimant en français affirme s’appeler Cécile Kohler et être agent de la DGSE.

Le site de la chaîne arabophone Al-Alam de la télévision officielle iranienne a diffusé, jeudi 6 octobre, ce qu’elle présente comme des « aveux » d’espionnage de deux Français arrêtés en mai en Iran. Dans la vidéo, une jeune femme s’exprimant en français affirme s’appeler Cécile Kohler et être agent de renseignement opérationnel à la direction générale de la sécurité extérieure (DGSE, service de renseignement français).

La femme affirme qu’elle et son conjoint étaient en Iran « pour préparer les conditions de la révolution et du renversement du régime iranien ». Ils devaient, toujours d’après ses déclarations, financer des grèves et des manifestations et même utiliser des armes « si nécessaire pour se battre contre la police ». Selon l’homme montré dans la vidéo, qui s’exprime aussi en français, les objectifs de la DGSE étaient de « faire pression sur le gouvernement » iranien. » | Le Monde avec AFP | jeudi 6 octobre 2022

Afin d'en savoir plus sur la situation actuelle en Iran, cliquez ici.

Oil and the Shah of Iran (1974) | 60 Minutes Archive

In 1974, Mike Wallace traveled to Iran for his first interview with Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. The Arab oil embargo was ongoing, and Wallace asked the Shah about the oil profits Iran was making.

Iran: Women, Life, Freedom

Here, the Shahbanu (Empress [Farah Pahlavi]) speaks about the protests currently taking place throughout Iran. I do not speak Farsi, but I post this video on my blog today for the people who do understand the language.

Related articles and videos in English, French and German here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

BILDSTRECKE: Die Gewalt an Frauen in Iran löst weltweite Proteste aus: In Zürich, Berlin, Istanbul und anderen Städten gehen die Menschen auf die Strasse, aus Solidarität mit den Iranerinnen und Iranern, die seit Wochen ein Ende des Kopftuchzwangs und der Unterdrückung in der Islamischen Republik fordern. »

Thailand Attack: 22 Children among 34 Killed in Nursery Mass Shooting

THE GUARDIAN: North-east region preschool centre attacked by gunman who also killed himself and his family

Thirty-four people have been killed, including 22 children, in a mass shooting at a preschool centre in a north-eastern province of Thailand, police have said.

The attacker, a former policeman, also killed his wife and child before shooting himself dead.

About 30 children were at the centre when the gunman entered the building at 12.30pm (0530 GMT), during the children’s nap time, police and local officials said. The victims were as young as two years old. With video » | Rebecca Ratcliffe and Navaon Siradapuvadoli in Bangkok and agencies | Thursday, October 6, 2022

« Dans l’Iran de 2022, l’obligation du port du voile est une violence absurde et humiliante »

LE MONDE – CHRONIQUE : Entre le pouvoir iranien et une population aujourd’hui largement éduquée, conservatrice mais de moins en moins religieuse, la discordance est chaque jour plus frappante, constate, dans sa chronique, Alain Frachon, éditorialiste au « Monde ».

Elle visitait la capitale avec ses parents et son frère. L’automne est une bonne saison à Téhéran. On s’éloigne de la fournaise estivale et le grand froid est encore loin. Elle avait 22 ans, ne s’intéressait pas à la politique, plutôt aux chanteurs de l’époque. Mahsa Amini venait de la petite ville de Saqqez, dans le Kurdistan iranien (nord-ouest), une région socialement conservatrice.

Cette matinée du 13 septembre, elle avait pris le métro pour se rendre dans le centre de Téhéran et elle marchait le long d’un parc. Elle portait son foulard « islamique » : la théocratie au pouvoir l’impose depuis 1983. Passant par là, une camionnette de la police des mœurs interpelle la jeune femme : son foulard serait mal mis – peut-être trop en arrière. Mahsa Amini est embarquée puis conduite dans un commissariat. Quelques heures plus tard, elle est transportée à l’hôpital, dans un coma profond. Elle meurt, le 16 septembre. Elle est inhumée à Saqqez, le 17. Il n’y a pas eu d’autopsie. Morte pour une mèche de cheveux, dans la splendeur de ses 22 ans ? » | Alain Frachon | jeudi 6 octobre 2022

En Iran, la répression à huis clos : « Le corps et le visage de ma cousine sont couverts de bleus, mais elle refuse de raconter » : Les autorités ont encore durci leur censure d’Internet, bloquant les rares services occidentaux encore accessibles, comme Instagram ou WhatsApp. Selon une ONG, 31 personnes ont été tuées depuis la mort de Mahsa Amini. »

Former Tory Minister Rory Stewart Says Liz Truss Is Not Conservative | LBC

Former Development Secretary, Rory Stewart, tells Andrew Marr Liz Truss’ ‘ideological’ talk about growth may work but ’it’s not very conservative’.

Women around the World Cut Their Hair in Solidarity with Iranian Protesters | DW News

In Iran, there has been no let-up in the anti-government protests that have been sweeping the country. The unrest was triggered by death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died last month in the custody of the country's so-called morality police. She was arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict Islamic dress code. Her death has drawn international condemnation and demonstrations of solidarity – including by female celebrities and politicians who cut off locks of their hair in a symbolic act.

Death to the Islamic Republic of Iran! Say yes to women’s rights! Say yes to gays’ rights! Say yes to freedom! Down with the Mullahs! Down with those damn stupid hijabs! Liberate the people! Let the people taste freedom! It looks increasingly as if the Mullahs’ days are numbered anyway. Alhamdulillah! – © Mark Alexander

War in Ukraine: Zelenskyy Advisor Rejects Kremlin's Call for Talks | Conflict Zone

A senior advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says nuclear threats from Vladimir Putin need to be taken seriously, but told DW's Tim Sebastian that this is not the first time the Kremlin has sought to blackmail the world.

Ihor Zhovkva, who works in the president's office in Kyiv, said the world's nuclear powers needed to convince Putin to step back from nuclear threats as Russian forces continue to suffer setbacks in Ukraine — but that for now the only talks that will take place with the Kremlin are on the battlefield.

Zhovkva said that if Russia was serious about negotiations, it would not have conducted sham "referendums" in occupied Ukrainian regions and illegally annexed the territories. Zhovkva also underlined that Ukraine would continue to seek the prosecution of war criminals and the assistance of international organizations and partners to collect evidence. He said those Ukrainians who willingly collaborated with Russian occupiers would face punishment.

The Guardian View on Liz Truss’s Speech: Stoking Conflict in Place of Argument

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The prime minister’s mask has slipped. Her naked case for greed and selfishness will make enemies inside as well as outside her party

Political speeches can influence voters or MPs; they can honour ideals and celebrate membership of a party. Liz Truss chose none of these in her address to activists at the Conservative party’s annual conference. She preferred instead to defend her unpopular policies that promote growth at any cost, and blame a decade of anaemic economic expansion on those who – rightly – counsel caution about the trade-offs involved. The prime minister’s speech shows the extent to which she sees politics as civil war, where everything boils down to loyalty. The new “enemies of enterprise” is just a Trussian rebranding of the toxic “enemies of the people” rhetoric.

Ms Truss wanted to battle opponents outside the Tory party, not those within it. She has been on the losing side of that fight all week. Instead she chose to define her enemies in the country and seek conflict with them. But Britain’s poor economic performance is not down to an “nti-growth coalition” of podcasters, trade unions and thinktanks. Surely if one wants to view success through the lens of growth then those guilty of failing to produce it were sitting in front of the prime minister in the conference hall. With video » | Editorial | Wednesday, October 5, 2022

This woman is a disaster! – © Mark Alexander

Mariah Carey - Anytime You Need A Friend

Views on YouTube: 24,805,146 views

Homophobic Abuse Allegedly Used at Tory Party LGBT Event in Birmingham

THE GUARDIAN: Several people had to be removed for allegedly using vitriolic language at party celebrating LGBT diversity

Conservative party members have been accused of using homophobic insults at a party celebrating LGBT diversity at the party conference in Birmingham.

Several people had to be removed for allegedly using vitriolic language at an event at Reflex nightclub, it is claimed.

Two sources told ITV News that one person had to be escorted from the venue for calling a gay man a “f**”, while another man was ejected for calling two women a “dirty l*****”. » | Nadeem Badshah | Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Phil Collins : Everyday | Official Music Video | LP Version

Views on YouTube: 19,612,399

Whitney Houston with Enrique Iglesias : Could I Have This Kiss Forever | Official HD Video | Reupload

Views on YouTube: 134,518,191

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 5, 2022

Panorama (1995) - An Interview with HRH The Princess of Wales - Diana / Martin Bashir

Diana, Princess of Wales, speaks openly for the first time about her separation from the Prince of Wales in a frank interview for the BBC's Panorama programme.

Real Men…

… often enjoy a smoke!
With many thanks to Tumblr on Pinterest for this great photo.

Politics and Prohibition: Should Smoking Be Banned for Good? | ThinkTent 2022

Smoking, it is said, costs the UK over £13bn a year. A potentially addictive habit that can damage people’s health, the Government wants England to be ‘smoke free’ by 2030. Now the market offers a range of reduced risk products, is it time to ban cigarettes for good or should the principles of choice and personal responsibility remain paramount?

I think you all know what I think of this stupid idea. I believe in free choice. I also don't believe that smoking is as bad as they say it is, particularly if one smokes in moderation and otherwise lives a healthy life by eating well, not drinking too much and sleeping well. – © Mark Alexander

Liz Truss promet de « faire avancer le Royaume-Uni pour le sortir de la tempête »

LE MONDE : Après un mois chaotique au pouvoir, la dirigeante conservatrice a profité, mercredi, du congrès de son parti pour défendre les priorités de son mandat devant des élus et militants parfois hostiles.

La première ministre britannique, Liz Truss, au congrès du Parti conservateur, mercredi 5 octobre. OLI SCARFF / AFP
Affaiblie après seulement un mois au pouvoir, la première ministre britannique, Liz Truss, a tenté de reprendre la main, mercredi 5 octobre, au dernier jour d’un congrès du Parti conservateur à Birmingham jusqu’ici chaotique, miné par les dissensions internes sur la politique à mener pour sortir le Royaume-Uni de la crise. « Dans ces temps difficiles, nous devons agir. Je suis déterminée à faire avancer le Royaume-Uni pour nous sortir de la tempête », a lancé la cheffe du gouvernement, dans une allocution sans annonce d’un peu plus d’une demi-heure devant les élus et militants de son parti.

Avec la volonté de renouveler un pouvoir conservateur à la tête du pays depuis douze ans, la première ministre a affirmé vouloir « en finir avec le cycle de faible croissance » et répété son objectif de faire « croître l’économie britannique ». « Le statu quo n’est pas une option », a-t-elle insisté. Tentant de faire taire ceux qui, même dans ses rangs, l’accusent d’être déjà hors jeu – un mois à peine après son arrivée au pouvoir –, elle a de nouveau insisté sur ses priorités : baisser les impôts, améliorer le service de santé et la lutte contre l’immigration illégale. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mercredi 5 octobre 2022

Liz Truss a promis un feu de joie des réglementations européennes d'ici jusqu’à Noël. Ces règlements ont été mis en place pour protéger les droits des travailleurs. Donc, fondamentalement, ce que Madame Truss dit, c'est qu'elle veut que les travailleurs soient exploités. Ce n'est pas un progrès ! Cela ramènera l'horloge à l'ère victorienne. Cela équivaut à de la conduite d'esclaves ! Quelle horreur ! – © Mark Alexander

Lien connexe en anglais ici.

'Who Hurt Her?': James O'Brien Blasts Home Secretary Suella Braverman 'Dreaming of Deportations'

James O'Brien has taken aim at Home Secretary Suella Braverman. This clip is from a LBC show which was presented by James O'Brien on October 5th 2022.

Comment la Russie avance ses pions en Afrique, du Mali au Burkina Faso

LE MONDE : Depuis des mois, Moscou souffle, par le biais des réseaux sociaux et de quelques bataillons d’activistes, sur les braises des ressentiments antifrançais. « Plus le conflit en Ukraine va durer, plus il nous faudra être vigilant sur le front africain », assure une source officielle française.

Des partisans du coup d’Etat au Burkina Faso scandent des slogans contre le pouvoir du lieutenant-colonel Damiba, antifrançais et prorusses, à Ouagadougou, le 30 septembre 2022. SOPHIE GARCIA/AP
Samedi 1er octobre à Ouagadougou, il s’en est fallu de peu pour qu’un des cauchemars des autorités françaises ne devienne réalité. Un cauchemar lentement instillé par la Russie et qui aurait probablement fait le bonheur de Vladimir Poutine, engagé depuis une dizaine d’années sur le continent africain dans une grande et multiple entreprise d’affrontements avec l’Europe en général, et la France en particulier.

Samedi, au Burkina Faso, l’issue du coup d’Etat lancé la veille par le capitaine Ibrahim Traoré (34 ans), et d’autres jeunes officiers mécontents, contre la junte installée depuis huit mois à la tête du pays, était encore incertaine. Les putschistes ont alors accusé la France d’offrir une protection à celui qu’ils avaient décidé de renverser, le lieutenant-colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba, un « vétéran » âgé de 41 ans. Dans les rues de la capitale, des manifestants brandissant des drapeaux russes s’en sont alors pris aux symboles de la présence de l’ancienne puissance coloniale française : ambassade, lycée, Institut français, centre culturel, caserne Kamboinsin où stationnent des forces spéciales françaises engagées depuis 2013 dans la lutte antiterroriste au Sahel et qui, l’année suivante, avaient exfiltré l’ex-président renversé, Blaise Compaoré, un allié de longue date de Paris. » | Par Cyril Bensimon et Christophe Châtelot | mardi 4 octobre 2022

Article réservé aux abonnés

Les liens vers des articles connexes en français, en allemand et en anglais sont ici, ici, ici, ici, ici et ici.

Burkina Faso, les cartes pour comprendre les raisons du dernier putsch : DÉCRYPTAGESL’ultime renversement du pouvoir en place intervient alors que le pays est en proie à une grave crise sécuritaire. »

Notre pain quotidien | ARTE Regards

Depuis des temps immémoriaux, le pain est l’aliment de base d’une grande partie de l’humanité. Or, tous les pains ne se valent pas. En moyenne, un Allemand consomme 78 kilos de pain par an, contre une soixantaine pour un Français. Or, les bienfaits de cet aliment dépendent non seulement de la qualité des ingrédients, mais aussi de son mode de préparation.

Reportage (Allemagne, 2022, 32mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 29/09/2023


Hier finden Sie die gleiche Sendung auf Deutsch, namens Unser täglich Brot.

UK Prime Minister Liz Truss Speaks at the Conservative Party's Conference

If you can muster up the fortitude, listen to this vacuous speech, replete with platitudes we have heard a million times before. Try not to fall asleep! – © Mark Alexander

Russian Official Calling on Putin to Resign Speaks to CNN

More than 200,000 Russian citizens have arrived in Kazakhstan since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his partial mobilization order, according to Kazakh Interior Minister Marat Akhmetzhanov. One of them is Russian government official Dmitry Palyuga who is also calling on Vladimir Putin to resign. He spoke with CNN’s Erin Burnett. #CNN #News

Annalena Baerbock behauptet, Gewalt gegen iranische Frauen habe nichts mit Religion zu tun. Ein gefährlicher Irrtum

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Iranische Frauen kämpfen gegen das Mullah-Regime, Intellektuelle im arabischen Raum drängen auf eine Reformierung des Islam. Im Westen werden diese Debatten verhindert – auch weil führende Politikerinnen Zusammenhänge nicht sehen wollen.

Bloss nicht den Islam kritisieren: Verhüllte Frauen in Isfahan. | uul & Bruno Morandi / The Image Bank / Getty
Sie sind mutig, sie sind klar, sie sind bereit, Opfer zu bringen: Derzeit gehen vor allem Frauen in Iran auf die Strasse, um sich der engen Regeln und des Bestrafungssystems zu entledigen, das ihnen die Mullahs auferlegt haben – legitimiert durch eine Religion. Die deutsche Aussenministerin Annalena Baerbock (Grüne) hat dagegen in einer Bundestagsrede behauptet, die Gewalt gegen Frauen in Iran – angeordnet von einem islamistischen Regime – habe mit Religion und Kultur «nichts, aber auch gar nichts zu tun». Das ist ein neuer Tiefpunkt in der Unfähigkeit, die Ursachen für Terror, Unterdrückung und Ungleichberechtigung zu erkennen. Und zeigt: Debatten um den Islam und seine Ausprägungen sind im Westen nicht gewollt.

Laut den französischen Publizistinnen und Feministinnen Caroline Fourest und Fiammetta Venner wurden in Iran schon direkt nach der Revolution von 1979 all jene Iranerinnen, die die strengen Bekleidungsregeln kritisierten, als «islamophob» bezeichnet. Dem iranischen Regime diente dieser Terminus als Kampfbegriff, um seine Gegner zu diffamieren. Das funktioniert auch heute, hier in Europa. Der Vorwurf der Islamophobie wird inzwischen so schnell erhoben, dass aus Angst davor, rassistisch zu sein, lieber gar keine Kritik am Islam geübt wird. » | Ahmad Mansour | Mittwoch, 5. Oktober 2022

Saudi Officials Conduct Raid in Capital, Seizes Rainbow Toys | International News | WION

Jun 16, 2022 | Authorities in Saudi Arabia are cracking down on homosexuality-related goods in the country. Shops in the national capital of Riyadh were raided by the officials where they seized rainbow-colored toys and articles of clothing.

‘You Look Like an Agatha Christie Villain!’ The Moustache Is Back – but Should It Go Away Again?

THE GUARDIAN: After years of beards, beards and more beards, the moustache is having a moment. But do you have to be Mark Owen or Henry Cavill to carry one off? I put it to the test

‘Wearing my moustache in the streets feels like walking around with an edgy new friend’ … Rhik shows off his new look. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
When I came of age, moustaches were the height of uncool. They were pervy, old-fashioned and creepy. The masculine ideal was clean-shaven, unless you were Des Lynam. A bizarre thing happened 20 years later, when ridiculous moustaches and moustache iconography came into fashion, and people even had them tattooed on their fingers. That went away, and we said no more about it. But I have started seeing them again, like civil war ghosts. From Heist food market at St Leonards-on-Sea to All Points East festival in Victoria Park in London, young men with moustaches, everywhere. What’s going on? » | Rhik Samadder | Wednesday, October 5, 2022

A Handsome Man Enjoying a Smoke

Just a simple pleasure which crappy, self-important politicians try and deny us all today.
With many thanks to Capt Jaspare on Pinterest for this truly delightful image.

Gay Marriage and True Love in Uniform | Reupload

Schwule Ehe und wahre Liebe in Uniform / Mariage gay et véritable amour en uniforme
Many thanks to Alexsandre Portier on Pinterest for this delightful photo of two men in love.

Au Burkina Faso, des manifestations hostiles à la Cedeao et à la France à Ouagadougou

LE MONDE : Brandissant des drapeaux russes et criant des slogans à la gloire de Moscou, plusieurs dizaines de personnes ont manifesté contre la visite d’une délégation ouest-africaine, quelques jours après un coup d’Etat.

Un petit groupe de manifestants proteste contre la Communauté économique des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cedeao) à Ouagadougou, le 4 octobre 2022. ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP
Plusieurs dizaines de personnes manifestaient mardi 4 octobre à Ouagadougou contre la visite d’une délégation ouest-africaine venue évaluer la situation au Burkina Faso quelques jours après un deuxième coup d’Etat en huit mois.

Brandissant des drapeaux russes et criant des slogans à la gloire de Moscou, les manifestants ont affiché leur hostilité à la Communauté économique des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest (Cedeao) et à la France, a constaté un journaliste de l’AFP. « Non à l’ingérence de la Cedeao », « France dégage », « Ensemble disons non à la France » ou encore « Vive la coopération Russie-Burkina », pouvait-on entendre de la part des manifestants rassemblés sur l’avenue menant à la présidence burkinabée. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 4 octobre 2022

For the Man Who Is Desirous of That Conservative Look: A Mop of Curls.

”Curl Power : How to tame a curly mane”
With many thanks to Out.com for this delightful and exotic photo.

Ukraine Makes Breakthrough against Russia in South - BBC News

Ukrainian troops have retaken more territory in regions illegally annexed by Russia. Ukraine's forces have advanced near the southern city of Kherson and consolidated gains in the east. Russian-installed officials in Kherson confirmed the advance, but said Moscow's forces were digging in. Ukrainian troops also moved towards Russian-held Luhansk in the east.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 4, 2022

Iran Arrests Musician as Anthem for Protests Goes Viral

THE GUARDIAN: The lyrics to Baraye by Shervin Hajipour are taken from ordinary Iranians voicing their anger in the wake of Mahsa Amini’s death


Iran protest song that's become the soundtrack to civil uprising – video
As demonstrations against the death of Mahsa Amini enter their third week in Iran, a protest song by one of Iran’s most popular musicians has become the soundtrack to the biggest civil uprising for decades, channelling the rage of Iranians at home and abroad.

The lyrics to Baraye by Shervin Hajipour are taken entirely from messages that Iranians have posted online about why they are protesting. Each begins with the word Baraye – meaning “For …” or “Because of …” in Farsi.

Hajipour released the song online last week and it quickly went viral, being viewed millions of times across various platforms. Videos show the song being sung by schoolgirls in Iran, blared from car windows in Tehran and played at solidarity protests in Washington Strasbourg and London this weekend. » | Rosie Swash | Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Verwandter Artikel.

Liz Truss: The Oligarch’s Prime Minister | George Monbiot

Welcome to Oligarch Island


You can donate to DDN here.

I wouldn't trust Truss further than I could throw her, nor that quasi chancellor. Kick them out of office asap! – © Mark Alexander

Muhammad Syed - "Change Is Hard, Particularly for Things That Really Matter" AwesomeWithoutAllah

Muhammad's very open personality as an #ExMuslim ultimately led to the founding of EXMNA. For many, meeting an ex-Muslim forms a key part of their journey out of Islam. By speaking up, you help others realize they too can be #AwesomeWithoutAllah SHOW LESS

You can donate to Ex-Muslims of North America (EXMNA) here.

Let enlightenment triumph over benightedness! Let people be the people that God/Allah (if you believe in Him) intended them to be. Help set people free! Liberate them from the shackles that bind them! Unchain yourselves! – © Mark Alexander

After Homophobic Assault, Gay Middle Eastern Man Refuses to Hide. “Yes, I Identify as a Gay Man.” | Reupload

The last summer before moving from Saudi Arabia to the United States, Jawad Bandar came out to his close friends. They all seemed to take it well - or so he thought. On one of his last nights in Saudi Arabia, Jawad was threatened by a group of men wielding bats. Though he escaped harm’s way, he later found out that his would-be attackers were tipped off by some people he thought were his friends. Rather than hide or retreat to the closet, Jawad took a different approach - upon relocating to Dearborn, Michigan, Jawad began living life as an open and unapologetically gay man.

Yes, gay Saudis. Imagine that! There are plenty of them, I can assure you. I saw and met more gay men when I worked there many years ago than I have ever met or seen in the West! Unfortunately, I wasn’t out in those days, and punishments for being gay were (and still are) brutal, harsh and cruel, otherwise I could have had a ball! – © Mark Alexander