Morocco: Sights Set on Progress - Mediterranean Journey | DW Documentary

Oct 30, 2022 | At the end of their Mediterranean journey, Sineb El Masrar shows Jaafar Abdul Karim her parents’ country. In Morocco, the two visit Tangier’s souk and its old city, with its view across the strait of Gibraltar to Europe.

Sineb then travels on alone. She meets an animal rights activist, helps out in a women's cooperative and hears the famous female "Hadra" singers in Chefchaouen, known as "The Blue City". After securing the right to sing in public, they have made female Sufi chanting famous far beyond Morocco’s borders.

Again and again, Sineb finds evidence that Morocco has its sights set on progress. The kingdom is undertaking an energy revolution, aiming to generate more than 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. For now, the Moroccan-made electric car is still a test project. But engineer Kawtar Benabdelaziz sees e-mobility as the future -- and not just in her own country. Back in Tangier, Sineb and Jaafar look back on their travels around the Mediterranean. One thing is clear: its coastline contains multitudes. With its distinctive mix of European, Arabic and African communities, the Mediterranean’s richness lies in its diversity.

Etats-Unis : Nancy Pelosi « traumatisée » par l’agression violente contre son mari

LE MONDE : La véritable cible de l’agresseur, qui a, selon la presse américaine, adopté des positions d’extrême droite sur les réseaux sociaux, aurait été la politicienne démocrate.

La cheffe de la majorité démocrate à la Chambre des représentants, Nancy Pelosi, s’est dite « traumatisée », samedi 29 octobre, par l’agression violente dont a été victime son mari, vendredi au domicile californien du couple.

« Nos enfants, nos petits-enfants et moi avons le cœur brisé et sommes traumatisés par l’agression qui met la vie de notre Pop en danger », a-t-elle écrit dans une lettre postée sur Twitter. « Nous sommes reconnaissants pour la réponse rapide des forces de l’ordre et des services d’urgence, et pour les soins médicaux vitaux qu’il reçoit », a-t-elle ajouté.

Paul Pelosi a été attaqué chez lui par un homme armé d’un marteau, qui cherchait sa femme, Nancy, alors à Washington. Paul Pelosi, 82 ans, a subi une intervention chirurgicale et se remet à l’hôpital. « Son état continue de s’améliorer », a ajouté Mme Pelosi dans la lettre. » | Le Monde avec AFP | dimanche 30 octobre 2022

Liens connexes ici et ici.

You Are Everything : Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye

Zu Tisch ... Matera | ARTE

Oct 29, 2022 | Die süditalienische Stadt Matera, im Osten der Region Basilicata gelegen, zählt zu den ältesten Städten der Welt. Ihre Sassi, in Stein gehauene Höhlenwohnungen, sind weltberühmt. Sie sind seit 1993 UNESCO-Welterbe. In einer der Höhlenwohnungen lebt Pino mit seiner Großfamilie. Seit seinem Ruhestand hat er Zeit zu kochen: am liebsten seine berühmte Parmigiana.

Matera in Süditalien, im Osten der Basilicata gelegen, zählt zu den ältesten Städten der Welt. Die Sassi, in Stein gehauene Höhlenwohnungen, sind weltberühmt. Seit 1993 sind sie Welterbe und stehen unter dem Schutz der UNESCO. Nach wie vor besteht das ganze Zentrum der traditionsreichen Höhlenwohnungen nur aus Kalkstein. Als Besucher wird so eine Art Zeitreise erlebbar. In einer der Wohnhöhlen lebt der Rentner Pino Sigillino mit seiner Familie. Seine Tochter Nastassja ist berufstätig – die Großeltern kümmern sich um ihre fünf Enkel, die im Nachbarhaus wohnen. Seine Frau Antonella und er geben die Familienrezepte an ihre Enkelkinder weiter. Denn seit Pino im Ruhestand ist, hat er Zeit zu kochen – am liebsten seine berühmte Parmigiana. Normalerweise gehört in den Auberginenauflauf nur Käse und etwas Salami; auf Geheiß seiner Enkel bereitet er extra noch kleine Fleischbällchen dazu. Seine Frau backt zum Nachtisch mit ihrer Enkelin Amelie süße Strazzate. Die Mandelkekse werden zum Kaffee gereicht. Zu Festtagen gibt es in Matera eine Art Lammeintopf, die Pignata. Sie wird in einer Terrakottavase serviert. Antonella und ihr Freund Angelo bereiten zum Abendessen für die Großfamilie eine Pignata vor, die mit verschiedenem Gemüse und Lammfleisch gefüllt wird. Dann bringt Antonella sie zum Bäcker, um sie mit Brotteig im Steinofen überbacken zu lassen. Koch- und Wohntradition treffen in Matera aufeinander.

Esskulturreihe, Regie: Stefanie Fleischmann (D 2019, 26 Min)
Verfügbar bis zum 29.11.2022

Mormons Accused of Ripping Off Taxpayers by Hundreds of Millions of Dollars | 60 Minutes Australia

Oct 30, 2022 | Once famous – or infamous – for its stance on polygamy, these days the Mormon Church is better known for its earnest young missionaries who doorknock our suburbs promising enlightenment. But on 60 MINUTES, enlightenment about a subject the Mormon Church wants to keep secret: serious accusations that Mormons in Australia have been able to draw on $400 million in tax deductions not lawfully available to followers of other religions. It’s alleged by church whistle-blowers that the Mormon books are being cooked in an elaborate tax dodge. As Tom Steinfort reports, this is money Australia could well use, but despite the federal government’s bluster about cracking down on waste and rorting, so far it has done nothing.

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

Jan 15, 2020 | Skyler Wixom, a BYU graduate and adjunct professor, shares his story of coming out and finding his path of authenticity and honesty. Skyler gives kind and sympathetic advice to Latter-Day Saints and Church leaders regarding his sexuality. He shares his story coming out for the first time to his mission president and the loving advice his mission president gave him. …

No 10 Alarm as Boris Johnson Plans to Attend Cop27 Climate Summit

THE OBSERVER: Ex-PM’s Cop27 visit is seen as snub to Rishi Sunak as Labour attacks government’s policy failures on environmental crisis

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak during a visit to an energy company in 2020. Photograph: Leon Neal/AP
A row over prime minister Rishi Sunak’s refusal to attend the Cop27 climate summit took an extraordinary twist on Saturday night as the Observer was informed that his predecessor but one – Boris Johnson – is planning to attend the event.

Several sources said they had been told that Johnson is intending to go to the crucial meeting of world leaders in Egypt to show his solidarity with the battle against the climate crisis.

Johnson’s attendance would be potentially explosive just days after Sunak took over as prime minister and decided he did not have time to attend.

Johnson’s involvement would be seen as both an implicit criticism of Sunak for not going and an attempt to maintain and bolster his profile just a week after he abandoned his own attempts at a dramatic comeback to No 10. Several sources close to Johnson did not deny that he was set to go. » | Toby Helm and Fiona Harvey | Saturday, October 29, 2022

Twitter : Elon Musk n’est pas la solution

LE MONDE – ÉDITORIAL : Le rachat d’un réseau social par un milliardaire directement impliqué dans l’action politique est une première. Le risque de conflit d’intérêts est majeur.

Qu’allait-il faire dans cette galère ? Lorsque, cet hiver, Elon Musk s’est mis en tête de racheter le réseau social Twitter, ce fut l’étonnement général. Pourquoi l’homme le plus riche du monde dépenserait-il 44 milliards de dollars (44,1 milliards d’euros) pour prendre le contrôle d’un forum où il s’exprimait en toute liberté avec plus de 100 millions d’abonnés ? Pour défendre la liberté d’expression, répond ce libertarien, qui assure vouloir créer l’agora numérique du XXIe siècle, un forum de discussion libre et apaisé. Elon Musk a raison dans son constat, les réseaux sociaux se sont de plus en plus polarisés, envahis par les extrémistes, porteurs de haines, de manipulations et de brouhaha. Mais Elon Musk est-il la solution ? » | Éditorial « du Monde » | samedi 29 octobre 2022

Read in English.

HAUSER - Nessun Dorma - 'Alone, Together'

HAUSER performing Nessun Dorma from Turandot by Giacomo Puccini, in his hometown, in the iconic Arena Pula, Croatia. | Filmed by Medvid production

Elton John : Something about the Way You Look Tonight

Views on YouTube: 26m

Tendre sera la nuit ! | Reupload

Tender will be the night! / Zart wird die Nacht sein!
Je remercie letty ✨ on Twitter sur Pinterest pour cette belle photo.

What Impact Is Brexit Having on the UK Economy? - BBC News

Oct 29, 2022 | In his first speech as UK prime minister on Tuesday, Rishi Sunak said he wanted to “build the economy”. But many believe that Brexit is having a severe effect on British finances.

The UK’s trade has dropped in recent years, the pound has fallen considerably against the dollar and business investment is yet to return to its peak in 2016.

While these factors are predicted to be a result of Brexit, ministers have blamed international issues.


Clearly, Rishi Sunak and his cohorts know diddly-sh** about how economies grow. It is impossible to have economic growth whilst at the same time walking away from the largest single market in the world, The Single Market – a market of over 500m potential customers, a market of over 500m consumers. Obviously, these Tory dudes have taken leave of their senses.

We need to get back into the European Union as soon as possible, even if that means we shall have to eat humble pie. Forget the bloody opt-outs and dump the pound for the euro. As businessmen are wont to say: There is no sentiment in business! In any case, the pound sterling has halved in value every decade since World War I. Even in my lifetime, the pound was worth way more than twelve Swiss francs (CHF)—today a pound is worth approximately 1.15CHF and back in the day, even in my lifetime, it was worth 2.8 US dollars. Check this out. As you can see, the pound is rapidly becoming worthless. Wait long enough and one pound will be worth 50¢ and half a Swiss franc!

So, if Rishi Sunak is as smart as tey make out, and if he has the UK’s best interests at heart, if he truly is patriotic, he will get with the story and persuade the sceptics in his party and in the country that we have made a HUGE mistake in leaving the European Union. It was a grave error of judgment. This is Rishi Sunak's real challenge.

Stupid is as stupid does! – © Mark Alexander

Evergreen | Love Theme from A Star Is Born

Provided to YouTube by Columbia | Views onn YouTube: 2,420,714

Traditional Zurich Ragout – One Of Switzerland’s Most Well-known Dishes

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes [Hochdeutsch] / Züri-Gschnätzlets [ Schweizerdeutsch / Schwyzertüütsch]
Oct 29, 2022 | Zürcher Geschnetzeltes is the classic king of Zurich cuisine, though it's a dish with a relatively short history. It was only in a 1947 Swiss cookbook that the terms 'Zürich' and 'Geschnetzeltes' (or 'sliced') paired up for the first time – at the time without the mushrooms that are these days a must. These days, the dish can be found on the menu of almost every home-style Swiss restaurant. [And many fine-dining restaurants, too.]

Zürcher Geschnetzeltes is typically made with veal fillet, mushrooms, butter, shallots, white wine, bouillon, cream, sauce stock, and a little cognac. Veal kidneys are an optional addition. The meat is seared briefly, and then kept warm while a sauce is prepared from the other ingredients, which is finally puréed. This is then poured over the meat, and the whole dish is then typically served with rösti – [Swiss] potato pancakes.

Report: Jens von Larcher
Camera: Dirk Frenkel
Edit: Eva Luenig


For those that are interested in language, the name of this dish comes from the verb ,schnetzeln’, which means to cut into fine strips. (Fleisch in dünne Streifen schneiden.)

The past participle of the verb ‚schnetzeln‘ is ,geschnetzelt’. Hence the name of the dish Zürich Geschnetzeltes. – Mark

Breathtaking Beauty!

Atemberaubende Schönheit! / Beauté à couper le souffle !
Many thanks to Travel to the old world on Pinterest for this stunning photo of Her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco (formerly Grace Kelly) who died so tragically in car accident in September 1982 at the young age of 52 years.

En Iran, le chef des gardiens de la révolution appelle à la « fin des émeutes »

LE MONDE : Le chef de l’armée idéologique iranienne appelle à la fin du mouvement de protestation né après la mort en détention de Masha Amini, il y a un peu plus d’un mois.

Le chef des gardiens de la révolution, l’armée idéologique de l’Iran, le général Hossein Salami, a appelé, samedi 29 octobre, « un nombre limité des jeunes trompés » par l’ennemi à mettre fin aux « émeutes », allusion aux manifestations déclenchées dans le pays depuis la mort de Mahsa Amini.

« Aujourd’hui est la fin des émeutes, ne descendez plus dans la rue », a-t-il déclaré, accusant les dirigeants saoudiens de les avoir alimentées. « Nous disons à Al Saoud [la famille royale en Arabie saoudite] et aux médias sous leur contrôle (…) de faire attention. Vous qui provoquez les gens et semez des graines de sédition en montrant des images, réfléchissez un peu à ce qui pourrait vous arriver », a lancé Hossein Salami.

Il a appelé en outre les étudiants « à ne pas devenir une pièce du jeu d’échecs de l’ennemi », car « personne ne permettra de provoquer en Iran des émeutes ». » | Le Monde avec AFP et Reuters | samedi 29 octobre 2022

Rishi Sunak Shows His Weakness by Making Suella Braverman Home Secretary

Oct 29, 2022 | By appointing Suella Braverman as Home Secretary, a post from which she was sacked a week earlier for leaking classified documents to right-wing friends, Rishi Sunak has shown his weakness and that he is beholden to the right-wing of his party.

Despite listing a range of areas in which he plans improvement, all of which will cost billions, the new prime minister is faced with a failing economy, voter dissatisfaction and mounting problems.

His cabinet, nineteen of whom voter 'remain' in the referendum is made up of old faces who have mostly failed before.

Sunak's decision not to attend COP27 in Egypt next week is a further terrible mistake


It is possible to support Michael Lambert by purchasing his book here.

Intense Clashes in Iranian City of Zahedan – BBC News

Oct 29, 2022 | Intense clashes have taken place in the Iranian city of Zahedan, as anti-government unrest grips the country. Social media footage showed security forces firing into crowds, four weeks after dozens were killed in protests there over allegations a teenage girl was raped by a senior policeman.

State media said one person was killed and 14 injured in Friday's violence. Iran has also been rocked by wider protests sparked by the death of a young Kurdish woman in police custody.

Iran: The Dark Money behind the Regime's Tools of Repression | Business Special

Oct 28, 2022 | The Iranian regime has been brutally cracking down on protests in the wake of the killing of 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini by the country's 'morality police'. But there's more to Iran's political security force behind the brutality, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, than the supression of demonstrations. It's the hub of a shadow economy, using front businesses to generate money for corrupt payoffs and even funding terrorist activities abroad.

In this edition of DW Business Special, our anchor Daniel Winter speaks with Kasra Aarabi, Iran Programme Lead at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, who gives a damning indictment of Iran's ruling elite and the lengths it will go to support its violent ideology.

Iran Protests: 'I Never Dared Dream That This Would Happen in My Lifetime'

Oct 29, 2022 | British-Iranian comedian Shaparak Khorsandi says that "this is the generation for change" in Iran, and that she never dreamed of seeing such protests within her own lifetime. Formerly known as Shappy, Khorsandi's family escaped Iran after the revolution in 1979 before claiming asylum in the United Kingdom. …

"Purple Triangles"

Mar 19, 2020 | A 1991 film "Purple Triangles" was aired on BBC and depicts the plight of Jehovah's Witness religious group during the Nazi regime. When thrown into concentration camps they were identified with the Purple Triangle which were sewn on their uniform to identify their religion.

Bolsonaro and Lula Go Head to Head in Final Debate | DW News

Oct 29, 2022 | Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and his leftist challenger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are wrapping up their campaigns for the upcoming presidential runoff. Lula is currently leading in the polls, but the vote is expected to go down to the wire

Bolsonaro vs. Lula: Brazil Faces a Stark Choice With Huge Stakes: Brazilians head to the polls on Sunday in an election between two political heavyweights that could have global repercussions. »

Bach: Goldberg Variations | Evgeni Koroliov | Bachfest Leipzig 2008

Elon Musk Completes $44bn Twitter Takeover – BBC News

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Contentment

Source: Pinterest, with thanks.

'Where Is Nancy?': Assailant Shouted before Attacking Pelosi's Husband, Source Says

Oct 28, 2022 | The assailant who attacked Paul Pelosi was searching for Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, according to a source briefed on the attack. CNN's Jamie Gangel, Evan Perez and Manu Raju report.

Related articles.

Here is what is known about the attack so far.

Ehemann von US-Demokratin Nancy Pelosi bei Einbruch attackiert: Der Ehemann der US-Politikerin Nancy Pelosi wurde in seinem Haus gewaltsam mit einem Hammer angegriffen. Medienberichten zufolge rief der Einbrecher: „Wo ist Nancy, wo ist Nancy?“ »

Pelosi’s Husband Is Gravely Injured in Hammer Attack by an Intruder: As leaders from across the political spectrum rushed to condemn the attack, Paul Pelosi underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture. »

Attack on Pelosi’s husband heightens fears of increasing US political violence: Hammer assault on Paul Pelosi is latest in series of violent and threatening acts as midterm elections loom »

Why Are Iran's Protests Intensifying? - BBC News

Oct 28, 2022 | Protests intensified in Iran on Wednesday night, six weeks on from the death of Mahsa Amini. Unrest has rocked the country since the 22-year-old died in police custody after allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf "improperly".

Human rights group Nationwide estimates that more than 13,000 people have been arrested and that at least 250 have been killed in the demonstrations. It is unclear where these protests are heading, but they pose a direct challenge to Iran’s Islamic laws.

Cuba: High Prices, Lines and Shortages | DW Documentary

Oct 22, 2022 | In Cuba, the socialist project begun by revolutionary hero and former president Fidel Castro is teetering on the verge of failure. The nation is sinking deeper into crisis, with many people’s daily lives marred by shortages of food, medicine and electricity.

Cuba has been subject to sanctions for decades. Despite recent attempts at reform, the country is increasingly isolated and economically dependent. A currency reform enacted in 2021 is also causing major problems, with inflation soaring and prices skyrocketing. Food is scarce, and lines in front of the few state-run stores are getting longer and longer.

Poverty is on the rise. Even the famous ingenuity of the Cuban people is reaching its limits as they try to cope with the day-to-day effects of the crisis. Images of bygone revolutionaries are fading in the streets the capital, Havana, and all over the island. Official voices continue to broadcast the state’s ideology, but ordinary people are losing hope that things will improve.

Putin's Craving for Power | DW Documentary

Oct 27, 2022 | On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an all-out attack on Ukraine. While Putin spuriously claimed that the country must be "denazified," the attack is in fact part of the Russian leader’s attempt to return to the days of Russian empire. …

Paul Pelosi, Husband of Nancy Pelosi, Attacked at San Francisco Home

THE GUARDIAN: Democratic House speaker’s office says husband ‘violently assaulted’ early on Friday by suspect who is now in police custody

Paul Pelosi with his wife Nancy at a mass led by Pope Francis in Rome in June. The speaker’s office said the motive for the attack was being investigated. Photograph: Rex/Shutterstock
Paul Pelosi, the husband of the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, was taken to hospital early on Friday after an attack took place at the couple’s home in San Francisco.

Pelosi’s office said he was “violently assaulted” by an attacker who broke into the Pelosi home.

“The assailant is in custody and the motivation for the attack is under investigation,” the office of the longtime Democratic congresswoman and House speaker said. » | Ed Pilkington in New York | Friday, October 28, 2022

Intruder Assaults Nancy Pelosi’s Husband in Their San Francisco Home: Paul Pelosi, 82, was hospitalized after the assault but was expected to recover, a spokesman for Ms. Pelosi said. The police said a suspect was in custody. »

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 28, 2022

Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday.

Bundespräsident Steinmeier hält Grundsatzrede: "Alles stärken, was uns verbindet"

Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier wünscht sich, dass die Gesellschaft in Deutschland näher zusammen rückt. Das will er heute in einer Grundsatzrede zum Ausdruck bringen - von seinem Amtssitz, von Schloss Bellevue aus. …

Related material in Englisch und Deutsch.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier Calls for Unity in Face of Crisis | DW News

Oct 28, 2022 | Steinmeier opened with vivid descriptions of the horrors of war, noting that it had caused "the deepest crisis" that a reunified Germany has seen. He warned that "tougher, rough years are ahead of us." The speech came at a time of uncertainly for Germany, and Steinmeier touched on many of the issues weighing on the minds of many people in the country. These included a cost of living crisis amidst soaring inflation and an energy crunch, as well as the war in Ukraine.

Verwandter Artikel.

For Rishi Sunak, Family Wealth from Outsourcing Adds to a Secretive Fortune

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain.Credit...Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Britain’s new prime minister married into an $800 million stake in Infosys, a company that does not fit neatly into his party’s views on immigration.

LONDON — As Rishi Sunak made his rapid ascent in British politics, campaigning for Brexit and greater immigration controls to preserve jobs for Britons, the company that made his family exceedingly wealthy was becoming a political lightning rod as one of the world’s biggest outsourcing firms.

Infosys, the Indian outsourcing giant founded by Mr. Sunak’s father-in-law, became notorious among both American political parties for helping companies replace their workers with thousands of Indian immigrants or move their positions to the sprawling Infosys complex in Bangalore.

As the company grew to a market value of nearly $80 billion, it also paid record fines and faced repeated accusations that it broke immigration laws and helped companies discriminate against American workers.

At a perilous time in British politics, with markets on edge, his party in turmoil and inflation rising, Mr. Sunak’s financial ties to Infosys blend two volatile political issues: immigration and inequality. Though Mr. Sunak’s family members are no longer company directors, they are major shareholders, and the company’s outsourcing history does not neatly fit with his party’s stance on limiting immigration to protect jobs. And his wife’s $800 million stake in the company is the biggest source of his wealth, which has emerged as an early source of unease at a time when the government appears ready to cut benefits for working-class families and the poor. » | Jane Bradley | Friday, October 28, 2022

Cut benefits for the poor at your peril, Mr. Sunak! Are you going to be the man who makes the “Nasty Party” even nastier? Remember this: Parents who cannot put food on the table for their children and cannot keep them warm in winter are angry parents. If your goal is a “winter of discontent”, the best thing you can do is to cut benefits for those that are really struggling. That should do it! Also, remember the mess that Thatcher got herself into with the pole tax! That should be a salutary lesson for you. Be careful, Mr. Sunak! Caution is the mother of wisdom. Or as one might say in German: Vorsicht ist die Mutter der Weisheit. – © Mark Alexander

Annie Lennox : Why | Official Music Video

Views on YouTube: 67,916,853

Steinmeier wirft Putin „imperiale Besessenheit“ vor

Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier spricht in Schloss Bellevue zur Nation. | Bild: DPA
REDE AN DIE NATION
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der Bundespräsident stimmt die Deutschen auf raue Zeiten ein. Einen „Scheinfrieden“ mit Putin lehnt Frank-Walter Steinmeier ab. Zugleich warnt er, dass der Klimawandel keine „Ukraine-Pause“ mache.

Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier hat die Deutschen in einer Rede auf schwierige Zeiten eingestimmt und Hoffnungen zerschlagen, es könne ein baldiges Ende des russischen Angriffskrieges und der damit einhergehenden Krisen geben. Mit Blick auf Moskau und Wladimir Putin sagte Steinmeier: „Im Angesicht des Bösen reicht guter Wille nicht aus.“ Der russische Überfall auf die Ukraine markiere einen „Epochenbruch“, es werde eine „Danach“ geben, aber keine Rückkehr zum „Davor“. Putins „imperiale Besessenheit“ habe die bisherige Weltordnung in Schutt und Asche gelegt. Die Welt sei auf dem „Weg in eine Phase der Konfrontation“.

In seiner Rede, die die Überschrift „Alles stärken, was uns verbindet“ trug, sagte Steinmeier in Berlin: „Ich glaube, dass viele Sorgen berechtigt sind. Wir erfahren die tiefste Krise, die unser wiedervereintes Deutschland erlebt“. Der 24. Februar, der Tag des russischen Überfalls auf die Ukraine, habe alles verändert: „Das Sirenengeheul und der dunkle Rauch über Kiew, die schrecklichen Bilder dieses Morgens, sie gingen mir unter die Haut. Sie markierten das endgültige, bittere Scheitern jahrelanger politischer Bemühungen, auch meiner Bemühungen, genau diesen schrecklichen Moment zu verhindern.“ » | Von Peter Carstens, Berlin | Freitag, 28. Oktober 2022

En France, la croissance ralentit, l’inflation s’envole

LE MONDE : L’économie française a ralenti au troisième trimestre, la hausse du PIB se limitant à 0,2 %.

A l’image de la météo quasi estivale pour une fin octobre, l’économie française, pourtant handicapée par des prix qui continuent de flamber, refuse d’entrer dans l’hiver. Selon les données publiées, vendredi 28 octobre, par l’Insee, l’activité au troisième trimestre a bien marqué le pas, avec un produit intérieur brut (PIB) en hausse de 0,2 %, après 0,5 % au trimestre précédent, mais elle reste positive. Pour 2022, l’acquis de croissance s’établissait donc à 2,5 % à fin septembre, un chiffre légèrement en retrait par rapport aux prévisions de l’exécutif, de 2,7 %. » | Par Béatrice Madeline | vendredi 28 octobre 2022

Article réservé aux abonnés

Phil Collins : Everyday | Official Music Video | LP Version

Elon Musk Completes Twitter Takeover and ‘Fires Top Executives’

THE GUARDIAN: The $44bn deal will give world’s richest man control of social media platform with more than 230m users

Elon Musk was previously determined to walk away from Twitter deal before surprise U-turn.Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Elon Musk has completed his $44bn takeover of Twitter, taking control of the company and reportedly firing several top executives, including the chief executive, Parag Agrawal.

The world’s richest man tweeted “the bird is freed”, in a reference to Twitter’s corporate logo, just hours before a court-ordered deadline to buy the business expired.

Shortly after taking the helm of Twitter, Musk reportedly ousted several senior figures, including Agrawal; Ned Segal, the chief financial officer; and Vijaya Gadde, the head of legal policy, trust and safety.

Agrawal and Segal were in Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters when the deal closed and were escorted out, Reuters reported. » | Kari Paul in San Francisco and Dan Milmo Global technology editor | Friday, October 28, 2022

How Twitter Will Change as a Private Company: The social media company went public in 2013. But Elon Musk is taking it private as part of his acquisition of the firm. Here’s what that means. »

Elon Musk Takes Twitter, and Tech Deals, to Another Level: Silicon Valley moguls used to buy yachts and islands. Now they are rich enough, and perhaps arrogant enough, to acquire companies they fancy. »

World Faces Most Dangerous Decade since WW2 - Putin

President Putin said "the future world order is being formed before our eyes" | REUTERS
BBC: The world faces "probably the most dangerous" decade since the end of World War Two, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned.

In a wide-ranging speech on Thursday, he sought to justify Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a move that has left his country internationally isolated.

Mr Putin also accused the West of nuclear blackmail against Russia to force allies to turn away from Moscow.

The West has denounced recent veiled nuclear threats by the Kremlin.

Earlier this week, the Nato military alliance condemned unsubstantiated claims by Russia that Ukraine might use a "dirty bomb" - conventional explosives laced with radioactive material.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said alliance members "reject this allegation" and "Russia must not use it as a pretext for escalation".

President Putin was speaking to the annual Valdai forum after a series of recent military defeats in Ukraine and growing public anger at home over a drive to mobilise some 300,000 Russians for the war effort. » | Yaroslav Lukov, BBC News | Friday, October 27, 2022

Russland will "Propaganda nicht-traditioneller sexueller Beziehungen" verbieten | DW Nachrichten

Oct 27, 2022 | Die russische Staatsduma hat in erster Lesung einen Gesetzesentwurf beschlossen, der "Propaganda nicht-traditioneller sexueller Beziehungen" in Russland vollständig verbietet.

Bereits 2013 hatte die Staatsduma ein gesetzliches Verbot von "Propaganda nicht-traditioneller sexueller Beziehungen" verabschiedet, das sich aber auf Minderjährige beschränkte. Nun soll es auf erwachsene Bürgerinnen und Bürger in Russland ausgeweitet werden.


Leider sind diese Gesetzgeber und Gesetzgeberinnen unaufgeklärt. Besser wäre es, wenn sie sich gut informieren würden, was das Schwulsein wirklich bedeutet. Die Russen gehen dunklen Zeiten entgegen. – © Mark Alexander

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Frédéric Chopin: The Nocturnes

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

'Why I Changed My Mind on Leaving the EU’ - Peter Oborne Debates Melissa Kite on Brexit | 2019

Apr 8, 2022 | The urge to leave and the desire to remain, to paraphrase one of our guests, they are both elements of the same country... sometimes even at war within ourselves.

Peter Oborne and Melissa Kite join the programme. Peter Oborne today published an article that reads like a roadmap to Damascus:

"Brexit has paralysed the system. It has turned Britain into a laughing stock. And it is certain to make us poorer and to lead to lower incomes and lost jobs. We Brexiteers would be wise to acknowledge all this."

We asked him why he'd changed his mind about Brexit?


Brexit was a STUPID idea thought up by STUPID people who understood nothing about economics, commerce or international trade. The initial mistake was David Cameron’s in offering a referendum to the electorate on a very complex issue which even many MPs didn’t truly understand. Then, the poor electorate were fed lie after lie after lie about the sunny uplands yonder and the sovereignty we’d get back. Yeh! Sovereignty! Maggie sold off all the “family silver” to foreigners years ago. So what sovereignty was there to get back? By the way, our American friends would thank us for rejoing the EU. Most sensible Americans realize that our membership in the Union was, and will be, only helpful to them.

What this country needs to do—and if Rishi is as smart as they try and say he is, he will do it—is eat humble pie. They tell me it’s very tasty! We need to do all we can to rejoin the EU, the Single Market, and all that comes with the territory. Forget the opt-outs, oh and dump the pound and join the euro.

As I stated in an earlier post this week, the pound is going down and down and down anyway. Since the Great War, it has halved in value every ten years. Its loss of value has been unabated. Are we to wait until a pound is worth 50¢ before joining the euro? Would that be prudent? Come on, fellow compatriots! Let’s get real! We are Europeans anyway. Stop dorking around! Oh, and apologize to our European brethren for being so truculent. Long live the European Union! Es lebe die Europäische Union! Vive l'Union européenne ! – © Mark Alexander

The Guardian View on Brazil’s Election: Bolsonaro’s Return Would Cost Us All

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The planet cannot afford a second term for the far-right president who has resurged in the polls

Jair Bolsonaro at a campaign event in Rio de Janeiro earlier this month. ‘Even if Mr Bolsonaro is seen off this time, he may well be back.’ Photograph: António Lacerda/EPA
On Sunday, Brazilian electors will cast their vote in a tight contest that will not only set the course for this extraordinarily polarised country but also have a powerful impact on the future of the world. Hopes that the far-right incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro, would be decisively rejected in the first round were dashed when he fared far better than expected, with 43% of votes, and his challenger, the former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, fell just short of an outright majority with 48%. Eleventh-hour handouts to the poorest and lavish quantities of disinformation have aided Mr Bolsonaro’s recovery.

The hope is that his momentum is already fading. But the polls vary, and a second presidential term would be bad news not just for Brazilians but also the rest of us. The primary danger is climate catastrophe. … » | Editorial | Thursday, October 27, 2022

Sunak May Deprioritise Rees-Mogg Brexit Bill to Switch Off 2,400 EU Laws

THE GUARDIAN: Prime minister is told hundreds of staff needed to review legislation

Jacob Rees-Mogg, who championed the retained EU law (revocation and reform) bill, quit the frontbench on Tuesday. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Rishi Sunak is considering deprioritising Jacob Rees Mogg’s controversial legislation to switch off 2,400 retained EU laws that cover everything from holiday pay rights to environmental protections and aircraft safety.

The new prime minister has been told it would take 400 staff in the business department alone to review 300 pieces of legislation that resulted from directives, decisions and EU rules over the past 50 years, the Financial Times reported.

According to a government website outlining the scope of the retained EU law (revocation and reform) bill, a further 570 laws would have to be reviewed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs before the deadline of the end of 2023.

Under the proposed legislation, which received its second reading in the House of Commons this week, all laws whether reviewed or not would be switched off by the government on 31 December 2023, placing a huge burden on the civil service. » | Lisa O'Carroll, Brexit correspondent | Thursday, 27 October 2022

Thank God for that! Meno male. – Mark

Related.

Our Yemeni Kitchen | مطبخنا اليمني | Melt-in-the-mouth Meat & Vegetables | اللحوم والخضروات

Meat that melts like butter!

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

Fromme Fremde – ultraorthodoxe Juden und Sexualität (2017)

Oct 27, 2022 | Auf den ersten Blick ist es eine Welt ohne Sinnlichkeit. Ultraorthodoxe Juden leben streng nach den Regeln der Torah. Mädchen und Jungen wachsen getrennt auf, das Berühren des anderen Geschlechts ist – ausserhalb der Familie – verboten. Doch sobald der Bund fürs Leben geschlossen worden ist, wird aus dem sexuellen Tabu plötzlich eine religiöse Pflicht. Dann nämlich sind Ehepartner dazu angehalten nach der biblischen Anweisung: „Seid fruchtbar und mehret euch“ zu leben. Doch weil junge Männer und Frauen meist erst kurz vor der Hochzeitsnacht aufgeklärt werden, ist der Weg zu einem entspannten Verhältnis mit Körper und Sexualität oft ein weiter. Der jüdische Sexualtherapeut David Ribner hat den ersten Sexualratgeber für ultraorthodoxe Juden herausgegeben. Der behutsame Versuch einer Reform, denn auch in den Reihen der gottesfürchtigen „Haredis“ mehren sich die Zweifler und die Zahl der Aussteiger nimmt zu. NZZ Format begleitet zwei junge Ehepaare bei ihrem Spagat zwischen religiöser Pflicht und körperlichen Bedürfnissen.

Panorama-Monatsschau August 1944 (in Farbe)

Oct 27, 2022 | Die Panorama-Farbmonatsschau wurde 1944/45 zum Zweck der Propaganda sowohl im neutralen als auch im besetzten europäischen Ausland gezeigt und vom Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda veröffentlicht. Es handelte sich um eine in vier Ausgaben produzierte Filmreihe, welche von der Deutschen Wochenschau während des Zweiten Weltkrieges hergestellt wurde. Die Aufnahmen stammen zum Teil von Walter Frentz, welcher bereits im April 1941 als erster Kameramann der deutschen Propagandakompanien Aufnahmen in Farbe gedreht hatte. Andere Kameraleute waren Hans Bastanier, Gerhard Garms, Horst Grund und Hans Ertl. Die Original Farbaufnahmen vermitteln nur kaum die tatsächliche Kriegslage zu der Zeit.

The above description n English :

The Panorama-Farbmonatsschau was shown in 1944/45 for the purpose of propaganda in both neutral and occupied European countries and published by the Reich Ministry for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. It was a film series produced in four editions, which was produced by the Deutsche Wochenschau during the Second World War. Some of the recordings were taken by Walter Frentz, who had already shot shots in color in April 1941 as the first cameraman of the German propaganda companies. Other cinematographers were Hans Bastanier, Gerhard Garms, Horst Grund and Hans Ertl. The original colour photographs hardly convey the actual war situation at the time

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 27, 2022

Moral Panic, Culture Wars and Ron DeSantis: Will Florida Stay Red in 2022? | Anywhere But Washington

Oliver Laughland travels to Walt Disney World, Florida, to see how a law restricting the teaching of LGBTQ+ issues is affecting voters in the run-up to the midterm elections.

Republicans extended their majority in the state in 2020, and with far-right Governor Ron DeSantis up for re-election, will his divisive culture wars help him win a second term?

Prince Harry Memoir to Be Called Spare, Publishers Reveal

AFP
BBC: The Duke of Sussex's memoir will be published on 10 January, his publisher Penguin Random House has said.

The book by Prince Harry will be titled Spare and will include his full account behind his decision to give up royal duties and move to the US.

Random House said: "As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking and feeling - and how their lives would play out...

"For Harry, this is his story at last."

Buckingham Palace said it would not comment on the book announcement.

Some of the proceeds from the book will be used to support British charities, including Sentebale and WellChild. The publisher confirmed this was in the form of two donations of $1.5m and £300,000 respectively to the two named charities. » | Malu Cursino, BBC News | Thursday, October 27, 2022

Oskar Schindler & The Story of Schindler's List | Documentary

Putin Can't Back Out, So the Only Option Is to Totally Destroy Him – William Browder

William Browder, CEO of Hermitage Capital Management and Head of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, in an exclusive interview with UATV English channel told about his book ‘Putin's number one enemy’. However, author said that now Volodymyr Zelenskyy is Putin's number one enemy. According to William Browder, Putin made calculations on reward for himself. The reward was elevated approval ratings and safety. So he started the war against Ukraine. And he ended up being wrong. And the trouble is that now he can't back out, author said. The only option is total to totally destroy him, William Bowder underlined.

Maurice Williamson's 'Big Gay Rainbow' Speech | 2013

Apr 17, 2013 | Watch MP Maurice Williamson's witty speech supporting the Marriage Amendment Bill

Switzerland's Stance in the Ukraine Conflict: Interview with President Ignazio Cassis | DW News

Oct 25, 2022 | Swiss neutrality is one of the main principles of Switzerland's foreign policy. Will Russia's war in Ukraine change that? An exclusive DW interview with Ignazio Cassis, the President of the Swiss Confederation.

Sotheby's Showcase: Sapphire and Diamond Ring

Oct 27, 2022 | From the “Sunrise Ruby” Collection, this superb and rare sapphire and ring diamond ring signed Cartier stuns with a step-cut sapphire weighing 20.16 carats, between shield-shaped diamond shoulders weighing 2.06 and 1.94 carats respectively. The sapphire is of Burmese origin and is “royal blue,” the most sought-after sapphire quality. This exquisite ring will be sold at the Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels auction on 9 November 2022 at 16:15 CET in Geneva.

Gay Rwandan Man Who Found Safety in the UK Warns LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers Will Be ‘Seen as Criminals’

PINK NEWS: Growing up gay in Rwanda was like “living in prison” for Innocent.

As a child, he was singled out by children and adults alike because he was seen as “feminine”. Teachers who should have tried to put a stop to homophobic bullying instead encouraged it, saying Rwandan culture didn’t accept queer people.

Innocent fled Rwanda and arrived in the UK as a refugee. He’s built a new life for himself as an openly gay man. For the first time, he feels free.

That’s why he was so shaken when he heard that the UK government is planning to deporting asylum seekers it deems “illegal” to Rwanda. The plan, launched by previous home secretary Priti Patel, has been denounced as unnecessary, inhumane, racist, and a recipe guaranteed to result in the deaths of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. » | Patrick Kelleher | Wednesday, October 19, 2022

'No Business as Usual' with Iran Says German FM after Brutal Crackdown by Regime | DW News

Thousands of mourners gathered outside the grave of Jina Mahsa Amini, whose death sparked nationwide protests, as Wednesday marked the end of the traditional mourning period in Islam. Security forces later opened fire on the protesters, according to a rights monitor and a witness on the ground.

Russian Parliament Mulls Expansion of 'Gay Propaganda' Law to Further Restrict Gay Rights | DW News

Oct 27, 2022 | The Russian parliament is discussing amendmentss to its restrictive law on LGBTQ+ communities. If passed it will prohibit what it calls the promotion of 'non-traditional sexual orientations'. This has been banned for under 18s since 2013 but the changes would make this illegal for all ages.

Sneak Peek: Cooking the Book of Mormon | 60 Minutes Australia

God’s work or downright dodgy? Sunday on #60Mins, why the Mormon Church is accused of ripping off Australian taxpayers to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Quebec Separatist Urges Canada to Cut Ties with ‘Incredibly Racist’ Monarchy

THE GUARDIAN: Yves-François Blanchet, leader of Bloc Québécois, says ‘slave-driven’ British monarchy is ‘archaic’ and ‘humiliating’

The leader of Canada’s Quebec separatist party has renewed calls for the country to sever its ties with the “incredibly racist” and “slave-driven” British monarchy ahead of the coronation of King Charles III.

The Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet, tabled a motion on Tuesday, widely seen as purely symbolic, in the House of Commons.

“It’s archaic. It’s a thing of the past. It’s almost archaeological. It’s humiliating,” Blanchet told lawmakers of Canada’s longstanding ties to the monarchy. » | Leyland Cecco in Toronto | Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Iranian Police Shoots at Mourners Marking Jina Mahsa Amini's Death | DW News

Iran’s security forces reportedly open fire as thousands mourn Mahsa Amini: Teargas also used against protesters gathered in home town of 22-year-old Kurdish woman, says rights group »

« En Iran, le pouvoir des gardiens de la révolution transforme progressivement le pays en une dictature militaire » : Dans un entretien au « Monde », Ali Alfoneh, chercheur de l’Arab Gulf States Institue, analyse l’emprise de l’armée idéologique du pays, et s’interroge sur la nature du régime de Téhéran après la mort du Guide suprême, Ali Khamenei, à 83 ans. »

Pensions Triple Lock and Benefits in Spotlight as Sunak Delays Fiscal Plan

THE GUARDIAN: No 10 not committing to keeping triple lock or inflation-linked benefits rise in 17 November statement

Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt at the start of the first cabinet meeting of Sunak’s premiership on Wednesday. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images
Ministers are to re-examine the pensions triple lock and increasing benefits in line with inflation over the next fortnight, according to No 10, after Rishi Sunak delayed the announcement of the government’s fiscal plans from 31 October to 17 November.

The Treasury has said the new date will now be a full autumn statement, with Sunak telling his cabinet that time needed to be made to do things in the proper way.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said he had agreed the change of date with Sunak and that the statement would set out in detail plans to reduce debt and a medium-term plan to grow the economy.

Sunak said it was “important to reach the right decisions and there is time for those decisions to be confirmed with cabinet”.

But in exchanges after prime minister’s questions, Sunak’s spokesperson made no commitment to the triple lock on raising pensions, a Conservative manifesto pledge, or to uprating benefits in line with inflation, which Sunak committed to doing as chancellor.

Truss had previously committed to the triple lock – a guarantee that the state pension will rise every year by whichever is highest of inflation, earnings growth or 2.5% – after doubts were raised by Hunt about whether an inflation-linked rise would be possible. “That is something that is going to be wrapped up into the fiscal statement, we wouldn’t comment ahead of any fiscal statements or budgets,” she said. » | Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor | Wednesday, October 26, 2022

If we cannot afford the Triple Lock, then we certainly cannot afford to maintain a royal family with all the expense that the maintenance of a royal family entails. – © Mark Alexander

Related here.

Drowning in Sweet Kisses

In süßen Küssen ertrinken / Se noyer dans de doux baisers
Many thanks to Anonymous on Pinterest for this delightful image.

How Our Brain Judges People in a Split Second | DW Documentary

Oct 26, 2022 | Friend or foe? In a fraction of a second, our brain forms an impression of a person based on their facial expressions and voice. And artificial intelligence is getting better and better at interpreting human emotions.

Faces and voices are the first impressions we get of people we don’t know. In less than half a second, we decide whether we like or trust a person, and how intelligent we think they are. That’s thanks to the astonishing processing power of our brains. We learn to read facial expressions as babies, and as we grow older we continue to interpret emotions according to facial expressions. The voice also plays a crucial role: speed, syntax, tone, and phonetics all provide information about what a person is feeling.

But we are not the only ones who can decipher human emotions. Artificial intelligence technology is also learning to read faces and voices. A photo or a spoken sentence is usually enough to get information about identity, health, emotions and even personality. And the internet has become a vast and ever-growing database of faces and voices. Based on the sound of a voice, artificial intelligence can now detect whether a person suffers from Parkinson's, depression or even Covid-19. In this documentary, international experts offer insight into the latest science, illuminating how our brains work -- and the potential of artificial intelligence.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 26, 2022

Qatar, une dynastie à la conquête du monde | ARTE

Oct 26, 2022 | Comment le Qatar, petit royaume du golfe Persique, a-t-il conquis sa place dans le concert des nations ? À travers le portrait de la famille régnante, ce documentaire explore les paradoxes d'un pays dont l’ascension fascine autant qu'elle effraie.

Depuis maintenant trois décennies, le Qatar n'en finit plus de faire parler de lui. De par son pouvoir financier et le secret qui l’entoure, la famille royale qui le dirige fascine autant qu’elle effraie. À travers le portrait de cette dynastie, ce documentaire raconte l’histoire de ce pays aussi minuscule qu’immensément riche : le récit de l’émergence d’un royaume de seulement 300 000 citoyens qatariens assis sur le plus important gisement gazier de la planète, tiraillé entre l’attrait des lumières de l’Occident et le conservatisme de la société bédouine traditionnelle. Ce portrait non-autorisé des souverains à la tête du pays le plus riche par habitant de la planète raconte aussi bien la "success story" extrêmement rapide que la face la plus sombre du pays : diplomatie sportive agressive, rôle du Qatar dans le printemps arabe et son soutien aux Frères musulmans ou exploitation des petites mains venues d’Afrique et d’Asie.

Documentaire de Miyuki Droz Aramaki et Sylvain Lepetit (France, 2022, 1h34mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 28/01/2023


Qatar lavished British MPs with gifts ahead of World Cup: MPs who received gifts later appeared to speak favourably about Qatar in parliamentary debates »

Rishi Sunak Refuses to Commit to Inflation-proofing Benefits

MARK ALEXANDER: If this country cannot afford to raise benefits for the poor in line with inflation, especially in these highly inflationary times, then one must conclude that this country cannot afford the luxury and extravagance of a monarchy. This is a logical and necessary conclusion. The people must come first, not the extravagance of monarchy.

Rishi Sunak had better be very careful what he decides. These are very difficult times for so many people. It cannot be taken for granted that the people will plump for monarchy over being able to feed their children and keep themselves and their families warm over winter.

I should like to remind Mr. Sunak that this is exactly how, historically, monarchies have been overthrown. Think 1789! The French Revolution!

When people cannot feed their children, and when people cannot keep themselves and their families warm during winter, anything can happen. Be very, very careful, Mr. Sunak!

Mark Alexander
All Rights Reserved

Was kann man sagen? Mir fehlen die Worte.

What can one say? Words fail me. / Qu'est-ce qu'on peut dire ? Les mots me manquent.
Für dieses wunderbare Foto bedanke ich mich bei einem Ungenannten auf Pinterest.

Even During War, Ukraine's Zelensky Works to Advance LGBTQ+ Rights

ADVOCATE: The actor-turned-national hero, one of The Advocate's people of the year, continues to inspire.

A former standup comedian who became president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky is a Jewish man who has become a global hero for standing up to a tyrant. Against all odds, Zelensky has led his nation to successfully rebuff the efforts of a world superpower bent on assassinating him and taking political control of his country.

In refusing to surrender to Russia, he inspired his fellow Ukrainians (including 90-year-old grandmothers) to take up arms. His rousing speeches in defense of democracy, peace, and equality have moved the international community to support his cause with billions of dollars of military and humanitarian aid. His insistence that war crimes be documented in real time (and the power of social media during war time) is forcing us all to confront the horrors that can be committed in the name of nationalism and the whims of a despot. » | By Editors | Tuesday, October 25, 2022

The Federal Trust: Sunak Going Nowhere?

n this new Federal Trust video, the Trust's Director argues that Liz Truss has done the country a service by exposing the unreality of the philosophy underlying Brexit. Sunak may still believe that he can make Brexit work. But he will have little time to pursue his Brexit-related dreams, given that the UK's economic crisis will absorb so much of his and his Party's attention over the coming months.

SPEAKERS:
Brendan Donnelly is the Director of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

John Stevens is the Chairman of the Federal Trust and a former Conservative MEP.

ABOUT THE FEDERAL TRUST
The Federal Trust is a research institute studying regional, national, European and global levels of government. It has always had a particular interest in the European Union and Britain’s place in it. The Federal Trust has no allegiance to any political party. It is registered as a charity for the purposes of education and research.

Kadyrow tadelt Kriegsführung gegen Kiew als schwach

Tschetschenienführer Ramsan Kadyrow in Grosny 2018 | Bild: DPA
UKRAINE-ÜBERBLICK
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der Tschetschenienführer spricht vom Krieg auf „eigenem Territorium“ und fordert die Auslöschung ukrainischer Städte. Derweil lobt Selenskyj das deutsche Luftabwehrsystem Iris-T als hocheffizient. Der Überblick.

Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier hat der Ukraine bei seinem unangekündigten Besuch in Kiew weitere deutsche Unterstützung zugesagt. Einerseits sollten die Waffenlieferungen fortgesetzt werden – gerade deutsche Luftabwehrsysteme sind in Kiew sehr begehrt – andererseits sollten Städtepartnerschaften das kriegsgebeutelte Land besser über den Winter bringen. Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj dankte Deutschland am Dienstag für die Unterstützung seines von Russland angegriffenen Landes.

Während in New York der UN-Sicherheitsrat unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit über Russlands Vorwürfe debattierte, die Ukraine plane die Zündung einer „schmutzigen“, also atomar verseuchten, Bombe, machte der berüchtigte Tschetschenenführer Ramsan Kadyrow seinem Ärger über den Verlauf des Kriegs Luft und forderte, ukrainische Städte auszulöschen. Als möglicher Auslöser gelten hohe Verluste in den von ihm kontrollierten Einheiten. Für die Ukraine beginnt am Mittwoch der 245. Tag des Kriegs. » | Quelle: dpa | Mittwoch, 26. Oktober 2022

Mercedes-Benz Becomes Latest Western Company to Pull Out of Russia

GETTY IMAGES
BBC: Mercedes has become the latest Western company to pull out of Russia, following the invasion of Ukraine in February.

The German-based firm stopped manufacturing in and exporting to the country in early March.

But now it says it will withdraw from the Russian market and sell shares in its subsidiaries to a local investor.

Japan's Nissan left Russia earlier this month, following the same move from Toyota and Renault. » | Elsa Maishman, BBC News | Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Truth To Power: Sunak's Coronation Is Doomed to Failure

It has got to the point with me that I would trust Brussels to rule over me rather than Westminster. Now that is saying something! Why do I say that? Because Brussels has a good track record of looking after ordinary people. Westminster does not. – © Mark Alexander

UK Minister Criticised over Call for Gay World Cup Fans to Show Respect in Qatar

THE GUARDIAN: ames Cleverly says ‘flex and compromise’ needed on both sides in country that criminalises homosexuality

Cleverly said Qatar, which criminalises homosexuality, was willing to ‘make some compromises’.Photograph: Carl Recine/Pool/Getty Images
The UK foreign secretary, James Cleverly, has been criticised for telling gay football fans they should show respect to Qatar, which criminalises their sexuality, when attending the World Cup in the emirate.

Cleverly said Qatar was willing to make compromises to allow people it would normally persecute to attend the tournament, which kicks off on 20 November. On Tuesday the prominent British LGBTQ campaigner Peter Tatchell claimed he had been arrested in Qatar for highlighting the country’s stance.

Cleverly said: “I have spoken to the Qatari authorities in the past about gay football fans going to watch the World Cup and how they will treat our fans and international fans. They want to make sure that football fans are safe, secure and enjoy themselves. And they know that that means they are going to have to make some compromises in terms of what is an Islamic country with a very different set of cultural norms to our own.

“One of the things I would say for football fans is, you know, please do be respectful of the host nation. They are trying to ensure that people can be themselves and enjoy the football, and I think with a little bit of flex and compromise at both ends, it can be a safe, secure and exciting World Cup.” » | Kevin Rawlinson | Wednesday, October 26, 2022

LGBTQ+ activist Peter Tatchell says Qatar ‘deflecting from diabolical human rights abuses’: Activist Peter Tatchell said the Qatari government is attempting to “deflect from their diabolical human rights abuses” after officials denied he was arrested for protesting. »

LGBTQ Kings & Queen of England | Reupload

In the history of the English monarchy their have been six kings and one queen who are believed to have been homosexual or bisexual. They defied the religious, homophobic times in which they lived and many paid dearly for it. They may have worn crowns and wielded power but at the end of the day they were human too. Here are their stories...

William II Rufus (1087 – 1100)
Richard I (1189-1199)
Edward II (1307-1327)
Richard II (1377-1400)
James I (1603 – 1625)
William III (1689-1702)
Anne (1702-1714)

Spain: Gang Violence on the Rise | Focus on Europe

Oct 26, 2022 | Violent youth gangs are a major problem in Spain's capital. Two former members talk about how they managed to get out.

Amazing Victorian England 1898-1902 in Colour

Where’s Jacob Rees-Mogg when you need him most? Jake! Where are you? This is your world! – Mark

Jacob Rees-Mogg Quits with Handwritten Letter Dated ‘St Crispin’s Day’

THE GUARDIAN: MP known as ‘honourable member for the 18th century’ asks Rishi Sunak to convey his resignation as business secretary to King

Jacob Rees-Mogg has submitted a typically old-fashioned resignation letter, in a last hurrah for the so-called honourable member for the 18th century.

The North East Somerset MP wrote his letter, resigning as business secretary, by hand and declined to share it on social media, in stark contrast with the typed resignation letters shared on Twitter by other MPs.

Rees-Mogg’s handwriting is so difficult to decipher that the Scottish newspaper the National has headlined an article: “We bet you can’t read Jacob Rees-Mogg’s handwritten resignation letter.”

In his characteristically anachronistic style, Rees-Mogg, a devoted Catholic, dated the letter “St Crispin’s Day”.

St Crispin’s Day is a feast day in the Christian calendar on 25 October, which takes its name from the saints Crispin and Crispinian, who were tortured and beheaded by the Roman emperor in AD286. » | Charlie Moloney | Tuesday, October 25, 2022

It is such a pity that this man wasn't born in an earlier age. He must constantly feel like a fish out of water living in these less deferential times. – © Mark