The Forehead Kiss

“The forehead kiss is a compassionate nonsexual form of endearment that should be accepted and used in any relationship. It is a way to give affection while your partner is busy and a way to give affection that will not be confused with a sexual advance,” says Adina Mahalli, a certified relationship expert and mental health consultant. [Source: Zoosk.com]
Many thanks to Tumblr on Pinterest for this lovely photograph.

The Paranoia That Cost Hitler World War II | Warlords: Hitler vs Stalin | Timeline

Oct 12, 2017 | The personalities and spectres of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin loom large in the events of the twentieth Century. They were similar in some respects and yet very different in others.

The first in a series that examines the interaction of the leading protagonists of WW2, this program looks in some depth at the nature of the relationship and interaction of these two ‘warlords’.

The use of primary materials and memoirs as sources gives the psycho-historical analysis some substance. You can sign up to History Hit, a history documentary service, at a huge discount using the code 'TIMELINE' here.

Sexually Transmitted Infections on the Rise among Over-65s in England

THE GUARDIAN: Increase in sexual activity among older people and popularity of chemsex are driving trend, say researchers

The growing number of sexually transmitted infections among over-65s, the rise of “chemsex” and popularity of dating apps are driving record demand for sexual health advice, a report has revealed.

Specialist advisers provided just over 4m appointments last year in England to people suffering from an STI such as syphilis or needing help with their contraception.

Attendance at sexual and reproductive health services is “skyrocketing” as a result of changes in people’s sexual behaviour, according to a report by the Local Government Association.

It highlights that the number of STIs recorded among over-65s increased from 2,280 in 2017 to 2,748 in 2019 – a 20% rise. The biggest increases were in gonorrhoea and chlamydia.

“Chemsex” gatherings, where predominantly gay and bisexual men have sex while taking drugs such as GHB and mephedrone, are heightening the risk of people becoming infected with HIV or hepatitis B or C. » | Denis Campbell, Health policy editor | Tuesday, November 15, 2022

Rise in popularity of anal sex has led to health problems for women: Incontinence, bleeding and STIs among consequences, say two surgeons, who want doctors to raise the topic with patients »

I should like my regular visitors, followers and occasional visitors to understand ONE VERY IMPORTANT THING: This blog DOES NOT promoste promiscuity. I hope and trust that you all understand that. On the contrary, and this might come as a surprise to some of you: This website promotes clean living within a loving relationship, be that relationship straight or gay.

What this website also promotes is tolerance and acceptance of the other. Gay people have been persecuted throughout the ages, usually by bigots and ignorant and nasty, intolerant people. This website tries to show that gay people are that way because God made them that way. They were born exactly how God intended them to be. There should be no shame in being gay. However, it is possible to bring shame on oneself by behaving in a socially unacceptable and promiscuous manner. But lifestyle is the choice of the individual. And that is for everyone to decide for himself. – © Mark Alexander

Le déclin de la fertilité masculine est mondial et s’accélère

LE MONDE : La pollution et les modes de vie sont à l’origine d’une chute accélérée de la concentration des spermatozoïdes chez l’homme. Ce déclin est désormais observé dans le monde entier, indique une méta-analyse publiée mardi 15 novembre.

Le déclin rapide de la fertilité masculine ne concerne pas seulement les pays du Nord, mais le monde entier. Loin de ralentir pour se stabiliser, le phénomène est en forte accélération. Ce sont les éléments saillants de travaux de synthèse, publiés mardi 15 novembre dans la revue Human Reproduction Update, les plus exhaustifs conduits à ce jour sur la chute de la concentration de spermatozoïdes chez l’humain.

Les causes de ce déclin font, depuis une vingtaine d’années, l’objet de nombreuses recherches, pointant des facteurs individuels liés au mode de vie (tabagisme, sédentarité, alimentation, etc.) et des causes environnementales liées à la pollution atmosphérique, à divers médicaments et à l’omniprésence de certaines substances de synthèse dans l’environnement et la chaîne alimentaire (plastifiants et pesticides notamment). » | Par Stéphane Foucart | mardi 15 novembre 2022

Article réservé aux abonnés

Leben im Zölibat - Der Kampf um die Lust

Mar 27, 2016 | Eine emotionale und ergreifende Dokumenation über zwei junge Männer, die sich gegen eine Beziehung und für das Zölibat entscheiden.

Eine ähnliche Dokumentation befindet sich hier.

London Loses Position as Most Valuable European Stock Market

BBC: Britain's stock market has lost its position as Europe's most-valued, with France taking the top spot, data shows.

A weak pound, fears of recession in the UK and surging sales at French luxury goods makers are thought to be behind the shift, according to data from Bloomberg.

It's the first time Paris has overtaken London since records began in 2003.

It comes as the UK is expected to fall into recession this year, although the French economy is also under pressure.

The combined value of British shares is now around $2.821 trillion (£2.3 trillion), while France's are worth around $2.823 trillion, Bloomberg calculates.

It marks a huge reversal of fortunes for the London Stock Exchange, which was worth about $1.4 trillion more than its Parisian rival back in 2016.

France has been catching up for some time but shares in the UK's medium sized companies have been doing particularly badly this year, as consumers cut back their spending and businesses struggle with higher costs.

London's FTSE 250 share index - which is made up of medium sized companies focused on the UK - has slumped by almost 17% in the last 12 months. » | Faarea Masud, Business reporter | Monday, November 14, 2022

This must be another Brexit benefit, Nige! – Mark

Bourses : « Paris a dépassé Londres par le montant de sa capitalisation. Un signe de plus de l’affaiblissement de la City depuis le Brexit » : Ce cap franchi lundi 14 novembre reflète un phénomène plus large constaté depuis le départ du Royaume-Uni de l’Union européenne. La place londonienne est délaissée par de grandes sociétés, le climat des affaires outre-Manche est détérioré, observe Jean-Michel Bezat, journaliste économique au « Monde ». »

Episode 159 (Part 3): Kris and Kay Packer | Loving, Learning, and Living

Premiered Apr 7, 2022| For the Packer’s, love and connection brought them together—and it was honesty and authenticity that helped their love and connection flourish. In this fascinating story of love and transformation, Kay and Kris share their early dating experiences—and marriage as a lesbian couple. It was later in that marriage that Kris transitioned as a transgender male. As the couple loved, they learned—and as they learned, they lived.

Kay Packer | My Lesbian Mormon Love Story Episode 157 (Part 1)

Kris Packer | From Wife to Husband: A Story of My Journey: Episode 158 (Part 2)

Jeff Bezos Vows to Give Away Most of Fortune – and Hands Dolly Parton $100m

THE GUARDIAN: Amazon founder wants to donate much of $124bn wealth to causes such as climate crisis and world unity

Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has not said what proportion of his fortune is likely to go to philanthropy. Photograph: John Locher/AP
Jeff Bezos has promised to give away the vast majority of his $124bn (£110bn) fortune during his lifetime, but admitted that ensuring that the most worthy causes benefit is proving as difficult as building his Amazon empire.

The 58-year-old, the world’s fourth richest person, according to Forbes billionaires list, made the pledge after giving $100m to the country singer Dolly Parton to give to charities of her choice as part of Bezos’s annual Courage and Civility award. » | Mark Sweney | Monday, November 14, 2022

Brexit a Major Cause of UK’s Return to Austerity, Says Senior Economist

THE GUARDIAN: Former Bank of England policymaker Michael Saunders says leaving EU has ‘permanently damaged’ economy

Brexit is the ultimate reason why the UK now faces a fresh round of austerity, a former interest rate-setter at the Bank of England has said.

“The UK economy as a whole has been permanently damaged by Brexit,” Michael Saunders, who was an external member of the central bank’s monetary policy committee, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

“It’s reduced the economy’s potential output significantly, eroded business investment,” he said, adding: “If we hadn’t had Brexit, we probably wouldn’t be talking about an austerity budget this week.”

“The need for tax rises, spending cuts wouldn’t be there, if Brexit hadn’t reduced the economy’s potential output so much.” » | Anna Isaac, City editor | Monday, November 14, 2022

David Cameron made the first mistake in giving the country a referendum. Our membership of the European Union was far too complex and important to be put to the people, many of whom had no clue about, or understanding of, the complexities of the issue. Many politicians themselves didn't truly understand the matter; so how could the man in the street be expected to understand the issue?

Then there was that stupid idiot, Nigel Farage. He made a lot of noise, but made absolutely no sense whatsoever. He was full of hot air. But so many were taken in by his nonsense. But all he actually did was poison people’s minds and cause damage to the UK economy. Farage is a perfect example of the proverb learnt by most even in junior school, namely that ‘Empty vessels make the most noise.’ This proverb means that that those with the least wisdom or knowledge have most to say about the subject. We would all be better off today if that clown had remained silent. – © Mark Alexander

The History of Heaven and Hell - St Luke's Episcopal Church Interview

Jan 11, 2021 | St Luke's Episcopal Church and the host The Very Rev. Denis C. Brunelle records a Zoom session on January 9, 2021, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time in which they discuss Bart's book "The History of Heaven and Hell." St Luke's Episcopal Church is located at 18 James Lane in East Hampton, New York. Bart touches upon book references like The Apocalypse of Peter, Plato: The Immortality of the Soul, the Jewish traditions and apocalyptic thought, and Jesus' teaching.

Kris Packer | From Wife to Husband: A Story of My Journey

Premiered Mar 30, 2022 | Kris Packer has a long Mormon history. His father, Lynn is a Mormon historian, and Kris’ great-uncle is apostle Boyd K. Packer.

What happens when you come out to your family as a lesbian, but as life progresses, your journey through love and connection helps you to connect the dots and come to understand that you are also transgender?

Kris had great family support through his life and even through the learning, bumpy stages, found connection and love in even the least-likely spaces.

In this episode Kris discusses his family relationship, meeting his wife Kay, working in public education—and then gender transitioning as a school principal. How does his school and students react?

The Early 20th Century Seen in Real Color

Sep 28, 2021 | Color photography began to be widely popularized during the 1960s and 70s, and we're used to seeing history before that point in black and white. But color has been reproduced for much longer than that. Early experiments were made shortly after the invention of photography itself in the early 1800s, and one of the most successful and beautiful methods, the autochrome, was launched on the market in 1907. In this video I tell the stories of people and places that appear on some of these autochromes.

The Graceful Lady in Green

Many thanks to Ferhan Eser on Pinterest for this attractive work of art.

Qualmen: Die ewige Faszination

Mysteriös, anziehend, sexy, manchmal auch erotisch. Aber wie alles andere im Leben: Wenn es einem Spaß macht ist es normalerweise entweder verboten, sündig oder ungesund.
Quelle: Pinterest

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 14, 2022

The Maestro and the Cellist of Auschwitz | DW Documentary

Nov 9, 2022 | Why was classical music so important to Hitler and Goebbels? The stories of Jewish cellist Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, who survived Auschwitz, and of star conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, who worked with the Nazis, provide insight.

The film centers around two people who represent musical culture during the Third Reich - albeit in very different ways. Wilhelm Furtwängler was a star conductor; Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, the cellist of the infamous Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz. Both shared a love for the classical German music.

The world-famous conductor made a pact with Hitler and his henchmen. The young woman, brought to Auschwitz for being Jewish, was spared death for her musical talent. While Furtwängler decided to stay in Germany and make a deal with the devil, Lasker-Wallfisch struggled to survive the brutality of the death camp, with a cello as her only defense. Why did gifted artists like Furtwängler make a pact with evil? Why was classical music played in extermination camps? And how did this change the way victims saw music?

German music was used to justify the powerful position the Third Reich claimed in the world, and to distract listeners from Nazi crimes. In addition to Beethoven, Bach and Brucker, Richard Wagner was highly valued, because he was Hitler’s personal favorite. Hitler understood the power of music, and his chief propagandist Joseph Goebbels was in charge of music in the Nazi-controlled state.

This music documentary by Christian Berger features interviews with musicians like Daniel Barenboim and Christian Thielemann; the children of Wilhelm Furtwängler; and of course 97-year-old survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch. Her memories are chilling. Archive film footage, restored and colorized, brings the story to life, and bears witness to an agonizing chapter in history.

Ein heißer Kuss

Un baiser chaud / A hot kiss
Für dieses sehr schöne Bild bedanke ich mich bei autenticomonstruo auf Pinterest.

The Reassuring Kiss

Der beruhigende Kuss / Le baiser rassurant
Many thanks to Esdras Vutica on Pinterest for this beautiful photo.
“Quiero estar contigo como dios nos trajo al mundo: Sin complejos.”
Esdras Vutica on Pinterest for this beautiful photo.

“I want to be with you as God brought us into the world: Without complexes.”

« Je veux être avec toi comme Dieu nous a mis au monde : Sans complexes. »

„Ich möchte mit dir sein, wie Gott uns auf die Welt gebracht hat: Ohne Komplexe.“

At Least Six Dead in Explosion on Central Istanbul Street, Says Erdoğan

THE GUARDIAN: Turkish president says 53 people injured in ‘treacherous attack’ on İstiklal Avenue

Six people have been killed and 53 injured after an explosion rocked Istanbul’s popular pedestrian thoroughfare İstiklal Avenue, in an apparent bomb attack that Turkey’s president described as an act of terrorism.

Speaking shortly before departing for Tuesday’s G20 summit in Bali, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke of a “treacherous attack”, adding: “Those responsible will be punished.”

Erdogan said investigations were continuing but initial reports suggested an act of terrorism. “The first information provided to us by the [Istanbul] governor suggests this was an act of terrorism. We detected that a woman played a role. The work continues,” he said. With video » | Ruth Michaelson in Istanbul, Philip Oltermann and Ghaith Abdul-Ahad | Sunday, November 13, 2022

Die Schweiz von oben - Vom Zauber der Alpenrepublik | SWR Doku

Nov 6, 2022 | Von oben sieht man gut, was die kleine Schweiz stark macht: atemberaubende Berglandschaften, in deren Schutz die selbstbewussten Eidgenossen Geschichte schrieben.

Als vor Millionen Jahren die afrikanische und die europäische Kontinentalplatte aufeinanderstießen, formten sie das Wahrzeichen der heutigen Schweiz: das Matterhorn. Seine Schönheit hat Dichter und Maler inspiriert, seine Gefährlichkeit die Abenteurer. 500 haben ihr Leben gelassen beim Versuch, den Gipfel des Matterhorns zu besteigen oder wieder von ihm herunter zu kommen. Die Schweiz hat von ihren Bergen schon früh profitiert. Im Schutz der Gebirge konnten die Kantone wachsen und gedeihen. Die Schweiz gibt sich klein und bescheiden, ist in Wirklichkeit aber ein bedeutender Motor fürs Geschäftsleben und die Idee der Freiheit. Die Schweiz ist ein Goliath, der als David daherkommt. Im geschützten Raum konnte die Idee der Freiheit früher wachsen als in anderen europäischen Regionen. Im Mittelalter schafften es die Eidgenossen unter der Führung von Bern, die fremden Herrscher aus Burgund abzuschütteln, ebenso die Habsburger, die sich aus ihrem Stammland, der Schweiz, schmachvoll zurückziehen mussten. Der kleine Stadtstaat Bern wuchs zu einer europäischen Großmacht heran. Heute ist das kaum mehr vorstellbar. Vielen Schweizern geht das Wort "Hauptstadt" für Bern kaum über die Lippen; für sie ist Bern die Bundesstadt der Schweiz. Die Eidgenossen lieben den Eigensinn. Im Rückblick ist das Streben nach Neutralität aber keine Schwäche, sondern ein Erfolgsmodell, dessen Wertschöpfung sich vor allem am Genfer See zeigt. Dutzende internationaler Organisationen haben sich zwischen Genf und Montreux niedergelassen, allen voran die Uno, das Rote Kreuz und das Olympische Komitee. Im 19.Jahrhundert war die Schweiz Vorreiter bei der Entwicklung des Tourismus. Ihre Berge wurden zu Sehnsuchts-Zielen. Der britische Reiseanbieter Thomas Cook brachte 1863 eine erste Reisegruppe aus England ins Wallis und das Berner Oberland. Dann kamen, wieder aus England, die Kletterer. Mit Hilfe einheimischer Bergführer erkämpfen sie sich Gipfel um Gipfel. Dramatische Wettläufe erregen die Welt, wie 1865 bei der Erstbesteigung des Matterhorns. Sie glückte dem Engländer Edward Whymper im achten Anlauf, aber auf dem Rückweg verlor er die halbe Seilschaft.

Diese Doku von Peter Bardehle trägt den Originaltitel: „Die Schweiz von oben - Vom Zauber der Alpenrepublik“, erstmalige Ausstrahlung im SWR Fernsehen am 14.4.2019. Alle Aussagen und Fakten entsprechen dem damaligen Stand und wurden seitdem nicht aktualisiert.

Remembrance Sunday: King Leads Nation as UK Falls Silent to Honour War Dead

REUTERS
BBC: The UK has fallen silent on Remembrance Sunday as the King leads the nation in honouring servicemen and women who died in past conflicts.

A national two-minute silence was held at 11:00 GMT, with similar ceremonies at war memorials across the country.

The silence was tolled by Big Ben, marking its official return to use.

King Charles then laid a wreath at London's Cenotaph - the first time he has done so as monarch, following the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

Other royals, including the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Wessex and the Princess Royal also laid wreaths, along with the prime minister and other senior politicians.

Sunday's service, led by the Bishop of London, also features a march past by some 10,000 Royal British Legion veterans, representing 300 different Armed Forces and organisations between them.

Among those taking part are World War Two veterans - fewer in number as each year goes by - and those who have served in more recent conflicts.

The beginning of the silence was marked by Big Ben striking 11 times at 11:00. » | Alex Binley and Andre Rhoden-Paul, BBC News | Sunday, November 13, 2022

Armistice Day around the UK – in pictures: Britons fell silent for two minutes at 11am to remember those who have died in military conflicts and to commemorate the signing of the peace agreement that ended the first world war »

UK marks Armistice Day as Cleverly condemns Russia over Ukraine war: Remembrance services held across country as foreign secretary hits out at ‘Russian aggressor’ »

King Charles leads Remembrance Sunday for first time as monarch: Monarch lays wreath at Cenotaph in central London during ceremony watched by thousands of veterans »

Love: From Our Perspective | Fathers of Gay Sons

Jun 22, 2021 | Three fathers, all with different backgrounds, share their candid experiences raising sons who identify as gay. They talk about the coming out process, where they made mistakes, what they learned, navigating religious issues, telling friends and family—and so much more. Let's face it: no parent expects (or can adequately prepare) for their child to come out. With few social and religious resources available to help parents navigate this journey, where do you turn when your child needs you the most? The dads discuss some difficult topics and share how they reacted to some comments like: …

Apostate Report: Why Muslims Leave Islam and the Consequences They Face

Sep 30, 2021 | Key findings from Ex-Muslims of North America's Apostate Report. The first of it's kind survey of ex-Muslims in North America.

You can donate to EXMNA here.

Watch this video: Tsunami of Apostasy.

Autumn Statement: Jeremy Hunt Plans Billions in Spending Cuts

GETTY IMAGES
BBC: Spending cuts of about £35bn and plans to raise some £20bn in tax in the coming years are expected to be set out in Thursday's Autumn Statement.

None of Jeremy Hunt's decisions have been officially confirmed, but I understand most of the extra revenue will come from freezing tax thresholds.

The levy on energy firms is also set to rise and last for another six years. Independent forecasts are understood to have identified a gap of around £55bn in the public finances.

While the government won't confirm any of the decisions they have made so far, the shape of the building blocks are clear.

We've already heard the chancellor say that in his view filling that hole between tax revenue and government spending is absolutely imperative after the chaos of early autumn.

There is an economic debate about the urgency and necessity for doing so but the position this government takes, that we'll no doubt hear from Mr Hunt when he's on our show this Sunday, is that they have no choice.

And from the moment he became chancellor he has said in sombre tones that means tax rises and squeezing spending. » | Laura Kuenssberg, Presenter, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg | Saturday, November 12, 2022

The Tories are not called "The Nasty Party” for nothing! They truly are "The Nasty Party”. How much more austerity are these bastards going to inflict on the country? We’ve had austerity ever since that twerp Cameron was in power. Cameron and Osborne inflicted austerity 1.0 on us. Now we must live with—or try to live with—austerity 1.1! They f****d up the last time; and they’ll f*** up this time too. The rich will get ever richer and the poor and middle class will get ever poorer. The current Chancellor of the Exchequer looks to me as though he relishes inflicting pain. Just take a look at his facial expression! A visage which tells you all you need to know about him! – © Mark Alexander

Brexit: We Must Be Given a New Referendum

Michael Heseltine is one of the best of Tories. A politician of great wisdom and understanding: a gentleman to boot. – © Mark Alexander

Michael Bolton : Missing You Now

This Must Be One Lucky Dude!

Let us into the secret, why don’t you, Midas?
Many thanks to Anonymous on Pinterest for this quirky quote.

Es ist höchste Zeit für die Republikaner, sich von Trumps Lüge zu befreien

KOMMENTAR
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Die Midterms sollten ein Weckruf sein: Die Republikaner haben sich zu Donald Trumps Geisel gemacht. Je früher sie sich von ihm und seiner grossen Lüge losreissen, desto besser für ihre Wahlchancen. Die Frage ist bloss, ob die Konservativen noch die Kraft dazu haben.

Donald Trump unterstützt in Dayton am 7. November 2022 republikanische Kandidaten für den Gliedstaat Ohio. | Gaelen Morse / Reuters
Vermutlich hatte sich Donald Trump bereits alles in den schönsten Farben ausgemalt: Nach einem triumphalen Sieg der Republikaner bei den Zwischenwahlen würde er am nächsten Dienstag unter grossem Applaus seine Präsidentschaftskandidatur für 2024 bekanntgeben. Doch die Wähler hielten sich nicht an sein Drehbuch. Die Republikaner haben diese Woche voraussichtlich nur eine knappe Mehrheit im Repräsentantenhaus gewonnen und werden den Senat womöglich nicht unter ihre Kontrolle bringen.

Schuld an diesem für die Republikaner enttäuschenden Wahlergebnis ist auch Donald Trump. Zu diesem Schluss kommen selbst konservative Medien: «Trump ist der grösste Verlierer der Republikanischen Partei», kommentierte am Mittwoch etwa das «Wall Street Journal». Nach seiner Wahlniederlage vor zwei Jahren habe der ehemalige Präsident seiner Partei nun auch die Midterms 2022 «verpfuscht». Ob in New Hampshire, Pennsylvania oder Georgia, die von Trump unterstützten Kandidaten für den Senat taten sich schwer. Oft hätte es aussichtsreichere Anwärter in den Reihen der Republikaner gegeben. Doch Trump bekämpfte diese in den Vorwahlen, weil sie seine absurde Lüge einer gestohlenen Präsidentschaftswahl 2020 nicht teilten. » | Christian Weisflog, Washington | Samstag, 12. November 12, 2022

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

Views on YouTube: 6,740,97 | Jan 26, 2020 | You're watching the official music video for Foreigner - "I Don't Want to Live Without You" from the album 'Inside Information' (1987)

Elizabeth II, une vie en images

Sep 9, 2022 | Une vie en images intimes ou officielles, qui retracent un destin incroyable et un règne de 70 ans.

Verliebt in Gott - Ein junger Mann wird Priester | WDR Doku

Mar 25, 2018 | Priester werden. Das erklärte Ziel von Nicolas aus Duisburg. Doch bis es für ihn soweit ist, muss er sein Studium der Theologie absolvieren und im Zölibat leben. Priesterseminar und pauken sind gar nicht so einfach, wird Nico es schaffen?

Michael Lambert: The Tories Cannot Solve the Mess We Are In

Nov 12, 2022 | The British economy is in trouble. Already in recession and forecast to be the 19th slowest growing economy in the G20 ahead of Russia next year, there seems little prospect of things improving any time soon.

Sunak's government is tired and out of ideas. The prime minister is weak and he knows it. Faced with a cost-of-living crisis, inflation, widespread strikes and a budget this week which is expected to include tax rises and spending cuts, there seems little room for optimism.

As can be seen from some of the comments on last week's video, there are still many who believe Brexit was a good idea.

Aufgeschoben ist nicht aufgehoben: Dänemarks Königin feiert ihr 50-jähriges Thronjubiläum

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Tausende feiern mit Königin Margrethe II. in Kopenhagen ihr Jubiläum – nachträglich.

Königin Margrethe II. ist die amtsälteste Monarchin weltweit. | Ritzau Scanpix / Reuters
(dpa) Nach zweimaligem Aufschub kann die rot-weisse Party dann doch steigen: Königin Margrethe II. hat zusammen mit unzähligen Landsleuten nachträglich ihr 50. Thronjubiläum gefeiert. Während einer Kutschfahrt durch Kopenhagen jubelten der nunmehr am längsten amtierenden Monarchin der Erde am Samstag Tausende von Däninnen, Dänen und Touristen am Strassenrand zu. Anschliessend zeigte sich die 82-Jährige an der Seite von Oberbürgermeisterin Sophie Hæstorp Andersen auf dem Ratshausbalkon.

Margrethe hatte den Thron nach dem Tod ihres Vaters Frederik IX. am 14. Januar 1972 geerbt. Zum Königreich zählen neben dem EU-Land Dänemark auch Grönland und die kleinen Färöer-Inseln. Beim Volk ist die stets strahlende und nicht selten rauchende Regentin beliebt, ihre Silvesteransprachen haben Kultstatus wie in Deutschland «Dinner for One». Sie ist ausgesprochen kreativ und kunstinteressiert, gilt als pragmatisch und manchmal auch etwas unkonventionell. Seit dem Tod der britischen Königin Elizabeth II., deren Cousine dritten Grades sie war, gilt Margrethe als dienstälteste Regentin weltweit. » | dpa | Samstag, 12. November 2022

The US Midterms, Brexit and the US-UK Special Relationship

Nov 11, 2022 | In this new Federal Trust video, John Stevens and Brendan Donnelly discuss the impact of American politics on Brexit, both historically and in the future. The present Democratic administration is well-disposed to the EU and unenthusiastic about Brexit. But no future Republican administration is likely to support the UK in any controversy with the EU either. The hopes pinned by many supporters of Brexit in the American connection have been and will be disappointed.

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

Brendan Donnelly is the Director 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.

Ein todesmutiger Kämpfer für die Demokratie: Der Aktivist Alaa Abdelfatah im Hungerstreik

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Der 40-jährige Ägypter ist während des Arabischen Frühlings zur Ikone der Revolution geworden. Seine Liebe für die Demokratie hat ihren Preis: Das letzte Jahrzehnt verbrachte er grossteils hinter Gittern.

Ein Foto des prominentesten ägyptischen Aktivisten für Demokratie, Alaa Abdelfatah, wird vor dem Aussenministerium in London gezeigt. | Kin Cheung / AP
«Ihr seid noch nicht besiegt»: So lautet der Titel des Buches des ägyptischen Aktivisten Alaa Abdelfatah, das kommende Woche auf Deutsch erscheint. Ob der Autor der darin versammelten Texte und Essays das noch erleben wird, ist jedoch nicht sicher.

Seit dem 2. April befindet sich Alaa Abdelfatah im Hungerstreik im Gefängnis, nur eine minimale Kalorienzufuhr pro Tag hält ihn am Leben. Am Sonntag nun hat er das Trinken eingestellt, damit besteht Lebensgefahr. Der Zeitpunkt ist nicht zufällig gewählt: Zehntausende von Diplomaten, Politikern, Industrievertretern und Aktivisten aus aller Welt halten sich derzeit am COP-27-Klimagipfel in Sharm al-Sheikh auf. Der amerikanische Präsident Joe Biden ist am Freitag eingeflogen.

Das Land steht nun im internationalen Scheinwerferlicht, und die Hoffnung ist, dass auch ein Teil der Aufmerksamkeit auf die Situation des politischen Gefangenen fällt – vielleicht sogar seine Freilassung erwirkt werden kann. Einige Dutzend politische Gefangene des Landes wurden im Vorfeld der Klimakonferenz freigelassen, wohl um das Image der Regierung aufzupolieren. Doch im Fall Abdelfatah eskaliert die Situation. » | Elena Panagiotidis | Freitag, 11. November 2022

Verwandte Artikeln auf Englisch und Französisch hier.

Never Apologize for Loving Whomsoever You Love!

Gay love is just as valid as any other form of love. Never let the fossils fool or deceive you!
Many thanks to Marcel van Heerden on Pinterest for this delightful photo.
This is what gay love looks like.

Tanzen, sich bewegen, jung bleiben!

Dance, move, stay young! / Dansez, bougez, restez jeune !
Um zu wunderbarer Musik zu tanzen, klicken Sie hier

Les garçons qui aiment les garçons.

Jungs, die Jungs lieben. / Boys who love boys.
Je remercie Pawel pour cette photo ravissante et drôle.

"Gay: 100% Human" | Reupload

"Labels are for clothes."
Many thanks to Lelyana T for this lovely, comical image.

Beneath the Crown: The True Story of Princess Margaret from ‘78 to ‘85

Nov 15, 2020 | Why did Princess Margaret endure such a rocky patch between 1978 and 1985? Anita Rani charts Margaret’s fortunes with men, medics and Mustique - as well as uncovering what happened to her former flames Antony Armstrong-Jones, Peter Townsend and Roddy Llewellyn.

Italia Squisita: Onion Soup / Zuppa di cipolle: Original (Tuscan) vs. Gourmet with Gaetano Trova - Arnolfo **

Nov 11, 2022 | The onion soup is a dish whose origin is disputed between France and Italy. In this episode, the first of a mini-series dedicated to onions, we have been to Gaetano Trovato's' 2 stars Michelin restaurant in the province of Siena. The chef illustrates the original recipe of Carabaccia, the traditional peasant soup from Tuscany, and then rethinks the dish in a contemporary key starting from one of his greatest passions, stuffed pasta.

For those who need the subtitles but find them faint and difficult to read, their colour can be changed by clicking on the settings button at the bottom of the video. A very helpful Italian helped me with this this afternoon. This is how you change the colour: "Settings -> Subtitles/CC -> Options(at the right top) -> Font Color -> Then it's your choice." I think you will find this very helpful. – Mark

How Elon Musk Got Rich: The $230 Billion Myth | The Class Room ft. Second Thought

Jul 19, 2022 | Elon Musk spent decades building something big: himself. Musk managed to sell the world on a persona: the visionary genius billionaire working his hardest to save the the world. And it’s worked: the myth of Elon Musk has made him a lot of money. But what did it cost to get him there? And what does it mean that the richest man in the world build that wealth purely on an image of himself? We took a deep look into Musk’s entire career: court documents, SEC filings, and interviews to break down the story Elon tells about himself and how he leveraged it to accumulate wealth and power.

Marketing the Messiah | Christianity | Documentary | Bible | Jesus | Faith | New Testament | God

Apr 27, 2021 | Marketing the Messiah - How much do you really know about how Christianity got started? Whether you are a Christian, atheist, or member of another faith, it's impossible to ignore the impact that Christianity has had on Western civilization.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 11, 2022

Spain on a Fork: Spinach and Manchego Stuffed Shells

Nove 11, 2022 | How to Make Spinach & Manchego Stuffed Shells with Tomato Sauce

Get the recipe here.

Spain on a Fork can be supported on PATREON here or through PayPal here.

World leaders at Cop27 Urged to Press Egypt over Prisoner Alaa Abd el-Fattah

THE GUARDIAN: Global spotlight on host country has heightened scrutiny of human rights record, with Biden due to meet Sisi

An Amnesty International protest about Egyptian human rights, in Rome this week. Photograph: Riccardo Antimiani/Ansa/Zuma/Rex/Shutterstock
As Egyptian officials strive to control the narrative and isolate the case of the detained British Egyptian activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah, pressure is mounting on world leaders at Cop27 to acknowledge Egypt’s poor human rights record and raise his case.

The Egyptian authorities have engaged in a sweeping public relations campaign to try to discredit Abd el-Fattah, including a digital campaign depicting him as a threat to national security.

A visibly shaken Sameh Shoukry, Egypt’s foreign minister and Cop27 president, told CNN that “this is a judicial matter, the person in question has had a fair trial … there should be respect for the judicial system.” Shoukry also cast doubt on Abd el-Fattah’s dual nationality, after he gained British citizenship while in prison last year. » | Ruth Michaelson | Friday, November 11, 2022

Related articles in French and English here.

World Cup: Ministers Urged to Warn LGBT+ Fans about Qatar Risks

Andrew Boff is a patron of the LGBT+ Conservatives group | ANDREW BOFF
BBC: The UK government has been urged to change its Qatar travel advice to warn LGBT+ football fans about the risks of going to the World Cup.

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, where same-sex relationships can be punishable by the death sentence.

Andrew Boff, deputy chair of the London Assembly and a leading Conservative gay rights campaigner, said Qatar is not safe for LGBT+ people.

Qatar says all fans will be welcomed to the World Cup "without discrimination".

Currently, the UK government's World Cup travel advice contains no specific safety warning beyond stating the legal status of homosexuality in Qatar and the assurances given by its authorities.

"Obviously, when you go to a country, you respect their traditions," said Mr Boff, who is a patron of the LGBT+ Conservatives campaign group.

But the mere fact that being gay, or lesbian, or trans is illegal in Qatar and will open you up for prosecution means it is not a safe place for LGBT+ people to travel to and the government advice should clearly say that."

He said some in Qatar clearly have a "medieval attitude to human rights" given comments made by a Qatar World Cup ambassador, who called homosexuality "damage in the mind". » | Joshua Nevett, BBC Politics | Friday, November 11, 2022

Personally, I have absolutely no interest in football; so, I certainly shan’t be attending the World Cup in Qatar. However, for those that are interested in football, I can understand the attraction. I would suggest, though, that they think very long and very hard before deciding to go to Qatar.

Attitudes to homosexuality in the Gulf are indeed mediæval. (About which, perhaps more at a later date.) Architecture is extremely modern; the mindset does not match the modernity of the architecture or its hi-tech appearance! Anyone who is gay travelling to Qatar will risk not only getting into trouble with the authorities for the slightest transgression, but will also risk being abused, and possibly beaten up, by Qataris. Exercise extreme caution!

I would say that it is not worth taking the risk. But this, of course, is a decision that each person must make for himself. – © Mark Alexander

UK Heads for Long Recession as Economy Shrinks by 0.2%

THE GUARDIAN: ONS figures for three months to September give bleak picture in run-up to chancellor’s autumn statement

Britain’s economy shrank by 0.2% in the three months to September, in what is expected to be the beginning of a long recession.

In its first estimate of growth in the third quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) presented a bleak picture of the economy before next week’s autumn statement from the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt.

Activity in the service sector ground to a halt, with zero growth over the quarter, driven by a fall in consumer spending as households came under mounting pressure from the cost of living crisis.

Growth in the construction sector slowed, while factory output slumped because of a sharp decline in manufacturing as some businesses continued to struggle with supply chain difficulties and shortages of key materials. » | Larry Elliott and Richard Partington | Friday, November 11, 2022

Europe Braces for Recession as Economies Falter: Britain’s economic output fell in the third quarter and European Union officials forecast weakening growth for countries across the continent. »

Exodus Continues at Twitter as Elon Musk Hints at Possible Bankruptcy

THE GUARDIAN: Departures of top figures handling safety, security, privacy and compliance come amid warnings from Federal Trade Commission

Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter continues to shake up the social media platform. Illustration: Dado Ruvić/Reuters
As Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter entered its third week, and following mass layoffs, the billionaire laid bare a delicate financial future for the social media platform, amid an exodus of top privacy and security executives.

Yoel Roth, the head of safety and integrity who had been deputized to publicly address concerns advertisers and users had about the platform, is reportedly the latest to leave the company.

The departures began on the same day Elon Musk addressed employees for the first time, saying that “bankruptcy isn’t out of the question”, according to multiple reports. » | Johana Bhuiyan | Friday, November 11, 2022

Queer and in Need of a Kiss in the Street in New York | Reupload

Queer et besoin d'un baiser dans la rue à New York / Queer und kussbedürftig auf der Straße in New York
With many thanks to lizzie 💌 for this truly super photo.

Timeless Beauty

“Audrey Hepburn (Brussels 1989-1993 Swizterland) 'Breakfast at Tiffanys' An all times icon of cinema and life”
With thanks to 'Women Artists🎨 on Twitter' on Pinterest for this delightful photo of Audrey Hepburn.

Smoking Is Back in Candy-coloured Disguise - and a Whole New Generation Is Addicted

THE GUARDIAN: Tobacco companies are pouring money into e-cigarettes and making them attractive to teens. Why is nobody stopping them?

Elf Bar disposable e-cigarette products in a shop display in the US. Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
The modern sweet shop has long removed from its window the screw-top glass jars full of gobstoppers and lemon sherbets that used to tempt kids to spend their pocket money on the way home from school. Instead, there is an array of slim boxes in a rainbow of bright colours. “Banana ice”, “pink lemonade”, “blueberry sour raspberry”, “cotton candy ice”, they are labelled.

The jewelled boxes contain Elf bars: disposable e-cigarettes. The rules say they are for adults only. Under-18s are not allowed to buy them, even if they wander in to look at the confectionery that is also for sale in some of these shops. But everyone knows the pretty toys also end up in the hands of children, who may even have learned how to use them from influencers on TikTok.

It’s hugely alarming for the parents of teenage kids who catch a whiff of strawberry in the bedroom. They might in the past not have known that their child was experimenting with a scrounged fag behind the bike sheds after school. Smoking was once so widespread that it would be a rare child who didn’t take a puff at some point, hopefully choking on the fumes and never touching a cigarette again. » | Sarah Boseley | Thursday, November 10, 2022

The Guradian wants to hear from you if you have taken up new vices after turning 60. Click here for more info.

This is what you get when you interfere with the market and when you engage in social engineering.

I would say that it would be far, far better for people to enjoy smoking regular cigarettes (in moderation) than encouraging people to switch to e-cigarettes with all manner of weird and wonderful flavours (which appeal to children) or relaxing laws on cannabis. These killjoys are not very smart, are they? You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that if you introduce e-cigarettes onto the market with apricot, peach, strawberry, blackberry, blackcurrant and all sorts of other appealing flavours which mask the nicotine, you are going to introduce a whole new generation of children to the joys of inhalation and exhalation. Smoking in another form, essentially. From vaping, when a little older, many will graduate to the smoking of real cigarettes.

I have no sympathy with these meddlesome killjoys. They have created a whole new generation of smokers-in-the-making. Sometimes, it is better just to leave things alone. Furthermore, by bringing down the number of people who smoke, the authorities have not improved the health of the nation. Not at all! People simply die of other causes. Now, instead of tobacco-related illnesses, people are dying of obesity and sugar-related illnesses such as diabetes. How stupid these politicians are! Don’t these interfering politicians understand that people will get their kicks somehow, one way or another? If they can’t get their kicks from smoking real cigarettes, they’ll get them from other unhealthy habits instead, like weed, sugary drinks, or sugary donuts. Furthermore, we do not yet know the long-term consequences of vaping. They try to say that it is healthier. But is it really? Only time will tell. I despair. – © Mark Alexander

Weed Is Now Legal in Thailand. How Long Will the High Times Last?

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Cannabis shops have multiplied since the drug was decriminalized, with caveats, in June. But some lawmakers are pushing for tighter regulation.

Thailand’s military government is carrying out an experiment: What happens when a country in Asia, a region where drug laws tend to be harsh, essentially legalizes marijuana overnight?

In the first few months, lots of people have opened weed dispensaries, and their customers have smoked a lot of weed.

Thailand’s marijuana industry has a joyful, freewheeling vibe on a street level. Some dispensaries offer workshops on rolling joints and brewing “weed tea.” Next week, one is holding “yoga on high” class; the ticket price includes a joint, a beverage, a snack and a yoga mat rental. » | Mike Ives | Thursday, November 10, 2022

Iranian Actress Taraneh Alidoosti Poses without Headscarf - BBC News

Nov 10, 2022 | One of Iran’s most successful actresses, Taraneh Alidoosti, has posted a picture of herself on Instagram without a headscarf, in a sign of solidarity with anti-government demonstrations. Ms Alidoosti, who has 8 million Instagram followers and is best known for her role in the Oscar-winning film The Salesman, is also holding a sign in the picture that reads "woman, life, freedom" in Kurdish. The slogan has been used by protesters demonstrating against the Iranian regime, following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini who died after being detained by Iran’s morality police.

Coming Out Colton | Colton Underwood Comes Out to His Father | Netflix

Dec 3, 2021 | Watch one of the pivotal moments of Colton Underwood's coming-out story as he tells his father he's gay. The former professional football player and star of The Bachelor embarks on his personal journey to a new reality in Coming out Colton, now streaming.

Brazil Military Finds No Evidence of Election Fraud, Dashing Hopes of Bolsonaro Supporters

THE GUARDIAN: Jair Bolsonaro frequently raised doubts about integrity of election in the run-up to his loss to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro. The defence ministry found no irregularities in the recent election. Photograph: Adriano Machado/Reuters
A much-awaited report by Brazil’s Defence Ministry has failed to indicate recent ballots were fraudulent, scuppering the far-right’s hopes of delegitimising the election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The military sent the 63-page report to Brazil’s electoral authorities late on Wednesday after days of speculation that it would back claims by extremist president Jair Bolsonaro that the election was tainted.

Bolsonaro, a former army captain, has spent months hinting he would not accept a loss at the polls and frequently called into question the reliability of Brazil’s electronic ballot boxes, even though he provided no evidence they could be tampered with.

His supporters hoped the military would back up these claims but the only note of doubt was a weak suggestion a committee be formed to ensure the source code used in the boxes cannot be tampered with.

Brazil’s senior electoral official said they “received with satisfaction the final report from the Defence Ministry that, in common with all the other monitoring agencies, does not point to any fraud or inconsistency in electronic ballot boxes or in the 2022 electoral process”. » | Andrew Downie in São Paulo | Thursday, November 10, 2022

‘Brazilians tired of him’: how Bolsonaro the ‘unfloppable’ flopped: The far-right ex-soldier often boasted of his virility but in the end his macho posturing repelled a majority of voters »

Les craintes augmentent pour la vie d’Alaa Abdel Fattah, détenu politique en grève de la faim depuis sept mois en Egypte

LE MONDE : Il a été placé « sous traitement médical » selon les autorités, ce qui fait craindre à ses soutiens qu’il soit nourri de force, une pratique contraire au droit international.

Alaa Abdel Fattah lors d’une conférence à l’Université américaine du Caire, le 22 septembre 2014. NARIMAN EL-MOFTY / AP
Sept mois de grève de la faim, et un état de santé alarmant. Le détenu politique égypto-britannique Alaa Abdel Fattah, qui a cessé de s’alimenter au début de l’année dans sa prison près du Caire, est désormais « sous traitement médical », a annoncé jeudi l’autorité pénitentiaire à sa famille. Cela fait craindre que ce militant pro-démocratie soit nourri de force, ce qui est considéré par le droit international comme de la torture et même un crime contre l’humanité.

« Il faut que notre mère puisse le voir, ou un représentant de l’ambassade britannique, pour que nous puissions savoir dans quel état de santé il se trouve vraiment », a lancé sur Twitter sa sœur, Mona Seif. Alaa Abdel Fattah n’a ingéré que 100 calories par jour durant sept mois. » | Le Monde avec AFP | jeudi 10 novembre 2022

Related material here

How Russia‘s Corrupt 'Police State‘ Sells Its Own Spies | Conflict Zone

Nov 9, 2022 | If you really want to know about war, who’s murdering and torturing, who’s giving the orders and which weapons are being used, much of it is out there on the internet. There is still cause for hope, at least that's what Eliot Higgins the founder of the open-cource research orgnization, Bellingcat, believes.

Speaking to DW's Tim Sebastian, Higgins said Ukraine might be the best hope of achieving accountability and the internet is providing the means to build the case files.

Bellingcat has exposed Russian spies and assassins, now it is collecting the evidence of war crimes in Ukraine. The British founder of the group has been mining that raw data and incriminating the brutal and powerful.

In Ukraine his investigators are poring over evidence of Russian war crimes but he’s not averse to looking at Western actions elsewhere. "While I think we do have a reputation for focussing a lot on Russia….it gives us a lot more to write about.” Higgins doesn’t flinch from naming names, but he fights on an information battlefield – where facts – however detailed– are routinely contested and dismissed as fake news. Is truth already a devalued currency?

Hatice Cengiz Is Continuing Her Fight for Justice | DW News

Nov 10, 2022 | It's been more than four years since Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in the Kingdom's consulate in Istanbul, where he went to collect the papers he needed to marry his fiance, Turkish national Hatice Cengiz. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman denied ordering the killing but later admitted it took place "under his watch".

Eine ehemalige Ordensfrau klagt an | DokThema | BR

Feb 7, 2019 | In der Dokumentation "Missbrauch in der katholischen Kirche: Eine Frau kämpft um Aufklärung" geht es um den Missbrauch von Nonnen und Angehörigen geistlicher Gemeinschaften durch Priester - eine weitere Dimension des Missbrauchskandals der katholischen Kirche. Dokumentiert von BR-Kameras gibt es eine Aussprache zwischen der ehemaligen Ordensfrau Doris Wagner und Kardinal Christoph Schönborn.

Sam Harris: What I Think about Religion

Oct 23, 2022 | Neuroscientist Sam Harris delivers some of his sharpest remarks on religion.

‘The Temple Was Burned’ | Remembering a Kristallnacht Bar Mitzvah | Sigi Hart | USC Shoah Foundation

Nov 9, 2022 | "We had about three, four people standing outside watching if they see any police, or SS, or Nazis coming, to warn us so that we can escape from behind in the backyard. [...] In one corner were the burnt Torah scrolls. They were laying on the floor." For more than a year, Sigi Hart prepared for his November 1938 Bar Mitzvah, when he would mark his 13th birthday by reading from the Torah in his family’s synagogue in Berlin. A few days before his family and friends were to gather, his synagogue was burned down during Kristallnacht, also known as the November Pogroms. In this clip, Sigi describes celebrating his Bar Mitzvah amid the destruction.

The Kristallnacht Pogrom was an organized attack by military, police and civilians against Jews in Germany, Austria and parts of former Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland) that occurred on November 9–10, 1938. Orchestrated by the Nazis in retaliation for the assassination of a German embassy official in Paris by a seventeen-year-old Jewish youth named Herchel Grynzspan, 1,400 synagogues and 7,000 businesses were destroyed, almost 100 Jews were killed, and 30,000 were arrested and sent to concentration camps. German Jews were subsequently held financially responsible for the destruction wrought upon their property during this pogrom.


For more on Kristallnacht, click here.

Unseen Kristallnacht Photos Published 84 Years after Nazi Pogrom

THE GUARDIAN: Images released by Israeli Holocaust memorial show Hitler’s regime clearly orchestrating 1938 atrocity

Civilians watch a Nazi officer vandalise Jewish property, most likely in Fürth, outside Nuremberg.Photograph: AP
Harrowing, previously unseen images from 1938’s Kristallnacht pogrom against German and Austrian Jews have surfaced in a photograph collection donated to Israel’s Yad Vashem memorial, the organisation said on Wednesday.

One shows a crowd of smiling, well-dressed middle-aged German men and women standing casually as a Nazi officer smashes a storefront window. In another, brownshirts carry heaps of Jewish books, presumably for burning. Another image shows a Nazi officer splashing petrol on the pews of a synagogue before it is set alight.

Yad Vashem, a Holocaust memorial centre, released the photographs on the 84th anniversary of Kristallnacht, also known as the Night of Broken Glass. Mobs of Germans and Austrians attacked, looted and burned Jewish shops and homes, destroyed 1,400 synagogues, killed 92 Jews and sent another 30,000 to concentration camps. » | Associated Press | Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Droht Deutschland die gesellschaftliche Spaltung? | DW Nachrichten

Nov 9, 2022 | Wie ist es um den gesellschaftlichen Zusammenhalt in Deutschland bestellt? Eher schlecht! Das ist das Ergebnis einer repräsentativen Umfrage von infratest dimap im Auftrag der ARD. Gründe sehen die Befragten in Konflikten zwischen Ost und West, zwischen Befürwortern und Gegnern von Coronamaßnahmen und auch zwischen Einheimischen und Zugewanderten. Wie passen diese Umfrageergebnisse zu der Solidarität mit den Menschen im Ahrtal nach dem verheerenden Hochwasser? Wie kann die Politik Spaltung in Krisenzeiten verhindern und ehrenamtliches Engagement befördern? Und welche Rolle spielen die Sozialen Medien? Antworten von Dr. Kai Unzicker im DW-Interview.

India Pursues 'Advantages' with Russia Visit I DW News

Nov 9, 2022 | Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for the fifth time this year. It was Jaishankar's first visit to Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Jaishankar has stressed that his country would continue buying oil from Russia. India has become Russia's largest oil customer after China as Western buyers seek to wean themselves off fuel from Moscow.

"As the third largest consumer of oil and gas and a country with not very high incomes, we have to look for affordable sources, so the India-Russia relationship is to our advantage," Jaishankar said.

Russia's share of India's oil imports has surged from around 2% before the invasion of Ukraine to an all-time high of 23% in September. For decades, India has relied on Russia for its military equipment. Russia is also the fourth-biggest market for Indian pharmaceutical products.

India has close ties to both Moscow and the West and is one of the few countries not to have condemned Russia's war in Ukraine. New Delhi also does not support Western sanctions against Russia and instead favors dialogue as a way to resolve conflict.

Eggs Thrown at King Charles III in York - BBC News

Nov 9, 2022 | Eggs were thrown at King Charles and the Queen Consort during a visit to a UK city. A man was detained by police after the incident in York, England. The royal couple were being welcomed by city leaders when the eggs were thrown at them. The eggs missed the King and Queen Consort and the pair were ushered away.

Man detained after appearing to throw eggs at King Charles and Camilla: King and queen consort had been on walkabout at Micklegate Bar in York »

York: Man arrested after eggs thrown at King Charles: A man has been arrested after eggs were thrown at the King and Queen Consort during a visit to York. »

The Guardian View on Egypt’s Abuses: Justice Needed for Alaa Abd el-Fattah – and the Others

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The treatment of the British-Egyptian democracy activist is a travesty, and emblematic of the regime’s brutality

Sanaa Seif, the sister of Alaa Abd el-Fattah, at a protest in London last month. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA
Only the Egyptian regime knows the fate of Alaa Abd el-Fattah. It wants to keep it that way. The jailed British-Egyptian writer and democracy activist, a figurehead of the 2011 revolution, began refusing water on Sunday – six months after launching a hunger strike that has seen him consume no more than 100 calories a day. On Monday, his mother waited in vain outside the prison for his weekly letter. As of Tuesday evening, his family was still demanding proof of life, fearing he may die before the end of the Cop27 climate summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, which has finally propelled his case to international attention. They are also concerned that he may be tortured through force-feeding. » | Editorial | Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Related article here.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — November 9, 2022

I Wanna Dance with Somebody - Official Trailer - Only at Cinemas from December 26

Nov 9, 2022 | I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a powerful and triumphant celebration of the incomparable Whitney Houston. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, written by Academy Award® nominee Anthony McCarten, produced by legendary music executive Clive Davis and starring BAFTA Award® winner Naomi Ackie, the film is a no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice. From New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time, audiences are taken on an inspirational, poignant—and so emotional—journey through Houston’s trailblazing life and career, with show-stopping performances and a soundtrack of the icon’s most beloved hits as you’ve never heard them before. Don’t you wanna dance? …

Smoking Unopened Original WW2 Cigarettes from the Third Reich | Reupload

Hier befindet sich eine Dokumentation über die Herstellung von Zigaretten in Dresden. – Mark

As I have said before, I have given up smoking; in fact, tomorrow, November 10, it will be seven months since I smoked my last cigarette. But I must say those cigarettes look very tempting! They were surely of excellent quality.

Even when I started smoking, back in the day, cigarettes were of a much higher quality than the inferior cigarettes they sell today. These days, the only thing about cigarettes that is high is the price of them! That, of course, is because of governments practising extortion on smokers by taxing them so highly in the vain hope of making people healthier.

I should add that I am rather surprised that those cigarettes are still smokeable after all this time! When I smoked, I found that the best place to store cigarette to keep them fresh for as long as possible was in the freezer. That's a trick I learnt many years ago whilst working in the Middle East, where, due to the hot dry weather, tobacco dries out very quickly if left in the open air. If stored in the freezer, however, they last forever; and are smokeable directly when taken out of the freezer (because they contain no moisture). – Mark