Monday, February 19, 2024

Die Bilderfeinde von Istanbul

Byzantinische Pracht: die „Anastasis“ mit Christus, Adam und Eva in der Chora-Kirche | Bild: PICTURE ALLIANCE

CHORA-KIRCHE WIRD ZUR MOSCHEE

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der türkische Präsident Erdoğan will die Chora-Kirche in Istanbul endgültig in eine Moschee umwandeln lassen. Damit geht ein einmaliges Zeugnis europäischer Kulturgeschichte der Weltöffentlichkeit verloren.

Dass es „kein islamisches Mittelalter“ gab, hat vor Jahren ein Historiker in einem klugen Buch bewiesen. Allerdings gab es ein christliches Mittelalter, und das endete 1453 mit der Eroberung von Konstantinopel durch die Osmanen – jedenfalls im östlichen Teil Europas.

Zuvor aber hatte in diesem geografischen Raum das byzantinische Reich als Nachfolger des römischen eine späte Blüte erlebt; und nirgends zeigte sich diese Blüte heller und prächtiger als in der Kunst, die vom Kontakt mit dem Westen zugleich befruchtet und in ihrer Eigenart bestärkt wurde. In Istanbul nun, wie die eroberte Stadt seit hundert Jahren offiziell heißt, ist das leuchtendste Zeugnis dieser Spätblüte des Fresken- und Mosaikenschmucks eine kleine Klosterkirche, die einst vor den konstantinischen Mauern lag und deshalb „Chora“, also Landkirche hieß. » | Ein Kommentar von Andreas Kilb | Montag, 19. Februar 2024

Dem Islam verliert ständig das Christentum. Eigentlich, sowohl im Westen als auch in islamischen Ländern selbst. Hier in der Türkei ist noch ein perfektes Beispiel des Verlustes christlichen Einflusses und christlicher Macht! Immerzu zeigt der Islam seine wachsende Kraft, wobei Christentum zeigt seine abflauende Schwäche. Etwas sollte schnellstens gemacht werden, um diese gravierende und deprimierende Situation umzukehren, aber wer im Westen hat den Mut dazu? Fakt ist: Im säkularen Westen übertrumpft der Profit unseren Propheten Jesus Christus, den Sohn Gottes, aber für Muslime ist das Gegenteil der Fall: Ihr Prophet übertrumpft den Profit. Ironischerweise sind es trotzdem sie, die über das Geld, den Reichtum und eine blühende Religion verfügen. Und was haben wir? Gemeinden und manchmal auch ganze Gesellschaften verrottet von innen heraus! – © Mark Alexander

Chris Brown : Forever | Official HD Video | Reupload

Oct 25, 2009 | Views on YouTube: 341,480,082

Prince Philip: The Plot to Make a King | BBC Select

Feb 19, 2024 | It was portrayed as a fairytale royal romance. But the truth was far more complicated. Drawing upon unpublished memoirs and interviews with royals, this history documentary reveals the inside story of Prince Philip’s union to Queen Elizabeth: from the strategic matchmaking efforts of Philip’s ambitious uncle Lord Mountbatten to the political and personal strain caused by the prince’s German heritage.


Watch the whole series here.

En Tunisie, l’opposant Rached Ghannouchi en grève de la faim

LE MONDE : En détention depuis avril 2023, le chef du parti islamo-conservateur Ennahda entend soutenir les autres figures de l’opposition incarcérées.

Rached Ghannouchi, le chef du parti d’opposition Ennahda, a commencé une grève de la faim, lundi 19 février, pour protester contre la détention d’opposants en Tunisie et leur exprimer son soutien, a annoncé son mouvement. En détention depuis le 17 avril 2023, M. Ghannouchi, 82 ans, « a décidé d’entamer une grève de la faim [...] en solidarité avec les [autres] prisonniers en grève de la faim et pour soutenir tous les opposants [incarcérés] dans les différentes prisons » du pays, a précisé le parti islamo-conservateur dans un communiqué. » | Le Monde avec AFP | lundi 19 février 2024

Spain on a Fork | Classic Spanish Omelette with Cheese: Tortilla de patatas con queso

Feb 19, 2024


Get the recipe here.

En Corée du Sud, les « no kids zones » fleurissent dans les cafés et les restaurants

LETTRE DE SÉOUL

LE MONDE : De plus en plus d’établissements refusent l’entrée aux enfants. Un phénomène qui s’inscrit dans un mouvement plus large de stigmatisation de différentes catégories de population.

Si la société sud-coréenne souffre d’une natalité en berne, ce n’est pas un hasard : la simple présence des enfants la fatigue. Pour preuve, les nombreuses enseignes qui refusent leur entrée aux plus jeunes. « Au début, nous avions des sièges pour bébé, mais il y a eu trop de problèmes. Les plus petits criaient, jetaient la nourriture, refusaient de la manger. Leur comportement pouvait gêner les autres. Or nos prix sont assez élevés et les clients attendent un service à la hauteur », explique Iyo Iyo (un nom d’emprunt), la représentante d’un restaurant de sushis plutôt chic du cœur de la capitale. Comme des centaines d’autres, l’établissement n’accepte pas les enfants. La mention « no kids zone » apparaît même sur son menu. » | Par Philippe Mesmer (Séoul, envoyé spécial) | lundi 19 février 2024 [€]

Kaffee ist jetzt ein Luxusgut für Reiche

ARGENTINIEN AM ABGRUND

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der neue argentinische Präsident Javier Milei hat versprochen, die Inflation zu stoppen. Derzeit liegt sie bei mehr als 250 Prozent. Wie hält ein Land diese Geldentwertung aus? Eindrücke aus einer Stadt zwischen Hoffnung und Verzweiflung.

Für Träumereien ist sie zu alt, fürs Aufgeben zu jung. Also hält sie die Stellung in einem Kiosk am Bahnhof Once in Buenos Aires, sitzt stolz auf einem Hocker und wartet darauf, dass jemand stehenbleibt und eine Kleinigkeit kauft. Aber die Menschen hasten auf dem Weg zur Arbeit an ihr vorbei. Nur selten kramt jemand ein Bündel Geldscheine aus der Tasche wie ein Oligarch. Scheine, die lächerlich wenig wert sind.

Argentiniens Gesellschaft taumelt. Die jährliche Inflationsrate liegt bei 254 Prozent, und sie stieg zuletzt in einem Tempo wie bei der Hyperinflation Anfang der Neunzigerjahre. Allein im Januar betrug die Teuerungsrate zwanzig Prozent. Dieser Wert stürzt die Hüterin des Kiosks und zahllose Argentinier in die Verzweiflung. „Alles wird ständig teurer“, klagt Paula. Lebensmittel, Kleidung, Kosmetikartikel, Medikamente. Kaffee, der importiert werden muss, ist inzwischen ein Luxusgut. Die Preise für ein Busticket haben sich verdreifacht. Wenn Paula morgens aufwacht, ist sie wieder ärmer geworden.

Dabei arbeitet Paula, Ende vierzig, täglich zwölf Stunden, nur sonntags hat sie frei. Sie lebt in Moreno, eine gute Stunde mit dem Zug von Buenos Aires entfernt, wo alles günstiger ist als in der Hauptstadt – aber was bedeutet in diesen Zeiten schon günstig? Sie sei traurig, sagt sie, traurig aber auch sehr wütend. Paula geht nicht mehr zum Friseur, sie verzichtet auf Zumba, jede Tüte Milch ist eine Frage der Abwägung. » | Von Melanie Mühl, Buenos Aires | Montag, 19. Februar 2024

Ein Sieg der Ukraine wirkt so fern wie nie

Präsident Selenskyj Anfang Februar bei einem Truppenbesuch im Gebiet Saporischschja | Bild: AFP

SELENSKYJ UNTER DRUCK

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: In der Ukraine häufen sich die schlechten Nachrichten. Präsident Selenskyj hat den Armeechef ausgetauscht, an der Front gibt es Rückschläge und junge Männer wollen ihr Land verlassen.

Seit fast zwei Jahren ist das ukrainische Wort für Sieg, Peremoha, im Land allgegenwärtig. Auch heute hört man es in patriotischen Songs im Radio, liest es in den Mitteilungen des Generalstabs oder sieht es auf einem der vielen Plakate, die an den Straßen für den Kriegsdienst werben. Wie aber das Land zu diesem Sieg gelangen soll, scheint derzeit so unklar wie nie zuvor in diesem Krieg. Für das Jahr 2024 gibt die politische Führung eine bescheidene Maßgabe aus: die Linie halten, dem Feind Verluste beibringen und die eigene Rüstungsproduktion ausbauen. » | Von Robert Putzbach, Kiev | Quelle: F.A.S. | Montag, 19. Februar 2024

Ne-Yo : One In A Million | Official Music Video | Reupload

Sep 3, 2010 | Official Music Video for One In A Million performed by Ne-Yo. | Remastered in HD | Views on YouTube: 338,082,059


I make no excuses for uploading this fabulous song yet again. In my opinion, this man’s rhythm is second to none! Wonderful! That this is so, in my opinion, is reflected in the number of views this song has already garnered on YouTube: more than 338m! – Mark

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 7 | The Sum Of All Parts

Oct 6, 2023 | Welcome to the 7th and final instalment in this video series. In this finale episode I hope to offer gay and bisexual men with helpful and constructive advice on how to prepare for and approach coming-out to the people in their lives. Please be advised that I’m not a trained therapist or counsellor. The following thoughts and views are informed by my own life experiences and observations of the human condition.


The afore-mentioned warnings apply to this, Imraan’s last video, too. Enjoy it! The video is the last in the series on coming out. – © Mark Alexander

To watch all the other videos in the series, please click here.

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 6 | This Might Sting a Little!

Sep 22, 2023 | Many young and even adult children, particularly those of domineering or authoritative parents, have a tendency to pedestal and mythologise their mothers and fathers. Often forgetting that, behind all that posturing, these towering figureheads are merely human beings too - and are therefore prone to the same social and cultural insecurities, competitiveness and fears of inadequacy as everyone else.

It is my firm belief that the stigma and perceived societal shame and exposure to ridicule around having a kid that’s LGBTQ+ is what panics and propels so many insecure and hyper-conforming parents, like my dad in Part 5 of this series, to try and suppress, muzzle, or deny their children’s right to be their true, authentic selves. Because it’s bad for family “PR”. So parents and family members who reject, exile or ostracise their kin purely for being LGBTQ+ may claim that it’s really only about religion or upholding “traditional values”, but if the ones who signal embarrassment or fret about what others will think or say were capable of self-awareness and of being truly, intellectually honest with themselves, they’d have to confess that it’s really all about their own social anxieties and reputational damage control. As in, “What will people say?”

That cloaking themselves in false virtue or invoking cherry-picked, equivocal scriptures and strict ‘moral codes’ are just convenient rationalisations to justify and excuse their abject failure and refusal as parents to stand up for their kids when they need their love and support the most. The need these parents have for in-group tribal belonging and their almost childlike longing for a rubber-stamp of approval from society at large can trigger a blinding hysteria of self-interest that overrides their parental obligations to their own children. And although that self-protective impulse is very human and understandable, it’s also pretty pathetic to me.

That you should subordinate yourself or be so servile and gutless as to bow, scrape and grovel to your community or yield to society’s judgement by trying to break your beautiful child’s spirit or throw him or her under the bus in an effort to save your face - makes you a moral coward and a doormat in my opinion.

In this penultimate episode in this video series, I call out the fecklessness and pusillanimity of such parents. Come after me in the comments section. I dare you!



As interesting and as thought-provoking as Imraan Vagar’s video series is, many of them are full of expletives and F-bombs, which many people might find offensive. Furthermore, Imraan doesn’t hold back on desciptions either. I therefore post this video and others in the series with a caution: They are not suitable for the super-sensitive, religious, narrow-minded or the easily-shocked. Additionally, they are not suitable for children. If you have still fallen through the sieve, I hope you enjoy this video and all the others, too. One has to hand it to Imraan Vagar, his no-holds-barred video series is extremely interesting. Enjoy! – © Mark Alexander

Parts 1 – 5 can be found here.

Fareed to Tucker Carlson: You Need to Get Out More

Feb 19, 2024 | CNN's Fareed Zakaria weighs in on Tucker Carlson's visit to Russia, and how impressed he was with the city of Moscow.

Cenk Uygur of ‘The Young Turks’ (TYT): Trump Ordered to Pay $355 Million! What Happens Next?

Feb 16, 2024 | Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Donald Trump and his organization to pay $355 million in damages and banned him from running businesses in New York for three years. Cenk Uygur discusses LIVE for The Young Turks.

As Putin Threatens, Despair and Hedging in Europe

THE NEW YORK TIMES: There is a dawning recognition that the continent urgently needs to step up its own defense, especially as the U.S. wavers, but the commitments still are not coming.

As the leaders of the West gathered in Munich over the past three days, President Vladimir V. Putin had a message for them: Nothing they’ve done so far — sanctions, condemnation, attempted containment — would alter his intentions to disrupt the current world order.

Russia made its first major gain in Ukraine in nearly a year, taking the ruined city of Avdiivka, at huge human cost to both sides, the bodies littered along the roads a warning, perhaps, of a new course in the two-year-old war. Aleksei Navalny’s suspicious death in a remote Arctic prison made ever clearer that Mr. Putin will tolerate no dissent as elections approach.

And the American discovery, disclosed in recent days, that Mr. Putin may be planning to place a nuclear weapon in space — a bomb designed to wipe out the connective tissue of global communications if Mr. Putin is pushed too far — was a potent reminder of his capacity to strike back at his adversaries with the asymmetric weapons that remain a key source of his power.

In Munich, the mood was both anxious and unmoored, as leaders faced confrontations they had not anticipated. Warnings about Mr. Putin’s possible next moves were mixed with Europe’s growing worries that it could soon be abandoned by the United States, the one power that has been at the core of its defense strategy for 75 years. » | David E. Sanger and Steven Erlanger, Reporting from Munich | Sunday, February 18, 2024

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is absolutely right, Europe must be able to defend itself. It needs its own military as soon as possible. Visitors and followers of my blog will be aware that I have stated the same many times over the years. Europe needs to unite; and it needs to be able to defend itself – properly. This is not rocket science; rather, it is common sense. Unity brings strength; division brings weakness. To use an Arabic expression, Europe needs to work as one hand! That means to say, in harmony and in co-operation.

Britain should be part of this, too. That is why we should never have left the EU. In doing that, we Brits played right into Putin’s hands. Our exit from the EU was exactly what Putin wanted: he wanted to sow chaos and disunity in Europe. Our British politicians were too blinkered to be able to see it, too blinkered to see that they were being manipulated. This is why this stupid move needs to be reversed as soon as possible. By now, even the most blinkered and dense of our politicians should be able to see how important it is for Europe to have a full-scale military to be able to defend itself. Especially with people like Trump hovering on the horizon, ready to inflict full-scale damage on his own country and the world with his ridiculous policies and stated lack of willingness to defend "delinquent" NATO countries, and quite possibly, nay probably, dragging the US out of NATO altogether! – © Mark Alexander

What Next for Putin? After Navalny’s Death, Many Fear What Leader Will Move On to

THE GUARDIAN: With Ukraine retreating and western sanctions having little impact, the Russian president is growing bolder and may embark on more reckless moves

Vladimir Putin smiled and looked unusually festive on Friday as he praised factory workers and joked with state reporters at an industrial plant in the Ural city of Chelyabinsk.

Putin’s confidence was unmistakable – a sign of his full belief that he would get away with the death that day of his biggest critic in jail while outlasting Ukraine on the battlefield. The world might never know what specifically happened on the day of Alexei Navalny’s death at a remote prison above the Arctic Circle. As of Sunday, his family has not yet even been allowed to see his body. » | Pjotr Sauer | Sunday, February 18, 2024

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Offensichtlich, drückt dieser Kuß viel Liebe aus

Évidemment, ce baiser exprime beaucoup d’amour / Obviously, this kiss expresses lots of love

Let us for heaven’s sake bring a little love into this angry world!

Für dieses schöne Bild möchte ich mich bei Pinterest bestens bedanken

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 5 | Oh, Father!

Aug 18, 2023 | This brings me to my coming-out to my old man. He gets his own video because I think a lot of gay (and straight) men, in particular, really struggle to get out from under their father’s disapproval and shadow - and perhaps my story will strike a chord with you. Now, I genuinely believe that my father did his level best to be a good parent to me, but he was definitely a product of a very conservative, conforming and hyper-patriarchal time and generation. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, he recoiled in horror when he discovered that I was gay. Yet, his extreme and hyperbolic reaction to my coming out revealed his own social and cultural insecurities and anxieties that I think many parents and families of LGBTQ+ children share. This chapter of my coming-out journey chronicles our relationship and the events that went down as a result of an incendiary showdown between my dad and I [sic]. The expression, “It’s hard raising parents” frequently came to mind when composing this video essay.


BEWARE! STRONG LANGUAGE ALERT!

Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4 here.

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 4 | A Mother Knows

Aug 8, 2023 | Welcome to Part 4 in this video anthology. This instalment briefly chronicles my coming-out to my sister, brother and mother. My sister, Saira, proved to be a stalwart advocate and ally, but it was my mum who perhaps amazed me the most. As a Muslim immigrant who hails from a socially-conservative, deeply religious family and community, I fully expected her to be a cliché. But instead, she demonstrated such compassion and courage, which is testimony to the fact that people are full of surprises and shouldn’t be treated as foregone conclusions. My mum passed away last year and even though our relationship was deeply problematic in the end, I’ll always be grateful to her for that act of unconditional love.


Parts 1, 2 & 3 here.

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 3 | Boarding School, BFF’s & Boy Love

Jul 22, 2023 | Welcome to Part 3 of my journey. Do you believe in happenstance or are some things fated to happen, as if by some grand cosmic design? This instalment is as much a story of ‘coincidences’ and coming-of-age as it is of coming-out - and is intended as a tribute to my BFF of 36 years, Glenda Thomas, who was the first living soul I came out to. Our lives crossed paths quite fatefully, courtesy of Woodmead, a progressive, non-racial, private boarding school in Johannesburg. And it’s against this backdrop that I grew into my own, culminating in a watershed moment that was precipitated by yet another “chance” meeting with a certain Merchant Ivory film adaptation of an E.M. Forster novel. A novel that was, coincidentally, published the same year I was born.


Links to Parts 1 & 2 are here.

Should Donald Trump Be in Jail? | The Warning

Feb 18, 2024 | Steve Schmidt explains how Donald Trump's criminal trials will be part of his campaign. He is already campaigning from the courtroom.

Ukraine War: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Warns West of Russian Threat to Rest of the World

Feb 18, 2024 | Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged allies to plug an "artificial" shortage of weapons which is giving Russian forces the upper hand. The Ukrainian president told representatives from the West at a security conference in Munich that Russia won't stop at Ukraine.

Navalny death: World Leaders React to News, Condemn Putin

Feb 16, 2024


Die Suche nach seiner Leiche: Viele Russen trauern um den Oppositionspolitiker. Dessen Leichnam wird nicht herausgegeben. Verräterische Spuren könnten durch den Zeitverlust verloren gehen. »

Alexeï Navalny : ce que l’on sait deux jours après la mort en prison de l’opposant russe : Les enquêteurs ont affirmé à un avocat de l’opposant russe que la cause de sa mort n’a toujours pas été établie. Ses proches accusent les autorités de « mentir » pour conserver sa dépouille, toujours introuvable. »

Imraan Vagar: Coming-Out | Part 1 | An Introduction

Jun 30, 2023 | Hello and welcome to the debut video on this channel that I never thought I’d be uploading any content to. For those of you who know who I am, thank you for searching for and/or clicking on this video. For those of you who don’t, allow me to introduce myself…

My name is Imraan Vagar. I am a South African television producer, director and once upon a time host, perhaps best known for my work on Eastern Mosaic, one of the longest-running magazine shows on South African television. ...



Soundtrack Credits:

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (by Mozart) - Mozart
Tropic Fuse - French Fuse
Rains of Meghalaya - Hanu Dixit
Clouds - Huma-Huma
Cancun - Topher Mohr and Alex Elena
Beyond - Patrick Patrikios
Habanera (by Bizet) - Bizet
The Plan's Working - Cooper Cannell
Sprightly Pursuit - Cooper Cannell
Bach Cello Suite No. 1, G Major, Prelude - Cooper Cannell



Be aware that there is more than a little strong language used in this extremely unusual and very interesting video. I have embedded this first video, but if you wish to watch Part 2, please watch it on YouTube here. I feel that it is too explicit for this blog; it could be offensie to many of my visitors and followers. The videos are extremely interesting, however. It is my intention to inform, not to offend anyone. If the other parts are suitable for embedding, once I have watched them, I will embed them. – © Mark Alexander

Steve Schmidt: „Tucker Calson Said Leadership Means Killing People” | #shorts

This is sick, says Steve Schmidt, and this sickness is loose in America. It is rotting US society. America is "decaying".

'Putin Trolling the Entire World' with Navalny's Death: Bill Browder | DW News

Feb 18, 2024 | Bill Browder, the American-born British co-founder of Hermitage Capital Management and an adamant critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, spoke to DW at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) regarding the death of Alexei Navalny.

The death of the Russian opposition leader has been confirmed by Navalny's allies, but they say the Russian government is refusing to hand over his body. Browder noted that Russian officials are no longer welcome at the MSC and said that Navalny's death is a "way for Putin to effectively troll the entire world."


A $450 Million Blow to Trump’s Finances, and His Identity

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A huge penalty for deceiving lenders about the value of his properties and his own net worth, if upheld, leaves Donald J. Trump in a perilous financial position.

Combined judgments against Donald Trump from two civil cases now appear to total more than half a billion dollars. | Ahmed Gaber for The New York Times

“We have a lot of cash,” Donald J. Trump boasted 10 months ago, under oath, claiming that the number was “going up very substantially every month.”

But whatever cash he had may soon be gone.

On Friday, the judge overseeing Mr. Trump’s civil fraud case issued a final ruling that inflicted a staggering financial penalty. With interest, the former president has been ordered to pay New York State about $450 million, a sum that threatens to wipe out a stockpile of cash, stocks and bonds that he amassed since leaving the White House, according to a New York Times review of Mr. Trump’s financial records. He will have only 30 days or so to either come up with the money or persuade an outside company to post a bond.

The judge, Arthur F. Engoron, also imposed several new restrictions on Mr. Trump and his family business. For three years, Mr. Trump cannot run any New York company, including portions of his own, nor can he obtain a loan from a New York bank. The same restrictions apply to his adult sons for a two-year period. And the family business will be under the thumb of a watchful outsider, a court-appointed monitor who can hamstring the company if she does not like what she sees.

All told, the judge’s decision poses unprecedented threats to Mr. Trump’s finances, his family business and his ego at a critical time for the former president. Although Mr. Trump will not go bankrupt and the Trump Organization will not go out of business, the company’s loudest hype man could for now become a silent partner in his hometown properties. The organization will be another real estate company in a city full of them — this one facing unusual new constraints that could impede its ability to compete. » | Ben Protess, Jonah E. Bromwich, Maggie Haberman and Alex Lemonides | Saturday, February 17, 2024

Make Smoking Cool Again! Especially with a Large Glass of Wine. | #shorts

The New Puritans are scraping fun from our lives! Katie Hopkins thinks these prudes should naff off (Katie’s vocabulary is rather more colourful!)

WARNING! Very strong language is used by Katie in this short!

Kent Farmer Destroys Rees-Mogg’s Brexit Celebrations | #shorts

Jacob Rees-Mogg can’t defend his STUPID decision to DRAG this country OUT of the EU. What a dork Jacob Rees-Mogg is! A pukka accent a wise and clever man DOES NOT make!

Benjamin Antoine: 10 Life Lessons from 10+ Years Living in Germany

Feb 18, 2024 | These Lessons would have helped my younger self. Maybe they will help you...


If you ‘d like to receive Benjamin’s newsletter, please click here.

Innenminister der Länder gegen Legalisierung von Cannabis

Eine Frau hält einen Joint in der Hand (Symbolbild) | Bild: DPA

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: In einem Brandbrief an die Bundestagsfraktionen und Bundesinnenministerin Faeser schlagen die Innenminister der Länder Alarm. Sie befürchten „gravierende negative Auswirkungen“ der geplanten Cannabis-Legalisierung.

Die Innenminister der Bundesländer warnen in einem parteiübergreifenden Appell an die Bundestagsfraktionen und Bundesinnenministerin Nancy Faeser (SPD) vor den Folgen der geplanten Cannabis-Legalisierung. Es seien „gravierende negative Auswirkungen auf die Bekämpfung der organisierten Kriminalität, den Kinder- und Jugendschutz sowie den Gesundheitsschutz“ zu befürchten, heißt es in dem Schreiben, das namens der Innenministerkonferenz von dem brandenburgischen Innenminister Michael Stübgen (CDU) unterzeichnet ist und das der F.A.Z. vorliegt.

Cannabis berge für die Altersgruppe der unter 25-Jährigen das Risiko unheilbarer psychischer Erkrankungen. Schwer wiege auch die von kriminalpolizeilichen Fachleuten erwartete Gefahr einer Stärkung der Strukturen der organisierten Kriminalität. » | Von Reiner Burger und Daniel Deckers | Samstag, 17. Februar 2024

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Poland Is Again Threatened by a Tyrant. This Time, Europe Must Not Look Away

THE OBSERVER: Donald Tusk needs to convince European leaders to act to deter Vladimir Putin from further aggression

Recent panicky talk of a third world war seems a tad overblown. Yet the specific threat posed by Russia’s aggressive, revisionist regime to eastern Europe is real and growing. As in the past, Poland is on the frontline of a battle for Ukraine that could easily spread. Scrambling to shore up defences, the UK and European Nato states must decide: is this 1920 or 1939?

As all Poles know, the Battle of Warsaw, 104 years ago this August, ended in Marshal Józef Piłsudski’s famous victory over the invading Red Army, which secured their country’s independence. They called it the “Miracle on the Vistula”, after the river linking Poland’s main cities. Vladimir Lenin lamented an “enormous defeat” for Bolshevik revolutionary ambitions in Europe.

September 1939 is remembered for the opposite reasons. Another totalitarian monster, Nazi Germany, was hammering on the door. Poles believed France and Britain would come to the rescue if they were attacked. But when Hitler invaded, an effective allied military response failed to materialise. Poland fell to fascism. Unspeakable horrors ensued. Poland recalls this two-part history, even if many in Europe do not, and has learned the lessons. It has doubled its armed forces in the past decade. Nato’s largest European land army will be equipped with the latest US-made battle tanks and missiles. And since Russia’s invasion two years ago this month, Poland has vigorously supported Ukraine. » | Simon Tisdall | Saturday, February 17, 2024

How Cheese Is Made in Europe | DW Food

Feb 17, 2024 | How about Dutch Gouda, French Camembert or Italian Parmesan? Or perhaps you're more partial to cheddar from the UK or feta from Greece? European cheese is popular all over the world. Nowhere is as much cheese produced as in Europe: more than 10 million tons in 2023. And nowhere is as much cheese eaten as in Europe: statistically speaking, every European consumes more than 20 kilograms of cheese every year (based on the 27 EU member states in 2022). European cheeses are as varied and diverse as the continent itself! Find out here how some classic European cheese are made.

Indian Government: We're Sticking with Russia | DW News

Feb 17, 2024 | ndia is standing by its close relationship with Russia - refusing to join the widespread condemnation of the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Speaking to DW at the Munich Security Conference, BJP National Spokesman Jaiveer Shergill said India is “on the side of peace.” With Germany and France signing pledges to keep providing Ukraine with weapons, Shergill urged Europe to consider “what would it take to stop the war?” Shergill addressed the challenge facing India from China, saying “the era of one single power domination is long gone.”

Tucker Carlson’s Lesson in the Perils of Giving Airtime to an Autocrat

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The death of Aleksei Navalny, the Kremlin’s most vocal domestic opponent, prompted fresh criticism on Friday of the right-wing host’s recent interview with Vladimir Putin.

Tucker Carlson interviewing President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, in a photo released by Russian state media. | Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik

Tucker Carlson left Moscow more than a week ago, riding high from an interview with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that returned him to the spotlight after his abrupt cancellation by Fox News last spring.

But the interview with the wartime autocrat, mocked in various corners of the political-media world for its soft touch, continues to have a long and tortured afterlife — becoming a trending topic all over again on Friday after Mr. Putin’s most vocal domestic opponent, Aleksei A. Navalny, turned up dead in a Russian prison.

“This is what Putin’s Russia is, @TuckerCarlson,” Liz Cheney, the former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming, wrote on X after the news of Mr. Navalny’s death broke on Friday. “And you are Putin’s useful idiot.”

Naomi Biden, President Biden’s granddaughter, also weighed in, pointing to a video that Mr. Carlson had recently posted in which he contrasted the supposed splendors of Russia under Mr. Putin’s leadership with the “filth and crime” of the United States. “Has anything aged so poorly, so quickly before?” Ms. Biden wrote on X. » | Jim Rutenberg and Michael M. Grynbaum | Friday, February 16, 2024

On the off-chance that you missed Tucker Carlson’s interview of Vladimir Putin, here it is IN FULL.

‘American Idiot’: Joy Rips Trump and Tucker Carlson's Putin Support amid Navalny Death

Feb 17, 2024 | Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who survived a poisoning he attributed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, has died in a Russian prison. Joy Reid honors this Russian patriot and condemns Donald Trump and the Republicans who apparently support Putin.

„Wie lange erlaubt die Welt Russland noch so zu handeln?“

Wolodymyr Selenskyj spricht auf der 60. Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz. | Bild: DPA

MÜNCHNER SICHERHEITSKONFERENZ

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz verlangt Wolodymyr Selenskyj von den Staats- und Regierungschefs, Putin aufzuhalten. Bundeskanzler Scholz richtet mahnende Worte an die Partner in Europa und Washington.

Der ukrainische Präsident Wolodymyr Selenskyj ist auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz am Samstag mit stehenden Ovationen begrüßt worden. Der 24. Februar 2022 „hätte das Ende der Welt sein können, wie wir sie kennen“, sagte Selenskyj mit Blick auf den Beginn des russischen Angriffskrieges vor bald zwei Jahren. Der Widerstand der Ukraine gemeinsam mit ihren Partnern gegen Russland habe die „Zerstörung der regelbasierten Welt verhindert“. Die Bedrohung durch den Krieg gehe über die Ukraine hinaus. „Wie lange erlaubt die Welt Russland noch so zu handeln?“, fragte Selenskyj die rund 50 anwesenden Staats- und Regierungschefs in München.

Im Jahr 2024 erwartet Selenskyj „eine Reaktion von allen – weltweit“. Wenn die Staaten jetzt nicht handelten, „wird Putin die Welt zu einer Katastrophe machen“. Sein Land habe schon lange gegen die russische Aggression standgehalten, „724 Tage nämlich“. Die Ukraine habe den russischen Mythos „zerstört“, dass die Ukraine kein Land sei. Auch der Mythos, dass russische Waffen den westlichen überlegen seien: In Wirklichkeit sei Russland schlechter aufgestellt. Russische Raketen hätten mit westlichen Systemen abgewehrt werden können. Und auch der ukrainische Getreideexport sei wieder möglich. » | Von Gregor Grosse und Felix Hoffmann, München | Samstag, 17. Februar 2024

Michael Lambert: Rishi's Recession and Chaos - All Part of the Plan?

Feb 17, 2024 | Last week Rishi Sunak repeatedly claimed that the UK had turned the corner and that his unspecified plan was working. It was also announced that the UK had been in recession during the last two quarters of 2023.

Sunak's previous employer, Goldman Sachs, published a damning report blaming Brexit for much of the UK's current economic problems.

Social services, the NHS, schools, the Courts, prisons and the military are all desperately in need of further funding and better management. At the same time businesses continue to suffer.

In two by elections at Wellingborough and at Kingsword, the Tories were trounced whilst Reform UK gained 11% in one and 13% of the votes in the other, showing themselves to be a serious threat to the Conservatives at the general election especially if Nigel Farage returns as leader.


'It Is in Our Interest that Russia Is Defeated': Former US Commander Ben Hodges | DW News

Feb 17, 2024 | Republicans in the US Congress is blocking a multi-billion-dollar military aid package that Ukraine urgently needs in its fight against Russia. Can Kyiv expect a release soon? At the Munich Security Conference, DW spoke with the former Commander of the US Army Europe, Ben Hodges.

This Is the Super-scandal that Should Bring Down Viktor Orbán – and It’s Far from Over

THE GUARDIAN: Hungary’s president quit over the fallout of a child abuse case, but the ‘pro-family’ prime minister still has questions to answer

Screenshot from the Guardian | Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán at a press conference in Budapest, December 2023. | Photograph: Denes Erdos/AP

After nearly 14 years running Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s regime is crumbling under the weight of its own hypocrisies. The country’s president, Katalin Novák, a close Orbán ally, was forced to resign in disgrace earlier this month for issuing a pardon to a man convicted of helping cover up a sex abuse case at a children’s home. The former justice minister, Judit Varga, who approved the decision, also quit. This followed a tumultuous week of public outcry and protests in Budapest.

The scandal has not only rocked Orbán’s autocratic government to its core, it has laid bare the phoney nature of his self-declared Christian, family-values agenda. It has also exposed what little power even high-ranking political figures wield under Orbán’s de facto one-person rule: at the drop of a hat, he appears ready to dispose of close allies, even the supposedly independent president of the republic, to avoid accountability himself. » | Katalin Cseh | Saturday, February 17, 2024

How Will Russia Remember Alexei Navalny?

Feb 16, 2024 | The prominent Russian opposition activist has died in prison aged 47. A tireless political organiser, he had personally angered Vladimir Putin, along with the president's closest allies, with his scathing investigations into government corruption. The Guardian's Andrew Roth looks at Navalny's rise in politics, his legacy and how his death robs Russia’s beleaguered opposition of one of its most dynamic leaders.


Western leaders point finger at Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in jail: Russian opposition leader’s death described as political assassination attributable to president »

Friday, February 16, 2024

Dr. Richard D. Wolff’s View: Global Capitalism: Europe 2024: Disunity, Decline, Despair | February 2024

Premiered Feb 15, 2024 |

Donald Trump Ordered to Pay Over $350m in New York Financial Fraud Case

THE GUARDIAN: Trump also banned from running any New York corporation or entity for three years in devastating blow for ex-president

Donald Trump, his eldest sons and associates have been ordered to pay over $350m by a New York judge who found them guilty of intentionally committing financial fraud over the course of a decade.

Judge Arthur Engoron’s decision deals a devastating blow for the former president who had built his reputation as a successful real estate developer. » | Lauren Aratani in New York | Friday, February 16, 2024

Ina Garten's Tomatoes Roasted with Pesto | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Feb 16, 2024 | A perfect plate for any occasion, Ina's Tomatoes Roasted with Pesto is a dish you can happily make all year round.

Travel in Nuuk, Greenland

Sep 11, 2016 | Adventure, incredible hiking, fishing and boat rides - it doesn’t get much more picturesque than Greenland and nowhere more so than the capital city Nuuk.

Vladimir Poutine interviewé par Tucker Carlson, ancienne vedette de Fox News

Feb 9, 2024 | Vladimir Poutine a accordé un entretien de deux heures au présentateur américain ultraconservateur et adepte des théories du complot Tucker Carlson. Avant sa diffusion, l’ex-star de Fox News avait affirmé qu’aucun journaliste n’avait voulu interviewer le président russe. Ses propos ont vite été démentis par les journalistes russes exilés et les chaînes américaines comme CNN. L’interview menée par Tucker Carlson, soutien de Donald Trump, survient quelques mois avant l’élection présidentielle américaine de 2024 et au moment où les Républicains cherchent à bloquer l’aide financière à l’Ukraine

Alexeï Navalny, l’homme qui dérangeait Vladimir Poutine, est mort

Feb 16, 2024 | Alexeï Navalny, connu pour avoir dénoncé le régime politique et la corruption du gouvernement russe, est mort dans sa colonie pénitentiaire de l’Arctique russe. Il y purgeait une peine de dix-neuf ans de prison pour extrémisme. Il avait été arrêté en janvier 2021, à son retour en Russie, après une convalescence en Allemagne pour un empoisonnement qu’il imputait au Kremlin. La mort de l’opposant politique survient le même jour que l’ouverture du procès d’un autre opposant politique, Oleg Orlov, et à quelques semaines seulement de l’élection présidentielle en Russie. Vladimir Poutine est candidat à sa réélection pour briguer un cinquième mandat, sans opposition majeure.

Nigella's Speedy Steamed Syrup Sponge Pudding

AD* | "While I have nothing against stodge, what strikes me whenever I eat this, is how ridiculously light the sponge is. All too often this kind of ‘pud’ is disparaged these days as dense even though this is far from the case.

Freshly steamed, the sponge has a feathery and open texture; it’s only on keeping that it becomes indigestibly heavy. In other words, you must make the supreme sacrifice and eat it all up at once.

This version differs from the traditional model in one way only: it’s cooked in a trice in the microwave. It’s like being rewarded for impatience! All I require with this golden treasure is copious amounts of cool double cream, though I concede there are undeniable arguments to be made on behalf of custard or ice cream.

Anyway, I have no desire to keep you any longer. The sooner you stop reading this, the sooner you can be eating it. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be positively purring with pleasure..."



* This is a hoot! It must be Nigella’s sense of humour!

Get the recipe here.

The Guardian View on the UK Recession: No Growth and No Ideas Either

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The Conservatives have presided over a shrunken British economy, and Rishi Sunak does not have a clue how to make it grow again

“We’re on the up!” claimed the Daily Express about the British economy on Thursday . Sorry, loyal Conservative cheerleaders, but exactly the reverse is true. Instead of being on the up, we’re on the slide. On Thursday, the Office for National Statistics announced that the UK is in fact in recession, with a 0.3% drop in gross domestic product for the last quarter of 2023 to follow a 0.1% drop in the third quarter. The economy is therefore getting smaller. This is a recession. It is a huge national blow, both economically and politically.

It is true that the slide into recession has been a gentle one. Few economists believe that the announcement portends a downward lurch to compare with the recession of 1980 or the one after the financial crisis in 2009, when GDP fell by more than 4%. Do not, though, be misled by talk of a “technical” recession. An economy is either growing or it is not. Ours is not growing. It is shrinking. » | Editorial | Thursday, February 15, 2024

Is Smoking Stylish Again? Experts Sound Alarm as Cigarettes Become a Trend on NYFW Runways

NEW YORK POST: This is a real drag.

Despite years of campaigning against big tobacco, it seems that cigarettes are reclaiming their chic status à la Kate Moss, appearing as accessories on New York Fashion Week runways in the wake of the “mob wife” aesthetic and an early aughts “indie sleaze” revival.

This week, multiple models meandered down the Christian Cowan catwalk with a cigarette teetering between their fingers in a collection depicting the elevated glamour of the rich housewife. Then, just days later, a model wearing a deep-cut power suit dangled a dart from her hand on LaQuan Smith’s runway, oozing corporate sex appeal with garments that doubled as both boardroom and club wear, an ode to “office sirens,”he said.

The Post reached out to reps for Cowan and Smith for comment as to why they included cigs on the runway but Retrofête’s creative director Ohad Seroya said cigarettes played a “big part” in his designs crafted for the “alpha woman.”

He debuted a collection at The Plaza Hotel last weekend, showcasing red hot power suits, slinky evening gowns and luxurious fur coats reminiscent of a chain-smoking, “Mad Men” persona — with one model in particular in a navy power suit adorned with wisps of smoke.

Seroya told The Post that the powerful woman theme was, in part, inspired by his “strong” mother, who was a smoker. And while the designer said he’s a former smoker, he made it clear that he did not support the habit, but rather, appreciated the human “connection” of a smoke break.

“When you come to somebody and [are] asking for a lighter and creating a conversation with you outside,” said Seroya. “And this is why I miss smoking.” » | Brooke Kato and Brooke Steinberg | Friday, February 16, 2024

Eat your heart out, Rishi! The habit you love to hate is making a comeback in stylish circles. Well, well! Who would have thought?

Neither you nor any other politician will ever manage to stop people smoking. The pleasure is far too great and the allure of a handsome gentleman/beautiful lady smoking a cigarette far too sexy to stamp out.

The prohibition of alcohol was tried in the States in years gone by; between 1920 and 1933, to be precise. But the Prohibition didn’t work out too well, did it? So the silly law had to be repealed. A prohibition on smoking will not work out very well either. Silly laws like that are tried by greenhorns in politics who understand little about human behaviour.

If you are wise, Mr Sunak, you’ll abandon the idea of an incremental smoking ban. It’s a dumb idea which is bound to fail. If you really want to help children in the UK in 2024, make sure their parents get enough money to put quality food on the table to be able to provide their children with the nutrition they need for healthy development (without having to go to food banks). Make sure they have access to well-qualified NHS dentists when their teeth need attention — most parents cannot afford private dentistry. Make sure they have quick access to good, well-qualified doctors when they are sick. And, very importantly, make sure that children have access to good schools. Education is key to social mobility. Most parents do not earn enough to send their children to top, private, élite schools, affordable only to the über-privileged few; instead, they have to rely on state provision for their children. Until relatively recently, they could.

These are the things which will help children grow up to be fine, upright and healthy citizens, not some authoritarian, idealistic, un-Conservative, undemocratic, unpoliceable smoking ban which will deny future generations the pleasure of smoking (if they so wish to take up the habit), and take their democratic rights away from them. Nevertheless, it will still enable them to indulge in all manner of dreadful substances which are far, far worse for their long-term health. – © Mark Alexander

Qilaat - Greenland Documentary

Dec 8, 2025 | A short and thought provoking film about a unique dog sled expedition through the remote regions of East Greenland. Set amongst some of the most naturally diverse terrain anywhere in the world Ian’s 190km journey not only becomes one of distance and discovery, but a journey within.

An inspiring view of one man expanding his own horizon of adventure.

Executive Producer - Tom Long
Producers - Ian Finch & Ross Joseph
© Speechless Films 2017


To the Greeks, We Send Our Warmest Wishes

Congratulations to the wonderful country of Greece and to all Greeks on this historic and progressive occasion.

With many thanks to Pinterest for this delightful graphic representation of Achilles and Patroclus.

WIKIPEDIA: Achilles and Patrochus.

Greece Legalizes Same-sex Marriage | DW News

Feb 16, 2024 | Greece has voted to legalise same-sex marriage, making it the first Orthodox Christian country to do so. The law change was opposed by the Orthodox church, which claimed it would threaten what it called 'traditional families'. But supporters say the change is long overdue and a significant advance for Greek society. DW spoke to journalist Giorgos Christides.


Related links here.

Griechenland beschließt Ehe für alle: Griechenlands Parlament hat für die Einführung der Ehe für alle gestimmt. Die orthodoxe Kirche und einige Konservative rebellieren. »

Alexei Navalny Reported Dead: General Petraeus Reacts

Feb 16, 2024 | “In a way I’m surprised that he lived as long as he did.” General Petraeus reacts to reports of the “tragic” death of Putin’s main opposition leader Alexi Navalny on Times Radio.


Related video, article and material here.

Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Has Died, Russian Media Report | BBC News | BBC News

Feb 16, 2024 | Russia's most significant opposition leader for the past decade, Alexei Navalny, has died in prison inside the Arctic Circle, Russian news agencies report, quoting the prison service.

Seen as President Vladimir Putin's most vociferous critic, Navalny was serving a 19-year jail term for offences widely considered politically motivated. He was moved to an Arctic penal colony, considered one of the toughest jails, late last year.

The prison service in the Yamalo-Nenets district said he had "felt unwell" after a walk on Friday. He had "almost immediately lost consciousness", it said in a statement. The causes of his death were being established, Tass news agency reported.



Related articles/material in German, French here.

Alexej Nawalnyj ist tot

Alexej Nawalnyj im Februar 2019 in Moskau | Bild: AP

GEFÄNGNISVERWALTUNG TEILT MIT

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nawalnyj galt als Putins schärfster innenpolitischer Kritiker. Am Freitag teilte die Gefängnisverwaltung mit, dass er gestorben ist. Nawalnyjs Team erklärte, es habe bislang keine Bestätigung für den Tod des Oppositionellen erhalten.

Der führende russische Oppositionspolitiker Alexej Nawalnyj ist nach Angaben der Justiz in Haft gestorben. Das teilte die Gefängnisverwaltung mit, wie die staatliche Agentur Tass meldete. Der 47-Jährige sei am Freitag nach einem Spaziergang in seiner sibirischen Strafkolonie zusammengebrochen und habe sofort das Bewusstsein verloren. Wiederbelebungsversuche von Sanitätern hätten keinen Erfolg gehabt.

Kremlsprecher Dmitri Peskow sagte, Präsident Wladimir Putin sei in Kenntnis gesetzt worden. Weitere Details nannte er zunächst nicht. Nawalnyjs Team erklärte, es habe bislang keine Bestätigung über den Tod des Oppositionellen erhalten. Sein Anwalt Leonid Solowjow sagte der kremlkritischen Zeitung „Nowaja Gaseta“: „Auf Entscheidung von Alexej Nawalnyjs Familie kommentiere ich überhaupt nichts.“ » | Quelle: dpa | Freitag, 16. Februar 2024

Ruhe in Frieden – Mark

En rapport.

En direct, Alexeï Navalny est mort : l’opposant russe « vient d’être brutalement assassiné par le Kremlin », affirme le président de la Lettonie

LE MONDE : L’annonce de la mort de l’adversaire numéro un de Vladimir Poutine suscite une vive émotion parmi les puissances occidentales.

12 : 14 : L’Union européenne tient « le régime russe » pour « seul responsable » de la mort d’Alexeï Navalny, affirme Charles Michel

« Alexeï Navalny s’est battu pour les valeurs de liberté et de démocratie. Pour ses idéaux, il a fait le sacrifice ultime. L’UE tient le régime russe pour seul responsable de cette mort tragique », a déclaré le président du Conseil européen Charles Michel, sur X.

Il a poursuivi en écrivant : « J’adresse mes plus sincères condoléances à sa famille. Et à ceux qui luttent pour la démocratie partout dans le monde, dans les conditions les plus sombres. Les combattants meurent. Mais la lutte pour la #liberté ne se termine jamais ». LIVE EN COURS » | vendredi 16 février 2024

Parlament stimmt ab: Griechenland erlaubt gleichgeschlechtliche Ehe

Feb 16, 2024 | Als erstes christlich-orthodoxes Land führt das südeuropäische Land die Homo-Ehe ein und ebnet gleichgeschlechtlichen Paaren den Weg zur Adoption. Dem neuen Gesetz nach haben homosexuelle Ehepaare künftig dieselben Rechte und Pflichten wie heterosexuelle. © REUTERS


Related articles in English and French here.

John Curtice: By-election Results Leave Tories with Mountain to Climb

BBC: This was another disappointing election night for the Conservatives, with two by-election defeats and two gains for Labour.

Not only did they lose Kingswood, where Labour needed a relatively modest 11-point swing. They also lost Wellingborough, where an 18-point swing was required for the seat to change hands. » | Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University | Friday, February 16, 2024

Alhamdulillah! Somebody give them some poison to finish them off! Take pity on them! Put them out of their misery! Once and for all. They’ve had fourteen years in office and not only have they given us that ridiculous Brexit — which I will never forgive them for, especially depriving me and my compatriots of our European citizenship — but they have heaped misery and poverty on so many Brits and heaped millions and billions on the one percenters. The economy is in an appalling mess. Chaos abounds. A new Victorian Era beckons, to boot. And the best Sunak can come up with is tax cuts for the rich, a perpetual smoking ban for young adults, lies and delusion. He cares not a jot for the working poor who have to go to food banks to feed their children, or for the homeless who are destitute and who have to sleep rough on our streets. Sunak was raised in a bubble, was educated in a bubble, and lives in a bubble. The man is shameless. How on earth can he sleep at night?

I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Tory voter. After this mess and after robbing me of my European citizenship, I shall never vote for them again.

I dislike Labour; but I despise the Tories.

As a Welshman, I am beginning to think that the best thing that could happen for Wales is to become an independent country in Europe, just as the Republic of Ireland is. Being independent in the EU has brought prosperity to Southern Ireland. It could do the same for my country: Wales. – © Mark Alexander

Prince Harry Interview: Duke of Sussex Set to Speak about King's Health

GETTY IMAGES

BBC: The Duke of Sussex is set to discuss his father the King's health in a television interview in the US.

Prince Harry has been interviewed for the first time since Charles postponed all public-facing duties because of his cancer diagnosis.

The interview is due to be broadcast on Good Morning America on Friday. It will air at noon GMT.

During the broadcast, Harry is also due to talk about his life with the Duchess of Sussex and the Invictus Games. » | Thomas Mackintosh, BBC News | Friday, February 16, 2024

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Greece Becomes First Orthodox Christian Country to Legalise Same-sex Marriage

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament voted for the bill drafted by centre-right government despite church officials’ objections

Greece has become the world’s first Christian Orthodox nation to legalise same-sex marriage after the Athens parliament passed the landmark reform amid scenes of both jubilation and fury in the country.

In a rare display of parliamentary consensus, 176 MPs from across the political spectrum voted in favour of the bill. 76 rejected the reform while two abstained from the vote and 46 were not present.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community, many unable to contain their emotion, watched from the galleries above. “We have waited years for this,” said the prominent gay activist Stella Belia of legislation that will not only allow same-sex couples to exchange vows in civil ceremonies but adopt children. “It’s a historic moment. A lot of us weren’t sure it would ever come.”

The vote followed two days of heated debate – and weeks of public rancour – with the reform described by supporters as “bold” and “long overdue” and decried as “antisocial’ and “unchristian” by opponents including the powerful Orthodox church. » | Helena Smith in Athens | Friday, February 16, 2024

La Grèce légalise le mariage et l’adoption pour les couples de même sexe : Porté par le parti de droite au pouvoir, Nouvelle Démocratie, du premier ministre, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, le texte a été approuvé par 176 des 254 députés présents au Parlement à l’issue de deux jours de débat. »

Article connexe ici.

'The American People Should Be Terrified': Hakeem Jeffries Warns against a Trump Second Term | #shorts

American people should be terrified by the prospect of a second Trump term.

Argentinien: Wie Präsident Milei den Sozialstaat zerlegt I auslandsjournal

Feb 15, 2024 | Seit Dezember 2023 ist Javier Milei Präsident in Argentinien. Das Land steckt seit Jahren in einer schweren Krise und im Wahlkampf hatte Milei – der mit einer Kettensäge durch die Straßen zog - einen radikalen Wandel versprochen. Auch die Halbierung der Zahl der Ministerien hatte für Aufsehen gesorgt.

Um zu sparen, streicht der neue Präsident unter anderem Sozialprogramme zusammen. Doch mittlerweile liegt die Inflation bei über 200 Prozent, der Schuldenberg ist groß und viele Tausend Menschen gehen auf die Straße. Das wiederum versucht Milei zu verhindern und schränkt das Demonstrationsrecht ein.

Die Leidtragenden der radikalen Kürzungen sind neben Menschen, die sich bei Hilfsorganisationen engagieren auch Wissenschaftler. "No hay plata" – das Geld ist alle, sagt der Präsident und die Hauptstadtjournalistin Siliva Mercado ist besorgt, dass sich Milei in seinem eignen Populismus verheddern könnte.


Explained: Can Northern Ireland Break Away from the UK and Form a United Ireland?

Feb 15, 2024 | In 1921, England partitioned Ireland into two countries: the Republic of Ireland in the south and Northern Ireland under the dominion of the United Kingdom. Now, with a nationalist leader advocating for Irish unity sworn in to lead Northern Ireland, will the two regions reunite?

Baked French Fries | Akis Petretzikis

Feb 15, 2024


Get the recipe here.

Tucker Carlson: The Russia Trip | Part 1

Feb 15, 2024


Parts 2 & 3 here.

Inflationsrate in Argentinien steigt auf mehr als 250 Prozent

SCHWIERIGE WIRTSCHAFTSLAGE

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Fast nirgends auf der Welt steigen die Preise so schnell wie in Argentinien. Das ist das Ergebnis von einer jahrzehntelangen Ausweitung der Staatstätigkeit. Abhilfe soll ein Sparprogramm des neuen Präsidenten Milei schaffen.

Die jährliche Inflationsrate in Argentinien ist auf 254,2 Prozent gestiegen. Im Januar legten die Preise in dem von einer schweren Wirtschaftskrise betroffenen südamerikanischen Land um 20,6 Prozent zu, wie die nationale Statistikbehörde Indec am Mittwoch in Buenos Aires mitteilte. Vor allem die Kosten für Körperpflegeprodukte, Transport und Kommunikation zogen kräftig an. Damit begann das Jahr 2024 in Argentinien mit der höchsten Teuerungsrate seit der Hyperinflation von 1991. » | Quelle: dpa-AFX | Donnerstag, 15. Februar 2024

Has the US Fallen Out of Love with Instant Coffee?

Feb 13, 2024 | Americans drank an estimated 517 million cups of coffee daily in 2022 spending almost $110 billion on the beverage that year. Cold brews, espresso-based beverages and perfectly roasted beans are among the top drinks for today’s coffee aficionados trying to get their caffeine fix. But one segment of the US market has given up ground. Instant coffee, the kind that dissolves in hot water, has seen consumption fall to just 4% of American coffee drinkers. By comparison instant coffee accounts for about 25% of the coffee consumed globally. Nescafé, Swiss-based food giant Nestlé’s largest coffee segment, is one of the world’s biggest coffee brands. Worldwide one in seven cups of coffee consumed is a Nescafé.

Putin: Wahlsieg Bidens wäre für Russland am besten

Der Kreml ließ vom Interview mit Putin dieses Foto verbreiten.

„VORHERSEHBARER POLITIKER“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Immer wieder hat Donald Trump seine Bewunderung für Putin geäußert. Der spricht sich jetzt für Amtsinhaber Biden aus – verbunden mit einem vergifteten Kompliment. Auch die deutsche Außenministerin kritisiert der Kreml-Chef.

Der russische Staatschef Wladimir Putin findet nach eigenen Worten eine weitere Amtszeit von US-Präsident Joe Biden wünschenswerter als eine Rückkehr von Donald Trump ins Weiße Haus. Auf die Frage eines Journalisten, welchen Sieger bei der amerikanischen Präsidentenwahl am 5. November sich Russland wünsche, antwortete Putin am Mittwoch in Moskau: „Biden, er ist erfahrener. Er ist vorhersehbar, er ist ein Politiker der alten Schule.“

Die russische Regierung werde aber „mit jedem US-Führer zusammenarbeiten, in den das US-Volk Vertrauen hat“, versicherte Putin. Der Kreml veröffentlichte am Mittwochabend auf seinem Telegram-Kanal vorab Auszüge des Interviews für die Sendung „Moskau. Kreml. Putin“. » | Quelle: AFP/dpa | Donnerstag, 15. Februar 2024

Trump’s NATO Threat Reflects a Wider Shift on America’s Place in the World

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Alliances that were once seen as the bulwark of the Cold War are now viewed as an outdated albatross by a significant segment of the American public.

When former President Donald J. Trump told a campaign rally in South Carolina last weekend that he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies who “didn’t pay,” there were gasps of shock in Washington, London, Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere around the world.

But not in South Carolina. At least not in the room that day. The crowd of Trump supporters decked out in “Make America Great Again” T-shirts and baseball caps reacted to the notion of siding with Moscow over longtime friends of the United States with boisterous cheers and whistles. “Delinquent” allies? Forget them. Not America’s problem.

The visceral rejection of the American-led security architecture constructed in the years after World War II serves as a reminder of how much the notion of U.S. leadership in the world has shifted in recent years. Alliances that were once seen as the bulwark of the Cold War are now viewed as an outdated albatross by a significant segment of the American public that Mr. Trump appeals to.

The old consensus that endured even in the initial years after the end of the Cold War has frayed under the weight of globalization, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Great Recession of 2008-09 and Mr. Trump’s relentless assault on international institutions and agreements. While polls show most Americans still support NATO and other alliances, the increasingly vocal objections in some quarters hark back to a century ago when much of America just wanted to be left alone. » | Peter Baker, Reporting from Washington | Thursday, February 15, 2024

Vladimir Putin Surprised by Lack of ‘Sharp Questions’ in Tucker Carlson Interview

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Russian president says he was grateful to the former Fox News host for the two-hour interview, which made headlines around the world

Russian president Vladimir Putin has said he is grateful to rightwing US television host Tucker Carlson for his interview last week, but was surprised by a lack of “sharp questions”.

Former Fox News star Carlson released a two-hour interview with Putin in Moscow on Thursday last week which made headlines around the world.

Putin told Russian TV presenter, Pavel Zarubin, on Wednesday that he had wanted Carlson to behave more aggressively, which would have given him the right to reply just as pointedly.

“To be honest, I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions. I was not just prepared for this, I wanted it, because it would give me the opportunity to respond in the same way,” Putin said in comments broadcast on Wednesday.

There was no sign of a response from Carlson in the hours following the Zarubin interview, other than a glowing endorsement of the quality of Moscow’s subway system. » | Guardian staff and agencies | Thursday, February 15, 2024

‘Talkshow or a serious conversation?’ Tucker Carlson’s interview of Putin offered neither: Wide-eyed former Fox host tagged along as Russian president steered the conversation through Russian history and justifications for war »

FULL INTERVIEW: Exclusive: Tucker Carlson Interviews Vladimir Putin »

Huge Rise in Antisemitic Abuse in UK since Hamas Attack, Says Charity

THE GUARDIAN: 589% increase in number of incidents described as ‘watershed moment for antisemitism in the UK’

The scale of the surge in antisemitism in the UK since Hamas’s attack on Israel on 7 October has been revealed, in data showing a 589% increase in the number of incidents compared with the same period in 2022.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which monitors anti-Jewish abuse and attacks and provides security for UK Jewish communities, said the unprecedented increase was a “watershed moment for antisemitism in the UK”.

It recorded 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the UK in 2023, the highest total in a calendar year reported to the organisation. Two-thirds of the 2023 incidents occurred after 7 October – 2,699, compared with 392 over the same time period in 2022. » | Harriet Sherwood | Thursday, February 15, 2024

Forte augmentation des actes antisémites au Royaume-Uni après l’attaque du Hamas : Deux tiers de ces faits sont survenus après l’attaque du mouvement islamiste palestinien contre Israël, selon le Community Security Trust, qui recense les actes antisémites et assure la sécurité d’écoles et lieux de culte de la communauté juive. »