Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Aukus: French Minister Bemoans Lack of Trust in British Alliance

THE GUARDIAN: Clément Beaune says Brexit fallout and secret defence pact have undermined Franco-British relations

‘We cannot pretend there is no problem’: Clément Beaune leaving the Élysée Palace in Paris earlier this month. | Photograph: Daniel Pier/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

The British-French alliance lacks trust, France’s EU affairs minister has said, citing Downing Street’s approach to the post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland and the secretly negotiated defence agreement with the US and Australia.

Clément Beaune, a close ally of the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said that while the two problematic issues should not be mixed, together they highlighted the flaw in the relationship.

“We need to rebuild confidence, we need to discuss together – we are not in this context at the moment,” Beaune said, before a meeting of EU affairs ministers and the Brexit commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, in Brussels.

During a visit to New York for the United Nations general assembly, Boris Johnson had insisted on Monday night that the alliance with Paris remained strong and “absolutely vital”, adding: “Our love of France is ineradicable.”

But a British-French defence meeting due to take place this week has been cancelled by Paris in the fallout over the Aukus defence pact, and there has not been a bilateral leaders’ summit for three years, despite attempts by Downing Street to organise one.

Beaune admitted there was a need to rebuild confidence in the relationship. On Brexit, he said the UK was not implementing the deals it agreed on fishing rights for EU boats nor on checks on goods travelling into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

“They are not well implemented … they are not fully respected,” he said. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Zurück zu Pfund und Unze: Grossbritannien sucht die Brexit-Dividende und droht, sich zu verrennen

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Mit Deregulierung und Bürokratieabbau will London dem EU-Ausstieg Nutzen verleihen. Doch etwas anders zu machen, nur weil man es kann, hilft nicht weiter.

«Darf es eine Unze mehr sein?» Ein Londoner Geschäft im Jahr 1947. | Imago

KOMMENTAR

Anderthalb Jahre nach dem Austritt aus der EU überlegt Grossbritanniens Regierung, was sie nun konkret anders machen möchte. Brexit-Minister David Frost präsentierte am Donnerstag einige Felder, in denen durch Deregulierung die ersehnte Brexit-Dividende eingefahren werden soll. Unter den Punkten, die jetzt ausgearbeitet werden: Britische Händler sollen ihre Waren wieder ausschliesslich nach alten imperialen Massen kennzeichnen dürfen – also in Pfund statt Kilogramm und Unzen statt Gramm. Ein Kilogramm zählt 2,2 Pfund zu je 16 Unzen.

Diese Idee steht sinnbildlich für vieles, was beim Brexit schiefläuft: Sie ist symbolisch, zielt an praktischen Problemen der Wirtschaft vorbei und bedient primär die Nostalgie konservativer Wähler. Obendrein hat sie wenig mit der EU zu tun. Wer in einem britischen Supermarkt Milch kauft, erhält seit Ewigkeiten deutlich gekennzeichnete 2 Pint. Doppelter Praxistest » | Benjamin Triebe, London | Samstag, 18. September 2021

Canada : les libéraux de Justin Trudeau donnés vainqueurs mais de nouveau minoritaires

Justin Trudeau, avec son épouse, prononce son discours de victoire à l'hôtel Reine Elizabeth de Montréal, le 21 septembre 2021. ANDREJ IVANOV / AFP

LE FIGARO : Après sa réélection, le premier ministre a promis aux Canadiens, dans son allocution de victoire, «un avenir meilleur» une fois que le pays serait «sorti de cette pandémie».

Les libéraux de Justin Trudeau sont en passe de remporter les législatives canadiennes, une demi-victoire toutefois pour le premier ministre sortant qui n'est pas parvenu à redevenir majoritaire à l'issue d'une campagne durant laquelle il a été malmené. D'après les projections des médias canadiens lundi soir, les résultats préliminaires permettent d'affirmer que le parti libéral obtiendrait autour de 155 sièges, sous le seuil des 170 sièges permettant d'obtenir une majorité. Or c'est précisément pour sortir de cette situation qu'il avait déclenché des élections anticipées à la mi-août pour tenter de regagner la majorité qu'il avait perdue deux ans plus tôt. Dans son allocution de victoire, le premier ministre réélu a promis aux Canadiens «un avenir meilleur» une fois le pays «sorti de cette pandémie». » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 21 septembre 2021

Les articles suivants portent sur les élections russes et marocaines :

Élections russes: la victoire annoncée du parti de Poutine »

Aziz Akhannouch, milliardaire et premier ministre du Maroc »

KOMMENTAR: Putin und die Macht: Ein gestohlener Sieg ist wenig wert: Russlands Führung kann die Duma auch künftig wie ein willenloses Instrument benutzen. Aber um die Macht abzusichern, muss der Kreml heute grobschlächtiger vorgehen als früher. Das sollte für Putin ein Alarmzeichen sein. »

Im Dienste seiner Majestät: Die Nähe zum Königshaus hat Aziz Akhannouch geholfen, zu einem der reichsten Männer Marokkos zu werden. Jetzt soll er die Geschicke des Landes führen – die Nähe zum König bleibt. »

Tom Ford Announces Death of Husband, Richard Buckley, at 72

The pair had a son together.

ADVOCATE: Richard Buckley, a legendary fashion editor who once worked at the industry trade journal Womens Wear Daily, has died according to his husband fashion designer Tom Ford. Buckley was 71 [?].

Buckley passed Sunday and "died of natural causes after a long illness," a statement to People from Ford's representatives stated.

"It is with great sadness that Tom Ford announces the death of his beloved husband of 35 years, Richard Buckley," the statement said. "Richard passed away peacefully at their home in Los Angeles with Tom and their son Jack by his side." » | Mikelle Street | Tuesday, September 21, 2021

A great interview of Tom Ford: The Jess Cagle Interview:

Tom Ford’s Painful Memories of Childhood Bullying: ‘I Was Absolutely Tortured' »

How Tom Ford Found 'Love at First Sight'— and Makes His 30-Year Relationship Last : Ford says he met Buckley in an elevator at a fashion show and immediately knew he was "the one"»

Fashion editor Richard Buckley, husband of Tom Ford, dies at 72 »

Lionel Richie : Deep River Woman

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group

Perth, Australia : A Wedding Kiss

Wedding Photographer – “Not a dry eye in sight as Ollie and Matt celebrated their marriage at Guild Hall in North Fremantle”

With many thanks to the photographer of ‘celebrating lifephotography.com.au’ for this great and expressive photo.

Happiness Is…

Le bonheur est... / Glücklichkeit ist...

My thanks go to My gay themed Tumblr and Pinterest for this photo of two joyous men.

Liebe teilen im Schnee

Partager l'amour dans la neige / Sharing love in the snow

Thanks to Rj Scott on Pinterest for this photo.

Young Gay Lovers

Jeunes amoureux gays / Junge homosexuelle Liebhaber

My thanks to Model Citizen Magazine on Pinterest for this photo.

Global Markets Swoon as Worries Mount over Superpowers’ Plans

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The S&P 500 closed down 1.7 percent over a number of jitters, like China’s sputtering real estate market and the phasing out of stimulus measures in the United States.

Investors on three continents dumped stocks on Monday, fretting that the governments of the world’s two largest economies — China and the United States — would act in ways that could undercut the nascent global economic recovery.

The Chinese government’s reluctance to step in and save a highly indebted property developer just days before a big interest payment is due signaled to investors that Beijing might break with its longstanding policy of bailing out its homegrown stars.

And in the United States, the globe’s No. 1 economy, investors worried that the Federal Reserve would soon begin cutting back its huge purchases of government bonds, which had helped drive stocks to a series of record highs since the coronavirus pandemic hit.

The sell-off started in Asia and spread to Europe — where exporters to China were slammed — before landing in the United States, where stocks appeared to be heading for their worst performance of the year before a rally at the end of the trading day. The S&P 500 closed down 1.7 percent, its worst daily performance since mid-May, after being down as much as 2.9 percent in the afternoon.

The catalyst for the swoon was the continued turmoil at China Evergrande Group, one of that country’s top three developers of residential properties. The company has an estimated $300 billion in debt, and an interest payment of more than $80 million is due this week. » | Matt Phillips, Eshe Nelson and Coral Murphy Marcos | Monday, September 20, 2021

Monday, September 20, 2021

L'Europe doit payer | America First, le bilan | Episode 01 | ARTE

Apr 7, 2021 • Au fil du récit d’acteurs clés, une immersion dans les coulisses diplomatiques de l’ère Trump, entre stupeur et tremblements. Norma Percy signe une investigation édifiante sur l’histoire en marche. Premier volet. Retrait de l'accord de Paris sur le climat, mise en danger de l’Otan : les premières décisions de Trump choquent, notamment les Européens, alliés historiques des États-Unis.

"America First." Dès son arrivée à la Maison-Blanche en 2017, Donald Trump martèle son credo sur la scène internationale. Par la brutalité de ses postures et décisions, il choque ses interlocuteurs, dont les Européens, alliés historiques des États-Unis. Le président bafoue toutes les règles diplomatiques lors des sommets. Retrait de l'accord de Paris sur le climat, mise en danger de l’Otan, institution qui traverse, selon Jeremy Hunt, le ministre britannique des Affaires étrangères de l'époque, "la plus grande crise de son histoire"… Encore surpris, François Hollande se souvient de son premier échange au téléphone avec lui : "Ce qu'il m'a dit tenait en une phrase : 'Nous ne voulons plus payer pour vous. […] Les Européens doivent payer pour leur propre sécurité'." Brisant le statu quo, le président américain se rapproche de Vladimir Poutine, proximité qui inquiète les dirigeants du G7. Et si, lors du défilé du 14 Juillet, Emmanuel Macron, qui l’a invité, déploie les grands moyens pour lui plaire, François Hollande le prévient : "N'attends rien de Donald Trump, ne pense pas qu'il sera possible de le contourner ou de le séduire."

Coulisses privilégiéesr

Au fil du récit d’acteurs clés et de témoins, cette investigation fait pénétrer au cœur des sommets et des tractations internationales du mandat Trump, offrant le rare et réjouissant privilège de les suivre en différé des coulisses. Reconstituant minutieusement l’histoire en marche dans les pas des dirigeants, selon la méthode éprouvée des productions Brook Lapping, cette série documentaire, qui rappelle les éructations du président américain battu par Joe Biden en novembre dernier et la stupéfaction, au mieux amusée, de ceux auxquels elles s’adressent, met aussi à nu les failles de la diplomatie et la fragilité des équilibres planétaires. Car les homologues de Donald Trump et l’armada de ses conseillers (dont ceux qu’il se targue d’avoir remerciés, même s’ils ont démissionné) racontent aussi leur impuissance à contrôler un chef d’État qui entend diriger son pays − et imprimer le monde de sa marque ignorante au péril de la paix − comme il a géré son empire, sûr que tous les coups ou presque sont permis.

America First, le bilan Série documentaire de Norma Percy (France, 2019, 58mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 03/10/2021


Nevada – Gay Wedding: "To know Love Is Incredible"

Aug 24, 2018 • Jhonathan & Michael Pappas's wedding feature film.

Carmen - Habanera - Lyrics (Angela Gheorghiu)

Jan 11, 2018 • "Love is rebellious bird" performed by Angela Gheorghiu. Composer: Georges Bizet; opera: Carmen. | Views on YouTube: 10,101,557

Gay and Latino, "My Date in Lima, Peru" | The Gay Explorer

Jun 21, 2018 • Join me on my gay date with Pedro while we explore Lima, Peru, where we will visit amazing landmarks such as Plaza de Armas, enjoy arguably the best Pisco in the world and taste one of their most famous dishes: ceviche. We will also discuss how it is being gay and Latino in South America. Ready? Let’s go!

Don Winslow Films - #MeetMotherPence

Would You Vote for a Man Like This to Lead Your Country? No? Thought Not!

The man who thinks he’s Churchill: 'Bojo the Clown'. The man looks as if he's flown over the cuckoo's nest!

Another Conservative clown Dominic Raab.

Tory Corruption: Boris Johnson Facing Day of Reckoning. Truth To Power


Get this sucker out of office asap! The SOB has even suspended the Triple Lock on state pensions! Yet he can find billions for his cronies. The man is unprincipled and corrupt. The country needs to be rid of him. – © Mark

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — September 20, 2021

‘We Felt Fooled’: France Still Furious after Australia Scraps $90bn Submarine Deal

THE GUARDIAN: ‘Maybe we’re not friends,’ recalled ambassador says, claiming Scott Morrison ‘kept us in the dark intentionally’

France's ambassador to Australia Jean-Pierre Thebault at Sydney airport last week. He said his country had been the last to know that the Morrison government was tearing up its submarine contract. Photograph: David Gray/AP

French anger at the Morrison government’s decision to scrap its $90bn submarine program with France continues to boil over, with the country’s recalled ambassador saying it felt “fooled” by the announcement.

Jean-Pierre Thebault was ordered back to Paris in the wake of the Aukus announcement, which will see Australia enter into a strategic “forever partnership” with the US and the UK.

Part of the still-to-be-determined arrangement will include the sharing of nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia, prompting the Morrison government to tear up its existing contract with France.

On Sunday Scott Morrison said his government had informed France’s President Emmanuel Macron that the deal was off at “around 8.30” the night before the deal was announced. But details had already leaked to the media and the French have said they felt “blindsided” by the decision. » | Amy Remeikis | Monday, September 20, 2021

British ‘Baby Shortage’ Could Lead to Economic Decline, Says Thinktank

THE GUARDIAN: Social Market Foundation suggests measures including better childcare provision to increase birthrate

Britain is facing a “baby shortage” that could lead to “long-term economic stagnation”, a thinktank has said.

The Social Market Foundation (SMF) said the birthrate was almost half what it was at its postwar peak in the 1960s, and the country’s ageing population could lead to economic decline.

It said ministers should set up a cross-government taskforce to consider the issue, and one helpful measure might be better childcare provision. The thinktank said typical British working parents spend 22% of their income on full-time childcare, more than double the average for western economies.

The birthrate in England and Wales peaked in 1964 when the number of children per woman averaged 2.93. Last year it was 1.58, well below the 2.1 replacement level needed to keep the population rate stable, and in Scotland it was even lower at 1.29. » | Andrew Sparrow, Political correspondent | Monday, September 20, 2021