Taiwan President Warns of ‘Catastrophic Consequences’ If Island Falls to China

THE GUARDIAN: Tsai Ing-wen says Taiwan will ‘do whatever it takes to defend itself’ against an increasingly assertive Beijing

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen said if the island “were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace” Photograph: Ann Wang/Reuters
THE GUARDIAN: Tsai Ing-wen says Taiwan will ‘do whatever it takes to defend itself’ against an increasingly assertive Beijing

Taiwan is committed to defending its democracy against an increasingly aggressive China, the island’s president has vowed, warning of “catastrophic consequences” for the region should it fall.

The comments from Tsai Ing-wen, in an essay published on Tuesday, came amid record-breaking incursions by Chinese warplanes into its air defence zone. On Tuesday Taiwan’s premier, Su Tseng-chang, said the “over the top” activity violated regional peace, and Taiwan needed to be on alert.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has sent nearly 150 planes into Taiwan’s air defence identification (ADIZ) zone in the first four days of October, in what mainland figures and media have labeled a demonstration of strength but which world governments condemned as an act of intimidation and aggression.

Writing for Foreign Affairs magazine, Tsai stressed Taiwan’s desire for peace but said “if its democracy and way of life are threatened, Taiwan will do whatever it takes to defend itself”.

However she also urged other nations to “understand the value of working with Taiwan”, against the broader threat posed by Beijing. “And they should remember that if Taiwan were to fall, the consequences would be catastrophic for regional peace and the democratic alliance system.” » | Helen Davidson in Taipei | Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Taiwan and China: line that Biden must tread is finer than ever: Analysis: the fallout from a conflict triggered by miscalculation or accident could be catastrophic »

Former California Cop Who Sued over Antigay Abuse Wins $2.2 Million

ADVOCATE: Jay Brome said he was subjected to homophobic harassment throughout his 20 years with the California Highway Patrol.

Former California Highway Patrol officer Jay Brome has received a settlement of $2.2 million in a lawsuit he brought against the CHP, saying his coworkers made his life on the job miserable because he’s gay.

Brome was a CHP officer from 1996 until 2015, when he took medical leave due to the stress of the homophobia he encountered. It began when he was in the police academy and continued throughout his CHP career.

“There was bullying or name-calling — ‘fag,’ ‘gay,’’’ Brome told The Sacramento Bee in 2018. “I had an instructor that told me … to take my skirt off and start acting like a man.”

At one point at the academy, according to his lawsuit, a fellow cadet aimed a training gun at his head and said, “I know you’re gay, tell me you’re gay or I’ll pull the trigger.” » | Trudy Ring | Monday, October 4, 2021

More Satisfaction

Photograph : Adobe Stock

Juste un baiser satisfaisant

Just a satisfying kiss / Nur ein befriedigender Kuß
Many thanks to El Chulo Dominicano and Pinterest for this photo.

"Pandora Papers" enthüllen geheime Geschäfte von Politikern und Promis | DW Nachrichten

Oct 4, 2021 • Die Enthüllungen bestätigen die schlimmsten Vorurteile gegen Politiker: Dass sich einige von ihnen nämlich lieber selbst bereichern als Korruption und Steuerflucht zu bekämpfen. Interne Daten von verschiedenen Finanzdienstleistern - genannt "Pandora Papers" - enttarnen mehr als 330 Politiker und hochrangige Beamte aus 91 Ländern, darunter Staats und Regierungschefs. Für Tschechiens Ministerpräsident Babis kommen die Enthüllungen zur Unzeit - er will diese Woche wiedergewählt werden.

Die DW spricht mit dem Journalisten Nils Naber, der an den Recherchen beteiligt war.

This Is Not Just Brexit. It's a Marks & Spencer Brexit. Truth to Power

UK gas prices are currently the highest in Europe, with some industry experts stating that this is at least partly because of Brexit and the UK no longer being part of a European Union arrangement to aggregate gas supply across the bloc. Well, maybe that’s true and maybe it isn’t, but what is beyond doubt is that in the latest plot development in Brexit the disaster movie: Marks & Spencer are closing more than half its stores in France due to Brexit supply problems, and a quarter of small UK businesses have now suspended EU sales altogether, due to post-Brexit rules. And this is just the tip of the iceberg.

BoJo is a know-nothing when it comes to economics. Nobody in his right mind who knows even just a little about economics would walk away from a single market of 500m+ consumers. That is the Single Market which Margaret Thatcher worked hard to bring about. It brought us prosperity.

Brexit is going to make this country much, much poorer. It is going to turn this country into the ‘Sick Man of Europe’ again. We’ve been there once before.

The selection of goods in the supermarkets has shrunk significantly; and what is available is generally inferior. Fruit and vegetables quickly go mildew in the salad crisper. That never happened before this damn Brexit.

The fact is that the tw*ts—use the vowel of your own choosing—have screwed up – BIG TIME.

But it should also be borne in mind that we Brits have lost our rights as European citizens, rights such as the right to set up a business, the right to buy a residence, the right to free healthcare, the right to love across frontiers, and many more rights besides. I, for one, resent losing my European rights. Despite once being a dyed-in-the-wool Conservative voter, I declare here and now that I shall never vote for the Conservatives again. I could never trust them.

The once united United Kingdom has been turned into the disUnited Kingdom; and I can’t see that changing for very many years to come.

I DO NOT respect the result of the Brexit referendum for ONE simple reason: It was NOT democratic. It was also badly designed. Further, the voters were fed claptrap and lies about the European Union.

I, for one, am ashamed of the way that the UK, under BoJo and his cabinet of jesters, is being governed. This is not the United Kingdom I once knew and loved. This whole Brexit saga is sad and stupid. Moreover it is going to impoverish the nation. – © Mark

Hélène Grimaud – Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23: II. Adagio

Hélène Grimaud considers the concerto in A major "probably the most sublime concerto Mozart ever wrote", with a slow movement that is "an extremely deep and painful expression of longing, where you find the real Mozart." …

Dimitra’s Dishes : Mediterranean Stuffed Artichokes: The Perfect Party Appetizer

Get the printable recipe here.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 4, 2021

Zu Tisch ... in Apulien | ARTE

Sep 5, 2021 • Apulien: der Süden des Südens. Von der Adria und dem Ionischen Meer umgeben und von 300 Sonnentagen im Jahr verwöhnt, ist die Region am Absatz des italienischen Stiefels ein einziges Obst- und Gemüsebeet, in dem alle Zutaten der mediterranen Küche gedeihen. Die Reihe reist auf die Halbinsel Gargano, rund um Rignano Garganico, Monte Sant'Angelo, Vico del Gargano und Peschici.

Die Folge "Der Gargano" beginnt in Rignano Garganico, hier lebt Giuseppe Bramante und züchtet Garganica-Ziegen und Podolica-Kühe. Damals wie heute vom Speiseplan der Hirten nicht wegzudenken sind Musciska – gewürzte und in der Sonne gedörrte Fleischstreifen.Im Inneren des Nationalparks zeugen Klöster und Einsiedeleien von tiefgeprägter Spiritualität. Hier steht die Wallfahrtskirche San Michele Arcangelo. Und auch zu Hause darf eine Prise Heiligkeit nicht fehlen. Auf Basis von Mandeln bereitet Anna Basta die traditionelle Süßspeise zu: Ostie chiene.In Peschici betreibt die Familie Ottaviano in fünfter Generation Fischfang mit dem traditionellen Trabucco. Von einem schmalen Steg hoch über dem Meer schauen die Männer ins Wasser. Ob die Falle heute zuschnappen wird?

Dokureihe, Regie: Lorenza Castella (D 2021, 27 Min)

Trailer : Supernova

The Government Promised to Clamp Down on Shell Companies. It Has Failed to Do So

THE GUARDIAN: These schemes are an invitation to dodge taxes and accept bribes. And as the Pandora papers show, they’re thriving

Anyone able to afford the entry fee still has access to a financial network denied to the rest of us.’ Photograph: peterhowell/Getty Images/iStockphoto
If it feels as if the secrets revealed by the Pandora papers – the biggest ever leak of offshore data – are familiar, that’s because they are.

A Ukrainian president, a former British prime minister, a friend of Vladimir Putin, they all featured in the Panama papers – which uncovered the financial information of more than 200,000 offshore businesses – back in 2016. Here we are five years later, reading about them all over again.

The individuals may be different: it’s Tony Blair this time, not David Cameron; Ukraine has a new president; and the Putin friend is an oil trader, not a cellist. But the essential details are the same. Anyone able to afford the entry fee still has access to a financial network denied to the rest of us; and it follows that no one in power has done anything substantive about it in the past half-decade.

t shouldn’t need saying, but this is bad. Democracies only survive because the law applies equally to everyone. If a shadow system persists that allows the rich and powerful to avoid obeying the same rules as the rest of us, the trust that underpins our system will disappear. Without trust, democracy cannot survive. » | Oliver Bullough | Monday, October 4, 2021

It is self-evident that we are not living in democracies but kleptocracies! Whilst this is going on, any talk of democracy is laughable. Our systems are corrupt and rotten to the core. Who can be trusted anymore? Each man is out for himself. Further, the bigger the theft, the more likely you are to get away with it! Steal a Mars bar and you're in deep trouble; steal a few billion and all is well – you're protected. Talk of perversion, this is it! Rotten is as rotten does. – © Mark

'Pandora Papers' Expose Secret Tax Havens of the Rich & Powerful | DW News

Oct 4, 2021 • A massive data leak has revealed the secret financial dealings of some of the world's richest and most powerful people. The "Pandora Papers" show how politicians, business tycoons and celebrities hide their wealth using off-shore tax havens. The investigation was carried out by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, with global media partners including DW.

Tories facing calls to return cash from donors named in Pandora papers: Ministers forced to answer string of questions about Tory donors’ alleged links to corruption »

UK Truck Crisis: Delivery Shortages Put Christmas at Risk | DW News

Oct 4, 2021 • Army tanker drivers are to start delivering fuel to filling stations in the UK. Many have run dry in a deepening supply crisis. The government insists it has a plan to end shortages of fuel and some foods, but admits it could be months before things get back to normal. Critics say Brexit is causing the chaos.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is remaining defiant as he faces a supply chain crisis in the lead up to the Christmas season. In an address to party faithful he said he has a bold plan for a post-COVID recovery. But labour shortages across the UK are bringing logistics to a standstill and leaving supermarket shelves empty. The army is to be deployed to shore up fuel supplies, after days of panic buying at the pumps.

Hauler David Zacchea points to all the trucks he's had to take off the road. He can't hire enough drivers to run them.

It's part of a wider supply chain crisis gripping the UK. The government says it will offer thousands of temporary visas so that foreign drivers can fill the gap. But business owners say it's like throwing a drop of water on a bonfire.

Driver's unions also say conditions on the job are so poor, it makes keeping staff difficult. Business is now concerned that logistics for the Christmas season will suffer. Poultry farmers are experiencing labor shortages as well, saying people's Christmas turkeys are under threat. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is trying to promote a sense of calm, saying it was all part of the plan for post-Brexit Britain. But it's doing little to sooth nerves. Fears of shortages have led to panic buying at petrol stations. Many retailers say fuel levels are critically low.


This is primarily a Brexit problem. That is undeniable. - © Mark

Britain’s Christmas Lament: Meat Shortages and Delivery Delays: Military personnel are driving transport trucks. Pig farmers may start culling their stock. Even the government says shortages will affect Christmas, as Britons brace for a challenging winter. »

Bier, Speck, Medikamente: In Grossbritannien fehlt Alltägliches: Die Briten stöhnen, viele Produkte sind kaum noch erhältlich. Weil Zehntausende Lastwagenfahrer fehlen, kämpft die Wirtschaft mit logistischen Problemen. »

Revealed: Czech PM Used Offshore Companies to Buy £13m French Mansion

THE GUARDIAN: Pandora papers reveal Andrej Babiš financed purchase via secret loans through three overseas firms

Andrej Babiš is the second-richest man in the Czech Republic. Illustration: Guardian Design
THE GUARDIAN: Pandora papers reveal Andrej Babiš financed purchase via secret loans through three overseas firms

Andrej Babiš, the billionaire Czech prime minister, is under pressure to explain a convoluted offshore structure he used to finance his purchase of a £13m mansion in the south of France.

The disclosure that Babiš controls a group of overseas companies comes as he contests a general election in the Czech Republic this week – and represents the latest embarrassing turn for a former oligarch who entered politics promising to fight corruption. Babiš is the second-richest man in the Czech Republic with a net worth of £2.7bn but his previous business dealings have provoked public protests and an ongoing clash with the EU.

Details of the secretive offshore arrangements set up by the prime minister are disclosed in the Pandora papers, the largest ever trove of leaked offshore data. The leaked documents have been shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists with the Guardian, the BBC and other media around the world. » | Simon Goodley, Robert Tait and Scilla Alecci | Sunday, October 3, 2021

Crown estate bought £67m London property from family of Azerbaijan ruler: Leak reveals firms linked to Aliyev family – repeatedly accused of corruption – have traded nearly £400m of UK property »

Russian tycoon’s link to alleged corruption in leaked files raises questions for Tory ministers: Leak sheds light on past offshore structure used by Viktor Fedotov, whose UK firm is seeking approval for huge UK infrastructure project »

Pandora papers live: Boris Johnson says ‘all Tory donations vetted’; Kremlin dismisses ‘unsubstantiated claims’»

Major Tory donor advised on Uzbekistan deal later found to be $220m bribe: Leak shows Mohamed Amersi helped firm with what it later accepted was ‘corrupt payment’ to then Uzbek ruler’s daughter »

Pandora Papers: Ein internationales Recherchenetz beleuchtet, wie Präsidenten, Autokraten und ein König Steuern umgehen: Dem Internationalen Netzwerk investigativer Journalisten sind fast zwölf Millionen vertrauliche Dokumente zugespielt worden. Ihre Enthüllungen belasten 35 Staats- und Regierungschefs und Hunderte von Politikerinnen und Politikern. »

A bientôt 20 ans, le mariage homosexuel reste interdit un peu partout dans le monde

FRANCE CULTURE : Le mariage pour tous aura 20 ans l'an prochain. Légalisée par les Pays-Bas pour la première fois en 2001, l'union entre deux personnes de même sexe n'en reste pas moins interdite dans de nombreux pays. État des lieux en ce 29 février, jour du défilé de la Gay Pride à Sydney.

Le premier mariage entre personnes de même sexe a été célébré le 11 février 2020 en Irlande du Nord : Robyn Peoples et Sharni Edwards se sont dit oui à Carrickfergus, près de Belfast.• Crédits : Paul Faith – AFP
Il y a vingt ans, le mariage homosexuel était illégal partout dans le monde. Aujourd'hui, en 2020, il est autorisé dans une trentaine de pays, à commencer par les Pays-Bas, première nation ayant franchi le pas en 2001. Aux quatre coins de la planète, malgré les interdictions et les répressions, l'homosexualité revendique une existence publique et des droits mais les réalités sont toutefois très contrastées selon les régions. Panorama en ce samedi 29 février, jour de la parade de "Mardi Gras" de Sydney, l'un des plus importants rendez-vous LGBT au monde et qui fait office de Gay Pride en Australie.

En deux décennies, le droit au mariage pour les personnes de même sexe a été reconnu par la plupart des pays dits "occidentaux" : en Europe, en Amérique du Nord et du Sud mais aussi à Taiwan et en Afrique du Sud.

En Afrique, au Moyen-Orient et en Asie, les législations continuent de réprimer l'homosexualité en tant que telle. On risque la peine de mort au Sultanat de Brunei, en Iran et au Soudan. On encourt la prison - entre dix et quatorze ans - au Nigeria, au Liban et en Tunisie. On s'expose aux coups de bâtons en Malaisie et à Singapour... Pourtant, du Maroc au Botswana en passant par le Japon, Cuba ou l'Équateur, l'homosexualité, bien qu'elle demeure condamnée, marginalisée ou criminalisée, s'émancipe.

Une forme de culture "homo mondiale" a émergé après les années noires du sida, au siècle dernier. Le début du XXIe offre-t-il une conjoncture propice à une généralisation de l’intégration dans la loi, du principe de l'égalité des unions et des droits, pour toutes et tous ? Pas si simple. Les pionniers européens » | Par Nadine Epstain et Franck Ballanger | samedi 29 février 2020

Married and Committed

Photo Adobe Stock

Ein leidenschaftlicher Kuß

Un baiser passionné / A pssionate kiss
Photo : Adobe Stock

Jordan’s King among Leaders Accused of Amassing Secret Property Empire

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A leak of nearly 12 million files suggested King Abdullah II was among 35 current and former leaders to use secret shell companies to hide their wealth.

King Abdullah II of Jordan came under scrutiny on Sunday when a report said he was among several world leaders to use secret offshore accounts to hide his wealth. | Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

GAZA CITY — King Abdullah II of Jordan came under heightened scrutiny on Sunday after an alliance of international news organizations reported that he was among several world leaders to use secret offshore accounts to amass overseas properties and hide their wealth.

The king was accused of using shell companies registered in the Caribbean to buy 15 properties, collectively worth more than $100 million, in southeast England, Washington, D.C., and Malibu, Calif. The purchases were not illegal, but their exposure prompted accusations of double standards: The Jordanian prime minister, who was appointed by the king, announced in 2020 a crackdown on corruption that included targeting citizens who used shell companies to disguise their overseas investments.

The Jordanian royal court declined to provide a comment to The New York Times, but lawyers for King Abdullah told the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which published the report, that his foreign properties were bought exclusively with his personal fortune and not public funds. » | Patrick Kingsley | Sunday, October 3, 2021

Pandora Papers: Biggest Ever Leak of Offshore Data Exposes Financial Secrets of Rich and Powerful »

Pandora Papers: Biggest Ever Leak of Offshore Data Exposes Financial Secrets of Rich and Powerful

THE GUARDIAN: Millions of documents reveal offshore deals and assets of more than 100 billionaires, 30 world leaders and 300 public officials

The Pandora papers reveal the inner workings of what is a shadow financial world, providing a rare window into the hidden operations of a global offshore economy. Illustration: Guardian Design
The secret deals and hidden assets of some of the world’s richest and most powerful people have been revealed in the biggest trove of leaked offshore data in history.

Branded the Pandora papers, the cache includes 11.9m files from companies hired by wealthy clients to create offshore structures and trusts in tax havens such as Panama, Dubai, Monaco, Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

They expose the secret offshore affairs of 35 world leaders, including current and former presidents, prime ministers and heads of state. They also shine a light on the secret finances of more than 300 other public officials such as government ministers, judges, mayors and military generals in more than 90 countries.

The files include disclosures about major donors to the Conservative party, raising difficult questions for Boris Johnson as his party meets for its annual conference.

More than 100 billionaires feature in the leaked data, as well as celebrities, rock stars and business leaders. Many use shell companies to hold luxury items such as property and yachts, as well as incognito bank accounts. There is even art ranging from looted Cambodian antiquities to paintings by Picasso and murals by Banksy.

The Pandora papers reveal the inner workings of what is a shadow financial world, providing a rare window into the hidden operations of a global offshore economy that enables some of the world’s richest people to hide their wealth and in some cases pay little or no tax. » | Guardian investigations team | Sunday, October 3, 2021

Pandora papers reveal hidden riches of Putin’s inner circle »

Tony and Cherie Blair bought property via offshore firm and saved £300,000 in tax »

Let the light in: why the Guardian is publishing the Pandora papers »

Pandora Papers : plusieurs chefs de gouvernement mis en cause pour évasion fiscale : Une enquête publiée dimanche, à laquelle ont collaboré environ 600 journalistes de l'ICIJ, met en cause le premier ministre tchèque, le roi de Jordanie ou les présidents du Kenya et d'Équateur entre autres. »

« Pandora Papers » : du roi Abdallah II à Tony Blair, des dizaines de dirigeants politiques éclaboussés par le scandale »