The Guardian View on Britain and France: The Very Worst of Rivals

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Despite Brexit, a shared history and geography means Paris and London will have to find a way to work together

‘The French president, Emmanuel Macron, has been quoted describing Boris Johnson as “a clown”’. Photograph: Alastair Grant/PA
At the core of Boris Johnson’s Brexit is a conflict between ideology and geography. The purpose of the project is divergence – a competitive leap away from Europe into other markets. But that impulse to move is thwarted by the permanence of Britain’s location. No matter how much sovereignty the Eurosceptics claim over national regulation, governing a medium-sized power 30 miles from the coast of France will always require some accommodation with the interests of neighbouring states.

EU membership was not the only possible way to manage those relationships, but it worked better than anything that had been tried in the preceding centuries, and nothing has been arranged to replace it. The Brexit withdrawal deal offers only a technical framework for economic partnership, and even that is unstable, as is clear from the ongoing negotiations over customs checks for Northern Ireland and operating licences for French fishers in UK waters. » | Editorial | Monday, January 3, 2022

«Indigne», «sidérant», «vulgaire» : la sortie d'Emmanuel Macron sur les non-vaccinés enflamme la classe politique

La classe politique s'indigne depuis hier soir de la sortie d'Emmanuel Macron sur les non-vaccinés. AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP / ALAIN JOCARD / AFP / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN
LE FIGARO : Le président de la République a déclaré hier dans une interview au Parisien qu'il avait «très envie d'emmerder» les non-vaccinés «jusqu'au bout».

Une pluie de réactions indignées. En déclarant mardi 4 janvier au soir dans une interview au Parisien qu'il avait «très envie d'emmerder» les non-vaccinés «jusqu'au bout» , Emmanuel Macron a provoqué un véritable tollé dans la classe politique. Hier soir, les débats à l'Assemblée nationale sur le projet de loi voulant instaurer le passe vaccinal ont tourné court, suspendus après les propos tenus par le président de la République.

Au cours de cette séance houleuse interrompue dans la nuit, les parlementaires de tous bords ont fustigé les déclarations du chef de l'État. Le patron des députés LR, Damien Abad, a regretté des propos «indignes, irresponsables et prémédités» qui relèvent d'un «cynisme puéril». Ugo Bernalicis, député LFI, a estimé que la France était désormais dans une «crise politique déclenchée par le monarque présidentiel, qui se permet d'insulter une partie des Français». «Un président ne peut pas tenir les propos qui ont été tenus», a quant à lui lancé Christian Jacob, président des Républicains. «Je ne peux pas cautionner un texte qui vise à emmerder les Français», a-t-il ajouté. » | Par Wally Bordas | mercredi 5 janvier 2022

Europe, vaccination, présidentielle… Emmanuel Macron se livre à nos lecteurs : EXCLUSIF. Le président de la République a répondu pendant un peu plus de deux heures aux questions de sept lecteurs du Parisien-Aujourd’hui en France. Des anti-vaccins au discours de l’extrême droite, en passant par l’écologie et la sécurité, il n’a éludé aucun sujet. »

Macron declares his Covid strategy is to ‘piss off’ the unvaccinated: French president stokes divisions as parliament debates tighter requirements for mandatory health pass »

Impfgegner sind für Macron keine Bürger mehr: In einem Zeitungsgespräch platzt dem französischen Präsidenten der Kragen. Er wettert gegen Impfgegner und will sie vom Sozialleben ausschließen. Rechte, Konservative, Linke, Grüne und Kommunisten – sie alle sind empört. »

Warum Erdoğan sich Saudi-Arabien wieder annähert

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Erst Ägypten, dann die Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate, nun Saudi-Arabien: Die Türkei will ihre Beziehungen mit der arabischen Welt verbessern. Dahinter stecken auch wirtschaftliche Interessen.

Eine Überraschung war es nicht mehr, als der türkische Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan während einer Veranstaltung des Verbands der türkischen Exporteure ankündigte, er werde im nächsten Monat Saudi-Arabien besuchen. „Er wartet auf mich im Februar, er hat es versprochen“, sagte Erdoğan. Alle verstanden, dass Erdoğan Kronprinz Muhammad Bin Salman, den starken Mann des Königreichs, gemeint hatte.

Seit Monaten arbeiten Ankara und Riad an der Normalisierung ihrer Beziehungen, die mit der Ermordung des saudischen Dissidenten Jamal Khashoggi am 2. Oktober 2018 im saudischen Generalkonsulat in Istanbul auf einen Tiefpunkt gefallen waren. An jenem Morgen waren 15 Saudis auf dem Istanbuler Flughafen eingetroffen. In einem Koffer hatte sich, wie die Auswertung der Aufnahmen im Flughafen ergaben, eine Knochensäge befunden, mit der Khashoggis Leichnam mutmaßlich zerstückelt wurde. » | Von Rainer Hermann, Redakteur in der Politik | Dienstag, 4. Januar 2022

Elizabeth Holmes: Theranos Founder Guilty of Fraud

Jan 4, 2022 • She was once feted as the world's youngest female self made billionaire who promised that her blood testing start-up would transform the future of healthcare but now Elizabeth Holmes has been found guilty of four counts of fraud - in a case which came to symbolise Silicon Valley's ethos of hype and corporate greed.

Related.

De la gloire à la prison, la chute d'une icône de la Silicon Valley : RÉCIT - Reconnue coupable d'avoir menti sur la technologie de Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes risque vingt ans de réclusion. »

Der tiefe Fall eines einstigen Silicon-Valley-Stars: Elisabeth Holmes wollte mit Theranos Bluttests revolutionieren – und schaffte es als jüngste Selfmade-Milliardärin sogar auf das Cover von Forbes. Dann folgte der tiefe Sturz des einst gefeierten Stars aus dem Silicon Valley. »

Lionel Richie : Do It To Me

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group | Views on YouTube: 5,506,476

Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey : When You Believe | Official HD Video

May 10, 2014 • "When You Believe" by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey from The Prince of Egypt | Views on YouTube: 359,125,053

Taliban wollen Schaufensterpuppen köpfen

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Ein Vertreter des Ministeriums zur Erhaltung der Tugend bezeichnet die Puppen als Götzenbilder, die verschwinden müssten. Kritik kommt aus der Handelskammer in Herat.

In Afghanistan haben die regierenden islamistischen Taliban abermals strenge Vorschriften verhängt und nun Modegeschäfte im Westen des Landes aufgefordert, Schaufensterpuppen zu köpfen. Diese seien Götzenbilder und somit unislamisch, sagte Asisul Rahman, ein Provinzvertreter des neu geschaffenen Ministeriums zur Erhaltung der Tugend, der Deutschen Presse-Agentur am Dienstag. „Sie müssen beseitigt werden“, erklärte Rahman. Zunächst solle es jedoch genügen, dass die Schaufensterpuppen enthauptet werden. » | Quelle: dpa | Dienstag, 4. Januar 2022

Prince Andrew’s Uncertain Legal Fate Casts Shadow on Britain’s Royals

THE NEW YORK TIMES: As Queen Elizabeth II prepares to mark 70 years on the throne this year, a sexual abuse case in a Manhattan court involving her son could mean more turmoil for the royal family.

LONDON — Queen Elizabeth II will mark 70 years on the throne in February, a milestone unmatched by any British sovereign and a chance to turn the page on three years of ceaseless turmoil in the royal family. But a sexual-abuse lawsuit unfolding in a Manhattan courtroom could yet spoil her celebration.

On Tuesday, lawyers for the queen’s second son, Prince Andrew, asked a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, in which she claims that Andrew, a friend of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, raped her when she was 17.

It was the latest in a skein of legal maneuvers by the prince’s lawyers to defuse Ms. Giuffre’s case. While the judge, Lewis A. Kaplan, did not immediately rule on the motion, leaving Andrew’s legal fate unsettled for now, the hearing dramatized the shadow that the 61-year-old prince still casts over his family.

If the judge allows the case to go forward, Andrew could face damaging testimony from Ms. Giuffre about his alleged abuse of her at Mr. Epstein’s residences in New York and in the Caribbean. That would plunge the House of Windsor back into scandal at the very moment it hopes to use the Platinum Jubilee to remind Britons of the queen’s extraordinary longevity and largely blemish-free record of service.

The 70-minute hearing gave a glimpse into the kinds of issues that could spill out in a prolonged trial. At one point, Prince Andrew’s lead lawyer, Andrew B. Brettler, argued that Ms. Giuffre had not been specific in her allegations against him. Judge Kaplan replied that she claimed she had been subjected to “involuntary sexual intercourse” and asked what was not clear about that. » | Mark Landler | Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Un an après l’assaut du Capitole, Donald Trump veut croire à son retour

Donald Trump (ici, en janvier 2021) entend se positionner en arbitre au sein de son camp en accordant ou non son soutien aux élus républicains. MANDEL NGAN/AFP
LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - Loin d’être un exil, son palais de Palm Beach est devenu le centre de son contre-pouvoir.

Correspondant à Washington
L’émeute du 6 janvier 2021 aurait signifié la fin de n’importe quelle autre carrière politique. Dans les semaines suivantes, même celle de Donald Trump ne semblait pas avoir un grand avenir. À son départ de la Maison-Blanche le 20 janvier, jour de l’investiture de Joe Biden, seule une poignée de fidèles étaient allés le saluer à son décollage vers la Floride. Les principaux responsables républicains n’avaient alors pas de mots assez durs pour condamner ce président qui les avait conduits à la défaite, perdant la Maison-Blanche, la majorité au Sénat et celle à la Chambre des représentants, avant de susciter une émeute qui s’en était pris au symbole de la démocratie américaine.

L’image de l’ancien président était associée avec celles de ses partisans faisant irruption au Capitole en frappant des policiers avec les hampes de drapeaux américains. Le Parti républicain était pressé d’oublier cette journée funeste. Kevin McCarthy, le chef du groupe républicain à la Chambre, avait déclaré ne plus vouloir avoir affaire à Trump. Mitch McConnell, le puissant chef de file des républicains au Sénat, tenait l’ancien président comme «moralement responsable de la journée du 6 janvier. Le 13 février, les sénateurs républicains, à l’exception de sept d’entre eux, avaient néanmoins refusé de condamner Trump après sa deuxième destitution, certains espérant secrètement que l’ancien président se ferait oublier dans sa retraite de Mar-a-Lago, et que ses accusations de fraude s’éloigneraient avec lui. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes | mardi 4 janvier 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

Quel cauchemar ! Allons-nous vraiment être soumis à un autre terme de cet homme incompétent, perturbateur, corrompu et pugnace ? O mon Dieu d'amour et de grâce, s'il te plaît, épargne-nous tous ! – © Mark

Gas Price Hike of More Than 30% Stokes Home Bills Fears for Europe

THE GUARDIAN: Rise comes amid ongoing concern about intentions of Russia as supplies flow east for 15th day in row

European gas prices have risen by more than 30% on Tuesday, adding to mounting concerns about the cost of heating a home, as supplies that usually come into Europe from Siberia continued to flow eastwards for the 15th day in a row.

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied using Russia’s vast gas resources to turn the screw on Europe, after gas coming through the Yamal-Europe pipeline reversed direction three days before Christmas.

Data from the Mallnow metering point on the German-Polish border on Tuesday showed that the eastwards flow of gas has increased, with volumes hitting almost 9.9m kilowatt hours an hour (kWh/h), up from 5.8m previously.

Eastbound volumes via the Yamal-Europe pipeline hit almost 9.9m kWh/h at the Mallnow metering point on the German-Polish border on Tuesday morning, the data showed, up from 5.8m previously. » | Rob Davies | Tuesday, January 4, 2022

WHO Warns of a ‘Tsunami’ of Infections | Coronavirus Latest

Dec 30, 2021 • Surging COVID-19 infections are worrying governments around the globe. France has posted a record number of infections, more 200,000 in a single day. Italy, Ireland and Portugal have also announced record numbers of new cases. Officials say the skyrocketing infection rates are being driven by the highly contagious omicron variant.

While countries are still grappling with rising case numbers, health authorities are also under pressure to reduce the isolation requirements for people infected, or in contact with a positive case. The US recently shortened its quarantine period, and Germany's health minister says he's considering a similar move.

Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 | Antonio Pappano with the Staatskapelle Dresden

Dec 4, 2021 • A frenzy of timbres: Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27, performed by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Antonio Pappano. The concert took place in the Semperoper Dresden in 2018.

The second symphony by Russian composer Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873 - 1943) could also be called his "Dresden Symphony" since Rachmaninoff wrote the symphonic work in 1906/07 in Dresden, where his family had spent the winter months for three consecutive years. The premiere of Symphony No. 2 took place again in St. Petersburg in 1908 under the composer's direction and was a great success, which Rachmaninoff was in dire need of, since the premiere of his first symphony in 1897 had been a debacle and had plunged him into depression and a deep creative crisis.

All the more astonishing was the great success he had with his 2nd Symphony. This may be due, on the one hand, to the balance that characterizes the form of each of the four movements. But above all, it is the symphony's tonal colours that give it an incomparable radiance. Through lush orchestration and varied combinations of instrumental groups, the orchestra's tonal possibilities come into their own.

In the past, Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 was often performed in an abridged version. Here, the Staatskapelle Dresden plays it completely authentically – in its unabridged original version and at the location of its creation.

(00:00) Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27
(00:25) I. Largo - Allegro moderato
(19:23) II. Allegro molto (29:50) III Adagio
(44:19) IV. Allegro vivace
© EuroArts Music International

Prince Andrew to Face Court Hearing in Sexual Misconduct Case l GMA

Jan 4, 2022 • Attorneys for the prince claim unsealed documents should prevent the British royal from being sued by an alleged victim of Jeffrey Epstein.

Hiding behind the loophole of a dead sex trafficker? Stay classy, Andrew »

Phil Collins - A Groovy Kind of Love | Official Music Video

Views on YouTube: 23,118,980

Aus der Reihe tanzen – das wilde Leben der Mitford-Schwestern, Kulturplatz 18.03.2015

Mar 19, 2015 • Die Sendung «Kulturplatz»: Die Schriftstellerin Susanne Kippenberger fragt es sich angesichts der sechs Schwestern der Mitford-Familie, die in Grossbritannien so bekannt sind wie in Deutschland die Familie Mann, nur berüchtigter. Eine wurde Schriftstellerin, eine heiratete den Faschistenführer Englands, eine wurde Hitler-Freundin, eine andere Herzogin von Devonshire. Jessica Mitford aber wurde Kommunistin und Bürgerrechtlerin. Susanne Kippenberger porträtiert diese Nonkonformistin und spricht mit «Kulturplatz» über Verwandtschaft und Wahlverwandschaften.

Related / Verwandt (auf Englisch).

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — January 4, 2022

Double Defector Who Returned to North Korea ‘Struggled Financially’ in South

THE GUARDIAN: Man’s decision raises questions about treatment of defectors in South Korea with many said to face discrimination

A North Korean defector who made a daring return to his home country at the weekend had reportedly struggled to build a new life in South Korea since his arrival just over a year ago.

The man, who has not been named, crossed the heavily armed demilitarised zone [DMZ] that has divided North and South since the end of the 1950 to 1953 Korean war, on Saturday.

Reports said the defector, who is in his 30s, had been prompted to make the dangerous journey back across the border after struggling to make ends meet in the South.

His decision to return to North Korea has raised questions about how defectors are treated in the South, where many face discrimination in employment, education and housing. » | Justin McCurry in Tokyo and agencies | Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Mahler Symphony No. 5 - Adagietto

Nov 22, 2015 • Myung-Whun Chung NHK Symphony Orchestra

Quit the Cr**! Stop the BS! Give Us Our Full Rights Now! Everywhere! We Are Human Beings, Too! We Are Entitled to Love and Entitled to Be Happy.

via GIPHY

Elizabeth Holmes Trial: Jury Finds Theranos Founder Guilty on Four Fraud Counts

THE GUARDIAN: The jury delivered the verdict after announcing they were deadlocked on three of the 11 charges faced by Holmes

Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos, has been found guilty on four of 11 charges of fraud, concluding a high profile trial that captivated Silicon Valley and chronicled the missteps of the now-defunct blood testing startup.

The jury found Holmes guilty of several charges – including conspiracy to defraud investors – following a dramatic day in which jurors said they remained deadlocked on three of the criminal counts she faced.

On Monday, the seventh day of deliberations, the jury told US district judge Edward Davila that it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on those three charges. In response, Davila encouraged them to deliberate further, but jurors later returned and rendered their final decision.

As the verdict was read, the Theranos founder bowed her head, remained seated and expressed no visible emotion. Her partner, Billy Evans, showed agitation in earlier moments but appeared calm during the verdict reading.

Holmes was found guilty on four charges: one count of conspiracy to defraud investors, and three counts of wire fraud against investors. With video » | Karl Paul | Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Silicon Valley Can’t Escape Elizabeth Holmes: Ms. Holmes, the founder of Theranos, wasn’t a creature of Silicon Valley, or so the refrain went. But her fraud trial showed otherwise. »