Britain’s Failure to Tackle Russian Dirty Money Has Enabled Putin’s Aggression

THE GUARDIAN: If Boris Johnson is serious about helping Ukraine, the most resolute action he can take is at home

We cannot be blind to the situation where wealth with direct links to Vladimir Putin’s regime has been allowed to proliferate here in the UK.’ Photograph: Sergei Savostyanov/AP
The prospect of war in our continent is more than enough to avert our gaze from the latest Whitehall troubles.

However, a prime minister who has found it so hard to speak the truth throughout his career surprised us all with a hard dose of it when he stood before parliament last week to address the situation in Ukraine, saying: “Ukraine asks for nothing except to be allowed to live in peace and to seek her own alliances, as every sovereign country has a right to do.” It was a sentiment echoed by the leader of the opposition, by my own party’s Westminster group leader, Ian Blackford MP, and by every other SNP MP who responded to the statement.

As someone who has spent my life campaigning for the sovereign right of the people of Scotland to determine our own futures, sovereignty is a principle fundamental to my own worldview. To see such pressures being exerted on a state that has resolutely set itself on a path to integration with the liberal democratic order is unspeakable. Like any European country, Ukraine must be free to organise its governance and security alliances as it sees fit. » | Nicola Sturgeon * | Tuesday, February 1, 2022

* Nicola Sturgeon is first minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National party

‘A 1938 Moment’: Lithuanian PM Warns about Russian Troops in Belarus

THE GUARDIAN: Ingrida Šimonytė says threats from Moscow and Beijing mean west cannot be mired by self-doubt and division

Ingrida Šimonytė: ‘I know Putin was probably feeling very happy because he feels an important guy.’ Photograph: Toms Kalniņš/EPA
The security landscape of the Baltic states and eastern Europe may be changed permanently if Russian troops amassed on the Ukraine border start to integrate with Belarusian troops, Lithuania’s prime minister has said.

“This is a 1938 moment for our generation,” Ingrida Šimonytė said in an interview. “Neutrality helps the oppressor and never the victim.”

Šimonytė, who is due to meet Boris Johnson on Tuesday, is one of the European politicians most willing to make a case for democracy and expose the methods of autocracies.

Her stance has led her country of only 2.8 million people on to the frontline of ideological conflict not only with Russia but also China.

Belarus is threatening to block potash exports to her country, and China punished Lithuania for the opening of a Taiwanese representative office in Vilnius by cutting trade and pressing companies to pull out of Lithuania. The UK has joined Lithuania to take China to the WTO over its behaviour.

Šimonytė said the twin threats from the superpowers showed it was necessary for the west not to be mired by self-doubt, internal divisions and self-satisfaction. “The first response is not to be afraid but to speak up,” she said. “We never see the masses on the streets demanding more autocracy.” » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Tuesday, February 8, 2022

Ukraine : Macron dit avoir obtenu de Poutine «qu'il n'y ait pas d'escalade» : Le président français Emmanuel Macron a assuré mardi avoir «obtenu» lors de ses discussions avec Vladimir Poutine «qu'il n'y ait pas de dégradation ni d'escalade» dans la crise russo-occidentale liée à l'Ukraine. »

Turkey’s Doctors Are Leaving, the Latest Casualty of Spiraling Inflation

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Doctors, worn down by grueling hours and violence, are emigrating in rising numbers, undermining one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s signature achievements.

ISTANBUL — Anxiety rose after an assistant doctor died last fall when she plowed her car into the back of a truck after a long shift.

Then there were the growing cases of violence. An assistant doctor abandoned his career after a patient stabbed him in the stomach and hand. A pregnant nurse was hospitalized after being kicked in the belly.

The worsening economy and soaring inflation, which has reduced some doctors’ salaries close to the level of the minimum wage, has brought many to a tipping point, driving them in growing numbers to search for better opportunities abroad.

Their departures are a sad indictment of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who burnished his own reputation by expanding universal health care over his 18 years in power. It was one of his signature achievements. For many of his supporters, that action alone remains their main reason to support him.

But the strains of those overhauls wrought by Mr. Erdogan, in addition to those brought by the pandemic — and now galloping inflation — have undermined the very professionals on whom the health system depends.
Doctors complain of a grinding workload, diminishing returns for their work, a drastic loss of respect for the profession under Mr. Erdogan, and an increase in physical violence from their own patients.

More than 1,400 Turkish doctors left their posts to work abroad last year, and 4,000 over the past decade, according to the Turkish Medical Association, the largest association of medical professionals in the country. Many more are preparing applications and have requested certificates of good standing from the organization, officials said. » | Carlotta Gall | Monday, February 7, 2022

Stjepan Hauser : "Live in Zagreb" | Full Classical Concert

HAUSER performing his favorite classical music pieces with the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra at his classical solo concert at the Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, October 2017.

Elisabeth Fuchs, conductor

Special guests:

Choir Zvjezdice
Lana Trotovsek, violin
Petrit Çeku, guitar

70-Jahre-Thronjubiläum: Die Queen bricht alle Rekorde

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Vor siebzig Jahren bestieg Elizabeth II. den Thron, nun kann sie als erste britische Monarchin das Platinjubiläum feiern. Mit ihrem Wunsch, Charles’ Gattin Camilla möge dereinst Königin werden, richtet sie den Blick in die Zukunft – doch ans Aufhören denkt die 95-Jährige nicht.

Die Queen ist für die Briten ein Anker der Stabilität in unruhigen Zeiten. | Imago
Als erste britische Monarchin der Geschichte hat Königin Elizabeth II. am Sonntag auf Schloss Sandringham in Norfolk ihr Platin-Thronjubiläum feiern können. Der Königspalast hatte in den letzten Tagen Bilder veröffentlicht, welche die Jubilarin vor einer grossen Torte oder bei der Entgegennahme von Glückwünschen von Kindern zeigen. In einer eigens für das Jubiläum verfassten Mitteilung an die Nation blickte die 95-jährige Queen nicht nur auf ihre 70-jährige Herrschaft zurück, sondern richtete den Blick auch in die Zukunft.

Es sei ihr aufrichtiger Wunsch, dass die Gattin von Kronprinz Charles, Prinzessin Camilla, dereinst als «Queen consort» an der Seite ihres Sohnes stehe und somit Königin werde. Damit beendete Elizabeth die Spekulationen, Charles könnte Camilla nach seinem Aufstieg auf den Thron bloss zur «Princess consort» machen – da die Bevölkerung das Andenken an Charles’ erste Frau Diana hochhält und eine Ernennung Camillas zur Queen womöglich nicht goutieren würde. » | Niklaus Nuspliger, London | Samstag, 5. Februar 2022

Related links here and here.

Royal Nod for ‘Queen Camilla’ Caps Years of Image Repair: Queen Elizabeth II has put to rest decades of speculation by giving Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, what some see as her “stamp of approval.” »

Wintersturm «Roxana» sorgt für heftige Winde und starken Schneefall: Mehrere Swiss-Maschinen müssen am Flughafen Zürich durchstarten

NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG: Für die Alpennordseite gilt eine Sturmwarnung der dritthöchsten Gefahrenstufe. Das Sturmtief «Roxana» sorgt in der Schweiz am Sonntag und in der Nacht auf Montag für Windböen von Orkanstärke.

fbi./ine./dho. Am Sonntagabend und in der Nacht auf Montag ist ein Wintersturm über die Schweiz gezogen. Der Bund warnte deshalb vor heftigen Winden und starkem Schneefall in grossen Teilen des Landes. Er hat die Gefahrenstufe 3 von 5 ausgerufen, was eine erhebliche Gefahr bedeutet. » | fbi./ine./dho | Montag, 7. Februar 2022

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Stjepan Hauser : Panis Angelicus

Hauser performing Panis Angelicus by César Franck with Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir Zvjezdice at his classical solo concert at the Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb, October 2017.

Elisabeth Fuchs, conductor
Arrangement by Hauser and Filip Sljivac Filmed and edited by MedVid production
Sound and mixing by Morris Studio

Cancer du poumon : quels sont les signes d'alerte ?

LE FIGARO : NOS CONSEILS SANTÉ - Ce cancer se développe généralement en toute discrétion, en particulier chez les fumeurs. Plus il est pris tôt, meilleur est le pronostic. D'où l'intérêt d'être attentif à certains symptômes.

C'est un diagnostic qui, quand il est posé, fait l'effet d'une bombe. De tous les cancers, le cancer du poumon est sans doute l'un des plus redouté. Ce cancer, qui concerne environ 45.000 nouvelles personnes chaque année en France, est réputé pour être particulièrement difficile à soigner. Connu pour son mauvais pronostic (20% de survie à 5 ans), il a la réputation d'être difficile à soigner… Du moins, quand il est pris en charge tardivement. Car une intervention à un stade précoce peut complètement changer la donne. D'où l'intérêt d'être attentif au moindre signe évocateur de cette maladie, surtout si l'on a beaucoup fumé. » | Par Cécile Thibert | vendredi 4 février 2022

Réservé aux abonnés

French Far-right Presidential Hopeful Likens Himself to Boris Johnson

THE GUARDIAN: Eric Zemmour says foreign leader he feels ‘culturally and intellectually’ closest to is the British PM

Eric Zemmour acknowledges his support at a campaign rally in Lille, northern France.Photograph: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock
The far-right French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour has said of all world leaders he is compared to he feels most like the British prime minister, Boris Johnson.

The former journalist, who is often compared to Donald Trump, was speaking on France Inter’s morning news programme when asked about “populist” foreign leaders. The interviewer mentioned Trump, the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, and Italy’s former prime minister Matteo Salvini and asked if they were models for Zemmour.

“You have not mentioned Boris Johnson and I am astonished because he is without doubt the leader I feel I am closest to, culturally, intellectually … and he’s obviously a European like me but English,” Zemmour said.

It is not the first time Zemmour has rejected comparisons to Trump and likened himself to the British PM. He has pointed out that both he and Johnson are former journalists, both have written history books – Zemmour on the history of France, De Gaulle and Napoleon, Johnson on Winston Churchill. » | Kim Willsher | Monday, February 7, 2022

Winter in the Podkarpackie I ARTE.tv Documentary

Feb 6, 2022 • Not far from the border with Ukraine, the Lower Carpathians are a region of Poland with a secret and bewitching charm. Nestled between mountains and forests, wooden Orthodox churches are braving the test of time. The few inhabitants live by music, icon painting or creating glass objects.

Winter in the Podkarpackie I ARTE.tv Documentary
Available until the 01/03/2022

More Straight Than Gay People Are Being Diagnosed with HIV for the First Time in a Decade

INDEPENDENT: The number of new HIV diagnoses in heterosexual people are higher than those in gay and bisexual men for the first time in ten years, according to the UK Health Security Agency (HSA).

In the year leading to December 2021, 45 per cent of all new diagnoses were in gay and bisexual men, while 50 per cent were in heterosexual men or women.

Monday 7 February marks the beginning of the UK’s annual National HIV Testing Week which aims to promote regular testing and reduce late diagnoses. » | Saman Javed | Monday, February 7, 2022

Arnie Kantrowitz, Pioneer of Gay Liberation, Dies at 81

THE NEW YORK TIMES: A professor, author and activist, he fought against discrimination because of sexual orientation and for fairness from the media.

Arnie Kantrowitz last year. He was an early advocate for gay rights and fairer depiction of gay people in the media. | Larry Mass
Arnie Kantrowitz, a literature professor and author who was an early champion of gay rights and an indefatigable campaigner for fairer treatment of gay people by the media, died on Jan. 21 at a rehabilitation center in Manhattan. He was 81.

The cause was complications of Covid-19, his life partner, Dr. Lawrence D. Mass, said.

The gay rights movement was ignited in mid-1969 by the uprising provoked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, which led to the founding several months later of the Gay Activists Alliance. Mr. Kantrowitz became the organization’s vice president in 1970, which was also the year he came to grips with his own homosexuality.

In 1985, he was a founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (now known as GLAAD), which was established to counter negative media coverage generated by the AIDS crisis.

His memoir, “Under the Rainbow: Growing Up Gay” (1977), exposed to a wide audience the difficulties he and his gay contemporaries faced in the 1950s and ’60s and recalled how he had confronted them — including two suicide attempts. The book also chronicled historical events in the movement, including what was called the first Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day Parade, held in New York City in 1969. » | Sam Roberts | Thursday, February 3, 2022

Queer Students Feel ‘Betrayed’ after Cambridge College Bans Pride Flag

PINK NEWS: To mark the beginning of LGBT+ History Month, the University of Cambridge’s Gonville and Caius College flew the Progress Pride flag. One day later, they banned it.

For the last six years the college, one of the wealthiest at the University of Cambridge, has flown Pride flags from its flagpole, and this LGBT+ History Month seemed to be no different.

The college posted a video to its social media showing the “Progress Pride flag flying above Caius to mark the first day of LGBT History Month”.

But on Wednesday (2 February), a general meeting was held by fellows, who make up the college’s governing body and are responsible for changing statutes, where members voted to ban the flying of any flag other than the college banner. » | Lily Wakefield | Saturday, February 5, 2022

Ghana's Anglican Bishops Condemn Proposed Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; Paul Marotta/Getty Images
ADVOCATE: Church leaders say that aspects of the bill are "severe" and that acts of hostility against LGBTQ+ people must be denounced.

Ghana’s Anglican Church leaders have condemned the country’s proposed anti-LGBTQ+ bill and urged lawmakers to reconsider the new legislation that would toughen an already existing anti-LGBTQ+ law.

On Friday, the House of Bishops in Ghana issued a statement saying the draft Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill — which is currently before the country’s parliament — is “severe and must be reviewed.”

The statement read, “We agreed that, though human dignity is always dominant, LGBTQI+ activities are frowned upon by the Ghanaian ethnicity and therefore, traditions, values, cultural and social frameworks must not also only be regarded but, respected and appreciated,” The Church Times reports.

“Nevertheless, Ghanaian citizens must not use the bill as an avenue to assault persons with homosexual orientation but show love to them as the Church of Jesus Christ is called to demonstrate the love of God by protecting all vulnerable people and groups. Acts of harassment, intimidation and hostilities against LGBTQ+ people should be condemned,” the statement continued. » | Alex Cooper | Friday, February 4, 2022

La Suisse appelle au «calme et à la créativité» pour de meilleures relations avec l'UE

LE FIGARO : Le président suisse Ignazio Cassis a appelé dimanche au «calme» et à la «créativité» pour améliorer les relations de la Suisse avec l'Union européenne. Les liens entre Bruxelles et Berne sont tendus depuis que la Suisse, non membre de l'UE, a soudainement décidé, en mai 2021, de mettre fin à des années de discussions en vue d'un vaste accord de coopération avec ce bloc d'Etats. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 6 février 2022

What Kind of President Was Ronald Reagan? | The Reagan Presidency | Timeline

Jan 27, 2022 • This landmark documentary offers a historical portrait of America’s 40th President as told through the recollections, observations and opinions of those who knew him and experts who have analyzed the Reagan presidency. The focus of the documentary is the crucial events associated with his two-term presidency and the legacy he left behind.

If you decide to sign up for ‘History Hit’ documentaries, don’t forget to use the code ‘TIMELINE’ for a massive 50% discount:

History Hit.

Gay and Married: Meet the Blooms I The Feed

Oct 22, 2015 • Steven and Natanya Bloom had been married for nearly 20 years when he realised he was gay and came out to his family. He's now president of the Gay And Married Men's Association, GAMMA.

Die unbekannte Seite der Brüder Grimm | Doku HD | ARTE

Feb 6, 2022 • 1837 erheben sie ihre Stimme gegen den König von Hannover, als er die Verfassung abschafft. Auch ihre Märchen sammeln sie aus politischen Gründen: Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm wollen die Vergangenheit bewahren, um die Gegenwart zu ändern. In der deutschen Sprache sehen sie die Basis für ein geeintes Vaterland. Das Dokudrama erzählt die unbekannte Seite der Brüder Grimm.

Juni 1837. Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm leben als Professoren in der Universitätsstadt Göttingen im Königreich Hannover. Eine Zeit, die vom Aufbegehren der Bürger geprägt ist. Erst wenige Jahre zuvor hatte der amtierende König Wilhelm nach Unruhen eine Verfassung erlassen, die den Bürgern mehr Rechte zusichert. Doch König Wilhelm stirbt, und sein Bruder Ernst August wird neuer König von Hannover. Ein Herrscherwechsel mit weitreichenden Folgen: Ernst August ist ein konservativer und wenig bürgernah. Bereits kurz nach seiner Krönung schafft er die liberale Verfassung wieder ab. Gegen diesen willkürlichen Akt des Königs setzen sich sieben Professoren aus Göttingen zur Wehr – darunter auch die Brüder Grimm. Die Ereignisse um die Verfassung des Königreichs Hannover 1837 machen die Grimm zu politischen Stars in Deutschland.

Anhand von Spielszenen und Interviews mit den beiden Brüdern auf der Grundlage originaler Texte vermittelt das Dokudrama einen intensiven Einblick in das Leben der beiden großen Märchensammler und zeigt, wie eng das Verhältnis der beiden Brüder zueinander war. Jakob und Wilhelm Grimm werden von Jörg Pintsch und Steven Merting dargestellt.

Dokudrama von Gabriele Rose (D 2020, 53 Min)

Russian Invasion of Ukraine 'Could Happen as Soon as Tomorrow': Jake Sullivan | ABC News

Feb 6, 2022 • Martha Raddatz interviews White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on "This Week."