Gonorrhoea and Syphilis Sex Infections Reach Record Levels in England

BBC: England is seeing record high levels of gonorrhoea and syphilis sexually transmitted infections, following a dip during Covid years, new figures reveal.

People are being urged to practise safe sex to protect themselves and get tested if they may be at risk.

There were 82,592 cases of gonorrhoea in 2022 - up 50% on the 54,661 recorded the year before, the UK Health Security Agency says.

Syphilis cases increased by 15% from 7,543 to 8,692.

The age group most likely to be diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is people who are 15-24.

Some of the rise will be due to increased testing, but the scale of the surge strongly suggests that there are more of the infections around, says the UKHSA.

Condoms are "the best line of defence" it advises. » | Michelle Roberts, Digital health editor | Tuesday, June 6, 2023

The West has become degenerate! Everything these days revolves around sex. Just look at the adverts! So many products are sold to consumers through sex-infused commercials. People should concentrate on “making love" instead of “having sex”. Animals have sex; human beings should make love. Love is clean and pure; sex, dirty. If this simple principle were adhered to, there would be far fewer STDs around. That goes for the straight community as well as for the gay community. Without wanting to sound old-fashioned and prudish, man was never meant to scatter his seed as though there were no tomorrow. – © Mark Alexander

Haïti : plusieurs morts après un séisme dans l’ouest de l’île

LE MONDE : Le tremblement de terre de magnitude 4,9 s’est produit peu après 5 heures du matin. La catastrophe survient après des inondations qui ont fait au moins 42 morts durant le week-end.

Un séisme a fait au moins trois morts et 28 blessés mardi 6 juin dans l’ouest d’Haïti, a annoncé une antenne locale de la Protection civile.

Le tremblement de terre, de magnitude 4,9 selon l’Institut de géophysique américain (USGS), s’est produit peu après 5 heures du matin (10 heures à Paris) à une profondeur de 10 km et à environ 9 km des côtes, a fait savoir Christine Monquélé, responsable de la Protection civile dans le département de la Grand’Anse. Ce pays des Caraïbes esst régulièrement touché par des séismes destructeurs. » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 6 juin 2023

Universal Basic Income: The Solution to Inflation in the UK? | Vantage with Palki Sharma

Jun 5, 2023 | Universal Basic Income: The Solution to Inflation in the UK? | Vantage with Palki Sharma A think tank wants to pilot a Universal Basic Income project in the UK. The experiment is a bid to find solutions for the UK's crippling cost-of-living crisis. Currently, the British government is struggling to curb runaway food inflation. Downing Street is heading for confrontation with supermarkets over a proposed voluntary price cap. Will the UK government find a way to address the cost-of-living crisis? Palki Sharma decodes

Related.

Hard-pressed UK shoppers feel food ‘shrinkflation’: Consumers increasingly claim that manufacturers are reducing the size of products, Barclays research finds »

Britain’s Government and Press at Rock Bottom, Prince Harry Tells Court

THE GUARDIAN: Royal breaks with protocol and criticises Sunak administration, suggesting papers work with ministers to defend vested interests

Prince Harry arriving at the high court on Tuesday. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
Prince Harry has said Rishi Sunak’s government is at “rock bottom” and avoids scrutiny by getting “in bed” with friendly newspapers.

The prince once again broke with royal protocol by using his appearance in the phone-hacking trial to criticise a serving government. He said democracy in the UK was threatened because British media outlets were working with the government to maintain the “status quo”.

Harry told the high court that “our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government, both of which I believe are at rock bottom”. » | Jim Waterson and Kiran Stacey | Tuesday, June 6, 2023

As the Australians would say: Good on ya, Sir! These people need a damn good shake up. One is in bed with the other. That's one reason why we have no real democracy in this country. Our democracy is but a mere sham. – © Mark Alexander

Testimony Is Another Chapter in What Has Become a Life of Litigation: Prince Harry is getting his day in court as he takes on the tabloids that scrutinized his every move for years, even hacking his phone. »

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" - II. Adagio un poco mosso

Dec 12, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 "Emperor" - II. Adagio un poco mosso (Live) · Krystian Zimerman · Wiener Philharmoniker · Leonard Bernstein

Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 - I. Allegro affettuoso

Jul 30, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group | Schumann: Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 - I. Allegro affettuoso · Krystian Zimerman · Berliner Philharmoniker · Herbert von Karajan

L’Espagne, un pays divisé | ARTE

Jun 4, 2023 | Les blessures de la guerre civile et du franquisme expliquent-elles la polarisation croissante de la vie politique espagnole, entre une extrême gauche toujours forte et l’ascension du parti d’extrême droite Vox ? État des lieux.

La vie politique espagnole connaît depuis quinze ans une polarisation croissante, spectaculaire à l’échelle de l’Europe. La crise économique de 2008 et le conflit autour de l’indépendance catalane ont vu émerger successivement le parti Podemos, à gauche, puis celui d’extrême droite Vox. Leur succès a poussé à se radicaliser les formations historiques comme le Parti populaire (PP) et le parti socialiste (PSOE), tandis que les centristes perdaient du terrain. Certains discours raniment ainsi les fantômes de la guerre civile (1936-1939) et des crimes amnistiés du franquisme, qui ont laissé dans la mémoire collective des plaies jamais refermées. Au point que, sur fond d’une crise sanitaire qui a accentué encore les inégalités, cette attraction vers les extrêmes donne l'image d'un pays fracturé.

Échos de guerre

Outre l’écrivain Javier Cercas, dont l’œuvre se nourrit de l’histoire de la guerre d’Espagne et de ses échos dans le présent, Marcel Mettelsiefen rencontre différents représentants et militants politiques, comme Pablo Iglesias, cofondateur et ancien dirigeant de Podemos, Carles Puigdemont, Lluïsa Erill et Anna Rufí, leader et militantes indépendantistes catalans, Maria Avila, une activiste du droit au logement, Emilio Silva, président d’une association de réhabilitation des victimes du franquisme, le matador Morante de la Puebla, candidat pour Vox en 2018, ainsi qu’Antonio Mellado, un membre de ce parti. Le passionnant état des lieux d’un pays et de ses lignes de faille.

Documentaire de Marcel Mettelsiefen (Espagne, 2022, 52mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 28/08/2023

NZZ: So könnte die grosse Gegenoffensive der Ukraine aussehen

Jun 6, 2023 | Die Ukraine steht unter einem enormen Erfolgsdruck. Seit Monaten wird eine Frühlingsoffensive angekündigt. Nun setzt die ukrainische Armee erste Züge. Militärexperte Georg Häsler erklärt, wie eine mögliche Gegenoffensive ausgestaltet sein könnte und wie hoch die Erfolgschancen sind.

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — June 6, 2023

Karen Armstrong: I Was a Nun Who Couldn't Pray | SuperSoul Sunday | Oprah Winfrey Network

Jun 9, 2013 | When she was 17 years old, Karen Armstrong was in search of God. To find Him, she entered a Roman Catholic convent and became a nun. When she started her new life, she faced a number of struggles, including the fact she couldn't pray. Watch as Karen reflects on feeling like a failure in the convent.

Who Would Be Tsar of Russia Today? | Romanov Family Tree

Jan 1, 2021 | Views on YouTube: 2,212,731

Turkey: Did Erdogan's Unorthodox Approach to Bring Down Inflation Actually Work? | DW Business

Jun 5, 2023 | Turkish inflation has fallen below 40% for the first time in 16 months. We speak to Erdal Yalcin, professor of international economics at Konstanz University of Applied Sciences. We ask him: is this a meaningful figure?

Erdogan's low interest rate policy is in line with Islam. His economic policy is unorthodox only to Western economists; his policy is very orthodox if considered in the light of Islamic economics. Erdogan is, after all, trying to re-Islamize the country. He is out to undo Ataürk's secular legacy. – © Mark Alexander

Australia to Ban Recreational Vaping - BBC News

May 30, 2023 | Australia is set to ban recreational vaping as part of major crackdown amid what experts say is an "epidemic". This means that vape products can only be sold with a prescription. New measures will have to be passed by Parliament before becoming law. However, there are fears that the ban will fuel a black market.

Disposable vapes should be banned to protect children, UK paediatricians say: Single-use e-cigarettes growing in popularity among young people despite unknown health effects and environmental impact »

Why am I not surprised? Governments have created this problem with their relentless war on tobacco and smoking. One can but shake one’s head. – © Mark Alexander

Hass predigen und Homophobie verbreiten. Wie kann man das?

Es erstaunt mich wirklich, wie ein Christ homophob sein kann und Hass verbreiten kann, wenn er gleichzeitig das Christentum predigt. Das erscheint mir heuchlerisch und widersprüchlich zu sein.

Alle Menschen sollten das Recht haben, sich selbst treu zu bleiben und ihr eigenes Leben zu gestalten. Ein Leben führen, das ihnen dient und befriedigt. Wenn dieses Leben gegen Gott ist, muss er sich am letzten Tag rechtfertigen.

Selbst, glaube ich, daß wir alle Kinder Gottes sind. Darüber hinaus glaube ich, daß Gott uns alle liebt, egal welche Ausrichtung wir haben. – © Mark Alexander

I Just Called to Say…

…I love you.
Click here for the music.
Many thanks to Pinterest for this beautiful picture.

Mike Pence, Trump’s Former Vice-President, Announces White House Run

THE GUARDIAN: Republican who narrowly escaped harm at hands of January 6 rioters jumps into nomination race

Donald Trump with Mike Pence at the Republican national convention in Charlotte in August 2020. Photograph: Leah Millis/Reuters
Mike Pence, who as Donald Trump’s vice-president narrowly escaped harm at the hands of the January 6 rioters, has declared his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination next year, pitting him against his former boss.

Pence filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission, but will formally launch his bid for the Republican nomination with a video and event in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday – his 64th birthday.

The former congressman and Indiana governor, an evangelical conservative, enters a primary dominated by Trump, who enjoys commanding polling leads. » | Martin Pengelly in New York | Monday, June 5, 2023

Oh Jesus! Another right-wing, homophobic, Republican loon is running for the White House! Does the insanity have no end? In any case, Pence is merely 64. Is he actually old enough to run for the White House? – © Mark Alexander

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 - I. Maestoso - Poco più moderato

Jul 29, 2018 | Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 - I. Maestoso - Poco più moderato · Krystian Zimerman · Berliner Philharmoniker · Sir Simon Rattle

The Last Christmas of the Romanovs

Dec 30, 2020 | Christmas 1917 would be the last for the Romanov family. Isolated from the world, exiled in Siberia, they lived the joy of the feast of love, distributing gifts to the members of their staff that they had made themselves. Under house arrest and closely guarded, they were able to organize a traditional Christmas that was in many ways their closest family holiday.

Why Do Europeans Dislike Americans So Much?

May 31, 2023

Please note that this video has been made by an American. It is not a reflection of my own, personal views on America: so it should therefore not be misconstrued as such. This video is posted for interest only. – © Mark Alexander

Dr. Philip Ovadia: Debunking Carb Essentials

Click here for Dr. Ovadia’s sage dietary advice.