Sunday, October 13, 2024
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18 - I. Moderato
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Why London’s Nightlife Is Dying | Last Orders
Alex Salmond, Former First Minister of Scotland, Dies Aged 69
THE GUARDIAN: High-profile politician reported to have collapsed after delivering speech in North Macedonia on Saturday
Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who led Scotland to the brink of independence, has died at the age of 69.
Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007. He stood down from the role after failing to secure independence in the 2014 referendum, handing over to his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon.
Reports suggested that he collapsed after delivering a speech in North Macedonia on Saturday.
Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, said he was “deeply shocked and saddened”.
“Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her independence. He took the Scottish National party from the fringes of Scottish politics into government and led Scotland so close to becoming an independent country.” » | Michael Savage and Libby Brooks | Saturday, October 12, 2024
Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland who led Scotland to the brink of independence, has died at the age of 69.
Salmond served as first minister of Scotland from 2007. He stood down from the role after failing to secure independence in the 2014 referendum, handing over to his deputy, Nicola Sturgeon.
Reports suggested that he collapsed after delivering a speech in North Macedonia on Saturday.
Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney, said he was “deeply shocked and saddened”.
“Alex worked tirelessly and fought fearlessly for the country that he loved and for her independence. He took the Scottish National party from the fringes of Scottish politics into government and led Scotland so close to becoming an independent country.” » | Michael Savage and Libby Brooks | Saturday, October 12, 2024
King Charles and Royals Fail to Reveal Official Gifts for Past Four Years – Despite Promise to Do So
THE GUARDIAN: Royal family had pledged to declare all presents received in an annual list, after several controversies
King Charles III during a visit to the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh last month. Photograph: Getty Images | A screenshot from today’s Guardian.
King Charles and his family have failed to reveal their official gifts for the past four years, despite previously promising to publish an annual list.
Palace officials have blamed the pandemic, the change of reign, and then planning for last year’s coronation for their inability to publish details of the gifts received by members of the royal family.
The royal family’s reticence follows controversy over a cash-for-honours scandal involving the king’s main charitable foundation, which led to a police investigation that was dropped last year without a full explanation from either Scotland Yard or the Crown Prosecution Service. It also comes after revelations that Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, accepted £2.6m in cash in bags from a Qatari politician for another of his charities, the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund. » | Richard Palmer | Saturday, October 12, 2024
King Charles and his family have failed to reveal their official gifts for the past four years, despite previously promising to publish an annual list.
Palace officials have blamed the pandemic, the change of reign, and then planning for last year’s coronation for their inability to publish details of the gifts received by members of the royal family.
The royal family’s reticence follows controversy over a cash-for-honours scandal involving the king’s main charitable foundation, which led to a police investigation that was dropped last year without a full explanation from either Scotland Yard or the Crown Prosecution Service. It also comes after revelations that Charles, when he was Prince of Wales, accepted £2.6m in cash in bags from a Qatari politician for another of his charities, the Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund. » | Richard Palmer | Saturday, October 12, 2024
How Börek Is Made in Turkey, Serbia and Albania | DW Food
Fears Grow that 'Clown-like' Trump Could Achieve Fascist Goals Despite Gross Incompetence
JD Vance Crashes and Burns in Disastrous Interview
Democracy is clearly on its last legs! There’s nary a decent politician left to run a democracy anymore! Where on earth have all the decent, upstanding, moderate politicians gone?
Here in the UK, the very worst thing to have happened to politics was the advent of the career politician. In years gone by, it was successful people who generally entered politics in order to ‘give something back to the country’. They were often already independently wealthy, so they didn’t need to milk the system. These days, people go into politics from university, usually, in order to make money, not to give anything back to society. They can’t do that since they have nothing to give back! They have had no experience of life. A good student does not necessarily make a good politician. Life’s experience counts for a lot.
We really are living in sad, dark times. The Age of Trump has been particularly sad and dark. The sooner Trump leaves the political stage, the better! — © Mark Alexander
Michael Lambert: The British Economy Is Damaged beyond Repair for These Three Reasons
Oct 12, 2024 | This week I visited Gothenburg in Sweden and was shocked by how much better the quality of life is there.
It reminded me again of just how bad the economic situation in the UK has become since Brexit and for three different reasons. The UK economy has passed the point of no return.
We are now destined to decline indefinitely thanks to three reasons. First Brexit has severely damaged the UK economy whereby it is now almost impossible for small- and medium-sized business to trade with the EU because of post Brexit restrictions. This has cost the UK economy £40 billion in lost taxes annually.
The new Labour government under Keir Starmer has made it clear that, whilst they would like to improve relations (reset) with the EU, there will be no return to the Single Market, Customs Union or Freedom of Movement.
The UK property market where houses have become unaffordable for most people has resulted in so much money being sucked out of the economy that people have much less disposable income and that the economy has suffered accordingly, with many pubs, restaurants and shops being forced to close.
Finally the sale to foreigners of many of our major companies and vital utilities and infrastructure has weakened our economy since profits from these enterprises are being sent to foreign shareholders who have very little interest in anything other than a return on their investments.
Politicians today are clueless! They can’t run and manage the country anymore: they make a dog’s dinner of it. Yet politicians of old ran and managed a huge empire! Politicians of yore must have been a hell of a lot smarter than those who are in control today. Politicians today can’t run this small country let alone empire. – © Mark Alexander
It reminded me again of just how bad the economic situation in the UK has become since Brexit and for three different reasons. The UK economy has passed the point of no return.
We are now destined to decline indefinitely thanks to three reasons. First Brexit has severely damaged the UK economy whereby it is now almost impossible for small- and medium-sized business to trade with the EU because of post Brexit restrictions. This has cost the UK economy £40 billion in lost taxes annually.
The new Labour government under Keir Starmer has made it clear that, whilst they would like to improve relations (reset) with the EU, there will be no return to the Single Market, Customs Union or Freedom of Movement.
The UK property market where houses have become unaffordable for most people has resulted in so much money being sucked out of the economy that people have much less disposable income and that the economy has suffered accordingly, with many pubs, restaurants and shops being forced to close.
Finally the sale to foreigners of many of our major companies and vital utilities and infrastructure has weakened our economy since profits from these enterprises are being sent to foreign shareholders who have very little interest in anything other than a return on their investments.
Politicians today are clueless! They can’t run and manage the country anymore: they make a dog’s dinner of it. Yet politicians of old ran and managed a huge empire! Politicians of yore must have been a hell of a lot smarter than those who are in control today. Politicians today can’t run this small country let alone empire. – © Mark Alexander
Friday, October 11, 2024
Our Gabled Home: How to Make Authentic German Spaetzle [Spätzle] at Home
P&O Ferries Owner Pulls £1bn UK Investment after Rayner Attack
THE TELEGRAPH: Dubai company chief withdraws from investment summit after Deputy PM’s criticism of employment practices
P&O owner DP World has put a £1bn expansion of one of Britain’s biggest container hubs on hold after ministers attacked the ferry company’s employment practices.
The Dubai-based business had planned to announce the investment in London Gateway port at a summit convened by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, next week.
However, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the DP World boss, will no longer attend the event after Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, described P&O as “unscrupulous” and “exploitative” this week. » | Christopher Jasper, Transport industry editor | Friday, October 11, 2024
P&O owner DP World has put a £1bn expansion of one of Britain’s biggest container hubs on hold after ministers attacked the ferry company’s employment practices.
The Dubai-based business had planned to announce the investment in London Gateway port at a summit convened by Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, next week.
However, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the DP World boss, will no longer attend the event after Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, and Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, described P&O as “unscrupulous” and “exploitative” this week. » | Christopher Jasper, Transport industry editor | Friday, October 11, 2024
Delhi Audience Laughs as Russian Foreign Minister Says Ukraine War 'Was Launched against Us'
Talks on UK Rejoining EU Could Start in 10 Years’ Time, Says Peter Mandelson
THE GUARDIAN: Labour peer says in meantime it is essential to try to reduce damage of Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson
Peter Mandelson has suggested the UK could start talks on rejoining the EU in 10 years’ time, much earlier than Keir Starmer believes.
Lord Mandelson told an audience in Edinburgh the “truth is that [reversing Brexit] could be a conversation which starts in 10 years’ time”, but only if EU member states were willing to consider it.
He said that in the meantime it was essential for the UK’s productivity and growth to reduce the damaging impact of the Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson “as best we possibly can”.
Mandelson’s remarks, at a lecture for the thinktank Reform Scotland, are in contrast to the prime minister’s prediction before the general election that the UK would not rejoin the EU, or the single market or customs union, in his lifetime. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland editor | Friday, October 11, 2024
Peter Mandelson has suggested the UK could start talks on rejoining the EU in 10 years’ time, much earlier than Keir Starmer believes.
Lord Mandelson told an audience in Edinburgh the “truth is that [reversing Brexit] could be a conversation which starts in 10 years’ time”, but only if EU member states were willing to consider it.
He said that in the meantime it was essential for the UK’s productivity and growth to reduce the damaging impact of the Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson “as best we possibly can”.
Mandelson’s remarks, at a lecture for the thinktank Reform Scotland, are in contrast to the prime minister’s prediction before the general election that the UK would not rejoin the EU, or the single market or customs union, in his lifetime. » | Severin Carrell, Scotland editor | Friday, October 11, 2024
Doku: Die ‚Blutdiamanten‘ der Zarin | Timeline Deutschland
Nancy Pelosi Calls Out CNN for Platforming Trump’s Childish Insults
Wie viel radikalen Islam hält unsere Gesellschaft aus? | BLICKWECHSEL. Das Nachrichtenmagazin
Tory Leadership Hopeful Wants to Join Russia & Belarus Outside the ECHR - How Did It Come to This?
Another Tory clown! And a very dangerous clown at that! – © Mark Alexander
Trump's Favourite European Ally Just Got BRUTALLY Roasted
What did I write yesterday? That Orbán is Putin’s marionette. Click here – Mark
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)