Who Are Prince Philip’s German Relatives?

TATLER: His mother was a German Princess from the House of Hesse, while all four of his sisters wed German Princes and Dukes

When he was a suitor for the then Princess Elizabeth, much was made of Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark’s ‘foreign’-ness. Despite growing up in England and being schooled in Scotland at Gordonstoun, Philip was still seen as an outsider in some circles, leading to the decision to naturalise him as a British citizen ahead of the Royal Wedding, removing his Greek and Danish titles. Yet as well as his Danish heritage (his family had inherited the Greek throne but were not actually Greeks), he was also German through his mother’s side, as Princess Alice of Battenberg was a Hessian Princess.

It is perhaps unsurprising then that all four of Philip’s elder sisters married into German royal and aristocratic families, particularly as they had all moved there following the family’s exile from Greece. This was to have tragic consequences for the Duke, as it not only meant that he was to fight against his brothers-in-law during World War II on the opposite side, but that none of his siblings were invited to his wedding in 1947 to Princess Elizabeth. » | Rebecca Cope | Monday, April 12, 2021

A German Royal Cousin and Two Great-nephews Will Be among Mourners at Prince Philip’s Funeral

TATLER: Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden; Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg are all reportedly isolating at Ascot ahead of the event

The death of a monarch’s spouse would usually be followed by a funeral complete with much pomp and ceremony – particularly when one considers that the late Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away on 9 April, was the longest-serving royal consort in history. Yet under the exceptional circumstances of the ongoing pandemic, the event is set to be quite a departure from royal tradition, with just 30 mourners in attendance – as opposed to the 800 expected under original plans.

The day after Philip passed away aged 99, Buckingham Palace released details of the funeral. Due to take place at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, on Saturday 17 April, it will feature elements such as military Pall Bearers and a ‘small Ceremonial Procession’, made up of ‘members of the Royal Family and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Household’. The Palace announced that the service itself will be ‘attended by Her Majesty The Queen and Members of the Royal Family’, while the coffin, ‘carried by a Bearer Party found by the Royal Marines, will be received… by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.’ » | Hope Coke | Tuesday, April 13, 2021

A French Dinner for the Queen - in the Kitchens of the Elysée Palace

On the occasion of D-Day commemoration ceremonies, the Queen of England is paying an official state visit in France and will be attending a banquet as the guest of honor at the official residence of the President of the Republic of France, the Elysée Palace. This documentary film will describe the event from the kitchens of power, the true vitrine of French gastronomy which has been on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010. We will follow the work of the teams of the famous chef Guillaume Gomez, from the conception of the menus to the selection of products with the best French producers as well as the installation of the reception hall. A true challenge for a prestigious guest.

Could This Be the Location of Jesus' Tomb? | Secrets of The Cross | Timeline

In 1980, an ancient tomb was uncovered in Jerusalem. Inside were bones dating back to the first century. Could it be the resting place of Christ?

Controversial and compelling, Secrets of The Cross pushes aside centuries of tradition to expose fascinating secrets at the heart of the Christian story.

Prince Philip: Reporter Granted Rare Access by the Duke | 60 Minutes Australia

In his 99 years, it’s hard to guess how many people his Royal Highness met; how many hands he shook; how many events he attended. Far easier to count the number of television interviews he granted. Barely any – and for Australian TV, even fewer. He did, however, give one to 60 Minutes. It was 40 years ago, and the reporter was Ray Martin, who’ll never forget his encounter with the no-nonsense Duke.

My Years With the Queen

Episode 1 - Lady Pamela Hicks talks for the first time on television about her incredible life growing up within the Royal family and her close relationship with the Queen.
Watch the programme HERE » | Thursday, April 1, 2021

Wie deutsch ist die Queen? Die Wurzeln des Hauses Windsor – Doku

"Queen Elizabeth ist bei den Deutschen sehr beliebt, verkörpert sie doch typisch deutsche Tugenden. Auch die in England gern verschwiegenen Wurzeln ihrer Dynastie liegen in Deutschland. Zum ersten Mal berichten in der Dokumentation ""Wie deutsch ist die Queen?"" Vertreter deutscher Adelshäuser über ihre Verbindung zum britischen Königshaus und zur historischen Verantwortung ihrer Familien - auch in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus. Kein Monarch ist hierzulande so populär wie Queen Elizabeth II. Ihr Glamour allein kann diese Beliebtheit nicht erklären.

Eine Rolle spielen auch ihre familiären Verbindungen nach Deutschland. Die Queen auf Deutschlandbesuch, 50 Jahre nach ihrer ersten Visite als Staatsoberhaupt, ist ein historisches Ereignis. Nie waren die deutsch-britischen Beziehungen nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg so gut wie heute, und kein Monarch ist in der Bundesrepublik so beliebt wie Elizabeth II.

Die Dynastie der Windsors stammt aus dem kleinen fränkischen Ort Coburg. Bis 1917 lautete der Nachname der Mitglieder des britischen Königshauses von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. Unter dem Eindruck des Ersten Weltkriegs erfand man den Namen Windsor...

Die Vorfahren der Windsor-Dynastie kamen aus den Häusern Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, Hessen, Hannover und Preußen. Wenn die Queen nach Deutschland zum Staatsbesuch kommt, ist das also immer auch eine Stippvisite bei Verwandten. Bis zum Ersten Weltkrieg trug die Royal Family sogar einen deutschen Nachnamen: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha. Prinz Albert hatte ihn mit ins Königshaus gebracht, als er 1840 seine Cousine Queen Victoria heiratete. Die blutjunge Monarchin stammte ihrerseits ebenfalls aus einem deutschen Adelsgeschlecht, der Dynastie der Welfen. Im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert saßen sie nicht nur in Hannover auf dem Thron, sondern in Personalunion auch in Großbritannien. Prinz Albert und Queen Victoria träumten von einer engen deutsch-britischen Verbindung und verheirateten ihre älteste Tochter mit dem preußischen Thronfolger. Zwei Weltkriege später war das britisch-deutsche Verhältnis zerrüttet.Millionen Menschen beider Nationen hatten ihr Leben auf den Schlachtfeldern verloren, und die enge Verflechtung der Royal Family mit ihren deutschen Verwandten erschien so heikel, dass sie für Jahrzehnte dezent verschwiegen wurde."

Bernie Madoff, Infamous Ponzi Schemer, Dies

Bernard Madoff, whose name became synonymous with financial fraud, died while serving a 150-year sentence in Federal Prison. He was 82 years old.

His death Wednesday at the Federal Medical Center in the prison in Butner, North Carolina, was confirmed by the US Bureau of Prisons. A cause of death was not released.

In February 2020, he petitioned the courts for an early release from prison, stating that he had terminal kidney failure and a life expectancy of less than 18 months. But the US Attorney's office for the southern district of New York said Madoff's crime was "unprecedented in scope and magnitude" and is "sufficient reason" to deny Madoff's request.

Madoff was the mastermind behind a $20 billion Ponzi scheme -- the largest financial fraud in history.

He had a legendary career on Wall Street, famously delivering astronomical returns for his investors, which included director Steven Spielberg, actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick and New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon.

'How Prince Harry Can Show His Face in the UK, I've Got No Idea': Alan Jones

Sky News host Alan Jones says he has “no idea” how Prince Harry can “show his face” in the UK right now.

“I thought he and Meghan (Markle) thought the Royal Family were a bunch of out of touch racists,”

Mr Jones said. Mr Jones spoke of the recent passing of Prince Philip and the preparations being made for his funeral.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral will be the first time Prince Harry is reunited with his family following the bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Prince Philip 'Grows in Stature' While Prince Harry 'Struggles to Find Some'

Sky News Host Alan Jones says in death, Prince Philip only "grows in stature" while in life, Prince Harry "struggles to find some".

"Much has been said and will be said about the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh," he said.

"In the light of such a distinguished career of service, how does one evaluate the abrupt response, six hours after his death I might add, by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. 'Thank you for your services… you will be greatly missed'.

"It does prompt the thought about the two, Harry and Meghan, who have kept their titles to maintain the trappings of Royalty, preferring service to self over service to others. Preferring commercial deals over charity. Preferring royalties over the Royal Family."

Prince Philip performed 22,991 solo engagements, undertook 637 overseas visits, made 5,493 speeches, and wrote 14 books during his time as a working royal.

"Perhaps the passing of Prince Philip might encourage these two to understand the meaning of service and sacrifice from their multi-million-dollar home in California," Mr Jones said.

"What must he have thought of a grandson who abandoned his family for self-interest?"

The Tension Between the Queen Mother & Prince Philip | Behind Closed Doors | Timeline

The Coronation in 1953 appeared to be a glittering triumph for the House of Windsor. But behind the scenes there was a three-cornered story of jealousy and rivalry at the highest level.

On one side Prince Philip was at odds with the Queen Mother over his desire to modernise the monarchy. On the other the old Queen was jealous of her daughter's sudden rise to power. The Coronation was a critical year for the young Queen Elizabeth. She was preparing to undergo the most ancient and important royal ritual, but the two people closest to her, the Queen Mother and Prince Philip had very different ideas about how it should be handled. Philip, the dashing but dangerously modern consort, was anxious that the Coronation should not be simply a stuffy replay of previous reigns. He wanted 'some features relevant to the world today'. But he was fiercely resisted by the Queen Mother and by Princess Mary, who referred to Philip as 'the Hun'.

The new Queen was caught in the middle. In Coronation Coup, we learn that Mountbatten, who had engineered the marriage between Philip and Elizabeth wanted the family name changed to Windsor-Mountbatten after her accession. Also, while the new Queen largely sided with her mother over arrangements for the Coronation, she backed Philip over perhaps the most important decision to televise the ceremony inside Westminster Abbey. In doing so she set a precedent for television to be given access to the most intimate rituals.

Prince Philip's Mother - The Strange, Exciting Life of Princess Alice | Documentary

Philip’s Death Leaves Prince Charles as Patriarch of Royal Family

THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: Prince of Wales will be increasingly at Queen’s side as he takes role at a time of internal divisions

An indisputable truth of hereditary monarchy is that promotion to the “top job” is accompanied by deep personal loss. So it will be for the Prince of Wales, who will eventually take the throne as he mourns his mother.

But the death of his father will have had no less profound an effect on Prince Charles. And, though on any official level it does not alter his royal status, it does change the family dynamic.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s death, as the Queen expressed, has left “a huge void”. Philip was the patriarchal head of “the firm”. This is the mantle Charles will now assume. This role was most symbolically underscored when Charles was the only family member to visit his father during his recent spell in hospital.

He spent 30 minutes at the duke’s bedside at King Edward VII’s hospital in London in February. What words were exchanged between father and son can only be guessed at, and are unlikely to ever be made public. But it was a sombre Charles who emerged with, according to photographers waiting outside, tears glistening in his eyes. » | Caroline Davies | Monday, April 12, 2021

’My Dear Papa Was a Very Special Person,’ Prince Charles Says

Prince Charles spoke in Tetbury, England, on Saturday about the life of his father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died on Friday at 99.

Prince Philip: An Extraordinary Man Who Led an Extraordinary Life

BBC: He outlived nearly everyone who knew him and might explain him.

And so we have been left with a two-dimensional portrait of the duke; salt-tongued and short-tempered, a man who told off-colour jokes and made politically incorrect remarks, an eccentric great-uncle who'd been around forever and towards whom most people felt affection - but who rather too often embarrassed himself and others in company.

With his death will come reassessment. Because Prince Philip was an extraordinary man who lived an extraordinary life; a life intimately connected with the sweeping changes of our turbulent 20th Century, a life of fascinating contrast and contradiction, of service and some degree of solitude. A complex, clever, eternally restless man.

His mother and father met at the funeral of Queen Victoria in 1901. At a time when all but four of Europe's nations were monarchies, his relatives were scattered through European royalty. Some royal houses were swept away by World War One; but the world into which Philip was born was still one where monarchies were the norm. His grandfather was the King of Greece; his great-aunt Ella was murdered along with the Russian tsar, by the Bolsheviks, at Ekaterinberg; his mother was a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

His four older sisters would all marry Germans. While Philip fought for Britain in the Royal Navy, three of his sisters actively supported the Nazi cause; none would be invited to his wedding. » | Jonny Dymond, Royal correspondent | Friday, April 9, 2021

'Cherish the Memories' – Prince Philip

BBC: Extract: “Prince Philip had blood ties with a number of former or current European royal households, and many of their members have been sending condolences.

The telegram from King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain was particularly poignant, sending "all our love and affection" to Aunt Lilibet (the affectionate name used by the duke for his wife) and Dear Uncle Philip.

"We shall never forget the moments that we shared with him and the legacy of service and dedication to the Crown and the United Kingdom by your side," they told the Queen.

Sweden's King Carl Gustaf was also moved, saying the duke had been "a great friend of our family for many years, a relation we have deeply valued".

Swedish royal family spokeswoman Margareta Thorgren told the BBC the king and the duke had sailed together in England, adding: "That was the start of a great friendship between them."

The Dutch royal family said they remembered Prince Philip with great respect, adding: "He dedicated his long life to the service of the British people and to his many duties and responsibilities. His lively personality made an indelible impression."

Belgium's King Philippe said he and Queen Mathilde would "always cherish the memories of our warm encounters". Prince Philip: World leaders and royals send heartfelt sympathy » | Friday, April 9, 2021

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Obituary

THE GUARDIAN: Prince Philip was the longest-serving consort of a British monarch, described by the Queen as her ‘strength and stay’

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has died aged 99, was the Queen’s husband for 73 years. He was the longest-serving royal consort in British history, the family’s patriarch and a well-known figure in public life for two-thirds of a century until his final disappearance into seclusion in 2019.

This was a marathon stint on which he had originally embarked with resignation, in the belief that a life of walking several steps behind his wife, curbing his opinions – though not always his tongue – and being an appendage to the institution, without even being able to pass on his surname to his children, would turn him into “nothing but a bloody amoeba”.

Things did not work out that badly. He brought a relaxed, mostly affable, peppery, outspoken – and occasionally brusque – style to a ceremonial monarchy that would have been more hidebound, introverted, insipid and decidedly stuffy without him. He introduced badly needed fresh air into the royal family but, while his longevity ensured that he became an integral part of the family firm, he clearly never forgot his initial, impecunious, foreign and outsider status within the institution.

His dutiful support for his wife and his engagement in public visits, ceremonial occasions and foreign trips continued well into old age. In 2011, he said in a television interview that he was winding down, but it was not until 2017 that he completed his final public engagement and it was only in January 2019, when he gave up driving after causing a car crash near the Sandringham estate, that he disappeared from view. He became the focus of attention again in February 2021, when he went into King Edward VII’s hospital in central London after an infection. » | Stephen Bates | Friday, April 9, 2021

Yanis Varoufakis: Capitalism Has Become 'Techno-feudalism' | UpFront

A recent Oxfam study found that since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the world’s richest 10 billionaires have seen a wealth increase of half a trillion dollars – enough to pay for every person on the planet to get a vaccine.

In this UpFront special, Marc Lamont Hill discusses with economist and former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis what is driving the staggering wealth inequalities and how governments are offering socialism for the rich, and austerity for the rest.

Jordan Bans Coverage of Alleged Plot Involving Prince Hamzah

THE GUARDIAN: Information clampdown to keep investigation into king’s half-brother ‘secret’, says prosecutor general

The prosecutor general in Jordan’s capital, Amman, has banned the publication of any information about an alleged plot said to involve the king’s half-brother, Prince Hamzah, state television said.

“In order to keep the security services’ investigation into Prince Hamzah and the others secret, [it is decided] to ban the publication of anything related to this inquiry at this stage,” the prosecutor Hassan al-Abdallat said.

“The ban on publication involves all audiovisual media and social networks, as well as the publication of all images or video clips relating to this subject on pain of legal action,” he said in a statement shown on television. » | Agence France-Presse in Amman | Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Alexei Navalny 'Seriously Ill' on Prison Sick Ward, Says Lawyer

THE GUARDIAN: Russian opposition figure has fever, cough and has lost weight, according to legal team member who visited him

Alexei Navalny’s lawyer has confirmed that the opposition leader is “seriously ill” after reports emerged that he had been transferred to a prison sick ward for a respiratory illness and had been tested for coronavirus.

The Kremlin critic said in a note published on Monday that he was coughing and had a temperature of 38.1C (100.6F). Several prisoners from his ward had already been treated in hospital for tuberculosis, Navalny wrote. Hours later, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia reported he had been moved to a sick ward and tested for coronavirus, among other diseases.

On Tuesday, Russian police arrested several Navalny supporters who had travelled to the prison 60 miles east of Moscow to petition for him to receive proper medical care. Anastasia Vasilyeva, the head of the Russian Doctors’ Alliance, along with three other members of the renegade medical union were arrested. Reporters for CNN and for Belsat, a Russian-language television channel based in Poland, were also briefly detained. » | Andrew Roth in Moscow | Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Leaving the Ultra-Orthodox – Jews Seeking a New Life in Germany | DW Documentary

ncreasing numbers of Jews have been leaving ultra-orthodox communities in recent years. Surprisingly, Germany has become a popular refuge for them. Rabbi Akiva Weingarten has been helping them.

More than 1.3 million Jews live in ultra-orthodox communities worldwide. It’s a kind of parallel universe — in which only God’s laws count. Every aspect of everyday life is clearly regulated: The women are responsible for the home and for looking after the children while the men devote their lives to religious study. But some ten percent of ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel go on to quit their communities - and that figure is growing. The majority are young adults and, surprisingly, many come to Germany. Akiva Weingarten was one of them. He grew up in an ultra-orthodox Satmar community in New York State but made a radical break in 2014. He left his wife and children and started a new life in Berlin - without a credit card, a bank account or a job, or any relatives to fall back on. He is now surrounded by a free community of former ultra-orthodox Jews - who turn to the rabbi for practical and religious advice. Moshe Barnett and David Lamberger have only been flat mates in Dresden for a few months now. They are not just seeking a new life, but a new relationship with God.

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah Pledges Loyalty to Half-brother King Abdullah

THE GUARDIAN: Palace turmoil eases as former crown prince vows to remain ‘faithful to the legacy of my ancestors’

Jordan’s Prince Hamzah has pledged loyalty to the king as the monarch accepted mediation over a rift within the royal family that saw the prince placed under house arrest, the palace said.

The government has accused Hamzah, an ex-crown prince and half-brother of King Abdullah II, of a “wicked” plot and involvement in a seditious conspiracy to “destabilise the kingdom’s security”.

Hamzah, detained along with at least 16 others, had earlier struck a defiant tone saying he had been placed under house arrest inside his Amman palace, but insisting he would not obey orders restricting his movement.

But in an apparent easing of the palace turmoil, the 41-year-old prince pledged his backing to King Abdullah. “I will remain … faithful to the legacy of my ancestors, walking on their path, loyal to their path and their message and to His Majesty,” he said in a signed letter, quoted by the palace.

“I will always be ready to help and support His Majesty the King and his Crown Prince,” he is quoted as writing. » | Agence France-Presse | Monday, April 5, 2021

Jordan Accuses Prince Hamzah of 'Malicious Plot' to Destabilize Kingdom | DW News

Jordan says it has foiled a plot by a former crown prince to destabilize the kingdom. The government maintains Hamzah bin Hussein and others were undermining security with the help of foreign powers. As many as twenty high level officials have been arrested. Hamzah denies being part of a conspiracy, and says he is being silenced.

According to Jordan security officials, the King's half-brother had been under investigation for some time. The country's foreign minister said the former crown prince was trying to mobilize tribal leaders against the government - with support from abroad. Sixteen people, including a former adviser to King Abdullah and another member of the royal family were arrested.

The military initially denied arresting Hamzah bin Hussein - but said it had issued him a warning for his actions. But in a video statement sent to media on Saturday Prince Hamzah claimed he had been placed under house arrest for associating with critics of the royal family.

Though he no longer holds an official title, Hamzah remains a popular figure in the country. And many see stability in King Abdullah the second. He has enjoyed widespread popularity during his reign.

Jordan is widely seen as an island of calm in a troubled region - strategically located between Israel, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The US, UK and several Arab nations have all expressed their full support for the reigning monarch.

But COVID-19 has hit the country's economy hard. Unemployment and poverty is on the rise, stoking domestic discontent.

From the 60 Minutes Archive: Steve Jobs

On the 45th anniversary of the founding of Apple, a look back at the 2011 profile of Steve Jobs, which aired just weeks after his death.

Jordan Says Prince Liaised with 'Foreign Parties' over Plot to Destabilize Country

The half-brother and former heir of Jordan's King Abdullah, Prince Hamza, liaised with foreign parties over a plot to destabilize the country and has been under investigation for some time, the deputy prime minister said on Sunday. Video by JORDANIAN PRIME MINISTRY / REUTERS

Jordanien: Wie König Abdullah seine Macht bewahren will

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der jordanische Prinz Hamsa bin Hussein ist in Hausarrest, mehrere seiner Getreuen wurden verhaftet. Planten sie einen Putsch gegen den politisch ohnehin geschwächten König?

Eine Satellitenverbindung war dem Prinzen noch geblieben. Über diese setzte Hamsa Bin Hussein, ein Halbbruder des jordanischen Königs, sein vorerst letztes Handyvideo in die Welt. Darin beschrieb Prinz Hamsa in englischer Sprache einen Besuch des Generalstabschefs, der ihm verboten habe, das Haus zu verlassen. Er sagte, seine Kommunikation werde abgeschnitten und viele seiner Bekannten und Freunde seien verhaftet worden. Der Vorwurf lautete: Er habe an Treffen teilgenommen, an denen König Abdullah II. und die Regierung Jordaniens kritisiert worden seien.

Jordaniens Sicherheitskräfte hatten am Samstag in Amman den Palast von Prinz Hamsa gestürmt. Die Behörden teilten mit, Hamsa sei nicht verhaftet worden. Gleichwohl scheint sich dieser in Hausarrest zu befinden. Nach Angaben der staatlichen Nachrichtenagentur Petra wurden 20 Personen verhaftet, unter ihnen zwei Vertraute des Prinzen. Dass damit Planungen eines Putschversuchs vereitelt worden sein könnten, darauf könnte eine Mitteilung des Generalstabs deuten. In der heißt es, Hamsa sei aufgefordert worden, „Bewegungen und Aktivitäten einzustellen, welche die Sicherheit und die Stabilität Jordaniens treffen sollten“. Hamsa dementierte, dass er Teil einer Verschwörung gegen den König sei. » | Von Jochen Stahnke und Rainer Hermann | Quelle: FAZ.NET | Montag, 5. April 2021

Jordan's Prince Hamzah Defiant after Being Put under House Arrest

THE GUARDIAN: King Abdullah’s half-brother says he will disobey the army’s orders not to communicate with outside world

Jordan’s estranged Prince Hamzah bin Hussein has said in a voice recording that he will disobey orders by the army not to communicate with the outside world after he was put under house arrest.

The half-brother of King Abdullah and the former heir to the throne said in the recording released on Monday by the country’s opposition that he would not comply after being barred from any activities and told to keep quiet.

“I am going to escalate and won’t obey when they tell you you cannot go out or tweet or reach out to people and are only allowed to see the family,” he said in the recording he circulated to friends and contacts. » | Reuters | Monday, April 5, 2021

Breaking Down Judaism | Rabbi Wolpe | Rubin Report

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report talks to Rabbi Wolpe (Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple) about Judaism, Orthodoxy, Conservative Judaism, Reform Judaism, the political component to Judaism, the state of Jews in America in 2017, and more.

Happy Easter ! Frohe Ostern! Joyeuses Pâques !

Jordan's Former Crown Prince under House Arrest over Alleged Coup

THE OBSERVER: Authorities also arrested two aides after raiding King Abdullah’s half-brother’s palace in capital Amman

Jordanian authorities raided the palace of the kingdom’s former crown prince on Saturday and arrested two senior aides after uncovering what intelligence officials believe was an attempted coup against the ruling monarch, King Abdullah.

The arrests focused on a network allegedly connected to Prince Hamzah bin Hussein, a half-brother of King Abdullah, who was removed from his post 16 years ago.

Prince Hamzah said in a video recording he was under house arrest and had been told to stay at home and not contact anyone.

Speaking in English in the video, passed by his lawyer to the BBC, he said he was not part of any foreign conspiracy and denounced the ruling system as corrupt.

“(Jordanians’) well[-]being has been put second by a ruling system that has decided that its personal interests, financial interests, that its corruption is more important than the lives and dignity and future of the 10 million people who live here,” he said. » | Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent, and Michael Safi | Saturday, April 3, 2021

Hitler, Nazis, Zweiter Weltkrieg - und wie die Deutschen heute damit umgehen | Meet the Germans

"Don't mention the war"? Hitler und die Nazis ein Tabu in Deutschland? Keinesfalls. Hier begegnet man der Vergangenheit auf sehr vielfältige Weise. Rachel Stewart hat sich 75 Jahre nach dem Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs auf Spurensuche begeben - und dabei auch Timur Vermes getroffen, der mit seiner Hitler-Satire "Er ist wieder da" einen internationalen Bestseller gelandet hat.

Die gebürtige Britin Rachel Stewart lebt seit 2016 in Deutschland und lernt noch immer Neues, Überraschendes und Erstaunliches über die Deutschen und ihre Kultur. Für “Meet the Germans” taucht sie in den deutschen Alltag ein - und mit wahren Kulturschätzen wie “Bier”, “Fleisch” oder “Weihnachten” wieder auf. Aber auch kontrovers diskutierte Themen wie “Deutsche Digitalisierung” oder “Voll emanzipiert? Frauen in Deutschland” gehören natürlich zu “Meet the Germans” dazu.

Boris Johnson ‘a Clown’ with No Diplomacy Skills, Says Ex-deputy in Diaries

THE GUARDIAB: Ex-Foreign Office deputy Sir Alan Duncan says PM mistakes regular headlines for political power

Boris Johnson’s former deputy at the Foreign Office has described him as an “embarrassing buffoon” in a new book. Sir Alan Duncan, the MP for Rutland and Melton from 1992 until the last election, said the prime minister was “a clown, a self-centred ego, an embarrassing buffoon, with an untidy mind and sub-zero diplomatic judgment”. “He is an international stain on our reputation,” Duncan added, in diaries which have been serialised in the Daily Mail.

The diaries, made into a book titled The Thick of It, cover his final four years in parliament during Brexit and Johnson’s move to Downing Street. Duncan served on the Conservative frontbenches for 18 years and was a former minister for international development.

In the diaries, Duncan also quotes the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng’s criticism of Johnson.

In an entry on 29 March 2017, Duncan wrote that he had run into Kwarteng in New Palace Yard in Westminster.

“He says Boris doesn’t appreciate that diplomacy is not about having nice conversations with your friends: it’s about how you engage with those who are awkward,” he wrote. » | Molly Blackall | Saturday, April 3, 2021

‘Raise My Taxes – Now!’: The Millionaires Who Want to Give It All Away

THE GUARDIAN: Abigail Disney has parted with $72m – and thinks the rich need to pay far more tax. As Covid widens the inequality gap, she and an international league of the super-rich are urging governments to take their money

Abigail Disney has always been very, very rich, or, as she describes it, “too rich”. The money came with her name: she is the granddaughter of Roy Disney who, with his brother Walt, founded the Walt Disney Company in 1923. Disney, 61, refuses to say how much she has, but acknowledges she would have been a billionaire in her own right had she not realised in her 20s that it was her fortune that was making her miserable, and decided to start giving it away.

She has been donating to good causes ever since – $72m (£52m) and counting, mostly to groups helping women in prison, women living with HIV, and victims of domestic violence. But giving it away is no longer enough. She wants the tax collector to take more money, not only from her, but from “all of the absurdly rich people across the world”.

“We’ve long known that the world is hugely unequal,” says Disney. “But now the pandemic has really shown it to all of us, and no one in all conscience can continue to ignore it.” Disney is speaking over Zoom from a pristine white sofa in her San Francisco home. Today, she looks more hippy chic than heiress: her light-brown hair falls in long, gentle curls, and there is a discreet peace dove tattooed on the inside of her wrist.

“It is like when your kids have a bath, and you pull the plug out and slowly all the little toys at the bottom are revealed,” says Disney. “That is what has happened here: now we all know what is going on under the surface.” As well as killing more than 2.5 million people, the pandemic and global lockdown response has plunged some 150 million more into “extreme poverty”, according to the World Bank. The Washington-based institution described Covid-19 as “a heat-seeking missile speeding toward the most vulnerable in society”. » | Rupert Neate | Saturday, April 3, 2021

The Patriotic Millionaires »

‘Kill the Bill’ Protesters Rally across England and Wales on Saturday

THE GUARDIAN: Demonstrations against crackdown on right to protest are organised in 25 cities including London

Protesters are rallying in central London and 24 other towns and cities in England and Wales on Saturday against a crime bill that critics say will severely restrict the right to stage demonstrations.

The police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, which passed its second reading in parliament last month, will modify existing public order legislation to make it easier for police to ban or shut down peaceful protests if they are considered too disruptive or likely to lead to disorder.

Opponents of the bill have called it an attack on the right to protest and a step towards authoritarianism. They warn that in conjunction with new laws giving agents of the state licence to commit crimes while undercover and changes to the judicial system, the balance of power is being tipped towards the authorities, eroding individual freedoms. » | Damien Gayle | Saturday, April 3, 2021

Moscheereport: Islam und Homosexualität

Schwul und Muslim - das geht nicht. So sehen es viele Gläubige im Nahen Osten, aber auch in Deutschland. Warum das richtig sei und auch so bleiben solle, berichtet ein Imam im Moscheereport. Constantin Schreiber berichtet im Moscheereport über das Verhältnis zwischen Islam und Homosexualität.

Verbotene Liebe - Homosexualität im NS-Regime

Gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe war in den Augen der Nazis entartete Sexualität. Tausende schwule Männer kamen in den Konzentrationslagern ums Leben. Das schwul-lesbische Filmfestival Pink Apple in Zürich widmete im Mai 2015 diesen verboteten Liebesgeschichten einen Schwerpunkt.

Homosexualität in der Geschichte: Von der Antike bis heute

In der Antike gehört Homosexualität zum Alltag – und ist nicht strafbar. Mehr als ein Jahrtausend später im Mittelalter werden Homosexuelle verbrannt, die Nationalsozialisten unter Adolf Hitler verfolgen, misshandeln und töten homosexuelle Menschen. Wie sich der Umgang mit Homosexualität, vor allem der Kontext homosexueller Handlungen, im Laufe der Geschichte gewandelt hat, erfahrt Ihr in diesem Video mit MrWisssen2Go Mirko Drotschmann. Homosexualität als Begriff für gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe ist natürlich viel jünger als gleichgeschlechtliche sexuelle Handlungen und Liebe. Die gibt es vermutlich seit Beginn der Menschheitsgeschichte. Aus der Antike kennen wir einige Darstellungen solcher Handlungen. Die Praktiken sind weit verbreitet, haben aber eine andere Bedeutung als heute. Mirko erzählt Euch von antiken Vasen mit eindeutigen Bildern, homosexuellen Handlungen im Krieg, von Richard Löwenherz, der mit Philipp II. von Frankreich das Bett teilt, um seinen Vater zu verärgern. Dann geht es im Video über Homosexualität in der Geschichte um das christlich geprägte Mittelalter. Im Mittelalter werden Menschen für homosexuelle Praktiken bestraft. Vom Mittelalter und der Frühen Neuzeit an werden Homosexuelle bis weit ins 20. Jahrhundert kriminalisiert, stigmatisiert und verfolgt. Trauriger Höhepunkt ist die Verfolgung von Homosexuellen im Nationalsozialismus. Die Nazis richten eine eigene Behörde dafür ein, die „Reichszentrale zur Bekämpfung der Homosexualität und Abtreibung“. Auch nach dem sogenannten Dritten Reich werden homosexuelle Handlungen in der Bundesrepublik nach §175 des Strafgesetzbuches jahrzehntelang unter Strafe gestellt. 1994 wird der bereits abgemilderte Paragraph 175 in der Bundesrepublik komplett aufgehoben. In der DDR sind Homosexuelle seit 1988 rechtlich gleichgestellt. Mirko spricht auch über die LGBTQ+-Bewegung, die Stonewall-Aufstände in den USA, und damit einhergehende Veränderungen. In diesem Video versucht Mirko, die Geschichte des Umgangs mit Homosexualität nachzuzeichnen.

Wir danken an dieser Stelle Frau Dr. Jana Kristin Hoffmann für die hilfreichen Anmerkungen!

Die gefälschte Bibel

Glaubt man der Bibel, dann hat Gott zur Zeit des Propheten Mose Völkermorde, die Todesstrafe und Tieropfer befohlen. Gleichzeitig gab Gott durch Mose jedoch das Gebot: „Du sollst nicht töten“. Auch distanziert sich Gott durch einige Propheten des Alten Bundes deutlich von den Ritualen der Tieropfer. Wie kommt das? Hat Gott zwei Meinungen - oder wurde die Bibel gefälscht?

Es erstaunt: Für die Katholische und die Evangelische Kirche sind alle Teile der Bibel, trotz der vielen Ungereimtheiten und offensichtlichen Fälschungen, das wahre „Wort Gottes“. Um die Antwort zu finden, warum es so viele Widersprüche in der Bibel gibt, muss zuerst der Frage nachgegangen werden: Wer hat die Bibel geschrieben? Wer hatte entschieden, welche Schriften in die Bibel aufgenommen wurden und welche nicht - und warum nicht?

Die Antwort ist ernüchternd: Es waren durch alle Zeiten die Pharisäer, Schriftgelehrten und Theologen, die diese Entscheidungen getroffen haben - im übertragenen Sinn die „Priesterkaste“. Doch welche Interessen waren im Spiel? In der TV-Dokumentation „Die gefälschte Bibel“ wird diesen Fragen nachgegangen. Die Ergebnisse überraschen und lassen erstaunen.

Nikotin ~ Droge mit Zukunft! | Doku | ARTE

Opinion: Boris Johnson’s Government Is Built on Cruelty

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Determined to make good on the nativist promise of Brexit, it has embraced anti-migrant authoritarianism.

LONDON — Last week, as Britain focused on its gradual emergence from lockdown, the home secretary, Priti Patel, laid out the government’s “New Plan for Immigration.”

The details were deeply sinister. Only those coming through resettlement schemes, who amount to less than 1 percent of refugees globally, would be welcomed. Everybody else, forced to take life-threateningly dangerous journeys, would be branded “illegal” and aggressively penalized. They would be blocked from key state support, given diminished family reunion rights and be permanently liable for removal, even if granted asylum.

These drastic proposals — which some suggest could contravene the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention — have been months in the making. Last year, Ms. Patel reportedly raised the possibility of sending asylum seekers to islands in the south Atlantic and considered deploying the Navy to prevent people from reaching Britain’s shores. Her plan, inhumane and wrongheaded, exemplifies how the British government treats migrants and refugees.

But such cruelty goes further than the asylum process. Since Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government took office in December 2019, promising to “Get Brexit Done,” it has sought to institute a harsher, more punitive system of immigration and border control. In the name of British sovereignty, it has suffused its rule with anti-migrant authoritarianism. » | Maya Goodfellow | Thursday, April 1, 2021

Top UK Brain Surgeon Calls for Urgent Inquiry into Assisted Dying

THE GUARDIAN: Henry Marsh reveals he has advanced prostate cancer and says law ‘insists I must suffer’

Henry Marsh, one of the UK’s leading brain surgeons and a bestselling author, has called for an urgent inquiry into assisted dying after revealing he has advanced prostate cancer.

Marsh, the author of Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery, said dying of cancer could be “a very horrible business” but the law “insists I must suffer”. Politicians had “shown a striking lack of compassion by ducking this issue for too long and are inadvertently guilty of great cruelty”, he said.

His call for an inquiry is backed by more than 50 MPs and peers from different parties, some of whom have previously voted against changing the law. Their letter to Robert Buckland, the justice secretary, argues that the UK has now fallen behind many other countries on the issue of assisted dying.

Last month Spain became the latest European country to approve legislation giving patients with incurable diseases or unbearable conditions the right to choose to end their lives with the assistance of a doctor. » | Harriet Sherwood | Thursday, April 1, 2021

ORF Zeit.Geschichte: 30 Tage bis zum Untergang Österreichs 1938

The RCA's Ban on Smoking Tobacco versus Judaism's Take (2009)

Timeshift: The Smoking Years (BBC)

Ask The Rabbi: Is Smoking a Sin?

The Difference Between Judaism, Christianity & Islam

What Is God?

This lecture was Sponsored in memory of Barbara Schwartz by her family.