Queen Carries Out First Official Engagements since Hospital Stay

THE GUARDIAN: Monarch, 95, holds virtual audiences from Windsor Castle after following doctor’s orders to rest

The Queen was pictured on a computer screen as she greeted the South Korean ambassador to the UK.Photograph: Victoria Jones/AP
The Queen has carried out virtual audiences from Windsor Castle – her first official engagements in seven days since she was ordered to rest by doctors.

It is the first time the 95-year-old head of state has been seen – albeit on a computer screen – since she hosted a busy evening reception for the global investment summit on 19 October.

She cancelled a trip to Northern Ireland, was under doctor’s orders to rest and underwent preliminary tests in hospital on 20 October during her first overnight stay at a medical facility in eight years.

The Queen was wearing a yellow dress and her three-strand pearl necklace and was seen smiling during the audiences on Tuesday.

She was pictured on a computer screen as she greeted the South Korean ambassador to the UK, Kim Gunn. » | PA Media | Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Die Kolonisten - Deutschbrasilianer im Süden Brasiliens

Elio und Oliver konnten das Gefühl sicherlich nicht stoppen!

via GIPHY

Elio and Oliver certainly couldn’t stop the feeling! / Elio et Oliver n'ont certainement pas pu arrêter le sentiment !
Many thanks to GIPHY and Pinterest for this clip from ‘Call Me by Your Name’, starring Timothée Chalamet as Elio and Armie Hammer as Oliver.

Ces jeunes hommes ne peuvent pas arrêter le sentiment non plus.

Auch diese jungen Männer können das Gefühl nicht aufhalten. / These young men can't stop the feeling, either.
Mes remerciements pour cette jolie photo allez à LEUC (@Mylenien) sur Pinterest.

Justin Timberlake : Can't Stop The Feeling | Stormtroopers Dance Moves & More | Tradução | HQ

A Jewish Far-Right Pundit Splits the French Jewish Community as He Rises

THE NEW YORK TIMES Éric Zemmour, eyeing the presidency, tries to rehabilitate the wartime Vichy regime that collaborated with the Nazis as part of a campaign filled with provocations.

Éric Zemmour attending an event last month for his new book in Versailles, France. Mr. Zemmour, 63, has done nothing to deny intense speculation that he will soon become a candidate for the French presidency. | Chesnot/Getty Images
PARIS — There have been many startling elements to Éric Zemmour’s as yet undeclared campaign to forge a hard-right path to the French presidency, but perhaps none as surprising as his attempt to rehabilitate France’s collaborationist wartime regime.

“Vichy protected French Jews and gave the foreign Jews,” Mr. Zemmour said in September on CNews, a growing Fox News-like TV channel, one of several remarks suggesting that the wartime government of Marshal Philippe Pétain that sent more than 72,500 Jews to their deaths was not so bad after all.

The comment was shocking not least because Mr. Zemmour is Jewish. From 1942 onward, there is no evidence that the Vichy regime tried to protect French Jews. It collaborated with the Nazis to round up Jews, whether foreign or French.

Clearly borrowed from the Trump playbook of staying at the top of the news through provocation and outrage, Mr. Zemmour’s declarations have divided the French Jewish community and made the unsayable sayable. But they have not slowed the giddy rise of this smooth-talking TV star and author, with the French presidential election less than six months away. » | Roger Cohen | Monday, October 25, 2021

Free Julian Assange: Snowden, Varoufakis, Corbyn & Tariq Ali Speak Out ahead of Extradition Hearing

Oct 25, 2021 • As jailed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces an extradition hearing Wednesday in London, supporters gathered Friday for the Belmarsh Tribunal, named for the Belmarsh maximum security prison where Assange is being held.

The mock trial highlighted major WikiLeaks revelations of U.S. war crimes and demanded Assange’s freedom. Assange faces up to 175 years in prison in the U.S. under the Espionage Act for publishing classified documents exposing U.S. war crimes. Though a British judge blocked his extradition in January, the U.S. appealed the decision.

We feature speakers from the tribunal, including writer Tariq Ali, Afghan political activist Selay Ghaffar, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis and former Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn.

“Julian, far from being indicted, should actually be a hero,” said Ali. “He should never have been kept in prison for bail. He should not be in prison now awaiting a trial for extradition. He should be released.

” We also hear from Srećko Horvat, philosopher and Belmarsh Tribunal chair; Ewen MacAskill, former Guardian journalist; and Stella Morris, partner of Julian Assange.

Stevie Wonder : I Just Called To Say I Love You

Hits on YouTube: 20,590,529

The Guardian View on US Abortion Laws: Freedoms Hanging by a Thread

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: By allowing the Texas law banning abortions after six weeks to stand, the supreme court has joined the attack

Protesters march in Austin, Texas, against the state’s abortion laws. Photograph: AFP/Getty
The announcement by the US supreme court that Texas’s new law banning abortions after six weeks would be allowed to stand, until it hears the federal government’s case against it on 1 November, was a blow to anyone hoping that the court might block attempts to remove women’s constitutional right to abortion. The 1973 decision that established this right, Roe v Wade, is a landmark in the history of the court.

The challenge brought by the Biden administration aims to overturn the Texas law on grounds that the state has violated the court’s authority. By outsourcing enforcement of its abortion ban to private citizens, who since September have been allowed to sue anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion, Texas legislators have sought “to evade the traditional mechanisms for judicial review”, the suit states. The justice department argues that this is a dangerous precedent with the potential to undermine other supreme court decisions. While some employers are ffering to relocate staff to other states, the women most likely to be harmed by the ban are the poorest and least mobile, who in Texas are disproportionately women of colour. » | Editorial | Monday, October 25, 2021

Keep politics out of medical matters! The criminalisation of abortions does not affect the rich and privileged – they can afford to travel out of state, or even abroad, to get their abortions. This draconian law affects only the poor and under-privileged, who might well be forced to revert to the Victorian solution: knitting needles and bottles of gin! – © Mark

Sudan’s Army Seizes Power in Coup and Detains Prime Minister

THE GUARDIAN: Military declares state of emergency and gunfire reported as protesters flood Khartoum streets

Sudan’s military has seized power in a coup, arrested leading civilian politicians including the prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, and declared a state of emergency as thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Khartoum in opposition.

The Sudan Doctors’ Committee said late on Monday that three protesters had been killed and 80 people wounded after security forces fired on demonstrators. As night fell in Khartoum, witnesses described gangs of young men armed with sticks reportedly beating anyone found on the streets.

Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed recriminations between military and civilian groups who have been sharing power since the toppling of the autocrat Omar al-Bashir two years ago. With video » | A reporter in Khartoum and Peter Beaumont | Monday, October 25, 2021

Renaud Girard: «Taïwan, une lente strangulation chinoise»

LE FIGARO : CHRONIQUE - Nous risquons d’assister, au cours de cette décennie, à une guerre d’usure entre la Chine et l’Amérique pour le contrôle de ce territoire.

Interrogé en public sur la question de Taïwan par un journaliste le 21 octobre 2021, le président américain actuel est sorti de l’ambiguïté stratégique que tous ses prédécesseurs avaient soigneusement conservée depuis que les États-Unis ont, en 1979, reconnu officiellement la République populaire de Chine et sa doctrine d’un seul pays.

Joe Biden a affirmé que si les forces communistes de l’Armée populaire de libération chinoise attaquaient Taïwan, l’Amérique se porterait militairement au secours de la petite île démocratique agressée.

Le sujet était dans tous les esprits, dans la mesure où l’ambassadeur de Chine à Washington, Zhang Jun, venait de critiquer publiquement «les dangereuses actions américaines dans le détroit de Formose». Ce diplomate de haut rang manie parfaitement l’inversion accusatoire, procédé rhétorique consistant à accuser l’autre de ses propres noires intentions. C’est en effet l’armée de l’air chinoise qui a multiplié, aux mois de septembre et d’octobre 2021, les vols dans la zone de défense de Taïwan et non les chasseurs-bombardiers américains qui sont allés frôler les côtes de la Chine populaire. L’ambassadeur voulait-il critiquer le passage de bâtiments de l’US Navy à travers le détroit, qui fait quand même 170 km de large? » | Par Renaud Girard | lundi 25 Octobre 2021

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À LIRE AUSSI : Pékin teste la détermination de Joe Biden dans le ciel de Taïwan »

David Beckham Slammed for Reportedly Becoming Face of Homophobic Qatar in £150 Million Deal

David Beckham speaks with Nasser al-Khelaifi, chairman of Qatar Sports Investments. (AFP via Getty/ KARIM JAAFAR)
PINK NEWS: David Beckham has reportedly signed a deal worth £150 million to become the “face of Qatar” ahead of next year’s World Cup.

According to The Sun, Beckham will “promote tourism and culture” for the next decade in the country, which is strongly anti-LGBT+ and has an atrocious human rights record.

The deal was first reported by The Mail on Sunday in February, although it is still unclear what duties the role will involve. He will reportedly earn £15 million a year for the next decade.

Beckham, who in 2007 said he was “honoured to have the tag of gay icon” and is an ambassador for UNICEF, spent a week in Qatar this month, one of the most dangerous places in the world to be LGBT+.

In a vague statement, a spokesperson for Beckham told The Telegraph: “David has been visiting Qatar regularly for over a decade and went on to play for [Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain] so he has seen the passion for football in the country and the long-term commitment that’s been made to hosting this World Cup and delivering a lasting legacy for the region.

“He’s always talked about the power of football as a force for good.

“As we reach the one-year-to-go point, he joins the wider football community that is coming together for the World Cup 2022 and he’s looking forward to what he thinks will be a great tournament.” Homosexuality can be punished by imprisonment, flogging or death in Qatar » | Lily Wakefield | Monday, October 25, 2021

UK Haulage Industry Tells PM to Act on Supply Chains or Face Christmas Crisis

THE GUARDIAN: Calls for Boris Johnson to intervene personally after ‘lacklustre’ efforts to tackle lorry driver shortage

The haulage industry has urged Boris Johnson to step up “lacklustre” efforts to tackle a shortage of 100,000 HGV drivers, telling him to act now on supply chains or face a Christmas crisis.

Bosses of multiple trade bodies and businesses in the trucking and food industries have written to the prime minister saying not enough had been done to resolve the crisis and urging him to intervene personally.

They said measures intended to plug the gap, including a temporary three month visa for HGV drivers, “simply do not go far enough to tackle the crisis and protect the UK economy in the months ahead”.

“Without further action, this will only get worse, particularly as we begin the countdown to Christmas,” they added.

A lack of qualified HGV drivers has been cited as a factor in last month’s petrol shortages and interruptions to supermarket supply chains, as well as prompting warnings of major disruption at Christmas, such as bins not being collected. » | Rob Davies | Monday, October 25, 2021

Royaume-Uni: le bacon et les dindes de Noël en danger : Les abattoirs et les boucheries britanniques sont frappés par un manque crucial de main-d’œuvre. »

Schweizer Auswanderer in Brasilien – Suche nach einer besseren Zukunft | Reportage | SRF Dok

Sep 4, 2017 • Nach Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs bewirtschaftete Anton Huber einen kleinen Hof in der Luzerner Gemeinde Kottwil.

Er wollte seinen neun Kindern eine gute Ausbildung ermöglichen. Das schien ihm zuhause unmöglich. Deshalb schloss sich die Familie Huber 1951 einer Gruppe von Auswanderern an, die in Brasilien eine bessere Zukunft suchte.

Die Familien von Anton und Klaus Huber lebten in Zelten, sie wuschen sich im Fluss, wurden von Mücken fast aufgefressen. Aber ein grosser Idealismus gab den Siedlern Kraft: Sie wollten in der Savanne eine Kolonie aufbauen, in der Kleinbauern eine umweltverträgliche Landwirtschaft betreiben und ihre Produkte gemeinsam vermarkten.


Dieser Dokumentarfilm ist zum Teil in Schweizerdeutsch (Schwyzertüütsch) aufgenommen worden. – Mark

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 25, 2021

Saudi Crown Prince a ‘Psychopath’, Says Exiled Intelligence Officer

THE GUARDIAN: Saad Aljabri says Mohammed bin Salman boasted he could kill former ruler King Abdullah

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been accused by Saad Aljabri in a 60 Minutes interview of boasting he could kill the kingdom’s one-time ruler, King Abdullah. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A former senior Saudi intelligence officer has claimed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is a “psychopath with no empathy” who once boasted that he could kill the kingdom’s ruler at the time, King Abdullah, and replace him with his own father.

In an interview on US television, Saad Aljabri, who fled Saudi Arabia in May 2017 and is living in exile in Canada, also said he had been warned by an associate in 2018, after the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, that a Saudi hit team was heading to Canada to kill him.

Aljabri told 60 Minutes on CBS he was warned “don’t be in a proximity of any Saudi mission in Canada. Don’t go to the consulate. Don’t go to the embassy.” When he asked why, he said he was told “they dismembered the guy, they kill him. You are on the top of the list.”

Some details of the alleged murder plot, which were detailed in litigation in the US and Canada, have already been reported. But the 60 Minutes interview represents the first time Aljabri has publicly spoken about his break with Prince Mohammed.

He also spoke of the plight of his two youngest children, Sarah and Omar, who were arrested and are in prison in Saudi Arabia in what is widely seen as an attempt to force their father back to the country. » | Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington | Monday, October 25, 2021

Saudi aide accused of directing Khashoggi murder edges back to power »

Un documentaire sur MBS et l'Arabie saoudite ici.

Saudi crown prince suggested killing King Abdullah, ex-official says: Saudi Arabia's crown prince suggested using a "poison ring" to kill the late King Abdullah, a former top Saudi intelligence official has alleged. »

Here is the 60 Minutes interview.

Gipsy Kings - Trista Pena

Nov 20, 2017 • Gipsy Kings - Trista Pena Scenes from the film «Revenge» starring Kevin Costner and Madeleine Stowe Lyrics, music: Andre Reyes, Jacques Baliardo, Jalhoul Bouchikhi, Maurice Baliardo, Nicolas Reyes, Tonino Baliardo

Erdogan durcit le bras de fer avec l’Occident

Le président turc, Tayyip Erdogan, à Sotchi en Russie, le 29 septembre. SPUTNIK/via REUTERS
Istanbul
LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - Le président turc a annoncé l’expulsion d’une dizaine d’ambassadeurs occidentaux, dont ceux de la France, de l’Allemagne et des États-Unis.

Dans les capitales occidentales et au sein de leurs chancelleries installées en Turquie, la nouvelle a choqué ceux qui s’étaient pourtant habitués aux affronts de Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Elle signale qu’une nouvelle étape a été franchie dans ce pays devenu imprévisible, dont la politique étrangère semble dépendre plus que jamais des aléas de sa politique intérieure.

Samedi, devant une foule de partisans, le chef de l’État turc a annoncé que dix ambassadeurs devraient plier bagage «au plus vite». «J’ai donné des instructions (…) pour que ces dix ministres des Affaires étrangères… pour que ces ambassadeurs soient déclarés persona non grata, a-t-il déclaré, commettant un lapsus. Ils vont connaître la Turquie, la comprendre… Sinon, ils la quitteront!» » | Par Anne Andlauer | Publié : dimanche 24 octobre 2021 ; mis à jour : lundi 25 octobre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

Gotcha!

Erwischt! / Je t'ai eu !
Many thanks to Wattpad on Pinterest for this great photo.

Zufriedenheit

Contentement / Contentment
Many thanks to Michael Olivero on Pinterest for this lovely photo.

Les paris économiques risqués de Boris Johnson

La Grande-Bretagne ne peut, seule, isolée, mener une politique économique autarcique qui se défierait des contraintes pesant sur les autres. olga Akmen/Pool Photo via AP
LE FIGARO : DÉCRYPTAGE - La défiance du gouvernement britannique vis-à-vis des préoccupations des chefs d’entreprise risque d’entraîner le pays dans une spirale dangereuse.

C’était l’une des promesses du Brexit. Mettre fin à l’immigration incontrôlée d’Européens, accusée de tirer les salaires à la baisse, pour redonner la priorité aux Britanniques dans l’emploi. Boris Johnson a répété son objectif lors du congrès du Parti conservateur, au début du mois. Il entend faire du pays une «économie à hauts salaires, qualifications élevées, haute productivité et, par là même, faibles impôts».

Las. Ce postulat se heurte aux réalités d’une économie mondialisée et à ses tensions conjoncturelles. La Grande-Bretagne ne peut, seule, isolée, mener une politique économique autarcique qui se défierait des contraintes pesant sur les autres. Selon le professeur d’économie au King’s College London Jonathan Portes, l’impact prévisible de ce malthusianisme migratoire serait «moins d’emploi et moins de production», plutôt que l’inverse. » | Par Florentin Collomp | dimanche 24 octobre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

Presseclub: Ja zur EU, aber ohne ihre Werte – Sprengt Polen die Gemeinschaft?

Nur knapp zwei Jahre nach dem Brexit steht das europäische Haus schon wieder in Flammen. Der Grund: Das polnische Verfassungsgericht lehnt den generellen Vorrang von EU-Recht vor nationalem Recht ab.

Der französische Präsident Macron sprach von einem direkten Angriff auf das Herz Europas. Seither wird fieberhaft überlegt, ob man Warschau durch Geldentzug gefügig machen kann. Doch die polnische Regierung will sich nicht “erpressen lassen” und weigert sich einzulenken. Fliegt der europäische Laden jetzt endgültig auseinander?

Ellen Ehni diskutiert mit ihren Gästen:

Joanna Maria Stolarek (Magazin Dialog)
Christoph von Marshall (Der Tagesgespiegel)
Daniela Schwarzer (Open Society Foundation) Eric Bonse (freier Journalist)

Life with Siberian Nomads | Survival Documentary | Real Stories

Sep 7, 2019 • Kate Humble enters the deep, cold Siberian desert of snow and ice to live with some of the strongest surviving nomads of the world.

Long Arm of Russian Law Reaches Obscure Siberian Church: The arrest of the leader of a small religious group reveals that Russian repression reaches even to the depths of the Siberian forest. »

Major Investigation Targeting Australia’s Largest Neo-Nazi Group | 60 Minutes Australia

Aug 15, 2021 • A joint investigation by 60 MINUTES, ‘The Age’ and ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ to infiltrate and expose a toxic and rotting world of hate. Reporter Nick McKenzie has been working on this clandestine operation for the past eight months. The threat is so significant Australia’s top spy, the director-general of ASIO has agreed to his first major television interview. “This is of grave concern to ASIO, and should be of grave concern to all Australians,” Mike Burgess tells McKenzie.
This 60 Minutes Australia report is very disturbing, so I do not wish to embed the video on my blog; instead, I am posting a link to the video on YouTube so that you can view it there instead.

Be warned! This report is very troubling; further, much of the language used in the video is also troubling and disgusting. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Both because of the report’s content and filthy language and racist sentiments used by the neo-Nazis in the report. Be aware that the report is NOT suitable viewing for children; nor is it suitable viewing for the anxious , the squeamish or the faint of heart.

Considering the dreadful history of the middle of the twentieth century, it is truly astonishing that people with such obnoxious and disturbing views should exist at all in the twenty-first century. Clearly, people like this have NOT learnt the lessons of history. Unfortunately, if we, as people, don’t learn the lessons of history, we are doomed to repeat them. This is extremely sad and very worrying.

The 60 Minutes Australia programme can be viewed here. – © Mark

The Alleged Dodgy Deals Casting a New Shadow on the Royal Family | 60 Minutes Australia

Their titles bring entitlement, but how much should the British royal family be allowed to exploit that privilege? The latest shadow cast over the Windsors comes from accusations they can – and are – being bought. The timing couldn't be worse with increasing fears for 95-year-old Queen Elizabeth's health. But as you'll see, some very curious characters have been doing some dubious deals, including with senior Royals, who appear to act as if cash for cachet is perfectly acceptable.

Hinter der Fassade | SWR Nachtcafé

Oct 22, 2021 • Jeden Tag treffen wir auf fremde Menschen - und häufig machen wir uns schnell ein Bild von ihnen. Doch was sie zu dem gemacht hat, was sie heute sind, was sie bewegt, das wissen wir nicht. Und selbst diejenigen, die wir zu kennen meinen, können hinter der Fassade Dinge verborgen halten, von denen wir nichts ahnen.

Orbán eröffnet Wahlkampf in Ungarn mit Brandrede

FEINDBILD BRÜSSEL
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die europäischen Würdenträger würden die Ungarn zu Liberalen „prügeln“ wollen, sagt Orbán bei einer Wutrede gegen die EU zum Auftakt seines Wahlkampfs. In Budapest marschieren Zehntausende seiner Anhänger auf.

Mit dem organisierten Aufmarsch Zehntausender Anhänger aus dem ganzen Land und einer Brandrede gegen die EU hat der ungarische Regierungschef Viktor Orbán am Samstag seine Kampagne für die Parlamentswahl im kommenden Frühjahr eröffnet. Die Institutionen der Europäischen Union würden den Bürgern Ungarns und Polens vorschreiben wollen, wie sie zu leben hätten, erklärte der rechtsnationale Politiker im Zentrum von Budapest.

„Die hohen europäischen Würdenträger wollen uns zu 'Europäern', zu (gegenüber sexueller Diversität) 'Sensibilisierten', zu Liberalen prügeln“, sagte er. Doch wenn es darum geht, „die Heimat, die Familie, die Kultur, die Freiheit des alltäglichen Lebens zu verteidigen“, müsse jeder seinen Beitrag leisten. „Wenn die Zeit kommt, stellt euch vor eure Häuser und verteidigt sie!“, fügte er hinzu. » | Quelle: dpa | Samstag, 23. Oktober 2021

How the American Right Fell in Love With Hungary: Some U.S. conservatives are taking a cue from Prime Minister Viktor Orban — how to use the power of the state to win the culture wars. »

Taïwan : un séisme de magnitude 6,5 frappe le nord-est de l'île

La capitale Taipei. Sam Yeh / AFP
LE FIGARO : Un tremblement de terre d'une magnitude de 6,5 a frappé le nord-est de Taïwan dimanche selon l'agence de météorologie, les habitants signalant de fortes secousses dans la capitale Taipei mais aucun rapport ne faisant état de dégâts importants dans l'immédiat.

L'agence de météorologie de Taïwan a constaté un tremblement de terre de magnitude 6,5, tandis que l'US Geological Survey a donné une force plus faible de 6,2. Il a frappé le comté de Yilan au nord-est à 13H11 heure locale (05H11 GMT) à une profondeur de 67 kilomètres (42 miles). La secousse a semblé durer une trentaine de secondes. «Les murs de la maison tremblaient, aussi bien latéralement que de haut en bas, cela semblait assez fort», selon un journaliste de l'AFP à Yilan, qui n'a pas constaté de dégâts dans son quartier. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | dimanche 24 octobre 2021

'Global Britain' Stupidity - Brexit and Covid Have Made Us the Stupidest Nation on Earth

Oct 24, 2021 • Brexit is having such severe consequences for our economy and it looks as though things will only get worse. Shortages of staff in many sectors of the economy, rising prices and taxes only make matters worse. In addition, the government's handling of the Coronavirus pandemic has been so bad that the U.K. has seen the second or third highest number of new cases in the world over the past week with no sign of numbers coming down. In the meantime, the government insists that further measures such as wearing masks and social distancing should be a matter for individual choice which means that few are wearing masks and the virus will inevitably spread. In the meantime, the world looks on at our stupidity.

The UK is becoming an authoritarian state under Home Secretary, Pritti Patel

Boris Johnson – The buffoon who brought us Brexit

The Wedding Kiss

Le baiser de mariage / Der Hochzeitskuss
Many thanks to Love Inc. for this great and inspirational photo.

Australia’s Most Extravagant Gay Wedding So Far!

Luke and Damien's special day will soon be televised on Channel 7's show 'Extreme Weddings’, .. This extravagant dream wedding was a reality for Luke and Damien and was bestowed as Australia's largest same sex luxury wedding to date.
With many thanks to WeddedWonderland for this photograph of the wedding extravaganza.

How to Contain the Spread of Covid amid Vaccine Scepticism in Romania? | Covid-19 Special

Oct 22, 2021 • Nearly 400 Romanians are dying from the virus every day. The health system is collapsing. Ambulances are queuing outside hospitals, already at capacity. Some Covid patients are being transferred to neighboring Hungary for treatment. Romania has one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in the world. What will it take to stop the spread of the virus in a country where thousands are against containment measures, including vaccinations?

MBS, le prince d'Arabie (2020) documentaire complet en français HD

Prince héritier d'Arabie saoudite, Mohammed ben Salman (dit MBS) se trouve - à seulement 34 ans - à la tête d'un État d'Asie occidentale qui possède d'immenses réserves pétrolières et pèse sur l'économie mondiale. Ce pays abrite également les principaux lieux saints de l'Islam et demeure le premier acheteur d'armes du monde. Accusé de l'assassinat barbare d'un journaliste, de l'enlèvement d'un Premier ministre étranger, engagé dans une guerre sanglante au Yémen, décidé à contrer l'Iran à tout prix, MBS est aussi un partenaire-clé dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, mène des réformes spectaculaires qui changent le visage de son royaume.

Turkish Opposition Begins Joining Ranks against Erdogan

THE NEW YORK TIMES: With an eye on elections, six parties are working on a plan to end a powerful presidency and return to a parliamentary system.

A coalition of opposition parties is preparing to challenge the long reign of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey. | Pool photo by Vladimir Smirnov
ISTANBUL — Turkish opposition parties are presenting an increasingly united and organized front aimed at replacing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and even forcing early elections in the coming year to challenge his 19-year rule.

As they negotiate a broad alliance among themselves, the leaders of six opposition parties appear to have agreed on turning the next election into a kind of referendum on the presidential system that Mr. Erdogan introduced four years ago and considers one of his proudest achievements.

His opponents say that presidential system has allowed Mr. Erdogan to concentrate nearly authoritarian power — fueling corruption and allowing him to rule by decree, dictate monetary policy, control the courts and jail tens of thousands of political opponents.

By making the change back to a parliamentary system a centerpiece of its agenda, Mr. Erdogan’s opposition hopes to shift debate to the fundamental question of the deteriorating health of Turkey’s democracy. » | Carlotta Gall | Saturday, October 23, 2021

Phil Collins: Everyday | Remastered 2016

This Dysfunctional Brexit Is Unravelling by the Day. | Truth to Power

Oct 23, 2021 • “As the prime minister pretended to paint in a Churchillian style during his recent 25 thousand pound holiday in Marbella, paid for, no doubt, by a cash for favours donor, the British economy was bouncing from crisis to crisis. And it’s not just a dysfunctional economy, it’s a dysfunctional Brexit delivered by a dysfunctional government, which in turn was delivered by a dysfunctional political system.”

This is a very interesting video. I do not, however, share this gentleman's belief in socialism. In my opinion, what this country needs is a modern, business-friendly party, committed to the European Project and more fairness for all. The current Conservative Party is made up of fossils and people who dream of Britain's past glories: Empire-lovers! – © Mark

Éric Zemmour veut rompre avec la doctrine atlantiste

Éric Zemmour (ici le 2 octobre à Lille) estime que la diplomatie européenne est «condamnée au mieux à la paralysie, au pire à la soumission aux États-Unis». SOPA Images/Laurent Coust / SOPA Images/Sipa
De notre envoyé spécial à Rouen (Seine-Maritime)
LE FIGARO : À Rouen, l’essayiste a livré un exposé géopolitique offensif à l’égard des États-Unis.

Cinq cent quatre-vingt-dix ans plus tard, l’exécution de la pucelle d’Orléans sur le bûcher n’a visiblement pas été digérée. Dans le cadre de sa tournée de promotion de son dernier livre, La France n’a pas dit son dernier mot , Éric Zemmour a profité d’une étape à Rouen, ville normande où est morte Jeanne d’Arc, pour ébaucher quarante-cinq minutes durant ses vues sur les relations internationales et la défense nationale. Devant les gradins clairsemés - une fois n’est pas coutume - du Zénith de la ville, l’essayiste a dessiné un exposé géopolitique particulièrement offensif à l’égard du monde anglo-saxon.

Contre les Anglais, «nos ennemis depuis mille ans», et tout particulièrement vis-à-vis des États-Unis, face auxquels gouvernements successifs de droite et de gauche seraient coupables de s’être «couchés», assure Éric Zemmour. «Pour nos élites, c’est presque un soulagement: ils se réjouissent que la France se contente d’être sagement une puissance moyenne, à l’ombre des grands (…), ils se trompent lourdement: dans les relations internationales, il n’y a pas de places paisibles pour les seconds rôles.» » | Par Charles Sapin | vendredi 22 octobre 2021

Réservé aux abonnés

Saddam Hussein's Doctor Reveals the Man Behind the Tyrant

Jun 14, 2018 • Under the Skin of Saddam (2004): Ala Bashir was Saddam's personal doctor for 22 years. despised by the Ba'ath party hierarchy, he nonetheless managed to survive the fall of the regime by getting close to Saddam when it mattered.

Latin America Has Become an Unlikely Leader in LGBT Rights

QUARTZ: In 2010, Argentina became the first Latin American country to legalize same-sex marriage, largely due to the work of LGBT activists like Esteban Paulon.

Paulon, who didn’t have a partner at the time, saw this movement as a political struggle, rather than a personal one.

“I fought for the law without knowing if I would ever get married or not,” said Paulon, vice president of the Argentine LGBT Federation. “But on the journey to this achievement, I met my partner.”

Paulon and his partner were married three years after the law was passed—turning a national political achievement into a personal milestone they were able to celebrate with their friends and family.

“If the state says that all families are equal before the law and that all families have the same worth, this inevitably has an effect on daily life and on social perception about sexual diversity,” Paulon said. “The fact of being able to access marriage is also personal.”

Since 2010, more than 15,000 same-sex couples have been married in Argentina, the tenth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. The decision illustrated Latin America’s unlikely leadership in the fight for LGBT equal rights. Indeed, the focus on the US gay rights movement has overshadowed other countries where important gains have been won. Finally, Latin America is being recognized as a major leader in the global LGBT movement by both academics and major global activists groups like Human Rights Watch. » | Anna-Catherine Brigida | Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Anna Netrebko & Elīna Garanča – Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann : Barcarolle

Nov 18, 2009 • Souvenirs is a collection of short and sparkling pieces that allow Anna to display her amazing voice and temperament - See her sing "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann", which is part of the her album "Souvenirs".

Moonlight Lady - Julio Iglesias

Ina Garten's Croque-monsieur | Barefoot Contessa | Food Network

Apr 9, 2021 • Ina makes a rich and creamy cheese sauce for her classic French sandwich made up of ham and Gruyère.

Get the recipe here.

WIKIPÉDIA : Croque-monsieur »

Angela Merkel fait ses adieux à une Europe fracturée

Pour ce dernier sommet, où la Pologne était sur la sellette pour ses violations de l'État de droit, l'Allemande a encore imprimé sa marque en plaidant pour le dialogue avec Varsovie. JOHANNA GERON / REUTERS
Correspondante à Bruxelles
LE FIGARO : La chancelière a reçu une standing ovation vendredi pour son 107eConseil européen.

Angela Merkel a tourné vendredi une page importante de sa carrière politique. Elle a participé, à Bruxelles, à ce qui devrait être son dernier sommet européen, le 107e depuis 2005. Alors que les négociations s'accélèrent en Allemagne autour du social-démocrate Olaf Scholz et que la prochaine réunion des Vingt-Sept est programmée peu avant Noël, il fallait rendre hommage à la chancelière. Le président du Conseil européen, -Charles Michel, l'a fait vendredi matin.

Les réunions des Vingt-Sept « sans Angela, c'est Rome sans le Vatican, Paris sans la tour Eiffel », a-t-il affirmé. À la surprise générale, Charles Michel a ensuite fait diffuser un message de l'ancien président des États-Unis, Barack Obama. Louant le « sens de l'humour », « le pragmatisme sage » et « la boussole morale constante » de la chancelière, celui-ci s'est dit « heureux d'être devenu votre ami ». Chaudement applaudie par les Vingt-Sept, visiblement émue, Merkel a affirmé éprouver « un sentiment étrange ». « Cela a toujours été très créatif », a ajouté dans sa courte allocution celle qui n'aime rien de plus que ces compromis de la dernière heure dont elle a été si souvent l'artisan en Europe, notamment en juillet 2020, sur le plan de relance européen. » | Par Anne Rovan | vendredi 22 octobre 2021

À LIRE AUSSI : Angela Merkel ou la puissance du pragmatisme »

Beyond Being Queer and Muslim

Mar 21, 2018 • "Not every Muslim is dangerous. Some of us are queer and have cats and love musicals."

Gay and Muslim: Gay Imam Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed Explains What It's Like to be Gay and Muslim

Feb 29, 2016 • As LGBT History Month 2016 has been focusing on faith, gay imam Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed explains people's reactions to his identity. While Zahed set up Europe’s first inclusive mosque in France, blogger Asad Dhunna grew up gay and Muslim in London. And Dominic Arnall from LGBT charity Stonewall explains why the future looks bright for LGBT people of faith.

Gay Afghan Burned by Taliban Says International LGBT+ Community Has ‘Forgot[ten] about Us’

Sohil was burned by a member of the Taliban. (Provided)
PINK NEWS: A gay man from Afghanistan who was burned by a Taliban member has said he is “shocked” by the lack of support and solidarity shown by the international LGBT+ community.

Sohil – whose surname has been withheld to protect his identity – is a young gay Afghan whose life was thrown into disarray when the Taliban seized power in August.

Afghanistan was never accepting of homosexuality, but he was in contact with a small network of other gay people. Now, they’re all “living in the shadows” – hiding themselves to evade capture and torture by the extremist group.

“Imagine you have all the great hopes for your life, you have everything, and then one day you wake up and everything is gone,” he tells PinkNews. “I lost my university, I lost my life, I lost my community. Even the boys I was in contact with, they are all living in the shadows. They are all hiding themselves.”

His daily life is very different to what it was before the Taliban took over. Sohil says he was just a “normal person” before extremists weaponised his sexuality. He was a medical student who had ambitions to get out of Afghanistan and build a life for himself. Now, he’s been forced to flee his home – he told his family his history of upporting human rights could make him a Taliban target. » | Patrick Kelleher | Friday, October 22, 2021

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — October 22, 2021