THE OBSERVER: The government has to give up on playing games and start to make deals with the EU
Brexit isn’t working. We were sold a false prospectus. Businesses, especially small and medium-size ones, are reeling. They are absorbing unwanted costs; paying hidden tariffs; suffering hitherto avoidable checks on exports; moving factories, depots and offices to within the EU; shedding workers and haemorrhaging orders. Children’s school trips to and from Europe have collapsed. It takes months to get a visa. British science remains outside the EU’s Horizon programme, the biggest international science programme in the world. So it goes on.
As importantly, centuries of British statecraft, aimed at building alliances in Europe with whatever constellation of countries best suited our interests, has been shattered. Britain’s leaders, from Pitt and Palmerston to Churchill, all understood the vital need to engage with Europe. Now, Ireland’s taoiseach, Micheál Martin, or France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, are vastly strengthened, securely knowing they have the entire EU behind them. Whether attempting to solve the cross-Channel migrant crisis or trying to join Horizon, bellicose jingoism is not only crass – it has no hope of achieving the results we want. Britain is suddenly diminished even if our Brexit leaders have yet to realise how little Britain has become.
These realities can’t be disguised for much longer. The Brexit minister, David Frost, felt the need at last week’s one-day Margaret Thatcher conference on trade to argue that success, clearly elusive, would need Britain to overcome “the forces of entropy, of laziness, of vested interest”, his blather signifying desperation and beleaguerment. The “vested interests” are no more than businesses bewildered by rising costs and diminished opportunity. The Spectator’s editor, Fraser Nelson, who had earlier chaired a debate between Vince Cable and veteran Brexiter Daniel Hannan, admitted in a Telegraph column entitled “Was I right to support Brexit?” that he found himself challenging Hannan more than Cable. Where were the sunlit uplands we were promised? From Global Britain to unleashed freedom to “liberalise, innovate and grow” the Brexit project was sinking. Even Keir Starmer at last felt emboldened at the CBI conference to begin to exploit such fertile ground; Labour had a plan to make Brexit work, which the government evidently hadn’t, he argued. » | Will Hutton, Observer columnist | Sunday, Novermber 28, 2021
Brexit was a silly idea from the very start. The Brexit referendum should never have been held. The referendum asked the electorate to vote on something they knew little or nothing about. Therefore, when many people voted for Brexit, they voted based on emotion rather than fact. They couldn’t vote on facts, because they had been given few to contemplate. Any ‘facts’ they were given were “alternative facts”!
No voter with any understanding of economics or geopolitics would ever have voted to come out of the world’s greatest single market: the Single Market.
The electorate shouldn’t be blamed for this blunder. Why? Because they were lied to by Brexit zealots – the people at the top who wanted to make a Brexit killing. They wanted to line their own pockets; the rest be damned.
Britain’s place is in Europe. Even Margaret Thatcher saw that; and she was no real fan of the European Union. But, in fairness to her, she worked tirelessly to bring about the Single Market. She was no federalist; but she was all for making it easy for business and commerce, all for tearing down impediments to free trade. She knew it would bring the UK prosperity. And it did.
Current Tories have done the very opposite: They have destroyed what Margaret Thatcher worked so hard to create. It is far easier to destroy than it is to create and build. That is a well-known fact of life.
The bottom line is this: The electorate were lied to. The result for the United Kingdom is simple to understand. Brexit will impoverish the nation. In fact, more than this, it might even break up the nation. The unintended consequences of stupidity! – © Mark
Sunday, November 28, 2021
The Saudi Arabian Tyrant Silencing His Critics with Savagery | 60 Minutes Australia
Jewish 101: Ep. 03 – Our Obsession
Even though I am not a Jew, I find this rabbi so inspiring. He sets out in plain terms what a Jew really is. I believe that this is a very valuable lesson for us all. There are so many misconceptions about the nature of Judaism.
I find this gentleman so inspiring that he brings tears to my eyes. – Mark
Saturday, November 27, 2021
Jewish 101: Ep. 02 – What Is a Jew?
Arnold Schwarzenegger Calls Leaders 'Liars' over Climate Change - BBC News
Johannes Brahms : Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 - Maurizio Pollini
Boris Johnson Tightens Rules on Travel and Mask-wearing over Omicron Concerns
THE GUARDIAN: Travellers to UK must take PCR tests and masks to be made mandatory in shops and on public transport
Boris Johnson has announced fresh measures to curb the spread of coronavirus including mandatory masks in shops and PCR tests for travellers entering the UK after two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the country.
Amid mounting global concern over Omicron, named a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization on Friday, the prime minister set out a series of steps the UK is taking to maximise its defence against Covid-19.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Johnson said anyone arriving in the UK will be asked to take a PCR test for Covid-19 on the second day and must self-isolate until they provide a negative test. The rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport will also be tightened, he said.
Contacts of all confirmed cases of people infected with the Omicron variant will have to self-isolate for 10 days. Health officials are also examining the case for widening access to the booster vaccine programme, he added.
The measures will be reviewed in three weeks. With video » | Andrew Gregory | Saturday, November 27, 2021
Covid-19: la présence du variant Omicron se confirme en Europe : LE POINT SUR LA SITUATION - Nouvelles mesures, nouveaux bilans et faits marquants: un point sur les dernières évolutions de la pandémie de Covid-19 dans le monde. »
Boris Johnson has announced fresh measures to curb the spread of coronavirus including mandatory masks in shops and PCR tests for travellers entering the UK after two cases of the Omicron variant were detected in the country.
Amid mounting global concern over Omicron, named a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization on Friday, the prime minister set out a series of steps the UK is taking to maximise its defence against Covid-19.
Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Johnson said anyone arriving in the UK will be asked to take a PCR test for Covid-19 on the second day and must self-isolate until they provide a negative test. The rules on face coverings in shops and on public transport will also be tightened, he said.
Contacts of all confirmed cases of people infected with the Omicron variant will have to self-isolate for 10 days. Health officials are also examining the case for widening access to the booster vaccine programme, he added.
The measures will be reviewed in three weeks. With video » | Andrew Gregory | Saturday, November 27, 2021
Covid-19: la présence du variant Omicron se confirme en Europe : LE POINT SUR LA SITUATION - Nouvelles mesures, nouveaux bilans et faits marquants: un point sur les dernières évolutions de la pandémie de Covid-19 dans le monde. »
"Kontrollierte" Abgabe von Cannabis - Chance oder Risiko? | DW Nachrichten
Nov 27, 2021 • "Wir führen die kontrollierte Abgabe von Cannabis an Erwachsene zu Genusszwecken in lizenzierten Geschäften ein," heißt es im Koalitionsvertrag von SPD, Grünen und FDP.
Die Niederlande verfolgen schon lange eine liberale Drogenpolitik. Doch auch die Niederländer stoßen an ihre Grenzen. Nicht nur Besitz und Konsum von Cannabis sollten legal sein, sondern auch Anbau und Einkauf staatlich kontrolliert werden, meint Auslandskorrespondentin Kerstin Schweighöfer in den Niederlanden. Andernfalls könnte Deutschland eine Entwicklung wie in den Niederlanden drohen: Drogenbanden sind fest im Geschäft.
Die Niederlande verfolgen schon lange eine liberale Drogenpolitik. Doch auch die Niederländer stoßen an ihre Grenzen. Nicht nur Besitz und Konsum von Cannabis sollten legal sein, sondern auch Anbau und Einkauf staatlich kontrolliert werden, meint Auslandskorrespondentin Kerstin Schweighöfer in den Niederlanden. Andernfalls könnte Deutschland eine Entwicklung wie in den Niederlanden drohen: Drogenbanden sind fest im Geschäft.
Many Older Queer Adults Face Abuse Yet Rarely Report It, Study Says
ADVOCATE: Research into Oregon's LGB older adult population also found a majority of them have experienced discrimination in the last year.
A survey conducted by Oregon’s Human Services Department has found that most older lesbian, gay, or bisexual people in the state have reported experiencing discrimination and many also reported experiencing elder abuse.
The agency found that LGB older adults experienced higher rates of poverty, suicidal thoughts, and overall economic instability. Respondents described issues getting appropriate health care and social services, such as food or transport assistance, partly because of their identity. Older LGB people in the state also reported feeling isolated from others.
“We still fall under all the things that happen to older adults,” said Mary Rita Hurley, the 62-year-old lesbian cofounder of the advocacy organization LGBTQ Aging Coalition, told The Salem Reporter. “Then on top of that, particularly depending on how old the older LGBTQ person is, there is still an amazing amount of stigma out there. We still have people in the closet.” » | Alex Cooper | Friday, November 26, 2021
Stephen Sondheim, Musical Theater Legend, Dead at 91
ADVOCATE: The gay composer and lyricist of greats like Into the Woods and Company died suddenly on Friday, a day after reportedly spending Thanksgiving with friends.
Out songwriter and composer Stephen Sondheim died Friday at the age of 91. Sondheim’s work reshaped American musical theater and has influenced generations of songwriters.
His death was announced by his lawyer and friend, Richard Pappas, according to The New York Times. Pappas said Sondheim wasn’t known to be ill, and his death was sudden. The Broadway legend had spent Thanksgiving with some friends, Pappas said.
Sondheim’s success stretched from the 1950s, writing lyrics for West Side Story, to the 1990s, writing for such musicals as Assassins and Passion. The first Broadway show that he wrote the music and lyrics for was the 1962 comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. It won a Tony Award for best musical.
The Times noted that the 1970s and 1980s were his “most productive” years. His works in those decades included Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park With George. » | Alex Cooper | Friday, November 26, 2021
Archbishop Desmond Tutu Compares Barbaric Anti-LGBT+ Laws to Apartheid: ‘I Can’t Keep Quiet’
PINK NEWS: Archbishop Desmond Tutu has compared anti-LGBT+ laws and violence to apartheid, insisting that he opposes them with the “same passion”.
The 90-year-old Archbishop Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has spent his life campaigning for human rights.
He was a major opponent of South Africa’s apartheid system, and has worked for universal suffrage, equal rights for women in the Anglican Church and LGBT+ rights.
In a video for the United Nations Free and Equal campaign, its “global campaign against homophobia and transphobia”, Tutu said: “I have to tell you, I cannot keep quiet when people are penalised for something about which they can do nothing.
“First, gender. When women are excluded, just simply and solely because they are women.
“But more perniciously, more ghastly, is the fact that people are penalised, killed, all sorts of ghastly things happen to them, simply, solely on the basis of their sexual orientation. » | Lily Wakefield | Saturday, November 27, 2021
Homophobic gang attack gay couple with hammer in terrifying street robbery: ‘I’m lost for words’: A gay couple say they were “violently attacked” while walking down the street in Radcliffe, Bury, on Tuesday. »
Au Niger, un convoi militaire français bloqué par des manifestants
LE MONDE : Une centaine de véhicules de l’armée française tentent de rallier le Mali, en transitant par le Niger et le Burkina Faso. La semaine dernière, le convoi avait déjà été forcé à l’arrêt par des manifestations contre la présence militaire française.
Alors que son passage avait déjà créé des tensions au Burkina Faso, un convoi militaire français a de nouveau été bloqué par des manifestants, samedi 27 novembre, à Téra (Niger). Ce dernier – se rendant au Mali, en transitant par le Burkina Faso et le Niger – a depuis pu reprendre sa route, a appris l’Agence France-Presse auprès de l’état-major.
« Le convoi s’est arrêté hier soir à Téra. Ce matin, quand ils ont voulu reprendre leur progression vers Niamey [à 200 kilomètres de là], ils ont été arrêtés par un millier de manifestants et un groupe violent parmi eux a tenté de s’emparer des camions », a détaillé le porte-parole de l’état-major français, le colonel Pascal Ianni. « Les forces de sécurité nigériennes étaient sur place et ont réussi à maintenir les manifestants à distance du convoi avec des gaz lacrymogènes », a-t-il expliqué. » | Le Monde avec AFP | samedi 27 novembre 2021
Alors que son passage avait déjà créé des tensions au Burkina Faso, un convoi militaire français a de nouveau été bloqué par des manifestants, samedi 27 novembre, à Téra (Niger). Ce dernier – se rendant au Mali, en transitant par le Burkina Faso et le Niger – a depuis pu reprendre sa route, a appris l’Agence France-Presse auprès de l’état-major.
« Le convoi s’est arrêté hier soir à Téra. Ce matin, quand ils ont voulu reprendre leur progression vers Niamey [à 200 kilomètres de là], ils ont été arrêtés par un millier de manifestants et un groupe violent parmi eux a tenté de s’emparer des camions », a détaillé le porte-parole de l’état-major français, le colonel Pascal Ianni. « Les forces de sécurité nigériennes étaient sur place et ont réussi à maintenir les manifestants à distance du convoi avec des gaz lacrymogènes », a-t-il expliqué. » | Le Monde avec AFP | samedi 27 novembre 2021
In kaum einem Land ist die Impfquote so hoch wie in Portugal – trotzdem verhängt das Land jetzt neue Einschränkungen
NEUE ZÜRCHER ZEITUNG Trotz erfolgreicher Impfkampagne beschliesst Portugal prophylaktisch eine Art Ausnahmezustand. Nach Silvester soll das soziale Leben eine Woche lang fast gänzlich stillstehen. Hinter dem Schritt dürfte auch wahltaktisches Kalkül stecken.
Die Portugiesen gelten bei der Impfkampagne als Musterschüler Europas. Fast 88 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung sind vollständig gegen das Coronavirus geimpft – so viele wie in kaum einem anderen Land. Portugals amtierender Ministerpräsident António Costa lässt daher auch keine Gelegenheit aus, das exemplarische Verhalten seiner Landsleute zu loben. Diese zeichneten sich durch hohes Verantwortungsbewusstsein aus, sagte der 60-Jährige am Ende einer Ministerratssitzung am Donnerstag. Dank der hohen Impfquote gebe es weniger Einlieferungen in Kliniken und Intensivstationen und vor allem weniger Tote. Trotzdem hat Costa nun beschlossen, wieder einen nationalen Notstand zu verhängen. » | Ute Müller, Madrid | Samstag, 27. November 2021
Die Portugiesen gelten bei der Impfkampagne als Musterschüler Europas. Fast 88 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung sind vollständig gegen das Coronavirus geimpft – so viele wie in kaum einem anderen Land. Portugals amtierender Ministerpräsident António Costa lässt daher auch keine Gelegenheit aus, das exemplarische Verhalten seiner Landsleute zu loben. Diese zeichneten sich durch hohes Verantwortungsbewusstsein aus, sagte der 60-Jährige am Ende einer Ministerratssitzung am Donnerstag. Dank der hohen Impfquote gebe es weniger Einlieferungen in Kliniken und Intensivstationen und vor allem weniger Tote. Trotzdem hat Costa nun beschlossen, wieder einen nationalen Notstand zu verhängen. » | Ute Müller, Madrid | Samstag, 27. November 2021
‘A Core Threat to Our Democracy’: Threat of Political Violence Growing across US
THE GUARDIAN: Republicans’ muted response to Paul Gosar’s behavior has intensified fears about where incendiary rhetoric may lead
The Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez blasted Republican house minority leader Kevin McCarthy for failing to condemn Paul Gosar’s tweet. Photograph: Reuters
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood on the House floor and implored her colleagues to hold Paul Gosar accountable for sharing an altered anime video showing him killing her and attacking Joe Biden.
“Our work here matters. Our example matters. There is meaning in our service,” Ocasio-Cortez said in her speech last week. “And as leaders in this country, when we incite violence with depictions against our colleagues, that trickles down into violence in this country.”
House Republicans heard Ocasio-Cortez’s impassioned plea and responded with a collective shrug. All but three Republican members voted against censuring Gosar and stripping him of his committee assignments, while every House Democrat supported the resolution.
The Gosar incident served as the latest data point in an alarming trend in American politics. In a year that began with a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, lawmakers have seen a sharp rise in the number of threats against them. Republicans’ muted response to Gosar’s behavior has intensified fears about the possibility of more political violence in America in the months to come. » | Joan E Greve in Washington | Saturday, November 27, 2021
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stood on the House floor and implored her colleagues to hold Paul Gosar accountable for sharing an altered anime video showing him killing her and attacking Joe Biden.
“Our work here matters. Our example matters. There is meaning in our service,” Ocasio-Cortez said in her speech last week. “And as leaders in this country, when we incite violence with depictions against our colleagues, that trickles down into violence in this country.”
House Republicans heard Ocasio-Cortez’s impassioned plea and responded with a collective shrug. All but three Republican members voted against censuring Gosar and stripping him of his committee assignments, while every House Democrat supported the resolution.
The Gosar incident served as the latest data point in an alarming trend in American politics. In a year that began with a deadly insurrection at the US Capitol, lawmakers have seen a sharp rise in the number of threats against them. Republicans’ muted response to Gosar’s behavior has intensified fears about the possibility of more political violence in America in the months to come. » | Joan E Greve in Washington | Saturday, November 27, 2021
Young, Cute and Gay
Österreichische Polizei nimmt 15 Schlepper fest
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Die österreichische Polizei hat ein Schleppernetzwerk aufgedeckt, das bislang 700 Migranten illegal ins Land gebracht hat. Die meisten davon haben sich weiter auf den Weg nach Deutschland gemacht.
Die Polizei in Österreich hat ein Schleppernetzwerk aufgedeckt, das nach ihren Angaben mehr als 700 Menschen illegal ins Land gebracht hat. Die meisten davon hätten sich weiter auf den Weg nach Deutschland gemacht, wie ein Polizeisprecher im niederösterreichischen St. Pölten am Samstag berichtete. Innerhalb weniger Tage seien 15 mutmaßliche Schlepper festgenommen worden, die Menschen aus Syrien, dem Libanon und Ägypten transportiert hätten. » | Quelle: dpa | Samstag, 27. November 2021
Peter Hitchens | “I Have Given Up” | #CLIP
New ‘Variant of Concern’ Fuels Global Fear of Another Virus Surge
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Scientists do not yet know how dangerous the new Omicron variant is, but its many mutations set off alarms, lowering hopes of putting the pandemic in the past.
The world reacted with alarm on Friday to the highly mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa, as the United States, the European Union and nations across the globe imposed new travel restrictions, financial markets swooned and visions of finally emerging from the pandemic started to dim.
Just two days after the world learned of the variant, the World Health Organization officially labeled it a “ variant of concern,” its most serious category — the first since the Delta variant, which emerged a year ago. The designation means that the variant has mutations that might make it more contagious or more virulent, or make vaccines and other preventive measures less effective — though none of those effects has yet been established.
After an emergency meeting, the W.H.O. warned in a statement that “preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant” in people who have already had Covid-19. In keeping with the practice of naming variants for letters of the Greek alphabet, it dubbed the new one Omicron. » | Richard Pérez-Peña and Jason Horowitz | Published: Friday, November 26, 2021; updated: Saturday, November 27, 2021
Germany finds a suspected case of the variant. »
Two cases of Omicron Covid variant identified in UK: The B.1.1.529 variant, described in Britain as ‘the most worrying we’ve seen’, was first found in southern Africa »
The world reacted with alarm on Friday to the highly mutated new coronavirus variant discovered in southern Africa, as the United States, the European Union and nations across the globe imposed new travel restrictions, financial markets swooned and visions of finally emerging from the pandemic started to dim.
Just two days after the world learned of the variant, the World Health Organization officially labeled it a “ variant of concern,” its most serious category — the first since the Delta variant, which emerged a year ago. The designation means that the variant has mutations that might make it more contagious or more virulent, or make vaccines and other preventive measures less effective — though none of those effects has yet been established.
After an emergency meeting, the W.H.O. warned in a statement that “preliminary evidence suggests an increased risk of reinfection with this variant” in people who have already had Covid-19. In keeping with the practice of naming variants for letters of the Greek alphabet, it dubbed the new one Omicron. » | Richard Pérez-Peña and Jason Horowitz | Published: Friday, November 26, 2021; updated: Saturday, November 27, 2021
Germany finds a suspected case of the variant. »
Two cases of Omicron Covid variant identified in UK: The B.1.1.529 variant, described in Britain as ‘the most worrying we’ve seen’, was first found in southern Africa »
EuroMillions : un Français a remporté le jackpot de 162 millions d'euros
LE FIGARO : Cette victoire intervient après onze tirages consécutifs sans gagnant.
Un nouveau Français est devenu millionnaire. C'est ce que nous a appris le tirage de l'EuroMillions de ce jeudi soir qui mettait en jeu plus de 163 millions d'euros. Il est ainsi devenu le cinquième plus gros gagnant du pays.
La somme a donc été remportée par un heureux élu qui a joué sa grille en France, trouvant les cinq numéros gagnants (le 1, le 20, le 41, le 42, le 50) et les deux étoiles (le 3 et le 7), nécessaires pour remporter le jackpot. Il dispose de 60 jours pour se manifester. » | Publié : vendredi 26 novembre 2021 ; mis à jour : samedi 27 novembre 2021
Un nouveau Français est devenu millionnaire. C'est ce que nous a appris le tirage de l'EuroMillions de ce jeudi soir qui mettait en jeu plus de 163 millions d'euros. Il est ainsi devenu le cinquième plus gros gagnant du pays.
La somme a donc été remportée par un heureux élu qui a joué sa grille en France, trouvant les cinq numéros gagnants (le 1, le 20, le 41, le 42, le 50) et les deux étoiles (le 3 et le 7), nécessaires pour remporter le jackpot. Il dispose de 60 jours pour se manifester. » | Publié : vendredi 26 novembre 2021 ; mis à jour : samedi 27 novembre 2021
The UK Is Becoming an Authoritarian State under Home Secretary, Priti Patel
Jul 26, 2021 • The Home Secretary is a bully. She has been accused of bullying in three separate government departments and was found guilty of bullying by a Cabinet Committee resulting in compensation payments of £395,000.
She has persistently broken the ministerial code throughout her ministerial career. Whilst at the Foreign Office working under Boris Johnson who was then Foreign Secretary, she visited Israel claiming to be on holiday and held at least twelve meetings with senior Israeli government officials including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Neither the British ambassador in Israel nor the prime minister Theresa May knew about these meetings.
She again broke the ministerial code by writing at least twice on behalf of a friend in order to secure a PPE contract for £102.6 million for masks which were supplied at double the benchmark price.
She is pushing through legislation which will give the Home Secretary, or the police, the power to stop any demonstrations at will if judged to be making too much noise or causing annoyance. Those who resist will be liable to imprisonment for up to ten years.
Other legislation will make whistleblowing a criminal offence as will publishing articles considered critical of the government. This will included the government having the power to control the movements and association of certain named individuals without reference to the courts.
She seeks to punish any asylum seeker arriving in the UK without permission with up to four years in prison. She also seeks to extend laws which currently apply to paid people-smugglers to everyone so that offering any assistance to asylum seekers, even saving them from drowning, will become a crime punishable with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
She is ruthlessly pursuing a course which will lead to the UK to becoming a fascist state where any dissent will be illegal.
She has persistently broken the ministerial code throughout her ministerial career. Whilst at the Foreign Office working under Boris Johnson who was then Foreign Secretary, she visited Israel claiming to be on holiday and held at least twelve meetings with senior Israeli government officials including the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Neither the British ambassador in Israel nor the prime minister Theresa May knew about these meetings.
She again broke the ministerial code by writing at least twice on behalf of a friend in order to secure a PPE contract for £102.6 million for masks which were supplied at double the benchmark price.
She is pushing through legislation which will give the Home Secretary, or the police, the power to stop any demonstrations at will if judged to be making too much noise or causing annoyance. Those who resist will be liable to imprisonment for up to ten years.
Other legislation will make whistleblowing a criminal offence as will publishing articles considered critical of the government. This will included the government having the power to control the movements and association of certain named individuals without reference to the courts.
She seeks to punish any asylum seeker arriving in the UK without permission with up to four years in prison. She also seeks to extend laws which currently apply to paid people-smugglers to everyone so that offering any assistance to asylum seekers, even saving them from drowning, will become a crime punishable with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
She is ruthlessly pursuing a course which will lead to the UK to becoming a fascist state where any dissent will be illegal.
Brexit - No Wonder It Is All Such a Mess
Nov 27, 2021 • David Frost, our chief Brexit negotiator, who, after negotiating a deal which he and the prime minister both proclaimed a huge success, before he realised it was not a good deal after all and then decided he wanted to change it.
He has since openly criticised the EU for not being prepared to re-negotiate and has resorted to threatening the EU with invoking Article 16 if there is no agreement to what he is demanding.
In a keynote speech at the Centre for Policy Studies, whilst talking of the benefits of the freedom we now have having left the EU, went on to demonstrate his grand delusion by explaining that his job is “to drive change within government and 'to push policy in the right direction'”.
He has since openly criticised the EU for not being prepared to re-negotiate and has resorted to threatening the EU with invoking Article 16 if there is no agreement to what he is demanding.
In a keynote speech at the Centre for Policy Studies, whilst talking of the benefits of the freedom we now have having left the EU, went on to demonstrate his grand delusion by explaining that his job is “to drive change within government and 'to push policy in the right direction'”.
Friday, November 26, 2021
Migrants on EU's Borders Risk Life and Limb for a Better Life | DW News
Nov 26, 2021 • As temperatures across Europe plummet, thousands of migrants are still stranded in Belarus. Many have spent weeks outside in freezing forests near Poland. They're still hoping to find a route into the European Union - though Brussels insists the bloc will not accept them. DW’s Nick Connolly met some of those migrants in the Belarusian capital Minsk. He spoke to people torn between hope and resignation.
Meanwhile, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has told the European Union it must live up to its values and actively oppose the authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. DW's Barbara Wesel caught up with her in Brussels.
And the deaths of 27 people in the English Channel are deepening tensions between Britain and France. The French interior minister has cancelled weekend talks with his UK counterpart after suggestions by the British Prime Minister France wasn't doing enough to stop migrants trying to reach England by boat. DW correspondent Jack Parrock visited the French port of Calais. And spoke to people hoping to make the same journey.
Meanwhile, the exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has told the European Union it must live up to its values and actively oppose the authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko. DW's Barbara Wesel caught up with her in Brussels.
And the deaths of 27 people in the English Channel are deepening tensions between Britain and France. The French interior minister has cancelled weekend talks with his UK counterpart after suggestions by the British Prime Minister France wasn't doing enough to stop migrants trying to reach England by boat. DW correspondent Jack Parrock visited the French port of Calais. And spoke to people hoping to make the same journey.
“Coming Out Can Be Slow and It's Okay If It's Slow. But You Should Start Your Journey."
Migrant Crisis in the Channel | Behind the Story
Aug 18, 2020 • The number of people crossing the Channel in small boats to seek asylum in Britain is at an all-time high, fuelled by the coronavirus reducing the number of cars and lorries coming across and fears that Brexit will mean a stricter enforcement regime in the UK.
The Times and The Sunday Times’ Alastair Good and Federica De Caria travelled along the southeast coast from Ramsgate in Kent to Hastings in East Sussex, as well as across the Channel to Calais, to discover what was really happening and hear from people on all sides.
Produced, directed and edited by Alastair Good Shot by Federica DeCaria
The Times and The Sunday Times’ Alastair Good and Federica De Caria travelled along the southeast coast from Ramsgate in Kent to Hastings in East Sussex, as well as across the Channel to Calais, to discover what was really happening and hear from people on all sides.
Produced, directed and edited by Alastair Good Shot by Federica DeCaria
Despite Mormon Upbringing, Gay Man Learns to Accept His Truth. “Huge Relief to Finally Be Who I Am.”
L’Allemagne va légaliser le cannabis
LE FIGARO : Le futur gouvernement alliant le SPD, les Verts et les libéraux a dévoilé, mercredi, son contrat de coalition.
Deux des trois partis qui vont gouverner l’Allemagne s’appuient sur des fondements idéologiques différents. Les Verts et le FDP, qui se partagent tous les deux un électorat jeune et libéral, ont néanmoins milité ensemble pour faire adopter par le futur gouvernement une proposition de légalisation du cannabis. Le projet figure en page 87 de leur contrat de coalition, présenté mercredi à Berlin, qui en compte 177. Il rompt avec des années de politique sécuritaire, privilégiée par la CDU, en matière de drogue. «Nous introduisons la distribution contrôlée de cannabis aux adultes à des fins récréatives dans les magasins agréés, ce qui permet de contrôler la qualité, d’empêcher la distribution de substances contaminées et de protéger la santé publique , écrivent les auteurs du document. » | Par Pierre Avril | Publié : mercredi 24 novembre 2021 ; mis à jour : jeudi 25 novembre 2021
Travel Restrictions Multiply for African Countries over Fears of a New Variant
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Countries around the world moved to restrict travel from southern Africa on Friday in a frantic effort to keep a newly identified, and apparently significantly evolved, variant of the coronavirus from crossing their borders.
The European Commission proposed that its members activate the “emergency brake” on travel from countries in southern African and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant.
“All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, said in a statement. “And travelers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules.”
In the past, governments have taken days, weeks or months to issue travel restrictions in response to new variants. This time, restrictions came within hours of South Africa’s announcement — at least 10 countries around the world had announced measures before South African scientists had finished a meeting with World Health Organization experts about the variant on Friday. » | Jason Horowitz, Lynsey Chutel and Mike Ives | Friday, November 26, 2021
Covid-19 en Europe : un premier cas du nouveau variant détecté en Belgique : La Belgique est le premier pays européen à détecter un cas du variant B.1.1.529. Le patient contaminé est revenu d'Égypte le 11 novembre dernier. »
The European Commission proposed that its members activate the “emergency brake” on travel from countries in southern African and other countries affected to limit the spread of the new variant.
“All air travel to these countries should be suspended until we have a clear understanding about the danger posed by this new variant,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Union’s executive arm, said in a statement. “And travelers returning from this region should respect strict quarantine rules.”
In the past, governments have taken days, weeks or months to issue travel restrictions in response to new variants. This time, restrictions came within hours of South Africa’s announcement — at least 10 countries around the world had announced measures before South African scientists had finished a meeting with World Health Organization experts about the variant on Friday. » | Jason Horowitz, Lynsey Chutel and Mike Ives | Friday, November 26, 2021
Covid-19 en Europe : un premier cas du nouveau variant détecté en Belgique : La Belgique est le premier pays européen à détecter un cas du variant B.1.1.529. Le patient contaminé est revenu d'Égypte le 11 novembre dernier. »
The Guardian View on Deaths in the Channel: The Tide of Xenophobia
THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The government must stop pandering to anti-migrant sentiment and come up with a humane policy that meets its international responsibilities
‘Mr Johnson and his home secretary, Priti Patel, reveal no desire to escape the trap of xenophobic rhetoric.’ Photograph: Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament/AFP/Getty Images
Boris Johnson’s government must develop a new approach to asylum as a matter of urgency. The deaths of 27 people who were attempting to reach England in a small boat on Wednesday have prompted an outpouring of distress. No one wants the Channel to become a graveyard, and the stricken faces of the people interviewed by journalists in northern France over recent days have brought home their sheer desperation to millions of Britons.
But unless Mr Johnson and his most senior colleagues and advisers take the lead in setting out a different direction, there is no reason to think that this tragedy will mark any kind of turning point. At the moment, the government appears trapped in a snare of its own making – along with the section of the public that it took with it when ministers decided to talk and act tough on asylum seekers. This is what led to the shameful situation in which the main response to this week’s tragedy is to blame the French. The government push for morally and legally dubious legislation designed to create an even more hostile environment is justified by claims that the number of people seeking asylum is overwhelming. » | Editorial | Thursday, November 25, 2021
Boris Johnson’s government must develop a new approach to asylum as a matter of urgency. The deaths of 27 people who were attempting to reach England in a small boat on Wednesday have prompted an outpouring of distress. No one wants the Channel to become a graveyard, and the stricken faces of the people interviewed by journalists in northern France over recent days have brought home their sheer desperation to millions of Britons.
But unless Mr Johnson and his most senior colleagues and advisers take the lead in setting out a different direction, there is no reason to think that this tragedy will mark any kind of turning point. At the moment, the government appears trapped in a snare of its own making – along with the section of the public that it took with it when ministers decided to talk and act tough on asylum seekers. This is what led to the shameful situation in which the main response to this week’s tragedy is to blame the French. The government push for morally and legally dubious legislation designed to create an even more hostile environment is justified by claims that the number of people seeking asylum is overwhelming. » | Editorial | Thursday, November 25, 2021
Macron Attacks Johnson for Trying to Negotiate Migration Crisis via Tweets
Macron tells Johnson to ‘get serious’ on Channel crisis after tweeted letter: French president says: ‘We do not communicate on these issues by tweets’ after PM issues five-point plan via Twitter »
Channel Deaths: Priti Patel Disinvited to Meeting with France
THE GUARDIAN: Boris Johnson’s public letter to Emmanuel Macron on Channel drownings deemed ‘unacceptable’
Priti Patel makes a statement on the 'small boats incident in the Channel' in the House of Commons. Photograph: Jessica Taylor/UK Parliament/AFP/Getty
The French government has withdrawn an invitation to the home secretary, Priti Patel, to attend a meeting about the Channel boats crisis after Boris Johnson called on France to take back people who crossed the Channel to the UK in small boats.
In an escalation of the political crisis after the deaths of 27 people in the Channel, the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, has written to Patel to say a meeting on Sunday would proceed without British involvement.
It follows Johnson’s letter to President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night setting out five steps to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s tragedy. The letter was sent publicly as a tweet in time for the front pages of UK newspapers and French officials confirmed Macron had not seen the letter before Johnson tweeted it.
Darmanin told Patel the letter from Johnson to Macron, suggesting France take back people who cross the Channel, was a “disappointment”.
Referring to Johnson’s posting of the letter on social media, he added: “Making it public made it even worse. I therefore need to cancel our meeting in Calais on Sunday.” » | Rajeev Syal and Jon Henley | Friday, November 26, 2021
Crise des Migrants : Macron dénonce les méthodes «pas sérieuses» de Londres, Johnson assume : Boris Johnson a demandé à Emmanuel Macron dans une lettre publique de reprendre les migrants arrivant en Angleterre depuis la France. En réaction, Gérald Darmanin a annulé la participation britannique à une réunion de crise. »
France-U.K. Acrimony Over Channel Crossings Deepens: The French responded angrily to Boris Johnson’s suggestion that France take back migrants who reach Britain, and rescinded an invitation for a top British official to discuss the crisis. »
Aus deutscher Sicht:
Paris und London müssen kooperieren! : Seit dem Brexit ist das Klima zwischen Paris und London rauher geworden. Der Geist der Partnerschaft hat sich verflüchtigt. Das kostet Menschenleben. »
The French government has withdrawn an invitation to the home secretary, Priti Patel, to attend a meeting about the Channel boats crisis after Boris Johnson called on France to take back people who crossed the Channel to the UK in small boats.
In an escalation of the political crisis after the deaths of 27 people in the Channel, the French interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, has written to Patel to say a meeting on Sunday would proceed without British involvement.
It follows Johnson’s letter to President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday night setting out five steps to avoid a repeat of Wednesday’s tragedy. The letter was sent publicly as a tweet in time for the front pages of UK newspapers and French officials confirmed Macron had not seen the letter before Johnson tweeted it.
Darmanin told Patel the letter from Johnson to Macron, suggesting France take back people who cross the Channel, was a “disappointment”.
Referring to Johnson’s posting of the letter on social media, he added: “Making it public made it even worse. I therefore need to cancel our meeting in Calais on Sunday.” » | Rajeev Syal and Jon Henley | Friday, November 26, 2021
Crise des Migrants : Macron dénonce les méthodes «pas sérieuses» de Londres, Johnson assume : Boris Johnson a demandé à Emmanuel Macron dans une lettre publique de reprendre les migrants arrivant en Angleterre depuis la France. En réaction, Gérald Darmanin a annulé la participation britannique à une réunion de crise. »
France-U.K. Acrimony Over Channel Crossings Deepens: The French responded angrily to Boris Johnson’s suggestion that France take back migrants who reach Britain, and rescinded an invitation for a top British official to discuss the crisis. »
Aus deutscher Sicht:
Paris und London müssen kooperieren! : Seit dem Brexit ist das Klima zwischen Paris und London rauher geworden. Der Geist der Partnerschaft hat sich verflüchtigt. Das kostet Menschenleben. »
Thursday, November 25, 2021
Faith & Fate | Episode 4 – Ominous Skies. 1930 - 1939
Previous episodes here.
Ian Blackford Hammers Boris Johnson at PMQs
The Tories now see that although Johnson can win elections, he simply can’t govern: The prime minister’s disastrous CBI speech might prove the catalyst that turns the party against his leadership style »
Same-sex Marriage Backed by Chile’s MPs
THE TIMES: Chile’s parliament is on course to legalise same-sex marriage, four years after the reform was first proposed and despite the country’s conservative reputation among religious Latin American nations.
The lower house in Santiago approved a bill on Tuesday that would allow gay and lesbian couples to marry, sending the measure back to the Senate, where it appears to have the support needed to become law. The bill also permits same-sex couples to adopt children, recognises maternity leave for transgender people and grants a widow’s or widower’s pension for same-sex couples. » | Steven Grattan, Bogota | Thursday, November 25, 2021
Newcastle LGBTQ+ Fans' Group on 'Harrowing' Online Abuse after Saudi Takeover
CHRONICLE LIVE: Newcastle United's LBTQ+ supporters' group have faced online abuse in the wake of their takeover statement welcoming the new owners
The co-chair of Newcastle United's LGBTQ+ supporters' group has opened up on the online abuse they have received since the Saudi-backed takeover was confirmed.
United with Pride has faced heavy criticism since releasing a statement last month on the day the long-awaited sale of the Magpies was confirmed.
The fans' group outlined their hope that working with the new owners could lead to a 'a positive influence to improving the conditions for the LGBTQ+ community in Saudi Arabia'.
However, human rights organisation Fair Square labelled their approach as 'naive', while critics were quick to highlight the contrast in their pre-takeover declarations of there being 'no room for discrimination'.
Saudi Arabia's human rights record and their intolerance of same-sex relationships has come under greater scrutiny as a result of the Magpies takeover, with Amnesty International demanding changes to the Premier League's owners' and directors' test.
United with Pride's co-chair Ian Pearson-Brown has labelled it a 'harrowing' five weeks since, and fears the group's positive work to date has been undone. » | Chris Knight Business of Football writer | Wednesday, November 24, 2021
The co-chair of Newcastle United's LGBTQ+ supporters' group has opened up on the online abuse they have received since the Saudi-backed takeover was confirmed.
United with Pride has faced heavy criticism since releasing a statement last month on the day the long-awaited sale of the Magpies was confirmed.
The fans' group outlined their hope that working with the new owners could lead to a 'a positive influence to improving the conditions for the LGBTQ+ community in Saudi Arabia'.
However, human rights organisation Fair Square labelled their approach as 'naive', while critics were quick to highlight the contrast in their pre-takeover declarations of there being 'no room for discrimination'.
Saudi Arabia's human rights record and their intolerance of same-sex relationships has come under greater scrutiny as a result of the Magpies takeover, with Amnesty International demanding changes to the Premier League's owners' and directors' test.
United with Pride's co-chair Ian Pearson-Brown has labelled it a 'harrowing' five weeks since, and fears the group's positive work to date has been undone. » | Chris Knight Business of Football writer | Wednesday, November 24, 2021
Brexit : les pêcheurs français annoncent des blocages dans plusieurs ports et devant le tunnel sous la Manche
LE FIGARO : Les pêcheurs mèneront des actions de blocage ponctuelles ce vendredi dans les ports de Saint-Malo, Calais et Ouistreham. L'accès au tunnel sous la Manche sera également bloqué en début d'après-midi.
Les pêcheurs du Pas-de-Calais, de Ouistreham et de Saint-Malo conduiront vendredi une action de blocage dans trois ports français, et devant l'accès au tunnel sous la Manche. «Les pêcheurs demandent la résolution immédiate du litige qui nous oppose au Royaume-Uni dans l'interprétation de l'accord de Brexit», a déclaré ce jeudi Gérard Romiti, le président du comité national des pêches. «Notre patience a ses limites, elle n'a été que trop éprouvée.» » | Par Edouard de Mareschal | jeudi 25 novembre 2021
«Le conflit va se durcir, c'est certain» : la colère des pêcheurs français piégés par le Brexit : REPORTAGE - À Boulogne-sur-Mer, les pêcheurs participeront aux blocages annoncés vendredi dans plusieurs ports de France. Ils menacent de poursuivre leurs actions si le contentieux des licences de pêche n'est pas réglé rapidement par la Commission européenne. »
French fishers to block Channel tunnel in Brexit licences row: Members of industry association say large number of vehicles will be used to block key artery between nations »
Australia: LGBTQ Advocates Blast Religious Discrimination Bill
BBC: Australia has introduced a new controversial bill aimed at protecting religious people from "cancel culture".
Among other things, it would allow Catholic schools the right to fire teachers or expel gay students in the name of "religious ethos".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Religious Discrimination Bill, if passed, would ensure protection for religious people and organisations, like churches, to express beliefs.
Critics say it is "deeply unbalanced".
Introducing the bill on Thursday, Mr Morrison said it aimed to protect people's "statements of belief" as long as it was not "harassment, vilification or intimation of anyone."
But Australia's Human Rights Law Centre said the bill fails to "fairly balance the right to equality with the freedom of religion".
Human rights and LGBT groups have also warned the law would instead grant licence for people to express bigoted views.
The law also authorises people to express derogatory or harmful comments in a workplace, school and health setting, the human rights group said. » | BBC | Thursday, November 25, 2021
Among other things, it would allow Catholic schools the right to fire teachers or expel gay students in the name of "religious ethos".
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Religious Discrimination Bill, if passed, would ensure protection for religious people and organisations, like churches, to express beliefs.
Critics say it is "deeply unbalanced".
Introducing the bill on Thursday, Mr Morrison said it aimed to protect people's "statements of belief" as long as it was not "harassment, vilification or intimation of anyone."
But Australia's Human Rights Law Centre said the bill fails to "fairly balance the right to equality with the freedom of religion".
Human rights and LGBT groups have also warned the law would instead grant licence for people to express bigoted views.
The law also authorises people to express derogatory or harmful comments in a workplace, school and health setting, the human rights group said. » | BBC | Thursday, November 25, 2021
To All My American Visitors and Followers: A Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!
The Guardian View on Europe’s Covid Protests: Treat with Care
THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: The unvaccinated are contributing to a fourth wave. But governments must do all they can to avoid two-tier societies becoming the norm
As a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections threatens to overwhelm intensive care units in hospitals from Brussels to Berlin, European governments have begun to sound exasperated as well as anxious. On Monday, the German health minister, Jens Spahn, starkly laid out the stakes of the coming winter, in terms designed to function as a wake-up call. By the spring, Mr Spahn warned, the vast majority of Germans would be “vaccinated, cured or dead”. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, dismissed violent protesters against restrictions on the unjabbed as “idiots”, while his Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, said that similar scenes in Brussels were “absolutely unacceptable”.
The comments of Mr Rutte and Mr De Croo were explicitly directed at the violent fringe that hijacked demonstrations in the Belgian capital and Rotterdam. But there is a more general sense of frustration among political leaders in western Europe: as an expected autumn surge duly comes to pass, a significant minority of citizens are deepening the crisis by refusing to be vaccinated. Dealing with this section of the population, which is far more likely to need hospital treatment after infection, has become a major policy dilemma for governments seeking to juggle civil liberties with the need to protect the interests of society as a whole. » | Editorial | Tuesday, November 23, 2021
As a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections threatens to overwhelm intensive care units in hospitals from Brussels to Berlin, European governments have begun to sound exasperated as well as anxious. On Monday, the German health minister, Jens Spahn, starkly laid out the stakes of the coming winter, in terms designed to function as a wake-up call. By the spring, Mr Spahn warned, the vast majority of Germans would be “vaccinated, cured or dead”. The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, dismissed violent protesters against restrictions on the unjabbed as “idiots”, while his Belgian counterpart, Alexander De Croo, said that similar scenes in Brussels were “absolutely unacceptable”.
The comments of Mr Rutte and Mr De Croo were explicitly directed at the violent fringe that hijacked demonstrations in the Belgian capital and Rotterdam. But there is a more general sense of frustration among political leaders in western Europe: as an expected autumn surge duly comes to pass, a significant minority of citizens are deepening the crisis by refusing to be vaccinated. Dealing with this section of the population, which is far more likely to need hospital treatment after infection, has become a major policy dilemma for governments seeking to juggle civil liberties with the need to protect the interests of society as a whole. » | Editorial | Tuesday, November 23, 2021
A Message to My Followers and Visitors
In recent weeks, I have had a hacking problem again. Somebody is playing around with my ‘Page View Counter’. Each day, despite my hits increasing, thousands of page views are being ‘shaved off’ my stats.
I know that this cannot be accurate because my stats are monitored by Google itself and by other external sources. The numbers being shown on the counter do not tally with the numbers recorded by other websites, including Google itself.
For this reason, I have decided to remove the counter from my blog because of this tampering. In any case, it is not an accurate reflection of the visitors I receive. The actual number is much higher than is being shown by that counter.
If and when things settle down, I might re-introduce the counter; but for the time being, I feel that it is better and less stressful that it be removed.
I should like to take this opportunity to thank you ALL for your continued support. I can assure you that it is most apprecaited. Again, I would like to say that if there is any way you feel that this blog can be improved, you are most welcome to email me with your suggestions.
Naturally, I am saddened that I feel the need to take this step. But I feel sure that you will understand that I find it demoralizing to find that thousands upon thousands of page views are being taken away each week without any reason. This is NOT caused by an algorithm; rather, it is being caused by the human hand.
Sincerely
Mark Alexander
I know that this cannot be accurate because my stats are monitored by Google itself and by other external sources. The numbers being shown on the counter do not tally with the numbers recorded by other websites, including Google itself.
For this reason, I have decided to remove the counter from my blog because of this tampering. In any case, it is not an accurate reflection of the visitors I receive. The actual number is much higher than is being shown by that counter.
If and when things settle down, I might re-introduce the counter; but for the time being, I feel that it is better and less stressful that it be removed.
I should like to take this opportunity to thank you ALL for your continued support. I can assure you that it is most apprecaited. Again, I would like to say that if there is any way you feel that this blog can be improved, you are most welcome to email me with your suggestions.
Naturally, I am saddened that I feel the need to take this step. But I feel sure that you will understand that I find it demoralizing to find that thousands upon thousands of page views are being taken away each week without any reason. This is NOT caused by an algorithm; rather, it is being caused by the human hand.
Sincerely
Mark Alexander
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