^ There will be limited posts
from now until I get back from Europe in December. ^
Monday, November 18, 2024
Sunglasses Grandma
From the BBC:
“Grandma with chunky
sunglasses becomes unlikely fashion icon”
A grandmother in rural Zambia has
become an style icon and internet sensation - after agreeing to play dress-up
and swapping outfits with her fashionista granddaughter. Margret Chola, who is
in her mid-80s, is known to the world as "Legendary Glamma" - and
adored by 225,000 Instagram followers for her striking and playful fashion
photographs. "I feel different, I feel new and alive in these clothes, in
a way that I’ve never felt before," Ms Chola tells the BBC. "I feel
like I can conquer the world!" The fortnightly Granny Series was created
in 2023 by her granddaughter Diana Kaumba, a stylist who is based in New York
City.
She came up with the idea when
she was visiting Zambia to mark the second anniversary of the death of her
father - the person she says inspired her passion for fashion because he always
dressed well. During that visit Ms Kaumba had not worn all her carefully
curated outfits, so she asked her grandmother - or "Mbuya" in the
Bemba language - if she wanted to try them on. "I wasn’t doing anything at
the time, so I just said: 'OK. If that’s what you want to do let’s do it - why
not?'" Ms Chola said. "You will miss me when I die and at least this
way you will be remembering me."
Ms Kaumba wore Mbuya’s top and
"chitenge" - a piece of patterned cloth wrapped around the waist. And
Mbuya’s first outfit was a silver pantsuit. "I thought it would be nice to
dress up Mbuya in high fashion and then take photographs of her in her natural
habitat," Ms Kaumba tells the BBC. That natural habitat is a farm in the
village of 10 Miles, just north of the Zambian capital, Lusaka. Most often Ms
Chola is photographed in all her glamour outside - often sitting on an elegant
wooden chair or lounging on a leather sofa. In the background are exposed brick
buildings with corrugated iron roofs, ploughed fields, mango trees and maize
crops. "I was so nervous when I posted that first photo. I left my phone
for 10 minutes and in those 10 minutes there were 1,000 likes," Ms Kaumba
says. "My mind was blown. The comments were flying in and people were
asking for more."
It was in April 2024 that the Granny Series really took off - after Ms Kaumba posted a series of photos of her grandmother in a red Adidas dress, several chunky, golden necklaces and a glittering jewelled crown. "It surprised me to hear that so many people around the world love me," Ms Chola says - who does not know her exact age because she does not have a birth certificate. "I didn’t know I could make such an impact at this age." Ms Chola poses in clothes that are a mix of vibrant colours, textures and styles. From a green American football jersey, combined with a layered frilly red dress styled as a skirt - in the colours of the Zambian flag to pay homage to 60 years of independence. To a blue, black and green sequined top, complete with a golden snake necklace and bracelet. And Mbuya’s personal favourite - jeans, a graphic T-shirt with her image on the front and a blonde wig. "I had never worn jeans or a wig before - so I was happy, and I was dancing."
Ms Kaumba, who has been a stylist
since 2012, says that her grandma has "courage, grace - and nails every
look". All the looks reflect her maximalist-chic aesthetic - which
celebrates the joy of excess, eclectic combinations, the big and the bold, and
clashing patterns and colours. At the heart of it all are eye-catching
accessories - bold sunglasses, oversized hats, necklaces, bracelets, pendants,
rings, gloves, bags, blonde wigs, crowns. That influence has come directly from
her grandmother, who has "always been a lover of pearls and bangles".
In one particularly playful scene called GOAT - short for greatest of all time
- Ms Chola appears with a goat - that is decked out in Mbuya’s beloved pearls.
Other accessories also reflect
Chola’s personality and story. In some shots Mbuya is holding the beloved radio
that she carries around all day and takes to bed with her. Or she’s clutching
an "ibende" - a long wooden stick that over the years she has used to
pound millet or cassava or maize. She is smoking a pipe or holding a metal cup
full of tea, and hanging off the edge of the chair arm is an "mbaula"
or charcoal brazier that Zambians often use for cooking - especially now that
the country is plagued by severe power cuts.
Ms Kaumba hopes that the Granny Series will
highlight that older people still have a lot to offer - and making memories
together is an important way to "leave footprints for the next
generation". "Do not write them off, love them just the same till the
end because remember we will be just like them one day." As a result of
Mbuya’s photo shoots, Ms Kaumba’s been hired by four granddaughters to style
their grandmothers - aged between 70 and 96. Ms Chola hopes that the Granny
Series will inspire people "to live their lives and not worry about being
judged by society". She urges people to "always forgive yourself for
whatever mistakes you made. You can never change your past - but you can change
your future".
The photo shoots have brought
granddaughter and grandmother closer - and through their special bond Ms Kaumba
has learnt so much more about her Mbuya’s often difficult life. Ms Chola was
raised by her grandparents, went to school until she was 12 or 13 and then,
because of economic reasons, was forced to marry a man in his 30s. She had
three children, ended up drinking heavily and eventually escaped the marriage. That
trauma still haunts her - but her unexpected global fame has given her a new
lease on life. "I’m now able to wake up with a purpose knowing that people
around the world love to see me," Chola says.
^ This is an inspiring story. ^
Sunday, November 17, 2024
No Limits
US President Biden has finally given
the approval for Ukraine to use American-Made Long-Range Missiles inside of
Russia.
It comes as today Russia bombed
Ukraine with 200 Missiles and 90 Drones killing at least 10 Ukrainians.
The United States has given
Ukraine $55.5 Billion Dollars worth of Weapons and Equipment since February
2022.
The United States has given
Ukraine $2.8 Billion in Humanitarian Aid since February 2022.
The United States (both under
President Biden and soon under President Trump) needs to continue to support
Ukraine against Russia.
Russia and Iran are Allies.
Iran sends Russia Missiles that
Russia uses to bomb Ukraine.
Russia sends Iran Bombs that Iran
uses to bomb Israel.
Ukraine and Israel are America’s
Allies and we need to continue to help both of them.
Note: The money that the United
States gives to Ukraine for Weapons and Equipment really goes to US Factories across
the United States where American Workers build the Weapons and Equipment which
are then sent to Ukraine.
Betty White's Stamp
From Yahoo/People:
“USPS Is Finally Releasing a
Betty White Stamp in 2025 to Honor the Late Actress: ‘An Icon of American
Television’”
Betty White’s face will be
gracing postage stamps soon! The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announced the stamp
designs for 2025 on Friday, Nov. 15, revealing that one of the stamps will be a
portrait of The Golden Girls star, who died in 2021 at the age of 99.
“An icon of American television,
Betty White ... shared her wit and warmth with viewers for seven decades —
including roles on The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” USPS said
in a statement. “The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as
she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals.”
Dale Stephanos created the digital illustration of White used for the stamp,
which was based on Kwaku Alston’s 2010 photograph of the actress, while USPS
art director Greg Breeding designed the overall stamp. Stephanos shared the
news on Instagram on Friday, posting an image of the stamp along with the
caption, “So excited to share the news that my @bettymwhite stamp for the
@uspostalservice will be released soon. I’d love to send a letter back to my
18-year-old self with this stamp on it and tell him that everything is going to
be OK.”
The icon was a beloved comedy
fixture for fans and fellow actors alike, with many posting heartfelt messages
about her after her death. "The world looks different now," Ryan
Reynolds — who starred with White in 2009’s The Proposal — wrote on X (formerly
Twitter) at the time. “She was great at defying expectation."
^ This is so well deserved. ^
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/usps-finally-releasing-betty-white-202014655.html
.jpg)
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Call Me
Here are some of the best things you can call me:
"A Ukrainian Lover."
"A Gay Lover"
"A Jew Lover."
I am often called these (although
written much worse and with many threats and swear words attached to them.)
What do all three statements
above have in common?
Lover.
I'm not Ukrainian, but I believe
Ukrainians should not be attacked or murdered.
I'm not Gay, but I believe
Homosexuals should not be attacked or murdered.
I'm not Jewish, but I believe
Jews should not be attacked or murdered.
Pompeii Tickets
From EuroNews:
“Pompeii launches personalised
tickets and entry limits in bid to combat overtourism”
(Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of
the Pompeii Archaeological Park, shows an entrance ticket bearing his name, 15
November, 2024)
A record four million people
visited the remains of the ancient Roman city this past summer, prompting a
decision to restrict tourist numbers to 20,000 per day and introduce
personalised tickets. The park is enforcing the changes in a bid to prevent
overtourism and protect the world-famous remains of the Roman city which was
buried under ash and rock following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD.
The park's director Gabriel
Zuchtriegel said visitors to the main archaeological site exceed an average of
15,000 to 20,000 every day, and the new daily cap will prevent the numbers from
surging further. ''We are working on a series of projects to lift the human
pressure on the site, which could pose risks both for visitors and the heritage
(that is) so unique and fragile,'' he said.
On Friday, the park introduced
personalised tickets which include the full name of each visitor. A maximum of
20,000 tickets will be released each day, with different time slots allocated
during the peak summer season. Park management is also trying to lure more
tourists to other ancient sites connected to Pompeii with a free shuttle bus as
part of the 'Greater Pompeii' project. The sites include Stabia, Torre
Annunziata and Boscoreale. ''The measures to manage flows and safety and the
personalisation of the visits are part of this strategy,'' Zuchtriegel said. ''We
are aiming for slow, sustainable, pleasant and non-mass tourism and above all
widespread throughout the territory around the UNESCO site, which is full of
cultural jewels to discover.''
^ It is important to limit how
many people a day can visit so both every one can enjoy their visit and so Pompei
doesn’t get destroyed. ^
Tricare Changes
From Military.com:
“Tricare Changes are Coming in
2025. Here’s What Beneficiaries Need to Know Right Now”
Tricare beneficiaries need to be
aware of changes taking place in both the East and West regions that could, at
worst, get many users inadvertently kicked off their health care plans come
next year if they don’t take certain steps. The insurance program available to
active-duty military, reservist and retiree households is transitioning to a
new set of so-called “T-5” contracts for the management of its two regions
starting Jan. 1, 2025. The West Region is getting a new contractor and a new
network of health care providers, while six states are moving from the East
Region to the West.
The open enrollment season for
Tricare Prime and Tricare Select users is currently underway for 2025 coverage.
Neither the contract changes nor open enrollment apply to the Tricare for Life
automatic wraparound coverage for Medicare Part A and Part B users. Tricare
says the new contracts “will improve the delivery, quality, and cost” of its
services for beneficiaries who live in the U.S. by providing better “network
flexibility,” “beneficiary choice” and telehealth appointments. Meanwhile,
future congressional oversight included in both House and Senate committee
reports, made during the drafting of the 2025 National Defense Authorization
Act, will purportedly address the ability of Tricare’s provider networks to
entirely meet beneficiaries’ needs. Karen Ruedisueli, director of government
relations for health affairs for the Military Officers Association of America
(MOAA), shared some of the following advice for navigating 2025’s Tricare
changes, including the possibility of “a large number of people being
disenrolled as of Jan. 1” if they don’t provide their payment information to a
new contractor.
Here’s what you need to know:
Six States Are Switching
Tricare Regions The U.S. government’s goal in moving six states from the
East Region to the West was to better balance Tricare’s beneficiaries between
the two regions, Ruedisueli said. The six states where 1.1 million eligible
beneficiaries will move from the East Region to the West are Arkansas,
Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.
New Tricare West Region
Contractor Brings New Provider Network While Humana Military Health will
continue to manage the Tricare East Region under Humana’s new T-5 contract, the
West Region will transition from Health Net Federal Services to TriWest
Healthcare Alliance. Now that Tricare open enrollment has begun, West
Region beneficiaries can find out whether their doctors are still in the
network by signing in with their plan information to the 2025 West Region
provider directory.
Tricare Open Enrollment is
Underway Now through Dec. 10, Tricare Prime and Select members can change
their coverage for 2025. Outside annual open enrollment, these beneficiaries
can change coverage only when they experience a qualifying life event such as a
move or the birth of a child.
Coverage Changes Can’t Be Made
in milConnect The Defense Department’s milConnect system won’t be available
for beneficiaries to enter their enrollment changes to their medical plans
during the transition. To change plans, users need to contact their regional
contractor by phone, mail or fax. For the West Region, including those newly in
the West, users should direct their open enrollment plan changes to the new
contractor, TriWest.
Tricare West Region Users Need
to Update Their Payment Information -- or Regret It Ruedisueli at MOAA said
the organization is most concerned that Tricare users in the West Region who
pay a premium or enrollment fee for their coverage will get kicked off their
health plans Jan. 1 if they don’t realize they need to provide their payment
information to the new contractor TriWest before that date. “It’s the
contractors who handle the payment information, and right now in the West
region, Health Net has that payment information, and they can’t just send it to
TriWest,” Ruedisueli explained. “Beneficiaries who are paying by credit card or
electronic funds transfer -- and I think it’s not an insignificant number; I
think it’s in the hundreds of thousands -- are going to have to provide that
payment information to TriWest.” Users will need their primary email
address on file with the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System
(DEERS) to log in to TriWest and set up automatic payments. Members paying by
paycheck allotment don’t need to do anything.
Everyone Should Update Their
Contact Info in DEERS Not all beneficiaries will need to take action during
the contract transition, but Tricare advises that everyone should check to make
sure their contact information is correct in DEERS. Confirming that your
contact info is up to date will “help make sure you don’t miss important
communications” during the transition.
Keep Up With Changes to Your
Benefits Want to know about changes in military benefits as they happen?
Subscribe to Military.com to get the latest benefits news delivered directly
straight to your inbox.
^ Hopefully, these changes won’t
hurt anyone’s Health Care. ^
Thursday, November 14, 2024
War Paws: Christmas Raffle
From War Paws:
“Enter Raffle to Win War Paws
2024 Christmas Raffle”
Welcome to the War Paws Christmas
2024 Raffle.
Once again we have lots of lovely
prizes on offer including 18 carat gold and diamond earrings, Amazon Gift
Cards, Doggy Hamper, Cat Hamper, Pamper Hamper for Women, Hamper for Men, Kids
prizes, Luxury Chocolates and other sweets from Iraq plus we plan to add more
items as we get closer to Christmas!
The prizes are truly fabulous and
the tickets are an absolute steal at just £1 per ticket and EVERY penny raised
will help hundreds of animals at our shelter in Iraq.
The draw will take place on 01
Dec so we can get the prizes mailed out in time for Christmas!
21 Prizes
18 carat White Gold Diamond
(0.30cts) Earrings A gorgeous pair of hand made 18 carat white gold and
diamond solitaire studs weighing in at 0.30cts of diamond. The diamonds in these beautiful earrings were
hand picked by Louise and are valued at £1400! Delivery International
delivery included
£25 Amazon Gift Card An
Amazon Gift Card to the value of £25 GBP.
This prize will be issued electronically once the winner is drawn. Delivery
International delivery included
£25 Amazon Gift Card An
Amazon Gift Card to the value of £25 GBP.
This prize will be issued electronically once the winner is drawn. Delivery
International delivery included
£25 Amazon Gift Card An
Amazon Gift Card to the value of £25 GBP.
This prize will be issued electronically once the winner is drawn. Delivery
International delivery included
J Wilson London RFID Ladies
Purse
A gorgeous purple leather ladies
purse that comes with added RFID protection to keep your credit cards safe! Delivery
International delivery included
Crystal Teardrop Wind Spinner This
beautiful artist crystal tail set will make the perfect accessory for any
garden! This Wind Spinner set will look
amazing both outdoors and indoors. The
Spinner will turn naturally in the wind whilst reflecting any light from its
surroundings, resulting in beautiful sensory light effects. Add character,
style and unique reflective light to your garden with this set. Made
from stainless steel, and then powder coated they are perfect to go outside all
year round - No rusting! You can hang it
from a tree branch, hanging basket, on a bracket, shepherds hook and much more
to give your garden that extra sparkle. The crystal tail is designed to pick up
and refract the light, creating amazing effects as it spins, giving the
illusion of the ball looking like its climbing the spiral! Delivery International
delivery included
Portrait of your Dog worth
£150 Kindly donated by Linda who will create a beautiful portrait of your
dog worth £150 using water colour,
pastels or acrylic. Delivery International delivery included
His 'n' Hers Dove Toiletries
Sets For her we have a lovely Dove 'Time to Nourish' Gift set that
includes: 1 x Shower Puff, 1 x Dove Caring Indulging Cream Bath Soak, 1
x Dove Deeply Nourishing Body Wash, 1 x Dove Anti-Perspirant Deodorant, 1 x
Dove Body Love Essential Care Body Lotion, 1 x Dove Original Beauty Bar, 1 x
Bamboo Soap Dish For him we have a Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Trio +
Charging Pad Gift Set that includes: three full-size gifts for him: a
body & face wash, a 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner, and an
anti-perspirant deodorant and a wireless charging pad Delivery International
delivery included
Disney Lego 100 Year
Celebration Set for Kids 8+ Wow any kid or fan aged 8+ with a gift
celebrating Disney’s 100th anniversary of magic, wonder and beloved animated
characters. This LEGO® | Disney: Disney 100 Years Celebration (40600) set
features 3 models: a small desk with a drawing; a screen and a projector with a
light brick that makes Disney’s Mickey Mouse appear; plus balloons and cake.
Each model includes a clip on the back and can function as a note or photo
holder. The set also includes an exclusive Mickey Mouse LEGO minifigure. Delivery
International delivery included
Ceramic Wax Melt/Oil Burner
& Valentte Wax Melts A beautiful ceramic oil/wax melt burner that comes
with a set of Valentte wax melts Delivery International delivery
included
Gorgeous Handcrafted Evening
Bag from Iraq This beautiful hand crafted iridescent glass bead evening bag
was made by our very own Dr Ali and his mom & sister. A lot of love went into creating this lovely
bag that comes with a spare carry chain and a beautiful hand crafted feather
brooch Delivery International delivery included
Ceramic Sweet Jar & Dish
from Iraq This absolutely lovely china sweet jar/dish from Iraq comes
complete with Iraqi sweeties inside it! Delivery International
delivery included
Huge Doggy Hamper This
fabulous doggy hamper is massive! Your
dog will love this hamper full of treats and toys that also comes with a bowl,
fluffy blanket and a silicone mat for those dogs who like to spread their food
around! Delivery International delivery included
Cat Hamper A lovely hamper
for your feline friends that comes complete with LOTS of toys, treats, dishes
and a fluffy blanket Delivery International delivery included
Vegan Mulled Wine & Mugs
Gift Set with Fluffy Blanket With winter well on its way there is nothing
better than curling up with a good book or film whilst sipping mulled wine and
keeping warm with a fluffy blanket Delivery International
delivery included
Vegan Hamper A lovely
hamper filled with all sorts of vegan treats! Delivery International
delivery included
Aleppo & Oud Soap
Collection from Iraq A lovely prize that contains 3 x Sparkly Oud Hand Soaps that smell divine,
a bar of Aleppo soap in a lovely box and a selection of Aleppo Basota soaps
scented with various oils. Delivery International delivery included
Set of 2 My Little Pony Toys Sunny
Starscout: an Earth Pony from Maretime Bay! Sunny is curious, adventurous, and
determined to make the world a better place Izzy Moonbow: a Unicorn from
Bridlewood Forest! Izzy is an energetic optimist who loves crafting, creating,
and sparkles Delivery International delivery included
Luxury Sweets, Baclava, Coffee
& Tea Gift Set from Iraq A real taste of the Middle East is to be had
with this lovely gift set comprising of Baclava, Luxury Handmade Sweets,
Espresso Coffee & Royal Ceylon Tea Delivery Delivery not
included
Chocolate Covered Almonds,
Handmade Sweets & Cardamom Coffee Set A lovely set containing Chocolate
covered Almonds, a tin of aromatic cardamom coffee and a box of handmade sweets
from Iraq Delivery International delivery included
Soaps, Shemagh &
Prayer/Worry Beads Set A beautiful collection of Aleppo Soaps alongside a
lovely blue shemagh/scarf, hand crafted amulet, long length wooden prayer/worry
beads and a smaller set of prayer worry beads that would look great as a bag
tag! Delivery Delivery not included
Charity Donation 100% of
the host's revenue goes directly to:
War Paws
Registered Charity No. 1168239
Raffle Ends Sunday, 1st
December 2024 at 14:00 or when the last ticket is sold (whichever comes sooner)
^ War Paws helps Animals in difficult
situations in tough places across the World. They use this Christmas Raffle to
help their Animals get through the long, cold Winter. Please help if you can. At
the following link:
^
Flood Stories
From the BBC:
“Valencia floods: Spain clings
to fragments of hope in time of disaster”
(Daniel Burguet is now considered
a local hero after a video of him smashing a door to take four children to
safety went viral)
Floods and torrential rain
returned to the Valencia region on Wednesday night, but this time they were
ready for it, and the areas hit two weeks ago escaped further disaster. More
than 220 people died in this eastern coastal area at the end of October, and
the town of Paiporta was hit hardest with the loss of 60 lives. In the midst of
despair the local population are understandably searching for beacons of hope,
for example the remarkable story of what happened at the Whitby English
language school.
As the whole road became engulfed in water,
the college’s co-director, Daniel Burguet, repeatedly pounded against a door
with a chair leg that he’d just picked up. Filmed from a 3rd floor balcony
across the street, Daniel is seen smashing constantly against the glass. He is
trapped with his 11-year-old daughter, Noa, and three younger children inside
the school, unable to reach a higher floor. Eventually, Danny breaks down the
door of the next building along and, one by one, he pulls the children to
safety. “When I got through that door, I felt so relieved. Finally, we were
safe,” Daniel tells me as he carries on repairs to the school. In the quest for
fragments of solace, it’s also perhaps understandable that when tales of
bravery are found, they are celebrated unashamedly. Local media have hailed
Danny as the "Hero of Pairporta". “There are a lot of people who did
the same thing that day, many ‘heroes’ like me, if you want to call us that,”
he says. “I feel good about it. I feel the love of people around here. I was
the one who was filmed, but there were many other heroes.” Rebuilding Spain’s
shattered and traumatised communities will require an heroic effort that goes
on for months.
The threat hasn’t gone away.
(Brother and sister Juan Jose and
Lourdes Montane say they feel abandoned by the authorities)
A fortnight after the worst
floods to hit a single European country this century, Paiporta is still full of
firefighters, police officers as well as the Red Cross and an army of daily
volunteers. Volunteers and emergency services are working to clean the streets
in Paiporta, in Spain, two weeks after the region was hit by deadly floods But
many residents feel the unofficial community-generated effort is not being
matched by the authorities – either at the regional or national level. “It was
a tsunami,” declares Juan José Montane. He shows me the video he took from his
apartment as floating cars were hurled against the walls below him. “It was
only thanks to God that I survived,” he exclaims, furiously making the sign of
the cross three times. Divine intervention aside, it’s the lack of intervention
from the Valencia and central government which is now infuriating him. “This is
shameful, we feel abandoned," says Juan José. "For four days we
didn’t see the army coming to help. We need more troops here.” His sister,
Lourdes, fears for how the town will re-build with so much lost and now a
severe lack of infrastructure. “We feel imprisoned here. There are no roads, it
is horrible,” she explains. "We lost everything in this town, everything.”
Although the vast majority of
houses are still standing, there is a lack of electricity, hot or drinking
water in the streets that were the worst hit. In Paiporta, piles of mangled
cars have been created on roundabouts and at other places out of the way of
traffic. It’s estimated as many as 100,000 cars were destroyed during the
floods. Some abandoned vehicles that look pretty much intact, apart from a
dented bonnet here or a flat tyre there, are not spared either. Instead, they
are grabbed by giant claw cranes that smash down through the windscreen and
lift the vehicles away. The loss of possessions has been immense in this
region. The loss of life crushing. And the trauma’s not over. The mayor has
urged people to stay inside, as the local population waits for the latest flood
alert to subside.
^ In the midst of such tragedy we
need to see and hear these kinds of everyday stories. ^
Russian Biometrics
From the MT:
“Russian Airports to Require
Biometric Checks for Foreign Travelers Starting Next Month”
Foreigners arriving in Russia
through four Moscow airports and a land border checkpoint with Kazakhstan will
be required to submit their photos and fingerprints starting next month,
according to a Russian government decree.
The new rules take effect on Dec.
1 as part of a policy experiment and will last at least until June 30, 2026.
Biometric requirements will be extended to all Russian border checkpoints
starting June 30, 2025. Foreigners with visa-free entry to Russia will be
required to provide their biometrics via a downloadable phone app. Those requiring a visa to enter the country
will have their biometrics automatically entered into a central database and
“linked” with Russia’s unified biometric system, which is accessible to the
police and intelligence services. “A foreign citizen and stateless person’s
biometric personal data shall be transferred to the state information systems
of authorized bodies and organizations involved in the experiment for their
identification or authentication,” the decree states.
Diplomats, employees of
international organizations, Belarusian nationals and children under six are
exempt from the biometric requirements. Rights groups have criticized Russia’s
biometric system for its invasiveness.
^ Foreigners should not be
traveling to Russia – not just because of this new Biometric Check – but because
of Putin’s War in Ukraine and his Crack-Down on Human Rights across Russia. ^
76: King Charles
Today (November 14, 1948) is the
76th Birthday of Charles III, King of Canada.
(The Official Stamp of King
Charles III in Canada. Le timbre officiel du roi Charles III au Canada.)
The Canadian Monarchy - the Maple
Crown- (separate from the British Monarchy) was created in 1952.
It was going to be created in
1947 when Canadian Citizenship (separate from British Citizenship) was created,
but King George VI - who lost the Title of “Emperor of India” in 1947 when
British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) gained independence – decided
not to create a separate Canadian Monarchy and possibly have Canada vote to
become a Republic.
Queen Elizabeth II allowed for
the creation of the Canadian Monarchy and was the First Canadian Monarch and
the First Queen of Canada (which she held from February 6, 1952 -September 8,
2022.)
King Charles III has been the
Second Canadian Monarch and the First King of Canada since September 8, 2022.
The Canadian Monarch’s Official
Birthday is celebrated on Victoria Day (the last Monday before May 25th every
year) regardless of when the Monarch was actually born.
Queen Elizabeth II’s actual
Birthday was on April 21st and King Charles III’s actual Birthday in today
(November 14th.)
Aujourd'hui (14 novembre 1948),
c'est le 76e anniversaire de Charles III, roi du Canada.
La monarchie canadienne - la
Couronne d'érable - (séparée de la monarchie britannique) a été créée en 1952.
Il allait être créé en 1947 lors
de la création de la citoyenneté canadienne (séparée de la citoyenneté
britannique), mais le roi George VI – qui a perdu le titre d'« empereur de
l'Inde » en 1947 lorsque l'Inde britannique (Inde, Pakistan et Bangladesh) a
obtenu son indépendance – a décidé de ne pas créer une monarchie canadienne
distincte et éventuellement de faire voter le Canada pour devenir une
république.
La reine Elizabeth II a permis la
création de la monarchie canadienne et a été le premier monarque canadien et la
première reine du Canada (qu'elle a occupé du 6 février 1952 au 8 septembre
2022.)
Le roi Charles III est le
deuxième monarque canadien et le premier roi du Canada depuis le 8 septembre
2022.
L’anniversaire officiel du
monarque canadien est célébré le jour de la fête de Victoria (le dernier lundi
avant le 25 mai de chaque année), quelle que soit la date de naissance du
monarque.
L'anniversaire réel de la reine
Elizabeth II était le 21 avril et celui du roi Charles III aujourd'hui (14
novembre).
Diabetes Day
Diabetes
What is Diabetes? With diabetes, your body
either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should.
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your
body turns food into energy. Most of the food you eat is broken down into sugar
(also called glucose) and released into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar
goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin. Insulin acts like a key
to let the blood sugar into your body’s cells for use as energy. If you have
diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin
it makes as well as it should. When there isn’t enough insulin or cells stop
responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in your bloodstream. Over
time, that can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision
loss, and kidney disease. There isn’t a cure yet for diabetes, but losing
weight, eating healthy food, and being active can really help. Taking medicine
as needed, getting diabetes self-management education and support, and keeping
health care appointments can also reduce the impact of diabetes on your life.
Diabetes by the Numbers
34.2 million US adults have
diabetes, and 1 in 5 of them don’t know they have it.
Diabetes is the seventh leading
cause of death in the United States.
Diabetes is the No. 1 cause of
kidney failure, lower-limb amputations, and adult blindness.
In the last 20 years, the number
of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.
Types of Diabetes There are three
main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (diabetes
while pregnant).
Type 1 Diabetes Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by
an autoimmune reaction (the body attacks itself by mistake) that stops your
body from making insulin. Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes
have type 1. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes often develop quickly. It’s usually
diagnosed in children, teens, and young adults. If you have type 1 diabetes,
you’ll need to take insulin every day to survive. Currently, no one knows how
to prevent type 1 diabetes.
Type 2 Diabetes With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use
insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. About 90-95% of
people with diabetes have type 2. It develops over many years and is usually
diagnosed in adults (but more and more in children, teens, and young adults).
You may not notice any symptoms, so it’s important to get your blood sugar
tested if you’re at risk. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with
healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and
being active.
Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant
women who have never had diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, your baby
could be at higher risk for health problems. Gestational diabetes usually goes
away after your baby is born but increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later
in life. Your baby is more likely to have obesity as a child or teen, and more
likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life too.
Prediabetes In the United States, 88 million adults—more
than 1 in 3—have prediabetes. What’s more, more than 84% of them don’t know
they have it. With prediabetes, blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but
not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes raises your
risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The good news is if you
have prediabetes, a CDC-recognized lifestyle change program can help you take
healthy steps to reverse it.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Bali Volcano
From the DW:
“Bali volcanic ash disrupts
international flights”
An ongoing eruption of the
Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano on the island of Flores has caused dozens of flight
cancellations to and from Bali, which is 500 kilometers away. International
airlines have had to cancel dozens of flights to and from Indonesia's island of
Bali, after a nearby volcano sent a large ash column into the sky. Bali is Indonesia's top tourist hotspot and is
a popular destination for Australian visitors.
Activity at the volcano has
disrupted flights at Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai international airport since
eruptions began. "Due to volcanic ash caused by Mount Lewotobi in
Indonesia, it is currently not safe to operate to and from Bali,"
Australian airline Jetstar said on Wednesday. "Volcanic ash poses a
significant threat to safe operations of the aircraft in the vicinity of
volcanic clouds," said AirAsia several cancellations were announced.
On Tuesday, authorities expanded
the danger zone to 9 kilometers (5.5 miles) as volcanic material, including
smoldering rocks, lava, and hot fragments of gravel and ash were thrown up to 8
kilometers (5 miles) from the crater on Friday.
The Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano,
situated on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province — just 500
kilometers (360 miles) from Bali — has been active since late 2023. Multiple
eruptions from the 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) volcano in recent weeks have killed
nine people and injured dozens more while forcing the evacuation of more than
11,000 people. Indonesia — which has close to 130 active volcanoes — is
situated on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which is the most geologically
active zone on Earth.
^ It seems Bali gets cut off from
the rest of the world due to their Volcanoes on a regular basis. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/bali-volcanic-ash-disrupts-international-flights/a-70771408
Lower Pay
From the MT:
“Putin Signs Decree Adjusting
Compensation Rules for Injured Soldiers”
President Vladimir Putin on
Wednesday signed a decree revising compensation for soldiers injured in combat,
basing payouts on the severity of their injuries rather than providing a flat
payment.
Under the new rules, soldiers
with severe injuries will receive 3 million rubles ($30,400), while those with
minor injuries will receive 1 million rubles ($10,100). Soldiers with other
injuries will be eligible for 100,000 rubles ($1,000). The decree, which takes
effect immediately, adjusts Putin’s initial promise of a flat 3 million ruble
payment for all wounded soldiers, made shortly after the full-scale invasion of
Ukraine in early 2022.
Families of soldiers killed in
combat are still eligible for 5 million rubles.
Reports surfaced earlier this
month that Russian authorities were considering a revised payment structure for
war-related injuries. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov recently called the
anticipated changes “a matter of fairness.” Russian military analyst Kirill Shamiev said
the new policy might lead to lower payouts, as doctors could potentially
reclassify soldiers’ injuries. “In fact, servicemen will likely struggle to
receive higher payments as doctors can downgrade the severity [of their
injuries],” Shamiev wrote on X. Injured Russian soldiers have previously
reported bureaucratic delays in receiving compensation.
^ It’s no surprise that Putin is
doing this especially since 714,000+ Russian Soldiers have been wounded or
killed in Ukraine.
It just goes to show how poorly
things are going for Russians inside Ukraine as well as for Russians in Russia.
They are being wounded and killed
as Cannon Fodder and not for any great Cause. ^
Winding Down
From UPI:
“Special counsel Jack Smith to
wrap up Trump criminal cases, resign before Inauguration Day”
Special counsel Jack Smith will
wrap up the two criminal cases against Donald Trump and resign with his team
before Trump's Inauguration Day in January. The New York Times, citing people
familiar with Smith's plans, first reported Smith's goal is to not leave
unfinished work behind on the cases and to act ahead of Trump's promise to fire
him. NBC News and CNN, also citing anonymous sources familiar, reported Smith
would step down. Smith's decision is driven by the Justice Department policy of
not prosecuting a sitting president together with the U.S. Supreme Court
holding that Trump is legally immune from any acts deemed "official."
As president, Trump has promised
to use his powers over the Justice Department to defend himself from criminal
charges by firing federal prosecutors to stop their cases against him. He has
also threatened to use the Justice Department as presdient to go after his
political enemies. Trump said in an October radio interview he would fire Smith
"within two seconds" of becoming president. Trump vowed during the
campaign to take vengeance on his political enemies using his powers as
president. Republicans in Congress are also expected to investigate prosecutors
for bringing cases backed by evidence against Trump.
Justice Department regulations
require a report from Smith summarizing the investigation into Trump's alleged
crimes. It's unclear whether that will be publicly available. Trump was
indicted by a grand jury for an alleged criminal conspiracy to block and
overturn results in the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.
Smith oversaw that case as well
as a second classified documents criminal case against Trump in Florida. Smith
is also considering what to do about cases against other defendants in the
Trump cases. In addition to the federal felony cases pending against him Trump
has been convicted on 34 state felonies on New York.
^ Sadly, the rule of law is going
away for some time. ^
https://www.yahoo.com/news/special-counsel-jack-smith-wrap-142139517.html
Coulier's Health
From Yahoo:
“‘Full House' star David
Coulier announces stage 3 cancer diagnosis. What to know about non-Hodgkin
lymphoma and the symptom that tipped the actor off.”
Former Full House star Dave
Coulier has been diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a form of cancer
that affects the lymphatic system, the actor announced on the Today show
Wednesday. The 65-year-old actor said he had no symptoms until a cold left him
with a golf ball-sized swelling in his groin. A visit to the doctor for the
unusual lump ultimately led to Coulier’s cancer diagnosis. It was a “gut
punch,” he told Today. Coulier is now undergoing treatment and says the
prognosis is good — an outcome he credits to quick screening. Here’s what to
know about Coulier’s diagnosis.
How Dave Coulier found out he
had cancer Just over a month ago, Coulier came down with a cold. He told
Today he was accustomed in the past to swollen lymph nodes in his neck and
armpits when he’d had mild illnesses. That’s a common occurrence when the body
is ramping up immune cell production to fight off a cold. But in a matter of
days, he developed a much more dramatic inflammation in a new spot, his groin.
“It swelled up immediately,” Coulier told Today. The enlarged node made
Coulier think he might be sicker than he had realized, so he visited his
doctor. PET and CT scans, an EKG and blood work all came back normal, but it
was a biopsy — done as a precaution — that revealed that Coulier had cancer.
“Hey, we wish we had better news, but you have non-Hodgkin lymphoma, B-cell
lymphoma,” Coulier’s doctors told him. “The first thing I said to them was,
‘Wait a minute — cancer?’” Coulier next had to have his bone marrow
biopsied to find out whether the cancer had spread, which determines its stage.
“That was pins and needles for a few days, because I didn’t know what stage it
was, or if it had progressed,” he said. The results indicated that his
non-Hodgkin lymphoma was at stage 3, meaning that the disease was present in
multiple areas of the lymphatic system, but not in any other organs, according
to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Once his cancer was staged,
doctors quickly scheduled Coulier for surgery to place a port through which he
would receive chemotherapy. “You hear chemo, and it scares the daylights out of
you,” he told Today. “The first round was pretty intense, because you don’t
know what to expect.” Coulier has undergone at least one chemotherapy
treatment, and will have six in all, spaced out every 21 days, and finishing in
February. In total, Coulier said he’s undergone three surgeries in addition to
chemotherapy, which has caused him to lose “a little bit of hair.” Because his
cancer hasn’t spread beyond the lymphatic system, Coulier said his doctors
estimate that there’s about a 90% chance his disease is curable, and that he is
anticipating “total remission.”
What is non-Hodgkin lymphoma? It’s
a form of blood cancer that strikes the white blood cells of the
infection-fighting lymphatic system. Non-Hodgkin and Hodgkin lymphoma are
similar diseases, but they’re treated differently, according to the ACS. In
both cases, cancer cells begin to multiply in the lymph nodes (interconnected,
bean-sized repositories of immune cells located throughout the body, including
in the chest, neck, abdomen and pelvis), in the immune cell-producing spleen or
bone marrow or in the lymph tissue of the digestive tract or throat. Non-Hodgkin
lymphoma (sometimes simply called NHL) accounts for about 4% of all cancers
diagnosed in the U.S., and about 80,620 Americans are expected to be diagnosed
in 2024, according to the ACS. On average, about 74% of people with NHL survive
for at least five years, including between 71% and 77% of those diagnosed at
stage 3, like Coulier. While Coulier is very optimistic about his prognosis, he
is also making peace with uncertainty. He told his wife, “I don’t know why, but
I [am] OK with whatever the news [is] going to be, no matter how devastating,”
according to Today. But Coulier also said cancer is “a bit of a battle, and
you’re going to need to be on your game.” Chemotherapy is the first line
of treatment against NHL. Depending on the stage, however, some patients also
undergo radiation, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery or stem cell
transplants.
Know your risks and get
screened As with many cancers, a family history of the disease and older
age are risk factors for NHL, which usually strikes people between 65 and 74,
according to the National Cancer Institute. It’s also more common among men and
white people than among women or people of color. People with compromised
immune systems due to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or HIV are also at
greater risk, and certain infections, including Epstein-Barr virus, may bump up
someone’s odds of developing NHL. As with colorectal cancer, a high BMI may
also further increase your risks, the ACS says. Coulier’s main symptom —
severely swollen lymph nodes — is a common first sign of NHL, per the ACS.
Other symptoms include a fever with no obvious cause, night sweats, unexplained
weight loss, fatigue, a rash or itchy skin and unexplained pain in the chest,
abdomen or bones. Although these symptoms can usually be explained by something
else, they’re worth getting checked out if they are persistent. Getting
his swollen lymph nodes examined may well have saved Coulier’s life, and he
hopes his example will encourage others to do the same. “If I can help someone
… get an early screening — a breast exam, a colonoscopy, a prostate exam — go
do it, because, for me, early detection meant everything,” Coulier told Today.
^ This is sad to hear. ^
Occupied Russia
Putin ordered his Troops to
liberate the Ukrainian-Occupied Parts of Kursk before January 20th
(when Trump becomes President again.)
Putin previously had the deadline
of October 1, 2024 but the Russians couldn’t meet that deadline.
Parts of Kursk, Belgorod and Bryansk
Russia has been occupied by Ukraine since August 6, 2024.
Ukraine occupied parts of Russia to:
inflict damage on Russia's military, capture Russian Troops, push Russian
artillery further out of range of hitting Ukraine, hinder Russian supply lines
and divert Russian Forces from other Fronts.
It also aims to put pressure on
the Russian Government and force it into "fair" Peace Negotiations.
144,000 Russians have fled to the
rest of Russia where they have received little to no support from the Russian
Government or the Russian People.
Russia is now using 10,000 to
50,000 North Korean Soldiers in the area to do what the 40,000 Russian Soldiers
have not been able to do – effective counterattack and liberate Russian
Territory.
It is the first time that Russia has been
occupied by a Foreign Country since 1945.
714,320 Russian Soldiers have
been killed or wounded fighting in Ukraine or in Ukrainian-Occupied Russia.
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
Struggling Rural
From Military.com:
“Rural Veterans Are Struggling
with Access to VA-Provided Care”
Amanda Flener and her military
veteran husband, John, survived hurricane Helene without a scratch. Their
routine access to Veterans Affairs healthcare for John's medical conditions
didn't fare so well. Four days after the storm passed over their town of
Fitzgerald, population 8,900, in south Georgia, Flener and her husband were
busy rescheduling appointments with the Veterans Health Administration. With
power outages affecting hospitals around Georgia, the Fleners couldn't risk
driving 30 to 70 miles for appointments that might be canceled, especially with
gas so scarce. "We had been driving
30 miles just to get gas to power our generator this week, and we were
fortunate to be able to do that," Amanda Flener told the Daily Yonder.
"But [the healthcare providers] can't guarantee they'll have power
tomorrow." Flener is the primary caretaker for her husband, John, who was
wounded in Iraq during his fourth deployment in 2006. His armored vehicle was
hit by an improvised explosive device, or IED, which left him with a traumatic
brain injury and other wounds. "We
have a gamut of physical and mental health issues," said Flener, from
seizures, migraines, and balance issues to back and knee pain, PTSD, anxiety,
and depression. For almost 20 years, Flener has coordinated her husband's
extensive care, which at times has required near-daily medical and therapeutic
appointments. Because there are no Veterans Affairs health services in
Fitzgerald or Ben Hill County, the Fleners have to drive as long as three hours
to reach their appointments, which can be as far as Augusta, Georgia, or
Gainesville, Florida. In the two years since she bought her new car, Flener has
racked up nearly 72,000 miles, about twice as much as the average Georgian
drove in that same time frame.
There are an estimated 14.3
million military and veteran caregivers across the United States, according to
a new study conducted by the RAND Corporation and commissioned by the Elizabeth
Dole Foundation, which supports military and veterans caregivers. About a
quarter of the nation's 19 million veterans live in Census-defined rural areas,
according to the VA. The report included
a chapter analyzing differences in demographics and outcomes for rural and
urban military and veteran caregivers. One notable finding was that those
caring for veterans under the age of 60 were more likely to live in rural areas
than those caring for older veterans. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
(VA) reports that there are 4.4 million rural veterans, 46% of whom are under
the age of 65.
Many of these veterans, like John
Flener, were deployed after 9/11. According to the Pew Research Center,
post-9/11 veterans are more likely to "have been deployed, seen combat,
experienced emotional trauma" than pre-9/11 veterans. Post-9/11 veterans
are also more likely to struggle with readjusting to civilian life. The RAND study also found that nearly a
quarter of rural military and veteran caregivers did not have access to
reliable broadband internet. This means that some solutions for rural
healthcare access, like telehealth appointments, are not viable for some of the
people who could most benefit from them. Amanda Flener says telehealth appointments can
help fill coverage gaps, for which she is grateful. But she says even with the
most expensive internet plan available in her county, the signal isn't always
strong enough for telehealth appointments. Telehealth care is "progress, for
sure," Flener said. "So we pay for the best wifi we can get in our
area, but it isn't always reliable enough to take the video calls from the
VA."
Transportation and Access Gaps
Fitzgerald, Georgia, where the Fleners live, is designated a primary care,
dental, and mental health professional shortage area according to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. This lack of healthcare resources is
one of the reasons the Fleners spend so many hours on the road. But
transportation to and from a continuous stream of appointments is a challenge
for millions of veterans and their caregivers in the VA system, including those
in suburban and urban counties. Tara
Plybon and her husband, Todd, live in Taylor, Texas, a small town outside of
Austin in suburban Williamson County. Despite their proximity to a major city,
Plybon spends at least four hours each week driving her husband to and from
appointments. "My husband,
like a lot of other veterans, has a brain injury and can't stay awake to
drive," Plybon told the Daily Yonder. "So one of the biggest
challenges of caregiving is driving him all over God's green earth to get him
to his appointments."
According to the RAND study, just
under half of military and veteran caregivers live in a county without a VA
facility, and nearly half live in a primary care provider shortage area. The
Department of Veterans Affairs does provide some transportation to health
services for rural veterans through their Highly Rural Transportation Grants
program, but this option is currently only available in counties with fewer
than 7 people per square mile. This limits the reach of the program to just 227
counties across 14 states. That's less than 12% of the U.S. counties that are
nonmetropolitan under the federal Metropolitan Statistical Area classification
system, and an even smaller percentage of counties where at least half the
population lives in rural areas using the U.S. Census rural definition.
There have also been attempts to
organize transportation help by non-government organizations, such as the
charity Disabled American Veterans (DAV). For a while, the Fleners had access
to a van service run by local DAV chapters, but it hasn't run in their area
since the Covid-19 pandemic. In
February, a bipartisan group of congressional legislators introduced the Rural
Veterans Transportation to Care Act, which would expand transportation access
to more rural veterans. "This
bipartisan bill would improve how VA measures rurality, helping more veterans
living in rural areas get transportation to VA or VA-authorized health care
facilities," according to the website of Representative Marie Glusenkamp
Perez (D–Washington–3rd), who co-sponsored the bill. The act was co-introduced
in the Senate by John Ossoff (D) of Georgia, where 3 in 10 veterans live in
rural communities like the Fleners, according to the VA.
No Shortage of Shortages Transportation
and access to healthcare services are two of the biggest challenges facing
rural veterans and their caregivers, but they are far from the only things that
set them apart from their urban counterparts. In 2016, Amanda Flener was nominated as a
Dole Caregiver Fellow, which the Elizabeth Dole Foundation describes as
"an immersive multi-year leadership experience, focused on building
community and support across all 50 states." Flener said she has been profoundly
affected by the connections she's made with other caregivers around the
country, who offer support and share resources. But it has also opened her eyes
to the difference geography can make in the lives of wounded veterans and their
caregivers. Unlike some other fellows, Flener and her
husband have no access to treatments like equine therapy, which can help with
conditions like PTSD and depression as well as improve balance, physical
strength, and mobility. And
options some of her peers take for granted to alleviate the caregiving load,
like hiring a cleaner or using an online delivery service for occasional
dinners and emergency shopping, isn't practicable in her small town, Flener
said. "Amazon next day
delivery, that's not really a thing for us. And just things like somebody
saying, ‘oh, hire a cleaning service.' There is literally not a cleaning
service in our town." But despite these difficulties, the Fleners
have no plans to move to a more urban location. Amanda Flener says rural
communities offer veterans like her husband a calmer place to heal, away from
crowds. "If [wounded veterans] can
get away to a quieter place where they can hunt or fish, or just find solitude
in nature, it goes a long way to help their mental health," Flener said.
^ No Veteran, regardless of where
they live within the US, should have to endure sub-par or no Health Care. ^
Next Steps
From the DW:
“What next for Germany after
government collapse? A timeline”
After firing his finance minister
and effectively ending the governing coalition, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
has laid out a possible timeline for an early federal election. DW explains the
next steps. The same day that Republican candidate Donald Trump retook the
White House in the US presidential election, Germany's quarrelsome governing
coalition fell apart once and for all. An open dispute over future economic
policies had laid bare just how severely relations among coalition partners had
deteriorated — especially when it came to the smallest member of the three-way
arrangement, the neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP).
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, of the
center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), fired FDP leader Christian Lindner
from his position as finance minister late on November 6, triggering the
government crisis. Two of the three remaining FDP ministers in the federal
government decided to follow their party leader and hand in their resignations.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing, meanwhile, said he would remain in office
and quit the FDP instead. With that, the coalition deal between the Social
Democrats, Greens and Liberals was officially history. A new road map is now
taking shape, indicating how Germany might find its way back to a stable
government.
First things first: Finish
urgent business According to Scholz's original plan, the two remaining
coalition partners — Scholz's SPD and the environmentalist Green Party as a
minority government — were to finalize a number of key issues: Germany's
pension package, required national legislation as part of the new EU asylum
laws as well as an outstanding aid package for the ailing economy. However,
following the withdrawal of the FDP from the governing coalition, Scholz now
needs votes from the opposition to pass this legislation. Friedrich Merz, head
of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) — one half of parliament's
largest opposition faction together with its Bavarian sister party, the CSU —
has rebuffed Scholz's proposal. The CDU/CSU does not see much time pressure for
Scholz's social policy plans anyway, as they can be implemented retroactively.
However, the governing parties and the CDU/CSU all support the
strengthening of the Federal Constitutional Court. This step requires a
two-thirds majority, which may not be possible in the next parliament against
the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD), or the left-wing
nationalist Sara Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). Vice Chancellor Robert
Habeck has also proposed that a new special fund for the German armed forces
should be set up in the current parliament. Such a decision would also require
a two-thirds majority.
Step 1: Vote of no confidence Originally,
Scholz had planned to wait for January to call a vote of no confidence in the
first week of parliamentary sessions in 2025. However, the CDU/CSU has called
for a new election as soon as possible. Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that
Scholz will most likely take the decisive step at the end of November. After
that, Article 68 of Germany's constitution, the Basic Law, outlines what would
happen next: The chancellor must introduce a motion requesting that members of
the Bundestag declare their support for him or her. Germany's constitution
allows for 48-hours of consultations before the parliament must come to a
decision. Should the majority of the Bundestag withhold support for the
chancellor, as most expect will be the case with Scholz, this would clear the
way for a snap election. This would be the sixth time in Germany's history that
a chancellor has called upon the Bundestag to show its support. Only in two
previous cases has the chancellor managed to remain in power after the vote.
Step 2: Dissolution of
parliament In cases when only a minority of the Bundestag expresses its
support for the chancellor, then he or she must propose that the federal
president, currently Frank-Walter Steinmeier, dissolve parliament. If the head
of state also sees no feasible prospects for a stable government under current
circumstances, he or she has 21 days to dismiss parliament and clear the way
for an early election. On November 7, Steinmeier announced that he was
prepared to do just that. Steinmeier: 'This is not the time for tactics
and tussles' At this point, Article 39 of Germany's Basic Law comes into
play, which states that a new election must be held within 60 days of the
dissolution of parliament.
Step 3: Early election Initially,
Scholz had proposed holding a snap election in March; the CDU/CSU's first
proposal was a date in January. Meanwhile, less than a week after the collapse
of the coalition, an agreement seems imminent. According to the latest
reports, February 23 is emerging as a potential election day. In general,
elections aren't held during school holidays, but some federal states take the
end of February/beginning of March off for their carnival, or Mardi Gras celebrations.
Either way, a strenuous road lies ahead. Parties had been expecting to hold
a regularly schedule general election on September 28, 2025. Now, they will
have to race to nominate their lead candidates and assemble state party lists.
This will be the first election held following the recent electoral law
reform law, which will restrict the upcoming Bundestag to 630 members, down
from 733.
Step 4: A new government The
latest surveys suggest Germany's next parliament will have a very different
composition, with the recently-dismissed FDP not expected to garner the
necessary 5% of votes required to stay in parliament. Most pollsters currently
foresee a grand coalition between CDU/CSU and SPD as likely. Following
the 2021 election, it took elected parties 73 days to form a new government,
and it wouldn't be surprising if the next government also took weeks to come to
an agreement.
^ This is a little confusing, but
I hope things will work out for Germany. ^
https://www.dw.com/en/what-next-for-germany-after-government-collapse-a-timeline/a-70729309
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)