“It’s Time to Hunker Down”

Americans are reporting higher numbers of contacts compared with the spring, probably because of quarantine fatigue and confusing guidance. It’s hard to keep up a restricted life. But what we’re facing now isn’t forever. It’s time to buckle up and lock ourselves down again, and to do so with fresh vigilance. Remember: We are barely nine or 10 months into this pandemic, and we have not experienced a full-blown fall or winter season. Everything that we may have done somewhat cautiously — and gotten away with — in summer may carry a higher risk now, because the conditions are different and the case baseline is much higher.

Source: “It’s Time to Hunker Down”

Russia’s Muslim Spiritual Administration at odds over ban on interfaith marriages — Meduza

A few hours after the decision was made public, it received criticism from the Ulema Council of the Muslim Spiritual Administration of Tatarstan — the region home to Russia’s largest Muslim population. Tatarstan’s DUM recalled that according to the provisions of the Hanafi legal school (a branch of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence common in Russia), Muslim men can marry Christian or Jewish women. “In matters of publishing theological conclusions it’s extremely important to try and maintain interfaith peace and harmony in the Russian Federation,” Tatarstan’s DUM underscored. Another influential organization refused to support the ban — Russia’s Muslim Spiritual Assembly, which operates independently of the DUM.

In turn, Mufti of Chechnya Salah-Hadji Mezhiyev approved of the decision, noting that this ban has always existed. “Everyone knows that in Islam [marriage] with non-Muslim woman is prohibited, there’s no need to discuss and talk about this, there are no disputes and disagreements on this issue,” Mezhiyev said.

That said, even the leadership of the Russian DUM has distanced itself from the ban. Deputy Chairman Damir Mukhetdinov pointed out that the Ulema Council is just one of the DUM’s bodies and has the right to an opinion that doesn’t correspond with organization’s general position, adding that the truth and correctness of this or that opinion is “left to the judgement of God.”

Mukhetdinov also underscored that Muslim believers are not required to comply with the decision opposing interfaith marriages. “Under the conditions of a secular state, the Ulema’s decisions have no power in the legal system’s reference frame, they appeal to the believer, his conscience, fear of God, and responsibility to the Creator,” Mukhetdinov said.

Source: Russia’s Muslim Spiritual Administration at odds over ban on interfaith marriages — Meduza

‘Humiliation is their hallmark’ Basketball star Yelena Leuchanka recalls 15 days spent in an infamous Belarusian jail — Meduza

“The trial was that same day,” she continues. “When I was laying [there] and waiting for the hearing to start, I suddenly heard a girl in another cell start to sing ‘Gray’ and ‘Kupalinka.’ I started to sing too and of course, burst into tears immediately. It was touching, I felt that even here, in prison, we were together. When we finished singing, everyone started to clap. I’ll never forget that.”

After serving her fifteen days, Yelena Leuchanka was arrested and tried once again for participating in protests. This time, she was given a fine and released. She suspects that it was all an attempt to “put on a show” to intimidate other athletes and individuals involved in the demonstrations; “to show that this can happen to anyone.”

“I can’t forgive the cruelty they showed toward my family. I only learned that night before that I had a new case and a new trial. Meaning they wouldn’t let me go. But my loved ones were not informed,” Leuchanka explains. “They made my mother and father come to Okrestino at six in the morning and wait for me. I’ll never forget the photo of how my mom was crying on my dad’s shoulder, it was all over the media.”

“I can see how cruel these people are. Humiliation is their hallmark. There’s a black mark associated with Okrestino, a lot of tears and a lot of pain,” she continues. “Everything that happened there in the days after the elections is insanity. Now there’s less physical bullying there, less beatings, but I can call everything that happens there psychological violence and moral pressure. They’re violating basic human rights.”

Source: ‘Humiliation is their hallmark’ Basketball star Yelena Leuchanka recalls 15 days spent in an infamous Belarusian jail — Meduza

Another map redrawn in blood Six consequences of the six-week war for Nagorno-Karabakh — Meduza

  • Unless there is a radical shift among the decision-makers in Moscow before 2025, the Kremlin is likely to exploit every ounce of influence it has over Baku to keep its peacekeeping mission in Karabakh beyond the initial five-year timeline. Despite Azerbaijan’s close ties to Turkey, the need to maintain a good relationship with Russia was clearly enough to pressure Baku into ending its military offensive just a few miles shy of Stepanakert.
  • Europe and the U.S. might find themselves working alongside Russia to keep the conflict frozen in order to prevent a human rights catastrophe against Karabakh’s remaining Armenians. For example, France has already demanded the resumption of high-level international talks about the region’s status.
  • With five years to catch its breath, it’s even possible that Armenia might rebuild its military before 2025 to the degree that Azerbaijan would find it too costly to renew its pursuit of a “final solution” in Karabakh.
  • Following the six-week war, Armenia’s need to accumulate greater military power will bind it to Russia more closely than before. With a larger contingent of soldiers in Armenia and the deployment of servicemen in Nagorno-Karabakh, Moscow will also be sending more military resources to and through Armenia.

Other political analysts argue that Russia and Turkey both made gains in the Karabakh War, acting more as allies than adversaries. In other words, the six-day war was part of a joint project by Moscow and Ankara to overhaul the Middle East, Northern Africa, and the Caucasus. Yes, there’s still rivalry here (in both Syria and Libya, Russia and Turkey have repeatedly found themselves on opposite sides), but Putin and Erdoğan have operated most effectively when they agree on spheres of influence and cooperate to squeeze out other would-be players, whether it’s Iran, the European Union, or the United States.

Source: Another map redrawn in blood Six consequences of the six-week war for Nagorno-Karabakh — Meduza

‘An innocent victim of a terrible system’ Thousands gather to commemorate opposition protester killed in Minsk — Meduza

Thousands of people came to “Changes Square” to commemorate Raman Bandarenka on the night of November 12. They laid flowers there and lit candles. There were so many people that traffic jams formed along adjoining streets. Opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya (Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya) called Bandarenka “an innocent victim of a terrible system.” Opposition Telegram channels began calling for a moment of silence at the national level. Source: ‘An innocent victim of a terrible system’ Thousands gather to commemorate opposition protester killed in Minsk — Meduza

Pre-îndrăgostire

ore de drum

Paris, 2016

Parisul mi-a făcut un cadou premonitoriu cu trei ani înainte să vizitez Mexicul.

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Cel mai frumos e atunci când un sentiment te asaltează când te aștepți mai puțin.

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Ar trebui ca, înainte să călătorești în anumite locuri, să faci un test pre-îndrăgostire,

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ca să fii pregătit pentru ceea ce urmează să vezi.

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Și ca să fii sigur că te întorci acasă cu sufletul teafăr.

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Pe un zbor scurt, doar de o oră, în vestul Europei, mă așez pe locul la culoar care-mi fusese atribuit.

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Ceilalți doi pasageri care urmau să-mi fie companioni de zbor nu sosiseră încă.

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Scot cartea pe care o aveam cu mine, Mehmet le Conqérant de Nedim Gursel, și mă pun pe citit.

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Apar și vecinii.

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Tineri, educați, se scuză că mă deranjează, eu fiind la margine.

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Un cuplu în jur de treizeci de ani.

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Băiatul s-a așezat la mijloc și își pune pașaportul în…

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Jair Bolsonaro suffers political blow in municipal elections. – What Now News 24

Jair Bolsonaro has no official party, and had backed dozens of candidates and political parties, the majority of which suffered huge losses, dashing Jair Bolsonaro’s relection hopes. Mr. Bolsonaro explicitly supported allies in six Brazilian cities, four of which suffered defeats.

Source: Jair Bolsonaro suffers political blow in municipal elections. – What Now News 24

Ethiopia’s Dangerous Slide Toward Civil War | Foreign Affairs

…a year ago, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Today, his country is on the brink of civil war. Tensions between Abiy’s government and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), once the dominant force in Ethiopia’s ruling party but now a disgruntled and well-armed regional government, have been gradually escalating for months. Last week, the situation took a sudden turn for the worse when the prime minister ordered a military offensive against Tigrayan forces he accused of insurrectionary and traitorous activity. Ethiopia suffered a prolonged and bloody civil war from 1974 to 1991. Now it looks poised to repeat that history.  Source: Ethiopia’s Dangerous Slide Toward Civil War | Foreign Affairs

Impunity: Jungle ecocide causing massive Flooding in Mayan territory / Esto sucede cuando se tumba selva en el territorio maya .. Eng/Esp — The Free

As Hurricane Iota brings more catastrophic flooding to Central America we share a study which details the impunity of illegally allowing the rampant clearing of the unique and priceless jungle for industrial agriculture, and the clear links between this ecocide and unprecedented flooding levels. 12 Nov 2020 by Robin A. Canul Suarez / at Mongabay […]

Impunity: Jungle ecocide causing massive Flooding in Mayan territory / Esto sucede cuando se tumba selva en el territorio maya .. Eng/Esp — The Free