Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Natalia Lafourcade set to perform at the Hollywood Bowl with L.A. Phil – Los Angeles Times

Natalia Lafourcade is sitting on a bench with her guitar in hand in the middle of the Blue Ribbon Garden, situated atop the Walt Disney Concert Hall. It’s a dreary Saturday in early May and the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter from coastal Veracruz, Mexico, is wearing a tan coat over her long orange dress to shield her diminutive frame from the frigid wind. In front of her are two microphones; she’s calmly awaiting the go-ahead from the video crew standing about 15 feet away to start playing…

Source: Natalia Lafourcade set to perform at the Hollywood Bowl with L.A. Phil – Los Angeles Times

Florida state parks whistleblower fired after exposing Ron DeSantis’s plans | Florida | The Guardian

Florida state parks whistleblower fired after exposing Ron DeSantis’s plans

James Gaddis tanked Florida governor’s secretive scheme to build hotels and golf courses over acres of preserved land

Florida’s department of environmental protection has fired a whistleblower who exposed and sank governor Ron DeSantis’s secretive plan to pave over environmentally sensitive state parks and build lucrative hotels, golf courses and pickleball courts.

James Gaddis, who worked for the agency for two years as a cartographer, was terminated for “conduct unbecoming a public employee”, according to a letter he received on Saturday.

His leaking of the proposals sparked a furious backlash that united Republicans with Democrats and environmental advocates, and forced DeSantis into a humiliating climbdown last week in which he admitted the plans were “half-baked” and were “going back to the drawing board”.

Speaking with the Tampa Bay Times on Monday, Gaddis said preservation of the state parks was more important to him than his position.

Source: Florida state parks whistleblower fired after exposing Ron DeSantis’s plans | Florida | The Guardian

Benjamin Netanyahu putting his own interests before Israel’s, says Gantz | Israel | The Guardian

Benjamin Netanyahu’s main political rival, Benny Gantz, has accused the Israeli prime minister of putting his personal interests before those of his country after he again insisted on the need for Israeli control of the Gaza-Egypt border on Monday, a position that has emerged as a key obstacle to a ceasefire deal.

Speaking in Tel Aviv at the Israel Bar Association’s annual conference on Tuesday, the centre-right National Unity party leader said Netanyahu had “lost his way” and “sees himself as the state … this is dangerous,” he said.

Netanyahu insisted on Monday night that Israel must retain control of the Philadelphi corridor along Gaza’s border with Egypt, a stance that he has been warned jeopardises efforts aimed at brokering a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the war with Hamas.

As furious protesters take to the streets, Netanyahu may well have reached his political dead-end
Alon Pinkas
Alon Pinkas
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Gantz and his fellow party member Gadi Eisenkot, both former heads of the army, were to give speeches on Tuesday evening to “disprove Netanyahu’s claims and expose the truth about the Philadelphi corridor and the hostages”, according to a briefing from Gantz’s office.

Netanyahu has not made regular speeches since 7 October, but gave a televised address on Monday in response to unprecedented protests across Israel in favour of a deal and a general strike prompted by the discovery of six murdered hostages in Gaza. The prime minister ruled out making any “concessions” in the stalled talks or “giving in to pressure” to end the war, which is approaching its 12th month.

Netanyahu says Israel must control Philadelphi corridor in Gaza– video

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Netanyahu says Israel must control Philadelphi corridor in Gaza– video

An unnamed source familiar with the protracted negotiations told CNN: “This guy torpedoed everything in one speech.”

Source: Benjamin Netanyahu putting his own interests before Israel’s, says Gantz | Israel | The Guardian

En cada gota de lluvia – Santiago Galicia Rojon Serrallonga

Derechos reservados conforme a la ley/ Copyright

Llueve. Me encanta la lluvia. Siento emoción. El ambiente es nebuloso y frío. Es, sin duda, la estación que más me cautiva, acaso por recordarme los instantes y los años de mi infancia feliz e inolvidable, cuando llovía durante días y la niebla envolvía el paisaje, o quizá por ser el clima delicioso y favorable para mí, o tal vez por eso y tantos motivos. Hoy, mientras asomo por la ventana, recuerdo que, cuando era niño, imaginaba que Dios colocaba amor, sentimientos nobles, vida, inteligencia, salud y bienestar en cada gota, y que yo, antes de que deslizaran en los cristales de las ventanas, en los árboles, en las hojas de las plantas, en las flores, en las fachadas de las casas, en las rocas y en todo cuanto existe en el mundo, les agregaba los nombres de la gente que tanto quería y mensajes bellos que surgían de mi alma, que dictaba desde mi interior, porque deseaba que mi familia sintiera lo mucho que la adoraba y que la humanidad y todas las criaturas -animales y plantas- recordaran que la existencia terrena es un regalo y que hay que experimentarla en armonía, con equilibrio, plenamente y con el bien para uno y los demás, que es la llave que abre la puerta hacia el infinito. En el minuto presente de mi existencia, inmerso en un mundo en el que la humanidad está rota y otros desean despedazarla, evoco aquellos sueños, anhelos y sentimientos infantiles que quisiera introducir en cada gota de lluvia con la intención de que todos los hombres y las mujeres reaccionen, despierten y busquen el amor, la luz, el respeto, lo sublime, la justicia, el conocimiento, la paz, el bien, la salud y la felicidad. Me resulta imposible porque mucha gente ha perdido el sentido de la vida y seguramente no entendería el mensaje de las gotas de lluvia. Ahora admiro la lluvia, como antaño, y escribo incansable, con la esperanza de contribuir al diseño y a la construcción de una humanidad más auténtica y plena. Mis letras se convierten en gotas de lluvia.

Derechos reservados conforme a la ley/ Copyright 

Source: En cada gota de lluvia – Santiago Galicia Rojon Serrallonga

(13) Biden, Britain pile pressure on Israel’s Netanyahu over Gaza • FRANCE 24 English – YouTube

Pressure mounted Monday on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a major strike was held and US President Joe Biden said he was not doing enough to secure the release of Gaza hostages, following the killing of six captives. Britain also said it would suspend some arms exports to Israel, citing a “clear risk” that they could be used in a serious breach of international humanitarian law. FRANCE 24’s International Affairs Editor Rob Parsons tells us more.

(13) What about the hostages? Netanyahu pushes back against pressure for ceasefire deal • FRANCE 24 – YouTube

Are the gloves off in Israel? After the October 7th attack by Hamas, the nation put aside bitter differences.

But after the killing of six Israeli hostages, cue the biggest protests since last year’s attempted judicial overhaul by Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard right government. Demonstrators accuse a prime minister of piling on the demands to extend a war that’s become his ticket to staying in power. Not at all, insists Netanyahu.
-Hamas War General Strike

Those were the days – Chen Song Ping

Singing as a hobby

I used to be a bathroom singer.

I just started singing as a new hobby!

It is called life-long learning.

 

Listen to my song:-

https://wesingapp.com/user/609f9e86242b318d3549/song/OtSeiHzGX0eSvzbR-ThoseWeretheDays?lang=en&ws_channel=copylink&from_page=2299

 

For many fellow bloggers, this is probably the first time you are hearing my voice on this blog site… Happy listening!

Source: Those were the days – Chen Song Ping