Lashsa

🇬🇧 Downing Street is blocking Parliament from accessing Lord Mandelson's vetting file, and a cross-party committee is pushing back hard. The government's argument: They have the authority to withhold it. Parliament's argument: No, you don't. Mandelson’s long-standing Epstein ties were flagged as a major reputational risk during vetting. Executives blocking legislative oversight of senior appointments is exactly how accountability dies in short. Source: The Telegraph

le 22 avril 1841 décès à Paris de Charles Barbier de La Serre militaire et capitaine d’artillerie, surtout connu pour avoir inventé l’écriture nocturne (ou sonographie), système qui a directement inspiré l’alphabet Braille, 53e division du cimetière du Père Lachaise

A wonderful book. Unlike so many books I've read, it does not assume the reader is already into mathematics. It offers definitions, wraps chapters in biographies, and does its best to go beyond the West without neglecting it. A great gift even for precocious teenagers, I think!

🇭🇷 A Croatia Airlines Airbus A220-300 slid off the runway during a rejected takeoff at Split Airport and ended up in the grass. The plane took some damage, but everyone onboard is safe. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

EDIRNE, TURKEY — A dispute over language in Orthodox worship in the Bulgarian church of St. George the Victorious in Edirne has drawn attention from church authorities and local media, prompting commentary from Bulgarian Patr. Daniel on the tensions surrounding the incident. The controversy centers on reports that a Greek Metropolitan refused to allow a festive St. George’s Day service to be conducted in Bulgarian, sparking objections from members of the local Bulgarian community.

"Think how much, and how often thy mouth has sinned, and thou wilt devote thyself entirely to the conversion of sinners. For by this one means thou wilt blot out all thy sins, in that thy mouth will become the mouth of God." —St. John Chrysostom

On this day in 1821: Greek Revolution officially declared in Macedonia tinyurl.com/mr3w85b9

The Archbishop of Constantinople has been known as the Ecumenical Patriarch ever since the year 586, when the Roman Emperor Maurice conferred the title “Ecumenical” on the Patriarch of Constantinople, Saint John the Faster. The Emperor conferred this title in view of the fact that the Archbishop of Constantinople was Patriarch of the Church in the city that was the capital of the great empire, the superpower of its day. Find more from the Archons on our site. Photo courtesy of Archons.

🗣️ 'The man reviled by liberals for his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech would not have supported today’s Unite the Kingdom march' Simon Heffer on why Tommy Robinson isn't Britain's solution to the country's growing sectarian trends ⤵️ telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/05/1…

🇬🇧 Wes Streeting, who resigned as UK health secretary this week, announced Saturday he will run to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister, after the party suffered disastrous local election results u.afp.com/SRnZ

It is better to be a hundredfold fornicator than a heretic. — St. Gabriel (Urgabadze)

The 1218 Bilingual Inscription in Vitovnica: A Symbol of the Ancient Dialogue Between Armenia and Serbia Vitovnica, Serbia — In the very heart of the Balkans, nestled among hills and monasteries, hides a unique artifact that connects two nations: the Armenians and the Serbs. The inscription, dating back to 1218 and written in both Armenian and Serbian, stands as a rare testament to cultural and spiritual interaction during the Middle Ages. Historical Context The 13th century was an era of crusades, monastic reforms, and diplomatic missions. The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia actively interacted with European powers, including the Byzantine Empire and the Balkans. During this period, Armenian monks, merchants, and pilgrims traveled throughout the Christian world, leaving traces of their presence behind. The Vitovnica inscription, presumably linked to Armenian clergyman or craftsmen, demonstrates that Armenians not only visited Serbia but were respected enough to have their language immortalized alongside Serbian. Linguistic Uniqueness The inscription is executed in two languages — Armenian and Old Serbian. This is not merely a translation, but a parallel message reflecting the equality of the two cultures. The Armenian text is written in classical Grabar, while the Serbian text is written in the Cyrillic script characteristic of monastic inscriptions of that era. Such bilingual monuments are a rarity, even in the multilingual Middle Ages. They speak of mutual respect, diplomacy, and spiritual closeness.

ENGLEWOOD, NJ — A reflection by His Eminence Metr. Saba (Isper) outlines the principles of sound reading, warning that many readers misinterpret texts by failing to approach them with patience, attention, and intellectual discipline. He emphasizes that reading is not merely a mechanical act but a skill that requires training in comprehension and reflection.

"Britain's future lies with Europe - and one day, back in the European Union." Former health secretary Wes Streeting says the UK needs a new special relationship with Europe, as he calls Brexit a 'catastrophic mistake'. trib.al/zxwWsWg 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602

Recently discovered water channel of the Late Roman (Valens) Aqueduct in Gaziosmanpaşa/Istanbul A special thanks to Derya Talay, see link for article on the excavations Photos from recent visit, interior channel photo by Dr. Kerim Altuğ

BREAKING: King 'shocked and saddened' after soldier dies falling from horse at Royal Windsor Show news.sky.com/story/king-sho…

🔸 May 16 - Saint Vukasin of Klepci 🔸 Today, we also commemorate Saint Vukasin of Klepci. He was a Serbian Orthodox Christian from Herzegovina who was martyred by Ustaše fascists during WWII. Little is known about the life of St Vukasin before his martyrdom, except that he was a farmer and merchant. He was born in the village of Klepci in Herzegovina towards the end of the 19th century. He and his family lived in Sarajevo and then returned to Klepci. In 1942, members of the Ustaše, a Croatian fascist movement who collaborated with the Nazis, arrested Vukasin and other Serbs. After they refused to convert to Roman Catholicism, they were transported to the Jasenovac concentration camp (estimated to have produced a victim toll in the hundreds of thousands). After horrible days of hard labor, in 1943, Vukasin was approached by an Ustaše soldier Josep “Zile” Friganovic, who was at that time engaged in a bet with 3 other soldiers to see who could slaughter the most prisoners. Disturbed by the peaceful countenance of Vukasin amidst the horror, Friganovic threatened to kill him. While holding a knife known as the “Srbosjek” or “Serbcutter” (an agricultural knife which was strapped to the hand and was used by the Ustaše militia for the speedy killing of inmates), Friganovic said he would spare Vukosin’s life if he said: “Long live Ante Pavelic!” (Ante Pavelic was the leader of the Ustaše). Vukasin refused this order and calmly replied: “My child, you do what you must”. The Ustaše soldier then cut off Vukasin’s ear and repeated his request, and Vukasin again refused. The soldier then cut off Vukasin’s other ear, followed by his nose, and then scarred his face. Next his tongue was cut out. After this, Friganovic slit the throat of St Vukosin, and thus the martyr delivered his soul. Friganovic is said to have been unable to kill more people that night, and he was driven into unbearable guilt and consequently to madness following these events. Years later, after WWII, Friganovic confessed these things to a doctor named Nedelko Nedo Zets, who wrote it down. This testimony culminated in the canonisation of St Vukasin by the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1998.

BREAKING: Wes Streeting announces he will run in any Labour leadership race #liveblog-body" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">news.sky.com/story/starmer-…

NEW: France has formally opened a judicial investigation into the 2018 murder of Jamal Khashoggi, targeting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. A judge from France's crimes against humanity unit has been appointed. It's the first time a French judge has been formally assigned to probe MBS's alleged role. Saudi Arabia has not commented.

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Friday said that the 2028 parliamentary elections would be conducted under the country’s existing electoral legislation, which he described as fully aligned with international standards. In his remarks, Kobakhidze noted that the existing electoral laws fully meet international standards and therefore provide a solid and legitimate basis for conducting free and fair elections. 🔗Read more: info.imedi.ge/en/politics/96…