Latest news with #Bren
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
Few affinities as Donald and I blow out 79 candles each
Tomorrow is my birthday. I'm 79. Friday is Donald Trump's birthday. He is 79. There the similarities end. Trump is tall, rich and a dangerous lunatic. I am short, poor and simply a harmless eccentric. How we mark our birthdays also emphasises our differences. Trump, on the flimsy grounds that his birthday coincides with the founding date 250 years ago of the United States Army, is planning a birthday military parade at which he will take centre stage despite avoiding military service during the Vietnam War. He initially received four deferments as a student and then underwent a medical which disqualified him on the grounds of "having bone spurs in both heels", widely regarded as a trumped-up diagnosis. In fact, Trump wriggled out of war simply because he couldn't face getting a decent haircut. In my own case, at much the same time, I was balloted for National Service and passed the medical easily. My treasured memory is the medical officer's comment, "This man is small but perfectly formed." Obviously, I was not deformed by bone spurs, whatever they are. While Trump was enjoying his student life I was trapped within the military system learning how to salute and use morse code, both of which I was assured would reduce the Vietcong to gibbering surrender. Even now, I can still throw a decent salute. Trump, on the other hand, is incapable of saluting properly but nevertheless, emboldened by his status as Commander in Chief, attempts feeble salutes whenever he sees someone wearing a peaked cap, including airline pilots and railway porters. Our greatest divergence is probably the way we've decided to mark our birthdays. On Friday Trump will make a sloppy salute as 7500 soldiers form a 90-minute parade through Washington. Trump boasts: "We have the greatest missiles in the world. We have the greatest submarines in the world. We have the greatest army tanks in the world. We have the greatest weapons in the world. And we're going to celebrate it." In Patearoa a military parade was planned for tomorrow but Norm, who uses an old Bren gun carrier for feeding out, tells me he can't get the damn thing started. Norm's Bren carrier would have harmed no-one, but Trump's tanks could cause $16 million worth of damage to the streets of Washington. The overall cost of the parade will be about $45m. Trump has asked for at least seven marching bands, parachute jumpers, an evening concert and a fireworks show. I have asked that my birthday be ignored. Mainly for economic reasons, as the American troops are being given three meals and $50 day while taking part. Feeding and paying cash to Norm is just not the way things are done in Patearoa. All Norm requires is a jug of Speight's at the debrief. Some American soldiers will wear uniforms from the War of 1812 and all Norm could offer was his old man's lemon-squeezer from World War 2, which reminded me that Patearoa's contribution to both world wars was substantial, but it's best marked on Anzac Day rather than on my birthday. Trump is reported as saying: "This country has been in some beautiful wars. We even fought ourselves back in the 1860s, so one of us was bound to win. We came off the bench in World War 1 and World War 2 and won them both. There's hardly a country we haven't fought against. Gee, we've even invaded countries just for the hell of it. Watch out, Greenland and Canada, I know where you are." Worrying, eh? That's enough of Trump. In fact, it's far too much of Trump and his birthday. Back in the world of sanity I'll mark my birthday by shouting for the blokes I usually have a drink with. I've been doing that on my birthday for over 20 years now. The only time it didn't quite work out was the year I was up north on my birthday and told the publican to shout the regulars and I'd pay when I got back. There must have been about 200 regulars in that night. These days, as a pensioner, my shouting is rare and rigidly supervised but it's enough to mark what is simply the passing of another year. So, don't worry about not sending a present. That you've read this column is more gratifying than yet another pair of socks. For me, the birthday will be pleasing just because it's happening. After all these years I hope I've learned to keep a reasonably low profile and be not too annoying to too many people. Lessons Donald Trump would do well to learn. — Jim Sullivan is a Patearoa writer.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man jailed over home arsenal of 28 firearms
A man who kept 28 firearms including pistols and shotguns at his village home has been jailed for five years and four months. Police were alerted to Philip Maylen's domestic arsenal when Border Force officials intercepted a parcel of gun parts addressed to him. They raided his home in Kingsclere, Hampshire, in December 2024 and found four Glock pistols, nine shotguns, six long-barrelled firearms and a deactivated Bren machine gun among other weapons. The 58-year-old pleaded guilty at Reading Crown Court to 15 counts of possession of a prohibited firearm and one count of possession of ammunition without a certificate. Maylen, of Penny's Hatch, bought guns and components from companies in the UK, United States, Canada, New Zealand and Estonia, police said. He spent at least £16,000 on weapons over a five-year period, according to the National Crime Agency. NCA manager Tim Lambert said: "This is one of the largest caches of illegal firearms I have seen at a single address. "Maylen also put himself at risk of being targeted by criminals who might have attempted to take the guns from him, had they known about them." The NCA said Maylen's motive for stockpiling the weapons was not discovered. The haul, found over the course of a two-day search, also included 11 replica firearms and 100 bullets, the agency added. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Firearms seized from suspected gun factory HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Metropolis Japan
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metropolis Japan
Life as a Married Gay Couple in Japan
Credit: Seigo and Bren An international relationship comes with its own set of challenges. Beyond cultural differences, when a married couple is made up of people of different nationalities legal issues can also come into the picture. This is something Seigo and Bren know well. The Japanese/American couple decided to move to the U.S., Bren's home country, in order to be able to tie the knot, due to Japan's refusal to legalize same-sex marriage. After over five years on American soil, a life they documented in their Japanese-language YouTube channel, Seigo and Bren moved back to Japan in 2023. They continue to create content in order to normalize gay relationships by sharing slice-of-life videos with their growing audience. To learn more about life as a married gay couple in Japan, Metropolis sat down with Seigo & Bren. Seigo & Bren: We met on a Japanese gay dating app (which no longer exists) in 2015, and pretty much started dating the first time we met. We moved to the U.S. in 2017, and we didn't have many friends in the area we lived in, so we needed something fun to do together. We were good friends with another international couple who did YouTube videos, and we thought we'd give it a shot. We also saw a need for more real-life LGBTQ content in Japanese, and wanted to show how although we are a same-sex couple, we are also just your average couple doing the usual things every other couple does. S&B: In our case, making videos together often gives us opportunities to go out and do different things, and go to different places for content creation, which always feels like a date. One disadvantage could be when you have different ideas or opinions about how you want a certain project to go, you sometimes have to compromise or learn to let some things go. S&B: This is a very complicated question because it really depends on where you live in the U.S.. There are areas that are generally accepting, and areas that are not. There are good people everywhere, but I think location really plays a big part in this. Unfortunately, most places that are considered safe for gay couples are in bigger cities, which are also very expensive places to live. We would say that in 2025, Japan feels much safer. We don't have to worry about getting attacked in public in Tokyo or anywhere we go, whether verbally or physically, as we sometimes worried about in the U.S.. We've had homophobic slurs yelled at us while walking down the street in the U.S., for example. The culture in Japan is very non-confrontational, so it's hard to imagine something like this ever happening. And we've never had a bad experience after coming out to a Japanese person. The U.S. has the advantage of same-sex marriage, which unfortunately Japan does not (yet). But in times like this, even that doesn't feel granted in the future. Aside from equal marriage not being allowed, in our experience, the problems couples face in Japan are more or less inconveniences, compared to the sense of danger often felt by gay international couples in the U.S.. Japan feels very peaceful. Credit: MEADOW S&B: Our marriage is recognized by people in Japan, meaning that when we tell people that we're married, they accept it and treat us normally. But of course our marriage is not recognized by the government, so there are some challenges there. We submitted our marriage certificate when we applied for the Tokyo Partnership Program, which is definitely better than nothing. We're hopeful that Japan will recognize equal marriage in the future. Read our article on gay marriage in Japan for more information about the legalization status. S&B: With us being an international same-sex couple, it seems like it could be pretty difficult to have kids for the time being. We've talked about it before, and it would be nice to have the option in the future. For now, we're enjoying spoiling our five nieces and nephews! (laughs) S&B: Couples still have difficulties with being refused housing, which is ridiculous. There are other issues too, like hospital visitation rights (although this has been improving with the partnership programs) and financial worries. Many couples choose to make a living will and testament so their partner can inherit if something happens to them. S&B: We lived in Japan about 10 years ago (before going to the U.S.), and it feels totally different now. The public is much more aware that gay people exist in society, and there is overwhelming support for same-sex marriage nowadays. In 2015, it was never talked about. Now it's on the news a few times a month, and dramas about gay couples are very popular. It's probably much better for kids in school now too, with teachers being more educated about LGBT issues. We think things are really looking up for sexual minorities in Japan. Did you enjoy reading about Seigo & Bren's life as a married gay couple in Japan? Read more LGBTQ+ stories in Japan: Trans Youth in Japan: A Documentary Highlighting Their Struggles and Triumphs Based in Japan: Back to the World of XTRA Based in Japan: Being Gay in Japan with Tokyo BTM Check out our recommendations for LGBTQ+ representation in Japanese culture: 12 Japanese LGBTQ+ Films To Watch LGBTQ+ Anime That Strive To Get It Right 9 Influential Japanese LGBTQ+ Novels to Read
Western Telegraph
09-05-2025
- General
- Western Telegraph
War veteran Duncan, 99, lights Tenby's VE Day beacon
Duncan Hilling, who served with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in India, Japan and Malaya, led the town's parade from Tudor Square as he rode in style in a World War Two USA Army jeep. After a wheelchair ride up Castle Hill, the former Bren Gun Carrier driver, who now lives in Saundersfoot, had the honour of lighting the Tenby beacon as part of the national chain. Mr Hilling is pictured in the Jeep, flanked by town mayor, Dai Morgan, mayoress Melanie Lewis, mace bearers Denise Cousins and Spike Abbott and town crier Erin Morgan. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) A large crowd gathered on Castle Hill following the parade, and there were stirring scenes as I Vow to Thee My Country was sung ahead of town crier Erin Morgan reading the VE Day tribute before the beacon lighting at 9.30pm. A large crowd gathered on Castle Hill for the ceremony. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) Commemorations in Tenby had begun more than 12 hours earlier with the reading of the VE Day proclamation and the VE Day flag being raised on one of the town wall turrets. A wreath laying ceremony at the town's war memorial was led by the Rector of Tenby, the Rev. Steve Brett. Students from Ysgol Greenhill School pay their respects at the A tribute from the police at the war memorial. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) war memorial. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) Tenby's mayor, Cllr Dai Morgan, laid a wreath on behalf of the town, and a large crowd – including many local schoolchildren – witnessed other organisations pay their respects. The evening parade moves off from Tudor Square. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) These included the Tenby branch of the Royal British legion, Tenby, Saundersfoot and Narberth Police, Ysgol Greenhill School and Tenby Sea Cadets. Mr Hilling lights the Castle Hill beacon. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography) Afterwards the Mayor - along with Major Andrew Hamilton - the Armed Forces Covenant, which is a promise made by the council to ensure that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly. Mr Hilling is pictured with daughter Miranda Davies on the way up to Castle Hill. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)
Wales Online
08-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Keir Starmer 'Wales was at the heart of the war effort, but we know so few of the stories'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info This week, people across Wales and the United Kingdom will come together to commemorate the sacrifice of our brave armed forces and the victory they won over Nazi Germany. Wales was at the heart of the war effort. Welsh coal had powered British naval ships, child evacuees found safety in the Welsh countryside, whilst Cardiff and Swansea both faced aerial bombardment from the Luftwaffe and on the frontlines in Europe, Welsh regiments fought fiercely against fascism. In 1944, the 53rd Welsh Division landed in Normandy. They saw heavy fighting, sustaining almost 4,000 casualties. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here But amongst the chaos, there were countless stories of huge heroism. Lieutenant Tasker Watkins of 1/5th Battalion, the Welch Regiment, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery. His company was alone and surrounded when they were challenged by the enemy. Part of his citation reads 'He ordered his men to scatter and himself charged the post with a Bren gun and silenced it. He then led the remnants of his company back to battalion headquarters.' Lieutenant Watkins went on to become Welsh Lord Chief Justice of Appeal and President of the Welsh Rugby Union until 2004. But for the few stories of courage we do know, I know there are many more stories which go untold. Every last person deserves our respect and utmost gratitude for their service. It's because of the bravery of those Welsh men and women that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have today. Whenever I meet veterans, it is the greatest privilege of my job to thank them for their service and their sacrifice. I also have the honour of meeting serving members of our Armed Forces today. These are the people who are holding alight the torch handed to us by those Second World War veterans, the people protecting our democracy and keeping our country secure. I know for all the pride they take in their job; it also comes with sacrifices. Separation from family and loved ones is no easier today than it was in the 1940s. That's why it's so important for us today not just to give thanks to the greatest generation that won our greatest victory, but to those serving today to keep that victory alive. Troops like 1 Royal Welsh, which has served in Eastern Europe to defend and safeguard our NATO allies, are on the frontlines of our efforts for security on the continent. Together, we will remember them, together, we will honour them and together, we will keep their memory alive through our continued efforts for peace and prosperity - in this country and across the world.
