John Waters

‘The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the
Morning of the Resurrection’ — by Eugène Burnand (1898)

In this unbelievable existence, we find it ‘rational’ to believe that no other reality could exist, that there is no hope that, in the future we might find ourselves in an even more astonishing place.

I don’t believe in ‘life after death’; I believe in life transcending death, a rather different thing. Eternity has already begun. Death, no more than birth, is not, I don’t believe, to be taken as a definitive moment of existence — merely another line on the cosmic, eternal path.

There are few things we can name with absolute certainty as irrefutable truths. But one thing I can say is this: I did not make myself. Another is: I do not make myself now, at this moment, writing these words. This understanding changes everything I have been led by the manmade world to believe about myself and my life. Something else defines me, and my life is a walking towards this Something Else, seeking all the while to put words on every step, so that others can see the path no matter how dark it becomes. Thinking like this, thinking these things, enables me to feel loved metaphysically, as nothing else does.

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M. K. BHADRAKUMAR

Fall is imminent of Azovstal iron and steel works, Mariupol, where
thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and NATO officers are trapped.

In his first extended remarks in nearly a month about the conflict in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that peace talks had reached a “dead end” and pledged that Russia’s “military operation will continue until its full completion.”

Putin defined a more limited aim for the war, focusing on control of the Donbass — and not all of Ukraine. [He] reiterated that Russia’s actions so far in several regions of Ukraine were intended only to tie down enemy forces and carry out missile strikes with the purpose of destroying the Ukrainian military’s infrastructure, so as to “create conditions for more active operations on the territory of Donbass.” In his words,

💬 “Our goal is to provide aid to the people of Donbass, who feel an unbreakable bond with Russia and have been the subjects of genocide for eight years.”

Asked why the operation cannot be speeded up, Putin told reporters:

💬 “I often get these questions, ‘can’t we hurry it up?’ We can. But it depends on the intensity of hostilities and, any way you put it, the intensity of hostilities is directly related to casualties.”

He made it clear that...

💬...“our task is to achieve the set goals while minimising these losses. We will act rhythmically, calmly, and according to the plan that was initially proposed by the General Staff.” He added, “The operation is going according to plan.”

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