Photos of US soldiers in the visitor centre of the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. Photograph: Rob O'Brien/The Adopted documentary

Netherlands: US Removal of Panels Honouring Black Soldiers Housed at WWII Dutch Cemetery Draws Backlash! (31.12.2025)

After months of mystery around the disappearance of the panels, two media organizations — the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) and online media Dutch News — this month published emails obtained through a U.S. Freedom of Information Act request showing that Trump’s DEI policies directly prompted the commission to take down the panels.

The White House did not respond to queries from AP about the removed panels.

The American Battle Monuments Commission did not respond to queries from AP about the revelations. Earlier, the ABMC told the AP that the panel that discussed segregation “did not fall within (the) commemorative mission.”

Digging into the Trench!

Sutton: St Nicholas Church – Feeding Squrrels & Pigeons! (21.9.2025)

We visited the Church-yard of St Nicholas Church on the 14.9.2025 – a pleasant Saturday afternoon in South-West London (formerly East Surrey). At the moment we are experiencing what we use to call an “Indian Summer” – providing this is still an acceptable analogy (who knows – the ground upon which we stand keeps dissolving into loose sand). Either way, communing with wild animals teaches children empathy, sympathy, and kindness. This is inter-species communication – a very important aspect of a civilised upbringing and education. From a superstitious Buddhist view – all life is karmically inter-related following endless cycles of rebirth (bundles of life-habit living through all different life-forms until the realisation of enlightenment breaks the cycle). Is this real? I have no idea – but the Buddha seems to think rebirth is a Brahmanic myth – but it is a myth which he uses to convey his teaching and make his point, etc.