They say history is written by the victors. Russia was defeated in its nine-year-long invasion of Afghanistan, and it finished its ignominious withdrawal 30 years ago this Friday. Yet Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, insists that his country’s legacy of strength is uninterrupted and unblemished. Which is why Moscow is marking the anniversary of its defeat with the pomp and ceremony of a triumph. The parliament is expected to pass a resolution justifying the Soviet invasion in 1979, overturning the Kremlin’s previous condemnation of the war as a “political mistake,” and lavish commemorations will be held across the country. Read More...
United Artists/Columbia PicturesDaniel Craig took 007 to the Highlands in the James Bond film SkyfallFrom Braveheart to Batman, Hamlet to Harry Potter, Scotland has provided the backdrop to a vast number of films.
The streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh have been transformed for Hollywood blockbusters, and dramatic highland landscapes have brought atmosphere to countless cinema classics.
A new guidebook, Set in Scotland, features more than 150 films that have been shot in Scotland, with details of more than 100 locations. Read More...
Andreas Brehme, who scored West Germany’s winning goal in the 1990 World Cup final, has died at the age of 63.
The left-back slotted home the decisive 85th-minute penalty as Franz Beckenbauer’s side beat Argentina 1-0 in Rome.
Brehme played 86 times for Germany during his playing career and for Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan among others at club level.
German newspaper Bild reported that Brehme died on Monday night in Munich, apparently of a cardiac arrest. Read More...
