LE POINT : L’île fait face à une résurgence de l’épidémie. Trois États ont décrété des confinements éclairs, dont la Nouvelle-Galles du Sud qui dénombre 130 cas.
Confinement, port du masque, jauge en intérieur et extérieur… Des millions d'Australiens démarrent la semaine sous de nouvelles restrictions sanitaires. En cause, un rebond de l'épidémie de coronavirus – dû au variant Delta – sur l'ensemble du pays. En Nouvelle-Galles du Sud, la métropole de Sydney s'est confinée pour au moins deux semaines. Dix-huit nouvelles contaminations y ont été recensées au cours des dernières 24 heures, portant à 130 le nombre de cas positifs. À l'origine de ce cluster, un chauffeur effectuant la navette entre l'aéroport de Sydney et des hôtels de quarantaine. « Nous devons nous préparer à ce que les chiffres augmentent considérablement. Avec ce variant (Delta, NDLR), nous assistons à près de 100 % de transmission au sein des foyers », s'est inquiétée la Première ministre de Nouvelle-Galles du Sud, Gladys Berejiklian, lors de son dernier point presse tenu lundi midi, heure australienne. » | Marianne Murat, correspondante du Point à Melbourne | lundi 28 juin 2021
Monday, June 28, 2021
Pfizer and Moderna Vaccines Likely to Produce Lasting Immunity, Study Finds
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Immune cells are still organizing to fight the coronavirus months after inoculation, scientists reported.
The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years, scientists reported on Monday.
The findings add to growing evidence that most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms — which is not guaranteed. People who recovered from Covid-19 before being vaccinated may not need boosters even if the virus does make a significant transformation.
“It’s a good sign for how durable our immunity is from this vaccine,” said Ali Ellebedy, an immunologist at Washington University in St. Louis who led the study, which was published in the journal Nature. » | Apoorva Mandavilli | Monday, June 28, 2021
The vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years, scientists reported on Monday.
The findings add to growing evidence that most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms — which is not guaranteed. People who recovered from Covid-19 before being vaccinated may not need boosters even if the virus does make a significant transformation.
“It’s a good sign for how durable our immunity is from this vaccine,” said Ali Ellebedy, an immunologist at Washington University in St. Louis who led the study, which was published in the journal Nature. » | Apoorva Mandavilli | Monday, June 28, 2021
Gladiator • Now We Are Free • Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard
It Got Better Featuring Portia De Rossi | L/Studio Created By Lexus
Will You Marry Me? Australian Politician Proposes in Parliament (2017)
This proposal is truly priceless! I hope that these two gentlemen live "happily ever after"! – Mark
Russia in Grips of Third COVID Wave as Delta Variant Takes Hold | DW News
Jun 28, 2021 • Russia is in the grip of a third wave of the coronavirus that is threatening to overwhelm the country's health service. The capital, Moscow, recorded 144 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours on Sunday – that's the highest rate since the beginning of the pandemic. And an average 20,000 new infections are being reported across the country each day.
Authorities are imposing strict new measures to counter the surge. St. Petersburg's city beach couldn't be busier. With temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, thousands of Russians have come to the Gulf of Finland to escape the hot weather - and social distancing.
Russia is in the middle of its third coronavirus wave - thanks to the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The authorities are sounding the alarm: The new mutation accounts for almost 90 percent of new cases. Officials are talking about more than 20,000 new infections every day, most of them in Moscow.
To get the situation under control, the Russian capital has re-opened field hospitals and built medical stations especially for coronavirus. All hospitals are quickly being re-equipped to handle COVID-19 patients. But their main goal is to get more citizens vaccinated against COVID-19.
Russia was the first country in the world to get a vaccine to market - with Sputnik Vee. So far, however, only 10 percent of the population has been vaccinated. The government wants that to change - by decree. From now on, all companies in Moscow must have at least 60 percent of their workforce vaccinated.
Restaurants are still open, if only until 11 p.m. But in the future, only people who have been vaccinated, or who have a medical certificate showing they have recovered, or who have a negative PCR test, will be allowed to eat there. They will have to scan a QR code issued by the Moscow health authority. That means all service-sector employees must get the jab. Anyone who refuses will be fired. Those who take part will be rewarded.
But even these unprecedented measures are a far cry from the tough lockdown the government imposed last year as infections began to rise. Virologists say it's a case of too little, too late - and that the third wave could be Russia's most devastating yet. DW's Juri Rescheto reports.
Authorities are imposing strict new measures to counter the surge. St. Petersburg's city beach couldn't be busier. With temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius, thousands of Russians have come to the Gulf of Finland to escape the hot weather - and social distancing.
Russia is in the middle of its third coronavirus wave - thanks to the rapidly spreading Delta variant. The authorities are sounding the alarm: The new mutation accounts for almost 90 percent of new cases. Officials are talking about more than 20,000 new infections every day, most of them in Moscow.
To get the situation under control, the Russian capital has re-opened field hospitals and built medical stations especially for coronavirus. All hospitals are quickly being re-equipped to handle COVID-19 patients. But their main goal is to get more citizens vaccinated against COVID-19.
Russia was the first country in the world to get a vaccine to market - with Sputnik Vee. So far, however, only 10 percent of the population has been vaccinated. The government wants that to change - by decree. From now on, all companies in Moscow must have at least 60 percent of their workforce vaccinated.
Restaurants are still open, if only until 11 p.m. But in the future, only people who have been vaccinated, or who have a medical certificate showing they have recovered, or who have a negative PCR test, will be allowed to eat there. They will have to scan a QR code issued by the Moscow health authority. That means all service-sector employees must get the jab. Anyone who refuses will be fired. Those who take part will be rewarded.
But even these unprecedented measures are a far cry from the tough lockdown the government imposed last year as infections began to rise. Virologists say it's a case of too little, too late - and that the third wave could be Russia's most devastating yet. DW's Juri Rescheto reports.
Bangladesh: Tens of Thousands Flee Dhaka amid COVID Surge | DW News
Jun 28, 2021 • Tens of thousands of migrants are fleeing Bangladesh's capital Dhaka amid a surge in coronavirus infections. The spike has prompted the government to tighten restrictions beginning Monday. The lockdown will curtail most economic activity and confine people to their homes.
Now those who moved to Dhaka for work are rushing to return to their home villages before the lockdown takes effect. Thousands are cramming onto ferries hoping for a spot to get home.
Being so close to others in a pandemic isn't ideal, but they face a tough choice - stay in locked down Dhaka with no work or support, or go back to their home villages, to be with family.
Ferries have been operating 24 hours a day, trying to clear the backlog and get people home. Authorities say they try to stop overcrowding, but people's desperation means they don't listen. The exodus from Dhaka was sparked by a surge in coronavirus infections. Case numbers have reached six thousand a day. In response Bangladesh's government is issuing a stay-at-home order with shops, transportation and offices to close, meaning many will lose their jobs with no way to pay for food or rent. That leaves people with few options, other than to cram onto ferries, in an effort to find support in their hometowns.
Now those who moved to Dhaka for work are rushing to return to their home villages before the lockdown takes effect. Thousands are cramming onto ferries hoping for a spot to get home.
Being so close to others in a pandemic isn't ideal, but they face a tough choice - stay in locked down Dhaka with no work or support, or go back to their home villages, to be with family.
Ferries have been operating 24 hours a day, trying to clear the backlog and get people home. Authorities say they try to stop overcrowding, but people's desperation means they don't listen. The exodus from Dhaka was sparked by a surge in coronavirus infections. Case numbers have reached six thousand a day. In response Bangladesh's government is issuing a stay-at-home order with shops, transportation and offices to close, meaning many will lose their jobs with no way to pay for food or rent. That leaves people with few options, other than to cram onto ferries, in an effort to find support in their hometowns.
Lebanon Economic Crisis among World's Worst in 150 Years | DW News
Jun 28, 2021 • Inflation has driven Lebanon's currency to historically low values in recent weeks. The crash of the Lebanese pound is playing its part in the country’s grave economic crisis, which has left half the population living below the poverty line.
Fire and fury have hit the streets of Beirut. Lebanon is descending fast into an economic crisis that the World Bank says will likely rank among the world's worst of the last 150 years. Where some streets witness protests, others host long lines of cars queuing for a share of Lebanon's insufficient supply of gasoline.
Shortages are pushing up the costs of many essentials. The price of subsidized bread has been hiked five times this year alone. Citizens are also getting much less for their money because of record inflation.
The Lebanese pound has been trading at an all-time high on the black market - at over 10 times its official rate against the US dollar.
The crisis is largely the result of three decades of financial mismanagement by successive governments, following Lebanon's civil war. But it's been made even worse by a global pandemic, and the billions of dollars of damage caused by last year's deadly blast in Beirut port.
‘This is the end of times’: Lebanon struggles to find political path through its crisis »
Fire and fury have hit the streets of Beirut. Lebanon is descending fast into an economic crisis that the World Bank says will likely rank among the world's worst of the last 150 years. Where some streets witness protests, others host long lines of cars queuing for a share of Lebanon's insufficient supply of gasoline.
Shortages are pushing up the costs of many essentials. The price of subsidized bread has been hiked five times this year alone. Citizens are also getting much less for their money because of record inflation.
The Lebanese pound has been trading at an all-time high on the black market - at over 10 times its official rate against the US dollar.
The crisis is largely the result of three decades of financial mismanagement by successive governments, following Lebanon's civil war. But it's been made even worse by a global pandemic, and the billions of dollars of damage caused by last year's deadly blast in Beirut port.
‘This is the end of times’: Lebanon struggles to find political path through its crisis »
There's No Safe Amount of Alcohol, Study Says (2018)
'Trump Deserves to Go to Jail': Ex-Trump Org. Exec on Looming Criminal Charges
It Got Better Featuring Nate Berkus | L/Studio Created By Lexus
Nate Berkus »
Sunday, June 27, 2021
Stelter: I Watched Hannity's Show for a Week. Here's What I Found
Xavier Bettel: Luxemburgs Premierminister nach EU-Gipfel positiv auf Corona getestet
Luxemburgs Premierminister Xavier Bettel ist nach dem EU-Gipfel in Brüssel positiv auf Corona getestet worden. Dies teilte die luxemburgische Regierung am Sonntagabend mit. Der 48 Jahre alte Politiker habe milde Symptome wie Fieber und Kopfschmerzen, werde seine Arbeit aber von zuhause aus fortsetzen. Es sind zehn Tage Quarantäne vorgesehen. Zuvor hatten die Zeitung „Luxemburger Wort“ und das Portal „Politico“ darüber berichtet. » | Quelle: dpa | Sonntag, 27. Juni 2021
Gay Pride and the Battle for LGBTQI+ Rights – Where It All Began | DW Documentary
Jun 27, 2021 • The battle for the rights of LGBTQI+ people began over half a century ago in New York City. A police raid on a gay bar, the Stonewall Inn, in June 1969, triggered days of rioting. A year later, the first Gay Pride parade made its way through the streets of Manhattan.
Since 1970, June has been considered Gay Pride Month. In many countries the LGBTQI+ community celebrates Christopher Street Day, which is named after the street where the Stonewall Inn was located. Loud and proud demonstrators mark the anniversary of when lesbians, gays, queers, transsexuals, transgender people, and drag queens took to the streets to fight for their rights. Back then, they wanted to be freed from the taint of illegality straight society had imposed on their sexual orientation. They wanted to be themselves and no longer be forced to live on the fringes of society. During the Stonewall riots, street children, residents, lesbians, gays and drag queens took part in the unrest. They occupied the bar and Christopher Street. A movement grew from this incident that changed society over the course of the decades, in Western democracies at least. Nevertheless, the fight is far from over, with homosexuality still deemed a crime - even a capital offense - in some countries.
Since 1970, June has been considered Gay Pride Month. In many countries the LGBTQI+ community celebrates Christopher Street Day, which is named after the street where the Stonewall Inn was located. Loud and proud demonstrators mark the anniversary of when lesbians, gays, queers, transsexuals, transgender people, and drag queens took to the streets to fight for their rights. Back then, they wanted to be freed from the taint of illegality straight society had imposed on their sexual orientation. They wanted to be themselves and no longer be forced to live on the fringes of society. During the Stonewall riots, street children, residents, lesbians, gays and drag queens took part in the unrest. They occupied the bar and Christopher Street. A movement grew from this incident that changed society over the course of the decades, in Western democracies at least. Nevertheless, the fight is far from over, with homosexuality still deemed a crime - even a capital offense - in some countries.
Italy Tackles Rural Exodus | DW Documentary
Jun 26, 2021 • More Italians are migrating to big cities, and every year around 200,000 leave to go abroad. Entire villages now stand empty. So small towns are providing incentives for incomers - like rent-free homes in Campania or one euro house prices in Sicily.
The Italian countryside is full of hilly landscapes, breathtaking panoramas and picturesque hamlets. Yet small towns and villages are dying out. Lack of jobs and poor infrastructure are driving people to leave. In the coming years, some 2,500 places could become ghost towns, although the Coronavirus pandemic has slowed this development.
During the strict lockdown, the Vittoria family from Naples decided to escape the confines of the big city. In the fall of 2020 they packed their belongings and moved to Teora in Campania. Here mayor Stefano Farina is trying to repopulate his small town by paying newcomers‘ rent for two years if they enroll their children in the local school. That’s also enticed the Greenwoods to move from Manchester, in the UK, to Teora with their four children. The town has acquired some thirty new residents from around the world and ensured the survival of its school.
Seven hundred kilometers to the south, Mussomeli in Sicily is selling abandoned homes in its old town for just one euro. Here, too, more than half of the buildings stand empty. The initiative has proved so successful an agency had to be founded to deal with prospective foreign buyers. They must commit to renovating the house within the next three years, but are not obliged to reside in Italy. Mussomeli is most concerned with saving its dilapidated town center.
The Italian countryside is full of hilly landscapes, breathtaking panoramas and picturesque hamlets. Yet small towns and villages are dying out. Lack of jobs and poor infrastructure are driving people to leave. In the coming years, some 2,500 places could become ghost towns, although the Coronavirus pandemic has slowed this development.
During the strict lockdown, the Vittoria family from Naples decided to escape the confines of the big city. In the fall of 2020 they packed their belongings and moved to Teora in Campania. Here mayor Stefano Farina is trying to repopulate his small town by paying newcomers‘ rent for two years if they enroll their children in the local school. That’s also enticed the Greenwoods to move from Manchester, in the UK, to Teora with their four children. The town has acquired some thirty new residents from around the world and ensured the survival of its school.
Seven hundred kilometers to the south, Mussomeli in Sicily is selling abandoned homes in its old town for just one euro. Here, too, more than half of the buildings stand empty. The initiative has proved so successful an agency had to be founded to deal with prospective foreign buyers. They must commit to renovating the house within the next three years, but are not obliged to reside in Italy. Mussomeli is most concerned with saving its dilapidated town center.
Fabled Booksellers in Paris Latin Quarter Face Extinction | Focus on Europe
UK Health Minister Matt Hancock Resigns over Kiss Pics | DW News
Will Vaccines Protect Us against the Delta Variant?
THE OBSERVER: The virus’s behaviour will be a key factor in how it affects the UK and the wider world, with further mutations almost certain
What is the Delta variant?
The Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2, is a version of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. It was first detected in India late last year and contains mutations in the gene that codes for the spike protein which the virus uses to enter cells in the body. According to Public Health England (PHE), this has provided the Delta variant with a transmissibility that is 50%-60% higher than the virus’s Alpha variant. Professor Wendy Barclay of Imperial College London says the Delta variant appears to allow increased amounts of the virus to build up in infected people so they expel more to infect other individuals. » | The Observer | Sunday, June 27, 2021
What is the Delta variant?
The Delta variant, also known as lineage B.1.617.2, is a version of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. It was first detected in India late last year and contains mutations in the gene that codes for the spike protein which the virus uses to enter cells in the body. According to Public Health England (PHE), this has provided the Delta variant with a transmissibility that is 50%-60% higher than the virus’s Alpha variant. Professor Wendy Barclay of Imperial College London says the Delta variant appears to allow increased amounts of the virus to build up in infected people so they expel more to infect other individuals. » | The Observer | Sunday, June 27, 2021
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Church of England Should Recognise Same-sex Marriage, Says Bishop
A senior bishop has said the Church of England should recognise marriage between people of the same sex and allow such ceremonies in church, a move that would break with centuries of Christian teaching.
Paul Bayes, the bishop of Liverpool, called for a “gender-neutral marriage canon” in a controversial and hard-hitting speech on Saturday, making him the most senior figure in the C of E to explicitly back a change in church law and teaching.
The “world beyond the church” has found it to be offensive, oppressive and hypocritical, he said.
Issues of sexuality, gender and same-sex marriage have caused deep and bitter divisions within the C of E in recent decades. Conservatives have sought to uphold traditional teaching that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Campaigners for change say the bible teaches inclusivity and equality. » | Harriet Sherwood | Saturday, June 26, 2021
Abigail Disney: Dynasties Are Very Bad for Democracy | Amanpour and Company
Würzburg Stabbings: German Police Investigate Possible Islamist Terror Motive | DW News
Jun 26, 2021 • In Germany, a suspect is in custody after a mass stabbing. Three people died from their wounds and at least five others were seriously injured. Police say they are investigating a possible Islamist terror motive. Witnesses said the man shouted the Islamic phrase "Allahu Akbar."
The attack took place in the southern state of Bavaria - in a plaza in the center of the city of Würzburg. Pedestrians tried to stop the attacker and may have prevented more bloodshed.
The knifeman struck in the historic center of Würzburg, which was crowded with shoppers on a sunny afternoon. Authorities say the attacker was a 24-year-year old Somali man with a history of mental illness. Witnesses said he started stabbing people for no apparent reason - but was confronted by passers-by.
Police shot the man in the leg before arresting him. Officials say the attacker was known to have violent tendencies and was undergoing compulsory psychiatric treatment. Police at the scene were quick to reassure the public that they were in no further danger. Bavaria's premier, Markus Söder, says the state is grieving for the victims and their families.
The attack took place in the southern state of Bavaria - in a plaza in the center of the city of Würzburg. Pedestrians tried to stop the attacker and may have prevented more bloodshed.
The knifeman struck in the historic center of Würzburg, which was crowded with shoppers on a sunny afternoon. Authorities say the attacker was a 24-year-year old Somali man with a history of mental illness. Witnesses said he started stabbing people for no apparent reason - but was confronted by passers-by.
Police shot the man in the leg before arresting him. Officials say the attacker was known to have violent tendencies and was undergoing compulsory psychiatric treatment. Police at the scene were quick to reassure the public that they were in no further danger. Bavaria's premier, Markus Söder, says the state is grieving for the victims and their families.
It Got Better Featuring Ian McKellen | L/Studio Created by Lexus
Sydney Australia On Lockdown over COVID Delta Variant Outbreak | DW News
Jun 26, 2021 • A two-week lockdown has been imposed in Sydney to contain an outbreak of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant. The new restrictions affect more than five million people in and around the Australian city.
At least 80 cases have been reported so far. Most have been linked to a limousine driver who was infected while taking an international flight crew to a quarantine hotel.
The country remains largely unvaccinated. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "A few days ago I said this was the scariest time that she felt since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case. We should brace ourselves for more cases. We're finding that all household contacts, unfortunately, are getting the virus. Transmissibility is at least double what previous variants have been, so we do need to brace ourselves for potentially larger number of cases in the following days, and that is why it's so important we take action now."
Sydney, Australia, enters full lockdown for the first time in the pandemic to fight the Delta variant »
At least 80 cases have been reported so far. Most have been linked to a limousine driver who was infected while taking an international flight crew to a quarantine hotel.
The country remains largely unvaccinated. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "A few days ago I said this was the scariest time that she felt since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case. We should brace ourselves for more cases. We're finding that all household contacts, unfortunately, are getting the virus. Transmissibility is at least double what previous variants have been, so we do need to brace ourselves for potentially larger number of cases in the following days, and that is why it's so important we take action now."
Sydney, Australia, enters full lockdown for the first time in the pandemic to fight the Delta variant »
Three Dead and 10 Wounded in Stabbing Attack in Germany
Three people have been killed and several wounded in a stabbing attack in the southern German town of Würzburg, Bavarian authorities said on Friday afternoon, adding that police had stopped the suspected perpetrator with a shot to the leg.
The suspected attacker is believed to be a 24-year-old Somali man who has lived in Würzburg since 2015, Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann said in a statement.
He added that the perpetrator had in recent months drawn the attention of authorities because of a number of violent altercations, and had been taken into psychiatric care a few days ago.
Herrmann said the attacker appeared to have chosen his targets at random and the injured included a young boy, whose father was probably among the dead. The fatal victims are understood to also include two women of different ages. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Friday, June 25, 2021
Ein Abend, der Würzburg lähmt »
Why the Deadly Black Fungus Is Ravaging COVID Patients in India | DW News
NSW Covid Outbreaks: Gladys Berejiklian Locks Down Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong
THE GUARDIAN: New South Wales premier says lockdown will last two weeks and new restrictions will be in place for rest of state
All of greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong regions will enter a two-week coronavirus lockdown until 9 July and new restrictions will be in place for the remainder of New South Wales.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced the expanded lockdown – the first lockdown of greater Sydney since last year – would commence at 6pm Saturday, following crisis talks due to the growing number of exposure sites associated with the Sydney outbreak of the Delta Covid-19 variant.
The state recorded 29 cases up to 8pm on Friday, including 17 that had been announced Friday morning. Only 12 of those had been in isolation while infectious.
“We’re never afraid to take a decision we need to keep our citizens safe,” Berejikilan said on Saturday afternoon. “Unfortunately this is a situation where we absolutely have to.” » | Lisa Cox | Saturday, June 26, 2021
Covid-19 : la métropole de Sydney entièrement reconfinée pour contrer le variant Delta »
All of greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong regions will enter a two-week coronavirus lockdown until 9 July and new restrictions will be in place for the remainder of New South Wales.
The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced the expanded lockdown – the first lockdown of greater Sydney since last year – would commence at 6pm Saturday, following crisis talks due to the growing number of exposure sites associated with the Sydney outbreak of the Delta Covid-19 variant.
The state recorded 29 cases up to 8pm on Friday, including 17 that had been announced Friday morning. Only 12 of those had been in isolation while infectious.
“We’re never afraid to take a decision we need to keep our citizens safe,” Berejikilan said on Saturday afternoon. “Unfortunately this is a situation where we absolutely have to.” » | Lisa Cox | Saturday, June 26, 2021
Covid-19 : la métropole de Sydney entièrement reconfinée pour contrer le variant Delta »
US Pacific North-west Braces for ‘Unprecedented’ Sweltering Heatwave
THE GUARDIAN: Oregon, Washington and Idaho could surpass their all-time heat records for June in unusual weather event
The Pacific north-west is gearing up for a potentially record-setting heatwave this weekend and into next week, with temperatures in some areas expected to heat up to the triple digits and beyond.
The blazing heat is highly unusual in a region typically known for its moderate climate.
“It’s going to be unprecedented,” said Nick Bond, a Washington state climatologist. “Probably both in terms of the maximum temperatures that are reached, especially Sunday and Monday, the minimum temperatures that are going to occur for a few nights like that, and then the duration of extremely high temperatures.”
Last week, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In a statement Friday, the agency cautioned that “the hot daytime temperatures, combined with warm overnight lows, will result in high heat risk and heat related stress.”
All three states could surpass their all-time heat record for June (113F for Washington and Oregon, and 114F for Idaho), according to the National Weather Service. » | Hallie Golden in Seattle | Friday, June 25, 2021
The Pacific north-west is gearing up for a potentially record-setting heatwave this weekend and into next week, with temperatures in some areas expected to heat up to the triple digits and beyond.
The blazing heat is highly unusual in a region typically known for its moderate climate.
“It’s going to be unprecedented,” said Nick Bond, a Washington state climatologist. “Probably both in terms of the maximum temperatures that are reached, especially Sunday and Monday, the minimum temperatures that are going to occur for a few nights like that, and then the duration of extremely high temperatures.”
Last week, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In a statement Friday, the agency cautioned that “the hot daytime temperatures, combined with warm overnight lows, will result in high heat risk and heat related stress.”
All three states could surpass their all-time heat record for June (113F for Washington and Oregon, and 114F for Idaho), according to the National Weather Service. » | Hallie Golden in Seattle | Friday, June 25, 2021
Friday, June 25, 2021
Western US in Grips of Hottest, Driest Summer in 1000 Years? | DW News
Jun 21, 2021 • It may be the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but for some 50 million people in the US summer has arrived early and hotter than ever before. In just the last week, high temperature records have been shattered all across the western half of the US. Salt Lake City, Utah, just saw its hottest day since record keeping began in 1870: 107 degrees Fahrenheit. 42 degrees Celsius.
Wyoming also saw new records. In Nevada, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its all-time high of 47 degrees Celsius.
But the US city melting most is Phoenix, Arizona, which just set an all-time record of five consecutive days of 115 degrees or higher. That is 46 degrees Celsius.
The heat is making severe droughts across the western US go from bad to worse. The federal government is already planning to declare an official water shortage at Lake Mead in August. Lake Mead's waters power Hoover Dam. As of last week, Lake Mead's water level is at a record low, and there is no relief in sight.
The Western US is in what scientists describe as a climate-change induced megadrought. Some even say this summer could be the hottest and driest in a millennium. And less water means more fire. 2020 saw a record number of wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington. 2021 is expected to be worse.
Wyoming also saw new records. In Nevada, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its all-time high of 47 degrees Celsius.
But the US city melting most is Phoenix, Arizona, which just set an all-time record of five consecutive days of 115 degrees or higher. That is 46 degrees Celsius.
The heat is making severe droughts across the western US go from bad to worse. The federal government is already planning to declare an official water shortage at Lake Mead in August. Lake Mead's waters power Hoover Dam. As of last week, Lake Mead's water level is at a record low, and there is no relief in sight.
The Western US is in what scientists describe as a climate-change induced megadrought. Some even say this summer could be the hottest and driest in a millennium. And less water means more fire. 2020 saw a record number of wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington. 2021 is expected to be worse.
Are We Seeing a Repeat of the Indian COVID Tragedy in Africa? | COVID-19 Special
Jun 25, 2021 • South Africa, the worst-hit country in the African continent, has entered a third COVID wave. New daily cases more than doubled over the past two weeks. In the province around Johannesburg, hospitals are already reaching their capacity. Despite the rising numbers and low vaccination rates, the country still only has rather relaxed lockdown regulations in place.
More than a dozen nations are reporting the worst levels of infections. In Uganda, hospitals are already reaching capacity and oxygen is in short supply. The situation is becoming dire in many regions - are we seeing a repeat of the Indian tragedy in Africa?
More than a dozen nations are reporting the worst levels of infections. In Uganda, hospitals are already reaching capacity and oxygen is in short supply. The situation is becoming dire in many regions - are we seeing a repeat of the Indian tragedy in Africa?
Australien: Politiker macht Partner Heiratsantrag im Parlament (2017)
Rutte fordert Orbán heraus: „Viktor, warum bleibst Du in der EU?“
Emotional ging es zu, als die Regierungschefs am Donnerstagabend zum Thema Ungarn kamen, so emotional wie selten. Xavier Bettel aus Luxemburg, selbst schwul, erzählte seine eigene Geschichte. Fast jeder habe da Tränen in den Augen gehabt, sagte Mark Rutte, der Niederländer hinterher. Und es ging mit voller Wucht gegen Viktor Orbán. Er hatte das Gesetz, das Kinder vor Homosexualität und anderen Orientierungen „schützen“ soll, noch schnell in Kraft setzen lassen, bevor er in Brüssel eintraf. Rutte selbst ritt die härteste Attacke. Wie Teilnehmer berichten, wandte er sich direkt an den ungarischen Regierungschef: „Viktor, wenn Du das machst, warum bleibst Du dann in der EU?“ Das war ein Einschnitt. Er könnte gravierende Folgen für Orbán nach sich ziehen.
Der belgische Premierminister Alexander De Croo sprach nach der Sitzung, die erst am frühen Morgen zu Ende ging, von einem „entscheidenden Moment“: „Eine solche Konfrontation haben wir noch nicht erlebt.“ Fast einstimmig habe der Europäische Rat gesagt: „Bis hierhin und nicht weiter.“ Auf die Frage, ob es noch einen Platz für Ungarn in der Europäischen Union gebe, antwortete De Croo erst mit ein paar Sekunden Verzögerung: „Ich hoffe, dass Herr Orbán mit dieser Frage heute nach Hause geht oder wenigstens schlafen geht. Ich denke, er hatte nicht damit gerechnet, dass das Treffen diese Wendung nimmt.“ » | Von Thomas Gutschker, Brüssel | Freitag, 25. Juni 2021
L’Etat de droit, meilleure protection pour les droits LGBT en Europe
LE MONDE : Editorial. L’adoption, le 15 juin par le Parlement hongrois, d’un projet de loi assimilant de fait homosexualité, pornographie et pédophilie, et le refus de l’UEFA d’illuminer le stade de Munich aux couleurs arc-en-ciel ont mis en évidence une fracture entre les membres de l’UE.
Editorial du « Monde ». L’arc-en-ciel est dans toutes les têtes, mais l’orage n’est pas près de se dissiper. Les foudres que se sont attirées, depuis mardi 22 juin, le premier ministre hongrois, Viktor Orban, puis, par ricochet, l’UEFA, l’organisation qui supervise le championnat de football Euro 2021, à propos des droits des communautés LGBT, montrent à quel point ce sujet cristallise les fractures sociétales intra-européennes.
Le projet de loi adopté le 15 juin par le Parlement hongrois, contrôlé par le parti nationaliste de M. Orban, a provoqué un profond malaise au sein de l’Union européenne. Ce texte, qui prévoit de rendre inaccessibles aux moins de 18 ans les « contenus qui montrent ou encouragent la sexualité en elle-même, le changement de genre ou l’homosexualité », assimile de fait homosexualité, pornographie et pédophilie. » | Éditorial | jeudi 24 juin 2021
Editorial du « Monde ». L’arc-en-ciel est dans toutes les têtes, mais l’orage n’est pas près de se dissiper. Les foudres que se sont attirées, depuis mardi 22 juin, le premier ministre hongrois, Viktor Orban, puis, par ricochet, l’UEFA, l’organisation qui supervise le championnat de football Euro 2021, à propos des droits des communautés LGBT, montrent à quel point ce sujet cristallise les fractures sociétales intra-européennes.
Le projet de loi adopté le 15 juin par le Parlement hongrois, contrôlé par le parti nationaliste de M. Orban, a provoqué un profond malaise au sein de l’Union européenne. Ce texte, qui prévoit de rendre inaccessibles aux moins de 18 ans les « contenus qui montrent ou encouragent la sexualité en elle-même, le changement de genre ou l’homosexualité », assimile de fait homosexualité, pornographie et pédophilie. » | Éditorial | jeudi 24 juin 2021
The Standard American Diet Promotes Cancer!
Blood test that finds 50 types of cancer is accurate enough to be rolled out »
Brexit: It's Been Five Years Since the UK Voted to Leave the EU | DW News
June 23, 2021 – It was five years ago today when voters in the UK decided to leave the European Union. That's the day Brexit began and the end is nowhere in sight. Concern is growing for at least 150,000 Europeans living in the UK and tens of thousands of Britons residing in the EU who are on the verge of being classed as undocumented migrants.
In another post-Brexit fallout, they're expected to lose their citizens' rights, including the right to work, study and rent property, while some could even face deportation. That’s because they haven’t applied for post-Brexit residency in the countries where they're living. The deadline for many of those programs is next week.
In another post-Brexit fallout, they're expected to lose their citizens' rights, including the right to work, study and rent property, while some could even face deportation. That’s because they haven’t applied for post-Brexit residency in the countries where they're living. The deadline for many of those programs is next week.
Love Letters to Richard Dawkins
Viewer discretion is advised. Not suitable for children! – Mark
Beautiful Minds: Professor Richard Dawkins
EU Summit: Disagreements on Hungary and Russia Reveal Rifts in the EU | DW News
EU leaders agreed Friday to plan for sanctions against Russia but rejected a push for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the EU summit in Brussels, France and Germany had called for direct talks with Putin. The proposal came after US President Joe Biden held his own meeting with Putin in Geneva, Switzerland, last week. However, EU leaders failed to reach an agreement on such a summit. In a statement, they said that "they will explore format and conditionalities of dialogue with Russia" but did not mention a summit. The statement also called on EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell "to present options for additional restrictive measures, including sanctions" against Russia.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government came under fire over legislation that banned LGBTQ content from being handed out in schools. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week branded the bill "a shame" that contradicts the fundamental values of the European Union and threatened to take Hungary to court. Merkel said the EU leaders and Orbán had a "very, very frank discussion." Leaders from 17 EU countries on Thursday signed a letter slamming "threats against fundamental rights, and in particular the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation." The issue has been front and center of European politics this week after UEFA, Europe's football governing body, rejected a plan by Munich to light up its stadium in rainbow colors for a Germany-Hungary match on Wednesday.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government came under fire over legislation that banned LGBTQ content from being handed out in schools. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen this week branded the bill "a shame" that contradicts the fundamental values of the European Union and threatened to take Hungary to court. Merkel said the EU leaders and Orbán had a "very, very frank discussion." Leaders from 17 EU countries on Thursday signed a letter slamming "threats against fundamental rights, and in particular the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation." The issue has been front and center of European politics this week after UEFA, Europe's football governing body, rejected a plan by Munich to light up its stadium in rainbow colors for a Germany-Hungary match on Wednesday.
Rescue Mission for Collapsed Florida Building Underway | DW News
Monaco Bans Smoking and Vaping on Beaches
MONACO LIFE: The government has decided to make all beaches in the Principality non-smoking this summer for the comfort of beach-goers and to protect the environment.
For over a decade, the Principality has run the ‘Monaco Plage Propre’ campaign, providing sun-seeking smokers with free self-service ashtrays to keep the beaches clean.
But on Thursday, the government announced that it will ban smoking altogether on beaches from this Saturday 26th June to Thursday 30th September. » | Cassandra Tanti | Thursday, June 24, 2021
For over a decade, the Principality has run the ‘Monaco Plage Propre’ campaign, providing sun-seeking smokers with free self-service ashtrays to keep the beaches clean.
But on Thursday, the government announced that it will ban smoking altogether on beaches from this Saturday 26th June to Thursday 30th September. » | Cassandra Tanti | Thursday, June 24, 2021
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Rudy Giuliani Suspended from Practicing Law in New York State
Rudy Giuliani, the former personal lawyer for former President Donald Trump who once held one of the legal profession's most prestigious jobs, was suspended Thursday from practicing law in New York state by an appellate court that found he made "demonstrably false and misleading statements" about the 2020 election.
In a ruling released following disciplinary proceedings, the court concluded that "there is uncontroverted evidence" that Giuliani, the former Manhattan US attorney, "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020."
Giuliani's "conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law," the court wrote.
The suspension of his law license marks a precipitous fall for the former New York City mayor, once considered an accomplished and formidable force in legal circles. In recent years, however, Giuliani's reputation has suffered as he has come under criminal investigation by the office he used to lead, the Manhattan US Attorney's office, for possible illegal lobbying. He has denied wrongdoing.
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In a ruling released following disciplinary proceedings, the court concluded that "there is uncontroverted evidence" that Giuliani, the former Manhattan US attorney, "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020."
Giuliani's "conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law," the court wrote.
The suspension of his law license marks a precipitous fall for the former New York City mayor, once considered an accomplished and formidable force in legal circles. In recent years, however, Giuliani's reputation has suffered as he has come under criminal investigation by the office he used to lead, the Manhattan US Attorney's office, for possible illegal lobbying. He has denied wrongdoing.
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Coronavirus Rampant: How Deadly Is Delta? | To the Point
COVID Incompetence, Waste of £37 Billion Test & Trace and the Privatisation of the NHS
The government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has been lamentable leaving the U.K. 7th of all nations in total number of cases, total number of deaths and in the current daily total of new cases. Boris Johnson failed to attend the first five COBRA meeting, delayed in introducing the first two lockdowns and allowed flights to continue to come to the U.K. from India in April when it was known that this was a risk.
Test & Trace has been a complete waste of money - a staggering £37 billion. The woman who lead this catastrophic failure, Dido Harding, is favourite to become head of the NHS. Her husband, Conservative MP, John Penrose, is advisor to a think tank which favours the replacement of the NHS with an ‘insurance based’ alternative
Test & Trace has been a complete waste of money - a staggering £37 billion. The woman who lead this catastrophic failure, Dido Harding, is favourite to become head of the NHS. Her husband, Conservative MP, John Penrose, is advisor to a think tank which favours the replacement of the NHS with an ‘insurance based’ alternative
Five Years On, We Finally Know What Brexit Means: A Worse Deal for Everyone
Five years ago today, in the early hours, Britain discovered what it had done – and what had been done to it by the liars, charlatans and rogues who mis-sold Brexit as “taking back control”. The wound is as fresh as ever. Breaking apart political parties and reversing erstwhile red or blue wall seats is a minor matter, but Brexit’s explosive division of the country by social class, geography and a deep sense of personal identity is a lasting injury. » | Polly Toynbee | Thursday, June 24, 2021
Brazil Passes 500,000 Covid Deaths, a Tragedy with No Sign of Letup
RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilians were recovering from Carnival in the heady days of February 2020 when the first known carriers of the new coronavirus flew home from Europe, planting the seeds of catastrophe.
In Brazil, Latin America’s largest nation, the virus found remarkably fertile ground, turbocharging the outbreak that has turned South America into the hardest-hit continent in the world.
Brazil recently surpassed 500,000 official Covid-19 deaths, the world’s second-highest total behind the United States. About 1 in every 400 Brazilians has died from the virus, but many experts believe the true death toll may be higher. Home to just over 2.7 percent of the world’s population, Brazil accounts for nearly 13 percent of recorded fatalities, and the situation there is not easing.
President Jair Bolsonaro has led a strikingly lackadaisical, dismissive and chaotic response to a coronavirus crisis that has left Brazil poorer, more unequal and increasingly polarized. Social distancing measures have been spotty and badly enforced, the president and his allies have promoted ineffective treatments, and for months the government failed to acquire a large number of vaccines. » | Ernesto Londoño and Flávia Milhorance | Thursday, June 24, 2021
EU Leaders to Confront Hungary’s Viktor Orbán over LGBTQ+ Rights
THE GUARDIAN: Sixteen EU leaders sign open letter vowing to fight discrimination of LGBTQ+ people before summit
European Union leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel have signed a letter vowing to fight discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people before an expected confrontation with Viktor Orbán over a Hungarian law widely condemned as an assault on the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
The letter published on Thursday does not mention Hungary explicitly, but the timing is no accident and the stage is set for a tense encounter on Wednesday between the Hungarian prime minister and many of his counterparts at an EU summit in Brussels.
Hungary’s parliament last week adopted a bill that will ban gay people from being shown in educational materials, on prime-time TV, or shows and films aimed at children. The government claims the law is intended to protect children, but campaigners and the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner say those arguments are “misleading and false”. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Thursday, June 24, 2021
European Union leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel have signed a letter vowing to fight discrimination towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people before an expected confrontation with Viktor Orbán over a Hungarian law widely condemned as an assault on the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
The letter published on Thursday does not mention Hungary explicitly, but the timing is no accident and the stage is set for a tense encounter on Wednesday between the Hungarian prime minister and many of his counterparts at an EU summit in Brussels.
Hungary’s parliament last week adopted a bill that will ban gay people from being shown in educational materials, on prime-time TV, or shows and films aimed at children. The government claims the law is intended to protect children, but campaigners and the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner say those arguments are “misleading and false”. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Thursday, June 24, 2021
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
It Gets Better: Apple Employees
The Trevor Project »
A Culture War between Hungary and Europe Escalates over LGBT Bill
THE NEW YORK TIMES: E.U. leaders say that they will do all they can to thwart a proposed new law in Hungary that would, they say, equate homosexuality with pedophilia.
BRUSSELS — A culture war between Hungary and the European Union escalated Wednesday after a top official from the bloc said she would use all her powers to thwart a new Hungarian law that critics say targets the L.G.B.T. community.
The law, which would ban the depiction or promotion of homosexuality to those under 18 years of age, an addition to legislation targeting pedophiles, has been approved in Hungary’s Parliament but still must be endorsed by the country’s president.
The legislation was sharply criticized on Wednesday by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“This Hungarian bill is a shame,” Ms. von der Leyen said in a statement. “This bill clearly discriminates against people based on their sexual orientation. It goes against the fundamental values of the European Union: human dignity, equality and respect for human rights.”
Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, who has defended the law, will come under pressure to withdraw it during a European Union meeting of heads of state and government on Thursday and Friday. It is the latest confrontation between the European Union and Mr. Orban, who styles himself as the champion of an “illiberal democracy” that can sometimes run counter to the democratic values of the bloc.
Ms. von der Leyen described the European Union as a place “where you are free to be who you are and love whomever you want,” adding: “I will use all the powers of the commission to ensure that the rights of all E.U. citizens are guaranteed. Whoever they are and wherever they live within the European Union.” » | Steven Erlanger | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
BRUSSELS — A culture war between Hungary and the European Union escalated Wednesday after a top official from the bloc said she would use all her powers to thwart a new Hungarian law that critics say targets the L.G.B.T. community.
The law, which would ban the depiction or promotion of homosexuality to those under 18 years of age, an addition to legislation targeting pedophiles, has been approved in Hungary’s Parliament but still must be endorsed by the country’s president.
The legislation was sharply criticized on Wednesday by the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
“This Hungarian bill is a shame,” Ms. von der Leyen said in a statement. “This bill clearly discriminates against people based on their sexual orientation. It goes against the fundamental values of the European Union: human dignity, equality and respect for human rights.”
Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary, who has defended the law, will come under pressure to withdraw it during a European Union meeting of heads of state and government on Thursday and Friday. It is the latest confrontation between the European Union and Mr. Orban, who styles himself as the champion of an “illiberal democracy” that can sometimes run counter to the democratic values of the bloc.
Ms. von der Leyen described the European Union as a place “where you are free to be who you are and love whomever you want,” adding: “I will use all the powers of the commission to ensure that the rights of all E.U. citizens are guaranteed. Whoever they are and wherever they live within the European Union.” » | Steven Erlanger | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
‘Gay Conversion Therapist’ Comes Out: Exclusive Interview
He was a leader of the controversial 'gay conversion therapy' movement in the United States - so it came as a shock when David Matheson publicly came out as gay.
For decades, Mr Matheson - a Mormon - ran retreats offering therapy to suppress or manage sexuality, - claiming to help people live as straight men rather than gay.
In an exclusive interview with this programme he's now conceded that the practice, which almost 700,000 Americans have undergone, is not only built on a harmful philosophy but should be banned.
We are also joined from New York by Chaim Levin, who twice attended retreats co-founded by David Matheson.
For decades, Mr Matheson - a Mormon - ran retreats offering therapy to suppress or manage sexuality, - claiming to help people live as straight men rather than gay.
In an exclusive interview with this programme he's now conceded that the practice, which almost 700,000 Americans have undergone, is not only built on a harmful philosophy but should be banned.
We are also joined from New York by Chaim Levin, who twice attended retreats co-founded by David Matheson.
Von der Leyen gegen Orbán: „Dieses ungarische Gesetz ist eine Schande“
EU-Kommissionspräsidentin Ursula von der Leyen hat ein neues ungarisches Gesetz, das Kinder vorgeblich vor nicht-heterosexuellen Orientierungen schützen soll, eine „Schande“ genannt. „Das Gesetz diskriminiert Menschen aufgrund ihrer sexuellen Orientierung. Es verstößt gegen fundamentale Werte der Europäischen Union: Menschenwürde, Gleichheit und der Respekt für Menschenrechte“, sagte von der Leyen am Mittwochmorgen in Brüssel. Sie glaube an eine Europäische Union, „wo wir alle sein können, wer wir sind“ und „in der wir lieben können, wen wir wollen“. Wie von der Leyen weiter sagte, hat sie die verantwortlichen Kommissare gebeten, einen Brief zu senden, der diesen rechtlichen Bedenken Ausdruck verleiht, noch bevor das Gesetz in Kraft tritt. » | Von Thomas Gutschker, Brüssel | Mittwoch, 23. Juni 2021
Brexit : cinq ans après le référendum, le Royaume-Uni est divisé
LE POINT : Le Brexit continue de faire débat au Royaume-Uni, où les divisions restent vives concernant ses effets, cinq ans après le vote du 23 juin 2016.
Cinq ans après le coup de tonnerre du référendum du Brexit, le divorce est plus que jamais consommé. Mais les divisions restent vives et les changements profonds induits commencent seulement à se faire sentir dans un contexte brouillé par la pandémie. Cinquante-deux pour cent des Britanniques en faveur de la sortie du Royaume-Uni, 48 % pour le maintien dans le bloc européen : le résultat du référendum du 23 juin 2016 avait provoqué une onde de choc, au sein du pays comme auprès de ses alliés en Europe et au-delà. » | Source AFP | mercredi 23 juin 2021
Cinq ans après le coup de tonnerre du référendum du Brexit, le divorce est plus que jamais consommé. Mais les divisions restent vives et les changements profonds induits commencent seulement à se faire sentir dans un contexte brouillé par la pandémie. Cinquante-deux pour cent des Britanniques en faveur de la sortie du Royaume-Uni, 48 % pour le maintien dans le bloc européen : le résultat du référendum du 23 juin 2016 avait provoqué une onde de choc, au sein du pays comme auprès de ses alliés en Europe et au-delà. » | Source AFP | mercredi 23 juin 2021
Ursula von der Leyen qualifie de « honte » la loi hongroise interdisant la « promotion » de l’homosexualité
LE MONDE: Bruxelles enverra une lettre à Budapest pour exprimer ses « préoccupations » sur le plan légal avant l’entrée en vigueur d’une loi qui « discrimine les personnes sur la base de leur orientation sexuelle », a déclaré la chef de l’exécutif européen.
« Une honte. » C’est ainsi que la présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, a qualifié, mercredi 23 juin, la loi hongroise interdisant la « promotion » de l’homosexualité auprès des mineurs. Bruxelles enverra une lettre à Budapest pour exprimer ses « préoccupations » sur le plan légal avant l’entrée en vigueur de cette loi qui « discrimine les personnes sur la base de leur orientation sexuelle », a précisé devant la presse la chef de l’exécutif européen.
Une déclaration, soutenue à l’heure actuelle par quinze Etats membres, a appelé la Commission à agir après l’adoption de ce texte, le 15 juin, à Budapest.
La loi, à l’initiative du parti souverainiste du premier ministre, Viktor Orban, prévoit que « la pornographie et les contenus qui représentent la sexualité ou promeuvent la déviation de l’identité de genre, le changement de sexe et l’homosexualité ne doivent pas être accessibles aux moins de 18 ans ». » | Le Monde avec AFP | mercredi 23 juin 2021
« Une honte. » C’est ainsi que la présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, a qualifié, mercredi 23 juin, la loi hongroise interdisant la « promotion » de l’homosexualité auprès des mineurs. Bruxelles enverra une lettre à Budapest pour exprimer ses « préoccupations » sur le plan légal avant l’entrée en vigueur de cette loi qui « discrimine les personnes sur la base de leur orientation sexuelle », a précisé devant la presse la chef de l’exécutif européen.
Une déclaration, soutenue à l’heure actuelle par quinze Etats membres, a appelé la Commission à agir après l’adoption de ce texte, le 15 juin, à Budapest.
La loi, à l’initiative du parti souverainiste du premier ministre, Viktor Orban, prévoit que « la pornographie et les contenus qui représentent la sexualité ou promeuvent la déviation de l’identité de genre, le changement de sexe et l’homosexualité ne doivent pas être accessibles aux moins de 18 ans ». » | Le Monde avec AFP | mercredi 23 juin 2021
Gove Rules Out ‘Foolish’ Scottish Independence Vote before Election
THE GUARDIAN: Minister says prime minister’s focus is recovery from pandemic ‘for lifetime of this parliament’
Michael Gove has said he “can’t see” Boris Johnson granting a new referendum on Scottish independence before the next general election.
The Cabinet Office minister – who is responsible for countering the push for independence – said the prime minister’s focus was completely focused on recovery from the pandemic “for the lifetime of this parliament”.
His comments – which are likely to infuriate the SNP – appear to go further than other ministers who have said this is the wrong time for another referendum.
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, the next general election is not due until May 2024 – although Johnson is committed to repealing the act, which could allow him to go to the country before then. » | PA Media | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Michael Gove has said he “can’t see” Boris Johnson granting a new referendum on Scottish independence before the next general election.
The Cabinet Office minister – who is responsible for countering the push for independence – said the prime minister’s focus was completely focused on recovery from the pandemic “for the lifetime of this parliament”.
His comments – which are likely to infuriate the SNP – appear to go further than other ministers who have said this is the wrong time for another referendum.
Under the Fixed Term Parliaments Act, the next general election is not due until May 2024 – although Johnson is committed to repealing the act, which could allow him to go to the country before then. » | PA Media | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Hong Kong’s Apple Daily, Symbol of Pro-democracy Movement, to Close
THE GUARDIAN: Tabloid founded by Jimmy Lai and targeted by police raid last week will print final edition on Thursday
Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily will shut down online at midnight on Wednesday and print its final edition on Thursday, in a move observers fear signals the death-knell for press freedom in the territory.
The paper and its activist founder, Jimmy Lai, had become symbols of the pro-democracy movement and a thorn in the side of Hong Kong’s government and police, making it a prime target in the government’s efforts to stifle Hong Kong’s media.
National security police raided its offices last week as part of a crackdown that also included the freezing of its assets and accounts, crippling the company and guaranteeing its demise. » | Helen Davidson | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Hong Kong’s largest pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily will shut down online at midnight on Wednesday and print its final edition on Thursday, in a move observers fear signals the death-knell for press freedom in the territory.
The paper and its activist founder, Jimmy Lai, had become symbols of the pro-democracy movement and a thorn in the side of Hong Kong’s government and police, making it a prime target in the government’s efforts to stifle Hong Kong’s media.
National security police raided its offices last week as part of a crackdown that also included the freezing of its assets and accounts, crippling the company and guaranteeing its demise. » | Helen Davidson | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Australia Plans to Shelve AstraZeneca Covid Vaccine by October
THE GUARDIAN: Controversial vaccine to be given only by request later this year when Moderna and Pfizer will dominate
The federal government has announced it will shelve the controversial AstraZeneca vaccine by October, suggesting it will have enough supplies of other vaccines to meet “allocation horizons” for vaccinating the population by the end of the year.
The government released a revised planning document on Wednesday outlining how it intended to direct supplies over the rest of the year.
At the same time, the chief health officer, Prof Paul Kelly, said he was “worried” about the growing Bondi cluster and declared seven local government areas in Sydney would be recognised as national hotspots.
The vaccination document, titled National vaccination allocation horizons, suggests in July and August AstraZeneca will continue to dominate the vaccination program, with up to 2.6m doses being administered each week, predominantly to those over the age of 60, through state and territory clinics and the primary care network.
But as the vaccination of this age group nears completion, it is anticipated AstraZeneca will be used only “subject to request” from October.
The commonwealth last week announced changed health advice for the AztraZeneca shot restricting it to over-60s because it has been linked to an extremely rare blood clotting condition. » | Sarah Martin, Chief political correspondent | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
The federal government has announced it will shelve the controversial AstraZeneca vaccine by October, suggesting it will have enough supplies of other vaccines to meet “allocation horizons” for vaccinating the population by the end of the year.
The government released a revised planning document on Wednesday outlining how it intended to direct supplies over the rest of the year.
At the same time, the chief health officer, Prof Paul Kelly, said he was “worried” about the growing Bondi cluster and declared seven local government areas in Sydney would be recognised as national hotspots.
The vaccination document, titled National vaccination allocation horizons, suggests in July and August AstraZeneca will continue to dominate the vaccination program, with up to 2.6m doses being administered each week, predominantly to those over the age of 60, through state and territory clinics and the primary care network.
But as the vaccination of this age group nears completion, it is anticipated AstraZeneca will be used only “subject to request” from October.
The commonwealth last week announced changed health advice for the AztraZeneca shot restricting it to over-60s because it has been linked to an extremely rare blood clotting condition. » | Sarah Martin, Chief political correspondent | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Hitting Rock Bottom, Gay Man Adopts Dog. “I Have a Great Life with an Amazing, Little, Bitchy Dog.”
Monaco: Princess Stephanie Vows to End AIDS by 2030
End inequalities, end AIDS. An ambitious goal, but one the United Nations aim to meet by 2030, as discussed in the high level meeting held by the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) this week.
Taking place from the 8 to 10 June, Isabelle Picco, the permanent representative of Monaco at the United Nations in New York, chaired the meeting, whilst Princess Stephanie addressed the group. During the two-day long discussions, Princess Stéphanie shared a video message with the participants. In her speech, she claimed that the HIV and Covid-19 epidemics are very real examples of the need for stronger healthcare systems.
She also took a moment to praise the new global strategy devised by UNAIDS, which focuses on prevention and reducing inequalities, particularly amongst key populations. » | Alexis Gertaldi | Wednesday, June 16, 2021
La Princesse Stéphanie veut mettre fin au sida d’ici 2030 »
They Might Have Got More Brexit Sense Out of Frosty the Snowman
You win some, you lose some. We’re still nowhere near finding out if the government has a coherent plan for tackling social care – only late on Monday the prime minister cancelled a meeting with Rishi Sunak and Matt Hancock due to take place on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the issue. So we can probably assume not. But we are a little better informed as to why the negotiations with the EU over the Northern Ireland protocol have started to unravel badly. And that’s because every time he speaks, the UK’s lead Brexit negotiator, David Frost, doesn’t seem to be quite as bright as he would like us all to believe.
Tuesday’s appearance before the foreign affairs select committee was a case in point. Having established his credentials as being rather more important than a minister for Europe, Lord Frost then did his best to prove why he wasn’t really up to the job. He got off to a bad start by saying that the decision not to fully accredit the EU ambassador to the UK had been “over-interpreted” and that petty point scoring had been the last thing on the government’s mind. For some reason, the EU had seen it differently and taken offence. » | John Crace | Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Moving On: Why the EU Is Not Missing Britain That Much
THE GUARDIAN: On the 5th anniversary of Brexit, commentators reflect on the EU’s success at rallying together after Britain’s exit
On the night of 23 June 2016 a storm broke out over Brussels. Rain poured, thunder rolled and lightning flashed over the headquarters of the European Union’s institutions.
Then in the small hours came a political thunderbolt almost no one had forecast: the UK had voted to leave the union. Five years on, the Brexit tempest has subsided – in Brussels, if not in London.
“Not only did the EU survive the storm, but it also moved on,” said Georg Riekeles, of the European Policy Centre thinktank, and formerly an adviser to the EU’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier
Referring to the agenda of Marine Le Pen, Geert Wilders and other leaders of far-right anti-EU parties, Riekeles said that ahead of the Brexit vote “there was very clearly a populist, disintegrationist drive, let’s break it up”.
“Now,” said Bernd Lange, a German social democrat MEP, “even the rightwing populists aren’t discussing leaving the European Union, the Frexit [threat of French exit] is gone. They are saying we need to change the European Union.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
On the night of 23 June 2016 a storm broke out over Brussels. Rain poured, thunder rolled and lightning flashed over the headquarters of the European Union’s institutions.
Then in the small hours came a political thunderbolt almost no one had forecast: the UK had voted to leave the union. Five years on, the Brexit tempest has subsided – in Brussels, if not in London.
“Not only did the EU survive the storm, but it also moved on,” said Georg Riekeles, of the European Policy Centre thinktank, and formerly an adviser to the EU’s Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier
Referring to the agenda of Marine Le Pen, Geert Wilders and other leaders of far-right anti-EU parties, Riekeles said that ahead of the Brexit vote “there was very clearly a populist, disintegrationist drive, let’s break it up”.
“Now,” said Bernd Lange, a German social democrat MEP, “even the rightwing populists aren’t discussing leaving the European Union, the Frexit [threat of French exit] is gone. They are saying we need to change the European Union.” » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Interview: Brexit Has Weakened and Isolated the UK, Says EU Vaccine Chief
THE GUARDIAN: Thierry Breton, who is also single market commissioner, believes downsides of leaving bloc are exposed by pandemic
Brexit has proved an “aberration that has weakened and isolated the UK”, the EU’s single market commissioner, Thierry Breton, has said, with any concrete benefits for Britain “hard to see” and multiple downsides cruelly exposed by the pandemic.
Breton, a former French finance minister in charge of the bloc’s Covid vaccination programme, now outpacing Britain’s, said that five years after the referendum, Brexit’s promised outcomes were “far from reality”.
Brexit was “supposed to ‘take back control’ and protect UK citizens, to offer the country more economic and commercial room for manoeuvre, and to boost Britain’s global standing,” he said. “What we see is pretty much the opposite.”
British calls for more “pragmatism” on the implementation of the withdrawal agreement – particularly the Northern Ireland protocol – were odd, he said: “Pragmatism was for the negotiations. Now the deal has to be applied, in full, just as agreed. I’m sure the British made sure they could implement it before they signed it. » | Jon Henley | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Brexit has proved an “aberration that has weakened and isolated the UK”, the EU’s single market commissioner, Thierry Breton, has said, with any concrete benefits for Britain “hard to see” and multiple downsides cruelly exposed by the pandemic.
Breton, a former French finance minister in charge of the bloc’s Covid vaccination programme, now outpacing Britain’s, said that five years after the referendum, Brexit’s promised outcomes were “far from reality”.
Brexit was “supposed to ‘take back control’ and protect UK citizens, to offer the country more economic and commercial room for manoeuvre, and to boost Britain’s global standing,” he said. “What we see is pretty much the opposite.”
British calls for more “pragmatism” on the implementation of the withdrawal agreement – particularly the Northern Ireland protocol – were odd, he said: “Pragmatism was for the negotiations. Now the deal has to be applied, in full, just as agreed. I’m sure the British made sure they could implement it before they signed it. » | Jon Henley | Wednesday, June 23, 2021
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Ryan Oldroyd (I'm From Glenwood, UT) - True Gay Stories
Who Sounds Gay? | Op-Docs | The New York Times
This short documentary explores the reasons that some men sound stereotypically gay, whether they are or not.
Stereotypes surround all of us. In the LGBTQ community people expect some to fit into certain stereotypes. The one we explore in this video is sounding gay.
Stereotypes surround all of us. In the LGBTQ community people expect some to fit into certain stereotypes. The one we explore in this video is sounding gay.
Death in Venice – Gustav Mahler – Adagietto (from Symphony N°5)
A Gay Mormon Love Story: Elder | Op-Docs | The New York Times
Read the story HERE »
Brexit Frustration – Five Years after the Brexit Referendum | DW Documentary
Trade with Great Britain has been severely disrupted since the Brexit agreement came into force. Fish traders and clothing sellers are struggling to cope with new customs and health regulations. Companies often bear the burden of the extra costs.
Nerys Edwards is a shellfish wholesaler from Wales. Her family has been in the business for generations, but since the start of the year, trading has become more complicated than ever before. Her company buys shellfish such as shrimps and lobster from local fishermen and exports them to the EU, chiefly to Spain. Requirements for new health certificates have delayed deliveries to the extent that some sea creatures, which are transported live, have perished en route. Each truckload is worth 50,000 pounds (about 58,400 euros). The financial losses for her family and the fishermen are considerable. Tensions are running high and Nerys Edwards worries about every shipment.
There are problems in continental Europe, too. German-British truck driver Colin Francis has been struggling with his schedule since Brexit. He transports goods through the Eurotunnel, in both directions, for a German logistics company. Like many other drivers, he has been held up for long periods at the new customs checkpoints in the UK. When Colin Francis sets off in the morning, he hopes to make it home to his family in the evening, instead of having to sleep in his truck. Now, he can’t be sure where he will spend the night. The logistics firm and their customers now often need to plan three times as long for trips that used to take a day.
Brexit has also forced entrepreneurs like Edzard van der Wyck from London to rethink their business strategy. His company produces clothing from New Zealand wool. Since January, it’s become more expensive to export to the EU than to the United States. Like many other British exporters, he now wants to set up a new distribution center and move parts of his business to continental Europe.
Nerys Edwards is a shellfish wholesaler from Wales. Her family has been in the business for generations, but since the start of the year, trading has become more complicated than ever before. Her company buys shellfish such as shrimps and lobster from local fishermen and exports them to the EU, chiefly to Spain. Requirements for new health certificates have delayed deliveries to the extent that some sea creatures, which are transported live, have perished en route. Each truckload is worth 50,000 pounds (about 58,400 euros). The financial losses for her family and the fishermen are considerable. Tensions are running high and Nerys Edwards worries about every shipment.
There are problems in continental Europe, too. German-British truck driver Colin Francis has been struggling with his schedule since Brexit. He transports goods through the Eurotunnel, in both directions, for a German logistics company. Like many other drivers, he has been held up for long periods at the new customs checkpoints in the UK. When Colin Francis sets off in the morning, he hopes to make it home to his family in the evening, instead of having to sleep in his truck. Now, he can’t be sure where he will spend the night. The logistics firm and their customers now often need to plan three times as long for trips that used to take a day.
Brexit has also forced entrepreneurs like Edzard van der Wyck from London to rethink their business strategy. His company produces clothing from New Zealand wool. Since January, it’s become more expensive to export to the EU than to the United States. Like many other British exporters, he now wants to set up a new distribution center and move parts of his business to continental Europe.
Petition Urges Jeff Bezos to Blast into Space – and Stay There
A growing group of earthlings is banding together in an effort to keep Jeff Bezos off the planet, after he leaves it in late July.
By Monday morning, more than 77,000 had signed a petition on Change.org demanding the Amazon founder be kept from returning to Earth after participating in the first human space flight launched by his company Blue Origin.
“Billionaire’s [sic] should not exist … on earth, or in space, but should they decide the latter they should stay there,” read the description accompanying the petition, which was addressed “to the proletariat”.
In May, Bezos was named the second-richest person in the world, with a net worth of $186bn. » | Sarah Betancourt | Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Sign the petition
Sold! Bidder pays $28m for spare seat on space flight with Jeff Bezos »
Global Gay: The Next Frontier in Human Rights - Documentary (2018)
A global revolution is underway to obtain what UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and Barack Obama call ‘the final frontier in human rights’: the universal decriminalization of homosexuality.
Homosexuality is forbidden in almost half of the world. Out of 196 UN member states, there are 7 where it is punishable by death.
In 84 others, it can merit prison and physical punishment. But today, momentum is building and the debate on gay rights is omnipresent - whether it be regarding legalization in the Middle East and Africa or the focus of gay marriage laws in the West.
After years of long diplomatic struggle, several world leaders have declared themselves in favor of the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. But victory won’t come easily. The countries that still punish homosexuality refuse to give in to international pressure. Global acceptance and equality will take time to achieve.
‘Global Gay’ follows this battle for decriminalization through the lives and work of some of its fearless pioneers, providing a vibrant chronicle of the growing global social movement. In the words of Ban Ki Moon, “The time has come”.
Filmed in Russia, Cuba, Cameroon, Nepal and South Africa.
Homosexuality is forbidden in almost half of the world. Out of 196 UN member states, there are 7 where it is punishable by death.
In 84 others, it can merit prison and physical punishment. But today, momentum is building and the debate on gay rights is omnipresent - whether it be regarding legalization in the Middle East and Africa or the focus of gay marriage laws in the West.
After years of long diplomatic struggle, several world leaders have declared themselves in favor of the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. But victory won’t come easily. The countries that still punish homosexuality refuse to give in to international pressure. Global acceptance and equality will take time to achieve.
‘Global Gay’ follows this battle for decriminalization through the lives and work of some of its fearless pioneers, providing a vibrant chronicle of the growing global social movement. In the words of Ban Ki Moon, “The time has come”.
Filmed in Russia, Cuba, Cameroon, Nepal and South Africa.
Dear Sir David Attenborough: Homosexuality in the Animal Kingdom (2013)
Activists Discuss Being LGBTQ+ in the Arab World | NowThis (2018)
‘There was nothing wrong with me. It was the people around me that were wrong.’ — These LGBTQ+ Arabs want others like them to know there is hope.
These LGBT activists want other Arabs who happen to be gay, lesbian, transgender or trans, bisexual, queer, pansexual, intersex, gender non-conforming, non-binary, or questioning their gender or sexuality in general, to know that they are not alone.
These LGBT advocates encourage others to take pride in their sexuality and gender, providing LGBT advice, and reminding all people that LGBT rights matter because they are HUMAN rights.
These LGBT activists want other Arabs who happen to be gay, lesbian, transgender or trans, bisexual, queer, pansexual, intersex, gender non-conforming, non-binary, or questioning their gender or sexuality in general, to know that they are not alone.
These LGBT advocates encourage others to take pride in their sexuality and gender, providing LGBT advice, and reminding all people that LGBT rights matter because they are HUMAN rights.
Hungary’s Classrooms Have Become the New Battleground for the War on ‘LGBT Ideology’
Last week, the Hungarian parliament banned any portrayal of homosexuality or transgenderism to minors, in educational material or on television. Appending this to a law protecting children from child abuse, the country’s president, Viktor Orbán, drew an explicit connection between homosexuality and paedophilia. In so doing, he resorted to a canard that much of the world has long dispensed with, but that is enjoying a troubling new emergence in the global battles against “gender ideology”: the danger posed by homosexuals and trans people to children.
“The logic of the government is to find an enemy and pretend that they are saving the country from this enemy,” said the Hungarian LGBTQ+ leader Tamás Dombos in a presentation to the United States Congress last week. Dombos described the new law as “a conscious and diabolic political strategy” by the government to divert public attention from its messy response to the Covid crisis. The law is also a salvo in a tough upcoming election, and an effective way of staking what I term a “pink line”: a nativist boundary protecting, in this case, Hungarian “values” against the immoral imperialism of George Soros and Brussels. » | Mark Gevisser | Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Stonewall risks all it has fought for in accusing those who disagree with it of hate speech »
Monday, June 21, 2021
CNN's Christiane Amanpour Shares Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis
James Michael Tyler: Friends' Gunther Reveals Cancer Diagnosis
In an interview with NBC's Today show, the 59-year-old revealed he was diagnosed in September 2018 after a routine physical examination.
The cancer has since spread to the actor's bones and he can no longer walk. He is undergoing chemotherapy.
"Eventually, you know, it's gonna probably get me," he told host Craig Melvin.
Speaking about his diagnosis, he said: "I was 56 years old at the time, and they screen for PSA, which is prostate-specific antigen. » | BBC | Monday, June 21, 2021
‘I Am Very Shy. It’s Amazing I Became a Movie Star’: Leslie Caron at 90 on Love, Art and Addiction
Leslie Caron and her companion, Jack, greet me at the front of their apartment. They make a well-matched couple – slight, chic, immaculately coiffured. Caron, the legendary dancer and actor, is 90 in two weeks’ time. Jack, her beloved shih tzu, is about nine.
Caron heads off to make the tea, with Sidney Bechet’s summery jazz playing in the background. I am left alone with Jack to explore the living room. It feels as if I am tunnelling through the history of 20th-century culture. Here is a photo of a pensive François Truffaut; below is a smirking Warren Beatty. The centrepiece on the wall is a huge watercolour of Caron’s great friend Christopher Isherwood, painted by his partner, Don Bachardy. To the left is Louis Armstrong, to the right Rudolf Nureyev, with whom she starred in 1977’s Valentino, and further along is Jean Renoir, who she says was like a father to her. And we have barely started.
Caron leads me into her magnificent garden, long and thin as a cricket wicket. “What do you think?” she says, with undisguised pride at her handiwork. She points out the petunias, geraniums, forget-me-nots and a solitary rose trailing on the wall. The pots, some of them almost as big as she is, line up like a military tattoo. “The rose came out in the night. Fabulous.” She licks her lips. » | Simon Hattenstone | Monday, June 21, 2021
Nutzen von Intervallfasten nicht erwiesen
Manchmal ist der Wille zur Wirkung größer als die wissenschaftliche Beweiskraft. Das gilt für einige Methoden der konventionellen Medizin, für etliche alternative Verfahren, aber auch für den großen Grenzbereich zwischen Erfahrungswissen, Volksglauben und dem alltäglichen Irrsinn, den Menschen gelegentlich mit sich anstellen. Populäres Beispiel ist das Intervallfasten. Es erfreut sich großer Beliebtheit, und zu Recht vergessene Schauspielerinnen, selbsternannte Ernährungsexperten und andere hauptberufliche Ego-Darsteller schwärmen davon. Schließlich haben sie es ja selbst ausprobiert - außerdem gibt es "Studien". » | Kommentar von Werner Bartens | Freitag, 18. Juni 2021
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