LE POINT : Le ministre britannique du Logement a évoqué, selon CNN, la fin de l’obligation du port du masque au moment de la levée des restrictions le 19 juillet.
Malgré la hausse des contaminations, le nouveau ministre britannique de la Santé, Sajid Javid, a maintenu l’objectif du gouvernement de lever, le 19 juillet prochain, les dernières restrictions encore en vigueur en Angleterre. Cette nouvelle étape pourrait même s’accompagner d’une levée de l’obligation du port du masque. Ce dimanche 4 juillet, le ministre du Logement affirme que le gouvernement réfléchit à faire en sorte que le port du masque ne relève plus, à cette date, que d’un « choix personnel ».
Dans des propos rapportés par CNN, Robert Jenrick explique : « Je ne veux pas particulièrement porter un masque et je ne crois pas que beaucoup de gens aiment le faire. Nous allons passer à une phase où il sera question d’un choix personnel. Ainsi, certains membres de la société voudront le faire pour des raisons parfaitement légitimes, mais ce sera une période différente où nous, en tant que citoyens privés, portons ces jugements plutôt que le gouvernement qui nous dira quoi faire. » » | Par LePoint.fr | dimanche 4 juillet 2021
Monday, July 05, 2021
Le pape François « a bien réagi » à son opération
LE POINT : Le pape François, qui souffrait d’une inflammation du côlon, avait été admis à la polyclinique A. Gemelli de Rome pour cette intervention programmée.
Le pape François a été pris en charge pour une inflammation du côlon ce dimanche. Âgé de 84 ans, il a subi une opération chirurgicale, a annoncé le Vatican. Le pape a été admis à la polyclinique A. Gemelli de la capitale italienne. Celle-ci a été « programmée pour une sténose diverticulaire symptomatique du côlon », a annoncé un communiqué de presse.
« Le Saint-Père a bien réagi à l’intervention conduite sous anesthésie générale », selon un communiqué du Vatican publié peu avant minuit. Il s’agissait d’une inflammation potentiellement douloureuse des diverticules, hernies ou poches qui se forment sur les parois de l’appareil digestif et dont la fréquence augmente avec l’âge. Une des complications possibles de cette affection est la sténose, c’est-à-dire un rétrécissement de l’intestin. » | Source AFP | dimanche 4 juillet 2021
Le pape François a été pris en charge pour une inflammation du côlon ce dimanche. Âgé de 84 ans, il a subi une opération chirurgicale, a annoncé le Vatican. Le pape a été admis à la polyclinique A. Gemelli de la capitale italienne. Celle-ci a été « programmée pour une sténose diverticulaire symptomatique du côlon », a annoncé un communiqué de presse.
« Le Saint-Père a bien réagi à l’intervention conduite sous anesthésie générale », selon un communiqué du Vatican publié peu avant minuit. Il s’agissait d’une inflammation potentiellement douloureuse des diverticules, hernies ou poches qui se forment sur les parois de l’appareil digestif et dont la fréquence augmente avec l’âge. Une des complications possibles de cette affection est la sténose, c’est-à-dire un rétrécissement de l’intestin. » | Source AFP | dimanche 4 juillet 2021
La Russie s’approprie l’appellation « champagne »
LE MONDE : Les producteurs français devront changer leurs étiquettes pour pouvoir poursuivre leurs exportations.
Vladimir Poutine a donné son feu vert, vendredi 2 juillet, à un amendement de la loi sur la « réglementation des boissons alcoolisées » qui fait réagir en Russie… et en France. Selon ce texte, seuls les producteurs russes auront désormais le droit d’afficher l’appellation « champagne » sur leurs bouteilles. Les vins importés devront, eux, signifier une appellation « vin à bulles ». Cet amendement indique clairement que la législation russe ne tiendra pas compte de la protection de l’appellation française « champagne AOC ». » | Par Paul Gogo (Moscou, correspondance) | lundi 5 juillet 2021
Shampanskoye: French champagne industry in a fizz over Russian law »
Vladimir Poutine a donné son feu vert, vendredi 2 juillet, à un amendement de la loi sur la « réglementation des boissons alcoolisées » qui fait réagir en Russie… et en France. Selon ce texte, seuls les producteurs russes auront désormais le droit d’afficher l’appellation « champagne » sur leurs bouteilles. Les vins importés devront, eux, signifier une appellation « vin à bulles ». Cet amendement indique clairement que la législation russe ne tiendra pas compte de la protection de l’appellation française « champagne AOC ». » | Par Paul Gogo (Moscou, correspondance) | lundi 5 juillet 2021
Shampanskoye: French champagne industry in a fizz over Russian law »
Twitter féminise son vocabulaire dans sa version arabe
LE FIGARO : Twitter a annoncé une nouvelle option sur sa version arabe pour les personnes souhaitant un vocabulaire féminisé au lieu des seuls mots masculins standardisés, une initiative destinée à promouvoir une «langue inclusive» sur le réseau social très utilisé au Maghreb et au Moyen-Orient. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 16 juin 2021
Sunday, July 04, 2021
Michael Lambert : Brexit Insanity Just Gets Worse
Mahler Symphony No 5 Adagietto – Herbert von Karajan
Pope Francis Undergoing Colon Surgery
ROME — The Vatican announced on Sunday that Pope Francis had been admitted to a hospital in Rome for colon surgery, the first significant health challenge in a pontificate that has lasted more than eight years and shifted the priorities and direction of the Roman Catholic Church.
Matteo Bruni, a Vatican spokesman, said in a statement that Francis, 84, had been taken to the Gemelli hospital in the Italian capital. Mr. Bruni said that the “scheduled surgery” would take place later on Sunday, and that a medical bulletin would be issued afterward.
He said the pope had symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon. » | Elisabetta Povoledo and Jason Horowitz | Sunday, July 4, 2021
Luxembourg Prime Minister Admitted to Hospital with Covid
Luxembourg’s prime minister, Xavier Bettel, has been admitted to hospital after testing positive for Covid-19 last week, local media have reported, citing a statement from his office.
Multiple outlets said Bettel, 48, attended hospital as a precautionary measure on Sunday morning. Unless doctors advised otherwise, he was due to spend 24 hours under observation while “additional tests and analyses” were carried out. There was no immediate report on his condition.
Bettel tested positive for coronavirus and began self-isolating for 10 days on 27 June, two days after attending a European Council meeting in Brussels with fellow EU national leaders. He received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on 6 May. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Sunday, June 4, 2021
Inside Giorgio Armani's Fashion Legacy | The Business of Fashion
Global Journalist: Gay Rights in the Arab World
Sep 22, 2016 • One of the hardest regions of the globe to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is the Arab world.
In Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the punishment for the crime of sodomy is death by stoning, and many other countries impose prison sentences.
Also challenging is the fact that the stigma associated with being LGBT is so great, many people feel they can’t come out even to their family or closest friends.
On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the uncertain lives of LGBT people in Arab nations.
Joining the program:
*Saleem Haddad, the Jordanian-born author of the new novel "Guapa," about the outing of a young gay man in an unnamed Arab country.
*Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch.
*Esra'a Al-Shafei, a Bahraini activist and director of Mideast Youth, network of online platforms that amplify marginalized voices in the region.
*Antoun Issa, a senior editor at the Middle East Institute who has written extensively on LGBT issues in the region.
Interview: Saleem Haddad: 'I put everything into this novel and it was a relief' »
In Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the punishment for the crime of sodomy is death by stoning, and many other countries impose prison sentences.
Also challenging is the fact that the stigma associated with being LGBT is so great, many people feel they can’t come out even to their family or closest friends.
On this edition of Global Journalist, a look at the uncertain lives of LGBT people in Arab nations.
Joining the program:
*Saleem Haddad, the Jordanian-born author of the new novel "Guapa," about the outing of a young gay man in an unnamed Arab country.
*Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT rights program at Human Rights Watch.
*Esra'a Al-Shafei, a Bahraini activist and director of Mideast Youth, network of online platforms that amplify marginalized voices in the region.
*Antoun Issa, a senior editor at the Middle East Institute who has written extensively on LGBT issues in the region.
Interview: Saleem Haddad: 'I put everything into this novel and it was a relief' »
God and the Gay Christian | Matthew Vines | Talks at Google
Jul 10, 2015 • Matthew Vines visits Google's Mountain View office to discuss The Reformation Project and his book 'God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships'. You can find Matthew's book on Google Play here: https://goo.gl/p1xK6j
Matthew Vines is the founder and president of The Reformation Project, and the author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. The Reformation Project runs conferences across the country for Christians who want to advance the inclusion of the LGBT community in their churches. TIME has written that Vines “represents new momentum to change the evangelical tide,” and he has been featured on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and in The New York Times.
Matthew Vines is the founder and president of The Reformation Project, and the author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. The Reformation Project runs conferences across the country for Christians who want to advance the inclusion of the LGBT community in their churches. TIME has written that Vines “represents new momentum to change the evangelical tide,” and he has been featured on CNN, NPR, MSNBC, and in The New York Times.
En Chine, la communauté homosexuelle tente de s'affirmer en dansant
Cuir, perruques et talons hauts. En Chine, les minorités sexuelles se défoulent désormais au rythme du «voguing», une danse inspirée des défilés de mode qui auraient été revus et corrigés par des drag-queens. Pression familiale, sociale et politique, les personnes lesbiennes, gays, bisexuels, transgenres et queers (LGBTQ) peinent à sortir du placard dans un pays qui n'a retiré l'homosexualité du classement des maladies mentales qu'en 2001. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mercredi 31 mars 2021
US Embassy in Warsaw Publishes Video Condemning LGBT Hate
The clip, titled #WordsMatter, shows members of the Polish LGBT community reading hateful comments left on posts about equality.
The video comes at the end of pride month against a backdrop of rising discrimination in the country.
Poland's right-wing president Andrzej Duda ran for election last year on a platform condemning LGBT "ideology".
A swathe of towns and regions across the country have passed resolutions declaring themselves "LGBT-free zones" in recent years.
While the resolutions are largely symbolic - they reflect deepening hostility faced by LGBT people nationally and have sparked international condemnation. » | Thursday, July 1, 2021
Matthew Vines: "For the Bible Tells Me So: Hermeneutics and the Debate About LGBTQ Inclusion"
Mar 6, 2020 • One of the most important issues for Christians to understand in our interpretation of the Bible is the role of hermeneutics—not just what the text says, but how we most faithfully understand and apply the text today. In this talk from our Reconcile and Reform conference in Seattle, TRP's Executive Director Matthew Vines explains how the tools non-affirming Christians already use to interpret the Bible can and should be applied to the conversation around LGBTQ inclusion in a way that leads to an affirming conclusion.
This talk was given on November 8, 2019, at Plymouth Church United Church of Christ in Seattle, Washington.
This talk was given on November 8, 2019, at Plymouth Church United Church of Christ in Seattle, Washington.
Jackie Wilson: (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
Brazilians Take to Streets to Demand Removal of Jair Bolsonaro
Huge crowds of protesters have returned to the streets of Brazil’s biggest cities to demand the removal of a president they blame for more than half a million coronavirus deaths.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators hit the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Saturday morning as calls for Jair Bolsonaro’s impeachment intensified after allegations that members of his government had sought to illegally profit from the purchase of Covid vaccines.
“The people have awoken,” said Benedita da Silva, a 79-year-old congresswoman and veteran of the Brazilian left, as she joined the rally.
“I’m here because we absolutely have to get this monster out of power and reclaim Brazil,” said Magda Souza, a 64-year-old dissenter, as she marched through downtown Rio with her husband, José Baptisa. “We’re surrounded by barbarism,” Souza added as a police helicopter circled over the throng. » | Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro | Saturday, July 3, 2021
Saturday, July 03, 2021
European Human Rights Chief: Governments Must Take ‘A Long, Hard Look in the Mirror’ | Conflict Zone
Jun 10, 2021 • The Council of Europe’s latest report gives a stark warning on the state of democracy on the continent, saying the democratic environment and institutions “are in mutually reinforcing decline.”
But what can it do to reverse the backsliding? And how can it uphold human rights in countries who enjoy membership of the club but don’t follow its rules?
On DW’s Conflict Zone, host Tim Sebastian speaks to Dunja Mijatovic, the commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, on the line from Strasbourg.
Conflict Zone is Deutsche Welle's top political interview. Every week, our hosts Tim Sebastian and Sarah Kelly are face to face with global decision-makers, seeking straight answers to straight questions, putting the spotlight on controversial issues and calling the powerful to account.
But what can it do to reverse the backsliding? And how can it uphold human rights in countries who enjoy membership of the club but don’t follow its rules?
On DW’s Conflict Zone, host Tim Sebastian speaks to Dunja Mijatovic, the commissioner for human rights at the Council of Europe, on the line from Strasbourg.
Conflict Zone is Deutsche Welle's top political interview. Every week, our hosts Tim Sebastian and Sarah Kelly are face to face with global decision-makers, seeking straight answers to straight questions, putting the spotlight on controversial issues and calling the powerful to account.
Timeless Thoughts - The Video - Documentary
Gay Marriage Is Legal in These Countries
Rainbow Bridge: LGBTIQ Migrants in Malta. A Documentary by MGRM
Gay and Queer in Europe: How to Tackle Exclusion? | To the Point
Former EU Chief Donald Tusk Stages Comeback in Poland | DW News
Jul 3, 2021 • The former resident of the European Council, Donald Tusk, is staging a political comeback in his homeland Poland.
Tusk is taking over as leader of the main opposition party, the liberal Civic Platform. He wants to challenge Jaroslaw Kaczynski of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, in elections in two years' time. The government has clashed with Brussels over law reforms, and LGBTQ and women's rights.
Tusk is taking over as leader of the main opposition party, the liberal Civic Platform. He wants to challenge Jaroslaw Kaczynski of the ruling right-wing Law and Justice party, in elections in two years' time. The government has clashed with Brussels over law reforms, and LGBTQ and women's rights.
Austritt aus Istanbul-Konvention: Tausende protestieren in der Türkei zum Schutz von Frauen
TAGES ANZEIGER: Die Kritik an dem Schritt war gross. Dennoch steigt die Türkei aus der Istanbul-Konvention zum Schutz von Frauen aus. Erdogan verteidigt seine Entscheidung, Frauen protestieren.
Tausende Menschen in der Türkei haben gegen den Austritt des Landes aus der Istanbul-Konvention zum Schutz von Frauen protestiert. Demonstrantinnen im Zentrum der Millionenmetropole Istanbul hielten am Donnerstag Plakate hoch mit der Aufschrift: «Wir geben die Istanbul-Konvention nicht auf. Für uns ist es noch nicht vorbei.» Sie skandierten: «Wir schweigen nicht, wir fürchten uns nicht, wir gehorchen nicht.» Auch in der Küstenmetropole Izmir, der Hauptstadt Ankara und anderen türkischen Städten gab es Proteste. Die Demonstrationen fanden unter massivem Polizeiaufgebot statt. Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan verteidigte unterdessen den umstrittenen Schritt. » | SDA/aru | Donnerstag, 1. Juli 2021
Tausende Menschen in der Türkei haben gegen den Austritt des Landes aus der Istanbul-Konvention zum Schutz von Frauen protestiert. Demonstrantinnen im Zentrum der Millionenmetropole Istanbul hielten am Donnerstag Plakate hoch mit der Aufschrift: «Wir geben die Istanbul-Konvention nicht auf. Für uns ist es noch nicht vorbei.» Sie skandierten: «Wir schweigen nicht, wir fürchten uns nicht, wir gehorchen nicht.» Auch in der Küstenmetropole Izmir, der Hauptstadt Ankara und anderen türkischen Städten gab es Proteste. Die Demonstrationen fanden unter massivem Polizeiaufgebot statt. Präsident Recep Tayyip Erdogan verteidigte unterdessen den umstrittenen Schritt. » | SDA/aru | Donnerstag, 1. Juli 2021
William and Harry Unveil Princess Diana Statue
In Greece, It’s Almost Normal
The plaster-cast heads of Dionysus were back. The unblinking blue Mati evil eyes and Parthenon refrigerator magnets hung once more outside the souvenir shops of Plaka and Monastiraki, where shopkeepers tended to rows upon rows of leather sandals, silver meander rings, dried spices and Cretan mountain tea. The tourists were back, too, if not quite so many as one might expect in the historic heart of Athens on a similarly brilliant, blue June day of years past.
They strolled Pandrossou Street in their masks, filling the restaurant terraces that line the sinuous alleyways of the Psiri neighborhood as the sun set to share plates of mashed fava beans, grilled octopus and Greek salad. The streets hummed with the din of voices and clinking glasses, but no music. Music would not be allowed for one more week. The masks were mostly off now, revealing contented, sun-dazzled faces — and maybe the slightest flicker of lingering unease. » | Charly Wilder | Thursday, July 1, 2021
Pologne : l’ancien président du Conseil européen Donald Tusk prend la tête du principal parti d’opposition
Donald Tusk est de retour sur le devant de la scène politique polonaise. L’ex-président du Conseil européen est devenu, samedi 3 juillet, le chef du parti d’opposition Plate-forme civique (PO) en Pologne. Après la démission du président du parti, Borys Budka, « les tâches de président de la PO sont assumées par Donald Tusk », a déclaré le porte-parole Jan Grabiec, à l’issue d’une réunion du conseil national du parti. M. Tusk élu vice-président du parti, ce qui signifie qu’il assume les fonctions de président jusqu’à une élection formelle à ce poste prévue plus tard cette année.
Agé de 64 ans, Donald Tusk reprend les rênes du parti de centre droit qu’il avait cofondé en 2001, après avoir été premier ministre de son pays entre 2007 et 2014 et président du Conseil européen entre 2014 et 2019. Durant cette dernière période, il a dû participer à la gestion de la crise des migrants, de la situation économique de la Grèce et des difficiles négociations du Brexit. » | Le Monde avec AFP | samedi 3 juillet 2021
Is Africa's Problem with Islamist Terrorism Getting Worse? | DW News
Jul 3, 2021 • African nations have a growing problem - countries across the continent are facing attacks by Islamist-inspired insurgents. The so-called Islamic State may have lost influence in Syria and Iraq - but now it's claiming vast territory across Africa, expanding and strengthening its influence together with affiliated armed groups.
Video footage purports to show Boko Haram fighters pledging allegiance to the Islamic State in West Africa Province. If genuine it would herald a disturbing development for Nigerian security forces. For years the two militias have been fighting each other. That came to a head last month when notorious Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau reportedly killed himself in a battle with IS fighters. It has fueled fears that the so-called Islamic State is consolidating control of the insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.
That's at the heart of a string of conflicts involving various extremist groups from Mauritania to Chad. Now there are warnings IS activity is growing in the horn of Africa and northern Mozambique. They came as the global coalition against IS met in Rome to discuss the resurfacing of the terror group, sometimes called Daesh.
The Italian foreign minister wants to sharpen the focus on the continent. At the end of the first in-person meeting in two years, the global coalition added three new African countries to their ranks. And these propaganda images of former foes burying the hatchet in Nigeria only serve to underline the urgency of the situation.
Video footage purports to show Boko Haram fighters pledging allegiance to the Islamic State in West Africa Province. If genuine it would herald a disturbing development for Nigerian security forces. For years the two militias have been fighting each other. That came to a head last month when notorious Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau reportedly killed himself in a battle with IS fighters. It has fueled fears that the so-called Islamic State is consolidating control of the insurgency in northeastern Nigeria.
That's at the heart of a string of conflicts involving various extremist groups from Mauritania to Chad. Now there are warnings IS activity is growing in the horn of Africa and northern Mozambique. They came as the global coalition against IS met in Rome to discuss the resurfacing of the terror group, sometimes called Daesh.
The Italian foreign minister wants to sharpen the focus on the continent. At the end of the first in-person meeting in two years, the global coalition added three new African countries to their ranks. And these propaganda images of former foes burying the hatchet in Nigeria only serve to underline the urgency of the situation.
Alone Out Here: A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker
The Furlough Scheme Should Never Have Been Allowed to Fund Million-pound Bonuses
It is windfall time for those lucky few who sit in the shade of the magic money tree. Take Peter Cowgill, for example, executive chairman of JD Sports. He has been paid almost £6m in bonuses since February last year. What makes this huge amount even more shocking is that his company has received more than £100m in government support since the start of the pandemic.
Unlike Primark, which has committed to paying back £121m received under the furlough scheme and business rates relief, and the big UK supermarkets, which will pay back about £1.8bn in business rates, JD Sports has not yet decided whether it will return any furlough scheme money to the government. It wants to wait and see until Covid restrictions are fully lifted.
Let’s not forget that the massive public subsidies to Britain’s businesses were drawn up in the spring of last year, when many businesses faced existential crises and did not know if they would survive the pandemic. As it turned out, though, some of them thrived as our spending habits changed. And JD Sports was one of the winners. Its profits are set to rise by at least 70% to an estimated £550m this year. » | Stefan Stern | Friday, July 2, 2021
Can Gay Muslims Reconcile Their Faith with Their Sexuality?
Rabbi Mark Solomon Interview for Rainbow Jews
Hear How Trump Is Reacting to His CFO’s Indictment
Friday, July 02, 2021
George Conway: I'd Be Worried If I Was Trump's Children
Angela Merkel's Final UK Visit as German Chancellor | DW News
Jul 2, 2021 • German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she will be taking a "step by step" approach to relations with the UK post-Brexit. She discussed the coronavirus pandemic and Northern Ireland with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In a press conference after talks, Merkel thanked her British hosts for the "gracious hospitality" extended on her first bilateral visit abroad since the pandemic.
"Now that Britain has left the European Union it's a good opportunity to open a new chapter in our relationship, to find very practical formats where we can have very close contact," she said.
"We would be very happy on the German side to work together on a friendship treaty or a cooperation treaty, which would reflect the whole breadth of relations," she added.
However, Angela Merkel has said she will be taking a "step by step" approach to the new relationship with the United Kingdom after Brexit.
The German leader was also non-committal when asked if UK prime ministers could be invited to European Union summits as an attempt to repair ties in the post-Brexit era. "We will see," said Merkel.
Finally, Merkel met Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle in the west of London.
"I'm delighted to be here," said Merkel when she was introduced to the British monarch, reviving memories of their moments at the G7 conference in Cornwall which she called the highlight of that trip.
The Queen said that it was "very nice" to see the outgoing leader once again.
The monarch even invited photographers to "take a picture and make history" as the European political giant bowed out of her UK visit in style.
In a press conference after talks, Merkel thanked her British hosts for the "gracious hospitality" extended on her first bilateral visit abroad since the pandemic.
"Now that Britain has left the European Union it's a good opportunity to open a new chapter in our relationship, to find very practical formats where we can have very close contact," she said.
"We would be very happy on the German side to work together on a friendship treaty or a cooperation treaty, which would reflect the whole breadth of relations," she added.
However, Angela Merkel has said she will be taking a "step by step" approach to the new relationship with the United Kingdom after Brexit.
The German leader was also non-committal when asked if UK prime ministers could be invited to European Union summits as an attempt to repair ties in the post-Brexit era. "We will see," said Merkel.
Finally, Merkel met Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle in the west of London.
"I'm delighted to be here," said Merkel when she was introduced to the British monarch, reviving memories of their moments at the G7 conference in Cornwall which she called the highlight of that trip.
The Queen said that it was "very nice" to see the outgoing leader once again.
The monarch even invited photographers to "take a picture and make history" as the European political giant bowed out of her UK visit in style.
Brazilian Presidential Hopeful Comes Out as Gay ahead of Jair Bolsonaro Challenge
Eduardo Leite, the governor of the southern Rio Grande do Sul state, made the announcement in an interview with the country’s top broadcaster TV Globo on Thursday night (1 July).
“In this Brazil of little integrity, at this time, we have to debate who we are, so that everything is clear and there is nothing to hide,” the 36-year-old said.
“I’m gay – and I’m a governor who is gay rather than a gay governor,” he declared, according the The Guardian, adding: “And I am proud of it.”
Leite chose Pride Week in Brazil to come out, addressing the gossip that’s been swirling around him since he became a potential presidential candidate for the centre-right Brazilian Social Democratic party (PSDB). » | Emma Powys Maurice | Friday, July 2, 2021
Entrevista: Eduardo Leite assume homossexualidade e fala sobre queixa-crime por ataque homofóbico de Jair Bolsonaro »
World UFO Day: Do They or Don't They Exist? | DW News
Methodist Church Allows Same-sex Marriage in 'Momentous' Vote
BBC: The Methodist Church has become the largest religious denomination in Britain to permit same-sex marriages.
A vote to change the definition of marriage at the Methodist Conference on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed by 254 in favour with 46 against.
Freedom of conscience clauses mean ministers will not be forced to conduct such weddings if they oppose the move.
Same-sex marriage is not allowed in the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church.
However it is welcomed in the Scottish Episcopal Church, the United Reformed Church and the Quakers in Britain.
The Methodist Church is Britain's fourth largest Christian denomination with about 164,000 members across more than 4,000 churches. » | Harry Farley, BBC News | Thursday, July 1, 2021
A vote to change the definition of marriage at the Methodist Conference on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed by 254 in favour with 46 against.
Freedom of conscience clauses mean ministers will not be forced to conduct such weddings if they oppose the move.
Same-sex marriage is not allowed in the Church of England or the Roman Catholic Church.
However it is welcomed in the Scottish Episcopal Church, the United Reformed Church and the Quakers in Britain.
The Methodist Church is Britain's fourth largest Christian denomination with about 164,000 members across more than 4,000 churches. » | Harry Farley, BBC News | Thursday, July 1, 2021
Ist Freundschaft der Schlüssel zum Glück? | Gespräch | Sternstunde Philosophie | SRF Kultur
In der EU eskaliert der Streit mit Ungarn
ZEIT ONLINE: Welches Europa will Viktor Orbán?
Man kann Viktor Orbán nicht vorwerfen, dass er seine Ansichten verbergen würde. Drei Tage nachdem die 27 Staats- und Regierungschefs der Europäischen Union ungewöhnlich offen über die Situation von Homosexuellen diskutiert hatten, veröffentlichte der ungarische Ministerpräsident eine Erklärung. In Brüssel seien "die Ministerpräsidenten der Regenbogenfahne in Phalanx aufmarschiert", spottete Orbán und beantwortete die Frage, ob die Länder der EU noch dieselben Werte teilten, recht unsentimental: "Es gibt die Einheit der Werte nicht, und deshalb gibt es auch keine politische Einheit." » | Matthias Krupa | Mittwoch, 30. Juni 2021
Man kann Viktor Orbán nicht vorwerfen, dass er seine Ansichten verbergen würde. Drei Tage nachdem die 27 Staats- und Regierungschefs der Europäischen Union ungewöhnlich offen über die Situation von Homosexuellen diskutiert hatten, veröffentlichte der ungarische Ministerpräsident eine Erklärung. In Brüssel seien "die Ministerpräsidenten der Regenbogenfahne in Phalanx aufmarschiert", spottete Orbán und beantwortete die Frage, ob die Länder der EU noch dieselben Werte teilten, recht unsentimental: "Es gibt die Einheit der Werte nicht, und deshalb gibt es auch keine politische Einheit." » | Matthias Krupa | Mittwoch, 30. Juni 2021
American LGBTQ+ Museum Moves Towards Reality
The New-York Historical Society, a museum and library dedicated to telling the stories of America's largest city, announced a major expansion, which will include an entire floor dedicated to the forthcoming American LGBTQ+ Museum.
The addition to the Historical Society's building on Manhattan's Upper West Side will add 70,000 square feet of additional classrooms, galleries, collection study areas, and a “state-of-the-art compact storage facility.” Once complete, the Historical Society's fourth floor will become the American LGBTQ+ Museum, which has been in the works for at least four years. » | Neal Broverman | Thursday, July 1, 2021
What Changes in France from 30th June?
MONACO LIFE: Wednesday saw the official end of lockdown in France with the lifting of many restrictions including capacity limits in restaurants and a return to normal wedding celebrations.
Some of the last of the lockdown measures are being rescinded in France, just as summer hits its stride.
Bars, cafés and restaurants will now be able to welcome customers at 100% capacity, weddings will no longer need to restrict the number of guests they allow, and concert goers both indoors and out can stand, dance and singalong to their favourite bands so long as the total number of people remains under 1,000. » | Stephanie Horsman | Wedmesday, June 30, 2021
Some of the last of the lockdown measures are being rescinded in France, just as summer hits its stride.
Bars, cafés and restaurants will now be able to welcome customers at 100% capacity, weddings will no longer need to restrict the number of guests they allow, and concert goers both indoors and out can stand, dance and singalong to their favourite bands so long as the total number of people remains under 1,000. » | Stephanie Horsman | Wedmesday, June 30, 2021
Les démocraties occidentales face au défi chinois
LE MONDE : Le succès du Parti communiste chinois, aujourd’hui centenaire, est indéniable, bien qu’incomplet. Il oblige les pays démocratiques à mieux prouver l’exemplarité de leur modèle, si ils veulent retrouver leur aura auprès de la jeunesse chinoise.
Editorial du « Monde ». Pékin célèbre en grande pompe le centième anniversaire de la création du Parti communiste chinois (PCC), fondé en juillet 1921 à Shanghaï par une poignée d’intellectuels, sous l’étroite surveillance de Moscou. Depuis, l’élève a dépassé le maître. Le Parti communiste de l’Union soviétique n’a jamais pu commémorer le soixante-quinzième anniversaire de la révolution de 1917. Le PCC, lui, au pouvoir depuis soixante et onze ans, n’a jamais paru aussi fort. » | Éditorial | mardi 29 juin 2021
Editorial du « Monde ». Pékin célèbre en grande pompe le centième anniversaire de la création du Parti communiste chinois (PCC), fondé en juillet 1921 à Shanghaï par une poignée d’intellectuels, sous l’étroite surveillance de Moscou. Depuis, l’élève a dépassé le maître. Le Parti communiste de l’Union soviétique n’a jamais pu commémorer le soixante-quinzième anniversaire de la révolution de 1917. Le PCC, lui, au pouvoir depuis soixante et onze ans, n’a jamais paru aussi fort. » | Éditorial | mardi 29 juin 2021
Queen Victoria Statue Toppled in Canada amid Anger at Deaths of Indigenous Children
A statue of Queen Victoria has been toppled in Canada amid growing outrage over the discovery of unmarked graves belonging to Indigenous children.
A group gathered at the Manitoba legislature pulled down the statue on Canada Day – an annual celebration on 1 July that marks the country’s confederation.
Members of the group, wearing orange shirts to honour Indigenous children sent to the country’s notorious residential schools, covered the statue and its plinth in red handprints and left a sign that read “We were children once. Bring them home.”
A smaller statue of Queen Elizabeth II was also toppled on the east side of the grounds. Both royals are seen as representative of the country’s colonial history. » | Leyland Cecco in Toronto | Friday, July 2, 2021
The Guardian view on Canada’s residential schools: an atrocity still felt today »
Thursday, July 01, 2021
Not A Still Life | Gay Jewish Documentary Portrait
Aug 13, 2018 • In this documentary portrait, a charismatic older, gay, Jewish man undergoes an evolution of awareness amid the joys and sorrows of his wild and fully lived life. In revealing his “naked truth,” he offers viewers an opportunity for reflection about the complexity of human identity.
In the words of the film’s spirited subject, “This is the story of a gay, Jewish, animal rights, vegetarian, recovering alcoholic ... individual.” Steve Stone is an ebullient, extroverted character and an engaging storyteller with a life full of captivating tales. He is also not unlike many gay men of a certain age who were almost brought to extinction with the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s. In that sense, this film, a portrait of a man, is also a chronicle of a time that was.
This one man’s story, his struggles with sexual orientation and various addictions, love and loss, taps into themes that encompass all our lives. His quirky and entertaining reflections come from a unique perspective. We cannot help but see ourselves in, and be inspired by, his distinctive outlook because for all the ways that we may not share his “outside the box” personality, his evolution, his journey through life and his deep desires are ours. They exemplify the conflicts and complexities in every human heart.
Not a Still Life punctuates the stories of Steve’s personal journey through the decades with a judicious use of title graphics to reflect key aspects of gay social history in America. His is the tale of a man who, in the homophobic period of the 50s, was ridiculed and dismissed as a child which led his irreverence, hyperactivity and rebelliousness. Determined to be himself rather than conform to social mores that made him uncomfortable, he came out to everyone in the early 60’s at the age of 17. Eight years before the Stonewall Rebellion, this was a brave move. Steve Stone has been openly gay for fifty years!
Viewer discretion is advised. Warning: Not suitable for children! – Mark
In the words of the film’s spirited subject, “This is the story of a gay, Jewish, animal rights, vegetarian, recovering alcoholic ... individual.” Steve Stone is an ebullient, extroverted character and an engaging storyteller with a life full of captivating tales. He is also not unlike many gay men of a certain age who were almost brought to extinction with the AIDS epidemic of the 80’s. In that sense, this film, a portrait of a man, is also a chronicle of a time that was.
This one man’s story, his struggles with sexual orientation and various addictions, love and loss, taps into themes that encompass all our lives. His quirky and entertaining reflections come from a unique perspective. We cannot help but see ourselves in, and be inspired by, his distinctive outlook because for all the ways that we may not share his “outside the box” personality, his evolution, his journey through life and his deep desires are ours. They exemplify the conflicts and complexities in every human heart.
Not a Still Life punctuates the stories of Steve’s personal journey through the decades with a judicious use of title graphics to reflect key aspects of gay social history in America. His is the tale of a man who, in the homophobic period of the 50s, was ridiculed and dismissed as a child which led his irreverence, hyperactivity and rebelliousness. Determined to be himself rather than conform to social mores that made him uncomfortable, he came out to everyone in the early 60’s at the age of 17. Eight years before the Stonewall Rebellion, this was a brave move. Steve Stone has been openly gay for fifty years!
Viewer discretion is advised. Warning: Not suitable for children! – Mark
Caught Inside - Gay Surfers - Gay Short Documentary
The Truth about Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (aka BoJo)
The education of Boris Johnson, the UK’s new Prime Minister »
Trump Organization Executive Surrenders to Face Charges in Tax Investigation
The Trump Organization’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, surrendered to the Manhattan district attorney’s office early on Thursday as he and the Trump family business prepare to face criminal charges in a tax-related investigation.
Weisselberg, who has worked for the Trump family for nearly 50 years, entered a building housing Manhattan’s criminal court, where he and a Trump Organization representative are expected to appear later in the day.
These are the first criminal charges against the former president’s company since prosecutors began investigating it three years ago, and represent the latest stage of an escalating battle between New York prosecutors and the former president. » | Dominic Rushe in New York and agency | Thursday, July 1, 2021
Top Trump Executive Allen Weisselberg Surrenders to Face Charges »
China Uses Communist Party's Centenary for a Show of Strength and Defiance | DW News
Jul 1, 2021 • The Chinese Communist Party celebrated the 100th anniversary of its founding with a ceremony in Tiananmen Square. President Xi said the "great rejuvenation" of China is "irreversible."
Xi Jinping struck a defiant tone during a major address celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing on Thursday. Xi told a massive audience gathered at Tiananmen Square that "the era of China being slaughtered and bullied is gone forever. Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloody against the Great Wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people," the Chinese leader added to roaring applause. He credited the CCP with lifting millions of Chinese out of poverty and said it has built a "moderately prosperous society" during its 100-year reign.
In regard to China's security, Xi said during his speech that the China "must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." Under Xi, China has increased the size of its military, and has built outposts on islands in the South China Sea, while claiming most of the waters as Chinese territory. On Taiwan, Xi said he wants to achieve "complete reunification" of the country and "smash" any efforts to grant the island independence from the mainland. Taiwan responded shortly after Xi's speech, saying that its determination to defend its sovereignty and democracy remained unchanged.
CCP Chairman Mao Zedong established the People's Republic of China in 1949 amid a civil war. Xi has become the country's most powerful leader since Mao and has added his name to the country's constitution. Since his 8 years in power, Xi has marshaled major domestic and foreign policy reforms by launching an anti-corruption campaign, silencing dissent domestically, and boosting China's global influence through the Belt and Road Initiative development strategy. He has also been criticized by Western countries for putting members of the Muslim Uyghur minority into what are called "reeducation camps," but are considered by human rights groups to be internment camps where grave abuses are taking place. In 2022, the current Politburo Standing Committee is expected to step down and announce new leaders. The question looming over next year's party congress is whether Xi will revive Mao's title of party chair, potentially allowing him to remain in power longer.
Xi Jinping struck a defiant tone during a major address celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Beijing on Thursday. Xi told a massive audience gathered at Tiananmen Square that "the era of China being slaughtered and bullied is gone forever. Anyone who dares try to do that will have their heads bashed bloody against the Great Wall of steel forged by over 1.4 billion Chinese people," the Chinese leader added to roaring applause. He credited the CCP with lifting millions of Chinese out of poverty and said it has built a "moderately prosperous society" during its 100-year reign.
In regard to China's security, Xi said during his speech that the China "must accelerate the modernization of national defense and the armed forces." Under Xi, China has increased the size of its military, and has built outposts on islands in the South China Sea, while claiming most of the waters as Chinese territory. On Taiwan, Xi said he wants to achieve "complete reunification" of the country and "smash" any efforts to grant the island independence from the mainland. Taiwan responded shortly after Xi's speech, saying that its determination to defend its sovereignty and democracy remained unchanged.
CCP Chairman Mao Zedong established the People's Republic of China in 1949 amid a civil war. Xi has become the country's most powerful leader since Mao and has added his name to the country's constitution. Since his 8 years in power, Xi has marshaled major domestic and foreign policy reforms by launching an anti-corruption campaign, silencing dissent domestically, and boosting China's global influence through the Belt and Road Initiative development strategy. He has also been criticized by Western countries for putting members of the Muslim Uyghur minority into what are called "reeducation camps," but are considered by human rights groups to be internment camps where grave abuses are taking place. In 2022, the current Politburo Standing Committee is expected to step down and announce new leaders. The question looming over next year's party congress is whether Xi will revive Mao's title of party chair, potentially allowing him to remain in power longer.
Donald Rumsfeld, Architect of Iraq War, Has Died
Pandemic Surges Again in Many Parts of the World, Fueled by Variants
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The highly contagious Delta variant is on the rise, and countries that hoped they had seen the worst of Covid-19 are being battered again.
The nightmare is returning.
In Indonesia, grave diggers are working into the night, as oxygen and vaccines are in short supply. In Europe, countries are slamming their doors shut once again, with quarantines and travel bans. In Bangladesh, urban garment workers fleeing an impending lockdown are almost assuredly seeding another coronavirus surge in their impoverished home villages.
And in countries like South Korea and Israel that seemed to have largely vanquished the virus, new clusters of disease have proliferated. Chinese health officials announced on Monday that they would build a giant quarantine center with up to 5,000 rooms to hold international travelers. Australia has ordered millions to stay at home.
A year and a half since it began racing across the globe with exponential efficiency, the pandemic is on the rise again in vast stretches of the world, driven largely by the new variants, particularly the highly contagious Delta variant first identified in India. From Africa to Asia, countries are suffering from record Covid-19 caseloads and deaths, even as wealthier nations with high vaccination rates have let their guard down, dispensing with mask mandates and reveling in life edging back toward normalcy. » | Hannah Beech and Livia Albeck-Ripka | Wednesday, June 20, 2021
The nightmare is returning.
In Indonesia, grave diggers are working into the night, as oxygen and vaccines are in short supply. In Europe, countries are slamming their doors shut once again, with quarantines and travel bans. In Bangladesh, urban garment workers fleeing an impending lockdown are almost assuredly seeding another coronavirus surge in their impoverished home villages.
And in countries like South Korea and Israel that seemed to have largely vanquished the virus, new clusters of disease have proliferated. Chinese health officials announced on Monday that they would build a giant quarantine center with up to 5,000 rooms to hold international travelers. Australia has ordered millions to stay at home.
A year and a half since it began racing across the globe with exponential efficiency, the pandemic is on the rise again in vast stretches of the world, driven largely by the new variants, particularly the highly contagious Delta variant first identified in India. From Africa to Asia, countries are suffering from record Covid-19 caseloads and deaths, even as wealthier nations with high vaccination rates have let their guard down, dispensing with mask mandates and reveling in life edging back toward normalcy. » | Hannah Beech and Livia Albeck-Ripka | Wednesday, June 20, 2021
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Gay Farmers Call for Help
Read more HERE »
The Right-wing Extremists Plot to Overthrow the German Government | DW Documentary
Jul 7, 2020 • Amid reports of right-wing extremist activity in the German police and armed forces, radical groups are said to be preparing a coup against the government. The federal Interior Ministry has promised to crack down on right-wing groups.
Concerns are growing about reports of right-wing extremist activity in the German police and armed forces -- but senior officers and politicians seem reluctant to deal with the situation.
Journalist Dirk Laabs has found evidence that far-right conspirators illegally received ammunition from government warehouses, stockpiled weapons, and made concrete plans for a coup attempt -- to be known as "Day X."
The attempt was supposedly to be carried out during a time of national emergency -- like the current coronavirus crisis. Some domestic security experts, including the Left Party’s Martina Renner, are worried about these developments. Renner says this may be the moment that the alleged plotters were waiting for.
In June 2019, several current and former officers of an elite police unit in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern were arrested, suspected of supplying one of these far-right conspirators with large quantities of ammunition. Investigators say that the ammo came from military and police units from all over Germany, including the states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia. Authorities in those two states have not yet been able to explain how the ammunition ended up in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Fears about right-wing activity among the German police and military have been growing for years. In December 2019, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced plans to expand and strengthen federal police agencies that are involved in the effort to combat right-wing extremism and terrorism.
Concerns are growing about reports of right-wing extremist activity in the German police and armed forces -- but senior officers and politicians seem reluctant to deal with the situation.
Journalist Dirk Laabs has found evidence that far-right conspirators illegally received ammunition from government warehouses, stockpiled weapons, and made concrete plans for a coup attempt -- to be known as "Day X."
The attempt was supposedly to be carried out during a time of national emergency -- like the current coronavirus crisis. Some domestic security experts, including the Left Party’s Martina Renner, are worried about these developments. Renner says this may be the moment that the alleged plotters were waiting for.
In June 2019, several current and former officers of an elite police unit in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern were arrested, suspected of supplying one of these far-right conspirators with large quantities of ammunition. Investigators say that the ammo came from military and police units from all over Germany, including the states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia. Authorities in those two states have not yet been able to explain how the ammunition ended up in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Fears about right-wing activity among the German police and military have been growing for years. In December 2019, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced plans to expand and strengthen federal police agencies that are involved in the effort to combat right-wing extremism and terrorism.
‘A Form of Brainwashing’: China Remakes Hong Kong
HONG KONG — With each passing day, the boundary between Hong Kong and the rest of China fades faster.
The Chinese Communist Party is remaking this city, permeating its once vibrant, irreverent character with ever more overt signs of its authoritarian will. The very texture of daily life is under assault as Beijing molds Hong Kong into something more familiar, more docile.
Residents now swarm police hotlines with reports about disloyal neighbors or colleagues. Teachers have been told to imbue students with patriotic fervor through 48-volume book sets called “My Home Is in China.” Public libraries have removed dozens of books from circulation, including one about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
Hong Kong had always been an improbability. It was a thriving metropolis on a spit of inhospitable land, an oasis of civil liberties under iron-fisted rule. A former British colony that returned to China in 1997, the city was promised freedoms of speech, assembly and the press unimaginable in the mainland, in an arrangement Beijing called “one country, two systems.” » | Vivian Wang and Alexandra Stevenson | Tuesday, June 29, 2021
What Neo-Nazis Have Inherited from Original Nazism | DW Documentary (Neo-Nazi Documentary)
Sep 21, 2019 • What resemblance do today’s ethnonationalistic ideologies bear to those which surged during the rise of the Nazis in the Weimar-era? Quite a lot, this documentary shows. Germany’s far-right neo-nazi scene is now bigger than at any time since National Socialism.
History may not repeat itself, but one can still learn from it. The years of the Weimar Republic were scarred by post-war trauma, political extremism, street fighting, hyper-inflation and widespread poverty. But they also saw economic boom, the establishment of a liberal democratic order and a parliamentary party system. Nobody could really imagine that the Nazis would brush aside the achievements of this young democracy just a few years later. But there were signs, warnings even that all was not well.
So how does that resonate today? How do today’s right-wing populist movements and parties achieve their political aims? Which slogans, images and stereotypes played a role then, and which ones are playing a role now?
The film also looks beyond Germany’s borders. How has Europe changed in the last few years and how have far-right movements been able to gain such influence? In the interwar period, democracies across the continent collapsed one after the other like a house of cards. What about today? Riding on the coat-tails of the political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) the far-right has become a factor in both national and state parliaments, united by nationalist and often racist ideologies directly linked to those of the 1930s. At that time, global economic crisis and mass unemployment drove people straight into the fascists’ arms. So what will happen if crisis strikes now? Are our democracies and their achievements today any more stable than they were in the years before the Second World War?
History may not repeat itself, but one can still learn from it. The years of the Weimar Republic were scarred by post-war trauma, political extremism, street fighting, hyper-inflation and widespread poverty. But they also saw economic boom, the establishment of a liberal democratic order and a parliamentary party system. Nobody could really imagine that the Nazis would brush aside the achievements of this young democracy just a few years later. But there were signs, warnings even that all was not well.
So how does that resonate today? How do today’s right-wing populist movements and parties achieve their political aims? Which slogans, images and stereotypes played a role then, and which ones are playing a role now?
The film also looks beyond Germany’s borders. How has Europe changed in the last few years and how have far-right movements been able to gain such influence? In the interwar period, democracies across the continent collapsed one after the other like a house of cards. What about today? Riding on the coat-tails of the political party the Alternative for Germany (AfD) the far-right has become a factor in both national and state parliaments, united by nationalist and often racist ideologies directly linked to those of the 1930s. At that time, global economic crisis and mass unemployment drove people straight into the fascists’ arms. So what will happen if crisis strikes now? Are our democracies and their achievements today any more stable than they were in the years before the Second World War?
Deadly Extreme Heatwave in Canada | DW News
Jun 30, 2021 • A slew of sudden deaths is being blamed on a record-breaking heatwave sweeping British Columbia and Alberta. Temperatures hit a record high for a third straight day on Tuesday, reaching 49.5 Celsius (121 Fahrenheit) in the village of Lytton.
Police in Vancouver said they had responded to 65 sudden-death calls between Friday and Tuesday. The deaths were still under investigation and many of the deceased were seniors.
British Columbia closed schools and educational institutions due to the record-breaking temperatures. Prior to the weekend, the historical high in Canada was 45 Celsius, set in Saskatchewan in 1937.
Police in Vancouver said they had responded to 65 sudden-death calls between Friday and Tuesday. The deaths were still under investigation and many of the deceased were seniors.
British Columbia closed schools and educational institutions due to the record-breaking temperatures. Prior to the weekend, the historical high in Canada was 45 Celsius, set in Saskatchewan in 1937.
Opinion – Guest Essay: Northern Ireland Is Coming to an End
THE NEW YORK TIMES: BELFAST, Northern Ireland — It was meant to be a year of celebration.
But Northern Ireland, created in 1921 when Britain carved six counties out of Ireland’s northeast, is not enjoying its centenary. Its most ardent upholders, the unionists who believe that the place they call “our wee country” is and must forever remain an intrinsic part of the United Kingdom, are in utter disarray. Their largest party has ousted two leaders within a matter of weeks, while an angry minority has taken to the streets waving flags and threatening violence. And the British government, in resolving Brexit, placed a new border in the Irish Sea.
It’s harsh reward for what Northern Ireland’s first prime minister, James Craig, called “the most loyal part of Great Britain.” But the Protestant statelet is not what it was. Well on its way to having a Catholic majority, the country’s once dominant political force — unionism — now finds itself out of step with the community that traditionally gave it uncritical support. And for all his talk of the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made clear his government would cheerfully ditch this last little fragment of Britain’s empire if it continues to complicate Brexit. » | Susan McKay* | Wednesday, June 30. 2021
* Ms. McKay is an Irish journalist who writes extensively about the politics and culture of Northern Ireland.
But Northern Ireland, created in 1921 when Britain carved six counties out of Ireland’s northeast, is not enjoying its centenary. Its most ardent upholders, the unionists who believe that the place they call “our wee country” is and must forever remain an intrinsic part of the United Kingdom, are in utter disarray. Their largest party has ousted two leaders within a matter of weeks, while an angry minority has taken to the streets waving flags and threatening violence. And the British government, in resolving Brexit, placed a new border in the Irish Sea.
It’s harsh reward for what Northern Ireland’s first prime minister, James Craig, called “the most loyal part of Great Britain.” But the Protestant statelet is not what it was. Well on its way to having a Catholic majority, the country’s once dominant political force — unionism — now finds itself out of step with the community that traditionally gave it uncritical support. And for all his talk of the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made clear his government would cheerfully ditch this last little fragment of Britain’s empire if it continues to complicate Brexit. » | Susan McKay* | Wednesday, June 30. 2021
* Ms. McKay is an Irish journalist who writes extensively about the politics and culture of Northern Ireland.
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Far-Right Group Was Preparing for "Day X" | "Germany's Neo-Nazis & the Far Right" | FRONTLINE
Jun 29, 2021 • Nordkreuz, a German far-right group, stockpiled weapons and prepped for violence. Its alleged leader wasn’t tried on terror charges. An excerpt from FRONTLINE's "Germany's Neo-Nazis & the Far Right."
“If you had an Islamist, a jihadi, doing the same thing, he would go to jail,” journalist Dirk Laabs tells FRONTLINE's Evan Williams of Nordkreuz's alleged leader.
The documentary includes photos found on a hard drive obtained by investigative journalist Dirk Laabs, showing members of the secret group of soldiers, police and civilians practicing military maneuvers and believed to be preparing for something they called Day X: a future moment when the German state would collapse in chaos, and the far right could step in and take control.
The documentary, which explores the rise of far-right and neo-Nazi violence in modern-day Germany and whether authorities are doing enough to stop it, is supported by "Exploring Hate," a multiplatform public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York aimed at offering an in-depth understanding of the rising tide of hatred, hate crimes, antisemitism and racism.
“If you had an Islamist, a jihadi, doing the same thing, he would go to jail,” journalist Dirk Laabs tells FRONTLINE's Evan Williams of Nordkreuz's alleged leader.
The documentary includes photos found on a hard drive obtained by investigative journalist Dirk Laabs, showing members of the secret group of soldiers, police and civilians practicing military maneuvers and believed to be preparing for something they called Day X: a future moment when the German state would collapse in chaos, and the far right could step in and take control.
The documentary, which explores the rise of far-right and neo-Nazi violence in modern-day Germany and whether authorities are doing enough to stop it, is supported by "Exploring Hate," a multiplatform public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York aimed at offering an in-depth understanding of the rising tide of hatred, hate crimes, antisemitism and racism.
I Had to De-Gay My Voice for Work. I'm Not Alone.
When we adopted our first child in 2011, the State of Georgia did not allow us to adopt him as a couple. We each had to adopt him individually, and separately. Today, and together with my husband and two sons, I live in a neighborhood with no other families with same-sex parents. We proudly fly our rainbow flag in front of our home each June in celebration of Pride Month and how far we’ve personally come, with the support and love of our neighbors and community. » | Rick McMurty | Monday, June 28, 2021
Record-breaking Heatwave Hits Western Canada
Monday, June 28, 2021
Australien fürchtet sich vor der Delta-Variante
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: In dem Land mit den bisher stets besonders niedrigen Infektionszahlen müssen gleich mehrere Regionen in den Lockdown. Jetzt rächt sich, dass Australien mit seiner Impfstrategie so zögerlich war.
Ob Darwin im Norden, Queensland im Osten oder Perth im Westen: In Australien lässt sich gerade beobachten, wie die hochansteckende Delta-Variante fast ein ganzes Land in kurzer Zeit in einen Ausnahmezustand stürzen kann. Australien war dank früher Grenzschließungen und strenger Quarantänemaßnahmen bisher relativ gut durch die Pandemie gekommen. Die meisten Australier konnten trotz Pandemie und punktueller regionaler Ausgangssperren ein vergleichsweise normales Leben führen. Dann kam Delta, und zunächst wurden in der Metropole Sydney vergangene Woche einige zentrale Stadtviertel in den Lockdown geschickt. Doch damit ließ sich die Ausbreitung der zuerst in Indien nachgewiesenen Corona-Variante nicht aufhalten. » | Von Till Fähnders, Singapur | Montag, 28. Juni 2021
Ob Darwin im Norden, Queensland im Osten oder Perth im Westen: In Australien lässt sich gerade beobachten, wie die hochansteckende Delta-Variante fast ein ganzes Land in kurzer Zeit in einen Ausnahmezustand stürzen kann. Australien war dank früher Grenzschließungen und strenger Quarantänemaßnahmen bisher relativ gut durch die Pandemie gekommen. Die meisten Australier konnten trotz Pandemie und punktueller regionaler Ausgangssperren ein vergleichsweise normales Leben führen. Dann kam Delta, und zunächst wurden in der Metropole Sydney vergangene Woche einige zentrale Stadtviertel in den Lockdown geschickt. Doch damit ließ sich die Ausbreitung der zuerst in Indien nachgewiesenen Corona-Variante nicht aufhalten. » | Von Till Fähnders, Singapur | Montag, 28. Juni 2021
Australie : avec le variant Delta, « 100 % de transmission au sein des foyers »
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
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
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 »
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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.
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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
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