How Did a Gay Scientist of Jewish Descent Thrive Under the Nazis?

THE NEW YORK TIMES: RAVENOUS Otto Warburg, the Nazis, and the Search for the Cancer-Diet Connection By Sam Apple

At the start of the 20th century, the German Empire was the undisputed hub of the scientific universe. From 1901, when the Nobel Prizes were established, through 1932, Germans won almost a third of all the Nobels awarded to scientists — 31 in total. (American scientists, in contrast, won five during the same time period.) This impressive track record was fueled, in part, by Jewish researchers who just decades earlier would have been excluded from prominent academic positions. When the Nazis seized power in March 1933, it was not unusual for major scientific institutes to be led by Nobel laureates with Jewish roots: Albert Einstein and Otto Meyerhof, both Jewish, ran prestigious centers of physics and medical research; Fritz Haber, who’d converted from Judaism in the late 19th century, ran a chemistry institute; and Otto Warburg, who was raised as a Protestant but had two Jewish grandparents, was the director of a recently opened center for cell physiology. » | Seth Mnookin | Sunday, June 6, 2021

Could a Third Wave of Covid Be More Serious Than UK’s First Two?

THE GUARDIAN: Analysis: Concern over Delta variant means decision on ending restrictions on 21 June hangs in balance

Summer has nearly arrived and the UK is beginning to unlock from coronavirus restrictions, with a full lifting still on the cards in England on 21 June.

Yet the spectre of the Delta variant is casting an ominous shadow, with concerns it could fuel a third wave. So just how serious could the next peak be – and could it be more serious than Britain’s first two waves?

In May members of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) from the University of Warwick released results from models that suggested a variant 40% more transmissible than the Alpha variant – first detected in Kent and known as B.1.1.7 – could result in up to 6,000 hospital admissions a day. » | Nicola Davis, Science correspondent | Monday, June 7, 2021

Die Philip Morris Story (2012)

Der mächtigste Tabakkonzern der Welt sitzt ziemlich fest im Sattel. Wie kann Philip Morris, zu dem auch Marlboro gehört, trotz Nichtraucherschutzgesetzen so erfolgreich sein?

Philipp Morris, British American Tobacco und JTI produzieren starken Tabak in der Schweiz (2014)

Was kaum bekannt ist: Die Schweiz ist ein Exportland von Zigaretten. Die drei grossen Produzenten haben vergangenes Jahr Zigaretten im Wert von über einer halben Milliarde Franken ins Ausland exportiert. Das ist nur deshalb möglich, weil die Gesetze in der Schweiz weit weniger hart sind als in der Europäischen Union: Schweizer Zigaretten dürfen mehr Teer, Nikotin und Kohlenmonoxid enthalten als in der EU produzierte.

Elisabeth II: 90 photos pour 90 ans de vie

BBC: Une grande sélection de photos de la reine Elizabeth II des archives de l’agence Press Association marquant chaque année de sa vie jusqu'en 2015. Compilé pour la célébration du 90e anniversaire de la reine. » | mercredi 9 septembre 2015

Meghan et Harry : Lili Diana, le bébé de la réconciliation ?

LE POINT: En donnant à leur fille le prénom de la reine Elizabeth, les Sussex envoient un signal positif aux Windsor. Un geste que Buckingham pourrait apprécier.

Avec Meghan et Harry, on pouvait s'attendre à tout à l'occasion de cette naissance : allaient-ils encore en profiter pour envoyer une nouvelle salve négative par-dessus l'Atlantique ? Depuis trois mois, ils n'ont pas retenu leurs coups, avec des attaques et des reproches réguliers contre la famille royale, qui sort à chaque fois les boucliers en espérant que l'offensive se calme… Et là, surprise : un message positif accompagne cette fois l'arrivée de leur deuxième enfant, puisque le couple a choisi de donner à leur fille le prénom de Lilibet, le surnom privé de la reine Elizabeth II. Dans un message aux allures de faire-part, les Sussex ont même précisé qu'ils ont voulu ainsi rendre hommage à la reine, que Harry considère toujours comme son « commandant en chef », comme il se plaît à le répéter en interview. » | Par Marc Fourny | lundi 7 juin 2021

Power vs People? Ft. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Former President of Brazil

Hard times always bring out the best and the worst in people and their governments, and in this sense, COVID-19 seems to be a pretty accurate reality check on individuals, nations and the world as a whole, rewarding those who practice and punishing those who only preach. But is it potent and scary enough to put politics back into the service of policy and not the other way around? To discuss this, Oksana is joined by Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Former President of Brazil

Michael Cohen: Does Donald Trump Have a 'Secret' Pardon? | 60 Minutes Australia (February 2021)

Meghan and Harry Announce Birth of Baby Daughter Lilibet

THE GUARDIAN: Child named after the family nickname for the Queen, the baby’s great-grandmother

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced the birth of a daughter they have named Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Harry and Meghan’s daughter, who was born in hospital in California on Friday, weighed 7lb 11oz and has been named after the family nickname for the Queen, the baby’s great-grandmother. Her middle name was chosen to honour her late grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales, the couple said. The baby is the Queen’s 11th great-grandchild and is eighth in line to the throne.

Both mother and child were healthy and well, a statement said, and Lilibet – a younger sister for two-year-old Archie – was “settling in at home” after her birth at Santa Barbara Cottage hospital. » | Jessica Murray | Sunday, June 6, 2021

Harry and Meghan Announce Birth of Second Baby, Lilibet Diana »

What’s in a name? The meanings of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor »

Health Care: America vs. the World

Millions of Americans have no health insurance and live in fear that one illness could bankrupt them. Even though the U.S. spends far more on health care than other wealthy nations, Americans die of preventable diseases at greater rates. The PBS NewsHour special, “Critical Care: America vs the World,” examines how four other nations achieve universal care for less money, with better outcomes.

Why Piers Morgan Refuses to Be 'Cancelled' in Explosive Interview | 60 Minutes Australia

Österreich: Raucher gegen Nichtraucher – die große Diskussion (OE24.TV – 2017)

Moderatorin: Sabrina Blagojevic

Dieses Gespräch war animiert und interessant. In der Zwischenzeit ist in Österreich ein generelles Rauchverbot in Kraft gestellt worden. Seither ist es strengstens verboten überall in Gaststätten und Hotels.
Nichtraucherschutz und Rauchverbote »

Falls Sie dieses Jahr einen Urlaub machen wollen, wo es erlaubt ist zu rauchen, sollten Sie vielleicht Serbien oder Rumänien in Betracht bringen. Es scheint als ob überall in Europa das Rauchen nicht mehr erlaubt ist in Restaurants, Bars oder oft auch außerhalb eines Restaurants unter einem Sonnenschirm!

Ich rauche nicht mehr, aber als Raucher hätte dieses Verbot mich dermaßen gestört! Es hätte mir die Ferien sogar verdorben. Vergessen Sie West-Europa! Hier ist alles so stark reguliert. Nach der Pandemie, fahren Sie doch weiter weg, wo die Vorschriften lockerer sind, um Ihre Ferien zu genießen! ©Mark

Wo in Europa ist das Rauchen noch erlaubt? »

The US’ Position as the Dominant Capitalist Power Is Changing - Richard Wolff [Global Capitalism]

This is a clip from the May 2021 Global Capitalism lecture in which Richard Wolff gives three examples that indicate the US's position of global power is changing, and its ability to influence global events is shrinking.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Causing Rare Myocarditis Cases?

LIVE SCIENCE: Researchers in Israel say they've found a possible link between the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and cases of heart inflammation in young men ages 16 to 30, according to a report submitted this week to the country's Ministry of Health.

The report concluded that around 1 in 5,000 men who receive the vaccine may experience this side effect, known as myocarditis, which is higher than the rate seen for the whole vaccinated population during that time period, which was 1 in 50,000.

So far, the data isn't yet strong enough to prove that the vaccine caused these cases — experts say there are a number of factors that make it difficult to definitively tie the vaccine to heart inflammation, a link that's also being investigated in the United States. » | Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer | Saturday, June 5, 2021

English Councils Start Banning Smoking Outside Pubs and Restaurants

THE GUARDIAN: Five local authorities take matters into own hands amid Covid outdoor eating culture

Five local authorities have banned smoking in pavement pubs, cafes and restaurants, and others are considering following suit, before a new push by the government to make England smoke-free in less than a decade.

The Covid outdoor eating culture has given the issue of smokers outside pubs and cafes a new visibility. Last summer there was an attempt to push through an amendment to legislation in the House of Lords to make pavements smoke-free, but it failed.

However, Northumberland county council, Durham, North Tyneside, Newcastle, and the City of Manchester have all banned smoking on stretches of the pavement where bars, restaurants and cafes are licensed to put out tables. Although it does not have a policy, all the licences granted by Gateshead also stipulate that pavement cafes must be smoke-free.

Oxfordshire is also planning to ban smoking from outdoor restaurants as part of a major strategy that aims to make the county smoke-free by 2025, which is five years ahead of the government’s plan for England as a whole. It also plans to take tougher action to stop the sale of tobacco to under-18s and work to discourage smoking in homes, cars, play parks and at the school gates. » | Sarah Boseley | Wednesday, June 2, 2021

These health Nazis are dangerous killjoys! They are totally out of control! They are taking the law into their own hands. Somebody should stop them – NOW! Their time would be better spent trying to tackle the real problem in this country: drug-taking. I speak as a non-smoker. An ex-smoker to be precise. But just because I have given up smoking, I don’t expect the rest of the world to give it up with me. I am not a killjoy! – ©Mark

Cumbrian pub owner Dianne Irving and councillors warn against pavement smoking ban »

Brexit Update - The Chaos and Incompetence Continues

It is now five months since the U.K. finally left the E.U. Since then fishing, farming, small and medium sized businesses, the financial sector, the arts and the vital U.K. tourist industries have all begun to feel the effects of Brexit. Whilst the government desperately searches for trade deals all over the world with little or no success our openly hostile border policy advertises to the world that we are no longer a friendly or welcoming country. The prime minister, ever concerned with his personal image, has announced his intention to buy a £200 million yacht to sail around the world looking for trade deals.

Rishi Sunak Announces ‘Historic Agreement’ by G7 on Tax Reform

THE GUARDIAN: Finance ministers agree deal to force multinationals to pay tax in all countries where they operate

The G7 group of wealthy nations have signed a landmark deal to tackle tax abuses by some of the world’s biggest multinationals and establish a minimum global corporation tax for the first time.

Finance ministers from the world’s richest economies agreed the historic deal on Saturday as part of talks held in London, the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, said.

As part of the plan, finance ministers also agreed to the principle of a global minimum rate that ensures multinationals pay tax of at least 15% in each country in which they operate.

Sunak said: “These seismic tax reforms are something the UK has been pushing for and a huge prize for the British taxpayer – creating a fairer tax system fit for the 21st century. » | Phillip Inman | Saturday, June 5, 2021

DER BOMBE NÄHER DENN JE: Was Trump in Iran geschafft hat

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: So viel hochangereichertes Uran wie derzeit hatte Iran noch nie. Das kann es sich in den Atomverhandlungen zunutze machen. Ein neuer Deal ist gefährdet.

Irans Atomprogramm ist eine tickende Zeitbombe. Zwar hat das von der Obama-Biden-Regierung 2015 durchgesetzte Abkommen schmerzlich bewiesen, dass eine Einhegung von Teherans atomaren Ambitionen beileibe nicht alle Probleme löst, welche die Islamische Republik in ihrer Nachbarschaft verursacht. Entscheidend ist aber die Gegenprobe: Jedes Problem, das der Region aus dem Machtkampf zwischen dem schiitischen Iran und den sunnitischen Golf-Arabern erwächst, potenziert sich, wenn die Führung in Teheran über Atomwaffen verfügen könnte. » | Ein Kommentar von Andreas Ross | Samstag, 5. Juni 2021

Meet Israel’s Likely New Prime Minister | The Mehdi Hasan Show

Israel has reached a deal to oust longtime prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But is the likely replacement Naftali Bennett much better? Mehdi introduces the right-wing politician.

Opinion: Netanyahu Embodied Dishonest, Divisive Demagoguery. If He’s Gone, Good Riddance

THE GUARDIAN: Although the new coalition taking shape may not agree on much, the prime minister’s downfall is long overdue

It could be over before it starts. As you read this, it may already be unravelling. But a new government has been formed in Israel, thereby removing the man who has ruled that country longer than anyone else. Benjamin Netanyahu has dominated Israeli politics for most of the past quarter-century: first elected as prime minister in 1996, he has ruled Israel uninterrupted for the past 12 years. But now, if the new coalition holds together – a big if – the reign of Bibi, King of Israel, will come to an end. Even if we should have no illusions about what comes next, that itself is a cause for celebration.

It is also the new government’s sole, animating purpose. The motley collection of parties, which runs from the settler hard right through the centre to the liberal left – and which includes a Palestinian Islamist party – has next to nothing else in common. It cannot be described as hawkish or dove-ish, left or right: it is simply the anti-Netanyahu bloc, forged to prise his fingers off the prime ministerial desk once and for all. » | Jonathan Freedland | Friday, June 4, 2021