Monday, June 28, 2021

It Got Better Featuring Nate Berkus | L/Studio Created By Lexus

May 6, 2015 • It would be easy for Nate Berkus to feel like he was on the losing side of life. He lost his partner in a tragic turn of fate. It wasn't until he found love again that he was able to accept himself & reconcile his past.


Nate Berkus »

Sunday, June 27, 2021

Stelter: I Watched Hannity's Show for a Week. Here's What I Found

Jun 27, 2021 • CNN's Brian Stelter says the content coming from pro-Trump media, led by Fox News host Sean Hannity, softens the ground for conspiracies and makes their audience comfortable with violence.

Xavier Bettel: Luxemburgs Premierminister nach EU-Gipfel positiv auf Corona getestet

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Der Regierungschef muss sich mit milden Symptomen in Quarantäne begeben. Welche Auswirkungen die Infektion auf andere EU-Gipfelteilnehmer wie Angela Merkel hat, ist noch unklar.

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.


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.


Fabled Booksellers in Paris Latin Quarter Face Extinction | Focus on Europe

Jun 20, 2021 • Small booksellers in Paris are getting hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, real-estate prices, and online retailers. The city's romantic Latin Quarter is in danger of losing its unique charm.

UK Health Minister Matt Hancock Resigns over Kiss Pics | DW News

Jun 27, 2021 • Britain's health minister has resigned over a breach of coronavirus restrictions that he had implemented and strenuously enforced. Matt Hancock admitted breaking the rules after a photos and a video emerged of him kissing and embracing an aide in his office. The scandal enraged fellow government ministers and angered millions of Britons who endured months of lockdown at the height of the pandemic. Hancock has made regular appearances on television telling people they must stick to the rules. Former Finance Minister Sajid Javid has been named as Hancock's replacement.

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

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Church of England Should Recognise Same-sex Marriage, Says Bishop

THE OBSERVER: Paul Bayes, bishop of Liverpool, pushes for ‘gender-neutral marriage canon’ and church ceremonies

A senior bishop has said the Church of England should recognise marriage between people of the same sex and allow such ceremonies in church, a move that would break with centuries of Christian teaching.

Paul Bayes, the bishop of Liverpool, called for a “gender-neutral marriage canon” in a controversial and hard-hitting speech on Saturday, making him the most senior figure in the C of E to explicitly back a change in church law and teaching.

The “world beyond the church” has found it to be offensive, oppressive and hypocritical, he said.

Issues of sexuality, gender and same-sex marriage have caused deep and bitter divisions within the C of E in recent decades. Conservatives have sought to uphold traditional teaching that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Campaigners for change say the bible teaches inclusivity and equality. » | Harriet Sherwood | Saturday, June 26, 2021

Abigail Disney: Dynasties Are Very Bad for Democracy | Amanpour and Company

Jun 25, 2021 • Philanthropist and filmmaker Abigail Disney, worth an estimated $120 million, has dedicated her life to redistributing her wealth, giving away more than half that amount. She explains why in an op-ed in The Atlantic entitled “I Was Taught from a Very Young Age to Protect My Dynastic Wealth.” Disney speaks with Hari Sreenivasan about fair taxes for the rich, and the lasting influence of her famous grandfather. Originally aired on June 24, 2021

Würzburg Stabbings: German Police Investigate Possible Islamist Terror Motive | DW News

Jun 26, 2021 • In Germany, a suspect is in custody after a mass stabbing. Three people died from their wounds and at least five others were seriously injured. Police say they are investigating a possible Islamist terror motive. Witnesses said the man shouted the Islamic phrase "Allahu Akbar."

The attack took place in the southern state of Bavaria - in a plaza in the center of the city of Würzburg. Pedestrians tried to stop the attacker and may have prevented more bloodshed.

The knifeman struck in the historic center of Würzburg, which was crowded with shoppers on a sunny afternoon. Authorities say the attacker was a 24-year-year old Somali man with a history of mental illness. Witnesses said he started stabbing people for no apparent reason - but was confronted by passers-by.

Police shot the man in the leg before arresting him. Officials say the attacker was known to have violent tendencies and was undergoing compulsory psychiatric treatment. Police at the scene were quick to reassure the public that they were in no further danger. Bavaria's premier, Markus Söder, says the state is grieving for the victims and their families.


It Got Better Featuring Ian McKellen | L/Studio Created by Lexus

May 24, 2016 • Growing up in Northern England in the 1930s, being gay wasn’t just taboo — it was illegal. Sir Ian McKellen speaks about devoting his life to fighting for gay rights and how it felt coming out to the nation on public radio.

Sydney Australia On Lockdown over COVID Delta Variant Outbreak | DW News

Jun 26, 2021 • A two-week lockdown has been imposed in Sydney to contain an outbreak of the highly contagious COVID-19 Delta variant. The new restrictions affect more than five million people in and around the Australian city.

At least 80 cases have been reported so far. Most have been linked to a limousine driver who was infected while taking an international flight crew to a quarantine hotel.

The country remains largely unvaccinated. New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said: "A few days ago I said this was the scariest time that she felt since the pandemic started and that's proven to be the case. We should brace ourselves for more cases. We're finding that all household contacts, unfortunately, are getting the virus. Transmissibility is at least double what previous variants have been, so we do need to brace ourselves for potentially larger number of cases in the following days, and that is why it's so important we take action now."



Sydney, Australia, enters full lockdown for the first time in the pandemic to fight the Delta variant »

Three Dead and 10 Wounded in Stabbing Attack in Germany

THE GUARDIAN: Police said they arrested suspect after ‘major operation’ in southern town of Würzburg

Three people have been killed and several wounded in a stabbing attack in the southern German town of Würzburg, Bavarian authorities said on Friday afternoon, adding that police had stopped the suspected perpetrator with a shot to the leg.

The suspected attacker is believed to be a 24-year-old Somali man who has lived in Würzburg since 2015, Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann said in a statement.

He added that the perpetrator had in recent months drawn the attention of authorities because of a number of violent altercations, and had been taken into psychiatric care a few days ago.

Herrmann said the attacker appeared to have chosen his targets at random and the injured included a young boy, whose father was probably among the dead. The fatal victims are understood to also include two women of different ages. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Friday, June 25, 2021

Ein Abend, der Würzburg lähmt »

Why the Deadly Black Fungus Is Ravaging COVID Patients in India | DW News

India seems to be past the peak of its second COVID-19 wave, but the country is now fighting another crisis – those recovering from COVID19 seem to be more vulnerable to dangerous fungal infections. The black fungus, a deadly but once rare disease, has now been declared an epidemic in several Indian states.

NSW Covid Outbreaks: Gladys Berejiklian Locks Down Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong

THE GUARDIAN: New South Wales premier says lockdown will last two weeks and new restrictions will be in place for rest of state

All of greater Sydney, the Central Coast, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong regions will enter a two-week coronavirus lockdown until 9 July and new restrictions will be in place for the remainder of New South Wales.

The NSW premier, Gladys Berejiklian, announced the expanded lockdown – the first lockdown of greater Sydney since last year – would commence at 6pm Saturday, following crisis talks due to the growing number of exposure sites associated with the Sydney outbreak of the Delta Covid-19 variant.

The state recorded 29 cases up to 8pm on Friday, including 17 that had been announced Friday morning. Only 12 of those had been in isolation while infectious.

“We’re never afraid to take a decision we need to keep our citizens safe,” Berejikilan said on Saturday afternoon. “Unfortunately this is a situation where we absolutely have to.” » | Lisa Cox | Saturday, June 26, 2021

Covid-19 : la métropole de Sydney entièrement reconfinée pour contrer le variant Delta »

US Pacific North-west Braces for ‘Unprecedented’ Sweltering Heatwave

THE GUARDIAN: Oregon, Washington and Idaho could surpass their all-time heat records for June in unusual weather event

The Pacific north-west is gearing up for a potentially record-setting heatwave this weekend and into next week, with temperatures in some areas expected to heat up to the triple digits and beyond.

The blazing heat is highly unusual in a region typically known for its moderate climate.

“It’s going to be unprecedented,” said Nick Bond, a Washington state climatologist. “Probably both in terms of the maximum temperatures that are reached, especially Sunday and Monday, the minimum temperatures that are going to occur for a few nights like that, and then the duration of extremely high temperatures.”

Last week, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings for Washington, Oregon and Idaho. In a statement Friday, the agency cautioned that “the hot daytime temperatures, combined with warm overnight lows, will result in high heat risk and heat related stress.”

All three states could surpass their all-time heat record for June (113F for Washington and Oregon, and 114F for Idaho), according to the National Weather Service. » | Hallie Golden in Seattle | Friday, June 25, 2021

Friday, June 25, 2021

Western US in Grips of Hottest, Driest Summer in 1000 Years? | DW News

Jun 21, 2021 • It may be the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but for some 50 million people in the US summer has arrived early and hotter than ever before. In just the last week, high temperature records have been shattered all across the western half of the US. Salt Lake City, Utah, just saw its hottest day since record keeping began in 1870: 107 degrees Fahrenheit. 42 degrees Celsius.

Wyoming also saw new records. In Nevada, Las Vegas continues to flirt with its all-time high of 47 degrees Celsius.

But the US city melting most is Phoenix, Arizona, which just set an all-time record of five consecutive days of 115 degrees or higher. That is 46 degrees Celsius.

The heat is making severe droughts across the western US go from bad to worse. The federal government is already planning to declare an official water shortage at Lake Mead in August. Lake Mead's waters power Hoover Dam. As of last week, Lake Mead's water level is at a record low, and there is no relief in sight.

The Western US is in what scientists describe as a climate-change induced megadrought. Some even say this summer could be the hottest and driest in a millennium. And less water means more fire. 2020 saw a record number of wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington. 2021 is expected to be worse.


Are We Seeing a Repeat of the Indian COVID Tragedy in Africa? | COVID-19 Special

Jun 25, 2021 • South Africa, the worst-hit country in the African continent, has entered a third COVID wave. New daily cases more than doubled over the past two weeks. In the province around Johannesburg, hospitals are already reaching their capacity. Despite the rising numbers and low vaccination rates, the country still only has rather relaxed lockdown regulations in place.

More than a dozen nations are reporting the worst levels of infections. In Uganda, hospitals are already reaching capacity and oxygen is in short supply. The situation is becoming dire in many regions - are we seeing a repeat of the Indian tragedy in Africa?


Australien: Politiker macht Partner Heiratsantrag im Parlament (2017)

Dec 4, 2017 • In Parlamenten werden hin und wieder nicht nur Gesetze beschlossen - manchmal bleibt auch Zeit für Herzensangelegenheiten. So geschehen in Australien: Der Abgeordnete Tim Wilson hat eine Parlamentsdebatte über die gleichgeschlechtliche Ehe genutzt - und machte seinem Partner einen Antrag.