Saturday, July 03, 2021

James Taylor : You've Got a Friend

Timeless Thoughts - The Video - Documentary

Sep 26, 2020 • These are timeless thoughts, as narrated by the voice of renowned and multi-awarded Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino. Giorgio Armani's language evolves relentlessly, whilst staying firm in its roots.It is the result of a process of subtraction, which captures time and sublimates it, creating fashion that goes beyond fashion.

Gay Marriage Is Legal in These Countries

Jun 27, 2019 • As of May 2019, there are now 29 out of 195 countries where gay marriage is legal.

Rainbow Bridge: LGBTIQ Migrants in Malta. A Documentary by MGRM

Mar 26, 2021 • This documentary features the lives of three asylum seekers in Malta. It seeks to give light to their lives back in their home country, their journey till they arrived to Malta, their asylum procedure and their new life in Malta. It also envisages to be an educational tool about the struggles of LGBTIQ+ migrants especially during their stay in detention, open centers, asylum claim procedure that can take years and their experiences with homophobia and racism. Finally, this documentary wants to portray the human story of every individual, their hopes and dreams for the future.

Gay and Queer in Europe: How to Tackle Exclusion? | To the Point

Jul 1, 2021 • How much freedom do members of the LGBTQ community enjoy? In recent weeks, Gay Pride marches in countries around the world have underlined the solidarity in the community. But discrimination, violence, even the death penalty, are still part of the global agenda of hate. There's been angry criticism of Hungary's new anti-LGBTQ law - and of European soccer's blocking of the use of the movement's rainbow colors at a big European championship match in Munich. Gay and queer in Europe: How to tackle exclusion? Our guests: Joseph Hutchinson (US journalist), Pascal Thibaut (Radio France Internationale), Bernd Riegert (DW Brussels).

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.


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

William and Harry Unveil Princess Diana Statue

Prince William and Prince Harry unveiled a statue of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at Kensington Palace in London on what would have been her 60th birthday.

In Greece, It’s Almost Normal

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In Athens and on the island of Paros, a visitor joins other international travelers in search of that idyllic European vacation they’ve been yearning for.

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

LE MONDE : 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.

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.


Alone Out Here: A Gay Farmer on Love, Isolation, and Disrupting the Meat Industry in Australia | The New Yorker

Jun 9, 2021 • In “Alone Out Here,” by Philip Busfield and Luke Cornish, an Australian rancher who is openly gay in a conservative industry fights to reduce carbon emissions through his cattle farming.

The Furlough Scheme Should Never Have Been Allowed to Fund Million-pound Bonuses

THE GUARDIAN: JD Sports has handed its chief £6m. It’s clear the Treasury did not attach enough strings to its business life-support scheme

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

James Taylor - How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)

Can Gay Muslims Reconcile Their Faith with Their Sexuality?

Aug 15, 2018 • Act Of Faith, March 2003: This beautifully made 16 mm short questions whether it will ever be possible to be both Muslim and homosexual.

Rabbi Mark Solomon Interview for Rainbow Jews

Aug 14, 2014 • Rabbi Mark Solomon giving an oral history testimony about being Jewish & gay in the UK. The interview was conducted within the Rainbow Jews project and produced by University of Portsmouth. All rights reserved.

Hear How Trump Is Reacting to His CFO’s Indictment

Jul 3, 2021 • New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman discusses how former President Donald Trump is reacting to Trump Org. CFO Allen Weisselberg getting indicted in New York. Weisselberg pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Friday, July 02, 2021

George Conway: I'd Be Worried If I Was Trump's Children

Jul 2, 2021 • Attorney George Conway says President Donald Trump's children should be "very, very worried" about the investigation into the Trump Organization.

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.


James Taylor: Shower the People