At Least 21 Dead in ‘Catastrophic’ Flooding in Western Germany

THE GUARDIAN: Many more missing as buildings give way amid heavy rain and flooding

At least 21 people have died and dozens are missing or awaiting rescue from rooftops after heavy rain and floods caused buildings to collapse in the western German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North-Rhine Westphalia.

In the Rhineland-Palatinate district of Schuld, set in the Eifel mountain range, police said on Thursday morning they were searching for about 70 missing people following the collapse of six houses. At least eight people are confirmed to have died, officials said.

“There are dead people, there are missing people, and many who are still in danger”, said Rhineland-Palatinate’s state premier Malu Dreyer. “We have never seen a catastrophe like this,” the Social Democrat politician added. “It is truly devastating.”

A spokesperson for the Koblenz police told Reuters that an “unclear number” of people needed to be rescued from roofs. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin and agencies | Thursday, July 15, 2021

Interview: ‘Death in Venice Screwed Up My Life’ – the Tragic Story of Visconti’s ‘Beautiful Boy’

Angelic … Björn Andrésen with Dirk Bogarde in Death in Venice. Photograph: Allstar/Warner Bros
THE GUARDIAN: Björn Andrésen was the striking child star of the classic film, the perfect embodiment of youthful beauty. Fifty years on, he is still haunted by the exploitation that continued long after filming stopped

Björn Andrésen was just 15 when he walked straight into the lion’s den, being cast as Tadzio, the sailor-suited object of desire in Luchino Visconti’s film Death in Venice. Its release in 1971 made him not merely a star but an instant icon – the embodiment of pristine youthful beauty. Sitting alone in Stockholm today at the age of 66, he looks more like Gandalf with his white beard and his gaunt face framed by shoulder-length white locks. His eyes twinkle as alluringly as ever but he’s no pussycat. Asked what he would say to Visconti if he were here now, he doesn’t pause. “Fuck off,” he says.

No one who sees The Most Beautiful Boy in the World, a new documentary about Andrésen’s turbulent and tragic past, will be surprised by that answer. Visconti, he tells me, “didn’t give a fuck” about his feelings. He wasn’t alone in that. “I’ve never seen so many fascists and assholes as there are in film and theatre,” says Andrésen. “Luchino was the sort of cultural predator who would sacrifice anything or anyone for the work.” He makes his feelings about Death in Venice itself equally plain: “It has screwed up my life quite decently.” Although he is an accomplished pianist, no one seems very interested in that side of him. “Everything I ever do will be associated with that film. I mean, we’re still sitting here talking about it 50 years later.” » | Ryan Gilbey | Thursday, July 15, 2021

House with No Toilet Sells for $2m as New Zealand Property Market Soars

A house in in Auckland, New Zealand, has sold for more than $2m despite needing more than $200,000 worth of improvements. Photograph: Barfoot & Thompson
THE GUARDIAN: The decaying, rundown property in the Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn was prized because of its renovation potential

A decaying three-bedroom house with no toilet or bathroom, missing walls and an overgrown garden has sold in New Zealand for more than $2m (£1m), in the latest example of runaway property markets around the world.

The 1920s-era bungalow on Ariki Street, in Auckland’s affluent suburb of Grey Lynn, sold at auction on Thursday for $2.075m (£1.05m), after the bidding opened at $1.75m, Stuff reported.

Auckland council’s property valuation page estimates its value at $1.65m and that the property requires $200,000 worth of improvements. » | Eva Corlett in Wellington | Thursday, July 15, 2021

Kremlin Papers Appear to Show Putin’s Plot to Put Trump in White House

Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. The documents appear to confirm the Kremlin possesses compromising material on Trump. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Exclusive: Documents suggest Russia launched secret multi-agency effort to interfere in US democracy

Vladimir Putin personally authorised a secret spy agency operation to support a “mentally unstable” Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential election during a closed session of Russia’s national security council, according to what are assessed to be leaked Kremlin documents.

The key meeting took place on 22 January 2016, the papers suggest, with the Russian president, his spy chiefs and senior ministers all present.
They agreed a Trump White House would help secure Moscow’s strategic objectives, among them “social turmoil” in the US and a weakening of the American president’s negotiating position.

Russia’s three spy agencies were ordered to find practical ways to support Trump, in a decree appearing to bear Putin’s signature. » | Luke Harding, Julian Borger and Dan Sabbagh | Thursday, July 15, 2021

George W. Bush Reflects on Angela Merkel's Legacy | Exclusive Interview | DW Documentary

Jul 14, 2021 • Exclusive DW interview: Former President George W. Bush reflects on his relationship with Chancellor Angela Merkel and her legacy.

"Merkel brought class and dignity to a very important position and made very hard decisions. She did what's best for Germany, and did so based upon principle," former U.S. President George W. Bush said in an interview with DW Washington Bureau Chief Ines Pohl ahead of Chancellor Angela Merkel's farewell visit to the White House on Thursday, July 15.
The interview at the Bush family's summer home in Maine was conducted as part of the DW documentary "Angela Merkel – Navigating a World in Crisis," which will be published on our DW Documentary YouTube channel in September, shortly before the federal elections which will determine Merkel's succession.

A Conversation with H.E. Eduardo Leite*, Governor of the State of Rio Grande do Sul

Apr 27, 2021 • Rio Grande do Sul has suffered, as all states have, during the COVID-19 pandemic. RS was in full fiscal adjustment and economic recovery after a debt restructuring agreement with the Federal Government going into the pandemic. Consequently, the Gross State Product (GSP) dropped 7% in 2020, despite a sharp rebound in the second half of the year. Amidst having to fight the virus by providing extra support to hospitals and to those most in need, the Leite administration pressed forward with reforms. Through extensive negotiations, the government was able to reform the state’s civil servant social security system, with immediate effects on the deficit. The government also returned to privatizing roads and other concessions.

* Eduardo Leite recently came out on TV. You can read about his coming out here [Multiple links.]

Gay in Europa – darum wird es immer schlimmer

Jun 21, 2020 • Wir leben in einer offenen und toleranten Gesellschaft. Für viele Bereiche unseres alltäglichen Lebens trifft das zu. Doch sowohl in Deutschland, als auch europaweit gibt es nach wie vor Länder, in welchen die Rechte von Schwulen, Lesben, Bi-, Trans- oder Intersexuellen mit Füßen getreten werden. Dabei sollte man zumindest meinen, dass es über die letzten Jahre hinweg grundsätzlich besser wurde und immer mehr Länder akzeptierender werden. Weit gefehlt. Wenn man sich die Entwicklungen innerhalb der EU und innerhalb von Europa mal genauer anschaut sieht man, dass sich die Lage für queere Menschen in den letzten Jahren verschlechtert hat.

Symptome dieser Entwicklungen sind dann "LGBT FREE ZONES" und ein polnischer Wahlkampf, der von der Regierungspartei PiS auch und vor allem genutzt wird um queere Menschen als ihr Feindbild zu deklarieren. Aber auch in Deutschland und anderen Staaten läuft nicht alles gut.

In diesem Video möchte ich aufzeigen, warum noch lange nicht alles nach Plan läuft und nach wie vor Menschen in EUROPA und der EU diskriminiert werden.

Sweet, Gay Moments : A Tender Kiss

Image courtesy of Pink News

5 Irresistible Reasons Why Malta Should Be Top of Your LGBT+ Travel List

Enjoying the sun in a Luzzu boat.
PINK NEWS: Malta is generally considered to be one of the most LGBT-progressive countries in the world.

It frequently scores high on the Rainbow Index and is one of five countries in the world to make queer rights equal at a constitutional level.

It’s no wonder, then, that it’s become a major travel destination for queer holidaymakers. It packs a lot into its small archipelago and its surrounding crystal waters, with plenty of culture, history and fun to soak up.

Malta has some of Europe’s lowest COVID numbers (since May 21 the number of total cases has remained under 100) and strongest vaccination rates (half of the population is fully vaccinated).

There’s no quarantine time for fully-vaccinated tourists, and there are financial incentives making hotel stays irresistible this summer.

Here are five incredible reasons to visit the queer jewel of the Meditteranean this summer: » | Sponsored article for Pink News | Monday, June 21, 2021

Bosnien: Schwule und Lesben in Angst | Fokus Europa [2019]

Sep 13, 2019 • Wegen des homophoben Klimas zeigen immer weniger Schwule und Lesben in Bosnien offen ihre sexuelle Orientierung. Denn viele bekennende Homosexuelle werden verfolgt oder angegriffen. Immer häufiger treffen sie sich deshalb nur noch privat.

Édith Piaf - Non, je ne regrette rien

Views on YouTube: 88,134,711

Top US General Warned of ‘Reichstag Moment’ in Trump’s Turbulent Last Days

Gen Mark Milley with Donald Trump at the White House. Photograph: Alex Brandon/AP
THE GUARDIAN: Gen Mark Milley drew comparison to Nazi Germany as Trump tried to overturn election defeat, new book I Alone Can Fix This says

Shortly before the deadly attack on the US Capitol on 6 January, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen Mark Milley, told aides the US was facing a “Reichstag moment” because Donald Trump was preaching “the gospel of the Führer”, according to an eagerly awaited book about Trump’s last year in office.

The excerpts from I Alone Can Fix This, by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker, were reported by New York magazine on Wednesday. The authors’ employer, the Washington Post, published the first extract from the book a day earlier. It will be published next week.

Milley’s invocation of Germany under the Third Reich follows a report in another book, Frankly, We Did Win This Election, by Michael C Bender, that Trump told his chief of staff, John Kelly, “Hitler did a lot of good things”.

Trump denies having made the remark. » | Martin Pengelly in Washington | Wednesday, July 14, 2021

New Doc Pieces of Us Honors Resilience of Those Who've Survived Hate

Filmmaker Cheryl Allison and Prince Manvendra
ADVOCATE: The film showcases the courage of those who've endured hate crimes and other horrific instances of bigotry, from New York to Denver to India.

Those who’ve endured anti-LGBTQ+ hate are more than victims, more even than survivors — they’re incredibly brave and resilient people, says filmmaker Cheryl Allison, who is honoring them in her latest documentary, Pieces of Us. “This is a story of hope, this is a story of courage ... no matter how you identify, you can see a piece of yourself in this story,” Allison says. Unlike some other films about hate crimes and other horrific instances of bigotry, Pieces of Us isn’t primarily about those incidents, she says. “This was about what happens afterwards and how you handle it,” she explains.

The film, which will make the festival rounds this fall, tells the stories of multiple subjects. Jipsta is a gay rapper and school psychologist in Brooklyn who was beaten on a New York City subway platform for holding hands with his partner. Leia Pierce is a single mother from Denver whose 9-year-old son, Jamel, took his own life after being bullied for being gay. Mykel Dicus is a gay New York performance artist who was physically attacked in his home by a man he met in a bar. Victoria Cruz is a transgender veteran of the Stonewall riots and longtime activist who was Dicus’s crisis counselor. Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India, known as the world’s first out gay royal, received death threats after coming out and was initially disowned by his family. The movie shows how all have responded to traumatic events by becoming advocates for their community, and it spotlights other activists and allies as well. » | Trudy Ring | Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Kubas Regierung macht erste Zugeständnisse an Demonstranten

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: Nach den Protesten auf Kuba kommt das Regime einigen Forderungen nach, hebt die vorübergehende Internetsperre auf und verspricht eine „kritische Analyse unserer Probleme“. Doch laut Berichten wurden mehr als 5000 Kubaner festgenommen.

Nach den Protesten in Kuba hat die Regierung erste Zugeständnisse an die Demonstranten gemacht. Reisende dürfen Lebensmittel, Medikamente und Hygieneartikel künftig zollfrei einführen, kündigte Ministerpräsident Manuel Marrero am Mittwoch in einer TV-Ansprache an. Auch bisher geltende Mengenbegrenzungen fallen demnach weg. Die neuen Regeln treten kommenden Montag in Kraft und gelten zunächst bis Jahresende. Präsident Miguel Díaz-Canel kündigte eine „kritische Analyse“ der Probleme in dem Karibikstaat an.

Die erleichterte Einfuhr von Dingen des täglichen Bedarfs ist eine der Forderungen der Protestbewegung. In einem offenen Brief hatte eine Gruppe von Künstlern und Intellektuellen die Regierung dazu aufgerufen, die Maßnahme umzusetzen. Bislang durften Reisende bis zu zehn Kilogramm Medizin zollfrei nach Kuba einführen. Auch eine begrenzte Menge an Lebensmitteln und Hygieneprodukten durften sie mitführen, hierfür wurden aber Zollabgaben fällig.

Marrero kündigte in der Fernsehansprache an der Seite von Präsident Miguel Díaz-Canel auch an, dass die Stromerzeugung verbessert und die Produktion von Medikamenten ausgebaut werden solle. » | Quelle: AFP/dpa | Donnerstag, 15. Juli 2021

Merkel und die vier Präsidenten von Amerika

Jul 14, 2021 • Angela Merkel (CDU) besucht am Donnerstag die USA - wohl zum letzten Mal als Bundeskanzlerin. In fast 16 Jahren Amtszeit hat sie mit vier sehr unterschiedlichen US-Präsidenten zusammengearbeitet. Ein Rückblick über Höhen und Tiefen. © AFP, DPA

A Cuba, le gouvernement fait un premier geste face aux pénuries

LE MONDE : Le gouvernement va autoriser temporairement les habitants à rapporter de voyage des aliments, médicaments et produits d’hygiène sans payer de taxes.

Une première mesure pour apaiser la population, à Cuba, trois jours après des manifestations historiques. Le gouvernement a annoncé, mercredi 14 juillet, autoriser temporairement les habitants à rapporter de voyage des aliments, médicaments et produits d’hygiène sans payer de taxes et sans limite de valeur. » | Le Monde avec AFP | jeudi 15 juillet 2021

Erdogan marque les cinq ans d'un putsch manqué qui a transformé la Turquie

Pour nombre d'analystes, le coup d'État manqué a surtout hâté la dérive autoritaire d'Erdogan, qui a considérablement renforcé ses pouvoirs en 2017 en remplaçant le système parlementaire par un régime présidentiel fort. YVES HERMAN / REUTERS
LE FIGARO : Le président turc doit prononcer jeudi un discours devant des milliers de partisans à Ankara et inaugurer un «musée de la démocratie».

Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan célèbre jeudi 15 juillet le cinquième anniversaire d'une sanglante tentative de coup d'État qui lui a permis d'asseoir son pouvoir au prix d'une interminable répression et de tensions avec les pays occidentaux.

Dans la nuit du 15 au 16 juillet 2016, des éléments factieux de l'armée déployaient des chars dans les rues pendant que des avions survolaient Istanbul et Ankara, bombardant plusieurs sites importants comme le Parlement. L'intervention d'éléments loyalistes et de dizaines de milliers de partisans d'Erdogan descendus dans la rue à l'appel du président avait permis de mettre en échec le soulèvement. Bilan: 251 personnes tuées, hors putschistes. Signe de l'importance historique qu'accorde Recep Tayyip Erdogan à la mise en échec du putsch, il doit prononcer jeudi un discours devant des milliers de partisans à Ankara et inaugurer un «musée de la démocratie» retraçant les principaux événements de cette nuit qui a, selon lui, «changé le destin» de la Turquie. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 15 juillet 2021

Pope Francis Returns to the Vatican After Surgery

Pope Francis greeted security guards and well-wishers on his way back to the Vatican after a 10-day hospital stay in Gemelli hospital in Rome for colon surgery.

Six arrestations après le meurtre de Samuel, nouvelle manif contre l'homophobie à Barcelone

Jul 10, 2021 • Les responsables de l’enquête ne privilégient pas la piste d’un crime homophobe et gardent “toutes les hypothèses” ouvertes.

Nouvelles connexes sur le meurtre horrible de Samuel Luiz ici

European Antisemitism from Its Origins to the Holocaust

Mar 29, 2021 • This 13-minute film introduces the history of antisemitism. The term was coined in the 19th century and refers to prejudice against or hatred of Jews. But as this film shows, anti-Jewish hostility goes back many centuries—to the era of early Christianity and the Middle Ages. As a religious minority, Jews in Christian-dominant Europe were consistently persecuted as “outsiders.” They became scapegoats and victims of targeted violence in times of severe hardship and economic and political change.

Anti-Jewish prejudices endured and took on new forms as western societies became more secular in the 19th century, and Jews gained more rights and opportunities. Some politicians used “the Jews” as scapegoats in their attempts to gain support from people left behind by economic change. Ultra-nationalists, seeking ethnically homogeneous nations, saw Jews as biologically “foreign”—a different “race.” Antisemites also hatched conspiracy theories about “Jewish power” and that, after World War I and the Russian Revolution, linked Jews to Communism.

These radical strands of racial antisemitism, tied to ethnic nationalism and conspiracy myths, became core elements of Nazi ideology as the party was forming in the aftermath of World War I. After the Nazis took power in 1933, these ideas became state policy and underpinned anti-Jewish laws and decrees. Nazi propaganda portrayed Germany’s Jews as an “alien,” biological threat to the survival of the German people. During World War II, this racial antisemitism motivated Nazi policy that evolved into mass murder and genocide. Nazi officials also exploited longstanding traditional prejudices towards Jews in the countries they conquered to gain help from non-Germans to locate, round up, deport, and kill Jews.

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