A Love Story: James St. James on the Film Out of Iraq w/ Nayyef Hrebid and Btoo Allami

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Elizabeth Warren schimpft über Jeff Bezos

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG: „Jeff Bezos hat Amerikaner vergessen, die Steuern gezahlt haben“

Jeff Bezos‘ Ausflug ins All hat nicht allen gefallen. In sozialen Medien wurde der Amazon-Gründer nach der Rückkehr seiner Raumkapsel New Shepard am Dienstag als betriebsblind verurteilt, weil er sich bei den Angestellten und Kunden des Online-Händlers dafür bedankte, seine Reise in den Weltraum bezahlt zu haben. Während des ersten Corona-Jahres 2020 war Bezos wiederholt wegen der Arbeitsbedingungen bei Amazon kritisiert worden. In den vergangenen Monaten wurde zudem Kritik an Steuerbefreiungen für das Unternehmen laut. „Jeff Bezos hat vergessen, den hart arbeitenden Amerikanern zu danken, die tatsächlich Steuern gezahlt haben, um das Land am Laufen zu halten“, wetterte auch Elizabeth Warren, Senatorin und frühere Präsidentschaftsbewerberin der Demokraten. Weiter lesen / Neues von den Promis » | FAZ Small Talk | Mittwoch, 21. Juli 2021

Orbán kündigt Referendum über Anti-LGBTQ-Gesetz an

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: Ungarns Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán hat ein Referendum über das umstrittene Anti-LGBTQ-Gesetz angekündigt. Die Einleitung eines Vertragsverletzungsverfahren durch die EU sei ein Angriff auf Ungarn.

Ungarns rechtskonservativer Regierungschef Viktor Orbán hat ein Referendum über das umstrittene LGBTQ-Gesetz in seinem Land angekündigt und fordert damit Brüssel heraus. In einem auf seiner Facebook-Seite veröffentlichten Video rief Orbán die Bevölkerung am Mittwoch dazu auf, das von der EU scharf kritisierte Gesetz zu unterstützen. Die englische Abkürzung LGBTQ steht für lesbisch, schwul, bisexuell, transgender und queer. Angehörige dieser sexuellen Minderheiten werden aus Sicht von Kritikern in Ungarn diskriminiert. » | Quelle: AFP | Mittwoch, 21. Juli 2021

Scandale Pegasus : Emmanuel Macron sur la liste des cibles du Maroc

LE POINT : Le Maroc a sélectionné l’un des numéros du chef de l’État en 2019 pour une possible infection de son téléphone avec le logiciel Pegasus, révèle France Info.

Les révélations se poursuivent au sujet du projet Pegasus. Ce mardi 20 juillet, France Info et 16 autres médias indiquent qu’Emmanuel Macron faisait partie des cibles du Maroc. L’un des numéros de portable du chef de l’État a été sélectionné en 2019 par les services de renseignements marocains pour une éventuelle infection par le logiciel espion développé par la société NSO.

Plusieurs numéros appartenant à des membres de l’entourage d’Emmanuel Macron, comme son ancien chef de la sécurité, Alexandre Benalla, ont également été sélectionnés comme cibles potentielles par les services marocains. De son côté, Le Monde souligne que les numéros de l'ancien Premier ministre Édouard Philippe et de 14 autres ministres, dont Jean-Yves Le Drian, Christophe Castaner, Gérald Darmanin, Bruno Le Maire ou François de Rugy, étaient également sélectionnés par le logiciel espion Pegasus. Des parlementaires et responsables politiques comme François Bayrou du MoDem, le député de La France insoumise Adrien Quatennens, ou encore Gilles Le Gendre figuraient également sur la liste. » | Par LePoint.fr (avec AFP) | Publié : mardi 20 juillet ; modfié : mercredi 21 juillet 2021

Grèce : un couvre-feu instauré à Mykonos, l'île de la fête

LE FIGARO : Depuis ce week-end, il est interdit de circuler de 1 h à 6 h du matin sur l'île la plus touristique des Cyclades en raison d'une hausse «inquiétante» des contaminations au Covid-19.

À Mykonos, le Covid-19 vient remettre en cause la fête. La Grèce a imposé samedi un couvre-feu de cinq heures entre 1 h et 6 h et d'autres restrictions sur l'île touristique des Cyclades, connue pour ses nuits festives, en raison d'une hausse «inquiétante» des contaminations au Covid-19, ont annoncé les autorités.

«Nous appelons les habitants, les visiteurs et les commerçants de notre belle île à appliquer fidèlement les mesures (...) afin que la dissémination du virus puisse être rapidement contrôlée et que Mykonos puisse revenir à la normale», déclare le vice-ministre à la Protection civile, Nikos Hardalias. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | lundi 19 juillet 2021

Boris Johnson’s Aides Plotted to Oust Him as PM, Dominic Cummings Claims

Dominic Cummings suggested to Laura Kuenssberg that a new political party should be set up to ‘kill’ off the Conservatives. Photograph: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA
THE GUARDIAN: BBC interview reveals people decided Johnson was unfit to be PM within weeks of 2019 election victory

Boris Johnson’s closest aides decided he was unfit to be prime minister within weeks of his 2019 election victory and began plotting to oust him, Dominic Cummings has claimed.

In his first TV interview since quitting as one of the most senior advisers in No 10, Cummings levelled repeated criticism of his former boss, saying aides feared Johnson had no plan to run the country and was only obsessed with “stupid” infrastructure projects.

He accused the prime minister’s wife, Carrie, of trying to “appoint complete clowns to certain key jobs”, claiming she wanted to be “pulling the strings” at the heart of government instead of the old Vote Leave team, and suggested a new political party be set up to “kill” off the Conservatives. » | Aubrey Allegretti, Political correspondent | Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Dominic Cummings pulls back the curtain and declares his genius »

I have myself been saying this for a very long time! I have been stating that the Conservatives need to be replaced by a progressive, business-friendly party. My line was that the Tories need to go the way of the Whigs: into oblivion!

I have never been a big fan of Dominic Cummings, but I must say that reading this, makes the man more appealing to me.

I used to be a dyed-in-the-wool Conservative voter. That was until Cameron had the less-than-bright idea of calling a referendum on our membership of the European Union, which we all know led to the fiasco of Brexit. Because of Brexit, I shall never cast my vote for the Conservatives again. And as a result of Brexit, I have become disenfranchised.

Boris Johnson—I prefer to give him the disparaging nomenclature, BoJo, because it makes him sound like the clown he truly is—was never a committed Brexiteer; rather, it was a convenient way for him to become prime minister. Even as a child, Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson wanted to be “king of the world.” Needless to say, that position is, and never has been, vacant! So he had to settle for what he considered to be second-best: he had to become the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom instead. Brexit was the tool he used to get the keys to Number 10.

There’s one big problem with that, though: Brexit has rendered the once very united United Kingdom into a rather fractious disUnited Kingdom. And the Tories have caused this problem by projecting the rift that was once chronic and unhealing in their party onto the United Kingdom itself; so, the party’s problem has now become the nation's problem. Cameron’s idiocy has caused this as have the greed and fossil-like nature of the top echelons within the Conservative Party itself.

Yes! Dominic Cummings is spot-on when he says that the Conservatives need to be “killed off” and replaced by a new party. Yes! Yes! Yes! The Conservatives need to go find the dodo and keep it company!

This country needs a progressive, business-friendly, pro-European party, one that will allow business to flourish but ensure a modicum of equality for all. The wealth gap in this country is as unfair as it is immoral. There is something radically wrong and mis-managed about a country in which people poor enough to have to use food banks to help put food on the table for their children have to co-exist with squillionaires. Such a juxtaposition of extremes is obscene. A scenario brought about by the policies of the Tories. Yes, we need a party that is very business-friendly; but no, we don't need obscenities like this! – © Mark

Leyna Bloom Is Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’s First Trans Cover Star

Leyna Bloom in 2019. Photograph: Julien de Rosa/EPA
THE GUARDIAN: Model, who is black and Filipino, is also the first ever trans woman of color to be featured in the magazine

Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue has unveiled its first ever transgender cover star, Leyna Bloom.

The model follows in the footsteps of model Valentina Sampaio, who was the first trans model to appear in the pages of the magazine last July. Bloom, who is black and Filipino, is also the first ever trans woman of color to be featured in the magazine.

Writing on Instagram, Bloom said the appearance “heals a lot of pain”. She wrote: “We deserve this moment; we have waited millions of years to show up as survivors and be seen as full humans filled with wonder.”

Bloom, who was part of New York’s ballroom scene, wrote: “This historical moment is important to #girlslikeus because it allows us to live and be seen.” » | Priya Elan | Monday, July 18, 2021

Bitcoin Price Slides amid EU Call to Make Transfers Traceable, and Rise of ‘Stablecoins’

THE GUARDIAN: European regulator want banks to hold personal details of cryptocurrency clients, while US wants swift work to establish less volatile ‘stablecoins’

Bitcoin has slipped below $30,000 as calls grew among regulators in the US, Europe and Asia for tighter checks on cryptocurrencies, and the less volatile digi-currency known as “stablecoins”.

Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency fell as much as 5% to $29,300, its lowest since 22 June, and investors said it was likely to test the $28,600 level touched last month, its lowest since early January, as it faced a variety of regulatory headwinds. Smaller cryptocurrencies such as ether and XRP also lost around 5%.

On Tuesday, European regulators outlined plans to make cryptocurrencies more traceable as part of a wider crackdown on money-laundering in the bloc.

The European Commission said companies handling virtual assets, such as bitcoin, should become subject to anti-money laundering rules, along with transparency requirements for transfers of crypto assets. » | Martin Farrer | Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Phil Collins - Can't Stop Loving You (Official Music Video)

May 11, 2010 • @Genesis The Last Domino? North American Fall Tour 2021 | Views on YouTube: 34,274,747 | Tickets now on sale here |

Zärtlicher schwuler Kuß des Tages

Tender, gay kiss of the day / Bisou du jour, tendre et très gay !
Bild dank 'Google Images' und 'The Atlantic'.
The first primetime gay male kiss in Brazil's history aired in 2014 when Félix and Niko, of Globo network's popular telenovela Amor à Vida, shared a kiss in the show's final episode. Brazil Airs First Primetime Gay Male Kiss »

BBC: 'Historic' gay kiss on Brazilian TV »

Mahler Symphony No 5 Adagietto – Herbert von Karajan

Jul 25, 2013 • Slide-show of Venice with contemporary photographs and antique oil paintings. Symphony No5 /Mahler/ Adagietto/ Berlin Philharmoniker/Herbert von Karajan. The 1974 recording - Deutsche Grammophon

Democracy Now! Amnesty International: Julian Assange’s “Arbitrary” Detention Must End. Release Him Now.

Jul 20, 2021 • As WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange faces up to 175 years in prison if he is extradited to the U.S. under the Espionage Act for publishing classified documents exposing U.S. war crimes, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnès Callamard says his detention since 2010 “is arbitrary and that he should be released.” She adds that allegations made against him by the U.S. authorities “raise a large number of problems and red flags in relation to freedom of the press.”

‘Everything Is On Fire’: Siberia Hit by Unprecedented Burning

THE GUARDIAN: Locals fear for their health and property as smoke from raging forest fires shrouds an entire region of eastern Russia

Every morning and evening for the last few days, shifts of young villagers have headed out into the taiga forest around Teryut with a seemingly impossible task: to quell the raging fires that have burned closer and closer for a month, shrouding this remote eastern Siberian village in an acrid haze.

So far, little has worked. Amid the worst wildfire season in memory, locals have vowed to defend their village to the last, sending away small children for their protection from the smog while they stay on to fight back the flames.

“For a month already you can’t see anything through the smoke,” said Varvara, a 63-year-old pensioner from Teryut, a village in the Oymyakonsky district. “We have already sent the small children away. And the fires are very close, just 2km [1.2 miles] from our village.” » | Andrew Roth in Moscow | Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Israeli PM: Ben & Jerry’s Sales Ban Will Have ‘Serious Consequences’

Naftali Bennett’s office said the Ben & Jerry’s ban would have ‘serious consequences, legal and otherwise’.Photograph: Gil Cohen-Magen/EPA
THE GUARDIAN: Naftali Bennett hits back at Unilever after subsidiary stops selling ice-cream in occupied territories

The decision by Ben & Jerry’s to stop selling its ice-cream products in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has been met with fierce criticism from the Israeli political establishment, including a warning from the prime minister, Naftali Bennett, that the decision will have “serious consequences” for Ben & Jerry’s and its parent company, Unilever.

The announcement from the ice-cream maker, which has also taken political stances on the climate crisis and social justice issues such as Black Lives Matter, is one of the highest-profile rebukes of Israeli settlement building to date by a well-known brand. » | Bethan McKernan, Middle East correspondent | Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Gay Farmers Call for Help

In the UK, many LGBTQ farmers feel isolated and live a life plagued by secrecy and guilt. Their only solace is a phone number. This short documentary illuminates their experiences through reconstructive visuals over recorded telephone conversations that are both shocking and candid.

Being Gay in Nazi Germany | Full Documentary

A documentary from 2000 detailing the stories of gay people who were persecuted in Nazi Germany because of their sexuality.

Because this is age-restricted, it cannot be embedded here. This is a serious and informative documentary. It is not suitable for the squeamish or for the faint of heart. But it comes highly recommended. It gives us a chance to see how life was in Nazi Germany for persecuted homosexuals. Please click here to view this fascinating, insightful but extremely tragic documentary. It really is an excellent documentary. Extremely well done. Warning: It is absolutely NOT suitable for children! – Mark

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Out of Iraq – Documentary Shows Gay Love and Risk in Iraq

Jun 8, 2016 • OUT OF IRAQ is a documentary about two enlisted men in Iraq – one an Iraqi soldier, the other a U.S. translator – who fall in love before being forced to flee when one becomes the target for an honor killing. Nayyef and Btoo, the subjects of the new documentary, and director Chris McKim discuss the creation of the film, homosexuality in Iraq and the humanitarian efforts of Michael Failla in this episode of BYOD hosted by Ondi Timoner.

Australia: Growing Up Gay in the Country I The Feed

Oct 6, 2014 • Ivan hasn’t been back to his rural hometown of Tumut NSW in 21 years. He left as a teenager after a childhood of bullying about his sexuality, and never looked back. Until now. | Views on YouTube: 217,972

Biden Considers Reauthorizing Remittances and Sending More Diplomats to Cuba

THE RIO TIMES: The U.S. government on Monday announced it is considering reauthorizing remittances to Cuba and also the transfer of more diplomatic officials to the island, two ex-president Donald Trump's measures that Joe Biden would reverse.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - President Biden decided to explore these measures following July 11 protests in Cuba, the largest in several decades, as reported by a U.S. official.

The package of measures includes the setting up of a "working group on remittances" intended to "identify the most effective way" for the money to "directly reach the hands of the Cuban people," among others.

In November last year Trump banned the sending of remittances to Cuba, a measure with which the U.S. rapidly increased the economic suffocation of the island and which Biden has maintained during his first six . . . » | Latin America News | Tuesday, July 20, 2021 | [ R$ ]

Subscriptions to this excellent, Brazilian English-language newspaper, The Rio Times, are available here

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines — July 20, 2021