Thursday, October 22, 2020
Ronald Reagan's Son: We Have Grifters in the White House
Poland Rules Abortion Due to Foetal Defects Unconstitutional
THE GUARDIAN: Constitutional court’s ruling could pave way for governing PiS party to move ahead with legislative ban
Poland’s constitutional tribunal has ruled that abortion due to foetal defects is unconstitutional, rejecting the most common of the few legal grounds for pregnancy termination in the predominantly Catholic country.
The chief justice, Julia Przyłębska, said in a ruling that existing legislation – one of Europe’s most restrictive – that allows for the abortion of malformed foetuses was “incompatible” with the constitution.
After the ruling goes into effect, abortion will only be permissible in Poland in the case of rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s health and life, which make up only about 2% of legal terminations conducted in recent years.
The verdict drew immediate condemnation from the Council of Europe, whose commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović, called it “a sad day for women’s rights”.
“Removing the basis for almost all legal abortions in Poland amounts to a ban and violates human rights,” Mijatović tweeted.
“Today’s ruling ... means underground/abroad abortions for those who can afford and even greater ordeal for all others.” » | Staff and agencies in Warsaw | Thursday, October 22, 2020
US signs anti-abortion declaration with group of largely authoritarian governments »
The Christian fundamentalists are plunging the West into darkness! Does Poland really belong in the European Union? Further, should we be looking to America for leadership anymore? – Mark
Poland’s constitutional tribunal has ruled that abortion due to foetal defects is unconstitutional, rejecting the most common of the few legal grounds for pregnancy termination in the predominantly Catholic country.
The chief justice, Julia Przyłębska, said in a ruling that existing legislation – one of Europe’s most restrictive – that allows for the abortion of malformed foetuses was “incompatible” with the constitution.
After the ruling goes into effect, abortion will only be permissible in Poland in the case of rape, incest or a threat to the mother’s health and life, which make up only about 2% of legal terminations conducted in recent years.
The verdict drew immediate condemnation from the Council of Europe, whose commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatović, called it “a sad day for women’s rights”.
“Removing the basis for almost all legal abortions in Poland amounts to a ban and violates human rights,” Mijatović tweeted.
“Today’s ruling ... means underground/abroad abortions for those who can afford and even greater ordeal for all others.” » | Staff and agencies in Warsaw | Thursday, October 22, 2020
US signs anti-abortion declaration with group of largely authoritarian governments »
The Christian fundamentalists are plunging the West into darkness! Does Poland really belong in the European Union? Further, should we be looking to America for leadership anymore? – Mark
Coronavirus: How Well Do Patients Recover from It? | COVID-19 Special
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Warning of Tens of Thousands of Deaths in England from Covid-19 Second Wave
THE GUARDIAN: Tiered lockdown system not adequate for preventing high rate of virus infections daily, epidemiologist tells MPs
Tens of thousands of deaths are now inevitable in a second wave of coronavirus infections sweeping across England because of the failure to contain the virus, a government scientific adviser has warned.
John Edmunds, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told MPs on Wednesday that without further measures England’s tiered Covid-19 strategy would lead to high numbers of new infections every day, putting the NHS under strain and driving up the death toll.
“If you look at where we are, there is no way we come out of this wave now without counting our deaths in the tens of thousands,” Edmunds, an epidemiologist, told the joint hearing of the Commons science and technology committee, and the health and social care committee. » | Ian Sample, Science editor | Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Tens of thousands of deaths are now inevitable in a second wave of coronavirus infections sweeping across England because of the failure to contain the virus, a government scientific adviser has warned.
John Edmunds, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told MPs on Wednesday that without further measures England’s tiered Covid-19 strategy would lead to high numbers of new infections every day, putting the NHS under strain and driving up the death toll.
“If you look at where we are, there is no way we come out of this wave now without counting our deaths in the tens of thousands,” Edmunds, an epidemiologist, told the joint hearing of the Commons science and technology committee, and the health and social care committee. » | Ian Sample, Science editor | Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Samuel Paty Posthumously Awarded French Légion d’Honneur
The French teacher decapitated while returning home last week has been posthumously awarded the Légion d’honneur, hours after France’s anti-terrorism prosecutor said the killer had paid two pupils from the school to identify his victim.
At a private ceremony in the main amphitheatre of the Sorbonne university on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron bestowed the country’s highest honour on the family of Samuel Paty, 47, who was killed on Friday after showing his class two cartoons of the prophet Muhammad as part of a discussion on free speech.
An audience of about 400 people, including children, friends, relatives and former presidents, then paid tribute to the history and geography teacher in the university’s main courtyard, during an emotional public service broadcast live on television.
Paty was “a quiet hero”, a visibly moved Macron said in a 15-minute speech. “He was the victim of stupidity, of lies, of confusion, of a hatred of what, in our deepest essence, we are … On Friday, he became the face of the Republic.” » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Pope Francis Backs Same-sex Civil Unions
THE GUARDIAN: Pontiff’s endorsement likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in Catholic church
Pope Francis has given his most explicit support to same-sex civil unions in a move that is likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in the Catholic church.
His comments came in an interview in a documentary film, Francesco, which premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday.
He said: “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.” » | Harriet Sherwood \ Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Pope Francis has given his most explicit support to same-sex civil unions in a move that is likely to further enrage his conservative opponents in the Catholic church.
His comments came in an interview in a documentary film, Francesco, which premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday.
He said: “Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that.” » | Harriet Sherwood \ Wednesday, October 21, 2020
She Lost Her Husband to Covid-19. Hear Her Tough Words for Trump
Trump Pressures Barr to Investigate Joe and Hunter Biden | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Rassismus in der Schweiz – Moderatorin Angélique Beldner über Alltagsrassismus | Doku | SRF DOK
Angélique Beldner ist die erste schwarze News-Moderatorin des Schweizer Fernsehens. Ihre Hautfarbe und den Rassismus, den sie erlebt hat, wollte sie allerdings nie zum Thema machen. Bis zu diesem Sommer, der alles verändert hat.
In Frutigen verbrachte sie ihre ersten Jahre, in der Agglomeration von Bern wuchs sie auf. Angélique Beldner, 44 Jahre alt, verheiratet, Mutter zweier Kinder. In einer weitgehend behüteten Umgebung wurde sie gross. Die weisse Mutter alleinerziehend, unterstützt von der Schweizer Grossfamilie, der schwarze Vater weit weg.
«Ich bin voll und ganz Schweizerin, realisierte aber schon früh, dass ich anders war. Ich habe diese Erinnerung, wie sich Menschen in den Kinderwagen beugen und meine Haare berühren. Das begleitet mich bis heute und ist mir sehr unangenehm. Leute, die mir ungefragt ins Haar langen, das gibt es immer noch», sagt Angélique Beldner.
Trotzdem: Solche Erlebnisse behält sie für sich. Wenn, spricht sie nur mit ihrer Mutter darüber. Beldners Strategie war stets: Rassismus überhören oder ihn kleinreden. «Bis zu diesem Sommer hat das bestens funktioniert.»
«Black Lives Matter» hat ihre heile Welt aus den Fugen gebracht: «Auf einmal fragten mich alle nach meiner Meinung zum Thema Rassismus, und ich realisierte: Wenn alle schweigen, so wie ich, wird sich nie etwas verändern», sagt Beldner.
SRF Reporter begleitet Angélique Beldner auf Spurensuche ihrer eigenen Vergangenheit in der Schweiz. Warum hat Beldner Rassismus stets beschönigt und nicht sehen wollen? Warum fällt es ihr so schwer, darüber zu reden? Angélique Beldner spricht mit engen Familienangehörigen erstmals über ihre Hautfarbe und macht dabei auch schmerzhafte Erfahrungen.
In Frutigen verbrachte sie ihre ersten Jahre, in der Agglomeration von Bern wuchs sie auf. Angélique Beldner, 44 Jahre alt, verheiratet, Mutter zweier Kinder. In einer weitgehend behüteten Umgebung wurde sie gross. Die weisse Mutter alleinerziehend, unterstützt von der Schweizer Grossfamilie, der schwarze Vater weit weg.
«Ich bin voll und ganz Schweizerin, realisierte aber schon früh, dass ich anders war. Ich habe diese Erinnerung, wie sich Menschen in den Kinderwagen beugen und meine Haare berühren. Das begleitet mich bis heute und ist mir sehr unangenehm. Leute, die mir ungefragt ins Haar langen, das gibt es immer noch», sagt Angélique Beldner.
Trotzdem: Solche Erlebnisse behält sie für sich. Wenn, spricht sie nur mit ihrer Mutter darüber. Beldners Strategie war stets: Rassismus überhören oder ihn kleinreden. «Bis zu diesem Sommer hat das bestens funktioniert.»
«Black Lives Matter» hat ihre heile Welt aus den Fugen gebracht: «Auf einmal fragten mich alle nach meiner Meinung zum Thema Rassismus, und ich realisierte: Wenn alle schweigen, so wie ich, wird sich nie etwas verändern», sagt Beldner.
SRF Reporter begleitet Angélique Beldner auf Spurensuche ihrer eigenen Vergangenheit in der Schweiz. Warum hat Beldner Rassismus stets beschönigt und nicht sehen wollen? Warum fällt es ihr so schwer, darüber zu reden? Angélique Beldner spricht mit engen Familienangehörigen erstmals über ihre Hautfarbe und macht dabei auch schmerzhafte Erfahrungen.
Boris Johnson and Evgeny Lebedev: A Decade of Politics, Parties and Peerages
The theme of the party attended by Boris Johnson was unmistakable. On the first floor was a mural of Joseph Stalin, dressed in green military uniform. A hammer and sickle decorated the windows. In the centre of the room was an ice sculpture in the shape of a pistol, from where a barman dispensed vodka shots.
A gun – presumably fake – lay on a red double bed in the basement, next to an outdoor smoking area. “Do you like my gun?” the party’s host, Evgeny Lebedev, reportedly asked one visitor. There was also a stuffed bear.
It was Friday 15 December 2017. Lebedev’s parties held in London and at his palazzo in Umbria, Italy, are a highlight of the social calendar. At this particular USSR–themed bash there was champagne, as much as you could drink, a caviar station, a dancefloor and a DJ, and a guest list including A-list actors, rock stars and members of the cabinet.
The most senior was Johnson, then foreign secretary. The prime minister is a regular attendee of parties hosted by Lebedev, which have a reputation for decadence. Prior to the December event, an email had told staff hired for their model looks to prepare for excess. “This party will be on the wilder side so PLEASE BEHAVE YOURSELF,” it said.
The question of how wild it was depends on who is asked. One attendee called it a “vodka assault course” – others say it was more restrained. » | Luke Harding and Dan Sabbagh | Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Evgeny Lebedev: 'Russia is not a homophobic country' »
Jamal Khashoggi's Fiancée Sues Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
The fiancée of the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is suing the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and two dozen other Saudis in the US courts, accusing them of direct involvement in the dissident’s gruesome killing in Istanbul two years ago.
Hatice Cengiz and Democracy for the Arab World Now (Dawn), a Washington-based rights group set up by Khashoggi shortly before his death, filed a lawsuit in the US district court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday seeking unspecified damages against the kingdom’s de facto leader and 28 “co-conspirators” over the killing.
Khashoggi broke with the Saudi elite in 2017 and moved to the US, where he began to write critically about Saudi government policy as a columnist for the Washington Post. » | Bethan McKernan in Istanbul | Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Trump Says Biden Is Lucky AG Barr Hasn't Locked Him Up | Morning Joe | MSNBC
Desperate Don! – Mark
New Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin for Allegedly Masturbating on Zoom Call
The New Yorker magazine has suspended one of its long-time staff writers, legal expert Jeffrey Toobin, while it investigates a report that he was allegedly masturbating during a Zoom work call earlier this month.
“I made an embarrassingly stupid mistake, believing I was off-camera,” Toobin said in a statement on Monday about the situation, first reported by Vice.
He added: “I apologize to my wife, family, friends and co-workers. I thought I had muted the Zoom video, I thought no one on the Zoom call could see me.”
He has so far declined to confirm details. » | Guardian staff | Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Monday, October 19, 2020
Trump Says Americans 'Tired of Hearing Fauci and All These Idiots' Discuss Covid
Donald Trump has once again attacked his top public health expert, using a call with campaign staff on Monday to call Anthony Fauci “a disaster” and to claim “people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots” discuss ways to combat the coronavirus.
The president spoke one day after CBS’s 60 Minutes aired an interview with Fauci, in which the 79-year-old said he was “absolutely not” surprised Trump recently contracted the coronavirus himself, because he was holding crowded events with minimal social distancing and mask usage in the days before he developed symptoms.
Fauci also told CBS the White House had been controlling his media appearances.
“I certainly have not been allowed to go on many, many, many shows that have asked for me,” he said, adding that restrictions had been inconsistent. » | Joan E Greve in Washington | Monday, October 19, 2020
The real idiot is Trump. He is the one that people are tired of hearing speak and being spoken of. – Mark
What Are the Rules of Wales's Circuit Breaker Coronavirus Lockdown?
THE GUARDIAN: We look at what the measures are, when they begin, and for how long they will be in place
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has announced a two-week national lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Read the article » | Steven Morris | Monday, October 19, 2020
The Welsh first minister, Mark Drakeford, has announced a two-week national lockdown to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Read the article » | Steven Morris | Monday, October 19, 2020
Fauci on His Media Restrictions, Trump Contracting Covid, Masks, Voting and More
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Teacher Beheaded Near Paris after Showing Class Images of Mohammed | ABC News
Thousands in France Pay Tribute to Beheaded Teacher | DW News
Dekadenz | Doku | ARTE
Erst die Orgie, dann der Untergang: Dekadenz ist der Anfang vom Ende, lautet der Verdacht, für Zivilisationen und Kulturepochen. Der Dokumentarfilm von Wilfried Hauke beginnt in der Welt der alten Römer, erzählt von ihren Gelagen und Gelüsten und folgt dem Mythos vom Untergang der Kulturen über die Kunstepoche der Décadence und des Fin de Siecle bis in unsere Gegenwart
Dekadenz ist der Anfang vom Ende, lautet der Verdacht, für Zivilisationen und Kulturepochen. Doch das ausschweifende Leben von Reichen und Privilegierten ist nur eine Seite der Medaille. Dekadenz und Zerfall reizen in Literatur und bildender Kunst seit Jahrhunderten auch durch ästhetische Widerspruchskraft und die ironische Brechung von Tabus. Die Dokumentation des preisgekrönten Regisseurs Wilfried Hauke beginnt in die Welt der alten Römer an ihrer Lieblingstherme Baia im Golf von Sorrent, erzählt von ihren Gelagen und Gelüsten und folgt dem Mythos vom Untergang der Kulturen über die Kunstepoche der Décadence und des Fin de Siècle bis in unsere Gegenwart. Der Film entdeckt dabei das Dekadente auch als neuen Kampfbegriff der Kulturen. Er trifft dabei auf Kulturhistoriker, Philosophen, Theologen und Soziologen wie Jürgen Wertheimer, Michaël Fœssel, Wolf Eiermann und die Tauchlehrerin Cristina Canoro, die den Zuschauer sowohl in die Römertherme von Baia wie nach Neapel, in die Stadt des Untergangs, führt. Und er begleitet neue Décadences bei ihren Akten der Provokation und des Dandyismus. Der Film zeigt einen radikaler werdenden Moralismus, der aus der eigenen Mitte der westlichen Welt kommt. Selbst im liberalen Mainstream scheint genährt durch aktuelle Untergangsängste kein Platz mehr für sittliche Extravaganzen zu sein, für dunkle Genies wie zum Beispiel noch im 19. Jahrhundert Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire oder Egon Schiele. Zudem lauert Ungemach von einer neuen negativen Strömung politischer Dekadenz: extreme Populisten und Neo-Faschisten beschimpfen den westlichen Lifestyle und die Demokratie als verdorben und reden deren Untergang herbei.
Dokumentation (D 2019, 54 Min)
Dekadenz ist der Anfang vom Ende, lautet der Verdacht, für Zivilisationen und Kulturepochen. Doch das ausschweifende Leben von Reichen und Privilegierten ist nur eine Seite der Medaille. Dekadenz und Zerfall reizen in Literatur und bildender Kunst seit Jahrhunderten auch durch ästhetische Widerspruchskraft und die ironische Brechung von Tabus. Die Dokumentation des preisgekrönten Regisseurs Wilfried Hauke beginnt in die Welt der alten Römer an ihrer Lieblingstherme Baia im Golf von Sorrent, erzählt von ihren Gelagen und Gelüsten und folgt dem Mythos vom Untergang der Kulturen über die Kunstepoche der Décadence und des Fin de Siècle bis in unsere Gegenwart. Der Film entdeckt dabei das Dekadente auch als neuen Kampfbegriff der Kulturen. Er trifft dabei auf Kulturhistoriker, Philosophen, Theologen und Soziologen wie Jürgen Wertheimer, Michaël Fœssel, Wolf Eiermann und die Tauchlehrerin Cristina Canoro, die den Zuschauer sowohl in die Römertherme von Baia wie nach Neapel, in die Stadt des Untergangs, führt. Und er begleitet neue Décadences bei ihren Akten der Provokation und des Dandyismus. Der Film zeigt einen radikaler werdenden Moralismus, der aus der eigenen Mitte der westlichen Welt kommt. Selbst im liberalen Mainstream scheint genährt durch aktuelle Untergangsängste kein Platz mehr für sittliche Extravaganzen zu sein, für dunkle Genies wie zum Beispiel noch im 19. Jahrhundert Oscar Wilde, Charles Baudelaire oder Egon Schiele. Zudem lauert Ungemach von einer neuen negativen Strömung politischer Dekadenz: extreme Populisten und Neo-Faschisten beschimpfen den westlichen Lifestyle und die Demokratie als verdorben und reden deren Untergang herbei.
Dokumentation (D 2019, 54 Min)
Saturday, October 17, 2020
US Election: Do You Need Jesus to Win the White House? - BBC News
White evangelicals helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2016 but a different type of Christian voter could tip the result this time.
World Service Global Religion reporter Lebo Diseko asked a diverse group of Christians in North Carolina about what role their faith plays in how they pick a president.
World Service Global Religion reporter Lebo Diseko asked a diverse group of Christians in North Carolina about what role their faith plays in how they pick a president.
Goodbye Civil Rights: Amy Coney Barrett's America Is a Terrifying Place
Amy Coney Barrett’s America is a terrifying place
So that’s that then. The confirmation hearings are over and it is almost inevitable that Amy Coney Barrett will be confirmed as a supreme court justice before the November election. Barrett will shift the supreme court from a 5-4 conservative majority to a 6-3 super-majority, a move that could fundamentally reshape America. Goodbye civil rights, hello Gilead.
You’ve got to hand it to the Republicans really; they get things done. They don’t care about being called hypocrites. They don’t care about ignoring Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s dying wish that she not be replaced until after the election. They don’t care about common decency. They don’t care about democracy. They just care about power – and they will do whatever it takes to get it.
So just how bad will Barrett be? Could her confirmation mean the end of Roe v Wade and the federal right to an abortion in America? Is marriage equality in danger? Is it possible she could criminalize birth control? Is America on its way to becoming a Divine Republic? Are we going to look at The Handmaid’s Tale and realize it was a documentary? » | Arwa Mahdawi | Saturday, October 17, 2020
'On the Brink of Disaster': Europe's Covid Fight Takes a Turn for the Worse
THE GUARDIAN: As France imposes curfews, even countries that previously managed well are struggling badly
“It’s not a word I’ve heard in a long, long time,” an elderly Paris resident said, leaving her apartment in mask and gloves for an early expedition to the shops. “A curfew. That’s for wartime, isn’t it? But in a way I suppose that’s what this is.”
Europe’s second coronavirus wave took a dramatic turn for the worse this week, forcing governments across the continent to make tough choices as more than a dozen countries reported their highest ever number of new infections.
In France, 18 million people in nine big cities risk a fine from Saturday if they are not at home by 9pm. In the Czech Republic, schools have closed and medical students are being enlisted to help doctors. All Dutch bars and restaurants are shut.
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland are among countries to have broken daily case records, prompting the World Health Organization to call for an “uncompromising” effort to stem the spread.
Unfortunately, that requires making all but impossible compromises. » | Jon Henley in Paris | Friday, October 16, 2020
“It’s not a word I’ve heard in a long, long time,” an elderly Paris resident said, leaving her apartment in mask and gloves for an early expedition to the shops. “A curfew. That’s for wartime, isn’t it? But in a way I suppose that’s what this is.”
Europe’s second coronavirus wave took a dramatic turn for the worse this week, forcing governments across the continent to make tough choices as more than a dozen countries reported their highest ever number of new infections.
In France, 18 million people in nine big cities risk a fine from Saturday if they are not at home by 9pm. In the Czech Republic, schools have closed and medical students are being enlisted to help doctors. All Dutch bars and restaurants are shut.
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland are among countries to have broken daily case records, prompting the World Health Organization to call for an “uncompromising” effort to stem the spread.
Unfortunately, that requires making all but impossible compromises. » | Jon Henley in Paris | Friday, October 16, 2020
Friday, October 16, 2020
Why Did Trump Warn Wall Street About Covid?
Terror Inquiry after Teacher Beheaded Near Paris
BBC: A teacher has been beheaded in a north-western suburb of Paris, with the attacker shot dead by police.
The victim is said to have shown controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to his students.
The attack occurred at about 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) near a school. Anti-terror prosecutors are investigating.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene, calling the killing an "Islamist terrorist attack".
Mr Macron said he was murdered because he "taught freedom of expression". The victim has not been named. » | BBC | Friday, October 16, 2020
The victim is said to have shown controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad to his students.
The attack occurred at about 17:00 local time (15:00 GMT) near a school. Anti-terror prosecutors are investigating.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the scene, calling the killing an "Islamist terrorist attack".
Mr Macron said he was murdered because he "taught freedom of expression". The victim has not been named. » | BBC | Friday, October 16, 2020
Healthy Eyes – New Therapies Maintain Sight | DW Documentary
Eye conditions are increasing massively worldwide. Older people often suffer from cataracts or glaucoma. But younger people are also suffering from vision loss - they are becoming increasingly short-sighted. Around the globe, doctors are fighting against the deterioration of eyesight.
The documentary shows how doctors are working worldwide to combat eye diseases, introduces new healing methods and techniques and shows the possibilities and the limitations of modern ophthalmology.
In the Augsburg clinic "Am Forsterpark," for example, cataracts are treated with a femtosecond laser. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and only takes a few minutes. After anesthesia, the doctor cuts a 3mm slit in the lens capsule. Through the opening, the cloudy lens is shattered with the laser and sucked out. An artificial lens with two tiny hooks is then placed in the eye.
Most people in poorer parts of the world have no access to such high-tech care. Some 89 percent of people with visual impairments live in developing countries. There, the risk of going blind is ten times higher than in Germany. Many patients cannot even afford the trip to the clinic. Ophthalmologists like Dr. Sylvain El-Khoury therefore travel to the rural areas of Rwanda, Africa, several times a year and operate on up to 500 patients per week under the most basic conditions in "eye camps."
The doctors are also making progress in the treatment of myopia. The excessive use of smartphones, tablets and computers has ever greater medical consequences. According to a study by the University of Mainz, more than half of high school and university graduates already suffer from myopia. Shortsightedness can be corrected with glasses and treated with eye drops. But often the visual weakness increases over the years and myopia becomes a gateway for other eye diseases. Researchers at the University of Mainz have found that myopia is often not genetically determined but is due to our lifestyle. Doctors are therefore calling for a new approach to mobile phones and laptops.
The documentary shows how doctors are working worldwide to combat eye diseases, introduces new healing methods and techniques and shows the possibilities and the limitations of modern ophthalmology.
In the Augsburg clinic "Am Forsterpark," for example, cataracts are treated with a femtosecond laser. The procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and only takes a few minutes. After anesthesia, the doctor cuts a 3mm slit in the lens capsule. Through the opening, the cloudy lens is shattered with the laser and sucked out. An artificial lens with two tiny hooks is then placed in the eye.
Most people in poorer parts of the world have no access to such high-tech care. Some 89 percent of people with visual impairments live in developing countries. There, the risk of going blind is ten times higher than in Germany. Many patients cannot even afford the trip to the clinic. Ophthalmologists like Dr. Sylvain El-Khoury therefore travel to the rural areas of Rwanda, Africa, several times a year and operate on up to 500 patients per week under the most basic conditions in "eye camps."
The doctors are also making progress in the treatment of myopia. The excessive use of smartphones, tablets and computers has ever greater medical consequences. According to a study by the University of Mainz, more than half of high school and university graduates already suffer from myopia. Shortsightedness can be corrected with glasses and treated with eye drops. But often the visual weakness increases over the years and myopia becomes a gateway for other eye diseases. Researchers at the University of Mainz have found that myopia is often not genetically determined but is due to our lifestyle. Doctors are therefore calling for a new approach to mobile phones and laptops.
Dark Money & Barrett Nomination: The Link Between Big Polluters & the War on ACA, Roe & LGBT Rights
Steve Schmidt on Why Many Republican Voters Are Splitting from Trump | Deadline | MSNBC
Opinion: END OUR NATIONAL CRISIS
Donald Trump’s re-election campaign poses the greatest threat to American democracy since World War II.
Mr. Trump’s ruinous tenure already has gravely damaged the United States at home and around the world. He has abused the power of his office and denied the legitimacy of his political opponents, shattering the norms that have bound the nation together for generations. He has subsumed the public interest to the profitability of his business and political interests. He has shown a breathtaking disregard for the lives and liberties of Americans. He is a man unworthy of the office he holds.
The editorial board does not lightly indict a duly elected president. During Mr. Trump’s term, we have called out his racism and his xenophobia. We have critiqued his vandalism of the postwar consensus, a system of alliances and relationships around the globe that cost a great many lives to establish and maintain. We have, again and again, deplored his divisive rhetoric and his malicious attacks on fellow Americans. Yet when the Senate refused to convict the president for obvious abuses of power and obstruction, we counseled his political opponents to focus their outrage on defeating him at the ballot box.
Nov. 3 can be a turning point. This is an election about the country’s future, and what path its citizens wish to choose. » | BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD | Friday, October 16, 2020
Homosexualität in der Geschichte: Von der Antike bis heute
In der Antike gehört Homosexualität zum Alltag – und ist nicht strafbar. Mehr als ein Jahrtausend später im Mittelalter werden Homosexuelle verbrannt, die Nationalsozialisten unter Adolf Hitler verfolgen, misshandeln und töten homosexuelle Menschen. Wie sich der Umgang mit Homosexualität, vor allem der Kontext homosexueller Handlungen, im Laufe der Geschichte gewandelt hat, erfahrt Ihr in diesem Video mit MrWisssen2Go Mirko Drotschmann. Homosexualität als Begriff für gleichgeschlechtliche Liebe ist natürlich viel jünger als gleichgeschlechtliche sexuelle Handlungen und Liebe. Die gibt es vermutlich seit Beginn der Menschheitsgeschichte. Aus der Antike kennen wir einige Darstellungen solcher Handlungen. Die Praktiken sind weit verbreitet, haben aber eine andere Bedeutung als heute. Mirko erzählt Euch von antiken Vasen mit eindeutigen Bildern, homosexuellen Handlungen im Krieg, von Richard Löwenherz, der mit Philipp II. von Frankreich das Bett teilt, um seinen Vater zu verärgern. Dann geht es im Video über Homosexualität in der Geschichte um das christlich geprägte Mittelalter. Im Mittelalter werden Menschen für homosexuelle Praktiken bestraft. Vom Mittelalter und der Frühen Neuzeit an werden Homosexuelle bis weit ins 20. Jahrhundert kriminalisiert, stigmatisiert und verfolgt. Trauriger Höhepunkt ist die Verfolgung von Homosexuellen im Nationalsozialismus. Die Nazis richten eine eigene Behörde dafür ein, die „Reichszentrale zur Bekämpfung der Homosexualität und Abtreibung“. Auch nach dem sogenannten Dritten Reich werden homosexuelle Handlungen in der Bundesrepublik nach §175 des Strafgesetzbuches jahrzehntelang unter Strafe gestellt. 1994 wird der bereits abgemilderte Paragraph 175 in der Bundesrepublik komplett aufgehoben. In der DDR sind Homosexuelle seit 1988 rechtlich gleichgestellt. Mirko spricht auch über die LGBTQ+-Bewegung, die Stonewall-Aufstände in den USA, und damit einhergehende Veränderungen. In diesem Video versucht Mirko, die Geschichte des Umgangs mit Homosexualität nachzuzeichnen.
'Not married but willing to be!': men in love from the 1850s – in pictures »
'Not married but willing to be!': men in love from the 1850s – in pictures »
Thursday, October 15, 2020
Notre Dame Faculty Sign Open Letter Urging Judge Barrett to Halt Her Nomination | MSNBC
Full Interview: Senator Kamala Harris, Democratic VP Nominee, Talks with Rachel Maddow | MSNBC
US Election: What a Biden or Trump Victory Could Mean for Britain
THE GUARDIAN: It could be the most significant election for US foreign policy since 1940, with huge implications for the UK
The British government has a long history of misreading America – from Lord Palmerston expecting the Confederacy to survive the civil war, to Ernie Bevin being shocked that the US would not pay the UK’s postwar bills, to Tony Blair believing in 2003 that he could ride the US military tiger in Iraq and create a democracy.
Few serving or former British diplomats are confidently predicting the outcome of this November’s presidential election, or even whether an increasingly erratic Donald Trump will accept the result as legitimate. The collective delusion about the 2016 election hangs heavy.
Between now and polling day, two fears will stalk the Foreign Office. The first is of a late October surprise – a Trump military showstopper in the Middle East or the South China Sea, designed to convulse America. The betting is that caution will prevail. “Trump talks very tough, but he has a habit of not following through” said Peter Ricketts, the former UK national security adviser.
The second is of a November impasse – a constitutional crisis as Trump disputes the result. One former Foreign Office staff member said: “It is noticeable that Trump’s most consistent message this election is that it is rigged.” Kim Darroch, the former UK ambassador to Washington and an early Trump sceptic, notes all the preparations being made for a challenge in the supreme court.
All observers agree that if the US can reach a consensus on the outcome, it will be the most consequential election for American foreign policy since 1940. The implications, in turn, for the UK and for the kind of government Boris Johnson will lead are enormous. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Thursday, October 15, 2020
The British government has a long history of misreading America – from Lord Palmerston expecting the Confederacy to survive the civil war, to Ernie Bevin being shocked that the US would not pay the UK’s postwar bills, to Tony Blair believing in 2003 that he could ride the US military tiger in Iraq and create a democracy.
Few serving or former British diplomats are confidently predicting the outcome of this November’s presidential election, or even whether an increasingly erratic Donald Trump will accept the result as legitimate. The collective delusion about the 2016 election hangs heavy.
Between now and polling day, two fears will stalk the Foreign Office. The first is of a late October surprise – a Trump military showstopper in the Middle East or the South China Sea, designed to convulse America. The betting is that caution will prevail. “Trump talks very tough, but he has a habit of not following through” said Peter Ricketts, the former UK national security adviser.
The second is of a November impasse – a constitutional crisis as Trump disputes the result. One former Foreign Office staff member said: “It is noticeable that Trump’s most consistent message this election is that it is rigged.” Kim Darroch, the former UK ambassador to Washington and an early Trump sceptic, notes all the preparations being made for a challenge in the supreme court.
All observers agree that if the US can reach a consensus on the outcome, it will be the most consequential election for American foreign policy since 1940. The implications, in turn, for the UK and for the kind of government Boris Johnson will lead are enormous. » | Patrick Wintour, Diplomatic editor | Thursday, October 15, 2020
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
'He Knows': Trump Fixated on 'Likely' Loss to Biden, per Trump Insider | MSNBC
Harris: ‘People Are Scared’ of Losing ACA ‘in the Middle of a Pandemic’ | MSNBC
Wales to Ban Visitors from Covid Hotspots in England
THE GUARDIAN: First minister says he will act this week if UK government refuses to stop people travelling
People who live in Covid-19 hotspots in England are to be banned from travelling to Wales, the Welsh first minister has announced.
Mark Drakeford said he had asked for the “necessary work” to take place to allow devolved powers to be used to prevent people from travelling into Wales from “high prevalence” areas.
Drakeford claimed people in Wales were “anxious and fearful” and were “clamouring” for action to be taken. He said the Welsh government would act by the end of the week if the UK government continued to refuse to stop people travelling from English Covid hotspots.
He said: “Evidence from public health professionals suggests coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and across Wales.
“Much of Wales is now subject to local restriction measures because levels of the virus have risen and people living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their county boundary without a reasonable excuse. I am determined to keep Wales safe.” » | Steven Morris and Libby Brooks | Wednesday, October 14, 2020
People who live in Covid-19 hotspots in England are to be banned from travelling to Wales, the Welsh first minister has announced.
Mark Drakeford said he had asked for the “necessary work” to take place to allow devolved powers to be used to prevent people from travelling into Wales from “high prevalence” areas.
Drakeford claimed people in Wales were “anxious and fearful” and were “clamouring” for action to be taken. He said the Welsh government would act by the end of the week if the UK government continued to refuse to stop people travelling from English Covid hotspots.
He said: “Evidence from public health professionals suggests coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and across Wales.
“Much of Wales is now subject to local restriction measures because levels of the virus have risen and people living in those areas are not able to travel beyond their county boundary without a reasonable excuse. I am determined to keep Wales safe.” » | Steven Morris and Libby Brooks | Wednesday, October 14, 2020
VP Debate: Pence Can't Answer a Question
"Them"
"Unmasked"
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
The Dazzling Beauty of Elizabeth Taylor in Iran
Belgian Ex-King’s Love Child Wins Right to Royal Title
Delphine Boël, the Belgian King’s love-child, has won the right to call herself a princess after a seven-year legal battle to prove the former King Albert II, 86, is her father.
Boël, 52, was told she could use the royal title as well as the surname of the former monarch in a ruling by the Brussels Court of Appeal on Thursday 1 October. Boël’s lawyers confirmed that the aristocrat would take King Albert II’s name and be known as Delphine Saxe-Cobourg and Princess of Belgium.
Ms Boël, who works as an artist, has been reported to be Albert's illegitimate daughter since 1997. She will now be addressed as ‘Her Royal Highness’, and her two children Joséphine and Oscar will also have the title Princess and Prince. » | Rebecca Cope | Friday, October 2, 2020
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