Hungary’s Anti-LGBT Law: How Should the EU Respond? - BBC Newsnight

Jul 7, 2021 • As new anti-LGBT legislation comes into force in Hungary, despite EU warnings, how can the block deal with Orbán’s increasingly oppressive nature?

Hungary has long sailed close to the wind with its interpretation of European values. But right now, it’s on territory the EU is finding hard to ignore.

The country has introduced new laws banning any material that they say could 'promote' homosexuality in schools. The European commission has called this disgraceful - and an excuse to severely discriminate against people.

But will they go further than words? Ursula von der Leyen warned Viktor Orbán's government to repeal the legislation - or face the full force of EU law. But if Orbán resists - then what? Is this fight - that goes to the heart of what the bloc believes it stands for - one it is willing to have?

Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis is joined by campaigner Tamás Dombos from the Háttér Society.

Hungary's Anti-LGBTQ Law Comes into Effect | DW News

Jul 8, 2021 • A new Hungarian law that prohibits "promoting" LGBTQ content to young people comes into effect on Thursday. The controversial legislation has sparked a chorus of criticism, with European Union institutions threatening to take action against Hungary.

The restriction on young people's access to information about LGBTQ is part of a broader "Anti-Pedophilia Act," which originally focused on tougher penalties against child abuse. But the Hungarian parliament last month passed the bill with further amendments, including a ban on sex education and media content.

The law prohibits the "display or promotion" of homosexuality or gender reassignment in educational material or TV shows for people under 18. Balazs Hidveghi, a Hungarian MEP from the ruling Fidesz party, told DW that the law was "solely" to protect children. "It does not concern adults. It does not concern how they want to live their lives. It does not concern what information they get. It does not concern even the operation of LGBT groups. They are free to operate, but they have nothing to do in kindergartens and in schools." It is unclear what punishments would be given if the law is broken or what constitutes LGBTQ content due to the law's vague wording. But some fear that even the display of rainbow flags in public could be punishable.

The law has triggered a backlash in Hungary and across Europe. Critics say it equates homosexuality with pedophilia.


Viktor Orbán is a disgrace! Hungarians should kick the little tyrant out of office! – Mark

WHO Urges Countries ‘Not to Lose Gains’ by Prematurely Lifting Covid Restrictions

The World Health Organization has urged countries to use extreme caution when easing Covid-19 restrictions to reopen their economies. Dr Michael Ryan, director of the WHO health emergencies programme, said: ‘The idea that everyone is protected and it’s Kumbaya and everything goes back to normal, I think right now is a very dangerous assumption.’ Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added that the pandemic was not over and that the milestone of 4 million reported deaths had just been passed.

Their comments came as Boris Johnson set out plans to end social and economic coronavirus restrictions in England on 19 July

Mexico City’s Congress Passes LGBT Rights Law

THE RIO TIMES: The law contains a comprehensive perspective on the welfare of LGBT people of all ages, with priority to trans and intersex identities, which experience increased discrimination.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - The Law for the Recognition and Attention of LGBTTTI Persons of Mexico City, which aims to guarantee and prevent discrimination against people of this group, was passed on Wednesday by the Mexican capital Congress.

The law contains a comprehensive perspective on the welfare of LGBT people of all ages, with priority to trans and intersex identities, which experience increased discrimination.

In addition, it recognizes sexual and gender diversity, the right to dignified treatment without discrimination in public and private health services, education, work, health, culture, legal security and political participation, among others. » [R$] | Latin America News | Thursday, July 8, 2021

Harry Nilsson : Everybody's Talking

He Went from Banana Exporter to President: ‘I Am Not a Dictator’

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The president clung to power in a protracted political battle that earned him many enemies.

MIAMI — It was a battle from the start for Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse.

Even before he took office, Mr. Moïse had to fight off accusations that, as a virtually unknown banana exporter, he was nothing but a handpicked puppet of the previous president, Michel J. Martelly.

“Jovenel is his own man,” Mr. Moïse told The New York Times in 2016, shortly after having won the election, trying to rebut the accusations. He promised to show results within six months in office.

After more than four years in office, he was killed in his home early Wednesday at the age of 53. He left a wife and three children. In his last year in office, as protests against him grew and he declined to step down, he had to defend himself in other ways: “I am not a dictator,” he told The Times earlier this year.

Mr. Moïse was the former president of the chamber of commerce in Port-de-Paix, the country’s northwest region, when he ran for president. When he emerged as a leading candidate in 2015, few people had ever heard of him. They called him “the Banana Man.” » | Frances Robles | Published: Wednesday, July 7, 2021; Updated: Thursday, July 6, 2021

Hitzewelle in Amerika wäre ohne den Klimawandel »nahezu unmöglich« gewesen

SPIEGEL: Der Ausstoß von Treibhausgasen hat laut Forschern die Hitzewelle in Nordamerika mindestens 150 Mal wahrscheinlicher gemacht. Bei weiterer Erwärmung dürften solche Phänomene häufiger werden.

46,6, 47,9, 49,5 Grad: Das kanadische Örtchen Lytton riss in der vergangenen Woche gleich drei Temperaturrekorde hintereinander – an drei aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen. Der bisher höchste je gemessene Wert in Kanada betrug 45 Grad, das war 1937. Nur einen Tag nach den jüngsten Meldungen wurde der Ort durch einen Brand nahezu vollständig zerstört.

Ist das Schicksal von Lytton ein Menetekel für die eskalierende Klimakrise? Laut den Befunden einer Schnellstudie führender Klimawissenschaftler, die dem SPIEGEL vorliegt, kann man das durchaus so lesen. » | Von Kurt Stukenberg | Donnerstag, 8. Juli 2021

EuroMillions : quel est le secret du gagnant de 30 millions d’euros ?

LE POINT : Selon « Le Parisien », ce père de famille s’est appuyé sur une méthode personnelle pour arriver à la combinaison de nombres gagnante.

9 -17-21-33-39, ainsi que les étoiles 7 et 11. C’est en cochant cette combinaison qu’un père de famille a remporté 30 millions d’euros à l’EuroMillions, le 11 juin dernier, à Châtellerault dans la Vienne. Seul Français vainqueur d’une super cagnotte en 2021 pour l’instant, le nouveau millionnaire n’avait pas choisi ces nombres au hasard, assure la Française des jeux au Parisien. Le vainqueur, qui a désiré conserver son anonymat, s’est appuyé au fil des années sur des statistiques et des formules mathématiques bien à lui avant de valider ses bulletins à l’EuroMillions. » | Par LePoint.fr | mercredi 7. juillet 2021

Indonesien: „Ich habe noch nie so eine Krankheit erlebt“

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: Die Delta-Variante führt in Indonesien zu immer mehr Corona-Infektionen. Die Menschen sterben auf Parkplätzen, in Autos und in ihren Wohnungen. Kein Krankenhaus nimmt sie auf.

Die Grundschullehrerin Susi Johannes erinnert sich selbst nicht mehr daran, wie sie eingeliefert wurde. Sie hatte schon das Bewusstsein verloren, als ihr Ehemann sie zusammen mit einem Bekannten auf dem Motorrad in das Krankenhaus im Westen Jakartas brachte. „Es fiel mir schwer zu atmen. Mein Brustkorb fühlte sich so schwer an, als ob jemand einen Stein darauf gelegt hätte“, berichtet die 52 Jahre alte Covid-19-Patientin der F.A.Z. aus dem Krankenhaus.

Zuvor hatte ihre Familie vergeblich versucht, in mehreren Krankenhäusern Jakartas ein Bett für sie zu ergattern. Sie war kurz nach ihrem positiven Testergebnis Mitte Juni schon einmal eingewiesen, dann aber wieder entlassen worden. Einige Tage später verschlechterte sich ihr Zustand, die Sauerstoffsättigung in ihrem Blut fiel auf einen gefährlich niedrigen Wert. „Ich habe noch nie so eine Krankheit erlebt“, sagt die Indonesierin, die neben den Lungenschmerzen vor allem an Fieber und Kopfschmerzen leidet. » | Von Till Fähnders, Singapur | Donnerstag, 8. Juli 2021

Le président haïtien Jovenel Moïse assassiné

LE FIGARO : Cet assassinat ne fait que confirmer la situation dramatique de la nation la plus pauvre d'Amérique.

Haïti poursuit sa descente aux enfers. Cette fois, c'est le président Jovenel Moïse qui a été assassiné dans sa résidence privée dans la nuit de mardi à mercredi. Une bande armée aurait pénétré chez lui, le tuant et blessant de deux balles son épouse, qui a été transférée à l'hôpital. Elle était dans un état très critique mercredi après-midi et devait être évacuée à Miami, selon l'ambassadeur haïtien aux États-Unis, Bocchit Edmond. Alors que la garde présidentielle est composée d'une trentaine de personnes, le commando semble être entré puis être sorti de la résidence du président sans incident. C'est le premier ministre Claude Joseph qui a annoncé les meurtres. » | Par Patrick Bèle | mercredi 7 juillet 2021

Haitis Präsident Jovenel Moïse ermordet »

Après l’assassinat du président Jovenel Moïse en Haïti, quatre « mercenaires » tués »

Vatican : dix responsables bientôt jugés pour un scandale financier

LE POINT : Ils seront jugés par le tribunal du Saint-Siège pour leur rôle supposé dans une affaire d’investissements douteux, explique « Catholic News Agency ».

Le Vatican est secoué par un scandale financier de grande ampleur. Le 3 juillet dernier, le Saint-Siège a annoncé le renvoi de dix personnes devant son tribunal pénal. Elles devront répondre notamment des chefs de détournement de fonds, abus de pouvoir, extorsion, corruption, subornation de témoin, blanchiment et fraude. En cause : l’achat ruineux d’un immeuble de standing à Londres, explique Catholic News Agency.

L’investissement au cœur du scandale est un immeuble dans le chic quartier londonien de Chelsea, sur Sloane Avenue, 17 000 mètres transformés en une cinquantaine d’appartements de luxe. Entre juin 2013 et février 2014, Secrétairerie d'État (le gouvernement du Vatican) emprunte 200 millions de dollars (170 millions d’euros) au Crédit Suisse pour investir dans le fonds de l’homme d’affaires italien Raffaele Mincione, Athena Capital Global Opportunities. Au 30 septembre 2018, les actions ont déjà perdu plus de 18 millions d’euros de leur valeur et « la perte globale est estimée à un montant beaucoup plus important », écrit Vatican News. » | LePoint.fr (avec AFP) | jeudi 8 juillet 2021

When Will Monaco Reach Herd Immunity?

MONACO LIFE: Just over 40% of the eligible population in Monaco are still unvaccinated as health authorities in nearby France warn of a possible “fourth wave” by the end of July.

The latest data by the Prince’s government shows that, as of 1st July, 20,178 people in Monaco had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, equivalent to 58.6% of the eligible population aged 12 and older. Of those, 88% had also received their second shot.

While the figure places Monaco high in the chart of vaccination rates per country – the United Arab Emirates has a vaccination figure of 64%, followed by Chile with 57% and the UK at 50% – it does mean that close to 40% of the eligible population in Monaco is still unvaccinated, despite ample supplies.

Health authorities are continuing their push for everyone over the age of 12 to take advantage of Monaco’s vaccination programme, which uses Pfizer exclusively. As of 28th June, even cross-border workers employed in the public sector are now able to access the free shot. » | Cassandra Tanti | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Outrage over Crackdown on LGBTQ WeChat Accounts in China

THE GUARDIAN: Dozens of WeChat accounts have been blocked and then deleted without warning

An online clampdown of social media accounts associated with China’s campus LGBTQ movement has sparked outrage, solidarity and backlash against the authorities’ treatment of the country’s sexual and gender minorities.

Dozens of WeChat accounts run by LGBTQ university students were blocked and then deleted on Tuesday, without warning. Some of the accounts – a mix of registered student clubs and unofficial grassroots groups – had operated for years as safe spaces for China’s LGBTQ youth, with tens of thousands of followers.

Attempts to access the WeChat accounts were met with an error message which said the content had been blocked and account deactivated “after receiving relevant complaints”. Other messages said the accounts “had violated regulations on the management of accounts offering public information service on the Chinese internet”, Reuters reported. » | Vincent Ni, China affairs correspondent, and Helen Davidson in Taipei | Thursday, July 8, 2021

China's LGBTQ+ community seize census chance to stand up and be counted »

Australia Covid Update: NSW Records 38 Cases, Highest Daily Number Since Sydney Outbreak Began

THE GUARDIAN: Gladys Berejiklian urged people to restrict movement and not visit family members unnecessarily during Sydney lockdown, as Queensland recorded two coronavirus cases

New South Wales has recorded 38 new local Covid-19 cases, including 20 people who were in the community for part or all of their infectious period, as the premier urged people to further restrict their movement.

Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday those numbers, the highest in NSW since the current outbreak began, were “too high” but that it was still “achievable” for the lockdown to end next Friday, “assuming everybody does the right thing”

. But she backed away from a suggestion NSW would just lift lockdown regardless of case numbers, saying “you can’t live with the Delta variant unless you have a certain proportion of the population vaccinated”.

“We need to get those numbers down,” she said. » | Australian Associated Press and Calla Wahlquist | Thursday, July 8, 2021

Cambridge University Accused of Faustian Pact in Planned £400m Deal with UAE

THE GUARDIAN: Rights advocate says proposed partnership with emirates raises ‘profound concern’ and Cambridge documents note ‘values gap’

The University of Cambridge has been accused of entering “a Faustian pact” over plans for a £400m collaboration with the United Arab Emirates in what would be the biggest deal of its kind in the university’s history.

According to internal documents seen by the Guardian, the 10-year collaboration would help Cambridge, one of the wealthiest higher education institutions in the UK, “weather the challenges faced by universities as a result of Covid, Brexit and a constrained funding environment”.

The documents state that the UAE has pledged to commit £312m – the biggest single donation by far that the university has received – and £90m will be paid in kind through Cambridge staff time. » | Sally Weale | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Netherlands Crime Journalist Peter R. de Vries Shot in Amsterdam | DW News

Jul 7, 2021 • Dutch crime journalist Peter R. de Vries was fighting for his life after being shot and wounded in a gun attack in the center of Amsterdam on Tuesday evening.

De Vries, 64, was taken to hospital in a seriously wounded state. He had been taking part in a live television show where he was a regular guest and was shot close to the RTL studios.

In 2019, de Vries wrote on Twitter that he had been informed by police and justice officials that he was on the hit list of a fugitive criminal.

According to NOS, de Vries had recently acted as an adviser and confidant to a state witness testifying against an alleged drug kingpin, who was extradited to the Netherlands from Dubai in 2019.

Harry Nilsson : Without You

ABBA : Our Last Summer

Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive (Official Music Video)

Franklin Graham: LGBTQ+ Pride Celebrates Sin, Like Adultery or Murder

ADVOCATE: “This is an entire month set aside to celebrate a lifestyle that God defines as sin,” the homophobic religious leader wrote on Facebook at the end of Pride Month.

Right-wing preacher Franklin Graham says celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride is like celebrating “lying, adultery, or murder.”

Graham’s comment came in a Facebook post Saturday, marking the end of Pride Month. He quoted the BBC as saying “Pride has gone mainstream” and went on to lament that fact. “This is an entire month set aside to celebrate a lifestyle that God defines as sin,” he said.

“The Bible also tells us that God hates pride,” he continued. “Shame on the nation that celebrates and glorifies sin.” He noted that everyone sins, but added, “Instead of celebrating and taking pride in our sin, we should come to God, our Creator, in repentance, asking Him to forgive us and cleanse us.”

Graham, who heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, founded by his late father, has a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, delivered supposedly in the name of Christianity. » | Trudy Ring | Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Isn’t it also a sin to make gazillions on the back of Jesus Christ, Mr. Graham? Jesus lived the simple life: he didn’t live high on the hog! Interestingly, Jesus said zippo about homosexuality. Moreover, if you are going to use Leviticus from the Old Testament to justify your bigotry, then you should also condemn so many other things that people do, too, including eating shellfish, adorning one’s body with tattoos, piercing one’s body, and men wearing make-up (see above)! (I very much doubt that Jesus wore make-up before making speeches to his followers as you do, Mr Graham.) I should ask you a very pertinent question: As a fervent Trump supporter, weren't you also supporting "sin" when you supported him? How many sex scandals has Trump allegedly been involved in? So, Mr Graham, let’s have a little consistency apropos of this topic, please. – © Mark

England’s Reopening Plan Is a ‘Dangerous Experiment’, Ministers Told

THE GUARDIAN: Health experts say ending most Covid rules on 19 July will affect certain groups disproportionately

Boris Johnson’s decision to lift a vast swath of Covid restrictions on 19 July is “a very dangerous experiment” that will disproportionately affect a host of people already susceptible to coronavirus, according to experts involved in an independent inquiry into the government’s pandemic response.

The damning report states that disabled people, those from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds or those on low incomes are now at greater risk after rules on mask-wearing and self-isolation, as well as the requirement to work from home when possible, are set to be axed.

Dr Tolullah Oni, an epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge, warned that lifting restrictions would affect communities unequally. “We’re further widening the health inequalities we’ve seen play out in the last year,” she said. » | Rachel Hall | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

What else should we expect from a dangerous, self-aggrandising fool but a “dangerous experiment”? BoJo’s government is not fit for purpose! – Mark

Just in case you have forgotten what BoJo looks like, this is he:

LGBT : si Budapest ne revient pas sur sa loi, l’UE lancera une procédure

LE QUOTIDIEN : La présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, a menacé mercredi de lancer une procédure d’infraction contre la Hongrie si elle ne revenait pas sur sa loi accusée de discriminer les personnes LGBT, qui doit entrer en vigueur jeudi.

“Si la Hongrie ne corrige pas le tir, la Commission fera usage des pouvoirs qui lui sont conférés en sa qualité de gardienne de traités”, a déclaré la responsable allemande devant le Parlement européen. Elle a de nouveau qualifié de “honte” cette loi interdisant la diffusion de contenus sur l’homosexualité auprès des mineurs. » | AFP/LQ | mercredi 7 juillet 2021

Peru’s Middle Class Shrank by Almost Half in 2020

THE RIO TIMES: According to the new data, only 24% of Peruvians now belong to that category against 43.6% in 2019 due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus health crisis.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A new study released Tuesday (6) by the Institute of Economics and Business Development (Iedep) of the Lima Chamber of Commerce showed that some 6.3 million Peruvians fell out of the country’s middle-class social group during 2020.

According to the new data, only 24% of Peruvians now belong to that category against 43.6% in 2019 due to the economic impacts of the coronavirus health crisis.

The Iedep survey specified that 7.9 million people remain within the concept of the middle class, while that group consisted of about 14 million in 2019.

To be classified into that category, individuals need to at least live in four-person households with monthly incomes ranging between S/2,150 and S/10,750 (between US$560 and US$2,795).

The coronavirus crisis has thus dealt a severe blow to the country’s fight against poverty which can also be expressed as a ten-year setback, as the number of people under that line grew to be 30.1% of the population during 2020, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI). » | Latin America News | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

More news from Peru HERE »

Democracy News: Top US & World Headlines — July 7, 2021

«Tschüss Schweiz» – Warum Deutsche der Schweiz den Rücken kehren | Reportage | SRF DOK

Feb 11, 2014 • Es gibt gute Gründe, warum Deutsche der Schweiz den Rücken kehren. Heimweh, ein erfreulicher Arbeitsmarkt, staatliche Rundumhilfe bei der Job- und Wohnungssuche.

Dann aber gibt es Deutsche, die sich in der Schweiz beim besten Willen nicht emotional ansiedeln können. Zwei bewegende Beispiele.

WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Faces Ruling on Extradition to US

How the 20-Year War Changed Afghanistan | FT Film

Jul 2, 2021 • An Afghan photojournalist, former politician, young musician, Nato interpreter, female filmmaker, and a student whose mother was assassinated, reveal the impact of war... as US troops pull out and the Taliban gains ground

One Year of China's Hong Kong Security Law | DW News

Jun 30, 2021 • Global rights group Amnesty International sharply criticized the national security law the Chinese government imposed on Hong Kong one year ago. It has created a "human rights emergency" in the city, it said.

Hong Kong authorities have been using the law to target dissent and justify "censorship, harassment, arrests and prosecutions that violate human rights," Amnesty added.

"In one year, the National Security Law has put Hong Kong on a rapid path to becoming a police state and created a human rights emergency for the people living there," Amnesty's Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra said.

China introduced the controversial national security law a year ago to crack down on what it deems subversion, secessionism, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.

Beijing insisted the measure was needed to restore stability in Hong Kong, which witnessed huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. But rights activists and critics of the Chinese government view it as a means for Beijing to impose its will on Hong Kong and crush dissent.

Myanmar Police Defect to Anti-government Militias as Civil War Looms - BBC News

Jul 7, 2021 • As Myanmar heads towards a new civil war, the police are coming under intense pressure to decide whether to stay loyal to the military or join the civilian militia, the People’s Defence Force.

Since the military coup on 1 February, police have been used to brutally suppress mass protests. Some protesters have taken up arms to fight back, forming civilian militias called the People’s Defence Force.

The BBC has been given rare access to the first group of police officers who defected and joined the people’s side. Some of those officers even say they’re prepared to use their weapons against their former colleagues.

COVID in Latin America: Peru Struggles with Lamda Variant +++ Cuba Ships Out Vaccine | DW News

Jul 7, 2021 • Health authorities across Latin America are battling a rise in coronavirus infections. The region already has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the world. Brazil has suffered the most fatalities in the region, with more than half a million deaths. Followed by Mexico, where over 230-thousand people have died. And PERU has reported nearly 200-thousand deaths. DW's Johan Ramirez reports from Lima - where the new lambda variant is pushing the public health care system to breaking point. Cuba is expected to give the regulatory green light in the coming days to one of its vaccines against COVID-19. Cuba hopes that could help speed up vaccinations across Latin America.

EU Urged to Suspend Funds to Hungary over ‘Grave Breaches of the Rule of Law’

THE GUARDIAN: Action follows Viktor Orbán passing law banning LGBT content in schools and mishandling of EU funds

Ursula von der Leyen is being urged to suspend EU funds to Hungary to force Viktor Orbán to address concerns over politicised courts and corruption.

MEPs who work on the European parliament’s budgetary control committee are calling on the European Commission president to use a newly created EU law to freeze payments to Hungary for “grave breaches of the rule of law”.

It is the latest salvo against the Hungarian prime minister, who last month faced unprecedented criticism from fellow EU leaders over a law that bans the depiction of gay people in educational material. The European parliament is expected to condemn that law in a resolution on Thursday that will urge the commission to launch a fast-track legal case against Hungary over discrimination against LGBT people. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Trump Told Chief of Staff Hitler ‘Did a Lot of Good Things’, Book Says

THE GUARDIAN: Remark shocked John Kelly, author Michael Bender reports / Book details former president’s ‘stunning disregard for history’

On a visit to Europe to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the first world war, Donald Trump insisted to his then chief of staff, John Kelly: “Well, Hitler did a lot of good things.”

The remark from the former US president on the 2018 trip, which reportedly “stunned” Kelly, a retired US Marine Corps general, is reported in a new book by Michael Bender of the Wall Street Journal.

Frankly, We Did Win This Election has been widely trailed ahead of publication next week. The Guardian obtained a copy.

Bender reports that Trump made the remark during an impromptu history lesson in which Kelly “reminded the president which countries were on which side during the conflict” and “connected the dots from the first world war to the second world war and all of Hitler’s atrocities”.

Bender is one of a number of authors to have interviewed Trump since he was ejected from power.

He reports that Trump denied making the remark about Hitler.

But Bender says unnamed sources reported that Kelly “told the president that he was wrong, but Trump was undeterred”, emphasizing German economic recovery under Hitler during the 1930s. » | Martin Pengelly in Washington | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Nightmare Scenario review: Trump, Covid and a lasting national trauma »

Can You Be Gay in China? | Ricky Bradbury

Jun 22, 2021 • Ricky Bradbury has been gay in China since 2006. He’s an English teacher from Brazil and is living with his Chinese husband in south China in the last few years. In this conversation we discuss the Chinese gay community, the local LGBTQ+, gay bars, and why living here as a gay man is better than what most people may think.

What Do the Chinese Think of Gays?

Nov 1, 2020 • I did this public interview in Hebei, China, asking people what they think of homosexuals, and do they think of gays and lesbians differently. Here's what I got!

Chinese Court Ruled Homosexuality Can Be a Mental Disorder

Mar 3, 2021 • An eastern Chinese provincial court in China has upheld that homosexual behaviors can be considered a personality disorder in a recent verdict despite appeals.

Democracy Now : Top US & World Headlines — July 6, 2021

Welsh Red: Ex-postal Worker and Retired Nurse Grab Gold with a Pinot Noir

THE GUARDIAN: Monmouthshire’s White Castle Vineyard scoops top prize against global rivals in prestigious blind tasting award

First it was English winemakers that had vineyards in traditional wine-making regions such as France looking over their shoulder, now it is Wales, after a “deliciously fresh” pinot noir from Monmouthshire scooped a prestigious wine award.

White Castle Vineyard’s “pinot noir reserve 2018”, a red wine that costs £25.50 a bottle, has become the first Welsh vintage to win a gold medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Robb Merchant, a former Royal Mail worker who runs White Castle with his wife, Nicola, a retired nurse, described the win as “fantastic” for the vineyard which had been his “wife’s dream” to establish. » | Zoe Wood | Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Covid-19 : le confinement de Sydney prolongé

LE POINT : Les habitants de la ville la plus peuplée d’Australie, reconfinés depuis le 26 juin, vont devoir faire avec cette mesure au moins une semaine supplémentaire.

Les autorités australiennes ont annoncé que la ville de Sydney allait être confinée pour au moins une semaine supplémentaire face au regain épidémique du Covid-19 et de son variant Delta. Les cinq millions d’habitants de la ville la plus peuplée d’Australie vivent depuis le 26 juin avec l’interdiction de sortir de chez eux pour tenter de contenir la progression du virus. Censée durer deux semaines, cette mesure a été prolongée mercredi d’au moins sept jours. Ce qui signifie que le confinement sera au minimum en vigueur jusqu’au 16 juillet.

« Ce variant Delta change la donne, il est extrêmement transmissible », a déploré Gladys Berejiklian, Première ministre de Nouvelle-Galles du Sud, État ayant Sydney pour capitale. « Nous ne voulons pas nous retrouver dans la position où il faudrait constamment passer de confinement en déconfinement », a-t-elle ajouté, expliquant que prolonger le confinement était « la meilleure façon pour faire en sorte que ce soit notre seul confinement avant que toute la population soit vaccinée ». Les habitants ne peuvent actuellement sortir que pour acheter des denrées essentielles, obtenir des soins médicaux, faire de l’exercice, aller à l’école ou au travail s’ils ne peuvent pas travailler à domicile. » | Source AFP | mercredi 7 juillet 2021

Regards énamourés et tendres étreintes : Jodie Foster et son épouse Alexandra Hedison au Festival de Cannes

LE FIGARO : La photographe de 51 ans et l’actrice de 58 ans, qui a reçu la Palme d'or d'honneur du Festival de Cannes, ont esquissé une apparition remarquée sur le tapis rouge, ce mardi 6 juillet, à l’occasion de la cérémonie d’ouverture de l’événement.

Elle lui a, tour à tour, présenté Spike Lee et Maggie Gyllenhaal. Jodie Foster est ainsi apparue au bras d’Alexandra Hedison, son épouse depuis 2014, lors de la cérémonie d’ouverture du Festival de Cannes, qui se tenait ce mardi 6 juillet. L’actrice de 58 ans, qui a reçu la Palme d'or d'honneur, et la photographe de 51 ans, ont esquissé une arrivée remarquée sur le tapis rouge de l’événement. Toutes deux ont ainsi affiché leur complicité, entre regards énamourés, tendres étreintes, baiser volé et éclats de rire. » | Par Chloé Friedmann 1 | mardi 6 juillet 2021

Der Klimawandel öffnet die Schleusen des Himmels

TAGES ANZEIGER: Modellrechnungen sagen schon seit Jahrzehnten vorher, dass Starkniederschläge in einer wärmeren Welt heftiger ausfallen. Das wird nun durch eine globale Datenstudie bestätigt.

Die vom Menschen verursachte Erderwärmung hat Starkniederschläge bereits in den letzten Jahrzehnten intensiviert, und zwar global – genau wie es Klimamodelle vorausgesagt hatten. Das zeigt eine aktuelle im Fachmagazin «Nature Communications» erschienene Studie. «Das ist sowohl methodisch als auch im Bezug auf die Datensätze die wohl vollständigste Studie, die den menschlichen Einfluss auf die Starkniederschläge belegt», sagt der Klimaforscher Reto Knutti von der ETH Zürich, der nicht an der Studie beteiligt ist. » | Joachim Laukenmann | Dienstag 6. Juli 2021

Biden warnt vor Ausbreitung der Delta-Variante

FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINER ZEITUNG: Der Kampf gegen das Coronavirus ist aus Sicht des amerikanischen Präsidenten noch nicht vorbei. Er sieht Impfverweigerer in Gefahr: Nahezu jeder Covid-19-Todesfall treffe Ungeimpfte.

Angesichts der Ausbreitung der Delta-Variante des Coronavirus hat der amerikanische Präsident Joe Biden die Amerikaner abermals eindringlich zum Impfen aufgerufen. Die potentiell gefährlichere Delta-Variante sei in manchen Teilen der Vereinigten Staaten bereits für die Hälfte aller Infektionen verantwortlich, sagte Biden am Dienstag im Weißen Haus. „Unser Kampf gegen dieses Virus ist nicht vorbei.“

Biden kündigte neue Maßnahmen seiner Regierung an, um die Impfquote zu erhöhen. So sollen unter anderem Helfer in Gemeinden von Tür zu Tür gehen, um über Impfungen zu informieren. Auch mobile Kliniken sollen verstärkt zum Einsatz kommen. » | Quelle: dpa | Mittwoch 7. Juli 2021

Aux Etats-Unis, l’ouragan Elsa se rapproche des côtes de Floride

LE MONDE : Elsa, temporairement rétrogradé samedi en tempête tropicale, est le premier ouragan de la saison dans l’Atlantique. Il devrait toucher terre « mercredi matin » en Floride.

La saison des ouragans a démarré aux Etats-Unis. Après avoir frappé les Caraïbes, la tempête Elsa, redevenue un ouragan, se dirigeait, mardi 6 juillet, vers les côtes de Floride. A 23 heures mardi (5 heures à Paris, mercredi), Elsa se trouvait, selon le Centre national des ouragans (NHC), juste devant la baie de Tampa, accompagnée « de fortes pluies et de rafales de vent se propageant à l’intérieur des terres dans le sud-ouest et le centre-ouest de la Floride ». » | Le Monde avec AFP | mardi 7 juillet 2021

Egypt : When a Search Crosses the Line

THE NEW YORK TIMES: These women crossed paths with the Egyptian justice system./ Each said she was sexually abused by the authorities.

These women were either arrested for speaking out or had gone to the authorities to report a crime.

In each case, they said, they were sexually abused by the officials sworn to protect them.

Whether they are victims of crimes, witnesses or the accused, women who encounter Egypt’s criminal justice system risk being taken aside and stripped, groped, prodded and violated.

This treatment is illegal, but in this authoritarian and patriarchal country, there is almost nothing they can do about it.

The women in these videos, speaking publicly for the first time, described sexual violations that they said were committed in police stations, prisons and hospitals. » | By Mona El-Naggar, Yousur Al-Hlou and Aliza Aufrichtig | Monday, July 5, 2021

Read in Arabic HERE »

History of Homosexuality on Film

July 2, 2015 – With gay marriage now legal in America, let's take a look back at how homosexuality has been portrayed on film. It's 120 years of misrepresentation in 10 minutes!

Foreigner : I Don't Want to Live Without You (Tradução)

Afghan Anger over US’s Sudden, Silent Bagram Departure

THE GUARDIAN: Military officials say troops turned off power and slipped away without notifying new commander

US forces plunged their main operating base in Afghanistan into darkness and abandoned it to looters when they slipped away in the middle of the night after two decades at the site without notifying their Afghan allies.

The furtive departure from Bagram airbase, which is vital to the security of Kabul and holds about 5,000 mostly Taliban prisoners, infuriated the Afghans. Many saw it as emblematic of a withdrawal they say is being carried out entirely to fit an American political schedule, with no heed for the collapsing security situation on the ground.

“People are saying: ‘The Americans didn’t ask Afghans about coming here, and they didn’t consult Afghans about leaving’,” said one senior official.

Much of northern Afghanistan, once an anti-Taliban stronghold, has fallen to the group in the last two weeks, and the militants have made substantial advances across the rest of the country. Afghanistan has just over 400 districts, and the Taliban now hold nearly half, and are fighting for many more. » | Emma Graham-Harrison in Kabul and Peter Beaumont | Tuesday July 6, 2021

Coronavirus: Covid Rules to End, But with Cases Rising Is It the Right Time? - BBC Newsnight

ul 5, 2021 • Boris Johnson announces the end of most Covid restrictions in England. But are we prepared, and able, to be our own risk managers?

UK PM Boris Johnson announces face masks will no longer be legally required and distancing rules will be scrapped at the final stage of England's Covid lockdown roadmap.

The rule of six inside private homes will be removed and work-from-home guidance abolished as 16 months of on-off restrictions on daily life end.

The PM said he expected the final step would go ahead as planned on 19 July.

This will be confirmed on 12 July after a review of the latest data.

Newsnight's political editor Nick Watt reports.