THE GUARDIAN: Investment banking arms of two Wall Street firms benefit from global glut of mergers and acquisitions
Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan have reported bumper profits for the second quarter as their investment banking divisions continued to ride the global boom in mergers and takeover deals.
The two US banks have been capitalising on the surge in merger and acquisitions activity, which broke records for the second straight quarter in the three months to June, according to Refinitiv data, and helped make up for a slowdown in trading since the start of the year.
Goldman Sachs, which continues to generate the highest investment banking fees among its peers, reported profits of $5.5bn (£4bn) in the second quarter. That was the second highest profit on record for the bank, only surpassed by its first quarter of 2021, and compared with just $373m in profits a year earlier when the group had to draw down provisions to cover a $2.9bn settlement over the 1MDB corruption scandal with global regulators. » | Kalyeena Makortoff, Banking correspondent |Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Wednesday, July 14, 2021
More Than 1m Children from Key Worker Families Living in Poverty, Says TUC
THE GUARDIAN: Study finds more than one in five children of workers employed in the frontline of the pandemic live below breadline
More than a million children from households in the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic are living in poverty, according to new research published by the TUC.
The study found that one in five children of key workers in England, Scotland and Wales were living below the official breadline – rising to almost one in three in the worst-affected region, the north-east.
The TUC said low pay and insecure hours – widespread in occupations such as social care, supermarkets and delivery drivers – were the main reasons for in-work poverty among key workers. » | Larry Elliott | Wednesday, July 14, 2021
More than a million children from households in the frontline of the fight against the coronavirus pandemic are living in poverty, according to new research published by the TUC.
The study found that one in five children of key workers in England, Scotland and Wales were living below the official breadline – rising to almost one in three in the worst-affected region, the north-east.
The TUC said low pay and insecure hours – widespread in occupations such as social care, supermarkets and delivery drivers – were the main reasons for in-work poverty among key workers. » | Larry Elliott | Wednesday, July 14, 2021
UK Inflation Jumps to 2.5% as Secondhand Car and Food Prices Rise
THE GUARDIAN: June figure is highest level since August 2018 and above analysts’ forecasts
Britain’s inflation rate has risen to 2.5% – its highest level in almost three years – after the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions prompted rising demand.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said dearer food, secondhand cars, clothing and footwear and fuel prices were the main factors behind a jump in the annual inflation rate from 2.1% to 2.5% in June.
The figure was the highest since the 2.7% recorded in August 2018, higher than the 2.2% expected by analysts and above the Bank of England’s 2% target.
Core inflation, which strips out food, energy, alcohol and tobacco, rose from 2% to 2.3%. » | Larry Elliott, Economics editor | Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Britain’s inflation rate has risen to 2.5% – its highest level in almost three years – after the easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions prompted rising demand.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said dearer food, secondhand cars, clothing and footwear and fuel prices were the main factors behind a jump in the annual inflation rate from 2.1% to 2.5% in June.
The figure was the highest since the 2.7% recorded in August 2018, higher than the 2.2% expected by analysts and above the Bank of England’s 2% target.
Core inflation, which strips out food, energy, alcohol and tobacco, rose from 2% to 2.3%. » | Larry Elliott, Economics editor | Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Foreigner - I Don't Want to Live Without You (Official Music Video)
Pray Away | Official Trailer | Netflix
Jul 12, 2021 • In the 1970s, five men struggling with being gay in their Evangelical church started a Bible study to help each other leave the “homosexual lifestyle.” They quickly received over 25,000 letters from people asking for help and formalized as Exodus International, the largest and most controversial conversion therapy organization in the world. But leaders struggled with a secret: their own “same-sex attractions” never went away. After years as superstars in the religious right, many of these men and women have come out as LGBTQ, disavowing the very movement they helped start. Focusing on the dramatic journeys of former conversion therapy leaders, current members, and a survivor, PRAY AWAY chronicles the “ex gay” movement’s rise to power, its unscientific influence, and its legacy of profound harm.
From executive producers Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum, and director Kristine Stolakis, watch Pray Away on August 3, only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/PrayAway
Pray Away Goes Deep Into the 'Ex-Gay' Movement That Began in the '70s »
Netflix: Pray Away: Ex-leaders and a survivor of the so-called "conversion therapy" movement speak out about its harm to the LGBTQ+ community and its devastating persistence.
From executive producers Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum, and director Kristine Stolakis, watch Pray Away on August 3, only on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/PrayAway
Pray Away Goes Deep Into the 'Ex-Gay' Movement That Began in the '70s »
Netflix: Pray Away: Ex-leaders and a survivor of the so-called "conversion therapy" movement speak out about its harm to the LGBTQ+ community and its devastating persistence.
United We Stand Centers Queer Stories From Least LGBTQ-Friendly Places
The “United We Stand” campaign has partnered with local groups in five of the least LGBTQ+ friendly locales in the country to document the diversity of narratives within those communities. To tell those stories, Unilever engaged prominent filmmaker and artist Tourmaline along with the creative agency RanaVerse to develop the series in time for Pride. The five videos just dropped Wednesday.
With the help of LGBTQ+ community strategist Sean Coleman, Unilever and RanaVerse targeted five cities that ranked at the bottom with a zero score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index: Monroe, La Moore, Okla.; Clemson, S.C.; Florence, Ala.; and towns and cities in need of support in southwest Missouri. Then they partnered with a local LGBTQ+ organization in that area to help bring awareness to the community and their plight through film: Forum for Equality, Freedom Oklahoma, South Carolina Black Pride, the Knights and Orchids Society, and PFLAG Springfield, respectively. » | Donald Padgett | Wednesday, June 16, 2021
The Emmy Nominations Are Out, and They Are Super Gay and Trans
ADVOCATE: The 73rd Emmy Nominations are here and they're queer. Get into it.
All year, TV lovers look forward to seeing their favorite series and celebs get the recognition they deserve at the Emmys, and in 2021 it’s queer excellence as far as the eye can see.
This year’s nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Tuesday during a live event streamed on the Television Academy’s website, and as the names rolled out, queer history was in the making.
Both Mj Rodriguez, who made history as the first transgender lead ever nominated, and Billy Porter scored nods for their roles in Pose. The series itself also made the list for Outstanding Drama Series. » | Rachel Shatto | Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Andrew Cuomo's Daughter Michaela Comes Out as Demisexual
Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, the youngest daughter of New York governor Andrew Cuomo and his former wife Kerry Kennedy, and the granddaughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, is opening up about her sexuality.
During a recent conversation with author, activist, and former Tivity Health CEO Donato Tramuto on Instagram Live last week, the 23-year-old talked at length about being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and how, over the years, she's had a unique journey when it comes to realizing which label she most closely identifies with.
"When I was in elementary school, I feared that I was lesbian," she said. "When I was in middle school, I came out to my family and close friends as bisexual. When I was in high school, I discovered pansexuality and thought, 'That's the flag for me.'" » | Raffy Ermac | Tuesday, July 6, 2021
Gay Man Attacked by Group in Liverpool
ADVOCATE: The young man thought he might die during the assault, he told local media.
A gay man feared for his life while he was attacked in Liverpool, England, over the weekend.
Right after midnight on Saturday, a group of men attacked Aodhán Benson, a 24-year-old from Belfast, while hurling homophobic slurs.
… “This was an appalling incident which left a young man shaken and injured,” Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Col Rooney said, according to the outlet. “Although we have made arrests, our investigations into the attack will continue.”
He added that authorities believed the homophobic slurs were directed at the victim, so they are treating the case as a hate crime.
“After a number of worrying incidents over the last month, we want our LGBT+ community to be reassured that we stand with them: we are committed to protecting them, and we will do whatever we can to bring offenders to justice,” said Rooney. » |Alex Cooper | Tuesday, July 13, 2021
LGBT group condemns homophobic Liverpool assault on Belfast man Aodhan Benson »
Gay man feared he would die during violent homophobic attack in Liverpool City Centre »
A gay man feared for his life while he was attacked in Liverpool, England, over the weekend.
Right after midnight on Saturday, a group of men attacked Aodhán Benson, a 24-year-old from Belfast, while hurling homophobic slurs.
… “This was an appalling incident which left a young man shaken and injured,” Merseyside Police Chief Inspector Col Rooney said, according to the outlet. “Although we have made arrests, our investigations into the attack will continue.”
He added that authorities believed the homophobic slurs were directed at the victim, so they are treating the case as a hate crime.
“After a number of worrying incidents over the last month, we want our LGBT+ community to be reassured that we stand with them: we are committed to protecting them, and we will do whatever we can to bring offenders to justice,” said Rooney. » |Alex Cooper | Tuesday, July 13, 2021
LGBT group condemns homophobic Liverpool assault on Belfast man Aodhan Benson »
Gay man feared he would die during violent homophobic attack in Liverpool City Centre »
«Von Toleranz keine Spur» | Generation Gap – LGBTQIA / Schwul sein
Ein kurzes Gespräch in Schwyzertüütsch über Homosexualität in der Schweiz, früher und jetzt. – Mark
Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Guédelon II, une aventure médiévale | ARTE
Jun 18, 2021 • En Bourgogne, depuis plus de vingt ans, des archéologues et des artisans bâtissent le château fort de Guédelon selon les techniques et les matériaux du Moyen Âge. Ce documentaire propose une nouvelle exploration de cet incroyable chantier et en dévoile des phases inédites...
Plus grand site d’archéologie expérimentale au monde, le chantier du château médiéval de Guédelon, en Bourgogne, qui s’effectue avec des outils, des matériaux et des techniques du XIIIe siècle, porsuit une expérience unique entreprise il y a plus de deux décennies. Au fil des saisons, il aura offert aux "œuvriers", comme se nomment eux-mêmes les artisans qui y officient avec l'aide des archéologues, de s’approprier les savoir-faire des bâtisseurs du Moyen Âge. Un public nombreux – 300 000 visiteurs en 2017 – vient admirer sur le chantier la virtuosité de ces tailleurs de pierre, charpentiers ou forgerons capables de transformer le grès de cette ancienne carrière et le bois de chênes d’une forêt voisine pour élever un imposant ouvrage fortifié. Aventure humaine grandeur nature, la construction rassemble une quarantaine d’artisans, épaulés par des centaines de bénévoles, et par un comité scientifique constitué d’archéologues et d’historiens.
Grands défis
En 2015, Guédelon : renaissance d’un château médiéval, déjà coproduit par ARTE et l’Inrap (Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives), offrait une première immersion au cœur du site. Le temps d’une saison, cette nouvelle exploration dévoile des phases inédites du chantier et présente une vue d’ensemble du bâti sorti de terre grâce à de spectaculaires images aériennes. En partenariat avec le site expérimental allemand de Campus Galli dans le Bade-Wurtemberg, où se construit un monastère carolingien, les bâtisseurs de Guédelon percent les secrets de fabrication des panneaux en parchemin qui obtureront les fenêtres de la chambre seigneuriale. En s’appuyant notamment sur une visite du château de Laval, les charpentiers et les scientifiques réfléchissent également à la meilleure technique pour concevoir la toiture de la tour de la chapelle. L’érection de la porte principale du château, entre deux tours, constitue quant à elle le dernier grand défi à relever avant la pose de la dernière pierre, prévue en 2023. Alors que le chantier de Notre-Dame de Paris porte à la connaissance du grand public des problématiques de conservation du patrimoine, l'archéologie expérimentale de Guédelon se révèle d'autant plus précieuse.
Documentaire de Bianca Zamfira (Royaume-Uni, 2019, 1h31mn)
Plus grand site d’archéologie expérimentale au monde, le chantier du château médiéval de Guédelon, en Bourgogne, qui s’effectue avec des outils, des matériaux et des techniques du XIIIe siècle, porsuit une expérience unique entreprise il y a plus de deux décennies. Au fil des saisons, il aura offert aux "œuvriers", comme se nomment eux-mêmes les artisans qui y officient avec l'aide des archéologues, de s’approprier les savoir-faire des bâtisseurs du Moyen Âge. Un public nombreux – 300 000 visiteurs en 2017 – vient admirer sur le chantier la virtuosité de ces tailleurs de pierre, charpentiers ou forgerons capables de transformer le grès de cette ancienne carrière et le bois de chênes d’une forêt voisine pour élever un imposant ouvrage fortifié. Aventure humaine grandeur nature, la construction rassemble une quarantaine d’artisans, épaulés par des centaines de bénévoles, et par un comité scientifique constitué d’archéologues et d’historiens.
Grands défis
En 2015, Guédelon : renaissance d’un château médiéval, déjà coproduit par ARTE et l’Inrap (Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives), offrait une première immersion au cœur du site. Le temps d’une saison, cette nouvelle exploration dévoile des phases inédites du chantier et présente une vue d’ensemble du bâti sorti de terre grâce à de spectaculaires images aériennes. En partenariat avec le site expérimental allemand de Campus Galli dans le Bade-Wurtemberg, où se construit un monastère carolingien, les bâtisseurs de Guédelon percent les secrets de fabrication des panneaux en parchemin qui obtureront les fenêtres de la chambre seigneuriale. En s’appuyant notamment sur une visite du château de Laval, les charpentiers et les scientifiques réfléchissent également à la meilleure technique pour concevoir la toiture de la tour de la chapelle. L’érection de la porte principale du château, entre deux tours, constitue quant à elle le dernier grand défi à relever avant la pose de la dernière pierre, prévue en 2023. Alors que le chantier de Notre-Dame de Paris porte à la connaissance du grand public des problématiques de conservation du patrimoine, l'archéologie expérimentale de Guédelon se révèle d'autant plus précieuse.
Documentaire de Bianca Zamfira (Royaume-Uni, 2019, 1h31mn)
Being Gay in the Thirties | Gay Life
Prices Jumped 5.4 Percent in June, the Biggest Rise since 2008
THE NEW YORK TIMES: A key measure of inflation jumped sharply in June, a gain that is sure to keep concerns over rising prices front and center at the White House and Federal Reserve.
The Consumer Price Index climbed by 5.4 percent in the year through June, the Labor Department said, as prices for used cars and trucks accelerated rapidly and accounted for more than a third of the surge. The overall inflation change was more than the 5 percent increase reported in May and was the largest year-over-year gain since 2008.
Investors, lawmakers and central bank officials are closely watching inflation, which has been elevated in recent months by both a quirk in the data and by mismatches between demand and supply as the economy rebounds. Quick price gains can squeeze consumers if wages do not keep up, and the pickup could prod the central bank to pull back on support for the economy if it looks as if the inflation is going to prove sustained. The Fed’s cheap-money policies are generally good for markets, so a rapid withdrawal would be bad news for investors in stocks and other asset classes. » | Jeanna Smialek | Tuesday, July 13, 2021
The Consumer Price Index climbed by 5.4 percent in the year through June, the Labor Department said, as prices for used cars and trucks accelerated rapidly and accounted for more than a third of the surge. The overall inflation change was more than the 5 percent increase reported in May and was the largest year-over-year gain since 2008.
Investors, lawmakers and central bank officials are closely watching inflation, which has been elevated in recent months by both a quirk in the data and by mismatches between demand and supply as the economy rebounds. Quick price gains can squeeze consumers if wages do not keep up, and the pickup could prod the central bank to pull back on support for the economy if it looks as if the inflation is going to prove sustained. The Fed’s cheap-money policies are generally good for markets, so a rapid withdrawal would be bad news for investors in stocks and other asset classes. » | Jeanna Smialek | Tuesday, July 13, 2021
Russie : terre d'Islam ? | ARTE Reportage
LGBTQI+ Germany: Pride and Being Queer in Germany | Meet the Germans
Jul 7, 2021 • What's it like to be gay, transgender or non-binary in Germany? For this week's Meet the Germans, Rachel flies the rainbow flag and looks at queer history, LGBTQI+ rights and "Christopher Street Day" (aka Pride) in Germany.
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from unusual bans to meaty cuisine or haunted castles. This week: LGBTQI+ life and Pride in Germany.
Rachel moved from the UK to Germany in 2016. As a relative newcomer she casts a fresh eye over German clichés and shares her experiences of settling into German life. Every two weeks she explores a new topic – from unusual bans to meaty cuisine or haunted castles. This week: LGBTQI+ life and Pride in Germany.
Harry Nilsson - Without You
Südafrika eskaliert: Heftige Ausschreitungen nach Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident
Jul 13, 2021 • Brennende Autos und Plünderungen: In Südafrika halten die Proteste nach der Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident Zuma an.
In Südafrika hat die Regierung nach tagelangen Ausschreitungen infolge der Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident Jacob Zuma Soldatinnen und Soldaten in zwei Provinzen entsandt.
In Südafrika hat die Regierung nach tagelangen Ausschreitungen infolge der Inhaftierung von Ex-Präsident Jacob Zuma Soldatinnen und Soldaten in zwei Provinzen entsandt.
Cuba Blames US as the Country Sees Biggest Protests in Decades | DW News
Jul 13, 2021 • Cuba saw its largest anti-government protests in decades this weekend, with Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel cracking down on the demonstrators. Cuban police were deployed to major cities such as Havana on Monday following the protests a day earlier. Streets in Havana were quiet due to the ramped up police presence. Authorities have blocked social media sites in an attempt to censor information about the demonstrations. Mobile internet outages — the only way Cubans can go online — are also common. At least 100 demonstrators, journalists and activists have been arrested since Sunday's protests, according to the exiled Cubalex human rights group.
Thousands of Cubans poured into the streets of Havana and other cities on Sunday in the largest demonstrations against the government in nearly 30 years. The protesters chanted slogans such as "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want liberty." Others shouted "No tenemos miedo" or "We are not afraid."
Diaz-Canel and other top Cuban officials have accused the US of orchestrating the unrest. The Cuban president said Monday that the US is pursuing a "policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest in the country." He tweeted that "the counterrevolution dreams of war between Cubans" and emphasized national unity. The US has put Cuba under a comprehensive embargo since 1962, limiting economic trade. Diaz-Canel had previously called on communist supporters to confront "provocations" by the protesters. Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, a top official in the Communist Party of Cuba, said the demonstrations were funded by the US government to foment "instability and chaos" in the country. He compared the protests to the US-backed demonstrations in 2019 against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Cuban ally.
More on this story here, here and here
Thousands of Cubans poured into the streets of Havana and other cities on Sunday in the largest demonstrations against the government in nearly 30 years. The protesters chanted slogans such as "Down with the dictatorship" and "We want liberty." Others shouted "No tenemos miedo" or "We are not afraid."
Diaz-Canel and other top Cuban officials have accused the US of orchestrating the unrest. The Cuban president said Monday that the US is pursuing a "policy of economic suffocation to provoke social unrest in the country." He tweeted that "the counterrevolution dreams of war between Cubans" and emphasized national unity. The US has put Cuba under a comprehensive embargo since 1962, limiting economic trade. Diaz-Canel had previously called on communist supporters to confront "provocations" by the protesters. Rogelio Polanco Fuentes, a top official in the Communist Party of Cuba, said the demonstrations were funded by the US government to foment "instability and chaos" in the country. He compared the protests to the US-backed demonstrations in 2019 against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Cuban ally.
More on this story here, here and here
Richard Branson Wore a Pride Ribbon in Space to Honor Pulse Victims
Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson made history on July 11 by flying to the edge of space in his Virgin Galactic rocket plane, and he did it while proudly wearing a rainbow flag pin in memory of the Pulse Nightclub victims.
“Somebody who lost a loved one at the Orlando massacre asked if I would do that,” Branson told the Daily Mail. “We also have many, many friends who are gay and I know people who lost friends there.”
Branson also posted a video to Twitter in which he showed off the pin. “My mission statement is to turn the dream of space travel into a reality for my grandchildren, for your grandchildren, for everyone,” punctuating the “for everyone” with a close-up of the ribbon affixed to his chest. » | Rachel Shatto | Monday, July 12, 2021
Israeli Court Makes Way for Same-Sex Couples to Access Surrogacy
Israel’s Supreme Court opened up the path for same-sex couples to work with surrogate mothers to have children in what Israeli politicians and activists say is a win for the country’s LGBTQ+ community.
In 2018, the country expanded surrogacy access to single women. In 2020, the court ruled that expansion, which excluded single men and same-sex couple was unlawful. The high court found the policy “disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right to parenthood,” according to the Associated Press. It then gave the Israeli government one year to pass a new law. However, parliament never did. » | Alex Cooper | Monday, July 12, 2021
F.D.A. Attaches Warning of Rare Nerve Syndrome to Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Federal regulators concluded that the risk of developing the syndrome was low, and that the benefits of the vaccine still strongly outweigh it.
The Food and Drug Administration warned on Monday that Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome, another setback for a vaccine that has largely been sidelined in the United States.
Although regulators have found that the chances of developing the condition are low, they appear to be three to five times higher among recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine than among the general population in the United States, according to people familiar with the decision. The warning was attached to fact sheetsabout the vaccine for providers and patients. » | Sharon LaFraniere and Noah Weiland | Monday, July 12, 2021
The Food and Drug Administration warned on Monday that Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome, another setback for a vaccine that has largely been sidelined in the United States.
Although regulators have found that the chances of developing the condition are low, they appear to be three to five times higher among recipients of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine than among the general population in the United States, according to people familiar with the decision. The warning was attached to fact sheetsabout the vaccine for providers and patients. » | Sharon LaFraniere and Noah Weiland | Monday, July 12, 2021
Miami Mayor: ‘We Are Absolutely Ready’ for Possible Cuban Arrivals
‘Everyone Has a Tipping Point’: Hunger Fuels Cuba’s Protests »
France Gets Tough on Unvaccinated Citizens
MONACO LIFE: Covid-19 jabs will be mandatory for France’s health workers and anyone wanting to get into a cinema or board a train will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test under new rules announced by President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
Unveiling sweeping measures to combat a surge in infections, Macron said vaccinations would not be compulsory for the general public but encouraged everyone to get a jab.
“We must go towards vaccination of all French people, it is the only way towards a normal life,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation.
“A new race against the clock is on,” he said, referring to the highly contagious Delta variant.
France has an entrenched anti-vaccination movement but authorities had so far believed they could curb the spread of the coronavirus by convincing enough people, including medical staff, to get inoculated voluntarily.
But a slowdown in vaccination rates and a sharp upturn in new infections due to the now-dominant Delta variant have forced a government rethink for health workers, who must now get vaccinated by 15th September.
Vaccination will also be compulsory for people working in retirement homes. » | Cassandra Tanti | Monday, July 12, 2021
Covid News: France Orders Health Care Workers to Get Vaccinated »
Unveiling sweeping measures to combat a surge in infections, Macron said vaccinations would not be compulsory for the general public but encouraged everyone to get a jab.
“We must go towards vaccination of all French people, it is the only way towards a normal life,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation.
“A new race against the clock is on,” he said, referring to the highly contagious Delta variant.
France has an entrenched anti-vaccination movement but authorities had so far believed they could curb the spread of the coronavirus by convincing enough people, including medical staff, to get inoculated voluntarily.
But a slowdown in vaccination rates and a sharp upturn in new infections due to the now-dominant Delta variant have forced a government rethink for health workers, who must now get vaccinated by 15th September.
Vaccination will also be compulsory for people working in retirement homes. » | Cassandra Tanti | Monday, July 12, 2021
Covid News: France Orders Health Care Workers to Get Vaccinated »
Homothérapies, conversion forcée | ARTE
Premiered Nov 20, 2019 • À travers la parole de victimes et un travail d’infiltration journalistique, une enquête sidérante sur les organisations religieuses qui, dévoyant le christianisme et la psychanalyse, prétendent "guérir" les personnes homosexuelles.
Électrochocs, lobotomies frontales, "thérapies" hormonales… : dans les années 1970, aux États-Unis, la dépsychiatrisation de l’homosexualité met progressivement fin à ces pratiques médicales inhumaines, tout en donnant naissance à des mouvements religieux qui prétendent "guérir" ce qu’elles considèrent comme un péché, une déviance inacceptable. Depuis, les plus actives de ces associations – les évangéliques d’Exodus ou les catholiques de Courage – ont essaimé sur tous les continents, à travers une logique de franchises. Bénéficiant d’une confortable notoriété aux États-Unis ou dans l’ultracatholique Pologne, ces réseaux œuvrent en toute discrétion en France et en Allemagne. Mais si les méthodes diffèrent, l’objectif reste identique : convertir les personnes homosexuelles à l’hétérosexualité ou, à défaut, les pousser à la continence. Comme Deb, fille d’évangélistes de l’Arkansas ouvertement homophobes, Jean-Michel Dunand, aujourd’hui animateur d’une communauté œcuménique homosensible et transgenre, a subi de traumatisantes séances d’exorcisme. De son côté, la Polonaise Ewa a été ballottée de messes de guérison en consultations chez un sexologue adepte des décharges électriques. Rongés par la honte et la culpabilité, tous ont souffert de séquelles psychiques graves : haine de soi, alcoolisme, dépression, tentation du suicide…
Manipulation destructrice
Étayée par le travail de deux jeunes journalistes, dont l'un s'est infiltré dans des mouvements français – des rencontres façon Alcooliques anonymes de Courage aux séminaires estivaux de Torrents de vie, avec transes collectives au menu –, cette enquête sur les "thérapies de conversion" donne la parole à des victimes de cinq pays. Leurs témoignages, à la fois rares et bouleversants, mettent en lumière les conséquences dévastatrices de pratiques qui s’apparentent à des dérives sectaires. "Nous avons affaire à une espèce de psychothérapie sauvage qui peut amener à la destruction de la personnalité", affirme ainsi Serge Blisko, ancien président de la Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires). En mars 2018, le Parlement européen a voté une résolution appelant les États membres à interdire ces prétendues thérapies. Jusqu’à maintenant, seul Malte a légiféré sur le sujet.
Homothérapies, conversion forcée Documentaire de Bernard Nicolas (France, 2019, 1h30mn)
Ce documentaire ne peut pas être intégré. Il faut le regarder sur YouTube. Vous pouvez le regarder ici
Électrochocs, lobotomies frontales, "thérapies" hormonales… : dans les années 1970, aux États-Unis, la dépsychiatrisation de l’homosexualité met progressivement fin à ces pratiques médicales inhumaines, tout en donnant naissance à des mouvements religieux qui prétendent "guérir" ce qu’elles considèrent comme un péché, une déviance inacceptable. Depuis, les plus actives de ces associations – les évangéliques d’Exodus ou les catholiques de Courage – ont essaimé sur tous les continents, à travers une logique de franchises. Bénéficiant d’une confortable notoriété aux États-Unis ou dans l’ultracatholique Pologne, ces réseaux œuvrent en toute discrétion en France et en Allemagne. Mais si les méthodes diffèrent, l’objectif reste identique : convertir les personnes homosexuelles à l’hétérosexualité ou, à défaut, les pousser à la continence. Comme Deb, fille d’évangélistes de l’Arkansas ouvertement homophobes, Jean-Michel Dunand, aujourd’hui animateur d’une communauté œcuménique homosensible et transgenre, a subi de traumatisantes séances d’exorcisme. De son côté, la Polonaise Ewa a été ballottée de messes de guérison en consultations chez un sexologue adepte des décharges électriques. Rongés par la honte et la culpabilité, tous ont souffert de séquelles psychiques graves : haine de soi, alcoolisme, dépression, tentation du suicide…
Manipulation destructrice
Étayée par le travail de deux jeunes journalistes, dont l'un s'est infiltré dans des mouvements français – des rencontres façon Alcooliques anonymes de Courage aux séminaires estivaux de Torrents de vie, avec transes collectives au menu –, cette enquête sur les "thérapies de conversion" donne la parole à des victimes de cinq pays. Leurs témoignages, à la fois rares et bouleversants, mettent en lumière les conséquences dévastatrices de pratiques qui s’apparentent à des dérives sectaires. "Nous avons affaire à une espèce de psychothérapie sauvage qui peut amener à la destruction de la personnalité", affirme ainsi Serge Blisko, ancien président de la Miviludes (Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les dérives sectaires). En mars 2018, le Parlement européen a voté une résolution appelant les États membres à interdire ces prétendues thérapies. Jusqu’à maintenant, seul Malte a légiféré sur le sujet.
Homothérapies, conversion forcée Documentaire de Bernard Nicolas (France, 2019, 1h30mn)
Monday, July 12, 2021
Covid-19 : Londres lèvera ses restrictions le 19 juillet
LE POINT : La plupart des restrictions liées à la pandémie seront levées le 19 juillet en Angleterre, selon les récentes informations communiquées par le gouvernement.
« Nous sommes convaincus qu’il est temps que notre pays retrouve une vie normale, donc nous allons passer à l’étape suivante de notre plan de sortie le 19 juillet. » C’est en ces termes que le ministre britannique de la Santé, Savid Javid, a fait part de la levée prochaine des restrictions mises en place en raison de la crise sanitaire, lundi 12 juillet. L’été et les vacances scolaires offrent un moment opportun, selon lui. Il estime qu’attendre plus longtemps, jusqu’à l’hiver par exemple, pourrait donner un avantage au virus, au risque de ne rien pouvoir rouvrir.
« Nous sommes convaincus qu’il est temps que notre pays retrouve une vie normale, donc nous allons passer à l’étape suivante de notre plan de sortie le 19 juillet », a souligné le ministre devant les députés. Dès cette date, baptisée « jour de la liberté », la distanciation sociale et le port du masque ne seront plus obligatoires, même si ce dernier reste recommandé dans les endroits publics fermés et très fréquentés, comme les transports en commun. » | Source AFP | lundi 12 juillet 2021
« Nous sommes convaincus qu’il est temps que notre pays retrouve une vie normale, donc nous allons passer à l’étape suivante de notre plan de sortie le 19 juillet. » C’est en ces termes que le ministre britannique de la Santé, Savid Javid, a fait part de la levée prochaine des restrictions mises en place en raison de la crise sanitaire, lundi 12 juillet. L’été et les vacances scolaires offrent un moment opportun, selon lui. Il estime qu’attendre plus longtemps, jusqu’à l’hiver par exemple, pourrait donner un avantage au virus, au risque de ne rien pouvoir rouvrir.
« Nous sommes convaincus qu’il est temps que notre pays retrouve une vie normale, donc nous allons passer à l’étape suivante de notre plan de sortie le 19 juillet », a souligné le ministre devant les députés. Dès cette date, baptisée « jour de la liberté », la distanciation sociale et le port du masque ne seront plus obligatoires, même si ce dernier reste recommandé dans les endroits publics fermés et très fréquentés, comme les transports en commun. » | Source AFP | lundi 12 juillet 2021
Président Emmanuel Macron : Adresse aux Français
Palais de l’Élysée ici
Chris Snowden on the Ever-Growing Nanny State
These interfering dudes in government have absolutely no sense of 'joie de vivre'! Further, they forget that they work for us: they are our public sevants. Their positions are paid for by our taxes! They should get off our backs and let us lead our lives as we see fit! I can think of a few people in politics in the UK—I won’t name them – today—who behave like interfering old women! In years gone by, we used to call them Betsys! Even though I have successfully given up smoking, listening to this discussion makes me want to start again!
People are not becoming healthier from quitting smoking at all. Instead of smoking, people now eat loads of junk food instead, and grow fatter abd fatter. As a result, obesity and type-2 diabetes rates are soaring. So, instead of dying from tobacco-related illnesses, they are now dying of illnesses related to obesity, insulin-resistance and metabolic syndrome instead. And that's a fact!
Whilst it is healthier not to smoke, it is healthier not to do so only if one vice is not substitued for another. Political hacks don't seem to understand this. One could speak of the law of unintended consequences here. – @ Mark
"It's Coming Home": Neuinfektionen statt Pokal +++ Impfpflicht in Frankreich | DW Nachrichten
Jul 12, 2021 • Mehr als 31.000 Neuinfektionen - in Großbritannien verdoppeln sich die Covidfälle gerade von Woche zu Woche. Trotz der raschen Ausbreitung der Delta-Variante hält der Premierminister Boris Johnson für England daran fest, alle Alltags-Auflagen zum 19. Juli aufzuheben.
Jenseits des Ärmelkanals, in Frankreich, fährt die Regierung einen anderen Corona-Kurs. Auch hier steigen die Neuinfektionen durch die Verbreitung der Delta-Variante. Aber der französische Präsident Emmanuel Macron setzt nicht mehr auf Lockerungen, sondern auf eine teilweise Impfpflicht. Alle, die im Gesundheitswesen arbeiten, insbesondere Kranken- und Pflegekräfte sollen geimpft werden. Die Betroffenen zweifeln, ob das der richtige Weg aus der Coronakrise sein soll.
Jenseits des Ärmelkanals, in Frankreich, fährt die Regierung einen anderen Corona-Kurs. Auch hier steigen die Neuinfektionen durch die Verbreitung der Delta-Variante. Aber der französische Präsident Emmanuel Macron setzt nicht mehr auf Lockerungen, sondern auf eine teilweise Impfpflicht. Alle, die im Gesundheitswesen arbeiten, insbesondere Kranken- und Pflegekräfte sollen geimpft werden. Die Betroffenen zweifeln, ob das der richtige Weg aus der Coronakrise sein soll.
Is the Georgian Government Complicit in Alexander Lashkarava's Death? | DW News
More on this tragic story here
Nazis, Fear and Violence: When Reporting from Berlin Was Dangerous
THE GUARDIAN: Our Germany correspondent salutes the man who did his job 100 years ago, when it was far more perilous and unpredictable
Frederick Augustus Voigt, who was the Manchester Guardian’s Berlin correspondent between 1920 and 1932, did not look like an intrepid reporter.
A 1935 portrait by the Bauhaus photographer Lucia Moholy makes it appear as though he wants to back away from the camera, distrustful eyes barricaded behind thick, round glasses. His physical appearance was described in his 1957 obituary as “fragile-looking and nervous in manner, shortsighted, with a trick of smiling from the mouth downwards.”
So nervy could Voigt be, he once confided to his editor that on a bad day he did not feel brave enough to cross a street during heavy traffic. “Like so many hatreds, my hatred of motorcars arises from fear.”
And yet brave is the only suitable adjective to describe Voigt’s journalism. Known as “Freddy” to colleagues in England, as “Fritz” to friends in Berlin, but only as “our own correspondent” to readers of the Manchester Guardian, Voigt always went straight to where the story was, even if the story might imperil his life. » | Philip Oltermann in Berlin | Monday, July 12, 2021
Gay Pride: Kitty Fischer on Gay Male Rescuer in Auschwitz
Viewer discretion is advised. – Mark
Pride Month: The Nazi Persecution of Gay People
In ewiger Erinnerung: Mögen die im Dritten Reich verfolgten Homosexuellen—in den Vorkriegsjahren, während des Krieges selber, und sogar bis 1969, als der Paragraph 175 schließlich abgeschafft wurde—in Frieden sein. Sie haben kein Verbrechen begangen. Sie wurden geschlagen, gefoltert und getötet umsonst, nur weil sie einen anderen Menschen liebten. Das ist die Tragödie. Ruhe in Frieden. – © Mark
Cubans Take to the Streets in Protests against Communist Regime | DW News
Jul 12, 2021 • Anti-government protests in Cuba amid food shortages and COVID surge.
Protests have broken out in Cuba, with thousands of people taking to the streets against the communist regime.
Demonstrators expressed frustration at food shortages, rising prices and the lack of COVID-19 vaccines. The government has tried to blame the US for the unrest and is rallying its own supporters. It is the greatest show of discontent with the socialist government since the 1990s. Like back then, the trigger for this protest is the desperate economic situation.
Right now, the country is suffering from food shortages. Soon the police arrived and began to drag off people in the crowd. The arrests and the violence only make the demonstrators angrier. "We are not afraid" they cry out. Supporters of the government have been out in the streets too. President Miguel Diaz-Canel himself led a rally. It was organized quickly - in a town outside Havana, where the anti-government protests began early on Sunday.
With the president encouraging his supporters to mobilize against his opponents - there were ugly confrontations. A group of government supporters detain opposition protesters.
A communist regime has ruled Cuba since 1959. It has survived the fall of the Soviet Union and the death of its founder, Fidel Castro. Now, it is again being challenged. But displays like these show it is unlikely to go without a fight.
Related: Thousands March in Cuba in Rare Mass Protests amid Economic Crisis »
Protests have broken out in Cuba, with thousands of people taking to the streets against the communist regime.
Demonstrators expressed frustration at food shortages, rising prices and the lack of COVID-19 vaccines. The government has tried to blame the US for the unrest and is rallying its own supporters. It is the greatest show of discontent with the socialist government since the 1990s. Like back then, the trigger for this protest is the desperate economic situation.
Right now, the country is suffering from food shortages. Soon the police arrived and began to drag off people in the crowd. The arrests and the violence only make the demonstrators angrier. "We are not afraid" they cry out. Supporters of the government have been out in the streets too. President Miguel Diaz-Canel himself led a rally. It was organized quickly - in a town outside Havana, where the anti-government protests began early on Sunday.
With the president encouraging his supporters to mobilize against his opponents - there were ugly confrontations. A group of government supporters detain opposition protesters.
A communist regime has ruled Cuba since 1959. It has survived the fall of the Soviet Union and the death of its founder, Fidel Castro. Now, it is again being challenged. But displays like these show it is unlikely to go without a fight.
Related: Thousands March in Cuba in Rare Mass Protests amid Economic Crisis »
8 Openly Gay Billionaires In the World in 2016
CLEAR lesson here: NEVER let your sexual preferences hold you back! Further, don't worry about God. If it was a problem for Him, He wouldn't have made you gay in the first place! Remember this: If God exists, we are ALL God's children, whether we are gay or straight! – © Mark
Thousands March in Cuba in Rare Mass Protests amid Economic Crisis
The biggest mass demonstrations for three decades have rippled through Cuba, as thousands took to the streets in cities throughout the island, demonstrating against food shortages, high prices and communist rule.
The protests began in the morning, in the town of San Antonio de los Baños in the west of the island, and in the city of Palma Soriano in the east. In both cases protesters numbered in the hundreds.
With millions of Cubans now with mobile internet on their phones, news of the protests quickly swept to Havana. By early afternoon, thousands marched through central Havana, chanting “homeland and life” and “freedom”.
“I’m here because of hunger, because there’s no medicine, because of power cuts – because there’s a lack of everything,” said a man in his 40s who didn’t want to give his name for fear of reprisals.
“I want a total change: a change of government, multiparty elections, and the end of communism.” » | Ed Augustin and Daniel Montero in Havana | Monday, July 12, 2021
Pope Francis Leads Prayer from Rome Hospital
Georgian Cameraman Dies after Attack by Far-right, Anti-LGBTQ Mob
THE GUARDIAN: Government accused of ‘culpable passivity’ after dozens of journalists were attacked covering Pride protest
A Georgian TV cameraman has died after being badly beaten by far-right assailants during a protest against an LGBTQ Pride march, his station said on Sunday, as pressure mounts on authorities over attacks on journalists.
Alexander Lashkarava, a 37-year-old cameraman working for the independent station TV Pirveli, was found dead in his bed in the early hours on Sunday, the channel reported.
Last Monday he was assaulted by a violent mob of anti-LGBTQ protesters and sustained fractures to his facial bones.
More than 50 journalists were attacked that day by anti-LGBTQ groups protesting against the planned Pride march in Tbilisi, which was cancelled due to safety fears. » | Agence France-Presse in Tbilisi | Sunday, July 11, 2021
Sunday, July 11, 2021
Protests Erupt in Spain after Killing of Samuel Luiz
More on this tragic and heartbreaking story here
Jewish in Europe (2/2) | DW Documentary
Jul 11, 2021 • What is life like for Jews in Europe today? What are their stories? How do they combine traditional and modern life? And how do they deal with marginalization and threats?
"There is an everyday Jewish life in Europe that rarely gets shown. Debates about politics, the Middle East and anti-Semitism overshadow the diversity of Jewish life. That's why it was important for us to be able to capture it, just by spontaneously going there and seeing what was happening." This was the mission statement that led Swiss writer Yves Kugelmann and German film producer Alice Brauner, both Jewish, on a journey across Europe.
The first part of this two-part documentary takes Brauner and Kugelmann to Marseille, Strasbourg, Frankfurt and Berlin. They talk about life in the Jewish quarter with Harold Weill, Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg, and ask whether he and his community feel threatened. Alon Meyer, chairman of intercultural soccer club Makkabi Frankfurt and president of the Jewish sports organization Makkabi Germany, describes the hostility his team faces away from the field. In Berlin, Brauner and Kugelmann meet the writer and dramatist Sasha Marianna Salzmann.
"There is an everyday Jewish life in Europe that rarely gets shown. Debates about politics, the Middle East and anti-Semitism overshadow the diversity of Jewish life. That's why it was important for us to be able to capture it, just by spontaneously going there and seeing what was happening." This was the mission statement that led Swiss writer Yves Kugelmann and German film producer Alice Brauner, both Jewish, on a journey across Europe.
The first part of this two-part documentary takes Brauner and Kugelmann to Marseille, Strasbourg, Frankfurt and Berlin. They talk about life in the Jewish quarter with Harold Weill, Chief Rabbi of Strasbourg, and ask whether he and his community feel threatened. Alon Meyer, chairman of intercultural soccer club Makkabi Frankfurt and president of the Jewish sports organization Makkabi Germany, describes the hostility his team faces away from the field. In Berlin, Brauner and Kugelmann meet the writer and dramatist Sasha Marianna Salzmann.
Hongkong: Das Ende der freien Presse | DW Reporter
Les dessins de Christian Dior | ARTE
Jun 11, 2021 • Dans les années 1950, Christian Dior réinvente la silhouette de la femme. Les lignes folles de ses merveilleux dessins, dévoilés par Loïc Prigent, témoignent de dix années de création foisonnantes.
Des tailles de guêpe corsetées, des hanches exagérées, des jupes amples et bouffantes : le style Dior révolutionne la mode d'après-guerre. Finie l'époque du rationnement, l'inventeur du fameux new-look déroule des mètres de tissu – suscitant au passage la polémique – pour habiller la femme. De 1947 à 1957, "une explosion de féminité" défile sur les podiums. De la mythique "Junon", une robe du soir perlée encore réalisée dans ses ateliers pour des clientes fortunées, à l'emblématique tailleur "Bar", le couturier renouvelle tout en élégance ses silhouettes de saison en saison. Mais à force d'enchaîner à un rythme effréné les collections, celui qui aime se décrire comme "un paysan normand bedonnant" s'épuise. Parti en Italie en août 1957 pour une cure de remise en forme – alors que sa voyante lui a déconseillé ce voyage –, Christian Dior ne reviendra jamais. Deux ans avant sa mort, il avait pris soin d'embaucher le jeune Yves Saint Laurent pour lui succéder.
Révolutionnaire
Après Les dessins d'Yves Saint Laurent, Loïc Prigent dévoile les croquis de Christian Dior, conservés précieusement à Paris dans un lieu tenu secret. De ses esquisses dans les pages mode du Figaro, quand il était fauché, aux ébauches de ses innombrables créations en passant par ses carnets d'idées, ce documentaire éblouissant nous plonge dans l'effervescence des années 1950. Avec les sons de l'époque, les dessins, déjà pleins de mouvement, prennent littéralement vie. Riche d'anecdotes émouvantes d'anciennes couturières, d'intimes de "Monsieur Dior", mais aussi de spécialistes de la mode, le film célèbre le talent d'un révolutionnaire qui a construit un empire en seulement dix ans.
Documentaire de Loïc Prigent (France, 2018, 52mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 17/08/2021
Des tailles de guêpe corsetées, des hanches exagérées, des jupes amples et bouffantes : le style Dior révolutionne la mode d'après-guerre. Finie l'époque du rationnement, l'inventeur du fameux new-look déroule des mètres de tissu – suscitant au passage la polémique – pour habiller la femme. De 1947 à 1957, "une explosion de féminité" défile sur les podiums. De la mythique "Junon", une robe du soir perlée encore réalisée dans ses ateliers pour des clientes fortunées, à l'emblématique tailleur "Bar", le couturier renouvelle tout en élégance ses silhouettes de saison en saison. Mais à force d'enchaîner à un rythme effréné les collections, celui qui aime se décrire comme "un paysan normand bedonnant" s'épuise. Parti en Italie en août 1957 pour une cure de remise en forme – alors que sa voyante lui a déconseillé ce voyage –, Christian Dior ne reviendra jamais. Deux ans avant sa mort, il avait pris soin d'embaucher le jeune Yves Saint Laurent pour lui succéder.
Révolutionnaire
Après Les dessins d'Yves Saint Laurent, Loïc Prigent dévoile les croquis de Christian Dior, conservés précieusement à Paris dans un lieu tenu secret. De ses esquisses dans les pages mode du Figaro, quand il était fauché, aux ébauches de ses innombrables créations en passant par ses carnets d'idées, ce documentaire éblouissant nous plonge dans l'effervescence des années 1950. Avec les sons de l'époque, les dessins, déjà pleins de mouvement, prennent littéralement vie. Riche d'anecdotes émouvantes d'anciennes couturières, d'intimes de "Monsieur Dior", mais aussi de spécialistes de la mode, le film célèbre le talent d'un révolutionnaire qui a construit un empire en seulement dix ans.
Documentaire de Loïc Prigent (France, 2018, 52mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 17/08/2021
Julio Iglesias, Diana Ross – All of You
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