Source: Iran starts human testing of first domestic COVID-19 vaccine – The Jerusalem Post
Monthly Archives: December 2020
California stay-at-home order is extended amid COVID-19 surge – Los Angeles Times – 66,811 new cases (includes cases from Christmas weekend)
California on Monday again recorded its highest number of new coronavirus infections in a single day, with 66,811. Though that tally included a backlog from the long Christmas weekend, during which many counties did not issue reports, officials have said they expect in the coming weeks, there will be another surge in new infections stemming from gatherings and travel over the winter holidays. Source: California stay-at-home order is extended amid COVID-19 surge – Los Angeles Times
5,452 new COVID-19 cases reported, highest number since October – The Jerusalem Post
Some 5,452 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Israel on Monday, the largest number of cases in a day since the beginning of October, with 5.6% of tests returning positive, according to a Tuesday morning update by the Health Ministry.
Of those infected, 604 patients were in serious condition and 156 patients were on ventilators. Some 30 people have died since the Health Ministry’s Monday morning update, bringing the death toll to 3,256 since the beginning of the outbreak. Source: 5,452 new COVID-19 cases reported, highest number since October – The Jerusalem Post
As U.K. coronavirus cases hit record high, health care workers say they are overwhelmed – The Washington Post
Doctors and nurses across Britain are sounding the alarm as confirmed cases of covid-19 reach record highs, with experts urging the government to implement a stricter lockdown to prevent the health system from being overwhelmed. Source: As U.K. coronavirus cases hit record high, health care workers say they are overwhelmed – The Washington Post
Drive-in concerts became a thing in 2020: Here’s how they’ll evolve in 2021 – San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Vincenzo Giammanco, founder of Ventura-based traveling events company CBF Productions, was one of the early adopters of the drive-in concert concept, officially launching in June of 2020. They staged over 170 live events this year at the Ventura Fairgrounds, Del Mar Fairgrounds and Arizona State Fairgrounds, including drive-in movies, comedy shows, concerts and drive-thru experiences. CBF’s Concerts In Your Car series featured performances by Third Eye Blind, Sublime with Rome, Snoop Dogg, 311, Cypress Hill, Randy Houser, The Beach Boys and more.
“We were going against a lot of the industry saying, you know, ‘Eh, concerts in a car, whatever’,” he said. “But once we were able to really put it together, people really liked this experience. They like to have their own space and it’s just completely different. We felt like we stumbled across something here that probably is going to have legs for quite some time, even after the pandemic.”
29th Day of December, Music – Fatcowco 1982 – Neil Young releases the album ‘Trans’
Pressure on Turkey to protect Uighurs as China ratifies extradition treaty | Uighurs | The Guardian
Historically, Turkey has long welcomed Uighurs and Turkic Muslims fleeing China and has spoken out against abuses. An estimated 50,000 Uighurs are refugees in Turkey, making it the largest Uighur diaspora hub in the world.
In May, Turkey’s ambassador to the US reiterated the cultural and linguistic ties between the ethnic minority groups and Turkey, and told Axios “any issue pertaining to their wellbeing holds a special place on our agenda”.
However, in recent years Ankara has grown closer to Beijing and increased its assistance in apprehending or interrogating Uighurs who Chinese authorities have accused of terrorism. While it refuses to return Uighurs to China directly, Turkey has been accused of sending them to a third country, like Tajikistan, where extradition to China is easier.
Residency paperwork has become harder to obtain, and many Uighurs in Turkey report receiving phone calls from Chinese police threatening family members still in Xinjiang if they do not stop campaigning against the ruling Communist party’s policies.
Daily demonstrations by the Uighur community are currently being held outside the Chinese consulate in Istanbul to protest against such treatment.
“At first Uighurs didn’t take the treaty seriously because all countries have such agreements between each other … but the fact is that Chinese Han who flee go to the west, not Turkey, so this treaty is specifically targeting us,” said Arslan Hidayet, an Australian Uighur activist who lives in Istanbul.
“We have been sold out by our own, despite the ethnic and religious ties we have, which is very hurtful.”
Source: Pressure on Turkey to protect Uighurs as China ratifies extradition treaty | Uighurs | The Guardian
UN finds Netherlands violated human rights of stateless child

Dutch authorities left 10-year-old without legal protection by registering him as ‘nationality unknown’
The Netherlands violated a child’s rights by failing to acknowledge that he was stateless and eligible for international protection, a UN committee has found, urging the country to change its legislation.
In its first ever decision on the right of children to acquire nationality, the UN Human Rights Committee determined on Tuesday that by registering the child as “nationality unknown”, the Dutch authorities had violated his right to international protection and also to seek a nationality.
Who’s Not Essential Today
The Trump-Virus

You, that’s who!
Axios tells us that congressional staffers are getting cuts in line now, too. Also.
Congress’ attending physician informed lawmakers Monday night that two staffers in every House member and senator’s personal offices are now eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
In addition, the Office of the Attending Physician is offering the vaccine to four staffers of every committee chair and every ranking committee member.
Because the people working so hard to keep you from getting $2K Ameros are more essential than you are.
The Friends of Mr Cairo
Cairo – use Google translate to read the text about this wonderful city.
Cairo, 2018
Mașini, claxoane, scrâșnet de frâne, voci. Peisajul sonor din metropola egipteană e amețitor, dar toate astea încetează imediat ce intri în cartierul creștin. Se așterne dintr-o dată o liniște ireală.

După câteva controale riguroase ale armatei, pătrund în sectorul cel mai bine păzit din Cairo, edificat parțial pe vechile fundații romane.

Aici ne intersectăm cu traseul parcurs de Sfânta Familie în timpul fugii în Egipt.
După plecarea magilor, un înger i s-a arătat în vis lui Iosif, sfătuindu-l să-și ia familia și să fugă în Egipt, pentru a salva pruncul.

Albrecht Durer a reprezentat cu dramatism episodul într-o gravură pe care am văzut-o la Palazzo Sturm, Bassano del Grappa. M-au fascinat resemnarea, temeritatea și speranțele din gesturile lor măsurate.

Porniseră precipitat la drum, îngrijorați unul pentru celălalt și amândoi pentru prunc, indiferenți la frumusețea peisajului. Au rămas în Egipt până la moartea lui Irod, răstimp în care Iosif…
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