All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Censorship is plunging Modi’s India into darkness | East Asia Forum

Narendra Modi takes a 'selfie' with a mobile phone, Ahmedabad, 30 April 2014 (Photo: REUTERS/Amit Dave).

Amid a crescendo of criticism from foreign and domestic observers over incompetent handling, the embattled and embarrassed government has blocked 100 critical tweets, including by opposition lawmakers, journalists and other civil society figures.

These events represent an escalating trend of suppressing free speech in India following a face-off with Twitter in February 2021. The government ordered Twitter to suspend 500 accounts and block access to several others amplifying the Indian farmer protests and highlighting the government’s poor handling. The government justification was to ‘curb misinformation and inflammatory content’. Such was the resolve of the government that when Twitter struck a defiant note — unblocking the accounts and disagreeing with the government’s assessment of the legality of the content — it served Twitter with a non-compliance notice, threatening jail for executives in India.

Read more at link below…

Source: Censorship is plunging Modi’s India into darkness | East Asia Forum

DHS formally bans family separations for illicit border crossings | TheHill

Homeland Security officials on Friday formally banned separating children from parents who are caught illegally crossing U.S. border, as part of an effort by the Biden administration to revert the effects of former President Trump‘s “zero tolerance” policy.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Commissioner Troy Miller issued a memo to the heads of Border Patrol and CBP’s Office of Field Operations prohibiting the separation of children from their parents or guardians for convictions on illegal entry to the United States, and banning the referral of parents for prosecution exclusively on the grounds of illegal entry to the country.

Miller’s memo added an exception on national security grounds, allowing CBP and Border Patrol agents to refer illegal entry for prosecution with approval of higher-ranking officials and local counsel.

Source: DHS formally bans family separations for illicit border crossings | TheHill

CCRP urges Jamaican political representatives to help rural elders get vaccinated

Petchary's Blog

We might assume that many Jamaicans over 60 who have not yet been vaccinated are hesitating or unwilling to get their first dose. However, our senior citizens face many practical challenges these days – none more so than those who are living in rural areas. The Caribbean Community of Retired Persons(CCRP) is worried that the most vulnerable age groups may be left behind. By far the largest percentage of deaths is among senior citizens over 60. And we have lost 948 Jamaicans to COVID-19, as of May 30. Most of those who have died in the past year and two months have been beloved grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles, aunts.

But have we thought of the possibility that many of our older citizens (who may also have disabilities) may not have the means or ability to access the vaccines – in other words, to get to their local health clinics…

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Portretul unei doamne

Google translation of key paragraph: Leaving a slum in Krakow, where she was born in 1872 into a needy family of eight girls, she became, at one point, the most influential woman in the world. It’s about Helena Rubinstein, creator of cosmetics. As a sign, she is Capricorn, ambitious and confident, despite the height of 1.50 that has complexed her all her life.

ore de drum

Paris, 2019

Dacă treci în vara aceasta prin Paris înainte de 25 august, prinzi o expoziție minunată la Musée d’art et d’histoire du Judaisme. Conceptul foarte inteligent, bogăția și varietatea exponatelor, amenajarea scenografică – totul m-a fascinat. Povestea ei este o lecție de viață.

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Plecată dintr-o mahala a Cracoviei, unde s-a nascut în 1872 într-o familie nevoiașă cu opt fete, a ajuns, la un moment dat, cea mai influentă femeie din lume. E vorba despre Helena Rubinstein, creatoare de produse cosmetice. Ca zodie, e Capricorn, ambițioasă și sigură de ea, în ciuda înălțimii de 1.50 care a complexat-o toată viața.

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În adolescență, își punea pe față crema mamei ei, preparată de farmacistul din cartier. Ajunsă la vârsta măritișului, pentru că făcea nazuri și nu voia în ruptul capului să se mărite, părinții au trimis-o la Viena la rudele care aveau o prăvalie, ca să ajute. Dar nici acolo n-a găsit…

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