All posts by nedhamson

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

Yanomami beset by violent land-grabs, hunger and disease in Brazil | Global development | The Guardian

Shocking images shared on Brazilian social media this week have cast a spotlight on a spiral of violence, malnutrition and disease that threatens fresh devastation for the Yanomami people and their ancestral territory in the Amazon state of Roraima. “The Yanomami are facing a humanitarian crisis, which is as critical as at the end of 1980s when the territory was invaded by 40,000 illegal miners,” said anthropologist Ana Maria Machado, a member of the Pro-Yanomami and Ye’kwana Network. About 27,000 Yanomami live on the reserve which is the size of Portugal. But in recent years, the territory has seen a new invasion by about 20,000 wildcat miners – known as garimpeiros. Last year, the influx caused a 30% increase in illegal mining inside the territory, and it has also brought infectious diseases. The past five years have seen a nearly 500% increase in malaria cases on the reserve, while in the first eight months of 2020, nearly 14,000 new cases and nine deaths from the disease were reported.

Source: Yanomami beset by violent land-grabs, hunger and disease in Brazil | Global development | The Guardian

How did Covid slip through Taiwan’s ‘gold standard’ defences? | Coronavirus | The Guardian

The first cases were reported in two pilots on 20 April. Ten days later, the Central Epidemic Command Centre (CECC) announced an investigation into “the possible risk of transmission” among staff who had quarantined at the Novotel in the previous two weeks. The cases confirmed fears about the government’s decision to steadily relax required quarantine time for flight crews, down to just three days by mid-April with a mandated period of self-monitoring of their health. By the time of the investigation many crew members had checked out and some were later found to have visited public venues while infectious, in breach of the rules.

Dr Chiou Shu-ti, former health commissioner of Taipei, said authorities were “playing with fire” by relaxing the requirements while being “complacent” with testing of arrivals.

By early May, 18 airline and hotel employees and 11 family members had tested positive, and soon cases emerged in counties without a known link to the airport or hotel. By Monday, there were cases in nine cities or counties, all reportedly the same UK variant of the virus.

In response, the national and local governments have announced caps on gatherings, the closures of some businesses, public venues and schools, reduced non-Covid medical services, and tighter border restrictions. Residents are urged to increase hygiene and avoid travel. But the measures vary across Taiwan, and even the stricter rules in Taipei and New Taipei don’t come close to a full lockdown.

Taiwan’s health minister, Chen Shih-chung, acknowledged his intent was to allow businesses – including indoor dining – to keep operating, saying: “The spirit of level three is to reduce the risks of coronavirus spread, to reduce the scale of any gathering.”

Dr Chiou, who said her history as a one-time political candidate had coloured responses to her advice, warned authorities against following the mitigation strategies of the UK or US instead of aiming for elimination. She called for an immediate nationwide quasi-lockdown (with government financial support for workers) and then mass testing.

Source: How did Covid slip through Taiwan’s ‘gold standard’ defences? | Coronavirus | The Guardian

China supports intellectual property waiver for coronavirus vaccines

China on Monday expressed support for waiving intellectual property protections for novel coronavirus vaccines in a bid to help developing nations suffering from the ongoing pandemic.

“China will continue to make a contribution to the fairness and accessibility of vaccines in developing countries,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

Source: China supports intellectual property waiver for coronavirus vaccines

النفس الأخير

Google Translation of first lie: Last Breath – Mental illness is a beast lurking in the cells of the human body that manipulates the nervous system and exhausts all the organs until the forces of the body become depressed, so it succumbs to suffering and disease, or resort to a violent act to stop the pain permanently and writes by itself the end of his life by

حلم الدرويش

المرض النفسى وحش كامن فى خلايا جسم الإنسان يتلاعب بالجهاز العصبى ويرهق جميع الأعضاء حتى تخور قوى الجسد فيستسلم للمعاناة والمرض , أو يلجأ لفعل عنيف لإيقاف الوجع بشكل نهائى ويكتب بنفسه نهاية حياته عن طريق الانتحار .

أمراض نفسية تدفع للانتحار :

_ الاكتئاب : هو أكثر مرض نفسى قد يؤدى بالمريض للتفكير فى الانتحار,حيث يميل المريض للعزلة واليأس ولا يستطيع العمل بكفاءة مع شعور قوى بعدم الجدوى وانخفاض الجهد والطاقة العامة للشخص.

_ اضطراب القلق : أفكار لا تتوقف فى عقل المريض تجعله يعانى من القلق والخوف دون أسباب ظاهرة مع توقع دائم بحدوث مشاكل مستقبلية , ويراود الشخص فكرة الانتحار كرد فعل للتخلص من كل ذلك .

_ مرض الفصام (الشيزوفرينيا) : مرض يصيب خلايا العقل ويجعل المصاب غير قادر على تمييز الخيال من الواقع , مع التعرض لهلاوس فى السمع والبصر وانعدام القدرة على التفاعل مع أحداث الحياة ويؤدى فى بعض الحالات لمحاولة إيذاء النفس أو…

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Psy-ops in high places Putin’s new science adviser to Russia’s National Security Council is a military intelligence agent accused of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus — Meduza

newcomer to the Science Council is a man named A. G. Starunsky, a deputy commander of Russia’s Military Unit 55111. Meduza has learned that intelligence agencies in Estonia and the United States suspect this person of involvement in online disinformation campaigns run by Russia’s Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU).  Source: Psy-ops in high places Putin’s new science adviser to Russia’s National Security Council is a military intelligence agent accused of spreading disinformation about the coronavirus — Meduza

US Sanctions Myanmar Junta Figures as Chin Fighters Claim 6 Army Troop Kills — Radio Free Asia

US Sanctions Myanmar Junta Figures as Chin Fighters Claim 6 Army Troop KillsProtesters hold signs, in support of the town of Mindat in Chin state where a civilian defense force has clashed with the military, during a demonstration against the military coup in Mandalay, May 17, 2021.

 AFP

The United States imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s junta and 13 military regime figures on Monday, specifically citing the “violence and repression” against civilians in the western town of Mindat, where the army unleashed heavy artillery and helicopter gunships in a weekend fight against ethnic Chin militia fighters.

Source: US Sanctions Myanmar Junta Figures as Chin Fighters Claim 6 Army Troop Kills — Radio Free Asia

Just 12 anti-vaxxers responsible for spreading most COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories (Me: lots of enablers out there helping spread lies)

Researchers from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and Anti-Vax Watch say just 12 people or organizations are responsible for circulating nearly two-thirds of the anti-vaccine content the world sees on social media. Moreover, despite their promises to remove accounts and posts spreading COVID misinformation, the study finds social media CEOs have not taken action against these individuals.

“Disinformation has become a direct threat to public health,” says CCDH CEO Imran Ahmed in a media release. “In the midst of a global pandemic, the Anti-Vaccine Industry has executed a targeted campaign to mislead Americans about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. Social media is enabling anti-vaxxers to recruit millions of Americans and indoctrinate them with fear and doubt. If Big Tech companies don’t act now, the pandemic will be prolonged, and more lives will be lost.”

Study authors analyzed anti-vaccine posts shared on Facebook and Twitter over 812,000 times between Feb. 1 and March 16, 2021. The results uncovered that 65 percent of this material comes from 12 of the most prominent anti-vaccine voices today. This is a group which includes entrepreneurs, physicians, and even a member of the fabled Kennedy political family.

Source: Just 12 anti-vaxxers responsible for spreading most COVID-19 vaccine conspiracy theories