All posts by nedhamson

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

Twitter told to delete Russian opposition’s online news content | Russia | The Guardian (Don’t comply Twitter…please)

Russia’s media watchdog has told Twitter to delete the account of an opposition news outlet following threats from Moscow to block the social network entirely if it did not remove “banned content” within a month.

The moves are part of a wider crackdown on social media and the opposition after protests supporting the jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, which were organised via online platforms.

Analysts said the threat to ban Twitter was the first step in a campaign that could lead to other networks being blocked in Russia, where most traditional media are tightly controlled by the state.

Source: Twitter told to delete Russian opposition’s online news content | Russia | The Guardian

Myanmar is in chaos after military coup. A Yangon neighborhood is in the eye of the storm. – The Washington Post

A committee representing members of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy, who were ousted in the coup, said in a statement that people have “the full right to defend themselves or others” in response to the military’s actions.

Longtime observers of Myanmar are warning of an imminent major lethal crackdown — similar to the one the military inflicted on the Rohingya in 2017, in which thousands were killed. The Special Advisory Council for Myanmar, which comprises former United Nations officials who investigated the Rohingya abuses, said in a statement that the military’s actions, including Internet blackouts, are consistent with “past major military offensives.”

“Without immediate political intervention, a major crackdown with fatal consequences is inevitable,” the statement added.

Source: Myanmar is in chaos after military coup. A Yangon neighborhood is in the eye of the storm. – The Washington Post

Putin responds to Biden?s comments that he?s a killer – The Washington Post

In an unusual move, Russia has summoned its ambassador to the U.S. back to Moscow for “consultations” on how to proceed with the “very bad” relations between the countries.

In his first comments on Biden’s interview, Putin responded Thursday with a Russian schoolyard expression suggesting that Biden’s accusations revealed more about him than the Russian president. The phrase can be roughly translated as, “I know you are, but what am I?”

Speaking on a video call with residents of Crimea marking the anniversary of its 2014 annexation from Ukraine, Putin pointed to the United States’ history of killing Native Americans and slavery.

“Each nation and every state has very hard, dramatic, and bloody events in their history. But when we assess other people or even when we assess other states and other nations, we always sort of look in the mirror, and we always see ourselves there. Because we always attribute to other people that which we breathe ourselves and what we essentially are,” Putin said.

Source: Putin responds to Biden?s comments that he?s a killer – The Washington Post

Avian Flu Diary: Denmark SSI: Assessment of Protection Against Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2

Based on 4 million Danes who received multiple PRC tests in 2020, researchers at Denmark’s SSI (Statens Serum Institut) have calculated the average person is about 80% protected – at in the short term – against reinfection with COVID-19.

Among those aged 65 and over, however, that protection is estimated to be only 47%.

This protection is assumed to last at least 6 months.  Once again, these results are based on the older, `wild type’ COVID, not the recently emerged variants carrying the E484K mutation, and so these numbers may not hold going forward.   Source: Avian Flu Diary: Denmark SSI: Assessment of Protection Against Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2

Katherine Tai confirmed as 1st Asian American, woman of color to lead USTR (U.S. Trade Representative)

The Senate on Wednesday approved trade expert Katherine Tai to lead the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, making her the first Asian American and first woman of color to serve in the post.

Katherine Tai. (Getty/Kyodo)

Source: Katherine Tai confirmed as 1st Asian American, woman of color to lead USTR

Tokai nuclear plant ordered to halt for lack of evacuation plans

A Japanese court ordered Thursday the suspension of the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant, located northeast of Tokyo, citing a lack of evacuation plans despite persisting safety concerns over nuclear power generation 10 years after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Source: Tokai nuclear plant ordered to halt for lack of evacuation plans

A Terra não é uma mercadoria e todos nós somos parte da Natureza — Barbara Crane Navarro

Entrevista | O escritor e líder indígena acredita que a Terra é um organismo vivo e que, se a humanidade continuar no ritmo predatório que vive, entrará na lista de espécies em extinção. Foto: Neto Gonçalves/Companhia das Letras “Estamos experienciando a febre do planeta.” É o que Ailton Krenak afirma e que, aparentemente, uma parcela […]

A Terra não é uma mercadoria e todos nós somos parte da Natureza — Barbara Crane Navarro

COVID: Vaccines and Symptomless Transmission

Be careful…

CRAIN'S COMMENTS

The Mayo Clinic offers findings from new research that people who receive the two-dose mRNA vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) reduce the chance of carrying and transmitting the coronavirus to others by between 75% and 90% versus people who remain unvaccinated.

That’s a big deal. The major spreaders of the virus have been people with no symptoms — who never knew they had it. As we say in the post yesterday, that’s a big number. At this point, about 10% of the US population has been confirmed through testing as having the virus. Blood tests taken for other purposes indicate that another 10% had the virus without ever knowing it.

Think about it. You go to a restaurant, beach or game. Look at the 10 people closest to you. Two of them have had the virus, and may still have it. One knows it and is probably wearing a mask. The…

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Experts urge caution as 15 states see uptick in COVID-19 infections

Even with the race to vaccinate as many Americans as possible accelerating, some experts are warning that if Americans don’t also follow proper safety and mitigation measures the U.S. could see a COVID-19 resurgence.

Although the country’s national daily case average continues to fall — about 32.5% over the last month — nearly a third of all states have seen their average number of cases rise at least 10%.

Those 15 states are: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon and West Virginia, according to an ABC News analysis of state data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Several states — Delaware, Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon and West Virginia — have seen their case averages increase by at least 25% in the last week.

“Minnesota, I think, is really a harbinger of things to come. We’re loosening up all the restrictions we’ve had, and in some ways creating a perfect storm moment for virus transmission, whether it’s a variant or not,” Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist and head of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, told ABC News’ “World News Tonight” on Wednesday.

Source: Experts urge caution as 15 states see uptick in COVID-19 infections