All posts by nedhamson

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

PLO member Ashrawi: ‘Made in Israel’ endorses land theft, plunder – The Jerusalem Post

 Ashrawi also noted that products made in the West Bank directly contradict international law, saying “Labeling products made inside illegal Israeli settlements as ‘made in Israel’ or ‘products of Israel’ is an outrageous and illegal policy tantamount to de facto recognition of Israel’s annexation of most of the West Bank.”
“It is an attempt to legitimize the theft of Palestinian land and plunder of Palestinian resources that runs counter fundamental principles of international law and the global consensus,” Ashrawi claimed.

Source: PLO member Ashrawi: ‘Made in Israel’ endorses land theft, plunder – The Jerusalem Post

Presidential Transition Live Updates: Trump Invites State Lawmakers to White House in Bid to Subvert Election – The New York Times

After failing repeatedly in court to overturn election results, President Trump is taking the extraordinary step of reaching out directly to Republican state legislators as he tries to subvert the Electoral College process, inviting Michigan lawmakers to meet with him at the White House on Friday.

A source with knowledge of the trip said that Mr. Trump would meet with Michigan’s Senate majority leader, Mike Shirkey, and speaker of the House, Lee Chatfield, late Friday afternoon. Both lawmakers are Republicans who have said that whoever has the most votes in Michigan after the results are certified will get the state’s 16 electoral votes.

L.A. County reports over 5,000 new COVID infections, a record – Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles County reported more than 5,000 new coronavirus cases Thursday, the most it has seen on any one day since the pandemic began, as the state announced that a new, limited stay-at-home order would be put in place starting this weekend.

The sheer magnitude of the figure illustrates that the coronavirus outbreak is surging to devastating new heights and underscores that no one should underestimate the extent of its spread, according to county health officer Dr. Muntu Davis.

Source: L.A. County reports over 5,000 new COVID infections, a record – Los Angeles Times

Deputy health minister: Third closure will probably happen – The Jerusalem Post

Israel could be facing a third lockdown as early as Hanukkah, according to Health Ministry director-general Chezy Levy. “I do not know if there will be a Hanukkah closure,” he said during a briefing on Thursday, noting that the increase in morbidity may lead from a cessation of restrictions to a full-fledged closure. “If there is sweeping illness like on the eve of Rosh Hashanah, we will have to take broad steps. I can’t say if it will be on Hanukkah, but it could certainly happen if the increase in morbidity continues.”

Source: Deputy health minister: Third closure will probably happen – The Jerusalem Post

Why is Finland coping so well with the coronavirus crisis? | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 19.11.2020

“Finland moved relatively quickly and comprehensively to introduce curbs on public life. It did so around two weeks earlier than other Scandinavian countries like Norway and Denmark, not to mention Sweden,” Mika Salminen, director of the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), told German public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk Kultur. The lockdown, he said, helped to slow down the spread of the virus.

Finland relies on the capability to swiftly trace people who have been in contact with those who tested positive. To that end, an app was introduced, similar to the one used in Germany. The track and trace app “Corona Flash” was downloaded by almost every other person.

Unlike Germany, where there’s increasing doubt over the government’s response or people simply don’t take the virus seriously, trust in what the Finnish government is doing is relatively high. There’s been very little opposition against the measures, even during the lockdown earlier this year. An EU Parliament survey at the time found that 73% of people said they were coping well with the restrictions.

 

Source: Why is Finland coping so well with the coronavirus crisis? | Europe| News and current affairs from around the continent | DW | 19.11.2020

Face masks should be worn indoors, Academy of Sciences recommends – Radio Sweden | Sveriges Radio

  • A specialist group of experts at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has been looking at the scientific evidence.
  • Better ventilation is also needed if one stays inside for a long time with other people, e.g in public transport, it says in a new report.
  • Academy member and professor of virology Maria Masucci tells us there’s no evidence that face coverings make people take more risks, in contrast to the fears of the Public Health Agency.

Source: Face masks should be worn indoors, Academy of Sciences recommends – Radio Sweden | Sveriges Radio