Category Archives: News to use

Useful news for all to advance knowledge of the world and how it works

Lao Government Troops Launch New Assault Against Hmong at Phou Bia Mountain — Radio Free Asia (Me: Laotian ethnic cleansing of Hmong from their homeland for profit)

Lao government troops have launched a new campaign of attacks against groups of ethnic Hmong living in forests near Phou Bia Mountain in an effort to remove them from areas targeted for development and foreign investment schemes, rights group and Hmong sources say.

The new push against the Hmong—who fought under U.S. advisors against communist forces during the Vietnam War—follows the March 14 publication of an order by authorities in Xaysomboun province barring access by civilians to the forests near Phou Bia, the highest mountain in Laos, an international NGO said at the weekend.

Source: Lao Government Troops Launch New Assault Against Hmong at Phou Bia Mountain — Radio Free Asia

Supreme Court Lets FCC Relax Limits On Media Ownership – Slashdot (Me: Supremes supporting monopoly and oligopolies – forget free speech)

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Thursday that the Federal Communications Commission could relax rules limiting the number of newspapers, radio stations and television stations that a single entity may own in a given market. The decision is likely to prompt further consolidation among broadcast outlets, some of which say they need more freedom to address competition from internet and cable companies. Critics fear that media consolidation will limit the perspectives available to viewers. Source: Supreme Court Lets FCC Relax Limits On Media Ownership – Slashdot

US faces pivotal moment in COVID-19 fight | TheHill

The U.S. is facing a pivotal moment in the fight against COVID-19, as a new rise in cases poses a threat even as vaccinations make progress.

Cases are up about 12 percent nationally compared to the previous week, averaging around 62,000 cases per day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The figures come as CDC Director Rochelle Walensky issued a dire warning this week of “impending doom” in the nation’s coronavirus battle.

Source: US faces pivotal moment in COVID-19 fight | TheHill

Romney pushes Biden to ‘live up to the bipartisanship he preached’ | TheHill (Me: Time for you, Mr. Romney, to step up and match your talk with action dude!)

Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on Thursday said President Biden needs to push for bipartisanship in government while Congress is closely split between Democrats and Republicans.

Source: Romney pushes Biden to ‘live up to the bipartisanship he preached’ | TheHill

Pfizer COVID vaccine 91% effective for at least 6 months | CIDRAP (God and bad news – have to get another shot in September?)

The Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is 91.3% effective up to 6 months after the second dose and 100% effective against severe disease as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to updated data today from the phase 3 trial.

Source: Pfizer COVID vaccine 91% effective for at least 6 months | CIDRAP

Border crisis: What’s pushing migrants to the U.S. border – The Washington Post

So far this year, more unaccompanied minors processed by immigration agents are from Guatemala than any other country. Analysts and U.S. officials refer obliquely to “poverty” as an underlying cause of that influx. But often the reason is far more specific: hunger. Source: Border crisis: What’s pushing migrants to the U.S. border – The Washington Post

Pfizer vaccine has 91% efficacy for up to six months, trial shows | Coronavirus | The Guardian

The findings are the first to demonstrate that the vaccine remains effective for many months, an outcome that doctors and scientists had desperately hoped for because it suggests that people being vaccinated now should be protected at least until the autumn when boosters may be ready. Source: Pfizer vaccine has 91% efficacy for up to six months, trial shows | Coronavirus | The Guardian