Category Archives: News to use

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

A bit of cake is not forbidden… — pe blog

A bit of cake is not forbidden…As long as you watch your portion size and your frequency of consumption ! If you’ve enjoyed reading this post, please like , comment , share it or follow my blog! Thank you Donation/ support Thank you for your support 3.00 $ Click here to purchase.

A bit of cake is not forbidden… — pe blog

Hate incidents against Asians are happening in San Antonio, but victims are not reporting them, expert says

San Antonio – Romelette Metz, a business owner in San Antonio, says she like many others were victims of hate incidents last year.

She was called names. “Hey China, go back to your country,” the Filipino native recalls hearing.

Metz said she’s not paranoid or sensitive about things, but she definitely felt the hateful looks and vibes by some people in the community.

“Everybody was so angry and they’re looking for somebody to blame and express the frustration, that anger. And I feel like we became the shock absorber at that time,” Metz said.

Metz said many in the Asian community just want to lay low and not get involved with things that are uncomfortable or embarrassing.

But that’s the problem, says Brian Levin, a professor at CSUSB and director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

“We know they’re happening in Texas and they’re vastly underreported,” he said.

Source: Hate incidents against Asians are happening in San Antonio, but victims are not reporting them, expert says

U.S. Statement on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar | U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Geneva

We stand with the people of Myanmar as they pursue democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and respect for the rule of law.

We call on all members of the international community to join efforts to press the military to refrain from violence against peaceful protestors and restore power to the democratically elected government.

We urge the Myanmar military to immediately restore power to the democratically elected government; refrain from further violence; release those unjustly detained; respect freedom of expression, movement, and association; refrain from harassment and detention of journalists; allow unhindered humanitarian access to life-saving assistance for all people in need; and lift restrictions on telecommunications and Internet access.

Source: U.S. Statement on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar | U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Geneva

Covid-19: Military coup in Myanmar sees virus response crumble as doctors are arrested | The BMJ

Ara Darzi, director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, said, “There are reports across the country of doctors being dismissed from their posts, arrested, or going into hiding in fear for their lives. The arrest and detention of medical staff for joining a peaceful protest is an affront to doctors everywhere and a clear breach of humanitarian law. It demands an immediate robust response.”

Meanwhile, the UN has warned of disruption to aid operations in the country, with a spokesperson raising concerns over the severe impact of the coup on covid-19 testing capacity and vaccination planning.5

On 8 February it was reported that 1987 tests took place. This was a significant drop from both the 9000 tests carried out a week prior (1 February), and the average of more than 17,000 a day in the week before the coup. The drop in testing has meant that the number of new cases detected on 8 February was just four—at the end of January an average of 420 cases were being identified every day.6

Source: Covid-19: Military coup in Myanmar sees virus response crumble as doctors are arrested | The BMJ

If the Army is Disbanded Will Myanmar Become Like Libya or Iraq? (Singapore very concerned)

Singapore’s current Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan proposed that the U.N. secretary general’s special envoy on Myanmar, Christine Schraner Burgener, be allowed to visit the country as soon as possible to meet all key stakeholders, including ousted leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who he said should be released from detention.

“The only way you’re going to get a long-term, sustainable, viable solution is for national reconciliation to occur, and in particular we call for the release of the President Win Myint and State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and the other political detainees.”

Balakrishnan also stressed that Singapore has not recognized the regime as Myanmar’s government.

Source: If the Army is Disbanded Will Myanmar Become Like Libya or Iraq?

Russia concerned by ‘alarming’ situation in Myanmar

Russia considers the situation in Myanmar to be “alarming” and is closely following developments, a government official said on Friday.

Reports of rising number of casualties among civilians is of particular concern, Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, told reporters in Moscow.

“We assess the situation as alarming, and we are concerned about the information coming from there about the growing number of civilian casualties,” he said.

“This is a matter of worry for us. We are very closely monitoring what is happening there.”

Peskov said Russian authorities are also weighing the possibility of suspending military cooperation with Myanmar.

The military junta has killed at least 70 people and detained more than 2,000 amid ongoing mass protests against the Feb. 1 coup.

Source: Russia concerned by ‘alarming’ situation in Myanmar

Megadrought: New Mexico farms face uncertain future — High Country News – Know the West

ON THE RIO GRANDE, one of the Southwest’s major lifelines, this year is expected to be among the driest in recent history. New Mexico officials project drought conditions to be worse than they’ve been since the 1970s. The upcoming season highlights a difficult reality in this state: Farming and ranching to pay the bills could become an unsustainable way of life in New Mexico, as the water supply dwindles and farms resort to pumping more groundwater to irrigate.

And while state lawmakers and regulators have a wealth of information on the current and future water crises, there has been little interest in radical changes to water policy.

In an attempt to address the immediate water challenges, hydrologists with the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission are taking the rare step of asking farmers along the river, as well as a major tributary, the Rio Chama, to either cut back their farming this year or brace for a short irrigation season.

Source: Megadrought: New Mexico farms face uncertain future — High Country News – Know the West

India’s poor are being left behind in coronavirus vaccine drive — Quartz India

Ten days into this second phase of vaccinations, doctors and health workers in Delhi have noticed a trend. “It is mostly educated people who are coming while the rest are hospital staff,” said a doctor from the radiology department manning the vaccination centre at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital. “People from the poorer sections are not coming. They are not aware of this.”

At the Central government-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in the capital, doctors at the empty waiting area for the vaccine said that “90% of the beneficiaries belonged to the middle class and upper-middle class.”

Source: India’s poor are being left behind in coronavirus vaccine drive — Quartz India

Asia Today: Virus resurges as India slowly vaccinates more – ABC News

(India may be in for a surprise – an unexpected surge and major problems from not being more aggressive in its vaccination efforts-Ned)

Government health official Vinod Kumar Paul in a news conference Thursday said the latest surge, particularly in Maharashtra, was worrisome. He advised people not to lower their guard as “the pandemic is not yet over.” India began its vaccination drive in January and has advanced to the second phase, giving shots to health care workers, people older than 60 and people over 45 with significant health risks. But the program aiming to vaccinate 300 million people by August is running way below capacity. More than 26 million people have gotten a shot, though only 4.72 million are fully vaccinated with both doses.

Source: Asia Today: Virus resurges as India slowly vaccinates more – ABC News