
Source: U.S. COVID-19 death toll passes 500,000 – Los Angeles Times

Source: U.S. COVID-19 death toll passes 500,000 – Los Angeles Times
NORTHAMPTON — When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S. last March, lockdowns left many without jobs, while public safety measures created a scramble for face masks to protect against virus transmission.
A Northampton group, im2: Immigrant Mask Makers of Western Massachusetts, soon after went to work creating masks — and jobs — during the crisis. Today, the team, consisting of 16 immigrant women and co-founders Amy Ben-Ezra and Allie Aguirre, have sewn and coordinated the creation of hundreds of masks.

German beach volleyball stars Karla Borger and Julia Sude have said they will boycott a tournament in Qatar because it is “the only country” where players are forbidden from wearing bikinis on court.
Source: Beach volleyball stars boycott Qatar tournament over bikini ban | Sport | The Guardian
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of major cities across Myanmar Monday for an all-day nationwide strike in defiance of a warning by the three-week-old military regime that further demonstrations could lead to “loss of life.”
The “22222 Popular Uprising” — drawing on the digits in 2/22/2021 — of mass strikes and demonstrations came exactly three weeks since the army deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government. In weeks of daily protests, four people have been killed, all shot by security forces.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets of major cities across Myanmar Monday for an all-day nationwide strike in defiance of a warning by the three-week-old military regime that further demonstrations could lead to “loss of life.”
The “22222 Popular Uprising” — drawing on the digits in 2/22/2021 — of mass strikes and demonstrations came exactly three weeks since the army deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her elected government. In weeks of daily protests, four people have been killed, all shot by security forces.
Protesters rallied despite bans on public gatherings of more than five people, and amid an internet service blackout in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon, from 1 a.m. to noon on Monday.
Military convoys entered major residential areas of Yangon and set up blockades on streets of foreign embassies and at the local United Nations office, where demonstrations have been held.
The deployments came after the military on late Sunday warned on state television and via loudspeakers on patrol trucks of a “loss of life” if the protests continue.
“It is found that the protesters have raised their incitement towards riot and anarchy mob on the day of 22 February,” the Associated Press quoted the English text that appeared on screen. “Protesters are now inciting the people, especially emotional teenagers and youths, to a confrontation path where they will suffer the loss of life.”
State-run MRTV warned local media outlets not to use the words “coup” or “power-seizing government” in Burmese or they would face legal action, including shutdowns. MRTV and the junta’s webpage have both been banned from Facebook, which millions of people in Myanmar use as their primary source of news and information.
On Monday morning, however, huge crowds moved past trucks blocking the roads and rallied at Yangon’s Sule Pagoda and at the Hledan and Myae Ni Gone junctions — historic protest sites from the “8888 Uprising” when students launched a nationwide movement against decades of entrenched military rule on August 8, 1988, that was crushed by the army with thousands killed.
More anti-junta protests
In Mandalay, the second-largest city, where two protesters were shot dead by security forces on Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in the streets against the regime, watched over by a large group of security personnel outside the regional High Court and the central railway station, though no incidents were reported.
Other mass demonstrations were held in the towns of Pathein in Ayeyarwady region, Myaing and Sinphyukyun in Magway region, and Lashio in northern Shan state, the last of which had a protest attended by about 100,000 people. No incidents were reported at the demonstrations.
In Magway, all shops, restaurants, and shopping malls were closed and entire families along with civil servants, monks, and farmers took part in an anti-military march. There were no incidents, although most of the main roads were closed down by the police.
“Just look at the hundreds of thousands of people on the roads taking part in these protests throughout the country,” said a resident of Pwintphyu in Magway region. “The whole world should realize by now that it is totally impossible we had fraudulent elections as the military council had announced.”
People from villages surrounding the ancient city of Bagan gathered for a protest that numbered up to 100,000.
Similar mass “22222” anti-coup protest marches were held in the regional cities of Myitkyina, Mawlamyine, Loikaw, and Hpa-an as well as in small towns across the country of 54 million.
Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry, also under junta control, issued a statement Monday slamming widespread foreign criticism of the coup as “tantamount to flagrant interference in internal affairs of Myanmar.”
The State Administration Council, as the military regime formally calls itself, is “exerting utmost efforts for peace, stability, unity and [the] socioeconomic development of the country and people,” the statement said.
“Despite facing the unlawful demonstrations, incitements of unrest and violence, the authorities concerned are exercising utmost restraint through minimum use of force to address the disturbances in order to maintain rule of law and public safety in line with domestic laws and international practices,” it said.
Reported by RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
A general strike on Monday made clear that the fatal shooting of two protesters over the weekend, and the fear of a further bloody crackdown, would not halt opposition to the return of military rule.

A general strike on Monday made clear that the fatal shooting of two protesters over the weekend, and the fear of a further bloody crackdown, would not halt opposition to the return of military rule.

Here is a picture of the books I published at Vulkan publishing house in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Do you want to read more and / or buy “In the shadow of a silhouette fragile as glass”? Click here
Do you want to read more and / or buy “Alternative”? Click here
There is also more to read about the books if you search for the titles in the search field at the far right (under the header).
Feel free to ask questions if you are curious!
Source: My collections of poems | Yolanda – “This is My Private War”
Poet’s Note: The only thing, which made me suffer so much, but in the same time grow as I never imagined before, was the time I spent alone – and this was most of my life.
The little stream near the grape fields
turns into a soft valley
There once, tenderly, passed the water
Now it seems that the grass enjoys only
some fresh morning drops
That river that once was
floating over that grass
is no longer needed
Me passing this curve made of green
I cut something from down the earth,
something hidden inside the wild grass
it looks like oregano
For real when I rub it on my palms
it smells like oregano
what an excitement on that face!
I then find some deep breaths
inhaling the freshness of the oregano
and this is the moment where it starts…
the most vivid spin inside the fields
The…
View original post 76 more words

By Peter Valdes-Dapena | CNN
The principal chief of the Cherokee Nation has asked Jeep to stop using the tribe’s name on its SUVs.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the brand’s best-selling model, while the Jeep Cherokee is its third best-selling. Jeep recently unveiled a redesigned version of the Grand Cherokee, and the company has sold SUVs under the Cherokee brand name for about 45 years.
“I think we’re in a day and age in this country where it’s time for both corporations and team sports to retire the use of Native American names, images and mascots from their products, team jerseys and sports in general. I’m sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car,” Chuck Hoskin, Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation said in a written statement.
He had initially sent the statement to Car and Driver, which first reported on the news.
“Our vehicle names have been carefully chosen and nurtured over the years to honor and celebrate Native American people for their nobility, prowess, and pride,” Jeep said in a statement. “We are, more than ever, committed to a respectful and open dialogue with Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.”
For his part, Hoskin said he could not see any sort of arrangement under which it would be acceptable to him for Jeep to continue using the tribe’s name on its vehicles.
“It’s one of the most valuable things. It’s a part of our Identity,” he said in an inverview with CNN Business. “And if we wanted to match up who had the stronger claim and connection and affinity for the Cherokee name it would certainly be the Cherokee people.”
The Cherokee have been known by that name since before Europeans came in contact with them.
Car and Driver had asked Hoskin about the name after several other companies and sports teams announced changes to brand names and logos that used ethnic stereotypes and caricatures considered offensive.
Last summer, the Washington Redskins announced it would drop its name and call itself the Washington Football Team. Several months later, the Cleveland Indians baseball team announced it would change its name, as well.
Land O’ Lakes removed an image of a native American woman from the label on its butter. Other food brands, such as Uncle Ben’s rice and Aunt Jemima syrup and pancake mix, changed their names and logos as well.
The Jeep Cherokee was first introduced in 1974. The Grand Cherokee, with a more modern, car-like appearance was introduced in 1993. The original Cherokee model line was dropped in 2001, but the name was reintroduced in 2013 on a new compact SUV.
Today, the Catholic Bishops join the Ma Ha Na monks (see Fides, 20/2/2021) in warning the military: “Myanmar can be wiped off the world map if problems are not resolved in a peaceful manner”, and in reiterating with force “the call for reconciliation through dialogue”.
The Burmese Bishops conclude with these words: “The use of violence must stop urgently. Lessons from the past teach us that violence never wins. Seventy years after independence, those in power must invest in peace. The capital of peace will heal the nation. Let’s give peace a chance. Peace is possible and it is the only possible way”. Source: ASIA/MYANMAR – Appeal of Catholic Bishops: peace and reconciliation through dialogue – Agenzia Fides
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