Good morning,
Vaccines
My first of two AstraZeneca vaccines was low drama yesterday and I feel fine this morning although slight fatigue, and that’s a relief after hearing several countries suspended distribution of the the jab because of blood clots. Austria and Italy suspended vaccines from a certain batch, while Denmark and Iceland halted vaccinations using AstraZeneca completely after severe blood clots in people and at least one death. But the European Medicines Authority said the vaccine is safe, and Denmark clarified it is investigating but cannot say the blood clots were linked to the vaccine. Overall out of 17,723,840 vaccine doses there have been 157,637 adverse events most minor and, once investigated, many turn out to not have anything to do with vaccine at all say authorities.
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-03-11/covid-denmark-pauses-astrazeneca-vaccine-rollout-after-reports-of-severe-blood-clots-though-no-link-established
Around the World vaccine rollout varies wildly including in Canada which seems to be lagging behind many European and even The U.S. For example over 80’s are just now being vaccinated in Ontario, where in the U.K. over 50’s are being vaccinated. My mother who is in her late 80’s and lives in Toronto has still not been invited for a vaccine which is too late given Canada’s access to medicines and drug manufacturing.
U.S.
President Biden marked the year since the World Health Org. declared a pandemic with an address to the nation, promising by July 4, Independence Day America would be back to “normal” in terms of families reunited, and that every American would be eligible to get a vaccine by May 1 to pave the way. And Biden half way through his first 100 days celebrated the passing of the 1.9 trillion dollar stimulus bill which will send 1400 dollar cheques to every eligible American.
Those who are eligible would also receive an identical payment for each of their children. To qualify for the full $1,400, a single person would need an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or below. For heads of household, adjusted gross income would need to be $112,500 or below, and for married couples filing jointly that number would need to be $150,000 or below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/us/politics/biden-coronavirus.html
Prince William
Britains future King and the elder brother of Prince Harry felt the need to break the usual silence, and denounce and deny racism in the Royal family after the disturbing Oprah interview in which Harry and Meghan Markle said there was a question from a Royal about the skin color of their future son.
In London Prince William said the Royals are “very much not racist” and said he had yet to speak to his brother about the interview.
On Back Story with Dana Lewis podcast guest Nigel Nelson, a former Royals reporter, and Jo Phillips a British TV Commentator about the Royal scandal of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
*****Subscribe and listen******
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1016881/8113779
Impeachment
Yes this is America again but it’s not about Trump. This time a possible State impeachment of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo who has mounting sex allegations against him, and a cover-up of nursing home deaths from Covid. The newest allegation is by a woman who says she was groped at the governors mansion last year and all together these scandals add up to a lack of public confidence so severe, legislators including democrats say Cuomo who refuses to resign, should be removed from office.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/nyregion/cuomo-resign-sexual-harassment.html
RUSSIA
President Putin’s regime seems to become more oppressive as time runs on, and it’s been running for a more than two decades, since he came to power in 2000, when then President Boris Yeltsin had the good sense to step down and convey a peaceful transfer of power. The Kremlin has jailed opposition figures including Alexei Navalny, and been accused of murdering some of them including Boris Nemtsov.
Now, Russia authorities are attempting to control the internet and failing miserably in a plan called the sovereign internet or the infamous kill switch that could disconnect Russia from the rest of the World Wide Web.
On a technical level, the concept required internet service providers (ISPs) to install equipment all over the country that would allow authorities to block content and reroute internet traffic by themselves. And on March 10, the Kremlin. worrying about control of social media in front of elections later this year threw the switch to slow down Twitter. It crashed most of the Countries websites including Government websites. Complete failure but they will keep trying.
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/03/11/russias-pursuit-of-internet-sovereignty-backfires-again-a73208
That’s your Friday wrap. Have a good weekend everyone and one small request - please share this letter to one other person? Thanks
Dana