In case you are thinking of purchasing the new global version of Amazon’s Kindle for Christmas, be aware that there are still quite a few places that the global version will NOT work.  I was disappointed to find that the new version still will not work in my country.

Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.   I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in (below).

It’s also interesting to note the PATTERN of groups of countries where the Kindle doesn’t work–some countries probably lack satellite coverage or delivery systems, while others probably don’t WANT readers to be able to download whatever they want by satellite.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,  Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S.,  Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009) the following countries:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan,  Yemen.

Nature and Animal Conservation

 

     Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves. Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making conservation a struggle.

Visit : http://www.globalissues.org/article/1…

 What is Biodiversity ?

 

    The variety of life on Earth, its biological diversity is commonly referred to as biodiversity. The number of species of plants, animals, and microorganisms, the enormous diversity of genes in these species, the different ecosystems on the planet, such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth.

   

    Appropriate conservation and sustainable development strategies attempt to recognize this as being integral to any approach. Almost all cultures have in some way or form recognized the importance that nature, and its biological diversity has had upon them and the need to maintain it. Yet, power, greed and politics have affected the precarious balance.

Why is Biodiversity important?

Does it really matter if there arent so many species?

Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play.

For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Why Is Biodiversity Important?

Who Cares?

Why is Biodiversity important?

 Does it really matter if there arent so many species?

 Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. For example, a larger number of plant species means a greater variety of crops; greater species diversity ensures natural sustainability for all life forms; and healthy ecosystems can better withstand and recover from a variety of disasters.

And so, while we dominate this planet, we still need to preserve the diversity in wildlife.

Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions

It is feared that human activity is causing massive extinctions. From various animal species, forests and the ecosystems that forests support, marine life. The costs associated with deteriorating or vanishing ecosystems will be high. However, sustainable development and consumption would help avert ecological problems.

 

  

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The white ribbon has become the symbol for the day.

Click on the picture to join the Community

Was it not Geoffrey Chaucer, the English Playwright who once wrote; “He who sups with the devil needs a long spoon”? Does this maxim still hold sway? I am disgusted by the shenanigans concerning foreign companies operating in Sudan, Guinea and Belarus. I would have thought that there would have been a moral stance on dealings with tin pot despots.

Foreign companies have just signed oil and gas deals with the dictator, Alyaksandr Grigorevich Lukashenka of Belarus despite the fact that he has an appalling human rights record and has banned all opposition to his regime. During the Presidency of Clinton, he locked foreign diplomats from their compounds and cut off their electricity.

The Chinese are doing roaring business with the Sudanese officials despite the appalling human rights record of the regime and the fact that Bashir has been indicted for human rights abuses and is wanted for war crimes committed in the Darfur region.

The same situation exists in Guinea where South Africa is arming a militia loyal to the despotic regime of Moussa Camara with the intention of cowing dissident groups in the country. I understand that business is important to all and sundry, but must Big bucks come before human rights?

Ein möglicher Beitritt von Belarus in die Russische Föderation ist mal wieder im Gespräch. Diesmal kam die Vorlage vom Präsidenten persönlich.

Alle Jahre wieder wird in den russischen Medien über einen Beitritt von Belarus zu Russland geredet, der geheim vorbereitet wurde und an einem bestimmten Stichtag vollzogen werde.
Jetzt hat der russische Präsident hat in einem Interview darauf hingewiesen, dass man Minsk noch nie aufgefordert habe dem Staatsverband Russland beizutreten, wie RIA Novosti berichtet. Um dann im nächsten Satz hinzuzufügen, dass man über einen solchen Beitritt natürlich diskutieren könnte. Und die Perspektive Russlands und Weißrusslands im Aufbau eines Unionsstaates liege.
Verbunden ist diese Aussage mit der Ankündigung 2010 den Gaspreis deutlich zu senken. Russland reagiert damit auf die Aussage der EU das Einreiseverbot für wichtige belarussische Politiker nicht wieder in Kraft zu setzen. Zu enge Beziehungen zwischen Belarus und der EU sind nicht im Interesse Russlands, dass zuletzt vermehrt die Bedeutung der Einflusssphäre betont hat. Letztes Jahr, unmittelbar nach dem Georgienkrieg, hat Medwedew in einem Interview gesagt, dass es Regionen gibt, in denen Russland priviligierte Interesse hat.
Warum in Moskau jedoch von einer Eingliederung die Rede ist, ist angesichts der katastrophalen ökonomischen Situation in Belarus kaum nachvollziehbar.

Amazon's Global Kindle Reader

I heard that Amazon now has a global version of Kindle. I was disappointed to find this morning that the new version still will not work in my country.

Since I’ve wanted one for some time, but have been waiting until they got a version that would work in my country, I checked out their website this morning, only to be disappointed again. Apparently the new global version will only work in SOME countries.

In case you are thinking of purchasing the new Global Kindle for a Christmas gift this year, since the new version will only work in SOME countries, I thought it would be helpful to most expats to have a complete list of which countries it will, or will not work in.

STARRED (*) countries marked below indicate that Kindle needs to be ordered from a SPECIAL PAGE on the Amazon site.

The Global Kindle version DOES work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Aland Islands, Albania, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Aruba, Australia*, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Boznia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Latvia, Liberia, Leichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldovia, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozembique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Virgin Islands – British, Virgin Islands – U.S., Wallis and Futuna, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

The Global Kindle version does NOT work in (as of Dec. 2009):

Afghanistan, Algeria, Antarctica, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chile, Chad, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cuba, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, French Southern Territories, Gambia, Guinea, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Isle of Man, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea – Democratic People’s Republic of, Korea – Republic of, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (including the Western Sahara), New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Pitcairn, Qatar, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Somalia, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, Sudan, Svalbard and Jan Mayan, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

Ayer, 20 de noviembre, se celebró el Día Internacional del Niño, que recuerda la Declaración de los Derechos del Niño realizada este día en 1959, así como la Convención en 1989. El Gobierno español y el bielorruso firmaron un acuerdo el 1 de junio de 2009 en Minsk para mejorar la situación de los niños bielorrusos que vienen a España, e incluye medidas encaminadas a conceder ayuda gratuita para prevenir enfermedades y recuperar la salud de los niños procedentes de orfanatos, víctimas de las consecuencias de Chernóbil y los que se encuentran en situación social de riesgo. Para ver el acuerdo publicado en el BOE, podéis enlazar aquí.

Justo ayer después del Consejo de Ministros, se dio a conocer una nota de prensa que anunciaba que se ha remitido a las Cortes españolas este protocolo para la mejora de la salud de los niños bielorrusos que viven en peores circunstancias:

“REMISIÓN A LAS CORTES DEL ACUERDO Y EL PROTOCOLO PARA LA MEJORA EN ESPAÑA DE LA SALUD DE MENORES BIELORRUSOS

El Consejo de Ministros ha aprobado la remisión a las Cortes Generales de un Acuerdo por el que se dispone la remisión a las Cortes Generales del Acuerdo entre el Gobierno del Reino de España y el Gobierno de la República de Belarús sobre la mejora de las condiciones de salud de los menores nacionales de la República de Belarús en el Reino de España, así como del Protocolo por el que se introducen enmiendas en el citado Acuerdo.

Los menores bielorrusos que puedan acogerse a los programas de estancia temporal en España residen en la zona de contaminación radiactiva derivada del accidente de la Central Nuclear de Chernobyl y pertenecen a la categoría de socialmente vulnerables.

El Acuerdo precisa el objeto y el contenido de los programas de salud, los cuales se llevarán a cabo por las entidades, asociaciones y familias españolas de acogida.

Además se regula y se van detallando las distintas actuaciones que han de llevarse a cabo para la preparación y la tramitación de la documentación necesaria para el viaje de los menores bielorrusos a España, la participación y actuación de las autoridades de ambos países, así como de las entidades y asociaciones de acogida y se determinan los compromisos asumidos para el buen fin de estos programas.

El presente Acuerdo determina expresamente que los programas de estancia de menores no guardan relación con los procedimientos de adopción internacional.

Protocolo

En cuanto al Protocolo, las autoridades de Belarús, accediendo a lo que por parte de España se les ha venido solicitando, propusieron la firma de este Protocolo al objeto de ampliar la edad para permitir que los menores bielorrusos de edades comprendidas entre los siete a dieciocho años puedan participar en los referidos programas”.

EU OCH BELARUS – DIALOG PÅ BEKOSTNAD AV MÄNSKLIGA RÄTTIGHETER?

Välkommen till ett seminarium om EU:s Belaruspolitik och respekten för de mänskliga rättigheterna i Belarus (Vitryssland)

Tisdagen den 24 november arrangerar den internationella Stödgruppen för Belarus och svenska Östgruppen tillsammans ett seminarium om mänskliga rättigheter i Belarus. För drygt ett år sedan ändrades EU:s Belaruspolitik drastiskt. Sanktioner byttes mot dialog. Den 17 november i år beslutade sig EU för att fortsätta på den inslagna linjen. Samtidigt visar det senaste årets utveckling bara på kosmetiska förbättringar i landet, inga förändringar har skett på systemnivå. Sker EU:s dialog med den belarusiska regimen på bekostnad av de mänskliga rättigheterna? Välkommen till ett samtal om mänskliga rättigheter i Belarus och omvärldens möjlighet att påverka utvecklingen i landet. Föranmälan senast den 22 november.

DELTAGARE Stanislau Sjusjkevitj, belarusisk politiker, professor. Det oberoende Belarus förste ledare, som tillsammans med Boris Jeltsin (Ryssland) och Leonid Kravtjuk (Ukraina) 1991 formellt upplöste Sovjetunionen. Valeryja Krasouskaja, dotter till den sedan 1999 försvunne oppositionelle affärsmannen Anatol Krasouski. Andrej Abozau, Stödgruppen för Belarus. Numera i exil, efter att ha publicerat satiriska tecknade filmer mot Lukasjenkas regim. Martin Uggla, Belaruskännare, ordförande, Östgruppen för demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter.

PLATS ABF-huset, Sveavägen 41, Stockholm TID Tisdagen den 24 november, kl. 14.00–16.00 MER INFORMATION OCH FÖRANMÄLAN uggla@ostgruppen.se, 070-941 17 02 ARRANGÖRER Stödgruppen för Belarus – www.supportbelarus.org – och Östgruppen för demokrati och mänskliga rättigheter – www.ostgruppen.se.

Muntenegreanul nostru a inscris pentru nationala singurul gol in victoria cu 1-0 impotriva Belarusului. Este al doilea gol  marcat de Mirko in ultimele doua partide pentru AS Roma respectiv selectionata Muntenegrului. Sa o tii tot asa, tinere !

Hace unas semanas se ha estrenado en España una película polaca de 2007, Katyn, que estuvo nominada a los premios Oscar de ese mismo año y recibió muy buenas críticas. La historia recuerda la masacre silenciada de miles de oficiales en un bosque a manos del Ejército de la URSS en 1940, aunque la autoría sólo sería reconocida en los tiempos de la perestroika. De nuevo, Polonia se convierte en el centro de una película sobre el horror de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y la invasión y atrocidades a las que se vio sometida tanto por los nazis como por las fuerzas soviéticas. El resumen de ese capítulo oculto de la historia polaca puede verse en el tráiler de la película enlazando aquí.

Otra masacre de nombre muy similar es la sucedida en la vecina Bielorrusia, en Khatyn, un pequeño pueblo en el que fueron quemados vivos todos sus habitantes menos un adulto y cinco niños. El 22 de marzo de 1943, las tropas nazis asesinaron a 149 personas a las que encerraron en sus casas para después quemarlas con ellos dentro. Este método de asesinato fue utilizado por los nazis en muchas ocasiones por todo el país, aunque la masacre de Khatyn se ha convertido en un símbolo del sufrimiento del pueblo bielorruso, al que han dedicado un memorial que lo recuerda.

La película Ven y mira (Come and see en inglés; Idi i smotri en ruso) es realmente brutal y está basada en los hechos reales sucedidos en Khatyn. Considerado uno de los mejores ejemplos de cine bélico que se han hecho nunca, dentro de la lista “Las 50 películas que ver antes de morir” de Channel 4, fue realizada en 1985 por el director soviético Elem Klimov y muestra el drama real y psicológico de la invasión nazi con gran dureza y dramatismo. Para los que quieran ver un resumen de la película (sin subtítulos, aunque apenas hay diálogos y se entiende bien), podéis pinchar aquí, aunque he de decir que es dura y a mí se me hace difícil ver algunas escenas.

Parece que de vez en cuando la historia de Bielorrusia, y especialmente algunos capítulos olvidados de la Segunda Guerra Mundial (que allí tuvo unas consecuencias realmente terribles y desconocidas en Europa), llama la atención en el resto del mundo. Otra película llegó este año a la cartelera para hablarnos del hecho real de los hermanos Bielski y su labor para ayudar a miles de judíos en Resistencia (Defiance). En esta ocasión se trata de una película estadounidense, es decir, menos intimista y de mayor acción hollywoodiense, pero al menos trata una pequeña parte del sufrimiento del pueblo bielorruso. Los hermanos Bielski son judíos y se esconden en los bosques huyendo del avance nazi. Comienzan formando una pequeña comunidad de personas que conseguían huir de los guetos y las persecuciones, y acaban convirtiéndose en un numeroso grupo de partisanos que salva a miles de judíos y vive en el bosque durante años. El enlace del tráiler podéis verlo aquí.

Siguiendo con mi más que interés por uno de los capítulos más aterradores y dramáticos de Europa, estos días he visto otra vez una película interesante, Hitler: el ascenso del mal (Hitler: the rise of evil). Rodada como una miniserie, retrata el ascenso al poder de Adolf Hitler: desde su infancia en Austria, su juventud como artista frustrado que vive casi en la indigencia, como soldado en la Primera Guerra Mundial y sus primeros pasos como orador colérico en las cervecerías de Múnich. Hace un largo recorrido hasta el momento en que se convierte en Führer y comienza una de las más oscuras y duras etapas del continente. “Lo único que se necesita para que el mal triunfe es que los hombres buenos no hagan nada” (Edmund Burke). Con esta frase comienza una película sobre la locura de un hombre que se convirtió en la mayor pesadilla de Europa. Unas palabras que todavía hoy pueden aplicarse en tantos aspectos de la historia reciente y de la sociedad actual.

EU foreign ministers have decided that the bloc will extend for another year its dual approach in dealing with Belarus, applying sanctions on the one hand but simultaneously suspending them on the other.

A draft EU declaration said the bloc would maintain the sanctions — mainly travel bans leveled against top Belarusian officials, which were first imposed in the wake of the country’s flawed March 2006 presidential elections, and then suspended in large part in October 2008.

The EU welcomed the release of political prisoners and Minsk’s agreement to participate in various kinds of dialogue with Brussels, including talks on the human rights situation in the country.
EU officials have also welcomed steps by Minsk to introduce a degree of media freedom and the willingness of President Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime to take international advice on electoral reform. The new EU statement says there needs to be more progress in bringing Belarus’s electoral laws in line with international standards. Freedom of expression, assembly, and political association must also be strengthened.

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Current serious illnesses in the Ukraine from the mystery illness known as ‘Ukrainian Plague’, is now approximately 1,300,000, with approximately 70,000 hospitalized in serious to critical condition. There are reports that suggest the total deaths could be as 6,000 or higher.
Doctors in Ukraine’s western Chernovetsky region, near the centre of the flu outbreak, said lab tests showed at least some of the fatalities appeared to be caused by a flu dissimilar to both common flu, and swine flu.

“The virus causing the deaths is extremely aggressive, it doesn’t first infect the throat (as is common in flu), but strikes the lungs directly,” said Dr. Viktor Bachinsky, according to a ZIK news agency web report. (courtesy of Europe)

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Breaking: World Health Organization publishes its plans to takeover all of society in emergency pandemic

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Ukraine, WHO, And The Geopolitics of Swine Flu Panic

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Ukraine: 4 more areas put under quarantine

Ukraine update: 1,258,558 sick – 65,615 hospitalized with ARI/Influenza

1.25 Million Contract Mystery Flu In Ukraine As Flu Cases Spike In Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Norway, India And Canada

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500,000 Infected in Norway Since Last Week

H1N1 Swine Flu Hits Madagascar

Swine Flu Causes Garlic Sales Boom In Serbia

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An Avalanche of Reports of Adverse Reactions to the H1N1 Vaccine

Pregnant Women Reporting H1N1 Vax Miscarriages

China Says 2 Dead After Getting Swine Flu Vax

Vaccine Victims Blamed For National Emergency

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Hawaii Begins School H1N1 Vaccine Clinics

Long Lines At NY Flu Vax Clinics

SoCal County Declares Swine Flu Emergency

My 10 Day Ordeal With Swine Flu

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Vax Maker – Kids ‘Will Need’ 2 Swine Flu Shots

CDC Raises US Swine Flu Death Number To 4,000

Why is Canada Holding Pneumonic Plague Training Drills? (Is Canada the Next Ukraine?)

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Depopulation Theory & Practice – video

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Reported flu stats by country

(courtesy of Flu News Network)

Albania
•  World Bank-funded flu diagnostic centre opens in Albania (Link)

Armenia
•  11 cases of H1N1 reported (Link)
•  Officials confirm first three cases (Link)

Azerbaijan
•  Disinfecting sites to prevent H1N1 spread (Link)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
•  137 cases of infection with the A (H1N1) (Link)

Cambodia
•  WHO sees local shots for A(H1N1) by year-end (Link)

Canada
•  Second H1N1 wave takes lethal toll on Canadians (Link)
•  Ottawa: Fifth H1N1 death reported (Link)
•  New Brunswick has 2 more deaths confirmed from H1N1 (Link)
•  Four more Alberta H1N1 deaths (Link)
•  Santa gets a flu shot for Xmas (Link)
•  Poll suggests Canadians think H1N1 risks exaggerated (Link)
•  Laval man, 21, becomes 21st fatality in Quebec (Link)
•  H1N1 unlikely to have noticeable effect on economy (Link)

China
•  China’s health ministry investigating deaths of 2 people vaccinated for swine flu (Link)

Czech Republic
•  Secondary school in Czech Cheb closed over flu (Link)

Egypt
•  Health ministry no longer publishes H1H1 numbers (Blog) (Link)
•  Egypt reports sixth A/H1N1 flu death  (Link)

Finland
•  Two year old died of swine flu after vaccination (Link)

Germany
•  German soccer striker Klose and family in quarantine after sons get H1N1 (Link)

Greece
•  Healthy Minstry announces 5 deaths so far, 330 new cases (Link)

Hungary
•  Confirmation of 2 deaths from H1N1, total now 7 (Link)

India
•  Pune doctor was selling non-H1N1 vaxx as H1N1 vaccine (Link)
•  21st death confirmed in Rajasthan, 80 more confirmed cases (Link)

Iran
•  20 new deaths, total now 58 dead from H1N1 (Link)

•  Death toll increased by 25 last week, total now 58 dead (Link)

Ireland
•  Deaths of pregnant woman and girl bring flu toll to 16 (Link)

Israel
•  Israeli swine flu deaths reach 45 (Link)

Italy
•  Invention washes away sins – without flu fears(Link)

Macedonia
•  42 new cases of H1N1, 9 more in hospital, total 25 in care (Link)

Mexico
•  Highest H1N1 deaths in elderly (Link)

Moldova
•  Moldova Reports Fourth Swine-Flu Death (Link)

Mongolia
•  Flu death rises to 12 in Mongolia (Link)

Nepal
•  Confirmation of 78 H1N1 cases (Link)
•  15 students test positive for H1N1 in Pokhara (Link)
•  Prime Minister may be ‘bedridden’ with H1N1 (Link)

New Zealand
•  Swine flu “eats away” at woman (Link)

Poland
•  First swine flu death suspected in Poland  (Link)

Romania
•  1146 cases, 89 in past 24 hours (Link)

Russia
•  Russia’s health minister warns media against spreading flu panic (Link)

Serbia
•  Serbia buys 3 million Swiss swine flu vaccines (Link)
•  For swine flu, Serbians turn to garlic (Link)

•  Eighth victim of H1N1 flu in Serbia (Link)

South Korea
•  12 more deaths confirmed, total now 64 (Link and link)

Switzerland
•  Switzerland gives green light to new A/H1N1 influenza vaccine (Link)

Ukraine
•  Total 265 deaths thus far (Link)
•  Lvov confirms 87 deaths from flu (Link)

•  Ukrainians do not die from pneumonia, and from viral disstressindroma (Link)

United Kingdom
•  7 Yorkshire deaths in past fortnight – Don’t panic, urge doctors as Yorkshire’s swine flu death toll rises (Link)
•  A child death in Scotland confirmed as 35th death (Link)
•  Scotland: Hospital staff ill after flu jabs (Link)

•  Scotland: More people catching swine flu (Link)
•  West Midlands confirms 4 more deaths, 23 total so far, and 206 new hospitalizations (Link)
•  Wales reports 6 new deaths from H1N1 (Link)
•  Scotland confirms 34th death from H1N1 (Link)
•  MHRA extends website portal for vaxx & meds adverse reactions reports (Link)

United States
•  US: CDC confirmed 35 more child deaths in past week (Link)
•  AK: Alaskan death makes 9 total thus far (Link)
•  FL: 11th death confirmed in Pinellas County / St. Petersburg (Link)
•  HI: Cases up, kids vax pgm starts (Link)
•  IL: 12 more deaths recorded, Illinois now has 48 deaths (Link)
•  IN: Local physicians seeing H1N1 sidekick: pneumonia (Link)
•  KY: 4th death confirmed in N. Kentucky (Link)
•  MA: H1N1, MRSA, & Pneumonia Suspected in Amherst Teen Death (Link)
•  MD: Swine flu kills 6 more people in Md.; all had underlying conditions (Link) and  (Link)
•  MI: Paw Paw H1N1 victim ‘went down with it so fast’ (Link)
•  NE: Nebraska confirms 11th death from H1N1 (Link)
•  NJ: Improve data about H1N1 (Link)
•  NM: University of New Mexico student death from H1N1 confirmed (Link
•  NY: 3 more deaths in Oneida County (Link)
•  OH: second death in Licking County, Ohio in less than a week (Link)
•  OK: Oklahoma reports 7 more deaths, 28 total, deaths up 25% in week (Link)
•  OR: Age makes all the difference in severity of flu (Link)
•  OR: Weekly Surveillance Report For Influenza & Other Respiratory Viruses(Link)
•  PA: Blair County Reports First H1N1 Death (Link)
•  SD: South Dakota confirms 4 new deaths, total 17 (Link)v
•  TX: 11 yr old Angola, Texas girl may be H1N1 death (Link)
•  TX: Hispanics Account for Half of Swine Flu Deaths (Link)
•  WA: Two more deaths confirmed in Washington State, in Island County (Link)

•  US: CDC estimate of H1N1 cases (Link)
•  US: Unprecedented levels of flu and ILI this flu season (Link)
•  CDC: Swine flu has sickened 22 million in 6 months (Link)
•  CA: Sacramento-area churches alter rituals to reduce H1N1 risk (Link)
•  ME: 3rd death confirmed in Maine, second in Penobscot County (Link)
•  MN: Minnesota confirms 7 new deaths, total 21 (Link)
•  NY: H1N1 Surge Triggers Emergency Plan for NYC Hospital(Link)
•  NY: Two deaths were relatives in Ontario County  (Link)
•  OH: H1N1 Cases – Healthy to Death’s Door in One Week (Article & Video) (Link)
•  OH: Swine flu is worrisome for millions of workers (Link)
•  OK: Seven new deaths confirmed in Oklahoma, 28 deaths in total thus far (Link)
•  OR hospitalizations up 29; one more death (Link)
•  PA: State distributes H1N1 ‘care packages’ to schools (Link)
•  PA: Five Additional Fatalities per DOH  (Link)
•  TX: Surgical mask company aims to ease demand  (Link)
•  TX: Fort Worth/Tarrant County confirm 7th death from H1N1 (Link)
•  TX: Athens hospital has experienced ER surge of historic proportions, had good preps (Link)
•  VA:Virginia teen athlete in wheel chair after H1N1 vaccine shot (Link)
•  WI: 2nd death confirmed in Portage County (Link)

Vietnam

•  H1N1 – Dengue fever co-infections (Link)

•  41st death confirmed and Pasteur Institute President’s comments (Link)

General
•  W.H.O. Rushes Drugs to Nations Hit by Swine Flu (Link)
•  Protective effect of seasonal flu vaccination? (Mexican Study) (Link) (CDC Study) (Link)
•  Flu infections starting to peak in some areas: WHO (Link)
•  Worldwide deaths from H1N1 more than 6,250 (Link)
•  WHO update 47 (Link)
•  WHO: World map of impact on health services (Link)
•  A/H1N1 influenza death toll rises to 6,260, says WHO (Link)
•  MedaSorb Technologies Corporation Provides Clinical Update (Link)
•  Global swine flu deaths slow as WHO toll passes 6,250 (Link)
•  OPINION: Swine flu skepticism needs response (Link)

•  UPDATE 2-Antivirals can prevent pandemic flu deaths – WHO (Link)
•  Vax Amendment: Kids under NINE need TWO sf Shots! (Link)
•  Common cold may hold off swine flu (Link)
•  Vaccine Production: Overview Sanofi’s slow gestation of H1N1 (Link)
•  For Children With Flu, a Trip to the E.R? (Link)
•  WHO Virtual Press Conference (Link)
•  Pets can get H1N1, so practice good hygiene (Link)
•  Novartis Updates Vaccine Progress in Germany; Acquires Chinese Vaccine Manufacturer (Link)
•  Disney pre-empts spread of swine flu  (Link)
•  WHO stresses antiviral use in high-risk H1N1 patients (Link)
•  H1N1 Health Leaders Gather in Las Vegas (Link)

Commentary
•  CDC Estimate of US H1N1 Pediatric Deaths Raised to 540 (Link)
•  Ukraine Dead Increase to 239 – Still No Sequences (Link)

Amnesty International considers Ihar Koktysh, who is in a detention center in Ukraine waiting for his extradition to Belarus, to be a prisoner of conscience. 30-year old Ihar Koktysh is accused by Belarusian prosecutors of committing an intentional murder. He has been in a detention center in Ukraine since June 25, 2007, waiting for his extradition.

Amnesty International called on the Ukraine authorises not to return Ihar Koktysh to Belarus.

A criminal case against a musician  and founder of the humanitarian organization  was instigated in January 2001.He was accused of murder of his friend’s relative.The leader of Mlechny Put  music band spent ten months in a detention facility in Baranavichy. He said he had been tortured, beaten, locked naked in a freezing cell, and deprived of necessary medication for his asthma.

The district court of Brest found him not guilty on December 7, 2001. Witnesses said at the trial Ihar Koktysh had been in another town when the murder had been committed.The prosecutor’s office appealed against the verdict and the case was returned to the Brest court for a retrial.

Ihar Koktysh was in Ukraine and chose not to return to Belarus. He was detained by local police in Ukraine and On April 25, 2007 thrown in a detention facility in Simferopol until his extradition to Belarus.

In October 2007, the European Court of Human Rights called on the government of Ukraine to not extradite the arrested to Belarus; and Amnesty International urged the Ukrainian authorities not to allow extradition.

Alyaksandr Milinkevich addressed the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees asking to help Ihar Koktysh to get a status of a political refugee in Ukraine.

I’ve cleaned out all the old entries and am starting afresh. It’s a part of my ‘web cleaning’ project.

I have no school today. ^^
‘Tis Armistice Day, or Veterans Day, I suppose.
Today, the Treaty of Versailles was all neat and clean and WW1 ended.

But you already know that, right? Let’s move on to more important things; like how about

HETALIA EPISODE 42!!!

Here we have something i’ve been waiting for. An episode practically entirely devoted to one of my favorite characters,

RUSSIA!

Well, him and his two sisters, Ukraine and Belarus. ^^

Russia seriously needs more screentime. He seems to be a favorite on the web, and yet he gets less attention than the Holy Roman Empire, which no one really know what the heck that is! Anyway, I loved how this episode started off, with Russia going into depression and England freaking out.

What depresses Russia...

...must be pretty bad.

Another high point of this episode was, of course, Belarus. The girl who sends the Great Russia into hiding. Beforehand, we had only seen her mentioned by Lithuania, but I don’t see how the timid Lithuania could bring himself to go on a date with her…perhaps he has some hidden strength within him! FLY, LIET, FLY!

Lithuania dates her...?

Aaaand, how could I forget: The ending theme! We have Russia’s Marukaite Chikyuu to finish up the wonderful Russiacentric Episode! Russia fans, mark this episode in your favorites.

Hopefully we’ll get some Prussia in ep. 43, to make me reeeeeally happy. Because Prussia gets even less screentime that Russia!

On the eve of adopting a decision on extending sanctions against Belarusian officials by the European Union, Alyaksandr Lukashenka stated that elections in Belarus should be held as before.Mentioning requirements of the European Union to change the electoral code of Belarus and hold free and democratic election, Lukashenka stated:

“I have said that several times, it is counterproductive to put pressure on us…..

some people treat the necessity to change the electoral legislation as fulfilment of demands of the European Union on political liberalization of Belarus”.

To answer those “some people”, Lukashenka stated that “the liberalization of election laws will not lead to political turmoil and anarchy during the forthcoming election campaigns”.

(Belarusiska röster om mänskliga rättigheter, del 7, läs om hela projektet här)

Yttrandefriheten är starkt begränsad i Belarus (Vitryssland). Det hade EU koll på i november 2006 när man krävde demokratiseringsreformer av den belarusiska regimen. Men hur har utvecklingen på detta område egentligen sett ut under de senaste åren, fram till idag? Zjana Litvina, ordförande i det oberoende Belarusiska journalistförbundet, ger sin syn på saken:

(Belarusiska röster om mänskliga rättigheter, del 6, läs om hela projektet här)

Belarus (Vitryssland) är det enda landet i Europa, där dödsstraff fortfarande tillämpas aktivt. EU krävde 2006 att det skulle avskaffas. Här hör vi juristen Valjantsin Stefanovitj från människorättsorganisationen Vjasna konstatera att redogöra för huruvida den belarusiska regimen tillmötesgått EU:s krav: