China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crackdown on ‘self-media’ accounts | Reuters

China’s cyberspace regulator said 1.4 million social media posts have been deleted following a two-month probe into alleged misinformation, illegal profiteering, and impersonation of state officials, among other “pronounced problems”.

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But any posts created by China’s ruling body of a same nature are still retained.

But then that is China for you, there are other countries maybe doing or considering simliar which could include Russia, North Korea and a few others.

 

 

Source: China deletes 1.4 million social media posts in crackdown on ‘self-media’ accounts | Reuters

Women’s figure skating free skate live updates, results, analysis – The Washington Post

Kamila Valieva is the favorite, and a pair of fellow Russians could lead to a historic sweep. Follow here for live updates, highlights and analysis.

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There has been so much about these Olympics that is not related to sport.

Initially should they even be taking place in China due to their horrendous Human Rights record, in fact due to that record should they have even be granted to China.

But it was stated that sport and politics should be viewed separately and politics should not rule sport, so rightly or wrongly the games were allowed to continue.

Then should they take place due to COVID, but it was agreed they should.

Now we have a doping controversy which has still to be resolved, in other instances the person concerned has been barred from completing until the matter has been resolved but not in this instance.

Russia as a team are not allowed to complete due to other drug matters, so why are they there?

But, they are and now there is another drugs matter and still the person concerned is allowed to compete, supposedly because she is under 16 years, why should age matter, surely drugs are illegal no matter what the age.

This is completely making a mockery of the Olympics, but the IOC are compliant with this.

All should be equal, so if one is allowed to compete with a possible drugs action pending, then all should. Otherwise none should.

Is the Olympics being run in accordance with its motto ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together‘, I believe not for drugs do not bring you together, but could make you faster, higher, stronger, but not on equal terms.

The motto should include the term ‘equal’ also.

It is said the Olympics is not about winning, but the whole structure shows that it is, otherwise why make such an event of the winners podium, league tables of country medal winners and drugs should be seen to be a total no.

Source: Women’s figure skating free skate live updates, results, analysis – The Washington Post

Ukraine crisis: Russia criticises US military moves as ‘destructive step’ | Ukraine | The Guardian

Moscow says US deployments in eastern Europe increase tensions, as Nato says Russia has moved 30,000 troops to Belarus

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Any actions have to be accountable, and no one should have a right to enter another country without authorisation, at least when this relates to 2 of the supposed superpowers.

As yet neither Russia or America has recently placed troops in another country, especially Ukraine, but Russia has in the past with the Crimea and some other parts of the Ukraine and are still there. So, with Russian movements of assumed over 125,000 troops alarms have been alerted, especially when Russia has made distinct demands for certain assurances when they are unwilling to offer any such reassurances.

America have moved around 30,000 troops in its response, which could be viewed as a measured response and in reality, is no comparison to those troop numbers of Russia.

Ukraine is an independent country and as such as a right to do as it pleases within its, own boarders and so as Russia. But it is not just troop movements with Russia, for they are wishing to dictate to Ukraine what they can and can’t do, but, if Ukraine wishes to join NATO, then it has a right to do so. If, Russia has no intentions of invading Ukraine, then it has nothing to be afraid of, but Ukraine as a right to defend and plan to defend itself as the history of Russia and certainly Putin shows that neither can be trusted.

NATO is not an aggressor as Russia would lead us to believe but exists to promote democratic values and is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes to ensure the security of Europe.

President Vladimir Putin, on the other hand does engage in behaviours that appear to encourage conflicts detrimental to the peace and security of Europe. Also while saying he is using democratic principles his actions in Russia seem to say the opposite for he has effectively removed any credible opposition by either arresting or killing his opponents.

The Western powers wish for peace, but Russia and also China appear to want the opposite.

 

Source: Ukraine crisis: Russia criticises US military moves as ‘destructive step’ | Ukraine | The Guardian

John Kerry: Cop26 puts us closer than ever to avoiding climate chaos | Cop26 | The Guardian

US climate envoy says many countries have very aggressively increased their ambition

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Is John Kerry’s comment totally correct or is he just trying to put a good spin on the outcome of Cop26.

I say this as Cop26 promised so much more and could easily have not produced anything.

For the last minute intervention of India and China could well have meant that there was no good outcome from Cop26, even though there was a good outcome, the outcome could have been much better, if the Indian and Chinese intervention had not been made.

Even with the reduced outcome, it is still good, but not as good as it could have been, so we are not as close to avoiding Climate chaos as we could have been and all this assumes that every country will do as they promised, which has not been so with past Cops. Why not put penalty clauses in the outcomes, so that if any country fails to do as they promised then they would have to pay severe penalties. But then one may not get any promises.

For there is still a very long way to go and the time is running very short.

Would Trump have pulled out of the Paris Accord if there was a penalty to be paid for doing so, well with Trump, well he could still well have done so because, according to him, he does no wrong, for Trump Word is law, who said so, well Trump himself believed that, for according to him he was the best president ever, what a moron!!

But climate change is very serious and many countries could well disappear, if more is not done and done quickly, especially Great Abaco of the Abaco Islands Bahamas.

We all need to do more, everyone one of us.

Source: John Kerry: Cop26 puts us closer than ever to avoiding climate chaos | Cop26 | The Guardian

‘The pressure for change is building’: reactions to the Glasgow climate pact | Cop26 | The Guardian

Applause for Cop26 president Alok Sharma after he gave the closing speech at the closing plenary of the UN climate summit on Saturday. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

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We are all seeing the effects of climate change some much more than others, but many in the developed world and a few in the non-developed world are not taking it as seriously as they should.

That said, and although Cop26 could have done a whole lot better, it did achieve somethings as long as all the countries present do as they  promised. But even that can’t be guaranteed.

Even what has been promised will not be enough to save some of the countries who were present, especially some of the small island nations. Great Abaco, Bahamas being just one

The likes of China, India and Australia should be ashamed of some of their lack of commitment, but others could do more including Russia, America and even the UK and some others in the developed world. Also some in the non-developed world such as Brazil.

World leaders have to commit and with some of the major countries their leaders were not there not even for one second.

If in the next 5 to 10 years one country is lost then this will be down to all the lack of commitment at Cop26 and all the other Cops, for the days of inaction have gone long ago.

Coal has to go, no matter how important to some countries it is and go quickly, even 2030 could be too late. But there is gas and oil and the destructions of forests which also need to be seriously dealt with.

They need to go completely as discounting is nowhere near good enough.

Even with America their involvement can’t be guaranteed for it could be more than likely that Trump or some others could emerge, as it could in many of the other countries.

Climate change is with us and has been for many years, but it is not being taken as seriously as it should be.

There will be another Cop being Cop27 in Egypt next year and much more needs to be done there , if not before.

 

Source: ‘The pressure for change is building’: reactions to the Glasgow climate pact | Cop26 | The Guardian

COP26: World at one minute to midnight over climate change – Boris Johnson – BBC News

Well it appears Planespotters can take something from COP26, but can Climate Change supporters, for, currently, it is not looking good, especially with the presidents of China, Russia and Brazil not coming.

But we do have to hope it will be a success, especially for those countries already suffering climate problems and a number already experiencing loss of habitable land.

This is the last chance for all of us.

 

Source: COP26: World at one minute to midnight over climate change – Boris Johnson – BBC News

Covid-19: China pressured WHO team to dismiss lab leak theory, claims chief investigator | The BMJ

A World Health Organisation mission to study the covid pandemic’s origins in China, which announced in February that the possibility that the virus had escaped from a laboratory needed no further investigation,1 was put under pressure by Chinese scientists who made up half the team to reach that conclusion, the scientist who led the mission has said.Peter Ben Embarek, who led the scientists dispatched by WHO to Wuhan, told a Danish television documentary, broadcast on 12 August, that the Chinese scientists refused to even discuss the lab leak scenario2 unless the final report dismissed any need for further investigation.Having haggled about it until 48 hours before they left China, Ben Embarek said, his Chinese counterpart eventually agreed to discuss the lab leak theory in the report “on the condition we didn’t recommend any specific studies to further that hypothesis.”Discussing the team’s findings before leaving China, Ben Embarek told reporters that a lab leak was “extremely unlikely.” Asked by Denmark’s TV2 if that wording was …

Source: Covid-19: China pressured WHO team to dismiss lab leak theory, claims chief investigator | The BMJ

Tory MP Bob Seely calls for Britain to offer ‘mass asylum’ | Daily Mail Online

Britain should be prepared to offer ‘mass asylum’ to thousands expected to flee Hong Kong as China imposes tough new security laws, an MP said yesterday.

Source: Tory MP Bob Seely calls for Britain to offer ‘mass asylum’ | Daily Mail Online

China abductions: Parents find son snatched in hotel 32 years ago – BBC News

Li Jingzhi quit her job to search China for her son, Mao Yin, who went missing in 1988.

Source: China abductions: Parents find son snatched in hotel 32 years ago – BBC News

The mysterious disappearance of the first SARS virus, and why we need a vaccine for the current one but didn’t for the other : The Conversation

COVID-19 and SARS are both deadly – but different. SARS symptoms were quick to appear, making it easier to contain. Because health officials were able to contain it, the virus died off.

Source: The mysterious disappearance of the first SARS virus, and why we need a vaccine for the current one but didn’t for the other : The Conversation