UNITED STATES: Banned
In the aftermath of one of the worst insurrections in American history, several outlets have taken a stand.
Since Jan. 6, Facebook and Instagram have banned President Trump from posting on its platforms until after Inauguration Day. Also, YouTube decided to bar Trump from posting videos for a week’s time. Most notably, Twitter permanently banned Trump from its service, denying him communication with over 89 million followers.
This was not the end of the Trump “banned” tour, as the PGA announced that it would move the scheduled 2022 PGA Championship event at Trump’s golf course in New Jersey to another location. Also, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would terminate its agreement with two skating rinks, a carousel, and a golf course run by the Trump Organization.
Trump has even been “banned” by someone he considers a close friend, as New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick declined Trump’s offer of a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
In addition to no communication with Trump, many of his supporters were also dealt a blow to communicate with each other, as Apple and Amazon pulled conservative-leaning Parler platform from their sites.
Of course, these developments could very well be the beginning and not end for more actions where Trump and his supporters get “banned.”
EUROPE: More COVID-19 Relief Support
As the United Kingdom continues its national lockdown to contain the coronavirus, efforts are being made to put more boots on the ground.
A record 5,300 personnel committed to winter and COVID-19 operations are supporting 56 different tasks in the UK and abroad – including vaccine rollout, NHS support and community testing across the length and breadth of the UK. This is the largest peacetime resilience operation ever undertaken by the UK Armed Forces and is drawing on every corner of expertise of the military.
Personnel are also working inside NHS hospitals, with around 50 medics now committed to hospitals in Kent and Essex to ensure there is workforce resilience to cope with increasing demand. In Essex, Combat Medic Technicians (CMTs) are supporting a ‘step-down’ facility for those recovering from COVID-19.
A further 1,600 military medical professionals work in the NHS every day, from intensive care nurses to specialist surgeons, providing their skills on a permanent basis to support our health service. This means that very few defense medics are not currently deployed or working in the NHS.
In Manchester, 800 personnel are deploying from nine regiments across the British Army at the request of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to support targeted asymptomatic testing of specific populations that may be at a higher risk of infection including social care staff, key workers, public facing occupations such as bus drivers, and those in high risk environments such care homes and shared accommodation for the homeless.
Over 2,155 personnel are deployed on community testing tasks, including in Lancashire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Kent. Local authorities are still able to apply for support from the Armed Forces to establish community testing programs if required.
The armed forces are also helping with ongoing testing to ensure the smooth movement of people and goods across our borders, with 515 operating over 30 testing sites across the country. Since Dec. 23, over 45,000 tests have been conducted, keeping millions of tons of freight moving between the UK and Europe.
AFRICA : Ebola Vaccine Breakthrough
In a major milestone in the fight against deadly diseases, United Nations agencies and humanitarian partners announced on Jan. 12, the establishment of a global Ebola vaccine stockpile, to help control future epidemics by ensuring timely access to vaccines for populations at risk, during outbreaks.
Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness, with fatality rates varying from 25 per cent to 90 percent. Thousands of people have lost their lives to the disease, since the virus was first discovered in 1976.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO), underscored the importance of the vaccines to save lives from deadly viruses.
“Ebola vaccines have made one of the most feared diseases on earth preventable. This new stockpile is an excellent example of solidarity, science and cooperation between international organizations and the private sector to save lives.”
The International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG), which includes WHO, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), led efforts to establish the stockpile, with financial support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The stockpile is stored in Switzerland, and vaccines are ready to be shipped to countries for emergency response.
Henrietta Fore, Executive Director of UNICEF, said that when it comes to combatting disease outbreaks, “preparedness is key.”
“This Ebola vaccine stockpile is a remarkable achievement – one that will allow us to deliver vaccines to those who need them the most as quickly as possible,” she added.
UNICEF, on behalf of ICG will manage the stockpile, and as with stockpiles of cholera, meningitis and yellow fever vaccines, will be the decision-making body for its allocation and release.
As Ebola outbreaks are relatively rare and unpredictable, there is no natural market for the vaccine, and doses are only secured through the establishment of stockpiles and are available in limited quantities.
According to the UN agencies, an initial 6,890 doses are available for outbreak response and quantities will be added over the coming months to take the emergency stockpile to 500,000 doses, the amount recommended by health experts.
CARIBBEAN: Man Charged with Cocaine Smuggling
A Jamaican man made his initial appearance Jan. 11 on charges that he smuggled approximately one kilogram of cocaine into the United States, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Perez Omar Gibbs, 37, of Jamaica, was arrested on Jan. 9, 2021, and is charged by complaint with one count of importation of controlled substances. He appeared by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor and was remanded without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Gibbs arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport aboard a flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica. Law enforcement officers discovered that Gibbs possessed approximately one kilogram of cocaine concealed inside two bags of coffee and four picture frames.
The count with which Gibbs is charged carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a potential maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Molina; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Troy Miller, director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Fayer of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
