maeve harris @maeve@girlcock.club

#California will suspend mask mandate for fully vaccinated persons (with certain exceptions), as well as distancing and business capacity requirements June 15 https://www.kcra.com/article/california-reopening-june-15-what-to-know-masks-vaccines/36720744#

Former #NSA contractor Reality Winner, sentenced to 63 months imprisonment for leaking data on #Russian hacking, has been released (she is still in custody under the 'Residential Reentry process) https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/former-nsa-contractor-reality-winner-jailed-leaking-secrets-about-russian-n1270730

#EU makes clear that it can not trust #UK PM to respect the Irish Protocol, which he himself signed, and considers the #UK is a threat to the Good Friday Agreement https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/13/mistrusted-johnson-feels-full-force-of-eu-fury-as-brexit-wrecks-g7-summit

A failure to pass the Irish Language Act, which would provide N #Ireland with 2 official languages, and promised in 2020, will bring down another collapse of the NI gov't, as Sinn Fein will not nominate a successor to O'Neill, in which case the government falls in 7 days https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/14/irish-language-row-threatens-to-derail-northern-ireland-government

#Philippines suspends the cancellation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), on which US treaty obligation to defend the country in the event of war, for another 6 months. It would appear cancellation is desired by President #Duterte whose attitude towards China is somewhat perplexing. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-suspends-decision-scrap-troop-pact-with-united-states-2021-06-14/

#FBI warns US legislators that #QAnon 'digital warriors' may become more violent, and go lone wolf against those the conspiracy theory has designated as the enemy. https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/14/politics/fbi-qanon-threat-assessment/index.html

#Covid19 Delta variant spreading at 7% per week in the #UK, causes 1 month delay in planned lifting of restrictions. AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines are over 90% effective after 2 injections (92 and 96% respectively) but 17% less after only a single injection https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/14/uk/boris-johnson-lockdown-extended-intl-gbr-analysis-cmd/index.html

#UK PM Johnson expresses grave concern over spreading Delta Covid variant, and hints are dropped that reopening the economy may be pushed back to 19 July https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-likely-delay-englands-final-stage-reopening-media-2021-06-12/

1000s in #Spain protest against a pardon for 12 #Catalan leaders involved in the independence movement. Deputy PM Calvo indicated pardons were close in an interview. 63% are said to oppose the pardons https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/thousands-protest-against-spains-possible-pardons-jailed-catalan-leaders-2021-06-13/

Republic of #Ireland FM Coveney urges #UK / #EU to find a 'middle ground' on food standards that would reduce checks on food products between the two by 80%https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/ireland-calls-middle-ground-uk-eu-food-standards-talks-2021-06-13/

Leaders of G-7 nations promise to distribute 1 billion #Covid19 vaccine doses to low income nations, either directly, or through Covax (WHO). https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57461640

Judge rules against employees of Houston Methodist Hospital who wanted to be exempted from a requirement to be vaccinated. A plaintiff obscenely compared being required to do so to the Holocaust https://edition.cnn.com/2021/06/13/us/houston-methodist-covid-vaccine-lawsuit/index.html

#Israel: after 12 years #Netanyahu is finally out, replaced as PM by Naftali Bennett. The ruling coalition has 8 parties, left, right and center, so Bennett will have a balancing act on his hands https://www.npr.org/2021/06/13/1005724415/netanyahu-is-out-naftali-bennett-will-be-installed-as-israels-new-prime-minister

#Biden program for loan forgiveness for farmers of color has been placed on hold by a Federal Judge, pending a lawsuit by White farmers who were excluded from eligibility.https://www.cbsnews.com/news/federal-judge-halts-loan-forgiveness-program-for-farmers-of-color/

54 years ago today, the #SCOTUS ruled laws banning marriage between persons of different races unconstitutional (Loving v. Virginia) https://www.npr.org/2021/06/12/1005848169/loving-day-interracial-marriage-legal-origin

#MTG says she does not believe "the so-called science of evolution", but believes the Book of Genesis, which portrays the creation of woman as a divine afterthought https://www.businessinsider.com/rep-marjorie-taylor-greene-says-she-doesnt-believe-in-evolution-2021-6

#UK experiencing rising #Covid19 cases, mostly the Delta variant of the infection, and the scheduled 'reopening' of the country on 21 June is in doubt and may be delayed https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/rising-uk-covid-cases-are-serious-serious-concern-johnson-says-2021-06-12/

US Federal Reserve is considering creation of an official fully digital dollar, a move supported by some in each party, but strongly opposed by banks, as it would give the unbanked access to the US financial system https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/12/fed-remake-us-dollar-493548