Covid-19 update – found myself irritated and annoyed today by those who we presumed were probably American tourists in the old city today who don’t seem to understand –
It is the law that you wear a face mask when in public, not just inside a building; and
How a face mask works – it goes on your face, not your arm, and it covers your nose as well!
It was noticeable that those we took to be locals were properly masked. I would have thought, as a visitor, a tourist should follow the local requirements out of courtesy, or at least for fear of fouling foul of a vigilant police officer…and with Omicron having been identified here, there’s no sense in taking unencessary risks.
To underline the above, 5 new fatalities reported today and 563 new cases. Active cases up 88 to 6,632; with 19 in ICU and 136 in other wards. to date, official records show 487,767 cases reported since March 2020, equating to around 8% of the country’s population.
26 DECEMBER 2021
4 IRISH FAMILIES MAKE HUGE PROFITS FROM ILLICIT PUPPY SMUGGLING TO UK
Extra in Ireland reported on 26 December that a handful of Irish families are believed to be responsible for running a multi-million-euro puppy smuggling operation that is flooding Scotland with sick and dying young dogs. The pandemic and lockdowns have fuelled an explosion in demand for puppies in the UK, leading to skyrocketing prices, booming black-market breeding, and deteriorating animal health and welfare.
TENNIS MATCH-FIXING: 6 MOROCCAN MEN BANNED FOR MULTIPLE OFFENCES
On 15 December, the BBC reported that 1 Moroccan tennis player has been banned for life and 5 others have received lengthy suspensions and fines after being found guilty of a variety of match-fixing charges.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/59657237
COLOMBIAN POLICE ARREST 3 FOR SELLING ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES
On 23 December, OCCRP reported that Colombian police had announced the arrest of 3 members of an organised crime group engaged in the capture, death, and sale of critically endangered turtles. Officers recovered 140 kg of hawksbill sea turtle meat from the suspects, valued at approximately US$20,035.
ISRAEL: HIGH COURT UPHOLDS LIKUD MP PLEA DEAL IN CORRUPTION CASE
On 26 December, the Times of Israel reported that Israel’s top court had rejected a petition filed against a plea deal cut between Likud MK Haim Katz and prosecutors in November, which saw the lawmaker avoid prison time, after being indicted for corruption in a downgraded charge. He had been was accused of advancing a Bill on corporate bond repayment sought by a financial consultant who was a close friend and financial adviser to Katz himself, and which benefited the adviser financially once it became law. Katz was also accused of concealing a conflict of interest in the case.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/high-court-upholds-likud-mks-plea-deal-in-corruption-case
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