Ringing In 2021!

From News Nation/AP:

“2020 finally ending, but New Year’s parties muted by virus”

This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget. As the clock struck midnight across Asia and the South Pacific, the New Year’s experience mirrored countries’ responses to the virus itself. Some canceled or scaled back festivities, while others without active outbreaks were able to carry on like any other year.

Australia was among the first to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the international date line. In past years 1 million people crowded Sydney’s harbor to watch fireworks. This time, most watched on television as authorities urged residents to stay home and the most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, battled new outbreaks. Famous night spots were eerily deserted. The seven minutes of pyrotechnics that lit up the Sydney Harbor Bridge and its surroundings at midnight brought momentary cheer. Melbourne, Australia’s second-most populated city, called off its annual fireworks show. In South Korea, Seoul’s city government canceled its annual New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony in the Jongno neighborhood for the first time since the event was first held in 1953, months after the end of the Korean War. The ceremony normally draws an estimated 100,000 people.

Cities and countries that have managed to control the virus got to celebrate. New Zealand, which is two hours ahead of Sydney, and several of its South Pacific island neighbors that also have no active COVID-19 cases held their usual New Year’s activities. Taiwan also hosted its usual New Year’s celebration, a fireworks display by its capital city’s iconic Taipei 101 tower. The island has registered only seven deaths and 700 confirmed cases. In Chinese societies, the virus ensured more muted celebrations of the solar New Year, which is less widely observed than the Lunar New Year that in 2021 will fall in February. Initial reports about a mystery respiratory illness sickening people in the Chinese city of Wuhan emerged exactly a year ago. Much of Japan welcomed 2021 quietly at home, alarmed after Tokyo reported a record daily number of confirmed coronavirus cases, topping 1,000 for the first time. Many skipped a chance to return to ancestral homes for the holidays, hoping to lessen health risks for extended families. Emperor Naruhito will deliver a video message for the new year, instead of waving to cheering crowds from a balcony outside the palace. Millions of Indians were ushering in the new year with subdued celebrations at home because of night curfews, a ban on beach parties and restrictions on movement in major cities and towns after the new, more contagious variant of the virus reached the country. In New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, hotels and bars were ordered to shut at 11 p.m. The cities have been the worst hit by the pandemic. Drones were keeping watch on people’s movements in Mumbai, India’s financial and entertainment capital. Large gatherings were banned. Despite a surge in infections, the Gulf hub of Dubai pressed ahead with its mass New Year’s Eve celebrations, including the annual fireworks show around the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower. “People come to Dubai because it’s open, but there are so many rules,” said Bashir Shehu, 50, who was visiting from Abuja, Nigeria with his family. “We pray that next year we can celebrate with some real freedom.”

In many European countries, authorities warned they were ready to clamp down on revelers who breached public health rules, including nightly curfews in Italy, Turkey, Latvia and the Czech Republic. Some public celebrations were planned, such as a fireworks display over Rome’s Coliseum, but officials urged people to enjoy them from their balconies or — better yet — at home, on television.  A few families gathered in Madrid’s sunny central Puerta de Sol square to listen to the rehearsal of the traditional ringing of the bells that is held at midnight. They followed the Spanish custom of eating 12 grapes with each stroke of the bells before police cleared the area that normally hosts thousands of revelers. The British government, trying to juggle the twin challenges of a pandemic and the UK’s definitive split from the EU, ran ads imploring the public to “see in the New Year safely at home.” Most of England’s population is under lockdown measures in an attempt to slow the spread of the new virus variant.

Many around the world looked toward 2021 with hope, partly due to the arrival of vaccines that offer a chance of beating the pandemic. While there won’t be crowds in Times Square, the mayor pledged that the city which has over 25,000 deaths from the virus would rebound next year. “We are turning the page and going someplace better,” de Blasio said. In Israel’s coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv, flower shop owner Billie Heyman reflected on how 2020 taught people to be “more friendly and gentler with each other.” “Because, when we don’t have this, we have nothing,” she said.

^ Hopefully 2021 will be a lot better than 2020 was. ^

https://www.newsnationnow.com/world/2020-finally-ending-but-new-years-parties-muted-by-virus/

Yoda's Celebration!

 

Gibraltar Deal

 From the BBC:

“Brexit: Gibraltar gets UK-Spain deal to keep open border”

Spain has reached a deal with the UK to maintain free movement to and from Gibraltar once the UK formally leaves the EU on Friday. To avoid a hard border, they have agreed that Gibraltar will join the EU's Schengen zone and follow other EU rules, while remaining part of the UK. The deal was announced by Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya, just hours before the UK exits the EU. The Rock voted Remain in 2016 and about 15,000 Spanish workers go there daily. "With this [agreement], the fence is removed, Schengen is applied to Gibraltar... it allows for the lifting of controls between Gibraltar and Spain," said Ms González Laya. The Gibraltar deal will mean the EU sending Frontex border guards to facilitate free movement to and from Gibraltar. Their role is planned to last four years. Ms González Laya did not say whether Spanish border guards would eventually be posted at Gibraltar's airport and/or seaport which, under the deal, will be de facto part of the EU's external border. The Gibraltar deal would also mean the territory complying with EU fair competition rules in areas such as financial policy, the environment and the labour market, Ms González Laya said.

Twenty-two EU states are in the passport-free Schengen zone, as are Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein, but the UK has never been in it. Once Gibraltar joins it, EU citizens arriving from Spain or another Schengen country will avoid passport checks, while arrivals from the UK will have to go through passport control, as is already the case. UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab called Thursday's deal a "political framework" to form the basis of a separate treaty with the EU regarding Gibraltar. The deal does not address the thorny issue of sovereignty. Spain has long disputed British sovereignty over the Rock, which is home to about 34,000 people. The Remain vote there was an overwhelming 96% in the 2016 EU referendum. The plan is to have a six-month transition period and then formalise the new arrangements with a treaty. Under the current tight Covid rules, there are restrictions on UK citizens arriving via Gibraltar's airport, the UK Foreign Office says. Dominic Raab said "all sides are committed to mitigating the effects of the end of the [Brexit] Transition Period on Gibraltar, and in particular ensure border fluidity, which is clearly in the best interests of the people living on both sides. "We remain steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, and its sovereignty is safeguarded."

^ I’m glad an agreement was reached because Gibraltar wasn’t included in the other UK-EU Agreement. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55497084

Felice anno nuovo!

 

Happy New Year!

 

Bonne année! Happy New Year!

 

UK's New Year!

 

Frohes Neues Jahr!

 

Bonne année!

 

Feliç any nou! - Feliz año nuevo!

 

С новым годом!

 

Kermit's New Year

 

Brexit Deal

From the BBC:

“Brexit: New EU trade arrangements to begin after Parliament vote”

The post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and EU takes effect at 23:00 GMT on Thursday, after it was signed into law. Parliament overwhelmingly backed the agreement in a high-speed process on Wednesday, following the two sides reaching agreement on Christmas Eve. It takes the UK out of the EU's single market and customs union, but ends the possibility of tariffs on goods. PM Boris Johnson thanked MPs and said: "The destiny of this great country now resides firmly in our hands." Opponents say the country will still be worse off than it was while in the EU. Brexit happened on 31 January, but the UK has continued to follow Brussels' trade rules until now. The deal - reached just before the deadline to do so - sets out a new business and security relationship, following the severing of these ties. It comes four-and-a-half years after the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum. The EU (Future Relationship) Bill, bringing the trade deal into UK law, was backed in its first parliamentary stage in the House of Commons by 521 to 73 votes on Wednesday, after Parliament was recalled from its Christmas break. The House of Lords later passed it at third reading - its final stage - without a vote and the Queen - who is spending the festive period at Windsor Castle rather than Sandringham because of the coronavirus pandemic - gave the final approval, Royal Assent. In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the deal would allow the UK to "go our own way but also have free trade" with the EU. Most Labour MPs voted in favour after leader Sir Keir Starmer said a "thin deal was better than no deal". But all other opposition parties, including the SNP, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and all Northern Ireland parties that take seats at Westminster, opposed the bill.  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel signed the deal earlier on Wednesday in Brussels. It will come into force at 23:00 on Thursday, but although the European Parliament has begun its scrutiny of the 1,246-page document, it will not get a chance to ratify it formally until early in the new year. The deal has, however, been given the unanimous backing of ambassadors from the 27 nations and the member states gave their written approval on Tuesday.

Brexit: What are the key points of the deal?

The UK-EU trade agreement, which contains new rules for living, working and trading together, will take affect from 23:00 GMT on 31 December. The full complicated agreement is more than 1,200 pages long, but here are some of the key points.

Trade

What the deal says There will be no taxes on goods (tariffs) or limits on the amount that can be traded (quotas) between the UK and the EU from 1 Januar Some new checks will be introduced at borders, such as safety checks and customs declarations. There are some new restrictions on certain UK animal food products. For example, uncooked meats like sausages and burgers can't enter the EU unless they are frozen to -18C.

What does that mean? Having a deal in place means that the fear that some goods could become more expensive has been avoided. However, businesses will still need to prepare for new procedures at ports, and if new paperwork is incomplete, it could lead to disruption.

SERVICES AND QUALIFICATIONS

What the deal says: Businesses offering services, such as banking, architecture and accounting, will lose their automatic right of access to EU markets and will face some restrictions. There will no longer be automatic recognition of professional qualifications for people such as doctors, chefs and architects.

What does that mean? Rather than following one set of rules for the whole of the EU, UK businesses will need to comply with the regulations in each individual country It will be harder for people with qualifications gained in the UK to sell their services in the EU. Individuals will need to check each country's rules to make sure their qualification is still recognised. However, the UK and EU have pledged to keep talking to try to improve access for the service sector in the future.

Travel

What the deal says: UK nationals will need a visa for stays of longer than 90 days in the EU in a 180-day period. EU pet passports will no longer be valid. European Health Insurance Cards, (EHIC) cards will remain valid until they expire. The UK is no longer subject to the ban on additional roaming charges, although both sides will encourage operators to have "transparent and reasonable rates" for roaming.

What does that mean? The UK government says EHIC will be replaced with a new UK Global Health Insurance Card, but full details have not been released yet. Pets will still be allowed in the EU, but it will be a more complicated process as owners will need to obtain an animal health certificate for each trip they make. UK mobile operators will be able to charge for roaming, so people should check with their mobile phone company before travelling.

Fishing

What the deal says: Over the next five-and-a-half years, the UK will gradually gain a greater share of the fish from its own waters. The UK could choose to ban EU fishing boats from 2026, but the EU would be allowed to introduce taxes on British fish in response.

What does that mean? Fishing was the hardest and last issue to be resolved in the negotiation, and some UK fishermen are unhappy with the arrangement. The Scottish Fishermen's Federation, for example, says the deal does not give the UK enough control of its waters. Starting in 2026, the UK and the EU will hold regular talks on fishing access. So there could be more heated arguments ahead.

Justice

What the deal says: There will be no role in the UK for the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which is the highest court in the EU. Disputes that cannot be resolved between the UK and the EU will be referred to an independent tribunal instead.

What does that mean? Ending the role of the ECJ was a key UK demand as Brexit supporters said it would allow the UK to "take back control" of its laws. The ECJ could still have a role in Northern Ireland because it continues to follow some EU trade rules. If either side moves too far away from the current rules around product standards, tariffs (charges on imports) could be imposed on some goods in the future.

Security

What the deal says: The UK will no longer have automatic access to key security databases, but should be able to gain access upon request. The UK will not be a member of the EU's law enforcement agency, Europol, but it will have a presence at its headquarters. The UK is no longer obliged to comply with EU standards of data protection, but data will continue to be exchanged in the same way for at least four months as long as the UK doesn't change its data protection rules.

What does that mean? The UK's arrangement with Europol will be similar to the one the US currently has. Many of the rules about storing and processing data still need be decided.

Study

What the deal says:  The UK will no longer participate in the Erasmus exchange programme, an EU scheme that helps students study in other countries. Students at universities in Northern Ireland will continue to participate in Erasmus, as part of an arrangement with the Irish government.

What does that mean? Students that have already started courses in the EU will continue to receive support for fees. A new scheme named after the mathematician Alan Turing will begin in September 2021. The government says it will be similar to Erasmus but will include countries across the world.

^ At least there won’t be a Hard Brexit, but there is still a lot of confusion which will most likely lead to chaos in many areas both in the UK and the EU. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-55180293

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55493437

PTSD Watch

From Military.com:

“Smartwatch App for PTSD-Related Nightmares Now Available by Prescription from VA, DoD”

After returning home to Minnesota after a yearlong combat deployment to Iraq in 2007, Army veteran Patrick Skluzacek showed classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. His son Tyler, then just 13 years old, told CNN his father was depressed, lethargic, angry and had trouble sleeping. Worst of all, the then-43-year-old suffered from "vivid" nightmares. Like many families of veterans suffering from PTSD, the Skluzaceks didn't know what to do for their dad. But with the help of emerging mental health and biometric technology, Tyler Skluzacek would be able to develop an app to help his father and veterans like him get better sleep -- and he'd do it all before graduating from college. For Patrick Skluzacek, the help couldn't come fast enough. "I was scared of closing my eyes," he told CNN. "They were just horrible, so vivid, I'd wake up thrashing and sweating. And [The Department of Veterans Affairs] didn't have a cure for it. They just had people with nightmares, people killing themselves, and they didn't understand why." Tyler would go on to attend Minnesota's Macalester College, according to the Star Tribune, a Minnesota newspaper. As a computer programming senior in 2015, he attended a 36-hour hackathon in Washington, D.C. -- where he created "MyBivy" (short for bivouac, a military camping term), an app that would wake the sleeper up in the event of a nightmare.

MyBivy is now known as NightWare, and it's a smartwatch app that monitors a sleeper's movement and heart rate. When it detects changes that indicate a coming nightmare, the app creates vibration patterns in the watch to rouse the sleeper. After winning the hackathon, Tyler Skluzacek took his idea to Kickstarter, raising $25,000 for its development. After NightWare bought the app, the company applied to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its clearance as a medical device. Now cleared by the FDA as a "breakthrough" device, the prescription-only kit comes with a smartwatch and iPhone preloaded with the NightWare app. Once prescribed, the cost of the kit is now covered by the VA and the Department of Defense. NightWare is also working to help those not covered by either department get access to the NightWare technology. Tyler told the Star-Tribune that he read Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" in 10th grade to better understand his father's condition. That reading, combined with talking to veterans in the course of developing the app, helped him better understand his veteran father, though they are still worlds apart. "I'm not a vet. I don't know what he's been through," Tyler told the paper. "Talking to a bajillion -- and that's close to an accurate number -- veterans, I understand him better." To learn more about the prescription-only app or how to get a prescription, visit the NightWare website.

^ This is really cool. I hope it helps Soldiers and everyone else with PTSD. ^

https://www.military.com/military-life/smartwatch-app-ptsd-related-nightmares-now-available-prescription-va-dod.html

Slawiecice Bell

From the BBC:

“Bell taken by Nazis to be returned to Poland”

A church bell that dates back to 1555 will be returned to its home in Poland, 77 years after it was taken by the Nazis in World War Two. Parishioners at Slawiecice in southern Poland began searching for the church's old bell two years ago. They were in luck because, as the Münster diocese in Germany explained, the Nazis melted down some 80,000 bells to make weapons or ammunition. The bell was eventually tracked down to Münster by the Polish church's pastor. According to the diocese, Marian Bednarek found the 400kg (880lb) bell listed in a book. It had been sitting for decades unnoticed with two other bells in a courtyard at the city's Catholic Church court.

After the war, some bells that had not been melted down for their metal content were returned but 1,300 bells that had been seized in eastern territories such as Poland were kept initially in a bell cemetery in Hamburg and photos of them were kept in an archive in Nuremberg. The diocese said that British military authorities had banned the return of bells to the east, and instead they were loaned out to parishes across the old West Germany. The bell will not be sent back to its original home just yet because of the coronavirus pandemic. When it does finally arrive at St Catherine's church, it will be on permanent loan as officially it is now owned by the German government. "After 77 years, waiting another month or so doesn't really matter," Hans Manek, a former resident of Slawiecice, told the Catholic Church in Münster.

^ The Germans stole so many things from every country in Europe and North Africa that they occupied. It is only right that everything they stole is returned to its rightful owners and their descendants. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55474030

Negative To Fly

From the CBC:

“Air travellers entering Canada must have a negative COVID-19 test before arrival, Ottawa says”

Air passengers entering Canada will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arriving in the country, the federal government announced today. Travellers must receive a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within a 72-hour period prior to boarding a plane — a requirement Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc said will be in place "quickly," though he did not provide an exact date. The measure does not replace the federal government's mandatory 14-day quarantine period, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair warned. "This is not an alternative to quarantine. It's an additional layer," Blair said during a public health briefing. The federal government hasn't yet explained in detail how the pre-boarding testing will be administered to incoming travellers. "That information will be made available very shortly by (Transport Minister Marc Garneau), who is currently engaging with the airlines and officials in his department to bring those measures forward as quickly as possible," Blair said.

Lack of information 'causing panic,' Conservatives say Conservative health critic Michelle Rempel Garner criticized the Liberal government over the timing of the announcement and said the lack of policy specifics will lead to anxiety and confusion for Canadians abroad. "I'm glad to hear that the Trudeau Liberals are finally taking our advice and looking at implementing testing protocols for international travellers returning to Canada," she said in a media statement. "However, the lack of details around this announcement is causing panic among Canadians currently abroad. The government has had months to implement a system and today put forward a haphazard announcement that is a response to headlines rather than an actual thoughtful and transparent plan." Speaking in French, LeBlanc suggested people now vacationing in places like Florida or the Caribbean should be trying to find somewhere to get tested before preparing for their return.

It's not clear how pre-boarding testing will affect those participating in Alberta's pilot project for international travellers, which allows people to leave quarantine if they receive a negative test after returning to Canada. Blair said that the purpose of the new requirement is not to shorten the length of mandatory quarantines and it's "important not to conflate the two issues." He said Ottawa is discussing implementing more testing protocols at land points of entry with a number of provincial health authorities, but added that effort involves "issues of some complexity" the government is still working through.

Border agency boosts airport presence The additional measure comes as Ontario Finance Minister Rod Phillips is under fire over news that he had travelled to the Caribbean island of St. Barts for a personal vacation earlier this month. Phillips is on his way back to Canada after Ontario Premier Doug Ford demanded his return. Quebec Liberal MNA Pierre Arcand has also received criticism for visiting Barbados during the holidays, a trip Arcand now says he regrets. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will also be beefing up its presence at airports across Canada to ensure travellers are adhering to public health guidelines, Blair said. "Additional border officers will be present at various positions to reinforce compliance messaging," the minister said, adding that teams already have been sent to customs and baggage areas and inspection lines to speak to travellers about their obligations — and the consequences of failing to follow the rules.  The federal government has advised against non-essential travel outside Canada since the start of the pandemic, though officials noted Wednesday that about two per cent of COVID-19 cases have been brought into the country from overseas.

^ It’s never good when a Government announces a major change like this one and doesn’t give any details on when and how it will work. That only leaves to mass confusion and chaos. Hopefully, Liberals start answering these important questions soon. ^

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/negative-pcr-covid-test-air-passengers-1.5857626

2020 Deaths: Part 2

 2020 Deaths:

July

1^st: Hugh Downs, 99, American broadcaster and television host (20/20, Today, Concentration), heart failure.

3^rd: Emily Howell Warner, 80, American airline pilot.

8^th: Amadou Gon Coulibaly, 61, Ivorian politician, Prime Minister (since 2017).

8^th: Liliane Klein-Lieber, 96, French resistance member (Eclaireuses et Eclaireurs israélites de France).

8^th: Naya Rivera, 33, American actress (Glee, The Royal Family, Step Up), model and singer, drowned.

10^th: Miloš Jakeš, 97, Czech politician, First Secretary of the Communist Party (1987–1989).

12^th: Kelly Preston, 57, American actress (Jerry Maguire, Twins, Sky High), breast cancer.

15^th: Sayed Haider, 95, Bangladeshi language movement activist, pneumonia.

19^th: Denise Domenach-Lallich, 95, French resistance member.

19^th: Joan Moriarty, 97, British military nurse, Matron-in-chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (1977–1981).

19^th: Nikolai Tanayev, 74, Kyrgyz politician, Prime Minister (2002–2005).

20^th: Victor Chizhikov, 84, Russian children's book illustrator, designer of Misha.

21^st: Jean-Noël de Bouillane de Lacoste, 85, French ambassador and diplomat.

21^st: François Amoudruz, 93, French resistance member and Holocaust survivor.

22^nd: Luzius Wildhaber, 83, Swiss jurist, President of the European Court of Human Rights (1998–2007).

24^th: Henk van Gelderen, 98, Dutch Jewish resistance member.

24^th: Benjamin Mkapa, 81, Tanzanian politician, President (1995–2005), heart attack as a complication of malaria.

24^th: Regis Philbin, 88, American entertainer and television personality (The Joey Bishop Show, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire), heart attack.

24^th: Wil Rieken, 85, Dutch war grave maintainer.

26^th: Dame Olivia de Havilland, 104, French-British-American actress (Gone with the Wind, The Adventures of Robin Hood, To Each His Own), Oscar winner (1947, 1950).

27^th: Owen Arthur, 70, Barbadian politician, Prime Minister (1994–2008), heart failure.

30^th: Lee Teng-hui, 97, Taiwanese politician, President (1988–2000), Vice President (1984–1988) and mayor of Taipei (1978–1981), multiple organ failure.

August

1^st: Wilford Brimley, 85, American actor (The Natural, The Thing, Cocoon) and singer, kidney disease.

5^th: María Victoria Morera, 64, Spanish diplomat, Ambassador to Belgium (2004–2007) and Germany (2017–2018), cancer.

6^th: Paul Schaffer, 95, Austrian-born French Holocaust survivor.

6^th: Lottie Louise Riekehof, 99, American ASL interpreter and author.

11^th: Prince Waldemar of Schaumburg-Lippe, 79, German-born Danish royal.

11^th: Dhammika Ganganath Dissanayake, 62, Sri Lankan diplomat, ambassador to Japan (since 2015).

11^th: Walter Carrington, 90, American diplomat, ambassador to Senegal (1980–1981) and Nigeria (1993–1997).

11^th: Trini Lopez, 83, American singer ("If I Had a Hammer", "Lemon Tree") and actor (The Dirty Dozen), COVID-19.

12^th: Ivan Tymchenko, 81, Ukrainian jurist, chairman of the Constitutional Court (1996–1999).

15^th: Ruth Gavison, 75, Israeli law professor, Israel Prize recipient (2011).

16^th: Gershon Shafat, 92, Austrian-born Israeli politician, member of the Knesset (1984–1992).

18^th: Ben Cross, 72, English actor (Chariots of Fire, Star Trek, First Knight), cancer.

18^th: Wojciech Karpiński, 77, Polish writer and historian of ideas.

19^th: Durbin Feeling, 74, American Cherokee linguist.

26^th: Ronald E. Rosser, 90, American soldier, Medal of Honor recipient.

28^th: Chadwick Boseman, 43, American actor (Black Panther, 42, Get on Up), complications from colon cancer.

30^th: Virginia Bosler, 93, American actress and dancer (Oklahoma!, Brigadoon, Out of This World).

 

September

1^st: Boris Klyuyev, 76, Russian actor (D'Artagnan and Three Musketeers, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, TASS Is Authorized to Declare...), People's Artist (2002), lung cancer.

1^st: Edwin M. Cronk, 102, American diplomat, Ambassador to Singapore (1972–1975).

2^nd: David Evans, 95, Australian RAAF Air Marshal, Chief of the Air Staff (1982–1985).

2^nd: Rinat Ibragimov, 59, Russian double bass player, COVID-19.

2^nd: Kang Kek Iew, 77, Cambodian internal security leader (Tuol Sleng, Santebal) and convicted war criminal, lung disease.

2^nd: Esther McCready, 89, American nurse who desegregated the University of Maryland School of Nursing in 1950.

3^rd: Kathleen Byerly, 76, American U.S Navy captain. She was one of the twelve women named by Time magazine as Time Person of the Year in 1975, representing American women. Cancer.

4^th: Annie Cordy, 92, Belgian actress (Victor and Victoria, Ces dames s'en mêlent, Souvenir of Gibraltar) and singer, cardiac arrest.

4^th: Andrzej Gawroński, 85, Polish actor (Everything for Sale, How I Unleashed World War II, A Short Film About Killing).

4^th: Joe Williams, 85, Cook Islands politician, Prime Minister (1999), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1999) and MP (1994–2004), COVID-19.

5^th: Abu Osman Chowdhury, 85, Bangladeshi resistance fighter (Mukti Bahini).

5^th: Marian Jaworski, 94, Polish Roman Catholic cardinal, Archbishop of Lviv of the Latins (1991–2008).

5^th: Jiří Menzel, 82, Czech director, actor and screenwriter (Closely Watched Trains, My Sweet Little Village, Larks on a String), Oscar winner (1967).

5^th: Steve Merrill, 74, American politician, Governor (1993–1997) and Attorney General of New Hampshire (1985–1989).

6^th: Kevin Dobson, 77, American actor (Kojak, Knots Landing, Midway), heart attack.

6^th: Dragoljub Ojdanić, 79, Serbian military officer and convicted war criminal, Chief of the General Staff (1998–2000) and Minister of Defence of Yugoslavia (2000).

7^th: Abdul Qadir Bajamal, 74, Yemeni politician, Prime Minister (2001–2007) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998–2001), complications from multiple strokes.

7^th: Sergey Koltakov, 64, Russian actor (Mirror for a Hero, New Adventures of a Yankee in King Arthur's Court, The Life of Klim Samgin).

7^th: André Reichling, 64, Luxembourgian conductor and composer ("The NATO Hymn").

9^th: Amos Luzzatto, 92, Italian writer and essayist, President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (1998–2006).

9^th: Edgard Tupët-Thomé, 100, French Resistance fighter.

10^th: Gerald Blidstein, 82, Israeli academic (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities).

11^th: Dame Diana Rigg, 82, English actress (The Avengers, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Game of Thrones), Tony winner (1994), cancer.

12^th: Navid Afkari, 27, Iranian wrestler, protester (2018 Iranian protests), and convicted murderer, execution by hanging.

12^th: Aline Chrétien, 84, Canadian socialite, Spouse of the Prime Minister (1993–2003).

12^th: John Fahey, 75, Australian politician, Premier of New South Wales (1992–1995), Minister for Finance (1996–2001), and President of WADA (2008–2013), leukaemia.

13^th: Severo Bueno, 53, Spanish jurist and state lawyer (2017 Catalan independence referendum), ALS.

13^th: György Keleti, 74, Hungarian military officer and politician, Minister of Defence (1994–1998) and MP (1992–2010).

14^th: Herman Th. Verstappen, 95, Dutch geographer, president of the International Geographical Union (1992−1996).

15^th: Ed Bearss, 97, American military historian and author.

15^th: Nigel Te Hiko, 54, New Zealand Māori historian (Ngāti Raukawa), COVID-19.

15^th: Moussa Traoré, 83, Malian military officer and politician, President (1968–1991).

16^th: Núria Gispert i Feliu, 84, Spanish politician, Catholic activist and social worker, City Councillor of Barcelona (1979–1995), colon cancer.

17^th: Winston Groom, 77, American novelist (Forrest Gump).

18^th: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, American jurist, Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (since 1993) and judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (1980–1993), complications from pancreatic cancer.

19^th: Andrzej Pitynski, 73, Polish-American monumental sculptor (Katyń Memorial, The Partisans).

19^th: John Turner, 91, Canadian politician, Prime Minister (1984), Minister of Justice (1968–1972) and Finance (1972–1975), and MP (1962–1976, 1984–1993).

20^th: Ken Blaiklock, 92, British Antarctic explorer.

20^th: Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight, 82, Scottish herald, Lord Lyon King of Arms of Scotland (1981–2001), cancer.

20^th: Knut Kloster, 91, Norwegian shipping magnate, co-founder of Norwegian Cruise Line.

21^st: Arthur Ashkin, 98, American scientist, Nobel Prize laureate (2018).

21^st: Tommy DeVito, 92, American Hall of Fame musician and singer (The Four Seasons), COVID-19.

21^st: Claude Moisy, 93, French journalist and writer, President of the Agence France-Presse (1990–1993).

22^nd: Volodymyr Yachminskyi, 84, Ukrainian actor, People's Artist of Ukraine (1996.)

27^th: Susan Ryan, 77, Australian politician and public servant, Senator (1975–1987), Minister for Education (1983–1987) and Age Discrimination Commissioner (2011–2016).

27^th: John Waddy, 100, British Army officer, Colonel SAS (1964–1967).

28^th: Bonni Lou Kern, 79, American television personality (The Mickey Mouse Club).

29^th: Timothy Ray Brown, 54, American considered the first person cured of HIV/AIDS, leukemia.

29^th: Helen Reddy, 78, Australian-American singer ("I Am Woman", "Delta Dawn") and actress (Pete's Dragon), Grammy winner (1973).

29^th: Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, 91, Kuwaiti royal, Emir (since 2006) and Prime Minister (2003–2006).

29^th: Carlisle Trost, 90, American Navy admiral, Chief of Naval Operations (1986–1990).

 

October

1^st: Hans J. Eriksen, 84, Norwegian Saami politician and teacher.

1^st: Hilari Raguer, 92, Spanish monk, historian and anti-Francoist activist.

2^nd: Mukaramma Qosimova, 87, Tajik linguist and academic.

2^nd: Irina Slavina, 47, Russian news editor (Open Russia), suicide by self-immolation.

3^rd: Shmaryahu Biran, 78, Israeli educator, mayor of Acre (1998–2003).

4^th: Clark Middleton, 63, American actor (Sin City, Snowpiercer, Twin Peaks), West Nile virus.

4^th: Richard Schifter, 97, American attorney and diplomat, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (1985–1992).

6^th: Folker Bohnet, 83, German actor (The Bridge, Ludwig).

6^th: Ruth Klüger, 88, Austrian-born American Holocaust survivor and memoirist.

6^th: Johnny Nash, 80, American singer-songwriter ("I Can See Clearly Now", "Hold Me Tight", "Tears on My Pillow").

6^th: Tommy Rall, 90, American actor (Kiss Me Kate, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, World in My Corner) and dancer, heart failure.

6^th: Eddie Van Halen, 65, Dutch-born American Hall of Fame musician (Van Halen) and songwriter ("Eruption", "Jump"), Grammy winner (1992), throat cancer.

8^th: Shlomo Gazit, 93, Israeli general, president of Ben-Gurion University (1982–1985) and general director of the Jewish Agency (1985–1987).

12^th: Bernard S. Cohen, 86, American attorney (Loving v. Virginia), complications from Parkinson's disease

12^th: Conchata Ferrell, 77, American actress (Two and a Half Men, Edward Scissorhands, Network), complications from cardiac arrest.

12^th: Carlos M. Rivera, 86, American firefighter, FDNY Commissioner (1990–1993.)

12^th: Litokwa Tomeing, 80, Marshallese politician, President (2008–2009.)

13^th: Edward C. Meyer, 91, American military officer, Army Chief of Staff (1979–1983), pneumonia.

14^th: William Keir Carr, 97, Canadian military officer, Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force (1975–1978.)

14^th: Rhonda Fleming, 97, American actress (Spellbound, Serpent of the Nile, The Buster Keaton Story), aspiration pneumonia.

14^th: Kuniwo Nakamura, 76, Palauan politician, President (1993–2001) and Vice President (1989–1993).

16^th: Sir Roy Beldam, 95, British judge, Lord Justice of Appeal (1989–2000).

18^th: François-Yves Guillin, 99, French resistant, doctor, and historian.

18^th: Stanisław Kogut, 66, Polish politician and trade union activist, Senator (2005–2019), COVID-19.

19^th: Sir John Margetson, 93, British diplomat, Ambassador to Vietnam (1978–1980) and the Netherlands (1984–1988), Gentleman Usher of the Blue Rod (1992–2002).

20^th: Joshua Blau, 101, Romanian-born Israeli literary scholar.

20^th: Vladimir Chudaykin, 95, Russian World War II veteran, Hero of the Soviet Union.

20^th: Irina Skobtseva, 93, Russian actress (War and Peace, Othello, Walking the Streets of Moscow), People's Artist of the RSFSR (1974).

20^th: Aldo Zargani, 87, Italian writer and Holocaust survivor.

21^st: Marge Champion, 101, American actress (Show Boat, Give a Girl a Break), choreographer and model (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Emmy winner (1975).

21^st: Peter F. Secchia, 83, American building material executive and diplomat, Ambassador to Italy and San Marino (1989–1993), CEO of Universal Forest Products, COVID-19.

24^th: Prince Azim of Brunei, 38, Bruneian royal and film producer (You're Not You).

24^th: Joan Hocquard, 112, British supercentenarian, oldest person in the United Kingdom.

25^th: Johnny Leeze, 78, English actor (Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The League of Gentlemen), COVID-19.

29^th: Valentin Pokrovsky, 91, Russian epidemiologist and infectionist, President of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (1987–2006).

29^th: Alexander Vedernikov, 56, Russian conductor (Bolshoi Theatre, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Royal Danish Opera), COVID-19.

30^th: Mesut Yılmaz, 72, Turkish politician, Prime Minister (1991, 1996, 1997–1999), Minister of Foreign Affairs (1987–1990) and MP (1983–2002, 2007–2011), lung cancer.

31^st: Sir Sean Connery, 90, Scottish actor (Dr. No, The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade), Oscar winner (1988).

November

1^st: Carol Arthur, 85, American actress (Blazing Saddles), Alzheimer's disease.

1^st: Nikolay Maksyuta, 73, Russian politician, Governor of Volgograd Oblast (1997–2010), COVID-19.

1^st: Enuga Sreenivasulu Reddy, 96, Indian anti-Apartheid activist.

3^rd: Henry Brind, 93, British diplomat, ambassador to Somalia (1977–1980) and high commissioner to Malawi (1983–1987).

3^rd: Elsa Raven, 91, American actress (Back to the Future, Amen, Titanic).

5^th: Jim Marurai, 73, Cook Island politician, Prime Minister (2004–2010), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2009) and MP (1994–2017).

6^th: Patrick Chokala, 72, Tanzanian diplomat, Ambassador to Russia (2002–2004), heart attack.

6^th: Dovid Feinstein, 91, Belarusian-born American Orthodox rabbi, rosh yeshiva of the Mesivtha Tifereth Jerusalem (since 1986).

7^th: Norm Crosby, 93, American comedian and actor (Eight Crazy Nights).

7^th: Edward J. Perkins, 92, American diplomat, ambassador to the United Nations, South Africa and Liberia.

7^th: Jonathan Sacks, 72, British Orthodox rabbi, Chief Rabbi of the United Synagogue (1991–2013) and member of the House of Lords (since 2013), cancer.

8^th: Alex Trebek, 80, Canadian-American game show host (Jeopardy!, High Rollers, Classic Concentration), seven-time Emmy winner, pancreatic cancer.

10^th: Amadou Toumani Touré, 72, Malian politician, President (1991–1992, 2002–2012).

10^th: Lucille Bridges, 86, American civil rights activist, mother of Ruby Bridges.

11^th: Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, 84, Bahraini royal and politician, Prime Minister (since 1970).

12^th: Jerry Rawlings, 73, Ghanaian politician, President (1979, 1981–2001), COVID-19.

12^th: Lynn Kellogg, 77, American singer and actress (Hair, Charro!), COVID-19.

13^th: Sir John Meurig Thomas, 87, Welsh chemist and academic administrator, Director of the Royal Institution (1986–1991).

13^th: Kjartan Jóhannsson, 80, Icelandic diplomat and politician.

14^th: Hasan Muratović, 80, Bosnian politician, Prime Minister (1996–1997) and Minister of Foreign Trade (1997–1999), COVID-19.

15^th: Victor Popa, 71, Moldovan jurist and politician, Deputy (2010–2013) and Justice of the Constitutional Court (since 2013).

18^th: Lyubov Rumyantseva, 77, Belarusian actress (Lullaby, Alpine Ballad, Annychka).

18^th: Mridula Sinha, 77, Indian politician, Governor of Goa (2014–2019).

18^th: Firsat Sofi, 42, Iraqi politician, Governor of Erbil (since 2019), COVID-19.

20^th: Rita Sargsyan, 58, Armenian socialite, First Lady (2008–2018), COVID-19.

20^th: Jan Morris, 94, Welsh historian (Pax Britannica Trilogy), novelist (Last Letters from Hav) and travel writer.

20^th: Daniel Cordier, 100, French militant, historian, and art dealer.

22^nd: Patrick Quinn, 37, American disability activist, co-creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

23^rd: Hal Ketchum, 67, American country singer-songwriter ("Small Town Saturday Night", "Past the Point of Rescue", "Hearts Are Gonna Roll"), complications from dementia.

23^rd: David Dinkins, 93, American politician, mayor of New York City (1990–1993), borough president of Manhattan (1986–1989) and member of the New York State Assembly (1966).

24^th: Mamadou Tandja, 82, Nigerien politician, President (1999–2010).

26^th: Sadiq al-Mahdi, 84, Sudanese politician and religious leader, Prime Minister (1966–1967, 1986–1989), COVID-19.

26^th: Hafez Abu Seada, 55, Egyptian human rights activist, Chairman of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (since 2004), COVID-19.

28^th: Roger Mandle, 79, American art curator and academic administrator, President of the Rhode Island School of Design (1993–2008).

28^th: David Prowse, 85, English actor (Star Wars, A Clockwork Orange, Jabberwocky) and bodybuilder, COVID-19.

29^th: Peg Murray, 96, American actress (Cabaret), Tony winner (1967.)

30^th: Irina Antonova, 98, Russian art historian, complications from COVID-19.

30^th: Eddie Benton-Banai, 89, American civil rights activist (American Indian Movement).

30^th: Betty Bobbitt, 81, American-born Australian actress (Prisoner, Crocodile Dundee II, Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles), stroke.

December

1^st:  Norman Abramson, 88, American engineer and computer scientist.

1^st: Hanna Stadnik, 91, Polish World War II combatant (Warsaw Uprising), acting chairman of World Association of Home Army Soldiers (2020).

2^nd: Warren Berlinger, 83, American actor (The Joey Bishop Show, The Cannonball Run, The World According to Garp).

2^nd: Frank Carney, 82, American entrepreneur, co-founder of Pizza Hut, pneumonia.

2^nd: Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, 94, French politician, President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra (1974–1981), Minister of the Economy and Finance (1962–1966, 1969–1974), COVID-19.

2^nd: Boris Plotnikov, 71, Russian actor (The Ascent, The Cold Summer of 1953, Heart of a Dog), COVID-19.

2^nd: Pamela Tiffin, 78, American actress (One, Two, Three, Harper, Summer and Smoke) and model.

4^th: Marie Rút Křížková, 84, Czech literary historian and poet, Charter 77 spokesperson.

4^th: David Lander, 73, American actor (Laverne & Shirley, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Will the Real Jerry Lewis Please Sit Down), complications from multiple sclerosis.

5^th: Dolf de Vries, 83, Dutch actor (Turkish Delight, Soldier of Orange, Black Book).

5^th: Ron Irwin, 84, Canadian politician and diplomat, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs (1993–1997), Ambassador to Ireland (1998–2001), MP (1980–1984, 1993–1997).

6^th: Senta Wengraf, 96, Austrian actress (Two Times Lotte, Voices of Spring, Sissi – The Young Empress).

7^th: Natalie Desselle-Reid, 53, American actress (B.A.P.S., Eve, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella), colon cancer.

7^th: Chuck Yeager, 97, American Hall of Fame pilot, first person to exceed the speed of sound.

9^th: Vyacheslav Kebich, 84, Belarusian politician, Prime Minister (1991–1994), COVID-19.

9^th: Valeriu Turea, 69, Moldovan diplomat, Ambassador to Portugal (2010–2015).

10^th: Dame Barbara Windsor, 83, English actress (EastEnders, Carry On, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), complications from Alzheimer's disease.

11^th: Andrzej Tomaszewicz, 77, Polish historian and politician, Solidarity activist, Senator (1989–1991).

11^th: Irena Veisaitė, 92, Lithuanian theatre scholar and human rights activist, COVID-19.

15^th: Evgeniy Tyazhelnikov, 92, Russian diplomat and politician, Ambassador to Romania (1982–1990), COVID-19.

17^th: Jeremy Bulloch, 75, English actor (Star Wars, The Spy Who Loved Me, Mary, Queen of Scots).

18^th: Michael Jeffery, 83, Australian military officer, Governor of Western Australia (1993–2000) and Governor-General (2003–2008).

18^th: Òscar Ribas Reig, 84, Andorran politician, Prime Minister (1982–1984, 1990–1994).

19^th: Nedo Fiano, 95 Italian writer and Holocaust survivor.

19^th: Sir Mekere Morauta, 74, Papua New Guinean politician, Prime Minister (1999–2002), cancer.

19^th: Eileen Pollock, 73, Northern Irish actress (Bread, Far and Away, Angela's Ashes).

19^th: Bram van der Vlugt, 86, Dutch actor (Pastorale 1943, Tropic of Emerald, Family), COVID-19.

20^th: Raymon Anning, 90, British police officer, Commissioner of Police of Hong Kong (1985–1989).

20^th: Rukhshana, 80, Afghan singer.

20^th: Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 72, Kuwaiti royal, Minister of Defense (2017–2019).

20^th: Dame Fanny Waterman, 100, English pianist, founder of the Leeds International Piano Competition.

20^th: Ned Wynn, 79, American actor (The Bellboy, Bikini Beach, Beach Blanket Bingo), complications from Parkinson's disease.

21^st: Hank Adams, 77, American Native American rights activist.

22^nd: Wojciech Borowik, 64, Polish politician, Solidarity activist, Deputy (1993–1997), COVID-19.

22^nd: Lam Phương, 83, Vietnamese-American songwriter, complications from a stroke.

23^rd: Rebecca Luker, 59, American actress (Mary Poppins, Show Boat, Not Fade Away), complications from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

23^rd: Kay Purcell, 57, English actress (Emmerdale, Tracy Beaker Returns, Waterloo Road), liver cancer.

24^th: John Cremona, 102, Maltese civil servant, Chief Justice (1971–1981) and Acting President (1976).

24^th: Freshta Kohistani, 29, Afghan women's rights activist, shot.

25^th: Ivan Bogdan, 92, Ukrainian wrestler, Olympic champion (1960).

26^th: George Blake, 98, British spy and double agent for the Soviets.

26^th: Govind Prasad Lohani, 93, Nepali diplomat and economist, respiratory failure.

27^th: Ladislav Mrkvička, 81, Czech actor (Atentát, Thirty Cases of Major Zeman), Thalia Award and Czech Lion winner.

27^th: Mohamed El Ouafa, 72, Moroccan diplomat and politician, Ambassador to India (2000–2004), Iran (2004–2006), and Brazil (2006–2012), Minister of Education (2012–2013), COVID-19.

28^th: Moshe Brawer, 101, Israeli geographer.

30^th: Dawn Wells, 82, American actress (Gilligan's Island, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Return to Boggy Creek), COVID-19.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2020#Previous_months

Cody Anderson

From The Animal Rescue Site:

“This 17 Year Old Got His Pilot’s License So He Could Save The Lives Of Rescue Pets”

The first thing Albuquerque high school student Cody Anderson did when he got his pilot’s license was save as many lives as possible. The SAMS Academy Aviation graduate has been helping rescue and fly animals all over New Mexico, saving them from being euthanized. As many animal shelters have been closed or operating with limited staff during the COVID pandemic, rescue pets are at a higher risk of being euthanized due to overcrowding in the shelters that are still open. Anderson is excited about putting his talents to good use, though he admits, any excuse to fly is a worthwhile experience. “I would love to fly anyway I could,” Anderson told KRQE. “It’s a great opportunity in general, because, I need the flight time because I’m training on my instrument and commercial.”

The 17-year-old has been working with Barkhouse, a New Mexico-based non-profit that offers spay and neuter services, vaccination and microchipping alongside transport missions to relocate at-risk rescue pets to loving forever home. Shelters have been crowded with animals during the COVID pandemic. “In our region, we have a major pet overpopulation issue,” Koko Dean, Executive Director of Barkhouse told KRQE. “What that means is when they go to the shelter, any animal that goes there is at risk of being possible [sic] euthanized just due to lack of space.” Barkhouse initially put out a call for help when their usual pilot ran into engine trouble. Anderson has been helpful enough to prompt the rescue to set a new policy. Now, Barkhouse is working with other SAMS graduates, giving them an opportunity to log miles behind the stick, and saving animals’ lives in the process. Anderson is 17 years old, and earned his pilot's license through SAMS Academy Aviation.  “We realized we have this perfect opportunity where we have students who need cross-country flight time,” said Lauren Chavez, Chief Flight Instructor at SAMS Academy Aviation. “They have dogs that need to be transported from one city in New Mexico to another.”

 So far, Anderson has transported 22 puppies and two mother dogs from Las Cruces, New Mexico, to Albuquerque, where they were transferred to another plane which flew them to Aurora, Colorado. “It was amazing to think I could change the lives of 22 other families just in one flight,” Anderson said. “I need the flight time and it’s great to help something else out by transporting these dogs to new families.” Anderson has saved dozens of animals from euthanasia. Barkhouse is hoping Anderson’s efforts encourage other pilots to donate their time, too. By Dean’s estimate there are enough pets in need of transportation that they could load up a plane at least once a week.

^ It’s good to see people (especially a 17 year old) do something good to help these animals. ^

https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/cody-anderson-pilot/

Spain's Covid Registry

From the BBC:

“Coronavirus: Spain to keep register of those who refuse Covid vaccine”

Spain is to set up a register of people who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus and share it with other European Union nations, the health minister has said. Salvador Illa said the list would not be made accessible to the public or to employers. He said the way to defeat the virus was "to vaccinate all of us - the more the better". Spain has been one of the countries in Europe worst affected by the virus. It is currently rolling out the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which was approved for EU member states last week.

In an interview with La Sexta television on Monday, Mr Illa emphasised that vaccination would not be mandatory. "What will be done is a register, which will be shared with our European partners... of those people who have been offered it and have simply rejected it," he said. "It is not a document which will be made public and it will be done with the utmost respect for data protection." He added: "People who are offered a therapy that they refuse for any reason, it will be noted in the register... that there is no error in the system, not to have given this person the possibility of being vaccinated." According to a recent poll, the number of Spanish citizens who have said they will not take the vaccine has fallen to 28% from 47% in November. In other comments on Monday, Mr Illa said people would be contacted by regional authorities when it was their turn to be inoculated. "People who decide not to get vaccinated, which we think is a mistake, are within their rights," he told reporters. "We are going to try to solve doubts. Getting vaccinated saves lives, it is the way out of this pandemic." The number of people who have died from Covid-19 in Spain rose above the 50,000 mark on Monday. The country has registered more than 1.8 million infections during the pandemic.  Spain is under a nationwide curfew, between 23:00 and 06:00, until early May. In many places, people are only allowed out in that period to go to work, buy medicine, or to care for elderly people or children. Regional leaders can modify curfew times and can also close regional borders for travel.

^ It seems a little creepy for a Government to have such a list and then to give the information (the names of Spanish Citizens) to other Countries and Governments. ^

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55471282

2020 Deaths: Part 1

2020 Deaths:

January:

1^st: Martin Bundi, 87, Swiss politician, president of the National Council (1985–1986).

1^st: Jiao Ruoyu, 104, Chinese politician and diplomat, Mayor of Beijing (1981–1983), Ambassador to Peru (1972–1977) and Iran (1977–1979).

3^rd: Christopher Beeny, 78, English actor (Upstairs, Downstairs, In Loving Memory, Last of the Summer Wine).

3^rd: Robert Blanche, 57, American actor (Leverage, Grimm).

3^rd: Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, 65, Iraqi military commander, head of the Popular Mobilization Forces (since 2011).

3^rd: Qasem Soleimani, 62, Iranian major general, commander of the Quds Force (since 1998).

4^th: Russell Bannock, 100, Canadian fighter ace during World War II.

4^th: Byron W. Bender, 90, American linguist.

4^th: Marie-Thérèse Cheroutre, 95, French historian, General Commissioner of Guides de France (1953–1979).

4^th: Károly Gesztesi, 56, Hungarian actor (A Kind of America, The District!, Children of Glory), heart attack.

5^th: Maciej Górski, 75, Polish diplomat, ambassador to Italy (1996–2001) and Greece (2005–2006).

5^th: Antoni Morell Mora, 78, Spanish-born Andorran diplomat and writer, ambassador to the Holy See (2005–2010), heart failure.

5^th: Sir Michael Stear, 81, British Royal Air Force air chief marshal.

8^th: Edd Byrnes, 87, American actor (77 Sunset Strip, Grease) and recording artist ("Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)").

9^th: Jacques de Bauffremont, 97, French prince.

9^th: Walter J. Boyne, 90, American Air Force officer and writer (The Wild Blue: The Novel of the U.S. Air Force).

9^th: Galen Cole, 94, American World War II veteran and philanthropist, manager of the Cole Land Transportation Museum.

9^th: David Glass, 84, American businessman, CEO of Walmart (1988–2000), owner of the Kansas City Royals (2000–2019), complications from pneumonia.

11^th: Jean-René Farthouat, 85, French lawyer and Legion of Honour recipient.

11^th: Stan Kirsch, 51, American actor (Highlander: The Series), suicide by hanging.

11^th: Norma Michaels, 95, American actress (The King of Queens, Mind of Mencia, Easy A).

14^th: Josef Čermák, 91, Czech literary historian and translator, Franz Kafka expert.

15^th: Ivan Ustinov, 100, Russian intelligence officer (NKVD, SMERSH, KGB).

21^st: Tengiz Sigua, 85, Georgian politician, Prime Minister (1992–1993).

22^nd: John Karlen, 86, American actor (Daughters of Darkness, Dark Shadows, Cagney & Lacey), heart failure.

23^rd: Armando Uribe, 86, Chilean writer and diplomat, Ambassador to China (1971–1973) and winner of the National Prize for Literature (2004).

24^th: Yuri Viktorovich Kuznetsov, 73, Russian military officer, Hero of the Soviet Union.

25^th: Vasily Bakalov, 90, Russian military engineer and designer (9M113 Konkurs, 2K22 Tunguska, Drozd).

26^th: Louis Nirenberg, 94, Canadian-American mathematician, co-developer of Gagliardo–Nirenberg interpolation inequality, Abel Prize winner (2015).

26^th: Bob Shane, 85, American singer and guitarist (The Kingston Trio), complications from pneumonia.

26^th: Kobe Bryant, 41, basketball player (Los Angeles Lakers), Olympic champion (2008, 2012) and Oscar winner (2018).

27^th: Jack Burns, 86, American comedian, actor (The Andy Griffith Show) and screenwriter (The Muppet Show), respiratory failure.

27^th: Edvardas Gudavičius, 90, Lithuanian historian.

28^th: Svetlana Ageyeva, 79, Russian actress (Shore leave, Operation Y and Shurik's Other Adventures).

28^th: Paul Farnes, 101, British Royal Air Force flying ace (The Few).

29^th: Frank Press, 95, American geophysicist, President of the National Academy of Sciences (1981–1993).

30^th: Vitaliy Boiko, 82, Ukrainian lawyer and diplomat, Minister of Justice (1990–1992), Ambassador to Moldova (1993–1994) and Chairman of the Supreme Court (1994–2002).

30^th: Luboš Dobrovský, 87, Czech journalist, politician and dissident, Minister of Defence (1990–1992) and Ambassador to Russia (1996–2000).

30^th: Erneido Oliva, 87, Cuban-American military officer (Brigade 2506).

31^st: Anne Cox Chambers, 100, American media proprietor (Cox Enterprises) and diplomat, Ambassador to Belgium (1977–1981).

31^st: Alan Harris, 81, British actor (The Empire Strikes Back).

31^st: Mary Higgins Clark, 92, American author (A Stranger Is Watching, A Cry in the Night, Remember Me).

31^st: Joe Vandever, 96, American Navajo code talker.

 

February:

1^st:  Viktor Afanasyev, 72, Russian military musician, Senior Director of the Military Band Service of the Armed Forces of Russia (1993–2002).

2^nd: Mike Moore, 71, New Zealand politician, Prime Minister (1990), Director-General of the World Trade Organization (1999–2002), Ambassador to the United States (2010–2015).

5^th: Kirk Douglas, 103, American actor (Spartacus, Paths of Glory, Lonely Are the Brave. Cast a Giant Shadow).

7^th: Orson Bean, 91, American actor (Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Being John Malkovich) and game show panelist (To Tell the Truth), traffic collision.

7^th: Sir Leonard Appleyard, 81, British diplomat, Ambassador to China (1994–1997).

7^th: Mary Griffith, 85, American LGBT rights activist whose son, Bobby, committed suicide due to religious intolerance. Her story was made into a book and a 2008 film (Prayers For Bobby.)

7^th: Lucille Eichengreen, 95, German Holocaust survivor (Auschwitz) and memoirist.

7^th: John Lauck, 64, American food and charity executive, CEO of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, cycling collision.

7^th: Li Wenliang, 33, Chinese ophthalmologist and whistleblower, coronavirus.

8^th: Mykolas Arlauskas, 89, Lithuanian agronomist, signatory of the Act of March 11.

8^th: Robert Conrad, 84, American actor (Hawaiian Eye, The Wild Wild West, Baa Baa Black Sheep), heart failure.

8^th: Paula Kelly, 77, American actress (Night Court, Santa Barbara, Soylent Green) and dancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

8^th: Yi Hae-won, 100, South Korean princess, head of the House of Yi (since 2005).

11^th: Anne Windfohr Marion, 81, American heiress and art patron, co-founder of Georgia O'Keeffe Museum.

13^th: Hermann Kahan, 93, Romanian-born Norwegian businessman and Holocaust survivor (Auschwitz.)

15^th: Caroline Flack, 40, English television and radio presenter (The X Factor, Love Island, I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp), suicide by hanging.

15^th: A. E. Hotchner, 102, American editor and novelist, co-founder of Newman's Own.

15^th: Donald Stratton, 97, American naval seaman and memoirist (USS Arizona).

16^th: Zoe Caldwell, 86, Australian actress (Master Class, Lilo & Stitch, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close), 4-time Tony winner, complications from Parkinson's disease.

16^th: Theodore Johnson, 95, American veteran, member of the Tuskegee Airmen.

16^th: Kellye Nakahara, 72, American actress (M*A*S*H, Clue, 3 Ninjas Kick Back) and artist, cancer.

17^th: Ja'Net DuBois, 74, American actress (Good Times, The PJs) and singer (The Jeffersons theme).

17^th: Mário da Graça Machungo, 79, Mozambican politician, Prime Minister (1986–1994).

17^th: Kizito Mihigo, 38, Rwandan gospel singer, organist and peace activist, founder of the Kizito Mihigo Peace Foundation.

19^th: Jens Nygaard Knudsen, 78, Danish designer, inventor of the Lego minifigure, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

19^th: Inesa Kozlovskaya, 92, Russian physiologist, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation (1996).

19^th: Fernando Morán, 93, Spanish diplomat, Minister of Foreign Affairs (1982–1985), ambassador to the UN (1985–1987) and MEP (1987–1999).

22^nd: Thích Quảng Độ, 91, Vietnamese Buddhist monk, patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam (since 2008).

24^th: Diana Serra Cary, 101, American actress (Little Red Riding Hood, The Darling of New York, Captain January).

24^th: Katherine Johnson, 101, American mathematician (NASA). Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019. She was the basis of the 2016 film “Hidden Figures.)

24^th: Stephan Ross, 88, Polish-born American Holocaust survivor (Auschwitz), founder of New England Holocaust Memorial.

25^th: Javier Arias Stella, 95, Peruvian pathologist and politician, Minister of Health (1963–1965, 1967–1968) and of Foreign Affairs (1980–1983), discovered the Arias-Stella reaction.

25^th: Yuri Kuplyakov, 89, Russian diplomat, Soviet ambassador to Nigeria (1985–1990).

25^th: Hosni Mubarak, 91, Egyptian military officer and politician, President (1981–2011), Prime Minister (1981–1982) and Vice-President (1975–1981), kidney failure.

25^th: Satya Nandan, Fijian diplomat, representative to the United Nations (1970–1976, 1993–1995) and ambassador to the Netherlands (1976–1980).

25^th: Dmitry Yazov, 95, Russian military officer, Minister of Defence (1987–1991) and Marshal of the Soviet Union.

 

March:

2^nd: James Lipton, 93, American television host (Inside the Actors Studio), actor (Arrested Development) and writer (Guiding Light), bladder cancer.

4^th: Barbara Martin, 76, American singer (The Supremes).

4^th: Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, 100, Peruvian diplomat and politician, Secretary-General of the United Nations (1982–1991), Prime Minister (2000–2001).

4^th: Rosalind P. Walter, 95, American riveter and philanthropist, namesake of Rosie the Riveter.

5^th: Yevgeny Barilovich, 87, Russian naval officer, Hero of the Soviet Union.

5^th: Sir Toby Frere, 81, British vice admiral, Chief of Fleet Support (1994–1997).

5^th: Hossein Sheikholeslam, 67, Iranian politician, MP (2004–2008) and Ambassador to Syria (1998–2003), COVID-19.

8^th: Max von Sydow, 90, Swedish-born French actor (The Seventh Seal, The Exorcist, Pelle the Conqueror).

9^th: John Havelock Parker, 91, Canadian politician, Mayor of Yellowknife (1964–1967) and Commissioner of the Northwest Territories (1979–1989).

10^th: Beba Selimović, 80, Bosnian sevdalinka singer.

14^th: Jon Atle Gaarder, 85, Norwegian diplomat, ambassador to Saudi Arabia (1984–1990), India (1990–1994) and Lithuania (1999–2001).

14^th: Giancarlo Ghironzi, 88, Sammarinese politician, Captain Regent (1961, 1969–1970).

14^th: Mariano Puga, 88, Chilean Roman Catholic priest and human rights activist, opponent of the military dictatorship.

15^th: Charles Atger, 98, French pilot. He has held the World Record for longest glider flight time since 1952.

15^th: Tony Lewis, 78, English mathematician, co-inventor of cricket's Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method.

17^th: Lyle Waggoner, 84, American actor (The Carol Burnett Show, Wonder Woman, Love Me Deadly), cancer.

17^th: Betty Williams, 76, Northern Irish political activist, Nobel Prize laureate (1976).

18^th: Alfred Worden, 88, American astronaut (Apollo 15), stroke.

20^th: Kenny Rogers, 81, American Hall of Fame singer ("The Gambler", "Just Dropped In", "Islands in the Stream"), songwriter and actor.

24^th: Romi Cohn, 92, Czechoslovak-born American rabbi, real estate developer and Holocaust survivor, COVID-19.

24^th: Dario Gabbai, 97, Greek-American Holocaust survivor, Auschwitz Sonderkommando (1944).

26^th: Princess María Teresa of Bourbon-Parma, 86, Spanish royal, COVID-19.

27^th: Hamed Karoui, 92, Tunisian politician, Prime Minister (1989–1999) and Minister of Justice (1988–1989).

27^th: Frank Larkin, 48, Irish disability rights activist.

 

April:

1^st: Frank Larkin, 48, Irish disability rights activist.

2^nd: Bernardita Catalla, 62, Filipino diplomat, ambassador to Lebanon (since 2017), COVID-19.

2^nd: François de Gaulle, 98, French missionary, nephew of Charles de Gaulle, COVID-19.

2^nd: Oskar Fischer, 97, German politician, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the GDR (1975–1990).

3^rd: Frida Wattenberg, 95, French resistance member (Œuvre de secours aux enfants (OSE) and Armée Juive), COVID-19.

5^th: Shirley Douglas, 86, Canadian actress (Wind at My Back, Lolita, Barney's Great Adventure) and civil rights activist, complications from pneumonia.

7^th: Irene Hirano, 71, American non-profit executive, president of U.S.-Japan Council (since 2009) and the Japanese American National Museum (2008–2012).

7^th: Jan Křen, 89, Czech historian, academic and dissident, Charter 77 signatory, COVID-19.

7^th: Adrian V. Stokes, 74, British computer scientist and disability campaigner.

9^th: Phyllis Lyon, 95, American gay rights activist.

11^th: Edem Kodjo, 81, Togolese politician, Prime Minister (1994–1996, 2005–2006) and Chairperson of the African Union Commission (1978–1983).

13^th: Benjamin Levin, 93, Israeli partisan and Holocaust survivor, COVID-19.

14^th: Margit Feldman, 90, Hungarian-American educator, activist, and Holocaust survivor, COVID-19.

15^th: Brian Dennehy, 81, American actor (First Blood, Tommy Boy, Cocoon), Tony winner (1999, 2003), cardiac arrest due to sepsis.

17^th: Bennie G. Adkins, 86, American army Green Beret and intelligence sergeant major, Medal of Honor recipient, COVID-19.

18^th: Allan Gotlieb, 92, Canadian public servant, Ambassador to the United States (1981–1989), cancer and Parkinson's disease.

21^st: Laisenia Qarase, 79, Fijian politician, Prime Minister (2000–2001, 2001–2006).

22^nd: Shirley Knight, 83, American actress (The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, Sweet Bird of Youth, As Good as It Gets).

24^th: Sir James Adams, 87, British diplomat, ambassador to Tunisia (1984–1987) and Egypt (1987–1992).

25^th: Henri Kichka, 94, Belgian Holocaust survivor, COVID-19.

29^th: Ji Chaozhu, 90, Chinese diplomat and politician, Ambassador to Fiji (1985–1987) and United Kingdom (1987–1991).

29^th: Leonid Komogorov, 92, Russian diplomat, Soviet ambassador to Mauritania (1986–1990.)

 

May:

1^st: Else Blangsted, 99, German-born American music editor (The Goonies, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, The Color Purple).

1^st: Augustine Mahiga, 74, Tanzanian diplomat and politician, Minister of Justice (since 2019) and Permanent Representative to the UN (2003–2010).

3^rd: Eelke Bakker, 109, Dutch centenarian, oldest man in Benelux (since 2017), oldest man ever from Friesland.

4^th: Norma Doggett, 94, American actress (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers).

4^th: Maria Galitzine, 31, Luxembourgian-born Russian interior designer and princess, cardiac aneurysm.

4^th: Motoko Fujishiro Huthwaite, 92, American preservationist, last surviving female Monuments Men, COVID-19.

4^th: Froilan Tenorio, 80, Northern Marianan politician, Governor (1994–1998) and Resident Representative (1984–1990).

5^th: Sergei Adian, 89, Russian mathematician (Adian–Rabin theorem).

5^th: Paulette Sarcey, 96, French resistance fighter.

6^th: Sir John Birch, 84, British diplomat, ambassador to Hungary (1989–1995), cancer.

6^th: Mary Pratt, 101, American baseball player (Rockford Peaches, Kenosha Comets).

7^th: Maria Teresa Beccari, 69, Sanmarinese politician, Mayor of City of San Marino (2009-2018).

7^th: Princess Diana of Bourbon-Parma, 87, French royal, COVID-19.

7^th: Terry Clark, 101, British Royal Air Force officer (The Few).

8^th: Yuri Gryadunov, 90, Russian diplomat, ambassador to Jordan (1990–1992).

8^th: Roy Horn, 75, German-American magician (Siegfried & Roy), COVID-19.

8^th: Cécile Rol-Tanguy, 101, French resistance officer.

10^th: Trivo Inđić, 82, Serbian political advisor and diplomat, ambassador to Spain (2001–2004).

11^th: Jerry Stiller, 92, American actor (Seinfeld, The King of Queens) and comedian (Stiller and Meara).

12^th: Sisavath Keobounphanh, 92, Laotian military officer and politician, Vice President (1996–1998) and Prime Minister (1998–2001).

12^th: George Mikell, 91, Lithuanian-Australian actor (Kill Her Gently, The Guns of Navarone, The Great Escape).

12^th: Ernest Vinberg, 82, Russian mathematician (Vinberg's algorithm, Koecher–Vinberg theorem).

14^th: Ronald J. Shurer, 41, American army medic, recipient of Medal of Honor, complications from lung cancer.

14^th: William W. Snavely, 100, American Air Force lieutenant general.

16^th: Wilson Roosevelt Jerman, 91, American White House butler and staffer (1957–2012), COVID-19.

17^th: Du Wei, 57, Chinese diplomat, ambassador to Ukraine (2016–2020) and Israel (since 2020).

18^th: Ken Osmond, 76, American actor (Leave It to Beaver, The New Leave It to Beaver) and police officer (Los Angeles Police Department), complications from COPD.

19^th: Annie Glenn, 100, American disability rights activist and philanthropist, COVID-19.

20^th: Margaret Maughan, 91, British archer, swimmer and lawn bowler, Paralympic champion (1960, 1972).

21^st: Sergey Kramarenko, 97, Russian Air Force officer, Hero of the Soviet Union.

21^st: Lew Byong-hyun, 95, South Korean military officer and diplomat, Ambassador to the United States (1982–1985).

24^th: Carlo Durante, 73, Italian marathon runner, Paralympic champion (1992), heart attack.

28^th: Celine Fariala Mangaza, 52, Congolese disability advocate, COVID-19.

28^th: Robert M. Laughlin, 85, American anthropologist and linguist (Tzotzil language), COVID-19.

29^th: Abderrahmane Youssoufi, 96, Moroccan politician, Prime Minister (1998–2002), lung cancer.

30^th: Sir John Coward, 82, British vice admiral, Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies (1992–1994) and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey (1994–2000).

June

3^rd: Jerzy Łukaszewski, 95, Polish diplomat and academic, Rector of the College of Europe (1972–1990).

4^th: Laura Hillman, 96, German-born American Holocaust survivor (one of the “Schindler’s Jews.”)

5^th: Jiří Hanák, 82, Czech journalist and dissident, Charter 77 signatory.

5^th: Tomisaku Kawasaki, 95, Japanese pediatrician, discoverer of Kawasaki disease.

5^th: Marian Tomaszewski, 97, Polish scout leader, officer and tank commander (2nd Polish Corps).

8^th: Bonnie Pointer, 69, American singer (The Pointer Sisters), cardiac arrest.

9^th: Simon Henshaw, 59, American diplomat, Ambassador to Guinea (since 2019).

11^th: Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet, 59, Gabonese politician, Prime Minister (2016–2019) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012–2016), asthma.

11^th: Roy Little Chief, 81, Canadian First Nations rights activist and politician, Chief of the Siksika Nation (1981–1983).

14^th: Betty Goudsmit-Oudkerk, 96, Dutch resistance member.

17^th: Jean Kennedy Smith, 92, American diplomat, ambassador to Ireland (1993–1998), Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, founder of VSA.

18^th: Dame Vera Lynn, 103, British singer ("We'll Meet Again", "The White Cliffs of Dover").

19^th: Sir Ian Holm, 88, English actor (Alien, Chariots of Fire, The Lord of the Rings), BAFTA winner (1982), complications from Parkinson's disease.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2020#Previous_months