The Latest: Novak Djokovic praised for donation in Italy
Reported by FOX Sports 13 hours ago.
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The Latest: Novak Djokovic praised for donation in Italy
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Italy Inflation Slows As Estimated
Italy's consumer price inflation eased in March, as estimated, final data from the statistical office Istat showed on Wednesday.
Reported by RTTNews 14 hours ago.
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Stock Alert: Applied DNA Sciences Stock Up 70% In Pre-Market
Shares of Applied DNA Sciences Inc. (APDN) are soaring over 70% in pre-market today, after the company announced the completion of design qualification, production and shipment of five COVID-19 vaccine candidates to Italy-based Takis Biotech, a developer of cancer vaccines and the company's COVID-19 vaccine development partner, to support preclinical animal testing that will begin immediately.
Reported by RTTNews 13 hours ago.
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Italian hospital ‘would welcome’ US disease expert Fauci if Trump fires him
The scientific director of Italy’s leading infectious diseases hospital says he would like to hire US immunologist Anthony Fauci if Donald Trump removes him from the White House coronavirus taskforce.
Reported by Belfast Telegraph 12 hours ago.
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Italian virus hospital offers Fauci work if Trump fires him
ROME (AP) — The scientific director of Italy’s leading infectious disease hospital says he'd like to hire Dr. Anthony Fauci should President Donald Trump remove him from the White House coronavirus task force.
Dr. Giuseppe Ippolito of Rome’s Lazzaro Spallanzani hospital wrote a letter released Wednesday to the Italian president and other officials, saying Italy should welcome Fauci with open arms. The country is the European epicenter of the pandemic, and Spallanzani treated Italy's first patients.
Ippolito praised Fauci’s expertise, experience, leadership and “generous and selfless help” to Spallanzani and other hospitals around the world -- “a generosity that we like to associate (with) his Italian heritage, always remembered with pride.”
He said removing Fauci from the U.S. task force “would be disastrous news not only for the United States, but for the whole international community.”
Speculation about Fauci’s fate swirled over the weekend after he told CNN that the U.S. would have “obviously” saved lives if virus mitigation efforts had begun earlier. Trump responded by reposting a tweet that included the line: “Time to #FireFauci.”
On Monday, Trump insisted Fauci’s job was safe, but Republicans close to the White House say the president has complained about Fauci's positive media attention and has sought to leave him out of task force briefings.
Ippolito said Italy would gladly welcome Fauci's expertise. He cited his work on the SARS, HIV, Ebola and Zika outbreaks, and praised his training of a generation of doctors and nurses. Fauci's work, Ippolito wrote, “has saved the lives of millions of women, men and children in the United States and all over the world."
“We need Anthony Fauci’s leadership, in the US or elsewhere, to... Reported by SeattlePI.com 12 hours ago.
Dr. Giuseppe Ippolito of Rome’s Lazzaro Spallanzani hospital wrote a letter released Wednesday to the Italian president and other officials, saying Italy should welcome Fauci with open arms. The country is the European epicenter of the pandemic, and Spallanzani treated Italy's first patients.
Ippolito praised Fauci’s expertise, experience, leadership and “generous and selfless help” to Spallanzani and other hospitals around the world -- “a generosity that we like to associate (with) his Italian heritage, always remembered with pride.”
He said removing Fauci from the U.S. task force “would be disastrous news not only for the United States, but for the whole international community.”
Speculation about Fauci’s fate swirled over the weekend after he told CNN that the U.S. would have “obviously” saved lives if virus mitigation efforts had begun earlier. Trump responded by reposting a tweet that included the line: “Time to #FireFauci.”
On Monday, Trump insisted Fauci’s job was safe, but Republicans close to the White House say the president has complained about Fauci's positive media attention and has sought to leave him out of task force briefings.
Ippolito said Italy would gladly welcome Fauci's expertise. He cited his work on the SARS, HIV, Ebola and Zika outbreaks, and praised his training of a generation of doctors and nurses. Fauci's work, Ippolito wrote, “has saved the lives of millions of women, men and children in the United States and all over the world."
“We need Anthony Fauci’s leadership, in the US or elsewhere, to... Reported by SeattlePI.com 12 hours ago.
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Exclusive app-tracking data for Netflix reveals the countries where usage spiked in March and suggests strong viewership heading into Q1 earnings (NFLX)
· Traffic to Netflix's US registration website soared during the month of March, and Netflix app usage lifted in other parts of the world, data from analytics firm SimilarWeb that was share exclusively with Business Insider suggests.· Data from SimilarWeb, which tracks activity on websites and apps, has helped analyze Netflix's subscriber growth trends in recent quarters.
· Visitors to Netflix's US sign-up page steadily ramped up year-over-year during the last three weeks of March, the firm found.
· The data also showed a spike in daily active users on the Netflix app during March in countries including Italy, India, and the Philippines, and helped drive a solid quarter for usage overall.
· Previously, Business Insider reported on data from subscription-measurement firm Antenna that showed the pace of US cancellations of Netflix fell during February and March.
· *Click here for more BI Prime stories**.*
Traffic to Netflix's US registration website spiked during the month of March, as app usage lifted in other parts of the world, according to data from analytics firm SimilarWeb that was shared exclusively with Business Insider.
SimilarWeb, which tracks activity on websites and apps, tracked a steady ramp up in visits to the registration page on the Netflix.com US desktop site, where users can sign up for subscriptions.
By week ending, visits to Netflix's US sign-up page rose year over year by:
· March 8: 3%
· March 15: 39%
· March 22: 123%
· March 29: 123%
· April 5: 115%
Of course, people can visit Netflix's sign-up page without subscribing to its service. But the SimilarWeb data suggests that more people are at least entertained signing up for Netflix subscriptions, ahead of the company's first-quarter earnings announcement on April 21.
Another third-party measurement firm, Antenna, found that the pace of cancellations of Netflix subscriptions slowed in the US in February and March, Business Insider reported earlier this week. In mature markets for Netflix like the US, reducing churn can be crucial for subscriber growth.
Wall Street, for the most part, has been bullish on Netflix's prospects during the coronavirus outbreak. Netflix stock rose about 27% this year, while the S&P 500 index fell roughly 14%. Investors are optimistic about Netflix despite the broader economic downturn because people who are spending more time at home could boost streaming viewership.
Not all investors share this view. Analysts at Needham wrote in mid-March that Netflix could also become viewed as a luxury some people can't afford, as unemployment rises around the world. That could drive more cancellations and reduce revenue growth.
Netflix, for its part, forecasted in January that it would add 7 million paid subscribers globally during its first quarter, down from 9.6 million paid subscribers a year earlier. It has not updated that forecast.
Analysts at Wall Street firm Cowen raised on Wednesday their forecast for Netflix's first-quarter subscriber additions to 7.1 million, based on higher expectations subscriber growth for the US and Canada. Chief content officer Ted Sarandos told CNN on March 22 that viewing on Netflix was up, and Cowen's own surveys and analysis of Google Search Trends data suggested that interest in Netflix was growing and the service was the top streaming choice among viewers using TV sets.
*Netflix app usage also spiked during the month of March in places like Italy, India, and the Philippines, the SimilarWeb data found*
SimilarWeb also estimates average daily active users and other activity on apps and websites, through a panel of hundreds of millions of Android phones and tablets globally.
It tracks mobile usage of the Netflix app in 30 international regions including India, Brazil, the UK, and Malaysia, where it has a sample size that makes up a statistically significant portion of the local device population. It also tracks usage of the Netflix app in the US, but Android devices are the minority there and the data capture a snapshot of overall usage.
The data showed a spike in usage of the Netflix app during the month of March in some markets around the world and was strong through the first quarter of 2020.
Overall, daily active users on the Netflix app climbed nearly 9% quarter over quarter during three-month period, and rose about 7% year over year, SimilarWeb found. Outside of the US, where Netflix's largest growth targets are, Netflix's daily active users rose about 11% quarter over quarter, and 9% year over year.
Part of the first quarter increase was driven by an increase in daily active users outside of the US during the month of March. In countries including Greece, Italy, the Philippines, Portugal, Taiwan, and India daily active users spiked 8% or more during the month. The lift came as more parts of the world went into lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"For the majority of Q1, growth globally was fairly steady," Ed Lavery, the director of investor solutions at SimilarWeb, wrote in an email. "However, in the last two weeks of March we have seen a steep growth, which will make end of quarter subs look attractive, but may be misleading when looking at the quarter as whole."
SimilarWeb's data has helped analyze Netflix's subscriber trends in recent quarters. It projected Netflix usage was waning in key international markets during the second quarter of 2019, before Netflix missed its subscriber growth targets for that period. It also indicated that international usage rebounded during the third quarter, when Netflix beat subscriber-growth estimates internationally.
In other key markets for Netflix, such as Brazil, Mexico, the US, and the UK, daily active users were highest in January, and remained relatively steady throughout the quarter. Overall, Netflix saw only a 1.5% lift in March outside the US, partially because of the strong January in many markets.
The first quarter has historically been a strong one for Netflix. Netflix marked an all-time high in paid subscriber growth during the first quarter of 2019. Its content slate this past first quarter didn't disappoint, either. The service put out global hits like "Tiger King,""The Circle," and "Love Is Blind," and released new seasons of fan favorites like "Elite,""Narcos: Mexico," and "Ozark."
Here's the full breakdown from SimilarWeb on the 14 markets where Netflix's daily active users in March:
· Greece: 23% increase in daily active users in March 2020, compared with the average from January and February
· Philippines: 17%
· Italy: 13%
· Portugal: 12.5%
· Taiwan: 10%
· India: 8%
· Thailand: 7%
· Argentina: 6%
· South Africa: 4%
· France: 3%
· Spain: 3%
· Indonesia: 2%
· Japan: 1.5%
· Canada: 1.3%
· Mexico: 1%
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*For more about how the coronavirus pandemic is affecting media, see our coverage on BI Prime:*
· *Exclusive data suggests Netflix was hurt by the launch of Disney Plus, but has rebounded in recent weeks*: The pace of Netflix's US churn, or cancellations, fell in both February and March, suggested data from subscription-measurement firm Antenna.*
*
· *The winners and losers among 11 Disney businesses, as analysts slash the projected value of the media giant's parks and raise expectations for Disney Plus*: Wells Fargo analysts are valuing Disney's businesses at 26% less than they were before the coronavirus outbreak, according to a report.
· *40 advertising execs who manage $90 billion in spending describe how they're shifting their 2020 budgets in a new report. Here are 4 key takeaways for the TV industry*: Connected-TV platforms like Roku and Hulu are expected to see the biggest gains in TV advertising, and Disney is the best-positioned cable-network group.*
*
· *The key factors analysts are watching at 5 major media companies including Disney and Fox to help determine whether their stock will keep falling or rebound*: Combined, Disney, Fox, ViacomCBS, Discovery, and AMC Networks lost $92 billion in market value since the last market high on February 19, largely thanks to Disney.
· *Disney has closed its US parks 'until further notice' and risks losing $1.5 billion in revenue per month they are shut, analysts say*: Disney is extending "until further notice" its closures of its US theme parks, Disney World and Disneyland, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the company announced on March 27.
· *Analysts lay out the financial damage each of Disney's businesses could face, as it closes parks 'until further notice' and delays films*: Disney is one of the media companies most exposed the impact of the coronavirus because of its large theme-park and theatrical businesses.
· *Why analysts say Disney and Discovery are the media giants most threatened by the coronavirus, but Comcast could fare better*: Companies that generate significant shares of their revenue from theme parks, films, and advertising are most sensitive to the pandemic and the economic downturn it could ignite.
Join the conversation about this story »
NOW WATCH: How waste is dealt with on the world's largest cruise ship Reported by Business Insider 12 hours ago.
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New director named for Vatican financial watchdog authority
Vatican City, Apr 15, 2020 / 09:05 am (CNA).- The Vatican has named a new director for its internal financial watchdog.
In a statement April 15, the Holy See press office said that the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin had appointed Giuseppe Schlitzer as director of the Financial Intelligence Authority (AIF). He succeeds Tommaso Di Ruzza, who completed his five-year term of office January 20, according to the Vatican.
Cardinal Parolin also named a new vice-director, Federico Antellini Russo.
The two men will run the watchdog, which combats money laundering, along with AIF President Carmelo Barbagallo, who was appointed after the departure of René Brülhart in Nov. 2019. A Vatican statement at the time said that Brülhart was leaving at the end of his five-year term, but the Swiss lawyer told Reuters that he had resigned from the post.
Schlitzer has held positions at Banca d’Italia, Italy’s central bank, the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and the General Confederation of Italian Industry. He has served as managing director of AITEC, an association of cement producers, and vice-president of the Jacques Maritain International Institute.
Antellini Russo has worked at the AIF since 2015. He served as an economist in the research and development section of the joint-stock company Consip from 2008 to 2013. He then moved to the research department of the Italian investment bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, before joining the AIF.
Pope Benedict XVI founded the AIF in 2010 to oversee Vatican financial transactions. It is charged with ensuring that internal banking policies comply with international financial standards.
In 2013 the AIF became a full member of the Egmont Group, a global network of financial intelligence units. But the Egmont Group suspended the AIF on Nov. 13, 2019, after Vatican gendarmes raided the offices of the Secretariat of State and the AIF. It reinstated the AIF on Jan. 22 this year.
After the raid on the AIF on Oct. 1, 2019, a total of five employees and officials were suspended and blocked from entering the Vatican, including AIF director Tommaso Di Ruzza.
On Oct. 23, the AIF’s board of directors issued a statement expressing “full faith and trust in the professional competence and honorability” of Di Ruzza, but no announcement was ever made by Vatican authorities regarding the results of any investigation into Di Ruzza or his return to work.
During an in-flight press conference after his trip to Japan on Nov. 26, Pope Francis said that Di Ruzza had been suspended “because there were suspicions of poor administration”.
“Let’s hope he is innocent,” he said, “I would like it to be so because it’s a good thing that a person be innocent and not guilty, I hope so."
Following the raids, the Egmont Group suspension and the exit of René Brülhart, two high-profile figures, Marc Odendall and Juan Zarate, resigned from the AIF’s board of directors. Odendall said at the time that the AIF had been effectively rendered “an empty shell” and that there was “no point” in remaining involved in its work.
Moneyval, the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering watchdog, is expected to carry out an inspection of the Vatican this spring.
ACI Stampa, CNA's Italian-language partner agency, quoted outgoing director Di Ruzza as saying: "I thank the Holy Father for the opportunity he has granted me to serve the Holy See. I am confident that in these years AIF has done its best to build a solid and credible anti-money laundering system at the international level.” Reported by CNA 10 hours ago.
In a statement April 15, the Holy See press office said that the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin had appointed Giuseppe Schlitzer as director of the Financial Intelligence Authority (AIF). He succeeds Tommaso Di Ruzza, who completed his five-year term of office January 20, according to the Vatican.
Cardinal Parolin also named a new vice-director, Federico Antellini Russo.
The two men will run the watchdog, which combats money laundering, along with AIF President Carmelo Barbagallo, who was appointed after the departure of René Brülhart in Nov. 2019. A Vatican statement at the time said that Brülhart was leaving at the end of his five-year term, but the Swiss lawyer told Reuters that he had resigned from the post.
Schlitzer has held positions at Banca d’Italia, Italy’s central bank, the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and the General Confederation of Italian Industry. He has served as managing director of AITEC, an association of cement producers, and vice-president of the Jacques Maritain International Institute.
Antellini Russo has worked at the AIF since 2015. He served as an economist in the research and development section of the joint-stock company Consip from 2008 to 2013. He then moved to the research department of the Italian investment bank Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, before joining the AIF.
Pope Benedict XVI founded the AIF in 2010 to oversee Vatican financial transactions. It is charged with ensuring that internal banking policies comply with international financial standards.
In 2013 the AIF became a full member of the Egmont Group, a global network of financial intelligence units. But the Egmont Group suspended the AIF on Nov. 13, 2019, after Vatican gendarmes raided the offices of the Secretariat of State and the AIF. It reinstated the AIF on Jan. 22 this year.
After the raid on the AIF on Oct. 1, 2019, a total of five employees and officials were suspended and blocked from entering the Vatican, including AIF director Tommaso Di Ruzza.
On Oct. 23, the AIF’s board of directors issued a statement expressing “full faith and trust in the professional competence and honorability” of Di Ruzza, but no announcement was ever made by Vatican authorities regarding the results of any investigation into Di Ruzza or his return to work.
During an in-flight press conference after his trip to Japan on Nov. 26, Pope Francis said that Di Ruzza had been suspended “because there were suspicions of poor administration”.
“Let’s hope he is innocent,” he said, “I would like it to be so because it’s a good thing that a person be innocent and not guilty, I hope so."
Following the raids, the Egmont Group suspension and the exit of René Brülhart, two high-profile figures, Marc Odendall and Juan Zarate, resigned from the AIF’s board of directors. Odendall said at the time that the AIF had been effectively rendered “an empty shell” and that there was “no point” in remaining involved in its work.
Moneyval, the Council of Europe’s anti-money laundering watchdog, is expected to carry out an inspection of the Vatican this spring.
ACI Stampa, CNA's Italian-language partner agency, quoted outgoing director Di Ruzza as saying: "I thank the Holy Father for the opportunity he has granted me to serve the Holy See. I am confident that in these years AIF has done its best to build a solid and credible anti-money laundering system at the international level.” Reported by CNA 10 hours ago.
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Hybrid War And Neocolonialism: Rewriting History – OpEd
The Soviet model of development had many drawbacks and ultimately proved unable to compete with the free economies of the West. However, even though the USSR allowed no free enterprise, free speech or a multi-party system, it still had some important advantages. In its foreign policy, Soviet Russia was guided by the principles of internationalism and equality of all races and nationalities. From its very outset, the Soviet Union actively supported anti-colonial movements, upholding the right of nations to self-determination, the development of their native languages and their cultural advancement. Even the principle of territorial autonomy that existed in the Soviet Union implied the right of each nation to preserve its own customs, language and cultural traditions.
It so happened that all of the USSR’s friends and foes during the Second World War were colonial powers. The latter were the Axis countries: Italy, which had invaded Ethiopia, the last independent country in Africa; Japan, with its ruthless policy of robbery and violence in China and Korea, and Germany, hell-bent on getting back its colonies in Africa.
The former included England and France, the two largest colonial powers, which controlled almost all of the African continent and, along with the Soviet Union, fought the Nazis. However, the “Great European Powers”’ hard-won victory did eventually force them to reconsider their colonial policy. By the mid-1960s, Europeans, including those under the influence of the Soviet Union, had been forced to leave Africa and grant independence to their former colonies, many of which were getting assistance from the Soviet Union, often on an absolutely free-of-charge basis. The USSR had now its own zones of influence in Europe, where it established socialist regimes.
However, no country in the Soviet bloc had its national identity infringed upon, and its native language banned. They were all heavily subsidized by the Soviet Union and still, not one Soviet leader ever made any insulting statements about any nation. Unlike even Mahatma Gandhi, the liberator of India and a fighter against colonialism, who sometimes put his fellow Indians above the Africans.
After the Soviet breakup and Russia’s weakening however, neocolonialism reared its head. The concept of a new colonial policy pursued by a number of countries is more than just about economically strangling the Third World states; it also implies an ideological struggle. Since the start of this century, the blame for the outbreak of WWII has increasingly been put on the Soviet Union, and many freedom fighters in Africa are now declared “agents of the Comintern.”
Moreover, having destroyed monuments to ideologues of socialism and state leaders, Europe got down to the business of “finishing off” the Soviet legacy, tearing down memorials to Soviet soldiers, its onetime saviors. On April 3, without notifying the country’s leadership, Ondrej Kolar, the mayor of one of the municipality districts in the Czech capital Prague, ordered the removal of the monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, who liberated Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation in 1945, and prevented the destruction of its capital.
“The statue had no face mask,” jeered the Czech official, who had studied in the United States, adding that this was a violation of the quarantine. A few days later, a monument to Russian soldiers, who fought during the Second World War in Bulgaria, was vandalized. Naturally enough, all this caused an angry reaction by Moscow.
Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu asked the Czech authorities to hand over the monument to Russia, only to be told that even though the country’s leadership condemned the local official’s initiative, it would still not be able to return the monument since it did not actually own it. Even though Czech politicians have not always been that scrupulous, just as it was with the theft of humanitarian aid sent to Italy, and their refusal to cooperate with other countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak. And still, the neocolonialists have achieved their goal, and another page of history has been rewritten.
There is one thing we should all bear in mind, however. Even though the Soviet assistance to most African countries was not necessarily critical, the loans made available by Moscow were provided on more favorable terms compared to those offered by the West. Moreover, the specialists and educational programs, which the USSR shared with the African countries, helped them avoid a new colonial dependence on Western corporations. In this day and age, it is hard to imagine the demolition of the monument to the Africans, who fought in the First World War in France, and the destruction of the graves of colonial troops in Europe. Hard, but still possible, because neocolonialism has no principles, since all it wants is profit. This is why there is little, if any, US and Western European assistance to the African countries amid the current pandemic. After all, the only aid they can count on will most likely come from Russia and China, not from the EU and America…
*About the author: Theodor Zima is an international journalist
The post Hybrid War And Neocolonialism: Rewriting History – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
It so happened that all of the USSR’s friends and foes during the Second World War were colonial powers. The latter were the Axis countries: Italy, which had invaded Ethiopia, the last independent country in Africa; Japan, with its ruthless policy of robbery and violence in China and Korea, and Germany, hell-bent on getting back its colonies in Africa.
The former included England and France, the two largest colonial powers, which controlled almost all of the African continent and, along with the Soviet Union, fought the Nazis. However, the “Great European Powers”’ hard-won victory did eventually force them to reconsider their colonial policy. By the mid-1960s, Europeans, including those under the influence of the Soviet Union, had been forced to leave Africa and grant independence to their former colonies, many of which were getting assistance from the Soviet Union, often on an absolutely free-of-charge basis. The USSR had now its own zones of influence in Europe, where it established socialist regimes.
However, no country in the Soviet bloc had its national identity infringed upon, and its native language banned. They were all heavily subsidized by the Soviet Union and still, not one Soviet leader ever made any insulting statements about any nation. Unlike even Mahatma Gandhi, the liberator of India and a fighter against colonialism, who sometimes put his fellow Indians above the Africans.
After the Soviet breakup and Russia’s weakening however, neocolonialism reared its head. The concept of a new colonial policy pursued by a number of countries is more than just about economically strangling the Third World states; it also implies an ideological struggle. Since the start of this century, the blame for the outbreak of WWII has increasingly been put on the Soviet Union, and many freedom fighters in Africa are now declared “agents of the Comintern.”
Moreover, having destroyed monuments to ideologues of socialism and state leaders, Europe got down to the business of “finishing off” the Soviet legacy, tearing down memorials to Soviet soldiers, its onetime saviors. On April 3, without notifying the country’s leadership, Ondrej Kolar, the mayor of one of the municipality districts in the Czech capital Prague, ordered the removal of the monument to Soviet Marshal Ivan Konev, who liberated Czechoslovakia from Nazi occupation in 1945, and prevented the destruction of its capital.
“The statue had no face mask,” jeered the Czech official, who had studied in the United States, adding that this was a violation of the quarantine. A few days later, a monument to Russian soldiers, who fought during the Second World War in Bulgaria, was vandalized. Naturally enough, all this caused an angry reaction by Moscow.
Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu asked the Czech authorities to hand over the monument to Russia, only to be told that even though the country’s leadership condemned the local official’s initiative, it would still not be able to return the monument since it did not actually own it. Even though Czech politicians have not always been that scrupulous, just as it was with the theft of humanitarian aid sent to Italy, and their refusal to cooperate with other countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak. And still, the neocolonialists have achieved their goal, and another page of history has been rewritten.
There is one thing we should all bear in mind, however. Even though the Soviet assistance to most African countries was not necessarily critical, the loans made available by Moscow were provided on more favorable terms compared to those offered by the West. Moreover, the specialists and educational programs, which the USSR shared with the African countries, helped them avoid a new colonial dependence on Western corporations. In this day and age, it is hard to imagine the demolition of the monument to the Africans, who fought in the First World War in France, and the destruction of the graves of colonial troops in Europe. Hard, but still possible, because neocolonialism has no principles, since all it wants is profit. This is why there is little, if any, US and Western European assistance to the African countries amid the current pandemic. After all, the only aid they can count on will most likely come from Russia and China, not from the EU and America…
*About the author: Theodor Zima is an international journalist
The post Hybrid War And Neocolonialism: Rewriting History – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
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Man Utd tempt De Laurentiis to sell with ‘monstrous bid’ for Napoli star
Reports in Italy claim United are finally set to land their man after tempting Napoli with a mammoth offer for their prized asset.
The post Man Utd tempt De Laurentiis to sell with ‘monstrous bid’ for Napoli star appeared first on teamtalk.com. Reported by Team Talk 9 hours ago.
The post Man Utd tempt De Laurentiis to sell with ‘monstrous bid’ for Napoli star appeared first on teamtalk.com. Reported by Team Talk 9 hours ago.
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COVID-19: Serious Repercussions And A Silver Lining In Malaysia – Analysis
Covid-19 has been considered a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) owing to the fact that it has spread all over the world. The world has been swamped by an avalanche of deaths especially in the US, Italy, Spain and France. These countries have plunged into an inexorable state. The number of new cases also spirals out of control and thousands of people are affected aver day. All people can just pray that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.
The virus that originated from China has spread to Europe, North America, South America and other continents, setting alarm bells ringing. The spread of the disease was attributed to globalisation. If there was no globalisation, people were not allowed to move from one country to another and thus the virus might be prevalent in China only.
Now, a large number of countries are embroiled in a very tough battle against the virus. Swift action must be taken by governments and people to ensure that the spread can be contained and no more deaths loom on the horizon. As of April 13, 2020, 1,923,848 people were tested positive and 71,591 people succumbed to the virus in the world. Despite the fact that the number of patients who recovered from the virus was also high, all countries must not rest on their laurels. As of April 13, 2020, the US was ranked first with the highest number of cases (586,941) followed by Spain (170,099), Italy (159,516), France (136,779), Germany (130,072) and China (82,160). In Southeast Asia, the Philippines reported the highest number of cases confirmed with 4,932 cases, followed by Malaysia (4,817) and Indonesia (4,557).
The number of cases in Malaysia skyrocketed in the middle of March due to the Tabligh group, compelling the government to impose the movement control order (MCO). Initially, the country was placed on the MCO for 2 weeks. However, the number of new cases still remained flat with an average of 150 cases. Now, Malaysia has been on the MCO for more than 4 weeks. This will definitely affect Malaysia’s economy.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that the pandemic will culminate in numerous countries plunging into recession this year. Malaysia with more than 4,000 cases of the coronavirus is expected to inevitably experience an economic recession.
Economists believe that a country with three consecutive quarters of negative economic growth will face a recession. High unemployment rates ensue of the outbreak. The MCO that has been further extended may have serious repercussions for the economy. All economic sectors such as service, manufacturing and agriculture plummet. The service sector is the most affected sector. This sector includes tourism, transportation and retail. Airlines and hotels are the first to be affected by the outbreak. Many booking cancellations ensued, hurling many companies into a huge loss. 2,000 flights were cancelled by Malaysia Airline (MAS) due to the coronavirus and the company offered unpaid leave to its employees, leaving them idle at home. Tourist arrivals in Malaysia drops due to the outbreak, resulting in many hotel booking cancellations. Companies that cannot afford to cover their costs have to bid adieu to their business. Workers in this sector will be either cyclically unemployed or seasonally unemployed. Cyclical unemployment means that people are laid off due to recession while seasonal unemployment refers to people who temporarily lose their jobs due to the MCO.
During the MCO, Malaysia has banned international tourist arrivals and closed its borders with Singapore and Thailand. The country was caught between the devil and the blue sea because tourism receipts contributed 5.7% of total GDP in the first half of 2019 and the country received the highest number of tourists from Singapore, followed by Indonesia and China. Nevertheless, it had no choice but to ban tourist arrivals. Therefore, this can affect Malaysia’s economic growth.
Due to the spread, it is expected that Malaysia’s exports of goods will drop markedly. Malaysia’s main importers of goods are China, Singapore and the US. However, these countries recorded a huge number of coronavirus cases and thus it will have a deleterious impact on Malaysia’s exports. In 2019, China imported the largest value of products at 14.2% of total product exports, followed by Singapore (13.9%), the US (9.7%), Hong Kong (6.7%), etc. The US reported the highest number of the coronavirus in the world with 502,876 cases. China ranked sixth with 81,907 cases.
Malaysia exports various types of products. In 2019, electrical machinery and equipment accounted for the largest of total exports at 34.4%, followed by Mineral fuels (14.5%), Machinery (9.1%), etc. However, in 2020, its trading partners are affected by the virus. Therefore, export production will be reduced to meet the lower demand and thus a number of workers will be retrenched leading to higher unemployment. In addition, the global price of oil plummeted, rubbing salt into the wound. This is because the value of exports will decline and thus economic growth will be reduced. Mineral fuels including oil captured the second largest share of total product exports. Therefore, the ringgit will be expected to drop. This is considered the natural resource curse.
Some countries have imposed a lockdown early and some countries delay deciding to lock down fearing that economic activities will be paralysed. Small medium enterprises (SMEs) will also inevitably fall prey to the spread of Covid-19. SMEs play an important role in boosting economic growth. In 2018, SMEs contributed 38.3% of total GDP and it increased by 6.2% compared to the previous year. This will tremendously affect economic growth. The service sector contributed the largest share of SME GDP at 62.4% followed by the manufacturing sector (20.15), agricultural sector (10.1%), construction (5.5%) and mining and quarrying sector (0.9%). SMEs also provide a large number of employments. During the MCO, only shops selling necessity goods are allowed to be open. Others remain close until the MCO will be lifted. This implies that the government decision has a direct impact on SMEs and an indirect on the economy.
Several areas have been gazetted as red zones, namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor. However, a large number of SMEs are in operation in these areas: Selangor with the highest number of SMEs (19.8 %), Kuala Lumpur (14.7 %) and Johor (10.8 %). Therefore, they have to do something to avoid an extensive loss. When one door closes, another opens. They need to avail themselves of every available opportunity to ensure that they will be able to sustain in the market. For example they can sell their products online and gain profits.
Households spend less owing to two factors: no income and the MCO implementation, Due to unemployment, they do not have any money to spend and some of them dip into their savings, some just rely on donation or financial aid from the government and some resort to stealing food to fend for their families. Apart from that, households reduce their consumption because of the movement restriction.
According to a study, households in the category of T20 reduced their consumption by 60%, M40 (48%) and B40 (41%). The reduction in household consumption can affect economic growth. This is because economic growth is dependent on household consumption, government spending, investments and net exports. To shield households from the deleterious impact of the MCO, the government uses fiscal policy by increasing its expenditure. A stimulus package of RM250 billion has been offered by the government to gain household spending. Other than that, the Central Bank of Malaysia imposes a moratorium on all loans for six months. These policies aim to restore economic growth.
Notwithstanding several repercussions for the economy, there is a silver lining in Covid-19 that most people might turn a blind eye. The spread of the virus can alleviate environmental degradation. Numerous economists especially in the field of environmental economics believe that economic activities can be harmful to the environment. The IPAT model explains that environmental degradation is caused by several factors: population, affluence and technology.
Economic growth which represents affluence is highly dependent on energy consumption. Malaysia’s reliance on non-renewable energy such as oil, coal and gas has contributed substantially to environmental pollution in spite of the Five-Fuel Diversification Policy. Malaysia consumed 28,962 ktoe of oil products, 16,838 ktoe of natural gas and 1,804 ktoe of coal in 2017. These types of energy contributed to higher CO[2 ]emissions. CO[2] emissions stood at 216,588 ktons in 2010 and soared by 14% to 246,768 ktons. CO[2] emissions once dropped in 2009 with a decrease of 9.9% and in the same year, the country succumbed to a recession with its economic growth of -1.5%. This suggests that the decrease in the economic growth reduced CO[2 ]emissions. Therefore, during the MCO, environmental degradation can be mitigated. In a nutshell, the spread of Covid-19 can bring advantages and disadvantages. However, if the MCO is imposed for a long period, the economy can be crippled. Therefore, people must stay at home to break the chain of transmission.
*Dr Mohd Shahidan Shaari is a senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Perlis. He earned his PhD in economics, specializing in energy and environmental economics from Universiti Utara Malaysia. He has 9 years of teaching experience and has published more than 30 research articles.
The post COVID-19: Serious Repercussions And A Silver Lining In Malaysia – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
The virus that originated from China has spread to Europe, North America, South America and other continents, setting alarm bells ringing. The spread of the disease was attributed to globalisation. If there was no globalisation, people were not allowed to move from one country to another and thus the virus might be prevalent in China only.
Now, a large number of countries are embroiled in a very tough battle against the virus. Swift action must be taken by governments and people to ensure that the spread can be contained and no more deaths loom on the horizon. As of April 13, 2020, 1,923,848 people were tested positive and 71,591 people succumbed to the virus in the world. Despite the fact that the number of patients who recovered from the virus was also high, all countries must not rest on their laurels. As of April 13, 2020, the US was ranked first with the highest number of cases (586,941) followed by Spain (170,099), Italy (159,516), France (136,779), Germany (130,072) and China (82,160). In Southeast Asia, the Philippines reported the highest number of cases confirmed with 4,932 cases, followed by Malaysia (4,817) and Indonesia (4,557).
The number of cases in Malaysia skyrocketed in the middle of March due to the Tabligh group, compelling the government to impose the movement control order (MCO). Initially, the country was placed on the MCO for 2 weeks. However, the number of new cases still remained flat with an average of 150 cases. Now, Malaysia has been on the MCO for more than 4 weeks. This will definitely affect Malaysia’s economy.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that the pandemic will culminate in numerous countries plunging into recession this year. Malaysia with more than 4,000 cases of the coronavirus is expected to inevitably experience an economic recession.
Economists believe that a country with three consecutive quarters of negative economic growth will face a recession. High unemployment rates ensue of the outbreak. The MCO that has been further extended may have serious repercussions for the economy. All economic sectors such as service, manufacturing and agriculture plummet. The service sector is the most affected sector. This sector includes tourism, transportation and retail. Airlines and hotels are the first to be affected by the outbreak. Many booking cancellations ensued, hurling many companies into a huge loss. 2,000 flights were cancelled by Malaysia Airline (MAS) due to the coronavirus and the company offered unpaid leave to its employees, leaving them idle at home. Tourist arrivals in Malaysia drops due to the outbreak, resulting in many hotel booking cancellations. Companies that cannot afford to cover their costs have to bid adieu to their business. Workers in this sector will be either cyclically unemployed or seasonally unemployed. Cyclical unemployment means that people are laid off due to recession while seasonal unemployment refers to people who temporarily lose their jobs due to the MCO.
During the MCO, Malaysia has banned international tourist arrivals and closed its borders with Singapore and Thailand. The country was caught between the devil and the blue sea because tourism receipts contributed 5.7% of total GDP in the first half of 2019 and the country received the highest number of tourists from Singapore, followed by Indonesia and China. Nevertheless, it had no choice but to ban tourist arrivals. Therefore, this can affect Malaysia’s economic growth.
Due to the spread, it is expected that Malaysia’s exports of goods will drop markedly. Malaysia’s main importers of goods are China, Singapore and the US. However, these countries recorded a huge number of coronavirus cases and thus it will have a deleterious impact on Malaysia’s exports. In 2019, China imported the largest value of products at 14.2% of total product exports, followed by Singapore (13.9%), the US (9.7%), Hong Kong (6.7%), etc. The US reported the highest number of the coronavirus in the world with 502,876 cases. China ranked sixth with 81,907 cases.
Malaysia exports various types of products. In 2019, electrical machinery and equipment accounted for the largest of total exports at 34.4%, followed by Mineral fuels (14.5%), Machinery (9.1%), etc. However, in 2020, its trading partners are affected by the virus. Therefore, export production will be reduced to meet the lower demand and thus a number of workers will be retrenched leading to higher unemployment. In addition, the global price of oil plummeted, rubbing salt into the wound. This is because the value of exports will decline and thus economic growth will be reduced. Mineral fuels including oil captured the second largest share of total product exports. Therefore, the ringgit will be expected to drop. This is considered the natural resource curse.
Some countries have imposed a lockdown early and some countries delay deciding to lock down fearing that economic activities will be paralysed. Small medium enterprises (SMEs) will also inevitably fall prey to the spread of Covid-19. SMEs play an important role in boosting economic growth. In 2018, SMEs contributed 38.3% of total GDP and it increased by 6.2% compared to the previous year. This will tremendously affect economic growth. The service sector contributed the largest share of SME GDP at 62.4% followed by the manufacturing sector (20.15), agricultural sector (10.1%), construction (5.5%) and mining and quarrying sector (0.9%). SMEs also provide a large number of employments. During the MCO, only shops selling necessity goods are allowed to be open. Others remain close until the MCO will be lifted. This implies that the government decision has a direct impact on SMEs and an indirect on the economy.
Several areas have been gazetted as red zones, namely Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Johor. However, a large number of SMEs are in operation in these areas: Selangor with the highest number of SMEs (19.8 %), Kuala Lumpur (14.7 %) and Johor (10.8 %). Therefore, they have to do something to avoid an extensive loss. When one door closes, another opens. They need to avail themselves of every available opportunity to ensure that they will be able to sustain in the market. For example they can sell their products online and gain profits.
Households spend less owing to two factors: no income and the MCO implementation, Due to unemployment, they do not have any money to spend and some of them dip into their savings, some just rely on donation or financial aid from the government and some resort to stealing food to fend for their families. Apart from that, households reduce their consumption because of the movement restriction.
According to a study, households in the category of T20 reduced their consumption by 60%, M40 (48%) and B40 (41%). The reduction in household consumption can affect economic growth. This is because economic growth is dependent on household consumption, government spending, investments and net exports. To shield households from the deleterious impact of the MCO, the government uses fiscal policy by increasing its expenditure. A stimulus package of RM250 billion has been offered by the government to gain household spending. Other than that, the Central Bank of Malaysia imposes a moratorium on all loans for six months. These policies aim to restore economic growth.
Notwithstanding several repercussions for the economy, there is a silver lining in Covid-19 that most people might turn a blind eye. The spread of the virus can alleviate environmental degradation. Numerous economists especially in the field of environmental economics believe that economic activities can be harmful to the environment. The IPAT model explains that environmental degradation is caused by several factors: population, affluence and technology.
Economic growth which represents affluence is highly dependent on energy consumption. Malaysia’s reliance on non-renewable energy such as oil, coal and gas has contributed substantially to environmental pollution in spite of the Five-Fuel Diversification Policy. Malaysia consumed 28,962 ktoe of oil products, 16,838 ktoe of natural gas and 1,804 ktoe of coal in 2017. These types of energy contributed to higher CO[2 ]emissions. CO[2] emissions stood at 216,588 ktons in 2010 and soared by 14% to 246,768 ktons. CO[2] emissions once dropped in 2009 with a decrease of 9.9% and in the same year, the country succumbed to a recession with its economic growth of -1.5%. This suggests that the decrease in the economic growth reduced CO[2 ]emissions. Therefore, during the MCO, environmental degradation can be mitigated. In a nutshell, the spread of Covid-19 can bring advantages and disadvantages. However, if the MCO is imposed for a long period, the economy can be crippled. Therefore, people must stay at home to break the chain of transmission.
*Dr Mohd Shahidan Shaari is a senior lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Perlis. He earned his PhD in economics, specializing in energy and environmental economics from Universiti Utara Malaysia. He has 9 years of teaching experience and has published more than 30 research articles.
The post COVID-19: Serious Repercussions And A Silver Lining In Malaysia – Analysis appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 10 hours ago.
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Italy's coronavirus death toll climbs by 578, new cases continue to slow
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy rose by 578 on Wednesday, down from 602 the day before, while the number of new cases slowed to 2,667 from a previous 2,972, continuing the recent downward trend.
Reported by Reuters India 8 hours ago.
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New York City Hits 10,000 Dead After Including 'Probable' Deaths
Watch VideoNew York City's official death toll hit 10,000 after officials began including "probable" deaths from the virus in their count.Officials said Tuesday they're now accounting for nearly 4,000 extra deaths of people who never received an official test for the virus, but doctors were confident enough to list it as their cause of death on their death certificate.
City administrators said using only official coronavirus testing to count fatalities didn't accurately reflect victims who couldn't access a test, never sought treatment or died at home.
Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said: “Behind every death is a friend, a family member, a loved one. We are focused on ensuring that every New Yorker who died because of COVID-19 gets counted. While these data reflect the tragic impact that the virus has had on our city, they will also help us to determine the scale and scope of the epidemic and guide us in our decisions.”
While the number of hospitalized patients is leveling in the city, New Yorkers continue to die at an alarming rate. The New York Times reported coronavirus has killed more people per capita in New York City than in Italy, the hardest hit European country. Reported by Newsy 7 hours ago.
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Report: Jennifer Lopez And Alex Rodriguez Plan To Wed In Italy After Coronavirus Outbreak Is Over
Here's what we know
Reported by Daily Caller 6 hours ago.
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US group calls Pakistan blocking of aid to Christians, Hindus 'reprehensible'
CNA Staff, Apr 15, 2020 / 03:30 pm (CNA).- The U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom has called on the Pakistani government to ensure aid for the COVID-19 pandemic is being justly distributed to religious minorities, after receiving reports that aid organizations were barring Christians and Hindus from receiving food assistance.
“These actions are simply reprehensible,” USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said in an April 13 statement. “As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy. Food aid must not be denied because of one’s faith. We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organizations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians, and other religions minorities,” she said.
According to the commission, recent reports have shown that in Karachi a non-government aid organization, the Saylani Welfare International Trust, has been denying food assistance to Christians and Hindus, telling them that the aid was reserved for Muslims. Pakistan’s state religion is Islam, and around 97 percent of the population is Muslim.
The authorities of Pakistan have consistently failed to implement safeguards on behalf of religious minorities, despite numerous policies in favor of economic and physical protections for members of non-Muslim religions.
For example, the country has promised to provide quotas for employment to ensure that religious minorities are granted equal access to jobs, but so far it has not done so.
Additionally, strict blasphemy laws in the country are reportedly used to settle scores or to persecute religious minorities. While non-Muslims constitute only 3 percent of the Pakistani population, 14 percent of blasphemy cases have been levied against them.
In a recent highly publicized case, Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges after being accused of making disparaging remarks about Muhammad after an argument stemming from a cup of water. Amid strong international pressure, the Pakistan Supreme Court acquitted her in late 2018.
A 2019 report from USCIRF found that Christians and Hindus “face continued threats to their security and are subject to various forms of harassment and social exclusion,” the USCIRF statement said.
The country was also designated by the US Department of State as a “Country of Particular Concern” in December 2018 for its poor religious freedom record.
USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore noted in the April 13 statement that in a recent address to the international community, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that governments in developing countries must work to save people from starvation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pakistan’s health ministry has reported nearly 6,000 cases of coronavirus in the country of 212 million people as of April 15.
“This is a monumental task laying before many countries. Prime Minister Khan’s government has the opportunity to lead the way but they must not leave religious minorities behind,” he said. “Otherwise, they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-communal strife.”
A March 2020 report from USCIRF noted other countries who have had religious freedom problems in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, including in China, where the virus originated.
According to USCIRF, reports indicated that Chinese authorities forced Uighurs, a Muslim minority that has been forced into concentration camps since 2017, to work in factories to make up for the lack of workers during the country’s coronavirus quarantine. Reports also indicated that some Uighur residents in the city of Ghulja had “limited access to food and local officials have demanded payments in order to bring supplies,” USCIRF noted.
In South Korea, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a fringe Christian group that reported already facing “hostility” from mainline Protestants before the pandemic, faced additional pressures and harassment from the government and citizens after a 61-year-old female member of the church - known as Patient 31 - attended a church service with a fever before being diagnosed with coronavirus, and thus spreading the infection to thousands of others.
“The Shincheonji church has faced considerable criticism and even harassment from the South Korean government and society. Although some government measures appeared to be driven by legitimate public health concerns, others appeared to exaggerate the church’s role in the outbreak,” USCIRF reported, adding that members of the church have faced “discrimination at work and spousal abuse because of their affiliation with the church.”
Other countries in which coronavirus is reportedly impacting religious freedoms include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Italy and the Vatican (for government-mandated cancellation of religious services), the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, and Tajikistan. Reported by CNA 4 hours ago.
“These actions are simply reprehensible,” USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava said in an April 13 statement. “As COVID-19 continues to spread, vulnerable communities within Pakistan are fighting hunger and to keep their families safe and healthy. Food aid must not be denied because of one’s faith. We urge the Pakistani government to ensure that food aid from distributing organizations is shared equally with Hindus, Christians, and other religions minorities,” she said.
According to the commission, recent reports have shown that in Karachi a non-government aid organization, the Saylani Welfare International Trust, has been denying food assistance to Christians and Hindus, telling them that the aid was reserved for Muslims. Pakistan’s state religion is Islam, and around 97 percent of the population is Muslim.
The authorities of Pakistan have consistently failed to implement safeguards on behalf of religious minorities, despite numerous policies in favor of economic and physical protections for members of non-Muslim religions.
For example, the country has promised to provide quotas for employment to ensure that religious minorities are granted equal access to jobs, but so far it has not done so.
Additionally, strict blasphemy laws in the country are reportedly used to settle scores or to persecute religious minorities. While non-Muslims constitute only 3 percent of the Pakistani population, 14 percent of blasphemy cases have been levied against them.
In a recent highly publicized case, Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, spent eight years on death row on blasphemy charges after being accused of making disparaging remarks about Muhammad after an argument stemming from a cup of water. Amid strong international pressure, the Pakistan Supreme Court acquitted her in late 2018.
A 2019 report from USCIRF found that Christians and Hindus “face continued threats to their security and are subject to various forms of harassment and social exclusion,” the USCIRF statement said.
The country was also designated by the US Department of State as a “Country of Particular Concern” in December 2018 for its poor religious freedom record.
USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore noted in the April 13 statement that in a recent address to the international community, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that governments in developing countries must work to save people from starvation during the coronavirus pandemic.
Pakistan’s health ministry has reported nearly 6,000 cases of coronavirus in the country of 212 million people as of April 15.
“This is a monumental task laying before many countries. Prime Minister Khan’s government has the opportunity to lead the way but they must not leave religious minorities behind,” he said. “Otherwise, they may add on top of it all one more crisis, created by religious discrimination and inter-communal strife.”
A March 2020 report from USCIRF noted other countries who have had religious freedom problems in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, including in China, where the virus originated.
According to USCIRF, reports indicated that Chinese authorities forced Uighurs, a Muslim minority that has been forced into concentration camps since 2017, to work in factories to make up for the lack of workers during the country’s coronavirus quarantine. Reports also indicated that some Uighur residents in the city of Ghulja had “limited access to food and local officials have demanded payments in order to bring supplies,” USCIRF noted.
In South Korea, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a fringe Christian group that reported already facing “hostility” from mainline Protestants before the pandemic, faced additional pressures and harassment from the government and citizens after a 61-year-old female member of the church - known as Patient 31 - attended a church service with a fever before being diagnosed with coronavirus, and thus spreading the infection to thousands of others.
“The Shincheonji church has faced considerable criticism and even harassment from the South Korean government and society. Although some government measures appeared to be driven by legitimate public health concerns, others appeared to exaggerate the church’s role in the outbreak,” USCIRF reported, adding that members of the church have faced “discrimination at work and spousal abuse because of their affiliation with the church.”
Other countries in which coronavirus is reportedly impacting religious freedoms include Iran, Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Italy and the Vatican (for government-mandated cancellation of religious services), the United Arab Emirates, Georgia, and Tajikistan. Reported by CNA 4 hours ago.
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Italy looks to antibody tests to pull itself out of coronavirus lockdown
With the country's economy under threat of collapse, the government says it's working on solutions to getting people back to work.
Reported by CBS News 3 hours ago.
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Antibody tests could be the key to reopening Italy's economy
With the country's economy under threat of collapse, the government says it's working on solutions to getting people back to work.
Reported by CBS News 3 hours ago.
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Antibody testing could be key to reopening Italy's economy
With Italy's economy under threat of collapse, the government says it's working on solutions to getting people back to work. In CBS News' latest installment of "Racing To a Cure," Chris Livesay shows us how they are using antibody tests to get things back to normal.
Reported by CBS News 2 hours ago.
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Planes Vs Trains: High-Speed Rail Set For Coronavirus Dividend
By Sam Morgan
(EurActiv) — Europe’s demand for rail travel will increase over the next decade, according to new analysis that cites the public’s new-found appreciation for cleaner air and climate issues as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Airlines are predicted to be the main loser of the train resurgence.
Coronavirus lockdown measures have curtailed rail, maritime, road and air travel across Europe and have plunged airlines in particular into a fight for survival.
Empty skies and highways have also resulted in cleaner air, while a debate about whether governments should use public money to bail out the most polluting transport types is ongoing.
According to new analysis by UBS Research, that shift in perceptions will be a boon to Europe’s high-speed rail market, which is on track to grow 10% every year this decade.
The Swiss firm predicts that the sector’s market opportunity will grow to €11 billion by 2022, as the growth in demand will need more rolling stock and sweeping changes to infrastructure like signalling or even new track.
“In our view, and underpinned by lower financing costs, the political support for rail infrastructure investment is growing significantly,” the UBS analysis insists.
Public support is also on the up. Rail operators have started reintroducing night-train services in response to demand, while tolerance for longer trips is also reportedly growing.
Business travellers would put up with a journey of four hours, the UBS data says, while leisure travellers could tolerate six. The analysis cites the London-Paris route as a prime example of where rail’s city-centre departure and arrival points, and relatively short waiting times, allow it to triumph over airlines.
The European Commission said in March that 2021 should be “the European Year of Rail” as part of the EU’s new green agenda, citing the transport mode’s success in reducing emissions while preserving growth.
“There’s no doubt that railway transport means huge benefits in most areas: sustainability, safety, even speed, once it’s organised and engineered according to 21st-century principles,” said EU transport Commissioner Adina Vălean at the launch of the initiative.
Significant changes are on the horizon. By the end of 2020, France and Spain’s state-owned rail firms – SNCF and Renfe – will lose their long-held monopolies over domestic routes, as market liberalisation starts to take a firmer hold.
According to the UBS report, “liberalisation should improve frequency and affordability. 2019 and 2020 mark the inflection point for the industry.”
France and Spain, along with Italy and Germany, could add up to 800 new high-speed trains during the next decade, which could cost up to €60bn. The Bundesrepublik alone will invest more than €80bn in its network over the coming ten years.
SNCF intends to roll out brand-new versions of its TGV high-speed staple in 2023, with double-decker carriages that can carry more people. The cost per unit of the new model has also decreased, meaning its plans for an eventual 100-strong fleet are within reach.
Commissioner Vălean told EURACTIV during an interview that she would still like to see EU governments implementing the rules of the Fourth Railway Package, “which is not yet the case and which I was very keen to pursue this year.”
The transport chief also said that she would like to see the next long-term budget – the MFF – “used to put a focus on rail” by boosting investment instruments like the Connecting Europe Facility.
**Taking on the airlines**
High-speed services have scored notable wins against short-haul aviation in recent years. Eurostar’s cross-Channel route has more than halved air travel demand between London and Paris, the firm announced in 2019.
A new return service between the British capital and Amsterdam – due to launch this month but facing a de facto delay due to the pandemic – aims to do the same, as it falls within the four-hour window that analysts say favours train travel.
Eurostar has operated a one-way service to Amsterdam from the British …
SNCF also teamed up with its Italian and Swiss counterparts last year in order to up their game against short-haul flights in and out of Switzerland.
The UBS data suggests that if its high-speed predictions pan out, global air traffic growth over the next decade will fall to just 4.6% per year, compared with the 5.1% increase that was on the cards before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Within Europe, growth could stagnate or even fall. The study highlights the impact rail has already had on the London-Paris, Madrid-Barcelona and Munich-Berlin routes, as well as planned routes like Paris-Toulouse and Berlin-Cologne.
A wider and more efficient rail network might then push airlines into focusing more on long-haul services and short-haul flights that fall outside the four-hour rail window or serve areas not accessible to high-speed trains.
The industry might then have a better shot at meeting self-imposed emissions-cutting targets that are currently out of reach.
In 2010, UN aviation agency ICAO agreed to annual 2% fuel efficiency improvements and carbon-neutral growth as of 2020. According to industry figures, gains are more in the region of 0.8% and the latest estimates suggest that will only increase to 1.3% this decade.
Airlines say that route optimisation – managed in Europe by the Single European Sky system – is crucial to their efficiency drive, while increased usage of alternative fuels could also yield further improvements.
Further growth will have to be mopped up by ICAO’s offsetting scheme, known as CORSIA, which is due to start a pilot phase next year. Companies will have to buy into renewable energy schemes and other projects that bring down emissions if they exceed their targets.
CORSIA intends to use 2019-2020 as the baseline for measuring growth but due to the huge fall-off in traffic predicted for the rest of this year, the industry is calling for just 2019 to be used instead.
If 2020 is included in the calculations then the gap between business-as-usual and growth will be higher and airlines will have to pay out more to keep their emissions at a neutral level. ICAO is scheduled to meet in the summer, when the issue will be discussed.
The post Planes Vs Trains: High-Speed Rail Set For Coronavirus Dividend appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 2 hours ago.
(EurActiv) — Europe’s demand for rail travel will increase over the next decade, according to new analysis that cites the public’s new-found appreciation for cleaner air and climate issues as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Airlines are predicted to be the main loser of the train resurgence.
Coronavirus lockdown measures have curtailed rail, maritime, road and air travel across Europe and have plunged airlines in particular into a fight for survival.
Empty skies and highways have also resulted in cleaner air, while a debate about whether governments should use public money to bail out the most polluting transport types is ongoing.
According to new analysis by UBS Research, that shift in perceptions will be a boon to Europe’s high-speed rail market, which is on track to grow 10% every year this decade.
The Swiss firm predicts that the sector’s market opportunity will grow to €11 billion by 2022, as the growth in demand will need more rolling stock and sweeping changes to infrastructure like signalling or even new track.
“In our view, and underpinned by lower financing costs, the political support for rail infrastructure investment is growing significantly,” the UBS analysis insists.
Public support is also on the up. Rail operators have started reintroducing night-train services in response to demand, while tolerance for longer trips is also reportedly growing.
Business travellers would put up with a journey of four hours, the UBS data says, while leisure travellers could tolerate six. The analysis cites the London-Paris route as a prime example of where rail’s city-centre departure and arrival points, and relatively short waiting times, allow it to triumph over airlines.
The European Commission said in March that 2021 should be “the European Year of Rail” as part of the EU’s new green agenda, citing the transport mode’s success in reducing emissions while preserving growth.
“There’s no doubt that railway transport means huge benefits in most areas: sustainability, safety, even speed, once it’s organised and engineered according to 21st-century principles,” said EU transport Commissioner Adina Vălean at the launch of the initiative.
Significant changes are on the horizon. By the end of 2020, France and Spain’s state-owned rail firms – SNCF and Renfe – will lose their long-held monopolies over domestic routes, as market liberalisation starts to take a firmer hold.
According to the UBS report, “liberalisation should improve frequency and affordability. 2019 and 2020 mark the inflection point for the industry.”
France and Spain, along with Italy and Germany, could add up to 800 new high-speed trains during the next decade, which could cost up to €60bn. The Bundesrepublik alone will invest more than €80bn in its network over the coming ten years.
SNCF intends to roll out brand-new versions of its TGV high-speed staple in 2023, with double-decker carriages that can carry more people. The cost per unit of the new model has also decreased, meaning its plans for an eventual 100-strong fleet are within reach.
Commissioner Vălean told EURACTIV during an interview that she would still like to see EU governments implementing the rules of the Fourth Railway Package, “which is not yet the case and which I was very keen to pursue this year.”
The transport chief also said that she would like to see the next long-term budget – the MFF – “used to put a focus on rail” by boosting investment instruments like the Connecting Europe Facility.
**Taking on the airlines**
High-speed services have scored notable wins against short-haul aviation in recent years. Eurostar’s cross-Channel route has more than halved air travel demand between London and Paris, the firm announced in 2019.
A new return service between the British capital and Amsterdam – due to launch this month but facing a de facto delay due to the pandemic – aims to do the same, as it falls within the four-hour window that analysts say favours train travel.
Eurostar has operated a one-way service to Amsterdam from the British …
SNCF also teamed up with its Italian and Swiss counterparts last year in order to up their game against short-haul flights in and out of Switzerland.
The UBS data suggests that if its high-speed predictions pan out, global air traffic growth over the next decade will fall to just 4.6% per year, compared with the 5.1% increase that was on the cards before the COVID-19 outbreak.
Within Europe, growth could stagnate or even fall. The study highlights the impact rail has already had on the London-Paris, Madrid-Barcelona and Munich-Berlin routes, as well as planned routes like Paris-Toulouse and Berlin-Cologne.
A wider and more efficient rail network might then push airlines into focusing more on long-haul services and short-haul flights that fall outside the four-hour rail window or serve areas not accessible to high-speed trains.
The industry might then have a better shot at meeting self-imposed emissions-cutting targets that are currently out of reach.
In 2010, UN aviation agency ICAO agreed to annual 2% fuel efficiency improvements and carbon-neutral growth as of 2020. According to industry figures, gains are more in the region of 0.8% and the latest estimates suggest that will only increase to 1.3% this decade.
Airlines say that route optimisation – managed in Europe by the Single European Sky system – is crucial to their efficiency drive, while increased usage of alternative fuels could also yield further improvements.
Further growth will have to be mopped up by ICAO’s offsetting scheme, known as CORSIA, which is due to start a pilot phase next year. Companies will have to buy into renewable energy schemes and other projects that bring down emissions if they exceed their targets.
CORSIA intends to use 2019-2020 as the baseline for measuring growth but due to the huge fall-off in traffic predicted for the rest of this year, the industry is calling for just 2019 to be used instead.
If 2020 is included in the calculations then the gap between business-as-usual and growth will be higher and airlines will have to pay out more to keep their emissions at a neutral level. ICAO is scheduled to meet in the summer, when the issue will be discussed.
The post Planes Vs Trains: High-Speed Rail Set For Coronavirus Dividend appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 2 hours ago.
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COVID-19: The Question That Tibet Needs To Ask – OpEd
It is now well realized by most section of the world community that Wuhan region in China is the originator of COVID 19. Several sections of media and many people around the world term COVID 19 as China virus or Wuhan virus.
China claims that COVID 19 did not originate from Wuhan but from Italy or USA or elsewhere. However, nobody is buying this propaganda campaign of China.
While there are 11 million people living in Wuhan and the virus spread from Wuhan to other parts of China also, China claims that only less than 4000 people died due to virus infection in China . People outside China do not believe this “China story” and think that many more people must have died in China. Chinese people living in China really do not know what is happening, since media is heavily suppressed in China and individual liberty and freedom of speech is severely curtailed.
China has not released any information as to whether Tibet region, now unethically occupied by China, has been affected by COVID 19. It is said that cold regions are more receptive to the virus compared to the tropical regions and Tibet .being a cold region , could have faced the virus attack.
Since Tibet is under the iron curtain imposed by the Chinese government over the last several decades and no outsider can enter Tibet or leave Tibet without permission from Chinese government, no one really knows what is happening there and how many people in Tibet might have been infected by the virus.
Tibetan government in exile now functioning with headquarters in India and several offices abroad, particularly in USA. has the responsibility to monitor the happenings in Tibet to the extent possible, inspite of China’s vice like grip over Tibet.
It is necessary that the Tibetan government in exile should demand information from Chinese government about the extent of virus attack in Tibet and how was this handled by Chinese government and whether there have been any death in Tibet.
However, one can be certain that Chinese government would not reply and ignore this communication from Tibetan government in exile. Nevertheless, a communication demanding details should be sent by Tibetan government in exile to Chinese government.
Further, the Tibetan government in exile should ask for details from the World Health Organisation (WHO ) and WHO is morally duty bound to send its reply with details.. The ground reality is that the representatives of WHO have not been allowed to enter Wuhan or any place in China to check and monitor the virus conditions. If WHO has no information about the virus attack in Tibet, let it say so.
Tibetan government in exile should also ask the United Nations Secretary General to ascertain the conditions in Tibet and obtain information from Chinese government and inform the Tibetan community now living all over the world.
It is high time that the Tibetan government in exile should make it’s presence felt all over the world by expressing it’s concern about the conditions in Tibet due to COVID 19 and let the world know about it’s concern. It should appeal to the world community to apply pressure on Chinese government to reveal the conditions faced by Tibetans now living in China occupied Tibet.
While Tibetans now live in many countries either as refugees or citizens, they have a duty to the motherland Tibet and obviously they are concerned about the conditions of the Tibetans after the COVID 19 crisis. They must raise their voice in different forums and apply moral pressure on Chinese government and the world conscience to support the cause of Tibetans living in Chinese occupied Tibet.
The post COVID-19: The Question That Tibet Needs To Ask – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 1 hour ago.
China claims that COVID 19 did not originate from Wuhan but from Italy or USA or elsewhere. However, nobody is buying this propaganda campaign of China.
While there are 11 million people living in Wuhan and the virus spread from Wuhan to other parts of China also, China claims that only less than 4000 people died due to virus infection in China . People outside China do not believe this “China story” and think that many more people must have died in China. Chinese people living in China really do not know what is happening, since media is heavily suppressed in China and individual liberty and freedom of speech is severely curtailed.
China has not released any information as to whether Tibet region, now unethically occupied by China, has been affected by COVID 19. It is said that cold regions are more receptive to the virus compared to the tropical regions and Tibet .being a cold region , could have faced the virus attack.
Since Tibet is under the iron curtain imposed by the Chinese government over the last several decades and no outsider can enter Tibet or leave Tibet without permission from Chinese government, no one really knows what is happening there and how many people in Tibet might have been infected by the virus.
Tibetan government in exile now functioning with headquarters in India and several offices abroad, particularly in USA. has the responsibility to monitor the happenings in Tibet to the extent possible, inspite of China’s vice like grip over Tibet.
It is necessary that the Tibetan government in exile should demand information from Chinese government about the extent of virus attack in Tibet and how was this handled by Chinese government and whether there have been any death in Tibet.
However, one can be certain that Chinese government would not reply and ignore this communication from Tibetan government in exile. Nevertheless, a communication demanding details should be sent by Tibetan government in exile to Chinese government.
Further, the Tibetan government in exile should ask for details from the World Health Organisation (WHO ) and WHO is morally duty bound to send its reply with details.. The ground reality is that the representatives of WHO have not been allowed to enter Wuhan or any place in China to check and monitor the virus conditions. If WHO has no information about the virus attack in Tibet, let it say so.
Tibetan government in exile should also ask the United Nations Secretary General to ascertain the conditions in Tibet and obtain information from Chinese government and inform the Tibetan community now living all over the world.
It is high time that the Tibetan government in exile should make it’s presence felt all over the world by expressing it’s concern about the conditions in Tibet due to COVID 19 and let the world know about it’s concern. It should appeal to the world community to apply pressure on Chinese government to reveal the conditions faced by Tibetans now living in China occupied Tibet.
While Tibetans now live in many countries either as refugees or citizens, they have a duty to the motherland Tibet and obviously they are concerned about the conditions of the Tibetans after the COVID 19 crisis. They must raise their voice in different forums and apply moral pressure on Chinese government and the world conscience to support the cause of Tibetans living in Chinese occupied Tibet.
The post COVID-19: The Question That Tibet Needs To Ask – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 1 hour ago.
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Moscow’s Priorities During COVID-19: International Prestige Over Safety Of Its Citizens – OpEd
Russia, along with the entire planet, is still gripped by COVID-19. While in some countries the number of those infected has begun gradually decreasing (for instance, Germany^1 and Spain^2), in Russia the crisis is only in its infant stage and the number of cases continues to rise. Newest forecasts suggest that Russia could become the next epicenter of the pandemic.
On Monday, the number of cases in Moscow grew by 2,500^3, reaching a total of 18,000. Even though official data shows that at least 2/3 of the infected are in Moscow, it is legitimately suspected that the new coronavirus has also spread to Russia’s regions, where there are not sufficient tests to identify all of the cases of the infection. With the situation becoming worse, it is evident that Russia could any time soon be faced with a collapsing healthcare system.
This is gradually being understood by Moscow’s and regional executive powers, who are now seriously worried about the rapid spread of COVID-19. The Kremlin, however, is treating this issue as always – it is nothing too important, and the pandemic is basically used for reaching Russia’s geopolitical goals and enhancing its international prestige.
As a result, the Kremlin spent the last week providing humanitarian aid to numerous countries around the world. For example, over the course of the last two weeks the Kremlin’s propaganda media outlets were delighted to report that Russia has sent humanitarian aid cargos to Italy^4, Serbia^5, Armenia^6, Venezuela^7, Belarus^8 and even the US^9. I should note that the latter later clarified that it had bought humanitarian aid from Russia, but this didn’t stop the Kremlin’s propaganda mouthpieces from presenting it as the gracious Russia helping the nearly collapsed superpower^10.
Russian propaganda attempts to further Moscow’s geopolitical position during the pandemic were made even more absurd by the dramatic situation inside the country. Opposition media and social networks increasingly often feature worried opinion concerning the bad situation in Russia’s healthcare and its utter unpreparedness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data gathered by the newspaper Vedomosti suggests that only 9% of those interviewed feel positively about the country’s healthcare system, while almost a half of Russians believe it is not ready to fight the coronavirus. These sentiments are more than understandable after looking at statistical information on healthcare in Russia.
For example, during 2013-2019 the number of junior medical staff in hospitals in Russia fell 2.6 times. The number of medium-level personnel decreased by 9%, while the number of doctors decreased by 2%. Even more, from 1990 to 2019 the number of Russian infectious disease specialists fell dramatically – from 149 thousand to 59 thousand. Similarly, since 1990 the number of hospital wards intended for those suffering from infectious diseases has also decreased. The situation is made even more grave by the fact that the mentioned numbers have resulted in worse death rates for patients with infectious diseases. If in 1990 the death rate among such patients was 0.35%, then in 2018 this climbed up to 0.82%.^11
One of the most crucial issues during the pandemic is the lack of protective equipment available to medical staff. Doctors in Russia critically lack protective suits, and this could lead to medical workers becoming victims and carriers of the virus.
The newspaper Novaya Gazeta wrote that in order to work with infected patients doctors in Russia (also in Moscow) are given the most basic protective masks, which are often paid for by the medical workers themselves. The lack of funds in several hospitals has led to such an absurd situation that doctors are being forced to wear diapers bought with their own money – to decrease the frequency of toilet visits.^12
It is also worth noting that the Russian regime wouldn’t be the Russian regime if it didn’t punish doctors who choose to openly speak about the problems in Russia’s healthcare system. For example, the union of medical workers Alians Vrachey (The Alliance of Doctors) that tried to collect donations in support of medical workers was faced with pressure from the authorities. As a result, head of the organization Anastasiya Vasilyeva was summoned to the Russian Investigative Committee on the grounds of allegedly spreading false information regarding COVID-19. Briefly after, activists from the same organization were detained in Novgorod Oblast just as they were delivering the donated protective equipment to doctors at a hospital in the town of Okulovka.
The most objective way of looking at the situation in the healthcare system of Russia is to see a video from Pskov Oblast where the governor and some officials are seen visiting a hospital that treats COVID-19 patients. During the visit, the delegation was wearing full-body protective suits, while the doctors had to suffice with just white robes and surgical masks.^13
Despite the obvious problems within Russia, the Kremlin has once again decided to keep silent and focus on other countries by delivering generous humanitarian aid packages to allies and enemies alike in order to gain their trust. It is more than clear that over the course of the next couple of weeks the COVID-19 crisis in Russia will become so severe that even the Kremlin will not be able to keep its eyes shut any longer. Let’s hope that next time the masters in Moscow will at least have enough sense to deliver humanitarian aid to doctors in Okulovka, not its allies in Venezuela or Serbia.
*Jānis Mākoņkalns is an independent journalist
1https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/covid-19-more-recovered-in-germany-than-still-infected/1801865
2http://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20200413-coronavirus
3https://abcnews.go.com/International/russias-coronavirus-cases-expected-soar/story?id=70116133
4https://vz.ru/society/2020/3/24/1030372.html
5https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3254000
6https://eurasia.expert/smi-raskryli-kak-rossiya-pomozhet-armenii-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom/
7https://www.pravda.ru/news/world/1487441-venezuela_russia/
8https://ria.ru/20200409/1569811221.html
9https://lv.sputniknews.ru/Russia/20200401/13483991/Rossiya-pomogaet-SShA-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom-Putin-i-Tramp-dogovorilis.html
10https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/02/who-paid-for-russias-coronavirus-aid-to-the-us-a69839
11https://www.vedomosti.ru/society/articles/2020/04/09/827471-gotovo-rossiiskoe
12https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2020/04/01/84650-edinstvennoe-chto-est-maska
13https://medialeaks.ru/news/0804lns-kozochki-belye/
The post Moscow’s Priorities During COVID-19: International Prestige Over Safety Of Its Citizens – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 1 hour ago.
On Monday, the number of cases in Moscow grew by 2,500^3, reaching a total of 18,000. Even though official data shows that at least 2/3 of the infected are in Moscow, it is legitimately suspected that the new coronavirus has also spread to Russia’s regions, where there are not sufficient tests to identify all of the cases of the infection. With the situation becoming worse, it is evident that Russia could any time soon be faced with a collapsing healthcare system.
This is gradually being understood by Moscow’s and regional executive powers, who are now seriously worried about the rapid spread of COVID-19. The Kremlin, however, is treating this issue as always – it is nothing too important, and the pandemic is basically used for reaching Russia’s geopolitical goals and enhancing its international prestige.
As a result, the Kremlin spent the last week providing humanitarian aid to numerous countries around the world. For example, over the course of the last two weeks the Kremlin’s propaganda media outlets were delighted to report that Russia has sent humanitarian aid cargos to Italy^4, Serbia^5, Armenia^6, Venezuela^7, Belarus^8 and even the US^9. I should note that the latter later clarified that it had bought humanitarian aid from Russia, but this didn’t stop the Kremlin’s propaganda mouthpieces from presenting it as the gracious Russia helping the nearly collapsed superpower^10.
Russian propaganda attempts to further Moscow’s geopolitical position during the pandemic were made even more absurd by the dramatic situation inside the country. Opposition media and social networks increasingly often feature worried opinion concerning the bad situation in Russia’s healthcare and its utter unpreparedness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data gathered by the newspaper Vedomosti suggests that only 9% of those interviewed feel positively about the country’s healthcare system, while almost a half of Russians believe it is not ready to fight the coronavirus. These sentiments are more than understandable after looking at statistical information on healthcare in Russia.
For example, during 2013-2019 the number of junior medical staff in hospitals in Russia fell 2.6 times. The number of medium-level personnel decreased by 9%, while the number of doctors decreased by 2%. Even more, from 1990 to 2019 the number of Russian infectious disease specialists fell dramatically – from 149 thousand to 59 thousand. Similarly, since 1990 the number of hospital wards intended for those suffering from infectious diseases has also decreased. The situation is made even more grave by the fact that the mentioned numbers have resulted in worse death rates for patients with infectious diseases. If in 1990 the death rate among such patients was 0.35%, then in 2018 this climbed up to 0.82%.^11
One of the most crucial issues during the pandemic is the lack of protective equipment available to medical staff. Doctors in Russia critically lack protective suits, and this could lead to medical workers becoming victims and carriers of the virus.
The newspaper Novaya Gazeta wrote that in order to work with infected patients doctors in Russia (also in Moscow) are given the most basic protective masks, which are often paid for by the medical workers themselves. The lack of funds in several hospitals has led to such an absurd situation that doctors are being forced to wear diapers bought with their own money – to decrease the frequency of toilet visits.^12
It is also worth noting that the Russian regime wouldn’t be the Russian regime if it didn’t punish doctors who choose to openly speak about the problems in Russia’s healthcare system. For example, the union of medical workers Alians Vrachey (The Alliance of Doctors) that tried to collect donations in support of medical workers was faced with pressure from the authorities. As a result, head of the organization Anastasiya Vasilyeva was summoned to the Russian Investigative Committee on the grounds of allegedly spreading false information regarding COVID-19. Briefly after, activists from the same organization were detained in Novgorod Oblast just as they were delivering the donated protective equipment to doctors at a hospital in the town of Okulovka.
The most objective way of looking at the situation in the healthcare system of Russia is to see a video from Pskov Oblast where the governor and some officials are seen visiting a hospital that treats COVID-19 patients. During the visit, the delegation was wearing full-body protective suits, while the doctors had to suffice with just white robes and surgical masks.^13
Despite the obvious problems within Russia, the Kremlin has once again decided to keep silent and focus on other countries by delivering generous humanitarian aid packages to allies and enemies alike in order to gain their trust. It is more than clear that over the course of the next couple of weeks the COVID-19 crisis in Russia will become so severe that even the Kremlin will not be able to keep its eyes shut any longer. Let’s hope that next time the masters in Moscow will at least have enough sense to deliver humanitarian aid to doctors in Okulovka, not its allies in Venezuela or Serbia.
*Jānis Mākoņkalns is an independent journalist
1https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/covid-19-more-recovered-in-germany-than-still-infected/1801865
2http://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20200413-coronavirus
3https://abcnews.go.com/International/russias-coronavirus-cases-expected-soar/story?id=70116133
4https://vz.ru/society/2020/3/24/1030372.html
5https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3254000
6https://eurasia.expert/smi-raskryli-kak-rossiya-pomozhet-armenii-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom/
7https://www.pravda.ru/news/world/1487441-venezuela_russia/
8https://ria.ru/20200409/1569811221.html
9https://lv.sputniknews.ru/Russia/20200401/13483991/Rossiya-pomogaet-SShA-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom-Putin-i-Tramp-dogovorilis.html
10https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/02/who-paid-for-russias-coronavirus-aid-to-the-us-a69839
11https://www.vedomosti.ru/society/articles/2020/04/09/827471-gotovo-rossiiskoe
12https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2020/04/01/84650-edinstvennoe-chto-est-maska
13https://medialeaks.ru/news/0804lns-kozochki-belye/
The post Moscow’s Priorities During COVID-19: International Prestige Over Safety Of Its Citizens – OpEd appeared first on Eurasia Review. Reported by Eurasia Review 1 hour ago.
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