Greece and Turkey say they are ready for talks to settle rival claims to an energy-rich section of the Mediterranean, but the hostility was clear when the foreign ministers of both countries called for dialogue Tuesday. After talks in Ankara with German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Greece must drop what he called its “maximalist demands.” “We are open to talks without pre-conditions. But, when one side starts imposing pre-conditions, then there are many things we will put forth too,” he said. Maas also met in Athens with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who also said Greece wants talks with Turkey but will not go if it is “under threats.” He said Greece is ready to defend its rights and said the dispute with Turkey is a matter for the security of the entire European Union. Maas said a military conflict between Greece and Turkey would be “absolute insanity.” “The situation is very risky, because in the end, whoever moves closer and closer to the abyss, can at some point fall down. That’s a development which we want to avoid,” he said in Ankara. Both Greece and Turkey say they will hold military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. Germany is the current EU president and has been trying to mediate talks between Greece, which belongs to the EU, and Turkey, which does not but would like to join. Greece and Turkey are locked in a dispute over boundaries in the Mediterranean and the rights to drill for offshore gas and oil deposits. Greece claims a Turkish research ship is in its waters, in which it has exclusive rights to whatever is under the sea floor. Turkey insists the Exclusive Economic Zones of Greek islands in the Agean near the Turkish coast should be greatly reduced.
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Month: August 2020
US Criticizes Turkey for Hosting Hamas Leaders
The Trump administration says it strongly objects to Turkey’s recent hosting of two leaders of Hamas, which the United States regards as a terrorist group. “President Erdogan’s continued outreach to this terrorist organization only serves to isolate Turkey from the international community, harms the interests of the Palestinian people, and undercuts global efforts to prevent terrorist attacks launched from Gaza,” a State Department statement said Tuesday. It pointed out that one of the Hamas members who was in Istanbul is alleged to have been involved in multiple terrorist attacks, hijackings, and kidnappings. “We continue to raise our concerns about the Turkish government’s relationship with Hamas at the highest levels,” it adds. Turkey is dismissing the U.S. criticism. “Declaring the legitimate representative of Hamas, who came to power after winning democratic elections in Gaza and is an important reality of the region, as a terrorist will not be of any contribution to efforts for peace and stability in the region,” its foreign ministry said. This is the second time since February Turkey has played host to Hamas leaders, the United States says. Hamas rules Palestinian Gaza and has fought three wars with Israel. Palestinian militants occasionally launch rockets into Israel from Gaza, sparking a harsh response from Israel.
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US Visa Agency Avoids Furloughs, Warns Applicants of Long Waits
The federal agency that processes U.S. visas has announced it will avoid furloughing 70% of its staff next week but warned visa applicants to expect a long wait time. “Averting this furlough comes at a severe operational cost that will increase backlogs and wait times across the board, with no guarantee we can avoid future furloughs, said Joseph Edlow, deputy director for policy at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). “A return to normal operating procedures requires congressional intervention to sustain the agency through fiscal year 2021,” he added. Although the agency said it expects to continue functioning for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends on September 30, “aggressive” spending cuts, including a reduction in the number of contract workers, will impact all its operations. Among other things, USCIS handles work permits, asylum requests, green card applications and naturalizations. USCIS is unlike most federal agencies because it receives funds mostly from fee collection. The coronavirus pandemic cut that income by 50% because there were fewer applications. Congress turned down its appeal for emergency funds in May, saying USCIS has all the money it needs for the rest of the fiscal year. Last month, the agency announced it will increase fees as of October 2.Increase in US Immigration Fees AnnouncedCost of online naturalization applications is increasing from $640 to $1,160; there will also be a $50 fee for asylum-seekers
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WHO Says COVID Reinfection Only Slim Possibility
Officials with the World Health Organization (WHO) are downplaying a confirmed case of a Hong Kong man who became reinfected with COVID-19, saying chances of that happening on regular basis are slim.University of Hong Kong scientists announced the development Monday, saying the virus strains that infected the man more than four months apart were different.Speaking to reporters virtually Tuesday from Geneva, WHO spokeswoman Dr. Margaret Harris said it was important the event was documented and confirmed. There had been previous anecdotal reports of reinfection that could have been just a problem with testing.Harris noted this is the first confirmed case of COVID reinfection in more than 23 million cases, and if it were more of a regular occurrence, there would have been more cases before now.She said the case is significant, though, in terms of what it means for people’s immunity to the virus. “This is why we have got a lot of research groups actually tracking people, measuring antibodies, trying to understand how long the immune protection lasts.”Harris said people should understand the natural immune protection that develops after a person has a virus is not the same as the immune protection that a vaccine provides.
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US Cyber Forces Go Hunting for Election Trouble
U.S. forces are taking an aggressive approach in cyberspace ahead of November’s presidential election, aiming to wipe out threats from foreign countries and other actors before they have a chance to disrupt voting or other critical, election-related systems. “Cyber Command needs to do more than prepare for a crisis in the future; it must compete with adversaries today,” Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Central Command, and senior adviser Michael Sulmeyer said in a piece published Tuesday in FILE – National Security Agency Director Gen. Paul Nakasone testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 29, 2019.“U.S. forces must compete with adversaries on a recurring basis, making it far more difficult for them to advance their goals over time,” the officials wrote, outlining the strategy for the public with the presidential election now less than three months away. “Additionally, cyber effects operations allow Cyber Command to disrupt and degrade the capabilities our adversaries use to conduct attacks.” Nakasone and Sulmeyer say the more proactive approach to protecting the upcoming U.S. election began, in part, in October 2019, after a team from Cyber Command traveled to Podgorica, Montenegro, to investigate attempts, possibly by Russia, to infiltrate that country’s networks. In the process, the Cyber Command team “saw an opportunity to improve American cyber defenses ahead of the 2020 election,” they said in the article. Nakasone and Sulmeyer also say they are building on efforts from 2018, when Cyber Command joined with the National Security Agency to form the Russia Small Group (RSG) to help protect the congressional mid-term elections, shoring up vulnerabilities within the U.S. election infrastructure, sounding alarms about Russian disinformation campaigns, and hunting for malware. “Thanks to these and other efforts, the United States disrupted a concerted effort to undermine the midterm elections,” they wrote. “Together with its partners, Cyber Command is doing all of this and more for the 2020 elections.” Managing riskCritics point out that the more aggressive approach to cyber defense carries risks. Namely, they worry that whether due to a miscalculation or an accident, a confrontation in cyberspace could escalate and lead to all-out war. But U.S. Cyber Command officials argue the risk is manageable and that the “hunt forward” strategy allows them to impose necessary costs on adversaries like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. “Inaction poses its own risks: that Chinese espionage, Russian intimidation, Iranian coercion, North Korean burglary, and terrorist propaganda will continue unabated,” Nakasone and Sulmeyer wrote in the magazine. “So, the question is how, not whether, to act.” Determining whether Cyber Command’s “hunt forward” approach is paying off may be difficult. U.S. officials charged with protecting key voting-related systems said at least so far, there are no signs of any country-directed attacks on the United States. FILE – Senior Cybersecurity Adviser at the Department of Homeland Security Matthew Masterson testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 22, 2019.“We are not and have not seen specific targeting of those election systems that has been attributable to nation-state actors at this time,” Matthew Masterson, senior cybersecurity adviser for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), told the Atlantic Council on Tuesday. “(We) aren’t seeing a broad campaign in that way,” he said, adding, “We’re cognizant that’s in the playbook.” Evidence of meddlingEarlier this month, U.S. counterintelligence officials warned they have evidence that Russia, China and Iran are trying to meddle with the November election. “We assess that Russia is using a range of measures to primarily denigrate former Vice President (Joe) Biden and what it sees as an anti-Russia ‘establishment,’” National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina said in a statement. “Some Kremlin-linked actors are also seeking to boost President (Donald) Trump’s candidacy on social media and Russian television,” he added. China and Iran, according to Evanina, appear to prefer a Biden presidency. Official: US Adversaries Taking Sides, Wielding Influence Ahead of Election US counterintelligence officials, splitting with President Trump, warn Russian-linked actors are pulling for his reelection as China and Iran aim to put Democrat Joe Biden in the White HouseBut for now, descriptions by counterintelligence officials portray such efforts by Russia, as well as by China and Iran, more as disinformation campaigns as opposed to attacks on computer systems and networks that could play a key role in collecting and tabulating votes. Most of the activity on that front, for the time being, appears to be coming from criminal actors with no definitive ties to Russia, China or other U.S. adversaries. “We do see regular scanning, regular probing of election infrastructure as a whole, what you’d expect to see as you run IT systems,” said CISA’s Masterson, citing the use of ransomware as a top concern. “What we see is an ability to shut down county (local government) networks as a whole, which obviously has an impact on the election office to operate,” he said. Still, U.S. election security officials are optimistic that measures put in place since 2016 will be enough to ward off any attacks. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The 2020 election will be the most secure election in modern history,” CISA Director Chris Krebs told reporters last month. US Officials Promising ‘Most Secure Election in Modern History’The officials say while the November presidential election will not be risk free, defense and back-up systems should guarantee a free and fair result
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Trump to Nominate Acting Homeland Security Head to Permanent Position
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he would nominate Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Homeland Security Department, to serve permanently in the position.
“I am pleased to inform the American Public that Acting Secretary Chad Wolf will be nominated to be the Secretary of Homeland Security,” Trump tweeted. “Chad has done an outstanding job and we greatly appreciate his service!”I am pleased to inform the American Public that Acting Secretary Chad Wolf will be nominated to be the Secretary of Homeland Security. Chad has done an outstanding job and we greatly appreciate his service!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2020Wolf has served as a temporary secretary for almost one year.
“I am honored to be nominated by President Trump to lead the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security in safeguarding the American people,” Wolf said in a statement. “As the Homeland faces evolving threats from natural disasters, violent opportunists, malign cyber actors, and transnational criminal organizations, the mission of DHS is as critical as ever.”
Wolf was appointed acting DHS secretary in November 2019, a month after predecessor Kevin McAleenan stepped down from his six-month stint as acting head. McAleenan took over in April 2019 when former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned after a disagreement over U.S.-Mexico border policy.
Trump’s announcement Tuesday came less than two weeks after a government watchdog said both Wolf and McAleenan were improperly appointed to their positions.In an Aug. 14 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said the men were ineligible to serve because the DHS did not follow the chain of succession laid out in federal law after Nielsen left. The GAO provides nonpartisan information to Congress.
The DHS requested that the GAO rescind the nonbinding decision, calling it “fundamentally erroneous,” but the government watchdog refused.
“DHS has not demonstrated that our prior decision contains errors of either fact or law, nor has DHS presented information not previously considered that warrants reversal or modification of our decision,” wrote GAO General Counsel Thomas Armstrong.
In addition to his disputed position as Acting DHS Secretary, Wolf has been under fire for the recent deployment of federal officers to U.S. cities embroiled in protests against racism and police brutality.Wolf is the fifth official to serve as Acting DHS Secretary under Trump. His nomination, which requires Senate confirmation, faces significant opposition. Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for vice president, is on the Senate committee that would hold Wolf’s hearing.
Wolf will travel Thursday to Texas to celebrate the completion of 483 kilometers (300 miles) of the border wall.
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Не в бровь, а в глаз: нефтяной рынок наносит новый удар по обиженной путляндии
Не в бровь, а в глаз: нефтяной рынок наносит новый удар по обиженной путляндии.
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Теперь от пукинских валенок требуют представить план компенсации. Это значит, что пока Саудовская Аравия, США и другие государства начнут наращивать объемы добычи, обиженный карлик пукин по-прежнему будет сосать лапу и не только лапу…
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Зелёный карлик путается под ногами, пукин в ауте, а Украина празднует День Независимости!
Зелёный карлик путается под ногами, пукин в ауте, а Украина празднует День Независимости!
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Самое темное время всегда бывает перед рассветом. А по своему опыту могу сказать, что иногда, когда это позволяют обстоятельства, когда тонешь и сил осталось совсем немного, важно дождаться, пока под ногами окажется дно и сильно от него оттолкнуться. Без этого выгрести на поверхность могло бы и не получиться. Но тем не менее, сегодня – праздник!
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Лучшие предложения товаров и услуг в Сети SeLLines
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Народний День Незалежності у Києві всупереч цирку від зеленого карлика
Народний День Незалежності у Києві всупереч цирку від зеленого карлика.
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Справжній День Незалежності у Києві. Зі справжніми. Без «шльопків» і того цирку, який влаштував зелений карлик.
Громадяни з великої літери святкують 29-ту річницю проголошення Незалежності, хоча насправді наша Україна має тисячолітню історію.
Зі святом!
Блог про українську політику та актуальні події в нашій країні
Для поширення вашого відео чи повідомлення в Мережі Правди пишіть сюди, або на email: pravdaua@email.cz
Найкращі пропозиції товарів і послуг в Мережі Купуй!
Ваші потенційні клієнти про потрібні їм товари і послуги пишуть тут: MeNeedit
Президент омона или белочка у кровавого маньяка лукашеску
Президент омона или белочка у кровавого маньяка лукашеску.
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У самозванного главы беларуской хунты лукашеску началась белая горячка
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Кошмарный сон душегубов обиженного карлика пукина: парад с отсрочкой
Кошмарный сон душегубов обиженного карлика пукина: парад с отсрочкой
Для распространения вашего видео или сообщения в Сети Правды пишите сюда, или на email: pravdaua@email.cz
Лучшие предложения товаров и услуг в Сети SeLLines
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In Major Milestone, Africa Now Polio-Free
All of Africa has reached a very important milestone. The World Health Organization has declared that the entire continent is now free of the wild polio virus. VOA’s Carol Pearson reports that this is a time for celebration but not a time to rest.
Produced by: Bronwyn Benito
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Spain PM Pledges to Flatten Nation’s Second COVID-19 Surge
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pledged Tuesday to beat the latest surge in COVID-19 cases that has hit the nation, and he urged the Spanish people to remain “alert but serene” as the country works to flatten the increase.In a televised speech, Sanchez told the nation that Spain’s total number of infections hit 405,436 during a surge last week, which the Health Ministry reports was the worst week for infections since the pandemic’s peak in late March.Sanchez said the trend is “worrying” but urged people to remain calm, because the COVID-19 rate is “far from the situation in mid-March,” when the government imposed a state of emergency.Insufficient tracking of the outbreaks has been identified by experts as one of Spain’s main failures in dealing with the aftermath of the first virus wave. To address that situation, Sanchez announced 2,000 military personal trained to carry out contact tracing will be made available to the country’s 17 regions to help stem the tide of the virus.Sanchez said his government would work with the governments of the autonomous regions to get children back to school safely in September. He also urged citizens to download a government-sponsored contact-tracing phone application, which also can help them with getting tested or quarantined.The prime minister pledged he will not allow COVID-19 to take over the lives of the nation again, saying, “We will beat the curve again, and we have to do it united because there is no other way. We have done it before. We know how to do it, and I am convinced we will do it again.”
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UN Security Council Declines Action on US-Sought Return of Iran Sanctions
The president of the U.N. Security Council said Tuesday there is no consensus for restoring international sanctions on Iran in the 15-member council and that he would take no further action on a U.S. demand to re-impose them. “It is clear for me that there is one member, which has a particular position on the issue, while there are significant numbers of members who have contrasting views,” said Council President Indonesian Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani. “In my view, there is no consensus in the council. Thus, the president is not in the position to take further action.” Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came to New York and personally notified the United Nations that the United States was triggering a mechanism under the U.N. Security Council resolution that enshrined the 2015 nuclear deal into international law and would “snapback” sanctions on Iran dating back to 2006. But other deal participants immediately cried foul, saying the U.S. withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018, and therefore gave up its right to initiate the process. Washington rejected their interpretation and said the U.S. can trigger snapback as a named participant in the council resolution. Resolution failedOn August 14, the U.S. sought to have the council adopt a resolution to renew an arms embargo on Iran that, under the terms of the JCPOA, will expire on October 18. The move failed, with only one other council member (the Dominican Republic) voting with Washington. The Trump administration then triggered snapback in order to re-impose the embargo, as well a series of other sanctions. “The Trump Administration has no fear in standing in limited company on this matter, in light of the unmistakable truth guiding our actions,” said U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft on Tuesday. “I only regret that other members of this council have lost their way and now find themselves standing in the company of terrorists.” In the nuclear deal, the original participants – Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany – agreed with Iran to gradually lift the sanctions in return for limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities that would prevent it making a nuclear bomb. If snapback is imposed, diplomats say it would almost certainly collapse the deal, which has been struggling since the U.S. left and Iran responded by resuming some of its prohibited nuclear activities. “We are firmly convinced that protecting the JCPOA is of crucial importance,” said Germany’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Günter Sautter. “The nuclear deal with Iran is not perfect, but it continues to be the international community’s best tool to prevent a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.” Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said he hoped the council president’s decision would be the end of the matter and that the U.S. would “refrain from further steps to pursue this path.” The remaining JCPOA participants have urged Iran to quickly return to compliance with the deal.
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Russia Hails Its COVID-19 Vaccine But Questions Remain
Russia announced this month it had won the global race to develop the first vaccine against the novel coronavirus. But that self-proclaimed victory – and plans to ramp up production – come amid lingering questions about the safety and effectiveness of the Russian drug. From Moscow, Charles Maynes reports.Video editor: Henry Hernandez
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Father of Wisconsin Police Shooting Victim Says Son Is Paralyzed
The father of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot Sunday by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, said his son is paralyzed from the waist down. Blake’s father, who is also named Jacob Blake, told the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper Tuesday his son has “eight holes” in his body from his confrontation with police. He said doctors do not know if the paralysis will be permanent. The shooting was captured on cellphone video and led to two nights of unrest in the southeastern Wisconsin city located between Milwaukee and Chicago. The elder Blake said he was driving from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Kenosha to be with his son. He told the Sun-Times he learned about the shooting Sunday night and saw the now-viral video of it online a few minutes later. The video appears to show police shooting his son in the back. In the video, the younger Blake was seen walking to his vehicle and being followed by two police officers who had their guns drawn. As Blake entered the driver’s side of the car, several gunshots were heard on the recording. A family attorney said his children were inside the car. The incident has sparked two nights of sometimes violent demonstrations in Kenosha. Police used tear gas Monday to subdue protesters as they marched in front of City Hall. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers called the National Guard Monday to help keep the peace. The protesters, led by Black Lives Matter activists, plan to march again Tuesday. The shooting occurred nearly three months after the May 25 death of a Black man in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The death of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests against perceived police brutality and racism.
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In Major Milestone, Africa Now Polio-Free
All of Africa has reached a very important milestone. The World Health Organization has declared that the entire continent is now free of the wild poliovirus. This comes after four years without a single case. With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions – representing over 90% of the world’s population – are now free of the crippling disease. The world is now closer to achieving global polio eradication. If it can be done, it will be the second infectious disease, after smallpox, to be eliminated. It has not been easy. It’s taken decades and millions of health workers traveling by foot, boat, bus and bicycle to reach children in remote geographic areas. Health workers have even braved conflict to prevent children from enduring life-long disability and paralysis. In 1996, South African President Nelson Mandela, with the support of service organization Rotary International, jumpstarted Africa’s commitment to polio eradication with the launch of the Kick Polio Out of Africa campaign. Mandela’s call mobilized African nations and leaders across the continent to step up their efforts to reach every child with the polio vaccine. At the time, polio was paralyzing an estimated 75,000 children, annually, on the African continent. Since then, 9 billion oral polio vaccines have prevented nearly 2 million cases of wild poliovirus on the continent, according to the WHO. Carol Pandak heads Rotary International’s Polio Plus Program. “We have made tremendous progress working with community leaders,” she told VOA, “sometimes with military officials, to help deliver vaccine to reduce the number of children that were inaccessible due to conflict, down to very, very small numbers.”
Other leaders, like former Nigerian Health Minister FILE – A boy receives drops of polio vaccine by a home-visit nurse in Kajiado, Kenya, July 11, 2018.Pate is now with the World Bank where he serves as the global director of a health program that focuses on women and children.In an interview with VOA, Pate said, “It took a lot of effort from many leaders, from national, government leaders, traditional leaders, religious leaders and families, as well as volunteers and health workers, who came together to make this tremendous feat possible.” The Global Polio Eradication Initiative provided funding and logistical support. This initiative is led by national governments with five partners – the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the vaccine alliance.The effort also involved a huge disease surveillance network to check sewage for the virus and test cases of paralysis. But, Pandak says the work is not done. She says it’s important that communities continue to immunize their children against polio. Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 10 MB480p | 14 MB540p | 17 MB720p | 34 MB1080p | 70 MBOriginal | 217 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioPolio still exists along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and until the virus is knocked out of that region, children everywhere are at risk of contracting the disease. There is also another danger: the oral polio vaccine most children get contains a weakened polio virus. In areas where the water is polluted and hygiene is poor, the virus can continue to circulate when it’s excreted. It’s rare, but sometimes the vaccine-derived virus infects children and causes paralysis. Rapid response teams then rush to the area to re-immunize the children and stop the vaccine-derived virus from spreading. A different oral vaccine, one that’s more stable, will be introduced next year to prevent that from happening. The polio eradication effort demonstrates two things: that people around the world can come together to accomplish great things, and, Pate says, it shows that vaccines work. Now that polio prevention systems are in place throughout Africa, Dr. Pate hopes they can be used to hold on to this enormous gain and to continue routine immunizations, so every child is protected from vaccine preventable diseases.
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Sexual Abuse of Kenya Girls Spikes During Pandemic
Kenyan authorities and aid agencies say rape and sexual abuse cases against girls have increased since the start of coronavirus restrictions, and they say in most cases relatives are the offenders. As Mohammed Yusuf reports, some shelters in Nairobi are overwhelmed by girls who need a safe place from people meant to care of them.
Videographer: Mohammed Yusuf
Video editor: Rob Raffaele
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Zimbabwean Authorities Struggling to Provide Clean Water During Pandemic
City authorities in Zimbabwe’s capital say they are facing a severe water shortage, and public health concerns, as water levels in dams supplying Harare have “drastically” dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charities have stepped-up free water deliveries to poor neighborhoods but, authorities say social distancing is a challenge at public water points. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare.VIDEOGRAPHER: Blessing Chigwenhembe
PRODUCER: Marcus Harton
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Russia Dismisses Accusations of Involvement in Alleged Poisoning of Opposition Leader
The Russian government has dismissed accusations that it was involved in an alleged attack on opposition leader Alexi Navalny after doctors said tests showed he was poisoned. Navalny is in a coma in a German hospital after becoming sick Thursday while on a flight to Moscow from Siberia. He was transferred last Saturday to the Charité hospital in Berlin, where doctors said Monday the tests revealed signs of “cholinesterase inhibitors” in his system.
Cholinesterase is an enzyme that is critical for the normal function of the nervous system in humans, other vertebrates, and in insects. Inhibitors block a chemical, acetylcholine, that transmits signals between nerve cells. Cholinesterase inhibitors are compounds used to alleviate symptoms of dementia, but they also have been found in chemical weapons and pesticides used to kill bugs.FILE – Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, center, his wife Yulia, right of him, and opposition activist Lyubov Sobol, second from left, take part in a march in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov in Moscow, Feb. 29, 2020.Allies of Navalny contend the Kremlin is responsible for his illness, and some are calling for an investigation into whether President Vladimir Putin was involved.
“These accusations absolutely cannot be true and are rather an empty noise,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday in Moscow. Peskov said there is no evidence to warrant an investigation into Navalny’s illness and suggested there could have been various causes. “If a substance is found, and if it is determined that it is poisoning, then there will be a reason for an investigation,” Peskov said. Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, tweeted Tuesday it is not surprising the Russian government is not willing to launch a probe at this time. “It was obvious that the crime would not be properly investigated, and a culprit found. However, we all know perfectly well who that is,” Yarmysh wrote. Experts have said it is premature to conclude how the agent may have entered Navalny’s system.FILE – A police officer stands guard as a scaffolder works at the site of former spy Sergei Skripal’s house, in Salisbury, Britain, Jan. 9, 2019.Some experts have noted that Novichok, the Soviet-era nerve agent used to poison former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britain more than two years ago, was a cholinesterase inhibitor. Navalny is a politician and corruption investigator who is one of Putin’s harshest critics. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European officials have requested that Russia conduct a full investigation. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun was expected to raise the issue during a visit to Russia that began Tuesday.
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Pandemic Paves Way for Virtual Reality Education, Expert Says
While most parents are stressed about kids and remote online learning, some experts say expect more of that in the future, and that that may be a good thing. Deana Mitchell reports.
Camera, Producer: Deana Mitchell
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Police, Protesters, Clash for 2nd Night in Kenosha, Wisconsin Over Police Shooting
Police used tear gas to subdue protesters in the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin Monday as people took to the streets for the second straight night after the shooting of a Black man by police on Sunday. Despite a dusk-to-dawn curfew, protesters gathered Monday night, confronting law enforcement officers in riot gear outside the county courthouse, blocks from where Jacob Blake was shot on Sunday in an encounter with police caught on video. Police countered protesters with tear gas, shortly after the 8:00 pm curfew took effect Monday.Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called out the National Guard Monday to help keep the peace.In video posted online, Blake was seen walking to his vehicle and being followed by two police officers with their guns drawn. As he entered the driver’s side of the car, he was shot in the back with at least seven gunshots heard on the recording. A family attorney said Blake’s children were inside the car.Wisconsin Governor Deploys National Guard after Police Shooting of Black Man Violence erupted Sunday in Kenosha after officers shot African American man in the back in circumstances that are unclearBlake survived the shooting and is in stable condition after undergoing surgery Sunday.Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden issued a statement Monday on his campaign website which began with the word “Enough” in large, white letters on a black background. He said the shots that were fired at Blake “pierced the soul of our nation.” He called for a full and transparent investigation and said the officers must be held accountable.Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson, on his Twitter account, also called for a full and thorough investigation into the shooting and said that, while he understood emotions were running high, he urged demonstrators to remain peaceful.There was no immediate response from U.S. President Donald Trump. On Monday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Trump was expected to be fully briefed on the matter.The shooting occurred nearly three months after the May 25 death of a Black man in police custody in the city of Minneapolis. The death of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests against police brutality and racism.
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COVID Surge in South Korea Prompts School Closures
South Korea is closing schools in the Seoul metropolitan area as it copes with a nearly two-week surge in coronavirus infections. Education Minister Yoo Eun-hae said Tuesday most students will attend online classes at least until September 11, but that high school seniors would continue to attend in-person classes to prepare for national college entrance exams. An outbreak in the southeastern region of South Korea delayed the start of the new school year for weeks before initiating phased reopenings in May. Government officials and volunteers disinfect as a precaution against the coronavirus at a subway station entrance in Goyang, South Korea, Aug. 25, 2020.South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control reported 280 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the 12-day total to 3,175 and the overall total to nearly 18,000. Guidelines for children
As millions of children head back to school, the World Health Organization has issued its FILE – Children wearing masks to protect from the coronavirus gather near mascots for Guagualong online app for children language learning during a promotion in Beijing, Aug. 21, 2020.Children 6 to 11 should wear masks, but what the experts call a “risk-based control” should be considered. This includes social and cultural environments, the child’s ability to comply, and the impact mask wearing has on disabilities or underlying diseases.
Kids 12 and older need to be treated like adults when wearing masks. But the WHO and UNICEF said no child should be denied access to an education if a mask is unavailable. While children who are infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, generally have mild or asymptomatic symptoms, they can still spread the virus to adults. Situation in the USSocial Worker Iris Trammel (C) hold a sign during a vigil to honor San Diego county employees who have lost their lives to the coronavirus (COVID-19) while working the frontline of the pandemic in San Diego, California, Aug. 24, 2020.In the U.S., which continues to lead the world in infections and COVID-19 deaths, the head of the Food and Drug Administration dismissed President Donald Trump’s accusation last weekend that the agency has “deep state” employees who are working to complicate efforts to test COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the November presidential election. “I have not seen anything that I would consider to be a ‘deep state’ at the FDA,” Dr. Stephen Hahn told Reuters on Monday. Hahn said he was completely confident that FDA employees were committed to act in the interests of all citizens during the pandemic. As of Tuesday, 5.7 million infections and over 177,000 deaths were reported in the U.S. by Johns Hopkins University, about one-quarter of the 23.6 infections worldwide and the more than 813,800 deaths throughout the world. Drop in cases in Hong KongThe Hong Kong government said Tuesday it will allow some movie theaters, beauty salons and outdoor sports facilities to reopen this week following a drop in coronavirus cases. There was a surge on coronavirus infections in Hong Kong in July, prompting the government to impose its most stringent social distancing measures to date, resulting in a gradual decline in infections. Security guards wearing face shields require people have their body temperature checked at an entrance of a shopping center in Hong Kong, China, Aug. 11, 2020.Meanwhile, scientists at the University of Hong Kong said they have found the first known case of someone who was infected twice with COVID-19. The popular belief is that catching the coronavirus once makes people immune to a second case. But the doctors say genetic tests on a 33-year-old male COVID-19 patient found that the strain he had after returning from a trip to Spain several weeks ago is different than the coronavirus strain he had in March. “It shows that some people do not have lifelong immunity” to the virus if they’ve already had it, microbiologist Dr. Kelvin Kai-Wang To said. “We don’t know how many people can get reinfected. There are probably more out there.”
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Xабаровск предложил обиженному карлику пукину “кремлёвский чай” и вынос тела
Xабаровск предложил обиженному карлику пукину “кремлёвский чай” и вынос тела.
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