Al Jazeera

جدد الكرملين تأكيده على أن الرئيس الروسي فلاديمير بوتين لم يأمر بإرسال قوات إلى ليبيا، وذلك بعد نشر تقارير وصور تؤكد وجود شركات عسكرية روسية تعمل هناك بإشراف روسي رسمي.

وقال المتحدث باسم الكرملين دميتري بيسكوف "فلاديمير بوتين القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة الروسية لم يرسل قوات إلى ليبيا، ولم يعط أي أوامر في هذا الصدد".

وأضاف بيسكوف في لقاء استضافته إذاعة صدى موسكو أن لا قوات روسية في ليبيا.

وفي وقت سابق نفى ميخائيل بوغدانوف نائب وزير الخارجية الروسي ما ذكره الرئيس التركي رجب طيب أردوغان عن أن "روسيا تدير في الوقت الراهن الحرب هناك على أعلى مستوى".

وقال الرئيس التركي للصحفيين "إنهم حاليا يديرون فاغنر، ولكنهم (الروس) ما زالوا ينفون وجود أي رابط".

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وفاغنر مجموعة أمنية خاصة ذات أنشطة غامضة يعتقد أن الآلاف من متعاقديها يشاركون في نزاعات من سوريا إلى أوكرانيا، وصولا إلى جمهورية أفريقيا الوسطى.

وتدعم أنقرة حكومة الوفاق التي يرأسها فايز السراج وتعترف بها الأمم المتحدة ومقرها طرابلس، في حين تدعم روسيا اللواء المتقاعد خليفة حفتر الذي يتخذ من الشرق الليبي مقرا له.

ومنذ الرابع من أبريل/نيسان الماضي، تحاصر قوات حفتر العاصمة الليبية وتقصفها عشوائيا بالطائرات والمدفعية، مما تسبب بسقوط مئات القتلى وآلاف الجرحى، فضلا عن نزوح عشرات الآلاف.

واستضافت برلين في 19 يناير/كانون الثاني الماضي مؤتمرا دوليا حول ليبيا، صدر عنه بيان ختامي يدعو جميع الأطراف إلى حظر توريد السلاح، لكن الأمم المتحدة أكدت عدة مرات أن خرق هذا الاتفاق ما زال متواصلا.

الكرملين: بوتين لم يأمر بإرسال قوات روسية إلى ليبيا

قال الأمين العام لحزب الله اللبناني حسن نصر الله إن المنطقة تقف أمام مواجهة جديدة لا مفر منها، لأن الطرف الآخر يشن الحروب ويغتال ويصادر الحقوق.

وأضاف نصر الله في احتفال أقامه الحزب في ضاحية بيروت الجنوبية، أن واشنطن هي من تقوم بالمواجهة وتفرضها على شعوب وحكومات المنطقة الذين يرفضون الاستسلام، على حد وصفه.

وتحدث في هذا الإطار عن الخطة التي عرضها حديثا الرئيس الأميركي دونالد ترامب للسلام في الشرق الأوسط، وشدد على أن الخطة إسرائيلية وتبناها ترامب، مؤكدا أن الولايات المتحدة فشلت سابقا عندما قررت شعوب المنطقة المواجهة والمقاومة.

وقال في هذا السياق إنه "ليس أمام شعوب المنطقة أمام هذا العدوان الأميركي المتعدد والمتنوع إلا خيار المقاومة الشاملة والشعبية".

كما قال إن الموقف الفلسطيني هو حجر الأساس في مواجهة الخطة الأميركية، مشيرا إلى أن الشعب الفلسطيني عبّر بالإجماع عن موقف رافض لهذه الخطة.

وفي تعليقه على مواقف الدول العربية من خطة السلام الأميركية، اعتبر الأمين العام لحزب الله اللبناني أن الموقف العربي "ممتاز"، لكنه استدرك بالقول إن مواقف بعض الدول التي دعت لدراسة الخطة ربما تفتح بابا للاستسلام.

وفي ما يخص الأوضاع الداخلية، قال نصر الله إن لبنان يمر بوضع اقتصادي ومالي ونقدي صعب جدا، ودعا إلى مقاربة لبنانية مختلفة لهذه الأزمة.

وقال إن حزب الله لن يتخلى عن حكومة حسان دياب التي نالت الثقة قبل أيام، وسيستمر في دعمها لأن الأمر يتعلق بمصير لبنان، محذرا من أن تداعيات سقوط الحكومة ستكون خطيرة.

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منظومة إسرائيلية

بدأ الجيش الإسرائيلي زرع ما وصفها بمنظومة تكنولوجية حديثة في باطن الأرض، وعند نقاط عدة على الحدود مع لبنان، في محاولة لرصد أي تحرك جديد لحفر أنفاق هجومية من جانب حزب الله.

وقال بيان للجيش الإسرائيلي إن هذه المنظومة ستمكنه من كشف أي عملية حفر جديدة على الحدود وإحباطها.

ويأتي هذا التحرك بعد عام من إعلان الجيش الإسرائيلي أنه دمر ستة أنفاق عبر الحدود، قال إن حزب الله أعدها لتنفيذ هجوم عبرها على البلدات الإسرائيلية في أي مواجهة قادمة بين الجانبين.

نصر الله: المنطقة تقف أمام مواجهة جديدة لا مفر منها

The Japan Times

A small meeting was held last Friday at the Japan Arab Association for its 171st issue of The Arab Quarterly magazine. The association, established in 1958, is one of the oldest private entities in Japan to promote friendship with the Arab countries as well as to contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East. All the editors involved in the publication agreed that the next issue would feature the moribund Middle East peace process.

Everyone knew that the Trump administration’s “deal of the century” would not resolve the long-standing dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over the control of the Holy Land. At the meeting, this author, a veteran of the so-called Oslo process in the 1990s, reminded the editors of the lessons of the negotiations to solve the Palestinian issue.

In many serious negotiations, the first offer is the best offer and the Palestinians failed to seize a golden opportunity in 2000. History is often made by the assassinations of such brave statesmen as Egyptian President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Palestinian National Authority President Yasser Arafat, however, was just a politician, not a statesman.

What’s worrying is that many young Japanese may not even be familiar with United Nations Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, which urged Israel to “withdraw from territories” it occupied in 1967. Nobody talks about the Camp David and Oslo Accords anymore, and the issue of the magazine needs to cover the facts for the record.

The timeline has been complicated. Israel declared independence and armistice agreements were signed in 1949. The Camp David Accords were reached in 1978 and led to signing of the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty the following year. The Oslo Accords were signed in 1993 and the Israel-Jordan peace treaty followed 1994. So far, not so bad.

Many of those involved in the peace efforts were cautiously optimistic about the future — until the Camp David summit in 2000, where U.S. President Bill Clinton hosted ﻿﻿ Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. In retrospect, many people believe that this summit was the turning point.

Barak reportedly offered Arafat more than 90 percent of the West Bank and the whole Gaza Strip if 69 Jewish settlements were ceded to Israel. The Palestinian right of return would be solved financially. Arafat rejected this offer but, ironically, what U.S. President Donald Trump recently offered in his “ultimate deal” is far too less than that of 2000. What went wrong?

1. The peace process is brain dead.

In a Jan. 17 Wall Street Journal essay titled “The Middle East isn’t worth it anymore,” Australian-American scholar and diplomat Martin Indyk wrote that “the U.S. has had two clear priorities in the Middle East: to keep Gulf oil flowing at reasonable prices and to ensure Israel’s survival” but “the free flow of their oil is no longer a vital interest” for the United States.

“As for Israel,” he continued, “its survival is no longer in question” and “Hard as it is for me to admit it, a two-state solution to the Palestinian problem is not a vital American interest.” Inkyk was a highly respected Clinton administration National Security Council official. If he said this, the peace process might be almost over.

2. Is the Middle East not worth it anymore?

When Indyk says of “a vital interest,” it means something America must protect even by force. Now he refers to the “21st-century reality” that “there has been a structural shift in American interests in the Middle East, one that Washington is having a hard time acknowledging.”

Honestly, it is surprising that Indyk would say something like this. The exception may be Iran, and he wrote, “Preventing a nuclear arms race in the Middle East does remain a vital U.S. interest — the one current case where the U.S. might need to resort to war.” His conclusions, however, seem to be only half right.

3. Internal threats are equally serious.

Indyk is right about the Iranian nuclear ambition to survive American domination in the Middle East. Having said that, threats in the Middle East can come not only from outside but also from the inside as well. Internal threats may destabilize the region if the death of the peace process triggers domestic political turmoil.

Indyk, one of the best and the brightest people to lead the U.S. Middle East policy in the 1990s, could be wrong in the long run, because a lack of hope for Palestinian independence may eventually create a new political movement not only in the West Bank and Gaza but also in countries such as Jordan and even those in the Gulf area.

4. The peace process is still worth it for Japan.

That is the very reasons why Tokyo has been working on nation-building for Jordan and the Palestinian territories, which are potentially vulnerable to the political turmoil that would follow the death of the peace process. Chaos in the Palestinian territories or Jordan could immediately destabilize the oil and gas-rich Arabian Peninsula.

The Middle East is still worth Japan’s vigilant attention and sincere efforts. Although the nation is heavily dependent on the Gulf region, Tokyo has neither the intention nor ambition to protect its vital interests in the Middle East by force. Japan doesn’t play hardball in the Middle East and softballs often work better.

5. Consistent attention is required.

Recently, the number of competent Middle East experts in Japan has increased not only in the government but also in the private sector and in academia. What the Mideast hands in Japan really need, however, is for policymakers to pay continuous, not sporadic, attention to the changing political and military situation in the Middle East.

Kuni Miyake is president of the Foreign Policy Institute and research director at Canon Institute for Global Studies.

The first offer is the best offer in negotiations

Sputnik

Palestinian textbooks reject Israel's right to exist and teach kids that assault on civilians were permissible, a recent study found, prompting an EU investigation into the curriculum of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Since Washington announced its Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, known as "Deal of the Century", some two weeks ago, a dozen Israeli soldiers have been wounded in a car-ramming attack while the Israeli security forces injured three Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank amid sporadic violent clashes.

Apart from these instances, the situation on the ground has been quiet with calls urging the Palestinians to take to the streets en masse falling on deaf ears. This has reportedly frustrated the hopes of Hamas, the Islamic group that controls the Gaza Strip, who was expecting an instant flare-up in the West Bank and the enclave against the long-promoted "peace plan".

Israel has long been blaming the Palestinian leadership for the incitement that prompts individuals to carry out terror attacks against Israel and the Jewish people. A recent study shows that the Palestinian schooling system bears some responsibility for the existing problem.

Hating From Early Age

IMPACT-se, a Jerusalem-based research institute that monitors education and who has analysed 2019-2020 school textbooks, has found out that all books in social studies, history, Arabic and national education for grades two to twelve contained problematic content.

The study prompted an EU probe into the Palestinian curriculum, which relies heavily on European donations. It detailed numerous instances of incitement. Eighth grade students, for example, were asked about the "usefulness of throwing stones", while an 11th grade history book described the 1972 massacre of 11 Israeli athletes murdered by Black September militants in Munich as "a strike at Zionist interests abroad".

Salwa, a 30-year-old teacher at a prep school in Gaza, whose full name cannot be disclosed for security reasons, knows firsthand the issues such an approach to education can entail.

"As a teacher I witness this hatred towards Israel and the Jewish people on a daily basis. I was also brought up hating the other side. Eventually this policy bears fruit".

In 2014, a survey conducted by the Anti-Defamation League found that 93 percent of Palestinians held anti-Semitic beliefs.

Another poll conducted in 2018, showed that 35 percent of Palestinians supported an armed solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an increase of five percent from the previous year.

"When your schooling system is affected by Islamist ideology propagated by Hamas, and when you teach that murder is permissible, you end up raising criminals", she explained.

Education as a Political Tool

Defining its main principles, Hamas' website states that "resisting the occupation with all means and methods [including armed struggle] is a legitimate right [of Palestinians fighting against] the Zionist project that is racist, aggressive, colonial, and expansionist..."

© AP Photo / Khalil Hamra Masked Palestinian Hamas gunmen attend a funeral for six of their fighters who were killed in an explosion Saturday, in Deir el-Balah, central Gaza Strip

Over the years, as an attempt to differentiate itself from what they call a more moderate school system of the Palestinian Authority that controls the West Bank, Hamas introduced a number of changes to the curriculum in Gaza.

Apart from presenting Israel as the ultimate enemy, gender-segregating education institutions from age 9 and increasing modesty patrols in schools and campuses, the Islamic group has also introduced a military training elective, offered in high-school that focuses on resistance to the Jewish state.

Israel is No Choirboy

But Hamas, designated a terror organisation by Israel, is far from being "the only culprit responsible for the hatred that perpetuates Palestinian society", said the Gaza-based teacher pointing a finger at the Jewish state too, saying "it keeps the conflict alive".

Firstly, "it is the Israeli education system that demonises the Palestinians", said Salwa, referring to accusations made by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas who claimed that 95 percent of Israeli text books were saturated with hateful messages, allegations that Israel denied.

"And, secondly, it is the actions of the Israel Defence Forces that spread havoc and destruction around them", Salwa added.

The most traumatic event that shaped Palestinians' views on the conflict, the teacher said, occurred in 2014 when Israel launched its operation Protective Edge. In an attempt to put an end to the indiscriminate rocket fire that threatened Israel's southern communities, the country's military killed more than 2,000 people, mostly civilians.

The Israel Defence Forces have also dealt a blow to the Gaza Strip's already staggering infrastructure heavily damaging or completely destroying 18,000 residential units, leaving more than 100,000 Palestinians homeless.

As part of the aftermath of that round of hostilities, many Palestinians demanded revenge. A poll conducted shortly after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was achieved showed that 80 percent of Palestinians supported lone-wolf attacks against Israeli targets, whereas 60 percent backed the continuation of indiscriminate rocket fire towards the country's southern communities.

But for Salwa that war was a turning point.

"That was the time when I and many young people around me realised that war was not a solution...If we continue to teach hatred, this conflict will never end. It will continue to damage the psyche and the development of our kids leaving them with scars that will be hard to heal. That's why we need to put hatred aside and teach kids the right values but on the condition that Israel would do that too. Both sides need to reform their schooling systems".

'Raising Criminals'? Palestinian Textbooks 'Teaching Hatred' Towards Israel and Jews From Early Age

Voice of America

Countries around the world are introducing precautionary measures to prevent the coronavirus from infecting their citizens. Chinese officials on Sunday confirmed a total of 68,500 confirmed cases and 1,665 deaths from the virus. The number of suspected new cases exceeds 8,000. So far no one knows when the outbreak may end while the virus infects more and more people across international borders. VOA's Zlatica Hoke has this story.

Countries Step Up Border Measures to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus

Mail Online

Someone who is infected with the coronavirus can spread it with just a simple cough or a sneeze, scientists say.

Almost 1,800 people with the virus are now confirmed to have died and more than 71,000 have been infected. But experts predict the true number of people with the disease could be as high as 350,000 in Wuhan alone, as they warn it may kill as many as two in 100 cases. Here's what we know so far:

What is the coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions. Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.

The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.

Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.

The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.

Dr Helena Maier, from the Pirbright Institute, said: 'Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that infect a wide range of different species including humans, cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs, cats and wild animals.

'Until this new coronavirus was identified, there were only six different coronaviruses known to infect humans. Four of these cause a mild common cold-type illness, but since 2002 there has been the emergence of two new coronaviruses that can infect humans and result in more severe disease (Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses).

'Coronaviruses are known to be able to occasionally jump from one species to another and that is what happened in the case of SARS, MERS and the new coronavirus. The animal origin of the new coronavirus is not yet known.'

The first human cases were publicly reported from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where approximately 11million people live, after medics first started publicly reporting infections on December 31.

By January 8, 59 suspected cases had been reported and seven people were in critical condition. Tests were developed for the new virus and recorded cases started to surge.

The first person died that week and, by January 16, two were dead and 41 cases were confirmed. The next day, scientists predicted that 1,700 people had become infected, possibly up to 7,000.

Just a week after that, there had been more than 800 confirmed cases and those same scientists estimated that some 4,000 – possibly 9,700 – were infected in Wuhan alone. By that point, 26 people had died.

By January 27, more than 2,800 people were confirmed to have been infected, 81 had died, and estimates of the total number of cases ranged from 100,000 to 350,000 in Wuhan alone.

By January 29, the number of deaths had risen to 132 and cases were in excess of 6,000.

By February 5, there were more than 24,000 cases and 492 deaths.

By February 11, this had risen to more than 43,000 cases and 1,000 deaths.

A change in the way cases are confirmed on February 13 – doctors decided to start using lung scans as a formal diagnosis, as well as laboratory tests – caused a spike in the number of cases, to more than 60,000 and to 1,369 deaths.

Where does the virus come from?

According to scientists, the virus has almost certainly come from bats. Coronaviruses in general tend to originate in animals – the similar SARS and MERS viruses are believed to have originated in civet cats and camels, respectively.

The first cases of COVID-19 came from people visiting or working in a live animal market in the city, which has since been closed down for investigation.

Although the market is officially a seafood market, other dead and living animals were being sold there, including wolf cubs, salamanders, snakes, peacocks, porcupines and camel meat.

A study by the Wuhan Institute of Virology, published in February 2020 in the scientific journal Nature, found that the genetic make-up virus samples found in patients in China is 96 per cent similar to a coronavirus they found in bats.

However, there were not many bats at the market so scientists say it was likely there was an animal which acted as a middle-man, contracting it from a bat before then transmitting it to a human. It has not yet been confirmed what type of animal this was.

Dr Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, was not involved with the research but said: 'The discovery definitely places the origin of nCoV in bats in China.

'We still do not know whether another species served as an intermediate host to amplify the virus, and possibly even to bring it to the market, nor what species that host might have been.'

So far the fatalities are quite low. Why are health experts so worried about it?

Experts say the international community is concerned about the virus because so little is known about it and it appears to be spreading quickly.

It is similar to SARS, which infected 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 in an outbreak in Asia in 2003, in that it is a type of coronavirus which infects humans' lungs.

Another reason for concern is that nobody has any immunity to the virus because they've never encountered it before. This means it may be able to cause more damage than viruses we come across often, like the flu or common cold.

Speaking at a briefing in January, Oxford University professor, Dr Peter Horby, said: 'Novel viruses can spread much faster through the population than viruses which circulate all the time because we have no immunity to them.

'Most seasonal flu viruses have a case fatality rate of less than one in 1,000 people. Here we're talking about a virus where we don't understand fully the severity spectrum but it's possible the case fatality rate could be as high as two per cent.'

If the death rate is truly two per cent, that means two out of every 100 patients who get it will die.

'My feeling is it's lower,' Dr Horby added. 'We're probably missing this iceberg of milder cases. But that's the current circumstance we're in.

'Two per cent case fatality rate is comparable to the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918 so it is a significant concern globally.'

How does the virus spread?

The illness can spread between people just through coughs and sneezes, making it an extremely contagious infection. And it may also spread even before someone has symptoms.

It is believed to travel in the saliva and even through water in the eyes, therefore close contact, kissing, and sharing cutlery or utensils are all risky.

Originally, people were thought to be catching it from a live animal market in Wuhan city. But cases soon began to emerge in people who had never been there, which forced medics to realise it was spreading from person to person.

There is now evidence that it can spread third hand – to someone from a person who caught it from another person.

What does the virus do to you? What are the symptoms?

Once someone has caught the COVID-19 virus it may take between two and 14 days, or even longer, for them to show any symptoms – but they may still be contagious during this time.

If and when they do become ill, typical signs include a runny nose, a cough, sore throat and a fever (high temperature). The vast majority of patients – at least 97 per cent, based on available data – will recover from these without any issues or medical help.

In a small group of patients, who seem mainly to be the elderly or those with long-term illnesses, it can lead to pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection in which the insides of the lungs swell up and fill with fluid. It makes it increasingly difficult to breathe and, if left untreated, can be fatal and suffocate people.

What have genetic tests revealed about the virus?

Scientists in China have recorded the genetic sequences of around 19 strains of the virus and released them to experts working around the world.

This allows others to study them, develop tests and potentially look into treating the illness they cause.

Examinations have revealed the coronavirus did not change much – changing is known as mutating – much during the early stages of its spread.

However, the director-general of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gao Fu, said the virus was mutating and adapting as it spread through people.

This means efforts to study the virus and to potentially control it may be made extra difficult because the virus might look different every time scientists analyse it.

More study may be able to reveal whether the virus first infected a small number of people then change and spread from them, or whether there were various versions of the virus coming from animals which have developed separately.

How dangerous is the virus?

The virus has a death rate of around two per cent. This is a similar death rate to the Spanish Flu outbreak which, in 1918, went on to kill around 50million people.

However, experts say the true number of patients is likely considerably higher and therefore the death rate considerably lower. Imperial College London researchers estimate that there were 4,000 (up to 9,700) cases in Wuhan city alone up to January 18 – officially there were only 444 there to that date. If cases are in fact 100 times more common than the official figures, the virus may be far less dangerous than currently believed, but also far more widespread.

Experts say it is likely only the most seriously ill patients are seeking help and are therefore recorded – the vast majority will have only mild, cold-like symptoms. For those whose conditions do become more severe, there is a risk of developing pneumonia which can destroy the lungs and kill you.

Can the virus be cured?

The COVID-19 virus cannot currently be cured and it is proving difficult to contain.

Antibiotics do not work against viruses, so they are out of the question. Antiviral drugs can work, but the process of understanding a virus then developing and producing drugs to treat it would take years and huge amounts of money.

No vaccine exists for the coronavirus yet and it's not likely one will be developed in time to be of any use in this outbreak, for similar reasons to the above.

The National Institutes of Health in the US, and Baylor University in Waco, Texas, say they are working on a vaccine based on what they know about coronaviruses in general, using information from the SARS outbreak. But this may take a year or more to develop, according to Pharmaceutical Technology.

Currently, governments and health authorities are working to contain the virus and to care for patients who are sick and stop them infecting other people.

People who catch the illness are being quarantined in hospitals, where their symptoms can be treated and they will be away from the uninfected public.

And airports around the world are putting in place screening measures such as having doctors on-site, taking people's temperatures to check for fevers and using thermal screening to spot those who might be ill (infection causes a raised temperature).

However, it can take weeks for symptoms to appear, so there is only a small likelihood that patients will be spotted up in an airport.

Is this outbreak an epidemic or a pandemic?

The outbreak is an epidemic, which is when a disease takes hold of one community such as a country or region.

Although it has spread to dozens of countries, the outbreak is not yet classed as a pandemic, which is defined by the World Health Organization as the 'worldwide spread of a new disease'.

The head of WHO's global infectious hazard preparedness, Dr Sylvie Briand, said: 'Currently we are not in a pandemic. We are at the phase where it is an epidemic with multiple foci, and we try to extinguish the transmission in each of these foci,' the Guardian reported.

She said that most cases outside of Hubei had been 'spillover' from the epicentre, so the disease wasn't actually spreading actively around the world.

Thai City worker is assaulted and robbed by two teenagers who shouted 'coronavirus' at him

Aljazeera.com

Bali, Indonesia - As fears over the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, continue to dominate the headlines, a second virus affecting China's swine industry is also spreading throughout the Asia Pacific region, threatening not only the lives of the affected animals but also the livelihood of farmers who raise them.

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious disease that affects domestic and wild pigs, causing high fever, respiratory problems, internal bleeding and skin haemorrhages. While it rarely infects humans, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), it kills 80 percent of the pigs it infects.

More:

The disease is resistant to freezing, thawing and most commercial disinfectants, and there is no vaccine for it. It can spread through non-biological objects like shoes and clothing.

Last year, ASF wiped out 60 percent of domestic pigs in China and a quarter of all domestic pigs in the world, according to estimates by contagious disease experts, running into billions of dollars worldwide.

In Taiwan, dead pigs carrying ASF have washed up on its beaches, while in the Philippines, tens of thousands of infected pigs have been killed or culled since September 2019.

In South Korea, photos have emerged of a river turned red by blood from mass culls at pig farms and in Indonesia's province of North Sumatra, authorities confirmed some 5,000 pigs died from the virus last year.

Now ASF, which originated in Kenya, has likely reached the Indonesian island of Bali, where the impact could be severe, experts said.

A staple in Bali

Unlike the rest of Indonesia, where pork is not a staple, pigs play a vital role in the economy, community and religion of the Hindu-majority island, which is already reeling from the overnight loss of a quarter of its foreign tourists after flights from China were banned earlier this month to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Last week, the head of Bali's agriculture and food security agency, Ida Bagus Wisnuardhana, told the Jakarta Post that close to 1,000 pigs had died from ASF, citing tests conducted on blood samples taken from dead pigs.

However, a day later he backtracked, saying the dead pigs were only exhibiting ASF-like symptoms, adding that further analysis was required. Bali's provincial government corroborated the retraction, saying similar diseases with the same symptoms often attack pigs.

But the owner of one of the largest meat processing factories in Bali told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity that ASF was "obviously" the cause.

"I am absolutely sure it's swine fever because it's spreading in the region so it's the most obvious cause. But it's not a big issue because the only way for it to infect humans is to be working in a piggery and even then it's extremely rare," the owner said.

"The biggest impact of swine fever is economic, and pig farmers could lose all the money they've spent on feeds."

Impact on community

Nyoman, a pig farmer in Munggu Village, told Al Jazeera all but three of his 64 pigs have died from a mysterious illness.

"The government came here and advised me not to sell the dead pigs, to bury them, and to disinfect everything," said Nyoman who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name only.

"They said they're still examining the cause but I think it's ASF because farmers in other villages are saying their pigs had similar symptoms."

Nyoman's last remaining adult pig is now showing some of the same symptoms: the animal has not eaten in days, is lethargic and breathing heavily.

A man prepares feed for his pigs at a farm in Makassar, Indonesia [File: Yusuf Ahmad/Reuters]

"I tried treating my pigs with antibiotics and vitamins like B-complex and zinc but it didn't work. This pig will die sooner or later and then her piglets will die too," he said.

"How will I survive? I haven't thought about it yet. I've only been in this business for a year and I borrowed lots of money to set it up."

Suci Ernawati, another Muggu Village pig farmer whose animals are dying, also suspects ASF is the cause.

"Two of my 10 pigs suddenly got sick with high fevers and died. The symptoms are a little different so we don't know for sure what it is. But people are saying it's ASF."

Now, ASF is also threatening Australia.

Australia next?

Last last year, ASF was detected in East Timor, which lies only 650km northwest of the Australian city of Darwin.

Pork Chop, left, leads the field through the first corner in the racing and diving pig show at the Royal Melbourne Show, on September 23, 2008 [William WEST/AFP]

Victoria state's agricultural department Victoria described the outbreak in East Timor as "significant because it represents the closest outbreak of this exotic disease to Australia since the first Asian diagnosis in China."

Director of the Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Trevor Drew, said the virus is now perfectly positioned to penetrate Australia, where it could have devastating effects on the country's meat export business.

"We are very concerned, so our border controls and our surveillance has really been ramped up, to do our very best to keep the disease out of the country," he said.

The professor added that "nearly 50 percent" of meat products tourists had tried to sneak past customs at Australian airports had tested positive for ASF and that many of those individuals were refused entry as a result.

Warning not heeded

Drew said he has been warning authorities in China about ASF since 2009 but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Knowing about the way pigs are raised in Asia by subsistence farmers in backyard sites, where there's very little in the way of biosecurity measures, it was inevitable ASF was going to spread."

To contain the virus, he adds, "it's absolutely critical that any country that has it confirms and declares it promptly".

But in Bali, authorities appear more focused on containing the public relations fallout, with an "It's safe to eat pork" campaign being unrolled throughout the island.

The OIE said the risk of humans being infected with ASF through the consumption of pork products is "negligible".

Still, many in Bali are not prepared to take the risk.

"I think pork that has been approved by the government is fine but, for now, my family won't eat it," Nyoman, the pig farmer from Munggu village, said. His neighbour Suci Ernawati is also abstaining.

Business is also reportedly slow among restaurants selling 'babi guling', Bali's iconic suckling pig, which is prepared for Hindu ceremonies, weddings and the like.

According to the staff at Babi Guling Selingsing Bu Suci, a shop near Munggu, business they are getting few customers since the swine fever scare began.

While they insist that their supply is safe, they express worry that the situation could become worse in the weeks and months to come if the problem is not addressed.

Swine fever: 'Double punch' for countries facing COVID-19 threat

International Business Times

KEY POINTS Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has affected 2279 people from 27 different countries since 2012.

More than 800 people have died.

Antiviral drug ‘remdesivir’ appears promising in preventing the disease in animal models that are already infected with MERS-CoV.

Ever since its emergence in 2012, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has affected 2,279 people from 27 different countries throughout the world. More than 800 people have died due to this respiratory disease. A new experimental antiviral ‘Remdesivir’ appears promising in preventing the disease in monkeys that are already infected with MERS-CoV.

The researchers at the National Institute of Health reported that Remdesivir prevented the disease when administered before the infection and improved the symptoms when administered after infection.

MERS-Cov is very closely related to the novel coronavirus COVID-19, which has grown to be a global public health emergency ever since the first cases detected in Wuhan, China.

Previous studies have reported that Remdesivir helped protected animals against a variety of viruses, including Ebola and Nipah. The drug has also been investigated as a treatment for the Ebola virus in the infected people.

The study

Conducted at NIAID's Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, the researchers included three groups of animals:

Those treated with Remdesivir 24 hours prior to infection

Those treated 12 hours after being infected

Untreated control group

They observed all the animals for six days. The findings revealed the following:

The animals that were treated before being infected exhibited no signs of respiratory disease and significantly lower levels of virus replication in the lungs and no lung damage

Those treated after being infected had lower levels of virus in the lungs and there was less severe damage to the lungs

The control group animals showed signs of respiratory disease

The researchers highlighted that the results of the study support clinical trials of Remdesivir for MERS-CoV, COVID-19 and the SARS-CoV-2. Several clinical trials of the promising antiviral drug are already underway in China

Through last December, the World Health Organization has confirmed 2,499 cases of MERS-CoV and about 1 in 3 deaths due to the deadly virus. Since more than a third of MERS-CoV cases spread from infected individuals being treated in hospitals, the researchers highlight the fact that Remdesivir could effectively treat and prevent the disease in other patients, contacts of patients as well as healthcare professionals.

Photo: geralt, Pixabay

Novel Antiviral Drug Appears Promising In Preventing Disease In Monkeys Infected With MERS-CoV

FC Porto striker Moussa Marega, who tried to walk off the field after being the target of racist abuse from fans, faced apparent attempts Sunday by his own teammates and opposition players to prevent him from leaving.

Marega, who is black and plays for Mali, was visibly angered by monkey noises targeting him after he scored Porto’s second goal in a 2-1 win at Guimaraes in the Portuguese first division.

But when Marega started to walk off the field, several players from both Porto and Guimaraes appeared to argue with him. Porto coach Sergio Conceicao also went on the field and spoke with Marega.

It took Marega several minutes to leave the field when he was substituted.

Marega held his thumbs down at the crowd as he went into the tunnel to the changing rooms. The crowd responded with loud jeers.

The attitude of the other players has drawn criticism on social media.

Marega received a yellow card following his goal in the 61st minute when he appeared to respond to the abuse by pointing at his skin and by picking up a seat that had been thrown on the pitch.

After the match Marega expressed his anger with a post including an expletive on a social media account, calling the fans who insulted him “idiots who come to the stadium to make racist screams.”

“And I also thank the referees for not defending me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin color,” Marega wrote. “I hope I never meet you on a football field again! YOU ARE A SHAME !!!!”

His coach criticized the fans’ behavior before, during and after the game.

“We are indignant with what has happened. Moussa was insulted from warmups (before kickoff),” Conceição said after the match.

“We are a family. One’s nationality, color, or height does not matter. We are human beings. We deserve respect and what happened was despicable.”

Both clubs issued statements condemning the racist abuse, without commenting on the attitudes of the players toward Marega.

“All of FC Porto and its supporters are in solidarity with Moussa Marega, who was led to take a drastic attitude in the wake of repeated racist insults,” Porto’s statement said.

“FC Porto strongly condemns the racist behavior this afternoon, which is one of the low moments in the recent history of Portuguese football and will have to be properly penalized.”

Guimarães said it would investigate the incident.

“(The club) will not fail to censor any and all manifestations of violence, racism or intolerance,” it said.

It added that the club “will verify what happened during the game played at Estadio D. Afonso Henriques, acting firmly and consequently, in full cooperation with the competent judicial entities.”

Porto teammates appear to stop Moussa Marega from leaving after racist abuse

Guardian

Porto striker Moussa Marega had to be restrained by teammates as he tried to walk off the pitch after he was apparently racial abused during his side’s 2-1 win over Vitoria de Guimarães. Marega scored what turned out to be the winner on the hour mark but felt unable to continue, his final act was to raise his two middle fingers to the home supporters.

After scoring Porto’s second, Marega celebrated his goal by pointing to his skin. In response Vitoria fans aimed abuse and threw seats from the stand at Mali international. Marega even celebrated with one of the discarded plastic seats but then made his way to the side of the pitch, with his thumbs down and seemingly booing the home supporters.

BBC pundit's criticism of Derby's 'young black lads' sparks calls for action Read more

As Marega walked to the touchline, players from both teams attempted to calm down the striker and convince him to stay on the pitch but were unsuccessful. Porto head coach Sérgio Conceição also spoke to Marega but ultimately decided to grant him his wish of leaving the pitch and brought on Wilson Manafá to replace the goalscorer.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Marega reacts to the racist chants from the crowd. Photograph: Miguel Riopa/AFP via Getty Images

After the match, Marega wrote on Instagram: “I would just like to tell these idiots who come to the stadium to make racist chants, go fuck yourself. I hope I never see you on a football field again. You are a disgrace!

“And I also thank the referees for not defending me and for giving me a yellow card because I defend my skin colour.”

Marega spent the 2016-17 season on loan at Vitoria, scoring 13 goals in 15 league appearances.

Head coach Conceição said: “We are a family regardless of nationality, skin colour, hair colour. We are human, we deserve respect. What happened here is unfortunate,.

“We are completely indignant with what happened. I know the passion that exists for Vitoria and I think that most of the fans do not see themselves (as having the same) attitude of some people who insulted Moussa since the warm-up.”

Porto's Moussa Marega gives Vitoria fans finger after apparent racist abuse

KEY POINTS The Summer Olympic Games to start July 24 in Tokyo will not be cancelled despite Covid-19

The World Health Organization says there is no case for a contingency plan to cancel or move the Games

Both in and outside the Olympics, the Covid-19 scare has led to the postponement or movement

The highest profile casualty of the raging Covid-19 outbreak might yet be the 2020 Summer Olympic Games set to open in Tokyo, Japan on July 24, and Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo is moving heaven and earth to ensure this disaster doesn't occur.

Since the end of January, Abe has gone on a high-profile media blitz to ensure countries, athletes and millions of Olympic tourists of their safety from Covid-19 in the Summer Games, which start July 24 and ends August 9 at different venues around the country.

Abe's consistent message: the Tokyo Olympics won't be postponed. On February 6, Abe told the Diet, or Japan's parliament, the 2020 Olympics won't be canceled or postponed despite fears about Covid-19 infections.

“I want to make it clear that the Organizing Committee and the International Olympic Committee are not holding any discussions whatsoever about whether or not to hold the Tokyo Games,” Abe emphasized.

Despite this, both in and outside the Olympics, the Covid-19 scare has led to the postponement or movement to another country of a number of international sports events. Among the more recent changes:

* The IOC announced Jordan as hosts of the boxing qualifiers for Asia and Oceania after the event in Wuhan was cancelled. The qualifiers will now take place in Amman from March 3 to 11.

* The International Basketball Federation moved the Feb. 6-9 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers to be held in Foshan to Belgrade, Serbia.

* A four-team women's Olympic qualifying tournament involving China, Australia, Taiwan and Thailand was moved from Wuhan to Australia.

* The World Athletics Indoor Championships scheduled in Nanjing from March 13 to 15 has been postponed to 2021.

* Formula One organizers have postponed the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai on April 19.

Photo: AFP / Behrouz MEHRI

Only the 1940 Summer Olympic Games have been cancelled, and this because of World War 2. These games were originally slated to be held in Tokyo but Japan withdrew because of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Games were then awarded to Helsinki, Finland but World War 2 erupted to cancel the Games.

The Zika Virus outbreak in 2016 threatened to cancel the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), however, decided to forge ahead despite the global public emergency declared by the World Health Organization over the Zika virus months before the Rio Olympics began.

On the other hand, a number of Olympic qualifying events have either been cancelled or relocated. Olympic organizing committees have created a taskforce to coordinate with national and international health authorities on how to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic.

"We are extremely worried that the spread of the virus could pour cold water on momentum for the Games," said Toshiro Muto, CEO of the Tokyo Organizing Committee (TOC).

Abe, Muto and the IOC have been united in repeatedly saying the Games will be held as scheduled. They have an ally in John Coates, chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, who on February 14 said there is no danger of Tokyo 2020 being cancelled or moved.

"The advice we have received from the World Health Organization (WHO) is that there is no case for a contingency plan to cancel or move the Games," said Coates. Coates conceded there could be fears among athletes about facing competitors from China, especially athletes involved in contact sports.

Coates also said the IOC is working to defuse fears among individual athletes about their health safety in Tokyo, especially when competing against the Chinese.

"We did talk about that," said Coates. "The IOC is going to ensure (information) kits are sent to all national committees to explain what's happening around the world where Chinese athletes are competing. But I can confirm Tokyo 2020 remains on track."

Coronavirus Update: Tokyo Olympics 2020 Under Threat, Sports Events Cancelled Or Moved

Tokyo Marathon will not allow general public participation because of the coronavirus outbreak, local media said on Monday.

Tokyo news agency said that Tokyo Marathon, which is scheduled on March 1 with 38,000 registered, will only be allowing elite athletes, including wheelchair racers, to take part in the upcoming pre-Olympic event.

The report said that those in the "general participants" category will not be permitted to run.

A total of 11 marathons were held across Japan on Sunday. Only 28 Chinese runners out of 386 ran the Kyoto Marathon.

The Tokyo Marathon doubles as a qualifier for the 2020 Games, and runners will be chasing the final spot on the men's Olympic marathon team. Japan men's marathon record holder Suguru Osako and past national record holder Yuta Shitara are among invitees to the race's elite category.

Tokyo Marathon to cancel general public entry

As Japan ramps up its response to the coronavirus outbreak, one of the largest sporting events in the nation will be curtailed, with participation in the Tokyo Marathon limited to elite runners and wheelchair competitors, organizers said Monday.

Thousands of runners will no longer be able to participate in the event next month due to growing fears over a domestic outbreak of COVID-19.

The decision to eliminate general participation in the largest marathon in Asia emerged amid growing debate surrounding Tokyo’s preparations to host the 2020 Olympic Games in July despite the ongoing viral outbreak.

The Tokyo Marathon, which is slated for March 1, follows a roughly 42-km route that starts at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building in Shinjuku and finishes at Tokyo Station.

Thirty-eight-thousand runners were set to run in the Tokyo Marathon this year. Participation will be drastically reduced by barring general participants to prevent further spread of the virus. Roughly 200 elite runners will participate in the marathon, which doubles as a qualifying race for the 2020 Games.

Marathon organizers had formed a panel of medical experts in January to devise safety measures as well as ways to prevent further spreading of the novel coronavirus.

On Friday, organizers asked Chinese residents to defer entry to this year’s marathon due to concern of the virus, which is thought to have originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Runners were told they would automatically qualify for next year’s marathon if they complied.

Deferred entry was offered to more than 1,800 runners of various nationalities based in China, where, as of Monday, the coronavirus has caused nearly 1,800 deaths and infected more than 70,000 individuals.

The outbreak has led to the cancelation or relocation of sporting events around the world. In January, the International Olympic Committee relocated the Tokyo 2020 Olympic boxing qualifying tournament for the Asian and Oceanic region, which was originally scheduled to take place Feb. 3-14, to the Jordanian capital of Amman.

Olympic women’s soccer qualifying slated for Feb. 3-9 was moved from Wuhan, the city at the epicenter of the outbreak, to Australia, while Asian Champions League games involving Chinese clubs, including several scheduled to take place in Japan, have been pushed back to April and May.

Formula One’s Shanghai Grand Prix, originally scheduled for Apr. 19, has also been postponed.

Despite growing concerns that the novel coronavirus might impact the 2020 Olympics, organizers insist the game will go on.

After saying he was “seriously worried” the virus could dampen hype for the 2020 Games earlier this month, Yoshiro Muto, president of the Tokyo Organising Committee, backtracked and said cancelation or postponement was out of the question.

The 2020 Olympics, which will commence on July 24 with an opening ceremony, will play host to more than 11,000 athletes from over 200 nations.

Tokyo Marathon canceled for 38,000 runners over COVID-19 fears

"United by Emotion" will be the official Motto of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, organizers announced on Friday.

The Motto will be displayed, in English only, in a variety of environments and applications, such as at competition venues, on city decorations and on licensed goods. It will also feature in digital media, ensuring worldwide attention.

The three-world slogan "expresses the hope that the spectators, volunteers, and athletes from over 200 national Olympic committees and refugee Olympic team gathering in Tokyo this summer," said Toshiro Muto, the CEO of Tokyo 2020.

He also said that the motto summarizes the ideas that the host city wishes to "share with the world."

But it immediately raised concerns from Japanese media because there will no official Japanese version for the motto. The motto is normally unveiled in two languages when the Olympic Games is held in a country where English was not the native language.

Muto said the English version is very "simple" and people can understand it clearly.

"If you translate it into Japanese, you will find many different words," he said.

'United by Emotion' announced as Tokyo 2020 Games Motto

وصف محمد البرادعي، المدير العام السابق للوكالة الدولية للطاقة الذرية الحديث عن أن العالم يتآمر ضد العرب بأنه "غير دقيق".

ورأى أن الأصح أن "العالم للأسف لا يأخذ الضعيف في الحسبان"، معللا موقفه هذا بالقول "إذا أردنا أن يستمع العالم لنا ولقضايانا فلا بد أن نكون أقوياء بشعوبنا، بثقافتنا، بعلمنا، باقتصادنا، برؤيتنا وبسلاحنا. لا يكفى أن يكون الحق معنا ما لم ندعمه بقوة ناعمة وأخرى صلبة".

الحديث أن العالم يتآمر ضد العرب والمسلمين غير دقيق. الأصح أن العالم للأسف لايأخذ الضعيف فى الحسبان. إذا أردنا أن يستمع العالم لنا ولقضايانا فلابد أن نكون أقوياء بشعوبنا، بثقافتنا، بعلمنا، باقتصادنا، برؤيتنا وبسلاحنا. لايكفى أن يكون الحق معنا ما لم ندعمه بقوة ناعمة وأخرى صلبة — Mohamed ElBaradei (@ElBaradei) February 17, 2020

هذه التغريدة سبقتها أخرى، استعرض فيها البرادعي واقع الحال في مجلس الأمن أثناء مناقشته "صفقة القرن"، ومواقف الدول الأعضاء في المحكمة الجنائية الدولية حيال أهلية النظر في جرائم الحرب في فلسطين، ليصل إلى نتيجة مفادها أن التأييد للقضايا العربية تدريجيا " ينكمش والنفوذ العربي يتلاشى"، ثم يعلق بسخرية مبطنة قائلا: "يا لها من مفاجأة!".

مجلس الأمن:مشروع القرار ضد "صفقة القرن" يفشل حتى فى الحصول على الأغلبية التى تضطر أمريكا لاستخدام الڤيتو. المحكمة الجنائية الدولية: دول كثيرة تطالب برفض اختصاص المحكمة التحقيق فى جرائم الحرب فى فلسطين.تدريجيا التأييد للقضايا العربية ينكمش والنفوذ العربي يتلاشى. يالها من مفاجأة! — Mohamed ElBaradei (@ElBaradei) February 16, 2020

المصدر: تويتر

البرادعي: النفوذ العربي يتلاشى.. يا لها من مفاجأة!

اهتمت وسائل إعلام تركية بمقطع فيديو لرئيس الوزراء الباكستاني عمران خان، وهو يعبر عن ثقته في أن أردوغان لو خاض الانتخابات المقبلة في باكستان فسيفوز.

إقرأ المزيد

ونقل موقع "ترك برس" عن عمران خان، أن ما ذهب إليه يعود إلى الحفاوة التي لقيها الرئيس التركي أثناء الكلمة التي ألقاها في البرلمان الباكستاني.

SN CUMHURBAŞKAN’I RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN’I

İÇİN PAKİSTAN BAŞBAKANI İMRAN HAN ŞÖYLE DEDİ:

“Erdoğan Pakistan'da seçime girse kazanır" pic.twitter.com/bulq2NrpCM — İbrahim Melih Gökçek (@06melihgokcek) February 15, 2020

وذكر المصدر ذاته، أن رئس الوزراء الباكستاني، قال إنه يشاهد للمرة الأولى في حياته تصفيق مؤيدي الحكومة الباكستانية في البرلمان وأولئك الذين يعارضونها في نفس الوقت.

يذكر أن الرئيس التركي رجب طيب أردوغان كان قد "حضر الجلسة المشتركة للمجلس الوطني ومجلس الشيوخ في العاصمة الباكستانية إسلام آباد على هامش زيارة رسمية قام بها للمشاركة في الاجتماع السادس لمجلس التعاون الاستراتيجي التركي الباكستاني رفيع المستوى".

المصدر: ترك برس

عمران خان: سيفوز أردوغان لو خاض الانتخابات المقبلة في باكستان!

تداول ناشطون عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي في تونس، مقطع فيديو يظهر فرقة تغني أناشيد وأدعية دينية داخل ملهى ليلي، أو ما يعرف بالـ"حضرة الإسلامية"، ما أثار جدلا واسعا في البلاد.

واستنكر ناشطون تونسيون، ترديد الأناشيد والأدعية الدينية في الملهى الليلي الواقع في ضاحية قمرت بالعاصمة تونس، معربين عن رفضهم للأمر.

يحدث في #تونس

حضرة في ملهى ليلي في ڨمرت..

تتوقع كل شي في تونس..

" اللهم لا تآخذنا بما فعل السفهاء منا " pic.twitter.com/3FKYB39RRg — Sarra Mansouri (@sarah_mansourii) February 16, 2020

والحضرة هي مصطلح إسلامي صوفي يطلق على مجالس الذكر الجماعية، وتعد من التراث التونسي حيث انتشرت منذ تسعينيات القرن الماضي عروض الحضرة التي مزجت التراث الصوفي في الغناء والرقص والموسيقى، وحظيت بجمهور واسع لدى التونسيين.

المصدر: RT

"حضرة إسلامية" في ملهى ليلي تثير جدلا في تونس (فيديو)

ظهر مدرب ريال مدريد، الفرنسي زين الدين زيدان، في لقطة كوميدية، أثناء مجريات المباراة التي جمعت فريقه بضيفه سلتا فيغو أمس الأحد، في ختام مباريات الأسبوع الـ24 من الدوري الإسباني.

وفي الدقيقة 61، وعندما كان زيدان يوجه لاعبيه من المنطقة المخصصة للمدربين، تفاجأ بمدافع سلتا فيغو، الغاني جوزيف أودو وهو يندفع نحوه، من أجل الحفاظ على كرته لكي لا تخرج إلى رمية تماس، لكن المدافع وجد نفسه أمام المدرب الفرنسي ليصدم به ويسقط الثنائي أرضا في لقطة كوميدية.

Celta out here trying to injure zidane pic.twitter.com/cR5axlYVmu — Sami (@SamiZaiiin) February 16, 2020

وتناقل رواد مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي على نطاق واسع، صورة أودو خلال اصطدامه بزيدان، حيث يظهر المدافع الغاني مستلقيا على الأرض وقدمه اليمنى ملتصقة بخد المدرب الفرنسي.

Pione Sisto trying to show Zidane the difference between Headbutt and Legbutt! � Materazzi should be proud! � pic.twitter.com/yVdeKTy4e3 — BeksFCB (@Joshua_Ubeku) February 16, 2020

ولم يخلف هذا الاصطدام أي إصابات، حيث نهض زيدان بسرعة وواصل توجيه لاعبيه، كما استكمل أودو المباراة، التي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 2-2، ليحافظ ريال مدريد على صدارة الدوري الإسباني برصيد 53 نقطة، بفارق نقطة واحدة أمام برشلونة الوصيف.

مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي

سقوط كوميدي لزيدان يشعل مواقع التواصل (فيديو)

With Hong Kong gripped by shortages amid the coronavirus chaos, an armed gang ambushed a supermarket delivery driver and stole 600 rolls of toilet paper at knifepoint.

As the Covid-19 crisis worsens, many residents in Hong Kong have begun stockpiling toilet paper, cleaning products and basic foods, amid fears of shortages. In particular, authorities have pleaded with the public to not stockpile toilet paper in their homes as it could grow mouldy given the high humidity in the city.

When your city is under siege of the coronavirus and toilet paper is in short supply. Hong Kong#coronavirus#COVIDー19pic.twitter.com/TGyViXP39P — James Chillax �� (@MrChillLax) February 17, 2020

However, the prospect of rationing toilet roll proved too grim for the knife-wielding gang, who held up the delivery truck and swiped HK$1,700 (nearly $220) worth of the coveted goods. Two of the gang were later caught and arrested by police and the entire stash of toilet paper was recovered. Authorities are still hunting the third thief.

So far, there have been at least 57 coronavirus cases confirmed in Hong Kong. In mainland China the death toll has reached over 1,700, with approximately 70,000 cases confirmed.

Also on rt.com From clothes to condoms: Coronavirus is threatening global consumption in ways you never knew were possible

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Armed bog roll bandits busted in $220 Hong Kong heist amid coronavirus shortages

A gang of knife-wielding men jumped a delivery driver in Hong Kong and stole hundreds of toilet rolls, police said Monday, in a city wracked by shortages caused by coronavirus panic-buying.

Toilet rolls have become hot property in the densely packed business hub, despite government assurances that supplies remain unaffected by the virus outbreak.

Supermarkets have found themselves unable to restock quickly enough, leading to sometimes lengthy queues and shelves wiped clean within moments of opening.

There has also been a run on staples such as rice and pasta, as well as hand sanitiser and other cleaning items.

Photo: AFP / Philip FONG

Police said a truck driver was held up early Monday by three men outside a supermarket in Mong Kok, a working-class district with a history of "triad" organised crime gangs.

"A delivery man was threatened by three knife-wielding men who took toilet paper worth more than HK$1,000 ($130)," a police spokesman told AFP.

A police source told AFP the missing rolls were later recovered and two suspects arrested, while a third remains on the run.

Footage from Now TV showed police investigators standing around multiple crates of toilet roll outside a Wellcome supermarket. One of the crates was only half stacked.

Hong Kongers reacted with a mixture of bafflement and merriment to the heist.

Photo: NOW TV /

One woman passing by the scene of the crime who was interviewed by local TV station iCable quipped: "I'd steal face masks, but not toilet roll."

The city, which has 58 confirmed coronavirus cases, is currently experiencing a genuine shortage of face masks.

The hysteria that has swept through Hong Kong since the coronavirus outbreak exploded on mainland China is partly fuelled by the city's tragic recent history of confronting a deadly disease.

In 2003, some 299 Hong Kongers died of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), an outbreak that began on the mainland but was initially covered up by Beijing -- action that left a lasting legacy of distrust towards the authorities on public health issues.

The new coronavirus outbreak also comes at a time when the city's pro-Beijing leadership has historic low approval ratings after refusing to bow to months of angry pro-democracy protests last year.

Authorities have blamed online rumours for the panic-buying and say supplies of food and household goods remain stable.

But the panic-buying has itself created shortages in one of the world's most densely populated cities where supermarkets and pharmacies have limited floor space.

Photos posted online have shown some people proudly stuffing their cramped city apartments with packets of hoarded toilet rolls.

She also reiterated that there were ample stocks of paper.

Armed Gang Steals Toilet Rolls In Panic-buying Hong Kong

India Today

Air India had conducted an emergency evacuation operations from Wuhan, the epicentre of the novel coronavirus outbreak in China. (Photo: PTI)

A total of 68 Air India crew members, who were part of the two special flights that evacuated 647 Indians and seven Maldivians from coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan, were handed over letters of appreciation signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday.

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri handed over the letters of appreciation to each crew member in a ceremony held here.

Air India conducted its first special flight to Wuhan on January 31 using jumbo B747 plane, evacuating 324 Indians.

In its second special flight on February 1, the national carrier used another B747 plane, evacuating 323 Indians and seven Maldivians from Wuhan in China.

"Today's gathering is unique in many respects. At the least, it represents a template and a new high in professionalism. It presents a very good standard for entities that are commercial in nature but are dedicated to the country.

"Air India has always been a first class asset. Today, it is an airline which goes 42 international destinations and 82 domestic destinations...but more important than that, Air India represents quality and excellence," Puri said.

The Centre has initiated the process to sell-off Air India, which incurred a loss of over Rs 8,000 crore in 2018-19.

Why is it that the ones who run the airlines find it difficult to make money, he asked, adding that airlines all over the world have a greater propensity to run into financial problems.

Rajeev Bansal, Chairman and Managing Director, Air India, said,"Air India is a national carrier and serving for the national cause is not something new for it. It is in its DNA."

"It was a commendable job. I would obviously commend Captain Amitabh Singh who is in charge of operations at Air India," he added.

He said while 68 persons have received letters of appreciation from the prime minister, there were many others who contributed to the Wuhan evacuation.

Ashwani Lohani, who retired as Air India CMD last Friday, said when the names of crew members were shortlisted, not even one of them came forward and say that we would not go.

"We are extremely proud that the team of Air India went for this mission in utter disregard for their own health....I can only say that it was a job well done," he added.

Air India crew, part of Wuhan evacuation, gets letters of appreciation by PM Modi

Air India's disinvestment will not face any problems this time as the interest shown by prospective buyers has been reassuring, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday.

He said the government wants Air India to keep flying as a brand for years to come.

The minister also assured the employees at Air India that their requirements would be foremost in the airline and factored in whatever arrangement is decided with the successor.

In the Preliminary Information Memorandum issued a few weeks ago for Air India's stake sale, the government had stated that the brand name would have to kept as it is by the future owner.

"The strongest support that you have on your future comes from the government. We not only want to keep Air India flying as a brand but we want to ensure that continued operation will end the uncertainty of last many years," Puri said at an event here.

The fact that Air India has been facing financial challenges is not something that is unknown, he added.

"I don't think anyone can run an airline without the people that actually make it," Puri said.

"Somebody asks what will happen to the staff. The staff will be required by whoever will be the new entity managing or owning it. There has been no recruitment for how many years. There is no surplus staff," he said.

"Don't ever be under the impression that this time around, there will be any problems (in disinvestment). There will not be. The amount of interest I am seeing in the acquisition and the quarters from where I am seeing it, I am reassured," he added.

Various employee unions of Air India in the last few months have expressed uncertainty about their future as the government has moved ahead with the stake sale plan.

"Whoever are the eligible bidders, the requirement of the staff the people who run the airline would be foremost," the minister said.

Addressing the concerns of employees, he said, "Your good work is not only being appreciated but will also be factored into the successor arrangement which will come in after this."

This time there would be no problem in Air India disinvestment: Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

ABC Online

As Holden announces its exit from Australia, here are some of the cars which have made the brand

Posted

According to a 1980s advertising campaign, Australians loved "football, meat pies, kangaroos and Holden cars".

The announcement that parent company General Motors would axe the famous brand by the end of 2021 comes less than three years after Holden ended its Australian manufacturing operations.

But there was a time when the manufacturer dominated the local market and even exported cars to Asia, rather than the other way around.

The cars have left their mark on the country, creating memories of summer holidays, first cars and first dates.

Here's a look back at some of the famous Holden names.

'She's a beauty': The first Holden

The Holden 48-215, which became known as the FX, was its first vehicle wholly manufactured in Australia.

Before then, Holden had made car bodies or manufactured cars using American parts.

Due to being cut off from some supplies during World War II, the Chifley government determined Australia should build its own car.

This was to avoid reliance on overseas supply chains, to provide work and rebuild the post-war economy.

Prime minister Ben Chifley officially unveiled the car on November 29, 1948, at Fishermans Bend in Port Melbourne, saying "She's a beauty".

The FX was a robust and economical family sedan, designed for the Australian environment and sold for $733 (including tax), which was equivalent to 94 weeks' wages for the average worker.

The car was an instant success and Holden could not satisfy demand.

The top seller — HQ Kingswood

Produced between 1971 and 1974, the Holden HQ Kingswood is the manufacturer's highest-selling model.

Some 485,650 cars were sold at a time when Australia had a population of around 13 million people.

The Kingswood name was immortalised in the 1980s comedy Kingswood Country, with lead character Ted Bullpit frequently denying family members the chance to use his pride and joy.

"The Kingswood! You're not taking the Kingswood."

The Kingswood nameplate was eventually phased out in 1984 for the popular Commodore.

First Bathurst win — Holden Monaro

Arriving in 1968, Holden's sporty Monaro turned heads.

It was fast, and in the same year claimed Holden's first victory at Mount Panorama in the race then known as the Bathurst 500, also winning pole position and the fastest lap.

It also became the first coupe to win Wheels magazine's Car of the Year.

A year later, a newer version of the Monaro featured the first Australian-made V8 engine.

Holden produced three generations of the famous name, the later coming between 2001 and 2005 after enthusiastic support of a Commodore concept coupe displayed at the 1998 Sydney Motor Show.

It was sold by Vauxhall in the United Kingdom and in 2004, was awarded Top Gear magazine's best muscle car.

Original Monaros can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions, as demonstrated in 2018.

Brash and powerful — HSV Maloo ute

The ute has always been considered an Australian icon for tradies and the Holden V8 Maloo was the ute on steroids.

While the Holden Rodeo may have been a more practical and cheaper option, the Holden Special Vehicles team produced this monster.

Hallmarked by sleek lines and an iconic hardtop tray cover, the Maloo R8 was the peak of power combined with practicality and the R8 models specifically were powerful machines.

Arguably the Z and E Series models of the mid to late naughties are the icons of this variety that may be well remembered.

The last Maloo off the line, the 2017 R8N LSA, was made to celebrate 30 years of HSV in Australia and was coloured spitfire green.

It was hard to miss even if the cost of $79,990 was prohibitive, and it is the last of an iconic line.

Holden Commodore — Popular and lasting

It won races and captured hearts.

The Holden Commodore was first launched in 1978 and will be among the last of the brand sold in Australia.

Millions of Commodores have sold over the last 42 years and they are as popular on the racetrack as they are off it, being driven to 16 touring car and Supercar championships and 26 Bathurst victories.

It was also the best-selling vehicle in Australia for 15 consecutive years until 2011.

By 2012 though, it had been overtaken by Mazda as the tastes and demands of Australian drivers changed.

It was also the last vehicle Holden made in Australia, with the final Holden produced at its Elizabeth plant rolling off the line on October 20, 2017.

Topics: automobile-enthusiasm, automotive, industry, business-economics-and-finance, australia

As Holden announces its exit from Australia, here are some of the cars which have made the brand

Holden heartland mourns loss of historic car brand 164 years after foundation in SA

Posted

For former Holden worker and lifelong enthusiast Cara Bertoli, the decision to end the brand she has loved for so many years came as a shock, even though she half-expected it to happen.

Key points: Parent company General Motors said the Holden brand was no longer competitive and would be "retired"

Holden has a history stretching back 164 years to colonial South Australia

A local enthusiast and former employee is confident the carmaker's legacy will live on

"It's a bit of a sinking-heart feeling, I guess," she said.

"There were those rumours going around that yes, the brand name might eventually die off, but I guess it's one of those things, when you're loyal to the brand, you hope as much as you can that it doesn't happen.

"Unfortunately, it looks like it's reached that point, sadly."

Parent company General Motors announced it would axe the Holden brand by the end of the year.

Ms Bertoli is among many in South Australia — the historic heartland of Holden — who are mourning its loss.

She worked at the Elizabeth plant in Adelaide's north, leaving before it closed in 2017, and today remains a proud owner of four Holden vehicles.

"I was there for six years — the best years of my life with all the people I worked with. I do certainly miss it every day," she said.

Ms Bertoli, who has at times copped abuse because of her passion, said her love of Holden cars began when she was a child, when she would sit in her grandfather's vehicle.

"It's been with me since I was a little kid. My grandpa had [one] which we used to drive around the block with," she said.

"That was always good fun and [I] just kept it going."

It is fond memories like these that make Ms Bertoli confident Holden's legacy will live on for many years to come.

"Hopefully people go into the history and learn about what Holden was when it first started — whether it be here or Fishermans Bend — and learn about it and understand it and preserve it," she said.

'It didn't have to be this way'

The writing has been on the wall for Holden ever since the carmaker ceased Australian manufacturing in 2017.

It was the culmination of a process which began in 2013 when, amid political debate about the future of Australia's car industry, Holden first announced its intentions to leave.

Last year, in a sign of what was to come, Holden scrapped the Commodore along with the once-popular Astra.

"It didn't have to be this way. There were plenty of opportunities to take a different course but this is the one we've ended up with," said journalist Royce Kurmelovs, who grew up in Adelaide's north and authored the book The Death of Holden.

"In terms of the decision that was made today, it was a global corporate decision … [and] the Holden brand lost out.

"This car was fundamental to Australian identity. 'Meat pies and Holden cars' was the image from the period in the mid-70s onwards. Losing it was losing part of us."

Adelaide was Australia's first Holden town and has long been the spiritual home of the brand — which is older than cars themselves.

The story dates back to 1856, when English migrant James Alexander Holden established a business to service a very different kind of transport.

"[Holden] began life as a saddlery on King William Street and evolved, before being bought out by General Motors," Mr Kurmelovs said.

After the Fishermans Bend plant was established in the 1930s, Holden's glory years occurred in the decades following World War II, when the new Elizabeth plant churned out thousands of cars each month.

The Commodore was launched in 1978 and came to boast annual sales of more than 200,000, becoming the nation's best-selling car for 15 consecutive years.

But Australia's car market eventually fell out of love with large sedans, and Commodore sales dwindled after massive peaks in the late 1990s.

"There are people who'd worked in Holdens for 35 years — this was not only just their bread and butter, it was how they measured their own self-worth," rock legend Jimmy Barnes told the ABC last year.

"The fact that they were working in Holdens, which was an iconic Australian company, it was sort of a connection to the country as well."

Topics: automotive, manufacturing, industry, community-and-society, work, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

Holden heartland mourns loss of historic car brand 164 years after foundation in SA

Vinay Kumar Sharma, one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, was assaulted in court and has head injuries, his lawyer told the courton Monday.

During hearing of applications moved by Nirbhaya's parents and the Delhi government, seeking fresh death warrants for the four convicts, the convict's lawyer told the court that Vinay is suffering from acute mental illness and death sentence cannot be carried out.

Earlier, Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana was informed that convict Vinay Sharma is on hunger strike in Tihar jail. On Vinay Sharma's hunger strike, the court directed jail superintendent to take appropriate his care as per law.

Convict Akshay's lawyer also told the court on Monday that he has prepared a fresh mercy petition to be moved before the President.

Meanwhile, Mukesh Kumar Singh told the court on Monday that he does not want to be represented by advocate Vrinda Grover.

The court is hearing applications moved by Nirbhaya's parents and the Delhi government, seeking fresh death warrants for the four convicts after the Supreme Court granted liberty to the authorities to approach the trial court for issuance of fresh date for the execution of these convicts

The Patiala House Court had observed that Article 21 of the Constitution protects the life and liberty of the convicts till the last breath of life.

Asha Devi, the mother of the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, earlier on Monday voiced hope that fresh death warrants would be issued against all four convicts.

Speaking to ANI, Asha Devi said, "Several dates (of court hearing) have come and gone but fresh death warrants have not been issued yet. But we go with new hope in every hearing. Their (convicts') lawyers use new tactics every day, I cannot say what will happen today but I am hopeful."

The court is hearing applications moved by Nirbhaya's parents and the Delhi government, seeking fresh death warrants for the four convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31).

The date of execution, first fixed for January 22 in Tihar jail, was postponed for 6 am on February 1 by a January 17 court order. The trial court later, on January 31 stayed, "till further orders" the execution of the four convicts in the case, who are lodged in Tihar Jail.

The 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang-raped and savagely assaulted on the night of December 16, 2012, in a moving bus in South Delhi. She died of her injuries a fortnight later in a Singapore hospital.

Six people including the four convicts, Ram Singh and a juvenile -- were named as accused.

The trial of the five adult men began in a special fast-track court in March 2013.

Ram Singh, the prime accused, allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in Tihar jail days after the trial began. The juvenile, who was said to be the most brutal of the attackers, was put in a correctional home for three years.

The juvenile was released in 2015 and sent to an undisclosed location amid concerns over a threat to his life. He, when released, was 20 years old. Mukesh, Vinay, Akshay and Pawan were sentenced to death in September 2013 by the trial court.

Also Read | What about my rights: Nirbhaya's mother breaks down in court as convict now says he has no legal aid

Nirbhaya convict Vinay suffering from acute mental illness, on hunger strike, his lawyer tells court

Al Sumaria

وقال المركز في بيان تلقت السومرية نيوز نسخة منه، إن "المدان قام بالاشتراك مع متهمين آخرين متفرقة قضاياهم بإطلاق النار من بندقية نوع كلاشينكوف كان يحملها ما أدى الى قتل شخصين وإصابة آخر على خلفية عداء سابق سببه قيام شقيق أحد المجني عليهما بقتل ابن عم المدان".وأضاف المركز، أن "المحكمة وجدت أن الأدلة المتحصلة كافية لإدانة المتهم والحكم عليه بالاعدام شنقا حتى الموت وفق أحكام المادة 406 /1 /ز من قانون العقوبات وبدلالة مواد الاشتراك 47 و48 و49 منه".