Tag Archives: WHO

June 21, 2022 · 6:22 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of June 19, 2022)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of June 19, 2022.

Global News

The World Health Organization is creating a vaccine-sharing program with nations in Africa and 30 countries outside the continent to combat Monkeypox. However, the program might draw away vaccines from the continent to richer countries where the cases of Monkeypox are mostly mild whereas the ailment is endemic in Central and Western Africa.

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Explainer: The Russian war against Ukraine is causing a global food shortage and raising global food prices.

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While not published last week, here is a guide for making one’s garden into a carbon sink.

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Americas

Columbia has elected their first leftist president in former rebel Gustavo Petro. Several other Latin American countries have also elected more progressive and leftist presidents, but in Columbia there was a mood of who the electorate wanted least in power.

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Puerto Rican politicians are pushing to hold a vote on the future of the island as either a commonwealth, independent or the 51st State of the United States of America.

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Juneteenth celebration in America, commemorating the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas June 19, 1865, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery in Texas.

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Africa

Explainer: The tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo goes back decades and is currently flaring again.

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Facebook moderators failed to remove extremist content from Jihadist groups such as Islamic State and al-Shabab according to a study by Institute for Strategic Dialogue.

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Explainer: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and “Farmgate”, which could see the president facing criminal charges.

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Europe

Dutch authorities stopped a GRU operative from infiltrating the International Criminal Court in the Hauge. The ICC is currently investigating war crimes allegations against Russia in Ukraine.

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The United Kingdom and European Union are in a row over a unilateral change to the Brexit agreement made by the UK government regarding trade on the Northern Ireland border.

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The EU will fine tech companies that fail to consistently deal with deepfakes with fines up to 6% of global turnover.

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Middle East

Israel and Egypt signed a deal with the EU to export natural gas and oil in exchange for the EU’s assistance with energy exploration in the two nations’ territorial waters.

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The EU has unfrozen aid for the Palestinian Authority.

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In Iraq, Muqtada al-Sadr, the head of the Sadrist movement and ordered 73 politicians from his movement to resign from the government.

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Asia

Bank customers in Henan, China found their COVID tracker apps turning red when they entered the city to withdrawal money from troubled rural banks, denying them access to public services like trains and entry into buildings. 

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China launches the Type 003 “Fujian” carrier on Friday.

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Islamic State launched an attack on the Sikh community in Afghanistan, killing one and wounding seven in Kabul.

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February 14, 2022 · 6:39 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of February 13, 2022)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of Feb. 13, 2022.

Global News

Climate change threatens the ability of some regions of the world to adapt.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet and more variants are likely according to the World Health Organization’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan.

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Deloitte’s 2022 Global Health Care Outlook highlights the six major issues affecting global health for the coming year. Some of these issues include mental health, access to care, and digital changes and the environment.

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Americas

Canadian police have cleared protestors from Ambassador bridge on Sunday. The bridge accounts for 25% of US-Canadian trade traffic. The majority of Canadians do not support the ongoing protests in Ottawa.

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Fact Check: Canadian protestors and the “Freedom Convoy”.

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Africa

Somaliland foreign minister Essa Kayd told China the country cannot dictate their relationship with Taiwan. Beijing has largely undermined Taiwan’s recognition in Africa, with only eSwatini having full recognition by Taiwan.

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European Union officials are now focusing on assisting African nations with COVID-19 vaccination challenges such as low shelf life, vaccine training, hesitancy and logistics of distribution of the vaccines. However, African nations such as South Africa are also focusing on developing their own capacity to produce vaccines domestically to avoid over-reliance on imported vaccines.

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Women farmers in Sierra Leone are utilizing swamp lands for agriculture through a agricultural collective. The collective is not only using a potentially greater yielding environment for farming, it’s also providing autonomy and economic growth opportunities for the community.

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Europe

Finland, a non-NATO member sharing a border with Russia, has bought dozens of F-35 stealth aircraft and surface-to-surface missiles from Lockheed Martin. This is part of the country’s ongoing work to improve their military and not related to current tensions between Russia, Ukraine and NATO.

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A former senior general has called for Putin to resign over the Ukraine crisis and other issues related to Putin’s rule of the country.

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Leaders from several political parties met to work on a government after Erdogan, including former members of the current President’s own party.

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Explainer: Putin’s negotiation strategy over Ukraine, according to analysts.

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Middle East

Israel is working on a systemic integration of AI and digital technologies throughout all branches of the military.

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Daesh remains a transnational threat despite prior losses in territory and leadership.

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Protestors have continued for a fifth day in the Syrian city of Sweida, despite government forces being sent in to patrol the streets. The protesters are upset over the living conditions and loss of government supports, in a nation where 90% of the population lives in poverty according to the United Nations.

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Asia

Indonesia is testing a domestic COVID-19 vaccine, the “Merah Putih” or “Red and White”, on human subjects as part of an effort to improve vaccination rates in the largest South East Asian nation. If successful, the government plans to increase domestic vaccination rates and donate the vaccine to other nations.

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The Quad alliance is seeking new “dialogue members” as the organization creates a united front against authoritarian regimes. Initially set up to counter increasing aggressiveness from Beijing, the Quad is also working on efforts to combat COVID-19 and how to work better with organizations like Association of South East Asian Nations.

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The International Labor Organization released a report detailing continued abuses of Uighur and other Turkic and Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, China, by Beijing. While denying the allegations, Beijing continues to claim the local government is promoting vocational training, language studies and “de-extremism” despite ongoing allegations from locals and human rights groups and international agencies. As covered in an earlier study posted on Global Affairs Weekly, some of the Uighur militants who crossed into Northern Afghanistan did so in response to Beijing’s activities, and some Jihadist groups are also citing the CCP’s policies and actions in Xinjiang as a rallying cry for regional militants.

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January 24, 2022 · 6:07 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of January 23, 2022)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of Jan. 23, 2022.

Global News

A tax on pollution aimed at companies might incentivize companies to actually invest in cleaner energy and green production methods according to new research.

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The Catholic Church will now formally recognize women for lay roles of catechist and lector. These roles had long been performed by women informally despite being officially reserved for men, but Pope Francis recently announced they would be formally recognized by the Church.

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How much electricity is produced by renewable energy sources will vary, but this infographic gives some of the latest estimates and helps clarify the challenges the world faces in transitioning to clean electricity.

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Americas

Fish exports from Brazil is making major gains in China, but a lack of regulation in Brazil threatens local communities and risks overfishing. The parts of the fish being exported are normally thrown away, but in China they’re valued for medical uses.

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The Canadian Trucking Alliance, an organization representing truckers across Canada, spoke out against planned protests scheduled for Jan. 29 at the nation’s capital. The protests target the cross-border vaccine travel mandate by Canada and the United States, which requires truckers to be fully vaccinated.

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The Biden Administration introduced new rules to help attract talent from foreign students by introducing rules to help international students spend up to 36 months in academic training. The Department of Homeland Security also introduced 22 new fields to a program that provides three years of training with employers and another initiative aimed at connecting domestic employers with trained international students.

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Africa

An explainer on why the military is in mutiny in Burkina Faso.

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Enset, a traditional staple in the diets of communities in South and Southwest Ethiopia, could provide millions with food security as climate change changes rain patterns and threatens crops.

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COVID vaccines will need a shelf-life of three to six months to be effectively distributed by recipient countries, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Many of the received vaccines have expired due to logistical challenges and storage requirements.

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Europe

Protestors in Istanbul protest against the hosting of the Olympics in China, citing human rights abuses and allegations of genocide against the Uighur population.

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Ukrainian government officials are treating the claims about Moscow attempting a coup to install a sympathetic government in Kyiv as credible. The claims were made by the U.K. foreign office, allegedly based on US intelligence but have not provided evidence yet.

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A Taliban delegation headed to Norway on Sunday probably to convince The US and Western nations to unfreeze financial assets to the tune of $10 billion. The delegation will meet for three days with delegations from the US, Western government officials, human rights and women’s rights advocates, and members of the Afghan community in Norway.

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Middle East

An Israeli company developed a drone capable of firing sniper rifles or standard rifles while flying. The drone is in advanced stages of development and not yet ready for deployment, but the system is based on existing technology used against Hamas.

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Iran may be voting in the United Nations General Assembly soon after South Korea paid off the country’s outstanding dues. The funds were obtained from frozen Iranian assets in South Korea, and in active coordination with the United Nations Secretariat, US Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control and other agencies.

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Due to COVID-19, the League of Arab States will be rescheduling their annual meeting. While no agenda has been set, there are many issues for the group to focus on.

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Asia

Chinese investment causes trouble in Serbia.

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Afghan women graduates of Code to Inspire are turning to crypto currencies to receive aid and money from abroad as Taliban rule has left the economy in ruins. The organization, based in Herat, taught women how to code before the Taliban took over, and these women had taught others how to set up wallets to receive and transact in crypto currencies as a way to get around the frozen financial system and limits on cash withdrawals at local banks.

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Eighty-four percent of the population of Tonga has been affected by ashfall and a tsunami as a result of the recent volcanic eruption. Limited communications and Internet have been restored and aid is coming from New Zealand and Australia, while aid has been promised from Japan, China, The Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

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December 20, 2021 · 5:50 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of December 19, 2021)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of Dec. 19, 2021.

Global News

The “hacker-for-hire” industry is taking on new and threatening potential with competing spyware companies targeting political dissidents for authoritarian countries.

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The United Nations has failed to open new negotiations governing the use of Lethal Autonomous Weapon Systems (LAWS) after push back by weapon system creators such as Russia and the United States.

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United Nations special rapporteur for the human rights situation in Myanmar, Tom Andrews, called upon the international community to work with Bangladesh to help with Rohingya refugees in the country while cutting off resources and support to the Myanmar military.

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Americas

Anvisa, the national health regulator of Brazil, has requested additional law enforcement support after growing threats from anti-vaccine proponents stemming from the organization’s approval of COVID-19 vaccines for young children. Jair Bolsonaro, the president of Brazil and major source of anti-vaccine sentiments, has threatened to release identities of those working at Anvisa and has spread misinformation throughout the country.

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Chile elected the youngest president in the country’s history, Gabriel Boric, with 56% of the vote. Boric plans on introducing European style social democracy to the country to tackle economic and social inequalities, but faces a divided congress and a rewriting of the nation’s constitution. However, this may also be a bell weather for the rest of Latin America.

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Africa

Morocco is starting to implement recycling via composting waste with the help of Swiss company Elephant Vert (translated as Green Elephant). However, the kingdom still lacks a comprehensive sorting and collection.

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The United Nations voted to set up a three-person team to investigate human rights abuses in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, much to the objections of the government. While a report on abuses in the region already exists, it may be under reporting abuses.

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A national public consultation is scheduled to be held between January and March 2022, according to Tunisian president Kais Saied, as part of plans to create a national referendum on political reforms scheduled for July 25, 2022. The Parliament is still frozen and will be until December 17, 2022, though they will be impacted by the referendum.

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Europe

Thousands are protesting proposed legislation that would force the sale of TVN, a US-owned channel that has been critical of the government. This follows other attempts by the Polish government to target critics in the media, according to opposition parties and protestors.

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Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated Moscow is ready to increase provocative actions along the border with Ukraine and other former Soviet countries if their demands are not taken seriously by NATO and the West. Among those demands are keeping Ukraine and other former Soviet countries from joining NATO and rolling back military deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. These demands may be viewed as provocative to the West, but they might be considered defensive by Moscow, which views their regional security as under threat by an expanding NATO encircling Russia’s Western border.

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German environment minister, Steffi Lemke, warns of the next crisis is a biodiversity crisis. While fighting against climate change is needed, lawmakers and society also need to combat the loss of species, and there can be overlap of efforts such as restoration of natural habitats to fight both.

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Middle East

Artifacts ravaged by Daesh (Islamic State) are being restored in the Museum of Mosul in Iraq, with the help of French and American and local experts. In addition, the Iraqi government is making repatriation of stolen artifacts a priority and plans restoring the museum to its pre Daesh state.

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The first confirmed case of Omicron variant of COVID-19 has been announced in Iran by the health ministry. There are two more potential cases under review, and the alleged source was a middle-aged man coming back from travel in the United Arab Emirates.

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Idlib, Syria still needs aid and humanitarian assistance, but the deliveries into rebel-held territory by the United Nations requires authorization that is set to expire Jan. 10, 2022.

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Asia

Laos and China opened a scenic railway connecting the capital of Laos, Vientiane, with Kunming in Southern China. Laos is heavily indebted to China already and faces potential risks from the rail project such as being unable to pay off the investment and being on the hook for some or all of the debt if the project fails to generate a profit.

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The Organization for Islamic Cooperation concluded a summit in Islamabad, Pakistan to create ways to provide financing and support to the people of Afghanistan without directly dealing with the Taliban. The country is on the brink of economic collapse as the Taliban have taken little effort to actually fulfil the promises they made on women’s rights and protecting minorities, forcing nations with assets from Afghanistan to find ways to help the people without rewarding the Taliban for ignoring their own promises.

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21,000 people have been displaced by major flooding in Malaysia after the equivalent of one month’s rainfall fell within 48 hours between Friday and Saturday.

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December 13, 2021 · 7:07 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of December 12, 2021)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of Dec. 12, 2021.

Global News

Half a billion people were forced into extreme poverty due to healthcare costs from the pandemic last year, according to the World Health Organization and World Bank.

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The Taliban are costing Afghans the equivalent of a billion US dollars by restricting women, making economic recovery impossible. Before the Taliban imposed severe restrictions on women, Afghan women made up 20% of the workforce and 5% of Afghanistan’s GDP. While the Taliban promised to respect women’s rights and freedoms, they are unlikely to actually fulfill their international promises.

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Americas

Argentinians took to the streets to demand their government not renegotiate with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the country’s debt to the fund. Many Argentinians view IMF programs as having caused or exacerbated their crises. Yet the country is also in the grip of a recession, and the refusal to renegotiate the debt could harm job growth in the country.

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The US Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection received a 38-slide power point presentation outlining several ways Donald Trump could have tried to retain the presidency after losing the 2020 Presidential race to President Joe Biden. Turned over by former Trump White House official Mark Meadows, the document detailed various strategies the Trump administration could have utilized, based on debunked and false claims of voter fraud and other conspiracy theories. Meadows had the document since January 4th, when it was presented to Republican members of Congress and the Senate.

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Canadian and US trade authorities are engaged in a dispute over proposed US tax credit for electric vehicles. The Canadian government fears the credits will undermine domestic production of electric vehicles in Ontario and risk the North American auto industry.

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Africa

The Rwandan government is working to decarbonize public transit with electric motor bikes. While the government seeks to convert a quarter of the nation’s micro buses, 20 percent of buses, and 30 percent of motorcycles to electric by 2030, the lack of charging stations nationally is posing a problem to widespread adoption.

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced he is self-isolating after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus. Despite having mild symptoms, Ramaphosa encouraged all South Africans to get the vaccine and follow Covid reduction strategies.

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The Malian military government announced January 31st as the day they will release a timetable for democratic elections in the country.

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Europe

Engineered Arts, a robot building company in the United Kingdom, has developed a robot with the most advanced facial expressions of any to date. Ameca, the robot in this story, can be programmed and customized in its actions.  

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Serbian protestors blocked roads in various cities including the capital Belgrade for the third weekend in a row. The move is aimed at drawing attention to environmental issues originating from lithium mining, and demands of the government to prevent any company from creating mining operations in the country.

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The G-7 issued a joint statement calling on Russia to deescalate tensions over Ukraine and warned of severe consequences should Putin launch an invasion of the country. The Russian government contends that NATO expansion threatens Russian sovereignty and domestic security.

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Middle East

Judge Tarek Bitar, head of the investigation into the port explosion in Beirut in 2020, demanded the arrest of former finance minister Ali Hassan Khalil, after an arrest warrant for Khalil was issued in October but not carried out. Its unclear if Khalil will be arrested, he is connected to Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Hezbollah, and the government is wracked by political infighting and stalemate since October.  

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Syria to host the 2024 Arab energy conference. This event signals renewing ties between Syria and the country’s Arab neighbors after years of civil war in the country.

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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will meet with Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan as part of the first ever visit to the United Arab Emirates by an Israeli prime minister. The two leaders will likely focus on deepening economic and security ties.

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Asia

President Moon Jae-In of South Korea announced that North Korea, China, South Korea, and the United States have all agreed in principle to an end to the Korean War. While all sides agree that the war should end, Kim So-Young, sister of North Korea’s head of state Kim Jung-Un, demands that the United States gives up what she alleges is a “hostile policy” towards North Korea. This prevented any talks from happening between the two countries.

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As the Afghan economy collapses, drug production has increased with meth and heroin making major gains in production despite promises by the Taliban to ban them. While produced locally, many of these drugs are bound for markets overseas. The Taliban also used drug money to fund their insurgency and is now faced with the problem of how to deal with the market that many Afghans rely on due to economic conditions.

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Australia, Japan and the United States have agreed to jointly fund and laying undersea fiber optic cable to boost Internet connectivity for three nations in Polynesia. The agreement is the latest in the investments by Indo-Pacific allies to invest in the telecommunications of the Pacific.

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December 6, 2021 · 6:01 am

Global Affairs Weekly Stories (Week of Dec. 5, 2021)

Here’s what’s going on in the world for the week of December 5th.

Global News

World Health Organization claims the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus has been found in 38 countries, but there have been no reported deaths.

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American scientists created robots, created from stem cells gathered from African clawed frogs, that can self-heal reproduce. This has led to the discovery of a new form of biological reproduction.

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Cyber security experts have identified 14 new types of web browser attacks called cross-site leaks (XS-leaks).

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Americas

Xiomara Castro became the first woman President of Honduras. While her party is the first liberal party to rule the country in 12 years, President elect Castro would still need a solid 2/3 majority in National Congress to rewrite the country’s Constitution.  

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Twitter shut down 3,456 accounts connected to state-backed information operations linked to China, Russia, Mexico, Venezuela, Tanzania and Uganda. The majority of the accounts, 2,048, were from CCP supporting accounts amplifying Beijing’s narrative about Xinjiang and the Uighurs.

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Paraguay faces an epidemic of child pregnancies due to the country’s restrictive abortion laws and sexual violence.

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Africa

President Adama Barrow was declared the winner of the presidential race in the Gambia, Saturday, by the electoral commission, setting him up for reelection of the country. However, his election might be challenged as the other contestants in the race are calling for investigations and rejecting the results.

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Locals, conservationists are protesting Shell’s plans to use seismic blasting along 6,000 kms of pristine coastline that is both a tourist area and considered an ecologically sensitive sanctuary. This involves blasting the seafloor with powerful airguns at intervals to measure echoes, can take weeks or even months to complete and causes sound that travels for hundreds of kilometers, potentially disrupting local marine life.

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Google is planning on developing digital infrastructure in the continent after investing a billion USD.

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Europe

Pope Francis met with refugees in Lesbos, Greece on Sunday as part of his five-day tour of Greece and Cyprus to call attention to the plight of refugees and migrants in the region. During his trip, Francis has been critical of the response from Europe towards refugees and asylum seekers.

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Germany is placing new restrictions and mulling a mandatory vaccine requirement to combat a rise in Covid-19 cases. Other European nations are considering mandatory vaccine mandates as well.

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin hopes to have WHO approval for the Sputnik V vaccine soon. If approved, it could be added to the COVAX stockpile and boast domestic vaccination rates.

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Middle East

Daesh (Islamic State) is launching hit and run attacks in Northern Iraq, in Kurdish territory. The violence comes as more Iraqis are growing disappointed with the government.

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The Tunisian General Labor Union (UTGG) has called for early elections because of concerns over democratic gains being threatened by the current president. After consolidating power and dismissing the government to rule by decree, president Kais Saeed has not yet announced a plan to end the state of emergency imposed on the country or returning the country to a parliamentary democracy.

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France has joined Saudi Arabia to try and find a solution to the diplomatic dispute between Riyadh and Beirut. Last month, both nations recalled their ambassadors over a row when the information minister of Lebanon criticized the Saudi-led war in Yeman.

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Asia

Mount Semeru erupted on Saturday in the Indonesian island of Java, killing at least 14, injuring 56, and destroying villages near the volcano. Authorities are searching for seven people and coordinating disaster assistance for the affected communities.

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Myanmar security forces drove a car into a protest in the capital city of Yangon Sunday, killing five protestors and arresting 15 more. The car, according to video and photographic evidence, drove into the protestors and started chasing individual demonstrators, with security forces getting out of the car to attack and arrest people they caught.

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Over 100 former security forces personnel had been killed or forcibly disappeared after surrendering to the Taliban, according to Human Rights Watch. According to interviews and reports, the Taliban used information gathered in the amnesty program to target individuals and their families s part of reprisals and killings carried out by senior leadership of the Taliban.

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April 5, 2020 · 8:47 pm

Activities for When You’re Indoors

Hi all,

There are plenty of things to do while self-isolating due to the COVID-19 virus.  Here are a list of things to do to fight off boredom while indoors.

Virtual Tours, Concerts, Operas, and other digital tools to help you stay sane during the quarantine:

  1. UNESCO World Heritage sites you can visit online and take virtual tours in. Perfect for taking a “field trip” in your own home without air faire or passports.
  2. Concerts, Museums, and even Operas you can attend virtual and free.
  3. Beaches, Zoos, Wildlife Reserves, National Parks, and 38 total virtual enabled vacations and trips!
  4. More World Heritage sites from UNESCO, these sites are in the North Rhine-Westphalia.
  5. Want to visit Buckingham Palace and other lovely houses and residences? Here’s your ticket!
  6. Visit Smithsonian museums in Washington DC without the hassle of actually going down I-495. Features 68 collections to enjoy!
  7. Overlapping, but here are more museums and culture locations to visit online.
  8. Have a casino night with friends here.

 

Classes to take while you wait for the day you can visit the university again:

This has 450 university courses for free and from reputable universities!

Exercises you can do indoors with body weight:

This is a 30-day full body workout plan with videos for exercises you can do.

For Parents:

Here are two articles for how to survive working from home with kids.

From Fast Company, and the Wire Cutter.

For the parents reading this, here are things to do with the kids and keep your sanity while indoors:

  1. Here are 125 ideas of things to do with the kids, such as making cardboard forts and visiting Yellowstone virtually, or even train the dog.
  2. Here are 100 more activities to try out, many of which as DIY art activities such as making your own chalk and soap. Some overlap with the first entry.
  3. Virtual Disney roller-coaster rides!
  4. Music for the whole family, everything from teaching yourself to music from the New York Philharmonic Orchestra and Broadway. Mostly free, though some have a free trial period.
  5. Free educational games for kids from GoNoodle.
  6. Levar Burton reading stories for both kids and adults. By the way, its livestreamed!
  7. More educational activities for kids, several sites that are STEM focused.
  8. Naturecams, exercise activities, educational resources, and more from the good folks in Monaco.

For Pets, furbabies, and other family members of an inter-species household:

  1. From PETA, information to help entertain your pets.
  2. From the American Veterinary Medical Association, information on the health of pets.
  3. Youtube content for Dogs, and possibly cats.
  4. Dog TV on Youtube. This is special programming tailored for dogs.
  5. Cat game of catching fish, hosted by Youtube.

 

Lastly, relaxation in calm activities:

  1. A coral reef aquarium, just watching the coral and the fish. No music, like being underwater.
  2. Beach front in Dominica, like being on the beach during a summer day with nothing to worry about. Here is one with animals in the distance.  This one is for if you really just want to hear the waves crashing on the beach.
  3. Walking through the forest. Plenty of natural scenery, but does not scroll.
  4. Classic fireplace scene with burning log. This is a campfire with birdsong.
  5. Walking the streets of Manhattan in the rain. Or East Shinjuku, Tokyo.
  6. A run through Wailea Beach, in Maui, Hawaii.
  7. A bike ride through Venice Beach, in Santa Monica, California.

 

Helpful links for peace of mind and the latest information about dealing with COVID-19:

The CDC

Taiwan’s CDC (They acted early and gathered as much detail as possible, and have resources for tracking potential infection under the Guidelines section).

WHO

For Mental Health:

For everyone really, and for kids specifically, and for our furry family members.

 

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April 1, 2020 · 2:31 pm

News For Today

While the COVID-19 virus is the top of most new stories for today and the foresseable future, other stories are being reported on.  Here are some of those stories today, summarized:

  1. Hauwei 5G deployment in Europe will be delayed due to the COVID-19 virus.  How long will this delay last and how extensive will largely depend on two factors- viral threat and political climate.  So while Hauwei might wait a few months for the virus to peak, political backlash to how Beijing handles the virus globally may curtail the demand.  In the meantime, deployment will likely focus on rural areas were broadband is not sufficient to connect people.  Issues like bandwidth and connectivity also pose a risk as more people are under self quarantine and lockdown.
  2.  Taiwan, or the Republic of China (ROC), has been sharing their experiences with COVID-19 and how th Taiwanese have dealt with the virus.  But according to authorities in Taiwan, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not been sharing the information, which has either been classified as cases in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and conflates conditions in Taiwan and Mainland China.  This is based on political pressure by the PRC on international bodies like the WHO to recognize the One-China policy in which Taiwan is considered a providence of China rather than a separate country.  The ROC and PRC have been using very different methods from the start of the outbreak and the results of the ROC’s work could be used to help inform better strategies to fighting the COVID-19 virus.
  3. Illegal logging of national forests in Sierra Leone have declined significantly due to COVID-19’s impact on demand for rosewood timber.  The impact of the virus in this instance is to scare off illegal logging as the demand in Asia crashes and the effort of trying to sell the wood becomes more of a hassle.  Logging rosewood for export has been illegal in Sierra Leone since 2018, though people can still use it for domestic industries.
  4. Serbia, Hungary, and other nations are implementing strict measures to fight COVID-19 but some of those measures are potentially being used to fight democracy instead.
  5. Islan

So for today you have an update on some of what is going on with COVID-19.

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