Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.
reuters – The race for a vaccine and the pandemic’s impact on the future of public health
Reuters discusses the race for a COVID-19 vaccine and the pandemic’s impact on the future of public health with Dr. William Haseltine, chair and professor at ACCESS Health International, and Reuters Global Managing Editor Alessandra Galloni.
( 64 min )
Thousands turn out for food distribution in South African capital
Thousands of people queue up in the early morning in the informal settlement of Iterileng, Pretoria, to receive food hampers, masks, soap and hand sanitiser during South Africa’s coronavirus lockdown.
This is a really silly one. The Amsterdam mosque that was in the news for blasting the call to prayer receives 115.000 euro from the city to become energieneutral. In Dutch:
https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1580229108/amsterdam-trekt-115-000-euro-uit-voor-energieneutrale-moskee
The joys of unchecked immigration:
Cocaine seized in Antwerp behind Rotterdam shootings, explosion: report
https://nltimes.nl/2020/05/19/cocaine-seized-antwerp-behind-rotterdam-shootings-explosion-report
A batch of 4,200 kilograms of cocaine seized by the Belgian police in the port of Antwerp last month, is the reason for multiple buildings being shot at and an explosion in Rotterdam over the past days, newspaper AD reports based on “multiple source within and outside the criminal environment”.
The Antwerp drug bust resulted in the arrest of 14 suspects in Belgium, including several young people from Amsterdam and Rotterdam. According to the newspaper, all arrested Dutch suspects have a Surinamese or Antillean background. And the owners of the five homes and retail properties shot at, and the explosion on Jagthuisstraat, also all have a Surinamese background, the newspaper wrote.
According to AD’s sources, the cocaine intercepted in Belgium was imported by an Amsterdam gang, but a total of four groups of criminals and two investors were involved in the import. The seizure of the drugs resulted in increased tensions in the drug world, both in the Dutch capital and an Rotterdam, the sources said.
“Those investors have lost their money. That may be the reason for the shootings in Rotterdam,” AD quoted a ‘well informed source’. “To intimidate them or warn them not to talk.” Another source said: “A big batch of coke is gone. That has to be paid for.”
The police did not yet make any statements about the possible background of the shootings and explosions. A large-scale investigation team is on the case.
Afghan Taliban Leader Says Committed to Deal With US
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/05/20/taliban-deal-us/
“The leader of the Taliban said Wednesday that militants were committed to a landmark deal with the U.S., despite being accused of carrying out thousands of attacks in Afghanistan since it was signed…”
Two Soldiers, Five Volunteers Killed in Burkina Attack
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2020/05/20/burkina-attack/
“Two Burkina Faso soldiers and five civilian defense volunteers have been killed during an ambush on a military patrol in the restive north of the country, security sources said Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Monday as soldiers from the military detachment in Banh in Loroum province were carrying out a patrol in the area, the sources said. “Two soldiers were killed along with five civilians,” a security source told AFP.
Another security source said the civilian casualties were “defense volunteers who were with the military unit during the patrol,” adding two soldiers also died. The source said four others in the patrol were wounded, without giving further details.
Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadist alliance GSIM claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming to have killed “nine soldiers” in an ambush and taken weapons and vehicles, in a text sent to AFP late Tuesday. The Mali-based GSIM (Group to Support Islam and Muslims) comprises several different jihadist groups in the Sahel.
On May 11, jihadists killed eight Burkinabe soldiers during an attack close to the Niger border in Yagha province, security sources said at the time.
Burkina Faso is part of a regional effort to battle an Islamist insurgency, along with neighboring Mali and Niger, Mauritania and Chad. However, the West African country’s under-equipped and poorly trained military has been unable to stem the violence despite help from France, which has 5,000 troops in the region.
According to U.N. figures, jihadist attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger left nearly 4,000 people dead last year. Some 800,000 people have been displaced since 2015.”
Liberation of Al-Quds Main Goal of Resistance Front: Hezbollah
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/05/20/2270305/liberation-of-al-quds-main-goal-of-resistance-front-hezbollah
“The head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council said the liberation of Jerusalem al-Quds from the Israeli occupation is the main goal of the resistance front in the region…”
Yemen Army Shoots Down Saudi Spy Drone over Hudaydah
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2020/05/20/2270326/yemen-army-shoots-down-saudi-spy-drone-over-hudaydah
“Yemeni forces shot down a Saudi spy drone over the country’s western coastal province of Hudaydah…”
Amnesty Calls for UN Probe Into Iran Protest Killings
https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2293741/amnesty-calls-un-probe-iran-protest-killings
“Amnesty International urged the United Nations on Wednesday to launch an inquiry into the killing of protesters by Iranian security forces, six months after they erupted over petrol prices…”
Syria refugees in Turkey resort to selling organs to survive
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200520-syria-refugees-in-turkey-resort-to-selling-organs-to-survive/
“Syrian refugees residing in Turkey have been discovered to be so desperate for money that they are selling their organs on the black market in order to pay for necessities such as rent, the US-based media channel CBS has revealed.
In a documentary aired by CBS, the channel used hidden cameras in an investigation into Facebook posts offering money to Syrian refugees in exchange for their kidneys and livers, with many being cheated, earning less than the organs are worth on the illegal black market.
The investigation found that one refugee named Abu Abdullah, who fled the ongoing civil war in his country four years ago and now earns a meagre $300 per month as a metal worker, made a deal with an organ broker to sell one of his kidneys for $10,000.
Following the procedure, however, the broker only paid him half the agreed amount and then disappeared, leaving Abu Abdullah with no medical care and in ongoing pain.
In Turkey, as in many countries, it is illegal to buy and sell organs on the black market and police have reportedly said that they are clamping down on the practice which has proven popular as a result of the refugee crisis. Donors must usually prove that they are close family members of the recipient in order for hospitals to approve the donor. However, forged documents can be purchased for $200.
Another case cited in the documentary is that of Umm Mohammed, a single mother of three who sold half of her liver for $4,000. “I made enough to pay the year’s rent I owed, and another year in advance,” she told CBS
Though the trade is illegal, it comes as no surprise to many due to the economic hardships that the refugees often face after they flee from their country’s conflict, with their struggle continuing even after reaching safety.
According to Syrian-American businessman, Yakzan Shishakly: “They have no options. So they’re thinking, if we die it’s fine. At least I’ll get some money to give to my family.””
US sanctions Iranian interior minister on rights abuses
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20200520-us-sanctions-iranian-interior-minister-on-rights-abuses/
“The US imposed sanctions on Iran’s interior minister for his alleged role in “serious” human rights abuses against Iranians, the Treasury Department said Wednesday, Anadolu reports.
Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli is accused of “using lethal force” in response to protests in November 2019 and “his orders led to the killing of many protestors, including at least 23 minors,” the agency said…”
Ceuta Exploits Repatriation of Moroccans to Send Back Minors
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/05/303203/morocco-ceuta-press-pause-on-repatriations-amid-rising-tensions/
EU to Assist Morocco’s Health Sector with MAD 1.1 Billion
https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2020/05/303238/eu-to-assist-moroccos-health-sector-with-mad-1-1-billion/
“Morocco will receive another milestone aid package from the European Union, of MAD 1.1 billion (€100 million), to support the country’s health sector amid the COVID-19 crisis…”
India draws OIC’s ire over its new Kashmir domicile law
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2225445/3-oic-condemns-indias-new/
“The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Permanent Independent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) on Wednesday rejected India’s new domicile law in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOK), calling it a violation of the UNSC resolutions.
IPHRC urged the United Nations and the international community to put pressure on the Indian government to curb its illegal activities in IOJ&K.
“The international community must ensure implementation of UN Security Council and OIC’s resolutions in Occupied Kashmir,” the IPHRC noted. “OIC strongly condemns the new domicile law in occupied Kashmir,” observed the organisation.
The international commission added that India was taking such illegal steps at a time when the world was battling the coronavirus pandemic.
“India seeks to alter Muslim-majority demographic structure in Occupied Kashmir,” the commission stated. “The Kashmiri people have strongly condemned this illegal move in the past too,” the OIC further observed.
The Indian government has continued its illegal activities and gross violations of international human rights in the besieged valley since August 5, 2019, noted the IPHRC.
A day earlier, on May 19, Pakistan strongly condemned and completely rejected the new rules announced by Indian authorities, paving way for non-Kashmiris to seek a permanent settlement in the disputed region.
The move was part Indian government’s August 5 decision to illegally annex Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, a longstanding dispute between Islamabad and New Delhi.
On May 18, the Indian authorities had notified new rules permitting those who have lived in the IOJ&K for 15 years, or studied there for seven years, or appeared in class 10th or 12th examinations, to apply for a domicile, a mandatory condition for seeking jobs in the disputed territory.”
Taliban Chief promises equal rights for men and women in his Eid message
https://www.khaama.com/taliban-chief-promises-equal-rights-for-men-and-women-in-his-eid-message-08850/
“The supreme leader of the Taliban group Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada has promsied equal rights for the men and women following the end of the coalition forces’ presence in the country.
Akhundzada issued a statement on the occassion of Eid Al-Fitr, stating that “To those sides and individuals that have reservations about the future political system following the end of occupation – the Islamic Emirate once again assures everyone that it does not have a monopolist policy, every male and female member of society shall be given their due rights, none shall feel any sense of deprivation or injustice and all work necessary for the welfare, durability and development of society will be addressed in the light of divine Shariah law.”
He also added “Some circles seeking nefarious goals and power through a plan given to them by foreign intelligence networks to promote hatred and bigotry under linguistic, tribal, sectarian and other titles and to threaten and endanger the unity of our country must understand that the Afghan nation and the Islamic Emirate will not permit such undertakings.”
“Just as it rescued our homeland from such dangers in the past, it still (Allah willing) retains such capabilities, hence, it would be better for the perpetrators of such activities to review their approach and refrain from troubling this nation with such evil actions and ideas,” he added.
In regards to the signing of the peace deal between U.S. and Taliban, Akhundzad said “The signing of the historic agreement with the United States of America and the resultant termination of occupation is an extraordinary accomplishment for the Islamic Emirate and the entire Afghan Mujahid nation that can prove beneficial for all sides if implemented sincerely.”
“The Islamic Emirate is committed to the agreement signed with America and urges the other side to honor its own commitments and not allow this critical opportunity go to waste,” he said, adding that “The implementation of this agreement can prove to be a powerful instrument for bringing an end to the war between America and our country and for establishing peace and an Islamic system in our homeland.””
More than 100 Taliban militants killed, wounded after attacking Kunduz city
https://www.khaama.com/more-than-100-taliban-militants-killed-wounded-after-attacking-kunduz-city-08849/
“The Afghan forces killed more than 50 Taliban militants during a clash in the outskirts of Kunduz city, the provincial capital of Kunduz province.
The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the Taliban militants launched a coordinated attack on Kunduz city late on Monday night.
Accoring to MoD, the Afghan forces effectively responded to the attack with the support of the Air Forces, killing more than 50 Taliban militants and wounding more than 60 others.
The defense ministry also added that additional special forces have been deployed to Kunduz city to better control the situation in the city.
The Taliban group has not commented in this regard so far.”
1,411 terrorists neutralized in Syria, N Iraq: Defense minister
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/1-411-terrorists-neutralized-in-syria-n-iraq-defense-minister-154932
“Hundreds of terrorists in Syria and northern Iraq have been neutralized as part of Turkey’s cross-border counter-terrorism operations since the start of 2020, the Turkish defense minister said on May 20.
“Our fight against terror in Syria and northern Iraq continues without pause- 1,411 terrorists have been neutralized since Jan. 1,” Hulusi Akar said.
Turkey targets members of the PKK terror group in both northern Iraq and Syria, the group responsible for the death of tens of thousands of people in Turkey over past decades.
The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK.
Underlining that Turkey had been one of the most successful countries in curbing the spread of the novel coronavirus through the ranks of its military, Akar said the number of cases had been limited.
On the ongoing conflict in Libya between the U.N.-recognized government and renegade general Khalifa Haftar, Akar said the balance in the war-torn country had “significantly changed” since Turkey started helping Tripoli in military training, cooperation and consultancy.
The Libyan army recently regained control of the strategic Al-Watiya airbase after it was under Haftar rule for some six years.”
Ankara condemns Greek Parliament’s statement
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/ankara-condemns-greek-parliaments-statement-154909
“Turkey denounced Greece’s parliament on May 19 for its “baseless and delirious statements” under the pretext of marking the anniversary of the start of the Turkish War of Independence on May 19, 1919.
“The date of 19 May 1919, when the first step of our War of Independence was taken, is a sacred day not only for our nation but also for all oppressed nations who fought against imperialism. On such a day, the baseless and delirious statements made by the Greek Parliament and institutions under the pretext of marking the anniversary of May 19, 1919 does not accord with historical facts or values of the 21st century,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement recalled that the Greek Army invaded Aegean Izmir province after the end of the First World War in 1918, when Istanbul was the only occupied capital.
“This painful occupation turned into a planned and disgraceful invasion that had no justification and was the scene of atrocities.”
“It should not be forgotten that the terrifying dimensions reached by the atrocities committed less than five months after the occupation were serious enough to require the Allies to establish an investigative commission,” the statement said.
“The Greek leadership, which could not face its own history, should remember the reports of the Allied countries’ investigative commission and the facts underlying the article of the Treaty of Lausanne on war crimes. Article 59 of the Treaty of Lausanne determined that the acts committed by the Greek army occupying Anatolia were against the law of war,” it added.
The statement went on to say that “it is another proof that irresponsible politicians and radicals are trying to reverse history today” as Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos nominated Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1934 following the foundation of the Turkish Republic.
“Insisting on our calls for resolving the problems in our bilateral relations through dialogue, Greece’s keeping the hand of friendship we extended as in the past is also a necessity to read the changes of the world correctly.
“It is also a necessity to read the changes of the world correctly for Greece, who insists on being indifferent to our calls for resolving the problems in our bilateral relations through dialogue, to hold our hand in friendship as we have extended it before.”
May 19 is a milestone in Turkish history, the day when Ataturk arrived in the Black Sea city of Samsun from Istanbul in 1919 to launch the war that transformed the nation into modern Turkey four years later.
Ataturk dedicated May 19 to the youth of the Turkish nation as Youth and Sports Day- a national holiday that sees young people stage sporting and cultural activities with official ceremonies organized across the nation.”
‘Green’ farm-worker corridor between Morocco and Italy
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/economics/2020/05/20/green-farm-worker-corridor-between-morocco-and-italy_efd1d175-617b-43a6-ac98-76a936178d10.html
“The first green corridor for the return of farm workers from Morocco to Italy has been opened, said the Italian embassy in Rabat.
It said Moroccan authorities have authorised two charter flights – organised by the L’Aquila branch of Italian agriculture association Confagricoltura and paid for by employers – for the transfer of workers from Morocco employed by farms in the Fucino plain.
Alba Star airlines obtained authorisation for the flights for May 21 and 22, with departure set for 1 pm (3 pm in Italy) and arrival expected at 6 pm at the Abruzzo airport in Pescara.
Each flight will transport 124 passengers, for a total of 248 workers requested by 40 farms in the Fucino, as well as a farm in the province of Vicenza.
In order to respect regulations on social distancing, the workers will be transferred from Pescara with four coaches directly to their housing, where they will undergo a 14-day quarantine prior to restarting work at their respective farms.
“We must thank the Italian embassy in Rabat, and in particular Matteo Romitelli, who handled diplomatic relations with the Moroccan authorities, keeping in daily contact with our office, with the agency that handled organising the charter flights, and with Alba Star airlines,” said Stefano Fabrizi of Confagricoltura L’Aquila.”
Migrant drowns after jumping off quarantine ship
http://www.ansamed.info/ansamed/en/news/sections/generalnews/2020/05/20/migrant-drowns-after-jumping-off-quarantine-ship_3794bad6-f6ee-48a4-87f4-e8632ac7b077.html
“A Tunisian man drowned Wednesday after throwing himself off a COVID quarantine ship at Porto Empedocle in Sicily.
The 28-year-old migrant, who has not been named, jumped from the Moby Zaza ship, and was thought to be trying to escape since he had a lifebelt on, police said.
Seas in the area were force four with waves above two metres in height.
He jumped from deck six of the ship, from a height of around 15 metres. Prosecutors have opened a probe into the death.
An autopsy has been ordered.”
Czechs are the most opposed to migrants in the entire EU: poll
https://rmx.news/article/article/czechs-are-the-most-opposed-to-migration-in-the-entire-eu-poll
“Czechs are the most opposed to migration of all European Union citizens, according to the Standard Eurobarometer 91 report on the views of Europeans on the EU’s priorities, with the report also showing that the Czech Republic is just one of many countries that view non-EU migration in.a negative light,
In the EU overall, 48 percent of respondents across the continent said they view non-EU migration in a negative light while 44 percent viewed it in a positive light. However, there are stark differences between some countries.
The highest levels of opposition to non-EU migrants were seen in the Czech Republic (86 percent), Estonia (74 percent) and Latvia (74 percent). The support for non-European migrants is the lowest in Czech Republic, with only 14 percent of respondents saying they support this type of migration.
Other countries strongly opposed to non-EU immigration were Hungary at 70 percent, and Greece and Slovakia both at 68 percent.
Other countries with strong majority opposition to non-EU migrants were Italy and Finland at 56 percent, France at 53 percent as well as Poland, Denmark and the Netherlands all at 52 percent.
In some countries, a plurality had negative opinions on non-EU migration, such as Germany, where 48 percent were against non-EU migration while only 44 percent supported it.
In the survey, 19 member states recorded negative views on this topic of non-EU migration out of the 28 total member states.
At the same time, most countries had a much more positive view of migration from other EU countries, but in this category, Czechs still had the most negative opinion about migration, with 52 percent saying they had a negative view EU migrants coming to their country.
As Remix News recently reported, polling shows that Czechs have highly positive opinion of their neighbors, with surveys showing they like Slovaks and Poles the most. On the other hand, Arabs are the most disliked as only seven percent of Czechs expressed their sympathy for them.”
Smart people who elect my favorite Chief of State, Prez Milos Zeman, think for themselves. kol-ha-kavod!
Why do over 400,000 migrants in Germany have their birthday on January 1st?
https://rmx.news/article/article/why-do-over-400-000-migrants-in-germany-have-their-birthday-on-january-1st
“For more than 400,000 Germany’s immigrants, Jan. 1 is marked as their birthday in the Central Register of Foreign Nationals, with the majority of this group coming from Syria, Turkey, and Afghanistan, according to data obtained by the immigration restrictionist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
According to the data obtained from Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) after a request from AfD MP René Springer, a quarter of the 416,420 migrants born on January 1 entered Germany in 2015, another 116,000 afterwards, and the rest of them before.
Jan. 1 was also marked as a birthday of the 13 of the 47 recently admitted minors from the Greek migrant camps who were allowed to enter Germany during the coronavirus crisis.
So why is Jan. 1 such a popular date for migrant birthdays?
Simply put, it is the date Germany lists on official documents for those migrants who apply for asylum with an ID and who do not know or refuse to say when their date of birth is.
For many of these migrants, their status as a minor greatly depended entirely on them telling German authorities that they did not know their birth date. Many of them applied without documents, leaving them free to claim they were a minor.
Over half of all asylum seekers (54 percent) have no papers but most have a cell phone. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, one in two asylum seekers (49 percent) over the age of 18 could not identify themselves in 2019.
Many migrants lie about their age in Germany
The AfD party is raising concerns about the prevalence of migrants who have an unknown birth date.
“One thing is certain: With over 400,000 migrants, no reliable information can be given about the actual age. For Germans, the birthday is a key date. It determines the age for a driver’s license, for retirement, military eligibility, child benefits, and work capacity,” the AfD wrote in a statement.
AfD contends that a migrant minor costs the German taxpayer thousands of euros every month, which is not the case for a young adult over 18, as adults are eligible for far fewer benefits.
The party also brought up the point that deportation in the case of a migrant minor is also far less likely, which provides further incentives for migrants to lie about their age. As a result, the AfD is demanding authorities determine the age of migrant minors using a test.
“The real age can be determined immediately with a medical test — not to the day — but at least to the year. Anyone who refuses to submit to such a test is making it clear that they do not want to stay in Germany, and such a wish should then be granted as quickly as possible,” the AfD party writes.
Concerns have been raised in the past that migrants have lied about their age in order to gain entry into Europe. For example, an incredible 84 percent of “child migrants” tested by Swedish health authorities were actually adults aged 18 or older, according to a report from the BBC.
According to a study by the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Münster, a large proportion of underage immigrants lied about their age. The university clinic’s forensic specialists examined around 600 so-called unaccompanied minor refugees on behalf of the courts where their age was questioned. The institute determined that around 40 percent of them were demonstrably 18 years of age or older, according to the study available online.
It is common for some Middle Eastern countries to not record birth dates. “The acquisition of personal data requires the exact date of birth, but not all countries and cultures record days and months of birth,” the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees explained.
But Islamic studies expert Susanne Schröter assumes that most immigrants know their birthday very well but do not specify it for pragmatic reasons. Since minor migrants are “privileged in many ways over adults,” it is therefore convenient for migrants to conceal when they were born and “appear younger than you actually are.””
Sweden’s death toll unnerves its Nordic neighbours |
Denmark, Finland and Norway look at maintaining travel restrictions even as they prepare to open up to others
Denmark, Finland and Norway are debating whether to maintain travel restrictions on Sweden but ease them for other countries as they nervously eye their Nordic neighbour’s higher coronavirus death toll.
Sweden has the highest mortality rate per capita at this stage of the epidemic, according to a Financial Times tracker that uses a seven-day rolling average of new deaths. It has overtaken the UK, Italy and Belgium in recent days.
Frode Forland, specialist director in infectious diseases at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, told the Financial Times keeping borders closed had “a certain infectious-disease logic” while a big difference in infection rates remained between countries. “The situation is quite different now between Norway and Sweden,” he said.
Last week, the Baltic states joined forces to create a “travel bubble” allowing for free movement between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. But Maria Ohisalo, Finland’s interior minister, said a similar Nordic bubble would be tricky because of Sweden’s higher infection rate.
“Norway, Denmark and Iceland have managed to stabilise their situation, but in Sweden the situation is more alarming,” she said last week.
Sweden’s no-lockdown approach to the virus has attracted international scrutiny and some criticism but it still enjoys significant public support at home. But in recent weeks, as the death toll has fallen significantly in other European countries such as Spain, Italy, France and the UK, Sweden’s has remained stubbornly high.
As of Wednesday, 3,831 people had died from Covid-19 in Sweden, a country with a population of 10m. Denmark, Finland and Norway — which each have about 5m inhabitants — have recorded death tolls of 551, 301 and 233, respectively. Swedish authorities argued that a lockdown and closed borders would bring relatively few benefits at a high cost to public health and the economy.
The FT tracker shows that Sweden had 6.4 deaths per million people 61 days after its death rate first climbed above 0.1 deaths per million. That contrasts with the UK’s 6.2 deaths per million at the same stage, Italy’s 5.5, and Spain’s 4.
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Sara Byfors, a leading specialist at Sweden’s public health agency, said she was not aware of the tracker’s numbers. She added: “We are concerned about people dying from the disease. It’s not something we take lightly?.?.?.?We keep on working on our strategy. And also in Sweden we see that the epidemic is slowing down.”
Denmark is weighing whether to open its borders with Germany and Norway but not to Sweden. Several opposition parties, which have a majority in Denmark’s parliament, have said the borders need to be opened to help the country’s tourism industry but that the high death rate in Sweden was worrying.
“I don’t believe that Denmark should open its border to Sweden already because the Covid-19 situation is still out of control in Sweden. Denmark has to await a normalisation in Sweden. So this is a rational decision based only on the number of Covid-19 deaths,” Peter Skaarup, parliamentary head of the populist Danish People’s party, told the FT.
People stroll in Ralambshovsparken park in central Stockholm © Henrik Montgomery/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Asked about the possibility of the Nordic nations maintaining travel restrictions on Sweden, Ms Byfors said: “That is up to them to decide [as well as] the indicators they choose in relation to the border control. I cannot really comment on that.”
Sweden has not closed its borders and cross-border travel is still allowed in many areas for work purposes including health personnel. Norwegians are allowed to visit Sweden but have to go into 10 days’ quarantine when they return. Norway’s centre-right government will decide in June whether to maintain the restrictions or not.
Dr Forland said the different infection rates between Norway and Sweden would “probably level out” but he also pointed to models showing that the prevalence of coronavirus could be up to 10 times higher in Sweden.
Editor’s note
CDC reverses stance, says coronavirus ‘does not spread easily’ on surfaces
CDC releases more guidelines on reopening; former acting CDC director Dr. Richard Besser weighs in.
Iran: gastrointestinal clinical presentation
Iranian epidemiologists say the symptoms associated with COVID-19 in Iran have changed from respiratory to gastrointestinal. They also believe the shift to gastrointestinal symptoms which are often accompanied with no fever or only low fever cause a delay in diagnosis and result in the further spread of the virus by those who are infected but have no obvious respiratory symptoms to be tested.…
Dr Abedi maintains that a quarter of all COVID-19 patients only show gastrointestinal symptoms and for the same reason seek medical care later than those whose respiratory symptoms are more pronounced. He warns that delayed diagnosis of coronavirus in patients with milder gastrointestinal symptoms may cause the virus to spread at a higher rate.
According to Dr Abedi who serves at one of the hospitals for coronavirus patients in the northern city of Babol, one of the earliest hotspots of the epidemic, gastrointestinal symptoms are not accompanied by high temperature in about 1/3 of patients but diarrhea in these patients is acute, may occur at least 5 times a day and last up to 2 weeks.…
Some experts, however, say mutation of the virus which may be the cause of new symptoms should not cause too much concern. “Coronavirus is not like the common flu virus that mutates constantly. It may change over time and cause atypical symptoms such as gastrointestinal symptoms, but we shouldn’t worry that it will mutate quickly to the point of infecting those who have become immune again…”
https://en.radiofarda.com/a/iran-experts-say-coronavirus-symptoms-changing-from-respiratory-to-gastrointestinal-/30620493.html
This presentation would make it similar to the MERS variant coronavirus, which is far more lethal than the Wuhan.
Ken Starr: ‘We need to get these charges against General Flynn dismissed’
Peru’s COVID-19 response was ‘right on time’ – so why isn’t it working?
Peru seemed to be doing everything right. Its president, Martín Vizcarra, announced one of the earliest coronavirus lockdowns in Latin America on 16 March.
In stark contrast to his Brazilian counterpart, Jair Bolsonaro – who has deliberately undermined social distancing and quarantine measures – Peru’s leader strictly adhered to the World Health Organization’s coronavirus recommendations and mobilised the police and army to enforce a stringent quarantine.
But more than two months later the country is one of the region’s worst-hit by Covid-19 and has been unable to flatten the curve of infections. Peru now ranks second only to Brazil in Latin America with 104,020 confirmed cases and a death toll of 3,024 according to official figures on Tuesday.
Vizcarra said on Friday that Peru had carried out 600,000 coronavirus tests – “more than any other country in the region”. But while Peru’s numbers could reflect increased and better targeted testing rather than an underlying trend, the jump in new cases is undeniable. In the past week, the number of new Covid-19 cases logged each day rose from more than 3,000 to above 4,000 a day, hitting a record 4,550 new cases on Tuesday.
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/20/peru-coronavirus-lockdown-new-cases
…..
So it’s not all on farrr-rrright strongman Bolsonaro?
Iraqi security services say captured possible ISIS leader successor – TV
CAIRO, May 20. TASS/. Iraqi special security services have announced Wednesday that the possible successor of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, former leader of ISIS neutralized by the US, was captured by them, Iraq’s Alsumaria TV reported.
“Today, terrorist Abdullah Qardash, who was a contender to succeed criminal al-Baghdadi, was arrested,” the channel quoted the Iraqi intelligence statement. “The arrest was carried put based on verified information.”.
Qardash’s real name is Al-Haj Abdullah Qardash, he is also known as Hajji Abdullah al-Afari. He was born in 1976 in Iraq’s Tal Afar to a Turkman family. He studied in Mosul University and was considered one of Al-Qaeda’s ideologists.
Some reports suggest that he met al-Baghdadi in 2004 in US Camp Bucca prison, where they both served their sentences. Qardash was one of the ISIS foudners, laid down its ideology and planned a number of operations. He has been on the US terrorist list since 2015, a $5 million award is promised for him.
On October 27, US President Donald Trump said that al-Baghdadi had been killed during a special operation in Syria’s Idlib Governorate. He thanked Russia, Iraq, Syria and Turkey for their assistance. Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry said it had no reliable information on al-Baghdadi’s death. The international community called the slaying of al-Baghdadi an important but not decisive step, calling for continuing the war on terror.
https://tass.com/world/1158647
BBC – Coronavirus Crisis: Europe’s Migrant Camps –
( 29 min )
Panorama investigates conditions inside Greek migrant camps, locked down as coronavirus spread across the world.
Refugees and migrants filming on mobile phones reveal how vulnerable people have to share taps and toilets with those who have tested positive for the virus, risking onward transmission.
Strict quarantine is enforced on camps where coronavirus cases are confirmed, leading to some shortages in food, water and medical care inside.
Fear of the virus and anger at camp conditions have led to violence.
Panorama hears from charity and public health experts who warn that any failure to control the spread of the virus inside the camps could lead to potentially dangerous outbreaks.
Trump claims mail-in ballots are ‘very dangerous,’ ‘subject to massive fraud’