India is denying media reports that it has been left out of Iran’s Chabahar railway line project following China’s cheap proposal. Delhi cast the reports as speculative and stated that Tehran is yet to nominate an authorized entity to settle the outstanding technical and financial issues related to the venture. Iran has reportedly cited delays from India in funding and starting the project for its decision.

The 2016 India-Iran Agreement

India and Iran had signed an agreement to construct the rail line in May 2016. The railway project was a venture between the state-owned Indian Railways Construction Limited and the Iranian railways. It was a part of the trilateral agreement between India, Iran, and Afghanistan to build an alternate trade route to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Located 72 kilometers west of Pakistan’s Gwadar port, the route holds economic and strategic significance for India. The Chabahar-Zahedan rail line will ultimately extend to Zaranj in Afghanistan, enabling a convenient and hurdle-free trade route.

India: ‘Significant Progress’ on Deal Despite US Sanctions

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that there has been significant progress on the Chabahar port project since 2016. “A longstanding commitment from 2003 relating to port was operationalized in 2016 during the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Iran,” he said at a press briefing. “Since then, despite the United States sanctions, there has been significant progress on the port project,” Srivastava said, adding that India’s investment in the Chabahar Port had progressed well.

The port has handled 82 ships with 1.2 million tons of bulk cargo in 8,200 containers since December 2018.

Why is Chabahar Port Important for India?

Chabahar is the only oceanic port that links Iran from the western coast of India and bypasses Pakistan. It is a hassle-free gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia. Pakistan is a thorn in India’s commerce with Afghanistan and Central Asia as Pakistan denies overland transit facility to India over its soil. India intends to link Chabahar port to the Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan. Chabahar is also significant as it is also a gateway to INSTC (International North-South Transport Corridor).

Chabahar port will also check the growing Chinese presence in the Arabian sea. China is constructing a deep seaport Gwadar in the Balochistan area of Pakistan. The location of Chabahar and Gwadar ports are in close vicinity. It is also beneficial in terms of countering the Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean.

Why the Current Confusion?

Indian newspaper The Hindu, which is widely acknowledging as a communist leaning, reported that the Iranian government has decided to proceed with the long-stalled rail project without India’s participation. It reported that the Iranian railways will construct the project with a $400 million Iranian National Development Fund. Recently, Iranian Transport and Urban Development Minister Mohammad Eslami inaugurated the 628 km track-laying project for the Chabahar-Zahedan line, which will be extended to Zaranj across the border in Afghanistan.

The Chinese Angle

According to reports, the doubt is due to China’s 25-year-old $400 billion strategic partnership deal with Iran. The cooperation involves infrastructure development, manufacturing and developing transport and energy facilities, renovating ports, refineries, and other installations, and committed Iranian oil and gas supplies to China during that period.

However, Iranian officials denied a report that Chabahar port, which India took, will be leased to China. Iran proposed a tie-up between the Chinese-run Pakistani port at Gwadar and Chabahar (including projects in the Chabahar duty-free zone) last year.

Iran Denies Dropping India from Deal

According to an Al Jazeera report, Iran has also denied the report that New Delhi was dropped from the rail project. Farhad Montaser, an Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization official, termed the story “totally false because Iran has not inked any deal with India regarding the Zahedan-Chabahar” railway.

“Iran has only signed two agreements with Indians for investment in Chabahar: one is related to port’s machinery and equipment, and the second is related to India’s investment to the tune of $150m,” Montaser was quoted by the IRNA news agency.

“We had a list of Indian investments in Chabahar port, including the Chabahar railway infrastructure and the railway, but during the negotiations, it was not agreed.” He added, “US sanctions have nothing to do with Iran-India’s cooperation in Chabahar.” In 2018, Washington agreed to a waiver for Chabahar port under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act of 2012, but the newspaper said Indian officials were still wary.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs of India has confirmed that India is no longer involved in the Farzad-B gas field project where the country’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation had signed an agreement for exploration in 2002. Without giving any details, the MEA said that “policy changes” in Iran were responsible for the decision. It remains to be seen how things unfold in the near future.

L'articolo India Denies Being Left Out of Iran’s Chabahar Rail Line Project proviene da InsideOver.

Although the recent skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese armies over the border dispute have subsided, the tension between the two Asian giants is far from over. The current military tensions include Demchok, Galwan Valley, and Daulat Beg Oldie, but Pangong Tso Lake is another conflict hotspot which continues to be a concern and the confrontation between the two armies continues there.

Combat on the India-China Border

Indian and Chinese troops clashed on the night of May 5-6 on the banks of the contested Pangong Tso Lake. The clash led to the deployment of troops by both nations at various points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladak. After the command-level meeting between the two, despite the Chinese accepting India’s point regarding other areas in the region, Beijing has not accepted Indian concerns over the ground situation in Pangong Tso. The Chinese have established a “significant” presence in this grey area which earlier used to be patrolled by both armies. India wants restoration of the status quo, which means they demand that the Chinese must vacate the grey area.

Why is Pangong Tso Important?

Pangong Tso is strategically very close to Chusul Valley, a strategic area which served as the primary battlefront between India and China during the 1962 Sino-Indian War. China is keen to have strategic control over Pangong Tso as it gives a view of the Chusul Valley. Except for the width of Pangong Tso the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that has separated Indian and Chinese troops since 1962 also runs through this area.

According to defense experts, infrastructure development near the LAC threatens China’s occupation of Aksai Chin and the Lhasa-Kashgar highway. The threat to this highway jeopardizes China’s hawkish plans in Pakistan-occupied territories in Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Construction of the 255 km Daulat Beg Oldie-Darbuk-Shayok road has also unnerved China. Daulat Beg Oldie holds the distinction of being the highest airfield in the world. The road extends up to the last military post at the Karakoram pass. On completion, the road will reduce the travel time from Leh to Daulat Beg Oldie from two days to six hours.

Why is China Adopting Hawkish Policies Towards India?

Domestic pressure due to massive job losses and negative international perceptions post-pandemic has queered the pitched for China. Adding to its woes is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose calls for Vocal for Local, a Swadeshi (domestic) movement, urging people to be vocal about local products to make them global. After Modi’s call, boycotting Chinese products has gained momentum in India. Several Bollywood personalities including Arshad Warsi, Milind Soman, and others have joined the “Boycott China” campaign on social media.

Although Modi has refrained from naming China, ostensibly the movement is meant to reduce the use of Chinese products in the post-COVID-19 era. China has a huge trade deficit, with India’s imports from China being more than $65 billion USD, whereas China’s imports from India being around $13 billion USD. According to International affairs experts, the increasing Chinese hostility at the Indo-China border is linked to the “Boycott Chinese Products” campaign, as the campaign could both effectively reduce the trade imbalance as well as hurt China economically.

Incident Near the Senkaku Islands

On May 8, two China Coast Guard ships chased a Japanese fishing boat in Japanese territorial waters around the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China. Beijing announced its hold on the islands in April, setting up two administrative units on islands in the South China Sea. Its aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, also conducted drills in the Taiwan Strait.

China also announced on May 28 that it would impose a national security law on Hong Kong to crackdown on pro-democracy activists in the territory, drawing protests from around the world.

However, the latest Chinese move on the India front appears to be a part of its long-term strategy to gain greater control of the area. It was under this design, taking advantage of Indian troop withdrawal, that China first built a road up to 5 km on the Indian side of the LAC in 1999, during the Kargil War with Pakistan.

A military officer on condition of anonymity said both sides do intercept each other’s patrol parties and stop them from completing their objectives. But now, Chinese troops have blocked Indian access to the previously patrolled area and, effectively taken control of approximately 60 square kilometers.

With India assuming chairmanship of the World Health Organization (WHO) — which is in the eye of the storm for its mishandling of coronavirus — and China being the bete noire opposing US President Donald Trump’s idea to include India in G7, testing times are ahead for both the Asian giants. According to political observers, China’s efforts to divert global attention from its coronavirus botch-up may lead to intentional escalations at the Indian border and lead to the situation taking a turn for the worse.

L'articolo Uneasy Calm Now Holds at India-China Border: But For How Long? proviene da InsideOver.

With drugs for the treatment of coronavirus currently still at the trial stage, social distancing appears to be the only effective remedy for the prevention and cure of COVID-19. But the specter of economic distancing also looms large over China, which is in the eye of the storm due to being the reported origin of the coronavirus endemic.

Calls to Penalize China

US President Donald Trump has called for penalizing China and threatened to impose tariffs, while Japan and South Korea have shown eagerness to replace manufacturing bases from China. Furthermore, India, Vietnam, and other nations are working overtime to lure away companies based in China. The stage seems to be set for the economic distancing of China.

Trump’s repeated criticism of China for its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak is likely to strain global trade ties with various Chinese companies. In the meantime, countries are exploring possibilities to move out of China to diversify supply chains. Japan has earmarked $2.2 billion to help shift factories from China, and Korean companies, like Hyundai Steel and steel major POSCO, are in talks with the Indian government to shift to India. Also, European Union members have planned to cut dependence on Chinese suppliers.

The US Strategy to Economically Replace China

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo stated last month that the US is working with India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Vietnam to “restructure supply chains to prevent disruption from corona like situation ever happening again.” According to Reuters, the Trump Administration is “turbocharging” an initiative to remove global supply chains from China, with one official saying it is favoring an “Economic Prosperity Network” of trusted partners instead. Kearney, the renowned consulting firm, in its seventh annual Reshoring Index released in early April, said that companies “will be compelled to rethinking their sourcing strategies, (and) their entire supply chains.”

India and Vietnam to Replace China in Post COVID-19 Era

According to researchers, the US will primarily look to Vietnam and India to replace China in the global supply chain network. The US has high hopes that India and Vietnam can quickly ramp up to equate Chinese manufacturing capacity. An official said India is in talks with US-based Abbott Laboratories and Medtronic Plc for relocating their units to India. As Abbott and Medtronic are already present in India, it is easier for them to move their supply chains from China to India.

The Indian government has approached more than 1,000 companies in the US in April and offered incentives to manufacturers seeking to move out of China. India is prioritizing food processing units, medical equipment suppliers, textiles, leather, and auto part makers.

Officials have told companies that overall costs are still higher than China, but India is more economical in terms of securing land and affordable skilled labor as compared to the US or Japan. India’s trade ministry has sought feedback from US companies for necessary changes in the country’s labor and tax laws to make it more investor-friendly. The Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have relaxed their labor laws to lure away companies based in China. The Indian government is also reviewing e-commerce companies’ requests to postpone the proposed tax on digital transactions introduced in this year’s budget.

The Indian Government is Ready For New Opportunities

Dr. Ajay Sahai, director-general and chief executive officer of the Federation of Indian Exports Organization, said, “During the US-China trade war, India missed the opportunity, but this time government is prepared. China is also losing manufacturing competitiveness due to the soaring manufacturing cost on account of environmental norms. USA’s China-specific traffics will be followed by many countries, like Australia, and the European Union. India is a bigger market than Vietnam or Cambodia, so it would be an ideal destination for investors looking to move operations out of China”.

It is worth mentioning that India has identified a total area of 461,589 hectares (nearly double the size of Luxembourg) across the country, providing ample space for businesses moving out of China. Interacting with local media, Mukesh Aghi, president of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum said that “US capital is looking for geographies outside, and we can see India responding.”

Amid the corona furor, UK parliamentarians opposed a Chinese government-owned investment firm’s attempt to install four directors in a British smartphone chips manufacturing company. The surreptitious be-wary-of-China campaign launched in the European, Asian, and the United States indicates that China’s days as the go-to manufacturing hub for the Western world are over.

L'articolo Will Coronavirus Result in Economic Distancing of China? proviene da InsideOver.

Amidst the frightening figures of job losses and soaring number of COVID-19 cases, the prediction of the end of the pandemic appears like a light at the end of the tunnel.

Prediction of the End of COVID-19

When more than one-third of the world’s population in lockdown and the world still clueless about the proven origin of the virus and grappling for development of a vaccine, researchers at the Data-Driven Innovation Lab of the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have come up with a novel mathematical model to predict the end of the pandemic in different countries. Based on the pattern of the spread of COVID-19 from China to the rest of the world and it’s slowing down, the researchers have predicted end dates for the coronavirus in 131 countries.

The model predicts the world will see a 97 percent decline by May 30, climbing to 99 percent by June 17, and 100 percent by December 1. Italy will see a 97 percent decline by May 9, a 99 percent decline by May 24, and a 100 percent drop by August 31. The Italian data seems to be in line with Italy Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s announcement of easing of coronavirus lockdown measures from May 4.

The report states India will see a 97 percent decline by May 25, a 99 percent drop by June 5, and a 100 percent reduction by August 3. This is close to what the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has also hinted.

Is the Data Credible?

The report states that on the basis of current data of the pandemic and the knowledge of historical pandemic process patterns, it is possible to predict the end dates of COVID-19. The report says “predictive monitoring” approach is better because monitoring of likely future events related to coronavirus encourages precautionary or proactive actions. This is in contrast with the present monitoring process of reporting the actual number of cases, recovery, and death every day, which prompts reactive and passive policies and actions, such as locking down a city only when the number of infections has gone up.

Making a Better Action Plan for the Unexpected

Singapore researchers said that like other pandemics, coronavirus follows a life cycle pattern from the outbreak to the acceleration phase, inflection point, deceleration phase, and the ultimate stop or end. However, life cycles of any pandemic differ across various countries, so at a specific point in time, different countries might be in different phases of the life cycle. The report states that a particular country can chalk out and implement a judicious plan based on the knowledge of the pandemic life cycle.

The report claims also that the prediction for Italy and other countries is expected to be more accurate that have passed their inflection points and are near ending phases of their present curves because it is based on data covering much more diverse phases of the life cycle.

However, the report cautions that although prediction based on science and data is objective, it is uncertain by nature. The model, data, and prediction are insufficient and inaccurate to fully represent the multifaceted, evolving, and varied realities of our world. So, too much optimism based on predicted end dates is dangerous, as it may lead to complacency and loosening of disciplines, which could result in the turnaround of the virus and infection and that must be avoided at all costs.

The model states that as the world is connected, monitoring and control of one country must be coupled with the monitoring and control of other countries. Early relaxation of social distancing and lockdown in the United States and other nations might increase infection rates and thus delay the ending as predicted now.

L'articolo Singapore Data-Driven Innovation Lab Claims 97% of COVID-19 Cases Will End by May 30 proviene da InsideOver.

With the growing number of deaths and the increasing spread of coronavirus across the continents, the global community’s ire towards China seems to be growing. The Chinese strategy of projecting itself as a victim of the pandemic and extending a helping hand in this hour of crisis appear to have increasingly few takers.

Calling Out China

Moreover, the USA, the UK, France, Australia, and Germany are joining the chorus who are castigating China for suppressing the facts on COVID-19 and misleading their own people and the world, thereby enabling the worldwide spread of coronavirus.

Amid the growing clamor in favor of penalizing China in some way, the US state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit in the US District Court against the Chinese government, the ruling Chinese Communist Party, and other Chinese officials and institutions. The State of Missouri alleges that Beijing’s actions of arresting whistleblowers and suppressing information about the contagious nature of the novel coronavirus have caused “severe damage” to countries globally along with the loss of many lives and economic disorder. The lawsuit also alleges that the Chinese officials did little to contain the spread despite knowing the nature of the disease. Germany’s largest tabloid newspaper, Bild, has claimed that compensation of $162 billion from China should be paid out due to coronavirus.

Will China Care?

According to information after the US Congressmen, Chris Smith and Ron Wright legislation, China and other countries cannot find rescue behind the clause of sovereign immunity if they deliberately conceal facts regarding the coronavirus, thereby US citizens, businesses and the local government can sue governments for the deaths, suffering, pain, and economic losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lawsuit alleges that Chinese communist leaders gave a false picture to the WHO of keeping the spread of coronavirus under control despite the knowledge of highly contagious diseases by mid-January.

According to the Henry Jackson Society (HJS), a British foreign policy think-tank, the Chinese government’s handling of the disease and failure to provide detailed information to the WHO breached Articles Six and Seven of the International Health Regulations [IHRs], a Treaty to which China is a signatory and legally obliged to defend. These breaches allowed the rapid spread of cases outside Wuhan, its place of origin.

The International Health Regulations mandates that states monitor and share all information regarding “conditions affecting the spread of the disease, laboratory results, clinical descriptions, sources and type of risk, numbers of human cases and deaths, and the health measures employed” concerning potential outbreaks. The Henry Jackson Society investigation concluded that there is evidence the Chinese Government breached international healthcare responsibilities and China was in a position to minimize the worldwide economic impact of COVID-19. The British foreign policy think-tank estimates that the global lawsuits against China for “patent breaches” of the International Health Regulations over its handling of COVID-19 could run to at least £3.2 trillion from just the nations of the G7. The Henry Jackson Society’s recommendations include taking up the matter with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, International Court of Justice, dispute resolutions through Bilateral Investment Treaties, Hong Kong Courts, and actions at the WTO.

How Much Do Experts Think China Should Pay?

James Kraska of the U.S. Naval War College believes ⁠— based on the International Law Commission’s 2001 Responsibility of States for Internationally Wrongful Acts and the 2005 International Health Regulations ⁠— that China can be found liable for monetary damages.

According to experts, the U.S. and its allies could sue China before an international tribunal, such as the International Court of Justice. The administration could also seize the assets of Chinese state-owned companies by the legal process and cancel Belt and Road Initiative debts of Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America as compensation for coronavirus losses. Seizing Chinese property would allow the United States to use international law to its advantage. Some others advocate confiscating China’s U.S. Treasury obligations that are more than $1 trillion.

Amidst the growing clamor, China has denied any cover-up in reporting the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019. “China was the first country to report the COVID-19 to the World Health Organization (WHO), and that doesn’t mean the virus originated from Wuhan,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the other day.

But with the US President Donald Trump warning that China could face consequences if it was “knowingly responsible” for the coronavirus pandemic and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urging China to be more transparent about the origin of coronavirus, China could have a very bumpy road ahead.

L'articolo Could China be Legally Liable for Covering Up COVID-19? proviene da InsideOver.

American President Donald Trump is so fascinated by the healing capabilities of the Indian anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine that he has forgotten his bonhomie with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and gone to the extent of threatening retaliatory actions if India does not permit exports of the drug to America.

Hydroxychloroquine Has Shown Some Positive Results in Treating Covid-19

Hydroxychloroquine has been successfully used by some doctors in the treatment of coronavirus and has been termed as a game-changer by Trump in the fight against coronavirus.

Hydroxychloroquine is popularly known as an antiviral agent has displayed strong antiviral effects on the coronavirus infection and is currently being experimented by many countries as a possible treatment for SARS-CoV-2 that causes Covid-19. China found that chloroquine could slow down SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, and indicated apparent efficacy in treating COVID-19 in humans. A small trial in France also found hydroxychloroquine to be a promising potential treatment.

The findings have prompted Trump to advocate hydroxychloroquine as a game-changer in the fight against Covid-19. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and many others have also echoed Trump’s optimism and advocated its use.

The US drug regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), authorized “compassionate use” of hydroxychloroquine (or chloroquine) for severely ill patients in mid-March and recently ratified its emergency use. The drug is being prescribed to Covid-19 patients in New York City, the epicenter of the American outbreak. WHO has also added the drug to its large global solidarity trial to test a variety of potential treatments. But virologists and infectious disease experts term the excitement as premature.

Why India Banned Exports of Hydroxychloroquine

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has recommended HCQ for use as a preventive medication for Covid-19 high-risk groups. It has also prescribed the drug for persons involved in the care of “suspected or confirmed cases of the coronavirus, healthcare workers involved in the treatment of COVID-19,” and for asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory-confirmed patients. Reportedly, each COVID-19 patient needs 14 tablet courses. India needs around 24 million tablets per year for the treatment of lupus, malaria, and rheumatoid arthritis.

India manufactures 70% of the world’s supply of and exports elsewhere. Ipca Laboratories, an international pharmaceutical company based in Mumbai, India is the top manufacturer of hydroxychloroquine globally.

The order was given because of the growing number of positive cases of Covid-19 with the current tally standing at 5,194 positive and more than 149 deaths, according to the latest data released by India’s Ministry of Health.

Why is the US Divided on Hydroxychloroquine?

Trump has termed hydroxychloroquine as a potential “game-changer”, whereas experts of his coronavirus task force and other virologists and infectious disease experts say the excitement as premature. The experts have warned against over-hyping the drug that is yet to pass the safe remedy test, particularly for patients with cardiac issues. An article in The Lancet medical journal, warned of dangerous side effects if the dose of hydroxychloroquine is not carefully administered. After reports of adverse side effects, some hospitals in Sweden stopped prescribing hydroxychloroquine to coronavirus patients, according to Swedish news media. However, doctors in New York and elsewhere have been administering it in desperation, even without conclusive scientific studies.

Trump’s brazenness in pressing the use of hydroxychloroquine over the advice of advisers, like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease specialist, has raised questions about his motives. According to the New York Times, if hydroxychloroquine becomes an accepted treatment, numerous pharmaceutical companies and their shareholders and senior executives with proximity to the President stand to gain. Trump also has a financial interest in Sanofi, the French drugmaker, which makes Plaquenil, the brand name for hydroxychloroquine. Trump has three family trusts, each had investments as of last year in a mutual fund whose largest holding was Sanofi, according to the New York Times.

The New York Times quoted Dr. Joshua Rosenberg, the medical director at Brooklyn Hospital Center, as “I understand why the president is pushing it. The president of the United States has to project hope when there is a situation without hope. Even if there isn’t a lot of science behind it, at this point, hydroxychloroquine is the best, most available option for use.”

According to others in the current political scenario, Trump needs a miracle to get reelected. If hydroxychloroquine turns out to be a panacea, he can say, “I did it, America. I saved all your lives” and claim that he defeated Covid-19 in order to sweep the elections.

India’s Reaction to Trump’s Comments

The US President’s comments haven’t gone down well with many in India, with critics pointing out that Trump’s rude behavior was uncalled for when Modi had already agreed to help. After Trump’s remarks, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced that India would supply essential drugs to nations affected by Covid-19. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said “Given the humanitarian aspects of the pandemic, India would license hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol in appropriate quantities to all our neighboring countries who are dependent on our capabilities. We will also be supplying these essential drugs to some nations who have been particularly badly affected by the pandemic.”

Because of the growing demand for hydroxychloroquine, Indian pharmaceutical companies are ramping up monthly production of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine by four hundred percent to 40 metric tons by the end of April and five to six hundred percent to over 70 metric tons by May.

L'articolo Indian Malaria Drug Hydroxychloroquine is Trump’s Panacea for Coronavirus proviene da InsideOver.

The New Coronavirus (Covid-19): some call it a global disease, some a Chinese virus, while others believe it is part of a conspiracy to rule the world. Despite the various theories, the central question is will the world forget the role of China in exporting the virus to the world and embrace Chinese President Xi Jinping’s idea of an all-out global war against coronavirus?

Can Italy forget the price it is paying for embracing the Chinese? China’s dilly-dallying tactics on sharing information and suddenly building 12,000-bed hospitals at a rapid pace give rise to the suspicion that they were prepared for the horrific turn of events. Moreover, why were the Chinese financial hubs — Beijing and Shangai — not hit? Why were China’s staunch allies North Korea and Russia not hit harder?

These are just some of the questions that should come to mind when the world thinks of joining hands with China to fight coronavirus.

Why should the world ever trust China again?

First, the Conspiracies …

In February 2020, the website The UFO Spotlight On… published an article revealing the supposed “truth” about the disease. The article which was supposedly written on behalf of a senior Chinese military intelligence officer states that China — unhappy with pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong — decided to make a biological agent that could make protesters more submissive. This bioweapon, the article claims, turned out to be more lethal than intended and resulted in the deaths of many people. China decided that the program was too dangerous (the author says “we wanted the population of Hong Kong to submit to us; we did not want to eliminate it”) and stopped using the bioweapon. However, the article claims the bioweapon was subsequently accidentally released near Wuhan, China.

Conspiracy theorists have also drawn similarities between the coronavirus events and the contents of certain novels. A 1981 thriller called The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz features a Chinese lab in Wuhan that makes a virus named Wuhan-400 to be used as a biological weapon, which has various similarities with coronavirus.

The book Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America, written by two Chinese military strategists Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui in 1999 also has strange similarities with the coronavirus events. Unrestricted Warfare explores strategies that weak nations might exercise to attack a superpower like the United States. The authors argue that even a small nation can harm a far more powerful enemy by damaging their economic and political systems. In the book, the military strategists argued that China cannot defeat America in direct military confrontation but can leverage its economic prowess to leave America behind. Conspiracy theorists who focus on the China angle believe that amidst the coronavirus crisis, Beijing is executing its long-term conspiracy to rule the world as mentioned in the book.

On a different tack, three prominent Iranian officials, including former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, ahave sserted that the virus is a manufactured bioweapon. Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to the UN secretary-general, which he posted on Twitter, stating that, “It is clear to the world that the mutated coronavirus was produced in a lab.” Iran has been one of the most effected countries outside of China by Covid-19 with 41,495 cases and 2,757 fatalities as of this writing.

Conspiracies Thrive Amidst China’s Defamation and Propaganda

Piqued by American President Donald Trump’s repeated reference to coronavirus as the Chinese virus, China first unleashed a campaign to shift blame for the emergence of the disease to its arch-rival the United States, and then Italy.

Chinese medical leaders, ambassadors, Foreign Ministry spokespersons and thousands of Chinese sponsored netizens posted comments on Chinese social media echoing the absurd conspiracy theories. The campaign was designed to deflect blame for the pandemic and China’s delay in taking action. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian even tweeted: “It might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan” alluding to the presence of hundreds of athletes from the US military in Wuhan for the Military World Games in October 2019. Furthermore, a discredited story that is widely shared on China’s Weibo social media platform claimed that coronavirus was first detected in Italy in November, 2019.

Why Hasn’t Coronavirus Hit Beijing and Shanghai?

The coronavirus was originated in the city of Wuhan, and it has now spread to 199 countries and territories around the world with a total of more than 740,000 confirmed cases and a death toll of over 35,000. But interestingly, the virus did not reach the adjoining cities of China — the national capital, Beijing and the economic capital, Shanghai.

The bitter fact is that China exported the virus to the world, but itself has emerged largely unscathed. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Britain’s Prince Charles, a Hollywood star, Australia’s home minister, the Spanish Prime Minister’s wife — they all have been infected, but the coronavirus has not touched a single prominent leader or military commander in China. Why? Chinese markets have resumed selling bats and slaughtering rabbits on blood-soaked floors. Don’t they know that bats, dogs, and cats were the reported reasons for coronavirus? Don’t they care?

Bitter Truth: China is Selling Oxygen to the World While Choking It

China exported the virus to the world and now when the world is in the ICU, China is pretending to be the good guy and making massive profits. More than nine thousand Chinese companies have started manufacturing masks and medical equipment in China. China is purchasing distressed assets across the globe. The purchase of distressed assets has set alarm bells ringing in Australia. The Australian government is scrutinizing purchases made by China. America and other countries are devastated financially. China is now the single largest owner of the US treasury with 1.18 trillion holdings surpassing Japan.

Chinese factories are beginning to buzz again while the rest of the world has come to a halt.

According to conspiracy theorists, Covid-19 needs to be seen in the light of the arm twisting of China by the United States in the trade war. The global economy is ruined, but all business areas and financial hubs of China are safe. Factories are up and running and China is profiting. The global share market tumbled, but the virus has hardly had any impact on the Chinese stock market. These conspiracies may be entirely wrong, but the untrustworthy nature of the Chinese government is an established fact.

The disastrous turn of events triggered by coronavirus indicates that after this pandemic China will become one of the top nations that everyone will love to hate.

L'articolo Will the World Join Hands with Xi Jinping for All-Out Global War Against Coronavirus? proviene da InsideOver.

India appears to have found innovative ways and means to check and cure coronavirus. First Indian doctors successfully treated coronavirus patients with a mix of HIV, swine flu, and Malaria drugs (lopinavir, ritonavir, oseltamivir useful in swine flu treatment, and chloroquine useful in the treatment of malaria) and now Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came up with the idea of a Janta (People) Curfew. It started on March 22 and lasted from 7 am to 9 pm.

What is the Janta Curfew?

The Prime Minister had in his address to the nation urged citizens to voluntarily stay off the roads and public places during the Janta Curfew, which was in place for 14 hours from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday, March 22. Essential services like police, media, medical services and so forth were excluded from the curfew. The PM’s address at a time amidst rising panic among the public was not only reassuring but was also a morale-boosting measure to enlist Indians’ active participation in the nation’s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

India is currently in Stage II of the outbreak, according to the health ministry. India has so far succeeded in containing the community spread of coronavirus reasonably well. Compared to other countries, and despite a population of 1.34 billion, 415 cases and seven deaths is relatively lower compared to those seen across Europe and elsewhere.

Modi knows he’s facing the formidable task of convincing over one billion people to obey the rules in a country which has has mastered the art of breaking the rules for centuries. Janta Curfew is an unique and radical concept in terms of managing mass psychology during a crisis. The overwhelming support of the curfew demonstrates that the entire nation can voluntarily rise to avoid a disaster by its collective determination, will power and discipline.

Janta Curfew Cuts Through the Coronavirus Transmission Chain

According to experts countrywide social isolation through the Janta curfew is a blow to the transmission chain of coronavirus and will allay further spread if it enters Stage 3 via community transmission. According to medical experts, coronavirus stays alive for 12 hours in one location, and the Janta Curfew’s duration was 14 hours so at public places where coronavirus spreads no one was there for 14 hours so the transmission chain got halted and the country benefited to a great extent from the curfew.

Solidarity: Applauding India’s Coronavirus Heroes

Modi’s second move of asking the nation to clap together to show appreciation for those working on the frontlines of the battle against the virus has also made everyone a stakeholder in the battle. The call to applaud India’s heroes is about learning how to do something together in unison in a disciplined manner.

According to experts, the appeal to all applaud together at 5 pm also has a hidden scientific message. The sound waves all over the country at a predetermined common time will disrupt the travel of the virus and prevent them from entering the surrounding area. This is the reason why sound and noise are made at the dawn and sunset in the temples, in the churches in ancient times and the holy Aazaan by Muslims. Without the sunlight, the virus and bacteria and all evil spirits become more active. Hence the move to create an aura of sound waves is to drive away all the negative forces and to save the country.

No doubt Modi is preparing the country for the worst while trying to avoid panic. The suspension of railways service up to March 31 and lockdown orders allowing only essential services in the 80 districts across the country, the suspension of board examinations advisory for those 65 years and above and below 10 years to stay at home, prohibitory orders in cities, the shutdown of restaurants, gyms, offices India is probably days gearing for a much bigger shutter down of public life. The Janta curfew is meant to psychologically prepare Indians for greater sacrifices and to generate the feeling that the response to the coronavirus is voluntary and in the national interest, rather than simply the consequence of an enforced decree. A sense of nationalism inspires sacrifice in a war-like situation. That’s what Modi is setting the ground for.

L'articolo India’s Janta Curfew: the New Way of Fighting Coronavirus proviene da InsideOver.

While the entire world is grappling with ways and means to contain and cure coronavirus, Indian doctors have succeeded in curing coronavirus patients with a mix of HIV, swine flu, and Malaria, drugs. This combination was recently used for the first time to treat the coronavirus disease amid a growing number of cases in India.

How Was the Patient Cured?

The patient came to India along with her husband as part of a 23-member Italian group to visit major tourist destinations in Rajasthan. Her 69 year-old husband was the first in the group to be diagnosed with coronavirus. After tests on 03 March, the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, confirmed him as a Covid-19 case. The next day, his wife also tested positive for Covid-19.

Doctors at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, Jaipur first treated her with a combination of two drugs useful in HIV treatment– Lopinavir 200mg and Ritonavir 50mg twice a day. Before the use of these second-line HIV drugs on the patients, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on the request of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) permitted the “restricted” use of the mix of medications lopinavir and ritonavir. The doctors also gave her chloroquine (useful in the treatment of malaria) and oseltamivir (useful in swine flu treatment).

Talking to local media SMS medical college principal and controller Dr. Sudhir Bhandari said: “We provided her treatment following standard protocol and now she has tested negative for the disease, which is a major achievement for SMS Hospital doctors.” Bhandari said that they decided to administer the combination of lopinavir and ritonavir after the Italian man and his wife developed severe respiratory problems. The Italian patients were admitted on the February 28. After over two weeks of treatment, the Italian woman has already tested negative for coronaviru and her 69-year-old husband — a senior citizen with a history of lung disease and breathlessness — has “responded very well” to the treatment.

Experience Treating Swine Flu Comes in Handy

Doctors at the hospital said that their experience in treating swine flu patients — which spread widely in Rajasthan two years ago — was quite useful in treating the Italian couple. Swine flu is a similar pulmonary pneumonia disease. As they were aware of viral pneumonia behavior, they decided to treat the patients with a combination of swine flu, anti-malarial, and HIV drugs.

The doctors have updated the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) about their success. ICMR is the premier body in India for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research. However, more trials are required to scientifically establish this prescription as a line of treatment for coronavirus.

Indian Ayurveda Medicine

Amid the Corona gloom, Indian Ayurveda experts have stated that regular consumption of Ayurvedic herbs strengthens the human body’s immune system, the basic requirement to help prevent even the most dreaded communicable diseases. They have stressed that neem (Azadirachta Indica), Amalaki or amla (Emblica Officinalis), kutki (Picrorhiza Kurroa), guduchi/glioy (Tinospora Cordifolia), and tulsi (basil) are some of the Ayurvedic herbs that are helpful in building immunity in human body and preventing the infection.

They have reiterated that these are helpful in strengthening the immune system, which is key to fighting the deadly virus. Coronavirus affects the lungs and the respiratory system. “Consuming a tablespoonful of Chywanprash daily strengthens the immunity, specifically that of lungs and the respiratory system,” Partap Chauhan, Director, Jiva Ayurveda, told IANS.

Nonetheless, India continues to struggle with coronavirus, with over 107 positive coronavirus cases and two deaths thus far. The government has declared the coronavirus outbreak as a “notified disaster”. The move would enable the states to spend a major chunk of funds from the State Disaster Response Fund to fight the pandemic. The center has also canceled tourist visas. Several states have closed down schools, colleges, movie halls, and shopping malls to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

L'articolo Indian Doctors Successfully Cure Italian Coronavirus Patients proviene da InsideOver.

Coronavirus has cast its spell on the famous Holi festival of India and has taken the sheen off the annual festival that falls on March 10. With the number of positive coronavirus cases jumping to 31, the President of India, Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other Cabinet ministers have decided not to host the traditional Holi gatherings.

What is Holi?

Holi is a renowned festival in India, but in the wake of Coronavirus, all the dignitaries have decided not to participate in any ‘Holi Milan’ celebration this year. They have appealed to avoid public gatherings and take good care of themselves and family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “Experts across the world have advised reducing mass gatherings to avoid the spread of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. Hence, this year I have decided not to participate in any Holi Milan program”.

While the government has stepped up screening measures, coronavirus — which has caused over 3,000 fatalities as it spreads across the globe — has adversely impacted the Holi festival that falls on March 10. Families across the nation are reluctant to participate in the Holi celebration and canceling parties. Big wholesale markets wore a deserted look despite no dearth of colors and pichkaris (water guns). Due to various rumors circulating in social media, Chinese goods are at the receiving end and demand for Chinese colors and pichkaris in Holi markets has nosedived, as customers are boycotting use of such products.

US Intelligence Agencies Concerned

It is worth mentioning that US intelligence agencies have expressed concern over India’s ability to handle an outbreak. The agencies observed that high population densities can expedite the spread of the virus and become a major outbreak. Rumors on social media and positive cases of coronavirus in India have set the cat among the pigeons in India. While travel advisories, screenings in airports, and secluding suspected cases have helped in preventing the outbreak of the virus in India, yet panic spread as the number of virus cases in India jumped to 31.

Although the government is claiming India is well prepared to tackle Covid-19, many people are not willing to buy the government’s argument. According to experts, the poor medical infrastructure, high rates of kidney disease, high number of diabetics – 77 million, and the co-existence of other non-communicable disease epidemics might make it difficult to contain the coronavirus spread in India, and the outbreak could lead to protracted treatment and higher morbidity.

Briefing the upper house of Parliament — Rajya Sabha — on coronavirus, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said that there is no need to panic, as the situation is being monitored by the ministry and the PM daily. The minister informed that out of a total of 29 cases, three are from Kerala who has been released after cure. Harsh Vardhan informed the Rajya Sabha that so far approximately 611,176 passengers have been screened at different points up to March 4, 2020.

Impact of Coronavirus: ‘Keep Our Children Away from Chinese Items’

Several apartment owners’ associations, resident welfare associations (RWAs), traders’ bodies, and social groups have canceled ‘Holi Milan’ programs and have appealed to residents to avoid large gatherings.

Sanjay Singh, a resident of Karol Bagh, Delhi said, “Instead of buying new Chinese pichkaris, we will use old pichkaris, but we will keep our children away from Chinese items.”

Heads of event organizing companies are informing customers that there will be no pool parties and rain dance, as they don’t want to risk anyone’s life. Amar Agrawal, a trader, said that the demand for organic and herbal colors has almost doubled for this year Holi.

Medical Experts Weigh in on Coronavirus

 However, some medical experts are positive and believe that summer temperatures in India will neutralize the virus. As temperatures start to rise in India due to the onset of the summer and touch 30 degrees by March 15, the country is likely to be comparatively safer from the fatal grip of the virus. Scientists argue that even the earlier epidemics like SARS, MERS, Ebola and yellow fever, which killed scores of people across Africa, Asia, and America had a minimal impact in India. Therefore, coronavirus may not spread as rapidly in India as they did in colder countries because high temperature could be making it difficult for viruses to survive.

Meanwhile amidst the gloom, the Indian government has declared that all government, aided, private, MCD, and NDMC schools in the national capital Delhi will remain closed until March 31 to prevent the possibility of coronavirus spreading among children.

L'articolo Coronavirus Scare Hits India proviene da InsideOver.