Over 50 crore Indians use smartphones. As of December 2019, India had 502.2 million smartphone users which meant that over 77 per cent of Indians access the internet through smartphones. As such the technology can be nurtured to become an important weapon to fight COVID-19 pandemic. China was an early mover involving apps to fight COVID-19.&nbsp;

People were required to install Health Code app, fill in personal details, and then were issued a QR code denoting quarantining status. South Korea asked all its inbound travellers to download a self-health check mobile app on their smartphones and submit their health credentials on this app during their 14-day incubation period. Many other countries used apps to complement state authorities in early contact tracing. &nbsp;

As the government of India announced a second phase of lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, it also allowed for a guarded system of relaxation of norms for some safe areas. In order to identify the affected clusters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is encouraging citizens to download and use its location-based mobile app called Aarogya Setu. The app will be further used to issue an e-pass for people to move around the city freely through the ‘safe’ Zones. This idea was inspired by the Chinese government’s colour-coded smartphone app to check the movement of citizens. The Aarogya Setu app has reached 50 million users in just 13 days, becoming the highest downloaded app globally. &nbsp;

Aarogya Setu is a COVID-19 contact tracing app developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT. It detects and tracks the user’s movement with the help of GPS and Bluetooth sensors and sends out a notification if they come in contact with infected people by using its database and algorithms. Users have to enter personal information while registering on the app and the data will be shared only with the government of India, excluding any third parties. Interestingly it is not the only contact tracing application proposed by the government. Several state governments have their own app like – COVA Punjab, GoK Direct by Kerala, Mahakavach by Maharashtra, Quarantine Watch by Karnataka, Test Yourself Goa and Test Yourself Puducherry.&nbsp;

As countries race to monitor and contain the outbreak, some experts say several human rights, including the right to privacy, are at serious risk. Normalising the act of surveillance further increases the threat of setting the stage for politically motivated use of information. To say the least, it is a two-edged sword, helpful in fighting a disease which can also later be turned against the app users at the command of the authorities. It is an ethical conundrum. &nbsp;

First is the issue of privacy of a patient or a suspect regarding their identity. Second is the probability of misuse of data collected from users of the contact tracing app. Putting in perspective, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory asking not to “spread names or identity of those affected or under quarantine or their locality on the social media.” Indian Council Medical Research has also clarified that they will not disclose the identity of any patient. &nbsp;

Here the scope of the Right to Information Act (2005) becomes relevant. RTI Act generally does not permit disclosure of personal health information to any third parties. It is only in extraordinary conditions such as the larger public interest, the information could be shared.&nbsp;

In a path-breaking judgment of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India, the Supreme Court affirmed the right to privacy as Fundamental Right. The Supreme Court has, however, clarified that like most other fundamental rights, the right to privacy is not an “absolute right”. A person’s privacy will be subject to competing state interests. Additionally like all other fundamental rights, the right to privacy too is subject to reasonable restrictions.&nbsp;

Some aspects of an individual’s life are private. As opposed to the information required under law, this may only be disclosed voluntarily. &nbsp;But we are at present in a state of health emergency. Our movement is restricted to protect the common cause over individual rights. Privacy cannot give the right to withhold all information regarding one's self from all institutions at all times. The very concept of societal coexistence is based upon the fact that interest of the community and society supersedes individual interest. &nbsp;

While recognising the privacy concerns raised by various individual and civil society members, the government has updated the privacy policy of Aarogya Setu in order to make it more citizen-friendly and transparent. The new privacy policy explicitly limits the purpose for which data is collected by the app can be used, and reiterates that personal information will not be shared with any third party except to carry out “necessary medical and administrative interventions”. &nbsp;

At the time of registration, the app collects personal information from each user, including name, phone number, age, sex, profession and countries visited in the last 30 days. The personal information is encrypted and uploaded to the government server. Location is also captured every 15 minutes to be only used by the government as anonymised, aggregated datasets for the purpose of generating reports, heat maps and other statistical visualisations for the purpose of the management of COVID-19 in the country or to provide general notifications pertaining to COVID-19 as may be required.&nbsp;

Privacy is not merely the right to control what kind of information is disclosed, but also the right to choose, control and limit to whom the disclosure is made. The fact of disclosure to an institution does not indicate the acquiescence of its disclosure to the general public. It is here that the second aspect of privacy comes into the picture. The viability of the Aarogya Setu App and the likelihood of misuse of data collected through this app is under scanner: Would these contact tracing app be used after the pandemic is over as a state surveillance device? Would the data collected by the app be misused by State authorities or third parties?&nbsp;

The data regarding health i.e. the risk assessment tests and location information will be retained on the mobile device for a period of 30 days from the date of the collection after which, if it has not already been uploaded to the server, will be purged from the app. After 45 days of being uploaded to the server, information related to people who have not tested positive will be deleted from the server. For those who tested positive, the information will be purged after 60 days of having been declared cured.&nbsp;

Up till now, Aarogya Setu is not mandatory. However, several government-aided companies and departments are issuing directives to their employees and staff to compulsorily download the app. A question may arise that if the government make the Aarogya Setu app mandatory for everyone would it survive the test of law in the present scenario?&nbsp;

The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 acts on assumption that in the case of infectious diseases, the right to privacy, of infected individuals must give way to the overriding interest of protecting public health. &nbsp;Also, COVID-19 has been declared a “disaster” under Section 10 of the National Disaster Management Act 2005. &nbsp;Accordingly, the Central Government through its National Disaster Management Authority may issue any direction to the states on the ‘disaster’ even though ‘health’ is a state subject. The Epidemic Diseases Act and National Disaster Management Act together may be read to provide the legal framework for the curtailments imposed by the government including collection of data by the Aarogya Setu App. Moreover, Section 69 of Information Technology Act, 2000, provides ample power to the government to collect, decrypt, and monitor data for maintaining public order. &nbsp;

Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act empowers the state authorities to take such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as shall be deemed necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof. Aarogya Setu app was designed to collect information from all individual to check the outbreak of disease. With the Act in force, it may provide legal backing to Aarogya Setu app to collect information. The National Disaster Management Act provides the blanket power to the central government to issue any direction including the extreme act of a nationwide lockdown. It may, in time, also include mandatory directive to download the Aarogya Setu app for everyone. &nbsp;

However, implementation of the mandatory directions to download the Aarogya Setu app for everyone is still very difficult to achieve. The all-encompassing executive power provided under the Epidemic Disease Act and National Disaster Management Act can be used to justify the collection of personal information at the moment for it is in the larger national interest, but only till the epidemic persists. Restrictions imposed on the right to privacy are only justified by the temporary powers invoked under the Epidemic Disease Act and National Disaster Management Act. The information collected during this period cannot be misused for another purpose by anyone including the government even after, as Fundamental right to Privacy subsists against the state. The people also have the protection under Section 43A and Section 72A of the amended Information Technology Act where there is a right to compensation for improper disclosure of personal information.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Over 50 crore Indians use smartphones. As of December 2019, India had 502.2 million smartphone users which meant that over 77 per cent of Indians access the internet through smartphones.

Over 50 crore Indians use smartphones. As of December 2019, India had 502.2 million smartphone users which meant that over 77 per cent of Indians access the internet through smartphones. As such the technology can be nurtured to become an important weapon to fight COVID-19 pandemic. China was an early mover involving apps to fight COVID-19. People were required to install Health Code app, fill in personal details, and then were issued a QR code denoting quarantining status. South Korea asked all its inbound travellers to download a self-health check mobile app on their smartphones and submit their health credentials on this app during their 14-day incubation period. Many other countries used apps to complement state authorities in early contact tracing. As the government of India announced a second phase of lockdown to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, it also allowed for a guarded system of relaxation of norms for some safe areas. In order to identify the affected clusters, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is encouraging citizens to download and use its location-based mobile app called Aarogya Setu. The app will be further used to issue an e-pass for people to move around the city freely through the ‘safe’ Zones. This idea was inspired by the Chinese government’s colour-coded smartphone app to check the movement of citizens. The Aarogya Setu app has reached 50 million users in just 13 days, becoming the highest downloaded app globally. Aarogya Setu is a COVID-19 contact tracing app developed by the Ministry of Electronics and IT. It detects and tracks the user’s movement with the help of GPS and Bluetooth sensors and sends out a notification if they come in contact with infected people by using its database and algorithms. Users have to enter personal information while registering on the app and the data will be shared only with the government of India, excluding any third parties. Interestingly it is not the only contact tracing application proposed by the government. Several state governments have their own app like – COVA Punjab, GoK Direct by Kerala, Mahakavach by Maharashtra, Quarantine Watch by Karnataka, Test Yourself Goa and Test Yourself Puducherry. As countries race to monitor and contain the outbreak, some experts say several human rights, including the right to privacy, are at serious risk. Normalising the act of surveillance further increases the threat of setting the stage for politically motivated use of information. To say the least, it is a two-edged sword, helpful in fighting a disease which can also later be turned against the app users at the command of the authorities. It is an ethical conundrum. First is the issue of privacy of a patient or a suspect regarding their identity. Second is the probability of misuse of data collected from users of the contact tracing app. Putting in perspective, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued an advisory asking not to “spread names or identity of those affected or under quarantine or their locality on the social media.” Indian Council Medical Research has also clarified that they will not disclose the identity of any patient. Here the scope of the Right to Information Act (2005) becomes relevant. RTI Act generally does not permit disclosure of personal health information to any third parties. It is only in extraordinary conditions such as the larger public interest, the information could be shared. In a path-breaking judgment of Justice K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India, the Supreme Court affirmed the right to privacy as Fundamental Right. The Supreme Court has, however, clarified that like most other fundamental rights, the right to privacy is not an “absolute right”. A person’s privacy will be subject to competing state interests. Additionally like all other fundamental rights, the right to privacy too is subject to reasonable restrictions. Some aspects of an individual’s life are private. As opposed to the information required under law, this may only be disclosed voluntarily. But we are at present in a state of health emergency. Our movement is restricted to protect the common cause over individual rights. Privacy cannot give the right to withhold all information regarding one's self from all institutions at all times. The very concept of societal coexistence is based upon the fact that interest of the community and society supersedes individual interest. While recognising the privacy concerns raised by various individual and civil society members, the government has updated the privacy policy of Aarogya Setu in order to make it more citizen-friendly and transparent. The new privacy policy explicitly limits the purpose for which data is collected by the app can be used, and reiterates that personal information will not be shared with any third party except to carry out “necessary medical and administrative interventions”. At the time of registration, the app collects personal information from each user, including name, phone number, age, sex, profession and countries visited in the last 30 days. The personal information is encrypted and uploaded to the government server. Location is also captured every 15 minutes to be only used by the government as anonymised, aggregated datasets for the purpose of generating reports, heat maps and other statistical visualisations for the purpose of the management of COVID-19 in the country or to provide general notifications pertaining to COVID-19 as may be required. Privacy is not merely the right to control what kind of information is disclosed, but also the right to choose, control and limit to whom the disclosure is made. The fact of disclosure to an institution does not indicate the acquiescence of its disclosure to the general public. It is here that the second aspect of privacy comes into the picture. The viability of the Aarogya Setu App and the likelihood of misuse of data collected through this app is under scanner: Would these contact tracing app be used after the pandemic is over as a state surveillance device? Would the data collected by the app be misused by State authorities or third parties? The data regarding health i.e. the risk assessment tests and location information will be retained on the mobile device for a period of 30 days from the date of the collection after which, if it has not already been uploaded to the server, will be purged from the app. After 45 days of being uploaded to the server, information related to people who have not tested positive will be deleted from the server. For those who tested positive, the information will be purged after 60 days of having been declared cured. Up till now, Aarogya Setu is not mandatory. However, several government-aided companies and departments are issuing directives to their employees and staff to compulsorily download the app. A question may arise that if the government make the Aarogya Setu app mandatory for everyone would it survive the test of law in the present scenario? The Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 acts on assumption that in the case of infectious diseases, the right to privacy, of infected individuals must give way to the overriding interest of protecting public health.  Also, COVID-19 has been declared a “disaster” under Section 10 of the National Disaster Management Act 2005. Accordingly, the Central Government through its National Disaster Management Authority may issue any direction to the states on the ‘disaster’ even though ‘health’ is a state subject. The Epidemic Diseases Act and National Disaster Management Act together may be read to provide the legal framework for the curtailments imposed by the government including collection of data by the Aarogya Setu App. Moreover, Section 69 of Information Technology Act, 2000, provides ample power to the government to collect, decrypt, and monitor data for maintaining public order. Section 2 of Epidemic Disease Act empowers the state authorities to take such measures and, by public notice, prescribe such temporary regulations to be observed by the public or by any person or class of persons as shall be deemed necessary to prevent the outbreak of such disease or the spread thereof. Aarogya Setu app was designed to collect information from all individual to check the outbreak of disease. With the Act in force, it may provide legal backing to Aarogya Setu app to collect information. The National Disaster Management Act provides the blanket power to the central government to issue any direction including the extreme act of a nationwide lockdown. It may, in time, also include mandatory directive to download the Aarogya Setu app for everyone. However, implementation of the mandatory directions to download the Aarogya Setu app for everyone is still very difficult to achieve. The all-encompassing executive power provided under the Epidemic Disease Act and National Disaster Management Act can be used to justify the collection of personal information at the moment for it is in the larger national interest, but only till the epidemic persists. Restrictions imposed on the right to privacy are only justified by the temporary powers invoked under the Epidemic Disease Act and National Disaster Management Act. The information collected during this period cannot be misused for another purpose by anyone including the government even after, as Fundamental right to Privacy subsists against the state. The people also have the protection under Section 43A and Section 72A of the amended Information Technology Act where there is a right to compensation for improper disclosure of personal information. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How secure is Aarogya Setu app?

From the United States to Australia, there are renewed calls for the closure of the Chinese wet markets. These markets have a history of being incubators of human diseases. World Health Organisation (WHO), the body tasked with controlling human diseases, says they are a source of livelihood.

WHO Director-General thinks these markets should be allowed to reopen as they are an important source of affordable food and livelihood for millions of people all over the world.

Wet markets in Yunnan province were the source of the SARS virus back in 2003, while coronavirus originated in the Wuhan wet markets. 
&nbsp; 
Meanwhile, the Chinese regime won't accept these markets as the source of this virus. In fact, they have gone a step further.

China now says that these markets never existed. According to Geng Shuang, another 'outspoken' foreign ministry spokesperson in China said that there is no such thing as a 'wet market'. 
 
"First of all, I want to point out that there is no such thing as a "wildlife wet market" in China. In fact, there is no such thing as a "wet market" in China. Farmers 'markets and live poultry and seafood markets are more common. These markets sell fresh meat, fish, vegetables, seafood and other agricultural and sideline products, and there are a few markets that sell live poultry," he said.

We're being told that wet markets are like any other markets that sell fresh produce, that the term 'wet' refers to the fact that 'perishables' are being sold at these markets, not necessarily wildlife.

Wet markets have existed for several years in South Asia, but not all of them sell exotic meat. However, in China, they do.

China has done little to ensure that there is no wildlife trade. The Chinese agricultural ministry passed a draft which only exempted dogs from human consumption. Most wildlife was approved as 'farm-raised' species - the wildlife traders consider them species approved for slaughter.

China has deliberately left these loop-holes to keep business at these wet-markets going.

&nbsp;

From the United States to Australia, there are renewed calls for the closure of the Chinese wet markets. These markets have a history of being incubators of human diseases.

From the United States to Australia, there are renewed calls for the closure of the Chinese wet markets. These markets have a history of being incubators of human diseases. World Health Organisation (WHO), the body tasked with controlling human diseases, says they are a source of livelihood. WHO Director-General thinks these markets should be allowed to reopen as they are an important source of affordable food and livelihood for millions of people all over the world. Wet markets in Yunnan province were the source of the SARS virus back in 2003, while coronavirus originated in the Wuhan wet markets. Meanwhile, the Chinese regime won't accept these markets as the source of this virus. In fact, they have gone a step further. China now says that these markets never existed. According to Geng Shuang, another 'outspoken' foreign ministry spokesperson in China said that there is no such thing as a 'wet market'. "First of all, I want to point out that there is no such thing as a "wildlife wet market" in China. In fact, there is no such thing as a "wet market" in China. Farmers 'markets and live poultry and seafood markets are more common. These markets sell fresh meat, fish, vegetables, seafood and other agricultural and sideline products, and there are a few markets that sell live poultry," he said. We're being told that wet markets are like any other markets that sell fresh produce, that the term 'wet' refers to the fact that 'perishables' are being sold at these markets, not necessarily wildlife. Wet markets have existed for several years in South Asia, but not all of them sell exotic meat. However, in China, they do. China has done little to ensure that there is no wildlife trade. The Chinese agricultural ministry passed a draft which only exempted dogs from human consumption. Most wildlife was approved as 'farm-raised' species - the wildlife traders consider them species approved for slaughter. China has deliberately left these loop-holes to keep business at these wet-markets going.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson denies existence of wet markets

For the first time in the religion's 1400-year-history, the Grand Mosque in Mecca is closed on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/muslims-should-offer-namaz-at-homes-during-the-holy-month-of-ramzan-mukhtar-abbas-naqvi-292247">Ramzan</a>. In Madina too, the Prophet Mosque wears a deserted look.

It's no different at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque. This is a Ramzan under lockdown and Muslims around the world have begun their fasts under peculiar circumstances. From Africa to Asia, the coronavirus has cast a shadow of gloom and uncertainty 
 
Empty mosques, unprecedented ban on gatherings, no mass prayers and scaled-down iftars. These are desperate measures ushered in by desperate times. 
 
The pandemic has left people with no choice but to modify age-old religious customs&nbsp;a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-shadow-of-coronavirus-muslims-face-a-ramzan-like-never-before-293481#holiest-month-293465">Also read: In shadow of coronavirus, Muslims face a Ramzan like never before</a>

The rate of infection is high and nothing really is worth risking it. So, this year, Muslims worldwide are praying from home. Some have even considered skipping the fast as they are scared to weaken their immunity.

Reason over religion is the logic across borders, but Pakistan's leadership has bowed down to conservative clerics. prime minister Imran Khan has decided to leave the Mosques open during Ramzan.

The country already has over 11 thousand coronavirus cases, but the prime minister is choosing politics over people and vote over the virus.

Let's move to Indonesia now, the country of 26 million, has the world's largest Muslim population. There is a nation-wide travel ban, coupled with a stay-at-home order.

But neither of this is being respected at the conservative Aceh province. Thousands of worshippers attended the evening prayers.

It is the job of those on top to not give in to the demands of conservative imams. They need to prioritise the safety of people.

The ones outside high offices too need to realise that this Ramzan may not be as festive, but a sombre month is the need of the hour. 
&nbsp;

For the first time in the religion's 1400-year-history, the Grand Mosque in Mecca is closed on Ramzan. In Madina too, the Prophet Mosque wears a deserted look. It's no different at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque.

For the first time in the religion's 1400-year-history, the Grand Mosque in Mecca is closed on Ramzan. In Madina too, the Prophet Mosque wears a deserted look. It's no different at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque. This is a Ramzan under lockdown and Muslims around the world have begun their fasts under peculiar circumstances. From Africa to Asia, the coronavirus has cast a shadow of gloom and uncertainty Empty mosques, unprecedented ban on gatherings, no mass prayers and scaled-down iftars. These are desperate measures ushered in by desperate times. The pandemic has left people with no choice but to modify age-old religious customs a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus. Also read: In shadow of coronavirus, Muslims face a Ramzan like never before The rate of infection is high and nothing really is worth risking it. So, this year, Muslims worldwide are praying from home. Some have even considered skipping the fast as they are scared to weaken their immunity. Reason over religion is the logic across borders, but Pakistan's leadership has bowed down to conservative clerics. prime minister Imran Khan has decided to leave the Mosques open during Ramzan. The country already has over 11 thousand coronavirus cases, but the prime minister is choosing politics over people and vote over the virus. Let's move to Indonesia now, the country of 26 million, has the world's largest Muslim population. There is a nation-wide travel ban, coupled with a stay-at-home order. But neither of this is being respected at the conservative Aceh province. Thousands of worshippers attended the evening prayers. It is the job of those on top to not give in to the demands of conservative imams. They need to prioritise the safety of people. The ones outside high offices too need to realise that this Ramzan may not be as festive, but a sombre month is the need of the hour.

Ramzan in the times of coronavirus

There are no comparable human events to the coronavirus pandemic anymore. Over 191,000 deaths and more than two million cases have been reported so far.

Half of humanity is under lockdown and the pandemic has caused the biggest recession in a decade. The&nbsp;impact of this pandemic beats any conflict or calamity in human history.&nbsp;

What signifies a war? 1. Death and human misery; 2. &nbsp;Bleeding economies; 3. Shortage of supplies; 4. The capture of territories; 5. The emergence of new powers. 
 
Isn't all of this happening right now?

This virus is lethal and it knows no border. The richest nations are the hardest hit. This virus has brought Europe down to its knees.

However, things are looking up in the country where the virus originated. China has reported no new coronavirus deaths for the ninth straight day.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Here's what else happens in a war - economies bleed, markets tank and that's exactly what's happening. The IMF expects the global economy to shrink by 3 per cent this year.

Lockdowns are causing job losses. In America, 26 million jobs have been lost in the last five weeks. The highest number of people have sought unemployment benefits since the great depression.

The third fallout of war is a massive shortage of supplies. Millions under lockdown are already hanging by the thread. The UN world food programme estimates that 265 million people are at risk of an acute food shortage.

At least 55 virus-hit countries will fail to meet 'nutrition demands' by the end of this year. The world is on the brink of a 'hunger pandemic'.

Here is the next side effect of war - the capture of new territories.&nbsp;China is controlling islands, tensions are rising over oil and warships are buzzing around this waterway.

Beijing is pumping money and taking control of world bodies like the WHO. Countries across the world are busy saving themselves from the virus as china usurps territories.

Lastly, the emergence of new powers. The existing world order is broken. Global institutions have failed, superpowers like the United States are bruised and bleeding. There's a leadership vacuum.

This virus has beaten our geopolitical imaginations. We think of armed conflicts and missiles, but other things too can kill and control.

If this isn't a war, what is?

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

There are no comparable human events to the coronavirus pandemic anymore. Over 191,000 deaths and more than two million cases have been reported so far. Half of humanity is under lockdown and the pandemic has caused the biggest recession in a decade.

There are no comparable human events to the coronavirus pandemic anymore. Over 191,000 deaths and more than two million cases have been reported so far. Half of humanity is under lockdown and the pandemic has caused the biggest recession in a decade. The impact of this pandemic beats any conflict or calamity in human history. What signifies a war? 1. Death and human misery; 2. Bleeding economies; 3. Shortage of supplies; 4. The capture of territories; 5. The emergence of new powers. Isn't all of this happening right now? This virus is lethal and it knows no border. The richest nations are the hardest hit. This virus has brought Europe down to its knees. However, things are looking up in the country where the virus originated. China has reported no new coronavirus deaths for the ninth straight day. Here's what else happens in a war - economies bleed, markets tank and that's exactly what's happening. The IMF expects the global economy to shrink by 3 per cent this year. Lockdowns are causing job losses. In America, 26 million jobs have been lost in the last five weeks. The highest number of people have sought unemployment benefits since the great depression. The third fallout of war is a massive shortage of supplies. Millions under lockdown are already hanging by the thread. The UN world food programme estimates that 265 million people are at risk of an acute food shortage. At least 55 virus-hit countries will fail to meet 'nutrition demands' by the end of this year. The world is on the brink of a 'hunger pandemic'. Here is the next side effect of war - the capture of new territories. China is controlling islands, tensions are rising over oil and warships are buzzing around this waterway. Beijing is pumping money and taking control of world bodies like the WHO. Countries across the world are busy saving themselves from the virus as china usurps territories. Lastly, the emergence of new powers. The existing world order is broken. Global institutions have failed, superpowers like the United States are bruised and bleeding. There's a leadership vacuum. This virus has beaten our geopolitical imaginations. We think of armed conflicts and missiles, but other things too can kill and control. If this isn't a war, what is? (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Coronavirus pandemic - is this a world war in disguise?

In the context of the development of COVID 19, the international community is debating on two central questions: whether the post-COVID-19 would eclipse the American hegemony? Or whether the world order will become more China centred? A third aspect of the debate is whether the post-COVID -19 world orders will strengthen multipolarity.&nbsp;

Irrespective of the origin of COVID-19,  which America has termed the Chinese virus. One thing is certain that the post-COVID-19 will result in the different priorities of the international order. It's certain that America is going to lose its influence &nbsp;and power on world affairs. Not because it’s no more capable of dominating the international arena but rather, COVID 19 has jolted the faith of the international community in the capitalist liberal system sustained by the USA. The virus has exposed the structural weakness and eroded the legitimacy of the American system and due to the simple fact that the USA, despite being superpower has the largest number of deaths. This has caused irreparable damage to American authority and its liberal value system with a consequence that it has drastically lost its soft power.&nbsp;

On the other hand, as its reported China, where the COVID 19 erupted, has a relatively good record in saving people’s lives, though, the official statistics could also be wrong in lieu of the absence of free press. However, it’s more or less confirmed that China has recorded fewer deaths in comparison to America. All major international financial institutions including IMF and World Bank are pointing out that the China prospect of economic recovery is very good. Though China remains an economic powerhouse, however, it will not result in creating and establishing Chinese hegemony or China-centric world order. Because China does not have a good record in terms of freedom, development and other indicators of the regime of human rights. Therefore, even while the influence of America declines, the  resulting vacuum would not be filled by China.&nbsp;

This provides a very different kind of challenge before the Indian government. India must develop a future assessment of post-COVID 19 world order in order to grapple with the implications of assertive Chinese and not trust them ever again keeping in the mind, the track record of China, as well as, not to put all eggs in the USA's basket.&nbsp;

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

In the context of the development of COVID 19, the international community is debating on two central questions: whether the post-COVID-19 would eclipse the American hegemony?

In the context of the development of COVID 19, the international community is debating on two central questions: whether the post-COVID-19 would eclipse the American hegemony? Or whether the world order will become more China centred? A third aspect of the debate is whether the post-COVID -19 world orders will strengthen multipolarity. Irrespective of the origin of COVID-19,  which America has termed the Chinese virus. One thing is certain that the post-COVID-19 will result in the different priorities of the international order. It's certain that America is going to lose its influence  and power on world affairs. Not because it’s no more capable of dominating the international arena but rather, COVID 19 has jolted the faith of the international community in the capitalist liberal system sustained by the USA. The virus has exposed the structural weakness and eroded the legitimacy of the American system and due to the simple fact that the USA, despite being superpower has the largest number of deaths. This has caused irreparable damage to American authority and its liberal value system with a consequence that it has drastically lost its soft power. On the other hand, as its reported China, where the COVID 19 erupted, has a relatively good record in saving people’s lives, though, the official statistics could also be wrong in lieu of the absence of free press. However, it’s more or less confirmed that China has recorded fewer deaths in comparison to America. All major international financial institutions including IMF and World Bank are pointing out that the China prospect of economic recovery is very good. Though China remains an economic powerhouse, however, it will not result in creating and establishing Chinese hegemony or China-centric world order. Because China does not have a good record in terms of freedom, development and other indicators of the regime of human rights. Therefore, even while the influence of America declines, the  resulting vacuum would not be filled by China. This provides a very different kind of challenge before the Indian government. India must develop a future assessment of post-COVID 19 world order in order to grapple with the implications of assertive Chinese and not trust them ever again keeping in the mind, the track record of China, as well as, not to put all eggs in the USA's basket. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

COVID 19: An end of American hegemony?

Everyone loves a bargain. I’m not talking about the Diwali sales, or the insane discounts online. Sometimes it happens on a much larger scale, involving countries and corporations, where the stakes are much higher.&nbsp;

The government recently announced stringent changes to the rules governing FDI in Indian companies, making government approval compulsory in case of investments from our neighbours (importantly, China). We are not the only ones worried.&nbsp;

The world has always been wary of Chinese money flowing into strategic sectors. But now the fear is palpable. The pandemic has unleashed an economic crisis. Stock markets across the globe have crashed, losing almost 35 per cent, and wiping off trillions of dollars. Companies, big and small, are struggling to cope with the COVID 19 crisis. The future of millions of business is uncertain. Valuations have dropped, and cash-rich opportunistic investors, are on the prowl looking for ‘deals’.&nbsp;

There is growing unease about predatory investments, and hostile takeovers of domestic companies by foreign agencies at a vulnerable time like this. Governments are clamping down - Australia, Germany, Spain, America, Italy and now India, are all introducing stricter rules to defend their domestic industry.&nbsp;

There was a time when concerns around China were limited to ‘key technology’ areas or ‘sensitive infrastructure’. But not anymore. Even small and medium-sized enterprises which are strong in their niche segments can be attractive acquisition targets.

China’s overseas investment policy has traditionally been politically driven, with nationalistic objectives - eg. ensuring the supply of natural resources, creating world-class companies through acquisitions, securing strategic assets in technology and national priority industries and so on. We’ve seen the row over Huawei, and numerous other examples dotting Europe and America, as well as closer home, in India.

It is a politically polarising issue. China has deep pockets, the state and its subsidiaries have lent about $1.5 trillion dollars in direct loans and trade credits to over 150 countries. 18 of the 30 unicorns in India are funded by the Chinese.&nbsp;

There are lessons from the past as well. Policymakers across continents are conscious of Chinese state-owned companies buying dozens of assets after the 2008 financial crisis, and also in Europe (Greece and Portugal) when their economies were hit by the European debt crisis. Most are afraid of their local economies being exploited again at an unprecedented time like this.&nbsp;

The Chinese origins of the pandemic make things even more difficult. It has led to a rise in anti-china sentiment, making a compelling narrative against the Asian superpower. It is fuelling public outrage and therefore also inviting political intervention.

Rules are being changed across the world. Calls for protectionism and self-reliance and growing stronger. Globalisation, the buzzword for the past twenty years or more, has started to unravel. There is no pretence anymore of higher moral principles or adherence to international standards of acceptable behaviour. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/explained-why-chinese-firms-are-exploring-investment-opportunities-in-india-292449">Also read: Why Chinese firms are exploring investment opportunities in India</a>

Globalisation was built on trust, by creating bonds of mutual dependency. But we are seeing a resurgence of economic nationalism. Solidarity is giving way to self-interest.&nbsp;

Countries are moving away from multilateralism and putting themselves first. They are fighting to protect their own people and their own economies. The government are announcing stimulus packages and measures to save jobs and livelihoods. They are now also stepping up to change the rules of the game, and play watch guards to industry.&nbsp;

The mood at present is grim and suspicious. The months ahead are going to be volatile and dynamic. There will be economic and political consequences of the decisions taken today. We seem to be moving inwards, but the fact is that we are an interdependent world. Trust and transparency is the key to building a stable future. But how is the question.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Everyone loves a bargain. I’m not talking about the Diwali sales, or the insane discounts online. Sometimes it happens on a much larger scale, involving countries and corporations, where the stakes are much higher.

Everyone loves a bargain. I’m not talking about the Diwali sales, or the insane discounts online. Sometimes it happens on a much larger scale, involving countries and corporations, where the stakes are much higher. The government recently announced stringent changes to the rules governing FDI in Indian companies, making government approval compulsory in case of investments from our neighbours (importantly, China). We are not the only ones worried. The world has always been wary of Chinese money flowing into strategic sectors. But now the fear is palpable. The pandemic has unleashed an economic crisis. Stock markets across the globe have crashed, losing almost 35 per cent, and wiping off trillions of dollars. Companies, big and small, are struggling to cope with the COVID 19 crisis. The future of millions of business is uncertain. Valuations have dropped, and cash-rich opportunistic investors, are on the prowl looking for ‘deals’. There is growing unease about predatory investments, and hostile takeovers of domestic companies by foreign agencies at a vulnerable time like this. Governments are clamping down - Australia, Germany, Spain, America, Italy and now India, are all introducing stricter rules to defend their domestic industry. There was a time when concerns around China were limited to ‘key technology’ areas or ‘sensitive infrastructure’. But not anymore. Even small and medium-sized enterprises which are strong in their niche segments can be attractive acquisition targets. China’s overseas investment policy has traditionally been politically driven, with nationalistic objectives - eg. ensuring the supply of natural resources, creating world-class companies through acquisitions, securing strategic assets in technology and national priority industries and so on. We’ve seen the row over Huawei, and numerous other examples dotting Europe and America, as well as closer home, in India. It is a politically polarising issue. China has deep pockets, the state and its subsidiaries have lent about $1.5 trillion dollars in direct loans and trade credits to over 150 countries. 18 of the 30 unicorns in India are funded by the Chinese. There are lessons from the past as well. Policymakers across continents are conscious of Chinese state-owned companies buying dozens of assets after the 2008 financial crisis, and also in Europe (Greece and Portugal) when their economies were hit by the European debt crisis. Most are afraid of their local economies being exploited again at an unprecedented time like this. The Chinese origins of the pandemic make things even more difficult. It has led to a rise in anti-china sentiment, making a compelling narrative against the Asian superpower. It is fuelling public outrage and therefore also inviting political intervention. Rules are being changed across the world. Calls for protectionism and self-reliance and growing stronger. Globalisation, the buzzword for the past twenty years or more, has started to unravel. There is no pretence anymore of higher moral principles or adherence to international standards of acceptable behaviour. Also read: Why Chinese firms are exploring investment opportunities in India Globalisation was built on trust, by creating bonds of mutual dependency. But we are seeing a resurgence of economic nationalism. Solidarity is giving way to self-interest. Countries are moving away from multilateralism and putting themselves first. They are fighting to protect their own people and their own economies. The government are announcing stimulus packages and measures to save jobs and livelihoods. They are now also stepping up to change the rules of the game, and play watch guards to industry. The mood at present is grim and suspicious. The months ahead are going to be volatile and dynamic. There will be economic and political consequences of the decisions taken today. We seem to be moving inwards, but the fact is that we are an interdependent world. Trust and transparency is the key to building a stable future. But how is the question. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Firewall for China: Calls for self-reliance grow stronger

The coronavirus outbreak is the worst public health crisis in a century. However, misinformation and rumours can be more dangerous than this virus.&nbsp;

Believe it or not, they can be fatal. The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pak-account-poses-as-omani-princess-tweets-anti-india-material-princess-clarifies-294086">disinformation campaign</a>,&nbsp;being run by&nbsp;Pakistan, is compromising the fight against the Wuhan virus.

There's a sudden spurt in anti-India posts on Twitter. However, these Twitter handles turned out to be fake which were being pushed by Islamabad.

Many of them switched their names and handles. Some even identified themselves as members of the Omani Royalty.

A Pakistani ID @pak_fauj changed its name to Omani Royalty Mona bint Fahd al Said @SayyidaMona to spread the propaganda.

Meanwhile, the Omani Princess Mona bint Fahd, who was impersonated, has issued a statement. In the statement, she said, "Friends, First of all, I thank you for your concern to verify the offensive post published through an account impersonating me, which you are sure that I have no connection with it."

Clearly, all these accounts are part of an organised campaign. They are posting fake threats, amplifying an anti-India agenda while&nbsp;posing as Arabs.

They are trying to unsettle Indians in West Asia at a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic. 
&nbsp;

The coronavirus outbreak is the worst public health crisis in a century. However, misinformation and rumours can be more dangerous than this virus. Believe it or not, they can be fatal.

The coronavirus outbreak is the worst public health crisis in a century. However, misinformation and rumours can be more dangerous than this virus. Believe it or not, they can be fatal. The disinformation campaign, being run by Pakistan, is compromising the fight against the Wuhan virus. There's a sudden spurt in anti-India posts on Twitter. However, these Twitter handles turned out to be fake which were being pushed by Islamabad. Many of them switched their names and handles. Some even identified themselves as members of the Omani Royalty. A Pakistani ID @pak_fauj changed its name to Omani Royalty Mona bint Fahd al Said @SayyidaMona to spread the propaganda. Meanwhile, the Omani Princess Mona bint Fahd, who was impersonated, has issued a statement. In the statement, she said, "Friends, First of all, I thank you for your concern to verify the offensive post published through an account impersonating me, which you are sure that I have no connection with it." Clearly, all these accounts are part of an organised campaign. They are posting fake threats, amplifying an anti-India agenda while posing as Arabs. They are trying to unsettle Indians in West Asia at a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid coronavirus crisis, Pakistan runs propaganda against India on social media

Coronavirus is not just once in a lifetime event, it’s something that is bringing a stream of once in lifetime events. Oil prices turning negative for the first time is the latest example of it. It perfectly depicts how grave the ground reality of economic turmoil is. Since there was a lack of demand, and supply was very high the huge imbalance caused prices to go even negative for some time. Due to COVID-19 crisis, oil has shed the tears, but what’s the sentiment of global markets and economy? &nbsp;&nbsp;

World Health Organisation (WHO) expects that in the next 6 months, cases in Africa can reach up to 10 million. So it seems virus will continue to impact the global economy for quite some time directly and even for longer indirectly.&nbsp;&nbsp;

International Monetary Fund expects a developed economy to fall at a faster rate than emerging countries and global GDP is predicted to decline by 3 per cent in 2020. Developed countries are expected to decline by 6.1 per cent while emerging economies will fall by 1 per cent. IMF expects global GDP to revive next year and grown by 5.8 per cent where China and India are expected to lead the way. &nbsp;

Countries in Europe are opening up, so currently it seems that dawn is approaching.&nbsp;However, there is a risk of the second wave which experts expect to be even more dangerous. 
 
If we look at data, Chinese GDP fell by 9.8 per cent in the Jan-March quarter as compared to the previous quarter, retail sales industrial production across the globe are witnessing declines. Inflation is subdued, job losses are ramping up. So yes we know things are currently very bleak, but how would they emerge in future? Well, that all depends on sentiment. The sentiment of consumers, businesses, CEOs and also politicians. &nbsp;&nbsp;

As per the poll by Young Presidents' Organisation (YPO), 60 per cent of CEOs across the globe expect U-shape recovery. CEOs feel the rapid change has created a lot of uncertainty and some of them are fearful about the survival of their businesses. In Germany, the businesses are opening up but consumers are not coming in large numbers. In the UK, it's reported that footfall in shops started dropping even before lockdown by the government. So that means even after lockdown opens people will refrain from coming out in large numbers. IHS Markit’s Household finance index (It measure how households view their financial condition) fell sharply in April as compared to March. 
 
In Japan business confidence is reported to plunge at decade low and for the next few months, it may fall even further. While in Australia, the central bank (Reserve Bank of Australia) expects economic activity in the country can remain subdued till September. In India, lockdown is going on but the financial condition of small and medium business has taken a serious hit, Since a large amount of Indian workforce belongs to the unorganised sector, so fall in business and consumer sentiment can be expected. In the US, Michigan consumer sentiment index (Survey about consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan) declined sharply and the same trend is forecasted for conference board’s consumer confidence index. So all this shows that even sentiment of business and consumer suggest tough road ahead. &nbsp;

Even geopolitical tensions are persistent. Brexit negotiations involve a lot&nbsp;of stress. In the European Commission, member states are not agreeing on issuing corona bonds as there are underlying tensions between countries like Germany, Netherland on one side, and southern countries like Italy, France and Spain on the other. In Middle-East, the US and Iranian ships came quite close to each other recently and now US President Donald Trump has instructed the United States Navy to shoot down Iranian gunboats if they harass US ships. Even in North China sea, the US sent its warships as it believes that China is bullying in disputed waters. Recently China also arrested various prominent activists in Hong Kong which again irked the US. Not to forget political backlash against China in the whole world regarding coronavirus.&nbsp;

In fact, countries across Asia and Europe are tightening their FDI rules to prevent a hostile takeover of their domestic companies by foreign firms. The feeling of protectionist has increased. Although all this won’t lead to deglobalisation all these geopolitical tensions will pose an additional hurdle to economic recovery. &nbsp;

For financial markets, Oil gave a reality check to the broader market as investors realised that economic damage is quite&nbsp;deep. Still, equity markets seemed to be higher as compared to economic reality. Why? &nbsp;

Well, the market is so broad that there is always some segment where the money is flowing. Investors may feel refrain for some time due to uncertainty but then their investing brain (also impulse) starts churning up and they look for new attractive pursuits. Currently pharma and tech stocks like Netflix, Snapchat are enjoying the attraction. Given the interconnected system, other companies that are part of their ecosystem also enjoy some benefit&nbsp;

Since there is always some sector or company that gains due to a&nbsp;particular situation, the money keeps flowing there and that even drives the whole market up. &nbsp;

Now, there is massive liquidity and lack of attraction broad range of asset class like real estate, physical investment by consumers (Propensity to save during tough times increased) and businesses (No positive future expectations), commodities (Low or no demand) and even bonds (very low or negative yields). So due to lack of attraction in other asset class, the money is flowing in the equity market. This may be why the market has rebounded to some extent.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Coronavirus is not just once in a lifetime event, it’s something that is bringing a stream of once in lifetime events. Oil prices turning negative for the first time is the latest example of it.

Coronavirus is not just once in a lifetime event, it’s something that is bringing a stream of once in lifetime events. Oil prices turning negative for the first time is the latest example of it. It perfectly depicts how grave the ground reality of economic turmoil is. Since there was a lack of demand, and supply was very high the huge imbalance caused prices to go even negative for some time. Due to COVID-19 crisis, oil has shed the tears, but what’s the sentiment of global markets and economy? World Health Organisation (WHO) expects that in the next 6 months, cases in Africa can reach up to 10 million. So it seems virus will continue to impact the global economy for quite some time directly and even for longer indirectly. International Monetary Fund expects a developed economy to fall at a faster rate than emerging countries and global GDP is predicted to decline by 3 per cent in 2020. Developed countries are expected to decline by 6.1 per cent while emerging economies will fall by 1 per cent. IMF expects global GDP to revive next year and grown by 5.8 per cent where China and India are expected to lead the way. Countries in Europe are opening up, so currently it seems that dawn is approaching. However, there is a risk of the second wave which experts expect to be even more dangerous. If we look at data, Chinese GDP fell by 9.8 per cent in the Jan-March quarter as compared to the previous quarter, retail sales industrial production across the globe are witnessing declines. Inflation is subdued, job losses are ramping up. So yes we know things are currently very bleak, but how would they emerge in future? Well, that all depends on sentiment. The sentiment of consumers, businesses, CEOs and also politicians. As per the poll by Young Presidents' Organisation (YPO), 60 per cent of CEOs across the globe expect U-shape recovery. CEOs feel the rapid change has created a lot of uncertainty and some of them are fearful about the survival of their businesses. In Germany, the businesses are opening up but consumers are not coming in large numbers. In the UK, it's reported that footfall in shops started dropping even before lockdown by the government. So that means even after lockdown opens people will refrain from coming out in large numbers. IHS Markit’s Household finance index (It measure how households view their financial condition) fell sharply in April as compared to March. In Japan business confidence is reported to plunge at decade low and for the next few months, it may fall even further. While in Australia, the central bank (Reserve Bank of Australia) expects economic activity in the country can remain subdued till September. In India, lockdown is going on but the financial condition of small and medium business has taken a serious hit, Since a large amount of Indian workforce belongs to the unorganised sector, so fall in business and consumer sentiment can be expected. In the US, Michigan consumer sentiment index (Survey about consumer sentiment by the University of Michigan) declined sharply and the same trend is forecasted for conference board’s consumer confidence index. So all this shows that even sentiment of business and consumer suggest tough road ahead. Even geopolitical tensions are persistent. Brexit negotiations involve a lot of stress. In the European Commission, member states are not agreeing on issuing corona bonds as there are underlying tensions between countries like Germany, Netherland on one side, and southern countries like Italy, France and Spain on the other. In Middle-East, the US and Iranian ships came quite close to each other recently and now US President Donald Trump has instructed the United States Navy to shoot down Iranian gunboats if they harass US ships. Even in North China sea, the US sent its warships as it believes that China is bullying in disputed waters. Recently China also arrested various prominent activists in Hong Kong which again irked the US. Not to forget political backlash against China in the whole world regarding coronavirus. In fact, countries across Asia and Europe are tightening their FDI rules to prevent a hostile takeover of their domestic companies by foreign firms. The feeling of protectionist has increased. Although all this won’t lead to deglobalisation all these geopolitical tensions will pose an additional hurdle to economic recovery. For financial markets, Oil gave a reality check to the broader market as investors realised that economic damage is quite deep. Still, equity markets seemed to be higher as compared to economic reality. Why? Well, the market is so broad that there is always some segment where the money is flowing. Investors may feel refrain for some time due to uncertainty but then their investing brain (also impulse) starts churning up and they look for new attractive pursuits. Currently pharma and tech stocks like Netflix, Snapchat are enjoying the attraction. Given the interconnected system, other companies that are part of their ecosystem also enjoy some benefit Since there is always some sector or company that gains due to a particular situation, the money keeps flowing there and that even drives the whole market up. Now, there is massive liquidity and lack of attraction broad range of asset class like real estate, physical investment by consumers (Propensity to save during tough times increased) and businesses (No positive future expectations), commodities (Low or no demand) and even bonds (very low or negative yields). So due to lack of attraction in other asset class, the money is flowing in the equity market. This may be why the market has rebounded to some extent. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Historic fall in oil prices exposes the deep economic damage caused by coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus, COVID-19, which originated in China and is responsible for the global pandemic, has a unique structural feature that none of its closest viral relatives yet identified have, a furin polybasic cleavage site.

Cleavage sites similar to that found in COVID-19 are present in some naturally-occurring coronaviruses, but in completely separate evolutionary pathways from COVID-19.

It has also been demonstrated that such coronavirus cleavage sites can be modified by genetic engineering to alter viral pathogenicity, sometimes increasing it.

For example, in a 2011 study, using site-directed mutagenesis, a non-infective influenza virus was<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1743-422X-8-64"> transformed </a>into a pathogenic one by the replacement of two native amino acids in its cleavage site with two new basic amino acids.

Scientists in China <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/11/10/972">have used site-directed mutagenesis </a>to alter the cleavage site of an infectious bronchitis virus by introducing basic amino acids, thereby increasing its pathogenicity and resulting in a “gain of function” such that the new virus was capable of infecting the brain producing “severe encephalitis.”

An alternative method for introducing a polybasic cleavage site and producing a pathogenic virus from a naturally-occurring non-pathogenic one is by a technique called <a href="https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/jgv/10.1099/vir.0.031591-0">“reassortment”</a> or mixing two or more viruses in a host animal or cell culture system from which a new virus emerges through a natural recombination process.

The scientific “conventional wisdom” claims that COVID-19 is a naturally-occurring bat beta-coronavirus that “jumped” from animals to humans presumably in the Wuhan Seafood Market, an assertion with which the Chinese Communist Party and the World Health Organisation wholeheartedly agree.

There is also general, if unproven, agreement within the scientific community that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9">the closest relative</a> to COVID-19, and perhaps the strain from which it evolved, is another bat beta-coronavirus named RaTG13.

But RaTG13 does not have COVID-19’s furin polybasic cleavage site nor do any of the other close relatives that have been so far identified.

One of the main reasons we do not yet know the origin of COVID-19 is because China has not opened its research files and databases for inspection, sources containing information about the vast number of coronaviruses they have isolated and the experiments conducted on them.

One example is RaBtCoV/4991 (GenBank KP876546), which is one of the many bat coronaviruses isolated from an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26920708">abandoned mineshaft</a> in Yunnan Province, often mentioned as a potential starting point for a human disease outbreak.

Although isolated in 2013, RaBtCoV/4991 has never been fully sequenced or practically studied at all, even though,<a href="https://www.virology.ws/2020/02/20/pangolins-and-the-origin-of-sars-cov-2-coronavirus/"> according to one source</a>, &nbsp;the RaBtCoV/4991 short sequence is a 100 per cent match for RaTG13 and SNU01, the viral isolate from the first COVID-19 patient in South Korea.

Applying the bioengineering techniques of recombination, site-directed mutagenesis and reassortment, CoVid-19 could have been created through the introduction of a furin polybasic cleavage site onto an appropriate coronavirus “backbone” from the catalogue of isolated strains in Chinese laboratories. &nbsp;

China also has <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aalas/cm/2007/00000057/00000005/art00003">animal models</a> to test the ability of such new viruses to infect humans.

It is only the lack of candour by the Chinese government that prevents the world from knowing the true origin of COVID-19.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The coronavirus, COVID-19, which originated in China and is responsible for the global pandemic, has a unique structural feature that none of its closest viral relatives yet identified have, a furin polybasic cleavage site.

The coronavirus, COVID-19, which originated in China and is responsible for the global pandemic, has a unique structural feature that none of its closest viral relatives yet identified have, a furin polybasic cleavage site. Cleavage sites similar to that found in COVID-19 are present in some naturally-occurring coronaviruses, but in completely separate evolutionary pathways from COVID-19. It has also been demonstrated that such coronavirus cleavage sites can be modified by genetic engineering to alter viral pathogenicity, sometimes increasing it. For example, in a 2011 study, using site-directed mutagenesis, a non-infective influenza virus was transformed into a pathogenic one by the replacement of two native amino acids in its cleavage site with two new basic amino acids. Scientists in China have used site-directed mutagenesis to alter the cleavage site of an infectious bronchitis virus by introducing basic amino acids, thereby increasing its pathogenicity and resulting in a “gain of function” such that the new virus was capable of infecting the brain producing “severe encephalitis.” An alternative method for introducing a polybasic cleavage site and producing a pathogenic virus from a naturally-occurring non-pathogenic one is by a technique called “reassortment” or mixing two or more viruses in a host animal or cell culture system from which a new virus emerges through a natural recombination process. The scientific “conventional wisdom” claims that COVID-19 is a naturally-occurring bat beta-coronavirus that “jumped” from animals to humans presumably in the Wuhan Seafood Market, an assertion with which the Chinese Communist Party and the World Health Organisation wholeheartedly agree. There is also general, if unproven, agreement within the scientific community that the closest relative to COVID-19, and perhaps the strain from which it evolved, is another bat beta-coronavirus named RaTG13. But RaTG13 does not have COVID-19’s furin polybasic cleavage site nor do any of the other close relatives that have been so far identified. One of the main reasons we do not yet know the origin of COVID-19 is because China has not opened its research files and databases for inspection, sources containing information about the vast number of coronaviruses they have isolated and the experiments conducted on them. One example is RaBtCoV/4991 (GenBank KP876546), which is one of the many bat coronaviruses isolated from an abandoned mineshaft in Yunnan Province, often mentioned as a potential starting point for a human disease outbreak. Although isolated in 2013, RaBtCoV/4991 has never been fully sequenced or practically studied at all, even though, according to one source, the RaBtCoV/4991 short sequence is a 100 per cent match for RaTG13 and SNU01, the viral isolate from the first COVID-19 patient in South Korea. Applying the bioengineering techniques of recombination, site-directed mutagenesis and reassortment, CoVid-19 could have been created through the introduction of a furin polybasic cleavage site onto an appropriate coronavirus “backbone” from the catalogue of isolated strains in Chinese laboratories. China also has animal models to test the ability of such new viruses to infect humans. It is only the lack of candour by the Chinese government that prevents the world from knowing the true origin of COVID-19. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How China could have made COVID-19 while hiding its origin

When you grow up, the only thing you want to avoid is a routine. I avoided routine for 20 years as a reporter. Now I’m caught in a newsroom and find myself as a prisoner of routine. Though routine is not a bad word per se. It creates a sense of orderliness which is fundamental to a normal life. Young, on the contrary, appreciates a life which breaks this very routine.&nbsp;

Every generation does it. I chose journalism because I never wanted to do a 5-10 job. Journalism gave me the opportunity to travel and break the routine. Gradually, I made a shift to the newsroom where the job was to run the show. Enticing first, but later I found myself becoming a prisoner of routine defined by the compulsion of prime time.

It became more pronounced as I started to shoulder the output responsibility. It is not to say that the job is not enjoyable, but you definitely know deep down that you are not the king of your own time. Earlier, I was only a prisoner of breaking news or exclusive content, but now my life is held together by a timetable of bulletins and news which needs to be processed and produced.

Lockdown has added another layer to it. It has made newsroom less noisy. There are a few people. There is a limit to the work which can be assigned. It is not possible to pressurise the teams as channel needs to survive the pandemic with the staff in pink of health and mood. So, what was casual for me has become important as I need more work to utilise&nbsp;my time. Earlier, I would not feel the pinch for being confined to a newsroom and the chair.

Now it has become more pronounced. Streets continue to be empty and I cannot escape them. I only meet three courageous walkers in my society. I go to the same shop in Khan Market and meet the same people. I have not met my friends and I barely get to see my family.

In order to kill the sense of routine, I have started to keep a diary, filling it with mundane tasks to create a sense of importance in my life.

It allows me to escape the harsh reality of pandemic. The little diary allows me to escape the death count which has become the terrible reality of my routine. I have to face death count every day and I cannot escape that routine. It is like going to a mortuary and counting the number of dead. Here, the physical dimension of the body is absent as all you see are bodies in bags and numbers which need to be put on screen.

The routine has become more pronounced under the lockdown as it has robbed sense&nbsp;of touch.&nbsp;There is no hug or handshake.

Lockdown has created physical boundaries and only certain activities are allowed. You cannot stop your car and go for a walk in Lodhi Garden, impromptu. It would be tantamount to breaking rules. The only solace is that I do not work from home.

Before, the dawn of the modern industrial civilization, life was, primarily, work from the home scenario for 80 per cent of the people. The medieval towns were divided on the basis of profession practised by the people. Work creates an escape from forced isolation, but the lack of social activity makes you feel living the same day again, like the famous Hollywood film, 'The Groundhog Day'. I hope it ends soon for everyone, but the next normal will be a new normal and all of us will need to be ready for it.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

When you grow up, the only thing you want to avoid is a routine. I avoided routine for 20 years as a reporter. Now I’m caught in a newsroom and find myself as a prisoner of routine.

When you grow up, the only thing you want to avoid is a routine. I avoided routine for 20 years as a reporter. Now I’m caught in a newsroom and find myself as a prisoner of routine. Though routine is not a bad word per se. It creates a sense of orderliness which is fundamental to a normal life. Young, on the contrary, appreciates a life which breaks this very routine. Every generation does it. I chose journalism because I never wanted to do a 5-10 job. Journalism gave me the opportunity to travel and break the routine. Gradually, I made a shift to the newsroom where the job was to run the show. Enticing first, but later I found myself becoming a prisoner of routine defined by the compulsion of prime time. It became more pronounced as I started to shoulder the output responsibility. It is not to say that the job is not enjoyable, but you definitely know deep down that you are not the king of your own time. Earlier, I was only a prisoner of breaking news or exclusive content, but now my life is held together by a timetable of bulletins and news which needs to be processed and produced. Lockdown has added another layer to it. It has made newsroom less noisy. There are a few people. There is a limit to the work which can be assigned. It is not possible to pressurise the teams as channel needs to survive the pandemic with the staff in pink of health and mood. So, what was casual for me has become important as I need more work to utilise my time. Earlier, I would not feel the pinch for being confined to a newsroom and the chair. Now it has become more pronounced. Streets continue to be empty and I cannot escape them. I only meet three courageous walkers in my society. I go to the same shop in Khan Market and meet the same people. I have not met my friends and I barely get to see my family. In order to kill the sense of routine, I have started to keep a diary, filling it with mundane tasks to create a sense of importance in my life. It allows me to escape the harsh reality of pandemic. The little diary allows me to escape the death count which has become the terrible reality of my routine. I have to face death count every day and I cannot escape that routine. It is like going to a mortuary and counting the number of dead. Here, the physical dimension of the body is absent as all you see are bodies in bags and numbers which need to be put on screen. The routine has become more pronounced under the lockdown as it has robbed sense of touch. There is no hug or handshake. Lockdown has created physical boundaries and only certain activities are allowed. You cannot stop your car and go for a walk in Lodhi Garden, impromptu. It would be tantamount to breaking rules. The only solace is that I do not work from home. Before, the dawn of the modern industrial civilization, life was, primarily, work from the home scenario for 80 per cent of the people. The medieval towns were divided on the basis of profession practised by the people. Work creates an escape from forced isolation, but the lack of social activity makes you feel living the same day again, like the famous Hollywood film, 'The Groundhog Day'. I hope it ends soon for everyone, but the next normal will be a new normal and all of us will need to be ready for it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Blog: Surviving the routine during coronavirus lockdown

Earth Day was first marked 50 years ago with a purpose to raise awareness about our roles in protecting the planet.&nbsp;

50 years of inaction later, nature seems to have taken the matter into its own hands. Our planet today looks nothing like it used to two-three months ago.

This pandemic has come as a blessing in disguise for the environment as it has spared the planet the daily ordeal of human activity. 
&nbsp; 
As a result, lions were spotted napping on a road in South Africa. In Cape Town, penguins were seen strolling through an empty street.

In Paris, birds have turned into explorers. The decline in human movement and noise pollution have rolled out the red carpet for birds that would otherwise be too scared or coy to come out.

Furthermore, a record 1.5 lakh flamingoes made their way to Mumbai's wetlands this year. In the UK too, nature is breathing a sigh of relief. Birds finally have their wings unclipped and deer are roaming freely at a London suburb. The number of leatherback sea turtle nests touched a 20-year-high in Thailand.

The coronavirus pandemic has had a magical effect on the earth. It has hit the much-needed pause button on human activity&nbsp;and nature is having a blast without us.

However, it may be snipped in the bud as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased, and hence, it's important to learn to co-exist. Protecting the planet is everyone's duty.

The pandemic has shown us that we still have time to heal the world. So, as we mark the 50th Earth Day - let's imagine a different future. A greener one, one defined by co-habitation, one that seemed impossible 2-3 months ago.

&nbsp;

Earth Day was first marked 50 years ago with a purpose to raise awareness about our roles in protecting the planet. 50 years of inaction later, nature seems to have taken the matter into its own hands.

Earth Day was first marked 50 years ago with a purpose to raise awareness about our roles in protecting the planet. 50 years of inaction later, nature seems to have taken the matter into its own hands. Our planet today looks nothing like it used to two-three months ago. This pandemic has come as a blessing in disguise for the environment as it has spared the planet the daily ordeal of human activity. As a result, lions were spotted napping on a road in South Africa. In Cape Town, penguins were seen strolling through an empty street. In Paris, birds have turned into explorers. The decline in human movement and noise pollution have rolled out the red carpet for birds that would otherwise be too scared or coy to come out. Furthermore, a record 1.5 lakh flamingoes made their way to Mumbai's wetlands this year. In the UK too, nature is breathing a sigh of relief. Birds finally have their wings unclipped and deer are roaming freely at a London suburb. The number of leatherback sea turtle nests touched a 20-year-high in Thailand. The coronavirus pandemic has had a magical effect on the earth. It has hit the much-needed pause button on human activity and nature is having a blast without us. However, it may be snipped in the bud as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased, and hence, it's important to learn to co-exist. Protecting the planet is everyone's duty. The pandemic has shown us that we still have time to heal the world. So, as we mark the 50th Earth Day - let's imagine a different future. A greener one, one defined by co-habitation, one that seemed impossible 2-3 months ago.

Earth Day: Coronavirus has helped the planet heal itself

The idea of using traffic model in India to restore economic activity at this stage has the potential to backfire badly. With a total number of cases increasing steadily on a daily basis without any sign of reaching the downward slope of the growth curve poses the question: Are we in a rush to jumpstart the economy?&nbsp;

The amount of loss has been already estimated to be $98 billion during the first round of 21 days lockdown. In forex market, the Indian currency is almost in its coma as it has attained the lowest value against the dollar in its own history. In fact, one rupee is now even less than one US cent! The scenario is no doubt disheartening and significant. Given the gloom scenario if we imagine that there is a sudden outburst of the contagion effect in a very robust manner, then what will be the scenario in India? Probably we will be frightened to even visualise.

This can ensue since the orange can switch its colour to red in a matter of few days and same goes for green. A feeble laxity of social distancing can have a huge multiplier effect on the toll of cases as well as on the number of deaths. Amidst the not so picturesque view, the partial lockdown may turn out to be a premature decision. The social marginal benefit of partial relaxation lies in the fact that (primarily) rural economic activities during partial relaxation will self-sustain themselves to some extent. There is no doubt that it will bring some breeze into the system. However, the social marginal cost may outweigh the benefits. Costs include the following but are not limited to these.

First, we need to realise that there is still no vaccine and therapy for the deadly coronavirus. Medical experts around the world have already warned that India will probably see the highest surge during the end of April/first week of May. This can be coupled with the lack of health infrastructure in India, where we allocate a mere 1.28 per cent of GDP - less than even Nepal, Srilanka, Indonesia, Bhutan to name a few - and have even less than 50,000 ventilators as of date.&nbsp;

We have already seen that despite allocating much higher funds, having better health infrastructure and a greater number of trained doctors to combat the scenario by advanced economies - they failed to keep the fight within the control. Thus, the number of possible deaths can steadily intensify in India with partial relaxation of lockdown and almost nonexistent world-class health infrastructure to contest COVID 19. As a part of a negative externality, the increased number of deaths can produce havoc socio-economic panic, which we do not want at any cost at this stage of the battle.&nbsp;

Second, the potential pandemonium due to deaths will create an immense amount of pressure on medical supplies which is already facing a bottleneck. The overall aggregate supply will further experience a very strong negative supply shock triggering inflation. Third, the stock market can experience a freefall due to a) further lack of investment and b) more intensified speculative attack on the stock market by both Foreign Portfolio Investors and Foreign Institutional Investors.&nbsp;

Fourth, cost comes from the foreign exchange market where a weaker demand of a domestic currency in the forex market coupled with increased supply (due to import demand) will do nothing but weaken the currency to set another record low.&nbsp;

Finally, the overall effect of all these forces will push Indian economy to even severe recession than what we can imagine today. One of the byproducts of this will be definitely higher income and social inequality in future. Thus, the upcoming three to four weeks are even more crucial for an economy like India to fight the war against COVID.&nbsp;

Then the natural question which comes up is – then what we should do? The first and foremost is to continue with the lockdown and keep working on the social distancing or physical distancing with social solidarity whichever sounds better.&nbsp;

Next is definitely to increase financial support by the government of India not only for poor but also for migrant labours, as well as, for the frontline warriors. The current government has allocated only 0.8 per cent of GDP ($1.4 Billion) to fight&nbsp;the virus for a population of 1.38 Billion. Simple arithmetic states that $1 per capita to fight the disease! India’s GDP in 2019 was $2800 Billion and even if the government allocates 1 to 2 per cent of GDP (which most of the countries are doing) the much-needed financial support during the lockdown period could have been provided for mass.&nbsp;

Given the both economic and health crisis on hand, if we also agree to even relax fiscal deficit ($137 Billion) by 1 per cent it can generate worth of approximately $14 Billion. It looks like really a mysterious case of sticking to fiscal discipline at this stage. The whole idea of fiscal discipline is well accepted for long-run economic growth, but do we really want to stick&nbsp;to it when the pandemic is on? There had been several occasions where we defaulted, why not his time?

Last but not the least, we must not ignore the fact that India has foreign exchange reserve worth of $474.66 Billion. Given the ominous situation, the central bank could have extended their support to join the fight effectively. Unfortunately, that has not been the case either. While most countries are moving no stones unturned to fight the virus (let alone public debt &amp; fiscal deficit) we should have extended more fiscal support to withstand the challenges faced by various strata of Indian society.&nbsp;

To conclude, the fantastic role of police, medics and other frontline warriors are well beyond words, but where is the required fund to support people to stay at home, specifically for the lowest strata of the Indian society.&nbsp;

Rather than opening some zones to the threat at this stage, strong fiscal support would have been much more caring for low-income group, stranded migrants and informal sector workers. We do understand that no one can be sure that things will be fine down the three/four weeks’ timeline. However, we need to stay optimistic but probably we do not need to rush! 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The idea of using traffic model in India to restore economic activity at this stage has the potential to backfire badly. With a total number of cases increasing steadily on a daily basis without any sign of reaching the downward slope of the growth curve poses the question: Are we in a rush to jumpstart the economy?

The idea of using traffic model in India to restore economic activity at this stage has the potential to backfire badly. With a total number of cases increasing steadily on a daily basis without any sign of reaching the downward slope of the growth curve poses the question: Are we in a rush to jumpstart the economy? The amount of loss has been already estimated to be $98 billion during the first round of 21 days lockdown. In forex market, the Indian currency is almost in its coma as it has attained the lowest value against the dollar in its own history. In fact, one rupee is now even less than one US cent! The scenario is no doubt disheartening and significant. Given the gloom scenario if we imagine that there is a sudden outburst of the contagion effect in a very robust manner, then what will be the scenario in India? Probably we will be frightened to even visualise. This can ensue since the orange can switch its colour to red in a matter of few days and same goes for green. A feeble laxity of social distancing can have a huge multiplier effect on the toll of cases as well as on the number of deaths. Amidst the not so picturesque view, the partial lockdown may turn out to be a premature decision. The social marginal benefit of partial relaxation lies in the fact that (primarily) rural economic activities during partial relaxation will self-sustain themselves to some extent. There is no doubt that it will bring some breeze into the system. However, the social marginal cost may outweigh the benefits. Costs include the following but are not limited to these. First, we need to realise that there is still no vaccine and therapy for the deadly coronavirus. Medical experts around the world have already warned that India will probably see the highest surge during the end of April/first week of May. This can be coupled with the lack of health infrastructure in India, where we allocate a mere 1.28 per cent of GDP - less than even Nepal, Srilanka, Indonesia, Bhutan to name a few - and have even less than 50,000 ventilators as of date. We have already seen that despite allocating much higher funds, having better health infrastructure and a greater number of trained doctors to combat the scenario by advanced economies - they failed to keep the fight within the control. Thus, the number of possible deaths can steadily intensify in India with partial relaxation of lockdown and almost nonexistent world-class health infrastructure to contest COVID 19. As a part of a negative externality, the increased number of deaths can produce havoc socio-economic panic, which we do not want at any cost at this stage of the battle. Second, the potential pandemonium due to deaths will create an immense amount of pressure on medical supplies which is already facing a bottleneck. The overall aggregate supply will further experience a very strong negative supply shock triggering inflation. Third, the stock market can experience a freefall due to a) further lack of investment and b) more intensified speculative attack on the stock market by both Foreign Portfolio Investors and Foreign Institutional Investors. Fourth, cost comes from the foreign exchange market where a weaker demand of a domestic currency in the forex market coupled with increased supply (due to import demand) will do nothing but weaken the currency to set another record low. Finally, the overall effect of all these forces will push Indian economy to even severe recession than what we can imagine today. One of the byproducts of this will be definitely higher income and social inequality in future. Thus, the upcoming three to four weeks are even more crucial for an economy like India to fight the war against COVID. Then the natural question which comes up is – then what we should do? The first and foremost is to continue with the lockdown and keep working on the social distancing or physical distancing with social solidarity whichever sounds better. Next is definitely to increase financial support by the government of India not only for poor but also for migrant labours, as well as, for the frontline warriors. The current government has allocated only 0.8 per cent of GDP ($1.4 Billion) to fight the virus for a population of 1.38 Billion. Simple arithmetic states that $1 per capita to fight the disease! India’s GDP in 2019 was $2800 Billion and even if the government allocates 1 to 2 per cent of GDP (which most of the countries are doing) the much-needed financial support during the lockdown period could have been provided for mass. Given the both economic and health crisis on hand, if we also agree to even relax fiscal deficit ($137 Billion) by 1 per cent it can generate worth of approximately $14 Billion. It looks like really a mysterious case of sticking to fiscal discipline at this stage. The whole idea of fiscal discipline is well accepted for long-run economic growth, but do we really want to stick to it when the pandemic is on? There had been several occasions where we defaulted, why not his time? Last but not the least, we must not ignore the fact that India has foreign exchange reserve worth of $474.66 Billion. Given the ominous situation, the central bank could have extended their support to join the fight effectively. Unfortunately, that has not been the case either. While most countries are moving no stones unturned to fight the virus (let alone public debt & fiscal deficit) we should have extended more fiscal support to withstand the challenges faced by various strata of Indian society. To conclude, the fantastic role of police, medics and other frontline warriors are well beyond words, but where is the required fund to support people to stay at home, specifically for the lowest strata of the Indian society. Rather than opening some zones to the threat at this stage, strong fiscal support would have been much more caring for low-income group, stranded migrants and informal sector workers. We do understand that no one can be sure that things will be fine down the three/four weeks’ timeline. However, we need to stay optimistic but probably we do not need to rush! (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Here's why India should not be in a rush to jumpstart the economy stalled by coronavirus

COVID 19 has brought the problem of migrant labour in the public domain very forcefully for the first time in seventy years of India’s independence. Migrant labour includes people working in the informal structure of economy like cleaners, maids, drivers, construction workers security guards, garbage collectors, rickshaw pullers, pressers etc. They come to metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata to earn their livelihood.

The problem of the formal domestic migrant labour has been a subject matter of development and policy planning and has been discussed at various governmental and nongovernmental platforms, however, the outpouring of migrant labour on the street and its visual representation throughout the digital and electronic media has exposed the dilemma of India new liberal economy which has been pursued since 1991.&nbsp;

The announcement of lockdown, to break down the infection cycle of COVID-19, did not take into consideration the problem of the labour force of the unorganised sector.&nbsp;

This was coincided by the sudden mobilisation of thousands of migrant labourers in almost all metropolis and megacities which caught the government totally unprepared. &nbsp;

The scene was certainly heart wrenching and many analysts and economists drew the attention of the government for a more compassionate role to address the problem of poor in the country.&nbsp;

However, from my point of view, the issue is not one of compassion, but it is of right, equity, justice in general and distributive justice in particular.&nbsp;

Analysts have pointed out that the government and civil society send direct money along with providing food materials, however, the basic question here is –why the government has asked everybody to stay at home, &nbsp;the same has been denied to the migrant labours. This explains why the migrant labourers were not looking for any government or civil society support but the right to free movement to reach their homes in villages and small towns by railways, trucks, buses or any other available means of transportation. For migrant labour, only home in villages or small towns can provide a place or space for successful social distancing or quarantine rather cramped room in a city where they live together in dozens.&nbsp;

This reality of Indian politics, economy and governance exposes the uneven, unequal process of development in the country. &nbsp;

Though the government has come out with a number of relief packages which together amounts to $23 billion economic stimulus plan that provides direct cash transfers and food security measures to help the poor to deal with this Pandemic. The government also aims to distribute 5 kilograms of wheat or rice for each person free of cost, with a kilogram of pulses for every low-income family, helping to feed about 800 million poor people over the next three months. The government also has announced to hand out free cooking-gas cylinders to 83 million poor families, a one-time cash transfer of $13.31 to 30 million senior citizens and $6.65 a month to about 200 million poor women for next three months.&nbsp;

However, for a country that is aspiring to become a global power, it is important that its governing elite must pay attention to reduce the soaring income inequality and strengthen the health infrastructure in the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
&nbsp;

COVID 19 has brought the problem of migrant labour in the public domain very forcefully for the first time in seventy years of India’s independence. Migrant labour includes people working in the informal structure of economy like cleaners, maids, drivers, construction workers security guards, garbage collectors, rickshaw pullers, pressers etc.

COVID 19 has brought the problem of migrant labour in the public domain very forcefully for the first time in seventy years of India’s independence. Migrant labour includes people working in the informal structure of economy like cleaners, maids, drivers, construction workers security guards, garbage collectors, rickshaw pullers, pressers etc. They come to metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata to earn their livelihood. The problem of the formal domestic migrant labour has been a subject matter of development and policy planning and has been discussed at various governmental and nongovernmental platforms, however, the outpouring of migrant labour on the street and its visual representation throughout the digital and electronic media has exposed the dilemma of India new liberal economy which has been pursued since 1991. The announcement of lockdown, to break down the infection cycle of COVID-19, did not take into consideration the problem of the labour force of the unorganised sector. This was coincided by the sudden mobilisation of thousands of migrant labourers in almost all metropolis and megacities which caught the government totally unprepared. The scene was certainly heart wrenching and many analysts and economists drew the attention of the government for a more compassionate role to address the problem of poor in the country. However, from my point of view, the issue is not one of compassion, but it is of right, equity, justice in general and distributive justice in particular. Analysts have pointed out that the government and civil society send direct money along with providing food materials, however, the basic question here is –why the government has asked everybody to stay at home, the same has been denied to the migrant labours. This explains why the migrant labourers were not looking for any government or civil society support but the right to free movement to reach their homes in villages and small towns by railways, trucks, buses or any other available means of transportation. For migrant labour, only home in villages or small towns can provide a place or space for successful social distancing or quarantine rather cramped room in a city where they live together in dozens. This reality of Indian politics, economy and governance exposes the uneven, unequal process of development in the country. Though the government has come out with a number of relief packages which together amounts to $23 billion economic stimulus plan that provides direct cash transfers and food security measures to help the poor to deal with this Pandemic. The government also aims to distribute 5 kilograms of wheat or rice for each person free of cost, with a kilogram of pulses for every low-income family, helping to feed about 800 million poor people over the next three months. The government also has announced to hand out free cooking-gas cylinders to 83 million poor families, a one-time cash transfer of $13.31 to 30 million senior citizens and $6.65 a month to about 200 million poor women for next three months. However, for a country that is aspiring to become a global power, it is important that its governing elite must pay attention to reduce the soaring income inequality and strengthen the health infrastructure in the country.  (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Coronavirus crisis:  A lot needs to be done for the migrant labour

China's faulty test kits that couldn't detect the virus have dealt a blow to India's fight against the Wuhan virus.

Last week, India had bought lakhs of rapid testing kits from China and they have turned out to be faulty. World over, countries are complaining about unusable Chinese equipment.

In a daily press conference today Indian health officials said that the Chinese kits are not working and&nbsp;that&nbsp;there was a ''huge variation" in the test results.

States have been advised to not use Chinese test kits.&nbsp;&nbsp;India got 6.5 lakh testing kits from China on April 16, supplied by three Chinese companies.

About three lakh of these kits were sent to Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The Rajasthan government went public with its findings today. The state health minister said they were expecting a 90 per cent accuracy. What they got, was more than 94 per cent inaccuracy. Only 5.4 per cent of the Chinese kits give an accurate result. The rest are faulty.

India's ambassador to China&nbsp;Vikram Misri said that he has been coordinating the procurement from China and added India was&nbsp;in touch with China to identify bonafide suppliers. He said that India is getting more supplies from china.

New Delhi has placed an order of 7-8 million PPEs and 1000 ventilators. It is a fact that options are limited which is why most countries continue to buy from China despite the poor quality..&nbsp;After today's disclosure, India should re-think its orders from China as supplies from China cannot be trusted. Several countries have complained about China's defective supplies. Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Finland and the United Kingdom have received faulty kits from China.&nbsp;The Netherlands recalled 600 thousand face masks purchased from china.

China's faulty test kits that couldn't detect the virus have dealt a blow to India's fight against the Wuhan virus. Last week, India had bought lakhs of rapid testing kits from China and they have turned out to be faulty.

China's faulty test kits that couldn't detect the virus have dealt a blow to India's fight against the Wuhan virus. Last week, India had bought lakhs of rapid testing kits from China and they have turned out to be faulty. World over, countries are complaining about unusable Chinese equipment. In a daily press conference today Indian health officials said that the Chinese kits are not working and that there was a ''huge variation" in the test results. States have been advised to not use Chinese test kits. India got 6.5 lakh testing kits from China on April 16, supplied by three Chinese companies. About three lakh of these kits were sent to Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The Rajasthan government went public with its findings today. The state health minister said they were expecting a 90 per cent accuracy. What they got, was more than 94 per cent inaccuracy. Only 5.4 per cent of the Chinese kits give an accurate result. The rest are faulty. India's ambassador to China Vikram Misri said that he has been coordinating the procurement from China and added India was in touch with China to identify bonafide suppliers. He said that India is getting more supplies from china. New Delhi has placed an order of 7-8 million PPEs and 1000 ventilators. It is a fact that options are limited which is why most countries continue to buy from China despite the poor quality.. After today's disclosure, India should re-think its orders from China as supplies from China cannot be trusted. Several countries have complained about China's defective supplies. Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Finland and the United Kingdom have received faulty kits from China. The Netherlands recalled 600 thousand face masks purchased from china.

China's faulty test kits deal a body blow to India's fight against Wuhan virus

By Robyn Klingler-Vidra and Ba-Linh Tran

Vietnam – a developing country that has a large land border with China and a population of 97 million people – has not reported a single death from coronavirus. As of April 21, the country had reported 268 cases of COVID-19, the disease associated with the new coronavirus, with more than 140 people making a full recovery.

The reason why Vietnam has managed to keep patients from death’s door is down to a three-pronged government strategy. While these policy choices may not all be consistent with upholding civil liberties, they are proving essential to keeping the pandemic at bay.

Temperature screening and testing

Starting in February, anyone arriving at an airport in a major Vietnamese city had to go through compulsory body temperature screening and fill in a health self-declaration, stating their contact details and travel and health history. These measures are now mandatory for everyone entering major cities and some provinces by land too, and for everyone entering a government building or hospital.

Anyone with a body temperature of over 38C is taken to the nearest medical facility for more thorough testing. Those who are proven to have lied in their self-declaration, or who resist declaring altogether, can be criminally charged.

Businesses including banks, restaurants and apartment complexes have also implemented their own screening procedures.

There has also been intensive testing across the country. Testing stations have been set up across cities, which all citizens can attend. Communities who live near confirmed cases – sometimes an entire street or village – are swiftly tested and placed in lockdown.

Our own research on the development of affordable test kits found that by March 5, Vietnam had validated three different test kits, each costing less than US$25 (£20) and producing results within 90 minutes. These are all being manufactured in Vietnam. The cost of testing matters everywhere, but is particularly important in emerging economies like Vietnam and these affordable test kits have helped the government’s intensive testing strategy.

Targetted lockdowns 
 
The second prong of Vietnam’s approach is quarantine and lockdowns. Since mid-February, Vietnamese people returning home from abroad have been quarantined for 14 days on arrival and tested for COVID-19. The same quarantine policy has been applied to foreigners coming to Vietnam. Anyone who has come into direct contact with an infected person, the details of whom are publicised, is encouraged to come forward for quarantine. If it’s discovered somebody has come into contact with someone who has tested positive, they will be put into mandatory quarantine.

In March, Vietnam started to lock down whole cities and specific areas in a city. Travelling between cities is now highly restricted. In Danang in central Vietnam, anyone who is not a registered resident of the city but wishes to enter has to submit to a 14-day quarantine at a government-approved facility which they must finance themselves.

Villages of 10,000 people have been fenced off on account of single cases. Bach Mai, a famous hospital of 3,200 people in Hanoi which is also a leading COVID-19 treatment centre, was even locked down in late March after one externally contracted staff member tested positive. Businesses, both state and private, are closed down, and the tourism and airline industries are essentially frozen.

Constant communications

From early January, the Vietnamese government has communicated widely to citizens about the seriousness of the coronavirus. Communications have been clear: COVID-19 is not just bad flu, but something to be taken extremely seriously, so people are advised not to put themselves or others at risk.

The government has been creative in its communications methods. Each day, different parts of the Vietnamese government – from the prime minister, to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Communications and provincial governments – text citizens with information. Details on symptoms and protection measures are communicated via text to mobile phones all over the country. The government has also partnered with messaging platforms, such as Zalo, to distribute updates. This is coupled with propaganda art across the country and newly designed stamps that further disseminate public health messages about the virus. Vietnam’s cities are adorned with posters that remind citizens of their role in stopping the spread of the virus.

At the same time, the government is revealing details of those who have COVID-19 or, in rare cases, have escaped quarantine – though the person’s name is not made public. For example, two new reports detailed the travel details of patients 237 and 243.

Even if some cases have not yet been detected by officials, there’s no doubt that the Vietnamese approach has been effective in reducing the spread of the virus. Combined, these measures mean Vietnam has not yet experienced any large scale community outbreak, which would devastate a city like Ho Chi Minh City with a population of 11 million and overwhelm the country’s public healthcare system.

The three prongs of Vietnam’s strategy may not be wholly consistent with liberal ideals, but they are working. The healthcare system has the time to treat each patient, and in so doing, keep the number of COVID-19 deaths at zero. Vietnam offers important lessons as COVID-19 is set to spread further across developing countries.

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read <a href="https://theconversation.com/vietnam-has-reported-no-coronavirus-deaths-how-136646">the original article</a>) &nbsp;

(Robyn Klingler-Vidra Senior Lecturer in Political Economy, King's College London; Ba-Linh Tran is 
PhD Candidate, University of Bath)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

By Robyn Klingler-Vidra and Ba-Linh Tran Vietnam – a developing country that has a large land border with China and a population of 97 million people – has not reported a single death from coronavirus.

By Robyn Klingler-Vidra and Ba-Linh Tran Vietnam – a developing country that has a large land border with China and a population of 97 million people – has not reported a single death from coronavirus. As of April 21, the country had reported 268 cases of COVID-19, the disease associated with the new coronavirus, with more than 140 people making a full recovery. The reason why Vietnam has managed to keep patients from death’s door is down to a three-pronged government strategy. While these policy choices may not all be consistent with upholding civil liberties, they are proving essential to keeping the pandemic at bay. Temperature screening and testing Starting in February, anyone arriving at an airport in a major Vietnamese city had to go through compulsory body temperature screening and fill in a health self-declaration, stating their contact details and travel and health history. These measures are now mandatory for everyone entering major cities and some provinces by land too, and for everyone entering a government building or hospital. Anyone with a body temperature of over 38C is taken to the nearest medical facility for more thorough testing. Those who are proven to have lied in their self-declaration, or who resist declaring altogether, can be criminally charged. Businesses including banks, restaurants and apartment complexes have also implemented their own screening procedures. There has also been intensive testing across the country. Testing stations have been set up across cities, which all citizens can attend. Communities who live near confirmed cases – sometimes an entire street or village – are swiftly tested and placed in lockdown. Our own research on the development of affordable test kits found that by March 5, Vietnam had validated three different test kits, each costing less than US$25 (£20) and producing results within 90 minutes. These are all being manufactured in Vietnam. The cost of testing matters everywhere, but is particularly important in emerging economies like Vietnam and these affordable test kits have helped the government’s intensive testing strategy. Targetted lockdowns The second prong of Vietnam’s approach is quarantine and lockdowns. Since mid-February, Vietnamese people returning home from abroad have been quarantined for 14 days on arrival and tested for COVID-19. The same quarantine policy has been applied to foreigners coming to Vietnam. Anyone who has come into direct contact with an infected person, the details of whom are publicised, is encouraged to come forward for quarantine. If it’s discovered somebody has come into contact with someone who has tested positive, they will be put into mandatory quarantine. In March, Vietnam started to lock down whole cities and specific areas in a city. Travelling between cities is now highly restricted. In Danang in central Vietnam, anyone who is not a registered resident of the city but wishes to enter has to submit to a 14-day quarantine at a government-approved facility which they must finance themselves. Villages of 10,000 people have been fenced off on account of single cases. Bach Mai, a famous hospital of 3,200 people in Hanoi which is also a leading COVID-19 treatment centre, was even locked down in late March after one externally contracted staff member tested positive. Businesses, both state and private, are closed down, and the tourism and airline industries are essentially frozen. Constant communications From early January, the Vietnamese government has communicated widely to citizens about the seriousness of the coronavirus. Communications have been clear: COVID-19 is not just bad flu, but something to be taken extremely seriously, so people are advised not to put themselves or others at risk. The government has been creative in its communications methods. Each day, different parts of the Vietnamese government – from the prime minister, to the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Communications and provincial governments – text citizens with information. Details on symptoms and protection measures are communicated via text to mobile phones all over the country. The government has also partnered with messaging platforms, such as Zalo, to distribute updates. This is coupled with propaganda art across the country and newly designed stamps that further disseminate public health messages about the virus. Vietnam’s cities are adorned with posters that remind citizens of their role in stopping the spread of the virus. At the same time, the government is revealing details of those who have COVID-19 or, in rare cases, have escaped quarantine – though the person’s name is not made public. For example, two new reports detailed the travel details of patients 237 and 243. Even if some cases have not yet been detected by officials, there’s no doubt that the Vietnamese approach has been effective in reducing the spread of the virus. Combined, these measures mean Vietnam has not yet experienced any large scale community outbreak, which would devastate a city like Ho Chi Minh City with a population of 11 million and overwhelm the country’s public healthcare system. The three prongs of Vietnam’s strategy may not be wholly consistent with liberal ideals, but they are working. The healthcare system has the time to treat each patient, and in so doing, keep the number of COVID-19 deaths at zero. Vietnam offers important lessons as COVID-19 is set to spread further across developing countries. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Robyn Klingler-Vidra Senior Lecturer in Political Economy, King's College London; Ba-Linh Tran is PhD Candidate, University of Bath) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Vietnam has reported no coronavirus deaths – how?

For over a decade, US-based Bill Gates has been talking about his greatest fear for mankind. &nbsp;In mid-2018, Gates stated that within the next decade, a flu could cause 30 million deaths in less than six months. He urged that “In the case of biological threats, that sense of urgency is lacking. The world needs to prepare for pandemics in the same serious way it prepares for war”. &nbsp;

&nbsp;As of today, Gates stands correct on both counts. A global pandemic hit the entire world and caught us unprepared. Millions are under quarantine. 1.3 Billion on lockdown just in India. Almost two million people have tested positive for coronavirus. Experts are also predicting that there are many more cases that could be positive and untested. &nbsp;

It was in Wuhan, China where the virus first crowned. China initially denied the virus spread. It was only later, when China realised that the infectious and virulent nature of COVID-19, it became transparent about it. &nbsp;

South Korea is one country that has done an exemplary job in combating the coronavirus. As of March 5, 2020, South Korea had the most number of infected people outside of China. At least 6300 positive cases and 40 dead from COVID-19. As of today, South Korea has successfully curbed the spread of the virus. What did South Korea do so successfully? Especially when other nations have seen their numbers growing exponentially. &nbsp;

While developed states in Europe and North America struggle to contain the infection and total deaths could be to 200,000 only in the USA, South Korea engaged in mass testing of its citizens. By the end of the first week of March, South Korea had imposed a mandatory self-isolation on over 30,000 people. This was monitored through a phone application that was designed by the South Korean government. By the end of the first week of April, South Korea had tested over 500,000 people successfully. South Korea managed to quickly isolate most people who had come in contact with any infected person. The app routinely gave location-based emergency messages and alerts pertaining to COVID-19 and even pointed to the routes that infected persons had taken so that people could avoid or self-isolate if they felt they could have come in contact with COVID-19 positive individuals on that route.&nbsp;

India voluntarily went into lockdown early when figures were low. Like South Korea, state machinery in India was actively engaged from the start. Isolation centres were set up, states activated stringent measures, and India implemented among the world’s most stringent border controls. An app called the Aarogya Setu was launched for self-diagnosis and tracking. The app is proving invaluable help in connecting citizens with emergency services. It provides correct information on symptoms of coronavirus to the users. &nbsp;

Furthermore, the data collected through Aarogya Setu would be compiled to help create anonymized, aggregated datasets for the purpose of generating reports, heat maps, and other statistical visualisations for the purpose of the management of COVID-19 in the country. While it does access the device’s GPS locations and Bluetooth services, the purposes of the application are limited to the tracking of individuals that might be infected or might infect others with COVID-19. The access to Bluetooth is especially important for a post-lockdown scenario where users of the app that come into close proximity of COVID-19 infected individuals, who had travelled or come in contact with them, could be notified as soon as the application recognises a possible source of infection around the user and asked to take precautionary measures to stop the possible spread of the infection further. &nbsp;

The application seeks to further the government’s attempt at tracking any possible community infection of COVID-19. However, the success of this application lies in mass utilisation by smartphone users that amount to almost 500 Million users. The application, just like the one used in South Korea, could be of tremendous help in containing the further spread of the virus once the lockdown is lifted. &nbsp;

We’ve seen from the South Korean model that testing and tracking have to go hand in hand in this fight against COVID-19. While we can’t stop the spread completely, through the use of modern technologies available at our disposal we can indeed limit the spread. The surveillance by the application is limited for the purpose it seeks to serve and while it does track and transmit the data to the administrators, it is evident from the privacy policy that the data sets are “anonymised”, meaning the data will not be identified by an individual user but as an anonymous data set collected from a user whose identity will be kept hidden. This is similar to an anonymous survey where your inputs are recorded yet your identity is not. Moreover, the potential risks are still being discussed but the benefits are quite apparent. &nbsp;

The nature of the data collected is not different from any mainstream applications on our smartphones or other devices these days. The GPS function is almost identical when it comes to the use and data retention to many other mainstream social media, instant messenger and e-commerce applications. The Bluetooth functionality is an added feature to ensure proximity detection vis-à-vis other users of the application as GPS location services are not the most accurate and may result in false alerts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 3 to ensure that we are completely prepared to resume our everyday lives once the lockdown is lifted. The Aarogya Setu application, along with testing on a mass scale, will act as the cornerstone of our strategy to combat COVID-19. However, the most important aspect of this fight, just as we have seen during the lockdown, is going to be the cooperation of the people of India. A successful end to this fight against COVID-19 is only possible through continued testing and tracking of COVID-19 cases, similar to what was done in South Korea. Since we can’t treat this infection yet, our only hope is to stop it from spreading.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

For over a decade, US-based Bill Gates has been talking about his greatest fear for mankind. In mid-2018, Gates stated that within the next decade, a flu could cause 30 million deaths in less than six months.

For over a decade, US-based Bill Gates has been talking about his greatest fear for mankind. In mid-2018, Gates stated that within the next decade, a flu could cause 30 million deaths in less than six months. He urged that “In the case of biological threats, that sense of urgency is lacking. The world needs to prepare for pandemics in the same serious way it prepares for war”.  As of today, Gates stands correct on both counts. A global pandemic hit the entire world and caught us unprepared. Millions are under quarantine. 1.3 Billion on lockdown just in India. Almost two million people have tested positive for coronavirus. Experts are also predicting that there are many more cases that could be positive and untested.  It was in Wuhan, China where the virus first crowned. China initially denied the virus spread. It was only later, when China realised that the infectious and virulent nature of COVID-19, it became transparent about it.  South Korea is one country that has done an exemplary job in combating the coronavirus. As of March 5, 2020, South Korea had the most number of infected people outside of China. At least 6300 positive cases and 40 dead from COVID-19. As of today, South Korea has successfully curbed the spread of the virus. What did South Korea do so successfully? Especially when other nations have seen their numbers growing exponentially.  While developed states in Europe and North America struggle to contain the infection and total deaths could be to 200,000 only in the USA, South Korea engaged in mass testing of its citizens. By the end of the first week of March, South Korea had imposed a mandatory self-isolation on over 30,000 people. This was monitored through a phone application that was designed by the South Korean government. By the end of the first week of April, South Korea had tested over 500,000 people successfully. South Korea managed to quickly isolate most people who had come in contact with any infected person. The app routinely gave location-based emergency messages and alerts pertaining to COVID-19 and even pointed to the routes that infected persons had taken so that people could avoid or self-isolate if they felt they could have come in contact with COVID-19 positive individuals on that route. India voluntarily went into lockdown early when figures were low. Like South Korea, state machinery in India was actively engaged from the start. Isolation centres were set up, states activated stringent measures, and India implemented among the world’s most stringent border controls. An app called the Aarogya Setu was launched for self-diagnosis and tracking. The app is proving invaluable help in connecting citizens with emergency services. It provides correct information on symptoms of coronavirus to the users.  Furthermore, the data collected through Aarogya Setu would be compiled to help create anonymized, aggregated datasets for the purpose of generating reports, heat maps, and other statistical visualisations for the purpose of the management of COVID-19 in the country. While it does access the device’s GPS locations and Bluetooth services, the purposes of the application are limited to the tracking of individuals that might be infected or might infect others with COVID-19. The access to Bluetooth is especially important for a post-lockdown scenario where users of the app that come into close proximity of COVID-19 infected individuals, who had travelled or come in contact with them, could be notified as soon as the application recognises a possible source of infection around the user and asked to take precautionary measures to stop the possible spread of the infection further. The application seeks to further the government’s attempt at tracking any possible community infection of COVID-19. However, the success of this application lies in mass utilisation by smartphone users that amount to almost 500 Million users. The application, just like the one used in South Korea, could be of tremendous help in containing the further spread of the virus once the lockdown is lifted. We’ve seen from the South Korean model that testing and tracking have to go hand in hand in this fight against COVID-19. While we can’t stop the spread completely, through the use of modern technologies available at our disposal we can indeed limit the spread. The surveillance by the application is limited for the purpose it seeks to serve and while it does track and transmit the data to the administrators, it is evident from the privacy policy that the data sets are “anonymised”, meaning the data will not be identified by an individual user but as an anonymous data set collected from a user whose identity will be kept hidden. This is similar to an anonymous survey where your inputs are recorded yet your identity is not. Moreover, the potential risks are still being discussed but the benefits are quite apparent. The nature of the data collected is not different from any mainstream applications on our smartphones or other devices these days. The GPS function is almost identical when it comes to the use and data retention to many other mainstream social media, instant messenger and e-commerce applications. The Bluetooth functionality is an added feature to ensure proximity detection vis-à-vis other users of the application as GPS location services are not the most accurate and may result in false alerts. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended the lockdown till May 3 to ensure that we are completely prepared to resume our everyday lives once the lockdown is lifted. The Aarogya Setu application, along with testing on a mass scale, will act as the cornerstone of our strategy to combat COVID-19. However, the most important aspect of this fight, just as we have seen during the lockdown, is going to be the cooperation of the people of India. A successful end to this fight against COVID-19 is only possible through continued testing and tracking of COVID-19 cases, similar to what was done in South Korea. Since we can’t treat this infection yet, our only hope is to stop it from spreading. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

As India battles coronavirus, Aarogya Setu app helps you stay safe and informed

Over 2.4 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally. More than 200 countries across the world have declared war on this invisible enemy. But no one has managed to defeat it yet.

Coronavirus can only be contained if those infected are successfully isolated and treated. And this is where Bluetooth-driven contact-tracing apps can come in handy. So, what is this technology about?

How do contact-tracing apps work?

The first step is obviously to download the app. The user then needs to update his or her COVID-19 status. These apps use the phone’s Bluetooth technology to determine if a given user came in close proximity with an infected person. And if it happens, it alerts the user with a notification and urges him to get tested and self-isolate. In principle, this system is more efficient than traditional contact-tracing methods that require the concerned staff to interview patients about their travels. Interestingly, many countries have already adopted this technology and others are likely to follow suit.

Singapore is the first country to have implemented contact-tracing via Bluetooth with an app called “Trace Together.” India’s Aarogya Setu app also works on the same technology. Other countries such as Israel, China and South Korea are also using similar apps to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

There are constant attempts to make these apps better. Tech giants like Apple and Google are working on new tools to make app-based tracing more effective. The companies say their technology could enable apps to monitor contacts for a 14-day period.

Eventually, the process of digital tracing could help authorities relax lockdowns in some parts and enable more selective quarantines. In other words, it can help decision-makers determine which areas are relatively safer.

Contact-tracing apps: What are the limitations?

Well, it sounds like a terrific innovation, but researchers say that digital tracing can be effective only if 60 per cent of the population downloads the app and updates their status. Experts believe that contact tracing is helpful only in countries where mass testing is available.

Also, there are privacy-related concerns around contact-tracing apps. Privacy advocates worry that such a database could be a hackers’ goldmine. But some researchers say contact-tracing can be implemented while protecting privacy. Although this will vary from app to app in each country.

No wonder, the technology looks promising, but it needs the support of users to be effective.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Over 2.4 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally. More than 200 countries across the world have declared war on this invisible enemy.

Over 2.4 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally. More than 200 countries across the world have declared war on this invisible enemy. But no one has managed to defeat it yet. Coronavirus can only be contained if those infected are successfully isolated and treated. And this is where Bluetooth-driven contact-tracing apps can come in handy. So, what is this technology about? How do contact-tracing apps work? The first step is obviously to download the app. The user then needs to update his or her COVID-19 status. These apps use the phone’s Bluetooth technology to determine if a given user came in close proximity with an infected person. And if it happens, it alerts the user with a notification and urges him to get tested and self-isolate. In principle, this system is more efficient than traditional contact-tracing methods that require the concerned staff to interview patients about their travels. Interestingly, many countries have already adopted this technology and others are likely to follow suit. Singapore is the first country to have implemented contact-tracing via Bluetooth with an app called “Trace Together.” India’s Aarogya Setu app also works on the same technology. Other countries such as Israel, China and South Korea are also using similar apps to contain the spread of the deadly virus. There are constant attempts to make these apps better. Tech giants like Apple and Google are working on new tools to make app-based tracing more effective. The companies say their technology could enable apps to monitor contacts for a 14-day period. Eventually, the process of digital tracing could help authorities relax lockdowns in some parts and enable more selective quarantines. In other words, it can help decision-makers determine which areas are relatively safer. Contact-tracing apps: What are the limitations? Well, it sounds like a terrific innovation, but researchers say that digital tracing can be effective only if 60 per cent of the population downloads the app and updates their status. Experts believe that contact tracing is helpful only in countries where mass testing is available. Also, there are privacy-related concerns around contact-tracing apps. Privacy advocates worry that such a database could be a hackers’ goldmine. But some researchers say contact-tracing can be implemented while protecting privacy. Although this will vary from app to app in each country. No wonder, the technology looks promising, but it needs the support of users to be effective.

Explained: Can mobile apps aid the fight against coronavirus?

It is good to know that 6.5 lakh testing kits have arrived in India from China, which could potentially help in identifying individuals with symptoms of coronavirus.

Chinese testing kits face rejection:

At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind that testing kits supplied by China have been rejected by several countries including Spain, Philippines.&nbsp;

What is particularly noteworthy is that China has not disputed the criticism but have offered to replace them in a number of cases.

Absence of procurement procedure:

For these testing kits, China is now operating in the seller’s market, where China is quoting a fancy price and dictating delivery schedules.

In the present desperate conditions due to coronavirus crisis in the world, it appears that China is the only country well prepared to supply the test kits in large quantities.

Forward planning by China&nbsp;

In the seller’s market operated by China, India is importing a large number of testing kits. Normally, in the large scale procurement, the buyer has to inspect the shop floor practices and testing/quality control procedures adopted by the producing company by visiting the unit and inspecting the conditions in a broad manner.&nbsp;

However, there have been huge restrictions in China about the visits of foreigners and in such circumstances, there is no way that such procurement procedures could have been adopted by the buyers.

It is also known that traders in China are also offering to supply the kits and these traders could be procuring from small manufacturers in China. Therefore, the status and credibility of the suppliers need careful examination.

Need for caution : 
 
It is also reported by a section of scientists and medical researchers that the coronavirus can spread not only by a human to human contact, but the virus can stay for a long time on the surface of the objects, tools, kits etc. This is why people are asked to wash their hands every time they would touch a new object or even after opening or closing door or window.

There is enough justification to develop a suspicion that some of the testing kits arriving from China may have virus spread on the surface, as the testing kits are received from virus-infected country.

It is extremely necessary to be cautious in handling these kits from China and using them for testing purposes. In the unfortunate event of these doubts proving to be correct, the consequences could be disastrous and too terrifying to imagine.

In this connection, it is good to know that the government of India has said that these rapid antibody kits from China would be strictly used only as a surveillance tool and not for a diagnosis.

For a layman, it is difficult to clearly understand what exactly is the difference between surveillance and diagnosis in practical terms. Can we expect that surveillance test would be done on individuals though on a scattered basis and not on every individual? Even such surveillance tests could cause harm if they happen to have virus spread on them.

While it is necessary to carry out extensive testing, the use of testing equipment from China should be done with great care and caution, particularly since several countries have rejected the test kits supplied by China in the last few days.

Need to explain precautionary measures:

It is necessary that the government of India should explain to the people about the precautionary measures taken in procuring test kits from China. 
 
Some sampling methods must be decided by the government of India, and guidelines to test the adequacy of the testing kits in all respects should be circulated by the government of India, which should be done as a matter of abundant precaution. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It is good to know that 6.5 lakh testing kits have arrived in India from China, which could potentially help in identifying individuals with symptoms of coronavirus.

It is good to know that 6.5 lakh testing kits have arrived in India from China, which could potentially help in identifying individuals with symptoms of coronavirus. Chinese testing kits face rejection: At the same time, it is necessary to keep in mind that testing kits supplied by China have been rejected by several countries including Spain, Philippines. What is particularly noteworthy is that China has not disputed the criticism but have offered to replace them in a number of cases. Absence of procurement procedure: For these testing kits, China is now operating in the seller’s market, where China is quoting a fancy price and dictating delivery schedules. In the present desperate conditions due to coronavirus crisis in the world, it appears that China is the only country well prepared to supply the test kits in large quantities. Forward planning by China In the seller’s market operated by China, India is importing a large number of testing kits. Normally, in the large scale procurement, the buyer has to inspect the shop floor practices and testing/quality control procedures adopted by the producing company by visiting the unit and inspecting the conditions in a broad manner. However, there have been huge restrictions in China about the visits of foreigners and in such circumstances, there is no way that such procurement procedures could have been adopted by the buyers. It is also known that traders in China are also offering to supply the kits and these traders could be procuring from small manufacturers in China. Therefore, the status and credibility of the suppliers need careful examination. Need for caution : It is also reported by a section of scientists and medical researchers that the coronavirus can spread not only by a human to human contact, but the virus can stay for a long time on the surface of the objects, tools, kits etc. This is why people are asked to wash their hands every time they would touch a new object or even after opening or closing door or window. There is enough justification to develop a suspicion that some of the testing kits arriving from China may have virus spread on the surface, as the testing kits are received from virus-infected country. It is extremely necessary to be cautious in handling these kits from China and using them for testing purposes. In the unfortunate event of these doubts proving to be correct, the consequences could be disastrous and too terrifying to imagine. In this connection, it is good to know that the government of India has said that these rapid antibody kits from China would be strictly used only as a surveillance tool and not for a diagnosis. For a layman, it is difficult to clearly understand what exactly is the difference between surveillance and diagnosis in practical terms. Can we expect that surveillance test would be done on individuals though on a scattered basis and not on every individual? Even such surveillance tests could cause harm if they happen to have virus spread on them. While it is necessary to carry out extensive testing, the use of testing equipment from China should be done with great care and caution, particularly since several countries have rejected the test kits supplied by China in the last few days. Need to explain precautionary measures: It is necessary that the government of India should explain to the people about the precautionary measures taken in procuring test kits from China. Some sampling methods must be decided by the government of India, and guidelines to test the adequacy of the testing kits in all respects should be circulated by the government of India, which should be done as a matter of abundant precaution. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Caution needed while using testing equipment from China

Avian (bird) influenza virus and avian infectious bronchitis virus are coronaviruses, which elicit similar symptoms, are major pathogens <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2095311915613168">long-circulating</a> in Chinese poultry populations and have resulted in great economic losses for China due to respiratory disease and reduced egg production.

Avian influenza viruses are capable of infecting humans and multiple outbreaks have <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1304617">occurred</a> in China, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1808069/">H5N1 </a>since 2003 and <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMoa1304617">H7N9</a> in 2013.

It is no wonder, therefore, that China has devoted an enormous amount of scientific resources to the study of those coronaviruses.

Although no bird-to-human transmissions of infectious bronchitis virus have been reported, there are <a href="https://jvi.asm.org/content/jvi/1/5/1019.full.pdf">similar </a>human virus strains.

More importantly, however, potential human infection by the Beaudette strain of avian infectious bronchitis virus was <a href="https://jvi.asm.org/content/92/19/e01044-18.full">demonstrated </a>in the laboratory through viral adaptation by multiple passages of the virus in mammalian cell cultures.

That viral adaptation was attributed to the S2 subunit of the spike glycoprotein, in particular, the “Beaudette-specific motif,” <a href="https://jvi.asm.org/content/92/19/e01044-18.full">containing</a> the polybasic amino acid sequence of Arginine-Arginine-Lysine-Arginine beginning at the 686 positions.

It is well known that such proteases-sensitive, e.g. furin, polybasic cleavage sites play important roles in the pathogenicity of <a href="https://jvi.asm.org/content/jvi/83/17/8744.full.pdf">bird influenza</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042682217304403">cat peritonitis</a> coronavirus infections.

It may not be a coincidence that COVID-19 also has a polybasic cleavage site with a similar amino acid sequence of Arginine-Arginine-Alanine-Arginine inserted at position 682, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166354220300528">reportedly</a> near the S1-S2 junction of the spike glycoprotein, not at the S2′ location as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/why-china-may-have-manufactured-covid-19-293388">previously stated</a>.

COVID-19’s polybasic amino acid sequence does not occur in any of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0820-9">yet identified </a>naturally-occurring bat coronavirus "relatives" of COVID-19.

So, that unique feature of COVID-19 arose from a yet unknown and perhaps a statistically unlikely naturally-occurring recombinant event or by intentional genetic manipulation.

That is, a Chinese laboratory may have bioengineered a furin polybasic cleavage site into a bat coronavirus in order to study its effects on pathogenicity in the same way the “Beaudette-specific motif” was studied to determine the ability of avian viruses to infect mammals.

Let’s be clear, although the Chinese government, some Western scientists and the mainstream media have tried to stifle debate by insisting that COVID-19 was a naturally-occurring transmission from animals to humans originating in the Wuhan Seafood Market, so far, no one knows its origin. &nbsp;

There is no doubt that Chinese scientists have the knowledge and the techniques to<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nm.3985"> manufacture</a> new viruses by combining the properties of two or more viruses as “chimeras”, described in patent US9884895B2, and the <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/aalas/cm/2007/00000057/00000005/art00003">animal models</a> to test the ability of those new viruses to infect humans.

Given the illness, death and economic destruction caused by COVID-19, it is the responsibility of the Chinese government to fully open its research files and databases to international inspection, including information about the hundreds of coronavirus isolates it has stockpiled, in order to ascertain the true origin of the Chinese COVID-19 coronavirus. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Avian (bird) influenza virus and avian infectious bronchitis virus are coronaviruses, which elicit similar symptoms, are major pathogens long-circulating in Chinese poultry populations and have resulted in great economic losses for China due to respiratory disease and reduced egg production.

Avian (bird) influenza virus and avian infectious bronchitis virus are coronaviruses, which elicit similar symptoms, are major pathogens long-circulating in Chinese poultry populations and have resulted in great economic losses for China due to respiratory disease and reduced egg production. Avian influenza viruses are capable of infecting humans and multiple outbreaks have occurred in China, H5N1 since 2003 and H7N9 in 2013. It is no wonder, therefore, that China has devoted an enormous amount of scientific resources to the study of those coronaviruses. Although no bird-to-human transmissions of infectious bronchitis virus have been reported, there are similar human virus strains. More importantly, however, potential human infection by the Beaudette strain of avian infectious bronchitis virus was demonstrated in the laboratory through viral adaptation by multiple passages of the virus in mammalian cell cultures. That viral adaptation was attributed to the S2 subunit of the spike glycoprotein, in particular, the “Beaudette-specific motif,” containing the polybasic amino acid sequence of Arginine-Arginine-Lysine-Arginine beginning at the 686 positions. It is well known that such proteases-sensitive, e.g. furin, polybasic cleavage sites play important roles in the pathogenicity of bird influenza and cat peritonitis coronavirus infections. It may not be a coincidence that COVID-19 also has a polybasic cleavage site with a similar amino acid sequence of Arginine-Arginine-Alanine-Arginine inserted at position 682, reportedly near the S1-S2 junction of the spike glycoprotein, not at the S2′ location as previously stated. COVID-19’s polybasic amino acid sequence does not occur in any of the yet identified naturally-occurring bat coronavirus "relatives" of COVID-19. So, that unique feature of COVID-19 arose from a yet unknown and perhaps a statistically unlikely naturally-occurring recombinant event or by intentional genetic manipulation. That is, a Chinese laboratory may have bioengineered a furin polybasic cleavage site into a bat coronavirus in order to study its effects on pathogenicity in the same way the “Beaudette-specific motif” was studied to determine the ability of avian viruses to infect mammals. Let’s be clear, although the Chinese government, some Western scientists and the mainstream media have tried to stifle debate by insisting that COVID-19 was a naturally-occurring transmission from animals to humans originating in the Wuhan Seafood Market, so far, no one knows its origin. There is no doubt that Chinese scientists have the knowledge and the techniques to manufacture new viruses by combining the properties of two or more viruses as “chimeras”, described in patent US9884895B2, and the animal models to test the ability of those new viruses to infect humans. Given the illness, death and economic destruction caused by COVID-19, it is the responsibility of the Chinese government to fully open its research files and databases to international inspection, including information about the hundreds of coronavirus isolates it has stockpiled, in order to ascertain the true origin of the Chinese COVID-19 coronavirus. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

COVID-19 has a unique feature pointing to its origin

By Stephan Lewandowsky and John Cook

The number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise at an alarming rate, reminding us that this crisis is far from over. In response, the global scientific community has thrown itself at the problem and research is unfolding at an unprecedented rate.

The new virus was identified, along with its natural origins, and tests for it were rapidly developed. Labs across the world are racing to develop a vaccine, which is estimated to be still around 12 to 18 months away.

At the same time, the pandemic has been accompanied by an infodemic of nonsense, disinformation, half-truths and conspiracy theories that have spread virally through social networks. This damages society in a variety of ways. For example, the myth that COVID-19 is less dangerous than the seasonal flu was deployed by US President Donald Trump as justification for delaying mitigation policies.

The recent downgrading of COVID-19 death projections, which reveal the success of social-distancing policies, has been falsely used to justify premature relaxing of social distancing measures. This is the logical equivalent of throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because it’s kept you dry until then.

The new conspiracy theory that blames COVID-19 on the 5G broadband system is one of the most bizarre pieces of misinformation. There are several strains of this theory, ranging from the claims that 5G alters people’s immune systems to the idea that 5G changes people’s DNA, making them more susceptible to infection. Then there’s the idea that secret messages about 5G and coronavirus were hidden in the design of the new £20 note in the UK. In reality, 5G relates to viruses and banknotes as much as the tooth fairy relates to zoology – not at all.

The 5G conspiracy theory originated in early March when an American physician, Thomas Cowan, proposed it in a YouTube video (which has since been taken down by YouTube according to their new policy). Some people have taken this conspiracy theory so seriously that it led to people setting 5G towers in the UK on fire and threatening broadband engineers.

The conspiracy theory has begun to penetrate mainstream society. Among other celebrities, UK TV personality Eamonn Holmes and US actor Woody Harrelson have given fuel to the idea.

Inoculating against conspiracy theories 
 
As we document in our recent Conspiracy Theory Handbook, there is a great deal of scientific research into why people might be susceptible to conspiracy theories. When people suffer loss of control or feel threatened, it makes them more vulnerable to believing conspiracies. Unfortunately, this means that pandemics have always been breeding grounds for conspiracy theories, from antisemitic hysteria during the Black Death to today’s 5G craze.

An effective strategy for preventing conspiracy theories from spreading through social networks is, appropriately enough, inoculation. As we document in the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, if we inoculate the public by pre-emptively warning them of misleading misinformation, they develop resilience and are less likely to be negatively influenced. Inoculating messages can take several forms. As well as giving people the right facts, inoculation can also be logic-based and source-based.

Questioning the sources 
 
The source-based approach focuses on analysing the people who push the conspiracy theory and the cultural infrastructure from which they emerged.

For example, the 5G theory began with Thomas Cowan, a physician whose medical licence is on a five-year probation. He is currently prohibited from providing cancer treatment to patients and supervising physician assistants and advanced practice nurses. So we can question his credentials.

His 5G video was from a talk he presented at a pseudo-scientific conference featuring a who’s who of science deniers. One of the headliners was Andrew Wakefield, a debarred former physician and seminal figure in the anti-vaccination movement who promotes highly damaging misinformation about vaccination based on data that he is known to have falsified.

Another attendee of this meeting was the president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, an organisation famous for bestowing awards onto fossil-fuel funded climate deniers and for giving a platform to a speaker who denied the link between HIV and AIDS, claiming that the link was invented by government scientists who wanted to cover up other health risks of “the lifestyle of homosexual men.”

For the public to be protected against the 5G conspiracy theory, it is important to understand its emergence from the same infrastructure that also supports AIDS denial, anti-vaccination conspiracies and climate denial.

It is therefore unsurprising that the rhetorical techniques that are deployed against the seriousness of climate change are similar to those used to mismanage the COVID-19 crisis.

Questioning the logic 
 
Another way to neutralise conspiracy theories is through logic-based inoculation. This involves explaining the rhetorical techniques and tell-tale traits to be found in misinformation, so that people can flag it before it has a chance to mislead them. In the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, we document seven traits of conspiratorial thinking. Spotting these can help people identify a baseless theory. 
 
One trait that is particularly salient in the 5G conspiracy theory is re-interpreting randomness. With this thought pattern, random events are re-interpreted as being causally connected and woven into a broader, interconnected pattern.

For example, the introduction of 5G in 2019 coincided with the origin of COVID-19 and hence is interpreted to be causally related. But by that logic, other factors that were introduced in 2019 – say, the global phenomenon of Baby Yoda – could also be interpreted as a possible cause of COVID-19. Correlation does not equal causation. The 5G conspiracy theory is also immune to evidence, despite having been debunked extensively. To illustrate, some of the countries worst affected by the pandemic (such as Iran) do not have any 5G technology.

Of course, 5G has nothing to do with a virus. In the US, T-Mobile’s low-band 5G data is transmitted using old UHF TV channels. UHF TV did not cause coronavirus and neither does 5G.

The crucial role of social media platforms 
 
Social media platforms contribute to the problem of misinformation by providing the means for it to quickly and freely disseminate to the general public. Given that 330,000 lives were lost in relation to AIDS in South Africa during the presidency of Thabo Mbeki, when denying the disease’s link to HIV was official state policy. Given that people in the UK are now vandalizing potentially life-saving communication infrastructure, social media companies should not aid and abet the life-threatening disinformation that is spewed by a nexus of science deniers and conspiracy theorists.

To their credit, these firms are making an effort to be part of the solution to the problem of misinformation. For example, YouTube has announced that it will take down any video that espouses the 5G conspiracy theory. This is a move in the right direction.

There is considerable room for improvement, however. A recent test by the non-profit Disinfo.eu laboratory found much conspiratorial content on various social media platforms, and we were able to find hundreds of YouTube videos promulgating the 5G nonsense with a few keystrokes. 
 
(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-conspiracy-theories-are-dangerous-heres-how-to-stop-them-spreading-136564">original article</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;

(Stephan Lewandowsky is Chair of Cognitive Psychology, University of Bristol; John Cook is 
Research Assistant Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

By Stephan Lewandowsky and John Cook The number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise at an alarming rate, reminding us that this crisis is far from over.

By Stephan Lewandowsky and John Cook The number of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise at an alarming rate, reminding us that this crisis is far from over. In response, the global scientific community has thrown itself at the problem and research is unfolding at an unprecedented rate. The new virus was identified, along with its natural origins, and tests for it were rapidly developed. Labs across the world are racing to develop a vaccine, which is estimated to be still around 12 to 18 months away. At the same time, the pandemic has been accompanied by an infodemic of nonsense, disinformation, half-truths and conspiracy theories that have spread virally through social networks. This damages society in a variety of ways. For example, the myth that COVID-19 is less dangerous than the seasonal flu was deployed by US President Donald Trump as justification for delaying mitigation policies. The recent downgrading of COVID-19 death projections, which reveal the success of social-distancing policies, has been falsely used to justify premature relaxing of social distancing measures. This is the logical equivalent of throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because it’s kept you dry until then. The new conspiracy theory that blames COVID-19 on the 5G broadband system is one of the most bizarre pieces of misinformation. There are several strains of this theory, ranging from the claims that 5G alters people’s immune systems to the idea that 5G changes people’s DNA, making them more susceptible to infection. Then there’s the idea that secret messages about 5G and coronavirus were hidden in the design of the new £20 note in the UK. In reality, 5G relates to viruses and banknotes as much as the tooth fairy relates to zoology – not at all. The 5G conspiracy theory originated in early March when an American physician, Thomas Cowan, proposed it in a YouTube video (which has since been taken down by YouTube according to their new policy). Some people have taken this conspiracy theory so seriously that it led to people setting 5G towers in the UK on fire and threatening broadband engineers. The conspiracy theory has begun to penetrate mainstream society. Among other celebrities, UK TV personality Eamonn Holmes and US actor Woody Harrelson have given fuel to the idea. Inoculating against conspiracy theories As we document in our recent Conspiracy Theory Handbook, there is a great deal of scientific research into why people might be susceptible to conspiracy theories. When people suffer loss of control or feel threatened, it makes them more vulnerable to believing conspiracies. Unfortunately, this means that pandemics have always been breeding grounds for conspiracy theories, from antisemitic hysteria during the Black Death to today’s 5G craze. An effective strategy for preventing conspiracy theories from spreading through social networks is, appropriately enough, inoculation. As we document in the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, if we inoculate the public by pre-emptively warning them of misleading misinformation, they develop resilience and are less likely to be negatively influenced. Inoculating messages can take several forms. As well as giving people the right facts, inoculation can also be logic-based and source-based. Questioning the sources The source-based approach focuses on analysing the people who push the conspiracy theory and the cultural infrastructure from which they emerged. For example, the 5G theory began with Thomas Cowan, a physician whose medical licence is on a five-year probation. He is currently prohibited from providing cancer treatment to patients and supervising physician assistants and advanced practice nurses. So we can question his credentials. His 5G video was from a talk he presented at a pseudo-scientific conference featuring a who’s who of science deniers. One of the headliners was Andrew Wakefield, a debarred former physician and seminal figure in the anti-vaccination movement who promotes highly damaging misinformation about vaccination based on data that he is known to have falsified. Another attendee of this meeting was the president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness, an organisation famous for bestowing awards onto fossil-fuel funded climate deniers and for giving a platform to a speaker who denied the link between HIV and AIDS, claiming that the link was invented by government scientists who wanted to cover up other health risks of “the lifestyle of homosexual men.” For the public to be protected against the 5G conspiracy theory, it is important to understand its emergence from the same infrastructure that also supports AIDS denial, anti-vaccination conspiracies and climate denial. It is therefore unsurprising that the rhetorical techniques that are deployed against the seriousness of climate change are similar to those used to mismanage the COVID-19 crisis. Questioning the logic Another way to neutralise conspiracy theories is through logic-based inoculation. This involves explaining the rhetorical techniques and tell-tale traits to be found in misinformation, so that people can flag it before it has a chance to mislead them. In the Conspiracy Theory Handbook, we document seven traits of conspiratorial thinking. Spotting these can help people identify a baseless theory. One trait that is particularly salient in the 5G conspiracy theory is re-interpreting randomness. With this thought pattern, random events are re-interpreted as being causally connected and woven into a broader, interconnected pattern. For example, the introduction of 5G in 2019 coincided with the origin of COVID-19 and hence is interpreted to be causally related. But by that logic, other factors that were introduced in 2019 – say, the global phenomenon of Baby Yoda – could also be interpreted as a possible cause of COVID-19. Correlation does not equal causation. The 5G conspiracy theory is also immune to evidence, despite having been debunked extensively. To illustrate, some of the countries worst affected by the pandemic (such as Iran) do not have any 5G technology. Of course, 5G has nothing to do with a virus. In the US, T-Mobile’s low-band 5G data is transmitted using old UHF TV channels. UHF TV did not cause coronavirus and neither does 5G. The crucial role of social media platforms Social media platforms contribute to the problem of misinformation by providing the means for it to quickly and freely disseminate to the general public. Given that 330,000 lives were lost in relation to AIDS in South Africa during the presidency of Thabo Mbeki, when denying the disease’s link to HIV was official state policy. Given that people in the UK are now vandalizing potentially life-saving communication infrastructure, social media companies should not aid and abet the life-threatening disinformation that is spewed by a nexus of science deniers and conspiracy theorists. To their credit, these firms are making an effort to be part of the solution to the problem of misinformation. For example, YouTube has announced that it will take down any video that espouses the 5G conspiracy theory. This is a move in the right direction. There is considerable room for improvement, however. A recent test by the non-profit Disinfo.eu laboratory found much conspiratorial content on various social media platforms, and we were able to find hundreds of YouTube videos promulgating the 5G nonsense with a few keystrokes. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Stephan Lewandowsky is Chair of Cognitive Psychology, University of Bristol; John Cook is Research Assistant Professor, Center for Climate Change Communication, George Mason University) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Coronavirus conspiracy theories are dangerous – here’s how to stop them spreading

In December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province of China. The Chinese media has stated that the virus originated from bats, pinning the source of origin to the food market in Wuhan which sold a number of wild animals including bats. But all this is in the realm of speculation. It would not be out of order to consider other possibilities of the source of the outbreak of the virus, especially one having military connotations.

Could the virus have originated from one of the virology laboratories located in Wuhan? Could this have been a planned trial by the Chinese of a biological weapon which could carry out mass destruction? Or was this an accidental leak? This too is a matter of conjecture, but as the potential consequences of the spread of the Wuhan virus are so cataclysmic, each and every possibility needs thorough examination and cannot be brushed under the carpet.

Let us examine the hypothesis that this was a planned Chinese biological warfare weapon, which they let loose on the world, first exposing their own residents to the virus, but restricting its impact so that neither Beijing nor Shanghai was impacted. The capacity of the virus to kill is limited, and the data from China shows that over 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases are either asymptomatic or have mild disease. But the fact that the virus spreads very fast once it is introduced to a population, makes it lethal. As an example, if one million people are infected in an area, while 80 per cent will recover quickly, most not even knowing that they are sick, at least 200,000 will require hospitalisation, which is a very large number putting a huge strain on the civic infrastructure and causing governments to impose a lockdown to prevent further spread. The fatalities will be even lesser, perhaps in the range of 20,000 or so, but the impact on the nation’s economy will be crippling. Today, besides India, the US, Europe, Japan, ASEAN, the Gulf countries and others have been seriously impacted, with their economies taking a severe hit.

The Chinese economy, while the hit to some extent, appears to have recovered and is projected to grow at 2.5 per cent. While this is the lowest rate of growth for China in decades, it is far better than the projected rate of growth in Europe and India, which is close to zero per cent. So, if this was a planned biological attack by the Chinese, then they have succeeded in full measure as the Western economies stand crippled and may well go into recession. This puts China in the pole position.

Major stock exchanges across the world have taken a drubbing with the coronavirus pandemic shaving off nearly a third of the global market cap. But interestingly, the Chinese stock exchange has emerged almost unscathed amid the global market rout. With supply chains and global demand being disrupted, a great deal of uncertainty has been created over the long term. China appears to be in a good position to weather the storm and emerge as the market leader, post the pandemic. With stocks tumbling, China is being stocked at reduced rates and in India, has already picked up a one per cent stake in HDFC.

In mid-January, President Donald Trump signed an initial trade deal with China, bringing to a close, the first chapter of a protracted and economically damaging trade war, which was hurting China’s economy. Based on the terms of the agreement, China agreed to buy $12.5 billion in the US agricultural products in 2020 and a further $19.5 billion in 2021. However, with the pandemic raging across the world, the trade deal is as good as dead, which will be a source of dissatisfaction to the US.

Beijing has ratcheted up the pressure on Taiwan, which it seeks to reunite with the mainland. In February, while carrying out military drills, Chinese jets crossed an unofficial middle line in the Taiwan Strait. A day earlier, Chinese fighters and bombers flew around the island. Then in early April, a Chinese naval flotilla led by the country’s first aircraft carrier passed by the eastern and southern coasts of Taiwan to carry out drills. These acts are coercive and designed to put pressure on Taiwan at a time when the world is battling the coronavirus. China is also ramping up pressure on its claim areas in the South China Sea. Chinese belligerence is a deliberate show of force, cocking a snook at the world.

Coincidentally, at this time, the US naval fleet has been hit by the coronavirus. Of the 11 aircraft carriers in the US Navy's fleet, the crew in three of the aircraft carriers are reported to have been infected. More than half the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt have been disembarked at Guam, which shows how a virus can impact military capability. So, at a time when the Chinese are getting belligerent in the Indo-Pacific, the US naval fleet finds a part of its crew disabled due to the coronavirus. The USS Ronald Reagan, presently docked in Yokosuka, Japan, is for the moment the only available aircraft carrier to project power in the western Pacific, to counter potential hostilities from China.

India needs to be concerned as China claims a large chunk&nbsp;of Indian Territory in Arunachal Pradesh and is in illegal occupation of the Aksai Chin. If China is moving in the direction of using biological weapons, then India needs to be prepared accordingly. This is no longer in the realm of science fiction as portrayed in the film Contagion. Biological weapons can destroy a nation's economy and seriously degrade its military potential. It is a reality thrust upon us, which we can ignore only at our peril.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

In December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province of China. The Chinese media has stated that the virus originated from bats, pinning the source of origin to the food market in Wuhan which sold a number of wild animals including bats.

In December 2019, the first case of COVID-19 was detected in Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province of China. The Chinese media has stated that the virus originated from bats, pinning the source of origin to the food market in Wuhan which sold a number of wild animals including bats. But all this is in the realm of speculation. It would not be out of order to consider other possibilities of the source of the outbreak of the virus, especially one having military connotations. Could the virus have originated from one of the virology laboratories located in Wuhan? Could this have been a planned trial by the Chinese of a biological weapon which could carry out mass destruction? Or was this an accidental leak? This too is a matter of conjecture, but as the potential consequences of the spread of the Wuhan virus are so cataclysmic, each and every possibility needs thorough examination and cannot be brushed under the carpet. Let us examine the hypothesis that this was a planned Chinese biological warfare weapon, which they let loose on the world, first exposing their own residents to the virus, but restricting its impact so that neither Beijing nor Shanghai was impacted. The capacity of the virus to kill is limited, and the data from China shows that over 80 per cent of COVID-19 cases are either asymptomatic or have mild disease. But the fact that the virus spreads very fast once it is introduced to a population, makes it lethal. As an example, if one million people are infected in an area, while 80 per cent will recover quickly, most not even knowing that they are sick, at least 200,000 will require hospitalisation, which is a very large number putting a huge strain on the civic infrastructure and causing governments to impose a lockdown to prevent further spread. The fatalities will be even lesser, perhaps in the range of 20,000 or so, but the impact on the nation’s economy will be crippling. Today, besides India, the US, Europe, Japan, ASEAN, the Gulf countries and others have been seriously impacted, with their economies taking a severe hit. The Chinese economy, while the hit to some extent, appears to have recovered and is projected to grow at 2.5 per cent. While this is the lowest rate of growth for China in decades, it is far better than the projected rate of growth in Europe and India, which is close to zero per cent. So, if this was a planned biological attack by the Chinese, then they have succeeded in full measure as the Western economies stand crippled and may well go into recession. This puts China in the pole position. Major stock exchanges across the world have taken a drubbing with the coronavirus pandemic shaving off nearly a third of the global market cap. But interestingly, the Chinese stock exchange has emerged almost unscathed amid the global market rout. With supply chains and global demand being disrupted, a great deal of uncertainty has been created over the long term. China appears to be in a good position to weather the storm and emerge as the market leader, post the pandemic. With stocks tumbling, China is being stocked at reduced rates and in India, has already picked up a one per cent stake in HDFC. In mid-January, President Donald Trump signed an initial trade deal with China, bringing to a close, the first chapter of a protracted and economically damaging trade war, which was hurting China’s economy. Based on the terms of the agreement, China agreed to buy $12.5 billion in the US agricultural products in 2020 and a further $19.5 billion in 2021. However, with the pandemic raging across the world, the trade deal is as good as dead, which will be a source of dissatisfaction to the US. Beijing has ratcheted up the pressure on Taiwan, which it seeks to reunite with the mainland. In February, while carrying out military drills, Chinese jets crossed an unofficial middle line in the Taiwan Strait. A day earlier, Chinese fighters and bombers flew around the island. Then in early April, a Chinese naval flotilla led by the country’s first aircraft carrier passed by the eastern and southern coasts of Taiwan to carry out drills. These acts are coercive and designed to put pressure on Taiwan at a time when the world is battling the coronavirus. China is also ramping up pressure on its claim areas in the South China Sea. Chinese belligerence is a deliberate show of force, cocking a snook at the world. Coincidentally, at this time, the US naval fleet has been hit by the coronavirus. Of the 11 aircraft carriers in the US Navy's fleet, the crew in three of the aircraft carriers are reported to have been infected. More than half the crew of the USS Theodore Roosevelt have been disembarked at Guam, which shows how a virus can impact military capability. So, at a time when the Chinese are getting belligerent in the Indo-Pacific, the US naval fleet finds a part of its crew disabled due to the coronavirus. The USS Ronald Reagan, presently docked in Yokosuka, Japan, is for the moment the only available aircraft carrier to project power in the western Pacific, to counter potential hostilities from China. India needs to be concerned as China claims a large chunk of Indian Territory in Arunachal Pradesh and is in illegal occupation of the Aksai Chin. If China is moving in the direction of using biological weapons, then India needs to be prepared accordingly. This is no longer in the realm of science fiction as portrayed in the film Contagion. Biological weapons can destroy a nation's economy and seriously degrade its military potential. It is a reality thrust upon us, which we can ignore only at our peril. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How coronavirus impacts the military capability

Every time China is blamed for the Coronavirus crisis, Beijing tends to hide behind the excuses of misinformation about its response and racism against its citizens. WION's Palki Sharma gets you 2 videos that expose China's duplicity.

Gravitas: 2 Videos that expose Chinese propaganda

China's Wuhan, which was the epicentre of the novel coronavirus in the country, has increased the virus's death toll as much as 50 per cent with 1,290 deaths.

This announcement comes after China opening up Wuhan on April 8 nearly after three months due to the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-coronavirus-death-toll-closing-in-on-15-lakh-globally-cases-reach-218-million-293021">Deadly coronavirus death toll closing in on 1.5 lakh globally, cases reach 2.18 million</a>

In a social media post, Wuhan city's government updated the figures and admitted that there were many cases that were "mistakenly reported" or missed entirely.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-economy-shrinks-suffers-huge-drop-in-face-of-coronavirus-battle-293039">China's economy shrinks, suffers huge drop in face of coronavirus battle</a>

With the news figures, the total number of deaths in Wuhan stands at 3,869 and the nationwide toll rises to 4,362.&nbsp;

The new figures have also come after the mounting pressure by the Western countries led by the United States, which have raised concerns over the coronavirus statistics in China.&nbsp;

Earlier, US-based media groups Washington Post and Fox News have reported about the suspicions that the virus slipped out a sensitive laboratory in Wuhan that studied bats.

However, China has said that its scientists believe that the virus has its origins from a meat market in Wuhan where it first transmitted to humans.

Wuhan's epidemic prevention and control headquarters mentioned many reasons for the missed reporting, including the fact that city's medical personnel were overwhelmed during the initial days of the outbreak, leading to late reporting, omissions or mis-reporting".

It also said that due to a scarcity of testing and treatment facilities some people died at home from coronavirus causing improper reporting.&nbsp;

(With AFP inputs)

&nbsp;

China's Wuhan, which was the epicentre of the novel coronavirus in the country, has increased the virus's death toll as much as 50 per cent with 1,290 deaths. This announcement comes after China opening up Wuhan on April 8 nearly after three months due to the coronavirus outbreak.

China's Wuhan, which was the epicentre of the novel coronavirus in the country, has increased the virus's death toll as much as 50 per cent with 1,290 deaths. This announcement comes after China opening up Wuhan on April 8 nearly after three months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Also read | Deadly coronavirus death toll closing in on 1.5 lakh globally, cases reach 2.18 million In a social media post, Wuhan city's government updated the figures and admitted that there were many cases that were "mistakenly reported" or missed entirely. Also read | China's economy shrinks, suffers huge drop in face of coronavirus battle With the news figures, the total number of deaths in Wuhan stands at 3,869 and the nationwide toll rises to 4,362. The new figures have also come after the mounting pressure by the Western countries led by the United States, which have raised concerns over the coronavirus statistics in China. Earlier, US-based media groups Washington Post and Fox News have reported about the suspicions that the virus slipped out a sensitive laboratory in Wuhan that studied bats. However, China has said that its scientists believe that the virus has its origins from a meat market in Wuhan where it first transmitted to humans. Wuhan's epidemic prevention and control headquarters mentioned many reasons for the missed reporting, including the fact that city's medical personnel were overwhelmed during the initial days of the outbreak, leading to late reporting, omissions or mis-reporting". It also said that due to a scarcity of testing and treatment facilities some people died at home from coronavirus causing improper reporting. (With AFP inputs)

Wuhan, once China's coronavirus epicentre raises death toll by 50%

After China increased the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-lockdown-extension-uks-coronavirus-death-toll-surges-past-14500-293200">coronavirus</a> death toll in Wuhan earlier, US President Trump said that "it is far higher than that and far higher than the US, not even close!"

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
China has just announced a doubling in the number of their deaths from the Invisible Enemy. It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251186179548033025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-day-coronavirus-deaths-in-us-surpasses-911-iraq-war-toll-293214">Also Read: One-day coronavirus deaths in US surpasses 9/11, Iraq war toll</a>

Chinese officials had added 1,290 deaths to the death toll in Wuhan which was until recently the epicenter of COVID-19.

The US president hit out at New York governor asserting that Governor Cuomo should spent&nbsp;more time “doing” and less time “complaining”.&nbsp;

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Governor Cuomo should spend more time “doing” and less time “complaining”. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of Ventilators that you should have had, and helped you with....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251181563506757632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of ventilators that you should have had," the President lashed out at the New York governor.

"We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, &amp; these great men &amp; women who did the job never hear you say thanks," Trump told the New York governor on Twitter, adding,"your numbers are not good. Less talk and more action!"

"Cuomo ridiculously wanted 40 thousand ventilators. We gave him a small fraction of that number, and it was plenty. State should have had them in stockpile!, the President added.

After China increased the coronavirus death toll in Wuhan earlier, US President Trump said that "it is far higher than that and far higher than the US, not even close!

After China increased the coronavirus death toll in Wuhan earlier, US President Trump said that "it is far higher than that and far higher than the US, not even close!" China has just announced a doubling in the number of their deaths from the Invisible Enemy. It is far higher than that and far higher than the U.S., not even close! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020 × Also Read: One-day coronavirus deaths in US surpasses 9/11, Iraq war toll Chinese officials had added 1,290 deaths to the death toll in Wuhan which was until recently the epicenter of COVID-19. The US president hit out at New York governor asserting that Governor Cuomo should spent more time “doing” and less time “complaining”. Governor Cuomo should spend more time “doing” and less time “complaining”. Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of Ventilators that you should have had, and helped you with.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020 × "Get out there and get the job done. Stop talking! We built you thousands of hospital beds that you didn’t need or use, gave large numbers of ventilators that you should have had," the President lashed out at the New York governor. "We have given New York far more money, help and equipment than any other state, by far, & these great men & women who did the job never hear you say thanks," Trump told the New York governor on Twitter, adding,"your numbers are not good. Less talk and more action!" "Cuomo ridiculously wanted 40 thousand ventilators. We gave him a small fraction of that number, and it was plenty. State should have had them in stockpile!, the President added.

COVID-19: China's deaths far higher than the US, says Trump

The government confirmed that the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Wuhan was also revised upwards - by 325 to 50,333.

China makes changes in COVID-19 data: Death toll up by 50% in Wuhan

The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Wuhan was also revised upwards - by 325 to 50,333, the government said.

COVID-19 death toll up by 50% in Wuhan

French President Emmanuel Macron has questioned China's methods of tackling the coronavirus pandemic by calling it ''naive'' to suggest&nbsp;that China had dealt better with the crisis.

In an interview, Macron said that&nbsp;"things happened that we don't know about".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-patients-recovering-quickly-after-getting-remdesivir-an-experimental-drug-293051" hreflang="en">COVID-19 patients recovering quickly after getting remdesivir, an experimental drug</a>

The comments came after&nbsp;an article on the Chinese embassy's website sparked a row sparked. It had claimed&nbsp;that Western countries had ''left the elderly to die in care homes''.

However, China dismissed the row as a "misunderstanding".&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wuhan-once-chinas-coronavirus-epicentre-raises-death-toll-by-50-293040" hreflang="en">Wuhan, once China's coronavirus epicentre raises death toll by 50%</a>

Government spokesman Zhao Lijian said China had never made any negative comments about how France was coping with the epidemic "and has no intention of making any".

The foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to "express disapproval".

France has recorded&nbsp;141,000 cases of Covid-19 and nearly 18,000 deaths.

Whereas, China has recorded 4,632 deaths - including an extra 1,290 deaths announced on Friday in the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic started and where a strict lockdown has only recently been lifted.

Countries including the US, the UK and France have questioned China's transparency over the outbreak.

French President Emmanuel Macron has questioned China's methods of tackling the coronavirus pandemic by calling it ''naive'' to suggest that China had dealt better with the crisis.

French President Emmanuel Macron has questioned China's methods of tackling the coronavirus pandemic by calling it ''naive'' to suggest that China had dealt better with the crisis. In an interview, Macron said that "things happened that we don't know about". Also read: COVID-19 patients recovering quickly after getting remdesivir, an experimental drug The comments came after an article on the Chinese embassy's website sparked a row sparked. It had claimed that Western countries had ''left the elderly to die in care homes''. However, China dismissed the row as a "misunderstanding". Also read: Wuhan, once China's coronavirus epicentre raises death toll by 50% Government spokesman Zhao Lijian said China had never made any negative comments about how France was coping with the epidemic "and has no intention of making any". The foreign ministry summoned China's ambassador to "express disapproval". France has recorded 141,000 cases of Covid-19 and nearly 18,000 deaths. Whereas, China has recorded 4,632 deaths - including an extra 1,290 deaths announced on Friday in the city of Wuhan, where the pandemic started and where a strict lockdown has only recently been lifted. Countries including the US, the UK and France have questioned China's transparency over the outbreak.

'Naive' to suggest China dealt well with coronavirus, says Macron

There is no doubt that after the second world war, COVID 19 is the most decisive development in the world, that is likely to turn upside down the relations between different countries and the way that humanity would view things in life.

China’s ambition for world dominance :

In the last few decades, China has been steadily and cleverly improving its strategic importance in the world by strengthening its industrial, technological, economic and military base, by launching schemes such as OBOR and several others, which appear to be successful to some extent, as far as China is concerned.

China has been emboldened in launching several strategies with least concern for fairness and with a high level of self-centredness, as it has remained largely unchallenged. For example, China occupied Tibet by aggressive methods several decades back, when the Tibetan dissenters were ruthlessly massacred and it drove out the protestors including the venerable the Dalai Lama.&nbsp;

With the nearby countries like Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and others, China has raised disputes in several areas such as Senkaku Island, the South China Sea where China claims sovereign power. While the affected countries have been protesting, China remains unconcerned about such protests and the world view on these disputes.

China is rapidly expanding trade and investment activities and taking over several mines in different countries and acquiring assets abroad in a well planned and systematic way to gradually increase its world dominance.

So far, rest of the world has largely remained as if it is unconcerned about China’s efforts to rapidly increase its dominance in the world arena, since China has opened its large market to the rest of the world and multinational companies, who want to exploit market potential in China, particularly since, the market in developed countries have become nearly saturated for several products. Today, no country or any multinational company want to miss the trade opportunities that China offers.

Why the concern about China’s increasing dominance?

There is nothing wrong if any country would want to strengthen itself economically and become a major power in the world. This could be a legitimate ambition for any nation.

However, this logic cannot be straightaway applied in the case of China, as China is known to have expansionist ambitions not only in terms of economy but also in terms of territory.

China has a totalitarian regime with freedom of speech heavily suppressed and personal liberty severely curtailed. Dissenters in China are known to be eliminated ruthlessly.

The concern is that if a country with a totalitarian regime and not having any concern about ethical and fair practices would happen to dominate the world, then the world would become an unsafe place.

Now, there is a rapidly developing world view that China’s increasing dominance in world affairs could upset the world balance of power and create conflicts of interest.

This is one of the primary reasons why US President Trump launched a trade war against &nbsp;China. However, the trade war has not discouraged China so far or dissuaded it from the ambition of world dominance at any cost. Now, at this juncture, many people wonder as to who would be the bigger loser in the trade war, &nbsp;whether China or the USA.

China's propaganda amid coronavirus crisis

China is the originator of COVID 19 and is accused of playing a trick on the world by not sharing with the world, 
&nbsp;information about &nbsp;COVID 19 at the right time, that has now engulfed the entire world.

In the present ongoing COVID 19 crisis, it appears that China looks like having the last laugh.

USA and West European countries, as well as Japan, which has considered themselves as the leading lights among the world countries and scientifically advanced now, stand humiliated, with the rapid spread of the virus in their regions causing huge loss of lives.

As the world is struggling to tackle the crisis and now facing distress and uncertain conditions, China claims that it has sorted out the issue and it has become free of the virus in the region. When some people were affected by the virus after China lifted the lockdown China says that it has happened only due to the overseas visitors and not due to any development within.

In this scenario, China is deliberately trying to create an impression, by launching a massive propaganda campaign that it has the capability to control the virus. This campaign obviously implies that when the other countries do not know how to go about China has wiped out the virus in its region. In the process, China is deliberately trying to create an impression around the world that China is more advanced than in other countries.

In other words, China seems to convey the view that it has the merits to claim that it is the superpower and not the USA, which has recorded the highest deaths in the world due to coronavirus.

The agony&nbsp;of affected countries:

Obviously, the USA and most European countries and Japan are seething with anger and frustration at the humiliation that they have suffered due to COVID crisis. This is more so, in view of China’s arrogant assertion that the COVID 19 did not first happen in China but elsewhere such as Italy or the USA or anywhere else.

There is a clear realisation amongst these countries that China’s ambition to dominate the world should be defeated if they were to hold their place in the world scenario. This realization would be the ultimate driving force for any possible coordinated action against China.

While there is no formal coordinated efforts between the USA, West European countries and Japan in tackling “China dragon”, the pointers are clear that they would soon discuss the strategies in a coordinated manner with a mutual interest in view.

The first step to control China has already been taken by Japan, which has said that it would fund firms of Japanese companies to shift production out of China.

Export dependent economy :

China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013

While the investments in China have gone up in a big way, too much of capacities have been built up in several areas such as steel aluminium and several others such as chemical/polymer and allied products. As a result, the capacity utilisation of industries in China has gone down to an unacceptable level in many cases, leading to losses, closures and mergers.

Since 2009, China has been trying hard to rejig its export-dependent economy to the one more dependent on domestic consumption. However, such efforts to increase domestic consumption are not making a big impact, since &nbsp;China's per capita income is below the world average.

Import dependence :

Even as China is a large exporter, it is also dependent on import in a big way for several products and services.

China is dependent on imports of crude oil to around &nbsp;70 per cent of its requirement and is the largest importer of crude oil in the world.

About 80 per cent of its microchip requirement is met by imports. It has been spending &nbsp;$260 billion every year on import of semiconductors and chips, which is more than the money spent on import of crude oil.

 
What options are available for countries wanting to combat&nbsp;China’s domination?

A large part of the investment in China has been made by multinational companies with a base in Europe, USA and Japan. They just cannot withdraw from China on any count in the immediate future in view of the investments already committed in China, technologies already shared with Chinese technologists and the fact that equipment and the infrastructure facilities built cannot just be lifted out of China at will.

Further, the market base in China is large and cannot be surrendered in a quick period by any multinational companies and regions like USA, Western Europe and Japan. Their alternate strategies to “teach China a lesson” will take time to evolve and implement.

In the event of trade and economic warfare launched by the USA, West European countries and Japan, China will not be able to hold on to its present economic strength. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
 
&nbsp;

There is no doubt that after the second world war, COVID 19 is the most decisive development in the world, that is likely to turn upside down the relations between different countries and the way that humanity would view things in life.

There is no doubt that after the second world war, COVID 19 is the most decisive development in the world, that is likely to turn upside down the relations between different countries and the way that humanity would view things in life. China’s ambition for world dominance : In the last few decades, China has been steadily and cleverly improving its strategic importance in the world by strengthening its industrial, technological, economic and military base, by launching schemes such as OBOR and several others, which appear to be successful to some extent, as far as China is concerned. China has been emboldened in launching several strategies with least concern for fairness and with a high level of self-centredness, as it has remained largely unchallenged. For example, China occupied Tibet by aggressive methods several decades back, when the Tibetan dissenters were ruthlessly massacred and it drove out the protestors including the venerable the Dalai Lama. With the nearby countries like Japan, Vietnam, Philippines and others, China has raised disputes in several areas such as Senkaku Island, the South China Sea where China claims sovereign power. While the affected countries have been protesting, China remains unconcerned about such protests and the world view on these disputes. China is rapidly expanding trade and investment activities and taking over several mines in different countries and acquiring assets abroad in a well planned and systematic way to gradually increase its world dominance. So far, rest of the world has largely remained as if it is unconcerned about China’s efforts to rapidly increase its dominance in the world arena, since China has opened its large market to the rest of the world and multinational companies, who want to exploit market potential in China, particularly since, the market in developed countries have become nearly saturated for several products. Today, no country or any multinational company want to miss the trade opportunities that China offers. Why the concern about China’s increasing dominance? There is nothing wrong if any country would want to strengthen itself economically and become a major power in the world. This could be a legitimate ambition for any nation. However, this logic cannot be straightaway applied in the case of China, as China is known to have expansionist ambitions not only in terms of economy but also in terms of territory. China has a totalitarian regime with freedom of speech heavily suppressed and personal liberty severely curtailed. Dissenters in China are known to be eliminated ruthlessly. The concern is that if a country with a totalitarian regime and not having any concern about ethical and fair practices would happen to dominate the world, then the world would become an unsafe place. Now, there is a rapidly developing world view that China’s increasing dominance in world affairs could upset the world balance of power and create conflicts of interest. This is one of the primary reasons why US President Trump launched a trade war against China. However, the trade war has not discouraged China so far or dissuaded it from the ambition of world dominance at any cost. Now, at this juncture, many people wonder as to who would be the bigger loser in the trade war, whether China or the USA. China's propaganda amid coronavirus crisis China is the originator of COVID 19 and is accused of playing a trick on the world by not sharing with the world, information about COVID 19 at the right time, that has now engulfed the entire world. In the present ongoing COVID 19 crisis, it appears that China looks like having the last laugh. USA and West European countries, as well as Japan, which has considered themselves as the leading lights among the world countries and scientifically advanced now, stand humiliated, with the rapid spread of the virus in their regions causing huge loss of lives. As the world is struggling to tackle the crisis and now facing distress and uncertain conditions, China claims that it has sorted out the issue and it has become free of the virus in the region. When some people were affected by the virus after China lifted the lockdown China says that it has happened only due to the overseas visitors and not due to any development within. In this scenario, China is deliberately trying to create an impression, by launching a massive propaganda campaign that it has the capability to control the virus. This campaign obviously implies that when the other countries do not know how to go about China has wiped out the virus in its region. In the process, China is deliberately trying to create an impression around the world that China is more advanced than in other countries. In other words, China seems to convey the view that it has the merits to claim that it is the superpower and not the USA, which has recorded the highest deaths in the world due to coronavirus. The agony of affected countries: Obviously, the USA and most European countries and Japan are seething with anger and frustration at the humiliation that they have suffered due to COVID crisis. This is more so, in view of China’s arrogant assertion that the COVID 19 did not first happen in China but elsewhere such as Italy or the USA or anywhere else. There is a clear realisation amongst these countries that China’s ambition to dominate the world should be defeated if they were to hold their place in the world scenario. This realization would be the ultimate driving force for any possible coordinated action against China. While there is no formal coordinated efforts between the USA, West European countries and Japan in tackling “China dragon”, the pointers are clear that they would soon discuss the strategies in a coordinated manner with a mutual interest in view. The first step to control China has already been taken by Japan, which has said that it would fund firms of Japanese companies to shift production out of China. Export dependent economy : China became the world's largest exporter in 2010, and the largest trading nation in 2013 While the investments in China have gone up in a big way, too much of capacities have been built up in several areas such as steel aluminium and several others such as chemical/polymer and allied products. As a result, the capacity utilisation of industries in China has gone down to an unacceptable level in many cases, leading to losses, closures and mergers. Since 2009, China has been trying hard to rejig its export-dependent economy to the one more dependent on domestic consumption. However, such efforts to increase domestic consumption are not making a big impact, since China's per capita income is below the world average. Import dependence : Even as China is a large exporter, it is also dependent on import in a big way for several products and services. China is dependent on imports of crude oil to around 70 per cent of its requirement and is the largest importer of crude oil in the world. About 80 per cent of its microchip requirement is met by imports. It has been spending $260 billion every year on import of semiconductors and chips, which is more than the money spent on import of crude oil. What options are available for countries wanting to combat China’s domination? A large part of the investment in China has been made by multinational companies with a base in Europe, USA and Japan. They just cannot withdraw from China on any count in the immediate future in view of the investments already committed in China, technologies already shared with Chinese technologists and the fact that equipment and the infrastructure facilities built cannot just be lifted out of China at will. Further, the market base in China is large and cannot be surrendered in a quick period by any multinational companies and regions like USA, Western Europe and Japan. Their alternate strategies to “teach China a lesson” will take time to evolve and implement. In the event of trade and economic warfare launched by the USA, West European countries and Japan, China will not be able to hold on to its present economic strength. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Here's how affected countries can combat China's increasing dominance

There is a worldwide scramble for medical gear to fight <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-uk-set-to-extend-lockdown-as-death-toll-crosses-13700-861-deaths-in-24-hours-292971">coronavirus</a>. Masks, gowns, ventilators and the most important - testing kits.&nbsp; They&nbsp;are all in short supply.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-could-reoccur-in-2024-social-distancing-should-continue-in-us-for-two-years-harvard-study-292950">Also Read:&nbsp;Coronavirus could reoccur in 2024, says&nbsp;new study</a>

China has a firm grip on these medical supplies and now, it is using exports to repair its image. China wants to be called a world leader in this fight.

The only problem is - quality control. Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Britain &nbsp;- they all have received faulty supplies from China.

And now, sources say India has received faulty Chinese personal protection equipment.&nbsp;

Personal protection equipment(PPE) is the body armor for our doctors on the frontlines of the COVID-19 epidemic. Gloves, mask and gown make up one PPE kit with every doctor treating coronavirus patients needing them.

PPE is the shield that protects the health services soldiers against the virus. India needs more of it because faulty equipment is setting back the fight against coronavirus.

India received a faulty batch of PPE about 50,000&nbsp;Chinese kits failed quality tests. They were donated to Indian officials. Meanwhile, the list of complaints against faulty medical kits from China is growing.&nbsp;

Scientists and health authorities in Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom got faulty test kits. These governments reportedly paid millions of dollars to Chinese companies to procure them.

Georgia wanted to buy rapid coronavirus tests from China. It has now suspended the agreement. The Netherlands wants to return 600 thousand face masks purchased from China. The N95 masks did not fit properly and the filters didn't work.

When the Dutch officials ordered a recall, Beijing did not apologize. Instead, China blamed the Netherlands.

The Chinese foreign ministry said that Dutch the government should read the instructions on the box. China may try to deny and deflect but, the problem is China faces a real struggle when it comes to quality control.

Until March 12, Chinese officials seized millions of pieces of faulty equipment. It includes more than 80 million faulty masks and 37000 defective or fake disinfectants.

Counterfeiting has not stopped in China. Now, Chinese traders are exporting faulty equipment to the world. Often in India, the term "Made in China" is used as a synonym for defective products.

The world's worst-affected countries are now using the same description for Chinese coronavirus supplies.&nbsp;

There is a worldwide scramble for medical gear to fight coronavirus. Masks, gowns, ventilators and the most important - testing kits. They are all in short supply.

There is a worldwide scramble for medical gear to fight coronavirus. Masks, gowns, ventilators and the most important - testing kits. They are all in short supply. Also Read: Coronavirus could reoccur in 2024, says new study China has a firm grip on these medical supplies and now, it is using exports to repair its image. China wants to be called a world leader in this fight. The only problem is - quality control. Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and Britain - they all have received faulty supplies from China. And now, sources say India has received faulty Chinese personal protection equipment. Personal protection equipment(PPE) is the body armor for our doctors on the frontlines of the COVID-19 epidemic. Gloves, mask and gown make up one PPE kit with every doctor treating coronavirus patients needing them. PPE is the shield that protects the health services soldiers against the virus. India needs more of it because faulty equipment is setting back the fight against coronavirus. India received a faulty batch of PPE about 50,000 Chinese kits failed quality tests. They were donated to Indian officials. Meanwhile, the list of complaints against faulty medical kits from China is growing. Scientists and health authorities in Spain, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom got faulty test kits. These governments reportedly paid millions of dollars to Chinese companies to procure them. Georgia wanted to buy rapid coronavirus tests from China. It has now suspended the agreement. The Netherlands wants to return 600 thousand face masks purchased from China. The N95 masks did not fit properly and the filters didn't work. When the Dutch officials ordered a recall, Beijing did not apologize. Instead, China blamed the Netherlands. The Chinese foreign ministry said that Dutch the government should read the instructions on the box. China may try to deny and deflect but, the problem is China faces a real struggle when it comes to quality control. Until March 12, Chinese officials seized millions of pieces of faulty equipment. It includes more than 80 million faulty masks and 37000 defective or fake disinfectants. Counterfeiting has not stopped in China. Now, Chinese traders are exporting faulty equipment to the world. Often in India, the term "Made in China" is used as a synonym for defective products. The world's worst-affected countries are now using the same description for Chinese coronavirus supplies.

India, several other nations receive faulty coronavirus test kits from China

China is now reporting fewer <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/four-studies-shed-light-on-novel-coronavirus-and-its-impact-292721">coronavirus </a>cases. However, there are serious doubts over the numbers. Beijing is being accused of downplaying the figures.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-china-deceived-who-chief-tedros-over-coronavirus-292722">Also Read:&nbsp;How China deceived WHO chief Tedros over coronavirus</a>

Earlier there were reports of how the African community was facing racism in Guangzhou. Now, the African governments are angry.

On Tuesday, a Nigerian lawmaker grilled a Chinese diplomat. Across the capitals of African nations, politicians are demanding answers from Beijing after videos emerged of African nationals being abused on the streets in China.

The African nationals were evicted from hotels and their rented houses. The Chinese people fear that new infections are spreading from foreigners, so they began targeting African expats. Misinformation added more fuel to the fire.

African ambassadors in Beijing have revealed the extent of xenophobia. They have written a letter to China's foreign minister and African news website has shared a copy of it.

The letter describes how Africans are being attacked, mistreated and harassed in China. African nationals were ejected from their hotels in the middle of the night. Some of them were forced to live on the streets. A group of students was forced to take a nucleic acid test.

Although hey had no travel history, there were claims of forced testing and quarantine even when someone showed no symptoms of the coronavirus or had tested negative.

Their passports have been seized, some of them were even threatened with arrests, detention and deportation. These are gross violations of human rights. Chinese diplomats followed their playbook.

First, they issued a denial. Beijing described the racist attacks as "rumors"&nbsp;and "misunderstandings". The criticism did not stop. So, they tried to downplay the racism. The African leaders were furious. The governments of Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and the African Union have spoken out.

They have issued a fierce response and demanded action from Beijing. China is now trying to repair the damage with the African leadership and more importantly, the damage to its image.

They have dispatched officials to Guangzhou and took a camera crew with them but China has not issued a formal apology.

China is now reporting fewer coronavirus cases. However, there are serious doubts over the numbers. Beijing is being accused of downplaying the figures. Also Read: How China deceived WHO chief Tedros over coronavirus Earlier there were reports of how the African community was facing racism in Guangzhou.

China is now reporting fewer coronavirus cases. However, there are serious doubts over the numbers. Beijing is being accused of downplaying the figures. Also Read: How China deceived WHO chief Tedros over coronavirus Earlier there were reports of how the African community was facing racism in Guangzhou. Now, the African governments are angry. On Tuesday, a Nigerian lawmaker grilled a Chinese diplomat. Across the capitals of African nations, politicians are demanding answers from Beijing after videos emerged of African nationals being abused on the streets in China. The African nationals were evicted from hotels and their rented houses. The Chinese people fear that new infections are spreading from foreigners, so they began targeting African expats. Misinformation added more fuel to the fire. African ambassadors in Beijing have revealed the extent of xenophobia. They have written a letter to China's foreign minister and African news website has shared a copy of it. The letter describes how Africans are being attacked, mistreated and harassed in China. African nationals were ejected from their hotels in the middle of the night. Some of them were forced to live on the streets. A group of students was forced to take a nucleic acid test. Although hey had no travel history, there were claims of forced testing and quarantine even when someone showed no symptoms of the coronavirus or had tested negative. Their passports have been seized, some of them were even threatened with arrests, detention and deportation. These are gross violations of human rights. Chinese diplomats followed their playbook. First, they issued a denial. Beijing described the racist attacks as "rumors" and "misunderstandings". The criticism did not stop. So, they tried to downplay the racism. The African leaders were furious. The governments of Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and the African Union have spoken out. They have issued a fierce response and demanded action from Beijing. China is now trying to repair the damage with the African leadership and more importantly, the damage to its image. They have dispatched officials to Guangzhou and took a camera crew with them but China has not issued a formal apology.

COVID-19 crisis: After reports of racism, African nations take on China

As new cases of coronavirus decline in China, Cao Junjie and his family venture out to enjoy sunny days at a Shanghai amusement park. Cao wears a big mask to filter out potential droplets which can lead to a coronavirus infection and as for his son, he is in an inflatable suit, looking more like a miniature astronaut than a two-year-old child.

Chinese dad designs inflatable suit to shield son from coronavirus

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