On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved legislation which permits the government to declare a state of national emergency to control the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading further.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-has-enough-ventilators-for-only-six-more-days-290333">New York has enough ventilators for only six more days</a>

As per Russian law, only the President has the power to invoke a state of emergency. This too, can be done with the support of the upper house of the Parliament.&nbsp;

However, starting Tuesday, the whole cabinet of ministers will have the same powers to announce an emergency.

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Yesterday, Putin had announced the extension of non-working period in Russia to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Now the shutdown is expected to last until April 30.

"I've taken a decision to extend the period of non-working days until April 30," Putin said in an address broadcast on state television, adding that people will still receive their salaries.

Not one for televised appearances, Putin announced a week-long break earlier on TV as the number of cases continue to dramatically increase in the country.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-is-less-noisy-during-covid-19-say-seismologists-290292" hreflang="en">Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists</a>

After consulting with health officials, Putin enforced a longer work-free period. The country needs to be shut for longer to avert a crisis.

Even with a shutdown in place, the number of cases continue to spike in the country. Just yesterday, over 771 new infections were reported in the country. Additionally, 30 people have died so far.

"The threat remains," Putin announced.

(With inputs from agencies)

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved legislation which permits the government to declare a state of national emergency to control the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading further.

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved legislation which permits the government to declare a state of national emergency to control the COVID-19 pandemic from spreading further. Also read: New York has enough ventilators for only six more days As per Russian law, only the President has the power to invoke a state of emergency. This too, can be done with the support of the upper house of the Parliament. However, starting Tuesday, the whole cabinet of ministers will have the same powers to announce an emergency. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! Yesterday, Putin had announced the extension of non-working period in Russia to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. Now the shutdown is expected to last until April 30. "I've taken a decision to extend the period of non-working days until April 30," Putin said in an address broadcast on state television, adding that people will still receive their salaries. Not one for televised appearances, Putin announced a week-long break earlier on TV as the number of cases continue to dramatically increase in the country. Also read: Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists After consulting with health officials, Putin enforced a longer work-free period. The country needs to be shut for longer to avert a crisis. Even with a shutdown in place, the number of cases continue to spike in the country. Just yesterday, over 771 new infections were reported in the country. Additionally, 30 people have died so far. "The threat remains," Putin announced. (With inputs from agencies)

Now, all of Russian cabinet has the power to invoke national emergency!

At Thursday’s coronavirus briefing, US President Donald Trump endorsed scarves as a better option than masks.

While referring to the question of advising citizens to wear masks, Trump claimed that scarves with more thickness than masks are more effective against the coronavirus.

Surgical masks, which are mostly produced in China, have run out of stock globally. US is currently faces shortages of medical supplies, ventilators, and masks, as is rest of the infected world.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/vacation-gone-awry-over-40-american-students-return-home-with-covid-19-290351" hreflang="en">Vacation gone awry? Over 40 American students return home with COVID-19</a>

Exports of such items from China and South Korea have begun rapidly.

"In many cases the scarf is better; it's thicker. I mean you can -- depending on the material, it's thicker," the President said.

Additionally, Trump announced that his administration would soon release fresh recommendations regarding the usage of masks.

However, as CNN reported in a fact-check report, Trump’s claim of scarves providing better protection than masks is not endorsed by any global medical organisation or by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-domestic-violence-against-women-soars-due-to-lockdown-europe-tries-something-new-290311" hreflang="en">As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new!</a>

Even though scarves are capable of providing protection, the CDC has clearly advised against using alternative masks, unless there are no alternatives available at all!

As per the CDC guidelines, people “might use homemade masks” along the lines of scarves, bandannas etc “for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort”.

Furthermore, the advisory claims that "caution should be exercised when considering this option". If possible, further protective gear like face shields should be used over these homemade alternatives.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-has-enough-ventilators-for-only-six-more-days-290333">New York has enough ventilators for only six more days</a>

At Thursday’s coronavirus briefing, US President Donald Trump endorsed scarves as a better option than masks. While referring to the question of advising citizens to wear masks, Trump claimed that scarves with more thickness than masks are more effective against the coronavirus.

At Thursday’s coronavirus briefing, US President Donald Trump endorsed scarves as a better option than masks. While referring to the question of advising citizens to wear masks, Trump claimed that scarves with more thickness than masks are more effective against the coronavirus. Surgical masks, which are mostly produced in China, have run out of stock globally. US is currently faces shortages of medical supplies, ventilators, and masks, as is rest of the infected world. Also read: Vacation gone awry? Over 40 American students return home with COVID-19 Exports of such items from China and South Korea have begun rapidly. "In many cases the scarf is better; it's thicker. I mean you can -- depending on the material, it's thicker," the President said. Additionally, Trump announced that his administration would soon release fresh recommendations regarding the usage of masks. However, as CNN reported in a fact-check report, Trump’s claim of scarves providing better protection than masks is not endorsed by any global medical organisation or by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! Even though scarves are capable of providing protection, the CDC has clearly advised against using alternative masks, unless there are no alternatives available at all! As per the CDC guidelines, people “might use homemade masks” along the lines of scarves, bandannas etc “for care of patients with COVID-19 as a last resort”. Furthermore, the advisory claims that "caution should be exercised when considering this option". If possible, further protective gear like face shields should be used over these homemade alternatives. Also read: New York has enough ventilators for only six more days

Trump claims scarves offer better protection than masks, but is that true?

Spring break, considered a vacation ritual among American youth, has now created a new cluster of COVID-19!

As reported by CNN, over 44 out of 70 people who went to Mexico from Texas two weeks ago are now down with the virus.

All in their 20s, the youth circumvented the warning set in course by White House officials, who had directed people not to gather in large numbers, and to avoid inessential travel.

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All 44 cases are students of the University of Texas, Austin.

"Quit being an a**," Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen told CNN, in a harshly worded message to people not following protocol. "Get over yourselves. Whether you think this is an issue or not, it is. Whether you think it could affect you or not, it does. The reality of it is, if I'm a college kid who's going to spring break in Mexico, you're affecting a lot of people. Grow up."

What’s scarier is that the flight taken by students carried multiple other passengers, to whom they may have given the virus, or perhaps contracted from.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-is-less-noisy-during-covid-19-say-seismologists-290292" hreflang="en">Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists</a>

The Austin Public Health Department has traced other passengers from the flight and is now monitoring them.

"The virus often hides in the healthy and is given to those who are at grave risk of being hospitalised or dying," Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Mark Escott said in a statement.&nbsp;

"While younger people have less risk for complications, they are not immune from severe illness and death from COVID-19."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-has-enough-ventilators-for-only-six-more-days-290333">New York has enough ventilators for only six more days</a>

"The university is working closely with Austin Public Health to assist in contact tracing," university spokesman JB Bird said. "The incident is a reminder of the vital importance of taking seriously the warnings of public health authorities on the risks of becoming infected with COVID-19 and spreading it to others."

All the COVID-19 positive students have been put into isolation.

Spring break, considered a vacation ritual among American youth, has now created a new cluster of COVID-19! As reported by CNN, over 44 out of 70 people who went to Mexico from Texas two weeks ago are now down with the virus.

Spring break, considered a vacation ritual among American youth, has now created a new cluster of COVID-19! As reported by CNN, over 44 out of 70 people who went to Mexico from Texas two weeks ago are now down with the virus. All in their 20s, the youth circumvented the warning set in course by White House officials, who had directed people not to gather in large numbers, and to avoid inessential travel. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! All 44 cases are students of the University of Texas, Austin. "Quit being an a**," Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen told CNN, in a harshly worded message to people not following protocol. "Get over yourselves. Whether you think this is an issue or not, it is. Whether you think it could affect you or not, it does. The reality of it is, if I'm a college kid who's going to spring break in Mexico, you're affecting a lot of people. Grow up." What’s scarier is that the flight taken by students carried multiple other passengers, to whom they may have given the virus, or perhaps contracted from. Also read: Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists The Austin Public Health Department has traced other passengers from the flight and is now monitoring them. "The virus often hides in the healthy and is given to those who are at grave risk of being hospitalised or dying," Austin-Travis County Interim Health Authority Mark Escott said in a statement. "While younger people have less risk for complications, they are not immune from severe illness and death from COVID-19." Also read: New York has enough ventilators for only six more days "The university is working closely with Austin Public Health to assist in contact tracing," university spokesman JB Bird said. "The incident is a reminder of the vital importance of taking seriously the warnings of public health authorities on the risks of becoming infected with COVID-19 and spreading it to others." All the COVID-19 positive students have been put into isolation.

Vacation gone awry? Over 40 American students return home with COVID-19

While we are in the midst of a pandemic, hundreds of factories have shut, travel has been halted, planes are no longer flying. Many researchers claimed that the air has cleared out over major industrial cities in view of the coronavirus-induced shutdown.

Turns out, it’s not making much of a difference!

According to the World Meteorological Organization, climate change will witness little to no impact from the pandemic.

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Even though reduction in emissions is&nbsp;expected, those will likely be temporary.&nbsp;

"It does not mean much for climate," said Lars Peter Riishojgaard, a representative of the WMO.

While media outlets across the globe have been reporting that this might help overturn the ill-effects of pollution and global warming, he responded to all such queries by suggesting that “it probably does not mean very much”.

As pollution generating vehicles no longer ply on the road, carbon dioxide emissions will suddenly dip. However, as the world kick starts back into action soon, it will all go back to normal.

“we expect the impact will be fairly short-lived", Riishojgaard said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-is-less-noisy-during-covid-19-say-seismologists-290292" hreflang="en">Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists</a>

"The pandemic will be over at some point and the world will start going back to work and with that, the CO2 emissions will pick up again, maybe or maybe not to quite the same level."

Pollution in cities such as New Delhi had dipped recently owing to fewer fumes, but he referred to it as an “artificial halt” to normal activity.

"You could see it as maybe a science experiment: what happens if all of a sudden we turn the whole thing off?" said Riishojgaard. "It will lead some people, and perhaps also some governments, to rethink."

In 2008, during the Beijing Olympics, China had halted industrial production to limit the pollution in the city.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-york-has-enough-ventilators-for-only-six-more-days-290333">New York has enough ventilators for only six more days</a>

"They demonstrated very clearly that you can absolutely, if you have enough control over the situation, you can turn off the air pollution," he said.&nbsp;

The COVID-19 pandemic has now infected over 1 million people worldwide, and killed over 50,000.

While we are in the midst of a pandemic, hundreds of factories have shut, travel has been halted, planes are no longer flying. Many researchers claimed that the air has cleared out over major industrial cities in view of the coronavirus-induced shutdown.

While we are in the midst of a pandemic, hundreds of factories have shut, travel has been halted, planes are no longer flying. Many researchers claimed that the air has cleared out over major industrial cities in view of the coronavirus-induced shutdown. Turns out, it’s not making much of a difference! According to the World Meteorological Organization, climate change will witness little to no impact from the pandemic. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! Even though reduction in emissions is expected, those will likely be temporary. "It does not mean much for climate," said Lars Peter Riishojgaard, a representative of the WMO. While media outlets across the globe have been reporting that this might help overturn the ill-effects of pollution and global warming, he responded to all such queries by suggesting that “it probably does not mean very much”. As pollution generating vehicles no longer ply on the road, carbon dioxide emissions will suddenly dip. However, as the world kick starts back into action soon, it will all go back to normal. “we expect the impact will be fairly short-lived", Riishojgaard said. Also read: Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists "The pandemic will be over at some point and the world will start going back to work and with that, the CO2 emissions will pick up again, maybe or maybe not to quite the same level." Pollution in cities such as New Delhi had dipped recently owing to fewer fumes, but he referred to it as an “artificial halt” to normal activity. "You could see it as maybe a science experiment: what happens if all of a sudden we turn the whole thing off?" said Riishojgaard. "It will lead some people, and perhaps also some governments, to rethink." In 2008, during the Beijing Olympics, China had halted industrial production to limit the pollution in the city. Also read: New York has enough ventilators for only six more days "They demonstrated very clearly that you can absolutely, if you have enough control over the situation, you can turn off the air pollution," he said. The COVID-19 pandemic has now infected over 1 million people worldwide, and killed over 50,000.

Are coronavirus-induced lockdowns really slowing down climate change?

The US state of New York has reported over 90,000 positive cases of COVID-19 so far.

During one of his daily briefings, Governor Andrew Cuomo claimed that the state has enough ventilators to last six days.

Additionally, he claimed that the federal government will not be able to provide the number of ventilators needed in the coming days.

As masks also increasingly run out in New York City, the mayor Bill De Blasio has requested citizens to make masks at home, or to simply cover using a cloth to limit spreading the virus.

“When you put on that face covering, you’re protecting everyone else,” he said.

In pics:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/new-york-city-from-a-global-cultural-capital-to-a-ghost-town-290305" hreflang="en">New York City: From a global cultural capital to a ghost town!</a>

He requested the people to wear anything ranging from a scarf to a bandanna. He further added to avoid wearing surgical masks which are in shortage and are required by healthcare workers on the frontline.

A recent study in Singapore claims that over 10 per cent of infections are spread by people who carry the virus but do not experience symptoms.

Since then, the American approach has changed from only-wear-masks-if-you’re-sick to everybody-needs masks.

As the US cases approach 215,000, the death toll has increased to 5,000.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-records-highest-one-day-covid-19-death-toll-with-1169-fatalities-290246" hreflang="en">United States records highest one-day COVID-19 death toll with 1,169 fatalities</a>

Recently, the state had released 400 ventilators for use by New York City.

As of now, the state stockpile has over 2,200 ventilators and more will be released to the city based on the need. According to Cuomo, over 350 people come to hospitals everyday seeking assistance in breathing.

The state of New York has recorded 2,373 deaths alone. The number was 1,941 yesterday. The state is being dubbed as the American epicentre of the virus, as it accounts for nearly half of the coronavirus-related deaths in the entire country.

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According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, global deaths have now surpassed 50,000, while over 1 million people have now tested positive for the virus.

However, New York is also witnessing a high discharge rate, as is the rest of the US, if compared to other countries.&nbsp;

To meet the increasing demand, New York has constructed makeshift hospitals at the Javits centre and the Brooklyn cruise terminal to increase the bed capacity.

“Beds we can find,” Cuomo said. “The harder component is the staff and the supplies.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-is-less-noisy-during-covid-19-say-seismologists-290292" hreflang="en">Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists</a>

The US state of New York has reported over 90,000 positive cases of COVID-19 so far. During one of his daily briefings, Governor Andrew Cuomo claimed that the state has enough ventilators to last six days.

The US state of New York has reported over 90,000 positive cases of COVID-19 so far. During one of his daily briefings, Governor Andrew Cuomo claimed that the state has enough ventilators to last six days. Additionally, he claimed that the federal government will not be able to provide the number of ventilators needed in the coming days. As masks also increasingly run out in New York City, the mayor Bill De Blasio has requested citizens to make masks at home, or to simply cover using a cloth to limit spreading the virus. “When you put on that face covering, you’re protecting everyone else,” he said. In pics: New York City: From a global cultural capital to a ghost town! He requested the people to wear anything ranging from a scarf to a bandanna. He further added to avoid wearing surgical masks which are in shortage and are required by healthcare workers on the frontline. A recent study in Singapore claims that over 10 per cent of infections are spread by people who carry the virus but do not experience symptoms. Since then, the American approach has changed from only-wear-masks-if-you’re-sick to everybody-needs masks. As the US cases approach 215,000, the death toll has increased to 5,000. Also read: United States records highest one-day COVID-19 death toll with 1,169 fatalities Recently, the state had released 400 ventilators for use by New York City. As of now, the state stockpile has over 2,200 ventilators and more will be released to the city based on the need. According to Cuomo, over 350 people come to hospitals everyday seeking assistance in breathing. The state of New York has recorded 2,373 deaths alone. The number was 1,941 yesterday. The state is being dubbed as the American epicentre of the virus, as it accounts for nearly half of the coronavirus-related deaths in the entire country. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, global deaths have now surpassed 50,000, while over 1 million people have now tested positive for the virus. However, New York is also witnessing a high discharge rate, as is the rest of the US, if compared to other countries. To meet the increasing demand, New York has constructed makeshift hospitals at the Javits centre and the Brooklyn cruise terminal to increase the bed capacity. “Beds we can find,” Cuomo said. “The harder component is the staff and the supplies.” Also read: Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists

New York has enough ventilators for only six more days

The world has come to an abrupt halt, quite literally!

As the killer COVID-19 pandemic slows down the economy, the streets look more doomsday than ever before!

Turns out, the earth is also less noisy! Seismologists around the world have now observed that the ambient seismic noise is way lesser than it was a month ago.

For clarity, ambient seismic noise refers to subtle noise pollution caused by vehicles, public transport, and essentially, people!

Owing to this, the planet’s upper crust is witnessing lesser movement.

First recorded at the Royal Observatory in Belgium by Thomas Lecocq, a seismologist, the city of Brussels witnessed a whooping 30 to 50 per cent reduction in seismic noises.

As social distancing becomes the norm, most institutions remain shut. In Christian countries, the same noise level is recorded on Christmas Day, the major yearly festival.

<h6><img alt="lo" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bf4774-39c7-4c42-b201-9d6e19bbbce2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%283%29_62.jpg" /> 
Earth from space | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

What does this mean?

The effect of decreased noise is simple: seismologists can now record smaller earthquakes and certain smaller events. If this were the norm, many earthquakes could be recorded earlier with quicker mitigation measures!

In conversation with CNN, Lecocq said that the Brussels station is otherwise useless.

Usually, such stations are situated outside cities to evade the noise and for better performance. However, the one in Brussels was made over a century ago, with the city growing around it.

This suggests that people over the world are, for once, not ignoring the warnings by authorities to stay inside and minimise outdoor activity.

This data, in turn, could be used to understand the success and failure of containment measures, ie, where they’ve been more effective and where not.

Based on this, quick mitigation strategies could be organised in states performing badly.

The world has come to an abrupt halt, quite literally! As the killer COVID-19 pandemic slows down the economy, the streets look more doomsday than ever before! Turns out, the earth is also less noisy!

The world has come to an abrupt halt, quite literally! As the killer COVID-19 pandemic slows down the economy, the streets look more doomsday than ever before! Turns out, the earth is also less noisy! Seismologists around the world have now observed that the ambient seismic noise is way lesser than it was a month ago. For clarity, ambient seismic noise refers to subtle noise pollution caused by vehicles, public transport, and essentially, people! Owing to this, the planet’s upper crust is witnessing lesser movement. First recorded at the Royal Observatory in Belgium by Thomas Lecocq, a seismologist, the city of Brussels witnessed a whooping 30 to 50 per cent reduction in seismic noises. As social distancing becomes the norm, most institutions remain shut. In Christian countries, the same noise level is recorded on Christmas Day, the major yearly festival. Earth from space | AFP What does this mean? The effect of decreased noise is simple: seismologists can now record smaller earthquakes and certain smaller events. If this were the norm, many earthquakes could be recorded earlier with quicker mitigation measures! In conversation with CNN, Lecocq said that the Brussels station is otherwise useless. Usually, such stations are situated outside cities to evade the noise and for better performance. However, the one in Brussels was made over a century ago, with the city growing around it. This suggests that people over the world are, for once, not ignoring the warnings by authorities to stay inside and minimise outdoor activity. This data, in turn, could be used to understand the success and failure of containment measures, ie, where they’ve been more effective and where not. Based on this, quick mitigation strategies could be organised in states performing badly.

Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists

More than 95 per cent people who died due to coronavirus-related complications in Europe were aged 60 and above, as per World Health Organization’s figures.

The head of WHO in Europe, Dr Hans Kluge however added that age is not the risk factor for COVID-19. “The very notion that COVID-19 only affects older people is factually wrong”, Kluge said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-records-highest-one-day-covid-19-death-toll-with-1169-fatalities-290246" hreflang="en">United States records highest one-day COVID-19 death toll with 1,169 fatalities</a>

An online conference was organised by the WHO in Copenhagen yesterday, whereby Klugee added “young people are not invincible”, a sentiment which was recently echoed by WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

According to UN data, only 10-15 per cent of people aged below 50 contract moderate to severe infection.

“Severe cases of the disease have been seen in people in their teens or 20s with many requiring intensive care and some unfortunately passing away,” Kluge added.

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Kluge also said that over 30,098 people in Europe have now died - with Italy, France, and Spain adding most numbers to this toll.

“We know that over 95 percent of these deaths occurred in those older than 60 years,” he said, with more than half aged over 80.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earth-is-less-noisy-during-covid-19-say-seismologists-290292" hreflang="en">Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists</a>

Almost four out of five who died were suffering from other conditions, like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

“On a positive note, there are reports of people over the age of 100 who were admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and have now — since — made a complete recovery,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than 95 per cent people who died due to coronavirus-related complications in Europe were aged 60 and above, as per World Health Organization’s figures. The head of WHO in Europe, Dr Hans Kluge however added that age is not the risk factor for COVID-19.

More than 95 per cent people who died due to coronavirus-related complications in Europe were aged 60 and above, as per World Health Organization’s figures. The head of WHO in Europe, Dr Hans Kluge however added that age is not the risk factor for COVID-19. “The very notion that COVID-19 only affects older people is factually wrong”, Kluge said. Also read: United States records highest one-day COVID-19 death toll with 1,169 fatalities An online conference was organised by the WHO in Copenhagen yesterday, whereby Klugee added “young people are not invincible”, a sentiment which was recently echoed by WHO’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. According to UN data, only 10-15 per cent of people aged below 50 contract moderate to severe infection. “Severe cases of the disease have been seen in people in their teens or 20s with many requiring intensive care and some unfortunately passing away,” Kluge added. Also read: As domestic violence against women soars due to lockdown, Europe tries something new! Kluge also said that over 30,098 people in Europe have now died - with Italy, France, and Spain adding most numbers to this toll. “We know that over 95 percent of these deaths occurred in those older than 60 years,” he said, with more than half aged over 80. Also read: Earth is less noisy during COVID-19, say seismologists Almost four out of five who died were suffering from other conditions, like diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. “On a positive note, there are reports of people over the age of 100 who were admitted to hospital for COVID-19 and have now — since — made a complete recovery,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Do old people constitute the majority of COVID-19 fatalities?

The beginning of 2020 brought a wild card entry in the global strategic equations in the form of Coronavirus pandemic, with Wuhan being the initial epicentre.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/wion-edit-chinas-authoritarianism-vs-democracy-and-transparency-289530">China will continue to be accused</a> of doing global damage by hiding crucial information from the rest of the world. China has gone through a full cycle of initially hiding it, being late in quarantining affected people, not being able to prevent community transfers, taking harsh measures to control it later, declaring victory over a pandemic and reopening lockdowns.

The trends in January and February suggested a sheer drop in Comprehensive National Power (CNP) of China with the combined impact of US-China trade war, failing BRI and COVID-19. The last week of March saw the epicenters of COVID-19 m&nbsp;westwards with the US, Europe and UK emerging to be worst affected, and China appearing to be helping the world in combatting the pandemic.

What does shift in epicenters of COVID-19 indicate?&nbsp;

The coronavirus has affected 203 countries and territories around the world and two international conveyances. The worldometer indicates over 8.7 lakh cases of coronavirus with over 43,000 deaths and over 1.84 lakh recoveries. The WHO says the death rate continues to be low but the biggest danger being faced by mankind is its exponential rise due to community transfers. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/explained-us-president-donald-trumps-misplaced-priorities-289696">USA has emerged to be the largest epicentre </a>of COVID-19 having more than 19 per cent of global confirmed cases with more than three thousand deaths.

Europe, with over one lakh cases and 30,000 deaths, is closely followed by Spain, Germany, France, Iran and the UK. All these countries took the pandemic lightly initially, resulting in quick entry into the third stage of community transfer. Now most countries in the world are struggling for capacity building to take the challenge of the peak period, which is yet to come. This lockdowns and quarantining has brought global economic/commercial productivity to almost a grinding halt. &nbsp;

China was quick to declare that it has conquered the disease with reporting 76,238 recovered cases, only 36 fresh cases, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. Considering Chinese credibility, these figures cannot be taken at its face value, because some media reports of sudden silencing of more mobiles connections, restrictions on reporting COVID-19 cases create a doubt as to what exactly is happening in China. The community lockdowns, and stringent measures of social distancing helped China in flattening the trend. If we add the unreported cases, the potential of the second cycle of the pandemic in China cannot be ruled out. Chinese effort of shifting soft power balance is also evident from alleged effective use of its influence and media to propagate conspiracy theory against the US and later trying to shift the blame to Italy. The world, however, will continue to accuse China of this pandemic, with many legal notices already filed against it globally.&nbsp;

China cannot deny that the coronavirus broke out in China late last year whereas Wuhan was locked down on January 23. The US efforts to evacuate its people at that point of time were seen as ‘triggering panic reaction’ by Beijing, which had already over-delayed global response by then. China tried to shift the narrative to the belligerent superpower wrangling between Beijing and Washington great power competition, viewing each other through a lens of conspiracy theories, hostility, trading stinging barbs on everything - from the origin of the virus to permitting medical experts to visit Wuhan.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, China has a reason to be keen to repair its damaged global reputation caused due to mishandling of the crisis in the initial stage; hence it behaved so assertively in the diplomatic repairs including ‘Mask Diplomacy’. The reluctance to lockdown by the US might show that the US-China competition is moving China’s way, but the Chinese follies of making the world suffer by their pandemic cover-up would not put Xi Jinping in a comfortable position either, although it’s too early to predict. &nbsp;&nbsp;

What's happening inside China

The CNP of a country is a combination of hard and soft power and includes a sum of economic, military, technological, human resource, diplomatic and other levers of power. China, claiming to have successfully encountered COVID-19, has restarted its industries, with a focus on the largest emerging demand of medical equipment related to COVID-19. After the IMF Chief’s revelation that the global economy has entered a recession, which could possibly be worst of its kind, the Chinese economy seems to be benefitting from others' sufferings.

Domestic flights are commencing in most areas, life is limping back to normal. China after exporting the pandemic, is now making the best of COVID-19 economic model by switching from failing BRI to COVID19 related production.&nbsp;

China is projecting itself as a better resource provider in this crisis. China is now&nbsp;focusing on the production of testing kits, personal protection kits, ventilators and other crucial medical equipment. Beijing, therefore, leads the global supply chain with other major manufacturers across the globe being paralysed due to the pandemic. 
&nbsp; 
Why is the world silent?&nbsp;

The fact that Coronavirus was detected, and spread exponentially in Wuhan, China may find difficult to prevent the accusations from the world which is angered by sufferings caused due to pandemic. It is, however, understandable that not many have started blaming China, due to their domestic compulsion and priorities to check the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases, instead of involving in the blame game for the time being.&nbsp;

Most countries are also expecting Chinese assistance in their fight against the pandemic, as China is seen to have controlled the same, having gone through the peak of infection. Most countries also hope that a suspected creator of the virus is in the best position to find the antidote and help to combat it. Countries also do not want to disturb the supply chain of medical equipment from China at this juncture. The outcome of G20 virtual Summit was also on the same lines, wherein the G20 leaders issued a statement at the end of the summit calling for a coordinated global response to fight the coronavirus pandemic and adopting measures to protect the global economy, minimise disruptions in trade and take steps to enhance global coordination. If technologically advanced countries can utilize their capacities, especially on joint research and development of a vaccine, and strengthening the global value chain of supplies of medical equipment, it will help humanity.&nbsp; 
 
The G20 leaders pledged to inject $5 trillion into the global economy to reduce the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. I do feel that this issue of holding China accountable will not be dead but re-appear sometime in future. There are already few lawsuits already filed against China for the same and some more may be in the offing.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The credibility of global bodies

The pandemic has also exposed the Chinese influence in global bodies claiming to be neutral and serving for humanity. WHO knew about the outbreak of coronavirus in January 2020 and declared it as pandemic only on March 11, 2020, losing precious time for the world to respond, presumably under pressure from China. Also, how can WHO claim to serve humanity leaving out Taiwanese population? In recent G20 virtual Summit chaired by Saudi Arabia, the group has been too generous to WHO by agreeing to extend support to strengthen its mandate in fight against the pandemic, but the organisation needs to be held accountable once the crisis is over.&nbsp;

United Nation Security Council (UNSC) has not found it relevant to discuss the pandemic because China is a P5 country. Beijing chaired UNSC for March and the monthly Chair decides the agenda. It never felt the need to investigate when Wuhan was under lockdown and writings of the potential pandemic were on the wall already. UNSC certainly requires restructuring because in the current system China or any P5 country in its place, with its veto power can get away easily, even after putting humanity to risk. The suspicion over COVID-19 being a product of Chinese biological weapon research in Wuhan, could have been settled if China would have allowed investigation by world bodies.&nbsp; 
Strategic relations post-pandemic

Global strategic equations post-pandemic

Thinking positively, even if the world is able to fight this pandemic successfully, the global strategic equation will never remain the same. Coronavirus pandemic has exposed weaknesses of China, US and world organisations 
 
While China can be accused of a lack of transparency in handling the COVID-19 initially, the US &nbsp;took it lightly and reacted late enough. The idea of putting national interest over the survival of humanity will reduce the confidence of the world in the US and China. The western countries are used to fight the strategic competition by controlling trade and financial system and the power of alliance, but unpredictable events like this pandemic, climate change, elements of non-contact warfare can change the entire equation. China would also not be in a comfortable position, because the autocratic model cannot work for eternity. While China might be recovering and complimenting itself to have fought it better than democratic countries, the success of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong nullifies that claim.

The world will also realise its mistake of putting all eggs in Chinese basket, and hopefully, a reverse flow may occur post-pandemic. The credibility of the UN is at stake, which is increasingly been seen as a political tool of P5. In my opinion, unless it undergoes a drastic reformation, there will be many countries ignoring its relevance and resolutions. With a threat of the second cycle of COVID-19, no one can be sure that who is better placed in the future strategic equation. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The beginning of 2020 brought a wild card entry in the global strategic equations in the form of Coronavirus pandemic, with Wuhan being the initial epicentre. China will continue to be accused of doing global damage by hiding crucial information from the rest of the world.

The beginning of 2020 brought a wild card entry in the global strategic equations in the form of Coronavirus pandemic, with Wuhan being the initial epicentre. China will continue to be accused of doing global damage by hiding crucial information from the rest of the world. China has gone through a full cycle of initially hiding it, being late in quarantining affected people, not being able to prevent community transfers, taking harsh measures to control it later, declaring victory over a pandemic and reopening lockdowns. The trends in January and February suggested a sheer drop in Comprehensive National Power (CNP) of China with the combined impact of US-China trade war, failing BRI and COVID-19. The last week of March saw the epicenters of COVID-19 m westwards with the US, Europe and UK emerging to be worst affected, and China appearing to be helping the world in combatting the pandemic. What does shift in epicenters of COVID-19 indicate? The coronavirus has affected 203 countries and territories around the world and two international conveyances. The worldometer indicates over 8.7 lakh cases of coronavirus with over 43,000 deaths and over 1.84 lakh recoveries. The WHO says the death rate continues to be low but the biggest danger being faced by mankind is its exponential rise due to community transfers. USA has emerged to be the largest epicentre of COVID-19 having more than 19 per cent of global confirmed cases with more than three thousand deaths. Europe, with over one lakh cases and 30,000 deaths, is closely followed by Spain, Germany, France, Iran and the UK. All these countries took the pandemic lightly initially, resulting in quick entry into the third stage of community transfer. Now most countries in the world are struggling for capacity building to take the challenge of the peak period, which is yet to come. This lockdowns and quarantining has brought global economic/commercial productivity to almost a grinding halt. China was quick to declare that it has conquered the disease with reporting 76,238 recovered cases, only 36 fresh cases, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China. Considering Chinese credibility, these figures cannot be taken at its face value, because some media reports of sudden silencing of more mobiles connections, restrictions on reporting COVID-19 cases create a doubt as to what exactly is happening in China. The community lockdowns, and stringent measures of social distancing helped China in flattening the trend. If we add the unreported cases, the potential of the second cycle of the pandemic in China cannot be ruled out. Chinese effort of shifting soft power balance is also evident from alleged effective use of its influence and media to propagate conspiracy theory against the US and later trying to shift the blame to Italy. The world, however, will continue to accuse China of this pandemic, with many legal notices already filed against it globally. China cannot deny that the coronavirus broke out in China late last year whereas Wuhan was locked down on January 23. The US efforts to evacuate its people at that point of time were seen as ‘triggering panic reaction’ by Beijing, which had already over-delayed global response by then. China tried to shift the narrative to the belligerent superpower wrangling between Beijing and Washington great power competition, viewing each other through a lens of conspiracy theories, hostility, trading stinging barbs on everything - from the origin of the virus to permitting medical experts to visit Wuhan. Meanwhile, China has a reason to be keen to repair its damaged global reputation caused due to mishandling of the crisis in the initial stage; hence it behaved so assertively in the diplomatic repairs including ‘Mask Diplomacy’. The reluctance to lockdown by the US might show that the US-China competition is moving China’s way, but the Chinese follies of making the world suffer by their pandemic cover-up would not put Xi Jinping in a comfortable position either, although it’s too early to predict. What's happening inside China The CNP of a country is a combination of hard and soft power and includes a sum of economic, military, technological, human resource, diplomatic and other levers of power. China, claiming to have successfully encountered COVID-19, has restarted its industries, with a focus on the largest emerging demand of medical equipment related to COVID-19. After the IMF Chief’s revelation that the global economy has entered a recession, which could possibly be worst of its kind, the Chinese economy seems to be benefitting from others' sufferings. Domestic flights are commencing in most areas, life is limping back to normal. China after exporting the pandemic, is now making the best of COVID-19 economic model by switching from failing BRI to COVID19 related production. China is projecting itself as a better resource provider in this crisis. China is now focusing on the production of testing kits, personal protection kits, ventilators and other crucial medical equipment. Beijing, therefore, leads the global supply chain with other major manufacturers across the globe being paralysed due to the pandemic. Why is the world silent? The fact that Coronavirus was detected, and spread exponentially in Wuhan, China may find difficult to prevent the accusations from the world which is angered by sufferings caused due to pandemic. It is, however, understandable that not many have started blaming China, due to their domestic compulsion and priorities to check the exponential rise in COVID-19 cases, instead of involving in the blame game for the time being. Most countries are also expecting Chinese assistance in their fight against the pandemic, as China is seen to have controlled the same, having gone through the peak of infection. Most countries also hope that a suspected creator of the virus is in the best position to find the antidote and help to combat it. Countries also do not want to disturb the supply chain of medical equipment from China at this juncture. The outcome of G20 virtual Summit was also on the same lines, wherein the G20 leaders issued a statement at the end of the summit calling for a coordinated global response to fight the coronavirus pandemic and adopting measures to protect the global economy, minimise disruptions in trade and take steps to enhance global coordination. If technologically advanced countries can utilize their capacities, especially on joint research and development of a vaccine, and strengthening the global value chain of supplies of medical equipment, it will help humanity. The G20 leaders pledged to inject $5 trillion into the global economy to reduce the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. I do feel that this issue of holding China accountable will not be dead but re-appear sometime in future. There are already few lawsuits already filed against China for the same and some more may be in the offing. The credibility of global bodies The pandemic has also exposed the Chinese influence in global bodies claiming to be neutral and serving for humanity. WHO knew about the outbreak of coronavirus in January 2020 and declared it as pandemic only on March 11, 2020, losing precious time for the world to respond, presumably under pressure from China. Also, how can WHO claim to serve humanity leaving out Taiwanese population? In recent G20 virtual Summit chaired by Saudi Arabia, the group has been too generous to WHO by agreeing to extend support to strengthen its mandate in fight against the pandemic, but the organisation needs to be held accountable once the crisis is over. United Nation Security Council (UNSC) has not found it relevant to discuss the pandemic because China is a P5 country. Beijing chaired UNSC for March and the monthly Chair decides the agenda. It never felt the need to investigate when Wuhan was under lockdown and writings of the potential pandemic were on the wall already. UNSC certainly requires restructuring because in the current system China or any P5 country in its place, with its veto power can get away easily, even after putting humanity to risk. The suspicion over COVID-19 being a product of Chinese biological weapon research in Wuhan, could have been settled if China would have allowed investigation by world bodies. Strategic relations post-pandemic Global strategic equations post-pandemic Thinking positively, even if the world is able to fight this pandemic successfully, the global strategic equation will never remain the same. Coronavirus pandemic has exposed weaknesses of China, US and world organisations While China can be accused of a lack of transparency in handling the COVID-19 initially, the US took it lightly and reacted late enough. The idea of putting national interest over the survival of humanity will reduce the confidence of the world in the US and China. The western countries are used to fight the strategic competition by controlling trade and financial system and the power of alliance, but unpredictable events like this pandemic, climate change, elements of non-contact warfare can change the entire equation. China would also not be in a comfortable position, because the autocratic model cannot work for eternity. While China might be recovering and complimenting itself to have fought it better than democratic countries, the success of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong nullifies that claim. The world will also realise its mistake of putting all eggs in Chinese basket, and hopefully, a reverse flow may occur post-pandemic. The credibility of the UN is at stake, which is increasingly been seen as a political tool of P5. In my opinion, unless it undergoes a drastic reformation, there will be many countries ignoring its relevance and resolutions. With a threat of the second cycle of COVID-19, no one can be sure that who is better placed in the future strategic equation. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China's cover-up: Will coronavirus pandemic lead to changed world order?

From South Korea to Singapore, democracies have performed better at containing the Coronavirus when compared to authoritative regimes.

WION Edit: Why the world must resist China's Coronavirus Authoritarianism

The world that was divided along the fault-lines of social, religious, economic, historical, geographical or ideological supremacy, is now speaking in one voice on the need to save humanity.

Around one-third of the world population is estimated to be under lockdown as humanity comes to terms with the pandemic <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/refugees-could-become-the-worst-victims-of-coronavirus-pandemic-288393">Covid-19 </a>after initial denial.

With over seven&nbsp;lakh cases globally, people are restricted to their homes. The streets bear a deserted look, and the world has come to a standstill. Yet the world is in flux.

The crises of seclusion, isolation and social distancing is not only changing our perception for life, but has also forced us to ponder over the existing way of life itself.&nbsp;

Mystery Surrounding the Deadly Virus

Besides the worldwide criticism of WHO in the handling of the Covid-19 crises, the virus itself has been referred to as the ‘Chinese Virus’ and it is widely believed that this virus originated in Wuhan, China.&nbsp;

In addition to this, there are also inputs on how this virus was predicted by a writer in her book written in the early 1980s. Daily, we keep on hearing new theories and information rendering the situation ambiguous. 
&nbsp; 
Global Politics

With many world leaders and personalities testing positive, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/coronavirus-outbreak-lockdown-and-beyond-a-looming-crisis-288430">the Coronavirus</a>, being christened as the ‘Chinese virus’ by world leaders like Donald Trump, is shaking up the global politics. It is set to change and possibly weaken the role of China in the modern world. 
 
The US response has enraged many and China has gone on a propaganda offensive. One set of information says, in the year 2019, there were about 40 lakh Chinese tourists in Italy and these are said to have played a role in the propagation of the virus on such a large scale. There seems to have set in, a certain incredibility being attributed to China’s role in the genesis and spread of this virus, thus throwing up questions on China’s aspirations to be known as a world leader. Though we do not have much information on the source and genesis of this virus, what is very evident at this point of time, is that the whole world is in the grip of fear psychosis, and it is hell-bent on stopping this virus in its path of destruction and fury.&nbsp;

The Other Side

What is unique about this predicament, is that never before in modern history, have governmental and non-governmental organisations and individuals across the world, prioritised an issue and pledged their complete support to each other to see its resolution. The world before COVID-19 was immensely competitive, with countries competing with each other to establish their supremacy in world history and politics. From being the first to set up an asylum for humans on Mars, to spreading their ideology across the world, the priorities were always cantered on competition as opposed to the stress on cooperation in this post-COVID-19 world. The world that was divided along the fault-lines of social, religious, economic, historical, geographical or ideological supremacy, is now speaking in one voice on the need to save humanity.

Obsolete Vs Relevant 
 
Another post-COVID 19 scenario that we are witnessing, is the increasing obsolescence and growing irrelevance of global organisations like the UN, which was established solely to eradicate poverty and war from the world.&nbsp;

Other than giving out statements on the progress of the virus across the world and updating the casualties and results, not much has been under the control of the UN or the WHO, in terms of battling and mitigating this pandemic. It seems WHO took too long to act and gave China a long pass. Both organisations need recasting. In fact, much more has been done by individual governments and the civil society, notably by the Indian government which has been taking strong positive and assertive steps to contain the spread of the Coronavirus and keep it in check. In fact, the WHO, lauding India’s past missives against small-pox and polio, has stressed upon the country’s fight against the virus as the crucial part of the battle.

Can India Show the Way?

For ages together, India has been propagating the idea of 'One-world family' or 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', and which was not really comprehended in its truest sense, by the western world. This pandemic has not only taught the essence of 'one-world family' to the entire world but also demonstrated its practical implementation for all to appreciate. All man-made divisions have been thrown out of the window by an unseen and unknown virus, reasserting the superiority of Nature, and its ability to blow all our plans to smithereens.&nbsp;

Additionally, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first leaders to establish a fund for the battle against the COVID-19, in coordination with its neighbouring countries. While other countries were busy battling the virus in their individual capacities, the head of the world’s largest democracy was reaching out to other nations to help them in this war against the pandemic. This has assertively pushed India into the league of a global leader, despite its conspicuous absence from the UN Security Council, not just politically but also culturally, as is evident from the endorsement of the Indian way of greeting, the Namaste, as being the safest way to greet in the present scenario.

The Indian Way of Life!

The way Italy’s health care system is groaning under Covid-19, it is a warning to the world. The west today values ancient Indian wisdom and its ayurvedic home remedies for an enhanced immune system,

Studies have shown that people with a stronger immune system have a higher chance of being cured of this virus. This explains the estimated whopping 300 per cent increase in the export of turmeric to Europeans who are looking for Indian spices to increase their immunity. Giloy, an ayurvedic herb, known to cure fever and flu in a matter of days, works wonders in the prevention of the Coronavirus. It is widely consumed in India for the treatment of viral cold and cough, and fever, and is known as the root of immortality, since it enhances the immune system like no other medication, in addition to its utility in the treatment of diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders.

Copper and Brass have been an inseparable part of the Indian civilisation, and were, perhaps, the only materials to be used as utensils in India. The practice of drinking water from brass is inherent to all Indians, that we have forgotten the same, is another matter.

Meanwhile, it is believed that virus strains degenerate when brought in contact with copper surfaces and cannot survive on it, unlike other surfaces where it can survive for days together. Bill Keevil, Professor of Environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, says that viruses land on copper and it just degrades them.&nbsp;

And finally, the practice of Namaste, being incorporated as the norm in the Coronavirus –infested atmosphere, shows the relevance of the practice of avoiding physical contact, which, according to Indian tradition implies the accumulation of memories by physical contact, something which was to be avoided at all costs.&nbsp;

The Final War&nbsp;

This current pandemic should cause us to revisit our civilizational values and rethink our plan of development. Information technology and mass urbanisation must be guided by higher consciousness to nature and the earth, because, without the right foundation, no civilisation can endure.

Given its contribution to the war against the COVID-19, India is bound to be catapulted to the role of a global leader, also on account of its dauntless war against the pandemic, devoid of fear psychosis, and armed with fearless and practical solutions of lockdown and precautionary measures implemented by the government and executed to perfection by its dedicated medical, surveillance and security personnel, and the citizenry, as opposed to the ground realities in places like China or Italy or even the US, where the virus has wreaked havoc beyond one’s imagination.&nbsp;

The world, in the wake of this disease, is turning to spirituality, which by my definition, means questioning one’s origin, one’s relation with Nature and fellow human beings, one’s longevity and one’s legacy for the future generation. All of a sudden, we have been introspecting into the kind of world we are going to bequeath to our children, questioning the way of life we have been leading.

Another example of this is the inadvertent focus on family life and family bonding as advocated in the Indian culture, during the long durations of forced isolation during the lockdown. Though the Western world had,&nbsp; 
all along, smirked at the emotional family orientation of the Indians, and were proud of their capitalist culture of independence, this lockdown has unveiled to them the joy of family bonding and its importance in the larger scheme of things. They are realising that the frantic race for economic sustenance had never been capable of giving them the psychological security and reassurance that the family, in these difficult times, has brought to them.&nbsp;

This Pandemic has further highlighted the fact that the excessively exalted notion of independence of individuals has fallen apart in favour of stress on interdependence, without which people cannot survive in this Post- COVID 19 world. In countries with a high per capita income and independence also, people have realised that one’s survival is dependent on others. Money may not save your life but someone’s help may.&nbsp;

Also, even if one person chooses to throw caution to the wind, hundreds of others are affected. Hence, this virus has made us realise that no man is an island and that the world is an archipelago.&nbsp;

Crumbling Fault-lines

This brings me to the next observation that the faultlines of religion, region, language, race, nationality, ideology and culture, which had barricaded the world into small units, have finally begun to give away, with the greater identity of humanism overshadowing all other identities. This bringing together of the world on the basis of a common human identity and experience by this virus, in a way that even the UN was not able to do in all these years, augurs well for the coming future. This experience has fostered a culture of sharing and caring beyond an established identity, novel to the western world, enabling us to think uniformly of mitigating poverty, starvation, sickness and war.&nbsp;

The Last Lesson

Richard Louv, in his 1995 book, ‘The last child in the woods,’ strives to tell us how exposure to Nature is essential to childhood development, and the emotional and physical health of children and adults and how we have gone so far away from nature in our thought and habit, that we have started to consume anything and everything, disregarding the thought of when, and what to eat. He talks of Nature- deficit disorder which is the cause of this degradation in our culture and behaviour where we have not spared even a creature from our gluttony. This is where India has a role to play. Maria Wirth talks of how India may need to send a yogi like Bodhidharma to China and teach them what to eat and what not to eat. There have also been talks of how no deadly viruses have emanated from Indian vegetarian foods. &nbsp; 
 
While Indian civilisation has been mocked for the longest time, for the world to now acknowledge it as the most scientific, and beneficial one, is a validation of the age-old practices of this dharmic land. The Indian civilisation has been one, which has its fundamentals deeply rooted in science, medicine and something that modern civilisations lacked- common sense, all along misconstrued as superstition. The world&nbsp;is actively switching to a healthier, and the more sensitive, Indian way of life, absorbing everything from turmeric latte to Sanskrit to yoga. To summarise, India seems to be the last child in the woods, we need to protect and promote it. For a better world, for a better future. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The world that was divided along the fault-lines of social, religious, economic, historical, geographical or ideological supremacy, is now speaking in one voice on the need to save humanity.

The world that was divided along the fault-lines of social, religious, economic, historical, geographical or ideological supremacy, is now speaking in one voice on the need to save humanity. Around one-third of the world population is estimated to be under lockdown as humanity comes to terms with the pandemic Covid-19 after initial denial. With over seven lakh cases globally, people are restricted to their homes. The streets bear a deserted look, and the world has come to a standstill. Yet the world is in flux. The crises of seclusion, isolation and social distancing is not only changing our perception for life, but has also forced us to ponder over the existing way of life itself. Mystery Surrounding the Deadly Virus Besides the worldwide criticism of WHO in the handling of the Covid-19 crises, the virus itself has been referred to as the ‘Chinese Virus’ and it is widely believed that this virus originated in Wuhan, China. In addition to this, there are also inputs on how this virus was predicted by a writer in her book written in the early 1980s. Daily, we keep on hearing new theories and information rendering the situation ambiguous. Global Politics With many world leaders and personalities testing positive, the Coronavirus, being christened as the ‘Chinese virus’ by world leaders like Donald Trump, is shaking up the global politics. It is set to change and possibly weaken the role of China in the modern world. The US response has enraged many and China has gone on a propaganda offensive. One set of information says, in the year 2019, there were about 40 lakh Chinese tourists in Italy and these are said to have played a role in the propagation of the virus on such a large scale. There seems to have set in, a certain incredibility being attributed to China’s role in the genesis and spread of this virus, thus throwing up questions on China’s aspirations to be known as a world leader. Though we do not have much information on the source and genesis of this virus, what is very evident at this point of time, is that the whole world is in the grip of fear psychosis, and it is hell-bent on stopping this virus in its path of destruction and fury. The Other Side What is unique about this predicament, is that never before in modern history, have governmental and non-governmental organisations and individuals across the world, prioritised an issue and pledged their complete support to each other to see its resolution. The world before COVID-19 was immensely competitive, with countries competing with each other to establish their supremacy in world history and politics. From being the first to set up an asylum for humans on Mars, to spreading their ideology across the world, the priorities were always cantered on competition as opposed to the stress on cooperation in this post-COVID-19 world. The world that was divided along the fault-lines of social, religious, economic, historical, geographical or ideological supremacy, is now speaking in one voice on the need to save humanity. Obsolete Vs Relevant Another post-COVID 19 scenario that we are witnessing, is the increasing obsolescence and growing irrelevance of global organisations like the UN, which was established solely to eradicate poverty and war from the world. Other than giving out statements on the progress of the virus across the world and updating the casualties and results, not much has been under the control of the UN or the WHO, in terms of battling and mitigating this pandemic. It seems WHO took too long to act and gave China a long pass. Both organisations need recasting. In fact, much more has been done by individual governments and the civil society, notably by the Indian government which has been taking strong positive and assertive steps to contain the spread of the Coronavirus and keep it in check. In fact, the WHO, lauding India’s past missives against small-pox and polio, has stressed upon the country’s fight against the virus as the crucial part of the battle. Can India Show the Way? For ages together, India has been propagating the idea of 'One-world family' or 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', and which was not really comprehended in its truest sense, by the western world. This pandemic has not only taught the essence of 'one-world family' to the entire world but also demonstrated its practical implementation for all to appreciate. All man-made divisions have been thrown out of the window by an unseen and unknown virus, reasserting the superiority of Nature, and its ability to blow all our plans to smithereens. Additionally, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first leaders to establish a fund for the battle against the COVID-19, in coordination with its neighbouring countries. While other countries were busy battling the virus in their individual capacities, the head of the world’s largest democracy was reaching out to other nations to help them in this war against the pandemic. This has assertively pushed India into the league of a global leader, despite its conspicuous absence from the UN Security Council, not just politically but also culturally, as is evident from the endorsement of the Indian way of greeting, the Namaste, as being the safest way to greet in the present scenario. The Indian Way of Life! The way Italy’s health care system is groaning under Covid-19, it is a warning to the world. The west today values ancient Indian wisdom and its ayurvedic home remedies for an enhanced immune system, Studies have shown that people with a stronger immune system have a higher chance of being cured of this virus. This explains the estimated whopping 300 per cent increase in the export of turmeric to Europeans who are looking for Indian spices to increase their immunity. Giloy, an ayurvedic herb, known to cure fever and flu in a matter of days, works wonders in the prevention of the Coronavirus. It is widely consumed in India for the treatment of viral cold and cough, and fever, and is known as the root of immortality, since it enhances the immune system like no other medication, in addition to its utility in the treatment of diabetes and gastrointestinal disorders. Copper and Brass have been an inseparable part of the Indian civilisation, and were, perhaps, the only materials to be used as utensils in India. The practice of drinking water from brass is inherent to all Indians, that we have forgotten the same, is another matter. Meanwhile, it is believed that virus strains degenerate when brought in contact with copper surfaces and cannot survive on it, unlike other surfaces where it can survive for days together. Bill Keevil, Professor of Environmental healthcare at the University of Southampton, says that viruses land on copper and it just degrades them. And finally, the practice of Namaste, being incorporated as the norm in the Coronavirus –infested atmosphere, shows the relevance of the practice of avoiding physical contact, which, according to Indian tradition implies the accumulation of memories by physical contact, something which was to be avoided at all costs. The Final War This current pandemic should cause us to revisit our civilizational values and rethink our plan of development. Information technology and mass urbanisation must be guided by higher consciousness to nature and the earth, because, without the right foundation, no civilisation can endure. Given its contribution to the war against the COVID-19, India is bound to be catapulted to the role of a global leader, also on account of its dauntless war against the pandemic, devoid of fear psychosis, and armed with fearless and practical solutions of lockdown and precautionary measures implemented by the government and executed to perfection by its dedicated medical, surveillance and security personnel, and the citizenry, as opposed to the ground realities in places like China or Italy or even the US, where the virus has wreaked havoc beyond one’s imagination. The world, in the wake of this disease, is turning to spirituality, which by my definition, means questioning one’s origin, one’s relation with Nature and fellow human beings, one’s longevity and one’s legacy for the future generation. All of a sudden, we have been introspecting into the kind of world we are going to bequeath to our children, questioning the way of life we have been leading. Another example of this is the inadvertent focus on family life and family bonding as advocated in the Indian culture, during the long durations of forced isolation during the lockdown. Though the Western world had, all along, smirked at the emotional family orientation of the Indians, and were proud of their capitalist culture of independence, this lockdown has unveiled to them the joy of family bonding and its importance in the larger scheme of things. They are realising that the frantic race for economic sustenance had never been capable of giving them the psychological security and reassurance that the family, in these difficult times, has brought to them. This Pandemic has further highlighted the fact that the excessively exalted notion of independence of individuals has fallen apart in favour of stress on interdependence, without which people cannot survive in this Post- COVID 19 world. In countries with a high per capita income and independence also, people have realised that one’s survival is dependent on others. Money may not save your life but someone’s help may. Also, even if one person chooses to throw caution to the wind, hundreds of others are affected. Hence, this virus has made us realise that no man is an island and that the world is an archipelago. Crumbling Fault-lines This brings me to the next observation that the faultlines of religion, region, language, race, nationality, ideology and culture, which had barricaded the world into small units, have finally begun to give away, with the greater identity of humanism overshadowing all other identities. This bringing together of the world on the basis of a common human identity and experience by this virus, in a way that even the UN was not able to do in all these years, augurs well for the coming future. This experience has fostered a culture of sharing and caring beyond an established identity, novel to the western world, enabling us to think uniformly of mitigating poverty, starvation, sickness and war. The Last Lesson Richard Louv, in his 1995 book, ‘The last child in the woods,’ strives to tell us how exposure to Nature is essential to childhood development, and the emotional and physical health of children and adults and how we have gone so far away from nature in our thought and habit, that we have started to consume anything and everything, disregarding the thought of when, and what to eat. He talks of Nature- deficit disorder which is the cause of this degradation in our culture and behaviour where we have not spared even a creature from our gluttony. This is where India has a role to play. Maria Wirth talks of how India may need to send a yogi like Bodhidharma to China and teach them what to eat and what not to eat. There have also been talks of how no deadly viruses have emanated from Indian vegetarian foods. While Indian civilisation has been mocked for the longest time, for the world to now acknowledge it as the most scientific, and beneficial one, is a validation of the age-old practices of this dharmic land. The Indian civilisation has been one, which has its fundamentals deeply rooted in science, medicine and something that modern civilisations lacked- common sense, all along misconstrued as superstition. The world is actively switching to a healthier, and the more sensitive, Indian way of life, absorbing everything from turmeric latte to Sanskrit to yoga. To summarise, India seems to be the last child in the woods, we need to protect and promote it. For a better world, for a better future. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India has played a vital role in the fight against coronavirus

The confirmed cases of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rapid-coronavirus-spread-pushes-cases-past-half-a-million-288986">coronavirus</a> have crossed five lakhs, the world's biggest cities are shut and stock markets are in free fall.

The Wuhan virus has triggered an unprecedented crisis in human history. One virus has disrupted the world and this leads us to a question: Is the Wuhan virus the world's biggest intelligence failure? Did no one see it coming?

By the time the world swung into action, the virus had already crossed most borders. There is one country that seems to have an edge right now, the home country of the coronavirus - China.

There is no doubt that China was hit for weeks, but now, Beijing says it has contained the threat. It is closing down borders and opening up businesses. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clap-for-carers-after-india-britain-lauds-its-health-workers-battling-coronavirus-288932">Also read: 'Clap for carers': After India, Britain lauds its health workers battling coronavirus</a>

Fewer cases are being reported and factories are up and running again. Businesses will take time to revive, but they've made a start.

Companies are being encouraged to make coronavirus supplies. They are making equipment other countries might need to fight the outbreak. Big business and the government now stand to gain.

Interestingly, a book - 'Unrestricted Warfare: China's master plan to destroy America', written in 1999, says that China cannot defeat America in a direct military confrontation, but it can leverage its economic prowess to leave the Americans behind.&nbsp;The book offers clues into the Chinese mindset. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-pm-boris-johnson-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-health-secretary-also-infected-288947">Also read:&nbsp;UK PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus</a>

This book's assessment has some eerie similarities with the present situation which is being quoted by conspiracy theorists. They claim that amid this coronavirus crisis, Beijing is executing its world domination plan.

Major countries are still struggling, but China already has a headstart. The Chinese government is going the extra mile to make sure businesses resume operations.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
While the world tries to heal, China is already up and running.

The confirmed cases of coronavirus have crossed five lakhs, the world's biggest cities are shut and stock markets are in free fall. The Wuhan virus has triggered an unprecedented crisis in human history.

The confirmed cases of coronavirus have crossed five lakhs, the world's biggest cities are shut and stock markets are in free fall. The Wuhan virus has triggered an unprecedented crisis in human history. One virus has disrupted the world and this leads us to a question: Is the Wuhan virus the world's biggest intelligence failure? Did no one see it coming? By the time the world swung into action, the virus had already crossed most borders. There is one country that seems to have an edge right now, the home country of the coronavirus - China. There is no doubt that China was hit for weeks, but now, Beijing says it has contained the threat. It is closing down borders and opening up businesses. Also read: 'Clap for carers': After India, Britain lauds its health workers battling coronavirus Fewer cases are being reported and factories are up and running again. Businesses will take time to revive, but they've made a start. Companies are being encouraged to make coronavirus supplies. They are making equipment other countries might need to fight the outbreak. Big business and the government now stand to gain. Interestingly, a book - 'Unrestricted Warfare: China's master plan to destroy America', written in 1999, says that China cannot defeat America in a direct military confrontation, but it can leverage its economic prowess to leave the Americans behind. The book offers clues into the Chinese mindset. Also read: UK PM Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus This book's assessment has some eerie similarities with the present situation which is being quoted by conspiracy theorists. They claim that amid this coronavirus crisis, Beijing is executing its world domination plan. Major countries are still struggling, but China already has a headstart. The Chinese government is going the extra mile to make sure businesses resume operations. While the world tries to heal, China is already up and running.

Is coronavirus outbreak the world’s biggest intelligence failure?

The question is not if, but when the long-standing American defence umbrella in the Gulf, the world’s most militarised and volatile region, will be replaced by a multilateral security arrangement that would have to include China, as well as, Russia.

The United States’ perceived diminishing commitment to the Gulf and the broader Middle East and mounting doubts about the deterrence value of its defence umbrella leave the Gulf stuck between a rock and a hard place. The American umbrella is shrinking, but neither China nor Russia, despite their obvious interests, are capable or willing simply to shoulder the responsibility, political risk and cost of replacing it.

On balance, China’s interests seem self-evident. It needs to secure its mushrooming political and economic interests in the Gulf, which includes ensuring the flow of oil and gas and protecting its infrastructure investment and the expanding Chinese diaspora in the region. Nonetheless, China has, so far, refrained from putting its might where its money is, free-riding instead (in the words of US officials) on America’s regional military presence.

China’s approach is grounded in the belief that economics rather than geopolitics is the key to solving disputes

Indeed, for the longest time, China has been able to outsource the protection of its interests to the United States at virtually no cost. For the US, guaranteeing security in the Gulf has been anchored in an American policy which accepted that maintaining security far beyond the borders of the United States was in America’s national interest, including the protection of Chinese assets. All China needed to do, therefore, was to make minimal gestures such as contributing to the multi-national effort in the Gulf and adjacent waters to counter Somali pirates.

In the meantime, China could pursue a long-term strategy to bolster its capabilities. This included infrastructure projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with dual-purpose potential (such as the strategic ports of Gwadar in Pakistan and Duqm in Oman as well as commercial investment in Dubai’s Jebel Ali), the creation of China’s first overseas military facility in Djibouti, and significant expenditure on upgrading the Chinese armed forces.

All that potentially changed with the rise of US President Donald J Trump, who advocated an America First policy that attributed little value to past US commitments or to maintaining existing alliances. Hence Trump embarked on a trade war with China – viewed as a strategic competitor – and appeared to fuel rather than resolve regional stability by uncritically aligning American policy with that of Saudi Arabia and Israel and targeted Iran as the source of all evil.

This change has yet to translate into specific Chinese policy statements or actions. Nonetheless, the anticipated shift from a unipolar to multilateral security architecture in the Gulf has cast a new light on the first-ever joint naval exercise involving Chinese, Russian and Iranian naval forces, as well as China’s seemingly lukewarm support for a Russian proposal for a multilateral security approach in the Gulf.

China was careful to signal that neither the joint exercise nor its closer military ties with a host of other Middle Eastern nations meant it was aspiring to a greater role in regional security any time soon. If anything, both the exercise and China’s notional support for Russia’s proposed restructuring of regional security suggest that China envisions a continued US lead in Gulf security, despite the mounting rivalry between the world’s two largest economies.

The Russian proposal in many ways fits China’s bill. Its calls for a multilateral structure involving Russia, China, the United States, Europe and India that would evolve out of a regional security conference along the lines of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). While backing Russia’s proposal in general terms, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stopped short of specifically endorsing it. Geng welcomed ‘all proposals and diplomatic efforts conducive to de-escalating the situation in the Gulf region’.

China’s reluctance to endorse the Russian proposal more wholeheartedly is rooted in differing approaches towards multilateralism in general and alliances in particular. China shies away from alliances, with their emphasis on geo-economics rather than geopolitics, while Russia still operates in terms of alliances. Despite favouring a continued American lead, China sees a broadening of security arrangements that would embed rather than replace the US defence umbrella in the Gulf as a way to reduce regional tensions.

China also believes that a multilateral arrangement would allow it to continue to steer clear of being sucked into conflicts and disputes in the Middle East, particularly the Saudi-Iranian rivalry. A multilateral arrangement,&nbsp;in which the US remained the key military player, would further fit the pattern of China’s gradual projection of its growing military power beyond its borders.

With the exception of the facility in Djibouti, China’s projection becomes less hardcore the further one gets from the borders of the People’s Republic. More fundamentally, China’s approach is grounded in the belief that economics rather than geopolitics is the key to solving disputes, which so far has allowed it to remain detached from the Middle East’s multiple conflicts. It remains to be seen how sustainable this approach is in the long term.

Such an approach is unlikely to shield China forever from the Middle East’s penchant for ensuring it is at the heart of the major external parties’ concerns. And as Jiang Xudong, a Middle East scholar at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, puts it: ‘Economic investment will not solve all other problems when there are religious and ethnic conflicts at play’. 
 
&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The question is not if, but when the long-standing American defence umbrella in the Gulf, the world’s most militarised and volatile region, will be replaced by a multilateral security arrangement that would have to include China, as well as, Russia.

The question is not if, but when the long-standing American defence umbrella in the Gulf, the world’s most militarised and volatile region, will be replaced by a multilateral security arrangement that would have to include China, as well as, Russia. The United States’ perceived diminishing commitment to the Gulf and the broader Middle East and mounting doubts about the deterrence value of its defence umbrella leave the Gulf stuck between a rock and a hard place. The American umbrella is shrinking, but neither China nor Russia, despite their obvious interests, are capable or willing simply to shoulder the responsibility, political risk and cost of replacing it. On balance, China’s interests seem self-evident. It needs to secure its mushrooming political and economic interests in the Gulf, which includes ensuring the flow of oil and gas and protecting its infrastructure investment and the expanding Chinese diaspora in the region. Nonetheless, China has, so far, refrained from putting its might where its money is, free-riding instead (in the words of US officials) on America’s regional military presence. China’s approach is grounded in the belief that economics rather than geopolitics is the key to solving disputes Indeed, for the longest time, China has been able to outsource the protection of its interests to the United States at virtually no cost. For the US, guaranteeing security in the Gulf has been anchored in an American policy which accepted that maintaining security far beyond the borders of the United States was in America’s national interest, including the protection of Chinese assets. All China needed to do, therefore, was to make minimal gestures such as contributing to the multi-national effort in the Gulf and adjacent waters to counter Somali pirates. In the meantime, China could pursue a long-term strategy to bolster its capabilities. This included infrastructure projects related to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with dual-purpose potential (such as the strategic ports of Gwadar in Pakistan and Duqm in Oman as well as commercial investment in Dubai’s Jebel Ali), the creation of China’s first overseas military facility in Djibouti, and significant expenditure on upgrading the Chinese armed forces. All that potentially changed with the rise of US President Donald J Trump, who advocated an America First policy that attributed little value to past US commitments or to maintaining existing alliances. Hence Trump embarked on a trade war with China – viewed as a strategic competitor – and appeared to fuel rather than resolve regional stability by uncritically aligning American policy with that of Saudi Arabia and Israel and targeted Iran as the source of all evil. This change has yet to translate into specific Chinese policy statements or actions. Nonetheless, the anticipated shift from a unipolar to multilateral security architecture in the Gulf has cast a new light on the first-ever joint naval exercise involving Chinese, Russian and Iranian naval forces, as well as China’s seemingly lukewarm support for a Russian proposal for a multilateral security approach in the Gulf. China was careful to signal that neither the joint exercise nor its closer military ties with a host of other Middle Eastern nations meant it was aspiring to a greater role in regional security any time soon. If anything, both the exercise and China’s notional support for Russia’s proposed restructuring of regional security suggest that China envisions a continued US lead in Gulf security, despite the mounting rivalry between the world’s two largest economies. The Russian proposal in many ways fits China’s bill. Its calls for a multilateral structure involving Russia, China, the United States, Europe and India that would evolve out of a regional security conference along the lines of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). While backing Russia’s proposal in general terms, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang stopped short of specifically endorsing it. Geng welcomed ‘all proposals and diplomatic efforts conducive to de-escalating the situation in the Gulf region’. China’s reluctance to endorse the Russian proposal more wholeheartedly is rooted in differing approaches towards multilateralism in general and alliances in particular. China shies away from alliances, with their emphasis on geo-economics rather than geopolitics, while Russia still operates in terms of alliances. Despite favouring a continued American lead, China sees a broadening of security arrangements that would embed rather than replace the US defence umbrella in the Gulf as a way to reduce regional tensions. China also believes that a multilateral arrangement would allow it to continue to steer clear of being sucked into conflicts and disputes in the Middle East, particularly the Saudi-Iranian rivalry. A multilateral arrangement, in which the US remained the key military player, would further fit the pattern of China’s gradual projection of its growing military power beyond its borders. With the exception of the facility in Djibouti, China’s projection becomes less hardcore the further one gets from the borders of the People’s Republic. More fundamentally, China’s approach is grounded in the belief that economics rather than geopolitics is the key to solving disputes, which so far has allowed it to remain detached from the Middle East’s multiple conflicts. It remains to be seen how sustainable this approach is in the long term. Such an approach is unlikely to shield China forever from the Middle East’s penchant for ensuring it is at the heart of the major external parties’ concerns. And as Jiang Xudong, a Middle East scholar at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, puts it: ‘Economic investment will not solve all other problems when there are religious and ethnic conflicts at play’. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China manoeuvres to protect its interests in Gulf while keeping its hands clean

The World Health Organisation has lauded India's efforts in taking early steps in combating the novel coronavirus. It said that it is very good for India to take these early steps before the situation becomes worse. WHO has also listed six steps to combat the coronavirus pandemic. Watch report:

WHO lists six steps to combat coronavirus pandemic, Lauds India for taking early steps

COVID-19 cases have risen sharply in the United States and 59% of cases are in the city of New York. The governor of New York said that April and May could be worse than now. Watch report:

1/3rd of COVID-19 cases in New York: US Senate agrees on $2 trillion stimulus package

In the latest coming in Maharashtra has recorded two more coronavirus cases Jammu and Kashmir has recorded one more death and one person has been tested positive of COVID-19 in West Bengal. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country has risen to 649 and the death toll stands at 13.

Coronavirus cases in India rise to 649,| Death toll rise to 13

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Group of Seven powers were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation," but European allies emphasized cooperation to fight the global pandemic.

Foreign ministers from the major industrialized democracies spoke about the crisis by videoconference, scrapping a meeting scheduled in Pittsburgh, but any hope of showing a common front was eroded by the absence of a joint statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-leaders-to-hold-crisis-talks-as-virus-toll-tops-21000-288591" hreflang="en">World leaders to hold crisis talks as virus toll tops 21,000</a>

Pompeo, a sharp critic of Beijing who has gone&nbsp;on the offensive over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he shared a common view with the top diplomats of the other G7 countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/coronavirus-death-toll-tops-21000-globally-288590" hreflang="en">Coronavirus death toll tops 21,000 globally</a>

Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign through&nbsp;social media that has included conspiracy theories of US involvement.

"This is crazy talk," he said.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman infuriated President Donald Trump's administration by suggesting on Twitter that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan, the metropolis where it was first detected late last year.&nbsp;

Scientists widely believe the COVID-19 virus came from a Wuhan meat market that butchered exotic animals.

The virus has killed more than 21,000 people globally, but Beijing has appeared to bring it under control and has sent aid overseas -- including 40 tons of medical supplies to US ally Italy, which has the world's highest death toll.

Pompeo minimized China's efforts and pointed to a US Air Force cargo plane's aid delivery to Italy as well as private US charity efforts.

China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Group of Seven powers were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation," but European allies emphasized cooperation to fight the global pandemic.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday that the Group of Seven powers were united in opposing China's coronavirus "disinformation," but European allies emphasized cooperation to fight the global pandemic. Foreign ministers from the major industrialized democracies spoke about the crisis by videoconference, scrapping a meeting scheduled in Pittsburgh, but any hope of showing a common front was eroded by the absence of a joint statement. Also read: World leaders to hold crisis talks as virus toll tops 21,000 Pompeo, a sharp critic of Beijing who has gone on the offensive over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he shared a common view with the top diplomats of the other G7 countries -- Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. "Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters. Also read: Coronavirus death toll tops 21,000 globally Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign through social media that has included conspiracy theories of US involvement. "This is crazy talk," he said. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman infuriated President Donald Trump's administration by suggesting on Twitter that US troops brought the virus to Wuhan, the metropolis where it was first detected late last year. Scientists widely believe the COVID-19 virus came from a Wuhan meat market that butchered exotic animals. The virus has killed more than 21,000 people globally, but Beijing has appeared to bring it under control and has sent aid overseas -- including 40 tons of medical supplies to US ally Italy, which has the world's highest death toll. Pompeo minimized China's efforts and pointed to a US Air Force cargo plane's aid delivery to Italy as well as private US charity efforts. China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said.

Pompeo attacks Chinese virus campaign at G7 as Europeans seek cooperation

WION spoke to Dr, HP Bharathi on COVID-19 virus that is spreading in India like wildfire. Watch video to know what she advises.

Experts on WION: Keep yourself busy in isolation, says Dr HP Bharathi

Spain is now becoming the worst affected places from coronavirus across the world. Exactly 20 days ago Spain had reported just 8 COVID-19 deaths but in the last 24 hours, Spain has surpassed the death toll of China. Watch report:

In 23 days Spain surpasses China's Coronavirus toll, Fatalities 3,647 and 49,000 infections

India has seen a huge rise in the number of coronavirus cases with the total number of confirmed cases now rising to 606. The death toll in the country stands at 10. However, due to the lockdown the curve if the virus is flattening. Watch report:

Coronavirus cases in India rise to 606, Death toll stand at 10

The Coronavirus cases in Italy seems to have stabilized over the past few days. The infection rate fell to a record low of 7.5%, giving hope that the worst is possibly over. Watch report:

7,503 COVID-19 deaths in Italy and 74,000 infected

By Matthew Flinders

The new coronavirus pandemic is affecting our daily lives in many unexpected ways. We are particularly trying to understand why some people are not heeding official advice about social isolation. I believe this relates to a particular kind of political malady that has been emerging in recent years – something we might call “crisis fatigue”.

After two decades that have almost been defined by wave upon wave of crises, it’s possible that the public has simply become immune to warnings from politicians and habitually distrustful of their claims.

I propose that crisis fatigue is a sociopolitical condition. It’s the tiredness that comes as result of the constant fear associated with repeated warnings about crisis, disaster or catastrophe. It also refers to the weakening of political or other social structures caused by repeated narratives of impending doom. That is, falling levels of trust in politicians, political institutions and political processes as a succession of crises gradually saps the public’s confidence that their representatives actually have the ability to respond.

There’s no doubt that Covid-19 represents a global health pandemic. Its implications for older and vulnerable people are stark. It feels like a war without a conventional enemy. There is a certain fearfulness and uncertainty “out there” which is itself almost tangible. Nevertheless, there continues to be a problem with people not taking seriously the advice to stay indoors.

It’s hardly surprising that politicians and senior officials are responding with exasperated frustration. And yet I can’t help wondering if part of the problem is that the notion of crisis has simply become the new normal, particularly for millennials. Life for them must be a bit like living through a Billy Bragg song: “Crisis after crisis, with such intensity”.

Since the millennium, they’ve survived against a backdrop of global financial crisis, mass refugee movement, violent revolutions in the Middle East, constant terror threats, a succession of global pandemics – SARS in 2003, bird flu in 2005, swine flu in 2009, MERS in 2012, Ebola in 2014 and now Covid in 2019. They absorb doom-laden narratives about globalisation and suffer from the growth of economic precarity. They hear about the “death” or “end” of democracy and catastrophic climate change. Is it any wonder that mental health and wellbeing services are generally discussed in crisis-laden terms?

Coronavirus brings an additional layer of pressure, strain and stress on sections of society that were already feeling anxious or were struggling to survive.

‘Liquid fear’

Many people now simply live in fear all the time. Life resembles a constant flow of crises and disasters – real, perceived and artificially engineered for gain. All too often this fear appears to defeat enlightenment ideas about human progress. I can’t help but think about my old friend Zygmunt Bauman and his notion of “liquid fear”:

Modernity was supposed to be the period in human history when the fears that pervaded social life in the past could be left behind and human beings could at last take control of their lives and tame the uncontrolled forces of the social and natural worlds.

The sunlit uplands have turned into a fool’s paradise. We live in a state of constant anxiety about the dangers that lurk in an unattended suitcase, the rarity of snow – and now, even a cough or a sneeze. The emergence not of free, but of fearful, societies seems to be the crowning achievement of the 21st century so far.

As Ben Debney, a specialist in moral panics, has recently explained:

Crisis has long had political uses for ruling groups … elites and their intellectual courtiers often manufacture crises themselves … Where not directly complicit themselves in the process of engineering crises for political purposes, elites and their ideological lickspittles reveal time and time again a tenacious capacity to exploit legitimate crises. Much about the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects this historical truism.

Think, for example, of US President Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to label it “a foreign virus” or “the Chinese virus”. Naomi Klein has already identified the rapid emergence of a form of “coronavirus capitalism”, whereby governments around the world are busily exploiting the crisis to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks. Winners will keep on winning and losers will just have to survive.

It’s also important to note that living in a perennial state of crisis or emergency cannot be seen as living in a free society. The Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben has made this point with more precision than I ever could in his analysis of “the state of exception”. He believed that the tendency for governments to use crisis conditions as a justification for claiming exceptional powers for themselves has become normalised.

The bigger background question that Coronavirus highlights – and one which needs to be grappled with as soon as possible – is how we move away from a dominant “culture of crisis” and begin to nurture a more balanced and sustainable way of living together.

(Matthew Flinders is Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics, University of Sheffield)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="By Matthew Flinders The new coronavirus pandemic is affecting our daily lives in many unexpected ways. We are particularly trying to understand why some people are not heeding official advice about social isolation. I believe this relates to a particular kind of political malady that has been emerging in recent years – something we might call “crisis fatigue”. After two decades that have almost been defined by wave upon wave of crises, it’s possible that the public has simply become immune to warnings from politicians and habitually distrustful of their claims. I propose that crisis fatigue is a sociopolitical condition. It’s the tiredness that comes as result of the constant fear associated with repeated warnings about crisis, disaster or catastrophe. It also refers to the weakening of political or other social structures caused by repeated narratives of impending doom. That is, falling levels of trust in politicians, political institutions and political processes as a succession of crises gradually saps the public’s confidence that their representatives actually have the ability to respond. There’s no doubt that Covid-19 represents a global health pandemic. Its implications for older and vulnerable people are stark. It feels like a war without a conventional enemy. There is a certain fearfulness and uncertainty “out there” which is itself almost tangible. Nevertheless, there continues to be a problem with people not taking seriously the advice to stay indoors. It’s hardly surprising that politicians and senior officials are responding with exasperated frustration. And yet I can’t help wondering if part of the problem is that the notion of crisis has simply become the new normal, particularly for millennials. Life for them must be a bit like living through a Billy Bragg song: “Crisis after crisis, with such intensity”. Since the millennium, they’ve survived against a backdrop of global financial crisis, mass refugee movement, violent revolutions in the Middle East, constant terror threats, a succession of ">original article</a>)

By Matthew Flinders The new coronavirus pandemic is affecting our daily lives in many unexpected ways. We are particularly trying to understand why some people are not heeding official advice about social isolation.

By Matthew Flinders The new coronavirus pandemic is affecting our daily lives in many unexpected ways. We are particularly trying to understand why some people are not heeding official advice about social isolation. I believe this relates to a particular kind of political malady that has been emerging in recent years – something we might call “crisis fatigue”. After two decades that have almost been defined by wave upon wave of crises, it’s possible that the public has simply become immune to warnings from politicians and habitually distrustful of their claims. I propose that crisis fatigue is a sociopolitical condition. It’s the tiredness that comes as result of the constant fear associated with repeated warnings about crisis, disaster or catastrophe. It also refers to the weakening of political or other social structures caused by repeated narratives of impending doom. That is, falling levels of trust in politicians, political institutions and political processes as a succession of crises gradually saps the public’s confidence that their representatives actually have the ability to respond. There’s no doubt that Covid-19 represents a global health pandemic. Its implications for older and vulnerable people are stark. It feels like a war without a conventional enemy. There is a certain fearfulness and uncertainty “out there” which is itself almost tangible. Nevertheless, there continues to be a problem with people not taking seriously the advice to stay indoors. It’s hardly surprising that politicians and senior officials are responding with exasperated frustration. And yet I can’t help wondering if part of the problem is that the notion of crisis has simply become the new normal, particularly for millennials. Life for them must be a bit like living through a Billy Bragg song: “Crisis after crisis, with such intensity”. Since the millennium, they’ve survived against a backdrop of global financial crisis, mass refugee movement, violent revolutions in the Middle East, constant terror threats, a succession of global pandemics – SARS in 2003, bird flu in 2005, swine flu in 2009, MERS in 2012, Ebola in 2014 and now Covid in 2019. They absorb doom-laden narratives about globalisation and suffer from the growth of economic precarity. They hear about the “death” or “end” of democracy and catastrophic climate change. Is it any wonder that mental health and wellbeing services are generally discussed in crisis-laden terms? Coronavirus brings an additional layer of pressure, strain and stress on sections of society that were already feeling anxious or were struggling to survive. ‘Liquid fear’ Many people now simply live in fear all the time. Life resembles a constant flow of crises and disasters – real, perceived and artificially engineered for gain. All too often this fear appears to defeat enlightenment ideas about human progress. I can’t help but think about my old friend Zygmunt Bauman and his notion of “liquid fear”: Modernity was supposed to be the period in human history when the fears that pervaded social life in the past could be left behind and human beings could at last take control of their lives and tame the uncontrolled forces of the social and natural worlds. The sunlit uplands have turned into a fool’s paradise. We live in a state of constant anxiety about the dangers that lurk in an unattended suitcase, the rarity of snow – and now, even a cough or a sneeze. The emergence not of free, but of fearful, societies seems to be the crowning achievement of the 21st century so far. As Ben Debney, a specialist in moral panics, has recently explained: Crisis has long had political uses for ruling groups … elites and their intellectual courtiers often manufacture crises themselves … Where not directly complicit themselves in the process of engineering crises for political purposes, elites and their ideological lickspittles reveal time and time again a tenacious capacity to exploit legitimate crises. Much about the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic reflects this historical truism. Think, for example, of US President Donald Trump’s repeated attempts to label it “a foreign virus” or “the Chinese virus”. Naomi Klein has already identified the rapid emergence of a form of “coronavirus capitalism”, whereby governments around the world are busily exploiting the crisis to push for no-strings-attached corporate bailouts and regulatory rollbacks. Winners will keep on winning and losers will just have to survive. It’s also important to note that living in a perennial state of crisis or emergency cannot be seen as living in a free society. The Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben has made this point with more precision than I ever could in his analysis of “the state of exception”. He believed that the tendency for governments to use crisis conditions as a justification for claiming exceptional powers for themselves has become normalised. The bigger background question that Coronavirus highlights – and one which needs to be grappled with as soon as possible – is how we move away from a dominant “culture of crisis” and begin to nurture a more balanced and sustainable way of living together. (Matthew Flinders is Founding Director of the Sir Bernard Crick Centre for the Public Understanding of Politics, University of Sheffield) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

Coronavirus and the politics of crisis fatigue

The Wuhan coronavirus has taken almost 20 thousand lives now. Every day, the numbers are rising. We are battling a full-blown health crisis.

China is guilty of covering up the outbreak, but what about the world's biggest multilateral health organisation --- the WHO? Has the World Health Organisation done enough?

Taiwan says the WHO failed to do enough, it ignored the warnings and succumbed to pressure from&nbsp; 
&nbsp;China. Taiwan has been barred from membership of the WHO, but its arguments have merits. 
 
WATCH: Is WHO doing enough?&nbsp;

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The coronavirus crisis began in January and the WHO has always seemed a step behind. It declared the outbreak a global health emergency when more than eight thousand people were infected already.

It dragged its heels when it was supposed to declare a pandemic. It's unfortunate, but history is repeating itself. During the SARS outbreak of 2002, China committed the same lapses.

China's health ministry was aware for months, but they didn't tell the world. Consequently, SARS spread to 29 countries and 774 people were killed.

In 2005, WHO saw sweeping reforms and international health regulations were revised. This includes the authority to act upon information from non-state sources.

The WHO Director-General was empowered to declare an outbreak a public health emergency, even if states directly affected by the crisis object.

The WHO was also given powers to name and shame those countries, that do not comply with the international health regulations.

Did the World Health Organisation follow the new rulebook now? They did not call out China for suppressing facts. Instead, Beijing was praised for its response.

WHO relies on its members for funding to operate, such a set up gives wealthy countries like China the upper hand, as well as, considerable influence.

The biggest example of that is how China has been able to effectively block Taiwan's entry into the WHO.

WHO is the only organisation that can declare a pandemic, it is the only world body that can mobilize internationally in the event of health threats, but the current coronavirus outbreak shows that it has a broken setup - one that can be easily influenced by powerful nations.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world) 
&nbsp;

The Wuhan coronavirus has taken almost 20 thousand lives now. Every day, the numbers are rising. We are battling a full-blown health crisis. China is guilty of covering up the outbreak, but what about the world's biggest multilateral health organisation --- the WHO?

The Wuhan coronavirus has taken almost 20 thousand lives now. Every day, the numbers are rising. We are battling a full-blown health crisis. China is guilty of covering up the outbreak, but what about the world's biggest multilateral health organisation --- the WHO? Has the World Health Organisation done enough? Taiwan says the WHO failed to do enough, it ignored the warnings and succumbed to pressure from China. Taiwan has been barred from membership of the WHO, but its arguments have merits. WATCH: Is WHO doing enough? × The coronavirus crisis began in January and the WHO has always seemed a step behind. It declared the outbreak a global health emergency when more than eight thousand people were infected already. It dragged its heels when it was supposed to declare a pandemic. It's unfortunate, but history is repeating itself. During the SARS outbreak of 2002, China committed the same lapses. China's health ministry was aware for months, but they didn't tell the world. Consequently, SARS spread to 29 countries and 774 people were killed. In 2005, WHO saw sweeping reforms and international health regulations were revised. This includes the authority to act upon information from non-state sources. The WHO Director-General was empowered to declare an outbreak a public health emergency, even if states directly affected by the crisis object. The WHO was also given powers to name and shame those countries, that do not comply with the international health regulations. Did the World Health Organisation follow the new rulebook now? They did not call out China for suppressing facts. Instead, Beijing was praised for its response. WHO relies on its members for funding to operate, such a set up gives wealthy countries like China the upper hand, as well as, considerable influence. The biggest example of that is how China has been able to effectively block Taiwan's entry into the WHO. WHO is the only organisation that can declare a pandemic, it is the only world body that can mobilize internationally in the event of health threats, but the current coronavirus outbreak shows that it has a broken setup - one that can be easily influenced by powerful nations. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Has the WHO failed in its fight against coronavirus?

The situation we are staring at right now is unquestionably a global crisis. Leaders have equated it to a war, and to be fair, the world has not seen a similar systematic shock since 1945.

The only difference here is that the coronavirus pandemic is worse than war because the enemy is faceless and our armed forces cannot fight it. To win this war against the coronavirus we need to fight as a team.

We need to respect the lockdown, follow instructions and help each other in every possible way. To win this war against the coronavirus, we need to put up a united front.

Every day, more and more people in India are testing positive to the coronavirus. There are families who have lost their loved ones. And then there are those who are praying for their family members to return safely from hospitals. 
 
WATCH:&nbsp;India needs to be united to fight coronavirus outbreak

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​​​​​​India is under lockdown, our economy has been hit. Livelihoods are at stake, our government is trying very very hard to limit the damage of the pandemic.

Now is not the time to put up negative posts on social media and tweet 'India-- welcome to Kashmir',&nbsp; 
or question - 'how virus can kill a nation without a soul'.?

Every time a government passes a policy, there is a section of people who support it and there are those who oppose it.

It is true across all countries and policies. India's move to abrogate Article 370 was no different - some lauded the Modi government, some didn't.

You are absolutely entitled to have your opinion, no matter which side of the aisle you stand on, but democracy also comes with great responsibility.

Please understand, there is time for everything. And now is not the time to spew hate. This lockdown is not easy, but it is the need of the hour. We cannot be making tit-for-tat comments right now. These trying times called for unity.

Unlike what happened during the world wars, no one is asking you to leave your daily jobs and head to the trenches,&nbsp; 
or nurse the wounded at medical facilities. And the only thing you are being asked to do right now is to be a little responsible.

Be a little more empathetic, don't be bitter, don't spread, don't be toxic.

The situation we are staring at right now is unquestionably a global crisis. Leaders have equated it to a war, and to be fair, the world has not seen a similar systematic shock since 1945.

The situation we are staring at right now is unquestionably a global crisis. Leaders have equated it to a war, and to be fair, the world has not seen a similar systematic shock since 1945. The only difference here is that the coronavirus pandemic is worse than war because the enemy is faceless and our armed forces cannot fight it. To win this war against the coronavirus we need to fight as a team. We need to respect the lockdown, follow instructions and help each other in every possible way. To win this war against the coronavirus, we need to put up a united front. Every day, more and more people in India are testing positive to the coronavirus. There are families who have lost their loved ones. And then there are those who are praying for their family members to return safely from hospitals. WATCH: India needs to be united to fight coronavirus outbreak × India is under lockdown, our economy has been hit. Livelihoods are at stake, our government is trying very very hard to limit the damage of the pandemic. Now is not the time to put up negative posts on social media and tweet 'India-- welcome to Kashmir', or question - 'how virus can kill a nation without a soul'.? Every time a government passes a policy, there is a section of people who support it and there are those who oppose it. It is true across all countries and policies. India's move to abrogate Article 370 was no different - some lauded the Modi government, some didn't. You are absolutely entitled to have your opinion, no matter which side of the aisle you stand on, but democracy also comes with great responsibility. Please understand, there is time for everything. And now is not the time to spew hate. This lockdown is not easy, but it is the need of the hour. We cannot be making tit-for-tat comments right now. These trying times called for unity. Unlike what happened during the world wars, no one is asking you to leave your daily jobs and head to the trenches, or nurse the wounded at medical facilities. And the only thing you are being asked to do right now is to be a little responsible. Be a little more empathetic, don't be bitter, don't spread, don't be toxic.

Why does India need to stay united amid coronavirus mayhem ?

The World Health Organization has said that the United States could now be emerging as the new epicenter of the coronavirus. In the last 24 hours, the US has recorded 11,000 fresh cases and more than 200 people have lost their lives.

Coronavirus infected cases in US near 56,000

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Group of Seven foreign ministers agreed with him in talks Wednesday that China was waging a "disinformation" campaign about the coronavirus pandemic.

The top diplomats from the major industrialized nations held a previously scheduled meeting by videoconference, with the United States scrapping a meeting in Pittsburgh as the contagion fears restrict international travel.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/not-acceptable-china-urges-india-to-not-call-coronavirus-the-chinese-virus-288523"> 'Not acceptable' - China urges India to not call coronavirus the 'Chinese virus'</a>

Pompeo, who has heavily criticized Beijing over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he was united with other ministers -- from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

"Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters after the talks.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-third-of-humanity-under-coronavirus-lockdown-288458">One third of humanity under coronavirus lockdown</a>

Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign on social media that has included conspiracy theories that the United States was behind the virus, which was first detected in the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan.

"This is crazy talk," Pompeo said.

The G7 talks came a day before a virtual summit of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies, which include the United States and China.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spain-overtakes-china-virus-toll-with-3434-deaths-government-288448">Spain overtakes China virus toll with 3,434 deaths -&nbsp;Government</a>

Beijing has appeared to bring the virus under control and has stepped up aid by delivering masks and other supplies around the world -- including to US allies such as Italy, which has the world's highest death toll.

Pompeo minimized China's efforts and said the United States was "finalizing plans" to deploy excess military equipment to Italy.

China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said.

But he said the United States sought cooperation.

"We desperately want to work with every country around the world. This is a global pandemic," he said.

"The United States wants to work with every country including China to figure out how to resolve to keep as many people alive -- as many people as healthy -- and then to restore our economies that have been decimated by the Wuhan virus."

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Group of Seven foreign ministers agreed with him in talks Wednesday that China was waging a "disinformation" campaign about the coronavirus pandemic.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Group of Seven foreign ministers agreed with him in talks Wednesday that China was waging a "disinformation" campaign about the coronavirus pandemic. The top diplomats from the major industrialized nations held a previously scheduled meeting by videoconference, with the United States scrapping a meeting in Pittsburgh as the contagion fears restrict international travel. Also read: 'Not acceptable' - China urges India to not call coronavirus the 'Chinese virus' Pompeo, who has heavily criticized Beijing over what he calls the "Wuhan virus," said he was united with other ministers -- from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. "Every one of the nations that were at that meeting this morning was deeply aware of the disinformation campaign that the Chinese Communist Party is engaged in to try and deflect from what has really taken place," Pompeo told reporters after the talks. Also read: One third of humanity under coronavirus lockdown Pompeo said that China "has been and continues to be engaged in" a campaign on social media that has included conspiracy theories that the United States was behind the virus, which was first detected in the Chinese metropolis of Wuhan. "This is crazy talk," Pompeo said. The G7 talks came a day before a virtual summit of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies, which include the United States and China. Also read: Spain overtakes China virus toll with 3,434 deaths - Government Beijing has appeared to bring the virus under control and has stepped up aid by delivering masks and other supplies around the world -- including to US allies such as Italy, which has the world's highest death toll. Pompeo minimized China's efforts and said the United States was "finalizing plans" to deploy excess military equipment to Italy. China is "now making small sales of product around the world and claiming that they are now the white hat in what has taken place," Pompeo said. But he said the United States sought cooperation. "We desperately want to work with every country around the world. This is a global pandemic," he said. "The United States wants to work with every country including China to figure out how to resolve to keep as many people alive -- as many people as healthy -- and then to restore our economies that have been decimated by the Wuhan virus."

G7 agrees China spreading coronavirus 'disinformation', says US State Secretary Mike Pompeo

India has seen a sudden rise in the Coronavirus cases with the total number of confirmed cases rising to 536. The death toll in the country now stands at 11. The latest death was reported in Tamil Nadu. Watch report:

Coronavirus cases in India rise to 536, Death toll stand at 11

By Nader Habibi

Policymakers in countries where there are severe outbreaks of COVID-19 are doing what they can to slow the spread and “flatten the curve.” But so far, there hasn’t been much global coordination, raising the risk of a second wave of contamination even after individual countries halt the virus’ advance.

That’s the dilemma facing China and South Korea right now. Both countries appear to have halted or slowed the internal spread of the new coronavirus and are beginning to worry about contaminated travelers from abroad setting off a new outbreak – including by their own citizens returning home.

In other words, as long as the virus is present in any country, it can reenter those that have managed to slow it down – or even ones that eventually eradicate it.

As an economist, I worry that efforts to prevent a second wave of contagion will prompt countries to put up more borders to international travel and trade. This would compound and prolong the adverse economic impact.

That’s why I believe the only effective long-term solution against the coronavirus is a global solution – which requires a coordinated response.

An uncoordinated mess 
 
Dozens of countries are taking a variety of strong measures to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, from social distancing and mass quarantines to severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods.

But there’s been little or no coordination, the timing has varied considerably and the piecemeal manner in which restrictions have been put in place demonstrates that lessons are not being shared, which has made it harder to defeat the virus. Moreover, the lack of coordination among countries when imposing travel bans has led to diplomatic tensions that will only make matters worse, such as when the Trump administration banned flights from Europe without consulting longstanding allies.

Even in the hunt for a vaccine there is a clear lack of international coordination, which can speed up the process. Furthermore, most countries seem to be adopting a nationalistic rather than a collaborative approach that could limit a potential vaccine’s effectiveness in ending the pandemic, with the possibility that each country will favor its own citizens over others.

While these efforts are slowing the spread of the coronavirus in some places, it continues to worsen in others such as the U.S., Europe and Iran, which demonstrate that they are not enough to eradicate the threat completely. And that means successful countries will have to impose or continue severe and costly constraints on international travel – and those that have managed to avoid an outbreak, such as Russia, must continue to keep their restrictions in place. In Russia’s case, closing border crossings to China has severely hurt trade as well.

If a large number of countries impose such restrictions simultaneously, everyone suffers, adding to the already high economic costs of the coronavirus with no end in sight.

Working together 
 
Right now, I believe the world needs to coordinate in three key ways:

Agree on a two-week global lockdown across all countries, even those not severely affected by COVID-19. Several countries are currently imposing such mass quarantines, with mixed success. A global, synchronized lockdown would be more effective.

The World Health Organization should lead global efforts to find an effective vaccine and treatments for COVID-19, ensuring they are widely available. The group could help disseminate research findings quickly and coordinate activities to avoid duplication. Consequently this would reduce the amount of time it takes to find a pharmaceutical solution.

Restrictions on international travel and trade should be implemented in cooperation with other countries. Rather than nationalistic restrictions that benefit one country at the expense of others, the cost of the needed restrictions could be distributed among all trade partners in a fair manner that motivates all governments to participate in these painful economic measures.

Global coordination has worked well in past crises like this one. For example, in 2014, President Barack Obama took the lead in the global fight against the Ebola virus, which affected several countries in Africa. American leadership played a crucial role in mobilizing and coordinating the global fight that ultimately contained the epidemic.

That’s the kind of leadership the world needs right now. Surprisingly, the strongest call for global coordination against COVID-19 has come from Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the Group of 20 largest economies, instead of the U.S., China or the European Union.

Although there’s been no commitment so far to attend this virtual meeting, I hope the political leaders of the world’s largest economies accept this invitation. A coordinated response to this pandemic cannot come too soon.

(Nader Habibi is Henry J. Leir Professor of Practice in Economics of the Middle East, Brandeis University)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-defeating-coronavirus-in-one-country-isnt-enough-there-needs-to-be-a-coordinated-global-strategy-134474">original article</a>)

By Nader Habibi Policymakers in countries where there are severe outbreaks of COVID-19 are doing what they can to slow the spread and “flatten the curve.” But so far, there hasn’t been much global coordination, raising the risk of a second wave of contamination even after individual countries halt the virus’ advance.

By Nader Habibi Policymakers in countries where there are severe outbreaks of COVID-19 are doing what they can to slow the spread and “flatten the curve.” But so far, there hasn’t been much global coordination, raising the risk of a second wave of contamination even after individual countries halt the virus’ advance. That’s the dilemma facing China and South Korea right now. Both countries appear to have halted or slowed the internal spread of the new coronavirus and are beginning to worry about contaminated travelers from abroad setting off a new outbreak – including by their own citizens returning home. In other words, as long as the virus is present in any country, it can reenter those that have managed to slow it down – or even ones that eventually eradicate it. As an economist, I worry that efforts to prevent a second wave of contagion will prompt countries to put up more borders to international travel and trade. This would compound and prolong the adverse economic impact. That’s why I believe the only effective long-term solution against the coronavirus is a global solution – which requires a coordinated response. An uncoordinated mess Dozens of countries are taking a variety of strong measures to fight the spread of the new coronavirus, from social distancing and mass quarantines to severe restrictions on the movement of people and goods. But there’s been little or no coordination, the timing has varied considerably and the piecemeal manner in which restrictions have been put in place demonstrates that lessons are not being shared, which has made it harder to defeat the virus. Moreover, the lack of coordination among countries when imposing travel bans has led to diplomatic tensions that will only make matters worse, such as when the Trump administration banned flights from Europe without consulting longstanding allies. Even in the hunt for a vaccine there is a clear lack of international coordination, which can speed up the process. Furthermore, most countries seem to be adopting a nationalistic rather than a collaborative approach that could limit a potential vaccine’s effectiveness in ending the pandemic, with the possibility that each country will favor its own citizens over others. While these efforts are slowing the spread of the coronavirus in some places, it continues to worsen in others such as the U.S., Europe and Iran, which demonstrate that they are not enough to eradicate the threat completely. And that means successful countries will have to impose or continue severe and costly constraints on international travel – and those that have managed to avoid an outbreak, such as Russia, must continue to keep their restrictions in place. In Russia’s case, closing border crossings to China has severely hurt trade as well. If a large number of countries impose such restrictions simultaneously, everyone suffers, adding to the already high economic costs of the coronavirus with no end in sight. Working together Right now, I believe the world needs to coordinate in three key ways: Agree on a two-week global lockdown across all countries, even those not severely affected by COVID-19. Several countries are currently imposing such mass quarantines, with mixed success. A global, synchronized lockdown would be more effective. The World Health Organization should lead global efforts to find an effective vaccine and treatments for COVID-19, ensuring they are widely available. The group could help disseminate research findings quickly and coordinate activities to avoid duplication. Consequently this would reduce the amount of time it takes to find a pharmaceutical solution. Restrictions on international travel and trade should be implemented in cooperation with other countries. Rather than nationalistic restrictions that benefit one country at the expense of others, the cost of the needed restrictions could be distributed among all trade partners in a fair manner that motivates all governments to participate in these painful economic measures. Global coordination has worked well in past crises like this one. For example, in 2014, President Barack Obama took the lead in the global fight against the Ebola virus, which affected several countries in Africa. American leadership played a crucial role in mobilizing and coordinating the global fight that ultimately contained the epidemic. That’s the kind of leadership the world needs right now. Surprisingly, the strongest call for global coordination against COVID-19 has come from Saudi Arabia, which currently leads the Group of 20 largest economies, instead of the U.S., China or the European Union. Although there’s been no commitment so far to attend this virtual meeting, I hope the political leaders of the world’s largest economies accept this invitation. A coordinated response to this pandemic cannot come too soon. (Nader Habibi is Henry J. Leir Professor of Practice in Economics of the Middle East, Brandeis University) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article)

There needs to be a coordinated global strategy to defeat coronavirus

The coronavirus has spread across 194 countries and territories around the world. The dangers, as well as precautions, have been covered adequately by all government communications/media/publications, as well as social media.

While there is adequate awareness, but there is also a varying degree of seriousness in dealing with the pandemic, as many segments of society chose to put individual preferences above potentially most devastating threat that looms the world.&nbsp;

The world meter indicates over 4,23,000 cases of coronavirus with 18296 deaths and 107,199 recoveries. The WHO puts the morbidity rate at 3.4 per cent, but the biggest danger being faced by mankind is the exponential rise in coronavirus cases due to community transfers.

It is necessary to understand the seriousness in adopting the safety measures being communicated by government agencies through various mediums. &nbsp;

The Epicenters&nbsp;

China is accused to have done global damage by hiding crucial timely information about the pandemic from the rest of the world. Wuhan, believed to be the origin and initial epicentre of the disease, was late in quarantining affected people and could not prevent community transfer.&nbsp;

China was quick to declare that it has conquered the disease with reporting 73,159 recovered cases, but 78 fresh cases, seven fresh deaths and 4735 active cases, mitigate the claim. The world will continue to accuse China for hiding the pandemic, with two legal notices already filed against it.&nbsp;

Italy (with 69176 cases and 6820 deaths) is another example of taking the disease lightly initially and trying to control it with all possible measures later. WHO warns USA to be next epicenter of COVID-19 having 54916 cases confirmed, out of which there are more than 25000 cases in New York. The US faces stalemate over $2 trillion allocations for combating the pandemic. The same is the case with South Korea and Japan.&nbsp;

The only advantage these countries enjoy is that they have much less population in comparison to countries like India and relatively better medical capacities per capita population to control. Iran continues to struggle with an initial spurt of carelessness and later with inadequate capacity. It needs to be noted that in most western countries the testing in terms of the percentage of the population has been fairly high; hence, the magnitude of the problem is better identified. &nbsp;

Taiwan's Success in Combatting Covid-19

Taiwan, with 23 million people, just off the coast of China, was predicted to have the second-highest 'importation risk' by any country with over 850,000 of its citizens residing and working in mainland China and heavy rush of travellers to and from China. Considering the risk, having only 199 cases with two deaths and no new cases so far is creditable. Its success is attributed to early action by National Health Command Center (NHCC) with a branch focusing on large outbreak responses and acting as a central command post for direct, transparent communications, which was established after the SARS outbreak. Their actions included border control from the air and sea, identifying cases, quarantine of suspicious cases, managing resource allocation, daily press briefings, identifying false information and formulating economic policies to relieve families and businesses. Maximum use of ‘Big Data’ and technology was done to identify travellers, patients and suspects, and quarantining them. The support of the population was another major factor.&nbsp;

What Should be India's Next Response?

India has the second-largest population in the world with over 130 billion people. While there is no need to panic with 536 cases identified and 10 deaths so far, but as a developing country, its capacity to isolate communities is the biggest challenge in the world, which cannot be combatted without public participation.&nbsp;

The numbers identified so far are limited, due to limited testing facilities available in the country, which are being increased gradually. India needs to ensure not to enter into community spread (next stage) of COVID19 outbreak, otherwise, speed of infection will overtake the speed of capacity building of the country to handle it.&nbsp;

Although a lot is being done by the central and state governments, the biggest challenge is to convince the segments of the society, who chose to take it lightly, by superimposing personal priorities over public health. The 21-day lockdown of the complete country announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2020, is the right step to break the chain of infection and flatten the upward curve of growing cases in India.&nbsp;

India does not have the luxury of a manageable population, and is yet to have the full capacity to deal with the third stage of the pandemic; hence the best option available is to quarantine and social distancing.

The partnership of people and the private sector for capacity building is required. Going by the example of Taiwan, the data of every citizen with the government is necessary to counter such emergencies better. India needs to take&nbsp;the spirit of ‘Janata Curfew’ forward with much more vigour, enthusiasm and discipline.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

The coronavirus has spread across 194 countries and territories around the world. The dangers, as well as precautions, have been covered adequately by all government communications/media/publications, as well as social media.

The coronavirus has spread across 194 countries and territories around the world. The dangers, as well as precautions, have been covered adequately by all government communications/media/publications, as well as social media. While there is adequate awareness, but there is also a varying degree of seriousness in dealing with the pandemic, as many segments of society chose to put individual preferences above potentially most devastating threat that looms the world. The world meter indicates over 4,23,000 cases of coronavirus with 18296 deaths and 107,199 recoveries. The WHO puts the morbidity rate at 3.4 per cent, but the biggest danger being faced by mankind is the exponential rise in coronavirus cases due to community transfers. It is necessary to understand the seriousness in adopting the safety measures being communicated by government agencies through various mediums. The Epicenters China is accused to have done global damage by hiding crucial timely information about the pandemic from the rest of the world. Wuhan, believed to be the origin and initial epicentre of the disease, was late in quarantining affected people and could not prevent community transfer. China was quick to declare that it has conquered the disease with reporting 73,159 recovered cases, but 78 fresh cases, seven fresh deaths and 4735 active cases, mitigate the claim. The world will continue to accuse China for hiding the pandemic, with two legal notices already filed against it. Italy (with 69176 cases and 6820 deaths) is another example of taking the disease lightly initially and trying to control it with all possible measures later. WHO warns USA to be next epicenter of COVID-19 having 54916 cases confirmed, out of which there are more than 25000 cases in New York. The US faces stalemate over $2 trillion allocations for combating the pandemic. The same is the case with South Korea and Japan. The only advantage these countries enjoy is that they have much less population in comparison to countries like India and relatively better medical capacities per capita population to control. Iran continues to struggle with an initial spurt of carelessness and later with inadequate capacity. It needs to be noted that in most western countries the testing in terms of the percentage of the population has been fairly high; hence, the magnitude of the problem is better identified. Taiwan's Success in Combatting Covid-19 Taiwan, with 23 million people, just off the coast of China, was predicted to have the second-highest 'importation risk' by any country with over 850,000 of its citizens residing and working in mainland China and heavy rush of travellers to and from China. Considering the risk, having only 199 cases with two deaths and no new cases so far is creditable. Its success is attributed to early action by National Health Command Center (NHCC) with a branch focusing on large outbreak responses and acting as a central command post for direct, transparent communications, which was established after the SARS outbreak. Their actions included border control from the air and sea, identifying cases, quarantine of suspicious cases, managing resource allocation, daily press briefings, identifying false information and formulating economic policies to relieve families and businesses. Maximum use of ‘Big Data’ and technology was done to identify travellers, patients and suspects, and quarantining them. The support of the population was another major factor. What Should be India's Next Response? India has the second-largest population in the world with over 130 billion people. While there is no need to panic with 536 cases identified and 10 deaths so far, but as a developing country, its capacity to isolate communities is the biggest challenge in the world, which cannot be combatted without public participation. The numbers identified so far are limited, due to limited testing facilities available in the country, which are being increased gradually. India needs to ensure not to enter into community spread (next stage) of COVID19 outbreak, otherwise, speed of infection will overtake the speed of capacity building of the country to handle it. Although a lot is being done by the central and state governments, the biggest challenge is to convince the segments of the society, who chose to take it lightly, by superimposing personal priorities over public health. The 21-day lockdown of the complete country announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24, 2020, is the right step to break the chain of infection and flatten the upward curve of growing cases in India. India does not have the luxury of a manageable population, and is yet to have the full capacity to deal with the third stage of the pandemic; hence the best option available is to quarantine and social distancing. The partnership of people and the private sector for capacity building is required. Going by the example of Taiwan, the data of every citizen with the government is necessary to counter such emergencies better. India needs to take the spirit of ‘Janata Curfew’ forward with much more vigour, enthusiasm and discipline. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

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