theduran--2020-04-23--Merkel back in charge of EU. Will Italy have to exit? (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss German Chancellor Angela Merkel ’ s resurgence within the EU to once again dictate the financial policy amidst the Covid-19 economic lockdown and meltdown .
Merkel getting her way with an ESM rescue scheme may end up driving Italy out of the Eurozone , as the south European country is on the verge of a collapse , not capable of taking in more loans with austerity strings attached .
Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute .
The Duran Audio Podcast : Follow on Soundcloud @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issued by euro zone members is not the right way to counter the economic impact of the coronavirus , a leading candidate to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel said .
Although he ruled out members borrowing jointly , Friedrich Merz , a lawyer and former leader of the parliamentary faction of Merkel ’ s CDU , suggested Germany should show more solidarity with EU peers and supported more spending by the bloc .
Germany needed to “ develop much more sympathy for the situation of our European neighbours , ” said Merz , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after himself recovering from the coronavirus .
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has called for the EU to issue common euro zone bonds to demonstrate the bloc ’ s solidarity in tackling the coronavirus crisis .
Germany , backed by the Netherlands , has resisted such plans .
Nevertheless , Merkel has hinted this week at a possible compromise , which could see the EU ’ s executive commission borrow on its own account against its future budget , without the bloc ’ s members issuing joint debt .
“ Within the framework @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about everything , but I am and remain of the firm opinion that Eurobonds or Coronabonds , or however one should call such bonds from the European Union , are not the right way , ” Merz said .
“ I believe the EU should be much better funded…but then it has to be done with an instrument where revenue responsibility and expenditure responsibility are in one hand , ” Merz said .
Merz said that joint debt issuance would require European treaty change , which he opposed .
But he argued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the candidates for running for the chair of Merkel ’ s Christian Democrats ( CDU ) .
The new leader , set to be chosen at a party meeting in December , will be in pole position to run as chancellor in the next federal election due by October next year , as Merkel has said she will not seek a fifth term .
Polls show pro-business Merz , 64 , is ahead of his main rival , Armin Laschet , a centrist seen as offering more continuity with Merkel .
EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of jointly issued debt at a videoconference on Thursday .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s resurgence within the EU to once again dictate the financial policy amidst the Covid-19 economic lockdown and meltdown.
Merkel getting her way with an ESM rescue scheme may end up driving Italy out of the Eurozone, as the south European country is on the verge of a collapse, not capable of taking in more loans with austerity strings attached.
Support Free Speech:
Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute.
The Duran Audio Podcast:
Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes.
Via Reuters…
Debt jointly issued by euro zone members is not the right way to counter the economic impact of the coronavirus, a leading candidate to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
Although he ruled out members borrowing jointly, Friedrich Merz, a lawyer and former leader of the parliamentary faction of Merkel’s CDU, suggested Germany should show more solidarity with EU peers and supported more spending by the bloc.
Germany needed to “develop much more sympathy for the situation of our European neighbours,” said Merz, speaking to foreign reporters by video link after himself recovering from the coronavirus.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has called for the EU to issue common euro zone bonds to demonstrate the bloc’s solidarity in tackling the coronavirus crisis. Germany, backed by the Netherlands, has resisted such plans.
Nevertheless, Merkel has hinted this week at a possible compromise, which could see the EU’s executive commission borrow on its own account against its future budget, without the bloc’s members issuing joint debt.
Merz’s remarks appeared consistent with that approach.
“Within the framework of the European budget, we can talk about everything, but I am and remain of the firm opinion that Eurobonds or Coronabonds, or however one should call such bonds from the European Union, are not the right way,” Merz said.
“I believe the EU should be much better funded…but then it has to be done with an instrument where revenue responsibility and expenditure responsibility are in one hand,” Merz said.
Merz said that joint debt issuance would require European treaty change, which he opposed. But he argued that he was nonetheless the most European of the candidates for running for the chair of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU).
The new leader, set to be chosen at a party meeting in December, will be in pole position to run as chancellor in the next federal election due by October next year, as Merkel has said she will not seek a fifth term.
Polls show pro-business Merz, 64, is ahead of his main rival, Armin Laschet, a centrist seen as offering more continuity with Merkel.
EU leaders are to discuss the heated topic of jointly issued debt at a videoconference on Thursday.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-23--Despite US sanctions, Iran launches military satellite for defense

On April 22 , the 41st anniversary of the establishment of Iran ’ s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps ( IRGC ) , they launched the ‘ Nour ’ satellite , aboard the ‘ Qased ’ three-staged satellite launcher , during an operation located in the desert at Dasht-e Kavir .
IRGC commander General Salami said , “ Today , we gaze upon the Earth from skies .
This honorable moment is the starting point of the establishment of new global power.
” He added , “ Today , the world ’ s powerful armies do not have a comprehensive defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ achieving this superior technology that takes us into space and expands the realm of our abilities is a strategic achievement.
” His comments stressed the term ‘ defense ’ and described the multi-purpose satellite ’ s use in space in the realm of information technology and intelligence battles , including reconnaissance and safe communication capabilities .
The successful launch of the Nour gave the Iranian people a chance to feel pride and hope , in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic , which has killed more than 5,290 people in Iran , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orbits 425 kilometers above Earth , while many around the globe are on stay-at-home orders , and dealing with the mental constraints of ‘ cabin-fever ’ .
Iranians may see the satellite as a bit of good news despite the struggling economy and historically low oil prices .
Iran is now one of 15 countries that can put military satellites in space , and even though the US has placed the most severe sanctions in history upon Iran , still their engineers and scientists continue to produce technology “ MADE IN IRAN ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has launched satellites in the past , including joint research projects with other countries .
‘ Omid ’ , was their first a domestically made satellite that was sent into orbit in 2009 , and Iran launched imaging satellites in 2011 and 2012 .
Tensions with the US In 2018 President Trump pulled the US out of the international deal which the US was a partner to , designed to prevent Iran from making a nuclear weapon .
Iran has continued to state they do not seek to create or use nuclear weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beginning of the tensions which are being felt in the Middle East today .
One of the main sources of tension between the Trump administration and Iran is the influence and pressure of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee ( AIPAC ) and some of the oil-rich ‘ Arab Gulf ’ countries , such as Saudi Arabia .
AIPAC and their Arab allies put pressure on Trump to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal , and they tried to push the US military into aggression against Iran .
Trump ’ s decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Trump ordered the assassination by a drone attack in January of the top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad .
Iran answered back with ballistic missiles struck at US troops in Iraq .
The US says the satellite launch by Iran defies a UN Security Council resolution .
There is a political faction in the US , with close ties to Trump , who are pushing for a full-fledged war between the US and Iran .
The two nearly went to war earlier this year after Trump ordered the assassination .
Experts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could plunge the region into a military conflict which could turn regional , if not global as allies of the US , and Iran would be forced to take sides .
The US Navy released a video last week which they claim shows Iranian speed-boats making harassing maneuvers close to US Navy warships in the North Arabian Sea , with one boat coming within yards of the US ship .
In the video , the Iranian-flagged boats are manned with a gun ; however , the guns were never pointed at the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times .
The IRGC acknowledged that events in the video happened ; however , they downplayed the seriousness and felt the US was exaggerating .
“ I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea , ” Trump wrote .
Trump is facing a tough election in November , and his supporters demand he maintains his hard-line stance against Iran .
His supporters have been mentally molded into an opinion pattern that AIPAC has invested in for years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolution of the tensions between the US and Iran is never discussed .
Sanctions , threats , and attacks are in the Trump diplomatic tool-box .
Iraq ’ s Parliament responded to the Trump ordered assassination by passing an order for all US troops to leave the country .
Secretary of State Pompeo has a meeting in June slated to discuss the withdrawal from Iraq .
Earlier this month , Trump claimed that Iran was planning an unprovoked attack on US troops in Iraq , and he threatened Iran would pay a heavy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iran was ruled by the US ‘ puppet ’ , the Shah of Iran , there was no Sunni-Shia divide ; however , once the 1979 Islamic revolution occurred in Iran , the US State Department , and the CIA , began fueling sectarian hatred between the Sunni and Shia in the Middle East .
Before 1979 , Iran had been under the US sphere of influence , but once they lost Iran the US targeted them with a sophisticated propaganda program , which aimed at replacing Iran as the enemy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ propaganda campaign was so successful , that today we see the ‘ Arab Gulf ’ monarchies cooperating with ‘ Israel ’ on the economy , security , and political issues .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator…
On April 22, the 41st anniversary of the establishment of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), they launched the ‘Nour’ satellite, aboard the ‘Qased’ three-staged satellite launcher, during an operation located in the desert at Dasht-e Kavir.
IRGC commander General Salami said, “Today, we gaze upon the Earth from skies. This honorable moment is the starting point of the establishment of new global power.” He added, “Today, the world’s powerful armies do not have a comprehensive defense plan without being in space, and achieving this superior technology that takes us into space and expands the realm of our abilities is a strategic achievement.” His comments stressed the term ‘defense’ and described the multi-purpose satellite’s use in space in the realm of information technology and intelligence battles, including reconnaissance and safe communication capabilities.
The successful launch of the Nour gave the Iranian people a chance to feel pride and hope, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed more than 5,290 people in Iran, with over 84,800 reported cases. The satellite orbits 425 kilometers above Earth, while many around the globe are on stay-at-home orders, and dealing with the mental constraints of ‘cabin-fever’. Iranians may see the satellite as a bit of good news despite the struggling economy and historically low oil prices.
Iran is now one of 15 countries that can put military satellites in space, and even though the US has placed the most severe sanctions in history upon Iran, still their engineers and scientists continue to produce technology “MADE IN IRAN”. They have an advanced program that has launched satellites in the past, including joint research projects with other countries. ‘Omid’, was their first a domestically made satellite that was sent into orbit in 2009, and Iran launched imaging satellites in 2011 and 2012.
Tensions with the US
In 2018 President Trump pulled the US out of the international deal which the US was a partner to, designed to prevent Iran from making a nuclear weapon. Iran has continued to state they do not seek to create or use nuclear weapons. That action by Trump was the beginning of the tensions which are being felt in the Middle East today.
One of the main sources of tension between the Trump administration and Iran is the influence and pressure of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and some of the oil-rich ‘Arab Gulf’ countries, such as Saudi Arabia. AIPAC and their Arab allies put pressure on Trump to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, and they tried to push the US military into aggression against Iran.
Trump’s decision to withdraw set off a series of attacks and Trump ordered the assassination by a drone attack in January of the top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad. Iran answered back with ballistic missiles struck at US troops in Iraq.
The US says the satellite launch by Iran defies a UN Security Council resolution.
There is a political faction in the US, with close ties to Trump, who are pushing for a full-fledged war between the US and Iran. The two nearly went to war earlier this year after Trump ordered the assassination. Experts have cautioned that a mistake or accident could plunge the region into a military conflict which could turn regional, if not global as allies of the US, and Iran would be forced to take sides.
The US Navy released a video last week which they claim shows Iranian speed-boats making harassing maneuvers close to US Navy warships in the North Arabian Sea, with one boat coming within yards of the US ship. In the video, the Iranian-flagged boats are manned with a gun; however, the guns were never pointed at the US ship, which sounded its horn several times.
The IRGC acknowledged that events in the video happened; however, they downplayed the seriousness and felt the US was exaggerating.
“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea,” Trump wrote.
Trump is facing a tough election in November, and his supporters demand he maintains his hard-line stance against Iran. His supporters have been mentally molded into an opinion pattern that AIPAC has invested in for years. The option of negotiation and peaceful resolution of the tensions between the US and Iran is never discussed. Sanctions, threats, and attacks are in the Trump diplomatic tool-box.
Iraq’s Parliament responded to the Trump ordered assassination by passing an order for all US troops to leave the country. Secretary of State Pompeo has a meeting in June slated to discuss the withdrawal from Iraq. Earlier this month, Trump claimed that Iran was planning an unprovoked attack on US troops in Iraq, and he threatened Iran would pay a heavy price if they did so.
While Iran was ruled by the US ‘puppet’, the Shah of Iran, there was no Sunni-Shia divide; however, once the 1979 Islamic revolution occurred in Iran, the US State Department, and the CIA, began fueling sectarian hatred between the Sunni and Shia in the Middle East. Before 1979, Iran had been under the US sphere of influence, but once they lost Iran the US targeted them with a sophisticated propaganda program, which aimed at replacing Iran as the enemy of the Arabs, and not Israel. This propaganda campaign was so successful, that today we see the ‘Arab Gulf’ monarchies cooperating with ‘Israel’ on the economy, security, and political issues.
Steven Sahiounie is an award-winning journalist
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Who Gains From Ratting on Johnson in Bombshell Report?

Authored by Finian Cunningham via The Strategic Culture Foundation : It could be seen as a fatal blow to Boris Johnson ’ s premiership .
A bombshell report at the weekend revealed the British prime minister had declined to attend five emergency cabinet meetings in the lead-up to the Covid-19 crisis .
He is accused of “ sleepwalking ” Britain into disaster .
As Britain ’ s death toll from the pandemic continues to soar – with projections that it could end up the worst in Europe – Boris Johnson will be in for intense heat from public anger .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease will soon recede as the public demands a reckoning for Britain ’ s grim epidemic .
Coincidentally , it seems , the damning report on Johnson ’ s hands-off approach before he became ill also comes amid signs of infighting among senior government ministers about how Britain exits from its weeks-long lockdown policy to contain the deadly pandemic .
Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove and the finance minister Rishi Sunak are reportedly keen to speed up Britain ’ s return to normal business , while Prime Minister Johnson and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cautious about lifting the public lockdown out of fears that a second wave of infection may occur .
Both Johnson and Hancock suffered from Covid-19 infection which may account for their more wary position .
Indeed earlier this month , Johnson spent several days in hospital intensive care while in a critical condition .
The tensions at the core of the British government over handling the Covid-19 crisis may explain the extraordinarily damaging report by the Sunday Times painting Johnson as woefully complacent in the face of the pandemic .
The rightwing press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favorable and indulgent attitude towards Johnson .
He used to write a column for the tabloid Sun .
Something has changed like a switch , however , in that crony relation .
To reveal that Johnson was absent from five emergency cabinet meetings during January and February is tantamount to making the case for his sacking from office .
The prime minister is portrayed as being feckless and complacent , more concerned about enjoying weekend breaks at his official country residence at Chequers than dealing with a national emergency .
What ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information is described as a “ senior Cabinet aide ” – which could mean a ministerial colleague .
Let ’ s get this clear .
What is reported of Johnson ’ s blasé behavior is unquestionably a sackable offense .
Under his “ leadership ” , the British government acted with criminal complacency in preparing the country for the pandemic .
Johnson personally downplayed the severity of the oncoming crisis during crucial weeks when the British authorities should have been reinforcing the public health service with testing facilities and vital personal protection equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of March was “ too little too late ” .
Johnson ’ s own personal fate of contracting the disease can be seen as him being a victim of his own government ’ s shambolic policy .
But in truth , it is not only Johnson who should be sacked .
Arguably , his entire Cabinet should be forced to resign and held to account for dereliction of duty to protect the public .
The Sunday Times “ exposé ” suggests , however , that a power grab is underway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Johnson ’ s illness compelled him to hand over prime ministerial powers to his foreign minister Dominic Raab , there has been a power vacuum at the heart of government .
Michael Gove previously had ambitions of becoming prime minister until Johnson won that position last July .
Gove is understood to begrudge being overshadowed by the lesser qualified Raab whose public performances have been criticized for lack of authority .
With Boris laid low from his bout of Covid-19 , there is thus an opportunity for power play and settling of old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doubt being exploited by the rightwing , pro-business lobby which , as in other countries , want to see the economy being returned to “ normal ” even if that means pushing consumers and workers prematurely back to unsafe social conditions detrimental to public health .
Murdoch-owned Fox News has been a big proponent of public protests against prolonged lockdowns across the US .
It ’ s not hard to imagine how the Murdoch-owned media – which is a preeminent mouthpiece for big business and oligarchic private capital – would find the likes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Cabinet favoring early exit from lockdown more appealing than Johnson and his more cautious colleagues .
That ’ s why the media exposé of Johnson and his non-attendance of Cabinet emergency meetings has more an air of political hatchet job than investigative journalism .
It seems curiouser too that it was Gove who confirmed in follow-up media reports that the claims about Johnson ’ s absence were true .
Gove , who is closely aligned with the Murdoch media having been a columnist for the London Times , went on to apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by saying that it was “ grotesque ” to suggest that Johnson was not fully informed and committed to dealing with the Covid-19 crisis .
This the equivalent of damning with faint praise after inflicting fatal damage .
Coming out of lockdowns will be a challenge for nations .
The question of risking a relapse of Covid-19 pandemic requires a major balancing act .
Governments ’ decisions must be driven by the science of epidemiology , not by profit interests of big business who will exploit popular grievances about denial of freedom .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest big business is eagerly working on Downing Street to push its profit interests regardless of what is safe for public health .
Even if that outcome means risking many more lives in the long run .
Johnson ’ s corrupt incompetence and that of his government makes them easy prey for manipulation by corporate scavengers .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Authored by Finian Cunningham via The Strategic Culture Foundation:
It could be seen as a fatal blow to Boris Johnson’s premiership. A bombshell report at the weekend revealed the British prime minister had declined to attend five emergency cabinet meetings in the lead-up to the Covid-19 crisis. He is accused of “sleepwalking” Britain into disaster.
As Britain’s death toll from the pandemic continues to soar – with projections that it could end up the worst in Europe – Boris Johnson will be in for intense heat from public anger. Sympathy for his own personal recovery from the disease will soon recede as the public demands a reckoning for Britain’s grim epidemic.
Coincidentally, it seems, the damning report on Johnson’s hands-off approach before he became ill also comes amid signs of infighting among senior government ministers about how Britain exits from its weeks-long lockdown policy to contain the deadly pandemic.
Minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove and the finance minister Rishi Sunak are reportedly keen to speed up Britain’s return to normal business, while Prime Minister Johnson and the health minister Matt Hancock are more cautious about lifting the public lockdown out of fears that a second wave of infection may occur. Both Johnson and Hancock suffered from Covid-19 infection which may account for their more wary position. Indeed earlier this month, Johnson spent several days in hospital intensive care while in a critical condition.
The tensions at the core of the British government over handling the Covid-19 crisis may explain the extraordinarily damaging report by the Sunday Times painting Johnson as woefully complacent in the face of the pandemic. The rightwing press owned by Rupert Murdoch usually have a favorable and indulgent attitude towards Johnson. He used to write a column for the tabloid Sun. Something has changed like a switch, however, in that crony relation.
To reveal that Johnson was absent from five emergency cabinet meetings during January and February is tantamount to making the case for his sacking from office. The prime minister is portrayed as being feckless and complacent, more concerned about enjoying weekend breaks at his official country residence at Chequers than dealing with a national emergency.
What’s more, the source for this damning information is described as a “senior Cabinet aide” – which could mean a ministerial colleague.
Let’s get this clear. What is reported of Johnson’s blasé behavior is unquestionably a sackable offense. Under his “leadership”, the British government acted with criminal complacency in preparing the country for the pandemic. Johnson personally downplayed the severity of the oncoming crisis during crucial weeks when the British authorities should have been reinforcing the public health service with testing facilities and vital personal protection equipment for medical staff. The lockdown declared at the end of March was “too little too late”. Johnson’s own personal fate of contracting the disease can be seen as him being a victim of his own government’s shambolic policy.
But in truth, it is not only Johnson who should be sacked. Arguably, his entire Cabinet should be forced to resign and held to account for dereliction of duty to protect the public.
The Sunday Times “exposé” suggests, however, that a power grab is underway within the Tory command. Ever since Johnson’s illness compelled him to hand over prime ministerial powers to his foreign minister Dominic Raab, there has been a power vacuum at the heart of government. Michael Gove previously had ambitions of becoming prime minister until Johnson won that position last July. Gove is understood to begrudge being overshadowed by the lesser qualified Raab whose public performances have been criticized for lack of authority.
With Boris laid low from his bout of Covid-19, there is thus an opportunity for power play and settling of old scores.
These tensions are also no doubt being exploited by the rightwing, pro-business lobby which, as in other countries, want to see the economy being returned to “normal” even if that means pushing consumers and workers prematurely back to unsafe social conditions detrimental to public health. Murdoch-owned Fox News has been a big proponent of public protests against prolonged lockdowns across the US.
It’s not hard to imagine how the Murdoch-owned media – which is a preeminent mouthpiece for big business and oligarchic private capital – would find the likes of Michael Gove and others in the British Cabinet favoring early exit from lockdown more appealing than Johnson and his more cautious colleagues.
That’s why the media exposé of Johnson and his non-attendance of Cabinet emergency meetings has more an air of political hatchet job than investigative journalism.
It seems curiouser too that it was Gove who confirmed in follow-up media reports that the claims about Johnson’s absence were true.
Gove, who is closely aligned with the Murdoch media having been a columnist for the London Times, went on to apparently defend his boss in Downing Street, by saying that it was “grotesque” to suggest that Johnson was not fully informed and committed to dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. This the equivalent of damning with faint praise after inflicting fatal damage.
Coming out of lockdowns will be a challenge for nations. The question of risking a relapse of Covid-19 pandemic requires a major balancing act. Governments’ decisions must be driven by the science of epidemiology, not by profit interests of big business who will exploit popular grievances about denial of freedom.
British government splits and media dirty tricks suggest big business is eagerly working on Downing Street to push its profit interests regardless of what is safe for public health. Even if that outcome means risking many more lives in the long run. Johnson’s corrupt incompetence and that of his government makes them easy prey for manipulation by corporate scavengers.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Trump: Live by the Oil, Die by the Oil

Trump: Live by the Oil, Die by the Oil

Authored by Tom Luongo via The Strategic Culture Foundation : From the very beginning I ’ ve been a staunch critic of President Trump ’ s “ Energy Dominance ” policy .
And I was so for a myriad of reasons , but mostly because it was stupid .
And I don ’ t say this as someone who hates Trump without reservation .
In fact , I continue to hope he will wake up one day and stop being the Donald Trump I know and be the Donald Trump he needs to be .
I don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neither MAGApede nor Q-Tard , an Orange Man Bad cultist or NPC Soy Boy , I see Trump for what he is – a well-intentioned , if miseducated man with severe personal deficiencies which manifest themselves in occasionally brilliant but mostly disastrous behavior .
Energy Dominance was always a misguided and Quixotic endeavor .
Why ?
Because Trump could never turn financial engineering a shale boom into a sustainable advantage over lower-cost producers like Russia and the OPEC nations .
The policy of blasting open the U.S. oil spigots to produce a production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near-zero cost credit was always going to run into a wall of oversupply and not enough demand .
The dramatic collapse of U.S. oil prices in the futures markets which saw the May contract close on April 20th at $ -40.57 per barrel is the Shale Miracle hitting the fan of low demand and leaving the producers and consumers in a state which can only happen thanks to biblical levels of government intervention .
The next morning , ever needing to look like the good guy , Trump tweets out : It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ready to throw more trillions at the oil industry to keep it and the millions of jobs from disappearing as he does what he always does when confronted with a real problem , doubles down on the behavior that caused it in the first place .
Politicians , even the best ones , are ultimately vandals .
They have no other tool than to reallocate scarce capital towards their ends rather than that demanded by the market .
And the main reason why Trump was never going to win the Energy Dominance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doesn ’ t want the type and kind of oil the U.S. produces at the quantities needed to “ Win !
” Ultra-light sweet crude coming from the Bakken , Eagle Ford and Permian simply isn ’ t that high in demand for export .
It ’ s of limited usage .
And , in the end , if the price is right enough , offering oil for sale in ‘ not-dollars ’ only makes that demand curve even more elastic .
The collapse in oil prices which Trump is desperate to stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there like King Canute , arms outstretched .
He and his terrible energy policy stand naked now that the tide has gone out .
And the reason for this is simple .
There is more to the world economy than money .
Money is what makes the economy work but it , in and of itself , is incapable of creating wealth .
All money does is act as a means to express our needs and desires at the moment of the trade .
Trump ’ s vandalizing the world ’ s energy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ half years now comes back to bite him .
To prop up surging U.S. production he has : Supported a disastrous war against the people of Yemen Repurposed U.S. troops clinging to positions in Syria while stealing their oil Nearly started a shooting war with Iran… .
Twice .
Embargoed Venezuela , stole its money , attempted a failed coup and brought even more support to President Maduro from Russia and China .
Supported a vicious war to prevent the secession of the Donbass .
Sowed chaos enough to set Turkey to claiming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war in Libya .
Spent trillions throwing the U.S. budget deficit for 2020 out beyond 20 % of the U.S. ’ s 2019 GDP .
I could go on , but I think you get the point .
None of these acts are defensible as anything other than immoral and counterproductive .
Having antagonized literally more than three-quarters of the world with this insanity , Trump will now turn his destructive gaze on the very people he purports to serve , the American people .
Saving jobs through subsidies is capital destructive .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , Trump , Putin , Xi or FDR .
If Trump tariffs on imports it will only keep the cost of energy for Americans higher than it should be at a time when they need it to be as cheap as possible .
The incentive to improve performance by these companies , shutter expensive wells , default on debt or shift capital away from the unproductive will not happen .
The healthy cleansing of bankruptcy is averted .
The vultures who profited on the way up will not go bankrupt because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prudent waiting for this moment will not be rewarded with the reins of the means of production .
And again , we see another one-way trade for Wall St. All Trump will do here is entrench the very powers that he thinks he ’ s been fighting , destroying small businesses , nationalizing , in effect , whole swaths of the U.S. economy and setting up the day when everyone else around the world shrugs when he bark .
Because the net effect has been to see the rise in more of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. dollar .
That trend will continue in a deflating price environment where the need to service dollar-denominated debt is soaking up the supply of dollars faster than the Fed can monetize the debt issued by the U.S. Treasury .
The oil trade will shift from dollars .
Dollars will be used to pay off debt , the world will decouple from the dollar and all those dollars currently hoarded overseas and whose demand today will be supply tomorrow will ensure the U.S. economy suffers the worst kind of depression , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prices and falling wages .
So , Trump will continue to be , as I put it recently , The Master of the Seen , choosing , as always , to ignore the unseen effects of propping up firms that should rightly go the way of all bad ideas , like Marxism .
The U.S. had a grenade dropped on its budget .
It looks like a nuclear bomb , but that ’ s only because of the continued arrogance and necessity of politicians , like Trump , needing to be ‘ seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than it would have if they hadn ’ t intervened in the first place .
The adage , “ never let a crisis go to waste , ” is apropos here .
Politicians use the cover of crisis to act .
They have to be ‘ seen ’ acting rather than not .
Trump is acutely aware of this because he truly can ’ t stand criticism .
A man without principles , Trump acts mostly out of his need to deflect criticism and be ‘ seen ’ by his base as their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself as the biggest Marxist of all time , defending the workers while robbing them of their future through the destruction of their real wealth .
His policy mistakes become our real problems .
And he compounded those problems by listening to the medical complex vultures about COVID-19 and now he ’ s trapped but everyone else will pay the price .
He is someone without the sense or the understanding that sometimes the best thing to do is admit defeat , reverse course and put down the scepter of power .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do that .
He doesn ’ t know how to actually lead .
Energy Dominance will turn into an Energy Albatross and it will weigh on Trump ’ s neck in his second term that will see him leave office reviled as the great destroyer of not only the U.S. ’ s wealth , but more importantly , its standing in the world .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Authored by Tom Luongo via The Strategic Culture Foundation:
From the very beginning I’ve been a staunch critic of President Trump’s “Energy Dominance” policy. And I was so for a myriad of reasons, but mostly because it was stupid.
Not just stupid, monumentally stupid. Breathtakingly stupid.
And I don’t say this as someone who hates Trump without reservation. In fact, I continue to hope he will wake up one day and stop being the Donald Trump I know and be the Donald Trump he needs to be.
I don’t have Trump Derangement Syndrome of any sort. Neither MAGApede nor Q-Tard, an Orange Man Bad cultist or NPC Soy Boy, I see Trump for what he is – a well-intentioned, if miseducated man with severe personal deficiencies which manifest themselves in occasionally brilliant but mostly disastrous behavior.
Energy Dominance was always a misguided and Quixotic endeavor. Why? Because Trump could never turn financial engineering a shale boom into a sustainable advantage over lower-cost producers like Russia and the OPEC nations.
The policy of blasting open the U.S. oil spigots to produce a production boom built on an endless supply of near-zero cost credit was always going to run into a wall of oversupply and not enough demand.
The dramatic collapse of U.S. oil prices in the futures markets which saw the May contract close on April 20th at $-40.57 per barrel is the Shale Miracle hitting the fan of low demand and leaving the producers and consumers in a state which can only happen thanks to biblical levels of government intervention.
A broken market.
The next morning, ever needing to look like the good guy, Trump tweets out:
We will never let the great U.S. Oil & Gas Industry down. I have instructed the Secretary of Energy and Secretary of the Treasury to formulate a plan which will make funds available so that these very important companies and jobs will be secured long into the future! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2020
It’s clear from this statement that Trump is ready to throw more trillions at the oil industry to keep it and the millions of jobs from disappearing as he does what he always does when confronted with a real problem, doubles down on the behavior that caused it in the first place.
Politicians, even the best ones, are ultimately vandals. They have no other tool than to reallocate scarce capital towards their ends rather than that demanded by the market.
And the main reason why Trump was never going to win the Energy Dominance War he started was because the world doesn’t want the type and kind of oil the U.S. produces at the quantities needed to “Win!”
Ultra-light sweet crude coming from the Bakken, Eagle Ford and Permian simply isn’t that high in demand for export. It’s of limited usage. And, in the end, if the price is right enough, offering oil for sale in ‘not-dollars’ only makes that demand curve even more elastic.
The collapse in oil prices which Trump is desperate to stop won’t simply because Trump stands there like King Canute, arms outstretched. He and his terrible energy policy stand naked now that the tide has gone out.
And the reason for this is simple. There is more to the world economy than money. Money is what makes the economy work but it, in and of itself, is incapable of creating wealth. All money does is act as a means to express our needs and desires at the moment of the trade.
Trump’s vandalizing the world’s energy markets for the past three and a half years now comes back to bite him. To prop up surging U.S. production he has:
Supported a disastrous war against the people of Yemen
Repurposed U.S. troops clinging to positions in Syria while stealing their oil
Nearly started a shooting war with Iran…. Twice.
Embargoed Venezuela, stole its money, attempted a failed coup and brought even more support to President Maduro from Russia and China.
Spent billions pointing missiles at Russia via NATO.
Supported a vicious war to prevent the secession of the Donbass.
Delayed the construction of Nordstream 2.
Sowed chaos enough to set Turkey to claiming the Eastern Mediterranean while fighting a losing war in Libya.
Started a massive trade war with China.
Spent trillions throwing the U.S. budget deficit for 2020 out beyond 20% of the U.S.’s 2019 GDP.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. None of these acts are defensible as anything other than immoral and counterproductive.
Having antagonized literally more than three-quarters of the world with this insanity, Trump will now turn his destructive gaze on the very people he purports to serve, the American people. Saving jobs through subsidies is capital destructive. It doesn’t matter who does it, Trump, Putin, Xi or FDR.
If Trump tariffs on imports it will only keep the cost of energy for Americans higher than it should be at a time when they need it to be as cheap as possible.
The incentive to improve performance by these companies, shutter expensive wells, default on debt or shift capital away from the unproductive will not happen. The healthy cleansing of bankruptcy is averted. The vultures who profited on the way up will not go bankrupt because the bust is avoided and those that were prudent waiting for this moment will not be rewarded with the reins of the means of production.
And again, we see another one-way trade for Wall St.
All Trump will do here is entrench the very powers that he thinks he’s been fighting, destroying small businesses, nationalizing, in effect, whole swaths of the U.S. economy and setting up the day when everyone else around the world shrugs when he bark.
Because the net effect has been to see the rise in more of the oil trade conducted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. That trend will continue in a deflating price environment where the need to service dollar-denominated debt is soaking up the supply of dollars faster than the Fed can monetize the debt issued by the U.S. Treasury.
The oil trade will shift from dollars. Dollars will be used to pay off debt, the world will decouple from the dollar and all those dollars currently hoarded overseas and whose demand today will be supply tomorrow will ensure the U.S. economy suffers the worst kind of depression, one of rising commodity prices, falling asset prices and falling wages.
So, Trump will continue to be, as I put it recently, The Master of the Seen, choosing, as always, to ignore the unseen effects of propping up firms that should rightly go the way of all bad ideas, like Marxism.
The U.S. had a grenade dropped on its budget. It looks like a nuclear bomb, but that’s only because of the continued arrogance and necessity of politicians, like Trump, needing to be ‘seen’ doing something caused far more damage than it would have if they hadn’t intervened in the first place.
The adage, “never let a crisis go to waste,” is apropos here. Politicians use the cover of crisis to act. They have to be ‘seen’ acting rather than not. Trump is acutely aware of this because he truly can’t stand criticism.
A man without principles, Trump acts mostly out of his need to deflect criticism and be ‘seen’ by his base as their champion.
But no, Trump outs himself as the biggest Marxist of all time, defending the workers while robbing them of their future through the destruction of their real wealth. His policy mistakes become our real problems. And he compounded those problems by listening to the medical complex vultures about COVID-19 and now he’s trapped but everyone else will pay the price.
He is someone without the sense or the understanding that sometimes the best thing to do is admit defeat, reverse course and put down the scepter of power. But Trump doesn’t know how to do that. He doesn’t know how to actually lead.
Energy Dominance will turn into an Energy Albatross and it will weigh on Trump’s neck in his second term that will see him leave office reviled as the great destroyer of not only the U.S.’s wealth, but more importantly, its standing in the world.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Coronavirus Has Accelerated Decline of U.S. Global Hegemony

With around 800,000 infections and approximately 45,000 deaths , there is no doubt that the U.S. has failed to properly respond to the coronavirus pandemic – thinking that everything could be back to normal by Easter that has already come and gone .
As the 162-year-old prestigious The Atlantic magazine said , “ the crisis demanded a response that was swift , rational , and collective.
” This however did not occur , and instead “ The United States reacted instead like Pakistan or Belarus—like a country with shoddy infrastructure and a dysfunctional government whose leaders were too corrupt or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The columnist used the word corruption four times in his article to describe U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s administration , as well as other blistering terms like nepotism , amateurism and stupid .
These are thunderous comments from a well-respected magazine and something we would expect in an anti-American publication in Iran or another country .
And if calling Trump corrupt and stupid was not enough , the author even compared the American president to the docile Philippe Petain who led the Vichy pro-Nazi government in occupied France .
However , The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticizing Trump ’ s inept coronavirus response with CNN even refusing to broadcast the president ’ s press conferences directly , as they claim his comments actually endanger public safety .
Surprisingly though , ignoring Trump ’ s broadcasts were first done by the U.S. Public Radio , specifically by Seattle ’ s KUOW radio station , which accused the president of falsities in a tweet , saying “ We will not be airing the briefings live due to a pattern of false or misleading information provided that can not be fact checked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a president ’ s press conference should be broadcast by the media or not , the true question is whether the pandemic has turned the U.S. into a failed state .
With coronavirus out of control in the U.S. , 22 million people claiming unemployment and the media turning against the president in such an aggressive manner , a case can certainly be made .
Well respected journalist Patrick Cockburn writing for the British publication The Independent questioned the U.S ’ global dominance and said “ the inability of Washington to respond adequately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longer the case and crystallises a perception that American competence is vanishing.
” He continues by claiming that “ the US is no longer a country that the rest of the world wants to emulate or , if they do , the emulators tend to be authoritarian nativist demagogues or despots.
” We also can not forget that earlier this month Germany accused the U.S. of “ modern piracy ” for redirecting masks for their own use , demonstrating a country that is in desperation and not one that is supposedly the “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is just the icing on top of the cake when we consider the student debt of $ 1.6 trillion , the addiction to opiate drugs which kills at least 200 people a day , the reluctance or inability to maintain basic infrastructure like bridges and dams – these are just some of the signs of American decline .
The coronavirus and the failure of Western liberal societies like those in the European Union , as well as the U.S. , has demonstrated that they are in a decline .
No matter your opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied that it will emerge far stronger in the post-coronavirus world and the West far weaker .
Under these conditions , the structural weaknesses of the U.S. may come to the surface in a tragic way .
As the American share of the global economy shrinks it will be very difficult for the U.S. to continue to play the difficult role of the authoritarian central bank of the entire planet .
U.S. hegemony has been in a period of economic decline for years , which it only offsets with the Pentagon ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The question is whether the coronavirus will make the fall quicker ?
It certainly will as the U.S. has maintained its global dominance through military means , something that it is continuing unabated despite the pandemic .
With tens of thousands of American soldiers in South Korea and Japan alone , there is still no discussion of withdrawing them back home , let alone all the other tens of thousands in Australia , South America , Africa , Europe and the Middle East .
These costly exercises with the massive slowdown in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see the world no longer ruled by a unipolar system , but rather an ever increasing balanced multipolarity .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Paul Antonopoulos, independent geopolitical analyst…
With around 800,000 infections and approximately 45,000 deaths, there is no doubt that the U.S. has failed to properly respond to the coronavirus pandemic – thinking that everything could be back to normal by Easter that has already come and gone. As the 162-year-old prestigious The Atlantic magazine said, “the crisis demanded a response that was swift, rational, and collective.” This however did not occur, and instead “The United States reacted instead like Pakistan or Belarus—like a country with shoddy infrastructure and a dysfunctional government whose leaders were too corrupt or stupid to head off mass suffering.”
The columnist used the word corruption four times in his article to describe U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, as well as other blistering terms like nepotism, amateurism and stupid. These are thunderous comments from a well-respected magazine and something we would expect in an anti-American publication in Iran or another country. And if calling Trump corrupt and stupid was not enough, the author even compared the American president to the docile Philippe Petain who led the Vichy pro-Nazi government in occupied France.
However, The Atlantic is not a lone voice in criticizing Trump’s inept coronavirus response with CNN even refusing to broadcast the president’s press conferences directly, as they claim his comments actually endanger public safety. Surprisingly though, ignoring Trump’s broadcasts were first done by the U.S. Public Radio, specifically by Seattle’s KUOW radio station, which accused the president of falsities in a tweet, saying “We will not be airing the briefings live due to a pattern of false or misleading information provided that cannot be fact checked in real time.”
Whether one supposes a president’s press conference should be broadcast by the media or not, the true question is whether the pandemic has turned the U.S. into a failed state. With coronavirus out of control in the U.S., 22 million people claiming unemployment and the media turning against the president in such an aggressive manner, a case can certainly be made.
Well respected journalist Patrick Cockburn writing for the British publication The Independent questioned the U.S’ global dominance and said “the inability of Washington to respond adequately to Covid-19 shows that this is no longer the case and crystallises a perception that American competence is vanishing.” He continues by claiming that “the US is no longer a country that the rest of the world wants to emulate or, if they do, the emulators tend to be authoritarian nativist demagogues or despots.”
We also cannot forget that earlier this month Germany accused the U.S. of “modern piracy” for redirecting masks for their own use, demonstrating a country that is in desperation and not one that is supposedly the “leader of the free world.” This is just the icing on top of the cake when we consider the student debt of $1.6 trillion, the addiction to opiate drugs which kills at least 200 people a day, the reluctance or inability to maintain basic infrastructure like bridges and dams – these are just some of the signs of American decline.
The coronavirus and the failure of Western liberal societies like those in the European Union, as well as the U.S., has demonstrated that they are in a decline. No matter your opinion of China, it cannot be denied that it will emerge far stronger in the post-coronavirus world and the West far weaker. Under these conditions, the structural weaknesses of the U.S. may come to the surface in a tragic way.
As the American share of the global economy shrinks it will be very difficult for the U.S. to continue to play the difficult role of the authoritarian central bank of the entire planet. U.S. hegemony has been in a period of economic decline for years, which it only offsets with the Pentagon’s military might and exploitation of weaker states. The question is whether the coronavirus will make the fall quicker?
It certainly will as the U.S. has maintained its global dominance through military means, something that it is continuing unabated despite the pandemic. With tens of thousands of American soldiers in South Korea and Japan alone, there is still no discussion of withdrawing them back home, let alone all the other tens of thousands in Australia, South America, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. These costly exercises with the massive slowdown in the U.S. economy due to coronavirus will see the world no longer ruled by a unipolar system, but rather an ever increasing balanced multipolarity.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Scotland Braves Coronavirus as Economy Takes a Knock

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Johanna Ross , journalist based in Edinburgh , Scotland… Scotland is shrouded in silence .
A lonely Edinburgh castle towers above the desolate streets of the capital , devoid of life for the first time in its history .
Only the birdsong of Princes Street Gardens can be heard , more boisterous and beautiful than ever as the cherry begins to blossom .
As Spring dawns on the world , nature is reclaiming global metropolises .
Scotland is no different .
Coronavirus has united us all in that at least .
What is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ huge loss for the Scottish economy .
How big a loss ?
Billions .
In 2018 alone , tourists spent around £10.6 billion in Scotland .
Then there is the annual £300 million normally generated from the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe which takes over the city during the summer months .
In recent years Edinburgh has turned into a Scottish Disneyland attracting tourists from all over , seduced by the myths and legends of this foggy land of kilts , whisky and ‘ Braveheart ’ .
But with the country now closed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that domestic tourism takes off once restrictions are lifted .
One can only hope , but the outlook is not good .
On a positive note , the Scottish government has shown effective leadership when it comes to handling the pandemic .
Despite the scandal of the Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood – who was forced to resign after breaching the very lockdown rules she was preaching – no criticism can really be made of how First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has handled the crisis .
Giving clear , concise press briefings from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has prepared for this crisis , and is managing it .
Unfortunately , due to the fact that the media in Scotland is dominated by London-based mainstream news outlets , not all Scots will be aware of the different policies adopted in Scotland to handle the Covid-19 pandemic .
For example , right from the very beginning , Nicola Sturgeon announced that patients exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 should attend separate clinics from the doctor ’ s surgery , so-called ‘ coronavirus assessment centres ’ .
50 such centres were rapidly set up across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple of weeks .
Such a measure helps to prevent unnecessary spread of the virus , by isolating those individuals suspected of harbouring the disease .
It ’ s not clear why a similar initiative has not been started in England .
Another basic procedure which is being implemented now in Scotland , and yet still not being done south of the border , is the testing of elderly patients in hospitals for Covid-19 before they are transferred to care homes .
This rather obvious method of controlling the spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much lower death rate ; to date 33 % of all deaths in Scotland to Covid-19 have taken place in care homes , and more often than not the virus was introduced to the home from a patient that had been in hospital .
There is growing pressure on the Westminster government to mirror this testing in England .
Hospitals at the moment are deadly places .
Even the advice given to coronavirus patients who have been admitted is – get home as soon as you can to recover .
It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whisked off to recuperate at home after only 3 days in intensive care .
The risk of contracting other infections and complications whilst recovering from coronavirus is just too high .
And medical staff are of course tragically succumbing to the disease .
69 NHS staff have passed away to Covid-19 in the UK to date .
What continues to be a concern for all is the lack of Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) : face masks , overalls and eye protection that plays such a vital role in protecting medical personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the government advising NHS staff they should use disposable equipment more than once as there is not enough to go around .
However in Scotland the situation is not so grave .
The National Health Service in Scotland north of the border is separate to that in England , and its budget is controlled by the Scottish government , not Westminster .
Unlike the NHS in England , the Scottish government has placed an emphasis on funding the health service for years now , which has stood it in good stead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So when it comes to an issue such as PPE , the Scottish government has assured people that it has enough supplies , with a further 10 million masks having arrived from China last week .
According to reports , 50 million pieces of PPE have been delivered to hospitals in the last 7 weeks , and GPs were given 8 weeks ’ supply at the end of March .
Unfortunately Scotland has had to compete with England however for securing further deliveries of PPE .
A scandal unfolded in recent weeks as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told that they could not supply to Scotland , only to England .
Medical professionals in Scotland even reportedly received goods which had been marked for ‘ NHS England only ’ .
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government would be investigating the reports , and if true they were ‘ completely unacceptable ’ .
Incidents such as this will only fuel Scottish nationalism further .
If , at the beginning of the pandemic , the independence debate was shelved , it is now back on the table again as the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the crisis .
Questions as to why Boris Johnson missed essential meetings on coronavirus ; why supposedly little preparation was done in the weeks after world leaders were told that this would be a serious pandemic ; why the health service is struggling to cope in the world ’ s fifth largest economy .
Comparisons are being made with Germany , which has more cases than Britain , but a fraction of the deaths : 5334 compared to the UK ’ s shocking 18,100 .
Coronavirus is the ultimate leadership test .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Scotland will not necessarily follow Boris Johnson ’ s path out of lockdown .
Despite the initial unity shown by Scotland in relation to the coronavirus pandemic , divisions are beginning to show .
Like it or not , coronavirus will be politicised , and if Sturgeon manages to steer Scotland successfully out of the current crisis , it will be remembered , and when it comes to the independence debate , it will only support the nationalist cause .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Johanna Ross, journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland…
Scotland is shrouded in silence. A lonely Edinburgh castle towers above the desolate streets of the capital, devoid of life for the first time in its history. Only the birdsong of Princes Street Gardens can be heard, more boisterous and beautiful than ever as the cherry begins to blossom. As Spring dawns on the world, nature is reclaiming global metropolises. Scotland is no different. Coronavirus has united us all in that at least.
What is a win for Mother Nature is however a huge loss for the Scottish economy. How big a loss? Billions. In 2018 alone, tourists spent around £10.6 billion in Scotland. Then there is the annual £300 million normally generated from the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe which takes over the city during the summer months. In recent years Edinburgh has turned into a Scottish Disneyland attracting tourists from all over, seduced by the myths and legends of this foggy land of kilts, whisky and ‘Braveheart’. But with the country now closed for business, the only hope will be that domestic tourism takes off once restrictions are lifted. One can only hope, but the outlook is not good.
On a positive note, the Scottish government has shown effective leadership when it comes to handling the pandemic. Despite the scandal of the Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood – who was forced to resign after breaching the very lockdown rules she was preaching – no criticism can really be made of how First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has handled the crisis. Giving clear, concise press briefings from the outset, she has demonstrated that Scotland has prepared for this crisis, and is managing it.
Unfortunately, due to the fact that the media in Scotland is dominated by London-based mainstream news outlets, not all Scots will be aware of the different policies adopted in Scotland to handle the Covid-19 pandemic. For example, right from the very beginning, Nicola Sturgeon announced that patients exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 should attend separate clinics from the doctor’s surgery, so-called ‘coronavirus assessment centres’. 50 such centres were rapidly set up across Scotland in just the space of a couple of weeks. Such a measure helps to prevent unnecessary spread of the virus, by isolating those individuals suspected of harbouring the disease. It’s not clear why a similar initiative has not been started in England.
Another basic procedure which is being implemented now in Scotland, and yet still not being done south of the border, is the testing of elderly patients in hospitals for Covid-19 before they are transferred to care homes. This rather obvious method of controlling the spread of the virus would have no doubt resulted in a much lower death rate; to date 33% of all deaths in Scotland to Covid-19 have taken place in care homes, and more often than not the virus was introduced to the home from a patient that had been in hospital. There is growing pressure on the Westminster government to mirror this testing in England.
Hospitals at the moment are deadly places. Even the advice given to coronavirus patients who have been admitted is – get home as soon as you can to recover. It’s hardly surprising Prime Minister Boris Johnson was whisked off to recuperate at home after only 3 days in intensive care. The risk of contracting other infections and complications whilst recovering from coronavirus is just too high. And medical staff are of course tragically succumbing to the disease. 69 NHS staff have passed away to Covid-19 in the UK to date.
What continues to be a concern for all is the lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): face masks, overalls and eye protection that plays such a vital role in protecting medical personnel. There are chronic shortages in England, with the government advising NHS staff they should use disposable equipment more than once as there is not enough to go around. However in Scotland the situation is not so grave. The National Health Service in Scotland north of the border is separate to that in England, and its budget is controlled by the Scottish government, not Westminster. Unlike the NHS in England, the Scottish government has placed an emphasis on funding the health service for years now, which has stood it in good stead for a crisis such as this.
So when it comes to an issue such as PPE, the Scottish government has assured people that it has enough supplies, with a further 10 million masks having arrived from China last week. According to reports, 50 million pieces of PPE have been delivered to hospitals in the last 7 weeks, and GPs were given 8 weeks’ supply at the end of March. Unfortunately Scotland has had to compete with England however for securing further deliveries of PPE. A scandal unfolded in recent weeks as it was reported that international suppliers were told that they could not supply to Scotland, only to England. Medical professionals in Scotland even reportedly received goods which had been marked for ‘NHS England only’. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish government would be investigating the reports, and if true they were ‘completely unacceptable’.
Incidents such as this will only fuel Scottish nationalism further. If, at the beginning of the pandemic, the independence debate was shelved, it is now back on the table again as the UK government faces increased criticism for its handling of the crisis. Questions as to why Boris Johnson missed essential meetings on coronavirus; why supposedly little preparation was done in the weeks after world leaders were told that this would be a serious pandemic; why the health service is struggling to cope in the world’s fifth largest economy. Comparisons are being made with Germany, which has more cases than Britain, but a fraction of the deaths: 5334 compared to the UK’s shocking 18,100.
Coronavirus is the ultimate leadership test. Nicola Sturgeon has already warned this week that Scotland will not necessarily follow Boris Johnson’s path out of lockdown. Despite the initial unity shown by Scotland in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, divisions are beginning to show. Like it or not, coronavirus will be politicised, and if Sturgeon manages to steer Scotland successfully out of the current crisis, it will be remembered, and when it comes to the independence debate, it will only support the nationalist cause.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Talks between US and Afghan terrorists is not enough to stop the violence

Submitted by Infobrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz , research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… In Afghanistan , the United States and the Taliban are advancing negotiations to implement the measures of the historic peace agreement signed on February 29 .
Although the document has already been signed and meetings between American officials and Taliban leaders have become increasingly frequent , there is a significant delay in the implementation of the agreement .
According to experts , the complete absence of the Afghan government in the negotiations and the direct relations between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group – are the main causes for the apparent failure of the project .
The agreement between the USA and the Taliban was signed with the hope of being a historic event that would put an end to the spiral of violence and terror that has befallen Afghanistan for decades , however , this violence has not only continued but has been increasing since February , and several attacks by the terrorist group have been reported .
The Taliban is not complying with any of the conditions of the agreement , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the implementation of the terms of the US-Taliban agreement was discussed by General Scott Miller , commander of the US Armed Forces and the current NATO support mission in Afghanistan , and the Taliban leadership in the capital of Qatar , Doha .
Days later , Miller and Zalmay Khalilzad , US special representative for Afghanistan , met with the Taliban in Doha for the same purpose .
The talks were previously scheduled for March 10 , but have been repeatedly postponed due to a series of disagreements , mainly the continuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the agreement is precisely the absence of the Afghan government , with only the Taliban and American interests taken into account , to the detriment of an entire sovereign national state that has been victimized by violence for decades .
Therefore , the agreement can only bring a shallow and weak unstable “ peace ” whose only beneficiaries will be the US and NATO troops , while the Afghan population will continue to be hostage to successive attacks .
Bilquees Daud , senior associate researcher at Global O.P .
Jindal , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Afghan government has no role here .
Even the ceasefire was defined in the agreement as reducing violence only against NATO forces .
Therefore , these meetings are very unlikely to bring peace to Afghanistan ( … ) The country ’ s socio-political landscape has changed dramatically in the past 20 years , so I am not sure whether the Taliban is ready to accept these changes and modify its demands .
If they don ’ t , Afghans are unlikely to accept the kind of government the Taliban is demanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peace process is fraught with errors mainly due to the fact that Washington only cares about its own interests .
For her , peace could only prevail in Afghanistan through intra-Afghan negotiations and agreements , taking into account the interests of forces operating in the country to the detriment of external powers .
Raghav Sharma , associate professor and director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Global University O. P. Jindal , in a similar sense , says there are fundamental problems with the agreement and that there are a number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came from both sides .
In his words : “ These fundamental divergences , associated with the shift in the balance of forces on the battlefield and the political imbroglio in Kabul , will make it terribly difficult to make tangible progress at these meetings to reduce violence on the ground ” .
Sharma even pointed out the Afghans ’ lack of participation in concluding the agreement , stating : “ The fact is that for intra-Afghan dialogue to lead to pan-Afghan legitimacy and contribute to a meaningful negotiated solution , it must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s socio-political context , but there must be a consensus among the elite in Afghanistan about the need and the roadmap for such a dialogue ” .
Another interesting point about the agreement was dealt with by the strategy and security expert Nishanki Motwani , who noted that the main objective of this negotiation is to generate a “ peaceful ” US exit from Afghanistan for the benefit of the Taliban itself , as in a kind of political succession in the parents .
These are his words : “ In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the implementation of the US-Taliban agreement , but they do not happen because the Taliban wants peace or seeks to share power .
The caveat here is that the implementation of the agreement would be because the Taliban wants to facilitate a US exit from Afghanistan so that it can capture power ( … ) The Taliban are aware of and are actively exploring the US ’ s stated position to leave Afghanistan before mid-2021 and the upcoming US presidential elections in November 2020 , to get the maximum gains in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weaken the Afghan government before the start of intra-Afghan negotiations ” .
After all , with an almost unanimous opinion among experts about the flaws in the agreement , are the United States and the Taliban really negotiating this peace “ innocently ” ?
The most curious of all this is the American willingness to negotiate with a terrorist group .
Generally speaking , in a war scenario , we can always negotiate with the enemy , but the so-called “ global war on terror ” is not a typical war , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which the terrorist is not seen as a simple “ enemy ” , with whom one can negotiate , but as a true “ international criminal ” against whom only war can be waged .
This is the logic behind anti-terrorism : you can not negotiate with terrorists .
So , is it possible to say that the Taliban is really an organization worthy of negotiation ?
For Washington , apparently , it is , while the government of a National State – Afghanistan – is not .
This all leads us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to transfer its occupation in Afghanistan to the Taliban yoke , not really effecting the pacification of the country , but benefiting both – the terrorists and the US – the violence will not stop anytime soon .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Infobrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
In Afghanistan, the United States and the Taliban are advancing negotiations to implement the measures of the historic peace agreement signed on February 29. Although the document has already been signed and meetings between American officials and Taliban leaders have become increasingly frequent, there is a significant delay in the implementation of the agreement. According to experts, the complete absence of the Afghan government in the negotiations and the direct relations between the USA and the Taliban – a terrorist group – are the main causes for the apparent failure of the project.
The agreement between the USA and the Taliban was signed with the hope of being a historic event that would put an end to the spiral of violence and terror that has befallen Afghanistan for decades, however, this violence has not only continued but has been increasing since February, and several attacks by the terrorist group have been reported. The Taliban is not complying with any of the conditions of the agreement, such as the release of prisoners.
Last week, the implementation of the terms of the US-Taliban agreement was discussed by General Scott Miller, commander of the US Armed Forces and the current NATO support mission in Afghanistan, and the Taliban leadership in the capital of Qatar, Doha. Days later, Miller and Zalmay Khalilzad, US special representative for Afghanistan, met with the Taliban in Doha for the same purpose. The talks were previously scheduled for March 10, but have been repeatedly postponed due to a series of disagreements, mainly the continuation of Taliban violence.
The weakest point of the agreement is precisely the absence of the Afghan government, with only the Taliban and American interests taken into account, to the detriment of an entire sovereign national state that has been victimized by violence for decades. Therefore, the agreement can only bring a shallow and weak unstable “peace” whose only beneficiaries will be the US and NATO troops, while the Afghan population will continue to be hostage to successive attacks.
Bilquees Daud, senior associate researcher at Global O.P. Jindal, in an interview to Sputnik, said: “The Afghan government has no role here. Even the ceasefire was defined in the agreement as reducing violence only against NATO forces. Therefore, these meetings are very unlikely to bring peace to Afghanistan (…) The country’s socio-political landscape has changed dramatically in the past 20 years, so I am not sure whether the Taliban is ready to accept these changes and modify its demands. If they don’t, Afghans are unlikely to accept the kind of government the Taliban is demanding”. Daud also said that the peace process is fraught with errors mainly due to the fact that Washington only cares about its own interests. For her, peace could only prevail in Afghanistan through intra-Afghan negotiations and agreements, taking into account the interests of forces operating in the country to the detriment of external powers.
Raghav Sharma, associate professor and director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies at Global University O. P. Jindal, in a similar sense, says there are fundamental problems with the agreement and that there are a number of accusations of breaches of the agreement that came from both sides. In his words: “These fundamental divergences, associated with the shift in the balance of forces on the battlefield and the political imbroglio in Kabul, will make it terribly difficult to make tangible progress at these meetings to reduce violence on the ground”. Sharma even pointed out the Afghans’ lack of participation in concluding the agreement, stating: “The fact is that for intra-Afghan dialogue to lead to pan-Afghan legitimacy and contribute to a meaningful negotiated solution, it must not only reflect the changing landscape country’s socio-political context, but there must be a consensus among the elite in Afghanistan about the need and the roadmap for such a dialogue”.
Another interesting point about the agreement was dealt with by the strategy and security expert Nishanki Motwani, who noted that the main objective of this negotiation is to generate a “peaceful” US exit from Afghanistan for the benefit of the Taliban itself, as in a kind of political succession in the parents. These are his words: “In the short term, these meetings may contribute to the implementation of the US-Taliban agreement, but they do not happen because the Taliban wants peace or seeks to share power. The caveat here is that the implementation of the agreement would be because the Taliban wants to facilitate a US exit from Afghanistan so that it can capture power (…) The Taliban are aware of and are actively exploring the US’s stated position to leave Afghanistan before mid-2021 and the upcoming US presidential elections in November 2020, to get the maximum gains in the remaining period. The goal is to weaken the Afghan government before the start of intra-Afghan negotiations”.
After all, with an almost unanimous opinion among experts about the flaws in the agreement, are the United States and the Taliban really negotiating this peace “innocently”? The most curious of all this is the American willingness to negotiate with a terrorist group. Generally speaking, in a war scenario, we can always negotiate with the enemy, but the so-called “global war on terror” is not a typical war, but a global exercise of police power, in which the terrorist is not seen as a simple “enemy”, with whom one can negotiate, but as a true “international criminal” against whom only war can be waged. This is the logic behind anti-terrorism: you cannot negotiate with terrorists. So, is it possible to say that the Taliban is really an organization worthy of negotiation? For Washington, apparently, it is, while the government of a National State – Afghanistan – is not.
This all leads us to believe that the United States wants to transfer its occupation in Afghanistan to the Taliban yoke, not really effecting the pacification of the country, but benefiting both – the terrorists and the US – the violence will not stop anytime soon.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report


theduran--2020-04-24--Moscow’s Priorities During COVID-19: International Prestige Over Safety Of Its Citizens

Russia , along with the entire planet , is still gripped by COVID-19 .
While in some countries the number of those infected has begun gradually decreasing ( for instance , Germany1 and Spain2 ) , in Russia the crisis is only in its infant stage and the number of cases continues to rise .
Newest forecasts suggest that Russia could become the next epicenter of the pandemic .
On Monday , the number of cases in Moscow grew by 2,500 , reaching a total of 18,000 .
Even though official data shows that at least 2/3 of the infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected that the new coronavirus has also spread to Russia ’ s regions , where there are not sufficient tests to identify all of the cases of the infection .
With the situation becoming worse , it is evident that Russia could any time soon be faced with a collapsing healthcare system .
This is gradually being understood by Moscow ’ s and regional executive powers , who are now seriously worried about the rapid spread of COVID-19 .
The Kremlin , however , is treating this issue as always – it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is basically used for reaching Russia ’ s geopolitical goals and enhancing its international prestige .
As a result , the Kremlin spent the last week providing humanitarian aid to numerous countries around the world .
For example , over the course of the last two weeks the Kremlin ’ s propaganda media outlets were delighted to report that Russia has sent humanitarian aid cargos to Italy4 , Serbia5 , Armenia6 , Venezuela7 , Belarus8 and even the US9 .
I should note that the latter later clarified that it had bought humanitarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t stop the Kremlin ’ s propaganda mouthpieces from presenting it as the gracious Russia helping the nearly collapsed superpower10 .
Russian propaganda attempts to further Moscow ’ s geopolitical position during the pandemic were made even more absurd by the dramatic situation inside the country .
Opposition media and social networks increasingly often feature worried opinion concerning the bad situation in Russia ’ s healthcare and its utter unpreparedness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic .
Data gathered by the newspaper Vedomosti suggests that only 9 % of those interviewed feel positively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while almost a half of Russians believe it is not ready to fight the coronavirus .
These sentiments are more than understandable after looking at statistical information on healthcare in Russia .
For example , during 2013-2019 the number of junior medical staff in hospitals in Russia fell 2.6 times .
The number of medium-level personnel decreased by 9 % , while the number of doctors decreased by 2 % .
Even more , from 1990 to 2019 the number of Russian infectious disease specialists fell dramatically – from 149 thousand to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the number of hospital wards intended for those suffering from infectious diseases has also decreased .
The situation is made even more grave by the fact that the mentioned numbers have resulted in worse death rates for patients with infectious diseases .
If in 1990 the death rate among such patients was 0.35 % , then in 2018 this climbed up to 0.82 % .11 One of the most crucial issues during the pandemic is the lack of protective equipment available to medical staff .
Doctors in Russia critically lack protective suits , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming victims and carriers of the virus .
The newspaper Novaya Gazeta wrote that in order to work with infected patients doctors in Russia ( also in Moscow ) are given the most basic protective masks , which are often paid for by the medical workers themselves .
The lack of funds in several hospitals has led to such an absurd situation that doctors are being forced to wear diapers bought with their own money – to decrease the frequency of toilet visits.12 It is also worth noting that the Russian regime wouldn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it didn ’ t punish doctors who choose to openly speak about the problems in Russia ’ s healthcare system .
For example , the union of medical workers Alians Vrachey ( The Alliance of Doctors ) that tried to collect donations in support of medical workers was faced with pressure from the authorities .
As a result , head of the organization Anastasiya Vasilyeva was summoned to the Russian Investigative Committee on the grounds of allegedly spreading false information regarding COVID-19 .
Briefly after , activists from the same organization were detained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivering the donated protective equipment to doctors at a hospital in the town of Okulovka .
The most objective way of looking at the situation in the healthcare system of Russia is to see a video from Pskov Oblast where the governor and some officials are seen visiting a hospital that treats COVID-19 patients .
During the visit , the delegation was wearing full-body protective suits , while the doctors had to suffice with just white robes and surgical masks.13 Despite the obvious problems within Russia , the Kremlin has once again decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries by delivering generous humanitarian aid packages to allies and enemies alike in order to gain their trust .
It is more than clear that over the course of the next couple of weeks the COVID-19 crisis in Russia will become so severe that even the Kremlin will not be able to keep its eyes shut any longer .
Let ’ s hope that next time the masters in Moscow will at least have enough sense to deliver humanitarian aid to doctors in Okulovka , not its allies in Venezuela or Serbia .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Russia, along with the entire planet, is still gripped by COVID-19. While in some countries the number of those infected has begun gradually decreasing (for instance, Germany1 and Spain2), in Russia the crisis is only in its infant stage and the number of cases continues to rise. Newest forecasts suggest that Russia could become the next epicenter of the pandemic.
On Monday, the number of cases in Moscow grew by 2,500, reaching a total of 18,000. Even though official data shows that at least 2/3 of the infected are in Moscow, it is legitimately suspected that the new coronavirus has also spread to Russia’s regions, where there are not sufficient tests to identify all of the cases of the infection. With the situation becoming worse, it is evident that Russia could any time soon be faced with a collapsing healthcare system.
This is gradually being understood by Moscow’s and regional executive powers, who are now seriously worried about the rapid spread of COVID-19. The Kremlin, however, is treating this issue as always – it is nothing too important, and the pandemic is basically used for reaching Russia’s geopolitical goals and enhancing its international prestige.
As a result, the Kremlin spent the last week providing humanitarian aid to numerous countries around the world. For example, over the course of the last two weeks the Kremlin’s propaganda media outlets were delighted to report that Russia has sent humanitarian aid cargos to Italy4, Serbia5, Armenia6, Venezuela7, Belarus8 and even the US9. I should note that the latter later clarified that it had bought humanitarian aid from Russia, but this didn’t stop the Kremlin’s propaganda mouthpieces from presenting it as the gracious Russia helping the nearly collapsed superpower10.
Russian propaganda attempts to further Moscow’s geopolitical position during the pandemic were made even more absurd by the dramatic situation inside the country. Opposition media and social networks increasingly often feature worried opinion concerning the bad situation in Russia’s healthcare and its utter unpreparedness to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Data gathered by the newspaper Vedomosti suggests that only 9% of those interviewed feel positively about the country’s healthcare system, while almost a half of Russians believe it is not ready to fight the coronavirus. These sentiments are more than understandable after looking at statistical information on healthcare in Russia.
For example, during 2013-2019 the number of junior medical staff in hospitals in Russia fell 2.6 times. The number of medium-level personnel decreased by 9%, while the number of doctors decreased by 2%. Even more, from 1990 to 2019 the number of Russian infectious disease specialists fell dramatically – from 149 thousand to 59 thousand. Similarly, since 1990 the number of hospital wards intended for those suffering from infectious diseases has also decreased. The situation is made even more grave by the fact that the mentioned numbers have resulted in worse death rates for patients with infectious diseases. If in 1990 the death rate among such patients was 0.35%, then in 2018 this climbed up to 0.82%.11
One of the most crucial issues during the pandemic is the lack of protective equipment available to medical staff. Doctors in Russia critically lack protective suits, and this could lead to medical workers becoming victims and carriers of the virus.
The newspaper Novaya Gazeta wrote that in order to work with infected patients doctors in Russia (also in Moscow) are given the most basic protective masks, which are often paid for by the medical workers themselves. The lack of funds in several hospitals has led to such an absurd situation that doctors are being forced to wear diapers bought with their own money – to decrease the frequency of toilet visits.12
It is also worth noting that the Russian regime wouldn’t be the Russian regime if it didn’t punish doctors who choose to openly speak about the problems in Russia’s healthcare system. For example, the union of medical workers Alians Vrachey (The Alliance of Doctors) that tried to collect donations in support of medical workers was faced with pressure from the authorities. As a result, head of the organization Anastasiya Vasilyeva was summoned to the Russian Investigative Committee on the grounds of allegedly spreading false information regarding COVID-19. Briefly after, activists from the same organization were detained in Novgorod Oblast just as they were delivering the donated protective equipment to doctors at a hospital in the town of Okulovka.
The most objective way of looking at the situation in the healthcare system of Russia is to see a video from Pskov Oblast where the governor and some officials are seen visiting a hospital that treats COVID-19 patients. During the visit, the delegation was wearing full-body protective suits, while the doctors had to suffice with just white robes and surgical masks.13
Despite the obvious problems within Russia, the Kremlin has once again decided to keep silent and focus on other countries by delivering generous humanitarian aid packages to allies and enemies alike in order to gain their trust. It is more than clear that over the course of the next couple of weeks the COVID-19 crisis in Russia will become so severe that even the Kremlin will not be able to keep its eyes shut any longer. Let’s hope that next time the masters in Moscow will at least have enough sense to deliver humanitarian aid to doctors in Okulovka, not its allies in Venezuela or Serbia.
*Jānis Mākoņkalns is an independent journalist
1https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/covid-19-more-recovered-in-germany-than-still-infected/1801865
2http://www.rfi.fr/en/international/20200413-coronavirus
3https://abcnews.go.com/International/russias-coronavirus-cases-expected-soar/story?id=70116133
4https://vz.ru/society/2020/3/24/1030372.html
5https://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=3254000
6https://eurasia.expert/smi-raskryli-kak-rossiya-pomozhet-armenii-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom/
7https://www.pravda.ru/news/world/1487441-venezuela_russia/
8https://ria.ru/20200409/1569811221.html
9https://lv.sputniknews.ru/Russia/20200401/13483991/Rossiya-pomogaet-SShA-v-borbe-s-koronavirusom-Putin-i-Tramp-dogovorilis.html
10https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/02/who-paid-for-russias-coronavirus-aid-to-the-us-a69839
11https://www.vedomosti.ru/society/articles/2020/04/09/827471-gotovo-rossiiskoe
12https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2020/04/01/84650-edinstvennoe-chto-est-maska
13https://medialeaks.ru/news/0804lns-kozochki-belye/
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report