theduran--2020-04-27--This Lockdown Reaffirms American Democracy is Dead

When the Coronavirus pandemic hit , the following lockdown and shutting down of our economy was pretty much unanimous .
Our politicians , media , and even the people all assumed that this was the best response .
The economic consequences were ignored .
To us , we believed a pandemic was far worse than economic fallout .
Because we had never faced a pandemic like this before , our country responded in the worst way : through fear .
It was cheered on by the politicians and the media , all whom had a lot to gain by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any crisis , media ratings would go through the roof .
Trends around the world indicate incumbent politicians almost always see their approval spike during a pandemic .
As usual , the people were fooled once again .
The elite used their massive influence to fool the minds of the American people .
This trend continues to reinforce that Democracy in America once again has no value .
Whether it ’ s a democracy or a dictatorship , the elite will continue to govern .
Now , to the factual side of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands at roughly 2 % , the actual death rate is much lower .
The 2 % figure comes only from the people that were tested for the Coronavirus ; it takes out of consideration the people who weren ’ t tested or who were asymptotic .
To compare , if we applied the same logic to the flu and only counted the people that were actually tested , it ’ s death rate would be 10 % instead of 0.1 % .
So then , what would the death rate of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that wasn ’ t tested ?
There have been numerous studies that have put this into consideration , and they have discovered the death rate is not even close to 2 % .
It ’ s 0.1 % , roughly .
Does that ring a bell ?
Oh yeah , turns out that is the exact same death rate as of the flu .
There ’ s more .
What also has to be put into consideration is the fact that the actual amount of Coronavirus deaths are being manipulated as well .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ news includes everyone that died with the Coronavirus , not of the Coronavirus .
For example , if someone were to contract the Coronavirus and then die in a car accent , it would be considered a Coronavirus death .
By the way , they don ’ t do this with the flu .
Once you put that into consideration , the death rate is most likely far lower than the flu .
Is a virus with a death rate lower than the flu worth it to shut down the entire nation ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it gets even more ridiculous .
There is no evidence that the shutdown has actually prevented the spread of the virus .
A study concluded that after taking out the variables of population , density , income , and gender , found no significant difference in how quickly the virus spread in areas that have not experienced a shutdown compared to those that have .
So why then , are our hospitals filling up ?
Why are refrigerator trucks coming to take away dead bodies ?
Despite what you may have heard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nor has Sweden or Brazil ’ s , who ’ s economies have remained open .
Deaths in March were actually down compared to the past four years .
It is clear why our leaders have initiated this lockdown .
It is not to save lives .
It is not to save our healthcare system , our doctors , or our hospitals .
It is all about power .
Period .
Historians will remember this crisis as the turning point for American supremacy .
As our democracy is consumed by corruption , lust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purging corruption at every level .
Russia is rebuilding it ’ s economy .
Brazil , despite pressure by media and local governments , is remaining open .
Once foreigners dump US bonds ( which will be sooner than later now that the debt to GDP ration from the recent stimulus has skyrocketed ) , the dollar will cease to exist as the world ’ s reserve currency .
In other words , American supremacy will be over .

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.
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, the following lockdown and shutting down of our economy was pretty much unanimous. Our politicians, media, and even the people all assumed that this was the best response. The economic consequences were ignored. To us, we believed a pandemic was far worse than economic fallout. Because we had never faced a pandemic like this before, our country responded in the worst way: through fear. It was cheered on by the politicians and the media, all whom had a lot to gain by the chaos that would ensue. As with any crisis, media ratings would go through the roof. Trends around the world indicate incumbent politicians almost always see their approval spike during a pandemic.
As usual, the people were fooled once again. The elite used their massive influence to fool the minds of the American people. This trend continues to reinforce that Democracy in America once again has no value. Whether it’s a democracy or a dictatorship, the elite will continue to govern.
Now, to the factual side of this situation. While the official death rate stands at roughly 2%, the actual death rate is much lower. The 2% figure comes only from the people that were tested for the Coronavirus; it takes out of consideration the people who weren’t tested or who were asymptotic. To compare, if we applied the same logic to the flu and only counted the people that were actually tested, it’s death rate would be 10% instead of 0.1%.
So then, what would the death rate of the Coronavirus be if we factored in everyone that wasn’t tested? There have been numerous studies that have put this into consideration, and they have discovered the death rate is not even close to 2%. It’s 0.1%, roughly. Does that ring a bell? Oh yeah, turns out that is the exact same death rate as of the flu.
There’s more. What also has to be put into consideration is the fact that the actual amount of Coronavirus deaths are being manipulated as well. The death count you hear on the news includes everyone that died with the Coronavirus, not of the Coronavirus. For example, if someone were to contract the Coronavirus and then die in a car accent, it would be considered a Coronavirus death. By the way, they don’t do this with the flu.
Once you put that into consideration, the death rate is most likely far lower than the flu.
Is a virus with a death rate lower than the flu worth it to shut down the entire nation? The obvious answer is no. But it gets even more ridiculous.
There is no evidence that the shutdown has actually prevented the spread of the virus. A study concluded that after taking out the variables of population, density, income, and gender, found no significant difference in how quickly the virus spread in areas that have not experienced a shutdown compared to those that have.
So why then, are our hospitals filling up? Why are refrigerator trucks coming to take away dead bodies? Despite what you may have heard, our healthcare system has not imploded. Nor has Sweden or Brazil’s, who’s economies have remained open. Deaths in March were actually down compared to the past four years.
It is clear why our leaders have initiated this lockdown. It is not to save lives. It is not to save our healthcare system, our doctors, or our hospitals. It is all about power. Period.
Historians will remember this crisis as the turning point for American supremacy. As our democracy is consumed by corruption, lust, and corporate interests, China is purging corruption at every level. Russia is rebuilding it’s economy. Brazil, despite pressure by media and local governments, is remaining open. Once foreigners dump US bonds (which will be sooner than later now that the debt to GDP ration from the recent stimulus has skyrocketed), the dollar will cease to exist as the world’s reserve currency. In other words, American supremacy will be over.
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theduran--2020-04-27--Covid-19 is the Perfect Catalyst for Trump’s War Against China

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Johanna Ross , journalist based in Edinburgh , Scotland… The phrase ‘ Yellow Peril ’ – pertaining to the alleged threat of the Far East – was coined by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany in the 1880s after he had a dream featuring a Buddha riding a dragon threatening to invade Europe .
It ’ s unclear whether Donald Trump has experienced a similar premonition during his lifetime but one thing is certain : he leads an administration which has been intent on escalating tensions with China , even prior to the outbreak of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of time before the blame game would begin .
Donald Trump has long viewed China as an economic adversary .
On the presidential campaign trail in 2016 he was accusing China of ‘ raping ’ the US and that the nation was responsible for the ‘ the greatest theft in the history of the world ’ .
The rhetoric has not changed much since then .
Trump vigorously ensued his trade war with China in 2018 when he literally ‘ ordered ’ US companies to cease trading with the east asian nation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond its borders too ; pressurizing the UK not to embark on a deal with Huawei , the Chinese mobile phone network provider , to set up 5G across Britain .
The US has never disguised its hatred of the firm , launching its own special vendetta against it , including the organisation of the arrest of the Huawei founder ’ s daughter and Chief Financial Officer in Canada in 2018 .
The coronavirus pandemic has therefore provided the perfect catalyst to a war which began much earlier against China ( see John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with China ) .
The main difference before was that the US was pretty much on its own .
The UK for its part had been courting China for years , trying to be its ‘ best friend in the West ’ so as to encourage inward investment .
Not any more , the Tory hawks say now .
According to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab there will be ‘ no more business as usual with China ’ .
He has promised a ‘ deep dive review ’ as to how coronavirus was able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not alone .
Last week a new Conservative China Research Group was founded with the goal of reassessing Britain ’ s future relationship with the country .
There ’ s to be a completely new approach .
A senior Conservative MP told the FT : “ The pressure from our MPs and the public to punish China is huge .
They are going to be blamed for the worst effects of this pandemic and we will have to shift our foreign policy to be more aligned to [ US president Donald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ therein lies the rub .
For Trump ’ s posse aren ’ t holding back when it comes to threats against China .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already warned he will ‘ make China pay ’ for the Covid-19 .
Trump lays full responsibility at Beijing ’ s door for the outbreak , despite how effectively the nation of 1.4 billion people has managed the crisis .
( Through a range of measures , including strict quarantine and thorough testing it has drastically reduced the number of cases across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the official source of the virus , back open for business . )
The US needs a scapegoat now ; more to the point Donald Trump needs a distraction if he is to have any chance of winning the next election .
But for the UK to go along with any such aggressive policy against China is ludicrous at a time like this when the world ought to be pulling together .
The British security services announced last week they would begin their ‘ investigation ’ into precisely where the coronavirus originated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which , it has been speculated , the virus could have escaped from before appearing at the fish market ( the location that was first publicised as being the source of the outbreak ) .
However the reality is we have no evidence that the virus has any connection with the Wuhan laboratory .
Further still , there is scientific evidence to indicate that the disease did not originate in Wuhan at all , but in southern China .
Cambridge scientists have carried out research suggesting that coronavirus may be months older @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the fish market .
Peter Forster , a geneticist at the University of Cambridge said that the virus may have mutated into its final ‘ human-efficient ’ form months ago , but stated inside a bat or other animal or even human for several months without infecting other individuals.
’ Even more interestingly , Forster said that if pressed , he ‘ would say the original spread started more likely in southern China than in Wuhan.
’ The idea that Wuhan is not the original source is backed up by Chinese reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus can be traced back to Hubei province , not Wuhan , in December 2019 .
‘ I listen to the scientists ’ UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson keeps saying .
Well , surely this is the one time when our conclusions must be led by the scientific evidence .
Or will we dance to the tune of President Trump , whose understanding of science begins and ends with the possibility of injecting people with disinfectant to treat Covid-19 ?
We can not allow this pandemic to be used as an excuse for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold , against China .
Such thinking belongs , and should stay in the 19th century .
Enough people have suffered as a consequence of this pandemic already .
China as a nation , wants to be successful , wants to have a thriving economy and is extremely proud .
If provoked , despite not having a history of invading other countries , one can be sure it will defend itself to the hilt .
‘ Handle with care ’ says the label on the package I just ordered from China .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t it ?
…

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…
The phrase ‘Yellow Peril’ – pertaining to the alleged threat of the Far East – was coined by Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany in the 1880s after he had a dream featuring a Buddha riding a dragon threatening to invade Europe. It’s unclear whether Donald Trump has experienced a similar premonition during his lifetime but one thing is certain: he leads an administration which has been intent on escalating tensions with China, even prior to the outbreak of coronavirus.
It was just a matter of time before the blame game would begin. Donald Trump has long viewed China as an economic adversary. On the presidential campaign trail in 2016 he was accusing China of ‘raping’ the US and that the nation was responsible for the ‘the greatest theft in the history of the world’. The rhetoric has not changed much since then. Trump vigorously ensued his trade war with China in 2018 when he literally ‘ordered’ US companies to cease trading with the east asian nation. The President has attempted to influence policy beyond its borders too; pressurizing the UK not to embark on a deal with Huawei, the Chinese mobile phone network provider, to set up 5G across Britain. The US has never disguised its hatred of the firm, launching its own special vendetta against it, including the organisation of the arrest of the Huawei founder’s daughter and Chief Financial Officer in Canada in 2018.
The coronavirus pandemic has therefore provided the perfect catalyst to a war which began much earlier against China (see John Pilger’s film The Coming War with China). The main difference before was that the US was pretty much on its own. The UK for its part had been courting China for years, trying to be its ‘best friend in the West’ so as to encourage inward investment. Not any more, the Tory hawks say now. According to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab there will be ‘no more business as usual with China’. He has promised a ‘deep dive review’ as to how coronavirus was able to spread from China. And he’s not alone. Last week a new Conservative China Research Group was founded with the goal of reassessing Britain’s future relationship with the country. There’s to be a completely new approach. A senior Conservative MP told the FT: “The pressure from our MPs and the public to punish China is huge. They are going to be blamed for the worst effects of this pandemic and we will have to shift our foreign policy to be more aligned to [US president Donald] Trump’s’.
And therein lies the rub. For Trump’s posse aren’t holding back when it comes to threats against China. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already warned he will ‘make China pay’ for the Covid-19. Trump lays full responsibility at Beijing’s door for the outbreak, despite how effectively the nation of 1.4 billion people has managed the crisis. (Through a range of measures, including strict quarantine and thorough testing it has drastically reduced the number of cases across the country, with the city of Wuhan, the official source of the virus, back open for business.) The US needs a scapegoat now; more to the point Donald Trump needs a distraction if he is to have any chance of winning the next election.
But for the UK to go along with any such aggressive policy against China is ludicrous at a time like this when the world ought to be pulling together. The British security services announced last week they would begin their ‘investigation’ into precisely where the coronavirus originated, focusing on the laboratory in Wuhan, which, it has been speculated, the virus could have escaped from before appearing at the fish market (the location that was first publicised as being the source of the outbreak).
However the reality is we have no evidence that the virus has any connection with the Wuhan laboratory. Further still, there is scientific evidence to indicate that the disease did not originate in Wuhan at all, but in southern China. Cambridge scientists have carried out research suggesting that coronavirus may be months older than originally thought and did not come from the fish market. Peter Forster, a geneticist at the University of Cambridge said that the virus may have mutated into its final ‘human-efficient’ form months ago, but stated inside a bat or other animal or even human for several months without infecting other individuals.’ Even more interestingly, Forster said that if pressed, he ‘would say the original spread started more likely in southern China than in Wuhan.’ The idea that Wuhan is not the original source is backed up by Chinese reports which now state the first case of coronavirus can be traced back to Hubei province, not Wuhan, in December 2019.
‘I listen to the scientists’ UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson keeps saying. Well, surely this is the one time when our conclusions must be led by the scientific evidence. Or will we dance to the tune of President Trump, whose understanding of science begins and ends with the possibility of injecting people with disinfectant to treat Covid-19? We cannot allow this pandemic to be used as an excuse for waging a war, whether hot or cold, against China. Such thinking belongs, and should stay in the 19th century. Enough people have suffered as a consequence of this pandemic already. China as a nation, wants to be successful, wants to have a thriving economy and is extremely proud. If provoked, despite not having a history of invading other countries, one can be sure it will defend itself to the hilt.
‘Handle with care’ says the label on the package I just ordered from China. That says it all really, doesn’t it?…
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theduran--2020-04-27--Corruption Scandals Could See Bolsonaro Removed from Power Quicker than One Could Expect

The Brazilian government was shaken by a new controversy on Friday after the General Director of the Federal Police , Maurício Valeixo , was sacked by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro .
Following threats made on Thursday , the Minister of Justice and Public Security , Sergio Moro , responsible for the appointment of Valeixo , decided to leave the administration of Bolsonaro , giving a controversial farewell speech with serious accusations against the president .
According to Moro , Bolsonaro ’ s desire to change the command of the Federal Police was motivated by a desire to interfere politically in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to confidential content of investigations about the president ’ s allies and family members , including his own sons .
The accusations made by Bolsonaro had a great impact on the local media , but none-the-less the Brazilian president denied the allegations later that day .
Speaking a little longer than usual , Bolsonaro tried to defend himself against Moro ’ s accusations by talking about several different issues , but , when he spoke about his former minister , he concentrated on damaging his image before the electorate , placing him as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is a usual tactic by the Brazilian president who always seeks an enemy to legitimize his policies and popularity .
Bolsonaro who modelled himself as the “ Tropical Trump ” continuously took aim against local Leftists , Venezuela , Cuba , China and anybody else that U.S. President Donald Trump also did not like .
By casting an enemy , he could galvanize the Brazilian people behind him .
As expected , the president ’ s main strategy in his speech in response to Moro was to find a new enemy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were divided into three parts : focused attacks on the reputation of his former minister , describing him as an egocentric person with electoral interests ; highlighting the presidential prerogative of appointing the commander of the Federal Police ; and , trying to focus on valuing his own profile , talking about the assassination attempt he suffered , resources he failed to spend and the importance of his position .
So , what we perceive from the speech , essentially , is what was already expected – the attempted polarization to put public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same time minimizing his decision to interfere with the Federal Police .
A dichotomy between Moro and Bolsonaro is emerging on social media , and it appears that Moro is winning this battle on the internet .
Even before Moro ’ s resignations , tens of thousands went to Bolsonaro ’ s Twitter and Facebook accounts to tell the president that they voted for him but will not support him anymore if Moro resigns .
Earlier this month , the popularity of Bolsonaro had dropped to 33 % because of his handling of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a “ fantasy ” and a “ minor flu.
” Earlier this month it was also revealed that the military , in which Bolsonaro is a former Captain of and strongly advocated for during his election campaign , has now shifted their support and backing for Vice President Hamilton Mourao , a former general .
Everything indicates that Bolsonaro may fall in a matter of months , and it appears this scenario can come to fruition sooner with the resignation of the highly popular Moro who was a key player in prosecuting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lula .
It certainly means that the 33 % approval rating has dropped significantly after the fall out with Moro .
In an investigation by the Supreme Court , the Federal police identified councillor Carlos Bolsonaro , son of Jair Bolsonaro , as one of the articulators of a criminal fake news scheme .
According to Folha , Bolsonaro wanted Valeixo removed because he knew of the criminal acts Carlos was involved in .
It is not reduced to just Carlos though , and rather all three of Bolsonaro ’ s politically active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have been implicated in corruption scandals .
One of the main appeals of Bolsonaro was his strong rhetoric of being against corruption , which is why he brought Moro into his administration because of his popularity after putting some Brazilian politicians behind bars because of their corruption .
However , this has been proven to be a scam as not only are their major questions whether those prosecuted had engaged in corruption , but there are endless scandals and accusations of corruption levelled against the Bolsonaro family .
Bolsonaro modelled himself on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major foreign policy agenda regarding not only Latin America , but also China and Israel .
Despite Bolsonaro being the greatest advocate for American and Israeli relations the continent has seen in decades , it is highly unlikely that either Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will come out in support of Bolsonaro as he faces a very real impeachment .
It now appears that all this time of pandering to the U.S. and its interests is beginning to crash down on Bolsonaro .
Rather than serve the interests of his country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wanted to maintain the hegemonic status of the U.S. and get away with corruption – now where is Trump ?

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…
The Brazilian government was shaken by a new controversy on Friday after the General Director of the Federal Police, Maurício Valeixo, was sacked by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. Following threats made on Thursday, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Sergio Moro, responsible for the appointment of Valeixo, decided to leave the administration of Bolsonaro, giving a controversial farewell speech with serious accusations against the president.
According to Moro, Bolsonaro’s desire to change the command of the Federal Police was motivated by a desire to interfere politically in the institution, and to gain access to confidential content of investigations about the president’s allies and family members, including his own sons. The accusations made by Bolsonaro had a great impact on the local media, but none-the-less the Brazilian president denied the allegations later that day.
Speaking a little longer than usual, Bolsonaro tried to defend himself against Moro’s accusations by talking about several different issues, but, when he spoke about his former minister, he concentrated on damaging his image before the electorate, placing him as the new enemy of his government. This is a usual tactic by the Brazilian president who always seeks an enemy to legitimize his policies and popularity.
Bolsonaro who modelled himself as the “Tropical Trump” continuously took aim against local Leftists, Venezuela, Cuba, China and anybody else that U.S. President Donald Trump also did not like. By casting an enemy, he could galvanize the Brazilian people behind him. As expected, the president’s main strategy in his speech in response to Moro was to find a new enemy.
Bolsonaro’s statements to the press were divided into three parts: focused attacks on the reputation of his former minister, describing him as an egocentric person with electoral interests; highlighting the presidential prerogative of appointing the commander of the Federal Police; and, trying to focus on valuing his own profile, talking about the assassination attempt he suffered, resources he failed to spend and the importance of his position. So, what we perceive from the speech, essentially, is what was already expected – the attempted polarization to put public opinion against Moro, while at the same time minimizing his decision to interfere with the Federal Police.
A dichotomy between Moro and Bolsonaro is emerging on social media, and it appears that Moro is winning this battle on the internet. Even before Moro’s resignations, tens of thousands went to Bolsonaro’s Twitter and Facebook accounts to tell the president that they voted for him but will not support him anymore if Moro resigns.
Earlier this month, the popularity of Bolsonaro had dropped to 33% because of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which he described as a “fantasy” and a “minor flu.” Earlier this month it was also revealed that the military, in which Bolsonaro is a former Captain of and strongly advocated for during his election campaign, has now shifted their support and backing for Vice President Hamilton Mourao, a former general.
Everything indicates that Bolsonaro may fall in a matter of months, and it appears this scenario can come to fruition sooner with the resignation of the highly popular Moro who was a key player in prosecuting Brazil’s Leftist former President, Lula. It certainly means that the 33% approval rating has dropped significantly after the fall out with Moro.
In an investigation by the Supreme Court, the Federal police identified councillor Carlos Bolsonaro, son of Jair Bolsonaro, as one of the articulators of a criminal fake news scheme. According to Folha, Bolsonaro wanted Valeixo removed because he knew of the criminal acts Carlos was involved in. It is not reduced to just Carlos though, and rather all three of Bolsonaro’s politically active sons, along with his wife Michelle, have been implicated in corruption scandals.
One of the main appeals of Bolsonaro was his strong rhetoric of being against corruption, which is why he brought Moro into his administration because of his popularity after putting some Brazilian politicians behind bars because of their corruption. However, this has been proven to be a scam as not only are their major questions whether those prosecuted had engaged in corruption, but there are endless scandals and accusations of corruption levelled against the Bolsonaro family.
Bolsonaro modelled himself on Trump and followed him in nearly every major foreign policy agenda regarding not only Latin America, but also China and Israel. Despite Bolsonaro being the greatest advocate for American and Israeli relations the continent has seen in decades, it is highly unlikely that either Trump or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will come out in support of Bolsonaro as he faces a very real impeachment. It now appears that all this time of pandering to the U.S. and its interests is beginning to crash down on Bolsonaro. Rather than serve the interests of his country in this new multipolar world, he wanted to maintain the hegemonic status of the U.S. and get away with corruption – now where is Trump?
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theduran--2020-04-27--British officials tease Argentina and reject humanitarian aid

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz , research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… Once again , the tensions between Argentina and England are worsening in the region of the Falkland Islands ( or “ Malvinas ” , as the Argentines call them ) .
Since the beginning of 2020 , the British are starting a series of provocative acts against Argentina .
In January , the powerful English patrol ship HMS Forth arrived in the Falkland Islands and has since started a series of maneuvers in the region , having arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These islands are about 1,500 km from the Falklands and are also disputed by Argentina .
The ship ’ s crew had 60 sailors and was accompanied by an A400 plane .
According to a Royal Navy official report , the South Georgia Islands are part of a territory that must be “ reaffirmed and protected ” by the United Kingdom .
The institution also stated that the HMS Forth will stay most of the year in the Falklands ; however , it may travel several times to the archipelago of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training purposes and for scientific research ones .
One of the commanders of this operation , Bob Laverty said that the mission ’ s central objective is “ to update the military understanding of the islands ” , which is already sufficient to contemplate the strategic value of the mission for the British .
The Argentine response was not long in coming .
Andrés Dachary , Argentine secretary for the Malvinas , Antarctica and the South Islands , strongly condemned the British operation and militarization of the region , saying this is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peace and Cooperation Zone ” ( resolution established in 1985 by the UN and which calls on States to gradually eliminate the military presence in the region in order to create a zone of peace and cooperation ) .
The secretary stressed , in addition to the military and diplomatic nature of British maneuvers , the environmental factor , stating that the introduction of new technologies in the archipelago could cause major ecological impacts , harming not only civil society , but the scientific interests of the area .
The most curious fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the South contradicts not only the global trend of focusing on combating the pandemic , but the actual data regarding their territories , taking into account that the Falkland Islands may be on the verge of a health collapse .
The pandemic of the new coronavirus already affects all regions of the planet , so it would be an innocent or careless attitude to believe that the Falklands could be isolated from the infection just because of their geographical conditions .
However , this was precisely the attitude of the local British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prevent the first cases and now are dealing with a small but growing focus of infection , with dozens of people already affected .
It is possible that underreporting is high in the Islands , as the authorities have already reported that they do not have the amount of COVID-19 tests necessary to control the cases .
So what at first was considered an advantage for the Islands quickly became an obstacle : the sea .
Being such an isolated region , many believed that the virus would not arrive there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to control it ?
How to prevent the infection from becoming even more widespread with the Islands being so closed and already with several unreported cases ?
How to import tests and medicines to the extreme south of the planet amid a paralysis of the entire world trade and transport system ?
The answer is precisely in Argentina .
Separated from all continents , the Falkland Islands could have a fast and effective support from Argentina , where the circulation of medical equipment would take place in a more safe and stable way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Argentine chancellor for the southern islands , said that Argentina could make COVID-19 tests reach the Falklands in just 45 minutes , thanks to the opening of Argentine scientific laboratories in the regions of Río Gallegos ( province of Santa Cruz ) and Ushuaia ( province of Tierra del Fuego ) .
In addition , Filmus said in an official note offering help that any inhabitant of the Falkland Islands could be treated in an Argentine hospital .
In response to Argentine courtesy , the local authorities in the Falklands acted with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of diplomacy and strategic sense .
Falkland Islands Communication Department chief Kevin McCarthy said the Islands government already has a strategic plan to contain the pandemic and that , if additional support is needed , it will ask the UK for help .
The popular reaction in the Islands , however , was different from the authorities ’ response , with several expressions of support for the Argentine aid .
The nations of the geopolitical south once again offer help to the “ first world ” , which is increasingly showing its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the control of the islands , Argentina could collaborate perfectly with the United Kingdom in offering humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of the region , but the British do not seem willing to accept any form of support : besides rejecting the test transport route , the United Kingdom uses warships to surround regions contested by Argentina in provocative acts amid the pandemic .
A humanitarian tragedy is taking shape in the Falkland Islands : with few tests , it is not possible to know who is infected and , thus , sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
In a few weeks , the epidemic will be uncontrollable and no warships of the powerful Royal Navy will be able to help the population .

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…
Once again, the tensions between Argentina and England are worsening in the region of the Falkland Islands (or “Malvinas”, as the Argentines call them). Since the beginning of 2020, the British are starting a series of provocative acts against Argentina. In January, the powerful English patrol ship HMS Forth arrived in the Falkland Islands and has since started a series of maneuvers in the region, having arrived in the South Georgia Islands in April. These islands are about 1,500 km from the Falklands and are also disputed by Argentina. The ship’s crew had 60 sailors and was accompanied by an A400 plane.
According to a Royal Navy official report, the South Georgia Islands are part of a territory that must be “reaffirmed and protected” by the United Kingdom. The institution also stated that the HMS Forth will stay most of the year in the Falklands; however, it may travel several times to the archipelago of the South Georgia Islands, both for military training purposes and for scientific research ones. One of the commanders of this operation, Bob Laverty said that the mission’s central objective is “to update the military understanding of the islands”, which is already sufficient to contemplate the strategic value of the mission for the British.
The Argentine response was not long in coming. Andrés Dachary, Argentine secretary for the Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Islands, strongly condemned the British operation and militarization of the region, saying this is a “clear violation of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone” (resolution established in 1985 by the UN and which calls on States to gradually eliminate the military presence in the region in order to create a zone of peace and cooperation). The secretary stressed, in addition to the military and diplomatic nature of British maneuvers, the environmental factor, stating that the introduction of new technologies in the archipelago could cause major ecological impacts, harming not only civil society, but the scientific interests of the area.
The most curious fact is to note that this British policy in the South contradicts not only the global trend of focusing on combating the pandemic, but the actual data regarding their territories, taking into account that the Falkland Islands may be on the verge of a health collapse.
The pandemic of the new coronavirus already affects all regions of the planet, so it would be an innocent or careless attitude to believe that the Falklands could be isolated from the infection just because of their geographical conditions. However, this was precisely the attitude of the local British authorities, who did not act efficiently to prevent the first cases and now are dealing with a small but growing focus of infection, with dozens of people already affected. It is possible that underreporting is high in the Islands, as the authorities have already reported that they do not have the amount of COVID-19 tests necessary to control the cases.
So what at first was considered an advantage for the Islands quickly became an obstacle: the sea. Being such an isolated region, many believed that the virus would not arrive there, however, having already arrived, how to control it? How to prevent the infection from becoming even more widespread with the Islands being so closed and already with several unreported cases? How to import tests and medicines to the extreme south of the planet amid a paralysis of the entire world trade and transport system? The answer is precisely in Argentina.
Separated from all continents, the Falkland Islands could have a fast and effective support from Argentina, where the circulation of medical equipment would take place in a more safe and stable way. The politician and scholar Daniel Filmus, Argentine chancellor for the southern islands, said that Argentina could make COVID-19 tests reach the Falklands in just 45 minutes, thanks to the opening of Argentine scientific laboratories in the regions of Río Gallegos (province of Santa Cruz) and Ushuaia (province of Tierra del Fuego). In addition, Filmus said in an official note offering help that any inhabitant of the Falkland Islands could be treated in an Argentine hospital.
In response to Argentine courtesy, the local authorities in the Falklands acted with arrogance and contempt, demonstrating a great lack of diplomacy and strategic sense. Falkland Islands Communication Department chief Kevin McCarthy said the Islands government already has a strategic plan to contain the pandemic and that, if additional support is needed, it will ask the UK for help. The popular reaction in the Islands, however, was different from the authorities’ response, with several expressions of support for the Argentine aid.
The nations of the geopolitical south once again offer help to the “first world”, which is increasingly showing its fragility. Despite all the rivalry for the control of the islands, Argentina could collaborate perfectly with the United Kingdom in offering humanitarian aid to the inhabitants of the region, but the British do not seem willing to accept any form of support: besides rejecting the test transport route, the United Kingdom uses warships to surround regions contested by Argentina in provocative acts amid the pandemic.
A humanitarian tragedy is taking shape in the Falkland Islands: with few tests, it is not possible to know who is infected and, thus, sick people walk in the streets infecting other people. In a few weeks, the epidemic will be uncontrollable and no warships of the powerful Royal Navy will be able to help the population.
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theduran--2020-04-27--Elbe Day 75th Anniversary Conference Celebrates the Past and Presents Hope for the Future

This April 24 , a major conference took place online to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the iconic Elbe Day embrace of American and Russian troops along the Elbe River organised by the president and founder of the American University in Moscow , Dr. Edward Lozansky .
The Elbe Day event marked not only an inspired moment of symbolic victory over the fascist machine of Hitler but also expressed a hope of greater American-Russian brotherhood so necessary to revive in our present age fraught as it is with the danger of nuclear war and hostility among the USA and Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Times expressed the spirit of this event stating : The online conference featured speakers from over 40 nations representing leaders of non-governmental organizations , academia , military and public sector alike and among those participants included the Rising Tide Foundation and the Canadian Patriot Review .
Rising Tide President Cynthia Chung delivered a short speech at the conference on the importance of Wilhelm von Humboldt ’ s reforms of the Prussian school system which were revolutionary and led to the founding of the University of Berlin , which became the most prestigious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Nineteenth century .
This educational reform was for all levels of society and not just the elite .
Her written contribution ‘ In Whose Best Interest ?
’ can be read here .
Rising Tide Director and Canadian Patriot founder Matthew Ehret ’ s written contribution ‘ Might the Current Global Crisis Revive the Wallace/FDR Grand Design for Russia-China-USA Cooperation ?
’ can be read here .
The conference was addressed by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova , and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner speaking directly from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order included : Colonel General Valery Baranov , former Deputy Commander of the Russian Internal Troops Academy ; Bruce W. Bean , Professor Emeritus , Michigan State College of Law ; Andrei Belyaninov , General Secretary , Eurasian Peoples Assembly ; Gennady Bordyugov , President , Association of Researchers of Russian Society ; Alexander Burganov , Peoples Sculptor of Russia , Author , “ Meeting on the Elbe ” sculptural composition ; Werner Busch , Honorary President of the International Association of Professors of Philosophy , Germany ; Cynthia Chung , President , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Keith Dayton , Director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies ; Gilbert Doctorow , independent international affairs analyst and author , Belgium ; Matthew Ehret , Editor-in-Chief , Canadian Patriot Review , Director , Rising Tide Foundation , Canada ; David Foglesong , Professor , Rutgers University ; Sheldon Lee Glashow , Professor , Boston University and Profesor emeritus , Harvard University , Nobel Laureate in Physics ; François Heisbourg , International Institute for Strategic Studies and Special Advisor at Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique , France ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ andformer foreign policy advisor to the U.S. Senate Republican leadership ; Major General German Kirilenko , former member of the Russian General Staff ; Jeremy Kuzmarov , Author “ The Russians are Coming , Again : The First Cold War as Tragedy , the Second as Farce ” ; Peter Kuznick , Professor of History and Director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University ; Dennis Lamb , retired from the CIA after serving 30 years in its Directorate of Operations as a case officer and intelligence analyst ; Edward Lozansky , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Professor of Moscow State and National Research Nuclear Universities ; Bernar Loze , Vice-President of French – Russian Dialogue , France ; Ray McGovern , Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity ( VIPS ) ; Thomas Meaney , Fellow , Max Planck Institute , Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft , Germany ; Georgevich Mladjan , Founder , “ Our Serbia ” and “ Serbian Code ” organizations ; Georgi Muradov , Deputy Chairman , Russian Association for International Cooperation ; Natalia Narochnitskaya , President , Foundation for historical outlook , Member of the Russian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Moscow State Institute of International Relations , Author “ The Big Three : From the Grand Alliance to Cold War ” ; Herbert Reginbogin , Professor , Catholic University of America , Institute for Policy Research ; Ron Ridenour , Peace activist , Author “ The Russia Peace Threat : Pentagon on Alert ” , Denmark ; Sergei Rogov , Academic Director of the Institute of the USA and Canada , Russian Academy of Sciences ; Brigadier General Kevin Ryan , former Defense Attache at the US Embassy in Moscow , Harvard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Affairs ; Victor Savinykh , Russian cosmonaut , Member , Russian Academy of Sciences ; Karen Shakhnazarov , Director , Mosfilm ; Martin Sieff , Senior fellow , American University in Moscow , former Senior Foreign Policy Editor of the Washington Times ; Dalbir Singh , President , Political and Governance Foundation , India ; Valery Ruzin , President , Eurasian Academy of Radio and Television ; Svetlana Smirnova , Chairwoman , Council of Assembly of Peoples of Russia ; Alexander Smolko , Film producer ; Evgeny Tabachnikov , Advisor to Chairman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Peter Zwack , former Defense Attache at the US Embassy in Moscow , Senior Research Fellow at the Wilson Center .
The final remarks of the joint communique for the event warned of the unprecedented crisis in military confrontation , environmental catastrophe which threaten humanity while also expressing a profound optimism and faith in a better future and a re-awakening of the spirit of Elbe Day .
To this end , let us close with the final remarks of the event ’ s public statement : “ Recalling how newspapers and magazines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hailed the meeting at the Elbe 75 years ago , but also recognizing how in recent years mutual demonization in the mass media of both countries has made productive dialogue between their leaders much more difficult , conference participants urged American , Russian , and European journalists to avoid sensational scapegoating of foreign nations and present more responsible , constructive coverage of international affairs .
Attendees at the conference expressed confidence that the media can thereby promote an improvement in relations between East and West , as it did in the 1980s , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ race was halted and the Cold War ended.
” “ Remembering the high hopes for a peaceful postwar world that were inspired by the meeting on the Elbe River in 1945 , participants in the conference resolved to form an ongoing working group to serve as a hub for the exchange of creative ideas for the solution of political , environmental , and strategic problems facing the world.
” Russian news coverage of the event can be watched here and written contributions and notices for upcoming events hosted by the American University in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us-russia.org This report was first published on the Rising Tide Foundation .
The author can be reached at [ email protected ]

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.
From the Rising Tide Foundation
This April 24, a major conference took place online to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the iconic Elbe Day embrace of American and Russian troops along the Elbe River organised by the president and founder of the American University in Moscow, Dr. Edward Lozansky.
The Elbe Day event marked not only an inspired moment of symbolic victory over the fascist machine of Hitler but also expressed a hope of greater American-Russian brotherhood so necessary to revive in our present age fraught as it is with the danger of nuclear war and hostility among the USA and Russia.
The press release published in the Washington Times expressed the spirit of this event stating:
“Today, the joyfulness created by that open display of soldier’s comradeship between East and West is needed more than ever. This celebration of this tremendously important historical event provides an excellent opportunity to engage in a long-awaited international dialogue because of unprecedented tensions that threaten the security of the world. The reviving spirit of alliance born through the efforts of our ancestors will serve as an example and guide for today’s leaders.”
The online conference featured speakers from over 40 nations representing leaders of non-governmental organizations, academia, military and public sector alike and among those participants included the Rising Tide Foundation and the Canadian Patriot Review.
Rising Tide President Cynthia Chung delivered a short speech at the conference on the importance of Wilhelm von Humboldt’s reforms of the Prussian school system which were revolutionary and led to the founding of the University of Berlin, which became the most prestigious model for universities throughout the Western world in the Nineteenth century. This educational reform was for all levels of society and not just the elite. Her written contribution ‘In Whose Best Interest?’ can be read here. Rising Tide Director and Canadian Patriot founder Matthew Ehret’s written contribution ‘Might the Current Global Crisis Revive the Wallace/FDR Grand Design for Russia-China-USA Cooperation?’ can be read here.
The conference was addressed by Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova, and Russian cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner speaking directly from the International Space Station.
Participants in alphabetical order included: Colonel General Valery Baranov, former Deputy Commander of the Russian Internal Troops Academy; Bruce W. Bean, Professor Emeritus, Michigan State College of Law; Andrei Belyaninov, General Secretary, Eurasian Peoples Assembly; Gennady Bordyugov, President, Association of Researchers of Russian Society; Alexander Burganov, Peoples Sculptor of Russia, Author, “Meeting on the Elbe” sculptural composition; Werner Busch, Honorary President of the International Association of Professors of Philosophy, Germany; Cynthia Chung, President, Rising Tide Foundation, Canada; Lt. General Keith Dayton, Director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies; Gilbert Doctorow, independent international affairs analyst and author, Belgium; Matthew Ehret, Editor-in-Chief, Canadian Patriot Review, Director, Rising Tide Foundation, Canada; David Foglesong, Professor, Rutgers University; Sheldon Lee Glashow, Professor, Boston University and Profesor emeritus, Harvard University, Nobel Laureate in Physics; François Heisbourg, International Institute for Strategic Studies and Special Advisor at Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, France; James George Jatras, former U.S. diplomat andformer foreign policy advisor to the U.S. Senate Republican leadership; Major General German Kirilenko, former member of the Russian General Staff; Jeremy Kuzmarov, Author “The Russians are Coming, Again: The First Cold War as Tragedy, the Second as Farce”; Peter Kuznick, Professor of History and Director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University; Dennis Lamb, retired from the CIA after serving 30 years in its Directorate of Operations as a case officer and intelligence analyst; Edward Lozansky, President, American University in Moscow, Professor of Moscow State and National Research Nuclear Universities; Bernar Loze, Vice-President of French – Russian Dialogue, France; Ray McGovern, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS); Thomas Meaney, Fellow, Max Planck Institute, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Germany; Georgevich Mladjan, Founder, “Our Serbia” and “Serbian Code” organizations; Georgi Muradov, Deputy Chairman, Russian Association for International Cooperation; Natalia Narochnitskaya, President, Foundation for historical outlook, Member of the Russian Public Chamber; Vladimir Pechatnov, Professor, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Author “The Big Three: From the Grand Alliance to Cold War”; Herbert Reginbogin, Professor, Catholic University of America, Institute for Policy Research; Ron Ridenour, Peace activist, Author “The Russia Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert”, Denmark; Sergei Rogov, Academic Director of the Institute of the USA and Canada, Russian Academy of Sciences; Brigadier General Kevin Ryan, former Defense Attache at the US Embassy in Moscow, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs; Victor Savinykh, Russian cosmonaut, Member, Russian Academy of Sciences; Karen Shakhnazarov, Director, Mosfilm; Martin Sieff, Senior fellow, American University in Moscow, former Senior Foreign Policy Editor of the Washington Times; Dalbir Singh, President, Political and Governance Foundation, India; Valery Ruzin, President, Eurasian Academy of Radio and Television; Svetlana Smirnova, Chairwoman, Council of Assembly of Peoples of Russia; Alexander Smolko, Film producer; Evgeny Tabachnikov, Advisor to Chairman, International Council of Russian Compatriots; General Peter Zwack, former Defense Attache at the US Embassy in Moscow, Senior Research Fellow at the Wilson Center.
The final remarks of the joint communique for the event warned of the unprecedented crisis in military confrontation, environmental catastrophe which threaten humanity while also expressing a profound optimism and faith in a better future and a re-awakening of the spirit of Elbe Day.
To this end, let us close with the final remarks of the event’s public statement:
“Recalling how newspapers and magazines in both Russia and the West joyfully hailed the meeting at the Elbe 75 years ago, but also recognizing how in recent years mutual demonization in the mass media of both countries has made productive dialogue between their leaders much more difficult, conference participants urged American, Russian, and European journalists to avoid sensational scapegoating of foreign nations and present more responsible, constructive coverage of international affairs. Attendees at the conference expressed confidence that the media can thereby promote an improvement in relations between East and West, as it did in the 1980s, when an earlier round of the arms race was halted and the Cold War ended.” “Remembering the high hopes for a peaceful postwar world that were inspired by the meeting on the Elbe River in 1945, participants in the conference resolved to form an ongoing working group to serve as a hub for the exchange of creative ideas for the solution of political, environmental, and strategic problems facing the world.”
Russian news coverage of the event can be watched here and written contributions and notices for upcoming events hosted by the American University in Moscow can be found on the website us-russia.org
This report was first published on the Rising Tide Foundation. The author can be reached at matt.ehret@tutamail.com
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theduran--2020-04-27--The “invited Georgian” returns back to Ukraine

This week , Mikheil Saakashvili ’ s candidacy for the post of Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for reform is expected to be considered .
According to the former president of Georgia and the ex-governor of the Odessa region , the initiative came from President Vladimir Zelensky .
“ It is a great honor for me to receive an offer from the president to become vice-prime minister of the Ukrainian government on reforms .
I also had a very informative and useful conversation with Prime Minister Shmygal ” , Saakashvili wrote on his social networks .
Earlier , in 2015-2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as former President Poroshenko called him ) was already noted in Ukrainian politics .
Then Mikheil headed the Odessa region .
According to the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the previous convocation Igor Mosiychuk , under Saakashvili , crime increased in the Odessa region , the region was completely criminalized .
He created a number of corruption schemes .
The regional prosecutor and police chief were his comrades David Sakveralidze and George Lordkipanidze .
Therefore , “ linking Saakashvili and the fight against corruption is simply ridiculous , ” the politician said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Saakashvili began to show political ambitions .
The president liked his activity less and less .
The post of governor of the region had to be left .
But the political activity of Miho in Ukraine did not end there .
He founded his party – “ The Movement of New Forces ” , began to criticize the “ oligarchic regime ” of Poroshenko .
This was followed by several actions for impeaching the president and calls to seize the Palace of Trade Unions in the capital .
But the next Maidan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Poroshenko deprived the former Georgian president of his citizenship and deported him from the country .
Soon , Saakashvili broke through the Polish border and returned to the country .
A year later , Saakashvili was detained in a restaurant and sent to Poland .
Zelensky , having come to power , returned to him Ukrainian citizenship , and Miho again came to Kiev .
What is expected from Mikheil Saakashvili If Misha failed as the governor of the region , why did the president appoint him responsible for nationwide reforms ?
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Which the country really needs now and which Miho promised to knock out from the West .
In addition , analysts express the view that President Zelensky hopes at least somehow with his help to raise his falling rating and to establish complicated relations with the EU .
In this regard , Saakashvili ’ s candidacy may not seem completely hopeless .
An experienced politician can get into the offices of influential people in Washington and Brussels .
President Zelensky plans to designate Saakashvili ’ s zone of responsibility the negotiations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistance to Ukraine .
Another important task of the Georgian politician should be the coordination of the economic bloc of the government , deregulation of business and support for small and medium-sized businesses .
He promised that a week after his appointment , he would submit to the Rada ’ s profile committee a package of seven laws , the implementation of which would allow Ukraine to rise twenty positions in the Doing Business world ranking in a month .
Saakashvili ’ s proposals are good and not new – the fight against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and acceleration of economic growth .
But not feasible in modern Ukraine .
And they look populist .
His return to Ukraine will probably be marked by new political vacillations , but will not help Kyiv to cope with current problems .
This was stated by Deputy Director of the Eurasian Center in the Atlantic Council , Melinda Haring , on April 24 in an article for The National Interest .
Thus , the next career stage of Mikheil Saakashvili in Ukraine is likely to be similar to the previous one .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much to do .
And then it will bother the president .
And what was the last time we all remember .

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.
This week, Mikheil Saakashvili’s candidacy for the post of Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine for reform is expected to be considered.
According to the former president of Georgia and the ex-governor of the Odessa region, the initiative came from President Vladimir Zelensky. “It is a great honor for me to receive an offer from the president to become vice-prime minister of the Ukrainian government on reforms. I also had a very informative and useful conversation with Prime Minister Shmygal”, Saakashvili wrote on his social networks.
Earlier, in 2015-2016, the “invited Georgian” (as former President Poroshenko called him) was already noted in Ukrainian politics. Then Mikheil headed the Odessa region.
According to the deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of the previous convocation Igor Mosiychuk, under Saakashvili, crime increased in the Odessa region, the region was completely criminalized. He created a number of corruption schemes. The regional prosecutor and police chief were his comrades David Sakveralidze and George Lordkipanidze. Therefore, “linking Saakashvili and the fight against corruption is simply ridiculous,” the politician said.
As a result of increased influence, Saakashvili began to show political ambitions. The president liked his activity less and less. The post of governor of the region had to be left.
But the political activity of Miho in Ukraine did not end there. He founded his party – “The Movement of New Forces”, began to criticize the “oligarchic regime” of Poroshenko. This was followed by several actions for impeaching the president and calls to seize the Palace of Trade Unions in the capital. But the next Maidan did not take place.
In 2017 Poroshenko deprived the former Georgian president of his citizenship and deported him from the country. Soon, Saakashvili broke through the Polish border and returned to the country.
A year later, Saakashvili was detained in a restaurant and sent to Poland. Zelensky, having come to power, returned to him Ukrainian citizenship, and Miho again came to Kiev.
What is expected from Mikheil Saakashvili
If Misha failed as the governor of the region, why did the president appoint him responsible for nationwide reforms?
The reason for this is most likely money. Which the country really needs now and which Miho promised to knock out from the West. In addition, analysts express the view that President Zelensky hopes at least somehow with his help to raise his falling rating and to establish complicated relations with the EU.
In this regard, Saakashvili’s candidacy may not seem completely hopeless. An experienced politician can get into the offices of influential people in Washington and Brussels.
President Zelensky plans to designate Saakashvili’s zone of responsibility the negotiations with the IMF on the allocation of financial assistance to Ukraine. Another important task of the Georgian politician should be the coordination of the economic bloc of the government, deregulation of business and support for small and medium-sized businesses.
He promised that a week after his appointment, he would submit to the Rada’s profile committee a package of seven laws, the implementation of which would allow Ukraine to rise twenty positions in the Doing Business world ranking in a month.
Saakashvili’s proposals are good and not new – the fight against corruption, the reduction of state regulation and acceleration of economic growth. But not feasible in modern Ukraine. And they look populist.
His return to Ukraine will probably be marked by new political vacillations, but will not help Kyiv to cope with current problems. This was stated by Deputy Director of the Eurasian Center in the Atlantic Council, Melinda Haring, on April 24 in an article for The National Interest.
Thus, the next career stage of Mikheil Saakashvili in Ukraine is likely to be similar to the previous one. He will promise a lot, but not much to do. And then it will bother the president. And what was the last time we all remember.
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theduran--2020-04-27--EU leaders prepare trillion euro kleptocrat slush fund (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the EU recovery plan which is preparing to create a trillion euro escape route from the Covid-19 pandemic .
The leaders of the 27 EU nations already agreed to a €540 billion rescue package .
Italy and Spain , which stand second and third in Covid-19 cases and deaths , have the right to borrow from the bailout mechanism , but are reluctant to do so in fear that taking on more EU debt would bury southern Europe in never ending austerity programs .
Subscribe to The Duran on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Duran Audio Podcast : Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes .
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to build a trillion euro emergency fund to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic , avoiding another all-night bust-up but leaving divisive details until the summer .
With the EU ’ s Brussels headquarters under lockdown – along with most of Europe – the 27 leaders held a four-hour video conference to consider proposals , rallying around a bigger common budget for 2021-27 with a recovery programme .
At around 1 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ multi-year common budget has long been one of the most contentious subjects of debate for its members .
Expanding it will not be easy , even if Italy ’ s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed “ great progress ” after the summit ended .
French President Emmanuel Macron said differences continued between EU governments over whether the fund should be transferring grant money , or simply making loans .
“ I ’ m saying this sincerely : if Europe raises debt to loan to others , that won ’ t live up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , adding that it would saddle already heavily-indebted countries , such as Italy , Belgium and Greece , with yet more debt .
Europe is facing a severe economic shock from the spread of COVID-19 , the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus , which has also led to border closures across the bloc and left member states fighting over medical supplies .
European Central Bank Governor Christine Lagarde told the leaders the pandemic could cut between 5 % and up to 15 % of euro zone economic output , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s economic growth for 2020 is forecast to contract 5.4 % , which would make it the worst year since the common currency was introduced in 1999 , according to a Reuters poll .
That is still better than the International Monetary Fund ’ s latest forecast for a decline of 7.5 % .
After weeks of squabbling , the leaders approved half-a-trillion euros worth of an immediate rescue scheme to protect jobs , businesses and offer cheap credit to governments .
But with Italy and Spain hit far harder than Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaced across the bloc .
Reaching agreement among euro zone finance ministers two weeks ago on the smaller euro rescue scheme was torturous , as the Netherlands refused an Italian demand to issue common debt .
Conte told leaders that a recovery fund should be 1.5 trillion euros in size and provide grants to EU governments to stop countries heading towards economic collapse and thereby threatening the viability of the bloc ’ s internal market .
“ Grants are essential , ” Conte said , according to diplomats who were on the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quickly become a social emergency .
But now we are facing a political emergency as well.
” Austria ’ s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz took the opposite view , saying on Twitter that , while Vienna was ready to show solidarity , “ we should do this through loans ” .
Kurz said he would coordinate with “ like-minded countries ” , a reference to wealthy but cautious northern countries such as Denmark , Sweden , Finland and the Netherlands , who resent having to pay for poorer southern countries they see as fiscally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ’ s worst hit countries , backs Italy ’ s view that a fund must issue grants , rather than loans , while France has argued for a fund that could issue common EU debt , hoping its temporary nature will calm passions .
German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a conciliatory stance as she publicly called for a major recovery fund after the summit .
“ Things can only go well for Germany if they go well for Europe , ” she said .
Leaders tasked the European Commission , the EU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 6 , diplomats said .
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU countries had so far handed out state aid worth 1.8 trillion euros to cushion the economic hit and that the new recovery fund would be in the order of magnitude of a trillion euros .
She said the solution was to increase the amount that each EU government would be liable to pay into a recovery fund if needed , raising it to 2 % of gross national income ( GNI ) , from 1.2 % today .
GNI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of economic output .
Most significantly , that means an implicit guarantee needed from EU governments for the Commission to issue bonds , a kind of “ contingent liability ” .
The Commission has a triple-A credit rating , issuing against the security of the next EU long-term budget .
“ We are slowly heading towards some form of joint debt .
We ’ ll never call it ‘ coronabonds ’ or ‘ eurobonds ’ and it will be raised by the Commission , rather than member states together , ” said a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

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 the EU recovery plan which is preparing to create a trillion euro escape route from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The leaders of the 27 EU nations already agreed to a €540 billion rescue package. Italy and Spain, which stand second and third in Covid-19 cases and deaths, have the right to borrow from the bailout mechanism, but are reluctant to do so in fear that taking on more EU debt would bury southern Europe in never ending austerity programs.
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Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes.
Via Reuters…
European Union leaders agreed on Thursday to build a trillion euro emergency fund to help recover from the coronavirus pandemic, avoiding another all-night bust-up but leaving divisive details until the summer.
With the EU’s Brussels headquarters under lockdown – along with most of Europe – the 27 leaders held a four-hour video conference to consider proposals, rallying around a bigger common budget for 2021-27 with a recovery programme.
At around 1% of the EU’s economic output, the multi-year common budget has long been one of the most contentious subjects of debate for its members. Expanding it will not be easy, even if Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte hailed “great progress” after the summit ended.
French President Emmanuel Macron said differences continued between EU governments over whether the fund should be transferring grant money, or simply making loans.
“Divisions remain,” Macron told reporters in Paris.
“I’m saying this sincerely: if Europe raises debt to loan to others, that won’t live up to the response we need,” he said, adding that it would saddle already heavily-indebted countries, such as Italy, Belgium and Greece, with yet more debt.
Europe is facing a severe economic shock from the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, which has also led to border closures across the bloc and left member states fighting over medical supplies.
European Central Bank Governor Christine Lagarde told the leaders the pandemic could cut between 5% and up to 15% of euro zone economic output, officials and diplomats said.
The euro zone’s economic growth for 2020 is forecast to contract 5.4%, which would make it the worst year since the common currency was introduced in 1999, according to a Reuters poll. That is still better than the International Monetary Fund’s latest forecast for a decline of 7.5%.
“POLITICAL EMERGENCY”
After weeks of squabbling, the leaders approved half-a-trillion euros worth of an immediate rescue scheme to protect jobs, businesses and offer cheap credit to governments.
But with Italy and Spain hit far harder than Germany by the crisis, old enmities have surfaced across the bloc. Reaching agreement among euro zone finance ministers two weeks ago on the smaller euro rescue scheme was torturous, as the Netherlands refused an Italian demand to issue common debt.
Conte told leaders that a recovery fund should be 1.5 trillion euros in size and provide grants to EU governments to stop countries heading towards economic collapse and thereby threatening the viability of the bloc’s internal market.
“Grants are essential,” Conte said, according to diplomats who were on the video conference. “The sanitary emergency has quickly become a social emergency. But now we are facing a political emergency as well.”
Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz took the opposite view, saying on Twitter that, while Vienna was ready to show solidarity, “we should do this through loans”.
Kurz said he would coordinate with “like-minded countries”, a reference to wealthy but cautious northern countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands, who resent having to pay for poorer southern countries they see as fiscally irresponsible.
Spain, one of the world’s worst hit countries, backs Italy’s view that a fund must issue grants, rather than loans, while France has argued for a fund that could issue common EU debt, hoping its temporary nature will calm passions.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel took a conciliatory stance as she publicly called for a major recovery fund after the summit. “Things can only go well for Germany if they go well for Europe,” she said.
Leaders tasked the European Commission, the EU executive, to present detailed proposals by May 6, diplomats said.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said EU countries had so far handed out state aid worth 1.8 trillion euros to cushion the economic hit and that the new recovery fund would be in the order of magnitude of a trillion euros.
She said the solution was to increase the amount that each EU government would be liable to pay into a recovery fund if needed, raising it to 2% of gross national income (GNI), from 1.2% today. GNI is the EU’s preferred measure of economic output.
Most significantly, that means an implicit guarantee needed from EU governments for the Commission to issue bonds, a kind of “contingent liability”.
The Commission has a triple-A credit rating, issuing against the security of the next EU long-term budget.
“We are slowly heading towards some form of joint debt. We’ll never call it ‘coronabonds’ or ‘eurobonds’ and it will be raised by the Commission, rather than member states together,” said a senior EU diplomat involved in the summit.
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theduran--2020-04-28--Top 5 theories to explain what happened to North Korea’s Kim Jong-un (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the top five theories that have emerged to explain the mysterious disappearance of North Korea ’ s leader Kim Jong-un .
Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute .
The Duran Audio Podcast : Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes .
North Korea ’ s Kim Jong Un hasn ’ t been seen since April 11 , notably missing the country ’ s most important holiday on April 15 honoring his grandfather , Kim Il Sung .
What we do know is that China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Korea amid conflicting reports that Kim underwent a ‘ botched ’ cardiovascular surgery .
According to the Daily NK , however , Kim has mostly recovered .
Last Monday though , MSNBC ‘ s Katie Tur tweeted “ Kim Jong Un is brain dead , ” and that both NBC and CNN had confirmed his status .
She quickly deleted the tweet “ out of an abundance of caution.
” So , with rumors over Kim ’ s fate swirling , here are the top theories as to what ’ s going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kim Jong Un is alive and well , ” according to Moon Chung-in , special adviser to South Korea ’ s president .
In a Sunday statement to Fox News , Moon said that Kim had been staying in the coastal resort town of Wonsan since April 13 .
According to CNN , so who knows , US intelligence suggests that Kim is in “ grave danger ” following the surgery .
Meanwhile , Bloomberg reported that US officials were told Kim is in critical condition , but could not confirm his status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ministry , the ‘ medical team ’ was related to coronavirus testing .
“ That is not the same as a medical team , ” said CCP spokesman Geng Shuang in a Monday night interview from Beijing .
Not wanting to catch coronavirus since the 36-year-old is in a higher risk category on account of his obesity , some have suggested that the North Korean leader is simply quarantining amid the COVID-19 crisis , despite the fact that North Korea hasn ’ t disclosed any cases .
On Monday , Seoul-based JoongAng Daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , citing an unidentified source in China .
According to the report , one of Kim ’ s bodyguards was confirmed to have contracted the virus , which is why China sent 50 or so medical staff .
Of course , this wouldn ’ t prevent Kim from providing proof-of-life .
One rumor circulating is that Kim was injured during military drills in the eastern tourist enclave of Wonsan , where he owns a palatial family compound .
According to satellite photos analyzed by 38 North , Kim ’ s armored train , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , was seen parked at the local railway station last week .
On April 14 , the day before the Day of the Sun celebration in Pyongyang , there was a burst of military activity which included cruise missile tests and fighter jet maneuvers , according to a statement by North Korean defector Ri Jong Ho , who currently lives in the US .
Bloomberg suggests this is unlikely , and notes that satellite images from April 15 don ’ t show Kim ’ s train .
Last but not least , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who heads a committee on inter-Korean relations , who suggested that Kim devised his disappearance in order to draw attention to the regime .
In 2014 , Kim similarly vanished for six weeks , stoking all sorts of rumors ranging from ‘ gout ’ to ‘ overthrown , ’ after which he was seen walking with a cane .

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 the top five theories that have emerged to explain the mysterious disappearance of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.
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Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute.
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Via Zerohedge…
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un hasn’t been seen since April 11, notably missing the country’s most important holiday on April 15 honoring his grandfather, Kim Il Sung.
What we do know is that China dispatched a team of medical experts to North Korea amid conflicting reports that Kim underwent a ‘botched’ cardiovascular surgery. According to the Daily NK, however, Kim has mostly recovered.
Last Monday though, MSNBC‘s Katie Tur tweeted “Kim Jong Un is brain dead,” and that both NBC and CNN had confirmed his status. She quickly deleted the tweet “out of an abundance of caution.”
So, with rumors over Kim’s fate swirling, here are the top theories as to what’s going on, according to Bloomberg.
Relax, he’s just fine
“Kim Jong Un is alive and well,” according to Moon Chung-in, special adviser to South Korea’s president. In a Sunday statement to Fox News, Moon said that Kim had been staying in the coastal resort town of Wonsan since April 13.
He’s toast
According to CNN, so who knows, US intelligence suggests that Kim is in “grave danger” following the surgery. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reported that US officials were told Kim is in critical condition, but could not confirm his status.
While U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he believed the CNN report was “incorrect” and based on “old documents,” rumors about Kim’s deteriorating condition only accelerated on social media. On Saturday, Reuters reported that the Chinese Communist Party’s International Department dispatched a team including medical experts to North Korea on Thursday to advise on Kim. The news service, which cited three people familiar with the situation, said it was unclear what the delegation signaled about Kim’s health. –Bloomberg
According to China’s foreign ministry, the ‘medical team’ was related to coronavirus testing. “That is not the same as a medical team,” said CCP spokesman Geng Shuang in a Monday night interview from Beijing.
Kim is social distancin g
Not wanting to catch coronavirus since the 36-year-old is in a higher risk category on account of his obesity, some have suggested that the North Korean leader is simply quarantining amid the COVID-19 crisis, despite the fact that North Korea hasn’t disclosed any cases.
On Monday, Seoul-based JoongAng Daily newspaper reported that Kim is in self-quarantine, citing an unidentified source in China. According to the report, one of Kim’s bodyguards was confirmed to have contracted the virus, which is why China sent 50 or so medical staff.
Of course, this wouldn’t prevent Kim from providing proof-of-life.
Kim was injured during military drills
One rumor circulating is that Kim was injured during military drills in the eastern tourist enclave of Wonsan, where he owns a palatial family compound. According to satellite photos analyzed by 38 North, Kim’s armored train, or one which looks a lot like it, was seen parked at the local railway station last week.
On April 14, the day before the Day of the Sun celebration in Pyongyang, there was a burst of military activity which included cruise missile tests and fighter jet maneuvers, according to a statement by North Korean defector Ri Jong Ho, who currently lives in the US. Bloomberg suggests this is unlikely, and notes that satellite images from April 15 don’t show Kim’s train.
Seeking attention
Last but not least, Bloomberg cites South Korean lawmaker Yoon Sang-hyun, who heads a committee on inter-Korean relations, who suggested that Kim devised his disappearance in order to draw attention to the regime.
Yoon speculated that the North Korean leader would have to show up in public in the next couple of weeks to avoid a destabilizing debate about his grip on power and potential successors. “If he doesn’t, it’s a real big issue,” Yoon told reporters Monday, according to the DongA Daily. “Kim is apparently not running the country as he would normally do now.” –Bloomberg
In 2014, Kim similarly vanished for six weeks, stoking all sorts of rumors ranging from ‘gout’ to ‘overthrown,’ after which he was seen walking with a cane.
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