themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Coronavirus Cases Spike in 40% of Russian Regions

The number of new coronavirus cases is increasing in 33 out of 85 Russian regions , Popova said .
Russia ’ s chief sanitary doctor added that 31 regions are not seeing any changes , while infections are slowing down in 19 regions .
Infections are on the decline in only two regions , Anna Popova , who heads Russia ’ s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor , said during a Covid-19 government task force video conference broadcast live on state television .
New coronavirus cases are spiking in 40 % of Russian regions , Russia ’ s top public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bed , staff and drug shortages hitting far-flung areas outside Moscow .
The data comes as record numbers of Russians have been infected and killed by Covid-19 over the past month after a summer lull , as authorities continue to rule out a nationwide lockdown .
Cases nearly quadrupled from around 5,000 per day in early September to more than 18,000 per day in the past three days .
Deaths over the same period rose from an average of around 100 per day to more than 300 per day last week .
Adjusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases per 100,000 people on Sept. 1 to 12 cases per 100,000 as of Monday , Popova said .
Some Russian regions are seeing as many as 79 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people per day , she added .
While Moscow ’ s mayor said the number of new cases had begun to decline in the capital last week , other cities including St. Petersburg and the westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad saw their highest caseloads since the spring outbreak .
The Moscow region also doubled Covid-19 hospitalizations over the past month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaced showing bodies wrapped in black bags filling hospitals in Siberia , as well as elderly patients dying after being refused hospitalization or oxygen shortages in southern Russia .
Hospital staff in the Kurgan region called for the Russian military to deploy army medics , saying their health system had collapsed .
Russia confirmed 18,257 new coronavirus cases and 238 additional deaths Monday , pushing the total caseload to 1,655,038 and 28,473 deaths .
New Covid-19 cases are expected to peak at up to 22,000 per day in January , infectious disease specialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agency .

The number of new coronavirus cases is increasing in 33 out of 85 Russian regions, Popova said. Russia’s chief sanitary doctor added that 31 regions are not seeing any changes, while infections are slowing down in 19 regions.
Infections are on the decline in only two regions, Anna Popova, who heads Russia’s consumer safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, said during a Covid-19 government task force video conference broadcast live on state television.
New coronavirus cases are spiking in 40% of Russian regions, Russia’s top public health official said Monday amid reports of hospital bed, staff and drug shortages hitting far-flung areas outside Moscow.
The data comes as record numbers of Russians have been infected and killed by Covid-19 over the past month after a summer lull, as authorities continue to rule out a nationwide lockdown.
Cases nearly quadrupled from around 5,000 per day in early September to more than 18,000 per day in the past three days. Deaths over the same period rose from an average of around 100 per day to more than 300 per day last week.
Adjusted for population, Russia went from 3.8 cases per 100,000 people on Sept. 1 to 12 cases per 100,000 as of Monday, Popova said. Some Russian regions are seeing as many as 79 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 people per day, she added.
While Moscow’s mayor said the number of new cases had begun to decline in the capital last week, other cities including St. Petersburg and the westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad saw their highest caseloads since the spring outbreak. The Moscow region also doubled Covid-19 hospitalizations over the past month.
Behind the figures, grim videos have surfaced showing bodies wrapped in black bags filling hospitals in Siberia, as well as elderly patients dying after being refused hospitalization or oxygen shortages in southern Russia. Hospital staff in the Kurgan region called for the Russian military to deploy army medics, saying their health system had collapsed.
Russia confirmed 18,257 new coronavirus cases and 238 additional deaths Monday, pushing the total caseload to 1,655,038 and 28,473 deaths.
New Covid-19 cases are expected to peak at up to 22,000 per day in January, infectious disease specialist Yevgeny Timakov told state-run RIA Novosti news agency.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Russia Battles Four-Year Doping Ban

Russia Battles Four-Year Doping Ban

The ban meant the country would miss the re-arranged Tokyo Olympics next year as well as football 's 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2022 Winter Olympics in China .
Global anti-doping body WADA in December last year declared the Russian Anti-Doping Agency ( RUSADA ) to be non-compliant after being accused of manipulating testing data .
Russia 's attempt to overturn its four-year ban from international sport got underway in Lausanne Monday , the latest chapter of a long-running and controversial saga over state-sanctioned doping .
A hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to last until Friday , has already caused division .
WADA had requested that the proceedings be held in public , but following disagreement between all parties , the three CAS judges eventually opened the first session behind closed doors via teleconference .
A decision will only be made public on an undisclosed date .
Russia considers its ban to be legally indefensible .
Former Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev described the suspension as `` chronic anti-Russian hysteria '' .
The hearing is being billed as a landmark week for Russian sport and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1999 , also has plenty on the line after the U.S. threatened to pull its annual $ 2.7 million financing .
U.S. lawmakers accused WADA of failing to implement governance reforms and have criticized the handling of the Russian scandal .
Also , the International Olympic Committee and sports federations are expecting clear directives from CAS , eight months before the Tokyo Olympics .
`` WADA has left no stone unturned in preparation for this hearing and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to present our case clearly and fairly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president Witold Banka .
`` I remain convinced that the WADA Executive Committee made the right recommendation in this case last December .
`` As at every other stage , we are following due process in relation to RUSADA 's compliance procedure as we continue to deal effectively with this complex matter . ''

Russia's attempt to overturn its four-year ban from international sport got underway in Lausanne Monday, the latest chapter of a long-running and controversial saga over state-sanctioned doping. Global anti-doping body WADA in December last year declared the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) to be non-compliant after being accused of manipulating testing data. The ban meant the country would miss the re-arranged Tokyo Olympics next year as well as football's 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.
news Former Athletics Chief Guilty of Russian Doping Corruption Read more
A hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which opened Monday and is expected to last until Friday, has already caused division. WADA had requested that the proceedings be held in public, but following disagreement between all parties, the three CAS judges eventually opened the first session behind closed doors via teleconference. A decision will only be made public on an undisclosed date. Russia considers its ban to be legally indefensible. Former Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev described the suspension as "chronic anti-Russian hysteria". Crucial week for Russian sport The hearing is being billed as a landmark week for Russian sport and global anti-doping efforts. WADA, formed in 1999, also has plenty on the line after the U.S. threatened to pull its annual $2.7 million financing. U.S. lawmakers accused WADA of failing to implement governance reforms and have criticized the handling of the Russian scandal. Also, the International Olympic Committee and sports federations are expecting clear directives from CAS, eight months before the Tokyo Olympics. "WADA has left no stone unturned in preparation for this hearing and we are looking forward to having the opportunity to present our case clearly and fairly to the panel," said WADA president Witold Banka. "I remain convinced that the WADA Executive Committee made the right recommendation in this case last December. "As at every other stage, we are following due process in relation to RUSADA's compliance procedure as we continue to deal effectively with this complex matter."


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Russian Arctic Sea Fails to Freeze

Russian Arctic Sea Fails to Freeze

Russia ’ s Arctic Laptev Sea has not yet frozen for the first time since records began , according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Centre .
The sea , which is known as the “ birthplace of ice , ” thawed much earlier in 2020 than in any previous year since 1979 , and has not yet re-frozen as of late October .
Arctic sea ice coverage usually shrinks in the spring and summer , levels out in September and increases in the fall and winter to reach maximum levels in March .
Scientists attribute the lack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extreme heatwave in Siberia , as well as warm Atlantic currents flowing into the Arctic .
Climate change has reduced sea ice coverage in the Arctic Ocean in recent decades , with 2019 tying for second-lowest in recorded history .
“ There ’ s so much more heat in the ocean now than there used to be that the pattern of autumn ice growth has been completely disrupted , ” NSIDC director Mark Serreze wrote in The Conversation .
Ocean temperatures have risen by more than five degrees Celsius in the area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NSIDC graph shared by Colorado State University climate scientist Zack Labe showed the extent to which Laptev Sea ice cover has shrunk and not yet recovered in October 2020 .
Live Science compared the estimated loss of sea ice so far this year to the combined areas of Texas , Alaska and South Carolina .

Russia’s Arctic Laptev Sea has not yet frozen for the first time since records began, according to the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Centre.
The sea, which is known as the “birthplace of ice,” thawed much earlier in 2020 than in any previous year since 1979, and has not yet re-frozen as of late October. Arctic sea ice coverage usually shrinks in the spring and summer, levels out in September and increases in the fall and winter to reach maximum levels in March.
Scientists attribute the lack of ice to early summer warming and an extreme heatwave in Siberia, as well as warm Atlantic currents flowing into the Arctic. Climate change has reduced sea ice coverage in the Arctic Ocean in recent decades, with 2019 tying for second-lowest in recorded history.
“There’s so much more heat in the ocean now than there used to be that the pattern of autumn ice growth has been completely disrupted,” NSIDC director Mark Serreze wrote in The Conversation. Ocean temperatures have risen by more than five degrees Celsius in the area, according to The Guardian.
An NSIDC graph shared by Colorado State University climate scientist Zack Labe showed the extent to which Laptev Sea ice cover has shrunk and not yet recovered in October 2020. Live Science compared the estimated loss of sea ice so far this year to the combined areas of Texas, Alaska and South Carolina.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Russia’s 'Sausage King' Murdered With Crossbow

Masked assailants murdered Russian meat magnate Vladimir Marugov with a crossbow at his countryside estate outside Moscow in the early hours of Monday morning , Russia ’ s Investigative Committee reported .
Marugov and his partner were in an outdoor sauna hut on the estate about 25 miles west of the capital when the attack happened .
The woman managed to escape through the window and call the police from a neighbor ’ s house .
When police and forensic experts arrived at the scene they found Marugov dead in the sauna , along with the crossbow used to shoot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene in a car , which was found in a nearby village during the subsequent search operation .
It is not yet clear who was behind the fatal attack and an investigation into the incident is ongoing .
Marugov was nicknamed “ the sausage king ” for his career in the meat-producing industry and ownership of some of the country ’ s largest meat processing plants .
Since 2019 , he had been involved in a highly publicized property rights conflict with his ex-wife , poet Tatyana Marugova , which became an issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Masked assailants murdered Russian meat magnate Vladimir Marugov with a crossbow at his countryside estate outside Moscow in the early hours of Monday morning, Russia’s Investigative Committee reported.
Marugov and his partner were in an outdoor sauna hut on the estate about 25 miles west of the capital when the attack happened. The woman managed to escape through the window and call the police from a neighbor’s house.
When police and forensic experts arrived at the scene they found Marugov dead in the sauna, along with the crossbow used to shoot him.
The assailants escaped the murder scene in a car, which was found in a nearby village during the subsequent search operation.
It is not yet clear who was behind the fatal attack and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Marugov was nicknamed “the sausage king” for his career in the meat-producing industry and ownership of some of the country’s largest meat processing plants.
Since 2019, he had been involved in a highly publicized property rights conflict with his ex-wife, poet Tatyana Marugova, which became an issue nearly five years after their divorce.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Mistrust Grows for Russia’s Coronavirus Vaccine – Poll

Mistrust for Russia ’ s Covid-19 vaccine grew most among residents of Moscow .
Just 31 % of respondents in the capital answered yes in October when asked if they would be willing to vaccinate , down from nearly 40 % in August .
Only 29 % of college-educated respondents said they would vaccinate , down from 36 % in August .
The share of Russians unwilling to vaccinate against Covid-19 has risen to 59 % in October from nearly 54 % in August , according to the Levada Center pollster .
More Russians distrust their homegrown coronavirus vaccine now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new independent poll cited by Russia ’ s Open Media news website said Monday as authorities raise hopes of mass vaccination in the coming months .
Levada sociologist Denis Volkov said the results showed the Russian authorities ’ failure to overcome their citizens ’ skepticism over the hastily developed vaccines without large-scale clinical trials for safety and effectiveness .
At least two Russian developers have begun testing their Covid-19 vaccines on thousands of volunteers in recent weeks .
“ People would like Russia to [ lead ] other countries , but we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of everyone else , ” Volkov told Open Media .
“ There need to be significant changes to change people ’ s attitude [ toward the vaccine ] , but that hasn ’ t happened yet , ” he added .
The share of respondents who say they are willing to receive the free and non-mandatory vaccine has fallen to 36 % in October from over 38 % in August , according to Levada ’ s survey cited by Open Media .
Previous polling has suggested that almost half of Russians would never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s produced in Russia or another country .
The increasing skepticism toward domestic coronavirus vaccines comes despite record numbers of Russians becoming infected and dying of Covid-19 over the past month as authorities continue to rule out a nationwide lockdown .
Cases nearly quadrupled from around 5,000 per day in early September to more than 18,000 per day in the past three days .
Deaths over the same period rose from an average of around 100 per day to more than 300 last week .
Levada conducted the survey among 1,601 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Open Media .

Mistrust for Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine grew most among residents of Moscow. Just 31% of respondents in the capital answered yes in October when asked if they would be willing to vaccinate, down from nearly 40% in August. Only 29% of college-educated respondents said they would vaccinate, down from 36% in August.
The share of Russians unwilling to vaccinate against Covid-19 has risen to 59% in October from nearly 54% in August, according to the Levada Center pollster.
More Russians distrust their homegrown coronavirus vaccine now than they did in the summer, a new independent poll cited by Russia’s Open Media news website said Monday as authorities raise hopes of mass vaccination in the coming months.
Levada sociologist Denis Volkov said the results showed the Russian authorities’ failure to overcome their citizens’ skepticism over the hastily developed vaccines without large-scale clinical trials for safety and effectiveness. At least two Russian developers have begun testing their Covid-19 vaccines on thousands of volunteers in recent weeks.
“People would like Russia to [lead] other countries, but we can’t be that far ahead of everyone else,” Volkov told Open Media.
“There need to be significant changes to change people’s attitude [toward the vaccine], but that hasn’t happened yet,” he added.
The share of respondents who say they are willing to receive the free and non-mandatory vaccine has fallen to 36% in October from over 38% in August, according to Levada’s survey cited by Open Media. Previous polling has suggested that almost half of Russians would never vaccinate against the coronavirus regardless of whether it’s produced in Russia or another country.
The increasing skepticism toward domestic coronavirus vaccines comes despite record numbers of Russians becoming infected and dying of Covid-19 over the past month as authorities continue to rule out a nationwide lockdown.
Cases nearly quadrupled from around 5,000 per day in early September to more than 18,000 per day in the past three days. Deaths over the same period rose from an average of around 100 per day to more than 300 last week.
Levada conducted the survey among 1,601 Russians between Oct. 22-28, according to Open Media.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets of ex-Soviet Georgia 's capital Tbilisi on Sunday to demand snap polls @ @ @ @ @ victory in a parliamentary vote Saturday .
A tight second round later this month is @ @ @ @ @ of Moldova , where a pro-European presidential challenger came from behind a pro-Russian incumbent to @ @ @ @ @ Sunday ’ s vote .
Russia said Saturday it would provide `` necessary '' assistance @ @ @ @ @ with Azerbaijan if fighting reached Armenian territory after its ally requested help .
Azerbaijan ’ @ @ @ @ @ was no reason for Russia to intervene in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh because Baku is @ @ @ @ @

"Near abroad" elections
Thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets of ex-Soviet Georgia's capital Tbilisi on Sunday to demand snap polls after the ruling party claimed victory in a parliamentary vote Saturday.
A tight second round later this month is expected in another ex-Soviet nation of Moldova, where a pro-European presidential challenger came from behind a pro-Russian incumbent to secure a surprise lead in Sunday’s vote.
Nagorno-Karabakh
Russia said Saturday it would provide "necessary" assistance to Yerevan in its conflict with Azerbaijan if fighting reached Armenian territory after its ally requested help.
Azerbaijan’s president said Sunday there was no reason for Russia to intervene in the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh because Baku is not threatening Armenian territory.


themoscowtimes--2020-11-02--Edward Snowden Aims to Become Dual U.S.-Russian Citizen

Fugitive U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden said Monday he had applied for Russian citizenship but would keep his U.S. nationality .
@ @ @ @ @ , who revealed in 2013 that the U.S. government was spying on its citizens , @ @ @ @ @ in Russia since the revelations .
Snowden 's tweet comes weeks after he was granted @ @ @ @ @ , and just days after his partner Lindsay Mills announced she was pregnant .
He @ @ @ @ @ of separation from our parents , my wife and I have no desire to be @ @ @ @ @ '' The 37-year-old said that `` in this era of pandemics and closed borders , @ @ @ @ @ U.S.-Russian citizenship '' .

Fugitive U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden said Monday he had applied for Russian citizenship but would keep his U.S. nationality.
The former American intelligence contractor, who revealed in 2013 that the U.S. government was spying on its citizens, has been living in exile in Russia since the revelations.
Snowden's tweet comes weeks after he was granted permanent residency in the country, and just days after his partner Lindsay Mills announced she was pregnant.
He tweeted: "After years of separation from our parents, my wife and I have no desire to be separated from our son."
The 37-year-old said that "in this era of pandemics and closed borders, we're applying for dual U.S.-Russian citizenship".


themoscowtimes--2020-11-03--Belarus Launches Nuclear Plant Despite Baltic Outcry

Ahead of the vote , Lukashenko hailed the plant — commissioned to ease the country 's dependence on energy imports — as a `` breakthrough into the future . ''
The launch comes as Belarus strongman president Alexander Lukashenko faces historic protests against his claim to victory in August presidential polls that Western leaders and his critics say were fraudulent .
Belarus on Tuesday launched its controversial Russia-built nuclear power station despite safety concerns from neighboring Baltic states three decades after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster .
`` The turbo generator of the first reactor of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the country , '' the Belarus energy ministry said .
The power station has proved divisive over safety concerns and due to its location around 20 kilometers ( 12 miles ) from the border with EU and NATO member Lithuania .
Lithuania 's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius criticized the launch saying it had gone ahead despite unresolved safety issues and described the energy project as `` geopolitical '' .
The EU and the international community `` simply can not stay indifferent to such cynical ignorance , '' Linkevicius wrote on Twitter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ imports from Belarus and neighboring Latvia said it had also blocked imports of energy generated at the plant .
The government in Vilnius has also offered free iodine tablets to around half a million people living close to the Belarus border to help protect them from radiation in case of an accident .
Some 130,000 people received iodine from pharmacies in the capital in recent weeks , Mindaugas Samkus , a spokesman for the Center of Registers , a government agency , told AFP Tuesday .
The Belarusian energy ministry said in August @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eventually supply one third of the country 's energy requirements .
The station was constructed by the Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom , costing some $ 11 billion ( 9.3 billion euros ) and largely funded by a Russian loan .
Rosatom earlier shrugged off safety concerns saying the plant fully meets international norms and recommendations .
In 1986 , an accident at the Chernobyl power station located on the territory of Soviet Ukraine contaminated around a quarter of Belarus 's territory .
The power station 's launch takes place against the backdrop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opponents demand that he hand over power to opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in exile in Vilnius .

Ahead of the vote, Lukashenko hailed the plant — commissioned to ease the country's dependence on energy imports — as a "breakthrough into the future."
The launch comes as Belarus strongman president Alexander Lukashenko faces historic protests against his claim to victory in August presidential polls that Western leaders and his critics say were fraudulent.
Belarus on Tuesday launched its controversial Russia-built nuclear power station despite safety concerns from neighboring Baltic states three decades after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
"The turbo generator of the first reactor of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant was connected to the unified electricity system of the country," the Belarus energy ministry said.
The power station has proved divisive over safety concerns and due to its location around 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the border with EU and NATO member Lithuania.
Lithuania's Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius criticized the launch saying it had gone ahead despite unresolved safety issues and described the energy project as "geopolitical".
The EU and the international community "simply cannot stay indifferent to such cynical ignorance," Linkevicius wrote on Twitter.
Lithuania said it had immediately stopped electricity imports from Belarus and neighboring Latvia said it had also blocked imports of energy generated at the plant.
The government in Vilnius has also offered free iodine tablets to around half a million people living close to the Belarus border to help protect them from radiation in case of an accident.
Some 130,000 people received iodine from pharmacies in the capital in recent weeks, Mindaugas Samkus, a spokesman for the Center of Registers, a government agency, told AFP Tuesday.
The Belarusian energy ministry said in August that the plant's two reactors would eventually supply one third of the country's energy requirements.
The station was constructed by the Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom, costing some $11 billion (9.3 billion euros) and largely funded by a Russian loan.
Rosatom earlier shrugged off safety concerns saying the plant fully meets international norms and recommendations.
In 1986, an accident at the Chernobyl power station located on the territory of Soviet Ukraine contaminated around a quarter of Belarus's territory.
The power station's launch takes place against the backdrop of historic protests against Lukashenko, whose opponents demand that he hand over power to opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in exile in Vilnius.