themoscowtimes--2020-12-14--News From Russia: What You Missed Over the Weekend

The Russian army on Saturday reported a violation of the ceasefire that ended the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in @ @ @ @ @ of Nagorno-Karabakh .
A spokesman for the Russian peacekeeping forces confirmed `` exchanges of fire @ @ @ @ @ telling the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that requests to respect the ceasefire had been @ @ @ @ @ Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny allegedly survived a second poisoning attempt with the Novichok nerve @ @ @ @ @ Germany , Britain ’ s The Times newspaper reported , citing unnamed western intelligence sources @ @ @ @ @ hospital where Navalny was initially treated before being flown to Berlin disputed the second poisoning @ @ @ @ @ persons had come into contact with the anti-corruption campaigner .

Truce breach
The Russian army on Saturday reported a violation of the ceasefire that ended the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in November in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
A spokesman for the Russian peacekeeping forces confirmed "exchanges of fire with automatic weapons," telling the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that requests to respect the ceasefire had been sent to both parties.
Double kill
Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny allegedly survived a second poisoning attempt with the Novichok nerve agent before being evacuated to Germany, Britain’s The Times newspaper reported, citing unnamed western intelligence sources.
Officials at the Siberian hospital where Navalny was initially treated before being flown to Berlin disputed the second poisoning account, saying no outside persons had come into contact with the anti-corruption campaigner.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-14--U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Turkey Over Russian Arms Purchase

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey 's military procurement agency after the NATO ally defiantly bought Russia 's S-400 air defense system .
`` Today 's action sends a clear signal that the United States will fully implement ( U.S. law ) and will not tolerate significant transactions with Russia 's defense and intelligence sectors , '' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement .
President Donald Trump 's administration said it was banning all U.S. export licenses to the Presidency of Defense Industries and refusing any visas for the agency 's president , Ismail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ S-400 air defense system despite warnings that it is not compatible with being part of the NATO alliance .
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned that sanctions would be `` disrespectful , '' although his government went ahead with testing .
`` The United States made clear to Turkey at the highest levels and on numerous occasions that its purchase of the S-400 system would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia 's defense sector , as well as Russian access to the Turkish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo said .
`` Turkey nevertheless decided to move ahead with the procurement and testing of the S-400 , despite the availability of alternative , NATO-interoperable systems to meet its defense requirements . ''
The United States already evicted Turkey from joint efforts in developing the F-35 fighter jet .

The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey's military procurement agency after the NATO ally defiantly bought Russia's S-400 air defense system.
"Today's action sends a clear signal that the United States will fully implement (U.S. law) and will not tolerate significant transactions with Russia's defense and intelligence sectors," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
President Donald Trump's administration said it was banning all U.S. export licenses to the Presidency of Defense Industries and refusing any visas for the agency's president, Ismail Demir.
Russia last year delivered the S-400 air defense system despite warnings that it is not compatible with being part of the NATO alliance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had warned that sanctions would be "disrespectful," although his government went ahead with testing.
"The United States made clear to Turkey at the highest levels and on numerous occasions that its purchase of the S-400 system would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia's defense sector, as well as Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry," Pompeo said.
"Turkey nevertheless decided to move ahead with the procurement and testing of the S-400, despite the availability of alternative, NATO-interoperable systems to meet its defense requirements."
The United States already evicted Turkey from joint efforts in developing the F-35 fighter jet.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-14--Russia’s Sputnik V Vaccine Is 91.4% Effective, Developers Confirm

The state-run Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow that developed Sputnik V said the data was obtained 21 days after volunteers received the first dose of the two-shot vaccine .
The latest 91.4 % figure is lower than its previously reported effectiveness of 96.2 % .
Russia ’ s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is 91.4 % effective , its developers announced Monday , citing a new analysis of data from its Phase 3 clinical trials .
“ The vaccine demonstrated 100 % efficacy against severe coronavirus cases .
There were 20 severe cases of coronavirus infection among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no severe cases in the vaccine group , ” Gamaleya said in a press release .
Data obtained at the third and final control point will be published in the near future in a “ leading international peer-reviewed medical journal , ” Gamaleya said .
The statement added that developers will use this data to seek accelerated registration for the vaccine in other countries .
The Russian-developed Sputnik V has drawn skepticism at home and abroad after it was rushed through government approval before the start of its large-scale Phase 3 trials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ signed a note of concern over possible data manipulation and statistical anomalies in its Phase 1/2 data published in medical journal The Lancet .
Its developers defended their research , saying that the methods they used to obtain measurements give only rough values , not exact numbers .
Phase 3 trials of the adenovirus vector-based vaccine will involve 40,000 volunteers in Moscow .
About 26,000 volunteers have already been vaccinated in Russia for the Phase 3 trials with “ no unforeseen adverse effects documented , ” the Russian Direct Investment Fund that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Russia launched its large-scale vaccination campaign starting with at-risk groups last week as ordered by President Vladimir Putin .
The announcement came shortly after Britain issued the world ’ s first general-use approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine .

The state-run Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Moscow that developed Sputnik V said the data was obtained 21 days after volunteers received the first dose of the two-shot vaccine. The latest 91.4% figure is lower than its previously reported effectiveness of 96.2%.
Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is 91.4% effective, its developers announced Monday, citing a new analysis of data from its Phase 3 clinical trials.
“The vaccine demonstrated 100% efficacy against severe coronavirus cases. There were 20 severe cases of coronavirus infection among confirmed cases in the placebo group and no severe cases in the vaccine group,” Gamaleya said in a press release.
Data obtained at the third and final control point will be published in the near future in a “leading international peer-reviewed medical journal,” Gamaleya said.
The statement added that developers will use this data to seek accelerated registration for the vaccine in other countries.
The Russian-developed Sputnik V has drawn skepticism at home and abroad after it was rushed through government approval before the start of its large-scale Phase 3 trials. In September, scientists from several countries signed a note of concern over possible data manipulation and statistical anomalies in its Phase 1/2 data published in medical journal The Lancet. Its developers defended their research, saying that the methods they used to obtain measurements give only rough values, not exact numbers.
Phase 3 trials of the adenovirus vector-based vaccine will involve 40,000 volunteers in Moscow. About 26,000 volunteers have already been vaccinated in Russia for the Phase 3 trials with “no unforeseen adverse effects documented,” the Russian Direct Investment Fund that is funding Sputnik V’s development reported.
Russia launched its large-scale vaccination campaign starting with at-risk groups last week as ordered by President Vladimir Putin. The announcement came shortly after Britain issued the world’s first general-use approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-14--Putin's 'Chef' Pays Russian Operatives Released by Libya

Concord , a company owned by EU-sanctioned businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin , said on Monday that he would be supporting the two men with 18 million rubles ( $ 246,420 ) each — 1 million rubles for each of the 18 months they were held captive .
Russian media last week reported that Maxim Shugaley and his interpreter Samir Seifan , who were arrested in Libya in May 2019 on charges of vote meddling , were released on Dec. 10 and were flying back to Russia .
An ally of President Vladimir Putin has shelled out nearly $ 500,000 to two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after 18 months in captivity , his company said Monday .
`` Russians do n't abandon their own ! ''
Concord said in a statement on the social media network Vkontakte .
Nicknamed `` Putin 's chef '' because his company has catered for the Kremlin , Prigozhin was sanctioned by the European Union in October on grounds of undermining peace in Libya by supporting the Wagner private military company .
Prigozhin , 59 , was earlier sanctioned by the United States for his links to Wagner , which has been accused of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Libya , Syria and countries in sub-Saharan Africa .
In conflict-torn Libya , Moscow backs strongman Khalifa Haftar against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord ( GNA ) .
Shugaley and Seifan — both Russian citizens — were accused last year by Libyan authorities of election meddling on behalf of Moscow while they were working with the son of ousted leader Moamer Kadhafi .
Russia had made their release a condition for any improvement in relations with the internationally recognized Tripoli-based government .
Both operatives were employed by the Foundation for the Defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is part of a media group the United States has linked to Prigozhin .

Concord, a company owned by EU-sanctioned businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Monday that he would be supporting the two men with 18 million rubles ($246,420) each — 1 million rubles for each of the 18 months they were held captive.
Russian media last week reported that Maxim Shugaley and his interpreter Samir Seifan, who were arrested in Libya in May 2019 on charges of vote meddling, were released on Dec. 10 and were flying back to Russia.
An ally of President Vladimir Putin has shelled out nearly $500,000 to two Russian political operatives recently freed by Libya after 18 months in captivity, his company said Monday.
"Russians don't abandon their own!" Concord said in a statement on the social media network Vkontakte.
Nicknamed "Putin's chef" because his company has catered for the Kremlin, Prigozhin was sanctioned by the European Union in October on grounds of undermining peace in Libya by supporting the Wagner private military company.
Prigozhin, 59, was earlier sanctioned by the United States for his links to Wagner, which has been accused of sending mercenaries to fight in conflicts in Libya, Syria and countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
In conflict-torn Libya, Moscow backs strongman Khalifa Haftar against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA).
Shugaley and Seifan — both Russian citizens — were accused last year by Libyan authorities of election meddling on behalf of Moscow while they were working with the son of ousted leader Moamer Kadhafi.
Russia had made their release a condition for any improvement in relations with the internationally recognized Tripoli-based government.
Both operatives were employed by the Foundation for the Defense of National Values, a Moscow-based organization that is part of a media group the United States has linked to Prigozhin.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-14--2 Russian Men Get Jail Sentences for Euro 2016 Attack

Mikhail Ivkin received a three-year term and Pavel Kossov the longer sentence for their role in the beating that left Briton Andrew Bache with a brain injury .
Two Russian men were on Monday sentenced to jail terms of three years and 10 years for a savage attack on an English football supporter at the 2016 European championships .
Detained since the two men were arrested in Germany in February 2018 , Ivkin will be released `` between now and the end of the week , '' his lawyer Julien Pinelli told AFP , while Kossov returns to jail .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ throwing the first punch at 55-year-old Bache in the violence that broke out before England played Russia in Marseille on June 11 , 2016 .
Bache , from Portsmouth in southern England , has no memory of the events and was too frail to attend the trial .
His son Harry was in court for the opening two days of the trial .
The prosecution , who had called for a maximum jail term of between 14 and 15 years for Kossov , said the Russians were part of a group of about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training .
One prosecutor , Christophe Raffin , described the charge as `` a paramilitary commando raid . ''
`` No , it was n't legitimate self-defense , it was an illegitimate use of force against Andrew Bache , '' said Raffin .
The court had been shown video images , including broadcasts from Russia Today and footage filmed by Ivkin .
Ivkin , the second Spartak Moscow supporter in the dock , did not hit Bache .
The images show him throwing a chair , which barely grazes the victim .
Kossov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the back of the head , a blow which sent Bache falling , like a rag doll , face first into the ground without attempting to protect himself .
Medical expert Michel Blanc , who examined Bache in 2018 , said during the trial the damage he observed was `` in line with a fall from eight meters high . ''
However , Blanc also said that the punch delivered by Kossov `` can not cause a fracture of the skull '' like the one shown `` with a major cerebral hemorrhage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a brain disconnect in the victim , like a knockout in boxing , a short circuit , '' he said .
Questions remain over the involvement of a third attacker , a young man in khaki Bermuda shorts and a light T-shirt , who is seen delivering a savage punch while the victim is lying motionless on the ground .
That attacker 's face was hidden by a surgical mask and he has never been identified .
Kossov and Ivkin were arrested as they travelled through Germany following a Spartak Moscow fixture in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Bache suffered his life-changing injuries .

Mikhail Ivkin received a three-year term and Pavel Kossov the longer sentence for their role in the beating that left Briton Andrew Bache with a brain injury.
Two Russian men were on Monday sentenced to jail terms of three years and 10 years for a savage attack on an English football supporter at the 2016 European championships.
Detained since the two men were arrested in Germany in February 2018, Ivkin will be released "between now and the end of the week," his lawyer Julien Pinelli told AFP, while Kossov returns to jail.
Kossov, 34, was accused of throwing the first punch at 55-year-old Bache in the violence that broke out before England played Russia in Marseille on June 11, 2016.
Bache, from Portsmouth in southern England, has no memory of the events and was too frail to attend the trial. His son Harry was in court for the opening two days of the trial.
The prosecution, who had called for a maximum jail term of between 14 and 15 years for Kossov, said the Russians were part of a group of about 150 men, many with martial arts training.
One prosecutor, Christophe Raffin, described the charge as "a paramilitary commando raid."
"No, it wasn't legitimate self-defense, it was an illegitimate use of force against Andrew Bache," said Raffin.
The court had been shown video images, including broadcasts from Russia Today and footage filmed by Ivkin.
Ivkin, the second Spartak Moscow supporter in the dock, did not hit Bache. The images show him throwing a chair, which barely grazes the victim.
Kossov is then seen punching Bache from behind in the back of the head, a blow which sent Bache falling, like a rag doll, face first into the ground without attempting to protect himself.
Medical expert Michel Blanc, who examined Bache in 2018, said during the trial the damage he observed was "in line with a fall from eight meters high."
However, Blanc also said that the punch delivered by Kossov "cannot cause a fracture of the skull" like the one shown "with a major cerebral hemorrhage."
"It may have caused a brain disconnect in the victim, like a knockout in boxing, a short circuit," he said.
Questions remain over the involvement of a third attacker, a young man in khaki Bermuda shorts and a light T-shirt, who is seen delivering a savage punch while the victim is lying motionless on the ground.
That attacker's face was hidden by a surgical mask and he has never been identified.
Kossov and Ivkin were arrested as they travelled through Germany following a Spartak Moscow fixture in Bilbao in February 2018, 20 months after Bache suffered his life-changing injuries.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-15--Foreigners in Moscow Eligible for Russia’s Coronavirus Vaccine

Russia kicked off its nationwide vaccination campaign among medics , teachers and other high-risk workers in recent days .
Eligible Moscow-based foreigners can get vaccinated with Russia ’ s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine as part of the mass rollout currently underway , a representative from the Moscow Health Department told The Moscow Times .
Foreign nationals including doctors and educators with valid passports , certificates of employment and public health insurance can sign up for the Sputnik V vaccine , which is being distributed at 70 Moscow clinics , a Health Department representative said Tuesday .
A health insurance agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valid residence permit holders qualify for the compulsory health insurance policy , however , effectively excluding tourist and business visa holders .
Before the early December vaccine rollout , Russian health officials denied reports of paid Sputnik V immunization tours from Europe into Russia as a “ scam.
” “ Covid-19 vaccinations on commercial terms , especially for tourists , are impossible , ” Alexei Kuznetsov , an aide to Russia ’ s health minister , said in October .
“ Russians are the absolute priority in the vaccination .
Commercial supplies can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is met , ” he was quoted as saying .
Sputnik V ’ s developers have boasted of demand for 1.2 billion doses from more than 50 countries , with production agreements reached with India , China , Brazil , South Korea and other nations .
President Vladimir Putin , who announced Sputnik V ’ s registration in August before the start of its final clinical trials , acknowledged challenges with scaling up production earlier this fall .
Public polls have also shown low trust levels toward Sputnik V among Russian respondents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trials to wrap up in May and plan to release final efficacy results , currently at 91.4 % based on data obtained three weeks after the first of two shots , next month .

Russia kicked off its nationwide vaccination campaign among medics, teachers and other high-risk workers in recent days.
Eligible Moscow-based foreigners can get vaccinated with Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine as part of the mass rollout currently underway, a representative from the Moscow Health Department told The Moscow Times.
Foreign nationals including doctors and educators with valid passports, certificates of employment and public health insurance can sign up for the Sputnik V vaccine, which is being distributed at 70 Moscow clinics, a Health Department representative said Tuesday.
A health insurance agency representative told The Moscow Times that only valid residence permit holders qualify for the compulsory health insurance policy, however, effectively excluding tourist and business visa holders.
Before the early December vaccine rollout, Russian health officials denied reports of paid Sputnik V immunization tours from Europe into Russia as a “scam.”
“Covid-19 vaccinations on commercial terms, especially for tourists, are impossible,” Alexei Kuznetsov, an aide to Russia’s health minister, said in October.
“Russians are the absolute priority in the vaccination. Commercial supplies can only be considered after the domestic need is met,” he was quoted as saying.
Sputnik V’s developers have boasted of demand for 1.2 billion doses from more than 50 countries, with production agreements reached with India, China, Brazil, South Korea and other nations.
President Vladimir Putin, who announced Sputnik V’s registration in August before the start of its final clinical trials, acknowledged challenges with scaling up production earlier this fall.
Public polls have also shown low trust levels toward Sputnik V among Russian respondents.
Sputnik V’s developers expect post-registration trials to wrap up in May and plan to release final efficacy results, currently at 91.4% based on data obtained three weeks after the first of two shots, next month.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-15--Russia’s MC-21 Passenger Aircraft Completes First Flight With Domestic-Made Engine

Russia ’ s MC-21 medium-range passenger aircraft has made its first flight with a domestically made engine , state industrial @ @ @ @ @ “ Through the efforts of scientists , designers , engineers and workers , a next-generation @ @ @ @ @ returns our country to the top league of world aviation , ” Rostec head Sergei @ @ @ @ @ .
The flight took off from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant ’ s airfield and lasted @ @ @ @ @ .
Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said that the MC-21 ’ s maiden flight @ @ @ @ @ is the result of `` a consistent state policy in the development of high-tech industries @ @

Russia’s MC-21 medium-range passenger aircraft has made its first flight with a domestically made engine, state industrial conglomerate Rostec announced Tuesday.
“Through the efforts of scientists, designers, engineers and workers, a next-generation airliner is being created that returns our country to the top league of world aviation,” Rostec head Sergei Chemezov said in a statement.
The flight took off from the Irkutsk Aviation Plant’s airfield and lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes.
Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said that the MC-21’s maiden flight with a Russian PD-14 engine is the result of "a consistent state policy in the development of high-tech industries."


themoscowtimes--2020-12-15--5 Russian Lawmakers Reinfected With Coronavirus, Duma Speaker Says

Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said 11 lawmakers have tested positive for coronavirus over the past week , bringing the total number of infections in the 450-member chamber to 157 .
At least five members of Russia ’ s lower house of parliament , the State Duma , have been infected with coronavirus twice , its speaker said Tuesday .
“ What ’ s more concerning is that five deputies have fallen ill with the coronavirus again , ” Volodin said at a Duma session .
“ Their antibodies hadn ’ t developed and they got infected , ” he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New Year holidays and to follow health guidelines when communicating with voters .
Russian authorities have until recently insisted there were no second infections in Russia , including when confronted by a scientist who deliberately got infected with Covid-19 twice .
Experts say the handful of Covid-19 reinfections worldwide are not yet sufficient to draw conclusions on how they will affect vaccinations and herd immunity .
Russia late last week launched the large-scale rollout of its domestically made Sputnik V vaccine among high-risk workers , with developers placing the jab 's effectiveness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are expected to wrap up in May 2021 with full efficacy results released next month .

Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said 11 lawmakers have tested positive for coronavirus over the past week, bringing the total number of infections in the 450-member chamber to 157.
At least five members of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, have been infected with coronavirus twice, its speaker said Tuesday.
“What’s more concerning is that five deputies have fallen ill with the coronavirus again,” Volodin said at a Duma session.
“Their antibodies hadn’t developed and they got infected,” he said, urging colleagues to avoid traveling abroad for the New Year holidays and to follow health guidelines when communicating with voters.
Russian authorities have until recently insisted there were no second infections in Russia, including when confronted by a scientist who deliberately got infected with Covid-19 twice.
Experts say the handful of Covid-19 reinfections worldwide are not yet sufficient to draw conclusions on how they will affect vaccinations and herd immunity.
Russia late last week launched the large-scale rollout of its domestically made Sputnik V vaccine among high-risk workers, with developers placing the jab's effectiveness at 91.4%.
Parallel post-registration trials are expected to wrap up in May 2021 with full efficacy results released next month.


themoscowtimes--2020-12-15--Russians’ Gender Attitudes Among World’s Most Conservative: Poll

The GlobalNR research network and its Russian partner ROMIR found that 82 % of Chinese respondents , 71 % of Russians and 69 % of Indians agreed with the statement that traditional gender roles are best suited for society .
The global average stood at 47 % .
Russians have some of the world ’ s most conservative attitudes toward gender roles , according to a multinational survey spanning 10 countries .
Russian respondents were also more likely than their global counterparts to agree with statements that the existence of transgender people is offensive , women shouldn ’ t work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marry and men shouldn ’ t wear skirts .
“ We ’ re witnessing a rare case when Russians don ’ t line up with the image of the average human and show their unwillingness to compromise , ” the ROMIR research agency 's president Andrei Milekhin said .
“ It ’ s telling that our neighbors in the top three are China and India , which are also hotbeds of civilization based on traditions , core values and conservative views , ” he added .
The study ’ s results published Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to cast itself as Europe ’ s last bastion of conservative values for the past decade and a half , lawyers and activists say .
“ That ’ s why we don ’ t have progressive laws such as a law against domestic violence , ” women ’ s rights lawyer Mari Davtyan told the Kommersant business daily .
“ It doesn ’ t fit into conservative values because conservatism implies hierarchy and power , and the possibility of violence is what holds and legitimizes such power , ” Davtyan said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7,100 respondents from the U.S. , Britain , Germany and other countries including India , Brazil and Thailand polled this year .

The GlobalNR research network and its Russian partner ROMIR found that 82% of Chinese respondents, 71% of Russians and 69% of Indians agreed with the statement that traditional gender roles are best suited for society. The global average stood at 47%.
Russians have some of the world’s most conservative attitudes toward gender roles, according to a multinational survey spanning 10 countries.
Russian respondents were also more likely than their global counterparts to agree with statements that the existence of transgender people is offensive, women shouldn’t work, same-sex couples shouldn’t legally marry and men shouldn’t wear skirts.
“We’re witnessing a rare case when Russians don’t line up with the image of the average human and show their unwillingness to compromise,” the ROMIR research agency's president Andrei Milekhin said.
“It’s telling that our neighbors in the top three are China and India, which are also hotbeds of civilization based on traditions, core values and conservative views,” he added.
The study’s results published Monday are consistent with the Russian government's efforts to cast itself as Europe’s last bastion of conservative values for the past decade and a half, lawyers and activists say.
“That’s why we don’t have progressive laws such as a law against domestic violence,” women’s rights lawyer Mari Davtyan told the Kommersant business daily.
“It doesn’t fit into conservative values because conservatism implies hierarchy and power, and the possibility of violence is what holds and legitimizes such power,” Davtyan said.
Russians accounted for 800 out of the 7,100 respondents from the U.S., Britain, Germany and other countries including India, Brazil and Thailand polled this year.