tass--2020-07-22--Moscow Health Department denies surge in COVID-19 infections

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Information of a surge in the coronavirus incidence in Moscow is misleading as well as the reports of the second wave , Moscow ’ s Health Department ’ s website says .
Earlier in the media outlets the information appeared that judging by the COVID-19 fatality data , the growth of the infection was registered in Moscow on June 6 , and the second wave of infections is expected .
`` In connection with a publication in news media < ... > Moscow ’ s Health Department issues an official refutation .
< @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fatalities is incorrect , therefore , the information that a new infection surge is expected in Moscow is distorted as well , '' the statement said .
According to the Moscow ’ s anti-coronavirus crisis center , from June 6 to June 24 a constant decrease in the number of COVID-19 fatalities was observed .
`` Additionally , from June 6 to June 24 the number of infections decreased more than twice , while the level of growth in June had consistently negative values , meaning it was decreasing gradually .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the average daily growth , - from June 6 to June 24 was also negative , '' the statement specified .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Information of a surge in the coronavirus incidence in Moscow is misleading as well as the reports of the second wave, Moscow’s Health Department’s website says.
Earlier in the media outlets the information appeared that judging by the COVID-19 fatality data, the growth of the infection was registered in Moscow on June 6, and the second wave of infections is expected.
"In connection with a publication in news media <...> Moscow’s Health Department issues an official refutation. <...> The information on the number of fatalities is incorrect, therefore, the information that a new infection surge is expected in Moscow is distorted as well," the statement said.
According to the Moscow’s anti-coronavirus crisis center, from June 6 to June 24 a constant decrease in the number of COVID-19 fatalities was observed.
"Additionally, from June 6 to June 24 the number of infections decreased more than twice, while the level of growth in June had consistently negative values, meaning it was decreasing gradually. The main marker of the epidemiological situation - the average daily growth, - from June 6 to June 24 was also negative," the statement specified.


tass--2020-07-22--Four COVID-19 vaccines proven to be safe, Russian PM says

`` Four vaccines today have proven to be safe , according to Rospotrebnadzor [ Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing ] and clinical trials on two others are at their final stage .
This is the Gamaleya Center and the Defense Ministry .
Two [ facilities ] are also preparing to start trials , these are Vector and the Scientific Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums .
MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Four vaccines against the coronavirus have proven to be safe and tests on two more vaccines are at their final stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the parliament , the State Duma , on Wednesday reporting on the government ’ s work .
The prime minister stressed that 17 scientific and research institutions in the country were developing the vaccine today , including the Ministry of Education and Science , the Health Ministry , the Federal Medical-Biological Agency and the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing .
`` There are more than 26 types of the vaccine , '' Mishustin said .
According to Mishustin , Russia ’ s healthcare system during the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges .
`` When I see how doctors and the heads of medical institutions are working , I want to say that it is ready and there is some reserve , '' the prime minister said .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 14,874,200 people have been infected worldwide and more than 613,600 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 8,929,200 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 783,328 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 562,384 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 12,580 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus situation .

"Four vaccines today have proven to be safe, according to Rospotrebnadzor [Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing] and clinical trials on two others are at their final stage. This is the Gamaleya Center and the Defense Ministry. Two [facilities] are also preparing to start trials, these are Vector and the Scientific Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums.
MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Four vaccines against the coronavirus have proven to be safe and tests on two more vaccines are at their final stage, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin told the parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday reporting on the government’s work.
The prime minister stressed that 17 scientific and research institutions in the country were developing the vaccine today, including the Ministry of Education and Science, the Health Ministry, the Federal Medical-Biological Agency and the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing. "There are more than 26 types of the vaccine," Mishustin said.
According to Mishustin, Russia’s healthcare system during the coronavirus pandemic proved that it was ready for challenges. "When I see how doctors and the heads of medical institutions are working, I want to say that it is ready and there is some reserve," the prime minister said.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 14,874,200 people have been infected worldwide and more than 613,600 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 8,929,200 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 783,328 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 562,384 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 12,580 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-07-22--Russia's portfolio of arms orders exceeds $55 bln as of early 2020

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s arms exports exceeded $ 15 bln in 2019 , while @ @ @ @ @ $ 55 bln as of early 2020 , Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said when delivering @ @ @ @ @ State Duma ( lower house ) on Wednesday .
`` The defense industry is working @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Russian arms exports amounted to over $ 15 bln in 2019 .
The @ @ @ @ @ the beginning of this year exceeded $ 55 bln .
More than one hundred countries @ @ @ @ @ field , '' PM noted .
Moreover , new areas are being developed in the @ @ @ @ @ he said , adding that production of liquified gas and equipment for solar and wind @ @ @ @ @ rise .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Russia’s arms exports exceeded $15 bln in 2019, while the portfolio of orders exceeded $55 bln as of early 2020, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said when delivering an annual report in the State Duma (lower house) on Wednesday.
"The defense industry is working successfully," he said. "Russian arms exports amounted to over $15 bln in 2019. The portfolio of orders as of the beginning of this year exceeded $55 bln. More than one hundred countries cooperate with Russia in that field," PM noted.
Moreover, new areas are being developed in the fuel and energy complex, he said, adding that production of liquified gas and equipment for solar and wind power plants is on the rise.


tass--2020-07-22--COVID-19 pandemic won’t be over by New Year’s eve, academician says

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
A member of the Russian Academy of Sciences , advisor to the scientific director of the Russian consumer watchdog ’ s Central Research Institute of Epidemiology Viktor Maleyev thinks that the coronavirus pandemic won ’ t be over soon judging by the worldwide incidence growth .
It is possible that the seasonal outbreaks will continue , he said before his 80th anniversary in an interview with the Future of Russia/National Projects portal , operated by TASS .
`` Infections by [ their ] definition will never be over .
If not this one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyway you and I will never live completely without infections .
If there were 400,000 incidences of the disease worldwide in two days , yet the WHO says that we haven ’ t reached the peak yet , then the plateau on the pandemic scale is still ahead of us .
People travel by plane , the globalization , so really before New Year ’ s nothing will be over for sure , and possibly , there will be seasonal outbreaks like it is happening already in Spain or Israel - 200-400 incidences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ academician noted as well , that it is difficult to forecast yet whether there will be a new wave of infection or not .
`` It is hard to tell whether there will be this wave of incidence or not .
In Russia now every day there are a bit over 6,000 infections and it can not be that tomorrow the growth will be 500 people or , to the contrary , 12,000 .
This is a phased and gradual process , not an instantaneous one , '' he added .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. A member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, advisor to the scientific director of the Russian consumer watchdog’s Central Research Institute of Epidemiology Viktor Maleyev thinks that the coronavirus pandemic won’t be over soon judging by the worldwide incidence growth. It is possible that the seasonal outbreaks will continue, he said before his 80th anniversary in an interview with the Future of Russia/National Projects portal, operated by TASS.
"Infections by [their] definition will never be over. If not this one, there will be another, and anyway you and I will never live completely without infections. If there were 400,000 incidences of the disease worldwide in two days, yet the WHO says that we haven’t reached the peak yet, then the plateau on the pandemic scale is still ahead of us. People travel by plane, the globalization, so really before New Year’s nothing will be over for sure, and possibly, there will be seasonal outbreaks like it is happening already in Spain or Israel - 200-400 incidences each," he said.
The academician noted as well, that it is difficult to forecast yet whether there will be a new wave of infection or not. "It is hard to tell whether there will be this wave of incidence or not. In Russia now every day there are a bit over 6,000 infections and it cannot be that tomorrow the growth will be 500 people or, to the contrary, 12,000. This is a phased and gradual process, not an instantaneous one," he added.


tass--2020-07-22--Russia records over 5,800 COVID-19 cases in past day

The daily growth rate dropped to 0.75 % , according to the crisis center .
MOSCOW , July 22 .
@ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases rose by 5,862 in the past day , reaching 789,190 , the anti-coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday .
Number of COVID-2019 cases across globe up by over 213,000 in past day @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Moscow , 234 in the Sverdlovsk Region , 221 in @ @ @ @ @ 217 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region and 186 in St. Petersburg .
The lowest growth @ @ @ @ @ was registered in the Nenets Autonomous Region ( 0 % ) , the Chukotka Autonomous @ @ @ @ @ , the Moscow Region ( 0.2 % ) , Kabardino-Balkaria ( 0.3 % ) , @ @ @ @ @ ) , the Lipetsk Region ( 0.3 % ) , the Kaliningrad Region ( 0.3 @ @ @ @ @ 0.3 % ) .
Currently , some 204,392 people are undergoing treatment for the coronavirus @ @ @

The daily growth rate dropped to 0.75%, according to the crisis center.
MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Russia’s coronavirus cases rose by 5,862 in the past day, reaching 789,190, the anti-coronavirus crisis center told reporters on Wednesday.
Number of COVID-2019 cases across globe up by over 213,000 in past day — WHO
Some new 636 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in Moscow, 234 in the Sverdlovsk Region, 221 in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region, 217 in the Nizhny Novgorod Region and 186 in St. Petersburg.
The lowest growth rate in the past day was registered in the Nenets Autonomous Region (0%), the Chukotka Autonomous Region (0%), the Moscow Region (0.2%), Kabardino-Balkaria (0.3%), North Ossetia (0.3%), the Lipetsk Region (0.3%), the Kaliningrad Region (0.3%) and Sevastopol (0.3%).
Currently, some 204,392 people are undergoing treatment for the coronavirus in Russia.


tass--2020-07-22--Russian military medics arrive in Kyrgyzstan to help fight COVID-19

BISHKEK , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
A group of Russian military medics has arrived in Kyrgyzstan to assist their Kyrgyz colleagues in treating the patients infected with the coronavirus , Kyrgyz General Staff of the Armed Forces informed TASS on Wednesday .
`` A special flight of Russia ’ s Defense Ministry arrived at the Kant airport bringing humanitarian aid as well as a group of military medics , '' the agency ’ s representative said .
According to him , in all , two dozen military medics who will treat the coronavirus patients arrived in the republic with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the official indicated , the Russians will provide voluntary help to their Kyrgyz colleagues , including consultations .
It is planned that a plane of Russia ’ s Emergencies Ministry will also arrive in Bishkek soon bringing another group of 80 experienced Russian doctors , including infectious disease specialists , epidemiologists , pulmonologists , and intensive care physicians .
Russian doctors will work in the republic ’ s capital and in Osh , the southern regional center .
The agreement to provide aid in the fight with the COVID-19 to the Kyrgyz side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month on the presidential level .
It is expected that in all , the planes of the Defense and Emergencies ministries will deliver to Kyrgyzstan 150 mln rubles worth of humanitarian aid .
Since the beginning of the pandemic , the Russian Federation rendered voluntary aid to the Kyrgyz side multiple times , in all , supplying test-systems allowing to conduct almost 110,000 tests for the detection of the coronavirus infection .
According to the latest data , in Kyrgyzstan 28,251 cases of the coronavirus infection and community-acquired pneumonia ( which in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection ) were registered with 1,079 fatalities .
Over 2,400 healthcare workers are among the infected .
Recently , more than a thousand of new cases of infection and approximately 30-80 fatalities are recorded daily .
In the middle of July the republic came to occupy the first place worldwide in the coronavirus-related fatalities per 100,000 of the population .
The epidemiologic situation in Kyrgyzstan has escalated at the end of June when the number of infections began to increase drastically .
Due to the acute shortage of doctors , medical school faculty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat patients as well as the volunteering doctors with Kyrgyz and Russian citizenship arriving from Russia .
Students of medical schools and colleges work as volunteers providing medical aid to patients in the hospitals and at home .
Due to the increase in the number of infections in the country , athletic and industrial facilities , bakeries , resorts , hotels , and mosques were converted into hospitals and observation facilities .
The largest hospital has been opened on the premises of the former US air base near the capital Manas airport @

BISHKEK, July 22. /TASS/. A group of Russian military medics has arrived in Kyrgyzstan to assist their Kyrgyz colleagues in treating the patients infected with the coronavirus, Kyrgyz General Staff of the Armed Forces informed TASS on Wednesday.
"A special flight of Russia’s Defense Ministry arrived at the Kant airport bringing humanitarian aid as well as a group of military medics," the agency’s representative said. According to him, in all, two dozen military medics who will treat the coronavirus patients arrived in the republic with "equipment and pharmaceuticals."
As the official indicated, the Russians will provide voluntary help to their Kyrgyz colleagues, including consultations. It is planned that a plane of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry will also arrive in Bishkek soon bringing another group of 80 experienced Russian doctors, including infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, pulmonologists, and intensive care physicians. Russian doctors will work in the republic’s capital and in Osh, the southern regional center.
The agreement to provide aid in the fight with the COVID-19 to the Kyrgyz side was made at the beginning of the month on the presidential level. It is expected that in all, the planes of the Defense and Emergencies ministries will deliver to Kyrgyzstan 150 mln rubles worth of humanitarian aid. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Russian Federation rendered voluntary aid to the Kyrgyz side multiple times, in all, supplying test-systems allowing to conduct almost 110,000 tests for the detection of the coronavirus infection.
According to the latest data, in Kyrgyzstan 28,251 cases of the coronavirus infection and community-acquired pneumonia (which in the republic is considered a complication after the infection) were registered with 1,079 fatalities. Over 2,400 healthcare workers are among the infected. Recently, more than a thousand of new cases of infection and approximately 30-80 fatalities are recorded daily. In the middle of July the republic came to occupy the first place worldwide in the coronavirus-related fatalities per 100,000 of the population.
The epidemiologic situation in Kyrgyzstan has escalated at the end of June when the number of infections began to increase drastically. Due to the acute shortage of doctors, medical school faculty, residents and interns were also enlisted to treat patients as well as the volunteering doctors with Kyrgyz and Russian citizenship arriving from Russia. Students of medical schools and colleges work as volunteers providing medical aid to patients in the hospitals and at home. Due to the increase in the number of infections in the country, athletic and industrial facilities, bakeries, resorts, hotels, and mosques were converted into hospitals and observation facilities. The largest hospital has been opened on the premises of the former US air base near the capital Manas airport.


tass--2020-07-22--Over 40,000 new coronavirus cases registered in Brazil in past day

RIO DE JANEIRO , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection in Brazil increased by 41,008 in the past 24 hours , reaching 2,159,970 , according to official statistics .
Number of COVID-2019 cases across globe up by over 213,000 in past day — WHO The country ’ s Health Ministry said in its daily bulletin that more than 612,000 people are infected at the moment .
A total of 1,465,970 patients have already recovered .
The country has 1,027 coronavirus cases and 38 deaths per 100,000 citizens .
Last week Brazil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time reported a decline in new cases since the start of the pandemic .
However , the average COVID-19 death rate remained high over past five weeks , exceeding 1,000 per day .
Brazil , where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on February 26 , is ranked second after the United States for the biggest number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities .
The Health Ministry earlier predicted that the situation would stabilize by July and in August the infection spread would begin to slow .
According to the ministry , in June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of fatalities .

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 22. /TASS/. The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection in Brazil increased by 41,008 in the past 24 hours, reaching 2,159,970, according to official statistics.
Number of COVID-2019 cases across globe up by over 213,000 in past day — WHO
The country’s Health Ministry said in its daily bulletin that more than 612,000 people are infected at the moment. A total of 1,465,970 patients have already recovered.
The country has 1,027 coronavirus cases and 38 deaths per 100,000 citizens.
Last week Brazil’s Health Ministry for the first time reported a decline in new cases since the start of the pandemic. However, the average COVID-19 death rate remained high over past five weeks, exceeding 1,000 per day.
Brazil, where the first coronavirus case was confirmed on February 26, is ranked second after the United States for the biggest number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities. The Health Ministry earlier predicted that the situation would stabilize by July and in August the infection spread would begin to slow. According to the ministry, in June the country reached a plateau in the number of fatalities.


tass--2020-07-22--Trump sees possibility of US coronavirus situation getting even worse

WASHINGTON , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The novel coronavirus situation in the United States , which is the hardest-hit country of the current pandemic , might get even worse , US President Donald Trump told reporters in the White House .
`` Some areas of our country are doing very well , others are doing less well , '' the US president said .
`` It will probably , unfortunately , get worse before it gets better .
Something I don ’ t like saying about things , but that ’ s the way it is .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the world , it ’ s all over the world . ''
According to the US president , the biggest increase in new cases is registered mostly in the country ’ s southern regions .
However , the infection might spread beyond the country ’ s south , he added .
In his words , the US executive branch is working jointly with the US Congress on preparing the next `` economic relief package '' aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic .
`` We are working very hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of progress .
I also know that both sides want to get it done , '' he said .
Moreover , two potential vaccines against the disease are entering the final stage of clinical trials later this month , and four more will do so in the following weeks , Trump said .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 14,874,200 people have been infected worldwide and more than 613,600 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 8,929,200 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
The Johns Hopkins University , which calculates its own statistics based on reports from US authorities , the WHO and other official sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus cases in the United States at about $ 3.9 million , with over 141,000 deaths .

WASHINGTON, July 22. /TASS/. The novel coronavirus situation in the United States, which is the hardest-hit country of the current pandemic, might get even worse, US President Donald Trump told reporters in the White House.
"Some areas of our country are doing very well, others are doing less well," the US president said. "It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better. Something I don’t like saying about things, but that’s the way it is. It’s what we have. You look all over the world, it’s all over the world."
According to the US president, the biggest increase in new cases is registered mostly in the country’s southern regions. However, the infection might spread beyond the country’s south, he added.
In his words, the US executive branch is working jointly with the US Congress on preparing the next "economic relief package" aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the pandemic. "We are working very hard on it, we are making a lot of progress. I also know that both sides want to get it done," he said.
Moreover, two potential vaccines against the disease are entering the final stage of clinical trials later this month, and four more will do so in the following weeks, Trump said.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 14,874,200 people have been infected worldwide and more than 613,600 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 8,929,200 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe. The Johns Hopkins University, which calculates its own statistics based on reports from US authorities, the WHO and other official sources, estimates the overall number of novel coronavirus cases in the United States at about $3.9 million, with over 141,000 deaths.


tass--2020-07-22--Over 250 vessels to take part in Navy Day parades in Russia

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
More than 250 vessels , about 80 aircraft , some 100 military vehicles @ @ @ @ @ 15,000 servicemen will take part in military parades to be held in Russia on July @ @ @ @ @ newspaper reported on Wednesday .
According to infographics by Krasnaya Zvezda , Russia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ Petersburg and Kronshtadt will be held on July 26 and will involve 46 vessels ( @ @ @ @ @ submarines ) , as well as 41 aircraft of the naval aviation and more than @ @ @ @ @ of spectators will be limited due to the novel coronavirus pandemic , in line with @ @ @ @ @ s requirements .
Naval parades will also take place at the main naval bases of @ @ @ @ @ Caspian Flotilla in Baltiysk , Vladivostok , Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky , Kaspiisk , Severomorsk and Sevastopol , @ @ @ @ @ Syrian port of Tartus .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. More than 250 vessels, about 80 aircraft, some 100 military vehicles and other hardware and about 15,000 servicemen will take part in military parades to be held in Russia on July 26, the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported on Wednesday.
According to infographics by Krasnaya Zvezda, Russia’s Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg and Kronshtadt will be held on July 26 and will involve 46 vessels (including warships, boats and submarines), as well as 41 aircraft of the naval aviation and more than 4,000 personnel. The number of spectators will be limited due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, in line with the Russian sanitary watchdog’s requirements.
Naval parades will also take place at the main naval bases of the Russian Fleets and the Caspian Flotilla in Baltiysk, Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kaspiisk, Severomorsk and Sevastopol, as well as in the Syrian port of Tartus.


tass--2020-07-22--Armenia says situation on border with Azerbaijan calm

YEREVAN , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The situation on the Armenian border with Azerbaijan remains calm early on Wednesday , with no shooting incidents reported , Armenian Defense Ministry Spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page .
`` As of 00:47 local time ( 23:47 Tuesday Moscow time ) there have been no shooting ( on the line of contact ) , '' Stepanyan said .
Late on Tuesday , she reported that a special operations unit of the Azerbaijani army attempted to attack Armenia ’ s positions .
`` The attack was repelled by Armenian troops .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she wrote , adding that no casualties were reported on the Armenian side .
The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan rejected those reports .
`` There were no new attacks in that sector on our part , '' Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dargyakhly said .
`` On the contrary , the situation at our sector of the state border remains calm . ''
The situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border escalated on July 12 , when Azerbaijan said that the Armenian army had tried to attack Azerbaijan ’ s positions with use of artillery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the situation on the border had aggravated after Azerbaijan ’ s attempted attack .
Baku has reported the death of twelve servicemen .
Yerevan said four Armenian soldiers had been killed and ten more were wounded .
On July 17 , both sides reported that the situation on the border was relatively calm .
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh , a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up , but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians , broke out in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic .
In 1992-1994 , tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them .
Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group , led by its three co-chairs - Russia , France and the United States .

YEREVAN, July 22. /TASS/. The situation on the Armenian border with Azerbaijan remains calm early on Wednesday, with no shooting incidents reported, Armenian Defense Ministry Spokeswoman Shushan Stepanyan wrote on her Facebook page.
"As of 00:47 local time (23:47 Tuesday Moscow time) there have been no shooting (on the line of contact)," Stepanyan said.
Late on Tuesday, she reported that a special operations unit of the Azerbaijani army attempted to attack Armenia’s positions. "The attack was repelled by Armenian troops. The enemy retreated sustaining serious losses," she wrote, adding that no casualties were reported on the Armenian side.
The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan rejected those reports. "There were no new attacks in that sector on our part," Defense Ministry spokesman Vagif Dargyakhly said. "On the contrary, the situation at our sector of the state border remains calm."
The situation on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border escalated on July 12, when Azerbaijan said that the Armenian army had tried to attack Azerbaijan’s positions with use of artillery systems. Armenia, in turn, said the situation on the border had aggravated after Azerbaijan’s attempted attack. Baku has reported the death of twelve servicemen. Yerevan said four Armenian soldiers had been killed and ten more were wounded.
On July 17, both sides reported that the situation on the border was relatively calm.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs - Russia, France and the United States.


tass--2020-07-22--Ukrainian police step up security in Kiev, nine other regions

KIEV , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The Ukrainian national police stepped up security measures in the country ’ s capital Kiev and nine other regions in the wake of Tuesday ’ s bus hijacking in the city of Lutsk .
Security measures were toughened in the regions of Vinnitsa , Zhitomir , Transcarpathia , Ivano-Frankovsk , Lvov , Rovno , Ternopol , Khmelnitsky and Chernovtsy .
`` The decision has been made with an aim to promptly respond to crime-related situations , avoid destabilization and to fulfill the task of averting manifestations of terrorism , '' police said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streets , bus and railway stations , and set up mobile checkpoints at roads leading to major cities .
A bus in Lutsk with around 20 people onboard was hijacked earlier on Tuesday .
The police said the terrorist was armed with grenades and an automatic weapon .
The man himself informed the police about seizing the bus and noted that he had `` planted another landmine in a crowded place in the city which can detonate . ''
The hostages were released on Tuesday night .
The incident was followed by a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them turned out to be false , two explosive devices were found and defused in Kiev .

KIEV, July 22. /TASS/. The Ukrainian national police stepped up security measures in the country’s capital Kiev and nine other regions in the wake of Tuesday’s bus hijacking in the city of Lutsk.
Security measures were toughened in the regions of Vinnitsa, Zhitomir, Transcarpathia, Ivano-Frankovsk, Lvov, Rovno, Ternopol, Khmelnitsky and Chernovtsy.
"The decision has been made with an aim to promptly respond to crime-related situations, avoid destabilization and to fulfill the task of averting manifestations of terrorism," police said in a statement.
Officers will patrol city streets, bus and railway stations, and set up mobile checkpoints at roads leading to major cities.
A bus in Lutsk with around 20 people onboard was hijacked earlier on Tuesday. The police said the terrorist was armed with grenades and an automatic weapon. The man himself informed the police about seizing the bus and noted that he had "planted another landmine in a crowded place in the city which can detonate." The hostages were released on Tuesday night.
The incident was followed by a series of bomb alerts. Although most of them turned out to be false, two explosive devices were found and defused in Kiev.


tass--2020-07-21--Russian, Iranian top diplomats deny Bolton’s allegations about Syria

MOSCOW , July 21 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin could have never said that Moscow doesn ’ t need Iran in Syria because he is not in the habit of discussing such matters behind his partners ’ back , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday commenting of allegations voiced by former US presidential national security adviser ( 2018-2019 ) John Botlon in his book The Room Where It Happened : A White House Memoir .
`` [ Bolton ] had no grounds to quote President Putin ( that Russia allegedly doesn ’ t want Iran ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because Putin has never said anything of the kind , '' Lavrov told a news conference after talks with his visiting Iranian counterpart , Mohammad Javad Zarif .
`` It is against our traditions and principles , the more so it is against President Putin ’ s principles , to discuss such things behind the back of our partners , We are tightly cooperating with Turkey and Iran in Syria . ''
`` I ’ s refrain from commenting on the habit of American retired officials to write memoirs in such a way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he noted .
`` Probably , it is part of what can be called a specific political culture had it not been a quite different thing than what we typically call culture . ''
Zarif , in turn , stressed that Teheran doesn ’ t believe Bolton either .
`` We think it has nothing to do with the real state of things and the level of cooperation Iran maintains with Russia and Turkey in the interests of peace , stability and accord in Syria , '' he said , adding that such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the book .
`` But no one would ever believe these words either in Moscow or in Teheran , '' he stressed .
Bolton ’ s book came out last months .
Among other revelations , Bolton alleges that Putin told him during their meeting in the Kremlin in June 2018 that Moscow was not interested in Iran ’ s presence in Syria .

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin could have never said that Moscow doesn’t need Iran in Syria because he is not in the habit of discussing such matters behind his partners’ back, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday commenting of allegations voiced by former US presidential national security adviser (2018-2019) John Botlon in his book The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir.
"[Bolton] had no grounds to quote President Putin (that Russia allegedly doesn’t want Iran’s presence in Syria - TASS) because Putin has never said anything of the kind," Lavrov told a news conference after talks with his visiting Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif. "It is against our traditions and principles, the more so it is against President Putin’s principles, to discuss such things behind the back of our partners, We are tightly cooperating with Turkey and Iran in Syria."
"I’s refrain from commenting on the habit of American retired officials to write memoirs in such a way that entails litigations and lawsuits," he noted. "Probably, it is part of what can be called a specific political culture had it not been a quite different thing than what we typically call culture."
Zarif, in turn, stressed that Teheran doesn’t believe Bolton either. "We think it has nothing to do with the real state of things and the level of cooperation Iran maintains with Russia and Turkey in the interests of peace, stability and accord in Syria," he said, adding that such stories were obviously meant to heighten interest to the book.
"But no one would ever believe these words either in Moscow or in Teheran," he stressed.
Bolton’s book came out last months. Among other revelations, Bolton alleges that Putin told him during their meeting in the Kremlin in June 2018 that Moscow was not interested in Iran’s presence in Syria.


tass--2020-07-21--Hainan's Sanya ranks first in retail online trade in services on the island

HAIKOU , July 21 .
/TASS/ .
The retail turnover of online services in Hainan 's Sanya in the first half of 2020 amounted to 9.66 billion yuan ( about $ 1.4 billion ) .
According to the Hainan Daily , over the past six months , Sanya ranked first among the island 's cities in terms of this indicator .
At the same time , the total volume of e-commerce in Sanya amounted to 13.6 billion yuan ( about $ 1.94 billion ) , in the retail sector , the sales reached 10.9 billion yuan ( about $ 1.6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 1.4 billion yuan ( $ 200 million ) were traded in goods .
The volume of online trade on Hainan in the first six months of 2020 exceeded $ 15 billion .
Among the total amount of Internet transactions in the Hainan province , the volume of wholesale trade and b2b sales in the first half of the year amounted to 74.2 billion yuan ( about $ 10 billion ) , retail trade - 35.6 billion ( about $ 5 billion ) .
At the same time , the volume of online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billion yuan ( approximately $ 2.9 billion ) , which is by 27.6 % more compared to the same period last year .
In particular , in June alone , this figure grew by almost 58 % .
By 2025 , the Chinese government intends to create an `` international center for tourism and consumption '' on Hainan .
In order to do so , the `` Eastern Hawaii '' with their unique natural landscapes , thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels , which blend perfectly with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world .
The island regularly hosts online events to boost consumer spending .
Those events are attended by major e-commerce platforms — TMall , Taobao and others .
For example , on June 1-18 the local government lainched a massive online campaign , its total sales exceeding 1.4 billion yuan ( about $ 197.8 million ) .

HAIKOU, July 21. /TASS/. The retail turnover of online services in Hainan's Sanya in the first half of 2020 amounted to 9.66 billion yuan (about $ 1.4 billion). According to the Hainan Daily, over the past six months, Sanya ranked first among the island's cities in terms of this indicator.
At the same time, the total volume of e-commerce in Sanya amounted to 13.6 billion yuan (about $ 1.94 billion), in the retail sector, the sales reached 10.9 billion yuan (about $ 1.6 billion). Of this amount, only 1.4 billion yuan ($ 200 million) were traded in goods.
The volume of online trade on Hainan in the first six months of 2020 exceeded $ 15 billion. Among the total amount of Internet transactions in the Hainan province, the volume of wholesale trade and b2b sales in the first half of the year amounted to 74.2 billion yuan (about $ 10 billion), retail trade - 35.6 billion (about $ 5 billion). At the same time, the volume of online retail sales of goods amounted to 20.8 billion yuan (approximately $ 2.9 billion), which is by 27.6% more compared to the same period last year. In particular, in June alone, this figure grew by almost 58%.
By 2025, the Chinese government intends to create an "international center for tourism and consumption" on Hainan. In order to do so, the "Eastern Hawaii" with their unique natural landscapes, thick rainforests and great climate will establish a developed network of hotels, which blend perfectly with white sandy beaches stretching along the coastline. The combination of an exotic subtropical nature and a modern eco-friendly infrastructure will boost tourist inflow to the island from the most distant parts of the world.
The island regularly hosts online events to boost consumer spending. Those events are attended by major e-commerce platforms — TMall, Taobao and others. For example, on June 1-18 the local government lainched a massive online campaign, its total sales exceeding 1.4 billion yuan (about $ 197.8 million).


tass--2020-07-23--Russian ombudswoman appeals to UN human rights chief to protect Russian reporters in US

MOSCOW , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
Russian Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova has sent an appeal to Michelle Bachelet , the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights , and Younes Mjahed , the President of the International Federation of Journalists , to call on them to protect rights of Russian reporters Vyacheslav Arkhipov and Yulia Olkhovskaya who were attacked by police officers in Portland , US when fulfilling their professional duties , Moskalkova ’ s press service said Wednesday .
`` The freedom of speech and ensuring security of journalists ’ activities are basic values of democratic society enshrined in all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional levels .
I believe that it is unacceptable to apply violent measures of counteraction against a person or a group of persons who are carrying out their professional duties and I ask you < … > to draw the attention of US authorities to this situation so that maximum effort can be put into preventing such cases of impunity and violence against journalists , '' reads the appeal published on the ombudswoman ’ s website .
Earlier , the press office for Russia ’ s Channel One reported that journalist Yulia Olkhovskaya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attack in Portland that continues to be a site for protests following the death of George Floyd , African American man , in late May in Minneapolis .
When dispersing the rioting crowd last week , armed federal law enforcement officers were deployed - a move that was highly criticized by the US Democratic Party .

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Russian Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova has sent an appeal to Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Younes Mjahed, the President of the International Federation of Journalists, to call on them to protect rights of Russian reporters Vyacheslav Arkhipov and Yulia Olkhovskaya who were attacked by police officers in Portland, US when fulfilling their professional duties, Moskalkova’s press service said Wednesday.
"The freedom of speech and ensuring security of journalists’ activities are basic values of democratic society enshrined in all fundamental international documents of the universal and regional levels. I believe that it is unacceptable to apply violent measures of counteraction against a person or a group of persons who are carrying out their professional duties and I ask you <…> to draw the attention of US authorities to this situation so that maximum effort can be put into preventing such cases of impunity and violence against journalists," reads the appeal published on the ombudswoman’s website.
Earlier, the press office for Russia’s Channel One reported that journalist Yulia Olkhovskaya and cameraman Vyacheslav Arkhipov were injured in an attack in Portland that continues to be a site for protests following the death of George Floyd, African American man, in late May in Minneapolis. When dispersing the rioting crowd last week, armed federal law enforcement officers were deployed - a move that was highly criticized by the US Democratic Party.


tass--2020-07-23--Brazil sets new daily coronavirus infection record

RIO DE JANEIRO , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Brazil increased by 67,860 in @ @ @ @ @ reach 2,227,514 , shows the national health ministry ’ s statistics updated Wednesday evening .
@ @ @ @ @ increase since the epidemic hit the country .
The previous record high of 54,771 was @ @ @ @ @ The record number of 16,777 new infections were registered in the state of Sao Paulo @ @ @ @ @ ’ s outbreak .
The state has been identifying 6,600 positive coronavirus tests on average @ @ @ @ @ According to the updated statistics , the number of fatalities from virus-related causes rose by @ @ @ @ @ total .
Moreover , 1,532,138 people recovered from coronavirus in Brazil , while the country @ @ @ @ @ .

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 23. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Brazil increased by 67,860 in the past 24 hours to reach 2,227,514, shows the national health ministry’s statistics updated Wednesday evening.
This is the highest daily increase since the epidemic hit the country. The previous record high of 54,771 was set on June 19. The record number of 16,777 new infections were registered in the state of Sao Paulo, the epicenter of Brazil’s outbreak. The state has been identifying 6,600 positive coronavirus tests on average in the last week.
According to the updated statistics, the number of fatalities from virus-related causes rose by 1,284 to hit 82,771 in total. Moreover, 1,532,138 people recovered from coronavirus in Brazil, while the country still has 612,605 active cases.


tass--2020-07-23--Khabib Nurmagomedov opens up about father’s death for first time

TASS , July 23 .
Russia ’ s UFC Reigning Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that his father , @ @ @ @ @ everything in life , the martial artist wrote on his Instagram page .
`` Father @ @ @ @ @ .
You were my father , friend , brother and coach in one .
You @ @ @ @ @ know .
I hope you were pleased with me , '' Khabib Nurmagomedov wrote .
@ @ @ @ @ into the octagon on September 7 , 2019 for a fight against American Dustin Poirier @ @ @ @ @ championship belt in 2018 .
Overall , Khabib Nurmagomedov , 31 , has 28 victories @ @ @ @ @ in his professional MMA career .

TASS, July 23. Russia’s UFC Reigning Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has revealed that his father, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, taught his everything in life, the martial artist wrote on his Instagram page.
On July 3, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov died aged 57 due to coronavirus-related complications.
"Father, I will miss you. You were my father, friend, brother and coach in one. You taught me practically everything I know. I hope you were pleased with me," Khabib Nurmagomedov wrote.
The martial artist last stepped into the octagon on September 7, 2019 for a fight against American Dustin Poirier. He won his UFC championship belt in 2018. Overall, Khabib Nurmagomedov, 31, has 28 victories and not a single defeat in his professional MMA career.


tass--2020-07-23--Crew Dragon will blast to ISS no earlier than late September - NASA

NEW YORK , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
The launch of SpaceX ’ s Crew Dragon to the International Space Station with four crewmembers onboard will take place no earlier than late September , 2020 , NASA said in a statement .
The agency noted , `` The launch is targeted for no earlier than late-September , following a successful return from the space station and evaluation of NASA ’ s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley . ''
The spacecraft is expected to disengage from the ISS on August 1 , while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 .
The statement underlined that it will be the first regularly scheduled flight for Crew Dragon .
NASA clarified , `` Crew Dragon commander Michael Hopkins , pilot Victor Glover , and mission specialist Shannon Walker - all of NASA - along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA ) mission specialist Soichi Noguchi '' will travel to the ISS on board the spacecraft that will be launched from NASA ’ s Kennedy Space Center ( Florida ) .
Crew Dragon used its automatic system to dock to the ISS on May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spacecraft was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30 .

NEW YORK, July 23. /TASS/. The launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to the International Space Station with four crewmembers onboard will take place no earlier than late September, 2020, NASA said in a statement.
The agency noted, "The launch is targeted for no earlier than late-September, following a successful return from the space station and evaluation of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley." The spacecraft is expected to disengage from the ISS on August 1, while the astronauts will return to Earth on August 2.
The statement underlined that it will be the first regularly scheduled flight for Crew Dragon.
NASA clarified, "Crew Dragon commander Michael Hopkins, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Shannon Walker - all of NASA - along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission specialist Soichi Noguchi" will travel to the ISS on board the spacecraft that will be launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (Florida).
Crew Dragon used its automatic system to dock to the ISS on May 31. Falcon 9 rocket with the spacecraft was successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on May 30.


tass--2020-07-23--French, Russian ministers to meet in 2+2 format in Paris - diplomatic source

PARIS , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
The Russian and French foreign and defense ministers will hold a 2+2 meeting in Paris , the date will be announced later , a senior diplomatic source in the French capital told TASS Wednesday evening .
`` The ministers will meet in Paris as part of the French-Russian Security Cooperation Council that brings together heads of foreign policy and defense agencies of France and Russia , '' TASS was told .
According to the source , '' the meeting ’ s date will be revealed separately . ''
The senior source then recalled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreign ministry and the armed forced ministry held consultations with their Russian counterparts in Paris on July 16 ahead of this meeting . ''
TASS was also told that the talks focused on the issues of strategic stability and regional crises .
Earlier , Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko expressed hope in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman that a 2+2 ministerial meeting would take place soon .
The 2+2 format of consultations between foreign and defense ministers of Russian and France was created in 2002 at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac .
The first such meeting took place in November 2002 in Paris .
Subsequently , the meetings took place in the national capitals annually on a rotary basis .
Moscow hosted the last such round of consultations on September 9 , 2019 .
The sides then discussed security issues , particularly the issue of intermediate- and short-range missiles , fighting terrorism in Syria and Ukrainian conflict settlement .

PARIS, July 23. /TASS/. The Russian and French foreign and defense ministers will hold a 2+2 meeting in Paris, the date will be announced later, a senior diplomatic source in the French capital told TASS Wednesday evening.
"The ministers will meet in Paris as part of the French-Russian Security Cooperation Council that brings together heads of foreign policy and defense agencies of France and Russia," TASS was told. According to the source," the meeting’s date will be revealed separately."
The senior source then recalled, "Political directors of the French foreign ministry and the armed forced ministry held consultations with their Russian counterparts in Paris on July 16 ahead of this meeting." TASS was also told that the talks focused on the issues of strategic stability and regional crises.
Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko expressed hope in an open interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman that a 2+2 ministerial meeting would take place soon.
The 2+2 format of consultations between foreign and defense ministers of Russian and France was created in 2002 at the initiative of the two presidents, Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac. The first such meeting took place in November 2002 in Paris. Subsequently, the meetings took place in the national capitals annually on a rotary basis.
Moscow hosted the last such round of consultations on September 9, 2019. The sides then discussed security issues, particularly the issue of intermediate- and short-range missiles, fighting terrorism in Syria and Ukrainian conflict settlement.


tass--2020-07-23--6.3-magnitude quake hits China’s Tibet

6.3-magnitude quake hits China’s Tibet

TASS , July 23 .
An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude has been detected Thursday in the autonomous region of Tibet @ @ @ @ @ European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said .
According to the center , the quake ’ s epicenter @ @ @ @ @ of Xigaze city at the depth of 10 km .
No reports on injuries or @ @ @

TASS, July 23. An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude has been detected Thursday in the autonomous region of Tibet in southwest China, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
According to the center, the quake’s epicenter was 475 km to northwest of Xigaze city at the depth of 10 km.
No reports on injuries or destruction emerged.


tass--2020-07-23--Greek PM, Putin discuss Mediterranean issues - Greek PM’s press office

ATHENS , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone on Wednesday , discussing the situation in the Mediterranean , bilateral relations and Turkey ’ s decision to convert the Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque , the Greek prime minister ’ s press office said .
`` The conversation focused on bilateral relations , on the Eastern Mediterranean and the region in general as well as on the issue of Hagia Sophia cathedral ’ s conversion into a mosque .
The event is a challenge to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement says .
On July 10 , the Turkish Council of State cancelled the Turkish government ’ s 1935 decree on assigning the museum status to Hagia Sophia .
Later in the day , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship .
Local Orthodox Churches , including the Russian Orthodox Church , voiced their regret over the decision .
UNESCO followed suit .
Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine architectural monument .
The cathedral was constructed between 532 and 537 AD by a decree from then Byzantine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 , the cathedral was converted into a mosque .
In 1935 , under the decree of the Turkish government signed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , the founder of the modern Turkish state , the building was transformed into a museum .
White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals were removed .
In 1985 , the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site .

ATHENS, July 23. /TASS/. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone on Wednesday, discussing the situation in the Mediterranean, bilateral relations and Turkey’s decision to convert the Hagia Sophia museum into a mosque, the Greek prime minister’s press office said.
"The conversation focused on bilateral relations, on the Eastern Mediterranean and the region in general as well as on the issue of Hagia Sophia cathedral’s conversion into a mosque. The event is a challenge to the entire Christian Orthodox world," the statement says.
On July 10, the Turkish Council of State invalidated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s 1934 decree that had bestowed Hagia Sophia with its museum status. Later in the day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an order declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship. Local Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, voiced their regret over the decision, along with UNESCO.
Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine-era architectural monument. The cathedral was constructed between 532 and 537 AD by a decree from then Emperor Justinian I of Byzantium. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the cathedral was converted into a mosque. In 1935, following the decree of the Turkish government signed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state, the building was transformed into a museum. White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals were removed. In 1985, the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.


tass--2020-07-23--UN calls for journalists’ rights to be respected after attack on Russian TV crew

UNITED NATIONS , July 23 .
/TASS/ .
The United Nations called for an investigation into the attack on Russian journalists in Portland ( Oregon ) , Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric told TASS on Wednesday .
`` I do n't have the details of the incident , but what is clear is that journalists everywhere need to be able to do their work free of any harassment , whether it is from law enforcement or from protesters , '' Dujarric said when asked by TASS to comment on the incident with reporters working Russia ’ s Channel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalists being harassed or beaten , wherever it occurs , needs to be fully investigated , '' he added .
Earlier , Channel One ’ s press office said that its film crew got in the way of people dressed in camouflage who ran out of the court hall after tensions escalated outside .
The reporters received bruises and scratches and their camera was smashed .
In Portland , the protests have been ongoing since the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .
Last week , armed federal officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision came under criticism of the Democratic Party .
Governor of Oregon , Democrat Kate Brown demanded US President Donald Trump withdraw federal officers from the city and stop detaining protesters .

UNITED NATIONS, July 23. /TASS/. The United Nations called for an investigation into the attack on Russian journalists in Portland (Oregon), Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric told TASS on Wednesday.
"I don't have the details of the incident, but what is clear is that journalists everywhere need to be able to do their work free of any harassment, whether it is from law enforcement or from protesters," Dujarric said when asked by TASS to comment on the incident with reporters working Russia’s Channel One.
"And any case of journalists being harassed or beaten, wherever it occurs, needs to be fully investigated," he added.
Earlier, Channel One’s press office said that its film crew got in the way of people dressed in camouflage who ran out of the court hall after tensions escalated outside. The reporters received bruises and scratches and their camera was smashed.
In Portland, the protests have been ongoing since the death of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May. Last week, armed federal officers were involved in dispersing rioters. This decision came under criticism of the Democratic Party. Governor of Oregon, Democrat Kate Brown demanded US President Donald Trump withdraw federal officers from the city and stop detaining protesters.


tass--2020-07-22--Moscow's death toll from confirmed coronavirus cases rises by 14 to 4,364

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The death toll from confirmed coronavirus has risen by 14 to 4,364 in Moscow over the past 24 hours , the city ’ s anti-coronavirus crisis center said on Wednesday .
`` Fourteen patients have passed away in Moscow .
Their diagnoses of pneumonia were confirmed and they tested positive for the coronavirus infection , '' the center informed .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 15,107,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 619,800 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 9,128,100 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 789,190 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 572,053 patients having recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. The death toll from confirmed coronavirus has risen by 14 to 4,364 in Moscow over the past 24 hours, the city’s anti-coronavirus crisis center said on Wednesday.
"Fourteen patients have passed away in Moscow. Their diagnoses of pneumonia were confirmed and they tested positive for the coronavirus infection," the center informed.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 15,107,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 619,800 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 9,128,100 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 789,190 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 572,053 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-07-22--WHO reports single-day increase in coronavirus cases by nearly 203,000

GENEVA , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Almost 203,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection were registered worldwide in the past day , surpassing 14.76 million , while the coronavirus-related fatalities increased by over 4,000 to surpass 612,000 , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) said in its daily bulletin on Wednesday .
As of 11.00 Moscow time on July 22 , as many as 14,765,256 novel coronavirus cases and 612,054 coronavirus-associated deaths were registered across the globe .
The number of confirmed cases grew by 202,726 in the past 24 hours and the number of fatalities increased @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 213,637 new cases and 5,111 fatalities were documented throughout the world .
The WHO statistics are based on officially confirmed data provided by countries .
South and North America account for the majority of confirmed coronavirus cases - 7,811,127 .
In the past 24 hours , the number of cases grew by 109,052 and the number of deaths - by 2,240 to top 313,809 .
The number of confirmed COVID-2019 cases in Europe amounts to 3,124,701 and the number of fatalities is 208,469 .
In the past 24 hours , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of deaths went up by 524 .
South East Asia has 1,520,780 cases and 35,891 fatalities .
In the past 24 hours , the number of cases grew by 42,639 and the number of deaths - by 770 .
The biggest number of coronavirus cases is registered in the United States ( 3,805,524 ) , followed by Brazil ( 2,118,646 ) , India ( 1,192,915 ) , Russia ( 789,190 ) , South Africa ( 381,798 ) , Peru ( 357,681 ) , Mexico ( 349,396 ) , Chile ( 334,683 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Iran ( 278,827 ) .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .

GENEVA, July 22. /TASS/. Almost 203,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus infection were registered worldwide in the past day, surpassing 14.76 million, while the coronavirus-related fatalities increased by over 4,000 to surpass 612,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its daily bulletin on Wednesday.
As of 11.00 Moscow time on July 22, as many as 14,765,256 novel coronavirus cases and 612,054 coronavirus-associated deaths were registered across the globe. The number of confirmed cases grew by 202,726 in the past 24 hours and the number of fatalities increased by 7,360.
The day before, 213,637 new cases and 5,111 fatalities were documented throughout the world. The WHO statistics are based on officially confirmed data provided by countries.
South and North America account for the majority of confirmed coronavirus cases - 7,811,127. In the past 24 hours, the number of cases grew by 109,052 and the number of deaths - by 2,240 to top 313,809. The number of confirmed COVID-2019 cases in Europe amounts to 3,124,701 and the number of fatalities is 208,469. In the past 24 hours, the number of cases grew, by 21,047 and the number of deaths went up by 524.
South East Asia has 1,520,780 cases and 35,891 fatalities. In the past 24 hours, the number of cases grew by 42,639 and the number of deaths - by 770.
The biggest number of coronavirus cases is registered in the United States (3,805,524), followed by Brazil (2,118,646), India (1,192,915), Russia (789,190), South Africa (381,798), Peru (357,681), Mexico (349,396), Chile (334,683), the United Kingdom (295,821), and Iran (278,827).
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.


tass--2020-07-22--Russia’s embassy hands note of protest to US over attack on Russian reporters in Portland

WASHINGTON , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s embassy to the United States has handed a note of protest to the US Department of State over an attack on reporters of Russia ’ s Channel One in the US city of Portland , Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Wednesday .
The Russian diplomatic mission said on its Facebook page quoting Antonov as saying that in the early hours of July 22 , `` correspondent Yulia Olkhovskaya and cameraman Vyacheslav Arkhipov were inadmissibly treated by local police . ''
`` The press workers identified themselves loudly and clearly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Antonov stressed .
`` A note of protest has been sent to the Department of State over this outrageous fact .
We demand that a thorough investigation should be conducted and we should be informed about its results , '' Antonov said adding that the US authorities had not replied yet to the `` May 31 note of protest over a police attack '' on RIA Novosti correspondent Mikhail Turgiyev .
`` We promptly contacted the Russians .
Their health is not worrying and they do not need medical assistance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they keep a safe distance from the opposing sides . ''
The ambassador said that according to human rights activists , `` the number of incidents with the press has already surpassed 500 . ''
`` This year , the United States will evidently top the world ratings in this nomination , '' the Russian ambassador assumed .
`` I would like to point out that our journalists are given neither solidarity nor moral support by local media workers , '' the diplomat concluded underlying that the embassy intends to `` insist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the human rights organizations that monitor violations of media workers ’ rights in the United States . ''
Earlier , Channel One ’ s press office said that its film crew were injured in an attack by `` camouflaged men '' in Portland , where protests have been ongoing since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .

WASHINGTON, July 22. /TASS/. Russia’s embassy to the United States has handed a note of protest to the US Department of State over an attack on reporters of Russia’s Channel One in the US city of Portland, Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said on Wednesday.
The Russian diplomatic mission said on its Facebook page quoting Antonov as saying that in the early hours of July 22, "correspondent Yulia Olkhovskaya and cameraman Vyacheslav Arkhipov were inadmissibly treated by local police."
"The press workers identified themselves loudly and clearly, showing press cards and offering no resistance," Antonov stressed.
"A note of protest has been sent to the Department of State over this outrageous fact. We demand that a thorough investigation should be conducted and we should be informed about its results," Antonov said adding that the US authorities had not replied yet to the "May 31 note of protest over a police attack" on RIA Novosti correspondent Mikhail Turgiyev.
"We promptly contacted the Russians. Their health is not worrying and they do not need medical assistance," Antonov added. "We recommended that they keep a safe distance from the opposing sides."
The ambassador said that according to human rights activists, "the number of incidents with the press has already surpassed 500."
"This year, the United States will evidently top the world ratings in this nomination," the Russian ambassador assumed. "I would like to point out that our journalists are given neither solidarity nor moral support by local media workers," the diplomat concluded underlying that the embassy intends to "insist that the incident be taken into consideration by the human rights organizations that monitor violations of media workers’ rights in the United States."
Earlier, Channel One’s press office said that its film crew were injured in an attack by "camouflaged men" in Portland, where protests have been ongoing since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May.


tass--2020-07-22--Contact Group approves additional Donbass ceasefire control measures

DONETSK , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The Contact Group for settlement in eastern Ukraine has approved additional ceasefire control measures on the line of contact during a video conference on Wednesday , foreign ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People ’ s Republic ( DPR ) informed on its Telegram channel .
`` Today ’ s session has brought on the long-awaited results : the harmonization and approval of additional measures of control over the current ceasefire , which includes very important demands from both sides , '' the message informs .
The DPR foreign ministry added that the corresponding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the DPR people ’ s militia will come into force starting Monday July 27 .
The DPR foreign ministry has expressed hope that Kiev would show political will and would adhere to the current ceasefire fully .
A representative of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People ’ s Republic ( LPR ) in the political subgroup Rodion Miroshnik noted on Telegram that Kiev representatives had resisted the approval of the corresponding document for at least six months .
The additional measures were approved due to the persistent position of the Donbass republics and the principal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Since the autumn of 2014 , the Contact Group for settlement in eastern Ukraine has declared over 20 ceasefires in Donbass .
Members of the Contact Group declared an indefinite ceasefire in Donbass starting on July 21 , 2019 .
The agreement , in particular , included the parties ’ obligations to take additional measures to ensure compliance with the truce .
The participants in the Normandy Four ( Germany , Russia , Ukraine and France ) summit held in Paris on December 9 , 2019 highlighted the need for achieving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of 2019 .
However , ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian armed forces have persisted .

DONETSK, July 22. /TASS/. The Contact Group for settlement in eastern Ukraine has approved additional ceasefire control measures on the line of contact during a video conference on Wednesday, foreign ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) informed on its Telegram channel.
"Today’s session has brought on the long-awaited results: the harmonization and approval of additional measures of control over the current ceasefire, which includes very important demands from both sides," the message informs. The DPR foreign ministry added that the corresponding orders of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the DPR people’s militia will come into force starting Monday July 27.
The DPR foreign ministry has expressed hope that Kiev would show political will and would adhere to the current ceasefire fully.
A representative of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) in the political subgroup Rodion Miroshnik noted on Telegram that Kiev representatives had resisted the approval of the corresponding document for at least six months. The additional measures were approved due to the persistent position of the Donbass republics and the principal support of the Russian Federation, Miroshnik added.
Since the autumn of 2014, the Contact Group for settlement in eastern Ukraine has declared over 20 ceasefires in Donbass. Members of the Contact Group declared an indefinite ceasefire in Donbass starting on July 21, 2019. The agreement, in particular, included the parties’ obligations to take additional measures to ensure compliance with the truce. The participants in the Normandy Four (Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France) summit held in Paris on December 9, 2019 highlighted the need for achieving a full-fledged truce in Donbass by the end of 2019. However, ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian armed forces have persisted.


tass--2020-07-22--Putin, Greek PM discuss by phone decision on Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks over the phone , focusing on bilateral cooperation and on Turkey ’ s decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul , the Kremlin said on Wednesday adding that the phone call was requested by Athens .
`` [ Putin and Mitsotakis ] considered in detail the future advancement of Russian-Greek cooperation in a variety of fields .
[ They ] noted the need to accelerate the work of the joint commission on economic , industrial , scientific and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extension of legal groundwork for a bilateral relationship , '' the statement says .
Apart from that , they touched upon the reciprocal Year of History , scheduled for 2021 , including the celebrations in Greece marking the 200th anniversary of its War for Independence .
Apart from that , Putin and Mitsotakis `` focused on the change of the status of Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul . ''
`` [ They ] emphasized the unmatched cultural , historic and religious significance of that unique World Heritage Site and noted the importance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ symbol of peace and cohesion , '' the press service said .
According to the Kremlin , the talks touched upon `` some regional issues , including settlement in Libya and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean . ''
On July 10 , the Turkish Council of State cancelled the Turkish government ’ s 1935 decree on assigning the museum status to Hagia Sophia .
Later in the day , President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship .
Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine architectural monument .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 537 AD by a decree from then Byzantine Emperor Justinian I .
After the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453 , the cathedral was converted into a mosque .
In 1935 , under the decree of the Turkish government signed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk , the founder of the modern Turkish state , the building was transformed into a museum .
White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals were removed .
In 1985 , the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis held talks over the phone, focusing on bilateral cooperation and on Turkey’s decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, the Kremlin said on Wednesday adding that the phone call was requested by Athens.
"[Putin and Mitsotakis] considered in detail the future advancement of Russian-Greek cooperation in a variety of fields. [They] noted the need to accelerate the work of the joint commission on economic, industrial, scientific and technical cooperation, placing an emphasis on extension of legal groundwork for a bilateral relationship," the statement says.
Apart from that, they touched upon the reciprocal Year of History, scheduled for 2021, including the celebrations in Greece marking the 200th anniversary of its War for Independence.
Apart from that, Putin and Mitsotakis "focused on the change of the status of Hagia Sophia cathedral in Istanbul."
"[They] emphasized the unmatched cultural, historic and religious significance of that unique World Heritage Site and noted the importance of preserving it as universal heritage and a symbol of peace and cohesion," the press service said.
According to the Kremlin, the talks touched upon "some regional issues, including settlement in Libya and the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean."
On July 10, the Turkish Council of State invalidated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s 1934 decree that had bestowed Hagia Sophia with its museum status. Later in the day, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed an order declaring Hagia Sophia open for Muslim worship. Local Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, voiced their regret over the decision, along with UNESCO.
Hagia Sophia is a Byzantine-era architectural monument. The cathedral was constructed between 532 and 537 AD by a decree from then Emperor Justinian I of Byzantium. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the cathedral was converted into a mosque. In 1935, following the decree of the Turkish government signed by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish state, the building was transformed into a museum. White plaster covering Christian mosaics and murals were removed. In 1985, the building was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.


tass--2020-07-22--EU foreign policy chief calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to de-escalate conflict

`` On Wednesday 22 July , EU High Representative/Vice-President , Josep Borrell , held a three-way phone call with Zohrab Mnatsakanyan , Armenian Foreign Minister , and Jeyhun Bayramov , the newly-appointed Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs , to discuss the recent armed confrontations along the international state border between the two countries , '' the statement reads .
BRUSSELS , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has called on the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments to take measures to avoid further escalation of the conflict in the region , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement on Wednesday on the outcomes of a phone call between Borrell and his Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues .
`` During their discussions , Josep Borrell urged both sides to stop the armed confrontation and to refrain from action and rhetoric that provoke tension , in particular from any further threats to critical infrastructure in the region .
He stressed that all regional actors should contribute to this peaceful goal , '' the statement notes .
Besides , Borrell `` stressed the need for meaningful re-engagement in substantive negotiations on the key aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ auspices of the Co-Chairs . ''
`` Both ministers concurred on this .
He also highlighted the urgency of resuming the OSCE monitoring on the ground , as soon as conditions allow , '' the press release added .
`` The High Representative/Vice-President encouraged both sides to reaffirm their commitment to a ceasefire and undertake immediate measures to prevent further escalation .
In this context , Armenia and Azerbaijan should make use of their mechanism for direct communication , the established format led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the statement stresses .
Tensions flared up on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 12 , when Azerbaijan ’ s Defense Ministry said that Armenian army units had tried to attack Azerbaijan ’ s positions at the Tovuz section of the border with the use of artillery systems .
For its part , Yerevan accused Azerbaijan of breaching the border .
Baku said twelve servicemen of Azerbaijan ’ s army were killed since the clashes had begun .
Armenia , in turn , reported that four servicemen were killed in the hostilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On July 17 , both sides of the conflict reported that the situation on the border is relatively stable .
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh , a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up , but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians , broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic .
In 1992-1994 , tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of them .
Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group , led by its three co-chairs - Russia , France and the United States .

"On Wednesday 22 July, EU High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell, held a three-way phone call with Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Armenian Foreign Minister, and Jeyhun Bayramov, the newly-appointed Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the recent armed confrontations along the international state border between the two countries," the statement reads.
BRUSSELS, July 22. /TASS/. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has called on the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments to take measures to avoid further escalation of the conflict in the region, the European External Action Service informed in a statement on Wednesday on the outcomes of a phone call between Borrell and his Armenian and Azerbaijani colleagues.
"During their discussions, Josep Borrell urged both sides to stop the armed confrontation and to refrain from action and rhetoric that provoke tension, in particular from any further threats to critical infrastructure in the region. He stressed that all regional actors should contribute to this peaceful goal," the statement notes.
Besides, Borrell "stressed the need for meaningful re-engagement in substantive negotiations on the key aspects of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement under the auspices of the Co-Chairs." "Both ministers concurred on this. He also highlighted the urgency of resuming the OSCE monitoring on the ground, as soon as conditions allow," the press release added.
"The High Representative/Vice-President encouraged both sides to reaffirm their commitment to a ceasefire and undertake immediate measures to prevent further escalation. In this context, Armenia and Azerbaijan should make use of their mechanism for direct communication, the established format led by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well as the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office," the statement stresses.
Tensions flared up on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border on July 12, when Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said that Armenian army units had tried to attack Azerbaijan’s positions at the Tovuz section of the border with the use of artillery systems. For its part, Yerevan accused Azerbaijan of breaching the border. Baku said twelve servicemen of Azerbaijan’s army were killed since the clashes had begun. Armenia, in turn, reported that four servicemen were killed in the hostilities, while 10 servicemen were wounded. On July 17, both sides of the conflict reported that the situation on the border is relatively stable.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the highland region of Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that had been part of Azerbaijan before the Soviet Union break-up, but primarily populated by ethnic Armenians, broke out in February 1988 after the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region announced its withdrawal from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1992-1994, tensions boiled over and exploded into large-scale military action for control over the enclave and seven adjacent territories after Azerbaijan lost control of them. Talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement have been ongoing since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group, led by its three co-chairs - Russia, France and the United States.


tass--2020-07-22--OSCE Permanent Council to discuss attack on Russian reporters in USA

`` I have just contacted our OSCE envoy , we have agreed that during the next session of the OSCE Permanent Council , where representatives of all OSCE member states , including the USA , are present , our delegation will express its protest and demand that the US government observe the rights of reporters and adhere to its international obligations , '' Pushkov said .
MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
The Russian delegation will express its protest during the upcoming session of the OSCE Permanent Council , demanding that the US government observe the rights of reporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s Channel One reporters in the US city of Portland , Chairman of the Russian Federation Council ( upper house of parliament ) Media Policy Commission Alexei Pushkov told TASS on Wednesday .
He noted that senators had closely cooperated on this issue with the OSCE , and former OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir `` closely monitored such violations . ''
The senator lamented that the OSCE is currently undergoing a change in leadership : Desir no longer holds this position , and new representatives will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is why it is impossible to address the OSCE representative on media freedom right now .
The Russian senator also informed that he plans to write a letter to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic .
`` I plan to call on Ms. Mijatovic to address the US government on behalf of the Council of Europe with a protest , demanding that the US establish order among its law enforcement on matters related to the treatment of reporters , '' he said , adding that while the US does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the rights of reporters from Russia and other Council of Europe member states are violated in the USA on a regular basis .
He added that the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe ( PACE ) could raise this issue during the fall session .
`` I think that we will discuss this matter with the leadership of the Russian delegation .
I think that it will be appropriate .
The USA should be subjected to serious international pressure here .
This must receive a corresponding reaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Pushkov said .
He stressed that the USA is turning into a country where the rights of reporters from Russia and other states are violated on a regular basis .
`` The US law enforcement acts as if they aren ’ t reporters , as if they are participants of protests and riots , disregarding the fact that their clothing says `` press , '' their accreditation , their rights and credentials guaranteed by international documents signed by the USA .
This is becoming common practice , and to my mind , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ required on this issue , '' the senator concluded .
Earlier , the press service of Russia ’ s Channel One informed that the channel ’ s crew had been attacked by `` people in camouflage '' in the US city of Portland .
The crew was covering the Black Lives Matter protests held in the city in response to the death of an African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May .

"I have just contacted our OSCE envoy, we have agreed that during the next session of the OSCE Permanent Council, where representatives of all OSCE member states, including the USA, are present, our delegation will express its protest and demand that the US government observe the rights of reporters and adhere to its international obligations," Pushkov said.
MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. The Russian delegation will express its protest during the upcoming session of the OSCE Permanent Council, demanding that the US government observe the rights of reporters in relation to the recent attack on Russia’s Channel One reporters in the US city of Portland, Chairman of the Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) Media Policy Commission Alexei Pushkov told TASS on Wednesday.
He noted that senators had closely cooperated on this issue with the OSCE, and former OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Desir "closely monitored such violations." The senator lamented that the OSCE is currently undergoing a change in leadership: Desir no longer holds this position, and new representatives will be appointed only in the fall, which is why it is impossible to address the OSCE representative on media freedom right now.
The Russian senator also informed that he plans to write a letter to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatovic. "I plan to call on Ms. Mijatovic to address the US government on behalf of the Council of Europe with a protest, demanding that the US establish order among its law enforcement on matters related to the treatment of reporters," he said, adding that while the US does not form part of the Council of Europe, the rights of reporters from Russia and other Council of Europe member states are violated in the USA on a regular basis.
He added that the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) could raise this issue during the fall session. "I think that we will discuss this matter with the leadership of the Russian delegation. I think that it will be appropriate. The USA should be subjected to serious international pressure here. This must receive a corresponding reaction from the side of international organizations," Pushkov said.
He stressed that the USA is turning into a country where the rights of reporters from Russia and other states are violated on a regular basis. "The US law enforcement acts as if they aren’t reporters, as if they are participants of protests and riots, disregarding the fact that their clothing says "press," their accreditation, their rights and credentials guaranteed by international documents signed by the USA. This is becoming common practice, and to my mind, serious international influence on the USA is required on this issue," the senator concluded.
Earlier, the press service of Russia’s Channel One informed that the channel’s crew had been attacked by "people in camouflage" in the US city of Portland. The crew was covering the Black Lives Matter protests held in the city in response to the death of an African American man George Floyd in Minneapolis in late May.


tass--2020-07-22--Reinfection may be linked to specific immune responses to COVID-19, says expert

`` Reinfections are a rare phenomenon , which is probably linked to specific attributes of an individual ’ s immune system , '' he said .
MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
COVID-19 reinfection cases are rarely reported , and that could be connected to a human body ’ s specific immune response , Vladimir Chulanov , the lead infectious diseases specialist of the Russian Health Ministry , told reporters on Wednesday .
Chulanov pointed out that coronavirus vaccines are being developed so that a strong and lasting immune response can emerge .
`` Therefore , we hope that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting re-infected , '' he added .
On Wednesday , Governor of the Vladimir Region Vladimir Sipyagin said that regional specialists registered a case when a health worker got re-infected .
The governor ’ s spokeswoman , Olga Petrova , explained to TASS that the health worker , who was infected with the coronavirus twice , recovered and recently came back to work .
COVID-19 reinfection cases had not been officially reported in Russia before .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 15,107,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 619,800 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 9,128,100 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed in Russia , with 572,053 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

"Reinfections are a rare phenomenon, which is probably linked to specific attributes of an individual’s immune system," he said.
MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. COVID-19 reinfection cases are rarely reported, and that could be connected to a human body’s specific immune response, Vladimir Chulanov, the lead infectious diseases specialist of the Russian Health Ministry, told reporters on Wednesday.
Chulanov pointed out that coronavirus vaccines are being developed so that a strong and lasting immune response can emerge.
"Therefore, we hope that they effectively protect [humans] from getting re-infected," he added.
On Wednesday, Governor of the Vladimir Region Vladimir Sipyagin said that regional specialists registered a case when a health worker got re-infected. The governor’s spokeswoman, Olga Petrova, explained to TASS that the health worker, who was infected with the coronavirus twice, recovered and recently came back to work .
COVID-19 reinfection cases had not been officially reported in Russia before.
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 15,107,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 619,800 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 9,128,100 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 789,190 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 572,053 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-07-22--Over 15 mln people diagnosed with COVID-19 globally, Johns Hopkins University reports

MOSCOW , July 22 .
/TASS/ .
Over 15 mln people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 , a disease caused @ @ @ @ @ globally , the US-based Johns Hopkins University informed on Wednesday .
According to the organization @ @ @ @ @ diagnosed with COVID-19 in the world , and 617,832 have died .
The US has @ @ @ @ @ persons ( 3,915,780 ) , followed by Brazil ( 2,159,654 ) and India ( 1,193,078 @ @ @ @ @ in the world on the amount of documented COVID-19 cases .
According to the federal @ @ @ @ @ date , 789,190 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 572,053 patients having @ @ @ @ @ Russia ’ s latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide .

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Over 15 mln people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, globally, the US-based Johns Hopkins University informed on Wednesday.
According to the organization, 15,000,424 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the world, and 617,832 have died. The US has the highest number of infected persons (3,915,780), followed by Brazil (2,159,654) and India (1,193,078).
Russia ranks fourth in the world on the amount of documented COVID-19 cases. According to the federal anti-coronavirus crisis center, to date, 789,190 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 572,053 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 12,745 fatalities nationwide.