tass--2020-06-16--Number of coronavirus cases in Poland surpasses 30,000

WARSAW , June 16 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Poland increased by 407 people , deaths increased by 16 , while 30,195 cases were reported in total , the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday .
According to the latest data , since March 4 , when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country , 1,272 people died and 14,654 people recovered from coronavirus .
Currently , about 1,800 patients with coronavirus are admitted to hospitals in Poland .
Over 95,000 people are in home quarantine , and about 17,000 people remain under epidemiological @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all serious restrictions that have been introduced to counter the spread of coronavirus have been lifted in the country .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statistics , over 8,130,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 439,400 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 4,244,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 545,458 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 294,306 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 7,284 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

WARSAW, June 16. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Poland increased by 407 people, deaths increased by 16, while 30,195 cases were reported in total, the Ministry of Health said on Tuesday.
According to the latest data, since March 4, when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country, 1,272 people died and 14,654 people recovered from coronavirus.
Currently, about 1,800 patients with coronavirus are admitted to hospitals in Poland. Over 95,000 people are in home quarantine, and about 17,000 people remain under epidemiological supervision.
At the moment, almost all serious restrictions that have been introduced to counter the spread of coronavirus have been lifted in the country.
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 8,130,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 439,400 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 4,244,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 545,458 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 294,306 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 7,284 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-06-16--Crimean authorities reverse decision to cancel Victory Parade in Simferopol over pandemic

SIMFEROPOL , June 16 .
/TASS/ .
The Crimean authorities have reversed their decision on cancelling the Victory Parade in Simferopol and the military parade will take place on June 24 , Crimea ’ s Head Sergei Aksyonov wrote on his VKontakte social network account on Tuesday .
The Crimean head announced earlier on Tuesday that the military parade devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union ’ s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War scheduled to be held in Simferopol on June 24 would not take place for safety reasons due to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions but this is an unprecedented situation , which requires … a special approach , '' he wrote .
The decision to hold the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 has been made `` after lengthy consultations , including with the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation and Rospotrebnadzor [ the sanitary watchdog ] '' and `` takes into account all the circumstances , '' the Crimean head stressed .
Crimea will take a set of `` unprecedented measures '' for ensuring safety during the novel coronavirus pandemic , Aksyonov said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Ministry of Russia and Commander of the Southern Military District Alexander Dvornikov who will provide full assistance .
I am grateful to colleagues for such support , thanks to which we will be able to hold the anticipated Victory Parade in the Crimean capital .
We all hoped for this decision deep in our hearts because this event is sacred for each of us , '' Aksyonov said .
It was earlier reported that the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 would involve over 70 items of armament and military hardware @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch rocket systems , Khrizantema self-propelled anti-tank missile systems and also over 1,000 personnel .
Russia postponed its military parade traditionally held on Moscow ’ s Red Square on May 9 for a later date due to the coronavirus pandemic .
At a video conference with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on May 26 , Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Victory Parade would be held on Moscow ’ s Red Square on June 24 .
The head of state explained he had chosen this date because June 24 was the day when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victors took place , with soldiers , who fought for Moscow , defended Leningrad and Stalingrad , liberated Europe and stormed Berlin , marching on Red Square .
The Russian president instructed the defense chief to make sure that there weren ’ t any risks to the health of the military parade ’ s participants .

SIMFEROPOL, June 16. /TASS/. The Crimean authorities have reversed their decision on cancelling the Victory Parade in Simferopol and the military parade will take place on June 24, Crimea’s Head Sergei Aksyonov wrote on his VKontakte social network account on Tuesday.
The Crimean head announced earlier on Tuesday that the military parade devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War scheduled to be held in Simferopol on June 24 would not take place for safety reasons due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I never change my decisions but this is an unprecedented situation, which requires … a special approach," he wrote.
The decision to hold the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 has been made "after lengthy consultations, including with the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation and Rospotrebnadzor [the sanitary watchdog]" and "takes into account all the circumstances," the Crimean head stressed.
Crimea will take a set of "unprecedented measures" for ensuring safety during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Aksyonov said. "Understanding has been reached with the Defense Ministry of Russia and Commander of the Southern Military District Alexander Dvornikov who will provide full assistance. I am grateful to colleagues for such support, thanks to which we will be able to hold the anticipated Victory Parade in the Crimean capital. We all hoped for this decision deep in our hearts because this event is sacred for each of us," Aksyonov said.
It was earlier reported that the Victory Parade in Simferopol on June 24 would involve over 70 items of armament and military hardware, including T-72B3 tanks, Grad multiple launch rocket systems, Khrizantema self-propelled anti-tank missile systems and also over 1,000 personnel.
Russia postponed its military parade traditionally held on Moscow’s Red Square on May 9 for a later date due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At a video conference with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on May 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Victory Parade would be held on Moscow’s Red Square on June 24.
The head of state explained he had chosen this date because June 24 was the day when in 1945 the legendary historic parade of victors took place, with soldiers, who fought for Moscow, defended Leningrad and Stalingrad, liberated Europe and stormed Berlin, marching on Red Square.
The Russian president instructed the defense chief to make sure that there weren’t any risks to the health of the military parade’s participants.


tass--2020-06-16--Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage Products Integrated into Citizens' Daily Life

HAIKOU , China , June 16 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- June 13 of the year 2020 marks China 's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day .
According to the Department of Tourism , Culture , Radio , Television and Sports of Hainan Province , Hainan Province has launched a series of activities themed `` Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance , Healthy Lifestyle '' including online shopping festivals , photography tour exhibitions and performances in museums , historical and cultural blocks , scenic spots and hotels , to inherit and carry forward outstanding traditional culture , establish Hainan 's `` intangible cultural heritage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ construction of Hainan Free Trade Port ( FTP ) and Hainan International Tourism Consumption Center .
On June 13 , Hainan held the first Intangible Cultural Heritage Shopping Festival .
`` Intangible Cultural Heritage '' products were promoted on the live-streaming studio for customers to choose from .
Over 20 categories of products were introduced including traditional Li ornamental textile , nationality pottery , coconut-shell carving , coffee and sugar , with a total of over 160 kinds of products exhibited and sold online .
It marks Hainan Province 's active exploration of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intangible cultural heritage .
Through the mode of `` intangible cultural heritage + e-commerce '' , Hainan Province will popularize `` intangible cultural heritage '' knowledge and enable people to have access to `` intangible cultural heritage '' products .
Hainan Province 's Intangible Cultural Heritage Photography Tour Exhibition opens in Haikou Qilou Old Street .
Hundreds of exquisite intangible cultural heritage pictures above the provincial level tell the story of Hainan 's intangible cultural heritage .
Supporting intangible cultural heritage activities for the photography tour exhibition including Lingao Puppet Show , Danzhou @ @ @ @ @ @ @ textile techniques have been staged to attract citizens and tourists , show Hainan 's achievements in protecting intangible cultural heritage and carry forward the culture of Hainan FTP .
Hainan has also combined intangible cultural heritage with variety shows , to promote Hainan 's intangible cultural heritage based on star effect , inject new vitality and impetus into the inheritance and development of Hainan 's intangible cultural heritage and consolidate the foundation for the construction of Hainan FTP .
Up to now , Hainan Province has many intangible cultural heritage representative projects , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at provincial level and 166 at municipal level and county level .
Li minority traditional spinning , dyeing and weaving crafts are included in the UNESCO 's `` List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding '' .
Image Attachments Links : Link : http : //asianetnews.net/view-attachment ?
attach-id=365456 Caption : Hainan Province has launched the First Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Products Shopping Festival to display the intangible cultural heritage products through the internet .
The picture shows that the Network hosts have introduced Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage products .

HAIKOU, China, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- June 13 of the year 2020 marks China's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. According to the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, Hainan Province has launched a series of activities themed "Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance, Healthy Lifestyle" including online shopping festivals, photography tour exhibitions and performances in museums, historical and cultural blocks, scenic spots and hotels, to inherit and carry forward outstanding traditional culture, establish Hainan's "intangible cultural heritage" brand, and to facilitate the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) and Hainan International Tourism Consumption Center.
On June 13, Hainan held the first Intangible Cultural Heritage Shopping Festival. "Intangible Cultural Heritage" products were promoted on the live-streaming studio for customers to choose from. Over 20 categories of products were introduced including traditional Li ornamental textile, nationality pottery, coconut-shell carving, coffee and sugar, with a total of over 160 kinds of products exhibited and sold online. It marks Hainan Province's active exploration of a new mode of inheriting and developing intangible cultural heritage. Through the mode of "intangible cultural heritage + e-commerce", Hainan Province will popularize "intangible cultural heritage" knowledge and enable people to have access to "intangible cultural heritage" products.
Hainan Province's Intangible Cultural Heritage Photography Tour Exhibition opens in Haikou Qilou Old Street. Hundreds of exquisite intangible cultural heritage pictures above the provincial level tell the story of Hainan's intangible cultural heritage. Supporting intangible cultural heritage activities for the photography tour exhibition including Lingao Puppet Show, Danzhou Tune, tortoise-pose tug-of-war and traditional Li textile techniques have been staged to attract citizens and tourists, show Hainan's achievements in protecting intangible cultural heritage and carry forward the culture of Hainan FTP.
Hainan has also combined intangible cultural heritage with variety shows, to promote Hainan's intangible cultural heritage based on star effect, inject new vitality and impetus into the inheritance and development of Hainan's intangible cultural heritage and consolidate the foundation for the construction of Hainan FTP.
Up to now, Hainan Province has many intangible cultural heritage representative projects, including 28 at national level, 54 at provincial level and 166 at municipal level and county level. Li minority traditional spinning, dyeing and weaving crafts are included in the UNESCO's "List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding".
Image Attachments Links:
Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=365456
Caption: Hainan Province has launched the First Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Products Shopping Festival to display the intangible cultural heritage products through the internet. The picture shows that the Network hosts have introduced Hainan Intangible Cultural Heritage products.
CONTACT: Ms. Qiu, Tel: +86-10-63074558


tass--2020-06-16--Number of coronavirus cases in Finland rises to 7,112

HELSINKI , June 16 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Finland reached 7,112 , increasing by four over the day , the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare reported on Tusday .
A day earlier , 7,108 cases were reported .
Since the beginning of the pandemic , 326 deaths have been detected in the country .
From March 19 to May 13 , Finland closed its borders to prevent the spread of coronavirus .
Since May 14 , the borders within the Schengen area have been opened for travel for work purposes and in urgent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ institutions have resumed .
In Finland , a ban on gathering in groups of more than 10 people was in effect until the end of May , but from June 1 , it increased to 50 people .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 8,130,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 439,400 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 4,244,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 545,458 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 294,306 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 7,284 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the coronavirus situation .

HELSINKI, June 16. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Finland reached 7,112, increasing by four over the day, the Finnish National Institute of Health and Welfare reported on Tusday.
A day earlier, 7,108 cases were reported. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 326 deaths have been detected in the country.
From March 19 to May 13, Finland closed its borders to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Since May 14, the borders within the Schengen area have been opened for travel for work purposes and in urgent circumstances, studies in schools and preschool institutions have resumed. In Finland, a ban on gathering in groups of more than 10 people was in effect until the end of May, but from June 1, it increased to 50 people.
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 8,130,600 people have been infected worldwide and more than 439,400 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 4,244,800 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 545,458 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 294,306 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 7,284 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-06-16--German lawmaker urges tit-for-tat steps against US architects of Nord Stream 2 sanctions

Germany , EU should mull response to US measures on Nord Stream 2 , says Bundestag official BERLIN , June @ @ @ @ @ German government should consider possible steps in case of expansion of US sanctions against the @ @ @ @ @ , head of the Bundestag [ German parliament ] Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy @ @ @ @ @ press conference on Tuesday .
`` We should think of whether tit-for-tat measures are needed @ @ @ @ @ sanctions on US LNG , '' Ernst said .
`` We should then think whether @ @ @ @ @ senators initiating [ the bill on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 project — TASS @ @ @ @ @ .
The possible new sanctions of the US amount to `` the unlawful interference in @ @ @ @ @ , the sovereignty of Germany and Europe , '' the politician said .

Germany, EU should mull response to US measures on Nord Stream 2, says Bundestag official
BERLIN, June 16. /TASS/. The German government should consider possible steps in case of expansion of US sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, head of the Bundestag [German parliament] Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy Klaus Ernst said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"We should think of whether tit-for-tat measures are needed, for example, punitive sanctions on US LNG," Ernst said. "We should then think whether sanctions should be introduced against senators initiating [the bill on sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 project — TASS]," he noted.
The possible new sanctions of the US amount to "the unlawful interference in the legislative system of Europe, the sovereignty of Germany and Europe," the politician said.


tass--2020-06-16--US plans on measures against Nord Stream 2 do not change Germany’s attitude to project

WARSAW , June 16 .
/TASS/ .
The US plans to broaden sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline @ @ @ @ @ position of the German government in respect of the project implementation , Germany ’ s @ @ @ @ @ at the joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz .
`` The fact @ @ @ @ @ new ones will be possibly initiated there [ in the US — TASS ] does @ @ @ @ @ position on the Nord Stream 2 , '' Maas said .
`` Sanctions discussed now @ @ @ @ @ our point of view ; we reject them , '' the Minister said .
It @ @ @ @ @ senators , including Ted Cruz , Jeanne Shaheen and John Barrasso introduced a bill expanding @ @ @ @ @ 2 gas pipeline project to the Senate .
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages construction @ @ @ @ @ with the total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from Russia to Germany @ @ @ @ @ The gas pipeline is 93 % complete to date .

WARSAW, June 16. /TASS/. The US plans to broaden sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project did not change the position of the German government in respect of the project implementation, Germany’s Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said at the joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz.
"The fact that sanctions are considered or new ones will be possibly initiated there [in the US — TASS] does not change anything in our position on the Nord Stream 2," Maas said. "Sanctions discussed now are extraterritorial by nature from our point of view; we reject them," the Minister said.
It was reported earlier that US senators, including Ted Cruz, Jeanne Shaheen and John Barrasso introduced a bill expanding sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project to the Senate.
The Nord Stream 2 project envisages construction of two gas pipeline strings with the total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from Russia to Germany across the Baltic Sea. The gas pipeline is 93% complete to date.


tass--2020-06-16--Zhukovsky Institute to develop Russian supersonic jet concept by 2021

MOSCOW , June 16 .
/TASS/ .
The Zhukovsky Institute research center will develop a concept and a program for the supersonic passenger jet in Russia by the end of 2021 .
The company made the relevant contract with the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade on June 3 , according to papers on the government procurements website .
The contract price is 213 mln rubles ( $ 3.1 mln for this year ) and 504.7 mln rubles ( $ 7.25 mln ) for 2021 .
According to the terms of reference , proposals on the preliminary outline and dimensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of critical technologies for its development , including noise reduction and fuel efficiency improvement measures , will be prepared by December 15 , 2021 .
The cost of research and development work under the project , production and operation of the supersonic jet will be assessed and its market prospects will be reviewed .
Russia plans to develop a supersonic jet with a limited seating capacity and the speed up to 1.6-1.8 max at the initial stage and then move to development of faster airplanes with the seating capacity of 30-50 passengers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, June 16. /TASS/. The Zhukovsky Institute research center will develop a concept and a program for the supersonic passenger jet in Russia by the end of 2021. The company made the relevant contract with the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade on June 3, according to papers on the government procurements website.
The contract price is 213 mln rubles ($3.1 mln for this year) and 504.7 mln rubles ($7.25 mln) for 2021.
According to the terms of reference, proposals on the preliminary outline and dimensions of the supersonic aircraft and the list of critical technologies for its development, including noise reduction and fuel efficiency improvement measures, will be prepared by December 15, 2021. The cost of research and development work under the project, production and operation of the supersonic jet will be assessed and its market prospects will be reviewed.
Russia plans to develop a supersonic jet with a limited seating capacity and the speed up to 1.6-1.8 max at the initial stage and then move to development of faster airplanes with the seating capacity of 30-50 passengers and the speed up to 2 max.


tass--2020-06-16--ZTE appoints Ni Fei as its President of Mobile Devices to strengthen resource for 5G

SHENZHEN , China , June 16 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation ( 0763.HK / 000063.SZ ) , a major international provider of telecommunications , enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet , today has named Ni Fei as its President of Mobile Devices .
Mr. Ni is to take full charge of ZTE 's mobile devices business while at the same time he continues to act as President of Nubia Technology Co. , Ltd. Ni Fei joined ZTE in 2001 , and has been engaged in ZTE 's terminal product operation since 2004 .
In 2012 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and became the General Manager of Nubia Smartphones .
In May 2019 , he acted as President of Nubia .
With rich experience in terminal products , domestic open market and overseas markets , Mr. Ni has been committed to technical innovations .
He has taken the lead to create China 's first full Netcom mobile phone ( Nubia Z5 ) .
Moreover , Mr. Ni has led the design of the industry 's first bezel-less smartphone ( Nubia Z9 ) , and the industry 's first bezel-less full-screen product ( Z17S ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the niche market of gaming mobile phone , launching Redmagic .
Taking the terminal business as an important part of the company 's end-to-end capabilities , ZTE will continue to consolidate technological advantages , and further strengthen its investment in 5G , IoT , chipsets , and other related fields .
ZTE has been committed to developing a series of diversified 5G terminal devices portfolio , to satisfy the diverse requirements of operators , enterprise users , and consumers in multiple service scenarios .
By means of a complete 5G terminal devices portfolio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wide range of industries and demonstrating its leading capabilities in 5G end-to-end solutions .
Oriented towards the consumer market , ZTE will adhere to the quality strategy and explore the market requirements brought by new technologies and experiences , so as to seek a breakthrough , with the focus on domestic open market of mobile phones .
In terms of the industry and government & enterprise markets , ZTE 's cloud platform is the foundation .
Concentrating on the tech-driven fields , such as CPE , vehicle-mounted terminal , and module , ZTE @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( I-IoT ) , Consumer IoT ( C-IoT ) , and Vehicle IoT ( V-IoT ) .
Moving forward , Ni Fei will lead the team to grasp the medium-term and long-term opportunities of 5G and IoT , to address the changes and challenges in global terminal markets .
ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems , mobile devices and enterprise technology solutions to consumers , operators , companies and public sector customers .
The company has been committed to providing customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen ( H share stock code : 0763.HK / A share stock code : 000063.SZ ) , ZTE sells its products and services in more than 160 countries .

SHENZHEN, China, June 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ZTE Corporation (0763.HK / 000063.SZ), a major international provider of telecommunications, enterprise and consumer technology solutions for the Mobile Internet, today has named Ni Fei as its President of Mobile Devices. Mr. Ni is to take full charge of ZTE's mobile devices business while at the same time he continues to act as President of Nubia Technology Co., Ltd.
Ni Fei joined ZTE in 2001, and has been engaged in ZTE's terminal product operation since 2004. In 2012, he participated in the establishment of Nubia and became the General Manager of Nubia Smartphones. In May 2019, he acted as President of Nubia.
With rich experience in terminal products, domestic open market and overseas markets, Mr. Ni has been committed to technical innovations. He has taken the lead to create China's first full Netcom mobile phone (Nubia Z5). Moreover, Mr. Ni has led the design of the industry's first bezel-less smartphone (Nubia Z9), and the industry's first bezel-less full-screen product (Z17S). In 2018, he embarked on the niche market of gaming mobile phone, launching Redmagic.
Taking the terminal business as an important part of the company's end-to-end capabilities, ZTE will continue to consolidate technological advantages, and further strengthen its investment in 5G, IoT, chipsets, and other related fields.
ZTE has been committed to developing a series of diversified 5G terminal devices portfolio, to satisfy the diverse requirements of operators, enterprise users, and consumers in multiple service scenarios. By means of a complete 5G terminal devices portfolio, ZTE is devoted to empowering a wide range of industries and demonstrating its leading capabilities in 5G end-to-end solutions.
Oriented towards the consumer market, ZTE will adhere to the quality strategy and explore the market requirements brought by new technologies and experiences, so as to seek a breakthrough, with the focus on domestic open market of mobile phones.
In terms of the industry and government & enterprise markets, ZTE's cloud platform is the foundation. Concentrating on the tech-driven fields, such as CPE, vehicle-mounted terminal, and module, ZTE will create integrated solutions for Industrial IoT (I-IoT), Consumer IoT (C-IoT), and Vehicle IoT (V-IoT).
Moving forward, Ni Fei will lead the team to grasp the medium-term and long-term opportunities of 5G and IoT, to address the changes and challenges in global terminal markets.
ZTE is a provider of advanced telecommunications systems, mobile devices and enterprise technology solutions to consumers, operators, companies and public sector customers. The company has been committed to providing customers with integrated end-to-end innovations to deliver excellence and value as the telecommunications and information technology sectors converge. Listed in the stock exchanges of Hong Kong and Shenzhen (H share stock code: 0763.HK / A share stock code: 000063.SZ), ZTE sells its products and services in more than 160 countries.
Media Contacts:
Margaret Ma
ZTE Corporation
Tel: +86 755 26775189
Email: ma.gaili@zte.com.cn


tass--2020-06-17--New Development Bank announces $1.5 bln three-year COVID response bond issue

SHANGHAI , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
BRICS ’ New Development Bank ( NDB ) priced its inaugural benchmark $ 1.5 bln three-year COVID Response Bond in international capital markets on June 16 , press service of the financial institution reported on Wednesday .
`` The net proceeds from the Bond issue will be used to finance sustainable development activities in the NDB ’ s member countries , including emergency assistance loans to the Bank ’ s member countries .
Such emergency loans could be used to finance direct expenses related to the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak or provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovery in the member countries of the NDB , '' the report said .
The transaction met exceptional high-quality investor support , with strong participation from central banks and official institutions , which represented 75 % of allocations , NDB said .
This bond issue is strategically important for its member-states , NDB Vice President Leslie Maasdorp noted .
`` We are pleased with the overwhelmingly positive investor feedback and the very top quality order book for our inaugural COVID Response Bond in the international markets , '' he was quoted as saying @

SHANGHAI, June 17. /TASS/. BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB) priced its inaugural benchmark $1.5 bln three-year COVID Response Bond in international capital markets on June 16, press service of the financial institution reported on Wednesday.
"The net proceeds from the Bond issue will be used to finance sustainable development activities in the NDB’s member countries, including emergency assistance loans to the Bank’s member countries. Such emergency loans could be used to finance direct expenses related to the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak or provide support to governmental measures contributing to economic recovery in the member countries of the NDB," the report said.
The coupon rate equaled 0.625%.
The transaction met exceptional high-quality investor support, with strong participation from central banks and official institutions, which represented 75% of allocations, NDB said. This bond issue is strategically important for its member-states, NDB Vice President Leslie Maasdorp noted. "We are pleased with the overwhelmingly positive investor feedback and the very top quality order book for our inaugural COVID Response Bond in the international markets," he was quoted as saying.


tass--2020-06-17--US may trigger arms race cycle in Europe by moving troops from Germany to Poland — expert

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
The US authorities may make a decision to redeploy part of their military contingent from Germany to Poland , thus triggering another arms race cycle in Europe , the Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University-Higher School of Economics , member of the Valdai discussion club Dmitry Suslov has said .
In a situation where US President Donald Trump declared his intention to cut military presence in Germany it is essential for Russia to understand where these forces may be relocated .
`` If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States , this will open up major opportunities in front of Russian-European relations for strengthening the dialogue between Russia and the European Union in the field of European security .
This development would be favorable for Russia , '' Suslov said .
`` If any considerable part of this contingent is redeployed to Poland , this will certainly exacerbate the Russia-NATO confrontation and the situation in the field of European security and worsen the militarization of Europe . ''
The latter option would be tantamount to reincarnation of NATO ’ s forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suslov said .
`` It implies the possibility of quick military aggression and prompt military strike .
Should NATO ’ s contingent in Poland be strengthened in this way , Russia will have to take the corresponding retaliatory steps to ward of this threat , '' Suslov explained .
`` Russia will be building up military infrastructures on its Western borders and deploying weapon systems capable of instantly hitting and eliminating these bases .
The missile bases .
This will trigger another spiral of the arms race in Europe . ''
Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Poland would be an outright violation of the Russia-NATO Founding Act , by which the alliance declared it has no plans for creating significant military infrastructures in the territory of the newly-incorporated members .
Suslov believes that the political elites of Germany and to a large extent of the United States will blame the likely troop pullout on the `` Trump factor '' and try to wait till the November elections .
Should the Democrat candidate , Joe Biden , emerge the winner , they will try to shift the process into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious attempt on both sides to present this not as a fundamental crisis in relations , but as a temporary rift for which a not very balanced and rationally-minded president of the United States was responsible . ''
`` Bringing the forces back home to the US would be a hard blow on transatlantic relations and foment speculations in Europe about strategic autonomy and the need for creating armed forces independent from the US and NATO .
It would greatly harm trust towards the United States , '' Suslov said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Trump ’ s intention to move troops from Germany to other NATO countries , including Poland .
If that is the case , it will be not a step to downgrade US obligations towards Europe , but public and demonstrative punishment of Germany , which has remained the main site of the US military ’ s presence on the ground since the beginning of the Cold War . ''
Suslov stressed Trump ’ s annoyance over Germany ’ s steadfast refusal to increase defense spending , `` in other words , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons '' , and over Germany ’ s support for the Nord Stream-2 project in defiance US sanctions .
`` He wishes to punish Germany in public .
The question remains whether this intention will materialize , and if he will be elected for a second term , '' Suslov said .
`` If Trump fails to achieve the enforcement of this decision by January and if he loses the election , then the next Administration may well revise it . ''
Also , the expert recalled that Trump had repeatedly declared plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various countries , but these statements never entailed any action .
On Monday , Trump said the United States was going to cut its military contingent in Germany to 25,000 , if Germany refused to pay for its accommodation and settle debts to NATO .
Currently 52,000 US troops are stationed in Germany on the permanent basis .

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. The US authorities may make a decision to redeploy part of their military contingent from Germany to Poland, thus triggering another arms race cycle in Europe, the Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University-Higher School of Economics, member of the Valdai discussion club Dmitry Suslov has said.
In a situation where US President Donald Trump declared his intention to cut military presence in Germany it is essential for Russia to understand where these forces may be relocated. "If they are pulled out back to the United States, this will open up major opportunities in front of Russian-European relations for strengthening the dialogue between Russia and the European Union in the field of European security. This development would be favorable for Russia," Suslov said. "If any considerable part of this contingent is redeployed to Poland, this will certainly exacerbate the Russia-NATO confrontation and the situation in the field of European security and worsen the militarization of Europe."
The latter option would be tantamount to reincarnation of NATO’s forward deployment and Cold War era strategies, Suslov said. "It implies the possibility of quick military aggression and prompt military strike. Should NATO’s contingent in Poland be strengthened in this way, Russia will have to take the corresponding retaliatory steps to ward of this threat," Suslov explained. "Russia will be building up military infrastructures on its Western borders and deploying weapon systems capable of instantly hitting and eliminating these bases. The missile bases. This will trigger another spiral of the arms race in Europe."
Also, hypothetical redeployment of US forces from Germany to Poland would be an outright violation of the Russia-NATO Founding Act, by which the alliance declared it has no plans for creating significant military infrastructures in the territory of the newly-incorporated members.
Europe’s reaction
Suslov believes that the political elites of Germany and to a large extent of the United States will blame the likely troop pullout on the "Trump factor" and try to wait till the November elections. Should the Democrat candidate, Joe Biden, emerge the winner, they will try to shift the process into reverse. "There will be a serious attempt on both sides to present this not as a fundamental crisis in relations, but as a temporary rift for which a not very balanced and rationally-minded president of the United States was responsible."
"Bringing the forces back home to the US would be a hard blow on transatlantic relations and foment speculations in Europe about strategic autonomy and the need for creating armed forces independent from the US and NATO. It would greatly harm trust towards the United States," Suslov said. "But I suspect that the point at issue is Trump’s intention to move troops from Germany to other NATO countries, including Poland. If that is the case, it will be not a step to downgrade US obligations towards Europe, but public and demonstrative punishment of Germany, which has remained the main site of the US military’s presence on the ground since the beginning of the Cold War."
Suslov stressed Trump’s annoyance over Germany’s steadfast refusal to increase defense spending, "in other words, to spend more on US military equipment and weapons", and over Germany’s support for the Nord Stream-2 project in defiance US sanctions.
"He wishes to punish Germany in public. The question remains whether this intention will materialize, and if he will be elected for a second term," Suslov said. "If Trump fails to achieve the enforcement of this decision by January and if he loses the election, then the next Administration may well revise it."
Also, the expert recalled that Trump had repeatedly declared plans for the pullout of US troops from various countries, but these statements never entailed any action.
On Monday, Trump said the United States was going to cut its military contingent in Germany to 25,000, if Germany refused to pay for its accommodation and settle debts to NATO. Currently 52,000 US troops are stationed in Germany on the permanent basis.


tass--2020-06-17--Russia urges US to act transparently in adhering to bioweapons convention, says Medvedev

According to him , Moscow remains committed to the 1972 Convention banning bioweapons , and it believes that currently this agreement `` needs to be thoroughly reviewed to fully reflect modern realities . ''
At the same time , Medvedev noted that it is impossible to verify the implementation of the Convention by Washington because in 2001 the United States refused to adopt the relevant protocol to this document and ceased allowing inspections on its soil .
MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Russia is calling on the US for greater transparency in adhering to the provisions of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev wrote in his article published in the Russia in Global Affairs journal .
`` Today , Russia is calling for full compliance with the Convention , thus reminding the international community that using biological weapons is unacceptable .
I hope Washington will hear what our country has to say about it and will start a more open and engaged dialogue with the states parties to the Convention , '' wrote the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoid suspicions when another infectious outbreak starts , which , according to him , `` applies to research underway in certain labs , including the ones that the United States has deployed all over the planet . ''
`` Their activities should not cause any suspicion , otherwise with a new outbreak of any infectious disease ( no one doubts that more such outbreaks are coming ) there will be endless mutual complaints , conspiracy theories and cross-sanctions which will pave the way to a direct conflict , '' Medvedev says .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , '' the official believes , adding that otherwise , `` each new virus will be presented as a biological weapon '' , which risks to create `` unheard-of international tensions , which can easily escalate into a full-fledged hot conflict , rather than the so-called ‘ hybrid ’ war . ''
Medvedev is confident that `` the international cooperation principles in biological research will need to be revised after the pandemic . ''
In his opinion , this work can be done both at the UN , including World Health Organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as the CSTO and the SCO .
`` The off-limits research will not go anywhere and will continue to ensure national security and corporate interests .
However , we need protocols agreed upon by countries as to the procedure to be used in the event of a pandemic threat , and what the international community partners and the WHO should be notified about .
In that case , there will be no endless squabbling over who was zero patient , who hid what , and what was done and what wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @

According to him, Moscow remains committed to the 1972 Convention banning bioweapons, and it believes that currently this agreement "needs to be thoroughly reviewed to fully reflect modern realities." At the same time, Medvedev noted that it is impossible to verify the implementation of the Convention by Washington because in 2001 the United States refused to adopt the relevant protocol to this document and ceased allowing inspections on its soil.
MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Russia is calling on the US for greater transparency in adhering to the provisions of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev wrote in his article published in the Russia in Global Affairs journal.
"Today, Russia is calling for full compliance with the Convention, thus reminding the international community that using biological weapons is unacceptable. I hope Washington will hear what our country has to say about it and will start a more open and engaged dialogue with the states parties to the Convention," wrote the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia.
According to him, the transparency is needed to avoid suspicions when another infectious outbreak starts, which, according to him, "applies to research underway in certain labs, including the ones that the United States has deployed all over the planet."
"Their activities should not cause any suspicion, otherwise with a new outbreak of any infectious disease (no one doubts that more such outbreaks are coming) there will be endless mutual complaints, conspiracy theories and cross-sanctions which will pave the way to a direct conflict," Medvedev says.
"Reasonable transparency and agreed-upon verification are needed here," the official believes, adding that otherwise, "each new virus will be presented as a biological weapon," which risks to create "unheard-of international tensions, which can easily escalate into a full-fledged hot conflict, rather than the so-called ‘hybrid’ war."
Medvedev is confident that "the international cooperation principles in biological research will need to be revised after the pandemic." In his opinion, this work can be done both at the UN, including World Health Organization (WHO) and using regional venues, such as the CSTO and the SCO.
"The off-limits research will not go anywhere and will continue to ensure national security and corporate interests. However, we need protocols agreed upon by countries as to the procedure to be used in the event of a pandemic threat, and what the international community partners and the WHO should be notified about. In that case, there will be no endless squabbling over who was zero patient, who hid what, and what was done and what wasn’t," Medvedev explained.


tass--2020-06-17--Claims that Russia is behind attempted killing of Georgian reporter absurd — Kremlin

The spokesman did not comment on the reaction of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov , who said earlier on his Telegram channel that the reports in the Georgian media claiming that he had been involved in the attempted murder of Gabunia are fake .
MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Claims that Russia is behind the attempt on the life of Georgian reporter Georgy Gabunia are absurd , Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday .
`` I will tell you one thing : as you remember , since the very beginning , there have been claims that Russian authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since the very beginning , we have said that any accusations of this kind are absurd and fake , '' Peskov said .
Earlier , director general of the Georgian opposition TV channel Mtavari Arkhi , Nika Gvaramia said at a special briefing that Gabunia ’ s assassination attempt was in the works allegedly under the orders of Kadyrov .
He informed that the Georgian security service had arrested a Russian citizen Vasambek Bokov in relation to this case on Saturday .
Back in 2019 , Gabunia used foul language to scold the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a program he hosted on the Rustavi-2 TV channel .
Various Georgian officials condemned his remarks .

The spokesman did not comment on the reaction of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who said earlier on his Telegram channel that the reports in the Georgian media claiming that he had been involved in the attempted murder of Gabunia are fake.
MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Claims that Russia is behind the attempt on the life of Georgian reporter Georgy Gabunia are absurd, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.
"I will tell you one thing: as you remember, since the very beginning, there have been claims that Russian authorities had been involved in the incident. Since the very beginning, we have said that any accusations of this kind are absurd and fake," Peskov said.
Earlier, director general of the Georgian opposition TV channel Mtavari Arkhi, Nika Gvaramia said at a special briefing that Gabunia’s assassination attempt was in the works allegedly under the orders of Kadyrov. He informed that the Georgian security service had arrested a Russian citizen Vasambek Bokov in relation to this case on Saturday.
Back in 2019, Gabunia used foul language to scold the Russian leadership for more than a minute during a program he hosted on the Rustavi-2 TV channel. Various Georgian officials condemned his remarks.


tass--2020-06-17--Belarusian leader accepts Putin’s invitation to attend Victory Parade in Moscow

MINSK , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accepted the Kremlin ’ s invitation to attend the Victory Parade on Moscow ’ s Red Square on June 24 , Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Wednesday .
`` We are grateful to the head of the Belarusian state for his readiness to take part in the celebrations in Moscow on June 24 in honor of the Great Victory , '' the diplomat said .
`` It is important to note that the invitation by [ Russian President ] Vladimir Putin to these memorable festivities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main event has been accepted by the president of Belarus , '' the ambassador said .
This confirms the unity of the approaches of the two `` fraternal states in appraising the feat of the Soviet people and soldiers of the Great Patriotic War , '' the Russian diplomat stressed .
Lukashenko confirmed on June 16 that his country would be represented at the military parade in Moscow on June 24 devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union ’ s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether he would attend the event .

MINSK, June 17. /TASS/. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has accepted the Kremlin’s invitation to attend the Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square on June 24, Russian Ambassador to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev said on Wednesday.
"We are grateful to the head of the Belarusian state for his readiness to take part in the celebrations in Moscow on June 24 in honor of the Great Victory," the diplomat said.
"It is important to note that the invitation by [Russian President] Vladimir Putin to these memorable festivities where the military parade will be the main event has been accepted by the president of Belarus," the ambassador said.
This confirms the unity of the approaches of the two "fraternal states in appraising the feat of the Soviet people and soldiers of the Great Patriotic War," the Russian diplomat stressed.
Lukashenko confirmed on June 16 that his country would be represented at the military parade in Moscow on June 24 devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War. He did not say, however, whether he would attend the event.


tass--2020-06-17--Nord Stream 2 appeals against decision of German regulator on Nord Stream 2

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
The operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction project , Nord Stream 2 AG , appealed on June 15 against a decision of the Federal Network Agency of Germany with the Higher Regional Court of Dusseldorf , the company told TASS .
`` Nord Stream 2 AG insists that the pipeline was completed on May 23 , 2019 , in terms of economic functionality .
Based on the legal framework in force at that time , the company made an irrevocable investment of several billion euro long before the European Commission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Directive , '' the operator said .
On May 15 , the Federal Network Agency of Germany refused Nord Stream 2 AG in exempting the Nord Stream 2 project from the rules of the updated EU Gas Directive .
`` The Bundesnetzagentur has today rejected the application of Nord Stream 2 AG for derogation from regulation for the section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline located in German territory , '' the statement reads .
The agency noted that the necessary condition for removing the pipeline from the rules of the updated Gas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2019 .
`` Since the Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not been fully laid by 23 May 2019 , the Bundesnetzagentur has rejected the application for derogation made by Nord Stream 2 AG .
When it is put into operation , therefore , Nord Stream 2 will be subject to German regulatory requirements and European rules on unbundling , network access , and cost regulation , '' the report said .
The Nord Stream 2 project includes the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Baltic Sea to Germany .
To date , 93 % of Nord Stream 2 has been finished .
The project implementation was stalled at the end of December 2019 when , due to US sanctions , Swiss company Allseas stopped construction of the gas pipeline .
CEO of Gazprom Alexey Miller said that the pipeline would be completed .
In January 2020 , Russian President Vladimir Putin said that before the end of this year or in the first quarter of next year , work will be complete and the gas pipeline @ @ @ @

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. The operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction project, Nord Stream 2 AG, appealed on June 15 against a decision of the Federal Network Agency of Germany with the Higher Regional Court of Dusseldorf, the company told TASS.
"Nord Stream 2 AG insists that the pipeline was completed on May 23, 2019, in terms of economic functionality. Based on the legal framework in force at that time, the company made an irrevocable investment of several billion euro long before the European Commission announced its plan to amend the Gas Directive," the operator said.
On May 15, the Federal Network Agency of Germany refused Nord Stream 2 AG in exempting the Nord Stream 2 project from the rules of the updated EU Gas Directive. "The Bundesnetzagentur has today rejected the application of Nord Stream 2 AG for derogation from regulation for the section of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline located in German territory," the statement reads.
The agency noted that the necessary condition for removing the pipeline from the rules of the updated Gas Directive was its implementation before May 23, 2019. "Since the Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not been fully laid by 23 May 2019, the Bundesnetzagentur has rejected the application for derogation made by Nord Stream 2 AG. When it is put into operation, therefore, Nord Stream 2 will be subject to German regulatory requirements and European rules on unbundling, network access, and cost regulation," the report said.
The Nord Stream 2 project includes the construction of two pipelines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. To date, 93% of Nord Stream 2 has been finished.
The project implementation was stalled at the end of December 2019 when, due to US sanctions, Swiss company Allseas stopped construction of the gas pipeline. CEO of Gazprom Alexey Miller said that the pipeline would be completed. In January 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that before the end of this year or in the first quarter of next year, work will be complete and the gas pipeline will be commissioned.


tass--2020-06-17--Disinfection tunnels installed in Kremlin, Putin's official suburban residence

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told reporters that several disinfection tunnels had been installed in the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin ’ s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo to ensure the president ’ s health .
`` That ’ s true , '' he said commenting on media reports on the issue .
`` Such disinfection chambers have been installed in the Kremlin , there are two of them in the Kremlin , and in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence . ''
Peskov explained that the Russian leader ’ s residence outside Moscow had become his main @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He goes to the Kremlin from there and comes back , holds many events there , and people come to have working meetings with Putin there , '' he elaborated .
The Kremlin spokesman noted that the decision to install these tunnels was `` related to the epidemiological situation . ''
`` They were installed during the peak of the epidemic .
You know that certain restrictions remain in effect , although many of them have been lifted by now .
Nevertheless , people have to wear face masks and gloves , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as far as the head of state is concerned , additional precautionary measures are fully justified and explainable , '' Peskov concluded .
The government of the Penza Region earlier reported that a disinfection tunnel manufactured by the Motor Technologies company , which converted production during the coronavirus pandemic , had been delivered to the Russian president ’ s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo .
Disinfection is carried out by spraying an antiseptic on those passing through the tunnel .
The system is activated automatically using a motion sensor .

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov has told reporters that several disinfection tunnels had been installed in the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin’s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo to ensure the president’s health.
"That’s true," he said commenting on media reports on the issue. "Such disinfection chambers have been installed in the Kremlin, there are two of them in the Kremlin, and in the Novo-Ogaryovo residence."
Peskov explained that the Russian leader’s residence outside Moscow had become his main work place in recent months. "He goes to the Kremlin from there and comes back, holds many events there, and people come to have working meetings with Putin there," he elaborated.
The Kremlin spokesman noted that the decision to install these tunnels was "related to the epidemiological situation." "They were installed during the peak of the epidemic. You know that certain restrictions remain in effect, although many of them have been lifted by now. Nevertheless, people have to wear face masks and gloves," he noted. "Of course, as far as the head of state is concerned, additional precautionary measures are fully justified and explainable," Peskov concluded.
The government of the Penza Region earlier reported that a disinfection tunnel manufactured by the Motor Technologies company, which converted production during the coronavirus pandemic, had been delivered to the Russian president’s residence in Novo-Ogaryovo. Disinfection is carried out by spraying an antiseptic on those passing through the tunnel. The system is activated automatically using a motion sensor.


tass--2020-06-17--Russia urges two Koreas to show restraint after Kaesong liaison office’s destruction

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Moscow calls on Seoul and Pyongyang to show restraint after the destruction of the Kaesong liaison office , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference after taking part in a special meeting Russia-ASEAN via a video linkup .
`` We are urging the Korean parties to show restraint and maximum responsibility for what is happening on the peninsula and to maintain a calm and stable situation there .
We hope that this call will be heard , '' Lavrov said .
Russia is not intending to offer any services to North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overcome the heightened tensions between them , according to Lavrov .
`` We are not offering any services of ours .
When we return - I hope this will happen - to the six-party talks to resolve all issues of the Korean Peninsula , we will be interested in restarting the multilateral dialogue on all issues of maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia that was launched and later interrupted .
I am certain that it is all in the best interests of the Korean people living on both sides of the demarcation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all other states situated in this important region , '' Lavrov said .
On Tuesday , North Korea blew up the joint liaison office with the South located in the Kaesong Industrial Complex in retaliation to dissemination of propaganda leaflets by South Korean activists .
South Korea , in turn , expressed regret about the move but also criticized the actions of activists .
Pyongyang earlier vowed to retaliate in kind , going as far as threatening deployment of troops to areas adjacent to the demilitarized zone ( DMZ ) at the North-South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then promised tough response to any North Korean provocation .

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Moscow calls on Seoul and Pyongyang to show restraint after the destruction of the Kaesong liaison office, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference after taking part in a special meeting Russia-ASEAN via a video linkup.
"We are urging the Korean parties to show restraint and maximum responsibility for what is happening on the peninsula and to maintain a calm and stable situation there. We hope that this call will be heard," Lavrov said.
Russia is not intending to offer any services to North and South Koreas to help them to overcome the heightened tensions between them, according to Lavrov.
"We are not offering any services of ours. When we return - I hope this will happen - to the six-party talks to resolve all issues of the Korean Peninsula, we will be interested in restarting the multilateral dialogue on all issues of maintaining peace and stability in Southeast Asia that was launched and later interrupted. I am certain that it is all in the best interests of the Korean people living on both sides of the demarcation line and in the best interests of all other states situated in this important region," Lavrov said.
On Tuesday, North Korea blew up the joint liaison office with the South located in the Kaesong Industrial Complex in retaliation to dissemination of propaganda leaflets by South Korean activists. South Korea, in turn, expressed regret about the move but also criticized the actions of activists. Pyongyang earlier vowed to retaliate in kind, going as far as threatening deployment of troops to areas adjacent to the demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the North-South border. The South Korean Defense Ministry then promised tough response to any North Korean provocation.


tass--2020-06-17--Russia produces 8-10 mln COVID-19 test systems a month

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
Russia produces about 8-10 polymerase chain reaction test systems for COVID-19 , a disease caused by the novel coronavirus , a month , head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova said on Wednesday during a session of heads of services of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) member states responsible for sanitary-epidemiological welfare .
`` Our current production capacity is 8-10 mln polymerase chain reaction test systems for COVID-19 a month , '' she said .
Popova noted that Russia had delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries since February , adding that the aid will continue .
`` As soon as we got the opportunity to produce and hold tests , we < … > began to help our colleagues .
< … > Starting February 1 and until today , Russia has delivered over half a million test systems to 30 countries in the world , including SCO states , CIS states , African , European , Latin American and South East Asian states , and we will continue this work , '' she said .
In late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 8,266,480 people have been infected worldwide and more than 446,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the illness across the globe .
To date , 553,301 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 304,342 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 7,478 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. Russia produces about 8-10 polymerase chain reaction test systems for COVID-19, a disease caused by the novel coronavirus, a month, head of the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing Anna Popova said on Wednesday during a session of heads of services of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states responsible for sanitary-epidemiological welfare.
"Our current production capacity is 8-10 mln polymerase chain reaction test systems for COVID-19 a month," she said. Popova noted that Russia had delivered over 500,000 COVID-19 test systems to other countries since February, adding that the aid will continue. "As soon as we got the opportunity to produce and hold tests, we <…> began to help our colleagues. <…> Starting February 1 and until today, Russia has delivered over half a million test systems to 30 countries in the world, including SCO states, CIS states, African, European, Latin American and South East Asian states, and we will continue this work," she 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 8,266,480 people have been infected worldwide and more than 446,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 4,323,350 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 553,301 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 304,342 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 7,478 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-06-17--Press review: Belarus looks for gas options and Central Asia impacted by Russia’s lockdown

Kommersant : Belarus looking for alternatives to Russian gas Belarus is gearing up to search for alternatives to Russian gas as relations between both countries are going through another rocky period , Kommersant reports .
Previously , Minsk acted in the same way when it came to oil imports .
Although it is possible to find alternative suppliers of oil to Belarus , other gas supply options are rather scarce , the newspaper notes .
Minsk can purchase significant amounts of gas only through Ukraine or Poland , if Gazprom , which owns the Belarusian gas transport system , greenlights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bln cubic meters of gas from Russia annually .
This year , the price for Russian gas to Belarus hit a fixed $ 127 for 1,000 cubic meters .
Minsk is requesting that Russia lower the price , citing a drop in spot prices in Europe .
Meanwhile , Gazprom refuses to budge .
What is more , the Russian company divulged in late May that the Belarusian side had accumulated a debt totaling $ 165.57 mln , and that the supply of Russian gas to Belarus might be suspended starting July 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in full .
Minsk refuses to recognize this debt , citing insufficient caloric content of gas as the reason .
Gazprom refused to provide a comment .
Belarus has established transport links with Poland , Lithuania and Ukraine , the newspaper suggests .
Deputy Director of the National Energy Security Fund Alexei Grivach told Kommersant that gas deliveries from Poland to Belarus are unlikely , as Beltransgas ( a Belarusian gas transport enterprise ) has strict contractual ties to Russia ’ s Gazprom .
For her part , VYGON Consulting ’ s Maria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gas to Belarus is possible through Latvia or Lithuania via the Vilnius-Ivatsevichi pipeline , with up to 600 mln cubic meters of gas transported annually .
Another possibility is clinching a deal with Ukraine and transporting the gas through the Ivatsevichi-Dolina and the Torzhok-Dolina pipelines .
These routes can supply about 6-8 bln cubic meters of gas a year .
However , the real volume of supply depends on the physical conditions of those pipelines .
Nonetheless , Lithuania pays more for Russian gas than Belarus , and LNG tends to be even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ price for gas transported to Belarus from Lithuania will be more expensive than $ 127 per 1,000 cubic meters .
The expert told Kommersant that Ukraine is likely to offer its services to Belarus , organizing the supply of gas through European spot markets , where the average price of gas reaches about $ 60 per 1,000 cubic meters due to its surplus .
However , by the end of the year , spot prices for gas are likely to rise , the expert pointed out .
China is employing new methods of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions , Nezavisimaya Gazeta notes in its analysis of China ’ s new measures to contain the virus .
Faced with a surge in new COVID-19 cases , the government has introduced a state of military alert in separate regions , avoiding a shutdown of all surrounding enterprises .
China is also ready to track the chains of infection cause by imported food deliveries , the newspaper notes .
Earlier , Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote that a handful developed states are moving towards special methods of containing the epidemic that require controlling local outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not mastered this technique so far .
Meanwhile , in China , Germany and South Korea , doctors have successfully detected and isolated hundreds of citizens who came into contact with every person diagnosed with COVID-19 .
Nezavisimaya Gazeta asked several Russian experts to compare the situation with China and the measures taken in Russia to combat the spread of COVID-19 .
Director of the Institute of the Far East at the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Maslov said that he is not surprised by the targeted restricted measures currently introduced by China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding of the situation , it has learned to manage crises .
There are many differences to the situation in Russia .
China shut down the economy abruptly and swiftly at the start of the epidemic , which allowed the country to alleviate its consequences .
The country has placed the economy in an induced coma in a controlled manner and then brought it out of it just as swiftly .
Essentially , the economic decline was under control , '' the expert said .
For his part , President of the Russian-Asian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia is attempting `` to reach China ’ s results without Chinese restrictions using a European approach . ''
`` However , the problem is that when faced with a real threat to public health and the spread of the virus , enterprises can not shut down following orders from the top .
The government ’ s actions are inconsistent .
Some are fighting the spread of infection , while some are reporting pleasant statistical figures , and this does not lead to a victory against the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the entire region , not just a couple enterprises , is placed in quarantine , '' the expert lamented .
Vedomosti : Russian industrial sector shrinks by nearly 10 % in May In May , the Russian industrial sector contracted by 9.6 % compared to last year and by 2.4 % in the first five months of the year , Vedomosti disclosed , citing the Russian Federal State Statistics Service , adding that the coronavirus lockdown served as the defining reason for the plunge .
The industrial sector began to shrink @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to last year ) , while back in March , a 0.3 % increase was documented .
In May , the statistics service documented a sharp drop in all industrial sectors , with the mineral extraction sector suffering the most ( decreasing by 13.5 % compared to last year compared to just a 3.2 % drop in April ) .
This major dive happened due to the restrictions on oil production introduced by the OPEC+ deal , the newspaper notes .
The industrial crisis has surpassed the expectations of experts , because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given the current conditions , said Oleg Shibanov , who heads the Skolkovo Financial Center of the New Economic School in an interview with Vedomosti .
For his part , Dmitry Dolgin , chief economist of ING for Russia and the CIS , stated that Russia had significantly decreased its oil and gas production in accordance with the OPEC+ deal ( by 14.3 % compared to last year ) , adding that the dynamic of food production has also slowed , as the wave of excessive demand has ended .
However , Shibanov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as `` terrible '' compared to other states .
Russia can expect a slow and gradual recovery in the future , the expert thinks , noting that even China has not returned to the pre-pandemic economic levels so far .
Dolgin pointed out that all manufacturing and processing industries had reported some improvements in the past month due to the lifting of some of the coronavirus restrictions in mid-May .
The expert noted that the secondary effect of reduced income and consumer demand might hinder the recovery of the Russian industrial sector in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ braces for crisis as migration flow to Russia halted due to coronavirus The COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane globally , however , economic difficulties are on the rise , with Central Asian states bracing for a tough crisis due to the interrupted flow of labor migration to Russia and the subsequent rise in unemployment , Izvestia notes in its analysis of the current economic situation in several Central Asian countries , including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan .
Money transfers from labor migrants play a crucial role in the economy of Central Asian states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tajik nationals working in Russia sent home $ 2.5 bln , which constitutes 35 % of the country ’ s annual GDP .
Meanwhile , Kyrgyz residents sent $ 2 bln home to their families ( 30 % of the GDP ) , and Uzbek labor migrants sent home a record sum of $ 4.7 bln ( 15 % of the GDP ) .
It is important to note that this data only includes bank transfers .
The coronavirus pandemic has undermined the existing economic model , with Russia introducing strict quarantine measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in key industries for migrants : trade , construction , transport , and the service industry .
For example , Kyrgyz workers sent only $ 76.3 mln back home in April 2020 , compared to $ 200.1 mln in April 2019 .
According to unofficial data , about a million ( one in six ) Kyrgyz residents are working in Russia .
Some have been forced to return home , some have lost their jobs within the country .
As a result , the number of unemployed people in Kyrgyzstan has reached 700,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Projects at Russia ’ s National Strategy Institute , has told Izvestia that in late 2020 , a parliamentary election is set to take place in Kyrgyzstan .
Meanwhile , Tajikistan plans to hold a presidential election .
`` There may be protests , riots , civil unrest .
Islamists might be the ideological string-pullers behind them , as their ideas have spread widely among the low and middle class of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan .
This is the only force that offers an alternative ideology , an alternative concept of building a society @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , head of the Central Asia Department of the Institute of CIS countries Andrey Grozin told the newspaper that a border conflict is also possible in conditions of a crisis .
`` It is becoming harder to buy the loyalty of citizens and elite groups .
What can be done ?
One of the options is to divert the people ’ s attention , provoking a conflict with their neighbors .
I think that the threat of confrontation in the region will rise in the coming months .
We are already witnessing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current year , there have been more clashes in the disputed areas of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border than in the entire last year , '' the analyst pointed out .
Izvestia : Half of Russians polled still working from home About 47 % of working-age Russians are still working from home , Izvestia informs , citing the hh.ru recruiting website .
More people are teleworking in Moscow and St. Petersburg , while residents of Samara and Rostov-on-Don tend to return to their places of employment more often .
A survey was carried out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among 3,500 respondents , who visited the website to find some information and not necessarily for job hunting .
Only 15 % of those polled had returned to the office at the time the poll was being conducted , mostly accountants , financiers and HR specialists .
Twenty percent of workers surveyed said that they had not worked from home at all during the pandemic .
The majority of them were medical or industrial workers , or professionals employed in the agricultural sector .
One of the main post-pandemic trends will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home , Alexey Krichevsky , an expert with the Academy of Finance and Investment Management , told the newspaper , which is fueled by the development of online trade and the introduction of Customer Relationship Management ( CRM ) systems that help automatize businesses and implement the majority of goals from home .
The expert pointed out that due to the move away from the office , a trend for de-urbanization is arising .
`` The poll among tenants of holiday homes held by Incom Corporation shows that 80 % of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city after all restrictions are lifted , '' the expert notes .
TASS is not responsible for the material quoted in these press reviews .

Kommersant: Belarus looking for alternatives to Russian gas
Read also Belarus eyes importing US oil supplies via Poland
Belarus is gearing up to search for alternatives to Russian gas as relations between both countries are going through another rocky period, Kommersant reports. Previously, Minsk acted in the same way when it came to oil imports. Although it is possible to find alternative suppliers of oil to Belarus, other gas supply options are rather scarce, the newspaper notes. Minsk can purchase significant amounts of gas only through Ukraine or Poland, if Gazprom, which owns the Belarusian gas transport system, greenlights such deliveries. Belarus imports about 20 bln cubic meters of gas from Russia annually. This year, the price for Russian gas to Belarus hit a fixed $127 for 1,000 cubic meters. Minsk is requesting that Russia lower the price, citing a drop in spot prices in Europe. Meanwhile, Gazprom refuses to budge. What is more, the Russian company divulged in late May that the Belarusian side had accumulated a debt totaling $165.57 mln, and that the supply of Russian gas to Belarus might be suspended starting July 1, if this sum is not paid in full. Minsk refuses to recognize this debt, citing insufficient caloric content of gas as the reason. Gazprom refused to provide a comment. Belarus has established transport links with Poland, Lithuania and Ukraine, the newspaper suggests. Deputy Director of the National Energy Security Fund Alexei Grivach told Kommersant that gas deliveries from Poland to Belarus are unlikely, as Beltransgas (a Belarusian gas transport enterprise) has strict contractual ties to Russia’s Gazprom. For her part, VYGON Consulting’s Maria Beglova told Kommersant that the supply of gas to Belarus is possible through Latvia or Lithuania via the Vilnius-Ivatsevichi pipeline, with up to 600 mln cubic meters of gas transported annually. Another possibility is clinching a deal with Ukraine and transporting the gas through the Ivatsevichi-Dolina and the Torzhok-Dolina pipelines. These routes can supply about 6-8 bln cubic meters of gas a year. However, the real volume of supply depends on the physical conditions of those pipelines. Nonetheless, Lithuania pays more for Russian gas than Belarus, and LNG tends to be even more costly, which means that the price for gas transported to Belarus from Lithuania will be more expensive than $127 per 1,000 cubic meters. The expert told Kommersant that Ukraine is likely to offer its services to Belarus, organizing the supply of gas through European spot markets, where the average price of gas reaches about $60 per 1,000 cubic meters due to its surplus. However, by the end of the year, spot prices for gas are likely to rise, the expert pointed out. Nezavisimaya Gazeta: China utilizing economically secure ways of combating COVID-19
China is employing new methods of protecting its economy under the current pandemic conditions, Nezavisimaya Gazeta notes in its analysis of China’s new measures to contain the virus. Faced with a surge in new COVID-19 cases, the government has introduced a state of military alert in separate regions, avoiding a shutdown of all surrounding enterprises. China is also ready to track the chains of infection cause by imported food deliveries, the newspaper notes. Earlier, Nezavisimaya Gazeta wrote that a handful developed states are moving towards special methods of containing the epidemic that require controlling local outbreaks of COVID-19, adding that Russia has not mastered this technique so far. Meanwhile, in China, Germany and South Korea, doctors have successfully detected and isolated hundreds of citizens who came into contact with every person diagnosed with COVID-19. Nezavisimaya Gazeta asked several Russian experts to compare the situation with China and the measures taken in Russia to combat the spread of COVID-19. Director of the Institute of the Far East at the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexey Maslov said that he is not surprised by the targeted restricted measures currently introduced by China. "The country has a good understanding of the situation, it has learned to manage crises. There are many differences to the situation in Russia. China shut down the economy abruptly and swiftly at the start of the epidemic, which allowed the country to alleviate its consequences. The country has placed the economy in an induced coma in a controlled manner and then brought it out of it just as swiftly. Essentially, the economic decline was under control," the expert said. For his part, President of the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Vitaly Mankevich told Nezavisimaya Gazeta that Russia is attempting "to reach China’s results without Chinese restrictions using a European approach." "However, the problem is that when faced with a real threat to public health and the spread of the virus, enterprises cannot shut down following orders from the top. The government’s actions are inconsistent. Some are fighting the spread of infection, while some are reporting pleasant statistical figures, and this does not lead to a victory against the coronavirus. On the contrary, the disease spreads, and the entire region, not just a couple enterprises, is placed in quarantine," the expert lamented. Vedomosti: Russian industrial sector shrinks by nearly 10% in May
Read also Majority of Russian businessmen negatively estimate state of economy, says survey
In May, the Russian industrial sector contracted by 9.6% compared to last year and by 2.4% in the first five months of the year, Vedomosti disclosed, citing the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, adding that the coronavirus lockdown served as the defining reason for the plunge. The industrial sector began to shrink back in April (by 6.6% compared to last year), while back in March, a 0.3% increase was documented. In May, the statistics service documented a sharp drop in all industrial sectors, with the mineral extraction sector suffering the most (decreasing by 13.5% compared to last year compared to just a 3.2% drop in April). This major dive happened due to the restrictions on oil production introduced by the OPEC+ deal, the newspaper notes. The industrial crisis has surpassed the expectations of experts, because it is difficult to make certain predictions given the current conditions, said Oleg Shibanov, who heads the Skolkovo Financial Center of the New Economic School in an interview with Vedomosti. For his part, Dmitry Dolgin, chief economist of ING for Russia and the CIS, stated that Russia had significantly decreased its oil and gas production in accordance with the OPEC+ deal (by 14.3% compared to last year), adding that the dynamic of food production has also slowed, as the wave of excessive demand has ended. However, Shibanov stresses that the final figures are not as "terrible" compared to other states. Russia can expect a slow and gradual recovery in the future, the expert thinks, noting that even China has not returned to the pre-pandemic economic levels so far. Dolgin pointed out that all manufacturing and processing industries had reported some improvements in the past month due to the lifting of some of the coronavirus restrictions in mid-May. The expert noted that the secondary effect of reduced income and consumer demand might hinder the recovery of the Russian industrial sector in the future. Izvestia: Central Asia braces for crisis as migration flow to Russia halted due to coronavirus
Read also Putin orders to reform migration policy, institution of citizenship
The COVID-19 pandemic is on the wane globally, however, economic difficulties are on the rise, with Central Asian states bracing for a tough crisis due to the interrupted flow of labor migration to Russia and the subsequent rise in unemployment, Izvestia notes in its analysis of the current economic situation in several Central Asian countries, including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Money transfers from labor migrants play a crucial role in the economy of Central Asian states. For example, in 2019, Tajik nationals working in Russia sent home $2.5 bln, which constitutes 35% of the country’s annual GDP. Meanwhile, Kyrgyz residents sent $2 bln home to their families (30% of the GDP), and Uzbek labor migrants sent home a record sum of $4.7 bln (15% of the GDP). It is important to note that this data only includes bank transfers. The coronavirus pandemic has undermined the existing economic model, with Russia introducing strict quarantine measures, suspending migrant flow and pausing activity in key industries for migrants: trade, construction, transport, and the service industry. For example, Kyrgyz workers sent only $76.3 mln back home in April 2020, compared to $200.1 mln in April 2019. According to unofficial data, about a million (one in six) Kyrgyz residents are working in Russia. Some have been forced to return home, some have lost their jobs within the country. As a result, the number of unemployed people in Kyrgyzstan has reached 700,000. Yuri Solozobov, Director of International Projects at Russia’s National Strategy Institute, has told Izvestia that in late 2020, a parliamentary election is set to take place in Kyrgyzstan. Meanwhile, Tajikistan plans to hold a presidential election. "There may be protests, riots, civil unrest. Islamists might be the ideological string-pullers behind them, as their ideas have spread widely among the low and middle class of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. This is the only force that offers an alternative ideology, an alternative concept of building a society," the expert notes. Meanwhile, head of the Central Asia Department of the Institute of CIS countries Andrey Grozin told the newspaper that a border conflict is also possible in conditions of a crisis. "It is becoming harder to buy the loyalty of citizens and elite groups. What can be done? One of the options is to divert the people’s attention, provoking a conflict with their neighbors. I think that the threat of confrontation in the region will rise in the coming months. We are already witnessing that. In the first quarter of the current year, there have been more clashes in the disputed areas of the Tajik-Kyrgyz border than in the entire last year," the analyst pointed out. Izvestia: Half of Russians polled still working from home
Read also Wildberries to leave half of central office’s employees in remote mode after pandemic


tass--2020-06-17--Medvedev warns of economic decline risk due to new outbreak of coronavirus pandemic

MOSCOW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
If occurs , a new outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic may inflict a debilitating blow to the global economy that can only be compared to a world war , Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev believes .
`` There ’ s a threat of a new outbreak of the pandemic , which can inflict a debilitating blow to the global economy that can only be compared to a world war , '' he wrote in his article published in the magazine ‘ Russia in Global Affairs ’ on Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the global economy .
All countries have been affected by the pandemic , '' he noted .
Medvedev referred to the IMF ’ s projections that the global economy will contract by up to 3 % in 2020 compared with 2019 due to the crisis .
`` This is the biggest drop in global GDP since World War II .
To compare , the largest annual decline was a paltry 0.1 % during the most recent global financial and economic crisis in 2008-2009 , '' he said .
Economic considerations have become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The choice of economic policy essentially became a choice between economic growth and saving lives , which depends on the traditions and the level of trust in each society .
However , a drawn-out economic decline is fraught with human casualties as well , '' he said .
Medvedev expects GDP to cease to be a critically important criterion for assessing growth dynamics , `` at least in the short term . ''
`` Moreover , the problem is not so much about the extent of the recession as its duration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be followed by a rebound with subsequent growth , which may not even require any extra investment .
However , an extended stagnation is far more dangerous as it tends to destroy infrastructure and degrade all aspects of life , '' he emphasized .
`` Of course , Russia will not escape a general economic recession .
According to the Ministry of Economic Development , the country ’ s GDP will fall by 5 % in 2020 , real incomes are expected to drop by 3.8 % and unemployment to rise to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past nine years , '' Medvedev noted .
Russia is currently hit by three economic shocks , the first of which is the falling global oil price , Deputy Chairman of the Security Council suggests .
`` This is the biggest shock , since the domestic economy remains dependent on hydrocarbon exports , '' he said .
`` However , over the past 20 years , Russia has withstood such blows three times , in the late 1990s , in 2008-2009 and in 2014-2015 , meaning that it isn ’ t difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy and pinpoint the most effective measures to alleviate its ramifications , '' Medvedev said , adding that `` the main blow is expected to come in 2020 , '' whereas next year the economy will adjust to the new circumstances , `` regardless of the oil price . ''

MOSCOW, June 17. /TASS/. If occurs, a new outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic may inflict a debilitating blow to the global economy that can only be compared to a world war, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev believes.
"There’s a threat of a new outbreak of the pandemic, which can inflict a debilitating blow to the global economy that can only be compared to a world war," he wrote in his article published in the magazine ‘Russia in Global Affairs’ on Wednesday. "The pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for the global economy. All countries have been affected by the pandemic," he noted.
Medvedev referred to the IMF’s projections that the global economy will contract by up to 3% in 2020 compared with 2019 due to the crisis. "This is the biggest drop in global GDP since World War II. To compare, the largest annual decline was a paltry 0.1% during the most recent global financial and economic crisis in 2008-2009," he said.
Economic considerations have become secondary to medical considerations, Medvedev noted. "The choice of economic policy essentially became a choice between economic growth and saving lives, which depends on the traditions and the level of trust in each society. However, a drawn-out economic decline is fraught with human casualties as well," he said.
Projected developments
Medvedev expects GDP to cease to be a critically important criterion for assessing growth dynamics, "at least in the short term." "Moreover, the problem is not so much about the extent of the recession as its duration. A deep, but short-lived decline will be followed by a rebound with subsequent growth, which may not even require any extra investment. However, an extended stagnation is far more dangerous as it tends to destroy infrastructure and degrade all aspects of life," he emphasized.
"Of course, Russia will not escape a general economic recession. According to the Ministry of Economic Development, the country’s GDP will fall by 5% in 2020, real incomes are expected to drop by 3.8% and unemployment to rise to 5.7%, the highest in the past nine years," Medvedev noted.
Three economic shocks affecting Russia
Russia is currently hit by three economic shocks, the first of which is the falling global oil price, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council suggests. "This is the biggest shock, since the domestic economy remains dependent on hydrocarbon exports," he said.
"However, over the past 20 years, Russia has withstood such blows three times, in the late 1990s, in 2008-2009 and in 2014-2015, meaning that it isn’t difficult to assess the impact of this shock on the economy and pinpoint the most effective measures to alleviate its ramifications," Medvedev said, adding that "the main blow is expected to come in 2020," whereas next year the economy will adjust to the new circumstances, "regardless of the oil price."


tass--2020-06-17--Number of coronavirus cases in Poland reaches 30,701

According to the latest data , since March 4 , when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country , 30,701 infections , 1,286 fatalities and 14,921 recoveries from coronavirus were reported .
WARSAW , June 17 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Poland increased by 506 , the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday .
Currently , about 1,600 patients with coronavirus are admitted to hospitals in Poland .
Over 96,000 people have been quarantined , and about 17,000 remain under epidemiological supervision .
At the moment , almost all serious restrictions that were introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been lifted in the country .
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 8,266,480 people have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 4,323,350 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , 553,301 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 304,342 patients having recovered from the disease .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 7,478 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

According to the latest data, since March 4, when the first coronavirus case was detected in the country, 30,701 infections, 1,286 fatalities and 14,921 recoveries from coronavirus were reported.
WARSAW, June 17. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Poland increased by 506, the Ministry of Health said on Wednesday.
Currently, about 1,600 patients with coronavirus are admitted to hospitals in Poland. Over 96,000 people have been quarantined, and about 17,000 remain under epidemiological supervision.
At the moment, almost all serious restrictions that were introduced to counter the spread of coronavirus have been lifted in the country.
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 8,266,480 people have been infected worldwide and more than 446,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 4,323,350 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, 553,301 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 304,342 patients having recovered from the disease. Russia’s latest data indicates 7,478 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.