tass--2020-04-21--US strongly rejects proposal on humanitarian pause amid coronavirus pandemic — Lavrov

Coronavirus has posed a serious challenge to all countries , and under such circumstances the policy of hegemony and dominance is particularly inappropriate , the Russian foreign minister stated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier called on the G20 to lift sanctions against other countries in order to effectively combat the coronavirus spread .
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet also backed the idea of cancelling or suspending sanctions amid the pandemic .
Coronavirus has posed a serious challenge to all countries , and under such circumstances the policy of hegemony and dominance is particularly inappropriate , Sergey Lavrov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has become a serious challenge for all states and many international organizations , of course should encourage us to reflect on what is going on in the world and reflect on how we should live further to ensure a peaceful , safe and stable future for all of humanity , '' Lavrov said .
According to Russia ’ s top diplomat , it has long become clear that humanity lives in an interdependent and interconnected world , and the pandemic has exposed that .
`` This being so , collective approaches to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and practices of hegemony and dominance are totally inappropriate in the 21st century , '' Lavrov stressed .
No one can stop a multipolar world order from emerging because it is a natural process and attempts to do so are bound to fail , the Russian foreign minister believes .
According to Lavrov , a polycentric world order is being formed as a number of economies grow and new financial centers emerge naturally .
`` Attempts to hinder this process are bound to fail from the standpoint of history .
The countries that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ millennium now see their rivals getting stronger and they clearly seek to maintain their privileged position .
Various methods are being employed to that end , including dirty ones , '' the Russian top diplomat said .
`` However , I would like to reiterate that attempts to hinder the natural development of a multipolar world order are bound to fail .
There are many facts proving that countries are coming to realize this , which include the formation of the G20 group .
It involves G7 members and BRICS countries because cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resolving pressing global economic , financial and political issues , '' Lavrov emphasized .
He added that other groups and organizations that involved Russia were also based on consensus .
In this regard , he mentioned the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) , the Eurasian Economic Union ( EAEU ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) .
US plans in regard to Open Skies Treaty Russia believes that the US has come to a decision to pull out of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commented .
`` Experts who monitor the developments believe that a decision has already been made in Washington .
We believe there is a substantial grain of truth in these assessments .
We are also drawing practically the same conclusions based on our contacts with the Americans , other members of NATO and participants in the Open Skies Treaty , '' Lavrov said .
According to the top diplomat , by accusing Russia of violating the treaty , the US is laying the groundwork to concoct an excuse for their withdrawal from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the INF treaty .
`` The same method is being used by the US with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty .
`` As for the CTBT , it is necessary to justify why the Americans said categorically and officially that they wouldn ’ t join it .
Although they have already stated officially that they wouldn ’ t ratify it , they are nonetheless trying to use the provisions from the treaty to once again accuse us , and also China just recently , of violating the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current US administration is fundamentally against any kind of control over US military activity .
He doubted that if the US withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty , other countries would follow Washington ’ s footsteps .
`` It seems to me that the Europeans understand that the treaty has an added value as an instrument of trust , predictability as well as transparency , and we regard it as such .
Our reaction to potential or pending decisions by Washington will depend on how this decision will be formulated , what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will keep an eye on whether any of NATO allies will follow Washington , since the added value that the treaty has now will depend on this , but we will simply have to look at how it will be maintained in the light of the US plans , '' Lavrov stressed .
The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in March 1992 in Helsinki by 23 member nations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) .
It was drafted with Moscow ’ s active participation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the treaty is a major instrument of strengthening trust and security .
The Open Skies ’ main goals are to build transparency , render assistance in monitoring compliance with existing or future arms control agreements , broaden possibilities for preventing crises and managing crisis situations .
The accord establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants .
Now , the treaty has more than 30 signatory states .
Russia ratified the Treaty on Open Skies on May 26 , 2001 .
For the past several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of carrying out the accord in a selective manner and of violating some of its provisions .
Russia has also put forward some objections regarding the way the United States has been implementing the agreement .
In 2017 , Washington imposed some restrictions on Russian observation flights over its territory .
Moscow came up with a tit-for-tat response some time later .
The European Union ’ s reluctance to put forward its ideas at the UN Security Council on monitoring the arms embargo ’ s implementation in Libya arouses concerns , Sergey Lavrov @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU has been shying away from presenting its ideas [ on controlling the arms embargo in Libya ] at the UN Security Council raises eyebrows over the reasons of this position .
I hope that soon these reasons will be revealed , '' Lavrov said .
Russia ’ s top diplomat recalled that on April 1 the EU launched its operation Irini on controlling the implementation of the embargo on supplying arms to Libya .
`` It ’ s a noble endeavor , but we have told our European friends several times that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Council and say : `` The Security Council has announced an arms embargo and it must be implemented .
We , the European Union , want to carry out another special operation on controlling the compliance with the embargo , it contains some components and we ask the Security Council to support this approach , '' he noted .
Brussels said the operation could be carried out at sea off Libya ’ s coast to inspect vessels suspected of shipping weapons or related materials to the Arab countries and from it in accordance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be led by Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini as EU Operation Commander , and the mission ’ s headquarters will be in Rome .
The mandate for the operation will be until March 31 , 2021 .
The Eurasian Economic Union ( EAEU ) will take into account the European Union ’ s lessons concerning the sharing of power among national governments and supranational structures , in particular , during crises , Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented .
`` The European Union , just like we all are , is living through no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic ] has coincided with heated debates inside the European Union over the optimal proportions in the operation of supra-national authorities and the responsibility of national governments , '' Lavrov said .
`` Of course , we are discussing this inside the EAEU too .
Everybody should derive some lessons from the crisis , which will be useful in the future .
The way these problems will be handled in the EU will be very useful for us in choosing ways of addressing similar issues within the EAEU . ''
Lavrov pointed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time when the EAEU member states were to make `` new , very important qualitative steps in terms of European integration . ''
According to him , the EAEU member states will overcome the crisis more easily , if they develop collective structures , such as the Eurasian Development Bank .
`` How can the EAEU member states struggle through this no easy time with minimal losses ?
I am certain , they can do this only together , '' Lavrov said .
The European Union is becoming more open for dialogue with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Sergey Lavrov stated .
When asked about possible admission of European nations to the EAEU in case of a European Union collapse , Lavrov said that it would not be right to consider such a situation , even theoretically .
He stressed that it would be right to develop contacts between the EAEU and the European Union .
`` Such proposals were in focus as far back as 2015 and Brussels continues to look at them now .
The Eurasian Economic Union in the person of the Eurasian Economic Commission has come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission more than once , '' he recalled .
`` At first , the response was simply negative , '' he noted .
`` Later on , when Brussels finally saw that the EAEU member nations delegate many of their practical functions to the supranational level , it became more open for dialogue with the Eurasian Economic Commission , but so far only on such technical matters as technical regulations , etc .
But still it is more than nothing — such practical things can serve as a basis for expansion of cooperation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Moscow stands for strategic partnership across the entire Eurasian continent .
`` I think it will help both the European Union to settle its internal problems and the EAEU will be open for cooperation in the interests of its member nations , '' he emphasized .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed hope that Poland will abandon attempts to sow discord among the two countries .
`` I hope that , together with our Polish friends , we will also overcome the current period and that attempts to manufacture rationale for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the long run , '' he stated .
`` I assure you that in Russia you will find the most positive response to any proposals that will be free of an ideological bias and will be based on the interests of citizens of Russia and Poland . ''
Lavrov noted that Russia had more bilateral contacts with Poland than with any other European country .
`` We had a committee led by the two countries ’ foreign ministers with the participation of deputy ministers of economy , finance , trade , culture and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group for difficult issues , where historians gathered and honestly discussed sad or , on the contrary , good pages in the history of our peoples , '' he recalled .
`` All that has been frozen now .
I also believe it is sad that the visa-free travel between the Kaliningrad Region and neighboring regions of Poland has been frozen .
After all , all of us , including the Polish leadership , are in favor of contacts between people , '' Lavrov stressed .
Russia and the West should rather cooperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help the region , as competition for clout there is counterproductive , Russia 's top diplomat believes .
He stressed that Russia was helping Central Asian nations .
In particular , it is extending financial support to Kyrgyzstan to help it create necessary infrastructure and to bolster its state budget .
`` If some in Kyrgyzstan think that something is to be changed [ in Russia ’ s policy toward Kyrgyzstan — TASS ] , I don ’ t rule out it is a reflection of the competition process our Western colleagues have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is counterproductive .
It is much better to cooperate to help the Central Asian nations , including Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan , which need it badly , '' he indicated .
According to the Russian top diplomat , unlike Western partners , Russia is ready for cooperation in the interests of humanitarian assistance to the Central Asian countries .
More to it , in his words , the West is obviously seeking to curtail Russia ’ s influence in that region .
`` When the European Union came out with its Central Asian strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ either of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) , or of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EAEU ) , or of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , or of any other structures the Central Asian nations participated in this or that way .
They were given a passing mention as a warning that a close eye should be kept on all these EAEUs , SCOs and other CSTOs ( Collective Security Treaty Organization ) so that they did not hinder the European Union ’ s work in Central Asia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eastern Partnership program for South Caucasian and European former Soviet republics , this strategy was geared towards competition with Russia , towards containing it on these territories , '' Lavrov stressed .
The new edition of the European Union ’ s strategy in Central Asia that was developed in 2007 was endorsed by the 28 EU foreign ministers on July 17 , 2019 .
The new strategy focuses on two aspects : Partnership for Resilience ( `` Strengthening Central Asian countries so they can overcome internal and external challenges ; Supporting the delivery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Partnership for Prosperity ( Developing a competitive private sector and promoting an open investment environment ; Fostering research and innovation with a focus on skills development for youth ; Supporting economic modernization , etc. )
.
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the novel coronavirus — named COVID-19 by the WHO — have been reported in every corner of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

Coronavirus has posed a serious challenge to all countries, and under such circumstances the policy of hegemony and dominance is particularly inappropriate, the Russian foreign minister stated
MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The Western countries, namely the United States, have strongly rejected a proposal on the exemption of humanitarian supplies from sanctions during the coronavirus pandemic, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a video conference with the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund’s delegates.
Russia’s top diplomat emphasized that illegal unilateral sanctions amid the pandemic deal a heavy blow to citizens in a range of states, first of all Iran, Syria and North Korea. According to Lavrov, these countries cannot purchase equipment, medicines and special protection gear because "the Western states, first of all the US, have strongly rejected a proposal on declaring a humanitarian pause and exempting the supplies of goods needed to combat the pandemic from any sanctions."
Read also Russian lawmaker slams as unfair competition Trump’s words about China guilt for pandemic
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier called on the G20 to lift sanctions against other countries in order to effectively combat the coronavirus spread. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet also backed the idea of cancelling or suspending sanctions amid the pandemic. Hegemony and dominance policy Coronavirus has posed a serious challenge to all countries, and under such circumstances the policy of hegemony and dominance is particularly inappropriate, Sergey Lavrov stated. "The coronavirus infection, which has become a serious challenge for all states and many international organizations, of course should encourage us to reflect on what is going on in the world and reflect on how we should live further to ensure a peaceful, safe and stable future for all of humanity," Lavrov said. According to Russia’s top diplomat, it has long become clear that humanity lives in an interdependent and interconnected world, and the pandemic has exposed that. "This being so, collective approaches to international relations are essential. The concepts and practices of hegemony and dominance are totally inappropriate in the 21st century," Lavrov stressed. Development of multipolar world order
No one can stop a multipolar world order from emerging because it is a natural process and attempts to do so are bound to fail, the Russian foreign minister believes. According to Lavrov, a polycentric world order is being formed as a number of economies grow and new financial centers emerge naturally. "Attempts to hinder this process are bound to fail from the standpoint of history. The countries that ruled the international stage for half a millennium now see their rivals getting stronger and they clearly seek to maintain their privileged position. Various methods are being employed to that end, including dirty ones," the Russian top diplomat said. "However, I would like to reiterate that attempts to hinder the natural development of a multipolar world order are bound to fail. There are many facts proving that countries are coming to realize this, which include the formation of the G20 group. It involves G7 members and BRICS countries because cooperation and consensus between them are crucial for resolving pressing global economic, financial and political issues," Lavrov emphasized. He added that other groups and organizations that involved Russia were also based on consensus. In this regard, he mentioned the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). US plans in regard to Open Skies Treaty
Read also US withdrawal from Open Skies Treaty to worsen security in Europe — Russian diplomat
Russia believes that the US has come to a decision to pull out of the Open Skies Treaty, the foreign minister commented. "Experts who monitor the developments believe that a decision has already been made in Washington. We believe there is a substantial grain of truth in these assessments. We are also drawing practically the same conclusions based on our contacts with the Americans, other members of NATO and participants in the Open Skies Treaty," Lavrov said. According to the top diplomat, by accusing Russia of violating the treaty, the US is laying the groundwork to concoct an excuse for their withdrawal from the agreement, like in the case with the INF treaty. "The same method is being used by the US with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. "As for the CTBT, it is necessary to justify why the Americans said categorically and officially that they wouldn’t join it. Although they have already stated officially that they wouldn’t ratify it, they are nonetheless trying to use the provisions from the treaty to once again accuse us, and also China just recently, of violating the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty," he explained. Lavrov stated that the current US administration is fundamentally against any kind of control over US military activity. He doubted that if the US withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty, other countries would follow Washington’s footsteps. "It seems to me that the Europeans understand that the treaty has an added value as an instrument of trust, predictability as well as transparency, and we regard it as such. Our reaction to potential or pending decisions by Washington will depend on how this decision will be formulated, what it will actually mean. And of course, we will keep an eye on whether any of NATO allies will follow Washington, since the added value that the treaty has now will depend on this, but we will simply have to look at how it will be maintained in the light of the US plans," Lavrov stressed. About the treaty The Treaty on Open Skies was signed in March 1992 in Helsinki by 23 member nations of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It was drafted with Moscow’s active participation. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the treaty is a major instrument of strengthening trust and security. The Open Skies’ main goals are to build transparency, render assistance in monitoring compliance with existing or future arms control agreements, broaden possibilities for preventing crises and managing crisis situations. The accord establishes a program of unarmed aerial surveillance flights over the entire territory of its participants. Now, the treaty has more than 30 signatory states. Russia ratified the Treaty on Open Skies on May 26, 2001. For the past several years, Washington has been accusing Moscow of carrying out the accord in a selective manner and of violating some of its provisions. Russia has also put forward some objections regarding the way the United States has been implementing the agreement. In 2017, Washington imposed some restrictions on Russian observation flights over its territory. Moscow came up with a tit-for-tat response some time later.
Read also Putin, Merkel stress that Libyan sides must adhere to ceasefire regime
Libya arms embargo The European Union’s reluctance to put forward its ideas at the UN Security Council on monitoring the arms embargo’s implementation in Libya arouses concerns, Sergey Lavrov commented. "The fact that the EU has been shying away from presenting its ideas [on controlling the arms embargo in Libya] at the UN Security Council raises eyebrows over the reasons of this position. I hope that soon these reasons will be revealed," Lavrov said. Russia’s top diplomat recalled that on April 1 the EU launched its operation Irini on controlling the implementation of the embargo on supplying arms to Libya. "It’s a noble endeavor, but we have told our European friends several times that the EU should come to the Security Council and say: "The Security Council has announced an arms embargo and it must be implemented. We, the European Union, want to carry out another special operation on controlling the compliance with the embargo, it contains some components and we ask the Security Council to support this approach," he noted. Brussels said the operation could be carried out at sea off Libya’s coast to inspect vessels suspected of shipping weapons or related materials to the Arab countries and from it in accordance with Resolution 2292. Operation Irini will be led by Rear Admiral Fabio Agostini as EU Operation Commander, and the mission’s headquarters will be in Rome. The mandate for the operation will be until March 31, 2021. EAEU learning from European Union’s experience
The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) will take into account the European Union’s experience concerning the sharing of power among national governments and supranational structures, in particular, during crises, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented. "The European Union, just like we all are, is living through no easy times. But this crisis [pandemic] has coincided with heated debates inside the European Union over the optimal proportions in the operation of supra-national authorities and the responsibility of national governments," Lavrov said. "Of course, we are discussing this inside the EAEU too. Everybody should derive some lessons from the crisis, which will be useful in the future. The way these problems will be handled in the EU will be very useful for us in choosing ways of addressing similar issues within the EAEU." Lavrov pointed out that the pandemic broke out at a time when the EAEU member states were to make "new, very important qualitative steps in terms of European integration." According to him, the EAEU member states will overcome the crisis more easily, if they develop collective structures, such as the Eurasian Development Bank. "How can the EAEU member states struggle through this no easy time with minimal losses? I am certain, they can do this only together," Lavrov said. European Union's relationship with EAEU
The European Union is becoming more open for dialogue with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Sergey Lavrov stated. When asked about possible admission of European nations to the EAEU in case of a European Union collapse, Lavrov said that it would not be right to consider such a situation, even theoretically. He stressed that it would be right to develop contacts between the EAEU and the European Union. "Such proposals were in focus as far back as 2015 and Brussels continues to look at them now. The Eurasian Economic Union in the person of the Eurasian Economic Commission has come out with such initiatives to the European Commission more than once," he recalled. "At first, the response was simply negative," he noted. "Later on, when Brussels finally saw that the EAEU member nations delegate many of their practical functions to the supranational level, it became more open for dialogue with the Eurasian Economic Commission, but so far only on such technical matters as technical regulations, etc. But still it is more than nothing — such practical things can serve as a basis for expansion of cooperation." The Russian top diplomat reiterated that Moscow stands for strategic partnership across the entire Eurasian continent. "I think it will help both the European Union to settle its internal problems and the EAEU will be open for cooperation in the interests of its member nations," he emphasized. Relations with Poland
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has expressed hope that Poland will abandon attempts to sow discord among the two countries. "I hope that, together with our Polish friends, we will also overcome the current period and that attempts to manufacture rationale for disassociating our peoples will not prevail in the long run," he stated. "I assure you that in Russia you will find the most positive response to any proposals that will be free of an ideological bias and will be based on the interests of citizens of Russia and Poland." Lavrov noted that Russia had more bilateral contacts with Poland than with any other European country. "We had a committee led by the two countries’ foreign ministers with the participation of deputy ministers of economy, finance, trade, culture and so on. There was also a Group for difficult issues, where historians gathered and honestly discussed sad or, on the contrary, good pages in the history of our peoples," he recalled. "All that has been frozen now. I also believe it is sad that the visa-free travel between the Kaliningrad Region and neighboring regions of Poland has been frozen. After all, all of us, including the Polish leadership, are in favor of contacts between people," Lavrov stressed. Cooperation in Central Asia
Read also Lavrov calls on EU leadership to elaborate principles of policy towards Russia


tass--2020-04-21--Brent oil falls below $22 per barrel

Brent oil falls below $22 per barrel

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The price of futures contract for Brent crude oil with June delivery on @ @ @ @ @ by 14.39 % to $ 21.89 per barrel on Tuesday .
The last time Brent @ @ @ @ @ barrel on March 30 .
At the same time , June WTI crude oil futures @ @ @ @ @ $ 18.96 per barrel .
Against this background , the dollar on the Moscow Exchange @ @ @ @ @ 76.69 rubles , the euro rose by 1.27 % to 83.03 rubles .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The price of futures contract for Brent crude oil with June delivery on London’s ICE fell by 14.39% to $21.89 per barrel on Tuesday.
The last time Brent was below $22 per barrel on March 30.
At the same time, June WTI crude oil futures fell by 7.2% to $18.96 per barrel.
Against this background, the dollar on the Moscow Exchange added 1.51% and reached 76.69 rubles, the euro rose by 1.27% to 83.03 rubles.


tass--2020-04-21--African countries request Russia's assistance in combating coronavirus

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
A number of African countries have requested Moscow ’ s assistance in combating the coronavirus , a Russian Foreign Ministry official told TASS on Tuesday .
`` A number of countries on the African continent have requested Russia ’ s assistance in combating COVID-19 .
African nations need a wide range of medical equipment , including ventilators , as well as testing systems , individual protective gear , disinfectants and consumables .
These requests are carefully studied and the situation in a particular country is taken into account , '' the official pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were relatively low in African countries , with the exception of Algeria , Egypt , Morocco and South Africa .
`` However , this issue is causing serious concern to many countries on the continent , '' the official said .
`` The social and economic situations in many of these countries are complicated , while high population density , poor healthcare systems , various crises and conflicts , transparent borders and uncontrolled migration can lead to a sharp rise in cases and unpredictable consequences , '' the official added .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may negatively affect African countries ’ ability to carry out major tasks to overcome poverty , ensure sustainable development and implement integration projects .
The ministry official also noted that Russia had been assisting African nations in responding to natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases , including the Ebola fever .
`` We will do what we can to help the continent combat the coronavirus pandemic , using bilateral mechanisms and those of international organizations , '' the ministry said , noting that `` when making decisions , we will take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Russia ’ s coronavirus spread rate . ''
According to the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , Africa ’ s coronavirus cases have reached 21,633 , the death toll currently stands at 1,076 .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. A number of African countries have requested Moscow’s assistance in combating the coronavirus, a Russian Foreign Ministry official told TASS on Tuesday.
"A number of countries on the African continent have requested Russia’s assistance in combating COVID-19. African nations need a wide range of medical equipment, including ventilators, as well as testing systems, individual protective gear, disinfectants and consumables. These requests are carefully studied and the situation in a particular country is taken into account," the official pointed out, adding that coronavirus spread rates were relatively low in African countries, with the exception of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.
"However, this issue is causing serious concern to many countries on the continent," the official said. "The social and economic situations in many of these countries are complicated, while high population density, poor healthcare systems, various crises and conflicts, transparent borders and uncontrolled migration can lead to a sharp rise in cases and unpredictable consequences," the official added.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, the pandemic may negatively affect African countries’ ability to carry out major tasks to overcome poverty, ensure sustainable development and implement integration projects.
The ministry official also noted that Russia had been assisting African nations in responding to natural disasters and the spread of infectious diseases, including the Ebola fever.
"We will do what we can to help the continent combat the coronavirus pandemic, using bilateral mechanisms and those of international organizations," the ministry said, noting that "when making decisions, we will take a whole set of factors into account, including Russia’s coronavirus spread rate."
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa’s coronavirus cases have reached 21,633, the death toll currently stands at 1,076.
Coronavirus pandemic
In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization 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 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-04-21--Brent oil falls by 10% below $23 per barrel

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The price of futures contract for Brent crude oil with June delivery on @ @ @ @ @ the fall to 10.5 % to $ 22.85 per barrel on Tuesday .
Price of @ @ @ @ @ 21.41 per barrel The last time Brent was below $ 23 per barrel on March @ @ @ @ @ time , June WTI crude oil futures fell by 0.69 % to $ 20.29 per @ @ @ @ @ , the dollar on the Moscow Exchange added 1.06 % and reached 76.35 rubles , @ @ @ @ @ % to 82.77 rubles .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The price of futures contract for Brent crude oil with June delivery on London’s ICE accelerated the fall to 10.5% to $22.85 per barrel on Tuesday.
Price of WTI futures up to $21.41 per barrel
The last time Brent was below $23 per barrel on March 30.
At the same time, June WTI crude oil futures fell by 0.69% to $20.29 per barrel.
Against this background, the dollar on the Moscow Exchange added 1.06% and reached 76.35 rubles, the euro rose by 0.95% to 82.77 rubles.


tass--2020-04-21--Russian Navy warship transiting Black Sea straits to join Mediterranean Squadron

SEVASTOPOL , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The Black Sea Fleet ’ s missile corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo has started transiting the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to join the Russian Navy ’ s Mediterranean taskforce , the Fleet ’ s press office reported on Tuesday .
`` The ship ’ s crew is making a planned transit from Sevastopol to the Mediterranean Sea .
During the transit , the ship ’ s crew accomplished a set of shipborne combat drills at the Fleet ’ s combat training ranges in the Black Sea , '' the press office said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ join the Russian Navy ’ s permanent Mediterranean taskforce already by Tuesday evening , the statement says .
The Orekhovo-Zuyevo is the seventh Project 21631 ‘ Buyan-M ’ small missile ship .
Project 21631 Buyan-M-class small missile ships feature increased water displacement and are equipped with the latest Kalibr-NK standardized precision missile system designated to strike naval and coastal targets .
The Soviet Navy ’ s 5th Mediterranean Squadron served as a prototype for the Russian Navy ’ s permanent Mediterranean taskforce operating at present .
The 5th operational Soviet Squadron dealt with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mediterranean theater of operations during the Cold War period .
Its main rival was the US Navy ’ s 6th Fleet .
The Soviet Squadron was disbanded on December 31 , 1992 , a year after the disintegration of the Soviet Union .
In 2013 , Russia started to create a new operational Mediterranean taskforce .
Russia ’ s new permanent Squadron is dealing with planned and urgent combat missions arising in the Mediterranean theater of operations , including warding off threats to Russia ’ s national and military security .

SEVASTOPOL, April 21. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet’s missile corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo has started transiting the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits to join the Russian Navy’s Mediterranean taskforce, the Fleet’s press office reported on Tuesday.
"The ship’s crew is making a planned transit from Sevastopol to the Mediterranean Sea. During the transit, the ship’s crew accomplished a set of shipborne combat drills at the Fleet’s combat training ranges in the Black Sea," the press office said in a statement.
The missile corvette Orekhovo-Zuyevo is expected to join the Russian Navy’s permanent Mediterranean taskforce already by Tuesday evening, the statement says.
The Orekhovo-Zuyevo is the seventh Project 21631 ‘Buyan-M’ small missile ship. Project 21631 Buyan-M-class small missile ships feature increased water displacement and are equipped with the latest Kalibr-NK standardized precision missile system designated to strike naval and coastal targets.
Russian Navy’s Mediterranean Squadron
The Soviet Navy’s 5th Mediterranean Squadron served as a prototype for the Russian Navy’s permanent Mediterranean taskforce operating at present. The 5th operational Soviet Squadron dealt with the tasks of naval presence in the Mediterranean theater of operations during the Cold War period. Its main rival was the US Navy’s 6th Fleet. The Soviet Squadron was disbanded on December 31, 1992, a year after the disintegration of the Soviet Union.
In 2013, Russia started to create a new operational Mediterranean taskforce. Russia’s new permanent Squadron is dealing with planned and urgent combat missions arising in the Mediterranean theater of operations, including warding off threats to Russia’s national and military security.


tass--2020-04-21--Coronavirus cases in Russia grow by 5,642 over past day

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has grown by 5,642 over the past day to 52,763 in all regions , the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Tuesday .
Artificial origin of novel coronavirus can not be ruled out — Russian expert Some 3,873 people have recovered and 456 patients have died .
`` Russia has registered a rise in coronavirus cases to 52,763 ( +12 % ) in 85 regions .
Some 427 people have been discharged over the past day and 3,873 over the entire period .
Fifty-one coronavirus patients have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia is 456 , '' the crisis center said .
Nearly 45.5 % of the new coronavirus cases or 2,567 were asymptomatic .
Moscow has confirmed 3,083 new coronavirus cases , bringing the total case count in the capital to 29,433 .
Other new cases have been also recorded in 77 regions , mostly in the Moscow Region ( 718 ) , St. Petersburg ( 127 ) , the Nizhny Novgorod Region ( 101 ) , the Sverdlovsk Region ( 84 ) , the Tula Region ( 75 ) and the Republic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past day , 427 people have been discharged from hospitals in 31 regions , including 219 in Moscow , 39 in St. Petersburg , 28 in the Bryansk Region and 22 in the Republic of Mari El .
Some 29 new fatalities have been recorded over the past day in Moscow , four in the Ingushetia Republic , three in St. Petersburg and the Chuvash Republic , and two in Dagestan and the Kaluga Region .
One death was reported in the Tula , Kursk , Voronezh , Lipetsk , Novosibirsk , Irkutsk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kabardino-Balkaria .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus cases in Russia has grown by 5,642 over the past day to 52,763 in all regions, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Tuesday.
Artificial origin of novel coronavirus cannot be ruled out — Russian expert
Some 3,873 people have recovered and 456 patients have died.
"Russia has registered a rise in coronavirus cases to 52,763 (+12%) in 85 regions. Some 427 people have been discharged over the past day and 3,873 over the entire period. Fifty-one coronavirus patients have died. The total death toll in Russia is 456," the crisis center said.
Nearly 45.5% of the new coronavirus cases or 2,567 were asymptomatic.
Moscow has confirmed 3,083 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total case count in the capital to 29,433. Other new cases have been also recorded in 77 regions, mostly in the Moscow Region (718), St. Petersburg (127), the Nizhny Novgorod Region (101), the Sverdlovsk Region (84), the Tula Region (75) and the Republic of Bashkortostan (74).
Over the past day, 427 people have been discharged from hospitals in 31 regions, including 219 in Moscow, 39 in St. Petersburg, 28 in the Bryansk Region and 22 in the Republic of Mari El.
Some 29 new fatalities have been recorded over the past day in Moscow, four in the Ingushetia Republic, three in St. Petersburg and the Chuvash Republic, and two in Dagestan and the Kaluga Region. One death was reported in the Tula, Kursk, Voronezh, Lipetsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Stavropol Regions and the Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.


tass--2020-04-21--Brent crude oil price down below $25 per barrel

Price of WTI futures up to $ 21.41 per barrel MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The price of @ @ @ @ @ oil for June 2020 delivery extended losses to 3.6 % compared with the previous closure @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday trading at $ 24.65 per barrel , according to the trading data as of @ @ @ @ @ The Brent crude oil was last below $ 25 per barrel on April 1 , @ @ @ @ @ price of futures contracts of WTI crude oil for June delivery is down by 2.45 @ @ @ @ @ barrel .

Price of WTI futures up to $21.41 per barrel
MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The price of futures contracts of Brent crude oil for June 2020 delivery extended losses to 3.6% compared with the previous closure on London's ICE on Tuesday trading at $24.65 per barrel, according to the trading data as of 9:46 am Moscow time.
The Brent crude oil was last below $25 per barrel on April 1, 2020.
Meanwhile, the price of futures contracts of WTI crude oil for June delivery is down by 2.45% at $20.93 per barrel.


tass--2020-04-21--Infortrend's Scale-Out NAS to support SMB Multichannel

TAIPEI , April 21 , 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infortrend® Technology , Inc. ( TWSE : 2495 ) , the industry-leading enterprise storage provider , adopts SMB Multichannel feature for its scale-out NAS EonStor CS .
With support of SMB Multichannel , it is now possible to establish multiple simultaneous network connections between EonStor CS cluster and its clients over aggregated network interface cards ( NICs ) .
It increases bandwidth , storage performance , and fault tolerance for performance-demanding applications , such as 4K video editing , broadcasting , or real-time streaming in M & E industry and HPC .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to 144 nodes in a cluster with a total of over 100 GBps throughput and 100PB capacity .
By enabling SMB Multichannel , an SMB 3.0 client can access data on CS storage via multiple available paths , which compared to one path only , facilitates aggregation of network bandwidth and increases network fault tolerance .
Importantly , SMB Multichannel feature provides higher bandwidth and higher system performance , which is proved to be especially useful for performance demanding workloads .
It aggregates multiple network interfaces and performs data read or write @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helps to noticeably increase performance .
Moreover , if any failure occurs , it is automatically detected , and the data communication processes are moved to a normally functioning channel so that there is no connection disruption and no impact on system availability .
`` With support of SMB Multichannel , our EonStor CS scale-out NAS can ensure not only higher performance , but also continuous network service for time-sensitive and high availability applications .
For example , in M & E industry , for editing video footages with resolution 4K and above @ @ @ @ @ @ @ using SMB Multichannel connected through multiple network interfaces , users are able to yield benefits of smooth workflow with provided bandwidth and experience no downtime while collaborating on their projects , '' said Frank Lee , Senior Director of Product Planning .
Infortrend ( TWSE : 2495 ) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993 .
With a strong emphasis on in-house design , testing , and manufacturing , Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards , user friendly data services , personal after-sales support , and unrivaled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit www.infortrend.com Infortrend® and EonStor® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology , Inc. ; other trademarks are the property of their respective owners .

TAIPEI, April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Infortrend® Technology, Inc. (TWSE: 2495), the industry-leading enterprise storage provider, adopts SMB Multichannel feature for its scale-out NAS EonStor CS. With support of SMB Multichannel, it is now possible to establish multiple simultaneous network connections between EonStor CS cluster and its clients over aggregated network interface cards (NICs). It increases bandwidth, storage performance, and fault tolerance for performance-demanding applications, such as 4K video editing, broadcasting, or real-time streaming in M&E industry and HPC.
EonStor CS is a scale-out NAS expandable up to 144 nodes in a cluster with a total of over 100 GBps throughput and 100PB capacity. By enabling SMB Multichannel, an SMB 3.0 client can access data on CS storage via multiple available paths, which compared to one path only, facilitates aggregation of network bandwidth and increases network fault tolerance.
Importantly, SMB Multichannel feature provides higher bandwidth and higher system performance, which is proved to be especially useful for performance demanding workloads. It aggregates multiple network interfaces and performs data read or write processes simultaneously utilizing multiple channels, which helps to noticeably increase performance. Moreover, if any failure occurs, it is automatically detected, and the data communication processes are moved to a normally functioning channel so that there is no connection disruption and no impact on system availability.
"With support of SMB Multichannel, our EonStor CS scale-out NAS can ensure not only higher performance, but also continuous network service for time-sensitive and high availability applications. For example, in M&E industry, for editing video footages with resolution 4K and above, high bandwidth is required. By using SMB Multichannel connected through multiple network interfaces, users are able to yield benefits of smooth workflow with provided bandwidth and experience no downtime while collaborating on their projects," said Frank Lee, Senior Director of Product Planning.
Learn more about EonStor CS scale-out NAS
About Infortrend
Infortrend (TWSE: 2495) has been developing and manufacturing storage solutions since 1993. With a strong emphasis on in-house design, testing, and manufacturing, Infortrend storage delivers performance and scalability with the latest standards, user friendly data services, personal after-sales support, and unrivaled value. For more information, please visit www.infortrend.com
Infortrend® and EonStor® are trademarks or registered trademarks of Infortrend Technology, Inc.; other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Winnie Tsai, +886-2-2226-0126 #8557, winnie.tsai@infortrend.com


tass--2020-04-21--Price of WTI futures up to $21.41 per barrel

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The price of WTI oil futures with delivery in June 2020 gained 4.8 @ @ @ @ @ barrel on the London ’ s ICE , according to the trading data as of @ @ @ @ @ On Monday , the price of WTI futures for May 2020 delivery dropped below zero @ @ @ @ @ the US history .
As of 4:36 pm Eastern time ( 11:36 pm Moscow time @ @ @ @ @ WTI futures with delivery in May lost $ 35.97 ( 196.88 % ) to minus @ @ @ @ @ price of futures with June delivery dropped to around $ 20 per barrel .
As @ @ @ @ @ , the price of futures with May delivery in May went up on NYMEX to @ @ @ @ @ .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The price of WTI oil futures with delivery in June 2020 gained 4.8% to $21.41 per barrel on the London’s ICE, according to the trading data as of 07:54 am Moscow time.
On Monday, the price of WTI futures for May 2020 delivery dropped below zero for the first time in the US history. As of 4:36 pm Eastern time (11:36 pm Moscow time), the price of WTI futures with delivery in May lost $35.97 (196.88%) to minus $17.7, while the price of futures with June delivery dropped to around $20 per barrel.
As of 7:57 am Moscow time, the price of futures with May delivery in May went up on NYMEX to about $1.55 per barrel.


tass--2020-04-21--WTI oil prices dropped due to expiration of futures, packed storages — analysts

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
Monday ’ s plunge of WTI oil futures was caused by the approach of the expiration date and packed storage facilities , the Russian Analytical Credit Rating Agency ( ACRA ) said .
`` Prices for WTI oil plunged by more than 300 % , into the negative zone .
This situation was caused by the approaching expiration date for WTI oil - April 21 - and the lack of storage capacities , '' ACRA said in a comment .
Analysts say that the WTI futures were deliverable .
Normally , prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts .
However , this time oil producers who sold the futures in order to mitigate their risks , decided not to buy them out and are ready to deliver oil at any price , because their storages are full , and they have already received their income by selling their futures contracts in time .
`` As a result , speculators can not sell futures back to hedgers .
At the same time , they don ’ t need oil , and they are ready to pay extra to have it taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial market is called a ‘ corner , ’ '' the ratings agency said .
According to experts , this dynamics in oil prices allows to presume that the Railroad Commission of Texas - the US state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry - will resolve to impose restrictions on oil extraction in Texas during its Tuesday ’ s session .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Monday’s plunge of WTI oil futures was caused by the approach of the expiration date and packed storage facilities, the Russian Analytical Credit Rating Agency (ACRA) said.
"Prices for WTI oil plunged by more than 300%, into the negative zone. This situation was caused by the approaching expiration date for WTI oil - April 21 - and the lack of storage capacities," ACRA said in a comment.
Analysts say that the WTI futures were deliverable. Normally, prior to the expiration date, hedgers buy out contracts. However, this time oil producers who sold the futures in order to mitigate their risks, decided not to buy them out and are ready to deliver oil at any price, because their storages are full, and they have already received their income by selling their futures contracts in time.
"As a result, speculators cannot sell futures back to hedgers. At the same time, they don’t need oil, and they are ready to pay extra to have it taken from them. This situation on the financial market is called a ‘corner,’" the ratings agency said.
According to experts, this dynamics in oil prices allows to presume that the Railroad Commission of Texas - the US state agency that regulates the oil and gas industry - will resolve to impose restrictions on oil extraction in Texas during its Tuesday’s session.


tass--2020-04-21--Moscow Exchange to suspend trading in WTI futures expiring on April 21 as prices crash

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The Moscow Exchange said on Monday it would suspend trading in West Texas Intermediate ( WTI ) May oil futures contracts , set to expire on Tuesday ( April 21 ) , following the record-breaking crash on Monday .
`` The Moscow Exchange suspends trading in the contract for Light Sweet Crude Oil ( contract CL-4.20 ) with expiration on April 21 , 2020 , during its afternoon trading session on April 21 , 2020 .
The decision was made to prevent additional negative consequences for traders and their clients due to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at NYMEX on April 20 , '' Moscow Exchange said in a statement .
`` The remaining series of futures contracts and options for Light Sweet Crude Oil and Brent will be traded without changes , '' the statement says .
For the first time in the US history , WTI oil prices went into the negative segment on the New York stock exchange on Monday .
By 16:36 EST ( 23:36 Moscow time ) , oil prices dropped by $ 35.97 , or 196.88 % , to minus $ 17.7 .
July @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrel .
WTI oil is extracted in Texas and is used mainly for producing gasoline .
It usually trades lower than the Brent crude , which serves as a benchmark for the entire oil market , including Russia ’ s Urals .
This is related to the fact that , unlike Brent , WTI futures are directly linked with physical deliveries .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The Moscow Exchange said on Monday it would suspend trading in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) May oil futures contracts, set to expire on Tuesday (April 21), following the record-breaking crash on Monday.
"The Moscow Exchange suspends trading in the contract for Light Sweet Crude Oil (contract CL-4.20) with expiration on April 21, 2020, during its afternoon trading session on April 21, 2020. The decision was made to prevent additional negative consequences for traders and their clients due to the unprecedented fall in prices for this contract at NYMEX on April 20," Moscow Exchange said in a statement.
"The remaining series of futures contracts and options for Light Sweet Crude Oil and Brent will be traded without changes," the statement says.
For the first time in the US history, WTI oil prices went into the negative segment on the New York stock exchange on Monday. By 16:36 EST (23:36 Moscow time), oil prices dropped by $35.97, or 196.88%, to minus $17.7. July futures dropped to approximately $20 per barrel.
WTI oil is extracted in Texas and is used mainly for producing gasoline. It usually trades lower than the Brent crude, which serves as a benchmark for the entire oil market, including Russia’s Urals. This is related to the fact that, unlike Brent, WTI futures are directly linked with physical deliveries.


tass--2020-04-21--Russian coronavirus vaccine to undergo preclinical tests on people aged between 18 and 60

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology has formed a preliminary group of volunteers aged between 18 and 60 for preclinical trials of vaccine against the novel coronavirus , researcher Natalya Dumchenko has said .
Vector Director General Rinat Maksyutov said in early April that preclinical tests will begin in early May and last until June 22 .
The vaccine has already been tested on animals .
‘ We have formed a preliminary group of volunteers , aged between 18 and 60 , with the verified ‘ healthy ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have healthy volunteers without chronic conditions , '' Dumchenko said in an interview to the information center that monitors the novel coronavirus situation .
She said that the majority of those volunteers are Vector employees , who are involved in developing the vaccine and checking its quality .
`` In the run-up to the vaccination - no earlier than one week before it - an additional health screening will be held to confirm the ‘ healthy ’ status and the absence of antibodies to the virus , '' Dumchenko added .
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 2,414,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 165,000 deaths have been reported .
To date , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed in Russia , with 3,446 patients having recovered from the virus .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 405 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Vector State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology has formed a preliminary group of volunteers aged between 18 and 60 for preclinical trials of vaccine against the novel coronavirus, researcher Natalya Dumchenko has said.
Vector Director General Rinat Maksyutov said in early April that preclinical tests will begin in early May and last until June 22. The vaccine has already been tested on animals.
‘We have formed a preliminary group of volunteers, aged between 18 and 60, with the verified ‘healthy’ status. In other words, we have healthy volunteers without chronic conditions," Dumchenko said in an interview to the information center that monitors the novel coronavirus situation.
She said that the majority of those volunteers are Vector employees, who are involved in developing the vaccine and checking its quality.
"In the run-up to the vaccination - no earlier than one week before it - an additional health screening will be held to confirm the ‘healthy’ status and the absence of antibodies to the virus," Dumchenko added.
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 2,414,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 165,000 deaths have been reported.
To date, a total of 47,121 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,446 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 405 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-04-21--WHO envoy attributes Russia’s low mortality to control over community-acquired pneumonia

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The relatively low novel coronavirus mortality in Russia may be a result of careful control over cases of community-acquired pneumonia since the very outset of the outbreak , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) Representative in Russia Melita Vujnovic said .
`` Since the very start of the outbreak , the Russian healthcare system started monitoring mortality from community-acquired pneumonia very attentively , '' she said in an interview with the Echo of Moscow radio station published on Monday .
`` All people with pneumonia seek assistance almost immediately , and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pneumonia , including the one caused by the coronavirus , '' she said .
In her words , both ordinary Russians and the Russian healthcare system remain on high alert regarding cases of community-acquired pneumonia .
She said that this year , Russia saw less community-acquired pneumonia deaths than in 2019 and 2018 .
In late December 2019 , Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization ( WHO ) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan , in central China .
Since then , cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe , including Russia .
To date , a total of 47,121 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 3,446 patients having recovered from the virus .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 405 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. The relatively low novel coronavirus mortality in Russia may be a result of careful control over cases of community-acquired pneumonia since the very outset of the outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Russia Melita Vujnovic said.
"Since the very start of the outbreak, the Russian healthcare system started monitoring mortality from community-acquired pneumonia very attentively," she said in an interview with the Echo of Moscow radio station published on Monday.
"All people with pneumonia seek assistance almost immediately, and, possibly, this reduces mortality from community-acquired pneumonia, including the one caused by the coronavirus," she said.
In her words, both ordinary Russians and the Russian healthcare system remain on high alert regarding cases of community-acquired pneumonia.
She said that this year, Russia saw less community-acquired pneumonia deaths than in 2019 and 2018.
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.
To date, a total of 47,121 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,446 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 405 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-04-21--Trump set to temporarily suspend immigration into US amid coronavirus

WASHINGTON , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
US President Donald Trump announced his plans to temporarily suspend immigration into the @ @ @ @ @ current novel coronavirus pandemic .
`` In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy @ @ @ @ @ need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens , I will be signing @ @ @ @ @ suspend immigration into the United States ! ''
the US leader wrote in a Twitter @ @

WASHINGTON, April 21. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump announced his plans to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States due to the current novel coronavirus pandemic.
"In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!" the US leader wrote in a Twitter post.


tass--2020-04-21--Security subgroup fails to agree on new disengagement areas in eastern Ukraine — Donetsk

DONETSK , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The security subgroup of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation has once again failed to agree on new disengagement areas , the self-proclaimed Donetsk People ’ s Republic ( DPR ) ’ s mission to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination ( JCCC ) said .
On Monday , the security subgroup met via a video link-up to try to agree on disengagement .
`` We have suggested four areas - two for DPR and two for LPR [ Lugansk People ’ s Republic ] .
But the Ukrainian side ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to agree on any of the proposed areas , because none of them was proposed by Kiev .
This hampers not only the negotiations process in general , but the agreement on new areas for disengagement of personnel and equipment , '' DPR ’ s envoy to the security subgroup , Alexei Nikonorov , said .
He said that no progress was also reached regarding the text of an annex to the 2016 framework agreement on disengagement .
According to a statement by the DPR mission to the JCCC , the video conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and lasted four hours .
On Tuesday , April 21 , subgroups on humanitarian and economic missions are also expected to convene in the video-conference format .
The video conference of the Contact Group itself is due on Wednesday , April 22 .

DONETSK, April 21. /TASS/. The security subgroup of the Contact Group on Ukrainian reconciliation has once again failed to agree on new disengagement areas, the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR)’s mission to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) said.
On Monday, the security subgroup met via a video link-up to try to agree on disengagement.
"We have suggested four areas - two for DPR and two for LPR [Lugansk People’s Republic]. But the Ukrainian side’s stance demonstrates that they have no intention to agree on any of the proposed areas, because none of them was proposed by Kiev. This hampers not only the negotiations process in general, but the agreement on new areas for disengagement of personnel and equipment," DPR’s envoy to the security subgroup, Alexei Nikonorov, said.
He said that no progress was also reached regarding the text of an annex to the 2016 framework agreement on disengagement.
According to a statement by the DPR mission to the JCCC, the video conference began at 14:00 Moscow time on Monday and lasted four hours.
On Tuesday, April 21, subgroups on humanitarian and economic missions are also expected to convene in the video-conference format.
The video conference of the Contact Group itself is due on Wednesday, April 22.


tass--2020-04-21--All UN member states favor making coronavirus vaccine accessible for everyone

UN , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The 193 nations of the UN General Assembly have unanimously supported a resolution with a call to prevent speculation and undue stockpiling of the future vaccine against the novel coronavirus and to ensure accessibility of medicines and personal protection equipment .
A spokesperson for the UN General Assembly chair told TASS the resolution was adopted after a virtual discussion , without voting .
In the document , obtained by TASS , the General Assembly calls upon `` member states and other relevant stakeholders to immediately take steps to prevent , within their respective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that may hinder access to safe , effective and affordable essential medicines , vaccines , personal protective equipment and medical equipment as may be required to effectively address COVID-19 . ''
The United States was among the countries that supported the document , which , among other things , stresses the World Health Organization ( WHO ) ’ s special role in tackling the pandemic .
On Monday , the chairman of the UN General Assembly ’ s 74th session , Tijjani Muhammad-Bande , appointed his two deputies in charge of novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Croatia were appointed to the posts .
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 2,414,000 people have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths have been reported .

UN, April 21. /TASS/. The 193 nations of the UN General Assembly have unanimously supported a resolution with a call to prevent speculation and undue stockpiling of the future vaccine against the novel coronavirus and to ensure accessibility of medicines and personal protection equipment.
A spokesperson for the UN General Assembly chair told TASS the resolution was adopted after a virtual discussion, without voting.
In the document, obtained by TASS, the General Assembly calls upon "member states and other relevant stakeholders to immediately take steps to prevent, within their respective legal frameworks, speculation and undue stockpiling that may hinder access to safe, effective and affordable essential medicines, vaccines, personal protective equipment and medical equipment as may be required to effectively address COVID-19."
The United States was among the countries that supported the document, which, among other things, stresses the World Health Organization (WHO)’s special role in tackling the pandemic.
On Monday, the chairman of the UN General Assembly’s 74th session, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, appointed his two deputies in charge of novel coronavirus issues. Permanent representatives of Afghanistan and Croatia were appointed to the posts.
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 2,414,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 165,000 deaths have been reported.


tass--2020-04-21--Trump expects WTI oil plunge to be short-term

WASHINGTON , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
US President Donald Trump believes that the current decline in WTI oil prices , which traded below zero on Monday , is a short-term event that occurred as a result of `` financial squeeze . ''
`` If you look a month into the future , I think it ’ s $ 25 or $ 29 a barrel , '' he told reporters during a briefing in the White House .
`` If you take a look at it , you ’ ll see it ’ s a lot more a financial thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabia is cutting back , Russia is cutting back , Mexico is cutting back and the OPEC plus additional states are cutting back , '' the US leader went on .
`` The problem is : nobody is driving a car anywhere in the world , essentially < … > .
Factories are closed , businesses are closed .
And so , all of a sudden , we have really a lot of energy to start off with , oil in particular , and then all of a sudden they lost 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
For the first time in the US history , WTI oil prices went into the negative segment on the New York stock exchange .
By 16:36 EST ( 23:36 Moscow time ) on Monday , oil prices dropped by $ 35.97 , or 196.88 % , to minus $ 17.7 .
July futures dropped to approximately $ 20 per barrel .
OPEC+ countries finalized the deal on crude output production in May-June at an extraordinary meeting on April 12 .
The final reduction quota for two months will equal 9.7 mln @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barrels per day as Mexico assumed a smaller quota than expected .
Russia and Saudi Arabia will reduce production on equal terms by 2.5 mln barrels per day from the basic level of 11 mln barrels per day .

WASHINGTON, April 21. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump believes that the current decline in WTI oil prices, which traded below zero on Monday, is a short-term event that occurred as a result of "financial squeeze."
"If you look a month into the future, I think it’s $25 or $29 a barrel," he told reporters during a briefing in the White House. "If you take a look at it, you’ll see it’s a lot more a financial thing than an oil situation."
"It’s largely a financial squeeze," he added.
"Saudi Arabia is cutting back, Russia is cutting back, Mexico is cutting back and the OPEC plus additional states are cutting back," the US leader went on. "The problem is: nobody is driving a car anywhere in the world, essentially <…>. Factories are closed, businesses are closed. And so, all of a sudden, we have really a lot of energy to start off with, oil in particular, and then all of a sudden they lost 40%, 50% of their market."
For the first time in the US history, WTI oil prices went into the negative segment on the New York stock exchange. By 16:36 EST (23:36 Moscow time) on Monday, oil prices dropped by $35.97, or 196.88%, to minus $17.7. July futures dropped to approximately $20 per barrel.
OPEC+ countries finalized the deal on crude output production in May-June at an extraordinary meeting on April 12. The final reduction quota for two months will equal 9.7 mln barrels per day instead of 10 mln barrels per day as Mexico assumed a smaller quota than expected. Russia and Saudi Arabia will reduce production on equal terms by 2.5 mln barrels per day from the basic level of 11 mln barrels per day.


tass--2020-04-22--Trump: twenty US states getting ready to lift COVID-19 restrictions

WASHINGTON , April 22 .
/TASS/ .
US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that 20 US states are currently getting ready to lift the sanitary restrictions introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` We are opening up America again .
Twenty states representing 40 % of the population have announced that they are making plans and preparations to safely restart their economies in the very near future , '' the US leader said during a briefing on Tuesday .
He did not provide any specifics .
`` They ’ re moving along pretty quickly .
Three announced today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are going to be doing it safely , '' he said .
Last week , the US government published recommendations on step-by-step lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country .
Trump stressed that it would be up for US state governors to decide whether to lift the existing restrictions or not , as the situation varies from state to state .
According to Johns Hopkins University , there are over 816,000 documented COVID-19 cases in the USA and over 43,900 recorded deaths .
New York has reported the highest amount of novel coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

WASHINGTON, April 22. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump stated on Tuesday that 20 US states are currently getting ready to lift the sanitary restrictions introduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We are opening up America again. Twenty states representing 40% of the population have announced that they are making plans and preparations to safely restart their economies in the very near future," the US leader said during a briefing on Tuesday. He did not provide any specifics. "They’re moving along pretty quickly. Three announced today, as you know. And they are going to be doing it safely," he said.
Last week, the US government published recommendations on step-by-step lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country. Trump stressed that it would be up for US state governors to decide whether to lift the existing restrictions or not, as the situation varies from state to state.
According to Johns Hopkins University, there are over 816,000 documented COVID-19 cases in the USA and over 43,900 recorded deaths. New York has reported the highest amount of novel coronavirus cases 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 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-04-22--Over 260 deaths from COVID-19 documented in Moscow

MOSCOW , April 22 .
/TASS/ .
28 patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus have died in Moscow in the past 24 hours , with the total number of deaths from the disease reaching 261 , the Moscow anti-coronavirus crisis center informs .
`` 28 patients diagnosed with pneumonia who tested positive for the coronavirus have died in Moscow [ in the past 24 hours ] .
`` The majority of patients had pre-existing conditions , among them : hypertension , chronic bronchitis , diabetes , cancer , aortic aneurysm , '' the crisis center stated .
The crisis center @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who succumbed to the disease ranges from 30 to 93 years .
The 30-year-old man was treated at a federal hospital .
He was diagnosed with double pneumonia with subtotal distribution and a haemorrhage component .
He was also suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus , '' the message says .
`` The crisis center stresses that seniors and people with chronic conditions must strictly adhere to the self-isolation regime , '' the official message notes .
All Moscow residents regardless of their age must self-isolate at home until May 1 .
These measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movements within the city .
Starting April 15 , a digital permit is required to move around Moscow and the Moscow Region .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the latest statistics , over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .
To date , a total of 52,763 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia , with 3,873 patients having recovered from the virus .
Russia ’ s latest data indicates 456 fatalities nationwide .
Earlier , the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation .

MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. 28 patients diagnosed with the novel coronavirus have died in Moscow in the past 24 hours, with the total number of deaths from the disease reaching 261, the Moscow anti-coronavirus crisis center informs.
"28 patients diagnosed with pneumonia who tested positive for the coronavirus have died in Moscow [in the past 24 hours]. "The majority of patients had pre-existing conditions, among them: hypertension, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, cancer, aortic aneurysm," the crisis center stated.
The crisis center informed that the age of the patients who succumbed to the disease ranges from 30 to 93 years. The 30-year-old man was treated at a federal hospital. He was diagnosed with double pneumonia with subtotal distribution and a haemorrhage component. He was also suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus," the message says.
"The crisis center stresses that seniors and people with chronic conditions must strictly adhere to the self-isolation regime," the official message notes.
All Moscow residents regardless of their age must self-isolate at home until May 1. These measures were introduced to restrict people’s movements within the city. Starting April 15, a digital permit is required to move around Moscow and the Moscow Region.
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 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.
To date, a total of 52,763 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Russia, with 3,873 patients having recovered from the virus. Russia’s latest data indicates 456 fatalities nationwide. Earlier, the Russian government set up an Internet hotline to keep the public updated on the coronavirus situation.


tass--2020-04-22--WHO: number of COVID-2019 cases across globe up by over 83,000 in past day

GENEVA , April 22 .
/TASS/ .
More than 83,000 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus were registered worldwide on April 21 , or by more than 10,000 cases more than on the previous day , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) said in its daily bulletin on Tuesday .
As of 11:00 Moscow time on April 21 , as many as 2,397,216 novel coronavirus cases and 162,956 coronavirus-associated deaths were registered across the globe .
The number of confirmed cases grew by 83,006 in the past 24 hours and the number of fatalities increased by 5,109 .
Europe accounts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities - 1,187,184 and 106,342 respectively .
In the past 24 hours , the number of cases grew by 38,143 and the number of deaths - by 2,756 .
The number confirmed COVID-2019 cases in South and North America reached 893,119 and the number of deaths stands at 42,686 .
In the past 24 hours , the number of cases grew by 34,869 and the number of deaths - by 2,071 .
The Asia Pacific region , which includes China , South Korea and Japan , has 134,506 cases and 5,685 fatalities as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus cases were reported from the United States ( 751,273 ) , Spain ( 200,210 ) , Italy ( 181,228 ) , Germany ( 143,457 ) , the United Kingdom ( 124,747 ) , France ( 113,513 ) , Turkey ( 90,980 ) , China ( 84,250 ) , Iran ( 83,505 ) , and Russia ( 52,763 ) .
A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus ( previously known as 2019-nCoV ) was reported in China ’ s city of Wuhan , a large trade and industrial center with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2019 .
Since then , cases of the new coronavirus have been reported from nearly all parts of the world .
On March 11 , 2020 , the World Health Organization ( WHO ) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .

GENEVA, April 22. /TASS/. More than 83,000 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus were registered worldwide on April 21, or by more than 10,000 cases more than on the previous day, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its daily bulletin on Tuesday.
As of 11:00 Moscow time on April 21, as many as 2,397,216 novel coronavirus cases and 162,956 coronavirus-associated deaths were registered across the globe. The number of confirmed cases grew by 83,006 in the past 24 hours and the number of fatalities increased by 5,109.
Europe accounts for the majority of confirmed cases and fatalities - 1,187,184 and 106,342 respectively. In the past 24 hours, the number of cases grew by 38,143 and the number of deaths - by 2,756.
The number confirmed COVID-2019 cases in South and North America reached 893,119 and the number of deaths stands at 42,686. In the past 24 hours, the number of cases grew by 34,869 and the number of deaths - by 2,071.
The Asia Pacific region, which includes China, South Korea and Japan, has 134,506 cases and 5,685 fatalities as of April 21.
The biggest number of coronavirus cases were reported from the United States (751,273), Spain (200,210), Italy (181,228), Germany (143,457), the United Kingdom (124,747), France (113,513), Turkey (90,980), China (84,250), Iran (83,505), and Russia (52,763).
A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s city of Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December 2019. Since then, cases of the new coronavirus have been reported from nearly all parts of the world. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.


tass--2020-04-21--Donetsk’s suburb comes under shelling by Ukrainian troops

DONETSK , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The village of Staromikhailovka in Donetsk ’ s western suburb came under shelling by Ukrainian troops .
Three private houses were damaged , the mission of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People ’ s Republic ( DPR ) to the Joint Ceasefire Control and Coordination Center ( JCCC ) said on Tuesday .
`` At 20:00 local time , Ukrainian troops opened fire from armored combat vehicles at the settlement of Staromikhailovka , '' it said .
According to the DPR ’ s mission , two shells hit one house and exploded inside it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The DPR ’ s mission to the JCCC said earlier on Tuesday that twelve ceasefire violations by Ukrainian troops had been reported during the previous day .
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Donbass in 2014 , the parties have agreed more than 20 ceasefires .
The longest one of them was reported in 2016 when the ceasefire stayed in place for six weeks in a row .
However , all the efforts to establish lasting ceasefire have been failing so far .
The Normandy Four ( Russia , Germany , France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 9 called for the establishment of a comprehensive truce in Donbass by the end of 2019 .
However Ukrainian troops continue shelling of the Donbass republics ’ territory .

DONETSK, April 21. /TASS/. The village of Staromikhailovka in Donetsk’s western suburb came under shelling by Ukrainian troops. Three private houses were damaged, the mission of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) to the Joint Ceasefire Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) said on Tuesday.
"At 20:00 local time, Ukrainian troops opened fire from armored combat vehicles at the settlement of Staromikhailovka," it said.
According to the DPR’s mission, two shells hit one house and exploded inside it. Luckily, no one was hurt.
The DPR’s mission to the JCCC said earlier on Tuesday that twelve ceasefire violations by Ukrainian troops had been reported during the previous day.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in Donbass in 2014, the parties have agreed more than 20 ceasefires. The longest one of them was reported in 2016 when the ceasefire stayed in place for six weeks in a row. However, all the efforts to establish lasting ceasefire have been failing so far.
The Normandy Four (Russia, Germany, France, Ukraine) summit in Paris on December 9 called for the establishment of a comprehensive truce in Donbass by the end of 2019. However Ukrainian troops continue shelling of the Donbass republics’ territory.


tass--2020-04-21--Russian Energy Minister believes speculative traders behind collapse of WTI price

MOSCOW , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
Russia ’ s Energy Ministry believes that the fall of the May WTI @ @ @ @ @ on Monday was caused by actions of speculative traders , Energy Minister Alexander Novak told @ @ @ @ @ the collapse of oil prices of the American blend WTI occurred due to the sale @ @ @ @ @ at the end of trading session ( after April 20 , May futures are not @ @ @ @ @ ) , lack of demand for additional oil supplies in May and the likelihood of @ @ @ @ @ This caused a speculative fall of the futures to negative values , `` he said @

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russia’s Energy Ministry believes that the fall of the May WTI futures to a negative value on Monday was caused by actions of speculative traders, Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters.
"Yesterday, the collapse of oil prices of the American blend WTI occurred due to the sale of May futures on paper at the end of trading session (after April 20, May futures are not traded on the stock exchange), lack of demand for additional oil supplies in May and the likelihood of overstocking at storage facilities. This caused a speculative fall of the futures to negative values, "he said.


tass--2020-04-21--Coronavirus death toll in the Netherlands near 4,000

According to the agency , 34,134 people tested positive for the virus , including 729 infections identified in the past 24 hours .
Moreover , 3,916 people died from the virus-related complications , with 165 deaths reported in the past 24 hours .
The agency did not report the number of recoveries .
THE HAGUE , April 21 .
/TASS/ .
The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the Netherlands is approaching 4,000 , as 165 more fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours , the Dutch healthcare agency reported Tuesday .
`` Since not all people with COVID-19 are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher than it is stated in the report , '' the agency added .
The Netherlands reported its first coronavirus case on February 27 , while the first fatality was identified on March 6 .
A number of measures was imposed by the Dutch government to curb the spread of the virus .
All educational , cultural and entertainment facilities are closed until April 28 as well as gyms , cafes , bars , restaurants , hair salons and barbershops , beauty salons and massage parlors .
People are advised to stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,5-meter social distancing rule in the streets and shops as well as cancel trips to other countries if they are not vital .
All mass events are cancelled until June 1 , public gatherings of more than three people ( apart from families ) outside are banned .
Perpetrators are facing a 400 euro fine for people and a 4,000 euro for companies .
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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe .
On March 11 , 2020 , the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic .
According to the latest statistics , over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

According to the agency, 34,134 people tested positive for the virus, including 729 infections identified in the past 24 hours. Moreover, 3,916 people died from the virus-related complications, with 165 deaths reported in the past 24 hours. The agency did not report the number of recoveries.
THE HAGUE, April 21. /TASS/. The number of coronavirus-related deaths in the Netherlands is approaching 4,000, as 165 more fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours, the Dutch healthcare agency reported Tuesday.
"Since not all people with COVID-19 are getting tested, the real number is higher than it is stated in the report," the agency added.
The Netherlands reported its first coronavirus case on February 27, while the first fatality was identified on March 6. A number of measures was imposed by the Dutch government to curb the spread of the virus.
All educational, cultural and entertainment facilities are closed until April 28 as well as gyms, cafes, bars, restaurants, hair salons and barbershops, beauty salons and massage parlors. People are advised to stay home, work remotely if possible and observe 1,5-meter social distancing rule in the streets and shops as well as cancel trips to other countries if they are not vital. All mass events are cancelled until June 1, public gatherings of more than three people (apart from families) outside are banned. Perpetrators are facing a 400 euro fine for people and a 4,000 euro for companies.
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.
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. According to the latest statistics, over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.


tass--2020-04-21--More than 2/3 of Russians want to change jobs during self-isolation

The service conducted a survey with 8,500 respondents from all regions of Russia .
Out of those people , 69 % of Russians intend to change their jobs during the quarantine , while 43 % of respondents decided to find a more promising job , 18 % of respondents said they would like to change jobs , as their company may soon encounter financial and other difficulties , and 8 % of respondents realized that they don ’ t like their work .
However , more than half have not yet made any attempts for a new job , analysts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survey participants intend to remain in their current position and do not plan to change jobs during self-isolation .
MOSCOW , April 21 .
/ TASS / .
Most Russians want to change their current jobs , some plan to find a more promising vacancy , while others fear the difficulties that their employer is experiencing during the quarantine , the Rabota.ru service said on Tuesday .
Of those who are going to change jobs , more than a third ( 37 % ) are looking for any temporary part-time jobs , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change the scope of employment , and a quarter of respondents thought about a radical change in the format of work - they intend to get a new profession for working from home .
`` About half of the respondents that we asked , plan to change jobs , and have transformed to the current market realities and have already taken active steps to look for work remotely or have begun to learn new professions , '' said Yulia Sanina , HR and service development director of Rabota.ru Despite the decisive attitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 52 % ) do not yet do anything to change jobs , waiting for the end of the corona virus pandemic .
A third of respondents have already updated their resumes , and 11 % of respondents began to learn a new profession remotely .
However , decisive measures , in particular , a conversation with superiors about a possible change of position within the company , were decided only by 4 % of the survey participants .
Last week , Russian Labor and Social Protection Minister Anton Kotyakov said at a meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of unemployed Russians has increased by 44,000 to 735,000 people since the beginning of 2020 .
By now , 735,000 unemployed have been registered in the Russian Federation , and since the beginning of the year their number has increased by 44,000 people .
A year earlier , at this time of the year , 813,000 people were registered in employment centers , '' he said .
Kotyakov noted that for citizens who are losing their jobs in the current situation , additional support measures have been introduced .

The service conducted a survey with 8,500 respondents from all regions of Russia. Out of those people, 69% of Russians intend to change their jobs during the quarantine, while 43% of respondents decided to find a more promising job, 18% of respondents said they would like to change jobs, as their company may soon encounter financial and other difficulties, and 8% of respondents realized that they don’t like their work. However, more than half have not yet made any attempts for a new job, analysts say. Only a third of the survey participants intend to remain in their current position and do not plan to change jobs during self-isolation.
MOSCOW, April 21. / TASS /. Most Russians want to change their current jobs, some plan to find a more promising vacancy, while others fear the difficulties that their employer is experiencing during the quarantine, the Rabota.ru service said on Tuesday.
Of those who are going to change jobs, more than a third (37%) are looking for any temporary part-time jobs, another 34% of respondents do not plan to change the scope of employment, and a quarter of respondents thought about a radical change in the format of work - they intend to get a new profession for working from home.
"About half of the respondents that we asked, plan to change jobs, and have transformed to the current market realities and have already taken active steps to look for work remotely or have begun to learn new professions," said Yulia Sanina, HR and service development director of Rabota.ru
Despite the decisive attitude, more than half of Russians (52%) do not yet do anything to change jobs, waiting for the end of the corona virus pandemic. A third of respondents have already updated their resumes, and 11% of respondents began to learn a new profession remotely. However, decisive measures, in particular, a conversation with superiors about a possible change of position within the company, were decided only by 4% of the survey participants.
Last week, Russian Labor and Social Protection Minister Anton Kotyakov said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin that the number of unemployed Russians has increased by 44,000 to 735,000 people since the beginning of 2020. By now, 735,000 unemployed have been registered in the Russian Federation, and since the beginning of the year their number has increased by 44,000 people. A year earlier, at this time of the year, 813,000 people were registered in employment centers," he said.
Kotyakov noted that for citizens who are losing their jobs in the current situation, additional support measures have been introduced.


tass--2020-04-21--Erdogan says coronavirus-caused crisis is the biggest since WWII

`` Like the rest of the world , Turkey is waging a fierce struggle against the coronavirus pandemic .
We see that the epidemic begins to stabilize .
This epidemic has become the most serious crisis since World War II in terms of its economic consequences , '' Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish president as saying .
ANKARA , April 21./TASS/ .
The coronavirus pandemic has triggered the biggest crisis since WWII in terms of its economic effect , Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday .
He also said that `` for the first time since WWII , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the process to rebuild the world order '' .
`` Despair that the developed nations have faced , necessitates reviewing forecasts for the development of the humankind , '' Erdogan said .
The Turkish leader said that restrictive measures in Turkey will continue throughout the holy month of Ramadan that will end on May 23 .
After that , the country will return to its normal life , the president expects .
Turkey reported its first coronavirus patient on March 10 , it was a Turkish national returning from Europe .
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the country has exceeded 91,000 .
As many as 2,140 people have died and 13,430 have recovered .
According to the latest statistics , over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported .
In addition , so far , over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe .

"Like the rest of the world, Turkey is waging a fierce struggle against the coronavirus pandemic. We see that the epidemic begins to stabilize. This epidemic has become the most serious crisis since World War II in terms of its economic consequences," Anadolu Agency quoted the Turkish president as saying.
ANKARA, April 21./TASS/. The coronavirus pandemic has triggered the biggest crisis since WWII in terms of its economic effect, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
He also said that "for the first time since WWII, Ankara has got a possibility to participate in the process to rebuild the world order". "Despair that the developed nations have faced, necessitates reviewing forecasts for the development of the humankind," Erdogan said.
The Turkish leader said that restrictive measures in Turkey will continue throughout the holy month of Ramadan that will end on May 23. After that, the country will return to its normal life, the president expects.
Turkey reported its first coronavirus patient on March 10, it was a Turkish national returning from Europe. Since them, the number of coronavirus cases in the country has exceeded 91,000. As many as 2,140 people have died and 13,430 have recovered.
According to the latest statistics, over 2,484,000 people have been infected worldwide and more than 170,000 deaths have been reported. In addition, so far, over 652,000 individuals have recovered from the illness across the globe.